I’ve been reading through an interesting collection of brief anecdotes by Dorcas Smucker about her and her husband Paul’s experiences raising a family of six children, on a grass seed farm in Oregon.  She does an amazing job of creating “snapshots” of the dynamic tapestry of life.  I have found it to be a particularly interesting read, because while I have never met her or her family, I know many people who grew up in the same area as Mennonites.  Yesterday, I mentioned I was reading Ordinary Days and there were smiles, and nods of recognition while one couple mentioned “We were at Paul and Dorcas’ wedding”.  The intricacies of the family and social ties among the crowd of Mennonites from “the Valley” is quite something to observe.  During the process of introducing and welcoming some visiting “Oregonians” yesterday at church, our pastor was attempting to explain the way so-and-so was related to so-and-so, causing someone (from a non-Mennonite background) to quip, “Can I be adopted?” 

Well, getting back to the book, it’s the kind of reading that makes a great gift for the reader that has read all the usual genres and is looking for something unique, joyous, and full of the everyday happenings of life.  I encourage you to get a copy by clicking on the link below. Dorcas also has a blog and writes a column, “Letter from Harrisburg”, for the Eugene, Oregon, Register-Guard. 

I just finished reading the very intriguing narrative detailing the SMBI Costa Rica Tour over on Hans Mast’s blog, one of my regular reads.  Sharon Mennonite Bible Institute has to be one of the most unusual Mennonite Bible Schools out there.   I highly respect the work they have accomplished with young people, as well as the witness they are through their music and outreach ministries.  I encourage you to check it out.  (Oh, and you gotta love the photography) 

For those of you who do web design as part or all of your gainful employment, here’s a survey you can take.

 

I probably won’t be going, but I might view the live webcasts of this event. I thought I’d post it here for anyone else out there in the blogosphere who might be interested.

The website is http://www.revivalconference.com/

“How long, Lord?” - Psalm 79:5

Will God send another great awakening? Can revival still change nations? There are over 10,000 conferences that happen every year in America. The “Revival Conference” is not to be just another conference but a honest, sincere, earnest plea for the desperate need of revival in North America. There is no cost to attend the event. There will be a minimal of materials sold. There will be no big bands. The conference will have the cheif object to be God-glorifying. The speakers will come on their own accord trusting God for provision. There will be no emphasis on money during the event. A minimal amount of materials will be sold. The event will be a simple, apostolic, yearning for a genuine biblical revival in our day.

FREE REGISTERATION

This conference is hosted by the ministry of sermonindex.net and is a inter-denominational event. The event will be hosted at the “Church Of God, Arlington Avenue” venue which has been freely given to be used for this event. The conference is not offically affiliated with any denomination or specific church.

There is no cost to attend the conference but it is asked that you pre-register at: http://revivalconference.eventbrite.com to secure a seat for the event.

SPEAKERS

Roger Ellsworth - has been pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Benton, Ill., since 1988. He is a former president of Illinois Baptist State Association and a former trustee at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C. Author of book “Come, Down Lord” an exposition on Isaiah relating to revival.
Harold Vaughan - After graduation from Bible School in 1979, Harold Vaughan launched out into full-time evangelism. To date his ministry has led him to preach in forty-six states and many foreign countries. The major emphases of this ministry are three-fold: Spiritual Life Crusades; Prayer Advances; and Christ Life Publications.
Denny Kenaston - saved in 1972 out of the “Hippy culture.” The Lord Jesus delivered them from drugs, drinking, and many other things that go along with that life style. Helped to form the Charity Christian Fellowship church where he serves as a elder. He also travels extensively in a church planting, and preaching ministry.
Don Currin - Don has a balanced ministry challenging believers with solid Biblical preaching while reaching out to the lost. He has conducted hundreds of evangelistic and revival meetings, men’s retreats, camp ministries, and sponsoring life-issues related conferences. He is also a desired conference and Bible college speaker.

Dean Taylor - is the current editor of the “Heartbeat of the Remnant” magazine which is distributed throughout the world through the Charity Gospel Ministries outreach. Dean has a burden and passion for revival and desires to see the Church be all that God intends it to be.
Ron Bailey - residing from Reading, UK where he is part of a local independent fellowship. At various stages of Ron’s pilgrimage he has been a formal pastor, home church leader, bible school tutor, conference speaker. Ron’s public time is now spent in preaching and teaching in the UK and overseas and in his website ministry Bible Base.

I just finished listening to an excellent music CD entitled Reflections on a Journey.  It is a beautifully done collection of classic hymns using piano, an orchestra and some soft background vocals.  The style of the music reflects on the main artist, Greg Howlett, a graduate of Pensacola Christian College, who developed the musical arrangements and played the piano pieces. 

The hymns chosen for this album are:

1. The Love of God
2. Count Your Blessings
3. My Jesus I Love Thee
4. His Eye is on the Sparrow
5. Have You any Room for Jesus?
6. Does Jesus Care?
7. Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
8. Breathe on Me
9. Jesus Is All the World to Me
10. Near to the Heart of God

Real talent in this style of music is often hard to find, so feel free to check it out for yourself by clicking on the link below.  His previous album, Timeless Reflections is also available on the same website.   

After a good discussion about our scripture memorization program at church, I thought I’d jot down some notes about the subject.

I have never been good at memorizing exact quotes.  I love to paraphrase an idea or saying, so I can understand it better in “my own language”.  However there is a definite advantage in memorizing Bible passages word for word.  We can share God’s Word with others even if we don’t have a Bible in our hands, we can be encouraged in our own daily lives as we meditate on the verses we’ve learned, we can refute Satan’s lies with scriptures that come to mind, and we can allow the words from the Bible to impact our day to day decisions and responses to life.  

So how do we go about it, is there an age level advantage, and how do we stay motivated?  Rather than write out a detailed work on the topic, I decided to just provide links to some websites that I have found helpful in my own scripture memorization endeavors.

Here they are:

http://www.memoryverses.org/

http://scripturememorychallenge.org/

http://www.scriptureverses.org/

This e-book in particular (http://www.memoryverses.org/how1.htm), I found to be very helpful.  I strongly recommend it.  It is very detailed and insightful.

(By the way, feel free to comment… How do you go about memorizing scripture?  Any ideas you’ve found helpful?)

And a final thought about Bible memory that has helped me…  Just Do It!