http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.youtube.com%252Fwatch%253Fv%253Dz2CEPBUi8nI&h=bfb954c6ab5c913f91c092330969d50a&ref=nf

Living in Boulder, I'm always so blown away how people cannot see the beauty of the flatiorns as God's creation. Rather, they're just the result of some magnificent explosion that was the result of the universe cooling....... Basically, by pure happenstance, this world was created.... Furthermore, my physics teacher told us this week that humans are simply a byproduct of dead, exploded stars. And if it were not for the remains of these stars, we humans wouldn't be around. Doesn't that make you feel good to know that there's no greater purpose for you and that we're just recycled material...?


God's creation is so magnificent and it blows me away how people see it as either a mistake or as pure chance that everything came together perfectly to create the world we have today. 


Piper writes in his book Taste and See a resolution that we should make in order to see God's creation for what it really is:


"I shall open my eyes and ears. Once every day I shall simply stare at a tree, a flower, a could, or a person. I shall not then be concerned at all to ask what they are but simply be glad that they are. I shall joyfully allow them the mystery of what Lewis calls their 'divine, magical, terrifying and ecstatic' existence."


In Him, for Him, and through Him,
Sam

5 weeks down, 47 ta go!

I'm still working on catching up on all of my reading, but will hopefully be up to date soon. As for this weeks' reading, enjoy!!


Feb 7: Ex 25-27
Feb 8: Ex 28-29
Feb 9: Ex 30-32
Feb 10: Ex 33-35
Feb 11: Ex 36-38
Feb 12: Ex 39-40
Feb 13: Lev 1-4


As we all go out to our daily lives, doing our own things, and interacting with a variety of different people, remember that everyone is alive, but not everyone truly LIVES. I fear I get lulled into a false sense of security here in my "cush" life and do not thank God enough for the awesome gift He has given us... Thank you Father for LIFE.

Uganda Trip Update

Well it's 12:09 AM Friday morning and I can't sleep, sooo... what better thing to do than read my Bible and post on our blog?


I received an email from Becky Watson, the woman leading the GRI missions trip, and she informed me that "door has been closed for the March dates[...]due to factors of cost, numbers of the team, and other in country logistics." The trip has been rescheduled for this summer, July 7-22.


Honestly... I thought I would've been more disheartened at the news of the trip's postponement. However, when I read the letter, my first reaction was that of peace rather than of angst or sadness. As I had explained in my previous post about this Uganda trip, there had been several complications leading up to the preparation for this trip as well as some inner turmoil about whether or not this was truly what God wanted me to do at this point in my life.


Well, as humans, dumb as sheep, sometimes we need God to point out his will to us "in plain English." I guess this is him, as Becky put, "closing the door" and I couldn't be more at peace about it. I do still feel led to go to Uganda, and whether that's with GRI or some other organization or whatever God has in store for me, I am comfortable in the knowledge that God's plan is God's plan.


After all, God's God. I'm not.

Persecuted Church Update

NIGERIA: CHRISTIANS KILLED

The Voice of the Martyrs contacts reported that the violence was triggered by a Muslim attack on St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Nasarawa Gwong, in the Jos North Local Government Area. “It appears to the Christians here that elements inside the Nigerian Muslim community actually prepare for events like this and then look for an incident which they can then escalate into a crisis. The intent is to drive Christians out of this area down to the south,” VOM contacts reported.

Church leaders said Muslim youths also attacked buildings belonging to the Christ Apostolic Church, Assemblies of God Church, three branches of the Church of Christ in Nigeria and the Evangelical Church of West Africa. On Jan. 18, authorities imposed a curfew, and the city is under the close control of Nigerian troops.

Hundreds of believers have reportedly been wounded. “We have been witnessing sporadic shootings in the last two days,” Rev. Chuwang Avou, secretary of the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria told Compass Direct News a few days after the attacks began. “We see some residents shooting sporadically into the air. We have also seen individuals with machine guns on parade in the state.” 
The Voice of the Martyrs has people on the ground in Nigeria assisting believers. VOM is providing medical assistance and other resources to those affected by the attacks. VOM has supported persecuted believers in Nigeria for more than 20 years. VOM also helps widows through the Family of Martyrs Fund and provides their children with free education. Pray that VOM contacts will be able to provide the spiritual encouragement and resources that believers in Nigeria need. Pray for peace and for the protection of believers