My Daily Revelation Journal

News:

2009-04-20T21:09:00.000-07:00

I was not offered the position at Lincoln Lutheran. They chose experience over 1st year teacher.
I still have the interview with Zion in Dallas.

2 more weeks.

2009-04-18T11:23:00.000-07:00

Did I forget to post something last week? I feel like I did, sorry! I have my doubts about whether anyone is reading these anyway. I’ll keep doing them because well, I only have 2 more weeks, and it is a nice release to think over my week and presumably keep in touch with “many” people.
This week went pretty well. Easter was wonderful, but it was wild because it was really the first Easter that I wasn’t home with my family, but thankfully I was still with family. My aunt and uncle had their family over so I was still somewhere that I “fit.” We had an Easter egg hunt throughout the house because it was muddy outside and we had a blast hiding eggs from the kids. The kids also played so roughly with me that I’m surprised my shirt didn’t rip. They literally clung to me! We had a marvelous meal and hung out and then I went and worked, yes on Easter, the Resurrection of our Savior, I worked. I actually had to break into the school. I have a key but they have these rather large red gates and so I had to jump it. I received permission from my cooperating teacher and her husband, both teachers there (he even said that he’s done it!).
The main event that has happened in my life happened more to my cooperating teacher, Mrs. Foster. Last Friday, her son-in-law fell 7 stories from a parking garage in Austin, TX. He and his wife are from California and his wife is 8 months pregnant. So Mrs. Foster has taken a medical leave of absence for the rest of the year. I’ve continued to teach the class I’ve worked with her on, but Mrs. Weiss will take it over when I am done. If you would pray for Mrs. Foster and her family, especially Keith, that would be great. He is on a long road of recovery and they are unsure of how much he will recover. He has a lot of brain swelling and many broken bones, as you can imagine.
Wow, am I almost done? I have something else almost ironic to share. My aunt and uncle don't have internet, yet. In the last week, they have gone from very little technology to having a new laptop and a blackberry cell phone. And so they are getting wireless on the 24th (my birthday!). Well, for the last 4-5 weeks I have spent countless hours at the other student teachers’ host house using the internet for lesson planning and now my aunt and uncle are getting internet literally on the very last day that I'm teaching. Isn't that just fantastic? Better late than never…?
The greatest thing from the week was that I had an interview with Lincoln Lutheran Middle/High School in Lincoln, Nebraska for a 7/8 grade Social Studies position on Wednesday. I think it went well enough. I felt good about it after it was over. We’ll see though! The principal said that they wanted to wrap it up in the next week so hopefully by next weekend I can say whether I was offered the position or not! I was also contacted by Zion Lutheran School in Dallas, TX about a middle school history teaching position. I have a phone interview with them on the 21st!
Something cool that happened from the week was on Wednesday for Geography I had put together a little front/back, read/research/respond activity on OPEC for the kids to work on and when i was making copies of it, one of the science teachers looked at it and liked it enough to ask for a copy because he said that he had a unit that he could really use it. THEN during my interview that night, they asked me if a teacher has used anything that I've created and it was great to say, it literally happened today!
Well, I’m sure I could say a bunch more, but I think I’ll go with that for now. I can’t believe I’m almost done, but as much as I like the school and I love living with my aunt and uncle and being able to spend so much time with them when I haven’t before, I am really ready to be done and move on to the next part of my life. I know that recent country song, “You’re gonna miss this,” plays through my head, but I really excited for what the future holds, and it’s interesting because I don’t really know! But I have faith God will provide something!

In Christ,
Adam

In the Past

2009-04-06T21:42:00.000-07:00

This was a difficult week, it really was. If you are reading this, then you’ve read about my trip to the northland last weekend and the greatness of that, well that really threw me off. All this week I was off or behind. Then I think I had 500 papers to grade, including tests. It was really just an overwhelming week. It was one of those weeks for me that left me thinking I need to be done right now and to have my own classroom (I put too much pressure on myself with being evaluated all the time) or that teaching isn’t for me. I am sticking with teaching for sure because I’m not going to let a off-week change everything, and I just know that there is a classroom out there that God needs me in and students I can help.
The highlight of the week was definitely the annual benefit auction gala for Prince of Peace on Saturday. Erinn and I were able to go for free to a $50 ticket event. I had to get dressed up in a black suit and tie, and there were a lot of rich people there. They had 100s of items in a silent auction ranging in price from $7 to “priceless.” A few of the priceless items were a autographed Clint Black guitar in a shadowbox; a Pearl Harbor movie poster signed by Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett, and Kate Beckensale (I don’t know how they got that); and a framed set of pictures and autographs of Hall of Fame members from the Dallas Cowboys. There were some insanely expensive things.
The food was amazing of course. Steak and chicken breast, some weird potato stuff. Then the live auction had some insanely expensive things, valued at $1,500 to $30,000. We didn’t stay too long, we got depressed because they could have easily paid off both of our student loans…
Anyway, off to another week, the next two weeks are 4 day weeks, which is very exciting. I’m looking forward to Easter (he is risen!). Then the week after that, Friday will be my birthday and it will be a half day. Then the week after THAT will be the last day. So that means there’s 4 weeks left. Fast stuff.

In Christ,
Adam

Flying!

2009-03-27T05:12:00.000-07:00

I don’t know what it is about flying. I have done it several times, but every time comes with the same amount of anxiety. I just am thankful that I am not paralyzed by the anxiety so that I can still experience the incredible feelings. I’ve always wondered which I enjoy more, taking off or landing. I would definitely have to say taking off. Sitting at the end of the runway and feeling the power of the engines as they roar to life and there is just that sense of what is to come and when that release happens and the plane begins to barrel down the runway and gains speeds that only can be experienced in a plane or a fast car doing something extremely illegal. Then that moment just as the wheels have leave the ground is indescribable. The plane takes to the air and has that momentary dip as the forces of the air passing over and under the wings to provide the lift take over. As I flew on Thursday, the Dallas/Ft. Worth area had a decently heavy blanket of fog, thankfully not enough to delay the flight. The incredible whiteness was eerie as we climbed through the fog. Then once we got above the fog, the sight above the clouds never ceases to amaze me and wonder in awe at the amazing hands of God. As we continued our ascent above the fog, the top of those thick clouds looked more like what I’ve seen in the pictures of the barren lands of Antarctica, freckled with rising plateaus of clouds above that even. To make the sight even more extraordinary a new song by the Newsboys began to play on my ipod. I recently purchased this song, and I had no idea it would so profoundly affect me that day. The song is called, “in the hands of God,” and that is exactly how I felt. Not only was I talking myself into feeling that for comfort as I prayed for a successful flight, but the words fit perfectly. Repeated in the song is the phrase, “You’re amazing!” That is exactly the perfect thought as the plane continued to rise above Creation into the heavens. The sight was truly amazing, and I feel that way every time I fly, it never ceases to completely impress me. He is truly a powerful and amazing God who we worship.
And to make the whole experience even better, I went ahead and spilled my apple juice. Don’t worry, none got on my computer. It was very difficult to open. The second container opened much easier.

In Christ,
Adam

Pictures!!

2009-03-21T14:40:00.000-07:00

I have some pictures here!

The Grassy Knoll.

The used-to-be Texas School Book Depository. The 6th floor window that Oswald shot from is the corner window under the ledge (not the top window). There is now a museum and gift store in the building, but it was $13.50 to get in, and we weren't willing to pay that, so we didn't go.

Me standing on the X a guy puts on the road. This is the "fatal head shot" X. There is another up the road where he was shot in the back of the neck.

A view up the road and of the Depository. The conspiracy theorist that rope us into listening to his talk on the Grassy Knoll believed that the other red brick building across the street had a gunman as well.

Me pretending to be the Grassy knoll gunman. I know, it's actually somewhat of a morbid picture to pretend to be an alleged assassin. My apologies. As you can see, the fence needs mending though.

Where we had one of the best burgers in the country.

The Prince of Peace Student Teachers, enjoying a nice day and a cool place. This is the Water gardens. The water is falling down those walls, and there's a large pool thing behind us.

This was definitely the coolest. We walked down there. It was really loud with all the rushing water. Also scary because people have drowned there and it would be easy to slip and fall in.

Spring Break....

2009-03-21T13:56:00.000-07:00

I have to be honest, I wish I could be on break forever. I of course greatly enjoyed the freedom of spring break, but alas, it is nearly over. I have been as responsible as I could be by doing several lesson plans. I definitely didn’t get as far as intended, but not having internet at home has been somewhat of an issue. I did go into to the school twice, but the second time I couldn’t get the copiers to work with me so I didn’t get a whole lot accomplished.
I definitely am a little worried to begin on Monday. A part of me doesn’t feel ready, which is crazy because I have already been “teaching” for 7 weeks. I think it is because I don’t feel like I am familiar enough with the “ins and outs” of Prince of Peace and everything that the students have been allowed or not allowed to do previously. But as a once-a-teacher friend told me, for awhile I can plead ignorance, which is something that I probably can only do while student teaching. Both of my cooperating teachers are so good that it is also daunting to take over, they are very well-liked. Also, one has a teaching style that is wonderful, just rather different than my own, but I am looking forward to the growth that will provide! And finally, I am already counting down the days because I really just want to be done! ☺ (6 weeks!)
Last weekend I took a weekend trip to Little Rock, Arkansas to visit my beloved friend Elaine. She had visited my home before and since I was only 5 hours away we thought it only fair that I make the trip over there, and man am I ever glad I did. We got to do some much needed hanging out as well as Elaine’s mother made some scrumptious food! The drive there was crazy because of some terrible roads (there was actually a stretch that I drove on the shoulder because it was better than the road) and I drove in rain for the bulk of the trip. I stopped in Hope on my way there for gas (birthplace of President Clinton woo hoo *not*) and the gas station attendant had better facial hair than I do, and she was youngish too. Elaine also took me to the Clinton Library which was actually quite cool, for a democrat. It’s a neat place, I recommend it. Like I said, the trip was just completely worth it!
Monday, Erinn and I had a little outing of ourselves. There is a “lake” (more like a pond) just down the road from our houses so we decided to hang out there and read and enjoy the beautiful weather. They recently put in a walking path by it so there was a lot of dirt and that black tarp stuff to prevent erosion, along with tons of trash (gotta love city life!) Then as Erinn and I worked our way around the pond-thinger to find ducks close to shore for us to feed bread (Erinn’s idea!) we ended up stopping to look at a turtle or something and I suddenly felt a stinging sensation on my feet and looked down to see a large quantity of fire ants crawling all over my feet. Lets just say I began to dance for joy, and Erinn joined me as we scrambled to rid ourselves of the unpleasant feeling. I got some pretty awesome bump thingers (I thought about looking them up on webMD). Shortly after that we then saw a rather…not small snake slither into the water. I wondered, since it was brown, if it was a water moccasin, but I didn’t feel like acknowledging that we had been so near to an extremely dangerous snake, and I didn’t like acknowledging that I had been so near to any kind of snake to be honest. After we crossed a spillway that looked like a sidewalk and almost falling several times, we finally made it to a place that allowed us to feed some birds. I had already fed mine to some small ducks and a large quantity of sea gulls before (I actually ate most of it…it was good bread), but Erinn being the frugal person she is, expertly budgeted hers to share with some beautiful mallards. We spent the rest of our time there watching children laugh with glee while feeding whole loaves of bread to those by then rather domesticated birds, reading, and getting some much needed color.
Tuesday, my aunt took me to see her hair styling shop, which is only the size of a small bedroom, but it fits her perfectly really. Then Erinn and I spent part of the afternoon “sun-bathing,” or as I call it: laying outside without a shirt reading (seems more manly..yes? maybe a bit). We did our best to imagine the waves of an ocean slapping the shore, but all we got was the occasional train, a random continual squeaking noise, and various other sounds typical of an urban environment. I did get sunburned though, which was the intention actually. My uncle talked us into putting on sunscreen, which all my aunt had was SPF 50 for kids. I dutifully put some on, thinking I could just as well have put my T-shirt back on… But I enjoy now being tan in March rather than it taking until mid-June. Then that night my uncle took me to my cousins house so that we could escape the 7 ladies my aunt had over for a night of Bunco and socializing.
Wednesday was boring, really only did ironing and teacherly things.
Thursday was a most excellent day because my uncle brought the girls and I all around the metroplex area. We first went to downtown Dallas to show us around and then we stopped at Dealey Plaza and we got to poke around where one of our presidents was shot, JFK. It was great to be in such a historical place and to be constantly bothered by gentlemen lacking teeth trying to sell us a $5 newspaper thing that chronicled the assassination. I eventually was able to buy one off of another man for $4, I love saving a buck. I will post several pictures from our day, so see above! We then made our way over to Fort Worth and hung out at an awesome park of water-ness, I can’t remember what it was called. There were fountain things. My uncle also took us to an old fashioned burger place called Kincaid’s and it literally is one of the best hamburgers in the country (like number 5 I believe a magazine article framed on the wall declared). It really was amazing though. It was a great day.
Friday, Erinn and I went to Louisville (the next town over) to the Borders there because they are having a 25% off educators week, so thankfully they gave us the discount and I spent a lot of money! I actually got some amazing deals. One of the books I got is regularly priced at $50 and I got it for $7.50. I actually spent around $50 and got 7 books. I was very excited. We then went to the mall near by, and then to Mardels, which is a Christian bookstore and education supply store. I bought a timer and an EZ grader, which I was told I can’t live without if I intend to teach. It was a fun day, filled with spending money and getting hit by Erinn every time she saw a Volkswagen beetle, which I hadn’t experienced since my younger years. For supper I was invited to the girls’ house by their host mom and she cooked a wonderful meal of roast, twice baked potatoes and then a night of board games and Wii, a good time for sure.
Now I am chilling out (it is Saturday) and intending on trying as hard as I can to not freak out about Monday!
Thank you for reading, sorry it was so long, it was an active week! Blessings to you on your coming week, and if you have a minute, say a prayer for confidence and the attention of the students for me!

In Christ,
Adam

Installment 2!

2009-03-13T21:21:00.000-07:00

What a week! I have a feeling I’ll be saying that a lot in the coming weeks, but this really was quite a week. This has been my week to get used to the school and students, and for the students to get used to me. My coopering teachers have been great to give me some opportunities to allow the students to introduce myself to them. What makes me excited and most looking forward to beginning is that some of the students have told me that they are excited for me to take over, even students that I didn’t think would be have said they are excited.
Monday was a typical first day I would say. The first impression of the students was great. I can tell they are mostly very good students and I enjoy how polite and nice many are. I am most impressed with them. Several even took the initiative to introduce themselves to me!
Tuesday was crazy, to say the least. It was my first field trip as a teacher, and what an opportunity it was. Prince of Peace took the whole high school and staff to the King Tut exhibit at the Dallas Museum of Art. As a social sciences teacher I was extremely excited to go, but after riding in a bus (even though it was a very nice bus—not a school bus) for a long time (we took the long way downtown) with 25 juniors and seniors and then a lengthy wait outside the museum, we finally got in and I spent most of my time so much in teacher mode that I didn’t get to appreciate the exhibit as much as I would have liked, or as much as it deserved. However, what I did see was amazing. It was awesome to see items like an Egyptian gold-covered coffin and chairs with its weaved seat still fully in place. I could take a ton of time and list everything I saw that was amazing. It was a random day filled with a lot of observations and things to learn. Also, they allowed us to check out the other exhibits in the museum and it was awesome. The modern art area included some works that involved lights. The best made an entire room yellow with a monochromatic light and a glass tunnel entry and when you went in it mess with your eyes so that everything you saw was in shades of black and grey. It was awesome. There was also a small industrial fan suspended from the very high ceiling and it was on and kept spinning. It was also awesome. Before we left the school, we had a lot of hang out time with the kids, which was nice to experience. Then when we returned there was some more hang out time and then an all-school pep rally.
My cooperating teacher working with me on World Geography allowed me to do a mapping activity for part of the period with them, and I think it went pretty well. It was wild doing it 3 times, but I’ll have to get used to that! It is interesting to see how different the 3 periods are in personality. My cooperating teacher for World History also let me more fully introduce myself to those 2 periods of sophomores. They had some great questions as well. One of the students, who is actually a senior commented rather than questioned by saying that she thinks I am a very happy and calm person. I thought that was great because I haven’t really always been that, for those of you who know me. ☺
So now I am just preparing for taking over the classes. I am taking over World History Friday and then I’ll have 2 classes totaling 5 periods for now. I will be starting with the unification of Germany and Italy and then Russia in Geography.
I don't know if I will post over break, depends if I do anything exciting. I am spending this first weekend in Little Rock visiting a college friend. I am very excited to hang out with her at her home, just not looking forward to the 10 hours on the road. It will be worth it! I will probably post a devotion that I am doing Friday with the World History class. I am excited to have that faith connection with them and I hope that it will open some doors for them.

In Christ,
Adam

Student Teaching 2!

2009-03-08T18:46:00.000-07:00

I am in Texas! What a trip. This last weekend has certainly been an interesting one. After talking to my dad at 6:00 am Friday morning while basically having a panic attack, we left at about 8:00 am from Seward and drove all the way to Carrollton, TX, arriving at about 6:45 pm. We stop several times to switch drivers, go to the bathroom, and for a long lunch with a friend’s “relative.” The drive went pretty well and the weather was beautiful. It is in the 80s today and we are to have another day or two of that (which is above average) and then a front will come in and the highs will be upper 40’s. I will say I forgot my shorts and I could really use them!
Today we went to the Church/School for an Open house and I was able to meet both of my cooperating teachers and get textbooks. What a wonderful, though slightly overwhelming experience. My teachers seem to be amazing people and the staff is very fun, so I think I will fit in while I am here. I will have 2 periods of Sophomore World History and then 3 periods throughout the rest of the day of Freshmen World Geography, and then 1 12th grade government class. The sizes will range from 10 to 25 students. I’m sure after my first week, I will have plenty to talk about. (Is that ending a sentence with a preposition? Because they don’t appreciate that in these parts…☺.)
I am enjoying spending time with my aunt and uncle, they are being wonderful and helping me “feel at home” as much as they can. I have settled into my room nicely. Today I called that room “my room” and my aunt joked with me about it. Today Aunt Becky made an amazing Sunday dinner and we invited the 2 other student teachers over. We had ribs and Becky’s special mashed potatoes (mom! Get the recipe!), corn, rolls, and ice cream for desert.
The internet situation still needs to be figured out yet. Uncle Wayne said that he would check with the neighbors about getting me a password, but he hasn’t done that yet so for now I think I will head over to the girls’ host home to get on the internet. I haven’t been on the internet since Friday morning and I am going through withdrawals and I feel all sorts of disconnected. Isn’t that sad? I am dealing though.
I know that my life is going to get progressively crazier but I hope to keep up on this as much as I can so that people can keep up on what’s going on since sadly I won’t be able to stay in direct contact with everyone that I want to. So if you are reading this and want an update and I haven’t gotten to it, drop me an email at adam.hengeveld@gmail.com.

Worthy of Christ's Love

2009-02-22T11:00:00.000-08:00

I usually prefer to post things that I have prepared and put a lot of thought into. Most times, what I post I used as a devotion or even a few times have been sermons. Today I was talking to my mom, and her and I have several things that are similar about us, and one of them is how we view ourselves and the world around us. Sometimes this makes me annoyed with her when she shares her feelings about life or if she isn't happy about something, but I guess what makes me annoyed is not that she is saying it, but that I end up hearing myself say it aloud or to myself and then when she says it I end up saying to her what I need to hear, and I don't always say it nicely. It's weird and I don't know if that makes sense. But I had some thoughts from the conversation that I thought I would share.
I guess we have a worldview that makes it easier for us to say that something won't go right because we think if we believe that nothing good will happen or nothing will go right, it will prevent us from being disappointed but in actuality, it's easier to take occasional disappointments then to constantly believe nothing good happens.
Sometimes, I think that my own dissatisfaction with the way things are comes ultimately from my disbelief that a God as powerful and incredible as the one we have actually loves me and desires me, I constantly believe I'm not worth it because I thrive on the acceptance, or lack there of, from those around me. I judge my worth based on my friends, social life and feelings rather than the actuality of God's love for me. Does that happen to you?

