July 8th
Rested most of the day because I felt like my mind needed it. In fact, I didn’t even feel like getting out of bed. So while everyone went to do laundry and shop, I stayed back to recharge.
July 9th
Started working on the construction ministry today at the school. They are making another room as an office. The 3 of us who were there didn’t have that much equipment to work with, so we made the most of it and had some very good conservation about our futures and other fun stuff. We didn’t have much to do at one point, so I went over to some high school boys and joined in a game to fellowship with them and maybe be able to talk to them later about their lives. Their story. And if they ask, talk about mine. Was kinda funny though. I forgot to ask their names and didn’t give mine until I won one of the rounds we played. They cheered, “Go New Guy” when I was appart of the final 2 and that’s when I realized I forgot the intro. If you think of it, its a little symbolic. God wanted us and helped us even before we knew who he was. You could bring him into the game, into your life, but that doesn’t mean you truly know him. It’s through getting a relationship with him that we learn his identity and what he does. How he never fails us and because of that, we can put our faith in him with confidence. Evident based faith is only possible with a relationship with God.
July 10th
Got to sand and put some wood finnish on some wood today from 8:30 to about 4. While we were doing that to the building, some of the kids from yesterday said hi to me from their class. I was touched that they were willing to take the time to make sure I and everyone in their class knew who they were saying hi to. God is good and perhaps they will become motivated by my actions to live for God and go off his plan, not their’s.
July 11th
Was raining a lot today, so couldn’t finish the wood work outside from yesterday. Instead, we varnished some bricks and leveled the work that was done so the wood floor could be put down. Some people that were supposed to cook today helped too since they didn’t need them today. Their extra help lightened the load of work so we could do it faster and be less tired. Kind of reminds me of how we all are different parts of Christ’s body and if you do an action that require multiple muscle groups, it prevents fatigue. But if you only use one muscle group to do something it takes more to do, you’ll surely stain it, which is bad for the rest of the body. If your calf is weak, for example, then that may cause foot problems and hip trouble. You’ve heard to be sad with those who are sad and happy with those who are happy. This is similar. If a part of the body is fatigued, so will other parts of the same body. So don’t ever deny help, for the body works best when it works together.
July 12th
Learned how to surf today. Was an amazing experience. I think I stood up about 18 times and had about 6 or 7 times that I stayed up longer than a second. Before we surfed though, I decided to run for 26 minutes on the sand since we had time and unlike everyone else, I didn’t feel the urge to just lay on the sand by the water. That and in combination of lack of hydration beforehand were probably the cause of cramps at 3 different times while I was in the water. The 1st time with both of my calfs, second time with one calf, third time with above my right knee. They were horrible and seemed debilitating when I had them, but I massaged them out and ran back in. Surfing lasted 2 hours and the instructor asked if I was going to continue to surf. I told him I live in Indiana XD. Today reminded me of how like cramps, the enemy tries to debilitate us by giving us shame and doubt of God. Of our salvation. Of our worthiness. But when we look to God, we know that he will massage us so we can finish the race set before us. That with he that even controls the water, lives within you. By what we have witnessed in the past, we know that he loves us. We know that he saved us and once we are truely saved, there is no power that can make us unsaved. As Paul said in 2 Corinthians, the new conevant is were the laws of God are given to us by the Holy Spirit. These laws speak life, not death. Not commendation. The New Covenant says that I won’t judge you before you are saved because you do not know what you do. Yet if you die without being born again, you chose to not have God in your life, so by his love, he won’t force you to be with him in heaven for eternity doing things you deemed as boring on earth, for heaven is God and praising him everlasting with all that you do.
June 13th
Today was the 1st time I went to church to watch a live stream of a preacher somewhere else, giving shout outs to J Bay and speaking the word of God. Was about us refracting the light God gave us, for when light shines through a prism, it makes a rainbow. His glory must shin through us, so as Paul says in 2 Corinthians, take down the veil over your minds so your heart may be soften. In the same way, if you have something covering you, how can light get to you and shine through you? You must accept Jesus’ spirit, tearing the veil that you are covered in, to let the light in. Darkness is actually measured by the ratio to light, so technically, there is always light, even in the darkness. Even if darkness seems overpowering, there is still light. You can see the world in darkness, for people haven’t accepted Jesus into their lives, but there is still Jesus in their lives even if they don’t know it. God created all things. He created wisdom and understanding as Proverbs does a well job to explaining. You can’t live where God called good and not have him in your life. It’s just a matter of letting him help you in life instead of just being in the same room as him. It’s like going to school and sleeping the whole time. You are in the presence of one who can teach you and help you through life, but you weather be comfortable sleeping and not know what your purpose is. What the meaning of anything truely is. I feel like I’m talking about moreso not the seemon, but steamed off on a tangent after saying one or two things that was said. God is good and will last forever, for his life is not restricted by what he made. However, what he made is restricted by what he chooses. Love you guys and happy Sunday!
June 14th
Today I basicly just hammered and leveled the floor all day with others. Well doing that, I looked out the window and saw a man pushing a lawnmower around a rugby feild. He probably pushed it 5 miles before he was done for the day probably doing the same thing tommorow. It kinda makes you appreciative for what you have more. I have never seen anyone cut a field of grass without using a lawnmower you can sit in. But in a sense, by doing it slower allows us to pause from the world around and take in the beauty of life. The beauty of every breath. The beauty of every moment. Too many times, people live their life in the fast lane and forget to look around them, noticing the little things. The wisdom found only in creation, for as Proverbs says, wisdom was made before everything else. Wisdom is the foundation that God layed out so all things may be built on it.
June 15th or 16th (skipped a day somewhere)
More of the same thing. With nailing and leveling. Got to drill into wood and concrete some today. Wish that this was more exciting, but in a way it’s restful to work. That may only make sense to some, but if all you do for God is out of joy in knowing him, you should be in a way resting in doing any task. God has given me so much that people of the earth said that I would never have. I find rest in doing what they said I couldn’t, for I reveal the glory of God to those around me, even if they don’t know it.
June 17th
Woke up with time to run because ministry started at 9 instead of 8 today. Was excited to study my Bible and then run 7 miles with 30 minutes to spare. When I got there, I waited and waited, but the head guy wasn’t there until a little bit before the 1st break at 10 to 10:30. All we did was move some wood for the floors. When we came back, we couldn’t do anything because the people doing windows and doors were where we were supposed to start. At 12, we took an early lunch because they were working on the windows until 1 pm. When we came at 1, there was a class that goes there from 1 to 2 once a week and today was that once a week. We took another break then the head guy told us that we are just not working today. Was frustrating to not be able to help and basically waste a whole day. But I got to talk to the person helping the head guy put in the floors. It’s interesting how not working makes it so God can work. It seems as if the enemy makes you busy so you may forget what your work is actually for. As Paul said, Satan is the god of the world. That he tempts with idols that are everywhere. From the beginning, Satan made man idolize himself by thinking that they would become like God when they ate. This is a half truth that Satan spoke, for they did make themselves into false gods, but they don’t have purity like God, for they have sinned. Don’t idolize work. Don’t idolize what you can do, but what God can do through you
