Rafting!

This past week, my group's adventure was rafting! We went to the Arkansas River, about 3 hours away, and had a blast! The water was cold, especially when we started closer to the headwaters (and the snow!). I never fell out of the raft, but I did get to sit up front for the waves to crash on me and then jump off a high rock into the river! Brrrr!!

On our rafting trip we focused on the adulthood section of our book Changes that Heal, by Dr. Henry Cloud, (that we were required to read for project). The programs that the staff did with us evoked great discussion.

One program dealt with living to please men (as in humans), which is such a huge problem in our world today. We looked at 1 Thessalonians 2:4--On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts. We shouldn't be looking for the approval of men, but God, because He has the one opinion that really matters. Why do we worry about pleasing man? They won't have any say over whether we spend eternity with Jesus or not. If in pleasing God, we please man (which definitely happens a lot i.e. loving and serving) then that's awesome! But we should never disregard God's approval or wishes to please men.

Today in church, the Bible reading came from 1 Samuel. Samuel was sent by God to choose the next king, and was told by God not to choose the one that would seem most suitable to be king. But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7) This verse is also awesome for a reason not to live to please men. What they "look at" doesn't matter. They don't know what is important, what is right to look at. But God, who we should aim to please, knows our hearts and will eventually judge accordingly.

So thankful that He is abounding in love,
Sarah

1 John 2:17--The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.