Ready to Rest in Him...

My fear lately if I can be brutally honest with you is that the things God has brought me through to get closer to Him will be forgotten or rather not applied. I'm not sure if any of you know what I'm talking about although I have reason to beleive most of you may. I don't want to be complacent in my upbringing but rather unsettled for seeing the world much bigger than through my mere eyes. I want to see,ache, experience and reach the world for Christ. I want to think past my own desires and seek His desires so through His desires they will become my desires. Pslam 37:4 I'm off of work next week since it's Spring Break and to be honest, I'm looking forward to a great retreat to get more time with my Father,God.

Being back home is great! I'm so blessed to have a family like I do. It's funny though that no matter where I/You am/are, I'm/you're always going to have something to complain about. The truth about it all is, life isn't perfect. People definitley aren't perfect and there's only so much one person can do. The older you/I get, the most demands we have put on us. Do this, do that, the list(s) go on and on.

I am emotionally and physically tired. I want to Seek the Lord. Pray and love Him. I miss my Father. My Savior. My life has been more out of balance than I have wanted and my focus isn't in focus like I pray it to be.

I blog all of this out in hopes I'm not alone. I also blog it all out to just filter my thoughts out onto something visual.

So much on my mind...

Praying for a rested, humble spirit.

Summer's Almost Gone...

"Time flys by when your having fun".. Classes are coming up fast. At Southwestern they begin August 21st. I have a big test coming up August 25th I'm preparing for and trying my best not to freak myself out over my brother coming to see me in less than a week without his blanket complete! Eek! I'll be ready when it's complete not that I havent' enjoyed doing it, I'm just ready to see the end project. I guess it's much like life, huh. We hurry through life only because we are so anxious at paying off debt, completing our degree to be out in the "real world" only to find out that the real world can be a very scary place all the while wondering if or when you'll be married or if already married when you'll have a baby or whatver the case may be you get my drift. There seems to be more and more people as days go by bringing up the topic of choice, Recession, and following along with the words,"well if we're not in it I'd hate to see what it's like". While driving to work today as I drank a starbucks drink merely because I was driving by and felt like having a caffeine/coffee rush before work. As I drove to work with gas in my tank, the ac on, radio blaring, cellphone by my side, starbucks drink in my hand I realized just how spoiled I was. How many people can just grab a starbucks drink just because they feel like it or even have a car to go through the drive thru for it? I once heard the percentage of people who own a car in the world and well I dont' remember the exact number but know that it was a VERY low percentage. I complain about so many things hourly, daily, weekly that when it comes down to what I'm complaining about, it clearly DOESN'T MATTER. Who cares if I'm single? Just because I think i'm " behind" doesn't mean I am. Who cares if I don't have kids? Who says having these things makes life any less complicated anyway? Life is waht it is and I firmly believe it's what you make of it. A goal I'm going to do my best at before this year is up is to work hard at what I do but make time for things that maybe I dont' have to make time for but want to, to help others in need or to put a smile on someone elese face other than my own. Have you ever heard someone say that the harder you work at not becoming what you don't want to become.. the more likely you become it anyways if not careful? Well, if you haven't, . maybe I made it up? but the point is I think I've become so closeminded with my own priorities that I've neglected everything else I ever or aspired to did/do.

I'm moving in an apartment soon ( next week) in fact, maybe I can start through hospitality and being a listening ear. I talk enough for two people at times, it's time for me to take a back seat.

A new semester...:)

Another semester has come and gone. It's hard to believe that around this time last year I was managing culture shock... NO TREES!!... no mountains... five lanes of traffic?? who would have thought?!:) It's been quite an adventure thus far being here in Texas in comparison to the good 'ol stat of North Carolina:) ( sweet carolina girls). As usual I have grown so much with all the things God has shown me. Showing me that even as a seminary student I am just as tempted by the things of this world as someone out of seminary, in fact I feel like I'm even more tempted by Satan by him knowing how I want to make a difference in the world by telling others about Jesus Christ,my Lord and Savior! He has been there for me through thick and thin, good times and bad. I've always had someone to disappoint me, my mom, or dad, my best friend, the list could go on and on but with Christ He's always been by my side. The words that come to my mind when I think about the Lord, Jesus Christ is comforter, protector, almighty father, prince of PEACE, loving, just, faithful! Not knowing from one day to the next what tomorrow brings can be tough but knowing Christ knew me before I was ever born as the scripture says and how he even knows the number of hairs on my head, wow!, my first thought is why? who cares?.. but guess waht.. He does! haha. Knowing he knows my future keeps me sane. I know though if I knew all the things God has planned for me, I'd flip out and probably be so overwhelmed I'd give myself a heart attack! haha. I'm such a fickle person. Last semester I dabbled in youth ministry which don't get me wrong was awesome but now curently I'm really interested in inner city missions!! I attend church each week where homeless people come and are fed soul food in more than one way:). Preaching is first, then lunch is provided. Beautiful Feet ministry is the name of the minstry. www.thefeet.org and there is another site you can check out too:) http://www.baptiststandard.com/1998/4_22/pages/soulfood.html .... the people here have blessed me more than I think I ever could them. Getting back to the basics of life is such a reviving experience. These people aren't worried about debt. They are worried about living from one day to the next. This got me thinking about that Tim McGraw song, "Live like you were dying". With that said, maybe this is why I stay busy so much cramming every second of every hour into something for me to do, however I am getting better at taking time out to actually rest, a new hobby I've found to enjoy more and more as I get older;). Speaking of working, I'm getting off work now and soon to be on my way "home" ( my dorm room) to rest. Take care and I pray God blesses you today and every day. Remember to take time out to read his word, if you don't then it's tough to hear what he has to say although it's not impossible it's still harder;). Much love:)

Just a recap of the week so far...

This week has been better than most.

I have actually been more awake at 6:30am than usual ( to get ready for the day). This may not sound like a big deal to most but for me God definitely has interveined ( spelling?) with my motivation.

I recieved an ebay package in the mail. That is always nice.

God also reminded me in the midst of my busy agenda to just look around (on campus) and remember His beauty. So what'd I do?!... I headed to the small waterfall on campus and admired the fish. Did you know there are four small "baby" fish in there. Bet ya didn't! haha.

Oh! and my roomie, Rachel brought home a carton of "Chunky Monkey" Ben and Jerry's icecream, .. JUST FOR ME:). She knows the key to my heart:) haha... FOOD!

Overall, the week has been pretty great... there are other great things I didn't mention too just because there were lots... so .... yeah! God is good:)... ALL the time!:)

God Bless!-
Heather

Your Grace Still Amazes Me

Jesus places random songs in my heart that are like his love songs to me. I find myself singing songs I havn't heard in years but when certain words or situations are brought up, that is when God pullls them out of my "filing cabinet" (a.k.a. brain) and reminds me of his greatness. This song below is just one of the many that I have enjoyed playing over and over again in my head:)

"you traded glory for a manger
to redeem a dying world
and made friends with this sinner
so that i could be restored

... your grace still amazes me"-Written by Matt Boswell

It pains me to see lost people. I am finally beginning to feel a small part of how Jesus must have felt when he came to Earth. He died for me and you and how amazing is His grace?! It still amazes me I am so thankful for his constant forgiveness and mercy. Remember!......

Jesus Paid it All, All to Him I Owe.


(Check Out Matt Boswell on Itunes.)


~Heather Brooke