The Unplanned & The Unexpected

Suppose there was a boy named chad.  Chad lived in rural area at least an hour from the nearest city.  Chad loved baseball.  He would dream day and night of playing in the Major Leagues one day.  He knew that one day he would indeed play there and he believed that by his dedication, hard work, practice, and continual training, he would be noticed by the right scouts.   Chad prayed about it, worked hard, believing that he was going to make it.  He worked hard at practice and in school.   He was going to excel for he had put his mind to it.  

Over time, he excelled greatly in both academics and in his athletic abilities.   He knew that despite what others said, he would be seen and recruited for a Major League team.     He prayed about it, he believed, and he was confident.    However, years later, he still had not been recruited as he had expected and his anticipation was conflicted.  What he had hoped for, prayed for, believed for, expected with confidence for, did not happen.   

-     -     -

Not everything we believe for will happen in accordance to our own will and plan.  How we see things and how we perceive them, is not how they always happen.  In fact, I would be tempted to argue that, more often then not do our plans not go as we intend them to.   Then what?  What do we do next?   Where do we turn?   How will we respond?

Just over seven weeks ago my mom was diagnosed with cancer, and through tests and scans over the following weeks we saw that it was stage IV cancer in seven or eight different organs and bones, likely starting in the lungs.    With cancer growing in her lungs, back, spleen, liver, hips, ribs, and more areas, she had little appeared hope of ever being free from cancer.   The cancer in her back was so progressed and spread out that vertebrae would crack and break just from everyday life – which wasn’t much for her at that point.   As her health declined more and more, and doctors gave reports that didn’t sound good, there seemed to be no way that she would ever recover.   So we prayed.  

During this time, I personally, started a journey with God believing for the impossible.  A journey of faith.   God had been taking me through many such little journeys up until this point, challenging me in my faith and drawing me closer to Him, but they were nothing like this.   Now I was challenged by so many words that the Bible seems to boldly state – verses, passages, statements, and songs that suddenly stood out a lot more.  I took my time with God, digging deeper into Him and who He is and what He says.  I learned that the Word of God, the Bible, is full of verses that tell us God is faithful, and His word will never fail (Isaiah 45:19d; Isaiah 45:23b; Proverbs 30:5a).  The showed me that All that He says will come to pass and everything He does is worthy of our trust (Psalm 33:4).    So with those, and many, many others, I started believing for healing for my mom.   I asked God for an increase in excitement and expectation for this, and He granted it.  I was so excited to see what He was going to do, and how He would do it.   I prayed by myself, I prayed with others, I brought others into this as well, praying and believing for healing for my mom.   All throughout the Bible, it seems, God’s breathed word says to ask and keep on asking, to believe and not doubt even one bit, and to expect and believe that I have already received what I have asked for.   So I did just that.   I believed, asked, and expected.  Each time a doctor would give a worse report or my mom would slip deeper into health issues, I would take it to God and believe it was providing a greater contrast for His glory to shine through.  

And then she died. 

Like the fictional story of Chad earlier, things did not go as planned.  In fact, things did not go as I had prayed for, believed for, and expected for.   Why?  What do I do now?  What happens next?  How will I respond?   God does not guarantee an easy and smooth life.  In fact He says nearly just the opposite.  He says that we will have trials and tribulations and things will not go as we plan for them, but that through them all He is still good.  He has promised us His peace (Philippians 4:6-9), which is far greater than we can fathom or understand.   Though God loves to give good gifts to us, God is not here to serve us.  

Wait, but God said, “ask and you shall receive” and I didn’t receive even though I asked….   One, I don’t know the full reason why – I am not God, nor do I claim to know and understand all that God knows and understands.   And two, though it might not seem like it, the story is not over yet….

Her death did throw me off a bit, it wasn’t by much.  I knew that it was just as easy for God to heal a terminally ill person as it was for Him to heal and raise her from the dead.   So I prayed, believed, and expected that my mom would be raised from the dead.  

A week and a half later, she still hasn’t been raised from the dead here on earth – to the best of my knowledge at least.   But that is not the end of the story.   God is still a good God, and who He is, is not changed by what does or doesn’t happen here on earth.   My faith still stands.   God asks us to stand and ask, seek, and knock; He asks us to pray, believe without any doubt, and to fully expect what we ask for.  He asks us to do these things and then trust the rest to Him.  If He chooses to do what we ask for, Yeah!!!  If not, still Yeah!!! His name will be glorified.   I do not know the why’s or why not’s all the time, but I know God is a good God and His way is unchanging and He is perfect in all that He does.   What He has planned will come to pass (Isaiah 46:10b; Psalm 33:11; Luke 1:37). 

Okay, so things did not happen the way I had planned, prayed, believed and expected.   That doesn’t mean that God doesn’t answer my prayers.  It just means that this time it didn’t happen like I thought it would.   And it may not for the next ten or twenty or fifty or a hundred times, but I believe that God still asks us to ask, believe, and expect; to live with anticipation and faith that what we have asked will, and has already, happened.  

