Re-evaluating. Why do you do what you do?

*****DISCLAIMER**** If, at any time, you read something that seems slightly heretical  please keep reading. My intention is not to make you mad. It is to cause you to re-think what you've always thought. It is to help you realize that sometimes, thinking is a good thing. At the end of the post, if you still feel the need to burn me at the stake, leave a comment or email me or something and let me know what you think. Because I really want to know. If I'm totally wrong or you disagree, I want to know. If you agree or have supporting stuff, I still want to know.

Anyway, now that I have caught your attention, I wish to discuss the topic of: Should we sing "Happy Birthday" in church or not! OK, no--not going there. Don't really care. However, I want to talk about something very general and non-specific, that shouldn't make anyone mad. Unfortunately  it's the type of thing that everyone will take personally, and may make some people mad. Not that it matters, because very few people read this thing anyway.

I'm rambling. Why do you do what you do? I, recently, have become very annoyed with Christians (read, good people that I respect) who hold onto their issues so tightly that they miss the whole point of being a Christian. Or so it seems to me. They get their convictions and that becomes more important to them than doctrine. Yes, it is important to have convictions. If you aim at nothing, you are sure to hit it. You need to know what you believe and hold to that. Ephesians 4:14 says, "That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about by every wind of doctrine . . . ." Stuff changes, new ideas come along, and you don't want to follow every trend that may pass by you. You need to have convictions. But they need to be rooted in something other than "well, I was always taught this". I'm thinking about issues like dress, movie theaters, music, youth group, etc. Why do you do what you do?

Our generation (as in Generation Y, born in the mid-80s and 90s) are questioning more than any others before us. We are no longer willing to accept "just because we always have" as a reason for doing anything. (this is a generalization, AKA doesn't apply to everyone). We are thinking through stuff and re-evaluating. Christianity and religion is no different. It isn't the "key doctrines of the faith" (sanctification, virgin birth, inspiration of the Bible) that we are re-considering. No, most Christians my age that were raised in a fundamental type church won't deny those. We don't hardly even think about considering that they may be wrong. We know they aren't. We are considering stuff like, "why do I never go to a movie theater?" and other issues that are issues in the church today. "Why do we only use ____ translation of the Bible?" And we are coming up short. We don't know why. The Bible doesn't say, "Thou shalt only listen to music by this producer, and never to stuff by those guys over there". But we have taken those and applied them and passed them on. Since music is a subject near and dear to my heart, I'm going to leave it alone, or this blog post will never end. Let me give you an example of movie theaters. For some of you, this is an issue. For others, you wouldn't think twice about going. I'm not telling you what I think (if you've figured it out, I'm sorry--I'm trying to be unbiased). Your grandparents were alive when movie theaters first became popular, and they weren't the most wholesome place to go for entertainment. Christians thought that they were bad. Your grandparents told your parents never to go a movie theater.  You, therefore, grew up, having never been to a movie theater. This pattern could continue. (AGAIN, I'm not saying whether it's right or wrong). However, because you are a part of Gen. Y, you are re-evaluating. "Why are movie theaters such horrible places?" And you are coming up with your own conclusion, hopefully based on God's word, about what you believe, and why.
There's this thing called "the generation gap". Older people don't understand us and how we think, and we don't understand them and how they think. We can't crawl in their brain and see what is going on. Sometimes, it would be really nice if we could. When they tell us what they think, it's from their perspective. We then run it through our own filter and come up with something completely different. For instance: you know the peace sign, right?

My mom grew up in the 60s and 70s. (Think Hippies, drugs, sexual revolution, etc.). The peace sign was a symbol of that. For her and people in her generation, that is a very bad thing. In her perspective, that represents something totally different than what I think. I just think it's a funky sign that says, "hey, what's up" or something like that. 

We think differently. The question is, why do you do what you do. Is it just because you always have? Because, honestly, Christianity has been done exactly the same since Christ returned to heaven. Except there is a lot more apathy. Change isn't bad. The reason for change may be. If it's just rebellion, there's a problem. But if you want stuff to change to spread the gospel more effectively, that's something to be considered. For instance, the way we do evangelism. Can that be changed? I'm pretty sure Martin Luther was the one who started the door-to-door thing (Wittenburg, October 31, 1517). That's almost 500 years ago. How effective is that, really? Anyway, you get my point. 

Before you start making waves and changing everything you do, stop and think. How carefully have you evaluated what you think is "dumb"? Is it worth changing? Will people be hurt by what you are doing? Will it help or hinder the cause of Christ? 

And, get help. I do believe my generation can change the world. Remember Ps. 24:6--THIS is the generation that seeks God? My generation! Your generation! But we need help. The Word of God is a great place to start. Everything you face has answers in God's word. Even if it isn't clearly stated (like the movie theater thing). Also, remember the older people who have a different perspective than we do? Titus 2 has a lot of stuff about older people teaching younger people. Even if they see things differently than you do, get their advice. Let them know what you are thinking. Often, they haven't even considered changing. I had the amazing opportunity last night to hang out with some people that are a little bit older than I am, who have had some experience in ministry, etc. We talked for well over an hour about stuff like I'm telling you know. Getting their perspective. Seeing what they thought. What God said. And what can be done. Find people that you respect that are older than you. Dig into God's Word. Find the answers. Consider why you do what you do. If it doesn't measure up, doesn't make sense, or could be done better and more effectively, consider changing. It won't kill you.

Go change the world for God!

How many baptists does it take to change a lightbulb?
What's change?

Back from Antigua

I'm a little tanner, a little blonder (the hair, not the brain) and a lot more tired. I've seen beautiful sandy beaches, gorgeous island flowers, and made friendships that will last a lifetime. But more than that, I've seen God work in amazing ways. I watched Him work in ways that seemed humanly impossible. I never knew 3 weeks could be so jam-packed with so much stuff. We did 3 VBS's, a youth rally, radio broadcast, was in more churches than I can count for services, went to 2 nursing homes, and did many other things. We were gone for both Christmas and New Years, but God chose us to use that time for His glory. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Welcome to a quick overview of the last 3 weeks of my life, and hopefully some pics if I can figure out how to get them in here :)
So we took of December 16th , 2012, from Charlotte. My seat buddies (Maeghan and Jessica) and I had a blast as we waited to be airborne. It was about a 3.5 hour flight (ish) but we were so excited, it passed fairly quickly.

Our first view of Antigua--it was as pretty as any of us could imagine (for further proof,  see more pictures. I couldn't upload all of the 356 that are on my camera, but check Facebook for a lot more.) Anyway, all of a sudden, this trip seemed so much more real. We were almost here..

We stepped off the plane into 85 degree Fahrenheit, with about 90% humidity. For a Canadian girl, this is odd for January. And the airport was pink. 

Anyway, we went to the missionaries house, practiced a little bit, and prepared for the next day. Our first service was at Maranatha Baptist church. We were still running on adrenaline, and were super excited to be able to serve the Lord in the Caribbean.

