Jo’s BJU Approved Blog

So I’ve been listening to a lot of Sovereign Grace sermons. I listened to the Sanctifying the Ordinary series. They were amazing. We are to do all things to God’s glory, and God is sovereign over every part of our lives–even work, sleep, eating, leisure time. I’m fairly certain that I’ve never heard a sermon about sleep before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. It was both encouraging and very convicting. So if you haven’t heard these sermons, I would check them out. I highly recommend them and most other sermons by Mahaney or Purswell.

Surrender All

Words and music by Rich Dalmas
As recorded on Worship God Live

Lyrics

Take all I am, Lord, and all that I cling to
You are my Savior I owe everything to
Take all the treasures that lie in my storehouse
They cannot follow when I enter Your house

So I surrender all to You
I surrender all

Take all my cravings for vain recognition
Fleshly indulgence and worldly ambition
I want so much Lord to make You the focus
To serve You in secret and never be noticed

Take all my hunger for all that’s forbidden
Every desire and sin I keep hidden
Search me and know me I want to bring to You
A life that is holy and sanctified through You

© 2004 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI).

We can only be used by God after we allow Him to show us the deep, hidden areas of our own character. It is astounding how ignorant we are about ourselves! We don’t even recognize the envy, laziness, or pride within us when we see it. But Jesus will reveal to us everything we have held within ourselves before His grace began to work. How many of us have learned to look inwardly with courage?

So I am still alive for those who have expressed concern. The latest guess as to my health problems is that I may be allergic to wheat so I’m eating gluten free for the next 8 weeks. Fun times. I am also working on a relationship with my friend Ras who I’ve been e-mailing and chatting with for years. Yes he is in Africa. No he is not a missionary. He is an African. No he is not a serial killer or rapist or conartist. If he is and has been working on conning or abusing me in some way for this many years (because we have been friends for years) then I say he deserves to have his hard work pay off. Seriously, don’t be worried. We are getting to know each other better in the hopes of maybe having a more serious relationship. We are both looking to settle down so we shall see…He hopes to have me visit him sometime maybe this summer even. If that goes well hopefully he will be able to be over here by this time next year.

So…life has been interesting lately. I’m able to type a little more now. I’ve been having trouble with my carpal tunnel among other things, so I couldn’t type much at all without a lot of pain or numbness. My hands/arms are finally starting to feel better which is good because I have a lot of work to do on the piano and on the computer. My pastor encouraged me to go ahead and try to get to China next year if I can instead of waiting a year. We shall see…I’ve been having trouble with my heart lately. (physically, not spiritually for all you sarcastic ones) It had been beating funny and faster than normal. I had to wear a heart monitor for a day and it showed that my heart was beating really fast at times for no reason even over 150 while I was sleeping. After tons of tests and tons of money spent, the cause is undetermined. Apparently my heart “sometimes just does that.” Nice….Well I have been stressed in the recent past and my blood pressure is suddenly spiking for no apparent reason. I’ll face some little irritation and feel like flipping out. Total body over-reaction. Most of the time I’ve been able to outwardly control myself, but inside I feel super out of control like a panic attack. No clue why. That’s not me…I’m avoiding caffeine; I wish I could avoid certain coworkers/students, but alas no such luck…

1. Nearer My God to Thee-Alan Hall
2. You Never Gave Up On Me-Crystal Gale
3. Mad World-Gary Jules
4. Human-Jon McLaughlin
5. Waiting-Ryan Montbleau Band
6.Falling Slowly-Glen Hansard
7. Here at the Right Time-Josh Ritter
8. Nice ‘N’ Easy-Frank Sinatra
9. Size Too Small-Sufjan Stevens
10. Beautiful Disaster-Jon McLaughlin
11.Be Right Here-Northmont
12. Bright Day-Shooting John
13. Lies-Glen Hansard
14. Again-Lambchop
15. Mountain of God- Third Day
16. Short Careers-Eric Bachmann
17. Too Good To You-Josh Kelley
18. You and Me-Rosie Thomas
19. Go Light Your World-Kathy Troccoli
20. 9 Crimes-Damien Rice
21. Mileage-Brian VanderArk
22. Let Your Beat Go On-Brendan James
23. Bad Day-Daniel Powter
24. Deep Enough to Dream-Chris Rice
25.Spark-Over the Rhine

