The Big Apple. (Yum! Haha, just kidding, late night humor, lol) One of the top 3 largest cities in the world...it's where you'll find all sorts of unexpected surprises. I mean, people from every country of the world flock there to see the sites. The streets are bustling with people speaking all sorts of languages, wearing all sorts of fashions, and honking cars on every street intersection. It's great fun! I think it was love at first step off the train for me.
I went to New York with my IT project small group and we attacked New York in a day and a half. That city didn't know what hit it! The first thing the four of us girls did Friday night was hop on a subway and ride to dinner in the heart of a quaint part of town. The place was called Cafe Mingala (which means Cafe Hello--haha, very friendly) and the waitor's name was Sidd. We shared a rice pasta and duck dish and a vegetable and rice dish along with some tasty naan bread. When the first course was done Sidd brought us a plate of fresh orange slices. Then we strolled around and saw central park and the metropolitan art museum from the outside and Times Square at night, which was a gorgeous display of lights and digital moving billboards and flashing colors.
The next morning we arrived by subway again at the South side of town. We saw the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island from a distance and walked through a pretty flower garden to a little bakery where we bought lunch and sat under a tree to enjoy it. Then we walked and took the subway over to Ground Zero. It wasn't as much of a mess as I thought, it was basically a huge construction job with a big construction fence around it. But nontheless, seeing it for real was kind of breathtaking. I can't believe its been almost 7 years since the day I sat in my class as a high school freshman staring in shock at the TV screen as the twin towers collapsed and sent dust and rubble flying for blocks. There were construction tunnels you could walk through to see over and around the fence and there was a plaque with an immense list of names of the lives lost in the 9/11 attacks and some billboards on the rubble site to commemmorate the events.
It was hot and sticky in New York by that time and we headed into a huge Financial something or other building to escape the heat and while trying to find restrooms we found a huge indoor amphitheater with marble steps, huge victorian windows that took up the whole back wall, palm trees--and a huge crowd cheering and yelling at the latin ballroom dance competition going on. It was crazy, I never would have expected to find all that inside that building, lol. Then in the same building we found an Italian Gelato shop and satisfied our sweet tooths. MMM, my chocolate and dulce de leche gelato was amazing! Walking out of the building 3 young ladies from Israel stopped and asked for help with directions and we talked with them for a while. Haha, I asked if I could say "Shalom!" when they said they were Jewish and they were excited, so that was fun. Next we headed towards ChinaTown! Holla! Haha, it was a blast, but it was CRAZY!! There were so many people on the sidewalks and in the shops, I could barely move, or breath. If you so much as glanced at a bracelet or scarf, a chinese shopkeeper would come invade your personal space and say, "which color you like? you like bracret? 15 dolla." I learned that if you liked something you looked at, you ask the nearest shopkeeper how much and when they say "20 dolla", you immediately put the item back and say, thank you, and start walking away. Haha, and then a moment later, they shout, "for you, 15 dolla!" Then you go back and say, "I'll pay 10 dolla" and then they say, "okay, okay, 10 dolla fo you". And that's how that's done! Haha, it was fun, I got some good stuff.
So, we walked around China town with all its craziness and cheap clothes and strange smells and then meandered around little Italy which smelled AMAZING of course and the majority comprised of quaint little outdoor cafes and restaurants. We stopped at the nearest pizza joint complete with graffitied one person bathroom and all. The pizza was great. New York style HUGE slices with pretty much anything you wanted for toppings.
We stopped in a little Tibetan store and bought some sweet sandals and started talking to the store owner and he told us an incredible story. He's from a higher class Tibetan family who were imprisoned for no reason really other than communism in a Chinese prison when he was 10. He was there for 10 years until he escaped and walked over the mountains into India where he stayed for a while before coming to the city. Then we talked about all kinds of stuff like happiness and forgiveness, I wish we had had more time to talk with him. He said we were'nt like other people because we were actually interested in him and what he was saying. He said people just don't listen to each other anymore. I enjoyed listening to him, we all did.
Later we hit up the big stores and did some classic New York style shopping. New York is the home of the largest Macy's on earth, which is 6 stories. It was ridiculous. And every other big chain store is at least 2 or 3 stories, like H & M and Forever 21. By that time it was 9pm and we had to be back at the train station to meet the other small groups and ride back to the vans and drive the 2 and a half hours back to Philly. I was so exhausted I slept on the ride home. And this morning got to sleep in. It was glorious. This afternoon just our small group did some exploring around Philly looking at Independance hall and other fun historical stuff and waiting in a very long line at one of the best Philly Cheesesteak hookups in town and plopping down on some sidewalk sitting against a building since there was no seating at the place, which is called Pat's by the way. It was probably one of my favorite memories with my small group so far.
