How long will you simple ones love your simple ways?

I currently have 23 days left of my Freshman year of college. Where has the time gone? How has fall, winter and now spring come so quickly? I feel like life really does go quicker the more you grow up. This both discourages and encourages me. Discourages me in the fact that I have so much to do each and everyday, having the time fly right past me not being able to do it all. Encourages me to try my ultimate best, in every situation because I wont have another just like it. I am also realizing no matter what, there is ALWAYS something to be learned.

These past two weeks I believe I have learned more than in the past two months. And I strongly believe this is because I have been available to the Lord. I have been trying this mindset of actually listening, and look what happens when you listen. YUP. You learn. Listening is a hard concept for me to obtain at times because I love to talk. I love to put my encouragement and insight in, but in times where I was simply still in front of the Lord, or completely silent while in a deep conversation with a lovely friend of mine, I have learned the most.

Yesterday the verse that kept running through my mind was:

"Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are here on earth, so let your words be few. As a dream comes when there are many cares, so the speech of a fool when there are many words." Ecclesiastes 5:1-3.

^ Always such a constant reminder. Are my words TRUE. HONEST. NECESSARY? A majority of the time, no they are not. Gossip, unneeded words, exaggerating the truth to make it a tad more interesting, not being encouraging. How is this helpful? and how are we representing Christ when we are like this?

As I have been learning a lot about words, this is beginning to intermingle with the idea of pride. As a believer and living on a campus with a whole bunch of believers, I hope to believe we are being a constant reminder of the fellowship the Lord has provided us with. But are our spirits genuine and solely for THE LORD? I was hit hard on Sunday night at my college group, The Point. We went through Luke 18, talking about the pharisee and the tax collector. The pharisee had a prideful spirit because he was doing exactly what he "needed" to do. exactly what was expected of him, and even giving more. But what his heart like? Was he doing this for his personal gain or for the glory of Christ? The tax collector knew his faults though, humbled he went in front of the lord, repenting.

'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Luke 18:13-14.


After reading this message and hearing the discussion I wrote down some questions in my journal:
A. What are my motives in doing my acts for the Lord?
B. Am I esteeming myself? Consumed by the thoughts of ME! ME! ME! ?
C. What would a heart change look like if my sole purpose was to live out passionately for Gods Glory, Not Allison Ronveaux's.
D. How do I get to a place that my needs, concerns and wants are below everyone else's and I am so humbled before the Lord I can't do anything else but praise his name?

After thinking about this for a few days and really praying over it, asking the Lord to show me my faults of pride, areas I struggle with, I was blessed enough to have a two hour encouragement discussion with four of my amazing friends in the middle of the grass, our hearts, ears and eyes were opened to everything the Lord is teaching us. This is what fellowship was designed for. As I was telling them all about the pride issue, and who are motives truly are for a friend of mine said something I will never ever forget.

"In The Bible, God was constantly helping others. Whether it be healing, feeding of thousands, encouragement, disclipline, Jesus dying on the cross, loving the unloveable or simply just caring. But in everything he did, in whomever he helped, he was doing it for his name sake. For himself to restore us as believers in order for us to glorify his name, love and power!"


HOW BIG IS THIS!!! We so often think because we have now accepted him into OUR hearts he is to do everything for us. Where as in reality, who created us and why were we even created? To glorify the Lord Jesus with every bit in us. To love from the inside out with the joy he has placed in us. We need to all understand this life, our strengths, our future is not for our name sake but rather Gods. I feel like I will be worshiping in a different way after hearing that.

"Submit yourself, then, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands you hands, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and joy to gloom. Humble yourself before the Lord and he will lift you up!" james 4:7-10.