Welcome back everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful, restful break. Yeah, it kinda stinks to have to come back to homework and papers and exams and things, but there are only three weeks left!
This week I’d like to share a song with you that we sang at my church on Sunday morning. When I heard it, I thought, what a perfect song to end the Thanksgiving holiday and bring in the Christmas season. We all know it, but it’s one of those songs that we seldom pay close attention to because we’ve heard it so many times. But this time, read through carefully, even sing it if you want, and make it your prayer of thanksgiving and joy :)
~~~~~
Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee,
God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee,
opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;
drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness,
fill us with the light of day!
All Thy works with joy surround Thee,
earth and heaven reflect Thy rays,
Stars and angels sing around Thee,
center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain,
flowery meadow, flashing sea,
Chanting bird and flowing fountain
call us to rejoice in Thee.
Thou art giving and forgiving,
ever blessing, ever blessed,
Wellspring of the joy of living,
ocean depth of happy rest!
Thou our Father, Christ our Brother,
all who live in love are Thine;
Teach us how to love each other,
lift us to the joy divine!
Mortals, join the happy chorus,
which the morning stars began;
Father love is reigning o’er us,
brother love binds man to man.
Ever singing, march we onward,
victors in the midst of strife,
Joyful music leads us Sunward
in the triumph song of life!
~~~
Life Less Ordinary for the week of November 29, 2008
“I will go before you
and will level the mountains;
I will break down gates of bronze
and cut through bars of iron.
I will give you the treasures of darkness,
riches stored in secret places,
so that you may know that I am the LORD,
the God of Israel,
who summons you by name.
For the sake of Jacob my servant,
of Israel my chosen,
I summon you by name
and bestow on you a title of honor,
though you do not acknowledge me.
I am the LORD, and there is no other;
apart from me there is no God.
I will strengthen you,
though you have not acknowledged me,
so that from the rising of the sun
to the place of its setting
men may know there is none besides me.
I am the LORD, and there is no other.”
Isaiah 45:2-5
~~~
Check out all the things God will do for us—break down gates, cut through iron, bestow titles of honor—sounds great right? Mmm, not so much. At least, not when we see the verses that say “though you have not acknowledged me.” Makes you feel kinda guilty, especially when you know you’ve been mad at God or ignoring him for some reason. That’s what hit me the hardest when I read this, because I know I’ve been doing that the last few weeks. Yet the passage is still comforting, because even though we fail, God still loves us and will still honor us when we turn our hearts back to him. But, it’s not for our glory—it’s for His. He does it so that you may know that he is God. Our thoughts and actions do not define who he is. He is above us, beyond us. Oh, but how he loves us :)
~~~
and will level the mountains;
I will break down gates of bronze
and cut through bars of iron.
I will give you the treasures of darkness,
riches stored in secret places,
so that you may know that I am the LORD,
the God of Israel,
who summons you by name.
For the sake of Jacob my servant,
of Israel my chosen,
I summon you by name
and bestow on you a title of honor,
though you do not acknowledge me.
I am the LORD, and there is no other;
apart from me there is no God.
I will strengthen you,
though you have not acknowledged me,
so that from the rising of the sun
to the place of its setting
men may know there is none besides me.
I am the LORD, and there is no other.”
Isaiah 45:2-5
~~~
Check out all the things God will do for us—break down gates, cut through iron, bestow titles of honor—sounds great right? Mmm, not so much. At least, not when we see the verses that say “though you have not acknowledged me.” Makes you feel kinda guilty, especially when you know you’ve been mad at God or ignoring him for some reason. That’s what hit me the hardest when I read this, because I know I’ve been doing that the last few weeks. Yet the passage is still comforting, because even though we fail, God still loves us and will still honor us when we turn our hearts back to him. But, it’s not for our glory—it’s for His. He does it so that you may know that he is God. Our thoughts and actions do not define who he is. He is above us, beyond us. Oh, but how he loves us :)
~~~
Life Less Ordinary for the week of November 16, 2008
We are tired.
Am I right? Aren’t we at the point of the semester where everything is due at the same time, tests are looming on the horizon, and club activities threaten to pull us apart? We have to get our homework done. We have to study for the next exam. We have to be at a certain place at a certain time. And somewhere in there, we have to eat, sleep, and shower, and do it all in record time because everything else demands our attention.
The end result is that we skimp on taking care of ourselves, our friends, and our walk with God. We try, but no matter how hard we do, it seems we only have crumbs to give when all is said and done.
