Flabergast

I am unsure what to write, but I have been given a sliver of internet time, so I am taking advantage of it.

Work has been going well. I identified 40 people groups today, which is higher than I have gotten before, so I am thankful for that. I am continuing to meet people throughout the day. Getting to know the other interns better. I am hopeful that we will be able to strike up some good relationships.

I am into Deuteronomy 4, which is great. Reading through scripture these past weeks has been a huge blessing. Something I wanted to write earlier this week:

I don't have the exact scripture in front of me, but I will paraphrase.

When Israel is wandering in the desert they begin to grumble. God begins to consume them. This is crazy. Who would have thought that grumbling is such a large offense. However, they were grumbling against the Lord, lacking trust in Him, turning from him. Thousands of Israelites are killed in the process because God's anger burned against them and the fringes of the camp were destroyed.
This happens a second time, the Israelites grumble, and God sends a plague on them, and thousands are killed.

However,
Leviticus 3:22
"Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail."

Instead God forgives us, and separates our sin from us, as far as the east is from the west.
Crazy
I grumbled today. I know I lost hope in God and turned from Him and forgot him today. But God forgives me, he clothes me in Christ for the selfishness and pride I exhibit today, tomorrow, and the next day. Furthermore he forgives all my past sins. Not just those that I know I committed, but even more those that I don't even realize I commit.

Reminds me of something David Crowder said. "We were bought with a kiss but the cheek still turned even when it wasn't hit and I don't know what to do with a love like that."

It leads one to realize that God is love. He wanted to draw his people to Him from the start.

And furthermore, this realization gave a more serious tone to another scripture I have been focused on. Philippians 2:14 "Do all things without grumbling or disputing". This is a serious command. It is what God wants us to do, for our betterment, and because he wants us to be like Him, and love Him, and trust Him.

Wish I had more time to hash all this out. Thanks for reading my crazy stream of conscious regardless of the lack of organization.

Praying for you

-Tyler

Green Eggs and Ants

I am enjoying my time at night much lately. It is great to get a break from work. All the same, work is great. I am continuing to enjoy mapping people groups. Though I can get frustrated, I have realized that can occur whether I am at work or home or in a plane or on a train or in a box or with a fox or with a mouse in house or here or there or anywhere.

The past week has been a battle against ants. My roommate and I have found them 1st in the sink marching across the stove to get there (clean the dishes, spray with ant deterrent). Then we found them in a cubbard (simply move the food in the cubbard, spray with ant deterrent). Today we got home and thought all clear. Opening the microwave showed how misguided our thoughts were (turn on microwave for 5 minutes, which by the way doesn't kill ants). So, needless to say, all food has been removed from the area they have been around, and we are hoping for the best.

Something I wanted to share:

Romans 11:33-36 -> "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to Him again? For from Him and through Him and to him are all things. To Him be the glory forever, Amen."
God is phenomenally bigger and better than any of us can imagine. Our pride is generated from our comparison to one another. In light of Gods glory, we are seriously but dust. Hard to wrap ones mind around that, I'm still having trouble

Leviticus 11:45 -> "For I am the Lord who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God; thus you shall be holy, for I am holy."
God is calling the nation of Israel (which we are grafted into as believers [Rom 11:17]) His own, and He wants them to be holy so that He can reconcile them to Himself in LOVE.

Isaiah 53: 10-11 -> "But the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; if He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand. As a resilt of the anguish of His soul, He will se it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant will Justify the many, as He will bear their iniquities."
So God realizes that no amount of sacrifice that we can provide is good enough to make us holy. So He substitutes himself for his people. He crushed his son for the sake of those he loved, though they had turned away from him, and would continue to do so.

Ephesians 1:5-7 -> "He predestine us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind inention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, wich He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which he lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which he purposed in Him."
This speaks for itself, and simply amplifies what we learn from Isaiah 53. We, who are filthy in our sin, were given grace by the blood of He who knew no sin. I know this is preaching to the Choir for some, but I have heard men wiser than I say we need to preach the gospel to ourselves every day. I feel like the eyes of my heart are being enlightened, so that I will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe, and I wanted to share.

Other than that Richmond is a great place. It's no Louisville though. Thinking of you all.

-Tyler

1st one down

This week I think the grand total is 43 people groups mapped. Not too bad. My aim for the end of the summer is much higher, but I figure if I will just keep on going with it and hopefully get better daily.

The weekend is here. Good stuff.

-Tyler

MMMhmmm

IMB is great - I get to research people groups from all over the world all day long. Which is really great, because I know nothing about almost every group I have worked on so far. To my surprise, my administrators have left all the subjectivity of where to place a group up to me.

My boss is a great guy, who always seems to be in a good mood.

I am realizing more and more how great of a life I have. This includes family, friends, school, etc.

I am getting better at the job, which is uber encouraging. Though I am plagued by waves of frustration.

