Lessons at LU

Abide.

"Accept or act in accordance with"

Thankful.

"Expressing gratitude and relief"

How much.

"What amount or price"



Over this last month at Liberty (I need to write another post devoted to my experiences and college life) God has been teaching me.  I've been trying to stay in a stance of humility so that I'm always able to hear when He speaks to me.

Just in this last week, each time He's spoken it's only been in one or two word phrases.

Abide. Thankful. How much.

He's been teaching me how beautiful it is when I- heart and soul -abide in Him.  When, throughout the day, I stop and remember to rest in Him, to let His peace take over my heart and bring a sense of calm throughout my soul.

The definition of abide reads "Accept or act in accordance with."  But abiding in Christ is so much more than that.  When I choose to abide in Christ, I am choosing not only to accept His plan, but to embrace it, to find joy in each day He has for me.  I am choosing to act and speak with genuine joy and acceptance of His plan, no matter how difficult it may seem.


He's been teaching me that no matter how long the day is, no matter how many homework assignments I have left to do at midnight, there is always something to be thankful for. Whether it be friends who remind you of family, a team of leadership who exemplifies Christ beautifully, or worshipping in chapel earlier that day...there is beauty in every day.  If you're saying, "I'm in the valley, in darkness that seems to deep to crawl out of."  He tells us there is beauty even in the ashes.

Be thankful.


Just tonight as I walked back from the library on the brink of tears over tests and homework and assignments all due at once, I couldn't get this phrase out of my mind: I just can't believe how much I have to get done. It's too much. I don't know how I'll get it done. 

But in that moment, I had a nudging just to glance up at the sky to try to get a peak at the stars. There have only been a handful of times that the stars have outshone the street lights up here on campus. But tonight was one of those nights. I looked up and the stars shone down and God whispered,

My daughter, you have no idea how much love I have for you...how much greater I am than anything you are facing...how much grace will be awaiting you when you awake in the morning...how many wonderful blessings I have for you in the coming minutes, hours, days, and weeks if you will abide in me and be thankful...and remember just how much love I have for you, that the stars would shine so bright on a night when your heart is so overwhelmed. 


These are lessons He is teaching me up here at Liberty University.  So tonight, as you might expect, I have quite a few things to be thankful for.  As I have been abiding in Him in these last few weeks, and hopefully in the weeks to come, I can't wait to continue to see just how much my Savior has in store for me.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-19, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

~Bailey

P.S. If you haven't purchased With All of Your Heart yet, I would love if you read it and told your friends about it :)