We did 3 different VBS's--talk about craziness. But through the times we spent, we saw 26 children get saved. 

Since it was the Caribbean, I thought I should share some beach pics--even though that wasn't the main focus of our trip.  We went swimming several times and always had a blast. 

We watched God give us the strength and energy to get up when we couldn't keep going. There were so many times He had to carry us.

The 2 biggest things I learned on this trip is: a.) I re-realized that God is powerful and is always with us, and b) God calls us to be faithful in whatever task he gives us.
We had to do many things that we may have not been comfortable doing. I personally was ok with teaching a class of 25 3-5 year olds. I mean, I go to college to learn how to work with little people. I was also ok with all the music we did. I have played instruments for 16 years. Practice and playing isn't terrifying to me. The scariest thing we did (for me) was when we went street preaching. We went to down town St. John and stood in the center square thing. I had to give a testimony to a crowd of total strangers, some of which were drunk. As I shared what God had done for me, I felt God with me in such a powerful way. I knew that I had to share the Good News because God had saved me. After we finished, we went around and started handing out tracts. We had the chance to talk to many people. I never would have had the courage to sit down next to a total stranger on a bench and share God's love with Him without God's strength. Other people on the team were able to do the same thing. On our own, we couldn't have done that. Only through God's strength and power could we have done that. You can't tell me God doesn't exist. I have seen Him work in amazing ways. I have seen Him use us to do things I thought we could never do.
Also, this whole trip, I was thinking of the verse in I Thess 5:24--"Faithful is He that called you who will also do it." God could have used anyone in Antigua this Christmas season. He didn't need to use us. But because He chose to use us to share the Gospel, He provided for our needs. Whether it was financial or whatever, we all were able to share stories of how God took care of us. Some got an extra job. Others told stories of $1000 coming in the last week or two. However He chose to, God took care of us. God doesn't need to use any of us. But because He calls us to serve Him, He will be faithful to provide for us. My favourite quote is this: God doesn't call the qualified. He qualifies the called. He doesn't choose the brightest, best, most talented and spiritual Christians to serve Him. He chose me, and I am so thankful for the opportunity I had to go to Antigua and share the light of the Gospel with the people there.

Merry Christmas, etc.

So, I really need to post again. Because it has been a month. So Happy Thanksgiving, what are you thankful for, this semester has been crazy, God is good, and we are almost done.
All the stuff I've thought about writing but haven't had time. Because being a junior is apparently a lot of hard work. At least for me :) This semester has been nuts. Practicum, society leadership, giant projects, ed classes (which mean loads of projects), friend drama, etc.--through it all, my God has been faithful. At the beginning of this semester, I thought I was going to die. Seriously--looking at my syllabus, all the lesson plans, and all the stuff I had to do--it was way overwhelming. I keep telling myself the semesters can't get any busier, and every semester, I'm proven wrong. But next semester is going to be different. Because it is physically not impossible to be any busier than this one :) OK, well that may be a lie. Because I have seen my schedule, and the work hours and stuff, and yeah. It's going to be another semester of depending on God's grace. Which is the best kind anyway. It's really the only way to live.
That was so not the point of this post.I wanted to say Merry Christmas. Yes, i know this is early, but starting Thursday, I am going to be living with pretty much no technology. I am not sure how I'm going to survive (yeah, I am way to dependent on my technology). I am going on a mission trip with MTT ministries to Antigua. It starts the day finals finish, and we get back 2 days before classes start. People ask if I'm going to miss home and family and stuff, and yeah, I am. I love my family, and will miss snow (if we get some) and home and all those traditions, and my church family, and all that. But at the same time, Christmas is when Jesus gave up everything (think: Heaven) to come to earth for me. Compared to what He gave up, I can give up a little bit to serve Him this holiday season. Instead of being obsessed with what I can get, I want to focus on what I can give back. It sounds cheesy, I know. But I am so looking forward to this. There is going to be some homesickness, and stuff. But seriously. The Caribbean? For Christmas? Oh yeah. Please pray for us that we exhausted college students would have strength and energy. But more than that. Pray that we wouldn't get in the way of God doing amazing things in Antigua this Christmas. I am praying that people would be saved. That God would move, and that revival would happen. In me first, then in the lives of those around me. So pray for us.
If you go to this link,you can see our team and there should be updates and stuff. Not quite sure--I don't run the website :)
http://mttministries.org/missionteams/antigua.html

Please pray! And remember,

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Election Night!!!( My views)

So, I am a Canadian, sitting in America, writing about the American election. Like tons of other Americans. I want to do a play by play of the election, but first, some thoughts. I got kicked off a political page on Sunday (that even thinks the way I do politically) for commenting that they don't treat the current president with the respect he deserves. Obama is anti-God, pro-choice, and against pretty much everything I as a Christian am for. I as a Christian cannot in good conscience support his policies. They are against God. It isn't about what I feel or think is right. At the same time, President Obama is an image bearer of God. God created him and loves him. Because God loves him, I cannot hate him or trash him in my speech and thoughts. You may or may not agree with President Obama. You may or may not have voted for him. This isn't a political page. The purpose of this page is to point people to Jesus Christ, not to support one canidate or the other. That is one reason why I don't post political stuff often. Plus, the poles are closed. But here's a couple of thoughts.
No one is perfect: Romney included. Obama wasn't and isn't perfect. No one is going to run this country perfectly. President Bush made mistakes. President George Washington made mistakes. God is still in control.
Romans 3: 10--there is none righteous, no not one.
God is in control of who makes it into office tonight:
Dan_2:21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:
God commands us several times to pray for and respect the leadership he has put over us. For instance:
1 Timothy 2:1-2. "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for everyone - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness."

So you know, if this seems very spread out, it was. The first part of this was written at 7:45. From now on, I'm going to put a time on each event. Just what I'm thinking from each announcement. BTW, I'm sitting in the student center watching live coverage of the elections, and some poli sci and other students give their own feedback, which includes a Biblical Worldview. Yes, you can look at this election wiht a biblical worldview. Yes this post is going to be long. And political. And if you don't care, you've already read the important part. But someday, my kids are going to be studying history and past presidents, and they will come to 2012 and the incredibly close race. And I will show them this blog post and talk about how i watched it live. because this is history in the making. And I was there (even if i didn't vote).

8:00--some poles closed. Obama has a ton of electoral votes. A lot. 64 electoral votes. Romney has 40. Florida exit poles: Obama 50%, Romney 49%. Other places have varying numbers (Romney and Obama go back in forth as to who is going win). It's close though. The numbers are all within 45% and 55%.

8:10--95% of voters say Romney would handle the economy better, while only 2% choose President Obama.

8:14--Romney carries the state of Georgia (and the coverage just randomly shut off for a moment).

8:28--Florida--51% Obama, 48% Romney. Virginia--56% Romney, 42% Obama. Ohio (battleground state)--20% of the vote is counted. 57% is Obama, 42% Romney.

