Friday, August 14, 2009
Good Night 08/14/09
Dear Father, thank you so much for living inside me through your Holy Spirit. Thank you for the assurance of your love, your presence, your power, and your guidance as I try to make the decisions and face the challenges of my daily life. Dear Father, as I yield my heart and my will to your Spirit's transforming grace and power, please help me develop more of your character and more completely display your grace today, and every day, as I face the tasks before me. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Test Your Discipline
Aesthetic Performance Nutrition Quiz
#
Questions:
1.
I wake up every day with a smile
--I go off to a private room to praise God for His excellence, and thank Him for His continual mercy.
--I stretch and meditate in His Word every morning in preparation of every day..
2.
I eat breakfast every morning
--I eat vegetables and/or fruit with each feeding
--I eat 4-6 times per day.
--I eat my meals with good posture.
--I praise God before every meal.
3.
I endure at least 1hr ½ of physical exertion daily.
5.
I drink enough water to have 5 clear urinations per day – two of which are after games/practices/training
6.
I have high-quality, complete protein with each feeding
Ex:
--fish
--poultry
--cheese
--eggs
--yogurt
--milk
7.
I consume junk food (e.g. pop, chips, donuts, candy, fries) 2 or less times per month
8.
I recognize God’s significance within my life.
--I pray before I travel, eat, sleep, practice, or play.
--I am consistently reminded of God’s undying excellence.
--I seek and find joy in every day.
--I work hard towards all of my goals, in constant repentance for my mistakes.
--I read the Bible every day.
--I record a daily testament of God’s grace.
9.
I bring my post-training meal (e.g. chocolate milk) with me to the gym/games/practices and consume it immediately after.
10.
I work hard every day to remain in the Spirit
--I work at my own pace, seeking wisdom in all my practices.
--I hear my thoughts in His voice, and speak Truth.
--I recognize imposing spirits (i.e secular music/foolish conduct/etc.) and remain humbly alert
--I am currently progressing towards alleviating of ALL my bad habits.
11.
If Jesus were to appear, and join me at my last meal, he would have been pleased.
Scoring:
9-10
You are a Superstar! It’s either that, or your need to be more honest. If you are the former, keep up the great work, set an example for the rest of your team and help hold your team-mates accountable for their aesthetic performance nutrition.
7-8
You are doing well. Keep doing what you are doing and gradually make the changes so you can move your score up.
6-5
You have some things going for you, but need to work on getting more “yes” answers. At this rate, you likely not see any improvement in your health, body composition or your ability to excecute.
3-4
You are currently enduring through your life far below your physical and spiritual potential. You will see some great improvements in your health, body composition and aesthetic performance once you start getting more “yes” answers.
0-2
Your lack of discipline is severely hindering your health, body composition and performance. You need to decide if you are really ready to commit to doing what it takes to serve God.
#
Questions:
1.
I wake up every day with a smile
--I go off to a private room to praise God for His excellence, and thank Him for His continual mercy.
--I stretch and meditate in His Word every morning in preparation of every day..
2.
I eat breakfast every morning
--I eat vegetables and/or fruit with each feeding
--I eat 4-6 times per day.
--I eat my meals with good posture.
--I praise God before every meal.
3.
I endure at least 1hr ½ of physical exertion daily.
5.
I drink enough water to have 5 clear urinations per day – two of which are after games/practices/training
6.
I have high-quality, complete protein with each feeding
Ex:
--fish
--poultry
--cheese
--eggs
--yogurt
--milk
7.
I consume junk food (e.g. pop, chips, donuts, candy, fries) 2 or less times per month
8.
I recognize God’s significance within my life.
--I pray before I travel, eat, sleep, practice, or play.
--I am consistently reminded of God’s undying excellence.
--I seek and find joy in every day.
--I work hard towards all of my goals, in constant repentance for my mistakes.
--I read the Bible every day.
--I record a daily testament of God’s grace.
9.
I bring my post-training meal (e.g. chocolate milk) with me to the gym/games/practices and consume it immediately after.
10.
I work hard every day to remain in the Spirit
--I work at my own pace, seeking wisdom in all my practices.
--I hear my thoughts in His voice, and speak Truth.
--I recognize imposing spirits (i.e secular music/foolish conduct/etc.) and remain humbly alert
--I am currently progressing towards alleviating of ALL my bad habits.
11.
If Jesus were to appear, and join me at my last meal, he would have been pleased.
Scoring:
9-10
You are a Superstar! It’s either that, or your need to be more honest. If you are the former, keep up the great work, set an example for the rest of your team and help hold your team-mates accountable for their aesthetic performance nutrition.
7-8
You are doing well. Keep doing what you are doing and gradually make the changes so you can move your score up.
6-5
You have some things going for you, but need to work on getting more “yes” answers. At this rate, you likely not see any improvement in your health, body composition or your ability to excecute.
3-4
You are currently enduring through your life far below your physical and spiritual potential. You will see some great improvements in your health, body composition and aesthetic performance once you start getting more “yes” answers.
0-2
Your lack of discipline is severely hindering your health, body composition and performance. You need to decide if you are really ready to commit to doing what it takes to serve God.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Quick Shout
wishes nothing but the best for you; though, many of you may not trust in my new found spirituality. I praise God for His immediate response to all of my prayers. If you have something you need to pray about, let me know. I'll be more than happy to pray with you. It amazes me, how fast God is moving for those who show faith within their prayers. Congrats On The House G-ma!! GIG!
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Persistence Pays Off
How many times have you been backed so deep into a corner, and the Lord pulled you out?
Countless times, we humans face adversity within our lives to the point where revival seems impossible. Then, in the midst of our struggle God performs a miracle, while we look around in amazment, failing to acknowledge Truth - that He is able no matter the circumstance.
When the worst of our troubles attack us, there should only be one name that we call on for help; and, that is Jesus. Still, intoxicated by worldly enticement, many of us tend to put our faith in family, spouses, and peers, among many other things, which can not save us. We forget about God in the midst of our struggle, when it's the hard times that should draw us nearer to Him.
The Syrophoenician woman knew where to place her faith. She knew what Jesus was capable of doing. Imagine a small woman, nothing notable, just hot and tired with lines of worry deeply etched in her face. She walked miles to get to Jesus, and the disciples had the nerve to try and send her away because she was bothering them! Though, the disciples failed to recognize that the Syrophoenician woman was on a mission. It did not matter to her that Jesus was trying to rest, or that the disciples did not want her there. She refused to leave -- she couldn't. Scared for her daughter, she would not tolerate obstacles put in her way.
The woman's child was ill with spirits of anger, rage, and disobedience. When she faced Jesus (as recorded in Mark 7:24-30; Mathew 15:21-28), He responds to her request negatively, comparing her to a dog.
I know what you might be thinking, these don't sound like words from a very gracious God; however, Jesus used this lack of love and compassion to try and provoke the Syrophoenician woman to see how she would respond. Jesus could clearly recognize her good faith; thus, he tested her faith to show His disciples that non-Jews could also be faithful.
Jesus' harsh words did not deter the Syrophoenician woman from her goal. She was respectful to Him. Jesus threw out a crumb at her, and she said she would gladly take the crumb. The Syrophoenician woman had heart! She was not going to let cruel words, negativity, or haughty attitudes deny her daughter new life.
We cannot allow mere words set our faith off track. We must continue to trust and believe in the Lord that He has everything under control.
The Syrophoenician woman was persistent. She was determined within her faith in God's perpetual grace. Impressed with the Syrophoenician woman's great faith, Jesus relented. She possessed a faith that was so great that she could withstand disparaging remarks. She did not yeild, placing her trust soundly in Christ.
Like her, we cannot give up, turn around, or turn away--no matter what. Like her, we must have strong faith in Christ, Jesus.
We must persist and move obstacles out of our way!
~T$ God Bless
Countless times, we humans face adversity within our lives to the point where revival seems impossible. Then, in the midst of our struggle God performs a miracle, while we look around in amazment, failing to acknowledge Truth - that He is able no matter the circumstance.
When the worst of our troubles attack us, there should only be one name that we call on for help; and, that is Jesus. Still, intoxicated by worldly enticement, many of us tend to put our faith in family, spouses, and peers, among many other things, which can not save us. We forget about God in the midst of our struggle, when it's the hard times that should draw us nearer to Him.
The Syrophoenician woman knew where to place her faith. She knew what Jesus was capable of doing. Imagine a small woman, nothing notable, just hot and tired with lines of worry deeply etched in her face. She walked miles to get to Jesus, and the disciples had the nerve to try and send her away because she was bothering them! Though, the disciples failed to recognize that the Syrophoenician woman was on a mission. It did not matter to her that Jesus was trying to rest, or that the disciples did not want her there. She refused to leave -- she couldn't. Scared for her daughter, she would not tolerate obstacles put in her way.
The woman's child was ill with spirits of anger, rage, and disobedience. When she faced Jesus (as recorded in Mark 7:24-30; Mathew 15:21-28), He responds to her request negatively, comparing her to a dog.
I know what you might be thinking, these don't sound like words from a very gracious God; however, Jesus used this lack of love and compassion to try and provoke the Syrophoenician woman to see how she would respond. Jesus could clearly recognize her good faith; thus, he tested her faith to show His disciples that non-Jews could also be faithful.
Jesus' harsh words did not deter the Syrophoenician woman from her goal. She was respectful to Him. Jesus threw out a crumb at her, and she said she would gladly take the crumb. The Syrophoenician woman had heart! She was not going to let cruel words, negativity, or haughty attitudes deny her daughter new life.
We cannot allow mere words set our faith off track. We must continue to trust and believe in the Lord that He has everything under control.
The Syrophoenician woman was persistent. She was determined within her faith in God's perpetual grace. Impressed with the Syrophoenician woman's great faith, Jesus relented. She possessed a faith that was so great that she could withstand disparaging remarks. She did not yeild, placing her trust soundly in Christ.
