Blessings

Today was a God day :) Tonight is a star night :) Miss Deanna, Betsy, Russ, I CAN'T even begin to tell you how much your 3 comments meant to me...but I was blessed. Thank you :) I'll definitely say it more personally and uniquely to each of you very soon! Emily was Baptized today!!! And I've seen God work in the big and small prayers of my life lately. I can finally say, after years of struggling with it in my head and heart, I truly do trust God with everything that is given or thrown my way. I haven't felt that way sense I first accepted Christ 6 years ago! Our God Reigns! Dios Te Bendiga my friend :D

Day 39

Tomorrow is the end of the 40 day devotions that Matt had prepared for us for our Disciple Now event. However, it's only the beginning of a different kind of lifestyle and walk that God has prepared for me, and hopefully each and every one of us as well!

Read Matthew 28:18-20

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."


1. What does Jesus mean by all authority?

2. What is our role in making disciples?

3. How can spending time in the word, fasting, or focusing on God, play a role in disciple making?

4. Pray specifically that you would grow in your relationship with Christ as a result of the experiences that you've been through.

5. Journal any thoughts you may have.


"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." What a promise! :)

Chivalry is Dead.

“Chivalry is dead.”

Those were the words that one of the girls in my social work class spoke on Friday. I let the quote stand, hurting on the inside, sadly understanding why she felt that way. In fact, it could legitimately be argued that chivalry was simply an idea that idealized the sexist views of men that wanted to see themselves in a higher light.
But I have a question for the men reading this post…is it wrong to want to see yourself in a higher light?


We were, after all, created in God’s image weren’t we?


I’m sick and tired of hearing the stories of “dudes” that only want what they can get from a girl…aren’t you? I’m sick and tired of hearing about the “guys” that are only interested in the “surface” qualities of the girls they like. But in some way shape or form, are any of us any different from those “men”?


We don’t EVER need to be the kind of men that want to see a woman as anything less than the person that God has made her to be. However, deep down I feel that some of us “men” know these things already. Instead, let’s cover a deeper and darker side of man’s character. Let’s talk about our desires and lusts. Yes, I said it.


Why is it so easy to fall into the trap of pornography, sex, lusts, and any sexually immoral thought that knocks on the door? Why is it so easy for “men” to getting tired of fighting these temptations and give in? If you don’t believe you are strong enough to face the temptations for as long as you have them…read 1 Corinthians 10:13 and 2 Peter 1:3-4 and then go tell God He’s a liar. If you’re that clever, I mean idiotic…then be my guest.


Men were made to bring joy and honor to God. We were created to be passionate, but honorable. How many of you have ever struggled with this dilemma? How many of you stopped struggling and just decided to flat out “cave in”? Are you one of God’s knights? Or have you pledged your allegiance to the Lord of Lust? Is she a girl whose heart is sacred? Or is she just a object that you can enjoy for a brief moment…until that moment passes and you are left with God’s truth ringing in your ears. There’s no way out right? I don’t understand right? It’s not what I think right? But it’s still wrong. Let me give you a reason to keep fighting:


"Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." 1 Corinthians 6:18-20

You get that? YOU are NOT your own. Period. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. You were bought out of sin, slavery, and death...at the highest of prices. A price you could NEVER pay. Doesn't that bring about a love and willingness to do what the one who saved you asks of you? Now live like it. Honor God with your body. I'm sick and tired of the lie that us "men" are being asked to believe..."it's not that big of a deal, if ...."

AND THAT IS THE PROBLEM! DON'T RATIONALIZE IT! DON'T JUSTIFY IT! DON'T MAKE AN EXCUSE FOR YOUR DESIRES! OWN IT, ADMIT IT, FIGHT IT, KILL IT! If any of this applies to you, be brave...bite the bullet and take it. It's the only thing to do.