8:30--Romney wins Arkansas. Romney has 73 electoral votes, Obama has 64. Missouri--Romney has 68% of the vote vs. 30% for Obama so far (but not many have been counted).

8:55--it's still crazily close. Next set of polls closes in 3 minutes. 156 electoral votes will be finalized in 3 minutes.

9:07--Romney wins Texas, Kansas, Louisiana, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, and Wyoming.
Obama wins Michigan and New York.

9:09--Electoral vote: Obama--123, Romeny--154.

9:11--Obama won New Mexico. Florida is split exactly 50/50. 

9:12--Romney is 50%, Obama went down to 49% in Florida.

9:16--Romney wins Nebraska, Wyoming, Kansas, Lousiana, South Dakota, Texas and North Dakota

9:23--Obama has 144 Electoral votes, Romney has 154. 

9:30--81% of the votes are in in Florida. Romney is ahead by 636 votes. it's 50/50. Talk about close.

9:36--Obama has 158 electoral votes, Romney still has 154.

9:51--Romney wins Wyoming

9:59--more poles are closing. Like a major number of.  . .

10:00--Romney wins Utah. New update that Romney actually has 158 electoral votes, and Obama has 143. Obama wins New Hampshire.

10:08--Obama and Romney are tied at 162 electoral votes each.

10:11-The first swing state (New Hampshire)--goes to Obama.

10:19--Romney is ahead in Virginia with 77% of the votes counted, but Obama is ahead in Florida, Colorado, and Iowa.

10:20--it is announced that this election is the most tweeted event in history. (so far) There has been over 20 million tweets, and it ain't over yet.

10:37--Electoral count: Obama 173, Romney 163.

10:46--Romney wins Arizona

10:49--electoral votes: Romney 174, Obama 173. Obama wins Minnesota, but Romney still has a slight (as in very, very small) lead.

10:53 Romney gets Nebraska (which is normally Republican). He is in the lead by both popular vote and electoral votes. Not much of a lead, but enough of a lead to let him win all.

10:56--Romney wins North Carolina and Missouri

10:59. Last polls will be closing. It's 173-189 for Romney. . .

11:02--Obama wins California. Electoral vote is 244-193 for Obama.

Let me take a pause from the updates and say this: I am thankful for the president God gave America for the 2012-2016 term. I dont' know who it is yet, but God is still good. Whoever it is, God sets up as ruler, He is in control. And we can praise Him. We need to be thankful in all circumstances.

11:07--Romney wins Missouri and Idaho. Obama gets Hawaii, New Mexico, and Iowa. Electoral count is 244-203 Obama.

11:12: A different electoral count puts it at 249-191. Some different numbers depending on where you go. No matter what site you look at, Obama is ahead right now according to the electoral college. Romney is still ahed by popular vote. That can still change. We will see what goes on.

11:15--the last polls are about to close (in Alaska) . . . it's so close.
Electoral count: 256-191 Obama.

11:16--Obama just got Ohio. If he wins one more state, he wins it all..

11:18--Obama wins re-election. He is president for 4 more years.

God is good. No matter what you wanter/were expecting/thought. God is still good. He is in control. God bless the president.

We helped make history.

The wind's blowing . . . .

So, news of Hurricane Sandy is everywhere. People here at school are constantly checking to make sure their parents are still ok. It's a constant prayer request in classes and front and center in everyone's minds. Please, people that are being affected by this storm, know that I am praying for you. And this blog post is in no way trying to make light of what you are going through. If anything, it is meant to be an encouragement for you.
Remember Matthew 8:23-27?  The disciples and Jesus were crossing the sea when a ginormeous storm blew up around them. The disciples were used to this sea. They had grown up on it, and before Jesus had called them, some of them were fishermen on this sea. Their lives depended on knowing this sea and how to survive storms. But this storm was different. They were freaked out by it. They had never seen anything like this storm--they were sure they were going to die. They forgot everything but surviving. They even forgot what they knew about God. Yes, they lived with Jesus for 3 years. They saw Him heal the sick and raise the dead. They watched Him with His family and friends. They saw Him in His personal time with the Father. They watched Him when He was hungry, thirsty, sad, and tired. They knew Jesus better than any person on earth. They knew that He cared about them and would protect and provide for them. But all this knowledge flew out of their heads when the storm hit. They ran to Jesus, accusing Him of not caring that they were about to die. If they had thought about this, they would have remembered. But they were to scared to notice. To remember. Jesus gently rebuked them. He turned their focus back on Him. He asked why they were afraid. He was there. They needed faith in Him. Because God would never let them down. Then He calmed the storm. I love the disciples response. "What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the seas obey him?" They saw the awesome power of God manifested in what was the worst storm they had ever encountered.
So many of us are going through storms in our lives. For some, it is a very literal storm--pounding your home, your family. Hurricane Sandy is huge. Over 385,000 people have lost power. The wind is over 175 mph at times. I saw one statistic that said 60 million people were or will be affected by this hurricane. It's literal. It's huge. And it's scary. And there is nothing we can do about it. Matthew 8 tells us, though, that even the winds and seas obey Jesus. Job 36:27--For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof. God is in control of the weather. He is using this storm for His glory.
For a lot of us, though, the storms we face aren't literal floods and storms. It may be a best friend turning from God, death of a loved one, church split, parents not understanding, a disease, situations out of our control, or failing grades. I dont' know what you are facing. But God does. And in the storm, remember, He controls the water.

1. Don't focus on the negative. Look at the situation and try and see the best. I know this isn't always possible. But God is using every trial--every storm--to conform you to be more like Jesus Christ.

I love this picture. I mean, it is so beautiful. There is no colour filtration or anything going on. This is a legit picture of the sky right before Sandy hit. I found several other ones similar. This is at dawn (remember, red sky at morning, sailors take warning). This picture is bad--there is a major storm coming. But look at the beauty.  I mean, the gorgeous colours. 

Or the next picture. With the statue of liberty. I mean--this is major creepy. Especially if you live in that area. The storm is coming up. I found pictures that showed waves as high as the base of the statue. But, this picture--I'm not sure what exactly what it is. But seeing the clouds behind the statue and the light and darkness . . . . it is just so gripping. It reminds me of just how powerful my God is. Because even the statue looks vulnerable in this picture.

Lastly, just a reminder. Turn to friends. God didn't intend for you to live the Christian life solo. When you face these storms, that's when you especially need someone to come along side you and help you refocus on God. It's so easy to focus on the individual waves. Like Peter did when Jesus called Him to leave the boat and walk on water. He was doing well as long as he focused on Christ. As soon as He looked to the side, he saw the waves and panicked. Christ had to come alongside him, pull him up, and help him get back in the boat. Find someone you can talk to, tell them what's going on (being honest), and ask for help. Go to someone that isn't going to just make you feel better or feed your bad mood. Go to someone that can point you to God. 

Fear of Rejection . . . .

Please don't read any more of this post. No, seriously.

Why are you still reading? I dont' want you too--you may comment something that hurts my feelings.

OK, I want you to keep reading. But you understand where I'm coming from???

