it's a pleasure seeing God work in lives

As a little girl I can remember times when I would see my dad working something and wonder what it was. I never understood why he was doing what he was doing but what ever it was it worked and created something beautiful in the end. like repainting the inside walls of the house or building a tree-house in the tree of our front yard, etc. My dad was busy. Now just like watching my dad work I love watching God, my Father, work only I never know He's working till way after the fact.

Coming home I was looking for a job and had no idea where I was going to find one. I was home for a week and was very frustrated and bored just sitting around the house with nobody home but me. it was lonely...so I began my search for a job. In my head I planned to be searching for like three weeks to find something that I wanted to apply for and then a few months after that I would have an interview and from there was a blur. instead I had jobs opportunities handed to me. I had told some friends about my looking for a job and she went right to the newspapers. I didn't take them to seriously but thought that I would take a chance on them and apply any way. I applied to Wendy's in my town and have been going through training for the past two weeks. Then earlier I got a call for an interview for Comfort Keepers. I could also watch a little 3 year old girl during the week. Just today I got a call from a Day Care that I wanted to work at and a message that I can call and have an interview! the job hunt only lasted about a few days. God is incredible and beyond words worth trusting!! It is proven again and again to me each time better than the prior time.

Also Just seeing God's love, care, comfort, trustworthiness, faithfulness, being my best friend through the trials with my parents divorce and mother's remarriage. I remember Dave Percy saying "the only way to see God as love is to be put in a situation where we most need love". I didn't understand what he meant when he said it a few months ago but I do now. when you are placed of need you run to a place of refuge, my place being The Rock or Ages. I'm in a period in my life where I can see my need for love and have taken the "chance" on God. He more than exceeds what I was looking for. though I hate the situation terrible I am in awe and filled with joy to see God working through a sinners life to make it something that He gets glory from and finds pleasure in. I'm made a good choice!

Thanks for tracking along with me!
Christiana

1Cor.10:13 "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it."

a long time coming.....

The past couple of weeks have been great! I started reading the book of Proverbs and encouraged every time I read it. Just opening up to chapter one and seeing the reasons for gaining wisdom: "(v2) for gaining wisdom and instruction; for understanding words of insight; (v3) for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, doing what is right and just and fair; (v4) for giving prudence to those who are simple, knowledge and discretion to the young-(v6) for understanding proverbs and parables, for saying the riddles or the wise (v7) The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." These verses bring me encouragement every time I read them! They tell me "yeah this is the reason I'm spending time with God"; "This is why it's worth it!". there is only one place where I can find wisdom and that is in the Lord Himself "For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding (2:6). There are days when I'm at bible school when I'm exhausted and my mind begins to wonder 'why in the world do I need to be studying the bible? what am I going to get out of it!?' It is at those very moments that I go back to these verses and find comfort that as my mind is being conformed to Christ's that there is wisdom that will come along with it; wisdom that is not found anywhere else! The world does not think that it is worth the effort to try to understand what the Bible has to say when I believe, from these verses, that it is worth your life!


So for the past week I have been in Jersey Shore, PA (that has nothing to do with the TV show for those who were thinking that.) and going through the Wayumi course program at the NTM base. This course was an in depth look at what tribal missions is all about and what their effective way is in reaching the Unreached People Groups with the gospel and written word of God. The experience was wonderful! I'd love to tell you all that went on but that could just keep you from going so please visit: www.wayumi.com and come pay a visit!

This week is the las week of classes for me and then graduation on Saturday!! It's definitely a bitter-sweet moment. I love the atmosphere here at the bible school and at the same time know that the Bible and it's truths were not meant to be kept up in the same building for my entire life rather to be spread around the world. Christ came for the world not just the people who already know. So I'm excited to leave and open up another space for someone to take, to get out into the world and make friends with the "outside world" (as they are known to me because I'm leaving the "bubble" that I've been in for two years) and go give this joy to others!

To all my friends at who are still at the Bible School; Study Hard and Enjoy your Time there! It's worth it all!

