Education

I've completed one full week of Advanced Educational Technology with considerably more to ponder on than I expected coming into this class. The subject matter is rather elementary to me, mostly because of my experience in technology, but i have been able to think about the skills i've gained from a new perspective. I've also learned a whole lot about the state of technology in Schools today. The issues brought up in my class have really begun to mold how i approach teaching technology in a classroom environment. Even more so, I've learned more about how to raise children in a hyper-technological society.

Lots of good questions have come up in this class about how much we use technology in schools. How much of basic learning do we let the computer replace? Expounding on that topic, where is technology appropriate and where isn't it. The biggest issue i've come to understand isn't the lack of or saturation of technology in schools, but its the lack of appropriate training for teachers and those using the technology.

To me, that seems like such a simple fix. But I also know many many computer people, and they aren't so hot at communicating effectively to none computer people. This creates a barrier that I believe is letting more advances in Technology go to Waste. What do you all think?

Well some of you may be wondering why all this matters in a Pray Rwanda Blog. I'll tell you. Examining how America is using and abusing technology, allows me to understand the best approach to teach those in developing coutries how to appropriately use computers. I'm grateful for the unexpected lessons i'm learning in this class.

On another note, Sara Beth has been away from me for two weeks with another 10 days before i join her in Virginia. God has blessed our time apart with more confidence in the choice to walk this earth forever together. Its been hard being apart in many ways, but the time afforded to us to do somethings has been very beneficial.

Sara has had a up and down adventure in East Tennessee where she is working at a missions camp. Her experiences with the people that surround her has been priceless. She has grown close to the Meeks and Greeks, two families living in Jelico, TN. However, she does miss home and is anticipating visiting my homeland soon. On Sunday her laptop was stolen while the missions camp group was visiting a church in Louisville, KY. We don't plan to see the laptop again, but We trust God will provide her everything she needs.

I'm gonna wrap this up for now, but life has continued to press on full steam. We hope to send out Wedding Invitations in the coming week.

Adventures

God fills our life with Unexpected adventures I believe. However, most of us miss it because of our lack of perspective. How many of us get frustrated at the manotany of work. Or what about when weekend plans dont go our way. Or when people dont turn out to be who we thought they were. Why do we catch ourselves being disappointed when somethings never change, and again when things change but not how we wanted. I've been learning a lot about looking past just what we can see and to explore the battle going on behind it all.

Jesus made it pretty clear that the battles of this earth aren't the ones fought with our hands, but they are spritial battles. Most who have been to Africa and other less modern places of the world may contend that so many Christians in America have lost touch with the spritual realm. I certainly experienced that after my trips to Africa. In Africa everything seemed to be related to the spiritual realm. Their Christian walk was involved in everything they did. Back here in the states i've been reading Wild At Heart and learning more about the battle within our selves. A lot of battles, I believe, are battles for Godly perspective. Just to be able to see things the way Jesus did, will enable us to see life in a more spiritual way.

We bring everyday life into the spiritual realm because we who believe in Jesus Christ as our savior know that He has won the victory over Evil. So Why not bring everyday life into the spiritual realm is what i ask. The more i see the small adventures and victories over evil He is winning for me each day, the more i see how God is alive and active everyday.

I've gotten myself involved in a lot over the past couple months with starting a new job, deciding its time to get married(wedding planning), and on Monday I start Grad School. With all this going on, God has still provided me with overwhelming peace to charge ahead in life. Trust God with all your heart, and he will provided you with all that you need. I say all these things just to convey the message that we have a God who is alive and working continously in our lives. Daily He is providing us with twists and turns that make each day unique. He gives us those things not that we may just get a good laugh, cry, or even get mad b/c it didn't go how we wanted; I believe he gives us those adventures so that we again have the choice of who we are going to serve and give praise to...God, Man, or Satan. You choose.

"Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirits fire"

1 Thessalonians 5:16-19

Life Update

I must appologize to all who have been trying to keep up with the events of my life. The past couple weeks have been packed full of life. My internet time has been invaded by a mile long to do list at work and a lot of quality time with Sara Beth before she leaves for East Tennessee for 4 weeks. God continues to do great things with Sara and I.

