So teach us to number our days.

2010-07-06T10:51:00.001-05:00

Visit my new blog/website @ www.pauljhoover.com

God's Word Changes Lives

2010-05-10T22:37:00.003-05:00

Today, I was able to break away from finals to go home and be a part of my church's Urban Burden Preaching Conference. Tonight, we were blessed by a powerful message preached by Steve Currington! I am looking forward to the Pastor's luncheon tomorrow with more great preaching by Pastor Dan Klaus and Bruce Miller. Tomorrow night, Dr. Currington will preach again!

I would like to share some powerful words from a terrific song with you.

God's Word Changes Lives

Those who know the Savior will gladly testify
How God's Word brought conviction the hour they met Christ
It may have been a still small voice but they heard the Master's call
Learning in that moment when they surrendered all

Chorus:
God's Word changes lives
Its power cannot be denied
The lost find salvation, the foolish become wise
God's Word changes lives

The essence of its message, the truth has never changed
God so loved He gave his Son that sinners could be saved
And whether read or preached or sung, once it has been heard
The authority of Scripture will leave no heart unstirred

Chorus

So changed of God proclaim His truth till every soul has heard
The power of the Gospel in God's unchanging Word,
Unchanging Word

Chorus

God's Word changes lives
God's Word changes lives
God's Word changes lives!

Empower Me!

2010-04-29T23:03:00.001-05:00

We had a GREAT week of preaching here at Fairhaven Baptist Church. It was absolutely needed in my life. I am so glad I was able to go to every service!

Isaiah 40:28-31 - "Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."

I Peter 4:11 - "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."

I was listening to this song today and wanted to share the words with you! I am still learning the amazing truth that I am weak and I will always be weak, but He is strong and He will always be strong!!!

Empower Me - Cloninger/Clydesdale

VERSE 1: Nobody knows how weak I am, better than You;

Nobody sees all of my needs, better than You.

And nobody has the power to change me, from what I was born to be.

Jesus be strong in my weakness, empower me!

CHORUS: Empower me, like a rushing river flowing to the sea.

Lord, send Your Holy Spirit flowing now through me.

Till I'm living as Your child, victorious and free,

send the power of Your love, empower me.

VERSE 2: Nobody's eyes see through my soul, better than Yours;

Nobody's love can make me whole, no one but Yours.

And nobody has the power to lift me, to reach for eternity.

Jesus break through all my defences, empower me.

No Demerits & College Work Party

2010-04-20T17:01:00.005-05:00

Wow, it is great to so that "white glove" is over, and I didn't get any demerits! Yesterday started off by scurrying around trying to finish those "last minute 'white glove' details". All dormitory students had to be out of the dorms by 7:30 a.m.. Well, we all meandered up to the dinning hall, some later than others, and commenced eating (or serving) breakfast. All those who were on the losing team for Volleyball Marathon had to serve the winning team (the I happened to be on... I really feel guilty, because I only played about 10 minutes of volleyball).

After breakfast, we started the college work party which lasted until about noon. All morning, I cleared off sand and gravel from the roads and parking lots on the church property. At about 11:30 yesterday morning, I was busy "sweeping" a road when a big gust of wind came up and blew the pile of sand and silt that I was moving, right into my face. After the dust settled, I was left standing there blinking my eyes trying to clear the debris out. Nothing new, I've gotten dirt in my eyes before... after a few blinks its gone, right? Eight hours later, after rinsing my right eye under the water for a grand total of 4 times (5 minutes each time) and having my eye water and itch and still feel a piece of sand (or who knows what) irritating my eye... I decided to throw in the towel and head for the doctor (I really don't like to go to the doctor).

Julian (my roommate - thank goodness for him) and I drove to the hospital in Valparaiso (a small city 15 minutes south). The funny thing was... on the way, whatever was irritating my eye came out. Well, I decided it would be best to at least have them look at it. After a relatively short wait, the doctor examined my eye and gave me a good report. No debris and no scratches.

Well, I felt justified in going to the E.R. since I haven't been to the doctor in four years, and this was only the second time I've gone to the hospital for myself. You meet a lot of interesting people and hear some "peculiar" stories in the E.R. waiting room. Maybe I'll write a post about that some time.

White Glove

2010-04-18T21:59:00.004-05:00

Tomorrow at 7:30 a.m., we will once again be having a "white glove" inspection of the dorms at our college (demerits are always handed out liberally...). We have been feverishly working on our assigned duties on top of our busy schedules. Thankfully, I was able to have everything finally finished before church tonight!

We had the Lord's Supper service tonight. The service was great... we even sang my favorite hymn. - And Can It Be.

