Memories...

Merry Christmas! I hope you all are having a wonderful time together with family as you celebrate the incredible birth of Jesus Christ!

I started the following while I was still at school, but I never got around to posting it, so I thought I would do so now... =)

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I was listening to some Christmas music the other day [this was the middle of November]…You know, all of those traditional carols such as Hark the Harold Angels Sing, It Came Upon the Midnight Clear, The First Noel, and so on. As I sat listening to them, I was taken back in time…I was no longer sitting in the school library, attempting to work on my reading assignment that was due the next day. Rather, a dozen memories flooded through my mind: all of the sights, feelings, and sounds of Christmas rushed back to me. Suddenly, I was back in Brazil.

Suddenly, I could just about taste those pepper nuts that were still hot and fresh out of the oven. I was sitting around the table with my family, eating pepper nuts and sipping hot cocoa. We had just finished setting up the tree. All of the overhead lights were off…in their place twinkled the Christmas lights that had been in storage since the last Christmas. Yes, it was 90+ degrees outside and the fan was on its highest setting, but oh, those pepper nuts and hot chocolate sure tasted good, and the special time with family, just sitting there and reminiscing together as a family, more than made up for it.

Suddenly, I was walking around the neighborhood with my sisters, enjoying the evening breeze. The three of us: Patrice, Melissa, and I. We had fun just being sisters.

Suddenly, I was in Fortaleza, at the mall. The decorations were so beautiful. There were even English songs playing! To go gift-shopping as a family was so much fun, even though more often than not, we saw what store so and so had just emerged from...

Suddenly, we were in a frenzy to get ready for the Christmas Eve program at church. Last-minute preparations were being made: the costumes were ready for the live nativity, the food for the all-church potluck that usually followed the program was fixed….The little kids sang Away in a Manger, active little boys ran around in angel or shepherd outfits… We got to see various friends who were visiting their family…And oh! The amazing beans and rice and Brazilian BBQ--it all added to the atmosphere of the celebration!

Suddenly, I had just finished eating an amazing meal of an all-from scratch chicken fajitas, along with some of the most amazing Christmas punch ever. I was in the living room, the lights were dim, some kind of music was playing, I was surrounded with the family that I love (yes, even the dog and cat were nearby.) Dad opened the Bible to Luke 2 and began to read: “And it came to pass, in those days…”

Suddenly, it was Christmas Morning--that meant that the family activity for the morning was making food. Sometimes it would get a little stressful, but it was worth it because our extended family in Brazil--the other missionaries in our area--came over to celebrate the new-born King!

Then, just as suddenly…I was back at CBI, in Hot Springs, SD. It may be a while before I get to physically celebrate Christmas in Brazil again, but I don't think even the longest time spent in the United States could ever erase all of the Christmas-time memories that took place in Brazil-- my land, my home--with my family.

Broken???

During this break, I've been working on reading a three-in-one book called "Brokenness, Surrender, Holiness" by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. Here is a series of quotes from the section on Brokenness. Throughout the book, I have been challenged in my own walk with the Lord and my brokenness and humility before Him as I seek to serve Him.

"Brokenness is the starting place for a lifelong cycle. We cannot experience true freedom, love, and worship if we do not enter by way of humility, repentance, and forgiveness."

"One of the recurring themes of Scripture is that God uses things and people that are broken. That is His way. The turning point of Jacob's life took place in a wrestling match in the middle of the night at the river Jabbok (Genesis 32). Years earlier God had promised to bless Jacob, but he had never been able to enjoy that blessing because he had been trying to control and manage life on his own terms."

"And in conceding defeat, [upon answering the Lord that his name was Jacob--the schemer, the deceiver, the manipulator, the con artist], Jacob won his ultimate victory. At that point, he was a new man. With Jacob''s natural strength broken down, God was able to clothes him with spiritual power. Once he admitted the truth about who he was, God gave him a new name -- Israel, meaning 'prince with God"-- representative of a new character. Now he was usable in God's hands."

"The most dramatic, widespread revival movements in history have begun with a handful of humble-hearted believers whose revived lives and prayers have become sparks that ignited the lives of those around them."

"The greatest hindrance to revival is not others' unwillingness to humble themselves--it is our need to humble ourselves and confess our desperate need for His mercy."

Finally, a quote by Andrew Murray:

"Just as water ever weeks and fills the lowest place, so the moment God finds you abased and empty, His glory and power flow in."

