...values...

Gospel for Asia

"Our mission in life is to be devout followers of Christ and fulfill the Great Commission among the unreached in Asia through training, sending out and assisting qualified laborers in partnership with the body of Christ"

10 Core Values

1. Knowing the Lord Jesus more fully and intimately
2. Being a people of integrity and excellence
3. Living in submission to God's Word
4. Being a people of faith
5. Being a people committed to prayer and worship
6. Having a servant lifestyle
7. Being a people of grace and love
8. Serving sacrificially
9. Being a people sold out to win the lost at any cost
10. Being a people who work together with the Body of Christ

The first 5 address your private life
the last 5 address your outer life

If these 10 values were to be preached in america today, human nature would reject it just at the 1st value. But that's the only way for God to work through us.

I've been reading this book called The Calvary Road and i want to share a quote

"Revival is just the life of the Lord Jesus poured into human hearts"

People ( some believers ) read Revolution in World Missions and get this total misconception about GFA. Kinda to the point of were we have to sell everything, life in our cars, use half a stick of DO and only have one pair of shoes. ( and Buddy I'm not talking about you lol ) It's not that at all!! It's about being like Christ in every way possible. If that involves selling everything, then yes! But it doesn't matter about that at all, the only thing is that you reflect Christ, and you pray that God will save Asia.

...yeah....

Well it's been a couple of days since I left home.

At first I was scared, just ask Melissa. Text after text to her for pray and encouragement....wow...so here is the run down

I was really intimidated because I am the youngest, one girl is 19 and then everyone else has been to college. They all have been on there own, all this super college level knowledge, and then me from lil mabank texas. I was laying there on my bed the first night asking God to close my eyes and soak up the tears that were about to start flowing from my eyes. But then ....praise God...He gave me peace.

verse after verse was coming to me. I texted Melissa, because she is going through the helpless, lonely feeling that I was going through as well and sent her verses that were encouraging and gave hope to both of us. I have a list of about 14 or so, and I imagine it is going to grow!

After that day everything has been great!! All the interns get along just fine, and all the GFA staff are like family already. It reminds me of Cornerstone a lot. It's all about building relationships with each other, and at the same time winning Asia! God is good....

Praises

1) Melissa is doing good at college, learning a lot...and I can't wait to learn from her!!
2) I haven't had any cokes for 5 days.
3) Interns are getting along well.
4) God is opening up my eyes through prayer, and reading
5) and I'm meeting people that remind me of home....which brings forth love

Please still be praying for Mel and I

...sweetly broken...

Well tonight was something else. Something I really needed.

Melissa came down from DBU to hang out with me (well mainly because of High School Musical 2) what a blessing it was. We had lunch, talked a lot bit, had dinner, talked some more, watch HSM2, and then had a great time just praying, reading, and worshiping together for a couple of hours.

But I was taken back. I began to cry before we started praying. Not becausing I'm leaving. Not because I'm going to miss her ( which I will but we'll work around that ).... but because I felt weak, helpless, and broken. All I could do is cry. I know that God is totally going to break me. I'm scared....honestly because I know He will. Melissa and I both know it. That's why I'm weak.

Sweetly Broken
To the cross I look, to the cross I cling
Of its suffering I do drink
Of its work I do sing

For on it my Savior both bruised and crushed
Showed that God is love
And God is just

At the cross You beckon me
You draw me gently to my knees, and I am
Lost for words, so lost in love,
I’m sweetly broken, wholly surrendered

What a priceless gift, undeserved life
Have I been given
Through Christ crucified

You’ve called me out of death
You’ve called me into life
And I was under Your wrath
Now through the cross I’m reconciled

In awe of the cross I must confess
How wondrous Your redeeming love and
How great is Your faithfulness

I ask, just pray for Melissa and I as we go off. That's it for tonight......


Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

....picky i would call it....

Gadsby's Hymns
William J. Irons 1812-1883

What sacred fountain yonder springs,
Up from the throne of God,
And all new cov'nant blessings brings?'
Tis Jesus' precious blood.

What mighty sum paid all my debt
When I a bondman stood,
And has my soul at freedom set?
'Tis Jesus' precious blood.

