February 8th, 2010 by Jamie Knowles
- Love is the difficult realization that something other than oneself is real. – Irish Murdoch British novelist (1919-1999)
Hey everyone,
Just wanted to send a quick note about what is going on with my dorm (Thomson). It is almost Valentines Day and I’m so excited!!! My dorm is selling homemade fudge and single long stem roses.
This year we are giving all the proceeds to Haiti, which I am really happy about. You see I have a friend who lives down there working with a care program. She was not in the area when the earthquake hit, but she is there now helping with the care program in giving out food, water, and clothing.
Even though the money that we are sending will not go to her organization, it will go to another organization that does the same thing. Please pray that we will have a lot of sales.
You might be wondering how the quotation fits into what I said. A lot of times we look at ourselves as being the only ones on the planet. Most of us, if we admitted it, do not know what is going on outside of our borders. When we hear about events going on around the world it really doesn’t affect us. This is a chance for us as a dorm to show love and concern for those in Haiti. We are taking the steps to acknowledge that they are real people, not just some news story.
Happy Valentines Day and show some love and concern for others these next few weeks.
Jamie
Tags: Campus Life, Dorm Events, Love
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February 4th, 2010 by Jamie Knowles
Last Thursday night our Sophomore Class Officer team had a rather late meeting that lasted until after curfew. It had been a rather hectic week for me, and I left my room completely trashed when I left for the meeting. Upon returning to the dorm, the last thing I wanted to do was clean my disaster of a room.
Thankfully, I didn’t have to
While I was gone two of my Suite Mates (One being my RA/Best friend -yes that has its advantages) decided to clean my room. Now, what you have to understand about BBC is, generally speaking, nothing is done… shall I say “boringly.” If you are going to do something in the dorm, especially for a close friend, there is an unwritten rule that you have to add a touch of humor to the situation.
What did my “Suite-y’s” decide to do? Well along with my cleaned room they left an outfit which they deemed appropriate for me to wear the next day. Not that I can’t pick out my own clothes, but being mildly color blind sometimes limits what you choose. What I mean by that is “ya pick the ones you know match for sure!” Anyway, they left me a cute little outfit and a cheesey little note that said something to the effect of “here is your outfit for tomorrow, honey!” Actually, that is exactly what it said… they think they’re so funny!
When I returned from the meeting and found my suite mates giggling in the hallway, I knew they had been up to something. Sure enough, my room was spotless, and the note on top of the outfit was clearly my RA’s handwritting. I’d love to give names, but alas, I will protect the guilty!
At any rate, I love my suite mates! And their service/prank was much appreciated!
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February 1st, 2010 by Jamie Knowles
Strong reasons make strong actions~ William Shakespeare
Greatest English dramatist & poet (1564 – 1616)
Hey everyone,
Today, I wanted to share with you something that has impacted me over the past few years that I was just reminded of today.
Today I had a creative writing assignment due and I had no clue what to write. We had to write a poem and I was stuck. Poetry has never come naturally to me, but this one that I wrote a few years ago impacted my life in such a large way that I am compelled to share it with you.
I Will Fight
I will fight the fight.
I will stay the course.
Untill I draw my last breath,
I will fight the fight.
I will strike down evil
Wherever I find it.
I will kill the evil one
With the Word of Truth.
I will not run.
I will not hide.
I will not stay in the castle.
I will not lock the gate.
I will fight for the Lord.
I will be my generation’s hero.
I will not sheath my sword,
Until I draw my life’s last breath.
You might be saying, “That is such a bad poem.” And you might be right. I never said I was good at it. However, look at the words in the poem. This poem impacted me to actually stand up and fight for the salvation of this generation and the ones around me. This poem reminds me that my job is not done yet. I am not to stay in my little Christian bubble and never try to share Christ with others. I am to go out into the world and I am ashamed to say that I am sorely lacking in that.
I pray that you too will be reminded to go and share the gospel with those around you as I was reminded today. For our reason to act is the strongest and greatest reason of all.
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January 29th, 2010 by Jamie Knowles
Our President made a statement in Chapel this week that really amazed me. He was describing the student body to the trustees and he said “There is nothing like singing with these students when they really let it rip.”
As I thought about that a little bit, both that day, and the next, I began to really pay attention to what the voices sounded like in Chapel. And the instant harmony that took over when the student body was united together in song literally gave me goosebumps.
Once I was told that everything on earth is a broken version, or a shadowed resemblance of what will be found in heaven. I don’t know if that’s entirely true, or all the ramifications of that. But I do wonder, if the singing in chapel can move me to such awe, what will it be like to hear all the saints and angels sing together someday? HALLELUJAH! That will be cool!
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January 28th, 2010 by Jamie Knowles
“Among those whom I like or admire, I can find no common denominator, but among those whom I love, I can: all of them make me laugh.” ~ W. H. Auden
US (English-born) critic & poet (1907 – 1973)
Dinner is one of my favorite times of the day. But I am a morning person - how can this be? It is at dinner that I get to spend time with my friends and laugh with them. It is also the time when I hear the most laughter.
