His life through me

2011-12-05T20:37:00.001-06:00

I don't know how many still rely on this blog to gain information on my life, but here are a few snippets from the past months.

- I was blessed to help out with child care at a Family Life Workshop in October. Native families come to Beaver Lake Camp to receive teaching and counseling on Marriage and Family relationships. A large number of us staff have the privilege of taking care of the children while the parents are in session. It became chaotic at times with fifteen children under the age of 5 running around.

- The beginning of November my coworker and dear friend and his family moved back to his home. Their term was up and they felt God taking them elsewhere. It was tremendously hard for me to see them leave. God has been using their absence to make me grow in areas that would not, if they would still be here. One of those areas is taking initiative in planning schedules and ensuring that things get done by their deadlines. It is a new game for me to manage my time and schedule like this.

- I was excited to have Philip E. one of my buddies visit for a few days. His sister is also up here, so he spent time with her as well.

- November 9th one of our airplanes had some engine trouble and the pilot landed at Pickle Lake, an airport 4 1/2 hours away. I drove up there the next day and did some troubleshooting. I was able to fix it well enough so he could hobble the rest of the way to Dryden. It made a long day of work for me, but I did see two moose on the way there.

- Communion was in November. I am always so blessed and encouraged over Communion time. How God worked out the plan of salvation is just so wonderful.

- The third weekend in November a group of youth from here went to Bemidji MN to a youth rally at Kitchi Pines Church. I was blessed and encouraged by what the speaker shared. We also spent some time singing, which I love. It was also good to reconnect with some friends as well as make some new ones.

- Last week I went skating on the lake. I don't think I have skated since the end of March or beginning of April. It is so much fun to be doing that again.

- This past weekend was single mom's retreat at Beaver Lake Camp. It is a special time for single moms to come and relax and be encouraged. I was able to help out with childcare. This is the second retreat I have helped out with and it is great to see some of the same children back again. We spent much time sliding down the hill on tubes and playing games and reading stories.

"It costs Christ and all His followers sharp showers and hot sweats ere they win to the top of the mountain. But still our soft nature would have heaven coming to our bedside when we are sleeping, and lying down with us, that we might go to heaven in warm clothes; but all that came there found wet feet by the way, and sharp storms that did take the hide off their face, and found to's and fro's and up's and down's, and many enemies by the way"
~ Samuel Rutherford

Travels

2011-10-15T11:17:00.001-05:00

This past weekend I took the opportunity to drive home. I have been wanting to sell my car and buy a small pickup for driving up here. There was a friend of mine from western NY that was coming up on staff over at Beaver Lake Camp and his brother and sister and my sister were planning on bringing him up. I figured it would be a prime opportunity to take my car home and then ride back with them. What I hadn't counted on was the 50+ hours of driving involved. I along with Dustin and Jon left Friday afternoon and arrived at my house Saturday afternoon. We left again Monday morning and arrived back at NYP at noon on Tuesday. It was a joy to have my sister Marissa spend the week here with me. Those of you who who have never spent long periods of time away from your family should count yourselves blessed.

Fall is coming to a close around here. Most of the leaves have fallen off the trees and it is getting colder. I can't wait till the snow comes and the lake freezes over. Clair's have left for a few weeks in Greenland, so I have time now to work on some other projects. Here I am pulling the Cheyenne out of the hangar. Sorry about the smudge, it is a raindrop at the wrong place at the wrong time.

"I can do nothing on my own... because I seek not my own will but the will of Him who sent me." John 5:30

It's Official...

2011-10-03T13:45:00.000-05:00

So, as of today, I am the chief mechanic at Northern Youth Programs. I never dreamed I would be in a position like this less than 14 months after graduating from SMAT. However, I serve a God that is able to "do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think." I am thankful for the wisdom and integrity God has given me to do this work. I am also thankful for the many people that have given time, resources, and prayers to me. It is my desire to use what I have been given by God and others for the furtherance of the Kingdom of God.

Pray that I would continue to rely on the strength of God for my daily needs. Pray that I could bless my fellow laborers. Pray that God would continue to increase my vision for the work of the Kingdom. Pray that I would have effective planning and communication skills.

The investment you have made in my life, whether it be prayer, finances, or a word of encouragement, has been and will continue to be used for the glory of God. Thank You!

Working...

2011-09-14T21:37:00.002-05:00

Life continues to stay busy here with me taking more of a front-line role in the aviation department. My co-worker is taking a personal development course right now, so I am working alone for the next few weeks. I completed a big project in August. The engine is back on the Luscombe and running strong!

Here is the Luscombe during the removal stage

My next project was to do a 100hr inspection on the Cheyenne. There were a few special things that needed to be done. The pictures will explain more.

The oxygen bottle sits down in that compartment. I had to remove 6 radios and the shelf to get to the bottle. The bottle needs to be hydrostatically tested every 5 years, so I removed it and sent it to the testing shop. Removing the bottle proved to be a help as you will see later.

The starter-generator needed to be changed on the left engine. It is mounted to the engine behind the big silver pipe.

This photo shows the wires that attach to the starter-generator.

Another big project was to replace all the seals and the fluid in the landing gear struts. Here the airplane is sitting up on jacks with both main gears removed.

Landing gear strut disassembled into its various parts.

The nose gear is proving itself to be a tough one. Remember the oxygen bottle that was taken out? It would have needed to come out to remove one of the bolts that attaches the landing gear to the airframe.

Where is the bolt for the other side? Way down behind that brown fiberglass shroud on the lower right. Which means...

...the heater and associated parts need to be removed. 3/4 of a days work to get to one bolt so I can remove it is not what I call making good progress.

Mixed in between the work, I have been enjoying life doing things like camping, fishing, volleyball, softball, singing, making new friends, and learning more about my Creator.

That's all for now.

Images

2011-06-18T08:50:00.004-05:00

I have been realizing more and more over the past month how much we as humans use images to associate things. We compare the birds we see with images in the bird book to identify them. The same thing with flowers. We rely on images stored in our minds to identify people that we know, or printed images hanging on the refrigerator to remind us of them. Cars, airplanes, tractors, trucks; we identify them by images we have remembered.

This morning I heard something from Ravi Zacharias that really challenged me. He was reading from Luke 20:21-25. "And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest fightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest us the way ot God truly: is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no? But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me? Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar's. And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's and to God the things which be God's." Ravi went on to say that they should have not stopped their questioning. The next question should have been, "What belongs to God"? Jesus' answer would have been, "Whose image is on you"? Genesis 1:27 "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." You belong to God.

Back Again

2011-06-15T04:28:00.004-05:00

I arrived safely back in Canada this morning at 4am. This picture is what the sky looked like when we pulled in. Almost everybody showed up at the bus station to pick me up. I can't sleep, so I figured I would update this poor, neglected blog of mine. The birds are singing, and I have never seen the sky get light this early in the morning. God's creation never ceases to amaze me!

I had a wonderful 1 1/2 weeks at home. It was so good to connect with church people and family again. I saw some folks that I hadn't seen in over 2 years. What a blessing it is to have family and friends that encourage me and lift me up in prayer. Thank you all so much!

The following picture is a glimpse of the 206 engine before I left. We were just getting ready to bolt it on. I am eager to find out how things are looking now.

I feel so tremendously blessed with where God has placed me, and the family and friends He has given me. Truly, serving the Lord is wonderful! "For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth in named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith - that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have the strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:14-12 ESV

Life

2011-03-21T19:52:00.002-05:00

Life continues to be an interesting variety of events, especially over the past month or so. One of the highlights has been to visit some former staff in southern Minnesota. It was great to escape from the routine for a few days and reconnect. Along with that was volleyball, singing and guitar, and good eating. Upon returning home we found a flooded house. A water pipe had burst on the second floor while we were gone and thoroughly saturated a good part of the basement and first floor. So, we have been forced upon a remodel project. The rainbow after the storm has been that insurance will pay for the majority of the materials. We are praising the Lord for a relatively inexpensive remodel project that needed to be done anyhow.

We have completed the engine swap on the 172. I was privileged to ride along on the maiden flight to start the engine break in. We have also installed the newly overhauled propeller on the 206. An additional day was spent balancing it to the engine. It now purrs very smoothly.

The Lord continues to work in my heart and call me to a higher standard of living. I have been blessed and challenged by the preaching of the Word and time spent in prayer. We are going through our newly revised Basic Counseling Skills Workshop manual and DVDs for Bible study. Just in the two sessions we have gone through I have been greatly challenged to look into my own heart. Pray for me as I root out things that are hindering relationships and robbing my life of the Glory of God.

