Chocolate
This catchy, and always appropriate word was the theme for our
Cru women's retreat this past weekend. Basically the talks were on conflict, comparison, and community. The theme connection was the question of "what's your chocolate?" Meaning what are the things that you crave and run to for comfort and in times of stress or anxiety before you run to the Lord. For some it is Chocolate, for others its a number of other things which we addressed. I think the best part of the weekend for me is seeing 50 or so women all gathered together to worship and pray and talk through issues and real life junk that we are all dealing with and learning how to walk through these things together. It was interesting in hearing from many of the girls in the room to find how similarly we are all made, and that most of the time we use these commonalities to tear each down and as excuses for jealous and
unnecessary conflict, instead of learning how we can teach each other and build each other up and grow closer as women, in light of these things.
While it's hard and complicated lots of times, I
wouldn't trade being a girl for anything! It's the hard things we go through that refine us and help us to grow into the women he wants us to become. I'm so thankful for the girls in my life who can go through my "chocolate" with me :-)
It's November 12
th, and you better believe my Christmas decorations are up in my apartment already! Sick, I know....but I
couldn't help myself!
Considering
Last night at bible study our lesson was entitled "All You Need is Love". The whole study was based around 2 verses in Hebrews which I have thought to be very mundane and common up until last night. Hebrews 10:24-25 and 3:12-13 were the passages and they are basically verses on community, love and encouragement, but this time in reading them I was pulling out all these new things that I never saw before. The first set of verses starts out with the words, "Let us consider......" it of course goes on to say great things about "spurring" one another on, and encouraging one another in love, and not giving up; but for some reason this idea of "considering" really struck my attention. To consider something requires more than simply a passing thought, it requires and demands intentionality behind it. I love this idea; I feel as though this idea of being intentional is something that Jesus loves, because He was and is with us. I long to be intentional in my considerations in relationships and behind the things that I do. It gave me lots to think about nevertheless.It's November 1st and its finally getting colder in Texas. Counting down the days till my roomates allow me to put up the Christmas decor. :-)
~A
