My Young Life leader and I were hanging out yesterday, when it dawned on me. I need something that will help me want to spend time in the Word and really get to know it. I never really used a devotional book before, with the exception of the little booklet we had while at Work Crew before, and I thought about asking for one for Christman. I still will probably do that, but my Young Life leader looked at me, and told me to take one of his old ones... Score!
The book is called "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers. I've read two pages of it so far, and I really like the insight that I have gotten from looking at what the man says about certain different situations, and especially passages from the Bible. It's pretty sweet.
Today when I was reading, the verse it gave me was from Hebrews 11:8 - "By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going."
I think this is awesome. The whole verse is out of context, but we were focusing on the last part "...obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going." He went there out of full sacrifice to God's will. He wanted whatever it is that God was going to give him, so he just went. He didn't know where he was going, how long it would take, or what he might have to go through in order to get there. The point is, he went without question.
Another thing that the devotional went into has to do with people wanting to know what God's will is, or what He is going to do with something. The thing is, God's never going to tell you ahead of time what He is going to do specifically. If He did, we would probably be lulled into a sense of an ideal Christian walk. If we didn't want to be a part of something He was doing, we would listen to His plan, and go far away, because it would be difficult for us, or require a lot of sacrifice that we don't want to give up. This is the reason He doesn't tell us ahead of time. It forces us to make the decision to follow Him willingly or not. We can't make the decision based upon what we know, but by how much faith we really have in God. If we go out like Abraham, and just go with faith without really knowing where we're going or what's going to happen to us, our faith in God will be even greater afterwards. We will also be able to come closer to Him. We can walk in faith and soon, there will be nothing separating us from God spiritually. Not just when we go see Him in heaven.
I just thought it was something cool to think about.
TJ
This is where I'm going to tell you a little about me, and a lot about Christ. We're in it together
Friday, November 30, 2012
Thursday, November 29, 2012
You're Worth It
One thing that I have had a lot of issues with recently is how I view myself. I don't like to tell myself how important I think I am, or build myself up, because it breeds cockiness. Or at least, I think it can. Even so, if I did like to build myself up, I never really needed to. I always had a bunch of people telling me how much they cared for me, or they would be building me up. I have the best friends in the world, and I don't get to talk to them anymore because they have mostly all gone to college and started the beginning of their adult lives. They are gone, and I've adapted to it.
After my last year of school with them was over, I went off to Work Crew. Where I was in the same place for a month with people who did nothing but tell everyone what a good job they were all doing, because they were literally the best people ever. We all became such great friends, and even now, about 6 months after we've all been home and then some have gone to college, or their separate ways, we are all great friends. We tell each other how much we love each other all the time. I love that, because that is what makes life great. Thing is, now that I don't get to talk to them one on one very often, I have kind of lost it a little, and talking with them, let alone being able to see one of them would just make my year! I'm used to having people around me all the time to tell me good news or something.
After I got back though, it seemed everything was over.
I didn't think I had that many people who would be my real friends anymore. I had a few friends still in Roanoke, that I barely get to see, and if I do see them it's not really ever getting anywhere in which we can really get intentional with each other. We can't be as real as I'm used to, and I miss that.
Here's the thing I didn't realize then that I realize now, that I don't understand why it didn't come to me sooner.
The God that I had last year, that told me I am the salt of the earth, the light of the world, and so many other great things, was the same God at Work Crew, and even now, the same. He is not gone, so why do I still act like I need to seek man's approval? I think it's because I've fallen into the trap of taking God for granted. The fact that He died for me to be able to take away my sin. The fact He rose again 3 days later for me to be able to have a real relationship with Him. He's alive, and with me every day. I think I could really use a little refresher, and part of my problem could be that I don't really ever see our groups talking about these things anymore. I know that God's word will never fail, but I think that one of the reasons that I got through things like Work Crew and the first three years of high school is because we constantly looked into the Word to be able to see what God says He loves about us.
Genesis 1:26
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
The first sentence in that verse tells us one of the best things ever. God created us in His image. He loves us so much that we were made in His image to look like Him. Another thing he did was He gave us the entire earth to rule over. We would rule over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky and all the animals of the world. He trusts us enough to give us free reign over everything He just created. If that's not love, I don't know what is.
Psalm 139:13 -14, 17, 18
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.”
