School
Back at My Second Home
08/18/09 10:18 PM
Well, another school year is getting under way. I arrived around 11:00pm last night and dutifully lugged all of my belongings up the treacherous five flights of stairs. Whew... it's amazing how out of shape your leg muscles get in three months.
-Ryan
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Choir Tour '09
02/22/09 11:32 PM

Choir Tour '09 is officially underway. I'm at a place where I have wireless internet for tonight, and thought I would upload a few pictures. I don't have time to post them one by one on my blog, so I uploaded them under the "New Photos" page, and you can view them all there. We are going to Sea World tomorrow, and I will be sure to post more pics as I can. Enjoy!
- Ryan
Mid-Winter Revival
01/17/09 04:39 PM
Last week was midwinter revival at GBS with
evangelist and pastor Rick Maloyed. I haven't laughed
that hard during a revival in a long time! He has
such a keen sense of humor. It's always refreshing,
no matter how many times you see it, to see someone
who loves life, loves Christ, and loves proclaiming
Him. The chapel was continually saturated with the
presence of God. Stakes were driven. Issues settled.
Progress made. Thank God for His times of renewal.
Ryan
A few pictures from the revival.















Ryan
A few pictures from the revival.















Dazed...
12/09/08 05:29 PM
It has been a very, very busy few weeks. The
Christmas play is now over (which is kinda sad), I
survived preaching in the annual service held at GBS
during the weekend of the Christmas play. Now it's
time to focus on homework. I admit, from where I
stand right now, it looks literally impossible to get
it all done, and I may not, but I know that the same
God Who was faithful to help me through last week is
still walking right by my side this week as well. The
pictures are of my in the Christmas play, in which I
played the statue (I was a walking, talking statue
when I wasn't frozen in place). It was so
much fun! The gray color was a mixture of face paint,
gray stage hairspray, and makeup. It took about 3
hours to put on every night, and about 30-40 minutes
to take off. The removal process involved scrubbing
my face and hair about 4 times thoroughly
with shampoo. Then using special makeup remover
around my eyes. The Lord was faithful to the cast,
choir, and orchestra, and the play went very well.
For more details and pictures see my Facebook. Will
post more when I have time.


Ryan
P.S. Photos compliments of Marilyn Muir, Jeremiah Parker, and Sharalyn Watters


