Another semester has begun!

By the way, I'm back at Ouachita Hills College, starting the first semester of my sophomore year as an education major. I love my classmates and teachers, and am excited about all my new classes! I am thoroughly enjoying meeting all the new students and hearing everyone's summer experiences.

This weekend we will be enjoying our beginning-of-the-semester retreat at Camp Yorktown Bay. The time of spiritual refreshing is the best way I can think of to start each semester.

On Sunday the academy students will arrive for registration. My girls will soon be here! :) Yes, I am the assistant dean for the academy girls again this year. I can hardly wait to see the returning girls and meet the new ones!

I am so excited to see what the Lord does this semester!

To be continued...

Birthday Thoughts...

So, as of this past Sunday, I'm another year older. Almost a quarter of a century old. :) I hope and pray that this year will bring opportunities to grow more like my Savior and to share Him with others.

Another year has come and gone.

What has its burden been?

With what have its days and weeks been filled?

What has each moment seen?

Have I improved each heaven-sent

And golden opportunity?

Have I made the most of each blessing lent

And lived my Christianity?

Have I wasted my precious moments of time;

And instead of living, was I content to mime?

Another year of life has passed.

Its record through eternity will last.

Another year is coming new.

What will its burden be?

With what will I fill each day and week?

What will each moment see?

Lord, help me each day to gain some ground,

To make the victories mount.

I want to reflect Christ's image sweet,

To make each moment count.

So, I finally have time (and internet access!) to update this blog with a few stories from my canvassing experience this summer. Enjoy!

As I was approaching a cycle shop, I saw two gentlemen get into a pickup truck and get ready to leave. The little voice whispered to me, “Go talk to those men and start with a Great Controversy!” As I walked up to the truck, I was trying to think what to say to stop them before they drove away. Suddenly, the passenger saw me and called out, “Hey there, young lady. Whatcha got?” As soon as I started showing them the Great Controversy, Scott (the passenger) told me how he believed that Jesus is coming soon and that God is preparing a group of people to meet Him. He continued telling me that he wants to be ready to meet Jesus and be part of that group of people that God will use to prepare others to meet Him, too. He was so excited over the Great Controversy. When I mentioned free Bible studies, Scott's response was, “Oh yes! I love studyin' the Bible every chance I get! I join every Bible study I can! Sign me up!” I love meeting those souls who are hungering and thirsting for truth!

One couple was very interested in the books I had. The lady finally chose Ministry of Healing and a DVD on Daniel 9 and the prophecies about Jesus' first coming. When she went to get some money, I heard her tell her husband, “Maybe she's an angel, honey! I think she might be.” After bringing me a $20 donation, she said, “My husband said he'd be right back. He wants to give you a donation, too.” Just then, her husband came back – with a $100 bill! I'm definitely not an angel, but I love working with them!

A couple kids were playing outside and wanted to know what I was doing. One girl, 9-year-old Piper, loved the cookbook, but her mom wouldn't buy it. However, Piper really wanted to come with me, so her mom gave her permission to go with me up to a certain house. She loved knocking on the doors, showing the people the cookbook, and leaving the Bible study cards in the doors. Before she left, I let her choose which of the kids' books she wanted. She chose Prince of Peace, the story of Jesus.

The Happiness for Life (Steps to Christ) booklets have a picture on the front of a hummingbird drinking from a hibiscus flower. One lady I canvassed had rejected me on all the other books, so I started to show her the "Happy D," as we call it. Before I could say anything about it, her face registered shock and excitement. “I have almost that same picture tattooed on my shoulder blade! I've got to have that one! I'll be right back!” She came back with $5 in quarters, asking “Is this enough? I've got to have that book! It must be a sign from God for me!” The Lord sure uses some strange ways sometimes!

“The value of a soul, who can estimate? Would you know its worth, go to Gethsemane, and there watch with Christ through those hours of anguish, when He sweat as it were great drops of blood. Look upon the Saviour uplifted on the cross. Hear that despairing cry, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" Look upon the wounded head, the pierced side, the marred feet. Remember that Christ risked all. For our redemption, heaven itself was imperiled. At the foot of the cross, remembering that for one sinner Christ would have laid down His life, you may estimate the value of a soul.” – COL 196.4

Not all the stories had happy endings, though. I approached a man who had just driven up to his house. Before I could say anything, he held up his hand and said, “Your books and I won't mix. I'm going into my house to have a smoke. See, I've got my weed in my hand already.” And he held up his hand, showing me the joint. “No, your books and I won't mix.”

The truest value of a soul
Lord, who can estimate?
Can price be writ in terms of gold,
Of wealth or treasure great?
Not one of these can rightly tell
The value of one soul.
No ink can write, no pen can trace
The cost to make us whole.

