Reading List

I want to read more books. If you have any good books please comment on this post and give me a brief synopsis of the book. I love reading new books and right now I have no idea what book I should start reading next.

Joshua Project

As you can see, on the sidebar I have an unreached people group highlighted thanks to the Joshua Project. For D-NOW at my church I was in charge of this missions display and I had three boards and a PowerPoint playing. I spent a lot of time researching organizations and other missions sites to put together a slightly comprehensive explanation of missions. So, when i came across the Joshua Project site, I was amazed that so much information was available about all of these people groups. I am so excited with what God is doing at my church with missions. All of the Sunday school classes have adopted people groups to commit to praying for. We have so many trip and things going on. At the banquet, a five-fold presentation was made. it was really good. I had the opportunity in speaking at the banquet and i was unsure if what i wrote would be beneficial. I had no idea what the lady after me was going to speak on and what I said linked with exactly with what she said. that just goes to show you that God was in complete control of the evening no matter how much planning each of us had put into it. We are also looking into supporting missionaries. I would assume we are since that was one of the points made that we should support our local missionaries. Yet, that could mean that we just give to the cooperative program. Oh well, maybe when I am ready to run of into the foreign mission field, the church will help support me. Anyway, I am also pleased with the concept of the missions journals. These journals are helping the students make a commitment to pray, memorize scripture and do their quiet times.

Prom Season

It’s prom season. I decided to make my prom memorable I was going to load up on tracks and share the gospel the whole night with some friends from church. Prom has always been an interesting event in my mind since I do not date and I could care less about vanities. So, one night when I was praying about the missions banquet, God gave me this idea. Every senior will be at prom and nobody is going to leave because someone bothered them with the gospel. Everyone spends the whole year planning for one small weekend, but how many have plans for eternity? I will have the greatest opportunity to share the gospel. I am so excited, not about the vane things, but about the great opportunity God has given me. Please pray that God will use my small group of friends to make an eternal impact that night. God is sovereign and I am excited to see what He will do with our availability.

Progressive Pancake Dinner

Yesterday, the school had TAKS testing. I passed the test last year like almost all of the other seniors. So, since yesterday was national Pancake Day, I went to IHOP with some friends. You could get a free short stack of pancakes and donate to the shriner's hospital. It was great except the IHOP in ATA was crowded and we were there for two whole hours. But, the fellowship was splendid. Then, since I had one other friend who also wanted to get pancakes later in the day I went to the IHOP off of 59 later that day. She was unable to go to IHOP that morning so I went again to IHOP off of 59 to spend some time with her. It was nice. I was feeling the pancake batter in my stomach for the whole day though. I ate way too many pancakes in celebration. My dad said he thought the idea of a pancake day came from England. I am not sure at all.

Update

Okay, it has been a long time, I know. Here is an update. I am going to Toccoa Falls College. I have currently been working at Walgreens Pharmacy to hopefully get a job as a pharmacy technician. I also spend a ton of time at HAFBC planning missions things, like the Puerto Rico mission trip. I am excited about this summer and all of the missions opportunities I will have. It will be nice. Unfortunately i have joined the other 99.9% of the senior population and counting the days. I have 13 more days of school till spring break.

Hmmpf . . . . (for lack of a better title)

For three weeks my mind has been filled with nothing. I look at this page and think what a shame I have nothing to say. I have been really busy with a lot of stuff and now finally, I have a break and I have nothing to say besides I made it. I have one semester down and it is pretty sweet. Having nothing to say is not bad, just different.

Shout Out: Thanks Kathy for the Internet time and the usage of your computer. I hope to finish Luther later tonight if that is okay.

Hemlock Inn

I am in North Carolina. Or actually, I will be in less than 48 hours. I am flying out tomorrow. I am elated. That is all.

TFC Update

Earlier in the week I sent in my housing preferences and a deposit. The deposit is refundable if I change my mind. All of my credits from KCC transferred! I will start the year off with a little less stress than most freshman since I have credit for English, math, psych, and others. I will not most of the basics because of my credits. Please pray for my college choice. I am pretty sure that this is the place because more of my family is settling with the idea.

