"On a bed of grass, a chameleon's skin turns green. On the earth, it becomes brown. The animal changes to match the environment. Many creatures blend into nature with God-given camouflage suits to aid their survival. It's natural to fit in and adapt to the environment. But followers of Christ are new creations born from above and changed from within, with values and life-styles that confront the world and clash with accepted morals. True believers don't blend in very well."
- Life Study Bible on 1 Corinthians 1.
It has been exactly ONE week now that I have been living in Brandon and I am absolutely loving it! All besides one thing... the humidity! I really do think it will be the death of me. If you know me well, you know how I am about my hair and well... humidity and my hair just don't go well together! Haha! I can just picture my friends and family laughing at me right now as they read this thinking kind of as a "she WOULD say that" type of thing. But, it's true! I think I'm reaching for a mirror to redo my hair 20 times a day. I have pretty much come to the conclusion that I need to suck it up because it will be a long hot and humid summer here in Mississippi if not!
You know what I realized? I am totally 100% unworthy to even be here! I have messed up so many times and still do and will continue to make mistakes yet, my God STILL allows me to serve Him EVERY DAY, ALL DAY as my JOB! How awesome is that?! I can tell you I certainly do not deserve to do something this great for my entire summer but, I have a GREAT God! It has been one week of just non stop serving the Lord whether it be cleaning, bible study, meetings, hanging out with students, games, scavenger hunts, fellowship, and just whatever! It has been a blast and an honor to get to serve in a ministry with such amazing people and spend 24 hours a day hand in hand with my God!
Of course my habit I was forming of going to bed about 3 or 4 every night and getting up about noon then laying out the rest of the day has gotten my sleep schedule off now that I am actually into being busy and having a job and getting every morning haha. So tomorrow I WILL be doing some sleeping in before I get too busy so that I can be caught up before I take off to camp with the middle school all next week!
I can tell you that this is one of the friendliest places I have ever been in my life! Everyone takes such good care of us even if it's just walking into a store everyone is so kind. Especially the wonderful people at First Baptist which would include the amazing family that I live with! You can tell a true difference in real genuine love and caring and when people just do things because it's expected of them and so far I have ran into very few of those type of people. Everyone has had such a genuine love and open heart even in the way they speak to you, that's when you can spot not only a truly good person but a truly good Christian because they understand the love of Christ and it just pours out of them! Being a true Christian all comes down to love and it is more than just a checklist of do's and dont's and it is more than just a religion or something to say that you are, it's kind of like falling in LOVE. Sorry Jason Gray for stealing your words but, you said it best.
Falling in love with Christ does not mean a lifetime that is empty, alone, dull, etc... it means a true constant joy even through obstacles. I love the quote "things turn out best for people who make the best out of the way things turn out." Although that has more than implications than for just this, I think it's true and I think one of the best ways to make the best out of things is to turn to God and ask Him how you can do that even when you're in a bad situation.
Matthew 6:31-33 says
"So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?' These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need"
God isn't ignorant, He made you, so I'm pretty sure He knows the desires of our hearts.
For example... For those who long to be loved by someone but are scared that living a life for Christ will push them away if they know you love God more than just saying it... don't worry. God did not program you to desire that only to leave you alone! Be who God is calling you to be and if that person cannot accept that they are undeserving of your heart but God WILL give you who He has designed for you on HIS time which is ultimately the perfect time. SEEK HIM and He will give you everything you need. Those of you who long for a man or woman who love the Lord but feel as if they are undeserving or can never be that type of person/Christian themselves, don't let Satan talk you into believing that lie. Because that's exactly who is doing it so he can turn you in his direction. God KNOWS we aren't perfect and asks us to come just as we are broken and scarred. This all can play out into much more in life other than just relationships but as a girl who talks to tons of girls of all ages every day, this is the easiest to relate it to.
To everyone who is wondering about me at home, I am completely in love with it here and where I am at! God is going to do such awesome things within this ministry and within the hearts of all of us interns! Who by the way, they are all amazing God loving people I am ecstatic to serve with! Pray God continues to pour into the lives of students at FBC Brandon and all of us interns will be flexible and open to the ways in God wants to stretch us and use us this summer!
Thank you for everyone who takes the time to read what I write! Love you all! :)
"Give me rules, I will break them. Give me lines, I will cross them. I need more than a truth to believe in, I need a truth that lives, moves and breathes to sweep me off my feet. It ought to be more like falling in love than something to believe in. More like losing my heart than giving my allegiance. Caught up, called out- come take a look at me now. It's like I'm falling, oh it's like I'm falling in love.
Give me words, I'll misuse them. Obligations, I'll misplace them. Cause all religion ever made of me was just a sinner with a stone tied to my feet. It never set me free, it's gotta be more like falling in love...It's like I'm falling in love, love, love, deeper and deeper it was LOVE that made me a believer in more than a name, a faith, a creed... falling in love with Jesus brought the change in me." - Jason Gray, More like falling in love.
