inspired

Last week I had a hard week. But it ended pretty good. Then this week, I had a hard week. But it ended good. I'm not even sure what I want to write right now, but I know that I am so inspired, I have to write. I think I'll write about the things that inspired me this week.

1) Todd Wagner. The speaker at the DTS chapel and pastor of Watermark church. This man is rooted and grounded in the Bible, and I think as he spoke more of God's word poured out of his mouth than his own words. As a result, my soul received a splash of cool water as he reminded DTS students of who God is, and what he wants to accomplish through His church. A few of the highlights: We are sanctified, justified, made right with God, empowered with his Holy Spirit, and He wants to and will do a magnificent work through us, if we will just believe Him.

2) A woman who I met with today (who I think would prefer to remain nameless) who opens herself up to be used by God, and spoke such truth into my life, I again felt completely refreshed and uplifted. She reminded me to not look to my generation, or the people around me to tell me who I am, but to look only to God and His word. She made me laugh, and when I said something ridiculous about feeling like I wasn't worth much, she actually said, "I think I can say from a more informed perspective that your feelings are completely out of touch with reality." I LOVE IT!

3) U2. I don't need to waste anytime touting Bono, but God used him and his band and his music to remind me that I want to live an extraordinary life. I want to be poured out as a drink offering to my Lord. God gave Bono music, and a heart for the widows and orphans, and he is obeying. God didn't give me music, I'm still trying to figure out what He's given me, but He gave me SOMETHING, and I want my life, this blog, this night at my apartment in downtown Dallas, everything to be poured out for God.

Let's just think for a moment about Fear. I'm talking, capital F, Fear. This is what the Enemy uses most in my life, to paralyze me, to make me completely over analytical, to stop me dead in my tracks. The word fear is used 326 times in the NIV Bible. Most of the time, it is commanding people who claim to follow the Lord to fear their God. This kind of fear means awe, reverence, a recognition of how Huge God is, and how small we are in significance. Most of the time, we lack this sense of fear. But the thing is, this God we should Fear, is the very one who cast out all other fear! (1 John 4:18 says "there is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out all fear.") So we don't need to be afraid. Of failure. Of punishment. Of messing up. Of being rejected.

Oh, how I long to live a life that counts. How I long to see the Lord work in extraordinary ways. How I long to walk near to him, trusting Him day in and day out. Again, I write this to who knows who and without shame. If you don't know Him, ask me. He's the best thing that ever happened to me.