So, last week I had the privilege to spend my time in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan at Cedar Campus, along the coast of Lake Huron, with 
some amazing people from Lewis’ chapter of Intervarsity Christian Fellowship for something called Chapter Focus Week. At Cedar Campus, we had the opportunity to join over 200 other students, like ourselves, and unite as one body of believers-coming together to embrace differences and celebrate the Lord, our God. Through a variety of tracks, large group worship time, exposition of Scripture (Philippians actually), chapter prayer, etc., we had the opportunity to come together and worship this God who continues to provide for us, sacrifice for us, forgive us, and love us. Since I’ve been away from my blog for a bit, I figured I’d just share with you a bit about Chapter Focus Week and share with you this journal entry from the retreat of silence we had last Sunday. So, without further ado, I present to you my thoughts from over a week ago!
some amazing people from Lewis’ chapter of Intervarsity Christian Fellowship for something called Chapter Focus Week. At Cedar Campus, we had the opportunity to join over 200 other students, like ourselves, and unite as one body of believers-coming together to embrace differences and celebrate the Lord, our God. Through a variety of tracks, large group worship time, exposition of Scripture (Philippians actually), chapter prayer, etc., we had the opportunity to come together and worship this God who continues to provide for us, sacrifice for us, forgive us, and love us. Since I’ve been away from my blog for a bit, I figured I’d just share with you a bit about Chapter Focus Week and share with you this journal entry from the retreat of silence we had last Sunday. So, without further ado, I present to you my thoughts from over a week ago!
Soft breezes, waves flow before me. I can hear the water as it moves about, waves softly crash on the rocks. Birds fly by, stop and ask for food. The shadows overhead make me think they gave up begging. Across the way, more trees than I can count. In the distance, few move about, trying to find their spot. The wind picks up, the trees rattle a bit, and just like that it dies down again. Faint call of the seagull and ducks on the lake. This is the creation of God.
There’s no way to describe those moments of heightened awareness. Those moments when I don’t even want to eat because all I want to do is gaze into this beauty. Even watching something as simple as the grace of the seagull as it catches the breeze and flies; its finesse, its beauty, so perfectly made. Two ducks dive down, shake off their heads, what a glorious site as God even provides for them.
There’s something about just taking it in. Opening your eyes, becoming aware of your surroundings. Even as simple as listening to the path under foot as someone walks by and knowing God is leading her someplace. It’s not this place that does it to us, it’s God. My friend the duck agrees as he lets out a joyful quack. By allowing the Lord to own our whole life, by giving Him all,
we all blessed with this gift of life. How often do I hear that same seagull and consider it annoying? How often do I declare all this noise? What am I choosing to focus my life on? Am I swimming against
the current like the duck I see or fighting the breeze like that silly bird? Or have I chosen a life of complacency or am stagnant like the seagull on the rock, merely waiting for something to come to it?
The unison calls of these seagulls sound like cries of, “No.” It’s as if they can hear what is on my heart and are crying out, “No! I will not settle any longer!” I think of the song “Unify Us.” Twice now we’ve sung it and twice now it’s brought tears to my eyes. I want to change the world! In whatever way, however God wants. I want to be united to something larger than myself. I want to change the world. I want to serve you my God. I want to give you everything and all of me. I want to be alive in you and for you and you alone! You are my God. You have rescued me from those barren and dark times. You are my strength. You are my hope. You are my life, my Lord, my God!
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:25-34
Matthew 6:25-34
