Everything my God ordains is right.

This week has been incredibly busy. Thursday nights are often the time I look back on my week, so deeply aware of God's faithfulness over the past days. Flowing from that are many unrelated, yet somehow all connected thoughts:

.The Atonement.I am writing a paper for religion on the atonement, and I've spent some time this afternoon reading Piper, John Owen and Spurgeon on the subject. As I seek to cultivate a Biblical understanding of it, I have been driven to my knees in gratefulness: the God of the universe who needs nothing chose to bring me into His kingdom, showering me with mercy and favor. I do not deserve to be among those He counts as children; I do not deserve to be one upon whom God worked His irresistible grace. May this transform my heart and my life to reflect this glorious gift.

.Be Single-Minded.Kevin DeYoung spoke tonight at a Hillsdale Christian Fellowship meeting. God is so good to bring messages and encouragement right when our hearts need to hear them. He challenged us to be single-minded in this life: to live with one goal in our view, that being the knowledge of Jesus Christ. May I learn to be single-minded, to resolve to know nothing but Christ and Him crucified.

.Faithfulness.
On Monday morning when my alarm went off, I was pretty sure I wouldn't even be able to get out of bed because I was so tired and I saw the week and assignments looming ahead of me. Now, it's almost Friday and things have been accomplished and I am awake and alive. God continues to show Himself to be faithful over and over and over again. How patient He is in the face of my doubt, and how kind He is to work on my behalf even as I so often trust in my own strength. Can you trust him for your soul's redemption, and not rely upon him for a few lesser mercies? Is not God enough for thy need? ...Let the sandy foundations of terrestrial trust be the choice of fools, but do thou, like one who foresees the storm, build for thyself an abiding place upon the Rock of Ages. --Spurgeon

.Children.
I miss little kids. I miss their personalities and their little smiles. Tomorrow night I get to babysit my Latin professors' two children: I'm so excited to be in a home again with a family, to feed the kids a meal, to play with them, to put them to bed. It should be wonderful.

.CrossWay Church.
Night of fellowship and teaching make me miss home. I am reminded so often of the deep blessing my home church has been. Sometimes I sound like a broken record when I talk about it here at school, and when I write about it and think about it. I am so, so grateful for the Biblical teaching, the purposeful fellowship, and for the wonderful examples of the members in the church. I am SO excited to go home and to sing and learn with CrossWay again.

.The Weekend.I have so much to do this weekend, but He has been faithful to this minute, and He will continue to be faithful. What joy and strength this brings. I am an undeserving sinner whom Christ has saved so that I might live for His glory. What a Savior.

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.