In Christ,
Adam

A Worldly-minded Youth and a Child-like Faith

2009-02-21T17:59:00.000-08:00

As I sat in church, enjoying the wonders of the sounds of the Service of Matins, I looked for a way to dispose of my spent chewing gum. I soon remembered the little slips of bright green paper for prayer requests in each pew. I know this is the improper employment of the little slips, and I had a feeling God wanted to remind me of their use when I grabbed the front slip and noticed there was writing on it. Instead of making its way into the offering basket, this neglected prayer slip found itself back where it originated, but the prayer it held, though simple, speaks volumes for our world and country today. In a wonderful script common among the young, on the line for the “Name of Individual or Happening to be Prayed For:” is scrawled, “people in the dump,” with the last word going up the side of the paper. It gets better. There is another section on the slip for “Specific Prayer Request(s) For The Above Listed Name:” and the young person dutifully continues their supplication with, “please help the people in the dump find jobs and food.”
The profound nature of this simple statement was not lost on me that day, and I immediately shared this little prayer note with my friends around me. We all tried our best to not draw too much attention to ourselves as we stifled the laughter of the simple request this child surely must have felt strongly about that day.
I still utilized another blank prayer request slip for my flavor-depleted gum, however, my thoughts were drawn immediately to prayer as I thought of the “dump” people. After further investigation, I realized the child probably had in mind a display in the church entrance about people in Guatemala who through poverty live in and around garbage dumps. It pleases me greatly to know that a child took notice of the display and took the problems of those people to heart, and to prayer.
In addition, as I write this, I am student teaching in a high school social studies classroom in a nearby public school and nearing graduation. God willing, I will receive a call to serve one of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod’s schools. It warms my heart and probably any social studies teacher or current event fanatic who sees that little prayer from a child with an awarenes of the world around them.
What warmed my heart the most was the understanding and confidence of that child.
The child who wrote this small prayer request speaks volumes really. The confidence in the power of prayer, the child-like faith St. Matthew writes about: He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said, "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (18:2-4-NIV).
It is important to remember that there is a difference between being childish and humbling oneself like a child, which Matthew calls us to do. Paul reminds us that he “put childish ways behind” himself when he became a man (1 Cor. 13:11-NIV). However, this does not mean we are not to be child-like in our faith, as Paul uses hundreds of times the phrase, children of God, which we all are in faith.
A child-like faith is unceasing in times of trouble, unconditional in love and abounding in praise. A child-like faith is a face lit-up while singing “Jesus Loves Me” as loud as possible in the front of the church, sneaking a wave and a smile to mom and dad. A child-like faith is unshakeable.
Those of us no longer considered child-like by outward warrants can learn a thing or two about a child-like faith from that little prayer for the “people in the dump.” Although we are to continually strive for whatever earthly understanding we may attain about the complexities of our faith and knowledge of God, we can remain unceasing and unmoving in the simplicity of a child-like faith as children of God.
Let us then pray for the “people in the dump” because there are many in the world, and with the economic situation growing there will be many more. As we pray for those in our world in need, we remember the unwavering confidence of a child in the strength, power, grace and mercy of our God, and the comfort, peace and joy He offers.

In Christ,
Adam

Christ: Our Firm Foundation

2008-07-27T22:17:00.000-07:00

I used the following as a Meditation I gave for Sunday, June 1, 2008. I used This morning, the story of the Wise and Foolish Builders as the basis for the meditation. It reads from Matt. 7:24-27: "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it."
In the book of Colossians, Paul gives us further direction in our Christian lives, as well as a bit more to think about as we talk about foundations in chapter 2, verses 6-7: 6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
As we all may know, having a solid base, or foundation, is particularly important for our houses, which is why Jesus uses houses in this parable. So, I decided to offer an illustration to give us a visual of this concept. I made two houses out of popsicle sticks . One I put on top of a rock, the other on sand. We all can understand what the rock symbolizes: as Matthew says it is the Word of God, Paul tells us it is Christ, which since Christ and the Word are the same as John tells us. Also, we know what the sand symbolizes: us placing our plans and hopes, our faith and trust in ourselves or each other and various other things. But then the rains come and floods and other difficult times. (Here I poured water over them). At this point, when we are founded on ourselves or founded on anything aside from Christ, we come crashing down. But when we are built and founded on Christ and his Word, we remain firm. That doesn’t mean things don’t get a little shaky sometimes, but we can be confident that we will remain strong since we have Christ as our firm foundation. Now, what does the water symbolize? We all of certain things in our lives that can act like this water, such things like: our doubts, our bad attitudes, negativity, and our fatigue, and especially the hard times in our life, like the passing of a loved one, personal crisis, problems within our families.
All of these things can bring us down, but we are strengthened like a tree by its roots and like a house on a strong foundation, we are rooted and built up on Christ and the Word. The fact of the matter is, we can’t do all of this alone. We will collapse if we try to depend wholly on ourselves, we can’t do it.
This makes me think of a time in my life that was particularly rough for me. I think it was the summer of 2004 and I was at camp okoboji as a counselor for Cub Week 1. For several years, I have lived with migraine headaches, and several things can trigger them. Well, it just so happened that on Wednesday morning of that week, right before crafts, a migraine started to come on, I could see the crazy squigglies in my vision, I don’t know how else to describe them. But then they disappear and the throbbing headache comes on, I’m sure several of you here today struggle with migraines as well. So, I spent several hours in the nurse’s cabin since it was air conditioned and I was able to do some activities in the evening, but the headache stayed and I began to feel worse and worse. Thursday morning I still did not feel well, the headache was gone, but I just did not feel right. So I decided that I needed to go home. But I still didn’t feel better. I was supposed to counsel the second Cub Week as well, but I had to decide that I could not. I wish I could describe how I felt, but I always felt sick, never willing to do much. I laid in the house and watched TV and moped around the house. My parents could tell something wasn’t quite right with me so my mom suggested that I speak with my Pastor. After a few days, I kept feeling worse and worse, so after a long fit of tears I finally realized I would not be able to pull myself out of this alone. It was then while talking with my Pastor that he helped me see that my migraines were shaking my foundation, making it crumble, because I now understand that I was depending on myself to straighten out my problems and I had hallow hopes that I would one day wake up and feel better. However, I was growing frustrated and just sadder. Psychologists don’t like to use the word depression for just anything, but I think I was pretty close, and with the little psychology I’ve had I know enough that I exhibited some of the symptoms. Now I consider it a nervous breakdown because at that time I was letting the migraines win and control my life. I felt sick because I was living in dread for the next migraine to come. I was making anxiety and worry my sandy foundation instead of letting Christ by my foundation. A few days after speaking with my Pastor, I was reaching the end of my rope if you will, and I realized I would not make a foundation by myself. So I turned to a book that led to me to God’s Word, and there I really realized I could not depend on myself. And to be completely honest with you, there are still days that my anxiety and worry of a migraine, along with worries about other things, control my day and bring me down. But I’m able to stop those advancements of Satan, because worrying is a sin, with remembering and knowing Christ is my foundation.
Plainly speaking, when we place our faith and hope on anything that is not Christ, we sin. It is so easy to try to control a situation, or find the strength within ourselves. When we do that, we will fail every time. But we receive our help in not only remembering the Words Christ spoke to us before and after this parable and doing them by putting them into practice, but we also have the reassurance of Christ’s strength, the strength it took to have his arms spread wide, to have nails driven through his hands, to be crucified, and to hold the weight of all of the world’s sin on his shoulders as he hung on the cross. In Jesus’ illustration of the two houses, each house looked the same from the outside. The real foundation of our life seems to be hidden, but it is revealed to us in His Word and the Sacraments, but another time we really see Christ is in the storms of life. The real foundation of our lives is Christ, since after all, we don’t see Christ physically with our eyes, and we don’t always see the foundation of house either, but we know it is there, we then also know that even though we do not physically see Christ, we still know that he is there, our foundation, who we are rooted, built up, and establish on. It is our faith in Christ through grace that allows us to stand firm and to be established and founded on Christ. AMEN

In Christ,
Adam

Effect and Response to Grace

2007-12-10T17:44:00.000-08:00

I have some very bad news for all of us. Most of us have probably heard it before. Every time we go to church we admit to it. It is that we are all sinners and deserve nothing but God’s wrath for the numerous sins we commit daily and the sinful nature we were born into which has been passed down through the centuries from the instant Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit. But thanks be to God that our story does not end there. Let us see what the Apostle Paul has to tell us about the rest of the story: Read 1 Corinthians 15:3-10.

What Paul has to tell us is what he referred to as something that is “of first importance.” What is so important is the great Gospel message that Paul dedicated the rest of his life to spreading and sharing and that he shares with us right now in his first letter to the people of Corinth. Listen again to what Paul shares with us: “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures…” Here we are reminded that Christ sacrificed his life for our sins. The key word in that statement is “our” sins. He did it for us because we would not be able to fulfill the law like he did, our sinful nature would not permit that. Christ conquered death and the grave, rising on the third day to appear, as recounted by Paul, to Peter, the rest of the Twelve, and then to more than five hundred people and not including the others Paul didn’t mention. We believe and have faith in that resurrection and we, like the people of Corinth, have never seen Jesus. Jesus told Thomas after he appeared to the disciples, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). We are those blessed people. We are blessed with eternal life through the sacrifice of Christ and the faith in Christ’s death and resurrection instilled in us by the Holy Spirit.

Because Christ has covered every multitude of sins, we live in a state of grace, undeserved and yet unconditional grace. Paul mentions that it is because of that grace that he is the apostle that he is and he was able to stand in the face of numerous persecutions knowing that the grace of God was upon him. Paul says he does not even deserve to be called an apostle because of the persecution he did of the first believers as Saul. But we do not deserve the grace, mercy, love, and salvation that has been lavished upon us freely either. We have received it though by grace through faith in Christ. By the grace of God we are people of God, we are his children. He is our Good Shepherd, our Almighty Father, and Wonderful Counselor.

The grace of God enables to us to do great things. It is so easy for us to stop our story at our sin and dwell on that as though we can do something about it. However, there is nothing we can do about our sins because they have already been dealt with. The effect of sin left us dead and without hope but the effect of grace is love, hope, forgiveness, holiness in God’s sight, and salvation. We live each day in the grace of God.

It can be too easy for us to think that because of the effect of grace, especially forgiveness and salvation, we can think to ourselves sometimes, “Oh it doesn’t matter if I sin, God will forgive me anyway, after all, that is what grace is all about.” Part of that is true, but it does matter if we sin even though we are still forgiven. We need to now ask ourselves what is our response to the effect of grace because the faith we’ve been given in Christ Jesus? Just because God made us holy does not mean we don’t need to turn a cold shoulder to sin, rather, because God made us holy we need to turn a cold shoulder to sin. We could talk for hours of all the things God’s grace enabled Paul to do, in the same way it enables us to do good works as our response to the grace already given to us.

Renewal though the Word

2007-06-03T18:12:00.000-07:00

It has been almost a year since I have put anything on here, and by now I am sure no one looks at it, but I will still go ahead and add my latest devotion that I wrote. I have a hard time posting things during the year since I am so busy with college, but now that part of my job is to write devotions, so I like to put them on here for my family and friends to read and share with friends!

Text: 2 Samuel 22:31-37
I work on the Program Staff at Camp Okoboji and we have selected "Renewal" as the theme for our Evening Devotions. And throughout the summer with our guests, we are considering the ways we are renewed. In this devotion, we will look at how we are renewed through God’s Word and the scriptures. Through the Word and because of the Word, we have all that we need. It shows us our Savior and nourishes our faith in Christ through the Spirit for our salvation.
While looking through the Bible gathering up all kinds of verses that talk about the Word of God, I found something very interesting in Jeremiah. Jeremiah 23: 28-29 says: “Let the prophet who has a dream tell his dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?" declares the LORD. "Is not my word like fire," declares the LORD, "and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?” Here it refers to the Word of God as being like grain, fire, and a hammer. This symbolism is very interesting for us to consider. Looking into them further we find that the fire of God’s Word will ultimately test “the quality of each man’s work,” on Judgment day as it says in 1 Corinthians 3:13. Also, the Word is like a hammer because it works like a hammer or a sword to judge “the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” as it says in Hebrews 4:12. Finally, for our purposes in looking at how the Word and Scriptures renew us and sustain us, we come to the symbol of the Word like grain. The first verse that I shared from Jeremiah asks, “For what has straw to do with grain?” The importance of this is that unlike straw, grain can feed and nourish. We need to be “fed” by the Word of God, but also, we need to feed others by spreading the Word of God and by sharing God’s Good News all around us, there is plenty to go around!
Throughout the Holy Word of God, we find that because it is the very inspired Word of God, it is also referred to as eternal, flawless, true, a sword and a shield, it is living and active, a lamp and sweeter than honey, also, it reassures and gives light and understanding, and finally, it is not bread alone that we live on but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
For the Word to renew and sustain us, we need to read it and do what it says. Listen to what James says in chapter 1 verses 22-25: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.”
James calls for us to be renewed through the Word by taking it in and not forgetting it and to remember the freedom we have in faith. This freedom allows us to not be bound by sin, our worries and frustrations, but we are free to do what we have been created to do. Since Jesus kept the law perfectly and we are unable to, we are free in the gospel.
The section that was read from 2 Samuel is part of a section that is David’s Song of Praise and his death follows not long after. His Song is a great testimony to the power and strength, love, grace, and mercy of our God. This section is a wonderful section to read through. David is singing praises to God for his deliverances, which shows the importance of a dependence on God and His Word. There in His flawless and perfect word, we will have a safe-haven, we will be shielded, we have the opportunity to read, absorb, and be renewed, nourished and fed by His Word, His Law and Gospel.
In the big picture, God’s Word by the Law condemns us because we are sinful and separated from God, but we can’t stop there because the story doesn’t end there. Also by God’s Word, in the Gospel, we are reconnected, renewed, and reassured of God’s Promise of salvation in Christ Jesus.
We are surrounded by evil things and the work of the devil is constantly present, but in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he calls us to put on the Armor of God. We have the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, and the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and finally, the sword of the Spirit, which Paul tells us is the Word of God. Our battles can be fought and won with our sword, by using the very true and pure Word of God.
Our sufferings, trials, and temptations in life sometimes bring us to our knees and it seems like we don’t know where to look anymore. But we have God’s Word where we can find strength and renewed faith and vigor. And in the Word, God is near to us and we are renewed by His presence. Listen to John 1: 1-2, 14a: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning….The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” Jesus came to Earth as fully God and fully human and He lived among us and died for us. In the Word we have renewal.
One of the greatest places to be in the Word is in church. I remember how my Pastor would tell my class in confirmation, and in some of his sermons too, that it was important to attend church not only to praise and worship God, but it also serves as a way to energize, or renew ourselves. You could look at it as a “faith pick-me-up” as we hear God’s Word.
Finally, I would like to encourage you to take a walk somewhere that is peaceful and quite and also to take a Bible with you to look up some of your favorite verses. Then think about which one is most applicable to your life at that time and gives you the most hope or that makes you feel the most renewed!

Prayer: Gracious Father, You have given us Your Word for us as a record of Your great love for us and to show us that even though we are sinful and separated from You, You have brought us back by Your great sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross for our sins. Bless the time we spend in Your Word, let it be renewing and uplifting, help us to use it to strengthen and defend our faith, and help us to live it in our lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

In Christ,
Adam

We Wait….Patiently

2006-07-31T18:34:00.000-07:00

18I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21that[i] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
22We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. -Romans 8:18-27

We all know the great verse, John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” It is a wonderful promise of God to us that if we have faith in Him and believe that He sent His Son to save us from our sins, we will live with Him forever with glory in heaven. The title of the section of scripture we read is “Future Glory,” that is the glory we will have in heaven after our death or after Jesus Christ comes again. It says in Matthew 25:13-34, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.” We can delight in the fact that with faith we will see the glory of the kingdom prepared for us.
Verse 18 says, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” We can only imagine the magnificence heaven will be, we can only now rely on the word “glory” to provide us with some sort of idea of what heaven will be like, but as this verse says, it is incomparable to our life here on earth. Verse 19 then uses some very interesting words, “eager expectation.” I don’t know about you all, but I cannot wait to see heaven. That may sound morbid, but I don’t think so. I don’t want to die, that is not what I’m saying, what I’m saying is I am very excited to see the glory revealed to me and to all the earth of Christ’s return.
Here are some words of a prayer that I like a lot: Come Lord Jesus quickly, many of us are waiting and none of us will be disappointed.
The Parable of the Ten Virgins tells us that we are to be ready for Christ’s coming, that is to have faith, and we are to watch because no one on Earth knows the day or the hour of when Jesus will return and it will come like a thief in the night, but sometimes I like to think that God will consider listening to me. Like the words of the prayer that I recited, I often like to ask Jesus to come quickly, but it sometimes turns into less of a request and more like a demand. I find myself often saying something to the effect of, “Jesus Come NOW!!!” Capital letters, Italicized, Exclamation point exclamation point, exclamation point.
This brings us to another point, we must have patience. Patience is a little something that people in our very demanding society lack. We expect things to happen quickly, immediately, and on our time. Fast Food was invented for the impatient. Some people find it outrageous to wait 20 minutes for their food when they can get it in 3 minutes. We are not a patient society. I am not a patient person. I often say, “Patience is a virtue of which I do not possess.” That is also why I say, “Jesus come NOW!!!” It’s bad enough I am so demanding, but instead of saying something like quickly, soon, or something that leaves it up to God’s discretion, I say NOW.
We have reason to desire Jesus’ return. We have the faith. We have the expectation. We have the hope. Verses 24 and 25 say, “For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” People who don’t believe in Jesus, or those who have never heard of Jesus may hope for deliverance, something to free them from their sufferings. We who know and believe in Jesus have the comfort in our salvation and the expectation of our future glory. We can share that comfort and the expectation with those who do not know it yet, so they can hope for what we hope for, to see Christ part the clouds and return to earth to bring us to the home He has prepared for us.
I hope you heard the very important word and phrase from the last part of verse 25, let me say it again, “we wait for it patiently.” There is the key word, patiently. I have to admit, it is very difficult for me. I’ve had this problem of trying to convince Jesus to come on my schedule, when I want Him to, when I think He should, instead of just letting Him take care of it. The Father knows when it will be time to send His Son again, that time with much more glory and honor than the first time. There is nothing wrong with hoping for the time to come, but Paul, the letter’s author, tells us that we are to do it patiently. How wonderful that day will be, it has been prophesied about for thousands of years, but we still must wait, patiently.
The day will come when we will be able to fall before the throne and worship God, three-in-one. Jesus is coming again, He has given us that promise. Revelation 22:7a says, “Behold, I am coming soon!” It says it again in verse 12, and then finally in verse 20, Jesus says “Yes, I am coming soon.” And we can say as John the Revelator wrote: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

In Christ,
Adam

He'll Calm Your Storm!

2006-06-21T21:30:00.000-07:00

I'm doing the following for a devotion for my job, let me know what you think.

