Tuesday, 28 October 2008

"Wasting" Expensive Perfume

I procrastinated, missed the time I thought He was saying I should go, came up with plenty of reasons not to go, or put it off until I could afford (time and money-wise) to go for longer but then eventually heard what He was saying to me. That's it's not about me, it's about Him. That the woman who anointed him with perfume spilled a year's worth of wages over his feet to bless him for a minute and perfume the room for a while longer. That it was time to stop making excuses and do what He says. Follow Him, like I keep saying I want to. So I booked my ticket and I go for eight days in January. I don't know what the International House of Prayer (IHOP) will be like, but I know God will be with me.

Continuing with the praise report - God is totally doing something in me. Studying isn't driving me crazy (A year ago I would get really down if I had to spend a quiet Saturday afternoon reading) and commuting isn't proving too much for me. Even when I'm tired, I'm not more tired the morning after I stay up a while longer to read the Bible. God, my fortress, my strength, my provision. Hallelujah!

Friday, 10 October 2008

Routine

I'm starting to get into the routine of college. I have one main word to describe it. Busy. It seems that every day I have something on my timetable, whether at uni or outside. I keep becomming so aware of the things I should be doing that I'm not and in honesty, it's not easy.

But I figure this is part of the season. Being at university is new to me. Commuting for 3.5 hours a day is new to me. Mentoring gap year students is new to me. The biggest danger isn't in doing these things. It's in trying to do them in my own strength.

I'm reminded again of the day I went surfing near Sydney. I stood up once or twice. I fell off the board so many times I lost count. I would fall off my surfboard and find myself submerged and disorientated. I didn't know which way was up or down, the shore or out to sea. But it wasn't scary. I just relaxed and in a second, without any conscious effort, my head was above the water. That's how I want to be with God in this season. There's a lot going on and it's easy to feel overwhelmed and disorientated but I don't want to waste energy trying to protect myself when I know that I can trust Him to bring me to the surface.