1st Corinthians 5:10-17 (NLT)

¹⁰ I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters,^c]">[c] by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. ¹¹ For some members of Chloe’s household have told me about your quarrels, my dear brothers and sisters. ¹² Some of you are saying, “I am a follower of Paul.” Others are saying, “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Peter,^d]">[d]” or “I follow only Christ.”

¹³ Has Christ been divided into factions? Was I, Paul, crucified for you? Were any of you baptized in the name of Paul? Of course not! ¹⁴ I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, ¹⁵ for now no one can say they were baptized in my name. ¹⁶ (Oh yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas, but I don’t remember baptizing anyone else.) ¹⁷ For Christ didn’t send me to baptize, but to preach the Good News—and not with clever speech, for fear that the cross of Christ would lose its power.

(copied from:

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%201&version=NLT)

I was thinking about this verse today as I was web-surfing in the computer lab at Sierra College. And, from personal observations about denominations and even within denominations there is so much division. These verses need to be taken into every Christian's heart.

It seems like over the years many people start churches, not for trying to reach more people for Christ, but to make a church that they liked. How wrong this is! These verses have just so much to say, and although written by Paul, they should still be REALLY important in growing in our faith. (That's why they are in the Bible!!) Verse 17 "For Christ didn't send me to baptize, but to preach the Good News..." that calling is for ALL of us. Yes, baptizing comes with being a pastor/minister, but the MAIN focus is preaching "the Good News" to the people of the world.

I pray that you guys read the passage again, and reflect on it. What does God lay on your heart? How can you implement this into your daily lives? Not all of us were specifically called to lead a church or to become a missionary in some foreign country. Some were called to be teachers, and truck drivers, and administrators, and computer techs and mothers and fathers and sisters and brothers and friends and janitors and whatever else. But how can you "minister" (tell others about God's Word) at your job? How can you use 1st Corinthians 5:10-17?

Leave comments and revelations!

God Bless all of you!!

Cody Marie

Classes at Sierra College

Since I have started at Sierra, I just wanted to hurry up and get my A.A. Degree in Deaf Studies and move to Idaho to start a Deaf ministry. Boy, I have learned a lot in the last two years of college life. Not just growing as a Young Adult, but especially in my faith.

My first semester at Sierra, Fall 2007, I was nervous. I had just graduated from Lincoln High and I was finally in "The Real World". I started coming to "Intervarsity Bible Study" everyweek and that group has helped me SO MUCH in my faith, I cannot believe it. :p

I decided to try 4 classes, Tuesdays and Thursdays, all day long.
I had scored low in my admittance testing (I am not a good test taker) so a councelor recommended me to take "English 50", a reading class. I also took "Wind Ensemble" playing the clarinet, I took "English A" which was a the basic level of college English. And I also enrolled in "Deaf Studies 1", which was my favorite class.

Looking back, I remember only thinking that the Deaf Studies 1 class was the only one I really needed. But, after starting my 3rd year I realized that each one of these classes has prepared me in a way that will benefit God in one way or another.

Spring 08 I started taking classes Monday through Thursday, spreading out my classes so they weren't all day. I took "Wind Ensemble" again because, for some reason, I cannot give up music, my biggest spiritual gift. I also took "Math A", which was a basic math class, because I tested low, and "Deaf Studies 2" with a Deaf professor, and I took English 1A, with Professor Fishman. This semester was the HARDEST semester to date and I became REALLY frustrated with how my english class was going. I knew a secular colleges I would get a professor who disliked Christians, but I didn't think that I would clash the way I did. I remember staying up, EVERY WEEK NIGHT, redoing the same essays over and over again, and getting them rejected because of a minor mistake...I worked so hard in that class I neglected my other classes...that semester I got 3 As and 1 D. Now, then I see this professor at the campus, he ignores me as if he never "tried" to help me every Wednesday in the Help Center....anyway...

Summer 08, I retook English 1A with an AWESOME professor, and although she was a "fallen Christian" she allowed me to write all my papers related to Deafness, which expanded my knowledge. One of my best friends took the class with me :) I also took Deaf Studies 3 with a certified interpreter of ASL and English. (For my Extra Credit assignment, I signed the song "All The Glory" done by Emmaus Church Community's Worship Band)

Fall 08, I took "Deaf Studies 4", "American Deaf Culture/History", "English 1B" and "Math D"...I also added "Wind Ensemble" again, and made up my math class in lab. By this time, I couldn't believe that I was in my 2nd year of college, almost done learning sign language. This semester I had also changed jobs, which made it even more stressful because I was a seasonal cashier for Target...

