I’m not sure how much of a “break” this will be… there’s a lot to do!
I’ve got everything packed (I think) to head to my parents house tomorrow in Anderson for a few days. While I’m there, I’ll probably be back and forth to Greenville to help babysit my nieces because Josiah is coming home on Thursday (www.thewilsonheart.com)!! Friday I’m off to Charleston to see my fiancé and his family and Saturday we’re going to visit with our reception venue and then we’re going to see A Christmas Carol (by the Charleston stage company)!
Throughout break, I am working on an Independent Study for school on the Prison Epistles.
I want to finish reading Soul Cravings by Erwin McManus, read Forgotten God by Francis Chan, and perhaps another book.
I have to write and send out support letters to raise $5000 for my internship and make a scrapbook about Cambodia.
On Dec 17 my sister Charity graduates from grad school in Charlotte and on the 18-20 we’ll be in Boone with the Redwines.
I’ll head back to my parents for a few days and will probably visit Milo and Erin and also my grandparents in Aiken because my cousins from Cali will be in town!!
Christmas Eve afternoon we’ll be in Columbia with John Mark’s family and back in Charleston that night for the Christmas Eve service and the opening of presents.
John Mark and I will head back to my parents Christmas Day and maybe go to Aiken around that time.
We will be heading back to Boone for a CSU family reunion with 16 of us I think to celebrate the New Year!!
Probably back to my parents and perhaps John Mark’s in NC before we possibly head to NY so he can meet my extended friends and family.
I also have 2 exams for my independent study too.
Yikes, so much to do, but so much to come in this next year. I’m very excited, a little overwhelmed and will be happy when it’s all said and done!!
Merry Christmas everyone. I can’t wait to be with the people I love.
Monday, December 7, 2009
I’m engaged!
Well, it happened… John Mark Redwine proposed to me on Friday, Nov 20th!! It was a bit of a restful week (other than meetings and dinners to end the semester) for me after an extremely stressful, sleepless and busy week before. On Monday, Jessi called me to go to a play on Friday with her and Erica. I didn't really ask what the play was, but I was just excited to hang out because I had been in my room busy as a bee for a few weeks straight. I told John Mark about it and he was glad I was going to do something fun.
John Mark did tell me there was a surprise for me on Friday, but I thought it was a bouquet of flowers, but there was nothing in my mail. Friday afternoon Jessi called and said, I'll pick you up at 430. We left here around 5 and on our way to Chattanooga and the play, Jessi said, "let's go to Sunset Rock, you know how to get there right Rahel?" I really didn't feel like going because the sun was already about to set and we were wearing dresses… but oddly, I didn't ask questions. We got to Sunset rock just before dusk and as we were walking down to the view, John Mark turned the corner and proposed.
It was hard for me to grasp it all because all day and all week for that matter John Mark had been lying about what he was doing (He and Jessi and Erica devised this story about the play). He told me all about his day on Friday: having a tough workout, going to work, going Christmas shopping than going over to his friend Brack's house (mind you, John Mark lives 10 hours from me). John Mark left at 4am to drive to Chattanooga and called my aunt to make plans for us to stay at her house for the weekend.
Of course, I said YES! After, I asked a lot of questions as to how he was here, with me… But it was such a surprise! I was a little saddened when I heard there was never any play. But, on Saturday we went to lunch at the Pickle Barrel, went to the art museum, got coffee and walked around the art district of Chatt, went to see a play "Screw-tape Letters" by C.S. Lewis at the coolest theatre and had Japanese for dinner (all Spontaneously)!! It was an awesome weekend with my amazing fiancé!!!
We were able to spend Thanksgiving engaged and tell our friends and family all about it.
John Mark and I became great friends second semester of our freshman year at CSU. It has been an amazing and transformational 4 years for John Mark and I. We have grown up quite a bit and learned a LOT about each other. Our entire dating relationship has been long distance other than a few months around each other here and there and every few weekends, but friends and family know we're inseparable. Truly being best friends for such an extended period of time (3 years) helped to prepare us for the long distance. We've spent many hours on the phone from several states, countries, payphones, cell phones and homes.
We are so excited to see where God takes us and are looking forward to spending this next year engaged. This is going to be an extremely busy year, but we are so ready to be in the next stage of our relationship!
Love you John Mark Redwine,
Friday, November 20, 2009
Yes, it’s really happening.
I just received 75 business letters from my program, and I will be adding my personal note, to send out to raise financial support for my internship in Cambodia. I ask that those of you possibly interested in helping to support monetarily or through your prayers, please give me your home address so that I can put you on my list; either on here or by email: rwilso04@leeu.edu (that is an o, and a zero)
What is an Intercultural Studies degree here at Lee? This is a missions degree designed to prepare students for faithful, informed, and effective practice of mission in a multi-cultural and pluralistic world. The program, with it’s intentioned intercultural approach to teaching missiology and evangelism, serves the World Christian Movement by preparing people for mission.
