Updates

Tonight is one those rare moments when Joelle and I have a free Friday evening to stay at home and enjoy the Sabbath together. I'm listening to a full-length performance of "The Messiah" by Handel. I enjoy how it is totally Scriptural and sheds light on Jesus throughout the Bible.

A lot has happened since my last post. In the middle of November, the leaders of Advent HOPE had a powerful retreat at Pine Springs Ranch. I have been to several other retreats in our history of almost 6 years, but our team is currently more unified than it has ever been. Tim and I helped to facilitate the weekend with an emphasis on early Adventist history. For pictures and details go to Joelle's blog.

On Friday night we all took the time to review how God had personally worked and led in our lives. Many pointed to the first GYC at the very same spot we were at. The Holy Spirit was clearly in our midst. On Sabbath morning, for SS, Tim gave a very good review of the history of the Millerite movement and of the dedication of those in that movement. For church, I took it from 1844 to the present. I read 8T 104-106 from the chapter "What Might Have Been". That was probably the highlight for me. As I looked up, many in the room were choked up and then I became so as well which doesn't happen often in public for me. The magnitude of the opportunity for our generation was striking for all of us. That chapter describes the end of the 1888 era when Jesus could have come. I don't want a similar history to be written of us. Some of the other highlights included our Sabbath afternoon hike and the testimonies on Sabbath evening when Adrian gave his very touching and personal testimony of how he was adopted from a non-Christian family into an Adventist family at birth. Clearly God has a special plan for him and really for each one of us. It was a weekend that broke down some barriers and will by God's grace help us to work together in a more united and powerful way.

For Thanksgiving, all of Joelle's family was here. It was the first major holiday for us since Joelle and I got married, so it was very special for us.

GYC is soon to come in Minneapolis. This is really the most significant Adventist event to take place in this city since the 1888 GC session. Eugene Prewitt has an entire seminar dedicated to the topic which should be very good. I pray that the current GYC movement will be able, by God's grace, to turn a new page in the history of Adventism that will usher in the Second Coming of Christ.

This Sunday night, I am flying to visit Trinidad for the first time and will be there through Wednesday, so it's a short trip. I will be meeting with the board and the people at the hospital. For those of you who don't know, I will be beginning my six years of missions service for the GC after June of 2008. I probably will actually start down there after Labor Day weekend, which is after the next SWYC.

I will try to post more thoughts and updates after returning from Trinidad. Also, I am speaking at Advent HOPE next Sabbath. It will be focused on certain elements of the Laodicean message. You can check it out after next week on the new version of Audioverse. Thanks to Curtis for the new and improved version. Happy Sabbath again to all.