God is Closer Than You Think -John Ortberg

"For starters we need to accept and embrace the unique way God created us.  Instead of following 'mass production' approaches to spiritual growth, we need to make sure that we spend adequate time and activity pursuing the pathways that most help us connect with God."

"God wants to be fully present to each of us.  But he made each of us different from one another, we are not identical in the activities and practices that will help us connect with him.  A spiritual pathway has to do with the way we most naturally sense God's presence and experience spiritual growth."

 Spiritual Pathways

Intellectual Pathway- you draw closer to God as you learn more about him.  You love to study scripture.

Relational Pathway- you have a deep since of God's presence when you're involved in significant relationships.  Small groups and other community events are indispensable.

Serving Pathway- you find that God's presence seems most tangible when they are involved in helping others.  You often find yourself making observations that help you grow, or speaking to God in ways that feel most natural while you are engages in acts of service.

Worship Pathway-  you have a natural gift for expression ad celebration. Something deep inside you feels released when praise and adoration are given voice. Some of your most formative moments occur during times of worship.

Activist Pathway- you have a high level of energy. You have a passion to act.  When you hear a story about injustice others shake their head in sadness. You are vibrating for action:"someone's got to do something!"

Contemplative Pathway- you love large blocks of uninterrupted time alone.  Reflection comes naturally to you.  You often feel like an observer in life. God is most present to you when distractions and noises are removed.

Creation Pathway- you have a passionate ability to connect with God when you are experiencing the world he made.  There is something deeply life-giving and God-breathed about nature.  You not only see God in the spectacular but trace his presence in a leaf dropping from an oak in autumn. Being out in creation opens your spirit to God.

I am definitely a creation pathway kind of person.  I LOVE hiking, camping, float trips, parks, farms... anywhere I can be out in nature is where I feel most alive and close to God! I think that has a big thing to do with why I love living in third world countries, you get to be outside all the time!  This past weekend I got to sit on my grandma's porch and just be still in nature for a few minutes, it was so revitalizing!  As the sun was setting I could see fog from the Missouri river rising over the rolling hills as I watched the kittens playing in the grass.  I began to listen to everything around me and I realized there was a lot going on, the bugs began buzzing and humming, the frogs chirped, the birds sang, a few cows mooed out in the pasture, and the grass rustled in  the breeze.  There were many creatures playing their part of the sunset symphony, and although none of them were considering the others they all played together in perfect harmony, there was  no chaos only peace.  When God is the one in control all the aspects of our lives can come together to work out perfectly.  If our focus remains only on Christ, and the gifts he has given us to use, we will become an instrument he can use in his grand symphony of life.  When we follow his conducting, letting him alone be the guide, we can live in peace as well.

Find your pathway and connect with God regularly! Then try some other pathways and maybe you'll meet God in a  way you never have before, its worth it.

Random quotes

"I imagine quitting a sedentary lifestyle is probably a lot like quitting smoking or drinking or any other unhealthy thing, in that the failures are indelibly embedded into the eventual success.  The good news in that endeavor is that you don't have to avoid every setback, you only have to succeed one more time than you fail." -Marc Parent 

 "Find your dream, seize the day,  anything else is a hellish waste of God's gift." - Some speaker at Chapel

God is Here

8:01 was awesome tonight. The worship leader has turned in his resignation and I can tell he is a lot more free in his worship now, its like a burden has been lifted off his shoulders because he took the next step God was pushing him to take.  And instead of having one person preach they pulled a Bill Hybles and brought in 4 people and interviewed them.  They were all four Christian Campus House alumni that have become pretty successful in their jobs as a teacher, lawyer, software designer, and doctor.  They all said pretty much the same thing, if you put yourself aside and seek God's work for you to do you will have real joy, its not about the money (they had either chosen to work a lower paying job than they knew they could get or chose to live with less so they could give more away) its all about the relationships and the people God allowed them to come into contact with on a daily basis.  It was really encouraging to me to see 3 guys stand up and be real about their relationship with God and show that he is real.  Like the wind, I may not be able to see God, but I can see the effects of his presence.  

    In pondering what might be next in my life I started thinking about getting a "real job" masters degree.  I mean I've had a lot of people tell me "you need something to fall back on."   But if thats not what God has for me I don't want to be the one saying hey God, I don't trust you to provide a ministry job for me so I'm going to have my own back up plan just incase I need to take things into my own hands.  I do feel pretty weird here (at SBU) I mean its like I'm getting graded on if I'm a good Christian or not and its kind of annoying.   I've always had my secular school or job and then church activities and studies outside of that and it just doesn't feel normal to not have that other half of my life right now.  Is this what the rest of my life will feel like?  I guess its just one of those ministry things you have to get used to.  I still have no clue whats next, maybe an education degree? maybe a move to Africa? only God knows.

Easter!!

I had such a great Easter break! I got to hang with pretty much all of my favorite people in the world at some point (except there were a few cousins I didn't get to see!).  My grandpa ended up going into the hospital so I got to fill in and clean and make a bunch of food so my mom could go to the hospital, it was a lot of fun even though it meant losing a few hours of sleep. Having 26 of my family members over to the parent's new house was great (the other 21 should have been there too!) And this was the weekend of my traditional royals game with my high school friends.  The Royals lost 1-6 and they didn't even score  until the bottom of the 9th! We were there to see it though, we're loyal fans even when the Royals are in their normal losing ways.  I'm so thankful for the huge family and great friends God has blessed me with, going back to Bolivar is always hard after I've gotten to be around them all.

Look Full in His Wonderful Face

...no matter where God may place us or what inner emptiness we experience, we can praise God that all is well. That is what is meant by faith being exercised in the realities of life...   -My Utmost for His Highest

This semester I've been pretty empty at times.  I've prayed for blessings I never seemed to receive, and have had to just keep going through the motions of classes and homework week after week.  But now, as I look back I'm thankful.  I've come to realize how dead I am on my own, how important my friends are to me, and how God is always working even when I don't think so.  Most importantly I think I'm starting to grasp the importance of spending time reading the Bible.  Its not just some words I can read in the mornings to give me a good feeling to start the day.  The Bible is the nutrient rich food I need to live everyday, it not only feeds my spirit, but my body and mind as well.  When I read/ think about scripture throughout the day I am a different person, I am more positive, hopeful, energetic and connected to Christ.

One of my favorite songs will always be "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus." As I'm getting ready to start a

new week I am not overwhelmed by the work load, but am at peace. As I focus on Jesus and his love,

power, and grace all the earthly stuff just seems to "grow strangely dim." I am a Christian who is a student,

being a disciple of Christ must always be the number one priority of my life, I can not let anything get me sidetracked.

How do we know what we truly glory in?

 Simple.  Glory for each of us is what were talking about.  Yep, we know what is supreme in our souls by what comes out of our mouths.  Our accumulated words in everyday conversation are the true test of our devotion and affection.  In other words, what we talk about most is what we value in our hearts... We are destined to worship, and that's what we're going to do, constantly declaring  the praise of whatever rivets the attention of our hearts.

- Matt Redman