Like her, we cannot give up, turn around, or turn away--no matter what. Like her, we must have strong faith in Christ, Jesus.
We must persist and move obstacles out of our way!
~T$ God Bless
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
A Time To Grow
Why is everyone in such a bad mood?
I mean, don't get me wrong, I understand that times are hard. Everyone is searching for a job, or a house, or this or that, and no one seems to care enough to listen or lend a hand; but, honestly, must we complain SO much?
I hate to be the one to say it, but I'm tired of hearing about everybody elses problems. I would be cliche and say, "I have enough of my own"; however, that is not even the issue...
What ever happened to Faith? We have to BELIEVE in God in the midst of ALL of our circumstances. If you don't believe in God, believe in your dreams because, believe it or not, your dreams are illustrative of what God has in store for you. And, if you can't do that because you "can't remember what you dream"; then believe in yourself! Either way, we have to start believing in something!
Times are hard for everybody. Trust me, you are not alone. My only question is, how long are we going to continue to feel sorry for ourselves before we begin to wake up and start working towards our blessings?
I recently read an article that criticized society within America for its support of, what was referred to as, the "Good Negro" -- A page long exculpation on how the white man flatters and adorns the good (educated) negros of today's society (i.e. Jay-Z, Magic Johnson, or Barack Obama) to control and manipulate the temperment and actions of the average negro... To me, it all sounded like an author's humdrum response to a really bad day.
It's like, we all want to sit around and point fingers all over the place in reference to who is to blame, as if continually acknowledging what we see to be the source of our problems is supposed to bring about some miraculous solution.
Sure, Bush might have single-handedly ruined the American economy, and you might be more "broke" than you trully deserve to be; but, we we have to pick this economy up together. If this economy is going to see any sort of progress, each of us is going to have to, individually, do our parts to become more disciplined within our minds and our spirits. We need to spend less time complaining about our situations, and more time learning about ourselves as well as others so that we may help each other out of these hard times. This comes with being deeply rooted in God, and holding on to faith. Take a tree for example, if a tree is not nurtured in the right way so that there is growth on the inside, there cannot be any on the outside. It will suffer and die out.
Part of the reason why the stuggle seems so impossible to overcome is because many people have lost all sense of morals. We don't know what it means to be faithful to God, and have no choice but to complain.
We have grown so fond of this world that we have allowed our obsessions to make us weak! Helpless, worthless souls, lounge around in front of the television praying for some microwaved blessing to pop up at their front door...like, "I should write a letter to the Home Makeover people so they can come and do my house"
..Get off your glutes bros and bras!
Prov 6:6-11 says, "Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provideth her meat in summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?....So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man."
We must stop treating God like some sort of genie, and getting mad whenever we don't receive what we wish for. Sure, we can always tell God what it is that we want. As long as we take steps in setting goals and remain diligent, faith will see to it that your prayers will be answered in due time. However, it starts with spiritual discipline. Without spiritual discipline we will not be able to remain true to God's vision/ purpose for our lives, which will eventually cause us to allow the Devil to distract us with worldly fascinations.
We must always remember, we are just passing through this wonderful and beautifull earth. God has given us every possible opportunity to live abundantly; to look upon every fresh impression; to develop every latent capacity; to grow as much as ever with His energy at work in us...
Times may be hard in the midst of these recessionary times, but growth is still within our grasp!
Let God shine within your heart, and be the light of this world.
~T$ God Bless
I mean, don't get me wrong, I understand that times are hard. Everyone is searching for a job, or a house, or this or that, and no one seems to care enough to listen or lend a hand; but, honestly, must we complain SO much?
I hate to be the one to say it, but I'm tired of hearing about everybody elses problems. I would be cliche and say, "I have enough of my own"; however, that is not even the issue...
What ever happened to Faith? We have to BELIEVE in God in the midst of ALL of our circumstances. If you don't believe in God, believe in your dreams because, believe it or not, your dreams are illustrative of what God has in store for you. And, if you can't do that because you "can't remember what you dream"; then believe in yourself! Either way, we have to start believing in something!
Times are hard for everybody. Trust me, you are not alone. My only question is, how long are we going to continue to feel sorry for ourselves before we begin to wake up and start working towards our blessings?
I recently read an article that criticized society within America for its support of, what was referred to as, the "Good Negro" -- A page long exculpation on how the white man flatters and adorns the good (educated) negros of today's society (i.e. Jay-Z, Magic Johnson, or Barack Obama) to control and manipulate the temperment and actions of the average negro... To me, it all sounded like an author's humdrum response to a really bad day.
It's like, we all want to sit around and point fingers all over the place in reference to who is to blame, as if continually acknowledging what we see to be the source of our problems is supposed to bring about some miraculous solution.
Sure, Bush might have single-handedly ruined the American economy, and you might be more "broke" than you trully deserve to be; but, we we have to pick this economy up together. If this economy is going to see any sort of progress, each of us is going to have to, individually, do our parts to become more disciplined within our minds and our spirits. We need to spend less time complaining about our situations, and more time learning about ourselves as well as others so that we may help each other out of these hard times. This comes with being deeply rooted in God, and holding on to faith. Take a tree for example, if a tree is not nurtured in the right way so that there is growth on the inside, there cannot be any on the outside. It will suffer and die out.
Part of the reason why the stuggle seems so impossible to overcome is because many people have lost all sense of morals. We don't know what it means to be faithful to God, and have no choice but to complain.
We have grown so fond of this world that we have allowed our obsessions to make us weak! Helpless, worthless souls, lounge around in front of the television praying for some microwaved blessing to pop up at their front door...like, "I should write a letter to the Home Makeover people so they can come and do my house"
..Get off your glutes bros and bras!
Prov 6:6-11 says, "Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provideth her meat in summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?....So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man."
We must stop treating God like some sort of genie, and getting mad whenever we don't receive what we wish for. Sure, we can always tell God what it is that we want. As long as we take steps in setting goals and remain diligent, faith will see to it that your prayers will be answered in due time. However, it starts with spiritual discipline. Without spiritual discipline we will not be able to remain true to God's vision/ purpose for our lives, which will eventually cause us to allow the Devil to distract us with worldly fascinations.
We must always remember, we are just passing through this wonderful and beautifull earth. God has given us every possible opportunity to live abundantly; to look upon every fresh impression; to develop every latent capacity; to grow as much as ever with His energy at work in us...
Times may be hard in the midst of these recessionary times, but growth is still within our grasp!
Let God shine within your heart, and be the light of this world.
~T$ God Bless
Friday, July 24, 2009
A Testimony
For all of those who don't believe in God, here is a testiment to how REAL He is:
My entire summer has been focused around different things that needed to be done to ensure that I'd be able to attend school next semester. There were things that I needed to do to ensure that I received the proper scholarship to cover my tuition costs. As well, I needed to, somehow, earn $5000 to take care of my housing costs.
Though I had been blessed with the scholarship that I needed for tuition, I have only earned about $3000 for room and board. About a week ago I was stressing to figure out how I was going to come up with the rest of the money. I had no clue. Frankly, the task seemed pretty impossible in my eyes.
...That is, until I began to grab onto faith and put it in God's hands.
I prayed about my situation for about 10 days. Whenever I began to have doubts I prayed that God would release those spirits of negativity off of me, constantly reminding myself that my enrolment within this school was promised to me in a vision; thus, God had it all under control.
I leave in August, and up until last week I had earned no more money. Yet, day by day, my faith in God continued to grow. And, on that tenth day, I received a phone call from a lady in the housing department at TWU, where I am to attend school. She said, "We have some good news for you in regards to your housing next year. Due to the economic situation, we have decided to give all transfer students from California free economy-style housing for the 2009/2010 academic year."
At that same moment that I received that phone call, I fell to my knees and began thanking God. I prayed so hard and long that I damn near shed a tear! I got up from my knees and ran outside around the house screaming, "THANK YOU JESUS!" until my neighbors had to come outside and ask what was going on. And, all that I could say to them was, "God is Good..."
you better believe that God is Good.
~T$ God Bless
My entire summer has been focused around different things that needed to be done to ensure that I'd be able to attend school next semester. There were things that I needed to do to ensure that I received the proper scholarship to cover my tuition costs. As well, I needed to, somehow, earn $5000 to take care of my housing costs.
Though I had been blessed with the scholarship that I needed for tuition, I have only earned about $3000 for room and board. About a week ago I was stressing to figure out how I was going to come up with the rest of the money. I had no clue. Frankly, the task seemed pretty impossible in my eyes.
...That is, until I began to grab onto faith and put it in God's hands.
I prayed about my situation for about 10 days. Whenever I began to have doubts I prayed that God would release those spirits of negativity off of me, constantly reminding myself that my enrolment within this school was promised to me in a vision; thus, God had it all under control.
I leave in August, and up until last week I had earned no more money. Yet, day by day, my faith in God continued to grow. And, on that tenth day, I received a phone call from a lady in the housing department at TWU, where I am to attend school. She said, "We have some good news for you in regards to your housing next year. Due to the economic situation, we have decided to give all transfer students from California free economy-style housing for the 2009/2010 academic year."
At that same moment that I received that phone call, I fell to my knees and began thanking God. I prayed so hard and long that I damn near shed a tear! I got up from my knees and ran outside around the house screaming, "THANK YOU JESUS!" until my neighbors had to come outside and ask what was going on. And, all that I could say to them was, "God is Good..."
you better believe that God is Good.
~T$ God Bless
Monday, July 13, 2009
Greater Is Later...Just Do You
It was such a lovely day today that I decided to sit by the pool and read. It was probably one of the most relaxing things that I have done with my summer. I felt such peace, and such satisfation within my spirit that, after a while, I stopped reading and just began to basque in the sun, in a sort of meditative state.
I started thinking about God, glorifying how amazing he is for creating such a peaceful, perfect moment in time. Often, we become so distracted by our own flesh that we take for granted all of the natural beauties of this world that are, likewise, God's creation.
