Okay,
so I was thinking about you today, yes, YOU! (well, okay, maybe
not you specifically, cause I may not even know you.) But I was
thinking about the prospective students that read these blogs
(and my parents cause I know they read them too). God may be
leading you here to EBC, or maybe you're just starting to explore
your college options... either way, I would like to share with
you something really unique about EBC.
Let me just sart by saying
this: if someone has a passion for the medical field, they go
to college and start taking all sorts of classes about health,
science, the body... the thing is, is that they don't get to
use the knowledge that they are learning for like eight years!
Maybe less, but you get the idea. They sit in class and memorize
facts and procedures that they won't even need to know until
years into their profession.
At EBC, the things we learn in the
class room we get to literally turn around and implement into
our lives! I'm learning that the body of Christ needs to be united
together and living along side each other and truly loving each
other with a selfless love. So over the past few months I have
been intentionally loving my brothers and sisters as the body
of Christ. I'm learning how to disciple people in my discipleship
class. The other day I went for coffee with a friend and intentionally
talked to her with the new love I have for her. I used the principles
from my class to give her advise that would bring Christ to bear
in her life. In my Bible Study Methods class I am learning to
read the Bible in its context and without my own presuppositions.
So as I am reading my Bible for devotions, I am reading more
carefully and more intentionally, and seeing Scripture in a whole
new light!
You get the idea, here at EBC you will get to take
what you learn from your text book and walk out the door and
apply it to your life immediately! How awesome is that! I hope
that in me sharing this you have gotten a little better picture
about what EBC is all about. And if I could, I would love to
pray for you... is that okay? ...okay good. "Dear Heavenly
Father, would You guide and direct in the the life of Your child
right now, as they are thinking about coming to EBC. If You have
other plans for their life right now God, shut the doors to EBC,
and lead them to where You want them to be. But God, if it is
Your will that they come here, make that so clear to them that
they know they have to come! Give them certainty that this is
were You desire for them to be. Provide what they need to come
here, whether it's enough money, or a place to stay... You are
our Provider, God, thank you! Amen."
Well, now that I have
prayed for you I would love to chat with you, if you want...
look me up on facebook and add me as a friend with a message
telling me that you read these blogs! Here's my link:
http://www.new.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=501611664&ref=name
-Alise
Have
you ever felt like you were swimming through life just fine,
then people started piling things on top of you and expected
you to keep swimming at the same pace, but really you were kinda
drowning? Haha! So that's kinda what I feel like my life has
been like lately! But the thing is, the stuff that people/God
are piling on me is all really good stuff! It's hard to carry
sometimes, but it's worth it! I have been learning new things
every day from my classes, from my relationships, from my Bible,
from my experiences... the list could go on. Ultimately I am
so thankful for everything that God has been "piling" on
my life! I can already see some of the ways that I have been
growing.
So let me share just one of the things that God has been laying
on my heart as of late... if I could... It's this whole concept
of the Body of Christ, and what it's really supposed to look
like. Before I came to EBC I knew about the whole idea of the
church being the body of Christ and that as believers we are
all brothers and sisters in Christ. It was just one of those
things that I knew about, and never actually thought about. But
God has opened my eyes to really start to see what His body should
look like! In America we live lives that are all about us. We
are taught to be independent and take care of ourselves; this
thinking creeps into our heads even if we don't know it! But
that's not what the Bible teaches at all! We are to be in community
as the body of Christ. I am just beginning to live my life in
a way that benefits my brothers and sisters. If someone needs
to borrow my car... you got it! If you need to go to Starbucks
and talk about some life issues for an hour or two or three...
you got it! If you're out of peanut butter... use mine! You get
the idea... Its crazy though, 'cause I am not the kind of person
that this comes easily to; that just means it's totally the Holy
Spirit at work in me! As the body we are called to bear one another's
burdens, we are called to encourage one another, we are called
to confront and rebuke one another in love, we are called to
do so many things that we as Americans have a hard time doing!
But God has been working in my life so much. I hope that in reading
this you catch a little of the vision of what the body of Christ
truly is... (P.S. read I Cor. 12:12ff)
Thanks for letting me share a little of what God has been doing
in my life! Until next time...
I thought I would attach this photo for your enjoyment! This
is me, Brooke (my roomie!) and Bobby after about 8 hours of homework!
We were just a bit stir crazy!
It's
hard to believe that I have been here at EBC for almost a month
now, it seriously only feels like it's been a week or so. I have
been learning sooo much from all my classes! I am in the new
curriculum, which is geared towards taking me through the Bible
beginning to end, it creates a flow and is so helpful in getting
the big picture of how God unfolded his plan to us. It's amazing
to me how each class has meshed together! Things I'm learning
in my Old Testament Survey class we are also covering in Bible
Study Methods. Things we are learning about in Foundations, we
are also talking about in Discipleship Counseling! I am also
taking a Philosophy class at Moorpark Community College for general
education this semester. Even that class has brought up issues
that we talk about in my EBC classes... so amazing! Actually,
it has been so cool to bring what I am learning at EBC to the
very secular philosophy class room. I have worked through some
of the concepts about the material body verses the immaterial
mind, and have some pretty good arguments to back up what I believe.
So literally I go to Foundations and learn about the secular
world view and materialism and dualism... then I go to my Philosophy
class and am able to answer questions with some confidence. Isn't
God amazing how He just works everything together!
So with all this learning, I do find time for fun... the other
day me and some friends went to Stony Point. Its this amazing
rock/boulder formation that is so crazy to climb! We went right
after sun set, so by the time that we got to the very top of
the rock, it was dark out. We could see all the city lights below
us... and the moon high above! I just sat on top of that rock
thinking about how amazing God is. What a great reminder of how
small I am, and how big my God is! Here is a picture of Stony
Point, and yes, i definitely climbed to the very top!
-Alise
Here I am in Simi Valley, CA, fresh out of my first week of
Bible college! But before I go any further, let me go back...
I
decided to come to EBC for my bachelors because I believe there
is nothing more important in life than to serve God, in whatever
way He has called me... the problem is I'm not exactly sure
what He wants me to do with my life. I think that coming to
EBC for an intense Bible education would be a great way to
gain more knowlegde and understanding about this God I want
to serve.
It's not all about knowledge though, well actaully
my effectiveness as a Christian has very little to do with
my knowledge, and everything to do with wisdom and application.
One way to gain wisdom is from learning under the Godly faculty
here at EBC. Another way is getting involved with my community,
my neighbors, church, friends, co-workers... I have been pushed
to get involved and actively live out the things I learn in
class and at church! Coming to EBC isn't all about homework
(though there is PLENTY of that!) it's about really living out
my faith!
These next four years of Bible college don't give
me an excuse to hide from the world and study. I need to get
out there and make a difference for Christ Jesus now! So anyway...
here I am. This is just a bit about me and how and why I'm
here. Much more to come... keep checking back!
-Alise |
