Updated

Well, I've finally updated my blog. It has a new look, and HOPEFULLY I'll take the time to do regular updates. I enjoy writing, but as busy as our lives are right now, it's difficult to find the time. Subscribe to my RSS feed or check back often for updates!

A Good Reminder

I haven't been that faithful over the last year or so in doing my daily devotional (and obviously, blog posts!). Something happened today, not a bad thing, that reminded me how thankful I am to have Jesus in my life.

For a number of years, I did my daily Bible reading and kept up with "My Utmost for His Highest", by Oswald Chambers. Every once in a while, I will get the urge to go and read the daily devotional online. Well, today was one of those days. It was a great encouragement and reminder to me. Hopefully, it is to you too.

October 25, 2008

Submitting to God’s Purpose

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I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some —1 Corinthians 9:22

A Christian worker has to learn how to be God’s man or woman of great worth and excellence in the midst of a multitude of meager and worthless things. Never protest by saying, "If only I were somewhere else!" All of God’s people are ordinary people who have been made extraordinary by the purpose He has given them. Unless we have the right purpose intellectually in our minds and lovingly in our hearts, we will very quickly be diverted from being useful to God. We are not workers for God by choice. Many people deliberately choose to be workers, but they have no purpose of God’s almighty grace or His mighty Word in them. Paul’s whole heart, mind, and soul were consumed with the great purpose of what Jesus Christ came to do, and he never lost sight of that one thing. We must continually confront ourselves with one central fact— ". . . Jesus Christ and Him crucified" ( 1 Corinthians 2:2 ).

"I chose you . . ." ( John 15:16 ). Keep these words as a wonderful reminder in your theology. It is not that you have gotten God, but that He has gotten you. God is at work bending, breaking, molding, and doing exactly as He chooses. And why is He doing it? He is doing it for only one purpose— that He may be able to say, "This is My man, and this is My woman." We have to be in God’s hand so that He can place others on the Rock, Jesus Christ, just as He has placed us.

Never choose to be a worker, but once God has placed His call upon you, woe be to you if you "turn aside . . . to the right or the left . . ." ( Deuteronomy 28:14 ). He will do with you what He never did before His call came to you, and He will do with you what He is not doing with other people. Let Him have His way.

I am paying for this microphone, Mr. Breen!

Great story I came across again today. Reminds me why Reagan is one of my heroes.

How declaring “I’m paying for this microphone” helped Ronald Reagan win a key primary

Ronald Reagan was the underdog.

He had been narrowly edged out by George Bush in the Iowa caucuses a few weeks before. Now Bush, a former UN ambassador, CIA director, and Texas congressman, was the clear frontrunner for the 1980 Republican presidential nomination. In fact, Bush had publicly declared that “Big Mo” — momentum — was on his side.

Reagan and his staff knew that if he lost in New Hampshire, it could mean the end of his campaign. They retooled their strategy and redoubled their efforts in the Granite State.

But the key to victory would turn out to be a powerful, emotional moment no one could have scripted.

Thanks to your support of The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation, the full meaning of the moment is still being shared today.

“I thought it had been unfair”

Many people remember Reagan’s famous words. But most haven’t heard the full story of what happened that chilly New Hampshire night.

After Iowa, Bush and Reagan had a clear lead on the other Republican candidates, senators Bob Dole and Howard Baker, congressmen John Anderson and Phil Crane, and former Texas governor John Connally. A local newspaper, The Nashua Telegraph, invited the two frontrunners to a debate. The five others were excluded. This unfairly helped the Ronald Reagan and George Bush campaigns, Bob Dole complained. The Federal Election Commission agreed.

Reagan did too. He offered to split the cost of the debate 50-50 with the Bush campaign, but they declined. Reagan’s campaign then paid for the debate itself.

“I thought it had been unfair to exclude the other candidates,” Reagan later wrote in his autobiography, An American Life. “I decided to invite them.”

But when four other GOP candidates showed up at the debate (Connally was campaigning elsewhere), Bush campaign manager James Baker (who later became Chief of Staff to Ronald Reagan) refused to let his man participate.

For an uncomfortable few minutes, Reagan and Bush sat silently on stage with Telegraph editor John Breen. The other candidates stood awkwardly behind them. Soon, the audience grew restless.

Wanting to explain, Reagan began to speak. At that, the moderator called to a sound engineer, “Turn off Mr. Reagan’s microphone!”