New Post

2011-02-16T22:08:00.002-06:00

*enter the drumroll* Jordan is now posting on his blog again...

So now the big thing is, what to write?? A few highlights of the past months. Christmas 2010 was my first Christmas away from home and family. It was memorable, and yet sad. I love my family dearly and would have given much to be with them. However, where the Lord calls, he also gives grace and strength to continue. Several staff families generously offered their homes (and Christmas dinners) to me.

Snow continues to be a big happening around here. If I were to stand on the ground the snow would be well past my knees. But, we keep walking trails packed down with the snowmobile so instead, we are walking, like, two feet above the ground. Along with the snow and cold weather comes skating, and broomball, and hockey. The lake is also frozen enough to go ice fishing. Next week I will have been here 6 months, so I can get my resident fishing license. I have been looking forward to that day ever since I came.

December I spent a lot of time at the hangar helping with a 100hr inspection on the Piper Cheyenne II. For those of you who don't know, it is a pressurized, twin engine, turbine aircraft. (don't know if that helped any, but it makes me feel better) It was a big learning experience for me. I have never worked on something that big and complex.

January and beginning of February I spent doing engine swaps. First of all was the Cessna 172 engine change. We put a factory remanufactured engine on it. Today we did a two hour test flight/engine break in. I also put in a salvaged engine in an old Subaru wagon that we have here.

I have felt God directing me to stay longer here. Today I met with the asst administrator and we discussed a few things. I have decided to stay for an additional three years as the aviation mechanic. I feel this is where the Lord can best use the talents and skills I have as well as develop other areas in my life. I would appreciate your prayers as I take on this new role.

I now crawl back into my hole for another ____ months...

Team Building

2010-11-13T13:12:00.002-06:00

This past week my team at Northern Youth Programs went through LIMIT. LIMIT stands for LIfe MInistry Training. The purpose of the training was to learn more about ourselves and to bond as a team. One of the biggest things I learned from the training was how important it is to keep life in balance. There are many factors in teamwork that must be kept balanced or God-glorifying ministry will not happen. A few of these factors are; team task and individual, determination intensity and integrity. When these are kept balanced in relation to each other, God is glorified through our ministry. I also saw how important it is to work through the hurts and pains of the past. We did a few Team Development Activities which exposed some strengths and weaknesses of people on the team. The crowning point of the training was camping Wednesday night with limited resources.

This afternoon I am taking a quick trip to Winnipeg. A family in town need transportation to the hospital there to visit a relative, so myself and another guy from camp are taking them. It will be about 8 hours total. Pray for safety and that the family could be ministered to.

2010-11-01T09:49:00.002-05:00

Good frosty November 1st to you all. God continues to be faithful in continuing the work He has started in my life. I have been tremendously blessed in our Sunday School study of Ephesians. It was kinda quick, going through one chapter each Sunday, but still encouraging. Yesterday we were discussing what the difference is between obey and honor. Is it possible to disobey and still honor a person? I was also challenged with the spiritual armor. David rejected the armor that Saul gave him to fight Goliath with, saying that he "had not proved it". How do we "prove" our spiritual armor? How do we know it will be effective in battle? We must exercise with it and use it.

Life continues to move on. We now have our complete Headquarters Team that will be here for the next year. The last "old" team member left yesterday. I am looking forward to what the year has in store for us. I am also anticipating snow and colder weather. Bring on the hockey and ice fishing and sledding!! I have been put on as the song leader for the month of November. (big smile) I am thankful that the Lord continues to give me opportunities to use the talent He has given me. Speaking of which, I must wrap this up and prepare to sing at a funeral at 11. Blessings to you all.

Sunday School

2010-10-04T19:47:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was our first Eagle Lake Sunday School of the season. Eagle Lake is a small First Nations reservation about a 35 minute drive from NYP Headquarters. "Our" is comprised of the NYP Headquarters single staff. We have a Sunday School for the children every Sunday afternoon from October through May. Yesterday we had 12 kids ages 4-13. After a time of singing and an object lesson, we divide them up into classes. They have a lesson and a Bible verse to memorize. After snack we take them home. My responsibility is to lead the singing, do the object lesson, and moderate/oversee the classes. I also hand out the snack at the end.

Pray that the Love of Christ could flow through us into the hearts of the children.
Pray for safety traveling back and forth, especially in the winter.

Weekly Review

2010-09-18T08:35:00.002-05:00

Another week has gone by filled with challenges and adventure. There are plenty of projects around here to keep me busy. I have been helping to remodel one of our duplexes across the lake. We have had a work crew here last week helping us out, which is a tremendous blessing! I was also at the hangar this past week beginning to disassemble the tail of the 206. It is all taken apart and we are waiting for parts. The weather has been beautiful. We were blessed with a stunning sunset Wednesday, and a cool, foggy morning Thursday with a touch of frost. As soon as I have a little time, I shall post a few pictures.

Thank you for your interest in what God is doing through me. Keep me in your prayers.

Inspections

2010-09-11T17:39:00.002-05:00

I have been helping with the 100 hour inspection on our 206 this past week. It involves taking off covers, fairings, removing seats, carpet, ect. We then look closely through the holes for cracked parts, worn cables, chafing wires, loose fasteners, and other hazards. Inspections are essential for the continued safe operation of the aircraft. I was inspecting the tail section Friday, and had removed a few fairings so I could see better. I was looking at the four brackets that hold on the horizontal stabilizer and noticed one of them was completely broken. We are praising the Lord that I saw that. When one of those brackets is broken, it puts more stress on the others then they are designed for. As a result they can fail also. If the horizontal stabilizer becomes detached, it renders the aircraft virtually uncontrollable and would result in a crash. Praise the Lord that the other ones did not fail before the problem was caught.

Arrival

2010-09-02T19:50:00.003-05:00

Well, I find myself halfway through the second week at Northern Youth Programs. I am thoroughly enjoying getting to know my fellow staff members here. My first week was spent in training, orientation, and other such discipleship. This week I have had more of a chance to get out and do things. I also have a better idea of my present responsibilities. As headquarters mechanic, I am responsible for maintaining NYP's vehicles. I also help out on grounds maintenance when I am not busy fixing cars. At this point I will be spending very little time at the airport. I have also been spending a fair amount of time over at Beaver Lake Camp. They are in the midst of tearing down some of their old cabins and building new ones. Thanks to everyone who has been praying for me. My travels were uneventful, and I am excited about the work of the Lord here.

Cleaning

2010-08-18T07:13:00.003-05:00

So, I have graduated from the School of Missionary Aviation Technology with an Airframe & Powerplant Mechanic certificate. My next step is to join Northern Youth Programs as a mechanic. I am spending this week at home going through all my stuff and getting rid of what I don't need anymore. This job should have been done long ago, but... here I am.

I didn't realize I had accumulated so much stuff over the years. My room is a wreck, but hopefully I will have it all cleaned up by the weekend.

My plans are to leave for Canada Friday evening. I will be camping at a friends house Friday, driving to Michigan Saturday, and stay with some people I got to know during school. Sunday I am planning on driving to Minnesota, and finding a place to camp. I am meeting some folks from NYP at 9am Monday morning. I would appreciate your prayers as I make the trek up there this weekend.

Where is Christ?

2010-08-06T06:04:00.002-05:00

I have been blessed and challenged by a few songs recently.

"God Be In My Head" (Sarum Primer 1538 - Henry W. Davies 1910)

God be in my head, and in my understanding;
God be in mine eyes, and in my looking;
God be in my mouth, and in my speaking;
God be in my heart, and in my thinking;
God be at mine end, and in my departing...

Listen on Youtube

A Prayer of Saint Patrick

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ, beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me,

Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, and in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

Listen on Youtube

Where is Christ in my life? Is He out there in front where everyone can see? Is He filtering what I say, do, think, and see? Have I yielded every area of my life to Him? Can everybody see that I am a Christian without me telling them?

Musings of Easter

2010-04-04T11:58:00.004-05:00

"Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen!!" I find it hard to really collect my thoughts right now. My Easter experience this year has been wide and varied, unlike any Easter that I remember from years past. The biggest difference is being away from my family and home church. I appreciate my family and the times we have spent together. But, God saw fit for me to be here in Michigan this year for Easter. I miss singing the old Easter hymns and choruses that I have grown up with. I miss hearing, "The Lord is risen... The Lord is risen indeed!" To my family, both physical and spiritual, I love and miss each one of you!