This one of the most well known Psalms there are. It's so refreshing though. God literally was forming us while our mothers were pregnant with us. We were still be shaped by Him, before we even had a personality or and idea of what life really is. Even more, it says so in this verse that God makes more thoughts of us than He does grains of sand on the earth! I'm no math major, but there are A LOT of grains of sand. This just tells us straight up that it's a lot.
Isaiah 49:15-16
“Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you! See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands.”
This is one of those verses which God tells us that even if it were possible for a mother to seriously not have any love for her own child, that He would still love us perfectly. He tells us that our names are each written on the palms of His hands. For me, that's one of the greatest things to hear.
Luke 12: 6-7
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
The Lord knows so much about us that He even knows how many hairs are on your head. For some, that might not be many, but I know at least for me, that's a lot of hair! One of the silly things, but it's still truth.
1 John 3:1
“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.”
If there isn't a verse that sums it all up better, this would have to be it. We are God's Children, and even though it says the people of the world don't know us, it still says that God loves us so much that He calls us His children. I think that's a win.
Romans 8:37
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us
The Lord has made us conquerors. "Of what?" you ask? Well He made us conquerors over death, because He Himself conquered in with Jesus Christ's death and resurrection. We are conquerors over the earth, becaue like I said earlier, God's people were the ones chosen to rule over the earth. We are also conquerors over sin, and the devil. Because we have Jesus Christ working in our lives, we are no longer bound by the bondage of slavery, or sin. Satan can not harm us, death can not hold us.
I just think this could definitely help someone out. I know I've needed it
After my last year of school with them was over, I went off to Work Crew. Where I was in the same place for a month with people who did nothing but tell everyone what a good job they were all doing, because they were literally the best people ever. We all became such great friends, and even now, about 6 months after we've all been home and then some have gone to college, or their separate ways, we are all great friends. We tell each other how much we love each other all the time. I love that, because that is what makes life great. Thing is, now that I don't get to talk to them one on one very often, I have kind of lost it a little, and talking with them, let alone being able to see one of them would just make my year! I'm used to having people around me all the time to tell me good news or something.
After I got back though, it seemed everything was over.
I didn't think I had that many people who would be my real friends anymore. I had a few friends still in Roanoke, that I barely get to see, and if I do see them it's not really ever getting anywhere in which we can really get intentional with each other. We can't be as real as I'm used to, and I miss that.
Here's the thing I didn't realize then that I realize now, that I don't understand why it didn't come to me sooner.
The God that I had last year, that told me I am the salt of the earth, the light of the world, and so many other great things, was the same God at Work Crew, and even now, the same. He is not gone, so why do I still act like I need to seek man's approval? I think it's because I've fallen into the trap of taking God for granted. The fact that He died for me to be able to take away my sin. The fact He rose again 3 days later for me to be able to have a real relationship with Him. He's alive, and with me every day. I think I could really use a little refresher, and part of my problem could be that I don't really ever see our groups talking about these things anymore. I know that God's word will never fail, but I think that one of the reasons that I got through things like Work Crew and the first three years of high school is because we constantly looked into the Word to be able to see what God says He loves about us.
Genesis 1:26
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
The first sentence in that verse tells us one of the best things ever. God created us in His image. He loves us so much that we were made in His image to look like Him. Another thing he did was He gave us the entire earth to rule over. We would rule over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky and all the animals of the world. He trusts us enough to give us free reign over everything He just created. If that's not love, I don't know what is.
Psalm 139:13 -14, 17, 18
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.”
This one of the most well known Psalms there are. It's so refreshing though. God literally was forming us while our mothers were pregnant with us. We were still be shaped by Him, before we even had a personality or and idea of what life really is. Even more, it says so in this verse that God makes more thoughts of us than He does grains of sand on the earth! I'm no math major, but there are A LOT of grains of sand. This just tells us straight up that it's a lot.
Isaiah 49:15-16
“Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you! See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands.”
This is one of those verses which God tells us that even if it were possible for a mother to seriously not have any love for her own child, that He would still love us perfectly. He tells us that our names are each written on the palms of His hands. For me, that's one of the greatest things to hear.
Luke 12: 6-7
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
The Lord knows so much about us that He even knows how many hairs are on your head. For some, that might not be many, but I know at least for me, that's a lot of hair! One of the silly things, but it's still truth.
