My only daily scheduled requirements are working out and spending time with Jesus. It's pretty much perfect.
Actually, I'm quite excited about it! As I spent the entire last week pretty much confined to my couch or the hard wood floor, surrounded by notes and scholarly articles and papers and textbooks, I didn't allow myself much time for either and, well, I can't say that I felt especially good about myself coming out of it.
I took my last final and went straight to the gym after it and 2 1/2 hrs later, felt a good sort of exhausted as I walked home to wash and pack and ready myself to see my family later.
Shortly before the school year ended, one of our ministry leaders gave a talk on Spiritual disciplines and the importance of being disciplined to be in the word this summer. I was rather convicted by it as I have been a little fallen out with my Jesus time as late, which is never a good thing for me.
So to challenge myself by way of spiritual and physical health this summer, I've mapped out a couple different 90 day plans to keep me on track and ready for the spiritual battle I'll face my final semester of school.
Firstly- B90x. <--- that's the spiritual one. I'm shooting the read the entire Bible in 90 days. Today I finish Genesis and start the first 15 chapters of Exodus. I've read some of these stories so many times already, but they never get old. Everytime I am reminded of how God just loves. He loves his people and He loves to do great things to show it. There's so many just little blips of things where God shows up and says things that are just wonderful.
For example, when Jacob is running away and sleeps with a stone as a pillow and God shows up in his dream and says, "Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go; for I will not leave until I have done what I have promised you" And then Jacob is like, "Sure the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it."<--- That's me!
I'm just casually putting my head against a rock like no big deal and then something amazing happens and I'm like, "oh hey! God is here and I didn't even know." What a clever line, Jacob. Do we always just expect that we must invite God to be with us in order for him to show up? Like, we pray, "God we invite you to be among us" or "God please show up tonight" or "God, you say where 2 or more are gathered together, you'll be with us" and then we think "But if it's just one of us, he's not." Whatever. Ready or not you shall be caught, he's gonna be there no matter what.
I love how the Lord loves me through His word! I'm so excited to dig deeper into as the summer progresses! Hopefully, my heart shall see much transformation and my capacity to love will be busting out of my heart seems. I want to love better.
Whilst reading through the Bible, I'm attempting my 1000 miles in 90 days again. Last summer I only made it to a little over 500 miles, so we'll see what happens this summer. I have thus far conquered 16 miles. Heh. We'll see, we'll see. Last summer I didn't drink coffee and so maybe this summer will see great improvement. :)
This past weekend was one of the most wonderful things I've experienced since my time in Nicaragua. That's saying a lot because I have experience a lot of wonderful things between then and now.
My sister, best friend, and myself packed ourselves into my car at 9:30pm Friday night and began our journey back to good ol' Storm Lake, IA. I don't mind long car trips, especially when I'm driving. I rarely let myself be still long enough to think and process through life and I find long drives to be conducive for deep discussions or quiet thoughts. We arrived home some time before 1am and sneaked ourselves quietly upstairs and found our assigned beds and by 1:15 found ourselves tucked in where we belonged. We were home!
Although I was quite exhausted from being up @ 6am to study for final, working out at the gym, and driving the whole way back, sleep didn't come very easily and I was fully awake again before 7:30.
Saturday day was filled with family, friends, and fun time. It was exactly how it should have been with someone to hug and talk to in every room of the house while preparing the house for Ken's grad party, drinking copious amounts of coffee, and stopping to rest every now and again by way of doing crosswords with the siblings whilst sitting on the big red couch.
Sunday was just as perfect with more coffee, some church, and then a rainy sunday afternoon nap whilst North and South played on the TV. We finished our evening with apples to apples and a couple rounds of Sardines-in-the-dark. My friend, Amanda, and I retired to our bed by 1am and got up at 6 to journey back to Iowa City.
Of course I was exhausted when I got back. A good exhausted. I'm always a little more emotional when I'm tired.
In the midst of all of our wonderful sibling/friend hanging outting over the weekend, there was some singing and worshipping, because we love Jesus and that just... happens.
My sister showed us this little music video to go along with one of the songs and, well, it got me.
I think it's beautiful. I like to think in pictures and this one shows a little more than the physical goings on in the crucifixion.
I wish I knew the spiritual world better. I wish I was more aware of just how much the Lord fights for me every day. I wish I wouldn't be so apathetic about my walk sometimes.
I wish I was a stronger believer. Truly. Which is why I want to workout my spiritual muscles this summer. I want my life to make a difference and I want my faith to matter. I want to be a person that encourages people to love Jesus more and inspires them to walk closer. But, more often than not, I don't think I qualify to have that kind of influence.
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