An Overall Update

Well, Chase and I have finally found a church that we believe we are called to, Celebration Church. They have planted various churches internationally, state wide, as well as 3 here locally in N.O. Because church planting is a fire that's w/in our hearts this church seems to be the best fit. Eventually we know we will be church planters ourselves ... until then we are following in the dangerous simplicity of The faith; believing in a God that loves humanity (ourselves included) more than we could ever begin to imagine or understand. Personally for me it's still a struggle to trust the Father's heart completely when He tells me He trusts me with His name, or His purposes, or actually believes in & loves me -- it just doesn't compute in my little brain. I don't seem to trust myself, believe in myself or love myself half the time!

As far as classes go, they began last Monday (Aug. 18). I still enjoy the concentration that I have chosen. You know the whole bind up the broken hearted, shine a light in the darkness, and set the captive free stuff -- yeah, that's what it's all about and in that is my purpose.

As far as what I am learning, much of my learning has been strictly academic when it comes to schooling, learning about Jesus isn't really what you get in the classroom. I am learning much about what it means to work for a relationship with Him; here it is very easy to become comfortable/complacent or disillusioned because of the comfort/complacency by which you are surrounded. I don't want to be mediocre, however I don't want to be bitter either, so in knowing those truths I must work all the more to be in constant contact with my Savior. And He has been just that, He is the Savior of my soul no doubt, but recently He's been the Savior (rescuer) of my moments, my sanity, and my confidence. it's definitely hard here, not gonna lie. But I've learned in these past few months to not be so concerned with being in the "center of God's will" so much as being concerned with "who" He is making me to be, loving the process, not just straining for the end result -- our relationship must be transforming.

What I've read lately -- a lot of Erwin McManus stuff. He's totally got right in my opinion. I am also reading a little by Ravi Zacharis, the most recent of which was titled "The End of Reason" an argument against atheism -- namely Sam Harris' argument for such. But with classes starting the leisure reading is out the window for a while.