Here and Now was the theme at Student Life @ the Beach. And let me tell you, just like all other Student Life events, God used it to change my life and give me a meaning and a purpose. I am ready to change the world, which means I am making a lot of changes. I will not be taking AP classes...unless my schedule absolutely cannot be fixed...because taking those classes will hinder and shorten my time with my Rescuer. He gave it ALL for me...now it is my turn to give it ALL for Him. I hope people will understand that. I think they will.

Our camp pastor was Louie Giglio. His message, "SIx Things the Cross Shows Us", spoke to me. I want to share the six things that he showed us:

1. GOD LOVES YOU

2. GOD gives us freedom yet maintains control

3. GOD uses evil for good

4. GOD doesn't always change the circumstances, but always has a purpose

5. GOD paints on a canvas bigger than I can see

6. GOD UNDERSTANDS

Do you realize how amazing our GOD is? He created the entire universe, and then He chose to create us? What? Does that make sense? Not really...and yet He took time to create us...to knit us together...to SCRAPBOOK our journey? And then we messed it up with sin--and He knew from the beginning that that would happen. and yet He did it? Why?

LOVE. SIMPLE, CONSUMING, LOVE.

Wow...can you imagine what would happen if we showed that much love and grace and mercy to our world HERE AND NOW? Not after high school. Not after college. NOW. With every step, emitting HIS LOVE. It'll take sacrifice, but what does that mean? We are supposed to be living sacrifices anyway! It'll take a lot from you...but, as I mentioned before, JESUS deserves our ALL. Our EVERYTHING. give it to Him. Today...NOT tommorrow.

So, what can you do for GOD today, HERE AND NOW, that will prepare you for the future?

Stop living for tommorrow...live for Today. So, I am becoming a new person. I am forgetting the former things and no longer dwelling on the past (Isaiah 43:18-19). And I have already found peace that no Starbucks nor Beach can give--a peace that overwhelms, a peace that overflows in my cup, a peace that I YEARN to share with others.

Show the love...share the peace...shape the world.

Katie Rosenbaum is a regular realstudentlife.com contributor. To view more of Katie's work, click here.

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