(On a side note, if you don't like personal, dont' read--seriously. because I may be a little personal and share my heart here a bit. But if you want to know more about me, read on.)

 In doctrines today, we were talking about the Passover, and how Jesus Christ completed every single set of sacrifices. Don't ask me to explain how--I zoned out and started thinking about other things. Still sort of related to class (in that, I was still thinking about Jesus Christ), but unrelated to Passover. I was thinking about the verse, John 1:11--"And He came unto His own, and His own received Him not." So, I totally wasn't paying attention, but I came to some interesting conclusions. And you may not agree, or I may be totally wrong (and please, feel free to tell me so--I may feel free to ignore you :D )

So often, we as Christians worry WAY to much about what people think of us. Oh, we will deny it vehemently. And we don't often see it manifested in our lives. It is sometimes very cleverly disguised. In my life, I worry about letting people down. I think that people have really high expectations of me, and therefore, I can't disappoint them. I fear failure. And what people will think of me if I fail. Therefore, I kill myself to be able to do whatever it is people ask, and do it well. My friends keep telling me it is OK to say no, but I have a hard time believing them. Because I worry what people will think. I can't fail. And saying no is failure. At least in my mind.

How does this come across in your life? It may be, like me, fear of failure--saying yes to everything and over-extending yourself so as not to hurt other people. It may be not even trying, because people may think less of you if you mess up. You assume people can do it better. Maybe it's not talking to that guy because people will assume you are dating. Maybe it's not asking that girl out because you think she may say no and hurt your ego. Maybe you are like my friend who had to ask us to check with her to see how she's doing with thinking constantly about how people view her (she's beautiful, but worry that she doesn't look good enough.) In different people, fear of others shows up differently.

You know the verse, I John 2:16? "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world."The pride of the life? Worrying what people think about you? Even if you don't think about it, is it in your life? Where? How does it manifest  itself? And what can you do about it? God tells us to put all our cares on him (I Peter 5:7). So, when you worry about what people think, or you are scared that you may let people down, or you are afraid of rejection, give it to God. When you think that everyone's looking at you and judging you, 2 things. 1. They probably aren't--no one notices (except your best friends) when you do something stupid or everything seems to be going wrong. And if they do notice, they probably won't remember.
2. Even if they are looking, if you can laugh it off, so will everyone else. if you act all embarrassed, they will probably also act all awkward. Just FYI . . .

Remember, that Jesus was rejected by his own family. The religious leaders of His day tried to kill Him (and eventually succeeded). His countrymen hated Him. His disciples warned Him about going to certain parts of the country because people there had tried to kill Him. As Christians, we are called to be like Jesus Christ. I don't mean go out and get your pastor so angry He tries to kill you. At the same time, some people aren't going to like what you are doing. We can't please everyone. And if you are so worried about making everyone happy, you are in for some hard knocks along the way.

So give it to God. Trust in Him. And don't fear rejection. It is going to come. But dont' let it stop you from serving Christ. . . .

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

So, since I am Canadian, today is Thanksgiving. And I wanted to take this opportunity to share just how great God is. Like Seriously.
Philippians 4:4--Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS, and again I say, Rejoice.
I Thessalonians 5:18--In everything, Give thanks. For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

As Christians, we are to live in a constant state of thankfulness. But honestly, this can be hard. I understand crazy schedules, and lack of sleep, and being sick. But "in everything" we are to be thankful.
A crazy schedule means that I have the privilege of being at college.
Lack of sleep means I'm not dead. I still wake up. And I get to drink mountain dew.
Being sick means that normally I am healthy. And I can be thankful that my sickness isn't anything worse than a nasty cold or migraine. In everything, give thanks.

So, this thanksgiving, what am I thankful for? I'm thankful for God's being willing to teach the same lesson over and over again to me. Being a Ed major, I have to teach. So often, when people don't get what I'm telling them, I get frustrated. But God is so patient. I mess up constantly. Mostly it's with letting Him have control and not trusting in myself. But God keeps reminding me gently to give it all to Him.

I'm thankful for the good education I'm getting here at school. I have the privilege of coming to a Christian school where everyone around me (for the most part) loves God. The main focus isn't social life or academics. It's doing everything to serve God.

One of the biggest things I'm thankful for, though, is my friends. When I'm feeling discouraged or stressed or whatever, they come along beside and remind me that God is good. All the  time. When I need a break from  (The never-ending-pile-of) homework, they will do something fun (and knowing me, probably really stupid). Our conversations can focus on God. I love Christian friends.

I'm the most thankful for God. His wonderful work on Calvary that means I can have a relationship with Him. Consider that. The great God of this universe--the Creator of all man-kind--wants a relationship with ME! If I think to hard about that, I'll be so confused I won't be able to think the rest of the day. That's amazing.

So Happy Thanksgiving. What are you thankful for today???

Sooooo tired

So, the first week of school is over, and I'm already exhausted and behind on homework. Is that a bad thing? But I have a good excuse. Because I've been busy. Ok, so that's always my excuse. See, I'm president of my (very, very, very) small society.  And because I am president, I had to plan rush. For my friends that don't know what that is, basically, all the freshmen are required to join a society (like a sorority or fraternity, without all the garbage and drama.) So I had to plan for someone to make posters, getting them up, stuff to give freshmen, rush parties, pancake breakfast, induction night, and tons of other stuff. I had a lot of fun doing it. I learned a lot. And I had a great crew of girls working with me. I could not have done it without all their help. (So, girls on my officer crew and in my society, if you are randomly reading this, I appreciate you sooo much. I couldn't have chosen a better team to help me).  Anyway, the point being this: it's been a lot of late nights and early mornings. And I'm exhausted. But it's a happy tired.
Because I can look back over this week and summer, and even last semester and see the steps God has brought me through to get me ready for this point. Because 2 years ago as a freshman, when I was going through rush and feeling totally overwhelmed, I was so not ready to plan a rush of my own. And here it is over and finished. And it wasn't as hard or as overwhelming as I thought. In fact, it was almost easier than chosing which society to join.
God has been so faithful this past week, though. I've seen him do so much for me, personally. And it isn't always the big things. I mean, at least for me, I don't tend to pray for little things that need to happen. I like to take care of them myself, and trust in myself. When it's something that is a big deal (like we need lots of girls to join our society), I take those to God. When it's little things, that isn't usually my first response. But God answered several of those prayers that I didn't even pray.  for instance, the copy center on campus flooded, and I still needed to print 600 buisness cards (75 pages) and get them cut. It would be so much easier for Bellis to cut them than for me to do it. But they were closed. So i just decided to do it myself. So as I was getting ready to print them, one of the people in the computer lab asked what I was doing them told me I should just let Bellis do it because it would be easier. I didn't even know they were open again. This was a few days after the flood.  THere have been so many things like that this week that God has worked out even before I thought to ask him.  He is so good to me, even when I ignore Him. He takes care of His children, and I can trust Him--no matter what. That's the lesson I've been learning and continue to learn. God is good, and I can trust Him all the time.

