always full, always hungry

i have returned, safe and sound and full of love, from my journey.
3 weeks: London (Ontario), Toronto, New York, Hershey (Pennsylvania). people keep asking me, "how was your trip?" well the answer is: it was so many things. highs, lows, joys, sorrows, you know. blessed times, overall, i could blog on all that happened, but it would take too much time. sorry.

so, instead, i'll blog on my thoughts these days. two things:

1.) i am so THIRSTY for more of Jesus. yet, i know Him more deeply than ever. my experience is that the deeper i go with Christ, the deeper i need to go. back when i was stuck in sin, rebelling against God, and never talking or listening to Him, i didn't feel a compelling desire to know Him. i was empty, but i didn't hunger as intensely as i do now.
now that i commune with Him constantly, now that i hear His voice, now that nothing is blocking our relationship, i feel SO hungry for more! the more i drink of the Spirit, the thirstier i get; the more i eat of the Bread of Life, the hungrier i get. and i LOVE IT! my hunger for Him is His gift to me.

2.) i often hear of weary believers who "burn out" because they minister so much. missionaries, officers, war college students, you name it.
but i have to say: i don't think we ever have to come to a place of burnout. this is from experience, and Scripture (and reason of course, that's what i've already outlined) (and tradition!-- think of the saints before us who were persecuted, who continued to fight everyday until they were promoted to glory. their life was not an easy one, but even THEY never burnt out).

experience:
when i am operating in my gifts, among the poor and the lost, i feel absolutely ENERGIZED. i love it! it doesn't drain me, it pumps me up. i am co-operating with Jesus, following Him wherever He goes, and every moment of it is communing with Him. i feel drained when i have to deal with believers who are apathetic, but i don't feel drained when i am fighting.
of course: i understand physical fatigue. oh, do i ever understand it. i recognize that is completely valid, and we need to rest.
i also recognize that we can't be loving people if we are not abiding in Christ. we can't give out oil and wine that we don't have. if we are not continually and constantly drawing from our Wellspring of life, the Source, then we'll be dry, and literally have nothing left to give.

Scripture:
"They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion."
(Psalm 84:7)

"Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.

He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint."
(Isaiah 40:28-31)

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
(Hebrews 12:1-3)

"Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working."
(John 5:17)

so there you have it.
fight on.