For The Sake Of The Call

Well this is it, the fat lady has sung, the checkered is out, the buzzer has sounded, the bags are packed, and the bus is warmed up and ready to go. In the words of Ozzy "mamma I'm coming home".
As I sit in Denver International by myself and write my last Timberline blog post I think back on the year. I can't believe the work I have seen Christ do in my friends lives and my own. Post Timberline life will be hard for me for a while, it will be so weird not living in close quarters with 38 of my closest friends. Doing life and growing in Christ together helping to push each other closer to him.

As I was very emotional today at graduation and there after I thought of these verses in Ecclesiastes 3

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

² a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
³ a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
⁴ a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
⁵ a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

This is just one chapter in our lives that has now come to a close. Though it is hard we will have to rely on the spirit for the strength to carry us through. By this verse we see that it is okay to be sad and cry with each other. But more than that we see that life is going to change and that's just the way it is. I can't believe some of the friendships I have made this year, I will truly miss them so much, but I can take heart in knowing that on the glorious day of the Lord's return we all we'll be together again.

 

So in our last week we went down 6 hours to the Great Sand Dunes in southern Colorado. It was a fun 2 day camping trip, it was great to have one more event where we were all together one last time and have that community closeness one last time. I got to share something with the community that is going to be a very big part of my life soon, that they had been praying about it for me for awhile. Most of my readers will find out what it is in the weeks to come.

 

We had a talent show on Wednesday night, it was filled with music, jokes, goofy impersonation acts, and laughs one last time all together. I with a stroke of creative genius at midnight till 3am the night before I wrote a song about the year, with some lyrical help from my good friend Luke Fetzer. I ended the show with it, and it was a hit, let me tell you. One of my friends took video so hopefully I can get it from them and share the link. 

Thursday was a day of deep cleaning throughout the dorms, so that we could leave them nice and clean for next years class. We then had a night worship (I was able to lead one last time), testimonies, and videos of the year. It was wonderful but bittersweet to know we were running out of time at Timberline.

And so we come to Friday. A day of joy and tears together. It was the final time we all would be together in one room. We all received The Indwelling Life Of Christ (Written by Maj Thomas) and words of encouragement and love from our covenant leaders. Then we received our certificate of completion at the end of the ceremony. As much as I am happy to have completed the course I wish I had more to go.

 

As Dan spoke to us all for the last time today, he talked about skipping stones. How that we are much like stones that when skipped cause ripples on a pond. In the same way we should cause ripples in the lives of those around us day in and day out. But if we are to focused on how we the stone are shaped and not on who is throwing the stone, we will not go very far. I know that I used to be like that concerned about my imperfections and not ready to be used until they had been smoothed out. Instead of looking at who is throwing me. As a word of encouragement to my classmates, WE ARE READY TO BE THROWN WELL! So don't look at ourselves look to the thrower. 

I couldn't think of a better song to end the year on than For The Sake Of The Call. Because that is something we all did this year. We may not have realized it at the beginning of the year but now I sure no I do. One of the many ways we are giving for the sake of the call is going our separate ways now after timberline. We have never been better equipped than now to be able to answer the call. I pray that I am able to do that and my fellow students are able to also.

            
We will abandon it all for the sake of the call
No other reason at all but the sake of the call
Wholly devoted to live and to die for the sake of the call

Nobody stood and applauded them
So they knew from the start
This road would not lead to fame
All they really knew for sure
Was Jesus had called to them
He said "come follow Me" and they came
With reckless abandon, they came

Empty nets lying there at the water's edge
Told a story that few could believe
And none could explain
How some crazy fishermen agreed to go where Jesus lead
With no thought to what they would gain
For Jesus had called them by name
And they answered...

We will abandon it all for the sake of the call
No other reason at all but the sake of the call
Wholly devoted to live and to die for the sake of the call
The sake of the call

Drawn like the rivers are drawn to the sea
There's no turning back, for the water cannot help but flow
Once we hear the Savior's call, we'll follow wherever He leads
Because of the love He has shown
And because He has called us to go
We will answer...

We will abandon it all for the sake of the call
No other reason at all but the sake of the call
Wholly devoted to live and to die

Not for the sake of a creed or a cause
Not for a dream or a promise
Simply because it is Jesus who called
And if we believe we'll obey

We will abandon it all for the sake of the call
No other reason at all but the sake of the call
We will abandon it all for the sake of the call
No other reason at all but the sake of the call
Wholly devoted to live and to die for the sake of the call
For the sake of the call
We will abandon it all for the sake of the call
No other reason at all
We will abandon it all
No other reason at all
We will abandon it all

Thank you all for your prayers and support this year. I wouldn't trade it for anything. I am anxious about where the Lord will have me next but I hold onto He who holds the future. So Because of that I can have peace. I can truly say this year was A Great Adventure.

Till Next Time 

Love Jared

God Follower

Teaching Selfie

Whoa an early post, how can this be? Well this was the last normal week here at Timberline. I am going to miss this place and these people so much. I am so very blessed and happy that I was able to do this year. Our O.S.E.F. on Monday was a series of challenges much like what we had beginning of the school year with team building games and what not. It was fun to see us as a group that knows each other very well, doing things we did when we didn't know each other very well.

It was also the final round of faith stories (Testimonies) this week. I shared mine and all about what the Lord has brought me through this year and the Sin he has taken out of my life. My friend sketches each of the stories as she listens, this is the sketch she made for me.

For our last workday it was all hands on deck to help get the property cleaned up and back to the way we found it at the beginning of the year.

Our guest speakers this week were US each and every student prepared a teaching and taught the class. It was enjoyable to see the growth and understanding that was shown and presented this past week through the students. So for my post this week I will be linking my teaching for you guys to watch I hope you enjoy it! O yes, I got a 91 for my grade on my assignment! I was pleased to say the least and impressed I did so well. I'm sorry but I will have the video up Tuesday. Due to the fact of a slow upload time and it will not be up by the time we leave in the morning. Here is the link it may automatically go up if technology cooperates.   Check it out here!

We will be leaving for our last group trip early Sunday morning. We will be heading down to the sand dunes in southern Colorado for 3 days. It is bittersweet to know that we get to be together one more time but that it is our last time makes it hard.

The teachings this past week are a reflection of what we all have learned and grown through this year. I hope that what we have learned as a class we continue to grow in and use throughout our lives and never let go of it! As next week will be my last post for my year at Timberline I hope to grow continually in what I have learned and be able to use it.

So I hope this will remain our cry and prayer as students from this year that we don't lose the faith but finish the race strong!

My heart is restless as I wander through this jungle
The trees above refuse to let the sunlight through
And somewhere deep inside I hear the whispered longings
That tell me I was made for more than this

A blinding flash of light falls down into the darkness
Slowly I notice strange new markings on the trail
The crimson drops are calling out to me come and follow
"I am the God who made you, let Me show you how to live"
And I cry...

I want to be a God follower
I want to go wherever He leads
I want to be a God follower
I want to walk the trail He's marked for me
And be a God follower
(More than anything)

A now I journey on with the purpose and and with passion
Just like a dead man who's been given breath again
And though this path can still grow dark with tears and sorrow
I know He will never leave me
So with everything I am I will say...

I want to be a God follower
I want to go wherever He leads
I want to be a God follower
I want to walk the trail He's marked for me

And when I reach God's place I will look into His face
And then I'll look for you
Will I find you there?
Can you say with me...
I want to be a God follower
I want to be a God follower
I want to be a God follower
I want to be a God follower

Till Next Time
Love Jared