I plead with you now to take some time out and rest. I wrote about this before towards the beginning of the year, but it bears repeating for a good reason: we need it. I know you have a 10 page paper due. I know you have an exam on Thursday. I know you have a presentation you haven’t prepared for yet. I know you have to work tonight. I know you have rehearsals. But God knows too. And he wants to spend time with you and refresh you. Don’t worry—he will give you the strength to do what you need to do.
~~~
Oh LORD, be gracious to us;
we long for you.
Be our strength every morning,
Our salvation in time of distress.
“I am the LORD your God,
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you,
Do not fear, I will help you.
Even to your old age and gray hairs,
I am he, I am he who will
sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain you
and I will rescue you.”
From Isaiah 33:2, 41:13, and 46:4
~~~
Am I right? Aren’t we at the point of the semester where everything is due at the same time, tests are looming on the horizon, and club activities threaten to pull us apart? We have to get our homework done. We have to study for the next exam. We have to be at a certain place at a certain time. And somewhere in there, we have to eat, sleep, and shower, and do it all in record time because everything else demands our attention.
The end result is that we skimp on taking care of ourselves, our friends, and our walk with God. We try, but no matter how hard we do, it seems we only have crumbs to give when all is said and done.
I plead with you now to take some time out and rest. I wrote about this before towards the beginning of the year, but it bears repeating for a good reason: we need it. I know you have a 10 page paper due. I know you have an exam on Thursday. I know you have a presentation you haven’t prepared for yet. I know you have to work tonight. I know you have rehearsals. But God knows too. And he wants to spend time with you and refresh you. Don’t worry—he will give you the strength to do what you need to do.
~~~
Oh LORD, be gracious to us;
we long for you.
Be our strength every morning,
Our salvation in time of distress.
“I am the LORD your God,
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you,
Do not fear, I will help you.
Even to your old age and gray hairs,
I am he, I am he who will
sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain you
and I will rescue you.”
From Isaiah 33:2, 41:13, and 46:4
~~~
Life Less Ordinary for the week of October 27, 2008
As I sat down to write the devo for this week, I felt God leading me to share one of my poems. It’s a story about me, and it’s a story about you. Sometimes the pain we experience in our lives keeps us from entering the deepness and richness of God.
But his love is so much more than the hurt we harbor in our hearts. His love is deeper than our view of grace, higher than this worldly place, longer than the road we travel, and wider than the gap that he himself fills. Nothing—nothing—can separate us from this incredible love.
He is calling us to a life less ordinary. It is dangerous, it is scary, it isn’t easy. But when you take his hand, he will do more than you could ever fathom.
~~~~~
“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.”
Eph. 3:17-18
~~~~~
Longing
Soft raindrops fall on the window pane
of a girl whose heart is torn
Torn between true love and fate
A soul that’s weary, down, and worn
She gave up hope so long ago
She knows not her desire;
She wants to love and laugh again
To have her heart be set on fire
To open her heart to love again
would be a Pandora’s box:
to love is to lose, to lose is to die
So she hides all the keys to all
of the locks.
She feels the Message of the Arrows
She feels the Longing deep within
A Haunting calling her to desire,
dream, and hope, and come back in
To come back to a love she knew
from the wild heart of a wild Lover;
a Lover who would heal her scars:
a promise offered by no other.
So she takes the hand of the King of the Ages
and she and her Lover begin to dance;
her God and her Savior, her Lord and Creator
has called her back into the Sacred Romance.
~~~
But his love is so much more than the hurt we harbor in our hearts. His love is deeper than our view of grace, higher than this worldly place, longer than the road we travel, and wider than the gap that he himself fills. Nothing—nothing—can separate us from this incredible love.
He is calling us to a life less ordinary. It is dangerous, it is scary, it isn’t easy. But when you take his hand, he will do more than you could ever fathom.
~~~~~
“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.”
Eph. 3:17-18
~~~~~
Longing
Soft raindrops fall on the window pane
of a girl whose heart is torn
Torn between true love and fate
A soul that’s weary, down, and worn
She gave up hope so long ago
She knows not her desire;
She wants to love and laugh again
To have her heart be set on fire
To open her heart to love again
would be a Pandora’s box:
to love is to lose, to lose is to die
So she hides all the keys to all
of the locks.
She feels the Message of the Arrows
She feels the Longing deep within
A Haunting calling her to desire,
dream, and hope, and come back in
To come back to a love she knew
from the wild heart of a wild Lover;
a Lover who would heal her scars:
a promise offered by no other.
