Donnez votre coeur a Dieu

This week was interesting, I'll give it that. But honestly, it wasn't that bad. At least, not like I expected. I have more peace with myself now that I think I have since I've gotten here, believe it or not. God works in funny ways like that. This week, and all it's randomness (breaking up, sight seeing, going to the movies, class, research, protest rally, dinner with elodie, more class, planning travel for the rest of the sem...you get the idea), has been good for me. I'm not upset, not particularly happy, but I'm doing alright. I feel like I should be more upset than I am, but God won't let me or something. You know that verse that says, "Guard you heart for it's the wellspring of life"...well thats I what I did. Before giving my heart to anyone I gave it to God, for protection. It didn't occur to me, I guess, that He'd actually do just that, protect it. He didn't let me give too much of it away, and He didn't let it break, not really anyways. I guess that's what people mean when they say your heart should belong to God first and foremost. I thought I knew what that entailed, but I guess I didn't . It's an amazing thing though, I highly recommend it, seriously. Heart to God first, He'll protect it. Not that things like what happend this week won't hurt at all, because they will, but then again they won't be impossible. It'll be sucky, but strangely faith-strengthening. So if you haven't yet, give your heart to God. That's my advice for the week.

So interestingly enough, when I started this journal site thingy I never intended on writing all that much about God stuff. Not that I'd try not to, but it never occured to me that I'd have that much to say about Him. I figured I'd just be writing about my adventures and stuff. Then, when I started writing, it occured to me just how much God showed up in everything that happend to me here. I couldn't not put Him in here. So don't think I intended this to be all preachy and stuff. I just honestly couldn't leave Him out if I tried (not that I'd want to do that) bc He's like the main character. I feel like I'm just the supporting role in His play. He's the star. As much as I love being the center, I feel like He's doing a much better job than I do when I take over the leading role. So just so you know, this is unintentionally the story of how God is moving in my life. Maybe He's showing me that I should have expected that, or that it should have been that way back at home too, idk. So what I meant to be a simple way of telling you all about my trip is more like me letting you see a glimpse into my walk of faith. Its personal stuff, not my favorite thing to share, but God puts on your heart things to do that you don't always like. So don't just read it lightly, this is important stuff. If I can learn, so can you just from reading it. Learn from my mistakes, and rejoice with me when God gives his blessings. I figured I can say this all now bc if you kept reading this long you obivously want to and you're maybe even getting something from it. If you didn't care at all, you wouldn't have made it past the first couple entries. So congrats on sticking with all my randomness and thanks for caring enough to read. Remember that God may be trying to speak to you too through all of this. I think He likes doing that.

I think I'll leave you with some songs of the week. I've been listening to a lot of Keri Noble, if you've heard her you'll understand why, and a lot of Sara Groves. These are two of my favorites right now...if you don't have them, you should find someone who does and listen to them. Good stuff.


Add To The Beauty
by Sara Groves
We come with beautiful secrets
We come with purposes written on our hearts, written on our souls
We come to every new morning
With possibilities only we can hold, that only we can hold
Redemption comes in strange place, small spaces
Calling out the best of who we are

And I want to add to the beauty
To tell a better story
I want to shine with the light
That's burning up inside
It comes in small inspirations

It brings redemption to life and work
To our lives and our work
It comes in loving community
It comes in helping a soul find it's worth
Redemption comes in strange places, small spaces
Calling out the best of who we are

This is grace, an invitation to be beautiful
This is grace, an invitation
Redemption comes in strange places, small spaces
Calling out our best


You Are the Sun
by Sara Groves
You are the sun shining down on everyone
Light of the world giving light to everything I see
Beauty so brilliant I can hardly take it in
And everywhere you are is warmth and light

And I am the moon with no light of my own
Still you have made me to shine
And as I glow in this cold dark night
I know I can't be a light unless I turn my face to you