Count it all Joy

I was listening to a book (MP3) that my father gave me about relationships with God. It came to a point and stated that the devils who drive is to cause a ruckus in our lives, and steal our joy. If he can succeed in doing that then he has won at least half if not more of the fight. Our morale is broken and we are easier to defeat in the spiritual battle for our mind. We are more apt to listen to his evil council.  

I also have heard pastors discuss about when they talk about writing a sermon, what ever the topic their sermon is about then there week is filled with problems on that topic. I wish I could free write my next sermon becuase of the ups and downs of Joy that filled my life this past week. SHort and sweet so sorry... It's sleepy time.

Slacker!

Some say culture shock lasts for about a month and then you get over it! Well it's true. I am starting to recover and Wonju is starting to feel like home. I am taking Korean Classes 2 times a week for about an hour in exchange for Bible studies 3 times a week - fair trade! But i want MORE! I will have to study on my own more. 

This is the end of the term for my students. I have been a little frustrated with some becuase they do not come as regularly as they should and i htink about half or more than half have dropped the class. I know this is my first term but i am a bit angry with myself for not doing a better job. It's a high learning curve. 

I am missing the social environment i used to have back home and the group of people i hung out with during orientation. I talked to my director alot about it, and told me i coudl come to Seoul and stay at his place anytime. I would love to do that on weekends but lately i have been to busy. Next weekend my I am preaching! I am terrified. If anyone has any Ideas what to talk about I am all ears! I want to talk about Joy! My main story will be about Horatio Spafford. He wrote the lyrics to 'it is well with my soul'. When i was younger i heard it from adventures in odysse. (FYI you can get those from the ABC - good for children). It was a story similar to Job who lost everything... but still hung on to God. Sometimes the Devil does that to me... I feel as though i am all alone, but the biblical teachings that my parents and teachers tought me come back to me.  Poems like "footprints in the sand" keep me chugging along. 

Last weekend was teachers retreat. It was a highlgiht for me because i got ot meet alot of new people. It was the goal of the Admin to get us to understand 'back to the basics' Go back to the manual and read it (I haven't read it all the way through yet); I have bad atitude sometimes to 'wing' it. Sometiems it's good, other times its not so good. 

The video part one was played at the first meeting, I didnt' realize what that would do for me 'socially' I would walk down the streets of the english camp (which looks like virginia beach) and people would point and say "bad teacher" or hey look it's chris... I'm so lost, how do you know me? But it worked out. I tried to be as helpful as i could to the admin team, who knows maybe that's where i'llbe someday. I dunno.  But for now my main prayer request is that I do better reaching out to my students and finding the time for bible studies. I will write mroe later... I need lunch...