This past weekend was my 10th Anniversary of my Candidate weekend on Search and I believe my 7th 4th Day Retreat. It was, as usual, amazing.
Every year we're asked why we came back and for me it's kind of a silly question, because for me there is nothing else I would rather be doing. There have been years that school has kept me away, and I missed it. I missed it that weekend and I missed it the rest of the year when I could feel my self moving away from God because I hadn't had that beginning of the year "date" with Him.
Here's the thing about my 4th Day friends. They are the ONLY people with whom I laugh so hard that I can't breathe and my abs hurt only 10 minutes after I've sobbed all over their shoulder and got some boogies in their hair. They're the ONLY people whom allow me to cry, alone, with God, while having their hand on my back soley for support if needed. Oddly enough, they're the ONLY people whom I can be myself around ALL the time.
Because sadly it's rare that you have a Christ filled conversation at work, or hanging out with your friends at the bar or across the dinner table. And I'm ok with that, bc as I've said before God put us on this earth to live in it. But I realized something this weekend.
He wants me to live in it with Him some more. He wants me to share His love some more. And I do it in a lot of ways. I will never "shove the dove" as my friend Jayme referred to it this weekend. I have my faith and I am more than happy to share it with you, tell you how it's changed my life and be hopeful that it will help you too. But I will never force it upon you.
I show my Christ driven life through kindness, every day in every way. Through being the Janice that God created, not the one that society has told me I should be.
It drives my mother crazy.
It was extremely refreshing to come to this realization this weekend. But I am not making my 4th Day resolution to be more active in my church while I can, while I'm living in this area. To be more active in God.
He misses me when I'm not around.
My friend Meghan shared an amazing passage with me that I believe may be my new favorite.
1st Corinthians 15:10: But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not without effect.
I think I'm going to start living by that just a bit more.
Every year we're asked why we came back and for me it's kind of a silly question, because for me there is nothing else I would rather be doing. There have been years that school has kept me away, and I missed it. I missed it that weekend and I missed it the rest of the year when I could feel my self moving away from God because I hadn't had that beginning of the year "date" with Him.
Here's the thing about my 4th Day friends. They are the ONLY people with whom I laugh so hard that I can't breathe and my abs hurt only 10 minutes after I've sobbed all over their shoulder and got some boogies in their hair. They're the ONLY people whom allow me to cry, alone, with God, while having their hand on my back soley for support if needed. Oddly enough, they're the ONLY people whom I can be myself around ALL the time.
Because sadly it's rare that you have a Christ filled conversation at work, or hanging out with your friends at the bar or across the dinner table. And I'm ok with that, bc as I've said before God put us on this earth to live in it. But I realized something this weekend.
He wants me to live in it with Him some more. He wants me to share His love some more. And I do it in a lot of ways. I will never "shove the dove" as my friend Jayme referred to it this weekend. I have my faith and I am more than happy to share it with you, tell you how it's changed my life and be hopeful that it will help you too. But I will never force it upon you.
I show my Christ driven life through kindness, every day in every way. Through being the Janice that God created, not the one that society has told me I should be.
It drives my mother crazy.
It was extremely refreshing to come to this realization this weekend. But I am not making my 4th Day resolution to be more active in my church while I can, while I'm living in this area. To be more active in God.
He misses me when I'm not around.
My friend Meghan shared an amazing passage with me that I believe may be my new favorite.
1st Corinthians 15:10: But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not without effect.
I think I'm going to start living by that just a bit more.
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