Do you ever feel like you're pushing through mud in order to get to where God wants you? Circumstances, emotions, distractions, all seem to be slogging you down? That's where I'm at today. I've been sooo excited about getting an apartment and getting settled and then starting school and seeing where God is taking me this year. Well, being approved for the apartment is taking a long time, mainly because we didn't get some paperwork done with the financial aid office at EBC. That of course is depressing me.

I have to remember that no matter what the circumstance, no matter what my state of mind is, that God has a plan and a future for me. Today is the day. I can make a difference by being cheerful, by realizing Who my Father is, and by rejoicing in Him.

I've been getting my devotions and journaling done the last few days and God has really been showing me that I need to Obey, no matter where He leads me. So that's the theme of this year: Obey in everything. Take a look at Ezekiel, he laid on his side for 490 days, eating food cooked over manure. Think about how radical that is. "Oh, did you hear about Zeke? Yeah, he's gone crazy and is laying down on the corner of 5th and Broadway. Some sort of example for the Jews... Weird guy." Am I willing to do that? Am I ready to be a fanatic for Christ? Are you?