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| Journal Entry - First look at Discipleship 101 and Bible School

Introduction

Hello again, dear reader. It’s me once more, rambling on about whatever happens to be on my mind, and this week’s topic is exactly what the title suggests: my first experiences with Bible School and Discipleship 101. I have to say, even though the two are actually pretty similar in scope, Bible School really stands out when it comes to the amount of knowledge and information it provides. I feel incredibly blessed to be able to attend something like this for free and to have access to teaching that helps deepen my understanding of the Word. That said, I don’t want to discredit Discipleship 101 at all. It’s still an amazing resource and touches on some topics I’ve always wondered about but never quite had clear answers for. In many ways, it fills in the gaps and helps connect the dots. Anyways, moving on to the real meat of this entry…

My Expectations

For Discipleship, I honestly had no clue what to expect going into it. The name itself made me think it would be something more active or practical, like worship, serving in the community, or helping people in some kind of ministry setting. Since we already had Bible School covering the teaching side of things, it seemed logical to me that Discipleship would focus more on how members of the congregation actually live out their faith and serve one another. I imagined it being a kind of hands-on guide to what it means to be a disciple in everyday life.

For Bible School, on the other hand, I had a much clearer expectation. I assumed it would mostly consist of lessons presented through text or videos, followed by questions or reflections after going through the material. At some point, I also heard rumours about an essay being part of the course, so naturally, I started mentally preparing myself for that. I pictured having to read through a book and write a summary, or perhaps take notes during the video lessons and eventually turn those notes into some kind of essay or reflection. So going in, I was ready to do a fair bit of reading and writing.

Something I want to know more about

Some of the things I’ve really wanted to understand better, and that Discipleship 101 has actually been helping a lot with, are the kinds of basic questions that might seem obvious or even a little silly to long-time believers. But since I’m still fairly new to the church, these are the questions that have been sitting in the back of my mind for a while. Things like: “Am I reborn? What actually makes someone reborn? What exactly is sin? Who is Jesus? And what does it really mean when we talk about the Holy Trinity?” These are the kinds of questions that seem simple on the surface but actually carry a lot of depth. Thankfully, many of them have already been answered, at least in part, through conversations with my fellow iXchangers and through the lessons in the discipleship course. And even when I don’t fully understand something yet, I at least feel like I’m starting to move in the right direction.

What did I learn?

Well, from Discipleship I learned in the very first week that I am a son of God and that He will never turn His back on me. Because I am reborn, Jesus died on the cross for me and covered my sins with His blood. That alone is already a pretty powerful realisation. We also talked about what sin really is. In simple terms, sin is anything that goes against God’s plan or His will for our lives. In other words, it’s not always about the big, obvious wrongs; sometimes it’s just about choosing our own way instead of God’s. But at the same time, we were reminded that no ordinary sin can separate us from God or stop us from entering heaven and being with the Holy Father. The only true danger lies in the ultimate sin, removing the Holy Spirit from your heart and turning away completely.

In Bible School, we’ve been learning about the power of faith, where faith should be placed, and even the importance of first words. It’s honestly both funny and incredible to watch Ps John and Sharon in the older recordings when they were much younger and full of that energetic, youthful passion. At the same time, it’s really encouraging to see how clearly they preach the Word of God and how their teaching helps build a stronger and deeper understanding of His message. Every lesson feels like another piece of the puzzle falling into place.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while Discipleship 101 definitely surprised me in the way it was structured and presented, it has still been an amazing experience to attend, even if it runs from 6–8 pm. Despite the time, I’ll gladly keep setting aside those evenings to attend because it’s genuinely worth it. It has helped me understand the basics of the faith and given practical guidance on how to deal with difficult situations, conflict, and personal struggles in a way that is healthy, respectful, and grounded in God’s teachings.

At the same time, Bible School has expanded my understanding of the fundamental principles of a healthy and thriving Christian life more than I expected. If I had to describe the difference it has made, the best comparison I can think of is going from the Stone Age straight into the Modern era. Everything suddenly makes more sense, and the bigger picture becomes clearer. Because of that, I find myself both hopeful and genuinely excited for the lessons that are still ahead.

| Journal Entry - Second Week of Fasting

Second week of Fasting

| - Monday / First day

This week actually wasn’t nearly as bad as the last one. I didn’t even think about Instagram or social media that much, which was a nice change. It seems like the first week did a good job of breaking that habit.

Anyway, I got up bright and early and decided to read some more of Acts. I ended up getting pretty far, which felt good. There’s something nice about starting the day quietly with a bit of reading before everything else begins.

After that, I got dressed, went to church, and helped move some things around in the house across the street. It was a bit of work, but honestly, I didn’t mind. Helping out where you can always feels worthwhile.

Once I got home, I spent a little time praying and then went straight to sleep. After the long day, I slept like a rock.

Everywhere I looked, there seemed to be something tempting. A picture of a burger here, some dessert there. Suddenly, it felt like the entire internet had decided to show me nothing but food. But that night I tried sleeping early to avoid thinking about it too much. Unfortunately, I just lay there awake and didn’t actually fall asleep until about 11 p.m.

| - Tuesday / Second day

Pretty boring day, to be honest.

I woke up at 5 a.m. again this morning and decided to do a bit of exercise before starting the day. Nothing too intense, just enough to wake myself up properly. After that, I continued reading Acts for a little while before getting ready for church.

Most of the day was fairly normal. I helped more people carry things and did a few small tasks around the church again. It’s interesting how much there always seems to be to do.

Something new for me lately has been praying in tongues. It’s a VERY new concept to me, and I’m still figuring it out. I’m definitely still learning, but I think I’m doing… okay so far. Like anything else, it probably just takes time and practice.