Yes mom still died, but that doesn’t mean I need to weaver in my faith and trust in God.  Regardless of if my mom died or not, He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).  Though it was challenging to see my mom die and not be supernaturally healed, I can still ask, believe and be expectant for more amazing miracles in the future. 

God is a Good God!!! (Psalm 100:5; Psalm 34:8; Psalm 86:5; Psalm 138; Psalm 34; Psalm 145; Psalm 92; Psalm 111; Psalm 66; Nahum 1:7; James 1:17; 1 John 1:5; Luke 18:19; Mark 10:18; Matthew 19:17; Psalm 107:1; Romans 12:2; Isaiah 55:8-9)

God At Work

Prior to going to Texas several weeks ago, I was conflicted on if I should make the last-minute trip down to Texas to help my mom, heading down four days earlier than I had planned to go (to go to a Conference).   One of my concerns/comments to God was that I would miss two days of work – and though I only work part time, I still estimated that I would miss out on $50-$60 worth of work if I went to Texas early.  

When I did decide to go, God confirmed it in a Wonderful miracle!  Within 24 hours of deciding to go, I had someone, out of the blue to me, give me $60 for my trip – NOTE: I did not tell anyone but God about my concern about missing money from missing work.   Yet God provided anyhow, and at the same time confirmed in me that He was in the decision of me going down early (Which turned out to be a huge blessing).  WOW GOD!!!  We serve a faithful and Wonderful God who takes care of us even when we least expect it!!!   WOW GOD!! Thank you GOD!!

Truth

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.

- Psalm 19:1-4a 

The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.   The voice of the LORD is powerful, the voice of the LORD is majestic.  The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.  He makes Lebanon leap like a calf, Sirion like a young wild ox.  The voice of the LORD strikes with flashes of lighting.  The voice of the LORD shakes the desert; the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh.  The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare.  And in His temple all cry, "Glory!"  The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD is enthroned as King forever.  The LORD gives strength to His people; the LORD blesses His people with peace.  - Psalm 29:2-11 

The LORD is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear?  The LORD is the stronghold of my life - of who shall I be afraid?  When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall.  Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear;  though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.  - Psalm 27:1-3 

The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.  He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul.  He guides me along the right paths for His name's sake.  Even though I walk through he darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.  You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.  Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.  - Psalm 23

"You Are Faithful God Forever"

While I was down in Texas last week in Dallas at the conference, kind of out of the blue I had 4 warning lights come on in my car, the break system warning light, the ABS light, the Break system warning light and warning buzzer, and SLIP indicator light.  At the time, they were an answer to prayer - I had just bought some things at Wal-Mart and was a bit convicted for buying them as I didn't have the money and I felt like it was an answer to prayer; as a way of God saying, "hey that was me saying not to get those things.  Now take them back."   So I did and felt a lot better about it afterwards - though I was sad not to have them. 

Anyways the lights haven't gone off since.  I didn't really tell anyone about it.  Then my dad texted me, without knowing that I had the lights on, with a picture of a letter a friend of his who has a Prius got.  It was of a warranty coverage thingy that could potentially replace the Break Booster for free.   There were 5 warning lights that may indicate this issue.   Four of those lights were the lights that I had in my car.  So I set up an appointment with Peoria Toyota first thing this morning (Saturday) for them to inspect it to see if the lights in my car line up with this warranty thingy. 

When I got there the sales representative told me that if they dig into it to diagnose it (much more that what they had done at my last appointment) and they find that it doesn't line up with the warranty thingy, they will charge me for the diagnostics (1 hour at $115 per hour).   I told them I couldn't do that - that I do not have the money for that.   They told me that they are not going to do it for free if it's not covered by the warranty thingy (I forget the actually term it was called).  I said that I don't have the money.  The representative told me that we are at a cross roads then, and asked if I wanted to cancel my appointment.  I hesitated, not knowing what to do.  They the lady offered that she could get a mechanic to quick get the code readings from the car to see if they problem remotely relates to the issue, to see if I wanted to cancel the appointment or not.  So I said that was good.  While she was doing that, I silently prayed, asking God for wisdom on if I should go ahead with this inspection.  I felt like He was leading me to go ahead with it.   So when the mechanic came and read the codes and found no codes, I gave them the go ahead saying, that I'll have to find some way to cover the costs.  I had to sign a sheet saying that I would pay the $115 if it ended up not being under the warranty thingy. 

Over the next hour or so while I waited, I got to spend some really great quiet time in Toyota's waiting area.   Time flew quite quickly - as they say, 'Time flies when you're having fun'.  Before I knew it the lady came up and told me that the diagnostics seem to be leading to the break booster, but my car isn't covered by the warranty thingy.  She explained to me that the warranty thingy (I showed her the picture from my dad's friend) is specific to certain cars only, and not to all Prius's - they would have sent me a copy of the letter had my car fit under it's umbrella.  They asked if I wanted to continue the diagnostics leading towards the break booster, knowing now that it will be another 2 hours - and knowing that the break booster replacement will be $1,400 plus labour.  I told them no, so the lady told me they would bring my car around and she will bring the paperwork out so I could pay. 

