Seek Me and You Will Find Me

I had the amazing blessing of spending last weekend on a personal retreat. A friend's family was very kind in allowing me to use their beach house. It was definitely a needed, refreshing and nurturing Heavenly Father/daughter weekend. There is truly nothing like getting away from the noise and distractions to allow you to hear God's voice and see His work in your life more clearly. At a couple points in the weekend though I became rather confused as to why it didn't seem like God was saying much....Although I didn't expect to receive all the answers I wanted in neat little packages, I was expecting to experience God in ways I hadn't before... That's definitely something about God... sometimes He gives what I'm asking but its not in the package I'm expecting... The beach was empty as far as I could see so it was just me, God and the sunrise. (something I experienced in Hilton Head last summer and wanted to take advantage of while I had the chance) I began asking God why I hadn't felt He was saying much... Almost instantaneously I heard something not too far off shore.....




Dolphins hunting for breakfast. They're such graceful, beautiful, peaceful animals. I was caught still for a few minutes just watching them. As I stood there I felt God say one of most clear things He had since I arrived. "What do you mean I'm not speaking? I brought you here to see something you loved as a little girl" He knows me. Inside and out. He knows what touches my heart and makes me feel closer to Him. Dolphins were my favorite animal growing up and here I was watching God's private display for me of His beautiful creation.
I felt badly for questioning Him about not meeting with me as I'd hoped. But he was.... He was right there beside me treating me to such an undeserved glimpse of His beauty. God's always with me. Its just a matter of opening the eyes of my heart to see His fingerprints all around me...

Finding Purpose

You put me here for a reason
You have a mission for me
You knew my name and You called it
Long before I learned to breathe

Sometimes I feel disappointed
By the way I spend my time
How can I further Your kingdom
When I'm so wrapped up in mine

In a blink of an eye that is when
I'll be closer to You than I've ever been
Time will fly, but until then
I'll embrace every moment I'm given
There's a reason I'm alive for a blink of an eye

And though I'm living a good life
Can my life be something great?
I have to answer the question
Before it's too late

Cause in a blink of an eye that is when
I'll be closer to You than I've ever been
Time will fly, but until then
I'll embrace every moment I'm given
There's a reason I'm alive for a blink of an eye

If I give the very best of me
That becomes my legacy
So tell me what am I waiting for?
What am I waiting for?

In a blink of an eye that is when
I'll be closer to You than I've ever been
Time will fly, but until then
I'll embrace every moment I'm given

In a blink of an eye that is when
I'll be closer to You than I've ever been
Time will fly, but until then
I'll embrace every moment I'm given
There's a reason I'm alive for a blink of an eye

In the Blink of an Eye -- Mercy Me

Jer 29:11
Rom 8:15-17

SummerLINK Reunion Weekend/Homecoming

Last weekend was homecoming at Clemson and the much-anticipated SummerLINK reunion weekend!!! Admittedly, I wasn't as good as I should have been with the camera this trip! Thankfully, Liz and Brandy were a bit better about documenting our time together. Activities began on Friday evening with dinner at Jeremy and Liz's house. The CP group I attended during my senior year was held in their home so its quite familiar and enjoyable to be back particularly surrounded by such cherished brothers and sisters. Jeremy and Liz were the SummerLINK Director and Assistant Director for the first half of the summer before the staff left the program to the students. It was wonderful to also have the Gainors with us. Gray is the Connections Pastor at Crosspoint Bluffton. He and Brandy practically adopted all of the students especially helping providing oversight to the program after the staff left. Our student leadership were awesome in keeping things running so smoothly! They really did handle everything very well. It was great though to still have Gray and Brandy there to give guidance. They were such a blessing in their obvious eagerness to make us feel welcome in the church and with their family. Gray's interns were given the added blessing of spending a bit more time with Gray, Brandy and their children. I've learned so much from them about public ministry and the ministry of a Godly home. All the Linkers greatly enjoyed our time getting to know them more and being reunited with them over the weekend.
Saturday was Homecoming so we gathered for a tailgate with BCM (Baptist Collegiate Ministry) and the game against Duke. I ended up taking all my pictures at the tailgate and game. It was a good thing though as I was distracted visiting with everyone :)

Myself, Meredith and Ashley

Two of my disciplers :) Becca (Summer) and Tara (Sr yr)

Myself, Ashley and Becca

My and Laura's girls picture with a special appearance by Jon haha

SummerLINK Roommies!!! I miss sharing a room with this sweet sister!

31-7 Go Tigers!! :)

One of my favorites haha Heath is making a joker face and Emily is trying to give him
distance bunny ears. (I was distracting Jason and Nick from watching the game haha )

Two of our Generation Link staff guys: David (youth) and Jon (college)

Our University President, James Barker, carrying the Clemson flag!
He ran it down the stands right to the student section!!

Saturday evening, we all had dinner at Just More Barbecue. Its definitely a Clemson experience. I never went as a student (I know....bad tiger! :( ) so it was also a new one for me. Here's Brandy's pictures and thoughts on the evening :)
On Sunday, we had a luncheon after church to invite college students to hear about SummerLINK (summer missions opportunities) and GenerationLINK (year-long opportunities). There was a great turnout! We're so excited to watch God bring together next year's team of student staff to serve with Crosspoint Bluffton and Crosspoint Clemson.
I got the opportunity to stay a couple of extra days in Clemson to meet with my discipler, Amy and attend my old CP group. It's always a treat to get more time with my church family. I leave the time so refreshed. The visit went by quickly but it was wonderful to see so many wonderful friends.
I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving. God Bless!

Fireproof

It doesn't mean the fire wont come, just that you'll be able to stand up against it when it does....

Mom and I went to see FireProof today. This has to be one of the best movies I've seen in awhile! To me, it was a visual depiction of so many things I've been learning about relationships in the last year. Crosspoint has been such an amazing blessing in providing theologically sound counsel on what God-honoring relationships should look like. I've also been blessed to spend time with some of the married women in the church. They and their husbands exemplify these God-honoring relationships. I'm so thankful that the church loves its members enough to make the spiritual health of couples and families a priority.Another great resource that's been a blessing to me recently is a sermon series from Mark Driscoll at Mars Hill church. Peasant Princess has been a blessing of incite into what individuals who desire a God-glorifying relationship should be striving for.
I've heard on a couple of occasions that the characteristics and attributes of a Godly wife and mother arent granted at the end of the aisle or in the delivery room- they must be cultivated over time. So even though the movie is focused on a marriage and the sermon series does mainly address married couples, there is so much so singles to learn as well. Relationship strains are so often caused by some sort of sin or selfishness. God's been so gracious in working on me in this area. My boyfriend, Matt, and I have been learning so much about what it means to glorify God and serve one another in a relationship. Of course, I'm in no way saying we have it figured out! Growing closer to the Lord as we learn together has been such a humbling blessing. I'm looking forward to how He'll continue to grow us as He reveals more of Himself and His plan for our sanctification.

