Friends!
So it's been about a month since I last wrote and wow, SO much has happened! God is so good :) Our bible study numbers have doubled since last semester, and FOCUSGreek on our campus is BOOMING! God is really working in our students hearts, especially the girls that I am working with.
This semester, many of our students were given something called The WRAP to help guide their prayer life. WRAP stands for Write, Reflect, Apply, Pray. It's 30 scripture passages, and they are grouped under specific graces that you pray for on the days you read those specific scriptures. Students and staff have embarked on this journey together, and as we all dive even deeper into the Living Word of God, we have found the fruit of our prayer blooming in our daily lives and activities. There are entire bible studies who have asked to focus on this for the semester, and the students are keeping each other accountable to praying daily!
I'd like to share what the WRAP has done specifically in my prayer life to paint a picture of the beautiful fruit God is bringing to the UNO campus.
The first grace that the WRAP focuses on during the first 8 days and 8 scriptures is "That I may have a whole new lived experience of your infinite and personal love for me, Lord." This semester something that has come up for me is trusting in the Lord and his faithfulness. I've got a lot of big decisions this semester, as well as many difficulties that I've encountered in all aspects of my life. I knew I'd had trouble handing these things over to the Lord because I struggled (and still do struggle) with trusting in His promise. Interestingly enough, the WRAP starts out with the infancy narratives from the Gospel of Luke. Now I'm not a big fan of Luke's gospel, and if I had to pick my favorite, he's last. BUT, his gospel continued to come up in prayer for me so I figured maybe it was time to pay attention!
In the first few passages, one overarching theme jumped out at me, God's faithfulness, and believing in His promise. Mary's accepting God's will to be done in her life, Elizabeth affirming Mary's "yes" by praising her for "believing that what the Lord promised would be fulfilled", and the Shepherds being amazed and glorifying God for "all they had seen and heard; just as it had been told them." I was suddenly very drawn to Mary's trust, and her perseverance of holding God's promise in her heart. I began to reflect on my trust, and how much I had come to doubt God's will for goodness in my life. God was really bringing up all the areas that I was resisting giving to Him, because to be honest I think I'd become afraid of what His will might be.
As I reflected on the infancy narratives in Luke, I became stuck on one particular statement made by our Blessed Mother, "let if BE DONE to me, according to Thy Word." Mary did not respond telling God she would DO his will, she accepted that HE bring about His will in her life. Everything Mary every did was a response to God's will being done in her life.
Then it hit me. I (along with I'm sure many of you) have been trying to DO God's will in my life! It has become to easy to think that God's will starts with me, that I have to actively do something to fulfill or bring about God's will in my life. What I realized is that God is telling me HE is the one who turns the wheel, His very word begins all action in my life, and I am simply called to respond to Him. God asks us to accept His will, to allow it "be done" in our lives, and then as we notice and recognize His will in our lives through prayer, we can lovingly and willingly respond with a humble and serving heart to what He brings to us. Do you know how relieving that is?!?! We don't have to do or figure out ANYTHING! Jesus knows, He provides, and we are called to respond. The response may be difficult, and sometimes may stretch us to grow, but I take great comfort in remembering that it all begins and ends with Him, who is the Alpha and Omega of all things.
As I've come to notice this in my prayer life, God has helped me to see all the different ways I am totally dependent on Him for literally everything. And as I have come to see this, God has given me a growing desire to depend on Him more and more every day. As I get deeper into this prayer with the WRAP and it's scriptures and graces, I find myself encountering a real joy in depending on God, and in seeing His faithfulness throughout ALL of scripture. Every promise He ever made was brought to fulfillment in Christ, and that brings such great joy and humility to my prayer.
This is just my personal experience with this prayer, and I can tell you our students are experiencing similiar fruits of truth, goodness, and beauty in their lives. Praise God for His faithfulness and love for seeking hearts!
Please keep our students and staff in your prayers as we continue on in the busy semester! God Bless you!
Monica
