INTO THE PATIENT WAITING...

Should I let you all know what I am talking about?!? --- Or perhaps just make you all guess? --- Well, I would prefer to do the former, because who knows what is going through everyone's minds right now! : ) Here is a hint: I am going to GERMANY!!! This trip is through my college, University of Central Oklahoma, and is counting to my last official elective for my major! Of course, this isn't like any normal class...we will be doing alot of tours through many historic sites, visiting memorials, exploring a new city and my favorite part is the fact that I get to meet new people : ) New people means new opportunities... ...and another way to share the Good News of Jesus Christ! --- The trip will be from March 12th - 19th...and I hope to keep everyone posted with pictures and news and the adventures that will be encountered on this trip. --- Oh! But wait! There is more! One of my dear and best friends, Anne-Marie Gaynier, is going with me!!! Praise the Lord for a fun, outgoing, upl...

I have been talking to You since I was a little girl So many sweet memories of giving You my world You are wonderful - a Friend to the weary You have been so faithful - Your goodness follows me You are beautiful - Your love is neverending --- I was just wondering today how over all these years You've carried so many cares, calmed so many fear You are wonderful - a Friend to the weary You have been so faithful - Your goodness follows me You are beautiful - Your love is neverending... -Sara Groves It is good to give thanks to the LORD, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning and Your faithfulness every night. On an instrument of ten strings, on the lute, and on the harp, with harmonious sound. For You, LORD, have made me glad through Your work; I will triumph in the works of Your hands. O LORD, how great are Your works! Your thoughts are very deep... -Psalm 92:1-5

Last week, we had a chili cook-off at the chapel for our New Year's Celebration. It was a blast and so encouraging. We had lots of food...lots of singing...praying...and reading/discussion from the Scripture. But one event, in particular, keeps being replayed in my mind: "#41 - please, Blessed Assurance." You might be wondering why that is such an important event...it's simply the words of a man from the meeting requesting a hymn to be sung. Well, it was the first times that the words of that hymn really stood out to me (especially in verse 3). Verse 3 "Perfect submission, all is at rest; I in my Savior am happy and blest, watching and waiting, looking above, filled with his goodness, lost in his love. This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior, all the day long; this is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior, all the day long." The very thing that jumped out to me were the words "LOST IN HIS LOVE." Lost in His love. It's a go...

This is for you Anne in Peru... ...I think of you often, pray for you often, and miss the sweet fellowship we often share together. The Lord is teaching you so much in Peru! Continue to let Him be your Guide, your Instructor, and your Light. Might people see in you, as I see in you, our Savior's love and compassion for this whole world; a world that is lost in sin, a world that is searching for love, and a world that will only be truly satisfied when they draw from the Living Water, Jesus Christ our Lord. In This Photo: Anne's Feet (left), Melissa's Feet (right). Taken at the World War Memorial in Washingto D.C.

Found this beautiful poem stuck on the back of the new Missions Magazine and just spent some time thinking about it this morning. Thought I would share it with each of you readers, might it encouraged your hearts and strengthen you in the inner man --- Gravely the priest in his arms takes the lamb, Ready to give a most thorough exam. Under its wool, in its mouth, and its ears, Probing to check it's as pure as appears. Finally he states the results of his quest: "This lamb no fault has I firmly attest." For only such could God's judgment restrain; Anything less would be offered in vain. Year after year the blood freely did flow, Yet still the debt for our sin we did owe. Only a perfect man's blood could erase, Our stain of sin so it's gone without trace. But there existed no man that'd suffice, And even so, who would pay such a price? - Then one day God sent His Son as a Man, Setting in motion His salvation plan. Keenly they watched Him from babe to adult, ...

God has placed my family on quite a journey with my brother Stephen...so much has happened in the past 2 1/2 years with him. Incase some of you are out of the loop with my brother, he was diagnosed in May of 2006 with a brain tumor. He had surgery 2 weeks after being diagnosed but they couldn't remove the tumor because it was directly inside his optic nerves. Meaning, if the doctor had removed the tumor then he would have woken up with no vision. But, we praise the Lord that he gave the doctor wisdom not to take the tumor out. After the surgery, he went into 28 treatments of radiation to stop the tumor from growing. We didn't really get major results back about the radiation treatment until early 2007. The radiation had done it's job! It had stopped the tumor from growing for a time. Due to all of the surgery and radiation and already deterioration of Stephen's eyesight, he isn't able to drive because he has a very limited peripheral vision. Despite all of these dif...

I have typed, re-typed and re-re-typed this first paragraph. Finally, I just decided to *delete* it all and just lay my thoughts flat out on the table. No beating around the bush . --- Think about your answers to each question: These questions were written for me...but you can use them too ; ) --- How often do we come away from the Remembrance Meeting refreshed? If you are refreshed and encouraged, for what reason? What reason, I then ask, causes us to meet the way we do? What is the central focus of that Remembrance Meeting? And if we meet to remember Him that day, as a collective body of believers, how much more so should we, as individuals, be remembering Him on a daily basis? Are we remembering Him on a daily basis? And what is the central focus of our daily remembrance of Him? --- Last Sunday, we looked at this "thought-process" of questions in the Remembrance Meeting. That might sound a little funny. And of course, the men didn't bring about the questions this ...