Well, only 3 more days then I will be back home! While im on break I wont be posting on here, So I will get back to it after the new year, around the 4 0r 5th.
Anyways, today was our actual real Covenant ceremony. It was really amazing. They gave us a paper that had the entire covenant written out on it as well as a ring. When we finished reading the covenant, we signed it and put on our rings, which signify our holding to God completely over the mext 7 months. It was really beautiful.
Well, the Joy of Christmas play that we put on here at the Dream Center has been going now for a few days, and tonight will be the third show. Its is probably the most amazing Christmas play I have ever seen! Full of awesome acting, dancing, and singing, it is truly a marvelous show! I wish all of you could see it!
Well, I have to go, but I will see all of you at home in a few days, and will update again in 2008!
Always Yours,
Tim
Friday, December 14, 2007
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Wowzers!
So yeah only 11 days till I visit home! Woo Hoo! Im excited! Anyhow, later today my small group here is going to be making gingerbread houses and I can smell the icing already...mmm...
Quick update on some stuff: My roomate Shane got in a car accident yesterday. He is fine, and his car is driveable, but his car window was smashed and the driver door was also smashed in. He is really being attacked through this, because that was his only way to get home, and he might now not be able to get home with his car in that condition. So if you guys would pray for him that would be great!
Also, my other roomate Sam is getting disciplined for being late to his kitchen time, which he had to wake up at 4:30 in the morning. Although the situation wasn't a big deal (the kitchen workers were ok that he was a bit late), he will still get discipline for it. And from what I have heard from the people who have had it, Sam is in for a rough time. Please pray for him as well!
Well, I an starting to get ready for being back at home and man am I excited! I am looking forward to seeing you all and hanging out with my family and friends!
Tim
Quick update on some stuff: My roomate Shane got in a car accident yesterday. He is fine, and his car is driveable, but his car window was smashed and the driver door was also smashed in. He is really being attacked through this, because that was his only way to get home, and he might now not be able to get home with his car in that condition. So if you guys would pray for him that would be great!
Also, my other roomate Sam is getting disciplined for being late to his kitchen time, which he had to wake up at 4:30 in the morning. Although the situation wasn't a big deal (the kitchen workers were ok that he was a bit late), he will still get discipline for it. And from what I have heard from the people who have had it, Sam is in for a rough time. Please pray for him as well!
Well, I an starting to get ready for being back at home and man am I excited! I am looking forward to seeing you all and hanging out with my family and friends!
Tim
Monday, November 26, 2007
Hey guys! How are you all doing? Things are going all right with me, and I am now starting to get back into the schedule of Masters, after a nice Thanksgiving break.
To be honest though, I was really pretty lonely during Thanksgiving. It was the first real holiday I have spent away from my family like that, and it was different for me. I mostly just hung out with people and did some scripture homework. After we finished eating our Thanksgiving meal at 2 or so, I went to Chase's room and played a new Game called Rockband....which is actually one of the most fun games I have played. Imagine Guitar Hero, with a Drum set, Bass, and a Singer. Then you have Rockband. It was awesome! plus you can make the characters in the game look like you, so that was exciting. We ended up playing it till 2 in the morning.
Hmm...not too much on my mind as of late...although God has really been convicting me of a big problem in a Christian's life...Religion vs. Relationship. How we as Christians start to become like the Pharisees and concentrate so completely on appearing pure and holy and following the rules that they miss the whole inward part of being a Christian! They lose sight of what it is that makes a Christians life meaningful, and become blind to their own self-centered nature!
Besides that, I have been really struggling with inward patience for some people. You know how some people just rub you the wrong way? I am facing that here, and I need to have God's patience and love for these people, because I am struggling to be continually patient and kind with them. So if you guys could pray for me in this, I would really appreciate it!
Tim
To be honest though, I was really pretty lonely during Thanksgiving. It was the first real holiday I have spent away from my family like that, and it was different for me. I mostly just hung out with people and did some scripture homework. After we finished eating our Thanksgiving meal at 2 or so, I went to Chase's room and played a new Game called Rockband....which is actually one of the most fun games I have played. Imagine Guitar Hero, with a Drum set, Bass, and a Singer. Then you have Rockband. It was awesome! plus you can make the characters in the game look like you, so that was exciting. We ended up playing it till 2 in the morning.
