Acceptance

This book, Effective Biblical Counseling, for my Biblical Psychology class is very interesting. Seeing things from a different viewpoint was something I prided myself in through high school (seeing problems and "answers" to problems that others didn't quite seem to grasp, in my limited thinking, anyway), led me to apply at UMBC under a Psychology major. That summer before starting school, however, I found a great passion in computer workings, which I had been involved with all my life anyways.

Pastor Schaller was, in fact, just mentioning this morning about the new heart vs. old heart. How with the new heart we have a helicopter view of the situation.
As in Jeremiah 17:8 - For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

Joseph didn't see heat when it came in Egypt, he was above the situation. He had a bird's eye view of all the comings and goings, positioned by the Spirit in that capacity. But even when the heat did appear, he was steadfast, blessed, and solid in his trust of the Lord. And even when drought and famine overtakes his life, man who trusts in Him is unfazed, because he is fed by a different source, the rivers of living water, never thirsting.

This perspective comes with the new heart, living in Christ. The joy of the Lord is our strength.

But back to the point of the post.

The true goal of counseling is NOT to be happy. The true goal of counseling is free people to better worship and serve God. As I glorify God, I will be filled with not happiness (hap- is based on circumstance [think of happenstance, happen]), but filled with joy, which is from within, and not from without, and not based on circumstance. Hence not being careful in the year of draught, and not ceasing from yielding fruit, even when heat comes (oppressive situations, difficult circumstances). Why?? Because our new heart is filled with joy from the Lord, we have a trust in him.

The most important thing in spiritual growth and maturity, which Biblical Counseling helps to achieve, the main barrier breaker, defense destroyer, is acceptance. Counseling is so much more than detecting sinful patterns of behavior and bringing the hammer of excision, conformity down (which secular counseling can stop at this point as well).

"As I look into my own life, the fundamental dynamic behind whatever spiritual growth has occurred has been a profound sense of God's unconditional love and acceptance, made possible through Christ's atoning work on the cross. When I experience the inexpressible thrill of acceptance, I am motivated to love God in worship and service."

Thinking of the abused child, withdrawn into his soul, defenses greater than the Great Wall, and no barbarians (you and anyone else) can ever get through to hurt him anymore. What can get through to him? What can reach through and tear down those walls? How can he let his defenses down when all he's known is pain and betrayal?

Love, God's Love for him. Accepting him just as he is, as Christ has accepted us, and we have accepted him. Secular counseling can leave out that infinitely important aspect. Acceptance. It's not just in informational session, laying on a couch talking about problems. Healing comes from Love, a deep genuine concern for the individual must be communicated if real character growth is to occur.

Just imagine the child, what does he need more than anything? Secular psychiatry may prescribe him drugs and behavior modification to open him up, which can be very necessary, don't misunderstand me. But he needs more than that, he needs to be spoken to his heart. Which as my previous diagram displayed, is the center of our being. He needs you to love him, as he is, not as a patient but as a hurting soul desperate for acceptance.

Praise you Lord for your love towards us, that we may pour out unto others.

Love always.

Spirit - Heart - Soul

From my Biblical Psychology class last night, I made this diagram based on an illustration Pastor Schaller was giving.

He was speaking about how our soul remains with us and does not change when we are saved or return to him through repentance. Or when thinking in our old nature, returning us to a spiritually dead state. But through repentance, we are made alive.

Endlessly playing around with this diagram last night (I can get pretty consumed on minute details such as these), I added the verses listed at the bottom. Pastor Schaller described that although our pitcher (of water) may be filled with dark water (dead spirit, old heart), or light water (renewed spirit, and a new heart). Regardless of the filling, the container is the same.

Thinking about the light water, and how the Holy Spirit, communicating to our revived human spirit has caused our souls to be filled with light. When our spirit died in the garden, our souls were communicated to with death, darkness. Our hearts became hard and stony without the initiations of the Holy Spirit.

