Every once in a while I hear a song that is so beautiful I can’t help but listen to it over and over. This is one those songs: “Jesus, I Am Resting, Resting,” sung by Alisa Dishong. Here is a 45-second sample in MP3 format: Continue reading
The Melissa Otto Band was at 3ABN for a while. It was the first time I’d heard them, although they told me they were at the last GYC. I really enjoyed their music. The group has five members, four of whom are brothers and sisters. It’s cool to see a family sharing in ministry like that.
It was great having them join my adult lesson study class on Sabbath as well. They made some great contributions to the discussion. And turns out that at least one member of the family, Billy, knows my brother Eugene as well. Small world….
Tonight I watched the video Candle in the Dark, the story of William Carey. It was an inspiring story of the hardships he endured, his humility and determination, and his desire to spread the gospel in place that was very much a mission frontier. The acting in the video is not quite up to Hollywood standards, and comes off as a bit cheesy at times, but nevertheless it is a moving and powerful tale that seems reasonably close to the actual events.
Through an unfortunate string of circumstances, William and his family were left nearly destitute when they arrived in India from England. They had to abandon their original English home in Calcutta for a much humbler abode. Later they moved far from Calcutta and set up residence with a new acquaintance.
At 3ABN’s Spring Camp Meeting I was introduced to the music of Sandra Entermann. Sandra is a Seventh-day Adventist vocal artist with a beautiful voice. Moreover, the songs in her repertoire contain great messages, and several that were new to me have become favorites already. Her choice of musical accompaniment is also always appropriate. I’ve purchased two of her albums: “If I Stand” and her most recent album, “Rest.”
Yesterday I watched a movie with friends, “End of the Spear.” It is based on the true story of missionaries who reached out to natives of Colombia, South America. Despite a major setback involving the loss of all the men in the group, those who remained decided to continue their work. It was such a powerful story, with a very beautiful and touching ending. The movie dramatically depicts the collision between the fierce, warring tribe and the steadfast faith (and self-sacrifice) of the missionaries.
I highly recommend it. There is some violence, mainly natives and foreigners being impaled by spears. But the gore is very minimal. I did not find the movie visually disturbing, but if you are sensitive you might need to exercise discretion.