I was part of a Passion Play, which was another new experience. I got roped into it back in January. My roommate, who attends the Methodist church in town, was asked by the pastor to recruit some people to help in the play. And so... it goes from there. I played the part of Pilate, which I actually enjoyed. Being in this play really helped me to focus in on many little details of the Passion of Christ. For instance, I think Pilate was intending to release Jesus after the beating and scourging. But, when he saw how riotous the crowd was, he gave in to their pressure and ordered Jesus to be crucified. Also, when John and Peter ran to the tomb in the morning, John got there first, but didn't enter the tomb. Peter was the one that went in, and saw the grave clothes and the folded napkin.

I also attended my first Catholic service Saturday evening. I, along with a few other guys from here, were invited to attend the Easter Vigil service. It was an eye-opener for me. Granted, it was different from a traditional mass, but it still put a big hole in my Catholic "box". Almost the whole service consisted of recitations and singing liturgy. It gave me a feeling of being transported back in time to the medieval days. The service started at 9pm and lasted for 2 1/2hrs. The sanctuary was very dimly lit. Candlelight gave a very reverent overtone. Much of the singing reminded me of a monastery, where traditions and history were passed down orally. However, the parishioners were very friendly and welcoming. I left the service with a deeper meaning to some of the traditions that I hold dear.

I will end this with some verses that have been running through my head. "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20 "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:18

Musings...

2010-01-10T16:57:00.003-06:00

"This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens" Lamentations 3:21-23, 40-41 I am so thankful for the mercies of the Lord. It is his mercy that allows my life to continue. Even though I fail so many times and make selfish choices, it is the mercy of the Lord upon a broken and contrite heart that allows me to live.

I heard this morning a great message about the storms that come upon our lives. God is with us through the mountains and through the valleys. Job had everything taken from him except his life, yet when all was gone he said, "What, shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?" Job was a man that knew what it was like to trust God through the storms.

Little child, be not afraid
though rain pounds harshly against the glass
like an unwanted stranger, there is no danger
I am here tonight

Little child, be not afraid
though thunder explodes and lightning flash
illuminates your tear-stained face
I am here tonight

And someday you'll know
that nature is so
the same rain that draws you near me
falls on rivers and land
on forests and sand
makes the beautiful world that you'll see
in the morning

little child, be not afraid
though storm clouds mask your beloved moon
and its candlelight beams, still keep pleasant dreams
I am here tonight

little child, be not afraid
though wind makes creatures of our trees
and their branches to hands, they're not real, understand
and I am here tonight

for you know, once even I was a
little child, and I was afraid
but a gentle someone always came
to dry all my tears, trade sweet sleep for fears
and to give a kiss goodnight

well now I am grown
and these years have shown
that rain's a part of how life goes
but it's dark and it's late
so I'll hold you and wait
'till your frightened eyes do close

and I hope that you'll know...

everything's fine in the morning
the rain'll be gone in the morning

but I'll still be here in the morning

Vienna Teng "Lullaby for a stormy night"

This song is of a parent comforting their frightened child, but there are similarities in how God comforts us in our fears. The rain is what causes the grass and trees and flowers to grow. The wind in the storms is what strengthens the trees. And God is right there beside us, holding our hand, guiding us and comforting us through our fears, encouraging us to trust him. After all, he is the creator of the storm.

Snowed In... (not really)

2009-12-09T12:25:00.003-06:00

Due to the weather, school was canceled today, so I have had time to do some reading and thinking. Yesterday, someone approached me and gave me some information that could affect my plans for the immediate next few years. As I sat there, I could only marvel at the mysterious ways that God works. I do not feel it is necessary to explain much more, only that it is an answer to prayer. This morning in my readings I came across an inspiring quote by Thomas A. Kempis. He wrote, "O God, You Who are the truth, make me one with You in love everlasting. I am often wearied by the many things I hear and read, but in you is all that I long for. Let the learned be still, let all creatures be silent before You; You alone speak to me." As I pondered those words I realized the deep, inner hunger of my heart to commune with God. Thinking back over the past few months I realized I have allowed myself to become so busy and involved with other things, that I have neglected to spend that heart time with God. Pray for me as I re-prioritize my schedule to give God the time he needs, and deserves. I realize that this is the only way I will be able to maintain and pursue the vision God has given me. This is the only way that I will feel complete and satisfied in what I am doing. This is the only way I will be able to completely trust God for His working in my life.

2009-11-15T14:44:00.003-06:00

I am back again after a long hiatus. Life moves on whether we realize it or not. The question I continually ask myself is, am I making the best use of the time God is giving me?

We have had some beautiful weather this past week for painting. We have primed and painted two wings as well as a few control surfaces this past week. I have really enjoyed painting. It is a great feeling to look at a painted piece and see the beautiful sheen on the part.

We are also back into the electrical maze again. This week we will be starting to build a mock-up of an aircraft electrical system. There is sooo much to learn about electricity.

"A dusty Bible leads to a rusty Christian."

What's Up?

2009-10-25T15:04:00.004-05:00

A month has gone by blazingly fast since the last time I posted. I believe this year at school is going to be the shortest year of my life. It has already been 2 months since I started school. I have gone through electricity, math, physics, corrosion, safety, drawing, and materials. Currently I am in Forms and Regulations, Weight and Balance, and Metallurgy. I have completed a few projects already and am working on another one.

This is a picture of two of my projects. The object in the center is a bucking bar used to install rivets. I made that out of a piece of 1" steel. I polished the ends with sandpaper to a mirror finish. I also filed the edges to make it more comfortable to hold. The pieces on the right are going to be a spark plug box. I bent those out of sheet aluminum. Here I am getting ready to rivet the two halves together.

This is a picture of my completed spark plug box. I will use this to hold the plugs anytime I pull them out of an engine. The holes are numbered from 1-6 and have top and bottom markings. Aircraft spark plugs are rotated periodically, so this will be useful in knowing where each plug came from and where it goes next. It also keeps the plugs from rolling off a tool bench and breaking.

My current project is a tool tray. This will be handy for carrying small amounts of tools around the shop while I am working. I will put up a few pictures after I am finished.

Thanks to those of you who have sent a card or letter of encouragement to me. That means a lot to me, to know that you are thinking about me and praying for me.

"If God will work, who can hinder?" ~David Brainerd

How do I love God?

2009-09-25T22:10:00.003-05:00

I read a great quote recently by Augustine in his Confessions, X, 6.

But what do I love when I love my God?... Not the sweet melody of harmony and song; not the fragrance of the flowers, perfumes, and spices; nor manna and honey; not limbs such as the body delights to embrace. It is not these that I love when I love my God. And yet, when I love him, it is true that I love a light of a certain kind, a voice, a perfume, a food, an embrace; but they are of the kind that I love in my inner self, when my soul is bathed in light that is not bound by space; when it listens to sound that never dies away; when it breathes fragrance that is not bourne away on the wind; when it tastes food that is never consumed by the eating; when it clings to an ambrace from which it is not severed by fulfillment of desire. This is what I love when I love my God.

My love for God must go beyond just love. It must reach that deep level of delighting in Him. Delighting in the Lord is something that will not only please Him, but it will please me as well. This comes only from spending time in prayer and scripture meditation and study. It is my desire to spend time every day delighting in the Lord.

My Project

2009-09-19T12:07:00.005-05:00

The first project in Basic Electricity was to build a digital multimeter from a kit. I had to make sure all the resistors and other components were in the right place and then solder them in. Then this thing was supposed to work after I was finished!

The kit

Starting to look like something

Assembling the cover

It works! I didn't have any problems and it reads accurately.

2009-09-17T16:17:00.002-05:00

I'm not sure what the Lord has been trying to teach me lately. I am slowly learning to rest in His promises. There have been a few things that have struck my heart and encouraged me. One was 2 Corinthians 6:18. "And I will be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty." It blessed me to know that God cares about me as much, and more than what Dad does. I know that Dad loves me very much, but the love of God surpasses it by far. Dad would never knowingly do something to me that would be a detriment to the development of good character. In the same way, God will never allow things to happen to me that would not, in the long run, be good for me. "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison." 2 Cor 4:17

I was also struck by the words of a song. "You raise me up so I can stand on mountains, You raise me up to walk on stormy seas, I am strong when I am on Your shoulders, You raise me up to more than I can be." God does not begin a work in my life only to let me go crashing down again. He does it so I can attain things I never dreamed of before. He provides the strength to climb the mountains. He provides the faith to walk on the stormy seas. I am so thankful for that.

