Connor McSheffrey

I made a playlist for the beautiful month of March

designtea.net/March.zip

Camelback

Grand Canyon

We woke at 4:30 in the morning, to travel at ludicrous speed from Northern Arizona University to the Grand Canyon to watch the sunrise at 6:30. Despite never having driven in the snow before, we fish-tailed our way through the dark of the morning before arriving at the grand canyon to be greeted by fog in every direction. We looked on from the edge of the railing and stared into what appeared to be the edge of the universe, a thick cloud of white nothingness that had never appeared more beautiful. Then, slowly out of nowhere the fog parted like a stage curtain to reveal to us the splendor of God’s magnificence through his creation that shouted out His glory.

NAU

I knew I was forgetting something

Sent from my iPhone

Sushi

Saturday, Matt and I tried to rectify my lack of sushi experience, but after two failed attempts at Sushi Kee and Sushi Eye (who isn't open on a Saturday afternoon?) we eventually settled on Sonic. I've never actually eaten at a Sonic before, so, I more or less got the cultural and flavorful experience I had been looking for that day. Sushi success!

That's my mom, she's great.

What is your life?

“Do you feel prepared for your trip? Aren’t you worried?”

“I’m already there.”

I was sitting across from Jordan Book at Venezia’s, two weeks before him and his wife were planning on taking 6 months off of work to go live in Costa Rica and Spain. With no agenda other than to grow in their relationship, grow in their relationship with God and to experience the culture far beyond that of a mere vacation. What an incredible lifetime decision! Not only do they not hesitate to pursue God’s will for their lives, they don’t even worry about it! Having complete confidence and faith in their purpose, and God’s ability to fulfill that purpose through them.

Paul the apostle stresses this in his letter to the Phillipians, not as a suggestion but as a command, it’s not an afterthought, it’s a lifestyle change. do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Paul offers an alternative to the stress of anxiety, writing that; in everything, we should make our requests known to God. Everything! Not only through trials, crises and struggles but in every phase of the day we should be in constant communication with our creator and always be in the mindset of prayer. How else could we keep from worrying? Whatever it is that you do, do it all for the glory of God. One of the most crucial, yet, overlooked portions of the Lord’s prayer comes into play; hallowed be your name.

Our anxiety demonstrates a lack of trust and faith in our heavenly father. When we worry we engage in the destructive process of filling our minds with thoughts that are contrary to God’s love, care and protection. In essence when we worry we doubt God.

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

Even James hits on this in his letter; yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

How do we lose this anxiety that plagues us like a burden on our shoulders. Part of it is realizing that it’s not about us, in the grand scheme of things, if we look at the story of creation, our lives are somewhere in between church and restoration. Being aware of the insignificance of my own plans in comparison to his grand scheme. I attempt to build myself on my ability to successfully plan and organize my own life, when the reality is this isn’t possible.

Rejoice in the Lord always, Paul writes these words from prison, we demonstrate our trust in God through prayer, rejoicing and focusing on what is true, reflecting on the things that are worthy of praise. You can conquer your worries by opening your mind to the things God wants you to dwell upon. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.

You can follow Jordan Book and his wife as they travel through Costa Rica and Spain for the next nine months on their blog. (http://jordanandkrystle.blogspot.com/)

 

Poker Night

fun.