Jesus Calms the Storm:
That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"

Our text is one of a handful of stories we have about Jesus at a lake. Our vision statement at Camp Okoboji is Jesus at the Lake. As a program staff, we thought it would be very fitting to use stories from the Bible of Jesus at the Lake.
While the disciples and Jesus were crossing the Sea of Galilee a really big storm came up and the disciples became very afraid, all the while Jesus remains asleep on His pad. It must have been a pretty terrible storm, many of the disciples had been fishermen so they were very used to life on the water and probably the storms on the Sea of Galilee, but this storm must have been different, particularly bad.
The disciples woke Jesus up, asking Him if He even cared if they drowned. The disciples probably didn’t need to wake Jesus up, they probably would have made it across the lake, but instead of trusting Jesus’ power, they doubted. They actually asked Jesus if He even cared whether or not they drowned.
After the disciples woke Jesus up, He told the wind and the waves to be still, calming the storm, and making it stop. Jesus had done other miracles around the disciples and he had just healed many people, which the disciples had also witnessed. So when Jesus calms the storm, He says to the disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Jesus had already shown the disciples that He was no ordinary man, but that He had power. But the disciples doubted His power, even after seeing it shown in the healings. Even after Jesus asked them why they still don’t have faith, the disciples were still terrified and doubted even more. The disciples asked, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him.” That question was probably rhetorical, an answer wasn’t necessary at the time, the question was probably more for an effect. If we were to answer the question of “Who is this?” the only answer we can consider is that Jesus is the very Son of God. Jesus is God. So in this miracle, Jesus was demonstrating God’s very power and presence. Jesus performed the miracles that He did to increase the faith of the disciples in Him that He was the Son of God and that His authority was that of God’s and that He had control over all of creation.
The disciples had not seen that yet, they still doubted Jesus’ power. That is why Jesus had to ask them, “Do you still have no faith?” But Jesus helped them, He calmed the storm. He showed them that He was in control and there was nothing that He couldn’t handle, all things were under His dominion.
How often is it that we doubt God’s power. We know that God is with us, now and forever and wherever we go, He is omnipresent, or present everywhere. We have all had storms of our own, and many of us have probably faced storms that we thought would surely be the end of us, they were too much, and we would drown. We doubt that God will take care of us, that He will deliver us.
But we can remember that just as Jesus answered the disciples call for help, He will for us too, and there will be nothing that we can bring before Him that He can not help us with, no storm will be too big. We can trust that we can seek His help during life’s storms and He will answer our cry for help.
In the course of the storm the disciples were terrified that they doubted Jesus’ power, so they cried out to Jesus to help them, but He already had control over the storm, whether it was raging or was still, but Jesus had compassion on the disciples, He called the storm. He used that opportunity to strengthen the faith of the disciples. God has control over all of our storms whether we think He does or not. After our storms have calmed, we are able to look back on those times and see how God was able to use that time to increase our faith, and to grow our trust in Him. We can look back and see how God was there the entire time, whether we doubted or not, or sleeping on a cushion and not caring and forgetting about us, those are the times that help our faith grow. Because we kmnow that storms come and go, in this story a sotm came up quickly and left quickly, something remains the same, and that is the salvation that is in Christ’s death and resurrection. The promise received in our baptism is not any different than today. When we believe in Christ as our Lord and Savior, we will never die but live eternally. It is the grace of God that gives us peace, even in the midst of the storms we face.

In Christ,
Adam

Profess in Your Profession.

2006-03-19T09:23:00.000-08:00

     It has been a LONG time since I have written on here, and that makes me pretty sad. It always happens like this, I write a lot and then I have a dry spot for a lengthy period of time and then I come back. I need to be a little more regular with my postings. But I will use college as my excuse as it has been a very busy past few months for me, especially the last 2 months. But the grace of God has led me through, and I haven’t become too insane at this point. But to the reason that has brought me back to post: today in church I was moved to just write, and write I did. I began to write rather feverishly on my bulletin, which has very limited space I came realize.
     I have accepted my call; I made my decision to follow the path which has been laid out before me. I deserve not praise for my part, for I could not have and did not do it alone. My sinful nature would not allow it; God gave me the option and gifts, and the Holy Spirit worked in me so that I could in confidence know that what I was feeling about my future was real. God has given me the capabilities to accept this form of ministry. For those who don’t know, I am committed to become a Lutheran Classroom teacher and teach Secondary Education and Social Sciences. God has given me the opportunities in my school and with financial assistance, and also an extremely supportive base in my family, friends, and my very special home church, St. Paul’s-Hartley. I deserve not the praise, because really, I have done nothing but submit myself to God’s will, and in no grand scale. Millions of people not in “professional church work” have given themselves over to God’s will to lead their lives. I am not special. My circumstance is hardly different from any other Christian committed to the Lord’s service in any profession. Praise be to God and adoration to the King that He has laid out paths before us, given us the free will to take them. I pray that we do, willingly follow our paths in dutiful service for the Lord.
     College has presented me with many hurdles; it has done its job in challenging me, expanding my abilities and knowledge for God’s service in the Education field. I rejoice in that which I am about to learn in the coming three years before my graduation and entrance into the world of work, serving God. I pray that God blesses my path which He has laid out before me, blessing each step I take along that path. Again, I praise God for the great support He has blessed me with. My parents I know have not always been sure on how possible it would be financially, but I could still sense their faith in the face of that uncertainty, Lord knows I had my doubts as well. God has endowed in my home church body a very gracious and giving heart to assist me and another young man from the church committed to professional church work.
     Again, I praise God for what He has done in my heart and all those dedicated to professional church work, and to all those who have it in their hearts to serve the Lord in all that they do, in any profession. I don’t think it’s just a coincidence that the word “profess” is found in profession. In our jobs, and all that we do, we have the abilities and capabilities to profess the grace, mercy, and love of our Lord and Savior. Let as all profess in our professions.

In Christ,
Adam

Give the Gift with Love

2005-12-14T18:13:00.000-08:00

There’s so much  I want to say and I will probably miss something, but I know I’m going to get my point across. Well, what prompted me to post this tonight was I was just wrapping presents for loved ones for this Christmas season and I began to think a lot about why Christmas is such a huge holiday in our year. But what prompted the idea for the post occurred last week, it was something that happens to most likely thousands of people every year: what am I going to get people for Christmas?! Well, I was talking to my mom and she was getting very stressed out because she didn’t feel like she knew what gifts to give people and all of that stuff, you know the drill, you’ve probably been in the same situation as my mom was, just not knowing what to buy for those special people in your life. But I have to ask myself, what have we done to this holiday, it has to be the most materialistic time of the year, and it’s the perfect match for our materialistic culture. I can say that because I’m just as bad as the next guy when it comes to stuff like that. But when I was talking to my mom over MSN and she was stressing so much, something struck me. It hit me that there is too much emphasis given to gift giving. The Christmas holiday has been morphed into a time with people absolutely blinded by material things and with the feeling that they have to get someone something, instead the want or desire to give someone something for a much more pure reason: love. Giving out of love. I often have to force myself to look deeper into just the word Christmas. What does it say? CHRISTmas. I have no idea if I’m just making this up, I most likely am not, I’m sure I’ve heard it before somewhere, but this has become my belief of one of the traditions of Christmas. Gift giving is something that goes along with Christmas, the celebration of the birth of Jesus, the Christ, but gift giving has become Christmas.
     I remember when I was talking to my mom another time even earlier this Christmas season, I mentioned something about getting them something and my mom said that she and dad did not want me to get them anything. I can understand their reasoning, I am a college student, not so wealthy either, but that doesn’t matter to me. But the one thing I remember most about that though it what my mom said next, she said not only that I should not get them anything, but then she said that my love is enough. And she’s right, it would be enough yes. But now I see a gift as more than just something to give, rather it is a token of my appreciation of the recipient, my love for them. Later when I was trying to calm my mom of her worries of finding the “perfect gift,” it hit me. Christ was given to us. God, out of His mercy and boundless love, GAVE Jesus to us. Now that’s a Christmas gift, eternal life. Luke chapter 2 tells us the Christmas story, the birth account, but I can think of another Christmas verse, and it’s so well known too, John 3:16. For God so loved the world that He gave His One and only Son, so that whoever so shall believe in Him, will not perish but have eternal life. So this Christmas season, give in love, but give in Christ.
     I would like to leave on here some things to think about. I can remember from my confirmation days something my Pastor showed us right around Christmas season. Perhaps you’ve seen in places, mostly likely in your church, the letters XP. They are put in several different ways, but look for the letters together Xp, then remember this: they stand for Christ. If I remember right they are the first 2 letters in, I think, the Greek word for Christ. But what my Pastor told us to do was to no longer abbreviate the word Christmas like so many people do, “Xmas.” My Pastor would say that’s like crossing out Christ, or taking Christ out, but instead he told us to write “Xpmas” if we wanted to abbreviate the word. So try using that next time you want to shorten the word, or when you’re packing up your decorations after this season, it’s still abbreviating but it’s keeping Christ in Christmas.
     There’s so much I want to be able to say but I’ve probably taken up too much of your time the way it is. But I just want to leave you with some thoughts. These first 2 I took from a sermon by a Pastor at St. John’s in Seward, NE. The pastor said that it is not what we know or what we do this Christmas season, it is who we know, and he also said to not let all the hype of Christmas make you miss out on what it’s really about, or who it’s about. Also, I was listening to a Christian radio station on my way home from college today and they have this thing going on where they are asking you to say Merry Christmas instead of Happy Holidays, which is “politically correct,” this season. So, finally, don’t take Christ out of Christmas, keep Christ in Christmas.

In Christ,
Adam

Men and Women, Take Heart.

2005-11-03T13:00:00.000-08:00

Sisters in this Great Faith, I have learned great things today that will make you happier, unless you already knew it, then it won’t matter as much. But anyway, in my New Testament class today a group did a presentation on the Epistle of Ephesians and they did quite well. After they finished, the professor just wanted to bring out some key things of their presentation as well as of the book of Ephesians. One such thing we talked about was in Chapter 5 verses 22-33. “22Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. 25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— 30for we are members of his body. 31"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." 32This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” Now, I understand that the idea of the wife submitting to the husband tends to be a hot topic for women and a touchy subject, but I have good news, it doesn’t need to be that way! Yes, the woman’s command has been to submit to the man, but you can not stop there, for the scripture also gives a command for the man, to love his wife as he loves himself and to give of himself for her, making her holy and blameless. He calls for us to care for the woman, as Christ does for the church, they become one in flesh, just as Christ and the Church have become one because Jesus is the Bridegroom and the Church (us!) is the bride. Our sinful natures have caused us to think that there is a hierarchy involved in this that the man is high and mighty and the woman is his servant, heavens no! We are one, equal, it is we just have different callings, or vocations, within Church. The head of household, or the man, isn’t about a power thing, it is about the responsibility, those like the provider, and the protector, the teacher, and those types of things. I have used my incredible graphic talents to make diagrams to show what I mean.
The relationship between Husband and Wife is not like this:

MAN

\/
WOMAN

It is more like this:

MAN <---------->WOMAN

I sincerely hope that you notice the difference between the two. If not, I’m sorry, I don’t know how else to explain it. We could get into a big debate or whatever about the position of women in the church, but lets not, because I feel it’s the same way, but just a different case. But I do hope everyone understands the similarity, but also the difference between the man and women or Husband and Wife. God’s blessings on your day as you live life in Him and in His love and in awe at all the great things He has done and the wonder and beauty of this world He has created.

In Christ,
Adam

Let me hear what you think!

2005-11-01T08:27:00.000-08:00

I decided that i wanted to try something I haven't done before, and also i'm running dry with things to say, but I've been reading the New testament and coming across some great verses in the Corinthians and I just wanted to post them up here for everyone who actually looks at this site can see them because they have been a great help to me and I only found them the other day. I love Pauls letters, they are full of an uplifting gospel message for the shear fact of that's why most of them were written, for encouragement and guidance for the early churches that Paul and other missionaries had help to establish during that time. The are a great read, much like most of the Bible, but you get what I mean.
The first verse is 1 Corinthians 15: 58:
"Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

Next is 1 Corinthians 16: 13:
"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love."

And now, 2 Corinthians 1:3-5:
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows."

So let know what you think about those verses......comments welcome people! discuss! That's be cool!

In Christ,
Adam

What would you do....rejoice?

2005-10-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

I want you all to think about something for a moment. How much would you do for Christ? How far would you go, how high would you climb, and in the case of the scripture I would like to consider, how much would you suffer for Christ. While reading Acts tonight, I came across an interesting story, the apostles had been preaching and doing their miracles following the time of Jesus’ death and resurrection and just as Jesus was, the apostles were also not making the Sanhedrin too happy. Just so you know, the Sanhedrin was made up of some pretty “high class” individuals, so they felt like they were pretty big, bad and in charge, so when someone or in this case people are against them, it doesn’t make them too happy. Well, the Sanhedrin had jailed the apostles because they had healed a man and were preaching on the temple grounds and all that good stuff, which, as I have already said, didn’t make the Sanhedrin happy, and of course what made them the angriest was the Name the apostles were preaching of and in, and that was of course Jesus the Christ. So they tried to order the apostles not to do that anymore, but the apostles said no way man, we don’t obey men, we obey God! Oh, by the way, all this can be found in Acts chapter 5. Well, as you can imagine that made the high priests pretty angry and pretty much were ready to kill all of the apostles. What happens next is pretty interesting though I think, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, was a pretty smart man, he told the others that hey, you remember those other guys who had followers and they were killed and all their followers were dispersed. Then he said to leave the apostles alone!! He said that if what they were doing was just human then they will fail, but if it was of God’s doing it wouldn’t fail and they would just end up fighting against God! So Gamaliel pretty much saved the apostles that night in a way…instead of killing them they brought them in and had them flogged. You may remember that Pilot had Jesus flogged too. A flogging is pretty serious; it is a Jewish penalty that involves a beating of 39 (“forty minus one”) lashes, and God only knows with what they used! We’re talking serious pain here, you may remember the portrayal the Passion of the Christ used for Jesus’ flogging, and it was most likely very similar for the apostles. But now look at verse 41 of chapter 5 with me, it says, “The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.” Do you see that, they rejoiced! THEY REJOICED! Persecution of Christians isn’t so heavy the last time I checked in the area where I live, considering I attend a Christian college, but persecution of Christians is much more widespread than you realize. Everyday Christians are jailed and harassed and sometimes killed because of what they believe, and most importantly, who they believe in, the Name above all Names, the most High Jesus Christ, the Savior of all. I don’t think I’m even conveying through these words how amazed I am that they rejoiced and felt that they were worthy, that they were given the opportunity to suffer in the name of Christ. I don’t think I have ever really experienced deep suffering for what I believe in, but I pray that God will give me the strength to rejoice in my sufferings if/when they ever occur, and that I would be deserving enough suffer for my Lord, because after all, He did suffer ultimately for me and you. What a blessing it would be to have the opportunity to show my love for my Savior in a way He showed His love for me, though it could never be as amazing as what He did. Amen.

In Christ,
Adam

You try fittin' through that eye!

2005-09-21T21:50:00.000-07:00

You know, to state the obvious, there are great things gained from reading the Bible! For my New Testament class we pretty much have to read the New Testament, naturally. Though many don’t, sadly, I am going to try the best that I can!! Anyway, we have made our way into the Gospel of Luke now and I have come across a story that appears in the other two synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke), the story of The Rich Ruler (Luke 18:18-30) as Luke calls it. The story is of a wealthy man who asked Jesus by saying “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (vs. 18) An honest question I would say, but Jesus answers by asking the man a question, “Why do you call me good?”(vs.19) Now, the only thing I gotta wonder is why would Jesus ask that? Most likely says the explanations at the bottom of the page in my self-study Bible is that Jesus is getting the man to acknowledge who Jesus is, as the Savior, and that his only hope was to completely rely on God for eternal life, the only One who grants it. That’s why Jesus goes on to say, “No one is good—except God alone.”(vs. 19) How true is that, amen. But I’m not finished yet. Jesus had said to keep the commandments yes, and the guy was like pshh..no problem, I have all my life, and Jesus says yeah ok, but you’re missing one thing, sell all that you got, everything, give it to the poor and follow me. Now the guy's become sad and leaves, but wouldn’t you though if some man told you to give everything up to follow him? (vs. 20-23)I’da thought twice! But that’s the problem, we don’t have to think twice to rely on God, we don’t have to second guess the reliance we can always place on God! Jesus then goes on to say some very famous words, “Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (vs. 25) Now there’s something you need to know, back in the day in Palestine, the camel was pretty much the largest animal known to the people, they had most likely never seen an elephant of a blue whale, Jesus most likely would have used those animals instead if they had, but what He is saying is that the large animal passing through almost the smallest opening was to show how impossible things are for us as humans without God. ‘Tis why after the disciples say, Ok then who the heck can be saved!? Jesus just simple says, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” (vs. 26-27) That just goes to show you that salvation is a gift of God alone, we do not gain that ourselves. That man’s wealth was keeping him from trusting in Jesus for his salvation, that is why Jesus was trying to get the man to give it up, because he would then have “treasure in heaven,” (vs. 22) which means nothing else besides eternal life! But even more so, any attempt to enter into the kingdom of heaven by means of anything but faith and trust in Jesus, is worthless. Entrance is not based on what car you drive, how big your bank account is, or for me and every student…what grades you get in school. (The greatest thing that anyone has told to me during my first 5 weeks of college is “Grades don’t determine salvation.” Thanks be to God.) So know what is important in your life, the one thing that no other thing, person, animal or anything else even compares to, is Jesus and your relationship with Him. In my GS class, we have learned that Christianity is not just a religion; it is a relationship, of course with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

In Christ,
Adam

No Pain No Gain, or Gain In Pain?

2005-09-06T18:17:00.000-07:00

Wow, I'm like erupting with liquid hot magma of revelations today. But I was just thinking to myself on my way back from doing a very rigorous workout with Andrew and I was thinking about how incredible soar I already am and how sore I will be tomorrow. It’s a sad thing, but then, it came to me, a very clichéd and overly used and sometimes false statement in relation to physical activity, “No Pain, No Gain.” While I did say to myself, no, that doesn’t apply to my body because pain can be a bad thing and can mean something wrong with my body and I should get it checked out and it could possibly lead to needing treatment like surgery or physical therapy. But then I thought to myself, tossing that statement around, and related it to my faith and life as a Christian. And then I realized that in my faith, pain DOES lead to gain. So there is gain in pain, hence my title of the blog. But, as Andrew likes to say, don’t just take my word for it! We find in Romans 5 verses 1-5 we find what we gain in pain: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” In that, it instructs us to rejoice in our sufferings, all the crap that we have to fight with all the time, because in it we gain the perseverance, character, and hope, because of the ultimate gain in faith in God. And the last point I would like to make today, because I really need to shower, and do some homework, is that in the most well-known suffering of our Savior Jesus, from the pain He endured, all who believe in Him gain eternal life. What more could you ask for?
So I have come to the conclusion that the saying “No pain, No gain” is absolutely false, there is no gain in pain physically, and there is absolute gain with pain when it comes to our faith.

In Christ, again,
Adam

Do you just know of God, or do you really knoooooow God.

2005-09-06T13:45:00.000-07:00

From my general studies class, again: We have to do journals, i think it'll end up being about 45 in the 15 week period, no big thang, but you'll probably end up seeing several posted on here. Well, I will be modifying it some since I do relate it to the class, and since most if not all of you who may be reading this aren't in my class, you wouldn't really understand..but here it goes..this is was I have been writing about. It is base on Chapter 4 of a book by Dr. James Dobson called Live on the Edge, the chapter is about power. I highly recommend reading it!

