Rafters in a gym, college students, and the Holy Spirit
Today I was on my elliptical, working to be my best size of size 12 to 16. I've been taking hair/skin/nail vitamins so that my newly dark hair can grow into lengthy, glossy Amal Clooney or Duchess Meghan tresses - a slightly unattainable goal for a fifty-year-old. My mom is thinking of buying some hair spray that paints her scalp. If I keep coloring my hair I may need some.
I have this idea that if I can just be physically attractive when I start school I will make friends. I know that is the logic of a maybe a 12-year-old girl. Steve and I went to see "Life of the Party" against our better judgment - but it actually made us laugh a lot. If you've been around Steve Smith you know how loud he laughs. It gives me a lot of joy watching him try not to laugh in a movie theater. There's a lot of feet stamping and rocking around. Watching him is almost as good as watching the movie.
But I did see much of myself in the mom going back to school - minus the divorce and student affair part. Sorry to spoil. Her love of knowledge and pursuing a dream, her cooking breakfast in the sorority house while dishing out wisdom to students, her love of college swag - I'm all in.
I had sort of an epiphany on my elliptical, as I realized that while I'm excited to go back to school and study interior design, I'm equally excited about being around college students and sharing the hope of glory in my life. This is my mission field. This is who I love. This is the group in which I get to be a resident alien.
So it was really great tonight to be at the Austin Stone and hear a message on mission and Jonah from Ross Lester. If you go to the Stone, you need to know you have such a gem in him. Listen to him. He is a gift from God. I'm basically going to steal his sermon points. So that I can remember them. They may not be all his.
Missionaries aren't only the sock and sandal wearing people who take their large families to populate a foreign mission field. We are all missionaries - living our life on a mission. If you're a follower of Jesus Christ, then you are going to want to know him and make him be known.
How do we do this?
Make a life in the place you reside. Maybe for me this will mean study groups on campus. A job in the library. Coffee dates. I don't think it will mean I will have the best hair or body weight. I mean, I really want to look cute in a bobcat hoodie, but people don't need christians who are trying to be dangerously attractive or edgy. They need christians who are humble, transparent and encouraging. To see the hope of our joy for what it is. Jesus.
I pray that I love Texas State and San Marcos a lot. I will pray for my professors and classmates. My future friends and co-encouragers. I pray I will have God's heart for them because my own heart is pretty touch and go. I need to pray I can affect change. I might be someone's only link to Jesus. I need to pray for an amazing use for my degree that is undeniably God.
I love to pray for people, but beyond that I want to cook for students and force them to play the Ungame at my home. Just kidding. Maybe. Steve has this idea that I should have a youtube channel revolving around going back to school. I like the idea except that I have no idea of how that could go. It could be humorous. It could be inspirational. It could be educational. But let's face it, probably humorous.
I had the thought tonight as I sat in the 5 o'clock service of how glad I am to be there. How much I love the Austin Stone. Deep deep love. I frequently stare up at the rafters when I'm in a service because so many times in the past I laid behind the stage and prayed and stared at the rafters. It's like seeing old friends. I almost fell over in worship tonight. That hasn't happened in a while. Marcus Dawe (if that's your correct name) you are a gem. Thank you for leading.
I'm always so blessed to be there. It always feels like coming home. And I have always loved the 5 o'clock service. I love it when the greeters tell me I'm there early - that no one comes on time to this service. I love looking around and seeing only college students, who are looking for Jesus, or love, or company or dinner. Maybe all of that.
Tonight I had the thought of how great it would be to be able to share with a student I meet on campus who is desperately looking, that I know the answer and his name is Jesus. In whatever words, however that looks. I had this picture of us going to the Stone. This is the part in my thoughts where I stopped and prayed for the Austin Stone to "multiply" themselves in San Marcos. Anywho, I thought wouldn't it just be so awesome to bring students with me to the 5 o'clock. It would feel full circle.