Praise, Prayer Request, and what God's taught me--all in one . . .

Has your pastor or youth pastor ever asked you to share a praise, prayer request, or something God has taught you? Mine does--often. Sometimes it is hard to come up with one (well, not the prayer request, we seem to always have those). But this past Saturday (yeah, I know it's Wednesday, I haven't had time to get on my computer much lately), I got all three in one day--and they were all related to each other.
so first, the praise. The 8 hours I spent at work at Tim Hortons got really stressful. I don't tend to get stressed out very often. I serve one customer at a time and just roll with the punches. But today had been really busy--it was the Atlantic National Car Show, and we were short staffed. Which is bad, because we had only 4 people serving more people than we served on concert day. We got another person in eventually, but for several hours we were short-staffed. So, I was feeling run off my feet, my head was pounding, and I was ready to go home. And it was only 9:00. I was off at 3. So I saw this couple come in and stand at the back of the line. As I watched them (from what seemed to be miles away), I noticed something different about them. She was in a skirt and modest top. He was in a full suit (tie included). They were waiting patiently in line--not rolling their eyes and making disgusted faces at the long wait. Who wears a suit and tie in 35 degree (95 degree Fahrenheit) weather? The only answer I could come up with was a pastor. Sure enough, when they finally got to the front of the line, they weren't complaining about how long they were waiting. They were patient and polite. After they paid me, they give me a tip and a tract. Yes! They gave me a tract. I have never, in my 6 years of food service, been giving a tract. I didn't tell them I was a Christian too, because by the time I looked away from the tract, they were headed towards the door. It was a pastor and his wife from Newfoundland. That was such a blessing for me. God used them to remind me that I wasn't alone and wasting my time. There are other Christians around. The rest of the day went better because of their desire to reach people for Jesus Christ.
So that's my praise--and what God taught me. I have worked food service for 6 years and that was the first tract I ever got. I serve an average of 1000 people a day. So if I work 200 days a year (average), that's 200,000 people a year. Multiply that by 6 and you get a staggering amount of people. A lot of those are regulars, who I know are NOT Christians. However, many of those people that I don't know probably are Christians. None of them offered me a tract, or seemed to care about where I would spend eternity. Have I given any thought to the person making my lunch behind the counter? When you think about it, what's more important? Offending people you may never see again anyway, or knowing they may spend forever in Hell because you were too embarrassed to give them a tract? That's what God taught me.
On to the prayer request, which also is a praise. After 8 hours at Tim Hortons, I went to work for another 6 hours at Little Caesars (yes, I'm trying to pay school bills). There is this guy named Aaron that is a supervisor, that I have worked with several times. He really doesn't know what he believes, but is willing to take any side so we can debate (or argue, whatever word you want to use) Christianity and what I believe. Often he leaves friendly arguments and starts attacking--me, what I believe or whatever. He is very cynical and it seems like he tries to ask really hard questions just to see me slip up. But Saturday, while it started out this way, it very quickly changed tones. He said to me, "It just isn't really fair. You know exactly what you believe and can support it with evidences--both from the Bible, history, and whatever. Nothing I say can change your mind. How come you can have answers and I can't? Why do you know exactly what you believe? Why do I have to doubt?" I told him he didn't have to. From there we got into heaven and hell, Jesus, and many other topics. We worked together for 6 hours, so we had lots of time. He was raised Catholic, so he knows a lot about Jesus (the virgin birth, crucifixion, etc.). He no longer is a practicing catholic, but he is searching. Please join me in praying for him. Also, pray for me, that I would have the words to say to him when he asks questions and that we would have time to really talk. That is my prayer request. My second praise is that I still had the tract the Newfie pastor gave me, and I was able to give that to Aaron.
So that is what God showed me this past weekend. Isn't He faithful???
Now I must go spend my day off cleaning and doing stuff that hasn't been getting done!!!!

Gotta update the description of my blog . . .

 The description says: "I have a passion for teenagers. I want to see them (us) stretch . . . "  I have to take out the (us). Because I am no longer a teenager. As of this past Thursday (May 24th), I left my teen years behind and am moving on to a new decade: my twenties. I have seen 2 different millennium (millenia?), 3 decades, 3 centuries, and I just turned 20. I have personally witnessed 9/11, the wars in Iraq and the middle east, the popularity of cellphones and laptop computers skyrocket, technology become a part of everyday life, earthquakes, tsunamis, national disasters, and many other things. I've heard about the deaths of Steve Jobs, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, and several other prominent celebrities. Which shows just how short and uncertain life is. No one knows how long or short their lives are going to be. Which means we should make every moment count for eternity. Which is not the point of this blog post. In the short life God has given me so far, I've watched Him do amazing things--in my own life and in the world around me. He has shown Himself to be in control of everything. And despite the world tragedies that have happened in the last 2 decades, I know that my God is still a loving God. He is still good. And He is still powerful. He is awesome.
Just because I am not a teenager doesn't mean I don't have a burden for teens, still. I still want to see them stretch to serve God with everything they have. Not only that, I want to see them stretch beyond their limits. It is only then that they will truly see God work. By depending on our own strength, and only doing what we think we can do, we can't give God the glory like we could when we give everything up to Him. So, challenge to all the teenagers that may be reading this--give your life to God. He is powerful enough to handle it and take you beyond anywhere you thought you could go. Watch Him work. You will be amazed!!!
People ask if I miss being a teenager, and they also ask if I feel any older.
1. I do and I don't miss being a teenager. Being a teen is hard work--growing and changing and added responsibility, and getting a job, highschool, getting ready for college, seeing what God wants you to do, etc. A lot of not fun stuff. On the other hand, I miss youth group. and not having to worry about growing up and the future and stuff. I miss being a teenager that actually works hard and wants to please God. Yes, I can do that as a young adult but it isn't quite the same somehow.
2. And I do feel older. this is the first time I actually have. Every year, people ask me, and every year, I don't. but suddenly, I'm a young adult. not a teenager. which is cool. I'm excited to see how God is going to work in my life this next decade, and I"m looking forward to see what he lets me do :)

An update on my life. . . .

It's been nuts.

The end.

No really. There isn't much more I can say about it.

