What I was made to do...

I have been thinking a lot lately about what I am suppose to do with my life...as far as occupation goes. Now, this isn't something that has been on the forefront of my mind, but every once and awhile, I will think about different things.

God has gifted me in so many ways, and I am incredibly thankful. I know that if I put my mind to it, I can accomplish anything.

I know that my position at The Bridge is where I am suppose to be for the time being. But I also know that God has given me gifts and passions that could be utilized in the "secular" world. I put that in parenthesis because I don't really believe there is a difference, but since I work in a church... Anyways, I can't help but think that God doesn't want to use me for something more...I want to say bigger and better, but I don't mean that. What I really mean is different. Using my skill set in a different occupation.

When I decided to major in political science, the thought was that I would go to law school or grad school after my undergrad. Since I couldn't decide what I wanted to do, and clearly the Lord had other plans for me, I ended up working. But just as the idea of going back to school has been in the back of my mind in the past, I would be lying if I didn't say that I still think about it.

I am not sure where all this is coming from. I know part of it is that I am not feeling challenged at work right now, which is ok. The work just seems tedious...lots of admin type work. I just sense there is something else that I am eventually suppose to be doing.

And until I know what that is, I will continue in ministry at The Bridge. After all, the Lord is preparing me for whatever is next through the work I am currently doing.

Funny thing is, I haven't talked to anybody about this. Welcome to nobody being awake at 11:45 at night and having a mini crises.

1 Corinthians 13

A good reminder for everyday living...it all begins with love.

Love

1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

At the meeting tonight...

Tonight was our monthly Missions Committee (MC) meeting. The MC consists of some older individuals and then some younger people. Toward the end of the meeting, Brian Davis (26 year old) told Allan Hedberg (70 something) that he would go make some coffee because "he (Brian) had his (Allan's) back". Allan didn't respond....

Brian: "Do you know what that means? When I say I got your back"
Allan: "No, what does it mean?"

And then I stopped paying attention. It cracks me up when I think about the generational differences even in the missions committee.

Then I think about what unites us. It is our love for Jesus and our passion to see Him glorified in the world. We all come from different backgrounds and different generations, but we are all united in Christ.

There is so much that I can learn from those on the committee. I may not always agree with them, but some of them have great wisdom and knowledge from years on earth.

I hope that when I am their age that I have the same zeal, passion, and wisdom.

An Afternoon Away

Blake and I went up to Shaver yesterday to just get away. Blake use to have a motorcycle, but he sold it last Fall. One day, he will have a Harley, but right now it just ain't gonna happen. So, he rented a Harley for us to ride up to Shaver on.

We took what he calls the scenic route...we went out to Ashlan and down and around...all I know is that we ended up back on the 168. The ride was a lot of fun. We made it to Shaver just before noon, grabbed our towels and went to a section of the beach at Shaver where no one was around.

We are going through this book together called Devotional Classics. The readings so far have been hit and miss. 2 good and 2 not so good. Maybe not so good are the wrong words. They were good, jut not very applicable. The one last week by CS Lewis and the scripture that went with it was fantastic. Yesterday was by Thomas Merton, who was a monk. Let's just say we are now both trying to figure out how being a monk glorifies God and how they fulfill the great commission...

Around 2 we realized we were both hungry, so we packed up and went to a restaurant in Shaver. The weather was gorgeous, so we sat outside. We began eating our food, and Blake stopped mid sentence and said that his step dad just drove by. He got my phone and called them. They were in the area setting up camp for the summer, and were going to look at the lake quickly. They came back about 5 minutes later. It was totally random but a nice surprise seeing them.

The funny thing is that his mom didn't like when he had a motorcycle. And of course Joe, his step dad, asked what we were driving. When Blake said the bike, the look on his mom's face was classic, although she didn't say anything. We headed back down to Fresno soon after that (and we passed his parents on the way down....).

We had a wonderful day...the weather was gorgeous and I could not have enjoyed better company. I'm looking forward to many more times just like Saturday in the future..

Next time, I think we will use sun screen (or at least Blake will). :)

Life...

