Truth.

Hello, my lovely friends! Sarah Graninger here to share some truth that God has been impressing upon my heart!

So recently God has been challenging me as to what I am thinking; both in regards to myself and in regards to others. And the question I keep coming back to is: "Is it true?"

In Philippians 4:8, Paul challenges us to think on only that which is true.

And in Psalm 51:6, David, in his plea for repentance unto God, cries: “Surely You desire truth in my inner parts; You teach me wisdom in my inmost being.”

So truth in the depths of what we are thinking and feeling is critical to the heart of God.

Truth in our thoughts of ourselves:

So this past summer, I came to learn that I was an absolutely terrible thinker. It’s not that I can’t think. But it is that I think too much on what is not true. I thought about, rather I dwelled in, lies that Satan would whisper into my soul as to who I was; I was weak, hopelessly broken, beyond restoration.

And when I wasn’t dwelling in those untrue thoughts stemming from my past, I was dwelling in thoughts of what could be; thoughts of what someone could have meant by saying this or that; thoughts of what a future romance could be like. However, all that too was futile thinking as it was not truth; instead, it was vain hoping and essentially falsehood.

Thus, this summer, God began the work of washing my mind in His Gospel. And in this He showed me that my identity was not found in mere perceptions; neither the perceptions of others as to who I was nor even my own perceptions as to who I was.

Rather, my identity was found in what God as my Creator had spoken over my existence and thus the way He saw me.

And how does He see us as His children? He sees us through the truth of the Gospel. He looks upon us and sees the righteousness of Jesus. For we are now called children of God and co-heirs with Christ, inheriting the all the fullness of God! Say what?

And that’s the truth of who we are; nothing more, nothing less.

But this truthful thinking doesn’t only apply to how we think about ourselves but how we think about our Christian community as well.

Truth in our thoughts beyond ourselves:

Truth is also central to the Body of Christ. 1 John 1:6-7 urges us:

If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.

By truth alone do we have fellowship. We cannot have fellowship within the Body of Christ without the truth of the Gospel binding us together. Only through the Gospel is a group of utterly depraved sinners made able to love and walk in the bond of peace.

For truth alone do we have fellowship. 

Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes about this idea in his book, Life Together, saying:

“He [man] lives wholly by God’s Word pronounced upon him, whether that Word declares him guilty or innocent… Because he daily desires and thirsts for righteousness, he daily desires the redeeming Word. And it can come only from the outside. In himself he is destitute and dead… But God has put His Word into the mouth of men in order that it may be communicated to other men… God has willed that we should seek and find His living Word in the witness of a brother, in the mouth of man.”

Thus, community is purposed for speaking the truth of the Gospel and God’s Word one to another; nothing more, nothing less.

Similarly, through truth alone do we have fellowship. 

In this fellowship, we are also called to look upon one another through the truth of the Gospel. Not selfishly looking upon our community, the Church, with lofty expectations of what it should be or hopes of what it could be. But instead looking upon the Church as it is through the truth of the Gospel. That is as His redeemed Bride, holy in His sight, being without blemish (Colossians 1:22).

Therefore, sisters, may we purge our hearts and minds of any falsehood regarding ourselves and the community in which we live. That the Gospel might be the ultimate truth consuming our minds and dictating our lives. And in walking in this glorious light of truth, that we may have true fellowship with one another!

Amen and amen!

Testimony and wisdom from Kristie

Marvelous Monday ladies!

Thank you for letting join you on Friday afternoons.  I am impressed by your spiritual maturity and your deep desire to search our God’s direction and will for your lives.  It is inspiring to sit with so many young women who are devoted to the Lord.

I wanted to take this opportunity to share a little about myself because I do not cross paths enough with you to really get to know you right now.   And how timely that Shannon discussed insecurity, one of my “life” topics! 

