Summer Reading: Introverts in the Church by Adam S. McHugh

So I read this book after getting home from Puerto Rico and now I will attempt to recall what I learned. Here it goes.

This book was really interesting in many respects because some of the issues that are brought up about introverts actually surfaced during project. As an introvert myself I quickly learned that I needed time just to recharge on my own away from other humans. That was often very different than other members of the team. Neither way was wrong, it is simply how God wired us.

Furthermore, introverts are in general reserved and they have a more difficult time opening up or even speaking in large groups. From personal experience I found that the times I enjoyed were when a few people broke off or stayed behind for an afternoon and just talked. Even better was when you got a group of introverts together. You would think the room would be completely quiet but in many ways there is more conversation because the quiet ones are given more time on the floor to speak.

Another thing that comes with this territory is internal processing. This is a big deal for many introverts who love to have time to take in, think, formulate and finally share what they have to say. Group discussions can seem daunting and introverts can often be disinclined to talk until later simply because they want to take it all in.

However, whether it meant to or not, I felt that this book sometimes suggested that introverts should always be comfortable. This is good in certain situations but it is also important for growth that introverts be stretched to do things they normally would not want to.

The beauty of the body of Christ however is that God created so many uniquely different people of varying temperaments and personalities. It's fantastic and we should celebrate that and give thanks for our brothers or sister whether they be introverts or extroverts. All the glory be His.

Collage of Puerto Rico

Here are some stray memories and photos commemorating our time in Puerto Rico:

Besos
Sandy floors
Hammocks
Bug bites for days
Laundry on the fence
Torrential downpours
Rocks and sea urchins
Coquis outside our window
Lost power and no water
The dogs Grey, Bella, and Beanie
Happy Bowls, Sam's Club and K Mart
Arroz, Habichuelas, and Tostones all day everyday
Coconuts, mangoes, starfruit, papaya, and the like
Late night discussions on Calvinism, relationships, etc.
Giant moths, jumping spiders, cockroaches, lizards, geckos, and iguanas
Playa Sucia, Corcega, Boqueron, and Jobos
Humidity and sweat, sweat and humidity
Throwing our waste out the window
Bug spray, Sunscreen, and Cortizone
Slacklines and Spikeball

Soccer at Calvario Track

Colegio de Mayaguez
Everything is Awesome

Salsa and Reggaeton

Buen Provecho
Don Frappe
Mud and waterfalls
William Carey
The Movement
A ukulele
Game Nights
Nicknames
Push ups
A giant van
Romans

An Unexpected Ending aka Not Quite Done Yet

So we got a full day in San Juan before we were supposed to head out the next day, finally on our way home. There was so much to explore in San Juan that we went back for an hour the next day, sandwiched between our team meetings and our departure time. It was seemingly one of our last hurrahs in Puerto Rico. We spent the time exploring a local fortress with one of our friends from Mayaguez named Jeshua.

Soon enough we were headed to the airport. We had received mental closure after debriefing and everything seemed to be winding down. But wait... No, were not quite done yet. Turns out the airline booked 17 seats for a flight on June 21st, not July 21st. We had no spots on a plane, in fact there was no plane, and we were stuck at the airport without a place to stay or a plan.

It was if the Lord was telling us with a sense of humor that our time in Puerto Rico was not done yet. We could not just shut off or relax or subside, because there was still time to be spent in country. With this came a weird sensation of wanting to be home and at the same time not wanting to say goodbye, but all that went on hold.

We were put up in the Hilton and there we had time to spend at the hotel together which allowed us to bond more before we would have to say our emotional goodbyes. However, I can also see how we influenced those around us positively, whether it was taxi drivers we met, security guards, or random travelers that were placed in our lives, often only for a moment.

Did I say that Jeshua hung out with us at the airport for over 3 hours before making the long drive back to Mayaguez just because he wanted to? It was relationships like those that made these 5 weeks in Puerto Rico truly worthwhile and special. I suppose it feels good to know you will be missed, but it is even more humbling to think that the Lord was actually able to use us. We came here to share the Gospel with this island and you cannot do that effectively unless you radically impact the culture. I would like to think that our little team left a proportionally big footprint on this place.