Spring of 2009, I began to realize that if I didn't start taking more classes, I wouldn't be able to graduate by Spring of 2010, so I could more to Idaho when I felt like God wanted me to. So, I enrolled in 6 classes, "Intro to Deaf Education", "Classifiers in American Sign Language", "United States History", "Statistics " (Math), "Wind Ensemble" and "Assertiveness Training" (who would have guessed that I was the only agressive person here?) Anyway, I did great in these classes, except for Stats, so I have to take that Spring of 2010.

I couldn't believe how all these classes blended together to help shape my perspective on life to better me in getting ready for Deaf Ministry...and I thank God for this opportunity!!

Summer 09 I took "Group Communication" with my sister, "Learning Orentation" (which tested for learning disabilities, because I think I have dyslexia and possible ADD) and Anthropology 9 "Magic, Witchcraft and Religion". The latter class I couldn't have taken any sooner, otherwise I would have lost my faith...I couldn't believe how persuasive this professor was (research "John A. Rush" and I wouldn't have believed that anyone would take his believe that Jesus was a mushroom...yes, a mushroom...

Now, I am enrolled in 7 classes....I don't know exactly what I was thinking, except staying on track for graduating in the Spring of 2010. I am taking "Sign Language Interpreting", "Creative Sign Language" which is finishing my AA degree (already! I can't believe it!!) "Physical Geography and the Lab" "Intro to Journalism" "Symphonic Band" and "Visual Perceptual Skills"...the Learning Orentation class recommended that I take a vision correction class to fix a problem that I have with reading...

Anyway, I know this was long, but I wanted to update you all on where I am now. God bless you guys!!

I am SO excited for all the work God has been doing on my college campus since I have been going to school there. I cannot believe what God allowed me to do that I still smile WIDE every time I think about it. :D

I am a part of "Intervarsity Bible Study", which is an International Christian Organization in the US, Canada and Europe. My campus has a small group, but expanding each semester and Thursday, 9/17/09, will be a day in which I will never forget.

A few friends from the group were out promoting the club on "Club Days" where the school's clubs set tables out in the campus quad and promote. Well, I have been doing this for a couple of years and I was always excited when someone would sign up, I didn't think though, that on the 17th someone would sign up for Heaven. :D

I was the only one not talking to someone, when two people came up. A young woman and a young man. The young woman informed me that her shy friend wanted to be saved. :D I smiled and I walked over and I prayed with the three of them, allowing his friend to start the prayer. When she was finished, I asked him the 3 "ABC's" of salvation, that I had learned at VBS (Vacation Bible School) when I was younger, and he Admitted that he was a sinner, he Believed that Jesus died for his sins and he said he Confessed and will confess to others about his salvation. When he had finished talking, I was so overcome with joy that I hugged him at least 3 times; I'm certain that they felt it too. It was so amazing that God has used me to bring one person to share with Him eternal Glory in heaven!!

Anyway, I just wanted to share this with you and I want you to please pray for him. His name is Jason. :D

Thanks and God Bless you guys for praying!!

Update to Where I Am Today

This blog will hold my accounts of my ministry to Deaf people.

When I was fourteen years old, I went to Centrifuge, a Christian camp in Soda Springs, California. I took a class where we used American Sign Language to "sing" the song. I was in a class of about twelve, and we signed in front of five hundred. When I sat back down for the next preforming class to start, I went Deaf. And the silence was filled with God's words. "Cody-I want you to minister to those who cannot hear." And after God was finished, I could hear again.

So, ever since then, I've been completely interested in the Deaf language and it's people.

I have, since then, been working to start a ministry for the Deaf.

It's called "The Army of God Deaf Ministries" it is going to be a non-profit organization that includes a church, Deaf Christian School, and therapy/social services for the Deaf.

It's going to start in the United States, then to Canada and Mexico and in several countries in Europe, Africa, Asia and also in Australia, New Zealand and some other areas.

It's main headquarters is going to be in the United States, primarely the Nampa, Idaho and Rochester, NY locations.

I am a Deaf Studies major at Sierra Community College, and after this semester, I have only 7 more classes until I get my A.A. degree!!

After that, on Monday, July 12th, I am going to move to Nampa, Idaho to transfer to Northwest Nazarene University to major in Missions. And I will also start get the ball rolling for "The Army of God Deaf Ministry" to start "The Army of God Deaf Church."

So that pretty much updates me... to this point in my life.....Oh wait!

I forgot my book.

I am working on a unique Bible reading program, and as a joke between me and Kathryn Christenson, it's now called "The Totally Awesome Bible Reading Program". I don't want to give anything away, so that someone doesn't steal my ideas, but it starts with minor prophets and ends with Acts.

Anyway, now I believe that's it.

God Bless, and leave comments when ever you like. (Encouragement would be greatly appriciative though, because I sometime doubt myself, even though God knows all the things that I can do.)

God Bless

Cody Marie