1 John 3:1
“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.”
If there isn't a verse that sums it all up better, this would have to be it. We are God's Children, and even though it says the people of the world don't know us, it still says that God loves us so much that He calls us His children. I think that's a win.
Romans 8:37
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us
The Lord has made us conquerors. "Of what?" you ask? Well He made us conquerors over death, because He Himself conquered in with Jesus Christ's death and resurrection. We are conquerors over the earth, becaue like I said earlier, God's people were the ones chosen to rule over the earth. We are also conquerors over sin, and the devil. Because we have Jesus Christ working in our lives, we are no longer bound by the bondage of slavery, or sin. Satan can not harm us, death can not hold us.
I just think this could definitely help someone out. I know I've needed it
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
As One Chapter Ends, Another Begins
Well our season is over, along with likely most of the senior class' football career. We gave it a good run, and this concludes my time as a Cave Spring Knight football player. I wrote in my notebook last night about the memories I have as a football player. Starting with my first year at Hidden Valley Middle School. I'm not going to pull out my notebook in order to write exactly what I have, but I will say a bit about each year.
Before I do that though, I want to send a thank you to my friends who were behind me the entire season. Along with a special thanks to my great fellow friend, student, athlete, whose senior season ended a while back. She gave me a lot of good advice, and said some things that could not be more true until I went through it, and it sure enough was right. Our seasons basically ended in the same fashion. The ball the sport uses hitting the ground one last time. She definitely helped me start my process of "getting over it" for lack of a better way to put it. Thanks, you're the best.
8th grade, HVMS: This was my first year in football. I had always said I was going to play, and I didn't really know much about how it worked. I know about shoulder pads, and helmets, but every other pad we had to put in was like, confusing to me. I learned quickly though. We picked out our numbers, and I proceeded to take my number for the year. Which was the number 80. I wanted to be a wide receiver and a safety. I was then told I was too short to play either, so I had to settle for D-Line. Weighing 125lbs, I don't know why I was a D-lineman, but I was. I didn't play much, but I didn't expect to. I worked my tail off, and tried as best I could. Ended this season 5-3. I had a lot of fun.
9th grade- First year at CSHS: I didn't want to move, but I didn't have a choice, so I just went with it and started playing football in order to meet a few people, and because I didn't want to have a 1 season career. I didn't know many people, but the few people I did know helped me to adapt quickly. Having my brother there with me helped a little bit. I loved the JV coaches, and the varsity coaches were pretty cool, I just never really had much to do with them. I picked out my varisty number of 57, because it was the only number left. I didn't like it, but I took it. JV numbers didn't need to be the same, and because I played Running Back, I wanted a different number. I picked my number, which I continued to have until Friday. The number 42. I played a bit, and some thought I should quit, others thought I would fill out. It just depended on my choice. JV ended at 3-6, and Varsity took me to my first playoff run. Ending the season as regional champions, and a record of 10-3. The work began in January.
10th grade. CSHS: This was probably my best season. I had worked hard in the offseason to work on the things I needed to work on. I had been determined to have a starting position on JV at least, and I wanted to be a transitional player, going up to Varsity like a few of the then Juniors did the year before. I made my goal, and then had a pretty decent year. I went on to score 2 touchdowns in a real game, 1 in a scrimmage. Blocking a punt, and make tackles, and rushing yards, and almost everything else you can do in football. I even had my fair share of penalties. I even had receiving yards on Varsity, which was a great feeling for me. JV ended 3-6 again I think, either that or 4-5 I don't remember. Varsity went on to go 8-4, which was good.
11th Grade. PHHS. A.K.A. the half season: I moved again, this time away from a place where I felt the best I could be. I didn't want to move any more than I had wanted to move to Cave Spring, and I felt the same way about football. I didn't wanna leave Cave Spring, because I had learned so much about myself there, and I knew it would be much different at PH. I did special teams stuff, and finally, I had grown sick of the coaches, and the people there, so I stopped playing. This was not fun, and I don't like that I had to, but I don't regret it for a second. This move was great for me spiritually. I just didn't have fun playing football.
Cave Spring football went 8-4 again. PH ended at 7-3, not making playoffs because they didn't have a tough schedule.