North Africans of Paris

Paris is the capital city of France, and has a rich history and culture. Paris is known for its famous architecture, rich foods, and high fashion, along with being a strong center for art, dance and music throughout the world. Many of the countries colonized by France in the past are represented in France’s multi-ethnic population. Individuals from virtually every unreached people group in North Africa or the Middle East (NAME) can be found living in the greater Paris area, known as the “Ile-de-France.” These NAME Muslims make up well more than 10 percent of Paris’ total population. Moroccan Soussi Berbers; Algerian Khabyle Berbers; North African Arabs; and the peoples of Egypt are abundant. Syrians, Iraquis, and Lebanese make up a strong segment of the population. Many of these immigrants continue living as if they were still in North Africa or the Middle East. They maintain their “home” cultures, even in Paris’ sophisticated environment, which in turn, contributes to tensions between the French and the nationalized Muslim populations. For instance, though the wearing of scarves is a practice of most Muslim women, scarves are forbidden in official photos or in public schools. Many of the NAME Muslims of Paris have moved from countries that are closed to Christianity. The religious freedom of France allows an environment where an open Christian witness can be shared.

Original site with more information

In His Hands

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?

Isaiah 40:12

Do You Thirst for the Lord?

Here is an excerpt from Donald S. Whitney's book Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health.

"Lord, I want to know You more," sang Mike, just before the sermon. One of my seminary professors from years back, who was guest preacher at our church that Sunday morning, sat next to me on the front pew and listened transfixed. As Mike continued to sing, I could hear my older friend sigh occasionally. When the song was over, T.W. sat motionless for so long I thought he had forgotten that he was now supposed to preach. As I turned to remind him I saw his shoulders lift and fall with the slow draw and release of his breath. Finally, he opened his eyes and stepped thoughtfully to the pulpit. He looked down for what seemed to be a full minute before he could speak. And then, "Lord, I do want to know you more." Departing from his prepared words for awhile, he spoke of his thirst for God, his longings to know Christ more intimately, to obey Him more completely. Here was a man who had followed Christ for more than fifty years still captivated by the sweetness of the quest. In his second half-century as a disciple of Jesus, the grace of growth still flourished in him.

It's been ten years since that Sunday morning. I've seen T.W. at least annually since, and the things of God have not diminished their magnetic pull on his heart's aspirations. Two months ago I found myself sharing a shuttle bus ride with him from a denominational convention back to our hotel. Though nearly seventy now, and weakened by cardiac surgery, his eyes flashed as he talked half an hour about what he was learning about prayer. Even as his body decays, his longings for God display the growing strength of his soul.

The Apostle Paul must have similarly impressed others in his day. Despite all his maturity in Christ, all he had seen and experienced, late in life (in Philippians 3:10) Paul wrote of the passion that propelled him: "that I may know Him." What is he talking about? Didn't he already know Jesus more closely than perhaps anyone else ever will? Of course he did. But the more he knew Jesus, the more he wanted to know Him. The more Paul progressed in spiritual strength, the more thirsty for God He became.

With a similar thirst, the writer of Psalm 42:1-2 prayed, "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?" Does this describe your thirst for God? If so, be encouraged: whatever else is transpiring in your Christian life, your soul-thirst is a sign of soul-growth.

Donald S. Whitney

Contextualization of the Gospel = Confusion

Check out this article at the Slice of Laodicea. It is interesting.

"Contextualization . . . This word can be summed up in the following phrase: "we don't want to be seeker sensitive, but seeker sensible; we don't want to argue for relativism, but relevantism." This appears to be nothing more than mere double-talk beloved: sensible for sensitive - relevantism for relativism. In reality, it is exactly the same thing just clothed in different rags."

