"Tweet Week" Post: A Response to Camp Paradise

It has been over a year since I have posted something on this blog.  In some ways I feel ashamed of that but I also didn't really have anything to say.  Now I do!

At camp this week we were given a challenge to post about our experience.  I was a Family Group Leader.  This was not a new experience for me except this year The Lord's hand was on Camp Paradise like it has never been before.  Ask anyone who went and they will tell you the same thing.  Even I, as a group leader, was challenged and pushed in ways I have never been challenged or pushed before.  I will discuss that in some follow up posts.

Today, I wanted to talk about once that resonated in a lot of students' minds. It was the concept of "living sent."  The idea of reaching your community for the Christ.

This song came on the radio on my way home from North Campus.  It has been my prayer for the past 24+ hours as I have prayed over these students.  I pray that they are seeking The Lord's kingdom and that they are they workers as Christ builds his kingdom.

Artist: Rend Collective Experiment
Album: Homemade Worship by Handmade People:
Lyrics:
Come set Your rule and reign
In our hearts again
Increase in us we pray
Unveil why we're made
Come set our hearts ablaze with hope
Like wildfire in our very souls
Holy Spirit come invade us now
We are Your Church
We need Your power
In us

We seek Your kingdom first
We hunger and we thirst
Refuse to waste our lives
For You're our joy and prize
To see the captive hearts released
The hurt; the sick; the poor at peace
We lay down our lives for Heaven's cause
We are Your church
We pray revive
This Earth

Build Your kingdom here
Let the darkness fear
Show Your mighty hand
Heal our streets and land
Set Your church on fire
Win this nation back
Change the atmosphere
Build Your kingdom here
We pray

Unleash Your kingdom's power
Reaching the near and far
No force of hell can stop
Your beauty changing hearts
You made us for much more than this
Awake the kingdom seed in us
Fill us with the strength and love of Christ
We are Your church
We are the hope 
On Earth

Giving God Glory ~ I've always had a problem with this...

As I was preparing for my Bible Study tonight I was reading chapter 3 in which it talks about giving God glory. I've always had a problem with this. I don't have a problem giving God glory when it is due. (So, basically, that's all the time!!) But I found a problem with the statement "God wants to be glorified." It sounds so arrogant. It says in Leviticus, "By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; and before all people I must be glorified." And in Psalms it says, "Trust me in your times of trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory." So why is my God so arrogant and so self serving?

Then the Lord spoke to me through the book we are reading for Bible Study. This is what it said:

"Make no mistake. God has no ego problem. He does not reveal his glory for his good. We need to witness it for ourselves. We need a strong had to pull us to into the safe boat, just like the pilot of lifeboat does. [We] need to hear him say, "I am here. I am strong. I have room for you. I can save you!"

So by promoting God, and by God demanding promotion, we are helping ourselves and other realize that He is good and He is the all in all and He IS our sustainer and HE IS MIGHTY and HE IS....I could go on forever, but I would run out of finger strength.

So next time I glorify God I will rest in the peace that He is there and deserves glorification.

What's in MY name?

I've always liked my name, but tonight as I was doing my quiet time I realized how truly awesome my name is and also how completely humbled I should be my name.

Cynthia - It means moon.

I am currently reading Max Lucado's book It's Not About Me with the Fusion College Ministry girls. (So far, it's good. Anyone, not just girls, should take a gander.) He starts proving that it is not about me by analyzing the purpose of the moon and how it "models our role" of how we should be as Christians, followers and reflectors of Christ. Here is an excerpt:

What does the moon do? She generates no light. Contrary to the the lyrics of the song, this harvest moon cannot shine on. Apart from the sun, the moon is nothing more than pitch-black, pockmarked rock. But properly positioned, the moon beams. Let her do what she was made to do, and a clod of dirt becomes a source of inspiration, yea, verily romance The moon reflects greater light.

And she's happy to do so! You never hear the moon complaining. She makes no waves about making waves. Let the cow jump over her or astronauts step on her; she never objects. Even though sunning is accepted while mooning is the butt of bad jokes, you won't hear ol' Cheeseface grumble. The moon is at peace in her place. And because she is, soft light touches the dark earth.