Luke 6:45 - A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

With a new heart and a new spirit, life pours out into our soul. Our psychological "organ" structure looks like this:

When sin entered into us, our human spirit died. And the Lord can have no fellowship with iniquity. With the spirit dead, and the heart receiving no light, no life, from the fellowship of our (now dead) human spirit, with the Holy Spirit, our heart becomes hard, and stony. An evil heart of unbelief.

This is the state of the unbeliever, without joy and life being imparted by the Holy Spirit. But also this condition characterizes believers who fall into sin, and do not get back up (repent). The just man will get back up when he falls, the fool will stay stumbled. You must get back up, turn to the Lord, and receive the filling of the Spirit. It's that simple!!

Turning stony hearts into hearts of flesh, tender towards the Lord. Secular psychology will rarely mention the heart, and certainly will not mention the work of the spirit in our psychology. This is understandable as admission of such things would take away from the humanism inherent to all contemporary psychological approaches, as I've been reading.

However, this is the biggest shortcoming, without a purpose... without a healer, how can I get better? If I will myself to get better it will happen? How can a broken computer fix itself? God made us, and he is the one who can fix us when we break ourselves. He knows what I need to become whole again. It's Him! It's the Lord! He renews my spirit, filling my heart, imparting life to my soul, causing me to go forward in my body.

Christian Psychology is not about becoming happy, as is the goal with the secular discipline. It is about knowing the Lord, finding His will, and his purposes. Over the past 2 years, this has been such an illumination, that I still struggle with getting a handle on, because it's so unlike my natural makeup. I don't have to focus on my problems to fix them, I don't have to perform business analysis on my soul to correct my struggles, I sacrifice myself on the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, and He is faithful and just to heal me and make me not even aware of my past struggles.

How strange it is!! I am a master problem solver, but I can't even begin to touch the problems of my soul. The second I do, I die. The second I take control over my life out of my hands, I fall. Not the easiest thing to relinquish into his capable hands. The thought is through self-analysis, control, fighting, I CAN OVERCOME. Oh dear child no....Without him, I can do nothing.

It's such a releasing beauty, putting your trust into our Lord savior. Our king of kings, Lord of Lords, the first and the last. He is the eternal one, the beginning and the end of all things. Any struggles I have overcome has not been through careful examination, methodical approach, special techniques, 12-step programs, but by Him. Him alone. He is the only one who can bear my burdens, for I am crushed beneath them, if I bear them myself.

This is why the Lord is real, this doesn't make any sense if there wasn't a redeemer, a healer living within me. How could NOT focusing on my deep soul scarred issues free me??? He is the answer, He is the One.

He is our God.

Fall Rally 2007

It's Wednesday, a full 3 days since I've been back from Massachusetts.

It was a little interesting setting some things in order in preparation for the rally. First it was just supposed to be Aerion Slocumb riding up with me in my car. Aerion couldn't take the coach bus up because he had to work, and I had a meeting Friday afternoon. That was fine, and I determined that my car should be a ride available to anyone who had to work or go to school and couldn't miss, as opposed to "can't get the money to take the bus".

Eventually it ended up being Aerion, Lisa Watson, Rachael Watson, and the Postman (David Post), and of course, myself. We determined to leave at 5:45 from the church, and Lisa's mom graciously offered to make us starving boys some pasta with sausage, zucchini, and squash, so we wouldn't have to spend money on the outset of our trip, to eat out. Before leaving my house to get run over to the church, I was tagging and converting some of Pastor Love's messages from my trip to Poland, so we could listen to a few of them on my iPod (since Rachael was with me on that trip, I thought it might be nice to reminisce about that trip).

Well apparently, there's an issue with syncing your iPod that occasionally it will mess up the (this is where I am assuming) the database reference table which tells your iPod where all your music is located on the device. This mess up makes your iPod think there are no songs. Not a fun situation to be in before driving for 7+ hours to Massachusetts!!

