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Yup. I wear a tie to class. That might come as a bit of a surprise to some of you. I’ve never been much of a formal-wear type of guy.

So, why do I wear at tie to class? Well, because students are required to do so.

Hold on! Before you jump to any conclusions, let me say my piece.

I really did not like the idea of having to wear a tie to class when we were considering seminaries. In fact, I would often say “I would love to go to Mid-America, if I just didn’t have to wear a tie.”

And then I realized something: It’s just a piece of cloth. They’re just clothes. What’s the big deal?

Turns out I was making the tie thing a big deal.

The motto of MABTS is “. . . that in all things he might have the preeminence.” That’s from Colossians. Through the few weeks that I’ve been here, I see that motto manifesting itself in the lives of my professors and fellow students. For real. I wasn’t looking for it. But I see it.

I want Christ to have the preeminence in my life. Full sway over my heart and mind. I believe without a doubt that Jesus led us to MABTS. I believe we were being obedient to him by coming here.

I’m pretty sure Jesus knew about the tie thing before he asked me to bring my family here to study. So, for me, wearing a tie is a part of my obedience to Jesus.

And, really, it’s just a piece of cloth anyway. No big deal.

Our prayers for you are always spilling over into thanksgivings. We can’t quit thanking God our Father and Jesus our Messiah for you! We keep getting reports on your steady faith in Christ, our Jesus, and the love you continuously extend to all Christians. The lines of purpose in your lives never grow slack, tightly tied as they are to your future in heaven, kept taut by hope. Colossians 1:3-5

I, Paul, have been sent on special assignment by Christ as part of God’s master plan. Together with my friend Timothy, I greet the Christians and stalwart followers of Christ who live in Colosse. May everything good from God our Father be yours! Colossians 1:1-2

I’m working on Colossians, one of my resolutions. I started thinking about “Everything good” and created this visual to give it some legs.

So far, so good on the new year’s resolutions.  I know, I know. I’m only two weeks into the year, but so far I’m feeling pretty good about the way things are going.

I fasted one day this month. I chose the traditional style of going without food. It was good. I mean, it was terrible, but it was good in that I learned some stuff. But, dang!, I got so hungry and irritable. I guess I’m a wuss when it comes to missing a meal.

I’ve been sending out (via the famous index card) sentences from the Bible. Maybe you got one?

Blogging I am. No problems there.

Also, we are working on adding at least one member to the Bush family this year. We’ll keep you updated on that!

Resolutions I need to get to work on: marathon, memorizing colossians, getting to know a family member.

How are yours going?

Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.

THE MESSAGE IS AS TRUE AMONG YOU TODAY AS WHEN YOU FIRST HEARD IT. IT DOESN’T DIMINISH OR WEAKEN OVER TIME. IT’S THE SAME ALL OVER THE WORLD. [COL.1]

Woke up with my mind racing. One thing you can’t miss being here at the Missionary Learning Center is the fact that it is based on one single thing. The Message of Christ. It’s all over the walls. It’s all they talk about. It’s the whole reason we are here: Living and spreading the message. So much so that if The Message turned out to be some fairy tale or lie, then all this would be in vain, a waste. That’s how I want my life to be. I want to live this life, live the Message in a such a way that my whole life will have been wasted if this Message turns out to be phony.