Blog Assignment: Road Map to Learning

I have listed questions below to help you reflect upon your reading and writing experiences in this class. Answer all or 3 or more questions to help you get started in reflecting upon your journey to learning. Take the following 20 minutes to develop a thorough response and then be prepared to share your findings in our final class discussion.

1)      Did you achieve your writing goals?

2)      What are the three most important reading/writing skills and tools did you develop in this course?

3)      What are the three things you desire/wish you could do as a writer? (skills for development).

4)      What have you discovered about yourself as a writer?

5)      What have you discovered about your writer? Give specific examples.

6)      What has helped you most with your writing this trimester?

7)      Our topics of discussion have been focused on freedom. How have these discussion helped you as a reader and writer?

Answering the first question, I am so happy to say that I have achieved my writing goals. I practiced writing more creatively and connecting paragraphs more easily. 

The three most important reading/ writing skills I developed during the time of this course would have to be; larger vocabulary to work with, I believe I was able to write out my personal thought better, and write better reflections on characters.

The three techniques that I desire; attention to detail, how to capture the reader's attention throughout a whole paper, and more vocabulary.

I have discovered that I'm not so terrible at describing things, and that thoughts on paper are valuable.

This semester, I have discovered that I can organize my thoughts into a paper. Specifically, in my Major Prophets class I was able to write a paper on Ezekiel with fully organized structure.

This trimester, writing has helped me become a better writer. I can learn all I want to about writing, but until I actually do it, I have now experience or time to figure out what sounds best. Or works best.

Our discussions on Freedom have helped me realize that, it is a big topic, and a very fascinating topic to write about. I think that in America we are very passionate about freedom, so a lot of that passion can come out when we write.

The major theme is the value of the “better story.” As Pi puts it, “The world isn’t just the way it is. It is how we understand it, no?” How we interpret reality can be, as it is for Pi, our faith. We need to believe in something beyond the seen. It helps us deal with fear. It helps us find a “better story.” Everything about life is a story and we can choose our own story. Martel’s point is that the story that is more imaginative is the better story. The reader can choose whether Pi’s life is real-life fiction or imaginative fiction. 1) Take 15 minutes to Freewrite on the following: Share a part of your life story that explains how you developed your faith. How has your faith helped you deal with “fear” and how has your faith helped you gain an understanding of “freedom.” 2) Take 5 minutes to respond to one of your peer’s response. 3) 5 minutes for open discussion


Faith seems to be the theme of my year. During 3 hours alone with God, it seems that the whole essence our conversation revolved around faith. Having faith in Him to take care of my needs, and step out into uncharted waters with unrelenting obedience. 
There are not many things I'm afraid of, but the things I am afraid of have many aspects in common. The fear of heights, is one of my greatest fears (and maybe it's because I'm so short), so naturally I'm afraid of roller coasters, tall ladders, rock climbing, and generally the fear of falling. Although on a side note I love flying in airplanes or helicopters.
Crashing a car or any type of motor vehicle also scares me (as I think it should scare everyone), for me this fear is rooted in an accident I had when I was fifteen. It was my fault.
Last but not least, I share a common fear of rejection. I want to be in good standing with everyone. And when I share a talent or gifting, I want others to enjoy it as well. 


The life God has planned for me has made me "face my fears." I have been to disneyland, and after a day of riding rides, that at first scared the living daylights out of me, I loved it. I loved the adrenaline rush! Likewise, I learned to drive, and had to overcome my fear of crashing. And as far as the fear of rejection goes, the Lord has told me to look outside of myself. When I'm not so focused on me I'm not really afraid, or thinking that I'm afraid.


My faith in God has "helped" me simply by knowing that I'm not in control. It really is that simple. With fear you cannot have freedom. 
When I first met Christ, I was ashamed of all the bad things I had done, and afraid that He couldn't save me. But when He told me that He died for me, I found the greatest freedom there ever was. And now I can live fearlessly.

Experience of Freedom at Mardi Gras

Looking around at a mass crowd all pushing and shoving their way down the street I was awestruck. I felt like I was in some sort of surreal movie. That in this particular moment in time I was fulfilling my destiny... telling people about the One who could save them. And I discovered a new part of myself there in the midst of the worlds business. While they were trying to forget there lives I was finding mine.

Surrounding me were hundreds of people, among them two hundred and forty other students from my college. All of us were standing in the way of the hurried drunkards, stopping to meet them and tell them the good news. Several times my partner and I were yelled at by passers saying, "I already got saved five times just walking down the street!" and others who questioned, "Are you with those other Jesus people?"

Sometimes, I could feel the verge of an riot coming on and I would realize how offensive a maze of evangelists could be. Then I realized how amazing it was that everyone from my school wasn't arrested! I mean we were clearly blocking the flow of human traffic, and upsetting people! This simply would not be allowed, or tolerated in other country's. When this kind of stuff happens in a foreign country people are sent to prison, and/or beaten.

Freedom in America, the right to protest, the right to stand up for what you know is true, even against government authorities. The freedom to influence others. Freedom is a powerful thing. Over five hundred people were accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior that Mardi Gras week, and who knows the thousands that were presented with the gospel.

What comes to mind when you think of the word freedom?

Freedom, so many different applications. Freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom from sin are just a few I can think of on the spot. But we have to be careful that we don't forget that freedom is a gift not a right.

In the USA we tend to take for granted the fact that we have the freedom of speech. We can talk publicly about our ideas, without being accused of heresy and being burned, or hung. This is a great expression of freedom since words are so powerful. They can make or brake a person, they can mold a mind.

Furthermore, freedom of religion is also a very important aspect of liberality here in America. Well... it is actually why we came to America! How Ironic is that? The Pilgrims wanted to be free to worship God they way they thought was Biblical instead of being strapped down to the rules of the English church. Now, although it can seem bad sometimes, everyone has freedom to worship their god in peace.

Finally, we have the ultimate freedom! Freedom from our sins. This type of freedom is truly a gift. I am continually bearing the fruit of Jesus Christ's ultimate sacrifice. Dying on the cross for humanity's sake, so that we could be with Father God. These are beautiful gifts that people around the world would and have died for. We definitely should not take these for granted.