..Tam.Odom..

This week since so many people are preparing to leave for the summer it is hard to let go! I have made a Top Ten List of things you should do while apart this summer!

10. Write a letter to yourself by the end of the summer telling where you hope to be spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically by the end of the 2009-10 school year. Give it to your parents to hold until you get home from school next summer.

9. Find two cool places (museums, art exhibits, concerts, outdoor events) to attend this summer that you’ve never been!

8. Post a note by the end of May on Facebook thanking those from this year who have influenced or impacted you!

7. Read a book for leisure. Don’t worry – you won’t be graded on it!

6. Send silly gifts to your friends through snail mail! (yes – this requires stamps)

5. Take time to kick off your shoes and enjoy the sunshine!

4. Pray for the people on your hallway next year.

3. Make a picture collage of the memories you’ve made this year!

2. Call your roommate at least once a week and talk about what your schedule and goals are for the upcoming year.

1. Send Tam a post card from every place you visit this summer. (My name/CSU, 9200 University Blvd, Charleston, SC 29406)

I don’t even know if I have ever written a Wilderness Wednesday blog since I began the daily blog thing, but today is definitely a day to do that…

I would have to say that I have been out in the wilderness lately because the Lord has been testing my humility through various situations and roles as a ministry assistant. You might ask why He do that to you? Or you might say, “Tam, you’re crazy to think He would do that to you!” But the reality is..He has and still is!

You know I sat through this banquet the other night that I was not officially invited to (yeah, sneaky sneaky!) and watch “my girls” get awards. That part was nice! But then came the humility check! Not one person mentioned me or thanked me or acknowledged me. Ok – so sounds kind of conceited now doesn’t it. HUMILITY CHECK! As I fought back the tears walking across the parking lot and I allowed all of the thoughts to run through my mind, I then in turn cried out to God asking for help to understand and embrace that testing of my faith! Why would that be the case? Well, for many of you know I take pictures for majority of the sports teams and I try to use that to reach into the lives of some of the athletes and the coaches too. I try to recruit other students to buy into the BUC SPIRIT and support the different teams, I personally attend many of them, and I take thousands of pictures! Even though I am not a fan of being called out and acknowledged in front a bunch of people I still had this desire to hear them call out my name and give some kind of praise. Don’t we all desire that? Anyway – the longer I prayed about it on the drive home the less the tears flowed. The Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and reassured me that its not about being recognized by administrators or others, but rather that I was seen by those the Lord wished for me to serve, the athletes! They see me when the others don’t.

Then I walk into several meetings this week and I feel like I walk out of them less informed and productive than before the meeting. The content of these meetings is not boring (to me) so I want to prepare and lead a lot of the times. I once again had a HUMILITY CHECK! I now know and sympathize with people of higher authority when they get into the mode of knowledge power. I use to get so frustrated when someone would pull the “PhD or MBA” card on me. Now I feel like I am in the same shoes to say to someone I have studied this area more than you so step out of the way and let ME lead. I know this would not be a good thing, but it is real feelings and thoughts.

And even still I can think of another moment when I was frustrated by the fact that some times I work my butt off and I never get acknowledged, but someone who breaks rules and has corrupt character gets talked about and acknowledged more! Isn’t that backwards, society?

Finally, I had a “reunion” with a girl I was mentoring back over the summer. I had to humble myself to sit before he and simply hear her heart for where the Lord has been leading her and also the struggles she’s had over the past couple of months. Even though that scared me upfront, I was so encouraged and excited at the same time when I walked away.

This HUMILITY CHECK has put me in a place that I have to stand alone…in the wilderness! I know and trust the Lord is right beside me, but it took me getting to this place to help me acknowledge these lessons!

What’s this week’s mission for me?

To hang out with as many people as I can to pray for, laugh with and give to!

I want to commit to praying for people this summer because I have witnessed the power of prayer and know that its honestly one way I can minister to people when I don’t know what else to do. Jesus went into the garden and interceded for his friends (disciples).

It is always fun to take a walk down memory lane and laugh. Someone once said, “Laughter is good for the soul.” I have leanrned I don’t have to be a comedian or class clown, but I do need to laugh and live life more often.

And I definitely want to give to people. Due to financial caps I can’t give a lot of money, but I can give time, books, clothes, and love.

What is your week’s mission!?

work as if it was your first day

forgive as soon as possible

love without boundaries

laugh without control

and never stop smiling

even if you don’t know the reason.

I took a poll today of some of my texting friends and asked them to give me a random thing about me…first memory or characteristic that came to mind. Here are some of those…

11. Jessica Derricott – “Amazing wonderful person who is always there when needed.”

10.Casey Estes – “Driving downtown singing and dancing to Yah Trick at the top of our lungs with the windows down on our way to Downtown Community!”

