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!