Tuesday, August 30, 2011
It's Over!
I'll be posting all my life on my Tumblr from now on, and who knows, maybe an essay will pop up now and again.
Friday, August 19, 2011
I Mean It
I'm going to talk about something that might sound pretty controversial, but perhaps shouldn't be.
It's about race. And about how we make a big deal of it. You know what I'm talking about. I'm making a big deal of it right now. That's pretty lame of me.
I was planning to make some big old post with huge, sweeping explanations and critiques of this broad issue. I changed my mind. Instead, I want to make a series of simple, common sense-based statements:
1. We humans are inherently equal as a species but vastly different as individuals.
2. As a species, we often have a problem reconciling and respecting the equality manifest in our differences.
3. As a result, we often try far too hard to safeguard these differences.
4. This leads to jealousy, contempt, and hatred.
5. A vicious cycle is born.
Join me as I try to cut out the nonsense and be a rational yet loving dude. I think that this involves us not allowing ourselves to be content with our past (and often petty) attempts at glossing over these issues. I think we should all take ourselves (and our races, cultures, and backgrounds) less seriously and focus on loving more fully. Here are a few things I want to keep in mind as I embark:
1. It's wrong for us to draw attention to another's race at their expense.
2. It's wrong for us to impractically and unfairly fight to preserve racial differences in the hope that this preservation will lead to an increased appreciation of those differences. It won't.
3. Let's just be who we are, love each other for it, and get on with living.
See you on the other side.
(Oh, and if you have a problem with any of this, please read it over again and be sure you understand what I'm saying. Then let's have a discussion.)
Love you.
It's about race. And about how we make a big deal of it. You know what I'm talking about. I'm making a big deal of it right now. That's pretty lame of me.
I was planning to make some big old post with huge, sweeping explanations and critiques of this broad issue. I changed my mind. Instead, I want to make a series of simple, common sense-based statements:
1. We humans are inherently equal as a species but vastly different as individuals.
2. As a species, we often have a problem reconciling and respecting the equality manifest in our differences.
3. As a result, we often try far too hard to safeguard these differences.
4. This leads to jealousy, contempt, and hatred.
5. A vicious cycle is born.
Join me as I try to cut out the nonsense and be a rational yet loving dude. I think that this involves us not allowing ourselves to be content with our past (and often petty) attempts at glossing over these issues. I think we should all take ourselves (and our races, cultures, and backgrounds) less seriously and focus on loving more fully. Here are a few things I want to keep in mind as I embark:
1. It's wrong for us to draw attention to another's race at their expense.
2. It's wrong for us to impractically and unfairly fight to preserve racial differences in the hope that this preservation will lead to an increased appreciation of those differences. It won't.
3. Let's just be who we are, love each other for it, and get on with living.
See you on the other side.
(Oh, and if you have a problem with any of this, please read it over again and be sure you understand what I'm saying. Then let's have a discussion.)
Love you.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
The Problem
There’s something wrong with human beings. This semester, I am taking a class called Death and Dying. Last class period, we watched some YouTube videos of a group of radical Christians and their message. These people are part of an edgy Baptist congregation that teaches God’s hatred to man and his eagerness to punish people to eternal hellfire.
The videos focused on the effects of the message, and the family behind it. The first one was an overview, showing scenes from the family’s anti-military funeral protests and other rallies. It showed footage of the family telling passersby that God hates them, and some of the public’s response.
The other video was a more in-depth journalistic feature story, with a reporter going in, meeting members of the family, and doing an interview. This video featured the story of one of the family members, a young woman who left her family after she realized how negative their message was. It also explained more about the family’s church and its involvement in the story, showing that the church had basically the same message, but that the family was just doing a great job at taking it one step further.
While I watched the first one, I remembered hearing things before about the family. I had heard a few things here and there, and heard them referred to as “the most hated family in America,” but I hadn’t known much more than that. It was interesting to be able to learn more about the story in a visual manner.
I felt very bad for the people the family was attacking. There were family members of dead soldiers that, in addition to having a loved one dead, had to deal with this vicious verbal onslaught from an unknown and unexplained party. This showed me in a tangible way that, when faced with the death of a loved one, people largely want to be left alone so they can deal with it, without having to worry about opinion, controversy, or conflict at the same time that they are processing the death of their friend or family member.