Growing up, I lived on a small farm with my parents, a younger brother, a herd of beef cattle, dogs, and various horses and ponies.  On Sundays and Wednesdays we were in church for Sunday school, youth group and AWANAS. (Any previous Pals out there?)  On some Wednesday night, after AWANAS, I gave my life to Jesus Christ while home alone in my bedroom.  Being young and alone when I accepted the great Gift, I questioned my salvation for years.  I would hear an invitation to accept Christ and in my ear a small ugly voice would say, “Should you go? Did it really count before? Are you really saved?”  My constant questioning of the surety of my salvation also crept into other parts of my life.  I was not trusting God.  A small foothold I granted then helped freeze me into inactivity, into non-growth, and into ineffectiveness. 

Insecurity haunted me everywhere, especially during my high school and college years.  Every time I passed people chatting in the halls, the ‘her” they discussed was me.  Every effort I made was insufficient.  Nothing I had was good “enough”.  My deepest valley happened during veterinary school when my good friends from undergrad moved on and I was still in Blacksburg, now alone.  (I thought.)

--Here is when I found 2 Timothy 1:7. (For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.)   

--Here was when I began to grab truth and hold so tightly that the fog began to lift.  I was beautifully made by Christ, a great craftsman with a masterpiece. (Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.) 

--But that didn’t sink in until May 2007 when my daughter was born and my husband fell ill.  Yes…of course…at the same time.  Here I learned of the strength Christ provides when we are weak.  (2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me). 

--Here I learned firsthand that He will never leave me or forsake even if someone else would.  (Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.) 

--Here I poured the last corner of foundation from which a house could be built.  (Luke 6:48 He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.)

Today I still face battles, but I want to share with other young women my lessons.  If that saves anyone a day of trouble or doubt then the transparency was worth it.   Overcoming an obstacle like insecurity, or offering forgiveness, or establishing boundaries, or controlling emotions and our reactions/responses, or….  None of these are overcome in a day.  No light switch is flicked for a final change but instead throughout life we reach out daily to the dimmer switch and make slow “imperfect progress”.  (Than you Lysa Terquerst)  But the most awesome realization is that no matter where I am in a battle my Lord, Jesus Christ, is with me and with you every step of the way. 

Thank you all for being a blessing in my life, Kristie

Friendly Friday

Name Kayla Hoover

Major Biology

Coffee, Tea, or Neither? Neither... but I do love some hot chocolate

What do you like most about VT? I really love the campus.  I feel like every season I say “Spring is my favorite time to see the campus!” But then 8 months later I’m saying that winter is my favorite time to be here.  I think it’s absolutely perfect year around.

If you could do anything without the possibility of failure and money wasn't a restraint: what would you do? I would travel around the world.  I would hit all 7 continents and as many countries as I could. I would love to see historical places, major cities, but also just the places that have been as untouched by people as possible.  God’s beauty is all around us and it would be amazing to see as much of it as I can.

What is your favorite thing to do to rest and/or relax? I love to run. I do it as many days of the week as I can and I love to challenge myself and go past what I think are my limits.  But when running isn’t an option, I enjoy just lounging with a good book.

Are you reading any books right now? I wish I was reading a book right now! I love a wide range of books and I’m always open to suggestions

Favorite place to eat lunch? I’m obsessed with buffalo chicken wraps right now so anywhere I can get one of those!

How has God encouraged you lately? God has really just been encouraging me to show my passion for him in every day life.  He’s definitely been challenging me to spread the gospel; especially in areas of my life I’ve found it uncomfortable in the past.  He’s really encouraged me to live in a way that reflects Him and show those around me the pure joy He gives me. 

Friendly Friday

Hope your Friday is off to a great start and you're ready to watch the Hokies take on the UC Bearcats tomorrow.  Meet today's friendly face, Kaylee!

 

Name: Kaylee Marie Waldrop

Major: Human Nutrition, Food and Exercise 

Coffee, Tea, or Neither? Coffee all the way! Starbucks is one of my favorite places to be!