School is progressing rapidly. Out of the required 50+ subject areas that the FAA requires, we have completed 2 and will complete the third tomorrow. We are finally getting into a few projects, instead of having to listen to lectures all day long. Right now in Electrical class we are building digital multimeters. I hope to finish mine up tomorrow and will post some pictures.

For the glory of Christ.

Accomplishments

2009-09-08T20:51:00.003-05:00

This past Saturday I reached a major milestone in my training. I completed the FAA Private Pilot test to acceptable standards. Now I am able to fly on my own with passengers and build up time for additional ratings. The next step in my flight training is the Instrument rating. This will allow me to fly in more adverse weather, without visual references.

Thank you to everyone who has been faithfully supporting me in prayer. It truly does make a difference in my life. Thank you also to those who are supporting me financially. The support of your money will go much farther than just my life. In time, it will impact thousands around the globe.

Leave a comment, drop an email, send a note, give a call. I'd love to hear from you!

"Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God"
~ William Carey

A Masterpiece

2009-09-02T19:47:00.003-05:00

What is God doing? Why did He create us? Why did He create me? He wanted something to reflect His image. He wanted a being that would choose to love Him. He wanted something perfect.

Unfortunately, we are marred and scarred with sin from the day we are born. But, God has a plan for our lives. He has an exquisite masterpiece in mind. A masterpiece is created from a block of raw wood or stone. The artisan uses a hammer and chisel on the block until it is just the way he wants it. God works in the same way. He uses the hammer of the Word and the chisel of the experiences of life to shape us and chip away the unnecessary traits in our lives. Sometimes the things He chips away have always been a part of our lives and we go through much pain in the chipping process. Sometimes we are more than glad to get rid of something. It is all a part of the intricate masterpiece plan for our lives.

I praise the Lord for His plans for my life. He has a masterpiece in mind. I don't know what the end result will be, but I know that when He is finished, I will brilliantly and beautifully display the creativity and glory of Christ.

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10

Sunday afternoon musings

2009-08-23T15:28:00.002-05:00

I scanned over my blog this afternoon and realized that I have not done a very good job of posting this month. I won't attempt to give any excuses for not writing except that I didn't put it high enough on my priority list.

First off, thanks to each one of you who took some time to pray for me last week. I felt an intense battle raging in my heart, struggling with logic and rationality versus the power and sovereignty of God. I could feel your prayers encouraging and upholding me. God used a few different events last week to encourage me and affirm what I am doing. The preaching of the Word both last Sunday and today as well as Wednesday evening sank deep into my heart. God used the pastor to speak to me about things that I have been worrying about. He spoke about living a life of faith. It seems like I have been hearing a lot about faith recently, and for a good reason. I realized that I don't have to have things totally figured out to go ahead with plans. If my plans are to glorify God in my life and make His name great, I just go ahead and God will work out the details.

Flying is going well. I have been studying quite a bit the last few days for my checkride. Tuesday afternoon, if the weather is nice, I will take my checkride. If I pass, I will be a Private Pilot. If I don't, well... that's another story.

A&P school is starting on Wednesday. I am looking forward to digging into all that technical stuff and seeing what I can figure out. We will be starting with the basic stuff: electricity, math, physics, ect.

The Lord challenged me with a few verses this week. "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give unto me; and not unto me only, but unto all them that love his appearing." When I reach the end of my life, I want to be able to say, with confidence, these verses. How am I living now, to achieve that goal?

Prayer

2009-08-15T15:14:00.002-05:00

What does a person do when life throws an unexpected curve ball that hits them square in the chest? I sure don't know, besides falling into the arms of Christ and trusting Him for the best. Folks, I need some serious prayer.

The Need is Great

2009-07-28T11:32:00.006-05:00

I just returned Saturday night from a great few days at the EAA Airventure in Oshkosh, WI. The focus at Airventure this year was on Mission Aviation and Humanitarian Aid. There were over 100 people and 20 airplanes from various missions represented there. I enjoyed talking with the representatives of the different missions and hearing more about their work and vision. Here is a sample of what various mission aviation agencies are doing around the world.

Mission Aviation Fellowship

Wycliffe JAARS

New Tribes Missions

International Association of Mission Aviation

As you can see from the clips, mission aviation is vital to the success of translators and missionaries. Here is an article I wrote that shares some history as well as my vision for mission aviation entitled, "The Wings of the Gospel"

Pray for me and the work God is calling me to do. I would also encourage you to consider giving financially, either to support my education and future or to support the mission agencies.

"We must be global Christians with a global vision because our God is a global God."
~John Stott

A Psalm

2009-07-25T19:50:00.004-05:00

You, Lord, are my shepherd, I do not lack.
You let me rest in fields of green grass.
You lead me to quiet pools of fresh water.
You refresh me and give me new strength.
You guide me in the path of righteousness for your name's sake.
Even though I walk through valleys as dark as death, I will not be afraid because you are with me.
Your rod and staff give me comfort and assurance.
You prepare a feast for me while my enemies watch.
You treat me as an honored guest.
You fill my cup until it is full and running over.
Surely your blessing and mercy will be upon me as long as I live.
Your house will be my home through out eternity.
Psalm 23 (Adapted from various translations)

It is a beautiful day. Puffy white clouds adorn the azure sky. The rolling hills of luscious grass are speckled with sheep. The shepherd and his son are perched on a knoll, keeping a watchful eye on the sheep. The sheep have nothing to worry about, save to fill their voracious appetites on the grass.

The days and weeks pass by. The sheep are well and healthy. The shepherd spends much time thinking about the well-being of his sheep. One day the shepherd says to his son, "Son, I've been pondering a plan in my mind, and I think now is the time to excecute the plan. I am going to take one of the sheep and be gone for a few weeks, but, don't worry, I will return. Watch over the flock while I am gone."

The shepherd walks purposefully down the hill towards a certain sheep. "Fred," he says, "come. I have a better place for you." Fred eagerly follows, for he trusts and loves the shepherd. They head out up the next hill. Fred is excited. He often used to stand up on top of this hill, gazing out at the horizon. He would dream of setting off to find out what was beyond. But, he loved his shepherd more, and knew that the shepherd would dissaprove.

As they continued treckking, things began looking unfamiliar, and a little scary. The large stream that ran through the middle of the pasture was dwindling down to a small trickle. The grass was no longer in wide expansive fields, but just patches here and there. The mountains were looming higher. And still, the shepherd walked on.

Fred was becoming a little uneasy. The mountains were dark and the nights cold. He occasionaly spotted a predator lurking between the rocks. He was thankful that the shepherd was close by. The predators didn't dare come close to the shepherd. Grass was becoming hard to find and he was becoming hungry. Sometimes, through the breaks in the rocks, he would spot wide fields of green grass. He wished the shepherd would head over that direction so he would feel more comfortable.

Some nights Fred would dream about the great times spent with his friends. He especially missed those games of tag they used to play. When he felt really lonely, he would snuggle up to the shepherd, and feel his warm, reassuring presence. Then the lonely feeling would fade into the background for a while.

Where is the shepherd headed? Fred doesn't know. The only thing he knows is that he can trust the shepherd. The shepherd has never let him down. And, the stories he has heard passed down from the older sheep also give him confidence. Wherever the shepherd is taking him, Fred knows that he will be safe.

High Flight

2009-07-14T13:53:00.002-05:00

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air. . . .
Up, up the long, delirious burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or ever eagle flew —
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.
— John Gillespie Magee, Jr.

Solo flight... there is something about it that is undescribable. The exhilaration, the sheer joy, the feeling of accomplishment. A milestone on the journey. That little boy inside shouting, "Yee Haaa!" There is no instructor to fight with the rudder pedals. No voice telling me how to correct my mistakes. No extra weight hindering the aircraft's performance. No watchful eyes scanning for traffic. No reassuring presence of a more competent person. Just me... and the airplane... alone.

Flying

2009-07-08T19:16:00.002-05:00

This is just a quick post to give you a general idea of what I have been learning the past week. First of all I learned about the preflight. The preflight consists of checking the weather, calculating proper weight and balance of the airplane, calculating fuel endurance, and inspecting the airplane for proper functioning of the systems. All this is essential to the safety and success of the flight.