So she takes the hand of the King of the Ages
and she and her Lover begin to dance;
her God and her Savior, her Lord and Creator
has called her back into the Sacred Romance.
~~~
Life Less Ordinary for the week of October 13, 2008
“I adore simple pleasures. They are the last refuge of the complex”. ~Oscar Wilde
Thank goodness fall break is this week! What a wonderful thing to have a break from classes and tests and homework, even for just a little while. Some of you are going home, others on school-sponsored trips, and others are staying on campus for the weekend. You may be spending part of your break working on a project that some seemingly inconsiderate professor assigned for Monday, but at the very least we can be grateful for no class :)
I think we can also take this time to find a little refreshment for our spiritual lives. We’ve been grinding away at school for seven weeks now, and it gets hard to keep God at the front of our minds when there’s a big midterm looming on the horizon.
We don’t realize it at first, but over time we find ourselves in a bit of a dry spot; in places of doubt and frustration. We wonder if anything we say gets past the ceiling, and it feels like God isn't even there for us when we’re struggling with school or relationships or whatever. Sometimes we think, "God, if you just did this one thing, then I would know you're there, and I'd trust you again." And every so often, God does give us those big flashy signs in the sky. But he doesn't roll like that most of the time.
It is then that you have to look at the little things; the seemingly invisible blessings that we often take for granted. God still loves us and cares for us, even when it feels like he’s not there. My challenge to you is to take some time this weekend to slow down and notice those little blessings in the midst of the big blessing of fall break.
To know that the God who creates the biggest things also cares enough to pay attention to the little details sure speaks a lot. I hope that he reveals himself to you this weekend, whether it's in the big things or the little things; he knows what touches your heart best.
~~~
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. ~Matthew 5:6
~~~
Thank goodness fall break is this week! What a wonderful thing to have a break from classes and tests and homework, even for just a little while. Some of you are going home, others on school-sponsored trips, and others are staying on campus for the weekend. You may be spending part of your break working on a project that some seemingly inconsiderate professor assigned for Monday, but at the very least we can be grateful for no class :)
I think we can also take this time to find a little refreshment for our spiritual lives. We’ve been grinding away at school for seven weeks now, and it gets hard to keep God at the front of our minds when there’s a big midterm looming on the horizon.
We don’t realize it at first, but over time we find ourselves in a bit of a dry spot; in places of doubt and frustration. We wonder if anything we say gets past the ceiling, and it feels like God isn't even there for us when we’re struggling with school or relationships or whatever. Sometimes we think, "God, if you just did this one thing, then I would know you're there, and I'd trust you again." And every so often, God does give us those big flashy signs in the sky. But he doesn't roll like that most of the time.
It is then that you have to look at the little things; the seemingly invisible blessings that we often take for granted. God still loves us and cares for us, even when it feels like he’s not there. My challenge to you is to take some time this weekend to slow down and notice those little blessings in the midst of the big blessing of fall break.
To know that the God who creates the biggest things also cares enough to pay attention to the little details sure speaks a lot. I hope that he reveals himself to you this weekend, whether it's in the big things or the little things; he knows what touches your heart best.
~~~
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. ~Matthew 5:6
~~~
Life Less Ordinary for the week of September 29, 2008
"Dreams and Aspirations"
By Shane Cooley
Never say never, it is a cursed word
I know there must be a haven for us all
Yes, there is still beauty in this world,
That keeps us goin', keeps us livin',
Makes us human, makes us somethin', yeah.
Don't give up now,
Yes, you have the power,
As clichéd as it sounds, it's true
Take a look around,
You will see there’s so many people
that feel just like you.
If you asked me what is the point?
What makes us go on?
I'd reply with two answers,
Dreams and Aspirations
We dream of love,
We dream of fulfillment,
And we aspire to make the world better, yeah.
And you may say I'm out of my mind,
That the world is all but bright,
Well I know the glass isn't always half full,
But enjoy the drink while you can...
Don't give up now, Don't give up now.
~~~
I love this song because of its encouraging lyrics. We all have pain in our lives—rejection, abuse, death, depression…the list could go on. But the good news is that we have a God that loves us and cares for us and understands our pain. He wants to help us. He wants to heal us. Don’t give up now. Run to him. He is waiting.
