I'm exhausted... Good.

You go on a mission trip for two weeks to a foreign country. Or perhaps you go work at a summer camp all summer (which is exactly what I'm doing). It could be serving in a church. Whatever the vice may be, most of us have experienced scenarios in our lives where we go and completely devote ourselves to the work of the Lord. for the time you are serving the Lord in that way, from sun up to sun down, you are fully devoted for the gospel work. You spend hours in prayer and searching the scriptures daily, countless conversations about the Lord, and you count it some of the most spiritually rich time of your life. You are so filled up, and then you go back to your home and resume business as usual. Days full of school, homework, activities, movies, and hang out time. We slowly settle back in to our daily lives, and the reality of what Jesus's showed us begins to fade farther and farther from our minds. We settle back in to the average, american, self-serving lifestyle with just a hint of Christian mixed in there. Especially at Texas A&M there is a tendency to live a very selfish Christian life. Complete with several Christian organizations, church and breakaway services, and a few intentional conversations. Consumerism Christianity at its best, if we allow it. We say things like "Back at camp I was growing so much." Or "During our tirp I expereinced Jesus." So what is the disconnect? Why can't that be the case 365 days a year?

I believe we absolutely can, or dare I say we should have that type of growth and experience all year. The common denominator between all those trips or jobs where we experience Jesus is the fact that we are totally and unterrly consumed with the gospel work. We exhaust ourselves for the work of Jesus. I was running the trails here in Lampe, Missouri with a kamper when he began to share an incredible truth. As we ran togethr he told me how he thought the best way to battle sin is to serve others. I've never thought about this before but as we continued down the trails I acted like that was such a great realization for him to come to, having no clue that he just rocked my world. Over the next few weeks I began to brainstorm of how I could take this fruitful growth that I've experienced here back to College Station. My conclusion: Find ways to exhaust myself for the gospel. daily. Which is not a mind- blowning realization by any means, but in the midst of college my faith has been so selfish in so many areas. The problem I've realized is that I had slapped a hint of ownership on the time, friendships, ministries, talents, and gifts I was given. We get so caught up in pursuing our goals, school, friendships, that we forget our purpose. To impact those around us for the gospel. The environment I have experienced over these few months has been nothing short of incredible. Yet I firmly believe that it shouldn't just end once we pack up and go back home. But rather, as we pack our bags we strap on the mindset that we will literally "beat our bodies" for the sake of Christ. How many of us truly have that mindset in our everday lives? Attacking for the kingdom like a mighty warrior of the Living God? Fighting for souls, devoted in prayer, hiding His word in our hearts. Instead, we have reduced this type of life to which we are called to fond memories and wishful thinking. When in reality, if we have Christ in our hearts, we should wage war daily. From the moment our feet hit the ground, to the second our heads hits the pillow, we strive with a purpose. Yet so few of us take up our crosses daily to follow Christ, instead we wait until we cross a border or sign a contract to work at a camp. We live so comfortably it almost sickens me. Because when I look at scripture, comfort in the physical sense was nowhere to be found, but suffering and discomfort marked the life of a believer. It's time we lay aside the incumbrence of comfort and follow after Jesus with selfless ababandomment. In and out of our everday lives. Strategically attacking each day to make known the gospel.