To blog or not to blog?

So I was thinking that I wouldn't continue blogging because I did not know why it was benificial to post my random thoughts for all to read. But then I went and read everyone elses random thoughts and had this strange desire to join in the fun. Like I read a few blogs and all of a sudden I have these random thoughts that I did not know were there. Do you know what I mean? It's like art. You may not usually paint or draw, but then you see people doing it, or you go to an art show or something, and then you have this strong desire to be artsy. Uh oh, it's happening. I really wish I had some paint or crayons right now. I bet you are getting that desire too. Is it peer pressure? I don't know. The power of suggestion? Advertising? Who knows. But all I know is that I have a desire to continue this blogging thing and release my random thoughts.

Know what else is cool? I graduated on Saturday and I learned (for the first time) that Isaiah 62 has been a passage prayed over my school for many years. They read parts of it at the ceremony and it was amazing. Myself and others have been praying that passage out for at least 3 years. I swear we couldn't get away from it, and now I understand why!

Other weird thing. There is this random piece of artwork on the south side of the music building that looks like a slice of a rock. It's real tall and jagged and is dark grey/green in color. I have seen it sitting there for four years but never went close to examine it until yesterday. And what did I find on it? Parts of Isaiah 62 written both in english and Arabic (I think). Oh the word of God just shook me. Is not his Word like fire and like a hammer that breaks a rock to pieces?

25 Days of Noonhour prayer

This school year ended today and we finished off our last noonhour prayer meeting of the year. I took my last final this morning and graduate tomorrow! What could be better than ending my last day of college with prayer? And hey, my "12x400m plus 15 minutes of tempo" workout I get to do in a half hour only adds to the joy of finishing college. haha.
I can't believe that we have prayed everyday since we came back from Easter break. It's been so amazing and I have been so blessed by everyone that has been part of it. Who would have thought that I would make a ton of new friends in the last few weeks of school! Prayer this week was really powerful because a small group of us were there everyday. Today we were especially blessed because the wife of one of the staff on campus came over when she saw that we were praying and prayed for us. I don't know where the Lord is going from here but I know this is not the end. We also prayed over the campus for this summer and for those who are staying to work or take classes.
So now that 21 (or 25) days of noonhour prayer is over, the question is, will I keep this blog? Will I get another blog? I will have to think about that one. But until then, here is my closing word to all who have been out there on the deck above Jesus and Peter these last 25 days, and to all across the nation who are following Jesus:

"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." 1 Cor. 15:58

I am filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit and I give all glory and praise to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I come to the end of a season and say that "...the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 2 Tim. 4:6-7

And I close with the song that we have closed prayer with the last 3 days...complete with the guy/girl echo!.....

And as for me I watch and hope for the Lord.
I look to God my savior.
My God will hear me.
And we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever.
We will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever...forever...forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

UCSD

Today I "conveiniently" did not have a final so I made my way up to UCSD to hang out during an outreach they were doing midday. There was some worship, preaching and dramatic performances right in the middle of Price center where everyone eats lunch. Jaeson Ma also got up and shared his testimony and I was totally blessed by it. I know I was not the only one either. :) I had a few conversations with students there and made some new friends! I've been really stirred up the last few days for college campuses and I believe that the walls are coming down and we are going to be brining in the harvest with songs of joy!! Yeah! I like what Jaeson said today..."Jesus is the nicest person I've ever met!" I second that. :)

Faithful Til' the End

So the 21 days of prayer officially ended yesterday (Monday) but we have decided to keep it going for the rest of finals week. Hey, we've already been praying for 21 days, why not pray for four more? Plus, finals are no excuse to stop praying. If finals can make us stop praying, then we are weak!! What will we do when persecution comes? Will we fall away and wither like the seed that sprouted up in rocky soil? No way!! But yeah, I'm graduating on Saturday and I felt like the Lord was asking me to be faithful until the end. Today was day 22 and there were 5 of us that gathered. Everyone was pretty beat up from studying and lack of sleep but we pressed through and the Lord came and refreshed us. He is so faithful! It's such a joy to come together with other believers and delight in the Lord. We finished off prayer with a few worship songs and it was so sweet. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! The prayers of the saints are like sweet smelling insence...