I prayed (and asked my dad to pray for me as well) that God would provide one way or another.  During that time I wrote out my prayer to God believing that He will either let it align with the warranty some way or cover the cost to fix it.   When the lady came back out, she said that she didn't want to charge me since they didn't complete the diagnostics - and she owed the mechanic a favour - so she gave me the whole $115's hour's worth of work for free!!!  WOW  GOD!!! 

The Sales Representative was clear at the beginning that she would not do this, but she did it anyway - By the grace and wondrousness and faithfulness of God!!  Thank you Jesus!  He told me that He would provide and He provided!!!!   What a God we serve! 

The lady also gave me a number to call Toyota and see if they will somehow give me the break booster warranty thingy. 

God is soooo Goood!!

Praise God!! Prayer Answered

Thank you all for your prayers and thank you God for you answer!

Mom had her biopsy today and it went wonderfully.   I am so excited right now about this, I really want to share with you a text she sent me at 11:47 this morning.

I am on my way home from [the] biopsy.  [It] went well.  [There were] only a few seconds when I had spasms.  But they gave me a drug that gives me amnesia so I would forget.  While they were doing the biopsy they went ahead [and] fixed my broken vertebrae.  They were doing the biopsy in the same bone.  They also found another vertebra that was broken so they fixed that too.  They gave me a really good pain med too.  So right now I am feeling good.  I hope the meds never wear off!  It feels so good not to have pain!  I believe it's a result of everyone's prayers

Hallelujah!!   God answered our prayers for this procedure!! God is good all the time! WOW GOD!! He is such a good Father and caretaker, His hand is clearly over her!   We get to serve one AMAZING God!   

Thank you again so much for all your prayers for her biopsy!   They really had a huge and powerful effect, and I believe they really helped encourage my mom.   God is good!!!   Please keep her and our family in your prayers as we accost the next bump and take it captive until it aligns with with Christ. 

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.  For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,"  - 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

"I will extol You, my God, O King; And I will bless You name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever.  Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable."  - Psalm 145:1-3

"Praise the LORD!  Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His might firmament!  Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!  Praise Him with the sound of trumpet; Praise Him with the lute and harp!  Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!  Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with clashing cymbals!  Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.  Praise the LORD!" - Psalm 150

Catch Up

Upon returning from Texas, I did find that I do have a handful of homework assignments to work on.  However I seem to keep forgetting that I have them.   The teacher in my Child Development class has been very generous with me and quite understanding.  She really seems to care - she came up to me today after the field trip - as we were leaving - how my mom was doing and if I will be able to make it back down to Texas this weekend or sometime soon.   She has offered that I can take my time at getting my missed assignments done - and I can do them when I can. 

I haven't talked to my Math professor yet about make up homework - since all my homework was online.   Everything that I missed that is past due I can still do for 50% credit, and there are some that still haven't reached the due date yet. 

In my Introduction to Physiology class, come to find out, I didn't miss any assignments - Thank you God!!!   And when I got to my Intro to Computers class on Tuesday, I found that I was way ahead from where I thought I was - actually, I just overheard (literally as I am writing this) my professor tell the person behind me that being at chapter 8 is preferred, but chapter 4 is the minimum requirement for midterms (Midterm is today).  I am at chapter 4 - and I had thought I was doing well, since I was at chapter 4 - but it sounds like I may need to get a few more chapters done.  Anyways, because Midterm was coming up (in class on Tuesday) our professor gave us the whole class as a work day.  I used the time to get caught up on some of my math - a non online assignment that we were given on Monday.  

Field Trip

This morning my Child Development class at school (CHLD 101) went on a field trip to the Bloomington Day Care Center.  I was a little late - most of us met there for class (those who didn't have cars carpooled from the school).   When I walked in the day care center, the rest of the class and the professor were listening to, who I assume was, the director of the facility talk about the facility.  The professor, and some students, asked some questions which helped draw more out of the director.   Then we got to walk around the facility and join some classrooms to observe.  I only observed a toddler room (15 months - 2 years old), which had six kids and two teachers.   The kids were so cute, and I felt very welcome and comfortable once in the classroom - even though I was just observing. We were at the center for about 30 minutes and then we left to go our own ways - nothing in class today.  Now we have about a week to do a write-up assignment on the observation.  Overall, I really had fun and enjoyed myself.  The time flew by way too quickly - it certainly didn't seem like 30 minutes when we left.  

