Readjusting

So I’ve been here in Minneapolis for two weeks, but already my experience here has been a great contrast to the month-long hiatus from my freshman year. Transitioning from the many responsibilities of the first semester to the sedentary lifestyle of vacation then back to the daily grind of school and work, God has shown me how weak and sinful of a person I am. After the first couple days of renewing fellowship with classmates, I recognized how much I rely on this 15-minute radius of Bethlehem Baptist Church as the bastion for my spiritual well being. When I got to New England, the habits and disciplines that were forced upon me through school, work, and ministry were now taken away, and I needed to exercise these disciplines by the order of my own volition.  I noticed that as I returned home, I was much more prone to selfish sins that would have been otherwise dealt with, had I been surrounded with a culture that seeks to help brothers deal with these issues. I don’t mean to say that the fellowship I had at home was not one that meant to come alongside me and vice versa, the difference is that seeing roommates/students every day and hearing lectures on the Word of God multiple times a week gave me a much more ready awareness of my own sin. I hope that the next few months provide me with opportunities to pursue and make habit disciplines of prayer, daily 1 on 1 time with my Savior, and even simply more consistent sleeping patterns. If, by God’s grace, I can begin to act in more disciplined ways, hopefully I will be enabled to serve more people more effectively and God will use my vessel to shine his light even a little more brightly and clearly. I feel as though I really have benefited from the prayers from brothers and sisters back home; and if the Lord ever places me on your heart, I would greatly appreciate even a quick supplication on my behalf for God’s moving to show me how to more effectively love Him, and through that, love people with a selfless, others-centered love! Praise Him for all good gifts that we are given, in this case the community of believers that so lovingly bear our burdens with us!