A new year, A new outlook

The time is now upon us to start the school year here in Bowling Green! After two years here on the Hill I can now look down and see the "finish line" of my college career. This is a scary thought. What will I be doing in five years? Thoughts of deeper responsibility terrify and excite me all at the same time. I want to express my appreciation to all of those who have made life in college unforgettable. My friends, thank you for the good times and support in the bad. To my church, Living Hope Baptist Church has been nothing short of an honor to be served by you and serve with you during the time God has allotted me there so far.

With all this excitement, I thought it would be appropriate to think through where God fits in to all of this. The Lord has blessed me with people here in Bowling Green to help guide me to see what His purpose for my life is. Knowing this, God has always been by my side here in my ups and downs so far in college! It takes me back to scripture that Matt Haste showed to the college class.

Psalm 23

23:1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.He leads me beside still waters. [1]3 He restores my soul.He leads me in paths of righteousness [2]for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, [3]I will fear no evil,for you are with me;your rod and your staff,they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;you anoint my head with oil;my cup overflows.6 Surely [4] goodness and mercy [5] shall follow me all the days of my life,and I shall dwell [6] in the house of the Lord forever. [7]

God knows what's best for you and He will provide for you. Following Him has been difficult but it has also been so incredible! Good luck this year to all students and Go Tops!

My Apologies

Once again I have failed in keeping those of you who want to know how I am doing uninformed about my summer. Forgive me... Anywho, since I have written last the Lord has continued to move here in North Dakota. Good news, God has opened windows for me to share the gospel in the past few weeks who I have built relationships with over the course of the summer. The Holy Spirit has moved in Jimmy Johns to the point that those who work there have earnestly asked me to stay in Fargo. This excites me and breaks my heart all at the same time.

It has been wonderful to know that the Holy Spirit has used me in the work place to minister to the employees of Jimmy Johns. At the same time I have felt the Lord lead me back home to Kentucky and away from Fargo. This breaks my heart in that they haven't become believers in Christ since my arrival in May. But I know that the Lord will continue to move there. Thank you for your prayers this summer for those who I work with at Jimmy Johns.

In a matter of six days or so I will be returning to Kentucky from North Dakota by way of an extremely long car ride. Keep praying for us as we finish here in Fargo and as we travel back to our respective homes before school starts.

Through this summer I have realized an important thing about myself and other Christians back in Kentucky. We unfortunately don't hang out with enough lost people that are in our area of influence. For those at Western, we need to reach out to the lost in our area (campus). Now hanging out with Christians isn't a bad thing at all. We need fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to be our support. But we don't need Christian bubbles of people.

"Why?" you might ask...

Think about it this way, if all Christians hang out with each other, who would be reaching the lost people that they rub shoulders with daily? Nobody! I am not coming down on Christian fellowship by any means at all. But fellowship needs to practiced within reason. Christ himself was not around just his disciples all the time, but he spent time with sinners who the religious community would have nothing to do with.

As you have read this I hope that you would realize that I say all these things in love. I love all of you whom the Lord has brought into my life.

I Timothy 6:11-16

I would love to thank John and Abby Fisher for bringing me up to Fargo for the summer and showing me how to live intentionally among lost people. Thank you for your love, support, wisdom, and care this summer as God has allowed me to serve along side of you. I would also like to thank my "host parents" and the other half of the Mission Fargo family in Jeremy and Pam Robinson. Thank you for sharing your lives with me, groceries, nuggets of wisdom, support, love, patience, and just being "there" as I was away from home. To both families I thank you for making this summer very challenging but rewarding! Your guidance through this summer has been more than blessing to my life. It is my hope and prayer that the Lord bring us together again soon... You, your families, Mission Fargo will be remembered in prayer by me and others in far away places!

Last but not least, I would like to thank the summer missionary interns from this summer. Katie and Jen, thank you for your friendships and the opportunity to serve along side of you this summer in Fargo. I look back and wouldn't have it any other way. See you all back in Bowling Green! God Bless!

The Long Anticipated...

