We just ended the annual Fall Revival here at GBS. But in reality, should we really say that it's ended? Shouldn't revival be something that continues long after the special speaker as said his final word, and the lights have been turned off? I like what this years speaker, Travis Johnson, said at the last service Friday morning, "The success of this revival will not be the tears that were shed...but the lives that will be lived out" (paraphrase). I have been overwhelmed lately with just how much trust I can put in God. I find myself reaffirming to God nearly every time I talk to Him just how much I trust Him "because You are good."

I love Sundays! They are definitely the pinnacle of the week, or as Dr. Brown calls it, "the Queen of the week." I love being able to go to church and worship my God while serving those around me. I love the freedom that we have to be vocal about our faith, and to try and lead others into the same relationship we have with Him. I also love the fact that we are actually Biblically mandated to rest! Rest! A word that's nearly foreign in our overly ambitious and production oriented country today. It's a wonderful feeling just to let your guard down for a while, spend some time reading a good book, take a nap, listen to some funny old time radio shows, and, most importantly, spend some time alone with God and be refreshed in His presence. I did a brief study of the Biblical idea of the Sabbath (here), and I believe that the Christian Sabbath is another great example of the fact that God cares for the needs of His people.


One of the "good books" that I'm reading is John Eldridge's Waking the Dead. The title comes from a quote by St. Irenaeus, "The glory of God is a man fully alive." I'm only up to chapter three, but it's fascinating so far. I recommend it.

Enjoy the rest of your day!

Ryan

Tags: Revival, Reading, Relax

We had our first Greek 2 class today. It was...scary. I have forgotten a lot. I finished my Greek flashcard set of all the words used 30 or more in the New Testament. It was 4" tall. ugghh. But, I know that I can do all things through Christ (Phil. 4:13). It's also very fun to be able to work with the original language! You can gain so much. Yes, I am a little nervous and intimidated, but I am not despairing. If this is what God has chosen to place before me, I know He will help me through it.

Ryan

Tags: Greek

I write this sitting at a Starbucks on the outskirts of Cincinnati. Besides myself, there are only two other customers in the place. But it still seems to be excessively noisy (I never noticed this about Starbucks until tonight). My thoughts have been hither, thither, and yon lately. Some positive, some negative. Some ordinary, some lofty. I guess I could be best described as contemplative. This is partly due to a recent listening of the audio dramatization of The Hiding Place, the story of Corrie ten Boom. I was convicted as I listened to this fascinating, and, at times, shocking story. I was inspired by their mindset. It was...convicting, to see their perspective on the situation. To them, it didn't matter so much if they were living comfortably in their home in Harlam, Holland, or at Ravensbruck Concentration Camp in Germany, they just wanted to serve others. Instead of questioning why God had allowed this horrible event to occur in their lives, they simply found joy in the fact that God had allowed them to serve so many people in the camp. It reminds me of a quote that I read:

“I think we have lost the old knowledge that happiness is overrated—that, in a way, life is overrated. We have lost, somehow, a sense of mystery—about us, our purpose, our meaning, our role. Our ancestors believed in two worlds, and understood this to be the solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short one. We are the first generations of man that actually expected to find happiness here on earth, and our search for it has caused such—unhappiness. The reason: If you do not believe in another, higher world, if you believe only in the flat material world around you, if you believe that this is your only chance at happiness—if that is what you believe, then you are not disappointed when the world does not give you a good measure of its riches, you are despairing.” ~ Peggy Noonan

I've began to shift my paradigm of thought from focusing on my happiness here and now, to the eternal. Yes, this is something I've always known, this is something that I could check the right answer in the box on a test, but to truly sink in at a gut level and to have it as a mental pivot on which to point my thoughts down the right channel, was new. I'm sure you will read this, just as I would have a few months ago, and move on, unchanged. My simple, and unflattering words are not enough, in themselves, to apply this truth to you. So I pray that God will do what I cannot. And I ask you to stop for a few moments, look at your own life. Are the decisions you're making right now something you will be glad you made when you stand before Christ in eternity? It's something to think about.

Ryan

Tags: The Hiding Place, Bible

I'm trying to get back into the swing of things here at GBS. I got my room mostly in place, now I just need to hit Greek really hard to refresh me for this year. The stack of flash cards you see here are less than half of all the vocabulary words we need to have memorized. It's a lot of work. And that's not even counting all of the grammar rules we need memorized. Well, If you can't tell by my very lackadaisical writing style, I am tired. I believe I shall retire. Have a good day.

Ryan

Tags: Greek, School, Busy

I arrived back on campus around 7:00pm tonight. It was busy! A lot more people than I expected. I began the extremely laborious treks up down down the 76 stairs to my room. I'm guessing I made between 10-15 trips. Don't do the math, let's just say, I've never been so near to heaven! Neck bulging as I gasp for air in the sweltering stairwells. The asyphxiating smell of fresh paint and dry wall from some work recently completed added to the effect. But, you know what they say, what doesn't kill you....

My room is coming together. Here is a pic of the in progress unpacking/organization.




Well, back to the organizing. Have a good evening!

Ryan

Tags: School, Back

I head back to school tomorrow in Cincinnati. Summer went by WAY to quickly! I'm not ready...

Ryan

Tags: Back

A lot has happened over the past few weeks, and, unfortunately, I don't have the time to give a lot of details about it all. So, I will resort to a much quicker (and easier for you) way, pictures! Thanks for reading/viewing.

I've been spending a lot of time over at my brothers house. We played a game of chess the other day for the first time in a while. It nearly ended in a stalemate because we think so much alike we anticipated each others moves. Katie officiated, of course .


Our church had its VBS with the theme "Custom Built Garage". I helped out where I could. It was a lot of work for those involved! But rewarding.


Mom and Kara (my sister-in-law) planned a secret excursion for Jason and I last Saturday, and we just had to be along for the ride and guess what came next. It was a blast! Our first stop turned out to be a train ride in a nearby town. I have lived in Adrian for 21 years, but I've never actually ridden the train. Katie loves "Thomas the Train", so she was in heaven. It was a really fun experience.


We then went out for ice cream and a cool place called Handels Ice Cream, and then headed back to Adrian for our final stop. Those of you who know me know that I dearly love to ice skate! And I was overjoyed to find out that was our destination as we neared the ice arena. They dropped off Jason and I, and went to pick up a few groceries while we skated. The place was nearly empty, and so I had some freedom to try a few new things. I'm slowly improving.


A couple days later we went back over to Jason and Kara's for a very good meal, followed by one of my favorite deserts, homemade sugar donuts!! I can eat these things till I'm sick!


Last Thursday, my cousins, aunt, and grandma came up for another ice skating excursion. Again, a lot more fun!


I am now writing this (somewhat hurriedly) from my Uncle Dan's house for my cousin Amber's birthday party. Her boyfriend, Seth Fish, and friend Amber Petty, are also here to help celebrate. It has been a blast!

Clayton goofing off.


Making pizza rolls for dinner


Seth


Amber


Amber


Their very spoiled (and aristocratic) dog, Buddy.

Well, it's after midnight and I need to get to bed. I will try and post a more substantive post at a later date. Have a good day.

Ryan

Tags: Summer, Family, fun