:::John 15 Anyone??

Freedom

Desperate

Consecrated

Peace

Redeemed

These are just some of the words that have been on my heart since I've been here. God is so so good. He's showing up here in every area, every worship session, every new relationship, every random conversation and hangout time, every quiet time in the mornings, every time of prayer and intercession.... all over the place. It's amazing.

So a few days ago, my little sister and I were talking and she said to read this chapter in John. I couldn't read it right then so I said I would read it later, but as I went back to my Bible I read John 13 instead and it was ok but I thought that was it for now. So I kind of let it go until last night, when I saw that her status on facebook said "John 15".... and I was like "ohhhhh, I read the wrong one eh?" I decided to read John 15 this morning for my quiet time instead, and I LOVED IT.

"I am the true vine, you are the branches, the one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me."

Amazing.

I feel another theme for me throughout this time is to recognize my complete, absolute dependency on God. That apart from Him, I am literally nothing. Everything is created by Him, through Him, and for Him, and without Him, we are NOTHING. Do you get it? I think you should.

Anyways, that spoke huge to me in my quiet time this morning. God was messing me up a lot.

THEN. We had our very first lecture, where Chris Johnson, the director of the school, spoke. He shared a little bit about his testimony, how he's from Manatoba, Canada and was obsessed with hockey, moving to Hawaii to do his DTS 8 years ago at age 20, and God's been moving in his heart and shaking him up ever since.

Then, as he was sharing a little bit, he started talking about God and how we should base everything that we're going through in life, every decision, every situation, and every response to those situations, on TRUTH rather than feeling. Base my life on God's word and the truth He says about me, rather than how I'm feeling in one particular situation or on one particular day.

Anyways... he asked us to open our Bibles, and the very first scripture he read aloud to us was in... you guessed it.... John 15. :)

(I love how clever God is.... continually reaffirming and bringing up something that He obviously wants me to understand. You know, John 15 John 15 John 15. It's like "Ha, ok God I get it!") :)

John 15 talks a lot about bearing fruit. It talks a lot about abiding in Jesus and letting Him transform you to the point where His will, becomes my will. Not Jesus moving in the direction I want Him to go, but rather me realigning my heart up to match where HE wants me to go. I dunno. Just something God's starting in my heart.

Right now I'm struggling with being in a desperate, needy position for God. I want to be so set on Him and so desperate and hungry to know Him better, and I'm trying to cultivate that in my life right now.

I'm excited because YWAM enables me to develop discipline in my life and with my quiet times, meaning we HAVE to get up at 7 every morning, have breakfast, and then have our quiet times for an hour from 7:30 - 8:30 each morning. Some people might hate that, or find it too legalistic, but I'm really excited to have that and develop that discipline so I can really make it part of my every day life... that is, seeking Him, spending time with Him, really KNOWING Him. :)

Anyways. Chris Johnson is speaking again for lecture tonight. I have a feeling its going to be so so amazing, I'm excited!!

Praise Jesus for reigning on the throne forever and ever.