Although I feel awful for the people negatively affected by this Baptist family’s message of hate and anger, I fundamentally remain a thinking man. I try to evaluate situations and experiences objectively, especially when there are strong emotions and controversy involved. In doing so in regards to this case, I found something interesting. Those that disagreed with this very angry family were themselves spreading even more passionate messages of hate, directed toward the vocal churchgoers. They screamed at them, threw rocks, and even chased them down the street in anger. It seems like those that disagree with the haters show an even more hateful message. It’s as if, after thousands of years, humans haven’t even learned how to handle themselves in a disagreement.
We talk about how advanced society is, about how much of what we are is foundationally better than it was a hundred or so years ago, about why humans are progressing and becoming so much more civilized, but after all the talk, we see situations like this arise. One party has a particularly hateful message, and instead of responding rationally like the mature, advanced thinkers we believe we are, we become like feral beasts. We lash out in exacerbated anger, and rip and tear at each other’s souls and bodies in the hope that everyone and everything that disagrees with us will just go away so we can go back to being civilized. There’s something wrong with human beings.
The videos focused on the effects of the message, and the family behind it. The first one was an overview, showing scenes from the family’s anti-military funeral protests and other rallies. It showed footage of the family telling passersby that God hates them, and some of the public’s response.
The other video was a more in-depth journalistic feature story, with a reporter going in, meeting members of the family, and doing an interview. This video featured the story of one of the family members, a young woman who left her family after she realized how negative their message was. It also explained more about the family’s church and its involvement in the story, showing that the church had basically the same message, but that the family was just doing a great job at taking it one step further.
While I watched the first one, I remembered hearing things before about the family. I had heard a few things here and there, and heard them referred to as “the most hated family in America,” but I hadn’t known much more than that. It was interesting to be able to learn more about the story in a visual manner.
I felt very bad for the people the family was attacking. There were family members of dead soldiers that, in addition to having a loved one dead, had to deal with this vicious verbal onslaught from an unknown and unexplained party. This showed me in a tangible way that, when faced with the death of a loved one, people largely want to be left alone so they can deal with it, without having to worry about opinion, controversy, or conflict at the same time that they are processing the death of their friend or family member.
Although I feel awful for the people negatively affected by this Baptist family’s message of hate and anger, I fundamentally remain a thinking man. I try to evaluate situations and experiences objectively, especially when there are strong emotions and controversy involved. In doing so in regards to this case, I found something interesting. Those that disagreed with this very angry family were themselves spreading even more passionate messages of hate, directed toward the vocal churchgoers. They screamed at them, threw rocks, and even chased them down the street in anger. It seems like those that disagree with the haters show an even more hateful message. It’s as if, after thousands of years, humans haven’t even learned how to handle themselves in a disagreement.
We talk about how advanced society is, about how much of what we are is foundationally better than it was a hundred or so years ago, about why humans are progressing and becoming so much more civilized, but after all the talk, we see situations like this arise. One party has a particularly hateful message, and instead of responding rationally like the mature, advanced thinkers we believe we are, we become like feral beasts. We lash out in exacerbated anger, and rip and tear at each other’s souls and bodies in the hope that everyone and everything that disagrees with us will just go away so we can go back to being civilized. There’s something wrong with human beings.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Quite Unred
A man was stranded on an island.
The man was very lonely, until one day a seagull flew up to him. The man was overjoyed to finally have some sort of companion. He and the seagull became friends, and spent all their time together. The man would run around the island, with the seagull flying closely behind, performing impressive loops and spins. They brought joy to each other's lives, and were very happy. But the seagull eventually became disinterested and flew away.
The man survived alone for a month until another seagull came to the island.
This time, the man had a plan. He took some rope he had made from jungle vines, and tied it around the seagull's neck. The seagull tried to fly away, but couldn't break the rope. And so the seagull flew around in circles day after day, and the man sat and watched him. Then one day, the seagull bit through the rope and flew off into the heavens. The man was very angry, and shook his fist at the sky in disgust.
The man was alone for another month.
When a third seagull visited him, the man broke its wings so it couldn't fly, ensuring that the it would stay with him forever. The seagull stayed by the man's side, and the man fed him regularly. But the seagull was violent, and pecked at the man's arms and legs and clawed at his eyes until the man couldn't take it anymore. He broke the seagull's neck and left him to rot by the beach.
Many other seagulls came to the island, but when they saw the body of the last seagull, they were afraid and left immediately, warning all the other seagulls of the danger.
