So sorry follower and supporters.....Update on Newfoundland

So it has been almost 5 months since I last blogged and for that I sincerely apologize. News from Newfoundland: its cold, cold and....cold. The ministry here is growing so much, thanks to God's providence. I had the awesome opportunity to meet an Iranian student here with his wife. He gave his heart and life to Christ a month ago and to see him seek the Scriptures for understanding and how the way he witnesses to his wife and shares the Gospel not in anger or aggression but in love and tenderness. Praise the Lord for the examples of humility and love that He puts in my life. Outside of the ministry God has been turning my world upside down, in the most positive way ever. I have been studying biblical manhood and humility and pride for the past month and God has really just pricked my heart in so many places in showing me my downfall. Oh and for those who do not already know Laura (my amazing girlfriend that God has soo graciously blessed me with) and I are seeking counsel and direction in seeking marriage so I ask those who read this to pray for us as we seek God's will and His direction during this scary but soo amazing time in our lives. Continue, please, to pray for Steve and Sheena Grissom, Adam and Christi Dorsey, and Dennis Melton ( they are the missionaries here). Pray for them specifically and for the their families. Also please continue to pray for the church here in St. John's (Newlife Newfoundland) and the church in Ferryland (Ferryland Bible Fellowship). Pray that God will continue to show His amazing favor on us and that we and the those who are the locals here will seek Christ in a new way and that we will stay faithful unto the call He has put on our lives.

Books I am reading: "Biblical Mangood: Masculinity, Leadership, and Decision Making" (Stuart Scott)

"Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From The American Dream" (David Platt)

"The Gospel For Muslims: An Encouragement to Share Christ with Confidence" (Thabiti Anyabwile)

"Ephesians, and 1 John" (Apostle Paul and John)

At Work...

So I am sitting at the front desk of my Dormitory working and I find myself with the tune of "How Deep The Father's Love" in my mind and lookly my guitar is to my right, so this tune wont stay in my head forever...How I love hymns and hope that you do as well!!! :)

Snowy Sabbath

This morning I wake up to the sound of "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus" and I found myself asking the fundamental question, "Am I really longing for my expected Jesus?" A lot of times in my life I find myself not living like it is the last day, whether its in my evangelism, reading of the Scriptures or even proclaiming the Gospel to all people daily through my actions. I feel that when we find out selves slipping we also find ourselves proclaiming, unintentionally, a sugared gospel, a false gospel. A gospel that doesn't proclaim the realness of sin, and the truth in the returning of the coming again of the Messiah. Let us never loose site of the true Gospel and its Truth, no matter where it may apply departmentally in our lives.

"Avoid a sugared gospel as you would shun sugar of lead. Seek the gospel which rips up and tears and cuts and wounds and hacks and even kills, for that is the gospel that makes alive again. And when you have found it, give good heed to it. Let it enter into your inmost being. As the rain soaks into the ground, so pray the Lord to let his gospel soak into your soul." CHS

The human body as the spiritual church

As I sit here at work and listen to Indelible Grace"s song " The Church's One Foundation" I can't help but think of my brothers and sisters in Haiti right now suffering. Ya know the human body is kinda like the Church. When one part of the body is hurting or cut and bleeding the rest of the body sending things from their respective areas to help the situation and to make sure the body stays as one. This is how we should treat the Haiti situation, they are not just a people in need or a country that is suffering. They are a part of us, the Church. And as the church we are to help them just as much as we would a family in our own respective congregations. So be bold, pray and/or send help to our brothers and sisters in Christ, because what a witness it shows to those who are on the outside looking in.

alittle brief update!

So it is almost a month into the new year (2010) and things are already looking crazy busy and just plain chaotic lol.....but all in all things are good. Starting next week I am starting a new devotional to help prepare my heart and mind for this coming summer. And yes the rumors are true I am returning back to Good Ol' Newfoundland for Summer 2010, so get excited!!! I am so forunate and blessed to have another opporunity to go and serve the people of Newfoundland to be help out the amazing ministry already going on there with Pastors Steve Grissom and Adam Dorsey. Please continue praying for the people of Newfoundland, for the members of New Life Newfoundland Church and for me. May God be honored and praised through all the areas of our lives!!!

- Mike Smith.... no worries there will be more to come soon and a new, awesome layout and background!!! :)

This post is to let people know, who are following, that Gwen and I loved Newfoundland and now are back in the States and back in school. I get to see her this weekend at our NC-Baptist Campus Ministry Fall Convention! yay!! This is a short blog but just an update about whats kinda going on. I will blog hopefully tonight to give a much more detail account of our last days in Newfoundland, the crazy and present Fall Semester and a few others details! :)