Identity

Well for the past 3 months my life has absolutely been consumed by soccer. Actually for the past 4 years my life has been consumed with soccer.

For those of you who don't know, I play soccer for Moody Bible Institute. This past weekend was our regional tournament. Moody hasn't won the regional tournament since 2001, and this year was the best chance we had of winning it. We went 13-5 on the regular season, and we were very confident that we were going to go to the national tournament in Florida. That was our goal for the whole season.

The accomplishing of that goal came down to one game against Northland International University in the regional championship game. It was a hard fought game, but we ended up losing 1-0. When the game ended I could do nothing but cry. It was hard to believe that my college soccer career had come to an end, and we still hadn't gone to nationals.

Since then I have thought alot about my time on the team. The craziest thing to think about is that I am done. My soccer career is over as I know it. In previous years I had something to work toward after the season was over, because I always looked forward to the next season, but not this time. This time it is all over. There is no next season, and I can hardly wrap my mind around it.

This has led me to question myself. How much of my identity is really wrapped up in soccer, or being on a team? Evidently more than I thought. I didn't think it was going to be this hard.

This is just a great reminder that my identity should constantly be found in Christ, and nothing else. It seems that I have somewhat lost sight of that.

But what does it mean to find my identity in Christ?

It means that He is my motivation for everything I do. I thought this was completely true for soccer, but I don't think it was (Notice I said it was not completely true, because it was partially true).

I guess it is hard to really know where your identity lies until it is taken away.

Where is your identity found?

Its a good thing to really think about

Missions Conference Kickoff

Well Missions Conference has officially kicked off here at Moody Bible Institute, and it proves to be a good week. Probably not as good as last year, as the keynote speaker last year was Steve Saint. Last year was the best Missions Conference in my time here at Moody. (Read my two posts from last year: Juntos No More and The Call)

For those of you who don't know, Missions Conference is a week when many, many missionaries from all over the world come into our school and teach different sessions throughout the week on various different aspects of missions. It is always a great week, and I actually find the workshop sessions more beneficial than the keynote sessions. This week also gives students alot of time to meet and talk to different missionaries and missions agencies, and get a good feel for the opportunities that are out there after graduation.

So tonight was kicked off by a professor from Wheaton College, Dr. Jerry Root, who spoke on being intentional about loving others around you, and reproducing the life of Christ. The main point of his message was that there are people all around us, and God loves them, and God wants us to show them His love. He told many stories about started relationships with people by just doing simple things like starting conversations with his garbage man, or mail man, and those conversations turned into showing God's love to them.

I'll be honest, I wasn't impressed with the message. It was a good reminder that we need to be intentional about building relationships with others around us, but as my roommate point out (@natenearpass) he stopped his stories at the point of the people being saved. He didn't really say much about follow up with them, or if they reproduced the life of Christ in other people.

So it was a good reminder, but I'm hoping for something better as the week goes on.

So you can expect to read some summaries and reactions to this week's sessions here on my blog. So feel free to give your feedback and opinions on missions conference this week.

Also, for all you Moody students who are tweeting this week, the official hashtag for missions conference is #mbiMC so anytime you send a tweet about missions conference just make sure to include that hashtag at the end of your tweet, that way it will be easy to look back on all the tweets from missions conference.

What did you think of the first session tonight? 


If you weren't there, what did you think of the summary I have written?

Changing of the PCM

So today is the day...Today is the day that I change my PCM.

For the past 2 years here at Moody I have had the same PCM (Practical Christian Ministry). I have been a Jr. High leader at the Refinery youth group at Calvary Community Church in Schaumburg, IL. I got connected with the Youth Pastor through one of my friends who used to be a former student of his.

Ever since I started as a Jr. High leader I have loved it, and have felt useful and like I'm having an influence on these kid's lives, and helping them grow closer to God. It has been great.