Staff Retreat

Last week, I had the opportunity to join the Generation LINK Staff for the fall retreat. We went to Columbia to hear Dr. Robert Coleman speak about his book, The Master Plan of Evangelism. The book discusses Jesus' ministry on earth and how we should be following His example of evangelism now. The staff very much enjoyed the opportunity to hear Dr. Coleman speak and discussing the topic as a staff as well.
Something that stood out to me relates to the importance of Evangelism. Dr. Coleman said that without Evangelism (which cannot be entirely separated from Discipleship), the church does not exist in future generations. The Master Plan of Evangelism concludes with an also convicting truth: our aim as disciples turned disciplers and evangelists should be that those we disciple would also take on this great responsibility. "The criteria on which a church should measure its success is not how many new names are added to the role nor how much the budget is increased, but rather how many Christians are actively winning souls and training them to win the multitudes."
"Note, it is not enough to rescue the perishing, though this is imperative; nor is it sufficient to build up newborn babes in the faith of Christ, although this, too, is necessary if the firstfruit is to endure; in fact, it is not sufficient to just get them out winning souls, as commendable as this work may be. What really counts in the ultimate perpetuation of our work is the faithfulness
with which our converts go and make leaders out of their converts, not simply more followers."
Even though it is good to share with others and help bring them into a life-changing relationship with Christ, it should not stop here. We should strive to train disciples so that they are equipped and desire to do the same ensuring that the message does not stop but spreads through the nations.

Here are a few pictures of the staff's time together.

This was Davids car after driving through the Kneece's farm. We had a great time touring the farm and wooded property nearby. We even got to pick some wild cotton. The boys really enjoyed seeing some of the large farm equipment. The girls did well on our mini outdoors adventure taking in the beautiful surroundings.

We took a few group pictures as its not often we're all able to be together. Annie is now working in Bluffton and a couple of the Clemson staff members are still support raising.

Generation LINK Staff 2008-2009

Generation Link Men:
Associate and College Pastor, Jeremy
Ronnie- Worship Leader, Tanner- Music Ministry
Jon- College Ministry
David- Youth Ministry
Matt- College Ministry, Pastoral Assistant
Generation LINK Ladies:
Tracey- Women's Ministry, College Ministry
Ashley- Preschool, Media
Annie- Children's Ministry, Crosspoint Bluffton
Tara- College Ministry
Amy- Mercy Ministry and Children

I'm so thankful for such a wonderful staff team! Each member clearly seeks to serve the Lord out of an overflow of their hearts. I've learned so much from them and I'm greatly looking forward to serving with them.

Safe and Sound

My family and I are back home after a good visit to Virginia. Thank you for the prayers and concern for my grandmother. She's home from the hospital and seems to be gaining strength. They didn't do the Stent due to some risks associated. Currently, they're working on addressing her diabetes and some other issues with medication. The past few days have been spent learning the routine of testing blood sugar, monitoring vitals, physical therapy etc. My uncle will be with them for the next few days. After that, the lady who's been helping them around the house for awhile now has agreed to increase her days and hours with them. She works for a company that provides in-home care for many of their needs such as housework, driving to appointments and shopping and overall looking after their well-being. We got to meet her while we were there and shes a delight. She's very knowledgeable, attentive and clearly wants to serve them. We all feel much more at ease knowing things are calming down and settling into a good routine. Thank you again for your prayers and well wishes! 

Prayer Requests

Hi everyone :) 

As many family and friends use this site as a medium to keep up with whats going on and how they can be praying for me, I wanted to share a couple of requests: 

My grandmother is currently in the hospital after being admitted over a week ago with difficulty breathing and a lung infection. She has made some encouraging progress as she no longer has a breathing tube and they're preparing to release her after a procedure in the next couple of days. What you can be praying for is that there are a couple of highly blocked arteries to her heart (one 90 and the other 100) The doctors do not consider it wise to operate mainly due to her age. What they have elected to do is insert a Stent to hopefully relieve some of the blockage in the more open artery. My parents are currently there with my grandfather to help out when she comes home from the hospital. I'll be traveling to join them in the coming days. Please pray for safe travel for everyone as my family prepares to gather to support her recovery. 

The other request is about support raising. Although God has been so faithful to use this time to grow me and pursue my heart so passionately, I am also a bit discouraged at the slow pace of the process. I really long to be back at Crosspoint diving in to the ministry there. I know God's timing is perfect and He will reveal his plan as He deems me ready to carry it out. I'm praying that I'd be receptive and willing in any way He directs. I still feel at peace with this path I'm just unsure as to how it will all come together. Please pray for the provision of contacts who would be excited to hear of what God's doing at Crosspoint and to help me make other contacts who would do the same. 

I know my faith is being stretched and my God is always in control. It is still difficult though to press on when at times it feels that the place of my calling and where my heart is is so far out of reach.  It reminds me of the Christian life. How often do we get homesick in this temporary place? We are not meant to be comfortable here. We're made to long for more. I pray I'd be dilligent to seek God's heart on what He wants to teach me and how He wants me to grow during this time not missing anything He has for me. Though too, I pray I wouldn't be satisfied. Instead, always giving my best, preparing to be where He's called me: Clemson and ultimately Heaven. 

Thank you so much for your prayers! They are so desperately needed and appreciated!

Celebration and Refreshing Fellowship

Last weekend, I got to make an extended visit to Clemson. I was in town from Fri-Tues and the whole visit was incredibly refreshing! I truly cherished the time spent in fellowship. God also used the trip to confirm some things He's been speaking to my heart. I returned so refreshed!
Here are a few pictures from the long weekend:
Soccer game against MD. Tigers WON!



My accountability partner, Meredith and our friend Susan. :)
Opportunities to spend time with wonderful brothers and sisters are becoming all the more precious as these cherished friends prepare to follow the Lord's calling for the next seasons of their lives.

Each evening I was in town, I got to do something special with friends. I played my first game of Frisbee Golf on campus with Matt, Nick, Lindsey, and Meredith. I definitely need a lot more practice but I had a great time getting introduced to the game. The best part though was spending a couple of hours walking campus with good friends.