Surprised and offended, Ronald Reagan’s seldom-seen temper flashed. “I am paying for this microphone, Mr. Breen!” he snapped.

As Reagan recalled, “For some reason, my words hit the audience, whose emotions were already worked up, like a sledgehammer. The crowd roared and just went wild.

“I may have won the debate, the primary — and the nomination — right there.”

Indeed, Ronald Reagan dominated the primary, winning 49.6 percent of the votes. “Big Mo” had shifted his way. A few months later, Reagan easily won the GOP nomination.

A lesson in leadership

It was a dramatic moment in history, but more interesting is what it says about Reagan himself. After all, what provoked Reagan’s rare flash of frustration was the thought of the other candidates being unfairly excluded, and the moderator’s attempt to keep the audience from hearing Reagan’s concerns.

A Special Anniversary

September 24th is a special day to me. In 1999, this was the day that I prayed and accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior. I had gone through 21 of my 30 years thinking I had already done this, but the conviction I felt on that day in 1999 told me otherwise. Statistics say that it is highly unlikely that one will become a Christian if they don't do so before the teen years. The advantage that I had was a childhood in church learning about Jesus. I had always, as long as I could remember, believed that Jesus was real, that He had come to Earth and died for me, and had raised from the dead. I believed it in my head, but not in my heart. Eight years ago today, that knowledge transferred to my heart and into my entire being. It hasn't been a perfect ride - Christ never promised that - but I can truly say that the Lord has been there every step of the way. I wish I could say that I have been as loyal to Him as He has been to me. All I have to say about that is, thank God for grace.

Search your heart. If you don't know Christ, follow this link to get more information on what that means. Or, leave me a comment, and I would love to talk with you about it. My comments are moderated, so if you want to keep it confidential, please say so and I will not post the comment.

Mini Me

Mini me wearing my EMT boots. My Mom says he is EXACTLY like me when I was small. Lord help me.

New Feature, and Other Stuff

Every once in a while, just to mix things up, I add a new widget in the right column on this blog. My newest addition is my upcoming reading list. Click on the links to take you to Amazon.com and view the description of the book. I'll only list books that I have purchased (probably), and have intent to actually read. The speed at which I go through books varies. Sometimes I can read about one a week or maybe a couple if they are of the shorter variety. Other times, it might take a while. Witness how long I have had Wheel of Time Book 4 listed in my "Currently Reading" widget!

By the way, I am starting a new job on October 1st! Good job, good pay, nice people - can't complain. God is good. He has given me a peace about this position so I feel like everything is going to be OK. I'm ready to get back into a normal - if there is such a thing - schedule. My running schedule has been non-existent and I am itching to get back to 25 miles a week. I feel so much better when I run. Check out the article I listed in "My Google Reader Shared Items". You have to be a runner to really get it. To me, one of the great advantages of running is that it is very peaceful and I can commune with the Lord, especially during a longer run. Think about it, wouldn't you be communing with God during a 15+ mile run?

Things Don't Always Play Out Like You Expect

It's no secret but in case you have not heard, Jamie and I have come to the conclusion that med-school is NOT the right direction for our family. So, now I am very excited that I am going back into my first career love - computers. Yes, we prayed hard about it and have a peace that a career in medicine is not the Lord's will and I have no regrets. This was one of those cases where I told God that I would move forward and if He told me to stop at ANY point, I would do so on a dime. He has a reason for all things. Sometimes I believe He has you move down a difficult path with an uncertain future just to test and see if you are willing.

Bottom line, my family needs me to be involved with them for the next 8 years. The pre-med program that I started was really just a test case to see what the load would be and if we could balance family and school. After a few weeks, and completing the first class, it became obvious that it was one or the other, not both. In any scenario, I'll always choose what is best for my family.

The great thing is that I have planned all along to use my EMT certification as an extra skill for leading mission trips. It's a win either way.

Now, as I mentioned, I'm excited about getting back into an Information Technology career full-time. The really good thing is that I still was able to stay up on my technical skills at the church, since that was one of my many responsibilities, so there was really no lapse of continuity. OK, now you can start with the geek and nerd comments, I've heard them all. I'm teaching myself Cisco at this point, and plan to take the tests necessary to earn my CCNA certification. I'm also thinking about expanding my systems administration knowledge to Unix and Linux platforms. One thing at a time, however. Cisco is first, and very much in demand.

