My Sweet, Sweet Song

Another 48 hours and I scarce can take it in, the beauty and power and amazingness of God I have seen in such a short time...!!!

My fears are being calmed and quieted, though they are still there. I fear what God is to do through me the most, I figured out, and I'm seeing His power displayed in my life. However, the passage from Genesis 33 keeps coming back to mind, about how the shepherd knows the sheep are frail and won't push them so hard that they will die. Such is what God is doing with me, stretching me not so hard that I will fall and be unable to get up, but stretching me so I am uncomfortable and then take that step out in faith to find that I will thrive.

These first couple of days are intense in the fact that we jump right in to what the heart of this project is all about. But how good it was today, actually, how good it is all the time if I will push aside my fears, open up my eyes and see the beauty. I had my first "action group" time today, and basically it's a bible study group of 6 girls here on project, and it was incredible. We talked for about 5 hours each sharing our life stories, details and all. Not an easy thing to do, but how much grace God showed through that. And how evident it is becoming to me that honesty and openness in its purest form is necessary for growth, for intimacy with other believers and everything. We have to take that step out in faith and be willing to bare all.

In another aspect of jumping right into things, we went sharing and asking questions on the 3rd Street Promenade here in Santa Monica, which is basically three blocks of an outdoor mall where tons of people interact. Yesterday it was so good to jump right into things and start sharing. Tonight was good to jump in as well, but how I noticed a change in my heart that was revolutionary. See, at the beginning of this calendar year, I really began to have a heart for the lost on my college campus, but didn't have the world perspective. How that changed tonight. This world is so incredibly diverse and people are crying out to be known by the One who loves them, but they don't realize it. What hope we have in knowing Christ! My fears seem so irrelevant in light of what these people face in the darkness. I scarce can take it in.

We must, must take the initiative and GO to these people, where they are at, and ask them questions and spur conversation about what is going on. We can't sit back in comfort. The Holy Spirit is moving at all times if we are willing to go. It will be moving in different ways, yes, but God always shows up when His children offer all to Him! How beautiful it was to see Chase's face tonight as he walked back into our room for I knew he had seen Christ first hand. He and Emily led someone to Christ tonight. How stinking excited I am to be here with Chase this summer and see how God is and will completely transform his life. Huge plans are in store for that boy.

And I'm with the sweet thought today of how good God is with the people He has placed in our lives. There are times people will come and go and times they will remain, but we aren't supposed to forget these people. All these people and experiences with these people have made me for the better, and I carry these things with me. I don't need to forget these people by any means. I treasure them and think of them so much! And a sweet thing too is to see how these people here with me this summer will become the same way, and I will carry these people with me for the rest of my life. These people give me more reason to worship the Giver! I pray for you all and love you so much!

I scarce can take it all in, what God is doing here in such a short time. I can't imagine right now what the rest of this summer holds. My heart is ransomed for the King, to the One who caresses me with His sweet, sweet song.


The ignorance that lingers
Clouded behind all shadows of doubt
Fears riddle their hearts to face who they are
Or apathy rules them still
Won’t You bring Your people back to You, Lord?

People from every nation and tongue
From generation to generation
Some so close, others far away
The visible line of heartbreak
O Lord, Your people have strayed

A low and humble servant am I
Yet I approach Your feet
The spirit of power You have bestowed upon me
And so I take my cross and run, run, full into Your glory
So that all people may see

There is no one like my God
Come and see what He has done for me
There is no one like my God
Come and taste and drink to the full
There is no one like my God
Come and see the promises fulfilled
There is no one like my God
Come and see their lives transformed
There is no one like my God