Unfortunately, I don't have pictures of the rest of the trip but that's mostly because I was so occupied enjoying the time! On Sunday, I enjoyed corporate worship and the college discussion series. It's always SO good to be home with my church family. Everyone has been so encouraging and genuinely excited to have me there. It's so uplifting to see how much everyone (most of all myself!) is excited for me to be there full time. I really can't wait to be in town for more than a visit!
The activity that evening was ice cream to celebrate our friend Anna's acceptance to Med school! We spent some time at Spill the Beans, a popular ice cream shop/hang out place downtown, then went to Matt's for a game of ImaginIff with some other friends. Game nights have become a fun way to spend some quality time with friends. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed playing Mafia and Apples to Apples together at Matt's birthday party during my last visit and another game night we had last semester is still talked about!
On Monday and Tuesday, I visited with some of the ladies from church that I respect very much. It was wonderful getting to sit down with them, ask questions and glean what I know is God-given wisdom. Time with them is always so meaningful!
One of the special treats of the visit was getting to stay a couple of extra days to go to my old CP group on Monday evening. It was so wonderful to share in fellowship and study with this group again! The group has grown and changed a bit since I attended. There were still quite a few familiar faces though and I really enjoyed the time with them. They're currently studying Humility by CJ Mahaney. The chapter was on starting the day focusing on God. A point Pastor Mahaney makes was such a great reminder of intentionally setting our eyes on the cross. The author asks how much time we spend listening to ourselves versus talking to ourselves.
I also got a few minutes to speak with our Associate Pastors wife, Liz. She and so many of the church staff have been so understanding and encouraging through this support raising experience. She took the time that evening to ask me how I was doing and to give some encouragement and advice. I've really loved how God is using this season in my life to grow me and to show me He's never left my side. One of the ways I've seen this is that my church family has been so lovingly diligent to uplift me in prayer and make sure I know I'm not alone.
It was hard to leave Clemson the next day but God even used the ride home as an opportunity to encourage and uplift me. A suggestion Pastor Mahaney poses in Humility is to seize the commute. Use time you know you will have each day to invite the Lord to speak to you. God has been so faithful to meet with me in the time I seek to spend with Him and to move my heart when I have neglected to offer enough.
God was clearly working on my heart throughout the weekend to show me how to apply things He'd been teaching me and to give me the encouragement I need to persevere through trials.

Refreshed by Living Water

Hearing the rain on my window reminds me of something a classmate said freshman year: he enjoyed the rain because it reminded him of cleansing and renewal. The rain washes things away and promotes growth. It got me thinking about the symbolism of water in the Bible. When God chose to cleanse the earth of a great amount of wickedness, He used flood waters (Gen 6&7). Noah's ark was a symbol of what Christ would do for us. The ark had one door just as there's only one way to heaven: through Christ. The people He created to glorify and fellowship with Him betrayed Him yet God didn't completely destroy the earth. He made a way for saving grace. Believers Baptism is a literal symbol of being "washed by the water", reborn in Christ.
Jesus spoke to a woman at a well about "living water" that eternally sustains. (John 4: 7-15)
There are so many references to the spiritually cleansing, restoring and sustaining aspects of water. Its amazing and humbling how much our God understands us. He uses examples our human minds can grasp to help us see His majesty and perfect plan.
After living at the beach for the summer, human appreciation of beauty became even more real to me. In college, one of my favorite stress relievers was to take a walk on campus especially in the evenings or on a calm weekend afternoon. I was especially drawn to the calm of the reflection pond and the fields of green accented with the colors of flowers. The commonality of what attracted me was nature. At the beach, I loved the feel of the sand, the wind carrying the sea air, the rolling waves....God's put something in us that craves the beauty of His creation. He's left us symbols of Himself and His beauty for us to enjoy in our temporary home. How great is our God who thinks of even the little things He knows we need.

Somewhere in the Middle....

God's been so faithful! During the sermon this morning, Pastor Greg pointed out that often while we're in a trial, we don't want fellowship or wise council because we don't want to be where God is. Yet, when we don't forsake meeting with a body of believers and the opportunity to hear sound doctrine, we often find that God provides the encouragement and instruction we need. That happened to me this morning.
As I've mentioned in previous posts, support raising is the most faith stretching experience I've ever been through. Although I have been getting encouragements and confirmations along the way, things haven't been coming together as quickly as I'd hoped. That seems to be the key though....I have my timetable and my plans that all involve me being in control. God's been showing me lately that the best place for my life to be is out of my control. Dreams can be delayed and face obstacles. God's given promises in His Word to help us through these times.
II Cor 4:17-18 Trials are temporary and they produce perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope Rom 5:3-4 As Pastor Greg pointed out, bad days are shorter when you rejoice and learn through them and God will never leave you.
Something else that God really used to speak to me was how we should respond. Two of the important responses are to pray and stay with the ship (referring to Paul's shipwreck in Acts 27) Don't run from what's important (relationships, fellowship, values) and don't run from the lesson or you'll face it again until you learn it. Perhaps one of the most important things to remember though is to expect God to help. His Word is full of promises, truth and encouragement if I'll be faithful to dive in and find them.

On the way home from church I heard Somewhere in the Middle by Casting Crowns
The lyrics seem to summarize the trial of releasing control.


Somewhere between the new and the old
Somewhere between who I am and who I used to be ...
Somewhere between who I was and who You're making me
Somewhere in the middle You'll find me

Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender
Without losing all control

Fearless warriors in a picket fence
Wreckless abandon wrapped in common sense
Deep water faith in the shallow end
We are caught in the middle

With eyes wide open to the differences
The God we want and the God who is
But will we trade our dreams for His
Or are we caught in the middle? ...

Somewhere between my heart and my hands
Somewhere between my faith and my plans
Somewhere between the safety of the boat and the crashing waves

Somewhere between a whisper and a roar
Somewhere between the altar and the door
Somewhere between contented peace and always wanting more
Somewhere in the middle You'll find me...

Lord, I feel You in this place
And I know You're by my side
Loving me even on these nights
When I'm caught in the middle

Visit to CLEMSON!!

Last weekend, I had the blessing of visiting Clemson to celebrate Matt's birthday with him and some of our friends. It was a great time of fellowship and enjoying being back in TigerTown :)
We had a dinner and game night birthday party with friends. I also got to attend Crosspoint's service and discussion group on Sunday. Pastor Ken has started the series on the book of John. He attended the John class with the interns over the summer to help prepare for the series. It was even more engaging for me to refresh my memory on what I'd learned in the class and see how it is applied during the congregation's study. The weekend was a quick but great visit! It was really wonderful to see so many of my church family- definitely motivation to get back soon!
Part of Matt's birthday included an interview game. I asked his family and one of his oldest friends some questions which the MC (our SummerLINK MC Jason was kind enough to reprise his role!) then asked Matt. There was a good deal of laughter and generally enjoying getting to know the birthday boy a bit better.

Birthday Boy and MC

"The Man Couch" getting ready for the interview game

Matt and I's adopted mom from the adopt-a-student program at Crosspoint They were so generous in allowing us to have the party at the house
Thank you again!!

Heath, Jason, David, Kat, Savannah and Jon

Dinner: Tuscani Pasta!
Grayson, Matt, Nick, Matt, and Peter

Meredith, birthday boy, Matt, and Nathan

Matt and Anna with her great birthday present: a picture cake!
*Thank you Becky for getting the picture to the bakery!!


