“and by His wounds we are healed”

I have such great news!  Last Friday I went to the Wound Management Center at the hospital for my weekly checkup.  It was just a normal Friday morning for me, getting up really early and going to the doctor and getting back to my room right as most people around campus were waking up.  But this turned out to be my last appointment!!! I received my discharge papers and my “graduation from the wound center” certificate.    I am healed!  No more open wound!  The skin is really really thin and will take up to a year to completely thicken and be “normal.”  So I just have to continue to use gauze to protect it.  But I am so over-joyed that my wound has healed.

This has been such a long and painful process.  It has been an entire year of weekly doctor visits, sugeries, excrutiatingly painful healing processes, and major bonding between my parents and I, my doctors and I, and Cory and I.  I wouldn’t want anyone at all to go through all I’ve gone through this past year.  And I pray that I will never forget the pain, because it has truly strengthened me and encouraged me to know that I can get through anything!  I can never forget the lessons that I have learned.  I will probably never know why I have had to go through everything I did, until I am in the presence of my Lord.  But I do know that the initial reason for that first happening a year ago, was God’s way of getting my attention and teaching me to slow down and not be so busy.  If I ever begin to over commit myself, which I am so prone to do, I need to think back to this past year, and the way God taught me to slow down, to cut back on things, and not be overly committed.

I may never understand why I had to trudge through this specific valley, but I have come to appreciate and be thankful for the way God has allowed me to have an entirely new perspective on the words “by His wounds we are healed,” and “His wounds have paid our ransom.”  These phrases we so easily sing (or read in Scripture), I can no longer sing (or read) without getting completely choked up and overwhelmed.  It is truly humbling.  I have had a small taste of what it was like for Christ Jesus to have wounds, and just this small taste (that in no way comes close to comparing to what He endured) has given me a new and fresh love for Him and an entirely new and fresh outlook on what He went through.  And for that I am eternally grateful.  And because of that, I would go through it all again.

~Sarah

Break Me of My Pride…

Well it has been a busy and overwhelming past couple of weeks.  We had registration for winter and spring courses, and with that comes many hours of trying to organize what classes to take when and so much more.  I met with my advisor for the first time a couple weeks ago to introduce myself and go over the classes I transferred and what all I need to take here.  And well if I do want to continue to major in English, in order to teach high school, I found out that I would also have to have a minor in Education and apply to be in the Teacher Education Program, while also minoring in Christian Studies.  At first, I saw no problem on graduating “on time” in just four years, May 2010.  But, I forgot the fact that if I do want to pursue education, the last semester of my senior year I have to student teach and not take any courses that semester.  I had tech prep credits from West Orange, about 8, that did not transfer over; and on top of that Valencia did not require sciences with labs, and Union does so, so both Cory and I have to retake sciences and do them with a lab.  I also have to do some physical education courses.  So all in all, I have a lot of courses to take, and I’m not exactly sure when I will graduate, maybe a semester later in the fall of 2010 or a year later in the spring of 2011.  And as I initially thought about this, I couldn’t even conceive it.  I did not, and still do not, want to graduate “later” than I should.  I never even considered graduating anytime after May of 2010.

And then I realized something.  I completely love school.  I love Union, the professors here, the faculty and stuff, and all that I am learning.  To study under such amazing men and women of God who are so wise and have so much knowledge, as well as humility, is such an awesome thing that I do not take for granted and its something that I truly enjoy.  So why would I not desire to spend more time here (other than of course finances).  And I’ve come to see that it’s my pride.  I don’t want to graduate past 2010 because of what other people will say or what others will assume.  I don’t want people to look down on me or see themselves as better than me.  I don’t people to see me as weak or dumb or as someone who doesn’t try or doesn’t work hard.  I don’t want people to look down on me, to make fun of me, to belittle or discredit or undervalue me.  And it all comes down to pride.  I don’t mind here at Union longer than I anticipated, if anything that is a blessing, but I care too much about what people think.  My pride tells me that I can’t stay here, that I can’t be here any longer than next May.  My pride stands tall and I tell myself that I don’t want to be here any longer than 2 years, that I can’t be here any longer than 2 years.

I’m so glad that I have a God that loves me enough to break me of my pride.  I’m so glad God gives believers the Holy Spirit, who convicts our hearts when we stray from the ways of the Lord.  As my pride in this area has led my heart to not align with the heart of our Almighty God, my prayer has been that God would break me of my pride.  And He is and will continue to.  Please pray for me as this will be a daily struggle and battle.

~Sarah

Campus and Community Day

Well this past Wednesday, Nov. 5th, was Day of Remembrance, Campus and Community Day here at Union University.  This is an annual thing Union does, ever since 2002.  This tradition has been going on for six years since a tornado hit the campus in 2002.  I’m sure it was devastating then, but it was nothing compared to what Union went through this past February.  Anyway, in fall of 2002, spring of 2003 and most recently, Feb of 2008, tornadoes came through Union and Jackson, TN.  God has done mighty things through each of those times.  One thing that has happened is that Union sets apart one day in the fall and students and faculty and staff go into the community and serve.  We didn’t have any classes on Wednesday, and there were tons of different things you could sign up to do, whether off campus or on campus.  It is so awesome to be part of a community that serves and gets involved with the city its in.  It’s not required for you to do anything that day, some students just enjoy the day of rest.  But about 800 students (we have about 3,400 here) served in the community.  And its so awesome that they willingly took the day to serve.  All the students have crazy busy schedules and most of them could have been doing so many other things, so to see so many students come together and serve is humbling and awesome.  Cory and I went to First Baptist Church of Jackson and helped in the student room.  It is a small group of us that went there and we tore up carpets, painted brick walls, sanded down walls, threw trash out, took stuff to the storage unit, and stuff like that.  I really enjoy doing stuff like that, so it was lots of fun for me.  It was great to be able to help a local church out.  We made new connections with people and enjoyed working hard.  I’m so glad to be part of this community and so humbled to serve our awesome and powerful and majestic and holy God!