When we finally do get home, at some point, we can find solace in that news. All the glory be His.

Leaving Our New Home

In honesty these last few posts have probably been the most difficult since there is so much to say and at the same time so little time to say it.

When everyone was scurrying around the house making lunch, doing laundry, and the like, I took sometime to take it in. It might sound dumb but I truly am going to miss these mundane moments much like I am going to miss Mayaguez and the students there.

Each of these individuals under this roof have been my family in Puerto Rico and I would like to think that they will continue to be my family as I head back to the States. I am tempted to take a moment to describe what I find so awesome about each one of these people but again it would take too long and I probably could not gather all my thoughts.

That being said, this is a community that welcomed me in, loved me for who I was, and affirmed me for who I am becoming. Not every moment was nice and rosy, far from it, but here was a group that pushed through it with Flexibility and joy.

There's not more that I could ask for and honestly I am going to have withdrawals from these folks. Some will be back at UCSD with me which is awesome but I might just have to travel up to Santa Barbara or SLO at some point (Or maybe they will come down to visit).

Before we shove off for San Juan for a few days I want to relish all the time we have left in Rincon. Taking in the sights, the nature, the conversations, and yes, even the banal moments of this evening. I want to remember it all.

I thank the Lord because he has blessed me so much with these people and with this place. All the glory be His.

Last Day on Campus

I knew this day would come and I knew I would be sad to leave, but nothing can quite explain all the emotions that are bombarding me right now. I am tempted to use the cliche term "bittersweet" but I will try to do better than that by explaining a few of the many feelings swirling around:

There is definitely a sense of thankfulness because we have seen the Lord do so much in us and through us in Puerto Rico. We leave this island with 9 new and recommitted brothers and sisters in Christ! Many more were reached and presented with the Gospel over the last 4 weeks. Now the work is up to the Holy Spirit and that is alright with us.

Furthermore, these numbers are encouraging but what is really life changing is the friendships that we have formed with so many great young people and the great conversations with believers and non-believers alike. We have been able to dialogue with numerous students going to Colegio in Mayaguez and more often than not we were greatly encouraged coming out of each discussion. I'm going to miss not only the campus but also the many students who walked these halls.

During this time of transition I am also determined to keep this momentum going as I head back home and then off to school again. I do not want this experience to be a bygone moment in my life. I want to build on this transformation that was in a sense kickstarted by project. This includes an ever growing heart for the lost and continued personal growth. There were many lessons, trials, and successes that will help me as I head back home. However, with this comes some apprehension because I have to return back to reality of life in the States. Some really tough things went on back home and I will be confronted with them when I return. That's just life.

Perhaps above all I am feeling immensely sad to leave this place in a few days. As I realized, it is a lot better than wanting to get off this rock as soon as possible, because the fact is I came here not knowing what I was getting myself into. I am about to leave 4 weeks later with a heart for these people and a desire to reach my friends and my campus back home. Saying goodbye to my new found friends was not fun. It is hard to accept that I may not see some of them again (at least on this earth), because they have so affected me during my time over here.

Please pray for:

Gabriel: One of the leaders in Cru Caribbean who has a wonderful spirit and a fire for the Gospel
Diego: A student at Mayaguez who ate lunch with our team almost everyday and attended our church The Movement.
Ephraim: A student interested in Cru Caribbean who has a new found interest in growing closer to God and who is currently reading through the Gospel of John.
Jeshua: A student who spent a lot of time with us just this past week and was encouraged to continue to pursue his relationship with Christ as an engineering student.

These are only a few of the names that come to mind. The fact is the Lord blessed us through so many people that no one wants to leave after all we have experienced. The truth is this island and its people have stolen our hearts.

All the glory be His because He has done immeasurably more than we could have ever expected or imagined.

The Story of the Prodigal Son (Puerto Rican Style)

This monday we had yet another outreach involving soccer, Spikeball, root beer floats, and the Gospel. It was another encouraging night that gave me a lot of joy to be apart of of. Everything about it was great and fun but the bottom line is that last point. The Gospel is the key.