An Opportunity To See God Like Never Before

Over time, and over the last handful of months especially, I have come to the realization that God is revealed so much more to us when we compare Him to something.  This is because He isn't comparable to anything, and yet, we still aim to compare Him to things, events, circumstances, thoughts, and our surroundings in our daily walks of life.   For example, we see light as much, much brighter than it may be when we get up in the middle of the night and turn on the bright light of the bathroom.  Boom!  The light is so bright we can barely keep out eyes open.  Why?  Because we are use to the darkness.  We are use to having our eyes closed and not thinking consciously and we are use to being asleep.  Now all of a sudden, we are "awake", being forced to make conscious decisions, and have to open our eyes, even just a little.   We are use to the comforts of bed, and then our surroundings are suddenly immersed in a bursting ray of light when we flip that switch in the bathroom, and our eyes can barely handle the sudden change.   In that moment, we see the light of in the bathroom as way brighter than it actually is. 

It's the contrast.   The contrast between good and evil; between life and death; and between light and dark.   When there is contrast, the elements, pieces, people, ideas, circumstances, and all else stand out so much more than they usually do to us.   In contrast, we see two or more forms that we are use to seeing, aligned next to each other, which we are not use to seeing.    This alignment causes some aspect of one or more of the forms to stand out to us abnormally; we notice it because we see the extreme difference between the forms. 

Thus why I believe is one reason God allows us to experience and endure hardships and trials.  He wants us to see the contrast between what we are going through and how great He is.  Just as when we first see the bathroom light at 3:00am; when we see God in a sharp contrast to a trial in our lives, God (the bathroom light) is not actually greater and brighter than before the change.  He is always been the same.  However, we are exposed to Him in such a timing that we realize and experience Him for who He really is, rather than what we previously got use to seeing Him as. 

The challenge for us is, in our human nature, we can easily get accustomed to who God is and Him being in our lives, that in doing so we lose sight of who He really is.   Thus the need for Him to allow a trial in our lives that will provide for the contrast. 

Though I have personally experienced so many of these contrasts they cannot be counted, I am writing today with one of the most recent contrasts in my life in mind.   About a month ago I felt God leading me to take a trip down to Dallas, Texas to attend a Leadership and Worship Conference this weekend.   I took off work and talked to my professors about missing school and making up work while I was gone.   The week before leaving, my mom's back pain escalated to the worst point it has ever been - sending her, nearly in an ambulance, to the ER for the second time in two months.  With this escalated pain, it became a great challenge for my mom to get in and out of chairs, cars, and bed.   In knowing this, I felt the freedom to head down early to Texas, as I was led, and spend a few days an hour and a half south of Dallas staying with and helping my mom with her pain.   I left Illinois Thursday morning and arrived late Thursday night at my mom's house in West, Texas.   Early to mid that week my mom's doctor ordered her and MRI, and only by God's grace and the work of His hand, there was an opening Thursday night to do the MRI.   I was blessed to go with my mom that Friday morning to the doctor's office to go over the results of the test. 

This is where the contrast started.   The doctor sat us down, and cautiously proceeded to tell us that the MRI showed a fractured vertebra, multiple bulging discs, and signs of cancer - cancer does not run in our family.  The doctor sent us in that afternoon to the hospital for a CT (CAT) Scan.   Within an hour or so of the scan the results came back.    The cancer is in one, possibly both of my mom's lungs, her spleen, her back, and hips.   The expected primary source is the lungs. 

This came as a huge surprise and it has brought much emotions, tears, and thoughts.    Yet, as I sit here today, not five days from hearing that my mom may have cancer, I am not as shook up as I would have expected.    Yes, I don't like it, and I am believing and praying for healing and restoration in my mom's body, but no I am not that worried about it.   Philippians 4 tells us clearly not to worry about anything.   I can see this sudden deep challenge and struggle in our family and see it as an opportunity to see God like never before.   The idea of cancer in my mom's body brings a real hard reality, but in its darkest and lowest moments, God's goodness and faithfulness will shine all the more.  I know that this is easier said as I am not the one with cancer, but I am directly affected by it.   God's goodness has already been shining into our situation and it excites me to see what He will continue to do and reveal to us.  No, I am not overly thrilled about the next period of time as we walk through this time of chemo, treatments, and whatever else will come, but I am ready to see what God will bring of it.  I am ready to see God in such a brighter way than I have gotten use to seeing Him. 

Regardless of what happens on this journey, regardless of what pain, struggle, disappointment, time consumption, and doctor's conclusions we face on this journey, it is in God's hands and it is an opportunity to for great joy.   James 1:2-4 says in the New King James Version, "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."

Knowing that, I will take a bold step and say that I will face this trial not as a crippler but as an opportunity; I will face this struggle not as a breaker of my plans, but as an alignment step towards God's plan.  I will face this circumstance with strength and joy and will not let the devil rob me of them.  I will not allow the devil to take this situation and turn it for evil, but rather I will face the devil and this situation with confidence that my God is in control and that my God loves me and my family regardless of what the flesh endures.   Satan will not have my family, and he will not have me.   First John 5:18 tells me that I am born of God and the evil on - the devil cannot touch me (I am eternally God's). 