Until next time: Please pray for me in my job search that I would find the exact job that God wants me to have. Peace...

Just a Short Break

As everyone has probably noticed (if you are still checking), I haven't been blogging much lately. Well, I have a bit of a break today, so I thought I would take advantage of the time:

It has been a whirlwind several months. As you may know, I started my EMT training in late February. Great news! I finished with my EMT-I two weeks ago, and am now working with a local private ambulance service called ProCare EMS. In fact, I'm at Starbucks right now waiting on a patient pick-up appointment. Not a bad deal, huh. There's a bit of a catch. Because of school, I can only work certain days. So, since my schedule is so weird, I am working two 16 hour shifts on consecutive days. It's not as bad as it sounds! I just think of all those mission trips I led and slept minimally for 10 days or more. Two days is a breeze.

My pre-med program is going well so far. I just finished my first class (Chemistry I) on Thursday, and found out last night that I received and A on both the class and the lab!! Thank the Lord! Monday, we start Chem II. I suppose it is a good thing that I always enjoyed chemistry, for some crazy reason. It's surprising how much I remembered after almost 20 years! Oh, I have to tell you a funny story.

On the first day of class, my professor had us all introduce ourselves and give our ages. He was obviously going to use the data to illustrate a point, so we all played along. He asked for a volunteer to start, and of course I was more than happy to go first. After 14 other classmates told their stories in the nutshell, I realized (as I figured would be the case) that I was the oldest in the class by about 7 years. It would have been more like 17 years had there not been another couple of "older" non-traditional pre-meds in the class! That was funny enough to me, but the clincher was when I asked the professor later how old he was: 32! Remember, I'm 38. I just had to snicker to myself. The great thing is, my classmates are cool, and the incoming pre-med folks that I will be in the progam with for the next year are a lot of fun. To top it all off, our professor is not only an excellent teacher, but he is also quite a nice guy. Not a bad start.

Jamie and the kids are doing well. They are on their way back from Florida on what was going to be our family vacation this year. For obvious reasons, I wasn't able to go. Not to worry, I have a break in August, and we are going to take full advantage of it. They have been gone all week, so I am excited to see them. I had forgotten what it was like to be a bachelor. It has it's advantages, I suppose, but I wouldn't want to go there again!! I have missed my wife and kids.

That's about it for now. I'll update again as I can. Many blessings to all!

I'm Still Alive

It has been a while. Things are a bit crazy right now. My orientation for the pre-med program I am attending is next week, and classes start the following Tuesday. It doesn't seem possible. I'm still asking myself if I have completely lost it. That is, assuming that I ever had it to start with.

I only have a few weeks left on my EMT-I training, and its the most intensive. Clinicals, practicals, multiple exams, coupled with the fact that I will have a two week overlap of the two classes. Should be interesting to say the least. More updates soon.

Maybe Next Time

So, I didn't run the ING GA Marathon this weekend. I got off track in my training and decided it was probably a good idea to sit this one out - there's always next year!

I'm re-reading a book that has really inspired me in the last few months. It's title is The Barbarian Way by Erwin McManus. God keeps bringing the following quote to my mind:

Instead of concluding it is best to be wherever God wants us to be, we have decided that wherever it is best for us to be is where God wants us. Actually, God's will for us is less about our comfort than it is about our contribution. God would never choose for us safety at the cost of significance. God created you so that your life would count, not so that you could count the days of your life.

It is so easy to take the safe road. In fact, it can be a temptation of the enemy. If God has chosen for me a difficult path, and I waver and take a safe path, I am being disobedient! God never promised that everything would be easy. I'm learning that one at an all new level.

Big Things Happening

Today I found out that I have been accepted to Agnes Scott's pre-med program! Now all I have to do is figure out how to pay for it and continue to support our family. No big deal, huh. Well, the Lord works miracles, and this will certainly be one! The big plus is that AS allows you to defer for one year if necessary to get your affairs in order. I'm excited about the possibilities!

Tonight I finally took Gwinnett Tech's comprehensive exam, and it was tough. In fact, I would say that it was harder than the NREMT exam. Actually, that makes me feel better about EMS in Georgia, since it seems that their training is held at a high standard. I should find out tomorrow how I did. If I don't pass it, I can't take the class!

