Graduation

So on Friday night I had my graduation from "The War College- Revolution Session 2006/07"

To be completely honest I didn't think I would make it and I'll also admit that on a couple of occasions I almost didn't but it is better to be in the Lord's will (even when it gets crazy at times) than to be in your own will and out of touch with God's divine perfect plan.

On Thursday I gave my final presentation where I spent an hour summing up the year and through this year I have been impressed with the maturity and growth of both Leo and myself. We know scripture better, we are able to hear the words of God himself, we even know how to relate to each other now. We have learned a lot but although that has been an astonishing thing it has not been the high light of me year nor would it come close to my purpose of being in Charlotte , North Carolina for an entire year.

What I comes down to is the people. The Lord has commanded us in Matthew 25:35-40

'For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Those who are usually forgotten I have feed, clothed, given water, visited them while they are sick and taken people to there court dates in support. But this is not to glorify me but to glorify God who gave me these things in the first place to share with others.

So I encourage you and challenge you to do the same. Share what you have even if it is little. Sponsor a child even through the Salvation army because what is $20 an month really. In the past I've spent more than that on junk food for a friend and I to have in one night and what's one night of eating things that we couldn't be eating anyway as apposed to give a child food, water, shelter and education for a month. Bless others up with what you have been blessed with.

Much love and grace
Jesse

Back in Charlotte

So, I arrived back in Charlotte on Sunday to everyones surprise because I didn't tell the kids I when I was coming home. I missed them soooooo much. I love my kids. Some have moved out of my hood though before I got to say goodbye which is really heart breaking for me but they left me letters and I cried so much when I read them last night. There was a letter in particular from Donta (who was the first kid that I had a strong friendship with here) saying 'Thank you for believing in me. I wish you could be my mom.' I lost broke down over that one especially since he has now been taken away from his mom.

I was very blessed to have everyone remember me. I was prepared to have my little Dede forget me because she is 2 but she's my girl. She remembered me and was if I had never been away. She was playing the same games with me and played with my hair to go to sleep. My hair amuses her because it 's a totally different texture than anyone else's around here (being one of the one white people). It was so cool that no one has forgotten me. I feel so loved.

Facing reality

So I had the absolute pleasure of getting the morning and afternoon off yesterday and the morning off today. For the entire time I was just thinking and praying and listening to God because he has revealed some stuff to me that has thrown some of my plans out of whack, which is cool though because I would rather live in God's amazing perfect plan as appose to my own in which I would have to do it in my own strength (which isn't that much) and fail as to who God wants me to be.

I was doing an essay on Tuesday about Commissioner Emma Booth-Tucker in which I had to read her articles in 'the officer' (a Salvation Army magazine) from the years 1893-1895 and write on her views on international mission, which I will admit hit me really hard. I had this plan of going to university, getting a degree, settling down, have a home and a family, you know all that normal stuff which I believe would be an incredible life but God has something else in store for me which I have known for a while now but never wanted to admit it because I didn't want somethings to change.

In January 1893 Commissioner Emma Booth-Tucker wrote:
"Yes, this is our field. Wherever on earth there is a soul, there, in measure must beat the heart of The Salvation Army''
So that's where I'll be. I'm going to become a solider. Not just one who is doing it because they feel it is their next step as a Salvationist but because God has been calling me to it for a long time now but I didn't want it to be something that was taken lightly. I am already a solider of God, I now just going to make it better know and wherever the Lord leads me that's were I'm going to be from here on out (Don't stress Mum I'm still coming back to Australia in 4 weeks) Love you all and be prepared

Blessings

Galatians 1:10 'Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.'