12 grade. CSHS. Senior year: This was the last season I could have. I would not be playing college football most likely, and so I knew I only had one year to make the best of what I could. I knew I would be coming back to a familiar team, and familiar faces. Minus my defensive line coach, who would be taking a head coaching position at Lord Botetourt High School. This would pose a problem for me because I had a lot of success under this coach, because he was alwasys pushing me to work harder. Not knowing who was going to coach me at defensive line kind of put me on a defensive standpoint, because I had a few issues with new people in the recent months. After I had learned who was going to coach me, I was kind of alright, but things went bad. We had trouble getting me to practice in the Summer, which I knew would end when school started, but my family still had trouble getting me to school. This year was not going the way I planned. Eventually things just stayed and leveled out. I did special teams, and some offense and defense, but nothing major. This year was not what I wanted it to be in the middle, but it changed into what I pictured it being at the end, We ended aat 7-6. Not our best, but not as bad as we were supposed to be. Still going to playoffs, and winning our first two games. We could have gone farther, but that was not the plan the Lord had
I've had a great career, and there is definitely nothing to be ashamed of. I've always been told that how you view yourself is going to affect how you do in life. I've always envisioned myself as a winner. With a total overall record(Varsity and middle school only) of 38-20. Which gives a winning percentage of .655, I'd say it's a winning career. The other side, I have learned more about myself through football than almost every other thing I have done. Definitely more than any other sport I have ever done. My career may be over, but that's also if I don't decide to try and walk on, and even if I do, I would have to impress people in order to be able to continue. We shall see where it goes, but it's likely the end of my career.
It's been fun. I was going to have pictures from the years, but they will come later.
Before I do that though, I want to send a thank you to my friends who were behind me the entire season. Along with a special thanks to my great fellow friend, student, athlete, whose senior season ended a while back. She gave me a lot of good advice, and said some things that could not be more true until I went through it, and it sure enough was right. Our seasons basically ended in the same fashion. The ball the sport uses hitting the ground one last time. She definitely helped me start my process of "getting over it" for lack of a better way to put it. Thanks, you're the best.
8th grade, HVMS: This was my first year in football. I had always said I was going to play, and I didn't really know much about how it worked. I know about shoulder pads, and helmets, but every other pad we had to put in was like, confusing to me. I learned quickly though. We picked out our numbers, and I proceeded to take my number for the year. Which was the number 80. I wanted to be a wide receiver and a safety. I was then told I was too short to play either, so I had to settle for D-Line. Weighing 125lbs, I don't know why I was a D-lineman, but I was. I didn't play much, but I didn't expect to. I worked my tail off, and tried as best I could. Ended this season 5-3. I had a lot of fun.
9th grade- First year at CSHS: I didn't want to move, but I didn't have a choice, so I just went with it and started playing football in order to meet a few people, and because I didn't want to have a 1 season career. I didn't know many people, but the few people I did know helped me to adapt quickly. Having my brother there with me helped a little bit. I loved the JV coaches, and the varsity coaches were pretty cool, I just never really had much to do with them. I picked out my varisty number of 57, because it was the only number left. I didn't like it, but I took it. JV numbers didn't need to be the same, and because I played Running Back, I wanted a different number. I picked my number, which I continued to have until Friday. The number 42. I played a bit, and some thought I should quit, others thought I would fill out. It just depended on my choice. JV ended at 3-6, and Varsity took me to my first playoff run. Ending the season as regional champions, and a record of 10-3. The work began in January.
10th grade. CSHS: This was probably my best season. I had worked hard in the offseason to work on the things I needed to work on. I had been determined to have a starting position on JV at least, and I wanted to be a transitional player, going up to Varsity like a few of the then Juniors did the year before. I made my goal, and then had a pretty decent year. I went on to score 2 touchdowns in a real game, 1 in a scrimmage. Blocking a punt, and make tackles, and rushing yards, and almost everything else you can do in football. I even had my fair share of penalties. I even had receiving yards on Varsity, which was a great feeling for me. JV ended 3-6 again I think, either that or 4-5 I don't remember. Varsity went on to go 8-4, which was good.
11th Grade. PHHS. A.K.A. the half season: I moved again, this time away from a place where I felt the best I could be. I didn't want to move any more than I had wanted to move to Cave Spring, and I felt the same way about football. I didn't wanna leave Cave Spring, because I had learned so much about myself there, and I knew it would be much different at PH. I did special teams stuff, and finally, I had grown sick of the coaches, and the people there, so I stopped playing. This was not fun, and I don't like that I had to, but I don't regret it for a second. This move was great for me spiritually. I just didn't have fun playing football.
