Today, I was again reminded about the sheer beauty of life. How delicate it can be, and how beautiful it really is to see it come into this world. For those who don't know, my sister had her second baby this morning. 8:02 AM, Monday, May 30th 2011. Amethyst Jane Vaught-Anderson. My newest niece joins the world with the miracle of her birth.
That's where I want to begin this, is the miracle of birth. It is said that you never really know the full capacity of life. The real meaning behind it, until you have brought someone into it. In my sister's sense, she brought her into the Earth. God put Amethyst in my sister's womb, and now she's laying in a hospital room with my sister at RMH. The thing with birth is, it really is a miracle. We take life for granted, but when a baby is born, we lose that, and realize that we have come that far, and we now have a great responsibility. It is now important that we help this newborn baby into life. Not only in the physical sense. but spiritually.
We are called as men and women of God to make disciples of all nations. Well, if we don't speak the Word of God to our kids, nieces or nephews, then they're not getting the Word. I don't know if my dad ever read the Bible to me as a baby, but I know that can have a great effect on your kid coming to Christ. I hope and pray that I get the opportunity to share the Word with my new niece.
Another thing that I have realized today is that life is precious. When a life comes in to the earth, or leaves it, I always get this feeling. Life is just too important to waste, which is why kids need to hear the Word of God. If they don't get to hear the Word from us, they may never get the chance. That's not a risk that I want to take. If they don't hear the Word, they don't get a chance to enter into the kingdom. That's just not something I want to withhold from them. I just hope that Amethyst is able to grow up, hear the Word, accept the Word, and have life to the full. Everyone wants to live a full life. If they don't have Christ though, that's not possible.
Well, I just ask that you guys pray that Amethyst would grow up with the right friends, make good choices, and come into the open, loving arms of Christ.
Thank you all so much. I love you guys
TJ
"I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full" - John 10:10
Monday, May 30, 2011
My friends on a Monday afternoon
Well Captain Jack is under attack in the town of Port Royal.
He needs a ship and crew who will be good and loyal
He's on a quest like a personal test to catch Captain Barbosa
The scraggly dude stole his ship and Jack's not too happy
Well Barbosa's crew got a little greedy. They took the gold.
Now they've got more problems than what was foretold
They smell like mold, they're perpetually old.
If they wanna break the curse so it won't get no worse
They gotta do some stuff first.
Like learn generosity, charity love and caring.
They gotta return those deadly coins, once they find the rest
These stupid pirates, and their greed just caused a big old mess.
He needs a ship and crew who will be good and loyal
He's on a quest like a personal test to catch Captain Barbosa
The scraggly dude stole his ship and Jack's not too happy
Well Barbosa's crew got a little greedy. They took the gold.
Now they've got more problems than what was foretold
They smell like mold, they're perpetually old.
If they wanna break the curse so it won't get no worse
They gotta do some stuff first.
Like learn generosity, charity love and caring.
They gotta return those deadly coins, once they find the rest
These stupid pirates, and their greed just caused a big old mess.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Questioning the One true Power.
While on the way up to my friend's house on Thursday night, my buddy, Michael and I were talking about how the weather can just suddenly change on you. Making some forecasts for days totally wrong. It was just an interesting concept, because not too long after it started, it started to hit like a freight train. We were getting poured on as if we were a dehydrated sunflower. It was a really hard rain, and there was a lot of lightlning. A lot of really fast, really bright lightning.
While Michael and I were talking about how it was so nice outside during that same day, but then the rains and storms come randomly at night, sort of taking me by surprise, Michael's first reaction was "And we question the power of God."
As you can imagine, as with many, many other things, this got me to thinking. I started to think about how Michael was absolutely right. We do question God's power a lot. We can underestimate it a lot too. I think we like to question it a lot though. We don't really see that God has the power to do what He wants, when He wants. One of the things that made me really believe that Michael was right, was when the lightning was so bright, it felt like we were driving in the middle of the day. That means it was close, and it was powerful. This kind of left me in awe, because God literally had the power to totally end Michael and I there. With one fell move, it could have been over for us. This is a really scary thought, because you never really understand your life until you realize that God has the power to completely take it away. He doesn't need a knife, a gun, or any other type of weapon though. He can just kill us, when He chooses.
It made me think, how many times in my life do I really question the power of God. Not even just the fact that He has the power to kill me right now, but the other things like, "Can He really help me through this hard time?" Or, "I just don't think that God can handle this" We do it all the time without even thinking about it really. We just don't think that God really is THAT big. Well, I've got news for pretty much everyone, myself included: God could make a lightning storm come in the middle of a drought, strike every one of us down, and be done with it, but because of His immense love for us, He doesn't do that, thankfully.
When I showed up at Campaigners, fashionably late, because of 7 on 7, Susan was talking about how we question the power of God all the time as well. It was just a really strong topic that night for some odd reason. Oh well, it was definitely something that I needed to hear because I thought about it all night, and I guess God was trying to tell me that I need to stop second-guessing Him, and just give Him the problems that I have. It's the best way to get through them, and truthfully, He's gotten me through bigger problems than the ones I'm having right now, even though the biggest problem, as long as certain things go right, will be solved in a matter of weeks. I just am sick of not giving God enough of myself. I don't think that I really grasp the whole idea of worship anymore.