~~~
~~~
“The LORD heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” ~Psalm 147:3
~~~
Life Less Ordinary for the week of September 21, 2008
“The Word of God well understood and religiously obeyed is the shortest route to spiritual perfection. And we must not select a few favorite passages to the exclusion of others. Nothing less than a whole Bible can make a whole Christian.” --AW. Tozer
Oh my. It’s taken a little longer than I expected to write the new devotional for you girls! But the Leadership Council was very busy with all the activities during Spirit Week, and we are so glad that many of you participated! Way to represent!
This week I would like to bring you a list of the bible studies that are being offered in Gillette this semester. Some of your floors may have already met for one bible study already, but you are welcome to join any of the ones listed here if there is something else that sparks your interest:
I encourage you to participate in one of these Bible/book studies, or get involved in one elsewhere on or off campus. I know we’re busy and have lots of other work to do, but the importance of knowing the word of God cannot be stressed enough. This is God’s letter to us—a letter of love, of power, of comfort, of healing, of truth. Imagine if you had a pen pal across the ocean whose letters you never opened. How well would you get to know them? Not very.
God’s word is also our spiritual food. We feed our bodies three times a day, often with snacks in between...but we don’t always feed our souls with the same obedience. It gives our hearts something to think about, to strive for, to live off of. “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12). God’s word is less ordinary than anything out there.
Let’s live by it!
~~~
Oh my. It’s taken a little longer than I expected to write the new devotional for you girls! But the Leadership Council was very busy with all the activities during Spirit Week, and we are so glad that many of you participated! Way to represent!
This week I would like to bring you a list of the bible studies that are being offered in Gillette this semester. Some of your floors may have already met for one bible study already, but you are welcome to join any of the ones listed here if there is something else that sparks your interest:
[Check with your RA about this semester's Bible studies!]
I encourage you to participate in one of these Bible/book studies, or get involved in one elsewhere on or off campus. I know we’re busy and have lots of other work to do, but the importance of knowing the word of God cannot be stressed enough. This is God’s letter to us—a letter of love, of power, of comfort, of healing, of truth. Imagine if you had a pen pal across the ocean whose letters you never opened. How well would you get to know them? Not very.
God’s word is also our spiritual food. We feed our bodies three times a day, often with snacks in between...but we don’t always feed our souls with the same obedience. It gives our hearts something to think about, to strive for, to live off of. “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12). God’s word is less ordinary than anything out there.
Let’s live by it!
~~~
Life Less Ordinary for the week of September 7, 2008
“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.” ~Corrie Ten Boom
Well everyone, we made it through the first week of school! Hopefully it wasn’t too stressful. If it was, don’t worry—keep your head up, it won’t last forever!
Speaking of worry, I’d like to talk a little bit about that. There’s lots of things that we as students can get worried about. Grades. Papers. Tests. Making friends. Living with roommates. Boyfriends. Practices. Performances. Finances. Work. Time management. Families back home. Extracurricular clubs. Planning our futures. Even our own spiritual walk.
Exhausting, isn’t it? We wonder why we’re always so tired at the end of the day, even if we haven’t done very much. I think a lot of it has to do with the things we constantly concern ourselves with. Our brains scream for rest and our hearts sigh with heavy burdens…and over time, our souls become parched in a dry and weary land.
Girls, we don’t have to do this to ourselves! I know you’ve probably heard this a thousand times over: Jesus can carry our burdens. But it bears repeating for good reason—because it’s true. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11:28) Rest. Doesn’t that sound wonderful? Unfortunately, we rarely can bring ourselves to give our worries to God. Sometimes it’s because we don’t want to feel like we’re losing control, or we’re stubborn, or maybe we just don’t know how.
But you know what? It’s okay. We’re human; we can’t be perfect. And God understands that; that’s why he gave us a way to be forgiven and reconciled to him. He loves us, and he wants the best for us. Go to him, weary and burdened ones. Ask forgiveness for trying to do it all on your own. Tell him about each of the things that worries you, and tell him that they are all now in his hands.
Again, since we’re human, we will have the tendency to want to take those worries back out of his hands. When this happens, try saying this verse in your head or out loud: “Cast all your anxiety on the Lord, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7), and then give those troubles back to Him. That is my challenge to you this week. Don’t just memorize it for the sake of memorizing it, but instead use the power of Scripture to really do something for your life. “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (James 1:22). So run to Jesus. Give him your burdens, and rest. The God of love and peace will be with you.
And a life without worry and troublesome burdens? Now that’s a life less ordinary.