I thought the chapter was one of the more interesting ones, but I didn’t find it interesting until the very end of it when Dobson is using the David and Solomon story as an illustration (He tells of the story of David dying and giving his last words to his closest people and his son Solomon. The words are recorded in 1 Chronicles 28:9: "And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever." KJV. I am definitely one of those people who worry a lot, so I really like those “God is with you” kinds of verses. I just find myself really connecting with those kinds of verses, and really loving them. But the part of the 1 Chronicles verse that really gets me is almost what we have been talking about in our class in a way(it would take a lot of writing for you to completely understand, but my last post gives a good representation also), and that is actually knowing God (I don’t know if that’s grammatically correct, but my grammar checker’s saying it’s wrong! What’s the deal?) , not just knowing about Him. It really makes me think about how much I really, actually, honestly, truly, know God. I do know that I probably don’t know Him as much as I could, you would probably agree if you knew how I babble in class sometimes. I usually feel like what a car does in mud, just spinning my tires, not going anywhere, and not accomplishing anything but a deeper problem, or the hole. But I guess the thing of the matter is that I really don’t care what other people think I know about my faith, because I know that I believe that God sent His Son for me to die in my stead and for all of my sins because He was blameless in any and every way, and most of all not jsut my faith but all mankindd. I know that the faith I have has come through Him, given to me through the Holy Spirit,who has filled me with the love, grace, and mercy of the Father, and the salvation granted through Christ’s sacrifice. I don’t know how much more I need to know, but I do need to know God in a way beyond that, somewhat, the way I see it, a different way. Like Dobson says, a personal way, and I think that way is letting him lead me, bless me, and never turn my back on Him. I don’t know everything about my faith, but that’s what I’m working on, I am still spinning my tires in the mud, but I think it’s exactly what God wants, because out of that I can find a deeper faith in Him, and I know that He is there, helping me, Jesus is standing at the back pushing on my bumper, helping me along even though He gets covered by the mud, the dirt of my sin, He still takes it on. What an incredible thing. I really don’t know how much else I am supposed to figure out. I know that I am a Child of God, one of His lost sheep that He as brought back to Himself, so that I may follow Him Home.
The chapter was all about power. Well, here’s how I want to end this little Journal and this Power chapter, and I got the idea from the bottom of the bulletins at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Seward, NE, here, TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY (AND POWER) and I want to add…FOREVER. AMEN.

Confusion

2005-09-05T21:40:00.000-07:00

Well, I've found that the confusion nevers hides...but again it has resurfaced and reincarnated into a totally different form or confusion. As I sit here, putting of my studying for my new testament test tomorrow (the first one) and listening to my roommate prank call people using Napoleon Dynamite quotes from the internet, I am reminded of another class period I had today. It was in my General Studies class, and I can really see how much our Professor cares about us and the growth of our faith. But we've been doing some role playing, and he is really challenging us to explain our faith in a way that people who don't believe anything that we do could understand. It really makes us think of what we know, and we almost have to separate ourselves from our faith and look at it from another perspective. Some of us are coming up with new theories, some of us are second-guessing what we have been taught, but within reason of course. But I jotted down today some questions that I had forming and I'll put them up and feel free to respond how you wish and what you think. You will tend to notice some of my confusion in the questions. How "deep" is my faith? Does faith have substance, as in evidence, and if so what is the substance of my faith? There are questions, but where do I find the answers? What am I lacking in my fiath, what haven't I figured out? I may be naive, but what am I naive about? How blind is my faith? -Let me know what you think. And try to answer those questions from a standpoint that you are trying to explain to someone who doesn't believe, doesn't believe in the Bible, does think it's credible. What is there to say? I'm having alot of trouble with this myself, and it's really frustrating because I feel like horrible christian, and I tend to second guess my faith and who I am as a christian. It's scary, I don't really like it, but I think it's going to create room for growth, and I can't wait until it happens.

God's Blessings as you find God in a new light, cause i can't wait until i do,
Adam

He'll calm your storm anytime!

2005-08-23T19:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm sitting here tonight working on my mounds of reading homework I need to do. There is alot of reading to do in college, it's not even funny! What's it all for? I think it's over kill. But anyway, the reading assignment I am working on right now is for my New Testament class and our 1st assignment isn't too bad, but it is to read chapters 1-9 of Matthew. So I am, and I've come to Matt. 8:23-27 and I have had the simplest revelation I've ever had! This section is on Jesus calming the storm. Here's what it says, "Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, 'Lord, save us! We're going to drown!' He replied, 'You of little faith, why are you so afraid?' Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, 'What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!'" (NIV)
The revelation that I got while reading that is doesn't it feel like when we get in alittle over our heads, and we have alot of reading to do along with all kinds of other things, it kind of feels like a storm of things and we can handle it and well, we feel like we are going to drown. But when we feel like this and have times like this all we have to do is just as the disciples did, go to Jesus, pray to Him, ask Him for help! It's really that simple. Jesus calmed that storm, piece of cake! No problem! He can do the exact same thing for you! And i believe He will! But sometimes we are so much like those disciples and are ones of little faith and with great fear, but why, have great faith in Jesus with little fear! Even more, we know that that no matter what, God will never give us more than we can handle! But do make sure not to show any doubt in the power of Jesus as it seemed the disciples did when they said "What kind of man is this?" because we know! He is our Savior, the Lord and Commander of all. I have hanging on my wall in my dorm one of those "And He shall be called..." posters and as I look through it I see some of my favorites, such as: Advocate, The Resurrection and the Life, Shepherd and Bishop of Souls, Master, Rock, Living Water, Bread of Life, Messiah, Teacher, Mediator, Carpenter, Light of the World, Chief Cornerstone, SAVIOR, The Almighty, Prince of Peace, Wonderful Couselor, Immanuel, Redeemer, Anchor, Bright Morning Star, and The Way, The Truth, and The Life. Just to name a few. And that's not even the whole list on the poster. But Jesus could handle that ferocious storm no problem, so I'm pretty sure there's nothing that we have that He can't handle.

In Christ,
Adam

Texowa 2005!!!

2005-08-11T15:02:00.000-07:00

Thursday approx. 7:00 am.
Greetings all from the friendly skies. Right as I am writing this we are still on our ascent and the pilot is doing his best to avoid the unfavorable weather which went through Omaha dumping what seemed like buckets of water Wednesday evening.
Last night, or Wednesday evening was a fun time. We left Hartley at approximately 2:00 pm and met Pat in Omaha around 5:30 pm and went to his apartment. We then went to see the town, he showed some of the better eating places and we made a stop by the Verizon Wireless store hoping to get Amanda a new phone, but no luck (and no mom and dad I didn't get one, though I wish I woulda). After that we went to eat at Cheeseburger in Paradise (yes like the Jimmie Buffet song, because he owns the chain). After finding out about a 40 minute wait we took the buzzer and went to see the other shops along the stripmall. We spent some time in American Eagle, Andrew and Amanda purchased pants and Pat and I made fun of most of the clothing.
After that we walked alittle further down to Scheel's and spent time in there and when we decided we should be getting back to the restaurant we discovered at the door that the storm had moved in and was in full swing. I likened it to standing on the Maid of the Mist near the Niagara Falls. Needless to say the wind was blowing, hard. After about 10 minutes of waiting the storm out and realizing it's not going to let up any, we allowed our appetites to lead us through the rain back to the restaurant, ducking under any canopies or overhangs we could find.
When we made it back to the restaurant we were pretty wet and the storm had not calmed any! We had a short wait for our table and as we waited we stood next to the main door which is a revolving door, and the winds were so strong that the dooor was folding in, it was quite interesting and watching the employees scramble around containing the water was mildly humorous. At our table we ordered our food and enjoyed a guitar duo performing some great music, mostly country which I enjoyed, but they were pretty loud, we had to scream at our watiress so she could hear our orders, it was interesting. But the food was excellent and we would like to greatly thank Pat for the meal, for letting us crash as his apartment, and bringing us to the airport really early! By the time we left Cheeseburger in Paradise, the storm had passed and we went to Cindy's house and watched the tailend of the movie her family was watching. We then went back to Pat's apartment and relaxed and got ready for bed. We were all probably in bed before 11:00 pm. It took me awhile to fall asleep but when I did, 3:30 am came too quickly. We all showered and got our stuff in order and Pat brought us to the airpoprt to see us off. Again, a big thanks to Pat for all he did, it was nice to not have to make an extra expense for a hotel room! Once in the airport we had a pretty decent line before we got our boarding passes, and then walked to the gate. Andrew beelined it to the coffee place while Amanda and I watched the stuff. We didn't have any problems getting through Security, but I woudn't have minded seeing Andrew frisked, that would have been hilarious. But we boarded the plane, a rather small plane at that, but we had a nice family behind us we chatted with, it was nice I think it settled Andrew's nerves, and mine. But I made sure everyone knew this was Andrew's first time, including one of our flight attendents, Janet. She was a nice lady. Well, we're cruzing right now, avoiding the worst of the storm with the help of O'Hare tower, and shortly after I finish writing this, we will be probably beginning our decent into Chicago!

9:10 am

Well, we're here in the busiest airport in the world eating breakfast at our gate (B12) and watching the numerous people stroll by, or run in some cases, on their way to who know's where. I often find myself not only wondering where the people are from, or going, but also what's on their mind, on their hearts, and where their faith is. It's not uncommon to see women with headcoverings, perhaps being Muslim, but otheres it's not as obvious where they may stand as far as religion goes. Sometimes I feel myself wanting to just go up to them and ask, but I don't, fearing an odd look or perhaps a profanity, who knows.
Our landing was fine, I think Andrew was slightly worried when he heard the landing gear go down. But anyway, we had a pretty good walk from Concourse F where we arrived to Concourse B. So when we found our gate, we decided to go to the underground walkway and checkout the neon lights, so we road those for awhile. We had about a 2 hour layover, so we had the time. After that we stopped at a Starbucks so Andrew and Amanda could get coffee, I sat and watched the bags. I felt alone:(. Then we went and got our breakfast and now we're just relaxing waiting for our airplane to arrive from Minneapolis and for us to board. I'll write again maybe sometime this afternoon or late evening!

10:30 P.M.
Wow, we are tired. But it has been a great but a very busy day. Let's see, where did I leave you, ahh yes, O'Hare. Well, we got on our plane, the wonderful 737-500 and were able to all sit next to eachother in the emergency exit row right over the wing, so the seats in front of us were pretty much almost out of our reach. Amanda and I had to kinda do an interesting kicking maneuver to get our backpacks under the seats ahead of us. But the take off was ok, once we actually got onto the runway. We sat in a line of planes at one point I think i counted we were 14th in line, I think we sat there for alittle over a half an hour, so we didn't really take off as planned at 10:10 a.m. it was probably closer to 11:00 am. But, it had been raining almost the whole time we were in Chicago and so the weather wasn't very nice, so after take off it took us awhile to get through and away from the weather which made for some pretty crazy turbulance, which I didn't much appreciate, but it wasn't real bad there were some doozies of bumps and dips. But once we got up to our cruizing altitude of 35,000 feet, it was smooth sailing...or flying:>. But we had about a 2 hrs. and 45 minute flight so we got some reading done, listened to some music, and most of all, we all got a nice little nap. It was nice. Even more interestingly, I tried out the lavatory, which was as you can imagine, an experience. When we came into San Antonio, at around 2:00 pm. we had no problems. We got in and went down to baggage claim where we were met by Judy and the kids. After alittle wait we got all our baggage, nothing lost!!! So, then Judy took us out to eat at EZ's which is a great burger type place, it was good food. After that we went out to Judy and John's home, which is alittle over 20 minutes from San Antonio and sits on some beautiful 5 acres of Texas wilderness. So much so that deer stroll right up to the house in the yard. But this evening we spent most of the night hanging out, Andrew and I got in a nice nap before supper which was some of John's great spagetti, it was delicious. But we put finishing touches on our program for Friday night. So, since we've been up for longer than a human should, we'll be headed to bed early tonight, so whenever I get a chance I'll post some happenings tomorrow.

God's Blessings from the Land of the Alamo,
Adam (the others say hi)

Friday, August 12, 2005
I think I'm gonna just use the same post, hopefully it doesn't become too confusing. But last night we all got a good night's sleep i think. Andrew and I took over little Michaels room, we'd like to thank him, and Amanda slept in Michelle's room. I got up at about 8:00 am and then we all took our showers. John had gotten some breakfast for us. There were waffles, but I went with fruit and bacon and some orange juice. We hung out for alittle bit and then Judy took us downtown and dropped us off at the Alamo while she went to make some copies for andrew and get a guitar. But we spent about an hour at the Alamo, which is absolutly amazing. I wish I could post some pictures, maybe I will later when I get home. But we sat through a really good and short presentation a guide did about the whole war and the Alamo and we kinda just walked the complex. After that Judy picked us up and we thought we would go see one of the Missions in San Antonio. After Judy got some help on how to find it we went to the Mission of San Jose which is quite large and really nice aswell. We then did some driving around, Judy showed us some of the buildings and such. We stopped by a nice christian school where Michelle and a bunch of other girls were playing volleyball, we picked up her and 2 friends and went to see the high school Michelle will attend in 2 years and it is huge! We couldn't believe it. We went to eat at Quizno's and then back home to relax. It's about 2:50 pm. and we're gonna get headed on to the Loft to get set up for tonight, so i'll post tonight when I get home about how it went! Hopefully it will go well, keep us and the kids in your prayers! Later!

Saturday, August 13, 2005
10:00AM
Sorry I didn't post last night, some unfortunate events occured, I got a migraine at about 9:30, so by the time we got home at 10:30, I didn't much feel like posting, so Judy, now officially the nicest lady in southern Texas, got me ice and was my mommy when my mommy couldn't be here. Thank you Judy, you were such a big help:>. But we are waiting for the kids to arrive to start off today's session, but about yesterdays, it went pretty good I'd say. We got that at about 3:30 and set up the PA system and everything. The guy we had been working with didn't tell the lady we were supposed to work with yesterday to get everything up and running that we were coming so she was pretty mad at the guy. Judy says the guy is horrible at communication, and we all saw why. But we got everything started when all the kids got there and played some games, introduced ourselves and we ate some Little Caesar's pizza and did a beginning intro. of our Extreme Makeover-Christ Edition, Amanda had a great adaptation of the motto, it was great. The real "Extreme Makeover-Home Edition" motto is "Put together one very run-down house, a deserving family, several opinionated designers, seven days and what do you get? The answer is Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." Well, Amanda came up with this: "Put together on very hopeless sinner, a world in need of a Savior, one perfect designer, three days and what do you get? The answer is Extreme Makeover: Christ Edition." Pretty incredible huh? I like it! But after that we did some music that I think the kids really enjoyed, taught them some new songs, and then I did my talk, which I thought went pretty well. I tried to make it as entertaining as possible, I hope the kids liked it! But then we took a small break, played a few more songs and then Andrew took the stage. He did a great job using his theme on Contentment and applying it also with my trust theme, he fit them together nicely. After he was done, we split into five small groups and did alittle more studying, the groups worked well, it was nice to have the opportunity to get to know some of the kids alittle better! Well, after the groups was when I got the messed up vision of my migraine and we kinda started wrapping everything up, thanking John and Judy and their family for SO graciously opening up their home and making sure we are comfortable, we are so thankful that God has given us this opportunity and blessed us with such a great family to make it all so enjoyable! THANK YOU! Well, we all went to bed early, except I think Amanda hung out with some friends michelle had stay over night. Well, I better get going to greet any kids who are arriving for today! bye!

Sunday, August 21, 2005
So! My time has been extremely pinched, I haven't had hardly any time! it's sad, but I have some free time today now that I'm at college and we haven't started classes (but we do tomorrow) Anyway, well, I better finish what we did!
On saturday the 13th the kids came over to John and Judy's house and Amanda spoke about her faith and moved most of the grown ups and me to tears. But it was alot like friday's format, we sang some songs. I think the favorite of the kids was Pharoah Pharoah! But after we got everything finished up at John and Judy's, we headed over to another house of one of the men who helped us named Karl. Another man, Todd, grilled some hamburgers and hotdogs for us and the kids went swimming in Karl's pool, which was beautiful by the way. Andrew, Amanda, and I also went swimming with the kids. Most of them ended up going after us, but Andrew also played some basketball with alittle hoop they had on the deck. It was a wonderful time. Later, the kids made some homemade, original birthday cards for some residents at a nearby nursing home. We finished the day off with a really cool slide show and prayer. It was an amazing time. But that was just the beginning of the day for us. Later, Amanda went out to eat a mexican restaurant so they dropped andrew and I off at the Hard Rock Cafe. It was great because we, as a couple of small town boys, got to go and explore downtown San Antonio. After we ate, we walked alittle down the Riverwalk and we followed a portion of it through the lobby of the Hyatt hotel went over to take some more pictures of the Alamo. We then decided to try to get to the Tower of America, but Andrew was too much of a wuss to try a cab for the first time, so we attempted to walk, which yes..is probably more unsafe than a taxi. But we got almost there but there was some construction and a big building in our way so we just decided to go back and by that time Andrew had realized that would really should have just gotten a taxi..alittle late huh? Anyway, we made our way to the Rivercenter Mall which is very large and walked around there for awhile and then went to meet Amanda infront of the Alamo. We had to wait a while for her because supposedly the service was slow at their restaurant, but it was ok. I got like a dozen more pictures of the Alamo and we also checked out a statue the state of Texas had given to the city to honor those who died at the Alamo. But then we all met up and walked down the Riverwalk, took a boat tour. It is a very beautiful site, lined with restaurants and shops and such, very touristy though. And on our way home we stopped by a little place for some ice cream.
On Sunday we got up and when to the Alamo Heights United Methodist church which is HUGE! It was one of the largest churches I had ever gone too. But after that we got home and road their fourwheeler around their property which was awesome. But by the time we got doing that, it was time to head to the airport. Our flight was scheduled to depart at 7:05, so we got there in plenty of time, but when we got there our flight was supposedly extremely delayed so they bumped us up to another flight, which took off almost an hour earlier than our original one. So we had to rush to get all of our stuff together and rush through security and right onto our plane. We then flew to Houston International airport. But when we landed, they didn't have a gate for us, so we sat in the plane on the tarmac...which was bad because before we even landed I had to go to the bathroom REALLY BAD. So by this time, I'm sorry, but it was starting to hurt. So after the pilot had stopped driving the plane in circles (he took it in 2 complete circles...yeah.a 737 by the way) I hurried to the back of the plane to ask the flight attendents if i could use the bathroom. One told me no, nicely, and that they would have to inform the pilot, but the other just told me to do it quickly, so i did as fast as i could and hurried back to my seat in plenty of time before the plane started to make its way to our new gate. But after we got there, we made our way almost all the way across the entire airport to our gate, E5, and once we found it we went to get supper. By the time we had returned to E5, our gate had changed to E7. So we went there and sat down, i started to read my book, and before we knew it, our flight was changed to a later time and do gate E2. Well, our plane was coming from Mexico City so it was very late and we were supposed to fly out at 8:54, but we didn't even get on the plane until 9:30. After a few moments, the pilot told us that one of our navigational lights was burnt out and they had to replace it, but have a lot more few moments, they told us that it wasn't the bulb, it was a wire that had come loose, which scared me since if that wire could come loose, what other wires could come loose. But after we finally took off at about 10:30, we had a nice flight to Omaha and got in at about 12:20. We all had gotten some nice naps in. Amanda was really hard to wake up, and we wanted to make sure she was awake cause she was goin to drive us home. But after we got our bags and amanda got directions to her car in the parking ramp and out of omaha from her dad it was about 1:00 am. So we took off and got lost in omaha and eventually after some further assistance from Pat, got out and on our way home. We drove all the until Lemars when amanda had to put gas in her car. But it was 3:30 by that time and there was only a truck stop open and the lady working was VERY rude. But then we continued on, I had fallen asleep before, but then fell asleep again, poor amanda! But she did great! She got us home at about 4:30 Monday morning! It was a great trip!