Anyways, I, of course, don't discover this until I've left my house to pick everyone up at the Church. I convinced everyone to come back to my place and we could partake of the pasta there while I tried to fix my iPod. I couldn't, we ate, and we left around 7:45. Aerion's plate had only the zucchini and squash left on it, and he said "I didn't know what it was!" Momma Sloc's soul food must not usually include squash :-P

So we're terribly late to drive to Massachusetts and thankfully Aerion brought his CDs so we could listen to something.

Man... that's a lot of explanation and we haven't even left for Massachusetts yet!
It was a great ride up, heard a lot about Postman's explanations of Kyrgyzstan (growing up there as a missionary kid for the last 5 years, and apparently, I've heard wrong and horse meat is pretty good!). We played a good bit of Catchphrase, which was hilarious, Rachael studiously worked on her homework, and I drove the whole dilly-o.

Wherever we stopped I would look anxiously for my prized Peanut Butter M&Ms (which, by the way, are infinitely superior to the archaic, uncouth, uncivilized, unrefined Peanut M&Ms. I mean let's get serious here, anyone can get a peanut off a tree, but it takes some TLC to properly bring the glorious flavor locked within the infinite complexity of the peanut, to even begin to experience the true joy from this legume). I didn't find any inside our first stop, but we did locate this machine on our way out:


To which Lisa exclaimed: It's an "Emaneminem Machine!" Which sounded oddly like there was a mammogram machine located in the parking lot, which thankfully there was not. Not that I have a problem with mammogram machines, I just have a problem with mammogram machines in a New Jersey Turnpike rest stop parking lot. And it still didn't have my M&M Flavor of choice.

Anyways, we finally made it to the Hotel at about 2:15 AM. The last hour or so was pretty tough driving, cuz the whole backseat was sleeping, and Aerion was starting to lose it up front with me. So we did what we had to, and belted some sweet tunes! This kept us awake enough to make it through the last section of our journey (I wish that Connecticut wasn't so gay with it's excessive traffic!).

The next day was the first day of the rally! Saturday I woke up at a brisk 7:00, did some reading, some showering, and got ready for the day. We went to the Marlborough church for AM service*, then headed over to the Sports Arena for the days activities. Lots of sports activities planned for the day (soccer, volleyball, football, archery. I participated in a bit of Volleyball, and walked around outside with Postman and Lisa. Then Lacey and I climbed the rock wall! (I actually think she was faster than me...shhhh)

Then it was time to leave and we went for some Chinese, as Lisa has purported that Massachusetts (or at least this particular place in Marlborough) has the best Chinese food and the best pizza, I took her up on that offer. It was pretty good, probably better than anything I've had around here so I'd have to be inclined to believe her. Postman and Rachael went for Pizza and Aerion stuck with us for Chinese.

We had the PM service* and awards ceremony (for the sports of the day) at the Marlborough church. Then we went back to the hotel and ended up playing Catchphrase in one of the girl's rooms til about 1:30 in the morning. But it was extra hilarious because when someone would knock, all 11 of us would have to hide somewhere in the room in case it was a leader (a leader who was not cool with us being up so late and boys being in girls room :) I'd normally jump behind the furthermost bed and curl up in the fetal position to avoid being discovered. Good times.

Sorry this is such a ghastly long post.

In the morning we packed up and headed over to the Church for Sunday Morning Service*. Postman stayed over a local's house and picked up a dear 12-year old Ukrainian boy who was in a tragic electrical accident and lost his leg and was burned over most of his body. Since Postman can speak Russian, he was able to translate the service for him and spend some time with him. His name is "Corsta" and he and the girls hung out with him for a while after service, loving him up. Great time. Pray for him, he's going to have a very tough road ahead...

Afterwards we went to Wrentham and ate some fantastic fried chicken at Old Country Buffet. Then we went to the "The Big Apple" and got some seriously crisp apples (which, of course, were purportedly better in New England than in Maryland, and I can agree). So we ended up leaving Mass. at about 4:30.

