i figured i would take a break from my ecaudor blogs to write about something new and considering this passed sunday was father's day, i thought i would blog about my father. for those of you that don't know most people just call him big L.
you know people always tell me i am just like my mom and i agree, but without my dad i really don't know where i would be today. i mean half the time he doesn't have a clue what is going on in my head because we are wired so differently in that way. he doesn't understand why i do things certain times and how i do them. this is what makes us relate so well with each other. the characteristics he presents daily are the type of characteristics i want to have some day when i become a father.
humble
outgoing
hard-working
hilarious
loves people
loves meeting new people
a heart for God
energetic
sports minded
these are just some of the characteristics that describe my dad. it really makes my day when people in his sunday school class come up to me and tell me that my dad is the best sunday school teacher they have ever had. you know this is what i love most about him. big L has a love for the Lord and is in a positon where the Lord is using him in every way he can. it is this that stands out about my dad. through all the laughter and tears we have shed it is still awesome for me to know that he is doing exactly what the Lord has called him to me. i read a lot of tweets and facebook posts this weekend about how great everyone else's dad is and you know i wasn't one of those who tweeted or posted it on facebook. he knows he is an awesome dad and doesn't need me to let everyone else know about it. if you ever get the chance to meet big L you are in for a treat just as he is when he meets his heavenly big L (the Lord) one day. (hopefully far off) i can't thank the Lord enough for providing me the type of person to look up to and strive to be like when i have kids.
oh and dad by the way your daughter is the one who is just like you!!
Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Monday, June 13, 2011
love with what?
this is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. if anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:16-18
with the encouragement of chad thompson, this verse has really hit home to me and especially hit home in patate, ecuador. for those of you that don't know, my espanol isn't very fluent, and i can only speak a few words. with this being said the children i was ministering to there didn't care. all they wanted was a smile on my face and a hug waiting on them when they saw me each day come off the bus. it is through ACTIONS that we need to love. everyone may not understand what we are saying or trying to say, but if we love through doing, the work of Jesus can be spread by any way possible. as verse 18 clearly states let us love with actions and with the truth that is Jesus Christ!!!
with the encouragement of chad thompson, this verse has really hit home to me and especially hit home in patate, ecuador. for those of you that don't know, my espanol isn't very fluent, and i can only speak a few words. with this being said the children i was ministering to there didn't care. all they wanted was a smile on my face and a hug waiting on them when they saw me each day come off the bus. it is through ACTIONS that we need to love. everyone may not understand what we are saying or trying to say, but if we love through doing, the work of Jesus can be spread by any way possible. as verse 18 clearly states let us love with actions and with the truth that is Jesus Christ!!!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
open your eyes, ears, and heart
i'm not going to apologize for the next couple of blogs because i want everyone to read them, however, they are all going to be about my experiences in ecuador. on may 27 i was blessed and fortunate enough to travel to patante, ecuador with my the calvary baptist church youth group. in all honesty i had been dreading going on this trip for some time now. little did i know that this was exactly what i need at this point in my life.
in december my mom came to me and asked if i wanted to go to ecuador at the end of may with the youth group from back home. i was hesitant and reluctantly said yes. i told her from the beginning that i really hoped i didn't get to go because i was hoping that a job would be in my future after my may 7th graduation. so for the past 5 or so months leading up until the trip my prayers consisted of asking the Lord for a job and to place me where he felt i needed to be. funny thing is i guess my father in heaven didn't need me in the real world quite yet. weeks and months passed and applications were filled out and turned down. it's a frustrating thing job hunting, but i got to the point where i wasn't just frustrated but mad as well. i NEEDED a job! i could just see God now laughing his head off at me watching me go about things my way and looking for Him to give me that job.
so the day came where we were flying out of atlanta and to be honest i still didn't want to be boarding that airplane to ecuador. i wanted to be making money out in the real world. we got to patante late on friday night so the bed was quickly calling my name. saturday we put on a vacation bible school type camp for the ecuadorian youth. and to be real, i was miserable. i was questioning why i was there. i was wondering were i fit in whether in be with the youth or as a chaperone. i just kinda stood back out of the way selfishly thinking i sure hope things change. there again was God looking down laughing. not only was i ignoring Him but was ignoring my real purpose for being in ecuador. that afternoon after lunch i prayed for something to change. well guess what it did. my and my brother adam went up the hill and were messing around with a soccer ball when to young boys came and started playing with us. those two boys were so excited about getting to play with three american guys, will otis joined in on the fun. from then on i knew i had been brought to ecuador for a reason. it wasn't because God was ignoring my job hunt, it wasn't so i could have some life changing experience, it was to bring smiles, joy, and the wonderful word of Jesus Christ to these young people that wouldn't hear about it any other way.
throughout the week adam and i along with others led bible study at our designated schools even though my lesson was pretty awful in american terms (just ask adam). the kids didn't care, they want to know so much about the Lord we serve in america and the one and only God that they can go share with their parents. they wanted to see our smiling, loveable faces and it clicked. i wasn't there for me, i was there for those kids, i was there for their parents, i was their for the people of patante, and most importantly i was there because God wanted and needed me there.
i went in with a closed mind, heart, and soul but boy did the good Lord bust that wide open and i can only imagine why.
more is to come.....
isaiah 40:11 - our teams theme verse for the week
in december my mom came to me and asked if i wanted to go to ecuador at the end of may with the youth group from back home. i was hesitant and reluctantly said yes. i told her from the beginning that i really hoped i didn't get to go because i was hoping that a job would be in my future after my may 7th graduation. so for the past 5 or so months leading up until the trip my prayers consisted of asking the Lord for a job and to place me where he felt i needed to be. funny thing is i guess my father in heaven didn't need me in the real world quite yet. weeks and months passed and applications were filled out and turned down. it's a frustrating thing job hunting, but i got to the point where i wasn't just frustrated but mad as well. i NEEDED a job! i could just see God now laughing his head off at me watching me go about things my way and looking for Him to give me that job.
so the day came where we were flying out of atlanta and to be honest i still didn't want to be boarding that airplane to ecuador. i wanted to be making money out in the real world. we got to patante late on friday night so the bed was quickly calling my name. saturday we put on a vacation bible school type camp for the ecuadorian youth. and to be real, i was miserable. i was questioning why i was there. i was wondering were i fit in whether in be with the youth or as a chaperone. i just kinda stood back out of the way selfishly thinking i sure hope things change. there again was God looking down laughing. not only was i ignoring Him but was ignoring my real purpose for being in ecuador. that afternoon after lunch i prayed for something to change. well guess what it did. my and my brother adam went up the hill and were messing around with a soccer ball when to young boys came and started playing with us. those two boys were so excited about getting to play with three american guys, will otis joined in on the fun. from then on i knew i had been brought to ecuador for a reason. it wasn't because God was ignoring my job hunt, it wasn't so i could have some life changing experience, it was to bring smiles, joy, and the wonderful word of Jesus Christ to these young people that wouldn't hear about it any other way.
throughout the week adam and i along with others led bible study at our designated schools even though my lesson was pretty awful in american terms (just ask adam). the kids didn't care, they want to know so much about the Lord we serve in america and the one and only God that they can go share with their parents. they wanted to see our smiling, loveable faces and it clicked. i wasn't there for me, i was there for those kids, i was there for their parents, i was their for the people of patante, and most importantly i was there because God wanted and needed me there.
i went in with a closed mind, heart, and soul but boy did the good Lord bust that wide open and i can only imagine why.
more is to come.....
isaiah 40:11 - our teams theme verse for the week
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