With just a few days until Christmas, here are some words to a very familiar and well-known Christmas carol--Hark! the Herald Angels Sing. These words have taken on a new meaning for me after studying about the incarnation of Christ and His coming to earth as a human being this past semester:

Verse 2:

"Christ, by highest Heav'n adored

Christ the everlasting Lord;

Late in time behold Him come,

Offspring of a virgin's womb.

Veiled in flesh the God-head see,

Hail the incarnate Deity!

Pleased as man with men to dwell,

Jesus Our Immanuel!

Hark! the herald angels sing,

'Glory to the new-born King!'"

Christmas sometimes becomes so busy and filled with fun times and traditions that we get to do only once a year that it is easy to forget to just stop and think about how truly wonderful and amazing the event was that took place that day so long ago:

God became a human!

T.h.e Y.e.a.r...

As I look over this year, I cannot help but wonder where it went. It seriously seems as if the Fall semester just started, and here it is, just a few days until the New Year--2011! So much has taken place, that I suppose I shall just start writing as various highlights of the year come to mind...not necessarily in order of occurrence or of importance...

My freshman year at Cornerstone Bible Institute was absolutely amazing--I practically loved every single minute of it: I started making friendships that I believe will last a lifetime. I discovered that the class I thought I would least enjoy was my favorite class, and I experienced the challenges of being on my own (in other words, the challenge of being away from family, even though there were forty other individuals who I saw every day of school, practically 24/7.) I decided that I like to write papers because they force me to study out something that I wouldn't necessarily research otherwise. From the various classes I had, my understanding of who God is and my relationship with Him took on a whole new dimension. Freshman year was an great introduction to college life.

Over this last summer, God provided an amazing opportunity to go on a missions trip to Chicago with the youth group at Medora Community Bible Church. It was stretching. It was way out of my comfort zone. It caused me to consider where God might possibly be leading me in the future. It was the by far the highlight of my entire summer. (If you haven't read about it yet, you can read part 1 and part 2 on my blog.)

This August, however, upon starting the semester, life became more of a reality--a few more bumps in a road that had suddenly became a bit more curvy, and the directions to the destination seemed a bit smudged and blurry. Because Cornerstone is only three years instead of four, upon completing the semester this Decemeber, I am now halfway done with my time here at Cornerstone. Talk about scary. This has brought on much pondering about life after CBI: "What opportunities should I pursue?" "Where should I go?" "When should I do such and such?" and the list just goes on and on... Thoughts about the possibilities of this coming summer make me just about burst with excitement!

Something different this past semester has been that I am no longer the only Lehrman here at Cornerstone: Patrice is also studying here! While we aren't roommates, we are next-door to each other and see each other every day (and occasionally get to actually have a real conversation!) It has been good to have family around!

During Spring Break, I stayed with the Shively family: one of the things that I got to do that I had never done before was shoot a black powder rifle! Because Dad never did any hunting (at least not while I've been around!), I didn't grow up with these kind of grown-up toys around the house, so I really don't know much about them. Since coming to CBI, however, I am slowing learning (or at least hearing) about the world of guns and hunting (might I add that that also goes for football--I don't quite get it, but maybe by the end of my time in Hot Springs....)

Missions Conference in October was excellent. I especially enjoyed hearing about the ministry that the Davidsons have in Scotland and also the special task of translating God's Word that Bibles International is doing. It was exciting to hear about different ministries going on around the world and to see that God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things for Him!

I am thankful for the privilege that I had last semester of helping with a weekly Backyard Bible Club and also being involved with the youth group. Both of these provided opportunities to minister and build relationships...even if only in the smallest ways.

While it may not seem like anything very big to anyone else, for me it is: I had the amazing privilege of adding a particular phone number to my list of contacts this year. This was not just any number--it's listed under "Mom 'n Dad." Until this past summer, the only way that I could get a hold of them was through email or Skype. Because of the way that the internet is set up here at school, Skype is not exactly the ideal way to get a hold of them. Now, however, with Magic Jack (which provides them with an actual number--here in the U.S.-- even though they are in Brazil) I can call them any time I want and it is not a long-distance phone call! Need I say that even though we're on different continents, I have come to appreciate my parents and my relationship with them even more over the past year?

As I look back over this year, a lot has taken place over the last twelve months. Through it all--both good and bad--God has been good and faithful. I am excited to see what 2011 is going to bring and discover how God is going to work, both in my life and in the lives of those around me, to conform us to the image of Christ!

Christmas break is almost here...not even 24 hours left until it begins! wooohoo! :) For about three amazing weeks, there will be no more reading (only if I want to), no more assignments due, and no more late nights with early mornings a few hours later(only if that is what I so wish to do). No more intakes of coffee that are double what I usually drink . No more dorm cleaning. It has been a great semester, but I am soo looking forward to Christmas break!

