Reading Karl Barth's Church Dogmatics

I recently attended the 33rd Annual Racial Ethnic Seminarians Conference for the PCUSA. I met a lot of pretty amazing people, life long partners in Ministry for sure! My new sister in Christ from Fuller Seminary in San Fransisco introduced me to the website of her New Testament Professor, J.R. Daniel Kirk called STORIED THEOLOGY.

He has set up a Reading Schedule for 2011 to go through and read Karl Barth's Church Dogmatics. Along the way, Kirk will be responding theologically to the readings. Journey along with Dr. Kirk and exegete for yourselves the work of one of the most stunning theologians of the 20th Century in my opinion. God Speed Friends and Theologians!

If you are otherwise tied up with copious amounts of reading as it were, then you may also appreciate an overview of the 14 volume Church Dogmatics condensed into a book called Karl Barth Dogmatics in Outline.

FYI: Church Dogmatics, the Full 14 vol. set is available for $99.99. Click above on the hyperlink to purchase.

All Natural at Home Beauty Treatments

I'll be 32 this year and I don't have a single wrinkle. I think some of that has to do with good genes (shout out to mom and dad) but I don't take those genes for granted. I'm also in seminary and on a very tight budget. I don't have the luxury of going to salons on a regular basis to get facials or to get my hair deep conditioned, nor quite frankly do I have that kind of time. So if you can relate, I hope you will appreciate these beauty treatments with ingredients or products you are liable to have in your fridge and your cupboards. Here are my top 5 beauty treatments:
1. Rice Water Toner for balancing and nourishing your skin
2. Green Tea Facial Cloths
3. Teeth Whitening Rinse
4. Avocado Hair Mask for Deep conditioning
5. Brown sugar and olive oil moisturizing body scrub
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*Rice Water Toner. Rice has essential vitamins and minerals that benefit the skin. This toner will bring luster back to dull skin and it will also help to tighten your skin with consistent use. My mother told me that growing up in Korea, she used the water that was used to rinse rice to clean her face and it was used to clean dishes!
Step 1: Take steps to prepare rice for consumption. I have a rice cooker and usually cook 3 cups of rice for the week ahead. Put 3 cups of uncooked rice into a large bowl. Run under cold water and then swirl around using your hand to rub the rice against the bowl. This will release some of the vitamins and minerals into the water producing a milky white color. DO NOT POUR WATER OUT INTO SINK. Step 2: Take out a clean container or Large bowl with lid and pour the milky rice water into it. Step 3: Refrigerate rice water and take out and splash small amount on your face. Let your face air dry. If you must dry, use a paper towel and not your normal face towel and pat gently. You can also use this with a cotton ball and rub into your freshly washed skin.



*Green Tea Refreshing Cloths. By now you probably know that Green Tea is full of anti oxidants. They attack free radicals which are associated with aging and also help to aid in maintaining a healthy immune system. Green Tea has cleansing and anti bacterial agents both internally when consumed and topically. The Japanese drink Green Tea (or Sake...let's be real)especially when they eat sushi because it helps to aid in digestion and gets rid of any bad bacteria in the raw fish. This is also why you eat the pickled ginger with it, but I digress. Topically, Green tea is a great way to keep your skin refreshed and looking youthful. Green tea is also known to help acne prone skin. I have oily skin and I am sometimes prone to break outs...I use the cloths as a cleanser and toner. Enjoy!
Step 1: Take 2 tea bags and brew a pot of green tea. Remove tea bags and place into a large zip lock bag. Reserve 1/3 of the tea by setting aside to cool. Drink your tea for the wonderful benefits listed above. Step 2: Take cooled tea and place in zip lock bag as well. Take 7 plain white paper towels (please don't use the ones with decorative ink)and place into the zip lock bag full of tea and tea bags and refrigerate. Every night after you remove your make up you can use a towelette to wash your face or tone your skin. You can also double the batch and use one to refresh your skin during a hot day or after a work out. ***You can certainly soak a facial wash cloth in the hot Green Tea and place over your face like a facial. Very soothing and relaxing.

