Philippines

Let's just cut the fat...I want to go to the Philippines! I had the opportunity to visit Cebu and Manilla (2 major cities in the Philippines) in February of 2008. I spent the spring semester of '08 in China, and this is where I met my friends in the picture below. They were all teaching or doing business in China. They had some time off for the Chinese New Year Holiday, so we came up with a plan. Aurelio-from Brazil, Alex-from the UK, Mikel-from West Virginia, and Jen-from Florida. We had a blast with each other and I keep in touch with each of them til this day!

As I was taking it all in throughout the trip, I was in awe of the beauty of the place, but the poverty was unimaginable. I could not fathom the lifestyle that most lived in on a daily basis. One of thie things I kept telling myself was that "I would never want to come back to teach here" ...isn't it funny how the Lord works??? I keep coming back to it. Who knows when push comes to shove where i'll actually end up, but I want to be willing.... My verse that I love to lean on when I think about foreign missions is this: "So you will summon a nation you do not know, and nations who do not know you will run to you. For the Lord your God, even the Holy One of Israel, has glorified you." Isaiah 55:5

Once saved.... always saved?

a well known apostle wrote it like this... "being confident of this very thing, that He which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Christ." (Phil. 1:6)

a well known whisperer whispered it like this... "when it's all said and done, there's usually more said than done" (grandpa Buck-nelson Rd)

a well known pastor put it to me like this... "time will tell" (@ tidwell switch)

a well known Savior said it like this... "those who endure to the end, the same shall be saved" (Mark 13:13)

a well known father explained it like this..."the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing" (China)

a well known brother concluded it like this....
"I am confident of this very thing, that when it's all said and done, time will tell, that those who keep the main thing the main thing, will endure to the end...and the same shall be saved." (Ft. Lauderdale)

OMGetty

I will never forget the day I met this CRAZY girl. We were in Old Testament class and i didn't recognize her so I thought I would go out on a limb and introduce myself. BAD IDEA!!! She practically bit my head off simply for giving her a dose of southern charm. She excuses it by being from the North. You know how those Yankees are! Fast Forward...i'm thankful for that Yankee in my life more and more each day! She has taught me to examine what I have always heard, read, and believed. Questions like: Why do you go to church? What does it really mean to be a Christian? Calvinism/Arminianism, what is that anyway? So many Christians do what they do because it's what they've always done...Tradition, routine, way of life. The God of the universe does not do His work based on tradition and routine. So all that to say, I'm greatful for a friend that sharpens me daily.