Back in the Town
So I'm back in Oakland now. It's good to finally be back in California
(semi - permanently). At least in body and soon somewhere both in body and spirit. I've actually struggled a bit with really writing and thinking through this trip (and after it to). It seems like some sort of writing or thinking block. I think it may be some sort of space issue too. I'd like to find a good quiet place.
It's been really freeing to pick up and travel; to visit friends and
have them host me for this past month. I liked seeing how my friends live now. Things are different: a couple years wiser, a couple hurts weaker, a couple disappointments stronger, learning to trust God again, some learning to pay their own bills, some folks are learning how to live for God in every aspect of their lives, some folks are coming from the other end: wondering what to do with much that they now have. There are a lot of things to consider. I’m proud of many of my friends. Especially those who continue to trust God with their lives regardless of what has come their way. I really enjoy those folks who are honest with their lives: in relation to God, other people, their work, and their time. It’s hard to do: I know that I’ve struggled with this so much and I’m not all that proud of myself.
One lesson that was really good came at Summer Camp in Atlanta. Donna was speaking to the camp about love, and more importantly, God’s love for us. She began her talk by asking the campers about “love.” They answered some crazy stuff with references to Usher, being with a girl, etc. A lot of it was to get some attention, but a lot of it was really true to life. Donna then took the time to unpack all of this so – called love. And in doing that, it became clear that the love that I associate with is most often conditional. If you do something for me, I’ll love you. If I “love” you, I expect something back. If/Then. God’s love though is unconditional. She told us all that God loves us unconditionally. We don’t need to do anything to get his love. He expects nothing back from his love. He is delighted for our response yet he puts no conditions on his love.
Donna asked a bunch of questions: Does God love you if you don’t listen to your parents? Does God love you if you lie? Do you have to go to church for God to love you? Whoa, that one floored me. It was all no: He loves unconditionally. My heart drops a foot when I think about it: My God loves me. I don’t need to do all of this stuff for him to love me. He just loves me. It isn’t anything that I do. Our God’s love transcends careers, life work, and good intentions. To love God is to obey him, yet he still loves us regardless of our obedience. It’s really deep to me.
Maybe this was my answer to the verse I was flustered with before I left on my trip: (from ephesians 3:17) And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to measure of all fullness of God.
Albert was telling me the other day: that his thought and hope for me: was that I would understand that the fruits of the spirit are of me, not something to just work on and get better at. That God’s spirit IS within me, therefore, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self control are all part of me. The expression of the holy spirit comes from my life, and is expressed through living within the thought that these traits are of me, through the Holy Spirit.
(semi - permanently). At least in body and soon somewhere both in body and spirit. I've actually struggled a bit with really writing and thinking through this trip (and after it to). It seems like some sort of writing or thinking block. I think it may be some sort of space issue too. I'd like to find a good quiet place.
It's been really freeing to pick up and travel; to visit friends and
have them host me for this past month. I liked seeing how my friends live now. Things are different: a couple years wiser, a couple hurts weaker, a couple disappointments stronger, learning to trust God again, some learning to pay their own bills, some folks are learning how to live for God in every aspect of their lives, some folks are coming from the other end: wondering what to do with much that they now have. There are a lot of things to consider. I’m proud of many of my friends. Especially those who continue to trust God with their lives regardless of what has come their way. I really enjoy those folks who are honest with their lives: in relation to God, other people, their work, and their time. It’s hard to do: I know that I’ve struggled with this so much and I’m not all that proud of myself.
One lesson that was really good came at Summer Camp in Atlanta. Donna was speaking to the camp about love, and more importantly, God’s love for us. She began her talk by asking the campers about “love.” They answered some crazy stuff with references to Usher, being with a girl, etc. A lot of it was to get some attention, but a lot of it was really true to life. Donna then took the time to unpack all of this so – called love. And in doing that, it became clear that the love that I associate with is most often conditional. If you do something for me, I’ll love you. If I “love” you, I expect something back. If/Then. God’s love though is unconditional. She told us all that God loves us unconditionally. We don’t need to do anything to get his love. He expects nothing back from his love. He is delighted for our response yet he puts no conditions on his love.
Donna asked a bunch of questions: Does God love you if you don’t listen to your parents? Does God love you if you lie? Do you have to go to church for God to love you? Whoa, that one floored me. It was all no: He loves unconditionally. My heart drops a foot when I think about it: My God loves me. I don’t need to do all of this stuff for him to love me. He just loves me. It isn’t anything that I do. Our God’s love transcends careers, life work, and good intentions. To love God is to obey him, yet he still loves us regardless of our obedience. It’s really deep to me.
Maybe this was my answer to the verse I was flustered with before I left on my trip: (from ephesians 3:17) And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to measure of all fullness of God.
Albert was telling me the other day: that his thought and hope for me: was that I would understand that the fruits of the spirit are of me, not something to just work on and get better at. That God’s spirit IS within me, therefore, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self control are all part of me. The expression of the holy spirit comes from my life, and is expressed through living within the thought that these traits are of me, through the Holy Spirit.
posted by chia at 5:11 PM
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