Author: Erik

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my little sister on campus


An incredible applause to Jane Kupfer, my little sister on campus from my home town.  That’s right, a dear friend and little sister at that as well.  I had to dedicate this post to her after her die hard mentality she put into ESOAL this past weekend.  So get this… Jane bust her chin open during the event and had to get stitches.  I’m not sure how she got it or what had happened, but most people who get injured during the event at virtually any degree, simply never come back to finish the event (and I don’t blame them).  Even if it’s minor.  But guess what… yep, you guessed it, Jane came back.  They had to wrap some bandage around her head to prevent her stitches from coming undone, but she came right back into it.  Don’t believe me about the bandages, check this out:


 



 


She has grown so much in just the past couple of months she has been here and I only expect her to grow more as the months progress.  I don’t get as much time with her as I would like, but the moments that I do spend with her, I always make sure that she is being taken care of in all aspects here.  And with a great core as well as her core advisor, Jordan Goodson, I know she can’t go wrong!  I just wanted to give “mad props” (a new term I’ve learned) to Jane for being such a great friend and taking the role of my little sister on campus.  Below is a picture of her beautiful core, sister core and brother core (in pink… weird).  Although Jane may not be my blood sister (i love all my sisters at home), she has certainly become the little sister on campus I’ve always wanted. 


 


 



 


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worship

Last night was absolutely amazing.  The worship prior to Ron’s message was almost as if I was involved in a chase after the Lord.  Almost as if I was running to catch up so that I could peak around the corner and see His face, like if I were playing “tag” with the Lord.  Whatever the case, it was such a beautiful experience.  After Ron’s message, worship picked back up again and rolled right into this amazing worship session focused entirely on the freedom in Christ.  There was something about the evening… something different from other nights� something words cannot express in this post.  Along with that, there is something special about this class that the Lord is going to use throughout the 04-05 year� it can only leave me with an interesting rhetorical, and forgive me alumni for asking it, but I feel its worth the asking: can this next year be better than the last?

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class of 2005 report



“…as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone.  I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them… and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet – a vast army.”


ezekiel 37:7-8,10


 


I just wanted to report to the former class of our new 04-05 class.  Let me be one of the first to say that this new class is unlike any class I have seen before.  There’s a feel to this class that my peers and even staff have picked up on.  Usually, the feel is that the new class is dry and worse than the previous… but this class…. it’s an army.  They are hungry for the Lord and all I see is a legion of men and women ready to take a year on.  Sure, things may get a little rough, complacency may set in, but I know that the Lord has His hand-picked seasoned warriors here who will not let anything come in their way and are ready to start a year strong.  I have spoken with some of them and all I see is a hunger… I saw only little of this in the beginning of my year, but I see it everywhere right now with this class.


 


This morning during morning exercise, when we did our exercises together… we only stopped once to get back in sync. Once.  Do you remember how many times we had to stop on our first day???  Over and over, it seemed!  This class is ready to take on this year, and I am glad that I get to serve by their side in helping to forcefully advance the cause of Christ to the lost.  I’m so glad that these warriors didn’t just waste a aimless year in college or a “year off” sitting on their rears, but took the bull by the horns and came to this place to make a difference.  Even one of my dear friends from home, Jane, is here… I’m glad she is a part of this new class.. it’s the one that fits her best.


 


It doesn’t take an “honor academy” to become a warrior for Christ, but it does take a life of intense discipline to first find the vision and purpose for your life and enable you to beat your body and make it your slave so that you will not be disqualified while advancing Christ (I Cor 9:27).  I’m glad to be a part of a class such as this, ready to do just that.  Sure, it may be smaller… but I have a feeling that God intended for it to be that way to envelope intimacy.


 


In closing, I just want to let the former class know… our flame is being passed down strong.

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how beautiful…


Ok, so a small break between debriefing sessions…  I had a really good session with guzzardo this morning on how to shine in the workplace.  Phew, what a remarkable resource he has been in my life this past year, and what wonderful words of wisdom to apply in the workplace.  I’ve read several books on the subject (4-5 good ones) and Mike seemed to sum it all up in that session.  Good stuff.  I’m just “wisdomed” out right now and just need to veg until the next session.


It was pretty funny… we were all waiting in the cafeteria in line to get to hear guzzardo speak.  We just stood in line as if we were waiting for lunch as they prepared the caf.  As we were standing, I was standing near my good friend, Jeff Olver, and just asked him what would happen if someone yelled “pray” (as if we were about to pray for food… as is the custom before meal times, which is for one person to yell pray and everyone in the line also echoes the word until everyone gets it).  Well, without even thinking about it, Jeff totally just politely says “pray” (not even a yell) and sure enough, as if we’re waiting for a meal, everyone quiets down as “pray” is echoed everywhere and everyone got queit.  Jeff and I shared a laugh.


My mom starts driving to come here today (and will arrive tomorrow) and my father will fly in tomorrow.  I’m excited.  Debriefing will be all today… i’m excited.  As a brother core, we have chosen to spend the night with our sister core with an evening of planned events to bless them (details are secret at this time… will share later).  Well, I best get back to sessions, as they will pick back up shortly… With love, erik.

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it’s now official…


The Lord is good.  As of right now… my internship is now paid off (thank you to my lovely supporters).  The last penny came in today.  and…



the handbook is finally completed (preview) 
above picture is at the print press.


glory to the Lord… Anna, thank you for your incredible help and valuable time with the project as well as with the other projects that we had to tackle this past month.  One word: phew!  …now, off to pack! (does it ever end?)



