Campus Days 2008

So today was the infamous annual event called "Campus Days" here at my beloved CBU. I have fully come to appreciate it after experiencing today. Last year I was unable to attend due to work but this year I was a captain since I am an RA in the cottages.  :) There were some great memories made on our team. It was my cottages, Joe's cottages, and Courtney's cottages. I have to say that my team was simply amazing. Thanks, guys!!

Again, my team was awesome!! We were Dwight Schrute Army of Champions. We all wore glasses and Joe even dressed up...so I guess in a way, he was our team mascot. We had fun playing pictionary...

Also, we played oversized basketball...

After that, we went on to human foosball...which was amazing...Nelson was our goalie...

The guys also reenacted Iwo Jima...

We didn't win...but all in all it was a great day!!! :) I just wish I could have the same team again next year :)

Love you all!! Hope you do awesome on your finals!!!

Isn't it funny?

I find it sometimes downright entertaining how God goes about doing things. This last semester right into this semester is one such example.

My church is very missions driven. Honestly, I love it, but at first I resisted it. I didn't see the need for me to be involved. I had friends who were so why should I have to go, also? Someone's gotta stay here, right? Ugh. Yeah..sure.

Last semester, I met a boy named Jonathan who definitely challenged me to see missions differently. I was becoming more and more open to the idea but still resisted how much my church pushes missions. Really, it's nothing over the top. It's a good amount of pushing but I was resisting like no other. Then, at school, we had a speaker named David Platt who REALLY pushed us to realize that missions is a calling and that really, nowhere is "home" except for Heaven so why are we so concerned about where we are on this earth?

So David Platt pushed me to really realize that it is a command and that, really, I had been forcing down this huge desire to go. I have a gift for learning languages, I love people, my spiritual gift is encouragement, and I want other people to know the Christ I know. I want to go places, understand cultures, spread His glory, and love on people around the world. I was finally admitting it...

Then one Sunday at church, my friend Dain spoke about his trip to Rwanda. I remember with a surprising amount of clarity how much a statement of his struck me. The dumb choice on my part was to not write what that statement was. That is frustrating to me tonight because I really wish I did. However, I have some clues. I did write the following three statements:

1) "Sidenote: I just need to sign up. God will provide. Get over my fears and obey. Funny how your biggest fears become your greatest passion."

2) "Signed up: Southeast Asia. Greatest fear: Missions."

3) "Yet another push in the right direction of what I've been struggling with..."

Anyway, whatever Dain said pushed me that very day to sign up for a missions trip that was being offered. I didn't know Dain at the time, but then, he signed up for the same trip. I've gotten to hang out with him a few times. It's funny how God uses people you don't know, allows you to know them, and then just seems to bring things full circle.

Thanks, Dain, for that last little push. God is really working through you.

rollercoasters

Rollercoasters are awesome rides! I was scared of them until I turned 13 when I rode my first "big kids" rollercoaster with my sister in Oklahoma.

After that I was addicted but refused to ride them without her. Well, I went to Disneyland one summer with my parents, nephews, niece, and cousin. He is my age and he REALLY wanted to go on the California Adventure rollercoaster. What was I to do? I said yes and I rode it. I fell in LOVE with it!! Now I can't get enough of rollercoasters. They're my secret addiction.

Ever think about it? You ride a rollercoaster for the thrill. The adrenaline starts pumping, the screaming starts up, and it's a blast! But sometimes at first they seem so daunting.

My proposition is that life can be a rollercoaster. Sometimes they're nice and downhill and we're coasting. Sometimes they're uphill and take awhile to reach the top. And sometimes when we finally reach that summit, we plummet to the lowest point of the ride. And yet, we press on. We take heart and we keep going. Let us not forget that even when times are frustrating, sad, lonely, or overwhelming, we are not alone. Christ is right here with us and He is on this "rollercoaster" with us. Don't lose heart. Press on. You are not alone.

Brought to tears

This may seem like an out of the ordinary post...

Or just something you didn't expect...

Or maybe something you did expect. I really don't know...

Lately (about the last three weeks) Christ has really been softening my heart to Him and His word more and more. Growing up, my mom has always told me I have a soft heart to God's commands and the Holy Spirit. She says she has always seen that in me. Anyway, it has become softer.

Anytime I really sit down to spend time in God's word, I have been brought to tears by all that He has done...all that He does...all that He has promised to do in me. God's glory is so obvious in our lives but so often, in the past, I have bypassed it and never really paid much attention.

