The other day I was asked to talk to a group of young girls about my time in Ireland. I learned and did so much there, so I prayed and contemplated what I thought these girls needed to hear. There are a number of good lessons the Lord taught me that I would love to share, but there is one in particular that, if I was going to talk at all about my time there, I believe they all needed to know.
My time overseas was a great training ground. I learned, and struggled, and prayed, and grew, and I am beyond thankful that the Lord chose to give me that opportunity.
But we all need to know that you don't have to go to another country to learn as I have.
I learned how to live in a way that Christ was the center of every moment of my life. Every person I encountered, every moment was spent focused on Christ. That is how it should be here.
You and I can have this sort of relationship with the Lord, one that's blossoming and blooming and growing like crazy. But what needs to take place, I believe, is a heart that is seeking God. One that wants to know Him more. God's word says that if we seek Him we will find Him. That's a promise. The Lord desires to have a relationship with us but is patient in waiting for us to respond to Him.
It has nothing to do with going to any particular location or event (Bible college, church camp, youth group). It has to do with your heart and your willingness to accept Christ and seek Him.
And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart (Jer. 29:13).
But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul (Deut. 4:29).And I particularly like this verse for the last part:
So that they should seek the Lord, in hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us (Acts 17:27 emphasis added).