So, as you go back out into your daily lives, consider this: when a discouraging event, a painful circumstance, or a "perfect" disaster comes into your life, let it be an opportunity to see God like never before.  Or when you miss the bus, run out of gas, or trip on the sidewalk, find joy in it because Satan doesn't have the authority to convince you that you are a fool or stupid, when you are trusting in God and believing that you are who He says you are - born of God! 

Camping

This past weekend we went for a family camping trip at a campground about 15 minutes away.   The best of my knowledge, it was the first time I have camped in a tent and stayed in the tent the whole night.  When we lived in Texas (the first time) we use to camp out a lot in our backyard, but I don't believe I ever stayed the whole night, without coming back into the house.  I haven't really been much of a camper.   But I did spend the whole night in the tent this past weekend.  The Schlip's had a tent, but we borrowed a much larger tent from some friends - and boy was it large.  It had two rooms and Jesse and I estimated that the floor could fit two queen beds and one double bed.  But on top of that, Cristina slept in the truck bed and Jesse slept in his hammock.  The smaller tent wasn't used at all, except as a game tent late into the evening Friday night. 

We roasted hot dogs and brats over the fire, along with s'mores.  We also got creative with roasting Cheese Puffs, whole apples, spider dogs/octopus's (a hot dog cut to look like a spider or octopus), and Jesse got the idea to cut an apple in half and roast it over the fire with some marshmallows stuffed in between.   

For breakfast we ate cereal out of mini, individualized, cereal boxes, roasted mini sausages, and roasted/non-roasted mini powdered sugar donuts.  We also had water and apple cider to drink. 

We had a wonderful time. 

Friday night when we first got there, Steve, Jesse and I played some catch with a football, and then later Cristina and I played catch until supper.  It was a lot of fun and some great quality time.    

Gateway & Witness Rock

A few weeks ago I got an email from Gateway Church down in Dallas, Texas.   This is the church that our SLI class went to for a Leadership conference several years back.    The email told me that there were only 200 tickets left to there Gateway Conference 2018 (again the same Leadership/Worship conference).  (200 tickets may seem like a lot, but for this church it is very small.  Gateway Church, according to their website, has over 39,000 active members).

Seeing the email excited me in a way that was like, "Yeah that is cool, it would be really neat to go, but no I can't go."   I had decided that I couldn't go for several reasons, 1) I would have to ask off work and school - neither of which I want to miss, 2) it would be a lot of traveling (which I don't mind generally, but with life seeming so busy as it is, I didn't think it would be that good of a time), and primarily and most of all, 3) I simply could not afford it.  I do not have that kind of money laying around.  

However, I felt that nudge from God prompting me to go anyways.   I thought that was crazy - I tend to think a lot of His ideas are crazy.  But I kept feeling the nudge and the stirring in my heart for it.  i didn't lose peace at all about it.  So I decided that I would do something that is really hard for me to do, and I would wait.  I have a bad habit of impulse purchases and actions.   I love new adventures and great deals and gifts, but, in this case, especially since I really didn't have the available money, I wanted to be absolutely confident this was God speaking and not my jumping on a crazy fun idea on my own.  So I waited and prayed.   Whenever I prayed about it I continually heard God tell me to go and that He would provide.  That right there is a theme that He has been working me on.  He will provide.  If God says it, then He will do it.  What He says will be done.  As His own living word says in the Bible, His words do not return void (Isaiah 55:11).

That weekend, I woke up Saturday morning with a spring in my heart to act upon His prompting.  I felt complete peace and confidence that this was God.  So, before doing anything that morning, before food, quiet time, showering, etc... I went and registered for the conference.   Since I was a late registration, I had to pay the late registration ticket price, and both of the afternoon/evening breakout discussion groups were full.  I am not sure now what will happen with that.  

But, I also felt the freedom to register for something else too.  I also purchased the discounted (discounted if purchased with a ticket) Live Stream of the conference and all the sessions so that I can go back and watch all of them On Demand until September 1, 2019.  In total, the conference cost me $258.  Again this is money that I don't have, but I have complete confidence that He will provide it since He said so.  Along with that expense comes travel expenses as well.  Primarily for the sake of cost, I am driving down and back (roughly 12-13 hours each way).  GasBuddy.com estimated me around $100 to drive their and back (a benefit of a Prius).  On top of that will be food for nearly all of my meals.   The Conference is on a Monday and a Tuesday and includes a lunch for both days.  Supper and Breakfast are on my own.  Thankfully my dad had enough points to get some free hotel nights to house me while I stay in Dallas for three nights (which is a huge provision already provided), though the hotel doesn't serve breakfast, so I will have to get food for that.   Overall I am estimating that the whole trip will cost me about $500, give or take.   So that is something that I would ask for prayer for: as you feel led, pray that God would provide in a way that glorifies His name and pray for continual peace and confidence in His provision.  I do not know if He will provide all in one sum, or if it will be from multiple sources, or over time - but I do know He will provide.

