It’s week 4 in our Adventures with Flat Stella!  We are really enjoying the photo submissions we’re getting.  We love seeing where our SEBTS friends and families are this summer and what they’re doing.

Let’s take a look at what SEBTS has been up to this week…

In the Women’s Life Office, we put Stella to work on several fun tasks.  One such task included a planning meeting with the Connecting Point Team.  On Tuesday, she spent ALL DAY with the team as they met & planned out their own event adventures for next year.  Here they are working very hard to come up with their ideas…

Flat Stella loved to offer suggestions like taking a trip to the Bahamas or Hawaii, but when we reminded her that not every SEBTS woman could just stuff themselves into an envelope and mail themselves around the world, she decided that might not be such a good idea after all.

In the end, the CP team had a very good meeting and seemed to be very happy to have Stella on their team for the day!


Stella also had a few visitors stop by while she was in our office this week:

Mike came by with a little princess who quickly became one of Stella’s newest BFF’s.  See, aren’t they cute together??!!

Then Stella had two little visitors who came disguised as Mrs. Akin’s grandbabies.  We secretly think that the little blonde boy might be a ninja in disguise!!

Finally, Stella wanted to mix things up, so she left our office and headed to see Katrina in the Registrar’s Office.  Since no one was working there that day – see the picture below for proof ;)  -  she decided to hang out with the ivy.

Later that evening, Stella found a few SEBTS families catching fireflies and decided to join in.  She appointed herself as the official guard of the mason jars.  Way to go Flat Stella, you’re so responsible.

Oops, Flat Stella, you let the lid off and all the fireflies escaped.  It's ok...we know it's probably hard to hold it down when you’re made of paper and your arms don’t move. L

As far as Flat Stella’s time with other SEBTS friends & family goes…Flat Stella was found in several other places this week.

She went to the Durham Bulls game and enjoyed boiled peanuts that she learned to make herself thanks to Megan.

She enjoyed laughs at Comedy Worx with Audra, Elise and Audrey.

She ran in the Color Run with Val and Stephanie.  She even had her own number!!

After a long hard week, Stella decided to go with Kiersten to the salon for a day of pampering.  Doesn’t her hair and make-up look nice?  Your pigtails are very becoming, Flat Stella!

We hope you’ve had a wonderful week as well ladies!  Remember to keep sending those Stella pictures in to show us what you’re doing this summer.

As always,
Happy Friday!

This summer, we have been catching up with SEBTS women as they serve the Lord all over the world. Today, we have the privilege of hearing from Kiersten Griffith, a C@SE student who had the opportunity to travel for her first over-seas mission experience. Read on to hear just a few of the ways that God moved!

In May I had the opportunity to travel with a professor and three other SEBTS students to the beautiful country of Indonesia for two weeks.  The first few days, we spent time with the church planters we were partnering with and did some snorkeling, cliff jumping and scuba diving!! These are things that were on my bucket list, so that was a highlight of the trip for me! 

In Indonesia, I also saw some of the most gorgeous sunsets I’ve ever seen!  To see the heavens declare the breathtaking glory of our God each night in a different way was incredible. It makes me sad that even after witnessing something like this, people still think that this world just evolved into being.  There is no doubt in my mind that these sunsets were the work of His hands.  A friend told me when I returned that he thought God was showing off for me.  Since God knows how much I love sunsets, I think my friend was right. J

We spent a week of the trip backpacking on two smaller islands.  During this time, we were able to study Indonesian culture, build relationships with unreached people groups, and share the Good News of Jesus.  This part of the trip stretched me in ways I never thought possible.  Had I known beforehand how strenuous and stretching the trip would be, I never would have signed up for it.  I would have said, “There is NO way I could do that.  I’m not cut out for something like that.”  Sure I like to spend time outdoors and try new things, but this was way out of my comfort zone.  However, now I know everything I did on that trip was not done in my strength, but Christ’s strength within me.  I was able to live out 2 Corinthians 12:9, “…for my power is made perfect in weakness…” I truly learned to do “all things through Christ who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13).  Even things that to others may not seem like that big of a deal were only done by God's strength: eating a meal where the entire fish is plopped on the plate, taking a bath by throwing freezing cold water from a small bucket on yourself, and the lack of Western bathroom facilities!!! J These are just a few of the many ways I was challenged on this trip.


One of my favorite parts of the trip was seeing Scripture come to life.  I was reading through the Gospel of Luke while I was there, and almost every day, what I was reading were the very things we were doing.  It was amazing to read about how the crowds of people followed Jesus everywhere and then to go out into a village and have a crowd of people follow us.  Jesus told his disciples “whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town.”  We found a “house of peace” and stayed there until we moved to the next village.  Jesus’ disciples shared the truth about him with others. In turn, we shared the Gospel with the people we were building relationships with.  Over and over, I was able to experience emotionally, physically, and spiritually just a sliver of what it may have been like for Christ and his disciples. 

