Waiting to exhale...

I just have a little note before I set in on writing what I logged on to write. I gave a talk in chapel at work last week, and I talked about using our gifts to serve God and about being open to opportunities when we can discover new gifts. After my talk, one of my teacher friends commented to me that she felt one of my gifts was my ability to spread joy. That just really touched my heart! One of my goals for this school year has been to do all things with a joyful heart and to glorify God in my work. The fact that someone has noticed this change in me just means so much. To God be the glory! I am so thankful that my efforts to let His light shine through me are actually working and making a difference!

And back on track...
One of the greatest blessings in my life in the past few years has been the youth group at my church. I have been volunteering with the Sunday night youth program since I moved back to Memphis, and let me just say that I know some incredible kids. I love being able to spend time fellowshipping and studying God's word with these amazing young people, and I am constantly in awe of their faith and insights and devotion to God. I learn so much from them... I don't think they have any idea how much they impact the lives of all of us youth volunteers. We are all truly, truly blessed.
The youth group is getting ready for a retreat this weekend, which is the biggest youth event of the year. Our youth director and the senior high youth have put countless hours toward planning and preparation for the weekend, and I could not be more excited to see what God has in store for all who will be there. Last Sunday night, one of the senior girls gave a talk about preparing our hearts for the upcoming retreat, and in her talk she said something that I just love. She talked about "breathing in" and "breathing out" times. These are the times when we soak up God's word and presence (breathing in) and the times when we pour into others (breathing out). What a great metaphor! I feel like all I have been doing lately is breathing in. I've been leaning heavily on my friends this past year, looking to them to help me out of my spiritual rut. I have this mental image of a Dementor-- you know how they look when they suck out people's souls? That's me... just breathing in and in, exhausting people with my neediness. I think I've needed this time to focus on myself and my faith. I needed to get my priorities in order and work on centering my life around Christ. Now that I'm doing a little better in those areas, I'm looking forward to a period of breathing out. I'm ready to really focus on what I am doing in the lives of others; I pay so much attention to why God put certain people in my life, but I think it's time to start questioning why God has placed me in others' lives. What should I be doing to serve them, to pour into them? How can I glorify God by breathing out?
So thank you, Rachel, for being such an amazing young woman and for having the courage to stand in front of us and speak such inspirational words. It has been such a wonderful experience to see God work in her life and use her to reach others. Praise to God again for these incredible youth!

Another little note about breathing... just because this came up yesterday... my dear friend who teaches Pilates tells us all the time in class to breathe from our ribs, to feel our rib cages expanding while exercising. And of course, I took issue with this. I whined to her yesterday that I spent many years of my life training to be a singer. And singers breathe from their stomachs. Even when I'm not singing, even now as I slump on my couch, I breathe from my stomach. This is so that I can get a deeper breath, and so that my shoulders and chest don't rise when I breathe (that looks bad in a choir). She sings too, so she understands... but of course she laughed, because who else would complain about breathing being too hard?!