It has been a crazy up and down kind of week. I’ve been really exhausted for so long, but apparently I was anemic and didn’t know. Unfortunately, I had to spend tons of money on tests on my heart before they decided to give me a blood test to see if I was anemic. I didn’t know anemia caused your heart to race, otherwise it may have occurred to me. Such is life…
My jv volleyball team won first in the league and first in the tournament tonight. Fun times… Yeah so still kinda exhausted and I have to get up at 4am. I have some interesting things going on that I’ll have to address later.

I have really enjoyed the last three books I’ve read (besides my English textbooks)

Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri –I was so excited to finally see another book out by her. After reading her first two books, I kept checking up on her hoping she would put a new book out. I kept searching and finding nothing, and then finally I saw Unaccustomed Earth I love all of her stories that I have read. I’m not an immigrant, but who cannot relate to feeling out of place? I love her characters, and I challenge those who say that she uses the same characters in all her stories. Yes, the stories were about Bengali people, but there are many out there saying that there is no need to read this book if you’ve read her others. I say that is completely untrue. I actually started getting up earlier because I really wanted to finish the book. Anyone that knows me, knows that is saying a lot. I found myself effortlessly sympathizing with the characters–a good thing as long as I wasn’ t reading in public.

On Sunday I read Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris I obviously didn’t agree with everything contained in the book. However, I thought it had some amazing ideas. I never ran into the idea that adolescence didn’t have to be the way it was until I had Dr. Zichterman for Child and Adolescent Psychology, and the thought has never left me. These guys did a great job expressing that and giving some very practical ways for teens to get out of their comfort zones and live up to the potential they have.

I am currently reading the Thursday Next series. I just finished Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde. The books are odd. I’ve never read anything quite like them. They aren’t quite in line with my sense of humor, yet I still find them so strangely entertaining. I had heard of them, but never got around to reading them. I have so many books on my to-read list, but my friend Ethan lent me The Eyre Affair to read on the plane over break, and he recently lent me three others that I am working on right now. I recommend the series from what I’ve read so far.

I am also currently reading And the Shofar Blew by Francine Rivers. I like it so far. I think Rivers is an excellent writer at least compared with other current Christian writers.

I’ve been praying about what God would have me to do in the future. I have never lost my great burden for China, but I was 100% sure that God wanted me here in Texas. Lately, I’ve been dying to go back to China again. I’m saving to go this summer, and unless God leads otherwise in the meantime, I plan to stay in Texas til my debt is paid off. At that time, I believe God would have me go into more long term missions–China as far as I know. I’m excited, but trying to “be where I am” for now. I have a goal that I am working toward unless God leads otherwise, and that makes me look forward to the future.

“Never discard a conviction. If it is important enough for the Spirit of God to have brought it to your mind, it is that thing He is detecting. You were looking for a great thing to give up. God is telling you of some tiny thing; but at the back of it there lies the central citadel of obstinacy: I will not give up my right to myself - the thing God intends you to give up if ever you are going to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. ”

I read that this morning in My Utmost for His Highest. I’ve struggled before and couldn’t figure out why and then the Holy Spirit would prompt me about something and I would be like no that’s not it. duh…of course that’s it; that’s why the Holy Spirit is bring it to mind. Anyway the giving up my right to myself is a hard one, but obviously in my head I know God knows best and how ridiculously foolish is it for me to ever hang on to something or insist on my own way when God is the only one that sees the big picture. No one knows me better–where I’ve been , where I am now, and where I am supposed to go.

Proverbs 3:5-7 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.7 Be not wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.

Back to school. Yea! I forgot how much I loved teaching. Yeah working retail paid the bills, but it definitely isn’t my life’s calling. I heard these lyrics these other day and they’ve been running through my head. I’m not a Chris Sligh fan, but the chorus really stuck with me
“Empty me of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
And any foolish thing my heart holds to
Lord empty me of me so I can be filled with you. “