The night looked like it might not even happen. It was pouring rain 30 minutes before and yet miraculously, when we got to the field it seemed to be quickly drying out. Soccer was awesome, many new students were introduced to the Cru phenomenon of Spikeball and we got to see many of our friends and acquaintances come out to see us. My time was split between soccer and conversing with students and despite a sore body I cherished every moment after a very tough weekend.

As I alluded to before the night also included a Gospel presentation and a personal testimony. Gabriel, an energetic brother in Christ who is a leader in Cru Caribbean, shared his story in Spanish to his peers. Then our director Joe laid out the mission of Cru and the Gospel, utilizing the parable of the Prodigal Son with an infusion of Puerto Rican reality. The fact is such a wayward son could exist on this island (just like he could exist anywhere in the world). However, no matter how honorable, generous or loving all the fathers in the world are, they can never compare to our Lord. That's the bottom line, because he is an extravagant and jealous God who wishes to bring His children back to himself when they stumble and stray away. Jesus died for our sins on the cross and rose again so that all peoples could be joint heirs with Him. So that every nation, tribe and tongue could be brought back to Him as a member of His family.

Joe explained all these things genuinely with love and truth. My heart is thankful to say that we have a new sister in Christ today who accepted Jesus into her heart last night. I am also grateful that more than 30 other students were able to hear the Gospel last night.

I am grateful for how much the Lord has blessed us on this trip and I will continue to give him praise for his provision. It is forever true that out of the darkness beauty will rise and He floods the world with His light continually.

As always all the glory be His.

The Problem with Pain

I will preface that I have yet to read C.S. Lewis' Problem with Pain. However, with the difficult circumstances that have arisen, I have a few observations of my own.

For instance, it is one thing to know Biblical truth and quite another to be able to truly believe that it is ultimately true. Because it is no longer just a theological issue anymore. It is real life and real life is messy and it hurts. It directly affects me and the people around me.

That is not to say that there is no power in the Scriptures because that is a lie, but I will have continue to struggle with my convictions that the Word is truth that can speak into my life.

I think Lewis faced a similar problem in his own life. He wrote a theological piece on the problems that come with suffering, but he could never truly understand it until his wife passed away. This example is specific for him, but I am experiencing some of the same feelings right now.

Initially there is a tremendous edge to the pain and suffering that socks you with full force in the face. You do not know what to do. You cannot comprehend what is going on, but you have to wrestle and work through the reality all the same.

There are questions floating through your mind and there seem to be very few answers to follow them up. Talking and being ministered to by other people is often good but it never can change the bottom line. At the end of each of those fruitful conversations there is still the same reality of pain and suffering.

After this initial coping stage there are moments when you almost become numb to the feelings. You no longer want to have to deal with them or accept them for what they are. You want to be alone but in the same instance you do not. Your own thoughts are a frightening place to be and it can be painful. At least with others you can hide from the hurt for a little while, receive a little respite from the anguish. But there is a tendency to be aloof in the moments when the mind has time to wander in the company of others.

Kubler-Ross have a model for the 5 stages of grief and I suppose that might be helpful for some people to process, but ultimately it is only a list. Who knows if these men ever experienced pain? Who knows if they thought that this model could even help people in pain?

Because we can talk about it theologically like Lewis or put labels on it like Kubler-Ross, but at the end of the day it is very much so an emotional issue. When the emotions are high, a hug, a lyric from a song, or a moment in Scripture is far more powerful. Maybe that is just for me but others might feel that way too.

The problem with pain is that we live in a broken world and we will never be able to escape it or truly comprehend it. We must wrestle with it until the end of our days and do the best we can to turn to God and let others love us in these trialling times.

 David was one who was prone to songs and psalms when he was questioning God. Here are his words in Psalm 13:

How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?

Look on me and answer, Lord my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
and my enemy will say, "I have overcome him,"
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will sing the Lord's praise,
for he has been good to me.

