Drake Men won the Missouri Valley Conference last weekend! I don't know if you knew that :) The women play this weekend too. Two of my roommates, Lauren and Kelsey play for the women's team so we are headed there today to cheer. Go Bulldogs :)

My last post about riding ourselves of idols.. is ironic. Can we really get rid of all our idols? I'm not so sure. It seems like every time we rid ourselves of one, another pops up.. or it comes back. I don't know even if the answer to that question matters. It's cool how God uses us in our brokenness. I know that God always makes up for our insufficiency, and when we are weak that is when his power is seen in us- because we are able to do things we couldn't have done otherwise. But this week was really amazing to me- in the midst of a real battle, God decided to use me.. he didn't use my "battle", but he used me elsewhere... I hope that makes sense, but despite everything and who I am... he still wanted me.

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." 2 Corinthians 4:7

"Sometimes the bravest thing on earth was to sit through the night and feel the cold in your bones. Courage was not always a matter of yes or no. Sometimes it came in degress, like the cold; sometimes you were very brave up to a point and then beyond that point you were not so brave. In certain situations you could do incredible things, you could advance toward enemy fire, but in other situations, which were not nearly so bad, you had trouble keeping your eyes open. Sometimes the difference between courage and cowardice was something small and stupid." The Things They Carried, Tim O'Brien

“Until you rid yourselves of idols, God can use your message, but not your life.” Jon Crane

God will certainly use His gospel, the meaning of his Son in the lives of people whether we are really living it or not.. there's a verse in Isaiah that says something along the lines of, "His message never goes out without accomplishing it's purpose.." (I think Isaiah 55:11?)... but it's true, it doesn't matter as long as the message of the Christ is proclaimed... but if we want our lives to change the way people view the world and this God we serve... then we need to rid ourselves of the idols that prohibit us from a whole-hearted sprint after the Lord, and undivided devotion to how He wants to use us in the lives of other people. So, for the sake of the people you love, for the sake of those that don't know how to be saved from hell.. for the sake of them, because their eternity is characterized as this: "the smoke of their torment rises forever..." (Revelation 14:11)... let go of your idols.

"Because we Americans have been weaned on indiscipline, indecency, and sensuality, we are living in a modern Corinth. In our society it is very difficult for anyone to grow to young adulthood without suffering some damage in the sex department of his personality." David Seamands

That is so true.

Another thought... You cannot really unconditionally love others when you need to prove your own self-worth. It may look as if you are loving them, when actually you are just using them to reassure yourself that you're ok.

"A man fires a rifle for many years and he goes to war. And afterwards he comes home, and he sees that whatever else he may do with his life - build a house, love a woman, change his son's diaper - he will always remain a jarhead. And all the jarheads killing and dying, they will always be me. We are still in the desert." Anthony Swofford, Jarhead

I think the reason this made so much sense to me is because whatever "else" we do with our lives.. whether it is serving, loving, pouring our lives out... or failing, abandoning, falling short, blowing up.. we will always remain children of God- chosen and called to be a part of his family. We may at times be dying, just really struggling to obey and have the fruits of the spirit be evident in our lives, but other times we shine with the passion of Christ. I think that both extremes will characterize our lives and "be us" at points. I live with 6 other girls and I have seen the two sides in us all- weeks where we flourish and love and thrive, and the weeks when we cry because we lost our car keys or because we just can't seem to be "meaningful" in anything we do. But whatever we do, we are blessed to remain in the desert to a certain extent, always thristy for the word of God, thirsty for righteousness and justice to be done.. longing, aching for the fruits of the spirit to be evident in our lives. I think it is the reaching that shows our desperation for God. At Faithwalkers Mary Knox said something along the lines of: "When we are put in desperate situations we become desparate for God." How true- why not be desperate?

