Finally! I'm back, for good...maybe.

Well, since I discovered the hard way NOT to challenge myself to blog everyday during finals week I had to postpone my mission. However, as of Thursday my classes are done tests are over and Christmas break has begun. Friday was the absolute perfect day to start my winter break with a bang. Lots of fellowship, laughter (until there were tears), sledding, snowball fights, playing knights and maidens like little kids, white elephant and more. God has given me allot.

With that, I'm excited to delve into Acts. Round two of blogging everyday, chapter two of acts.

Acts 2:2

"Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting."

- Nothing super deep to say here, but perhaps this explains why I enjoy sitting outdoors in the middle of windstorms so much?

I challenge you to read Acts 2: 3-13. It's only 10 verses, but very important ones. Allot of people tend to discredit speaking in tongues, much like those in verse 13. Although I could, I will not sit here and give you a lengthy description of what I believe, I will say that as bible believing, Christians redeemed through Christ we are all called to believe this:

2 Timothy 3:16 "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,"

My thought is this. If you believe that the redemption of Jesus Christ through His sacrifice on the cross is relevant for today's world and our lives, then you must also believe that acts 2 is relevant and useful for us now.

Now, I will make it clear that I do believe in speaking in tongues. It's in the bible, so I should, unless I mean to discredit hell, heaven and salvation too. Your response may be similar to this one, which I have received before - "It seems like everyone is just abusing the idea and in doing so making it irrelevant." Well, I'm sorry you feel that way.

I never got the chance to truly respond how I would have liked to that statement. So, I will tell you now... if you even read this.

I see speaking in tongues like any other spiritual gift. If you've taken any sort of spiritual gift "asessment test" (which, if you haven't you should try to get your hands on one!) you are able to see that these gifts are diverse. So, comparing... let's say, Administration (?) to speaking in tongues.

With speaking in tongues, it IS possible for people to abuse it. It would seem very easy to let the idea over come you and "speak in tongues" to feel more spiritual. This is not the true movement of the Holy Spirit. However, when the Holy Spirit does move it is powerful and beautiful. Weather to us it seems as though someone was sampling the wine or just like gibberish, life does not always center on our understanding. So, it can be abused, but also well used.

Administration, there is a good way to use this gift and a way to abuse it. If someone is joining a group and heading into a leadership or "administrative" position it would be easy to get full of ego and misuse power. Being angered and displeased easily, pushing others around and being plain out overly bossy. My guess is, this is NOT how God intended this gift to be used. However, someone could enter the same leadership position and take a humble stance. Asking others what has and hasn't worked to reach the given goal with the group. Making it clear that you in no way believe you are the ultimate authority on everything in the world. There is a way to abuse administration and there is a way to use it well.

Really, you should just read Acts 2 and pray about what God wants to show you through it... I am in no way a scholar or any sort of authority when it comes to biblical texts. I just think that too often we let misled members of the body define what we see as possible and impossible. We put God in a box, we put that box behind bars, and build a church of "religion" on top of that dungeon. God cannot be hidden in a box, he is much to glorious to be contained. Again, I would challenge you to read Acts 2 and have a prayerfully sensitive spirit to what the Lord would have you learn from it.

There is allot of really good stuff in Acts 2...go read it! :)

Jackie

...oops!

Dear blogging world,

No, I did not forget about my blogging commitment. However, I made the mistake of challenging myself right before finals!! These next 9 days are going to be MUCH too hectic for me to write blog posts. I am postponing my challenge until I have finished with all of my final exams and last minute homework. So, I will see you all after the 16th of this month.

Day one, chapter one... already behind.

Well, leave it to me to take an entire 24 hours to forget my intentions. Now do you see why I didn't "pledge" to this?! ha ha Either way, here I am. Over 2 hours past my deadline... how about a big hurrah for better late than never? I will get better at this, I will, really! Have I convinced anyone yet? No? ... that's alright. I haven't entirely convinced myself yet either.

So, now we dig in.

Acts 1:

So, much to be said.

It starts out as a little story about Jesus returning for 40 days and His ascension into heaven.

There is a short bit of conversation that truly makes me happy.

Acts 1:6-8

6 "So, when they met together, they asked him, 'Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?'"

Is this not reminiscent of a child?! Christ at one point told them that the Kingdom would be restored unto Israel... the disciples cannot wait. I almost see a car full of children. Dad accidentally let it slip that the family is driving to Disney Land, all of the sudden sleepy kids in backseat buckles turn into broken records... "ARE WE THERE YET?!"

So, the disciples ask again... are you restoring Israel yet? Maybe, now? Although I'm sure there are things I do not comprehend about this simple verse or things that I do not know that I should be taking into account. However this verse, this small, short and to the point verse makes me feel much less alone in my childlike excitement and impatience with God. He's told me he has a plan and I know what I am called to in life. Sometimes I blow my cover and loose my cool..."God, are we there yet?!"

