"And I will wait here at the Cross..."

"At the foot of the cross, where I kneel in adoration
And I lay my burdens down
I exchange all my sin for the promise of salvation
And Your name across my brow"

Isn't God super-uber amazing?? I think so! :D Let me tell you why...

I am a perfectionist. I'm a people-pleaser. I'm also a student leader. Very hard combination, lol. I do everything I can to help others and make them happy because I want to and because it's my job, and I expect perfection out of myself. I also want everyone's acceptance and approval, and I don't want to bother others with asking them for help. Trying to put all those things together and making them work is like putting all the pieces of a Swiss Watch into the casing and shaking it and expecting everything to put itself together and work flawlessly. Not really possible.

So, here's where the awesome stuff comes in:

This last weekend I went to Spring Rally with my youth group. The theme was "Let's Get Dirty!", and it was focusing on service projects. But, before you're prepared to help others, you have to be right first with God. I thought I was doing great. I'm a student leader, love God, worship, church, my family and friends, I've been a Christian before the beginning of time, never said a swear word in my life, and so on. I thought I was doing great in my life. Man, did God have fun breaking that heck-of-a-lie! :p

Friday Night's teaching:

Our speaker, Jonathan McKee, told a story about when his friend turned 18. Jonathan "kiddnapped" his friend, and he and a few buddies stuck him in the trunk of Jonathan's car, and drove off to meet some girls (:p) for an early breakfast surprise. But, the guys got a little carried away in their driving when they discovered the sharper and faster they hit turns, the more they heard their friend sliding from side to side in the trunk and screaming at them to cut it out. So, just before they got to the resturant, Jonathan decided to hit one last curve with everything he had.

He thought we was in control of the car. But he didn't realize how fast he was going and how it would cause him to skid into the middle lane of the road he was turning onto. He also didn't realize how close that cement truck was getting. They crashed and the car flew onto the sidewalk, and Jonathan's friend nearly died that day because Jonathan thought he was in control, not to mention all the other guys in the car.

Jonathan's whole point was this: There are SO many times in our life where we think we're in control, but there are usually things we don't factor in. I thought I was in control of my life, but MAN was I wrong! But thank goodness God was able to use the message that first night to brake me. :) It was *so* hard, but God is in control, and as long as I hold no control for myself and give ALL the control to God, He'll be able to then take me and shape/mold/make me into the person He wants me to be. :)

"At the foot of the cross I give up my vain ambition
And I leave my selfish pride
In the peace that is there will You restore my vision
In all the places I am blind?"

More coming up on the 10'o'clock news...