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Archive for Following Jesus
February 24, 2007 at 1:54 pm · Filed under Following Jesus
My dear friend, buddy, brother in Jesus, and favorite son sent this to me as I’ve been preparing for this Sunday’s message. In case I don’t use the quote, I wanted it here for you to consider. It’s from the first chapter of another great book, "Blue Like Jazz," by Donald Miller.
"God on a Dirt Road Walking Toward Me
I once listened to an Indian on television say that God was in the wind and the water, and I wondered at how beautiful that was because it meant you could swim in Him or have Him brush your face in a breeze. I am early in my story, but I believe I will stretch out into eternity, and in heaven I will reflect upon these early days, these days when it seemed God was down a dirt road, walking toward me. Years ago He was a swinging speck in the distance; now He is close enough I can hear His singing. Soon I will see the lines on His face. "
January 29, 2007 at 9:32 pm · Filed under Following Jesus
I Cannot Do This Alone
O God, early in the morning I cry to you.
Help me to pray
And to concentrate my thoughts on you:
I cannot do this alone.
In me there is darkness,
But with you there is light;
I am lonely, but you do not leave me;
I am feeble in heart, but with you there is help;
I am restless, but with you there is peace.
In me there is bitterness, but with you there is patience;
I do not understand your ways,
But you know the way for me…
Restore me to liberty,
And enable me to live now
That I may answer before you and before me.
Lord, whatever this day may bring,
Your name be praised.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer
January 6, 2007 at 12:49 pm · Filed under Following Jesus
I am first and foremost a follower of Jesus. My striving is to bend everything in my life towards that pursuit, so that all I do might in some way be reflective of my relationship with Him.
I enjoy writing, reading, traveling, discussions about spirituality, working with computers (inside and out), music, hot drinks on cold nights, and crisp fall days in the Pacific Northwest.
One of my highest priorities is my family. I believe that my family’s decision to homeschool has given us stronger relationships with the Lord, and with each other. The priority placed on family by my parents has, I believe, made a huge impact on my personal and spiritual worldviews (if those two may indeed be mentioned as ‘separate’).
In August 2005, I was approved as a Local Ministerial Candidate at the church my family currently attends and holds membership – Aldersgate Free Methodist Church. I have been involved in several ministerial facets at AFMC, including: participation in the Sunday morning worship team, teaching the high school Sunday morning class, occasional speaking , and various other ministries. As the Lord leads, I am tentatively moving towards ordination in the Free Methodist church.
I have been able to travel overseas on three separate occasions, each time experiencing the presence of the Lord in a new way. Most recently, I traveled to Egypt with my Dad to attend a Global Studies Intensive training time for post-college students. Due to a schedule opening, I was able to teach these students for about a half hour on the basics of Islam.
I am currently enrolled in the Global Year of INSIGHT (Intensive Study of Integrated Global History and Theology), which is offered by William Carey International University in cooperating with the US Center for World Mission. I have completed the first semester (two Modules), and will resume studies on 5 February 2007.
Pending finances and acceptance, my hope is to attend SPU beginning with the fall semester of 2007. However, I am keeping my eyes and options open to be ready to embrace whatever the Lord might reveal.
I am excited to become a part of the Lakeside CF family, and am looking forward to exploring, growing, and living out this blessed relationship with the Lord together with you!
January 2, 2007 at 5:55 pm · Filed under Following Jesus
Hi everyone!
How is everybody? I am soo excited to be moving back to Washington, and to Lakeside! I am much more excited than anyone could ever imagine! I will miss everyone here in Indiana, but I am looking forward to being back in Washington. I know that my family feels the exact same that I do. I think we are all really looking forward to the Lakeside Church, Seattle, mountains, the beach, the Mariners, Pike’s Place Market and just being back in Washington! Thanks so much for all your prayers and please continue to keep praying: that our house would sell, for starters, and that we could find a house out in Washington! Thank you!
OH yeah! Please check out my dad’s blog! He updated it! IT IS AWESOME!! Okay, thanks! Bye!
Love From Bethany
PS - Philippians 4:4-5 (from the Message) Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!
December 10, 2006 at 5:37 am · Filed under Following Jesus
This photo was taken just yesterday (Saturday 9Dec) down in the Los Angeles area. Andrew’s INSIGHT group went to a Buddhist temple as part of their study of world religions. You can see the temple in the background, a Buddha statue, and our son –we’ll let you guess which one is Andrew! 
"Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said,
‘If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.’" -Mark 8:34 (NLT)
Following Jesus may take you to some places you’d never expect. It will take you away from selfishness. It may take you away from current friends and family; the familiar; the comfortable. Following Him will lead you on a path of self-denial, but I’ve found the less of me and the more of Jesus I have –the more at peace I am.
I like to picture following Jesus as a step-by-step, daily, even moment-by-moment ongoing conversation with Him. Sometimes I listen, sometimes I speak; sometimes it’s just enough to know He is with me –that we are walking together on the road of life.
Have you ever had the experience of talking with someone, but when you look at their face and their body language, you know that they are ’somewhere else?’ "Maybe they are bored with me," you think. Or maybe they’ve just realized something they had forgotten. Regardless, there’s a disconnect in the communication, maybe even in the relationship a little bit.
I’m still tempted by the things that distract me from Jesus. But I’m finding as I follow Him that by His side is the place I really want to be.
He’s been talking to me about ‘trust’ these days. Will I trust Him with the changes in our lives? Will I trust Him with the days ahead? Will I follow Him and trust Him, even though I can’t always see into the future? In my daily reading this week, the I believe that the Holy Spirit pointed these verses out to me:
"Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises." Romans 4:20-21 (NLT)
I’m determined to follow fully, absolutely convinced that He is able lead down the road ahead.
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