free to follow

AHHHH!!! Right now, I am SOOO excited about camp! I think I had a little too much Mountain Dew... But anyway, I've been working on getting some devotional material ready, which pretty much means putting a few memory verses on poster boards and taking some notes on daily devotional plans. I'm using a kids lesson book that I got from Lifeway and compiling some stuff from that as well as incorporating the fruits of the Spirit! I'm anxious to see what the Lord has in store for the 6 weeks I will be spending at camp this summer. Fortunately, I will be home during July to reflect on what God does in June and to prepare for August camp. Also in July, I'll be planning Samford's yearbook, the Entre Nous, and getting ready for my sister's wedding on July 17, as well as going to Panama City for a few days! Tonight I was thinking about everything that is going on and happening soon. First of all, it is just so crazy to be in Peachtree City for more than half the summer, and also to think that this will be my last summer here. Furthermore, this is the first summer that I will be in so many different places, and so much change is happening. So, one of the verses I chose to write on a poster tonight for camp is Psalm 37:4, which is one of my favorite verses. The verse reads, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." I was reading a comment someone had made about the verse online, and he had asked, "What's the catch to this verse?" Sadly, this guy did not fully understand the meaning of the verse. I understand how it could be misinterpreted because I know when I first read the verse, I thought about it in a different way. Based on the wording of the verse, you might think that if you pray to God, asking for something, that you will get it because it is your desire. However, "delighting" in the Lord does not simply mean praying, and especially does not involve selfish prayer. I think the verse means that if you delight in the Lord, praying, confessing sins, asking for wisdom and strength and praying for others, living for the Lord in word and in deed, your desires and His desires will end up matching. When you realize that the Lord has given you your heart's desires, you will see His faithfulness and also know that you are following Him. For me, it's really hard to know whether or not the desires of my heart and the choices I make are for myself or for the Lord. The easiest way to find out is simply to pray and think about what I want to follow before I do so. Today, one of my best friends went to Panama City to start Summer Beach Project, which helped me in my walk last summer and still encourages me today. It is life changing, and it's been hard to see her so excited about it because I want to go back so badly! The community at beach project is so uplifting and Christ-filled, and there is almost no way you can't grow at beach project. Even though I feel like I'm missing a lot this summer by not going on beach project, I have chosen to follow God and go in another direction, and I'm confident that it was the right decision. I have prayed a lot about this summer, and I think that God is going to work everywhere I go this summer and in everything I do. I am thrilled to be able to share my faith with girls at camp, and I hope that God allows me to show them the love and joy of Christ. Last summer I learned how to share my faith, and this summer I follow God's will to put that knowledge to the test and live amongst young, growing girls who may or may not have a relationship with Christ. Telling anyone about Jesus is both exciting and challenging because you never know exactly what to say or how they will respond, but ultimately, it is what God commands us to do. Matthew 28:19 says, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," and how can we not obey the most important command He has given us? I don't have an answer for that, and I doubt that you do. However, we so easily fail to follow His commands. When we don't follow God's commands, we aren't following Him. That's it-- there isn't a "but" or an "it's ok" to be said. I confess that I am not nearly as intentional as I have the potential or be or want to be, and I pray that God will stir up more confidence in me to do so. We are free to follow Him, we just choose to do what we want to do most of the time. Unfortunately, until our desires match God's, we will not be given those desires, or we will at least not be happy with the results. There is a purpose and a plan for everyone who chooses to follow Him, but that requires trust and commitment, as well as a free spirit willing to take on any challenge that comes. Whatever your plans might be this summer, I encourage you to let God intervene, and to allow Him to show you and lead you, so that you can follow, delighting in the Lord, and allowing your desires to conform with His.