A lot of things seem to have come together very quickly this week. Some big decisions are going to have to be made in the next couple of weeks.

Small World

I had a great interview today for a Network Administrator position. It turned out that the hiring manager used to work with Lucent, also my alma mater. The cool thing was, he had chosen my resume before he realized that we were both Lucent guys. I much prefer being considered on the basis of what I know versus who I know. My prayer is that the Lord would open up the door if this is where He wants me. If this comes through, I would likely take pre-med classes at night. That would probably take 2+ years, not to mention the "glide-year" while applying to med school. Of course, all of that is if I don't get accepted to Agnes Scott's pre-med program and/or can't come up with the money to attend. I'm trusting the Lord to show me the right direction. Prayers are appreciated!!

Things have slowed down a bit. Only one exam in sight for the next few weeks. I have to pass the comprehensive exam tomorrow at Gwinnett Tech so I can join in the current class to get my EMT-Intermediate training.

More Study!

Tomorrow at about 9:30am, I will be a happy man. The only other exam I THINK I have until April 14th is the comprehensive exam at Gwinnett Tech. Praise the Lord!!

I'm still applying for IT jobs, just so I can keep my options open. I have a couple of awesome prospects! It's not clear yet whether I will be going full-time or part-time to complete my pre-med requirements. The great thing about the program at Agnes Scott is that they will allow me to defer for one year if necessary. That gives me a lot of flexibility. One possibility is that I can work full-time for the next year or so, and get some clinical experience at a part-time EMT gig. That way, I could bank as much cash as possible and get my financial aid figured out.

Please help us pray about our direction for the next year, particularly the big decisions that will have to be made in the next couple months. Thanks SO MUCH to everyone that has already been praying and encouraging us. I love you guys!

Study!

Argghh! Did I mention that I have had a lot of exams lately!? Today, I spent several hours preparing for my Church History exam on Saturday morning. Have I mentioned that I am taking that class? It's once a month on a Saturday (all day). I'm only 7 credits away from my masters degree, so there is no way I'm going to give up now. It may take me a few more years to get it done, but I feel like the Lord wants me to finish it.

The funny thing is that as I have gotten a bit older, and hopefully wiser, I have realized that I love reading history. If you want to read an EXCELLENT book about the American Revolution, try David McCullough's "1776". I tore through that book in just a few days.

By the way, I passed my NREMT certification test! I'm now a certified EMT-B. Next step: get licensed with the state of GA.

Back to the books...

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Man, that class took more out of me than I thought! I was flat wore-out today. I did accomplish some important stuff, though.

While I was in California, I found out that you must be an EMT-I to ride an ambulance in Georgia. So, my first order of business when I got home was to start the process of applying to Gwinnett Tech so I can get the intermediate training that I need to get the next level of certification. The final, late application deadline is the 16th. It'll be cutting it close!

The Intermediate class will only go to June, and I will get to do about 30 hours of clinical time. EMT-I's have to be trained to do intubations, IVs, administer certain medications, and other advanced life-saving procedures. We actually get to 'practice' at the hospital and clinics on patients. I know, it sounds scary, but I'm sure it's with the consent of the patient.

Psalm 139

For some reason, I felt very discouraged today. I was reading my nightly portion of at least 100 pages in my EMT textbook, and decided that I needed to talk to the Lord for a minute. He reminded me that I had not done enough of that lately.

I told Him, "Lord, I'm discouraged. What am I doing here. Am I doing what you want me to do? Have I missed the boat somewhere?" There was more, but that's the gist of it. I went to open up my Bible, and a piece of paper that I had put in the back cover fell out on the table. It was Psalm 139:

Psalm 139 (NLT)

For the choir director: A psalm of David.

1 O Lord, you have examined my heart
and know everything about me.
2 You know when I sit down or stand up.
You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
3 You see me when I travel
and when I rest at home.
You know everything I do.
4 You know what I am going to say
even before I say it, Lord.
5 You go before me and follow me.
You place your hand of blessing on my head.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too great for me to understand!

7 I can never escape from your Spirit!
I can never get away from your presence!
8 If I go up to heaven, you are there;
if I go down to the grave, you are there.
9 If I ride the wings of the morning,
if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
and your strength will support me.
11 I could ask the darkness to hide me
and the light around me to become night—
12 but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day.
Darkness and light are the same to you.

13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
16 You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.

17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
They cannot be numbered!
18 I can’t even count them;
they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up,
you are still with me!

