I'm just getting back to school after having an incredible weekend! I went up to Snowbird the Christian Youth camp I worked at this past summer) and worked a winter ski retreat! It was so awesome getting to reconnect with the amazing staff that works up there year round and working with my home church who had came up for camp! I'm so thankful for the Snowbird family who always welcomes with open arms and my church from home that continues loving me from a miles away while I'm away at school! There were such great times of worship, fellowship, and messages throughout the weekend!

There were many AWESOME messages, but the one that really struck me the most was about "Idols."

I have never really taken the time to think about what I have in my life that may be an idol. The definition he gave us for an idol was, "anything you love and pursue in place of God. Something other than God that we set our heart on, that we pursue and serve." and also "something that we spend more TIME pursuing than our Savior."

OUCH! I don't know about you guys, but there are many things in my life that I spend more time pursuing then Jesus. I felt so convicted as I sat down with my small group of girls that I was leading and talked to them about what kind of "idols" they had in their life. Almost EVERY ONE of the "idols" these girls mentioned were a problem for me as well...

Computer
Facebook
Cell Phone
Friends
Food
Family
Shopping(not really a problem for me...not really a shopaholic!)
Sports
School

(Don't get me wrong, these aren't bad things. The problem arises when these things are pursued ABOVE Christ.)

I pursue so many of these things above my relationship with the Lord. I don't feel like I cherish them more, or I love them more, but the time I spend pursuing these things TOTALLY exceeds my time spent pursuing Jesus.

This is a problem. Most people don't spend their time doing things they dislike...they spend their time doing things they LOVE! By the looks of how much time I spend pursuing each of these things, it would seem as though my love for these earthly things is greater than my love for my Savior.

I walked up to the prayer chapel a little bit after this and the first verse I see on the wall is this, "15Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For everything in the world-the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does-comes not from the Father but from the world." 1 John 2:15-16

I'm not to love the things of this world. They are going to perish away!!! The only thing I have to hold to for eternity is my RELATIONSHIP with the King of Kings and the Lord of lords, MY JESUS!

So, in conclusion, I have lots of changes to make in my life. There are many times slots that need to be filled with my pursuit of Christ, NOT the things that so often grab my attention.

Now it's your turn. What are idols in your life that are competing with your time for your Savior? How do we put these things to death?

I'm SO thankful for my INCREDIBLE Jesus, who shows grace and love regardless of how much we show towards him!

Much Love,
Amanda