Quick Update

I know, I know. I'm terribly tardy on my blog entries. But my excuse is....drumroll please....I have lots of pictures to share and my USB hookup is currently being held hostage in a sickroom. So there.

quick update?
--trip was incredible. loved it. learned a lot.
--happy t-giving! mine was so restful that i managed to squeeze in six movies over the long weekend. i love you, mr. darcy.
--my nieces have been in town ALL WEEK. It might be a bit of heaven!

I'm sitting here writing this entry as I listen to Sonrise practice. Do you not know who Sonrise is? My goodness, where have you been? They're only the BEST bluegrass band in Orlando, maybe even in all of Central Florida! Wake up.

Really, it's my dad's band. And there's absolutely nothing like pick'n and sing'n with them. We're going on 5 hours of this now. I've sung a few with them and even picked up the guitar on a few. But mostly I've been listening and soaking up every minute.

Hey, hey....I just scored a gig with them! woo hoo! You'll have to come hear me sing "All American Bluegrass Girl" in January with them.

This is a GREAT ending to a shaky day and a real tough week. I've felt the faith-refining process a lot recently. Thank you, Jesus, for walking with me through it all. And thanks for moments like these when my soul truly rests.

back to the bluegrass......

Fun people!

So...if you don't yet know....I am a people person. That has really been the best part of this trip: my fun friends!! Here are a few snapshots..

This was at The Oasis - a really cool place on multiple deck levels overlooking Lake Travis in Austin. Lauri and I took Jennings to dinner and enjoyed the sunset. Jennings used to work with us in the PI office but is now in his final months of prep to move to Central Asia. The best word to describe Jennings during our time in ATX is 'grace.' We might have gotten a little cocky about our sense of direction and map reading skills...
Jon & Sally & Baby Jude, who's a real cutie. They're on their way overseas with Christar.

Joe show'n off his grill. Oddly enough, a little rap music always calms me down when things get hairy. So due to my crazy work schedule this summer, I eventually learned all the words to Nelly's Grillz, and, in the process, got a few other work cronies hooked on it too (including Joe). I fortunately brought the CD with me to TX, so we've all been enjoying it while cruisin' College Station.

Lauri chatting with Lindsey about her Edge trip last summer and further long-term options with us. Love this girl! She helped us recruit at the GO! Missions Conference here at Texas A&M last Tuesday night. GO! is put on by Breakaway Ministries, a college ministry that attracts over 4,000 students to its weekly Bible Study. Yeah, I said 4,000. Huge. Did you know that A&M sends out the most missionaries of any school in the US? It's because of ministries like Breakaway (visited on Tues. night), RUF (visited on Wed. night), Navigators (visited on Thurs. night), and many more. This place is a hot bed for students who love God and love the nations. (i find it ridiculously exciting, can you tell?) BACK to Lindsey...she learned about us at the GO! Conference last year and then served with us in East Asia for 8 weeks last summer. We're glad to send her back!

So, I didn't get to mention stories of seeing Kenny, Katie, John, Stephanie, Sarah, Rodney, Katy, Robbie, Ryan, Jim, Bill, Matt, Emily, Jamie, Jennifer, Monica, and Lauren -- my dear family in the Faith.

Pray for God to use these friends for the sake of His Gospel among the least-reached!

The Great State Of....

Yes, that's right. I'm on a recruiting trip in Texas for the next 10 days or so. I flew in yesterday and have visited Dallas Theological Seminary and Texas Christian University, plus had several appointments. There are lots of great churches here that, honestly, I think are ripe for the missionary harvest! I met with a gal last night in prep for speaking at her church next weekend. That church already sent some of their members through us to Southeast Asia, but there are tons more who are interested, especially in the college ministry. Then a co-worker and I met with a young church plant in Grapevine this morning who is just beginning to clarify their missions program. There are at least 4 couples and some singles in that church who are ready to go overseas! It's incredible! This area seems to have lots of missions interest and it's so exciting to get in on that action. I love it. I'm in a Dallas Panera right now awaiting an appointment with a gal who should be here any minute.

Lauri and I had some yummy Tex-Mex with the "Mission Coaches" of Rightnow.org today. These gals rock. Their role is simply to connect people to organizations in the world of missions, so they spend most of the day on the phone listening to peoples stories and helping to connect their vision to an matching organization, that ultimately they might be actively engaged with the Gospel around the world. How cool is that? (Check them out at www.rightnow.org.) They're super fun gals!

(Lauri, Felicity, Melanie, Michelle, Me)

Nori-chan

Somewhere around 3-4 years ago, while I was still a young whippersnapper student at UCF, I drove out to a Windermere Perkins to have breakfast with my friend Noriko. Since I was just beginning to study Japanese culture, my friendship with Noriko was an invaluable relationship as we shared our lives, worldviews, backgrounds, hopes, and dreams together. But even more so, she was also my sister in our great Faith. She had much to teach me about evangelism and discipleship in the context of Japanese culture. I eagerly sought to develop this friendship and soak up any time I could spend with her.