Well, I look forward to tomorrow (college work party - 8:30-12:30) and the rest of this week. One more week until Preaching Conference!

And Can It Be -- Charles Wesley

2010-04-18T21:32:00.005-05:00

And can it be that I should gain

An interest in the Savior’s blood?

Died He for me, who caused His pain—

For me, who Him to death pursued?

Amazing love! How can it be,

That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

Amazing love! How can it be,

That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

He left His Father’s throne above

So free, so infinite His grace—

Emptied Himself of all but love,

And bled for Adam’s helpless race:

’Tis mercy all, immense and free,

For O my God, it found out me!

’Tis mercy all, immense and free,

For O my God, it found out me!

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

A New Week!

2010-04-11T22:07:00.003-05:00

Since I've been back from "spring break" things have not stopped moving. School, work and ministry are back in full swing for the next two weeks, and then Preaching Conference 2010 will be here. After that we have about two more weeks and school will be out for the summer.

I cannot wait until Preaching Conference! It is always a great time of fellowship and preaching, but this year I am desiring and praying that God will work in my heart as college will soon be over, and I will be out working in the ministry. Well, I will write again soon!

Lord Of Harvest, Send Forth Reapers! — Clemm

2010-04-11T21:52:00.001-05:00

Far and near the fields are teeming
With the waves of ripened grain;
Far and near their gold is gleaming
O'er the sunny slope and plain.

Lord of harvest, send forth reapers!
Hear us, Lord, to thee we cry;
Send them now the sheaves to gather,
Ere the harvest time pass by.

Send them forth with morn's first beaming,
Send them in the noontide's glare;
When the sun's last rays are gleaming,
Bid them gather ev'rywhere.

O thou, whom thy Lord is sending,
Gather now the sheaves of gold;
Heav'nward then at evening wending,
Thou shalt come with joy untold.

An exciting upcoming summer!

2010-04-09T21:42:00.005-05:00

The last two summers I have been able to work full time at my church. It has been terrific! However, I know that this summer is going to be better than ever! There is so much ministry that I have planned to do, I don't know when we will fit it all in. Bro. Aaron and I plan on going out visiting quite a bit and we are excited to see what the Lord is going to do on the bus route! We also plan on reaching the huge goal of canvassing the two zip codes around our church (20,000+ doors)! There are so many Divine appointments waiting to be met! I pray that we (starting with myself) would be ready for the harvest! I am asking that God will give our church the greatest summer we will have had in our 23 year history! Amen!

"Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest." John 4:35

Dachshunds

2010-04-09T21:02:00.003-05:00

When I was five years old, our family decided to get a dog. Of course, there are many different types of dogs, but we decided on a Dachshund (aka "wiener dogs"). I would assume we chose this breed because when my dad was growing up he had two or three different dogs and they were all dachsies. I know that they had one named Rex and another named Heidi. Well, being five years old, I didn't have much say in the matter, but we indeed purchased our first family pet. A red short-haired pure-bred dachsie puppy. The pedigree name we gave him was Johann Sebastien Dach (short for dachshund), pretty neat play on words, huh? Well, I guess it was a kinda cute name for our red-haired German "badger hunter". We nick-named him Jojo. Unfortunately, our dog died about four years ago and our house has been a lot quieter (and of course much cleaner) since then.

For the last four springs, I have worked at a "lawn care service" (anonymous) in South Bend (about 45 minutes from my dorm). There, the office manager, Johnna has two dachshunds... Oscar and Dixie. She and her husband are very serious dog owners and in fact they have had their dogs trained and they take them to dog shows. On Wednesday, we got to talking about her dachshunds and today, she brought them to the office. Those two dachsies are quite a pair! I didn't get to take any pictures, but Oscar is dapple (black and brown) and has somewhat wiry hair. Dixie has a beautiful long coat like the dachshund in the picture below.

Someday, I plan on getting my own "Oscar" or "Dixie".

A lively and sweet natured creature, the Dachshund is a dog that makes a loyal and devoted pet for the right owner. These dogs are well suited to both inexperienced and experienced dog owners, as they are adaptable, intelligent, and sociable. The Dachshund is not the right choice for those with little time to dedicate to a pet, as they do need love, attention, and companionship. Training should not prove too much of a challenge, as the Dachshund is quick to learn, eager to please, and responsive. However, he can have a very possessive streak when it comes to his belongings and food. The Dachshund has a great sense of humor, and can be a very entertaining and cheerful pet to have around. The sharp bark of these dogs makes them effective watchdogs.