*Teeth Whitening Rinse. Who has the 20 mins. or the $30 to $100 that it costs to fuss with whitening strips? I don't. I have been rinsing with Hydrogen Peroxide for years. I drink coffee and tea everyday and my teeth maintain a natural pearly white hue. It won't make your teeth glow unnaturally under a black light but it's a cheap, low maintenance, way to keep your teeth white! Step 1: Take a swig of Hydrogen Peroxide and gargle and rinse for a min. of 30 sec. but up to a minute and spit out. If you're a beginner, you can cut it with water until you get used to the bubble producing effect. It does take time. Rest assured if you do this morning and night, you will begin to see a change in as soon as 3 days but usually a week. Make this a part of your daily dental hygiene routine.



*Avocado Hair Mask. This is a great way to restore overly dry or damaged hair. The natural fats in Avocados are a wonderful part of a healthy diet. The benefit of the good fats (mono unsaturated fats)for your body also has the added benefit of adding the natural oils and nutrients into your hair. Step 1: Pit and place the flesh of one avocado into a blender with 1 table spoon of Olive oil and blend for 15 to 20 sec. Step 2: Pour contents into hair and massage your scalp and rub mask into the strands of your hair. Step 3. Collect your hair on top of your head and clip in place. Let the mask set up in your hair for 30 min. Step 4. Rinse and then shampoo and condition as usual with mild products. For extremely dry or damaged hair, do this once a week for a month. Otherwise, you can do this treatment once a month to maintain soft, silky and most of all healthy strands!



*Brown Sugar and Olive Oil Scrub. Bath Salts can tend to have a drying effect on your skin. Sugar scrubs however, have a smoothing effect that helps to keep your skin soft. This body scrub is great to use especially in the dry winter months. Personally, I use this concoction on my feet as a foot scrub in the summer and forgo the all over scrub since the humidity of summer helps the skin to retain it's moisture. Step 1: take 1/2 to 1 cup of Brown Sugar and mix with 1/4 to 1/2 a cup of olive oil (if you don't have olive oil, you can substitute Canola Oil). Step 2: Slather onto skin and scrub away with your hands or a whatever scrubbing loufah you desire. Step 3: Rinse in warm shower water and pat skin dry. Your skin will feel so smooth!

Enjoy these treatments! Remember, you are beautiful through and through. Use these tips as a way to care for and maintain the temple that God created. I pray it helps you to honor God in being a good steward to the body you were given while you walk this earth here and now.

Polenta Lasagna

As you enjoy the summer by being outdoors in God's beautiful creation here's one recipe that is super quick and easy. It's a divergent take on your classic lasagna, but one that I promise you will keep coming back to. I realize that the grill beckons and I won't deprive you of your right to grill in the summer months. As a matter of fact, I suggest paring this polenta lasagna with grilled vegetables of your choice...I like Chinese Eggplant (which is much smaller in diameter and lighter in color than your average variety. It also has a slightly sweeter taste), I also love zucchini, Onions, Tri-colored melange (mixture) of Peppers and of course you can never go wrong with Asparagus on the grill. This recipe is a lot less work than your traditional lasagna and you can also prepare this ahead of time and refrigerate it over night. This dish is healthy and relatively light and a great cost effective way to entertain! Bon Appetit!!!



Ingredients

* 1 (18 ounce) package polenta, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
* 1/2 (24 ounce) jar bottled marinara sauce
* 1/4 cup pesto
* 1/4 cup pine nuts
* 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
(serve with generous sprinkling of Parmesan Cheese at the end)


Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Oil an 11x7x2 inch baking dish.
2. Arrange a single layer of polenta in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Spread a thin layer of pesto over the polenta. Spoon half of the sauce over the polenta. Top with another layer of polenta and sauce.
3. Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Turn on the broiler. Top polenta with cheese and pine nuts, and broil until cheese browns and nuts are toasted.

Nutritional Information open nutritional information

Serves 8 people:
Amount Per Serving Calories: 179 | Total Fat: 9.1g | Cholesterol: 12mg

Happy and Healthy Eating!