Worship was created in order for us to have a way to fully surrender ourselves to God. There are many different forms of worship, but I can tell you that I don't do any of them, enough of the time anyway. I just think that I have become so lukewarm with my walk with Christ that I have begun to miss out on the great things in life that I should be experiencing with Him, but I'm not because I don't think that I am giving God enough credit that He so rightfully deserves. I really think that if I fully surrendered myself to the Lord everyday, then I would not be missing out on so many things that I do tend to miss out on just because of the fact that I am not giving it my all right now.
This is one reason that I am glad that football is starting back up, because I do realize that when we half the pre-practice talks about things, it really opens my eyes to things that I really don't see anywhere else. It has really improved my faith, because I knew that walking into the season on JV, that I had to be a leader, but then I realized that it was pretty much just me, since no one else on the team really knew the Lord. This made me wary of the fact that pretty much the only thing that I had to work with was the weightlifting strength that I had, and the power of the Lord. I really wish that I could have that back, and I know that it is definitely mine for the taking. It's just like of my my favorite songs right now says,
"Willl you take me as I am?
I know the way I'm living is wrong
But I can't change on my own,
Tryna make it alone. I wonder
How could you love me with my life so ugly?
But you came down and died for me.
Will you take me as I am?"
This song is more about the fact that there is nothing that we can do that will earn us salvation, but accepting Christ as our Lord and Savior, but I think it still applies to the fact that not only does God have the power to kill us all, but He also has, and used the power to redeem us all. Because of God, sending His One and only Son down to die for our sins, we now have a free gift that can never be returned. We don't have to take it, but it's always there if we want it. We don't have to live in the bondage of slavery anymore. We don't have to let earthly things get to us. God has set us free. Therefore, we should rejoice. God used His all-powerful, all loving power to save us, instead of doing what pretty much any human would have done, and annihilated everyone. I know that if I were God, and I were truly angry with someone, their chances would be done, I probably would have dropped the hammer. Then again, this is why I am not God.
Well, as much as I would love to keep writing, my throat needs to rest from inhaling bonfire smoke. Talk to you guys later.
I love you guys
TJ
While Michael and I were talking about how it was so nice outside during that same day, but then the rains and storms come randomly at night, sort of taking me by surprise, Michael's first reaction was "And we question the power of God."
As you can imagine, as with many, many other things, this got me to thinking. I started to think about how Michael was absolutely right. We do question God's power a lot. We can underestimate it a lot too. I think we like to question it a lot though. We don't really see that God has the power to do what He wants, when He wants. One of the things that made me really believe that Michael was right, was when the lightning was so bright, it felt like we were driving in the middle of the day. That means it was close, and it was powerful. This kind of left me in awe, because God literally had the power to totally end Michael and I there. With one fell move, it could have been over for us. This is a really scary thought, because you never really understand your life until you realize that God has the power to completely take it away. He doesn't need a knife, a gun, or any other type of weapon though. He can just kill us, when He chooses.
It made me think, how many times in my life do I really question the power of God. Not even just the fact that He has the power to kill me right now, but the other things like, "Can He really help me through this hard time?" Or, "I just don't think that God can handle this" We do it all the time without even thinking about it really. We just don't think that God really is THAT big. Well, I've got news for pretty much everyone, myself included: God could make a lightning storm come in the middle of a drought, strike every one of us down, and be done with it, but because of His immense love for us, He doesn't do that, thankfully.
When I showed up at Campaigners, fashionably late, because of 7 on 7, Susan was talking about how we question the power of God all the time as well. It was just a really strong topic that night for some odd reason. Oh well, it was definitely something that I needed to hear because I thought about it all night, and I guess God was trying to tell me that I need to stop second-guessing Him, and just give Him the problems that I have. It's the best way to get through them, and truthfully, He's gotten me through bigger problems than the ones I'm having right now, even though the biggest problem, as long as certain things go right, will be solved in a matter of weeks. I just am sick of not giving God enough of myself. I don't think that I really grasp the whole idea of worship anymore.
Worship was created in order for us to have a way to fully surrender ourselves to God. There are many different forms of worship, but I can tell you that I don't do any of them, enough of the time anyway. I just think that I have become so lukewarm with my walk with Christ that I have begun to miss out on the great things in life that I should be experiencing with Him, but I'm not because I don't think that I am giving God enough credit that He so rightfully deserves. I really think that if I fully surrendered myself to the Lord everyday, then I would not be missing out on so many things that I do tend to miss out on just because of the fact that I am not giving it my all right now.
This is one reason that I am glad that football is starting back up, because I do realize that when we half the pre-practice talks about things, it really opens my eyes to things that I really don't see anywhere else. It has really improved my faith, because I knew that walking into the season on JV, that I had to be a leader, but then I realized that it was pretty much just me, since no one else on the team really knew the Lord. This made me wary of the fact that pretty much the only thing that I had to work with was the weightlifting strength that I had, and the power of the Lord. I really wish that I could have that back, and I know that it is definitely mine for the taking. It's just like of my my favorite songs right now says,
"Willl you take me as I am?
I know the way I'm living is wrong
But I can't change on my own,
Tryna make it alone. I wonder
How could you love me with my life so ugly?
But you came down and died for me.
