Unstinkinbelievable

Yes it is 2 o'clock in the morning and yes I am blogging. I find that I do things at odd times. For instance, I was singing Christmas carols just the other day...and it's April. Sometimes I find myself cleaning or doing dishes at midnight. Other times I find myself scrubbing my tub in the wee hours of the morning. I like doing things in the middle of the night when there are very few distractions. Doing things at odd times may make me slightly strange but let's face it, I'm already slightly awkward and I just embrace it. So I'm embracing the idea that blogging at 2:07 in the morning is completely acceptable and normal.

The truth is, I am too excited to sleep. I just got back from leadership interviews at the BCM and I am unstinkinbelievably pumped for what the Lord is getting ready to do in that place. He is about to blow us out of the water and I can't wait! For those of you reading this that have no clue what BCM is or why this is such a big deal, let me fill you in. BCM is the Baptist Collegiate Ministries and it is commonly referred to as "the B". For this upcoming year, things are changing. We are switching from 30 years of a system that has worked fine to a new system focused on discipleship. A good verse for this I think would be

"⁸ This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples." John 15:8

Oh it's amazing! The things the Lord is getting ready to do in that place I can't even imagine, but I'm ready! Interviews were just so encouraging. Seeing people with passions and hearts for all different areas of the ministry was truly uplifting. After all, diversity is what makes a ministry a ministry right.

I was reading in Philippians yesterday and the theme verse for the BCM last year came back to me.

"¹ Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ² then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

⁵ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

⁶ Who, being in very nature^[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
⁷ rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature^[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
⁸ And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!"

Philippians 2:1-8

Verses two through four really just hit me hard yesterday as I was reading. "Being like-minded"..."being one in spirit and of one mind"..."nothing out of selfish ambition"..."value others above yourselves"..."to the interests of the others"...

Those are just some highlights of the phrases that hit me. As I was reading and chewing on this powerful piece of scripture I thought about how in a ministry it is very easy to begin to lose sight of the ultimate goal. It is easy for selfish ambition to take over, sometimes even subconsciously. If we are serving for selfish ambition we are not serving in one mind. It's not possible. If my goal is for myself and your goal is for yourself then we obviously do not have the same goal. As I read these verses I thought of being like minded as serving with the purpose of glorifying God at whatever the cost to us. I mean later in this passage we are reminded that Christ showed humility by becoming us, taking the nature of a servant-the King of Glory being a servant!-, and being obedient to death. Whoa. I find it hard to be obedient in just everyday life, much less being obedient to death. Christ lived to glorify God. My prayer for this ministry as it is undergoing change and as leadership positions are being prayed over, is that our hearts are all united with the purpose of serving God to the absolute best of our abilities in the areas to which He calls us. That we are not afraid to become the servant instead of being known as "the leadership team". That we are ready to do what He calls us to do even though it might be new and unfamiliar. I am so excited for this next year! I know that God has amazing things planned and I am so grateful to be allowed to be apart of it in whatever capacity He sees fit.

Leaving you with these verses-a little stepping stone in life, a prayer for me and for all of those serving-

"In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."-Matthew 5:16

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men"-Colossians 3:23

This is my prayer and heart for the ministry next year. I know that what the Lord has planned is going to be unstinkinbelievable and I can't wait.