Reflections....

Posted by Morgan
So the first semester is almost over....when did that happen?! I'm pretty sure this has flown by....but the next 2 days are going to take forEVER. No joke.

Well, this weekend I got to go spend time with the one and only Katy Thompson, Lyndsay, and 3 of the current students, Charles, Nate, and Kim. :) It was basically fantastic. It was so cool to talk with them about IMPACT and the things they are learning, about Brazil, and everything I had learned. I'm pretty sure I haven't talked that much in a long time because I ended up losing my voice, great huh? :)

I can't believe how long ago it actually was from when I was in their place....I remember it so clearly and at the same time it feels like it's a million years behind me. I can't believe how much I've grown since a year and a half ago.....crazy isn't?

:)

Singing Harmony,

Morgan
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The Beauty of Love

Posted by Morgan
I had to write something for my humanities class, and I have no idea if I am completely off base on this, and it's entirely possible, and probable actually, that I am. So I would love your feedback, negative and positive.


The Beauty of Love
            Who is to say that true love is something few can experience? Love is something that everyone desires. Look at what modern culture promotes: power, money, fame, and love. While those things, according to our culture, are great, they are nothing without love. So how is someone to acquire love, and furthermore, who is to say what love truly is? Who has the ultimate say on what love is? God is love. So how does someone find that love? His love is reflected in his creation, and the ability to reflect on that is innately human. The ability to love, and appreciate love is, also, innately human. The human beings are the only creatures that have the capacity to say what love is, express it, and truly experience it in the way that God intended. Love is beautiful. Love and how it is experienced and expressed is something that only humanity can do and experience.
            What is it about watching a sunset, walking under snow covered trees at Christmastime, seeing the flowers bloom in the spring, riding horseback through the breath-taking mountains of Colorado, feeling the wind blow through your hair on beaches of Mexico, or just holding hands while sitting under the stars on a clear summer night that makes a person fall in love or want to fall in love? Why is it that these experiences are associated with love? Why is it that being outdoors in God’s beautiful creation stirs a desire for love, both to love and to be loved? It is possible that seeing and experiencing these things has a deeper effect on humanity than most would admit.
            Being outside and seeing God’s creation, for many people, stirs in their hearts the desire for love. Why? Well possibly because God created the world, and God is love. God loves every living thing that is on the earth, and if God created all of them in love then love itself is a part of creation. It seems only natural that when a person reflects on what God has made, that they will have a desire to love and be loved. Why would it not work that way? It is hard to imagine someone seeing the most beautiful sunset off the cost of Puerto Rico and then come away from it saying, “I’m bitter and angry towards the world.” Surely seeing a sunset or sunrise would stir something in their hearts that goes deeper than their own bitterness and hurt. When a person steps outside and truly admires the beautiful creation that God has blessed the world with, that love that is in creation shines through that and the innate desire for love shows itself.
Is not love something that every human desires? Whether or not it is admitted, or even acknowledged, and whether or not they ever actually “find love”, as culture commonly phrases it, it is something that is truly desired by all. Not only romantic love, but also, love from a friend, and ultimately, love from God; the love that surpasses all. Every part of God’s creation points to Him. He created the world to show his glory. Would it not be a slap in the face to God to say, “I hate ladybugs”, or “I don’t like it when I have to go outside”, because in a sense, that is saying, “God, I hate your creation.” Did God create the world so humanity could admire it from behind a glass window? No, he did not. God made creation to be experienced, and through creation he is glorified, and through his creation, he shows us love, and not just any love, the most beautiful love that exists. This love goes far beyond the stereotypical love of the latest romantic comedy. This love is the greatest love of all; it is a love that humanity will never be able to fully comprehend while on earth. Creation shows the love of God, a love which all desire, a love that is beautiful.
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Rainy College Days

