Worst Blogger Ever...

I know, I know. It's been forever. So much has happened. Oh well, c'est la vie.

I don't want this semester to be over, because that means I am halfway done with college (undergrad anyway). That is gross. Anyway, since it is the end of another semester I figured I would make a list of things I've learned. A top ten list of course.

10. Disc golf is amazing. I don't know how I lived happily before I started playing this sport. It is so much fun. I have made several new friends who I play with a lot. I also enjoy just going out and playing a round or two alone. It's a sport that allows for a lot of meditation.

9. Time management is hard when you become more like Hannah Anderson. I was more involved this semester than I have ever been in my life. Here is a list of all the things I have been involved in (some of these were not all semester long but they sure do make the list look impressive): Officer for Seekers, Creative team member for Seekers, Bible Departmental Chapel planning committee, Minter Lane Youth Volunteer, Minter Lane Worship planning committee, Tutor, Intern for Hillcrest, ACU for Abilene Planning Committee, and had a social life. Busy but awesome.

8. I care a lot less what others think of me. Now I am still aware of others' feelings and do not offend people if I can help it. I have simply begun to be myself instead of the person others want me to be. I don't care if people find out I don't care about sports. I write poetry. I have also come into my own faith more. I do not have to live out my faith the same way as you and that's fine. It's made life a lot simpler.

7. Complaining is for losers. I still complain from time to time, but I try hard not to. People around me always complain about chapel, homework, jobs, etc. Welcome to life. Sometimes we have to do things that we don't necessarily want to, but life is about more than us.

6. My God loves me right now. For the longest time God's love was conditional in my mind. I didn't actually form that thought, but I saw it in the way I treated faith and how I treated others. I focused on my own and others' flaws instead of looking past that stuff to who they really are. I used to treat a relationship with God like it was something that came and went with how holy I was. Now I see that He is with me now, He was with me yesterday, and He will be with me tomorrow.

5. Greek is great. I love it! I have started carrying my Greek NT with me whenever I go to church or a bible study, not to criticize or point out mistakes, but just for me. It gives me a chance to apply my love for languages to my faith. It has been great to be able to share that passion with God whenever I want. Next year I'm going to be taking Hebrew and I cannot wait for what God has in store for me through that and my continuing Greek education.

4. "Garbage in, garbage out" is more true than I ever thought. At a retreat that Seekers performed at this semester one of the speakers gave the standard "get rid of bad music, movies, etc." pep talk. I have heard so many of those in my life and never once listened. So I tried it. I went back to my dorm and did a deep cleaning of my iTunes. That meant deleting a lot of things that I had paid for. That meant giving up watching a lot of junk that was entertaining, but also filthy. Since then, I have noticed that my outlook on life is better, my attentiveness to God has greatly increased, and I am generally less self-centered. The correlation between all of those may not be direct, but suffice to say my garbage intake has been severely reduced.

3. Working with youth is what I love. Even at the times that I am frustrated with church, school, and life in general I always look forward to spending time with the Hillcrest youth. They are a great bunch of kids and in the short time that I have worked with them I have learned so much. I look forward to sharing more of my life and my faith with them and I know that they have so much to teach me. God has blessed me with skills and passion that I am getting to put into practice in new and challenging ways. I love it!

2. Passion is a gift from God. We have a tendency to think of God's will in terms of duty and obligation, but I have come to see that the desires of my heart were given to me by God and the things I have a passion for often help me to grow closer to Him. I love to write, and He speaks to me through my writing. I have a passion for youth ministry and He works through me. Doing what you love is not only healthy, but a part of God's plan for you (unless what you love is stealing things or something).

1. There will never be enough time to do everything you or anyone else wants you to do. I have had to decide between two or three things to do on a daily basis. This used to bother me, but this semester has taught me that it is okay to not do EVERYTHING. I am one person and can only do so much. As long as I do what I do well and with Christ in mind and heart, I'm good.

Well, there you have it. Another semester down.

Until next time, may you be continually reminded of God's love for you. May you come to accept and love yourself the way that God does so that you may love others the same way. May you enjoy life for the blessing that it is. Be cleansed by Christ, filled with the Spirit, and close to God.

Blessings,
Matt