Actually, there is. God has been faithful through it all. And this week, more than any, I have felt His presence and seen Him work in everything. God has worked so much stuff out this week, I was just (and still am) amazed.
At the beginning of this week, I had 3 tests, 3 papers, a teaching lesson, and a massively huge project (as in I spent over 60 hours on it). I got sick on Monday (nasty cold, etc.) I had the normal everyday classes and homework. And I was trying to figure out schedules because I am planning to sit out a semester. (which I will explain later on).
God moved one of my tests to next week, turned one into a take home project that isn't due until next week, moved the teaching lesson and one of the papers, and the other test isn't due until today (Saturday) at noon. The massive project got finished with 10 hours to spare (!!!), and through it all, I watched God give me time to finish everything else I had to. I have finished (finally) everything that was due this week. Everything got turned in on time, my 2 lessons that I teach are coming together, and I have already started studying for my English test. Isn't God awesome??
Then there was the whole business of sitting out a  semester. I have told some of you (my friends) what is going on, but basically I am sitting out spring semester of next year (junior year) to earn some money to come back to school. I want to graduate on time, May 2014. Which basically means squeezing 8 semesters of ED classes into 7 semesters. Which is just another proof that I am crazy and insane. But thankfully my God isn't. He is in control, and I really needed his help to work all this out. My brother is coming next semester, and I really wanted to be here for his semester (William, if you are reading this, it isn't because I think you can't do it on your own, it's just more fun with an upperclassman :D ). Plus, I was told that I may have the opportunity to go on the Spring drama team with BJU to go out West :) which would be totally awesome. So I have to sit out Spring 2013. Unfortunately, Ed classes are only offered certain semesters, so that semester has 2 classes that I need. I was able (with the help of the Dean of Ed), to change one class, and I found the other class online. It's all working out.
Finally.
Everything is going the way I need it to.

Wait. Let me restate that. Everything is going the way I want it to. Even if it didn't work out the way I want it to, it would still work the way I need it to. Because God is in control. So whatever He wants to happen will, and it will be exactly what I need. Because He is awesome. So from here on out, it's going to be nuts. So, if I seem a bit busy, I probably am. If my social life completely dies, it's because I am nutty busy. If the only time I see you is to study with you, be grateful you are a fellow ED major. I don't ever see my other friends. But God is amazing. And He is going to work it all out.

Every day is a bad day?!?!?!

"Forever alone"

Tired of eating by myself--i think I'll just stay in my room forever. No one will miss me."

"How long, oh Lord, wilt thou forget me?"

The same person posted all three of those statuses, and many more like it. I finally unfriended her because I was tired of her depressed, woe-is-me attitude. You have friends like this. We all do. 

I am, by nature, a very hyper, cheerful, smily-type of person. To be honest, I sometimes hide what I'm really feeling behind a smiling mask. Which isn't right either. But, people that are always unhappy, as ironic as it may seem, depress me. 

Which brings me to the point of this post (which, I realize has been way to long since the last one--hey! It's been busy). How can one be a Christian and constantly be having a bad day? What happened to "the joy of the Lord is my strength"and "rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice?"  I understand having rough days--I have them too (it's called migraines, bad test scores, long work shifts, and massive projects). But a rough day doesn't mean a bad day. Never. 

Jesus had rough days too. Having your countrymen mock you, the religious leaders scorn you, and your family reject you? That's not my idea of a good vacation. Just because He had a rough day didn't mean he was depressed. As Marilla says in the movie, Anne of Green Gables,  "to despair is to turn your back on God." When we think, "this day can't get any worse", we are not trusting in God. Even when the day is not going the way you planned, you can still choose to praise God. He allowed the circumstances to happen. You know what verse I'm going to use. . . 

Romans 8:28--"We KNOW that all things work together for good to them that are called according to His purpose>." We were talking about this in Sunday School. That is a really easy verse to quote when someone else is having a bad day or something tough is going on. Not to easy to quote to yourself when your world is falling apart (and believe me--I've been there). When we want a verse of encouragement, we want to hear "I'll never leave or forsake you". In our head, we know that God is working everything together for good. It's harder to believe when something is bad. It doesn't say that everything IS good--but that God will take the bad and make something good come out of it. 

I understand! It's hard when everything is falling apart to remember and tell yourself that God is using this in your life to make you better. Keep trusting! He has never broken a promise, and you aren't going to be the first person that God breaks a promise to. That, I can guarantee. 

back at school . . . .

Don't know why I do this to myself. This semester is going to be nuts. I keep telling myself they can't get any busier, and then, lo and behold, they do. There isn't enough room on google to list all the stuff I have to do, so I'm not even going to try. Thankfully I serve an awesome God. He is bigger than google and can hold all of the stuff I need to do. Hudson Taylor said, "God uses those that are weak and feeble enough to lean on Him." That's my prayer this semester. That I would remember to lean on Christ in everything. I know in my head that I have no strength on my own.  I just need to remember it, because it's a lot easier to take over and not lean on Christ.I can trust Him. He's never failed me before, and He never will.


My theme song for this semester is: God Makes No Mistakes by Kim Moore (yes, I have a theme song every semester. If you want to know past ones, just ask.)


My life I give to You, oh Lord.Use me, I pray.
May I glorify Your precious name in all I do and say.
Let me trust You in the valley dark, as well as in the light.
Knowing You will always lead me--Your will is always right!
I know God makes no mistakes. He leads in every path I take
Along the way that's leading me to home.
Tho' at times my heart would break, there's a purpose to every change He makes:
That others would see my life and know that God makes no mistakes.


NO matter what happens, God is still in control. Everything that happens is a part of His plan. There are no "oops" moments with God. Praise Him!!!

Merry Christmas

Yeah for Christmas, and breaks from school, and sleeping in, and good food, and whatever. yeah, basically this is like another round of Thanksgiving for me. The only downside is that I miss all my friends. Why couldn't y'all come to Canada for Christmas? We had a White Christmas.  . . Just sayin.
Anyway, I must say that my favourite part of Christmas is probably the music. I am a music freak--gotta  admit. There is something different about listening to a congergation sing Angels From the Realms of Glory. There is something special about the singing that takes place in December as opposed to the other 11 months of the year. I can't put my finger on it exactly. But praising God takes on a whole new meaning when you consider all He did this month. Seriously. Think about it. When you consider all that God did, knowing what was going to happen, it will blow your mind. God and Jesus both--in this month (or whenever it actually happened, probably not December) gave up incredible things for us.
God gave up His only Son. He knew that His Son would be rejected on earth, and would eventually die. He also knew that His only Son, whom He loved more than anything else, would carry the sin of the world. God the Father would have to turn His back on God the Son. He would have to reject Him.  
God the Son knew that by coming to earth, He was coming to die. He didnt' have the assurance that everything was going to be ok--in fact, He knew it was going to be just the opposite. He was leaving a wonderful home in Heaven where He had angels bowing to His every command, worshipping Him, and serving Him. He had no physical limitations. No humanity. Never being tired and hungry. He was surrounded by perfection. He gave that all up to live in a sin-cursed earth. He gave up the angels to live in a family that was anything but. He traded streets of Gold for streets of sand. Kind of a rotten trade. But He knew that He had to so we could have a relationship with Him.
I think that is why singing at Christmas time is so special. We are praising the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We are remembering His birth. 
Remember, the greatest gift of all wasn't put under a tree, but nailed to a tree. Remember that the whole Christmas story--the Babe in the manger--is only the beginning. It isn't a separate event. That cute little baby on the Christmas card is the same person on the cross.
Check out this link--it is humorous, but makes a good point. 
http://skitguys.com/videos/item/christmas-connection
just, dont' forget.
Merry Christmas!

