Atlanta!

Katie and I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Mr. Brad and Mrs. Katelin East in Atlanta, Georgia. Some might say that they live amidst a forest and that their new apartment is 12 times bigger than there apartment in Abilene and that someone would be close to correct.

And this is the point of the blog that I would love to post a glorious picture of Emory in all its beauty, but alas I cannot because I do not own a camera and because I do not know how to post pictures still. Emory was no doubt beautiful and humongous and Bradley East claims he will be using the massive recreation center so if you do not recognize him during your next encounter it may be because Brad East is hiding behind a gigantic physique.

Katelin was enthralled new kitchen and her "second bedroom" a mystery left until you go and visit their home!

They were both doing well and we had a great time being showed around Atlanta!

Katie and I fly out of the airport here in Nashville Sunday morning at 8 am and will arrive at LGA in New York and start right away with getting used to the public transportation system! Thank you for your continual prayers for the interns, the people and the church in the Bronx!

Nashville

I am currently in the gorgeous state of Tennessee where a pretty little gal named Katie Morrison is from! We drove in from Abilene on Saturday and have been hanging out with friends and family here since then. We are heading out for the Bronx Sunday morning and will meet up with all the interns for the first time in the airport and proceed to experience New York public transportation for the first time!

Last week, Katie and I took a missions class at ACU called Teaching Good News. Our professor was Brady Bryce and he did a great job getting us to think about big topics like what the gospel is, salvation, evangelism, contextualization, and the Kingdom of God. I really enjoyed reflecting on past experiences, sharing in others experiences, and learning new and old perspectives on how God's people are to tell the good news!

The class was proceeded by a short seminar led by Tom W (I cannot come up with his last name, maybe Wymore) and he taught us about coaching. Coaching finds itself in a category with mentoring and counseling, but it is different because it seeks to empower the other person by believing that generally answers can be found within the other person so the coach must focus on "redemptive listening" and asking good questions. Of course that was a small nutshell, but it was also another helpful tool to have and to think about.

I believe that when I get to the place I am staying in the Bronx there will not be internet access, but if it takes any more than five minutes to walk to the nearest coffee shop with wireless internet I would be amazed. So I should be updating soon and regularly! I hope you all enjoy your Memorial Day!

Finals and Home James

So I am about to finish my junior year of college.

Crazy.

There are only three more finals that stand in my way, all of which very doable, one including my last piece of work on the Greek language that I will ever be required to do (it wasn't that bad).

But in the midst of this is preparing for other things like the summer internship and the class/seminar I will be at a few days after school ends, but also getting all of my stuff together and hopefully moving to a new apartment before school is over.

It is true, after three years of a freshman dorm I have decided that is enough for 10 people's lifetime and am calling the R.A. job finished. I have not reflected about my hall that often this year, at least on the blog, since I am generally absent from it during the school year, but I have had an incredible year with the guys on my hall and many times I find them ministering to me instead of the other way around. Of course, I think that's what it has to be like to be a true community and it has been a great experience.

I will be in Round Rock from the 10th until the 14th so I am excited to see many of you and be back home!