It was a good drive on the way home with multiple topics of discussion: More Kyrgystan info, the fantasticness of Physics (my topic of choice, specifically conservation of energy...and a few more topics I can't remember), and Lisa, with her nursing background, went into the scary realm of trans-fats.

Now listen here, I hadn't really heard much about these trans fats and the havoc they can wreak on your body. Apparently, if I remember correctly, these bastard oils (hydrogenated oils, thus making them solid at room temperature), get partially broken down by your digestive system. But what is released is a little punk called a "free-radical". Now this free-radical is a messed up fat that searches out another fat to merge with. And your cell walls are composed of fat. What happens now is the free-radical bonds to the cell wall of the innocent cell, destroying the cell wall and itself, leading to the death of the cell.

Not too concerning so far. But what needs to happen is the neighboring cell needs to reproduce ahead of schedule. Cellular mitosis is the process that goes haywire in cancerous cells, where they constantly reproduce and don't perform their normal function. When a cell has to reproduce, it makes a copy of itself, and everytime it makes a copy of itself there is risk of the genetic code getting mixed up and cancerous cells being produced instead.

Either way, I'm not really concerned about things like clogged arteries, obviously, since my youthfulness will keep that clear for a bit, but free radical damage is compounding over time, which is a little more serious.

We'll see if I decide to do anything about it.

Anyways ride ended, we're home. Goodbye!

*Sorry I couldn't remember the messages to explain them! If anyone wants to add comments on what was preached, it'd be a good refresher! :)

Pray

We just had a meeting where it was announced that a fellow coworker, Jessica Jacobson, was killed by her husband this weekend in a murder/suicide. She had 2 sons, 7 and 4 years old who will be with close family in the area.

I realized I had just met her in my meeting downtown on Friday, I was sitting right next to her. Very sweet wonderful woman, who has now unexpectedly passed into eternity. Please pray for her family and especially her two sons, that the Lord would minister life, peace, and understanding to the family. That He would shine through into their lives, touch peoples hearts, and fill them with the hope found in Him. Pray for my work, and my coworkers as they go through this time, for peace and strengthening from the Lord. That He would be made manifest here throughout this tragic situation.

He is our answer. Bless you.


2 Corinthians 4:3 was a verse on my heart this weekend: But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost

The people you know, you're sitting next to, the guy on the corner, we don't know what the Lord's plan is. They could be in eternity any moment, any one of us. If they don't see the light in us, if they don't understand the glory of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ...they could be gone any moment. Don't settle for them to travel into a Godless eternity, show them the way into His glorious presence.

His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts.

We might not understand why, or how, but the Lord has His purposes His plans that we can't even begin to see the reasons for. We can trust the Lord.

Believing in Him is the answer. Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. We are sinners, failing all the stinkin time! Far from perfect. But God is perfect. Accepting Jesus, His payment on the cross for our sins, is our propitiation, our access to God. He has done it all for us, the free gift is presented, all that's left is to take it. Simple faith is all that is needed to guarantee your name in the lamb's book of life. He is our all in all.

Betwixt Two Loves

Last night we were in Hampden for the inaugural Monday night Bible study for the area, which will be the precursor to starting a new church in this part of Baltimore. No one from the area showed up, but that's okay, almost expected at this stage of the game. Afterwards we did some soul-winning anyhow.

But Ben Tanguay shared something really interesting about the way Wuest defines these two Greek words, which then opened up the way I understood the context and meaning of this. First of all, there are two loves in classical Greek (well...really 4 kinds, but we won't go into those other two now), which are Agape, and Philia.

He said that Agape refers to a kind of love that imparts value and worth to the object being loved. My definition prior to this illumination was just that Agape was "God's Love" or a "Self-sacrificing love". This brings a different kind of depth when the words are used, as in the oft quoted John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Looking at the word Agape in this light leads us to see that God found so much worth, and value in the world (well, in us people), that He sent His son, that we would not perish.