The person not mentioned in the Christmas Story

So I was in Sunday School this past Sunday (Obviously Sunday, not another day, since it was Sunday school.) OK, so forgive me--my brain is fried because I've been studying for exams for like ever. Anyway, we were doing Christmas jeopardy, and one of the questions was: "What did the innkeeper say to Mary and Joseph?"
Answer 1: No room in the inn (Wrong)
Answer 2: What is no room in the inn? (Wrong)
Answer 3: There was no innkeeper.
That is the correct answer. Give her a piece of candy.
Wait! Did I just say that? There wasn't an innkeeper? Well, obviously, there had to be an innkeeper. There was an inn, we know. And it wasn't a free hotel. There had to be someone hanging out there doing the cleaning and taking care of animals and food and money and stuff. But did you realize that he is not ever mentioned in the Bible? There is nothing about his complaining about all the people and how King David would be horrified to see his home town disgraced this way. He doesn't regretfully tell them to leave since he is filled up, then changes his mind, goes running after them, and shows them to a stable, providing clean clothes.
He is not even mentioned.
Luke 2: the classic Christmas story says--
verse 6 & 7--and so it was that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first born son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes. Because there was no room for them in the inn.
Verse 8: and there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the fields . . .
There are only 5 mentions of an inn in our Bible. Only 2 of them are in the NT (both in Luke), and one of them is this chapter. (The other one is about the good Samaritan).  
So, I totally had this whole post planned out in my mind last night, but between studying for my early childhood ed class and hermeneutics, I completely forgot what I was going to say. So this is being winged, which, when I think about it, is actually how i do a lot of stuff.
The innkeeper. We know he exists. He did play an important part in this story.  Sort of. I mean, he gave Jesus His first bed. In a stable. He gave Jesus the feeding trough. But he was willing to give when no one else would/could.
Think about it. Did he do a good thing? yes! HE let a pregnant mother give birth in his barn.
Did he do what was best? No. Of course, you could argue, he didn't know the King of kings and Lord of lords was going to be born in his barn. No, but he knew a baby was going to be born in his barn. You could also argue that Mary and Joseph were a poor couple--he could tell by looking at them that they wouldn't be able to pay the (probably much higher than normal) rates per night. It would be a money loss for him to turn out another paying guest for this couple that would not be able to pay him much at all.
Before you judge him, how often have you done this? Done something "good" instead of something better? Like the innkeeper--sacrificed having Jesus being born in his Inn and let him be born in his barn. It was good of him to give up the barn, would have been better for him to give up a room.
how often do we do this? Sacrifice best for good. Study some because we know we will pass when we should study a ton to reach the next letter grade. Hang out with a friend and do some spiritual encouraging when we should be hanging out with the God of the universe? Do you know what I mean???
This Christmas, focus on doing what is best instead of settling for what is good. You may not always know exactly what God has in store, but trust Him anyways!

He Paid a Debt He did not owe

Have you ever heard the song, "He Paid a debt" by Ellis J. Crum?
The first verse goes like this:


He paid a debt He did not owe;
I owed a debt I could not pay;
I needed someone to wash my sins away.
And, now, I sing a brand new song,
“Amazing Grace” all day long,
Christ Jesus paid a debt that I could never pay.


Last week in chapel, the speaker was talking about the story Jesus told from Matthew 18. You know, the one about the unforgiving servant. He owed a lot of money, the king forgave the debt, and then he wouldn't forgive the man who owed him so little.  The chapel speaker was talking about it in terms that we would understand. Now, I don't know about you, but the terms "talent", "denarius", and "pence" don't mean much to me in relation to money. I mean, I knew the dude owed  a lot of money, but just exactly how much. 
Forgive all the math i am about to do. Skip past it if you want to. It doesn't really matter. The point will be clear at the end.
So, the average day's wage for a common labourer in Jesus' time was a denari. 
One talent is 6,000 denari. 
The man owes 10,000 talents.
10,000 X 6,000=60,000,000
This man owes 60 million denari, or 60 million days wages.
How many lifetimes would he have to work to pay this off?
As a Jew, he wouldn't work the sabbath, so he is working 6 days a week.
Let's assume he works 50 weeks a year (1 week for passover and one for the feast of tabernacle--or whatever). 
So he is working 300 days a year. So, 60 million days/300 days a year= 200,000 years 
this guy has to work 200,000 years. Let's suppose he works 60 years a lifetime.
200,000/ 60=3,333.33 lifetimes.
I never realized just how huge this debt was. I mean, I always heard a million dollars or something like that. Yes, that is a huge debt, but if you had a good job, saved up your money for  a long time, and had some help from family members, you could probably pay it off. 
Let's put his debt into today's terms. Back home, minimum wage is $10/hour. Let's work 8 hours a day, so therefore, $80 a day. If we are working 60 million days to pay it off, how much do we owe?
60,000,000 X 80 = 4,800,000,000. That's 4.8 billion dollars, in case you got confused by the zeros.
That is impossible to pay off. Not humanly possible unless you are Bill Gates.  I never realized just how huge his debt was.
Every sermon I ever heard preached on this topic quickly glanced at the debt the man couldn't pay, then moved on to the unforgiving part. 
When we look at this story, we generally notice the unforgiving and the unforgiven. What about the forgiver?
What about the king?
He's suddenly out 4.8 billion dollars.
There was no possible way this man could pay it. Not unless he had over 3,000 lifetimes to give in service. And that's assuming he can live rent free and not buy groceries. The king, without giving another thought, forgave and forgot the debt. He didn't hold it over this man. 
As you know, the King is God. And we owed a lot more than 4.8 billion dollars. We have nothing with which we could pay this debt. So Jesus Christ steps in and says,
"Hey! I love that person. I will give my life for them so they can live eternally, debt free." It's all His amazing love. Nothing that we could do could even begin to pay this debt. 
How great is God? I mean, seriously? He did this. He knew we couldn't, and He wants a relationship with us, so He steps in and takes care of our debt! Praise the Lord!!