The rest of today was spent studying for our perspectives midterm and taking it online and then finishing up the readings and workbook and quiz for tomorrow. So now I am spent and going to go to bed since I have to go to class in the morning--which by the way is getting better and better. I thought the first lesson blew me away, but Friday's lesson REALLY blew me away. I'm looking forward to the rest of the lessons.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Just do it
What made an impact on me most from hearing the history of what God did in the world to fulfill His purposes in the world was hearing about the women victims of the Viking conquests! The Vikings at the time were the most ruthless pagan peoples of the world and they seemed unstoppable in their conquests. Everywhere they went they slaughtered men and children, but raped and eslaved the women. What amazes me is the witness of those women. They had seen the Vikings shed the blood of their families and afterwards had been violated and degraded. But instead of vengfully fighting back, they chose the way of Christ. Instead of fighting back, they whispered the gospel into the ears of the Viking men as they were raped. I don't know about you, but that is amazing to me.
These women chose love, even though it required all kinds of difficult personal sacrifice and trust in God as they gave their lives to serve the Vikings in the midst of their grief and loss. What started happening is the Vikings were effected by the power of the gospel in the lives of these women! These women trusted God in their cicumstances, doing everything for God's glory and because of this the gospel spread in the entire Viking world!
This has made such an impact on me because I dream of going and bringing the good news of the gospel blessing of God to unreached people, but if God wanted me to stay, or put me into circumstances like those women, I don't know if I could withstand it. It inspires me so much and so does Paul as I read of the numerous accounts of suffering for God's glory in his life. I think of his words in Colossians 1, "to this end I labor with his energy which so powerfully works within me". Paul had hard circumstance after hard circumstance in his life, but he knew what he was about. He knew that no matter where he was, what he did, or who he was with, he was supposed to glorify God. He didn't always see what God was doing, but he trusted God. His purpose was to glorify God. He didn't let circumstances get him down, he just did it. Looking at these stories I aspire to just do it too!
These women chose love, even though it required all kinds of difficult personal sacrifice and trust in God as they gave their lives to serve the Vikings in the midst of their grief and loss. What started happening is the Vikings were effected by the power of the gospel in the lives of these women! These women trusted God in their cicumstances, doing everything for God's glory and because of this the gospel spread in the entire Viking world!
This has made such an impact on me because I dream of going and bringing the good news of the gospel blessing of God to unreached people, but if God wanted me to stay, or put me into circumstances like those women, I don't know if I could withstand it. It inspires me so much and so does Paul as I read of the numerous accounts of suffering for God's glory in his life. I think of his words in Colossians 1, "to this end I labor with his energy which so powerfully works within me". Paul had hard circumstance after hard circumstance in his life, but he knew what he was about. He knew that no matter where he was, what he did, or who he was with, he was supposed to glorify God. He didn't always see what God was doing, but he trusted God. His purpose was to glorify God. He didn't let circumstances get him down, he just did it. Looking at these stories I aspire to just do it too!
A Force to Be Reckoned With! Amen!
How incredible is God?!? Seriously! Viewing the bible as a whole and seeing--what I feel like is for the first time--the story of Jesus' life and God's plan and purpose from Genesis to Revelation!
Jesus was an extraordinary man! Even those who don't believe in God think so! Everything He said seems to carry some profoundly deep and vital and compelling meaning to it. I've been thinking of those beckoning 3 words he says to ordinary people like you and me, "Come follow me"! I am understanding more and more the deeper implications of those words. In the gospels, Jesus is unpredictable! His disciples didn't know what was going on half the time, but they were so devoted to Him, placing their trust in Him and the promises of God. He was unpredictable, but real with people. He is serious about justice, but serious about love--even to death-on a cross! Everything about Him is rooted in deep passion for seeing God glorified through worship.
I'm learning that missions isn't so much about a task, as it is worship! It's about people from every tribe and language and nation worshiping God! And missions is proclaiming the good news of the coming of God's everlasting reign on earth and salvation to those who trust and follow Christ's lead. It's the pouring out of their lives like He did into the lives of others who will do the same! It's working as a whole world-wide body of believers, fulfilling by the power of God what Christ began as His Spirit so powerfully works within and through us--until there are people from among all people groups worshiping God!
