Speaking Out In Faith

We have a voice. In America, the voice of the people is a right, and we often exercise it. Our voices are powerful. They draw attention to ourselves and to our message. But it is how we use that voice that really matters. Do we say what needs to be said? Or do we back down and remain silent? When we do speak, are our words empty or purposeful?

Christians should not stand by and watch things happen, we cannot be silent in the face of evil. It is time for us to proclaim the Gospel, NOW is the moment for us to show the hope of Christ. We must speak out! Wherever you are, Texas, Arkansas, Canada, anywhere in the world: Speak out!

But there is more we must do than simply speak. If we only speak out than we are just like the rest of the world. Everyone protests, crowds gather in the streets, people march on the government. They cause a ruckus, they yell, they scream to be heard. Protesters everywhere fight for a change. We cannot simply add ourselves to that group. We must hold on to what we believe, we must cling to our invincible faith. That is what we as Christians have, and that is what we must share. So when people have pain in their lives and ask you why God would allow it, give them an answer, make your message heard. If someone is battling with despair, be the first to say something and to show love. Our faith gives us hope that others don't have, so speak about that faith!

I live in North Texas, and watching people speak out used to be enough, I used to think that worked. And sometimes it does. But it is with an invincible faith that we can make a difference. Our voices must be heard, the light must pierce the darkness, our faith must known everywhere. We watch protesters in the news, we see them shouting loudly. Their words are hollow. And it's not enough, something is missing if you only speak out.


Being heard is great, but there is a whole different layer to speaking that must be grasped: the foundation. If the foundation is not your faith than you don't fully know what it is to speak. That is what I have set out on a journey to find. We need to speak with a message, we must hold on to what we believe, and we must cling to our invincible faith. It is no longer enough for me to just speak out, I fully enjoyed the three years when I was with that crowd. But all good things must come to an end, and I have decided to start a new chapter. It will be hard. It will be frightening. And I know it will shape me, it will make me into a person with a message. This change will give me the foundation of faith needed to speak out boldly and change the world for Christ. I will learn things that I didn't realize I needed.
I don't have anything against those speaking out, but I've decided I want more. I have decided to pursue a change. When I began looking for the right choice, it became obvious that building an invincible faith was what I needed. So now, a new chapter in my life begins. I will once again have to fight to fit in and make friends, it will be a new crowd of people. And this year, I will learn to communicate faith. We all need to use the voice we were given. We have the power to change people for Christ. It is time that we are heard. Use your voice! But when you do, remember why you do it. Remember that we can't just shout out words, those words need a message that is grounded in faith. Then they will have an impact. That is my goal and hopefully yours too. I want to be heard, I want to leave an impact.
This year, I won't just speak out, I will be speaking out with an invincible faith!

A House Divided: Part 3

Mathew 12:25 "But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.""

Divisions are the reason we fall. Divisions felled every empire, caused every war, struck down numerous countries, and are currently wounding our homes and our nation. The best way to stand, in fact the only way to stand, is unified. But it is in our nature to contend, to argue, and to fight amongst ourselves. It is only in Christ that we can truly stand in unity. Because of that, I decided to do this series of blog posts focusing on unity with Mathew 12:25 at the heart of my messages. We have come to the end of this series. I have focused on unity as a family, unity as a nation, and now I just want to focus on the object of that unity: Christ. This is the last post in this series on a house divided, and it is on unity in Christ alone.

Now, in my last few posts, I have (of course) talked about unity quite a bit. But the most important part of unity, is what we are united in. What is the object of our unity? If we are only united by blood, our disagreements will probably force us apart after a while. If we are united in political beliefs, we will probably be united until our beliefs change. But if our unity is placed in Someone unchanging then we will not be divided. When I talk about unity, I don't mean that we should agree with everyone for the sake of getting along, or that we have to sacrifice our beliefs in order to be unified. In fact, I think we need to hold tight to what we believe and not be swayed by the people around us. But we still need to love, we still need to have Christ-like behavior at the center of all of our relationships, with friends, family, or strangers. We can do this without sacrificing our opinions. Robert Sirico says, "We must be ruthless with ideas, but gentle with people." Our ideas don't have to change in order for us to have unity. Jesus held on to His beliefs and He responded when His statements were challenged, but He did it in love. That's what we should be doing, not placing our unity in temporary things, but rather in God. 

And we know exactly what that looks like.

The Trinity shows us what it is like to be diverse and unified at once, a perfect example of what Christ wants our families to look like. The Bible shows very clearly that there is only one God, and yet that there are three personal distinctions in His complex nature, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Each is distinct from the others but never acts independently. They are one in nature and purpose. An easy way to describe the Trinity is as a three leafed clover. They are all connected, it is one living thing, but has three vital parts, perfectly united. A more modern explanation is the fidget spinner, but fidget spinners are just annoying so I won't go there. 

Our relationships should reflect the Trinity in unity, all the parts making up one unified whole. 

When we do that, the bond is unbreakable. 

Unity is in Christ alone.