Will you take me as I am?"
This song is more about the fact that there is nothing that we can do that will earn us salvation, but accepting Christ as our Lord and Savior, but I think it still applies to the fact that not only does God have the power to kill us all, but He also has, and used the power to redeem us all. Because of God, sending His One and only Son down to die for our sins, we now have a free gift that can never be returned. We don't have to take it, but it's always there if we want it. We don't have to live in the bondage of slavery anymore. We don't have to let earthly things get to us. God has set us free. Therefore, we should rejoice. God used His all-powerful, all loving power to save us, instead of doing what pretty much any human would have done, and annihilated everyone. I know that if I were God, and I were truly angry with someone, their chances would be done, I probably would have dropped the hammer. Then again, this is why I am not God.
Well, as much as I would love to keep writing, my throat needs to rest from inhaling bonfire smoke. Talk to you guys later.
I love you guys
TJ
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Gifts of God for the people of God.
You know those times where everything seems to be in a great big bind? When everything you do just doesn't seem to be right? Those times are very hard to deal with, but then again, they can also be very easy to deal with. It all depends on one thing really. That thing is where you look for help.
As pretty much all of you know, I recently moved, and before that, I didn't know where I would have been going. We looked almost everywhere we could for help. Truthfully, looking back on it now, I don't think I should have waited so long to do so, but I turned to everything else, but nothing worked. This was one of those instances where a gift from God came in a saved me. I had nothing else to turn to, literally. I didn't know if I would have to switch schools, I didn't even know if I was going to be in Virginia anymore! Then, when everything seemed to be at its worst, I finally came to my senses, and put my faith right where it belonged: in the hands of God.
What many people don't get about putting faith in God is that it can't be something you say, you have to actually feel it. When you know that nothing else is going your way, it's a little easier, but when you really think about it, those times aren't around all the time. Back when I first moved to Cave Spring, I had NOTHING! No friends,(so I thought at the time) and no experience with anything there to know what I was getting myself into. It eventually worked itself out. Then I came across this girl. Me and her dated for a while, and then BAM!! It ended, just like that. I was torn to pieces. I was beside myself, and every other metaphor you can think of to describe my insanity about it. That was when I finally decided I was done with the world.
I had heard about Jesus, and all these things He did for me, but the thing I never really understood was how He gave us things. Well, God gave me many friends who knew Him before I did (Eric, Zack, Tanveer). These guys are the ones who ultimately led me to Christ. I didn't know this until I came to Him though. Looking back on that, I took a lot of things for granted, and really, I still do. God gave me so many good friends, and I didn't realize it at first. When I really need them though, they are the first people I go to.
Well, when this situation came up, and this is not to say that they were being bad friends, but it had seemed like the inevitable had came, they failed me. It felt like anyway. I know now that there was nothing they could really do to help me. So I am sorry for thinking that way in the first place. I had nowhere to go, but God. Sure enough another one of His gifts came down, and got my family through it. I now have a home, and while it's not the best, it's better than nothing. He blessed me when I finally surrendered everything to Him, and let Him do His thing. What a remarkable thing to see! All I have to do is let Him take control of my life. I have to let "Jesus take the wheel". Once I did that, almost instantly, an answer was given. Thank the Lord for that! I know that His blessings don't always come immediately, but they do come when we absolutely need them. Who knows, sometimes He can bless us when we don't need them. Maybe He just loves us THAT much!
The biggest thing is, we all get gifts from God, whether or not you follow Christ or not. The thing about it is, do you know where they come from? We all know that things like that don't just come out of nowhere. They have to to brought to you by someone. God is that someone. He does more things in people's lives than anyone could ever imagine. I watched House in biology the other day, and one of the characters, whoever the black one is, was over joyed to just be alive. Being thankful every day that he got to see the light of day. I wish I could honestly say I do that. It's easy to give thanks for my friends, but to thank God every day that He lets me live? Now that would make a really positive TJ. I tend to be positive anyway, but I never wake up, and give thanks to God daily. Even when I do say "Thank You for this day..." I sometimes get the feeling it's more of a tradition to say that, and it's not coming from the heart. I wish I could literally, wake up each day, look into the light, and give thanks for the ability to see it. Feel it, walk in it. Imagine if everyone gave thanks for things like that. The world would be a much happier place.
When times get hard, isn't it nearly impossible to see how you could possibly be blessed? Look at all your friends, look at each day, and look at each breath even, as a blessing. You can't possibly begin to grasp the reality of His gifts until you are really thankful for them. I can say that I honestly thank God, whether or not I know it yet, for each and everyone of my friends. Without them, I wouldn't know God. At all. Without them, I'd still be looking everywhere else. I love each of them dearly, and don't know what I would do without them. Which is another reason I am thankful I didn't move to Washington. My prayer is that I learn to look at each day as a blessing, and that I would not seek out anything but His kingdom. Matthew 6:33 "Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all other things will be added to you"
I mean, if all I have to do is seek God with my whole heart, well that seems easy enough for me. Let's go! The LORD will bless.
