PaulPrins.net

I?m getting ready to leave for TCX and I?m super excited for it. Just being able to see my stout friends outside of their normal school mode, get to know them better and really grow in Christ with them. I?m so ready for this, late nights with no sleep, early mornings and quiet times that are so tempting to sleep through. Not to mention rockin in the new year with over 3000 college students worshiping God in massive dance party style!!

There really isn?t a ton to be writing here, I?m busy working on some other stuff and might post a part of it once I?m closer to being finished with it. This will be my last post for some time though. After TCX (which goes through the new year) my roomie is going to be coming over for a couple days, then I?m going to head to Wausau to hang out there for a while (not sure how long) and see Chris, Jacalyn, Ben and Jordan. It will be good times out there.

Otherwise there isn?t a lot going on in the life of Paul. Praying away some feelings to see if they are true or not. It would be so amazing if they were but alas I?m not the best with these things, and it would be a while regardless. Sometimes it seems like I want so much of God. But ?You do not have, because you do not ask God? james 4:2b.

I?ll write more deep things once the new year rolls around, and you can be sure that I?ll be keeping track of what happens at TCX and there will be a ton of photos.

Dancing in the hands of the Highest Priest,
~paul

It?s been so long since I?ve been home with the whole family and at the same time it doesn?t feel abnormal. As if it is something that has always been and will always be. I am very fortunate to know that our lives together simply won?t end up will stretch through the end of times.

Being here however is a bit weird and surreal. To my surprise my faith has been holding up quite well. Now granted there haven?t really been that many spiritual conversations or comments made towards me that could be harmful, has only been a couple days and I?m still slightly anxious for it to happen. Not that I know it has to but it just has every time I?ve been home before, so one could only infer.

The semester has wrapped up really well, better then I expected actually. Sitting at an A, A-, and two B?s at the moment and still waiting for my Philosophy grade to come in (thinking B+ or A- on that one). GPA jumped up over a point. Next semester should bring it up even more as well. It?s amazing to watch God move through my studies in such a way that allows me to focus on ministry on campus and on my floor. Speaking of floor?

I got everything moved up to my new room, 122 Hovlid, and will be out there in about three weeks to get everything set up and rolling. It?s so unreal to think that I?m going to be an RA with such divine favor that without finishing the application and never doing either of the interviews I was chosen first. There are big plans for that floor of guys and I only pray that I?m prepared and faithful in what he?s given me.

Started writing something and it?s coming along really well. I?m excited to see it when it?s done. Really feel His pleasure in writing it and am looking forward to seeing the final copy. I pray that it really helps push and excel our movement at Stout to better reach the campus and the world. We have more people then ever interested in going on international projects this summer! So awesome. I?m really looking forward to when I?m called back overseas. Hoping to touch up on my French a bit next year before hitting up STINT.

Remember that God is With Us, Immanuel!

Blessed be your time with Christ,
~paul

?I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.? Ezekiel 22:30

The sins and lives of those in Jerusalem were so strong and un-repented that the Lord was to strike down the entire city. During the exodus God was going to destroy his chosen people, here again we see His frustration with the people chosen to love Him. The list of sins is immense. Lord allow me to be in prayer for them, for myself.

Within our daily lives we are so far from God, those moments when we feel so spiritual or close to Him it is simply a dream and glimpse of what could be coming. The majority of the population look up to someone else within the populace. For those who are the admired and respected we must pray for their strength and morality, to be a living and pleasing example, found blameless before God. That they may lead us forward and into more perfect harmony with our Lord.

The biggest confusion is whose job it is to be praying, and what they should be praying for. I ask you to remember that Christ said ?You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit?fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name? (john 15:16). God looks down upon us in the same way as he did of Jerusalem in that whole passage from Ezekiel (chapter 22). He needs us to respond to him and stop cowering in our doubt and dreams.

Father I?m sorry for my lack of faith. I?ve seen so much and yet doubt your very existence. Lord stand in me and be my strength for my legs are weary and worn from years looking in all the wrong places for you. I pray that my inadequacies don?t hinder the world from crying out your name, that you would become perfect in my weaknesses and that I would live the promises of your word. Make me an intercessor for your people of such faith that mountains would tremble when you answer my prayers for them. May I bridge the gap and save the land? I pray it to be so.