Not only has He brought me to tears multiple times in the last few weeks...He has also brought me to stand for my belief in Him. I have been fighting temptations left and right. I have never noticed how prevalent temptations are in my life!! They are everywhere! It is only by the grace of God that I walk away from them. Apart from Him I can do nothing. (John 15:6) Is that not so true?

The Getty, the 405, and the Traffic

Sometimes simple days can turn into hilarious, adventurous, and even long days. Today was one such day.

My day started around 7 AM when I got up to have breakfast with my GA. We had a great time talking; she noticed I'm much quieter in the mornings. After breakfast, I headed back to my cottage to finish drying some clothes. I slept while the dryer was going and when I woke up from my nap, it was time to go to Charity's!

I got to Charity's around 11:20ish and we talked for awhile before leaving. That was nice because I had just driven 1 1/2 hours to get there so a break from the car was just what I needed. When we left, the adventures started!!

We arrived at the Getty and parked my car. After taking the tram up to the actual museum, we made a bee line for the exhibit I was there to visit. Any paintings between 1600-1700 would work. It's for a class project and I skipped that class today to get the project done. haha.

After viewing all the portraits and paintings I needed to see, we went outside to take some pictures and wander around. We decided to go to the photography building but first, we wanted to jump across some stones in the pond between the buildings. We saw some kids do it, and they didn't get in trouble, so we figured it was a safe option. Charity hopped onto the first stone as I got my camera ready. I was setting it up to take multiple action shots in a row so that I could capture a picture of her actually jumping. Just as we were ready, the security guard came out of the closest building to tell us that we were not allowed to go across the stones. That idea was shot so we proceeded to the photography building. Ironically enough, that was the building the guard had come from.

We entered into the building to see walls of photos of Paris in the 1920s. Seeing as I am a Paris fan, I was immediately attracted to these walls. Being that they are such old photographs, they were also very small. I leaned in to look at one and I pointed to it to show Charity something when, out of nowhere, a guard comes up and tells me that I was too close to the photograph. He was sympathetic with us, acknowledging how small the photographs were. I liked him.

So we moved on after finishing up the Paris photos.  Next on the list was "The Goat Dance" room which was done by a photojournalist. He stayed with some natives from another country as they showed him their ritual for slaughtering goats. (Gross but, whatev.) The pictures went in order around the room and so Charity and I decided to make a film of her telling "the story" (that she would make up) of the Goat Dance. Just as Charity said the sentence, "...and her goat is about to be slaughtered" a security guard came up behind me and told me I was not allowed to take photographs. Oh, it's just my luck.

We finished looking around in that exhibit before heading outside. We went to lunch and then we went out to the gardens to look around and take some pictures. After we had walked around for awhile, it was time to go back to Charity's.

We had to take the 405 to get to Charity's. I was driving in the third lane, just next to the carpool lane. A van started to pass me in the carpool lane so I looked over to make sure they had plenty of room and stuff. As I looked, the guy in the passenger seat looked out at me. I started laughing because it was just weird and awkward. Well, this gentleman took that quite the wrong way. He kept staring at me even after they had passed us. He was leaning OUT his window and looking back. Somehow they got behind us again and when they passed us again, he did the same thing. This time I covered my face so he couldn't see me. As I did this, Charity announced that he was yelling to me. Creepy!!! So that was my official experience on the 405. Avoid it. At all costs.

After dropping Charity off at home, I headed back to school. I left her house at about 4:20 and arrived back here at 6:55. I guess that's what I get for driving during rush hour on a Friday. Anyway, I had a nice evening. I slept for a little over an hour, watched a movie with one of my girls, and then went to In N Out with a couple friends. When I got back, I did some short reading in a commentary on Isaiah, and then I went to sleep.

Fridays are crazy, that's all I can really say. Hope you all have a blessed weekend!

Work...class...nothing really...

So I am at work. And I was reading an intensely good introduction to a highly recommended book. If the introduction is this good, I can't wait to start the actual text. Anyway, I was a couple pages in, already wanting to highlight things, and someone comes into my work. They need me to sign them in, so I do. And then I start thinking...what if I blog today? Weird thought, I know. (Sidenote: Does that mean I'm addicted to blogging?)

So then I wonder what I would possibly blog about since my day has been uneventful. But then I thought about it and, really, my day has been very eventful! So I'm gonna share some of those events with you.

