Thinking Differently

Cast all your cares on Him, for He cares for you.
- Paul, speaking of Jesus

Somthing I have been having to do lately. I don’t worry about much, but when I do, I can think about something forever, just can’t get it off my mind.

It seems like I have so many needs, and it seems like God isn’t meeting them. But yeah, whatever. God not meet a need? That will be the day hell freezes over and, like, the universe explodes into nothingness.

So I have been letting God care for me.

Also, I have been getting into the habit of talking with my Abba more. Prayer is so powerful, and such a help to me, and my prayer life isn’t the greatest right now, but today I was able to spend mad good time praying.

God is so amazingly good.

Peace, ya’ll.

Praise God!!

I have half of the money I need to go to Hungary in the Spring.

Please pray with me for the other half! I need $725. If you would like to help, just shoot me an email at myself@phiiipjoel.com and I can get you more information.

Thanks to those who have sent in money.

I will keep you updated.

-Phil

Hello there.

I have finished my fourth week here in winter quarter at the Bible Institute, and Snow Camp week 3.

I was called on to counsel at the last minute, and I can’t say I was entirely prepared. But God did some good working, and even grew me through the experiance. He is so good.

Speaking of Him being good, I got to talk with my girlfriend again. Whohoo! I love doing that, just callin and talkin about whatever. She is coming northward, and closer. I will see her in seven short weeks!!

Also, my updated website is available to the public. Use the “Home” link at the top of this page, or navigate to philipjoel.com

Keep praying for me.

Peace.

I saw my previous blog entry, pridefully entitled “Myself” and immediately wondered how I could be so bold?

Who am I, that I should exault myself? The post was to introduce my new website, but I was just struck by how small I am and how incredibly amazing the KING OF KINGS and the LORD OF LORDS is.

I just came from working tech here at the second week of Snow Camp at the Word of Life Bible Institute. I was working in the dining hall annex, where were showing a live feed via fiber optics from where the opening rally of the weekend was being held. In this first meeting, we always give a salvation message, for sharing the Gospel is the point of Snow Camp. We give the unsaved teens that come an opportunity to receive Christ as Savior.

Those that watch this feed are mostly students of the BI, and some of the youth leaders. I confess that I thought my job wasn’t imprortant. But something simple and amazing happened. As the camera zoomed out to show the teens walking foward to make that public declaration, the youth leaders started praisng God for certain of the teens they brought. They whispered names of those that made the step from the kingdom of darkness whose realm is hell to the Kingdom of Light whose realm is Heaven and whose Sovereign is God Most High. By being willing to do a job that didn’t seem that great, I facilitated those leaders being able to see immediately the answer to their prayers and the work of God. They had the chance to praise God for the good He had done.

Over 30 youth came to Christ tonight. And it was amazing to see.

Oh the Amazing Love of God, who would die in my place, take my death for my evil, and return from hell to offer me the chance to receive a free gift of release of my debt to God!! How can it be that my KING would die? for me??

I have no idea. But I thank Him for it.

what an AWESOME GOD I serve!!

Oh, and one of my Christmas presents was my own website.

Thank you, Joe.

You too can visit this wonderful and happy place. Just visit http://www.philipjoel.com. Actually, this blog is there now, though there is no link to it on my homepage. The new home of this is www.philipjoel.com/blog, though the old link will still work.

Also, my new email address is myself@philipjoel.com

So there you have it.

~A Public Service Announcement

Saturday evening was cool.

Got to see my friend who is in jail for something stupid he did. The visit served to cheer him up alot. He had a court date today where they did little more than postpone his hearing till later. It may boil down to a plea bargain because it will cost the government alot of money to try him. So much for fairness in the justice department.

It appears currency is the currency of the realm.

Other than that, it finally snowed, but little more than an inch or so and it still is being plenti warm. Pray for more. Alot more.

I also got to speak with the head of International Students, who may be able to get me help with my school bill via a generous donor. The prayer is that this person will actually donate this year, and be willing to help me.

And snow camp is approaching. What fun and sleepless days! Please be praying.

Anyhoo, that’s all for now.

Peace.

Well, we are supposed to have winter snow camp starting next week.

Hmm.

It is fifty degrees, and all the rain last night washed away all our residual snow from Christmas. Looks like it will be mud camp unless a miracle happens.

Pray for that will you? We have over 4000 campers coming, and they would appreciate some snow.

On another note, classes start on Tuesday. Fun stuff.

The Prophet Isaiah spoke those words, several thousand years ago, and they remain true.

It is Missions Conference time here at Word Of Life, and boy is it exciting. Heard from a Phillipino last night in devotions time, he was born in the jungle and God sent a missionary to share the gospel with Him, and he got saved and works with Wycliffe now. Before that I heard from Harry Bollback, co founder of Word of Life. This morning Steve Nichols from Word of Life Korea spoke.

The common theme?

Seeing God.

Am I looking for Him, and watching for His hand? Am I open to His calling, and His moving in my Life?

I would like to say yes, but must examine my heart to do so. God has blessed me with so much talent and ability, and has placed me in awesome places. I seek to serve Him always and in any way possible. Wow, the conference is only half over, too.

I spent the second part of this morning talking with a guy that is a chaplain for law enforcement. He may have some help for me in the college realm, so I am pursuing that. Wow, is it exciting. I can’t wait to see what God does.

Further updates as events warrant.