I?m sorry Father for trying to be so much for you and not letting you be everything through me. ?I can do all things through him who strengthens me? (phil 4:13).

I absolutely hate this feeling, being so confused and spun around. Having satan standing in the shadows of my soul pulling and teasing the light to stray. Father give me strength and allow me to accept that you don?t allow me to stray far from you, from true life.

RA? Could it be so? Could I soon be a resident advisor? It seems fate but is it simply a ploy to distract me from what I?m called to, could it be my call changing and my own stubbornness raising up. My mind has been everywhere over the past couple hours, allow me to explain…

Monday I got back from my super long day and had a message on the answering machine from the hall director of Hovlid telling me the exact same thing that the HD of Wigen had told me about an RA opportunity there. After I got back from east asia I had decided that being an RA would simply distract me from what I felt called to on this campus. Because I am the E-team leader here it appears to me that my target area should be the whole campus, the fact that being an RA would require me to really focus on the guys on my floor in greater sense then I am now. I guess a breakdown is probably the best way to do this.

Before I had the interview for the RA spot in Wigen I had been praying for north campus and revitalization to occur up there. Christians to really be raised up left and right and for people to truly live for Him there so when the opportunity came to be an RA I was really excited about it. I had just missed the due date to be an RA for this whole year last fall. I?ve seen myself as an RA and it was one of the reasons I was so bold in my interview and in talking to others about it. Needless to say that when I didn?t get it I was quite shocked, because so many things affirmed my desire to be an RA. It shook me harder then I admitted even to myself, hit me hard through east asia and since I?ve been back until the last couple days. Once I finally grew past it the Lord presented me with this amazing blessing to be an RA! Now let me explain why this is so out there…

After getting back from East Asia I had decided against being an RA (for the reason in the third paragraph) so I didn?t go to the interview that Monday. I sent them an email after the interview happened telling them I was sorry and if they needed someone I could come in and do another interview, they said they didn?t and not to bother. So I then skipped the group interview on Sunday night as well. At some point during all of this I got an email from someone at res-life telling me my application was incomplete and that I needed to get it completed to be considered for a position. Sitting here with all of this before me it was an obvious two strikes against me, I had cut my losses and mentally started moving on. Through the different circumstances that had occurred I had gone from having four roommates, to a single, to one roommate, and actually ended up back with a single for next year (signed up this week). Later that night I finally had time in my room to check our message, it was another hall director.

I won?t attempt to explain why she called me, why I was offered the position, why I was the first RA selected from the pool of everyone else (who went to the interview and had a completed application). The only thing I will say of this is that God?s hand has been in it from the start, he?s been preparing me and guiding me. He?s cleansed my heart, prepared my surroundings, revealed ministry plans, and worked through all the hall directors on campus to place me at Hovlid next semester. I am blessed beyond belief, way past it and only pray that I can continue to let Christ live through and in me more everyday.

Moving to the north side!
~paul

Our Day of Travel | 13:31 November 19, 2004

Is this really happening to me, am I really sitting on a 747 on my way over to east asia? To think that God is so large that he could send me here, when a month ago it wasn?t even something I was planning on. Being able to watch the lord provide the prayer needed, the logistics, the other team members, the finances, and the refinement within our hearts preparing us for what we?re flying head long through this darkness into.

The first two flights went very smoothly, even for Katie who had never been on a plane before today. My body clock is also shifted around quite well, Wednesday morning I didn?t go to bed until 4:30 am and was up by 8 without my alarm? It?s quite unreal to think that after being awake for 20 hours I woke up after only three and a half hours of sleep. Naturally? Not at all, hehehe, Go JC. Took a nap that afternoon from what would have been similar to 3am until 6:30am in east asia. Stayed awake all night and then slept the first two flights, and the first four hours on our plane to east asia from the states. Here is the thing though, it?s called mechanical problems.

