Relationships

Yesterday I had 3 dates.

They were all with beautiful friends of mine. We shared coffee, milk shakes, chikfila, and our hearts.

I am a relator. I love one on one, face to face, eye to eye discussions. And, even though I didn't get any homework even started until 12 midnight last night, I feel like it was the most rewarding day I've had so far this semester. John Brown is full of

delightful friends, and I just hate to think that I waited so long to finally pursue these kinds of friendships.

My first semester at JBU I was completely and wholeheartedly devoted to a dating relationship, and I missed out on what friendships could offer. No, I'm not currently in a dating relationship; Yes, a number of my friends are. And I don't really mind. I love hearing about that part of their life. I love seeing them genuinely happy, and in healthy relationships that don't take the same downward spiral mine did. I think that the best part of good and bad relationships is learning from them. Hold on, and focus on the positive th

ings; Learn from, and discard the negative.

This is one of my favorite pictures, ever. I love these girls...

Pain is Pleasure

Hymns are awesome.

I would like to put another song on my blog. This song also spoke straight to my heart. The difference is that it came from God, to comfort and inspire me. Not from the culture of today, which made me only feel sorry for myself. (kind of like that last song I put on here).

It's called "Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken" by Henry Francis Lyte & Bill Moore
Please read it all.

Jesus, I my cross have taken,

All to leave and follow thee.

Destitute, despised, forsaken,

Thou from hence my all shall be.

Perish every fond ambition,

All I've sought or hoped or known.

Yet how rich is my condition!

God and heaven are still my own.

Let the world despise and leave me,

They have left my Savior, too.

Human hearts and looks deceive me;

O while though dost smile upon me,

God of wisdom, love, and might,

Foes may hate and friends disown me,

Show thy face and all is bright.

Man may trouble and distress me,

'Twill but drive me to thy breast

Life with trials hard may press me;

Heaven will bring me sweeter rest.

Oh, 'tis not in grief to harm me

While thy love is left to me,

Oh, 'twere not in joy to charm me

Were that joy unmixed with thee.

Go, then, earthly fame and treasure,

Come disaster, scorn and pain

In they service, pain is pleasure,

With thy favor, loss is gain

I have called thee Abba Father,

I have stayed my heart on thee

Storms may howl, and clouds may gather;

All must work for good to me.

Soul, then know thy full salvation

Rise o'er sin and fear and care

Joy to find in every station,

Something still to do or bear.

Think what Spirit dwells within thee,

think what Father's smiles are thine,

think what Jesus dies to win thee,

child of heaven, canst thou repine?

Hast thee on from grace to glory,

Armed by faith, and winged by prayer.

Heaven's eternal days before thee,

God's own hand shall guide us there.

Soon shall close thy earthly mission,

Soon shall pass thy pilgrim days,

Hope shall change to glad fruition,

Faith to sight, and prayer to praise.

I think this song pretty much sums up how a Christian's life should look on earth. I really think that discovering how to trust Jesus more will change my life. There's so much freedom in giving up, especially when you give up to a God who wants only your best.

Decisions

All we see of someone at any moment is a snapshot of their life, there in riches or poverty, in joy or despair. Snapshots don't show the million decisions that led to that moment. ::Richard Bach

Perseverance

Well, I'm back at JBU. Life goes on after Ireland.

One of the things I love about going to John Brown University, is that I am able to worship and do homework simultaneously. I was reading an article for my Old Testament class, and I was hit by truth after truth. Here's one of the quotes that I especially loved.

"The rewards offered by the Old Testament do not come easily. Learning to feel at home in its pages will take time and effort. All achievements--climbing mountains, mastering the guitar, competing in a triathlon--require a similar process of hard work; we persevere because we believe rewards will come."--Phillip Yancey

I just need to keep persevering.