uplifting.

In College Station, we have this huge weekly bible study called Breakaway on tuesday nights. It has become one of the largest college bible studies in the nation which is pretty cool. To me, it is usually an uplifting experience, and this week in particular it really hit home.

My life has over a period of time has unexpectedly changed quite a bit. Slowly, the people I cared the most about in College Station have been taken away from me to where now I have a lot of alone time that I have never have. All of my distractions have been taken away, and I feel like God has done this so that I would spend more time focusing on him.

The message tonight was dead on, and helped to clarify some questions I have had. Here we go..

John 10:9 states: I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.

What is your most prized possession? It could be anything from your looks, money, things, to your relationships. What is the one thing you want to clench onto and never give up?

God never does anything to hurt us. Out of love, he says I am going to take things that you love more than me away.

In Genesis 22 Abraham is tested. All Abraham ever wanted was a son, and after he finally was blessed to have one God tested him to see if he loved his son more than God. When Abraham trusted in God, God pulled through and provided for him.

We have to trust God and say: I don't understand your plan and cannot reconcile what you are doing, but I trust you and will be faithful.

Why does God make you take the thing you love most and give it up?

1. When you decide "I'm going to walk for God," you get to see God provide for your life and use you.

Ben told this story about a girl who graduated from college, and like all of her girlfriends planned to move to Dallas, find a job, and get married. But, she started feeling a tugging at her heart that maybe that wasn't the plan for her. She didn't understand. She wanted to get married. God ended up sending her to a small town in the middle of China to minister. She stayed there for a few years, and served God. It was a season and later she moved back, but all of her friends were married and lived happily. She was like "Ok God, what is next? I've been serving you." She joined a church and started working with the youth. She met the youth pastor, and fell in love. A month later they got married. It just shows that God knows the desires of our heart, and he will not let us down. However, he does everything according to his plan and not ours.

2. God does this to us because it allows us to be in a place where we can handle the blessings. When we are in times of doubt, and want one thing that we cannot have we should say to God.. "God you are slaying me. Your hope is my anchor" to help us get through trying times.

3. When God takes away from us something that we love we will realize that what we thought was love was just a mess. God broke my heart to heal it, and now I can make an impact on the world.

4. Abraham gets to see a deeper part of his life than no one else.

Pslam 25 states:

⁴ Show me your ways, O LORD,
teach me your paths;

⁵ guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.

¹² Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD ?
He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.

¹⁵ My eyes are ever on the LORD,
for only he will release my feet from the snare.

¹⁶ Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.

¹⁷ The troubles of my heart have multiplied;
free me from my anguish.

Jeff Johnson Band played Ruin Me, and the lyrics really summarized the sermon:

"Ruin my life the plans I have made

Ruin desires for my own selfish gain

Destroy the idols that have taken Your place

'Till its You alone I live for,

You alone I live for"

-- I just thought I would share since this was so meaningful to me.