Family, Church, Society

This week we finished up our first class which is, Family, Church, and Society Studies. What an incredible class it was, as Dr. Tackett led us through some intense subjects that our generation is dealing with. What a fascinating class and Dr. Tackett is such a wise man and it is incredible to sit and listen. It is impossible to describe the class and to explain everything I have taken away from this journey. There was so much to take in and so many interesting point I wouldn't even know where to begin.
Probably one of my favorite discussions came yesterday on the last day of class, when we discussed the heart and mind. I had just talked to a friend the night before about the heart and it was interesting talking about the relationship between the mind and the heart. Dr. Tackett explained how many times we look at this two things as seperate appendages, but really the heart is part of the mind. It was fascinating as we went through how this looks and how we fill our hearts with truths and what we must do to fill it with Truths.
As we look at society around us, it is incredible how we are influenced and how society effects what our beliefs are. It is sad to see the direction in which this country is going. One of the books we had to read was "How Christianity Changed The World." This book was encouraging to me, as it looked at the past and how Christians changed the society in which they lived. I never knew that cultures back in the first century had a massive homosexual problem, abortion problems, or such a disrespect for the beauty of sex. These things ran rampant through this culture, yet Christians stood up for what they knew was right and made a change in culture. Christians started orphanages and hospitals. It was around the great morals and beliefs that Christians held, in which this country was founded. Even the deist founders make statements that this country must be founded on Christian principles in order to succeed. Maybe they did not believe in Christianity, but they realized the importance of the morals and principles that are needed for a country to succeed. Do we learn any of this in schools? Of course not. It is sad and disheartening to see how far this country has fallen from this principles, yet it is encouraging to look back and see how Christians have made an impact. It is not an easy task, but if the church can take a stand and stand together, we really can change the world. It is time for the church to become more active. Dr. Tackett talked about how messed up the church sphere has become, as the church has become less active and has allowed the state to take control of many of the roles that the church should be in charge of. It's time for the body of Christ to gaze upon the face of God and to re-examine all that we know and believe. Look at the character of God and the structures that you designed. We have lost sight of His design and we must re-build His design. May we take a stand for the Truth that exist in God alone. Be encouraged Christians, because with God, all things are possible! Soli Deo Gloria!!

The Peak

I climbed my first 14er today!! Actually climbed my first 2 14ers today!! It's incredible to reach the summit and look out and feel like your on top of the world. It's breathe-taking looking at all of God's creation. What an incredible and mighty God we serve! A God who holds all the universe in His hands Loves me?
As we were hiking down, the question was asked, "What is one of the biggest things you struggle to grasp about God?" It was mentioned that it is hard to understand how God can care so much about every small detail in our lives. I love Jacob's response when he said that God created the leaves with such great detail that the pores open and close when they need water, that every living thing holds such great detail. If God cares that much about those details, can you imagine how much He cares for the details in our lives?
That hit me today, and how my Father can Love me despite my many failings, that through all my mistakes, He still Loves me and will take care of me. I could have sat at the top of the summit all day, just taking in the beauty that God has created. The climb was tiring but the result was magnificent. Life is the same way, but many times we fall from the summit and forget the beauty that God has given us to marvel at. We get stuck somewhere in life and stop climbing. We grow tired because we rely on our own strength. But no matter what God is with us and He wants us to reach that summit so we can marvel at the things He has done. The climb is tough, but the result is spectacular. Don't give up hope, because in the end it is worth it and God will be there with us through it all.

What is Truth?

The greatest question ever asked by man kind. Asked 2,000 years ago, it still baffles many and makes us all think. What is Truth? My first class was today and for the next two weeks, Dr. Del Tackett will be taking our class on a journey to answer this question. This is the question that will be answered throughout the semester, but we will have 2 intense weeks with Dr. Tackett, looking at all the spheres that exist in the world. There is not an area on this earth that God has reached His hand out to. The first day was so awesome and we haven't even started looking into the spheres. Dr. Tackett is so expressive and so full of wisdom, it seems like I could sit there all day and take in every word he says. I have been placed with so much wisdom around me, it's almost overwhelming trying to take it all in.

Also I got my practicum placement today and found out what I will be doing and I'm so excited!!! I'm working with an organization called Hope and Home and they are a foster care program. My task are so exciting, but I will explain them as I do them. It is exactly what I wanted to do for my practicum here and it deals directly with Social Work so it will give me a great experience to see if Social Work is a direction that I would enjoy going. It is going to be very emotionally draining, and I'm being trained to do the work of a graduate, so I will be diving right into the field. The thing I'm most excited for is being a supervisor for the meeting between the children and their biological parents. It will be the parent, there child, and me, so that will give you a little idea of what I will be doing. Check out more of what they do through their website which is hopeandhome.org
God has been so good and I have already grown so much. I can't wait to share with all of you in person about how God has worked in me. Love you all!!

Retreat

So to start off the semester, our whole class took a trip to Horn Creek for the weekend. It was a great time to really get to know those that I will be living with and sharing with over the next four months. The weekend seemed like a whole week. It was good to get to know the 43 other students that are going to share in the same experience I am. It is good to be in this type of community again and it's refreshing to be in an environment where we can be vulnerable with each other and can share our struggles. It is crazy to hear everyone's story and the opposition that everyone faced in the weeks leading up to this point. I feel myself coming back and my heart starting to come alive. Satan has had a strong grip on my heart and has used certain things to get me down.
Slowly God is healing my heart, but it is a long process. It's going to be an emotional semester as God really works on my attitude, my faith, and my heart. God is going to work on me a lot this semester. I'm at a point where I'm broken and I can't wait to be healed. The journey will not be easy, and the process of healing will be painful, but God has big things in store for me, and the pain is part of the process. Again, continued prayer is huge right now. I'm in a huge spiritual fight and the battleground is my heart. But I know God is bigger than anything and that He can heal.

Arrival

So I'm here in Colorado Springs!! Drive went back pretty quick and I'm all moved into my apartment. Tonight all 44 of us students got together for supper and met with the professors. It's good to be back into community like this. I dreaded so much coming here as the past weeks have really worn on me and broke me down. I come into this semester week and vulnerable, but especially after tonight, I know that God has me right where He needs me. Satan has taken a strong hold on me over the past couple weeks, taking wounds and digging them deeper, getting me frustrated, feeding me lies, and getting me discouraged. Even now I'm still at a point where I have little fight, but I got here so I figure I do have a little fight and slowly I feel it coming back.
It feels good to be in a community like this again. It's going to be a tough semester for me, right now I'm at one of the lowest points I have ever been. Never have I felt this ready to give up, but I'm weak and that is when God is strong. There are a lot of things that I hold onto that I must let go, but it can be so hard. I know I'm going to be put through the fire. This is a time for God to restore and I'm ready to again come back into His presence and to experience the world around me with others who share a similar desire. God is so faithful and I so quickly forgot all the things He has done for me. "The Lord has done great things for us and we are filled with Joy!" Pure Joy!

One thing Dr. Leland said tonight was that he covets the prayers of our parents and how powerful prayer is. Sure it's Colorado, but this is not an easy time for me, I really don't even want to be here, and so I desire your prayers, I ask for your constant prayers that God would humble me, and that I would allow the wounds to be healed, that I would Love with a pure Love and not the jealous, self-seeking love of the world, but that God would take me at this low point and build me into the man that He wants me to be. Again I thank all of you for your support and prayers. I love you all so much!!!