The man lived alone on the island until he died.
The man was very lonely, until one day a seagull flew up to him. The man was overjoyed to finally have some sort of companion. He and the seagull became friends, and spent all their time together. The man would run around the island, with the seagull flying closely behind, performing impressive loops and spins. They brought joy to each other's lives, and were very happy. But the seagull eventually became disinterested and flew away.
The man survived alone for a month until another seagull came to the island.
This time, the man had a plan. He took some rope he had made from jungle vines, and tied it around the seagull's neck. The seagull tried to fly away, but couldn't break the rope. And so the seagull flew around in circles day after day, and the man sat and watched him. Then one day, the seagull bit through the rope and flew off into the heavens. The man was very angry, and shook his fist at the sky in disgust.
The man was alone for another month.
When a third seagull visited him, the man broke its wings so it couldn't fly, ensuring that the it would stay with him forever. The seagull stayed by the man's side, and the man fed him regularly. But the seagull was violent, and pecked at the man's arms and legs and clawed at his eyes until the man couldn't take it anymore. He broke the seagull's neck and left him to rot by the beach.
Many other seagulls came to the island, but when they saw the body of the last seagull, they were afraid and left immediately, warning all the other seagulls of the danger.
The man lived alone on the island until he died.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Embracing Secularism is Tricky
Right now, it is the beginning of the hours of my Sabbath. Also right now, I am listening to the progressive rock band Angels & Airwaves on my iPod.
I hear a lot of opinion from the camp of Sabbath-keepers advocating that Christians be held to a high standard of behavior and media consumption within the Sabbath hours, as they are God's specially designated time for us to worship him.
I really appreciate these viewpoints, and I can really see where they are coming from, and even sympathize with them to a degree. However, I have a slightly different outlook.
There's an oft-quoted Bible verse that is often used to categorize and gauge which things Christians should do and use on the Sabbath, among other days. You know the one I'm talking about: "Whatsoever is noble, think on these things." However, I think this verse has a great deal of leeway in terms of nobility and goodness.
Now don't mishear me as saying that I believe this verse is so nebulous as to purport that whatever we deem to be pleasing and enjoyable is permissible on the Sabbath and other days. However, I do think that there is a fair amount of material out there that can be uplifting without being inherently Christian. For example, as I write this, I am hearing themes and values in Angels and Airwaves' music that rivals many "Christian" groups and bands (even praise-oriented) in terms of merit and virtue.
I just think that the "Christian" label is somewhat useless in the big picture. I think that we (myself included) need to be much more involved in the selection process when it comes to the behaviors and media to be done and used in our lives. I think that contemporary label is quite thoroughly used up, especially when I see mainstream rockers more perfectly reflecting God's character than some of his own self-professed servants.
Oh, and strangely enough, the song I am listening to is entitled "Heaven."
I hear a lot of opinion from the camp of Sabbath-keepers advocating that Christians be held to a high standard of behavior and media consumption within the Sabbath hours, as they are God's specially designated time for us to worship him.
I really appreciate these viewpoints, and I can really see where they are coming from, and even sympathize with them to a degree. However, I have a slightly different outlook.
There's an oft-quoted Bible verse that is often used to categorize and gauge which things Christians should do and use on the Sabbath, among other days. You know the one I'm talking about: "Whatsoever is noble, think on these things." However, I think this verse has a great deal of leeway in terms of nobility and goodness.
Now don't mishear me as saying that I believe this verse is so nebulous as to purport that whatever we deem to be pleasing and enjoyable is permissible on the Sabbath and other days. However, I do think that there is a fair amount of material out there that can be uplifting without being inherently Christian. For example, as I write this, I am hearing themes and values in Angels and Airwaves' music that rivals many "Christian" groups and bands (even praise-oriented) in terms of merit and virtue.
I just think that the "Christian" label is somewhat useless in the big picture. I think that we (myself included) need to be much more involved in the selection process when it comes to the behaviors and media to be done and used in our lives. I think that contemporary label is quite thoroughly used up, especially when I see mainstream rockers more perfectly reflecting God's character than some of his own self-professed servants.
Oh, and strangely enough, the song I am listening to is entitled "Heaven."
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Two, Four, Six, Eight!
