It's the little things

I read my bible today...and I enjoyed it!

It is amazing to think that I get to touch, see, and take in the Holy word of God.

I also had a chai latte,

talked with a good friend/mentor from NWC,

sent out a package,

went to H&M with one of my roomies and got $10 jeans,

did homework,

had a yummy sandwich from the cafe express, and

had some kashi cereal, with blueberries and almond milk (I'm allergic to dairy :-( )

I would say the first one is the best (reading my bible)...but I mean chai lattes..they're pretty good too. Just Kidding, Jesus is a lot better than chai lattes.

Chai lattes are pretty good though...but they gave it to me in a cup that is for warm drinks...it is just not the same people, so I stuck my straw through the opening - you can't drink an iced chai without a straw.

Truth

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

-Philippians 4:8

This semester I am taking three bible classes, and that makes me happy. The LORD is giving me a hunger for His word and it makes me very excited. PRAISE HIM. I am taking a class called Christian Thought, where we are learning about using our minds, and how beneficial and vital this is to our walk as believers. We are reading a book called Love the Lord Your God With All Your Mind. In this book Moreland talks about training our minds and how our generation does not value this: otherwise known as Anti-Intellectualism. This class is really humbling for me, because for most of my life I have done the work in school to get the grade rather than to learn. And reminding me that in order for me to fight the lies I must train my mind because I am transformed by the renewing of my mind (Romans). I know because I am such an emotional person I need to have truth rooted in me, so that even when my emotions change my anchor is set. I am very blessed to go to Northwestern where I can discover what truth is. Sometimes it is hard, because it is school work and that for me becomes a chore. But, when I am living in the present moment and seeing how awesome it is to be studying the bible, asking the hard questions, and being challenged in my beliefs by my professors I see this school work as a great joy.

It seems that each of my semesters has had a theme to it based on the classes I have or am taking. I would call last semester "A cultural awakening of passion," because all of my classes were helping me find out what I was passionate about in education and I saw my heart for children of culture. So far this semester I see a theme of "Filling my mind with what is true." I am so sensitive to what I see and hear. In my past I watched so much television and I was subjected to media more than I ever would have wanted to in hindsight. Now I believe this is a season of renewing my mind and filling my thoughts and eyes with things that are good, pure and lovely.

I'm interested to see what Papa has for me, and I deeply desire to obey Him for He is good and very gracious. This is what I see so far in one little nugget of my life. My fellow bloggers...there is just too much to write about. I hope this post has made you think and encouraged you -- fix your thoughts on what is true, that is what I'm going to try to do!

-Jamie

Divine Interventions

The Lord has been very thoughtful and loving towards me. He has set many people in my path to be an ear to listen, a voice to pray, a hand to hold or simply arms to embrace me.

He has brought these divine interventions through conversations, not having to eat dinner alone when I thought I would, a glass of water, just the right amount of money to send out packages, a note from a friend and friends that are going through similar troubles and can relate to me and pray with me.

He Is Faithful

"My hope is in you God, I am steadfast, I will not be moved, my anchor is never shaken, all my hope is in you...

I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love,

for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul. You have not handed me over to my enemies but [you] have set me in a safe place.

- Psalm 31:7-8

I will exalt you, Lord, for you rescued me. You refused to let my enemies triumph over me. O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you restored my health.

-Psalm 30:1-2

He's bringing hope to the hopeless, giving his heart to the broken, sharing his home with the orphan, he is the joy, he is my joy, he is the hope of the nations, the fathers heart we're embracing, he is the song we're declaring, he is the joy, he is my joy."

- Hope's Anthem by Bethel Live

...I'm not saying this is easy, I'm just saying that this is how I'm seeing God work - what I'm going through is actually really difficult - God is SO good in it. I want to have a thankful heart and become like the God I worship.