Imagine with me:
You’re now a father, happily married, with two beautiful daughters. Sometimes when I’m spending time with young children it’s not so hard for me to imagine what it must feel like to be a father. I imagine what it was like when she was born, and cradling her when she’s asleep or not feeling well. I picture her getting hurt and how I would hold her close. Then I see achievements and imagine the pride that a father must feel as his daughter comes back to let him know how well she did on the test or in the play! I see myself ready to defend her honor and brazenly daring anyone to make her cry again. She moves through middle School and into high school. Can you picture her yet? You talk to her about dating and college, I don’t know about you, I start feel a lump in my throat…a pain in knowing she’s almost gone. I feel rage and sorrow as she’s picked on for standing for what she believes in. You’ve walk with her, talked with her, and laughed and cried with her. In fact, you know her better than any other man alive. And here comes some random guy out of the blue.
“Who are you? What are you like? How long have you prayed for her? All I know is that I’m carrying the torch for my daughter, and no sense of style, cool car, or pretty boy smile will trick it out of my hand. My investment is too great. After all, I don’t know you, but I have to put my trust entirely in you. Don’t you owe me, him, some faithfulness and honor? Don’t you owe him a few good defenses against your own passions?”
I realize that I don’t know what it’s like to actually be in that man’s position. But I do know that it’s not far off from what a father should feel. Don’t we want to trust others with our futures, and if so, can we give people reason to trust in us?


That’s all I need to say. That girl that comes to mind when you read this, she’s someone’s daughter. That girl that comes to mind, she’s someone’s sister. That girl that comes to mind, she’s God’s daughter and princess.


Do you want to know that the girls in this world are seen the way you see them? Or when you read that statement, do you feel the pang of guilt?


Just as she’s God’s daughter and princess, you are God’s son and prince. You are royalty my friend! And our Father’s daughters are under attack, are you going to sit there and debate whether you’re going to join the enemy? Or are you going to step towards Satan with sword and shield in hand saying, “Get behind me Satan!” The time for apathy ended the day you let God “knight” you, the day that you answered His call. The time for excuses is over. The time for tolerance is over. The time for accepting what you “believe” can’t be helped is over!


We fight my brothers, we fight my friends, and it’s our responsibility to fight for all that is good. We fight for our God and King! If that means we have to fight against our nature, so be it. If we have to fight against our flesh, so be it. If that means we fight against our thoughts, so be it. If that means we fight against our desires, so be it. If we have to fight against all that we are, so be it! But DON’T fight against God’s calling in your life any longer! This life is too important to spend making the same mistakes, so don’t. Job, the man that went through everything Satan could throw at him, actually made a covenant with his eyes…promising that he would never look at a woman in a light that was dishonorable. So it’s doable! And don’t give me any of that crap that I got from one of my guy friends about how, “I’m not Job, and I’ve never been able to do things the way God wanted me to anyway.” Today is the first day of the rest of your life, now start it right.

Trust me brothers, God is big enough for all your temptations and weaknesses. God is faithful enough. God is capable of changing our hearts if we let Him in. Have you? If not...are you willing to? My God is the God of redemption…all He asks is that we don’t take advantage of it. Are you willing to take a stand for your future wife, daughter, and most importantly…for your God?

Day 38

Read John 2:7-9

"Jesus said to the servants, 'Fill the jars with water'; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet. They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside...."


1. Have you ever heard God's voice speaking to your heart and telling you something specific to do?

2. How do you feel when God tells you something specific to do?

3. What was the job of the servants?

4. Could Jesus have done this miracle without them?

5. Why did he use them?

6. Are we responsible for the results when God calls us to do something specific?

7. Journal any thoughts you may have.

Finally Friday

I know...3 posts back to back...but you gotta do whatcha gotta do :D


So I find myself lying on the carpeted floor, in my dorm room, listening to Jon Foreman's Your Love is Strong on repeat. I'm not bad off mind you, never really can be, after all I've lived my life without a purpose before, without God. Once you know what, or should I say whom, life is truly about, you find it's easier to fight the lies Satan throws your way. But it is still quite a battle, or at least for me it is.

Yesterday was rough for me. I managed to get myself cursed out badly by someone with a temper. Which typically wouldn't phase me much, but it hurt me where I didn't realize it would. I also managed to put myself in a situation that was really uncomfortable, but worse...I didn't know to handle. Not that knowing how I could handle it would have made things better, perhaps being okay with uncertainty is something God is trying to teach me...if so, it's starting to work. At least somewhat.

Worship last night was one of the major things I really needed last night. That and a text from a friend, encouraging me of some things that I needed to hear. And reading from a picture book in worship made the devotion time all the better! ;) I mean how often does a group of college students have a picture book read out loud to them as a devotion (Max Lucado's You are Special). Better yet, I wasn't stoned by an angry mob afterwards, lstm.

I guess I'm just trying to relax and get my thoughts together before I feel like it begins again. Regardless, God is bigger than anything else in life. And if we remember that the past is past, that the future can wait, and that the moment is now...perhaps life won't be able to knock us down nearly as often.

And when we are knocked down, I know the guy that does the picking up. He Rocks!