Trying to be united in anything else will only work for a little while, it won't last. We aren't supposed to be unified in evil, or bad things, I agree with Ravi Zacharias who says, "Where destruction is the motive, unity is dangerous." Being unified in a bad cause is certainly dangerous, the object of the unity is what matters most. Unity in destruction is terrible. But the body of Christ is supposed to be unified in Him. If your family is divided, have the courage to speak up in order to honor God. When you meet a stranger who you don't agree with, love them for the sake of unity in Christ. If you have a friend who believes something you think is wrong, steer the conversation away from politics and toward Jesus. My message is not that we should be unified in opinions, my belief is not that we should all just get along. My stance is that God should be the center of what we do and how we interact. 

Our families should revolve around God. 

Our nation will never make the statement "In politics we trust" but we should always say "In God we trust."

Our lives should show that we are united in Christ alone. 

We don't all have to agree with each other, we should continue to argue over ideas, and we must continue to defend our faith, But we have to do it in a way that honors God. We should do it the way Jesus did it. The object of our unity makes all the difference, and the only way we can hope to remain united is if we unite in something unchanging. Charles Spurgeon says, “Consider what you owe to His immutability. Though you have changed a thousand times, He has not changed once.” We constantly changing, always trying to become something different. Because of that, it's hard for us to remain united. It is only when we unite around God, who is unchanging, that we can have lasting unity. He will always be the same.

"It is not in numbers, but in unity, that our great strength lies"---Thomas Paine

"And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken."---Ecclesiastes 4:10-12

"To a true child of God, the invisible bond that unites all believers to Christ is tender, and lasting, and precious; we learn to look on every believer as our brother, in a sense that is infinitely higher than all human relationships. This is the one and only way to bring disciples permanently together. All other plans for promoting the unity of the Church have failed."---A.T. Pierson

Over and over, you will find scriptures and quotes on unity, it is something that everyone understands is necessary. But we can't just keep this knowledge that we need unity. We can't just understand what it is and change nothing. Now that we know what unity is and how badly we need it, it's time to act. Rather than houses dissolving into arguments, have the courage to speak up and seek unity in Christ. Instead of meeting someone new and arguing about the government, talk about God. And next time you feel division coming between you and a friend, make sure you are united in Christ alone, not in something temporary. Our families, our nation, our lives are divided, remaining that way will lead to destruction. But Christ brings peace. In Christ, we can have unity. Go, and find unity in Him. 

A House Divided: Part 2

Mathew 12:25 "But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.""

Jesus is pointing to the importance of unity for everyone in this verse. Unfortunately, our divisions today are beginning to make us crumble A house divided will fall, the only way we can hope to stand is through unity. Realizing the importance of this, I resolved to do a series of posts on unity in different groups that exist in our society, a series of posts focusing on a house divided. My first post was on unity as a family. This is the second post in the series, and it will focus unity as a nation.

Generally, when we hear this we think of Abraham Lincoln's speech. When Lincoln talked about a house divided, he spoke specifically about our nation. Amidst the tensions between the North and South during Lincoln's presidency, he feared that our nation would be brought to desolation. Today, we are also divided as a nation, specifically when looking at the role of our government in our lives.

The government is an institution that God wants us to follow, He outlines the importance of our obedience to authority (Romans 13:1-7). According to His word, we ought to be loyal to our government, but we also have a duty to God. When confronted with the conflict between government and religion, Jesus said, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's." (Mathew 22:21) So while we are subject to the ruling authority, our first obligation is to our savior, our hearts, and our behavior should be governed by Christ. Our government doesn't demand our hearts, Christ does.(Proverbs 23:26, Luke 10:27) The president doesn't ask that we tell everyone about him, Christ does. (Acts 1:8, Mark 15:16) Our political party doesn't mandate that we prepare a response if someone challenges our belief in them, Christ does. (1st Peter 15-17) U.S. laws don't say anything about loving your neighbor, but Christ does. Because of these requirements God gives us, we should serve Him even while serving the government. This means that our beliefs in God matter more than our political beliefs, so we should be unified instead of quarreling over different parties.

Now obviously there will always be division between parties. I don't expect that Democrats and Republicans will ever completely be unified, but that's how government works, there has to be some division to reach good decisions. What would be nice, is if people could get along. Not only would it be nice, but Christ requires it. The nation isn't the government, the nation is made up of people, you and me. We the people are the body of this nation. And you and I may disagree on certain political issues, but we ought to not quarrel over them. Quarrels lead to fights, and ultimately the division of our nation. So it is up to us to keep our nation Unified. And this is what Christ would want. We are supposed to follow God's commands and love one another regardless of our political beliefs. Max Lucado says, "God is not troubled by one who is conservative or liberal, and He certainly never inclines His ear toward a donkey or an elephant." We have to make sure we are acting like a Christian before we start thinking about acting like a Republican or Democrat. Today it's like the Christian party and the Republican religion are getting confused. We need to separate these issues. Each year we lift up our government higher and higher, but it's time to remember that it was the Roman government who crucified Jesus. Our faith should not rest in our political party, but rather in our savior who died for us. When our faith is in the right place, our actions will be unified even if our opinions aren't. But this is a struggle, we like to be right and we dislike the people who disagree with us. In general, I avoid getting into political debates as much as possible, and yet, it still affects my judgment of people in a negative way.


