A-MAZE-ing Oktober

Hard to believe that October is almost over already!!! Yipes!! My fourth month of being here is nearly passed, and it feels like only yesterday! In other news, the corn maze was great! Caitlin, Lizzy, Melissa and I took the van over (my first time driving it... that was an adventure!), and we made it through in about a half hour. It was a picture of the mountains, and we went through a tunnel, as well as under and over a bridge. It was pretty dark, but we made it unscathed! We got some goodies and sat around the campfire, talking to some people and saying hey to Kenzie and Kasey, who were there to go with their 4-H group. It was awesome, and we pumped K-Love all the way home, and talked to Joey from Iowa on the phone!

The next morning was Oktoberfest, and Lizzy and Caitlin helped me out all day for running the Rootbeer Garden. Matt Christie and Kenzie joined us at the end, but only after we'd also done the German dancing. It was tight quarters for dancing, but we made it. We did the two we'd done at German Heritage Day and the Chicken Dance. It was all great fun!

Coming soon is the possible Jeremy Camp concert outing, and on November 19th is the youth-led service!! Don't forget it's all coming up soon!!!

What We've Learned

Wow! I haven't written a new post in ages!! So here we go:

Church 101 is going over really well! I love that you guys are really latching onto what's being discussed! So far, we've learned about -

Communion: the celebration of the last supper, with the symbols of the body (bread) and blood (juice) of Jesus that was given to pay the price to save us. Matthew 26:26-28, I Corinthians 11:23-26

Intercession: the act of standing in the gap by being in prayer for someone. It's more than just a 10-second prayer; it's pleading a case at the Throne when the other person may be unable or unwilling to plead on their own behalf.

Baptism: the outward sign to people that we have committed to a changed life, as well as a symbol of dying to our old lives and being risen into a new life in Christ. It is not the means of salvation, but a symbol and outward display of that which has taken place in our hearts. Ephesians 2:8-9, John 14:6, Acts 1:8

Witnesses: giving testimony as to what we have seen and experienced. We know who Jesus is and what He did, as well as what He requires for people to be saved- that they accept Him as Lord and the sacrifice for their sins. We may have (and most likely will face) opposition- Satan's not really thrilled about us- but we are called to give testimony regardless. Acts 1:8, 2:14-41, 6:8-7:60

Hearing God: there isn't a formula (we aren't Gnostics) to hear from God. God can speak to us in many ways, including (but not limited to): a still small voice (I Kings 19:11-12), regular audible voice (I Samuel 3:1-10), dreams (Genesis 41, Daniel 2, Matthew 1:20-25, 2:13-15), visions (Isaiah 6, Acts 9:10-18, Revelation), other people (II Samuel 12), events (Exodus 7:14-12:30), signs (Exodus 7:14-12:30, I Kings 18:1-40, Luke 5:17-26), and (when all else fails) even writing on the wall (Daniel 5). Sometimes, it's just about stopping our own talking and just listening. Oftentimes, we don't hear from God because we aren't being quiet long enough to listen to what He has to say.

That's a lot of ground to have covered! It's important that we have come to understand these things, because once we know who we are, what we believe, and how to be empowered by God, we can make a difference!! In other news, we are going to the corn maze next Friday, we are working at Oktoberfest on Saturday (running the Rootbeer Garden), and our youth led service will be on November 19th! Also coming up is the Jeremy Camp/Hawk Nelson concert on the 2nd!! See me if you are interested in going, and get in the parent permission slips!!!