Ryan
P.S. Photos compliments of Marilyn Muir, Jeremiah Parker, and Sharalyn Watters
On the Home Stretch...
11/30/08 11:13 PM
I got back on campus around 9:30 tonight, and
received a chilly surprise when I entered my room.
When your expecting to walk into a nice cozy cocoon,
55 degrees is a bit... startling. Apparently they
shut off the heat during break, and have not yet
turned it on. That in itself would not have been a
problem, but my window decided to fall open about 3
inches of its own accord, which let the frigid air
blow freely into my room. It's now up to 60, so it is
improving. Oh well, things could most certainly be
worse. It's now onto the home stretch! Only 16 more
days and this semester will be nothing but a memory.
Memories... Many good. Some bad. But all to the glory
of God.
Ryan
Ryan
This Is Your 4:30am Wakeup Call.
11/16/08 04:28 AM
Well, I just left the Schmul Center and arrived back at my room. The reason for my later (or early, depending on your point of view) arrival? The first major term paper of the semester. It's due Tuesday, and is...intense. I'm at 16 pages right now, and am not yet a third of the way through the outline. You see that beautiful picture above? That's where I'm heading! See yah!
Ryan
Too...Much...Reading...
10/23/08 08:35 PM
Alright, I like to read, usually, and I like theology, so it would seem to make sense that I would enjoy reading a commentary. However, I must admit, that after an hour straight of plodding my way through the depths of information overload (namely in the form of a commentary on Acts) I find myself, how shall I say this, stymied. I've just about reached the end of my hoarded resources. I can feel the information beginning to seep out around the edges. However, there is a silver lining, as I write this I sit in a Panera Bread, and earlier enjoyed their wonderful broccoli and cheddar soup, along with half of a chipotle chicken sandwich, both of which were, placidly perfect. Alas, they will be closing soon, and I must needs depart for another location not yet known (perhaps Starbucks). So, to thee, I bid adieu!
Ryan
1am Run to IHOP
10/03/08 11:45 PM
I was just getting into bed yesterday morning
(12:30am) when my friend Shane called me and asked if
I wanted to go on a trip to IHOP. It seems that he
and my other friend, Brandon, had tons of homework to
do for the next day, and thought IHOP would be a
conducive place to do it. It sounded good to me, so
off we go, traipsing through the night at 1 in the
morning to IHOP. You know, you see some interesting
sights at IHOP at 1am...most of which you wish you
hadn't...'nuff said. What better way to spend the
very early hours of a Friday morning than
eating pancakes and laughing with friends? You would
be amazed at what you find amusing at 1:30-2:00am
So, after the food, we got down to
homework, and hacked away till about 3:00 when
our adrenaline began to wane. We looked a sight.
We finally headed back to GBS a
little after 3, and made the unduly laborious
trek up to the colossal height of the 5th floor.
I crashed around 3:30, and got back up at 6am
for my 7am class. It was a most unique feeling.
I went through the class in something akin to a
stupor. Perhaps, "languid" or "lethargic" would
be a better adjective (well, technically, a
better object of a preposition, right? No. Any
English majors?). It was a strange experience.
Thankfully, I was able to power nap right after
that, because I didn't have a class for another
50min.. But, all things considered, it was worth
it.
It's like my Mom said, "Enjoy it
while your young, because if you do that when
you get old, it'll mess you up for three days."
No wonder everybody was looking at us funny
Ryan
p.s. In case you can't tell, I haven't yet recovered from my depravation of sleep, hence my scatty prose. Mr. Profitt would not be impressed...
No wonder everybody was looking at us funny
Ryan
p.s. In case you can't tell, I haven't yet recovered from my depravation of sleep, hence my scatty prose. Mr. Profitt would not be impressed...
School Picnic
09/23/08 06:16 PM