He tends to get along well with older, gentler kids. The Dachshund loves to be around other Dachsies, and with early socialization should get along fine with other pets. When it comes to strangers the reaction of the Dachshund can vary depending on his personality - some will be fine with strangers and others may be aloof. It is worth noting that there are three varieties of Dachshund - the long haired, the wire haired, and the smooth coated. The longhaired Dachshund appears to have a gentler and more amiable nature than the other two varieties and are less aloof with strangers. If you are particularly proud of your garden you may want to think twice before considering a Dachshund, as these dogs do love to dig. The Dachshund is a sensitive breed, and does not like to be teased or handled roughly. Care should be taken around younger or boisterous children, as the Dachshund can injure his back through to much rough play and jumping around. (Taken from www.justdogbreeds.com)

Summer 2010

2010-04-09T20:51:00.003-05:00

Well, I have some goals for this summer. I will be working in my dad's church when I get out of college and we have plans on expanding our bus ministry. We currently have 1 bus, but will someday grow. We have several people in our church who can drive a bus, but it would be great if I could get my CDL (commercial driver license) so that I can drive the bus too. Getting my CDL is one of my summer goals, and last week that goal came to fruition. Well, the start of it at least. While on "spring break" I had some time at home to go and apply at a bus company that would train me to get my license. I walked in, filled out an application and they asked, "When can you start?" Praise the Lord! I will be starting when I get back from my trip when school is out. They gave me a couple books to study so that I can take the written tests. In June they will train me and I will take my driving test. Lord willing, I will get my license and be able to drive charters for the bus company and someday every week for church!

Time flies when you're having fun!

2010-04-08T20:35:00.000-05:00

Wow, its hard to believe that school will be out in just 6 weeks. I am really looking forward to this summer. I will be working at my home church. One of the many benefits of being home is being home. ...profound, I know. Over the last four years, I have been away from my family for a total of three of those (when you take out the summers - I was home for those...) I am a pretty independent person, and I truly appreciate my "freedom", but there's nothing like Mom's home-cooked meals, and the joy of spending quality time with Dad, Mom and Ashlee.

Well, I will be completely finished with college in December, and that will be a tremendous day! Besides having college in the rear-view mirror, and at home with the family... I will be able to go on vacations with everyone else. Last October, from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Mississippi, and Texas, my parents, sisters, brother in-laws, and grandparents met in Branson, Missouri and spent a great week together. I unfortunately was in college... It has been like that on numerous occasions. Just a couple of weeks ago my parents and sister flew to Texas to celebrate my three nephews' birthdays (one of which I haven't met yet...). I wasn't able to go because, yes, I am in college...

Well, let me tell you, I can't wait until the Monday after schools out in 6 weeks. My grandma and I are flying down to Mississippi for 5 days, and then over to Texas to spend some quality time with my sisters, their husbands and their children. What a blessing!

We Want America Back

2010-03-03T10:09:00.011-06:00

I love America, but I do not love what she has become. The scripture says, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD..." (Ps. 33:12a), and America has forgotten its Godly foundation on which she was built. Something is wrong. Our children are asked to attend public schools, which in many cases resemble war zones, without even the basic rights of any soldier. The right to pray publicly to the God of heaven. Many times, the wild-eyed, drug addicted teenager is allowed to stay in our public schools, while our Supreme Court decided to expel God's Bible and prayer from the classroom over 40 years ago. Something is wrong.

Television daily bombards the senses of our nation with the idea that wrong is right, the abnormal is normal, the abhorrent is acceptable, and that what God calls an abomination is nothing more than an alternative lifestyle. 40 years ago, the number one television program was the Andy Griffith Show. Look what we have today. Something is wrong

When our government can endorse abortion in school without parental consent, yet the Bible can no longer be passed out on campus, something is wrong.

When our leaders can say to your children that immorality is alright as long as its safe, yes, something is wrong. Something is wrong, and I for one am ready for a change.

I want to say to my government, "We're not supposed to be raising dogs in our homes. We're supposed to be rearing children created in the image and likeness of Almighty God and to teach them the Bible. If the Bible says its right, its right. If the Bible says its wrong, its wrong."

The only hope that America has is if Godly men and Godly women of character will stand together like one mighty army and declare to the immoral, impure, obscene and foul, "Your days of unlimited access to the minds of America are over, the Army of God that has been silent too long is taking America back!"

From "We Want America Back" - Fundamental Difference

Just a few more days...

2009-04-13T09:53:00.004-05:00

Well, the school year will probably end sooner than I would like it too. I am not looking forward to packing up all of my stuff and saying goodbye to all my friends. However, I am looking forward to being back home. For me, home is not all about "being away from the rules of college." It is kind of nice not to have a pass to go off campus and have to remember to punch in and out. It is nice to not have demerits waiting for me every day I go home. It is nice to eat the wonderful food that my mom makes and get to spend time with my family! The most wonderful thing about being home is getting to work at my church! I am really excited about getting to work in the ministries and see God work this summer. There is going to be so much going on this summer, I don't know if it will be humanly possible to accomplish everything that I want to! Some day it will be nice to be done with school and get to do what I love to do full time!