Despite the somberness of this post I am thankful for what the Lord has been doing in Puerto Rico and I look forward to sharing more about our last week of ministry soon.

All the Glory to Him.

Our God is in Control

Without going into too much detail I can say that the Lord has certainly shook my world in numerous ways the last several days. I wrote about A Grief Observed earlier and yet I seemingly had little concept of what the term actually meant. We can never expect to understand grief and suffering as our Lord did, but we can continue to grow in our trust and belief in His faithfulness. Now is such a moment where I need to trust in His great faithfulness.

However, in the moment it can be very difficult to surrender to His will and plan, because we are humans and how can we expect to understand suffering and why things happen the ways they do? It is never easy and it always hurts.

In such moments it is extremely important to cling even closer to the Lord by turning to His scripture and even music can be helpful to process because our hearts are heavy and our minds are too weary to think properly. Since I was in such a place, I meditated over some verses and a few songs.

"I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die..."

"When Jesus saw [Mary] weeping...he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled...Jesus wept." ~ John 11

Please pray for all the suffering and pain that engulfs this world and that all peoples might be comforted in their grief for Our God is in Control. We may have questions on questions but despite how hard it is to acknowledge in these hard times my lips will always say, "Whate'er my God Ordains is Right." Let that be our prayer today because the Lord shares our pain and He is deeply troubled by our suffering.

All the glory to Him.

Transforming Culture

In our book club this week we had an in depth discussion on cultural transformation as it pertains to the life of William Carey. Honestly I came out of our time with more questions than answers and there was a lot to process through (I apologize in advance for the lack of cohesion).

When you compare what Carey accomplished during his lifetime to our generation it can be mind blowing to say the least.

We come out of a group of individuals who enter the college world not wholly prepared to defend our beliefs and oftentimes we don't even know what our ideologies are. This applies to Christians and non-Christians alike. A term that I have heard tossed around is Moralistic Therapeutic Deism (MTD) which basically describes the modern Christian generally. God is often put in a dropbox that is only opened when necessary and a few core beliefs are held but no relationship is formed. Thus, if an individual is not transformed, no cultural transformation can take place.

One example are professors in Universities across the nation. It is often considered a domain for the liberals and thinkers who are totally in opposition to Christianity. Why is this? Why are the institutions that were often founded by Christians, no longer filled by modern Christians intent on higher level thinking while also striving for answers and openly dialoguing. These people exist certainly but they seem few and far between.

As a short aside, knowledge is certainly good but it is not the be all end all and we can never expect to be fully competent. That is one of the beauties of the body of Christ because each of us often have various areas of knowledge that allow us to do so much more as a community. We will be so much more effective if we all following our varying passions and areas of expertise to change culture.

When you look back on our history at names like Galileo, Newton, and even Faraday these were men who cherished not only God but also discovering what made the world tick.

The likes of William Carey and even William Wilberforce were spiritual men for sure but they also transformed the English and Indian cultures because their ideals so pervaded their vocations and goals in life.

It makes me wonder why things seem so different nowadays? How come higher level thinking, science, and even government must be so polarized and removed from our beliefs in this modern generation?

Here were men who generally had a solid foundation in the faith and they did not force their beliefs on others. It was not their habit to shove their convictions down the throat of their contemporaries. Still their society was so radically influenced by their Christian walks. The infrastructure of India, the slave trade in England,  the scientific world and so much more was turned upside down by this type of "marketplace ministry."

Their vocation and passion therefore was not separate from their faith and it did not need to be. My prayer is that Christians and Churches might create culture and ultimately dictate culture. This goes beyond the university campus and has major implications for the rest of our lives. There is still a lot to chew on but this is the place I am at right now.

As always all the glory be His.

Images of Puerto Rico

Our Entry way

Church at The Movement

Mayaguez

Chico Team with Gabriel and Diego

Soccer, Fellowship and a Christ-Centered Community

This past evening was one of the most satisfying in a long time. We had planned an outreach on the Mayaguez campus so we could gather students together and get to know them better. We wanted to have a massive soccer game complemented by Spikeball nets, pizza and drinks.

