Sang this hymn the other day in chapel and it has stayed with me. It is by David Elton Trublood

Thou, whose purpose is to kindle, now ignite us with Thy fire; while the earth awaits Thy burning, with Thy passion us inspire. Overcome our sinful calmness; rouse us with redemptive shame. Baptize with Thy fiery Spirit; crown our lives with tongues of flame.

Thou, who in Thy holy gospel wills that man should truly live, Make us sense our share of failure; Our tranquility forgive. Teach us courage as we struggle in all liberating strife; lift the smallness of our vision by Thine own abundant life.

Thou, who still a sword delivers rather than a placid peace, with Thy sharpened Word disturb us; from complacency release! Save us now from satisfaction when we privately are free, yet are undisturbed in spirit by our brother's misery.

confessions of an extrovert

True story, I confess, I - Shushan Marie Richardson - am a complete extrovert! For one of my classes we took personality test. Completely balanced was 0 and you could go 100 points to introvert or 100 points to extrovert - I scored an 89 on the extrovert side. To me this means that there are other people who are more extroverted then I am, but others act like it is off the chart. I really do love being with people and I really do love people. I also really loved my extrovertedness.

As we were parting today a friend mentioned that he needed some time alone and when I agreed, he didn't believe me. There are lots of things I like to do all alone, I like to read alone, though I am equally happy to do it with another person too. Study, I do study better by myself, but I perfer to study with other people. Okay, I admit that usually just turns into talking. I like to sleep and well, sleeping really is about 1/3 of the day, honestly that is a lot of time alone!

a little random - just like me

i have four or five posts that I have written out on paper somewhere on my desk, that I keep planning to type, but today I have a minute and I am just going to ramble a little. The weather the last couple of days has been amazing. I even sat outside yesterday and got a little sunburned - YEAH! I was really missing the sea. Today, I am sitting by my open window planning to go sit outside to read for a little while. I am so happy to see the buds on the trees and the flowers beginning to pop up from the ground. I LOVE spring. It is such a beautiful and amazing reminder that God makes things new.

This Friday I will be traveling up to WGM for my interview weekend, I am excited to say I will become a "real" missionary.

Classes are going well and working and student involvement and church, I am staying busy - but I like that. So, I will make a point to post again, and maybe next time I will even have something to say.

wow, I really haven't posted in forever

Okay, so a quick post.

I really enjoyed chapel today - don't get me wrong, for the most part, I ususally really enjoy chapel. Anyway, today, Dr. John was speaking about Jesus and how the Word became flesh. He was sharing stories from the Old Testament about the Angel of the Lord, who is the pre-incarnate Christ, and he said "Jesus was just showing up all over". When he said it, I wanted to laugh - I just smiled, but as he continued speaking, I realize, Jesus really does show up all over. So, then I wrote it down in my notes and I have thought about that statement several times today - I am so thankful Jesus does show up all over. He can be found. Sometimes in ways, places, and to people I might not expect, but He is so good and He loves us so much, that He always shows up.

Fall Break is over

Well, I am back at school, sadly fall break is over. It was really wonderful. I tried to not run around as much as I have on my last few visits home, so I actually saw fewer people, but was able to spend a little more time with each of them - which was so nice. I am looking forward to even more relaxed visits as I am able to go home much more frequently than I have been able to the last couple of years.

Last night when I arrived at school, I realized that I had brought a cold back with me; it was very difficult to get out of bed this morning and even after taking Dayquil, my stuffy head, sneezes, and congestion are getting the better of me. So, I am going to finish my homework for tomorrow so I can go to bed early.

Well, off I go.
In Him,
Shushan

a full inbox

A fun praise. I like to say "praise the Lord!" and I mean it. God is so good to me, and I like to give Him praise. We had a lady here on campus for a week and she is not a Christian. I had the opportunity to spend some time with her, she is a really great person, we had a lot of fun. Anyway. The day she was leaving, she shared with me that she was trying to use her computer that morning and the Internet wouldn't work. When it finally came up, she said, "Praise the Lord!" She told me, "I don't even know where that came from." and that I was "rubbing off" on her. How amazing! I pray that God will use the time she was here at KMBC to continue to cause her to think of Him. Since this conversation, I have prayed several times from Psalms 19:14 "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." I so desire to always be used by God.

I only have a minute, but I need to send a quick update. I am only checking my email about twice a week. Today, I had 68 messages in my inbox - a wonderful and blessed thing, but I am so far behind in my responses. So, sorry. I do so appreciate the notes and truly praise the Lord for the love and support each email represents.

This week we are having missions conference, I am really looking forward to the speakers and the WGM representatives, Frank and Sharon Martin, that are coming. I have been helping with the advertisements, we have been drawing with chalk on the sidewalks - it has been great fun.

Classes are going well, I have a test and a quiz this afternoon and I need to participate in the online discussion board for one of my classes (that is why I am in the computer lab right now actually).

My job at the library is still great, though as the semester is progressing, I have less time for study as more and more other students are coming into the library and need help.

A quick praise, so far, I have been in America for two months and I have not gained any weight. I have actually lost an additional five pounds, which I really praise God for! I have an accountability partner here at school and we meet once a week and talk about our quiet time, our eating, and exercise. It is a wonderful blessing.

a new update

Hi All,

I have been planning to post for more than a week, it is amazing how time gets away from me. I actually have a notebook with four blogs written, but I failed to bring it to the computer lab, so I will plan to send those later. I took a test today that I don't think I did very well on. So far, I have earned A's on all my tests, but the one today in Christian Education wasn't so great, I would be really happy with a B. I truly am enjoying all of my classes, probably my favorite is Minor Prophets - I really find everything I am learning to be remarkably interesting.

Just FYI, I am taking 17 credit hours -
English Grammar - mainly because this will help me to teach English
Minor Prophets
Acts
Intro to Missions - I am enjoying this class a lot
Intro to Christian Education - you would think this class would be easy, but lots of theory
Foundations of Faith - which is a first level theology course
Spiritual Worldview Formation - you will be happy to learn I have a Biblical Worldview :-)

A of course, my Thursday night Russian lesson - I am so encouraged by all that I am remembering, I am blessed to have a tutor - God is so good!

I am also working 10 hours per week in the library, cooking for a couple of hours on Saturday, and picking up cleaning hours when I can fit them in my schedule.

In other news, I have fall break October 24-27. I have found a ride home. One of the other students lives in Michigan and he drives straight up I69 to get home. I was explaining to him where I live and he said he often stops at the Gas City exit to eat, I am praising the Lord. Me riding with him will be a help for him too, because I will help cover the cost of his gas. I have promised I will not talk continuously on the way home, so I hope I will have a ride to and from home for all of my breaks - again, God has provided in an amazing way.


What else, we have been participating in the "Concert of Prayer". Every night at 9:05pm a group of students has gathered in the parlor of one of the dorms for a prayer time for the country featured that day. It has been a wonderful time. Each night a different person leads the time and shares about the country, praises, and prayer requests. It has been a wonderful time of fellowship and prayer, but even more a time to really focus on what God is doing in the world.

Well, I am going to run. I need to go to the library before it closes, I have overdue materials - that is not a good thing when you are a library employee.

Hope you are having a wonderful day. May God bless you!
In Him,
Shushan