Sorry again, for being so sparse with the updates. TMP has been acquiring some new office space, and things have been crazy trying to get settled into the new space.
This weekend was, all at once, a blessing and a curse. On Saturday I woke up (too) early to go run a concession stand at Upward Football's location in Topeka. The kids were playing flag football all morning, and I left exhausted. But, the good news here, all of the money I make from running the stand will go to my support fund to hopefully extend my stay in Topeka!
I got done packing up and taking inventory quickly, because I was planning on going to the K-State football game that evening with my host family's oldest son, Chandler, whom I went to the DOminican Republic with in 2011. I was honestly very excited for the experience, because I have never been to a college football game outside of Florida, and my mom is a huge K-State fan! The drive from Topeka to Manhattan is surprisingly gorgeous. Whoever said Kansas is ALL flat and boring deserves a slap on the wrist. About 20 minutes outside Topeka you run into the Flint Hills (Pictures at the bottom), which nearly won the prize for prettiest scenery since my drive up. But quickly after arriving back on campus, I realized how much I missed Tallahassee, and the atmosphere of game day. This is not a bad thing to miss, but I let myself dwell on it entirely too long. Its obvious, yet crucial, that when I am dwelling on how much I miss Florida, I forget how much I am blessed and what God has called me to do.
I became a little more upset after visiting my 4th church in Topeka that doesn't have a college ministry. The process of trying out churches by myself gets a little routine disheartening. Although, I trust that once I find a church it will be very important that I immerse myself in its community, and it will play a big role in my development as a Christ follower. With that goal in mind, I press on with church visits.
Last night I called one of my best friends, Isaac, and talked with him about my heart, and trying to make sure it stays in the right place.
We talked about how I know my joy is in Christ, but I fail often to meet him where he comes to me in his word and in prayer. Thinking about how I have been slacking on reading my Bible lately, I re-read a quote I took down from a pastor at my home church in Lakeland a few years back:
"The sufficiency of scripture recognizes that we have everything we need for salvation and life in the canonical word. "Salvation belongs to The Lord alone" (Jonah 2:9). It does not come from within us but to us from heaven, as a rescue operation of the triune God. And the form in which this gospel comes normatively to us here and now is scripture. Even preaching is the word of God only insofar as it proclaims the commands and promises issued by these sacred texts. The Bible is not the product if spiritual geniuses, sensitive gurus, and religious sages who can help us find God; it is the revelation from The God who seeks and saves the lost even while they are running from him."
I understand in my heart that the gospel will come to me when I read the Word of God, but I fail to make time for it, even though I know it will give me joy to read and discover more of Christ and his plan for me. I have much time to spend repenting of, what boils down to be, my unbelief in the power of God's word.
Please pray that my joy would be restored to me through reading the Bible and prayer. Often times it feels like I don't have much else to rejoice in, but I know my salvation will never be taken from me. Hebrews 13:8 gives me reason to rejoice, saying, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."
I have committed to reading the Bible more, and trying to start every day empty-handed, so that God can fill me and use me for his will. Please pray that this would be come a habit that would extend well past my time in Kansas, and change my life to know God more, love his word more, and to love his people more.
John3:30
-Daniel
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