The next thing on the list was straight and level flight, climbs, descents, and turns. I learned how to properly trim the airplane so it would fly level with minimal control inputs. I learned how to execute turns without climbing or descending. I learned the airspeed that results in the greatest rate of climb. All this is useful in making the airplane go where I intend it to go.

Then, came slow flight and stalls. A stall is when the wings no longer provide enough lift to support the airplane. I learned how to configure the airplane to fly slowly and still maintain altitude. I learned to recognize the warning signs for a stall. I learned how to safely recover from a stall.

After that came ground-reference maneuvers. These are flying around a rectangular course, turns around a point, and s-turns. These maneuvers teach me how to correct for the wind blowing so the airplane maintains a specific ground track. This is important in executing takeoffs and landings as well as flying in windy conditions.

Aviate, Navigate, Communicate.

2009-07-02T08:11:00.003-05:00

Ionia, Michigan is a town with a population of around 7,000. It was first settled in May of 1833 by a small group of people from Herkimer, NY. It was right next to an Indian settlement, where the Indians would stop for a while to fish, grow corn, and make sugar. Five acres of cleared land was bought from the Indians for $25. This was planted in corn and potatoes. Some of the families lived in small log houses while the rest built wigwams. A friendly, trading relationship was established with the Indians. This marked the beginning of Ionia. Now, the population exceeds 7,000. It is home to the Ionia County fair, which is attended by tens of thousands of people. Five of the state jails are in the vicinity. This is also where the School of Missionary Aviation Technology (SMAT) chose to call home.

I arrived here a week ago, and have been enjoying my stay here. I am living with a few SMAT students in a four-bedroom house in town. Main street still harks back to earlier years, with old brick and stone buildings and the street paved with brick. The old train station is still standing, even though the tracks have disappeared. The outer sections are becoming more commercialized. There are quite a few fast-food restaurants. Supermarkets and home improvement stores have also found a spot. The airport is home to a glider and banner towing business as well as SMAT.

I started flying on Tuesday and have put in 2 hours and 3 landings. (with an instructor) I hope to put in another 1+ hours today if the weather clears up. My goal is to attain my Private Pilot license by the middle of August. That will require a minimum of 40 hours of flying. At least 20 must be with an instructor and at least 10 must be solo. I will also need to make some cross-country flights as well as study for a knowledge test. I am flying a Cessna 152 tailwheel airplane. It has a 100hp engine and a useful load of about 430 lbs. With me and my instructor in the plane, we have room for about 12 gallons of fuel. It cruises at about 100 knots. (115mph)

"There is a living God. He has spoken in His word. He means what He says. And He is willing and able to perform what He has promised."
~ J. Hudson Taylor

Changes...

2009-05-24T20:26:00.005-05:00

To those of you who read my blog, (I don't know who you all are) I would like to inform you of a major upcoming change in my life. For many years, ever since I was a little boy, I have dreamed of flying airplanes. As I grew older, and God continued working in my heart, that dream did not change. It instead, shifted its focus. I almost idolized Nate Saint and the work he did helping missionaries through aviation. And, as I neared the end of High School, I was searching and praying for a place where I could learn the skills necessary to do the same. But, as I continued to pray, I realized God was asking me to surrender that dream and vision into His hands.

Now, three years later, God has begun to open up the doors for me to pursue that dream. Lord-willing, I will be attending the School of Missionary Aviation Technology in a few weeks. I have done this with great excitement and enthusiasm, and yet there are still doubts and fears. I am now leaving the lifestyle of working and providing for myself, and entering into the lifestyle of utter dependence on God to provide. I know that God is totally able to provide, and yet, I am still human and I struggle to have enough faith. I will be at the school for at least 1 1/2 years. After that, I will see where God leads me.

I would appreciate your support in prayer as I step out in faith. Pray first of all, that God would be magnified in my life. Pray also that He would give me the faith to trust in Him to provide. Pray that God would provide my daily needs as well as the tuition for school. Pray that my relationship with God would continue to grow.

If you are interested in receiving prayer updates or knowing more about what I am doing, send me an email at joeryo848@gmail.com. If you don't want updates, I would still appreciate your prayer.

Home Again

2009-05-11T07:01:00.002-05:00

I am safely back home again after spending three months in Thailand. These past three months have been a time of growth and learning and seeking the heart of God. I have learned so much about God's heart for the nations. I have experienced people of other religions, openly worshiping their idols. I have seen the bondage that they are living in. I have seen how God tears down those walls with His Spirit. I have seen how the ignorant heart softens upon hearing the Truth of Christ. I have seen how God brings glory to his name through the many aspects of his creation. I have experienced the heart-wrenching longing and desire to see these precious people come to know Christ. I have experienced growth in my own life. I have gained a bigger perspective of who God is.

And, looking back, all I can say is, "Praise God!"

Things of the Spirit

2009-04-23T21:52:00.003-05:00

"For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God, except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. But we have the mind of Christ." Verses taken from I Corinthians 2

"The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me." Luke 10:16

Why do people reject the gospel? Why do they act like they don't even care? How could they ignore something that is so powerful that it changes lives? What is missing?

The Bible was breathed by the Spirit of God. The Spirit is what makes the Word come alive in the life of the believer. Could it be that the influence of the Spirit is missing in the lives of the people who reject the Gospel?

The Spirit knows the deepest part of the heart of God. The Spirit knows and understands the thoughts of God. The Spirit knows the desires of God. The Spirit knows the character of God.

I think the reason why people reject the Gospel is because the Spirit of God has not opened up their hearts and revealed the need. The things of God are only revealed through the Spirit of God. If a person has not opened up his life, and the Spirit has not come in, all the things of the Gospel will sound like nonsense.

What does this mean for us as Christians? We must be praying for the presence of the Spirit in the lives of the unsaved. The presence of the Spirit must be there before salvation will make sense to them. Once they have God's Spirit in their life, it will connect with God's Spirit in our life and God will work through us to change their life.

Glimpse of the week

2009-04-19T03:32:00.002-05:00

Songkran festival was the cool part of the week. Getting wet and throwing water on people was a blast. And, it sure felt good in the 95+ degree weather.

Friday was a border run to Myanmar. I meed to have my passport stamped every 90 days. Since it has been almost 90 days, I decided it was time. There was beautiful scenery along the way. Lush green rice fields with rugged mountains in the background.

Saturday I had the privilege of visiting a Lisu village. The Lisu people are a hill tribe of Thailand that live up in the mountains. It was about a 2 1/2 hour drive from Chiang Mai to get there. Again, some beautiful scenery up in the mountains. I took part in a worship service there and also was able to meet the leader of the village. The main purpose in going was to plant a missionary couple in the village. They are going to study the Lisu language and hope to be able to disciple the few Christians that are there. What an awesome privilege to see the kingdom of Christ advancing into the Devil's territory.

There are a few pictures in the web album of each event.

"Rejoice in the Lord always and again, I say, Rejoice."

Life moves on

2009-04-12T20:50:00.002-05:00

Things have been going very well at the IGo English Centre. Our first two weeks of class are over. I have been teaching about friends and hobbies. This week we have a three-day holiday for the Songkran Festival. We will be doing some more work in the Centre while we have the time. Today there is some painting to be done. Cleaning will get done also in the next three days.

Songkran Festival, which is the Thai new year, is the largest festival in Thailand. It is equivilant to Christmas in the US. The traditional celebration of the festival was monks sprinkling blessing water on people. Children would also do it to their elders. The idols would also be given a thorough cleaning at this time. It has progressed now into a big waterfight. Chiang Mai is the most popular place to celebrate Songkran. People come from all over Thailand to play water in the streets of Chiang Mai. This afternoon we are going into the moat of the old city to throw water.

Advertising for the Centre has gone well. It has been a good experience to get out in the culture and try to relate to people. Some people can talk English enough to ask some questions and have a short conversation. Other people just smile and nod their heads. I can understand and talk enough Thai to tell people where and how much and what time. It makes for some interesting situations.

"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might"

Under Way

2009-04-01T09:41:00.002-05:00

This has been a monumental week in the history of IGo. A vision that the board has had for many years has now been fleshed out. Today was the second day of classes at the IGo English Centre. After years of planning, hours of prayer, and weeks of preparation, we now have an English Centre. Looking back over the past two months, I can see the hand of the Lord guiding and directing in everything that happened. All the joys and struggles were preparation for what is happening now.

