God's Plans are BIGGER than mine

WHEW!


It feels like I've been in Alaska such a long time.  Since I've last written, so much has happened.  Adventure-wise, we went fishing on the Kenai River.  Flyfishing to be exact. That means we just cast and reel...hoping to catch a salmon. fortunately I was able to catch one myself!  It was a beautiful place to fish.  A lot of people happened to be fishing there at the same time. A LOT! Like, hundreds.  It was cRaZy!  I also saw a grizzly bear and her two cubs a few times and even a black bear.  Overall it was a great experience.

I started my official project blogging before I got my job.  I've worked almost 3 full weeks now.  and boy is it tiring!  I worked around 48 hours the first week and over 40 the following 2.  I quickly learned a good amount about the city of Anchorage and in general, the state of Alaska.  I drive people to and from the airport and train depot, as well as stand at the door of the hotels and greet people for my job.  I've met people from all over the world. It is pretty amazing. I've even met a good amount of people from my country of heritage, Holland!!

I am Also getting to know my co-workers pretty well.  The receptionists at the front desk are great to work with.  They are fun young ladies to talk to...as much fun as you can have and still be professional I guess.  The other bellman have also been great getting to know.  We provide a 24 hour shuttle service, so I don't interact with them very often.  I've found that two of them are pretty passionate about basketball, as am I.  Hopefully I can play with them before I leave.

We also started our outreaches.  We have three different groups.  One is for Native Alaskans, one from the University of Alaska Anchorage students, and the other one is for youth.  I am a part of the group reaching out to the youth.  We are doing what we call the Ultimate Sports Club.  We play various sports to connect with kids.  Only two kids came to the first one (one reminds me of Jujuan Johnson, no joke, 6'7" freshman). This past friday, around 24 kids came! It was crazy! We had a blast.  We do this at the boys and girls club.

So some things to continue praying about.

• A Good attitude while working
• Strength and stamina during work
• Good sleep (I'm super busy and get very little)
• I survive those crazy work days
• that I have chances to share my faith
• Continued growth in relating to co-workers
• that God would work in the lives of students that go to our outreaches
• I would grow as a man of Christ
• That I would take a hold of opportunities to share my faith
• That I'd take a hold of my role as the staff leaves
• that I find to have with God, good solid quiet time to be refueled.

All the glory to God!

Alaska. The land where the sun don't set

I arrived safely in Anchorage around 1:00 pm local time friday June 10.  I have 5 other guys in my apartment, 2 of them being student staff guys.  There is a total of 14 guys on the project, so compared to other projects, it is a small one.  We live in apartments and each share a room within the apartments.  The apartments are on the University of Alaska Anchorage campus.

The friday we got there, we went on a hike.  The hike wasn't too bad. The sights were pretty awesome.  We left the apartments at 7 to go to the hike and got back after 11.  It was pretty weird since the sun didn't seem like it moved at all.  Here are a few pictures of what I was fortunate enough to see.  I even saw a moose!

We went to church on saturday.  It was a pretty good church.  Sunday we went out and shared our faith from door to door.  Most people didn't want to talk.  One man did want to talk and he was already a Christian it seems.  I feel I learned a great deal about my own faith from him, including the fact that I need to learn more myself.  The more you learn, the more you learn you don't know.

And throughout our time here, we have had scheduled scripture readings and scheduled messages.  I will probably post something about those sometime later this week.

Today prayers were answered for a job.  I randomly walked into a hotel tuesday and found out they were in desperate need of bell boys.  I was in a group of 4 guys and they took the oldest 2 guys.  Today I signed the papers and took the drug test.  So I pretty much have the job.  I am so blessed it came quickly and pays pretty well.  I will interact with a lot of people since I will pretty much shuttle people to and from 3 hotels, a museum, the airport, and the train station. My days will start at 7 or 5 am, depending on the week and go until 3:30 or 1:30, based on the start.  A big blessing for the job will be that lunch will be provided at the hotel.  Food here in Anchorage is pretty expensive, so I'll be saving about $40 a week (at least) if I chose to go out to week, or just time if I chose to make my own lunch.

So I'd like to thank you all for your prayer support! I'd like to ask that you continue to pray that God be working in my life and others and that doors are opened to share my faith.  Pray that my first week at my job next week goes smoothly, that I'm able to get there in a timely manor (I have to ride a bike the early days, and the bus other days).

The time is almost here...

Hey all!

I would like to thank those of you who supported me financially, I met my goal of $4000! Praise the Lord for providing!  I would also like to thank you for your prayers and ask that you continue to pray for me as the summer continues.

