I challenge YOU to read with ME!

Quick update....Darrin got a job!!!!  After 3 interviews with Olive Garden, they finally hired him!  He will be a server.  3 interviews just to be a server...they don't mess around!  They say that's where the money is, much more so than in the kitchen.  Of course, he doesn't have the time to do the management thing, as he has done for the past 15 years, so it's back to waiting tables.  We praise God for the job!!!!!  He starts his training on Monday (Labor Day)...please be in prayer for him as he now must balance his school work, his job, and his family. 

We will add serving in a local church to all of that soon, as well.  We have visited 2 local churches.  We think we have found one that is a good "fit" for our family.  Please pray that God will give us wisdom and discernment as we get plugged in and must decide in what capacities to serve, and sometimes, when to say "no" for the sake of balance and margin.

Our classes are going well.  Darrin wrote his first paper!  He did a great job, I think.  We shall see if my opinion is reflected in his professor's opinion (and in his grade). :0)  It is an essay..."A Narrative of a Changed Life:  Where Did God Go?"  Good stuff!

My Hebrew class is getting quite a bit tougher.  No more pre-school Hebrew...you know...singing ABC songs...oh no...we have moved up to at least 2nd grade Hebrew in a week's time....long and short vowels and vocabulary words.  The vowels are just dots and lines added underneath, above, or beside the consonant symbols.  There are not just 5 of them though.  There are different ones for long vowel sounds, short vowel sounds, reduced vowel sounds...and even more.  For the vocab words, we were given 20 of the most commonly used Hebrew words in the Old Testament...symbols, mind you, not our transliterated letters.  For Tuesday's quiz, we have to look at the Hebrew word and know the English translation.  That's 1/2 the quiz...the other 1/2 is knowing all of the vowel dots/dashes/etc.

I've been reading a great book on social injustice for my Women & Evangelism class.  The book is Good News About Injustice:  A Witness of Courage in a Hurting World  by Gary A. Haugen.  I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about the horrible social injustices that are occurring every day all over our world, what God has to say about those situations, and how we, as Christians, can work to seek justice in these situations.  John Stott wrote the foreward to the book, and he says:

"I defy anybody to emerge from exposure to this book unscathed.  In fact, my advice to would-be readers is 'Dont!  Leave the book alone!' - unless you are willing to be shocked, challenged, persuaded, and transformed."

After reading half the book, I agree with that statement 100%.  I think many of us, as American Christians, live in a little bubble of ignorance and protection.  I include myself in that group.  We have NO CLUE what is going on in the world.  We are so blessed here in the United States and don't even realize it.  I was shocked to learn of some atrocities that go on every day around this world.  The cool thing about God's plan for justice in these areas of grave injustice...is that He wants to use us in providing that justice.  Here is a great section of the book...Haugen writes:

"How does God rescue the life of the needy from the hands of the wicked?  Overwhelmingly He does it through those who choose to follow Him in faith and obedience.  He doesn't need our 'help', but He chooses to use us.   

Looking at the millions of slaves in India or the thousands of child prostitutes in Asia or thousands of torture victims twisting and bleeding in the world's forgotten jail cells, we can say to God, 'Thank  you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!  Thank you for all the power, protection, freedom, and justice you have granted us in sparing us from such fates.  Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!'

Or we can ask, What have you given me, Father, that I might help those who don't have power, who don't have protection, who don't have freedom, who don't have justice?"

How can you read that and not be affected???  I certainly have been, and continue to be, greatly affected and moved by Haugen's words and experiences.  Read the book along with me...just take John Stott's words to heart before you do! :0)