August 20th, 2009

"Just another day in Paradise" by Phil Vassar. That's the song I am listening to while I write my first blog into the many that I hope to write through this journey of my life that God has set aside for me to take. I find this pretty comical especially seeing that the first message I heard Pastor Randy teach on Sunday morning had a reference to crazy names of country music songs. But as I listen to this song words are flying at me and in the catchy jingle that is the song these stuck out to me, "No place I'd rather be" and " Wouldn't trade it for anything". I've been at GCBI for about 5 days now and I can honestly say those sum up pretty well how I feel about this program. I'm so excited to be part of what the lord is doing in this Ministry it literally almost brings me to tears and I can't help but shake in anticipation for what had has in store for us who have signed up for a journey where its not about what we can get from God as much as what we can do to further the kingdom of God with him working through us. The people that are leading us are men and woman of God and any words that I put down be it exciting or be it enthused pale in comparison at what I truly feel for this program in the short time I've been here and the month or two leading up. Today we went through the bible from Genesis 1-11 and color coded it based on People, Conflict, Props, and Places. Cameron and some others made a comment about how God questions Adam and Eve about eating from the tree as if he doesn't already know. I love Genesis for this very reason. They are questioned by God himself and they choose to answer selfishly and pawn the blame off on some one else. First Adam on the Woman and then the Woman on the Serpent. Genesis 3 is something that just awes me in so many ways. God has given Adam and Eve a choice and being a loving God of course he wants us to choose to do what is according to his nature but through Satan and adding to God's word we see the result of exactly what Satan wants - Confusion! Eve makes God out to be more demanding then he actually is by adding to his word about touching the tree which he never said but he said "don't eat from the tree." Satan uses this confusion and pollutes the woman's mind in something that's never been seen in history in the created questioning the creator! This leads to the first sin and exactly what Satan wanted through his use of deceiving saying you surely will not die and Eve putting her faith into the created instead of the creator. Lesson's man that's what its about! We need to be ready with God's word so when we are attacked we can lean on his understanding that he gave us to protect us from our worldly understanding and desires. The work God is doing here is exciting to say the least with the people he is effecting and the people he has placed in Sebring Florida of all places to impact the word with truth! His word! Making Disciples! We have such different walks to get to this point but the Creator has decided to cross our paths so we can hear and learn his word from Pastor Randy, Aaron, Cameron and all the others he's given us to be obedient to his word and go out and impact the world the lord has given us. Jesus turned the world upside down with 12 people is what I keep hearing from everyone around here and its so true. I can't wait to keep going in this year and gain a better understanding of God's nature and God's plan for myself as I feel it has to do with Youth Ministry already but God can always reveal new and exciting things in my life if I'm willing to know what he expects from me. Its not about what I want but what God wants no matter how I feel about it because his will is far greater than mine! I will be needing prayer for this journey as I make my way through the bible having God effect me and mold me the way he wants!