Hello, everyone! It has been a CRAZY last couple of weeks! I've been getting busier and busier with opportunities that have been given to me, such as starting an evangelism team and occasionally leading worship for my class. It's been so exciting seeing God work in my life and through my life as I humble myself for His glory. Last weekend, I was able to go home because some of our Norwegian/New Zealander friends that used to live with us in Jordan were visiting the U.S.. It was such an incredible time being reunited with them. Sherin and Lina, the daughters, were right around my sister's and my age, and they were some of our closest friends in the Middle East. It was crazy to be reunited after 8 years! We had a little fun recreating an old picture. ;) It was such a blessing to be with all of them again, and I will treasure that weekend for the rest of my life.
~ As I come to the close of week five of my Discipleship Training School, I find myself thinking about the transformation I have been through and how much everything has changed since I've come here. I believe that I'm finally getting over the butterfly stage of being here. I feel comfortable here. I'm familiar with the base. I now know to expect big revelations every week- bawling in class doesn't take me by surprise, anymore. I know what there is to do for fun around the area. I have good days and bad days. My classmates have become more like family. We live together, eat together, go to class together, do our work duties together, go to church together and spend our free time together. We know each others' good sides and bad sides. Yes, I believe it is safe to say that the butterfly stage is fading away, but that isn't a bad thing. Getting over the butterfly stage is teaching me several very important things: 1. You have to pursue God, even when you don't have that spiritual high. 2. Just because you don't feel the crazy emotions doesn't mean that God isn't working in you. 3. Chasing after the emotions that Christianity can bring is not at all what Christianity is about. Although those emotions are amazing, there is a much deeper side to Christianity, where we pursue the knowledge and understanding of who God is- not just what He can do for us. I don't believe that I've ever gotten to this part in my spiritual walk before. After the spiritual high faded away, often I fell back into ignoring God. I put Him on the back burner. I stopped reading my Bible and concerned myself with things that brought me that feeling, instead. I'm ashamed to admit that, but it is true. God has been teaching me, though, that that type of Christianity really isn't Christianity at all! I had been living in such a false expectation of what Christianity really is. God is all about building a relationship with us. Just like any normal relationship, we shouldn't expect that every day with God is going to be on cloud 9. That's simply not how life works. What makes a strong relationship is spending time with that person, even during the bad or the bland times. We have to be consistent and keep chasing after God, even when we aren't feeling the overwhelming push to do so. That's when God starts really solidifying your relationship with Him and your understanding of who He really is. I hope that as you read my blog you may begin to have an understanding that God is so much more than many people make Him out to be. He is so complex and wonderful, and I hope that you may also get a taste of that side of our amazing, loving, wonderful God. Thank you so much for your time! -Olivia
1 Comment
Owen
7/29/2016 07:35:55 pm
Wow. Thanks! That was a real inspiration. We were in Jordan in Amman and knew your family. Owen and Anna Eales. My own Dts was similar.
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorOlivia DeLaney is a recent college graduate that blogs about her transition into adulthood and the adventures along the way. Archives
January 2017
Categories |