Then, as I continued to conjure thoughts about all of the little things about God that we take for granted, He suddenly imparted a revelation upon me in regards to those similar gifts that God has bestowed within each of us. All of us are given spiritual gifts to aid us in the fulfillment of our God-given assignments in this life. However, many of us fail to tap into what it is that God has individually called us to do because we don't nurture the gifts that God gives us.
You may be gifted with an articulate voice, unknowingly blessed with a calling to be a great motivational speaker, or preacher, or politician; however, every time you turn on the TV to catch up on the latest on BET's top 10 list, suddenly you want to be the next Chris Brown.
WE can't just go through life trying to trade our gifts for whatever WE feel might be more fun, or "suitable" in attaining everything that WE want for our lives. It is this same selfish, disloyal attitude towards God... this lack of faith in His vision, which leads to false disciples within the church, shameful politicians, and disturbing contestants on American Idol. Stick to your calling! have faith in what God is doing within your life; and, in due time, through the diligence of your practice, God will present you and your gifts before great people.
In most cases, God will start you off with a small task in order for you to prove your faith and loyalty to His calling. You may be called to be a coach in the NBA. However, God may start you off as a volunteer coach of a youth team at the local YMCA. "Bloom where you are planted!" you must treat your task as a volunteer coach no differently than you would that position within the NBA. Like those toddlers on your youth team, God may see you as an infant in the spiritual form; thus, you must prove yourself loyal to His vision through hard work and humility. You must always keep God first, and never doubt the path that He has charted for your life.
The Devil will try to trick you into believing that there is an easier way, tempting you with promises of money, fame, and other worldly pleasures. But, the Devil is a liar. Remain persistant on God's righteous path. Believe in your dreams at all times, and remain loyal to God's vision for your life. Hold tight to your faith, and stand firm within your prayers. God would not have kept you here in this life if He didn't, still, have something great in store for you.
~ T$ God Bless
I started thinking about God, glorifying how amazing he is for creating such a peaceful, perfect moment in time. Often, we become so distracted by our own flesh that we take for granted all of the natural beauties of this world that are, likewise, God's creation.
Then, as I continued to conjure thoughts about all of the little things about God that we take for granted, He suddenly imparted a revelation upon me in regards to those similar gifts that God has bestowed within each of us. All of us are given spiritual gifts to aid us in the fulfillment of our God-given assignments in this life. However, many of us fail to tap into what it is that God has individually called us to do because we don't nurture the gifts that God gives us.
You may be gifted with an articulate voice, unknowingly blessed with a calling to be a great motivational speaker, or preacher, or politician; however, every time you turn on the TV to catch up on the latest on BET's top 10 list, suddenly you want to be the next Chris Brown.
WE can't just go through life trying to trade our gifts for whatever WE feel might be more fun, or "suitable" in attaining everything that WE want for our lives. It is this same selfish, disloyal attitude towards God... this lack of faith in His vision, which leads to false disciples within the church, shameful politicians, and disturbing contestants on American Idol. Stick to your calling! have faith in what God is doing within your life; and, in due time, through the diligence of your practice, God will present you and your gifts before great people.
In most cases, God will start you off with a small task in order for you to prove your faith and loyalty to His calling. You may be called to be a coach in the NBA. However, God may start you off as a volunteer coach of a youth team at the local YMCA. "Bloom where you are planted!" you must treat your task as a volunteer coach no differently than you would that position within the NBA. Like those toddlers on your youth team, God may see you as an infant in the spiritual form; thus, you must prove yourself loyal to His vision through hard work and humility. You must always keep God first, and never doubt the path that He has charted for your life.
The Devil will try to trick you into believing that there is an easier way, tempting you with promises of money, fame, and other worldly pleasures. But, the Devil is a liar. Remain persistant on God's righteous path. Believe in your dreams at all times, and remain loyal to God's vision for your life. Hold tight to your faith, and stand firm within your prayers. God would not have kept you here in this life if He didn't, still, have something great in store for you.
~ T$ God Bless
Sunday, July 12, 2009
The Character of Christ
I once read a book called, God's Armor Bearer by Terry Nance, which provides an excellent template for developing the character of Christ. The Devil is a liar, and he tries trap your spirit by shedding darkness on all of God's wisom. Let God shine through your heart, and become the light of this world...
Steps to Developing the Character of Christ
Step 1: Open your Bible
A. The Bible is the source for God's wisdom
B. Read it Daily
Step 2: Free yourself from pride
Evidences of pride are:
A. An independent spirit (refusal to seek God's help, or the help of others)
B. A failure to admit mistakes
C. A lack of a teachable spirit
D. A rebellious attitude toward those in authority
E. A proud countenance
F. Self-centered conversation
G. Intolerance towards the mistakes of others
H. A bossy attitude
Step 3: Free yourself from anger
Evidences of anger are:
A. Temper tantrums (at any age)
B. An angry reaction to supposed injustice
C. Expressed frustration over unchangeable circumstances
D. Grumbling, murmuring and complaining
E. Extreme sensitivity and touchiness
Step 4: Free yourself from immorality
Evidences of an impure spirit are:
A. Sensual conversation
B. The reading of impure materials
C. An impure attitude and improper actions toward members of the opposite sex
D. A desire to listen to sensual music
E. Sensual dress or appearance
F. Carnal curiousity
Step 5: Free yourself from bitterness
Evidences of a bitter spirit are:
A. Sarcastic and critical talk
B. An inability to trust people
C. Frequent illness
D. Self-pity
E. A sad countenance
God's Armor Bearer Vol 1&2, by Terry Nance
~ T$ God Bless
Saturday, July 11, 2009
The Cost Of An Addiction
For the past few weeks I have really struggled spiritually. One of the most frustrating things about keeping to a straight path with the Lord, is realizing the faults of your own character. Most people hate hearing about their flaws. I have been very consistent with my daily reading of the Bible, only to realize that I have far too many ungodly habits. I am in desperate need of a complete character revision; however, I know that I am not the only one. It’s time that we as a nation work a little harder towards living righteously. To live “righteous” is simply to live right. Regardless of the God you worship, it is time that we try to hold ourselves more accountable for our actions on a daily basis…not just on Sunday morning, after a night of moral choas.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a lot easier said than done. However, isn’t that the point? At no point in the Scripture does God say, “Do this for me, don’t worry, it’s a cake walk.” It is a constant fight for the Lords ultimate approval. The devil is a trickster, who causes far too many people to sell their souls for their addictions. Money, sex, weed, drugs, alcohol, fame, greed, masturbation, vanity, etc… all these things are methods for addiction. The Devil is trying so hard to induce us to envy the things of this world, in order to turn our focus from the Lord. In order to accomplish this, the Devil injects a piece of Joy, a piece of Love, a piece of Peace, a piece of God in all of those things that we become addicts of. The Devil once resided in Heaven. Likewise, the Devil was considerably God's most dependable angel; in that, it was Satan's duty, while in Heaven, to test the souls of those who wished to enter Heaven's gates. The Lord granted the Devil tempting power over all souls that sought eternal life in order to aid the Lord's decisions, by weeding out those unworthy souls that went against God's will. Essentially, there was a point in Heaven where Satan was God's most trusty Angel; however, God was forced to cast the Devil out of heaven, as Satan soon became too envious of the Lord and His rightful position on the Throne.
Nonetheless, the Devil remains as an angel, fallen. His jealousy of the Lord causes him to use the power that God extended unto him to turn the souls of this eath against the Lord, so that the Devil may reign in his own kingdom. Thus, the Devil trys to release the piece of God's power that he attained, while in Heaven, into the things of this world, causing those souls who have never been introduced to the Power of God to seek something which is unattainable in the earthly form. Moreover, souls buy into the lesser of what the Devil has to offer with the false belief that those same gifts and pleasures offered by God can be attained through a mass accumulation of the things of this world; but, it never seems to be enough. The Devil can only offer a piece of what God has to offer! This is why you can never get as high as you did the first time. This is why sex never felt better than it did that first time, or why you can never earn enough money to feel completely satisfied…
We should enjoy the things of this world, but do not become addicted to anything of this world. It will all remain when we are called to leave this place. Glorify the Lord; for, all the things of this world are His creation.
Don’t let the Devil trick you. Study the Word, and develop the character of Christ. Like I said, it will not be easy; especially for a new, found Christian. So, be careful not to come to the Lord before you are truly prepared to change. The last thing that you want to do is vow to change, make a promise to the Lord, and not keep it. It is often times like these, when we test the Lord that He will allow the Devil to manipulate our spirit, and cause us to miss our blessings. The Lord is a jealous God. At the same time, He did sacrifice His only begotten son for the healing of our sins.
Honor the Lord by developing the character of Christ. Read your Word, and abide by His teachings. None of us are perfect. You’re not expected to be. Just try not to take the easy road…. 9 times out of 10 it leads to a DEAD END.
~ T$ God Bless
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a lot easier said than done. However, isn’t that the point? At no point in the Scripture does God say, “Do this for me, don’t worry, it’s a cake walk.” It is a constant fight for the Lords ultimate approval. The devil is a trickster, who causes far too many people to sell their souls for their addictions. Money, sex, weed, drugs, alcohol, fame, greed, masturbation, vanity, etc… all these things are methods for addiction. The Devil is trying so hard to induce us to envy the things of this world, in order to turn our focus from the Lord. In order to accomplish this, the Devil injects a piece of Joy, a piece of Love, a piece of Peace, a piece of God in all of those things that we become addicts of. The Devil once resided in Heaven. Likewise, the Devil was considerably God's most dependable angel; in that, it was Satan's duty, while in Heaven, to test the souls of those who wished to enter Heaven's gates. The Lord granted the Devil tempting power over all souls that sought eternal life in order to aid the Lord's decisions, by weeding out those unworthy souls that went against God's will. Essentially, there was a point in Heaven where Satan was God's most trusty Angel; however, God was forced to cast the Devil out of heaven, as Satan soon became too envious of the Lord and His rightful position on the Throne.