California, here I come! :)

Hmmm..."It's the most wonderful time of time of the year."

Is it wonderful because of all the gifts that are given? The amazingly scrumptious food that we consume around this time of year (by the way, did you know that, according to a newspaper article, the average American gains 1-2 pounds during the Christmas season?) Is it the time spent with family? Is it the weather (be it hot or cold, depending on where you've grown up) that makes it seem like Christmas? Is it the brief break from schoolwork?

Here at school, we've been studying about Christ and various aspects of His Person, including His incarnation. The timing could not have been better: as Christmas approaches, to learn in more detail what was involved in order for Christ to come to earth is incredible. Just think: Christ--the Creator of all things!--came to earth in the form of a helpless, human baby, dependent on His human mother! One of the names given to Him in the Bible is Emmanuel, which means "God with us." He became no less God when He came to earth--He was fully God, yet He walked among men and lived among them (John 1:14). He humbled Himself by adding humanity to His undiminished deity.

Yes, it is the most wonderful time of the year.

" For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:11

I just can't...

In talking about how much God loves us, someone recently made the comment that, "If you were to meet someone exactly like yourself, would you love them like God loves you?" Obviously, the answer would probably be "no." When I look at myself--the person that I am now--and consider how I wish I were instead, I fall so short of it; I see all of the areas that God has puts a finger on in my life that I need to change, and the task seems so impossible, so overwhelming. I feel like I can't do it. Have I mentioned that this semester has been very stretching and challenging?

It is true: it really is impossible to become the person that God wants me to be (through my own strength). Then I am reminded that "...He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ," and that "...it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Philippians 1:6, 2:13).

It is so totally amazing, awesome, incredible, marvelous, staggering, overwhelming, and exceedingly humbling to ponder God's great love for us poor sinful, wicked, selfish, and helpless creatures, and to realize that He is, at this very moment, working in us to make us more like Christ.

On my own, I can't do it.

Through Christ, I can!

But most of all...

...I am thankful for the salvation that God gives.

That it is "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us."

(Titus 3:5)

[sisters]

I Am Thankful...

...for this time in my life to be at Bible school.

...for the most amazing parents ever!

...for a sister that I get to see everyday...and a sister and a brother who I don't get to see everyday.

...for cold weather and snow.

...for coffee!

...for friends who love the Lord.

...for Skype and Magicjack.

...for God's unchanging faithfulness.

...for the wonder of music.

...for teachers who have dedicated their lives to helping us students grow in our walk with the Lord.

...for times of spiritual, mental, and emotional stretching.

...for the gift of laughter.

...for long conversations (and also short ones).

...for God's grace that is sufficient.

I woke up yesterday to a thin layer of snow on the ground. But then today, the sun came out and caused the snow to melt.

(Have I mentioned that snow makes me happy?)

True joy and happiness can only be found in the Lord, not in my circumstances.

[on a snowy day]

1 Peter 5:7

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Psalm 37:4-5

Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

~God will cause His best to come to pass if you entrust your plans to Him~

discoveries...

When working with books, it is important to remember to keep glue as far away from them as possible, unless there is a specific purpose for the glue.

Pumpkin roll is absolutely yummy!

Good friends do more than just have a fun time together. They also challenge and stretch you.

Brazil can seem very far away at times.

Habits may take years to establish but it takes only a matter of days to break them.

The first snow of the school-year has the potential of immediately making one's day better.

The prospect of being with family for the holiday is exciting!

Procrastination becomes easier with practice.

It is not difficult to put library cart wheels back where they belong (on the cart).

God loves me.

Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,

Just to take Him at His word,

Just to rest upon His promise,

Just to know, "Thus saith the Lord."

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!

How I've proved Him o 'er and o'er!

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!

O for grace to trust Him more!

Parked or Driving?

Have you ever wondered how you are ever supposed to know where God wants you to serve Him in life?

This past week during missions conference, I had the privilege of talking with a couple missionary ladies and asking them various questions regarding missions work and ministry. One of the questions I asked was along the lines of "How did you know for sure that the ministry you're in now is where God wants you?"