What do you like most about VT? I enjoy the community here at Virginia Tech! Coming from a small town, I was a little nervous about living on a big campus but I still feel that small town community here at Virginia Tech.  Not to mention the people are absolutely a blessing!

If you could do anything without the possibility of failure and money wasn't a restraint: what would you do? I think that I would be a teacher and live overseas as a missionary.  I love children and the chance to spend time teaching and guiding them would be amazing!  I also think I would open a bakery! I love, love, LOVE baking and decorating and would enjoy doing that all day long!

What is your favorite thing to do to rest and/or relax? I love the beach!  I always feel relaxed at the beach. I always lay in my beach chair with my headphones in jamming to Jesus music.

Are you reading any books right now? When I am not reading textbooks, I read Francis Chan’s “Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit.”

Favorite place to eat lunch? A Mexican restaurant called El Caporal back home! Our family friends own it and the people there are always a delight to see.

How has God encouraged you lately? This past week my heart has been really heavy on the topic of grace.  I guess it is in response to Big Weekend.  When reading my bible, I came across Romans 5:1-3. “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this GRACE in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”  These verses reminded me of how much grace God has for me, grace that I am so unworthy of but yet He still pours out on me.  I encourage each of you to reflect on this topic when you find spare time. 

Meditation Monday: "God's will...with love" Donna

I am fired up! While studying John 4:1-42 with the DL Ladies on Sunday I got super pumped! John 4 is the story of the Samaritan woman at the well and I cannot tell you how many times I have heard/read this story. (It’s a lot.) But this time was different; I began to focus less on the desperation of the Samaritan woman and more on how Jesus handles this ministry opportunity. Honestly, Jesus is the perfect mix of grace and truth, of which we model our personal ministries after.

What can we learn?

• We are called to take an interest in every person’s life that we meet. This doesn’t mean hanging out with them in all of your free time because that would literally be impossible. It means genuinely caring about someone that you meet. When you ask how they are, listen and care about the answer. Remember their name and show them God’s love no matter which side of the tracks they are from. These actions will be pleasing to the Lord because it is His will for you. Who knows how that random person will end up blessing and encouraging you! Phillipians 2:13
• Check your intensions. Don’t take an interest in someone to boost your own “gospel-spreading” numbers. Jesus didn’t talk to the Samaritan woman to tell his disciples that He saved another person. The only thing we have to boast in is Jesus and our own personal weaknesses, so what better way to do that than to love every person sincerely.  2 Corinthians 1:12, Psalms 32:2
• If it is the will of God, the outcome does not matter! Because of the urgency of the Gospel we often judge our ministry by the outcome of situations. “Does that girl I got lunch with want to come to BCM now? Oh, she doesn’t… I must have failed.” NO! If it is God’s will for you to love every other person, which it is, the outcome does not matter. Do not quantify the Kingdom of God. It is one of the biggest things I struggle with but when we quantify the Kingdom, we quantify God and his will. 1 Thessalonians 2:3-5

This topic has been on my heart recently because I would always have expectations of God in regards to my personal ministry. This was volatile to my faith and everything I knew about God. Once I earnestly set out to please God in my ministry, He began to give me gaps in my schedule for fellowship with nonbelievers. Pour out the love God gives you for other people so His will can be done.

Honestly, this is something I am still really working on and praying about. But the hope is that we don’t have to prove our worth to God, He already did that for us. Also, if you don’t know where to start with any of this information, check out 1 Thessalonians 5:18.

Let me know if you want to discuss this topic further. I love you ladies very much!

- Donna

Donna is a sophomore and Discipleship Leader at BCM. She loves acting goofy and spiking people in the face with volleyballs.

Friendly Friday

It's back...Friendly Fridays that is!  Hopefully you'll enjoy meeting our first face of the semester, Kelly Crider.  Be sure to check your inboxes because you might just be the next face of Fridays around here :).

