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Time

12 Apr

Life without class is strange. I don’t have to stay up late to study and wake up early to rush to class.  No more lectures or discussions. No more office hours, textbook readings, homework assignments, studying, or paper writing. Seems nice, doesn’t it?  In all honesty, I have to say it is! But I’ve learned that having more free time is having more time to waste.  The Bible makes it very clear that time is a gift from God.  Romans 14:12 says that you will have to give an account to God of how you lived your life, which includes how you spent your time.  We have to be aware of this and realize that God does care about what we do with our time.

For the past couple weeks, I have chosen to do what is easier: sleeping in, watching TV, spending a lot of time on Pinterest or Facebook, and sleeping some more… It’s really nice to have more free time, but just a couple days ago I was convicted of how I have been spending that time.  Busy-ness was always one of my biggest excuses for not having enough time to read my Bible or pray, but it is still difficult now, even when I definitely have more time.  Why is that?  Because having more time means having more time to waste.  Since I will be held responsible for my actions, I must actively choose to believe and obey what the Bible says.  Instead of being lazy and doing what is easier, I must endeavor to do what is most profitable, which is not always easy. Of course none of the things I mentioned above are inherently wrong, but it comes down to how much time you devote to these things.

Some practical ways I’ve found helpful to organize my time are:

  • make to do lists (“things I need to do today”, “things that I will do tomorrow”, “long term to do”) and check off things when you complete them – this way you can know what you need to do and how to better divide your time. sometimes I even add the amount of time I want to spend on each thing.
  • use Google Calendar, iCal, or a planner to record your activities and see how much time you spend on certain ones
  • install StayFocusd – a Google Chrome app that lets you set a certain amount of time that you are allowed to spend per day for a list of websites
  • learn how to say no
  • be okay with not going to every event

Jonathan Edwards was resolved to “live so as I shall wish I had done when I come to die.” I encourage you, whether you are still in school or not, to use your time wisely and in ways that you will not regret.  Time is precious and short, so constantly evaluate how you spend your time.  Let’s use whatever time we have in a way that is most pleasing to God since we are living on time borrowed from Him!

Return to Your First Love

24 Oct

Yesterday I had the privilege of attending “Return to Your First Love”, a women’s event at GCC, which was focused on the book of Revelation.  Logan Carr, an amazingly godly woman (feel free to ask me more about her), spoke about Revelation 21.  Her enthusiasm was contagious and it made me really excited about the New Jerusalem!

(more…)

Tired of dorm food?

15 Oct

It’s been 3 weeks of school, and for you dormies, it’s quite possible that you’re already tired of the dining hall food and miss home-cooked food. Here are a few things you can make with foods available in the dining hall… :)

  • Rice krispies: Put some rice krispies cereal and marshmallows (near ice cream) in a bowl and microwave until the marshmallows melt, and then mix it up and enjoy! You can even add sprinkles, M&Ms, or cookie crumbs for extra sweetness.
  • Cooked spinach: Take some spinach from the salad bar, add some water and olive oil, cover and microwave for a minute or so. Veggies are good for you!
  • Juice mixtures: Mix orange, apple, and cranberry juice together in a cup. I like the ratio to be 1/2 apple, 1/4 cranberry, 1/4 orange because it’s more sweet than tangy.
  • Quesadillas: Take a couple of tortillas from the bread area, cheese from the salad bar, and microwave or put it through the toaster. This is pretty versatile because you can add chicken, spinach, or whatever else you like.
  • Chili cheese fries: Once in a while the dining hall has chili/chili cheese fries. You can add cheese, onions, thousand island dressing (animal style anyone??) on top. Yummmm!
  • Milkshake: Get some soft serve ice cream, add a little bit of milk and mix it up. If there are oreo crumbs or M&Ms, even better! You could even add a little espresso if you’re feeling a little tired :)
  • Trail mix: Near the salad bar there’s a table of things like raisins, pine nuts, peanuts, dried fruit, etc. Pick your favorites and mix them together to make some trail mix that is healthy and delicious.

Leave us a comment and share what you’ve made in the dining hall! There are endless possibilities!

Intentionality with Siblings

26 Jul

My siblings are not like my apartment-mates. They are messy, bad at sharing, picky eaters, and don’t want to talk about church or small group or the Bible. Coming home for summer is always interesting, because there’s this weird 9-month period that I’ve been missing from home life. A lot of the conversations I’ve had with them so far have revolved around school and friends. And church – kind of. So for the few months I have at home, I want to bridge that gap and have intentional conversations with them! Here are a few things I’ve decided are effective with my siblings:

1. Be an example. Show them that you are a daughter who desires to obey and honor Christ and your parents (especiallyyy if you are older than them). Serve your family constantly and joyfully – you can help fold laundry, pick them up from soccer practice, clean up after them, the list goes on and on! Make sure what you say (Ephesians 4:29) and how you act (1 Peter 2:12) reflect the Gospel, because whether your siblings are believers or not, they are bound to notice.

2. Take advantage of any and every opportunity. This looks different for everyone. Every day I try to ask my siblings about what they did that day, and sometimes the conversation ends there. It’s good to plan ahead and think of different ways you can segway into “deeper” questions so you don’t always have to start off with “Sooo…”. With my sister I can ask about daycamp, so I always try to ask what that day’s Bible lesson was about.

3. Be their friend. One of the joys of having brothers and sisters, whether they are believers or not, is that you can spend time with them. Take them out for boba, go to the mall together, play catch (or whatever you like to do) and chat and enjoy each other’s company. I always have to remind myself that it’s okay to just hang out and have fun!

4. Humble yourself. You may be more spiritually/mentally/physically mature than they are, but you’re still a sinner just like them. Tell them about something you’ve learned or struggled with this past year to show them that you aren’t perfect. If you open up to them first, it’s more likely that they will also open up.

5. Pray for them. Pray for their safety, their daily activities, their spiritual growth, and anything else that you can think of. Always thank God for them, and pray for more opportunities to show love to them.

And just like in discipling anyone else, patience patience patience! Whether you are an older sister or a younger sister, don’t expect change to happen right away or exactly how you want it to happen. Praise God that ultimately He is the one who causes growth (1 Corinthians 3:7), and that we simply have to be faithful and trust that He is sovereign. The way you live your life can be a more effective testimony to your siblings than anything you ever say to them. The Gospel is at stake!! Let’s not be hypocritical, girls!

PS: If you’re looking for something to read, check out the book list that we’ve been compiling! :)

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