In answering this great and deep question, one of the ladies gave an illustration that produced a very vivid picture of how a believer should go about seeking God's direction in life: it is as if you're a parked car out in the parking lot. If the car is parked, no matter how much one turns the steering wheel, it really won't go anywhere. However, if the motor is running and the car is headed down the driveway, turning the steering wheel one way or the other will result in the car heading that direction. For the believer, it is important to keep busy wherever he is. If he is "moving down the road" or actively serving the Lord wherever he is, then the Lord will "turn the steering wheel" or direct him. However, if the believer is like a parked car, simply sitting around, twiddling his thumbs and waiting for God to drop a sign in front of him that tells him exactly where he needs to be, he won't get anywhere!

Sometimes in my life, I can get impatient: I want to know exactly where God wants me, how He wants me to serve Him; I don't want any question marks in my future. Rather, I want to know it all now. I want to have it all mapped out and know exactly what I am supposed to do and how I am to do it. But I have to face it: that isn't how God works. Rather, He wants me to simply be faithful where I am right now. Then He will lead me to where He wants me. He wants me to be driving, not parked in the CBI parking lot.

To give further explanation to my previous post, here's something to think about:

When a person loves someone (in that kind of way), whenever that other person is around, do they have to consciously think "I have to focus on him/her"? No. In fact, probably anytime that person is in the same room, their eyes are just naturally drawn towards that other person. With this in mind, now consider the effects of a deep and sincere love for the Lord. Wouldn't it be the natural thing to then have one's life centered around Him and one's focus set on Him instead of the circumstances around them? And the more a believer gets to know the God that he loves,

the more his love for Him increases!

As I think about this and how often I get distracted in my spiritual walk, I have to ask myself:

If I'm having trouble keeping my focus on the Lord, what does that indicate about my love for the Lord?

What is the focus of your focus?

Instead of trying to focus on "focusing" on the Lord,

focus on loving the Lord--a focus on the Lord will then be the natural result.

Sometimes it is hard to seek God's best in one's life. It has a price. It requires counting the cost.

Seeking God's best may not always produce immediate, visible results. It is a case of physical versus the spiritual; the temporary versus the eternal.

God's best far outweighs any of the immediate pleasures of the best that the world has to offer. The decisions of today will have far-reaching effects on the rest of my life. Remind me of this truth when when I am tempted to give up seeking God's best in trade for the temporary benefits, to question whether the ultimate goal is worth the price that it demands of me.

Lord, remind me not to settle for anything less than Your best, no matter how difficult it may be.

"when I grow up..."

It doesn’t seem like all that long ago that I distinctly remember being envious of a friend who was seven, when I was six, or thinking how I would be so grown up when I turned sixteen. Both of those ages have come and gone, and now I am twenty-one.

All of a sudden, from one day to the next, the world now considers me to be an adult: With a few exceptions, I now have pretty much all the privileges of any other adult. All of a sudden, friends my own age are getting married, others are considering and making decisions that will have an affect on the rest of their life, and still others are being faced with real-life issues that cannot be handled with just a kiss and a hug from mommy.

The “when I grow up” of my childhood years seems to be looming closer and closer. The perks are exciting and thrilling, yet at the same time, somewhat scary and unsettling. Suddenly, all of those things that I dreamed of doing “when I grow up” that seemed like they were so far away, now almost seem to be within my grasp--they are no longer simply a distant speck in the horizon. Life seems to be becoming more real.

Why can't I just fly to Never, Never Land and forever be a kid? I feel so young, so unprepared, so incapable of living life as an adult and facing the responsibilities that come with it. Turning 21 has made me think about my life now and my future: it's scary, but I'm

excited. I'm not facing life by myself, for I am never alone. God is by my side

each step of the way. Already, there have been times when I feel so weak and inadequate to

fulfill the responsibilities that I have been given. However, I know that it is in my weakness

that His "strength is made perfect."

"When I grow up" is becoming more of a reality than simply a favorite childish pass-time of

day-dreaming about the future. Is it scary to think of growing up and being held responsible as

an adult now? Yes, to some extent, it is, but I'm excited about discovering more about the

great God that I serve and seeing how He will guide throughout the next few months and

years of my life.

(please forgive the terrible formatting of the last few paragraphs...I'm not sure what happened to make

it act up like this!)

to believe...

Quote of the day:

"I do not seek to understand in order to believe. I believe in order to understand." ~Anselm

How often do we not try to understand something, especially if it concerns God's Word, before we take the step of believing that it is true?

Cornerstone Bible Institute has begun it's 2010 fall semester! We are now two weeks into the school year, and I am excited! However, I can already see that it is going to be very different from my freshman year! But you know, that's ok. I'm looking forward to what God has in store for me this year, whether He teaches me through blessings or trials. I read this verse this morning. The last phrase caught my eye, and it was so encouraging:

"Let us therefore come boldly

unto the throne of grace,

that we may obtain mercy,

and find grace to help in time of need."