"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper and not to harm. Plans to give you hope and a future" - Jeremiah 29:11
As pretty much all of you know, I recently moved, and before that, I didn't know where I would have been going. We looked almost everywhere we could for help. Truthfully, looking back on it now, I don't think I should have waited so long to do so, but I turned to everything else, but nothing worked. This was one of those instances where a gift from God came in a saved me. I had nothing else to turn to, literally. I didn't know if I would have to switch schools, I didn't even know if I was going to be in Virginia anymore! Then, when everything seemed to be at its worst, I finally came to my senses, and put my faith right where it belonged: in the hands of God.
What many people don't get about putting faith in God is that it can't be something you say, you have to actually feel it. When you know that nothing else is going your way, it's a little easier, but when you really think about it, those times aren't around all the time. Back when I first moved to Cave Spring, I had NOTHING! No friends,(so I thought at the time) and no experience with anything there to know what I was getting myself into. It eventually worked itself out. Then I came across this girl. Me and her dated for a while, and then BAM!! It ended, just like that. I was torn to pieces. I was beside myself, and every other metaphor you can think of to describe my insanity about it. That was when I finally decided I was done with the world.
I had heard about Jesus, and all these things He did for me, but the thing I never really understood was how He gave us things. Well, God gave me many friends who knew Him before I did (Eric, Zack, Tanveer). These guys are the ones who ultimately led me to Christ. I didn't know this until I came to Him though. Looking back on that, I took a lot of things for granted, and really, I still do. God gave me so many good friends, and I didn't realize it at first. When I really need them though, they are the first people I go to.
Well, when this situation came up, and this is not to say that they were being bad friends, but it had seemed like the inevitable had came, they failed me. It felt like anyway. I know now that there was nothing they could really do to help me. So I am sorry for thinking that way in the first place. I had nowhere to go, but God. Sure enough another one of His gifts came down, and got my family through it. I now have a home, and while it's not the best, it's better than nothing. He blessed me when I finally surrendered everything to Him, and let Him do His thing. What a remarkable thing to see! All I have to do is let Him take control of my life. I have to let "Jesus take the wheel". Once I did that, almost instantly, an answer was given. Thank the Lord for that! I know that His blessings don't always come immediately, but they do come when we absolutely need them. Who knows, sometimes He can bless us when we don't need them. Maybe He just loves us THAT much!
The biggest thing is, we all get gifts from God, whether or not you follow Christ or not. The thing about it is, do you know where they come from? We all know that things like that don't just come out of nowhere. They have to to brought to you by someone. God is that someone. He does more things in people's lives than anyone could ever imagine. I watched House in biology the other day, and one of the characters, whoever the black one is, was over joyed to just be alive. Being thankful every day that he got to see the light of day. I wish I could honestly say I do that. It's easy to give thanks for my friends, but to thank God every day that He lets me live? Now that would make a really positive TJ. I tend to be positive anyway, but I never wake up, and give thanks to God daily. Even when I do say "Thank You for this day..." I sometimes get the feeling it's more of a tradition to say that, and it's not coming from the heart. I wish I could literally, wake up each day, look into the light, and give thanks for the ability to see it. Feel it, walk in it. Imagine if everyone gave thanks for things like that. The world would be a much happier place.
When times get hard, isn't it nearly impossible to see how you could possibly be blessed? Look at all your friends, look at each day, and look at each breath even, as a blessing. You can't possibly begin to grasp the reality of His gifts until you are really thankful for them. I can say that I honestly thank God, whether or not I know it yet, for each and everyone of my friends. Without them, I wouldn't know God. At all. Without them, I'd still be looking everywhere else. I love each of them dearly, and don't know what I would do without them. Which is another reason I am thankful I didn't move to Washington. My prayer is that I learn to look at each day as a blessing, and that I would not seek out anything but His kingdom. Matthew 6:33 "Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all other things will be added to you"
I mean, if all I have to do is seek God with my whole heart, well that seems easy enough for me. Let's go! The LORD will bless.
"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper and not to harm. Plans to give you hope and a future" - Jeremiah 29:11
Sunday, May 15, 2011
A light in the recent darkness
Tonight I got the great blessing to be able to hang out, and have a bible study with a few of my best friends. We all met up, and went to my friend Carter's house, and his grandad talked to us, and taught us many different things about his life, and how God has greatly affected the course of his life. Here is the story that put me in awe.
He was with his friend, and he had gotten a new car, and his friend wanted to race him, and he decided that it wouldn't be too bad to try, so he accepted. He was going about 75, and it was in about a 35 zone. He passes a police officer, and the lights to the car come on. John (Carter's Granddad) went up a hill, and somehow, all 4 tires of the car left the ground! He was in flight, and if that wasn't scary enough, the car went and turned around 180 degrees. That's insane, imagine going 80 MPH, and leaving the ground in your car, then all of a sudden you're facing the other direction, no turning or anything at all. He landed safely too. Not a single scratch got on his car. He then started the opposite direction, so he stopped and he was sure that the cops were going to have him thrown in jail. Well, this man dressed in all black with a white shirt came up, and told the officers a story about John's father. The officer wrote him up, and sent him off. No jail time. Tell me that doesn't just blow your mind.
