→

I am officially the happiest girl on the planet right now. I don’t have to wait until February 25th to hear everything off of Switchfoot’s newest, “The Beautiful Letdown.” Not that I’m not going to go straight out and buy it for myself when it is released! It’s just great, because now I’m going to know all the words to every song before anyone else does.

Sometimes it’s ok to be fanatical about something. Just so long as it doesn’t become an idol in my own life. Everything I participate in must benefit me in my relationship with Christ. My family does that. My friends do that. Even my education at Cascadia Community College does that. And yes, of course, music does that too. Because they’re all helping me to become more reliant on God rather than on people. Switchfoot’s message is one that challenges me to pursue God with a passion, with a fire burning in my heart. And not long from now, the Bible will challenge me in that same way. I never understood why I couldn’t (rather I wouldn’t) connect with the Bible or understand it very much. It didn’t take long for me to become afraid of it–fearing that whatever I may read inside was going to condemn me straight to hell. I know with a professor guiding me through it, showing me verses, asking me difficult questions, and teaching me, I’ll come to appreciate God’s Word so much more. I know I’ll finally begin to accept what it has to offer my life, which is what I’ve desired since I was eight years old.

Right now, Jon is singing, “I’m on fire when You’re near me… I’m on fire when You speak… I’m on fire burning at these mysteries…”

Keep on, Jon… Keep on.