Today was the annual Fall Picnic here at GBS, and it was a gorgeous day for it! It was nice and sunny, but not too warm. I started off with my camera permanently enmeshed with my hand, but eventually broke away from that for some fun of a differnt nature. Frisbee was a highlight of the day, as well as sand volleyball (we dominated
Ryan
Thanks, Ike...
09/16/08 01:26 PM
I was forced to make an extremely unexpected trip
home yesterday, due to a massive storm partly caused
by Hurricane Ike. As the massive front caused by Ike
moved north, a massive front from the north was
heading south. They met near Cincinnati, causing a
severe storm. Cincinnati got 45mph wind with gusts up
to 75mph or more. Now, I'm a good size guy (6' tall),
but it about knocked my feet out from under me on a
couple occasions, and really battered you about. It
caused severe damage across the entire city. GBS sits
right on top of a hill (Mt. Auburn), and so was
particularly susceptible to the strong winds. It
knocked down at least three trees and branches too
numerous to count. It knocked in a window in the
girls dorm, and a staff members house. Siding is
missing everywhere. Multiple roofs will need to be
replaced. Power lines will have to be fixed, and
that's on GBS' campus alone. We lost power (along
with the 600,000+ other residents in the area). As I
drove home, I nearly ran out of gas because basically
everything from Cincinnati to Dayton is shut down
(including gas stations). The lack of power has
caused no small dilemma on campus. With nothing to
keep the freezers and refrigerators going, they were
quickly running out of food. So, they cancelled
school until at least tomorrow (Wed.), and asked us
all to go home because they could not sustain us, and
there is also the element of safety, now that there
is a blackout in the area. So, I'm home. For now.
This really throws a kink, scholastically speaking,
into the mix. Hopefully it will not bury me. Here are
a few pictures that I took during the storm. I will
try and post more later.
Ryan
This photo was taken about 10-15 miles from GBS.
Ryan
This photo was taken about 10-15 miles from GBS.
Challenged
08/25/08 10:27 PM
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
Back In the Greek Groove
08/21/08 12:05 AM
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
I'm Back at the Other Place I Live
08/18/08 11:40 PM
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
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
School...
08/17/08 11:13 PM
FINALS ARE OVER!
05/14/08 11:39 PM
Bedtime
05/13/08 03:23 AM
Fun Weekend Away
05/11/08 07:05 PM
Well, it's almost over. Finals started last Thursday,
and end (for me) this Tuesday. Oh....SO much to do!
But, God will be faithful (Heb. 13:5). I had a fun
weekend by going up to my grandparents and surprising
my mom (who was visiting) for Mothers Day. I even got
conned into to preaching Sunday (on very
short notice I might add
).Travis (my cousin) and I had fun
plinking around with a few of his guns. We are
the bottle and dandelion kings when it comes to
.22LRs
Good times! Well, Monday is my
biggest day, and I still have much to do. If you
happen to think of it, pray for this busy
college student!
The sniper Himself
Just me plinking around
Ryan
The sniper Himself
Just me plinking around
Ryan
Quick Update
05/02/08 01:54 AM
I decided not to make excuses for my long absence from the blogosphere, but let me just say that it involves homework (well, I guess I just did anyway)... I just finished taking an assessment exam for Greek. Let's just say, better luck next time... Let me forewarn you, you may not see too much of me over the next two weeks as finals start Thursday of next week. But, hopefully after that I will have some time to relax, and blog, and sleep, and live!
May you have a peaceful, quiet, serene, slow-paced, lollygagging day
Ryan
I'm Tired
04/11/08 01:23 AM
Well, it's 1:24AM and I just got back from doing
Lesson 29 exercises for Greek class tomorrow with
Shane. I seemed
destined to never get to before before midnight
again. Let me introduce you to this wonderful
language (and I mean that seriously, even though
I don't always feel like it. Besides, you can't
argue with God because it was His choice to
reveal the New Testament in Koine Greek). Or
maybe should I say, let me introduce you to the
bane of 1st year Greek students. Infinitives,
and participles.