 So I will be leaving around noon on Sunday, September 30th to drive down to Dallas.  Why wait till noon to leave?  Several reasons, first, I get to serve on parking that morning at church, and it will be a REALLY, REALLY BIG DAY that morning (that may be too much emphasis, but it hopefully gets the point across).  It is going to be really busy.  Instead of having the regular parking lot, plus buses shuttling people back and forth between one of the city high school parking lots (just down the road), we are going to have buses shuttling to and fro the high school (potentially both parking lots), the city elementary school parking lot (a bit further away), and our Bloomington Campus (a lot further away - this campus was launched just a few Sunday's ago).  Why the big crowd? And could I really ask off my parking opportunity to leave earlier on this trip? Well I could take off, but, one they will need all the help they can get, and two I want to be there for the reason of the big crowd.

That Sunday is what we are calling Witness Rock.  If you read Joshua 24, you will notice about half way through Joshua tells the people of God to chose who they will follow.  They chose God and Joshua then says they are witnesses to their choice.  He also sets up a large rock as a "witness" as well.  We, at Eastview Christian Church,  are doing just that.  We have been going through the whole book of Joshua the last year and are boosting off hard and with great umph.  We want this not to be just another study, but an experience, thus the name of the final mini-series: The Joshua 24 Experience.  In that, on September 30th, we are doing just what Joshua did with the people of God, we are setting up a rock as a witness of our choice to wholly follow God.  We want this to be a visual representation to us and a reminder to us that we have dedicated ourselves to God, and that rock will be our "witness" before God.  Hence the name of the "event": Witness Rock.   (this rock is 1-2 stories tall and is currently in the newly constructed courtyard just outside the church building hidden in a huge box (to be revealed at Witness Rock).   This will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience and we are only doing this once.  Meaning that all of first service (babies through 120 years old), all of second service (babies through 120 years old); all of our evening service (babies through 120 years old); and all of the Bloomington Campus (babies through 120 years old) will be attending this one "event" at 11:00 am at Witness Rock.  Thus why all the bus shuttles, and people.   I am expecting well over 6,000 people to be coming - it will likely be a lot more.

So I am choosing to stay for Witness Rock and help out with parking (I can't wait - it is going to be so much fun!!!) before leaving for Texas.   I will be leaving parking early, promptly after Witness Rock, in order to get on the road as early as possible.  The parking leader gave me permission to park in the main church parking lot by the road (everyone is encouraged to park in one of the other lots and be shuttled here) so I can get out in good time.  

Extended Stay....

....in a bathroom.   Yep that's right, I got an extended stay in the bathroom yesterday.  I did my morning routine, just as usual yesterday, but when I got out of the shower and brushed my teeth, I turned around to head out of the bathroom.   However, I didn't open the door, not because I didn't want to or something caught my attention, but the door wouldn't open.   I could not get the little level to turn to unlock the door.   Not wanting to yell or cry out loudly to get someones attention to help me out, I tried a handful of different options.   I fiddled with the level over and over, trying to turn it this way or that, trying both directions and such variations.  All with no luck.  I figured that I could try to use a non-body part to pry the lever open.  I tried my nail clippers and my tweezers, both with no success.  So I tried to unscrew the lock contraption thinking that if I can take it off, I can force the lock open.  However, I had little tools to work with being stuck in the luxury of the bathroom.   I tried all that I could find: tweezers, nail clippers, and a nail filer.   None worked.    I didn't have my phone with me nor did really want to yell.   (Keep in mind that this bathroom is in the basement and I am the only person who sleeps in the basement).  I knew that everyone was up and moving - and some had already left for work or school.   So, all throughout the processes and attempts mentioned above, I spent a good amount of time knocking on the walls.   Louder and louder.    Still with not any visible success, I tried to knock in different ways.  I tried knocking on various parts of the wall, on the door, on the counter top, and on the vent.  After 15-20 minutes, I finally got the idea to try to lift the door up and open it, that worked!! Yeah!!   

Wait - Blogging From Email???

Okay, this post is kind of a test, but an informative one.   I have have been told that someone who is suppose to get my blog emailed to them whenever I publish a new post isn't getting them. (If you fall into this category too, please let me know). So I've been rummaging around my settings to see how to fix that problem.   In doing so, I noticed an option to be able to write and publish a post via my email.  I was given an email address, that I could partly customize, in which would publish my email as a post to my blog.  So this email / post is that very thing.  This post is an email that I am typing up in Gmail.  If you are reading this on my blog, that means it worked!  Yeah!!   As Mr. Whittaker would say in the intro to old Adventures in Odyssey cassettes and CD's, "Let's see if this thing works!" 

