Week 3

This week was super different than any other week.  Greg Speck was here in Maranatha speaking and all of the teens were asked to join the adults in his sessions.  He was the best speaker I have ever heard in my life.  I walked out of each session, nine in all, with a different perspective on faith and life.  I loved him so much I bought one of his sermons.  Here's a taste of Greg Speck: "Life is Short".

Since the teens and the teen staff were all in the sessions, we didn't get to know the kids nearly as well as we otherwise would have.  This was pretty disappointing because it was an awesome group of kids! I was with the 11-14 year old girls with Melissa.  They were the most fun girls I've had this summer.  I would see them around the Maranatha campus and they would scream my name and run over to me with fun stories and jokes.  I got to know two girls particularly well and I pray that I can keep in touch with them to the best of my ability.

The week ended with a visit from Shelbye, Hannah Davis, Vivian, Eric, and Jacob.  Seeing them reminded me of what a beautiful community I am blessed with back in Clifton.  I love them so much.  And thinking over the distance and trials we have been going through recently, it's amazing that God still grows love even when we are unaware of it.  My times of catching up with both Vivian and Shelbye were wonderful.  I was able to hear about their lives and share some of my own experiences and the lessons God has been teaching me here (which is a lot, haha).

Saturday night, we were all sitting on the beach and Hannah Davis had brought her guitar with us.  The sun was setting and we were sitting in a circle, enjoying each other's company.  It was the perfect opportunity to worship God and all the He is for us - so we did.  We sang and bowed our heads to the great God who loves ALL of us and brought us together.  I think that really hit me.  The perfect timing of bringing us together in love and joy.  And He brought us together not just to worship Him and dive deeper into relationship with Him, but also for laughter and fun.  He brought us together because He wanted to bless each of us with pure enjoyment of our fellow brothers and sister in Jesus Christ.  It was freaking beautiful.

But anyway, we worshiped.  And just as it was getting dark, we sang "Your Love Never Fails" and the waves started crashing against the shore to the strums of the guitar, the wind started blowing a little harder, and the Holy Spirit was so present.  I firmly believe we all rereceived the Holy Spirit Saturday night.  After singing, we bowed our heads and prayed in thanksgiving, petition, and praise.  As we were praying, John 14:12 came to my mind: "Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."  As believers and children of God, we have received the Holy Spitit and this is such a weapon and tool that goes unnoticed.  Jesus promises us that we will do greater things that He has.  What stops us?  Fear.  Fear from within ourselves stops the Spirit from working in our lives to do greater things.
I am sick of being afraid.  I pray fear is banished from lives.  I pray that fear is no longer the thing that stops us from doing God's work and spreading His Kingdom.  Because hoenstly, what a lame excuse.


Something else that God has been teaching me can best be summarized in the book of Romans, chapter 9:

"It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God's mercy.  ...But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God?  Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?'  Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?"

I have been so focused on what is wrong with my life and the struggles that I have been enduring that I have completely and selfishly overlooked all of the beauty and blessings that are surrounding me.  I am at Maranatha, one of the most beautiful and relaxing places, with some of my favorite people, and still I choose to settle in my anger and bitterness.  That is ridiculous.  How about the fact that my Lord that saved me is GOOD?  

I was talking with Jesus last night and it hit me: I have chosen to follow Jesus and that comes with trials and suffering.  This does not mean that there will be no joy and no laughter, but this does mean that when I suffer, I suffer for a purpose.  The Lord will never let my trials and suffering go in vain.  

So now, why not meet trials with joy?  For I know the Lord makes all things beautiful.  All things worthy.  

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"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." -James 1:2-4