Posted by Morgan
I love Lee's campus when it rains. I know most people hate those gloomy days, but I love them. I think a lot on rainy days. I love walking in the rain. For some reason rain makes me feel alive. I love feeling the rain hit my face. My new favorite thing since I've come to college has been running in the rain. It's rained a lot up here, it actually poured a couple of weeks ago. And guess what I did, I went running.
That week had been particularly hard for me personally, as I struggled, and continue to struggle, with what I'm doing here. I was really upset, about what I don't quite remember, and so I heard the rain begin to pour down and I was like, I'm going! So I did. I put my iPod in on shuffle, and I step out of the bottom door of my dorm and I took off running. It didn't take long before I was soaking wet. It was a pretty surreal time because in my head it was like a scene from a movie. I've got the music blaring in my ears and I'm running and I begin crying in the rain, and I'm talking to God, more like yelling at Him in my head. As soon as I started running I said, "Okay, God. I need some answers. I'm not going to stop running until I have some." Scary thing to say, right? Yeah tell me about it.
So I run, and I run, and I'm running all around campus and I'm soaking wet at this point. And I just kept asking God why.  Why in the world am I in college? What am I doing here? Why did You tell me to come here? Why haven't you told me what you want me to do? WHY, God, WHY?!?!?!?!?!? And the rain had stopped to a light sprinkle, and the clouds were starting to pull back as I ran over by the library. I sat down on one of the benches and kept praying and going God, is this really where you want me? And then I sat there, in tears, and I began listening to the song that was playing on my iPod. And it was a BarlowGirl song and this is what it said:
"Good morning
The night is over and gone
I thought once
This dark would last for so long
Feel the sunlight
On my face
You have brought me
Through this place

Jesus, Jesus You found me
Through the long night you led me
You set me free

Do you see
Just what you've done in my life?
You gave me
More then I hoped for; now I

Feel your sunlight
On my face
You have brought me
Through this place"


You Led Me by BarlowGirl




When I started listening to the song, it was on the first verse, and when it got to the pre-chorus of "feel your sunlight on my face" it was like something from a movie. I was sitting there listening to it...in tears, and when it said sunlight, the clouds pulled back on the sun shown right through the trees directly on to my face. The timing could have only been God. And then I listened to the song all the way through and I came out with the following conclusion.


God's brought me here. He's brought me to Lee, He's got a plan for me. I have no idea what that is, but hey, I know He directed me here. He clearly showed me that...and it was amazing! :) I love it when God shows me in ways like that...it's always so memorable.


Singing Harmony,


Morgan
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Be Near, Oh God

Posted by Morgan
Most of you reading this are well aware of my love for music, and also, how often God speaks to me through music. Well there is this song by Shane & Shane that has been on my heart basically since I got to Lee about a week and a half ago. It's called "Be Near". It was a huge comfort to me, and I've tried to right about it, but honestly, I can't say it any better than the song already does. And if you've not heard it, I strongly, STRONGLY, encourage you to do so right now by clicking here! So here we go.

"You are all
big and small
beautiful
and wonderful
to trust in grace through faith
but i'm asking to taste...

for dark is light to You
depths are height to You
far is near
but Lord, i need to hear from You

be near, oh God
be near, oh God of us
Your nearness is to us our good
be near, oh God
be near, oh God of us
Your nearness is to us our good, our good

Your fullness is mine
revelation divine
but, o, to taste
to know much more than a page
to feel Your embrace...

for dark is light to You
the depths are height to You
far is near, but Lord
i need to hear from You

be near, oh God
be near, oh God of us
Your nearness is to us our good
be near, oh God
be near, oh God of us
Your nearness is to us our good, our good"
-Be Near by Shane & Shane



It's simply amazing. It's been a huge comfort to be being here at Lee. I love you all.

Singing Harmony,

Morgan
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Out of the mouth of a 4 year-old....

Posted by Morgan
Well I've mentioned my next door neighbors before. I absolutely adore them. Abbey just turned 4 in July, which is so hard for me to believe, because I've known that family since her older sister turned 1!! I have so many memories with that family. I even remember when Angie told me that she was pregnant with Abbey.  So all that to say that I love this family so much.

Well, I moved into my dorm room on Friday, and so on Thursday I went over to their house to tell them goodbye. And when I walked in Abbey was running around - she has constant energy, sometime I'm positive there is Red Bull in that apple juice. ;) Well, I said, "Abbey, come here and give me a hug!" And so she came skipping over, her cute little curls bouncing around her shoulders as she did, and she nearly knocked me over with the force of her hug. As she leaned back from hugged me she leaned in to give me a kiss, and being the little four year-old that she is, all that she has seen of kissing is her mommy and daddy kiss. So she leans in and kisses me on the lips, leaving her colored LipSmakers on my face, and when she pulls back she put her arms around my neck and looked intently into my eyes and says, "Morgan, do you have a boyfriend?" And I looked right at that little face, which was grinning at me, and I looked at that smile, which contributed to her sparkling eyes and little dimples on her cheeks, and I said, "No, Abbey, I don't." And she leaned in toward my face, eyes sparkling, and she said so confidently, "He'll find you!" It was very matter of fact, and after she said it she leaned back and bounced away to be energetic and share her joyful little self in another part of the house. 

