Here is a collection of pictures of some friends in Wilmington painting pottery for Jessica Mixon’s birthday. We had a blast painting our pottery, eating cookie cake, and looking at all of the bizarre, yet brilliant surroundings.
At first, I don’t know what to do with articles like this one. I always think it’s Onionish or Lark Newsish, only to come to find out, it’s very real - and still ridiculous.
I found this - God Trumps article from New Humanist about cards, that really help you decide which religion fits you best, as if going through a drive through window and able to choose a combo menu.
I feel so incredibly sad for people who feel as if this might be their answer.
This is wild to me. It’s colder in Wilmington right now than it is in Kosice.
I’ve been processing through a lot about what it’s like to go away and come back. I’ve realized so much about how being back is different, okay, it’s real different.
I’ve realized how I’m very “American” and think in American ways and have expectations that are at their core, American.
But, when you go away and come back, life has gone on for you, life has gone on for those you left and when you try to insert yourself back into their community, it’s not going to be easy. It’s been hard - in ways I didn’t think it would. Not because my friends didn’t accept me back, oh they did, with open arms - but because, my life has changed, I won’t ever be the same. What I’ve seen and experienced although difficult at times taught me volumes about life, culture, independence, dependence on God, trust, provision, vulnerability, language, and ofcourse much more. This isn’t really anything I can describe too well in one blog post - out of fear that I’ll bore you to tears.
I don’t want to forget, I don’t want to let my time in Slovakia to become just a dream. I want it to remain to be true and I want to spiritual needs and the apathy to stay with me, for a lifetime.
I’ve had the privilege of plugging in at Port City and getting involved in different areas. I’ve been challenged personally to remember that ministry isn’t automatic and has to be done out of overflow of what God is already doing in my own life.
There is more on all of this later. I haven’t yet put together all of my thoughts on what God has allowed me to plug into and how I believe he’s using me now, but I do need to do that because I don’t want to miss it.
I’m still really connected with my friends who are living and serving in Slovakia. The current team consists of several of my past summer project friends (Lindsey, Stephanie, Amber, and Justin) as well as friends from last year’s team (Aaron, Dara, Jeremy, and Bibka). Since the internet is a wonderful tool that I have to stay connected with friends in other countries I get to talk to my friends in Slovakia quite often. I am really thankful for their dedicated service to Jesus in Slovakia.
I just wanted to share with you some specific ways you can be praying for the team and for their needs ministry wise and personally. It’s not easy living overseas for a year - away from all that is comfortable.
Thank you so much for praying. I am always amazed at the power of prayer to change lives and change the course and direction of countries and people throughout history.
“Prayer is as natural an expression of faith as breathing is of life”- Jonathan Edwards
I just sold my 5th generation video ipod on ebay. She was a faithful ipod, but now that I have an iphone, I don’t really need her. This was fine until I realized that I didn’t receive the payment from the buyer. I ended up having to call paypal [awful customer service] to figure out the problem. The buyer was claiming that I was trying to scam him, while, I was on the line with someone who barely speaks english trying to work through the intricacies of the paypal/ebay relationship.
My observance is that paypal does not allow you to change bank accounts easily or email addresses. It seems as if you have to change it a few different places before the changes take effect. Have you had any problems with paypal or ebay?
It’s so strange how competition surfaces in me this time of year. It must be from the years of making words out of cardboard, writing skits, choreographing dances, designing props, buying pig noses, crafting balloon arches, selling sweatshirts, and dancing on the dining hall tables. It must be all of the banging pots in the hallways of dorms, raiding the president’s house, singing “We love you lil sis, oh yes we do,” wearing a clown wig, and blowing whistles. It must be because of these things that I remember how much fun I had at Meredith College - laughing with friends, staying up way too late just to get it all in, using power tools, lip syncing, searching for a crook, and reinventing traditions to make them come alive. This is some of what I remember about being a part of the class of 2003. I remember my class, how we got our rings together with 2003 balloons gracing the ceiling, how we made Meredith College history - by being one of the most involved classes of all time.
Many of us now, have moved away, we’ve searched out our hidden destinations, we’ve grabbed hold of new cities, marriages, babies, and some of us will make our way back to 3800 Hillsborough Street, without whistles, without a competition to be had of our own, but with excitement of what was and the remembrance of a bond that won’t ever separate, because it’s so unique and so different from almost every other College or University out there.
I smile when I think of these memories and gladly accept that some call it a “cult.” When we knew all along it was a “culture.” It’s not the usual homecoming and to those who want to know more, I still say, “you just have to experience it.”
I’ll see you tonight class of 2003 and best of luck to the Seniors in the class of 2009. GO ODDS.
balloon arches
we love cornhuskin
A couple of weeks ago I was in Charleston with my dear friend, Rebecca. We were talking one morning in Kudu about walking with God. Rebecca’s been on staff with Crusade for 5 years and I was too before I left back in August. We were talking about the struggle of spending time with God. I asked if it was a struggle for her, and she asked me this,
what do you mean by spending time with God?
