SLA

God's worked in me a lot already this semester...

This year I have the joy and opportunity to serve as an SLA (Spiritual Life Advisor) here at Asbury. My hall is the absolute best, and don't even try to combat it. It's fact. The RA of my hall, Julia, is fantastic and we have already gathered such a sense of community- it's wonderful!

For most that know me though, you are probably thinking, what is she doing in this role??
Yes, I know.... I'm an Elementary Education major... Not super outgoing (well, maybe?)... Reserved... Quiet...
I suppose God just has a wonderful sense of humor!
Last year my SLA took me out to lunch and asked me if I would consider/pray about becoming an SLA. My immediate thought was, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME??" But slowly, God kept using other people to inspire me to really ponder doing it. Going out on a limb, I decided to apply. There were a few complications because I wanted to move over to the other girls dorm (which, by the way, is a million times better!), but God had His overarching plan through it all and I became the SLA of 3rd Glide, commonly known as, 3rd H3RD.

Over the summer many doubts came to my mind...

How would I connect with the girls on my hall?

I'm only a sophomore, so of course the upper classmen won't want anything to do with me.

I'm no where near as spiritual as some people that I know.

HOW AM I GOING TO DO THIS JOB?

This question was never fully answered, except for God continually reminding me that He is with me always and has my right hand, guiding me along.

Since being an SLA means a position of leadership on campus, I arrived back at Asbury a week before all of the other students. We had a time of getting to know one another and growing as SLA's. Which brought me to another worry because I knew NO ONE. None of my close friends are SLA's... I was coming in cold turkey, and I hated it. It was such good practice though to put myself out there and get to know people that I would not have originally known. Already I have made some wonderful friends, and it's such an encouragement to walk around campus and be able to say hi to people! It also gave me such a boost of confidence in that I know that I am capable of making new friends, so hopefully things on the hall would be easier!

Throughout this week of training there was so much time where we would be in harmony with God. Seeking His direction... Asking for His wisdom in our lives. It was incredible to be surrounded by 40 some people who were so earnestly seeking after Christ! God so clearly spoke to all of us. It was incredible.

I STILL know that there is no way I am worthy of this position. It is all God.

Colossians 2:2-3- "My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all treasures of wisdom and knowledge."
This is my prayer for me as an SLA. I am praying that God will help me to be a godly example, full of uplifting and encouraging comments. Putting aside myself, so that they may see Christ and NOT ME. I want to lay aside my worries and doubts and distractions.

Colossians 2:6-7- "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."
This is the hall verse that I have picked out for H3RD. I am praying that God gives me the strength to stay rooted in him and not let anything hinder my relationship with Him.

ALL of this comes down to the fact that I need Christ. There is no way on God's green earth that I would be able to do this job without Him. I mean, seriously... Leading 33 girls to follow and pursue Christ more than they did when they got here... That's one crazy job. But I KNOW that God is my source of strength, and with Him I can do ALL things.

The sense of community on the hall is slowly growing, as we become more comfortable with one another! Friendships are being made... Crazy things are occurring... God is going to continue to work in all of our lives to make this hall one fully following after Him- so much so that all of the other halls will be jealous ;)

Pray that God's light will shine through me to the girls on the hall. Pray that I will remember that I cannot do this on my own strength. Pray that Christ will be so evident on the whole campus of Asbury!

After all... It's nothing of my own accord that I am an SLA. It's ALL Christ!

These are just a few of the people that I had the privilege of getting to know over the weekend retreat the SLA's went on!

Contentedness

"Until Jesus Christ is the obsession of your heart, you'll always be looking to mere men to meet needs that only He can fill. Only when you make Jesus Christ your first love, will you be ready for a love story that reflects His glory."

This quote is currently hanging on my wall in my dorm room, in plain sight, to be read at all times, as a constant reminder to me.

Why? Partially because I love the message that it is portraying. Mainly because I am back at Asbury.

I am utterly convinced that there are 20 times more couples on campus this semester than all of last year combined. Is that even possible?

This day in age it's really tough living "single." We are constantly so surrounded by the media that is portraying the fact that we need to have that "significant other to love, cherish, hold..." blah, blah, blah. We are thrown with the idea that if that is not present in our lives, something is wrong, either with us or with the relationship.

As I've really come to learn, it's in singleness that God can be the most significant other in our life.

Psalm 17:15b says, "I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness."
Humans are no where near perfect. Our image will always be tattered with different self-perceptions that we tend to carry around on our sleeve. This is whether we are in a relationship, or not. But what hit me is the question, "Am I satisfied with having other people seeing Christ by me?" Instead of having a boyfriend walking beside me, am I willing and constantly showing that instead, Christ is walking beside me and I should be exuding that joy.

You know those couples that seriously cannot wipe the smile from their face? That's how I should be about walking with Christ. Am I content in that?

Colossians 3:4a- "When Christ, who is your life..."
My prayer has been that Christ really will be my life. That He will be the one that I am living for. That my life does continue to go on with or without a significant other. That I am content in living to please and honor Christ, NO one else.

Proverbs 21:2- "All a man's ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs on his heart."
I have that desire to be content. I also have that desire to find the man that I am going to marry. The difference is, I know that God's will for me right now is to be content. I have found SO much joy in my relationship with Christ these past few weeks, especially. I am praying that my plans are slowly lining up with God's, as I continue in this journey of college. But I am also praying that I will be content with what God has revealed to me thus far, and not push for more. It's when I start pushing that settling occurrs. Especially in the context of finding the one I am going to marry, settling is not an option. After all, contentedness requires patience and trust that someday God's plans will be revealed and it will be a "happy ever after."

Please pray for me as I continue in this journey of contentedness. That the motto's of Asbury, the couples, the media will not grab my attention, but rather I will be focused on what God has blessed me with thus far, and that I will be content to wait as the rest is slowly revealed.

On a side note: I interviewed to be fully accepted into the Asbury University Education Program, and I passed!! Praise the Lord! Such a lesson in learning to be content, with the mishap that happened last semester concerning the interview. I had to learn to be content where I was, and KNOW that God would reveal His plan in the right time- and that time was this past Thursday! All glory and praise goes to God because it was truly His words that came out of my mouth to show my passion and desire to teach children!