Provision to Perservere

This is a continuation of Gods clear hand in my moving away to college. While I rely on him to provide, I have decided to share his blessings in this blog and keep all those who are praying for me updated on how God is providing. If you are new to the blog you can read some of the earlier post to get caught up to speed on where it all began.

Classes have continued to be amazing. I am learning so many rich things from them, and am all the more excited to dive deeper into them as the Semester continues.

As the end of the month draws near, it has come close to the date where I would have to make the first monthly payment. As stated in previous posts God has provided in numerous ways since I came to Boyce.

This post will share how God provided for the first months payment.

As it would turn out I would be short some on the first payment that I would need to make. The payment was $1,233 and I had roughly $1,140. God really did work in this situation in an amazing way to make it possible for me to make the deadline. My parents helped me out greatly and provided me with about half of the money I needed to make from the $1,140 to $1,233. I still was unsure how things were going to work out, little did I know how God had it all planned on how he would make his provision. My younger sister who is a senior this year in high school decided she wanted to write me a check for the rest of the money! Truly this blew me away! My own little sister was Gods provision for my first monthly payment! How humbling! And so it was taken care of. I had all the money, and I would be able to make my first payment. I signed up for the payment plan and praised God for his provision. But the story is not over yet.

The next day, I checked my bank account. To my surprise I was $15 dollars short, and the payment hadn’t been taken out yet. I panicked, and remember I had bought gas earlier in the week and had not made account for it.  I then thought “Oh no if my account bounces I’m toast!”. I talked with my friend Nate down the hall about it and he agreed to loan me the $15 that day! So I hurried to the bank and deposited the money before anything bad happened to my account. I made it and it was all good. Again, it was humbling to find God meeting my needs through a brother who I had not known more then 2 weeks. It walked away thankful that it all worked out, but somewhat frustrated because I cut it close and didn’t like the fact that I had to ask to borrow money. But God had it planned as a way to put it right back in my face and humble me even yet again. Later that day I checked my mail, and in it I received a card from my Grandparents. Inside the card they shared with me how they were praying for me every day! as well as $20! This was absolutely wild! God gave me what I needed to pay back my friend who loaned me the $15 and then also just enough money to do my laundry! haha it seems so funny but there’s a lot to take from this! He provided for me! and Gave me just what I needed! He fulfilled his promises! So He has done it for me, he has provided and I am taken care of for the next month!

Also I got a call back from Apple Computers today, and they set up an interview with me for Thursday the 27th at 3:00 pm! If it is in his plan then he will provide a job for me through Apple. If not then thats ok and I will still be taken care of, and he will continue to make his provision through means that he sees fit!

It is exciting to see him do great things, but to be transparent this past week has been extremely difficult. It is one thing to say you trust God and that you know he will make a way, and then when the rubber meets the road its a completely different thing to flesh that belief out and rest in what his promises say. The past week has been a battle on the inside, The spirit has been waging war with my doubting flesh and it truthfully has become draining. I think of the Israelites and how they continually had the lack of faith in God to provide even when he proved himself time and time again, Whats even worse is I have the bible to show me how they were weak, and how God ALWAYS fulfilled his promises and took care of them. I have learned, and will continue to learn that it’s one thing to say you  “place your complete faith in him” and not have it tested at a certian moment, and then its a completely differnt thing to say  you “place your complete faith in him” and have it truly tested.

I now find new meaning in verses like

1 Peter 1:6-7, In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (ESV)

It was a true blessing to speak with my Grandpa after I received the card from them, we were able to fellowship together and share stories, and God used him to encourage me beyond all belief. What most would not know is that both of my Grandfathers found themselves in similar situations during their college years. They both left for Bible school completely on faith with no way to pay for it, and have many stories on how God, time and time again provided every time to provide when the payment deadline drew near. I am very grateful  for two men of God in my life, who set an example before me, and who I am able to talk with and find encouragement in when it gets tough.

