this is my friend, Melinda. (or MemGym87 if you went to high school with us)
Melinda is this:
there are lots of reasons why Melinda is a baller, shot caller-- but the one i'm talking about here is the fact that she is spending her summer in Haiti serving the people there. i am so excited to hear all of the stories and ways that God has used her to impact the people of Haiti. further, i am excited to hear all the ways God has used the people of Haiti to stretch and grow her. (i love how that works. we grow and learn the most from the people and ways that we are intentionally serving. )
she has such a huge heart and is so full of joy that you can read it in her emails.
what is also amazing is the way that God is using her not only in Haiti, but right here in lexington, kentucky!
here is what i mean..(i did not ask if i could use this! but i don't think she will mind!)
"It has been so amazing to see the love of Jesus in Haiti. I have realized how much they fully rely on God, and daily. They don't have video games, tv, computers, etc to distract them from thinking about him. When they have a bad day they don't go to distract themself with a movie, they pray. They rely on him and him alone. It has opened my eyes to the useless things we do in America and the time wasted away from God. At church they all pray outloud, so imagine 800 voices praising and praying to the God of the Universe at once; it was powerful! Many get on their knees--old and young."
not only does this almost bring me to tears to imagine such a sight, it also totally calls me out (but in a good, good way). i feel like i can easily get distracted by dumb, unnecessary things. i focus on the fleeting instead of the everlasting constantly.
and it isn't always the same things that distract me. i am the only one left at the 312 this week and we no longer have internet or tv at our house. you think that i would have way less distractions and more intentional time. no, no, my friend. instead i have focused on getting things checked off my to do list, dreaming about my new room, and trying to get a jump on the moving out cleaning.
further, i came home and felt tense and exhausted--so what did i do? go to God for a little tlc? no. i went and cleaned out the laundry room after eating some ice cream.
can we say...
band aid??? "come to me, all who are weary and burdened and i will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28)
i know we probably all know this scripture by heart, but my actions do not reveal that this is capital "T" truth when i run to rocky road ice cream and trying to get more cleaning done, than resting in the Truth of Jesus's words.
man. i still have soo many thoughts and things i am thinking through...
if you, too, are feeling convicted and encouraged/maybe a little sucky..i highly encourage going here:
for a little encouragement! this is more Truth i need to cling to today!
"that's why, when I heard of the solid trust you have in the Master Jesus and your outpouring of love to all the followers of Jesus, I couldn't stop thanking God for you—every time I prayed, I'd think of you and give thanks. But I do more than thank. I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do [aka not distracted!! -my own addition and emphasis], grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength!" --from Ephesians 1 (message version)
---we are reading through ephesians with the girls i meet with at tates creek--how appropriate the timing. i can't wait to share with them from melinda's email! pray we have some solid discussion!!
Conviction on the band-aids - that's me all the way. Thanks for the post, I needed to read it!
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