They're bad enough in English, now Greek?! Come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Ryan


They're bad enough in English, now Greek?! Come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Ryan
Late Night
03/27/08 10:02 PM
Ahh, it was another late night here at GBS for a certain college student (yours truly). It was about 2 am when I rolled into bed. Can I be done yet? I'm ready for summer. But, it's good for me, and I'm learning a lot. Well, on to Greek. Were working on aorist participles right now...the fog is pretty thick right now. And I'm taking 2nd year Greek when I don't have to?! I need my head examined! Or in the words of Festus, "much learning doth make thee mad" (Acts 26:24).
Ryan
A Blizzard...in MARCH!
03/08/08 07:02 PM
We had blizzard conditions this weekend in Cincinnati. A snow emergency was declared and you could be arrested and fined $500 for driving on the roads anywhere in Hamilton County till noon today. It was pretty nasty! And, yes, I've lived in Michigan long enough to get a taste for what "nasty" is. Just when I thought Spring was around the corner! I have to preach tomorrow, I have a huge test Monday, I preach in class Tuesday. Ahh... I feel the crunch setting in. BUT "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Phil. 4:13) Remember this struggling college student in your prayers!
Ryan
Favorite Pictures from Choir Tour
03/08/08 05:23 PM
Here are a few of my favorite pictures from Choir
Tour '08. It would take too much time out of a busy
college student's life (with a huge Life of
Christ test Monday, I might add) to narrate each of
these pictures. So I simply post them for your
viewing enjoyment. However, if you wish, you might
try narrating them yourself, I'm sure that could be
quite amusing
Ryan




























Ryan




























And So It Ends/Begins
03/03/08 07:19 PM
Choir Tour 2008 is officially over. We returned
Sunday night from our last service. It was hard,
especially for the ones graduating or not returning.
Everyone went around to each other and said their
final goodbyes. Lot's of tears, lot's of hugs, lot's
of unity. But, now it's back to the grindstone. I
admit, it's probably going to take a small atomic
bomb to get me moving again. I just feel like
sleeping, and doing nothing for the next 2 months. Ah
well, for God and country.
Ryan
Ryan
Choir Tour
02/22/08 05:26 PM
It has been an action packed beginning for the '08
GBS Choir Tour. We left at 7:40 am Thursday morning
under very cold conditions. I eventually
fell asleep and woke up a few hours later to see the
front window of the bus covered in a solid sheet of
ice. So, the bus crept along at a the rate of a sloth
before all traffic eventually came to a dead halt.
The entire road was a solid sheet of ice! Ahead was a
hill that under normal conditions was small, but,
covered in ice, proved insurmountable. There was a
semi in the ditch, a car in the other ditch, and
traffic as far as the eye could see. A group of us
actually got out and "ice-skated" down the I65
freeway in Kentucky.