As we chatted over eggs and bacon that morning, Noriko was dreaming out loud about her future. She was finishing up at Valencia Community College at that time, where she first studied English and then received her AA degree. After a short break, she was enrolling in Rollins College to study English Literature (can you imagine Shakespeare in a second language?).

"I'm think I would really like to study at RTS," she said. "But I don't know how I could ever afford that." We discussed this some more, and I concluded, "Noriko, if God really wants you to go, He'll provide." That's a simple answer; but I was firmly convinced.

"You know, I'm thinking of going to RTS, too!" I added. "Wouldn't it be so fun to be in class together? You and me - in seminary!"

Here we are! Systematics 1, Fall 06.

How Great is our God!
Last Sunday, we celebrated the completion of our 101 question mid-term at Hanamizuki. Yes, that's us enjoying green tea ice cream. Mmm...yum!

Systematic Theology w/ John Frame

First of all, Dr. Frame is brilliant. And he really loves Jesus.

Second of all, I have to blog this entry. Bear with me. Blogging these thoughts will help me process what I've studied.

The Doctrine of Preservation: ever considered it?

--Metaphysical preservation. God preserves the world in "being." Col. 1:7 "He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." The world requires God's permission to remain in existence each moment.

--Covenant preservation. God saves the lives of believers and the church as part of his covenant blessing. Duet. 6:1-2, Joshua 24:17, Psalm 66:9, Matt. 6:18.

--Eternal perservation. John 10:27-30, otherwise known as the doctrine of perserverance. God keeps His own in His hand.

My favorite part of this study, to be sure, was the material on Redemptive-Historical preservation, God's temporary perservation of the world from final judgment, so as to bring his people to salvation.

What amazing grace! Adam and Eve were commanded not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil - why? Because they would surely die. And yet, God preserved them. Despite the evil in Cain's heart, a mark was put on his forehead so that no one would kill him. God preserved the human race until the flood, the flood marked an image of de-creation, and, though sin continued, God also continued to preserve His people.

Upon their exit from the ark, Noah built an alter to the Lord and sacrificed. "The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart, 'Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done. As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.'" Gen. 8:21-22. This is a promise of preservation.

Matthew 24:37 says that "as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man." see 2 Peter 3:5-7. Final judgment will be as in the days of Noah, another de-creation.

MEANWHILE....here's the good news....God preserves the world for the sake of the elect. 2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." God is patient with sinners! Acts 14:17, 17:25-28. He longs for all men to know Him, and he is patient for his timing.

Folks, the missionary mandate is holding the earth together. In a very real sense, God is preserving this earth and preserving people for the sake of His name going forth among them. I mean, really. Think about that for just a second. We are given the awesome commission of being a part of this amazing grace! As we share truth and see men come to repentance, we are gaining one step closer to Heaven. How does little, weak, faithless me get to join the King's army for such a worthy cause? I've been given great purpose!

One more thing. I've never heard this before this class, but --wow, what a thought. The passing of seasons remind us of the needs of the lost. As in Genesis 8 mentioned above, God promises that through the seasons He will preserve His people and never flood the earth again. But the seasons will not pass forever! One day, the earth will end and final judgment will come. No more seasons. No more opportunity for repentance. That compels me! Time is short!

Meditation on this doctrine of preservation completely overwhelms me with floods of grace. We -I- firmly do not deserve His favor. And to think he takes PLEASURE in pouring out His grace upon us! He takes pleasure in preserving His church and the world to demonstrate His faithfulness to us.

Oh, Lord, help me walk in the truth that I know!

Just in case you were wondering...

It takes exactly 19 minutes from my office to the nearest Steak 'n Ale restaurant. The reason I know this, you ask? Because I lost a bet today. I bought my lunch AND another's because I lost the bet that we could get there in 17 minutes. I'd like you to know, I put up quite a fight. I drove like a champ and my passengers put their lives on the line for my sake.

However, the truth is...

It takes more than 17 minutes to get there.

Mr. and Mrs. Todd & Kim Pate

My dear roommate Kim got married to the man of her dreams last Saturday! It was such a neat wedding to be a part of. The Beracah girls prayed fervently with Kim for months - praying for Kim's heart as she worked with Todd in ministry, praying for Todd to be directed by the Lord in their relationship, and even praying for Todd to fall in love with Kim! (I think we all agree that Kim has the gift of faith in prayer...)

And here they are!

So long, roomie. We'll miss you at the Beracah house!

yeah for pictures

no pics :(

Sorry! Blogger is currently not letting me upload pics...

They're coming shortly!