Lessons Learned

Last semester was a tough one for me. Not living at home for the summer brought tension with my parents, a WHOLE bunch of stuff happened with my church back home, many of those circumstances led my parents and other people I love to hurt like I have never seen before. While being at school, I did not know how to handle the situation. Also during this time I was confused with myself on a lot of things and just needed a time to clear my head and not view myself as a burden to everyone around me.
During this time, I did not enjoy who I was all that much, but I was able to experience Christ's faithfulness. He will never change or leave or disappoint. I guess that was a theme for fall 08 in my life > God's faithfulness.

Anyway, over winter break I was able to have a time of great renewal and feeling like myself again. I want to radiate His glory, but I often stuggle with socially finding time amid my studies. I hope that I will be able to find small ways to bless those around me, for His glory.

I am reading through the Bible again this year, it is good and bad for my devotional life. It means I take in a small amount of the Word each and every day, but this also means that for some reason I am less apt to jump into my small random studies about things that really change me. I need to continue spontaneous topical studies amid these readings.

Probably so far the one thing that has impacted me most this semester though is the idea of Christ VICTORIOUS! We sing all the time about "Jesus conquered the grave" but man, do we know what we are saying?!?
I read Mark 5 a while back and am still being impacted by the reality of this story. Verses 2-8 tell of a man possessed by a legion of demons so powerful that this man could not be contained! He could tear lose from iron chains!!! Satan and his demons are very very powerful, this cannot be forgotten.
Now, Jesus enters the scene, He steps out of a boat and the man sees Him from a distance...the man ran and fell at Jesus' feet and shouted "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won't tortue me!"
First of all, these demons know who Jesus is--- & if that isn't enough, they immediately make the man fall at Christ's feet, declare His Lordship, and plead for His mercy!!!
This is utterly incredible.