I plan on co-leading 2 Bible studies starting in July on the book of Romans (so if any of you are in Quincy then, come on over! :). I've been these wonderful online Bible resources that have been SO extremely helpful in me being able to really unlock all of the truth in Gods word.. especially Romans. I have learned more about Gods grace in the past couple of days then I think I have my entire life! God is so much bigger and in control and powerful than we can even realize. Its also really started me thinking about the dichotomy of human responsibility and God's omnipotent power... something I don't think anyone will be able to fully figure out.
2. Phil Wickham
I've known about Phil for about a year now, but just recently his music has been very impactful on my life. I feel like when listening to his music you are taking a peek at deep, personal conversation he is having with his Creator that he invites us all to join in on! Hes coming out with a new CD at the beginning of September (which I CANT wait for!). He has posted a video of himself playing one of his new songs on YouTube, which has really touched my spirit and I'm sure has touched many others as well:
3. Family
This past school year has been one of the best and at the same time most difficult years that I've had in a long long time. By the end of finals week I was running on practically empty in many ways: emotionally, spiritually and ESPECIALLY physically. Though it has been tough getting over some things and readjusting to the nothing-to-do-ness of Quincy, it has been like a breath of fresh air to come and pray with my family again, tell people that I love them all the time (comfortably ;), be able to laugh hysterically at things only we think are funny.. its just been.. well its been pretty swell :)
4. My Guitar
A new passion I've discovered...
5. Sufjan Stevens
Though hes been around for a while, I've only really discovered him this year, and I am SO glad I have! He has opened me up to a whole new style of music that is truly beautiful, interesting and inspiring. Its pretty sweet.
6. Godly Pastors (and their blogs)
I have been SO blessed by many pastors I've been able to see this year. One which came to my church last week was a huge blessing in my life, his name was Adam, he pastors a church in Cashmere and head up the Rock Solid conferences. His sermon at my church was helpful in SO many crazy ways!! I'll give you some quotes from my notes on what he said, "Gods self exaltation is what is needed to root out our own selfishness. Joy is most fully experienced when God is the object of our praise, we are loved as we are lost in the wonder of God. God is most glorified in you when you are most satisfied in Him. The essence of true Christian worship is God being exalted." Here are also 10 points he had (I cant remember what the points were for... but they're still good!)1. God is after the heart 2. Without right thinking & doctrine, you cant be saved 3. Right thinking is found in knowledge & fuels worship 4. Engaging your mind is an essential factor to the greatest commandment 5. Fighting to set your mind on the things of God is evidence of Gods work 6. We are threatened terrible things if we don't exercise our minds 7. The Lord will hold us accountable for thinking wrong of Him 8. Jesus will rebuke us for thinking mans thoughts, not His thoughts 9. Without applying your mind you wont see the foolishness of man & truth of God 10. Engaging the mind is essential to over coming sin. Also another pastor that has made a big difference in my mind is Richard Dahlstrom. You can find his blog here. :)
7. Knowing talented people/Having talented friends
The amount of talented people I've met let alone been able to work with this year is CRAZY!! Alot of them being (or are turning into) some of my dearest friends
Though hes been around for a while, I've only really discovered him this year, and I am SO glad I have! He has opened me up to a whole new style of music that is truly beautiful, interesting and inspiring. Its pretty sweet.
6. Godly Pastors (and their blogs)
I have been SO blessed by many pastors I've been able to see this year. One which came to my church last week was a huge blessing in my life, his name was Adam, he pastors a church in Cashmere and head up the Rock Solid conferences. His sermon at my church was helpful in SO many crazy ways!! I'll give you some quotes from my notes on what he said, "Gods self exaltation is what is needed to root out our own selfishness. Joy is most fully experienced when God is the object of our praise, we are loved as we are lost in the wonder of God. God is most glorified in you when you are most satisfied in Him. The essence of true Christian worship is God being exalted." Here are also 10 points he had (I cant remember what the points were for... but they're still good!)1. God is after the heart 2. Without right thinking & doctrine, you cant be saved 3. Right thinking is found in knowledge & fuels worship 4. Engaging your mind is an essential factor to the greatest commandment 5. Fighting to set your mind on the things of God is evidence of Gods work 6. We are threatened terrible things if we don't exercise our minds 7. The Lord will hold us accountable for thinking wrong of Him 8. Jesus will rebuke us for thinking mans thoughts, not His thoughts 9. Without applying your mind you wont see the foolishness of man & truth of God 10. Engaging the mind is essential to over coming sin. Also another pastor that has made a big difference in my mind is Richard Dahlstrom. You can find his blog here. :)
7. Knowing talented people/Having talented friends
The amount of talented people I've met let alone been able to work with this year is CRAZY!! Alot of them being (or are turning into) some of my dearest friends
Just to name a small few:
Lisa Hammond
Moorea Seal
Blaze Bratcher
Jonathan Shaw
Taylor Neal
Speaking of Taylor Neal, there is a song of his he wrote for a music project with my school called The Kingdom and the Gospel and the lyrics at the end of the song have really touched my heart recently:
Tell Him all your grief, Tell Him all your sin
He'll give half His robe, just to wrap you in
Give Him both your hands, give Him all your heart
He'll give all His robe, to hold off the dark
If you're scared to pray, and you're fast in bed
He will pull you out, to anoint your head
If your hope is gone, and your thoughts aren't yours
He will touch your face, He will make you pure
He who made your hair, He who made your feet
He has made you whole, He has made your sheets
He will take your arm, He will strip you bare
He will take your hand, He will drees you fair
And... who can forget :)
Holly Starr
8. Friends
More like siblings... I have not realized how deeply and richly God has blessed me with some of the friendship that God has brought into my life. I feel like this year, I have seen visibly this year the kingdom of Heaven! God has shown me some of the attributes of Himself that I've never seen before through them! So THANK YOU! Thank you God... :)
9. My Cat
I know it sounds pretty ridiculous, but when you've had a pet your whole life and go without one for a while, you forget what great companions they are... iluvskippy :)
10. My Utmost For His Highest
To put it plainly, BUY IT
Here's the entry for June 19th:
"Jesus did not say to make converts to your way of thinking, but He said to look after His sheep, to see that they get nourished in the knowledge of Him. We consider what we do in the way of Christian work as service, yet Jesus Christ calls service to be what we are to Him, not what we do for Him. Discipleship is based solely on devotion to Jesus Christ, not on following after a particular belief or doctrine. "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate..., he cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:26). In this verse, there is no argument and no pressure from Jesus to follow Him; He is simply saying, in effect, "If you want to be My disciple, you must be devoted solely to Me." A person touched by the Spirit of God suddenly says, "Now I see who Jesus is!"- that is the source of devotion. Today we have substituted doctrinal belief for personal belief, and that is why so many people are devoted to causes and so few are devoted to Jesus Christ. People do not really want to be devoted to Jesus, but only to the cause He started. Jesus Christ is deeply offensive to the educated minds of today, to those who only want Him to be their Friend, and who are unwilling to accept Him in any other way. Our Lord's primary obedience was to the will of His Father, not to the needs of people- the saving of people was the natural outcome of His obedience to the Father. If I am devoted solely to the cause of humanity, I will soon be exhausted and come to the point where my love will waver and stumble. But if I love Jesus Christ personally and passionately, I can serve humanity, even though people may treat me like a "doormat." The secret of a disciple's life is devotion to Jesus Christ, and the characteristic of that life is its seeming insignificance and its meekness. Yet it is like a grain of wheat that "falls into the ground and dies"- it will spring up and change the entire landscape (John 12:24)
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