Cave Spring football went 8-4 again. PH ended at 7-3, not making playoffs because they didn't have a tough schedule.
12 grade. CSHS. Senior year: This was the last season I could have. I would not be playing college football most likely, and so I knew I only had one year to make the best of what I could. I knew I would be coming back to a familiar team, and familiar faces. Minus my defensive line coach, who would be taking a head coaching position at Lord Botetourt High School. This would pose a problem for me because I had a lot of success under this coach, because he was alwasys pushing me to work harder. Not knowing who was going to coach me at defensive line kind of put me on a defensive standpoint, because I had a few issues with new people in the recent months. After I had learned who was going to coach me, I was kind of alright, but things went bad. We had trouble getting me to practice in the Summer, which I knew would end when school started, but my family still had trouble getting me to school. This year was not going the way I planned. Eventually things just stayed and leveled out. I did special teams, and some offense and defense, but nothing major. This year was not what I wanted it to be in the middle, but it changed into what I pictured it being at the end, We ended aat 7-6. Not our best, but not as bad as we were supposed to be. Still going to playoffs, and winning our first two games. We could have gone farther, but that was not the plan the Lord had
I've had a great career, and there is definitely nothing to be ashamed of. I've always been told that how you view yourself is going to affect how you do in life. I've always envisioned myself as a winner. With a total overall record(Varsity and middle school only) of 38-20. Which gives a winning percentage of .655, I'd say it's a winning career. The other side, I have learned more about myself through football than almost every other thing I have done. Definitely more than any other sport I have ever done. My career may be over, but that's also if I don't decide to try and walk on, and even if I do, I would have to impress people in order to be able to continue. We shall see where it goes, but it's likely the end of my career.
It's been fun. I was going to have pictures from the years, but they will come later.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
The Time Has Come
The surreal fact that is basically a forgone conclusion really came into a reality a few days ago. I watched 3 of my friends crying because they had lost their last game, and their season was over. Those 3 specifically, their careers could all be over. Watching that made me realize that what I've said about 4000 times this year is more true. We're seniors. It is the last chance. We've all worked our tails off in order to make it to where we are, and people have watched us grow up. To have your season end so abrubtly, and worse yet, with a loss, is the absolute worst. I know that the first of 2 seasons this year is almost over. Never to come back. If we lose tomorrow, it's over. If we win, we live to fight another week.
I know that we aren't exactly the favorite to win this game, let alone win a state championship. We can do it though. I would love to say that my senior year was the first year that a Cave Spring Football team made it to the state championship. I know that it could be over though. Knowing that I have almost no chance to strap up the football pads again, or put on another helmet, so long as I live. It's a reality I need to face
I'm gonna make the most of every second I can. As I figured out, it could be taken away, even if we are not supposed to lose.
The end of soccer season is going to be terrible. I know my athletic career is almost done with, and I can say I've enjoyed myself. Given it my all, and gotten everything I can out of every experience. I know that once I have a child, that I will teach him/her to make the most of everything, and even tell him/her to learn from where I made mistakes. I want to make the most of everything I have in front of me, rather than regretting the things that I did or did not do in the past.
I want to move forward in the right way, but I don't want to move too quickly.
I love you guys
TJ
I know that we aren't exactly the favorite to win this game, let alone win a state championship. We can do it though. I would love to say that my senior year was the first year that a Cave Spring Football team made it to the state championship. I know that it could be over though. Knowing that I have almost no chance to strap up the football pads again, or put on another helmet, so long as I live. It's a reality I need to face
I'm gonna make the most of every second I can. As I figured out, it could be taken away, even if we are not supposed to lose.
The end of soccer season is going to be terrible. I know my athletic career is almost done with, and I can say I've enjoyed myself. Given it my all, and gotten everything I can out of every experience. I know that once I have a child, that I will teach him/her to make the most of everything, and even tell him/her to learn from where I made mistakes. I want to make the most of everything I have in front of me, rather than regretting the things that I did or did not do in the past.
I want to move forward in the right way, but I don't want to move too quickly.
I love you guys
TJ