In Sociology Class...

I am in currently in a calm before the storm of finals in about a week and a half which is such a blessing at this time of the year. Although I do register for classes in an hour and I'm constantly checking to see which classes I need to take are still available and everything I am finding some peace in just covering the daily homework then being able to relax. Incredible in two weeks the first year of my college journey is over. Although this time has been nice to relax, I love to think about the future. What will things look like for the student groups I'm in, how I can get an edge on the stock market to become the next Warren Buffett, how much poker I need to play to become the next Chris Moneymaker and so forth. The first step after all those thoughts was downloading the yahoo finance app on my Ipod in the middle of Economics class cause I couldn't handle anymore theories on Trade Barriers, we'll see how far that gets me. As my mind continued to wander into this morning, I found myself walking into Sociology Class, the topic: Global Inequalities. Today was different, (would I blog about it if it wasn't?) we analyzed some clips from the Film, Life + Debt, and I was overwhelmed. The documentary on Jamaica and the financial, economic, and political struggles of Jamaica are that of which I cannot describe. As any good documentary, it left me with a thought of, where is the hope? What can I do to help these people? The problem presented was so big and small at the same time. People couldn't get a decent paying job because businesses were out for the largest profit possible and would exploit anyone they could to achieve these profits. Now this was nothing I haven't heard before, but something becomes different when a camera can capture the story and display people who are actively living through it. The documentary depicted how we as U.S. citizens can freely go about almost anywhere in the world we'd like as tourists, but for natives of other countries to come here is incredibly difficult. Now we've all seen some of these documentaries or pictures or heard the stories and it leaves us feeling guilty, but the feeling eventually passes by. As we applied theories to why Jamaica was like that, I was struck by how, even though we could apply theories to why it was the way it was, there was no solution! No solution for someone who has to work 16 hours a day, 5 days a week, for $15 a week! Would we really want that for someone, who has a family, who has the same exact needs as us? As I've watched multiple documentaries like this and heard stories like this, there is nothing in me that doubts I am called to help somehow and I'm sure nearly everyone else has felt the same thing. I know I can't keep letting this feeling pass by, and neither can you. Pray for your heart to become active and the strength to act on the numerous callings that come in life. I honestly don't know where to begin, but the more and more I think about this, is there a wrong place to start? Here's my point, we live in a broken world and it is ALL around us, whether it is overseas or in our household, are we going to let the calling to help, to love, to loosen the chains of injustice pass by this time, or will we take a step, just a step to see where that one step may lead us? As I said I don't know where to start or even what it may look like for me, but I feel I must take a step. That is where life will come alive.

Actions and passion...(in what?)

Sorry it's been awhile, this last week was a roller coaster of adventure. At times I wanted to quit school and head out to Africa, after a short talk with some friends I reluctantly decided to stay. In short, the week consisted of an Adviser meeting on Tuesday to figure out my "life". I should know by now that life doesn't go according to my plan, and this meeting was no exception! I was advised into a math class that did not qualify for the Economics major that I wanted, so I'm back on my original track of Communications, with Management and Spanish minors and miraculously I have some peace with it. The week continued to rain down with a Sociology Paper on my family, an Econ midterm, and a two day Spanish test. As I crawled out of Thursday and into Friday it was off to Chicago for my student staff Young Life conference. It was incredible. Just filled with so much worship and praise as well as leadership training and the chance to sleep at home for a couple of nights, I could not have asked for anything better. God placed many things on my heart this weekend, but I feel the most important was passion. In one of our sermons, a leader defined passion as having enough love that you would die for that person or thing. The question was asked, What is my life portraying? Are my actions portraying what I am most passionate about? Do I even know what I'm most passionate about? All of these questions came flooding into my mind, What/who do I love enough to die for? As we continued to look at the example Christ had laid down, I was struck by the pure mercy of it all. I came to the realization, I'm not laying my life down for the things I'm most passionate for. I'm not laying my life down for the people I love. Now don't get me wrong here, I try to love the people the best I can, and honestly I struggle with what that looks like in some situations. But are my actions truly showing my passion. I feel I need to ask myself this question in everything I do, how can I be passionate about what I'm doing? Are my actions being passionate for people, and loving on everyone involved? Imagine a world where everyone was acting on what they were passionate about. I feel many people, including myself, hide away from what they're passionate about for some reason. I find in myself it is mainly fear of judgement, what are others going to think about whatever it is I'm doing. The truth is that doesn't matter. What matters is acting out your passions that Christ has given you. Where are your passions? How can you act on them? Take the first step, let Christ illuminate the path for you, one step at at time. Time to think about where I'm starting. Goodnight!

