Thoughts For The Day :)

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1:27

         On one of the days during the youth trip to Guatemala this past summer, David read us this verse and had us journal about it for a little while. I don't have that entry with me here at school, so I don't quite remember what his prompt was or what I wrote, but I do know that it wasn't really THAT big of an impact for me. After a week of taking care of malnourished babies and scrubbing and cleaning and painting and scraping, it made sense why he chose that verse, but it didn't mean all that much. Thursday morning in chapel either Pastor Chris or one of the other speakers mentioned it while talking about "being the answer", and it sort of took on a new meaning. No, maybe that's not right. It meant the same thing, it just meant MORE.
         I am going to school for social work, with the hopes of one day working with children in adoptions and foster care, and maybe even full-time missions someday down the road. The more I think about what I am doing and where I am headed, the more I feel like this verse should be MINE, like this is what drives me. I love people, and I have a heart for helping them. It feels fulfilling when I accomplish something for someone else's benefit, for someone who REALLY needed it. I dream so big, but only because it's all stuff I cannot do alone. You know, I dream of those huge God-moments found in life's little ones, and making an incredible difference one person at a time simply by letting God work through me. I want so badly to trust God and experience his power during those times when I have nothing else to lean on.
         The funny thing is, that's kind of right now...I didn't know anybody here at Southeastern when I came, and so as I meet people and attempt to find a niche, I am relying so much more on God as my friend, not just my god. I have been talking to him constantly throughout the day, even about silly little things. I am broke. I mean, I have money, but I need every penny of it for school, especially since I don't have a job yet. I can't find a good enough work-study job, and I have been filling out endless numbers of applications elsewhere, all the while praying praying praying that God would work things out and continue to provide. If there is anything I understand about God, it's that he will. I can't say that I have the same big miraculous stories that some other people have, but my own are just as great a testimony to God's faithfulness, at least to myself.
         I am so excited to see what all God will allow me to do this semester. I feel a little guilty because it has been so easy for me to up and move away from everyone, and although I do miss my family, I am happy here. I LIKE being on my own, and I like being independent (as independent as I can be without a car--lol). I do wish Val were here with me, though. Being here and experiencing all this new stuff isn't the same without him by my side. Lord, please let this semester go by quickly...!
         I'm going to go, I think. I'll be sure to post something more later on. I'd like to get into the habit of posting school updates consistently, for the sake of those back home, but once classes really get going, I don't know how often that will be. Goodnight!