I LOVE LAMININ!

Sorry I've been absent lately. School and life have kind of taken over. I wanted to share a few of the verses, thoughts, youtubes, quotes that have been impacting me. This is a random assortment of influences and thoughts, so bear with me. 

We serve a big God.

An awesome God. 

A mighty God.

A God that works through flawed people like you and me.

And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. -Hebrews 11:32-34

My prayer lately has been that God would increase my view of Him. I think we (especially in Western cultures) tend to put God in a box. A box of our preconceived notions and understandings about Him. We try to constrain the Almighty God so we can "get" who He is. When really-I think one of the most awe inspiring aspects of God is that He CANNOT be contained. He's the creator of the universe. He's the GREAT I AM. I'm learning and growing and praying that my faith in the author of the world would grow. That I could be counted with the heroes of the faith who walked boldly into fire knowing that the GOD WHO IS had their best in mind.

The molecular biologist that made my night was via a talk by Louie Giglio. Enjoy.

So many quotes/stories/opinions from recent conversations with my 180 kids, connection group, friends, legislation changes,  etc. I'm just overwhelmed with what else to even share. More soon.

Are you a Freshman?

Hello friends.
It's been almost a month.

I survived round one of exams. I'm enjoying my classes (well, some of them). The being back in school thing is entertaining--most people think I'm a freshman. I think it's the long hair and being in mostly freshman/sophomore classes. The sophomores haven't seen me before so they assume I'm a freshman. I just take it as it is. The best was a standing by the bus conversation with a guy from one of my classes. He was telling me how people think he's 17 all the time etc, working on getting the sympathy vote. I kind of smiled and said, oh-yeah, sometimes that happens to me too.
Him: Oh-yeah. You're a freshman, right?
Me: No.
Him: Junior?
Me: eh, it's complicated.
Him: long pause...how old are you (emphasis on the OLD)?
Me: 24.
Him: whoaaaa.
Oh freshman boy...you're funny.

I still cheer for Purdue. Only Purdue. 

I've starting helping with 180, the Junior High ministry at Cornerstone Church. Volunteering there has been SO MUCH FUN. Highlights have been a 6th grade lock-in, learning a morale dance, and eating chocolate cupcakes (see previous post) with my 7th grade girls. I'm getting to pour into Jr Highers (and see if that really is the age I want to teach someday) and meet a ton of other people around my age that are serving as well. I'm in a connection group with other leaders and am thriving with going deeper with these new friends.

The Lord has been reminding me of his goodness, provision, and faithfulness. Loving me through new friends and my family. Smiling down on me with sunny days. Speaking through his word.

So to my friends that wanted to know, how's Iowa? It's great. It's really really great. 

He leads...ALL the way

God has a funny way of boldly speaking to me through words and music.

Tonight at I heard a rocking sermon by Halim Suh on Faith being birthed by God's call. He was teaching from Genesis comparing the life of Abraham and Sarah to humanity as a whole. Using the example of the barrenness of Sarah and original lack of faith by Abraham--and God's CALL to Abraham to believe. How when God speaks, there is action (Genesis 1: God calls light out of darkness, and there is light). Then with Sarah's barren womb, there is darkness and no hope YET God creates life and fullness through giving them a child. Halim then probed deeper to what God called Abraham to: leave all human security. Leave your country, leave your people, leave your Father's house-God is calling Abraham to TRULY see GOD as his security. Find his self worth in God and God alone. To find true citizenship in heaven, find true adoption as a son of the Most High, faith that HE is the one true security. 

Wow. Again, he continued about the call to Faith that embraces God's promises from afar. How Abraham was called to the land that god WILL SHOW HIM. Notice: the destination that God is leading him to is not a specific geography. God is calling him simply to TRUST. Sounds familiar. Gosh. Being called to trust and obey without seeing the whole picture--because if we demand the whole picture, we deny the requirement of faith to believe in what is not seen.

After the sermon, we got up to worship again. We sang the Chris Tomlin version of All the Way My Savior Leads Me. Man. It messed me up. I'm going into this phase of life--not knowing what's next, not having a job, a big old question mark in front of my very being. I'm going somewhat boldly into change, yet I still doubt. The lyrics "how could I doubt his tender mercy"--seriously?! How do I doubt this great God? How am I ignoring the faithfulness of this God throughout the Bible? Why do I think that He will not be faithful to lead me? Check out the lyrics and song:

Another quote from the sermon that resonated (Halim got it from a John Piper Sermon): 

" Every joy will have its limits. Every fruit its bruise. Every relationship its disappointment. Every service its critic. And every birth and wedding its nearby funeral. Hebrews 13:14 takes up the very thought of Abraham's faith: 'Here we have no lasting city.' Everything breaks. Everything ages, spoils, rusts. Only God remains unchanged and glorious. "

Yes. GOD REMAINS UNCHANGED AND GLORIOUS! He is trustworthy. He is deserving of all of my worship, all of my trust, all of my heart, all of my being. I pray that I can CLING to the Lord and the fullness of his promises in this season, and every season of my life. May this song resonate within my very soul. That I will live like a redeemed child of God whose citizenship is in Heaven and not earth, whose Father is eternal and unchanging, whose joy is based on the finished work of Christ and not myself. That it will be said of my life that Jesus led me ALL THE WAY.