Okay, its official ...

I decided my last day here in Colorado will be Wednesday, July 21st. And I'll be driving back to Champaign Thursday and Friday -- getting in town somewhere around dinner time on that Friday (July 23rd).

Okay ... people in Champaign, you can now start planning a party for that Friday :)

Bierstadt Lake

Hiked this morning to Bierstadt Lake (Rocky Mt Nat'l Park). It was a cloudy-and-drizzly kinda day ... but still beautiful. It was a little over a mile straight up to the lake, and then back down.

Thought I'd share a few snapshots with ya ...

LOVE and MISS you!! <3

Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire

I started reading yet another book : ) -- Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala. It's a testimonial type book on the need for and power of prayer. It's a subject I wanted to learn more about, as prayer has been something that is mysterious in nature and confusing/awkward in practicality for me at times. I'm about .. mmm, halfway through, and really attached to 2 parts so far. I wanted to share these with you.

Prayer and Heaven
Among his touching stories, Jim points out that there has to be a heart of seeking God behind prayer. This seems obvious, but he takes it a step further than just praying because we want to hear from God about issues in our lives. He suggests praying sets up a deep connection between this world and the afterlife. A "sound-bite" from pg. 58 that I felt was very motivating in regards to prayer:

If we don't want to experience God's closeness here on Earth, why would we want to go to heaven anyway? He is the center of everything there. If we don't enjoy being in his presence here and now, then heaven would not be heaven for us. Why would he send anyone there who doesn't passionately long for him here on earth?

I'm not suggesting that we are justified by works of prayer or any other acts of devotion. I am not a legalist. But let us not dodge the issue of what heaven will be like: enjoying the presence of God, taking the time to love him, listening to him and giving him praise.

Asking In Faith
Jim shares story after story about miraculous requests that came to reality as he was building up his church, The Brooklyn Tabernacle, in New York City ... seemingly impossible finances coming in, huge revival, truly amazing conversion stories, and so on. He credits it all to prayer. Real, authentic prayer. Prayer that is valued much more than sermons, or singing, or programs. He pleads the case of going to Jesus in honest prayer; meeting with God, the only One powerful and loving enough to truly change lives.

I am well aware we don't get everything we ask for; we have to ask according to God's will. But let us not use the theological dodges to avoid the fact that we often go without things God wants us to have right now, today, because we fail to ask. Too seldom to we get honest enough to admit, 'Lord, I can't handle this alone. I've just hit the wall for the thirty-second time and I need you.'

The words of the old hymn ring true:

Oh, what peace we often forfeit,

Oh, what needless things we bear,

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer.

God chose prayer as his channel of blessing. He has spread a table for us with every kind of wisdom, grace, and strength because he knows exactly what we need. But the only way we can get it is to pull up to the table and taste and see that the Lord is good. Pulling up to that table is called the prayer of faith (85).

This passage, although a little long, has just met me where I am this summer. For the past 5 weeks God has been talking to be about my lack of faith ... called Fear. Fear, that on some level (whether from fear of being disappointed, or past areas of hurt), has whispered to me that God just might not show up ... He could, but probably won't. Through literature, others here, and His Holy Spirit, I've slowly been experiencing the Freedom that comes through admitting that fear and praying right through it ...