But mostly it would be living out the reason of why I'm here. Why I'm willing to be a resident foreigner. Someday we will be home. Someday I will be a size 12 and have long dark (for real) hair. I don't think it's unreasonable to think Jesus and I will have iced cappuccinos and talk about our favorite worship songs (Heart Abandoned) and our times with the rafters. But until then...Texas State you're up!
note to self: John 17 in the message. Read it.
I have this idea that if I can just be physically attractive when I start school I will make friends. I know that is the logic of a maybe a 12-year-old girl. Steve and I went to see "Life of the Party" against our better judgment - but it actually made us laugh a lot. If you've been around Steve Smith you know how loud he laughs. It gives me a lot of joy watching him try not to laugh in a movie theater. There's a lot of feet stamping and rocking around. Watching him is almost as good as watching the movie.
But I did see much of myself in the mom going back to school - minus the divorce and student affair part. Sorry to spoil. Her love of knowledge and pursuing a dream, her cooking breakfast in the sorority house while dishing out wisdom to students, her love of college swag - I'm all in.
I had sort of an epiphany on my elliptical, as I realized that while I'm excited to go back to school and study interior design, I'm equally excited about being around college students and sharing the hope of glory in my life. This is my mission field. This is who I love. This is the group in which I get to be a resident alien.
So it was really great tonight to be at the Austin Stone and hear a message on mission and Jonah from Ross Lester. If you go to the Stone, you need to know you have such a gem in him. Listen to him. He is a gift from God. I'm basically going to steal his sermon points. So that I can remember them. They may not be all his.
Missionaries aren't only the sock and sandal wearing people who take their large families to populate a foreign mission field. We are all missionaries - living our life on a mission. If you're a follower of Jesus Christ, then you are going to want to know him and make him be known.
How do we do this?
Make a life in the place you reside. Maybe for me this will mean study groups on campus. A job in the library. Coffee dates. I don't think it will mean I will have the best hair or body weight. I mean, I really want to look cute in a bobcat hoodie, but people don't need christians who are trying to be dangerously attractive or edgy. They need christians who are humble, transparent and encouraging. To see the hope of our joy for what it is. Jesus.
I pray that I love Texas State and San Marcos a lot. I will pray for my professors and classmates. My future friends and co-encouragers. I pray I will have God's heart for them because my own heart is pretty touch and go. I need to pray I can affect change. I might be someone's only link to Jesus. I need to pray for an amazing use for my degree that is undeniably God.
I love to pray for people, but beyond that I want to cook for students and force them to play the Ungame at my home. Just kidding. Maybe. Steve has this idea that I should have a youtube channel revolving around going back to school. I like the idea except that I have no idea of how that could go. It could be humorous. It could be inspirational. It could be educational. But let's face it, probably humorous.
I had the thought tonight as I sat in the 5 o'clock service of how glad I am to be there. How much I love the Austin Stone. Deep deep love. I frequently stare up at the rafters when I'm in a service because so many times in the past I laid behind the stage and prayed and stared at the rafters. It's like seeing old friends. I almost fell over in worship tonight. That hasn't happened in a while. Marcus Dawe (if that's your correct name) you are a gem. Thank you for leading.
I'm always so blessed to be there. It always feels like coming home. And I have always loved the 5 o'clock service. I love it when the greeters tell me I'm there early - that no one comes on time to this service. I love looking around and seeing only college students, who are looking for Jesus, or love, or company or dinner. Maybe all of that.
Tonight I had the thought of how great it would be to be able to share with a student I meet on campus who is desperately looking, that I know the answer and his name is Jesus. In whatever words, however that looks. I had this picture of us going to the Stone. This is the part in my thoughts where I stopped and prayed for the Austin Stone to "multiply" themselves in San Marcos. Anywho, I thought wouldn't it just be so awesome to bring students with me to the 5 o'clock. It would feel full circle.
But mostly it would be living out the reason of why I'm here. Why I'm willing to be a resident foreigner. Someday we will be home. Someday I will be a size 12 and have long dark (for real) hair. I don't think it's unreasonable to think Jesus and I will have iced cappuccinos and talk about our favorite worship songs (Heart Abandoned) and our times with the rafters. But until then...Texas State you're up!
note to self: John 17 in the message. Read it.