1Thes 2:8 We loved you so much we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our own lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.
I believe the Lord has done remarkable things in my life in order that I may share it with others for His glory...so here we go.
The Lord's providence has been all over my whole life. And I mean my WHOLE life...but I'll start at age 8. When I was 8, my aunt and uncle so lovingly blessed me by sending me to Kanakuk a Christian athletic camp. That was the summer I first heard the Gospel. This was the same summer my two year old brother passed away. Divine providence one, I heard the Gospel, the promise that this life is not the end just a week or so before my precious brother went to be with the Lord. Thank the Lord I had those promises to hold tight to in that dark time.
The summer between 6th and 7th grade, my aunt and uncle again, obedient to the Lord's calling to love and pursue me offered to send me to a private Christian school. As if middle school isn't hard enough, I had to leave the only friends I knew, in my most awkward stage of life, and go make new ones...BUT THANK JESUS I DID. Two friends come to mind. Amanda and Lauren. In 7th grade, Amanda was very intent on inviting me to her youth group until it became an every Sunday and Wednesday thing. This was where I learned what worship was, where I truly learned what a relationship with Jesus looked like...Thank you for this Amanda! After awhile and drama that tends to happen in Christian community (because we are all broken) the youth pastor I SO looked up to left the church...it crushed me and I began to feel left out and more discouraged than filled with joy and restoration that I had once felt when coming to church. I shared this frustration with my precious friend Lauren and she urged me to come to her church...after a lot of struggling and praying, the Lord moved me there...once again change...I don't like change.
Focus weekend (kind of like a lock in retreat) was a weekend that happened shortly after I started going to church at Southern Hills.This was a weekend of healing and deepening of relationships, a weekend of sharing how important we were to one another...this weekend was preparing our hearts for what was to come within a few short weeks. This weekend gave me community and friendships...more like family to love ans support and mourn with when Lauren went to be with the Lord. This weekend gave me a family not only to mourn with, but to share joy filled stories and laughs to heal our broken hearts. It amazes me when I think back to that weekend, how much all of us needed that time before what was to come next. Thank you Jesus for loving us so much to give us this sweet time with Lauren and each other.
When college came, I was frustrated I was going to a Community college while everyone else went to big four year colleges. I felt like a loser. I had no friends my first semester and fell into some pretty intense depression. This gave way to me depending on the Lord more...learning to delight in His friendship. Psalm 37:4 became true in my life, I learned to delight in the Lord, and second semester he gave me the desires of my heart. He gave me God fearing, loving, lifelong friends. Second semester is when I found the BCM and met some of my dearest friends. It is also where I met my roomate for when I did move on to a 4 year college. Oh how thankful I am for her...I would have been so lost without her those first semesters. Her and I hopped aboard the struggle bus to find Christian community and after a lot of disappointment, we found where the Lord wanted us, the community He wanted us to work hand in hand with in reaching our campus.
With this community, I went on a spring break trip. On this trip a man spoke of his ministry in OKC in a breakout session my roomate went to, she told me about it, I went to the meeting, and the Lord called me. Thank the Lord she went to that breakout session. I went that summer...once again knowing no one...and had to make new friends...and I say again...this is terrifying. NEVER in my life have I known such community in Christ (haha no pun intended because our church is called Christ Community) but for real. The people I met that summer still make me stand in awe. Their Spirit filled lives is such an encouragement to me and I cannot wait (although I know I am where I need to be right at this moment) to start the next chapter of my life working hand in hand in loving God's people with them.
The next step for me is to trust that the Lord will do this again. Like I said His divine providence has always been over my life, and in finding a job after graduating will be no different. He has always provided me with the job I needed at the time. The biggest one being at the Cafe on campus I work at now, where I have met some of my dearest friends, and the Lord shown me love and pursuit through allowing me to love others despite my brokenness. IF HE DID IT BEFORE, HE'LL DO IT AGAIN. Although I do not know what the future holds I know that our God is faithful.