Nonetheless, the Devil remains as an angel, fallen. His jealousy of the Lord causes him to use the power that God extended unto him to turn the souls of this eath against the Lord, so that the Devil may reign in his own kingdom. Thus, the Devil trys to release the piece of God's power that he attained, while in Heaven, into the things of this world, causing those souls who have never been introduced to the Power of God to seek something which is unattainable in the earthly form. Moreover, souls buy into the lesser of what the Devil has to offer with the false belief that those same gifts and pleasures offered by God can be attained through a mass accumulation of the things of this world; but, it never seems to be enough. The Devil can only offer a piece of what God has to offer! This is why you can never get as high as you did the first time. This is why sex never felt better than it did that first time, or why you can never earn enough money to feel completely satisfied…
We should enjoy the things of this world, but do not become addicted to anything of this world. It will all remain when we are called to leave this place. Glorify the Lord; for, all the things of this world are His creation.
Don’t let the Devil trick you. Study the Word, and develop the character of Christ. Like I said, it will not be easy; especially for a new, found Christian. So, be careful not to come to the Lord before you are truly prepared to change. The last thing that you want to do is vow to change, make a promise to the Lord, and not keep it. It is often times like these, when we test the Lord that He will allow the Devil to manipulate our spirit, and cause us to miss our blessings. The Lord is a jealous God. At the same time, He did sacrifice His only begotten son for the healing of our sins.
Honor the Lord by developing the character of Christ. Read your Word, and abide by His teachings. None of us are perfect. You’re not expected to be. Just try not to take the easy road…. 9 times out of 10 it leads to a DEAD END.
~ T$ God Bless
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Oh Yea...Whoops!
So I took a break from the blogging, just to free my mind up a little bit after the fast.
I feel so great by the way. I've never felt more alive and healthy in my life. I'm actually considering going on another fast before I leave for school in August.
I went back and read all of the blogs that I previously wrote and realized that I had several comments that I had not responded to. I'm sorry if I left you hanging on a topic. Like I said, I am brand new to this blogging stuff. In all honesty, I was just ranting off the top of my head for anyone who was willing to listen. However, I don't want anyone to think that I intentionally just ignored your comments. I'll be sure to respond from now on, on a more frequent basis. Upon reading all of the different responses, I actually love to hear your different beliefs.
...I was wondering why it was so hard to get people to subscribe lol.
SO KEEP COMMENTING!!...and tell a friend! I am looking to gather as many great ideas as I can, to touch as many hearts as i can reach out to. I'll try to organize responses for those who have already made comments by the end of this week. Sorry again for the delay.
...Subscribe and Recommend! GIG!
~ T$ God Bless
I feel so great by the way. I've never felt more alive and healthy in my life. I'm actually considering going on another fast before I leave for school in August.
I went back and read all of the blogs that I previously wrote and realized that I had several comments that I had not responded to. I'm sorry if I left you hanging on a topic. Like I said, I am brand new to this blogging stuff. In all honesty, I was just ranting off the top of my head for anyone who was willing to listen. However, I don't want anyone to think that I intentionally just ignored your comments. I'll be sure to respond from now on, on a more frequent basis. Upon reading all of the different responses, I actually love to hear your different beliefs.
...I was wondering why it was so hard to get people to subscribe lol.
SO KEEP COMMENTING!!...and tell a friend! I am looking to gather as many great ideas as I can, to touch as many hearts as i can reach out to. I'll try to organize responses for those who have already made comments by the end of this week. Sorry again for the delay.
...Subscribe and Recommend! GIG!
~ T$ God Bless
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Growing Up
For the past few days, I've had the pleasure of watching over my two baby cousins while my uncle and aunt are away. Well...one of them is a baby. She's four. The other one is thirteen, and "OH" so mature.
Today, I woke up to the baby standing over me asking me, "why are you still sleeping?" It was 8am in the morning. I responded by telling her I was tired, and that I had a long day yesterday. She then replied, "I'm not tired!" I told her she wasn't tired because she is a little girl, with a whole lot of reserved energy...Big mistake lol. She wouldn't let me sleep after that. She screamed, "I'm not a little girl!" And, hit me with a throw pillow. According to her, she's not a little girl because I "can't even look up at the sky", and because "this was her cereal"...
My cousin is right next to me, as I type this, comparing all of the things she CAN do with all of the things I CAN'T do. For instance, I "can't even pick her up", I "can't even color in her coloring book", I "can't even reach the ceiling", I "can't even tie my shoes", and I "can't even count with my fingers"....
Life is SO precious! I just hate that it takes me babysitting my baby cousin for me to realize just how precious it really is. As much as I will enjoy watching and helping my baby cousin to grow into the beautiful Diva that I know she is destined to be, I just wish life didn't pass by so fast. I pray that she'll be able to cherish these early stages in her life as much as I do.
For, in a flash of time, she'll be 12, and I'll be 30...Still, trying to hold on to my youth as her generation slowly continues to rewrite the markings of my existance.
~T$ God Bless
Today, I woke up to the baby standing over me asking me, "why are you still sleeping?" It was 8am in the morning. I responded by telling her I was tired, and that I had a long day yesterday. She then replied, "I'm not tired!" I told her she wasn't tired because she is a little girl, with a whole lot of reserved energy...Big mistake lol. She wouldn't let me sleep after that. She screamed, "I'm not a little girl!" And, hit me with a throw pillow. According to her, she's not a little girl because I "can't even look up at the sky", and because "this was her cereal"...
That's that little kid logic. It may not make sense to you...may not make sense at all! But, it makes sense in the mind of the child, it's what needed to be said, and that's ALL that matters lol...
I always wonder what it would be like to be young again like my little cousin; that age where nothing matters...When your favorite TV show is the Backyardigans, and the key to world peace is candy, Disney Land, and a life-sized barbie set... when everything you can get your hands on is yours until someone at least 15 years older than you tells you otherwise...When no place is worth going, unless you can run there...When you can eat anything you want, eat as much as you want, and be as messy as you want, and it's all just "cute"....
My cousin is right next to me, as I type this, comparing all of the things she CAN do with all of the things I CAN'T do. For instance, I "can't even pick her up", I "can't even color in her coloring book", I "can't even reach the ceiling", I "can't even tie my shoes", and I "can't even count with my fingers"....
Life is SO precious! I just hate that it takes me babysitting my baby cousin for me to realize just how precious it really is. As much as I will enjoy watching and helping my baby cousin to grow into the beautiful Diva that I know she is destined to be, I just wish life didn't pass by so fast. I pray that she'll be able to cherish these early stages in her life as much as I do.
For, in a flash of time, she'll be 12, and I'll be 30...Still, trying to hold on to my youth as her generation slowly continues to rewrite the markings of my existance.
~T$ God Bless
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Corinthians 7:29-39
According to Paul, it is better not to marry at all b/c when you marry, you are faced with many other worries. He says that an unmarried person only has to worry about his/her individual devotion to God; whereas, a married person is also drawn to the things of this world in order to please their spouse.
Thus, it is better for us not to seek marriage. However, if we come across someone who temps us (i.e. premarrital sex), we should marry that person in order to resist temptation. It is better for us to marry, then to risk suffering God's judgement; though, our spouse should be Holy. Once married, you should not divorce yoour spouse; yet, if you do seperate, you should not remarry.
Either way, we should not be searching for a spouse. We should cherish our unmarried lives, remaining completely devouted to building our relationships with God because he sacrificed a lot for us, and he is deserving.
Conclusively, we shouldn't worry about getting married. Work hard to focus on what you are called to do on this earth, but don't become obsessed with it's beauty. Remain faithful to God. If you can't help yourself around someone, then marry that person and protect your soul from God's ultimate judgement.
...Just know that when you leave this world, you can not take them with you.
~T$ God Bless
Thus, it is better for us not to seek marriage. However, if we come across someone who temps us (i.e. premarrital sex), we should marry that person in order to resist temptation. It is better for us to marry, then to risk suffering God's judgement; though, our spouse should be Holy. Once married, you should not divorce yoour spouse; yet, if you do seperate, you should not remarry.
Either way, we should not be searching for a spouse. We should cherish our unmarried lives, remaining completely devouted to building our relationships with God because he sacrificed a lot for us, and he is deserving.
Conclusively, we shouldn't worry about getting married. Work hard to focus on what you are called to do on this earth, but don't become obsessed with it's beauty. Remain faithful to God. If you can't help yourself around someone, then marry that person and protect your soul from God's ultimate judgement.
...Just know that when you leave this world, you can not take them with you.
~T$ God Bless
Monday, June 22, 2009
Duties Of A Great Leader
I leave August 17th to attend Trinity Western University; a school in Langley, B.C., Canada.
I have been fortunate enough to receive a leadership scholarship, which will pay for my first year's tuition costs.
Likewise, I intend to take several leadership roles within the University; not to mention, I will be practicing the full year with the men's basketball team for the University.
My goal is to do everything that I can to build my character, as an esteemed role model about the TWU campus. I've even taken steps within my community at home, along with strengthening my spirituality within the church, as I strive to become an adequate leader.
However, what does it mean to be an "adequate leader?"
I'd like to take this time to discuss my personal visions into what, I believe, represents those certain charater duties that make for a great leader:
1. Must provide strength for his/her leader
----Most leaders report to a person of higher authority. These are mentors, or guides, if you will. A great leader must also be a great follower, and must always maintain a certain level of peace, and faith in all that he wishes to accomplish. As a leader, your authority must always be able to trust that you are on top of things. It comes as a great relief when your authority does not have to carry his leader physically, mentally, or emotionally; for, he has too many other things to manage. A leader should be of the upmost assistance, constantly keeping his authority at ease within the mind, body, and spirit.
