I’m really not sure why it’s always super late when I get inspiration to write these Blog Posts, but it’s currently 2:23 AM as I’m writing this. Hard to Believe I’m writing this already… It feels like just yesterday that I was moving in (which was a stressful weekend), but in the blink of an eye, five months have flown by! While studying for finals, finishing final papers and projects, and getting ready to go home for Christmas Break, I’ve been doing a lot of reflection on this last semester and had a few specific things come to mind that I felt like sharing. To say that sophomore year has been a lot different from freshman Year would be a major understatement. In some ways, it’s been a blessing, and in some ways, it’s been hard to cope with, but I’ve seen God continue to teach me new things, and I have really learned a lot this semester that I can take into my everyday life.
The First one is the power of Prayer. This semester, I’ve had the privilege of digging deep into my prayer life personally and in community with others. At the beginning of this year, I prayed that God would open doors for me to put prayer into action, and he’s done just that! I’ve had the privilege of being on the Prayer Team for The Well, which is my favorite on-campus ministry. The Well is a simple time of spirit-led Worship, Prayer, and Personal Reflection. I get the privilege of being on a team of people who arrive half an hour before The Well starts to pray over our time together, the student body, and anything else that the Lord puts on our hearts. I’ve also had the privilege over the last month or so to be a part of our campus’s Consecration time. It’s a simple time of prayer that happens on Sunday Evenings, and we pray over our campus, any events happening that week, our leaders, and anything and everything else. On top of that, AFTER the well, this semester, I’ve had the privilege of getting together one-on-one with one of my best friends each and every week and praying with and for each other, which has meant the world to me. Not only have I got to pray physically, but I’ve got to see my prayers answered. When I prayed and asked God to open doors, he did just that. He’s so faithful, and it’s been cool to see the evidence of his goodness throughout my life.
The Next one is that no matter what we do, people will be people, and we need to love them just the same. This has been a hard one for me to grasp. I’ve been known to be a people pleaser and to try to make everybody happy all the time, and unfortunately, that’s not realistic. The only one I truly need to be trying to make happy is my Heavenly Father. I’m not a confrontational type at all, but this semester, I’ve had to work through several conflicts with different people, and although it’s been hard, I’ve really learned that we need to extend Grace, just as God extends grace with us every moment of our lives. Matthew 22:37-39 says, “Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself”. You notice in this passage it doesn’t say Love your Neighbor “Except when” or Love your neighbor “But if they do… ETC”. It simply says Love your neighbor, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. I think we often try to over-complicate things, scripture included, but I absolutely love the simplicity of that verse. It’s so simple and so precise; we just need to start living it out more often, especially with this holiday season coming up when it may become difficult.
The last one is that We always have SOMETHING to give, even when it doesn’t feel like it. I know Christmas is the Season of giving, but this has truly been something I’ve been learning throughout this whole semester. This semester, I received free financial coaching through a program my school offers. It was extremely helpful, and I learned a lot I can use in the future. One of the things they really emphasized was the idea of giving, and not just in the financial sense. As a College Student, my income is rather limited, and so I sometimes feel convicted that I can’t give more financially. I’ve really learned, though, that even if you don’t have the finances to give physical money, it’s OK, and you can still give something! One of the big things giving can mean is giving your time, talent, and effort for the Good of others. We all have God-given gifts, talents, and abilities, and I think it’s so important to use those things that he’s blessed us with to bring others closer to him! This semester, I had the privilege of serving each and every week at my Church Home here in Marion (Harvest Bible Chapel, if you are in Marion and haven’t checked it out, you definitely should!). I served with one of my brothers in Christ in the Parking Lot. Our church has grown SO much over this last year, and our parking lot is rather small, so it’s important that we have people to organize the cars so that we fit as many cars in the parking lot as possible. It may seem like a Menial Task, but to me, it’s so important because not only do I get to help show people where to park, but I get to greet and interact with people, and for new people, I get the honor of being the first person they see before they walk in the church. It’s really simple, but I can give them that simple gift of a Friendly Face, and to some people who are hurting or struggling, that can truly mean the world. So even if it doesn’t feel like it, we always have SOMETHING we can give, even if it’s something small.
As I wrap up this semester, I want to take a second to recognize how blessed I truly am with everything God has given me. I have a roof over my head, a warm bed, friends and family who Love me more than I will ever understand, and most importantly, a Heavenly Father who loves me beyond measure—a God who loves me despite my mistakes, screw-ups, flaws, and all. I hope you all have a truly blessed Christmas and enjoy the time you are blessed with here on earth with Friends and Family!
I feel the need to remind you that if you are reading this and haven’t started an Intimate, Personal Relationship with Jesus Christ, there is NO better time than now, and I would love to walk you through that if you have any questions or want to know more about what that looks like! You are loved!