Becky lent me the book Messy Spirituality by Mike Yaconelli. I've not finished it yet but so far it's great! So many Christian books I've read or tried to read have had really good info in them but were written in a way that made me get bored and not want to read them. This is NOT one of them. I have trouble putting it down.
The part I was reading tonight was about being odd. I'm not talking about wearing funny clothes driving a weird vehicle. I'm talking about standing out from the world. It talked about being unbalanced and not being the same. Although being balanced is something many of us have striven for in our lives, the book takes a different approach. Yaconelli talks about how discipleship can cause all kinds of seemingly bad things and unbalance in our lives. When we are different from the world instead of trying to be like everyone else, we cause tension. The book states that "faith is the unbalancing force in our lives that is the fruit of God's disturbing presence."
In John 15:18-19 Jesus say to the disciples, "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you."
Jesus says that the world might very well hate us because we are different and that's ok with me. That means I'm doing what I'm supposed to. I'm spreading the gospel of Christ. I'm living out the Great Commission. I encourage all of you to be unbalanced, odd, different, hated by the world.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Poking, Prodding, and Pushing
God's been doing all three of those things to me a lot for the past couple of weeks even more than usual. He's calling me to do some things outside of my comfort zone. He's led me to make two apologies in the last few days that were long overdue. He's had me talk to people face to face that I don't know that well about helping with activities in the church. He's been pushing me to pray for those I have grudges against and to treat them with love and kindness.
All of these things are really hard for me, but I'm seeing the benefits already. God is blessing me for it already. I pray that God continues to push me even if I may complain from time to time. I pray that he offers me more opportunities to grow in Him. I pray that he helps me to have a faith that is not dead but that is alive and active. That my faith will be full of actions. That I will be set apart from the world and people will be able to look at me and say, "There's something different about her and I want to know what it is." I pray that I will be a shining light in this world of darkness for Christ. I ask these not just for myself but all those around me, all those in this world who are seeking after You so that we might show the world how amazing You are!
All of these things are really hard for me, but I'm seeing the benefits already. God is blessing me for it already. I pray that God continues to push me even if I may complain from time to time. I pray that he offers me more opportunities to grow in Him. I pray that he helps me to have a faith that is not dead but that is alive and active. That my faith will be full of actions. That I will be set apart from the world and people will be able to look at me and say, "There's something different about her and I want to know what it is." I pray that I will be a shining light in this world of darkness for Christ. I ask these not just for myself but all those around me, all those in this world who are seeking after You so that we might show the world how amazing You are!
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Update on My Life
Last week I got to counsel over at Indian Creek Wednesday through Saturday. I was very blessed while there. I had a great cabin leader with me. The girls in our cabin were great. I know three of them already so that definitely made me more comfortable. God pushed me outside of my comfort zone dealing with a couple of girls with homesickness (one of them ending up going home). The girls got along really well. I don't really know what all to say, but it was great and I can't wait to go back next year!
Saturday after all the campers were gone I took part of Lynette's senior pics. I'm still amazed at how well they turned out. I still have to edit them but most of them aren't going to require much more than cropping. After we finished taking the pictures we sat at The Special Place for over an hour talking. It was really nice.
It's been a whirlwind week since I've been back. Free meal at church was Sunday after the 20s and 30s lunch. I've been spending lots of time with Lynette and Ben. Wednesday night Lynette and I ended up at Denny's with Seth, Becky, and Thomas. Thursday and Friday night I hung out around Vincennes with Lynette, Ben, and Ben. I'd forgotten how much fun just playing around could be. The first night we went to The Memorial followed by Taco Chicken and Wal-Mart. The next night we again met at The Memorial but this time we went to Denny's and then Gregg Park. Swinging is fun. The four of us ended up sitting in the bed of Lynette's truck for over an hour talking, maybe even close to two hours. I'm not really sure since both Lynette's and my phones died.
Today I got to spend all day with Lynette again. It's been really fun spending all this time with her. Some might say that we have too much fun together. I'm so thankfully that God gave me such a great best friend!
Saturday after all the campers were gone I took part of Lynette's senior pics. I'm still amazed at how well they turned out. I still have to edit them but most of them aren't going to require much more than cropping. After we finished taking the pictures we sat at The Special Place for over an hour talking. It was really nice.
It's been a whirlwind week since I've been back. Free meal at church was Sunday after the 20s and 30s lunch. I've been spending lots of time with Lynette and Ben. Wednesday night Lynette and I ended up at Denny's with Seth, Becky, and Thomas. Thursday and Friday night I hung out around Vincennes with Lynette, Ben, and Ben. I'd forgotten how much fun just playing around could be. The first night we went to The Memorial followed by Taco Chicken and Wal-Mart. The next night we again met at The Memorial but this time we went to Denny's and then Gregg Park. Swinging is fun. The four of us ended up sitting in the bed of Lynette's truck for over an hour talking, maybe even close to two hours. I'm not really sure since both Lynette's and my phones died.
Today I got to spend all day with Lynette again. It's been really fun spending all this time with her. Some might say that we have too much fun together. I'm so thankfully that God gave me such a great best friend!
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