2. Must have a true and engraved sense of respect for his/her leader, and acceptance for/tolerance of his authority's personality, and way of doing things
----We are all different; thus, your way of doing things may not always coincide with your authority's way of doing things. However, those differences should never be allowed to cause a problem between you and your authority, as a leader. If so, there is a lack of respect that needs to be restored. The fact that you and your authority do not agree on how to accomplish any particular goal should not matter, as long as the goal is accomplished. As a leader, you must work hard and efficiently to walk in agreement with your authority at all times, submitting to his way at all times; for, the chemistry between a leader and his guide is much more valuable and important than who is right.
3. Must make the advancement of his/ her leader's wishes his/her top priority.
----At all times the teacher must be able to trust in his appointed leader's level of efficiency. At times, as a leader, there may be distractions or other matters of interest; However, as a leader you must uplift the wishes of your authority over your own with a passion for achieving a similar goal, which outweighs any personal desires, or individual contentment. A leader must remain devoted to the vision and purpose of his/her authority, following orders immediately and correctly.
4. Must possess endless strength, pushing through any resistance without giving way under harsh treatment.
----A great leader must not show weakness to his followers; It is through the leaders continual strength that the weaker individuals within the group become stronger. Likewise, a leader's authority must be able to count on his leader's strength to carry on difficult tasks in times of crisis or desperation. Never quit! It is through the maintaining of your strength, and the constant encouragement of your peers that you will develop character, as a valuable and trustworthy leader.
5. Must be an excellent communicator with the upmost support for his/her authority
----Communication skills are vital for every leader too attain. At all times, the authority must be able to trust in his leaders ability to relay messages or orders to his peers. This comes with establishing a healthy, close relationship between the leader and the person of authority. A leader should never hide anything from his teacher. In some cases, there may be situations that are better dealt with by the leader himself/herself; however, the leader should always feel comfortable going to the authority for advice on how to deal with the situation. If anyone ever says to you, "I want to tell you something, but you must promise not to tell the man in charge", you should feel comfortable as a leader telling them to hold their breath, as you will do no such thing. You owe it to your teacher to reveal anything that may cause problems for the overall team, or group, or community; for, it is he that possesses the expertise. Never tell your group something simply to save your reputation as a leader, which may corrupt the authorities ability to control his group. Both pride and secrecy are traps, which lead to failed chemistry.
By no means are these ALL of the qualities of a leader. There are many different ways to develop great leadership characteristics. However, I can asswure you that If you stick to these principles, you will be much more of a leader to your peers, than if you choose to simply ignore them.
~T$ God Bless
I have been fortunate enough to receive a leadership scholarship, which will pay for my first year's tuition costs.
Likewise, I intend to take several leadership roles within the University; not to mention, I will be practicing the full year with the men's basketball team for the University.
My goal is to do everything that I can to build my character, as an esteemed role model about the TWU campus. I've even taken steps within my community at home, along with strengthening my spirituality within the church, as I strive to become an adequate leader.
However, what does it mean to be an "adequate leader?"
I'd like to take this time to discuss my personal visions into what, I believe, represents those certain charater duties that make for a great leader:
1. Must provide strength for his/her leader
----Most leaders report to a person of higher authority. These are mentors, or guides, if you will. A great leader must also be a great follower, and must always maintain a certain level of peace, and faith in all that he wishes to accomplish. As a leader, your authority must always be able to trust that you are on top of things. It comes as a great relief when your authority does not have to carry his leader physically, mentally, or emotionally; for, he has too many other things to manage. A leader should be of the upmost assistance, constantly keeping his authority at ease within the mind, body, and spirit.
2. Must have a true and engraved sense of respect for his/her leader, and acceptance for/tolerance of his authority's personality, and way of doing things
----We are all different; thus, your way of doing things may not always coincide with your authority's way of doing things. However, those differences should never be allowed to cause a problem between you and your authority, as a leader. If so, there is a lack of respect that needs to be restored. The fact that you and your authority do not agree on how to accomplish any particular goal should not matter, as long as the goal is accomplished. As a leader, you must work hard and efficiently to walk in agreement with your authority at all times, submitting to his way at all times; for, the chemistry between a leader and his guide is much more valuable and important than who is right.
3. Must make the advancement of his/ her leader's wishes his/her top priority.
----At all times the teacher must be able to trust in his appointed leader's level of efficiency. At times, as a leader, there may be distractions or other matters of interest; However, as a leader you must uplift the wishes of your authority over your own with a passion for achieving a similar goal, which outweighs any personal desires, or individual contentment. A leader must remain devoted to the vision and purpose of his/her authority, following orders immediately and correctly.
4. Must possess endless strength, pushing through any resistance without giving way under harsh treatment.
----A great leader must not show weakness to his followers; It is through the leaders continual strength that the weaker individuals within the group become stronger. Likewise, a leader's authority must be able to count on his leader's strength to carry on difficult tasks in times of crisis or desperation. Never quit! It is through the maintaining of your strength, and the constant encouragement of your peers that you will develop character, as a valuable and trustworthy leader.
5. Must be an excellent communicator with the upmost support for his/her authority
----Communication skills are vital for every leader too attain. At all times, the authority must be able to trust in his leaders ability to relay messages or orders to his peers. This comes with establishing a healthy, close relationship between the leader and the person of authority. A leader should never hide anything from his teacher. In some cases, there may be situations that are better dealt with by the leader himself/herself; however, the leader should always feel comfortable going to the authority for advice on how to deal with the situation. If anyone ever says to you, "I want to tell you something, but you must promise not to tell the man in charge", you should feel comfortable as a leader telling them to hold their breath, as you will do no such thing. You owe it to your teacher to reveal anything that may cause problems for the overall team, or group, or community; for, it is he that possesses the expertise. Never tell your group something simply to save your reputation as a leader, which may corrupt the authorities ability to control his group. Both pride and secrecy are traps, which lead to failed chemistry.
By no means are these ALL of the qualities of a leader. There are many different ways to develop great leadership characteristics. However, I can asswure you that If you stick to these principles, you will be much more of a leader to your peers, than if you choose to simply ignore them.
~T$ God Bless
Sunday, June 21, 2009
I Prophesize
It is unacceptable how many of us, when asked if we are religious, just claim to be Christian believers as some generic answer to make us seem like good people.
It's about time we show some accountablity.
Much too often we go to church on Sunday, after a late night partying with the Devil, expecting to receive a blessing. All the while, we sit in church dull, and lifeless as the people of the church shout praise to the Lord in tongues we don't understand; and, we feel uncomfortable because the pastor has said something that seems like a direct attack on our sinful character...
If I am talking to you, it's time you WAKE UP!
We are in the midst of a spiritual war, and it is up to you to prepare yourself. I can't help you. Your pastor can't save you. It's up to you to pick up your shield, sharpen your sword, and get right with God!
What's crazy is that you think this is some sort of joke. All the while, companies are going bankrupt, banks are being bought out, people are losing their houses left and right...Still you find it more imoportant to invest your hard earned money in happy hour every Thirsty Thursday.
There are demonic forces growing stronger every day, roaming earth in search of fake believers, just like you, to feed on your blinded soul...And, you wonder why you are always depressed, complaining about what you don't have, jealous and envious of all those material things you see on tv and in your neighbor's yard.
Stop worrying about everybody else. It's YOU who needs work. Find your place in God! Become familiar with His word. Fill yourself with His Holy Spirit, and I promise you that your blessing will come.
Too many of us go to church and depend on our pastor to preach his word, and touch us with his hand, delivering us from our sins. Do you really believe that that is all God wants from you? Is this honestly what we have come to believe is the way to eternal life?
Our pastor is simply our spiritual leader...our captain, if you will, within this War of Spirits. Why do you think Jesus appointed His twelve disciples? I guess it was just mere coincidence that when composing there different versions of the Bible, each disciple posessed the same overall message...
We can no longer depend on the church to save us because there is a war closing in on us at every horizon, and we must be prepared to fight, or lay down. Ask questions of your pastor and members of your church family; yet, at the same time, devout yourself to serving God at all times so that you may hold your own if the enemy may attack whenever your pastor is not there.
Drape yourself in the armor of the Holy Spirit. All of the armor you need is provided by God's word. Become a disciple in His name. Or, you can lay down and remain blind within your spirit.
Either way, Judgement Day is closing in on us; So, choose a side...because you are in this war whether you choose to be or not.
~T$ God Bless
It's about time we show some accountablity.
Much too often we go to church on Sunday, after a late night partying with the Devil, expecting to receive a blessing. All the while, we sit in church dull, and lifeless as the people of the church shout praise to the Lord in tongues we don't understand; and, we feel uncomfortable because the pastor has said something that seems like a direct attack on our sinful character...
If I am talking to you, it's time you WAKE UP!
We are in the midst of a spiritual war, and it is up to you to prepare yourself. I can't help you. Your pastor can't save you. It's up to you to pick up your shield, sharpen your sword, and get right with God!
What's crazy is that you think this is some sort of joke. All the while, companies are going bankrupt, banks are being bought out, people are losing their houses left and right...Still you find it more imoportant to invest your hard earned money in happy hour every Thirsty Thursday.
There are demonic forces growing stronger every day, roaming earth in search of fake believers, just like you, to feed on your blinded soul...And, you wonder why you are always depressed, complaining about what you don't have, jealous and envious of all those material things you see on tv and in your neighbor's yard.
Stop worrying about everybody else. It's YOU who needs work. Find your place in God! Become familiar with His word. Fill yourself with His Holy Spirit, and I promise you that your blessing will come.
Too many of us go to church and depend on our pastor to preach his word, and touch us with his hand, delivering us from our sins. Do you really believe that that is all God wants from you? Is this honestly what we have come to believe is the way to eternal life?
Our pastor is simply our spiritual leader...our captain, if you will, within this War of Spirits. Why do you think Jesus appointed His twelve disciples? I guess it was just mere coincidence that when composing there different versions of the Bible, each disciple posessed the same overall message...
