Bits of Brick...

Exams are finally done, and I feel like bricks have been lifted from my shoulders. You know, I don't think necessarily that it's the tests that cause the stress, but the tension and the stress that I feel from others who panic and such. Anyway, I think that for the most part I did my best and I'll find out my grades on Monday I believe.
Wow God has brought me through so much this year, and I am thankful to have an outlet like writing to allow me to express myself, what God is teaching me, and my struggles and also my joys. Writing is definitely a "coping mechanism" for me and for sure a gift from the Lord!
Tonight I had dinner with my "grandparents" (the Campbells) in town at school, and that was a nice time of sharing and just laughing. Mr. Campbell has such an infectious laugh, it's great. And Ms. Becky is so precious and so sweet. It was funny because one of the first questions they asked me was, "You are coming back next year, aren't you?" I'm so thankful that God has put them in my life just to support me and to love me when I need to feel like someone cares...it's so amazing how God provides that through the body of Christ!
I haven't really had much time to write lately, there has just been a ton of stuff going on. Rod, I am sorry that I haven't responded to your question yet, but honestly I want to do a thorough job of answering that, and so I've been thinking a good bit about the specific things I want to write down. For now, think about this:

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me." (John 14:6)

Also, if you are familiar with the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament), you might recall when God speaks to Moses. God is sending Moses to do a job, and Moses asks God who to tell them sent him. God says, "Tell them that I AM sent you." This is the Hebrew word YHWH, or Yahweh since Hebrew has no vowels. So, by Jesus using I AM statements consistently in the New Testament, He is proclaiming His divinity and also His connection to Yahweh, that He is the fulfillment of Yahweh's promises...that He is the Davidic Messiah...et al...
Also something else to dwell on...WAY, TRUTH, and LIFE. I am going to be really thinking about this for a few days, and I'd like you to as well, Rod. Honestly, I do believe that God calls us to think...He doesn't ask us to throw away our intellect that He has so graciously gifted us with, but rather to use it to honor Him, if that makes sense. After all, Jesus is the incarnation of the divine intelligence of God (logos...a whole nother explanation there...but if you want to know I can do my best to explain...). So just think...WAY, TRUTH, LIFE.

So I am excited about Camp. It starts in about a month. I think between now and then I will be doing some substitute teaching for fun, instead of going back to work where I did in high school. I'd rather have a flexible schedule anyways so that I can grow in my friendships and also in my relationship with my brothers and my parents. I am praying that God would lead me in this area.

oOo. Getting moved out was a great thing today. I am glad to be "home." It's really hard to be at peace with others when you rely on the peace of Christ, and frankly they don't. There's a tension that is so concrete...but hard to explain. God's given me His peace so that I could make it through this year in all of that and living with B. and W. but I was so ready to get out of there tonight. I guess I have kind of been oblivious to the peace God has given me until tonight...not that I am not thankful, but sometimes hindsight is 2o/2o. My dad said that when they walked in the room when we were about to leave for good, he sensed an immense tension that was really uncomfortable. Yikes! Dad has a great sense about things. On that note, I cannot say how thankful I am for my dad, my earthly Father. I think the fact that we are so close (that I am close to my parents in general) has really grown me in my faith with the Lord this year. Hard to explain, really, but the best thing I know to say is that because I have been able to be open with my parents, it has made it easier to be open with God. Sound weird? Probably...but I think when people think about who God is to them, who their parents are really does affect that because of the fact that God is often called Father (because that's what Jesus called Him!).

Okay so I'm rambling.
But, it's been a stressful week...nothing beyond God's hands, no less, but still I'm glad it's over. And I really pray that now that I am gone, my roommates will be looking for the peace that is gone. The peace of Christ. They need it so badly. Lord, may something happen where they can't get by without you.

Father, thank you for providing.
I love you.
Show me. Show me. Open it up, my Jesus.