We were stuck there for about 3-4 hours before we eventually turned around and headed back to a truck stop to eat. It was packed! There were all kinds of people. In fact, there was a group of people from Campus Crusades for Christ there. We got to talking to the representative, and he told me that he was traveling with Andre Cole, the Christian illusiionist, and that he was sitting in the back booth. I found this so ironic as I had went to one of his shows about 10 years ago at the Christian Family Center. He is the one circled in the picture below.
We barely got to the service in time. We actually didn't even have time to change or set up risers or PA equipment. And so we sang, just as we were. But, the Lord came, and we had a tremendous service. After getting all packed up after the service we got on the bus and headed out. Unfortunately, we never made it out of the parking lot. After cutting a corner too sharp the back passenger tire ended up in a ravine, suspended off the ground. So, out go all the students and the guys get on the back of the bus and tried (in vain) to push it out. Alas, we returned to the church, hopelessly defeated. It was fun though just sitting around playing games, and talking.




A wrecker was called in and eventually the bus was loosed and we were on the road again. We got into Pell City, AL about 2 am Friday morning. The good thing was we got to sleep in the next day. What a blessing! We left at 7 am this morning from Pell City, and we are headed to Ocala, Florida. We have very nice weather so far, and you certainly don't need a coat! In the words of Mr. Davison, "We're suffering for Jesus!" Well, we stop in 11 miles to eat at (what else...) McDonalds. It seems that's all we ever do on tour, eat, eat, eat. I will try and post more later. See yah.
Ryan


We were stuck there for about 3-4 hours before we eventually turned around and headed back to a truck stop to eat. It was packed! There were all kinds of people. In fact, there was a group of people from Campus Crusades for Christ there. We got to talking to the representative, and he told me that he was traveling with Andre Cole, the Christian illusiionist, and that he was sitting in the back booth. I found this so ironic as I had went to one of his shows about 10 years ago at the Christian Family Center. He is the one circled in the picture below.
We barely got to the service in time. We actually didn't even have time to change or set up risers or PA equipment. And so we sang, just as we were. But, the Lord came, and we had a tremendous service. After getting all packed up after the service we got on the bus and headed out. Unfortunately, we never made it out of the parking lot. After cutting a corner too sharp the back passenger tire ended up in a ravine, suspended off the ground. So, out go all the students and the guys get on the back of the bus and tried (in vain) to push it out. Alas, we returned to the church, hopelessly defeated. It was fun though just sitting around playing games, and talking.




