The Book Thief, Jesus/Priorities, and oh yes, Uganda

Side rant before the point of this blog post: I've been rereading one of my favorite books of all times. It's called "The Book Thief" by Marcus Zusak. The narrator, is death, the main character is a young german girl in WWII, her story is one I cannot put down.  Let me set it up for you with an excerpt from the book:

      "It's the leftover humans.
       The survivors.
       They're the ones I can't stand to look at, although on many occasions I still fail. I deliberately seek out the colors to keep my mind off of them, but now and then, I witness the ones who are left behind, crumbling among the jigsaw puzzle of realization, despair, and surprise.  They have punctured hearts. They have beaten lungs.
       Which in turn brings me to the subject I am telling you about tonight, or today, or whatever the hour and color. It's the story of one of those perpetual survivors - an expert at being left behind.
      It's just a small story really, about, among other things:
      *A girl
      *Some words
      *An accordionist
      * Some fanatical Germans
     * A Jewish fist fighter
     *And quite a lot of thievery

I saw the book thief three times."

Let me say, the entire book is amazing. I love the plot, the characters, the setting, and the timing of everything, basically I put this in here because it is my favorite book and I think everyone should read it, and well page five summarizes it so that's what you got. Now go read this book.

Okay the actual point of this Blog:

This week was dubbed Lauren week (as well as the next three weeks), by yours truly, me.  I needed it. I was going to do what I wanted, when I wanted, and how I wanted. I was going to lock myself in my room and read a novel (check) I was going to podcast some Matt Chandler (check and check) I was going to spend a focus and concentrated effort on prayer (chhhecccck) and I was going to dive in with Jesus (oh yes, you better believe it...check)  So far so good. The ship has been smooth sailing, but the break is over, well sort of... People, I am an extrovert. I made it 48 hours (a really nice, restful 48 hours though) before there was frozen yogurt with a friend, pizza night with a coworker, and the rest of the week got filled up with many o'things as well.

So what I learned?

If I make Jesus a priority like I did this week all week long, every week can in fact be Lauren and Jesus week.  I feel rejuvenated.  I feel ready to go, and I feel like I can conquer next week without a doubt.  I'm an extrovert through, and through, but there is something to be said for quiet time.  I thought it meant I needed to disappear for a month, and get things going for me, and form new habits.  I do in fact need to form new habits, but the plan does not include slipping away to the forrest for a month. Rather the plan looks more like finding time to podcast sermons (like while cleaning my bathroom), and praying during moments where I'm doing something that gives me a chance to stop and rest (driving), oh and sometimes/occasionally telling my friends that I can't stay out for more than an hour because I really need to go home and read my novel (okay so that one isn't Jesus-centric, but I really forgot how much I love reading novels)

So break? Over. Making Jesus a priority...EVERY DAY, making my own sanity a priority, also every day.   I think I am going back to the Lauren who inhaled novels like oxygen, because once again I really missed reading my novels.  I guess really more than a break I needed my priorities to get straightened out. School is important, work is important, friends and family are important, but nothing is more important than spending time with Jesus.  Turns out I can do all of the above in an appropriate fashion if I prioritize. Jesus first, and everything else will fall into place.

So now for the drum roll for the finale of this blog post, and what I am most excited about currently...Uganda.

Money has still got me freaking out, and for all of a day I was considering rethinking the timeline of this trip, and possibly postponing in order for more time. That thought was a terrible idea. I'm going after this, and nothing is stopping me. I haven't stopped thinking about it, or talking about it since the opportunity arose and I was going to postpone it? Nope. Not Happening. Put me on a plane now please.  So in other news rather than my lame ideas like postponing my dreams, I got an email from Sara (the director of Rafiki Ministries) My application is in, they are waiting on my pastoral reference, but so far so good.  I cannot wait to leave.  I get this feeling in the pit of my stomach, my heart races, and I get scared, and nervous, and excited, and then I get goosebumps, and it's all of these emotions with God's voice whispering "Everything is about to change." And in my head He is always winking/smiling/giving me the "go for it" nudge  (okay so I have a weird mental image of God, just let me be) Anyhow, everything really is going to change, but I think by everything it's mostly me. I am going to change, and I could not be happier/more excited/more ready.  My one request? Keep praying for this, for me, for Africa, for fundraising, and for anything else you can think of.

God, may there be more of you, and a whole lot less of me.