I believe the Lord has done remarkable things in my life in order that I may share it with others for His glory...so here we go.
The Lord's providence has been all over my whole life. And I mean my WHOLE life...but I'll start at age 8. When I was 8, my aunt and uncle so lovingly blessed me by sending me to Kanakuk a Christian athletic camp. That was the summer I first heard the Gospel. This was the same summer my two year old brother passed away. Divine providence one, I heard the Gospel, the promise that this life is not the end just a week or so before my precious brother went to be with the Lord. Thank the Lord I had those promises to hold tight to in that dark time.
The summer between 6th and 7th grade, my aunt and uncle again, obedient to the Lord's calling to love and pursue me offered to send me to a private Christian school. As if middle school isn't hard enough, I had to leave the only friends I knew, in my most awkward stage of life, and go make new ones...BUT THANK JESUS I DID. Two friends come to mind. Amanda and Lauren. In 7th grade, Amanda was very intent on inviting me to her youth group until it became an every Sunday and Wednesday thing. This was where I learned what worship was, where I truly learned what a relationship with Jesus looked like...Thank you for this Amanda! After awhile and drama that tends to happen in Christian community (because we are all broken) the youth pastor I SO looked up to left the church...it crushed me and I began to feel left out and more discouraged than filled with joy and restoration that I had once felt when coming to church. I shared this frustration with my precious friend Lauren and she urged me to come to her church...after a lot of struggling and praying, the Lord moved me there...once again change...I don't like change.
Focus weekend (kind of like a lock in retreat) was a weekend that happened shortly after I started going to church at Southern Hills.This was a weekend of healing and deepening of relationships, a weekend of sharing how important we were to one another...this weekend was preparing our hearts for what was to come within a few short weeks. This weekend gave me community and friendships...more like family to love ans support and mourn with when Lauren went to be with the Lord. This weekend gave me a family not only to mourn with, but to share joy filled stories and laughs to heal our broken hearts. It amazes me when I think back to that weekend, how much all of us needed that time before what was to come next. Thank you Jesus for loving us so much to give us this sweet time with Lauren and each other.
When college came, I was frustrated I was going to a Community college while everyone else went to big four year colleges. I felt like a loser. I had no friends my first semester and fell into some pretty intense depression. This gave way to me depending on the Lord more...learning to delight in His friendship. Psalm 37:4 became true in my life, I learned to delight in the Lord, and second semester he gave me the desires of my heart. He gave me God fearing, loving, lifelong friends. Second semester is when I found the BCM and met some of my dearest friends. It is also where I met my roomate for when I did move on to a 4 year college. Oh how thankful I am for her...I would have been so lost without her those first semesters. Her and I hopped aboard the struggle bus to find Christian community and after a lot of disappointment, we found where the Lord wanted us, the community He wanted us to work hand in hand with in reaching our campus.
With this community, I went on a spring break trip. On this trip a man spoke of his ministry in OKC in a breakout session my roomate went to, she told me about it, I went to the meeting, and the Lord called me. Thank the Lord she went to that breakout session. I went that summer...once again knowing no one...and had to make new friends...and I say again...this is terrifying. NEVER in my life have I known such community in Christ (haha no pun intended because our church is called Christ Community) but for real. The people I met that summer still make me stand in awe. Their Spirit filled lives is such an encouragement to me and I cannot wait (although I know I am where I need to be right at this moment) to start the next chapter of my life working hand in hand in loving God's people with them.
The next step for me is to trust that the Lord will do this again. Like I said His divine providence has always been over my life, and in finding a job after graduating will be no different. He has always provided me with the job I needed at the time. The biggest one being at the Cafe on campus I work at now, where I have met some of my dearest friends, and the Lord shown me love and pursuit through allowing me to love others despite my brokenness. IF HE DID IT BEFORE, HE'LL DO IT AGAIN. Although I do not know what the future holds I know that our God is faithful.
Love this. Thanks for sharing your heart :) so true.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kara!
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