Hello Heat

It is defiantly summer time in Texas! I can't even say the heat has finally arrived because IT'S BEEN HERE SINCE MAY!! Hopefully everyone is finding a way to stay cool. For me that means dragging a massive fan around with me in my house. I don't do heat so much for those of you who don't know. I'm ready for fall and winter :)
Well, these past few weeks I have been beyond blessed with some amazing conversations. Conversations with friends, mentors, old coach's, youth leaders, Sky Ranch staff, kids,Phi Lambers and God! Oh and even God showed me a little something when two Mormon's came to my house yesterday! It's actually a little bit odd at how I am learning things this summer. I was planning on learning this one big huge lesson from God that would make everything crystal clear about my life and my world would be forever rocked. As usual His plans have gone a little bit different from mine (come on Caitlan you should know this by now). I have been learning dozens of lessons! I mean just a small piece of a lesson from this person, a small piece from Bible Study, a small piece from the books I'm reading and so on... I must admit my brain is pretty jumbled with new insights to life but all the pieces of the 'knowledge' puzzle have yet to be put together to form the crystal clear picture. And I think I'm okay with that for now. Would I love to have just learned one thing this summer instead of cramming my mind with vast amounts of stuff...yes. But at least the jumbleness in my brain is AMAZINGNESS from God Himself!!

So here we go:

• Women of God have 4 major characteristics: Wisdom, Nobility, Devotion and Virtue.
  
• God has invited each and everyone of us to live an eternal life with Him, free of bondage but we must be willing to accept the invitation.
• God is patient in all circumstances. But at times when we continue 'pushing His buttons' He will place a few mountains for us to cross in order to learn Truth over lies.
  
• We need to ask ourselves why we are making our lives so busy?
• Who/what are we bowing down to? What are our idols? What are our addictions?
  
• God breaks down our earthly strength in order to provide us with His strength instead.
• The word love is thrown around to loosely.
• I have seen what true Godly relationships look like. And I am prepared to wait as long as it takes in order for me to have a relationship based around Christ.
  
• Watching Sex and the City is probably...okay, isn't the best show to watch. God showed me this when my blockbuster didn't carry Season 4 Disc 4.
  
• Sometimes convictions come in ways far more scary than we would like.
• Being a woman of Christ in a non christian sorority is unbelievably hard. I am so thankful for Phi Lamb!
• There is such a thing as a premature testimony. And we need to make sure that when giving testimonies we keep the focus on God and how He brought us through a circumstance or what He has done in our lives.
• If we don't put on the ENTIRE Armor of Christ EACH morning we are in for a long day of battles with satan.
• A day in constant prayer truly does make a difference.
  
• From the Mormon's: Two young men (old boys?) came by yesterday morning. My mom was gone and Morgan was still asleep. I answered the door and let them speak for a little bit. They then asked me if I knew about the book of Mormon's or the Bible of Mormon's I can't remember. I told them that I had heard about it but I'm a believer in Jesus Christ and a Christian. They asked if they could come in for a little bit to talk more about the Mormon beliefs. I politely told them no thank you, that I was not interested. I then proceeded to give them a little bit of encouragement for what they were doing...going door to door sharing what they believe to be the 'good news'. I gave them water and told them good luck as they went along to the next house. Now, do not get me wrong I am not wishing them luck to convert others to Mormon but God tugged at my heart because as Christians we are doing the exact same thing all over the world. I can list dozens of people who are on mission trips over seas this summer preaching the Gospel to many who will probably close the door saying they are not interested. There are so many summer camps going on right now, Sky Ranch and Pine Cove and SO many others full of loving counselors who are telling young kids and teens how they are loved by a God so huge we can't even grasp the concept. Some kids will be open to this idea and become believers but others will not be so sure about it and turn their head the other way. I have friends in other states working to share Jesus' story! Shoot I'm sharing His story at Sky Day Camp and at my Bible Study each week here at home. We all, as Christians want EVERYONE to know Jesus Christ and what He did for us and what He will continue to do for us. We all know what it feels like to have the door shut in our face and we are sadden because that is one less person who knows Christ. As I watched the boys walk down the sidewalk I couldn't help but pray for them, that they too will one day understand and know God's truth

Friends, it is amazing how much we can learn from God if we just are open to it. Yes, this summer is full of school, work and 'business' for the coming semester but don't let those things be the jumble in your brain. God has taught me things from my runs in the morning, Mormon's coming to my door, my four year old cousin telling me Jesus is in her heart and sitting in a waiting room at the doctor's office. Don't just look for the clear picture...look for all the pieces that put together the puzzle.