Well, John went about to tell us many different things about things that he had done in his life in which the devil was literally trying to kill him. Spiritually and physically. There were just so many times that this man should have been killed, but because God had hand-picked him to do many other things in life, he was protected. There are just so many different stories that can be siad with the same message as this, but I have never heard a story that meant so much to me, because it just seems so surreal to think about these kind of things actually happening
Well, while we were praying for the dinner than John and his wife had so willingly prepared for us, something came over to me because Carter had told me that they had a lot of Bibles in the house, and I didn't have one in my house that I could easily read. Or find for that matter. So, right before I went to go eat, I went up to John, and with more boldness than I usually have with people I have just met, I asked him if he had a Bible that I could have. Almost without any hesitation, he looks at me and says that he has plenty of Bibles to spare, and that he would go and get one for me. He got me this NIV Study Bible, which is a really nice Bible to have. I can't really tell you of many times where someone I have just met has had so much caring for other people that he would give something like a Bible to someone who he has just met a few minutes or so before. It was such a great blessing to know that someone wants people to know the King of Kings so much that he would give one of his nicest Bibles to a kid that was invited by his grandson. That was one of the highlights of the night if you ask me.
We got into a lot of deep conversation, and if I can be completely honest with you, I don't remember a lot of it, because I would have to look at the notes that I took, and I think that I'm going to give my brain some time to relax, since we did get to talk about a lot. Don't worry though, I will get to that soon enough. The best part of the night though was when we just went through different parts of Scripture, and just talked about how it really applies to the lives that we all are living right now.
Another good thing that happened, is while riding over there with my friend Griffin, from Hidden Valley, I got to talk to him, and he told me that he was praying for me about the whole situation that I am going through right now. That was so encouraging to hear, that someone who I had never really talked to was praying for me. I don't know if you have ever been straight up told that by someone, but I can now tell you first hand, that it is one of the best things that someone can ever be told, and it can uplift them in ways that they might not even think possible. I really just learned tonight a lot about prayer, and a lot about the guys that I am going through life with right now.
There is just so much that I could talk about, but I am so tired right now. Thank God I didn't go to prom last night or I would be even more tired.
I don't say this enough, and I sure hope that changes soon enough, but I love each and every one of you. I hope that the Lord blesses you in many different ways throughout your week, and that you just have a great week.
TJ
He was with his friend, and he had gotten a new car, and his friend wanted to race him, and he decided that it wouldn't be too bad to try, so he accepted. He was going about 75, and it was in about a 35 zone. He passes a police officer, and the lights to the car come on. John (Carter's Granddad) went up a hill, and somehow, all 4 tires of the car left the ground! He was in flight, and if that wasn't scary enough, the car went and turned around 180 degrees. That's insane, imagine going 80 MPH, and leaving the ground in your car, then all of a sudden you're facing the other direction, no turning or anything at all. He landed safely too. Not a single scratch got on his car. He then started the opposite direction, so he stopped and he was sure that the cops were going to have him thrown in jail. Well, this man dressed in all black with a white shirt came up, and told the officers a story about John's father. The officer wrote him up, and sent him off. No jail time. Tell me that doesn't just blow your mind.
Well, John went about to tell us many different things about things that he had done in his life in which the devil was literally trying to kill him. Spiritually and physically. There were just so many times that this man should have been killed, but because God had hand-picked him to do many other things in life, he was protected. There are just so many different stories that can be siad with the same message as this, but I have never heard a story that meant so much to me, because it just seems so surreal to think about these kind of things actually happening
Well, while we were praying for the dinner than John and his wife had so willingly prepared for us, something came over to me because Carter had told me that they had a lot of Bibles in the house, and I didn't have one in my house that I could easily read. Or find for that matter. So, right before I went to go eat, I went up to John, and with more boldness than I usually have with people I have just met, I asked him if he had a Bible that I could have. Almost without any hesitation, he looks at me and says that he has plenty of Bibles to spare, and that he would go and get one for me. He got me this NIV Study Bible, which is a really nice Bible to have. I can't really tell you of many times where someone I have just met has had so much caring for other people that he would give something like a Bible to someone who he has just met a few minutes or so before. It was such a great blessing to know that someone wants people to know the King of Kings so much that he would give one of his nicest Bibles to a kid that was invited by his grandson. That was one of the highlights of the night if you ask me.
We got into a lot of deep conversation, and if I can be completely honest with you, I don't remember a lot of it, because I would have to look at the notes that I took, and I think that I'm going to give my brain some time to relax, since we did get to talk about a lot. Don't worry though, I will get to that soon enough. The best part of the night though was when we just went through different parts of Scripture, and just talked about how it really applies to the lives that we all are living right now.
Another good thing that happened, is while riding over there with my friend Griffin, from Hidden Valley, I got to talk to him, and he told me that he was praying for me about the whole situation that I am going through right now. That was so encouraging to hear, that someone who I had never really talked to was praying for me. I don't know if you have ever been straight up told that by someone, but I can now tell you first hand, that it is one of the best things that someone can ever be told, and it can uplift them in ways that they might not even think possible. I really just learned tonight a lot about prayer, and a lot about the guys that I am going through life with right now.
There is just so much that I could talk about, but I am so tired right now. Thank God I didn't go to prom last night or I would be even more tired.
I don't say this enough, and I sure hope that changes soon enough, but I love each and every one of you. I hope that the Lord blesses you in many different ways throughout your week, and that you just have a great week.