It is invariably more vital and glorifying to God to allow Him to pursue me in a love relationship that is real and personal than anything else in the world! Because my passions will be parallel to His and because I love Him, I will obey His commands and everything else will come. Like Paul I'd choose passion and base every decision on God's glory instead of mine. If I even had an ounce of Paul's passion! Whew! He was a force to be reckoned with!
One thing that so astounds me is that God even allows us the privelage to work alongside Him. Jesus saw where God was working and came as a suffering servant in love to do the Father's will. I also have the privelage of prayer! I'm becoming more and more convicted of the power of prayer to rebell against the evil that blinds eyes to the light of the gospel. I'm learning that prayer is key; to evangelism, to worship, to relationship, to seeing God move. Laboring in prayer can even be a privelage of sharing in Christ's sufferings for God's glory...
Sacrifice is never easy. This summer I gave 2 months of my life to God. It's amazing how He works in your life when you humbly give Him what you have! But He seems to be asking me, or rather beckoning, "Would you give a lifetime? Would you trust me with your whole life?" Even though I know this is just the beginning and let's be real, there will be hard times ahead no matter what, everything in my heart wants to say, "Yes, Lord!" because of the surpassing joy of knowing Christ! I'm so eager to see what else the Lord has in mind this summer because so far He has positively blown me away!
Jesus was an extraordinary man! Even those who don't believe in God think so! Everything He said seems to carry some profoundly deep and vital and compelling meaning to it. I've been thinking of those beckoning 3 words he says to ordinary people like you and me, "Come follow me"! I am understanding more and more the deeper implications of those words. In the gospels, Jesus is unpredictable! His disciples didn't know what was going on half the time, but they were so devoted to Him, placing their trust in Him and the promises of God. He was unpredictable, but real with people. He is serious about justice, but serious about love--even to death-on a cross! Everything about Him is rooted in deep passion for seeing God glorified through worship.
I'm learning that missions isn't so much about a task, as it is worship! It's about people from every tribe and language and nation worshiping God! And missions is proclaiming the good news of the coming of God's everlasting reign on earth and salvation to those who trust and follow Christ's lead. It's the pouring out of their lives like He did into the lives of others who will do the same! It's working as a whole world-wide body of believers, fulfilling by the power of God what Christ began as His Spirit so powerfully works within and through us--until there are people from among all people groups worshiping God!
It is invariably more vital and glorifying to God to allow Him to pursue me in a love relationship that is real and personal than anything else in the world! Because my passions will be parallel to His and because I love Him, I will obey His commands and everything else will come. Like Paul I'd choose passion and base every decision on God's glory instead of mine. If I even had an ounce of Paul's passion! Whew! He was a force to be reckoned with!
One thing that so astounds me is that God even allows us the privelage to work alongside Him. Jesus saw where God was working and came as a suffering servant in love to do the Father's will. I also have the privelage of prayer! I'm becoming more and more convicted of the power of prayer to rebell against the evil that blinds eyes to the light of the gospel. I'm learning that prayer is key; to evangelism, to worship, to relationship, to seeing God move. Laboring in prayer can even be a privelage of sharing in Christ's sufferings for God's glory...
Sacrifice is never easy. This summer I gave 2 months of my life to God. It's amazing how He works in your life when you humbly give Him what you have! But He seems to be asking me, or rather beckoning, "Would you give a lifetime? Would you trust me with your whole life?" Even though I know this is just the beginning and let's be real, there will be hard times ahead no matter what, everything in my heart wants to say, "Yes, Lord!" because of the surpassing joy of knowing Christ! I'm so eager to see what else the Lord has in mind this summer because so far He has positively blown me away!
Friday, June 13, 2008
Mormon Ward Visit
We just got back from visiting a Mormon Ward or Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Even though we already debriefed in our small groups when we got back, I need to vent a little more. My goal is not to convince people that the Mormon faith is wrong, but to share what I learned and tell why I am so frustrated.
We came to a singles ward (meaning there is another one for married couples). Normally for their friday night service there is one song and a short prayer before going to mingle and have 'fellowship'. Since we were visiters and not converts (haha, yet), they gave us a brief presentation of what they believe, using a diagram and one recent convert shared his testimony. Then we had "munch and mingle time" lol, I love the cheesy term! Anyways there were round tables set up and we got to talk to people one on one, asking them questions. At my table there were three of us from the project, 2 mormon missionaries and another guy. I loved talking with them, I loved sitting down and getting personal.