As the summer goes on, I hope to keep you all updated as to what God is doing in my life and the life of those I will be interacting with.  I will bring my camera, so expect some pictures as well! :)

I leave friday morning (June 10th) and I excpect to arrive in Anchorage around 1:19 local time.

I currently do not have a job yet.  The first week we will go out and look for jobs while there.  The area is familiar with Campus Crusade students and like them, so I should find a job somewhere.

Feel free to email me at ooms@purdue.edu if you have any questions or encouragement you want to send my way.
Also feel free to comment on any of my blogs that I post throughout the summer, the comment section is there for you all to do that!

Prayer requests as I began final preparations for Alaska,

• Safe travel to and from Alaska
• Safety in Alaska
• that I would rely on Christ completely
• that the Lord would prepare the hearts of those I will share with
• and for me to share with them
• For my brothers in Christ who will be on project with me
• That the Holy Spirit would just engulf me and I would allow it to guide me throughout the summer
• That I grow as a man of God this summer
• That I find a job quickly 
• and that I minister to my co-workers

Thank you all very much! All of you are such great blessings in my life and I am thankful for all of you.  I will keep all yall posted!


All the GLORY to God! Praise Him.

CHIC 2K9 Day 5

Day 5

It ain't over till it's over (and lets let God be the judge of that)

Last to speak at the conference was Efrem Smith.  He is probably one of my most favorite speakers of all time.  Maybe its because he's got soul. He's got some mmmph, that thanggg that just speaks to you.

His message was pretty short, so this note will be as well.  It was pretty much "Get up and go out and use what you learned this week and show what God has done in your life.'

Run full ahead with God.  It ain't always the easiest path, but it is the most self-fulling path you can take.  Actually, it isn't even self-fulfilling. It's God-fulfilling. We are all God called.  Now it is whether or not we take a hold of this calling or not.  With this calling, He gives us a new vision.  He wants us to see our school, community, and churches differently.  Once you answer the call, you realize everything isn't just dandy back home.  When Jesus comes back, it's the ultimate justice, but for now it is just us (living with the Holy Spirit)

You aren't scared to be crazy with friends, to lie, to be tough, but you're scared of really following this Jesus thing?

You have this power inside of you, this God given ability.  See the world in God's eyes and allow Him to go make changes.

CHIC 2K9 Day 4

Day 4

You are the most beautiful without makeup...

Next in the lineup to speak was Judy Peterson. She is the campus pastor of North Park University. Quite a wonderful gal full of wisdom.  She spoke about self (pretenders).  She began by asking, are you afraid of the real you? Truthfully, if most of us take this question seriously, most of us are afraid of the real us.  Pretending what protects you; protects you from the real hurt you have, facing a challenge, taking responsibility for your actions, doing what God wants, etc.  If you pretend in a relationship, isn't it a pretend relationship? I'm pretty sure it is.  So if you just go through the motions at church and youth group, trying to look it all and pretending to  be a Christian, then get this...you AREN'T really a Christian. Why? Because you have a pretend relationship with Jesus and pretend relationships aren't real.  There is no fruit in your life, no change at all due to your relationship.

At one point the night before Steven Furtick said something about it being Wow! if a drug addict homosexual abusive, angry, and downright terrible person says 'I need Jesus' (which is pretty horrible in the first place to say).  If you think about it, that is pretty cool, but...its pretty obvious they need Jesus to us Christians right?  It is so much more Wow! if a big business man CEO who has it all together says 'I need Jesus!'  Which is so true! so many of us are fake and pretend we have it all together and truthfully we don't!  We all need Jesus, from the pope down to Hitler, we all need Jesus.  If you don't confess your mess, you'll be alone in that mess.  Some think pretending means you won't have as much pain.  Well, pretending isn't without pain, the pain of holding back who you really are, who God created you to be. Once you confess that mess, you can deal with that pain, nail it to the cross (give it up to Jesus), and move on.

Who might be one of the ultimate pretenders from the Bible? King David. Yeah! thats right, little dude who threw the rock at the big guy, Goliath.  The KING, the cool Jewish dude. He has it all together, right? He has everything you could possibly imagine. A kingdom. Money. Power. God's favor. He has it all! Except one thing...that woman bathing on the roof over there whose husband is at war. David should have been at war as well...So what does he do? Obviously he sleeps with her. Gets her pregnant and then kills her husband by sending him to the front of the line to cover up. Yikes! now that is a man who does not have it all together. He couldn't man up to his mistakes earlier and confess.  Eventually he does and realizes the error of his ways and writes Psalm 51 as he asks God for forgiveness. Read it, its some good stuff.