BUT if you are regular reader of my blog then you know that recently I have had a burden for media in the local church. I have really been wanting to get involved in my church here, Park Community Church but just have not had the time to make the commitment. But I have been in contact with one of their media director's, @jasonwidney, and I had been considering possibly switching my PCM to working on the media team at Park, but I wasn't completely sure if it was what I should.

Well, tonight I attended the evening service at Park and I talked to Jason for the first time in person, and asked him if they did PCM's for Moody students, and he said absolutely. So we are going to have coffee this week, and talk more about it.

But I am writing all this to say, that today is when the PCM forms are due, and I am turning mine in and officially changing it, which I am really excited about.

I also emailed the youth pastor that I have been working with, just to let him know what I had been thinking, and he said that I am making a good decision. I told him that I'd like to still be able to come to the Refinery if possible, and he said that'd be great. So hopefully I can make it out there as much as possible, and still keep up with those kids, which would be good.

So I'm excited about what next semester holds as far as my PCM goes. I'm not as much excited about what my classes will hold, considering I have a 7:30am class, OUCH :( but at least I'll still be enjoying my PCM.

Here's to new and exciting PCM's
:)

The Weekend Update

Just a quick update from this past week and weekend.

Moody Bible Institute finally has a new President. His name is Dr. Paul Nyquist. If you were following my facebook statuses, or twitter on Wednesday you already know that. He has 2 kids here at Moody right now, and I know one of them. Everyone keeps asking me what I think about him, and I just keep saying, "I guess we'll see won't we." I mean it is hard to tell much thus far. The only time I heard him talk was when he gave his acceptance speech, in which he did ask the entire Moody student body to become his friend on facebook. LOL. So I did.

Anyways, other than that it was a pretty uneventful week. Actually, I don't even know what I'm saying right now. LOL. It was uneventful as far as school goes, but I was editing video interviews all week for Moody's Jr./Sr. Banquet which took place on Friday night.

I also worked a catering shift last night. It was my first shift in a year. I just think it's an awesome job when you can not work for a year, still be employed and work a shift a year later.

Me and Nate recorded the 12th episode of The Wheel Seat, which you can watch below. And we talk all about this week's happenings. It's a good one. Check it out.

Then what?

As I was sitting in church today some thoughts started to go through my mind about my college, Moody, and the students that attend here. I started thinking about how much this school is taken for granted by many people here. I hear stories of students going off and doing stuff that could very well get them kicked out of this school, and I wonder why they do these things? It is an understatement to say that it is a privilege to be able to attend here at Moody, and not only attend but also have all of our tuition paid for by donors all around the world. All we pay for is room and board along with some other fees and expenses.

Why is it such a privilege to attend here? Well before I answer this question, let me preface it with, I'm not saying that I or anyone else who attends here is any better than anyone else. All I'm saying is that this is a great school, that teaches the Gospel and Word of God, and if you are pursuing a life in full time ministry then this is a great place to study. This is not the only place to study, there are plenty of other great schools that one can attend in order to get good Biblical training in pursuit of a ministry career. So I say that to say, it is somewhat difficult to be accepted here, there is a rigorous application process, but it is a privilege to be able to attend any school that teaches the Gospel, and the Word of God. Yet so many times people forget why they are here. It is to train for full-time ministry, not to see how many rules you can break without getting caught, because if you are caught then this privilege is all of the sudden gone. Then what?

I just hope people will ask themselves that question. Then what? Before making decisions. I'm not getting into the discussion of whether certain things are right or wrong, regardless of what I believe, all I'm saying is, there are rules that have been set in place for this time in life, they are to be followed.

Just some things I've been thinking about. And this is a challenge to myself as well, as much as anybody. I hear stories of people getting kicked out of school for major things, but yet, there are minor things that I do not follow alot either, such as letting people in the back door of the SDR. So I need to examine myself as well.

O, and by the way, my pastor gave a great message today on judging other people, check it out at www.parkcommunitychurch.org

peace