Christmas Break

So I have been on Christmas break for three weeks now, one week left before school starts. It has been unbelievable! I love to sleep. I forget what it feels like to not be so rushed and unknowingly stressed with school, cheerleading, working, coaching, obligations (that I love to be involved with), I don't mean to complain because I chose my own schedule, and I do actually prefer to be busy.. but a break is always nice :) After Christmas I went to Faithwalkers, a conference that the Great Commission movement puts on and it was amazing. I went last year too and learned so much, this year I went and learned wonderful things too. It's nice to get away from home and school to a place I've never been so I can fully give my heart over to teachings and the wisdom of others. So, I've decided that I'll just post some quotes or ideas and notes from Faithwalkers and various books I've read over the break. I'm turning out to be not so good of a blogger because I hardly ever post! I will try and change that :)

My prayer at the beginning of break was Psalm 51:12, "Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me."

"Odds are, [you picked up a few bags this morning]. Somewhere between the first step on the floor and the last step out the door, you grabbed some luggage. You stepped over to the baggage carousel and loaded up. Don't remember doing so? That's because you did it without thinking. Don't remember seeing a baggage terminal? That's because the carousel is not the one in the airport, it's the one in the mind. And the bags we grab are not mad of leather; they are made of burdens. The suitcase of guilt. A sack of discontent. You drape a duffel bag of weariness on one shoulder and a hanging bag of grief on the other. Add on a backpack of doubt, an overnight back of loneliness, and a trunk of fear. No wonder you're so tired at the end of the day." Max Lucado, Traveling Light

Here are some random thoughts from Brent Knox on Humilty:
*Self-pity is pride in disguise. "I'm special by how messed up I am...."
*You have the ability to obey God in all circumstances
*No one even knew David existed- he was alone, tending to the sheep. It doesn't make a difference if you aren't noticed at all, are you willing to give up that desire? Be God-centered. The ONLY thing David had going for him was his heart for God.


"Humans want to save the things that they love." Steve Irwin

"Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Well, you can't just sit there." Larry Walters

"What you sew in your twenties you will reap in your forties..." Bill Young

"Some wish to live within the sound of church or chapel bells; I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell." CT Studd

*Most of our lives are determined by the little choices.

"It is not people that matter, it's YOU, YOU matter!" John Meyer

"Your purpose is to bring goodness into the world- to be where God would be and to do what God would be doing." John Meyer

*We are going to stand before God and give an account for our lives
- What we do will be measured by what God's purpose for us was
- You are going to see each day.. one more time (judgement day)
*"Do not be deceieved, God is not mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will also reap." Galatians 6:7-8

"Love isn't tested by strangers, it's tested by how we treat the people that we know the best- maybe they've hurt us or we know their weaknesses.. but it's tested by how we treat the ones we love the most."

"I want to be a part of somebody else's legacy."

"You stoop down to make me great." Psalm 18:39?

*Love involves sacrifice, doing what's best for someone else- often at the expense of what is best for you...
*You don't need to love mankind, you need to love all kinds of men

"This cannot be a team of common men. Common men go no where." Miracle

"Athiests are so angry at God- why? If you're an atheist God isn't real... What are you so angry about?" A.W. Tozer

"Christianity is the only belief system that is bold enough to say that people are broken." Jeromy Darling

We often ask God to show up. We pray prayers of rescue. Perhaps God would ask us to be that rescue, to be His body, to move for things that matter. He is not invisible when we come alive. I might be simple but more and more, I believe God works in love, speaks in love, is revelaed in our love. I have seen that this week and honestly, it has been simple: take a broken girl, treat her like a famous princess, give her the best seats in the house. Buy her coffee and cigarettes for the coming down, books and bathroom things for the days ahead. Tell her something true when all she's known are lies. Tell her God loves her. Tell her about forgiveness, the possibility of freedom, tell her she was made to dance in white dresses. All these things are true. We are only asked to love, to offer hope to the many hopeless. We don't get to choose all the endings, but we are asked to play the rescuers. We won't solve all mysteries and our hearts will certainly break in such a vulnerable life, but it is the best way. We are made to be lovers bold in broken places, pouring our lives out again and again until we're called home.
- To Write Love on Her Arms