It's His Call

And Eli said to Samuel, “Go lie down, and it shall be if He calls you, that you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

I Samuel 3:9

Attentive Ear.  Samuel had an ear that listened to the Lord. We see evidence of this listening ear when he was working with Eli the priest. The Lord called Samuel in his sleep three times and each time Samuel responded by going to Eli and saying, "Here I am; for you called me." Eli's response to Samuel the first two times essentially was "Go back to bed Samuel, I did not call you." We know that Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor had the word of the Lord yet been revealed to him. Eli recognizes that the Lord is calling Samuel the third time and tells Samuel to go back to bed but instructs him to respond to the Lord by saying, "Speak Lord, for your servant is listening."

Awaited Call. Samuel did just as Eli instructed and when the Lord called the fourth time, Samuel responded with an attitude of submission and a willing heart. It is at this time of listening to the Lord and responding that Samuel receives his call to ministry.

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Are We Ready and Listening?

Anticipated Wonder. Three points to remember:

1.  The Lord did not inform Samuel at this point all that He was going to do through him.   

2.  Often, if we have a listening ear, the Lord reveals His plan for us in 'bits and pieces' and  we are left in anticipated wonder.

3.  It is the Lord's call that affirms our purpose and determines our steps.  

We too, like Samuel can follow the Lord's leading with anticipated wonder as we watch Him work and allow Him to fill in the details of our lives during and after college! Are we ready and listening?

Where Do I Go From Here?

The mind of man plans his way,
But the Lord directs his steps.

Proverbs 16:9 

Questions.  Life has finally begun, or so you thought. You started your college career to take the time to develop that which you believe is your calling. And at this point, whether you are finishing your second semester or your second year, you might have some questions. Where is this all going? How am I ever going to get there? I don't understand how this is going to work? Or maybe, you're in place where I have often found myself and you are asking the question of where do I go from here?

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He will direct your paths

Faithfulness. Let me assure you that God is faithful and He will continue to guide you as you pursue Him each day. You may not 'see' everything yet, but for the moment, you have enough information to continue through your day today. You have the assurance of your Savior if you have chosen to enter into a relationship with Him.

Response. It does not matter how much you can 'see' at this point; you have a Guide that does see and does care deeply about you. He has uniquely shaped you for that which He is calling you to accomplish.

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 Don't give up, Continue to have a heart 

that is devoted to Him and allow it to bloom!

 

Top 5 Tips for Surviving Final Exams

I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

John 15:5

FINAL EXAM FURY.  Gasp! How am I going to study all of this and do well on exams?!! Is my prof crazy or is he or she trying to validate their existence? What am I going to do? Below are 10 tips to help get you through the Final Exam Fury!

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Top 5 Tips for the Final Exam Fury

1. Pray. Before you even begin to study, ask the Lord to calm your spirit and give you wisdom as you study. Remember, apart from Him you can do nothing!

2. Schedule. Make a calendar schedule of all of your exams and the times for each. Starting from today's date, count how many days of study you will  have for each exam.

3. Prioritize. Determine which classes will take the most amount of prep/study time for you. I'm sure not every class you have is the same level of difficulty. So, make it your aim to determine which courses will require the most amount of study time.

4. Count. Now is the time to count days and chapters. What do I mean? Now, you need to count the number of days that you think you will need for each exam and the number of chapters you have to cover and divide these accordingly.

5. Implement. Now is the time to implement your study schedule. Use the different techniques you've learned along the way (you might possibly use different techniques for different courses) and begin to implement these according to the schedule you have created!

Remember: You can submit prayer requests via the blog as there is an entire prayer team that will lift you up in prayer before the Father.

Blessings and remember Jesus as you go through your day in this Lenten season!