The life of Jen...

It's been awhile since I've written and lots has been going on in my mind and heart in the past weekish, so I thought I would try to sum it up here...

First, I began going to a new small group about 3 weeks ago, and I am loving it. It is a group of about 6-10 single women around my age. I instantly connected with these women and it has been sweet to meet with them each week. Two weeks ago we began an inductive study of the book Philippians. I have been enjoying digging into the book of the Bible and discussing it with these new friends. Last week was especially good! I love the book of Philippians and it was so good to look into it deeper. We read verses 1-11 and I was very convicted, encouraged and enlightened. I left wondering what my life would look like if I lived a life according to these verses? What would my life look like if I lived as though I KNEW that God has begun a good work in my life and will carry it on until completion? What would it look like if I loved people as Paul loved the people of Philippi? What would it looked like if I always prayed with joy for those I "partner" with (my co-workers, classmates, roommates, friends)? What does it look like to love with all knowledge and discernment? What is the "fruit of righteousness"?!?! Well I'm excited about these new friends and digging into the Word with them! The only down fall last week was that I got pooped on by a bird!

I've been trying to enjoy my last week of summer. I've spent a few days shopping for "professional" clothing (due to the fact that I have to dress up for my internship). Last night my roommates and I went to see Dave Barnes in concert. It was a GREAT concert, he played all of my favorite songs and he is SO funny! These pictures are from the concert. Today I spent the day today getting my hair highlighted and shopping (and I found the greatest sale which made my day!). As much fun as I've had this summer, I am ready to begin school (I never thought I would say those words). I'm even more excited to begin my internship! I talked to my director the other day and she informed me that two of the interns had to drop and therefore it will only be two of us! She said I should be ready for a BUSY semester. I think it will be fun but I know that it is going to be a lot, I'm ready to jump right in!

On more exciting news... I'm going home next week! A week or so ago I was talking to a few of my dear friends and it made me really miss them. That night I realized that I had earned a free ticket from my flights to Thailand, and thought I should use that to go home. So I get to go home for a friend's wedding and another friend's baby shower. I'm going to spend a few days with my oldest and dearest friend Emily, and go to the State Fair with her and her husband! I am very excited to be back in Minnesota for a few days!

Well that's all the updates for now...

My soapbox...

Well I have been back in the States for a little over a week now! It seems as thoughI have been back much longer than that. Arianne and I said our good-byes to the orphange and then headed to Bangkok for one last adventure. We went to the floating market and then saw Batman at the imax (I know, it was a real cultral adventure!) We stayed awake all night in hopes that we would be able to get back on an American sleeping schedule (it didn't work much for me, last night was my first normal night of sleep!)

Now having been back for some time I have been able to sit back and process some of the trip. The last week really stirred a lot of things within my heart. The team that joined us from England really made me question a lot of things. This team was filled with great people, I just really did not like how they went about many things. They were a team who strongly called themselves Christians and yet they hurt so many people in their actions. I saw within that week why some people stear away from Christianity. My heart broke in many ways in that last week. I saw people who I care about and who do not know Christ be ridiculed, I saw many things that I do not agree with and things that I don't think line up with the Bible. I had many times when I saw or heard things that made me not want to be labeled in the same group of these people. I left not wanting to be a "christian" anymore, but loving and cherishing God and Christ more than I ever had before.

The question that has come up for me in the past week is, what does it look like to follow Christ? How do I love people well? How do I love my enemies? How do I enter into the lives of those around me and allow them to see Christ without belittling them? Over the past few years many things about the "christian" community has bothered me. How can someone who is called to love people hate and belittle those who make differnet choices then they do. I have seen and heard so many people who are living a homosexual lifestyle be hurt by "christians". Are these not people we are called to love? If you use the arguement that they are "living in sin", which one of us is not?!?! Why is their sin greater than any other sin?!?! And anyhow shouldn't that make you love them even more?!?! It seems as though at times "christians" can be the most judging of all people. Doesn't the Bible tell us not to judge others?I know I have been guilty of this in the past and I do pray that I would love everyone and I would not let things such as their religious beliefs, or their sexual orientation, or their political party, or any of these distingushing characterisitics get in the way of me seeing them as people I am called to love!

I often think about how I can turn a conservation into a spiritual conservation with someone, something I learned to do in college. But if I look to change every conservation towards God then my conservation will become irrevelant to many people around me. Yes I believe that it is important to talk about spiritual things around those who do not know Christ, but if that becomes a road block for a relationship with a person than it is not worth it. I will love them and hope that this will open the doors for communication. I don't know if any of this makes sense to anyone outside of my head but it's been a bit of a soap box for me lately.

Well I'm done ranting for now, you may agree with me or you may not (I will still love you!). I have two weeks until I start school and am taking those weeks to get some of the things I've wanted to do done. This past week I rearranged my room and chopped all my hair off (pictures will be posted soon!) I love all of you who are reading this!