We can no longer depend on the church to save us because there is a war closing in on us at every horizon, and we must be prepared to fight, or lay down. Ask questions of your pastor and members of your church family; yet, at the same time, devout yourself to serving God at all times so that you may hold your own if the enemy may attack whenever your pastor is not there.
Drape yourself in the armor of the Holy Spirit. All of the armor you need is provided by God's word. Become a disciple in His name. Or, you can lay down and remain blind within your spirit.
Either way, Judgement Day is closing in on us; So, choose a side...because you are in this war whether you choose to be or not.
~T$ God Bless
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Don't Ask
I'm sitting here with my homie, trying to figure out what to add to this blank page....
Frankly, I have nothing for ya...
I'm half-way watching this movie...Insomnia
I don't know what's going on though....I went to 7-eleven and came back with the most addictive candy I could find...Sweedish Fish.
I don't know why...it is waay too late for some damn fish candy. They are BOMB though.
It is hot as BEANS in this house. I'm about to go get some water...
Happy Father's Day!!
It sucks that I don't have a relationship with my real dad; otherwise, I'd call him right now.
This movie is really confusing me. I should probably be paying attention...
I saw my lil mama Court today!! I swear, I love that girl! I don't know why, though. She plays me all of the time...saying that she's gonna come see me, then I don't hear from here for the rest of the day...I can't hate though...she did surprise me today...
Have you ever had a protein burger from In-N-Out Burger...BOMB!!!
...I should've gotten a neopolitan shake...Damn that sounds good right now!
I eat too much.
I prayed a total of 13 times today. It feels good to be devoted to my religious beliefs.
...I can,t drink enough water.
My feet smell reealy bad right now.
I'm about to take a shower and go to bed...I'm mad tired...goood night all.
~T$ God Bless
Frankly, I have nothing for ya...
I'm half-way watching this movie...Insomnia
I don't know what's going on though....I went to 7-eleven and came back with the most addictive candy I could find...Sweedish Fish.
I don't know why...it is waay too late for some damn fish candy. They are BOMB though.
It is hot as BEANS in this house. I'm about to go get some water...
Happy Father's Day!!
It sucks that I don't have a relationship with my real dad; otherwise, I'd call him right now.
This movie is really confusing me. I should probably be paying attention...
I saw my lil mama Court today!! I swear, I love that girl! I don't know why, though. She plays me all of the time...saying that she's gonna come see me, then I don't hear from here for the rest of the day...I can't hate though...she did surprise me today...
Have you ever had a protein burger from In-N-Out Burger...BOMB!!!
...I should've gotten a neopolitan shake...Damn that sounds good right now!
I eat too much.
I prayed a total of 13 times today. It feels good to be devoted to my religious beliefs.
...I can,t drink enough water.
My feet smell reealy bad right now.
I'm about to take a shower and go to bed...I'm mad tired...goood night all.
~T$ God Bless
Why? Not
About a year from today, I had the pleasure of visiting the church home of a dear friend of mine. The church service was absolutely amazing, and after the service, my friend introduced me to the pastor. As I shook the pastor’s hand, he just stared at me with this spellbound glare in his eyes. He informed me that he had never met another person under such an intense spiritual attack. The pastor, then, asked me a very interesting question, "Are you familiar with the definition of your name?" I answered, "No". The pastor then turned and left my presence, only to return seconds later with a book in his hand. I informed him that my name was Tristan, and he opened his book to a page which displayed the Christian definition of my name: "Strong and Bold". Under the definition, was a bible passage from the book of Joshua 1:6. The passage said, be strong and bold; for, you are to lead my people to the land that I promised to their ancestors.
Ever since that day I've kept that passage in the back of my mind. My encounter with the pastor was the first time I’d ever truly felt God’s presence. God merely used the pastor as a vessel in order to convey an important message, planting the seeds for my future. What I failed to realize was that when I arrived back in Canada God had plans to test my faith, pushing the outer limits of my sanity, with the knowledge that I would develop specific character traits. Looking back on my situation as a third year transfer from UFV into the Trinity Western program, the words “strong” and “bold” bare new experiential meaning; through which, God has called me to develop my leadership capabilities at TWU.
Be Strong. I arrived in Canada, and a lot of things had not turned out according to plan in regards to my life as a second-year student at my old school, UFV. For the longest time, I was unable to choose my courses due to holds that were place on my account for the previous year; Thus, I was forced to take classes that had nothing to do with my major. Midway through the year my housing situation drastically changed for the worst, and I was forced to move into a house that was a 45 minute walk for me every day under the weirdest weather conditions (rain, snow, slete, hail). Not to mention, my wallet and passport was stolen on one of my road trips for basketball, leaving me with no identification to get back into the states to visit my family, for 8 months.
Essentially, these unfortunate circumstances caused me to develop such a home-sickness that I adopted a completely negative mind frame, which complicated by ability to assert a love for school or basketball. I began to party too much, losing touch with all of those Christian values that I had worked so hard to develop. Heavily influenced by the Devil, I began to lose touch with who I was in a place that I was completely unfamiliar with. Still, I passed all of my classes and made it through the year; though, the entire time, I felt like I literally was left stranded in hell.
Be Bold. Towards the end of my school year, after my season was over, I had decided for myself that UFV just wasn't the school for me anymore. As a result, with about 2 weeks left in school, I left campus and headed to a University about 20 min away called, Trinity Western University. Upon arriving on campus, I visited a friend who played for the University basketball team to ask him about the school and check out the campus. He informed me of a practice that his team was having and said it would be a good idea for me to come with him and talk to his coach about the possibility of transferring. The coach seemed a little uninterested, at first, given that TWU had a pretty talented team already. However, he allowed me to play in the teams open run, seeing how the season was over and open run was casual. So I played. And, I played well. For the next two weeks, I attended every open run. TWU and UFV are rival schools; thus, I was caught in a bit of a tough situation, putting my scholarship at UFV on the line. However, determined to better my situation I continued to return to TWU, making the commute right after my classes at UFV.
LEAD. About a week before I returned to California, I did some research on TWU about enrollment. I found out that because both UFV and TWU are CIS schools and I'd have to sit out a year of basketball by attending the new school, I couldn't receive an athletic scholarship. With TWU being so expensive, I needed to find a solution to pay for tuition. I stumbled upon an opportunity that involved me writing an essay for a leadership scholarship. Provided that I could present evidence of such qualities, given some things that I had previously/continue to do in regards to leadership, I'd be able to get my tuition covered for the fall. I prayed and prayed until, finally, my acceptance letter came in the mail, illustrating that I had been awarded the scholarship on the basis that I take up some form of leadership within the school.
It wasn't until I returned to California, after such a tough second year at UFV, that I began to realize how God had predestined me to be on the path that I am on now. Moreover, as I became more active within my church community, working towards securing a scholarship at TWU, God began to reveal his character within me as I learned to overcome my struggles and transition with grace. At 23-years-old, I now have no more time to waste. God has placed a calling on my life for me to take steps towards further developing my qualities as a leader. I'm not sure what God has in store for me, but He has made it quite clear, by securing my place within a Christian University that I cannot afford to lose touch with Him again. It is for this reason that I have decided to go on a spiritual fast. Through this fast, I will re-strengthen my relationship with Christ, devoting myself to His word and righteous path, as I strive to give up certain comforts in His name. Furthermore, to answer the question, why am I doing this? It is really quite simple: “Through this fast I intend to grow closer to God’s calling, as I work to reveal myself as Tristan, the strong and bold leader of tomorrow.”
~T$ God Bless
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
GIG
The Elders of my church family told me that the devil would try and test my faith now that I’d been baptized. I just didn’t think that test would come so soon…
I went to a local park around the corner from my house today with Auston, where they have an indoor basketball gym. It’s sort of a daily routine by now that Auston and I go to this park to work out during the afternoon at around 1pm. However, for some reason, today we decided to go a little later at around 3pm.
Normally, the gym is empty; thus, we usually just get shots up and play one on one until we are ready to leave. However, today the gym was packed full of guys playing pick-up ball. Naturally, given our competitive spirits, Auston and I decided to stay and play a few games… Little did we know that the Devil had his hands on this particular situation; thus, things would get a little out of hand.
Basically, to make a long story short, there was one individual on the opposing team who felt a need to get under my skin by making bogus calls in his favor in order to win. Now, if I had received the Holy Ghost, this might not have been a problem; But, I’m still working on it. Thus, as the guy made bogus call after bogus call, I began to grow extremely irritated. I started too elbow, and resort to physicality, which soon escalated the situation. Next thing you know this guy and I are screaming at each other, calling each other out of our given names, preparing to fight. Luckily my best friend Auston was there to defuse the situation, and we left the gym out of harm’s way…
I just came from Bible study, and it comes as no surprise that today’s lesson addressed certain subject matter that correlates to today’s incident in the gym.
As I reflect on the incident, I come to realize that the biggest difference between how I dealt with the situation, and how Auston dealt with the situation, directly relates to today’s discussion of the “Holy Ghost”. What I learned in church today about being baptized is that in the book of Acts, chapter 19, Paul makes it clear to the 12 disciples that the process of baptism is not complete until you have received the Holy Ghost, with the evidence of speaking in tongues.
Contrary to what you may believe, the Bible states that your spot is not secure in heaven until you have received the Holy Ghost; Moreover, I have not received it. The Bible recognizes the Holy Ghost as the Spirit of God; thus, when you have received this Spirit you are given the power of discernment and are able to view life in a godlier manner.
I’m not saying that the Holy Ghost makes you perfect, rather it grants you the ability to see through those ungodly instincts that often cause us to make bad decisions, which often times lead to trouble.
Unlike Auston, I reacted to my opponent’s conduct with anger.
Had my friend not been present at the time, the situation could have escalated even more. Moreover, I could have seriously been hurt; more importantly, I could have suffered within my spiritual growth.
