This
week was amazing! Our speaker was Dan Baumann, and he spoke on loads of practical
things—living with passion, decision-making as a Christian, priorities—and he
also shared some AMAZING stories. For example… he almost died by falling off
the side of a boulder but was saved by three blades of grass, he was imprisoned
in Iran, and then a funny story about how he can’t get change in a drive thru the
normal way due to a problem with his arm in college… among others. He is
hilarious, authentic and a good story teller. Here are a few things I took away from this week:
- Everything
you do for God needs to come from intimacy with God.
- The
Christian life is about discovering the love of God over and over again.
- I
would rather live my life stepping out and leaning into what I think God is
saying and trusting in His character than stepping back and waiting until I
know that I know that I know.
- God
is more committed to fulfill His will for my life than I am to find it.
- God
wants to give us His dreams and then wants to walk them out with us.
- How
can we give Satan so much attention when God is so huge?
- Instead
of making a list of priorities, how about having God in the center of
everything you do in life?
- Comparison
has killed passion.
- Your
passion isn’t based on emotions; it’s based on the cross and on commitment.
When you buy milk the morning after a wonderful worship time with God the night
before, are you just as passionate about God? Sure; there isn’t a shift of commitment
when there is a shift of emotion.
- Concentrate
on who God is, not your emotions.
- Be
a thermostat (changes & everything around it has to change) not a
thermometer (changes depending on the culture around it).
- The
preoccupation of our lives shouldn’t be sin; instead, joyfully repent and move
on.
- God
will fix you as you focus on His priorities.
- You
can hear God’s voice better by spending time with Him and including Him in your
life.
- Trust
God’s character more than your ability to feel peace.
- Trust
God’s character over your experiences.
- If
something happens and you don’t understand why, put it in the mystery of God
box and by God’s grace, move forward in your relationship with Him.
- God’s
biggest will for us is to love God and love people (always a good reminder!)
- What
God wants to do today is based on how great He is, not based on what happened
yesterday or how you feel.
And
a piece of advice from him to consider – If analyzing doesn’t bring joy and peace, shut
it off.
We
had more great lectures on justice! I’m reading Sex, Economy, Freedom &
Community by Wendell Berry and it’s totally making me want to live more
sustainably by supporting a local food economy.
The
Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm. – Exodus 14.14
(what
Moses said to people freaking out about the Egyptians coming after them before
the sea parted)
Also,
praise the Lord—due to great generosity I will be able to pay the remainder of my
outreach fees this week! God is so good!