learning to serve

Hello friends!! :)

it's currently 3:38 AM and I can't sleep. I guess that's what I get for not having class til 3 Monday and getting to sleep in! haha

so anyways, I'm real excited about what God has placed on my heart lately! I am learning how to serve. and by that, I mean really serving, wholeheartedly, without complaint, and serving for the Lord. Matthew 25 talks about this beginning in verse 35.

"For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you visited me." The righteous then ask Jesus when they saw and did all of this. He answers, "As you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me."

I got an amazing opportunity to serve on Saturday. With all of the recent flooding, there were many houses in the area that were damaged beyond repair. One in particular, was the house of an important man on our campus. I was so thrilled to get the opportunity to serve there for a few hours. We spent our time gutting the house. Ripping up tiles and linoleum, pulling nails out of the wood structure, knocking down sheetrock and showers, etc. It was hard work, but absolutely worth every second. I later found out it was the house of one of the freshman girls that I have become friends with. That in itself made it all the more worth it. As I swept the floors, I thought of this family, and I thought of how quickly life can change. I felt for them. I felt incredibly blessed by where I was raised, and I was completely humbled. I noticed something in their window. It was a fencepost carved into the shape of an angel, with Philippians 4:13 written on it...AMAZING. I saw God working there, through us, and through the flood devastation.

I have been trying to think of practical ways to serve those around me. Such as an encouraging word, or note, or just listening. And I get so much fulfillment out of it all! If I can make one person's day, it's totally worth it.

In other news, I spent my evening at the JV football game, getting drenched in the rain and freezing with some of the new CAB girls, and had a BLAST! I enjoyed seeing the guys play, too!(they won!) I bought a new umbrella at walmart during the 2nd quarter :) I'm real excited about that! I've gotten to hang out with a lot of my girl friends lately and I'm in the process of catching up with one! :) It's super exciting! I miss home more and more everyday, but I FINALLY get to see my parents (and linds) this weekend! :) I couldn't be more excited!!! :D it's going to be wonderful!!!

anyways, I think I should probably go to sleep now. I love yall!