Now, contrast this with the meaning for Philia, which we all know is the prefix of Philadelphia, the city (Delphi) of Brotherly love (Philia). And my understanding of it was not much different from this; Understanding Philia as a friendship, companionship kind of love. Ben went on to explain that Philia is a friendship "pleased to be acquainted" with you kind of love. Like it's a pleasure to be with you and to be around you (but not in an eros kind of way), it's pleasing to be in your company, etc.

God didn't take any pleasure in the world, he is very much not pleased with the world, but that doesn't mean he doesn't find it infinitely valuable, valuable enough to send His son. How interesting too, we think about soul-winning, and I think it might be safe to say that we might not fully take pleasure in the activity, but by gosh it's so valuable and worth every second.

This led me to finally understand John 21:15-17. The first two times Jesus asks Peter "Do you *agapao* love me?" (Do you have a reverential, worthy, valuable kind of love for me?) But Peter would reply with "Yes, I have a *phileo* love for you." (I definitely take pleasure in your presence, and love being with you and hanging out with you...but I'm not ready to commit to that kind of deep worthy kind of reverential love for you).

Wow, and how awesome that the third time, Jesus met Peter on his level and asked "Do you *phileo* love me?" I was thinking also about when Christ told Peter: "When thou art converted, strengthen the brethren." As you grow in grace and knowledge and truth, and your love is converted from a mere pleasurable accompaniment kind of love, to a worthy reverence, then strengthen the brethren.

And how true is it for each of us in our walk of faith, that we may (and many times do) not have the full comprehension of our love for Christ and for God, but that's okay. God will still use even if we just barely Phileo love Him, because our sanctification doesn't depend on our love for him, it depends on him and his love for us. He didn't love us because we loved him; he loved us even when we were unlovely.

God can use us no matter where we are in our faith, in our walk, and he will grow us into increasing knowledge of him!

That was my refreshing thought for last night and today.

God Bless!

Fogo de Chão or fhqwhgads??

Whenever I hear or think of Fogo de Chão, I automatically think fhqwhgads.

I don't know if anyone else has that problem....if not...you probably weren't addicted to Homestarrunner back in the day (or now).

Weekend situations

We had a company picnic at the B&O (Baltimore-Ohio, not Body Odor) Railroad museum, Saturday, which was cool...but I wish I had invited someone to go with me, cuz it was kind of boring and some coworkers either had already done what I wanted to check out, or didn't want to check it out. But Dave Ryan's wedding was Saturday so I figured that everyone was there for that.


Then I went to the O's vs Red Sox game with Matt Grady which was pretty cool. Red Sox got thoroughly trounced by the lackluster Orioles. Dice-K (Red Sox Pitcher) walked like 6 guys in a row....they SCORED 2 runs from WALKS. Then an certain Oriole got his very first hit in his professional career, as a grand slam. They were down by two in the beginning of that inning, to being up by 4.


As much as it may seem, I don't really care about sports, but everyone I was with, is.



Then yesterday afternoon I partook once again of some Outback Steakhouse to celebrate my bro's 19th birthday (on the 12th). I tried the NY Strip instead of my standard Prime Rib medium season & seared...and, I have to say, I was not impressed. The waitress understood my displeasure and explained that the Prime Rib is such a different kind of meat than your standard steak, if you're used to that, and are expecting it, then you will be disappointed. And unfortunately I was :-\



However, for the past week or so I've been hearing about this Brazilian Steakhouse, Fogo de Chão, in Baltimore. It's $42 a meal. But, and hear me out here, you have a coaster in front of you with a red side and a green side. When you flip the coaster to "Green", like 5 people swarm you holding huge spits of meat, and carve the meat onto your plate until you flip to coaster to "Digest". I've come up with this handy picture to explain the situation:















So...when I'm feeling particularly like "T. Rowe Price'n it" (as Tony likes to refer to my "affluency"), perhaps I'll check out the situation.


Oh yeah....and how stinking sweet would this be: AMERICAN GLADIATORS!