Hebrews 4:16

Isn't it wonderful to know what we have God's grace to take us through our times of need?

Sometimes it is easy to just say "God is good" but not really believe it or actually think that He is good to me. However, in one way after another, I've seen God's goodness and faithfulness this summer, be it from the way He has provided financially, to an amazing church to be involved in, to being able to participate in new experiences in ministry, to making new friends. Wow...

How have you seen God's faithfulness this summer?

I read Psalm 90 today and it was such a blessing and encouragement! Two verses in particular stuck out to me:

Verse 2 --"Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God."

Verse 12 -- "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."

Some random thoughts from today:

• God has blessed me with an amazing church family!

• God can work everything out...sometimes it is just a matter of time!

• God can and will provide, but not always does that mean that I will get all of my "wants" and "would like to's."

• There are a lot of people out there who are hurting and need prayer--I need to do my part!

• It is a blessing to hear from people back in Brazil and to hear about what is going on there!

(No, I have not forgotten about finishing my update about the missions trip...)

Missions Trip, part 2

In sharing about the missions trip, the biggest question is "Where do I even begin?" I could go on and on about all of fun times that we had laughing together over one thing or another, sightseeing in Chicago (the Willis Tower, Michigan Avenue, Giordanos Pizza) and just all of the other everyday things that took place throughout the week. All of these things were a part of the trip, but they were not the real reason for the trip: there was more to it than just having a fun time and sightseeing. Rather, it was about sharing the Gospel with those who have not heard it and ministering to those around us! Everything else was just a bonus.

To sum up the activities of the trip, from Monday to Friday, part of the group worked at a day-camp from 7:30 - 5:00 at Parkwood Baptist Church, and the rest of the group ran a VBS for inner-city kids at the Harbor House about 45 minutes away from Parkwood. On Saturday then, everyone was involved in one way or another with running a three-on-three basketball tournament. We also sang several special numbers for both Sundays and the Wednesday that we were there.

To get a little deeper into what I actually did throughout the week, from Monday to Wednesday, I helped out with the VBS at the Harbor House in inner-city Chicago, working with children who pretty much had no church background. We had a Bible lesson, a missionary story, crafts, games, lunch, and also a time where I shared some about Brazil. More often than not, it would take several minutes to get the kids settled down enough to be able to even begin the lesson, not to mention the various times throughout each activity that we would have to stop in order to regain some semblance of a listening audience. Each Bible lesson, missionary story, game, and even the craft was a challenge. Interestingly however, as little training as these kids had in anything concerning the Bible, many of them often gave the "right answer" upon being asked questions regarding the Bible.

As much of a challenge as these inner-city kids were, by the time Wednesday rolled around and I had to say goodbye to them (as I would be at the day-camp that the rest of the youth group was working at for the rest of the week), I had become rather attached to them. In ways that I cannot explain or even understand myself, God helped me to get past the rowdiness and unruly behavior of these kids and see them for who they really were. As the day drew to a close that Wednesday, an almost desperate feeling began to overtake me as I realized that I would never be seeing these kids again; I felt an almost overwhelming responsibility to do my part in sharing the truth of God's salvation with them. I probably will only find out in heaven what kind of lasting fruit will come of those three short, yet totally amazing, stretching, and challenging days that I got to spend with around 30 precious kids!

(more yet to come...)

Missions Trip, part 1

Eighteen teens and four adults,

early mornings and late nights,

dozens of kids with tons of energy,

pizza and hot dogs, and then more pizza and hot dogs,

the book of Ephesians,

midnight showers,

toaster escapades,

a park known for its past (and also present) gang activities,

lots of laughs,

the Willis Tower and Michigan Avenue,

staring off into space in middle of the day because of the lack of sleep,

three-on-three basketball tournament.

What do these all have in common? They all are a part of the absolutely amazing missions trip to Chicago that I just got back from! Wow, remember how I asked prayer for this trip in a previous post? Well, I can tell that people were praying. It was tons of work, but also just as much fun. I absolutely loved every single minute of my time...

I think the past ten days were the highlight of my summer.

Wow. I'm not sure what else to say. This past week was absolutely amazing! What an awesome God we serve! More yet to come about the missions trip...

You know how it is when you know you should do something that is right,

but you really don't want to?

Rather, you just try to ignore the facts.

After so long though, you just can't ignore it any longer:

you decide you have to do it, because it is the right thing to do

at this point in your life?