Lighting the Candles!

Singing Happy Birthday

Me and the birthday boy!!

Happy 22nd Matt!!!

Is He Enough?

As I read Jenna's blog and continued to reflect on all that God's been teaching me lately, a passage of Pursuit of Holiness and a Joshua Harris sermon stuck out to me. Continuing with the thought of how Jesus was physically surrounded but emotionally alone and how God sustained His Son through persecution and death, the sermon's theme question of "Is He Enough" seems all too appropriate. Because of God's Grace, Mercy and love for us, we'll never have to endure what Jesus went through for us. But, we will still endure trials and possibly persecution for our faith. So, the question, Is He Enough?
Pastor Harris asks us to consider: where is my focus? Is it on jealousy of others and what I don't have or is it on James 4:8 drawing near to Christ? He also considers Psalm 73. We are the wicked; wearing pride like a necklace and clothed in anger. Our focus needs to be on Christ as our rescuer from a destiny of terror, punishment and destruction.
This is such a brief synopsis of the sermon to illustrate how it ties in to what God's been showing me lately. So much of it was so uplifting and full of truth! You can download the message here. Its definitely worth the time!!
Another truth that stood out to me was one I'd also heard earlier in a Carolyn Mahaney message (funny how God orchestrates repetition...) God is intimately involved in every trial and testing even kindly and lovingly ordering it. Everything that we view as bad or evil against us has been ordained by God for our good and His Glory.
This passage in Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges also stood out to me:
"To experience practical, everyday holiness, we must accept the fact that God in His infinite wisdom has seen fit to allow this daily battle with indwelling sin. But God does not leave us to do battle alone. [...] We are not only dead to sin [Rom 6:11 ...] we also are alive to God [...] What is the significance of being alive unto God? How does it help us in our pursuit of holiness? For one thing, it means we are united with Christ in all His power. It is certainly true we cannot live a holy life in our own strength. Christianity is not a do-it-yourself thing."
I all too often forget this. Christ stood alone so we don't have to. God is more than enough to sustain me through trials but he's also given us support to help us through. I'm not in control, I can't do it alone. I do need the loving council and fellowship of brothers and sisters. To be clear, I love fellowship but at times I don't want to let others in on what I'm struggling with. I'd rather deal with struggles and conviction quietly and not admit that I'm not superwoman and I do have weaknesses. This is a tactic of Satan: divide and conquer. We were made for fellowship with God and with other believers. "Christianity is not a do-it-yourself thing" Two passages that have given me comfort in the last year or so definitely come to mind and heart again: Jer 29:11 and Phil 1:6. My Savior has my good at heart. If I'll be faithful to trust Him with everything, He'll be faithful to sustain and provide. In the middle of trials when I feel so alone, I can lean on the promise that He's not through with me yet and He'll never leave my side.

Leading the Way

I recently finished reading Humility by CJ Mahaney. I'm so thankful for this time I've been able to focus so much attention on what God wants to teach me. He's been speaking so much through books, sermons, friends and of course His Word. As I reflect on what I've read, things He's shown me from other sources all seem to tie together reinforcing what He's trying to teach me.
A blog my friend Jenna posted reflected on what God's teaching her. It seemed to echo something that stuck out to me in Humility. After reading this paragraph in her blog, I referred back to a page that had particularly drawn my attention.
(Daniel) "Akin goes into detail about what Jesus' persecution was like. As I (Jenna) reflect on Luke 22:39-23:49, I really cannot imagine the anguish Jesus must have felt as he sweat drops of blood. Man, my trials are nothing compared to Jesus having His disciples fall asleep before the very day He would be crucified. Moments when we feel we have been mistreated or misunderstood are nothing in comparison to the mocking Christ received on the cross. How Jesus must have longed to get down from the cross and prove He truly is the All Powerful King. Yet He remained on the cross as a sheep being led to the slaughter for your sin and mine! How amazing is it that those who are in Christ, those who have surrendered control of their lives to Him, are now declared justified in God's sight? Praise the Lord that this justification is apart from the law through faith in Christ by GRACE! ("We know that no one is justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ" -Gal 2:16). We no longer have to work to earn God's favor or hope that we will somehow make it to heaven!"

This is the passage from Humility:
"In Mark 10 we find Jesus and His disciples on the road, going up to Jerusalem. This is the last journey of Jesus' ministry, and the final destination is in full view. The hour for which He ultimately came now approaches. The cross is on the horizon.
This long journey to Jerusalem and the cross will apparently be a lonely one for the Savior, for He's making it without the full understanding and support of His disciples. They continue to be blinded by selfish ambition, so He must continue to teach and instruct them and confront their arrogance.
And yet, however grieved His heart must surely be at this moment, we see Him 'walking ahead of them' (v 32). No one is prodding Him on; no one is forcing Him. He's leading the way. And the One leading the way is the only One in this group of travelers who's aware of what indescribable anguish awaits Him there.
Pause, if you will, and picture Him in your mind. Behold this lone figure out in front, fully aware and informed of what awaits Him in Jerusalem. See Him steadfast in heart, determined, setting the pace for His disciples, striding purposely forward.
Where? To Jerusalem. Why? To die."

Jesus was alone. His disciples were with Him but He may as well have been completely alone. They didn't and couldn't understand. Anytime Satan tempts me to believe that I'm completely alone and should just give up, this is what my mind should return to. What Jesus went through was so much worse than I could even imagine (or want to...). He followed the will of the Father, knowing what it meant, fully understanding the cost. What a weight He must have felt! He had no one to turn to but the Father. That's how it should be with me. As Jenna mentioned, my trials pale in comparison....Christ went through this willingly, obediently, with no human source of comfort. Yet, God was enough to sustain Jesus through the worst of all human trials and suffering.

The Way I Was Made

Lately, I've been taking walks around the neighborhood to get some fresh air, exercise and some extra time with the Lord. I usually listen to sermons on my ipod. (Ladies, if you haven't heard Carolyn Mahaney's messages on Sovereign Grace Ministries' website I'd HIGHLY recommend it!) Today, though, I listened to some music. "The Way I Was Made" by Chris Tomlin has been one of my favorite songs since I first heard the album. Its even my ringtone right now. As I listened to it today though I couldn't help noticing that it really fits my heart cry. God's been teaching me a lot about who He is, full trust and dependence on Him and living a life on fire for His Glory. He's been convicting me of the areas of my life He wants control of to mold me into the image of His Son. Although at times this stretching and trying of my faith has been difficult, I've loved the effect of seeing more of God's heart for me.
I was made to glorify God, I was made to worship and praise Him, I was made to seek Him and follow His will for my life. I'm a daughter of the King. I want to live like I have both a great inheritance and a great responsibility. I want to be "the way I was made"......