I thank God for having such a friend in my life. More importantly, I thank God for His presence within my life; for, I know that it is through Him that I am able to understand the excess of my actions.
I am not saying all of this to convert anybody from a particular set of beliefs. These beliefs are for me to decipher my own spiritual development, as a man of God. However, there comes a time in every person’s life where you will be called to make better decisions…A time where the wrong decision could drastically change your life for the worst.
Let us take steps in the right direction by recognizing that we each, in our own respects, have been called to do great things while on this earth. It is based on whether we grow enough, soon enough within our spirit that determines whether or not we will achieve that greatness.
Be it through our religious morals, instruction from our family, or simply our God-given judgment, Let us learn how to make righteous decisions whenever our pride is being tested.
And, when in doubt, let us have the strength to simply turn the other cheek because the devil is conniving, and the slightest mistake in one’s judgment can turn God’s greatest blessing for your life, into Satan’s most evil curse upon your soul.
~T$ God Bless
I went to a local park around the corner from my house today with Auston, where they have an indoor basketball gym. It’s sort of a daily routine by now that Auston and I go to this park to work out during the afternoon at around 1pm. However, for some reason, today we decided to go a little later at around 3pm.
Normally, the gym is empty; thus, we usually just get shots up and play one on one until we are ready to leave. However, today the gym was packed full of guys playing pick-up ball. Naturally, given our competitive spirits, Auston and I decided to stay and play a few games… Little did we know that the Devil had his hands on this particular situation; thus, things would get a little out of hand.
Basically, to make a long story short, there was one individual on the opposing team who felt a need to get under my skin by making bogus calls in his favor in order to win. Now, if I had received the Holy Ghost, this might not have been a problem; But, I’m still working on it. Thus, as the guy made bogus call after bogus call, I began to grow extremely irritated. I started too elbow, and resort to physicality, which soon escalated the situation. Next thing you know this guy and I are screaming at each other, calling each other out of our given names, preparing to fight. Luckily my best friend Auston was there to defuse the situation, and we left the gym out of harm’s way…
I just came from Bible study, and it comes as no surprise that today’s lesson addressed certain subject matter that correlates to today’s incident in the gym.
As I reflect on the incident, I come to realize that the biggest difference between how I dealt with the situation, and how Auston dealt with the situation, directly relates to today’s discussion of the “Holy Ghost”. What I learned in church today about being baptized is that in the book of Acts, chapter 19, Paul makes it clear to the 12 disciples that the process of baptism is not complete until you have received the Holy Ghost, with the evidence of speaking in tongues.
Contrary to what you may believe, the Bible states that your spot is not secure in heaven until you have received the Holy Ghost; Moreover, I have not received it. The Bible recognizes the Holy Ghost as the Spirit of God; thus, when you have received this Spirit you are given the power of discernment and are able to view life in a godlier manner.
I’m not saying that the Holy Ghost makes you perfect, rather it grants you the ability to see through those ungodly instincts that often cause us to make bad decisions, which often times lead to trouble.
Unlike Auston, I reacted to my opponent’s conduct with anger.
Had my friend not been present at the time, the situation could have escalated even more. Moreover, I could have seriously been hurt; more importantly, I could have suffered within my spiritual growth.
I thank God for having such a friend in my life. More importantly, I thank God for His presence within my life; for, I know that it is through Him that I am able to understand the excess of my actions.
I am not saying all of this to convert anybody from a particular set of beliefs. These beliefs are for me to decipher my own spiritual development, as a man of God. However, there comes a time in every person’s life where you will be called to make better decisions…A time where the wrong decision could drastically change your life for the worst.
Let us take steps in the right direction by recognizing that we each, in our own respects, have been called to do great things while on this earth. It is based on whether we grow enough, soon enough within our spirit that determines whether or not we will achieve that greatness.
Be it through our religious morals, instruction from our family, or simply our God-given judgment, Let us learn how to make righteous decisions whenever our pride is being tested.
And, when in doubt, let us have the strength to simply turn the other cheek because the devil is conniving, and the slightest mistake in one’s judgment can turn God’s greatest blessing for your life, into Satan’s most evil curse upon your soul.
~T$ God Bless
Monday, June 15, 2009
Can A Guy Get A Coke?
So I'm only on the third day of this fast, and I'm already starting to get antsy.
It's like, I can't turn around without seeing a tall glass of lemonade.
Water has become my comfort, like chocolate to a pregnant lady (or any lady for that matter). Whenever I get that urge to slip up and go get fast food, or have a nice cold soda, or talk sexy to some random girl, I simply grab as many bottles of water as I can and start drinking until I'm too full to want to be bothered by anything else.
However, I must say that I've never felt more empowered in my life. The mere strive to remain disciplined has really caused me to take pride in all of my daily tasks. For instance, I am much more focused in my workouts; not to mention, I work out more (another stress-relieving comfort of mine). I am more awake throughout the day because I go to bed earlier. I spend more time with family. I am more attentive to the things that I need to get done throughout the day. And, most importantly, I am constantly and consistently improving my relationship with God.
I got baptized yesterday after an amazing church service. I thank God for my best friend Auston who was there to aid the process. It's such a blessing to have a best friend who is also the most possitive influence on my life. Being baptized was such an enriching experience. I can hardly put into words how amazing it is to feel so grounded within my spirituality. I finally feel like I am growing up, and coming into my own as a man of God.
Still, I can't help this urge to just down a nice, cold can of Hawaiian Punch. Lol I don't think you understand. I came home last night; And, for the second time in one day, I open the fridge to find a shelf full of cans of Hawaiian Punch. The first time, I was at Auston's house, and his dad came in from the store with all kinds of carbonated drinkage...
No, but honestly, I've never felt better in my life, than I do now. I know it's only been three days, but I am definitely going to make it through this fast. I am blessed with the support of my, long time, best friend and the most high God who answers all of my prayers.
Thus, in the words of Lil Wayne, "They can't stop me...even if they STOPPED me!!"
~T$ God Bless
It's like, I can't turn around without seeing a tall glass of lemonade.
Water has become my comfort, like chocolate to a pregnant lady (or any lady for that matter). Whenever I get that urge to slip up and go get fast food, or have a nice cold soda, or talk sexy to some random girl, I simply grab as many bottles of water as I can and start drinking until I'm too full to want to be bothered by anything else.
However, I must say that I've never felt more empowered in my life. The mere strive to remain disciplined has really caused me to take pride in all of my daily tasks. For instance, I am much more focused in my workouts; not to mention, I work out more (another stress-relieving comfort of mine). I am more awake throughout the day because I go to bed earlier. I spend more time with family. I am more attentive to the things that I need to get done throughout the day. And, most importantly, I am constantly and consistently improving my relationship with God.
I got baptized yesterday after an amazing church service. I thank God for my best friend Auston who was there to aid the process. It's such a blessing to have a best friend who is also the most possitive influence on my life. Being baptized was such an enriching experience. I can hardly put into words how amazing it is to feel so grounded within my spirituality. I finally feel like I am growing up, and coming into my own as a man of God.
Still, I can't help this urge to just down a nice, cold can of Hawaiian Punch. Lol I don't think you understand. I came home last night; And, for the second time in one day, I open the fridge to find a shelf full of cans of Hawaiian Punch. The first time, I was at Auston's house, and his dad came in from the store with all kinds of carbonated drinkage...
No, but honestly, I've never felt better in my life, than I do now. I know it's only been three days, but I am definitely going to make it through this fast. I am blessed with the support of my, long time, best friend and the most high God who answers all of my prayers.
Thus, in the words of Lil Wayne, "They can't stop me...even if they STOPPED me!!"
~T$ God Bless
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Give It Up
Have you ever been WAY too attached to something?
Not, like, your wife..or your dog – where you really have no other choice. I’m speaking more about those futile obsessions that many of us act like we need, but don’t; like, all those weird stuffed animals all over your bed, or your Xbox 360, or your Facebook.
I lost my phone...I didn’t realize how much time I wasted texting.
(Like, what’s the point of texting anyway? 50 texts are equivalent to a 5 min phone call.)
Sometimes it’s the things that we enjoy the most that become our biggest setbacks in life.
Nothing should ever become so much of an addiction that you begin to ignore responsibilities. So many of us complain about there not being enough hours in a day, but fail to make good use of the time that we have. That’s sort of like a person who smokes 2 packs of cigarettes, complaining about not having enough money to eat out.
There is a fine line between the things that we want, and those that we need.
Consider this,
I challenge you to evaluate your life, searching for anything that you feel you could do without for a while. Then, for one week, give it up!
The most amazing blessings can often occur, simply, when you take the time to make time for other things.
All it takes is a little discipline.
~T$ God Bless
Not, like, your wife..or your dog – where you really have no other choice. I’m speaking more about those futile obsessions that many of us act like we need, but don’t; like, all those weird stuffed animals all over your bed, or your Xbox 360, or your Facebook.
I lost my phone...I didn’t realize how much time I wasted texting.
(Like, what’s the point of texting anyway? 50 texts are equivalent to a 5 min phone call.)
Sometimes it’s the things that we enjoy the most that become our biggest setbacks in life.
Nothing should ever become so much of an addiction that you begin to ignore responsibilities. So many of us complain about there not being enough hours in a day, but fail to make good use of the time that we have. That’s sort of like a person who smokes 2 packs of cigarettes, complaining about not having enough money to eat out.
There is a fine line between the things that we want, and those that we need.
Consider this,
I challenge you to evaluate your life, searching for anything that you feel you could do without for a while. Then, for one week, give it up!
The most amazing blessings can often occur, simply, when you take the time to make time for other things.
All it takes is a little discipline.
~T$ God Bless
Friday, June 12, 2009
Because It's Cool
We watch too much tv. We listen too closely to the radio. We rarely read a book all the way through.
Far too frequently, we rely on swear words as a practical source of vocabulary.
