so yesterday, on the 1st of february, started the day off with morning prayer, which is stemming from a recent conviction to go to morning prayer more consistently to devote that time for intercession. i dont know if i'll actually be able to follow through with this considering how good i am at laziness, but i know that i dont nearly pray for other people as much as i should.
anyway, im really really really thankful to God because i feel like yesterday was such a Spirit-filled day, just filled with His presence, and i dont know why. its not like i did anything different. idk. maybe just that openness was enough for me to receive His presence. or maybe i was just finally listening to what He was saying all along. either way, reading the Word that morning, God brought my life group to my mind while reading Mark 4.3-20, which is the parable of the farmer planting seeds into different types of soils. man, and i realized how much i need to pray that every single member has good soil in their hearts. "Many are called, but few are chosen," Jesus says, and there are so many people every single year who go to life group faithfully, but then the next year, Jesus becomes almost a stranger to them. and in that corner of the church basement, God rebuked me and taught me something about life group ministry -- it's not just about just this year. it's not just about Blind Side. its about their whole lives, these members, that what they learn, that what they read about in the Word, that what they experience through their LCGs, through life group gatherings, through churchwide gatherings, that all of these things will fall on good soil so that all the days of their lives, all the days of their lives, and not just this school year, they will know, love, obey, and follow God. that their followership and love for Christ will extend many many many years beyond my time with them now in this specific life group.
on another note, as a part of my 1) application of Chilean hospitality and 2) enjoying the culinary realm of cooking and eating, i invited nellie over for dinner. :) it was such a good time catching up with her while snowmaggedon was raging on outside. i made some "Maple Glazed Chicken" with "Mustard Mashed Potatoes" and "Creamy Broccoli Soup" and some a bowl of blackberries, basil, honey, and ginger whipped cream for dessert.
its always good to share and meet with nellie. one of the many things i admire about her is her honesty and openness. God has blessed her with this childlike love, faith, and wonder. sometimes i forget how much older she is than me because of how childlike her heart for God is, and i hope thats something that can be fostered in me as well. i dont want to be an old, hard-hearted, cynical soul but rather, a little girl at heart who is complete awe at my Abba Father.
towards the latter half of the conversation, we got to talking about spiritual gifts and when she asked me about mine, i was at a loss for words. i have no idea what my spiritual gifts are. i think i wasnt really bothered with this idea before, but i realized in our convo that being aware of your spiritual gifts is actually pretty important b/c thats how you can really learn to develop them. how else can you grow these gifts if you're not aware of it? yikes. i guess i have to start praying over this....but what the heck are the spiritual giftings? i guess i should have taken better notes at the churchwide gatherings...cuz im pretty sure we went over this already. whoops.
in any case, im thankful for an awesome first february. im thankful for a cousin who i can have a truly Christ-centered sisterhood with. im thankful for all that God has been revealing when it comes to ministry, whether life group or spiritual gifts. and im thankful for His great and crazy love!
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