Father, thank you so much for your incredible kindness… with my father and mother coming in just a couple days and all the array of blessings you have blessed me with, I am simply in awe of You, Father.  Thank you for your provisions in my life… Help me to serve your sons and daughters even better this next year.

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twelve years later…



…on Friday, August 13th (9 days from today), I will re-unite with my biological father.


Fifteen years ago, my mother divorced my biological father and moved with her across the country.  I visited him a couple years after the divorce, but haven’t seen him since.  Within those twelve years, my father remarried and had a son.  However, praise the Lord, in 9 days (august 13th), my father will step off the airplane terminal and I will come right back into his arms.  I will also meet (for the first time, mind you) my little brother (in 6th grade now) and enjoy the entire weekend with them both.  I am speechless.  I am near tears each time i think about it.



Father, how can your love be so signifant to me?  How can your love be so extravagent to bless me in such a way so profound?


At the same time, my lovely mother and three beautiful sisters will also spend the weekend with me.  I am hostely at a loss.  For the first time in over 15 years, will I have all that are dear to me, together with me.  With me.



Father, this will be the most precious gift you will have ever blessed me with.  Thank you for making this possible.  Thank you for giving that brief window of time to embrace your love even more.  I love you Father.  These tears, if I can only let them go, are for you.  I love you so much Father… your fire… deep in my soul… i just want to let it go, Father, in a new way… help this night be an offering to you.  I love you Father… I love you… thank you for your love, in Your Son’s Name, amen.


update from an earlier post :: the Lord is also delivering all of the funds that I need to graduate. Praise the Lord.

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Keith Green: “If your heart takes more pleasure in reading novels, or watching TV, or going to the movies, or talking to friends, rather than just sitting alone with God and embracing Him, sharing His cares and His burdens, weeping and rejoicing with Him, then how are you going to handle forever and ever in His presence…?  You’d be bored to tears in heaven, if you’re not ecstatic about God now!” 


This is going to be a different week.  I’m not satisfied with my current walk… i want more.  I may not be able to promise a lifetime just yet, but I am going to start by living a more intimate week, one moment, one hour at a time.


Father, may your love pour down… help me to hear… help me to see and understand.  Help me to find intimacy.  I pray you also entice anyone reading this with your saturated love.  We love You Father… We love You…  in and through Jesus, Amen.

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a small need, but still a need



While the year only costs $6,000/year, the Lord has blessed me with an online service to fund for a majority of this, therefore making the remaining debt outstanding to be only $500.  That’s it!  I’ve heard huge debts from a number of you, so I know my debt is mere peanuts.  There has even been a donor, who requests to remain anonymous, who has fully paid for my next-year intern costs so I may stay a second year here.  Praise the Lord.  However, that $500 is what keeps me from graduating in just a few weeks, and keeps me from the scholarship that awaits for me to stay a second-year.  Please keep me in prayer over this as it’s coming very near that I have to have this in (within 2 weeks) and things look slim.  I withheld sending support letters to friends and family because my sister was considering coming and she had already sent letters to the contacts, however only recently decided not to come.  Therefore, I just now sent an email out to some contacts, but as many of you know… that’s a bad way to ask for support.  Time is thin, so that is my only option.  I know and trust the Lord will provide, but thought I’d only ask for your prayer support.


Thank you so much family!  To close, I’ll leave you with a little treat I found on the internet:



http://www.truewalk.com/banana

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top 10 reasons you know graduation is near


10. interns begin packing their belongings every night in anticipation for departure


9. interns begin to freely give things to others (i.e. Januaries) to help lighten their load


8. interns begin to more rapidly populate their address books


7. interns begin to taking more random pictures of their cores, advisors & friends


6. more and more interns are obtaining and reading Xanga sites to “reflect”


5. interns are more anxious to see and get to know each other


4. dorm rooms throughout each hall become lazier & messier


3. interns begin to have more inspiration about fundraising


2. interns begin to secretley discuss plans to attend the post-graduation co-ed dance party


And the #1 sign that you know graduation is near…
1. Interns begin to receive letters from the opposite gender with the words:


“do not open until august 14th – 12:01pm”

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a week in pictures



This week has been wonderful.  Although a little sick, I was able to watch little campers tackle each other, laugh together, cry together… and then be a part of watching several mission trips arrive back all at once.  I love the summers here!  The next day (today) hundreds of more youth arrive to have sessions for a couple of days before leaving for their mission trip.  Yep, a very busy campus!  Let me get this memo out to all of you: I am not going to the New Orleans mission trip.  I was orignally signed up to go, but unfortunatley switched for another trip (which was great by the way).  I am, however, spending time with the co-leader I would of had for that trip (she’s on campus now) and getting to know her and hopefully the team a little better before they go.  Although I can’t go, it’s pretty nice to get to know them and keep them in prayer.  Fear of man is going to be rough on that trip especially… i went to New Orleans before and phew… didn’t have the best of memories. 



Well, without much ado, here are some pictures to better share the week:


 


 



 



 



 



 


below: my friend left his Junior Mints in the hot car during the movie.. let’s see if he finds out what happened: 


 



 



 


above: you just don’t do that to a neon.


below: i was in wal-mart, had a camera… i couldn’t help it.


 



 



 


above: parking lot of Grace Community (my church)


below: this picture made it to the new intern handbook


 



 



 



 



 



 



Father, we thank you for this next week.  May Your love just surround those reading this and let the peace that only comes from you fill their days.  Father, help us to remember that You are always in control.  Father, let us rest in You this week.  Thank You Father, for your mercy, love and warm touch.  We love You Father… help Your children to see more of Your truth.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.