God has been faithful in providing direction where it was/is needed. The advertising has been successful. We have not had struggles in making major decisions, or minor ones either. God has provided protection. In all the running around we have done, nobody has gotten hurt. Satan has tried his utmost to discourage and defeat us, but he is no match against the power of God! We have felt so much affirmation and encouragement from various people. God is good.

Continue to pray for spiritual protection. Satan tries every trick to discourage us and make us disillusioned. Small things like a cold, or a rough day, or minor miscommunication Satan uses to discourage us.

May God continue to be glorified!!

Ready!!

2009-03-27T23:08:00.002-05:00

I have been faithfully neglecting my blog. But, no apologies, because I have been faithfully keeping myself busy with other things. We now have the new IGo English Centre ready to go. All we need is students! The last two weeks have been spent in prayer and labor. We all spent quite a bit of time running around buying supplies and other needed items to get things ready here. This past week we have spent our afternoons handing out brochures. We have had a fair amount of interest, but people still need to actually stop in and apply. So, it looks like we will spend the next week praying and advertising as well.

Pray for students for the IGo English Centre!!

Centre Class

2009-03-19T10:32:00.004-05:00

Here is a picture of my class at the Centre. I spent quite a bit of time with these dear people and got to know some of them quite well.

I loved spending time with them, and now that I am done teaching, I really miss them. I also miss the interaction with the people at the Centre. It was a time that I will treasure for the rest of my life.

Camping

2009-03-15T23:35:00.005-05:00

Last night I went camping with some of my friends from the Centre. We took a 45 minute drive up the mountain and stayed at a coffee plantation. It was wonderful. The air was fresh and clean and cool. There was not the noise of traffic or airplanes. I had a great time hiking, playing games, and just hangin out.

View from the porch of the cabin

Drying the coffee beans

A few of us went hiking up to the summit of the mountain. Although we did not realize it at the time, it was about a 2km hike. Four of us had sandals on and the fifth had shoes. There were some places on the trail that were quite steep and slippery. For a while, I was hiking barefoot, because I could get better traction. It was so refreshing to get out of the city for a while and get some good exercise and clean air.

Routines

2009-03-10T11:05:00.002-05:00

If I would take a peek into the life of a normal Thai person, what would a typical day look like? This is a question that I will attempt to answer, although it will be quite generalized. It will be more applicable to a college student than a family, because students are the people I have gotten to know. Again, a lot of what I will be writing is subject to dispute, because I will be making many assumptions.

Due to the laid-back nature of the culture, many people do not get up early. Working people might get up between 6-7 while college students may sleep till 8 or 9, depending on when their classes are. I have not had a traditional Thai breakfast, but I would assume that rice is included in the meal. They will also give an offering of food, or some incense sticks to the spirits in the morning. They will also sweep their porch and driveway.

Ah, I did forget something. The monks go out between 6-7 (don't quote me on the time) in the morning to beg for food. People will earn merit for themselves by giving the monks food. I have yet to see this take place, but would like to do so some morning.

Much of the outdoor labor gets done in the morning. By the afternoon, it is too hot to work outside. I have not seen farms, ect. yet but that is also on my to-see list.

For the college students, the evenings are spent hangin out with friends or studying. They are very social people and love to do things together with their friends. They are also very conscious about their grades and work hard to keep them up.

As far as meals go, some are cooked at home. Many people will stop at the market on their way home from work and buy food already prepared. The market is a busy place from 4:30-6:00. People also eat out a lot. There are many food stands and cheap restaurants and it is just as easy and almost as cheap to eat out.

From what I have observed, this is a fairly typical day in the life of a typical person. Those of you who are more familiar with the culture and practices of the Thai people, feel free to make comments or corrections.

Good Morning

2009-03-03T22:40:00.002-06:00

I am not feeling terribly inspired to write right now. Life has kinda settled into a routine, which consists of:

Sleep in till 8:30-9:00
Shower
Devotions/prayer
Check email
Read the newspaper
Look over the lesson for the day
Head to the Centre for staff meeting @ 1:00
Eat lunch
Prepare lesson
Spend time chatting or playing games with students
Teach from 5:00-6:00
Hang out with students after class
Eat supper
Head back to IGo
Stay up till midnight chatting with family and friends

International Bible School has started at IGo. There are some guys from India and S. Korea that are staying here for three weeks. It is good to have other people in this building. It gets quite lonely with only two of us here.

So, yea, that's all for now. If you all have questions about Culture or what is going on here, let me know. Maybe it will give me some ideas for future posts.

12-Year-Old Stuns Pro-Choice Teacher and School with Pro-Life Presentation

2009-02-24T09:56:00.004-06:00

12-year-old "Lia" of Toronto has become a star at her school and on Youtube with her five-minute pro-life speech, crafted for a school competition. Despite discouragement and outright opposition, Lia's presentation was so well done that she reportedly won the contest she was told she would be disqualified from, due to the "controversial" message of her speech.

"What if I told you that right now, someone was choosing if you were gonna live or die?" begins the charismatic seventh-grader in a practice recording of the speech posted on Youtube. "What if I told you that this choice wasn't based on what you could or couldn't do, what you'd done in the past, or what you would do in the future? And what if I told you, you could do nothing about it?"

"Fellow students and teachers, thousands of children are right now in that very situation. Someone is choosing without even knowing them whether they are...

I found this news clip and video on the Sermon-Audio website. I must applaud this young lady for her courage and boldness in speaking out for what is right. It has challenged me to continue speaking the truth of God into the lives of other people. It has blessed me to see that there are still people who are dedicated to impacting lives and bringing glory to God. It has inspired me to encourage those that are younger than I to stand up for what is right.

Click here to see the video.

"And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
~ Matthew 18:3-4 ESV

"Out of the mouth of babes and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger."
~ Psalm 8:2 ESV

Ouch! That hurts!

2009-02-23T10:00:00.002-06:00

There is no denying it. Pain is a real factor in everyone's life. Everyone, at some point or another has experienced pain. A scraped knee, a pinched finger, a bump on the head, burns, cuts, bruises, disease, broken bones, death; it all encompasses varying degrees of pain. And it is all because of the mistake of one person! Why, many people ask. Why, Why, Why? God, why so much pain and suffering in this world? Why did you create pain? Why don't you take all the pain away?

These are some of the questions that Philip Yancey addresses in his book "Where is God When it Hurts?" This book is addressed to those who are in pain and are asking these questions as well as those who would like to understand people who are suffering. Yancey uses examples from the lives of people who have suffered and discusses the typical human response as well as applying principles from the Word of God.

In my opinion, this is a great book and well worth the time spent reading it. If you are struggling with pain in your life, or if you would like to understand and be able to relate to those that are suffering, this book is for you.

All About Communication

2009-02-17T21:09:00.003-06:00

Last week I finished up my two weeks of studying Thai. It was a great experience and I learned quite a bit about the culture just from the teacher. It was challenging and exhausting at times, but I am still sad that it is over. I wish I could have about six months of lessons. Even now, with what I do know, it is hard to communicate with the Thai. I can understand numbers and simple (but important) things like ordering food, going somewhere, and introducing myself. Grrr, there is so much more to learn!

This week marks the beginning of teaching at The Centre. The Centre is a ministry of Asian Outreach and is located across the street from Chiang Mai University. I will be teaching a beginner-level class from 5-6pm. The students have a very limited vocabulary and are not confidant in speaking. My goal is to get them to get comfortable with what they do know and expand their vocabulary. This will be done through a variety of activities, games, and media.

So what really is the purpose for all this? As the title suggests, it is all about communication. In sharing my testimony with other people and encouraging them, how can that be done without communication? Effective communication is key to encouraging other people and spreading the gospel. It is vital in starting and maintaining relationships with other people. It is essential in keeping my relationship with Christ vibrant and growing.

What would life be like without communication?

The Backpack

2009-02-12T13:01:00.001-06:00

I have a nice backpack that I use to carry things around on my back. (What else do you use a backpack for?) Wednesday, February 11th was no exception. Kris, our team leader, gave us a photo shoot assignment. We had a list of 5 things and 10 adjectives to photograph. Josh and Beth went together and Trina and I went together. We jumped on a songtow and rode into the old city. It was a wonderful day, watching people, and looking for things that would fit the descriptions. Trina and I walked the whole 8kms of the moat of the old city.

