The One Who Listens - Stay Connected Students!
Hello friends!
My name is Samuel Macaraeg and I'm a senior at John Paul II University Parish. Maybe you know me, maybe you don't. That's okay! Either way, I'm kicking off a blog for students to keep growing even when away from community.
Summer can be a time for relaxation, fun, and growth, but it can also be a dangerous place for our spiritual lives. I've had countless summer breaks where I've felt spiritually dead because I was alone and didn't have any accountability.
Every time I’ve gone away from John Paul II University Parish in the last few years, I’ve been struck by the stark contrast between my home life and life in the community at JPII.
I can feel pretty good about my spiritual life while I’m at school because I’m attending bible studies, going to community nights, and running the race towards God with my friends.
But then when I go home, it can feel like I got to the part of the race where I’m in flip flops and running through mud for some reason.
I can get caught up in old ways of life and often have difficulty sharing my faith with my family because they don’t relate to me like my friends at JPII do. It slowly becomes harder and harder to hear God’s voice in my life and then my summer can fly by in a blur of isolation or spiritual confusion.
That’s why I’m starting this blog. It’s called “Samuel’s Blog - The One Who Listens”. The purpose is to share tid-bits of info I’ve picked up in my four years at UNT that can help others in the community hear God’s voice through the summer. Despite struggling to adjust to life’s changes, we can still say “Speak, Lord. Your servant is listening.”
Even though we may not physically be at JPII, the community is still here. There are tons of people who want to connect and chat. The summer can be a ripe time for spiritual growth, but feeling loneliness and disconnection stint this growth. We are still able to pursue Christ on our own, but having friends to help us stay accountable and chat with helps keep us grounded.
I plan on posting a short blog post (3-7 minute read) at least every two weeks with questions to discuss in the comments. Here are some tentative topics I plan to cover:
Why is Loving My Family So Hard?
I Know I Want to Grow Closer to God, but I Don’t Know How to On My Own
Holy Leisure - Are You Really Resting? Or Are You Just Shutting Off?
My Friends Aren’t Trying to Live Holy Lives - What Do I Do?
How to Read the Bible - Tips for Encountering God Through Scripture
I hope this blog can give you something to chew on to continue your spiritual journey even if you are away from the JPII community (or even if you’re not here yet!).
Expect my first blog post next week!
What are your plans for the summer?
How do you continue growing in your faith when away from community?
Comments
Post a Comment