Daily thoughts and experiences from my mind and life.
Relationships
Full Days…
Dec 6th
So I didn’t really get off to a good start this morning. Basically my whole sleeping schedule has been thrown off. Tomorrow I will be forcing myself to get up when the alarm goes off. The day turned out pretty excellent however. The Bible study I had with a couple of youth guys really revealed a wrong attitude I had about the weekend coming up. I find it can be frustrating to see people treat others with such disrespect, especially when we are talking about Christians. I guess it is easy to hold Christians up to a higher standard. This is right and wrong. While we should expect Christian to be doing what’s right in the eyes of the Lord, we also need to show them the same level of grace that we have through Christ. Without God’s grace where would any of us be. This is back to the hexagon in the Life Shapes, “forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us”, it can be so easy to forget this, shame on us (on me).
Youth praise team practice went really well tonight. I think I’ve got a plan that is going to work to do music in the fellowship hall, we’ll see. We’ll be taking a break next week, then have a practice of Christmas music to lead for the Christmas party.
More >
Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done…
Dec 6th
“…on Earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread…” As I read these words and the pages that went with them, in “The Passionate Life”, it was pretty obvious God was speaking to me concerning my evening. While I’m so thankful for all that God continues to teach me, I feel a small sense that perhaps He has other plans for me then the opportunity to share this life with someone else. I will be honest in that my heart feels a little torn. Not so much because of anyone else, only because it seems that the verse I have claimed and have placed at the top of my blog is truely being lived out in my life. This is not an easy thing. When you have had your heart set on something for so long, and you finally come to realize that those desires have been misplaced, it just hurts a little. As hard as it is to comes to grip with it, I think it’s time to follow God’s lead into a life as a single guy. I think it can only be through accepting this and living as such, with my whole heart given to and focus on Christ, that I will truely find the peace He would have for me. The loved I’ve longed to show to my own children someday can be given to many in need of it in this world today. I will have the opportunity to give care and love to the children of my friends, and the children of my siblings. I can trust in the knowledge that God knows what absolutely best for my life. I may not understand all that He has planned, I may question why He would choose things for me, but as I seek to follow Him in all that I do, I can know that He will always be by my side for comfort and the leading that I need. He gives me so many blessings and opportunities each day, many I know I take for granted. It is only the needs I have each day that I should be concerned with going to the Lord for. In this season on celebrating Christ’s entrance into this world, to bring us the only gift we’ve ever needed. It a time to be reminded that Christ is all any of us need.
I say say goodnight, I wish all those that I know God’s peace and blessings this Christmas. Goodnight.
Teach Me Patience…
Dec 4th
These past few days have been pretty amazing. Let’s just say for starters, that God has really been teaching me a lot these days. This is something I very much need to think about and reflect on daily. Kind of all goes back to the learning circle. How important it is to reflect, plan, and act on the teaching that God does in our lives. It can be so easy to learn and move on without it having a truely lasting impact on our lives. God has been reminding me of this too.
As of Wednesday God has really been revealing to me a need to be getting out of the Christian bubble I live in. It’s much like the times the disciples wanted to stay with Jesus rather than go out and be among the people. The reality is I am not involved with anything that is not connected with church or my job. I’m not making the assumption that everyone that attends something at the church is a Christian and doesn’t need to be ministered too, but take a look at Jesus as the example. He didn’t spend all His time preaching in the synagogue, he was teaching among the people that would never set foot in a synagogue. This is what we all need to do, not just hide ourselves in the church. The is the failing of the church today. We are about come to us, not going to them.
More >
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly…
Nov 28th
Well, yes I’m finally posting to the blog again. Trips tend to take me out of the blog-o-sphere. Well, sorry to disappoint many, but this is going to be a short one tonight. I’m not quite out of the dark on the sick feeling that hit me yesterday, pretty close though.
The Good: Had a good time with my family and got to hang out with two of my best friends growing up. It’s interesting to see where we are all at now in life. John’s all married with a baby on the way. Sounds like they’ll be doing some moving around in the years to come. I really hope John’s finds the job he’s really looking for. Jeff is still as quirky as every. John & I agreed we could see him being one of those eccentric professors, this is probably where he’s headed. And then there’s me, you all know where I’m at. A new 15in
More >