Not too long ago, I had a friend who I really enjoyed being around. For a few weeks, we hung out when we could and talked frequently. But then I figured out that this person, who had been my friend for a few weeks, had drastically different opinions than me. I was shocked. How could such a nice person hold these opinions that I totally disagreed with? So I began to separate myself from this person. Slowly, I allowed the political differences to divide us. I will still hang out with this person, but we are certainly not as close as we were. Thinking back on that, I realize how wrong that is. If we hold on to our opinions so tightly that we won't be friends with someone who disagrees, there is a problem. So often, we separate our selves from people simply based on politics. Looking back on it, what shocks me the most about this circumstance is how surprised I was that this nice person didn't agree with me. And I think this is something we all do: we hold this idea that anyone with a different opinion is the bad guy, that they are evil and wrong and can't be nice. Because of that, we are often shocked when the "bad guy" turns out to be a normal and polite person. And those pre-conceived beliefs divide us. If someone doesn't hold the same opinion as me, that doesn't mean they are evil or a bad person just misguided. We need to change the way we view people who disagree with us. Just because they believe something different doesn't mean (necessarily) that they hate America, and they probably don't deserve to be punched if you ever see them. When we hold that view of others then we put politics over religion and we choose our party over God. Instead of engaging people in a debate about politics, we should discuss God's work in our lives. Before we begin complaining about the failures of government, we should thank God for the country He has given us.


The division in our nation is great, and America will crumble if it continues. We the people, need to remember that our God demands unity, He demands that we tell people about our belief in Him not our belief in politics. Our pride in our country is overshadowing our duty to Christ, we give more to our government these days then is required, do we also give to God what is His? He deserves our hearts and our minds. United in Christ we will stand, divided by politics we will fall.


Colossians 3:12-14 "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect unity."

Psalm 133:1 "Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity"


These are just two of the many Bible verses explaining the need for unity. Today, I want to encourage you to seek that unity. We need to stop letting sin divide us, and stand together in Christ. As Benjamin Franklin puts it, "We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately."

A House Divided: Part 1

Mathew 12:25 "But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.""

In this verse, Jesus is pointing out the importance of unity. A house divided will fall, the only way we can hope to stand is through unity. So I want to do a series of posts on unity, unity in different groups that exist in our society. This is the first post in that series and it's on unity as a family.

God established the home in Genesis 2:24, and throughout the Bible lays out the way it should work. The father is the head, he should love his wife and not provoke his children (Ephesians 5:25, Ephesians 6:4). The wife should be submissive and respect her husband. (Ephesians 5:22-33). The children are to honor their parents (Exodus 20:12.) There are three parts to the family and each one has a job to do. A family works only if all three parts do their job, and that job has to be done with regard to the best interest of the other parts. It's like a three-legged stool. If one leg is cut off then the stool falls. If two parts of a family team up against one, the house is divided. If the children rebel against the parents, the family ceases to function. If the parents bicker constantly, the home crumbles into despair.

Life is a race, it's a marathon. It's hard, but thankfully, we have help along the way. Our family is supposed to be on our team. Parents should discipline with the child's best interest in mind, and the child should be able to see that. If any part of the family begins to question who's on what side than the family isn't functioning correctly. When there is constant contention and division, families fall apart. They become rivals rather than teammates, and your race is affected. 

Unfortunately, there are many fallen families today. In the U.S., almost 50% of all marriages will end in divorce. Half of all American children will witness the breakup of a parent's marriage. Forty-three percent of children growing up in America today are being raised without their fathers.

Our houses are divided against themselves.

And they can't stand. They fall apart leaving broken people behind. Why? Why this pain and separation, why is there a brokenness in so many homes today? Those are questions I can't answer in any way besides blaming it on sin. I've seen what happy families look like, I've seen broken families, I've even seen Christian families suffering. There are many theories on what exactly causes the division: alcohol, poverty, arguments, unfaithfulness; it all just points to sin. A house divided, by any form of sin, cannot stand. We need to stop being divided by sin. We should be unified in Christ. But instead, we allow the sin to divide us, we hang on to our pride and watch our families collapse. The sin gets in the way of each part doing their job, and the three-legged stool falls. No family is perfect, every stool will wobble from time to time, but a family that seeks unity in Christ will resolve their differences. They will forgive each other when wronged. A unified family will experience sin but won't let it divide them.
If you, or someone you know, is in a house that is divided against itself, then there is one piece of advice I can give you: communicate. Communication is key. You have to speak out and let someone know what is wrong. Tell your family that this isn't how we are called to be. Show them the dividedness and explain the need for unity in Christ. If you live in a family that gets along and functions well, then you are truly blessed, I know there are families like that and it's amazing to see how they work together. But if your family is struggling, or you see someone struggling because of family issues, than you understand the pain. You realize how fallen your divided family is. Here's the good news: there is hope. You can speak out. I know that's hard. Saying something takes courage. I know that it seems impossibly difficult. But it is better than the pain of a broken home, and ultimately ought to lead to the glory of Christ. When you have the courage to speak out against the divisions in your home, the unity of Christ can be restored.


1 Peter 3:8 "Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind."
Ephesians 4:2-3 " Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."

These are just two of the many Bible verses explaining the need for unity. Today, I want to encourage you to seek that unity. We need to stop letting sin divide us, and stand together in Christ. As Benjamin Franklin puts it, "We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately."

3 Important Things

I was reading a book recently, when I realized that there was a theme to it that is very important. The book emphasized three different things that effect us every day. Three important things that need to be brought attention to. So that's what I am going to do today. Here are three important things.



Family
The importance of family cannot be over emphasized. Our families shape who we are, these are the people that surround us, for better or for worse. If your family is falling apart, then it feels like your life is as well. Family is everything. They should be there for support and advice. But today, that image is falling apart. Families aren't always what they are supposed to be. Parents divorce, kids rebel, families are shattered. I think the world today needs more of the ties that so closely bonded families in past years. Lord help us all on the day that children must face trials with no one to stand beside them. Obligation to family is vital. We need to remember how families are supposed to work. The father leads, the wife nurtures and advises, the children respect and obey. We need to return to that. Because without a loving family, life is so much harder.

History
History needs to be remembered. Many bad things can be avoided if we would just study the mistakes of the past. As I read this book, I was astonished to learn that Hitler justified what he did by believing no one would remember it in a few years. He says, "Accordingly, I have placed my death-head formation in readiness – for the present only in the East – with orders to them to send to death mercilessly and without compassion, men, women, and children of Polish derivation and language. Only thus shall we gain the living space which we need. Who, after all, remembers today the annihilation of the Armenians?" Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it, and it pains me to realize that Hitler justified his extermination of the Jews by the lack of remembrance of history! Because no one remembered the Armenian Genocide, Hitler believed we would forget the Holocaust. I hope was not right. We need to study history. Hitler’s remark should inspire readers to remember our history, in doing so they may prevent the next major world tragedy.


The Triumph of Good
The most important thing that I find in any book I read, is the triumph of good. Throughout history, we see the same theme. Every story in every culture has had a hero of some sort who is able to show all people that good continuously triumphs over evil. Cinderella triumphs over her stepsisters. The Avengers triumph over Loki or Ultron. Same thing in real life, the good guys win. America earned her freedom. Hitler was defeated. The Soviet Union fell. Sure, bad things happen, but throughout history good prevails. This theme is evident in life as well, you will go through struggles, hardships, and pain. But throughout your journey, you will find goodness and joy in small doses and in the end, courage and perseverance will be rewarded. It is this triumph of good that makes life worth living. Whatever you're going through right now, whoever you are, know that in the end, everything will turn out ok. Even if it feels like you are being crushed by pain in your life, I know that you will pull through. The sun will come out again. We have hope. Hold on to it.


The book I read was called, A Road From Home, it wasn't my favorite, but it was a true story about a girl surviving the Armenian Genocide. These three themes were throughout the book, and I found myself relating to them. I know that if a family is torn apart, life is so much harder, so there is a lot of value in close family bonds. History must be remembered, we must not make the mistakes of those before us. And ultimately, good triumphs. We have hope. If we lose sight of that hope then life can get depressing. Without these three things our society would crumble. We need to hold on to the old idea of family, we need to remember history, and we need to realize that there is hope. There is hope in your life, you will get through whatever hardship you are faced with, good will triumph once more.

Perfect Moments

Occasionally in life you run across a moment that is absolutely perfect. Everything is right with the world and for just one moment nothing seems to matter. Those are moments that we live for, the moments we hold on to for joy, the ones that give us the courage to continue when the going get rough. Here are a few times you might identify with that give me the feeling that everything is as it should be.

1. Watching fireworks with friends
Every year, around the 4th of July, we have friends come over and watch fireworks. And it's an incredible time. The fireworks are right over us and I am surrounded by friends. It's one of those moments where I can take a deep breath and realize that everything is just as it should be.

2. A friend winning something
Being there as someone you know really well wins something is exciting. When your friend receives an award, you should be celebrating along with them. There is so much joy and everyone is jumping and shouting and congratulating, it's just a happy time. For a few seconds I can look around at all my friends celebrating and see that it's a perfect moment.

3. Eating ice cream and watching the sunset
Just chilling at the end of a long day is amazing. Looking out at the sunset while eating ice cream makes a perfect ending to any day. Those moments where you are able to just relax and think are rare but amazing. That's when time stands still and life seems perfect.

4. Getting a perfect score
After you've worked really hard on something, getting a perfect score is amazing. When I take my tests online I get super exited if I see the grade I want and for a moment, life is perfectly fine (until you realize that now you have to take another test). We take pride in our work, so it's natural that seeing a perfect score on something you did makes your day. For me, seeing a perfect score gives me a moment of pure joy.

5. Reading the ending of a great book
Books are amazing. The good ones take you on a roller-coaster of emotions and lead you through exciting plot twists all of it culminating in a grand conclusion that keeps you fully engaged until the last sentence. That's when everything is about to be resolved, everything is pinned on this last moment. And when you read that last sentence there is, for a moment, that perfect feeling that everything is right with the world.


6. Writing a blog post that feels right
I love to write. I write a lot. I'm passionate about all my posts and have truly enjoyed writing them. But there are some that feel different. Some that I finish and I read over and over because it's not like the other things I write. Those posts just seem perfect (though I know they aren't). And it gives me a moment where I can look at the words I write, and I feel like nothing else matters for a second. I get great satisfaction from posting things that I really connect to and that feel right. Even if the post has it's flaws, writing it and seeing my work come to a conclusion is amazing.

These are a few of the perfect moments in my life. Perfect moments give us courage and hope when you are at a low point. We need to hold on to them, appreciate them, because life is hard.

So pause, for just a second.

Take a little while out of your busy day and look around. Look at when you in a situation where everything felt right. Think about the times when your doing something and you wish you could stay there forever, suspended in that perfect moment. And when life gets busy, and difficult, and depressing, remember those times and take courage, have hope that every once in while, the world will feel right again. We all need to remember and appreciate those perfect moments that give us the Courage 2 Continue.

Reading

“You don’t have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.” This quote by Ray Bradbury challenges us to ask ourselves some very important questions about whether we are reading today. Are we destroying a great culture by not reading the books provided about it? Are we gaining the knowledge gleaned from a thousand minds on what we stand for? It’s very important to ask ourselves these questions today as television and social media become more and more prevalent. I want to encourage you to read more, not just texts, tweets, blogs, or Facebook. I mean books, good books written by intelligent people that open your eyes and make you think. Books that inspire you, educate you, and fill you with emotion.

Gene Veith, a professor of literature says “reading can break us out of the tunnel vision of the narrow specialty and lead us into many intriguing avenues of thought.” Reading breaks us out of our tunnel vision, it opens our eyes to new ideas and different ways of thinking. Rene Descartes a French scientist said “the reading of all good books is like a conversation with the finest minds of the past centuries." When people write books, they are passing down their knowledge and experience, and you get to receive it. Obviously reading Plato or Aristotle will teach you something, but even Jane Austen, Louisa May Alcott, and Lucy Montgomery have something to convey, a message that they want you to hear. You have an opportunity to know what some of the smartest people in the world think (or thought) about the world.

And yet, we often don't take advantage of it. Many of us think we don't have enough time to read, and that may be true. But you should make time. Time doesn't just appear, we have to manage our time to make room for what is important. Reading is one of those things. More and more research is showing that the very act of reading has powerful effects on the brain, both now and in the future. Because it calls into play several areas of the brain reading demands more then processing images or speech, reading assists brain development and makes you think. Do you want to speak eloquently? Read. Want to expand your vocabulary? Read. You should read about our history, read about theology, read about economics. The Committee for Economic Development, did a survey to find out what sort of mental capacities were considered the most important in business. The most important thing was “high level of literacy”. Understanding the meaning of what you read is a vital skill with many rewards. Our culture, our history, and our beliefs are contained inside of some of the best pieces of literature ever written. It's important that we make use of it.

We have a wealth of knowledge at our fingertips, and most of us ignore it every day. There are more than 160 million books printed in English. So even if you read three books every day for a hundred years, you still would have read only half of them, you would have only scratched the surface of literature. There are so many books that could change your life, so read them, they are important. During World War Two, books were burned, knowledge that we have today was sought after and destroyed. Why? Because knowledge IS power! We are squandering our chance to seize that power. The Nazis viewed literature as important, and I generally wouldn't suggest taking tips from the Nazis, but they made a good point: books are important. Use them. (Not in the same way the Nazis did obviously.)

William Goodwin says “He that loves reading has everything in his reach,” If you're bored, entertainment is only a few pages away. When you need a good story, to cheer you up, to make you cry, or to educate you, go read. It's that simple. Stop turning to Facebook for all that. Don't just text someone. Don't rely on blogs Twitter for advice. Go pick up a book. Need some recommendations? Here are 5 of my favorites:

1. Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank

2. Hope was here by Joan Bauer

3. The Chosen by Chaim Potok

4. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand 

5. The Contender by Robert Lipsyte

These are just a few of the many, many books I would suggest you read. These are books that have taught and inspired me. These are the books that I read over and over again. Make time in your life to read. If you read anyway, great! Go inspire someone else to pick up a book. Out of the millions of books in print today, there are ones that can change the way you think and broaden your knowledge. Don't stop looking for them. 

Overcoming fear

                                             

I was falling. 

It seemed like forever. And then with a crash, I landed. I a chorus of gasps from those around me, felt a flash of pain, and then began to see faces crowding in around me.


That was the moment that started one of the most pressing and unrelenting fears I have ever been challenged with. Fear is something that we all face, and mine came about abruptly. I had just attempted a backward tumbling pass at gymnastics and had hesitated....a moment too long. Even though I had practiced the skill a thousand times, on this one attempt I felt a moment of panic, so I stopped and began to fall. Since that moment, I have been gripped by a fear of this skill. Fear is common and is a struggle for all of us. And today I want to teach you to conquer your fears. I am going to do that with an acronym; FEAR; Faith you will overcome it, evaluating to understand it, actions to defeat it, and resolve to conquer it. Four letters, four steps to deal with fear; faith, evaluation, actions, resolve.

Faith is hope that we can overcome, and trust in something greater than ourselves that we will. But it is different for everyone. You have to first recognize what your fear is, then what it will teach you. Maybe you struggle with a fear of talking to someone or talking in front of people. Maybe it’s a small fear of bugs or snakes, maybe it is something big like a fear of a car crash. Whatever it is, everyone has that moment when they recognize that they are scared of something. For me, it was right after I hesitated on that backflip. We don't want bad things to happen to us, so we are afraid of the future. But we should have faith that God will help us through, that he has a plan for us and this anxiety over something cannot hold us down. A popular Bible verse in Psalm 23:4 states, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Though it may seem pretty hopeless at the time, you can have faith that God will see you through. But we must also have faith that we will grow in some way because of fear, that it will teach us something. One of my first memories of being afraid was in a tree when I was seven. I don’t remember how I had gotten up, all I knew was that I had to get down, and soon! But I was petrified and refused to move. And I remember my Dad telling me that fear is a good thing, it is natural, we all have it and we need to learn from it. It warns us not to do dangerous things, but too much of it is bad. You have to recognize what it is warning you about, and then weigh the pros and cons of continuing. Yes, I eventually got down from the tree, but those words stuck with me. We all should analyze our fear, and figure out what it is warning us of, and then weigh the advantages of pushing through, all the while trusting that God has a purpose.

Then you have to evaluate your fear, figure out the experiences that gave you the fear and the experiences that will get you through. There was probably something that lead up to a fear you have. Perhaps watching a friend go through what you are afraid of or maybe seeing something in the news, whatever it was, once you know where you got the fear from you can consider the likelihood of what you fear actually happening, and if it is really that bad. Right after I crashed on my tumbling, it seemed like everything was over, like my whole world had collapsed. I couldn’t see a light at the end of this tunnel. And for a while, I wasn't sure if I should continue. But now that I have some perspective I realize the pain was not that severe, and I was only out of my sport for about a week. Being in the experience I was afraid and blew the problem out of proportion, but if you take a moment to step back and think about what you’re afraid of and why, you may find that it really isn’t so bad. And then you can rationally evaluate the problem.


Next come the actions, setting and fulfilling goals. Your courage is like a bank account. The more you take action against your fear, the more your confidence grows. There is an ancient Cherokee legend of an old man speaking to his grandson, he says, “there is a fight going on inside of everyone, it is a terrible fight between two wolves. One is evil and ugly: he is fear, self-doubt, negativity. The other wolf is good and beautiful: he is joy, confidence, hope, and courage.” The grandson thought for a moment and then cried out, “which wolf will win?” to which the elder replied, “the wolf that you feed.” And this is something we should all think about. There is no truce, no middle ground. Either the confidence in you is winning, or the fear is taking control, and every decision you make, every action taken, feeds one or the other. That is why you must actively fight your fear, and feed only the wolf that you want to win this struggle.



But the most important part of facing a fear is the resolve to get through. Without resolve, you may set goals, but you won’t achieve them, you can’t move anywhere unless you are resolved to do so. And what was foundational to my perseverance in conquering fear was 1 John 4:18 which says, “there is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear.”

Fear and love cannot coexist, and I found that if I truly loved whatever I was afraid of, that fear went away. And now, whenever I feel a touch of anxiety I say that verse over and over, and remind myself why I am doing this. If I love the person I am about to go talk to, then I won’t fear. If I love what I am doing, then I won’t fear what other people think. If I love God, then I won’t fear doing anything that honors Him. And if I love gymnastics then I will not fear performing a skill. The joy outweighs the anxiety. As I began performing that backflip again, I set simple goals for myself and found the joy flooding back and conquering the fear. So, commit to facing your fear without resolve, any fight is pointless, but with it, anything is possible.



I can’t tell you that these four steps work perfectly to conquer all fear. They can help, but they are not magical. Only we have the power to work the magic, to make amazing things happen. So I challenge you, if fear is the only thing holding you from something great, stop letting it conquer you. Have faith that you will come out of it stronger. Evaluate what you’re afraid of, maybe it’s not so bad. Take action against your fear every day and build your confidence. And whatever you do, stay resolved to not let it get the best of you. Always remember that fear is no match for love, but perfect love drives out all fear.

How to be liked by everyone

Be liked by everyone, like this cat, you can't deny he is adorable.

You want to be that person everybody likes? The one who has life figured out and attracts people? Well, you came to the right place. This is 5 ways to be liked by everyone.


1. Always smile

Nobody wants to be around someone who is sad, so as long as you look happy you have a chance at being liked. Who cares if you're not actually happy? If you want everyone to like you, you should smile.


2. Don't ever ask for help

Asking for help makes you seem desperate, and this is the last thing you want to be. No one likes a desperate person. You never want to show people how much you are struggling. Don't ask others for help.


3. Never disagree

Make it seem like you agree with whoever you're with at the moment. Even if it seems ridiculous, you don't want to tell them that because then they won't like you. Just passively agree with anything someone says.


4. Don't talk about yourself

People love to be the center of attention, so pay attention to them. Ask them questions and dodge talking about yourself, if you talk about yourself they might figure out how messy your life really is. It's better to make them feel important.

5. Do what everyone else does

To be liked, you should want to fit in. Don't stand out. Don't do anything that makes you look different or weird. Just copy the "cool kids". Then people won't hate you for anything, and even better, they'll like you! Follow along and don't differ from everyone else, and you will be liked.


BONUS:

6. Be perfect

Guys, this just sums up everything. If you are always perfect, you will be liked by everyone. People will want to be around you. So just be perfect.



P.S. I hope you guys realize that this is sarcasm. No one is liked by everyone. No one is perfect. You should not be afraid to show what you are truly feeling, to ask for help, to disagree, and to stand out. You might not be liked by every one, but you don't need to be. You just need a few good friends who you can be yourself around. There will be people who don't like you. That's fine. Winston Churchill says, "You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life." So stand out. Be brave. And here are three things you can do to actually make friends: Be selfless, be kind, be empathetic. That's the kind of person who is liked, not by everyone, but by good people. You will make enemies, but at least you stood for something.

Being Watched

What if you knew that every single move you made was seen and copied? What if every word you said was repeated? What if all of your decisions became mandatory for everyone else?

That probably scares most of us.



Just the idea that I am being watched by cameras at work scares me, I can't even take the pressure of a roomful of people watching me. But the knowledge that everyone had to act like me? I wouldn't be able to take that pressure, I would be frozen stiff with fear. But not long ago, I was at debate camp and the instructor showed us this quote:

       

           "Live your life as though your every act were to become a universal law" 

                                                   -Immanuel Kant


And that was the moment that this blog post was born (I just procrastinated on finishing it for a while) Just think about that quote. Your every act becoming a universal law. Talk about pressure! Most of us would change our actions, right? We would at least think through things more. My last post, on respect, talked about being respectful and earning respect. To be respected, you have to live a lifestyle that can be respected. That doesn't mean acting well just in public. It doesn't mean not strangling getting along with your siblings when your being watched. It means LIVING YOUR LIFE  in a way that deserves respect. ALWAYS. As though EVERY act would become a law.



And that's hard. But we should try it. In this world we where can be anything, we should be respectable. If you knew that literally everything you did was becoming mandatory for everyone else, would you change the way you act? I know that my actions would change drastically if my decisions were becoming a law. We change our actions if we think we are being watched. But there are some people who seem to be perfect all the time. Those are the people you keep watching. And I have been privileged to know people like that. In fact, there are people reading this that have inspired me to be a better person. People who are constantly kind, full of joy, and always understanding. And I'm sure there are people like that in your life as well. Those are the people we need to try to be like, and eventually people will watch you as they see those same qualities in your life. We need to be living a life that inspires.




It's time that we start living a life that can be respected. We need to make ourselves examples for others in every action. And maybe, we can start a chain reaction. If we live our life as though we are being watched, chances are people will start to watch us. You could inspire someone to copy your actions, just by doing the right thing. You don't have to change the world to make an impact, just by living your life as though every act were to become a universal law makes an difference. It will impact you. It will inspire others. So I challenge you to change, and become a person worth watching, because people will watch.

Respect

“Respect is a two-way street, if you want to get it, you've got to give it." R.G. Risch

"Without feelings of respect, what is there to distinguish men from beasts?" Confucius

For five years, I was a gymnast. I made many friends. I received many medals. I attended three gyms.

And I have had nine coaches.

Nine individuals that asked for my obedience and earned my love. Nine people that inspired me and shaped me. Nine instructors that I respected. And now I am a coach. Now I have the chance to be like that. But I have started wondering, "how?" My coaches earned my respect, how do I earn it from others? In my search to answer these questions I came to a few conclusions. It all starts with understanding what respect is, what it looks like, and how to give it.

Respect is considered as only a shadow of what I believe it should be. The truth behind it seems to be disappearing, fading away. And yet it is foundational that we understand it. Respect is one of the most complicated ideas, but here's the simple definition:
RESPECT: “a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements.”

So it's a feeling. Great. How does that feeling come about? Well, what that feeling comes from is a perfect mixture of fear and love. If you love and fear someone, then you respect them. Respect is made up of these two feelings and is impossible without them. When you begin to lose the love you have for someone, respect disappears with it. When you lose the fear you have for someone the respect is lost. It takes a perfect mix of both emotions to achieve the feeling of respect. Now I said “perfect mixture” not “equal mixture” because I believe that in respect, love will be dominant. That's right, you must love more than you fear in order to respect someone. Here is why: most people are mostly good. Love is meant to be perfect, but we aren't perfect, if we were, love is all we would need for respect. As it is, most of us can have a respect that is mostly based on love but fear has to be there also. If you have fear and too little love, it turns into hate. If you have love but too little fear the respect disappears because you aren't afraid of what they think. Because it takes this perfect mix of two complicated emotions, respect for someone is extremely difficult to maintain for a long time.


That is the theory part of respect, but there is a result aspect to it as well. A true feeling of respect will have a certain behavior with it. It's complicated to understand though, since there can be those respectful actions even if the feeling isn't completely there. Without respect, the actions will all be done with humility and a recognition that that person is better, smarter, and wiser then you.
If you only fear them, you might refuse to make the slightest misstep in their presence. However, that behavior will rarely last when they aren't there or aren't looking. 
If you only love them, actions might not be done with their interests in mind. A true attitude of respect means that all behavior is done with regard to the person you respect and with what they would want in mind. So even if they aren't near, respect would demand perfect actions at all times.


I know, that seems like a really complicated explanation of a simple word. But that's just my opinion (none of this is scientifically proven or supported with any study that I know of.) Respect is fear and love and it demands actions that show that fear and love at all times. Respect can be faked and often is since it is difficult to maintain for a long time. You're probably wondering why in the world I care. Well, I have struggled with this idea for a while. I know I need to respect those in authority over me, but I couldn't fully do that without an understanding of what it entails. So I wrote it down and developed this theory. I did it in the hope that I could keep the respect I have for a few people for a while longer. I know it will be difficult, but respecting someone is always worth it.
Keeping respect for a long time is tough, but finding respect for people you just met is less difficult. It's often just not judging them too quickly. Passing a judgment too soon makes it harder to respect them if they earn your trust. If you have read this post than you know that I struggle with this. And recently, I have come to respect people I never thought I would. I judged them too soon, but they surprised me. So if you respect someone in your life right now, maintain that fear and love. If you have judged someone too harshly too soon, maybe look closer and see if they have earned your respect.

There is another reason I wanted to understand this topic.

I want to be respected.

Respect must be earned, it will never be given, I often wonder if I have earned mine. I am now a gymnastics coach, and earning respect is necessary. But I've discovered a sad truth: Respect is hard to earn and VERY easy to lose. It's a constant battle to make yourself respectable, loved, and feared. The one thing that has helped me the most is respecting others. Respect is truly a two-way street: in order to get it you have to give it. It's hard, and it's worth it. And yet, questions arise about this complicated concept: am I as upstanding as those people that I respect? Would I respect myself if I was one of my friends? How about you? What does respect look like in your life? Do people respect you? Who is it that you respect? Have you judged someone too quickly like I did? Respect is what separates us from the animals, we need to earn it and we need to respect others. It's a mixture of fear and love, it's a behavior of obedience at ALL times, and it's something you must give in order to receive.

An Invisible Audience

Imagine you've become a public speaker and have begun speaking in the same building every week. Every week you hear people file into the building, take a seat, and at the end of your performance you know when they leave. But they are invisible. When you speak you don't know who is watching, how many people, or if they enjoy listening. You speak, but don't know who hears you. You only know that they are there. So you start doing things to try to interact with this invisible audience. You ask them to ask questions. You suggest that they spread the word about you. You tell them to give you feedback. But there is no response. Week after week you go into that building and hear your invisible audience shuffle in, you have guessed from the noise it's anywhere from 20 to 75 people, but you can't tell if it's the same people or if the number is increasing. All you can do is keep trying to learn more about them. One day you even hear a rumor that someone from another country came to hear you speak. But there is no solid information. As a new speaker, you have no idea what to do. Maybe this is normal, maybe you just need to accept the silence and focus on you message, maybe they just hate everything you say and so choose to remain invisible. Even though you're uncertain, you keep speaking to this invisible audience. Grateful that they showed up, but curious who they are.

Today, I find myself in the same position. Not as a speaker, but as a writer. A blogger. I know most of my posts aren't any good, but I really want to keep trying. And yet, I really don't know who I am writing to. I write, but don't know who listens. I thought about naming this post "why won't they speak?" but I don't want to sound like I'm accusing anyone. I'm just curious who my invisible audience is. But I am incredibly thankful for you faithful people who keep reading what I write. So if you guys choose to stay invisible and silent, there's nothing wrong with that. In fact, I want to say "thank you" to you for showing up every time I post something new. If you know anyone who might be interested in reading this blog, please send it to them. And if you leave a comment or somehow let me know that you read this, than I will be beyond thankful and super excited. As a writer, knowing who my audience is would be amazing. I know nothing I write is good enough to deserve the views I do get, so I  honestly appreciate the fact that there are people who read it.

So yeah, it's a little odd to write to an invisible audience, but I am thankful that there is at least an audience. Thank you guys so much for reading my blog every time I post. If you want to, please leave a comment or share my blog with as many people as you can. I really don't want to seem invisible to you though, so to learn more about who I am you can read about me here. For now, I'll just keep writing to an audience that I know is there. And maybe, just maybe, I can inspire an invisible audience to have the Courage 2 Continue.

Independence Day!

                           

Today is July 4th. It's an important day in U.S. history because we celebrate our freedom and independence. We celebrate how unique our country is. We celebrate the rights that our forefathers died to give us. So today, our nation forgets the divide between Democrat and Republican. Forgets the tensions with North Korea. Forgets the battle over health care. Forgets the immigration problem. And forgets the issue of gun control. Today is important because we are able to look past all the problems that divide our country, everything politicians debate over, and everything we as a nation complain about, and we focus on what we do have: Freedom. We look back over what we have accomplished and what our Founding Fathers gave us, and we celebrate. So I think it's important that we remember exactly what that freedom entails, exactly what we have soldiers fighting for today. Because independence day is one of the only days that we really take a step back and count our blessings. I compiled a list of quotes and ideas that our nation was founded and help us remember what the 4th of July is all about.

• Patrick Henry from a speech he made to the Second Virginia Convention on March 23, 1775, "Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace, but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"

• Preamble to the U.S. Declaration of Independence, 1776. "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."

• Declaration of Independence conclusion, "....that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor."

• Preamble to the U.S. Constitution, signed 1787, ratified 1788, "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

• The Star Spangled Banner. Inspired by the sight of the American flag flying over Fort McHenry, Francis Scott Key scribbled the initial verse of his song on the back of a letter. Later, he completed the song by adding three more verses. The first verse became our National Anthem.

(Verse 1) "O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hail’d at the twilight’s last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight
O’er the ramparts we watch’d were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there,
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?"

(Verse 4) "O thus be it ever when freemen shall stand

Between their lov’d home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with vict’ry and peace may the heav’n rescued land
Praise the power that hath made and preserv’d us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto - “In God is our trust,”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave."

• Emma Lazarus’ sonnet, New Colossus,

"Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”"

• Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address, November 19, 1863.
  

"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

• Ronald Reagan "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same."

Remember what today is all about. Freedom. Rights. Independence. Look past the imperfections of our country and focus on what God gave us: The United States of America.