A wrecker was called in and eventually the bus was loosed and we were on the road again. We got into Pell City, AL about 2 am Friday morning. The good thing was we got to sleep in the next day. What a blessing! We left at 7 am this morning from Pell City, and we are headed to Ocala, Florida. We have very nice weather so far, and you certainly don't need a coat! In the words of Mr. Davison, "We're suffering for Jesus!" Well, we stop in 11 miles to eat at (what else...) McDonalds. It seems that's all we ever do on tour, eat, eat, eat. I will try and post more later. See yah.
Ryan
A Few Random Thoughts
01/15/08 06:25 PM
It's been a pretty slow start so far this semester. Three of my professors are actually in another country, so I really haven't started in three of my classes. Although, I must admit, I have felt guilty about not compensating for this by pushing all the harder in my other classes. Oh well, maybe I can store up this relaxation for later in the semester.
I've had a few thoughts that have been pestering me lately. Do we really think that God is good? Do we really think He has our best interest at heart? Do we really rely upon "grace through faith" for our salvation? Or do we subconsciously strive to 'earn' our salvation. I know that we've been thoroughly indoctrinated with the concept of the "gift" of salvation, and would quickly check the correct answer if asked 'how to receive salvation' on a test, but has it truly 'sunk in' yet? Or do we strive and struggle in a vain, subconscious attempt to earn God's favor. Have we accepted the fact that God loves us for who He made us to be, and there's nothing further we could do to make Him love us more? He loved us enough to die for us, while we were still sinners, is there any better way for Him to show His love to us? ("But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8)
Dr. Phil was talking in class the other day about Nahum 1:1-7. You really owe it to yourself to read that passage! Did you realize that God is jealous of you? Not in the negative way that we so often think of today, but jealousy, at its root, is a desire, an intense desire. So God intensely desires you! And as you read through the first 6 verses of that passage, and you visualize just how thunderous and powerful this God is, it can be almost terrifying. He rebukes the sea, and it dries up. Mountains quake in His presence and hills literally melt. His wrath is poured out like fire. But then you come to vs. 7, "The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble, And He knows those who take refuge in Him." Visualize God as Nahum 1:1-7 describes Him. See as He walks and moutains quake, and hills melt before Him. See the ferocity in His face as He pours out His wrath, but look closer. There is a follower of God, running for all he or she is worth, being pursued by the enemy, but he or she is running straight toward this Being Who turns the world upside down with His presence, because they know, that if they can just reach Him, they will be safe. (Psalm 18:10) And as the follower nears God he doesn't slow down, but barrels straight into Him, and is swallowed up in a haven of safety, and the enemy is forced to abandon its chase.
If I serve a God Who loves me enough to die for me while I was yet a sinner; if He is jealous of His relaitonship with me, then I have nothing to fear. I can stand unashamedly, I can work uninhibited, and I can live in peace knowing that I don't have to worry about earning my right to God, because He has provided the way, all I have to do is walk in it. Why on earth should I fear and worry about situations that I might face? If I truly believe that I serve such a powerful God, and that He intensely desires a relationship with me, then I can simply relax, go limp, and allow Him to work out His will in my life. It's kind of like a swimmer who is drowning. They're thrashing and struggling for all they're worth, trying desperately to stay afloat, but all the time unaware that the life guard is right there trying to rescue them, but is unable to help because they will not simply relax, and allow themselves to be rescued. Help me, Lord, to live with reckless abandon to You, being completely dependent on nothing but your love for me, and your intense desire to have a relationship with me.
Ryan
Ryan Turns Carpenter
09/01/07 12:37 AM
I ventured into a new area tonight, carpentry (yes, I
heard you chuckle as you saw my sorry excuse for an
entrance project). The fact of the matter is I don't
have enough space to hang my clothes so I am forced
to build myself a "closet/closerack". It's going to
be a double bar rack which will greatly help
with the space issue! I got it about half way done
tonight.




Revival at GBS
09/01/07 12:36 AM
Back to work, Back to school
08/23/07 11:46 AM
Well, the fun is over and it's back to the grindstone. Well, considering I worked all summer, did I ever leave it? Hmmm, questions that have no answer. Anyway, I am back at GBS and moved into my own room! What a blessing! I started my new job working for Dr. Brown on Tuesday. Things are going well, but I'll feel better once learn all the ins and outs involved with the position. But, I guess that will come with time. Things have been extremely busy since my return, and even now I am pressed for time so I must cut this short. I will try and post more later. Have a great day.
Ryan
The Student's Are Going Crazy!
05/27/07 11:14 PM
Graduation
05/27/07 11:05 PM

Yesterday (Saturday the 26) was the graduation service for GBS college and high school seniors. There was a large crowd! The auditorium was packed. I must admit viewing the ceremony with an ounce of envy, wishing it was my turn to walk across that platform, and have the next few years behind me. Ahh, well, this year has flown by, and I guess the next few will as well.
Ryan
The Beginning of Camp Meeting
05/22/07 11:28 PM
Camp Meeting started tonight here at GBS and will continue through Sunday. There are three speakers, including tonight's speaker, Dr. Paul Kaufman, and Dr. Wingrove Taylor, who is a regular speaker for the meeting, and Rev. Chris Cravens. Dr. Kaufman did a fantastic job tonight! I have a feeling we are in for some good preaching over the next few days!
Ryan
Concert on the Lawn
05/22/07 05:49 PM
Yesterday was GBS' Concert on the Lawn where the Symphonic Wind & String Ensemble performs works from a plethora of sources. Some of the music this year included the National Anthem, selections from The Phantom of the Opera, and Oklahoma. They did a superb job! It was well attended, and I, for one, thoroughly enjoyed it!
Ryan
It's OVER!
05/17/07 10:25 AM
Last D Group
05/14/07 09:50 PM
Cramming in the Cafateria
05/14/07 09:32 PM
Tonight was officially declared a study night into the cafeteria for exams tomorrow. They had snacks and a lot of students with worried, stressed out, bleary eyed, crazed looks on their faces incoherently chanting things like "T.S. Elliot wrote The Wasteland....T.S. Elliot wrote The Wasteland...T.S. Elliot wrote..." As I write this I am sitting by the British Literature table, remind me not to take that class, it sounds like a lot of work. The snack pile has been depleted, the caffeine is running low, the students are dropping like flies. Keep the GBS students in your prayers this week, they're going to need it!
Ryan
The End is in Sight!
05/14/07 08:45 PM
\
There are only three days of school left! I am now finished with four classes, and have two more to go. I finished my Doctrine of Holiness class today. I actually don't have any exams tomorrow! So my next exam will be Discipleship/Small Groups on Wednesday, followed by Principles of the Christian Life II on Thursday. Then, the push on through Camp Meeting and then... FREEDOM! I can make it, I can make it, I can make it....
Ryan
There are only three days of school left! I am now finished with four classes, and have two more to go. I finished my Doctrine of Holiness class today. I actually don't have any exams tomorrow! So my next exam will be Discipleship/Small Groups on Wednesday, followed by Principles of the Christian Life II on Thursday. Then, the push on through Camp Meeting and then... FREEDOM! I can make it, I can make it, I can make it....
Ryan
Recent Choir Outing
05/04/07 06:18 PM