In Christ,
Adam

Grace and Love

2005-07-12T22:18:00.000-07:00

In my pursuits of becoming an adult and a better person..i've made many, numerous mistakes. But no matter what mistakes i make or how bad they are, there's always one thing i can depend on...and that's Christ's forgiveness. I know through my faith in Him and His grace and love i'm forgiven and saved. Well, again, any of you who have followed my posts know that I like to relate my life to songs, well, i'm gonna do it again. This song is without a doubt one of my most very favoritest. (Improper english used for affect :>) A few years ago a good friend of mine introduced me to a band called Kutless and I instantly fell in love with their music. I was even lucky enough to go to one of their concerts and it was the coolest ever. I got my picture taken with the bass guitarist and with my good friend who introduced me to the bands music, and I got his autograph on a water bottle that he used to throw water on the crowd then throwing the bottle to the crowd which I caught. It was great. But one of Kutless' (Linked to their website)hits off of their 1st CD is called "Grace and Love." The lyrics are as follows:

Many things in life are hard for me
Many things can pull us down
I don't understand why I do what I do
How could I take my eyes off you
After all You've done for me
And after all You've done for me
It's by Your grace and love I am saved
It's by Your grace and love You've forgiven me
And by that love and grace I'm amazed
It's by Your grace and love I am free
I am free, I am free, I am free
And it's by grace and love that I am free
I'll live with You eternally
I thank you Lord that I am free
I thank You Lord for loving me
I thank You Lord for dying upon the tree of Calvary
I thank You Lord for loving me
I thank You Lord for dying for me
Because it's by grace and love I am saved
It's by Your grace and love You've forgiven me
And by that love and grace, I'm amazed
It's by Your grace and love I am free
I am free, I am free, I am free
Many things in life are hard for me
Many things can pull us down
But by grace and love You've forgiven me
And by grace and love we are free
Copyright 2001-2004 Kutless, Inc./BEC Recordings/Tooth & Nail Records

Well, I just about think the lyrics speak for themselves. But especially now with me making some of the biggest mistakes of my life, the lyrics are particularly applicable. There's no other feeling like being at what feels like might be your lowest point and being able to hear these lyrics. This song has helped me through alot, is helping me right now, and i know will help me in the future.

In Christ,
Adam

Reality=Evil: Desire=Good

2005-07-10T13:00:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday my parents were camping so I decided that I would go to church alone, for the first time...ever. I don't know why I had never gone to church alone before because I've had many opportunities, but I guess I had more than my share of fears...for some reason..I don't know..Anyway, man am I ever glad I did. It was a communion sunday so it was great to meet God at His table, which I hadn't done in a long time, and I also got a lot out of the sermon. The sermon was based on Romans 7:15-25a, which reads (for reference..).:"I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.[REALITY] For in my inner being I delight in God's law;[DESIRE] but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (NIV) While Paul was writing this he was struggling with sin, as you can pretty well tell at the beginning with all the confusion in all those do's....(there's alot...i wouldn't even begin to count them all..sheesh..) but anyway, Paul has the desire to be godly, not as in being God, but to be more like Him: sinless and blameless...that kind of stuff. But Paul realizes that yes he may have the desire, but alone he simply does not have the ability. In the same way, Peter had the desire to stand up for and defend Jesus "to the end" but not having the ability he denied Christ 3 times. Paul kind of comes to an end out of perhaps frustration and maybe annoyance and he says.."what a wretched man I am!" All I gotta say it, I know..me too...grrr..but then, he writes great words of hope "Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (YES!!! AMEN!) Brings an old song to mind..."How sweet it is to be loved by you!" But back to having desire and not the ability...which doesn't have to be completely true, because if we have the desire to do good and not evil, then in and through Christ we have the ability because of the strength in Him...(Philippians 4:13.."I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.") So our prayer for the day can be...Dear Lord, forgive me for my sins: my sins against You and my neighbors. I have the desire to do good, I no longer want to do what I hate, evil. Give me strength and the ability to do good, and win the war against my members and the law of my mind, to follow Your law. Thank You Gracious Father for Your Son, Jesus Christ, for in Him I find forgiveness, salvation, and the strength and ability to do good. Amen.

May God grant you strength in your desire to do good,
Adam

P.S.: WWJD What Would Jesus Do!?

“Knowing and believing are two different things.”

2005-06-29T21:15:00.000-07:00

Many of you have probably read or at least heard about the Left Behind series written by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye. The premise of the story is millions of people are raptured and millions more are left behind and the series progresses through the entire 7 years of tribulation until the Glorious Appearing of Jesus for the final judgment. Well, in recent years the first two books in the series, Left Behind and Tribulation Force, were made into movies. One day while in Wal-Mart, Andrew and I are looking through the $5.50 DVD bin and I came across the first movie which is based on the first book, Left Behind. Today I am watching the movie and after the rapture has taken place and everyone is searching for answers and full scale hysteria is taking over, one of the main characters, Rayford Steele, is left behind with his daughter Chloe and he lost his wife Irene and son Raymie in the rapture. Ray starts to figure things out when he starts to look at his wife’s Bible and goes to the church which she attended. There he finds one of the pastors who was left behind as well. Ray walks into the church just as the pastor named Bruce is having somewhat of a conversation with God (letting out his frustrations which so many of us have done). Bruce, being a pastor knew the Word of God, he spoke it and preached it to hundreds of people every Sunday, but he just didn’t get it, because he was left behind. Then he said a sentence that just really struck me, I had to pause the movie and run upstairs to grab my laptop so that I could write this post is stuck me so hard, like I am literally sitting in my basement typing on my laptop with the movie paused just so that I can write this post, but Bruce says, “Knowing and believing are two different things, I’m living a lie.” And then he falls to his knees and screams out and asks God for forgiveness and just one more chance, and most importantly, to be used by God. Then, Ray comes up behind him, putting his hand on Bruce’s shoulder and says, “he already has, he already has.” This is an amazing part of the movie, Bruce has come to rock bottom and he knows exactly what has happened and there is nothing he can do about it, but what has struck me the most are those 7 words he spoke, “Knowing and believing are two different things.” That is so true, are we truly, honestly believing, or do we just know, living a lie and putting on an act. Which is it, just basic knowledge, or faith? One thing I have noticed is, and tell me if I’m wrong, but knowledge can be shared, but faith can be expressed, it can be shown, which is what makes it real. Faith becomes real when it is shown and shared. We can’t just go through life only knowing God, that doesn’t cut it. We have to know God, trust Him, live in and through Him, share Him, show Him, teach about Him, and most importantly, believe in Him. I don’t know how the “end times” will transpire, it doesn’t make much of a difference to me, all I know is that when it comes to the end, the only thing that is going to matter then is a whole-hearted faith in the Lord, nothing else will matter.

God's Light

2005-06-23T15:12:00.000-07:00

As my life continues in a mad dash towards my future, whether I'm ready for it or not; I, like most people, can not help but wonder where my path will lead me, and more importantly, where God will lead me. A year ago I was seriously considering the Pastoral Ministry, although I have not completely closed out that possiblility I just don't feel that it is what I am to do now and not as seriously considering it, but if I feel so called to do so I will try to go as willingly as possible..But while I was considering the ministry my friend Andrew has felt called to the ministry so we had the opportunity to go to one of our church's seminaries for a weekend deal they called the "Taste of the Sem." It is very appropriately named event I'd say. But part of the weekend is they put each participant with a seminary student that they called a "Mentour" because we followed them around to go to classes on Monday and on the Sunday while we were there we went with them to their field church. It was a great thing to be able to get to know the Mentours because they became very influential in just the short time we got to know eachother. I was matched with a Mentour who was on his second career as a seminarian and had a wife and 2 little girls, so the step into the seminary took complete surrender to God and His plan. One thing that I'm sure made it easy for him and his family to accept any and all of the challenges seminary families face was God's Word. Before I left that weekend, my mentour (his name was David) gave me alittle gift and with it he wrote on a little card a note and in it he wrote one sentence that I know will stay with me forever, he wrote: "I hope that as you continue in His Word and prayer your path becomes all the more clear and sure." He then also included in parenthsis like this: (Ps. 119:105). Psalm 119:105 says, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." Those words are also expressed in the song "Thy Word." But now as I write this post I am becoming frustrated with myself because I know that I need to be in God's Word and in prayer so much more than I am, but it seems like the more I tell myself that the less likely I do it, I just get guilty. What is keeping me from it!?! In my own study Bible, at the bottom it has written about the lamp and the light, which is God's Word, "Apart from which I could only grope about in the darkness." How true is that!? It seems like to me yes, I do know much more than some people about faith and it might be alittle stronger than some people's but that just downright doesn't matter, comparing will get me nowhere. I am and have been groping in the darkness trying to find my way on my own thinking in a sense that I don't need any light, I can make it out of the darkness alone, I'll find my way out. But in actuality how much easier it would be if I just turned on the light, or i.e. opened God's Word. David (the psalmist) is an amazing writer, his metaphors are amazing and they are very abuntant in his writing.
Well, I don't know what else to say, but I pray that your path is well lit because of your closeness to God's Word and that you don't find yourself always groping around in the darkness trying to find your way when the light is there for you to have.

May God Bless you as you walk in His light,
Adam

2005-06-07T19:12:00.000-07:00

I think there are many ways God shows His glory, but with my new passion of taking digital photos with my digital camera, I captured one of the many instances.

Anthem of My Life

2005-06-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

Wow..it's been awhile..so here goes nothing..
As you may have seen from my last post, my life is full of contradicting things. Well, things aren't changing. So much happiness but at the same time saddness, joy and disappointment. I've had enough. But I don't have anything to say about it because, it's out of my hands. I'm wrapped up in a situation that I want to work out a certain way, and it could, but not without many problems, but regardless, I have no idea how I will get to that point. That's probably confusing, but I just can't explain it in detail. But I would like to expound on the phrase I said earlier...the it's "Out of My Hands" part. Those of you who have actually kept up with my blog through the months (i thank you!!!!) may have noticed I really like to relate my life to songs that I hear. I figure that most of those songs are written because someone had been inspired by something that happened in life and most song writers do it for the listener to relate to the music, so i do it often. When all of my difficulties were beginning and I was trying to control everything but nothing was working out, a friend of mine told me about a song that they thought was rather applicable, and oh man does it ever. The song is by a Christian artist who may not be the most well-known but should be because he is excellent, vocally and instrumentally. The song is "Out of My Hands," by Matthew West (linked to his website). Here are the lyrics:

There you go changing my plans again
There you go shifting my sands again
For reasons I don't understand again
Lately I don't have a clue
Just when I start liking what I see
There you go changing my scenery
I never know where you're taking me
But I'm trying just to follow you

It's out of my hands
It's out of my reach
It's over my head
And it's out of my league
There's too many things
That I don't understand
So it's into your will
And it's out of my hands

There you go healing these scars again
Showing me right where you are again
I'm helpless, and thats where I start again
I'm giving it all up to you

Move me, make me
Choose me, change me
Send me, shake me
Find me, remind me
The past is behind me
Take it all away
Take it all from me, I pray

The first part I would like to draw your attention to specifically is the last 2 lines of the chorus, "So it's into your will, And it's out of my hands." When I see those words, I think surrender. That's all we really need to do. We try to control the situation and do all we can to make sure that it results exactly how we want it to but we need to not fuss over it, surrender and admit that we can't handle it.
The next part that I want to draw your attention to is in the 2nd verse, the whole thing really. But I'll 1st mention the 1st part, "There you go healing these scars again, Showing me right where you are again." The part I like most of that is that second part, showing me right where you are again, or showing us that He is there and in charge. The 2nd part of that verse has to do with the surrendering again. This is one of the best parts of the song when listening to it, the artist does a great job of portraying kind of a mood change and expressing desperate feelings. "I'm helpless, and thats where I start again, I'm giving it all up to you." The lyrics right there begin with the confession that "hey God, I can't do this alone," and that is the new beginning (and that's where I start again) of giving it all up to Him, or surrendering, submitting to His will. Well, I could go on for hours about the song, but really I just wanted to express my thoughts and feelings about the song, but I really want you all to make sure you get your hands on the song somehow to hear it (his website has the song on it) . It's a powerful and uplifting song that gets right to the core of so many feelings we experience in our daily lives. If i were to rate it, I'd give it an enthusiastic 5 stars!
Last night I had a releasing prayer and I feel a comfort now, my heart feels more at ease, and the anxiety has subsided some. And let me tell you, all i did was simply recite in prayer the lyrics to that song.

God's Blessings as you learn to GIVE UP everything to Him,
Adam

P.S. this is one instance where giving up is a good thing! So come on!!! Don't go on any longer fighting those problems yourself! GIVE UP! you can't do it! (positive peer pressure disguised nicely by negative peer pressure:>)

ENOUGH OF THE CONTRADICTIONS!

2005-05-16T17:52:00.000-07:00

Well, first off i should apologize for it being so long (well over a month) since my last post, my deepest apologies. But in the last month I have been faced with a fury of emotional strain and contradictory feelings. One of the biggest instances i'm not at liberty to discuss on here, but the latest I need to, to get it all off my chest. I should warn all of you who are reading this, I think you should prepare yourselves for a lengthy post...
Just so that there isn't any confusing, I am in track and I run the 110 meter high hurdles. I have been running hurdles since the 7th grade and found it rather fitting that i take up the high hurdles in high school and have been doing them for the last four years. I've worked really hard on them setting fairly high goals for myself each year. For most of them it was to scrape seconds off of my time, which i was able to do every year, sometimes almost over a whole second. Well, this year, my senior year, has been no exception. One of my goals since starting highs in my freshman year was to run in the 15 to 16 second range which is a pretty competative time for the highs. Well, I have reached that goal and was able to run within that range twice. Another of my goals was to place first in a track meet at least once, well I accomplished that as well and also twice. As my times improved, I found out that on a website (www.statsandgo.com) my best time was listed as one of the best in our district, which put me in the position of maybe making it to state. So I didn't really want to admit that goal, I still had it, to go to state. Well, after my 2 1st place finishes i didn't do as well, but then the conference meet came and I ran an alright time and placed 3rd, I was happy, it's a good finish. After that, came the district meet, the important one, the state qualifying meet. I was quite nervous because I was going to meet several guys that I had previously beaten and one had beaten me once and another guy who I had never beaten. But the key in the district meet is to place in the top 3 in order to qualify for the state meet for guys. Well, I ran my preliminary race in a relatively good time, i think it was 16:08 officially, and I also won my prelim. which was good enough for a good lane placement in the final heat later in the day. When the final came around, I had earned the lane 3 spot which is one of the better lanes. Going into the final race, I was getting pretty nervous because i knew there was a good chance to go to state if I didn't screw it up, and my coach also knew that I was nervous and gave me a pep-talk i will never forget. He said "don't worry about it, just run." Wow, i was taken aback by the simplicity but also the deep roots that the words took. I came to believe in them so much that I told them to a friend of mine who is a girl who also had a very good chance of going to state and was going to run right after me and was quite nervous. I said to her, "don't worry about it, You don't have to impress anyone, do your best and just run." quoting my coach. She said she also found comfort in those words. But anyway, my race was about to begin, we had taken our run throughs and the starter blew his whistle to let everyone know we were about to begin and for us to take our sweats off. He then said the imfamous "runners to your marks," then the pause as the athletes do their routines and settle into their comfort spots in the blocks, then the "set" as the starter raises his other arm with the gun, and after a brief pause and all athletes steady, the sound of the gun. The athletes' bodies lurch forward at the sound of the gun beginning the race, fighting for position. we all hit the first hurdle and begin to separate some from eachother. The race was tight the whole way over the 110 meters and the 10 flights of 39 inch hurdles. As we came over the finish line I knew I had done well, not won, but close. I heard my dad yell, and my teamates and coach along with him. At this point it began to sink in that I might have just qualified for state and also I had run my best time yet, but all i could do was walk to the edge of the track and fall to my knees, then on to my stomach in shock. It wasn't official yet, but we were all pretty sure. So we waited, for the official results to be annouced over the P.A. Some time later, after some post-race congradulations, the results begun to be read. Then I heard it, "2nd place, Adam Hengeveld from Hartley Melvin Sanborn with a time of 15.61." I couldn't believe it, I had done something that I never really expected, I had qualified for state, and run my fastest time yet. As the congradulations started to come in, realizations began to pop into my head, not so positive ones. I began to realize that aside from it being an incredible honor and accomplishment, it was also becoming a large inconvenience. I began to think of all of the things I would miss out on, and later in the day after I found I would be running my preliminary race on thursday, May 19th, 2005 at 4:50, at Drake Statium in Des Moines, Iowa, I also found out i would be missing out on many more things. I will go in chronological order of how there were going to take place for me. My coach is planning for us to leave for Des Moines the Wednesday night after our Senior Class Night. As it is custom, there had been a class get together planned for after it aswell. But this year, a friend of mine decided to break the tradition of everyone going out and getting sloppy drunk to instead hosting a root beer kegger. I was rather excited because me not being a drinker/partier, this would provide me a chance to participate in a kegger and it not be illegal. So that was the first thing, the next is me missing out on the last day of classes of my high school career. This day would have held some very fond memories, but also a final test i will now have to prepare for and take earlier. One item of interest is the fun auction of various items in spanish class. Throughout the year, for scoring well on tests/quizes, our teacher gives us money, or pesos that we can spend in the auction, well, I now have all that money and i can't even participate. Also, that thursday night, our spanish teacher invited all of us in the spanish 4 class to supper at her house, which I will now miss out on. So, aside from just simply missing my last day of basically, school there are so many other things as well. In all of this, I am having an extremely difficult time trying to find the good in now qualifying for state, which in and of itself makes me even more frustrated that I can't even find it in me to be proud and excited for my accomplishment. I guess I can just ended it here, I really don't think it would be necessary to describe any further details, I am already upset enough, which is so horrible of me. God help me to find the good in this great accomplishment of mine....

God's Peace,
Adam

Take My Own Advice...

2005-04-06T21:35:00.000-07:00

For awhile now I have been writing on here about trust. Well, I've really started seeing how taking my own advice would be a good thing to do! (sad..i know) While I am rejoicing in receiving a tremendous scholarship that I am so grateful for (PRAISE GOD), I still feel as if all good is happening to those around me. The thing I think of next though is, perhaps I'm seeing their victories, and missing mine. Frustrating. But I have been noticing the trust in the Lord that people have is paying off (not trying to relate it to money), and how much it has worked for them to just LET GO AND LET GOD! I've heard that saying for many years now, but never really fully comprehended its importance until this year. The other day, I was snooping through my mom's stuff in one of her Bible covers and I found a little book opened flat to a page that had on one page the title, "Let Go-Let God." So I was compelled to read what was on that small page, and what I read was a simple but profound poem. It goes as follows:
Have you ever tried praying about it,
That problem that clouds your day?
Have you ever tried turning it over to God
And letting Him have His way?

Have you ever tried saying, "Your will be done"
And practiced just letting go,
Knowing He'll guide you out of the fog
Of that problem that troubles you so?

You'll find He is ready to help you,
You need only open your heart;
He's waiting and willing to carry the load--
The "letting go" is your part.
(Answered Prayer:Words of Faith, Hope, and Love by Helen Lowrie Marshall)

Now that is a fantastic poem, and frightenly relevant to my life, and probably to many of your lives as well. So much of the stuff that is bogging me down, I am trying to do all by myself. I'm not fully realizing my incapability of doing so. God wants to take care of all that stuff, but I'm not letting Him. I know He's working for my good, because He already has so much!!!! But I know if I would just give it all, He would deliver. "Letting go" is my part. When will I learn to let go. I ask you to pray this prayer with me:

Father God, I come to you this day with an earnest plea for help. I am a mere mortal trying to do it all by myself, not giving it to You as You have instructed me too. Lord, as I face this day, I ask You to guide and lead me, and let your will be done. As I let go Father, help me with (insert personal issues). Thank you Lord God for all that you have done for me and so richly blessed me with. In His Most Holy Name, Amen.

So right now, I am challenging myself to LET GO AND LET GOD, as well as challenging you. And lemme tell ya, it is a challenge. It's not something many of us are used to doing, we want to handle things ourselves, always thinking, "I can handle/fix it." Well, newsflash, no you can't, Let God.