The Best sport of [the Christian] life

I like sports. Not going to lie. I don't really understand a lot of what is going on, and most of the time I can't see where the ball is. But the excitement of watching a game or the thrill of spiking that ball is exhilarating. I have played basketball on an official team, softball with my church, volleyball for my society, and I cheer for guys soccer here at BJU (Go Tornados!!! :D) I was thinking about volleyball and cheering in relation to the Christian life. Yeah, I know that's a weird comparison and stuff, but that's how my brain works, especially after spending 3 hours working on a computer project.
So, how does volleyball work (as the sport--not spiritualizing). Everyone works together to get the ball back over the net without letting it touch the ground. At least, that's the goal. It doesn't always happen. But we try. And we loose. But one of the main goals of our volleyball team is to have fun playing together, and as long as we do that, I chalk it up as a win. Anyway, in volleyball, the whole team works together to get stuff done. We all have a different position to play. Some stand back in the corner, someone serves, someone is front and center. Different people do different things. But working together is when we get stuff done. If I decided to tell my team to take a day off, because I was going to do it all myself, I wouldn't get anything accomplished, and I would be laughed off the court. I need the rest of them, and they need me. I can't  do it on my own, but no one person can.
So how does cheerleading work? I stand on the side of the court with 4 or 5 other girls, and we do the exact same thing (motions, words, etc). There is no individualism or seperate jobs for each of us. And in the end, if we win, no one notices the cheerleaders. It's all about the guys. We don't kick the ball into the net or throw it into the basket. We stand there and cheer them on.
So how does all this relate to the Christian life? I think there are principles from both volleyball and cheering that we can apply to the Christian life. The Christian life is a team sport. We each have different roles and responsibilities. Paul brings this out in the book of Corinthians. HE talks about how we aren't all eyes, or noses, or feet. The body of Christ is made up of all different types of people. There are the servers (people who get the ball rolling), the people who stand in the back and hit the ball when it comes to them, and the front and center people who seem to be everywhere doing everything at once. The church needs all of them to keep the ball moving. If one person tries to steal the whole show, everyone looses. We need to work together. There needs to be unity among the body of Christ.
At the same time, though, the Christian life is kind of like cheerleading. Most obviously, cheerleaders stand there and work (practice, etc.) but ultimately, when Z wins the Turkey Bowl, the guys are going to get their picture in the collegian and be famous all over campus. Not us. Which is totally fine. That's how it should be. They do all the hard work. In the CHristian life, we work hard for Jesus Christ, but when it's all said and done, He should get the glory. He did the real work in dying on the cross. Also, as Christians, we can "cheer on" other Christians, supporting them in their own race.
How are you doing in the Christian sports arena? Are you living as a cheerleader? Are you a volleyball-ist trying to steal the show? Work together. Support others. Give glory to Christ. That's what it's all about.

French lesson!

"Would you be free from your burden of sin,
There's power in the blood! Power in the blood.
Would you o're evil a victory win?
There's wonderful power in the blood.
There is power! Power! Wonder working power.
In the blood of the Lamb.
There is power, power, wonder-working power
In the precious blood of the lamb."

Several years ago, my church went on a mission trip to Quebec. We learned several songs in French, and one of them was power in the blood, written above. For some reason, I was singing this song tonight in French, walking from one place on campus to another. And as I was singing it, I was thinking of the literal translation. If you know anything about language, you understand that a lot of times, words don't translate literally. In this case, the french translation of the chorus is:

Je suis fort, fort!

Oui, plus que vainqueur, 

Par le sang de Jésus!

Je suis fort, fort!

Oui, plus que vainqueur, 

Par le sang de Jésus, mon Sauveur!

The first line is what I was thinking about the most. In English, we sing, "There is power! Power!. . . "  Literal translation: Je--I. suis---it's a Be-verb, basically means Am. fort--strong. This is saying:
"I am strong, strong!
Yes, more than a conqueror,
By the blood of Jesus!
I am strong, strong!
Yes, more than a conqueror,
By the blood of Jesus, my Savior!"


Is that not amazing? We are strong through the precious blood of Jesus. It isn't just that the power is there. It is in us. We are more than conquerors because of what Jesus has done for us! Praise God! We can have victory through the precious blood of Jesus our Saviour!!! If that doesn't make you rejoice, nothing will! 
There's something about a foreign language that makes you see things in a whole new light. It puts a different emphasis on the words. It makes us think in a different way. Try looking up one of your favourite songs or a verse on google translate. Translate it into a different language. Translate it back to English. See what happens. 

Come: A story based on Luke 14:16-24

Imagine with me, for a moment, that you are the servant. Your master has prepared a giant feast and has invited his closest friends. You can't even begin to imagine or understand just how much this feast has cost. And because the master really loves his friends, he has bought the most expensive food and prepared it himself. You delivered "save the date" invitations a month ago, and 2 weeks ago, you hand-delivered personal invitations, and every friend said they would come. The only other job you have for this feast is to go tonight and pick up the guests in your master's limo. Alright. So you head out. First house. This guy has been the master's best friend since they were born. They did everything together. You know this is going to be an awesome night because this guy is  a ton of fun. 

Knock, knock, knock. Door opens: "Hello, just coming to escort you to the grand feast my master has prepared for you."

The guy shuffles his feet and won't look you in the eye. "Hey man, I'm really sorry. I'm not going to be able to make it tonight. I've got stuff going on. Tell your master thanks for inviting me, though. Really appreciate the invitation and hope he hasn't gone to too much trouble to get this together." Door closes in your face. You stand there with your mouth hanging open. 

"OK, whatever. Maybe he isn't as good of a friend as the master thought he was. It's only one person. Lots of people have been invited. No one will notice his absence."
You move on to the next house, and invite that person to get into the limo.

"I'm sorry. I just bought a car and I need to work on the engine. Thanks though. Hey, by the way, nice outfit man!"

"OK, this is really weird."
Next house: Man comes to the door, looking sheepish when you ask him, trying to remain pleasant, to get into the car. "I'm sorry, I can't. My wife doesn't want to go out tonight." Meanwhile, from somewhere in the house, you hear a shrill voice yelling, "Horace! What have i told you about answering the door! Now come here! The dishes still need to be washed!" You give him a pitiful look as you head back to the car.

House after house, friend after friend: they all come up with a pitiful excuse not  to come. You have visited every house on your list, and not one of them followed you into the limo. 

As you head back to the master's mansion, you are very discouraged, and a bit fearful. 

"This is bad. It's like they all got together and conspired to not come tonight. What is the master going to say? What is my lord going to do? Is he going to be angry at me? What will I tell him?"
As you pull into the large circular driveway, you see the master standing at the bottom of the steps waiting to greet the guests. You slowly get out of the limo and walk over to him. His smile of joy turns to a mask of anger when he notices that no guests get out of the car. "Where are they?!" He calls to you. 

"They were unable to come, my lord. I invited each of them, but they made excuses. It looks like your hard work and sacrifice was for waste."
"No! It shall not be wasted. Go back out. Go to Walmart. Go to the slums. Find people that need me and what I have to offer and invite them. Bring them. All of them. Those that need me will want me. The people that I invited, those that I originally worked for have rejected me. I will go to those who need me. I will go to those who will accept me."
So you go. You find those that will come. You fill the banquet hall. And nobody notices you as you serve the food. They see the lord at the head of the table. And you are glad. That's the way it should be. You didn't pay for the supper. You didn't have to sacrifice. You didn't have to prepare it. You just had to invite people to partake.

Jesus came to the Jews, but they rejected him. He gave up heaven, sacrificed for them, but they killed him. So He went to those that needed him, that were willing to accept Him. We are the servants of the Lord. We don't have to pay or prepare. We just have to invite others to partake in the Lord's sacrifice. His anger isn't directed at us. It's directed at those who reject His sacrifice. And just like in the story, no one should be paying attention to the servant. The master should be getting all the attention. And we should be thankful, and more than willing to let Him get all the glory.

PRAISE THE LORD OUR MASTER!