So good

I believe I have listened to this song probably 4 or 5 times today while I have plugging away at my many projects and tests.  This version specifically of this song is just filled with the presence of God: beautiful.
I don't have time to share anything else, but listen to this song my brothers and sisters!



Oh and check out this ministry:
http://passiontoaction.org
Their heart for the Father is truly inspiring.  They came on campus this whole week and I've gotten to speak with Jay and Beth and hear their stories.  It has seriously rocked my world.
If you don't have time to go to the website I will try to summarize.  They were living the American dream: big nice house, spending money on what they want and ignoring the poverty surrounding them.  They went to a missions trip to Africa with their family ( parents and four kids) and had their world's rocked.  They knew that the Africans had something they didn't: joy and life.  Even with all their stuff they were lacking the joy and life that those that had nothing had.  So they repented and asked God for direction.  He led them to live in in an RV and travel around the country to do service projects and spread the message of bringing passion to action.  Now I just met this family, but how amazing is it that their whole family is devoting their lives to serving others.  Their hearts are so pure and surrendering to Him, I just can't imagine their children not being changed in a really good and healthy way.  It has inspired me to think differently about family and about what I want for my life.

Okay so maybe I did have more to say.

-Jamie

High Five for Friday: I'm joining in

1. This song
I love You Lord
But I want to love You more
I need You God 
But I want to need You more

I'm lost without
Your creative spark in me
I'm dead inside
Unless Your resurrection sings

I'm desperate for a desperate heart
I'm reaching out, I'm reaching

All that I am is dry bones
Without You Lord, a desert soul
I am broken but running
Towards You God, You make me whole

You are exactly what we need
Only You can satisfy
-Desert Soul by Rend Collective Experiment


This song just speaks to where I am at.  I had the privilege of seeing this band play before I saw Francis Chan speak a few months ago.  They are so joyful and truly have a beautiful message to share about Jesus.  Today in praise chapel they sang this song and the whole time it was playing I was just thinking "this is where I am at." 


2: Morning Work out
I woke up and got to work out - sometimes I have to be stern with myself and say "No Jamie!  Wake up - this will be good for you."  Otherwise that snooze button will be pushed, and pushed, and pushed.  You get the point.  And as I was walking back I saw this fella...or lady...hmm not really sure.

Ya know he was just walking about and I'm waiting for him...or her to fly away.  But he just kept walking.  So naturally I started following him to see if he would fly away.  (sometimes I do this with squirrels and they skimper off right away, as do birds - so I'm thinking this guy will do the same).  And as I started following him his feet started moving a bit faster and once he did extend those wings of his, but still no flying.  Then I saw a girl running by who I like to call my running buddy.  She doesn't know it yet, but we are running buddies, because we both are in the work out center every morning at the same time.  Maybe some day I will tell her.  Anyway she runs by and is smiling and I just burst out laughing.  At that point I decided it was time for me to stop following the goose and go get ready for the day.

As I was walking back I couldn't get the smile off my face and I didn't want to.  I just knew God put that goose right there on purpose.  To be honest this past week has been heavy and I just think God knew I needed to laugh a little and he knew exactly what would get a good chuckle out of me.

3.New ear phones
I had let one of my friends borrow my ear phones that honestly are really gross.  They are old, and needed to be retired...otherwise thrown out.  Well today she told me she had something for me and she had bought me a new pair of awesome ear phones!  And they have pink on them! I felt so thought for :-).

4. E-mail from my dad
My dad and I usually talk on the phone, but we've decided to e-mail more often.  And it really warms my heart to get e-mails from him.  It brightens my day!  Thanks dad :-)

5. I have had a few small victories in my walk with God this week.
I've been able to allow myself to be where I'm at and call out some lies.  I have been able to treat myself with grace in certain situations.  I'm learning to trust him a bit more!

Happy Friday!
I know my weekend will be filled with homework, so I'm happy for this little time of rest!

Father,
thank you for the simple joys in life.  Thank you for being a part of every single moment of our lives God.  Open our eyes to see you more and more.  And help us to experiences your love more so that we can love others!
In your name Amen

WARNING: this post has some passion in it. Be aware.

Can I step up on my soap box for a minute? The youth of our nation and specifically the youth that are growing up in the church NEED to have Jesus as their foundation. They need to know that they are loved, seen, known by others but it's not an earthly love - it's a love that can only come from the heart of Jesus Christ.

On our own we can do NOTHING. We are like dust:

"For he knows how weak we are;

he remembers we are only dust.
¹⁵ Our days on earth are like grass;
like wildflowers, we bloom and die.
¹⁶ The wind blows, and we are gone—
as though we had never been here.
¹⁷ But the love of the Lord remains forever."

-Psalm 103:14-17 (NLT)

The love of the Lord remains forever - that is what I need. That is what ever human being needs. And the youth they need it. I am convicted to find that myself, to only give that kind of love and to see others do the same.

I am not talking about legalism. I am talking about caring for others by showing them what is powerful and lasting (His word) and who the love comes from (Jesus Christ).

Alright that is all. I am off my soapbox and on to bed.

Father God,

Please open our hearts and eyes to how powerful and real you are.

Show us that without you we have NOTHING and with you we have ALL THINGS.

In Jesus name

Amen

What a Priceless Gift

Can you believe it's already Easter break?! Time really does fly by. I don't have many life altering things to share, but I am in the mood to write so I thought I would post. School is almost done for the year and I will officially have one more year left of college! That baffles my mind - once again I am amazed at how fast life goes by. And in the mist of the second hand moving around the twenty four hours in a day so many things change.

Right now I have finished my first pre-student teaching experience. It was a beautiful time in my life that I won't ever forget. I have some unit plans to conquer...uh yeah. I am working at my schools phonathon to get some extra cash. This cash is to save by the way...and I am trying to stick to that. I have applied at a restaurant and hopefully I will get that so that I can stay in the cities for the summer. That way I can save up for a car! I need a car!

That's like a snapshot of the last few months of my life. Now to take a closer look in lets talk about last night. Oh last night. Yesterday I knew that we were going to a Good Friday Service with my mom and her friends, because that's something that we have been doing for a few years now. That day I had been telling God how I really wanted to just go to a service that focused on Jesus and what He did. That's it; no glitz, no glam, no distractions - just Jesus. Well God really answered that prayer and I got to experience a night of reflective worship and watch a clip of the passion. I was just in awe. I had no words, but only tears and I still feel that way. Jesus is SO good and what He has done for us is crazy. To give you an idea of what I experienced I need to tell you about the other night at the phonathon.

At the phonathon we call alumni to verify information, talk with them about Northwestern (their experience and ours) and then ask them if they would like to walk along side us financially to contribute to the northwestern fund that helps lower tuition. Am I convincing you too?! ;-P. Anyway I called this man and started out with our base price of $120. I guess he had already gotten something in the mail and in a more quite voice he said "well I was actually thinking of giving $500." ...I was in awe. I was not expecting him to give that much and I simply was grateful.

This mans giving is a speck of sand in comparison to what Jesus has done for us. But it created the same reaction in me. I see Jesus' sacrifice as something so small most of the time and I don't expect the immense gift that He has to give me. But last night I had no words - what I asked Him for was so small in comparison to what He gave me. This is just what I have been brought back to ever since last night and I pray that I would continually be brought back to it and be broken by it. His love, grace, and sacrifice...there are just no words. Someone said that what He did for us deserves our whole lives. I get that and I agree.

Loving Father
May I never stop remembering what you have done for me. May what Jesus did for me continue to change my heart, my mind and move me toward you.
Amen