In Christ our Savior,
Adam

Trust!!! AGAIN!

2005-03-28T09:57:00.000-08:00

So, awhile back I was on this trust in Him kick. Well, I found something else today and it just made me happy...just the shear thought of it. First I say how I came upon this little, well..revelation. On my computer desk, my mom has this little knick-knack and it's this box deal with a bear holding a heart on it. I have no idea where she got this, but I know she's had it for awhile and I've messed with it before, but the important part of this little box are the little cards with Bible verses on them. Well, the cards have always been in a plastic covering so they had never been changed and one verse had looked at us all this time: "All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful." --Psalm 25:10. While that is an awesome and SO true of a verse, I thought maybe it's time to open the package and change the card. So I did, without my mommy's permission, hopefully she doesn't care, but I doubt she will, cause I flipped over that card and on the back was an AWESOME trust verse! I was more than slightly excited. so, without and further adew (or however that saying goes...) here is Romans 15:13--"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him." WOAH! So simple, but so nice. Trust in Him. In Him we have Hope when we trust in Him! Woo..I don't have anything else to say...

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him,
Adam

2005-03-27T18:32:00.000-08:00

I was messing around with a picture of a flag I took on the day of Shane's funeral, so I thought I would do something alittle special with it. For those of you who were around for the funeral, the flag was the big one that was flying from the extended fire truck ladders over main street.
Please, never forget those who have died for our country, they sacrificed so much.

In Christ,
Adam

Just stuff to get off my chest

2005-03-22T22:41:00.000-08:00

I've been really second guessing myself lately. Not just where I'm gonna go to college..cause really..I've made that decision, or so I thought. But so much stuff is coming to light now..and I really don't feel like I have the direction that I used to. Or that i thought i had or felt. First off...I'd like to say God's timetable of course isn't coinciding with mine right now...As it stands, me and my family have no idea how we are goin to finance my wonderful little "dream" education. so..God..you can lemme know your thoughts anytime..that'd be super. So..with me thinking "how's it gonna work out?" I have to think to myself also "maybe it's not for me then." but then what is for me? Regardless..i still feel as though I am to teach..at least right now anyway..but where..and to whom, etc. I know not now, but i'd sure love too. I've just struggled with how God thinks that completely second guessing myself is for the better. If he could stop it..that sure would be super. I guess patience is a virtue that sadly i do not possess. I blame in on society: a society of fast food and high speed internet. COME ON GOD! KEEP UP! I just don't understand...I just wanna catch a break once. It always seems like everyone around me it getting it all. So i have to think..what am i doing wrong that's allowing me to miss so..gracefully. I pray my ship comes to shore..and i guess i have a distant feeling it may..but with the way i feel now..i see it hitting an iceberg just a few hundred miles from destination. I guess I finally understand why Adam and Eve ate that apple...they thought maybe they would be able to know what God knows..to possibly understand! WHERE DO I BELONG!?..

True Hero

2005-03-17T20:18:00.000-08:00

Some of you may know, but for those who may not, the town that I am from, Hartley, has lost a hero this past week. Shane Koele, a 1998 graduate of Hartley Melvin Sanborn High School, a son, a brother, a father, and a husband lost his life in Afghanistan from a land mine. Shane was a true soldier, fighting for those who can't fight for themselves, a true hero. But what else did Shane fight for, what else are all of those soldiers, including my brother Thomas, fighting for? I have a pretty good idea, freedom. Freedoms for us and freedoms for them.
I wrote an essay, an attempt to define the word Freedom, and I would like to post it. It may not be that great, but I would like to dedicate it to Shane Koele and all those who have lost their lives for the cause and for those who continue to fight.

There are five basic freedoms all citizens of the United States of America possess under the First Amendment of the Constitution. The Freedom of Speech, the Freedom of Press, the Freedom of Religion, the Freedom of Petition, and the Freedom to Assemble were all listed under the First Amendment by our Forefathers as rights that the citizens of our great nation could not be denied. Freedom, to truly be free, is a gift given to all citizens through the blood, sweat, and tears of other citizens. Men and women have fought in wars and battles and marched and chanted for the freedoms we now enjoy. Freedom is the liberty, free will, independence, and sovereignty we all share in our great nation.
Like so many things in life, we tend to take our freedoms for granted. Going through our day-to-day living not really understanding the full scope and range of the freedoms we really have. We do not see when looking at the newspaper that the writers, reporters, and editors have the right and freedom to put what they feel appropriate into print. We so often encounter our liberties in day-to-day living that they have become unnoticed in our lives. Unnoticed until we feel that someone else has infringed on our freedoms, then we become defensive. We forget that our rights and freedoms end where the next person’s rights begin. It has become too easy to take a lawsuit to court forcing high courts to make decisions concerning everyone’s five basic rights when people are off fighting for the very freedoms that are contested every day. Are the efforts of our soldiers to preserve our freedoms in vain? No. When will we start to forget about the fighting against freedoms and remember the fight for the freedoms.
Even though, Men and women are still fighting the war for freedom. The United States has taken upon itself to set aside any minor problems we have with our basic rights just to spread those rights to people in our world. To spread the freedoms to people who would give anything for a chance to practice a religion without fear of being jailed or killed. There are millions of people in our world today who do not enjoy our same basic freedoms because of a tyrannous foe who denies them those rights. But we have vowed to spread our freedoms to people who do not know them as we do.
We the people of the United States of America know five basic freedoms that have been given to us: speech, religion, press, petition, and assembly. We have taken for granted those simple rights for long enough, it is time to spread those rights to others. Considering all the men and women who have died or are still fighting for the purpose of protecting those rights, we owe it to them to share the freedoms we know so well and use so often. Let us put aside our own selfish desires and extend to a world of tyrants and evil the blessing of freedom.

I would like to request that you all pray for Shane's family as they mourn their fallen hero.

May God grant you His blessings,
Adam

Selflessness

2005-03-01T22:30:00.000-08:00

Before I get to the post, I would like to extend an apology to all of you who have checked my blog regularly to find no new posts. You have no idea how much I appreciate you reading my posts, I know you're out there. Thank you, and I'm sorry.
The following post, I wrote first as an essay for my College Writing class. It is to be a Definition essay, and my prompt was selflessness.

I can think of only one person that has ever roamed the Earth and showed complete and ultimate selflessness, Jesus Christ. Jesus exhibited the most perfect forms of selflessness, never before did He put Himself before others. Even in the face of death, Jesus thought only of the people He would save. Jesus had a genuine concern for others, always before Himself.
The life of Jesus is a story that is well known; even most who do not believe in Him usually do not deny His existence. Yet, I bring myself to wonder how someone can know of Jesus, but not know of who He really is and what He really has done for all people. Jesus became the ultimate and complete sacrifice, giving of Himself because it was what He had to do. Jesus gave of His time, His efforts, His energy, His love, His compassion, His desire, and His body and soul; His life for no other reason but to save the human race from their sins and eternal damnation.
How much easier it would have been for Jesus to give up, think only of Himself and that what He was sent to Earth to do was not what He really wanted to do. Perhaps He no longer wanted to spare the lives of many by giving of His own. How different things would be now if He would have. One selfless act created a religion, created the essence of the word “love.” Jesus, in his selfless act, embodied the true meaning of love.
Only once did Jesus second-guess His capability to go through with this selfless act. After all, He was not only the Son of God, but also Son of Man. He was human! At the garden of Gethsemane just before His arrest, He did not feel as though he was able to handle the burden. All along He knew what the purpose of His life was and why God had sent Him to Earth; to give of Himself to redeem the lost. He was sent to bring back to God’s people who had gone astray. He was the shepherd that would leave his flock of 99 sheep to go find and retrieve, by any means necessary, that one single sheep that had wandered off on its own.
How can one person not only embody love, but also the truest form of selflessness? He was able to be love and selfless, to complete the task He was sent to do through the trust and faith He had in the Father God. He was able to give of Himself for one reason, to save the lives of many, simply by complete faith in His Creator, our Creator. It was God’s Will that was the driving force for Jesus and His love, compassion, and selflessness. The great thing is we too can obtain that love, compassion, and selflessness from God just as Jesus did. Jesus can be our motivation to go out of our way for our fellow people, to put our own selves to the side and become an embodiment of Jesus, serving our own people, the way He served His people, selflessly.

God Bless You,
Adam

Is who I am bringing people to Jesus or turning them away?

2005-02-16T22:00:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm back again this Thursday. My blog is more of a weekly kind of deal now, but I guess it's all I have time for, sadly. But on to the important things in life...
Is who I am bringing people to Jesus or turning them away?
That's a pretty heavy question is it not? I think so. I'm gonna be honest, I'm not sure if I really completely understand it myself. But when I think about it, I think simply by taking it by it's face value and saying, is what I do in my everyday life something that brings people to Jesus or turns them away. More into it now, is who I am, something that really makes people want to know Jesus? I have become convinced that being a disciple isn't preaching the Word to all people all the time, but more showing the Word. Do I show God's Word in my actions, words? That is the risky part about being open about your faith. You will be scrutinized. People will put you under a magnifying glass watching your every move, recording every word, one false move and that's pretty much it, that person isn't convinced by you, or your faith.
I'm one of those people who wear christian themed tshirts, I have those fish decals and bumper stickers on my car. So, I think it's safe to say people notice me. They see when I have a bad day, and they remember that bad day when I have a good one. So I was thinking, and I thought up something similar to the WWJD thing, and it's just as impossible to remember and actually do, and alot less catchy, but BLJ..Be Like Jesus. Similar no? yeah it is, but i think alittle harder to do, yes. it is. I could probably sit here all night listing the qualities that make Jesus who He is to us as believers in Him....selfless, compassionate, caring, loves unconditionally, man the list goes on...my heads spinning! So I guess there's alittle change that needs to be made. Steven Curtis Chapmen gets it, He wrote a song called "The Change." here it is.

Well I got myself a T-shirt that says what I believe
I got letters on my bracelet to serve as my ID
I got the necklace and the key chain
And almost everything a good Christian needs, yeah
I got the little Bible magnets on my refrigerator door
And a welcome mat to bless you before you walk across my floor
I got a Jesus bumper sticker
And the outline of a fish stuck on my car
And even though this stuff's all well and good, yeah
I cannot help but ask myself--

What about the change
What about the difference
What about the grace
What about the forgiveness
What about a life that's showing
I'm undergoing the change, yeah
I'm undergoing the change
Well I've got this way of thinking that comes so naturally
Where I believe the whole world is revolving around me
And I got this way of living that I have to die to every single day
'Cause if God's Spirit lives inside of me, yeah
I'm gonna live life differently.

What about the change
What about the difference
What about the grace
What about the forgiveness
What about a life that's showing
I'm undergoing the change, yeah
I'm undergoing the change
(I got that out of a book...Speechless by Steven Curtis Chapmen and Scotty Smith)

Surmise what you will...

God's Blessing upon your "change"
Adam

Hills are for Climbing

2005-02-10T21:20:00.000-08:00

Lately, I have had my share of "hills." As I go through my days, I find myself continually climbing hills. I usually get the feeling as though I'm never going to get ahead, or in this case, I'm never gonna make it over these stupid hills. But I know that I will, because of one specific reason...
As I'm sure all of you know, yesterday was Ash Wednesday. (REALLY!?) I had to work, but thanks be to God, I was able to get off in time to only be about 10 minutes or so late. I did miss the confession and absolution, which is a very important part in the service to become recharged in order to take on another day. But there was a lot that I didn't miss, including Holy Communion. I was so glad I made it, I knew I had to thank God. For the past few weeks, due to so much going on during the week, I was usually reduced to having to work on sunday mornings, thus missing church, of course. Well, when I got to the church last night and realized I had just made it, and especially for communion, a great feeling enveloped me, I got chills. It had been along time since I had been able to meet God at His table, and I felt Him there, waiting just for me. I knew the table was being prepared as I listened, catching my breath (I ran to the church), to the Words of Institution spoken by my Pastor. But it was then that it struck me, it was then that I realized what kept me going...me knowing that no matter how long it is since my last meeting with Him, He'll still be there. No matter how many hills I have to climb to get there, He'll be there waiting for me, encouraging me all the way. I also felt my heavy heart become light again as my realization sunk in, no need to feel guilty, He always knows when to expect me. After all, the table's always set, the food is always ready, I just have to make it there.
In the days ahead, don't fret while following the path over endless hills, because no matter what, He'll be there. Amen. Praise Jesus. Amen.

God's Love, Mercy, and Grace upon your trek,
Adam

Stand firm..on and for Christ

2005-02-03T10:00:00.000-08:00

"By standing firm you will gain life." -Luke 21:19

You may be thinking to yourself, "hmm..stand firm for Christ..I think I got that..but on Christ..??" Well, I would say that is a valid question. What I mean is that we need to stand firm on Christ with His strength. Don't make me pull out Philippians 4:13 on you..cause I will! (I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me) Also, as the wise man puts his foundation (link to the real verses) on the rock for strength, and a foolish man puts his foundation on sand, the man receives his strength from the Rock, and I think it can go without saying that the rock is JESUS. (Just alittle food for thought) But that sand can resemble something too, I think the sand represents the strength we try to find in ourselves and from others. They can't supply the strength we need, and as the rains come the sand washes away.
Also, as the verse says, standing firm for Christ or standing up for Christ will give you life. But what you need to remember (I got this from the Life Application Bible again..) is that what Jesus means is you won't gain earthly life, you won't get 50 more years for doing really good, but you get that eternal, everlasting life, after death. Because, as we know, life is fragile and will come to end on earth, but that leads us to our eternal home.

I'm on kind of this, hymn frenzy lately. There's a hymn out there that is very fitting to this topic...so here it goes:

Stand up, Stand Up for Jesus

Stand up, stand up for Jesus as soldiers of the cross. Lift high his royal banner; it must not suffer loss. From vict'ry unto vict'ry his army he shall lead. Till ev'ry foe is vanquished and Christ is Lord indeed.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus; The trumpet call obey; Stand forth in mighty conflict in this his glorious day. Let all his faithful serve him against unnumbered foes; Let courage rise with danger and strength to strength oppose.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus; stand in his strength alone; the arm of flesh will fail you, you dare not trust your own. Put on the Gospel armor; each piece put on with prayer. Where duty calls or danger, be never wanting there.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus; the strife will not be long; this day the din of battle, the next the victor's song. The soldiers, overcoming, their crown of life shall see and with the King of glory shall reign eternally.
LW # 305

There it is, I hope you looked into the words. And if you're reading this right now...yes..these words right now, and you didn't read that hymn that this paragraph, yes this paragraph right here, follows...please go back and read through them, they are really good, and remember..I just took alot of time to happily type them out for you!

God's Blessings, Stand Firm,
Adam

P.S. I'd like to give credit where it's due...my pastor, Pastor Dave, gave me the idea, and much..well all of the material in a sermon last January that I actually took notes on! haha...:>

How Great Thou Art!!!!

2005-01-31T14:30:00.000-08:00

This last Sunday I was finally able to go to church, it was a great feeling. But when I got there, I quickly discovered that we were having a hymn sing where people request what hymns they'd like to sing. It's like the TRL of church. At first I was rather frustrated, I finally was able to go to church, and it was a hymn sing. But I understood, because our pastor had just done a funeral on Friday, and was preparing for a funeral that was today, so I'm sure the last thing he needed was to prepare another sermon. But any sadness I had quickly left when we started to sing some of those Hymn greats. One such hymn was "How Great Thou Art." It was exactly what I needed that day.
Today though, I went to the funeral because the lady was the Step-Grandmother of one of my best friends, and some of us felt it important to go and be there for him. I was very glad I went. It was the first ever funeral I had been to in my own church that I've attended since kindergarten. My pastor provided extremely comforting words to the family and encouraging words to all of us there. But one of the best parts was the end, when one of the most common funeral songs was sung, "How Great Thou Art." As I stood there belting out this very familar song, I just tried to take in the happenings, and the value and tenderness of life. As I saw the family file out of the sanctuary, teary-eyed, it really hit me how great He is. I also started to really look into the words of this song, which I am going to post and invite you to look into aswell. If you know the tune, feel free to sing it to yourself, if not, analyze the beauty and truthfulness of the words. I want your revelation for today to occur the same way mine did, engrossed in the words of this incredible hymn. ...

O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder. Consider all the works thy hand hath made, I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder, Thy pow'r throughout the universe displayed; Then sings my soul my Savior God, to thee, How great thou art! How great thou art! Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee, How
great thou art! How great thou art!

When through the woods and forest glades I wander, I hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees; When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur and hear the brook and feel the gently
breeze;Then sings my soul my Savior God, to thee, How great thou art! How great thou art! Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee, How great thou art! How great thou art!

But when I think that God, his Son not sparing, Sent him to die, I scarece can take it in, That on the cross my burden gladly bearing He bled and died to take away my sin; Then sings my soul my Savior God, to thee, How great thou art! How great thou art! Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee, How great thou art! How great thou art!

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation and take me home, what joy shall fill my heart! Then I shall bow in humble adoration and there proclaim: "My God, how great thou art!" Then sings my soul my Savior God, to thee, How great thou art! How great thou art! Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee,
How great thou art! How great thou art! (LW # 519)

Enough said, Praise God, Amen.

God's Blessings on your everyday Worship,
Adam

Life's a b...not fun, then ya die...

2005-01-30T10:00:00.000-08:00

Many of you have probably heard that saying, or something to that effect. One thing I know, is that I've thought it, and said it. It's used in those times of deep despair, and when stuff just feels like it couldn't get any worse. But why do we think that kinda of stuff. Why do I!!! think that kind of stuff?? Granted, life sucks ..S. U. C. K. S. sucks sometimes, (language of origin please...spelling bee..haha) but how can we dwell in those times so much. I think sometimes I'm so pissed off that I miss hugely important things in my life. Wait..i take that back, I KNOW that sometimes I miss out on things because I'm mad. But why do I do it. I can not figure it out for the life of me. Why do I continue, day in and day out, acting like life's just this big torture chamber. Or that God's this mean kid with a magnifying glass burning my legs off just to watch me squirm. How can I think that....disgusts me....D. I. S. G. U. S. T. S. disgusts. (definition..)
Sometimes it seems that I just skip right over the happy times in my life. woop...right over them, not even realizing it until later what I did. How foolish.
Another thing I wanna talk about is how actually I'm rather unworthy of the friends God's blessed me with. Prepare youself (especially you mom) ....Alot of times I'm an ass to my friends. Honestly, I wonder why they put up with some of the stuff I do. I despise some of the stuff I do sometimes so much that I wouldn't even think of trying to explain it on here. It's horrible. I really don't think I honor my friends they way I should. Andrew will tell you how great of a best friend I am, but I can't help but look at the crap I've done to him. He puts up with so much (no commenting on this part mister..) My other friends too, i do the dumbest things. I've yelled, hit, and picked on my friends. I'm like one of those dumb bullies that you like, but you don't wanna say anything too because they'll just get worse, but you still hang out with. That's me. Yeah, some of you are gonna think I'm coming down way to hard on myself, but think about it alittle if you know me well, you'll find it's pretty well true.
But anyway, I promise, my next post will be alittle happier, cause well, I love Jesus, maybe I'll write some about Him, He's pretty cool.(werd) I'll stop dwelling on the crappy stuff, because well.that's what I said to do alittle bit ago.

