Gay Marriage and Abortion

Now that elections are upon us it seems that everyone wants the Christian conservative who will put an end to gay marriage, abortion, and stem cell research.  I posit that Jesus doesn't care about which laws the government has as much as he cares about the govern's heart behind it.  We can have all the laws in the world in place, banning things that Jesus' heart breaks for, but unless the populations' hearts are on the same page it is fruitless.  A homosexual couple rather than getting married will simply live in their own closet continuing to defile God's expression of love to us through a male-female marriage; a teenage mom will grow a resentful spirit either towards her parents, government, her child, or God for having her go through with the pregnancy.

I would rather have an America where we are free to choose what we want to do (not merging religion and government) but we choose not to act on our "civil liberties" that displease our creator and lover.  So the next time you stand up against politicians who think citizens should be able to marry whom they want or to carry or abort their child, I plead with you, stand up instead for love and justice.  Pray for those who would want to use that liberty (because if you're just doing something and never praying for the action, how much do you really care about it?) and do something about it.  Mentor, teach, pray with and foster those who need to see the redeeming power of Jesus.

Adoption

In recent years there has been a huge focus on abortion.  So many are picketing and praying against planned parenthood.  If Christians are advocating birth of the child, many of these children are going to be put up for adoption.  Are these Christians willing to adopt these babies that are being put up for adoption?

Prayer Point for Nigeria

In the past few days I have been thinking about the church and society.  I think that Christians in general are doing a poor job at truly loving the downtrodden, myself included.  I, myself, do not have revelation concerning how to overcome poverty, classes, complacency, and the like, but know that I am definitely not praying enough towards those ends.  My prayer is for a holistic ministry - or holistic ministry partners - taking care of all needs.  God, break in and show how we can better glorify you in college, street, and international ministry.

Overridden Compromise

One amazing chorus sung by Jaye Thomas and Cory Asbury has been a huge theme over the past few weeks.

Finally, I'll arise.  My desire for you overrides my compromise.

 I compromise in my life all the time.  Even right before sinning, the conscious thought often roles through my mind of, "I could choose sin or Jesus in this very moment."  Sadly, I often choose the former.  It's extremely clear that God desires all of us in a life without compromise towards his love.  In the last two days, I think I am finally gaining ground by grace in regard to certain sins that have plagued me for years.  With God's mercy, I will not compromise my relationship with God through sin nor waiting for earthly pleasures and things instead of actively and immediately following the plans he gives me.

God's Encouragement Over Christmas Break

Christmas break can be one of three things - it can tank your spiritual growth, you could hold on to what you had, or it could be a time of huge growth in the Lord.  I always seek that latter of the three.  For that to happen, one must overcome apathy and the temptress of idleness and press into God all the day long.  While there hasn't been incredible growth as of yet (it's only been a week) I have been extremely encouraged.  As Jesus came in part to redeem all the things of this earth through living out perfection, he has been showing me redemption in different areas of my life - ones I have been hard towards for years.  Basically, he is showing me that life is the fullest in him and that everything in life can and should point towards the immense love we find in Him and Him alone.  He REALLY wants to reveal that fullness of love to us so that we are able to experience and share even more of his love through other areas of life!

Nigera Blessings and Prayer
Another encouragement God has given me is continued excitement in myself and others I talk to about Nigeria.  Through talks with my beloved friends at church, I was reminded how blessed I am with people throughout my life who believe in sharing Christ's love and joy with others.  Join me in prayer this week for God's revelation of how to minister to, share Jesus with, disciple, encourage and help those we meet in Nigeria.  God will prepare us and take care of us to those ends, but I want to be asking along with His heart towards those ends the whole way there.

An End to a Semester - Overview of the Next 10 Months

Yesterday marked for me the end of my ninth semester of college.  Once again free from the confines of test-deadlines looming over my head, I am in the process of planning for the upcoming break and my next and final semester and onward.

Christmas
Over the Christmas break I will be back in Boerne for most of the time.  I will also be going up to McKinney to see my beloved grandma and thereafter going to Ohio for a conference led by our church along with many others.

2012
I am in the process of getting together all the classes I need in order to graduate in May.  For the summer I plan to stay in College Station for most of the time while preparing to go on a mission trip to Nigeria from June 30 - July 30.  I will be building relationships and praying with our team during that time.  We will be partnering with the organization HELP (Health, Education, and Literacy Providers) to specifically share the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ to the Fulani people in the bush.  Finally, in September I plan to begin training and raising support to go on staff with Fellowship Church - our church here in College Station.

God's Work This Semester
This semester has been another semester of undeserved blessing God has lavished on me.  One of the biggest things that I have learned this semester is to continue to be diligent with the things for which I know I am responsible.  The parable of the talents keeps coming up where the master entrusts three servants with 5, 2 and 1 talent.  The ones with 5 and 2 talents double what was given to them, and the master gives them more responsibility as a result.  They also get to share more in the master's joy!  However, the one with 1 talent hid it.  The master was not particularly happy with this servant.  Taking the example of the ones given 5 and 2 talents, I want to be responsible with the tasks I know are a part of God's heart.  Specifically this would be loving God first and above all else (Matthew 22:36-39), taking his gospel of salvation to as many people as possible and building them in the faith - making disciples (Matthew 28:18-20; 1 Corinthians 9:19, 22-23), and do everything for God's glory - especially being responsible concerning my family, schooling, and housekeeping (1 Corinthians 10:31).

My homegroup (smallgroup) and I were able to be a part of watching God bring someone from death to life - a salvation - and the growth of a new believer!  We have had a large focus this semester on the word of God - the Bible.  I think it is extremely important to know what it says, because it is the written word of God.  When we really internalize Scripture, it will be on our tongue in the good times and bad - ready to offer praise to God as well as combat evil.  I have had the privilege of being the leader of my small group beginning this semester and will continue to be next semester as well as prepare my roommate and dear friend, Davey Armstrong, to take over in my place once the Fall 2012 semester begins.  God keeps showing up in awesome ways, and I am excited to see more the depths of his love!