THE HUT

It is now about 3am..... I can't believe I am still up! Its Friday night, I'm 20 years old..........so you may assume I was up to no good. WRONG! I have been at the H.U.T. (house under truth) This is what I learned tonight:

• Cutco knives are the sharpest knives in the U.S. (and most expensive)
• a "paring" knife isn't for just pears.
• pig feet................is a dominoes game
• Panera Bread has the best Roast Beef sandwiches ever
• Facing the Giants is a great movie
• If you drink 5 cups of coffee...you don't sleep at night
• Police officer guns have flashlights on them
• It takes about 4 cups of blueberry's to make blueberry jam
• Katie likes giving the stink eye, Ryan is over critical of everything, Kayla never wants to work in the ER, Dan Lynam will one day help plan my proposal, and Jessica Lynam isn't very compassionate.

also....

• Proverbs has 31 chapters, so it would be easy to read one chapter a day for a month...great way to start a steady, daily devotion.
• Proverbs 24 tells our that we should not fall down in trail. It isn't about failing ...its about getting back up.
• It also says that wise men seek guidance from their councilors
• Sometimes we only talk about God when we need something
• If you tell someone you are praying for them ...........THEN DO IT!
• It is important to have good friends to hold you accountable in your walk with the Lord.

Sound intersting? Want to join the fun?
My list could go on and on! Tonight was great. What a better way to spend a Friday night than with a bunch of uplifting young adults?? It is a great way to meet some solid people!

When: Every Friday Night 7:00-until whenever everyone leaves. Feel free to come late. I sometimes don't come till about 11pm.
Where: Evangelical Methodist Church
Who: Anyone who has graduated high school and is a young adult. There is a variety of ages.
What: Fellowship, free food, games, and teaching. Pool, Foosball, video games, wi-fi, music, and movies. It is just a safe hang out spot.

We would LOVE for you to join us! Feel free to ask me questions.

JORDAN GOES TO AFRICAAAA!!!!!

I AM GOING TO AFRICA! Here is my support letter  I wrote that will tell you a little bit about my trip. Expect a lot more information soon. The majority of those who will read this blog will receive this letter in the mail in the next two days. If you do not receive one and feel led to support my trip please contact me and I will provide you with my address. If you have questions for me please leave a comment and I will answer it for you! (side note: if you read my blog....you should definitely follow me!)

 Hello all, its Jordan Ellinwood here. As most of you know, I am an undergraduate student at North Carolina State University where I study Public Relations and minor in Non-Profit Studies. My goal is to one day work at or run a non-profit organization.

 Evangelical Methodist Church in Elizabeth City is my home church, and I attend Providence Baptist Church while in Raleigh.  Both churches have had a huge part in my spiritual formation. For many years I have had the desire to participate in missions overseas. In the past year, through both personal and group study, I have learned a great deal about the importance of both home and overseas missions as it relates to our call as Christians. I have continued to feel that call on my life and know that it is my duty “tell the nations.” 

This past December, at the conclusion of a tough semester, I somewhat jokingly said, “I am going to just quit school and move to Africa.” Little did I know what I was getting myself into! One of my closest friends Kelsey Murray heard me and quickly announced that her church would be taking a trip to Liberia. I explained that I wasn’t really being serious, but told her that I would pray about it. From there God began to make it clear in small and subtle ways that I WAS going to go to Africa.

Much to my surprise, the group that we were to travel with postponed their trip, but Kelsey and I still felt a strong desire and calling to go to Liberia. We began seeking and praying about opportunities to go. One thing led to another and we now have a trip planned to go to Liberia December 17 through January 1, 2011/12. We will stay and serve with Christian Revival Church Association missionaries Dennis and Vania Aggrey.

The Christian Revival Church Association (CRCA) is a body of Evangelical, Baptist; indigenous churches championing rural church planting outreach and community development as a focal point of conveying the Gospel of Jesus Christ to poor communities. Transforming lives through providing for spiritual renewal and physical-economic empowerment, the association has established churches in eight counties in western Liberia.

In order to take this trip, it will cost approximately 2,000 dollars each. We really need to raise this money by July 31^st. All money raised above traveling cost will be used to purchase Christmas presents and Bibles to take with us. We would like to create smiles through presents and Gods gospel.

If you feel lead to help me monetarily, it would be greatly appreciated. If you are unable to give in that way please keep me, Kelsey Murray and the Aggrey family in your prayers as we seek God’s will in Liberia. I am very excited about this experience and I am very glad you will be a part of this experience with me.

Checks can be written to Jordan Ellinwood. If you are uncomfortable with writing me a personal check or if you would like your contribution to be tax deductible, you can write it to Evangelical Methodist Church, but please write my name in the memo line to direct these funds.  Checks can be mailed to the address above.

Love through Christ,

Jordan Ellinwood

I AM SOOO EXCITEDDD TO LEARN ABOUT THEIR CULTURE!

Ride ya bike!

For those of you who know me the best....you know I really enjoy riding bikes and  I used to own a awesome pink beach cruiser that I was in love with.. I picked it out freshmen year of high school and then forgot all about it. On graduation night senior year I came home and there was my pink bike. My dad had remembered all those years and it meant so much to me. Sadly, some mean guy stole it my freshmen year of college. I filed a police report but apparently they had better things to worry about and I never found it.

A few days ago I got up from the dinner table and told my family I was going to go on a bike ride (I would be riding a really old bike from 5th grade). My brother said to me (only because he didn't want me to leave him),"would you rather take a bike ride or would you rather go buy a new bike?" I am now a proud owner of a beautiful cruiser.

all pictures were taken on my bike ride today.

Today I took it for the first  ride and I was reminded of why I love riding bikes so much. It is where  I do my best thinking. It is where I do a lot of praying. It is where I do a lot of venting and thanking God. It is where I sometime cry and sometimes smile. It is somewhere, where no one can bother me. It all happens on my bike.

I come from a place where people still hang there clothes on the line and where my neighbors live two corn fields away. A place where there is not a stop light to be found and the only store is a gas station called Weeksville Grocery where we buy red hotdogs and hunnybuns. Today on my bike ride I realized how blessed I am to live in the middle of nowhere in this little town. I think I live in the most beautiful place in the world. I worked at Disney World for a while and people say that it is "the happiest place on earth." I would argue. There, you admire man made beauty. Here, in the country, you can admire God made beauty, making it the happiest place on earth. My favorite thing to do on my bike rides is to soak in the awesomeness of Gods creation.

Today in Sunday school I taught the 2 and 3 year olds that God created the world and everything in it. With that on my mind I appreciated everything a lot more today. God's creation amazes me so much.

I guess the moral of this blog post................is to go on a bike ride! : ).....oh, and be thankful for God's beauty!

"God created the world, and everything in it" -Acts 17:24