News

2009-03-28T20:33:00.003-05:00

Hey everybody! I just thought I would show off my new nephew, Connor Paul Atwood. He was born March 17, 2009 weighing in around 5 1/2 lbs. I can't believe that I have another nephew on the way in two more months!

Preaching Conference

2009-03-16T08:28:00.005-05:00

It is hard to believe that the Fairhaven Preaching Conference is less than five weeks away! It seems like we were just celebrating Christmas. I was looking through my sent emails and saw an email that I thought I had just written and sent a few weeks ago and realized that it was over two months ago that I had sent it. Time is just flying by this year...

My sister Aimeé is due tomorrow. I know I haven't been a "good uncle" and told everyone about my new nephew on the way...I just figured if my sister wanted everyone to know any updates she would tell about it on her blog (which I link to on my blog). Well, she hasn't written a post in a while, so I'll just tell everyone! I have a new nephew on the way soon and everything is going well! My other sister Alisa is also expecting in May! Yes, another nephew! I will have 3 nephews by the time summer rolls around. I do believe the boys are taking over in our family, finally! :)

Work!

2009-03-13T22:02:00.003-05:00

Well, I started back at TruGreen again (fourth time). I have been in college at Fairhaven four semesters and this is my fourth time to go back to TruGreen. Each time I have to bring my two forms of I.D., take the drug screening, and fill out a mountain of paperwork! At work, I spend most of my time there going house to house convincing home owners of their "need." Now, not everyone feels that their "need" is green grass. It's my job to convince them! :) I actually do think the product works well, the pay is good, the hours are great, the working conditions are o.k. and I even like my boss (sorta), so I definitely enjoy my job. I like being outside and that's what I get to do at work, enjoy the fresh air!

Mid-terms are Over!

2009-03-06T13:45:00.004-06:00

Well, I am now able to fully look forward to next week. Mid-terms are over! Next week I will be part of the 96 (or so) hour "Volleyball Marathon" at Fairhaven Baptist College! Thankfully, I won't have to play all 96 hours! Why do we do it? To raise money, of course. It is always a big highlight of the Spring semester (at least while I've been in college). If we raise $24,500 (or there about) we get to have our spring break!

Grateful

2009-03-03T12:42:00.004-06:00

Last Saturday I preached a message in the nursing home I minister at entitled, "The Appointment You Must Keep." We can make or break most appointments, but there is one that we can't break because it is with God Almighty. The time of our death is not known to us, but the fact remains that there will be a day that our soul will go into eternity. If you have accepted Christ's gift of eternal life and are depending fully on his grace, according to the Bible you possess eternal life. While I was preaching, heaven, thoughts of eternal life and the fact that I don't have to spend eternity dying in utter darkness away from God kept playing in my mind. I just couldn't stop thinking of how much I have to praise the Lord for.

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

(Psalms 32:1)

What He Valued Most

2009-02-21T23:09:00.005-06:00

A young man learns what's most important in life from the guy next door. It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, girls, career, and life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit of his dreams. There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife and son. He was working on his future, and nothing
could stop him.

Over the phone, his mother told him, "Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral is Wednesday." Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.

"Jack, did you hear me?"

"Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It's been so long since I thought of him. I'm sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago," Jack said.

"Well, he didn't forget you. Every time I saw him he'd ask how you were doing. He'd reminisce about the many days you spent over 'his side of the fence' as he put it," Mom told him.

"I loved that old house he lived in," Jack said.

"You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man's influence in your life," she said.

"He's the one who taught me carpentry," he said. "I wouldn't be in this business if it weren't for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important...Mom, I'll be there for the funeral,"
Jack said.

As busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his hometown. Mr. Belser's funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.

The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time.

Standing in the doorway, Jack paused for a moment. It was like crossing over into another dimension, a leap through space and time. The house was exactly as he remembered. Every step held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture....Jack stopped suddenly.

"What's wrong, Jack?" his Mom asked.

"The box is gone," he said.

"What box? " Mom asked.

"There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he'd ever tell me was 'the thing I value most,'" Jack said.

It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box. He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it.

"Now I'll never know what was so valuable to him," Jack said. "I better get some sleep. I have an early flight home, Mom."

It had been about two weeks since Mr. Belser died. Returning home from work one day Jack discovered a note in his mailbox. "Signature required on a package. No one at home. Please stop by the main post office within the next three days," the note read.

