California pics

Here I am down on the pier. It was a little cold, but really nice.



This one reminds me of the footprints story. It was great to just walk down the beach. The surrounding cities around L.A. have really been neat to experience and learn from.

A Part of the Body

Back in August I posted something about a church that we visited in Georgia and how awesome it was. I would like to develop a series about the body of Christ. All over the world there are different parts all vital to the whole. If that church was an arm than the one we visited last night was the heart. What a privilege to see the body function in grace and love, the way it should.

I will talk about that in my next post and tell you about this wonderful place where I wish all of you could visit. I was just there for a couple of hours and wow, what a place to be welcomed in. I mean it, absolutely refreshing.

It will take me awhile to describe this place and bring it justice with my simple words.

So keep reading and watching. I'm going to bed.

God's Word Stands

The flying has stopped for now. After all the dust has settled, I have ended up in Los Angeles. The next tour starts tomorrow and I am looking forward to spending this time in California. I had a great time in Canada, but was relieved to get back to a warmer climate. All of this running around that I've been doing is taking a tole on me mentally and physically. However, the Lord is providing strength and grace in which I am undeserving.

Yesterday was my birthday and I received so many call and messages from friends and family that were really a blessing and encouragement. I am getting old fast. Today is my grandfather's birthday and I along with the rest of my family misses him because he died last August. So today was tough on my family. So the occasion reminded me of something that happened during his funeral.

My Dad had asked me to open up the funeral with an introduction and prayer. In the time leading up to the start of the funeral I was carrying around my Bible reading little verses and talking to family and friends. I believe the Lord led me to a chapter in Psalms. I had written down some things I wanted to say to everyone that was there. I thought I could maybe preach a little sermon, but Jesus had other plans. When things started and I began to speak. I said a couple things welcoming and thanking all for coming, then believed the Lord moved me to abandon my plans and just read the scripture. God's word would change people and stand forever with lasting effects. The tears and emotion began to build up and shortly overflowed beyond my control. I could not say what I wanted and with tears flowing asked the pastor to read this (bear with the length, for it is worth it).

I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.

Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.

The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow.

Then I called on the name of the Lord: "O LORD, save me!"

The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.

The LORD protects the simplehearted; when I was in great need, he saved me.

Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.

For you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the LORD in the land of the living.

I believed; therefore I said, "I am greatly afflicted."

And in my dismay I said, "All men are liars."

How can I repay the LORD for all his goodness to me?

I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.

I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.

O LORD, truly I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your maidservant; you have freed me from my chains.

I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the LORD.

I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people, in the courts of the house of the LORD- in your midst, O Jerusalem.

Praise the LORD.

Psalm 116

Thanks for reading, all five of you.

Love

No Hurry

Today was a day of delays and more delays. Praise the Lord for patience. I jumped from city to city and plane to plane just to make it to Birmingham, Alabama.
I miss being home. My time in Pennsylvania skiing was awesome. The area was so nice.

On the Road Again

Once again, thank you to those who read. Somehow we need to pass the word along to others, especially my family. I assume we all have computers.

Well, that's exactly where I am, on the road. The wheels on the bus are turning, the air is cold, and I have no idea where we are headed. I just know when we get there. This morning I flew into Missouri and joined the rest of the team. It was good to see all the guys and start pretty much right where we left off. The upcoming tour will be my longest away from home so far, something like 26 days. Rushing right back into life on the road is a little weird since I have been at home so long. I already miss my family. Today was pretty relaxing, just a prime opportunity to think about things and look at the stars as we drove through the hills of Arkansas. However I'm ready to get back to work. Bring it on.

Since the time gone is extended, obviously I will be visiting many different places. A lot of jumping around the country will take place. There will be some time in between for break that I will spend in Pennsylvania skiing and staying with Wade and his family. He is the other intern. I'm excited about that, especially skiing. I haven't been since high school.
Here are some destinations.

Covington, LA
Jackson, MS
Longview, TX
Birmingham, AL
Canada
Los Angeles, CA
San Francisco, CA
Chicago, IL

Some present thoughts.
Love the Lord, your God with all your mind.
They will know us by our love for one another.
We were once dead in our sins, like those lost who I look down upon.

Love, Jaret

A Fork in the Road

My time off is coming to an end.  It has been great, but it's time to get back to work and life on the road.  Hopefully I will make the transition smoothly again.  I realize though that the sleeping in I've been used to will be scarce.

I've enjoyed the time off with family and friends.  My brother will be going back to college all by himself.  I will miss him, we had the opportunity to spend lots of quality time together.  Of course we also acted like brothers do and fought with each other whenever possible.  It makes me smile.  He really enjoyed being back home and made the most of it.

So far nothing I've wrote had to do with a fork or a road, so I will get to that.

I knew at the end of college I would be traveling with the ministry, so I didn't worry much about what my next step would be.  I knew that I would not be making the big step into the business world quite yet.  That time will come soon.  Looking a little farther ahead though I was unclear on what would happen next.  I was trusting the Lord to guide and direct my path which he did.  He is always faithful.  The time is approaching when I will have to make some decisions on whether to go back to school and work full or part time.  Another opportunity to trust fully in the King of the Universe.  I still am not totally sure what I would like to do, sometimes I think he doesn't even matter what I would like, what about Jesus.  However, I do see myself involved in Christian ministry somehow in the future.  To what capacity, I'm not sure?  

So the good news is that I have submitted my application and other needed information to two seminaries that I would like to attend starting this summer.  The internship will be over by then.  One is Dallas Theological Seminary downtown and the other is a little farther out in Fort Worth.  It is Southwestern Baptist Theological.  Both are great schools so I'm hoping that I get accepted into only one so it makes the decision a little easier.  Right now I will wait and see what their decisions will be and then step out in faith into the next exciting chapter of my life.

So that is the fork that I see off in the distance.  Not a life-threatening decision, but a big one indeed that it will have on the finances.

In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.

Proverbs 16:9