We have traveled to Colorado and back with a lot of good quality time with her father and his wife Carla, and also time with other important family(Andy, Aaron, Sheila, David, Hillary, Brittany, Matthew, Samantha, Rachel). I was put to the test in large ways; socially, physically, and emotionally... I'm still alive so I passed.

Things I did while in Colorado:

Ate Steak
9 miles of Moutain Biking
Picnic at the Park
White Water Rafting the Royal Gorge
Hike the front side of Pikes Peak(Total of 12 Miles, 14,110 ft Altituted, 10 hours)
Ride the Cog train down
Plan a wedding

Patriotism

Sara Beth is a real person, here's some proof...



I'm sensing a theme in the colors ;-)


Rwanda National Flag

Motivation

The past year of my life has been the my favorite by far, but whom shall i give credit to at the end of the day. I can't begin to list the events in the past years that have been shaping who i am, but I do know where it is taking me, closer to God.

When I realized all the times I have been blessed to experience in the last year and especially few months, it becomes easier for me to step up proudly and say "All those things that I have done, that is who I am and they define where im going." But there has got to be more than that. From World Mission Workshop, to Graduating from College, trip to East Africa, Tulsa Workshop, Acceptance into Grad school, and now a wonderful missions minded fiance; those all have helped shape the vision that has been put on my mind. However, I believe the more significant thought should be, "what is my motivation?"

To stand on the events that have guided me thus far, and claim that they are the reason im pursuing the life that i am, is pretty weak. Those may be what we would call "defining moments" but they do not make a "firm foundation" for us to build a life on.

Let us all be open to have God define us through the daily events of our lives, but let us most of all be confident in who God is First. It is in those times of intimate connectedness to God that you will discover true motivation.

Live by it.

Love

Big News...

Following a scenic drive in the beautiful foothills of the Ozarks I proposed to Sara Beth Matheny in a cow pasture of the Bush Family's Ranch in Romance, AR. As evidence to God's amazing grace, she said Yes!!! She and I are more than excited to began a life together and hope that you all will share in this excitement with us.

Every day, the Lord has increased our confidence in this union He has inspired and led. Both our families have voiced wonderful words of support and encouragement in this happening, which has blown us away. We also want to recognize all those who have been praying for this to happen, we feel like the prayers we have prayed weren't all that ushered this amazing relationship.

The big Wedding is planned for September 2nd, 2006 in Searcy, AR. A more exact location will be announced in the coming weeks and months. Until then, there's lots to do!!!

For better or for worse..

Prayer Time

Thanks to those who have already volunteered to pray for me and this venture. I'll hold off on listing the names of those who have responded for the sake of all those praying without my knowledge. It is incredible to see that God is alive and working out all the details. I'm anticipating Him revealing things to me at the right time.

Lots to say

Well I have great news from the home front, I am now officially employed by Harding University. I was recommended the job by Jon Roberts, Financial Aid Director for Harding and Son-in-law of Sam and Nancy Shewmaker. I owe Jon a lot for getting me the hook-up. Its also nice that my father went to school with my boss, but what ever it was, I count as a blessing. This job will certianly help pave the way for a lot of my up coming ventures. Such as Grad school.

Small steps are still being taken to be enrolled in the Masters of Science in Education program at Harding. Getting this new job nailed down took a lot of precidence as I try to take care of my needs here and now. I've had to look deeper into arranging my school schedule for the next year and a half as not to conflict too much with work. This has been a difficult task. I'm sure the two parts of my life will come into conflict more in the future, but I have great faith that the good Lord will take care of it if its His will.

Sara Beth and I have just wrapped up a weekend trip through Nashville and then to Kentucky.The purpose of our trip was to attend a wedding and then visit close family of Sara. Thoughts of a future together are continually being fed into our minds, but its nothing that scares us, its acctually really exciting. Before the weekend was over, I believe Sara's grandmother, Betty Lou Matheny, was ready to call me one of her own. Sara's family has really taken me in and expects great things to come of our relationship. So do I.

My Rwanda mission plan is still coming together. Given the events of last week, not a whole lot of progress was made. The way life unfolds between Sara Beth and I has brought up a lot of questions between us, again about the future. We've both participated in a week of silence on the subject of Rwanda to be sure that country is not our motivation for the relationship. Its not. So we've proceeded on with a life together and a pursuit for the Way God would want us to go. For More information call me or wait for the next post.

Speak now or forever hold your peace.

Welcome All

Hello Friends and Family,

For those of you reading this for the first time, Thank you for your interest in my story. This blog is meant to be a place for me to write about the road God is taking me down, not neccessarily a slate for me to post pertinant information regarding my trip. As exciting news is revealed to me, I will be sure to post it, but there will also be more formal means by which i will notfiy everyone of milestones in my journey. Hold on and enjoy the ride!

Moving Along

A curriculum has been estbalished for me to have a Masters of Science in Education with an emphasis in Behavioral Sciences. According to the plan I will have it completed by next Summer. There are still a few things to be accomplished before i can begin classes, such as letters of recommendation and MAT testing, but thats all just ground work. Pray that God will provide me the strength to accomplish great things during this adventure.

Meanwhile i would also like to introduce Sara Beth Matheny into the blog. Sara Beth decided last Fall that she would be committing atleast three years of her life to the small country of Rwanda. I've always looked up to her level trust in the Lord to make that decision as a single female, but there was also a hint that felt like she was just stubborn to let a guy into her plans.

It all began with an innocent and adventurous bike ride. Now we both have seen that God has much much much bigger plans for the both of us. Its a time that can be best described with words such as: Exciting, Truthfulness, Peacful, Honesty, and Overwhelming Joy. Those are merely a few of the words that should be used to describe the bond being constructed between Sara Beth and I.

We both have come to know the Lord on our own in such a confident way, that we recognize his dominion over this relationship that is being built. As this exciting time of relationship building is going on, we both recognize His ability to open and close doors and opportunities. I will say however, that in the past couple weeks, he has not just opened doors between us, he has put us on the Fast train(like the one from London to Paris for those European Travellers) and sat us in First Class. We expect there to be twists and turns along the way, but so far its been straight. The future is in God's hands, we are merely here to obey.

So pray for this crazy time in our lives and what this may mean for our future plans in the country we desire to become a part of.

Steps

I'm in a stage of my missions planning where my visions of ministry becomes words on a page. Forming the visions takes lots of prayer and a good bit of research. Combining the two takes patience and understanding. Last week i began reading Rwanda's Vision 2020, hoping to discover the countries socio-economic goals and aspirations. Having this information would allow me to discover what part of it God has prepared me or is preparing me to help accomodate.

I have come to understand two different aspects of Jesus' message: Service and Ministry. Service focuses on the needs of the person, ministry focuses on the person. Thus i hope to signify what my service will be and in turn describe the people I hope to minister to.

By attending to the countries socio-economic needs, you imitate Jesus' model of meaningful service. From a worldly perspective, this will also help give me a more legitimate ticket into the country. Through my means of service, i will minister to those i form working relationships with.

In the Vision 2020 I saw three distinct ways that God may use me: Technology, Education, and Leadership. I have spent the last four years in college being educated on the proficient use of technology in an institutional environment thus satisfying the ability to use Technology as a means of service. I currently call Searcy, AR home, which gives me the resource of Harding University right accross the street. I will be searching out possibilities of attaining a Master's in the Science of Education all this week. Should it not come to fruition, i should still find ways to instruct students with my current level of education and understanding. Leadership is a gift God is revealing to me as I walk in His light. I hope to connect with "future thought leader's of the country" in ways that empower them to be men after God as they lead others on this earth.

Wellllll this is all a mouth full, some may be a surprise, some may not. Let it be the Lord who determines my steps(Proverbs 16:9)

Let the Journey Begin

Today I start my blogging adventure as I plan for a move to Rwanda. The road has been more exciting than any life path I've taken thus far. It has been from this that I come to know God to be a God who calls His people out of a life of complacency and normalcy, into a more invigorating, risk taking, faith building walk, sometimes run, with him. My hopes and prayers are that through this window into my world, you will get a better idea of the road less traveled by(its odd that so many people love that poem that Robert Frost wrote, but they don’t appear to comprehend what its encouraging us to do. Hmmm)

Well Until the next time, I’m headed to bed.