summer love

TODAY is my first summer day.
I am all moved out of my dorm, I've said my good bye's to graduates, world travelers and friends across the country. I am contented with my grades and now venture to express the abundance of grace that the Lord has had upon me in the last two semesters specifically, that have built up for this summer "break" and the warfare that I know comes with it.
In the last two semesters, my desire for sound doctrine and engaging the culture for Christ by nothing less than sound doctrine has been gifted. That's basically the only way I can describe it. I guess if I had to label things I would consider myself a very intelligent "practical christian" before I started school this last August. You would have never heard me engage in any real challenges to my intellect or security of salvation. Let's not make this all about me though. Let's be clear, I had little to no part in the transformation that has ensued.. Genuinely, if this chicken had her way I would most certainly have chosen not to struggle, study or agonize before the Lord for wisdom and understanding.
BUT GOD WHO IS RICH IN MERCY...
He isn't just sufficient in mercy but He has a vast abundance of it!
He put me where He wanted me. He created good works beforehand that i SHOULD walk in them ( Eph 2:10).
He placed me at my school, surrounded me with saints and asked me to get serious about knowing Him. Serious..meaning sometimes over my head, but always head over heels in love with Him. He didn't ask anything absurd but through just pursuing Him regardless of struggle or fleshly desire, I love Him more& I have a great understanding of who He is(Jn 1:1), what He's done for me(Is. 63), what He requires of me (Micah 6:8), how He loves me (Rom 5:8)..OH! How He loves me!
In retrospect, it is shocking to see and know exactly what we were before Christ grabbed ahold of us, even if others had no idea. SOOOO rich in mercy is my God!

God has a hold on my life. My heart and mind, my soul and strength are dependent entirely upon Him as Savior, as gracious, as Lord.
And now, as Friend and sometimes perhaps only Friend.
On all accounts, He's more than enough and certain to show Himself handsomely strong on my behalf.
I pray this summer brings more than sun and summer classes. I pray it holds more weight than a "break" or a paycheck. I pray this summer is one that provokes a deepened love and passion for my King. A strengthened inner man that strives to comprehend the height and the depth and the width of Christ's love for me.
I pray that this summer, the devil is bound, my thoughts are taken captive, I am called and proud to live each moment under the title "christ's" and bring Him glory in all I do ( 1 Cor 10:31).
So yes, I have goals. There are things I want to do, places I want to go, people I can't wait to see but none compare to my desire to know the Lord and fall more and more in love with Him.

Lord, don't let me march to my own agenda. Keep my heart pure and my ways true and help me to follow You. Surround me with saints that need encouraging and sharpening. Bring people to pur into me, Help me to study Your word diligently and live it out in my life. Don't let me grow weary in well doing, but let me be ready for your return, for the harvest, for the good works that you're calling me to, that my adornment would be entirely of You. Thank You for Your sustaining grace. For Your unparalleled love for me and the forgiveness that is available because of it. Guide me this summer, that it would in no way be a break from you, but contrastly an opportunity to press in harder than ever before!
Thank You for loving me, for the work You did on the cross and Your rich mercy that constantly transforms me. Allow me to treaure You as You ought to be, and to love You with everything I have and am.
Amen.