That's how I feel right now.

It's hard, but it's a step in the right direction.

(by the way, this is totally unrelated to my previous post)

Coming up...in a week!

Guess what?!?!?! In less than a week--on Saturday, to be exact--I will be leaving with the youth group from Medora Community Bible Church and heading to Chicago for week-long missions trip! No, I was not planning on going on this trip until only a few weeks ago, but yes, I am very excited about it! Please pray for this trip, as there are still lots of details to figure out...part of the teens will be working with a day-camp and the rest will be running a VBS! We will also be doing some personal evangelism and then holding a 3x3 basketball tournament on the 31st! While I might be able to help out with some of these things, my main responsibilities for the week will be making sure that all of these teens have food to eat (in other words, I'll be working in the kitchen). Yes, it is going to be one full week, and I can already imagine how I'll be feeling when I finally get back home on Monday, August 2nd: E.X.H.A.U.S.T.E.D., but it will all be worth it if it means spreading the Good News of the Gospel to those who don't know the Lord!

(when you think of it though, I would especially appreciate your prayers for me...while I am excited about it all, it will definitely be a stretching and learning experience for me. Last night at a meeting, Pr. Ron said that the motto for the missions trips has become, by default, "Roll with it!" because of how much plans always change and such, and for those of you who know me at all, my comfort zone is knowing exactly what is going on when, and where, and how, and what exactly I'm supposed to be doing, which is like the furthest thing from what will be the case next week! )

So, I thought I would do something a little different this time. Instead of posting something totally new for you to read, here's my challenge for you: if you want to get a glimpse of my life over the last two years and a half (the time that I've had this blog,) go back into the archives of my posts! It is always interesting to me to go back and read some of the stuff that I've written! :)

Happy Fourth!

Today we celebrate the Fourth of July, the Independence Day of this nation!

Today we remember the founding of our nation and the freedom that it extends to all, but we cannot, and must not, forget that this freedom came at a high price!

Let us not forget then, as we celebrate this great day in our country's history, the One who shed His blood on the cross so that we can have an even greater freedom:

that of being set free from the bondage of sin!

Now that is freedom indeed!

Who am I?

No, I am not having an identity crisis. Rather I would like to give you a little “food for thought.” I recently heard the following quote: “Remember who you are and to Whom you belong". In pondering this saying, a conversation that I had with a pastor’s daughter just the other day comes to mind. It was while we were making small-talk about her job that she made the comment that if she were to have certain responsibilities that others at the same job have (but thankfully she doesn’t have these responsibilities), her dad’s Christian testimony and reputation could be ruined. That comment in itself shows that she values her dad's reputation; she has in the back of her mind who she is.

Who am I? Not only am I Angie Lehrman, daughter of Jerry and Bev Lehrman, but I am also a Christian, a “little-Christ”, and I belong to Christ! In every sense of the word, I truly am a Daughter of the King, the highest King of all! It is relatively easy to be concerned about the reputation of one’s family members--those who are physically present--for the family-relationship is something graspable, it is concrete. But what about the reputation that we believers give to our heavenly Father, the One Who we can’t see, yet is the most important One of all?

When we are among non-believers, what impression do they get of our Heavenly Father? Or do we even care at all about that? How do others, even other Christians, see us? Are we a clear reflection of the character of Christ in us? The fact the Christ is living in us should be very evident to anyone who comes in contact with us!

Being a Child of the King should affect every single aspect of our lives--not only our weekend habits of going to church, but also our weekday activities. It should determine our priorities, our conversation, our “when no one is around” activities, and even the most seemingly insignificant tasks such as the time we rise in the morning. It all reflects our focus on Christ and how important He is in our life.

We Christians are recipients of the greatest Gift ever given, the highest privilege of being called a “child of God; we are partakers of the Inheritance, we have been delivered from the darkness of sin, we have redemption and forgiveness of sin, we are strengthened with divine Strength, we are reconciled with Him. This long list, taken primarily from Colossians 1, does not even begin to scratch the surface of everything of who we are in Christ. Does that not put any weight on the great responsibility that we have , then, to live a life worthy of that which we have been called to live?

Col 1:10

"That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God."

Since I don't have time to write much else...

but I wanted to post something...

here are a few random facts about me:

Hazelelponi, my stuffed monkey, makes me happy! (perhaps sometime I will give a further explanation as to why she makes me happy!)

Guarana, recheado cookies, and tapioca with cafe com leite are yummy!

I love comments *hint hint*!!

this will take more than just a minute to read...