Before we ever got out of the gate at SFO they discovered a mechanical glitch with a fan that was cooling some electronics. For us that means that we were over four hours late for take off. While I did sleep the whole time it still would have been nice to get over there sooner, now we won?t be getting to our hotel until around midnight. Bleh, I only pray that we are able to get on campus that late at night… with all of the security it could be interesting to say the least.

Waiting to see what?s in store,
~paul

Party! | 19:53 November 21, 2004

Last night we held a party for a bunch of freshmen where we talked about thanksgiving and why it?s a holiday in the states. It was a lot of fun, though we felt it was pretty stupid most of the students really enjoyed it. Anne and I explained the story behind it, then got into a little of the idea of religious freedom that the pilgrims were seeking in coming to the ?new world? and it was quite successful. After that we had a little bit of group discussion and then came back to the whole group and brought people up on stage to act out the story. Haha it was great to watch about 60 Asian students act out the parts of the Pilgrims and the Native Americas. I got to talk to a large group (13) more one-on-one for a while and then broke up again once pete came over in a smaller group of about 5 students. It was interesting to hear what they were thankful for. I?m going to try to hang out with a couple of them more tomorrow. Sunday was just a day that was very needed to refocus myself on the Lord and why I?m here. I got a lot of questions answered today as well, for the direction my life/ministry is headed.

I?m really feeling led into a more teaching/motivating/unifying role at wherever the Father places me. I have the ability to really reach out to people across a group and bring them into a stronger body and encourage them to really live their lives out for the God. Speaking of the man, time for me to head off to a bible study. More later

Grateful for everything He?s done,
~paul

Ongoing Ministry | 14:16 November 24, 2004

I got called handsome again today… by a male security guard at the entrance of the men?s dorm. It was awkward but so amusing to me at the same time. Quick catch up, saw some more sights of the city today, was a lot of fun to tour one of the palaces and to get some pictures of traditional asian architecture. I love how they used to make things here, so beautiful. Also have had a lot of time to do ministry

Last night Josh and me got to go out sharing together. So awesome, First time I?ve gotten to go sharing with someone from stout and I really enjoyed it. It really is awesome to be in that one-on-one with someone who you already know, seeing them in a different light. To see God moving and working in our friend, how God was using both Josh and myself, so awesome and inspiring. I have been in a bit of a rut here just letting satan play with my mind and have me feel as though I can?t do this, that I can?t do this ministry, that I just can?t do it. Truth is that he?s right, but as I continue to empty myself more and allow the light of Christ to resonate through my being the footholds of satan will crumble and shadows see light. Watching God?s light penetrate into our friends life, his self-constructed walls around him falling faster then Jericho, and being witness to the spirit preparing the heart of someone who?s heart and soul desires to know the Lord.

Standing affront an english classroom in Asia full of bright faces all look at you, desiring to know you and what you have to tell them. Today we went into of an English class to talk about thanksgiving (of which I told the story, lets here it for Squanto!!), then Jamie talked about traditions (kind of, it was a little weird) and finally Cheri talked about college life. After that we had some question and answer time where the students wrote their questions in English on the back of the hand turkeys they drew. They were really straightforward questions that worked out really well for the time. Two students got into a fight during the break, was pretty stupid. After break we broke out into groups and then we talked for the rest of the time (was a two hour class with about fifty minutes left) and then took out group out for lunch. I?m still feeling lunch over two hours later. Eating some animal crackers to try to settle my stomach down, it?s working pretty well. Probably going to take a nap here in a couple minutes to try to feel better.

It?s hard to think that in three days I will be on a plan for home. God please move here, they need you so much and are so ready to hear what it is you have to tell them. May this country sing your praise from every mountain top and every valley. Millions crying out in your name, please God become real to them.

Trying to become less so they can also believe,
~paul

After it all was done | 12:08 December 1, 2004

I?ve been back for a couple days now and it?s weird to be here. Weird to think that a week ago I was in asia doing ministry. There isn?t a lot left to write, which is why the entries stopped. Things kept going on and the lord kept using us in our roll over there. I?m looking forward to finally getting to sleep in on Saturday? it?s been so long, something like three or four weeks. I keep sleeping through classes here and I really shouldn?t be. Blah!

God Bless,
~paul