Links

Hello denizens of the internets! In celebration of doing more work than play today at work, I shall bestow upon you the minutity of what occupies my non-corporate timesink at work in the form of these internet hyperlinks:

WeeWar - This is an online game of strategic competition that generally takes up a good amount of time here at work...and I'd like to distance myself a bit from so I can get more of that occupational stuff done....

Super Smash Brothers Brawl - DAILY updates on the progress and information on the new Smash Brothers game.

IGN - Wii - The nerd in me cannot hope but to keep up to date on anything Wii-related, although I may play Wii for a couple hours every few weeks.

IGN - PC - after that I might travel on over to IGN's PC page and see if anything strikes my interest in the PC gaming realm.

CNN - Just to get a little taste of what really is going on in the world

OverClocked Remix - Video. Game. Music. Remixes. I gotta check it at least once a day and see if any hot new mixes are up for a game that I hold dear in my childhood memories (Seriously, yes)

And my mommy, I was informed, was just now in a car accident! But my bro said she's fine and one her way home her car which is still in drivable condition!

Yesterday

Ok so I guess I forgot to mention that yesterday was the FIRST DAY OF BIBLE COLLEGE! Woooo!

Pastor Schaller is going through the whole book of 2 Corinthians in Applied Bible Doctrine and, as he usually does for the first day of ABD, gave us a historical overview of how the book came about, detailing Paul's visits and interactions with the city of Corinth and it's beleivers. Not the most exciting portion of the class for me...but I understand it's place.

Then worked it up all day, doing the IT thing.

Afterwards, departing from work at a comfortable 7:15, I swung by the Church and retrieved the venerable Tony Slocumb, to take him out to a luxurious steak dinner (his favorite) as a birthday present. It is here that Julius, who is the man if you didn't know, most wonderfully served us (bonus cuz we were his only table, so he could chat with us most of the night). Also working at this fine establishment this evening was none other than Jon Bednez himself! Needless to say it was a wonderful time.

Tony and I discussed mostly his aspirations for the creative arts (animation/comic books/film making), and different ideas. Quite the astute gathering, I would say. But his main idea for film is the take on Revelation and doing a totally faithful, non-sentimental, raw depiction of what the tribulation period will really be all about. Not caring who it offends, but just showing the God-given truth. Pretty exciting stuff, great ideas. I need to review my I-III John and Revelation notes from Pastor Love's class last semester.

So it was a good day yesterday. And the business writing class I'm in the middle of isn't too bad.

Quick Post

I'm about to go into some super exciting training called "Business Writing Skills", which coincidentally is my favorite topic! (note: sarcasm used in previous statement). I'll come back later and update about my evening with Tone Sloc and Julius!

My Source of Strength

There in the ground, His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain

Then BURSTING forth in glorious day
Up from the grave he rose again!!

And as he stands in VICTORY
Sin's curse has lost it's grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His Hand
'til he returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

Labor Day!!

After a rousing 40 round game of Mario Party 5 at my place from 10:30 til 1:15 last night, I slept in until a reasonable (not as reasonable as I would like) 10:20.

Left home around 11:50 to pick my momma and brother at the church, and drove to Oregon Ridge park. Played some frisbee. But the highlight was definitely the huge slip and slide (plastic sheeting about 8 feet across and maybe 50 feet long down the hill). I'll have to get some pictures from Richard and post them later.

After the baptism at the beach there, my mom, brother and I went back to my mom's and watched an episode of 24 Season 4, and I wrote these two posts for you fine people.

Now....I need to go home!

Multifaceted

Okay so since we last spoke it feels like a lot has happened!

Saturday PM:
At "Doc's Night" we played an AWESOME game called pillow polo (which is different than spongee polo.... I think) with an (approximately) 2 foot diameter rubbery beach ball. It was so much fun, running all over the basketball court trying to score goals. Unfortunately we didn't have beast daddy Aerion Slocumb on our team to score the only 4 goals of the match I played in.

After Pillow Polo, we played some professional dodge ball....and I must say (not to gloat or anything)...that I am not very good at all at Dodge ball :). But it was fun nonetheless.

