God Sighting | October 28, 2008

Two nights ago, I made a clear-cut decision to move to Austin, Texas. I am leaving in five days. Am I excited? No. More than anything, it's an enormously sobering decision. It's sobering because, before God, I had to expose all my motives for moving, good and bad, and let Him conform my will to His. It's sobering because I don't have a job, nor is it my primary concern; my primary concern is to advance the cause of the gospel. It's sobering because I've never even been to Austin, I've only heard reports from friends who have gone before me. It's sobering because I expect it will simultaneously be like moving away to college and taking an overseas mission trip—having many things I can expect, and so much more I can't expect. Am I crazy? If Jesus and His gospel were false, yes. But because Jesus and His gospel are true, an emphatic no.

Last night I asked my Father to give some sort of confirmation—a sign of His delight and favor with regards to this decision. Today He did.

He gave me His sign this morning, a few moments after I walked into the computer lab on my church campus. Brian, whose "office" is also in the computer lab, told me that he had just spoken with Scott over the phone (One thing about Scott is that a few months back, he and his family moved to Austin to start a church plant. Before he left, I spent a lot of time hanging out with him, and sure, he talked a lot about living and proclaiming the gospel in Austin, but I noticed that he never once asked me to go. I figured he didn't want to directly influence my decision. I couldn't agree more.). The significance of the phone call was that God used it to show me His sweet sign: Scott revealed that he had been asking God to move me to Austin all this time! When I realized that this was exactly what I asked of my Father, I just sat in my chair in awe and thanks. Thank You so much Father for your great, great favor.

"For whoever wishes to save His life will lose it, but whoever loses His life for My sake and the gospel's will save it."—Jesus

God Sighting | June 18, 2001

Tonight there was a group discussion with Brian Berry and the entire guys' lodge. In it, I got to hear about how God is incredibly filling Brian (a student) with a desire to go so much deeper into learning and truly being like the Lord. Scott told about how tonight's message of being "born again" was exactly what he needed to hear--one of his answered prayers. I am beginning to witness the Lord's hand in Scott's life here at summer camp. May I continue to see unimaginably more of that. I witness the leading of the Spirit when I lead group discussions here at camp. We cover the topics listed in the discussion packet. I witness our group bring so much more open with each other than I ever anticipated.

Chronicles

About one year after a life-transforming encounter with the Almighty, His day-to-day workings are chronicled as seen and experienced through the life of His child. They are God Sightings—"capturing miracles day by day." From its inception, the purpose of this journal has been to freely share these actual encounters--how the power of the Most High God has and is working in and through my own life and in the lives of others--with those who would be phenomonally encouraged by its reading. May it bring glory, forever and ever, to the One who was, is, and is to come.
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God Sighting//June 17, 2001

My expectation for this week [at summer camp] is to mostly be affirmed; Lord be it that He continually teaches me something new as I keep an open mind. I can see the beginnings of the burdens to bless others which I'm eager to carry—namely, the desire to see my cabinmates grow closer together, and to facilitate as much as I can [in that process]. The Lord has already given me an opportunity tonight to lead a group discussion with Justin, Josh, & Scott.