Burn The Ships

Another week in the pages of history. We have been dumped on this week. We have about a foot to a foot and a half of snow on the ground. Which makes everyone very very very happy. Aside from being able to go down the little slope out behind the lodge there hasn't been to much snowboarding or skiing. But we have made due till this weekend. This weekend was the opener at the resort. I went out Sunday. I had prior obligations on Saturday watching Gator football. Plus it was going to be very very crowded opening day I decided it would be better for me to wait just a bit longer and not get run over.

So today all that was open at the ski resort right now is green runs, which was very good for me as they are not to difficult. I had some good runs and didn't get destroyed by the lift. So all in all a very productive day. I am picking snowboarding up very quickly. I will be a part of the Xgames team this next coming season....... okay I'm not that good yet but I am doing very well. Working on carving down the mountain is my next task. I have balance and my stopping down. Picked most of it up by myself but have had some friends give me some pointers which has helped a lot and kept me from learning the wrong way. #4ThisIGiveThanks.
To the right (Luke. Me. Cody.) Below left (Cody) And below right (Me. Cody. Luke. Naomi.)











 This past Tuesday we had our workday and the crew I was on had cutting and splitting duty. For about 3 hours. I helped toss and set rounds on the splitter the whole time. The weather was nice, sunny with the temp right around 18* for the day. That's right that is me in the T shirt representing good ole grace camp!

 To the left is my buddy and one of my small group leaders Daniel. He lead the cutting, splitting, and stacking for the day.







For our New York mission trip I will be leading a teaching for the group I am in. It will be for people we are working with up there. I have decided to teach out of Jonah. The reason I picked Jonah is because of how it can show the love of the God of the New Testament in the Old, and cross right over into the Gospel really easily with a great Old Testament story. I am to prepare a short 5-10 minute lesson. However I am preparing it in a way that my pastor (Mike Hughes) taught me. So when I started preparing I did not know my time frame I had to work within. Which in turn I had started on a 30 minute sermon haha. So I will have to cut it down just a bit.    
 
So this past week we had a guest speaker Jerry Benjamin. His teaching style was very fast and rather hard to follow for me. He spoke on trusting in the sufficiency of Christ. He went through many different passages in scripture. One point though that stuck out to me was a point he brought up about the Israelites in the desert. He pointed out that when the Lord spoke to his people and wanted them to do something that they hadn't done before and that required faith, it was very easy for them to do. However when they were told to do something a second time or something that was very similar to another command that they had been given, they would rely on their own understanding. Because they liked what they knew and didn't have to rely on God in those cases.

I had been wondering what I would point out for my main thought this week, as I had a harder time following our guest speaker. But on Thursday night we had a different guest speaker. A local Pastor (Doug Toller) he spoke on finishing strong. What I mean by that is, how we as Christians can start off so on fire for God and as time goes by we lose the passion. He talked about how the little things we may not think a big deal can in the end start to taint your life and weaken your faith. So then you end up going back to the ways you knew before Christ, because it is easier that way. I thought in the same way Israel did the same things over and over again especially in the desert. We can do the same thing if we aren't careful, not trusting in the one who brought us this far. So I pray that after this year me and the other students here do not let go of what we have learned. So these two verses come to mind.

 James 1:2
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,

And

Philippians 1:6
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of
Jesus Christ.


So take heart when the going gets tough. Because when the going gets tough we don't have to get tough and do it alone. So this song comes to mind

Starting from verse 2 into the chorus 

n the spring of new beginnings a searching heart set sail
Looking for a new life and a love that would not fail
On the shores of grace and mercy we landed with great joy
But an enemy was waiting to steal, kill, and destroy

Quietly he whispers, "Go back to the life you know"
But the one who led us here is saying

"Burn the ships we're here to stay
There's no way we could go back
Now that we've come this far by faith
Burn the ships we've passed the point of no return
Our life is here so let the ships burn and burn"

Till Next Time 

Love Jared