In Honor of my Father on Father's Day

Here is a personal anecdote from my childhood in honor of Father’s Day. I love my dad very much and it is through stories like the one I’m about to share, that I can begin to imagine infinitely more how much my Heavenly Father loves me. I’m grateful for this heroic tale that stars my dad. It causes me to give thanks for a man who isn’t perfect, but who has always striven to be obedient in his role as a Godly Father called to love, protect, nurture, care for, teach and of course discipline.

While my father was getting his Master of Theology at Princeton, my family lived in the student housing complex. Some of my fondest memories as a child include finding honeysuckle vines and feasting on the buds as if it were candy! I lived for the days where we would set out in search of honeysuckles like heat seeking missiles. On one particular day, my sister and I were playing outside when we were approached by some of the older kids in the neighborhood. They told us that the other side of the soccer field was covered in honeysuckles and they were headed there. They asked me and my sister if we wanted to go with them. We did, so we followed them to the edge of the field where they told my sister and I to go in first. I led the way and as I bounded into the woods, it became clear that my sister and I were alone. We yelled out to the other kids, but they had left us high and dry. We kept on going, determined to find the honeysuckles. The woods were getting thicker and thicker and soon we found ourselves tangled in a web of thorn bushes. I held my sisters hand and I tried to back out, but we were trapped. My sister started to cry and I panicked. I screamed as loud as I could for my daddy! The field was across the street from my building and in my opinion it was a miracle that my father heard us and came running out.

He ran into the woods barefoot, wearing only his white undershirt and his underwear. Both of us tucked tightly under each of his arms he pulled us out of harm’s way and back to safety. He got all the way out and I cried for him to go back and get my purse. He didn’t even hesitate, he ran back into the thorn bushes to grab my purse. Of course the content of my purse was monopoly money, my little pony combs and my play make up…very important things! But He didn’t question it, he just wanted us to be restored, whole and safe. I’ll never forget that day. There were no limits to what my dad would have done to keep my family safe. Once he calmed us down and brought both my sister and I home sniffling from our ordeal, he cleaned us up and made sure all of our boo boos were tended to.

Only after he knew we were okay did he ask us what happened. I explained to him that we were bamboozled by the older kids and that we were lured in with the promise of honeysuckles. He chastened me as the big sister to know better than to go into the woods honeysuckles or not. He pointed out how dangerous it was and that we needed to be more careful when we played outside. Furthermore as the big sister, it was my job to look after my little sis. We had scared him. After his obligatory words to me, knowing I felt bad for getting my sister and I into trouble, he hugged us and let us know that he was just glad that we were okay. I was embarrassed that I fell for the trickery of the older kids and I felt badly for leading my sister and I into the woods away from the safety of our home and our yard. Yet I knew my daddy loved me and my sister. We didn’t need to question or doubt it. I hold on to that.

The Jerusalem Experiment

Amid my studies of the Old Testament in my second term here at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, I find myself both deeply grateful at how much of the O.T. context is being illumined for me and with that gratefulness comes an influx of emotions that leave me overwhelmed with how little I really know. This is the both one of the blessings of a seminary education and a quandary. I'm told to bear with, I'm told this is absolutely to be expected and I'm told that I'm not the only one. I'm not sure how much comfort I can derive from that. Nevertheless, I am certain of one thing, that I belong here. Through conversations with other seminarians who I get to share life with I know with certainty that they were called to be here as well. We all stepped out in obedience to this adventure called seminary. Bible Boot camp, Theology Boot camp, take your pick, but the rigors of our studies and the pace at which we go, WILL serve it's purpose. Even when we fall short, God will meet us in our studies.