This blog post is different from my most recent posts in one way in particular:
I am back in Kansas for the summer!

Yes, the semester and everything with it is over: classes, papers, Spring banquet, Friday afternoon Bible club, times with Melinda and Liz, graduation, choir and handbell tour, goodbyes. In August, things will start all over again, but it will not be like this last semester or even the one before. There will never be another semester like this past one, especially because all of the senior graduated and are gone. What am I going to do without Melinda and Liz, the two who are almost always together and were both practically my roommates, (even though technically it was only Melinda who actually slept in the same room as I did). I miss them...:(

This semester was a great semester. I really enjoyed my classes, especially Bible Doctrine 2 where we got an overview of the second-half of the major Bible doctrines such as hamartiology, soteriology, ecclesiology, and eschatology. As I already mentioned in a previous post, I did my supplemental reading on eschatology, the study of the End Times and it was very fascinating, yet convicting and challenging at the same time, to read more about just a small facet of what will be happening in the future. Christ could return at any moment! Am I ready for this great event and am I telling others so that they too can be ready?

I also very much appreciate the class on the Gospel of John. Perhaps one of the best parts of the entire class was listening to (and reading along with) the Word of Promise’s dramatized audio of the book in one sitting both at the beginning and then at the end of the semester! Wow! If you have never read through the whole book without stopping for more than a short period of time, you should make it a goal to do so! It is well-worth the time! It was amazing to see themes repeating and being able to follow the message being woven throughout the book.

First semester, it seemed like Romans 8:28-29 was popping up everywhere: in class, in chapel, in church. Everywhere I turned around, it seemed like I was always being reminded of the great promise in these verses, so I have come to “label” those verses as the theme of last semester. This semester, however, I guess God wanted me to learn something else. Because there was such an obvious “theme” last semester, I was kind wondering what would it would be this semester, or even if there would be one. Sure enough! If someone were to ask me what it was, I would say that the theme or “truth” that I kept coming back to this semester was being convicted and almost overwhelmed by the importance of praying for each other. It was through various events that I was constantly being reminded of my failure to pray for my fellow classmates and believers, even though it seemed like “everything is going great!” How is my prayer life? Am I diligently praying for those around me?

From the 19th of May until the 6th of June, twenty-four of us were on a choir and handbell tour out to the East, getting to tour D.C. (in a few short hours), and also Philadelphia, along with simply being able to see the beautiful countryside of the East. I had never been any further east than Indiana, so pretty much this whole trip was an adventure for me! But this trip was more than just lots of fun: with the exception of only a couple nights, we held a program at a different church practically every night. While I enjoyed all of the songs that we sang, I think my favorite of them all is the last song, “It was His Grace”, which is based on the verse in Philippians 1:6 where it says “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” It was during the tour, where one was around everyone practically 24/7,that God showed me and convicted me of several areas in my life that I need to change, even though I truly am justified and accepted in His sight. It was, and still is, such a comfort then, to sing that last song and be reminded of the verse, and be reassured that God will continue to work in my life in order to make me more like Himself! I think it is safe to say that this verse has become one of my favorite verses over the last few weeks (and months)!

Until next time...:)
(hopefully there will be some pictures next time!)

Hey everyone! I am now back in Kansas for the summer! From the way it looks, I think my summer will be filled with

working at Lowen Sign Company

doing stuff around the house

being involved in church

possibly even doing some blogging!

I've been doing supplemental reading for one of my classes. We could choose what area of doctrine to do it on, so, since I don't know much about Eschatology, I decided to go with that subject. Wow, it has been amazing! I'm going through the book Maranatha: Our Lord Comes! by Raynold Showers. There is a whole chapter on the immanency of Christ's return and I have been more and more convicted of the reality of it. If I really believe that His return could be at any moment, my life will reflect that! At the end of the chapter is a quote, and I would like to share with you:

"Christians are to live 'like men who are awaiting their Master...; and their conduct and character are determined by that expectation.' " ~ F. W. Beare in A Commentary on the Epistle to the Philippians.

This past saturday was the CBI banquet...

here are a few pictures...

(thanks to some students who were gracious enough to give their pictures to those of us who don't have cameras!)

The two Brasilians here at school: some fellow-students say that one speaks Portuguese, the other, English. (I'll let you decide which is which. =) I'm so glad that we're here at CBI together!

The six of us girls who stick together and have great times after curfew! CBI wouldn't be the same without them!

My roomie, Melinda...I'm going to miss her when she graduates in less than three weeks...

*smile*

A while back, I was struck by the significance of a smile...