Hmm...not too much on my mind as of late...although God has really been convicting me of a big problem in a Christian's life...Religion vs. Relationship. How we as Christians start to become like the Pharisees and concentrate so completely on appearing pure and holy and following the rules that they miss the whole inward part of being a Christian! They lose sight of what it is that makes a Christians life meaningful, and become blind to their own self-centered nature!
Besides that, I have been really struggling with inward patience for some people. You know how some people just rub you the wrong way? I am facing that here, and I need to have God's patience and love for these people, because I am struggling to be continually patient and kind with them. So if you guys could pray for me in this, I would really appreciate it!
Tim
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Hey peeps! Just wanted to stop on here and say Happy Thanksgiving! I hope that you all have a wonderful day and weekend! dont gain too much weight!
Well I have been pretty busy, but I really appreciate all of the prayers that I have been recieving...they really mean so much to me! I appreciate it!
Talk to you guys all later!
Well I have been pretty busy, but I really appreciate all of the prayers that I have been recieving...they really mean so much to me! I appreciate it!
Talk to you guys all later!
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
In case you were wondering...
Yep, I'm still alive! Just been pretty busy as of late, so I haven't been able to update very often. Well, life has been going pretty well as of late...and I am finally getting used to life around here. I've finished adapting to living with y roomies, and they are all great guys. We can talk about the most mundane things, of get completely spiritual and talk on the things of God.
I've been asked by several people what my schedule is like here in Master's, so I thought I would give you a little idea of what like is like for me.
Tuesday through Friday
7:30 Wake up!
9:00 Arrive at the Angelus Temple (the DC church) for prayer.
10:00 Prayer ends, and a MC student will give a devotion.
10:30 Devotion ends, AB (Aaron Bradley our leader) comes up and talks for a bit.
11:00 We break for Scripture study time.
11:45 Scripture time ends and we go to lunch.
1:00 Lunch ends, and we meet in the lounge for the afternoons schedule to be told.
Now at this point, it becomes varied, and some people will be doing different things, and you really never really know what you will be up to. The only set things are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, where we do our current Tracks. My first track is the Creative Communications track, in which I will be doing different more artistic or creative approaches to the services that we will do.
On Saturdays, We will wake up around the same time, but will go to the Gym at (:15 to meet for prayer there, then we head out on what is called Adopt-A-Block. Its where we go out to a neighborhood of LA and start getting to know the people of the area and make relationships with them, and build the churches reputation as those who will go out to the communities and help people. My Adopt-A-Block site is at 25th and Trinity, an area of LA mostly populated by Hispanic people. We will go out to the houses and ask people if they need any help doing anything, like taking out their trash or cooking them meals or doing their laundry...whatever we can do to help and build a trust with them. after we finish at around 1 in the afternoon, we are free until the night when we will go out on buses to our sites and pick up the people to take them to SNR, or Saturday Night Redefined. We will have the service at 7, but we go out to pick up the people at around 6:15 or so. It ends at around (:30, and we are done for the night.
Sundays, we wake up at around 7 and get to the church and pick up people from the sites once again for Sunday service. Others of us are asked to help out at the church and be there at 8:45 to be able to serve in any way, as door greeters, or ushers, or even bathroom attendants ( ladies only, thank God. Could you imagine a male bathroom attendant?) The service starts at 10, and ends around 11:30. after this, we usually have the rest of the day off, but we will sometimes have random things that we will be asked to do.
Mondays are our day off. Thank God.
Anyhow, that is a glimpse of the weekly schedule that I run into here at Master's Commission. Hope that clears up what its like! Talk to you guys later!
I've been asked by several people what my schedule is like here in Master's, so I thought I would give you a little idea of what like is like for me.
Tuesday through Friday
7:30 Wake up!
9:00 Arrive at the Angelus Temple (the DC church) for prayer.
10:00 Prayer ends, and a MC student will give a devotion.
10:30 Devotion ends, AB (Aaron Bradley our leader) comes up and talks for a bit.
11:00 We break for Scripture study time.
11:45 Scripture time ends and we go to lunch.
1:00 Lunch ends, and we meet in the lounge for the afternoons schedule to be told.
Now at this point, it becomes varied, and some people will be doing different things, and you really never really know what you will be up to. The only set things are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, where we do our current Tracks. My first track is the Creative Communications track, in which I will be doing different more artistic or creative approaches to the services that we will do.
