Why?

"I thought you wanted to go to Africa. Why are you going to spend another year in Texas?"

Good question.

"Those five reasons you're excited about SOTB sound great, but pretty personal-growth centered. How is this missions? Where does this fit into your vision for missions in the future?"

Also good question.

Answer:

First off, here's my vision: To disciple nations through the education of children
(Yes, those nations are hopefully African ones, but if God calls me somewhere else, I am not saying I won't go :) )

That's a big vision.

In Uganda the greatest need I saw within the church was the need for good discipleship. There are so many people who have such passion for serving and following Jesus, which is awesome! However, there is a HUGE LACK of good teaching, and of sound doctrine. Many pastors have never really learned how to study the Bible. Tradition, weird theology, and beliefs from past tribal religions have been mixed together. A Biblical view of God's nature and character is ESSENTIAL for right relationship with Him.

Children are the most receptive age group to the Gospel. 80% of people who come to Christ do so before the age of 12. Long-term they are the most effective to disciple as well, as they have their entire life ahead of them! They can meet Jesus at a young age and choose to follow Him, making wise decisions as they grow avoiding so much unnecessary baggage and heartache. Also, I absolutely ADORE children and have been blessed to already spend so many years teaching them about Jesus.

Education? Math, Reading, Spelling, Science kind of school? Yes! Why?
Do you know how many hours a week children are in school?
6 hours a day x 5 days a week = 30 hours of influence per week.
30 hours per week x 31 weeks of school = 930 hours of influence in 9 months.

Wohoo! Now can you imagine if children spent those 930 hours learning not only how to read, write, reason, do arithmetic, and science, but seeing God as the author of each subject? If each day, in each subject they saw how it revealed WHO GOD IS (aka His character and nature)? What if the motivation for going to school wasn't just so you didn't end up flipping burgers for the rest of your life, but to know God and love Him more and to be more like Him? Sound impossible? It's not. That's the kind of school I got to student teach Kindergarten in last year, and where I'll get to teach Latin this year!

So, how does School Of The Bible (SOTB) fit into all of this?
If I want to be a teacher in a school that aims to base every subject on the truths of God's Word, and reveals His character and nature, I'd better have a solid, Biblical understanding of God's nature and character, and a solid knowledge of how to study the Bible and interpret things IN CONTEXT!

If I am called to disciple others, I'd better make sure that my own foundation is secure and surely founded on the Word of God. I had better make sure that my vision of God is correct, before I say "follow me as I follow Christ".

Doctors need years and years of training before they fully begin their work. Why would missionaries, who are doing a job that is just as important, think that they need hardly any training? I want to be the most effective and successful that I can when I finally am back in Africa (or wherever). I want to be trained well, and this is an EXCELLENT place to be trained.

As a bonus, I get tons of extra teaching experience and an opportunity to put this whole Biblical foundation of education into practice!

Any more questions? I am happy to answer them!

Excitement. :D

I'm excited. So, so, so excited!

Why?

Because of this next season of my life, this next new adventure.

School of the Bible.

ahh.. just saying it sends shivers all through me. :)

Here are 5 reasons why:

#1 I am stoked for excellent teaching. We get to learn about and discuss all sorts of amazing topics: the character and nature of God, Hermeneutics (how to study the Bible), Homiletics (how to teach & preach effectively), the nature of sin, the atonement, Old Testament history, New Testament history, and all sorts of other wonderful things. Being privy to many mealtime discussions with SOTB students from last year only whetted my appetite. It is going to be amazing. And this school has been running for something like 20 years. And other schools in other nations have been built off this model. It's incredible.

#2 I am excited to build a solid, Biblical foundation in my life. Over the years I've had excellent teaching and discipleship from a variety of people and ministries, and I am so thankful for it. But, I've never had any formal training on how to really study the Bible. And I've seen firsthand the transformation that comes from the result of digging so deep into the Word all the time. I know that I have areas in my life that need to be built up Biblically and so I am so excited for that to happen.

#3 I can't wait to jump into this time, because I know that it will totally blow my view and understanding of God wide open. I cannot wait to know Him more and love Him more than I ever have before. After all, "The end of all learning is to know God, and out of that knowledge to love and imitate Him."