It can make the world of a difference to have someone look at you and simply smile...

A smile can say more than a dozen words put together...

These people make me smile...

Who makes you smile?

After a long drought of blog posts, at last! Here is one! Although I do not have the time to go into detail about everything that has happened lately, I would like to share a little something about what God has been doing in my life recently.

This semester, in the midst of various other truths, there seems to be one truth in particular that sticks out more than others and seems like it is that one, more than anything, God has been trying to teach me. And slowly, I have been learning. Through several incidences this semester that have taken place, I have begun to realize the utter importance of prayer. More specifically, that of prayer for those around us, especially other believers. While I have always known (in my head) the importance of prayer and the role it should take in the believer's walk, I have never actually experienced in such real ways the need for prayer as I have this semester.

A song that has been going through my mind lately is "I am Thine, O Lord." I really like the words of it...read them and consider their significance in your own life.

I am thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,

And it told Thy love to me;

But I long to rise in the arms of faith,

and be closer drawn to Thee.

Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,

by the pow'r of grace divine;

Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,

and my will be lost in Thine.

O, the pure delight of a single hour

that before Thy throne I spend,

When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God,

I commune as friend with friend.

There are depths of love that I cannot know

Till I cross the narrow sea;

There are heights of joy that I may not reach

Till I rest in peace with Thee.

Spring break!!!!!

I am looking forward to this change of schedule:

sleeping a little later than 6:00...
being free from attending classes for a week...
cooking...
really having nothing in particular that absolutely has to get done because it is due the next day...
perhaps doing some pleasure reading...
relaxing...
refocusing...


yes... Spring break...enough said.

"God is more interested in my sanctification than in my service."

All too often, it is easy to think that the Christian life is all about serving God. In a way, that is true, yet perhaps an even greater aspect of the Christian life is being conformed to the image of Christ and living a life of holiness. If you stop you stop to think about it, without a life of separation and sanctification, can one truly serve God?

like the ocean waves...

woosh. . . splash. . .woosh. . . the waves crash onto the shore in a steady rhythm, one after the other. Sometimes they are huge walls of water, towering many feet into the air. Other times, they are so small that there is barely more than a big ripple in the water. Even so, no matter the size of the wave, they never stop, the water never runs out. Rather, independent of the time of day one visits the beach, of the most beautiful places on earth to be, one can always hear the familiar sound: woosh. . . woosh. . .woosh. . . one after the other. . . .

God's grace is like those waves. There is a never-ending supply of it. It is always there for us, whenever we need it. Isn't it wonderful to know that "My grace is sufficient"?

"That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith;

that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

may be able to comprehend with all saints

what is the breadth,

and length,

and depth,

and height;

and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge,

that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly

above all that we ask or think,

according to the power that worketh in us,

unto him be glory in the church

by Christ Jesus throughout all ages,

world without end. Amen."

Ephesians 3:17-21

I read this passage in my devotions this morning. I think my favorite part of this passage is the part about the breadth, length, depth, and height. Paul could have just said "comprehend with all saints how great and to know the love of Christ...." but no! He wanted us to understand how truly great God's love really is! And the best part about it is that it says that we can actually comprehend it and know it! How awesome is that?

A little saying seen on a magnet on the refrigerator that sadly, has been somewhat true in my life: '

"I have decided that my job in life is to be like a duck: calm and unruffled on the surface, but underneath, paddling like crazy!"

In case you were wondering...yes, I am still alive!

Due to the great application called "statcounter", I have come to realize that I really do have a bigger audience than I have previously realized! I am ashamed to realize that my last post was literally months ago!

Right now I am at Cornerstone Bible Institute in Hot Springs, SD and am back into the full-swing of studies, after having a great three weeks of Christmas break. Although this break was rather different than any other Christmas I have ever had, it was good to be back with family, to have a change of scenery, and just have a lot of time to think about some important things going on in my life.

Let me share just a little something that has become exciting to me recently: the book of John. One of my classes this semester is this Gospel, and the other week, the entire class got together to read through the whole book in one evening while listening to it be read on audio. It is really amazing the difference it makes when reading through the whole book in such a short time as compared to over several weeks or months! What struck me as we progressed through the book was the reoccurring theme of belief/unbelief and how almost always it was mentioned in connection with some kind of sign or miracle that Jesus had done! And then there is the verse that says something like "These things were written that you might believe." Oh, I don't have time to go into all the exciting things that I have been learning about John , but it has just been awesome to dig a little deeper into this wonderful book and the message it has for us!

Until next time,

Angie