Burn Us Up!

Not too long ago I heard Shane and Shane's "Burn Us Up" for the first time....or rather I actually listened to it for the first time. For those of you who have never heard it here is a video from youtube that has the lyrics:



It tells the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and this song hit me like a ton of bricks. While listening to this song my thoughts turned from these three guys who would have rather been burned alive then bow to an idol to the persecuted church today. One brother that I recently read about who was killed for his faith is Probius. Probius was a martyr around 250AD. He was tortured and killed by the Roman Empire because he would not worship idols. After being tortured for some time he said, "Employ your whole power upon me, and you shall find that neither you, nor the Emperor, nor the gods you serve, nor even the devil, who is your father, shall compel me to worship your idols." After this he was tortured more and eventually killed by the sword.
Persecution is not just something the church faced in the first few centuries. Christians all over the world are facing death because of their belief in Christ and desire to take the gospel to the nations. Next Sunday, Nov. 8, is prayer for the persecuted church Sunday. Many times when we pray for the persecuted church we pray that the Lord will bring them from persecution. However, this Sunday I urge you to pray instead that those being persecuted will have the strength, courage and faith to stand and say with boldness "you shall not compel me to worship idols." Pray too for Believers here. Pray that our passion for the Lord would drive us to a point where we would rather cry "burn us up!" than worship the idols of our culture. Pray that we may cast our idols aside and give anything He calls us to for the sake of the gospel. After all 'he is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.'

YAMS

Over the past few days many people have asked me some form of the question: "What is the Yamboree?" I have decided to address the question and share the epicness.

The East Texas Yamboree is essentially a festival to celebrate the yam. It is in Gilmer, Texas which is where I am from. There is carnival that comes and sets up around the town square. There is a school parade on Friday and the Queen's parade on Saturday. Schools let out for Thursday and Friday. The highlight of it is the Queen's Coronation Pageant. This is when the Yam Queen is crowned. Senior girls run for Queen by selling tickets. Whoever sells the most wins. The rest of the girls make up the Queen's Court. When I say these girls dresses are big, that's pretty much an understatement. This is completely hardcore. They even have a traditional bow that the Queen does. The Coronation is on Wednesday and Thursday. There is a Queens Ball, a Barn Dance and a Street Dance.
There is of course a yam contest as well. Other contests include: Yam Pie Contest, Homecanning Contest, Photography Contest, Essay & Poetry Contest, Fiddler's Contest, etc. And of course there is the buying and showing of Livestock.

To get the full idea of yam queens, their dresses and the bow here is a link to the rehearsal pictures from this year. I'm also putting a link to the Yam website. I brought my Flip video camera this week so there will be footage coming.

http://ruelfelipe.zenfolio.com/p389727622/h2dd0e269#h3a1fcda1
http://www.yamboree.com/joomla/
Peace.

I just realized today that it has been a while since my last post. Time is flying. I cant believe it's already October! That means it's time for the Yamboree in Gilmer, Texas. I am very excited about attending it this year. So here's a quick update: While life has been incredibly busy it has also been very good. Two of my cousins each welcomed a new edition to their families at the end of September/beginning of October, so it has been fun with babies around Ttown. My nephew Sterling is crawling and saying, "Mama" and "Dada." School has been crazy, I just had a major test week including midterms so it's been almost nonstop studying for a while. It has begun to get colder here as Fall comes. I love Fall and Winter so I am pretty pumped about the change in the weather even if that has meant a lot of rainy days.
Last night I was reading in Acts and I came across this:
"Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know--this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power." Acts 2:22-24

I was struck by the power of God displayed in the last part of verse 24. "Since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power." Wow. It's not that the fact that God has power over death is a new concept but this verse blew my mind. It was impossible for Christ to be held by the power of death! This verse not only shows God and His power, but also shows how small even death's hold is. Right now I am memorizing Psalm 27 and it is so cool to see the "cause-and-effect" in these two passages. Christ came and died on a cross as an atonement for our sins. God raised Him up again, conquering death and taking the 'sting' of death away. Because of this we can join in and say with confidence, "The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread? When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell. Though a host encamp against me, my heart will not fear. Though war arise against me,in spite of this I shall be confident." Who, or what, in the world do we have to fear when we serve a God who has conquered what men fear most? So Believer, praise the Lord that it was not possible for death to hold Him, and that He rose again, and rest in His power. We serve a mighty God indeed.

