Your Cause...

Everyone has a cause, something that they would like to see change. Whether a person chooses to use their influence, and everyone has influence, for good or evil is entirely up to the individual. However, everyone has a cause. What is your cause? What is it that you are truly passionate about? As cliché as the saying by Ghandi may be, “Be the change you wish to see in the world,” there is a great deal of truth behind it. Had no one saw a need for slavery to end, and acted upon it there is a great chance that the institution may still be present today. After all, slavery was a highly profitable industry, there would have been no financial reasons to put an end to slavery. However, there was a larger and more pressing issue, the moral dilemma. Often times injustices cannot be proven with facts and figures, injustices often come down to the moral aspect. What is your cause, and what are you going to do about it?

Anger...

“And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.” -Ephesians 4:26,27

I wonder how many relationships have ended during a fight. I bet it’s a lot. When I think back to my past relationships most of them ended during a fight or argument, and a lot of the time I regret some of the things that I said or conclusions that I jumped to. While saying what we feel at the time may make us feel better, being so hasty doesn’t always have a desired effect in the long run. Sometimes, we hurt a friend’s feelings, or even ruin a relationship that could have been amazing. When we are angry we tend to say some pretty silly things. Well known author, Gary Chapman, gives a few steps that we can take in order to use our anger to benefit our relationships with others rather than damage them. These five steps are from his website www.garychapman.org

1. Acknowledge that I am upset. Say: “I am angry about this. Now what am I going to do?”.
2. Restrain your immediate response. Avoid verbal or physical venting, as well avoid withdrawal and silence.
3. Locate the focus of your anger. What was the root? If that person has wronged me, how serious is the offense?
   
4. Analyze your options. The response should be positive and loving. You can choose to lovingly confront or consciously overlook.
   
5. Take constructive action. If you choose to let it go, than tell God about it. Give Him your anger. If you confront the person do so gently and listen to any explanation, as this may reveal thing that you did not see before. If the person asks for forgiveness, then forgive them.

Paul tells us in Ephesians that we need to deal with our anger in the proper way. If we don’t it is a foothold for the devil. Anger has the power to destroy relationships and divide people, and you better believe that the devil is using this foothold as often as he can. Don’t harbor anger and resentment against others, deal with it in a way that will strengthen your relationships rather than divide them.

Something to think about: It is hard to be angry with someone when you are praying for them.

"I have noticed that everybody that is for abortion has already been born."

-Ronald Reagan

25 Personal Goals!

1. Learn to read Egyptian hieroglyphs.

2. Go to a clear water beach.

3. Adopt girls from Southeast Asia.

4. Buy my mom a house on the beach in Florida.

5. Go to the Superbowl when the Colts are playing.

6. Go to seminary.

7. Share my story with young girls.

8. I want to be able to go to the airport and go up to the counter and tell them I want the first ticket out, no matter where it is, and then go.

9. Start a softball program for young underprivileged girls.

10. Home school my kids.

11. Spend a year or two in Southeast Asia, helping victims of sex trafficking.

12. Read every word that my grandfather ever wrote. Every book, pamphlet and essay.

13. Read at least 15 minutes everyday.

14. Get over my fear of large groups and of talking to people.

15. Get married barefoot.

16. Learn how to whistle.

17. Go skydiving.

18. Collect 100 airplane blankets, all from flights I have been on.

19. Swim with dolphins, and see a pink freshwater dolphin.

20. Learn to fly an airplane.

21. Be invited to Peter Island.

22. Visit all 50 states.

23. Find, invent an amazing toothpaste that keeps your breath fresh all day.

24. Have a library in my house.

25. Live in Italy.

Suffering??

"But by means of their suffering, he rescues those who suffer. For he gets their attention through adversity." Job 36:15 (NLT)

The refinement of my faith has taken place largely due to personal suffering. While, at the time I did not understand or comprehend why certain things were happening to me, I see them clearer now. While I still do not fully understand, and I never will, I have a more detailed picture of the role my personal suffering is playing in my walk and in my life. My question is no longer, " Why me?" but rather, "What can I learn and how can I grow?"

It is human nature that when we are faced with trials and pain to wallow in self-pity. This is only one step away from self-righteousness, where we keep track of injustices that happen to us and say, "Look what happened to me; how unfair it is!"

Job did not know why he was suffering. He cried out to God time and time again asking what he had done to warrant such suffering, for "He was blameless-a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil." (Job 1:1b) However, Job's suffering was not from God. Satan came to God and said, "Yea Job is God-fearing, but that is because he is wealthy and you protect him. I bet if you took away everything he has he will curse you to your face." So God allowed Satan to test Job by taking away all that he possessed. Job did not falter in his faith.

So, the devil came to God a second time and asked permission to harm Job physically. God granted this request but told Satan to spare his life. All the while Job is thinking God is at the center of his suffering, and not that he is being tested. The thing is, is that God knew what the outcome of these tests were going to be before they even happened. The fact remains that God did not allow Satan to tempt Job beyond what he could stand. Satan had to ask God's PERMISSION to tempt Job.

While it may seem a little strange that Satan has to ask God to tempt us and He allows it, it serves a meaningful purpose. A purpose that is different for different people. However, the purpose of suffering is refinement and strengthening of faith. When a person has nothing else, like Job, he has no choice but to seek God out for strength and comfort. In the end we are here to serve Him and to live our lives for Him, suffering goes along with it. He tests us to strengthen our faith, so we can better serve him.