Blog post #2

Friends and family...

thanks for those who read and responded to my last post... this works out very well for me to share and tell lotsof people whats goin on with me over here... because lets be honest I am terrible at replying to emails and facebook messages, i figure this is the best way to get to everyone...

So anyway,
It's been a week since my last post and it has flown by again, I have been here for a month and it really doesnt feel like that at all... so far it has been all i have hoped for, this doesn't just involved basketball but the people I get to interact with daily and the amount of time I get to read and study God's Word and share that with people...

the highlight of the past week was on Saturday Feb 6, when Luke, Al, and I went out to Rottness Island... its an island that is a 40 min ferry ride out off the coast of perth... we had just an amazing day! we went out snorkeling and rode all over the island on a bus to get from place to place... that was the first time I had been snorkeling, now that is all Luke and I have talked about all week, we want to go back out there again next Saturday to see some things we missed... Bc i guess there are some ship wrecks not too far from the shore that you can see... also the spots we went to were just beautiful, the fish and plants and coral were just beautiful... just an amzaing day, i will try to post some pics on here from that day bc its just a beautiful place...

we have our first game on friday Feb 12, vs the Stirling Senators... I hope to be playing in it, not that I would be benched or anything, but found out in the last week that all the visa stuff takes a long time to get thru... so i guess its technically not legal for me to play yet... so if i do have to miss this game for legal purposes I should def be playing next week...

One thing I am excited about is, now that the season has started as a team once a week we will be doing team times on thursday nights before practice... should be a great time to get to know the guys a lot better and share life and Jesus with some of the fellas... so pray for some of teammates and that our time would be profitable for changed lives with the Gospel...

wanted to put a list of books I have read in the last month or are reading now...

"Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus" Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg
-really recommend this book, great step into the life of Jesus, when God was on earth this is how He lived and shares the culture and lifestyle He would have lived

"A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" Donald Miller
- Entertaining and a can't put down book, first time I have ever read a book in less than a week

"Yeshua, A guide to the Real Jesus and the Original Church" Ron Moseley
- Pretty in depth study to how things looked and the culture of the time Jesus was on the earth, this is who I am taking classes from and he recommened to read this book..

"Vintage Jesus" Mark Driscoll
-This is the best book I have ever read! really recommend everyone to find and read this book... One of the guys I listen to on podcasts and I highly respect him and his teaching of the Bible... cant say enough about this book, please read this one above all the books on here...

"our Father Abraham: Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith" Marvin R Wilson
- Workin on this book right now, enjoying it! will fill you in more when this is over... but it a great indepth study on the Jewishness of our faith in Christ, should be finished in a week or so...

"buffalo for the Broken Heart" Dan O'Brien
-Been told this is a good book, only on page 40, so far its been really entertaining

Want to leave you all with something to think about,
one thing that I have heard over and over lately, is that there is no seperation between sacred and secular... It's all God's domain! He created it all, gives life to all things and people... this idea was never more present than in the Hebrew mind and culture, they viewed everything as theological... the good things and especially the bad things in life come from God, He is sovereign over all domains....
that was the heart of what Paul said to the Corinthians when he said in 1 Cor. 10:31"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." there is no seperation between work during the week and worship on sunday morning, its all worship... so if I am playing ball or studying God's word or talking with a friend, eating lunch, or out scooping the sidewalk it's all worship done before the Lord... so dont think that well since I am not speaking in front of people or as spiritual as the other guy don't thik you arent worshipping... all of life is to be worshipful and done withreflecting on what God has done in our life by creating it and esp. by sending His Son to die for us in our place...

thanks to all who read this... love you all
Ben