On Sunday, our team was able to have a worship service together (my all-time favorite church service EVER!) and we discussed the passage where Jesus calms the storm (Luke 8). The very next day, we were in a small boat crossing the ocean from one island to the next.  There was a few times where I thought the boat would flip if one more person moved.  It was a choppy, but nothing like the storm the disciples would have been in.  Having been afraid myself, I can see how they would have freaked out in a raging storm with Jesus sleeping in the boat!  It was so cool, though, to continually remind myself that he is the “one who commands the wind and waves.”  One of the other girls on the team pointed out that the boat would only flip if Jesus wanted it to.  To continually be able to put into practice what I read each day was awesome.  

We also spent lots of time with the children.  We taught them games, songs, and even a few dances. The guys on the team played Frisbee with the kids.  We were also able to minister by helping some middle school and high school girls practice their English by having conversations with them at a library.  Oh, and I must not forget taking pictures with them!! They acted like we were movie stars wanting to take video and pictures of us. 


I could write a short book on all the other things I learned on this trip.  I saw God answer so many prayers.  I’ve been reading back through my journal, and I’m still seeing him answer them.  About a month before going on this trip, I started asking the Lord for boldness in sharing my faith.  I had two opportunities while in Indonesia to share with others about Christ, but I have seen this prayer answered more in my life since I have come home.  Things I would have shied away from saying before, even in everyday conversation, I want to say now.  I’m looking for ways to be intentional in meeting new people and stepping out of my comfort zone to speak to strangers, in hopes of being able to share the Gospel.  I am hoping for more opportunities to share the Good News with my unsaved friends when I go home to Florida next month. This trip changed my life, and I am so grateful for SEBTS’ commitment to the Great Commission and teaching students to live this out day by day.

Kiersten and the team in one city where they stayed


Good Summer Reads, cont.



It is officially Summer!!  As we continue our Monday list of good summer reads, we hope you may find a treasure to enjoy.  If you are just joining our Monday feature, here is where we began our adventure.  This week, we are highlighting the new additions to the Women's Life Library.  Yes, in case you were unaware, the Women's Life Office has a small library of books that may be checked out, (and we often receive new releases)!  A complete list of our books are listed on LibraryThing.com.
We are listing a few of our more recent additions and we hope to see you soon.  Come by and check out a book or two, maybe even some DVDs or CDs (yes CDs)... but no tapes....  




Wonderstruck: Awaken to the Nearness of God (DVD Leader Kit)
 by Margaret Feinberg

Off the back cover:  In Wonderstruck, Margaret Feinberg invites you to toss back the covers, climb out of bed, and drink in the fullness of life.  Come learn how to recognize the presence of God in the midst of your  routine, unearth extraordinary moments on ordinary days, identify what's holding you back in prayer, and discover peace in knowing you're wildly loved.


I Will Carry You: The Sacred Dance of Grief and Joy 
by Angie Smith

Off the back cover:  This is a beautiful and tender book that would touch any woman's heart, no matter her age or realm of experience.  It is about a relationship so intimate with God that it carves a safe place for crises of faith, for faith proved genuine and for divine callings willed, sealed, and fulfilled.  Yes, this is one mother's moving story.  This one mother also happens to be a true writer.  We will hear more from her.-Beth Moore



Emily Post's Etiquette (Revised) 
by Peggy Post 


Anyone been invited to this summer's most anticpated soiree’, wedding, or any other fun/fancy event?  This book has more information about manners than what your mom could've taught you!  The weight of the book would keep it from being one you take to the beach, however, curled up on the couch, you can read up on proper event etiquette, how to behave well on Facebook, and a whole lot more.


Devotions from the Beth Moore Library, CD, Volume II  
by Beth Moore
Ok, so you’re not really able to read this, since this is a CD, but if you have a lengthy drive to visit family, popping in some Beth Moore devotions may encourage you when you’re not singing with the radio.




Gideon: Your weakness. God's strength. (DVD Leader Kit)
by Priscilla Shirer

Grab some girlfriends and watch this 7 week study along with reading about Gideon…it’s better than anything on TV right now.  It was also one of Denise's favorite picks for summer reads.  Read what Denise had to say about this one here .


We hope these suggestions will give you some options for enjoying the long days of summer.  Come by our office and check out a book; we have a lot more than what you saw today!  As always, leave us any of your favorite reads in the comments below!!