Praise the Lord!

Yesterday was my long work day with two jobs back-to-back. Thankfully, I was allowed to leave early -- around 8 pm -- from my second job because we were over-staffed that night. So I called up Jules and headed to her house. We hadn't talked in a while, so we went to the old town square and got ice-cream at Beth Marie's (an old 50s-style ice cream parlor), then sat on the steps of the old courthouse under the twinkling lights set in the aged trees.

It was such a great blessing to hear how the Lord has been working in her life. One of the most thrilling things for me is to talk with other Christians about the Lord and how He works in our lives. God's work is the most exciting conversation topic for me.

What's even more exciting is that Julia wants to start going with me to Plumbline -- a small ministry from our church for college students who want more in-depth teaching and intense discipleship. And she wants to come with me on a mission trip to Shanghai, China! This is just so exciting for me! I have a passion for recruiting young people on mission trips. I want them to have the same kind of awesome spiritual growth that I had on my first mission trip.

The Lord is so good! I prayed that He would send opportunities my way to get my focus off myself and onto Him -- He was faithful to do so.

Psalm 147 (ESV)

1 Praise the LORD!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.
2 The LORD builds up Jerusalem;
He gathers the outcasts of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
4 He determines the number of the stars;
He gives to all of them their names.
5 Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
His understanding is beyond measure.
6 The LORD lifts up the humble;
He casts the wicked to the ground.
7 Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving;
make melody to our God on the lyre!
8 He covers the heavens with clouds;
He prepares rain for the earth;
He makes grass grow on the hills.
9 He gives to the beasts their food,
and to the young ravens that cry.
10 His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
nor His pleasure in the legs of a man,
11 but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him,
in those who hope in His steadfast love.