Entries Tagged 'Personal' ↓

So today marks the first week since arriving in the Inland Empire. It has been an eventful week as I have began a new job, moved into new home, joined a new church, and attended a new school. But in the face of all the change, I am thankful for the steadfast love the Lord and that He faithfully watches my every step. He continues shower blessings upon me.

[Foothill Bible Church](http://www.foothillbiblechurch.org) is wonderful body of believers who have kindly welcomed me. I was met my numerous families on Sunday and already have Thursday through Saturday night booked with meals at various homes. I was able to meet many of the students in the youth ministry here during the youth retreat last Thursday through Saturday. We had a great time studying from the Word on the nature of God and how we can know Him better.

Here are two pictures from the weekend. One of us being serious and the other one of us being crazy.

I have been hit with some unexpected “emotional outbusts.” They do not occur really from homesickness. I’ve been away from home plenty of times. But this is a little bigger than that. I’m not calling home “home” any longer. I’m coming out from my father’s support to live on my own. I’m moving on in ministry. I think the happiness of how blessed I am mixes with the sadness that things are not going to be the way “it’s always been” and creates a kind of depressing joy.

I miss my family. I miss my friends. I miss regular contact with people I’ve known for a long time and I don’t have to explain anything, we just understand each other. I miss Sean and the mulling over ministry that we would do at the third place (I have yet to find someone here who has a common Starbucks love). All of these things are good things, but none of things that I’ve experienced down here so far are bad. I have left many good things, only to be a part more good things in Upland, but they are not familiar to me yet.

I also sit with an increasing sense of weightiness as I pray over the ministry that the Lord has called me to at FBC. The pressure sits heavy within my own soul to lead and shepherd with wisdom and to be [an example](http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=1+tim+4%3A12) all for the name of Christ. I know that it will take a lifetime to work on, but I want to lay a foundation that I will not need to be torn up later.

For those following on the blog, I haven’t updated in a long while. I think that happens every summer, but I’m okay with that because I know that my summer was not as empty as the blog ended up being.

July was as hectic as ever, but I loved every minute of it. The first several weeks I spent planning and organizing [World's For Sale](http://www.one28ministries.org/wfs). I was encouraged by the seniors who stepped up and led the rest of the students in their service. The Lord allowed it go off well and for that I am thankful.

Ian and I had the chance to go to a Mariner game, courtesy of our uncle, Ross.

Then I had a week break before I went camping with about 50 Jr. High and High School students. Apart from the rain the first night, the Lord gave us great weather. He used the teaching of the Word to challenge both the students and the staff as we looked at how ‘Jesus Is Better’ in the book of Hebrews.

The end of the summer came quickly as I found out that I would be moving to Upland, CA to take the Director of Student Ministries position at [Foothill Bible Church](http://www.foothillbiblechurch.org). I received a king’s farewell as I was given the privilege to preach one last time in the GBC pulpit for the first time. The one28 staff along with my parents graciously gave me a [workhorse](http://www.apple.com/macbook/) for my continuing studies. And there was a reception after church that night.

God has blessed me tremendously. Not only by regenerating my dead heart, but by giving me people who love me. Words cannot describe how I have been ministered by the prayers of the saints and encouragement of the faithful. Thank you Grace Bible Church for your unconditional love, ceaseless prayers, and Spirit-filled ministry.

Last night, I slept with a mouse by my side. I don’t own a pet rodent, so it was quite shocking when I heard faint scratching and squeaking coming from a roll of posters beside my bed. As I peered down the vertical tube of Audi posters, I discovered my little friend. He was doing everything within his power to get out of that prison, but to no avail.

At that moment, I was left with a decision. I could spend the effort to eradicate the rodent, but I was tired and could not think of a quick and easy way to exterminate the critter. So, with the rest of the house in bed, I simply put a book on top of the posters and went to sleep. I was comfortable going to bed with a mouse a mere 12 inches away from my head because he was trapped. So I proceeded to fall asleep.

But because he was trapped, he spent the night trying to get out, which means he continued to make noise. He woke me up several times by his squeaking and scratching. Finally, in the morning, I took a small paper plate, slid it under the posters and took him outside where we let him go, only to have him start darting for the house. Then we cornered him and I grabbed his little tail and flailed him over the fence. He flew with all legs outstretched in Stuart Little style to his new home on the other side of the fence.

Tuesday morning I misplaced my wallet. I looked in every logical and illogical place that it could be, but as of last night I had not found it. This morning, I got a call from J.Sarr telling me that one of the landscaping guys found it in the grass at the church. I know I looked a lot of places, but in the grass was not one of them.

It was a few days of committing the whole situation over to the Lord. I knew that He knew where it was, why I lost it, and what He wanted me to learn through it. I only needed to trust the Lord. I know that even if I never found my wallet, that God would be entirely faithful, but in His abundant grace allowed me to find it and nothing was missing from it.

On a much more serious note, my friend, [Cliff Ames](http://www.talesfromtheyellowbrickroad.com), recently [lost his mother](http://talesfromtheyellowbrickroad.com/blog/2008/06/18/deborah-ames-november-23-1955-june-18th-2008/) to cancer. I know his family would appreciate prayer.

Two weeks ago, I embarked on a journey to begin memorizing the New Testament. I first received the idea from [an RD at Master's](http://rawchristianity.wordpress.com/2008/02/29/some-thoughts-3/). My roommate, [Andrew](http://kendru.wordpress.com), and I committed to a program of memorizing a chapter a week, starting with the book of Romans ([download the plan](/files/Memorize the NT.xls)). Today we start on chapter 3. At this rate, we will finish the New Testament in 5 years (260 chapters, 260 weeks). I know it sounds a little crazy, but I know I need it.

Over the years, I have become more and more familiar with the Bible. I can locate generally where things are found and can recite the idea of a particular verse. I have “memorized” all my life too. But this memorization has not been of my own choosing, but an assignment either for school, Awana, or church. I know the desired purpose of all those assignments was to really remember the verses for my own spiritual growth, I didn’t walk away meditating on the truth and wanting to know God better.

I know I need a vigorous memorizing plan like this because it will force we to interact with Scripture in the small spaces of my day. When I am driving in the car, waiting for someone to show up, or just walking around, I have time to whip out the small piece of paper and work on the next verse. In this, I turn my attention to the things of God more often. Already I’m seeing the fruit of this, but I need it more. I need it also because Psalm 119:11 says, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” If I want to fight against sin, then I need to be storing the word in my heart. Try to sin against God when you have Romans 1 on your mind.

If you don’t have any plan for locking God’s truth in your soul, I encourage you to do so. I doesn’t need to be a chapter a week, but it should be something you can meditate on and that will send your mind Godward when you are tempted to sin.