Christmas and that faith thing
I had a good Christmas with my family. My brother, Greg, and my sister-in-law, Kimi came over for a couple days and my aunt Christina came by for lunch. It was nice to spend time with family members I'm not able to see all that much.
My brother and my dad fixed my laptop! That was an awesome gift, as I was looking at the prospect of facing my senior semester without a computer (yikes!), because if they hadn't fixed it I definitely couldn't afford a new one.
Speaking of money, it's becoming pretty interesting as I approach the deadline when I have to pay my initial fees for this semester. I only have a tenth of the money that's due by the second of January, and it looks like I'm not going to be able to work as much as I had planned during break. I'm pretty sure God's allowing this to shift my faith to Him alone as the one who meets my needs. Part of me doesn't like this, but I'm also glad that God's taking away any other avenue for the necessary finances to come from other than Him. I far too often look to other things than Him.
He's also used this situation to show me how much I worry, even if I don't like to admit it. Jesus sure called us humans on that whole pointless worrying thing (Matthew 6:27-34). How foolish it is do so! Not only does it accomplish nothing, but God has always provided in the past, and His Word says nothing is impossible for Him and He will do what is needed to accomplish His purpose. I know that if He wants me at school next semester the money will come in. I just need to keep my eyes not on the giants, but on the One who is so much greater than the giants. God forbid that I should repeat the mistake of my forefathers at Kadesh Barnea when they did not enter into the land because of unbelief.
Another thing coming up is that I've been asked to preach Sunday the 8th at my church, as well as teach the high school equipping hour (Sunday school) that day. I'm pretty excited about it, though I was a little overwhelmed about what to preach on at first considering all I've learned, but I think I've decided what it will be on.
Part of what I've been asked to do when I speak is to let the congregation know what my future plans are, and since my goal is to one day translate the Bible into a tribal language I thought it would be appropriate to preach on faith, and more specifically on the importance of the Word of God as it is the source of faith (Romans 10:17).
Looking at this sermon ahead of me, all I can say is that it will be God that enables me to exhort my brothers and sisters about the importance of His word. Just as in every other area of my life He's been faithful to help me there's no reason to doubt Him for this. Besides, like one of my friends told me on a mission trip, "If God can make a donkey speak, He can help you speak." Not quite sure if he was trying to insinuate something by that, but oddly enough it's stuck with me as something that's quite encouraging whenever I'm asked to speak.
I'll post some pictures and whatnot of Christmas later.
My brother and my dad fixed my laptop! That was an awesome gift, as I was looking at the prospect of facing my senior semester without a computer (yikes!), because if they hadn't fixed it I definitely couldn't afford a new one.
Speaking of money, it's becoming pretty interesting as I approach the deadline when I have to pay my initial fees for this semester. I only have a tenth of the money that's due by the second of January, and it looks like I'm not going to be able to work as much as I had planned during break. I'm pretty sure God's allowing this to shift my faith to Him alone as the one who meets my needs. Part of me doesn't like this, but I'm also glad that God's taking away any other avenue for the necessary finances to come from other than Him. I far too often look to other things than Him.
He's also used this situation to show me how much I worry, even if I don't like to admit it. Jesus sure called us humans on that whole pointless worrying thing (Matthew 6:27-34). How foolish it is do so! Not only does it accomplish nothing, but God has always provided in the past, and His Word says nothing is impossible for Him and He will do what is needed to accomplish His purpose. I know that if He wants me at school next semester the money will come in. I just need to keep my eyes not on the giants, but on the One who is so much greater than the giants. God forbid that I should repeat the mistake of my forefathers at Kadesh Barnea when they did not enter into the land because of unbelief.
Another thing coming up is that I've been asked to preach Sunday the 8th at my church, as well as teach the high school equipping hour (Sunday school) that day. I'm pretty excited about it, though I was a little overwhelmed about what to preach on at first considering all I've learned, but I think I've decided what it will be on.
Part of what I've been asked to do when I speak is to let the congregation know what my future plans are, and since my goal is to one day translate the Bible into a tribal language I thought it would be appropriate to preach on faith, and more specifically on the importance of the Word of God as it is the source of faith (Romans 10:17).
Looking at this sermon ahead of me, all I can say is that it will be God that enables me to exhort my brothers and sisters about the importance of His word. Just as in every other area of my life He's been faithful to help me there's no reason to doubt Him for this. Besides, like one of my friends told me on a mission trip, "If God can make a donkey speak, He can help you speak." Not quite sure if he was trying to insinuate something by that, but oddly enough it's stuck with me as something that's quite encouraging whenever I'm asked to speak.
I'll post some pictures and whatnot of Christmas later.