catch up

I've had the opportunity to catch up with a few people from high school this week and we've had some really great conversations. I feel like I've gotten to talk about Jesus and my faith a lot this week and that has been AH-MAZING!!!!

I feel like there's something coming, something new and exciting, different. I feel like I'm at the threshold of something big. The last time I had a feeling like this, a fuzzy hint at something to come, I turned out to be right. I can't wait to see how God is working and moving, changing me and my life. He's really good; I love Him.

passion

what is passion? according to dictionary.com: any powerful or compelling emotion; a strong or extravagant fondness, enthusiasm, or desire for anything; an outburst of strong emotion or feeling.
i was discussing w/ a friend that i have this desire to see my fellow followers of Christ become very passionate about their relationship w/ Him. and now i'm thinking, "am i even that passionate about my relationship w/ Christ?" i know how much i love the Lord and how much He means to me and all that He's done for me, but am i making His name known? can people see how much i love Him?
these are really sobering questions, but i'm challenging myself to consider them along side my youth group as i prepare to challenge them to sell out for God.
so what is it to sell out? again, according to dictionary.com: to put all of one's goods or possessions up for sale. i'm not sure we can quite literally apply this to our topic of discussion, but maybe we can. i think to sell out for God is to let go of everything we think is "ours" and completely depend on and trust God. i think it's to give or do anything for the Lord. this of course looks different for different people, but it's the same concept.
so, my challenge to myself and my loved ones is to be fully committed to Christ, to do whatever He calls me to, but to enjoy it and delight in Him every step of the way.

faithful

God is so good. He continually reveals Himself to be incredibly faithful about anwering my prayers. Sometimes He answers very quickly and at other times He says "Wait," and sometimes I don't hear anything at all, but eventually it all works together in the end. Obviously I really like it when I see God's immediate action, but He teaches me faith and trust when it's not so obvious. This year He has drawn me so close and I hope in the new year our relationship just continues to grow deeper and deeper.

I love you Lord, and I lift my voice to worship You, oh my soul rejoice. Take joy my King in what You hear, may it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear.