To be a good writer you don't need to be a good speller, you don't need to know good english, and you don't need good grammar. What you need to be a good writer is passion and a "feeling" for what you writing. If you don't feel what your writing or haven't experienced it for yourself your writing probably won't be good or impact a lot of people.
However, almost always the hardest thing to do when writing is to get your point across. You have experienced or know what your talking about, but they haven't. A lot of the time you can't just talk, think, hear, or read about something you have to experience it for yourself.
Chances probably are you can't get them to experience it, so you must explain it in such a way they understand and feel what your feeling about what your writing.
An explanation I once said was I can tell you all about snowboarding and how fun it is to carve down the mountain, but you won't know how great of a feeling it is to carve your way down a mountain until you try it. The person your telling needs to experience it to know what your feeling.
If you can't get the people your speaking to to experience what you talking about and what your talking about has to be experienced not just heard about, you got a problem. How do you fix this problem? You need to write in such a way, with so much feeling and emotion (they need to know its coming from the depths of you) that they either want to experience or learn what you did. Or maybe God can step in and move all the people into understanding.
This is the reason I'm stressing this point so much, is as I am writing this I am really feeling what I'm saying and want you to understand what I'm saying, but I still feel like its not going to get across.
This is why good writers are few and not always so good. Their job is to make you feel like you just experienced or want to experience the experience. Words are hardly ever enough, even when you use your words profoundly.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Thursday, September 20, 2012
No Fear of Death and Pain
So as I have metioned before I was at city challenge this summer with my youth group and how much it has affected me. This time I want to mention the first night we were there. It was the first night so all of us had no idea what to expect or think. My sub-group in my youth group went to a homeless ministry place in Columbus where we would start out and then go give out food to the homeless.
The first two places we went to where the homless met together we were just getting used to what we were doing. By the last place we were still uncomfortable, but we were getting alittle more used to it.
At the last place we stoped we were almost done, but there was still about one guy alone who still needed food so I went over to him. He was an older gentleman with that sorta rough, homeless person, that has seen alot of stuff on the streets look. I asked him if he wanted some food, then after he took his food I was about to leave and go back to my group because I felt awkward and sorta isolated he stoped me and said "Do you want to know how to kill someone?" I responed back "nah, I'm ok". Then he just started talking about how in the army they just teach you how to kill people and how he was in the Vietnam War and what that was like. Then he talked about how he spent three years over there just killing poeple and how at first its hard to kill people in a way, but you have to because if you don't kill them they will kill you. He also later metioned how he had killed someone just a couple of streets away once too.
At this point Brooks Gleckner who was in my sub-group was still over at the van with most of the group. Caryn our group leader was alittle worried about me being alone over there talking to that guy and thought I looked like I was uncomfortable. As a result she sent Brooks over to just be there for company because the guy did look a little shady.
As brooks came over the first thing he heard was the guy saying "You ever think of killing anyone?" Then Brooks sees the guy reach into his pocket and fumble around as if he had a gun in his pocket at that moment. Brooks was all worried at this point and then when the guy pulled his hand out of his pocket and pointed at me Brooks really though I was a goner. After we noticed it was just the guy's hand the guy starts laughing and we are just nervously laughing along with him. Then all of a sudden he stops laughing and just abruptly says "I'm Serious!" After that point I was still unsure of whether to laugh or not.
I on the other hand was slightly worried durring the time the guy had his hand in his pocket. All I had running through my mind was, does he have a gun or doesn't he?
There is a great quote in the movie Cars 2 where Finn Mcmissile says "You never feel more alive then when your almost dead." This Is a very true quote and I must say I like to live on the edge because of how it feels. However, when Brooks told me he thought I was a goner all I could do was laugh. I just don't have fear for my life. I belive my little fear for life is from when I gave my life to God. Because God has my life I can't die because Jesus already did that for me. I Signed up to Die - by Thi'ls explaines this point perfectly
Death don't have a hold on me
So death don't put no fear in me
I don't think that you hearin me
I signed up to die
Because God owns my life I no longer have to fear the pain of death and torment I can therefore live profoundly and without fear of loss of life. I can live my life God has given me, which I gave to Him.
The first two places we went to where the homless met together we were just getting used to what we were doing. By the last place we were still uncomfortable, but we were getting alittle more used to it.
