last weekend we had an all day youth event. we dominated the community canned food drive which was amazing, and then had a huge video scavenger hunt! i had the best time with my 7th grade boys. they were a hoot! (and no-that is not a reference to Chi O)
i went to my first date party with Shelby on thursday. we had the best time. we danced for 3 hours straight! we were so delusional afterwards, but it was worth it. i am so blessed to have her.
God has really strengthened my heart for people. i feel that i have become more compassionate for people in need. that may be a need to feel loved, or to put food in their mouths. so far i have not experienced the latter, but i feel that i should be ready whenever the opportunity presents itself.
the other night i was sitting on the peer at the Ussery's cabin, and had the sweetest time with the Lord. i was frustrated and had so much anxiety(from circumstances that should not happen, but they still do) and my heart was relieved. God took my burden when i laid it down at his feet. why don't we do that more often? the prayer of a righteous man/woman never returns void. look at Hannah in 1 Samuel 1 & 2 for example. she laid her heart down before the Lord. people looked at her like she was crazy, but when she was approached about her 'weirdness' they saw her sincerity. Eli, the priest of the temple, blessed her and said that her request would be honored. i think that we feel that our requests need to be answered the way we want them to be honored, when in fact that is a mistake. God honors our requests by answering them the way He wills. He knows what is best for us, and because of that fact He honors our requests no matter how they turn out.
last night i had the sweetest prayer time with Shelby and Dillon. shelby and i pray together before we part ways at night, and i feel that it really strengthens our relationship as we move towards Christ separate, but together.
praying with Dillon, on the other hand, is a different story. i have tried my hardest to get him to pray at night, but he just never seemed to want to. but last night he didn't even hesitate. when he began praying, i began to weep. i was filled with so much joy listening to him pray. his heart was sincere, and his mind was focused. that is what we should all want. what we should all desire. pray with that heart of a child--you can never go wrong.
