Glory to God Forever

I was in Atlanta for the last few days at a conference called Passion. It is for college-aged students, and it was so neat to be a part of a gathering of 22,000 college kids all praising Jesus! The whole four days were very encouraging and affirming to me. It is funny (except that this is how God frequently works) that a lot of these issues have been on my heart for past week or two, and then they were addressed in various ways while I was at Passion!
One night, a speaker was talking about what "holy" means. Daddy had told me this before, but I'd forgotten. Holy literally means different or other, and repeating it three times means very and completely other. I was really struck by how other God is from me. He is just so completely other. To think that He chooses to have something to do with me, to convict me and grow me more and more like Him, knowing that I never will until I meet Him face to face...that amazes me. His love, His nature, His very self is so other from me that all I can do is praise and glorify Him.

God also reminded me that He will make His will be done.  Romans 8:31 says, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" That is such a vivid and personal verse for me right now as I wait on news about this summer with Hungary. We were singing "Our God" one night, and the whole song spoke to me, especially the bridge where it says, "If our God is for, then who could ever stop us? And if our God is with us, then what can stand against?" I was thinking about this summer, and the plans that I believe God has laid on my heart, and it was like He was reminding me, "I am in control. You are striving to do My will, and I am going to make it happen. Trust in me and do not fear." It was such a sense of peace and thankfulness and relief. I've said it before, if God closes the doors to my going to Hungary for the summer, then that is great - all I want is His will for my life. But this whole weekend, actually, was very affirming that I was following where the Lord is leading me.

God spoke a lot to me through David Platt and Francis Chan. The Lord reminded me that my purpose in life is to advance His kingdom. Every decision should be based on that. And that doesn't just mean in Hungary this summer. That means every day, at home or at school or at church or in a different country. Wherever God leads me, my purpose is to advance His kingdom. I want to live based on that every single day, with every interaction. As Francis Chan said, I want my life to show that I believe in Hell. That was so powerful for me. Because I do believe in Hell, and there have been times in my life where I have lived with that urgency. Yet I want to live with that urgency every day. I don't know what that looks like, but I pray that God would place that desperation on my heart.

I have truly found something - Someone - Who is worth losing everything for. And I believe that. I pray that my life would reflect that, that He would be glorified in me. I pray that for me, to live really is Christ and to die is gain. I know that to die is gain, but I earnestly pray that I would live Jesus, Jesus flowing out through me. I pray that these words I type and post are more than just words. All fall, God taught me so much, and I pray that I live out my faith minute by minute, visible for all to see. I pray that I with an unveiled face would reflect the glory of God.