What a name sake! What an amazing thing to live up to! And, man do I have a lot of work!

Anchalee - It means to wai (pronounced "why"). Wai means to bow. It is the term used for the slight bow or curtsey one does in Thailand upon greeting someone.

When you greet someone in Thailand, the proper thing to do is to bow and say the appropriate greeting. It is respectful and expected. Aren't we expected to do the same thing to our Lord? Shouldn't we be bowing out of respect for our high God? Shouldn't that be the appropriate and only way to greet our Lord? Except our should be much more than slight. Our greeting should be on our knees or flat on our faces.

What a name sake! What an amazing thing to live up to! And, man do I have a lot of work!

Lawrence - "It is of Latin origin, and the meaning of Lawrence is "from Laurentum". Laurentum was a city south of Rome known for its laurel trees." "According to Greek and Roman mythology, the laurel was said to repeal lightning, which many have been why wreaths of laurel have adorned the heads of people in ancient depictions. The laurel wreath also symbolizes a poet and one who excels in the sciences and arts. The laurel was sacred to the god Apollo and came to stand for victories and spiritual cleansing."

Laurel leave wreathes adorned peoples head, a place of honor. They were also utilitarian in nature because they were placed there to ward off lightning. And, as you can read above, they symbolize so much status.

What a name sake! What an amazing thing to live up to! And, man do I have a lot of work!

What a name sake! What an amazing thing to live up to! And, man do I have a lot of work!

Sources:

Lucado, Max. It's Not About Me. Nashville, TN.: Thomas Nelson page 6

Meaning of Lawrence: http://www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/1/Lawrence

Laurel Tree info: http://meaningofgifts.com/?p=829

Valentine's Day...My thoughts on the day...

I have never had a beau on a Valentine's Day and unless something changes in the next two days that trend won't change. This is not going to be one of those whiny blog entries. One of those "Woe is me! I hate my life. Why doesn't anyone love me?" blogs. Don't get me wrong, I have felt that way before. There are days when I see me friends falling in love, getting married, and living the life I know the Lord has for me at some point, I feel awful about myself.

Instead, the point of this blog is not to dwell on the things that I feel my life is lacking but to focus on the BIG God that blesses my life everyday. This blog is for the glory of God and His glory only. Even the title is "For I am Not." For I am Not and He IS!!

Okay so what has HE blessed me with:

• Family that loves me more than words. They bail me out and stand by me when I need it. A wonderful mother and father who show me what a real marriage, a real relationship, real love looks like. A beautiful sister who is one of the best friends a girl could have who is about to marry the love of her life and give me a brother. A momaw and popaw that are such great role models for a Christian marriage that lasts through the years. And to all my other family, the love me from, some from great distances, and I am so not worthy of all their love.
• Friends that are my chosen family. Friends who God has given me to provide me with so much joy and love. I am forever in His debt for the relationships he has put in my life. My girls. So many sisters a girl just doesn't know what to do with them all. They are my precious loves and I can't go through a week without talking to them. I often rely on them to get me through everything. My boys. They are my big and little brothers and I know they have got my back in anything.

• My roommates! Two of the most precious souls on this earth. They are two of the most brilliant people I have ever met and two of the greatest educators. I am privileged to share a home, a life, and many other things with them.

• My Sunday School class! The most wonderful people in the world who I share so much with and with whom learn so much about our God and His plan.
• The College Ministry of HGBC. I love to serve those students and to serve along side my fellow followers of Christ. God has blessed me so much in that ministry.

So on this weekend before Valentine's Day I reflect on how many people God has given me to love. And though mystery man and I have not started our relationship yet, I have so many Valentines this year. I am too lucky and too blessed.

Picnick is my fave!

Sometimes this is what I do with my time...

What ya think?

The Woman Who Fears the Lord

Proverbs 31

10 An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
14 She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.
15 She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17 She dresses herself with strength
and makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
20 She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.

A few verses that inspired me...

A few of my friends from HGBC's College Ministry (Fusion) posted some pictures of some verses that were around the Passion conference. These were the ones that struck me to the core of my heart.

I forget to BE STILL and focus on the LORD.

I need to remember pray to come boldly in that prayer.