At the last place we stoped we were almost done, but there was still about one guy alone who still needed food so I went over to him. He was an older gentleman with that sorta rough, homeless person, that has seen alot of stuff on the streets look. I asked him if he wanted some food, then after he took his food I was about to leave and go back to my group because I felt awkward and sorta isolated he stoped me and said "Do you want to know how to kill someone?" I responed back "nah, I'm ok". Then he just started talking about how in the army they just teach you how to kill people and how he was in the Vietnam War and what that was like. Then he talked about how he spent three years over there just killing poeple and how at first its hard to kill people in a way, but you have to because if you don't kill them they will kill you. He also later metioned how he had killed someone just a couple of streets away once too.
At this point Brooks Gleckner who was in my sub-group was still over at the van with most of the group. Caryn our group leader was alittle worried about me being alone over there talking to that guy and thought I looked like I was uncomfortable. As a result she sent Brooks over to just be there for company because the guy did look a little shady.
As brooks came over the first thing he heard was the guy saying "You ever think of killing anyone?" Then Brooks sees the guy reach into his pocket and fumble around as if he had a gun in his pocket at that moment. Brooks was all worried at this point and then when the guy pulled his hand out of his pocket and pointed at me Brooks really though I was a goner. After we noticed it was just the guy's hand the guy starts laughing and we are just nervously laughing along with him. Then all of a sudden he stops laughing and just abruptly says "I'm Serious!" After that point I was still unsure of whether to laugh or not.
I on the other hand was slightly worried durring the time the guy had his hand in his pocket. All I had running through my mind was, does he have a gun or doesn't he?
There is a great quote in the movie Cars 2 where Finn Mcmissile says "You never feel more alive then when your almost dead." This Is a very true quote and I must say I like to live on the edge because of how it feels. However, when Brooks told me he thought I was a goner all I could do was laugh. I just don't have fear for my life. I belive my little fear for life is from when I gave my life to God. Because God has my life I can't die because Jesus already did that for me. I Signed up to Die - by Thi'ls explaines this point perfectly
Death don't have a hold on me
So death don't put no fear in me
I don't think that you hearin me
I signed up to die
Because God owns my life I no longer have to fear the pain of death and torment I can therefore live profoundly and without fear of loss of life. I can live my life God has given me, which I gave to Him.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Verseinsanity
The Bible if full of verses that mean so much. So i decided I should post a bunch of popular, meaningful, and profound verses. Thus justifying the title Verse-insanity.
We fix our eyes not on what is seen [suffering], but on what is unseen [eternal life free of suffering]. for what is seen [suffering] is temporary, but what is unseen [future good life with Christ] is eternal 2 Cor. 4:18
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Rom. 5:8
There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. Rev. 21:4
In all things God works for the good of those who love him. Rom. 8:28
for it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast. Eph. 2:8-9
Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 2 Tim. 2:22
Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. John 14:6, and there is salvation in no one else Acts 4:12
Right desires and motives honor God. 1 Cor. 10:31
A day of judgment is coming when God will hold men accountable for every careless word they have spoken. Matt. 12:36
The one who loves Jesus must obey Him. John 14:21
God will care for those who put Him first. Matt. 6:31
Like runners in a race, followers of Christ must throw off every hindrance in order to give Him their best efforts Heb. 12:1-2
This verse really makes me think about evaluating my life and finding what is holding me back.
The sinful mind cannot submit to God's law. Rom. 8:7 and disciples of Jesus must orient their minds as He did Phil. 2:5
Taken from The School of Biblical Evangelism by Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort
We fix our eyes not on what is seen [suffering], but on what is unseen [eternal life free of suffering]. for what is seen [suffering] is temporary, but what is unseen [future good life with Christ] is eternal 2 Cor. 4:18
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Rom. 5:8
There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. Rev. 21:4
In all things God works for the good of those who love him. Rom. 8:28
for it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast. Eph. 2:8-9
Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 2 Tim. 2:22
Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. John 14:6, and there is salvation in no one else Acts 4:12
Right desires and motives honor God. 1 Cor. 10:31
A day of judgment is coming when God will hold men accountable for every careless word they have spoken. Matt. 12:36
The one who loves Jesus must obey Him. John 14:21
God will care for those who put Him first. Matt. 6:31
Like runners in a race, followers of Christ must throw off every hindrance in order to give Him their best efforts Heb. 12:1-2
This verse really makes me think about evaluating my life and finding what is holding me back.
The sinful mind cannot submit to God's law. Rom. 8:7 and disciples of Jesus must orient their minds as He did Phil. 2:5
Taken from The School of Biblical Evangelism by Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Authenticity
A lot of times when I see someone who is different or weird looking, I look down on them. Why do I do this? Its because I form in my mind an idea of how things should be, from my past experiences. So I form an idea in my mind of what is a normal person. However, when I or anyone else tries to define what a normal person is we can't put down a firm definition.
Most of you probably already know this, but I'm a very opinionated person. Then I should be able to come up with a definition for a normal person right? Yes I have, but its not like your thinking. I say the definition of a "normal" person or anything is relative.
If you have an idea in your mind of the "normal" person you can try to explain it, but you won't be able to. If everything you look like and act like is relative in definition it means everybody is different, just like God made us to be. If we are all supposed to be different this makes me want to try to be myself and be different. I should be the only person living my life.
I try to be authentic, different, and myself. I don't want to fit in while still fitting in. I want people to find something different about me that eventually draws them to God. Now you don't have to be different looking and acting to do this, but its just how I do it.
If its by being "normal" or "profound" that makes you who you are it doesn't matter, just be yourself not someone else, be authentic.
Disclaimer: (I must warn that you shouldn't become the wrong kind of different. Don't be the annoying, weird to be around, and just not the likable type because you try to be different. Don't make yourself an un-Godly example of different).
Most of you probably already know this, but I'm a very opinionated person. Then I should be able to come up with a definition for a normal person right? Yes I have, but its not like your thinking. I say the definition of a "normal" person or anything is relative.
If you have an idea in your mind of the "normal" person you can try to explain it, but you won't be able to. If everything you look like and act like is relative in definition it means everybody is different, just like God made us to be. If we are all supposed to be different this makes me want to try to be myself and be different. I should be the only person living my life.
I try to be authentic, different, and myself. I don't want to fit in while still fitting in. I want people to find something different about me that eventually draws them to God. Now you don't have to be different looking and acting to do this, but its just how I do it.
If its by being "normal" or "profound" that makes you who you are it doesn't matter, just be yourself not someone else, be authentic.
Disclaimer: (I must warn that you shouldn't become the wrong kind of different. Don't be the annoying, weird to be around, and just not the likable type because you try to be different. Don't make yourself an un-Godly example of different).
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Un-Monkinisom
(Now if you haven't read Monkinisom yet you should before you read this post)
If you just read or remember from my Monkinisom post I was fasting from a lot of stuff, using my gifts God has given me was one of them. At the end of the fast I thought I should be trying really hard to use my gifts because when I didn't God told me I should. When I came back from my fast I started using my gifts more because I thought of how I should be using my gifts all the time because He gave them to me for me to get the best out of them. However, when I did the opposite of when I was on my fast I still felt like my connection strength with God wasn't what it should be.
Then God spoke to me. He gave me the thought "When you were fasting you weren't using your gifts enough. You should have used some of the extra time you had for that. However, when you went the other way using your gifts a lot it took too much time."
I learned you need to have balance. You can either do too much, too little, or just right. I can't be an extreme "monk", but I also can't use all my time using my gifts and forget my relationship with Him. Its all about the ballance. God is that balance. If I put Him in the center both sides will eequal out. God will tell me whether I should do more or less if I listen to his voice. there is only one thing I need to do constantly and with all I have. Follow God's Profound direction. God made us to do many other things too.
If you just read or remember from my Monkinisom post I was fasting from a lot of stuff, using my gifts God has given me was one of them. At the end of the fast I thought I should be trying really hard to use my gifts because when I didn't God told me I should. When I came back from my fast I started using my gifts more because I thought of how I should be using my gifts all the time because He gave them to me for me to get the best out of them. However, when I did the opposite of when I was on my fast I still felt like my connection strength with God wasn't what it should be.
Then God spoke to me. He gave me the thought "When you were fasting you weren't using your gifts enough. You should have used some of the extra time you had for that. However, when you went the other way using your gifts a lot it took too much time."
I learned you need to have balance. You can either do too much, too little, or just right. I can't be an extreme "monk", but I also can't use all my time using my gifts and forget my relationship with Him. Its all about the ballance. God is that balance. If I put Him in the center both sides will eequal out. God will tell me whether I should do more or less if I listen to his voice. there is only one thing I need to do constantly and with all I have. Follow God's Profound direction. God made us to do many other things too.
Friday, August 17, 2012
One Life
You have one try at life. You only have one chance. Life is singular. Life is ending. Life doesn't last. Life ends.
Truly we have only one life to live. All around there are people dying on this earth and you will never see them here again. We need to find in life what it really is.