What saddened me is a lot of their answers to our questions seemed rehersed. They seem to base a lot of God's answer to prayer on feelings alone. Their testimonies speak hardly anything of God's brilliant GLORY and it saddens me to see worship empty if almost nonexistant. I didn't see any love for God or delight in the creator God who humbled himself, becoming a servant and who died and rose and conquered sin and death for them redeeming them through faith and his grace alone and not by works!!
I can see how this religion is so appealing because of the community focus and second chances after death to accept the gospel. In Mormonism there is no judgement! But they use the bible! But they take it so out of context and let their feelings and duty lead them. They believe God had sex with Mary and that the trinity consists only of three separate persons, they are not one. When Jesus prays for his followers to be one as he and the father are one in John 17, they think he means unity, united in purpose. They believe in preaching the gospel(its pretty similar to the one other churches preach) in preparation for Christ's second coming. They say Christ died to give us the opportunity for repentence and that because God loves the world he sent prophets periodically so that the truth would be among people and he can help them stay on the right track, but Jesus was more than a prophet, they believe he is literally God's son and we are literally God's sons and daughters also, born a spirit then born on earth then depending on if we were on the right track or not, will go to a certain kingdom in the afterlife. Even if you were a murderer or worse, you get to party with all your friends and family, but you have to suffer 1000 years in Hell first. (its all called eternal progression-basically you can progress to other kingdoms and minister to people in other ones--yeah, I don't really understand it completely...). If you marry in the temple you get to live in the best of the best kingdoms, but not only that, but the more kids you have on earth, the larger domain you get to establish for yourself in the afterlife.
Some more fun facts:
*Mormonism is based on Christianity and the teachings of Joseph Smith.
*Membership is over 10 million worldwide and 2 million in Asia alone.
*It is the world's fastest growing "Christian" cult.
*They teach that the garden of Eden was in Missouri and that Jesus was married, had kids, and after being crucified in the middle east, appeared in America too.
*A lot of times women are taught to be totally dependant on men.
What saddens me is these people really believe that this is truth. But there is no freedom, there is no joy in it! They have zeal for getting more converts, but there is no vitality, no PASSION! When they go on missions its to check off something on their list, they have to pay for it with their own money and they go where the missions president tells them they should go. What else saddens me is, in all of this, they don't know the Lord at all!!! They don't understand who he is, or that they can know Him! I don't see how they can know him for His JUSTICE and LOVE and believe all of this! Our worth, our glory, our blessings came only from God, and they are ultimately for God to be glorified! What's so incredibly beautiful is that God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him! I am so convicted of this, it breaks my heart that the friends I've just made don't know this! It makes me think of 2 Corinthians 4:4-6 "The god of this age [satan] has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not proclaim ourselves, but but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as servants for Christ's sake[and glory]. For God, who said, "let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ".
What I've observed tonight makes me sad. And I know there is nothing I can ever do to persuade or make them see the truth. But there is hope! There is so much hope! Because God is the almighty God and he desires people from all the nations to worship him! He can do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine and he is in control of everything! Only he can reveal his glory to them in all its truth and we can only call on God to do this and just love on them!
If I am so passionate about this, it is only because God is humbling me more and more towards His greatness and because I want to see Him lifted up high! May He give you the same profound delight!
We came to a singles ward (meaning there is another one for married couples). Normally for their friday night service there is one song and a short prayer before going to mingle and have 'fellowship'. Since we were visiters and not converts (haha, yet), they gave us a brief presentation of what they believe, using a diagram and one recent convert shared his testimony. Then we had "munch and mingle time" lol, I love the cheesy term! Anyways there were round tables set up and we got to talk to people one on one, asking them questions. At my table there were three of us from the project, 2 mormon missionaries and another guy. I loved talking with them, I loved sitting down and getting personal.
What saddened me is a lot of their answers to our questions seemed rehersed. They seem to base a lot of God's answer to prayer on feelings alone. Their testimonies speak hardly anything of God's brilliant GLORY and it saddens me to see worship empty if almost nonexistant. I didn't see any love for God or delight in the creator God who humbled himself, becoming a servant and who died and rose and conquered sin and death for them redeeming them through faith and his grace alone and not by works!!