TFC Update

I received a phone call from JR, my admissions counselor today. He told me Toccoa Falls College had accepted my application and that he looked forward to seeing me in the fall if that was where God was leading me. Please pray for me to make the right choice, either to go with TFC or continue to look around. I have and idea, but I would like to give this completely to God.

Runaway Thoughts

This summer the church is going on a mission trip to Puerto Rico. I am excited, but there have not been any meetings to sign up. When the church went to Scotland, there were signups and meeting once a month to prepare for the trip. If we do not meet soon, plane tickets will be so high. We need to start fundaraising now for the trip. I really hope that we can get things rolling fast before the time runs away.

Braces

Currently, I am sitting and waiting for my little brother to finish his orthodontics appointment. I have never had braces and I cannot imagine what it is like. My dentist says my biggest problem is the the poor enamel that has been handed down to me from my dad. We both need better enamel. I also drink lots of coffee! Therefore, my teeth are not the sparkling white they probably could be. Coffee vs. White Teeth?

Friday at The Falls

I love the school out there!!! It is great. The school is smaller than mygraduating class. I prayed with a lot of people there. There are prayer rooms everywhere. The people are really friendly and the missions program is awesome.

Last night, while eating dinner outside, I dropped my napkin.This is a normal occurrence with me, I am very clumsy. So in response to my plight,I said "ZUT," which is French for "darn it!" This guy overheard me and said, "you speak French also!" I was so excited to meet two other people on campus one from GA the other from NY that liked speaking French at one time in their lives.

When I went to their worship service, I really felt at home worshiping with the other believers on campus. Also, instead of chapel on Thursdays, they assign you to small groups to do bible study!

The two girls I stayed with were really fun. Callie and I when I was describing my church preferences and laughed even harder when at the same time she pulled out her reformation study bible like mine. Megan asked, if because she was an armenianist, if we could still be friends since Callie and I were Calvinists. I said it would be tough.

Besides all of that, I am praying that God will make clear to me the right college choice.

Sidenote: I went to the founders website to see if there were any reformed churches in Toccoa. There were none. (sadness)

Jars of Clay

Good Monsters Music Video


The Jars of Clay concert was superb. I feel silly asking but I do not exactly understand this song completely.

Toccoa Falls College

Ask me about it!

Labor Day

AAAAHHHHH!

School is very taxing. I cannot think straight. The week seems to pass by very slow. I lose track of time so easily. I cannot get anything done. Every day I am physically wasted. I cannot manage my time at all.

Here is a video I am feeling right now.

Belarus - VOM

Belarus became an independent state in 1991, after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Despite independence, the nation is still struggling to find a national identity.

Religion: Christian 78.70%, non-Religious/other 20.20%, Jewish 1%, and Muslim 0.10%

Ideological Influence: Remaining communist influence

Head of State: President Aleksandr Lukashenko

Persecution: In November 2002, a repressive new religion law came into effect. According to the new law, all unregistered religious activity, communities with fewer than 20 members and any religious activity in private homes (apart from occasional, small-scale meetings) are considered illegal. Religious communities that do not have a registered umbrella body will not be able to invite foreign citizens for religious work, and all religious literature will be subject to censorship. In addition, all religious organizations will have to be re-registered within two years. The Full Gospel Union Church denomination, a developing Protestant movement in Belarus, was constantly under attack by the government in 2005, which sought to shut down the operations of its 60 churches. Using their flawed legal system to confiscate property legally belonging to a Full Gospel Union Church in Minsk, authorities launched an organized campaign of harassment and oppression to restrict the growth of Christianity. A network of Baptist churches was also ordered to disband. Baptists in the Brast region complained of increased persecution in 2004. Pastors were fined, and the Justice Ministry ordered a network of unregistered Baptist churches disbanded. The personal property of two Baptists was confiscated, and the pay of another docked after they sang hymns and distributed Bibles during an Easter visit to a hospital.

Missionary Opportunity: Christian literature needs to be made more available. However, the JESUS film has been seen by most of the population in the Belarusian or Russian language.