At this point I will bring things to a close and ask you to continue in your prayers for me as I continue to follow God on this journey he is taking me on. I thank you for your prayers. They are so invaluable and I have no way of expressing how much it means to me. thanks for reading and catch you all next time!

1 Peter 1:6-7

Finish of First Week of Classes

8.17.09

First week of classes are said and done. They have been great! Hermeneutics, Intro to Philosophy, Christian Education, and Compisition II

So much has happened in one week to attempt to contain it all in one blog attempt would be futile. I will instead give an overview of some different highlights!

I am very excited for hermeneutics class. for all those who are “whats hermenuetics?”

Hermeneutics is the practice of interpreting the bible.

What has been exciting to me is being able to learn about different versions of the bible, what makes one more literal then the other, what are the advantages of a more literal translation (word of word) as opposed to a dynamic translation ( or thought for thought translation).

Intro to Philosophy, could possibly be the class I am most anticipating to dive into this semester. The class’s purpose is to introduce the central issues in philosophy such as matters like  epistemology, metaphysics, aesthetics, ethics, and the problem of evil as philosophical disciplines.

The theme verse of the class

“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception,
according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the
world, rather than according to Christ.”  Colossians 2:8

Really what that verse is saying is in order to not be taken “captive by philosophy” you have to know philosophy and have its foundations from your theology. If you read Acts 17, you see how God used Paul’s philosophy as a evangelism tool to bring philosophically bound people to saving faith. Acts 17 shows great purpose for philosophy and how It can be something used to bring God glory, which is the only reason it has purpose.

My Christian Ed class is bound to have some great content in it as well which I am excited for, and of course Composition II will be a beast, considering the fact that Composition I was training me MLA style and now I have to toss all that out the window in order to adapt the Chicago style which the school embraces.

All in all things have been great, see Gods hand in things as he continues to make it possible for me to study here at Boyce is something that never grows old!

I did get my application accepted by Apple Computers, and attended their meet and greet session with new prospective employees, That was possibly the most fun I have ever had at an employment function. This week I will find out if I scored a one on one interview with the manager, out of the other 20 people there. I can’t wait to see how the Lord unfolds this aspect of my journey to Louisville, the whole employment side of things has been pretty dry up until now. But at the same time the lessons being learned to rest in Gods timing have been very fruitful too!

As of now this is where I’ll leave you. From this point on post will be for  the most part updates on the progression with different classes and highlights in what God is teaching me, But you will have to keep your eyes peeled for posts that are signaling a unfolding of  Gods provision for me being here.

I appreciate all your prayers and look forward to updating you all on more soon!

Colossians 2:8

Moving Day

Recently I made a post about my drive up to Louisville, KY  from the mother land in Hudson, FL to go to school at Boyce College. I mentioned just some of the many things that God made evident to me on my journey up here and how he had composed things in only ways that he could do himself.

The next day after the trip would be “Moving Day” where I would sign in and get all my orientation information and housing information, and car registration, etc.. It is here where the story continues to unfold with God making his ever present hand ever more evident in the Story of following his leading to school.

It started when I went to the housing department to discuss my living situation. When I had previously applied for housing I was very interested in obtaining a single occupant room, for the sake of privacy and scheduling. So when filling out the housing application I signed up for a single occupant room, not at all thinking of the financial consequences this would have. What I knew at the time of moving day was that a Single Occupant room cost somewhere around $1500 dollars a semester where as a Double would cost roughly $1000. So it was very important to me on moving day that I made sure I got a double occupant room for the sake of making things the most cost efficient as possible. Little did I know that God was working something even better out, behind the scenes, that I would have nothing to do with. So I went to the housing department and asked the lady to see if I was in a single or double, and if I was in a single if I could be moved to a double. She said, Well actually we have you in a TRIPLE. That about blew me away. So I asked how much does that cost? she informed me that it would be around $850 a semester, how grateful I was and yet blown away at how God worked things out to be cheaper then I’d ever knew was possible. The housing situation would be one of the first of the blessings to come on Moving Day.

