I've been trying to communicate more with others and here is another effort to keep that commitment! I have been uneasy the last two weeks during the work day. The main reason is that, in the past year, God has almost never given me the resources I need in advance. If I need to move forward in my plans for being a missionary, I seem to have to start filling out a visa application, or signing up for flight lessons, or putting together my passport application, etc. before I know how I am going to pay for these things.
As of last week I found out that all of the funding for flight training (at least according to my estimate of what it will cost) is available to me. However, we do not have an airplane available for me to use. There are planes available to rent, but they cost roughly three times what it costs me to fly one of our planes. I've been uneasy because I want to move forward, but everyone I've talked to agrees that waiting two weeks for the plane to arrive makes more sense than spending three times the money just to advance a week sooner. I want to know what God's will is though, so I am praying in this matter. The trip to go buy the plane and fly it from California to here has been postponed until next week. I am thinking that soon I may make plans to rent and move forward and trust that God will make up the difference so that I can finish flight training.
Aside from that anxiety, the good news is that since I haven't been flying, I've been available to help with the remodeling that is going on here at the GMI Media Center. In the next couple of weeks we should have an ideal layout of the offices, and a custom receptionist "command center". I'll post some pictures soon. We may be running a production studio for 5 TV stations out of this humble building soon. Many people have a sense of anticipation as if God is going to move in a mighty way to remove all the current barriers to our reaching the world with God's last-day message. Even non-Christians have been more open to receiving literature about the Bible recently when I offer it. May the Lord come soon.
God Bless,
Scott Sterling
February 18, 2010
February 12, 2010
Winter in Collegedale
Things are going really well here. It's snowing outside but the roads are clear and sunshine is forecast for tomorrow; things are kind of peaceful. I am glad that we are living in a place of relative peace in the world for a moment. I am surrounded by those that I love and they all are working in the highest calling they know. I will miss the friends and "extended family" I have found here in Collegedale, but I am sure God will provide others wherever He sends me in Africa.
The great news is that I've been courting someone I met here just over two months ago. We spent over a week making the decision, considering I will be leaving very soon to Africa. I received good counsel from my parents, friends and mentors, and prayed a lot. The final decision was that it would be ok to get to know each other and see if we are matched, as long as we are careful. We do not want to cross any lines in our relationship that would make it difficult for us to just be friends if that is God's will. Just as I'm typing this it seems to me that anyone deciding to court someone else should follow such a plan, but I know that I definitely have not in the past. I have allowed myself to get more intimate with someone before marriage than I would choose to now. I don't hold myself up as an example to anyone else, but after counsel from some friends, we have decided not to kiss before marriage. To the friends I grew up with in Seattle, this would be quite radical! So far though, I'm very happy with just getting to know this person, the conversations that we have and praying for each other. I am looking forward to any ministry we can do together while I am here, aside from preparing for Africa. Her name is Luzmineth. Min for short.
As February 14th is approaching and many people are thinking about love, I wanted to share a beautiful text from the Bible. This is from 1 Corinthians 13, and it's in the New Living Translation:
---
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud
or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged.
It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.
Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
Love will last forever...
---
May we all live up to such a description of love! I hope all of you are doing well. Please write me if you get the time by posting a comment. Pray for Min and I for direction and faithfulness to God. One praise I want to mention is the funds for flying for the rest of my flight training appear to have come in! This often doesn't happen where I have the funding beforehand, so it seems to me that God is encouraging me to rush forward and expect all other obstacles between here and Africa to disappear. I have a plane ticket to buy, and a visa to apply for and final decisions to make on what to pack, but all of these are small things for God.
May God bless you with the peace that passes all understanding and true love this week.
Scott Sterling
February 3, 2010
Back in Collegedale
Friends,
I hope all is well with you and you have the "peace that passes all understanding" today (Phil. 4:7).
I am back in Collegedale, TN to finish flight training. Before going home to Seattle for a month, I attempted the instrument checkride. I passed the oral portion but I was given a "discontinuance" on the flying portion because the weather was not good enough for us to do the flight. I would only have to come back to him after I returned to Collegedale and we would finish the flying portion of the test.
While I was gone we had an unfortunate accident: http://www.newschannel9.com/video/?videoId=61734834001&lineupId=1137849423
One of our students took off early in the morning for a long cross-country flight to Canada and crashed just after takeoff. It is a miracle he survived, and much moreso that he only lost 3 teeth and needed a few stitches. He's almost fully recovered, and our plane will soon be replaced by a Cessna 150 and a Cessna 172RG. This hampers my plans to finish my checkride, of course, but as soon as we get the Cessna 150 I'll definitely be able to move forward.
In the meantime I've been studying, and I have an interesting new experience to share. As of three or four months ago, my plan has been to get to Africa without considering any kind of courting relationship with anyone until I arrive there. This was largely affected by advice I recieved from my father, who said "If there is a young lady who is as dedicated to African mission work as you, she's probably already out there."
