Trusting God day by day

The past couple of weeks have been awesome and God is teaching me so much.  Two weeks ago, Marvin Daniels taught us situational ethics.  We had a lot of discussion time in groups and also the last day we were given 6 different situations and say whether we agreed or disagreed and then defend our beliefs.  It was a really neat experience.  The thing that Marvin said that stuck out to me the most is that we cannot know what we are to do until we know who we are in Christ.  There are a lot of other really good quotes that Marvin told us that I would love to share with you guys:

“Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have the right to do and what is right to do.” – Potter Stewart
“The principles you live by create the world you live in; if you change the principles you live by, you will change your world.” – Blaine Lee
“The leaders of the future will be those who dare to claim their irrelevance in the contemporary world as a divine vocation that allows them to enter into a deep solidarity with the anguish underlying all the glitter of success, and to bring the light of Jesus there.” – Henry Nouwen

Then last week Randy Weeaks came and taught us about parables.  He also spoke to us the last day about the different generations and what we’re called to do.  Not only did he have some amazing insights, but his passion for the Lord and for teaching and for those around him was inspiring.  I loved having him here because not only did he teach us, but he was truly interested in getting to know us and investing into us.  He blessed us Wednesday night with a pizza party complete with teaching us how to two-step.   I realized while studying the parables that I have not been reading my Bible as thoroughly as I should, there were so many things that I just glance over and that causes me to miss so many great truths, so I’m being convicted to spend more time in the Word, not just reading it but really figuring out what it has to say.

My internship has been going great.  I fall more in love with those kids each and every time I’m with them.  It is so cool to see the potential in some of these kids and to see the roles they have even at such a young age.  It has also been really cool to see how strong some of these kids are in their faith despite the struggles they are going through in this world.  As we study the book of James in Precepts, I am reminded of the trials these kids have, struggles I never would have dreamed of going through at such a young age, and yet they put their trust in God and they do consider it pure joy as they go through these things.  How cool to see how much I can learn through a bunch of K-4^th graders.  One boy in particular is in 1^st or 2^nd grade and man does he know his Word.  He tells us each week what he is learning in the book of James (yes, this little boy is studying the book of James all on his own) and he isn’t afraid to tell the other kids what he is learning.  He is memorizing God’s Word and hiding it in his heart.  He is able to distinguish false teachers at other churches that he has been to.  I’m convicted that if he as a 1^st or 2^nd grader can be so committed, how much more can I be doing these things? 

I had a little bit of a meltdown Thursday night/Friday morning with just anxiousness about what God has in store for me next year.  I have an idea of what I would love to do, but I don’t know if that is even a possibility.  I really don’t know what God has in store for me and the unknown kind of freaks me out, but I have to remember that God is in control.  I’ve devoted myself to praying for wisdom for the future every morning and every night and I ask that you would be willing to pray for that with me.  Also, continued prayers for my financial situation as the rest of my tuition is due as well as my last Israel payment and I don’t know how I’m going to pay all of it other than that I know that God will provide in His timing and how He sees fit.  Continued prayers for my friends Jessica and Kent as Kent is now at his FOB in Afghanistan.  Also a praise that I got to share a girls night with a bunch of great Institute girls at my cabin in Arkansas.  Another praise that my family and some family friends are coming to visit me in about a month.  Also, in just over a month I will be in Israel, I can’t believe it!  Pray for safe travels and that my heart will be open to all the things that God wants to show me while I’m there and that it will change me for the better in ways that I could never expect. 

Thank you for your continued support and please let me know how I can be praying for you.  Love you all!

A New Year, A New Semester

Happy New Year!  It has been way too long since I last updated, so let me start off by catching you up on the last couple of weeks of the first semester.  The first weekend in December was FBC’s Winter Retreat which I got the opportunity to serve at.  I had the pleasure of being a leader for a group of sophomore girls, some I had known for a long time, others I just met, but by the end of the weekend I had grown to love each and every one of them so much.  It was so cool to see the way that God was working in the lives of so many people there, but especially in the girls I got to be with.  There is so much pain and suffering in this world, but how cool is it to see God’s victory in it all.  God is so good and nothing will change that because God is unchangeable!  I could go on for a long time about the things that happened that weekend, but since I have so much other stuff to update on, I won’t.  When I got back to the Institute we spent the week studying the Prophets.  The next week we went in depth with the book of Daniel with Debbie Jo White.  So cool!  It was neat to see the history in Daniel but to also see the plan for the future when Jesus will come again.  One thing that Debbie Jo said that really stuck out to me was that if God had so much detail and was so exact when dealing with prophecy and the end times, then He has that detailed of a plan for our own lives.  That last Thursday we studied the book of Ephesians and it was a great day.  It really spurred a talk on community and what Biblical community looks like.  Friday we had Precepts in the morning which was just a great time of prayer and fellowship and building community.  After Precepts we had Timothy group and then we all went out to Silver Dollar City for the rest of the day, what a blessing.  I had such a great time enjoying the Christmas spirit and good times with friends.  Saturday night we had our Christmas party at the Carters’ house.  The Carters were a huge blessing in letting us invade their house for the night.  It was another great night of fellowship and when we left it was snowing which was exciting!  Sunday was another great day.  I headed to church for the morning and had an amazing time with the kiddos and spending time learning about my Lord and Savior.  Sunday evening I went and saw Narnia with a few people and then we met a huge group of KI people at Danna’s BBQ for dinner, after that we all came back and just hung out. 