On Saturdays, We will wake up around the same time, but will go to the Gym at (:15 to meet for prayer there, then we head out on what is called Adopt-A-Block. Its where we go out to a neighborhood of LA and start getting to know the people of the area and make relationships with them, and build the churches reputation as those who will go out to the communities and help people. My Adopt-A-Block site is at 25th and Trinity, an area of LA mostly populated by Hispanic people. We will go out to the houses and ask people if they need any help doing anything, like taking out their trash or cooking them meals or doing their laundry...whatever we can do to help and build a trust with them. after we finish at around 1 in the afternoon, we are free until the night when we will go out on buses to our sites and pick up the people to take them to SNR, or Saturday Night Redefined. We will have the service at 7, but we go out to pick up the people at around 6:15 or so. It ends at around (:30, and we are done for the night.
Sundays, we wake up at around 7 and get to the church and pick up people from the sites once again for Sunday service. Others of us are asked to help out at the church and be there at 8:45 to be able to serve in any way, as door greeters, or ushers, or even bathroom attendants ( ladies only, thank God. Could you imagine a male bathroom attendant?) The service starts at 10, and ends around 11:30. after this, we usually have the rest of the day off, but we will sometimes have random things that we will be asked to do.
Mondays are our day off. Thank God.
Anyhow, that is a glimpse of the weekly schedule that I run into here at Master's Commission. Hope that clears up what its like! Talk to you guys later!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Wow...rough day!
So pretty much yesterday was one of the hardest days of my life....at Masters, it is called boot camp, and they compare it to Hell Week that the Navy SEALs go through to be initiated.
I was woken up at 3 in the morning, and marched into our lounge area with the rest of students, where we were forced to stand in complete dark in rows of 7 by 10, completely silent, for three hours. Trust me, standing silent in a completely black room is a very hard thing to do for a long time. after this, we were all taken on a long run around the area and then they had us do a team building activity: Carrying one person up a steep hill at a time until only one of us was left. this meant that about 5 of us would have to carry one person up this hill until there were only 5 people left, in which only 4 could carry, until there were only two, and one would have to carry the other up the hill. After we did this, the last person would be brought up the hill by the rest of us laying down on the hill two by two so that the person could use us as a bridge to get up to the top. After we had gotten him up, and the girls had gotten their last person up, we went to one of the hills by the dream center, where the second year boys would have to push a truck up the hill and down it 3 times...while all the first year guys would do leg ups. A leg up is when you lay flat on your back and raise your legs up in the air a foot up. Basically this means that we would have to keep our legs in the air for around 4-5 minutes. If we didn't succeed, we had to run around the whole Dream Center complex, which is quite hard. We weren't able to get it done the first time...and ran. Then we had to do it again, but finally succeeded. After this, the girls had to do it. Once they had finished, 5 boys and 5 girls were asked to volunteer for the next 'trial'. I don't know why I did, but I volunteered, and was then told the next ordeal. The five girls would do leg ups again, while they guys would run around the Dream Center. The longer it took us to run the distance, the longer it was for the girls to hold up their legs. And if the girls dropped their legs, all of the girls would have to run around the Dream Center. In other words, us guys would have to run at a full sprint to make sure that the girls wouldn't have to run. I have never ran so fast in my life. We all managed to get the run finished in record time, and the girls didn't have to run. After this, I was so tired I could barely stand. The long hours standing silently, the running, the leg lifts, and that final race had completely wiped me out. And it was only 10 o'clock.
After the grueling morning, we were brought to the Church sanctuary to be informed of what we would do next. We were going to walk from the Dream Center all the way to central Hollywood...a good 4 hour walk. Once we got there we were going to line up along one of the streets, girls on one side, and boys on the other, and on top of each of the stars along the walk of fame, kneel down and cry out to God for the city of Los Angeles. Once we started walking, I entered a second wind and was able to keep up a good attitude with those around me, even going into a fun freestyle rapping deal that three of the guys, Dan(D-Jack), Blake, and Leo were starting. I provided the beat boxing, haha. Blake, one of the guys, is definitely the BEST freestyle rapper I have ever hear...actually stellar...completely a gift from God to him. anyhow, we reached Hollywood, and I knelt down on one of the stars with the rest of us, and started to pray for the deliverance of the city, the industry in Hollywood, and the world that is so affected by what comes out of the place in which I was standing. After we had prayed, we all went on some of the Dream Center buses which had come to pick us up to the Hollywood Ridge trail, where we walked up to a certain point. We were told that we were going to be prayed over by the second years and anointed with oil, to give this year to God in a real and tangible way. This was definitely the highlight of the day, and the spirit of God was so strong and amazing that everyone was deeply touched. After this amazing experience overlooking all of LA, we went back to the Dream Center and showered off all of the oil and went to bed. Although I was sore, tired, and weary, I had been so happy that I had experienced this day...It was the moment were I really decided that i was here for the right reasons, and that God had an amazing plan for me!