Only through His Grace,
Christiana Elizabeth

My branches are growing

Looking back on the past I have see my grow from a seed to a tree that is now one foot from the ground...if you think of life in relation to a tree. I came to bible school with the goal in mind to one day go out of the US into medical missions. I had one problem. I was so mad at God for my parents not working together and having someone that I love, boyfriend, taken away that I couldn't think anything positive or true. I was believeing a lie and actin upon it. Today I have gotten over the boyfriend and have been able to see the importance in growing in my love for the Lord and not so much needing love from some guy my age. It is SO freeing. I know that I am loved by both my parents though they don't love eachother. sin stinks but god never said that He couldn't or wouldn't use it...cuz He did for me :) If it weren't for my past I would not be looking to God for things and being able to thank Him for the things that He has given me. My desires and expectation were not met but my needs were met and that was what God promised He would do! He's not a liar and love me, a dirty thinker and selfish person, VERY much!! My roots are deeper in Christ and will continue to grow down if I continuely look to Him and His word to direct my life

Thank you to all those who were there for me and let me run to them to cry and explain my frustration and anger. talking things out helps me

Christiana

Praise God!

God has gracously provided me the down payment to come back to ntbi for my second semester! I am so excited to start new classes and expan my knowledge of God and His narure and the King of the world and the father of me! I et the oppurtunity to study the prophets and three weeks under theology teaching. Also the Life of Christ, Hamartiology/Anthropology, Ezra/Nemiah/Ester, Psalms, Christology, Acts, Bible Basics for Missions, HereneuticsII and 1 Corinthians.

The cool part is is that I did nothing physically to get here. I didn't have a job..nothing! I'm amazed at how many people desire me to be here under the teaching of The Word. I can't believe the number of people that gave of their money because they have a desire for people to know The Word. Thank you to those of you who gave and are reading this!! I appreciate it SO much and cacn't thank you enough! :)

I'm ready to see what God has for me to learn and to just act myself around the people that I've come to know over the last semester!!

God is AMAZING beyond words :

What a YEAR!!!

The most trying year of my life, so far. Having to face the fact that I will be leaving the house and living some where else. Searching for colleges, saying good-bye to friends that you might not see again, trying hard not to cry during graduation and the day I had to leave for Michigan. Having to face the fact the my dreams and expectations for a family had been broken. Though some part of life has been dificult the other half has been even greater! I got the chance to make friends that live all over the world. I have the chance to expan my mind, and circle of friends. Above all else I had the privilage in diving deep into the Word of God for a full four months. Learning different truths and grabing a greater understanding of who the real God of the universe really is! I'm torn from having to leave home but greatful and excited to be in such a great place!

Thanks for praying for me!!
Christiana

Reflection

I feel like I just came home from a weekend retreat. I have a lot of things that have been taught to me over the last few months and am now home with my family for Christmas break. Every where I turn something that was said during class comes to mind. Most of the time causing me to change think twice about my actions. Learning is fun and exciting but practicing what you learned is even harder. I don't like admitting that I'm wrong and that I don't know everything even though everyone knows that I am. These next couple of weeks are going to be a bit testing. They already have been. I've seen more of a need for God that I never saw or could see before.

Resting in the Hamock of God's Sovereignty,
Christiana

What is my motive?

There are many things that we see today that are culturely accepted but not always is it biblical right. We were talking about samson a few days ago in Old Testament HisStory (OTH). How you can see the carnality in Samson the way he viewed his marriage and his gambling. This proposed the question on whether or not gambling is biblically a sin or not. We had about a half an hour class dicussion on gambling and when it becomes sin and ssome other cultural issues that we as christians just automatically think is a sin because our culture accepts it. Like, movies, clothes, music, alcholic drinks, language,...etc.

The big thing is alocholic beverages. In and of its self the liquid is not a bad thing. Beer, wine or any cooler is okay to drink. To have a cup of wine with a special meal, That's okay! I would do it if I was the legal age and I know of people who do. I'm not saying that because they do it makes okay but to point out a fact. Not if you were to give a bunch of alochol to a girl/boyfriend to consume for the simple reason of getting them to sleep with you, that is where it becomes sin. It's not the action in drinking the alochol that was a sin but the motive or reason for consuming it that was sin. God does say not to get drunk on wine and this would be something that we should take into considerstion when wondering how far is to far. Our teacher drew us a picture:

If you were to place your clothing style, movies, music or favorite books into this diagram, where would it stand before God?

Why is it a sin? Because it falls bellow God's standards! God has standards for a reason. They are not just there to mae out lives miserable or because God doesn't want us to have fun. Heck no!! God made things for us to enjoy, IF we will listen and follow to the standards that has been made with our best intrest and safty in mind! God cares a WHOLE lot for us! When he says something He's not joking around, that's why there are consequences for our actions, our sin needs to be delt with.

Just something that's been on my mind that I thought I'd share!!