1 - I woke up. This in itself was a miracle considering I had about 4 hours of sleep. Don't ask, I couldn't fall asleep for whatever reason. Not only did I wake up, I was actually able to stand on my own two feet without falling over from exhaustion!

2 - In my 8 AM class, our class for Thursday was cancelled! All because our professor didn't want to give us the quiz scheduled and wanted us to have extra time to work on our project/a day off. I like her :)

3 - In my Intro to Stats class, we found out we still have to take an entrance exam (which we weren't supposed to have to take) but that our professor is going to just teach us the type of math which will be on the exam! (It's not stats...random, I know) So now we're reviewing in each class to prepare for an exam. It's pretty sweet.

4 - In my 11 AM class, Global Studies, my professor was speaking right to my heart. So much of what he said has been laid on my heart recently by God. It was such confirmation in many things. Also, he and I set up a time to have lunch so we can discuss seminaries! I'm so stoked!!

5 - I had a good conversation with my team leader. He gave me some good info about the Greek class here on campus which I really want to take. Honestly, I'm just sick of reading my Bible and always having to read "The original Greek word was "_______" which means "________"." It gets rather annoying. I'd rather just read it in the original language. (The New Testament, anyway)

6 - I'm now at work but I am very excited for some books that I'm going to buy. Every year, when spring semester hits, so does a reading frenzy in my heart. Haha. But really, it's true. I start reading like crazy. So I found some great books on recommendation from my philosophy professor who will also be my apologetics professor next fall.

7 - After this, I have some quick free time to relax. Later this evening I am meeting with my pastor's wife because she and I are starting a mentorship and we start this week! I honestly couldn't be more excited! :)

So that's my day so far (and later this evening) in a nutshell. All it takes to be optimistic is to look for God's blessings; they're everywhere. :)

Risen.

So this morning I woke up way before my alarm. I hate when that happens. Only because I like my sleep. But that's beside the point. I was slightly in a bad mood when I got up this morning, only because I was extremely tired. But as I started getting ready for church, I began to think about things.

Halfway through the process of getting ready, I realized that the event that this day symbolizes and represents is exactly why my faith is even possible. I kept that little thought to myself and proceeded to finish getting ready for my day.

I arrived at church and I had a truly wonderful time of fellowship. I taught the elementary age Sunday school class and then I went to the main service. Oh what sweet words were said by my pastor. He said exactly what my thought had been! He said that the event that today represents is exactly why our faith is so set apart. He said, "If Christ hasn't raised, Christianity is reduced down to every other religion whose leader is dead." Mmm. Such truth to those words! If Christ had not raised, as Paul tells us in I Corinthians 15, we should be pitied more than anyone else! If Christ had not raised, we would be buying into a bigger lie than any other religion. If Christ had not raised, we would have no hope in anything.

A few weeks ago, my friend Anthony preached at our church. He said, "I love the 'buts' of the Bible." In I Corinthians 15, Paul is making a case for how sad it would be and how horrible it would be for Christians if Christ had not raised. Then that wonderful, wonderful verse comes in, I Corinthians 15:20, "But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep."

Just think on that verse for a moment before going on.

Does it bring relief to your soul? Does it let your heart release a sigh? I know when I read this verse, I feel a sudden burden lifted off of me. I have no need to fear the reality of Christ's resurrection. Paul has confirmed it time and time again. Christ has raised from the dead. My faith is established and authentic and worthwhile. More than worthwhile. Precious.

And it is this very faith that drives my heart every time I think of what I am going to do with my life. It is this faith that presses on me again and again that Christ needs to be taken where nobody has heard His name. It is this very faith that allows me to say, "God will provide whether that be through bringing me home safe or allowing my death to be my witness to others." It is this very faith that pushes me to strive my best each day to learn more and more about my faith and my God and my desires. This faith alone.

I Corinthians 15:58 says, "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." Today in church, we centralized on that verse. My pastor said that this verse is "a direct call for resolve and ambition." This verse should push us to be living constantly with the fact in mind that "Jesus is alive!" And that very fact should drive our decisions whether they be about money, children, family, interaction with people, involvement in church, or anything we encounter, really. If we are not living by this fact, what are we living by? Whatever is the most important thing in our lives drives our decisions. I can speak only for myself when I say I want so desperately for Jesus' conquering over death and His current life to be my driving force.

Prayer Requests:

*Team building

*Southeast Asia trip

*Perseverance in classes