I can see how this religion is so appealing because of the community focus and second chances after death to accept the gospel. In Mormonism there is no judgement! But they use the bible! But they take it so out of context and let their feelings and duty lead them. They believe God had sex with Mary and that the trinity consists only of three separate persons, they are not one. When Jesus prays for his followers to be one as he and the father are one in John 17, they think he means unity, united in purpose. They believe in preaching the gospel(its pretty similar to the one other churches preach) in preparation for Christ's second coming. They say Christ died to give us the opportunity for repentence and that because God loves the world he sent prophets periodically so that the truth would be among people and he can help them stay on the right track, but Jesus was more than a prophet, they believe he is literally God's son and we are literally God's sons and daughters also, born a spirit then born on earth then depending on if we were on the right track or not, will go to a certain kingdom in the afterlife. Even if you were a murderer or worse, you get to party with all your friends and family, but you have to suffer 1000 years in Hell first. (its all called eternal progression-basically you can progress to other kingdoms and minister to people in other ones--yeah, I don't really understand it completely...). If you marry in the temple you get to live in the best of the best kingdoms, but not only that, but the more kids you have on earth, the larger domain you get to establish for yourself in the afterlife.
Some more fun facts:
*Mormonism is based on Christianity and the teachings of Joseph Smith.
*Membership is over 10 million worldwide and 2 million in Asia alone.
*It is the world's fastest growing "Christian" cult.
*They teach that the garden of Eden was in Missouri and that Jesus was married, had kids, and after being crucified in the middle east, appeared in America too.
*A lot of times women are taught to be totally dependant on men.
What saddens me is these people really believe that this is truth. But there is no freedom, there is no joy in it! They have zeal for getting more converts, but there is no vitality, no PASSION! When they go on missions its to check off something on their list, they have to pay for it with their own money and they go where the missions president tells them they should go. What else saddens me is, in all of this, they don't know the Lord at all!!! They don't understand who he is, or that they can know Him! I don't see how they can know him for His JUSTICE and LOVE and believe all of this! Our worth, our glory, our blessings came only from God, and they are ultimately for God to be glorified! What's so incredibly beautiful is that God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him! I am so convicted of this, it breaks my heart that the friends I've just made don't know this! It makes me think of 2 Corinthians 4:4-6 "The god of this age [satan] has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not proclaim ourselves, but but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as servants for Christ's sake[and glory]. For God, who said, "let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ".
What I've observed tonight makes me sad. And I know there is nothing I can ever do to persuade or make them see the truth. But there is hope! There is so much hope! Because God is the almighty God and he desires people from all the nations to worship him! He can do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine and he is in control of everything! Only he can reveal his glory to them in all its truth and we can only call on God to do this and just love on them!
If I am so passionate about this, it is only because God is humbling me more and more towards His greatness and because I want to see Him lifted up high! May He give you the same profound delight!
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Prayer: Rebellion!!
Wow. Wow. That's all I can say right now about what I'm learning in the Perspectives course. I'm learning about God's purposes from the beginning of time- His plan of redemtion and His plan for us to enjoy him forever. Quite amazing to think about, isn't it?
It's incredible, I'm only into the third day of the course. There are still a dozen more lessons. Just to give you an idea of what my days taking the perspectives course will look like, I spend 3 hours in the morning hearing a talk. (For the next 4 weeks, each morning we'll hear from a different missionary!--you probably have no idea how pumped I am about this!) Tuesday's talk biblically blew my mind away by showing that God is a missionary God from the start, emphasizing the book of Genesis and the gospel given to Abraham... yesturday was about worship and how its all for God's glory; that He is most glorified when I am most satisfied in Him... and today was about God's kingdom and the good news of the kingdom as well as a bit about bringing down evil strongholds with prayer!
I've been spending about 8 hours a day doing the workbook, reading the material, and doing the daily essay quiz online. The funny thing is, its A LOT of material, but I feel like I could keep reading and reading and reading! I just want to soak it all in, every bit that I learn about God's greatness and goodness!!
I've been in Philly for a week now and already I am learning how to love better, how to worship truer, how to understand the bible and God deeper, and how to pray more effectively/in accordance with God's will among many other things!
Here are a couple of things that got me really really excited! (I didn't include them all because I would have written a novel by the time I was done, lol)
* One of thes articles in the reading material was titled 'Prayer: Rebelling'! Who doesn't love a little rebellion now and then??
