Things That You Came Here to Read: Sand Everywhere

I always apoligize when I write these. I always seem to come to my blog and realize just how long it's been since I've done one of these. And I feel bad, like you're offended or something that I haven't done a blog update in a while. I'm usually a broken record of apologizing. But not this blog. I've been doing things. Doing things that I can blog about. Giddyup.
--
So I just back to Iowa on Saturday night. Before that, I was in a bus for 22 hours, driving from Florida, where I spent six days in Panama City Beach, and before that I was in a bus for 22 hours driving from Iowa. In less than 9 days, I was in a charter bus for 44 hours. Almost two days with no showering, no teeth brushing, and horrible dieting. But it's between those two Hellish days of chartering that my story comes to life. Come along.

So this is the first time I've cracked open my computer since Florida. I took it there in hopes that I might blog a bit while there, and maybe get a chance to Skype my girlfriend. Neither really happened. The only time I opened it was to look at the movies I had to see if I wanted any on my phone. However, in the short time I used it, I managed to get white sand all over the place. There's white sand in every crevasse. There's white sand in my suitcase and in my messenger bag. White sand in my clothes, and I even found some in my ear on the way back to Iowa. Not to mention that I actually found some in my teeth yesterday. MY TEETH. How that happened I haven't the foggiest. And while it's annoying and disgusting, I love it. It takes me back to the 70+ degree temps and the ocean.

This ocean.

Yours truly. Hanging loose.

But that's not all. See, Florida wasn't just a vacation. It was a project. I got to spend several hours a day on the beach hanging out with people. New people. People I'd never met before. I had the privilege of talking to them about life; their majors, their jobs, their friends, their everything. And while that was great, it wasn't my goal. My goal was to get the conversation to a place where I could share the gospel with them. And I did. I got to have spiritual conversations with over 20 people, and shared the gospel with six of them. I had two hour chats with atheists-turned-agnostics, born again Christians, and everyone in between. Plus, I wasn't alone. There were over 800 other students from around the country that went out with me and did the same thing I was doing. In 4 short days of Evanglism, we had spiritual conversations with over 3,000 people, shared the gospel over 1000 times, saw 250 Christians re-commit their life to Christ and saw 90 new people come to the Lord. NINETY! And while that may seem a bit low, since 90/3000 is only 3%, here's what you need to know...

"I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance."

Luke 15:7

How fantastic is that? Rejoicing in heaven. Countless angels and terrifying creatures made to worship God are all in rejoice for just one person repenting to salvation. Multiply that by 90, and it shakes me up to the point that I can hardly go on writing. We serve a mighty God. Aweful (full of awe, not the negative conotation) and majestic.

While evangelism was really awe inspiring, I think what I brought back with me the most is just what beaches do. Beaches are typically warm, sunny, destinations that draw in people from all over the place to come and party. In one day during Spring break, there are over 100,000 people on a three mile stretch of beach. 100,000 in less than 16,000 feet of beach front. That's pretty amazing. Most of these people come here to escape their lives; to drink, party, hook up, and forget what is behind them and probably is waiting for them back in their homes. People come to beaches to lose themselves, and I think it's a perfect place to hit them with the truth about Jesus. I've been thinking about something pretty profound:

There's sand everywhere. There are beaches everywhere.

I hope you had a helmet on for that, I'd hate to have your minds blown all over the place. The point I'm getting at is that Panama City Beach isn't the only beach. It's not the only place people are escaping to. I think most of us try to escape our lives every day; we go on vacations, we go on walks, we drink alcohol, we have sex, we do drugs, we go to church, we look at porn, we read our Bibles in vain, we cook, we clean, we watch TV, we get a boyfriend or a girlfriend, we go to school, we make new friends, we get married, we go to work, we have kids. And not all of those are bad, but I think it's important to see that if our hearts are in the wrong place, that every one of the things listed can be an unhealthy escape.

But there's hope. I firmly believe that by faith in Christ, that you don't need an escape. You can go anywhere, do anything, endure all, and never lose joy. Christ partners with you to see God's name be made great. He imparts the Holy Spirit to you so that you have the essence of the most-high God with you always. God gives you his righteousness and adopts you as his child. And when you're there, there's never a need for an escape. There are never vacations from God. Once you've given your life over to him, he promises that there is nothing that can snatch you from his firm, loving hands.

I know this blog was kind of flighty and not the most well put together. I'm tired and need some food. I'm going to go do that. Before I do, look at some more pictures of me and stuff.