The Things that Matter Most…

When it all comes down to it, the only answer I really have to give anymore is my salvation in Jesus. It truly is the only thing that matters the most to me. My life has been getting more and more involved in my plans to go overseas this coming summer. I am preparing myself for what could be the absolute biggest thing in my life, and I couldn’t be happier about it. I am prepared for the challenges and all of the preparation and planning that goes into that endeavor in a way I can’t even begin to explain. Last week I had the chance to start a serious round of Rosetta Stone Lessons for Japanese. My internship to Japan is less than 6 months away. I have $4 saved towards the trip, which is nothing when you really think about it, but I am only $4496 away from reaching my goal of going to Japan. My letters will be out in the mail after Christmas (for obvious reasons), and then the real adventure of putting my trust in the God who provides will come to fruition. Right now I am in Orlando, Florida on vacation with my family. We were able to get a really great deal on a condo and now we are in the process of cooking dinner. We have been able to spend 2 days at Disney (well for me anyway) and now my parents, grandma, and nephews are down at the pool area while I have some time to myself to enjoy before heading back to reality tomorrow in West Palm Beach.

I am happy that Christmas is around the corner. I can’t wait for it to be over. The pressures of the holiday season are getting to me. It’s really hard when you don’t have a lot of money to your name. You are at a loss of what to do for gifts and money is tight, especially seeing how you are in College on a full-time basis. That basically means that life is incredibly hard. I had a really good birthday, and I took people’s advice and spent the money on myself and things that I wanted and needed. Whenever I am watching TV, I come across some commercials for gifts and such, and I get a sickening feeling in my stomach. I want to be able to buy gifts for people in my family and I can’t do it. It hurts me really bad. I wish I could be able to buy my mom some new perfume and gift cards to the movies for a date night for my parents. I know that they tell me “It’s okay, and that I don’t have to buy them anything”, but I wish I really could do it.
Me and my mom are going over to find a Christmas tree this Saturday. Having a real tree will be a first for us; we haven’t done that since 1992. I am so happy about that. Real trees make Christmas better and I would be happy doing that every year of my life once I have a family of my own. I don’t have a family of my own right now, but someday I will.

Why I'm going to Japan...

Tonight I had the chance to sit down and watch the 2008 Singing Christmas Tree. This made my 9th Tree I have seen since becoming a member of First Baptist Church of West Palm Beach. This had to have been the absolute best tree I have ever seen since I started seeing them. I have come to accept the fact that I won't be experiencing a White Christmas anymore. Anyway, getting back to what I was talking about, why I am going to Japan. I sat down and started watching Act 2 of the Tree, and watched the story of Creation and how Jesus made a plan to save humanity. You watch him get crucified, and while I was hearing the nails get pounded into his arms over and over again, I could see the city of Tokyo, and all of the people I am going to eventually meet, and their need to accept Jesus, and then it hit me. This is why I am doing everything that I do. Why I am in ministry, why I go to Boyce, why I want to go to Japan, is because of Jesus. It's all about him.

We Three Kings...

I am in disbelief of where I currently sit as I write this blog post. I am home in Florida. I feel like the Hobbits in Lord of the Rings as they returned home from Minas Tirith in the realm of Gondor. They were in a place where they were needed, but they had the desire to return home, and they finally did. I was blown away by the kindness of the workers currently in the employ of Delta airlines. I got to the airport on Tuesday December 2nd in Louisville, Kentucky expecting to be delayed. I was supposed to be on a flight to Atlanta tha would leave at 11:27am, I look up at the board to see it isn't leaving until 11:58am. There are 2 gates where I was waiting for my flight, and to my right, there was a flight to Atlanta leaving at 10:25am, and I walked up to the desk and begin talking to the service person. I showed him my flight itinerary, and he put me on the flight that was leaving at 10:25am. I was able to get to Atlanta with about 2 hours to spare. How great God is! I am home now, on vacation until school starts back up for me on January 12th for a January term class. I am very excited to be finishing up this year, just because of what awaits me at the ending of the school year when I finally do end up going to Japan. I was very happy with the way church turned out today. I get to services and saw the 3 kings scene from the Singing Christmas Tree and was able to talk to some friends I haven't seen in such a long time. I was talking with a friend, Donavan, who was telling me he was interested in doing missions in Japan (just like me) and I gave him the information for the program I had already applied and been accepted to. God has been good to me so far, and I am happy that no matter how crazy bad I think my life is, which it rarely is, my life is so much better!