We are selfish people. It's a shameful fact that will be true until our Lord Jesus comes back.  We focus on ourselves, on what we want, why the world isn't our way.  People wonder why the world is such a bad place, yet do nothing to fix it.  We are wasting all our energy on our own problems instead of what God wants. What He wants in your life.  He has a plan for your life, all you have to do is start praying and listening and take a hold of it.

Be honest with yourself and God, don't hide your sin.

At the end, she revealed her real self to her.  She wears makeup all the time because she is afraid of what people will think of her, her real face. So at the end of her message, she rubbed it off. It was a big deal to her.  Then she said, Jesus says you're the most beautiful without your makeup. Stop pretending!!

Are you AFRAID, afraid of the Real you?

CHIC 2K9 Day 3

Day 3

I ain't car jackin' foo (and you shouldn't too!)

Next up to speak was Steven Furtick.  Here is his profile (according to him...).  "He is married, has two kids, and leads one of the fastest growing churches in America, and he is still in his 20's!"  That is pretty amazing.

Even though he was not my favorite speaker due to what I thought was big-headedness, he has some good things to say.

He mentioned how more and more teenagers are having sex these days and when asked why, they say, I'm test drivin' before marriage.  Well, he looked around, chuckled and said, "Well, that ain't test drivin', thats car jackin'! Get away from that car!"  That was a pretty good point...I hope it got across to most of the guys (and girls).  He did seem to be putting down most of the guys though.  He was purty rough on us guys.

The scripture for his talk was 1 Samuel 14.  It talked about Jonathon and how he was like, "He, let's come out of hiding and perhaps God will help us."  And of course God did.   What I got from this is God's promise is bigger than your perhaps.  Our perhaps (or satisfaction of sin) is small and God is HUGE.  The creator of the universe.

He then told a story of how his son was afraid of bugs and whining.  So Steven was like, "how big is this fly?" dis big his son answered (showing two fingers together).  "How big are you?" Dis big his son answered again with his arms about a foot apart. So Steven says, "How big is daddy?"  DIS BIG his son answered opening his arms wide open as he catches on. Then Steven and his son chased the bug around and killed it.  So our problems really aren't that big when our god is so big. They may seem big to us at the time, but in reality they are not.

God's plan is bigger than your biggest perhaps.

Are you going to let God take control of your problems? He is bigger than your biggest perhaps, all you have to do is realize it and give Him control.  God is bigger than the boogey man! :p

CHIC 2K9 Day 2

Day 2

I am a Professional Lover

Next up on the list of big name speakers was Shane Claiborne.  What a strange, amazing God-loving fellow.  When you initially see him you know there is something different about him.  He has dread locks going to his waste, a bandana, a funny shirt, and funny pants.  He said he made all his own clothing.   He said at one point he was prom king and not that great of a kid.  Then he did a dangerous thing. He read the Bible! Eventually he became an ordinary radical, going around helping those who are less fortunate.

He talked about how he stood up for injustice by sleeping in parks and giving food to the homeless people, even when the authorities made it illegal!  He eventually got arrested for this. Pretty dumb, eh? I thought so too. So being the type of person he is, he got a homeless person to represent him in court.  The homeless man said one statement, "Jesus was homeless ya know."  The judge leaned over and said "I think you guys have a chance."  They won the case when it went to the supreme court and the laws were changed.

Then Shane told of how he made it to Calcutta, India...that is where Mother Teresa does her business.  He called many numbers trying to get her number.  He had to go through the top American nun to get it, Mother Victorious.  haha.  While he was in Calcutta, he befriended a little boy.  While Mr. Claiborne was there, the boy happened to have a birthday.  So he thought of what to give the boy and gave him an ice cream cone.  The kid was so excited that he started to shake.  He screamed "I have an ice cream CONEEE!!! Everyone come and line up!"  So the other children came and lined up.  The boy went down the line and gave everyone a lick. EVERYONE. Think about it.  This boy has nothing. When he was given the gift, he shared it with everyone.  Not just his best friends or the cool people. Everyone. How great is that??

At one point Shane decided to share about a high school reunion he went to.  He had to put down what his job was...Well...he didn't really have one. So. He put down lover.  Shane Claiborne is a professional lover. :p

So the three main things I learned from Mr. Claiborne.  The best things to do with the best things in life is to give them away so others can enjoy them.  Calcuttas are everywhere.  We just need to have the eyes to see them.  The cross, dove, fish, and lion have always been a symbol of Christianity, a chameleon never has been.

So get up, get out and find your Calcutta. Calcutta, Indiana. Calcutta, New York. Calcutta, California.  It could be in your backyard and you just don't realize it.

NOTHING you do can change God's love for you.