After nearly 3 weeks of not updating those who read and follow my blog, I have found the time to write another installment. So quick update, things are going reasonably well. Life in general is just like life at home but without friends and family at home and school. But the Lord has made my job of the most enjoyable experiences in my life. Indeed, Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches has been a sort of home in itself. The guys and 2 gals who work there have been nothing short of friendly and I can feel God working in the hearts of those who are employed there. Thank you for your prayers in that aspect. I was asked about what I believe the other day at work and was able to go through a door that the Lord had opened and was able to share the Gospel with my co-workers. Though they were far from a response, I know that God will continue to work in their life. It also built the relationship between me and my co-workers. Keep praying that the Lord infiltrate Jimmy John's and that He will give me answers to their questions.

Thank you for prayers for the city of Fargo and Mission Fargo's ministry to it. The first public event of Mission Fargo was a cookout that reaped results only that God Himself knew could happen. After that, the Fisher's hosted a cookout at their home for the workers of the Pita Pit that allowed us to interact with them.

God has provided ample opportunities to minister to the people of Fargo-Moorhead. Whether it be in coffee shops, work places, restaurants, campuses, and other random places throughout the city, God is moving here in the city. God is also moving at an outdoor basketball complex in South Fargo called Dike West. There is definitely a need for God's presence there among the people. Most people there are internationals or people who are minorities. Those who are there love the game of basketball more than anything in the world. Can't blame them, I kind of like basketball my self. I feel that ministry at this place in the city is huge. The need there is huge! Pray for this area. Pray for our ministry there at the courts. Pray that the Lord use me as his instrument there. Also pray that God give me the strength to make it through each game. Playing for four hours at a time can really take a toll on the body. Others that I have befriended also ask me to work out and play sports with them. Pray that God give me the physical endurance to serve Him in that capacity.

Thank you for supporting me and wanting to keep up whether you're in Peru, Kentucky, or any other place on this planet. I am praying for you, my brothers and sisters in Christ everyday! Keep serving out Great God!!

I read in my Bible today about us as Christians being sent out by Christ as disciples. John 20:20-21 is Christ's command to us to go out among the world as His disciples, and to live amongst the people whom we are ministering to. In Fargo, we have learned how to live intentionally. Everyplace that you go, you can use that moment to glorify God by living intentionally to bring the lost closer to Him. It isn't an exact science. It can be as easy as me writing this to you who read it from a coffee shop a block off campus here in Fargo. It can be done in the work place, recreational places, any place for that matter. It doesn't have to be done just on the mission field in Fargo, North Dakota but in places like Bowling Green, KY and the campus of WKU!

Once again, thank you for your prayers and support!! I ask you to keep submitting our names before the Lord so we may add to His number. Go and live for Him!

The Update- In more than way

Friends, it has been a while since I last wrote on this blog updating you on my condition here in Fargo, North Dakota. For that, I sincerely apologize. But I am happy to let you know that after 3 weeks here and getting a job at Jimmy John's that a routine has started to come about. This will make the adjustment of life here just about complete. Also I would love to report that my chest cold that I thought could have possibly ended my life has all but left this past week, making life in general more enjoyable. So far several relationships have been built between the summer missionaries here and those in our sphere of influence. Be in prayer for the relationships that the Lord has allowed us to build and that we can bring the gospel into their lives. Pray that God softens their hearts and that He will give us the words to say to them and not our own.

Not only did I want to update you on my condition here, I wanted to share what God has slowly reminded me of in the past few days. It has been every bit of humbling to relearn my place in God's kingdom. Pride had taken over me as I was adjusting to life here in Fargo. It had built up to the point that I was no longer serving God at times but in fact, building my reputation as a front-line missionary. But after reading scripture, other materials in possession, chatting with some friends and family here and at home I realized that the life of the missionary sent by God is not flashy and glamorous. It is the polar opposite of what I was living it to be. It is about me fitting into God's mission, not God being apart of my mission. I thank God for unveiling my eyes to my sinful nature in pride.

To be a disciple pursuing Christ whole-heartily, I must put away my pride to follow Him at my absolute optimum level that He has called me to. Hopefully, this will give me focus on the task at hand that Jesus has called upon me to serve Him here in Fargo. All of us believers here in the Fargo-Moorhead area must realize that we must remain focused on what God's intent of His mission in this area. Pray that we focus on God's intent here and not our own thoughts and desires. Pray that our focus doesn't discount love from the equation.