~~~
Well everyone, we made it through the first week of school! Hopefully it wasn’t too stressful. If it was, don’t worry—keep your head up, it won’t last forever!
Speaking of worry, I’d like to talk a little bit about that. There’s lots of things that we as students can get worried about. Grades. Papers. Tests. Making friends. Living with roommates. Boyfriends. Practices. Performances. Finances. Work. Time management. Families back home. Extracurricular clubs. Planning our futures. Even our own spiritual walk.
Exhausting, isn’t it? We wonder why we’re always so tired at the end of the day, even if we haven’t done very much. I think a lot of it has to do with the things we constantly concern ourselves with. Our brains scream for rest and our hearts sigh with heavy burdens…and over time, our souls become parched in a dry and weary land.
Girls, we don’t have to do this to ourselves! I know you’ve probably heard this a thousand times over: Jesus can carry our burdens. But it bears repeating for good reason—because it’s true. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11:28) Rest. Doesn’t that sound wonderful? Unfortunately, we rarely can bring ourselves to give our worries to God. Sometimes it’s because we don’t want to feel like we’re losing control, or we’re stubborn, or maybe we just don’t know how.
But you know what? It’s okay. We’re human; we can’t be perfect. And God understands that; that’s why he gave us a way to be forgiven and reconciled to him. He loves us, and he wants the best for us. Go to him, weary and burdened ones. Ask forgiveness for trying to do it all on your own. Tell him about each of the things that worries you, and tell him that they are all now in his hands.
Again, since we’re human, we will have the tendency to want to take those worries back out of his hands. When this happens, try saying this verse in your head or out loud: “Cast all your anxiety on the Lord, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7), and then give those troubles back to Him. That is my challenge to you this week. Don’t just memorize it for the sake of memorizing it, but instead use the power of Scripture to really do something for your life. “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (James 1:22). So run to Jesus. Give him your burdens, and rest. The God of love and peace will be with you.
And a life without worry and troublesome burdens? Now that’s a life less ordinary.
~~~
Life Less Ordinary for the week of August 28, 2008
“Live a life less ordinary
Live a life evolutionary with me…”
--Carbon Leaf
Welcome to Gillette Hall!
I hope you’re all enjoying your first week in the dorm! And for you returning students, welcome back! I’m Angela, your Leadership Council chaplain. I’ll be bringing you these shower devotionals every week. It may seem a little weird at first, but I hope you will come to appreciate it. With our busy lives nowadays sometimes it’s hard to carve out even five minutes of our time for God. This is one small way that we can all surrender a little bit of our thoughts to Him. Think of the physical act of cleansing your body as a symbol of cleansing your mind and heart as well as we cover different topics each week.
I chose the theme “Life Less Ordinary” because I want to encourage and challenge you to become the incredible women that God created you to be. Stretch yourselves; think outside of the box; get out of your comfort zones; don’t settle for mediocre! You don’t have to be a martyr or a missionary or a famous evangelist to do something great for the kingdom of God…just start by living a life less ordinary. Seek God with all your heart, and then He will make you extraordinary!
Jesus came so that we might have life, and have it to the full. So this year, why don’t we do just that? :)
Gillette Hall Verse:
Be restored, be encouraged, be of the same mind, be at peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. –2 Corinthians 13:11
~~~
Live a life evolutionary with me…”
--Carbon Leaf
Welcome to Gillette Hall!
I hope you’re all enjoying your first week in the dorm! And for you returning students, welcome back! I’m Angela, your Leadership Council chaplain. I’ll be bringing you these shower devotionals every week. It may seem a little weird at first, but I hope you will come to appreciate it. With our busy lives nowadays sometimes it’s hard to carve out even five minutes of our time for God. This is one small way that we can all surrender a little bit of our thoughts to Him. Think of the physical act of cleansing your body as a symbol of cleansing your mind and heart as well as we cover different topics each week.
I chose the theme “Life Less Ordinary” because I want to encourage and challenge you to become the incredible women that God created you to be. Stretch yourselves; think outside of the box; get out of your comfort zones; don’t settle for mediocre! You don’t have to be a martyr or a missionary or a famous evangelist to do something great for the kingdom of God…just start by living a life less ordinary. Seek God with all your heart, and then He will make you extraordinary!
Jesus came so that we might have life, and have it to the full. So this year, why don’t we do just that? :)
Gillette Hall Verse:
Be restored, be encouraged, be of the same mind, be at peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. –2 Corinthians 13:11
~~~
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