Monday, December 13^th, started my Christmas break.  Monday I headed up to Kirksville to see some college friends.  It was great getting to catch up with some good friends, but it was weird being back up in Kirksville without our whole little group up there.  It was also fun to have snow since we hadn’t gotten more than a little dusting in Branson.  Wednesday afternoon I headed back home so that I could make it home before the bad weather came.  Thursday and Friday, I was up at church a lot helping Josh get the new stuff in the youth room set up, we also got to test out all the new stuff, like the Wii and the pool table, so that was fun.  Saturday night was the Choir Cantata at church, what a great night of good music and a great message of God’s greatest gift, His Son who came, lived, died, and rose so that we may have forgiveness and eternal life.  It was so great to see my FBC church family whom I hadn’t seen in a long time and to see some other great friends and supporters.  After the Cantata we headed over to Grammy and Granddaddy’s to celebrate Grammy’s birthday.  Every year on her birthday, the family goes over and decorates their Christmas tree, eats ice cream cake, and then Grammy opens her presents.  Sunday evening I got to spend a great time with family celebrating Sarah’s birthday.  After Sarah’s birthday party, Aly and I headed up to church for the youth group Christmas party which was a great time.  I loved getting to see all of the youth group kids, especially the girls who were in my group at Winter Retreat.  I have grown to love those girls so much and so it was great to get to hang out with them again.  Monday I went ice skating with the youth group out at Forest Park.  We had so much fun together – reliving some of the great moments of our ice skating trip last year as well as making great new memories!  After ice skating we all went out for pizza which is always an interesting time. 

After some great time at home, it was time for some more traveling.  Tuesday, Aly and I went and picked Grandma up and then headed down to Little Rock for a couple of days.  Such a great time with family!  We got there Tuesday evening and got settled and then everyone came over for a great dinner, Uncle Jeff makes the best brisket I have ever had in my life!  It was also just a great time of hanging out and catching up with family.  I got to meet some of my cousins’ significant others for the first time which was fun.  Wednesday I had breakfast with Aly, Grandma, and Aunt Bev where we had some great conversation.  That time was so precious to me and might be my favorite part of my time in Arkansas, even though it was all good.  Around lunch time, once we had all gotten ready, the four of us and Leah met up with Aunt Ginny and Aunt Sheryl and had a fun little girls shopping trip.  That night we went to church where we had chili for dinner and then had an Advent service.  After church we headed back to the Sanders’ house and played some games.  You have to love the competitive nature of the Wagner family – it makes for some interesting game nights.  Thursday morning we had a great breakfast cooked by Aunt Bev and then we just hung out until the Wagners came over so that Aly and I could say goodbye before we had to leave.  Aunt Bev also spoiled us and baked us cookies Thursday morning so we would have some snacks for the ride home.  So Aly and I drove back home Thursday afternoon which was an adventure because Gypsy (our GPS – yes, Mom named our GPS) took us places we had never been before, but we finally made it back.

The rest of my break was spent at home which was great.  Christmas Eve was spent cleaning and cooking and playing games and dinner with family and then probably the best Christmas Eve service I have ever been to.  I have never heard the Gospel preached so boldly and plainly at a Christmas Eve service.  Christmas was another great day – great time with family as well as celebrating all that God has done for us.  This Christmas was even more special because we got to celebrate Ryan and Aly’s engagement with them.  I could not be happier for my sister, Ryan is a great man of God and I have never seen Aly as happy as she is now.  This break was a lot of time spent with family and it was a huge blessing to me, but as much as I loved getting to spend time with my family, I’m so excited to be back in Branson with my KI family.

This semester our big project is our belief statements.  Each week we have a different section of our belief statements that we will work on and then at the end of the semester we will go before a panel and defend what we believe.  It’s a little overwhelming, but I know it will be a great time of searching and discovering what I believe for myself rather than just what I’ve been taught.  I’m excited to see what God will teach me through the classes this semester as well as our Bible study on James and through my internship.  This week we are studying the Trinity and Dr. Kreider from Dallas Theological Seminary is the one teaching us.  It has been a good two days so far of looking at what the Bible says the Trinity is and what the Trinity is not.  I’m looking forward to the rest of the week and what Dr. Kreider has in store for us.  I am also looking forward to Wednesday night and AWANA and getting to see my kiddos and continue building those relationships. 

Prayer requests for this update:   Pray for Aly and Ryan as they have a lot of planning for their future to do.  Pray for my friends Jessica and Kent – Kent is in the Army and is deploying to Afghanistan on Friday, pray for his safety, but also be in prayer for Jessica because her and Kent are recently married and I know it will be hard for her to have him half way around the world.  Pray for all of us here at the Institute as we seek out God’s will for our lives as the end of the year will be here in no time.  Please continue to pray for my financial situation.  While sometimes I worry about the future or how I will pay for the Institute and things like that, it has been so cool to see the way that the Lord provides and how His timing is perfect. 

Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support!  You have no idea how much you mean to me!  Please let me know how I can be praying for you.