I wish I had sneakers....my feet didn't appreciate running around barefoot for a few hours...

Sunday!
I went and did sign language interpretation for the early morning 8:30 service. Then there was the 10:30 service. Post-service I went over Michael W Brown's place for some glorious old-school Secret of Mana action. Then I went home and watched some pure pwnage hilariousness which may be a little crude, but the gamingness of it warms my heart.

Sunday Evening service was absolutely incredible. Practicing the presence of God.

Is 26:3 -Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

Ps 16:8 - I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

What are you focusing on? What consumes your thoughts? Are you focused on analysis of your problems? Are you practicing your problems? Or are you Practicing the Presence of God? Wow...You have the power, as a believer, to decide what you want to focus on, meditate upon, live in, rehearse in your mind.

Ps 46:10 - Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

This quiet contentment before the Father. Stepping back from myself and communing with Him. We CAN trust him. We don't have to worry about these problems and details. We cast all our cares upon him. And why? Because he cares for us. Don't worry. Know that He IS God and He is bigger than our problems.

Learn how to live in worship. My analysis is not focusing on the solution... Whooo boy that's rich! As a Business Analyst (by occupation), my mind works in figuring out how to fix something, how to make it work. What a burden is lifted when I know I can trust all unto my savior. I don't have to figure out my problems, I just have to trust God as the solution!!

Keeping focused on Him will not only reveal the problem, but minister a solution. If we practice His presence, there is love, joy, peace, forgiveness. We are cleansed from all unrighteousness! We are forgive of all our transgressions, our iniquities, our sins! And he remembers them no more, and neither should we!!!

What do you try to desperately hold on to? Worrying about how this will turn out, will God move in this person's life? But we can trust him, for all of those details. Take no thought for your life....because the Lord cares for it and will provide all we need.

Quick note

This thing is kind of addictive....

Just got back from Dave Ryan's bachelor party/get-together at Sushi Hanna's in Towson, nice little dinner. I had some non-obtrusive california rolls (I am not risky with my sushi!).

Now I'm about to go to the teen bible study and hear from someone other than Pastor Love (cuz he's on his first vacation EVER with his wife) and Pastor Sturge (who is visiting his kids/grandkids in Florida)....from the front of the bible college (wherest I am blogging from, within my car) I think I see Pete Wystera's vehicle, so perhaps he will be speaking tonight in some capacity.

Anyways, after that is "Perkins Night", which is usually reserved for us college peeps to play sports. Dave "Doc" Ryan is commandeering it into "Doc's Night", so hopefully there'll be like Dodgeball and other non-athletic sports that I can participate in :)

Then...who knows!

On a spirtual note...

I was reading 1 Corinthians 4 yesterday, and the first few verses really jumped out at me:

4:1 Let a man so account of us, as of ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
My key-word Bible defines steward as one who manages a house and is accountable to the owner. Christians are called "stewards" in that they have been entrusted with the "mysteries of God," which is the Gospel message. It is the responsibility for which believers are held accountable.

Wow...God has called us caretakers and executors of His Gospel. It's a pretty hefty responsibility, and it's ours to bear...no one else is going to preach the good news, the song of deliverance to the captives.

4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
Because it is our responsibility, it is so important that we are faithful caretakers. Preparing our hearts, Setting our minds on things above. The importance of taking the time out to fellowship with the Savior. You can't be a good steward if you're lazy, not focused on Him. Jesus only, Jesus ever...

4:3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgement: yea, I judge not my own self.
And this was just fantastic. I don't even have to consider judgement from my friends or anyone. I don't even judge myself if I fail, stumble, fall, come short. Rom 8:1 - There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Rom 8:33. Nothing can be laid to our charge because Christ has justified us.

4:4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.
Amen. I don't look at myself, no self-analysis, no picking apart my failures and trappings, just pushing forward. For the Lord has sanctified and passed over His judgement upon us.

Meditate on these things (trust me...I'm talking to myself here!). Awesome.

God bless you