1 am the night before (I promise you I don't plan these) I give the last sermon of my Junior year. So after a really interesting weekend experiencing suburban and rural life (and totally almost dying from poison ivy and quicksand, which Spencer can tell you about), I unfortunately ended my Easter weekend to a butt ton of school work. But in-between classes I got to see all of the new flowers blooming near Old Main and the Spiritual Center, which reminded me of the one and only time I actually visited a forest (coincidentally, its also Earth Day today).
I'm pretty indifferent about British people. Sure they have a lot of cool things like Stonehenge and a queen that never looks happy (ever), but they also kidnapped Pocahontas and declared war on France multiple times before finally realizing it wasn't a good idea (not cool bra).
But one great thing to come out of the UK was Katherine Jenkins, a mezzo-soprano operatic singer, who recorded the greatest version of Angus Dei I've ever heard (so great it actually ties with Colors of the Wind for my favorite song). This was the song that played in my head as I was roaming the forest. It is also the song that helped get me through some of the toughest trials I've ever had in my life.
People who know me say the biggest problem I have is that I overthink things. I'm constantly cautious about the Trees, the individual details going on in my life, whether bad or good. But roaming around in that forest, playing that song, all I could see was the big picture: one day I'll see God face to face. My problems may seem unbearable at times, to the point where I want to just give up. To the point where I want to go back to my dorm and just cry. And surprisingly, following Jesus's life, and disregarding the status quo of our individualistic society, its okay for men to cry.
Seeing isn't believing, but it certainly helps. It's hard for us at times to see the Forest, the big picture in life that God sees. And that may create tears. But this, without much Biblical support, I firmly believe may also create tears: God's presence. That's why I cried in the forest that day. I can't imagine how much I'll cry once I finally see my God, face to face.
-Abraham Sylvestre
I'm pretty indifferent about British people. Sure they have a lot of cool things like Stonehenge and a queen that never looks happy (ever), but they also kidnapped Pocahontas and declared war on France multiple times before finally realizing it wasn't a good idea (not cool bra).
But one great thing to come out of the UK was Katherine Jenkins, a mezzo-soprano operatic singer, who recorded the greatest version of Angus Dei I've ever heard (so great it actually ties with Colors of the Wind for my favorite song). This was the song that played in my head as I was roaming the forest. It is also the song that helped get me through some of the toughest trials I've ever had in my life.
People who know me say the biggest problem I have is that I overthink things. I'm constantly cautious about the Trees, the individual details going on in my life, whether bad or good. But roaming around in that forest, playing that song, all I could see was the big picture: one day I'll see God face to face. My problems may seem unbearable at times, to the point where I want to just give up. To the point where I want to go back to my dorm and just cry. And surprisingly, following Jesus's life, and disregarding the status quo of our individualistic society, its okay for men to cry.
Seeing isn't believing, but it certainly helps. It's hard for us at times to see the Forest, the big picture in life that God sees. And that may create tears. But this, without much Biblical support, I firmly believe may also create tears: God's presence. That's why I cried in the forest that day. I can't imagine how much I'll cry once I finally see my God, face to face.
-Abraham Sylvestre