A little more about Cambodia:
Cambodia is home to Tonlé Sap Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, as well as the Angkor Wat temples, which were built in the 12th century and are a national symbol of Cambodia still today. Cambodia has a religiocultural heritage in which 95% of its 14 million people adhere to Theraveda Buddhism.
I will be learning to live and work in a cultural context very different from the US, while ministering to the spiritual and felt needs of the people of Cambodia. Most importantly, I will have the opportunity to form relationships and show the love of Christ through teaching, preaching, outreach, social service and children’s evangelism.
I ask you to please consider this great opportunity that I have and pray for me as I prepare these next 6 months.
Thank you.
What is an Intercultural Studies degree here at Lee? This is a missions degree designed to prepare students for faithful, informed, and effective practice of mission in a multi-cultural and pluralistic world. The program, with it’s intentioned intercultural approach to teaching missiology and evangelism, serves the World Christian Movement by preparing people for mission.
A little more about Cambodia:
Cambodia is home to Tonlé Sap Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, as well as the Angkor Wat temples, which were built in the 12th century and are a national symbol of Cambodia still today. Cambodia has a religiocultural heritage in which 95% of its 14 million people adhere to Theraveda Buddhism.
I will be learning to live and work in a cultural context very different from the US, while ministering to the spiritual and felt needs of the people of Cambodia. Most importantly, I will have the opportunity to form relationships and show the love of Christ through teaching, preaching, outreach, social service and children’s evangelism.
I ask you to please consider this great opportunity that I have and pray for me as I prepare these next 6 months.
Thank you.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Cambodia?
Just a little information to know:
Where is Cambodia?
Cambodia is in South-eastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos.
What is the Capital of Cambodia?
Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
What is the official language of Cambodia?
The official language of Cambodia is Khmer.
When are the Public Holidays in Cambodia?
Independence Day, 9 November (1953)
What is the flag of Cambodia?
Three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (double width), and blue with a white three-towered temple representing Angkor Wat outlined in black in the centre of the red band.
Passion Conference 2008
Welcome To The Silence.
Hi. Welcome To The Silence. Life Is So Loud Sometimes And Just Being Still Even For A Few Minutes Can Powerfully Rearrange Everything That’s Assaulting Our Minds And Our Hearts. Especially When God Is In View. After All He’s The One Who Said Be Still And Know That I Am God.
So We’ve Turned The Volume Down As We Start What We Hope Will Be A Beautiful And Raucous Night In The Hopes That The Things We Need To Hear Most Will Become Really Really Loud.
God Knows Who You Are. Where You Are. And He Knows What You Need In This Moment. He Is Not Looking At A Massive Crowd But The Eyes Of The One Who So Easily Spoke Galaxies Into Their Places Are Looking Right At You. Amazingly He Knows Your Name And The Color He Painted Your Eyes. And He Knows What Makes You Laugh And What Makes You Cry. He Is Not Distracted By What You Think About Him. Or What You Want Him To Think About You. He Knows What He Thinks About You And How He Feels. And He Wants To Say Something To You In The Silence.
I Love You.
Let That Sink Into The Silence And The Stillness And The Soil Of Your Heart.
God Loves You. Oh Don’t Believe The Words On The Screen Or The Words Of Somebody. You Don’t Have To Take It From A Third Party. No. The Father Has Spoken Directly To You. The God Of All Creation Is Engaging You In A Pretty Stunning Conversation. And As Is Always The Case God Is Speaking First. Not Waiting For Your Proposal Or Assessment Of Where You Feel You Are. Or If You’ll Ever Be As Amazing As Something Deep Inside Tells You That You Were Meant To Be. He Isn’t Waiting To Hear About All Your Screw Ups Or Your Great Deeds To Make It Up. No God Is Eager To Share His Take On You.
Here It Is.
Mess Up.
Definitely.
Deeply Loved.
Anyway.
Both Are True And Both Things Set Him In Motion Shaping History With A Story Fueled By Unstoppable Grace. You See God Was Not Shut Down By Our Failure. Nor Did The Consequences Of Our Rebellion Dim His Beautiful Heart Of Love. No We Were The Ones Shut Down When Sin Caused Our Souls To Die. And Die We Did. It’s Bad News Death.
Because Dead People Can’t See. Can’t Breathe. Can’t Help Themselves. Dead People Can’t Do Anything. That Is Why They Call Him Savior. When We Were Dead And Could Not Touch God Jesus Came Down And Touched Us. It Is The Most Phenomenal Thing That Has Or Will Ever Happen To You And Me. Divinity Rushing Into Humanity. God In Skin Marching Steadily To The Beat Of His Own Love. And Nothing And No One Could Alter His Course.
It’s True.
We Were A Mess.
