A faithful example...

So I just found a quote as a friends facebook status and I really like it.

"True spirituality is not based upon religious observance, but upon illuminating the darkest places with the power of your faithful example."

faithful example....those are the powerful words. Illuminating those dark places with a faithful example is something I pray I can do - that Christ uses me to speak to others. Being a faithful, however, example is SO much harder to do than it sounds. It perfectly fits with the quote "Easier said than done" because truly being a Christ example is difficult. This reminds me a lot of last weeks sermon. Being a Christ example is stepping across boundary lines and the exact opposite of a stepladder mentality - going higher at the expense of others. We all have this stepladder mentality but we need to trust in God enough to let go of it. Eventually we get so high that it isn't possible to see others as Jesus does. I dare you to ask yourself...how high on the stepladder are you? It's a difficult task to come down but through Christ is possible. I found it really encouraging that even our pastor fully admitted to a stepladder mentality. It's not just something that we are faced with everyday - but all the time. Knowing that others are trying to embrace the same mindset as I am is encouraging.

Needtobreath

I want to write a TON write now but should put my writing towards my paper due tomorrow. However, I am going to the Needtobreathe concert tomorrow night and have been listening to their songs. I absolutely love their music. I would even consider them in my top 5 bands. I have been listening to this song Garden and really thinking about the spiritual meaning that they connect to it. I wanted to post it with an intro from them at a radio station. The beginning explains the story behind it and its beautiful. I love the way music and faith comes together!

A FULL RIDE to Westminster College?!?

So I got a call from my brother today...my phone was on silent so I didn't hear it ring but saw that my younger brother Patrick had left me a message. It said "Call me back as soon as you get this, I have some really good news for you." Assuming it had to do with his decision to college, I called him back actually expecting him to say that he decided to come here to Madison. BUT, to my surprise he informed me exactly the opposite. He said he got a $100,000 scholarship to Westminster in Salt Lake City, Utah. HOLY BUCKETS, $100,000?!?!!? His tuition will be completely paid for off that scholarship. I am so excited for him and I can see how God has been working in his decision making process of choosing a college.

It has seriously been a rollercoaster but every event has had purpose - God's purpose. As sad as I was to hear that he would not be here in Madison with my next year(neither of my two brothers and I have ever attended the same school at one time), I am truly happy for him and his accomplishment and decision. He is such an amazing person and he has been through so much, with a deferral from his original number one choice(Madison) then an acceptance and then choosing to attend Madison until he got the scholarship phone call. This is so amazing. I ask that you all pray that he does find peace in his decision and journey of attending Westminster College. I know I will be doing the same. I am so happy for you, Patrick!

Where to begin...

So I am not exactly sure where to begin. I've never blogged before and didn't even consider it until recently. I guess for me the reason for wanting to blog is to be able to share my journey of not only becoming a Christian but the joys and struggles that happen along the way. I want it to be a way to share things with the people in my life and think this a great way to do so.

So I think for now I just wanna get things up and running but definitely have a lot of thoughts I want to put out there! But a first one - I am so blessed to be able to turn to God in everything that I do, even when it comes to starting my blog! He is my strength, my Savior, my Lord. Without Him I would be nothing.

I received a song from Andrea and her fiancee RJ today, that I listened to and it has put so many thoughts into my head, all beautiful.

"Love is not a fight" by Warren Barfield. I feel like the lyrics in this song relate to something we all have or will experience. Here it is. I feel like this is a good song to start my blog with(there will be MANY). Love is IT though. We all need to love one another and GOD IS LOVE. Love IS something worth fighting for.