It Finally Snowed

When it snows, it does not snow that much down here. Yet yesterday morning as we drove to the church, the landscape became white with snow flakes. As the vehicle moved down the road, the snow hit the front of the windshield of the car. The road was blanketed in white, and the van made tracks on the new fallen snow. We were on our way to church and the snow steadily got worse and worse. As we turned onto Highway 50 the snow began to increase in intensity. We were only able to drive about 35 mph. Finally when we arrived at the church we had to actually get out of the van and push it up the hill. I must admit that Sabbath shoes are not the best thing to try and push a van up a hill in. I don't think I helped too much, but we got the van up the hill anyway. After we parked the van the snow began to pick up in intensity. As we went inside the church, there were members there who greeted us with smiles, and hugs. The snow was amazing, but it did not last that long. Yet I am still thankful for the snow that we did get. Even as I sit looking outside the window from my bed, I can see snow on the ground from the storm. Which is a real blessing. We even got a small ice storm. My friend Jonathan noticed that the ice was starting to pile up on the trees, and sure enough, the clear coating of ice could be seen around the branches of the trees. However the ice did not last that long, and soon it turned to just plain rain as the temperature rose about 32 degrees Fahrenheit. That night we had rice crispy treats, with chocolate on top, and they were really good. The next day was Sunday, and I must say that I did not do too much yesterday. I basically sat around and typed on the computer, and talked to friends on the phone. If I were going to pick out a lesson from all of this, it would definitely have to be the beauty of life. Sometimes there are lots of things to be thankful for, and I must say that I have a whole bunch to be thankful for. The first thing that I am thankful for is that it snowed. Secondly I am thankful that I got to walk out in the snow. Thirdly I got to listen to Adventures in Odyssey. Fourthly I got a 1992 Buick Century. The fifth thing that I am thankful for, is a nice warm bed to sleep in, and the solitude and silence of having my own room. The sixth thing I am thankful for is that I have had good meals to fill my belly. The seventh thing I am thankful for, and probably the most important thing that I am thankful for, is the fact that I have Jesus as a personal friend. Well I guess that is about all the writing that I am going to do for today, but what about you? What are you thankful for?

Rain

Yesterday was full of lots and lots of rain, and today appears to be the same. My friend Jonathan and I went to walmart, and we looked at the different things they had. I decided that I was going to get a computer game, so we went ahead and bought one. I also got one of those headsets for the phone I have, and it works very nicely. The only thing about that is the cost for talking to people during the day. Yet there is an interesting paralell here between talking on the cell phone, and talking to God. As much as I enjoy talking on the cell phone, I need to be careful because I could go over the minutes allowed. Yet there is one relationship where I do not have to be careful. It's always free to talk to God, no matter what time of the day it is, and you can have both hands free when you do as well. Why don't we talk to God more? As I sit here on my bed and look out my window at the rainy afternoon, I am reminded that God is always there, and will never leave us or forsake us.

Psalms 139:7 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?
Psalms 139:8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
Psalms 139:9 If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Psalms 139:10 even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.
Psalms 139:11 If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,"
Psalms 139:12 even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.

Learning to Co-Operate with God:)

Ok, I am writing this blog, because I have learned a very valuable lesson. Everybody has an opinion, and we should take those opinions into account, but ultimately it is going to be us who make the final decision. Jesus died on the cross to give you and I a choice, and that is how much He values our decision. The ultimate decision that a person will make should depend on God, but it is ultimately going to be our decision in the end. When we make a decision we need to be willing to live with the consequences of that decision. Instead of being stuck in the valley of indecision we should make a decision. God can work with us, when we finally make a decision, but the indecision in our lives ruins us. Today I got up this morning, and I learned a very valuable lesson. Once we make a decision, if that decision is against what God wants for us, then we don't have to keep that decision, and we should go back on our word in that case. It is best not to allow everyone around us to make our decisions for us. The Bible is full of different texts on making your own decision.

Jos 24:15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

Jesus is the Way :)

Hi Everyone:)
This morning I woke up to a ground that was partially covered in white, which tells me that we got snow last night. I didn't stay up all night like I was planning to, but I went to bed. I slept for most of this day, and it was not until about 1:47 pm that I woke up and started working. What was I working on you may ask? The sermon for next week of course. I decided to do the sermon on Proverbs 4:14-18 Right now I am in my ministry partners car, and we were de-icing his car window, and now we are driving down the road, and I can't see that well out of my side of the window, but now it is clearing more so that I can see out it. Somewhere in the middle of my sermon preparation, I came to the text of John 14 1-6. Thomas wanted to know the way. And Jesus told him that He was the way the truth and the life. It is in following Jesus that we truly live our lives. It is in following Him that we experience true Happiness and peace of mind.




