Thankful

Wow, what a day! Loaded to the gills with schoolwork, I wasn’t sure how it was going to get done. Scheduled to teach this evening, I still had quite a bit of prep work to do, so I skipped one of my classes this morning. I made it down to the Seminary in time for my 11:30 class. I still hadn’t studied a lick of Hebrew before my 1:00 class, and was prepared to just drop the daily quiz (you are given two “drops” during the semester that won’t get factored into your final grade). Lo and behold, she didn’t have a quiz for us! Hot dog! Swamped and behind, and not penalized as expected. Thank you, Lord!

Class went well tonight. We talked about legalism first hour, and Wesleyanism second hour. Such fun, but I sure am tired. Goodnight.

CBS

As a part of my internship, I have the privilege of doing some student teaching. DTS has a lay institute called the Center for Biblical Studies (CBS) through which they offer classes to anyone interested. The faculty consists mainly of academic ministry majors (like myself) who are seeking experience in the classroom.

So far, the class has been a delight. We have ten students. I say, “we” because I am team-teaching this class with my close friend, John Buerger. The class is ten weeks long, and meets on Tuesday evenings from 6:45-9:30. I’m teaching the first five weeks; John will teach the second five weeks. The class is called Spiritual Life, and deals with topics related to walking with the Lord. My part consists of biblical and systematic theology related to the spiritual life; John’s part is on the practice side of things (spiritual disciplines, etc.).

Thanks to those who have been praying. Please continue to do so. The prep time for these lectures has put me a bit behind in my regular studies. It’s so worth it! And I am thankful to the Lord for the experience, and for the affirmation of my gifting and calling.

End of the Spear

So, right after I posted about rarely going to the movie theater, we went on Saturday to see End of the Spear. The $16 price tag (after a $1 student discount) reminded me that I could own the DVD for the same price! Anyway, we went with a group of young adults from church, and we had a good time. The movie depicts the events following the murder of five missionaries to Ecuador in the 1950s. If you’ve read Through Gates of Splendor or Shadow of the Almighty, this movie essentially picks up where those stories leave off. The movie is well done, more emotionally compelling that I was expecting. One of the difficulties I had while reading the book (Shadow of the Almighty) was imagining how volatile and truly dangerous this Ecuadorian tribe ("Waodani," formerly "Auca") really was. The film filled in the gap. The story of reconciliation is phenomenal, a testimony of the power of the Gospel. If you’ve read the books, I recommend the film. If you’ve seen the film, I definitely recommend Shadow of the Almighty, as it will give you a glimpse into the heart of Jim Elliot. This book is essentially his journal and correspondence arranged into a biography by his wife, Elisabeth. My World Missions prof said he reads it every year. After reading it myself, I can see why!

March of the Penguins

Diedra and I rented March of the Penguins Thursday night. (These days we rarely see anything in the theaters due to cost…so, I’m commenting on a film that most people were commenting on a long time ago...Oh well.) I loved it. If you haven’t seen it, go rent it. You’ll be amazed. If you aren’t amazed, you should probably check to see if you can still fog a mirror.:-) God is so creative! The paradox of a beautiful world gone wrong is blatant. The symmetry is poetic, and I remain stunned at the strength of the faith some of my friends still have in time + chance. Perhaps I ought to be more stunned at the grace shown to me.