Early the next day Jack retrieved the package. The small box was old and looked like it had been mailed a hundred years ago. The handwriting was difficult to read, but the return address caught his attention.

"Mr. Harold Belser" it read.

Jack took the box out to his car and ripped open the package. There inside was the gold box and an envelope. Jack's hands shook as he read the note inside.

"Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennett. It's the thing I valued most in my life." A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, as tears filling his eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch. Running his fingers slowly over the finely etched casing, he unlatched the cover.

Inside he found these words engraved: "Jack, Thanks for your time! Harold Belser."

"The thing he valued most...was...my time."

Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his office and cleared his appointments for the next two days. "Why?" Janet, his assistant asked.

"I need some time to spend with my son," he said.

"Oh, by the way, Janet...thanks for your time!"

Blizzard!

2009-02-03T13:43:00.004-06:00

Well, yesterday the groundhog (Punxsutawney Phil) saw his shadow, predicting six more weeks of winter. Well, I personally predict spring will be here on March 20th. That aside, today it is snowing and it looks like it could be blizzard conditions. Visibility is about zero as I am looking out the window right now!

Well, we might as well enjoy the snow today, because six months from now, we will be wishing for reprieve from sweltering heat.

New Semester

2009-01-16T18:59:00.004-06:00

Right now I am sittin' in the snack shop at Fairhaven. I have had a really good start to a new semester! Classes have never been better and I have met a lot of the new students. It is always refreshing to see a few new faces! Well, I am planning on writing at least once a week or more if I can! Please stay posted.

Pictures From My Minutemen Tour

2008-12-20T09:37:00.001-06:00

Below are some pictures from a trip to a canyon in New Mexico. Tim Swanson is the one in the red coat. Not pictured is Matt Foerster the photographer.

Tim's "Close Call"

Below are pictures from our "Side Effects" skit.

2008-11-18T17:05:00.007-06:00

Tim Swanson and Me

Rebecca and Jon Barber, Me

Yesterday, I left the Minutemen Team in Kansas and flew to Mississippi to visit my sister Alisa and bro. in law Donnie.

Significance of Veterans Day

2008-11-11T08:25:00.003-06:00

Many Americans mistakenly believe that Veterans Day is the day America sets aside to honor American military personnel who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained from combat. That's not quite true. Memorial Day is the day set aside to honor America's war dead.

Veterans Day, on the other hand, honors ALL American veterans, both living and dead. In fact, Veterans Day is largely intended to thank LIVING veterans for dedicated and loyal service to their country. November 11 of each year is the day that we ensure veterans know that we deeply appreciate the sacrifices they have made in the lives to keep our country free.

Thank you American Veterans for all you have done!

Jared Altman

2008-11-06T13:39:00.003-06:00

Please pray for the Altman family as they lost their 18 year old son Jared. He was killed in a car accident on Monday. Last semester I taught Jared piano, and through that, I got to know him well. I would spend time with their family every Saturday as I would go and teach Jared and Josiah. I was greatly saddened to hear about the tragedy. The funeral will be tomorrow. Again, please pray for the family.

New Mexico

2008-11-02T14:58:00.004-06:00

Well, I am back in New Mexico. This week we are not doing a war, but we are holding revival meetings on the Navajo Indian reservation. There is no cell reception out here, but they do have high speed internet (thank you Bill Clinton). Well, I will keep you all posted on what is new and exciting!

Thursday

2008-10-23T22:57:00.002-05:00

Tonight, we went up in attendance. The "Big Ball" basketball game got a little violent!:) I got elbowed in the mouth, punched in the stomach and knocked down three times. It was worth it, because my team won! It's hard to believe that tomorrow is our last day here. Looking forward to John Barber joining the team next week and staying until the end of the tour. My birthday is Monday, and my license is expiring so I won't be able to drive until I get home and renew it. :( I will write again tomorrow!

The War

2008-10-22T23:49:00.002-05:00

We started our first war night with a low attendance of 16. Our average attendance is around 50+. The cold weather and mild snow probably was a huge factor. However, we are convinced that the Lord is working. There were two hands raised for needing salvation. They did not respond to the invitation, but I know that there was some further follow up with them.

What Chance Do They Have?

2008-10-21T22:47:00.009-05:00

Psalm 119:126 - "It is time for thee, LORD, to work: for they have made void thy law."

Traveling from town to town and having talked, encouraged, and worked with thousands of teens these past three months has really enlightened me to the fact that without Christ these teenagers have no chance at all.

This next April will mark ten years since the Columbine High School massacre. On April 20th, 1999, two students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, embarked on a massacre, killing 12 students and a teacher, as well as wounding 23 others, before committing suicide. I am writing today from Littleton, Colorado, not even fifteen minutes away from that very same high school.