TJ
Saturday, May 7, 2011
This almost went over my head
It seems like a very sad thing that I can say this, but it definitely just occured to me that I'm getting baptized tomorrow. After a little over a year of having this relationship with Christ, I'm finally getting a chance to outwardly show what He has done in my life. It just seems like I should be more excited, and should not have let it slip my mind. That shows how easily distracted I can get when I know that there are way more important things that I should be focused on.
This happens to me in almost everything that I do. Whenever I have something to do, unless I'm with my friends who can help me keep it in my mind, I tend to get very distracted with the things that I'm doing. It's like when I'm playing soccer even. Yesterday, there was just so much happening during the game that should not be the way that we did them, and it definitely aggravated me, because coach is always telling us the way things are. I am just as guilty as all of them, and I definitely am not a perfect soccer player.
In school I get very distracted, because it's really hard hanging out with kids who don't know Christ in school, and acting the way I'm supposed to. I tend to not be able to keep striving to be more like Him every day. I tend to stop, and start heading my own way. I don't like it. I've been seeing myself trying to fix it, but it's definitely not an overnight process. Nor is it one I can do alone. Things are starting to slowly get back to the way they belong, and I just need to have patience that I will eventually get back to where I was, and where I belong. It's nothing I can do though. God's gotta change my heart. I can't do that.
On a positive note, last night was a pretty strange, yet much needed night. I was hanging out with my friend, and we were just talking and pretty much out of nowhere they come out and tell me that I was a strong person. Not just physically. They were saying that I had a strong faith because of all the crap that I go through, and yet I still strive to stay with God. Truthfully, I don't go through too much, and there is always someone who is worse off than me. It was just an encouraging thing to hear someone telling me that I had a very strong faith, when I haven't felt like I have had any faith at all recently. I'm not sure if they were saying this just to say it, or if God was speaking to me through them, and basically inadvertently telling me that I have a stronger faith than I've been putting out, or what, but I know that things like that don't happen by accident.
Pretty much I had one of those nights where something really awesome happens, and you just can't find the means for all the words you mean to speak. I just hope that I can try to stop being such a stickler with my faith, and start living it out as if I were going to die tomorrow. Truthfully, from the words of Francis Chan, I've been "serving God my leftovers" This is definitely not okay, and I really need His help to stop it. I can't there is nothing really than I can do to change it. I need to rely on God's full, steadfast, all powerful, and crazy love.
That's about it. Just kind of occured to me that tomorrow is pretty much one of the most important days in my life.
Love you guys.
TJ
"You have a distinct decision to make: just let life happen, which is tantamount to serving God your leftovers. Or actively run towards Christ"
This happens to me in almost everything that I do. Whenever I have something to do, unless I'm with my friends who can help me keep it in my mind, I tend to get very distracted with the things that I'm doing. It's like when I'm playing soccer even. Yesterday, there was just so much happening during the game that should not be the way that we did them, and it definitely aggravated me, because coach is always telling us the way things are. I am just as guilty as all of them, and I definitely am not a perfect soccer player.
In school I get very distracted, because it's really hard hanging out with kids who don't know Christ in school, and acting the way I'm supposed to. I tend to not be able to keep striving to be more like Him every day. I tend to stop, and start heading my own way. I don't like it. I've been seeing myself trying to fix it, but it's definitely not an overnight process. Nor is it one I can do alone. Things are starting to slowly get back to the way they belong, and I just need to have patience that I will eventually get back to where I was, and where I belong. It's nothing I can do though. God's gotta change my heart. I can't do that.
On a positive note, last night was a pretty strange, yet much needed night. I was hanging out with my friend, and we were just talking and pretty much out of nowhere they come out and tell me that I was a strong person. Not just physically. They were saying that I had a strong faith because of all the crap that I go through, and yet I still strive to stay with God. Truthfully, I don't go through too much, and there is always someone who is worse off than me. It was just an encouraging thing to hear someone telling me that I had a very strong faith, when I haven't felt like I have had any faith at all recently. I'm not sure if they were saying this just to say it, or if God was speaking to me through them, and basically inadvertently telling me that I have a stronger faith than I've been putting out, or what, but I know that things like that don't happen by accident.
Pretty much I had one of those nights where something really awesome happens, and you just can't find the means for all the words you mean to speak. I just hope that I can try to stop being such a stickler with my faith, and start living it out as if I were going to die tomorrow. Truthfully, from the words of Francis Chan, I've been "serving God my leftovers" This is definitely not okay, and I really need His help to stop it. I can't there is nothing really than I can do to change it. I need to rely on God's full, steadfast, all powerful, and crazy love.
That's about it. Just kind of occured to me that tomorrow is pretty much one of the most important days in my life.
Love you guys.
TJ
"You have a distinct decision to make: just let life happen, which is tantamount to serving God your leftovers. Or actively run towards Christ"
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Long Black Train
There's a song by some country singer that I used to absolutely despise, because I hated all country music with a big passion. This song is called Long Black Train, and I have no idea who does it because I just don't know it haha. The song has started to speak more to me than most songs do.
The pat that I find most of this in is in the chorus. The whole chorus is
But you know there's victory in the Lord, I say.
Voctory in the Lord.
Cling to the Father and His Holy name.
Don't go ridin' on that long black train.