All this to say, without any formal Bible college education prior to coming, it's tempting to think I don't have anything to offer in a discussion or an insight. It's tempting to think I'm in over my head, but the reality is this, we were all called. We come from different walks, different perspectives, we bring to the table varied life experiences to draw from so that we can all add to this joint experience of being sharpened and trained up for ministry. Just like any family unit or model of community, we all need to chip in and lend our gifts to minister to one another and let God do His miraculous work through the broken vessels that we are. The beautiful picture of the Body of Christ is that we all need each other. We can let down our guard or a working facade that would lead others to think we've got it all figured out! Transparency is a mode of life as a regenerated, grafted in follower of Christ. I think instead of comparing ourselves to one another, we benefit most by offering our gifts and asking for others to share theirs! I know it's no easy feat, but it is intrinsic to our growth as believers in Jesus Christ and as future pastors, missionaries or whatever capacity of ministry we will by the sovereignty of God end up at. I can't tell you how many times I've had to walk into the study lounge to ask questions from some of my friends who have the church history backgrounds, biblical studies backgrounds or just a penchant for linguistics. We all could greatly benefit from someone that God has placed a certain skill set or talent for that is outside of our own! :) This all aims to glorify God because it humbles us and reminds us that we need HIM and sometimes He works through our friends at seminary. This is something that has stuck with me as I study the Prophets of the O.T. Righteousness (in Hebrew) is derived from this notion of being poor and needy. Apart from God, we are indeed helpless and in need of rescue. So, let's throw out a tow line by seeking out the skills and knowledge and gifts of God's Holy Spirit in one another and most of all, lending our gifts and using them for the service of God.

A friend of mine from MN named Bryan is currently in Israel.He's just a really gifted teacher. He's in seminary and is taking these next 6 months to ruminate over the places of the Bible and to bring the Scriptures to life in new and exciting ways. He's passionate about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and in his scholarly knowledge of scripture he has been gifted with being able to paint a picture with words in such a way that allows the knowledge of God's word to come alive. God is doing tremendous things through Bryan's experience there. Go to his website which is called The Jerusalem Experiment and take a tour. I know it's helped me to further develop my own understanding of the O.T. See what God is doing through this project and I trust it will be a blessed experience. (Thanks Bry for sharing the inner and outer workings of God's gifts through you in Israel!).

Reflections on 2009

Greetings to you all in the New Year! I know, I know, I'm long overdue for a post! Forgive me please. Seminary life thus far has been a blessed experience! It has also bred demands on my time and my energies in ways that remain to be articulated in the fullness of it's weight. I'm sitting in my beloved Dunn Bros. coffee shop in MN. I've been home for nearly two weeks and as my time draws to a close here before I'm back into the swing of Seminary life, I wanted to share some reflections on 2009. I was having coffee with my pastor this morning and it was laden with sage advise and the wisdom that he offered in regards to making the most of my time at school. We both agreed that putting in place disciplines from the onset was both beneficial to my well being (spiritually, physically, psychologically)now and to my future ministry life. I was asked some really good questions about what was or wasn't in place and as I was forced to recount these things. Something that P.B. said solidified for me the things that God has taught me over 2009. He said in so many words that discord in one area or discipline leads to the downfall of all other disciplines. I couldn't agree more. This got to thinking and I wanted to list some of the important take away lessons from my 2009.

1.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and Love your neighbor as yourself" Luke 10:27.

Straight from the mouth of our savior Jesus!

2. Rest...holy rest, true Sabbath rest does not only your body good, but your spirit and your heart. This doesn't mean doing whatever you want on your day off...it's different from chill time. Rather, it means carving out intentional time to clear away all the distractions and to get time with the Lord. It purposes to
fill you back up, replenish you for the purposes that God intended. Fun time, chill time is different. I think we all take too much liberty to entertain chill time and not enough of the holy rest that God put in place for OUR good.

3. Keep Going!

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and the perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow wary and lose heart" Hebrew 12:1-3.

We keep on going because Jesus marked this race out for us...he set the pace, follow Him! Life is hard sometimes, but it is also filled with exceedingly beautiful and joyful moments! Capture them! Hold on to them and when you face a hill and you know it's gonna hurt, keep running! We have all been called to be champion marathoners through the Grace of Jesus Christ. Don't give up because there is always hope in Him.

4. God is trustworthy! When you are tempted to think otherwise, read Hebrews 11.

5. Forgive!

"12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another" Colossians 3:12-13

6. Be Grateful and Give Thanks! It's easy to dwell on things that aren't going right or that don't line up with our version of how things should be. It's easy to reside in the mire of pain and disappointment. Doing this however will only leave you to be swallowed up by despair. The reality is we are not worthy of God's love, His peace and His goodness, YET He does love us deeply and He grants us His peace and goodness through Jesus Christ. There is much to be thankful for...therefore we ought to be grateful in ALL circumstances of our faith life.