What can we use as a measure true
The value of a soul to find?
Let's go to lone Gethsemane;
Picture it in your mind.
See the Savior kneeling there
The blood upon His face;
See Him as He prays for strength
To free the human race.

Now let's go to Calvary
And hear the mocking cries.
See the spotless Lamb of God
As for our sins He dies.
Here is the only place I find
Our value revealed to the human mind.

The only way to measure true
The value of one soul
Is to understand the cost that was paid
Just to make us whole.
The value of one human soul
Is the life of the Son of God.

Time for another post! I am spending the first five weeks of my summer break in Dayton, Ohio. "Why?" you may ask. Because I believe that Jesus is coming soon and there is much to do before He comes. I believe that our books contain truth that needs to be brought before the people. I want to make every moment count in light of eternity. I want to see souls in the kingdom of heaven because of my work this summer. And so I am canvassing. I've only been here two weeks, but I've seen God work in amazing ways. I'm sad I won't be canvassing the whole summer, but I know that God will make the rest of my summer just as useful to His work as the first part has been/will be. Working with Jesus is the most exciting adventure in the world!

The Lost

The Lost haunt me.

Their faces fill my dreams.

I cannot sleep.

Empty faces, crying faces, frightened faces –

They make me weep.

The Lost haunt me.

The Lost haunt me.

Their voices fill my night.

My ears ring.

Terror, anger, a child's anguished cry –

How can I sing?

The Lost haunt me.

The Lost haunt me.

Their eyes burn into mine.

My heart aches.

Angry eyes, hurt eyes, wicked eyes, tearful, fearful eyes –

My heart breaks.

The Lost haunt me.

The Lost haunt me.

I cannot forget them.

I must tell them of Jesus.

The Savior of the world, our soon-coming King,

The One who will not leave us.

The Lost haunt me.

The Lost haunt me.

Lord, my question is this:

What can I do

To heal their wounds, comfort their hearts, dry their tears –

How to lead them to You?

The Lost haunt me, Lord.

I know they haunt You, too.

What does your soul delight in? As I was pondering that question this afternoon, the answers came in the form of a poem. (I said last time that I love writing poetry!)

My soul delights in lovely things --
In tiny little flowers,
In the colors of a hummingbird's wings,
In the forest's leafy towers.

My soul delights in quiet things --
In the whisper of the wind,
In the crispness that makes the crickets sing,
In the scuttling clouds o'erhead.

My soul delights in lively things --
In swallows darting round the barn,
In children playing tag around the tree,
In a kitten tussling with my yarn.

My soul delights in mighty things --
The thunder's deep-toned roll,
The eagle, beating the air with its wings,
The surf, pounding against the rocks.

My soul delights in heavenly things --
In Jesus' precious love,
To join the angels as they sing
Their praise to Him above.

Someday I'll meet my Savior dear --
Purest delight 'twill be!
His voice, so sweet, will sound in my ear,
"My daughter, I delight in thee!"

Oh, how much I want my Savior to delight in me! I want to put a smile on His face with everything I do and say!

I love springtime! Spring is the time when Nature stirs from her winter's nap, stretches, and smiles again. What lessons we can learn from the little things all around us! This semester, in my English class, we've spent some time writing poetry. I've always loved poetry, and always enjoyed writing it. So having to do it as an assignment was wonderful! My creative juices have gotten flowing again, like the sap in the trees during spring, and I've been writing many more poems than I needed to for class. :) Here's one of them:

Conversation with a Bumblebee

One day amongst the clover blooms

I spied a bumblebee!

It seemed to me quite obvious

That he was watching me!

If you please, I'd like to know,

Just what you have to say.

“I speak of my Maker's tender care

Through each and every day.

“I'd tell you of His mighty power

Who blows the clouds on high,

Who dresses the little pansy flower,

And teaches the wind to sigh.

“If I could, I'd teach you well

Of Him who stirs the deep,

Who makes the ocean tide to swell,

Who rocks the birds to sleep.

“But you who have His Word so dear,

Why can you not perceive

That He who makes the sunlight clear

Will His dear ones receive

“As sons and daughters in His house?”

Yes, He who cares for bee,

For whale, for sparrow, and for mouse,

Will surely care for me!

As we go through our spring days, let's not forget the One who gave them to us. "God would have His children appreciate His works and delight in the simple, quiet beauty with which He has adorned our earthly home. He is a lover of the beautiful, and above all that is outwardly attractive He loves beauty of character; He would have us cultivate purity and simplicity, the quiet graces of the flowers." Steps to Christ pg. 85.