thought for today

I Samuel 3:10
Then the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, "Samuel!"
And Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."

Am I more concerned with what God has to say to me or about what I need to tell Him?

back in time

Pictures are funny things. Just looking at a photo of something you did a few years ago can bring back a flood of memories of that day, what you were wearing, and what you were thinking as you smiled at the camera. I found these beauties this afternoon, reminding me of my first two trips to Ukraine which were only a couple years ago.

Team Borkiv, 2005. The people in this picture are all over the place. Some still in Ukraine, some married, some engaged, some moved other places, some in Beaufort.






Vanya and I. My host brother first year. This was taken the night Kristine and I were grounded and stayed home from going bowling. We were upset about that but had an amazing time playing hide and seek and catch with Vanya.





My first Ukraine roomie. Kristine made boring nights at home so much fun exploring our host family's house and playing with fire late at night. Can't believe this girl is getting married! I'm so excited for her!





The group that went out to dinner one night, ultimately resulting in Kristine and I getting grounded from going anywhere over the next several days. Funny to think that none of us live in Beaufort anymore...





My first-ever host family! We had a really hard time talking to Ivan and Natasha at meals, but with Vanya's limited English and Sergey's translation, we communicated decently.






2006 30-day Ukraine team. Most of us still look the same but we've all changed in so many ways. Just look at Hope and Sam! I really liked this group of people. 2006 was the biggest growth-year for me and much of that is because of these guys.





Katie, Kristine and I practicing. We sang "You Alone" for a youth service in Litin. I hadn't planned on it but they made me join in... Brandon videoed the whole thing and it's rather funny to hear.






I like this picture... this was just after a trip to "Fantaland" to buy Cokes. Those beautiful yellow shirts (we called ourselves "Bananas" that year)...






Inviting kids to camp - Arthur, Mr. Vince and me! I've always liked this picture and I'm not sure why. We walked a lot that day through a cornfield, through herds of cows, and all over to get kids for camp. Mr. Vince definitely looks different and look how short my hair was!

I'm Free!

Just some thoughts on a passage I read lately. It really stuck out and I had to share... this was copied from my journal. I really wanted to share some new pictures too but I'm on Molly's computer since mine's having some power cord issues right now. 

"It was for freedom that Christ set us free" Galatians 5:5

Everyone has motives. Good, bad, and rare is the person who has just ONE motive, and a good one at that, in mind. Not all are EVIL but by nature we're sinners... we're pretty much self-serving individuals and our minds are going to reflect that. 

Jesus is obviously THE best model of all time for how to live. His example is just so amazing and... wow. And He knows it. He wouldn't be GOD if HE didn't know that He was the best thing to hit the planet. 

The thing that strikes me is that Jesus wasn't self-seeking. He was totally here for other people. I think I forget that about 90% of of the time - that Jesus was here for others. I don't KNOW selfless people. There are people who are further than others but again, we have that sin nature. We CAN'T be perfect and selfless. I have no mental picture of what Jesus must have been like. Can you imagine?

And then this verse says "It was FOR FREEDOM that Christ set us free". When a prisoner is set free, it's not usually FOR FREEDOM. I say usually but of course mean this is NEVER done. He's set free because he met parole or because the charges were dropped. Nobody just hands a prisoner a key and says "See ya later, Pal". After they're released, they may be monitored, records kept on file... though physically they aren't in prison anymore, they are not truly FREE. The file is saved because it may one day be required again. The prisoner might return to the jail cell.

But in Christ, there is TRUE freedom. It can't be lost. We can't return to a jail cell one day... we can't be condemned to hell. Because we're free. We aren't watched or recorded or kept on file. This freedom is one of a kind and I haven't completely wrapped my little mind around it yet. FREE? NOTHING in our lives today is free (unless it's a trial version). 

But this freedom IS free. 

It cant be bought or we'd have an obligation to fulfill. 

It can't be earned because we have a sin nature and it would be like bribing God.

It can't be lost or there wouldn't be security, that true feeling of freedom. 

It can't have an ulterior motive because that, my friend, would not be pure freedom. 

It was for freedom that CHRIST set us free.

The Episcopal Experience

Before yesterday, I thought Episcopal and Presbyterian were similar denominations. Boy, was I ever wrong!
We went to an Episcopal church to just check it out, see what it was like. One nice thing about moving has been the church-searching. I get to visit places I wouldn't have thought of visiting. We've gone to four different churches, with plans to visit at least that many more in the coming weeks. I'm excited to see how different people worship and what the pastors say. But I digress... back to my story:

We went to St. John's Cathedral, a huge stone cathedral on South Hill. We parked the car and approached the huge, castle-like building in the cold rain. A couple of people greeted us at the entrance and we found seats in the middle of the building. We were early and so had plenty of time to look around. The inside was stone also, enormous inside and reminded me of Orthodox churches I've visited in Ukraine (minus the incense and huge portraits of saints). There were huge stained glass windows and priests talking to one another. People sat in their seats and didn't really talk before the service began. A few unfolded the kneelers and prayed. The service itself was quite different. The communion was interesting. We had to walk up to the front and kneel, and the priest brought over the little communion crackers and wine. Yep, real wine. He wasn't leaving until I took a sip, so I stuck my cracker into it.

There was a lot of standing up and sitting down, kneeling and singing and chanting things we couldn't understand. It felt like some kind of club we had entered where everyone else knew what to do. The nine of us that went were definitely on the outside. "Is this church?" I thought. The churches I've visited and am used to have happy people, upbeat music, and sermons that are applicable. I don't mean to offend the people at the cathedral but it just seemed very lifeless. That's not what church is supposed to be like, is it? I thought we embraced life in Christ and freedom in Him. This place seemed so ritualistic, almost so much that it was lost in that.