We had two choir performances yesterday, drawing to a close choir for the 06/07 school year. We have one more performance at camp meeting in a couple weeks, but that's it. We basically no longer have choir practice the rest of the year. The first event was for the National Day of Prayer, in which we sang on the steps of the court house. They had various people gives prayers on a plethora of topics. It was a really neat experience. That evening we had our most important performance yet, oratorio. We performed Handle's Messiah at a large church downtown. We were backed up by the orchestra, in which several professional musicians were hired to play as well. It was a really neat experience!
Ryan
GBS Spring Picnic
04/26/07 01:11 PM
Tuesday was the annual GBS Spring Picnic, in which there are no classes for the day and all the faculty, staff, and students go to a nearby park. It was a beautiful day! There were many activities. From softball and footbal to unicycling and rowboating, we had it. I spent a long time out on the lake with Megan and a couple of friends rowing around. We were occasionally 'attacked' by some fellow GBS'ers who were the 'pirates' of the lake and went around stealing peoples shoes off their boats and delivering them to other GBS'ers. It was a lot of fun! If you would like to see some pictures of it simply go here. Enjoy!
Ryan
Awesome Play Put On By GBS
04/23/07 02:40 PM
Friday evening the drama club at GBS put on an amazing production centered around the life of the great missionary Lottie Moon. It was not only phenomenal from a technical standpoint, but it was spiritually impacting as well! It was carried out with great precision and everyone was thoroughly impressed. I really hope they travel with it!
Ryan
VIP Day
04/23/07 02:35 PM
I arrived back from IHC Thursday night to go straight into shooting picture for VIP Day at GBS. VIP Day is simply a time when people interested in coming to GBS can come and look at our school and gain some information. It was a very busy time with 174 VIP'ers on campus! But it was a lot of fun, and it went very smoothly. This was Mr. Makcen's first year as student recruiter and he has simply done a phenomenal job organizing and drawing people in.
Ryan
Awesome Chapel
03/15/07 06:51 PM
For those of you who remember the Terri Schiavo case, you may remember another name connected with the event, and that is David Gibbs III. Mr. Gibbs is a part of the Christian Law Association (CLA) and was the chief lawer assigned to the case. For chapel today we had Dr. Gibbs speak about the case and what the real story is. We heard a much different account of what happened than what the media presented to us. By the media she was presented as a (to put it bluntly) brain dead vegetable being kept alive by machines. When in reality this was not at all the case. She was handicapped, yes, but she was just as alive as any of us. She squealed with joy every time her parents came to see her. She liked music. She let the doctors know when she needed things like Tylenol or Aspirin. The only thing she could not do on her own to keep her body healthy was feed herself because her hands were not coordinated to that degree. It is truly an amazing story about the struggle to save this woman's life that stirred a nation, from the grassroots level, to the White House. Afterwards he gave everybody there a free copy of the book he wrote explaining the story in greater detail. This is truly one of the blackest marks on American history, and one which should never be forgotten.
Ryan
P.S. For more information on the book go here.
The Reason for My Absence
03/04/07 08:54 PM
Sorry for the recent lack of updates, but I was on choir tour as of 2/22. It has been very enjoyable, and God has really been helping. Having said that, I think we are all very, very tired, and looking forward to getting back on campus. We traveled through many different states. Namely Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, West Virginia, Indiana, and Ohio. We have traveled a lot of miles with our knees on our chest in the "Big Bus." But it has truly been a great experience, and I am glad I went. We have one more service tonight around 30 min. from the school and then the tour is officially over. Again, sorry for those dwindling few of you who may have checked my blog expecting it to be updated.
Ryan
A Few Highlights from Choir Tour
03/04/07 04:30 PM
Deja Vu
02/13/07 10:14 PM
Could it be? Another snow day?! YES! God truly is good to the students of GBS
Ryan
Snow Day!
02/13/07 01:20 PM
Is it true? Could my prayers have been answered?! YES! It is a snow day! I NEEDED a snow day! Although it would probably be more appropriate to call it an ice day. We are receiving a lot of rain here in Cincinnati that is already enveloping the trees in ice. It is absolutely beautiful! It's supposed to continue till around 7:00 P.M. from what I'm told. However, the day will pretty much be spent on all the back homework and current homework I still need to do. I was able to get a decent amount of sleep last night which I am very grateful for! Well, back to Doctrine of Holiness notes!
Ryan
P.S. If any of you photographers were wondering how I took my camera out into the pouring rain, I took a garbage bag, ripped a hole for the lens and a whole for the viewfinder, and wallah, a weather proof container.
It...Is...COLD!
02/04/07 08:57 AM
I was told that it would be cold outside, but, come on! This cold?! The SWSE (band) was supposed to go out today using the bus, but when they woke up this morning they found that the brake lines on the bus had frozen solid! They were forced to load everyone, and everything, into a caravan of vans. What an experience! It is definitely "bone chilling" cold in Cincinnati today! As you'll notice the fountain has literally inches of ice on it. It does make for good ice skating though! I trust you're staying warm!
Ryan
Pretty Good Day
02/01/07 06:18 PM
Hey everyone, Not too much to say, just haven't checked in with you all for a while so I thought I would give you a quick update. I had a very hectic day today with a test and a quiz back to back. I stayed up till after 1:00 A.M. this morning studying for the test and was still very shaky on it. However, I prayed and asked God for His help and He most certainly came through! While I did not get a 100% on the test, I at least passed it with an acceptable grade. I also received a good grade on the quiz. I am finding more and more that when my back is against the wall I can turn to Him for strength and guidance. He has always been faithful to pull me through, even when I may not have given the "best" performance beforehand. It's so amazing that even though we may have a hard time believing, He is faithful to us (2 Timothy 2:13). May God's presence saturate your day, and may you follow His will in every nuance of your life.