Two weeks before I went home to visit family in Washington, I met a friend who goes to my local church here in McDonald, TN. We kept in contact over email while I was at home. It turns out she grew up in Africa (her parents were missionaries there). About six months ago I finished a list of qualities that I believe someone would need to have in order for me to consider marrying. It includes vital things such as common religious faith, and some optional things that I would like. As I have gotten to know her, the things we have in common became more prevalent, and I subconsciously began to compare this person with the list I had written.
Two weeks ago I wrote her to be honest about my thoughts in this area, and she wanted to speak with me. We've been getting to know each other more and I've been seeking the counsel and guidance of my parents, mentors and close spiritual friends. I've been doing a lot of praying as well. I still intend to depart the area, Lord willing, in six weeks for Africa. I do not know how we will get to know each other after that, but we are taking caution not to cross the line of being friends, and are happy just for the experience of being friends and praying for each other.
This relationship has been different for me from any other since High School, in that everything has been out in the open, and I believe that we have the approval of God in all that we have done so far. This has resulted in a wonderous new revelation to me: In my prayers in the evening, instead of my thoughts and feelings toward this person becoming a hinderance to my relationship with God, on the contrary they have advanced it! Jesus thinks toward us as a husband toward his wife (Eph 5:25), and it is quite a revelation to me to realize how He thinks of me. It's been a blessing.
I wanted to share one more thought with those who are interested: You are the only you that ever has been, or ever will be. God could not create another you, even if He wanted to. He gave you free will, and the choices you have made and the experience you have had on this earth have shaped you. If you are not in heaven, you will be missed. You are a jewel in God's eyes (Malachi 3:17) and just as a gemstone is unique in the way it reflects the light of our sun, so you are unique in the way that you can reflect God's character and goodness. He has great things for you already planned in the world to come. If you are not there, those plans will have to be cancelled, and God will be sad. Please don't disappoint Him.
The grace and peace of our Lord be with you.
Scott Sterling
I hope all is well with you and you have the "peace that passes all understanding" today (Phil. 4:7).
I am back in Collegedale, TN to finish flight training. Before going home to Seattle for a month, I attempted the instrument checkride. I passed the oral portion but I was given a "discontinuance" on the flying portion because the weather was not good enough for us to do the flight. I would only have to come back to him after I returned to Collegedale and we would finish the flying portion of the test.
While I was gone we had an unfortunate accident: http://www.newschannel9.com/video/?videoId=61734834001&lineupId=1137849423
One of our students took off early in the morning for a long cross-country flight to Canada and crashed just after takeoff. It is a miracle he survived, and much moreso that he only lost 3 teeth and needed a few stitches. He's almost fully recovered, and our plane will soon be replaced by a Cessna 150 and a Cessna 172RG. This hampers my plans to finish my checkride, of course, but as soon as we get the Cessna 150 I'll definitely be able to move forward.
In the meantime I've been studying, and I have an interesting new experience to share. As of three or four months ago, my plan has been to get to Africa without considering any kind of courting relationship with anyone until I arrive there. This was largely affected by advice I recieved from my father, who said "If there is a young lady who is as dedicated to African mission work as you, she's probably already out there."
Two weeks before I went home to visit family in Washington, I met a friend who goes to my local church here in McDonald, TN. We kept in contact over email while I was at home. It turns out she grew up in Africa (her parents were missionaries there). About six months ago I finished a list of qualities that I believe someone would need to have in order for me to consider marrying. It includes vital things such as common religious faith, and some optional things that I would like. As I have gotten to know her, the things we have in common became more prevalent, and I subconsciously began to compare this person with the list I had written.
Two weeks ago I wrote her to be honest about my thoughts in this area, and she wanted to speak with me. We've been getting to know each other more and I've been seeking the counsel and guidance of my parents, mentors and close spiritual friends. I've been doing a lot of praying as well. I still intend to depart the area, Lord willing, in six weeks for Africa. I do not know how we will get to know each other after that, but we are taking caution not to cross the line of being friends, and are happy just for the experience of being friends and praying for each other.
This relationship has been different for me from any other since High School, in that everything has been out in the open, and I believe that we have the approval of God in all that we have done so far. This has resulted in a wonderous new revelation to me: In my prayers in the evening, instead of my thoughts and feelings toward this person becoming a hinderance to my relationship with God, on the contrary they have advanced it! Jesus thinks toward us as a husband toward his wife (Eph 5:25), and it is quite a revelation to me to realize how He thinks of me. It's been a blessing.
I wanted to share one more thought with those who are interested: You are the only you that ever has been, or ever will be. God could not create another you, even if He wanted to. He gave you free will, and the choices you have made and the experience you have had on this earth have shaped you. If you are not in heaven, you will be missed. You are a jewel in God's eyes (Malachi 3:17) and just as a gemstone is unique in the way it reflects the light of our sun, so you are unique in the way that you can reflect God's character and goodness. He has great things for you already planned in the world to come. If you are not there, those plans will have to be cancelled, and God will be sad. Please don't disappoint Him.
The grace and peace of our Lord be with you.
Scott Sterling
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