Sweet Revelations...

So I decided that it's been a while since I've posted about all the things God's been speaking to me over these past few weeks. Today I've officially been here a month, and I feel like I have learned so much and grown so much in my knowledge of who God is and who I am and learning to love God, myself, and people. I already talked some about Intimacy with God week. He taught me so much about relating to people in real community and showing them who I really am, not a created perception. I've never experienced community like this before. Ever since then, we've just realized how much we are a family, growing together and moving together with God in all we are doing. We genuinely love each other and relate to each other in such a pure way. I really believe that this is the way that God intended for community to be. It's so encouraging to be in the middle of it! And it all started by being real with each other and not being afraid of approval and failure.
I've realized that I am not going to ever live in a place of real intimacy with God and intimacy with people by simply living up to people's expectations. My expectation must be in the Lord, and lately he's really given me strength to live in that. Lately I've experienced a humble confidence, and I haven't been nearly as afraid of what people think. It's a boldness that's also humble, because I know it's all of God and Him actively working and moving in me.

That was from the second week... but that week was so foundational in the life I am living now. Ok here's some quotes from 2 weeks ago to summarize what I learned about character and nature of God with Adriel Booker:

"The more we relate with people, the more we relate with God, and the more we relate with God the more we relate with people."
"Ask 'who are you Lord?' and 'who am i?' and all these secondary questions will become clear.
"How are all my dreams and passions connected and fitted together?"
"God is a PROVIDER and He loves to give. If I feel good giving away, how much more joy does God get in giving to me? He wants to meet WAY more than just my basic needs!"
"God is peace, oftentimes that's not when I feel peaceful."
One of God's names is "EL ROI" The God Who Sees Me
"All of God's attributes are summed up in one word- GOOD. When Moses asks to see God's glory, He says 'I will allow all my goodness to pass in front of you.' HIS GLORY IS THE FULLNESS OF HIS GOODNESS."
"As God shows us truth about Himself, we are responsible to respond to it."
"Do we hope in the character of God or in what we see around us?"
"The more we are with God, the more we will look like Him, just because we have been with Him."

This might have to be a couple of posts because there has been a lot lately, I just haven't been able to process all of it and give it out all at the same time. One thing Ross Latto talked about last week during The Fatherheart of God was this idea of eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the garden and the implication of what really happened then. That was the first time that man got his knowledge from anyone/ anything other than God. And the first sin was really believing something untrue about the character of God- a lie, a deception. And Adam and Eve made a judgment. Every judgment mankind made from that point on was based on knowledge of something other than the knowledge given by God-- whether it's culture, worldview, family, whatever gives us our perceptions. God's original intent was for all our knowledge to come from Him. This idea is more and more revolutionary every day that I wake up here. It is really challenging and inspiring me to think about what it looks like to get all my knowledge from God and live under love and all that God is and not making judgments. Then my view of the world would be so rocked and radically altered. I'm praying for this to happen... that's God's dream and what he always has intended.

Okay, think about that for a while, and then I might have more to post later-- maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow. There's definitely more though. That was just one idea from last week, and there's tons more and all God is speaking and doing this week! Updates soon!

Love, Christy