The Blessings of Bible Conference

Snippets of the fun times...

Road trip.

Moms who find good maps and sisters who help navigate.

Being grateful we were going East rather than West!

Showing my sister around my home-away-from-home as we walked around campus and ate at the snack and coffee shops.

Running into and catching up with old friends and past roommates.

Sitting with Shalin for the Tuesday afternoon session; with Karah on Thursday night.
Seeing my (practically grown-up) little kiddies I babysat for at the campus daycare center last year.

Enjoying a Reedy River picnic.

Using the dorm snack room microwave to heat up leftovers like old times.

Having a mission team reunion.

Going to Starbucks with Fiona, a freshman buddy.
Navigating my way through crazy Greenville streets (and only getting lost a couple of times. :)

Taking sermon notes in a stylish homemade book. :)

Buying souvenirs.

Coffee mug from BJ and butterfly mug from downtown's
Mast General Store flank the picture;
I bought the piano book because it has an arrangement of
"Arise, My Soul, Arise";
"Beyond all Praising" is the 2011 Soundforth CD
~ the others had songs I wanted!

And even Ivy got a souvenir. ;)

Enjoying a week of Spring but driving back in Winter--in our flip-flops, no less!

Praise God for His provision. :)

The Best of Bible Conference

(These are from my notes, so they are not necessarily direct quotes. The full audio of these sermons can be found here; my quotes start with Monday evening and go in order.)

~ Monday ~

"Know God intimately...then serve Him."
-Craig Scott

~ Tuesday ~

"Is the Bible precious enough to me to guard it?"
-Bob Potter

On Ephesians 5:15-17: " 'Not as fools but wise' = Saying yes to God's Word."
-Craig Scott

"Man has the tendency to bring God down; we don't look so bad then as when we exalt God."
-Greg McLaughlin

~ Wednesday ~

"Does God have to show me the end before I'm thankful for the interruptions and mistakes?"
-Sam Horn

"A genuine faith is a walking faith."
-Bob Potter

"If you have no walk with God, you have no ministry."
-David Innes

~ Thursday ~

"I desperately need God to speak to me through His Word; to reveal sin and build me up in the faith."
-Bruce Compton

On Titus 2:11-15: "God's sanctifying grace 'teaches us' = meaning we should live with a certain view; we should live intentionally and thoughtfully. It teaches us to live 'righteously' = meeting obligations that God has given us; and 'godly' = in a way that meets God's approval."
-Sam Horn

~ Friday ~

"Not every Bible reading experience is a 'hallelujah' moment. But the Bible is rich. Live by it. It's not inspired just because we feel like it is!"
-David Innes

On Psalm 90:12: "We are short on time. Whatever ground God puts us on is holy ground: there is no difference between sacred and secular. Watch out for unproductiveness."
-Ken Casillas

On James 1:22-25: "A doer is characterized by doing God's Word; he has a consistent testimony."
-Bruce Compton

Summary...to Whet Your Appetite :)

It was a road trip with my sister.
It was a week to wear Spring outfits and enjoy warm weather.
It was a week to see old friends and remember good times.
It was a time for a California reunion.
It was time for a vacation from what "normal life" has been this past year.

But it wasn't all about those things. Bible Conference, for my three years at BJ, was the highlight of my year. Not just of the semester, but of the year.

It was a time for a vaction from what was "normal life."
It was a week to meet up with friends who had opposite schedules the whole rest of the semester.
It was a week to wear Spring outfits and pray for warm weather. :)

But it was always about looking forward to that refreshment and encouragement and rebuke that I knew God was going to send.

Bible Conference never has an "official" theme, but one always...divinely...seems to appear. Unquestionably, this year's was the importance of the Bible.

As I have pondered that this week, I've asked myself the question, "Have I given priority to the Bible?" Yes, I've had my devotions. It's in my routine. But is it the priority of my heart?

"Behold, I long for your precepts;

in your righteousness give me life!"

(Psalm 119:40, ESV) 



Spring

March 20 was the First Day of Spring. I post this picture in honor of that now-past occasion, taken last year at the place we went to visit last week. :) (No, it didn't actually look like that this time...but decidedly more so than my dear home-state does. :)

Happy Spring!!

Ivy's Going Places...

So...it has a name. As of an hour ago, actually. :) Thanks for voting, even if the name wasn't on the list and was only thought of, well, just over an hour ago. :)

"Ivy" means "gift"--and I praise God for giving me what I thought I was only dreaming about. :)

The oil and other such necessities have been changed (thanks, Dad!!), and it's ready to go.

Literally.

Because my sister and I will be hopping in Ivy next week for a road trip. Very exciting. And just as exciting is our destination. Watch out Greenville--here we come! Looking forward to Bible Conference 2011! :)