God's Blessings and Love and Grace and Mercy..and all that other stuff...
Adam

Child-like faith

2005-01-24T19:25:00.000-08:00

"And He said: 'I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little
children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. " - Matthew 18:3

If you haven't ever taught Sunday School, to very little children, I'd highly suggest that you do. Not only is it an extremely fun time, but also very
enlightening. I use that word because you're able to see faith at it's finest,
unmolested and simple. You'll also find that it might be important to ask
questions that elicit answers that aren't just "JESUS!" But that's not important for the young ones. The only thing that they care about, and understand is that Jesus loves them no matter what, and believing in Him means they will have eternal life with Him in heaven. To have faith like a child, or like little children, is a trusting and unpretentious faith. Little children don't care what denomination they are, they don't care about anything other then their relationship with Jesus.

In a life application Bible that my mom has, is says the following in the
explanation portions: "Jesus used a child to help his self-centered disciples get the point. We are not to be childish (like the disciples, arguing over petty issues) but childlike, with humble and sincere hearts. Are you being childlike or childish. The disciples had become so preoccupied with the organization of Jesus'earthly kingdom that they had lost sight of its divine purpose. Instead of seeking a place of service, they sought positions of advantage. It is easy to lose our eternal perspective and comptete for promotions or status in the church. It is difficult to identify with "children"--weak and dependent people with no status or influence."

Weak and dependent. Two words the author of the captions used to describe children. Also saying of course to be childlike, so we are to be weak and dependent. So we've established thatChildren are weak and dependent, and I don't need to even say this but I will, just as you, me, him, her, or whoever, needs to be dependent on Jesus, because we are weak.

Things of this world aren't important, so don't fret over them.Don't be
preoccupied with yourself, or things of this place. That is a huge challenge for myself, spoken to myself, but offered to you. Enough said, praise Jesus, Amen.

God's Grace Upon Your Earthly Stay,

Adam

It's like striking gold!

2005-01-20T18:38:00.000-08:00

With my busy schedule of practices, meetings, homework, work, and all the other things that bog me down, I've still had the opportunity to strike it rich. Tonight I realized that some of life's greatest moments aren't necessary the best things or the most memorable. Life is so full of little surprises and little things that bring so much joy to your life, and you might not even know it. One of the greatest I can think of right now is just reading the Bible and coming across a passage that is so unbelievably awesome that sometimes you have to restrain yourself from getting out the phonebook and calling everyone you that you can to tell about it. But our days are so full of these mini-happytimes that sometimes they don't even register in our long-term memory.
Sometimes these joys come in some kind of instant gratification that doesn't last long but it was nice while it lasted. Or maybe you were able to see something and found yourself rolling on the floor laughing at something that usually isn't that funny, or sometimes not funny at all. But don't work to hard to try and recognize these simple pots of gold because I think if you do, then they won't be as exciting and you won't get the same feelings out of them.
If you think back and you can't even think of one moment in your life where you had just a little bit of joy momentarily because of something in your day, then your life is too serious. Lighten up! I'm sure these kinds of things happen all the time, you just don't recognize them because you're up tight or something. I don't know, just a thought.
But what I'm getting at it, is I'm starting to wonder if God isn't sending those mini-happytimes by UPS's same-day delivery in order for us to loosen up sometimes. I think when they happen most is when you're all stressed out and at the end of your rope. You may be so busy and you're being so serious and God's starting to think "well hey, maybe I am giving them too much, here's a laugh for ya!" I think so. I've come to realize that God has to have one heck (and yes, i said heck too) of a sense of humor. After all, he created comedians. (and me..cause i'm just funny looking) But i think sometimes he created an overabundance of comedians cause as the joke goes, 10,000 comedians out of work and you're trying to be funny. I love that joke. But well, if I haven't rambled enough yet, I'll start again some other time. Thanks for reading if you got this far.

Peace out yo (God's peace)
Adam

Biggest Revelation yet!

2005-01-19T17:00:00.000-08:00

Wow, if you haven't read my last post yet, don't. It has to be one of the most self-centered things I've ever written. I read back over it and become disgusted with myself. Then I read the comments. Seeing those helped alot.
I'd like to introduce everyone to somebody. If you read those comments, you'll see one by a person that calls himself Dub. Well, actually alot of people call him Dub. It's his nickname and he's a pastor that was a very brave individual because he stood before over 100 teenages at my church camp every day for an hour and talked about sex. Yes, you heard (read)me correctly. But anyway, we have come to know him as Pastor Dub. Well! Anyway, if you read that comment, this man who I have come to respect besides for one bad movie review:) (sorry to bring that up again Pastor). But he said some extremely important things that have given me a new direction to this blog, and quite frankly the direction I should have had all along. My biggest revelation yet is credited to the wisdom of Pastor Dub. But I will post his comment: (oh, and I'd like to thank him for his 2 cents worth)
Dub said...
"The best part about blogging is not getting people to read what you write. The best part about blogging is recording what you feel and where you've been so that when you're in this position again, it looks familiar.I post the important revelations of my life because I want to remember them, not because I want people to see how spiritual I am. If you're posting to show off, it's the wrong reason (cf. Matt. 6:5ff). If you're posting to see where you've been before and to see how far God has brought you, then you are on the path to true spiritual growth.It doesn't matter if other people see us grow. It only matters that we grow. When we grow, other people will see it."
(To go to Dub's blog, click here)
The direction I've had on this is, I've put my revelations on here for an audience, when really I should have only used it as a place for my own thoughts, and my own spiritual growth. This incorrect purpase led to my nonsensical low-morale feeling. How vain can I be. The purpose of my blog is to process my feelings and thoughts and to put things down for my own remembering. I love all of you and thank you so much for reading my posts, but well..I can't let you all be the reason for my writing. Sorry. :) I also would like to get back to giving glory to God in my writings. I need to focus more on putting Him in the center. I need to have Him be the axis my world spins on. (hows that for an analogy) But I think I've said enough, because well, Pastor Dub pretty well said it all!

God's Blessings in wherever you find yourself in life,
Adam

My Morale is alittle low.

2005-01-17T18:20:00.000-08:00

High hopes can make for deep disappointment. That is my revelation today. The worst part, is it's my own fault. When I first created this blog, I guess the main reason I started it was so that people could read any thoughts that I have sometimes. Well, I guess I've felt that I don't have as many people reading these posts as I originally hoped. But I really put myself up for disappointment for thinking that I would be a widespread thing. But I really didn't expect it to be large, but I was hoping I get alittle bit bigger of a response.
But I really need to thank all of you that do read this, I appreciate it so much when I see comments. I don't have many feelings as good as reading someone's thoughts on my posts and knowing that they took the time to read what I have to say. Again, I appreciate it so much, even if you don't feel the need to comment, that's fine, I still appreciate it.

Also, I have another revelation. Tomorrow my school starts our 2nd semester, and that means the start of one of the most rigerous classes probably offered at our high school. So, in other words, my freetime will be a rare commoditity. But that's alright, I'll still try to get on this as much as possible. I'll keep it short today, I'm usually rather long-winded, but i think this'll do. Again, I thank my readers.

God's Blessings Upon Your Endeavors,
Adam

Suffering...?

2005-01-13T19:00:00.000-08:00

Tonight, I was looking through my Bible at some of the sections I have highlighted and such, and I came acrossed a chapter in the Bible that has to be now one of my most favorite. One that is by far the most comforting chapters that I have ever read, Romans chapter 5. I have yet to find another place where there is an entire chapter that offers such comfort as Romans 5, and the best part is, it just screams Gospel.
The part that I like most is the first part, verses 1-5. Let me post those for you:
"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so,...

...but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces
perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope...

...And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."-Romans 5:1-5
Suffering so often feels like something that is tearing us down, bringing us to our knees. We get feelings like we can't take anymore, that the burden we carry is too much and we can't carry it any longer. But actually, suffering is building us, it's building perseverance, it's building character, and it's offers a time for hope. That hope is the faith we have in Jesus. God poured out His love for us by giving us Jesus. Allow me to bore you for a moment. I visited my friends at Encarta Dictionary and Dictionary.com, and found the following definitions for you to better understand where this verse is coming from.
Perseverance: determined continuation with something: steady and continued action or belief, usually over a long period and especially despite difficulties or setbacks.
Character: Moral or ethical strength. Distinctive qualities: the set of qualities that make somebody or something distinctive, especially somebody’s qualities of mind and feeling.
Hope: To look forward to with confidence or expectation. Also, to wish for something with expectation of its fulfillment.
I know that was probably boring to read those, but I wanted you to see what those definitions are. And I want also to paraphrase them slightly to take the most important parts from them. With perseverance, it's so much the determined continuation through something, that is, become determined that you will make it through your suffering, but don't lose faith or you won't be able to persevere, because it won't be by your own strength. In character, the moral and ethical strength part is the part that is most important because with that, you can fend off things that are bad for you and that can cut you down more. Also, your character is what is distinctive to you, what people see in you, with the perseverance through suffering you will have the strong character. With Hope, all things are possible. And in those times of trouble, we can look ahead with expectation and confidence that we will be delivered and set free, and it also does not come without faith.
So, in your times of deep despair, suffering, heartache, pain, and other problems, persevere, build character, have hope, and above all, have faith in the love and compassion of Jesus. Let me leave you with this verse:
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." -Romans 5: 8

God's Blessings, especially in your time of suffering,
Adam

Hidden verses. Number II

2005-01-11T09:50:00.000-08:00

After Andrew read through my post yesterday, he told me another great verse that has hidden in the shadows of a much more famous verse. I have to catch myself from saying things like a better verse, but actually, not better, but just as good.
Today's verse hides in the shadow of probably single-handedly the most popular Bible verse of all time. A verse almost every Christian could probably recite by heart. It's John 3:16. (I'm fairly sure I don't have to post it, we all know what it is. But incase you don't, click on it..it'll take ya there.)But anyway, the verse that is so great, but is so often missed, is of course, the verse to follow. John 3:17 says, "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." I really don't think I have to say much, but I will anyway. But it's so beautifully said, and it's simplicity amazes me. God isn't hidding anything from us! (no pun intended) But lets take it all in stride, because I find myself so often when I even read all of Chapter 3 of the book of John, that I know verse 16 so well that I kind of recite it in my head and continue reading at verse 17, but am I really reading yet. Not really, because my mind hasn't been reading so it basically skips right over verse 17 with hardly any recognition of it at all. But lets look at verse 16 aswell. So if you have a Bible that actually uses two colors in it, and makes everything Jesus says red, you'll see that these verses and it's surrounding verses are spoken by Jesus. He's saying that God has so much love for His people on earth, that He would take His Own Flesh and Blood, His Son and send Him as a ransom for His people on earth. He's really sacrificing His Son, much like He commanded Abraham to do with Isaac, but of course we all know that Abraham didn't have to really sacrifice Isaac. But God loves us so much, that He did gave His Son for us, caring for us so much that He doesn't want us to die, or perish but live forever and always with Him in heaven. But Jesus pretty much mentions a catch, or the kicker of John 3:16, and that is the key part of the whole verse. So God sent His Son to die for all and save them so they can have eternal life, BUT! they have to believe in Him. They have to believe Christ died for them. Because salvation comes by faith in Jesus, not by works. Then verse 17 comes along, almost nonchalantly, and says, well, come on, Jesus didn't come to judge you, not to condemn you to hell, but He came for you, to save you from hell. Every Christmas, a guy from my church puts up these thingers in his front yard. One of them has a nativity scene and in lighted letters it says SALVATION, and then on the other part of his front yeart he has in lighted letters the words, "SECOND COMING, JUDGEMENT." That also makes so much sense though. Jesus came first ONLY for salvation's purpose only. No need to even think about hell when you've got that faith in Jesus. But then, when He comes again, He'll separate, the bad sheep from the good sheep, or the sheep from the goats. (Matthew 25:31-46)
Well, I think that's about all for that one. What a blessing Jesus is. Ya gotta see the Love in that. And then verse 17 being just as important at verse 16, they go hand in hand! And again, if you know of another set of verses where one is well know and it's next one isn't, put it in a comment, or let me know and I'll jabber about it if you want me to! I'd love to!

God's Blessings,
Adam

Wonderful verses that hide in the shadow of famous verses.

2005-01-10T21:30:00.000-08:00

Andrew and I have been working on a song, yes..that we wrote. We titled it "Jeremiah's Song" because so much of it is taken from Jeremiah, and even 2 of the song verses are almost identical to the Bible verses. Well, one of the verses from Jeremiah that we use for our song is the most famous Jeremiah verse of all, Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." So incredibly beautiful and it offers so much encouragement. But what about the verses to follow? Could it possibly get any better!? YES! Now check out verses 12 and 13, they are just as wonderful, but I bet, unless you have done extensive Bible study on Jeremiah, that you have never heard these verses. Verses 12 and 13 say, "Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." The truth in there just screams out at you! So simple, just seek Him with all of your heart and you will find Him. Go ahead and add in there seeking Him not just with your heart, but with all of you body, mind, and soul. (ie...all of ya..the whole package..with everything/anything possible) In my study Bible, there's a section at the bottom which allows me to know more than any pastor, and it says concerning these 2 verses, "The Lord's gracious gift of prosperity is contingent on His people's willingness to repent." See, that's the key in seeking Him, what to do when you get there. Repent. In doing that, know that God is listening. There is so much Gospel in Jeremiah! I love it!
I guess I need to tell you alittle bit more about what's happening in that part of Jeremiah. God's people had been dispersed throughout the land by the Babylonians and those 3 verses are a part of a Letter, pretty much from God to His people in exile, comforting them. Don't ya think that parallels with what He did through Christ? He's like the letter, He was sent to us, now our comfort in those times of need, and hopefully, not just in those times of need..but all the time.
Interesting little tidbit I'll throw in here (splat). I just started reading a book, and it's written by a man that is fighting cancer. I haven't even begun to read the chapters, but in reading the Intoduction, I've already found so many great things. In it, the author (Dan Roelofs) quotes C.S. Lewis, "God whispers to us in our joy, and He shouts in our pain." Pretty incredible huh? I'd say so. Well, let me make you a promise, as I get farther into that book, I think you'll find me using it alot in my future posts.
Also, I think I might do some continuing of this topic, great verses in the shadow of other great verses. If you find any, please feel free to comment and post them to share with everyone. Remember, if you aren't a member of blogger and don't want to register, you can comment anonymously, but I ask that you identify yourself in the post so I know who you are. That would be much appreciated! Thank you for reading.

God's Blessings Upon Your Days,
Adam

P.S. I'll leave you with this extra bit. Did you know that there is 2 books of Johns in the New Testament that have the verse 3:16. Well, 1 John 3:16 is just as beautiful as is counterpart John 3:16.

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers." -1 John 3:16

"For God so love the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

Have a problem with someone? Maybe it's you!

2005-01-09T20:58:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I'm mostly referring to myself. But do you find yourself having strained relationships and the like? I do sometimes and well, my revelation just happened a little bit ago, and it's that I've come to realize that so often in those strained relationships, it's me that has the problem, or is causing all of the trouble.
There are a few things that contribute to me causing the tension in relationships, and I can pretty much connect at least one or more of these following things to most, if not all, of any strained relationships I've had. One of the things is I'm way too easily annoyed. If something isn't going right, or I'm not in just the right mood, people around me suffer because I'm annoyed and acting childish. Another is my temper, I get set off so easily. Some of my classmates and I have had trouble with this in that I'm known to "freak out," or blow up. Which is true. Also, my horrible mood swings contribute greatly to many of my relational troubles. People have out and told me that I'm really hard to read, and I believe that because my mood can change at the drop of a dime. Those are just a few of the problems I find in myself when I evaluate myself. Most people will say, naahh..that's no big deal. Well, actually they can become a huge problem, and sometimes they are. I can think of so many times that I have gotten myself into trouble because of my attitude. And actually, I think alot of is my personality. I sometimes find myself saying that the person was being dumb and deserved it or whatever, but when I think about it...when I truly think about it, there's sometimes no excuse for my behavior. It really frustrates me. Sometimes, I can be the biggest...well..for lack of a better term...jerk. Makes me even more thankful for my friends and family.
Makes me also to appreciate much more the forgiveness I've been given through Christ. And with that I suddenly find myself at a loss for words...I just pray my friends can continue to find it in their hearts to forgive my numerous imperfections, so often I find myself unworthy. I also pray that the relationships that have been hurt or broken because of...myself..can be mended with forgiveness. Ok, I'm off. I'd like to end with a message to all of my family and friends, I am sorry for the way that I conduct myself sometimes. Often, I do not have the self-control needed to be the kind of son, brother, friend, boyfriend, co-worker, student, etc. that I should. Forgive me, I pray that I'll gain the strength to control myself and my actions towards others for life is too short to have broken ties. Thank you to all those who put up with me on a daily basis, sometimes you are as brave as a lion tamer.

God's Riches Blessings Upon Your Day,
Adam

The Divine Mystery

2005-01-08T21:40:00.000-08:00

Does anyone know what I'm referring to when I say the Divine Mystery? Well, thanks the to book I'm reading, Open Secrets by Richard Lischer, I now know what it is. It's the Holy Trinity of God. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. I can remember from back in my confirmation days, my Pastor once asked me to explain to him the Trinity. Being the genious student that I am, I nailed it!...or so I thought, my pastor continued to look at me and say, "I don't get it." Well, that just cut me down. BUT...it was the truth because with the wonderful gift of hindsight, I can look back and realize that I had no idea what I was talking about!
In this book, Richard begins to describe the most beautiful stained glass window in the entire church. I won't go into the specifics because he does describe it in the book, but that's alittle much for this, but they call it the Trinity window.
First, lets learn alittle of what I'm assuming is Latin. The word for God is Deus. Father is Pater. Son is Filius, and Holy Spirit is Spiritus Santus. If that ain't latin, let me know..but i'm pretty sure it is...but, as I showed earlier...I can actually be wrong....surprising I know..But anyway, Richard Lischer is a Lutheran pastor and he has his doctorate thinger and everything, so I'd say he's a pretty intelligent man. Well, he kinda puts in his book (Open Secrets) a little something about the Trinity that I think is pretty interesting, he says, "God is persons and nothing else. There is no waxy residue of divinity that is not wrapped up in these three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. That's who God is. God is (est) each of these three persons, but the persons are distinct from one another (non est-is not). God is both: alone in majesty and at the same time forever radiating love through each person of the Trinity." I think that says it pretty well. He also later says that no amount of analogies will produce the majesty of the Holy Trinity, who is alone in greatness and divinity..and he states an example analogy that is the skin, the pulp, and the core--all are an apple. Kinda interesting huh? How they are all distinct and different but are all one. But he's so right, that analogy doesn't come close to the majesty of the Holy Trinity. But with all this that he says, he still calls the Trinity a mystery. Interesting I think. But it's just one of those things that we just aren't supposed to comprehend, we just don't have the possibility to do that.
I am hoping that God holds regular press conferences in heaven so that when I get there I can go and sit in and inbetween many peoples "Why'd you do that to me" questions, I can ask Him some real questions like, "How'd you make the sun shine?" or one of my first ones would be, "What are your thoughts on evolution?" cause I think that would be fairly interesting. I would hope that He would start to laugh at how obsurd it is. But who knows! I doubt by the time I get there, dumb, pointless, insignificant questions will be...well..hmm..INSIGNIFICANT. I think I'll just bask in His glory, maybe armwrestle Jesus, He looks like He could put up a pretty good match. He's prolly win though...being God and all. But this is stuff I find myself thinking about. I'm sure heaven's not just a place to sit around and watch all the poor shmucks that gotta live on earth still. There's so many things I'd wanna do. After I've beaten Jesus at an armwrestling match, and an embrace that I find myself yearning for, I'll go find some of my family members. Tell them I beat Jesus, (is that blasphemy andrew?) and just sit and talk to them, hug them. Makes me almost teary eyed, to think about the joy of being able to spend eternity like that. Something that would never get old or boring. Yes, there are the sad thoughts of leaving loved ones on earth, but I think thinking of that takes away from the greatness of going to heaven. And I think I've found a feeling that beats feeling loved..but also, this feeling is so completely love at the same time, and it's the assurance that I will one day go and be with my Father and my Savior. I can't think of anything better.
Wow...I kinda got off from my topic, yet I didn't at the same time. I think I covered two "divine mysteries," the Holy Trinity, and Heaven. I think Heaven is even more of a mystery. Here's a tough question: Describe to me what Heaven looks like. Hope you don't run across one of those on a test. But the great thing is, just as with the Holy Trinity and forming our own comprehension of it, we can also have our own idea of what Heaven will be like. Who knows..maybe everyone will have their own special part of heaven, that was exactly like they imagined it. Kinda like a bedroom. There's a song that gets me really excited for Heaven, maybe you've heard it, Big House by Audio Adrenaline. Great song. Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us, and we can play football, or arm wrestle. Such a mysterious, yet beautiful thing.
I think I'll stop there, I'm on the verge of a novelette. (A short novel) Sorry about being so random and ADDish tonight.

