Let the training begin!

Yesterday marked the 24 week mark until Ironman Wisconsin 2012!  That means today marks the beginning of my 24 week training program!  Really, the first 4 weeks are pretty much what I have been doing, it will just be more consistent, but it marks a long road to get to race day!  I'm excited but really nervous, and honestly, to this point I have forgot quite often that I'm even signed up for it.
This is an event that I have always loved and have always admired those who complete it, but I never thought it would be possible.  Even now, I often doubt myself because I have never even attempted anything close to this.  But through this, I expect God to reveal a lot to me about life, strength, and endurance.  I expect to be drawn into deeper communion with God through my training, through my weakness, and through my continual pursuit of what seems impossible.  Over the years, God has revealed to me, aspects of His nature during my time spent running or riding bike.  The road to the race is long, tiring, and can be very stressful on a body, so prayers are much appreciated.  Encouragement during these 24 weeks would also be much appreciated =)  Sometimes I look at events in my life and I realize I'm so small and weak.  Events seem overwhelming and overpowering.  When we look at things that take place in the world around us, things seem like they will never change.  There are many things that seem impossible, but we should not let that stop us from pursuing them.  Sometimes it takes doing the impossible to find that nothing is impossible with God!  Philippians 4:13

Where do we run?

To what do we turn when we feel down or weary?  To where do we look when we feel tired and alone?  Sadly, many turn to things that do not draw us closer to God, but to something that is used to replace God.  We are a broken culture and generation.  We look for things that will distract us or things that will help us forget what has happened.  We look for things that will give us a good feeling and alter our mind. But to few times do we sit down and talk with God in these moments. Why?  Why have we failed to come to the only One who can fill the void in our hearts?  Why do we fail to run to the creator of peace?  All who are weary and heavy burdened shall find rest in His arms, yet we don't run to His arms!  What race are we running?
God created community for a purpose.  We are not to be alone, but too often we find ourselves alone.  We are to commune with other Christians to help us through the fight.  I just finished watching The Lord of the Rings trilogy.  This paints a beautiful picture of community, standing beside each other, and fighting for what is right, even in the darkest of times.  What a great depiction of our Christian life.  But not only does God desire us to have this community with other Christians, but He himself desires to have community with us!  Look at Abraham.  He was such a great friend with God that he was able to change God's mind and receive his request.  Look at David and how he constantly looked to God, no matter what others thought or how bleak his situation looked.  And God constantly rewards faithfulness.  So why are we not faithful?  How do we say we believe the Bible, read all these stories of faithfulness, and yet we believe that God can't possibly overcome our situation.  One thing I have learned, don't doubt God!  He is bigger, greater, and more powerful than anything we will ever see or face!
Run to His arms today!  Allow God to wrap you in His arms! Trust in his unfailing Love, Mercy, and Goodness!

The Fall

Discussion this week revolved around Genesis 3.  We had the kids read the story aloud directly from the Bible.  Jessica asked the kids several questions, many that do not have an exact answer, but were just left as a question to get the kids to really think.  Some of the kids asked us questions too, that are tough, tough questions.  Here are the questions that we asked or that were asked to us.

What do you think the garden of Eden was like?
What were the consequences of Adam and Eve's decision?
What are ways that we are tempted?  What are our consequences?  (Someone said death)
          I sin, so does that mean that I deserve death?  Do I receive death?
How does Satan tempt us?
Why would God put the tree in the garden?
Why would God allow them to be tempted?
Why would God allow His creation to fall?

We had a really good discussion.  The whole lesson lasted over 30 minutes!  It was great to be challenged by the kids.  I felt like we all learned a great deal from this lesson!  There were many more questions, but I don't remember all of them.

One thing that God has really been teaching me is how we can't save anyone, but that God, in His timing, is the only one that can save people and show them the Truth!

Genesis 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpCR-mvzCNs

God created the whole universe.  He made thousands of galaxies, all to praise His name!  God formed everything!  He made each one of us just the way we are.  But He did not just speak us into being.  No, He formed us in His image, and breathed His breathe into us!  How incredible!  He made each one of us with our own unique gifts, strengths, and personality for a purpose!  He gave us the passions and desires to align with our gifts and strengths!
When we look at everything God has created, we are amazed!  It's incredible to go thousands and millions of lightyears out, and how amazing and endless His creation is.  Yet we are His masterpiece!  Wow!
(At the start of group, the kids all made things out of modeling clay!  They didn't know it would be tied into the lesson until the end.)  When we create something, we have a personal attachment to it.  When we draw a picture, we excitedly run to our parents and show them and hope they put it on the fridge.  When I looked at everything the kids made from clay, it was amazing!  They are so creative and they all took so much joy and pride in what they made!  That's how God felt when He made us!  I see Him making the universe with the angels around Him, then the angels are all knitting their scarves and painting their simple pictures and God says, "Hey, I'll be right back, I need to go make one last thing!"  And God comes back after making mankind and says, "LOOK!! Look what I made!" I know He took joy and pride in our creation!  Which means we also must take joy and pride in who we are, for we are His masterpiece, and He created us as we are!  He is proud of us, and we should be proud too, for we are His creation!

What most amazes you about God's creation?

Memory verse for the week: Genesis 1:27

Future Blogs

Every Thursday night at Family Life Services, Jessica and I have all the kids for an hour and a half.  During this time we play games and hang out, but at the end we have about 20 minutes where we talk to the older kids about lessons from the Bible.  I'm going to start writing a blog after every Thursday that talks about our lesson on Thursday night.  This week we talked about creation and it was awesome!  Loved being able to share on this topic.

Meet the Interns!

There is a new blog up of me and the other intern, Jessica, on the FLS page.  Check it out!

http://flscs.org/

O Worship The King

What a grand creator!

O worship the King, all glorious above
O gratefully sing His wonderful love
Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days
Pavilioned in splender, and girded with praise

O tell of His might, O sing of His grace
Whose robe is the light and canopy space
His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form
And dark is His path on the wings of the storm

O measureless might, ineffable love
While angels delight to worship above
Thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end
Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend

Rest

Find rest and quiet in your busy life!  Spend intimate time with God today!