Aside from that, the day went about as usual.

| - Wednesday / Third day

This day… I’m not entirely sure what went wrong, but I just wasn’t really feeling it.

I almost overslept, had trouble focusing on anything, and felt a bit bored and drained most of the day. Maybe I’m just missing my coffee, or maybe it was just one of those off days. Either way, it definitely wasn’t my most productive day.

Luckily, the people around me at work were still as upbeat as ever, which helped lift my mood a little. Sometimes just being around positive people makes a bigger difference than you expect.

That afternoon, I decided to read some scripture for a while. It helped clear my head a bit and gave me a chance to slow down and refocus.

| - Thursday / Fourth day

Today was a bit of a tougher day.

I felt pretty exhausted and honestly came close to giving in to some of the things I’ve been trying to avoid during this fast. It wasn’t dramatic or anything, just that slow feeling of being worn down and tempted to take the easier route.

But after thinking about it for a while, I reminded myself why I started this in the first place. The whole point of this fast is to stay focused and grow closer to God, not to give up the moment it gets uncomfortable.

So I took a moment to pray and reset my focus. After that, things slowly started to feel a bit lighter again. The day didn’t suddenly become perfect, but the pressure I was feeling eased up quite a bit.

| - Friday / Fifth day

I felt really good today.

I woke up early, drank some water, and went for a short jog while listening to a brand-new album (obviously :)). It was actually a really nice way to start the morning and helped wake me up properly.

When I arrived at my usual time, quite a few tasks were waiting for me, but I worked through them steadily and just focused on getting things done one step at a time.

Overall, there’s honestly not a huge amount to talk about today. Despite what most people might think, once you stop letting it control you, food really doesn’t have that much power over you. After a while, your body just adjusts, and it becomes normal.

Unfortunately, there was no conditioning today, which is a bit of a bummer. :/

Anyway, to whoever might be reading this someday, I hope you have a blessed day ahead.

| Journal Entry - Week on the Farm

Introduction

My week at the farm was great, I picked up new skills, connected with some awesome people, and definitely felt myself drawing closer to God in ways I didn’t expect. But like every trip, there are those standout moments that stick with you. Here are a few of mine that really shaped the experience.

Highlight of the trip

Hands down, the trip to the potato fields. We got to watch this huge sorting machine in action—it was insane how it dug up the potatoes, shook off the dirt, sorted them by size, and shot them straight into storage bins. Made me appreciate the sheer scale of what goes into our food. And yeah, those extra potatoes they tossed our way for dinner that night? Total bonus. Made the meal feel like a little gift. 🙂

Confrontation on the trip

Okay, I hope no one’s peeking at this (hint hint, nudge nudge), but yeah, I had a real moment. It was Wednesday evening, around 5ish, and they had me spraying all-purpose cleaner on the tractors to cut through the oil stains. Quick job, maybe 25 minutes tops. But then I finished, and… crickets. No one came to grab me. There were three other workers right there, less than 5 meters away, scrubbing away on their own tractors, but nobody even glanced over. I stood there getting more and more worked up, picturing this whole nightmare: having to walk all the way home alone, what if I got kidnapped or something worse? Who’s gonna break the news to my family? My mind was spiraling into full panic mode, tears starting up. Then, out of nowhere, this calm voice cut through it all, like a voice of pure reason and peace. It was the Holy Spirit, straight up telling me to chill: everything’s okay, no danger here, I’m covered by Jesus’ name. Stop obsessing over worst-case scenarios for me or my family, Jesus has a plan, He’s got our protection, He’ll guide us no matter what. That hit me hard; it reminded me I’m never truly solo. Not just with my church crew, but the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are right there, every step.

What did I learn?

First off, the Holy Spirit’s always got my back, I can lean on Him anytime, no questions asked. Second, I don’t have to tough it out alone or bottle up my worries; just ask another believer, even if it feels dumb, and they’ll step up. Practically speaking, I got the hang of spotting different apple varieties, like how the Galas have that reddish blush versus the Granny Smiths’ sharp green, and sorting them without bruising. Also, gloves? Game-changer for wrestling open those stubborn lids on paint cans or whatever without shredding your hands. But bigger picture, I learned a ton about the folks around me: the quiet guy who hustles without complaining, the chatty one who keeps spirits up during long shifts. Saw how they tick, their quirks and strengths. Hope they picked up a bit about me too, maybe that I’m reliable but still figuring stuff out. 🙂

What was an unexpected exprience?

It’s kinda funny now. On the drive out, everyone was chatting about how this farm trip “changes you,” and inside I was rolling my eyes like, “Pfft, nah, not me. I’ll just pitch in, sow some seeds, help where I can, and pick up my regular walk with God when we get home.” Total skeptic mode. But that Wednesday freakout flipped a switch. Suddenly, every snag, frustration from a messy task, ache from sore muscles, whatever, I was handing it straight to the Lord instead of stewing. I already knew He’s my Creator and Savior, but this week drilled it in: face struggles, pain, all that junk by seeking the Holy Spirit’s lead first, not my own half-baked fixes. Didn’t see that shift coming at all.

Conclusion

Couldn’t capture the whole week in one entry, we’d be at it for a year. But man, it shifted something real in me, and I’m beyond grateful for the chance, plus the Du Toits’ killer hospitality (those home-cooked meals were next level). Hoping I get back there soon to sow more seeds, labor alongside God-loving folks, and keep closing that gap with my Creator. Anyway, bye.

First Week if Fasting

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Second Week if Fasting

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First Week at iXchange/Special Services

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Week on the farm

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First looks at Discipleship 101 and Bible school

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God is Good Kind Nurturing Caring Loving Everything

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