I sat there amazed at how God can speak through a little child. When I told that story to one of my guy friends here at school, he said, "Little kids can be so prophetic." And they so can. My four year-old neighbor did not know that I had been thinking about relationships and marriage, she did not know that I had been seriously asking God why He hadn't brought that person along yet. And yet, she leans in to my face and says in a very matter of fact way, "He will find you." And I was speechless. But I seriously believe with all my heart that those words were from God...speaking through my four year-old neighbor. 

I was reminded just moments ago of the things that I have to appreciate in God right now. Things I DON'T have to wait for. I dear, dear, dear, friend of mind reminded me that in Christ, I have all I need. Every need, every desire, every longing to feel wanted and to have the attention of a Godly man, all of it and so much more, must first be found in Christ before He can give it to me in that person He has created for me. And she put it so beautifully, and perfectly, this way:

"He must wholly have my heart before another may seek it out.
He is worthy of my devotion, my trust, my whole attention, my patience.
He alone will satisfy my heart’s cry to be cherished, and to be prized."

Right now I am continuing to learn about full dependency on Christ. Finding my fulfillment in Him, which, when you are on a campus where, as my roommate and I are realizing, many people come to find The One, it's pretty stinking hard to keep your eyes fixed on Christ.  But I'm learning, sometimes it's a day to day thing, and sometimes it's a second to second thing. It's hard, but what I know beyond a shadow of a doubt is that I am honoring Christ by waiting on the one. By waiting for Him to bring that person to me. I know that. And what's even more, is that God has said wait. He specifically told me that right now, it is not the time. So I'm learning to patiently wait on the Lord. 

My life kind of reminds me of the While I'm Waiting song by John Waller. I'm waiting on the Lord. I'm seeking Him on many things right now, but while I'm doing that I'm serving, I'm loving, and I'm working on being a light for Him on this campus where I see so many hurting people. 

I'm learning so much right now...and classes haven't even started. College rocks. ;)

Singing Harmony to the King of Kings, 

Morgan
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College...wow

Posted by Morgan
The place is insane. I can't believe I'm here. In a way it feels surreal and in a way it's possibly the saddest thing ever. 

First, it's exciting because well first of all, I LOVE my roommate, which is such a relief. We get along really well and we just click - huge answer to prayer!! And I love the campus, I love my room, I'm even excited about the actual school work itself. The campus really is beautiful...and I'm really looking forward to living here...even though I'm living in hicksville! Like I'm not even kidding...I saw a lady at walmart today who had a mullet. 

Second, being enrolled in college, having a room, getting my books, going through orientation, all of that....it's constanty reminding me that life is moving so fast. I have three years left...and then I'm out of college. And in the grand scheme of things, that's not that long. I guess the past two days have been like a wake up call in a way. I'm kind of an adult and I'm living three hours from home.  I'm so scared but excited at the same time.

Singing Harmony, 

Morgan
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Posted by Morgan
As the move in date for college is quickly drawing closer, I can't help but feel sad. I know that college will be an adventure and I know that God has a plan for me at school, but words cannot begin to express how deeply I desire to be going somewhere familiar. Starting all over again is just scary to me. I know that I will meet people and make friends, but goodness, if I could just go to something familiar. The unknown is just....well it feels so unpredictable. I want something familiar, but I know that in following Christ we will not always be returning to the same place. We won't always know what we are getting into, or where we are going for that matter. I know that following Christ is rewarding and an adventure, and hard, but sometimes easy would be nice. But when things are easy, you don't learn anything. You don't get to experience trusting Him to take care of you. You don't get to rely fully on Him when you have some form of control over your life. I'm heading off to college. I'm getting a new roommate, I'm getting all new people to know, I'm starting my college experience. Goodness gracious. Crazy scary...but crazy fun. So I'm ready, but I'm sad too. I know this post has been me going back and fourth arguing about how I feel going off to college....I'm so ADD. I need to decide how I feel and stick to it. ;)
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