Caught in the half-light
I'm caught alone
Waking up to the sunrise
And the radio
Feels like I'm tied up
What's holding me?
Just praying today will be the day
I go free

CHORUS:
I want to live like there's no tomorrow
I want to dance like no one's around
I want to sing like nobody's listening
Before I lay my body down
I want to give like I have plenty
I want to love like I'm not afraid
I want to be the man I was meant to be
I want to be the way I was made

VERSE(2):
Made in your likeness
Made with your hands
Made to discover who you are
And who I am
All I've forgotten, help me to find
All that you've promised let it be
In my life

CHORUS


I want to be the way I was made
I want to be the way I was made
I want to be the way I was made
~C. Tomlin

F.R.O.G (Fully Rely on God)

Jenna, one of the SummerLINKers, is currently studying abroad in London. I really related to a recent post on her blog. God must sometimes take us away from whats comfortable to force us to fully rely on Him for everything including comfort and feelings of security. I've been experiencing this in this season of separation from my church family.
While away from the spiritual support I've become accustomed to, Satan's attacks of discouragement seem harder to defend against. Though, my great and loving Father hasn't left me to fight this alone! I've found that the best part of this difficult situation is that I've been experiencing greater intimacy with my Savior. He's been teaching me so much through drawing me ever closer to Him! As I've sought Him, He's met me where I am and lifted me up reminding me that He never leaves nor forsakes.
A great source of this encouragement has been some good reading material including books and blogs. A blog I read recently focused on some of the things that we let drowned out God's voice and make it difficult to hear Him. One thing that stuck with me most was technology. I started thinking about how much time I spend on the computer, watching tv (even if its just on in the background, its noise!), or otherwise avoiding silence. So for the past few days I've been trying my best to focus less on some aspects of technology. I've done a lot more journaling and have had some great experiences just talking with God. I've felt free to lay baggage at the foot of the cross and fill my mind and heart with His promises to me.
A couple of years ago, God taught me a lot about silence before Him- ceasing to strive (Ps 46:10-11) and laying cares, fears, and needs at the foot of the cross. Especially in worship I would get distracted pouring out to Him everything I needed or wanted Him to know (which was necessary but I would neglect to take time to just dwell on Him- to be calm and at rest in His presence) The blog was a reminder that I must still recognize when it's necessary to just be still. So many things in our world today scream for my attention while in the process, stealing it from the One who deserves it most.

Just get out of God's way...

Amidst some stress and nervousness of support raising, God's been teaching me so much! I can really see that He has me where I am now (even down to geographically) in my life because there's no other way for Him to show me what He wants to grow me in and have me really see why its so necessary.
The title of this blog came from a friend's facebook status. It read: "(friend) is insignificant...Just get out of God's way...." This really struck me in light of all God's been showing me lately. I'm a control freak by nature. I especially like knowing what the plan is at all times. Not exactly the norm with support raising. This is the most my trust in the Lord has ever been tried and stretched. I'm thankful for it though knowing all I've already learned and seeing that God's got so much more planned based on what He's done so far. There is of course part of human nature that shies from the Master's reproof. No one really wants to come to confrontation with sin and the disappointment and grief it causes God. Though without pruning, without continual exposure to refining fire, how can we ever hope to be molded into the image of Christ?
So many things I've been reading and listening to lately seem to tie together this theme. A sermon my pastor gave a couple of years ago entitled "Breaking the Press! God's Wisdom for Testing Times from James 1:1-8, 12, discussed the certainty and necessity of trials. A faith not tried is suspect as God uses trials to show that He is Sovereign and desires to conform us to the image of His Son. John chapter 15 comments on this through Jesus' teaching on the vine and the branches. Only branches God prunes will bear more fruit.
At the moment, I'm reading The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges and just started Humility by CJ Mahaney. Both are very convicting in their portrayal of sin. Sin grieves a holy, blameless and loving God-- period! Not having humility definitely hinders if not halts the pursuit of holilness. I'm looking forward to what God will teach me through these works. They were both given to me by wonderful sisters I've been blessed with.
This morning, the sermon was on being great at whatever God's called you to do instead of mediocre in a lot of things. A couple of the closing points were particularly thought-provoking: We are to work for an audience of One and invest in things that will last (affecting someone beyond my years doing so knowing the Lord may be the only-yet most important-One who ever knows....)
To tie all this in.... there are multiple ways to stand in God's way possibly without even realizing it: resistance to pruning, pride (absence of humility), letting fear hold you back from what you know God's called you to, fear of man/people-pleasing, taking control that should only belong to the One who holds the master plan...all of which are dangerous to your spiritual life.
One of the closing songs today was "Be Thou My Vision" (one of the ways I still hear God speak most is through music :) ) I thought it was also an appropriate way to wrap up this blog

Be Thou my vision, oh Lord of my heart
Nought be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best thought by day or by night
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light

Be Thou my wisdom, and Thou my true word
I ever with Thee and Thou with me Lord
Thou my great Father and I Thy true son
Thou in me dwelling and I with Thee one

Riches I need not, nor man's empty praise
Thou mine inheritance now and always
Thou and Thou only first in my heart
High king of heaven my treasure Thou art
Be Thou my vision, oh Lord of my heart
Nought be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best thought by day or by night
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light

High king of heaven, my victory won
May I reach heaven's joy, bright heaven sun
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall
Still be my vision, oh ruler of all

Still be my vision, oh ruler of all

Update

Just wanted to post a quick update. Overall, things have been fairly quiet at home. I've begun support raising so I've been sending letters, making phone calls and praying as God begins to pull things together. Please be praying for me during this process as it will definitely be an experience that will stretch my faith. I'm excited though to see God work and provide.
For those who have heard about the tornado in Clemson, I wanted to let you know that thankfully there have been no injuries. God was definitely protecting the campus and community. The storm took out some trees and did damage a few cars on campus but students were alerted and sought shelter in the buildings (brick buildings with basements: beauty and function :) ) A family and some of the staff of the church live in the neighborhood downtown that the tornado passed right through. Other than losing power for a few hours and some debris in the backyards, both houses are fine. One of the neighbors houses lost a back deck and cars to trees falling on them. The husband was even in the suburban when a tree fell on the passenger side! Definitely evidence that God was protecting Clemson! Despite having to go about regular activities in the midst of downpours, most are actually thankful for the rain. Especially as there are a few more weeks of summer weather left and the rain will hopefully bring up the water level in the lake!
I spoke with one of the staff girls this morning and she gave me some great encouragement from Crosspoint. There was a record turnout at church on Sunday (800 people! last year about this time they were seeing around 500) First week events have also had great turnouts and CP groups (small groups) are getting started with a great deal of excitement from everyone. Both womens and college ministries have new leadership teams that will help provide planning, prayer and labor to these needed resources in our church body. Our women's ministry will start this semesters bible study next month.
I cant wait to get back and get to work serving with our amazing staff team in these great ministries!! I'm praying for dilligence in this time of support raising to be intentional about getting back as soon as possible. I don't want to miss any more of what Gods doing at Crosspoint!