"...and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to god the Father through him" Colossians 3:15b-17

7. Pray continually! 1 Thessalonians 5:17. Everything you do necessitates prayer. Every moment, every decision is an opportunity to ask for wisdom, guidance and courage to do not only the right thing, but the outcome that God desires. God delights in us when we bring our requests our concerns to Him in prayer! A dear friend of mine put it like this (paraphrased)"Every time we pray, it's like we are putting a spotlight on it so that God can tend to it, respond to it, see it and ultimately fulfill it in accordance to His sovereign will."

8. Be disciplined! In all areas. For me, these have been the areas of foremost importance (Not in any particular order): 1. Prayer life 2. Devotional time in the written Word, the Bible and supplemented by books on theology. 3. Working out 3-5 times a week. 4. Eating healthy but also leaving room to enjoy treats in moderation. 5. Studying 6. Ministry responsibilities 7. Time serving others 8. Loving well through Quality time with friends and loved ones 9. Knowing my limits by trusting in God's ability above my own. 10. Sleep! Balancing all of these priorities require steadfast attention to all areas. It means knowing when to say no sometimes. Hearkening back to my convo with P.B. The neglect of one area of discipline, leads to the eventual downfall of all! Enlisting God's help through prayer will sustain you in all of this! :)

9. Be Present. Take each moment as it presents itself to you as a gift. Even when that gift is a challenging one that pushes you to your limits. Being present helps to give you pause in all circumstances and allows you to be more aware and open to God's blessings. It makes you more aware of peace, joy and fulfillment. It helps to keep you in accordance with God's will for your life. How many times have we taken something and run with it without it being warranted? Whether it was a comment from someone, an idea for work, a purchase, a big decision...whatever! And how many times were we way off in that leap? How often have we spent concerted energy worrying about the future that we've spoiled moments in the present? It is the present time that we can actively engage in and participate in. We can't undue the past, we cannot predict the future. When we act as prisoners to our past by constantly looking behind us and trying to change things we cannot change...When we obsess about the future which we cannot directly control, we ultimately miss out in the moments that create the sum parts of our lives. Being present means you are truly living.

10. Take a chance! Dream up God's best for you. When you are truly abiding with the Lord, your desires should align ultimately with His desires for you. All things are possible through God. I'm not saying that you won't experience hardship or challenges along the way. In fact, it's inevitable! However, it is in those hardships and trusting in God all the more that produces a faith that is Rock Solid. On Christ the solid rock we shall stand indeed! In doing this, you are refined. Look at these moments as opportunities that will develop your faith, strengthen it and grow it. God will use you in big ways for His Kingdom! This is the ride of your life! Take a chance! Get on! You will experience things you never could have thought possible! ~ Every day I awake and choose to Follow God is like getting on that ride. What's so great is that God's Grace is Sufficient and in those moments when inevitably we don't get on the ride...it doesn't mean we are banished forever from it. God takes us by the hand, brushes off our dirty knees when we have fallen and picks us back up, inviting us to get back on that ride! or Race. :)

Blessings to each of you in 2010. May you experience all that God has for you!

