Incredible to think that first semester is almost over. Tomorrow begins finals here and my parents arrive tomorrow as well. It seems like just a little while ago that we were dreaming about company and here it comes. Should be a great Christmas time.
We continue to be so thankful for Christ and what He has meant to our lives. We continue to seek Him. May God enrich this season of Christ's birth. May we remember why He came this crazy place called earth.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Monday, December 01, 2008
Joy
Joy! What a joy it was to walk back into our house after a week in Hong Kong and see the posters on the wall, "Welcome Home Dad", "Jalen loves Dad", "Kaya loves Dad", "Mom loves Dad". What a joy it is to have a family that loves and supports that work that we together do.
As Janna and I shared stories of the past week one topic continued to come up and that is the topic of Joy. Listening to the speakers at the conference and realizing that we need that Joy in our lives that comes through Christ and knowing that we are Christians that already have our future mapped out for us. How do we live with the Joy that Paul talks about in 1 Thes?? Rejoice always! you have got to be kidding me. Well that must have been written by a man who did not have any trials in his life. After a quick look through Acts you realize that wait a minute Paul had lots of trials and yet he writes be joyful. As I talked to Janna about this topic she too shared that she had been wrestling with the same thing. Joy is something that should come from inside, it should not be something that we struggle to achieve. If God is the center and is truly in control then we have much to be joyful about. This is something that we are now working through, how do we have joy in the challenging times?
I am now home and working once again. I am extremely glad to be home and glad that our family is "normal" again after 3 weeks. I put the word normal in quotations marks because I do not want to have a "normal" family, I want us to be the most abnormal, loving, on fire for God family that we can be. One of the presenters used the words "misfits for Christ". Well that is where we are at this week, continuing to stuggle, but loving, the biblical truths which we try to make applicable in our lives. Lets show people that Christians are the most joyful people because Christ died for us and the Holy Spirit lives in us!!!
Darren Back Home in Papua OUT
As Janna and I shared stories of the past week one topic continued to come up and that is the topic of Joy. Listening to the speakers at the conference and realizing that we need that Joy in our lives that comes through Christ and knowing that we are Christians that already have our future mapped out for us. How do we live with the Joy that Paul talks about in 1 Thes?? Rejoice always! you have got to be kidding me. Well that must have been written by a man who did not have any trials in his life. After a quick look through Acts you realize that wait a minute Paul had lots of trials and yet he writes be joyful. As I talked to Janna about this topic she too shared that she had been wrestling with the same thing. Joy is something that should come from inside, it should not be something that we struggle to achieve. If God is the center and is truly in control then we have much to be joyful about. This is something that we are now working through, how do we have joy in the challenging times?
I am now home and working once again. I am extremely glad to be home and glad that our family is "normal" again after 3 weeks. I put the word normal in quotations marks because I do not want to have a "normal" family, I want us to be the most abnormal, loving, on fire for God family that we can be. One of the presenters used the words "misfits for Christ". Well that is where we are at this week, continuing to stuggle, but loving, the biblical truths which we try to make applicable in our lives. Lets show people that Christians are the most joyful people because Christ died for us and the Holy Spirit lives in us!!!
Darren Back Home in Papua OUT
Friday, November 28, 2008
From Hong Kong
Darren here in Hong Kong continuing to learn what God is doing in the area of teaching and education. I have been really blessed here listening to speakers like Gary Chapman and Phil Callaway to mention a couple. The speakers are good and just the reminder is good to continue to grow in the knowledge of Christ because this is what will impact the students. I think that so far this is the general message that I have received from this conference, your own personal relationship with Christ will determine how well you are impacting students.
Janna and the kids seem to be doing alright in my absence although it feels alittle long to have been an incomplete family for 3 weeks. I thank God each second for the wonderful family that He has blessed me with. I look forward to getting back there in a couple of days.
Happy thanksgiving to all my American friends out there, i hope that you sat and watched some NFL for me on thanksgiving day. I missed all the games but were following them on Yahoo stattracker.
My God continue to bless you all.
Janna and the kids seem to be doing alright in my absence although it feels alittle long to have been an incomplete family for 3 weeks. I thank God each second for the wonderful family that He has blessed me with. I look forward to getting back there in a couple of days.
Happy thanksgiving to all my American friends out there, i hope that you sat and watched some NFL for me on thanksgiving day. I missed all the games but were following them on Yahoo stattracker.
My God continue to bless you all.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Janna will return Nov 23rd...
Janna will return Nov 23rd in the morning and I will depart Nov 24th. Quite the timing. Janna has had to stay in Singapore for longer than expected which has been a bit stressful on our family. The kids are doing great helping out and adjusting their schedules with all of the changes. Janna is wishing that she could come home sooner but it just has not worked out thus far. Continue to think of her as she tries to find things to do that are not too expensive and that she can really enjoy. I have been praying that this would just be a time of renewal for her as she can rest and think about other things besides always thinking about us.
I must say that for all the single parents out there, you job is enormous. My hat goes off to you. You become vulnerable always asking people to help you out. For example today is a half day for the students but the teachers are in meetings so I have to try to find a place for Jalen to go for the afternoon. All of these things just continue to add up after a while. I am very thankful that Janna is returning next Sunday.
Life continues to fly by as another birthday season has come and gone. I am the last in our family to have a birthday and it just continues to show me the importance of working for Christ. Because I feel like I just had my birthday, what have I done in the last year that has eternal consequences?? I sure hope something. So often we want to think of ourselves but I think that looking back on life we will regret thinking only of ourselves. So often I feel the best inside while thinking and doing things for others. May we strive to serve so that our lives here on earth have eternal value.
I must say that for all the single parents out there, you job is enormous. My hat goes off to you. You become vulnerable always asking people to help you out. For example today is a half day for the students but the teachers are in meetings so I have to try to find a place for Jalen to go for the afternoon. All of these things just continue to add up after a while. I am very thankful that Janna is returning next Sunday.
Life continues to fly by as another birthday season has come and gone. I am the last in our family to have a birthday and it just continues to show me the importance of working for Christ. Because I feel like I just had my birthday, what have I done in the last year that has eternal consequences?? I sure hope something. So often we want to think of ourselves but I think that looking back on life we will regret thinking only of ourselves. So often I feel the best inside while thinking and doing things for others. May we strive to serve so that our lives here on earth have eternal value.
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