After meeting up with Josh and Beth for lunch, we decided to head back. My shoulders felt a little (nit noi) sore from carrying the backpack around all morning. I set it down on the seat beside me and leaned against it. On the way back, the girls jumped off at Big C to do some shopping, and Josh and I rode the rest of the way back to IGo. After paying the driver, we walked the rest of the way back.

I decided to load my picures onto the computer and charge my camera battery. As soon as I thought about my camera charger, I realized that my backpack was still in the songtow. Not only was my batter charger in there, my notebook and language book was in there as well as Trina's wallet. Oh no! What to do? I called Rick Rhodes, the assistant administrator, and he recommended to head back into the city and see if I could catch the same driver.

Side note for those of you who are not familiar with the culture. The main form of public transportation in Thailand is the songtow. It is a pickup truck with a cap and two benches running along the inside of the bed. There are yellow songtows which run a regular route along the city, and red songtows which will take you directly to a specific place. There are hundreds of them all over the city, which is sizable. The red ones are harder to pinpoint than the yellow ones.

After praying, I headed back into the city. I stood at the market where we first got on, hoping that I would see him or he would see me. After two hours and countless songtow drivers, I decided to totally trust God on this one. Nothing short of a miracle could bring it back.

At prayer meeting that evening I was still struggling with total surrender. I was upset at myself for forgetting it. I never forget stuff like that. I was upset with being irresponsible for other people's possessions. I wanted to say "God, why, why?" but I knew that was not the right response.

Later on, as I was lying in bed praying and meditating, the Lord spoke to me. He brought to my mind a statement that Kris said at one of the first team meetings. "The thing that impacts the Thai people the most is answered prayer." The Lord told me that He was going to bring the backpack back and that I was to use that experience in winning Thai souls to Christ.

The following morning I shared that with the team and we continued to pray about it. After our Thai lessons for the day, the girls went back to their house and I knelt down to pray. I was still struggling with total surrender of my will. After once again committing it to God, I went on with my day.

Then, things started happening. I got a call from Trina that they (I assume the songtow association) have located the backpack and are on their way to return it. Wow! I couldn't keep quiet! Praise the Lord! A few minutes later, a man showed up at the front door of IGo with my backpack. After verifying that everything was still in there (and it was!) I signed my name on a piece of paper and that was that.

Some things I am thankful for through the whole experience.
~ There was no crime committed. Nobody will be punished.
~ The Lord answers the prayers of His people.
~ God is and will continue to be glorified in this.
~ Everything was returned.
~ The faith of the team has been greatly strengthened.
~ The body of Christ bears each others burdens.
~ God is Awesome!!

Heading West

2009-02-08T14:26:00.000-06:00

Wow! It will take some time to digest the powerful message I just heard this morning. We had a guest speaker here at IGo chapel this morning. Bill Cook is man, I would guess in his late 70's, who has a passion for spreading the gospel. He has been all over the world working with missionaries and missions. I will try to articulate some of what he shared.

"The primary movement of God on the face of the earth is from East to West." I'm thinking, "Oh really? Since when did you come up with an idea like that?" He shared a few examples from scripture as well as an overview from history that proves the point.

When God spoke to Abraham to pick up his roots and follow him, God led him westward. Later, when Abraham's and Lot's shepherds were squabbling over the pasture, they decided to part ways. Lot chose to head east toward the plain of Sodom and Gomorrah. That left Abraham the option to go west.

This statement is also pictured in the layout of the tabernacle. The opening of the outer court was towards the east. As the priest entered the opening, they headed west toward the laver where they washed themselves. As they entered the tabernacle looking straight ahead was the altar in front of the curtain, behind which was the ark of the covenant.

Moving ahead to the book of Acts, Paul headed first to Antioch with the gospel. He then headed west from there going to Ephesus, then Corinth, and eventually, to Rome. After being centered in Rome for almost 1000 years, the gospel moved to Germany. From Germany it went to England, and then to North America.

In the last 100 years, the center of the gospel has moved from Eastern US to Western US and then to South Korea. Now the center resides in the exploding of the church in China. Bill described a printing press that he saw in Japan, printing Bibles for China. The press could print one whole Bible in 2.2 seconds, 25 per minute, 10,000 per day. This press runs around the clock and still cannot keep up the demand for Bibles.

Bill also had some interesting things to say about the Chinese Christians and Islam. I will refrain from posting this because it could easily be distorted and twisted, and I do not want that to happen. There were many details that I left out, partly because I cannot remember them all and partly because I don't want to take the time to write them all down if there is no interest. If you find this challenging and would like to discuss it more, leave a comment.

Flower Festival

2009-02-07T12:46:00.004-06:00

Some of us went to the flower festival this morning. I have posted a few of the nicer pics I got. The rest I uploaded on my Picasa album, which you are welcome to view.

The parade was an interesting experience. I was able to see some of the more traditional cultural dress of the hill tribes as well as some of their more formal dancing costumes.

The flower floats were amazing! I was told that it takes 30-50 people a week to make one. They build a frame around a pickup truck and cover it with foam. Then they use small sticks (I'm assuming like toothpicks, maybe smaller) to pin the flowers to the foam.

We watched for about an hour, and then it started to get boring. Similar things over and over again, and they were moving quite slowly. We found a good place to eat and then went back to IGo.

Learning

2009-02-03T09:01:00.003-06:00

Today was exhausting. After a time of prayer this morning we went right into our two-hour language class. We are learning basic conversation words and sentences right now. Things like: My name is, I am from, I am __ years old, what is your name, where are you from, how old are you. The hardest part is memorizing not just the words correctly, but also the tone. There are five tones in the language. Mid tone, low tone, high tone, rising tone, and falling tone. Depending on what tone you use with what word, it could have a totally different meaning. The afternoon was mostly spent attempting to ingrain the words and sounds into my mind. Today's task was to practice what we learned on at least three people. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, because the Thai people are so friendly and willing to talk.

Continue to pray for me and this new outreach. I believe God has amazing things planned, and the devil is doing his best to stop it. One note concerning prayer for language learning. Right now, language is a barrier that is preventing me from witnessing to people. Learning the language makes me a threat to Satan and his stronghold here. He will do (and is doing) his utmost to keep me from learning effectively. Keep this thought in your mind and pray accordingly.

Relaxing

2009-02-01T04:25:00.003-06:00

Sa wat de kap. Hello! Today is the last relaxing day I will be having for a while. Starting tomorrow, my schedule will be all planned out. The rest of the team arrived safely Saturday forenoon. After allowing them an hour to unpack and settle in, we started right up with orientation. Rick Rhodes spent some time talking about the vision of IGo and the English Centre. He also gave us some information and tips on spiritual warfare. Thailand is a dark and oppressive country, and we will be facing opposition.

Lunchtime found us at the Thai Kitchen, not far from the Chiang Mai University. Almost everything here is eaten with either rice or noodles. We ordered a big bowl of rice and a few dishes to go on top. There was also some spicy soup as well as fried morning glory leaves. Let me tell you right now, the Thai people know how to make good food! Wonderful mixtures of flavors, both spicy hot or full of herbs.

Lunch finished, we hopped in the songtow for a ride up the mountain. Other than motorbikes, songtows are the primary means of transportation. It is a pickup truck with a cap and benches in the back. Up at the lookout, we spent some time in praise and prayer, both for our ministry, and for the nation. The rest of the time was spent in team-building and problem solving activities.

We then went to a coffee shop where Kris laid out the proposed schedule for the time we will be here. We also spent some time learning about the culture and what is and is not acceptable.

Tomorrow is the first day of language class. We will have two hours with a teacher in the morning. After lunch we will have about 2 hours in studying and memorizing vocabulary. Then we get to go out and practice what we have learned by completing the task for the day. Some task examples are: go to the market and bargain for something, walk through town and name 5 things, ect. It sounds like a challenge and a stretch, but I am excited about it. I am ready to start understanding what the people around me are saying.

I don't really have anything profound to say to end the post, except a thought provoking quote from the message this morning.
"Freedom is: doing what is right, and it's what I want, doing what I want, and it's right." Rick Rhodes

2009-01-29T20:43:00.004-06:00

I've had a relaxing first few days here. The rest of the team flies in Saturday forenoon. There is not much for me to do right now except read, pray, and walk around the city. There was a beautiful sunrise this morning, viewed from the porch on the roof of the IGo centre. The weather here is great. They are in the dry season, at the end of the cold season. The temperature ranges from 60 at night to high 80s during the day. Monday marks the beginning of Thai language study. It is an intense, two week program that will require a good six hours of the day.