We think and talk about sex too much. We have too many answers, and not enough questions….
Throughout high school, I was “Mr. Popular” I had my hands in, pretty much, every extracurricular activity that my school had too offer. As a result, I made a lot of friends, and made them easily.
However, I exalted spirits of arrogance and ignorance, and stuck my chest out at my peers. I’d do and say whatever I pleased, careless about the feelings and perspectives of other people. As a result, despite how popular I was, I don’t talk to anyone from my high school days anymore.
As stated in the Bible, “The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.”(Proverbs 10:7)
In order to make an impact, you have to be respected. In order to be respected, one must not fall victim to conceit. No matter how many friends, and/or followers you may have. You must never forget the power of God. At any given moment God can take away anything that he has blessed you with, leaving you with nothing but the results of your own sin.
I am saying all this to try and encourage those who reject correction, speak evil onto others, and brag amongst their peers to try harder to remain humble within their spirit. God blesses good people. Good people are remembered long after they are gone.
Let us all work hard to watch, very closely, everything we say and do.
That is the only way we can rightfully fear and respect the Lord. That is the only way to success.
~T$ God Bless
Far too frequently, we rely on swear words as a practical source of vocabulary.
We think and talk about sex too much. We have too many answers, and not enough questions….
Throughout high school, I was “Mr. Popular” I had my hands in, pretty much, every extracurricular activity that my school had too offer. As a result, I made a lot of friends, and made them easily.
However, I exalted spirits of arrogance and ignorance, and stuck my chest out at my peers. I’d do and say whatever I pleased, careless about the feelings and perspectives of other people. As a result, despite how popular I was, I don’t talk to anyone from my high school days anymore.
As stated in the Bible, “The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.”(Proverbs 10:7)
In order to make an impact, you have to be respected. In order to be respected, one must not fall victim to conceit. No matter how many friends, and/or followers you may have. You must never forget the power of God. At any given moment God can take away anything that he has blessed you with, leaving you with nothing but the results of your own sin.
I am saying all this to try and encourage those who reject correction, speak evil onto others, and brag amongst their peers to try harder to remain humble within their spirit. God blesses good people. Good people are remembered long after they are gone.
Let us all work hard to watch, very closely, everything we say and do.
That is the only way we can rightfully fear and respect the Lord. That is the only way to success.
~T$ God Bless
Yesterday at Magic Mountain
Yesterday was a great day.
Me, Kiana, Auston, Caryn, Jamie, Vaughn, and Tati were all throughout Six Flags showing everybody up. Well, really just Vaughn and Jamie...
Hoonestly, I've never seen two people with more chemistry on the first time they met, than those two. From syncronized booty dancin on people in the X2 line, to randomly sprinting off together, ahead of the group, just to burn off a little energy, those two were a lot of fun to watch. Together, they had me laughing all day.
It's such a blessing to witness all of my friends growing up with such vivacious personalities.
Especially my lil bro, Vaughn.
I remember when brodie was a lil timid and shy guy. Now, at times, I feel like he might be more mature than I am...at times :)
...My phone fell 50 feet from the ground, out of my pocket, on the first roller coaster. As much as I keep saying that it doesn't bother me b/c I have good insurance, I can't get it out of my mind, how dumb I was for letting something like that happen AS SOON as I got into the amusement park.
Nonetheless, GIG (God is Good for those who have not caught ooon yet).
I finally got to see Kiana. I'd like to shout out to Caryn for looking out on that one. She knows how I was looking forward to that visit :). Thanks for bringing her straight to me from San Diego lol.
I must shout out my bro Aust as well for looking out with the backpack full of homemade goodies n snacks; so, we didn't have to spend a mortgage payment on food in the park. Not to mention, how wild it was seeing Zudy Huckstable in the men's bathrooom.
Tati don't be trippin anymore...
lol nah I was happy to see Tati there w/ her hair all stitched up :) (LOVE YOU TATI!!!)
Honestly, I'm just happy today. Yesterday was much needed fun. I challenge everyone to try and bring about the same kind of joy in whatever you do today. Even if you have to go to school, try to enjoy your day as much as possible. Far too often, we take for granted the blessings that God graces us with. Let us give thanks today by remaining joyful and possitive. Make it a great day.
~T$ God Bless
Me, Kiana, Auston, Caryn, Jamie, Vaughn, and Tati were all throughout Six Flags showing everybody up. Well, really just Vaughn and Jamie...
Hoonestly, I've never seen two people with more chemistry on the first time they met, than those two. From syncronized booty dancin on people in the X2 line, to randomly sprinting off together, ahead of the group, just to burn off a little energy, those two were a lot of fun to watch. Together, they had me laughing all day.
It's such a blessing to witness all of my friends growing up with such vivacious personalities.
Especially my lil bro, Vaughn.
I remember when brodie was a lil timid and shy guy. Now, at times, I feel like he might be more mature than I am...at times :)
...My phone fell 50 feet from the ground, out of my pocket, on the first roller coaster. As much as I keep saying that it doesn't bother me b/c I have good insurance, I can't get it out of my mind, how dumb I was for letting something like that happen AS SOON as I got into the amusement park.
Nonetheless, GIG (God is Good for those who have not caught ooon yet).
I finally got to see Kiana. I'd like to shout out to Caryn for looking out on that one. She knows how I was looking forward to that visit :). Thanks for bringing her straight to me from San Diego lol.
I must shout out my bro Aust as well for looking out with the backpack full of homemade goodies n snacks; so, we didn't have to spend a mortgage payment on food in the park. Not to mention, how wild it was seeing Zudy Huckstable in the men's bathrooom.
Tati don't be trippin anymore...
lol nah I was happy to see Tati there w/ her hair all stitched up :) (LOVE YOU TATI!!!)
Honestly, I'm just happy today. Yesterday was much needed fun. I challenge everyone to try and bring about the same kind of joy in whatever you do today. Even if you have to go to school, try to enjoy your day as much as possible. Far too often, we take for granted the blessings that God graces us with. Let us give thanks today by remaining joyful and possitive. Make it a great day.
~T$ God Bless
OutKast ft. Zudacris: "Bombs Over X2"
So check this out
I am now, officially on my fast, and I am actually quite nervous about it.
I have to admit, though the idea seemed fun and interesting at the time, I've had the displeasure of realizing too many flaws about my character, by forcing myself to cut certain "pleasures" out of my life.
However, there is a sense of urgency about my life that, I believe, God would like for me to adhere to.
It's crazy b/c it seems like, every time I look at a clock to check the time, the clock reads 9:11.
I went to Magic Mountain today with some friends. (Shout out to all my peoples, Auston, Vaughn, Caryn, Tati, Jammie, Kiana so fine...) I was in desperate need of a Coke can for the 1/2 off discount, wondering if I should stop at 7-eleven, when I turned the corner to my friends house too find a Coke can sitting in the middle of the road... GIG(God Is Good).
Contrary to those blessings that God so frequently places on my life, God asked a favor of me that I trust in his judgement, as I watched my cell phone fly out of my pocket on the first ride at the amusement park. Instead of getting mad, or depressed, or frustrated, I decided to look at it like a sign from God signifying how Urgent this fast is at this phase in my life; so that I must not be distracted in any way.
My destiny is approaching. This fast will prepare me to walk a steady path in my spirituality.
I believe that the Lord may have quite a few obsticles for me to overcome over these next few weeks...punishment for my spiritual arrogance, and neglect. But, I have the upmost faith in God that he will see me through, and I will be a better man because of it.
I am now, officially on my fast, and I am actually quite nervous about it.
I have to admit, though the idea seemed fun and interesting at the time, I've had the displeasure of realizing too many flaws about my character, by forcing myself to cut certain "pleasures" out of my life.
However, there is a sense of urgency about my life that, I believe, God would like for me to adhere to.
It's crazy b/c it seems like, every time I look at a clock to check the time, the clock reads 9:11.
I went to Magic Mountain today with some friends. (Shout out to all my peoples, Auston, Vaughn, Caryn, Tati, Jammie, Kiana so fine...) I was in desperate need of a Coke can for the 1/2 off discount, wondering if I should stop at 7-eleven, when I turned the corner to my friends house too find a Coke can sitting in the middle of the road... GIG(God Is Good).
Contrary to those blessings that God so frequently places on my life, God asked a favor of me that I trust in his judgement, as I watched my cell phone fly out of my pocket on the first ride at the amusement park. Instead of getting mad, or depressed, or frustrated, I decided to look at it like a sign from God signifying how Urgent this fast is at this phase in my life; so that I must not be distracted in any way.
My destiny is approaching. This fast will prepare me to walk a steady path in my spirituality.
I believe that the Lord may have quite a few obsticles for me to overcome over these next few weeks...punishment for my spiritual arrogance, and neglect. But, I have the upmost faith in God that he will see me through, and I will be a better man because of it.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Allow Me to Introduce Myself
I'm Tristan Smith. I've been in Cali for about a month and 1/2 now.I'm back home from Canada, where I attend University on a scholarship to play basketball.
I'm studying Communications, and trying to make a pretty huge impact on campus; so I'm trying something new, and interactive...
For the next couple months I'll sort of be introducing myself into the blog world.
In order to sustain your interests, I've decided to add a little drama about my arrival.
I'M GOING ON A SPIRITUAL FAST!
So, basically, I'll be posting all kinds of craaazy topics on here. The fast starts June 12th, and ends July 3rd.
One of the components of the fast, requires me to spend 1 hour a day, recording a daily blog.
I must say, I'm a pretty random guy; so I think we are going to have a lot of fun.
I have a craaazy family, Killer friends, Church fam: ACTIVE, B-Ball Battle Stories, Krump Battle stories, etc...
No, seriously. I'm crazy.
So subscribe soon. Hurry up! b/c my brain is about to explode all over this blog spot.
Until next time, I'll be sitting here.
...waiting for something crazy to happen....
T$~God Bless
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