What stream is that which sweeps away
My sins just like a flood,
Nor lets one guilty blemish stay?
'Tis Jesus' precious blood.

What voice is that which speaks for me
In heav'n's high court for good,
And from the curse has made me free?
Tis Jesus' precious blood.

What theme, my soul, shall best employ
Thy harp before thy God,
And make all heav'n to ring with joy?
'Tis Jesus' precious blood.


"Gadsby’s Hymns, published in several stages during the first half of the 19th century, is a collection of hymns from multiple writers containing songs dating back to the 17th century. Some of the 1,156 songs in this hymnal are familiar, but most of these great lyrics have simply been forgotten in the modern church."

I've been listening to a band called Red Mountain Church. Instead of taking newer modern music and making it there own, they will take older hymns and put music to it. I think it is true godly music. I just believe many of the "christian" songs today are focused on becoming popular .....well sorry but the gospel of Christ isn't . Rather lifting the singer up in the lyrics than God. I grew up listening to hymns in a baptist church, and hated it i might add.(before I knew the Lord)... as I grew up in my teens and started listening to different music, I found that I enjoyed listening to metal.

Well once I was born again, the whole music issue was slammed in my face. I couldn't listen to that stuff anymore!! So I turned to "christian" metal.....(ummmm wow) It looked like the world, sounded like the world, I would guess they smelled like the world as well. The only thing that was different between them and Slipknot was instead of the cuss words the "christian" band would throw the name of Christ in there. So if I were to write the lyrics out it would look like this....

"I ( insert scream) love( insert really long scream) sin, ( insert someone growling) I (insert really high piched scream) cut ( you can't hear the lyrics here because of the drop d tuning on the guitar and the double bass drum) my (insert growl )wrist (insert someone screaming wrist) help ( add another growl) me, ( oh wait pause in the music) JESUSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!"

It just seems like everything that the world has, the Christian has the "christian" alternative

christian rock
christian myspace=His holy space
christian youtube= Godtube
christian business websites
christian coffie shops
christian this and that

"Christian is a great noun and a poor adjective." Rob Bell

Now some Christian alternatives are godly, but some well I doubt it. I guess I'm just showing my age. (18) ???? But honestly I'd rather listen to my hymns and a few select modern artists, have my bible, and pray Christ comes quick....



John 17:14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

...wow...

Wow

1.an exclamation of surprise, wonder, pleasure, or the like: Wow it's salmon.....

2.to gain an enthusiastic response from; Wow, another speeding ticket!!

3.an extraordinary success: Wow, praise God more support!

4.excitement, interest, great pleasure, or the like: Wow, food on top of the hood of the truck!

Oh wow... can a word change a group of people and yes I believe it has.

See around your group, that's the cool thing to say.
That's Groovy...ummm no..
That's Rad....not really..
That's Tight.....ouch!
That's Bad....sometimes it is.

All you need is....wow

I picked this amazing word up from Trace Brown. He has a great way of using that simple three letter word! Some examples are to show excitement, praise, rebuke, and even conviction.....lol...wow...

But it's little words like these that could really brighten up your day.

wow

It is well....

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

I was sitting there last night, praying and reading really trying to search for the Lord. I had my ipod going and this song started playing. It is my favorite hymn, but really never understood what it meant. As the group started to sing the this verse, I asked the Lord to show me what it meant. After about 3 times repeating the verse, finally it sank in.

I bear it no more!!

I preached a message at Oakstreet a couple of weeks ago about Christ, how He became a curse for us. How Jesus Christ became sin on our behalf. I thought I understood what sin was. ( which i'll never fully know, cause i'm not God) but until last night...i didn't..but it finally hit me, now I understand it.

See... my sin, is a sickness. A deadly infectous virus that kills. The sin places me in a position where I'm utterly hopeless, sin loving, and God hating. But as our Savior was on the cross, He bore our sickness, every single bit of it! Not just the stuff that's really bad, but the whole sickness. My God said " Your sin is mine and I'll take it to the grave"

As I sat there, I realized that I don't have to sin anymore. The sickness has been washed away forever. I hear people say, "well everybody sins that's just what we do." NO!!!! Christ put an end to it. That's just like saying, " I don't have any control over my actions, all I do is sin." Well if all you do is sin, you need to find God. I'm not saying that I never sin. When I do I'm broken over it. But now I don't have to walk around with this 10 million pound ball of sickness on my back. Christ leveled it once and for all.