Just a quiz thing

What was the last thing you put in your mouth?
Sweet Tea

Where was your profile picture taken?
backyard in the caug

Can you play guitar hero?
I dont just play, I rock guitar hero

Name someone that made you laugh today?
Bethany....she's hilarious and we have lots of fun

How late did you stay up last night and why?
maybe 1ish, just hanging out with mom, Tori, Megs and Bethany....and making "Go Green" signs out of paper towels

If you could move somewhere else, would you?
depends, i do love ttown

Which of your friends lives closest to you?
well Kim lives in the next room and Josh and Lauren Sellers live four buildings away

When was the last time you cried really hard?
I dont remember, probably not too long ago

Where are you right now?
in the spare room/my room/my little brother's best friend's room....i won tonight...dad's home so Riley has to sleep on the couch...we fight over the spare room when we are both home, loser ends up on the couch.

What bed did you sleep in last night?
the floor in Meg's room (Jamis got the spare room cause the Vaughns are in his...how does that make sense?)

What was the last thing someone bought for you?
I dont remember, surely not the piano for my birthday last January

Who took your profile picture?
THE Halie Batson

Who was the last person you took a picture of?
Christy, at her Rehearsal Dinner

Was yesterday better than today?
no, I saw Sterfry today

Are you mad about anything?
not really I guess. I NEVER hold grudges...I never lie either

Night out or night in?
night in...usually

What items could you not go without during the day?
usually I have my phone, but I can go without it

How do you feel about your life right now?
pretty good

Has anyone ever called you perfect before?
ha, oh yeah all the time...what do you expect though, i'm not only a middle child, I'm an '88'

What song is stuck in your head?
June Bride from 7 Brides for 7 Brothers

Someone knocks on your window at 2am, who do you want it to be?
if that happens whoever it is better have a very good reason

Wanna have grandkids before you’re 50?
sure, though I should probably have kids first

Name something you have to do tomorrow?
watch BAMA beat up on some Tech.

Do you think too much or too little?
too much probably

Who was your last missed call on your Mobile phone?
On my mobile? probably someone whose number I didn't have...usually I dont answer those ("dont call me on my MOBILE if you dont want me on my MOBILE" that's for Megs)

What was the last book you read?
finished? Hunchback of Notre Dame
read in? Fellowship or Let the Nations Be Glad, I dont remember...it's been a long day

Is there something you always wear?
my purity ring

What were you doing 30 minutes ago?
talking my brother-in-law

Did you have an exciting last weekend?
yeah, Open Door Ladies Retreat!

Have you ever crawled through a window?
Yes several times this year....at the old townhouse our room had a window that opened to a roof so we read out on the roof a lot...fun huh?

Have you ever dyed your hair?
I've put red highlights in it but nothing too noticeable

Are you wearing a necklace / Chain?
nope

Are you an emotional person?
nah, i'm pretty level, never over-dramatic, excited, passionate or obsessive.

What's something that can always make you feel better?
Sterling if I'm sad, the Word if I'm sick

Will this weekend be a good one?
oh yeah, Sterfry, wedding, BAMA FOOTBALL

What do you want right now?
more than I should

Have you ever worn the opposite sex's clothing?
yeah, once Meghan, Tori, JB and I dressed up like Jamis, Riley, Dad and Jamis and went to Magnolias (where my mom works) to make her laugh

Have you ever worked in a food place?
no, but I "helped" my mom and Megs cater a rehearsal dinner tonight

Whats on your schedule for tomorrow?
Sterfry Pictures, make Bama cake batter cookie cake, wedding, ALABAMA FOOTBALL! Roll Tide!

Paul Washer: A sermon that has angered many

While I'm on a good video kick, it would be incomplete without one of my favorite Washer videos:

No, Mr. President

This is Piper's response to President Obama on Abortion: A good video that I was just reminded of on facebook by KJ Pugh.

Access Denied: IMB Article

Here is an article I just read on imb.org

Lottie Moon shortfall limits Gospel access, leaves missionaries on hold
8/14/2009

By Don Graham

RICHMOND, Va. (BP)--They had said goodbyes to their neighbors, friends and church family. They had sold their home and furniture. They had resigned from their jobs. They had even given away the family dog, a miniature collie named Q-tip.