Yet We Were Deeply Loved.
Because Of Our Mess His Embrace Would Demand A Cost Beyond Compare. Because Love Was Accompanied By Justice And Justice Demanded Someone Cover Our Debt Of Sin And Shame Someone Would Have To Stand In Our Place And Pay Our Fee. Someone Would Have To Come To Our Aid.
Even If We Wanted To Pay Off The Price Required By Our Mistakes It Could Not Be So. Dead Men Cannot Stand Up For Themselves. So Another Would Have To Take Our Blows And Swallow The Death Our Sins Deserved. But Who Could Do That For Us. It Couldn’t Be Just Anyone. Because If The Price To Be Offered Was Death The Price Would Have To Be Exacted From Someone Who Was Alive. Yet The Whole World Was Dead In Darkness Until A Miracle Happened And A Light Shone Above And In A Manger.
In The Night The Hope Of Us All Was Born Alive. The Only One Ever Born Alive. And The Only One To Live A Spotless Life Of Pure Faith In God. So On The Friday We Call Good Jesus Was The Only One At The Cross Who Could Possibly Die. Because He Was The Only Living Soul On Plane Earth. Hallelujah. Jesus Was Alive When God’s Love Drove The Nails Our Sin Screamed Out For Into His Hands And Feet. Nails Of Love Punctured Flesh As Blood So Precious Streamed Down To The Ground. A Puddle Of Incomprehensible Love Soaking Into The Soil.
His Innocence Now Gone He Gasped And Cried. Purity Now Covered In Muck And Shame. And When The Sun Fully Scorched The Beautiful Bloom Of Grace Jesus Could No Longer Suck In Enough Air To Breathe. And Finally His Heart Stopped Beating.
In An Instant All Hell Broke Lose And Darkness Covered The Moment As His Lifeless Mangled Body Hung For All The World To See. God’s Undeniable Expression.
I Love You.
His Death Shocked Everyone In Heaven And Hell. Everyone Except His Father Who Was On A Mission Of Love And Saw This Day Coming From Before There Was Time. But All Else Missed It. That’s Why Some Wept In Disbelief As Others Exuberantly Shouted Death Has Won.
The Darkness Threw A Party. But As It Turned Out Hell Partied Too Soon. God’s Story Was Just Getting Interesting As He Spoke To His Son. Rise Up Son I Love. Rise Up Oh My Son.
From The Clasp Of Death Christ Rose His Father Exhaling Glorious Breathe And Neverending Life Into His Lungs. So Tonight We Will Throw The Party And Invite The World To Come. Because Our God Is Mighty To Save. And The Christ We Celebrate Has Overwhelmed The Grave.
He Is Here Now. This Same Jesus Is Here Now. Offering His Life To All Men. To You. Not You Trying To Live A Better Life. But Christ Living His Life Inside Of You. If You Want A Big Theological Word It’s Called Incarnation. It You Need A Simpler Word It’s Called The Gospel Of Grace. Christ In You The Hope Of Glory.
I Don’t Know What The Loudness Has Been Pumping Into Your Heart And Brian. I Don’t Know If You’ve Been Dragged Into The Depths Of Despair Or If Your Standing On The Deceptive Heights Of Your Own Doing. But In The Stillness Hear This. A Miraculous Offer Is On The Table. God’s Love For You Moved Christ To Take Your Blows So That Now In Him You Can Stand Forgiven And Alive.
And There’s More. Christ Lives To Be In You What You Alone Could Never Be.
Say Yes.
Hi. Welcome To The Silence. Life Is So Loud Sometimes And Just Being Still Even For A Few Minutes Can Powerfully Rearrange Everything That’s Assaulting Our Minds And Our Hearts. Especially When God Is In View. After All He’s The One Who Said Be Still And Know That I Am God.
So We’ve Turned The Volume Down As We Start What We Hope Will Be A Beautiful And Raucous Night In The Hopes That The Things We Need To Hear Most Will Become Really Really Loud.
God Knows Who You Are. Where You Are. And He Knows What You Need In This Moment. He Is Not Looking At A Massive Crowd But The Eyes Of The One Who So Easily Spoke Galaxies Into Their Places Are Looking Right At You. Amazingly He Knows Your Name And The Color He Painted Your Eyes. And He Knows What Makes You Laugh And What Makes You Cry. He Is Not Distracted By What You Think About Him. Or What You Want Him To Think About You. He Knows What He Thinks About You And How He Feels. And He Wants To Say Something To You In The Silence.
I Love You.
Let That Sink Into The Silence And The Stillness And The Soil Of Your Heart.