As per normal procedure we flyered all day and texted all the acquaintances we had met.  The surprising thing is that most everybody came. That probably would not happen in the States. The second fact is that our friends were not there just to get pizza and move on with there evening. They came ready to be relational and wanting to hang out with us.

It is humbling to think of all the peoples represented there. There were over 35 students in all and our team and some others on top of that. We had people from all across the island, Mayaguez students (undergrad and grad), California natives, a person from Germany, Venezuela, 3 guys we met on a beach, Christians, Catholics, and even Atheists.

About everyone and anyone we could think of was gathered there not because of anything that we did through Cru, but because of the great faithfulness of the Lord.  I cannot think of any other way that such a wonderfully diverse group of people could be gathered to together. This is what a Christ-centered community looked like to me. This was no Holy Huddle or Christian Bubble. The invitation was open to all and all were welcome. There was no judgment only love and truth.

That aside, it was an awesome evening where I got to indulge my love for soccer with many of my friends and numerous new ones that I made. I was soaked head to toe with sweat for almost the entire evening, loving every minute of it. I forgot about the cut that reopened on my knee and my sore sprained ankle wrapped in an ace bandage. All I could do was marvel at how wonderful the time was.

It was such a gratifying evening because it felt like we finally got to love on the students and people of Puerto Rico on a grand scale. We fed them, got to know them, and shared Christ’s love with them.

We can share as much as we want on campus and talk all the theology in the evenings until our throats are sore, but as Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians if we do not have love we are nothing and we gain nothing. When it all comes down to it the bottom line is loving the Lord and loving others well. I am so thankful for the opportunity to do both today and I cannot wait to do it again because it was a joy not a burden.

Please pray that future outreaches that we have can be just as life giving and we can continue building relationships with students. Also, students are going through finals so pray for wisdom and diligence in their studies. All the glory be His. 

A Grief Observed

Just a few days ago an ambulance came up our hill one evening only to stop at the house next door to us.  Our landlord Roger lives there while the main house is full and he gave us the news that his tenant had died. We never met her (a couple of our teammates had seen her), but she kept to herself and she had struggled with alcohol and even drunk driving. The effects were evident with beer cans all over her apartment and a totaled car practically sitting on her doorstep.

At the time it did not hit me that someone had died or at least it was not painful since I did not know this lady at all. However, the next morning Roger came over to explain that he was completely gutting and cleaning the apartment. He was the one who found the body and he was intent on transforming the area before the tenant’s son came by to pick up her things. Her son was around our age, maybe a little older. As for the tenant everyone had given up on her a long time ago, even Roger. She had gone to rehab only to fall back into her old habits of alcoholism.

By this point I was moved. How could I not be? If only this lady had known the God of second chances who opens up His arms even when we turn away again and again. Humans can only forgive so much but His grace and compassion are never ending.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:2 it says:

“Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.”

This wonderful news for believers but then oh so quickly my heart begs the question, “What about those with “no hope” and those who are not “in him?”

Roger’s tenant, I can only imagine was not a believer, like Roger himself is not a believer. It pains my heart and soul to think of it and to wrestle with this reality. There is a sense of helplessness and guilt that I could have reached this woman. Our team could have reached this woman if only we had known. However, now she is no longer with us and there is nothing we can do. We our powerless against the grave, only Christ can conquer it.

That right now is my only hope in this moment, that God is a just God. He is good and right and he wants all His creation to be brought back to himself.

It says in 2 Thessalonians 1 that:

“All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well.”

I do not have all the answers and I will continue to struggle with this issue of the unsaved.

Please pray that this experience will increase my urgency for reaching non-believers and also our drive as a team to continue ministering to Roger in this time. All the glory be His.

"It is hard to have patience with people who say, 'There is no death' or 'Death doesn't matter.' There is death. And whatever is matters. And whatever happens has consequences, and it and they are irrevocable and irreversible. You might as well say that birth doesn't matter."

