Ventus

Saturday night at Ventus was an awesome experience. A time that really confirmed, at least in my heart, what we are do ing in Arlington. Our students stepped forward and accepted the challenge to change their lives, to hold to accountability and to pray. The time ended in a time of prayer over these students. It was truly amazing and confirming.

Egg Nog

We have a couple of kids that really love egg nog, I mean love egg nog. So we decided to honor their love and have an egg nog chugging contest. It was pretty awesome!!!

Party Like It's My Birthday

So today I turn 27. Yes I am now 27 do I look any older?

Frustration

So, over the past few weeks I have been a little frustrated. Frustrated about school, finances, friends, family; pretty much just frustrated about life. I haven't really thought much about it, just that it was part of the season and that it would go away. I figured that it was something that I was dealing with and that just had to play itself out. Apparently, though, my frustration was and is more evident than I realized. Today I had a friend sit me down and let me know that it is showing. I never realized that it was that evident to other people, that I was pretty much taking it out on other people, through the comments that I make, the tone that I respond in and even my lack of response. I don't want to be this person. I don't want to come across as frustrated and angry. I don't want it to rub off on other people. I want people to feel loved by me, by what I say and what I do. I want to be joyful, funny and kind. I want to be Christ to the people that I meet. So, I talked with my friend and we came to a few conclusions.
1. Life isn't going to be perfect. I can't let my circumstances get the best of me though. I need to trust that God is at work.
2. I need to find a worthy nemesis in my life. What does that mean? It means that I am finding people in my life to be the "evil" instead of dealing. If I am really going to have a nemesis it needs to be a darn good one and the one that I have right now isn't equal to my efforts. Therefore...no more nemesis.
3. I need to focus on what I am passionate about:
- Journeying peacefully with Christ, learning, trusting and resting in Him
- Teens, students- I love them and desperately desire for them to have and experience love, grace and peace in their lives.
- Community- I desire to be a part of a loving, open and authentic community
- Financial stability/lack of debt- That means that I work toward finishing support
In order to focus on what I am passionate about I need to let go and not blame the things that get in the way. I need to rest in the Lord and know that He is bigger than I can ever imagine and know that frustration isn't going to get me anywhere. Love, Grace and Peace need to be the focus, not frustration, anger and resentment. Therefore today I take the first step in letting go, realizing that I can't change other people, but I can change myself. Yes, people may get on my nerves and I may not agree with them, but I can love them and if I love them I am living out the passions that have been placed inside me.

Love

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,

“I will take revenge;
I will pay them back,”
says the Lord.

Instead,

“If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap
burning coals of shame on their heads.”

Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
Romans 12

I have been reading Romans over the past week and keep going back to this passage over and over again. What has hit me is how we love. Do I love with genuine affection? Do I love the way I should love? Do we as a people love the way we have been called to love? How can we do this? What does it take to share this type of love with people? And my ultimate question how can I teach the students that I work with to love? I mean really love?

Any thoughts?