Caution: Dangerous Jesus!

At church this past Sunday, the pastor preached a safe vs the dangerous Jesus as part of the "liar, lunatic or Lord" series. The message definitely struck me as I realized this concept has been a reoccurring one for me throughout the summer.
In the first preview service we attended, Pastor Carl preached on Extreme Living. Later in the summer, during a quiet time, God gripped me with getting outside the mindset of what does He think of me (although that was important to consider as I sought to know more about who my God is) and begin to examine what I think of God. The question intrigued me and I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent with the Lord answering it. Reflecting on Matthew 14 when Jesus called His disciple Peter out of the boat onto the water with Him, one of the SummerLINK girls mentioned in her testimony that no one ever got to Jesus by staying in the boat. Sunday morning's message seemed to draw together and challenge me with much of what Gods been teaching me over the last couple months. Revisiting this concept actually began the night before as I read a blog entry from a friend of mine. He had this to say:

I’m not calling all Christians to sell everything they have to give to the needy (unlike Christ might) but rather for the people of God to do something. Something. So many people, in the south especially, just get dressed up, go to church, feel better about themselves, maybe tithe, maybe do a food drive once a year. I would know, I was/kind of still am one of them. I’m working on it. Christ calls us to so much more, was so much more. Christian means “little Christ” yet the majority of us look nothing like Him.

It got me thinking about how Christians, including myself, get so wrapped up in our comfortable lives and don't practice what we profess. This is where the concept of radical, dangerous living comes in. The sermon on Sunday highlighted comfort as one of four things Jesus wants us to give up (the others being control, security and success)
We were created to live on the edge, to be challenged. Following Jesus should be scary at times. Pastor Greg quoted the new batman movie when he said: You thought attacking the core of a dark underworld there wouldn't be pushback? I Peter 4:12 Consider attacks to be one of the results of following well. Ladies, to quote a facebook flair I saw recently, (it made me laugh but when I thought about it I like the concept) "Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says 'aww crap shes up!'
As I prepare for what may be the most faith-stretching experience of my spiritual walk, (support raising) this is all the more relevant. In a "build-your-own Jesus" society, "no tolerance for absolutes" culture of safe Jesuses, my Lord is calling me out of the boat, away from comfort, security, control and promised success. The Pastor also mentioned that when God calls us to live dangerously, it may take various forms. Sometimes the dangerous route is to go, for others, the safe route is to run from the challenge (and from God's calling) while the dangerous route is to stay the course. The God who spoke the universe into existence doesn't back down or back away from His children. I can be assured my God's strong enough to hold me up.

SummerLINK Banquet: An Evening of Memories....

Our last day at SummerLINK was reserved for fellowship, going to the beach, packing, cleaning and getting ready for the banquet that evening. The social team did an amazing job putting together an evening of fellowship and wrap up to the summer. It was really the perfect ending to such an amazing experience. I think it would have felt like something was left undone if we didn't have some time to reflect on the summer as a group- to share with one another, to rejoice over Gods goodness and trials He's brought us through, lessons learned and growth experienced.

Thank you Rachel, Nathan and Savannah for planning and organizing such a memorable evening!

The evening began with the social team organizing the group into cars and driving us to our departure point on the island. We had a 45 min ferry ride to Daufuski Island. The weather that day was great so the ride was smooth and the views were beautiful. We could see the Hilton Head lighthouse and beautiful homes on the shoreline along the way.

The Ferry- most of us rode inside or in the sheltered section of the top deck on the ride out because of the wind and on the top deck for the calm ride back under the stars Absolutely beautiful!

A bit of the views we had including the HarbourTown Lighthouse

We were blessed to be joined for the evening by Gray and Brandy, the connections pastor of Crosspoint Bluffton and his wife. They are a wonderful Godly couple and have been such a blessing and encouragement to observe, learn from and fellowship with this summer. It was great to have an evening with them to thank them for all they've done for us and to enjoy their company as we prepared to depart.
We were met at the pier by a Trolley that took us to the Inn Our first views of the island were peaceful: tree-lined roads and very few cars. The Inn is elegant and quiet which set the tone for an evening of reflection but also one of thanksgiving-for each other and for the opportunity to spend the summer in such a "spiritual greenhouse" nurtured by teaching and fellowship.


Dinner was followed by the banquet ceremony. Banquet was somewhat of a combination of the various activities of SummerLINK: a time of sharing (as we would during prayer and praise), reflection (as on reflection nights only corporately instead of individually), and a game all led by our Celebration MC (as on celebration nights).
The share time was definitely the most memorable part of the evening. Several of the SummerLINKers shared about what the summer had meant to them and how God had used it to grow them. It was so encouraging to hear what God has been doing and see that He has great plans for the team and His church as a whole. During deorientation and at the banquet, we were reminded that God has been growing and using other members of the church body who were not with us this summer. It will be so exciting to go back to Clemson and see the various parts of the body reunited having been individually strengthened. In multiple conversations this summer, its been commented that Clemson is a training ground that God is using to reach the campus, community and the nations. I feel so blessed to be part of what God is doing.
Another aspect of banquet that was very memorable was when Gray asked us all to stand and give a favorite memory of the summer before we sat down. There was a good deal of laughter and agreement as we each shared things we appreciated about SummerLINK. After we finished, Gray pointed out that the theme of those memories was relationships and encouraged us to be intentional in building and maintaining relationships both with fellow believers and in ministering to nonbelievers. Those moments have stayed with me. I dont think I'll soon forget sitting in the banquet room with the group that God used to grow and humble me so much. Listening to testimonies of growth and thankfulness to our awesome God, I could clearly see He has great plans for such willing servants and I'm so excited to be witness to what He'll do!

Student servant team and team leaders

SummerLINK 2008 Hilton Head

Thank you to my brothers and sisters I've learned so much from each of you and I'm so thankful for the opportunity to count you as friends.
I Thess 5:23-24 Let this be a summer that truly echoes into eternity!

