A Glimpse of My Life: October 2012

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight"

Proverbs 9:10

Our human nature and society tell us that we can prosper on our own. We learn - sometimes quickly and other times very gradually - that there is nothing that we can do on our own that will fully prosper and bear any noteworthy fruit. Whether this is a blaring mistake that many see, or an internal conflict that never seems to leave us alone, we always fall short of perfection. I have been reminded of this recently.

Luckily, this is the exact opposite of what God tells us. In Proverbs 9:5-6, Solomon writes "Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine that I have mixed. Lay aside immaturity, and live, and walk in the way of insight!"

Recently, I have been tempted to reject the LORD's bread and omnipresence in every moment of my life. I have been relying on my own devices, thoughts and ideas. Not only does this path lead to hurt and destruction, it is not the way that God wants us to follow Him. God wants us to follow Him wholeheartedly, and become a new creation in Him. He offers us life, and life to the fullest.

Our need for God is like that of a tree: which possesses a need for water, nutrients, and sunlight to grow. Without God - who is always there to intervene and steer us on the right path of growth - we are like a tree would be if it were shut in a shed without any light.

Thankfully, the LORD never abandons us! He is with us every moment of every day, and always ready to speak "I AM" to those who are willing to listen. He also provides us with salvation, and the daily nourishment and sustenance we need for growth. If you ask me, a God who can do those things (and many more) is more than worthy of our fear (i.e. reverence, respect and plain ol' fear). Draw near to the LORD today, listen for His voice, and look for His presence. Actively live your life with the intention of growing closer to the LORD each day. You will be gifted with wisdom, knowledge, and new life!

10/20/12 Sunrise at 7:00am

A beautiful fall continues in Jackson, but hints of a long, cold winter are definitely showing themselves. The leaves are falling off of the trees, and will most likely be completely off within the month. The mornings are brisk, with temperatures often dipping below 20 degrees F. The past few weeks in Jackson have been unique and very eventful for me. In this time, I turned 23 (and felt very appreciated by family/friends!), visited Yellowstone, began the season as a coach of a 5th/6th Grade boys basketball team, and continuing to build relationships with the community in Jackson and at PCJH!

I have really been enjoying my job the past few weeks, and find that this enjoyment increases every hour I spend with the youth and young adults at PCJH. Preston and I began an 8th grade/high school boys Bible study on Thursday mornings which I have really enjoyed. I find it incredibly encouraging to be able to spend time with 8th graders who want to read their Bibles and talk about Jesus! The young adults ministry has energy and excitement, and it is fun to continue to make friends that are my age (or close to it). I have also been coaching a 5th/6th grade boys basketball team which is a ton of fun. While you might be surprised that I am coaching a basketball team (considering my minimal basketball experience), I am focusing on helping the guys learn something about basketball, play as a team, work hard at something, and have fun at the same time!

Outside of work, there hasn't been an absence of fun in my life. With the exception of recovering from a pretty bad bug, I have been lucky to visit Yellowstone (some pictures below), go fishing/hiking a few times, exercise regularly at a local gym, and make more friends. Yellowstone was absolutely stunning, and is truly unique (being one of the world's only Calderas (or large volcanoes) not under an ocean). It has been a lot of fun getting to know Patty, and we have great conversations whenever we are both around amidst our busy schedules. Today, I went fly fishing in a guide boat for the first time and caught 5 fish (with many more bites)!

Recently, I have been reading through 1 Samuel. I have been particularly impacted by the development of the relationships between Samuel, Saul, David and God. Through reading the accounts of these men's lives, I have learned that there is a clear distinction between choosing to follow the Lord, and not choosing to follow Him. I have also been greatly impacted by the way in which David responded to Saul's pursuit of murdering him. In 1 Samuel 24, David chose to act in love, with self-control and trust when presented with a chance to kill Saul himself (after running for his life from Saul for a long period of time). David's maturity and trust in the LORD in this intensely difficult situation serves as a great example for my life. Attempting to live in love, with patience, kindness, and self-control in all situations/circumstances we find ourselves in is something that is difficult to do, but can be done with God's help!

Hope you enjoyed this update! More to some in a few weeks, thanks for the prayers!
Andrew