Now We're Back to Our Regularly Scheduled Programming
Remember that time I was blogging regularly? Well, my life got too good to step away from, even if for a moment. San Diego Destino Summer Project ended with me living with 2 of my disciples, having late night antics and deep-heart life chats until 3-4am, leading me to sleep deprivation and 7th heaven... the weird expression, not the cheesy show. It also lead to me thinking EVERYTHING was hilarious. Seriously, for 2 weeks I giggled every time I heard Celine Dion sing, which was often because I Pandora-ed the crap out of her because it gave me the giggles. I had amazing weekends filled w/unexpected Beatles symphonies on a marina with fireworks, Cinderella carriage rides, coffee shop Jesus times, California cuisine, and a lot of fun. I wish I could adequately explain how amazing this summer was, but I'm way too caffeinated to sit at a computer that long. So, I'll give you a few highlights of things the Lord has been teaching me this summer:
1. At the beginning of project, I prayed that I'd fall deeply in love with Jesus. To be honest, I wanted it but I didn't do much to proactively grow in His love...no week-long fasts, no in-depth Bible studies over His love...I just asked that He would help me. And it wasn't until a couple days before project was over that I realized, I was in love with Jesus. It wasn't because of my effort, either. He simply pursued my heart...He woo'ed me, He sought me, He spoke to me. And I realized how "off" I've gotten in my thinking. You don't force yourself to fall in love with someone. You let yourself be the object of their desire, and I saw more clearly than ever that the Lord desires to pursue His beloved. I just respond to His advances. So freeing! Makes me tear up when I talk about it!
2. In a similar vein, I don't have to do it all! Seriously, I put so much pressure on myself to be the best _____. I want to write myself in everyone's life stories. "And then Bridget came along and changed my life." Or, "Bridget led this project that changed my life." See a theme? Me! It's all about me! But in understanding God's role and His love, I started to really understand that He alone changes lives, pursues people and builds His kingdom. And as I grasp who I am in Him and all the spiritual blessings that come along with that, and that I am HIS inheritance that He looks forward to enjoying FOR-EV- (classic Sandlot reference...if you heard it, you can be sure we're friends), I can let go of my own identity and agenda and exchange it for a far better one...HIS! My theme this year...scaling back and trusting God for more! Hold me to that. He is increasing my faith and helping me let go of finding identity in what I do.
3. I struggle with anxiety more than I EVER realized. I'm learning to cast anxiety on Him and resist the urge to do things in my own strength or to stress. Freeing, but true confessions, I'm struggling w/feeling anxious that I'll be anxious this upcoming year. This is how far it goes, people:)
4. I really, really, really love talking with people about Jesus. The past 4 days I've met up with supporters, students, and random people along the way and have been SO refreshed and encouraged by the challenging, thought-provoking, and simply edifying conversations I've had.
5. I'm really loved. And blessed.
I left a summer of leading a first-ever summer project with more energy and more refreshed than I cam in. The only way that was possible is Jesus. He showed up in HUGE ways and it makes me all the more excited as I think about the upcoming year. I'm convinced He wants to do something greater than I could ever ask or imagine. Which is so cool because I have a pretty big imagination.
So there you go.
Random thought for the day:
I feel like people that wear contacts are the most mysterious of all. One day they pull out glasses and you realized you didn't know them as well as you thought you did. Must be cool.
1. At the beginning of project, I prayed that I'd fall deeply in love with Jesus. To be honest, I wanted it but I didn't do much to proactively grow in His love...no week-long fasts, no in-depth Bible studies over His love...I just asked that He would help me. And it wasn't until a couple days before project was over that I realized, I was in love with Jesus. It wasn't because of my effort, either. He simply pursued my heart...He woo'ed me, He sought me, He spoke to me. And I realized how "off" I've gotten in my thinking. You don't force yourself to fall in love with someone. You let yourself be the object of their desire, and I saw more clearly than ever that the Lord desires to pursue His beloved. I just respond to His advances. So freeing! Makes me tear up when I talk about it!
2. In a similar vein, I don't have to do it all! Seriously, I put so much pressure on myself to be the best _____. I want to write myself in everyone's life stories. "And then Bridget came along and changed my life." Or, "Bridget led this project that changed my life." See a theme? Me! It's all about me! But in understanding God's role and His love, I started to really understand that He alone changes lives, pursues people and builds His kingdom. And as I grasp who I am in Him and all the spiritual blessings that come along with that, and that I am HIS inheritance that He looks forward to enjoying FOR-EV- (classic Sandlot reference...if you heard it, you can be sure we're friends), I can let go of my own identity and agenda and exchange it for a far better one...HIS! My theme this year...scaling back and trusting God for more! Hold me to that. He is increasing my faith and helping me let go of finding identity in what I do.
3. I struggle with anxiety more than I EVER realized. I'm learning to cast anxiety on Him and resist the urge to do things in my own strength or to stress. Freeing, but true confessions, I'm struggling w/feeling anxious that I'll be anxious this upcoming year. This is how far it goes, people:)
4. I really, really, really love talking with people about Jesus. The past 4 days I've met up with supporters, students, and random people along the way and have been SO refreshed and encouraged by the challenging, thought-provoking, and simply edifying conversations I've had.
5. I'm really loved. And blessed.
I left a summer of leading a first-ever summer project with more energy and more refreshed than I cam in. The only way that was possible is Jesus. He showed up in HUGE ways and it makes me all the more excited as I think about the upcoming year. I'm convinced He wants to do something greater than I could ever ask or imagine. Which is so cool because I have a pretty big imagination.
So there you go.
Random thought for the day:
I feel like people that wear contacts are the most mysterious of all. One day they pull out glasses and you realized you didn't know them as well as you thought you did. Must be cool.
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