Eric and Dylan were two young men who, much like millions of other teenagers today, were discontent with what life had to offer them. They were angry, cold and bitter. They decided to express their anger by inflicting death, pain, and suffering on innocent people. Without dispensing grief to those who have suffered, I will say that Eric and Dylan are really not an exception in their anger and bitterness. They are just marked by their unconventional reaction.

Today I talked to well over 250 teenagers, many of which are searching the answer to life and its problems. Many teenagers look for it in alcohol, drugs, immorality, and suicide. A small percentage have or will find it in Jesus Christ. Christ, whose work on the cross is the atonement for all our sin, fills that void that is so many times occupied with Satan's deceptions.

Yes, a small percentage do find Christ, but thousands are falling into hell every day. Jesus said to pray, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." That means God's will is not always done on earth. Friend, God's will is that every man comes to depend upon Christ for salvation. While God's will is debated or disregarded by many Christians, there are a few that will stand in the gap and tell the lost at any cost. What would it cost you to tell your neighbors about Jesus Christ? How about your co-workers? The most it could ever cost you is your life. The Apostle Paul said "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."

“He was not willing that any should perish”;
Jesus enthroned in the glory above,
Saw our poor fallen world, pitied our sorrows,
Poured out His life for us, wonderful love!
Perishing, perishing! Thronging our pathway,
Hearts break with burdens too heavy to bear:
Jesus would save, but there’s no one to tell them,
No one to lift them from sin and despair.

“He was not willing that any should perish”;
Clothed in our flesh with its sorrow and pain,
Came He to seek the lost, comfort the mourner,
Heal the heart broken by sorrow and shame.
Perishing, perishing! Harvest is passing,
Reapers are few and the night draweth near:
Jesus is calling thee, haste to the reaping,
Thou shalt have souls, precious souls for thy hire.

Plenty for pleasure, but little for Jesus;
Time for the world with its troubles and toys,
No time for Jesus’ work, feeding the hungry,
Lifting lost souls to eternity’s joys.
Perishing, perishing! Hark, how they call us;
Bring us your Savior, oh, tell us of Him!
We are so weary, so heavily laden,
And with long weeping our eyes have grown dim.

“He was not willing that any should perish”;
Am I His follower, and can I live
Longer at ease with a soul going downward,
Lost for the lack of the help I might give!
Perishing, perishing! Thou wast not willing;
Master, forgive, and inspire us anew;
Banish our worldliness, help us to ever
Live with eternity’s values in view.

Dylan and Eric

The Thirteen Victims

Cassie Bernall, Corey DePooter, Matt Kechter, Daniel Rohrbough, Isaiah Shoels, Steve Curnow, Kelly Fleming, Daniel Mauser, Rachel Scott, John Tomlin, Lauren Townsend, Kyle Velasquez, Coach Dave Sanders

Today...

2008-10-16T17:22:00.003-05:00

Today was a little bit slower. We had a prayer meeting as a team. Later I ran some errands and then went to Manzano High where we met with one of the Christian clubs. We just sat there and talked with them. There weren't that many there today. Later, we practiced one of our skits. Oh, I also wrote some letters and mailed some birthday cards.

Rain

2008-10-14T09:06:00.003-05:00

Today, I got up and went running around 6:00 a.m. It was very windy here and I thought I was going to get blown over. We went recruiting around 6:30. By that time, it was drizzling and miserable. I went to a high school and recruited, but unfortunately I was only able to get 7 names and numbers.

Back home, Airborne Studios is setting up at my church to record our organ for the new BCM CD. It would be pretty neat to see all that is going on. Well, I will probably write later today!

Update

2008-10-13T15:04:00.004-05:00

Hey, I haven't written in a while, so I thought I would leave an update. Things are going well on the road. I'm in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Things are going well! The Lord seems to be working here as we have joined with a couple of churches to run a two team "War." I took a pretty hard loss to the Navy Seals last week, breaking my four week winning streak! The Seals have not won in well over a year, so it was badly needed. Hopefully the Army Rangers can pick themselves up this week!

I will be making my way to Mississippi five weeks from today! I am excited, but I am staying focused on the ministry here! I will write again soon!

Still Alive

2008-09-16T23:51:00.002-05:00

Hey, just wanted to let you all know that I am still alive. I will be writing more as I have time and have access to the internet. The past couple weeks have been difficult in that regard. Feel free to email or call me! - Paul

Swimming

2008-09-02T09:30:00.005-05:00

Yesterday, I slept in a little. I got up around 8:00 and then I did random stuff...I cleaned the dorm room that I am in this week...I then took a jog around the area here in Chandler. It was about 95 degrees. After about a 2 or 3 mile jog, I came back and we went over to Pastor Maxwell's house (youth pastor). There we went swimming in his pool. He has a pretty nice in-ground pool. We swam for 5 hours and then we ate steaks off the grill.

