Falling In Love With Jesus

Jesus just gave me a sweet revelation hot from the Holy Spirit.

Fear of man has been a struggle of mine for a while. I desire to fear the Lord, but it’s easier said than done. Tonight Jesus told me to meditate on His love and to imagine myself in situations that terrify me. I saw myself preaching in front of 5 people, then 300, then 10,000, then even more. I felt my heart rate accelerate, my palms begin to sweat, my chest weighed down with anxiety. I read in the book Soul Care, “Jesus loves me and that’s enough for me. The issue of my value was settled at the cross.” 

What a simple, but revolutionary idea! I imagined myself there again and I felt no fear. I don’t need their love because I have Jesus’. In order to truly love people I must not need or expect their love in return. Love is not self-seeking.

Hello lovelies! I’m going to do a SWOT analysis to help myself prepare for the upcoming break from school.  Being away from Christian community can be super super hard, but God wants to equip us for the challenges that lie ahead. So here I go!

STRENGTHS - What are some of your strengths currently in your Christian walk?

I asked God a long time ago to make me a prayer warrior and as always, He more than answered my prayer.  When I get in my prayer closet and I cry out to Jesus the heavens respond.  I don’t think it has anything to do with the words I say, but the purity and passion behind it.  I know that God loooves it when His children ask Him for things that are in alignment with His will and those are the only kind of prayers I want to pray.

My other strengths include: encourager/motivator; comforter; optimist; lover of people; gift of tongues, healing, and clarity in hearing Holy Spirit. 

WEAKNESSES - What are some of the weaknesses in your Christian walk?

Unfortunately my busy schedule prevents me from spending as much time with Jesus as I want.  Ideally that would be all my time, but I’ll just wait for Heaven for that one.  I also wish I could study the word without distraction, but my mind often wanders.  I’ve been working on this, but I wish I had better retention of scripture.  I know a lot verses, but sometimes I don’t remember where they came from or what their context was.  

OPPORTUNITY - What are some opportunities over break that you see that will help you mature in your Christian walk?

I’m super excited to be returning to my Oasis family in Chicago!! They have encouraged me and helped to grow my faith in remarkable ways.  I’m also excited to be home with my Shelter Rock fam and learn toooons from the wonderful and wise Marc and Rowie.  I seriously love them ridiculous amounts.  Ah and I get to go to church/encourage Hayley!! Seriously so much good. It’s amazing how the Lord totally answered my prayer for community while I’m home.  My home is mostly Jewish, sans my AMAZING family, and so there’s not much in the way of Christian encouragement there.  I’ll also be going to the SALT conference in Tennessee, which I have literally no expectations for so that should be fun.  Apparently it’s supposed to change my life or something.  Sounds cool.  

Things I could do additionally: 

My Mom and Dad are two of the greatest humans on the face of this planet and I would love love love to maybe have a bible study or some prayer time with them.

Pray and fast for my friends who don’t know Christ. Look for opportunities to share the gospel with them.

Go into the city and love on the homeless!!!

Make more time for devotionals and bible reading!

Read all of the many other Christian books I’ve bought.

Develop this blog into a full itemized index of my Jesus world! Yay organization and faithful stewardship!!

THREAT - What are some things that you are likely to face this break that, if not properly dealt with, could be hurtful to your walk with God?

So I kinda suck at transitions.  The Lord has definitely helped me on this, but I’m definitely not one-hundo-percent.  I really need to get into a good rhythm of reading the word and pursuing Jesus as soon as possible.  I also think arguing with my parents is hurtful to my walk.  We all struggle with the transition of me coming home.  I just need to pray for the Lord to give me extra patience and grace to love and respect them well.

COMMITTMENTS - 

Continual prayer and fasting throughout this season.

Continuing to contact people from my community to check in on and encourage and support them.

Spending more intentional time with Jesus!!!

Serving my community in a new and challenging way.

“If we don’t feel strong desires for the manifestation of the glory of God, it is not because you have drunk deeply and are satisfied. It is because we have nibbled so long at the table of the world. Our soul is stuffed with small things, and there is no room for the great.” - John Piper

Do you want to eat at the table of the Lord? The King of the universe is knocking on your door and you’re too busy nibbling at the table of the world to feast on all God has for you!  Reflect on your choices! Life is but a breath, but anything that you do for the Kingdom of heaven bears eternal significance. I’m reminded of the story of the woman at the well.  Jesus asks this woman for a drink and she’s so startled He would even speak to her, a Samaritan woman.  I can just imagine her thinking, “Who the heck is this guy?”  Jesus is so fantastically countercultural.  

This woman is out there drawing water in the middle of the hottest point of the day because her society has shamed her.  But Jesus sees her! He offers her living water and says, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.  Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Hello all,