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BaylorGirl09
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Name: Julia
Gender: Female
Interests: God's Will . Loving People . Children . Baylor . Learning . Helping Those In Need . Theatre . Music . Deep Conversation . Ice Cream . Family . Freedom . Patience . Faith . LOVE
Expertise: "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you LOVE one another." I feel like most "Christians" today have forgotten that the first and greatest commandment is to love God, and the second was to love people - all people. Anyway, I hope that someday my expertise can be characterized by my love for God and others.
Occupation: Student
Industry: Nonprofit
Message: message me
Member Since:
2/6/2005
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| My Waco pastor, Kyle Lake, died on Sunday as a result of a severe accident during a baptism. Please pray for his wife, Jen (late twenties), 5-year old daughter, Avery, and twin boys, Sutton and Jude (3), as they cope with the loss of their husband/daddy. Please pray for the UBC leadership team, the UBC family, and those who were there this Sunday (Homecoming Weekend visitors).
Jen asks that donations to UBC, Kyle's ministry and love, be made in lieu of flowers. More information can be found at ubcwaco.org or relevantmagazine.com.
Ben Dudley (Community Pastor) opened Sunday's service with Terry Esau's book, Surprise Me - A 30-Day Faith Experiment. Each day for thirty days, you make yourself open to all that God has for you, saying, "Surprise me, God." You set all of your plans and desires aside and open yourself up to anything God throws your way. Ben invited the UBC family to join in this spiritual journey that the pastors had begun that morning.
Sometimes this is easy for me to grasp and sometimes it is so utterly difficult . . . but Kyle asked God to surprise him that morning. No one could have conceived such an accident. But you know what? WHAT BETTER SURPRISE THAN TO BE IN ETERNITY WITH YOUR SAVIOR WITHIN HOURS?
I grieve for his family and the many who were so close to him, but it comforts me to know that he is laughing and singing and dancing with his Father in Heaven right now. There is now no more suffering - but JOY - as he is with Christ Jesus, our LORD!
I began the "Surprise me, God" journey yesterday, and I encourage anyone interested to join with me. Keep a journal. I'm journaling in a private book and posting some on blogs on Terry Esau's site that connects to UBC and others so that we can go on this journey together. I had the privilege of listening to Terry speak today . . . and he is one of the most genuine people I've heard speak. He struggles with skepticism - but God continually softens his heart with faithfulness.
Please visit SURPRISEMEGOD.COM to learn more. When you ask God to use you, to surprise you, keep your eyes, ears, and heart open - because he will.
I have such faith that God will make wonderful things come out of this tragedy . . . but I am still struggling a lot with what I saw and experienced and lost. Please keep us in your prayers. The funeral is tomorrow.
My friend sent me this Steven Curtis Chapman song as comfort and hope:
"HOPE"
This is not at all how
We thought it was supposed to be
We had so many plans for you
We had so many dreams
And now you've gone away
And left us with the memories of your smile
And nothing we can say
And nothing we can do
Can take away the pain
The pain of losing you, but . . .
We can cry with hope
We can say goodbye with hope
'Cause we know our goodbye is not the end, oh no
And we can grieve with hope
'Cause we believe with hope
(There's a place by God's grace)
There's a place where we'll see your face again
We'll see your face again
And never have I known
Anything so hard to understand
And never have I questioned more
The wisdom of God's plan
But through the cloud of tears
I see the Father's smile and say well done
And I imagine you
Where you wanted most to be
Seeing all your dreams come true
'Cause now you're home
And now you're free, and . . .
We have this hope as an anchor
'Cause we believe that everything
God promised us is true, so . . .
We wait with hope
And we ache with hope
We hold on with hope
We let go with hope
I would like to leave you with the words Kyle closed with every time I heard him preach:
"As we go out this week, may we love God, embrace beauty, and live life to the fullest. Amen." | | |
| I haven't made an entry in quite a while . . . 
First of all, to those of you "back home" . . . I want to say that I had SUCH a great time seeing you last weekend! Good show! It was great to be back in the theatre again . . . even if it was just the house. I wish I could have spent more time with all of you, but I will most definitely stop by over fall break (after I see Wicked, of course)!
Mmmm, God has been good to me. I was fortunate enough to go to the David Crowder*Band CD Release Party and Tour Kick-off . . . and it was AMAZING. Really. The Robbie Seay Band (please check them out!) opened, followed by Shane & Shane and, of course, DC*B . . . making this probably the best concert I've ever been to. Part of it was probably that i was literally just on the other side of the primary mic . . . so I think i got the best show.
But the BEST part about it was how it truly prompted me to think and to pray more about my "school-year church." This search for churches has been much harder on me than I had expected . . . I was feeling discouraged and ungrounded and confused. But then, after much prayer (especially on Monday), God gave me such a beautiful PEACE about everything. About the church . . . about school . . . about the Ministry . . . about friendships and relationships . . . about EVERYTHING. And for that I am SO thankful.
He is so good.
He's also been putting some really great people into my life lately . . . I'm so excited to see what's to come!
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1
"Blessed are those who do not condemn themselves by what they approve . . . everything that does not come from faith is sin." Romans 14:22-23 (Read chapters 14 and 15 in their entirety!)
"Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." Hebrews 13:15-16 | | |
| I've been making some big decisions lately that will affect my schooling and ministry. These have been difficult times, but I press on and have faith because I know these decisions honor God.
"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what is is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:11-13
"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus through out all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:14-21
HOW WIDE AND LONG AND HIGH AND DEEP IS THE LOVE OF CHRIST - THIS LOVE SURPASSES EVEN KNOWLEDGE!
"As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received." Ephesians 4:8 | | |
| THE SOLID ROCK
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus' name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand:
All other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand:
All other ground is sinking sand.
His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand:
All other ground is sinking sand.
When He shall come with trumpet sound,
O may I then in Him be found:
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand:
All other ground is sinking sand.
ON CHRIST, THE SOLID ROCK, I STAND:
ALL OTHER GROUND IS SINKING SAND,
ALL OTHER GROUND IS SINKING SAND.
Edward Mote, 1797-1874 | | |
| I am a bit overwhelmed right now . . . but I just want to update you on my life a little. I'm loving Baylor . . . but I'm a bit stressed with the Honors Program right now. I'm loving the social life and all the great people here, though. Please pray for me as I search for a church - I'm growing a bit discouraged.
Here are a few things my wise mother sent me today:
"I was reading in my book, My Timing Is Always Right, and the first
article/essay is entitled: 'Things come together in their right and perfect
time.' Among other things, the essay says: If someting is not in our lives
today, it may be because other circumstances need to happen before it can
manifest itself. With trust in this process, we can enjoy our present
circumstances and be positively expectant about our future. Help me see that
what's in my present is necessary for my future good."
"Today I am given everything that I need to be happy. Lord, help me remember that you are always supporting me to live an abundant life."
Thomas Merton's PRAYER FOR ANXIOUS DAYS:
"My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone."
"All shall be well . . . all shall be well . . . all manner of things shall be well."
- Julian of Norwich, 15th century | | |
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