Some are directed by God into the good life and find their purpose in life living for God. Others God allows to fall, be temped by the devil, and lies. Wait? God allows people to fall? Yea, everything is in God's hands, just think about how God allowed the devil to wreak havoc in job's life. So, the ones that aren't given the good life have to search for it and most likely they will go the wrong way. They chase for life in many things that don't mean anything. They search for it in money, possessions, girls, thrills, pride, accomplishment, and drugs. Life is about finding true happiness and meaning. The world doesn't offer either of those things.
Life is about finding your purpose in it. You have the most influence on it, so if you don't like it change it. When I think about living my life I think about a song by Switchfoot. Switchfoot's song lyric of "This is Your Life" really makes you think about what your doing with it.
This is your life, are you who you want to be?
This is your life, are you who you want to be?
This is your life, is it everything you dreamed that it would be?
When the world was younger and you had everything to lose.
Don't close your eyes.
This is your life, are you who you want to be?
This is your life, is it everything you dreamed that it would be?
When the world was younger and you had everything to lose.
Don't close your eyes.
Seriously, are you who you want to be? This is your life you can do whatever you want with it. I say we need to reach for the sky, reach for something higher with meaning. If there is no standard or purpose does life have any meaning?
When I was at creation festival this year I was working on drawing a picture. I was having problems coming up with ideas for my drawing, but then right at the beginning of the Newsboys concert inspiration and ideas flew into my brain. They must have been from God because the more I thought about the ideas the more they made sense and the more meaningful they were. Here it is.
You can see it says "You Have A Life To Live" on the bottom right corner. That is the main meaning of the whole picture, but there are so many other meanings based off that meaning in it. Its an abstract picture so it has to be explained to be understood. The man standing there is stuck inside the walls of restriction that are holding him back from living his own life. The sun and moon on the right say that dawn is breaking and time is running out. If he doesn't move quickly his chance to escape and live will be gone. What does the man do? He brakes the window in the wall that lets him see the better life on the other side. The better life is the beautiful flowers, trees, and nature just outside his reach. Now that he has broken through the window in the wall he is able to get out and Live His Life, there waiting for him. - Ecclesiastes 4:8 expounds on this.
Ecclesiastes 4:8 There is a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. "For whom am I toiling," he asked, "and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?" This too is meaningless--- a miserable business!
Where is life? How do you find it? There is a song by Thi'sl that says "I signed up to die". Its really talking about martyrs, but I think it also can mean that when you sign up in the book of life you sign up to die, to yourself. To find your life you have to lose it. When you give you life to God that is when you really find life.
Ecclesiastes 4:8 There is a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. "For whom am I toiling," he asked, "and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?" This too is meaningless--- a miserable business!
Last week God spoke to me and said; "Your time is running out". Now I'm not sure if He meant I'm not going to live for another month or time moves fast and your average lifespan isn't very long. Either way this made me really think about how it would affect the people around me when I die. What do I give to people around me (for example joy or meaningful thoughts) that if it was to stop being given would affect them? This really made me think about not living my life for myself, but others and God.
Don't wast your life searching for a good life in the wrong things. Go live your life, you can change it. You need to get past the walls holding you from real life. Die to yourself and live for God. Life is singular so what are you going to do about it? Are you going to live your life profoundly, live for God, and make the most of the life you have?
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Monkinisom
Pre-Claimer (This is not a statement of pride or recognition its is merely to express how sometimes your idea of things aren't necessarily the same for everyone or circumstances).
As a few of you know I was at city challenge this summer. I could try to talk about that week but it would be extremely hard to break it down to a lower level and make it shorter. This is what I'm finding nowadays, that alot of people shortened all these experiences into little blips. That's why i say stop looking at twitter and texts and really get down, talk to people and get deep with something that has meaning, or profound that is. Anyways coming back from city challenge I felt like alot of my daily experiences were going to change or stop. However, what happened was some stuff changed like I had quiet time once a week and I felt more comfortable praying in public. As a whole though not much changed, I was still on the computer alot when i could be doing better stuff with my time. As a result I decided to quit being on the computer for a week. However, I didn't just stop there I thought of how the computer took time away I could be spending with God and how alot of other stuff I do takes time I could use for God too.
In the end this realization ended up turning into a week-long fast from anything unnecessary that takes time I could be using for God. Now there were a few exceptions for things that are a little more necessary like eating, bathing, working, and obeying my parents when they have me do stuff on the computer or other things not allowed. What wasn't allowed was taking in media, reading books, other than the Bible, and things I do not directly related to serving God. That means no chainmaille and duck tape.
