Semester over

I don't know if any or many of you saw "Grease II" — the hit movie back in the '80s starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Maxwell Caufield (sp?). But there's a song at the beginning that's called "Back to School." I think of it often when I'm in school because the lyrics include, "Whoa, whoa, I gotta go, back to school," lamenting the end of freedom of the summer.
As I finished my last final Thursday, Dec. 13, a huge sigh of relief came over me. It's such a relief to just have one thing to do — my full-time job.
I remember when I graduated college in 1996, I said I was done. I'd never go back to school again.
But God likes a flexible and willing servant. I'm thankful I was obedient but it is a lot to tackle.
Thank you to all of you who are praying for me. It means a great deal to have such a huge support system.

Christmas newsletters

I am mailing newsletters after Christmas this year. Please forgive me. I want time to put something together for you. I will be updating my website and this blog as well over the holidays and into the new year.
Until then, keep your mailboxes clear ...

Grading on a curve

All my life, grades were important to me. It was a way to stand out … and at times above others. Some subjects just came naturally to me, but others I really had to work hard to get good grades.
Now that I’m in seminary, the grading scale is even tougher. Most of my professors require a 95 to get an “A.”
Especially for those who have supported me financially for school costs, I thought I would post my grades from the 2006-2007 year.

Fall 2006
Baptist History — A
Biblical Hebrew I — B
Introduction to Biblical Counseling — C
GPA — 3.0

Spring 2007
Counseling Individuals with Addiction Problems — A
Biblical Hebrew II — B
Christian Ethics — B
GPA — 3.33

Cumulative GPA — 3.17

Thank you so much for those who have supported me through your financial gifts and your much-needed prayers. Working full time and going to school full time takes a lot of effort. God continues to supply me with whatever is needed — sometimes through people like you.

It’s a perfect day … nothing standing in my way

For some reason the song that’s featured in “Legally Blonde” has gotten stuck in my brain this afternoon. My day, while far better than any I’ve had this week, is by no means perfect.
I’m very thankful, however, that I now have this song stuck in my head instead of the other one that has been repeating since Tuesday night: Mama’s little baby, loves shortenin’, shortenin; Mama’s little baby loves shortenin’ bread.
Many of you are already wondering how that one got in there. I blame my new Greek professor, who thought that it was the perfect tune to add the Greek alphabet. He had us singing “Alpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon …” Since then, it’s been stuck in my head. I’m still working on learning the alphabet so sometimes I just mumble through the song. I can hear it during our quiz next Tuesday now … all the students will be humming the song under their breath to try to figure out which letter they are missing.
What fun? And welcome back to learnin’, seminary style.

Is the doctor in?

Recently, I went to see a new doctor. I had some problems with my last one, and I wasn't feeling well.
Some of you know that I spent much of my teen years sick -- traveling to various specialists, subjected to numerous tests. I still get a little anxious any time I visit a new doctor.
God says that He knows the plans He has for me .. not to harm me but to prosper me. Sometimes it is hard to trust in Him. Even after all He has done for me. He works a miracle in my immune system daily. Because of my white blood count, I should be sick all the time, yet most of the time my ills are not because of colds or the flu or anything contagious. I have allergy issues, head aches, etc.
At the end of last semester and up until a couple of weeks ago, I was exhausted. I thought I was having issues with my thyroid but my recent visit proved me wrong. (Yes, I'm admitting it.)
Anyway, my doctor put me on a different allergy medicine which seems to be working a lot better than previous ones. I am still getting head aches but they are much more dull than the sharp, piercing ones I was getting with my old medicine.
God is so good.
Newsletter update
I am in the midst of writing my newsletter to send out. I'm hoping to get that updated this weekend. I'll be sending out e-mails shortly to notify people of the changes and where they can learn more.
Thank you for praying for me.

The Bible is amazing. The book stands the test of time.

Excerpt from: I Married Adventure: Looking at Life Through the Lens of Possibility
By Luci Swindoll
2002, W Publishing Group, Nashville

The Bible is an amazing volume of work — like no other! In sixty-six books there is a perfect historical continuity from the creation of the world to the new heaven and new earth. Truths constantly unfold, prophecy is fulfilled, and the most perfect Person on earth or in heaven is anticipated, presented, realized, and exalted. This collection of authors — kings, peasants, philosophers, physicians, fishermen, statesmen, poets, and plowmen — couldn’t have known much about each other because they lived in various countries, and their writings extended over sixty generations of human history, representing sixteen hundred years … yet it all fits together. The book is a phenomenon without question, and it is utterly inexhaustible. It sweeps across the heights of heaven to the depths of hell, tracing the works of God from beginning to end. Voltaire, the French infidel who died in 1778, predicted the Bible would be obsolete within a hundred years, but here we are in the twenty-first century proving him wrong. The Bible endures. And not only does it endure; its truth continues to transform lives.
(p. 139)

Alabama, here I come!

Finals finished; vehicle packed. Today I leave for my home state with a stop in South Carolina on the way down and back up. I apologize for not writing in so long. I have been sooooooooooo busy! Was that enough 'o's'?
I was flipping through the channels recently and "Sweet Home Alabama" -- the movie -- was on TV. Of course, the movie has the song in it! I just started grinning from ear to ear because I knew I was going to get some REAL barbecue!
I'll be in my home state for a week to visit family and friends as well as do some manual labor at my parents' house. I'll send some photos soon and plan to be updating my web site while I'm home.