I really appreciate all the prayer that I am receiving from everyone back home, as it strengthens my resolve and commitment to completing this commitment to God. I love you all, and I pray for you daily! God Bless you guys!
I was woken up at 3 in the morning, and marched into our lounge area with the rest of students, where we were forced to stand in complete dark in rows of 7 by 10, completely silent, for three hours. Trust me, standing silent in a completely black room is a very hard thing to do for a long time. after this, we were all taken on a long run around the area and then they had us do a team building activity: Carrying one person up a steep hill at a time until only one of us was left. this meant that about 5 of us would have to carry one person up this hill until there were only 5 people left, in which only 4 could carry, until there were only two, and one would have to carry the other up the hill. After we did this, the last person would be brought up the hill by the rest of us laying down on the hill two by two so that the person could use us as a bridge to get up to the top. After we had gotten him up, and the girls had gotten their last person up, we went to one of the hills by the dream center, where the second year boys would have to push a truck up the hill and down it 3 times...while all the first year guys would do leg ups. A leg up is when you lay flat on your back and raise your legs up in the air a foot up. Basically this means that we would have to keep our legs in the air for around 4-5 minutes. If we didn't succeed, we had to run around the whole Dream Center complex, which is quite hard. We weren't able to get it done the first time...and ran. Then we had to do it again, but finally succeeded. After this, the girls had to do it. Once they had finished, 5 boys and 5 girls were asked to volunteer for the next 'trial'. I don't know why I did, but I volunteered, and was then told the next ordeal. The five girls would do leg ups again, while they guys would run around the Dream Center. The longer it took us to run the distance, the longer it was for the girls to hold up their legs. And if the girls dropped their legs, all of the girls would have to run around the Dream Center. In other words, us guys would have to run at a full sprint to make sure that the girls wouldn't have to run. I have never ran so fast in my life. We all managed to get the run finished in record time, and the girls didn't have to run. After this, I was so tired I could barely stand. The long hours standing silently, the running, the leg lifts, and that final race had completely wiped me out. And it was only 10 o'clock.
After the grueling morning, we were brought to the Church sanctuary to be informed of what we would do next. We were going to walk from the Dream Center all the way to central Hollywood...a good 4 hour walk. Once we got there we were going to line up along one of the streets, girls on one side, and boys on the other, and on top of each of the stars along the walk of fame, kneel down and cry out to God for the city of Los Angeles. Once we started walking, I entered a second wind and was able to keep up a good attitude with those around me, even going into a fun freestyle rapping deal that three of the guys, Dan(D-Jack), Blake, and Leo were starting. I provided the beat boxing, haha. Blake, one of the guys, is definitely the BEST freestyle rapper I have ever hear...actually stellar...completely a gift from God to him. anyhow, we reached Hollywood, and I knelt down on one of the stars with the rest of us, and started to pray for the deliverance of the city, the industry in Hollywood, and the world that is so affected by what comes out of the place in which I was standing. After we had prayed, we all went on some of the Dream Center buses which had come to pick us up to the Hollywood Ridge trail, where we walked up to a certain point. We were told that we were going to be prayed over by the second years and anointed with oil, to give this year to God in a real and tangible way. This was definitely the highlight of the day, and the spirit of God was so strong and amazing that everyone was deeply touched. After this amazing experience overlooking all of LA, we went back to the Dream Center and showered off all of the oil and went to bed. Although I was sore, tired, and weary, I had been so happy that I had experienced this day...It was the moment were I really decided that i was here for the right reasons, and that God had an amazing plan for me!
I really appreciate all the prayer that I am receiving from everyone back home, as it strengthens my resolve and commitment to completing this commitment to God. I love you all, and I pray for you daily! God Bless you guys!
Friday, October 19, 2007
Busy busy busy!