All my love,
MEL

Making the best of bed rest

This past week I was laid up in bed with the flu. Thankfully it was not H1N1, but it took it's toll nonetheless. Sounds funny, but I actually approached this past sickness as a much needed vacation or retreat from student life. It's funny because I am finding that being in seminary and studying all the time can breed a stagnation in your personal devotional life. I have had to fight for time in God's word that isn't for a class reading assignment and finding time where you are fresh to pray is even more challenging when the day is done and you're spent. Yet God is faithful and he will intervene in ways that may even come by way of illness. I had sweet time with Jesus while I was sick. I was able to have continuous times of prayer and my attention was undivided. I didn't have much strength to pick up text books, but I did have enough strength to pick up my small Bible and read for the fulfillment of my very thirsty spirit. I also wanted to know in what ways I could better honor God in some of the areas of my heart that continue to resurface and He was ready to meet me and speak to me. It was sweet to be in His presence and to cast my cares, my burdens and the burdens of the numerous people in my life unto Him. Truly, being laid up in my bed was a time of worship! It was as if I was on a bed in the middle of paradise. No place safer, no peace so sweet then to be in the throws of prayer. To be still, to listen and to know that God will have His way and He will break through. His Holy spirit comes and will work, convict, correct, encourage, promise and lavish you with the grace and love of our Heavenly Father. I pray that it doesn't always come down to me getting sick to get back on track in finding intimate communion with God, but I'm so grateful that God has infinite measures to break through when inevitably I will fall short. I was richly encouraged by the call in Romans 12:1-2 "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

I didn't realize that the very rest that I needed in the depths of me would come by way of bed rest. It was the most worthy way to spend my time and my strength in holy pursuit of the Great I Am. Worthy is He of our praises, our adoration, worship, honor and all glory. I will leave you with the words of J. Wilbur Chapman "This is your privilege for this day and every day, to live in the very atmosphere of heaven while working down here in the sin-tainted atmosphere of this world. It is the personal appropriation of Christ that makes this world like heaven. It is the sweet fellowship that opens our eyes, so that again and again we cannot help saying, "you know that I love you."

~Mel

Reflections on the Evangelical Student Fellowship Retreat

This past weekend I was able to leave the city to go on a retreat with some of my faithful friends at PTS. It was hosted by the Evangelical Student Fellowship group and the theme was "What does it mean to be Evangelical?" More specifically "What does it mean to be Evangelical in light of the context of One Holy Catholic, Apostolic Church?" We were blessed to listen, think through, meditate, pray through and even apply what we were engaging in during our workshop time. Tim Baker and Matt Bell were our guest speakers. More than that, these faithful brothers in Christ helped us wrestle with and break through some of the barriers that we Christians face in a post modern world. They are post graduates of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and are both entrenched in their Ph.D. Studies in Patristics (the study of the writings of the church fathers). Their commitment to the Gospel and their burden for the church is obvious. This passion has led them to start the "Ancient Christian Faith Initiative." Their website is an interactive site or I guess it could be said that it's more of a resource for events,seminars and online classes. I highly recommend you take a look at the site and if possible take advantage of this awesome tool.

One of the most impacting truths I took away from this weekend was the reminder that we as Believers must hold together our deeply rooted traditions with our modern experiences. That is to say that being engaged in our world and culture should never come at the cost of letting go of or loosening the Biblical standards that we are called to. We can and should trust/submit to the teachings of God's word because God's word was entrusted to our Apostolic fathers. That and many subsequent works that offer rich understanding of the Bible by the ancient Christian fathers should be studied and learned. These sources have sustained time and the same truths laid out for Christians then, hold true for us all the more now.

One of the maladies that we discussed in the modern church was that of Inclusion. Inclusion is of course a loving and biblical concept. As we look at how Jesus extended himself to and cared for the marginalized, we know that that is something we then are called to do. We are instructed to care specifically for the widows and the orphans. Clearly we can look around our modern world and see the long withstanding tradition of caring for those who cannot care for themselves. We can observe that churches bring in people who are on the fringe. The early church was known for taking on "civic" reform and change just by obeying that command. They were doing things to care for the sick and for the elderly. It seems that some churches today are more concerned with not offending anyone or promoting the transforming work of the Gospel by discipling these very people who are clearly in need discipleship. In an effort to include and accept all, the church today neglects to practice authentic inclusion, which comes through instruction and truth. Of course these observations aren't to disparage our Brothers and Sisters in the Universal Church Body...but rather to identify ways to bring the intrinsic fuction of the Church back into the realm of our cultural climate.

These types of conversations matter. They matter especially to a room full of seminarians who are being equipped to go out into ministry...ministry in the church. We worked through some case studies and were able to draw truths from individual reflection and group discussion. What I appreciated most about these brothers who led us was that they care massively for the applications of these truths in ministry. We got to apply what we were talking about and lay hands on and pray for our brothers and sisters who were up against difficulties in the very Body of Christ. It was an encouraging and edifying time!