I had to stop and think. What did I mean? I mean, I guess in a lot of circles spending time with God is assumed (at least thats how I feel). But it’s a real struggle for me to prioritize it, and to make sure that I don’t leave it by the wayside to flashy technology or comforts of American life. It’s part of the do I really need to depend on God issue that we face in comfort. But yes, we really do need to depend on Him.
So, spending time with God. What does it mean? I remember a few years ago taking a survey about, different ways to experience God, because apparently, not everyone experiences Him in the same way. For instance some will experience God more through music, or through nature, some through sitting in silence, others through running, or taking apart cars….the idea is, it’s different for each of us. When we do what we’re really designed to do, we will with out a doubt experience God and His pleasure. So that brings up another really important question, how do we know what we’re designed to do? And, is experiencing God the same as spending time with Him?
What do you think of when you think of spending time with God? Or having a quiet time? Most likely it’s sitting down in PCJ, Starbucks, Panera, wherever and reading. What are you reading? What is God teaching you? Is He doing a fresh work in your heart and in your life?
Is reading a book, even with a Christian title or by a Christian author the same as reading the Bible? Does it matter?
Why does reading the Bible matter? Is reading the Bible the same as spending time with God? Is it possible to read the Bible and not spend time with God?
These are my questions. Do you have any answers?
Some books, I’m suggesting (and not to replace any of your current Bible reading) are:
-Practice the Presence of God (free text, mp3)
-Experiencing God (on amazon)
-Psalms, Proverbs (biblegateway)
I’m up for discussing this things. I always love a deep discussion.
Yesterday, I was thinking on the whole economic crisis and the billions of dollars spent, and the articles about luxury retreats, that are being investigated… you can’t help but to think where is God in all of this? I know for me, the crisis call to attention the reality that God is still God, yet His provision is seen differently because we are more aware of what it means for God to provide when times are “tough.” I listened to Andy Stanley’s series called, Letter’s to the Next President, just recently - where Andy outlines Biblical national leaders and the standards that God held them to. You can’t help but to notice that God’s economy, God’s way of thinking, are drastically different than an America filled with the notion to get what you want when you want it.
Whether or not you understand the economy and it’s ins and outs, you may be stumped as to why it all matters, and where God could be in all of it. When God allows something to happen to us, it’s usually for His glory - we can’t see with His eyes, usually we see with our small view point, with questions like, “how will this affect ME?” when really maybe we should be asking, “what is God doing?” I think He wants to show a lot of people that He is God.
Yesterday, I was reminded of 1 Kings 18, where Elijah begs God on behalf of the people of Israel to end the famine.
36 At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 37 Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.”
38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.
39 When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The LORD -he is God! The LORD -he is God!”
If you are familiar with what God does here, He sends rain and they know He is God. Why? Not because he sent rain first, but because He first sent fire.
That is my prayer, that these people, in Wilmington, in Kosice, in Backi Petrovec, in Novi Sad, in Raleigh, Greenville, Iraq, at political rallies, in the midst of economic crisis - that they will turn their hearts to Him, and know that He is God.
So what’s the use in having a blog, if you don’t use it. I’m not sure - it’s just taking up valuable web space. So, I figured, I needed to tap into webspace again and verbalize a few things.
In a lot of ways I feel wrecked, not by emotions purely, and not by circumstances, and I don’t mean any of this to alarm anyone, I just feel like life a lot of times makes you feel caught off guard.
I feel like a lot of days, I’m not up-to-speed in the normal “American” pace of life. It’s a weird thing. I don’t feel like I function at the same level of productivity as I used to. Although, I do have to take into consideration the reality that I am starting in a lot of new things. But, it still amazes me that my memory fails me often (and I don’t think this has anything to do with being closer to 30- so slow down on the jokes).
I’ve been learning deeply from the Lord - He’s been teaching me about what a blessing it is that He saved me, even from myself, not just from the enemy. This basic truth motivates my life in so many ways. There is a verse packaged in Jeremiah 29, and no, it’s not even verse 11, that says this,
Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. 7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper. (Jer 29:4-7)
The truth that exists inside of that passage of scripture permeates me as I think of praying to the Lord for the sake of the city I’m living in, it makes me realize the depths of church ministry and the reality of the power of the cross to intersect in lives and to bring unity, clarity, and wholeness to broken lives.
I think as I’ve entered into church world, I’ve realized the supreme neediness of those around me, those who are in need of someone to walk beside them, and to pray for them, to challenge, and to keep accountable. I’ve been so used to working with college students, who, for the most part, have not been hit by life yet. But life, it gets really really hard, and people have really difficult things to deal with.
The truth of Him saving us, must echo in our hearts, it must resound in the way we live, and all too often I just think it doesn’t do that. I think in the usual, day-to-day we are more caught up in the tasks of life to stop and realize the depths of salvation.
This verse, has stuck with me, ever since I read it last week, it says this:
If the LORD had not been on our side— (Ps 124:1)
What can you say, if the Lord had not been on your side…
…think of how much worse off we would be.
….if you are struggling now, if your marriage is in shambles, if you are in a conflict, if you are depressed, think of what it would look like without the Lord on our side.
We have so much to be thankful for and we don’t even realize it.