* We already have victory! Because God already vanquished the power of death, Satan, and sin by Christ's resurrection and now He allows us to be a part of his work through prayer and proclaimation of His glory!
* The Lord's prayer is a missionary prayer.
* "Missions is not the ultimate goal of the Church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn't. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man." and "Where passion for God is weak, zeal for missions will be weak." John Piper---"Let the peoples praise thee, O God...Let the nations be glad and sing for joy!" psalm 67:3-4
* There are still people who have not heard the gospel=good news of what God did/is doing/promises to do. Matt. 24:14: "and this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." ---"Here is the challenging fact. If God's people in the English-speaking world alone took this text seriously and responded to its challenge, we could finish the task of worldwide [spreading of this life transforming good news] in our own generation and witness the Lord's return"!
Thursday, June 5, 2008
I'm finally here!
Well, here I am, in Philly!!! It's been a long day since I got maybe 3 hours of sleep in the past 48 hours...
I was so so blessed to be able to have a little roomie reunion with my 2007 VA Beach summer project roomates in South Bend, IN! Words can't even describe what it was like to be with these AH-MAZING women of God that had contributed so much to my spiritual growth all this year!! It was incredible to hear what God is doing in their lives and to pray together before we went our separate ways again. I will miss them tremendously.
Then, as planned, I met up with a girl from South Bend to carpool along with another girl from Flint, MI and we left for Philly at 8pm, driving through the night. It took about 12 hours and it went by so fast...probably because I told them 2 hour long stories, LOL! One of the girls has an amazing musical talent and she rapped some of her original stuff and it was tight!
I have been looking so forward to this summer project ALL YEAR. I know God wants to teach me amazing things and I've only gotten an eensy little foretaste! But God says, "TASTE and SEE that the LORD is GOOD!" And I believe I truly will while here in Philly. We got our binders for the project today and I'm not kidding you, it is literally 2.5 inches thick of print outs for all the topics we'll be covering. The tabs are labeled "Orientation, Small Group, Tribals, Hindus, Muslims, Unreligious, Buddists, Cults, Jews, Perspectives, Evangelism, and lastly and most massively stacked is Mobilization". That is what I am going to be learning about for the next 7 weeks in a very simplistic neat little list I guess! I took a look at the June Calendar with one of my 2 roomates (who also make up my small group along with a student leader as our 4th small group member and mentor) and my roomate was like, "Wow, they really weren't kidding when they said 'intense' were they?!" Let's just say, I will be living, breathing, and dreaming anything having to do with world missions and Christ's purpose in the world for the next 2 months--and hopefully for the rest of my life.
Today we just took it easy since everyone was traveling from so far. We went out to lunch, those of us who had already arrived and then in the afternoon as a whole group had a tour of Palmer Theological Seminary's campus which is so qaint and pretty, I love it already! I feel at home here. The study halls have big beautiful windows that let in the sunlight from a yard with big oak trees and benches and flowers spilling into the room full of tables and big fluffy chairs that are calling for me to curl up into with a big book on some aspect of Christian Theology. I can't wait to answer that call one of these days... So, there is a small library and a cafe, and in my room we have hard wood floors with dark furniture and a little fireplace built into the cream colored walls. We've already made ourselves at home. There is a community kitchen down the hall and a dining hall where we'll be able to get lunch and dinner during the week. After the tour we were served The Original Infamous Philly Cheesesteak Subs that is an absolute must for anyone's first visit to the city, and were also served a very warm Philly welcome by the staff team from around our nation. There are 5 male students on the project and 21 females. Some very favorable odds for the boys, lol. Then we all played a huge game of Mafia and made short introductions and just got to know each other. Most of us went back to our rooms to finish unpacking and hanging out with roomates before finally allowing our heads to rest on a pillow, oh man does that ever sound like the best thing in the world right now! I have been looking forward all day to that blessed moment when my head hits my fluffy pillow...
Tomorrow is Orientation and I'll find out more in depth what we're doing this summer and about the Perspectives course. Now off to bed for me! There will be more later!
I was so so blessed to be able to have a little roomie reunion with my 2007 VA Beach summer project roomates in South Bend, IN! Words can't even describe what it was like to be with these AH-MAZING women of God that had contributed so much to my spiritual growth all this year!! It was incredible to hear what God is doing in their lives and to pray together before we went our separate ways again. I will miss them tremendously.