I met Scott at the beginning of my grade seven year, and we quickly became good friends. We would get kicked out of class at the same time, and then walk up and down the halls goofing off. Or we would walk to Wendy's at lunchtime and grab some burgers before high-tailing it back to school so we weren't late to class. He even came with my and my dad for aviation ground school because he said he wanted "to get every license he could," including his pilot's. Well, we hung out a lot during high school, but then I went to boarding school in Washington for my senior year. After that, it was off to Tennessee for college. We ended up growing somewhat apart, with neither of us making a lot of effort to stay in touch. I don't think either of us were alarmed, it was just something that happened.
In the summer of 2008, I was back home until college resumed in August. I planned on meeting up with Scott, because I hadn't seen him in something like a year and a half, and I wanted to catch up. Then one morning, I flipped open my laptop. Scott had been killed in a horrific motorcycle accident. Immediately, I was shocked into the realization that I would never see my buddy again. Our friendship was instantly ripped to bits. I think what made this especially hard for me was the fact that, while we had known each other a long time, I hadn't really told Scott how much he meant to me as a friend. I would never get the chance to.
Scott's death was painful for me, but out of it grew something beautiful. While Scott's death took away my chance to express my thanks for his friendship, it also gave me thousands of new chances. His passing made me realize how many people in my life are constantly making a positive impact on me, and how few of them are ever thanked for it. As a result, I've thought long and hard about these opportunities, and how I can make the most of them.
During the spring break of my sophomore year in college, two of my sisters and I took a long-overdue trip to New England. One day, we traveled all the way up Cape Cod. On the way back, we decided to do something special. We held three simultaneous memorial services for ourselves, right there in the car. Before our tiny audience, we each waxed eloquent about the others' merits, accomplishments, achievements, as well as (most importantly) what they meant to us. I will always remember what a meaningful, eye-opening time it was. I'm sure my sisters will agree.
You see, I believe that there are incredible possibilities right at our fingertips. Thousands upon thousands of human beings are within each individual's sphere of influence, and if we work at cultivating this potential, there is no telling what we might be able to achieve. Appreciation is key. Simple affirmation of a person's positive abilities and tendencies makes them want to continue doing good. Expressing your love and thankfulness of another individual causes them to be uplifted and proactive in doing the same to others.
Proverbs 15:1 tells us that "a gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." It is understandable that we all lash out at others because of the stresses and complications of everyday life, but we are called to something higher. We are to be beacons of light for everyone to see, shining outward and spilling God's love on the whole world.
I will be the first to admit that I all too often fall short of this goal, but Jesus' commandment in Matthew 7:12 is clear: "So in everything, do to others as you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." Ever since I can remember, I have had a tendency to rely on verbal affirmation. I seek it out, I want it, and I nearly ask for it at every turn. I believe it is God's wish for me to look outside myself, and to spend more time appreciating others than ensuring I am appreciated. After all, that's when I am at my happiest.
All around me, I often see evidences of people caring for, helping, and affirming one another. I want in, and I want more people in with me. I long for the day that, through God's grace, everyone everywhere can be in a constant state of appreciation for those around them, because that really would be heaven. It's going to be much more about relationships than having wings anyway. Besides, I still have a few things to say to Scott.
In the summer of 2008, I was back home until college resumed in August. I planned on meeting up with Scott, because I hadn't seen him in something like a year and a half, and I wanted to catch up. Then one morning, I flipped open my laptop. Scott had been killed in a horrific motorcycle accident. Immediately, I was shocked into the realization that I would never see my buddy again. Our friendship was instantly ripped to bits. I think what made this especially hard for me was the fact that, while we had known each other a long time, I hadn't really told Scott how much he meant to me as a friend. I would never get the chance to.
Scott's death was painful for me, but out of it grew something beautiful. While Scott's death took away my chance to express my thanks for his friendship, it also gave me thousands of new chances. His passing made me realize how many people in my life are constantly making a positive impact on me, and how few of them are ever thanked for it. As a result, I've thought long and hard about these opportunities, and how I can make the most of them.
During the spring break of my sophomore year in college, two of my sisters and I took a long-overdue trip to New England. One day, we traveled all the way up Cape Cod. On the way back, we decided to do something special. We held three simultaneous memorial services for ourselves, right there in the car. Before our tiny audience, we each waxed eloquent about the others' merits, accomplishments, achievements, as well as (most importantly) what they meant to us. I will always remember what a meaningful, eye-opening time it was. I'm sure my sisters will agree.
