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Dear Friends,
On May 22nd, I flew out from New York to Montana with my beloved parents. We enjoyed a week together visiting Yellowstone National Park. The weather was perfect for seeing all types of animals. Among other pictures, here's a picture of me sneaking up on a fox. On Memorial Day, Monday, May 29th, my family had dinner at my supervisor's house. The next day, I started my internship with Peacemaker Ministries.
I have only good impressions of the Peacemaker staff. They are wonderful! I can see their passion for God's glory and love for his church. I may appear to be different in many ways from most of the staff (in terms of age, geographic background, etc.), but that has been no barrier to fellowship. I've been treated with kindness; asked to lunch, provided with an old car. Tonight, I'll be going to my supervisor's house for supper and a game of cards. I praise God for his provisions.
One of the projects I am working on is reviewing recent arbitration and mediation court cases. Simply put, our goal is to stay updated on the law pertaining to arbitration agreements, so that Christians can stay out of court (in accordance with 1 Corinthians 6) and resolve conflicts Biblically.
It is exciting to see Biblical principles and the law used together. For example: the ministry deals with concerns of due process, equity, justice, restitution, forgiveness, love, and peace. Personal disputes do not always involve solely personal issues. They may involve substantive issues, involving areas of law such as contracts, torts, and property. The goal of Christian reconcilers is to address personal heart issues (such as love and forgiveness) as well as any substantive issues that need to be addressed to right wrongs and bring complete reconciliation.
Food for Thought: One of the things I've been reflecting on is whether I am consistently practicing Peacemaking responses. It is easy for us to be like a pendulum, swinging from one extreme to another. Here is a chart detailing the slippery slope of conflict. If you look at the chart, you'll see the extremes to avoid. For example, suicide is an extreme escape response. It is a leading cause of death in adolescents. On the other side are attack responses. While we may not practice the most extreme behaviors, it is important for us to recognize our tendencies, so that we can avoid peace-faking and peace-breaking, both of which are not peacemaking responses. This stuff is very practical; peacemaking principles can be used with friends, family, and even non-Christians.
I will endeavor to feature a few Biblical peacemaking principles in my next Im4God.org newsletter. (Don't worry, I have already included you on my other newsletter list!)
Praises: - I praise God for this opportunity to learn. It is humbling to work with such talented people. One young lady I met just received her M.Div from Westminster. (We joke that if she were a liberal, she could be a pastor.) Another lady has her law degree from Harvard. It is exciting to see people use their talents and minds for the glory of God. - For God's bountiful provisions. Some simple examples include: fellowship, food, a car... - For the exciting work of this ministry. This ministry has grown a lot in the last years. It is inspiring to see how Christians all over the world are united in their pursuit of God's glory.
Prayer Items: - Please pray for my grandfather. He is around 90 years old, but is in the hospital for pneumonia. He seems to be stable at the moment. Please pray for his health and growth in Christ. - Please pray for Paul Tripp's daughter. His daughter Nicole was injured in a near-death accident on May 19. She is recovering now, but there will be long-term effects. Paul is a professor at the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (CCEF) and has a very visible ministry. Pray for God's glory in the family's response, for Nicole's health, and for comfort to the family. For more information, see http://nicolenews.blogspot.com/. - The requests in my last newsletter are still ongoing concerns. Please click here to view them.
I appreciate your support and thank you for taking the time to read this!
In Christ
Alone,
P.S. It is not too late to sponsor me: I am still short of my target goal. If God so leads, please donate through one of the following methods. 1. Donate
online. Go to www.peacemaker.net, click on "connect and serve,"
then "make a donation." Be sure to designate your gift in the drop down menu to the
"summer internship support program." (I am the only summer intern this
summer.)
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