I am not looking forward to this week. I'm losing my best friend of the last three and a half years to grad school in Iowa + it has really caused me to think back on life four years ago. As a rule, I'm not a fan of change but this friendship {+ my 2 other close friendships} was a result of it. These three girls were freshmen at overflow + in my girls' Bible study at the time + I didn't really like them! For the three years of my undergrad, we had our girl friend group set + tight + awesome. Then, graduation hit + some left, some got married, some stopped coming to overflow.. + these girls came in. I totally held off on getting to know them + just went on wishing after the way things used to be. We joke about it now, but I was just not okay with them taking over + being the new batch of leaders at overflow.
I should have known.. God had a different plan. Spring of 2010, they joined me in creating overflow's annual "social justice weeks" which required Friday lunches and afternoons at my house + I joined the overflow leadership team. Before we knew it, those Friday afternoons were a staple, we were staying after the LT meetings until the UNK student union kicked us out... + we were tight friends. Since then, we have gone through some very difficult + very exciting times together, which brings us to this week: we're sending Leslie off to the greater purpose God has for her.
In the midst of the everyday mundane, it can be challenging to stay focused on the purpose of why we are here. Oftentimes I question if I am where I'm supposed to be, doing what I am purposed to do. Then, a week like this comes + I realize that four years ago in the midst of living for others, God brought three lovely women into my life to regain my focus. How true this is: "Because of that Cross, I have been crucified in relation to the world, set free from the stifling atmosphere of pleasing others and fitting into the little patterns that they dictate. Can't you see the central issue in all this? It is not what you and I do—submit to circumcision, reject circumcision. It is what God is doing, and he is creating something totally new, a free life!" {gal. 6:15+16 | msg}
As I read these last verses in Galatians, I feel like God is gently whispering to me: "See? It's not about you, not about them. It's about Me. Lean into what I am doing." From three years ago when He opened my hands to build into the lives of these women to now, losing the daily connection with one of them, God is creating our lives anew. I don't want to live my life with my eyes pointed in front of me. I want to live my life with my eyes lifted to God, so that I recognize the significance of Him moving around us. Confident that Christ came for our freedom, I encourage you to scoop up the many lessons in Galatians + live in freedom to what God has for you. I expect the ride to be hard + joyful at times - but more than that, I expect it to be fully freeing!
Justine
I started this study Because I wanted to become more disciplined with my daily quiet time. Mission accomplished and so much more. It has made me really think about how frustrated God must get with us for slipping back into all the wicked world ways so easily after all He has done for us. There was so much in here that forced me to look at my life and behaviors and re-evaluate the things I do and most importantly why I am involved in what I am. Thanks so much for your hard work with this study. Your team of leaders did a great job.
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