Wow, I just moved into the Dream Center yesterday, and there is already so much to do! Between getting my room set up, meeting new people, and exploring the huge location, I have also been trying to spend some time with my parents seeing the sights of LA...on minimal sleep, unfortunately. I can do it!..with energy drinks...
My roommates, Sam and Shane, are pretty cool guys. Its going to be really cool to get to know them over the next nine months. And we have pretty much the sweetest room on the whole floor. A TV, microwave, and a mini-fridge....yeah we are hooked up.
I went to the Dream Center's Thursday night service, and let me tell you...they have the most intense worship! I though Gen Unleashed got pretty concert-like at times...but they were head-banging on the stage! It was stellar! Absolutely on fire! We also had a guest speaker, who gave a sermon on realizing who Jesus is to you. He gave an amazing testimony about how he was shot at five times at point blank range, and wasn't even hurt, due to his faith in God as his Protector. Needless to say, the whole sermon was really awesome.
Well, Its going to take a lot of getting adjusting to life here...getting used to the area, and memorizing about 50 peoples names (not kidding either...its more like 150), and also getting past my missing of my friends and family back home...but God is on my side, so who can stand against me?
My roommates, Sam and Shane, are pretty cool guys. Its going to be really cool to get to know them over the next nine months. And we have pretty much the sweetest room on the whole floor. A TV, microwave, and a mini-fridge....yeah we are hooked up.
I went to the Dream Center's Thursday night service, and let me tell you...they have the most intense worship! I though Gen Unleashed got pretty concert-like at times...but they were head-banging on the stage! It was stellar! Absolutely on fire! We also had a guest speaker, who gave a sermon on realizing who Jesus is to you. He gave an amazing testimony about how he was shot at five times at point blank range, and wasn't even hurt, due to his faith in God as his Protector. Needless to say, the whole sermon was really awesome.
Well, Its going to take a lot of getting adjusting to life here...getting used to the area, and memorizing about 50 peoples names (not kidding either...its more like 150), and also getting past my missing of my friends and family back home...but God is on my side, so who can stand against me?
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Parting is such sweet sorrow...
Today was my last day to say goodbye to everyone at church...and it was probably the hardest thing I have ever done. My roots at home have been planted very deeply, and its going to really hurt having those roots placed in LA...
As excited as I am, I'm finding that it is much harder than I would have thought. Saying goodbye to my good friends was very difficult for myself and for them. I really love them all so much, and I hope that our friendships will be sharpened and that my leaving will bring us closer together in the end.
I know that it is God's plan for me to go, so I'm not second-guessing it at all...I just wish it wasn't so hard...but I know that the Lord is testing my will in this matter, and that I will come out the better from this experience. And after all, I will be back at Christmas, so its not too long!
As excited as I am, I'm finding that it is much harder than I would have thought. Saying goodbye to my good friends was very difficult for myself and for them. I really love them all so much, and I hope that our friendships will be sharpened and that my leaving will bring us closer together in the end.
I know that it is God's plan for me to go, so I'm not second-guessing it at all...I just wish it wasn't so hard...but I know that the Lord is testing my will in this matter, and that I will come out the better from this experience. And after all, I will be back at Christmas, so its not too long!
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Getting prepared!
Well, its starting to come down to the line for my trip to LA this coming October! I am starting to get really excited, but at the same time really nervous, and having various thoughts and questions on my mind. Will I like it in LA? Will I make any friends? Are people back home going to miss me?
Thoughts like this have been going on in my mind for some time now, and I feel at time very stressed. But I realize that this trip is beyond me, and is something that God has ordained for me to do! I need to put aside all thoughts that could hinder me from going, and realize that He is in control!
On the opposite side, I'm starting to gather things together that I will be needing to have on my trip, and finding that I'm going to have to go shopping for some various items...which is the last thing I feel like doing. Haha.
Hopefully I will be able to get together with all of my friends before I leave, as I won't have the opportunity to see them again until Christmas.
Thoughts like this have been going on in my mind for some time now, and I feel at time very stressed. But I realize that this trip is beyond me, and is something that God has ordained for me to do! I need to put aside all thoughts that could hinder me from going, and realize that He is in control!
On the opposite side, I'm starting to gather things together that I will be needing to have on my trip, and finding that I'm going to have to go shopping for some various items...which is the last thing I feel like doing. Haha.
Hopefully I will be able to get together with all of my friends before I leave, as I won't have the opportunity to see them again until Christmas.
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