You see, I believe that there are incredible possibilities right at our fingertips. Thousands upon thousands of human beings are within each individual's sphere of influence, and if we work at cultivating this potential, there is no telling what we might be able to achieve. Appreciation is key. Simple affirmation of a person's positive abilities and tendencies makes them want to continue doing good. Expressing your love and thankfulness of another individual causes them to be uplifted and proactive in doing the same to others.
Proverbs 15:1 tells us that "a gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." It is understandable that we all lash out at others because of the stresses and complications of everyday life, but we are called to something higher. We are to be beacons of light for everyone to see, shining outward and spilling God's love on the whole world.
I will be the first to admit that I all too often fall short of this goal, but Jesus' commandment in Matthew 7:12 is clear: "So in everything, do to others as you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." Ever since I can remember, I have had a tendency to rely on verbal affirmation. I seek it out, I want it, and I nearly ask for it at every turn. I believe it is God's wish for me to look outside myself, and to spend more time appreciating others than ensuring I am appreciated. After all, that's when I am at my happiest.
All around me, I often see evidences of people caring for, helping, and affirming one another. I want in, and I want more people in with me. I long for the day that, through God's grace, everyone everywhere can be in a constant state of appreciation for those around them, because that really would be heaven. It's going to be much more about relationships than having wings anyway. Besides, I still have a few things to say to Scott.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Life's Litmus
In another post, I recently wrote about my spiritual experience over the past year. I told of some of the most personal struggles and thoughts I've had recently. Today, I want to share the reason for posting. I didn't divulge all this information merely to share, or just to make myself feel good. I had another reason. I wanted to bring something to attention.
My experience is an example of why I believe we need to be more open. Our culture dictates that the most personal of problems, namely those affecting our minds, are to remain personal at all costs. I believe that this is the devil's trick to deprive us of aid from those who can provide help and support in the times we need it most. This can be exacerbated by the stigma that questioning one's beliefs is wrong. To be sure, questioning my beliefs put me at a disadvantage that I am still recovering from, but it was a disadvantage that caused me to grow, whether I liked it or not. At any rate, I think I would have been more open to seeking out help if I hadn't been given such a strong impression that it was wrong to question my beliefs.
I also had one other problem. Throughout this ordeal, I felt that this was something I needed to do on my own. This deep sort of spiritual questioning cannot be fulfilled by any one outside individual. However, there is a middle ground. It is possible for us to band together as a Christian community and support those who are going through times like this, as long as we don't dilute the experience by trying to do the hard work for them. Granted, we won't be able to do anything at all if the individual isn't open and honest about their needs, but I think we can all do better at making ourselves available, accessible, and supportive to these ends.
This is why I want to dedicate my life to the evangelization of those already in the fold, at least by conventional standards. I see a huge, unharvested field of potentially potent individuals for the Lord that are instead stagnating in their hand-me-down faith. I believe this happens not because of their own choice but because of the lack of developmental tools made available to them. Notice I didn't say the lack of truths, doctrines, beliefs, ideals, or morals given them. I think all these are given in spades, and given freely and expertly. I would like to focus my personal attention on helping our people, namely our young people, learn to make something definite, tangible, and above all, meaningful out of these wonderful gifts they have been given.
Spiritually, our young people are somewhat like tamed lions. They have all the makings of a lion: lithe bodies that are perfect for chasing down prey, powerful jaws that can crack open the thickest of skulls, and massive paws armed with retractable, articulate blades that can grab and hold on to the most squeamish of meals. What they don't have is a killer instinct. They haven't been trained how use these tools to make it on their own in the vast, often lonely wilderness that is our world. They lack the ability to hunt down truth, to masterfully bust apart lies, and, most sadly, to hold on to faith at all costs.
But I don't blame our parents for this. I don't blame our teachers. I don't even blame our pastors. I don't think blame will get us very far these days. Instead, I choose to appreciate parents, teachers, and pastors for doing such an admirable job of raising, teaching and mentoring our youth, even when it's not easy or appreciated. I have seen them do so much work for so little credit, while others sit back and criticize their hard work. I am trying to offer an alternative. Instead of working against each other, I want to see our worldwide church family become one steadfast, supportive organization, caring for each and every member and leaving no one astray. After all, I believe that this is what is often imagined and hoped for, but fairly seldomy worked towards.
