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Friday, June 11, 2010

North Dakota and 1 John

Hey everyone!
It has been a crazy week! First I will tell you some about getting to North Dakota, then I will tell you what I read in 1 John. Back in Dallas on Wednesday night I got about three hours of sleep in between writing my papers and packing (and I didn't even do most of the packing-my mom did). I spent most of the day trying to finish papers and giving presentations. My parents picked me up from school and took me to the airport. I ate lunch (late afternoon) when I got there and boarded the plane a little later. About a few minutes after everyone had boarded the captain came over the intercom saying that there had been some kind of security breach and no planes were being allowed to take off or land (I don't know if it was just my terminal or the whole airport). We were told to sit tight and wait. We did...for about two hours. Finally, after two hours, our plane was allowed to leave because the breach was resolved. (I had to wait until Sunday to get internet access so that I could find out what happened-someone left their bag on the baggage claim area and it had wires sticking out of it. Apparently they had been on another flight that flew into another terminal and didn't know that their baggage was in a different area.) So, we arrived in Minneapolis almost the minute that my connecting flight is taking off. I got into the terminal and they gave me a discounted hotel room. I found out that I could get my checked bags (with all my clothes in them), but it would take a while, and I would have to be really early the next morning to check them again. I decided to leave them at the airport, so I could make sure they would at least arrive at the destination. I booked a hotel room through the airport service and got shuttled out to Minneapolis. Finally the next morning I was able to get to the airport and from the airplane to Grand Forks (where I am now). Ironically, the book that I chose to read for the flight was titled "God will make a way." I didn't know what class that I was going to T.A. for until I arrived (I was told there might be some changes). I am now a T.A. for Bengali-a language of Bangladesh very similar to Urdu and Hindi. I love the language lab. It's only the fourth day of classes and we are already starting to understand full sentences. YAY!
Now comes the part about 1 John (keep previous story in mind). 1 John 1:5 says "This is the message which we have heard from him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all." I have been thinking about that verse and realizing that I have more of an opportunity to be that light here. There are many people who are watching us (staff at UND, students, language nurturers, even the people in the airport along the way) to see how we behave (probably unconsciously, maybe some consciously). My prayer is that my relationship with Christ would be a light here and wherever I am, even when it isn't where I expected to be. That people who come here, or I come in contact with, would be impacted in a positive way and know the reason that we love to bring this message and declare it is because "God is light and in Him is no darkness at all" and "that our (everyone's) joy may be full (vs.4)".
I hope all of you are having a wonderful summer and being filled with the joy of the word. Would you pray that I would be obedient to who God is forming me into this summer and that this time of waiting would not be wasted? I have already gotten to know someone who has a very similar situation as mine and we are both trying to figure out what we are going to do in the future. I look forward to hearing from yall!

3 comments:

  1. Sallie, I do not think you can help but be a light; where ever you are, you bring a presence of peace with you. I'm glad to hear that you made it safely and found yourself in an exciting situation despite the adventures along the way. Looking forward to hearing more updates. Enjoy this time and the new friendship God has put in your life.

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  2. Wow, Sallie! What a crazy, eventful trip! I'm glad you arrived in North Dakota in one piece. Thank you for giving practical application to the verse "God is light." I agree with Elizabeth that you will certainly be a light wherever God has you. I look forward to seeing what God is going to do in your life this summer.

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