As things progressed I later became aware of both of my roommates being Jr’s here at the college. Which was yet another blessing because of the fact that freshmen right out of high school, tend to be a bit less mature then your typical Junior would be expected to be. Of course there are always exceptions to the rule, but they both prove to be very cool guys who are serious about their studies which I am thankful for. Therefore putting in a environment that makes me more prone to be serious about my studies as well.

I then met Charlie, a good friend of one of my roommates who lives in a apartment right off campus. He stopped by before either of my roommates arrived. Him and I got to talking about classes and other things, and then the discussion came up about books, and how I would acquire them. I explained to him a little bit about my financial situation and how I was here on faith and expected to get my books by checking them out from the library at weeks at a time or by borrowing them. Charlie also happens to be a Junior too who had taken most of the classes I would be taking this semester. He said, “Why don’t you come over to my apartment and see what books you can find that you need?” All in all I walked out of my friend Charlies apartment with seven books in which he is just flat out letting me borrow for the semester, for those in college you know this is a big deal! for those not in college and not quite current with these sort of things, the books in my possession probably would have cost me any where from $450-$500. I have all but two of my books for the semester! This is a huge blessing in which God so beautifully orchestrated.

Then when I thought things could have gotten any better, I got a call from my friend Sergio. Now Sergio plays a role in this even prior to this time in my life, Sergio and his wife moved to KY a few years ago to plant a church with the old youth pastor from my Church back home, and Sergio and his wife taught my Bible fellowship class back in 9th grade. Sergio had already been a blessing to me by giving me a place to stay my first night in Louisville, but what he would tell me would even further blow my mind on moving day. After helping me move into to my room Sergio went to office depot to pick-up some form of necessity. While in the check out he shared with the guy at the register that, “his friend” had just moved to the area and was looking for a job (this “friend” just so happened to be me). He asked if they were hiring, and it just so happens that Office Depot is desperate for employees, The manager at the register told Sergio, “Tell your friend to come in and fill out an application and if he is cool I’ll hire him.” Again! I am just blown away! I didn’t even have to go searching for a job, and God provided an open door for me!

This has been a very exciting past few days and as I write this I am still overwhelmed by how God’s hand is moving, and ever more blown away at how he is just making it so clear to me how he is working! As I start class I will be hopefully updating more and more, and it is exciting to wait in anticipation and see how God is going to act next!

Matthew 6: 25-34

Turning a New Page, New Life Begins

Turning a page could mean many different things, its could be a new beginning, it could be the end of something great, or the finding out of something profoundly insightful. In my life a new page has recently been turned. At 4:30 am on Thursday August 6, 2009 I set off with my wing man on a 14 hour adventure to Louisville, KY where by faith, I am following where I believe I am to continue my study. In Kentucky, I am going to Boyce college to pursue my degree in Biblical Studies. What I mean by faith is that I have $1500 in my possession and tuition for the semester cost roughly $6000, I am moving because I believe God is calling me to worship out in faith, and if faith without works is dead, not doing something about my leading would be a lack of faith on my part. God is already doing great things he has provided that my car is in the shape it needed to be in to get my self half way across the country to school, he’s provided that a close friend would be free to ride along with me to keep me company and help drive and experience the new path I am taking in life, and God has also provided in a way that the parents of that close friend have decided to support me financially some with my tuition. God has made his hand in the new chapter of my life very evident so far and to not share this update with my loved ones, and those who care would be a disservice on my part. Thank you for all of you who have been praying for me, you are just as much a part of this as I am and I ask you to rejoice with me in the fact on how God is doing awesome things! As a disclaimer I have no way of foreseeing the future nor do I know how financially things will pan out for this semester. If things do not go as planned and I end up coming home prematurely, my view is that my God is good no matter how circumstance end up and if he were to decide to bring the most glory to himself by getting my to KY just to teach me something’s and then send me back a month later I know that his purposes where fulfilled. What ever the outcome of this new chapter is, I am stoked! I can’t wait to see all the new things that Gods has in store and through this blog hope to keep people like you posted on these events as the journey progresses.

Proverbs 20:24