Braggin on the boys

The group of brothers and sisters I spent the summer with can only be described as blessings. Although my sisters have been equally amazing, I wanted to brag on the guys... The nine gentlemen of SummerLINK were such gracious and servant leaders. There were several examples of this throughout the summer. Heres one that was captured on camera:
For our last mens/womens night of the summer, the guys came into womens night wearing their SummerLINK t-shirts and carrying yellow roses. Each rose had a tag with Ps 45:11 written out (the King is enthralled with your beauty...) and was accompanied by a handwritten card from one of the guys.
Once they had passed these out, they serenaded us :)

Wrapping Up

Hey Everyone!! So sorry this took so long!! The last couple weeks of SummerLINK were pretty packed with fellowship and generally wrapping up the summer. The last couple weeks of project were definitely busy but well worth it as Gods hand is so clearly seen in everything. The last group the Bluffton interns hosted was from home!! The Crosspoint youthgroup was with us for the week of July 13-19 and we thoroughly enjoyed the time we had with them! They arrived on Saturday to attend the preview service orientation that evening and help us with the service on Sunday. That evening at Prayer and Praise, our youth pastor, Matt, brought messages from home for the group. He told us that we are prayed for and thought of often with joy. Despite thoroughly enjoying being here and considering this to be an experience I would not trade, that encouragement came at a time when it was truly needed for us to maintain the pace and finish strong. God has provided consistently provided the encouragement I’ve needed all summer through the amazing group I have the blessing of being here with, the service groups I have gotten to work alongside and the passionate service of the Bluffton Team. The spoken encouragement that evening was just the beginning of how the Crosspoint Team would uplift us. The Bluffton interns had the blessing of spending the week with the team doing service projects in Bluffton. We did some painting at an elementary school, picked up trash on the road, cleaned some debris from around a playground (Matt described this experience in a blog entry: ), and did spiritual surveys in a neighborhood. They also joined us for Celebration (where Matt gave a great message on the stewardship of time His notes are on his blog (July 30th entry), Bible Study, and Men’s and Women’s nights where Matt and his wife Sara challenged us with great messages(the girls talked about intentionally living life with other believers in fellowship and accountability). Friday was a great time of fellowship on the beach with the group. I had an opportunity to hang out with the girls for awhile and truly enjoyed getting to know them more. The Crosspoint Team consisted of six high schoolers whom Matt has chosen to work with him to completely redesign the highschool and middleschool ministries at Crosspoint. Throughout the week, we had opportunities to talk with them and hear their hearts on these ministries. This group is going to be such an asset to the church family! They have such a sweet desire to see their highschool ministry be used of God to set this group on fire for Him. They also spoke of mentoring the middle school to see them grow in Christ as well. I am so excited to see how they’ve grown and what great things come from this ministry when I return to Clemson.

The Crosspoint Team suited up for picking up trash
They really served well all week

The team on the beach for some fellowship time
Crosspoint Church was written in the sand :)

Heath and I with the team on their last night in HH

The last group scheduled to come while the interns were in HH ended up cancelling. As we didn’t have service groups, the days for the Bluffton interns were a little less structured but still fairly busy. We went into Bluffton on a couple of days to help Gray with some final details like research on the USCB campus. We took a tour of the campus to gather some information on campus life and ask some questions about getting involved with the students. Although I'll never admit to taking any enjoyment from being on enemy territory, I will say that the campus is very nice.
Gray and Brandy were so kind in inviting the interns for lunch on one of our last days of work. It was such a blessing getting to know them this summer. Hearing their hearts for the nations and observing their obedience to God has been a great encouragement to seek God and live to bring Him glory.

The interns, Heath, Tracey and Meredith with Gray and Brandy

Meredith and I discovered we were matching when we met in the parking lot to leave for lunch
I suppose after spending the summer together we've started thinking alike....

As the interns wrapped up our summer, SummerLINK also headed into our final week. The last few speakers were really helpful in reviewing the summer and giving practical advice on how to apply what we've learned. Celebration, Women's night and church services covered missional living, sharing the gospel, gender roles in ministry and living "glocally" (part of Crosspoint Bluffton's mission: global and local missional living) Women's night also had a panel of the pastors wives which was so uplifting and edifying! It was so encouraging to hear from the wives of the men who have surrendered their lives to build this young church and to lead their families as examples for a growing congregation. The women serving alongside their husbands at Crosspoint Bluffton are such examples of Biblical womanhood! They are practically living out what it means to come alongside as a suitable helper. I've learned so much over the summer especially from Brandy as I've had the blessings of opportunities to observe her and ask her questions. Titus 2 has truly come alive to me in the last few months as I've been surrounded by women I can look to and turn to as I learn how God will use me in my role as His daughter.
Overall, I’d count project among the most positively life changing experiences and blessings of my life. I spent the summer with an amazing group of brothers and sisters who consistently seek to glorify God with their whole lives. I’ve learned so much from interactions or just watching them exude their love for Christ with their attitudes and actions. I’m truly looking forward to being back in Clemson and serving alongside this group again.

Bittersweet

Just wanted to let everyone know I made it back safely last night. (I promise there are still several SummerLINK blogs on the way Getting them written and posted is a goal for the next few days as I settle in!) Admittedly, departure from SummerLINK was incredibly bittersweet. In some ways, more bitter than sweet. As nervous as I was at the beginning of the summer I never would have imagined it would be so hard to leave at the end. I have enjoyed seeing my family but I feel that I've also been separated from family. My SummerLINK and Crosspoint family are such blessings. I couldn't have imagined at the beginning of the summer how much I'd grow not only in my faith but in love for my brothers and sisters. We have laughed, cried, rejoiced, prayed, encouraged and challenged together. We truly lived life together and I pray the bonds created would only grow stronger. I'll be praying for the group that will return to the field after an intense summer of equipping and training *please be praying for them as well as they seek to take what we've learned back to be guiding lights and catalysts on the campus and in the community* I'm still processing exactly what this summer has meant. I think I've come to the partial conclusion that I most likely will not know the full extent of this impact possibly even for years to come.
Right now, I'm settling in to my parents house where I'll be staying while I raise support to be a GenerationLINK intern. I have been so encouraged during our de-orientation and banquet share time, getting a small glimpse of what God has planned for the group He hand-picked to make an impact on our church, campus and community. I'm so excited, humbled and blessed to be a part of it. I'm ready to get back and dive in but I know God has a purpose for the next few months while I raise support. I know He'll teach and stretch me even more. Whatever He has planned is whats best for me and what will bring Him the most glory. I'm slowly learning not to be afraid of what God may take away or require of me as it always leads to something better and more wonderful than what I could have chosen for myself. Please be praying for me in this time as I know I will be stretched and possibly get discouraged. I'm praying that I will keep this desire to forge ahead on the path God has laid before me. This summer has increased my passion for discipleship and serving in the church. The desires and abilities God gives are such blessings as I'll get to see Him use them for His kingdom and continue to be enthralled with my "front row seat" of his work and glory.

