Solitude

The Lord works in crazy ways.

Home.  You know?  That place I hated for so long?  Home is now a place that I love.  Maybe not my house all of the time.  But here.  In crazy, old Ewing Township.  Here, at home, is where I've seen the most rapid growth in my life.  This summer Jesus worked wonders in me.  And I came back from fall break and Thanksgiving break on fire.

And it's happening again.  I'm watching myself grow more and more in love with Jesus by the day.  Falling in love at such a rapid pace.  Maybe it's because I have a lot of down-time here and spend it with my Creator.  I'm not living with friends and I don't have class or work to go to.  I don't have assignments and deadlines.

At home Jesus forces this extrovert to learn solitude.  And it has been so. good. for. my. soul.

Maybe it's because I have several wise people constantly pouring into me at home-- people who have been walking with Christ for a much longer time than I have.  People that not only have a plethora of Biblical  knowledge but know and love Jesus in deep ways.

Don't get me wrong.  I love (love, love, love, love, LOVE) senior year.  I love living in the same apartment building as my best friends.  I love how they make me laugh to the point of tears daily.  I love being on leadership and being a tool in Christ moving on our campus.  I love my new staff worker and my weekly meetings with her.  I love my major and my classes and my professors.  I love a schedule to my weeks.

But when I'm forced to learn to be quiet... when I'm forced to read and reflect and journal (because really, what else is there for me to do on winter break?)... my soul finds rest in Jesus and my identity in Christ becomes so crystal clear to me.

Things are good.  Life is good.  I'm excited to leave for Passion 2012 on Sunday and see a ton of friends and get put on the ultimate Jesus-high.  But I'm also not wishing the rest of this week to pass any faster.  I like sleeping in, working out with my sister, reading with Jesus, spending time at the Downs' house, and going to church on Sundays at Calvary.

I like what the slow-paced life and time in solitude is doing for my relationship with Jesus.

I'm sure by the end of the month I'll be itching to get back and use the ways He has grown me to pour into the members of our chapter.  Because He doesn't just grow me for me.  He grows me so that I can then use those gifts to minister to others.  To spread the Gospel.  To show His glory.  To make disciples of all nations.

This month at home is a recharge for my soul.  He fills me up to send me out.