In my own personal meditation of everything we were learning, I had to praise God that He would affirm and confirm every foundational brick that He laid in my time being a part of FUSION (At New Hope Church). As the Matt and Tim emphasized the importance of Christian tradition and as they pointed us to the Gospel message on the Cross, I was brought to the FUSION mission statement which I had affixed to the back of my Bible. I was grateful to know that their is faithful teaching from Humble Pastors and teachers like Tim and Matt as well as my former Pastor Bryan McWhite, Pastor of Young adults at New Hope Church.I'll leave you with this from FUSION's Mission Statement:
The fusion community is a place for you to belong and to become.

We are committed to loving Christ and learning to live in his ways by hearing and doing his Word. We love modern worship and cultural engagement, but not at the expense of truly biblical teaching. We love to live in community, to invest in our small groups, and to serve the community together, but we want those things to flow out of a heart filled with God-exalting, joy-inspiring, love-producing biblical truth.

We're not about reinventing.
We're about rediscovering what has always been true.

I pray for the truth to grip the hearts of all church leaders today and to come.

Let's go Deeper!

The past couple of days have been challenging...rough actually. The awareness and the reality of my life here has taken hold and there are truly moments when the loneliness is palpable. I knew this was to be expected, I prayed over it as I thought about what the process of making friends looked like and what type of community I was going to step into. I also prayed over the ebb and flow that comes in the balancing act of managing a busy schedule. I did all these things knowing that inevitably these were areas that could possibly be a source of discouragement for me. Orientation and the first week of classes bombarded us with activity, serving as the impetus for connecting and getting to know people. That has been a wonderful experience...a blessed experience. I've visited some churches and attended some services and it's too early to tell where I'll land. I just keep entrusting that to the Lord to make it known to me. I trust in that implicitly.

Here's the thing, with classes already underway and routines being established, autonomy beckons. That's not a bad thing necessarily, but it opens the possibility of allowing for navel gazing. It's seems impossible to think that any of the connections made during the past week of Seminary Bootcamp, implies immediately established or sustaining intimacy, or to think that trust is guaranteed both on the giving end and the receiving end. To those who know me and know me well, I'm a person who can establish a rapport in a social setting. I do that pretty well. However, being the deeply relational person that I am (after all, I am made in the Likeness of God and He is indeed a relational God)I long to be understood, I long to be truly valued in the communal sense and through friendship. I long to do and be those very things as well. I know that it takes time, so I continually remind myself of that.

During Chapel last week, the preacher spoke about the dangers of putting people in a box. It's a dangerous thing to make snap judgements, it's a harmful thing to make comments based on one's perception of another (GOSSIP!). He warned that when we do this, we effectively contribute to the tearing away at or the hampering of the very Body of Christ. I was so encouraged by that message. It's a good reminder especially in light of a new school year beginning, new faculty and staff, new students, established students alike...we are all in a very real context for this truth to apply itself. It's human nature for us to label people. We do it to draw a big picture for ourselves...a picture that tells us how we relate to one another,all the while trying to discern where our own place exists on that landscape. It can serve an immediate purpose of putting a name to a face and a snap context...especially when you are learning 60-75 names, can be helpful! But the call to move beyond that is necessary. Just as quickly as we build up that structure or picture in our minds, we have to work just as diligently and intentionally to tear away at the layers. We must do this in order to get to the very heart, the very core of one another. We all have a story that lends itself to why we are who we are. Yet despite that, because of the certainty in the part of our identity that calls us sons and daughters of Christ Jesus, we have a jumping off point! I praise the Lord for that! That right there is comforting to me amid this process.

I hold fast to the love and faithfulness of our Father through our Lord Jesus Christ. I'm grateful for the whisperings of the Holy Spirit as He guides me, invites me to trust in Him and to be still before God. I do this knowing that there is no trial, no suffering greater than the suffering our Savior faced when He was abandoned and left violently alone to face the wrath of God for OUR sins. He did this so that we could know more thoroughly God's love for us. And in that love I can know with certainty that God's Grace is indeed sufficient!

