Living the Journey

What am I going to do with my life? This may be a question going through your mind right now. It had been ringing in my head since before I was 12!

I wanted to do what God wanted me to do, but I let God know that there were a few things I’d never do, even if He asked me! Not surprisingly, for the next 5 years I didn’t hear a thing from God about what I should do.

Then, sitting at the 2005 Sacramento ATI Conference, “Total Surrender for Total Success,” I finally did what God had wanted me to do all along—surrender everything to Him. Walking out of that auditorium, I could feel God’s pleasure.

Then I just “happened” to walk right up to the Oak Brook College of Law booth. The person handed me some information. I said, “Thanks”, and kept on going. Later that same night, I just “happened” to meet two awesome Christian guys who just “happened” to be Oak Brook College students. On the 35-hour drive home, God revealed to me that He had given me a dream: Law and Government Policy.

I was so excited to start that first year! After some initial challenges, I figured I had it cased with a few A’s on midterms. I was glad God had led me into Oak Brook, but I figured I could take it from there. That pride deadened me to God’s conviction in my life. By the time I got to finals, I was one very (over)confident law student. But when the grades came back, my pride was crushed. I began to hear God’s gentle convictions again, and I began to obey.

I had limited my relationship with God to “finding God’s will” instead of actually finding God Himself. Realizing how much I’d missed out on, I now wanted to seek and know God Himself. So after taking the First-Year-Law-Students-Exam (a mini bar exam), I came to the Journey. And I met with God! Continuing in my relationship with Him, God directed me in ways I couldn’t have imagined. Strange things happened. I got a full-time job and my grades improved, big time!

So God has used Oak Brook College of Law in my life already. Now, getting set to take the bar exam in less than a year, I look out and see that God continues to use OBCL in the lives of the graduates, as they practice in many different fields in jurisdictions across America and even in Canada.

So what are you going to do with your life? Have you totally surrendered yourself to God, allowing Him to reveal all the blessings He has for you? If you have, check out Oak Brook College and talk to God about it. OBCL may be in His plan for you!

~ Marty
November 2007 Journey

For more information on the Oak Brook College of Law, check out this post on the Family Support Link.

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Have you ever stopped and looked around at the furnishings of a room and remembered that all these things are temporal? Think of the time and money that have gone into things like cars, clothes, food or entertainment. Even the laptop I’m typing on this very minute cost a good deal of money and yet, no matter how well I try to care for it, it will eventually break down.

None of the things that are tangible around us will last; we did not take them into this world, and it is certain we cannot bring them out. Everything will be destroyed… except three things: the Word of God, the deeds done in the body and the souls of men. If these three things, then, are the only ones that will last through Eternity, surely we should give them the utmost priority in our lives!

Young ladies in southeastern South Dakota have chosen to do this by working together to give the Word of God first place in their hearts! Together as a team we are studying to show ourselves approved unto God, equipping ourselves with answers straight from the Bible so we can answer those who ask us of the hope they see in our lives. We are exhorting and edifying one another and exalting God’s Word as the instruction manual for how to live our lives.

How are we doing this? By setting up Scripture Memory Challenges, girls as young as 7 years old are motivated to memorizing chapters of Scripture by themselves, with sisters, mothers or friends. I have rejoiced to see the diligence and perseverance that have been exercised and the encouragement that has been passed around as some, when goals were set before them, go above and beyond what they previously were unsure that they could do.

It is a comfort to know that, should the freedom of owning our own Bibles ever be taken away from us, in this little corner of the world, we still would not lose books of the Bible including Proverbs, Romans, James, Philippians, and I and II Thessalonians, due to motivated memorizers.

See what can be accomplished when Christians embrace high expectations and join arm in arm to meet them? We are a big family in the Lord—a team—laboring together, rejoicing together, reaping together. God’s Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path—and now it is hid in our hearts to be a continual source of doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness that we may be thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might
not sin against thee” (Psalm 119:11).

~ Emily
http://everythoughtcaptive.blogspot.com
September 2009 Journey

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Pastor LaFaurie has seen God work in incredibly powerful ways through the young people of His church who came to one accord on a Journey to the Heart. In this 15-minute video, he shares some of these stories.

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I was boarding a plane to return home from a month-long stay at Headquarters. Although I was tired and down-hearted, I was convinced that God would use what I had learned to minister to others, but I was not prepared for how quickly He planned to do this!

During the flight I sat next to a 16-year-old girl who had begun a friendly conversation just minutes after we were in the air. When she began to talk of religion, I asked her, “Marta, do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?” After assuring me that she did, she went on to tell me of her Lutheran upbringing and her belief that she had been saved pretty much all her life.

At this point, I could feel my mind working and coming up with Scriptures to debate with her . . . until the Holy Spirit stopped my own efforts and reminded me that the way around the natural intellect was not to argue with my own understanding, but to rely on the wisdom of His Spirit and the power of His Word to do the work. So, I prayed for wisdom and for a way to reach her.

We found common ground in our love for writing, and with the Lord’s help, I was able to take her to Romans and we discussed many passages that dealt with some of her wrong belief system. I encouraged her to use her talents for God; and  that topic led our conversation to the subject of repentance.

By now we were both leaning over in our seats, and I could see that she was truly open and listening. Silently praising the Lord as I spoke, I explained to her the process of how we repeat the sin we committed in Adam everyday, and how we must live with the constant attitude of repentance before God. I gave her a list of our symptoms that we need to repent, and she accepted this with gladness and began to read it right away.

I told Marta to keep in touch with me, and my heart whispered a prayer for her rebirth as we parted ways in the airport.

How I did rejoice that evening, as I contemplated the great privilege that had been afforded me! It was so encouraging to think that if we will only watch and be willing, the Father will give us ways to shine His light and pass on the truth we have been given.

