Cleaning and Learning

I have been doing a lot of cleaning over the past week it seems. Well, with having a garage sale and deep cleaning the garage and then cleaning my room really well, cleaning is a must. I have cleaned so much junk out of my life. I've found things that I've hung on to for years, even though I never really needed any of it. But some of that stuff was the hardest to get rid of. It was the strangest thing to look through storage containers in my closet knowing that I needed to get rid of some of it, but it was just too hard to let go of in the beginning.

As I kept working at cleaning, God kept working in my heart. He kept bringing me back to those things that I had held on to for so long. Things that I knew I needed to let go, but that I was still uncertain that I needed to let go of. So I kept waiting. I kept cleaning.

Cleaning brought me to read a notecard that I had written several years ago with a quote from some man from a book I had read and this is what it said:
"Father, let me be weak that I might lose my clutch on everything temporal. My life, my reputation, my possessions, Lord, let me lose the tension of the grasping hand. Even, Father, would I lose the love of fondling. How often I have released a grasp only to retain what I prized by 'harmless' longing, the fondling touch. Rather, open my hand to receive the nail of Calvary, as Christ's was opened--that I, releasing all, might be realeased, unleashed from all that binds me now."

I stood there convicted of everything that I had kept selfishly, just because I wanted more and more stuff. Man, I couldn't have moved more quickly to empty out my boxes! That day God truly did show me that He wants followers that don't chase after the things of this world. He wants people who are willing to give up every comfort, every thing that they own just to follow Him.

Well, I want to be that kind of a follower. I don't want to be characterized by the objects I own or anything this world has to offer. I want God to be at the center of my life. I want Him to shine out through me in amazing ways and be glorified in my life. I know that it's not going to be an easy life, but it's going to be well worth it. I'm going to live my life being His Name carrier.


Anyway, that's not the only reason I am writing today.
I have been, not a daze, but in a state of peace for the past few days. And it has been rather strange. Every time a worry or something that could make me freak out comes up, it's almost like Someone is just killing it. Right now, I could easily be freaking out and overwhelmed with how much I have to do in a short amount of time, but I am completely at peace about it all. I know that God is taking care of me, and that He is going to guide me and provide for me. He is all I need. He is all I want.

I don't think I have officially posted this yet, so I just want to say: I made it in to Southeastern! Yay! :) God provided for me, and I have been accepted and I will be heading that way in August! He is so good!
I have also officially been accepted to work in SC this summer for NAMB! I am so excited to be going back to SC, and I'll get to see a few of my friends from the previous time I served. And I'll also get to make a lot of new friends. I also just found out that the couple who will be hosting me this summer are both professionally trained chefs. God has a funny way of weaving my past experiences in with my future ones. haha. :)

I'll be leaving May 25th. I'll make a few stops on my way out to Bluffton, SC, so it, hopefully, won't be too long of a drive. But I'm looking forward to it.
God is so good. He is holy, mighty, and pure. And I am so thankful that He is my Savior, that He is God. :)