~Sarah

Where To Begin

Well, I guess I can begin with…well Obama is President-Elect. I know to some people that just brings a slight pain to their hearts (not only their hearts, but their wallets…). But since i’m on the topic of our wallets…I have heard people say that they don’t want money to be in the hands of President Obama. I say…excuse me? Whos money? Being a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ (in rock paper sissors, Lord always beats President) it is not my money or anybody elses money. Even if they don’t know it yet. The Lord is sovereign. He knows all and sees all and makes all. And nothing….i mean nothing goes by him. In view of the latest presidency vote Obama was put into position for a reason. (maybe to bring all his people together to pray for the sake of this country)

Well what has been troubling me recently is the christian faith, I mean religion, I don’t have any doubt that my Saviour is real and presently here in this room. The Holy Spirit is an amazing thing. But, I have a problem with the notion that they can do anything they want. The Lord is a forgiving God, but He will spit you out of his mouth (Rev. 3:16). One thing that constantly has popped up int he country is abortion and this is a touchy subject and I of course do not believe in the killing of them, so all my views of course will be against. And yes I am bringing religion into this. A baby, what is a baby, a tiny human. When does life begin? Ok big question there huh? Well to us (corrupted us) life beings when people tell us. But to God when does life begin before you are born. In Psalm the writer is saying how He saw his unformed body. God is outside of time and space, In John chapter 1:1 we are confronted with the Word becoming flesh. Before time Jesus was with God. So God was wayyyy before time. A.K.A. Genesis 1:1.

So God is outside of time and space and knows all the days of our lives. So how can a child unborn be not of importance? Does God not weep everytime He sees His love being trampled on? God knows and sees the future of everyone, even that child who “can’t think for itself.” I have heard some people talk of how since the baby is completly dependent on the mother that they should be able to do what ever you want with it. Kill it or anything…so a mentally challenged kid who is completly dependent on a mother, can she just kill him? I know.

Now we have to be behind our country and our President since the Lord has put him there. But what I can’t understand is the fact that a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ can vote for someone with views such as abortion and same-sex marriage. I just don’t know what Jesus they are following or what Bible they are reading. I know that a canidate would probably have some very delicious options for the economy or something like that, but with the views of legalizing abortion, it should defer a ‘Christian” away. And letting their voice be heard in a different light. Lettng thier voice be heard by agreeing with the canidate but not voting because of the abortion, and I am not saying this because they should just vote Democrat or Republican, vote for someone else, write in, it don’t matter. I don’t know if anybody who voted for Obama was christian or not, but i am just letting you know the view of a servant of Christ who is trying to make his way through a broken, Satan reigned world. Its hard.

I don’t know if I am making sense, or anything, it is 11:33 and I am tired. But in my weakness I find strength in Him.

Ahhh the Church, good old church. Acts 4;32-35. Read, take in, enjoy the Truth at its best. Wow, what a picture huh? The church being what God intened it to be (well at least in one aspect, the church is a very fully functioning body, its very enjoyable). I don’t like to mingle with the poor. That is the truth. I will do it sometimes to make me feel better, but I can’t trust my feelings, they are fleeting. I don’t think i do nearly enough for someone in need. Do I think the church is doing enough for somebody in need? Well its a tough question. I think we can do better, I don’t think we are doing nothing. But this nation doesn’t need it, if the church would be herself. And she did not change, we did. Anyway, just something to think about.

Also, another great topic, the emergent church. I pray that you find this book at a book store Why We Are Not Emergent (By Two Guys Who Should Be) By Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck. The authors came and spoke at Union and they brought something that shook my whole foundation as a believer. The emergent church is a hard thing to tell you about, but it has to do about Rob Bell, and a disscusion that is taking place. In Florida it is all around us, in us. This is what I grew up on, but now, its different. I am questioning things more, but not to find fault, but to find truth. but I am currently reading that, and it is about 15 dollars and I am going to try and post up things about the book and about my feelings toward it. I didn’t even know the emergent movement was going on, but it is a real as sliced bread.

Well it seems my time is up here, I have to get going on important school stuff (watch last nights Heroes or Prison Break). Oh by the way 24 is about to come back on for I think just one day though. Weird.

- Cory

Triumphing over Laundry

Well today is going to be a crazy day.  I need to stay focused and get everything done I need to do.  And so far so good.  I just finished my laundry!  And that may sound like nothing too big, but between all the girls living in the Heritage complex, we have 5 washers and 5 dryers.  And it’s Saturday, you just don’t do your laundry on Saturday, it gets crazy in the laundry room on Saturdays!  But I got mine done, and it’s just such a feeling of relief and triumph.  And now I can start my day and get everything else I need to get done, done.  It’s just such an accomplishment to get all the wash done.  This paper I have to write today should be a breeze compared to the chaos and madness of the laundry room

~Sarah