Three months ago, I couldn't believe I was halfway through college. All that complaining, whining and crying has definitely been worth it :) Maybe I could have done it without them, but anyhow, it really hit me that I was almost done with college. On one hand, I do regret some of the things I've done and some of the choices I made or didn't make. On the other hand, however, I thank and praise the Lord for all the experiences He has given me, especially for the negative ones. I would never trade my experience here at Northwestern and Chicago for anything else.
Anyhow, that was three months ago. I can't believe that the fall quarter is already over, and that I'm over the 50% mark. Well, at the end of the quarter, I have always had a time of giving thanks to the Lord for the things that had happened in the quarter. Of course, some are extremely personal, and you probably wouldn't want to read them anyway, but in this post, I'm going to post a few in my list that can probably benefit every one of us and also, recap the quarter.
This quarter, I'm thankful for...
...the Bible. Thank the Lord for the Word. This is a shame to say, but I have to admit that I have never been an avid reader of the Bible till now. I really thank the Lord for really speaking regarding this matter of the Word. It took me a while to catch on with the burden, but in a lot of the conferences this year and in the college training, there was a burden to be recovered back to the Word. Now, I'm enjoying this book as never before. We followed some of the college students in Athens, Georgia, in what is called the Bible Reading Challenge. Basically, read the Word in a consistent manner (around 1 or 2 chapters a day). This has assisted in me being religious about reading the Bible. As Christ-lovers, we don't want to do things as a ritual or a religion. But if there is one thing that we should be religious about, it's eating. The Word is our nourishment, and every time I opened up my Bible this quarter, I felt like I was fed. Do you want to find God? His address is the Word. I thank the Lord that He has made Himself so available and concrete for us to touch. When we read the Word, we come in contact with a Person, and in His words, you can touch His heart's desire. My encouragement to all, and especially those younger, is to read the Word in a consistent manner, whether it's a verse or day or 5 chapters a day, something that can be carried out for eternity. These habits are precious. Oh, and I have to say, reading the Bible in a consistent way takes care of 95% of your problems.
...the Bible again, specifically in this matter of reading it in prayer. I said above that if you wanted to meet God you have to come to the Word right? Well, John 4:24 says that God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit. You can come to Word Avenue, but without the use of the proper faculties, you may end up knocking on the garage instead of the front door. I really enjoyed coming to the Word and chewing the Word in prayer. Many times, especially with a schedule, we want to do finish it really quick and check it off. I really enjoyed taking the time to "chew the cud", praying a verse in a very slow way to the Lord, and then re-doing it -- like a cow does with its four stomachs.
...companions. How could I have gone without the brothers this year? I thank the Lord for all the brothers He has placed me with in Northwestern. I enjoyed all the dinners, the car-rides, the banana smooth-shake nights, and times of prayer for each other. I really the Lord for my roommate this year, and the daily habits we built in going through the morning revival book and reading the Bible. The Christian life is a corporate race, and it's so much easier to run when you have someone to take care of, and someone to take care of you. I really enjoyed the spontaneous singing that would pop-out in the middle of our studying together.
...gatherings in the homes. This is a big thank you. You can see God's heart's desire and His eternal plan, but I have to tell you, they can't be accomplished without the homes. I do have to say that much growth occurs through personal contact with the Lord, but I have to admit, you can't sustain your personal contact with the Lord by yourself. You need the encouragement of all saints! In the homes, there is the proper cherishing of the soul, and nourishing of the spirit. The homes are the New Testament pattern of the church life! Day by day, house to house meetings are the way to go!
Thank You Lord!
Thank You Lord. Thanks Joseph for sharing your rich enjoyment and experiences on this blog. Just a question, all your experiences so far, are they affiliated with Christians on Campus at Northwestern University? If yes, could you mention more specifically about the club sometimes?
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