God Loves You. Oh Don’t Believe The Words On The Screen Or The Words Of Somebody. You Don’t Have To Take It From A Third Party. No. The Father Has Spoken Directly To You. The God Of All Creation Is Engaging You In A Pretty Stunning Conversation. And As Is Always The Case God Is Speaking First. Not Waiting For Your Proposal Or Assessment Of Where You Feel You Are. Or If You’ll Ever Be As Amazing As Something Deep Inside Tells You That You Were Meant To Be. He Isn’t Waiting To Hear About All Your Screw Ups Or Your Great Deeds To Make It Up. No God Is Eager To Share His Take On You.
Here It Is.
Mess Up.
Definitely.
Deeply Loved.
Anyway.
Both Are True And Both Things Set Him In Motion Shaping History With A Story Fueled By Unstoppable Grace. You See God Was Not Shut Down By Our Failure. Nor Did The Consequences Of Our Rebellion Dim His Beautiful Heart Of Love. No We Were The Ones Shut Down When Sin Caused Our Souls To Die. And Die We Did. It’s Bad News Death.
Because Dead People Can’t See. Can’t Breathe. Can’t Help Themselves. Dead People Can’t Do Anything. That Is Why They Call Him Savior. When We Were Dead And Could Not Touch God Jesus Came Down And Touched Us. It Is The Most Phenomenal Thing That Has Or Will Ever Happen To You And Me. Divinity Rushing Into Humanity. God In Skin Marching Steadily To The Beat Of His Own Love. And Nothing And No One Could Alter His Course.
It’s True.
We Were A Mess.
Yet We Were Deeply Loved.
Because Of Our Mess His Embrace Would Demand A Cost Beyond Compare. Because Love Was Accompanied By Justice And Justice Demanded Someone Cover Our Debt Of Sin And Shame Someone Would Have To Stand In Our Place And Pay Our Fee. Someone Would Have To Come To Our Aid.
Even If We Wanted To Pay Off The Price Required By Our Mistakes It Could Not Be So. Dead Men Cannot Stand Up For Themselves. So Another Would Have To Take Our Blows And Swallow The Death Our Sins Deserved. But Who Could Do That For Us. It Couldn’t Be Just Anyone. Because If The Price To Be Offered Was Death The Price Would Have To Be Exacted From Someone Who Was Alive. Yet The Whole World Was Dead In Darkness Until A Miracle Happened And A Light Shone Above And In A Manger.
In The Night The Hope Of Us All Was Born Alive. The Only One Ever Born Alive. And The Only One To Live A Spotless Life Of Pure Faith In God. So On The Friday We Call Good Jesus Was The Only One At The Cross Who Could Possibly Die. Because He Was The Only Living Soul On Plane Earth. Hallelujah. Jesus Was Alive When God’s Love Drove The Nails Our Sin Screamed Out For Into His Hands And Feet. Nails Of Love Punctured Flesh As Blood So Precious Streamed Down To The Ground. A Puddle Of Incomprehensible Love Soaking Into The Soil.
His Innocence Now Gone He Gasped And Cried. Purity Now Covered In Muck And Shame. And When The Sun Fully Scorched The Beautiful Bloom Of Grace Jesus Could No Longer Suck In Enough Air To Breathe. And Finally His Heart Stopped Beating.
In An Instant All Hell Broke Lose And Darkness Covered The Moment As His Lifeless Mangled Body Hung For All The World To See. God’s Undeniable Expression.
I Love You.
His Death Shocked Everyone In Heaven And Hell. Everyone Except His Father Who Was On A Mission Of Love And Saw This Day Coming From Before There Was Time. But All Else Missed It. That’s Why Some Wept In Disbelief As Others Exuberantly Shouted Death Has Won.
The Darkness Threw A Party. But As It Turned Out Hell Partied Too Soon. God’s Story Was Just Getting Interesting As He Spoke To His Son. Rise Up Son I Love. Rise Up Oh My Son.
From The Clasp Of Death Christ Rose His Father Exhaling Glorious Breathe And Neverending Life Into His Lungs. So Tonight We Will Throw The Party And Invite The World To Come. Because Our God Is Mighty To Save. And The Christ We Celebrate Has Overwhelmed The Grave.
He Is Here Now. This Same Jesus Is Here Now. Offering His Life To All Men. To You. Not You Trying To Live A Better Life. But Christ Living His Life Inside Of You. If You Want A Big Theological Word It’s Called Incarnation. It You Need A Simpler Word It’s Called The Gospel Of Grace. Christ In You The Hope Of Glory.
I Don’t Know What The Loudness Has Been Pumping Into Your Heart And Brian. I Don’t Know If You’ve Been Dragged Into The Depths Of Despair Or If Your Standing On The Deceptive Heights Of Your Own Doing. But In The Stillness Hear This. A Miraculous Offer Is On The Table. God’s Love For You Moved Christ To Take Your Blows So That Now In Him You Can Stand Forgiven And Alive.
And There’s More. Christ Lives To Be In You What You Alone Could Never Be.
Say Yes.
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