Update on Classes

I feel like I haven't posted about classes in a while. I guess that's because I haven't.

We've had a lot of deep, thought-provoking class sessions recently.

• Animism: Wow, so incredible! Definitely one of my top favorite classes here! I never realized the depth of the beliefs held by animists. They live in so much fear of the wrath of the spirits and gods that they worship. They do so many worthless rituals that can be so destructive. One case study that we had in class talked about a tribe where they have a ceremony in which they burn the skin of the dancers with torches. It's a part of the ceremony. The dancers don't die, but they suffer the consequences of the burns for months afterwards. It was so sad to hear about, and yet this happens daily in tribes all around the world. The darkness that exists outside of the light of Christ is so thick and deep and terrifying. 
• Folk Catholicism: This class was so good in conjunction with Animism. Catholicism is so focused on traditions, rituals, and saints. Many of the people we will be going to have been influenced by Catholic missionaries, so it's crucial to understand the basic beliefs of the Catholic church.
• Culture and Language Acquisition (CLA) Methodology (current): We just started this class last week, and it's been really cool. This class is continuing to prepare us for learning a new culture and language. We affectionately abbreviate this class as CLA Meth Lab. 
• Romans 12-14 (current): I've really enjoyed learning more about Romans 12-14. It's been so cool reading more about our responsibilities as believers, and trying to determine how we would explain these concepts to believers who had never had any background in Christianity. How do you explain "transforming your mind"? What about spiritual gifts? How does the Holy Spirit give you gifts? For that matter, how does He live inside of you? I'd never thought through some of these concepts on a simplistic level before, so it's been really good (and sobering) to think through the concepts in light of my future ministry overseas.

It's crazy to think that we have just under a month left here. Time has flown SO quickly in the last month. It feels like it was just Easter Break!

E-linc

Our incredible E-linc group!

Our E-linc group has been one of the highlights of my time at MTC. We get together on Wednesdays for lunch and also on Friday mornings for an hour and a half. During those times, we talk about many of the issues we're dealing with on a daily basis, as well as what we're learning in class and our future ministries on the mission field. It's so cool to see people from so many places and backgrounds bonding together and sharing life together. We will be heading to a lot of different countries after we graduate (in this group alone, we have 4 headed to PNG, 2 to Indonesia, 3 to West Africa, and a few who are still undecided). It will be exciting to see everyone five or ten years down the road and what they're doing in their ministries.

Visiting home!

I didn't get a chance to come home over break, but God has worked it out so that I can visit home for a few days next week with one of my friends! I'm SO excited!!! I can't wait to see many of you! I didn't realize how much I really miss home until I planned a visit back. It'll be awesome to be able to see the mountains, drink some real sweet tea, and hear southern accents again! And it'll be so good to spend time with family and friends, especially since I'll be heading to Papua New Guinea right after classes end here at MTC.

I'll be back May 1-6, so hopefully I'll see many of you in church on May 5! Can't wait!

Newness

As spring begins to arrive in Missouri, I am reminded again of the miracle of new life in our old, dying world. Blossoms are starting to appear on the trees, and the sweet fragrances of flowers have just begun to touch the air.

I've already seen a few baby animals, and it makes me smile. 

God is so good. So creative. So merciful and loving.

I was reminded of these beautiful verses in Lamentations 3.

¹⁹ I remember my affliction and my wandering,
    the bitterness and the gall.
²⁰ I well remember them,
    and my soul is downcast within me.
²¹ Yet this I call to mind
    and therefore I have hope:

²² Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
²³ They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
²⁴ I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
    therefore I will wait for him.”

²⁵ The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
    to the one who seeks him;
²⁶ it is good to wait quietly
    for the salvation of the Lord.

Trusting God, Lesson #359ish

We had Easter Break this week here at MTC, and it was a really great time of just relaxing and fellowshipping. God really used the extra time to teach me even more lessons (funny, and sooooo good, how He does that when you least expect it and in ways that you never thought possible!) about Himself and about who I am in Him. I was reminded in so many little ways how much I can trust Him with every detail of my life, even the unknown future. And with Easter, I was reminded how His love knows no limits. His grace is sufficient in my weakness. His death gave me everlasting and full abundance of life.

Wow.

If God is for us, then what can stand against us?

Enjoying a campfire by the lake

Enough with me...


I haven't written much about my ministry lately. As you may recall, I work with a team of five other MTC students at a local boys' home. Recently, things have been a bit crazy. We haven't been able to consistently go on Sundays and Thursdays due to weather, arguments between the guys, and other events beyond our control. God has been testing our dependence on Him through this. The five or so guys who have been coming to the teaching on Sundays are super interested, but we can tell that Satan doesn't want them to be able to hear the message of salvation. Our whole team would greatly appreciate prayer as we make the most of the time we have left with the guys and as the program at the home is undergoing some major changes in the near future. Please pray that we'll still be able to go out and teach, and that the guys will be responsive to the truth of God's Word.