in this life
This past weekend, I attended pilgrimage. It was one of the most moving experiences of my life. For those of you who don't have a clue what Pilgrimage is, I'll tell you. Pilgrimage is a compilation of sessions to bring you closer to God. The worship is contemporary, with the same band that plays at my summer camp called Breakaway.
Not everyone can enjoy contemporary worship, but I for one, absolutely love it. I felt the presence of God every day at Pilgrimage, and it is a truly amazing feeling. There was one girl giving her testimony, and it moved me greatly. She was in a wheelchair, unable to walk. Her story was so powerful, and it had such an amazing message, not even the speaker could top it. The one thing she said that stuck out to me the most was: "I may not walk on Earth, but I will someday walk on streets of gold." This made my jaw drop. How could a girl who was stuck in a wheelchair for the rest of her life have such a positive outlook? I now think about her and her testimony every time i get upset about one of my flaws, because my flaws are like spilled milk compared to what she is going through.
Another thing that I realized at Pilgrimage is that God loves us, and he loves us all. No conditions. He does not judge, and he cares more about us than anyone on the planet possibly can. Sometimes, people need a reminder. I am blown away at the wonders of the world each and every day, the way he paints the sky pink and orange every sunset takes my breath away. The way the stars hang perfectly together at night puts me in awe. The way the sun rises in the morning takes my breath away. These small things we take for granted, such as the smile of a small child, the laughter of a cancer patient, the hugs from your loved ones, or just an "I love you" from a friend, are so important, and taking a step back, i notice how I never really pay attention. Life is a gift, God didn't have t put you here. Never wish you were dead, because there's people out there that are dying to live. Instead, we should spread the love of God to out thirsty world, because we're pretty much in a spiritual drought. We need to stop worrying so much about satisfying others, and focus on satisfying God. Because after all, God is the one and only thing that will truly matter in the end.
At Pilgrimage, one youth group made clothespins that said, "Jesus Loves You! Pass It On." and pinned them on people that were not expecting it. They did it quietly, so the person would find it later, or have it pointed out by a friend. I thought this was one of the coolest ways of spreading God's love I'd ever seen, so I brought it home with me. I made eight clothes pins Sunday night, and distributed two to each of my friends that went to Pilgrimage with me. We put them on people's notebooks in their lockers, and today, i discovered that people were indeed passing the clothespins along. Personally, I clipped one of my best friends and a faculty member that I thought could use it. It's interesting to walk by people and overhear them telling their friends that they got a clothes pin in their locker from someone. It makes me smile to know that I could have made someone's day. So, if you're from my school, and you're reading this, yes, i started it. Don't be the one to finish it. Share God's word, Jesus Loves You, PASS IT ON! (: