oh boy, oh boy... i can't believe that i just finished celebrating my first thanksgiving away from my family. i can't believe how quick this year has flown by... this year of school. at this time last year, i was just unpacking my things from a nice cruise around mexico with my family and beginning to make many lists of things i needed to pack for school and to buy for christmas. this time last year, i was so caught up on leaving that i didn't even think of how it could effect anyone around me... my family, church, friends. this time last year, i was so caught up in "my plans" that i ignored the fact that i was ACTUALLY leaving to school in less than a month... and how excited i was to "be on my own"... but wow, things really can change over a year.
this time, this year, and now... i am in utter shock on how quick the days roll by. i could have sworn that my first day of break was yesterday... when really it was like a week ago. this time, this year, and now... i have realized how much of a difference it has made in me leaving... how much things have changed at home, with me, my amazing friends, and family... this time and now, i have seen how God has worked not only in my life, but in the lives around me. earlier today, i saw 15 other students in class being convicted on what the Holy Spirit has to say about our condcut as believers. right now, i am witnessing God's provision for His sons and daughters here at new tribes bible institute.
it's amazing to think once again how a whole year has flown by. like i have mentioned before, i have a job... a job i was suppossed to have at least 10 hours a week and work on the holidays... now, i am lucky to have one day a week... a 4 hour shift... oh the Gap. But, so far... God has provided for the neccessities that i have needed while i was here at school. if you didn't know already, my parents have not only been a blessing to me my WHOLE life, but this semester they have helped me out EVERY month being here... the whole bill of $450 every month. this semester for me has been super exhausting. i am pretty wiped out and was totally greatful for the amazing 5 day break for thanksgiving. it was more than needed. classes have been amazing... crazy... but amazing. my class had just finished acts... and that was a very difficult class for me... it was orginally a 6 week class... but we had it two hours a day for only 3 weeks... so that class flew by. as for now, i am taking two classes: a bible basis for missions and 1st corinthians.
both of these classes are just great... and an amazing way to end a semester and go home and ponder on. a bible basis of missions is a challenging class that shows us a biblical view of missions... what is missions, missions and God, and man, evidence of God's interest in all the nations, missions and Jesus, missions and the Holy Spirit. we look at missions through 4 broad headings: 1) reason- man's broken relationship with God, 2) response- Father, Son and Holy Spirit's pursuit of mankind, 3) responsibility- Israel and the church commissioned, 4) and recruitment- individual believers' involvment. (in less than 2 weeks there should be an assignment of the paper i had to write for this class on my tumblr blog.) in 1st corinthians it has just hitting me left and right... what the church of corinth is like, how the church looks like now, what Paul was doing, how Paul approached these believers, learning about the wisdom of God... and the Holy Spirit in ministry, being a laborer and what my purpose is, immoraltiy and church discipline (ouch, this class was hard... definitely learned a lot in this class... and need to do a lot more studying on it.. but it opened my eyes and changed my view on a lot of things), and immorality among the believers... and this is where we are at now. being enslaved, allowing sin to be our master... instead of realizing that God is out master and that if i am going to live for those temperoary desires, instead of living for the eternal, than my life is enslaved.
this is just a very small smidget of what i have learned here at school just in the last couple days. sometimes, it can be so overwhelming....
anyways, thanksgiving was great... daniel and i went to "troyer" home.... they are amazing. instead of the regular ordinary dinner, we had carne asada tacos! oh my goooooosh were they soo good! i was able to hang out with 2 wonderful moms, 2 cool dads, and 5 kids! i loved it. while i crotched and watched movies with the ladies, daniel was playing board games and wrestling with the guys. :) we were over there pretty late and enjoyed a very relaxing day. the last 5 days were so relaxing and very much needed. i had pretty much NO homework... I WASN'T SCHEDULED TO WORK AT ALL, kind of a bummer... because the school bill is right around the corner... and friday, i went black friday shopping with daniel (which was more white because we had our first snow...it didn't stick.)
but now i am really excited, just 2 weeks left until i come home. one more weekend and 8 more class days... and i am on my way home! i cannot wait! california... HERE I COME!
prayer requests:
- need a job over winterbreak...
- $2,000 before january 1st
- knowledge (head/heart) of how much God is worth to me.
thanks everyone, for looking here... reading it... supporting me... loving me... thank you. :)
any questions, shoot me an email at jamie.esmeyer@gmail.com
want to check some of my assignments out? click here: http://jamieesmeyer.tumblr.com/
know of any jobs for me that i can do for the dates of december 13th- january 10th? let me know... cleaning, babysitting, or anything... looking for a job. :) thanks.
Really quick, big shout out to my family.. mommma, daddy, and ray- thanks for the most amazing package. i took pictures... and this is just one... and it was my favorite little gift, air from california in a baggie, and moms morning glory air in a baggie.
it was the best. i love you three and see you in 12 days! :)