When people think of church, I hope they don't think of this kind of service. I hope they don't think of somber hymns and candles and kneeling and command. I don't believe that's what the church is supposed to be like. It's not a ritual, it's a place to come together to worship Christ together. While I liked that the Episcopal church showed a lot of reverence, they seemed too familiar with it. The Christian life isn't just about showing reverence, it's about living. If we are alive in Christ as God's word says, then we're always alive, not just on Sunday mornings! I prefer services where I can close my eyes, raise my hands, kneel, or do whatever I want to worship God the best. I don't have to do those things but sometimes I have in chapel or in the other churches I've visited. I didn't feel like I could truly worship my God in that church on Sunday. Jesus wasn't still on the cross as He would have been on the wall of an Orthodox church but it didn't seem like He was supposed to be alive in our hearts and making us alive and giving us joy.

If for some reason this has been your only experience of church, know that it's not that way. It is possible to feel like you're a part of the worship and that you're welcome and that God is real, not just talked about or someone whose picture is on the wall. Christianity may be a religion but it's not just that. For me, it's not the religion at all but embracing the free gift of God and living in honor of Him. I fail all the time, but I have freedom in Christ to worship, to mess up, to encourage others... there's more than it seems like there is on the service. I hope you know that.

one month anniversary

It's been a month today since I've lived in Spokane. Feels much longer than that and now Spokane is home! (it was a month ago too, but now it feels like it. When I walk into my apartment

We had dinner at the boys' apartment with the four of them and one of our professors and his wife. I really enjoyed it. Nick made dinner tonight... Cuban Pork Roast, black beans and yellow rice. The Orrs bought sparkling cider, and we girls brought peanut butter fudge and cheesecake. We supplied our dining room table and chairs and some of our dishes to make enough room for all ten of us and the boys did a great job of making things look (and taste) so nice!

Dr. Orr shared all kinds of stories about his life and asked us about ours - where we lived and what kind of food best described where we were from... we had a good time and we were invited to his house for dinner in a few weeks. This is one thing I enjoy about Moody-Spokane. There's a lot of interaction with people. With around 300 students go figure that there will be more time to get to know people. That part has been neat.

For those that were wondering, I don't feel like I got "cast off" because I was sent to Spokane and not Chicago. I did but I don't anymore. It's so obvious that this is where God has me now and I'm unbelievably content in that. Seriously hope that whatever the next stage of my life is will leave me this content and so at peace. Each day here, I like Spokane more. It's going to be sad to leave and not come back when school ends at the end of next May. I really like it.

Benedict the Wazzle

WELL, it seemed like a normal Wednesday.
8:25 Health class (bleah.)
9:25 Intro to Ministry class (decent.)
10:45 Chapel (great!)
11:45 LUNCHTIME (a good reminder that I need to go grocery shopping...)
12:15 Acts (favorite class but stressful today - talked about maps we need to draw for a project)
Then a trip to the mall for birthday shopping (didn't buy anything)
A wait for the bus (a loooong wait)
Home again.

But then...

I checked my email. And what was there? Three emails. Two received the dreaded "Archive" button. And the third? Well, it was quite special. The subject line read: "Benedict the Wazzle" - it contained a story! A story. For ME. Wow. Am I lucky or what? My brother is THE greatest. Seriously. He wrote me a letter (it began "Scott, an apostle of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the saints who are at Spokane, greetings" - laughed my head off and read it to anyone who came near me), wrote me a note in code, talked to me on the phone for an HOUR, told me he was sending another letter... and now this story. He's the greatest. And he's so funny too! I don't know if he grew into that or not. Maybe he's always been that hilarious. Anyway, I miss him! My crazy little bigger-than-me brother. Here's a pic I took tonight that was the closest I could get to an actual picture with Scott (also note how shiny and clean my ring is - woohoo!).















What else happened today? I know you're dying to know. Everyone wants to know the fine details of my terribly exciting life.

I made plans with two girls for studying for those maps.
I got my ring cleaned at the mall (so pretty now!)
When we walked into the house it smelled... burnt. And it was kinda hazy. Maddie had cooked dinner. Apparently there was stuff on the burner.
We enjoyed the fresh air by opening all our doors and windows.
I got a phone call from someone looking for her niece. It was a wrong number.

And... since I'm sure my posting pictures is what you need to exist, here's some sustanence in collage form:

1. Fall Retreat this weekend... Northwest of Spokane, on a lake, in the woods... very nice, very fun, very relaxing. LOTS of boating - canoeing, paddleboats, rowboating... also swimming but the water was too cold for me. I was also introduced to the beauty of Oreos and peanut butter. And I played Capture the Flag in the woods at night - such a fun time.

2. We have this class that requires us to "get to know Spokane" as part of the assignment. We had to go to 15 different places in the city and take pictures to prove we went. I went with nine people on Monday and had a BLAST. These are only some of our many pictures around the city.

That's all I've got! I'd post that amazing story, but I don't have permission!

nothing to say.

I'm feeling like posting but nothing brilliant is coming to mind. So I thought I'd post the lyrics to a song I've been listening to lately and liked.

You Are God Alone
You are not a god
Created by human hands
You are not a god
Dependent on any mortal man
You are not a god
In need of anything we can give
By Your plan, that’s just the way it is

You are God alone
From before time began
You were on Your throne
Your are God alone
And right now
In the good times and bad
You are on Your throne
You are God alone

You’re the only God
Whose power none can contend
You’re the only God
Whose name and praise will never end
You’re the only God
Who’s worthy of everything we can give
You are God
And that’s just the way it is

[bridge]
Unchangeable
Unshakable
Unstoppable
That’s what You are