Speaking of Speaking...

I have actually begun the next section of "Be Fruity", but I thought I would add some video of my recent speaking engagements. On March 23 I was the chapel speaker at my alma mater Judson College in Marion, AL. The night before I was able to speak at the CORE (the weekly student-led worship service) about modern-day slavery. Neither one did I feel I was at my best.

However, before and during chapel, I knew the Holy Spirit was there answering all the prayers I and others have prayed. I know He gave me words to say, and used the ones I chose to speak that probably weren't the best ones to begin with, to His glory. Praise be to Jehovah, the Most High God!!

Then on March 25, I spoke at an event hosted by the Fellowship of Black Seminarians where we watched At The End Of Slavery - a documentary filmed by the International Justice Mission (an evangelical Christian-based political group). We were few in number, but my presentation was 1000x better in many ways than the one at Judson's CORE gathering. There weren't as many questions at the Seminary presentation, but that could be because of the documentary. I do have a more secular version of this presentation in case anybody would like for me to come speak on this topic outside the church setting.

I definitely have a long way to go before becoming a "good" and more spiritually mature speaker, but I am glad to at least get started. I have video from Judson's chapel and the Seminary presentation on my facebook page. If you have time, I would love for you to watch (well, mostly listen) and give me some feedback! God bless, and may the Harvest be plentiful as we serve Him!!

Lolly is Exhausted!

I can't even begin to describe how incredibly exhausted I am!  But, just for you, I am going to push through to write this blog post so all may know about my exciting life. : )

Okay, Friday's defense comes first.  So the night before my advisor gives me a call to encourage me and to let me know what questions he is going to begin the defense with.  (That isn't cheating, is it?)  Anyway, I think it made me more nervous than anything else!  I arrived early the next morning and sat in the room waiting for impending judgement and feeling hopeless.  Then, I remembered something.  It's totally not about me or what degree I may or may not have.  My friend called me that morning to pray with me, and as I sat in the room waiting, I remembered some of what we prayed for - that God would be glorified even in my thesis defense.  I immediately had peace.  I was, in fact, quite over joyed to be alive!  I began writing out the verses to my favorite hymn (How Great Thou Art) and Scripture that deals directly with worry and anxiety.  By the time my advisor showed up, I was like a surfer I was so laid back!  Then, the rest of the committee arrived, but still I had such a beautiful peace!  When the defense officially began I was pumped.  And you want to know something?  I didn't really have to defend anything.

Come again?  That's right.  I answered maybe three questions before it became a discussion on what my title should be.  (Blast that darn elusive title!)  We did talk about other things, but mostly we just sat around throwing out words and corny catch phrases that we thought might work!  We finally decided on this - "Behind the Fan: Conservative Activists in the New Orleans Christian Woman's Exchange, 1881-1891."  For those of you Southern ladies out there, you probably totally get the first part, but for those of you who may not get it, ladies (especially Southern ladies) formerly used fans as a means of keeping cool, communicating, and freshening the air.  (Many times fans were made from the vertivert root which smells divine!)  Anyway, the point is that these women successfully held up the ideal image of the proper Southern lady while "behind the fan" they created some fairly radical reform efforts for the improvement and encouragement of destitute women.  Pretty cool, huh?

Moving on.  After the "defense" I spent another 2 1/2 hours working on completing the legal requirements for submitting my paper, but mostly, I was able to slightly share my faith with my advisor.  This professor is probably one of the best at UNO, but sadly, I do not think he is a Christian.  While we are commanded to share our faith with everyone, I do feel as if this is one person God has placed in my path with whom to share my faith.  I was able to share with him my purpose for pursuing a Master's in history and why I exist - to be a reflection of the One who created me.  To shine in the darkness, even with a history degree.  He tried to change the subject a couple of times, but he brought the conversation back around to my faith more than once!  (Totally not of my doing.)  He even encouraged me to combine my faith with my history training (that's right, he finally started to get what I've been trying to tell him for over a year now).  I'm really excited because I can see this being an open door.  Please pray for him and for my husband and I as we work to share our faith with this lost man.