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Father, I pray for my brothers and sisters in Christ that have stepped out in an act of obedient faith to follow you to this place of refining. We know that in your Sovereignty and in your Kingdom, we have a place. May we rest in that and allow peace to reside in us as we seek after you more deeply in study so that we could be more effective for your Kingdom work. Most of all I pray that in all that we do, it would be for YOUR Glory sake. May your very words stay close to our hearts and may your words be ever sweet to our weary bodies, thirsty spirits and our lonely hearts. May we find refuge in your unwavering faithfulness to us and may we cherish more and more the sufficiency of your Amazing Grace!

In the Name of Jesus we pray...Amen.

The Big Move to Pittsburgh

It's hard to believe that the time has already come for me to start my studies at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary! In some ways, this new chapter in my life has been a long time coming and in other ways, it's come up way too quickly for me to even wrap my mind around! I took my time driving out here. I set no agenda for myself, stopping when I wanted to stop and driving for as long as I wanted. At my pace, I made it to Pittsburgh in two days! If I'm being honest, I think in some ways I was delaying the process because it was ridiculously difficult to say good bye to dear friends, family and co workers.

Settling into my new studio apartment has taken some getting used to. No complaints of course, but it has been a while since I've had contend with the noises and sounds of a bustling city, neighbors and the likes of heavy doors opening and slamming shut. On the one hand there's that, but on the other, I have a network of people to share in this living experience! I have even benefitted from the kindness of my upstairs neighbor. In passing conversation, it was brought up that I had no furniture. I knew I would have to haul my stuff by myself so I have opted to slowly invest and build up a collection over time. One purchase that I mentioned was on the top of my list is a bed. From that mention came her offer for me to borrow a futon matress she was not using. I had spent the first three nights on the floor and so this was a much welcomed gesture...especially after having to move all of my stuff alone! Did I mention I had to move my stuff all by myself???? Okay enough with the pity party right. My place is starting to feel like home. I would say that the bulk of my boxes and bins were full of kitchen ware, appliances, dish and glassware as well as an extensive collection of spices and pantry mainstays. I may not have a couch, I don't have a TV or an extensive shelving system, but my kitchen stuff is neatly put away!!! I've already cooked a few meals and have even baked cookies in my cute little kitchen.

Lastly I wanted to mention that I am in need of prayers! The realization that I'll be studying under a world class faculty is exciting, but daunting. I'm having a hard time disassociating my undergrad experience to the one I'm about to begin. I just ask that you would pray for me to have a deep dependcance on the Lord for strength in order that I may honor Him during my time of studying. During Orientation, it was mentioned a few times that although grades are a big component of our education, getting perfect grades is not the end all be all of this experience. This school is very passionate about producing pastors but in the same breath, their commitment to academic excellence is not matched by many other Seminaries. School came easy to me growing up and I developed some lazy study habits. It wasn't until my last year of my Undergrad that I felt like I broke the bulk of them. I realize that seminary is completely different in terms of the nature of the course work and the fact that I get to engage daily in Theology and eventually come out conformed to be more like Christ through this transforming experience. I know this to be truth, but that doesn't mean that I'm not struck with the weight of this responsibility and gift! Afterall, this is meant to equip me to pastor God's people in vocational ministry one day! So, if you could just be praying this for me as I'm ramping up to start classes, I would be most grateful.

My address is 700 N. Highland Ave. Apt.# 311, Pittsburgh, PA 15206. Please feel free to send notes and cards! I'll need the encouragement! Since I know that some of you are already wanting to send care packages...God Bless you for that! Please send it to my school mailbox to ensure safe delivery. That address is 616 N. Highland Ave. Box# 67, Pittsburgh, PA 15206.

I love you all and I miss you more than I can even express. Thank you for your prayers and all the well wishes at each turn of this adventure!

Blessings upon blessings...
MEL
P.S. Yes, I did take this picture, with my lame, stone aged digital camera and I still got skills so those of you that I know are gonna give me a hard time about my camera...can suck it!!! :)