My how things change. In what seemed like an eternity walking through it, I have quickly had a turn of heart. Being finished at Biola once seemed like a countless blessing, but is now a bittersweet realization that the community I once scoffed for "convicting" me is now a faint memory and oasis in a desert of people who don't care to see you do well. Not to sound all downer- I'm not- I'm optimistic. Perhaps dangerously so. However, I have been through valleys and mountains with my God and I know that no matter how far away he seems, he never is. So while I am realizing that "the real world" isn't full of people who care that I spend time in prayer, or who encourage me to do the right thing, I am also realizing that this is what I've been preparing for. This is the meat.
I'm somewhat of a visual thinker, and by somewhat, I mean- totally. I am always thining in illustrations and comparisons. Two such illustrations that have really been landmark in my life recently are these: Being a ship with ever ready sails, and being like a perfectly pruned rosebush. They both sound pretty romantic and cliche- two things I like to think I'm not- but I am coming more and more to terms with possibly being. The ship illustration is not one that came from my own mind, or rather, was put there. Actually, I read it on someone's "about me". The idea is that we are a ship and God is the wind- if our sails are ever ready he will move us where we are supposed to go. This idea sounds about as vague and directionless as: "give it to God." (A key christian term used when someone is going through something hard). Had I read this illustration a mere 6 months ago I surely would have rolled my eyes and wondered why as Christians we find it necessary to throw out ellusive examples of Christian life that no one can possibly understand or mirror. However, it made sense. The funny thing is, I'm really not sure how to explain it other than using the example I label as vague. I just went for it, imagined that I was some sort of ship captain and really did wait on God to make things happen. Now I'm spending summer on an island off the coast of California and feeling more content and close to God than ever.
The second illustration is the rosebush. Talking about sin and weakness and always returning to the same bad habits with a good friend made me realize that people are made up of more than just good and bad traits. Perhaps we just have traits, that when used for good are sort of like rose blossoms, but if used for bad, are sort of like dead vines full of thorns. Before I begin sounding full on Old Testament about this, think about it. I'm a curious person- that curiosity can be used for God's kingdom (blossom) or to read about the horrible things people do to each other (dead vine). One isn't like, a milk weed and the other a hibiscus- they are both part of the same rosebush, but they just have to be channeled right- pruned right.
So to wrap things up, examples, leaving college- everything. God is consistent. Read my posts from a few months ago and just taste the bitterness seeping out of them. Hopefully it's not there anymore. Partially to Biola, partially to the fact that I learn from illustrations and completely from God.
I'm somewhat of a visual thinker, and by somewhat, I mean- totally. I am always thining in illustrations and comparisons. Two such illustrations that have really been landmark in my life recently are these: Being a ship with ever ready sails, and being like a perfectly pruned rosebush. They both sound pretty romantic and cliche- two things I like to think I'm not- but I am coming more and more to terms with possibly being. The ship illustration is not one that came from my own mind, or rather, was put there. Actually, I read it on someone's "about me". The idea is that we are a ship and God is the wind- if our sails are ever ready he will move us where we are supposed to go. This idea sounds about as vague and directionless as: "give it to God." (A key christian term used when someone is going through something hard). Had I read this illustration a mere 6 months ago I surely would have rolled my eyes and wondered why as Christians we find it necessary to throw out ellusive examples of Christian life that no one can possibly understand or mirror. However, it made sense. The funny thing is, I'm really not sure how to explain it other than using the example I label as vague. I just went for it, imagined that I was some sort of ship captain and really did wait on God to make things happen. Now I'm spending summer on an island off the coast of California and feeling more content and close to God than ever.
The second illustration is the rosebush. Talking about sin and weakness and always returning to the same bad habits with a good friend made me realize that people are made up of more than just good and bad traits. Perhaps we just have traits, that when used for good are sort of like rose blossoms, but if used for bad, are sort of like dead vines full of thorns. Before I begin sounding full on Old Testament about this, think about it. I'm a curious person- that curiosity can be used for God's kingdom (blossom) or to read about the horrible things people do to each other (dead vine). One isn't like, a milk weed and the other a hibiscus- they are both part of the same rosebush, but they just have to be channeled right- pruned right.
So to wrap things up, examples, leaving college- everything. God is consistent. Read my posts from a few months ago and just taste the bitterness seeping out of them. Hopefully it's not there anymore. Partially to Biola, partially to the fact that I learn from illustrations and completely from God.
