Audience of One

I pleasantly surprised myself with a short workout this morning at 6:45 am. It's amazing how hot and humid it is at that early and how high the sun is at that time. 7 am here seems to be 8:30 am back home. Today was so filled with the Lord. After a great devotional and quiet time this morning, Peter, a staff member, taught about the gospel. Though the gospel is certainly good news, it isn't new news for me. However, it amazes me how powerful it is and how I always seem to learn something new each time it is presented to me. If the gospel were to be written as a novel of four chapters, each chapter would  be creation, the fall, redemption, and restoration. Something that really stood out to me was hearing that when you pick up a book to read, you don't just flip to the climax and put it back down. You read the whole thing in order for the climax to make any sense. Sometimes I feel as though the Old testament is a little outdated, but all of that points to Christ and without it there would be no prophesies for Christ to fulfill. It shows us how broken the world was (and is) and just how much we need God. Peter also shared a video of young children running into the arms of their fathers just returning from the military and it paints the perfect picture of how we one day get to run into our Father's arms and say "Daddy, I missed you." There is so much joy, so much love, so much peace in that tender moment. I (and many others) couldn't help but cry and for this beautiful reunion. 

Today was also amazing becuase we got to go to the beach for the afternoon! This beach is beautiful beyond compare. When you hike up the side of the cliff to the top, you simply cannot claim that there is no God. God's hand is so clealy the maker of such a breathtaking place. We played together, swam together, and shared in God's creation. I also got a chance to talk one on one with a couple of my students and it just makes me so excited to return home and pour into my team. The love I have for my teammates and for the Lord is so great that all I want is for them to know Jesus personally and experience the unexplicable joy that comes from that. I am learning so much here that I cannot wait to bring back to Ohio State. 

Finally, we were able to begin the first principle tonight! This principle is the base of what Athletes in Action is and what they want to be sharing with athletes: we compete for an audience of one. For me this speaks easily to me because I can envision dancing on a stage for a crowd packed full of people or for only God. How cool would it be to get to show off my talents to the Lord as an offering, as if I were literally performing on a stage and God sat in the audience watching me. It just makes me want to dance. When I picture it that way, I want to do that for Him and worship Him with this talent and passion He has given me. What I so often forget is that I get the opportunity to do that every single practice and every single game and at nationals. Do I dance like I would at every practice as if it were a private performance for the Lord? I have to humbly admit that I know I do not. However it renews this passion that I experienced last summer hearing the principle for the first time. I do not need ot dance for tammates, coaches, parents, or even myself. My dance is for God and He takes delight in me giving that performance to Him. I also got to lead my small group today on my own which was so great. I have been at peace and the discussion flows so naturally between all of us. I am also excited to begin discipling two girls in my small group this week and for the rest of the trip. It has also been so humbling to serve the Lord in little things that they ask me to do, like set up dinner or clean the serving spoons or carry things around. It's actually been quite and honor to do the little tasks that seem insignificant. I am so full of God's love right now, just as I read in my quiet time this morning: " Your love  is better than life, I will be fully satisfied (Psalm 63:3,5)."