When Tim and Audrey Shepard* decided to answer God’s call to share Jesus in Asia as Southern Baptist missionaries, they knew there could be obstacles. But the couple never expected that the obstacle would be lack of funds from Southern Baptists.

The Shepards are two of the 69 candidates in the pipeline to serve as long-term missionaries through IMB (International Mission Board) who have been told they can’t be sent to the field at this time. That’s in addition to an estimated 350 short-term candidates who also have been turned away from missionary service this year.

In May IMB announced it would severely limit the number of missionaries sent in 2009 due to reduced giving through the Cooperative Program and a $29 million dollar shortfall in the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. More than half of IMB’s annual budget comes from the Lottie Moon offering, 100 percent of which is used to send and sustain the more than 5,600 Southern Baptist missionaries serving overseas. The goal for the 2008 offering (which funds the 2009 budget) was $170 million, but only $141 million was received, $9 million less than received for the 2007 offering.

The Shepards previously served 15 years with IMB but left the field in 2004 and moved to Jacksonville, Fla., so their daughter, Nora,* could attend high school in the United States. They planned to return to the mission field when she entered college and began that process in the fall of 2008. They were on track to arrive in Asia by the end of 2009 to partner with another IMB missionary couple working to spread the Gospel among some of Asia’s minority people groups.

But all that came to a screeching halt July 27 when an IMB representative called the Shepards to explain that their missionary appointment had been put on hold because there wasn’t enough money to send them.

Audrey says the news has left the family discouraged and confused.

“You feel sort of directionless — we really don’t know what to do now,” she says. “It’s tragic that money is holding back God’s work around the world. … There are people dying every day that are not going to have the opportunity to hear about Jesus because so many missionaries are being held up.”

So far the Shepards haven’t been given a firm date when they will head to the mission field. Spring 2010 has been mentioned, but no promises have been made. That means the Shepards will be on hold for at least six months. Right now they don’t know where they’ll live or what they’ll do. They’ve decided to stay temporarily in their church’s mission house. They’re not even sure where to register their 8-year-old son, Eric,* for school this fall because that depends on where they’ll live.

There’s a chance Tim and Audrey will be able to keep their jobs in Jacksonville, but since they didn’t renew their contracts, there’s no guarantee. Tim taught middle school math and science; Audrey was a school psychologist.

“We’re ready to go to the field,” Tim says. “My mind is already on ministry and going back to secular jobs just to pay the bills doesn’t excite us too much.”

The Shepards’ delay also is having serious repercussions in Asia, at least for the team they were set to join.

Sam and Elizabeth Hughes* are Southern Baptist missionaries on the edge of exhaustion. They run a handful of ministries focusing on 24 minority people groups, 18 of which are untouched by the Gospel. Without the Shepards, that’s more than a million lost people divided between one husband-and-wife team with three young children at home.

Sam was counting on the Shepards’ arrival to provide some much-needed relief — helping with ministry logistics, training national partners and following up with new believers or those who’ve expressed an interest in learning more about Jesus. God has blessed the work to the point where it is more than Sam can handle alone. He says news of the Shepards’ delay — and of the Lottie Moon offering shortfall — hurts morale.

“It’s time for a gut check. Are we serious about reaching the world or not?” he says. “I’ve got a list as long as I am tall of things I need them (the Shepards) to be doing.”

Though it’s a serious inconvenience and fraught with logistical nightmares, the Shepards say the delay hasn’t subdued their passion for reaching Asia. In fact, they’re so committed to their calling to be Southern Baptist missionaries they’re considering moving to Asia on their own dime so they can start learning the language and be more prepared when they begin their assignment.

“Communism has destroyed souls of the people — there’s no hope,” Audrey says. “We want to be a part of sharing Christ where there are so many who are dying without Him.”

The Shepards say that if their delay, and the delay of 67 others in going to the mission field, helps Southern Baptists realize the importance of lost souls overseas, “so be it.

“I’m happy if that’s what will come of this,” Audrey says. “That people wake up and realize that they need to give their money to support missions.”

*Names changed




http://www.imb.org/main/news/details.asp?StoryID=7989&LanguageID=1709