The Joshua 24 Experience

Now that school has started back up and I am now in my second year of college, things are starting to get a bit busier.   My schedule is filling up a lot more than I had anticipated and I am finding myself in the hard decision making spot of what to keep in my schedule, what to rearrange and what to throw out.  The weekend prior to school starting, I went to the ISU Young Group (Apostolic Christian) Summer/Fall Retreat.  That was a lot of fun, but also it filled up a lot of time.   Now that the school semester is back and rolling again, Thursday night Bible Studies from the same group at ISU have started up again.  During the summer I had joined another Small Group via the church I attend, Eastview Christian Church, and the group had met on Thursday nights.  With school starting and schedules changing, we split the group to have whoever could come, to come on Sunday nights, and everyone else could come on Thursday nights.   However this week the Eastview group is meeting on top of the ISU Bible Study on Thursday night, since the Sunday one was cancelled.   The group leader is considering going back to only Thursday night.  If that happens, I will have a tough decision to make - do I stick with the ISU Bible Study, which I felt like God lead me to a year ago and told me this was a place to connect, or the Eastview Small Group, which I am starting to connect with.   Part of me is slightly leaning to the ISU group, but I do want to connect better with the church that I am at.  

Also, to complicate things, my church is wrapping up a  year-plus long series on the book of Joshua and is doing a "experience" that has been in the workings for years.   They are doing a 6-week end to the series, walking though Joshua 24, calling the whole experience "The Joshua 24 Experience".  This experience is aimed to draw the church body closer together and closer to God.   Each week will have a different focus, and in the middle will be a big dedication.  Like the dedication in Joshua 24 where they rededicate themselves to God and they stand up a rock as their witness, we will do the same.  On September 30, we, as a whole church body, children and all, will gather around a nearly 2-story tall rock (that is currently hidden behind a large box just outside of the church) and rededicate ourselves to God, having this rock be our witness.   As we walk though this 6-week experience, we also are all, individually, are walking though a 40-day devotional written by our senior pastor and two other pastors in the church.  The devotional book, published this year and printed this past June, is called "The Joshua 24 Experience".  The sermons each Sunday will align with this devotional, and help lead us closer to God and each other.  The devotionals are short, but are aimed to be able to fill it with my thoughts and experiences.  There are lots of open pages to write and the devotionals challenge us to do so.   In addition, we are all also involved in "tents".   Just as Joshua and the People of God traveled and rested together in tents in the wilderness and the promise land (at first) with their families and grew with those around them, we will do the same.  Whether out tent is out small group, our family, our coworkers, or a larger group at the church, each week we will dig into Joshua 24 all the more in our tent and grow closer to each other.  My tent is my small group (which is the complication, because it meets the same time as the ISU group - if we move to Thursdays).  In our tents we will expand on what was taught in the service the past Sunday and what we are learning and going through in the devotional.   I am really excited for this whole experience and I know, I am confident, that God is going to do great things through and in and from it!   Yeah God!  I can't wait.   We started this past Sunday (September 9, 2018).  

(if anyone wants the devotional, let me know and I can get you one)

Travel To Texas

A lot has happened over the last .... long period of time.  At the beginning of August, after the exciting weekend up in Wisconsin for our Baurer Family get together, I headed down to Texas with my Dad.  We got up early and .....  well before I get there, lets back it up a bit.

The week or so prior to leaving, I was quite conflicted on where I was going to travel to (since I had that week off).   Without repeating too much detail (from my previous post "Travel-A-Mania"), I was debating whether to go to Canada or Texas, or even both.  I had a mixture of lack of peace and an unsettled feeling about what I was going to do.  I kept praying about it and asking God for clear direction and peace.   That Sunday morning (in Wisconsin) I had decided that I was going to go ahead and make plans for the following day and forget about the nagging lack of peace.   God had given me little direction, other than a "wait" in not-so-direct words.    But as I started to make plans, I was quickly surrounded again with worry, anxiety, and stress.  I felt nearly optionless except to take it all back to God and lay it all at His feet and Trust Him.   I was no fun, but boy was it worth it.  Once I gave Him the worry, stress, and anxiety and gave Him my trust to lead me where AND WHEN He wanted to, all of the stress, worry and anxiety disappeared, and I had a peace about it.  I was wanting to get an answer quickly because if I was going to drive down to Texas that Monday, my dad could have come with me since he was returning home to Texas then too.   Later on that evening, during a great time of corprate family worship and hymn/praise singing, God gave me the go ahead to go to Texas the next day!

That night, after driving back to Gridley, Illinois (~3 hours), I packed and headed to my dad's place in Tremont, Illinois (~ 1 hour closer to our Texas destination).  The next morning, we got up and left around 4:00 am on the road to Texas.   I started out driving while my dad slept and several hours later we swapped.  It was a great trip, God certainly blessed us indeed!   Most of the trip that wasn't spent sleeping, we listened to an audio book of the first Wingfeather Saga book: Over the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness.  I've read the book twice and this was my dad's first time.  It was soo good yet again.    The drive to West, Texas - where my mom and Abi live was 14-15 hours.  My dad had another 1.5 hours left to drive after I dropped him off at his car (at the airport).   We had driven my new Toyota Prius down - it did great - Praise God!

