[ i need Thee every hour ]

Whew.

The Lord has been stirring up a lot in my life lately.

He is increasing in me hope for how He will make His name great on campus this year, drawing me into the Word and giving me opportunities to share the gospel with students and others here at Muskingum. I am praying that His name will continue to be the One who is praised and that I would continually become more Christ-aware and less aware of myself.

I've started reading Shadow of the Almighty, a biography of Jim Elliot authored by Elisabeth Elliot. I've really enjoyed reading it so far because of the way she expresses his 'legacy' -- not one of heroism or even martyrdom, but as a Christ-follower who took obedience to Christ in the most serious way.

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose," the often-quoted words of Elliot, have gotten me thinking lately about what the Cross really means to me and how seriously I take the fullness of the gospel.

How willing am I to give of what is not really mine and what I have no license to keep in order to see and experience the entirety of God-accomplished salvation? What will it take for me to be captured by the truth of the gospel and to move forward in obedience to the Cross? Am I willing to give up my rights, dreams and pride for the sake of gaining Christ and being found in Him? How valuable is the message of the gospel to me? How is this reflected in the way I interact with the world?

These are all questions I am wrestling over -- sometimes until 2 or 3 a.m., to be honest. I am thankful, though, that God is bringing me to this place, that He is striking in me a desire to know and apply His work and is taking me to humility daily, even through some tears and honesty with Him.

This post is a little more candid than usual, I think.

It's where I am, for sure. Nothing else would quite match up.

Much love.

Jessie