Laughter is one of the most important aspects in a person’s life. I love to laugh and I love to hear my friends laugh whether it is at me or at something else. Laughter is one of my favorite parts of life.
Here at BBC I find myself surrounded by people who love to laugh and joke around. As usual there are times when things get a little out of hand. That is to be expected when you are having a good time with your friends.
Friendships are formed usually over a good laugh. And that is how many of the people here became some of my closest friends and most of those times of initial friendship was founded at the BBC cafeteria tables.
I pray that you have a lot of laughter in your life and a good number of friends to share that laughter with. I know I do.
Tags: BBC Cafeteria, College Life, Friends, Laughter
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January 24th, 2010 by Jamie Knowles
One of my favorite Professors at BBC is Dr. Don McCall. Those of us in his program affectionately call him “P.D.” or “Pastor Don.” I had the privilege of serving in ministry with PD during my Freshman Year of College, and there is one phrase he repeated to us over and over that has stayed with me.
“Expectations destroy gratefulness.”
What does that mean? Well, exactly what it says. It is no more simple or complicated than it sounds.
“Expectations destroy gratefulness.”
I have thought about that a lot this last week. See the phrase has been so cemented in my brain this last year, and I have used it when admonishing friends, or the teens in my youth group. But never before had I really allowed the concept to apply to my own life.
“Expectations destroy gratefulness…”
Finally, I am beginning to understand just how my expectations of people, or classes, or ministries have caused me to demand certain things out of my experiences. When, the reality of the situation is, God is the one who has sovereignly ordered my life and my experiences to teach me what He wants.
Why does it always take me so long to catch those things? I don’t know, but thankfully God has me here where I can be under the influence of people like Pastor Don. So, thanks PD!
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January 23rd, 2010 by Jamie Knowles
As some of my friends and I sat in on the first quarter of our Lady Defenders Basketball game today, we were reminded of one of the unique aspects of BBC Athletics. Its not that we necessarily dominate on the court, or have some real fancy style of play. Nothing like that.
What is unique about our teams is unity. I am not talking about all of the ladies on the team working together or being buddies. The unity I am talking about is best described by Romans 15: 5-6.
“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Whether a Lady Defenders dives for a rogue ball, shoots a free throw, or simply calls out cheers from the bench she does it for the glory of God! I have heard people say that is important to the team and so on, but I haven’t spent much time watching the games. This morning I just casually walked in the gym, not expecting to learn anything. Just catch a glimpse of the game. But what I found instead was a group of women united together as a team, glorifying God! Way to go Lady Defenders!!!
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January 22nd, 2010 by Jamie Knowles
Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. ~ George Santayana, The Life of Reason, Volume 1, 1905, US (Spanish-born) philosopher (1863 – 1952)
This year I am taking American History II. My teacher Miss Cagley is one of the reasons I love history so much. Honestly! For me history is one of the greatest subjects that one could ever learn. If we did not have our past, we would not know where to go from here. The past is the starting point of the decisions that will be made in the present.
Now some think that they cannot learn anything from History. I disagree. History is filled with advancements and with failures that we can learn from. One of the biggest and funniest lessons to be learned from history is to never try a land invasion of Russia. Okay you might think well duh of course, but think of how many times it has been tried.
Napoleon. Hitler. Both tried. Both failed. Miserably I might add.
However, my point is no matter how silly it may seem we can learn from history. If we do not glance back every once in a while how will we know not to make the same mistakes?
I encourage you to get into history and find something new that you can take with you in the present. For me? Well let’s just say that my lesson from history is there is nothing new under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 1:9- “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.”
Tags: American History, BBC Classes, Professors
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January 21st, 2010 by Jamie Knowles
The great aim of education is not knowledge but action. ~ Herbert Spencer
English philosopher (1820 – 1903)
How true is that quote? In my opinion, it is exactly right. The reason why I am here is not just so I can learn all that there is, but I am here so that I may learn how to take that information and put it into action.
What good is knowledge if we do not know how to use it and what good is it if we know how to use it but don’t. That is why I love my professors here at BBC. They are first giving me knowledge then they teach me how to use that knowledge. Moreover, they even go as far as giving me opportunities to use what I have learned.
My Theology class this year is the perfect example. I am taking Theology IV with Dr. Cragoe and his wife. I just love the class. Today we looked deeper into Baptist distinctives and as the class progressed, he gave us examples of other churches’ standings on the Bible and how church is to run. He then asked us to look for the differences and for the Biblical inaccuracies of the statements.
This will help me in the future as I search for a church to settle down in or even how to communicate the Gospel to someone who wants no part of it. This knowledge will also help me in every aspect of my life, but only if I actually use it.
Training men and women to put into action what they know – that’s BBC. That’s one of the many reasons that I love it here.
Is there a class that actually challenges you to use the knowledge you have? Better yet, do you take up the challenge when it arrives?
Tags: Baptist distinctives, BBC Classes, knowledge, Professors, Theology
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