Golfing @ Springfield Golf Club

2008-08-31T12:11:00.001-05:00

Yesterday morning Coach Paul Brown from Tri-City Christian Academy took Tim, Keith and I to the Springfield Golf Club in Chandler, AZ where we played 18 holes. We had a great time and it was a good opportunity to relax after a busy week! After golfing, we ate lunch at In-N-Out! They have great burgers!

Update

2008-08-25T23:59:00.003-05:00

Hey, a lot going on here. I am now in Tempe, Arizona (Phoenix area). It is HOT and sunny! The school here has about 110 in junior and senior high. I don't have a whole lot of time, so I will try to update when I can!

2008-08-16T02:05:00.007-05:00

Hey, check out The War of Special Forces' really cool new website. This is the teen competition/rally/evangelism outreach that I am working with this Fall.

Another Day!

2008-08-16T01:24:00.003-05:00

Today we continued recruiting. We started at Folsom Public High School where Tim and I were kicked out by the resource officer yesterday. After a police officer in the church called him up, he was a lot more lenient. We had good results.

This evening, we ended up at a huge movie theater that draws a lot of teens on Friday nights. We did pretty well there also. I believe that we are going to have a great "War!"

Last week was just great! We had a decent turn out, although it wasn't as big as we would have liked. The Lord was definitely working in the lives of the teens. We saw about ten or eleven salvation decisions.

The teens here in Folsom come from rich homes. Although most of them have all the material possessions they could ever want, they are empty spiritually. This afternoon I talked to a young man named Nick Yost. His uncle is the manager of the Milwaukee Brewers. This evening, Tim talked to a girl whose dad was the hitting coach for the Diamond Backs.

A teen in the youth group named Dave Schwartz (nicknamed "Bear") went recruiting with me tonight. He lives with his aunt and uncle, because his mom lost custody of him several years ago and his dad died from pneumonia two years ago. He has no positive spiritual influence outside of his friends from church. He is sixteen and is a senior at Oakridge High which is near Folsom. Although he has had several negative setbacks in his life, he is a very positive individual.

He is pretty sharp and oddly enough, he knows his way around Fundamentalism pretty well. He worked at a Christian camp and knows Dr. Trieber from Santa Clara. He is thinking about attending Golden State Baptist College. He has been to Mount Moriah Christian Camp in Tennessee and visited Crown College. It was just amazing the things he know even about the Sword of the Lord. I believe that the Lord will use this man some day. He has aspirations of becoming a high school teacher. Please pray for "Bear."

Hot day...

2008-08-14T00:12:00.003-05:00

Today it got up to 104 degrees here in balmy Folsom, California. Folsom is near Sutter's Mill where gold was discovered in 1849 creating a gold rush. Folsom is also home to a well known prison and lots of high paying jobs. You can definitely sense an affluent culture here.

Folsom, California

2008-08-13T01:22:00.003-05:00

Tonight we arrived in Folsom, California. I love the weather!!! I can already tell that we are going to have a good time at this church. We are going to do a Saturday, Sunday, and Monday night teen rally. Pray as we recruit teens this week!

Phoenix, Oregon

2008-08-12T12:15:00.003-05:00

Well, I am now in Phoenix, Oregon. Yesterday, we started traveling from Kent/Seattle, Washington. The drive through Portland and the view of the Columbia River was beautiful. We spent the night in Phoenix and today we are heading to Folsom/Sacramento, California where we will conduct our next teen rally.

War of Special Forces

2008-08-07T20:09:00.000-05:00

This week has been very busy... Sunday through Wednesday, our team (Dr. Jim Van Gelderen) held special meetings at Galilee Baptist Church in Kent, Washington. We were also preparing for a teen rally that will be held tomorrow evening, Saturday and Sunday evening... The Minutemen team has been recruiting teens all week. We are in the midst of a tough spiritual battle. We are praying that it won't hold back God's work in the hearts of teen agers.

Today we spent a little time decorating the "War Room" with military posters. We are also still working on the skits as we have time. Most of our days have been spent praying and recruiting. This morning we had an hour and a half long prayer meeting. I believe that great things are going to happen! Please pray.

Washington

2008-08-03T20:18:00.001-05:00

Well, we arrived in Kent, Washington pretty late last night. This morning we went to Galilee Baptist Church, the church where we are holding evangelistic meetings and "The War of Special Forces." I took a nap this afternoon and really enjoyed it. After the evening service we went to a staff member's house where we ate, talked and played "Apples to Apples." We had a pretty good time!