Ryan
Finally Snow!
01/21/07 01:55 PM
Our prayers have finally been answered, and snow has arrived to the GBS campus! I was overjoyed when I awoke this morning to behold the wondrous scene of a snow laced fountain! Because of the suddenness of the snowfall they decided to let GBS students stay on campus for the morning. So, on top of the inherently wonderful snow, we also were able to sleep in for a serene hour or so. I have tried to take a lot of pics which you can see here. Ahh, life on GBS campus is good today!
Ryan
Revival Draws to a Close
01/14/07 03:55 PM
I think the entire campus was a little disheartened to see revival come to an end Friday night. It was an amazing service and the the presence of God was palpable. Numerous people received help throughout the revival including myself. I was challenged to dig in deeper spiritually, and my spiritual life has flourished because of it. He is so good!
Ryan
First Night of Revival
01/08/07 10:33 PM
Tonight was the official start of a week long revival here at GBS with the Rev. Duane Quesenberry. He did a phenomenal job tonight, and I was deeply challenged. Please be in prayer for us during this revival that God's presence would move on our campus in a fashion we have not seen for years, but more importantly that issues would be settled, and the lives of the GBS students would be impacted for eternity.
Ryan
Night Out At GBS
01/05/07 11:03 PM
Some friends and I ventured out into the blistering cold (ha ha) weather tonight to the Newport area. They have a bookstore there with a balcony where I was able to take some cool shots. We then walked across the Purple People Bridge and circled back on a parallel bridge. It was a blast and alot of fun was had by all.
Ryan
It's Tear Down Time
01/05/07 10:54 PM
It's Done!
12/17/06 11:20 PM
Almost Done
12/14/06 05:28 PM
Picture of the Christmas Program
12/09/06 02:24 PM
Since I can't take pictures of the Christmas play I
found a picture of it on Malcom's blog for you to
see. Enjoy!
Click Here
Ryan
Ryan
First Night of the Christmas Play
12/08/06 11:46 PM
Busy Time
12/07/06 08:00 AM
Sorry for the long gap in updates! With the Christmas program tomorrow, and finals less than a week away, busy is not an adequate adjective!! Still, things are moving along relatively smoothly without any major hiccups...so far. But finals week will be grueling! I can't wait for Christmas vacation!! I will be leaving sometime Friday afternoon. Well, I have another class in a few minutes so I better get going. Have a good day!
Ryan
Christmas Time
11/19/06 10:24 PM
It's hard to believe that Christmas time is getting so close! We are really starting to get into the Christmas spirit here at GBS. To start with we decorated the Christmas tree last Wednesday (for a few pictures visit the Photography page). The entire campus is starting to sprout garland and wreaths galore! Not only that, but many of the radio stations are switching over to Christmas music. It really hit me today how much I am looking forward to Christmas, and yes, even snow. I will, however, sorely miss my snow days for school this year
Narration Tryouts
11/13/06 03:59 PM
About a week ago in choir Mr. Wolf read off my name
with about 6 other people, and asked to meet with us
after choir. So I nervously waited through choir
wondering what it would all be about. When choir was
finished Mr. Wolf announced to us that he would like
us to audition for the narration parts in the
Christmas program. "Yeah right!" I laughed inwardly
knowing that there would be no way I would get
chosen. I was, however, very excited at the
opportunity and honor of being chosen. Well, needless
to say, Monday (today) rolled around and I went down
to the tryouts with the rest of the group. Some,
however, had decided not to audition because of time
restraints on their schedule. So, we all got up and
went through our speeches and left; returning to
choir. A few minutes later Mrs. Potteiger came up and
beckoned me off the risers. "This is a callback" she
said as we walked down the stairs toward the chapel.
When I got there they asked if I had any previous
acting experience, so I told them that I had competed
in Famous Speech in the A.C.E. Student Convention. So
instead of running through the Christmas lines again,
they asked me to go through my speech. That
completed, they told me they enjoyed it and I left
again. An hour or so later, another one of the people
auditioning, Brandon Hilligos, called me and told me
we were to meet in the chapel again. So I headed down
once more to the chapel, not sure what to expect. But
imagine my excitement (and nervousness) when I was
informed that Brandon and I had been chosen to be the
narrators for this years Christmas play! I pray God
will give me the wisdom and strength to perform this
part as it should be done for His glory!
Ryan
Ryan
Late Night
11/11/06 01:38 AM
Hey Everybody, It is currently 1:38 AM and I am
sitting in the lounge with Seth and Darren wasting
time on our computers. Fun, Fun. I did however have
an enjoyable evening at the Cincinnati Symphony
Orchestra. They are simply amazing! The concert went
for about 2 1/2 hours, but the time flew! If your
ever in Cincinnati try and take time to see them.
Well, I guess that's it for now.
Ryan
Ryan
Choir Tour
11/10/06 04:52 PM
We
got back from choir tour at 11:30 Sunday (11/5)
night. What a blast! We traveled down to
Pennsylvania and went to three God’s Missionary
churches, Lebanon, Beavertown, and New Columbia.
It is always interesting when you get over 50
college students on a bus for 20+ hours! There
are a lot of interesting little stories that
came out of it. One of the highlights of the
trip was our visit to Hershey’s Chocolate World.
While the theme park was closed for the season,
we were able to ride through an artificial tour
of the chocolate making process. A good time was
had by all. I put a new batch of photos from the
trip in the
Photography
main page
. Well, I guess that’s it for now. Will post more
soon.
Ryan
Christmas Set Construction
11/10/06 04:14 PM
It's hard to believe that in less than a month we will be having our annual GBS Christmas Program! The choir is busy preparing and trying to learn all these new songs. We are singing a song from Handles Messiah...difficult is not a strong enough adjective! I spent some time today observing Mike and Nathan today as they take care of the set construction and lighting. It's much harder than it looks! I am getting excited about the program. If all the work that we are putting into it is any gauge by which to judge the performance, it should be spectacular!
Ryan