I admit, I haven't been a very good example of the kind of community I am talking about, but I want to try. I want to spend the rest of my days finding ways of lifting my fellow believers up. I want to focus on the good that we are able to achieve, not the bad we so often do. I especially want to devote my time to ensuring that those already in our church, especially youth, develop into powerful, vibrant people of God. After all, only then can we change the world. By no means am I discouraging the evangelism of non-believers and those outside the church. Instead, I am encouraging that we all take a long hard look at ourselves and our believing neighbors. If we are not even secure in our own faith, what makes us think that we can cause newcomers to be?
I am not trying say that everyone has been in my place, but I do think it is safe to say I am not alone. Thus, I want to seek out those that can identify with what I have gone through. I want to try to use my experience to help give some clarity to the state they find themselves in. Of course, since these are all merely things I want, on my own I can do none of them. So I hope and pray that God will give me the strength and ability to do my fair part in this endeavor. I hope you pray for me too.
My experience is an example of why I believe we need to be more open. Our culture dictates that the most personal of problems, namely those affecting our minds, are to remain personal at all costs. I believe that this is the devil's trick to deprive us of aid from those who can provide help and support in the times we need it most. This can be exacerbated by the stigma that questioning one's beliefs is wrong. To be sure, questioning my beliefs put me at a disadvantage that I am still recovering from, but it was a disadvantage that caused me to grow, whether I liked it or not. At any rate, I think I would have been more open to seeking out help if I hadn't been given such a strong impression that it was wrong to question my beliefs.
I also had one other problem. Throughout this ordeal, I felt that this was something I needed to do on my own. This deep sort of spiritual questioning cannot be fulfilled by any one outside individual. However, there is a middle ground. It is possible for us to band together as a Christian community and support those who are going through times like this, as long as we don't dilute the experience by trying to do the hard work for them. Granted, we won't be able to do anything at all if the individual isn't open and honest about their needs, but I think we can all do better at making ourselves available, accessible, and supportive to these ends.
This is why I want to dedicate my life to the evangelization of those already in the fold, at least by conventional standards. I see a huge, unharvested field of potentially potent individuals for the Lord that are instead stagnating in their hand-me-down faith. I believe this happens not because of their own choice but because of the lack of developmental tools made available to them. Notice I didn't say the lack of truths, doctrines, beliefs, ideals, or morals given them. I think all these are given in spades, and given freely and expertly. I would like to focus my personal attention on helping our people, namely our young people, learn to make something definite, tangible, and above all, meaningful out of these wonderful gifts they have been given.
Spiritually, our young people are somewhat like tamed lions. They have all the makings of a lion: lithe bodies that are perfect for chasing down prey, powerful jaws that can crack open the thickest of skulls, and massive paws armed with retractable, articulate blades that can grab and hold on to the most squeamish of meals. What they don't have is a killer instinct. They haven't been trained how use these tools to make it on their own in the vast, often lonely wilderness that is our world. They lack the ability to hunt down truth, to masterfully bust apart lies, and, most sadly, to hold on to faith at all costs.
But I don't blame our parents for this. I don't blame our teachers. I don't even blame our pastors. I don't think blame will get us very far these days. Instead, I choose to appreciate parents, teachers, and pastors for doing such an admirable job of raising, teaching and mentoring our youth, even when it's not easy or appreciated. I have seen them do so much work for so little credit, while others sit back and criticize their hard work. I am trying to offer an alternative. Instead of working against each other, I want to see our worldwide church family become one steadfast, supportive organization, caring for each and every member and leaving no one astray. After all, I believe that this is what is often imagined and hoped for, but fairly seldomy worked towards.
I admit, I haven't been a very good example of the kind of community I am talking about, but I want to try. I want to spend the rest of my days finding ways of lifting my fellow believers up. I want to focus on the good that we are able to achieve, not the bad we so often do. I especially want to devote my time to ensuring that those already in our church, especially youth, develop into powerful, vibrant people of God. After all, only then can we change the world. By no means am I discouraging the evangelism of non-believers and those outside the church. Instead, I am encouraging that we all take a long hard look at ourselves and our believing neighbors. If we are not even secure in our own faith, what makes us think that we can cause newcomers to be?
I am not trying say that everyone has been in my place, but I do think it is safe to say I am not alone. Thus, I want to seek out those that can identify with what I have gone through. I want to try to use my experience to help give some clarity to the state they find themselves in. Of course, since these are all merely things I want, on my own I can do none of them. So I hope and pray that God will give me the strength and ability to do my fair part in this endeavor. I hope you pray for me too.
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