Oh My God Shine Your Light On Us...

I just returned from NW Austin Younglife Leader Retreat, and lets just say it was rejuvenating. My spirit feels rested and prepared to start showing up, and begin pursuing kids at the High School, where we offer Younglife. During our time of worship, Andy Baxter lead music for us in his interactive style of worship. He posed the question to us through song, "Why did you have to runaway." These simple words struck me, because Jesus offers us a life 10,000 times better than we could ever fathom, yet we as Christians constantly forget this and fall away from his Holy Presence. If we do not stay in constant communication with our Father in Heaven and daily die to ourselves we will never live the life Jesus had dreamt us to live. I was sobered by the our talk this weekend that Jesus could come back to Earth any day, and at any time. I need to remember to live each day as if Jesus were coming back. What urgency we would live with, if we could only rememeber that. I pray that I live my life each day as if Jesus were coming back for us. The parable in Luke 15 talks about the prodigal son, and after squandering his inhereitance, he comes home to his father. The scripture says that his father saw him walking home in the distance, just as if he watched for him every morning. During his talk, our speaker posed the question, "what would it look like if we waited for Jesus every morning and just looked out to the East wondering if today will be the day he returns".

 

 

Reflection...

It's my last day of the break, and I will be driving back to Austin today for school. This break gave me exactly what I needed to relax, and redevot myself to the Lord. Looking back at my busy schedule in the fall, I am amazed that I survived everything, HOWEVER without my Fathers encouragement I would have given up. I was constantly thinking semester, what can I give up? Something in my schedule has to go, but what? I have school, work, Younglife, sorority, volunteer, small group, and the list goes on, but I realized there is nothing I can give up. God gave me this busy schedule for a reason. He didn't lead me to join groups and missional communities just to quit, no he is faithful to me. Not once did he leave me during the semester, no matter what was going on, I knew he was there supporting me. He provides me with that kind of Peace that transcends understanding.

 

"As long as you focus on Me, you are safe. If you gaze too long at the myriad problems around you, you will sink under the weight of your burdens" Jesus Calling

 

Now i'm just sitting and reflecting over the christmas break I just spent in Houston... I'm realizing

from a worldly standpoint it appears that I did a lot of nothing over the break, (since I didn't spend christmas skiing in Aspen or New Years at a party with 100 friends) but from an eternal outlook, I spent precious time with my family and my Heavenly Father. This is exactly what I need to be rejuvenated and prepared for this next semester, and all the trials and triumphs He has laid out ahead of me. I just pray that I stay strong in my faith this semester, and that I never loose sight of the things that are truly important.

 

Remember...

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" Philippians 4:13

"For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

 

Fruits of the SPIRIT

I had a great small group discussion about the fruits of the spirit, where we actually drew out our interpretation of the scripture... such a great lesson! Galatians 5:22-24 & John 15:1-7!!!