Seasons of Life

I have always been told there are seasons, seasons of life.  Typically, we are raised in a home under the supervision of an adult.  We then leave the home to begin working, or further our education.  After that, we are all in the workforce trying to make a living (hopefully).  Life can get stressful trying to pay bills, and possibly support a family.  We eventually grow old, cherish time with family and friends more than ever, and eventually end our lives here on earth.  Again, this is typically speaking.

There are also seasons within those broad seasons mentioned above.  We could have a season of the 1st grade, or a season of practicing a hobby, or a season of moving to a new school.  There are countless seasons in life.

On December 4th, 2008, I signed to play golf at Oklahoma Christian University.  I didn't even know about Oklahoma Christian until November 30th, 2008, only one month before I signed to play golf there.  I was playing a practice round with a friend in Ardmore, Oklahoma, and he asked me, "Have you thought about playing college golf in Oklahoma?  Oklahoma Christian has a good team."  I replied quickly by saying, "Psshh, no.  There is no way I am going to school in Oklahoma.  I want to go farther south like Texas, Alabama, Florida, or Georgia."  What-do-you-know, I attend school in the heart of Oklahoma.

This was a new season for me.  I was leaving Republic, Missouri, a town I had lived in my whole life.  I went to college only knowing one kid who I had met only a few months before.  We met at a golf tournament during the summer, and we talked for maybe 10 seconds before he was about to tee-off.

I was looking forward to school, college golf, and meeting new people.

At first, it was tough meeting new people.  Everyone seemed to know each other, and the school seemed very "cliquish," but God placed some people in my life who have been, and are, absolutely unbelievable.

I'll be honest, the first two years of college were not fun at all.  First, my golf game was (and still is) absolutely terrible.  I have had some better rounds lately, but I still have the worst scoring average on the team... slowly improving :) .  Academics have gone really well the past two years, but that hasn't been fun either.  I always questioned why God brought me to Oklahoma, especially Oklahoma Christian.  I love major universities.  I love the excitement of big football and basketball games on Saturday.  I love walking across huge campuses with gorgeous trees, and stone structured buildings that date back to the late 1800's.  I love large universities.  I always questioned why God directed my path to Oklahoma Christian.  It's a school that is located in the center of Oklahoma, has about 2,300 undergrad students, no football program, midnight curfew for freshman, room checks, and a golf team that could easily compete with the majority of NCAA Division I golf programs.  The main reason I came to Oklahoma Christian was because of the golf program.  In my two-and-a-half years of being here, I have played in a total of 2 golf tournaments.  Both tournaments were in Oklahoma City, which means everyone on the team gets to play because it is a local tournament (In golf, typically only the top 5 play and travel to tournaments).  The past two years I doubted whether or not I was supposed to go to OC.  Until now.

I can honestly say I am 100% content and happy where the LORD has me.  I am beginning to see why God has placed me in Oklahoma.  I go to a school that has a great business department, especially accounting (my major).  I am blessed to have the opportunity to attend a university that is based on Christian values.  One of my classes, "Christian Family," is a class that prepares us for the upcoming seasons in our life, and teaches us how to live each season in accordance to God's word.  I don't think there is any class that is more beneficial and more applicable for my future than my Christian Family class.

The people I have met, the opportunities I have been given, the things I have learned, have all been incredible blessings from God which I am just now beginning to see.  The people in Oklahoma are some of the nicest people I have met.  I have friends at school, friends at K-Life (middle school and high school student ministry), friends from other universities, and friends from golf.

I feel like I am growing more spiritually than I ever have.  I have been blessed with AMAZING friends who desire to pursue Christ and all He has for them.  The community and fellowship with my friends has been so encouraging.  To have friends who enjoy discussing God's word and encourage me to live-out God's love is unbelievably comforting.  I love where I am right now.  However, I know this is just a season.  I know God is shaping me into the man he wants me to be, and preparing me for what He has planned for my life.

We serve a great and mighty God who sees the bigger picture.  Sometimes, our lives might not make sense.  We have to hold onto hope and trust that God is in control.  He has a much, MUCH greater plan for our lives than we could ever dream of... seriously!  Living for Christ's name is anything but boring.  When we follow God's call for our lives, He will take us places we never dreamed we would go, he introduces us to people we never thought we would meet, and he teaches us things we never believed we would learn.  We are clay in the Potter's hand.  Allow God to chisel you into the person He wants you to be.  If you are bored, want something to do, and/or want to fill a void/emptiness in your life, try chasing after Christ.  Open the Bible and study it.  Once you are led by the Spirit, you will no longer be left empty (John 4:14).  God will lead you from one season to the next for work that can only be done through the power of the Spirit, with the fellowship of other believers, all for the glory of God.

The seasons of life may change, but our God remains the same.

Quiet Time Moments

I thought about not taking the time to write this since I have to get up in four hours, but I really felt the need to share it.

Tonight, after I finished studying for my accounting test which is tomorrow morning, I spent some time in prayer (something I am currently working on.... my prayer life is definitely lacking).  As I was praying, the Holy Spirit put on my heart the K-Life small group memory verse for the week.  I opened my Bible and turned to Ephesians 6:16-18.  It reads this, "In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.  With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."  The part that really stood out to me was verse 17 where it talks about the word of God being the sword of the Spirit.  

If the Bible is the sword of the Spirit, why would we go to battle without it?  We would be defenseless.  A shield can only do so much.  A sword is necessary for survival.  It can block attacks from the enemy, and it can pierce right through the soul.  The Bible is 100% needed if we are going to succeed in living our lives for Christ.  We have to know the Word.  The only way to know the Word is by opening it and studying it.  This requires time (more than once a week at church).  Open and study it every day.  It's necessary.