Then, as planned, I met up with a girl from South Bend to carpool along with another girl from Flint, MI and we left for Philly at 8pm, driving through the night. It took about 12 hours and it went by so fast...probably because I told them 2 hour long stories, LOL! One of the girls has an amazing musical talent and she rapped some of her original stuff and it was tight!
I have been looking so forward to this summer project ALL YEAR. I know God wants to teach me amazing things and I've only gotten an eensy little foretaste! But God says, "TASTE and SEE that the LORD is GOOD!" And I believe I truly will while here in Philly. We got our binders for the project today and I'm not kidding you, it is literally 2.5 inches thick of print outs for all the topics we'll be covering. The tabs are labeled "Orientation, Small Group, Tribals, Hindus, Muslims, Unreligious, Buddists, Cults, Jews, Perspectives, Evangelism, and lastly and most massively stacked is Mobilization". That is what I am going to be learning about for the next 7 weeks in a very simplistic neat little list I guess! I took a look at the June Calendar with one of my 2 roomates (who also make up my small group along with a student leader as our 4th small group member and mentor) and my roomate was like, "Wow, they really weren't kidding when they said 'intense' were they?!" Let's just say, I will be living, breathing, and dreaming anything having to do with world missions and Christ's purpose in the world for the next 2 months--and hopefully for the rest of my life.
Today we just took it easy since everyone was traveling from so far. We went out to lunch, those of us who had already arrived and then in the afternoon as a whole group had a tour of Palmer Theological Seminary's campus which is so qaint and pretty, I love it already! I feel at home here. The study halls have big beautiful windows that let in the sunlight from a yard with big oak trees and benches and flowers spilling into the room full of tables and big fluffy chairs that are calling for me to curl up into with a big book on some aspect of Christian Theology. I can't wait to answer that call one of these days... So, there is a small library and a cafe, and in my room we have hard wood floors with dark furniture and a little fireplace built into the cream colored walls. We've already made ourselves at home. There is a community kitchen down the hall and a dining hall where we'll be able to get lunch and dinner during the week. After the tour we were served The Original Infamous Philly Cheesesteak Subs that is an absolute must for anyone's first visit to the city, and were also served a very warm Philly welcome by the staff team from around our nation. There are 5 male students on the project and 21 females. Some very favorable odds for the boys, lol. Then we all played a huge game of Mafia and made short introductions and just got to know each other. Most of us went back to our rooms to finish unpacking and hanging out with roomates before finally allowing our heads to rest on a pillow, oh man does that ever sound like the best thing in the world right now! I have been looking forward all day to that blessed moment when my head hits my fluffy pillow...
Tomorrow is Orientation and I'll find out more in depth what we're doing this summer and about the Perspectives course. Now off to bed for me! There will be more later!
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
yesturday and today and forever
So, I've been packing tonight for my long anticipated 7 week trip to Philadelphia, and its just one of those rare times when you can just sort of mindlessly do what you're doing and totally contemplate something else at the same time. It's great!
What I was contemplating about was change. I see big change in my life in the upcoming year if not in the upcoming weeks. Not just big change in my circumstances, but I think the way that I view the world and my role in it is about to be shifted in a way its never been before. Honestly I have no clear idea what's in store for me, but so far my life has been an adventure!
I also contemplated the character of God. In Hebrews 13:8, it says God "is the same yesturday and today and forever". As for me, my only consistancy is my inconsistancy. What I mean is, things are always changing, whether I like the change or not, whether I feel ready for it or not.
Despite my striving to be a good person, I am so inevitably imperfect. But I believe that in my imperfections, God's perfectness is made evident. Also, in His greatness, I am incredibly miniscule. I think that this relationship describes both God's immense delight in us, his creation as well as the fullness and immensity of Him and through Him! Isaiah 40 says this:
"Who has understood the mind of the LORD,
or instructed him as his counselor?
Who was it that taught him knowledge
or showed him the right path of understanding?
Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket...
Before him all the nations are as nothing;
they are regarded by him as worthless
and less than nothing.
To whom then will you compare God?...
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told to you from the
beginning?
Have you not understood it since the earth
was founded?
He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
and its people are like grasshoppers...
He brings princes to naught
and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing...
Lift your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired and weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint."
I love the part about soaring on wings like eagles, I always wanted to be able to fly. Wouldn't that be amazing? I had a dream that I was flying once; and in the dream, flying around, I felt like nothing could stop me, like nothing could weigh me down, because I was free!
