Saturday, November 9, 2002

Challenges

November 9th 2002

Aloha family and friends-

The most amazing thing happened to me at 4:30am this morning. I was sound asleep and awoken to the sound of a high pitch bark very close to the house. I knew immediately it was a deer.

Yes, the deer here bark like dogs!!!

I quickly but quietly went downstairs and opened the screen door. It was too dark to see but I could hear them running beneath me. (Sarah and I are staying at a friend's house in the Kawela's that overlooks the rocky and grassy hills of Molokai!) Anyway I went back inside and got the handheld spot light and turned it outside. There were baby deer everywhere. I think I counted 17 babies not to mention all of the mom's and dad's. All of the deer had been within a few yards of the house. As I shown the light, I saw dozens of pairs of deer eyes staring back at me. It was the neatest thing to be awoken to!!!

Well I think it has been at least 3 weeks since I have sent out any kind of note, so I thought I would email and let you know what is going on out here.

At school we are almost halfway through 2nd quarter. Each of my fourth graders are doing well and keeping me on my toes to challenge them. The majority of them are doing very well on introductory fractions. Which is awesome!!!

Weather wise- While most of you are experiencing the colder weather, our fall started out wet. We have already missed two days of school on the account of rain. The island was in much need of some rain, so now our island is beautiful and green again. The temperatures are getting cooler here as well. It was 62 degrees in Kaunakakai the other night and I thought it was nippy and cool. Our daytime temps are still in the 80's.

What am I up to? Besides teaching, I tutor a little girl. I am learning the sign language to Rachael Lampa's song "No greater love". I housesit and animal sit for a menagerie of animals almost every weekend. I try to spend some time finishing up projects and I also try to relax with friends occasionally. :)

Challenges- God has been putting some pretty big challenges in my path over the past few weeks. Even though I cannot go into the situations, I do ask that you will keep praying. As Pastor Randy mentioned last Sunday "How do we deal with the unexpected challenges in our lives?" Do we look to things of this world to "solve" our problems or do we look toward things of heaven? He was starting a series on the book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah, when faced with an unexpected challenge, reacted in three ways- physically (sat down and wept), emotionally (mourned), and spiritually (fasted and prayed). Our eyes need to be focused on things of heaven rather than things of this world. So keep looking up!!!!

Plans for the holidays- I will be leaving Molokai on December 13 and flying to the east coast to arrive on Saturday December 14. I will be headed back home on January 8th. I would love to see you if you are going to be in the Elon area, during that time. Please let me know. I will also be presenting on Molokai, December 29th at Kerr's Chapel Baptist Church (morning) and Pleasant View (evening service). I look forward to seeing you!

Please let me know if you have any prayer requests or praises that you would like me to pray for.
Much love and God's Blessings-

Wednesday, October 16, 2002

"All you need is LOVE"

Love- There is the age old question: Is it better to have loved and lost or to have never loved before? This is a difficult thing to talk about because there is a big difference between the world’s view of love and God’s view of love. God has been teaching me a lot about this subject and showing me how to love others with the same type of love that God shows us.
From a young age many of us grow up hearing songs like “Jesus Loves Me” then as we get older, we listen to the more “popular” music with lyrics like “Love me, love me, say that you love me” and “Do you love me?”. Even though it is the same English word, it has two very different meanings. God’s love or agape love is shown in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 with characteristics like being patient and kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs, and it doesn’t delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. This type of love always protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres. It is probably not hard to show some of these characteristics to someone you like or are friends with, but what about someone who has hurt you or betrayed your trust? Can you love them like this?
As I look around, at the media, that is not the “love” they are showing. (See how many of these characteristics fit with our media and culture today!) The world’s “love” is shown as people being lovers of themselves (the all-about-me syndrome), lovers of money, and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. This type of “love” is boastful, proud, abusive, ungrateful, unholy, unforgiving, and slanderous. The Bible also mentions this type of “love” in II Timothy 3:1-5. This is the type of “love” most easily shown from our sinful nature.
These are the two types of love that we have to choose from- one is a temporary love that will only lead to self destruction but the other is an unconditional love that no matter what we have done, we can still be loved. The God of the universe created you and me for a love relationship. He wants us to love others the way He has shown His love to us.
Wow! Those words are heavy- you mean I have to love even my enemy? Yep (Read Matthew 5:43-48) just as Christ loved us enough to die on the cross to save us from our sin.
God has really been working on my heart concerning this agape love. Everywhere I turn I find a new and interesting aspect of Christ’s love for me. My prayer for you is that you will know this love that only God can give. The world can’t even come close to the love shown by a God who knows how many hairs are on top of each of our heads.
Much love and God’s Blessings,
Angela Calhoun

Thursday, June 27, 2002

Sustained

June 27, 2002

Aloha from Molokai-

Last night, as I was sitting at evening program of the Molokai Christian Youth Retreat, we started singing the song “Sustained” by Darin McWatters and Josh Blanken. If you have not heard it before, here are the words-

I’m satisfied by your love so completely; How could I thirst for the praises of man; There’s nothing I need that You haven’t provided. No one can offer me peace like you can. Jesus your love is enough, sufficient for me, All I have needed You’ve given for free. Your love is enough, don’t need men’s applause, I know what I’m worth, I remember the cross (Chorus) I’m sustained, oh Lord, When your light surrounds me the world goes away. I’m sustained oh Lord. My heart knows your love like it flows through my veins. Such peace and contentment I’ve found in Your grace. I can’t think why I’ve ever complained. You love me what more could I want, I’m sustained.

As I heard those words last night and as I wrote them out again this morning I realized how true those words are about my own life and how God has grown me so much this past year. I know I couldn’t have said “I’m sustained” and meant it a year ago but God has shown me through everything I have done and been through this year that He is all I need. I used to do things (and probably sometimes still do) for the praises of man and when I didn’t get those praises I was hurt. God has shown me this year that He has given to each one of us talents that need to be done for His honor and glory- only. This is one of those skills that takes a long time to learn and God is still working on me but I know that His love is unfailing and that is what sustains me.

God has given to me so much, I feel so unworthy. There are times when being so far from family and friends, it gets lonely out here. I have been struggling this week with that. Last night when we were singing this song, I just thought back on my week and realized that in my loneliness God was still there. He provided conversations with far away friends and friends here on island. Only by His grace can this peace that passes all understanding be found. 

I was convicted last night by a verse in Isaiah 7 (verse 9)- “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all”. I want to offer to you this peace and unconditional love that can only be found in Christ Jesus. All you have to do is admit that you are a sinner, ask for forgiveness, believe Jesus Christ died on the cross for the payment of your sins and invite Him into your life. It is a free gift for the taking – no trying to do good works and no begging to get you into heaven- just a wonderful love from a big God. God even gave you the choice to accept Him and spend eternity with Him in Heaven or reject Him and be eternally condemned to Hell. 

I love each of you and want to be able to see you in heaven on that glad reunion day. Please feel free to email me any questions, comments, or prayer requests. Know that you are in my prayers.

Much love and God’s Blessings
Angela Calhoun