9. Michael Silvestri – “What cha want!?”

8. Solmaz Chadwell – “Secretive, Sneaky, Hard working, Faithful Servant!”

7. Kylee Ferguson – “Always willing to help someone in need!”

6. Kristen Carter – “Craziness: Singing in the car to some Taylor Swift, Barlow Girl and Rascal Flatts”

5. Ricky Taylor – “Broccoli Casserole and Laughing at my dad’s farts!”

4. Amber Wyatt – “Your wisdom and encouragement. You held me accountable, encouraged me, and believe in me when I didn’t believe in myself.”

3. Savannah Simpson – “Tam dabomb.com Odom”

2. Clair Davis – “She can’t go a day without sweet tea!”

1. Nicole Bromley – “Ball cap and Colbie Caillat”

BAM! There you have it people! What a fun thing to do especially on a day you need some encouragement!

For we know that nothing is impossible for the Lord…

I am sure many of you have been thinking, “how in the world will I make it through these next couple of weeks?” This is the final week of classes for CSU so we’ve made it. We have our final FCA and final Elevate meetings this week too which means we just did ministry for 28 weeks. There have been easier weeks than others, but despite that the main thing we should be concerned with is… did God get the glory?

One thing that has definitely stuck out to me this semester has been that despite US and the planning and preparation we have done for the ministries, those things have failed us, but He worked tremendously and graciously! Why is that? I think it goes back to His promise that nothing is impossible for God. I have been writing about my personal missions, but have those been missions for the Lord?

Some of the students are going on mission this summer…in their hometown, in another state, or even in a third world country…where did this mission come from? I challenge them to discover who will make their impossible mission very possible.

Luke 1:37 “For nothing will be impossible with God.”

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How funny!

Your GRACE Is ENOUGH!

God’s grace has been given to us through his sacrificial love on the cross. I watched the Passion of the Christ movie last Sunday evening and one thing that stuck out to me was that even in the pain and suffering, even after He made a promise to the one thief that he would be in paradise with him, and even though His own mother had to witness him dying on that cross…He said to the Father in Heaven that He committed his spirit to the Father. For some reason during that one line of the movie I saw the simpliest example of GRACE.

I have been stuck on this word for quite some time now…I use to have it as my banner word on my cell phone, I use in my passwords for work and play, and I try to tell people that some times you have to give GRACE to others. When in reality we’ve been given enough grace through Jesus Christ.

Amen! And Amen!

Having lunch with a sister in Christ today was refreshing. To know that I have someone fighting for the same things that I am fighting for…and serving for the same reasons that I am serving for…and the fleshly struggles are the same as the ones that I struggle with! Why is that refreshing? Well, some times we build ourselves up and bring this regard that is we are perfect or that we don’t struggle, yet that is far from the truth. Especially when you get into ministry you find more and more people trying to “walk on water” so to speak to impress people or as some might think to show a godly example for others to follow. That is why today was refreshing… We got to speak <confess> to one another about our failures and lack of Jesus in our daily walk with Him aside from doing ministry with the college students. Just doing life!

Watching and learning from other believers can some times open your mind and heart! Its in those moments that God reveals something new about Himself to you. If you are anything like me then you might find yourself sitting through a meeting, event or even worship service critiquing everything from the time you walk in until the time you walk out. Tonight I went to CRU for probably the first time ever and it was so cool because they are just so real and unpolished. In my ‘world,’ we are always trying to be so polished and seamless, but the beauty in the matter is that God receives that which is meant to glorify Him! “Make vows to the LORD your God and fulfill them; Let all who are around Him bring gifts to Him who is to be feared.” (Ps 76:11 NASB) I honestly stepped out of myself and worshiped the Lord not concerned with the words on the screen or the sound being too loud or the lights not working. I brought before the King gifts of praise! Its also times like that when I get to witness what God is doing in OTHER students lives. DBow lead worship tonight. That is a special guy in my life that I have been able to watch grow and develop into a MAN after God’s own heart. I also got to share more about myself (and hear words of description about my character) with Allison. She is a precious child of God that I desire to share life with next year.

Really trusting the Lord. After prayer walking last night on campus I really felt the Lord pulling me towards the different female athletic teams. As I was praying I was crying out to the Lord to show me how to make a sacrifice for these girls and coaches. I begin to wipe away tears from my eyes as I prayed for some of the specific girls. I am not sure what it is that the Lord wants me to do, but now is the tough part…WAITING! And while you wait on the Lord we have to TRUST that He is working! Like I have said many times before – I am still striving to be more like Jesus and I am no where near being a righteous servant of the Lord! I am still learning what it looks like and means to TRUST the Lord. What do I think it looks like? Well, I believe that you have to daily decide that it is the plan of the Lord to what comes across your path! I have to recognize and acknowledge that my actions and motives are tied to the outcome, but the Lord is bigger and will direct and determine my path. Pretty deep, huh?

Now, those things seem so beneficial and rewarding…so why do we hesitate to embrace them?

Its HOLY WEEK yet again for those of who are Christians we come together to celebrate or reflect on the time that Christ suffered and gave his life for us, but was raised to life after three days in the tomb. Check out the different events we will have on-campus this week to celebrate.

Join us this week for a great time of WORSHIP!