Brave New World

As I prepare for a vast array of newness soon to come in my life, I have looked for different nuggets of wisdom to help quell the anxiety and fear that naturally comes along with change. This past Thursday, Pastor Jurchen gave a great sermon in chapel based on the text from Psalm 139. His explanation of how deeply God knows us and desires to be in conversation with us really helped me to remember that my life is part of something bigger. The same God that created the entire...well everything...is the same God who also is able to guide and prepare me for all that I will encounter in the coming months and years. Read Psalm 139, you won't regret it. I also encountered a couple of quotes from Jason Mraz that I originally placed on my facebook profile. After rereading them again today, I thought it would be prudent for me to share them with you:

Don’t let anyone get the best of you.
Another year is fast approaching. Go be that starving Artist you’re afraid to be. Open up that journal and get poetic finally. Volunteer. Suck it up and travel. You were not born here to work and pay taxes. You were put here to be part of a vast organism to explore and create. Stop putting it off. The world has much more to offer than what’s on 15 televisions at TGI Fridays. Take pictures. Scare people. Shake up the scene. Be the change you want to see in the world.
You’ll thank yourself for it.
-Jason Mraz

Though I always wish I were as brave or as wild or lost as everyone I read about. I want to explore every place and live in every era. Sometimes this delusion gets me down about the state of things, vaguely, the world. But candlelight inventory keeps me in check before bed. I'm happy to be me. Here and now. Not chasing likeableness as much anymore but choosing to do so within myself.
-Jason Mraz

After rereading them again today, I thought it would be prudent for me to share them with you: These words inspired me to step out of my box a little more. Now that college is coming to a close and "real life" is pounding at the door, it time that I truly start making some advancements and changes in how I look at life. Sure, change is very intimidating and there are so many unknown answers to some big time questions. The good news is...God is good! So very good! We don't deserve it at all...yet we are in his hands. I think I am ready to start letting go of the fear, knowing that the important things and people in my life are a blessing that I will intentionally work to keep around and that God has prepared me and is still preparing me for a life of ministry. It's a humbling thought ins't it? That God would give us the chance to do his work in the world. Here's to a new crop of witnesses; joining the large cloud that is waiting for us. Cheers!

p.s.- Happy Birthday Caledonia Gerth