#4 I get to learn to teach adults. Currently, teaching adults absolutely terrifies me. Give me children and tell me to teach them just about anything, and it will be a piece of cake. Tell me to teach adults almost anything, and I'll be shakier than a patriotic jello mold (ironic, as that was part of my final project presentation last year (to a bunch of adults) and I'm pretty sure I never stopped shaking.) This year in SOTB, I'll have to do at least 3 major teachings for my class, and then on our outreaches (yes, a total of 3: Two 1 week in the US, then a 1 month overseas outreach) I'll be doing hours and hours of teaching. Terrifying, and yet exciting. Wohoo. Growth!

#5 I get to be a real teacher. Yes, it's true. On the YWAM campus is a K-12 School (with about 150 students) where I got to be a student teacher last year. It's called Christian Heritage School. And you're looking at the new 8th Grade Latin teacher. I am so excited to get to put into practice all the things I learned last year in my teacher training. This is such a great place to be a first year teacher, as I am under the mentorship of incredibly talent teachers who have been teaching for years. It's going to be a huge challenge, but I am so excited.

and there you have it... 5 reasons I'm beyond stoked for this next school.

Ready... Set... SOTB!

SOTB.

That stands for School Of The Bible.

it's 11 months long.

It's in Tyler, Texas (where I was last year for TFN)

and it's what I am doing next.

and it's going to rock my world.

Oh, so excited.

I'll be posting more about it soon.. so stay tuned.

But for now...

You can read more about the details and specifics here.

and here are a couple of videos:

After the Storm

And there will come a time, you'll see, with no more tears.
And love will not break your heart, but dismiss your fears.
Get over your hill and see what you find there,
With grace in your heart and flowers in your hair.

this is an excerpt from a song that has become very near and dear to my heart. It's called "After the Storm" by Mumford and Sons. And it's delightful. To me, this speaks hope. It speaks life. I think of that moment after a long hike, when you reach the crest of the hill and you see an incredible view. Yes, I believe that for this season of my life. I must be near the top of this hill. I've caught a glimpse of the view, and it takes my breath away. I am headed to a good land with my Love. It does not mean that nothing bad will ever happen again. On the contrary, I know that there are storms and battles, probably ones greater than I can imagine, that await me. But, I will walk on, walk on, walk on, for He is with me. He is faithful. And because of Him, I can live my life with "grace in my heart and flowers in my hair". Yum.

listen to this piece of beauty right here:

Favorite

This is one of my favorite quotes ever. It was written by William Bradford, the Governor of the Pilgrims (from Plymouth, in 1620).
In case it's been a while since you've pondered it, the journey that they took was incredible. and ridiculous. They had already been driven from their homes, imprisoned, and barely escaped to Holland. After 10 years there, working back breaking labour, they realized that this was not the place they were called to be. They dreamed of a land where they could be truly free to worship God freely, and do what was right by their conscience. And God called them to it. Their journey was insane. Across the Atlantic ocean in a tiny boat in stormy weather. And when they finally reached their destination (which, actually, they landed hundreds of miles north of where they intended to land) no one was waiting for them. They were starting from scratch. In this Bradford tells what the Pilgrims told the neigh-sayers in Holland. And it has become great encouragement and inspiration to me. So.. here you go!

It was answered, that all great and honorable actions are accompanied with great difficulties, and must be both enterprised and overcome with answerable courages.
It was granted the dangers were great, but not desperate; the difficulties were many, but not invincible.

For though there were many of them likely, yet they were not certain; it might be sundry (many) of the things feared might never befall; others by Provident care and the use of good means, might in a great measure be prevented; and all of them, through the help of God, by fortitude and patience, might either be borne or overcome.

True it was, that such attempts were not to be made and undertaken without good ground and reason; not rashly or lightly as many have done for curiosity or hope of gain.

But their condition was not ordinary; their ends were good and honorable; their calling lawful and urgent; and therefore they might expect the blessing of God in their proceeding.

Yes, though they should lose their lives in this action, yet might they have comfort in the same, and their endeavors would be honorable.