Rocks in the Pocket

Today we all went to Chelsea's house (Shelty's dog house). It was bittersweet in that Shelty was leaving the Bay and moving back to Nebraska but Bethany was coming home from Haiti and Allison, Shelty's roommate from last year, just got engaged.

We had a grand ole time playing hand and foot, the new game Keener taught us, making cookie dough, taking fun pictures, and playing nertz. The best part of the night for me was when we had a much needed Jesus time.

     We talked about carrying the burdens of one another. We read Mark 2, the story of how Jesus heals the paralytic. The four friends had so much faith and love for their paralyzed friend that they carried him to Jesus, dug a hole into the roof, and lowered him down.Verse 5 says "When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." The obvious hero in this passage is our course Jesus who has power to forgive sins as well as to heal people, that's why He's God. But taking a closer look, it was when Jesus saw the faith of the friends that healed the paralytic. They cared so much for their friend that they literally carried him to Jesus. These friends were probably the ones who took care of their friend - feeding, changing, and tending to his daily needs.

     We each took small rocks and wrote our initials on them. Going around in a circle, we each shared something that has been a burden on us this summer or an anxiety for the coming year- represented by the rock. We then threw our burdens into a pile and picked up the burden of another. We then spent a good amount of time in prayer. What a blessing it is to talk to our Father that like in the midst of my closest friends. I am going to try to remember to keep my rock in my pocket for at least the next week. Every time I feel it, I will pray for my person and it's also a reminder that I am being prayed for, which is definitely encouraging. We could all use it. 

Blessing of the day: that I have friends who are broken like me and help me carry my burdens.

I am blessed with God-loving friends.

Right now, I am filled with the joy that only God can give. I am so thankful for my friends, specifically the ones at home, many of whom I have known since the days of pokemon, and plus tallies. We have become a family which supports each other, prays for one another and desires to see each one follow the path that God has laid for us.

We have the light and love of Christ inside of us. How we express his love to others is up to us. We don't show His love in the same way. It's obvious that God has given us different strengths and talents so we can further His kingdom, it wouldn't make sense for all of us to have the same gifts. Because of these gifts, we show God's love to others in different ways. Some maybe more empathetic so they can minister to others emotionally; others still maybe more hospitable so they can minister to people's physical needs of food and shelter. The picture above is a reminder that we all have light but how God uses it to benefit His people is different.

I was also reminded how different we all are yet how we all fit together like a big, happy puzzle.It amazes me to see how God is working in all of our lives in such different ministries that work together to build up the body of Christ. I Corinthians 12. One is ministering to girls in a very secular sorority, another is the RA for girls in a Christian university, some are working in youth ministry (junior high, high school, and media) , another college fellowship. God has placed us in such different areas yet we are all working together to spread the love of Christ. How cool is God that He can do that.

Matt and Kim came back from a two week trip to Haiti. It was so awesome to hear how God was working through their team. Kim was working with orphans and children teaching them the love of Christ in the tent city. Matt was on the discipleship team; his stories are evidences of how God is working in the lives of his followers. It is also really nice to have part of our family back. One of our sisters, Bethany, is still in Haiti. Please pray for her.

 We made tikka masala, played nertz, devoured mango pudding and a huge pazookie, sang Happy Birthday to Kim, and took crazy/amazing pictures. amen.

Nick took all these gems.

Blessing of the day: this one is obvious: my friends who love God and seek to put him first in their lives.