Encountering Prayer

Over the past two weeks, camp has quickly come to a close and most of the amazing people that I’ve gotten to know over the past few months have headed home for school. It is a strange feeling remaining in a place that feels so normal but all of the familiar faces that filled JH are now gone. In a weird way, I felt like a part of me left with them because of the encouragement and strength I persistently received from those around me.

The reality is that my heart and mind have been all over the place. I am still trying to process the summer and all that I gleaned from being here in Northern California. As I spend seasons in different places, I can easily forget and lay aside all the growth that has been cultivated in my heart and simply move forward into the next chapter. I believe this is because I don’t always set aside time to fully process with the Lord. I am steadily growing in this element of being a child of God and thus far it has been so powerfully fruitful.

One of the biggest golden nuggets that I have processed and taken away from this summer has been how crucial it is to be in constant communion with the Holy Spirit – to practice His Presence. There are so many facets to walking this out, but I have been discovering the more open and vulnerable I am, the more room the Holy Spirit has to teach me and mold me. I am getting to see the value in releasing my own ideas and perspectives so that the Holy Spirit has more room to move in my heart. I am gaining a deeper glimpse into what Paul was referring to in Romans 12:12 where it says, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” The Holy Spirit is beckoning and fighting for you and for me. He desperately desires to know you more intimately by being in communion together. In the past, I have often approached the Lord with a list of requests, but now I am learning more about what it looks like to listen to Him. Although I have only taken about five baby steps towards living this out, I am already experiencing a new boldness and faith that I had not truly encountered until now.

My biggest desire for myself presently and for the future is to cultivate the discipline of being in constant communion through prayer. I have always been one who prayed in the necessary moments, yet going deeper and further than that was not something I realized I even desired until now. Recently, I have felt the Holy Spirit urging and drawing me deeper through prayer. I slowly discovered this realization through a variety of things but the primary one was reading a book about the Holy Spirit. It has so much depth that the words on the page pierce the heart of why prayer is so crucial and necessary. Through reading this book and surrendering time to let the Holy Spirit lead me I have slowly gleaned a new hunger. This encounter has taken time and I have had to let go of some things in my life, for example, my habit of checking social media, browsing poshmark, and spending time on the internet to actually give adequate time to praying. Although it is a choice and sometimes a struggle to say no to other things I have tangibly encountered the life that comes from setting those things aside and praying.

It has been so beautiful to sense the Lord’s courage in me to say “yes” to praying for someone or something that I could have otherwise neglected in times past. He is giving me the opportunity to see His Holy Spirit work in those situations and it is so edifying and emboldening! The real-life power of being led by the Holy Spirit is life changing and heart altering. I have gleaned so much confidence through prayer and waiting on the Lord to move. I know it is a process to learn to trust the Lord with reckless abandon, to ask boldly and courageously, but we are His beloved kids! He loves our boldness and obedience because we are displaying through our trust that He is powerful and unspeakably worthy of our dependence on Him. The power that is manifested during prayer quickly shifts our focus from ourselves onto the King of the Universe. Prayer is our tool to invite the heavenly realm into the earthly realm. “On Earth as it is in heaven.” It is an opportunity to be real and vulnerable about the things weighing on your heart by “casting all your cares on Him because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

I was recently inspired by a friend who told me about their prayer closet. This friend usually goes into their closet twice a day to bear their heart and soul to the Lord. Through this prayer closet, my friend has seen their own heart change along with their families. My friend has encountered the Lord in a fresh way and experienced a supernatural freedom through persistent prayer. This story is not only powerful but so inspiring to me. Because of the time and vulnerability in seeking the Living God without distraction in the prayer closet, much fruit is being produced. Cultivating a specific time and place to pray is something that I want to establish and create in my own life. I encourage you to evaluate and see what your heart and soul needs, take action on intentionally praying and seeking God, and expect Him to move!

Recipes for my College Babes

I have had several people ask me “how do I eat healthy when I don’t have a kitchen and have a meal plan.” As I was thinking back to my dorm life I often times didn’t make the most amazing choices because I wasn’t sure how to. So, I wanted to give some healthy snack ideas to help inspire you to try new things and make healthier choices.

Healthy Snack Ideas:

-Raw Vegetables & Hummus: I always enjoy carrots, cucumbers, broccoli, celery etc. dipped in hummus because it is an awesome sugar free, economical, and healthy snack that is easy to eat on the go and keep on hand.

*When buying things like hummus or really any store made product I always read the ingredients and try to go for one that has limited and comprehensive ingredients.

*If you like crackers with hummus I recommend Mary’s Gone Crackers…they are one of my go to’s.

-Turkey and Cheese roll ups: this is another snack that I enjoy because I am getting some protein and it is more healthful than the meat and cheese provided by your school.

*When buying something like turkey I always read the ingredients but I also make sure that the meat does not contain; nitrate, nitrite, BHA, BHT, corn syrup, and aspartame. All of these things are man-made ingredients and unhealthy for your body.

-Apple and Peanut or Almond butter: This is a classic go to for Ben and I. We also love adding some chocolate chips or chia seeds to this little combination for an additional crunch.

*My all-time favorite almond butter is the type that you grind yourself. It’s always the crunchiest and most fresh. (I usually get this from Whole Foods or The Fresh Market)

-Crunchy Chocolatey Trail Mix: I have gone through periods of always having trail mix on hand and this is a perfect go to for living in a dorm. My own creation usually consists of a 1/2 cup of each: dark chocolate chips, a variation of seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, chia, flax, etc), almonds, cashews, and Goji berries (if I have them).