...can be crazy and hectic and hard and emotionally draining.

But even in the end, there are some things that will always be worth it.

Come Away

These are the first two words in the last verse of the last chapter in the Song of Solomon.

The Beloved (woman) is saying to the Lover (man) that she wants to go away with him. To spend time with just him and nobody else.

Come Away.

And that is what Jesus is asking us to do in the midst of this busy world we live in.

He is saying "Come Away with me. Spend time with me. I love you."

And most of the time I respond with nonsense.

The reality is, Jesus took time to get away. He got up in the early morning, away from everything and everyone, to spend time with the Father.

The reality is, I am too busy to not spend time with Him. Life is too crazy and hectic. And I am not talking about opening up my Bible, reading, praying, and journaling in an hour.

He is asking us to take chunks of time out of our life to spend with him.

When I do this, when I take time to go up to the mountains and spend time away with Him, He reveals himself in a deeper and more intimate way, in a way that would not have happened if I went to Starbucks or a local park where there are still so many distractions.

Come Away.

Camp Sugarpine...Take 2

I got back yesterday from The Bridge ministry staff retreat at Camp Sugarpine. They have a guest house that they let church staff use...for free. It is a nice place, and you can't beat Oakhurst and the mountains this time of year. It was absolutely beautiful.

We had a great time together. A time to rest. A time to be refreshed. Time to bond and become more united as a staff.

We spent a lot of time in the word. Instead of doing a bible study, we really dived into scripture and meditated on it. Who, What, When, Where How....what were they feeling....what would I have been feeling if I were one of them.

We read about the story of Elijah, Jesus raising Lazarus from the grave, and Hannah and Mary's songs... Looking at these scriptures from this point of view was extremely intriguing and insightful. It brought the scripture alive.

Marie, our women's ministry director, when Scott asked what Mary may have been feeling or experiencing, said "She may have even been experiencing morning sickness" And Scott responded with "All of the times I have read this, I have never, ever thought about that". And I confess that I have never thought about that either. Mary was just another girl, probably in her early teens, and she was experiencing all kinds of fears, a changing body, and possibly even morning sickness.

Not only did we have a great time in the word and in prayer, but we went over The Volunteer Revolution by Bill Hybels. As we are trying to create a church that is full of people serving, this was a great book to read together. It is written to the volunteer, but gave some great principles and sparked a lot of creativity and ideas as to where we go from here.

All in all, a great three days away from Fresno seeking the Lord.

Clovis Rodeo!

Blake and I went to the Clovis Rodeo in April. Blake has been to Rodeos but never to the Clovis Rodeo. I let him know that if he had never been to the Clovis Rodeo, then he hadn't been to a real rodeo (good thing he knows that I am full of crap most of the time =) )

We had a lot of fun. My favorite part of the rodeo is the mutton busting. I think it is hilarious! I tried to get a picture of one of the kids actually on the sheep, I put my camera away before the last kid, and of course he was the one who actually stayed on the sheep...bummer!

There is always a concert on Friday night at the rodeo, and this year it was Emersion Drive. It was really good.

The one thing that I know about Fresno/Clovis, is you can't go anywhere without seeing somebody you know. In this case, three rows in front of me were 4 of the girls that I use to hang out with in high school (there was a group of 11 of us girls that hung out together) and another was 7 or so rows above us. It was great to catch up with them for a little bit. Blake got to meet them too, which was cool, but he doesn't remember any of their names. :)

Camp Sugarpine

I am off to Camp Sugarpine tomorrow with the rest of the ministry staff at The Bridge. The book we read this year is The Volunteer Revolution by Bill Hybels.

This is always a great time where we are able to get away, seek the Lord, see what He wants for us in the next year, spend time in the word, in prayer, plan, eat some good food, and fellowship. It is always nice when you like your co-workers, especially when you have to spend 3 days straight with them. But I don't just like my co-workers, I love them. They are like my second family. I know that I could count on them for anything. It doesn't hurt that we laugh a lot when we are all together either.

I am looking forward to seeking the Lord together with my brothers and sisters over the next few days.