"From the inside out, Lord my soul cries out..."

If anybody would ask, I'd tell them that I had an amazing day today. I really did. It started out being a lot less than amazing, but then it turned out to be amazing.

Almost immediately after thinking and writing about how much I want to just sit and talk about important things, things that matter in life and are worth talking about, I received a phone call from my friend Lindsey to join her at Panera for food and good conversation. I was amazed. We talked about so many things... all of the stuff going on in our lives that is truly affecting us and truly important right now. I love those one-on-one talks, and I loved this one because I could see Lindsey's heart through all that she was saying. And there's something special about not just connecting on an intellectual level, or an emotional level, or just any kind of relational level in general- but a spiritual connection in conversation. It makes God that much more real to me, when I get to see His work through the communications that go on between me and my friends. I'm going to be a sophomore in college, and Lindsey will be a senior in high school, but her maturity really shone through when I was sitting there with her. And it made me feel good, because growth is good and change is good... and when I see people I love dearly growing in their walk with the Lord, it makes me feel unified with them and whole inside.

After driving to Trop Sno with her, briefly saying hi to Zach and James, I drove to Barnes & Noble and bought 5 amazing books that I cannot wait to read this year:
1. Mere Christianity -C.S. Lewis
2. Sex God -Rob Bell
3. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance -Robert M. Pirsig
4. The Bell Jar -Sylvia Plath
5. Brand New World -Aldous Huxley
6. and, the 3rd Harry Potter movie soundtrack (i'm pushing up my glasses as I type this...)

so that was amazing for me. Ugh, I love books.

Then Immersion tonight..... was awesome. I can't remember the last time I prayed that much, and for so many people, and so thoroughly, and deeply. And when we sang, "From The Inside Out," I totally forgot that I was in a room full of other people- it was just me and God, child and Father. I released so much, and gave, and took, and received... I haven't felt this whole in a long, long time. So one with the One who made me. It's amazing.

It was our last after-party at Scott's house. Our Thursday night ritual has come to an end as we all go our own ways for the school year, some of us clustered at Iowa State and U of Iowa, some at UNI, some in Missouri, some in Ohio... we're all heading off somewhere. I'm so glad I got to know everyone I didn't know until this summer, like Nick and Scott and Michelle. It's amazing how God brings such great people into your life. I love thinking about that. I, for one, will surely miss our Mac 'n Tea nights at Scott's after Immersion. :(

It's just been an amazing day after all of that. Nothing to complain about. Not even Zach slapping me in the eye numerous times.

Hey. I turn 19 in one day! :)
<3 the end