“Be still, O restless soul of mine…. Be still; Be speechless…” The lyrics of Steven Curtis Chapman’s song perfectly capture the theme for today.
Be still and know that He is God
Be still and know that He is holy
Be still, O restless soul of mine
Bow before the Prince of Peace
Let the noise and clamor cease…
Be still; Be speechless
Be still and know that He is God
Be still and know He is our Father
Come rest your head upon His breast
Listen to the rhythm of His unfailing heart of love
Beating for His little ones
Calling each of us to come
Be still, Be still
Learning to Be Still
Guam moves slower than San Diego… and that’s not a bad thing.
I’ve been the first one out of bed in the house for the last three days. Up by 4:30 AM. Showered and dressed by 5:30 AM, I sit alone at the kitchen table to read My Utmost for His Highest, my favorite devotional, and to meditate on the Word before me. Then I write… uninterrupted until seven. These 90 minutes of solitude have been precious and concrete reminders that God calls us to be still and know that He is God… (Psalm 46:10)
Football Monday Morning
On our way to Guam, Sam was already planning to ask if our schedule would permit him to watch the championship games and the Super Bowl. “We are not here to watch football, Honey!” I chided him. “What if nobody watches football… but feels obligated to you and in the process we miss opportunities to serve them and God… You could cause a butterfly effect here, you know.” Aha! How could he respond to that? Checkmate!
Go figure… He was right. The Owens host a football open house on Monday mornings (that’s when Sunday football takes place here) and PIU’s staff — men and women — drop by with food and their computers. They work and cheer before heading to the office. Lots of fun– that is until the President’s team lost in overtime. That was a very sad moment, even for the Giants’ fans — who shall remain nameless — who watched the entire game in a state of respectful “stillness” in honor of the host’s exuberance for the 49ers.
@ International PIU
During the afternoon, we joined the faculty and staff meeting. I believe every continent was represented around that table. Visiting professors, full-time faculty, and missionary staff energetically contributed to a conversation about policies and programs. Diverse accents, opinions, and personalities — united by a single focus to serve students and God with excellence — what a beautiful dynamic to witness.
Then I had the privilege to lead a faculty training session, which will continue this Thursday at the home of the Academic VP. Food, sunset, and learning how to make our teaching stick–that’s what’s in store for us.
Today… we will continue preparations for the Story Crafting Conference… But through it all, my prayer is that God’s vision for our labor here will materialize as we, San Diegans, slow down… be still and know that He is God. Would you, my friends, pray to this end as well?
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Have the Chinese New Year celebrations interrupted work on the PIU campus? Although, you’re 18 hours ahead of San Diego — so they should be finished by now…
No, they don’t celebrate Chinese New Year at PIU
Thanks for coming out to Guam. I’m too excited and can’t wait to lean so much from the sessions. God has given me a beautiful story that has just been revealing little by little as I continue to grow closer to Him everyday, but I believe these Story Crafting sessions, will help me know better how to share my story even better.