Traveling Day #3

2008-08-02T20:11:00.002-05:00

Today we got up around 8:00. I called the mechanic at 8:30 and found out that they had already started working on the van. They determined it was an alternator problem and that it would need to be replaced.

We spent some time in Superior while we waited. We went to Durangos, the main restaurant in town, for breakfast. The breakfast was excellent and the price was even better. While we finished up, the Hardings showed up to get something out of the van. They came inside Durangos and we “chit chatted” for a bit. Mr. Harding paid for our breakfast and we didn’t even know it. It was such a blessing.

After breakfast, we went outside and found ourselves in the middle of a parade. We waited around and watched this really neat small town parade. I guess it was for their county fair. After watching the parade and taking some pictures, we climbed up a small mountain overlooking the town of Superior. There was such a beautiful view from the top.

After our hike we got a call from the mechanic, he said the van was fixed. We then were able to continue towards Seattle. As I am writing this, we are in the van chugging along hoping that we will be there soon. It is 9:43p.m. PDT. I am going to be so tired tomorrow, because my body is still on “Central time.”

Traveling - Day #2

2008-08-01T20:09:00.001-05:00

This morning we ate a pretty “iffy” continental breakfast, but I shouldn’t complain. We got started back on the slog West. The plan was to get to Superior, Montana and spend the night at the camp property. We had problems with the battery and or alternator. Something was definitely wrong with the power in the van. The van started sputtering and then all of the gauges dropped. We pulled over to the side of I-90 just about 26 miles east of Missoula, Montana. The van was still running but it would just sputter if you gave it any gas at all. We crept along the side of the road for a little while. We were only going about four miles per hour.

There was a “Hell’s Angels - Harley Fest” going on just up the road from where we broke down, so there were a lot of rough looking motorcyclists driving by. Some Missoula County sheriff deputies eventually pulled up behind us. They told us that we had to get a tow truck, and that they would stay with us so that none of the bikers would harass us.

The Hardings, friends of ours from Superior, picked us up at the mechanic where the van was towed to. They were very kind and took us out to eat at the Cracker Barrell. We had a wonderful time of fellowship. After we went out to the Harding’s place, the three of us guys took their minivan to the camp house where we spent the night. The camp is so beautiful and the house is just magnificent. It is like a resort!

Traveling - Day #1

2008-07-31T20:05:00.002-05:00

This morning we started our journey West at about 6:45. It started out well. We got to know each other a little more and we are really getting along. Tim cracks me up with the different things he says. Keith cracks me up with the way he says things. We stopped at Perkins near Bismarck, North Dakota. We got a little rowdy in that restaurant, at one point I really couldn’t stop laughing.

We made good time, and stopped in Dickinson, North Dakota. Dickinson isn’t too far from Montana. We stopped at Select Inn, the only motel that had vacancy. There are a lot of “bikers” in town.

Helen

2008-07-28T11:38:00.003-05:00

A man in our church named Earl used to attend Bay View Baptist Church before they disbanded. Earl's wife Helen was in the nursing home for about two years. Friday she passed away. Helen was a very prominent member at Bay View Baptist. She was highly instrumental in the construction of our current building. She also taught Sunday school for forty-five years. My dad and Earl had been visiting Helen every Tuesday for about seven or eight months. Today, we are having the funeral at our church. Please pray for the family.

Cola Clash - Third Night!

2008-07-25T22:30:00.004-05:00

Well, the Cola Clash is over. As the dust settles, we look back and see that we had 140 teens signed up. Ninety actually came to the event and 26 made a salvation decision! What a week! I'm tired.

Cola Clash - Second Night!

2008-07-24T22:30:00.003-05:00

Well, there is only one night left of the "Cola Clash!" I am looking forward to being done, but then again, I have had a great time! I am learning a lot about coordinating events and people. Leadership is a lot of fun once you get the hang of it. Thankfully we have stayed on top of things and are very organized. There have been some minor "hiccups," but that is to be expected.

Tonight, we had 56 teens! We saw a lot of new faces, which is exciting! There were twelve saved and two "assurances." Praise the Lord! Tomorrow, we are going to hit it home! We are expecting a great crowd! I am praying for 75 teens plus our workers, so we should have at least 100 people at the "Cola Clash!"

Cola Clash - First Night!

2008-07-23T22:30:00.003-05:00

This evening, our church hosted the Cola Clash. This is our first ever teen outreach of this kind. It was definitely a "carbonated competition," as we have been telling the teens. We saw a lot of new-timers and some old-timers. There was a great turn out! The devil was certainly working, but he was defeated. The Lord blessed and we saw nine teens accept Christ as their Savior!!!