John 14:5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?"

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

A New Day

Hello Everyone,

I have finally decided to add another blog. This blog is definately going to be all about new beginnings. What do I mean by new beginnings you ask? Well what I mean by new beginnings, is the joy of being forgiven and loved, inspite of our sinful selves.

I guess what reminds me about that is the fact that it is going to snow this evening! Yes I said snow!!! Finally we are going to get some. I think my favorite time of the year is the winter time. Seeing the white snow slowly fall to the ground is absolutely refreshing. Tonight is pathfinders, so I am going to be working with the kids. That should be fun. It is neat to talk to them about Jesus, and to share all of the encouraging things that have been shared with me with someone else. I think that I will take the kids for a walk this evening and share God's love with them.

Everytime it snows I am reminded about Jesus promise to make our sins whiter than snow. Maybe you are reading this today and are discouraged about your failures, well, friend, I want you to know that Jesus will forgive you of those sins that are troubling you if you will only ask Him. Don't be afraid to ask Him for help, He promises to help.

Isa 1:18 "Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.

Both to will and to do:)

Wow! I know it has been a while since I have blogged on here, but I decided that I would take some time out of my day to enter a new entry in the old blog. Now for the update as to how things are going. Things are going really awesome! Pathfinders has been a success. Let me tell you a little bit about it. The last meeting we had we were working on setting up a tent. Now this tent is one of those old cabin tents, and I could not figure out how to set it up. We spent about 20 minutes of time just trying to figure out how to set it up. But that is not what I wanted to talk to you all about. I want to just let you know how things are going. For the last few weeks we have been reading the Bible, and I am amazed at how God works in lives. Some of the kids are actually starting to read their Bible. It is so awesome to see hear about people reading their Bible. I know that it was not me, but the work of the Holy Spirit using my messed up way of doing things for God's glory. Aside from pathfinders my ministry partner and I meet on thursday nights for cell group. This is a bible study like group. Also the Lord has worked with the inactive non attending memebers, and brought them back! I am so happy to see what God is doing. To be totally honest I have been sitting in the passenger seat most of the time, and watching God do things through me that I never even dreamed possible. Maybe you are reading this blog, and you are discouraged, well, I want you to know that God promises to work in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. All you have to do is ask Him right now. Maybe you are wondering how to ask Him. All you have to do is say "Jesus please come into my heart." And He will, that is His promise. :) Then He will work in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.

A Hug from Love

Wow! Friends I just want to start out by saying how richly blessed I am because of all that God has done and continues to do for me. I am so priviledged to be able to share with you this evening. Last night I was missing being at Southern Adventist University. I wanted to go to vespers. But just as I was to my point of feeling really depressed about not being able to go, an idea came to my mind to watch it online. Sure enough not only could I watch vespers live online, but the sound quality was excellent. As they sung praise songs I lifted my hands in praise to God. But why did I do that you may ask? Because God cared enough about me to allow me to be able to see Southern's vespers. The first song that was sung was All of You is more than enough for all of me. That song is so awesome:) The Holy Spirit helped me remember the name of the song. I give Him the credit for being able to Praise His name tonight:) The truth is that All of Him is more than enough for all of us, for every thirst and every need, He satisfies us with His love and all we have in Him is more than enough. Vespers that night was on bearing fruit, and how God blesses us so that we can bear fruit for Him, and about being real and open with God. They prayed for the people involved in Student missions that night. I thought that was really wierd, but when I heard the prayer, I felt strengthened. That night when I went to bed I had a very messed up dream. Everything was mixed up in it, but I remember one part of the dream very vividly. I saw a picture of Jesus in my dream, and the picture came alive, and He walked over and gave me a big hug. Amazingly enough I had been praying for a hug from maybe an angel, but to get a hug from Jesus was out of this world! I pray I never forget that dream and it's significance. Friend, maybe you stumbled onto this blog on accident and are wondering where you life is headed. Maybe you have questions about your future, maybe you are lonely, whatever it is, Jesus has the answer. He loves you so very very much:) He will never leave you nor forsake you. You can know that when life is falling apart around you that Jesus longs to be with you. And the best part is all you have to do is invite Him into your heart, and He will come in. Jesus says in Revelation 3:20

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me."