Box Blown

Yesterday was a really awesome project day. Being our second to last, we had packed it pretty full of events from 9:30 AM to 9 PM. Closing Ceremonies for LT is coming up in two weeks, and every project is asked to either make a music video or do a live performance (dance) to a song. Naturally, our project is doing a love performance because we are just that cool. We spent a good three hours in the auditorium (courtesy of one of our members who works for A/V) practicing our awesome moves. It was so tiring, but it was a blast because we all are pretty horrible at dancing.

Later that night we babysat for Harvest House, a shelter community for women. There were only 8 kids and 17 of us, so it was more fun than stressing. They seemed to have a lot of fun and one of the kids asked later as we were leaving, "You don't have to leave, do you Bearclaw?" (That was the name on the back of my shirt)

Later that night I had the most awesome conversation with some project peeps about the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts. We just talked about our experiences with it, and read some really cool passages about how God wants to use the Holy Spirit in our lives. It was more encouraging than I can describe and I really was pumped up for the next semester at A&M to see the God move in crazy ways. I've been getting sick again, and I asked for prayer at the end, and during our prayer time I felt my sinuses clear up really quickly. Ever since then, I've felt tons better and I praise God that it happened so miraculously. I was bummed that I was getting sick again, but I was reminded of the passage where Jesus is asked who's sins caused the blindness of a man. Jesus replies that no one's sins caused it, yet he was blind so that God's glory be revealed. (John 9)

I feel that whole chapter to be very encouraging in a lot of what I go through with sin, it's effects, and much of my past experiences.

Also something I gained from last night is a prayer that I will now be praying often over everything in life. It's based on Habakkuk 1:5: "Look at the nations and watch—and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told."

Amen.

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Personally....

I realized that it has been well over half a month since I last updated, and that is a monstrosity! (Well, until I think about how much I detest writing and how much motivation I need to start) Consequently, I decided to do a personal update on God's work in my life, not just something general, like project group.

To address issues I mentioned earlier on, I have been growing considerably in leadership ability and confidence. At the close of the semester in May, I was not desiring to lead a homegroup (small groups at my church in College Station) at all (at least for noble reasons other than pride). God has grown me in both passion and ability to lead this summer, and now I want to lead in what ever way God will lead me in the coming, albeit few, semesters at A&M. LT is sort of a non-ideal environment, because you rarely experience the pressure cooker atmosphere that makes LT LT. Everyone here is excited about Jesus and ready to work on relationships. Strong relationships are made almost effortlessly and are more often than not, mutual. Two years ago I was shocked by coming back from LT and experiencing the real world again without warning, and this time I will be duly prepared.

In reading our book TrueFaced, I was surprised how much I got out of it. It was kinda cheesy and repetitive, but God used it to speak to me in many ways. I was telling a friend that God is trying to curb my pride by changing me with such a cheesy book. But anyways...I've gained a lot of heart knowledge (by which I mean genuine acceptance of truth embedded in belief, not mental acquiescence)about how God sees me. I realize that I have been attempting to gain the titles that have already been given to me by grace: blameless, without condemnation, pure. I have such a great feeling of God's acceptance of me and that He is proud of me at every moment, no matter what I'm doing. For a long time I felt that God could be disappointed with us from time to time, and I felt that He was disappointed with me most times. Yet if God sees Christ in us by grace, then He is never disappointed in us, for He is never disappointed in Christ.

I've also been growing in transparency and vulnerability. I see this being a spin-off consequence of me feeling God's loving acceptance of me. Next Tuesday I will be giving a "My Story" at the LT service, which is basically a 5 min blurb on how God is moving in you this summer in a specific area. This will be quite a step for me and is very scary. Please pray for confidence and my reliance on God's power to be perfected in my weakness as I share.

On a finishing note, our project is getting closer than ever and I am enjoying greatly the unity and awesomeness we have. I made origami wolves for everyone and, of course, had to take photos:


We also got tshirts (designed by yours truly):



We only have 3 more project days and 4 weeks left! We're in the homestretch and sad the end is so nearly approaching. Please pray that we can all look forward to our semesters and set good, healthy goals using what God has taught us in our respective campus ministries.

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