I mean, I don't assume I'd have to go into much detail with this at all, but our victory is from the Lord. The victory we have over sin came because of Christ coming to die for us. The victory that we have because of Christ is probably the most encouraging thing that I have to live for. 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 says
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. "
We must cling to the Father and Son in order to have that victory. The victory we do have over sin, comes only from the Father and the Son. We need to know that He came to die for us, and that He loves us deeply, and fully. I know that I have had the worst time with this. I have been seeking other things to fill my life with. Mostly soccer, but I haven't been putting my life into the thing that it needs to be.
The part we he's like "Don't go ridin' on that long black train." It's explained in the last line of the song where he says "The devil's driving that long black train" Why would we want to ride the train that the enemy is driving? I definitely don't want to go riding on that train, but I will say the way that I've felt recently, it feels like someone bought be a ticket for that train. I just hope that my current path doesn't continue.
That's all for right now, friends
TJ
The pat that I find most of this in is in the chorus. The whole chorus is
But you know there's victory in the Lord, I say.
Voctory in the Lord.
Cling to the Father and His Holy name.
Don't go ridin' on that long black train.
I mean, I don't assume I'd have to go into much detail with this at all, but our victory is from the Lord. The victory we have over sin came because of Christ coming to die for us. The victory that we have because of Christ is probably the most encouraging thing that I have to live for. 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 says
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. "
We must cling to the Father and Son in order to have that victory. The victory we do have over sin, comes only from the Father and the Son. We need to know that He came to die for us, and that He loves us deeply, and fully. I know that I have had the worst time with this. I have been seeking other things to fill my life with. Mostly soccer, but I haven't been putting my life into the thing that it needs to be.
The part we he's like "Don't go ridin' on that long black train." It's explained in the last line of the song where he says "The devil's driving that long black train" Why would we want to ride the train that the enemy is driving? I definitely don't want to go riding on that train, but I will say the way that I've felt recently, it feels like someone bought be a ticket for that train. I just hope that my current path doesn't continue.
That's all for right now, friends
TJ
Monday, May 2, 2011
Is this for real?
I've probably already got like 40 posts about this, but I am completely dumbfounded that after the next 26 days of school, I am going to only have two more years of High School left. Some of my best friends, are only going to have 1. That's the really scary part. In just a short month, I'm going to be a junior in high school. No slowing down. I remember fifth grade elementary school "graduation". We sang this song by Vitamin C called...In all the Irony "Graduation" It goes something along the lines of
And so we talked all night about the rest of our lives
Where we're gonna be when we turn 25
I keep thinking times will never change
Keep on thinking things will always be the same
But when we leave this year we won't be coming back
No more hanging out cause we're on a different track
That's only like the first half of the first verse, and I think that I can already basically give you an hour long sermon on what each of these lines mean to me. Lucky enough for you, you will only have to read this. It won't be too long.....I hope.
Well, talking about the rest of my life can't happen, because the rest of my life is a mystery, because I don't know where the Lord is going to take me in my journey with Him. That's one thing that kind of scares me a little bit, because I never know where my next turn is going to be. That's okay with me though, because when I do take these turns, I know that I am going to be held in the hands of the Almighty Father who calms seas, and tears down walls. Nothing can go wrong there. I am very excited for the coming future, but at the same time, I am very sketchy about it. It just doesn't seem real that I'm this close to being in college.
As for where I'm going to be when I turn 25, that;s an even bigger mystery, because again, I never really know what God's going to have in store for me. I know that wherever I end up being at that point in my life, that I will be living my life for Him. I jsut hope that I will be living to bring Him glory since at that point in my life, it's going to be all about finishing college, working, getting a house, and all that. I just want to do things the way He wants them done, and not the way that I want them done. So, it really doesn't matter to me where I am when I turn 25. I just want to be known asa someone who is living their life fully for the God that sent His Son to die for us.
As for the next two lines, since they basically have the same meaning, I used to think that everything would be the same throughout school, but boy was I dead wrong. Things got severely different since I started high school. I never thought that I would be wanting so much to know the God that created me. I never thought I'd be sitting in Mill Mountain Coffee, writing a blog post that may or may not even be read. I never even thought that I would ever be playing Varstity football, or soccer in any form. That's the beautiful thing about this life. It changes, and it gets better with it. Yes, sometimes it's very hard. It's so worth it though.
More so for the seniors that are graduating, when they do leave this year behind. They are never going to be able to go back to high school. No matter what they do, they're never going to be able to repeat a year. What they have done, they have done. They hopefully know that they are going to a good college for them. soon to be the leaders in this world. It's probably scarier for every senior right now than it is for me. I just have a summer, then it's, as they say "Back to the old grind". They aren't going back to the same things. they are going somewhere to where they will only have the things they brought with them, and maybe the friends that are going there with them. They also will hopefully have the confidence that comes with knowing Christ. That is probably going to be one of the only things that I will have to hold onto when I get to that point.
