JAMES 1:22, and other cool stuff

Hey friends! Sorry for my long absense once again, and sorry about the inability to leave comments, and for the funny looking stuff at the bottom of each blog entry. After updating the blog, I could no longer put up comments....and so I'm working on fixing it. The comments should work now, though, I hope!!

Last week I worked a ton more than usual, which is much of the reason why I haven't been over here to the library to post, let alone check email. Don't get me wrong, though, I miss all of you and look forward so much to the day that I see you all again!

I DO have a pretty incredible story to share with ya'll, though. Hope you enjoy it.;)

I was at work last Wednesday night, and a bunch of guys came into the Cafe. I didn't think much of it, and then I saw another group of young college-age girls come in and sit down as well -- they all pulled out books and journals and fun stuff like that. Well, I went on break, and heard key words that made me get all excited inside coming from these girls, such as "God", "Holy Spirit", "hope", etc. and I thought, "THESE ARE CHRISTIANS!!!!:):)" I've had a very difficult time finding CHristians on fire for the Lord here in Chicago, and then I heard these girls doing a Bible Study right there in my cafe. As I walked past the guys, I saw them with Bibles open as well, and I was totally excited. I REALLY wanted to talk to these groups of young Christians, hoping to find out their home church, but I was nervous and didn't exactly want to just run up to their tables...I figured that might be a little freaky. Well, the opportunity to talk to them presented itself! One of the guys from the table came up to order and I asked him politely if he was in a Bible study right then and what his home church was. He said that he was in fact in a study at the time, but that none of them were actually from a church around here- they were here for the summer for discipleship training and were from OKLAHOMA.

*gasp*

OKLAHOMA!! MY STATE!!! NO ONE IS FROM OKLAHOMA AROUND HERE!! But here they were, about 10 people, my age, Christian, and sitting in my Cafe. :) sweet.

I told him I was from Bartlesville, and he recognized the town (not many people know of it -- even Oklahomans), and I told him I was looking for a Christian community, so he invited me to a weekly get-together they have every Monday. He left, but soon after another one of the guys came over and said,

"So, you are from Bartlesville? I'm going there tomorrow. Ever been to Murphy's?"

*bigger gasp*

For him to be going there the NEXT DAY was incredible - turned out he had to go for a funeral. For him to know of "murphy's" was incredible, too -- it's a hole in the wall restaraunt that serves the best heart attack on a plate -- the "hot hamburger." But not many people know of this place, nor of the delights of the food!! AND HE WAS TALKING TO ME ABOUT IT!!!! he too invited me to come on Monday. (tonight. yay!)

haha. So, that was cool. I then got to talk to the girls (the first guy i met, Nathan, kinda introduced us), and a girl named Sarah invited me to the Monday night thing, as well as something on Saturday (two days ago, not this coming up one.)

As excited as I was to go, I started having doubts about going Friday night. An extensive lists of 'What if's?" started creeping up in my mind...."what if they don't like me, what if I'm way more excited about this than they are....etc." The doubt was so strong, but all that I could force into my head was "TRUST IN THE LORD, FOR HE IS GOOD." and I knew it would be ok. I did turn to my Bible on Friday night, though, and randomly came across the verse "Do not just read the Word, and so decieve yourselves. Do what it says." It really stuck and hit me hard for some reason - I wasn't even paying attention to which book it was in, but I instantly memorized it. I guess it hit me hard b/c of how I'm constantly thinking of how I should act around my non-CHristian co-workers at BandN. NOt only did I read that verse, but I also flipped back to Psalm 139 -- a source of great encouragement for me. I sat there on my bed, so humbled, bawling as I spoke aloud to God every word in that powerful Psalm. Realizing that I needed sleep b/c I was getting too tired, I promptly went to sleep.

SO...I go to the get-together on Saturday night. It was a night of sharing new exciting experiences with the Lord, praise, song, and fellowship. I spoke with this one girl, and related the last night to her. I told her that I had read that verse (the one I quoted above, and she got incredibly excited, gasped and giggled. "THAT IS OUR THEME VERSE FOR THE ENTIRE SUMMER WE ARE HERE," she breathed... "JAMES 1:22".

She squealed and hopped out of her chair, and announced to the entire group of teens (about 50) that I had read a specific verse the night before.... "James 1:22", I said... and then whole room ruptured with gasps, cheers, clapping, and all together awe for the power of the Lord.

THis was so incredible! And, might I add, totally impossible if it weren't for the Lord. What proof that he exists!! This can't get any better, I thought. haha...what underestimation, Kristin.;)

Soon after, the guy I had talked to from Barnes and Noble who had left to go to Bartlesville the next day had returned to the group for the Saturday night gathering, and asked to read aloud to the group something which had stood out to him.




It was Psalms 139. He read the entire thing outloud -- just as I had, 24 hours before. James 1:22 and Psalms 139 had been the two things which I had intently focused on the night before, and nothing else.





I'm still in awe, and will continue to be for the rest of my life. With those amazing details, who is to say that it's "just a coincedence."????




just something to think about. <><