SPRING IS IN FULL BLOOM IN PHILLY!

Spring is in the air! The daffodils have long been blooming, the tulips are stretching towards the sun, and the azaleas are well on their way to revealing in their own magnificent way the glory of our Creator. Streets are lined with trees blooming in resplendant colours. The apple tree in the side yard is magnificently full of bloom, preaching the certainty of coming of the harvest. Sadly, the stately magnolias are weeping thier own blossoms, glorious though they were for a time.

Still, time marches on.

What a wonder that God blesses us so richly with the new growth of spring, teaching us that after the long and often gloomy winter of our lives there is coming a day when we will live in His glorious presence when all things are finally made new. Take heart, weary souls, the final rest is coming!

Another Month Gone!

Sorry, y'all- I seem to be saying that a lot on this thing, don't I? How easily the weeks slip by. This is procrastination at it's best. But don't worry, I won't forget about the wedding.

It really is unbelievable how time flies. We now have less than 7 weeks to the big day, and there is so much that needs to be done. Just 2 1/2 weks of school before exams- oh, my! And yet, I wish I was home already.

I have enjoyed my stay here this year. I have learned a lot in the past 8 months, one of the most poignant at this point in my life is how easy it is to fill up on knowledge and be no wiser for it. I still fall so far short of the life of obedience that God is calling me to. I say "is calling" purposely, because the call comes to me every day to live for Him and not for myself. This is no easy task. Especially difficult is to give up my self-dependence when it comes to gearing up for and fighting the battles that I find myself in everyday. Unfortunately, most of the time I put myself in the thick of these battles, as I let the "little sins" slip by unchecked.

LORD, help me to live uprightly before you.

I am thankful for th spring weather and the renewal of creation proclaiming God's covenant faithfulness and Fahterly care. This is evidence to me that God is in complete control, and that He is still actively involved in the restoration business! Have you seen it lately?

'Just a thought'

"We study the Bible so we can know better who God is and ultimately what he has done in Christ. Such study, by God's Spirit, is a means by which God forms us into the image of his risen Son, with whom we are coheirs. We must, therefore, be ever vigilant to inspect our own motives, lest we fall into the well-worn rut of thinking that study of the Bible prepares us to lead rather than to serve. It is to learn, after all is said and done, that the most important thing is not we who read the Bible, but he who gave it to us, in all its incarnate fullness." (italics mine)

~Dr. Peter Enns

Inspiration and Incarnation

'Just a thought'

Are you wiling and able to ask deeper-than-casual questions of others?

“As sinners, we tend to recast our own history in self-serving ways. We hide behind the difficulty and pressures of the situation or the failures of others. We look for external explanations, not internal ones. We are more impressed with our righteousness than we are horrified by our sin.

Because of this, we all need people who love us enough to ask, listen, and, having listened, to ask more. This is not being intrusive. This is helping blind people to embrace their need for Christ. It is helping people to see the foolish ways they have lived for their own glory, and the subtle ways they have exchanged worship and service of the Creator for the worship and service of his creation.”

~Paul Tripp

Instruments In The Redeemer's Hands

Prayer Request

Would you please take a moment and pray for Rebecca and I? We are going through some rough times spiritually. Please pray that we will be uplifted by God's love and a real sense of His nearness, and that we will be given hearts that long to love and serve Him and others well. Thanks.

'Just a thought'

"Being the sum and substance of all the positive gifts of God to us in their highest form, heaven is of itself able to evoke in our hearts positive love, such absorbing love as can render us at times forgetful of the earthly strife. In such moments the transcendent beauty of the other shore and the irresistible current of our deepest life lift us above every regard of wind or wave. We know that through weather fair or foul our ship is bound straight for its eternal port."

In regard to Christian service, "every task should be at the same time a means of grace from and an incentive to work for heaven. There has been One greater than Abraham, who lived his life in absolute harmony with this principle, in whom the fullest absorption in this earthly calling could not for a moment disturb the consciousness of being a child of heaven."

~Gerhaardus Vos

Heavenly-Mindedness

Another Brief Update

Well, last week was great with Rebecca here. Praise God she made it home safe, though the highways were snow-covered and generally horrible to drive on. For the first 150-200 miles there was 3 inches of snow causing her to lose traction most of the way, even going onto the shoulder several times, also ending up with a flat tire. However, God was gracious and preserved her from harm, and she had the nail removed from the tire and patched for. While she was here, she also had an awesome time getting her first real taste of life at WTS- she came with me to all my classes and found it really enjoyable. Of course, now there is extra catching up to do...

So I am right in the thick of things, and of course, here comes an unexpected car repair bill- over $500 for new brakes. Ouch! Things are getting a bit worrisome now with finances- the wedding coming up, and all. But we trust where God has us is where He wants us- we must depend on Him for all things, including our daily bread, right? This is sometimes easier said than done.

But I am looking forward to coming home for the March break. More than that, today I was reading an article on heavenly-mindedness based on Hebrews 11 ('Just a thought' above) which reminded me that I need to set my sights on the rest that is promised to me in Christ. There, in the kingdom which cannot be shaken, I will be free from sin and the cares of this earth that often weigh me down, and will live forever before the face of God. Will I meet you there?