In terms of my life, again not perfect, I think sometimes I carry around burdens I'm not meant to carry and sometimes the weight gets a bit heavier than I can handle, and it weighs me down and it wears me down. Its my stubborn pride that prevents me from admitting I can't do everything and that I can't control everything. I think of the words of Jesus, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" (Matt. 11:28-30).
This week God has been testing my faith, especially with raising support for my project, and I started trying to do everything by my own effort, and I got tired! and frustrated. and things didn't go how I wanted them to go! I read something though about surrendering in cooperation with God's way. (Which Romans 12 says is good and perfect and pleasing...) One thing I'll say, after I surrendered to God, whose understanding is much greater and nobler than mine and who is in control always, I saw just how much he delights to be our hope and that he understands our need for his strength! As Isaiah 40:31 says, "but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint".
So, what does all this have to do with change? I believe God's Justice is MIGHTY. But his Love is also MIGHTY! (check out Rom. 8:37-39 and Eph. 3:16-20) He is infinitely 100% Just and 100% Love at the same time. (whew, that took me a while to wrap my mind around, believe me!) The bible speaks of God as a rock and a refuge. I think about that and I think about the world around me and all whirling turmoil, all the storms thrown at my plans for sunny day picnics if you know what I mean, and I know in my heart I can't go through it alone. I need something, or someone solid to cling to. My hope is in the LORD and he promises to renew my strength--and he has! He has immensely.
Allright that's all for now. "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him!" (Rom.15:13)
What I was contemplating about was change. I see big change in my life in the upcoming year if not in the upcoming weeks. Not just big change in my circumstances, but I think the way that I view the world and my role in it is about to be shifted in a way its never been before. Honestly I have no clear idea what's in store for me, but so far my life has been an adventure!
I also contemplated the character of God. In Hebrews 13:8, it says God "is the same yesturday and today and forever". As for me, my only consistancy is my inconsistancy. What I mean is, things are always changing, whether I like the change or not, whether I feel ready for it or not.
Despite my striving to be a good person, I am so inevitably imperfect. But I believe that in my imperfections, God's perfectness is made evident. Also, in His greatness, I am incredibly miniscule. I think that this relationship describes both God's immense delight in us, his creation as well as the fullness and immensity of Him and through Him! Isaiah 40 says this:
"Who has understood the mind of the LORD,
or instructed him as his counselor?
Who was it that taught him knowledge
or showed him the right path of understanding?
Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket...
Before him all the nations are as nothing;
they are regarded by him as worthless
and less than nothing.
To whom then will you compare God?...
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told to you from the
beginning?
Have you not understood it since the earth
was founded?
He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
and its people are like grasshoppers...
He brings princes to naught
and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing...
Lift your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired and weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint."
I love the part about soaring on wings like eagles, I always wanted to be able to fly. Wouldn't that be amazing? I had a dream that I was flying once; and in the dream, flying around, I felt like nothing could stop me, like nothing could weigh me down, because I was free!
In terms of my life, again not perfect, I think sometimes I carry around burdens I'm not meant to carry and sometimes the weight gets a bit heavier than I can handle, and it weighs me down and it wears me down. Its my stubborn pride that prevents me from admitting I can't do everything and that I can't control everything. I think of the words of Jesus, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" (Matt. 11:28-30).
This week God has been testing my faith, especially with raising support for my project, and I started trying to do everything by my own effort, and I got tired! and frustrated. and things didn't go how I wanted them to go! I read something though about surrendering in cooperation with God's way. (Which Romans 12 says is good and perfect and pleasing...) One thing I'll say, after I surrendered to God, whose understanding is much greater and nobler than mine and who is in control always, I saw just how much he delights to be our hope and that he understands our need for his strength! As Isaiah 40:31 says, "but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint".
So, what does all this have to do with change? I believe God's Justice is MIGHTY. But his Love is also MIGHTY! (check out Rom. 8:37-39 and Eph. 3:16-20) He is infinitely 100% Just and 100% Love at the same time. (whew, that took me a while to wrap my mind around, believe me!) The bible speaks of God as a rock and a refuge. I think about that and I think about the world around me and all whirling turmoil, all the storms thrown at my plans for sunny day picnics if you know what I mean, and I know in my heart I can't go through it alone. I need something, or someone solid to cling to. My hope is in the LORD and he promises to renew my strength--and he has! He has immensely.
Allright that's all for now. "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him!" (Rom.15:13)
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