2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!!

this story...

"This story like any other story worth telling is about a girl"

That was the first line to my 10th grade TAKS essay. It was about a girl, who is very close to me. Well she was cheerleader, smart, beautiful, dated a football guy, and is perfect in my book. Me...on the other hand...well ummm...I was a band nerd. I spent more time drumming than studing for school. I still remember the first time I saw her, it was the 2nd day of the 6th grade and she was walking through the lunch line. *** awww what a day*** We went out off and on through middle school, but once high school came around I went my way...and she went hers. I made a lot of dumb mistakes, and she didn't. I didn't care, she did. She wanted to help, I didn't want it..... But what she didn't know is that the same feelings she had for me, I had for her. I wanted to ask her out, but I was to scared of rejection. Good reason too, she would have rejected me because I wasn't a Christian. Everytime I saw her I would get cottonmouth, sweat, and would want just run away. But just ever so often I would get the courage to talk to her.

She grew with the Lord....I was pushing myself farther away for Him...for 3 years we lost almost complete contact of each others life.

Until the summer leading into our senior year. God came and convicted me, and totally ruined my life ( for the better) lol...and then, praise God just then....I would be able to talk to her. It started with an instant message on AIM....and wow did God cross our paths.

My senior year was amazing because of God. He has given me a new heart, nature, and a desire I never would have thought of. He has given me people in my life, and I just thank Him everyday for this great and amazing young woman of God. She prays with me, reads the Word with me, encourages me when i'm down, and most of all puts up with me!

...but as I write this blog....just after walking her out to her car...I can't help to think about how are little lives are going to change. God is going to take control and total do a work on us. She is about to leave in a couple of days, and then three days I follow her lead. But I know God is in control, and that brings me peace. I have no idea about my future, nor do I know about hers, but one thing is for sure....God knows. He has relaxed my nerves about us, and I know according to His will everything will turn out!

While these tears help me write this, I remember all the ups and downs growing up together. The first date, the time my parents took us to Chilis for my birthday, when her parents took us to the State Fair for her birthday, late nights on the phone, middle school football games, movie nights in 7 points, high school games, indoor drumline practices, talks outside the band hall, break ups, back togethers, the first ride in the car, etc...

"....she was cool... I wasn't, but as I'm in the stands watching her cheer I just hoped that she would look up at me and remember...."

I know she wouldn't want me to take the glory from God... but it's because of Him that we are so close.

Thank you, and I love you Melissa


Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

P.S. If you were wondering about the essay I wrote. I received a 4 ( the highest score you could get) I was one out of five in my class to receive it, and some of the english teachers to this day use my essay as an example to show students a good paper.......oh yeah!!!

...a time to

This morning as I sit here, I've been thinking about some things. But the one thing that keeps popping up is how life is going to change. Not only for me but for my friends. Just yesterday my best friend moved up to Arkansas to go to college. Today Pam Black went off to Wayland Baptist, and more people are soon to follow. Melissa leaves the 15th, and I leave 18th. But it's been good. On myspace I have been sending messages, getting phone numbers, telling people stories about the past growing up. Just like my friend said "it's a blur"

I was talking to Pam for about an hour last night and just sharing some things that have been happening in our lives. Blessing from the Lord, memories, etc. But she said " the old gang has moved on" Wow that's so true. The group of us that grew up for Central Elementary School are all moving away. We have all grown up. Some of us are going to college, missionary programs, some already have kids. But in the words of Dee "It's all good"

As for me, I'm not scared, nor that nervous. It's not like I'm going to a country where no one speaks your language ( well not just yet) I'm excited!! GFA is going to change my life and I can't wait to be drilled by God. My concern is for my friends that don't know Christ. How temptation is going to raise its evil head, and the some that know Christ, how satan is going to buffet them the most. I pray God will just guild them and show them His will. It's all in God's time.


Ecc 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
Ecc 3:2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
Ecc 3:3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
Ecc 3:4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
Ecc 3:5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
Ecc 3:6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
Ecc 3:7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
Ecc 3:8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Everything has a time, but it's all in Gods time.