For it is not so much of our time and so much of our attention that God demands; it is not even all our time and all our attention; it is our-selves. For each of us the Baptist’s words are true: “He must increase and I decrease.” He will be infinitely merciful to our repeated failures; I know no promise that He will accept a deliberate compromise. For He has, in the last resort, nothing to give us but Himself; and He can give that only insofar as our self-affirming will retires and makes room for Him in our souls. Let us make up our minds to it; there will be nothing “of our own” left over to live on, no “ordinary” life. I do not mean that each of us will necessarily be called to be a martyr or even an ascetic. That’s as may be. For some (nobody knows which) the Christian life will include much leisure, many occupations we naturally like. But these will be received from God’s hands. In a perfect Christian they would be as much part of his “religion,” his “service,” as his hardest duties, and his feasts would be as Christian as his fasts. What cannot be admitted—what must exist only as an undefeated but daily resisted enemy—is the idea of something that is “our own,” some area in which we are to be “out of school,” on which God has no claim.
For He claims all, because He is love and must bless. He cannot bless us unless He has us. When we try to keep within us an area that is our own, we try to keep an area of death. Therefore, in love, He claims all. There’s no bargaining with Him.
-C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory
Habitat for Humanity Spring Break Trip
Bellefield Presbyterian Church
Attn: Habitat Trip
4001 Fifth Avenue
Pittsburgh, Pa 15213
Meet the Students
1. What is your favorite movie, book, and band/music? Favorite movie: Monty Python & the Holy Grail. Favorite book: I really want to put something like Lederach's The Moral Imagination to seem thoughtful and worldly. Or C.S. Lewis' The Problem of Pain to show I know something beyond the main works of the greatest Christian thinker of the century. Or Goethe's Die Leiden des Jungen Werthers so you know how thoroughly versed I am in German literature. But, I only read 30 pages of the first and haven't even touched the last, so I'll just tell you I'm tied between The Bone People by Keri Hulmes and Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. Richard Wright's Black Boy is a close second. Favorite music: Ellie Goulding, Macklemore, Matisyahu, German stuff (especially Casper), melo-death, folk metal, Rend Collective, Mumford & Sons, and black metal.
2. What has been your involvement in Cornerstone? I've been coming regularly on Wednesday nights and came to Freshman Bible Study first semester and am now being trained to lead that Bible study next semester as part of the Freshman Ministry Team. I am so, so excited to be able to get to know even more people and welcome them to Pitt and Cornerstone -- I love people and building new relationships. That's why I learn languages and study other cultures -- language is how you access a person on an intimate level, and the better you can speak their language the closer you can get to them. Particularly if it's one few people learn (like Polish or Serbo-Croatian). By studying how people view themselves through the examination of their literature, history, institutions, religion, personal stories, and social structures, you can gain a more holistic view and build a stronger relationship with them, along with getting a better perspective on yourself.
3. How has Cornerstone helped you during your year at Pitt? My first full day of orientation, I was leaving my advising appointment and still thinking about everything new that was happening. For some time I have had the thought of finding a ministry in the back of my mind, but after looking through the list of organizations on Pitt's website, I felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of them and had no way to distinguish on from the other. As I was walking in search of new adventures for the day, I saw a group of people in red shirts (or maybe pink -- I don't really know since I'm a bit colorblind) handing out water bottles. Having also once done campus outreach, albeit in high school, I immediately knew what kind of group this was. I approached them and asked when they met, and they gave me the info on all their activities that week. I went to each one, and from the very first, I knew that I had found home. I could tell that I was going to form some very special bonds with these people over the coming semester(s), and I was right. Never do I feel like I have to go through something alone, or that I don't have real friends here, because I have this massive, awesome family.
Financial Update
Please read the following new pledge letter. Click on the link for the full picture, or on the picture itself. If you would like to donate, please use the information on the navigation bar or email me at amoore@ccojubilee.org.
Moore News
All the boys are doing great. Both Benjamin and Joshua are excelling in school, both receiving the award of High Honor Roll as well as many other awards. Asher is really eager to start school and join his other brothers. I think it will be a tough transition, however, because he is such a homebody. Let’s pray that it is not.
Emily will be starting a new job soon. Our neighbor, Doug Graham, owns an online auction company, and Emily will be helping out with it. She hasn’t had a job outside the home since Ben was born, so I know she’s excited to try something new.
I hope this newsletter finds you well, and that God is blessing you richly!
In Christ,
Andy Moore
