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January 25, 2005
Food Posioning?
Christie returned with me from two appointments last night with a nasty stomach ache. She then preceded to vomit nine times in the next 12 hours. It wasn't a relaxing night.
We are hoping that its only food posioning and not even the flu because we have two appointments tonight, one tomorrow and two more the next day. Plus we still have people that we would like to fill the weekend up with.
So you can add that to your prayer list.
(Also our appointments have been really encouraging but have not produced as many financial partners as we had hoped. We still have a lot of decisions and more appointments out there so be praying HARD.)
Posted by paul at 03:24 PM | Comments (5)
January 24, 2005
In case you hadn't noticed...
I'm still in Wisconsin. Yep, Christie was asked to stay another week and help out her Dad at his dentist office. Her mother was no longer availible because she started a new job and her replacement is not able to work the full week so Christie was asked. So we are still here support raising. PLEASE PRAY FOR US!
In other news my sister got engaged on Sunday!!!!!
Posted by paul at 10:08 AM | Comments (5)
January 12, 2005
Writing from a farm
I sit on the piano stool my bare feet tucked underneath and crossed. I have always enjoyed lounging in bare feet; it makes me feel laid back and casual. My jeans stretched and spotted from days of repeat wearing, climb up my legs and curl slightly under my unfit belly. I have just added a light knitted shirt over my white undershirt which like the jeans has been an easy companion the last couple of days. Two days of stubble reaches around my chin barely browning my visage complete with fingerprinted black rimmed glasses and rather greasy tousled hair. I slouch over the keyboard pounding hesitantly on the basic keyboard. I wish I had my natural, ergonomic one.
Outside the sky is cast in ash and the snow is soft and soupy. The old farm house is quite except for the clack of the keys over the whir of the computer case fan. Even the normal sounds of an ancient house are quieted by subdued surroundings. I could write here for years…
Posted by paul at 11:31 AM | Comments (1)
January 06, 2005
It just aint that cool to be a missionary
There is just no way around it. As a serious Christ follower I have to give up any and all pretense at being considered hip and cool for anything other then my authenticity. And I have to work on this whole being beat up for Christ thing.
O know I have bloged about this before, alot and even often. But I just can't escape it. I guess that God is still trying to teach me that He opposes the proud and gives grace and supports the humble.
You think you already have everything you need! You are already rich! Without us you have become kings! I wish you really were on your thrones already, for then we would be reigning with you! But sometimes I think God has put us apostles on display, like prisoners of war at the end of a victor's parade, condemned to die. We have become a spectacle to the entire world--to people and angels alike.
Our dedication to Christ makes us look like fools, but you are so wise! We are weak, but you are so powerful! You are well thought of, but we are laughed at. To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, without enough clothes to keep us warm. We have endured many beatings, and we have no homes of our own. We have worked wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us. We respond gently when evil things are said about us. Yet we are treated like the world's garbage, like everybody's trash--right up to the present moment.
- 1 Cor 4:8-13
Posted by paul at 07:04 PM | Comments (2)
January 05, 2005
Epistemology
What do I know about truth?
No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 1 Cor 2:7
I know there is an absolute truth out there somewhere. God created the world and he himself operates on a certain set of rules that do not change. God cannot sin and cannot change
...but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 1 Cor 2:10
Can we then know this truth?
We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 1 Cor 2:12
I think that we can know this truth. At least some of it. Can we go through, identify and bring to light all of the ways of God and the universe he created? I think not. We have not the life span nor the categorical systems and abilities to tie everything together. But with God’s divine assistance we can ascertain that which is far above our feeble intellects. It is important to note, however, that becoming frustrated with the inability to grasp an aspect of God or his creation is rather futile because again we are dependant on his spirit for any and all wisdom.
"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:9
Posted by paul at 07:36 PM | Comments (2)
January 04, 2005
Let me tell you about how much God has blessed us
God exists outside of time. He also answers prayer. Let me illustrate:
On Sunday Christie and I decided to fast and pray for our support raising. We have been at this for almost seven months and we would like to finish up soon so that we can be out on campus doing what we believe that God has call us to. So we got desperate before God starting Monday morning and chose to fast all day in order to help us to rely on God and seek him. By 11 A.M. I just happened to check our support account online and noticed that we had received a special gift on December 27th to the amount of 4,000 dollars (US). Whereas this does not solve our long-term support needs it does help us receive our first full paycheck and some significant back pay. If we have figured correctly it will help us step completely out of credit card debt. Praise be to almighty God the provider.
Posted by paul at 01:39 PM | Comments (0)
January 03, 2005
Merry Christmas
Hey all I hope that you have a good Christmas time celebrating the true meaning of the season. That's what it's all about. Listen to carols, eat a lot, deck the halls and the tree but don't forget about the baby in the manger.
Smile Jesus is watching.
Posted by paul at 05:10 PM | Comments (0)