new things.

"Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord."

-Romans 12:11

ZEAL: [noun] ORIGIN late Middle English : via ecclesiastical Latin from Greek zēlos.

Meaning: eager desire or endeavor; enthusiastic diligence

Enthusiastic diligence. This presents the idea that zeal is not just having enthusiasm or desire, it is partnered with diligence; with knowledge and learning. At the beginning of the semester, DBC (Dr. Barry Corey, Biola's President) spoke about zeal. He spoke about having a zeal about everything we do here at Biola. It is a command from the Lord, what an excellent call from God and what a blessed place, Biola is, to obey that command. I've been working this out in my heart and life and this has been the best month of college, yet. Here are some of the new things i am doing with zeal:

• not procrastinating. this is the largest feat for me at the moment. i have always been a procrastinator. i have always been 'type B'. i have always been mildly (or maybe not) ADD. i have always been easily distracted. with the encouragement from my fantastic roomates, i have been ahead of the game in my schoolwork and other responsibilities. as it turns out, you actually write better words and make more beautiful things when you allot time early on to finish them. what an idea.
• dancing. this wednesday i went to the first Xopoc Dance Troupe workshop. Xopoc is an on-campus dance crew (they do mostly hip-hop). i have always wanted to dance. i love watching people dance, and think it is a beautiful way to praise our Father for the limbs and bodies that he created for us in His own image. beautiful. Now, the closest thing i have to a "dance background" is eighth grade cheerleading. However, Lord willing, I will be attending workshops all next week and auditioning for the troupe next thursday. so fun. so excited.
• really listening to what the Lord is calling me towards. i know that i am passionate about photography and taking portraits. that's a solid understanding. but where do i go from this? does the Lord want me to be the 'suburban soccer mom' who can plan her own work schedule, have a studio in her home, and spend my career taking family, senior, and wedding portraits? maybe so. However, for some odd reason or another, God has given me this passion for the fashion industry. Sometimes i feel judged when i say that. i feel marked down as shallow or materialistic; words commonly associated with this worldly industry. fashion was somehow built into my personality. i picked out my own outfits shopping with my mom and grandmother at age 2 (in between moments i spent hiding in the circular clothing racks with my sister). at age 5, i refused to wear anything other than dresses or skirts for an entire year (despite my mother's plea to wear shorts on 'P.E.' day, where i cleverly suggested that i would wear them under my dress). at age 6, i began sketching my own line of clothing. at age 14, i began learning french in hopes of pursuing a fashion design career that'd take me to Paris and the world. fashion is part of who God has made me. why should i be discouraged from working in the fashion industry? why can't i be a voice there? why can't i speak out about eating disorders in modeling? why can't i be a voice for healthy women who love fashion and wear a size 6? why can't i pursue a career where i attempt to change the way the entire industry portrays the beauty of women? why can't i be a successful, fashion photographer? A wise friend and sister recently encouraged me....i can. and i should. she told me that God makes us passionate about certain things for a reason and that we should be responding to those things that make our blood boil, things we just love to see and do. no matter how difficult this industry may be to break into, especially with such strong opinions, i want to respond to something that God has made me passionate about. i. want. to. be. a. fashion. photographer. ....with zeal. :)