A Tale of Two Posts

It seems that I'm not that great at keeping up with this blogging thing yet. I'll get there eventually (though hopefully not to the point of obsession as is the case with one sister of mine...ahem...Kayla). Anyway, I have really two different events and topics but I don't want to post two times in one day because that is a little excessive. Which means that you, the lucky reader, will now receive two posts for the price of one.

Post #1: Now and Later

This post has nothing to do with that candy. It's disgusting and I hate it. That said we'll now move on to the actual topic.

Last weekend I went with a few friends from Seekers to help out with a Disciple Now weekend for Mansfield Bible Church (hence the Now part of the title). It was an awesome experience. There I was going in to be a group leader for complete strangers not knowing what age group they were or how many of them there would be. Needless to say I was a little nervous. When we got there I found out that I would be leading a group of senior high boys and that most of them were juniors and seniors. My first thought was, "These guys are pretty much my age. They're not going to want to listen to me. They don't even know who I am." Right before I got in the car with the youth intern Cody to go to my host home where the boys would meet us I found out that the other group leader who was supposed to be helping me would not be coming and that Cody would help out a little but he also had to "float" from group to group. It's at these moments that I can almost hear God chuckle and see him wink at me with a smirk that says, "Hey, you're the one who thinks he wants be a youth minister." Cody starts to tell me about the group of guys that I'll be leading. They've all grown up in the church and haven't really struggled with big things like drugs and sex. They're problems are more with the fact that the God they worship is their parents' God. They haven't taken their faith into their own hands yet. I told him that what he just explained was the story of my life. At this point God says, "See how I did that?" Well when I met the guys for the first time I realized how much a few months of college changes a person. Sure, I felt a little disconnected with these high school boys, but I also felt the maturity and capability that I've gained. The weekend was amazing. I had such a great time with those guys and they asked me if I would come back next year. I honestly hope that I can. God showed me that this really IS my purpose in life, both right now and in the future. I caught a glimpse of the joy and humility of serving God's youth.

Post #2: Looking for God in All the Wrong Places

The title is a little harsh on the other places that will be mentioned. I have felt God in those places, but not with the same clarity and assurance as the place that I'll focus on. Enough vague prefacing, on to the post.

Surrounding me were many dressed in white. They sang over and over the same praises to God their Father, King, and Redeemer. John's descriptions of heaven in Revelation are moving, but I didn't expect to find a scene that was so similar to those passages of scripture anywhere on earth. Not only did I find such a scene, but I found it in such a place that makes so much sense when I look at how God works. I'm talking about worshiping with the inmates of the prison in Middleton. This semester I have been noticing more and more that it is much harder for me to find God in the conventional places than it used to be. Now when I say "find God" what I really mean, of course, is that it's harder for me to open up to Him. Sunday and Wednesday worship at Southern Hills is good, but it lacks the power that worship used to have. Freshman Devo has gone the way that most scheduled devotionals go: worship, prayer, speaker, worship (repeat as necessary). I was excited at the prospect of Seekers performing at the prison. Most of the older Seekers said that this was their favorite performance. I was ready for God to work through me, but I didn't suspect that He had plans to work ON me. We performed and then sat down to take part in the rest of the service with the men. Seven inmates were baptized while we were there and the worship was truly a celebration. Each song that we sang was sung at least three times through, but the enthusiasm never died down. We could have sung the same song the entire night and everyone would have been perfectly alright with that. The words coming from the lips of these men were not simply meant to rhyme and flow well with the song. They were singing to the one that set them free. These men knew what it meant to be redeemed. They danced, yelled, sang, clapped, and did anything and everything to show God just how much they loved Him. That's when it hit me. God isn't about schedules and routines. God simply wants whatever we can give and He wants and deserves it all. Church was never the place to find God. He's everywhere. Inside that prison I caught a glimpse of heaven on earth and I know that there will be no greater party than the Judgment Day after party. I can't wait to praise with those men again. They already have their white clothes and they know how to worship, they're just waiting to go home.

College Life

I sit here watching Fun with Dick and Jane on the good old TBS and I think to myself, "What better way to spend my time than create a blog like my sisters."

I assume that the way to begin a blog is to describe the circumstances under which the blog was created. The simple description is that I am in the dorm and bored.

The first months of my college experience have been amazing. Despite the slightly-less-than-appetizing Bean Food (don't believe the rumors, it's still not great) and having to get used to living in the same room as another person, I have been having the time of my life. Obviously, I miss my family and friends but I know that ACU is the place for me.

The biggest change in my life has been Seekers of the Word. I don't think that I have ever felt more at home with any other group in such a short time. Throughout my experience in high school theater there was always a part of me that was dissatisfied with the program (even before politics and annoyance crept in). I see now that the piece that was missing was ministry. I now have the means to use the talent and passion that God gave me to directly serve Him. Seekers has been a huge time commitment with all of the practices and trips, but I can't think of anything more fulfilling that I could be doing with my time.

The biggest surprise in my first semester has been my increasing gratefulness for Midway. I am so thankful for the education and the level of challenge that I received there because it has made my classes seem so much easier in college. I know that my classes will get increasingly more difficult but it's nice to start out with this pleasant surprise.

Well, I have no idea if this is in any way entertaining or informative or whatever these things are supposed to provide to readers, but it's my first post so cut me some slack.