Update

Hello!

Just got back from the medical boat trip. This was a great experience. I got to help three dentists pull out teeth. I am praying about going back to school to become a dentist. God has been so merciful to the people in the villages here. About 100 people repented and confessed Jesus as their Lord this past week in three different villages.

My health has been great for the last two weeks, but two days ago I have had some stomach problems. Please pray that this will soon pass so I can give my fullest to the work needed.

The gal who I will be living with arrives on Thursday. I am very excited to meet her.
Tonight I am going with two of my friends (who are dentists) to English Language school. This should be pretty interesting. Today we said goodbye to the team who was here from the States. It was great to have them.
I've got some things to do, so I better sign off.

God bless you all!

Julianne

Hello from Brasil!!!

Oi, my brothers and sisters,

It is good to be here in Santarem, Brazil (or as they write, Brasil). I arrived Monday afternoon and slept till the next morning. They put me to work right away. I scrubbed scum and mold off a walkway alongside an airplane hanger. It took me about one morning and two afternoons to complete it. Today I went to prayer group at 6:00 and worked down at the hanger. We stopped work for lunch at 12:00 and rested for awhile. I then made deviled eggs for a potluck which I just got back from. At 4:30, I took the kayak out on the Amazon for a little bit. The scenery was beautiful. The sun was slowly setting and creating the most glorious orange, pink, blue glow across the sky. I headed back in while the two pilots were flying their amphibious plane above me.

This is a lot different than when I went in August with a church group. I really miss my family this time. God is working in my heart to create a love for Him more powerful than my love for anything or anyone else. This experience has been pretty hard, and it's only the fourth day! :) Tomorrow afternoon, a team comes from the States to work on some construction. It will be nice to converse easily with them.

Please pray that I will trust God to supply all my needs.

Blessings to you all! I'm not sure when I'll be able to connect to the internet again, so until we do, God bless you. May His love shine to you and from you, in truth. I appreciate this interesting fellowship we have over the internet.

In God's grip,

Julianne

Definition

ontological argument: One of the classical arguments for the existence of God based on the powers of reason. As developed by Anselm (1033-1109), it considers God to be "that than which nothing greater can be conceived." As such, God must "exist" because to lack existence would be to be defective.

Good job, you guys.

Definition Thursday

With all the hussle and bussle of trying to get ready to leave for Brazil, I had forgotten about this week's definition. However, I've remembered now. So, the last definition thursday before the Fall is:

ontological argument

What does your birthday mean?

I'm not usually into these things, but this one is surprisingly accurate.

Your Birthdate: May 15

With a birthday on the 15th of any month, you are apt to have a habit of cracking almost all joints in your body: fingers, toes, ankles, neck, and so on. The 1 and 5 equaling 6, provide the sort of energy that makes you qualify to be labled "ADD." You are very responsible and capable of being absolutely irresponsible and incapable. You are quite interesting to look at; not in a good way. This is an attractive and an attracting influence, because it draws people in to take a closer look. You like disharmony in your environment and strive to maintain it. You tend to learn by study and research rather than by observation, which makes it hard for your college proffessors because you get your hands into everything. You may like to cook, but you probably don't follow recipes. You like to eat what you cook, even if no one else does. The number 15, shows artistic leanings and would certainly support any talents, like myrtlewood carving. You're a very stubborn person, but perhaps a bit giving and generous in some ways.

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

On second thought, it is quite unlike me...

Calvin is Cool

It's the lastest...(well, actually, it's pretty old)...thing to do...(actually, it's how you live).

It is...Calvinism!!! Ta Da!!! Get on board, don't be slow...everyone's doing it...come on...

Check out the newest addition to the blogosphere @ PyroManiac!

Also, check out Why Calvin is Cool...by The Internet Monk. But, beware, the rest of the site is saturated in postmodernism. Be discerning...


[EDIT] After a good night's sleep, I realize how dumb this post is. I guess I shouldn't blog past 9:30.
...there's nothing wrong with being a morning person, right?...

The Dangerous Doctrine of Open Theism

Lately I have been discussing open theism with some friends with an emphasis on molinism (or middle knowledge). I came across a good slide presentation which goes through the basic tenants of openness and gives a good defense of the classical position. You can find the slide show here. Chris Poteet goes through all this pretty quick, but it is great for an overview. It takes a minute to load.

I thought this would be especially good because some of you visiters are molinists and there has been some good discussions going on in a few of the comment boxes.

Please continue to discuss and work through these different doctrines. We are called to "be transformed by the renewal of [our] mind[s]." (Romans 12:2) Let us be semper reformanda, always reforming.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Powerful God

From Friday night until early Saturday morning, we had the most awesome, powerful thunder and lightning storm this city has ever seen. With over 7,015 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes reported, this was a spectacular show. I was in bed staring out the window when the loudest thunder I have ever heard was booming through the night.

Seeing and hearing something as powerful as lightning and thunder really makes me think about the power of God. He is so powerful and always on His throne. He never "steps down" or takes a break from being God. When the weather becomes so fierce and amazing it really shows how God is in control. Nothing is governing it but God. Wow, what an amazing, holy God we serve!

Unexpected

For the last two weeks, a dove has made its home in our hanging flower pot on the back porch. She has a few eggs which some other birds are trying to snatch for a snack. It is amazing though, because she never leaves; we water the flowers and she just moves over a bit. Even when things get kinda loud, she still has stuck around.

A dove. Quite unusual in these parts. It is so amazing to watch her, a little creature made by God, and think how awesome God is to create such a seemingly insignificant creature with so much detail. Praise God from whom all things flow, even little doves.

Definition

meliorism: The view that humans must work cooperatively with God to create a universe with more good and less evil since God is omnibenevolent but not omnipotent, and thus needs human help. Humans cannot attain perfection but can indefinitely improve.

"Now, the calling of the Holy Spirit is without any regard to any merit in us. If this day the Holy Spirit shall call out of this congregation a hundred men, and bring them out of their estate of sin into a state of righteousness, you shall bring these hundred men, and let them march in review, and if you could read their hearts, you would be compelled to say, "I see no reason why the Spirit of God should have operated upon these. I see nothing whatever that could have merited such grace as this - nothing that could have caused the operations and motions of the Spirit to work in these men." For, look ye here. By nature, men are said to be dead in sin. If the Holy Spirit quickens, it cannot be because of any power in the dead men, or any merit in them, for they are dead, corrupt and rotten in the grave of their sin. If then, the Holy Spirit says, "Come forth and live," it is not because of anything in the dry bones, it must be for some reason in His own mind, but not in us. Therefore, know ye this, men and brethren, that we all stand upon a level. We have none of us anything that can recommend us to God; and if the Spirit shall choose to operate in our hearts unto salvation, He must be moved to do it by His own supreme love, for He cannot be moved to do it by any good will, good desire, or good deed, that dwells in us by nature."

C.H. Spurgeon

Theological Pursuits

Yay! New T-shirts from Theological Pursuits. TULIP and Luther are my favs.

Definition Thursday

Thanks to all who guessed at last week's word, too funny. Okay, here is this week's. Again, take a stab at it, the humorous ones are the best. :)

meliorism

Not sure what's up...

There has been a lack of theologically rich posts around here. I'm going to check into the programming, maybe the problem lies in the html. I'll get back to you when I find the problem.

"Theological Traffic Cop"

My favorite, J.I. Packer.
I'll have to pick up my own copy.
Oh, boy, wonder what they said about T.D. Jakes...

Speaking of traffic cops, I just got my first speeding ticket. Yay for me.