Nothing is lacking where everything is given! -Bernard of Clairvaux

Wow, where to begin? I have so many things I want to share and they may or may not all relate but if you know me, it's just that way!
So in class we have been learning about the End Times of Jesus' Second coming and the iminent danger headed toward the planet! Yes, I know really upbeat stuff! But, in the next breath I would like to share that we have also been learning about LOVE. What do we as people perceive possibilities in love and what does God require of us? To study both these avenues in one timeframe is slightly a paradox, but a great balance too!
I still have about amonth left in the End times learning, so today I am going to share mainly about love, and practical ways to focus our "time with God!" (however, I am learning, to understand the end times will help us to understand why it is so important to learn to love God now!) I also have some questions that have been floating around in this rather strange mind which I want to throw out there! Here goes:

Wholehearted love starts now! what if our life vision was not about how many people we can affect or how successful we can be in the eyes of the world. What if it was "to impact God's heart, and win His gaze?" Do we even understand that that is possible? Do we have a sobering reality of hte necessity to win His gaze? Often times we get so obsorbed by the stresses of life and the "mundane" activity of even the important things yet we fail to engage in the act of loving wholeheartedly now. What do I mean?
Often you can give 100% of your efforts into something, but it is not until the last 2% is given, that you begin to see or feel the impact of your efforts...it is at that point that you actually scratch the surface of possibility. Innate in our makeup is dissatisfaction with half-heartedness and a yearning to love and be loved to the uttermost. The problem is that we think that is something to be attainedin some far off time period. Like when I am out of school I will give it all, or whenthe summer break comes I will start, or when I get married it will all fall together...the problem is we see wholeheartedness to God as being equal to perfection...NOT SO!
Youand I can walk in wholehearted abandoned love to God right now by accepting daily His invitation to speak to you, teach you, and allowing Him to lead you through every season of life, saying YES to HIs leadership. Perfection indeed may be far off, but your heart longing to be with Him IS the place of wholeheartedness. Ordinary lives can be wholehearted by practicing the presence of GOd in the mundane of life...driving-pray, in traffic-give thanks for protection, at every venue of life there is an opportunity to engage right now with a God who desires your heart in love and even though we have made it this intimidating unrealistic challenge, it is very natural and possible.
In the midst of the common, we can be radical! At this point many may be thinkin "she is nuts!" well my friends, look around, this worl is nuts and if I am crazy, I may as well be crazy and enter a kingdom of priests in the end! The amount of "oil" (Matt25) you will have in your lamp later in life, is directly connected to the ways in which you use your time now. we must prepare ourselves for tomorrow by preparing today! These are not even outward displays, I could care less howmuch $ you have or how many cd's you sold or that you run 10minstries in your church! It is the very things done in secret in the times of the mundane or trials, that fuel the lamp so to speak for the days ahead!I mean, if you spend time praying, holding your tongue, fatsing, reading the bible and not for shwo, but do these with a pure heart and desire to "win His gaze" you are actually cultivating future power and success.
QUOTE: Only in the safety of wholeheartedness will we be kept secure in the hour of delusion that will sweep the globe before Jesus return. In that day, when lawlessness abounds, the love of many will grow cold. Divided hearts will give way to their shifting foundations and only lives built upon the lifestyle of Jesus-the pursuit of the first commandment asin the sermon on the mount, will stand firm and be prepared at His return!
We do not have time to accept Him later. And those of us in church do not have time to get disciplined tomorrow! Today is the day. Which leads me to my questions:
1. What do you expect from Christianity? What's the point for you?
2. Is your life and your priorities reflective of the above answer?

A note on prayer:
I used to find it very difficult to engage in prayer outside of church. I had no "plan" as it were and thus experienced boredom or frustration alot! In all we do we must have a focus and a path and should God meet us and steer us off into another direction, great, but start with a plan. Below are the things I do in my 4 hour prayer block at school.It is my own plan and it works for me, but some people might find this useful!
1. pray in the spirit (30 min)
2. read the bible- not study (30 min)
3. engage in worship-music (30 min)
4. Global intercession-worl issues(30min)
5. Personal prayer list family/friends(30 min)
6. silence waiting (30 min)
7. Bible study or resource material (1 hour)
Each day this fluxuates, but this is my floor plan! And God always shows up!

Finally, you are love and valuable and called to be so much more, not in your own efforts though. The challenges of today can be placed on the altar for rest and you can make time daily to meet with the lover of your soul. Again think I am nuts? Whatever cause in this place I have never had more peace and at timesI struggle with thoughts and attitude etc. But God is so faithful to meet you where you are at. Today, right now you can be wholehearted with Him! What a privilege! It is also a choice. We intentionally make an hour for the gym or church meetings or last minute back to school night...all these are good but daily you can make time to find love! I share this because I do love you all, and because I know that the hour we live in is grave, our world is in need of a savoir and He longs to come...."the spirit and the bride shout COME!"