I need to invest in relationships at work

I am waiting for other interns to get there so I have more people my age

I seem to always want to move faster than older people. Very interesting lesson on patience.

I get to listen to music while I work

My roommate and I got to talk last night. This might not seem important, but I had lived here for two days and we had no really met yet (except for seeing one another at work, once).

If you squeak your foot across the ground it makes a sound like that of R2D2

I am not going to have as much free time this summer as I would have guessed

Working for a Christian organization does not throw you into some euphoria of encouragement.

So those are just my thoughts on life as of right now. There is a lot going on. I am hoping that I can find a church this weekend to visit. I have some prospects.
God is working in me, as always, but right now there are some really specific things.
Overall, things are going pretty smoothly.

Hope all is well with you all in Louisville, Lexington, Gainesville, Milton, Colorado, etc.

In Christ,
Tyler

628

Meant to get up around 6:45. Too excited for the day so I woke at 6:08.
Today is the first day of work, and I am pumped. It is strange because I am still kind of amazed that I get to go and experience working with the International Mission Board. But I am just going to jump into and see how it goes. Thinking back to December is strange: when I sent the vague and misguided email that somehow lead to a meeting with an IMB representative and the months of forms and waiting that eventually lead to this internship and a place to live in Richmond.

God has already begun to work on me. Last night the Holy Spirit jostled me around through a phone call from a friend. I wont go into specifics about the call, but I can tell what I realized for myself:
- Selfishness abounds in my heart
- Christ has done all that he is for love and the sake of his own name

Two things I "know", but haven't resonated with my heart for a great deal of time, and that is dangerous. Praise be to him for Ephesians 1, Romans 1-3, and Psalm 25. All great encouragement in a time of questions.

I miss those of you I have left. Thank you for your support, I couldn't be here without it. I am praying for many of you.

-Tyler

Another Summer

I am off to Richmond to work at the International Mission Board's Global Research Department
I finished another two semesters at UofL
God is continually teaching me
I am dating Emily Grace Rickard

Sorry, this is going to be a quick first post, but I have to get on the road soon.

Wish everyone in KY the best, I will see you soon.
People's in Gainesville, I miss you and I am excited to see you after the internship.

In Christ,
Tyler

Half way home

I am back in Louisville now. The road trip back was great, and the last moments in Vail were some that I will not forget for some time.

I don't know quite what to say, everything is a little overwhelming. Yesterday was definetely a day of hugs. I saw so many people that I have missed over the summer and there were a number of embraces.

God has blessed me with awesome experiences in life. From Vail to being here in Louisville to having parents who I can visit in Florida and a sister in Lexington. I get to travel all around. I have so many people in so many places that love and care for me and I can't tell you how much I appreciate your support. And as I do travel, I see Christ wherever I go.

It was awesome to come back and go to sojourn yesterday. I got to be reminded once again how many people truely follow Christ. In this western nation there are so many "Christians" that sometimes it is hard to sort out those who truly love Christ. So it's great to be reminded how soverign God is and how he does have his hand on so many hearts. It reminds me of a song by Audio Adrenaline called "Jesus Movement": "Imagine my suprise, when I realized. Everywhere I go, I can see I'm not the only one moving...moving to Jesus." It is an awesome reminder that the Church is not a building, but instead the true body of Christ for which Christ is the head of. The author and perfector of our faith holds us together. Great to have such assurance.

Anyway. The last banquet for project was great. We got to go to a restaurant called "The Wildflower". Very expensive, very good. I am glad that project paid for it. Otherwise I would have settled for the ramen back in my condo. After the banquet we headed to the church to reminisce and have a dance party. Both were a lot of fun. Some people suprised me with their dancing skills.

Going back a little farther. Two friends from project and I climbed a couple more 14ers on wednesday called Gray's and Torrey's. They were a fun climb. A lot shorter than Holy Cross.
Pics:


The trail view

Gray's is the rounded peak on the left. Torrey's is the pointed one on the right


Top of Gray's



Top of Torrey's


The snow we went through coming off of Torrey's. Snow in august...weird.

Top of Torrey's. My wind protection outfit


The marmot that we met on the top of Torrey's. Crazy that God created animals that can live at 14,000 ft.


SO now I am back into school mode. Trying to get my house together (i'll try to post some pictures of it if I get a chance), and work out all the stuff that needs to be transfered from Vail to here ($). Hopefully in all the action I wont loose sight of the things I learned this summer. I am already slipping on quiet times. Pray I wont loose sight of what's important. It happens all too easily.

Thanks again for reading this summer. If you have any question/requests for me shoot me an email at Quickchangemcgraw@gmail.com.

O and by the way. There is an article in the Vail Daily about our project. Here is the link:
http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20080807/NEWS/650769654&parentprofile=search

I hope Christ is continuing to teach you things. Maybe now that my summer is done someone else should start a blog.

In Him,
Tyler Belcher