With All the Saints

I have returned to the world of dorm room life, cafeteria food and piles of homework. 

It is far too easy to get caught up in the immediate grind of busy-ness and chaos that college life offers.  It is easy to push away people in favor of projects, to turn away heart-to-heart chats because of homework, to pass up suppertime conversations for study time.  And I know that I am guilty of this.

But I don't think that this is the way that it should be.

School is important, I have no argument against that. And to be here at school and not work hard, to not do my best or strive for excellence in my work, this would be being disobedient to the calling that I have been given.  Right now, I am called to be a student and that means striving for excellence in my work.

But I am also called to love others, to share Christ, to be an ambassador for Christ, to display and pass on the great amount of grace that I have been shown.  And for me, that means stepping out of my comfort zone at times, making a new friend instead of always eating with the old ones, seeking out places to love others, instead of being comfortable in my bubble.

Ephesians 3:17-19 says this: "So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith - that you , being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." 

"With all the saints"

Is there a saint that needs encouraging?  A saint that needs a smile or a hug? Is there a saint to whom I can communicate the love of Christ?  That they too might have the strength to comprehend the love of Christ?

This is what I am seeking after this semester.

To learn to love others.

To love God first, that I might love others.

To be in the Word, seeking His face, comprehending the depth of His love, that my love for Him would overflow, that I might pour that love on others.

I pray that you too, would sense and know His love.  That you would grow in His grace and taste His goodness.

And then that you would step out and share this gift. 

I'm Back...

It's been awhile since I posted any thought-provoking blogs, any humorous comments or silly cartoons. At first, I was just taking a break over the holidays and didn't take time to post what was going on (although there was certainly a lot happening).  Then I got completely out of the habit. 

I got to thinking the other day, though, about why it was so easy to stop writing, and why I was having trouble getting motivated to keep writing. 

And I learned a few things.

One:

The reason I blog is often to correct myself - correct my way of thinking, process something that I'm going through, or point myself in the right direction.  It's good that I do this, but honestly, it does not typically fall under the "fun" category. I think when I stopped blogging, I stopped having to "correct" myself and this is an easy option.  I've been taking the easy way out.

Two:

I think writing is one of the ways that God teaches me.  As I correct my thoughts and "talk to myself", I go to Scripture. I seek out truth.  And God uses my writing to sanctify me. So I realized that I've been missing out on that.  I've been avoiding writing because sanctification is hard.  But then I've also been "avoiding" the blessings that come with sanctification.

Three:

Sometimes, coming up with new ideas and things to write that would be interesting, apply to what's going on with me AND can also apply to others is hard.  And I've been okay with not having that hard work.  And I don't think that's okay.  I know this blog isn't reaching hundreds of people.  But it doesn't have too.  If God uses this blog to encourage even one, isn't that a good reason to write? 

Four:

I want to keep writing. I do.  I want to take the challenge and run with it and see where God takes it.  I want to blog another year and see what I learn from it.  Sometimes, I would read over my blog and learn more through a second, or third, or fourth read through than I would when I wrote it.

So friends, I'm back to writing. I'll try not to bore you with terribly long blogs (no promises, though!) and I'm sure the cartoons and random thoughts that flood my mind so often will continue to work their way onto the pages of this blog.

I pray that you will not run from sanctification or challenges, but will face them courageously, excited to see how God will mold you and shape you through each one.

And may all this be done to the "praise of His glorious grace" (Ephesians 1), because it is oh, SO glorious.  May we taste and see this grace and be absolutely blown away by it.