While in Texas I had spend the first several days with my mom and Abi, though Abi wasn't around much with work, band camp and all.  We did go shopping and got to hit a few places throughout Waco, and at my mom's insight, we drove by Magdalena Market so I can at least say that I've seen it, even if I haven't been to it (Though I don't know if I have ever watched the famed show that Chip and Joanna are on).  Mom paid for a haircut also - shaved on the sides and the back leaving the top long - though both her and Abi tried to get me to shave off the man bun.  Abi almost convinced me to shave it all off and grow all my hair out - not just the top - kind of like my brother Jonathan is doing.  But for the day, I just shaved the sides and the back and they trimmed about an inch off of the top.

Part way into the week I was conflicted yet again and felt that I should maybe head to Canada yet still for the Friday night group that I really wanted to be at, and to see friends and such on top of that.  I felt so conflicted and then in praying about it and thinking on it, I decided to go - meaning I would not get to spend time with Dad on this trip. However, the last night before leaving, as mom was making supper, I felt God tugging on my heart to go take some time with Him completely alone - I usually do this with a drive with Him.   I said no, as we were about to eat, and I know for myself, and it seemed to be for my mom as well, that we wanted to spend our last meal together.   I told God I could do it after supper.  But God insisted I do it now.  I told God that I didn't want to disappoint mom, as I haven't seen her since before last Christmas and now this is out last meal together for a while - she was really looking forward to this meal together (as was I).   So I told God I would wait.  Yet God didn't budge.  He wanted me to give up what I held dear and what I didn't want to disrupt to follow when He took a step.  And He took a step out the door and down the road.    So with a heavy heart I followed.  It was really hard for my heart to tell mom that I wouldn't be home for supper - and even worse, as I had put off going so long with God, right as I got up to go, mom finished supper and brought over the plate of food.   But I followed God, and went for a long drive out in back roads of Texas.  He let me stop and examine a cotton field (I don't think I've done that before) to my delight.   He brought me to some beautiful sights and let me enjoy some exciting and fun roads.   And here and there was bits of conversation between us.   In those conversations I felt God remind me what He had told me before I came to Texas: that if I go to Canada, it won't be as easy as I think it will be - it will be a lot harder.   He then gave me a choice, and told me that I can stay in Texas for the rest of my travel time, or I can leave for Canada.  He left it up to me.    Thinking more about that and even getting God's own thoughts on it, I decided to stay in Texas - which, praise God, brought lots of joy.    The next day I got to help my mom mattress shop, since her back has been really hurting her, and we spent the day together.


Friday night I got to go to a band thingy Abi had at school.  My dad met me there - my mom had gone the prior week - and we watched her play together (we also got to see her boyfriend, Alex, there too as he is one of the conductors).   As I walked into the room, a few minutes late, the band instructor was welcoming the audience and telling them about the band routines.  I noticed Abi dead centre in the half-circle formation the band was stationed in on the stage.  I also noticed the girl standing next to her lean over and tell Abi something and they both seemed to laugh.  I didn't think much of it.   Afterwards, Abi told me that when I walked in, her friend leaned over to her and asked her who the guy with the ugly man bun was that just walked in.  Abi told her that guy was her brother.  Her friend told Abi to have me cut it off (or something along those lines).  That got me thinking - not that I need to be a people pleaser nor do I need to shape myself by what other people think of me, but that I should take into account respecting others in my actions and fashion.   This kind of piled on top of the nearly-convincing Abi and mom had done earlier that week, and when I talked to God about it, He gave me the go-ahead (which made me laugh).  I had decided to ride back to my dad's place with him that night and spend the weekend with him.  So, on the way home to his place, when he asked if he could pay for a haircut to shave off my man bun, I accepted.

The next day I had Great Clips cut it.  And not just cut it off, but shave me pretty much completely.   However, they noticed how long it was and decided that it was just long enough to donate (WOW GOD!) - it needs to be at least 12 inches long to donate.  So they cut it off and since I was donating it they gave the haircut for free, plus gave us two $2-off coupons to use for later.  They gave me my hair and the paperwork and envelope to send it off in.   So I mailed it off to Wigs For Kids.  

That weekend I had a great time with my dad and got to go to his church, which I've been wanting to do for a while.   I also go to meet his pastor (there are like 10 or so people in his church - its a small home church) - which I have really looked forward to - I've met him once before for breakfast/lunch last year.   It was really great and encouraging.  God used the message to speak into my life where I was at and also used it to line up with some other things He has been showing me.  

Then, the next day, I headed home, and had a wonderful drive back with little issues.  The break problem on my car started to faintly act back up while in Texas, but wasn't near the problem as it was before.  

God is good, and He provided so much for that trip.  My expenses for the trip, looking back on it, were covered and exceeded with provisions!!!  WOW GOD!  Praise His name alone!  He is faithful!