Name: Kelly Crider

Major: Marketing Management

Coffee, Tea, or Neither?: Coffee 

What do you like most about VT?:  Well, I love a lot about Virginia Tech and am beyond blessed to be here, but I think one of my very favorite things about the place is the true feeling of community.  I also just adore the laid back feeling of the Town of Blacksburg.

If you could do anything without the possibility of failure and money wasn't a restraint: what would you do? I think I would want to do international mission trips!  See all of God’s creation while ministering to his people!  I would also love to do some more work in Inner City ministries, and maybe expand UrbanPromise!  Maybe also get coffee with just about everyone in the world and hear their stories and encourage one another, that could be cool!  Or make brownies for the whole world. I would also totally throw something crazy in there like ride over Niagra Falls or fly a plane!

What is your favorite thing to do to rest and/or relax? I like to put some Tenth Avenue/Chris Tomlin Pandora on and crawl in my bed, fuzzy socks on and covers all bundled J  Also, as of recently, go hammocking!

Are you reading any books right now? Well, outside of the Bible I got some nice textbooks I’m working on…but also I am reading Captivating and My Life is Not My Own.

Favorite place to eat lunch? On-campus probably West End…a hot chicken tender salad to be exact!

How has God encouraged you lately?  Well looking at John 4 this week in the studies God has really comforted my heart with the woman at the well.  Especially verses 17-19 how Jesus just lays the woman’s “baggage” right out there yet still pursues her, and SHE is the one who changes the subject.  That paired with Jackie saying at Big Weekend that Christ “has already loved me completely” have been encouraging to me in that I am broken, and the Lord knows yet still loves and accepts me and I can lay my burdens down with him at the cross instead of trying to run or hide with them!

Grace H. responds to Victoria's Secret at VT

Virginia Tech won Victoria’s Secret PINK Party Collegiate Showdown (the actual name is probably a lot shorter and catchier than that), so on Thursday night my friends and I went to watch the free concert hosted by VS.

Gym Class Heroes performed, but they went on stage last, and we ended up sitting through some of the worst opening acts I’ve ever heard in my life.

For a company that’s supposed to be centered around women, Victoria Secret really shocked me with their choice of performers. A rapper and a DJ opened the concert, and I can’t even repeat their lyrics here. It wasn’t just the emphatic, non-stop cursing, it was the vulgar, detailed descriptions of what these rappers would do to a woman if they got her alone that disgusted me.

Really, Victoria’s Secret? I should listen to a man tell me to meet him in the bathroom of a club, where he’s going to “make my cheeks jiggle” - and I should be wearing your underwear at the same time? What demographic are you trying to market to? Obviously not independent, self-respecting, highly intelligent Virginia Tech women. We have some of the top engineering and research programs in the country, several headed by women. We are confident in our own sexuality - confident enough that we’d laugh at a man if his pick-up line involved a filthy club bathroom. 

At least, I’d like to hope so.

Thankfully, Gym Class Heroes came on stage and redeemed the evening. Still, I left with a semi-bad taste in my mouth and a lot of cognitive dissonance. A night devoted to women’s underwear had rapidly become a lesson in objectification - and we were sitting there, just taking it. That disconnect was driven home even further when I read in Ephesians the morning after, particularly where Paul writes about the relationship between husbands and wives. 

Ephesians 5:25-27 says:

“Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church – a love marked by giving, not getting. Christ’s love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her, dressing her in dazzling white silk, radiant with holiness.”

  Talk about extreme contrasts to having a man cuss you out and tell you he’s going to “make your cheeks jiggle.” This isn’t about whether you are sexually active or not - this is about respect. Ladies, we are worth so much more than what we were told last night. Regardless of whatever brand of underwear you wear. 

Grace Hayes is a Communication major and InnovationSpace Lab Assistant. She serves on the Creativity at BCM and owns a photography business.