God's Blessings,
Adam

Ultimate trust!

2005-01-05T19:30:00.000-08:00

To start off, just so all of you who don't know me well, I'm a Lutheran, which means I follow Martin Luther's teachings as well as I can in the church I attend. Well, recently a biographical movie of his life was made and also a biographical book that coincides with the movie was published. Well, surprisingly (not) I own the movie, and thanks to my Pastor who generously allowed Andrew and I to have some of his old books and those he no longer uses, I now possess the book as well.
I watched the movie last week, and tonight I began to read the book and have come across something great. Here it is:
As Luther was starting to speak out against the Catholic church and he was called to Augsburg to go before the Cardinal there where he would be asked to recant, or take back the things he said or he would be excommunicated or worse. Well, before he was to leave Wittenburg, where he taught at the University there and also where he posted the 95 theses, his friends and others were certain that Luther would not come back alive. But Luther didn't care...he knew God would protect him, he trusted. In the book it has a quote where he says, "let the Lord's will be done. Even at Augsburg, yes, in the midst of His enemies, Jesus Christ rules." LOOK AT THAT TRUST! Do you see how he just gives it to God. He wasn't going to let anything get to him. He knew that he had to do what needed to be done. He knew he had to stand up for the Biblical truths. I'm sure I could find other instances where Luther shows his profound trust in the Lord, but I haven't gotten that far. He's unbelievable. Gives us something to aspire to I guess, an example.
I now have realized, that is the kind of trust I want, the kind I NEED. Sometimes, I hear people say things like, "Have you prayed about it?" to things that I think aren't importand and are not significant. I almost seem to sneer at them and just shrug the statement off. But it's so true!!!! Nothing is to big for the Lord God Almighty, thus nothing is too small. God has a large grasp, but that doesn't mean He can't clentch small items also.
This is my deepest and most heartfelt prayer that I raise to my God. Please, if you so feel inclined, pray this prayer with me:
Heavenly Father, I thank you for always being there for me, even when I don't always come to You. Help me to trust You more. Help me to give any of my problems over to You. Help me to know that when I lay my burdens at the base of the Cross where my Savior died that I will be set free from them. Help me to trust Lord. In Jesus' wonderful name, I pray. Amen.
If you prayed that prayer..and not just read over it, take the time to comment and say you offered yourself to God for help. Let it be known that you did. Let all who read this know that you have offered yourself, your being, your whole self, to our wonderful God.

God's Blessings,
Adam

ill...

2005-01-04T20:45:00.000-08:00

AAAHHHH! You know what amazes me? There are only a few things that the medical field has not come up with a cure for, cancer and AIDS, just to name a couple. Well, there's another! THE COMMON COLD! Today has been a horrible day. Lemme take it back some...
It all started last friday when I woke up with a sore throat. Usually a definate indication of what's to come...a cold. Well, Saturday wasn't too bad, and Sunday I just had the coughs and some sneezing and Monday just a mild stuffy nose. Well, today, the ball dropped. I have felt like crap all day. I won't get into the specifics because they can get pretty disgusting as many of you can imagine, but I felt so bad that I had to leave school early and for the first time EVER, I had to call in sick to work. Another thing I wasn't happy about. Then, around 5 or so I started feeling worse so I decided I should check my temperature. And as you could guess, I had about a 100. I was feeling horrible, the only thing I could think of to do is lay down with a cold, damp cloth over my forehead and just try to sleep. I kinda did, after the head pounding and throbbing subsided some. So all night I've been fighting the sinus headache, the stuffed up nose, the runny nose, coughing...you name it. I'm like the posterchild for cold meds. Which only work sometimes.
Well, feeling so horrible, do you think I went to God? NOPE. How frustrating, all I was doing...and am still doing is wallowing in my self-pity! Here it is, the 4th of January, and I am already having a great deal of trouble with my, not New Year's Resolution, but my New Year's Challenge, which was to give it to God and trust. Well, the first problem is I'm not even giving it to God, so trust is nonexistent then. So I'm kinda frustrated with myself to say the least. I am glad that this snow storm has come so there's a good chance we won't have school tomorrow which will really help me recoup, but it'll be atleast a 2 hour late start. But I think it's God's way of helping me. Kind of self-centered, but it does have pretty good timing...but who knows!
Well, I'm gonna go take some drugs and go to bed and try to rest and relax. Hopefully if there's no school tomorrow I might be able to get an actual revelation posted!

God's Blessings,
Adam

I did it!

2005-01-03T14:04:00.000-08:00

I finally did it. After all the fussing, headaches, and mind changes. I've finally committed to a college. I mailed the signed sheet and the money in TODAY! It feels kinda good..:> I have taken the first big step of 2005 and I will be attending Concordia University, Seward, Nebraska this fall! This is great. Well, I really don't have anything other then that! But I trust in Him that Seward will be the place for me, a place for my faith to flourish and grow like mad and i'll be able to learn, and grow as a person to my highest potentional. I think I will, so I'm excited to get there and start my future!

God's Blessings,
Adam

The Best may not be the Best

2004-12-27T19:15:00.000-08:00

Today, my best friend and I went on what i would classify as a "Spencer Run." As in we just went to hang out, and buy stuff. (and get groceries and paint for my mom) I had some Christmas money and thought i would blow it on some stuff.
First, we went to the music store (The Music Connection..great store) to hang out. We spent alot of time there, playing the "best" guitars, and we also bought the "best" guitar strings. (and i got a free t-shirt) But after that, we went to eat at Arby's and then to Walmart. I bought some DVDs and the stuff for my mom. We did minimal messing around there. (Surprising..I know!) We then went over to the mall. Now, we spent alot of time here, going in and out of some of what some people would consider the "best" stores as far as clothing is concerned for the Spencer area. (side note: ...i didn't find anything..i'm not surprised) Then we went to Footlocker, where I bought some running shoes for track, what some people would consider the "best," Nikes. We made our way to JCPennies to look around, I bought a billfold and cheapo-not-the-"best"-mesh shorts. So, after all of that, some reminiscing with an old teacher, talking to some friends we ran into, and some ice cream, we decide it's time to head home. On our way out of town, my friend says, "hey, wanna go to Goodwill?" and i'm all like, "sure, you're driving." So we went, to a store that's known for its secondhand goods that most people don't want. Many of the items there were (past tense) the "best" and some never have been the "best," but none of it is now the "best." (Sorry to say..but it's true..think about it..it all was given away..so obviously somebody didn't think it was the best..so they gave it away) I have to say though, we spent probably the most time there, trying on the most hilarious clothes you'll ever find on that side of the Little Sioux. After all the time in the stores with the "best," we went and spent more time in a store that's not the "best" and I spent the most money there out of all the other clothing stores. (excluding JCPennies...department stores never count). I left there with an outfit that has seen it's glory days long since past...but it was grrreat (trademark of Tony the Tiger...hopefully i don't get sued) because I had fun doing it, and the pants and the shirt I got only costed $7.50 TOTAL! Highway robbery i know..please don't notify the police...it's too much of a deal.
But what i guess i'm trying to say is, that even though some stuff isn't the "best," it can still be good enough.
Well...i didn't really make much of a point. I'm sorry, i hope that didn't turn you away...if that was bad..then go read the ones before it...cause i think they are way better..(thought i was gonna say worse there for a minute didn't ya?!) Hopefully I'll have some less worthless posts for you in the future, but for now, you're stuck with this one. And if you haven't noticed..i kinda have a "thing" for "quotation marks." It won't happen again, I promise.
I just noticed that in all of that stupid stuff, I have said nothing remotely christian related...so here it goes....I LOVE JESUS..and umm..SO SHOULD YOU! there..yeah..alright! Ok, i feel fulfilled. I'll let you stop wasting your "precious" time. (OOPS! there i go again) Thank you for using your time unwisely! Please return, i assure you it won't happen again!

GOD'S BLESSINGS!
Adam

When do God's Plans become my plans? ..or When do my plans become God's?

2004-12-25T23:25:00.000-08:00

Well, as you could probably tell by the title, i'm a bit confused. I've been doing alot of thinking this christmas season. And well, i've kinda come to that conclusion that is my title for this post. When do God's plans become my plans and vis versa. Well, I'll give you an example: The other day, my friend and i were discussing the draft on MSN. He said that he pretty much is afraid of the draft, and he said something really interesting, he said that it would mess up all of his plans. And well, I thought that was rather interesting. I'm not saying that what he said was bad, cause it's true! I think the same thing all the time, and I'm sure almost every guy that has had to register feels the same way. And i'm also pretty sure that almost every guy that was drafted in Vietnam for example probably thought at one point, what about my plans, or I have all these plans, what now?
Now, my next thought is...yeah..so..your plans....So what ever happened to God's plans? How do you know that this isn't God's plan for you? That's what i would be inclined to tell them, and if i were to ever be drafted...after all the freaking out and being scared poopless and stuff..i would have to tell myself that it must be God's plan. Which would pretty much just be either a slight detour away from "my plans," as in i'll merge up with them later, or by chance my life be taken in war, a direct flight to be with God. Do not pass go, do not collect $200, absolute straight trip to be with Him. Which makes me ask myself, now would that be all bad? I don't think so.
So, back to the main idea. What i'm trying to say is, and it's my revelation for now, and it is that I can make my plans, but I will never know God's plan. So, if something goes down, then I guess it must be part of God's plan, even if it doesn't exactly agree with my own. But my next thought is....MAN! I WANNA GET MY HANDS ON THAT ITINERARY! Don't ya sometimes wish God was just this cool travel agent and you were a tourist, just moving through life, seeing all the sites, and you knew every where that you were going to go, and that no matter what you're gonna end up at the gift shop (heaven)? Man..that would be great. Well..i think i've gotten my point across, now i just gotta work on the whole submitting myself to God's plan, the hard part. I wish you luck on doing that yourself..

God's Richest Blessings, (especially upon your future)
Adam

Screw Ups

2004-12-22T23:19:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm gonna do it again, I'm gonna talk some more about screwing up. I do it all the time. I do it in not keeping this daily, not studying God's Word daily, by doing stupid things, by making mistakes, and making people mad. And that's the first thing to do, I'm able to realize that i mess up...(A LOT). Well, by now you're thinking, "what's he getting at?" I'll tell ya. Next time someone screws up, think about how many times you've screwed up and remember that you probably wanted nothing more than for that person to forgive you. Think about it from the other perspective before you get really mad, how would you feel if you were in their position. Chances are you have seen it from there place, because we all screw up. Badly. All the time we sin, and ask for forgiveness. Well, Jesus took that perspective too, though He didn't sin, He just took all of ours but He is in a way that question for forgiveness lived out. And the Resurrection is that apology accepted by God. Saying, "come my children, I forgive you. Believe in My Son. I want you to come spend eternity with me."
I suppose you may be mildly confused now, and that analagy smushed in there probably isn't very clear. But, today, my daily revelation isn't anything new or super amazing, it's simple, basic, and the truth..and i think it coencides nicely with the golden rule. Forgive others, just as you will want to be forgiven, and have been forgiven.

God's Blessing Upon You this Coming Christmas,
Adam

Not so Daily

2004-12-21T15:21:00.000-08:00

WELL! If any of you haven't already noticed, "My Daily Revelation Journal" isn't so "daily." I should have named it "My Regular Revelation Journal" or "My Sometimes I'll post a Revelation Journal." Some of those may have been more fitting. But my revelation for today is (hold on..i have to let my dog in)..ok back...that sometimes a person just has one of those regular, run of the mill, just like every other day kind of days where nothing spectacular happens, and especially sometimes something intellectual. And my last couple of days have been like that. I just don't have anything.
But something else i've made a connection with is....when i 1st started this nice little blog i was in a semi-regular (daily) routine of personal devotion and scripture reading time. But, just as this not being daily, neither is that anymore. How frustrating is that..to have a wonderful little course of Bible study going, and then pooof! all of a sudden you're too busy...or so I say. How can i do that to God, just throw Him to the way side like I do. And oh yeah..you reading this out there thinking you don't do that..news flash buddy..you do. You are just as guilty as I am. Guilty as charged, throw us in jail, and hide the key...BUT...the parole board (Jesus..*that's one heck of an analagy*:>) has freed us! WOO HOO! But what was i saying? OH YES! That how terrible it is that I can't stay with a regular Bible study. GRR.. it frustrates me. But do you think that frustration can motivate me to continue it!? YES...but not for long! Man...i hate screwing up. It blows..haha..for lack of a better term.
But anyway, I think I've made you stupider enough now..(i just did it again with my bad english *more stupid*). So, what i want you to get from this is, even if you get off the routine of studying God's Word, you can get back on. And i'm pretty sure God will be there waiting for you.

God's Blessings,
Adam

Did Mary Know? I think so.

2004-12-14T22:45:00.000-08:00

Many of you may be familiar with the Christmas song, "Mary Did You Know?" But incase you haven't heard it, here are it's lyrics:

Mary, did you know that your baby boy
Would one day walk on water?
Mary did you know that your baby boy
Would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your baby boy
Has come to make you new?
This child that you deliver will soon deliver you.

Oh, Mary, did you know?
Mary, did you know that your baby boy,
Will give sight to the blind?
Mary, did you know that your baby boy
Would calm a storm with his hand?
Did you know that your baby boy
Has walked where angels trod,
And when you kiss your little baby,Y
ou’ve kissed the face of God?
Oh, Mary, did you know?

Mary, did you know that your baby boy
Is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know that your baby boy
Will one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy,
Was heaven’s perfect Lamb?
And the sleeping child you’re holding
Is the Great I Am?
Oh, Mary, did you know?

(Mary Did You Know? Lyrics by Mark Lowry, Music by Buddy Greene;http://www.gbcne.org/outlines/sm971221.html)

Well, my revelation today is that, I think Mary did know alot of this. Of course she could never fathom the specifics of what Jesus would do with His time on Earth and neither could have we, but I really believe she had a pretty good understanding of Who she was carrying in her womb, and Who that Child she gave birth to would become. May i draw your attention to the Book of Luke, the first chapter, specifically verses 30-33. "But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” -Luke 1:30-33 (http://www.biblegateway.com/)
The angel Gabriel has told Mary she will be with child and He will be great. So I think there she begins to understand, though it is difficult i imagine, because if you continue on she still can't believe she's with child as a virgin, but she begins to accept the fact. Ya know, and angel of the Lord is talking to her saying this, I'm sure it didn't take long for her to start to accept it.
Also, later, Mary visited Elizabeth, who was also pregnant in her old age. When Mary arrived, it is said in the book of Luke that the child leaped in the womb, and Elizabeth says, "“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ..." (Luke 1: 42-43)
That tells me that even Elizabeth had a pretty good hold on the idea that the child Mary was carrying was going to be Great.
Don't get me wrong, I love this song, it is one of my favorite and most loved Christmas songs, it's just whenever i hear it i think to myself, "Yes, I do think Mary knew, though not the specifics, I really think she knew." But again, don't get me wrong, my intention is not in taking anything away from that song, it is a wonderful song filled with the truth of Christ's greatness and glory.
Well, that's my little revelation for today, it actually occured the other day but i just got the chance to write on it, but i guess it'd be more considered a thought than a revelation! All well, have a good day, and OH! I don't want to forget, if you liked my writing, well...i have a treat for you. You should take a gander at my buddies blog, it's great, leagues better than mine. He has a way of writing that's captivating and engrossing and his real-life applications are incredible. He is truly a man of God, using the talents granted to him by God to their potential. Thank you.

God Bless,
Adam

I think God works in crazy ways

2004-12-13T23:20:00.000-08:00

If you don't believe me, just come take a walk in my shoes. Every day God does something crazy, and I love it! Nothing is greater than seeing stuff and thinking, man, that's a God thing. But for the last couple of weeks i've been wrestling with what college i will be attending next fall. I've been leaning towards one college for alittle while now, but today, i talk to a counselor from the other college and we talk about some stuff like how i would be a perfect fit at that college, which is his opinion nonetheless, but i can see that. We also started to talk about financial aid and he told me a rough guestimate (a guess and an estimate smushed together incase you didn't know). This college is cheaper than the other to begin with, but then i find out that it'll be even cheaper with the aid that i'll be getting. Now, here's the crazy part, i think God has His ways of telling His people stuff. For awhile now, people have told me that God will tell me where I belong, and i've been praying and waiting for Him to drop a memo and let me know, but He doesn't work like that, It's His Will, so It's His Schedule right? Right! (I have to keep telling myself that.) But, I think God is telling me but not by whispering it in my ear, or sending the angel Gabriel to me at night to tell me i'm with child. Just kidding(that was Mary, incase you didn't know), but we can't possibly fathom the ways that God tries to tell us things. Sometimes we don't listen, and can you imagine how frustrating that is for God? Man, poor guy. But anyway my daily revelation today is, GOD WORKS IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS TO BENEFIT HIS PEOPLE! Kinda crazy huh? And its the truth, isn't that great. Makes me feel all warm and cuddley inside. But anyway, God doesn't just speak to us through those weird life events where you have to stop and say WOAH! HOLD ON! and you can't help but think "That's God..sneeky sneeky." He also speaks to us in His Word (the Bible), His Sacraments (Supper, and your shower *communion and baptism*), and in prayer, your one on one time with the Big Boss Man. So, take some time to notice those crazy weird things, but most importantly, meet God for supper and a chit chat once in awhile, He loves to talk!

God's Blessings,
Adam

First Thoughts

2004-12-09T00:26:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone, I'd like to thank you for taking time to read this if you are, I appreciate it. This first post I would like to describe a revelation I encountered during one of my pastor's sermons. I think the main idea of this revelation was what he was eluding to, but I consider it a revelation for myself since this is the first time I've thought of this.
As some of you may know, we are approaching Christmas which means the birth of Jesus, our Lord and Savior, which also means we are in the Advent season which leads up to Christ's birth. What my pastor was talking about was about the Passover. What first started it was the people were told to sacrifice a lamb and put the blood of the lamb over their doors so that the Angel of Death may pass over them. Hence the name, Passover. (very original huh?) Anyhoo! There is some great things in there referring to Jesus Christ. Often times you hear Jesus referred to as the Lamb of God (who takes away the sin of the world if you're at a Lutheran Church on a communion sunday). So maybe your own revelation is occuring. But, what I'm saying is even though the Passover took place long before Jesus' time, I think they are hugely related. So, figuratively, Jesus' blood was in a sense put above our own doors so that we could be saved from eternal death. I know I might be alittle unclear, and it might be not making sense, but I hope you are understanding what I'm getting at. I hope this was what my pastor ment, I kind of stopped listening when my revelation occured. But this Christmas season we need to remember the reason for the season. This is the birth of our Savior, who has taken our place on the Cross and has saved us from the Angel of Death (Satan).
Well, I think you get the point so I'll stop rambling. Hopefully I didn't lose you, and well if I did you probably aren't reading this sentence right now! But anyway, Thanks to those that read this, hope you got something from it and will return to read more that I hope to provide for your reading pleasure!

God Bless,
Adam