From Zechariah 9

"Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey...As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit. Return to your fortress, O prisoners of hope; even now I annouce that I will restore twice as much to you...Then the Lord will appear over them; his arrow will flash like lightning...The Lord their God will save them on that day as the flock of his people. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown. How attractive and beautiful they will be! Grain will make the young men thrive, and new wine the young women."

Behold He comes!

A guest poster!

Here is a post from one of the faithful prayer warriors...Melissa!

God has been doing some amazing stuff in my life right now and He’s stretching me more than ever. While I know it’s good, it’s hard. My roommate has been going through A LOT with her family and it’s hard to understand why her moods are all over the place and from that how I should be when I am part of her personal space. Basically I wish I could understand her but since I can’t, I feel like I’m doing something wrong sometimes. This gets me frustrated and upset with her at times, but I know in the back of my mind, the Lord keeps telling me to just love her. Boy is this hard to do when I really don’t want to! But somehow God has given me a sense of peace, contentment, and joy in the midst of things I really don’t want to go on. I have been learning about the love God has given me and how that deserves so much more than I will ever know, but I need to strive to show it and give when it hurts or when I receive nothing in return. That’s exactly what Christ did for us, and not just me, but everyone. I have also been stretched to just let others love me through being vulnerable and not focusing on how I appear as much as being who I am. I continue to struggle with this, but I know that the Lord wants to use that. Through prayer God has just called me as He has always been, to pray to Him for each and every concern I have for my world and the world of those around me whether or not I understand it all. I truly believe in the power of prayer in numbers, it takes us beyond our own minds and what we know because we learn from others through worshiping God together. Because we are all so unique and unlike anyone else we can learn and grow so much by listening to watching another’s relationship with the same Lord. Each time we pray I have seen the Lord working in me and in others through prayer since these 21 days has started and it’s so amazing. I didn’t expect much at first and didn’t have much of a reason to go other than that I am a follower of Christ and prayer is always a good thing to do and He never ceases to amaze me when I come into His presence.

I hope this is good, I mean it’s just what came to my mind and heart now about what’s been happening lately, summed up real short! Basically there are no huge happenings such as healing stories or changed persons I’ve seen, just God has changed my perspective on the life I’ve been in and it makes it seem like everything is new. Anyways, it’s hard to explain, but PRAISE GOD. Thanks Deanna for being so faithful in organizing this and placing your heart, mind, and time in God’s plan. I love seeing your smile, hearing your joy for God, and watching you bask in the beauty of God J it’s a blessing to my life…

Melissa

Standing Still

"Moses answered the people, 'Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.'" Exodus 14:13-14

The thought frequently comes to me that I might need to do something more in order to see God move on my campus. With that thought comes fears and uncertainty. The Lord keeps reminding me that I only need to obey Him and he will take care of the rest. The spiritual state of my campus is ultimately in His hands. He has asked me to gather the people together and I have done that. Now I need only stand firm, be still and watch what the Lord will do. Rather than think about all the things I could or should do, I have to keep resting in the shadow of His wing and being in communion with him, only moving when he clearly asks me to. It's a good life under his wing, under the mighty hand of God, and I rejoice in this daily. I am determined not to let the theif steal my peace and joy these last few weeks of college. So ha! I get excited because the Lord is moving and I know that I will see his deliverance, I will see his salvation. Because he who promised is faithful. Behold He comes!!

Another thing that encourages me is that we are already seeing the firstfruits of his promise being fulfilled. He said "Gather the people together and I will give them water". So we have gathered, and many are being refreshed daily as we join together in prayer, including me! I am still believing for a mighty outpouring of the Spirit over our whole campus but I continue to thank the Lord for the daily manna.

"But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me." Psalm 13:5-6