What This World Needs By: Casting Crowns

What this world needs is not another one hit wonder with an axe to grind; another two bit politician peddling lies;
another three ring circus society.
What this world needs is not another sign waving super saint that's better than you;
another ear pleasing candy man afraid of the truth;
another prophet in an Armani suit.

What this world needs is a Savior who will rescue,
a Spirit who will lead,
a Father who will love them in their time of need.
A Savior who will rescue,
a Spirit who will lead,
a Father who will love.
That's what this world needs.

What this world needs is for us to care more about the inside than the outside; have we become so blind that we can't see;
God's gotta change her heart before He changes her shirt.
What this world needs is for us to stop hiding behind our relevance;
blending in so well that people can't see the difference;
and it's the difference that sets the world free.

People aren't confused by the Gospel, they are confused by us.
Jesus is the only way to God, but we are not the only way to Jesus.
This world doesn't need my tie, my hoodie, my denomination,
or my translation of the Bible.
They just need Jesus!
We can be passionate about what we believe,
but we can't strap ourselves to the Gospel,
because we are slowing it down.
Jesus is going to save the world;
but maybe the best thing we can do
is just get out of the way.

Jesus is our Savior, that's what this world needs! Father's arms around you, that's what this world needs! That's what this world needs.

The Past 36 Hours

In the past 36 hours:
My best friend’s car broke down on I-64W headed back to LU.
We were going down the interstate when “Daisy” started making a clicking noise. Kim couldn’t accelerate…Daisy started loosing speed…as we were pulling off, Daisy stopped running. Thankfully, we had already picked up her mom at the Richmond Airport. It wasn’t raining, sleeting, snowing, blazing hot, or frigid cold. It was daylight. There really weren’t THAT many cars on the interstate.
We were on the side of the interstate for 2 hours…and the tow truck couldn’t find us. Five cars and a trucker stopped to check on us. Two guys looked at the car…the first one thought it was the timing belt…the second one said her car doesn’t have a timing belt. We called an RA to give her a head’s up that we would probably need someone to come get us. While we were waiting, we watched caterpillars try to cross the road, only to meet their fate when cars came by.
The tow truck found us eventually, said he had no idea what was wrong with the car, and took us to a shop. However, it was Saturday, and the shop was closed, so her car is still in Charlottesville. She is planning to leave on Tuesday to go home to Texas. We called our RA again, and she and Heidi (who will be my SLD partner/Room mate next year) started towards us…
So, we were in Charlottesville…and none of us are familiar with it. Thankfully, I was borrowing my parents’ GPS for the trip, and we had it with us, so we looked up a restaurant that was supposedly 0.8 miles away…and we started walking…with a GPS…through the neighborhoods of downtown Charlottesville.
When we got to the road The Frizz (the GPS) said the Subway was on…it wasn’t there…Thankfully, the Charlottesville Transit Station and Visitor’s Center was on that road…and it was open. So, we asked the Visitor’s Center where it was…and they told us we could take the FREE trolley to the Omni, go down McIntyre…and it would be there…we did…and it was…
The GPS Audrey and Heidi had borrowed apparently wasn’t good with directions, and was continually loosing satellite reception, so it took them a little longer than planned to get to us…but they did get to us, and we got back to LU at 10pm…5 hours later than we had planned…

We had the Annual Leadership Appreciation and Dedication Service.
This is where the emotions are jumbled. During this service, we recognize the Praise Band/RDs/RAs/SLDs/PLs for 07-08 and Dedicate the 08-09 team. I was perfectly fine until it was time for the SLD part. We (the current SLDs) were told to stand with and pray for those on our hall who will be new SLDs next year. I can’t describe the feeling I had when Heidi, Christy, and Emily N. stood up. Everything that happened on our hall this year was by the hand and grace of God, and it was so heartwarming to see two of “my” freshmen and good friends, and one of my closest friends, stand up to “Receive the torch.” Praying for them with Sam was so hard, as Sam and I realized that our ministry together is coming to an end…letting go of Sam’s hand was one of the hardest things I’ve done in a long time…if ever.
However, walking from one side of the Vines to the other, with Heidi, towards our PL team, was incredible. Our team is already bonding and preparing for next year. I love all of those girls and I am so excited to work with them in ministry.
After the service, as Sam, Erica, Audrey and I were taking pictures of the “Core 4” and just hanging out, not wanting to leave, I flashed back to this time last year…a time when Sam and I barely knew each other, and I was having trouble remembering the names of my PLs. I don’t know what our hall would have been like without them…I do know that God placed those girls on our hall for a purpose, as He has placed the team for next year. My sadness that this year is over cannot be masked by the excitement for next, but I know in August, we will still be friends, each ministering in the way God has called us to.

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now.” Philippians 1:3-5