Sometimes you just have those days where God pops out so distinctly. Days where his promises are so beautifully revealed to you. Tuesday was one of those days for me. Jesus just showed me how amazing he was and is and will be. And how worthy of all my praise he really is. Seeing him working in my brothers in the men’s bible study that night pulled together so much that had been on my mind that day.

Discussion from the beginning of the night was centered around Romans 8:23 which says, “and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” And as we were talking about this promise and about how heaven will be infinitely more amazing than our best moments here on earth, I was struck with so much awe. We are guaranteed to be a part of something beyond imagination for the rest of eternity! That’s something that gets me excited! But until we get there, we are called to walk one step after the other, following Jesus with a child like faith. And I know with 100% certainty that he will lead me right into his waiting arms at the gates of heaven. What an awesome day that will be!!

I really did not expect to have so much to write on this blog, but last
night I realized how amazing the process of sharing testimonies can be and I
felt that it would be awesome to share about it. So much happened for me
through the few hours I spent sharing and listening last night. I feel as
though that activity of being so open has so many impacts and benefits that are
sometimes over looked in this current college and societal climate. Where almost
everything has some element of being fake or superficial wrapped up in it. And
that oversight was reveled within me last night as I shared with these two
amazing men of God about struggles and victories that we are each going
through.

The first thing that really became apparent was the bonding that took place
through that kind of communication. Vulnerability is a concept that a lot of
people understand but don’t fully utilize in their relationships with God or
with his children. Seeing how the three of us grew closer even from just those
short few hours blew me away. I think that it’s important for us as followers
of Jesus to look for ways to be transparent when it comes to our stories. Our
experiences are to be used as a way to connect and uplift each other.

The second benefit that came from last night’s testimonies was the
self-reflective time capsule that I got the chance to open. Something that I’ve
discovered, as I’m about to finish my first year of college, is that time is
not going to slow down. And with that reality comes this mindset of always
looking into the future. It’s easy to forget about what God has delivered us
from. It’s easy for his faithfulness to slip our minds. And it’s even easier to
take his provision for granted. I was amazed sharing about what Jesus has done
in my life up to this point. He truly is in control of all things and has a
burning and jealous desire for the love his people.

The last impact was simply the waves of encouragement that washed over my
heart. Seeing how God is uplifting my brothers in Christ was such a beautiful
thing. And realizing that we are honestly not that different from each other
was also a blessing. That we all have struggles that our King is in the process
of conquering. We have victories that testify to his power. And the fact that
we are each looking to serve our King with everything we have, even in the face
of our brokenness. God is working on this campus and in the hearts of his
people here. The future looks so exciting! But lets not forget about God’s
impact on the past either!!

Giving is something that slips the minds of most people. This is an issue for college students specifically (I’m finding that out first hand). But the impact of having a heart poised toward generosity is so important for a healthy and maturing faith. This basic realization that all of us need to fully understand, is that our lives are in the hands of the Creator God. Therefore, everything that we have has been give to us through his kindness and intentional giving. Jobs, friends, money, time, talents, and the list goes on and on.

Seeing everything through this new lens allows for giving to be something more than just the monotonous dropping money in the offering plate on Sunday. And giving also extends way past money (all though that is an important part of our relationship with God). Allow him to begin changing the way you thing about your time and recourses. Surrendering everything to him is the start of transforming your life into a living sacrifice. And that’s what we are called to be as followers of Jesus, are we not?

Matthew 6:21 says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Pray and ask God to identify where your treasure really is. And if it’s not in him, than ask for the desire to pursue him above all else. Cast aside every distraction and run a race that is pleasing and holy in the eyes of our King in the weeks and months ahead!

First post, this is so cool! I’m excited for the encouragement that will come from this blog. Even creating this page is a big step of faith for me, due to the fact that in most cases like these comparison always shows up. Success and impact in this current online world is always linked to numbers; who has more followers and likes seems to be the main focus for so many. And there’s an irrational fear that comes with that expectation. My fear is that no one will care to read this, or that even if a few do, that it will not be of any benefit to them.

However, Christ has shown me over this last month that it’s not about the numbers and it’s not about the praise that you may get from doing his work. Everything that we should do as followers of Jesus is live life listening and than doing. So here I am! He said start the blog, and I’m trying to follow him faithfully in this small way.

Feeling uplifted and excited for the future He has for all of the people on my mind right now!

God Bless