7 -8 " He said to them: ' It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'"

So, It doesn't matter how many times I ask God "Are we there yet?"... apparently it's supposed to be a secret. I dislike this. I know I should be a good Christian and say "In God's time not mine!" But guess what. I am human. I want to know. Yes, I will do everything I can to be fulfilled in God's timing but his doesn't mean that I will always go down without a fight. God made me, He of all people should understand the depth of my stubbornness. However, I am thankful to know that when the Holy Spirit pours over me I will receive the power of Christ. Power to witness to all the earth.

So, if I have been moved by the Holy Spirit and posses the Power to witness to all the world there is allot being covered. If I am witnessing to the world as a whole, that means I am not paying attention to generational differences, skin color, nationality, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, cultural customs, language or which version of the bible someone reads. Also, it means that I never say "Well, that's just not my type of ministry!" Because ministries (whatever they may be: Sexual abuse help, in church discipleship, teaching English, youth ministry Etc.) are all just a member of the body filling a need. If I am witnessing to the world, I am witnessing through all ministries. How do I put this in action? I plan to make a change. I am no longer wanting passionate about a ministry. I am just wanting to be passionate about God, and he loves all the ministries, so should I.

You know, I can tell that you are still thinking about the fact that I am not resolving to work on my stubbornness. In response to your possibly negative thoughts: Oh well, life is short and there are more important things for me to change and improve on when it comes to my personality and who I am in Christ. :)

The next thing that caught my eye was the heading for the next section of scripture. Just before verse 12 begins, the header states this: "Matthias chosen to replace Judas"

This strikes me. A member of the Body that was once serving a great life for Christ who strayed from the Holy intention for his life was simply replaced. It reminds me of a message given before flying out from training for my missions trip to Panama several years ago. The speaker was encouraging us, and building us up in our decision to follow God's call. I distinctly remember him saying "God called you to go, but guess what? If you were to tell God 'no!' He could still get the job done without you. If you are going to deny Christ he can find someone who will reply with a ready heart! But he wants YOU to be blessed and involved." This thought has stuck with me.

As a spoiled member of the body I have fallen into the trap of thinking that I, Jackie Poole, am absolutely irreplaceable. Sometimes, I think I even feel like some ministry wouldn't get done without me. Truth is - God can do anything he chooses. Including re-filling previously taken spaces in life. Judas wronged Christ, his position amongst the Disciples was filled by another, who was deemed appropriate for the spot. What am I a part of that is NOT completed :because: of me?... EVERYTHING. I am simply blessed to be used by God, my contribution to ministry is not something God couldn't conjure up on His own, He just wanted me to be apart of something bigger than myself.

With that, I am concluding. I hope that this made some sort of sense. If not... well, I apologize. My thoughts tend to ramble on when it's 3am.

Hoping for growth,

Jackie Poole

Hmmm... Back again, for good?

Dear Blogging World,

I have neglected my desire to blog. This is not okay. I shouldn't talk myself out of doing interesting things, especially not blogging. This is something so simple, so cheap and so easily accessible that I really shouldn't shun away from writing. Even if there are no readers. So, I am beginning to re-fan the desire to write thoughts into the great abyss of online blogging. Where do I begin?!

I know for a fact that If I do not have something to blog about, I will not blog. There isn't all that much going on in my life, so I don't want to bore people with that. I'm sure no one wants to know weather my mother or I made dinner. haha So, I've been thinking today - What is something I am passionate about? What is something I could spend time on and not feel like I've wasted part of my day. Well, there are a few things. Music, although I'm sure no one wants to hear my rants on that. Acting, but there is absolutely nothing going on in that particular area of my life. Strengthening relationships with friends and family... probably not an interesting topic.

I did, however, find one topic that I think we all could use a little more focus on. Scripture.

So, I thought to myself - while I was supposed to be manning the check in table - is this something I could talk about?! I don't want to write "The bible according to Jackie!" ... believe me when I say, we do not all need to be screwed up like I am!

Something did eventually come to mind, it is with great vulnerability and courage that I am going to blog my way through the book of Acts. There is so much wisdom for us, the body of believers, in this book. So much wise instruction to the church as a whole. Which really translates to -- So much that I need to work on and so much that I need to understand about being a member of the body!

Everyday until I'm through the whole book (which, if I keep on track will be 28 days) I will be blogging about whichever chapter in Acts that I will have read. I may cut some chapters in half... those Godly men can be pretty long winded... and I don't just mean those who wrote the scripture. ;)

Let this be my "Pledge"... well, maybe I won't say pledge. That is a pretty concrete decision.... Um, let's say it this way. Let this be my full intention: To write my thoughts, Where I am being convicted, My plans to change and my understanding of the scriptures everyday until I have blogged my way through Acts.

For those of you who may or may not exist as readers,

WARNING: THIS CHICK USES HUMOR!!!!!

I think God has a sense of humor... if you know me, you have probably realized that God can be pretty funny.

With this, I bid thee farewell.

May the Spirit fill us all,

Jackie Poole

*Commence perfect exit song -- HERE -- *