~ C.S. Lewis A Grief Observed

My Personal Relationship with God

I had mentioned it briefly earlier that I have struggled with comparing myself with others on the team and wanting to be more like them. This took a number of forms for me personally. Sometimes it meant that I wish I had better answers (and even questions) when sharing my faith with students on campus. Other times I want to be more extroverted like other members of the team, because oftentimes I have found myself having alone time while others are upstairs spending time together. It has been difficult for me to find a balance since I often feel guilty for not pouring into the community every moment of every day.

One morning this past week when I was reading Galatians and this truth hit me:

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load” ~ Galatians 6:2-5

There is a lot to be gleaned from this passage, but it was exactly what I needed to hear in light of what I was struggling with. Community is extremely, extremely important. I should know that after living in a house with 16 other individuals for 3 weeks now. And as a community we are called to help each other along through our weakness, messiness and insecurities.

However, ultimately each one of us can take pride in the person that God has made us. I do not need to compare myself to somebody else! It seems like such an obvious conclusion and yet recently it has been hard for me to acknowledge.

It is a humbling fact that the God of the entire universe will meet me where I’m at. He will make my yoke light, because I am free from any insecurities. My relationship is personal, just between Him and me. He has blessed me with the gifts He has, and He loves me for who I am. I want to find hope in that not only for the rest of project, but the rest of my life. All the glory be His.

Holy Spirit You Are Welcome Here

Recently the Lord has be teaching my about the Holy Spirit. This whole trip in fact seems like a crash course in the Spirit, because all too soon it becomes evident that I will never be able to succeed on my own power. The reality of our ministry on campus has made that clear and it is thoroughly backed up by scripture. This passage from 1 Corinthians is a fitting reminder as we share on campus we may lay the foundation or plant the seeds so to speak, but the real work is done by the Spirit in the heart of the individual.

"So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God's service; you are God's field, God's building." ~ 1 Corinthians 3:7-9

Furthermore we can never fully comprehend how the Spirit moves. There is mystery and power in that because it can work in ways that we could never hope to understand or expect. As we share the Gospel there can be immense contentment in knowing it is not on us. As it says in John:

"The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit" ~ John 3

Continuing with this whole theme is a stanza from one of my favorite contemporary worship songs aptly titled "Holy Spirit."

"Holy Spirit you are welcome here,
Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere.
Your glory God is what our hearts long for,
To be overcome by Your Presence, Lord."

"Let us become more aware of Your presence.
Let us experience the glory of Your goodness."

 I want this to be my prayer every time I wake up and every time I go to bed. I want this to be our prayer as we head to campus everyday. I hope we can truly experience His presence and goodness because we are so saturated by the Spirit. Then and only then can we live changed lives which overflow with love and grace for others. I'm continuing to learn that I cannot do it on my own and that's okay. All the glory be His.

Joy in All Circumstances

Yesterday was probably the most difficult day on campus so far. The Honeymoon Period is over so to speak. The Chico Team is gone and this is our second full week on campus.

In all honestly it was a hard day. We talked with an Atheist who seemed to leave the conversation near the same place he started. We got rejected more than any other day so far and to add insult to injury it starting pouring down in buckets around noon.

As we sat in the car for a few minutes after the day, it felt like most everyone was worn out, solemn and a little bit discouraged. I was one of those.

However, after reflecting on the day I realized I can be thankful that we met Luis, an awesome individual with a lot of personality and a sense of humor. I was not sure going in how receptive he was to the Gospel, and yet he recommitted His life to strive to keep Christ at the center of his life. Then there was Gustavo who I mentioned briefly before. He can talk forever and it was refreshing just to listen to more about his story and his family, only inserting questions and comments every now and again. A short chit chat turned into 45 minutes of deep conversation.

Honestly this was the kind of day we were expecting all along, but it is hard to deal with the slight discouragements after all the good that has occurred already. However, that is just it. There has been so much fruit already and I am confident that there will be more to come, Lord willing.

Who am I to downplay what the Lord is doing? The reality is that I should have joy in all circumstances, because the Holy Spirit is moving and we have witnessed the Lord do so much already.

"May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who call you is faithful, and he will surely do it" ~ 1 Thessalonians 5