God is so good.

   Ahhh!  Tonight was so amazing.  So as I posted earlier, I was asked by my staff worker (Nathan) to be a part of his talk during The Gathering for Intervaristy.  I have been so extremely nervous about it!  I spent time praying to make sure that my heart was in the right place.  All I have to say is that God was so by my side.  My nerves seemed to subside and it felt like God was guiding my speech.  It felt so awesome!  I love how God says he will always be with you....and NEVER lets you down.  I am just so excited that I did well, and hope to continue to only give the credit to God.  I also have been inspired to do more!  I hope that  many risky and scary opportunities present themselves...so I can give it all to God again.  Can't even explain my love for Him.

my walk

   So I have been asked to talk at large group, for my campus ministry, about how having an invitational community has strengthened my relationship with the Lord.  First of all, it has basically sparked my flame for God!  I was invited to Intervarsity by a friend, who I didn't know at the time, at a bus stop.  After attending the Gathering I realized these people I was surrounded by were very unique.  I ended up becoming really close with a girl, and we are now best friends.  This new friendship was so amazing to me because I never had someone who loved to talk about God and challenged me to live for Him.  Everyone in this community was so friendly and wanted to get to know you.  There were many movie and game nights that inspired getting to truly know one another.  The first beach retreat I attended was a huge moment in my walk with God.  I had only attended Intervarsity a few times and just decided to go to the beach with about 20 people I barely knew.  Best decision of my life.  This weekend allowed everyone to share their personal stories.  I really opened up to these people..who I had basically just met.  After this retreat I was hooked!  New friendships and excitement to go back and love campus was formed.  A major factor that influenced my growth with the Lord was discipleship.  Being able to meet with people to read scripture and talk about life really helped.  Another turning point for me was attending spring conference.  While at this conference I participated in the prayer track and learned new and exciting ways to connect with the Lord.  It was so awesome experience God not only working in my life, but also in our chapter.  After this conference I became very interested in prayer, and knew that God was challenging me to do something more with prayer in our chapter.  It was established that a prayer group would be formed with me and another member leading together.  This was super terrifying to me!  I didn't think I had the confidence or skills to lead something like this.  God definitely worked on my heart and has been using my strengths and weaknesses for his glory.  This is only a tiny bit of how an invitational community has helped me in my walk with the Lord.  Surrounding myself with awesome people who are on fire for God has kept me accountable and wanting to live for Him.  I am so thankful for a community that is really trying to embrace Jesus and love each other.

hope in God

   Watched a summit sermon based on 1 Peter today...and it was right up my alley.  JD talked about how we should respond when suffering or going through a hard time.  But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.  Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.  But do this with gentleness and respect, 1 Peter 3:15  God wants us to still have hope and joy in him in the midst of hard times.  He calls us to have hope in situations that will cause others to wonder how we can still be joyful!  This is a part of his master plan to use us to show the world that loving him can really change you.  I want to truly have hope in Christ and be able to be a light for him.  Breaking up with my boyfriend is going to be hard for awhile, but knowing the joy I have in God will help me.  And I want have hope during this time so others will know that God is working in me.  Sometimes the way we suffer can help bring others to salvation.  If Jesus, the perfect son of God, suffered in this world...I can only hope to do the same.

all for you

   God calls us to respond to him with self-discipline.  We have to obey his calling in order to show others that our lives are different.  Self-discipline is something that can be sooo hard.  But it has to be accomplished so that we can give God our everything by using the talents and resources we have.  I broke up with my boyfriend yesterday, because I felt that our relationship was putting a damper on mine with God.  It was one of the hardest things that I have ever done...and it will be something that I will have to continue to work on.  I hope and pray to have self discipline when it comes to wanting to push lines with him since we have dated before.  I also pray that God uses my talents and abilities to better his kingdom everyday.

in the end.

Your old life is dead.  Your new life, which is your real life--even though invisible to spectators--is with Christ in God.  He is your life.    Colossians 3:3


   I want to invite Christ into my heart so he can change everything in me.  I want to fall completely in love with Him.  I want to only rely on His love to sustain me.  He is so beautiful and gave up his life in the worst way possible for us.  I feel so petty when I can't even give up the little things in life for Him.  I want to pray more and listen to everything He tells me.  I think God might actually be giving me the opportunity to open up my life only to Him.  I think this might mean breaking up with my boyfriend..even though it is killing me to think about this.  He is a great guy and I have cried over this matter, but I know that I must suffer in this life.  I'm praying that He will understand.  

2012

   So I haven't written in forever..but it's a new year so I figured I'd get back on track.  Life has been pretty amazing the last couple of months.  Of course not perfect, but there has been some changes.  I'm doing better with the eating thing and I have a boyfriend now.  Starting to over think things since it's winter break and I have a lot of time on my hands.  Anyway, my mom got me a devotional book for Christmas!  I plan to use this to help me write and read the Bible as much as I can.  

   We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you.  Colossians 1:3

   I am so thankful for everything that God has blessed me with in this life.  I LOVE my family.  They are absolutely wonderful and fun.  God has given me many talents and I want to use them for this glory.  I have been stressing about my future lately.  I don't want to make any decisions or commitments that will get in the way of me growing closer to God.  I think this year will be a good one for my growth with God.  I just want to feel comfort knowing that He is with me.