19 O God, if only you would destroy the wicked!
Get out of my life, you murderers!
20 They blaspheme you;
your enemies misuse your name.
21 O Lord, shouldn’t I hate those who hate you?
Shouldn’t I despise those who oppose you?
22 Yes, I hate them with total hatred,
for your enemies are my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 Point out anything in me that offends you,
and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

Enough said.

NO MO GRE!

It's done! I completed the GRE today. Didn't do too bad, I think. (1240; 640 Quantitative, 600 Verbal) I suppose that is good. All I know is that it is above what I needed for the pre-med program that I am applying for. Like Forest Gump said, "One less thang."

In Class

Thank the Lord for wireless access! It makes the day go quicker (I think) when you have an all day Church History class on a beautiful Saturday. I studied diligently for our exam this morning, and it went quite well. One goof up -- I figured out I had the wrong textbook! Luckily, history is basically history. I ordered the correct text, and no harm done.

Instructor's back, I better pay attention!

Still Busy, Can You Believe It?

You'd think that I'd be a lot less busy now that I'm not working a full-time job. Yeah, right! That's not a bad thing, though. I would certainly go more crazy if I didn't have things to occupy my time.

I'm taking "Church History" at LRU this semester. The good thing about that is I LOVE history. So far, the reading is absolutely fascinating. I have the textbook in my "Currently Reading" box to the right if you are interested. The only bad thing about the class is exams. Argh! If you want to read a really intersting story, look up Charles Martel ("The Hammer") and the Battle of Tours. Good stuff.

One of my other current challenges is knocking off the cobwebs in my brain when it comes to standardized tests. In particular, the GRE. Surprisingly, I remember a lot of math, and my vocabulary is quite good. However, I still have a lot of work to do! Many hours of study so far, and many more to come. Click on this link to see how much you remember; you may be surprised.

Even bigger than these challenges, is trying to figure out the finances of providing for our family and attending a pre-med program, possibly full-time. Please pray for us in this. I know the Lord is going to take care of everything, it would just be nice to know how! That makes me think of a scripture I read last night:

It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith. (Hebrews 11:8-9a, NLT)

Lord, give me the faith of Abraham!

That's all for now. Many blessings, everyone.

On To The Next Chapter...

So, it's completely official now. My family and I are embarking on a new chapter in our lives. I've been diligently researching medical school, and what it takes to get there. It's a long story, but we've got lots of time. In case you haven't seen it, here is the letter that I wrote for Sugarloaf. It says it all:

January 30, 2007

Sugarloaf Community Church
1401 Old Peachtree Road
Suwanee, GA 30024

Dear Sugarloaf family,
You may have already heard that I am no longer on staff with Sugarloaf Community Church, but I wanted you to hear that officially from me. Don’t worry; everything is fine! Our family is happy and healthy as ever, and God is so good to us. The reason for our departure is as simple as this: the Lord is just taking our family in a radically different direction from what we ever would have imagined. Doesn’t He have a way of doing that sometimes?

It had become increasingly evident in the last year that the direction that God was taking our family was changing. Boy, is that an understatement! I won’t go into all the details, but the bottom line is that I feel God leading me into a career in medicine. This is something I have had a strong desire to do since high school, but God has His own perfect timing. With His help I hope to use that kind of expertise, whatever form it takes, in the mission field. As you know, I have traveled around the world while at Sugarloaf, and have seen the needs of the world first hand. I sense that Lord has work for our family to do there, and we just want to be obedient to His call. Not too long after I accepted Christ (at age 30) my consistent prayer was, “Lord, use me wherever, however, and whenever you want.” Now is really where the proverbial rubber meets the road.

There is NO way that I could ever say in a letter how much Jamie and I adore the people of Sugarloaf Community Church. You are part of our family. We have laughed, cried, served, and grown together over the last 5 years, and we will never forget that. Make no mistake, we love you!

We have so many friends at SCC, so we hope to continue those relationships which have come to mean so much to us. Please don’t hesitate to come by, or give us a call, or an e-mail! Also, you can keep track of what’s up by periodically checking my Blog at http://www.billsims3.com. I promise I will try to keep it up to date.

Again, I love all of you, and I wish you all the very best in the Lord.

Many blessings,
Pastor Bill

Enjoy the winter wonderland tomorrow morning, and be careful out there!