Energy through Christ

"He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me."  Colossians 1:28, 29

I read this verse on the plane ride to Moscow last summer.  I'm sure I'd seen it many times before as I love reading the book of Colossians, but on a plane embarking on a 5 week overseas journey coleading a team of 40 people in a country I've never been to, it meant more to me than before.  The phrase "with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me" hit like never before.  The months of preparing for the trip had worn me out, and there I was sitting on the plane with the actual trip just beginning.  I prayed this verse to be true in my life often that summer, and the Lord answered.  Not necessarily in actual sleep rest, but in rest only He could provide.

I'm pretty sure my 6 1/2 weeks in Colorado this June/July for training will be the longest spout of time in one place I will have been all year.  Since March my record for length has been 2 1/2 weeks and until June it will remain that way.  I can honestly say I'm tired. 

At this point I've transitioned to the UofA team.  My stuff will not move to Arkansas until the end of July, but May 1 was the official beginning of being solely on the UofA staff team.  It's been such a great transition as I've felt so welcomed by the team and students, and as we plan for the Fall, I'm SO EXCITED about what the Lord is going to do on this campus through Crusade and the different Christian organizations.  It's exciting to think about the number of lives that will be changed for the Lord in the coming months! 

As I think about that, though, the amount of other details to completely transition here floods my mind.  One more week in Fayetteville, back to Lubbock to pack, Houston, Switzerland, Houston, Colorado, packing, hours of driving, learning, finding a home, switching banks, driver's license, insurance, registration...Whew!  Being a grown up comes with a lot of details and decisions!  So again to say it, I'm tired.  Super, duper, I basically laid in bed reading/doing nothing for hours today so I could be functional all week, TIRED.  BUT, I still cling to Colossians and remember that maybe I have way more decisions to make in life right now.  Maybe I will be tired often.  But thankfully, anything I do will be through, "all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me."  The best part about that truth?  It means when I do have energy, I can only attribute it back to Christ.