This is more important than homework (or so I tell myself)

Hey everyone! I'm sorry it's been so long since I've posted. I've wanted to for so long...There's so much I want to say. But there's never time (and really there still isn't!) But now I'm at college (crazy) and I'm already learning and growing and being stretched and trying new things. I love it here...except when I get really stressed out about my classes. It's crazy--one moment I can be perfectly fine, then the same day I am terribly stressed out, and then later I feel perfectly fine again even though nothing drastic has happened to change it. Oh well. Right now I'm not so stressed out so I don't feel so bad about doing this instead of homework.
God has taught me and showed me so much this summer and since I got to school. Two books were really good: Revolution in World Missions by KP Yohanan, and Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper. In some ways they really modified my thinking, but mostly they gave me more focus on what matters in this life and this world. I've also grown just by being here with so many Christians all around me all the time and worshipping God every day and learning about him in classes and praying with my roommates (who are amazing!). When I got here I had to lose my proud mindset I've had for so long that I'm some really great Christian with all the answers. I realized that I am small and weak and not perfect and that I can learn a lot from others. Since I got here, I have become more focused on God. I desire a closer relationship with God, but sometimes not enough. So I'm praying every day for balance in my relationships, schoolwork, other activities, and my relationship with God.
School has been hard too though. My Honors Comp II class just terrifies me sometimes (of course other times I'm excited about it). We have to do an argumentative research paper on a topic in our field of study, and really I should already have a topic, but I'm not entirely sure yet...it doesn't help that I haven't decided on a field of study (though I'm starting to narrow down my choices of major). But I want to do my paper on missions--more specifically evangelizing the people who have never heard the name of Christ before. I also want to tie in the responsibility of American Christians to support missions to the unreached. One thing I am passionate about is giving to those people who need it most. And we could have such a huge impact on the world if we would simply give our money to missionaries--especially to those who already live in the country and are going out to their own people. We are so richly blessed; we should joyfully give all we can to fulfill one of our greatest purposes on earth: the Great Commission. We should also be giving to the poor, both here around us and in far-away countries. My challenge to you and to me is to think carefully about how you spend your money, give when you feel compelled to give, and trust God to provide for you. Take a risk with your money (or maybe your possessions or time or talents) and let God multiply it and give you a blessing in return. Store up treasures for yourself in heaven instead of doing everything you want and buying everything you want on earth.
I realize this is coming across kind of "sermonesque." But I guess this is what God has been showing me and giving me a passion about. You may have very little to give, but you still have more than that child in Africa who doesn't have clean water or that missionary in India who can't afford shoes. And even if you have nothing to give, you can still have an attitude of stewardship--that all you have belongs to God and you will use it for his glory.
This post wasn't planned out, so I'm just going to randomly put this here: tonight I heard a statistic saying that it would take about $20 billion to bring the world out of poverty--that's about how much Americans spend on icecream every year. (Don't quote me on that--I don't know if I remembered it exactly right or who came up with that statistic. The point is that we live in great wealth compared to the rest of the world. Don't take if for granted, and don't become a lover of money.)

So, there's my great juxtaposition of thoughts for you. All my companions in the blogging world, I would love to hear what God is doing in your lives. I miss so many people so much, but I'm excited that my friends and I are now spread out in manhy different areas, and God can use us there and teach us great things.