Debate: Affirmative v. Negative v. Me

I have recently entered the world of debate.

Well that's not entirely true, I have stuck my foot in... and inched my head around the corner. But I am not sure I am ready to dive into the world where evidence is truth and the most confident wins. True it is fascinating watching some of the arguments that people come up with, and the evidence is interesting... I am even passionate about the topic! What then, you say, is keeping me from diving head first into this strange world?

1. Fear - Impromptu has helped me to overcome the public speaking nervousness, but I am not confident that I will be able to think quick enough on my feet, which leads me to the next point
2. Logic - I have recently discovered I am and ENFP. Along with this, after the RA group interviews this weekend I have discovered that if you give me a bunch of props and a time limit, I can create an entertaining and comelling commercial. If you give me a bucket that I come within four feet of, and tell me to pour it into another bucket which I cannot touch, and give me hangers and ropes to do the job: I am stuck. Maybe several hours later I could come up with a solution, but I am.... (drumroll please) overanalytical.
3. Time (I am going to have to next weekend, whether I like it or not, this is simply my venting until the time comes)

On another side of my brain... (closer towards the part where the soul is)

The Holy Spirit.

You know those times when the Lord reveals things... more than once... and you kind of get the feeling that you are not really getting it? Perhaps it is just me, but Kyle Kammer put it as only he could when He said.. "It's like getting drop-kicked to the face"

So the things I am learning.. and waiting to learn

1. What does it look like to be waiting and expectant for the Holy Spirit to move. We have been given the Holy Spirit when we chose to follow Christ, and so It is inside of us and is our assurance of salvation (1 John 5:6-12) As Francis Chan pointed out... in every message he has given over the past year... If you were to read the Bible without anyone telling you what to believe about it, you would have a huge expectation of the Holy Spirit.
2. As K****** pointed out, the Baptist Church has at times directed us more towards The Father, The Son, and the Holy Bible. There is definitly a balance between the two, but we need them both. We can grow in spirit and in truth at the same time, and do not need to sacrifice one for the other... then why aren't we... Let me rephrase that.
3. Am I? Rather than soul searching on the internet, I would love to hear other thoughts about the role that the Holy Spirit plays in your own life, in scripture... or both :)
4. In Chapel, David Watts has been our most recent speaker, who told many stories of faith and the Holy Spirit through a global scope. His point of the message was that as followers of Christ we need to be living lives of restraint (specifically in America, restraining from the American dream which too often has combined with the Christian dream to create sort of a blurry vision of what American and the Church should look like... but let's save this for another time). The thing that got me most about his message was his stories of faith and of the Holy Spirit. Of the Lord appearing in dreams and visions and healings etc. While I would love to say that I have this strong faith, I believe that my vision has been affected by the skepticism around me. Not to take the blame entirely off of myself, but I have been trained to dissect, to analyze, to understand. I am not questioning the authenticity or depth of my faith, but the way that I understand it. Because of this I have ended my Gallavant through Galatians (though we are continuing it in ISP... and Gallavant was probably not the best word to use) and am beginning to re read through Hebrews...
5. At the same time I long to see the Holy Spirit move! In my heart, at CBU, in Riverside, at Eastside, In Kenya etc. What if I we genuinely knelt before the Father together and asked for Him to reveal himself, to have his way with us no matter what the cost. Though I know I have done this before, as I am sure many others have before as well... what if it was consistent? What would it look like? Feel Like? If we asked the Holy Spirit to wash over us not only as individuals but together?

My thoughts are not entirely down about this... but my mind is already off in another spot.

ITW. ISP.

This weekend is Intensive Training Weekend for all those at CBU participating in International Service Projects. (hence the cool jargon above) I have no idea what to expect, and have not honestly been in prayer about it a lot. I hear that it is intense. (There are simulations of the travel and other experiences that we should be ready to expect overseas - all I know is that I will be tired and hungry at the end!)

Well I will just have to wait until it is over, there is not much else I can do now to prepare other than pray... and read... and memorize all the facts about South Asia (as well as chapters 4 and 5 of Ephesians)

OH! IJM has a new website, which you all should check out.

It is a beautiful day in Riverside!