I Need the Consuming Fire

There are times in my life where God is needed the most. I just need to keep reminding myself that I have the awesome heavenly father who sees me when I am suffering and I am in pain, and I have my dry times in my faith, because I need his help on a 24/7/365 Basis. I need God to take breaths, I need God to walk, I need God to sing, I need God to laugh, I need God to love me! "Yesterday was a day that I was alone, now I'm in the Prescence of Almighty God! Yes our God, he is a Consuming Fire and his flames, burn down deep in my soul." I need that Fire in my life constantly, I need to be reminded of the fact that I am set apart, and God has saved me. He loved me when I was unlovable, and carried me out of the darkness. The Greatest Thing that there could ever be is that Jesus loves me! Japan is almost 7 months away, and I pray that God will shape me into a better man for his service when the time comes, I really could use his guidance on this journey. I have been to Japan once, but now it just seems like a memory in my mind that I'm slowly loosing, but I will be gaining it all back. 3 months in Tokyo, can you really believe that when you hear me say it? It's almost like it isn't real, but it is! It's more of a "surreal" moment for me. Anyway, I am not joking here, when I say that I got no sleep tonight. It is now 6:37 am, and I didn't go to sleep, I have been up studying for a final I have today, and that's at 2:30pm!!!!!!!1 :( I can't even go to sleep until after it's over with. But I'll be waiting to jump into bed once I'm done with the test. I may not even get up until the next morning after that. Until then, PEACE!

The Time has Come

It has really come down to this last defining moment. God's hand is moving in my life and there is no turning back now. The IMB has passed their judgment and I am going to Tokyo, ladies and gentlemen. The missionary came to the conclusion that I was exactly what God wanted in Japan this summer, and I am very happy to say that I can really be in Japan for the summer of 2009. I was so reluctant at first that God was going to do something amazing in my life, but the reality of the matter is that I don't have any excuse not to trust God. I am praying that God will prove himself Jehovah Jireh and provide above and beyond what I need to be able to go on this trip to JAPAN this summer. Holy Crap. I'm really going to Japan.

Midnight Jazz sessions

This is my life. This is the life that God has given me. I sit here in this coffeeshop in downtown Louisville thinking to myself that this is reality. I am here, and I am doing what God has called me to do. Almost 3 years ago, I wouldn't have expected to be here, sitting here, writing this, but now; I am. My life is great, and God is moving in my life. I am taking the time to sit and write this. I can't believe that school will be over in another few weeks, then I can finally read for fun again. I would love to write some more, but I have to get this reading done. Sorry. I'll write again soon.

PEACE!

P.S. Please keep praying for me, as God's hand is with the IMB in making their decision to approve me for the position in Japan.

The Twilight Hours

It's really late right now. I have so much trouble sleeping. :( I guess I have a lot of things on my mind now a days. I just got notice from the missionaries I'll be working for that I was approved by the field, so the next step is to get approval from the International Mission Board. I could really use your prayers right now. I am having battles in my mind over health and all sorts of things. I'm the world's biggest hypocondriac, so naturally I think everything that's wrong with me is something worse than it actually is, but I seriously need to take a closer look at my health. I am currently on Weight Watchers, so please pray that God gievs me the willpower and the desire to keep up with it. My health is going to be a vital part of being a part of minstry over in Japan, so I really need to be thinking how I cna help myself. But please keep me in your prayers, I really could just have people praying for me on a consistant basis.