Typical Spring Fever

Wow! I feel I'm on the slippery slope of procrastination once again. Instead of studying for a small quiz on Friday, I have decided to turn to the blog. Today was the biggest day of "Spring Fever" the campus has seen so far but it was beautiful. I got done with three classes in the morning and found out the fourth one of the afternoon was cancelled, unreal. A class cancelled in what seemed to be 80 degree weather. The boys and I decided to head out to the quad in between our dorms and what we found there was incredible. Campus was alive! We all paused a little bit and just took in the scene of everyone out doing homework, playing sports, or going for walks, together. My friend Zach turned to me and goes, "How awesome is this? Just everyone out together enjoying life." It was truly beautiful. It did not matter how bad you were at basketball, volleyball, or throwing the football, you were in the game. Everyone was out having a good time. I ended up spending the day from about noon to six out in the quad, without a care in the world. I couldn't help but think, now reflecting back, how much I feel that sense to be in community. It is so strong and especially in moments like out in the quad today. Why can't we be that inclusive in everything we do? What would it look like to consistently live in inclusive community? To not have a care how bad someone is at something, but knowing the only important thing is that they're out there, living right along with you? I know this is something that I definitely need to work on. Sometimes I feel like I don't want to include people or that I did not put any effort to really extend out to other people, whether that be in simply going out to eat or joining a certain team or group. I think we should all try and be a little more inclusive, cause who cares how good or bad someone is at something, what matters is that they're living right along with you, and you with them. Some more beauty awaits us, cause we are definitely made for inclusive community.

Will you admire or follow?

To start things off, the song Free by Zac Brown Band has been stuck in my head since Friday when my friend Van and I were listening to it on the way to Young Life Capernaum Club. It's a tremendous song, very relaxing and I feel speaks extremely true to my heart. Tonight at church I heard a beautiful story for the first time and it is changing my life. Charles Blondin was a French tight rope walker and acrobat. In the late 1800's he headed to New York to attempt a tight rope walk across Niagara Falls. The walk was successful and a few months later he attempted it again. Now there was a huge crowd of what was estimated to be 100,000 people there that day to watch him. As he was about to get on the rope, he turned to the crowd and asked if anyone would get on his back and he would walk across with them on his back. The crowd was silenced. One man stepped out and said, "I will." They crossed successfully and the crowd roared like no one had ever heard before. This story struck me hard. Am I solely admiring Jesus or actually following him? Am I stepping out of the crowd, trusting he will guide me safely? I feel in my life right now, I could say this isn't true. I love to control things. But in reality....what control do I have? This is such a freeing lesson for me, and this is truly something that is being worked on in my heart. Just this past week I spent a little more time in silence than usual because of a devotional, and this was ringing clear, DO NOT WORRY. This is the most freeing reminder I've had in the longest time. But are we really all in, all in for what we believe in, are we all in with our trust? What does that even look like at times? I think we know what this looks like, and we can feel when we are trusting in the Lord, because we are alive like no other. There is this uncontrollable joy and peace that is indescribable. Whatever it may be for you, whether it's a sport, or your grades, or your friends or family. Go all in for them. Be willing to step out of the crowd in faith, knowing that you will be guided. As my friend Van tells me, "Leave no stone unturned." Don't just sit there and admire what is going on, follow the one who is love. Go all in, in all you do. Bring some joy into this world by stepping out and pouring out love. It's not easy, but you know when it's real. Don't just admire, but follow. We'll see how this will change our lives.