food in my belly!

Have you ever complained about your meal in a restaurant because it wasn't what you exactly ordered? Or maybe it was too cold? Maybe it was from some fast food joint and you opened the package only to see a bit taken out of the burger! Yikes! I know I have been found guilty of these types of complaints. But of course being a Christian I always place and "Thank-you" or "Please" at the end of it. :) Also, in times past I have been concerned if I did not get at least two meals a day. Well...this past week I have had a change of heart. This change of heart has come from two influences. One - we are taking a group of about 15 students to Haiti this May. As a result, I have researched the country and what we will be doing there.

Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere. There is little food and clean water. So in studying this trip we are about to go on, I have become more concerned about my attitude towards my meals or how many times I get to eat each day. And secondly, I ran across a news article this past week that talks about an Haitian woman resorting to eating mud/dirt because she has nothing else to eat! If that doesn't change your attitude about your eating habits, then you need to check yourself into a monestary or something. No but really, this has caused me to be thankful for what I am given and not want more. I have been attentive to not wasting food or water. I hope we can minister to these people when we get over there. Maybe you too need to go out and buy some tupperware and be content with whatever you have. Please pray for Haiti.

Spring Lecture Series at MBU '08

As many of you know we just completed our spring lecture series. For the ones who do not know what this is - SLS is a 3 day chapel event. During these 3 days a guest speaker comes to our campus and speaks during the chapel time to the entire student body. Our guest speaker, Richard Hight, really brought the house down! He is an award winning artist and sculptor. As he spoke he began drawing huge chalk drawing relating to his talk. On the third day he molded 100.00 pounds of clay into a bust of Christ as he explained the Gospel. Needless to say everyone's attention was on him all three days. Richard was a great public speaker - honest, serious, funny, heartfelt. Because of his honest heart, the students really opened up and seeked the Lord. What was one aspect of this series that stood out to me - you ask? Well, being that I love to study theology, I really enjoy a great expository talk. (John Piper is one of my favorite speakers if that tells you anything) But Mr. Hight did not bring that kind of essense to the stage. Instead he brought honesty and the simple Gospel. This is the point I want to talk about. The bible teaches that the Gospel is the only thing that truly changes lives. It is by no awesome speaker that persuades others with their great rhetoric. Paul talks about this in 1Co 2:4,"My words and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power." Charismatic speakers can provoke someone to make a decision and feel an experience. But it is the speakers with a simple message about the Gospel, or ones that teach/preach the Word as it should be, that give a powerful message for God to work. This is the type speaker Richard is. And it showed on that stage. And students responded to God and not Richard. God moved and students responded. I thank God for His work among our campus. I am thankful to be able to serve such a great student body. Spartans! You are awesome!