The fern and the bamboo

One day, I decided to quit. I wanted to quit my job, to quit my relationships,
to quit my spirituality; I even wanted to quit my life. I went to the woods to
have one last talk with God. "God", I said, "Can you give me one good reason not
to quit?" His answer surprised me. "Look around", He said, "Do you see the
fern and the bamboo?"
"Yes", I replied.
"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I
gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its
brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I
did not quit on the bamboo."
"In the second year the fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again,
nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo."
"In the third year there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would
not quit."
"In the fourth year, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. Still, I
would not quit."
"Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the
fern it was seemingly small and insignificant. But just 6 months later the
bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the five years growing roots.
Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not
give any of my creations a challenge they could not handle,"


He said to me. "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been
struggling, you have actually been growing roots? I would not quit on the
bamboo. I will never quit on you! Don't compare yourself to others. The bamboo
had a different purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful.
Your time will come," God said to me. "You will rise high."

"How high should I rise?" I asked.

"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.

"As high as it can?" I questioned.

"Yes", He said, "Give Me glory by rising as high as you can. And remember...I
will never leave you, nor forsake you. I will never give up on you. I will
never, ever quit on you."

Everyone has days when they want to "quit". When there are struggles...obstacles
in life, remember we're just growing roots!! God has a purpose in mind for each
one of us and we need to talk to Him and let Him help us realize that purpose.
Always remember, He'll never leave us, He'll never forsake us, and He'll never
quit on us.

— Anonymous

Strength in Adversity

In the last few days, God has been teaching me about strength through adversity. A friend of mine lost her home and most of her possessions last Thursday in a fire that destroyed 27 homes. Today, I was doing some research on verses about adversity. Please be praying for Andrea and all the others who lost their home.
For a story about Andrea, click on this link: http://rdu.news14.com/content/your_news/triangle/?SecID=512&ArID=100924.

Please read carefully the promises God has made for His children:

He heals the brokenhearted, and binds their wounds.
Psalm 147:3 NASB

Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
John 16:33 KJV

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed….
2 Corinthians 4:8-9KJV

They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them. They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly.
Psalm 112:7-8 NLT

Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Matthew 11:28-30 NIV

Single person's fear

There's the old saying: If a tree falls in the forest, and no one hears it, did it fall?
Well, one of a single person's greatest fears is hurting yourself severely or dying and no one noticing. Recently, that happened to an older gentleman living in New Hampshire. Click on the headline above for one of the first stories.
Matthew 22:30 tells us of the second greatest commandment: Love your neighbor as yourself.
What a comment on his neighbors?
He wasn't found for a year ... I'm wondering how his power stayed on ... if he had family ...? All kinds of questions come to mind.
Please don't get so caught up within your own stuff that you don't realize what is going on around you.

Here is an updated story about the deceased man.

Signs of the church

I wanted to share with you this that I found on Christianity Today's web site. You can use it to update your church signs.



PUT DOWN THE NEWSPAPER—Good News delivered here.

LONG-STANDING PROBLEMS? Get down on your knees.

EXERCISE DAILY—walk with God.

HAVING TRUTH DECAY? Brush up on your Bible.

WE'RE too blessed to be depressed.

THE MORE we thank God for what we have, the more we have to thank God for.

PEOPLE who look down on others live on a bluff.

WHY DIDN'T NOAH swat those two mosquitoes?

ADVICE IS FREE. Only the wise profit from it.

PUSH: Pray until something happens.

STOP WHINING about your church. If it were perfect, you couldn't belong.

ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE placed side by side as one in the church—God's patchwork of love.

TITHE if you love Jesus! Anyone can honk!

THERE ARE no amendments to the 10 commandments.

IF YOU WANT the rainbow, you've gotta put up with the rain.

THERE'S no shortcut to anywhere worth going.

MADNESS in the name of God is still madness.

EXPERIENCE is a hard teacher. It gives the test before the lesson.

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS only once, but temptation leans on the doorbell.

CHILDREN learn more from models than from critics.
DON'T GIVE UP. Moses was once a basket case.

FORBIDDEN fruits make many jams.

IF YOU'RE HEADED in the wrong direction, God allows U-turns.

SIGN BROKEN; come inside for message.

GOD MENDS torn hearts.

THE DEVIL wants your soul to ruin; we want your soul to mend.

GOD GIVES the shoulder according to the burden.

A FRIEND WALKS in when the rest of the world walks out.

MUD THROWN is ground lost.

TALK only if you can improve the silence.

GOD GRADES on the Cross, not the curve.

Christ’s birthplace

Even though many know who Jesus is, Americans vary on what they believe about Bethlehem.
The RNS report said that only 26 percent of Americans know that Bethlehem is a Palestinian city within the Israeli-occupied West Bank, according to a survey
conducted by pollsters Zogby International for the group Open Bethlehem.
Nearly 60 percent of those polled thought Bethlehem was in Israel.
What do you know?

New year, new you

That phrase you usually hear a lot this time of year. It brings a lot of questions to mind for me. Exactly how quickly do we expect change?
For many of us, especially as a spoiled American, we want things right now. Immediacy makes its mark on those of us who prove to be impatient — about everything. Even fast food is not fast enough any more. Why?
First Corinthians 4:5 says: “Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.”
First Thessalonians 5:14 says: “And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.”
God’s Word tells us to be patient, but oh, how sorry we are at this task. There’s been an increase in cases of road rage, school shootings, murder-suicides, etc.
Recently the International Christian Concern ranked the world’s worst persecutors as: North Korea, Iraq, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Iran, Eritrea, China, Vietnam, and Pakistan. The report was issued on the ICC web site www.persecution.org.
Please pray about those who are being persecuted. We have representatives in a lot of these places, people who risk their lives and their families sharing about Jesus.