Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese

Today is one of those dreary days. A tomato and grilled cheese sort of day.

It's days like today that remind me of how thankful I am to be in medical school. There is so much freedom in being a student. You make your own schedule! Unfortunately, it's about to come to an end, so I'm gonna soak up every minute of it. You see, you can't make grilled cheese and tomato soup very easily if you have to pack a lunch. And this morning, I'm "working from home" which gives me the stove, pot and pan I need to simply enjoy every moment with my grilled cheese and tomato soup.

Also, in the last couple of days I've realized that I don't think any other medical school could have provided me with the joy I have here. I realize this is all I have to compare it to, but I don't care, I'm still going to believe that. Last night at CMA we had a worship night where we just poured our hearts out in praise. I forget how unique it is to have such a great cloud of witnesses surround you with such consistency on a daily basis. It reminded me of the Bible study we had sophomore year in college where we sang the song Sanctuary together. There is something powerful in community worship. This is why I believe coming to MSU, being in this particular class of students, and meeting every single person I've met is not a mistake. It's so much easier to empty yourself for the glory of God when you can constantly be refilled again. Go figure, right?

Bre shared Romans 8 last night. This week has been a strong reminder that we must fight the temptaion to stop running towards God. The distractions are endless. I pray these words from God penetrate and rejuvenate your heart and mind like they have mine.

Romans 8:16-39. In video and in words. Whatever floats your boat.

¹⁶ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. ¹⁷ Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.¹⁸ I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. ¹⁹ For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. ²⁰ For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope ²¹ that^[h] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
²² We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. ²³ Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. ²⁴ For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? ²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
²⁶ In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. ²⁷ And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[i] have been called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰ And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

More Than Conquerors

³¹ What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ³³ Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶ As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”^[j]
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.