Now, on to the rest of the weekend!

Saturday I worked with a neighbor we've recently begun witnessing to at her garage sale.  It was interesting to say the least.: )  I then went to lunch with a friend and his fiancee.  This couple decided to get married last Wednesday...they planned the wedding to take place this past Saturday.  That's right, ladies, less than one week of wedding planning!  This friend asked me to talk to his now wife about what it is like being the wife of a small church pastor.  (Poor thing.  She had never met me in my life, and he wanted me to introduce her to "pastor wife" life!)  I did the best that I could do, but come on.  Thomas and I have been married for three years, but I've only had one year as a "pastor's wife"!  I feel so bad for her.  The great thing is, God has been working in this woman's life for a long time.  She is going to be an excellent pastor's wife.  We then went shopping for "earrings" - we had to tell him something to let us go.:)  Just kidding, we actually bought earrings as her "something new."  The wedding was just gorgeous.  There were two other women besides myself and the bride at the wedding, and of course, all of us are running around trying to make everything as 'perfect' as we possibly can, and the guys (who out numbered us like 2-1) were sitting around, hanging out, congratulating the groom.

Men. : )

Anyway, everything went beautifully.  I was even able to videotape the whole thing in order to make it into a documentary for them.  I wanted to do it because the groom had a big to-do on Sunday!  He went through his ordination council (passed with flying colors by the way), and he was ordained Sunday evening!  Yea!  We had a very busy weekend, to say the least.  But we can't slow down because the end of the semester is drawing near!

I think the best thing to happen in the past few days happened today when I went grocery shopping with a friend.  Her daughter (age 2) was trying to say Gabrielle, but it just wasn't working.  So, I told my friend that her daughter could call me Bel, because that is my family's nickname for me and it's much easier for kids.  She doesn't call me Bel.

She calls me "Lolly."  That's the coolest nickname I've ever had.  Now, Lolly has to dash again. Please keep us in your prayers as we finish this semester!!!

Back to Jerusalem

My husband read a book for class a few semesters ago, I'm sure the title was Back to Jerusalem. Although, I may be getting that wrong. However, what he told me about it really stuck with me. I placed China as next on the country prayer concern, and I remembered this book.

Basically, Christ's Kingdom is expanding in China. (Praise God!) The movement among the believers in China is to go back to Jerusalem. To take the Gospel message back to where it began. These people - in their "basic training" as Christians - are learning to get out of very intense and dangerous situations. Their mission is so beautiful, and I find myself desiring to be more like them. New Christians are amazing in their faith; it seems like nothing can stop them. You would think that people who have known Christ their entire lives would live like these Chinese Christians.

I'm one of those people who grew up in a loving, Christian home, and accepted Christ as Savior at a very young age. Yet, there are so many times I deny His power in my life. (2 Timothy 3:1-5) My hope and prayer is that God will challenge my faith and get me to where I resemble people like the Chinese Christians, unwavering in my faith, devotion, loyalty, and bravery.

Please pray for me as I prepare to talk to four people I know about Jesus. All of them are high intellectuals that see their intelligence as the place for answers. I know for a fact that one of them does not believe in God, but in fact - in his words - "worships himself." One of them was brought up to believe that God exists, but does not believe that Jesus is the Son of God who came, lived, died, and raised Himself from the dead as a propitiation for our sins. She rejects the truth of the Gospel. The other two, I have no idea where they are. However, the fruit they produce in their lives is not good and holy.

I don't want to rely on my strength or my words. I need my Heavenly Father to overtake me as I talk with them, so that I may have the courage and ability to speak exactly what He desires them to hear. I don't want to ever deny, or not fully use His power again. Let this be the beginning of a revival in New Orleans. My God can not fail, and I believe He will answer my prayer. These four people may all reject Him (oh I hope they don't), but He is the one who brings them to Himself - not me, I'm just the vessel. And who knows what God will do with me and my hubby as we partake in a new evangelistic endeavor?! Exciting!