the last couple of days i have been processing the fact that it seems like we have this tendency to lean into God and to be so much more prayerful when there is some sort of pressing need or worry or concern...
in the last month cailyn and i have decided that we feel like God is calling us to seel our house, and so we are currently working through the final details of getting the house on the market, and it is certainly a stressful time to say the least...and with it comes a desire to worry for sure.
and in that worry, i find myself praying much more than i typically do. and i know it is good that i am praying about it, but what i have really been thinking about is what does this say about my prayers in the rest of my life. shouldn't i have that same connection and urgency to connect with the Creator of the universe all the time. not just when i feel like i need something???
i want to be seeking out a constant connection that brings an insane intimacy...not just when i feel like i have need....because God did not die so that i could use him...that, i am sure of...
i definitely don't know what this all means yet...and i am not totally even sure what my next step needs to be, but i do feel like God is putting some thoughts in my path, and for that i am thankful!
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Friends...One of God's Greatest Blessings...
i taught this past week at dig on relationships: us with others, and it was one of those lessons where afterwards i realized that it had a lot to speak personally to me.
i talked about the model of relationships that Jesus had: the crowds, the 72, the 12, and the inner 3...and about how we need to strive to have a similar model in our own lives. we also talked about what our role needs to be in each of these types of relationships...
and God has really shown me some amazing things in the past week. i feel like He was calling me to grow and change, especially when it comes to "the 12" and "the inner 3". that i needed to be more intentional and that i needed to invest more and be more vulnerable in those relationships...
and over the past few days, God has given me opportunities to go deeper with my friends, to be vulnerable, to hold each other accountable and to really take steps to grow to what i believe is much more of what He desires...
and yeah...i still have many ways that i need to grow in order to truly be like Christ...
but it has been so good...and i am reminded that life is so much better when it is shared with friends in truly, meaningful, Godly relationships...
it makes me excited to continue to invest and strive and grow and be challenged to see where God might take things...
i talked about the model of relationships that Jesus had: the crowds, the 72, the 12, and the inner 3...and about how we need to strive to have a similar model in our own lives. we also talked about what our role needs to be in each of these types of relationships...
and God has really shown me some amazing things in the past week. i feel like He was calling me to grow and change, especially when it comes to "the 12" and "the inner 3". that i needed to be more intentional and that i needed to invest more and be more vulnerable in those relationships...
and over the past few days, God has given me opportunities to go deeper with my friends, to be vulnerable, to hold each other accountable and to really take steps to grow to what i believe is much more of what He desires...
and yeah...i still have many ways that i need to grow in order to truly be like Christ...
but it has been so good...and i am reminded that life is so much better when it is shared with friends in truly, meaningful, Godly relationships...
it makes me excited to continue to invest and strive and grow and be challenged to see where God might take things...
Friday, February 13, 2009
Nothing Like a Little Quiet Time...
so i was thinking this morning about how crucial it is for me to get some solid time with God in the morning before i get into the rest of my day...
to have some time to simply sit, and be quiet, and to talk with Him and allow Him to talk to me has nothing short of a monumental impact on the rest of my day...
and yet it seems so often that i forget that and that so often if find the idea of a few more minutes of sleep to be so much more exciting. and so this morning was just a really good reminder for me in that. a great reminder of what is really important and what, without a doubt, gets my days started out the best...
i just pray that i can continue to remember that more and more!
to have some time to simply sit, and be quiet, and to talk with Him and allow Him to talk to me has nothing short of a monumental impact on the rest of my day...
and yet it seems so often that i forget that and that so often if find the idea of a few more minutes of sleep to be so much more exciting. and so this morning was just a really good reminder for me in that. a great reminder of what is really important and what, without a doubt, gets my days started out the best...
i just pray that i can continue to remember that more and more!
Friday, February 6, 2009
A Uniquely Individual Need...
as i get more and more one-on-one meetings and what you might call "counseling" under my belt, i am realizing more and more just how non-formulaic it is...
i am realizing that with just about every student there is a different type or style of need to be met. with some students they are really looking for spiritual growth and help moving to a deeper relationship with God...while other students simply need help processing through challenges of life.
and then within those categories, there seem to be a plethora of sub-categories that exist...
i am realizing that i need to strive to understand more and more what these differences are and how they play out and even how i recognize them and what approaches are needed for each type. in some ways, it is a very challenging realization...but in other ways, it is a simplifying realization because i feel like it helps me to take progressive steps in being able to help these students...
i am realizing that with just about every student there is a different type or style of need to be met. with some students they are really looking for spiritual growth and help moving to a deeper relationship with God...while other students simply need help processing through challenges of life.
and then within those categories, there seem to be a plethora of sub-categories that exist...
i am realizing that i need to strive to understand more and more what these differences are and how they play out and even how i recognize them and what approaches are needed for each type. in some ways, it is a very challenging realization...but in other ways, it is a simplifying realization because i feel like it helps me to take progressive steps in being able to help these students...
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