Ephesians 4:22-25

Realization

I would first like to update everyone on my condition here in Fargo, ND on mission for the Lord. I am doing well in adjusting to somewhat of a routine and I hope and pray the job search is coming to a close. Adapting to life here in Fargo hasn't really been that difficult due to living on campus which is a concept that I definitely understood the past two years in college. Riding a bike is by far a way more interesting mode of transportation. First, I hopefully will be in some sort of good shape when I return to Bowling Green. Second, it's a lot more thought provoking mode of transportation in that I must watch where I drive and where those who are driving actual vehicles are located and their rates of speed or frustration being stuck behind a bike. It also makes me watch time more closely due to my elongated journey time. But however, it is still fun and financially savvy. One thing thats been frustrating is that I seem to have succumb to some sort of a chest cold. It has been close to a week that I have not felt 100% in everything that I do. Coughing and sneezing up things I thought only existed in my imagination constantly has been a discouragement. so please pray that I can beat this cold.

Through all of this, I have realized that I am really no longer in Kentucky where all my friends and family are. I have made mistakes and misjudgements since arriving in Fargo and at times been frustrated with not only others, but myself. This is all the more reason to rely fully upon God's power over me. He has the power to calm storms with a quick calm command, He can bring a city to rubble by the faith of desert inhabiting Israelites just walking around it, He can bring the dead back to life, He can create an entire earth that will astound scientists for all time in only six days, and He created a way to defeat sin to reconcile us back to Him by sending a child to be born of a virgin and raised by a carpenter to die the most unimaginable death to raise back to life. God's power is the only thing that we have victory in. How else could we even have a chance to experience all wonderful things God has created us to live out to bring Him glory?

God gives us this power through His Holy Spirit. Not only that, He will sustain us when we abide in Him. That is comfort that you couldn't buy or attain. This humbles me to the lowest points to know that a God who created me and saved me would want to use me to spread His name and glory throughout Fargo. I have to remember that it is not I, but Jesus who saves people. It is in His power that Mission Fargo will rise to be a light in the Fargo-Moorhead area and not our own. Through His power we have life and the life He gives us provides an opportunity to share his name to all the nations.

So for now, I will keep battling this annoying cold and riding my sweet peddle-driven two wheel machine. Those who are living and serving at home and abroad will be in my prayers. So, I will leave you with this quote...

“The believer does not use God's power; God's power uses him.” - Kenneth Wuest

Test Blog- Perspective

So it has finally come about that I, Randall Rearden have started or will attempt to start blogging. To those that are interested in my well being, I am fine here up in Fargo, ND! I am overwhelmed but at the same time, God has given me an understanding to what the goals of Mission Fargo are as I work along side of them this summer. In other news, I have no car. Dissapointing you ask? Indeed. However, riding a bike for the summer in a new city, I have already seen parts of the city that I would have never thought about going to with a car. Plus, a bonus at the end of the summer is that hopefully I will be in somewhat good shape.

I have prayed earnestly that God give me his Perspective while here in the Dakotas. I want to see people the way Jesus would see them. I want to observe and learn from the people here and know their pains and triumphs. Hopefully with this perspective, people here will see Jesus instead of me. But for this to happen I must rely solely upon Christ and what he can do for me! Reading scripture and prayer will become vital to the summer to remain in Christ's perspecitve. Pray for me to yearn for God's word. Pray that the people of Fargo-Moorhead in their recovery from the flood and that God soften their hearts to the Gospel.

On the trip up here I listened to a sermon by Thomas Weakly about Matthew 9:37-38. 'Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest." This gave me so much encouragement to know that God will be behind Mission Fargo if we give all we have and do over to Him.

So pray that we remember that Mission Fargo is here to share Christ and is here for His harvest and that we be nothing but pure represtations of Him. I leave you with a quote that has had a great influence on me.

"The saint who is intimate with Jesus will never leave impressions of himself, but only the impression that Jesus is having unhindered way, because the last abyss of his nature has been satisfied by Jesus." -Oswald Chambers