A SOUL AND THE HOLY SPIRIT
“I don’t want your life to be normal. I want God to take you on a wild adventure every single day.”
Despite these words that have stuck with me ever since I heard them on the World Race my life right now is pretty normal: I wake up, spend a little bit of time sipping my Good Earth tea, reflecting, resting, and reading with Jesus, I eat the same foods most days. I go to my OSU zoom classes. I do my homework. I text friends. I worry about the little things (my next chemistry lab). And I worry about the big things on the horizon (summer plans: either national guard or Alaska fishing). I workout with my housemates (which often involves spikeball on the sunny days). I play games, watch movies, and generally enjoy myself. I spend a few minutes in rest, prayer, and reflection before bed. I’m normally pretty tired and fall asleep filled with awe that Yahweh loves me so much and I get to nestle into his arms and forget all the little cares of the world and be at peace. Some nights though in prayer I think about all the things God is calling me into and I’m excited for the coming days.
My life is deeply satisfying because of the presence of the Holy Spirit with me every moment. He is closer than my breath. I often take a deep breath to remind myself of His life giving Spirit, His Ruakh, that is in me, rejuvenates me, transforms me, and deeply loves me. Because of this deep satisfaction I have found in life with my Maker, a new longing has emerged. A longing to partner with the Holy Spirit to bring healing, reconciliation, and the proclamation of the Good News of the coming Kingdom.
What does it mean though to partner with the Holy Spirit? What are the implications of being the temple of the same Spirit that resurrected Christ? I still have a lot of questions. I’m trusting Jesus to lead me in my confusion and doubts and to make all things clear as I step out in faith. Despite the confusion and uncertainty I continually hear this word from Jesus, “Do you want more of me?” Of course I do. But to accept more of Him is to reject more of this world. This requires a leaving behind of the comforts, conveniences, and socially accepted and praised things of this world. And so He says again, “Do you want more of me?”
From resting in Him I am propelled to trust and live by faith. And as I walk out in faith, I trust that deep and lasting change in myself and those around me will come.
LIFE UPDATE
Right now I’m living with five other guys in a Chi Alpha house called the Haven. The max occupancy is 18 and hopefully in future years the house will fill up. It has truly been a place of rest. I’m pumped about the opportunity to be a leader in the house and to create a culture of spiritual brotherhood. I don’t want to seek Jesus and live faith out on my own. I want to walk along these men of faith, build them up, and be built up in return.
I’m so excited for all that God is leading and calling me into here at OSU. I’ve been involved with a ministry that I have grown to deeply love; Chi Alpha. A longing I had over the summer was to find a mentor to be intentionally discipled by. To have a leader who is seeking and bringing the Kingdom, who is seeking after the Lord with His whole heart, who is seeking after the lost and broken of this world and offering restoration. To have this sort of person to follow and to learn what it really means to be a disciple of Jesus and to make disciples of those who are lost. Chi Alpha is doing this very thing and I’m so excited to be a part of it. I’m taking a leadership class through Chi Alpha right now and next year I’m planning on becoming a leader for Chi Alpha. That will mean meeting new people on campus, making new relationships with the lost and lonely, and pointing people to Jesus and walking alongside them in discipleship.
I will have at least two more years of school at OSU to get my undergraduate in biohealth science. At this point I’ve decided not to join the National Guard and I’m very heavily considering joining a fishing boat up in Alaska to work during the summer. This would allow me to not work during the school year and invest more of my time and efforts into Chi Alpha and the Haven.
Thanks everyone for all your continued prayers and support. I pray that God’s grace and peace would be ever more tangible to you as you seek and trust Him. Amen.
