take notes

So last blog, I talked about listening. Let me follow that up with another important lesson I learned this summer: take notes. 

 Like I said, I learned a lot over the summer. I learned a lot about myself, about God, about living in community, just a lot. As I learned to listen to what God was teaching me, and as I continue to do so, I've realized how important it is to write these things down. When I go back and look at what I've written down, it's fun to see where God taught me something that blew my mind or where I had questions or prayers that God has since answered. Also, looking back helps me to remember and apply what I'm learning. Writing things down is such a good way to document God's faithfulness, as official as that sounds. At times when I need assurance, I can look at something from my own life on paper and remember that I live for a God who keeps His promises.

like trying to fit the ocean in a cup

It's been said that trying to describe God in words is like "trying to fit the ocean in a cup" (from a Josh Wilson song, 3 Minute Song). Well, somewhat similarly, I've been hesitant to blog about my summer because words do not sufficiently convey my experiences as a summer staff volunteer at JH Ranch. However, I want to share about what I learned over the summer. I won't even try to do so in one blog, even in ten. Over the next few months, nevertheless, I'll be doing the best I can to fit the multi-volume encyclopedia of what I learned and experienced over the summer into short (ha) blog posts.


First thing I would say I learned: Listen.

After probably a few days at the Ranch, I started to realize what value there is in merely listening. I would find myself sitting on the couch in The Bean (one of the girls staff houses) listening to girls from my age to a few years older than me, from different colleges, different parts of the country, different stages in life, talk for hours. I learned and gained so much just from listening to the life experiences, perspectives, and opinions of these awesome girls.

In addition to learning the value of listening and learning from my friends and peers, I learned how to better listen to teaching, in small and bigger settings. And by this, I don't mean that I am more able to sit still for long sermons or more able to remember what I'm taught. No, I mean that I learned how to approach opportunities to be taught--opportunities to learn. I acquired (even more than what I already had) a hunger for more--more truth, more wisdom, just more. And even more now that I'm home, God constantly reminds me to keep my ears open and to stay hungry and expectant. I approach classes, chapels, sermons, etc. with a kind of expectancy that I haven't had before. This semester alone, God has answered questions I've asked and taught me so much through a conglomeration of my classes, chapels, and church services. Literally a conglomeration. That part is important. These classes, chapels, church services, even conversations are great on their own, but the Holy Spirit is teaching me not only to listen to what's being taught but to listen to what He is teaching me. This means all day every day, classes, conversations, speakers, songs, books, you get the idea...my ears are attuned to the One who shows me truth. My brain has been like a big messy tangled game of connect the dots recently. Every time the Holy Spirit helps me make a connection in my overloaded brain, the picture becomes clearer. It's kinda fun. And it's only because I'm listening.