On The Brink

It’s hard to believe we only have nine days left on project! The summer has truly flown. God has been so good in all that He’s teaching and allowing me to see of His work here. I’m looking forward to posting a more detailed update in the next day or so but I wanted to post a few thoughts from the last few days.
I’m starting to get really homesick for Clemson. It’s hard to hear so many SummerLINKERs talk about going back knowing I’m not going with them. I don’t have a class schedule, no books to buy, none of the usual tasks and errands I would be busying myself with at this time of the year. I’ll admit I’ve been looking at some old pictures and such mentally reviewing some great memories wishing I could go back and relive them all again. This is where the need for trust and dependence on a holy, sovereign God is so evident. There’s a reason that that season of my life is done. There’s a reason I graduated a year or more before so many of the people I’ve grown so close to this summer. Despite my discomfort and fighting desires to cling to what I had until a couple months ago, God has a plan that will ultimately bring Him glory. That’s what I need to be striving for. Above feeling the loss of places, people and experiences that filled my life with such happiness and contentment over the last few years, I need to be striving for Gods glory, His renown.
Although I do miss the sunsets over Lake Hartwell, the peacefulness of walk on campus on a quiet morning or evening, and fellowship with brothers and sisters that I’ve grown to love so much, this next stage of my life is exciting. God’s opening doors and allowing me to see what He’s graciously given me a part in. Even though (as my roommate pointed out just today) I’m a sinner who constantly disappoints a loving, blameless father, He still allows me to be part of His plan. Over lunch today, one of the girls and I were discussing how we’ve seen God move and work in Clemson. Clemson presents an amazing opportunity to spread the gospel through the international community.
God’s moving in Clemson. He’s using the university and its surrounding churches as a sending ground. So many of the amazing spiritual leaders on campus and in the community were trained there and are either now training others or are going out into the nations.
It feels we’re on the brink of something large
Maybe like the breaking of a dawn
Or maybe like a match being lit
Or the sinking of a ship
Letting go gives a better grip
I'm finding everything I'll ever need
By giving up gaining everything
(Forever and Ever- D. Crowder)

My God is mighty! Praise Him He’s in control! As one SummerLINKer mentioned in her testimony recently, no one ever got to Christ by staying in the boat. It may get a little uncomfortable for awhile but I’d rather be uncomfortable in my temporary human skin than out of place in His kingdom.
I cant wait to see what Gods got in store. I pray that I’m obedient and willing to take the leaps of faith He requires to get to be involved in all He has planned for me. Thank you father for planning out and controlling my life! There are no greater or gentler hands than your nail pierced ones.

Walking in His Footprints

Today ends our first week without the staff. The student leadership has been doing a great job keeping things running smoothly. The hardest part is just missing the staff for the friends and wonderful brothers and sisters they've become to us. All things considered though we're doing well and looking forward to digging in here for the next 4 weeks. We all know it will fly by and it will be hard to leave such a great group.
On Sunday, we went to church with the Bluffton team at a community center. It was a great atmosphere of a group of 40 or so; praise and worship and a great message. Mike, a church planter in Beaufort who has been partnering with Crosspoint Bluffton, spoke to us on Leviticus 10. Aaron's sons were priests with the responsibility of gathering coals from the altar each morning so that incense could be burned to fill the Holy of Holies with a sweet aroma. One morning, they bypassed the altar and got the coals from another place. They were burned alive for offering unauthorized fire to the Lord. Although God does not burn us alive for mistakes today, this reference serves as a poignant reminder of what God expects of us. We cant get lazy when it comes to offerings to the Father. In this case, the particular illustration was for our time alone with Him. If we bypass the altar or cheat God with this, the consequences are not just for ourselves. Mike reminded us of our purpose here this summer: we're helping to plant a church, to spread the gospel, to reach this area for Christ. If we get lazy in our offering of time to the Lord, how can we expect that He will use us in these ways? The whole illustration really struck me and I'm sure many others. Its easy to get busy with good things and excuse cutting our quiet time short or out completely but this isn't an area to be negotiated. Time with the Father should be zealously guarded. The message has stuck with me and I'm trying to work on consciously setting aside the time needed to really meet with the Lord to know Him more and be prepared to do His work each day.
On Monday, the Bluffton interns began working with a new team from Spartanburg and Columbia. The team was amazing!! They were incredibly diligent and worked without complaint. Their leadership also clearly loves the Lord and exemplified to the teams what means to serve. It was so uplifting and encouraging to watch them serve as unto the Lord. It was a joy to spend a few days with them. I know I've learned a lot from them about serving with joy and sacrifice this week.
Heres a few pictures of my team this week :) We cleared some bushes from around the pond, raked pinecones, and helped build shelving for a greenhouse at an elementary school





On Wednesday, for reflection night, I took a walk on the beach with my camera. Appreciating God's creation through photography is one of my favorite forms of worship. I like to use the time to dwell on God's creation and His majesty. Its also an opportunity to get lost in communion with God. That night, the wind was blowing pretty intensely so I started out with it at my back. The song, "Blue Skies" by Point of Grace came to mind:

Like the wind at my back
And the sun on my face
You are life
You're grace
You are blue skies

I began to praise God for His goodness this week: an outstanding volunteer team, good quality time with Him, uplifting time with other SummerLINKers (particularly my sisters), good conversations with friends and mentors, God teaching me a lot about Biblical Womanhood as I serve here this summer and being filled with more of His joy as I do. So much to be thankful for! I was having a great time communing with Him. After awhile, I had to turn around as I didn't want to have too far to walk back with the sun setting. I started to head back towards the resort- my summer home. I had forgotten that I'd have to walk back against the wind. I got pretty tired. The wind was blowing so hard I couldn't hear anything around me. The sounds of the ocean, of people talking and enjoying the beach were no where near as clear as they had been before. Thats when the illustration hit me...I'd started out praising with the wind at my back, a beautiful view of God's creation, the soothing sound of the rolling waves...Its only right to want to praise in a situation like that. But what did I do when things weren't so idealic? I felt God gently reminding me that this was very similar to the Christian walk. Its easy to praise when all seems to be as it should be. But what happens when I'm against the wind, I cant hear much around me (other than God's steadfast, reassuring encouragement to persevere--I could still hear my own thoughts and prayers should I have chosen to reach out to Him), when I'm tired and feel alone is perhaps more important. The journey home is a long and often trying one. When things get difficult and I'm not sure how I'll get through, God's voice may be the only thing I can pick out of the white noise but I have to be diligent in seeking Him and listening for His voice.
I read a quote on the GirlTalk blog today that reminded me of my walk on Wednesday:
“God has not promised to give us the grace to face all of the desperate situations that we might imagine finding ourselves in. He has promised to sustain us only in the ones that he actually brings us into. He therefore doesn’t promise that we will be able to imagine how we could go through the fire for his sake, but he does promise that if he leads us through the fire, he will give us sufficient grace at that time. Like manna, grace is not something that can be stored up for later use: each day receives its own supply” (Iain Duguid, Daniel, p. 53).
As one of the girls pointed out in her testimony shortly before I began my walk: He's all I need, He's enough, His will is best.