- Life Study Bible on 1 Corinthians 1.
It has been exactly ONE week now that I have been living in Brandon and I am absolutely loving it! All besides one thing... the humidity! I really do think it will be the death of me. If you know me well, you know how I am about my hair and well... humidity and my hair just don't go well together! Haha! I can just picture my friends and family laughing at me right now as they read this thinking kind of as a "she WOULD say that" type of thing. But, it's true! I think I'm reaching for a mirror to redo my hair 20 times a day. I have pretty much come to the conclusion that I need to suck it up because it will be a long hot and humid summer here in Mississippi if not!
You know what I realized? I am totally 100% unworthy to even be here! I have messed up so many times and still do and will continue to make mistakes yet, my God STILL allows me to serve Him EVERY DAY, ALL DAY as my JOB! How awesome is that?! I can tell you I certainly do not deserve to do something this great for my entire summer but, I have a GREAT God! It has been one week of just non stop serving the Lord whether it be cleaning, bible study, meetings, hanging out with students, games, scavenger hunts, fellowship, and just whatever! It has been a blast and an honor to get to serve in a ministry with such amazing people and spend 24 hours a day hand in hand with my God!
Of course my habit I was forming of going to bed about 3 or 4 every night and getting up about noon then laying out the rest of the day has gotten my sleep schedule off now that I am actually into being busy and having a job and getting every morning haha. So tomorrow I WILL be doing some sleeping in before I get too busy so that I can be caught up before I take off to camp with the middle school all next week!
I can tell you that this is one of the friendliest places I have ever been in my life! Everyone takes such good care of us even if it's just walking into a store everyone is so kind. Especially the wonderful people at First Baptist which would include the amazing family that I live with! You can tell a true difference in real genuine love and caring and when people just do things because it's expected of them and so far I have ran into very few of those type of people. Everyone has had such a genuine love and open heart even in the way they speak to you, that's when you can spot not only a truly good person but a truly good Christian because they understand the love of Christ and it just pours out of them! Being a true Christian all comes down to love and it is more than just a checklist of do's and dont's and it is more than just a religion or something to say that you are, it's kind of like falling in LOVE. Sorry Jason Gray for stealing your words but, you said it best.
Falling in love with Christ does not mean a lifetime that is empty, alone, dull, etc... it means a true constant joy even through obstacles. I love the quote "things turn out best for people who make the best out of the way things turn out." Although that has more than implications than for just this, I think it's true and I think one of the best ways to make the best out of things is to turn to God and ask Him how you can do that even when you're in a bad situation.
Matthew 6:31-33 says
"So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?' These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need"
God isn't ignorant, He made you, so I'm pretty sure He knows the desires of our hearts.
For example... For those who long to be loved by someone but are scared that living a life for Christ will push them away if they know you love God more than just saying it... don't worry. God did not program you to desire that only to leave you alone! Be who God is calling you to be and if that person cannot accept that they are undeserving of your heart but God WILL give you who He has designed for you on HIS time which is ultimately the perfect time. SEEK HIM and He will give you everything you need. Those of you who long for a man or woman who love the Lord but feel as if they are undeserving or can never be that type of person/Christian themselves, don't let Satan talk you into believing that lie. Because that's exactly who is doing it so he can turn you in his direction. God KNOWS we aren't perfect and asks us to come just as we are broken and scarred. This all can play out into much more in life other than just relationships but as a girl who talks to tons of girls of all ages every day, this is the easiest to relate it to.
To everyone who is wondering about me at home, I am completely in love with it here and where I am at! God is going to do such awesome things within this ministry and within the hearts of all of us interns! Who by the way, they are all amazing God loving people I am ecstatic to serve with! Pray God continues to pour into the lives of students at FBC Brandon and all of us interns will be flexible and open to the ways in God wants to stretch us and use us this summer!
Thank you for everyone who takes the time to read what I write! Love you all! :)
"Give me rules, I will break them. Give me lines, I will cross them. I need more than a truth to believe in, I need a truth that lives, moves and breathes to sweep me off my feet. It ought to be more like falling in love than something to believe in. More like losing my heart than giving my allegiance. Caught up, called out- come take a look at me now. It's like I'm falling, oh it's like I'm falling in love.
Give me words, I'll misuse them. Obligations, I'll misplace them. Cause all religion ever made of me was just a sinner with a stone tied to my feet. It never set me free, it's gotta be more like falling in love...It's like I'm falling in love, love, love, deeper and deeper it was LOVE that made me a believer in more than a name, a faith, a creed... falling in love with Jesus brought the change in me." - Jason Gray, More like falling in love.