The first day started out quiet well, I had my quiet time then went throughout the day doing stuff I had to do and when I had time I prayed or read the Bible. I'm not sure how to explain this, but the first day I guess I didn't have the connection with God I felt like I should of had. I couldn't figure out why it felt this way at this point.
Now by the second day I think I was feeling withdraw, not from the computer, but from all my projects. God gave me the thought that i was probably feeling an un-connection with God because I wasn't allowing myself to use the gifts He had given me. I also felt like the only thing that got me to day four was God and being able to practice guitar. Guitar was the only artsy thing i was allowed to do and it gave me so much joy to use a gift that God has blessed me with. One of the things I have learned from this experience is that when I don't use the gifts God has given me I feel like I lose part of my connection with God. Even though I was making God happy by fasting all this stuff, He didn't want me to feel alright not using the gifts He has given me.
Another thing I wasn't expecting to learn was about calling. I sorta though that God really wants all his children to completely devote there lives to Him by forgetting the world and spending all their time with him. I mean like being a monk. However, I'm not saying I thought that God doesn't call everybody to spread His name across the world, I'm saying I thought God might want me to do this fast for the rest of my life. God wasn't saying that though, what He said really hit me. God called me to not do what I was doing during this fast for Him the rest of my life. God way saying to me to Not stop using my gifts, but to use my gifts, and make them better so I can do great things for Him with them. Not much feels better than doing what God calls you to do. Without profoundness of thought i might have never found this great lesson out.
Dis-claimer (Now all I have written here God said to me. You have to go out and find what God has called you to do. You might find it during a fast like I did, but there are alot of other ways God talks to people so probably not).
As a few of you know I was at city challenge this summer. I could try to talk about that week but it would be extremely hard to break it down to a lower level and make it shorter. This is what I'm finding nowadays, that alot of people shortened all these experiences into little blips. That's why i say stop looking at twitter and texts and really get down, talk to people and get deep with something that has meaning, or profound that is. Anyways coming back from city challenge I felt like alot of my daily experiences were going to change or stop. However, what happened was some stuff changed like I had quiet time once a week and I felt more comfortable praying in public. As a whole though not much changed, I was still on the computer alot when i could be doing better stuff with my time. As a result I decided to quit being on the computer for a week. However, I didn't just stop there I thought of how the computer took time away I could be spending with God and how alot of other stuff I do takes time I could use for God too.
In the end this realization ended up turning into a week-long fast from anything unnecessary that takes time I could be using for God. Now there were a few exceptions for things that are a little more necessary like eating, bathing, working, and obeying my parents when they have me do stuff on the computer or other things not allowed. What wasn't allowed was taking in media, reading books, other than the Bible, and things I do not directly related to serving God. That means no chainmaille and duck tape.
The first day started out quiet well, I had my quiet time then went throughout the day doing stuff I had to do and when I had time I prayed or read the Bible. I'm not sure how to explain this, but the first day I guess I didn't have the connection with God I felt like I should of had. I couldn't figure out why it felt this way at this point.
Now by the second day I think I was feeling withdraw, not from the computer, but from all my projects. God gave me the thought that i was probably feeling an un-connection with God because I wasn't allowing myself to use the gifts He had given me. I also felt like the only thing that got me to day four was God and being able to practice guitar. Guitar was the only artsy thing i was allowed to do and it gave me so much joy to use a gift that God has blessed me with. One of the things I have learned from this experience is that when I don't use the gifts God has given me I feel like I lose part of my connection with God. Even though I was making God happy by fasting all this stuff, He didn't want me to feel alright not using the gifts He has given me.
Another thing I wasn't expecting to learn was about calling. I sorta though that God really wants all his children to completely devote there lives to Him by forgetting the world and spending all their time with him. I mean like being a monk. However, I'm not saying I thought that God doesn't call everybody to spread His name across the world, I'm saying I thought God might want me to do this fast for the rest of my life. God wasn't saying that though, what He said really hit me. God called me to not do what I was doing during this fast for Him the rest of my life. God way saying to me to Not stop using my gifts, but to use my gifts, and make them better so I can do great things for Him with them. Not much feels better than doing what God calls you to do. Without profoundness of thought i might have never found this great lesson out.
Dis-claimer (Now all I have written here God said to me. You have to go out and find what God has called you to do. You might find it during a fast like I did, but there are alot of other ways God talks to people so probably not).
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