For the Lord in Thailand,

Arrived

2009-01-28T05:29:00.002-06:00

Just a note to all my readers that I arrived safely in Thailand Wednesday morning at 12:30. I will post more tomorrow when I have some time.

On my way!!

2009-01-25T18:58:00.003-06:00

I am sitting in a room in Hampton Inn just across the street from Toronto Intl. Airport. Dad, Mom, and I had a great trip up here and we are satisfied from a delectable dinner of fajitas. I will be up early tomorrow morning to catch the 5:30 shuttle to the airport. My flight leaves at 8:30.
Till next time,

5 Days and counting...

2009-01-21T21:12:00.003-06:00

Yea, so I'm really getting excited about the trip to Asia. God has already blessed me with the choice I made and I haven't even gone yet. A big thanks to my family, church, and youth group for your blessings and prayers. God has a work to do in Asia, and I feel privileged to be a part of it.

Is jealousy godly?

2009-01-17T09:26:00.005-06:00

Have you ever had a thought in your mind that just won't go away? Well, this has been one of those. I just can't seem to get rid of it after reading "A New Look at Jealousy". The book deals with the jealousy of God, but my thoughts were taking it a step further. This question has many facets and angles to look at. Is it right for a Christian to be jealous? If no, how do we get rid of it? If yes, how should it manifest itself in our lives? How should it affect our relationships with other people? How do I know that it is properly placed? What should we do to strengthen or purify it?

I think first of all I should clarify what jealousy is. It is often confused with envy. The difference is that jealousy is about something one has and is afraid of losing, while envy is about something one does not have and either wants to acquire or to prevent another from getting.

The first question, I feel, is simply answered with scripture. "Thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:" Exodus 34:14 The passion of the Christian life is to be like Christ; therefore I believe that jealousy has a place in the life of a Christian. Paul himself told the Corinthians that he was "jealous over them with godly jealousy:" II Cor 11:2.

Most of the examples of jealousy in the Bible are referenced to God. This one instance with the jealousy of Paul can shed a good deal of light on the other questions. I like what Matthew Henry has to say about it.

"He (Paul) tells them he was jealous over them with godly jealousy; he was afraid lest their faith should be weakened by hearkening to such suggestions as tended to lessen their regard to his ministry, by which they were brought to the Christian faith. He had espoused them to one husband, that is, converted them to Christianity (and the conversion of a soul is its marriage to the Lord Jesus); and he was desirous to present them as a chaste virgin - pure, and spotless, and faithful, not having their minds corrupted with false doctrines by false teachers, as Eve was beguiled by the subtlety of the serpent. This godly jealousy in the apostle was a mixture of love and fear; and faithful ministers cannot but be afraid and concerned for their people, lest they should lose that which they have received, and turn from what they have embraced, especially when deceivers have gone abroad, or have crept in among them."

Paul had poured his heart into the Corinthian church and he was afraid of them loosing their faith to false teachers and doctrines. He didn't want all his efforts to be in vain, come judgment day. I think, in the same way, we should be concerned about our fellow believers and their relationship with Christ. We should be pouring our hearts into the lives of other people and have so much invested in them, that we too cannot help but have that Godly jealousy.

15 Days and counting...

2009-01-11T20:33:00.002-06:00

My passport with my visa stamp arrived yesterday!! Praise the Lord!!! That is a HUGE load off my mind. Sorry to say, but I was quite worried about it, ya know, hoping that I filled the form out correctly, sending it to the right address, ect. I know that God is in control, so I shouldn't have been worrying about it, but I was.

21 Days and counting...

2009-01-05T19:51:00.006-06:00

So, if you would have asked me a month ago what my plans were for the coming year I would have said, "Well, I'm planning on going to SMBI for 3rd and 4th term and Lord-willing on tour to Romania." However, my plans are not always the Lord's plans. On December 3rd, I received an email from one of my teachers at SMBI last year that went something like this: "Greetings from Asia! After several years of praying and planning, IGo is ready to open their own English Center right on campus. We have the facilities, the funds, and the vision - we just need a few people with a heart for God and a desire to give three months of their time to assist in getting this program up and running. I thought of you as we were thinking about who could help in this program and decided to send it your way. We'd love to have you join us if it could work out!"

I sat there for a few minutes in utter astonishment. Me? teach English? skip Bible School? but how? I have wanted to go to Asia for some time, but as a student, not as a teacher. Thoughts went racing uncontrollably through my mind. Ok, Jordan, lets calm down now!!

After the initial shock was over my brain began to function more rationally. I began thinking about what God has been teaching me in the recent past as well as scripture that I recently read. That night, while praying and meditating about it, God began to place connecting thoughts in my mind. The first was from a verse I had underlined recently in my Bible. "And he gave some... teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:" This verse is a partial list of the spiritual gifts, but I only underlined teaching because that is what my gift is. The second thought dealt with my personal desire. I have attended 24 weeks (4 terms) of Bible School already. I enjoy learning and studying very much and was eagerly anticipating the start of the term. But, God was telling me, "Jordan, you have learned a lot in your time spent at Bible School. Now I want you to put into practice some of the things that you learned. Giving up the time at Bible School was (I think) the hardest part about making the decision. The third thought was that I was in my 14th week of an online English course. At the beginning, I wasn't sure why I decided to take the course other than that I was a poor English student in high school. The reason now was very plain to me. God was preparing me for the plans He had.

I now am very excited about what God has in store for me in Asia. I know that my faith will be stretched and my knowledge tested. You can take part in this ministry as well by praying for me and the three other teachers.

Check back for more updates!!

24 Days and counting...

2009-01-02T19:32:00.003-06:00

For those of you who don't know, I am traveling to Thailand in February to teach English for three months. I will post more details later on what I will be doing as well as updates while I am there.

Today I sent off my visa application. Whew! what a process. First, to the County Clerk to have my picture taken, then to the post office to send it off. Then I didn't have enough cash for a money order, so, run to the bank and get a money order. Back to the post office, I finally got everything completed and sent off. Praise the Lord. I am anxiously awaiting its return.

Perfection in relationship

2008-12-27T18:39:00.002-06:00

I have been duly challenged with a quote that I read recently, which is as follows.

"Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So one hundred worshipers met together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be were they to become "unity" conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship. Social religion is perfected when private religion is purified. The body becomes stronger as its members become healthier. The whole Church of God gains when the members that compose it begin to seek a better and a higher life." ~ A. W. Tozer, "The Pursuit of God"

Why do we spend so much time trying to reconcile relationships with each other. It seems, if Tozer is correct, that if we all strive for perfection in our relationship with Christ that the relationships with our fellow believers will be in tune. I'll be honest, my relationships here are not what they could or should be. Is this an indicator of a block in my relationship with Christ? I would say, very probable.

I don't really have much more to say about it, but it is an area that I think about a lot. Any thoughts or suggestions from you?

Snow

2008-12-20T09:47:00.003-06:00

"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:10-11 ESV

In the last 24 hours we have gotten 8 inches of snow. Thinking about snow can make the mind wander to many different places. Flying down a hill on a sled, Steaming cups of hot chocolate and a crackling fire, Creating giant snowmen, Cautiously driving along with nerves on red alert, Snowplows rumbling along, Friendly (or not-so-friendly) snowball fights, tunneling under cavernous snow piles.

My mind was drawn to the aforementioned verse in Isaiah. I, along with other young men in the area, minister to teen guys from the local town. The guys range from preppy, upscale kids to single parent, barely-making-it-on-welfare, guys. They are tall or short, big or small, outgoing or reserved, but they all have one thing in common, they need the love of Jesus Christ in their lives. In stepping back and observing them as they interact, I can see the pain and insecurity they have. I long to fix everything for them so they can live a fulfilled life. The most I can do is love them and encourage them, resting on the promise that the Word of the Lord will not return empty.

Finished!

2008-12-15T20:48:00.007-06:00

I just finished up an online English course last week. I enjoyed it, but it took up most of my spare time. It feels good to have some time to sit down and read a book. For the final project I had to write a research paper. I used it as an opportunity to put into words the calling and passion that the Lord has given me. You can click here to see it. I am pleased with my final grade on the paper as well as the whole course. If you think you have to know what it was send me an email and I may decide to tell you.

Hello

2008-12-15T19:09:00.000-06:00

So, I guess this is how a blog is supposed to be started. (with a post, that is)