~ Chrissy
November 2009 Journey

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Manila, Philippines - February 2010

“Let the little children come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of Heaven” ~Matthew 19:14

Today Lon and I watched as the young men in the ministry program here in Manila, worked with children that have been rescued from the street. The children here are resilient; nothing scares them. Not foreigners, not having their picture taken, high fives are given in abundance, and hugs and kisses are quite accepted. So much is their trust and literal hunger, it’s almost friendship from the start.

While they are in no way naïve, they are in a lot of ways still innocent. They smile, they laugh, they play, they even hug and love on you as if you were an older sibling or maybe even a parent. There is nothing shy about them but at the same time, they are not forward. In fact there is a quietness or maturity in their life that is quite lacking in your normal tender naïve youth.

I sat in the hot room, sweat dripping down my back, perspiration forming a moist coat over my body, watching, as the young men told a story, talked about Valentines day and led the children in singing, closing the time of ministry with juice and cookies, all the while smiling and sharing out of the abundance of their needs having been met.

I’ve heard it said by missionaries “We don’t preach love, we show love”. This is what these guys do. They show love. It’s a small amount of time a money invested, but it’s a priceless gift to these children.

It’s been an unforgettable experience meeting these children and getting just a tiny glimpse into their lives.

Iloilo, Philippines – February 2010

“He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep” ~ John 21:17

In the past four days, I have spoken 6 times and had one radio interview and I saw Jesus again tonight. I spoke to a group of girls and as I shared how God had met me in a very hard and painful emotional situation, I saw tears form in a girl’s eyes and knew that somehow, what I had said touched her heart and that God was using my vulnerability to do a work in her life.

I continued speaking and as I finished I witnessed Christ reaching out and healing three other girl’s hearts. It was awkward being vulnerable, it was uncomfortable and it was humbling, but it was Christ. Oh that I could see Him in this way more often.

Taitung, Taiwan – February 2010

“And whoever gives these little ones only a cup of cold water, in my name, assuredly I say unto you, he shall by no means lose his reward”  ~ Matthew 10:42

I saw Jesus again today; it was beautiful. I saw Him in the way the modern adulterous woman was forgiven and given new life. I saw Him in the care the nannies gave the babies of these women. I saw Him in the life of one woman, or girl really, whose baby was due today. I held these babies and whispered prayers over them. I told them they were loved, I watched them respond to my touch and to my voice. I saw beautiful innocence, and absolute trust. I received smiles, and coo’s in return.

In short, I saw Christ, and it touched me. This made my heart cry and my vision blur. My heart grew and my worldview changed; my view of Christ was enlarged. In ways, it was painful, but in others it was a blessing. The whole of it was a good and a perfect gift from God.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world…” I saw Christ and my heart broke. I saw Christ and I was humbled. I saw Christ and experienced complete trust. I lived out a part of “For God so Loved” that I had never known before. I received a good and perfect gift from God.

Brooke E. Martens

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If you are interested in taking part in an overseas ministry trip, visit the Institute in Basic Life Principles’ Global Encounters web site or email globalencounters@iblp.org.

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Hi, my name is Kyle. I am currently teaching English as a second language (ESL) in Chaojhou,Taiwan through IBLP. This past year has been the most exciting year of my entire life!

I grew up in a Christian home, but for me Christianity was just a front that I put up every day so that I would be accepted by my Christian peers. I knew all the “right” words and actions, but inside I wanted nothing to do with God. I was a man filled with bitterness, malice, rage, anger, hatred, and immorality. I was headed for destruction, and was blinded to a lot of things. On March 31, 2009 at a Journey to the Heart, God miraculously changed my life! I repented of my sins, accepted Christ as my personal Lord and Savior, and my faith became real for the first time!  If you would like to hear a short version of my testimony, listen to the podcast titled A Launching Pad for Life.

The Fulfillment of a Promise

After I got home from the Journey, I had many opportunities to share my testimony.  As I made it a point to give God the glory for what He did in my life, He opened the door for me to share my story again. At that time, I was less than three months away from graduating from high school. Honestly, I had no idea of what I was supposed to do with myself. However, the Bible says in Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Each time I acknowledged God, He fulfilled His promise and began to show me the path He had for me after graduation. In other words, God did exactly what He promised: He directed my steps through circumstances and showed me which way to go. He “made my paths straight” and it was amazing!

The Planting of a Seed

One seed of direction was planted when my family and I attended the Regional ATI Conference last May in Big Sandy, Texas. At the end of the week, having heard my testimony a few times, Mr. Gothard suggested to my parents that I apply for the teaching trip in Taiwan. They shared his proposal with me, and at first, I had no interest at all. I thought to myself, “Me? Teach English?  I hate English!” Obviously then, teaching English hadn’t even entered my mind. In fact, I thought it was ridiculous and therefore responded, “No way!”

However, as we drove home, my parents and I discussed the opportunity and through those conversations, the Lord “watered” the seed. I actually began to ponder the possibility. I prayed about it. Having a new desire to walk in God’s will instead of my own, I decided to apply for the position. I trusted that if God didn’t want me in Taiwan, He would “shut the door.” Interestingly, the more I thought about this incredible opportunity, the more excited I became!

A few weeks after I applied, I was accepted to join the team of people traveling to Taiwan to teach English! I had seen God open so many doors . . . . I had just become a Christian, I had just turned 18, and I had just completed a Journey to the Heart. The timing for me to go was perfect. My parents were at peace about it; in fact, they were encouraging me to faithfully pursue this opportunity. At that point, I had all the required prerequisites completed, except one. The last thing I needed was my TESOL certification . . . and $1,300 to pay for the course! My parents prayed. I prayed.

continue reading…

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