For the last line, we certainly are all on a different track. Once the seniors of 2011 leave, they are all going their own ways, and will only be able to get together at reunions, or when they are all in town from college for breaks. It's going to be the hardest things for that, because I have always been kind of shy, and I am going to have to make a lot of friends really fast because I can't stand not having people to hang out with each and every day I get up.I just know that even then, once the seniors left last year, the tracks changed on me. There was no more Adam, there was no more Dan. Most of my friends who were seniors last year were pretty much going to their own thing. I only had a few of them left, and then I have my friends that are either leaving this year, next year, or with me. That's a great group of people, thankfully. I don't know where I would have been if I didn't have these people to hang out with. I really don't think there would have been a blog at all. Though I didn't know these people used any form of it, I know that they would probably still at least read it. It's just great to know that I have some of the best friends in the world.
The most amazing thing is the fact that after these years in high school are over, these friends that I have made are not going to just disappear. The people I have grown to know and love will still be there. They may not be just a 5-10 minute drive away, but they will still be the people I know that I can look to for the things that I need to talk about.So while we are on a different track from the people who are in different grades from us, those tracks can sometimes lead them right back to where they come from. In some cases, it's right back where they belong. There is no better feeling than knowing that just because you have a lot of people thatk know Christ, those peopl can and will become some of your best friends, and these friendships really do last forever. It's the best. Nothing can compare to that feeling, because we may or may not all go to the college we 'want' to go to, but we will always be able to say that we had good friends in High School, because Christ was with us every step of the way.
Just one of those thoughts that I have in the midst of all the things that go on.
Love you guys.
And so we talked all night about the rest of our lives
Where we're gonna be when we turn 25
I keep thinking times will never change
Keep on thinking things will always be the same
But when we leave this year we won't be coming back
No more hanging out cause we're on a different track
That's only like the first half of the first verse, and I think that I can already basically give you an hour long sermon on what each of these lines mean to me. Lucky enough for you, you will only have to read this. It won't be too long.....I hope.
Well, talking about the rest of my life can't happen, because the rest of my life is a mystery, because I don't know where the Lord is going to take me in my journey with Him. That's one thing that kind of scares me a little bit, because I never know where my next turn is going to be. That's okay with me though, because when I do take these turns, I know that I am going to be held in the hands of the Almighty Father who calms seas, and tears down walls. Nothing can go wrong there. I am very excited for the coming future, but at the same time, I am very sketchy about it. It just doesn't seem real that I'm this close to being in college.
As for where I'm going to be when I turn 25, that;s an even bigger mystery, because again, I never really know what God's going to have in store for me. I know that wherever I end up being at that point in my life, that I will be living my life for Him. I jsut hope that I will be living to bring Him glory since at that point in my life, it's going to be all about finishing college, working, getting a house, and all that. I just want to do things the way He wants them done, and not the way that I want them done. So, it really doesn't matter to me where I am when I turn 25. I just want to be known asa someone who is living their life fully for the God that sent His Son to die for us.
As for the next two lines, since they basically have the same meaning, I used to think that everything would be the same throughout school, but boy was I dead wrong. Things got severely different since I started high school. I never thought that I would be wanting so much to know the God that created me. I never thought I'd be sitting in Mill Mountain Coffee, writing a blog post that may or may not even be read. I never even thought that I would ever be playing Varstity football, or soccer in any form. That's the beautiful thing about this life. It changes, and it gets better with it. Yes, sometimes it's very hard. It's so worth it though.
More so for the seniors that are graduating, when they do leave this year behind. They are never going to be able to go back to high school. No matter what they do, they're never going to be able to repeat a year. What they have done, they have done. They hopefully know that they are going to a good college for them. soon to be the leaders in this world. It's probably scarier for every senior right now than it is for me. I just have a summer, then it's, as they say "Back to the old grind". They aren't going back to the same things. they are going somewhere to where they will only have the things they brought with them, and maybe the friends that are going there with them. They also will hopefully have the confidence that comes with knowing Christ. That is probably going to be one of the only things that I will have to hold onto when I get to that point.
For the last line, we certainly are all on a different track. Once the seniors of 2011 leave, they are all going their own ways, and will only be able to get together at reunions, or when they are all in town from college for breaks. It's going to be the hardest things for that, because I have always been kind of shy, and I am going to have to make a lot of friends really fast because I can't stand not having people to hang out with each and every day I get up.I just know that even then, once the seniors left last year, the tracks changed on me. There was no more Adam, there was no more Dan. Most of my friends who were seniors last year were pretty much going to their own thing. I only had a few of them left, and then I have my friends that are either leaving this year, next year, or with me. That's a great group of people, thankfully. I don't know where I would have been if I didn't have these people to hang out with. I really don't think there would have been a blog at all. Though I didn't know these people used any form of it, I know that they would probably still at least read it. It's just great to know that I have some of the best friends in the world.
The most amazing thing is the fact that after these years in high school are over, these friends that I have made are not going to just disappear. The people I have grown to know and love will still be there. They may not be just a 5-10 minute drive away, but they will still be the people I know that I can look to for the things that I need to talk about.So while we are on a different track from the people who are in different grades from us, those tracks can sometimes lead them right back to where they come from. In some cases, it's right back where they belong. There is no better feeling than knowing that just because you have a lot of people thatk know Christ, those peopl can and will become some of your best friends, and these friendships really do last forever. It's the best. Nothing can compare to that feeling, because we may or may not all go to the college we 'want' to go to, but we will always be able to say that we had good friends in High School, because Christ was with us every step of the way.
Just one of those thoughts that I have in the midst of all the things that go on.
Love you guys.
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