Twitter

Hey everyone, I got a twitter today to see if I like it. I'm going to keep this as my spiritual blog, but I might post a thought there from time to time. Just thought I would update...

http://twitter.com/pickleat

A.P.

Trust God Will...

Ok, after a long hiatus I'm back for all one of you who read this. Here's today's thought.

After doing my daily reading, I realized something. God is teaching me something directly. I had just finished reading about Gideon the Judge and how he conquered the Midianites. God is teaching me to be faithful. I need to trust Him, trust that He's called me here to Jonesboro, trust that I can be what I need to be. I know that He will guide me, I just need to listen...

My new phrase to help this is "Trust God Will..." fill the blank of what I need to trust Him for that day. I hope this helps you... thanks.

Andy

Everyone! Anyone...?

Everyone, anyone? If you are keeping up with me, you've noticed I've taken a break from Blogging while at home. I leave for Jonesboro, Ar later today and I am planning on picking it back up. Please be patient with me, I hope I can get back into it soon. 

Andy. 

Sorry I've been away.

Sorry I've been away, but this is finals week. I fully intend to keep this blog going after my ministry class is over, however right now I'm concentrating on my tests. Thanks, Be back soon.

Andy

Homestretch

Man, we are so close. I have less than a week of school left, and my freshman year is over. I will be in Jonesboro this summer, and Vienna in the fall. I'm so excited, but I don't know when I'm going to rest. Because that's all I need, is a long rest. My prayer is that God will give me the stamina to finish the semester, give my all in my internship, and in my travels. I can't say much more, because studying and final assignments are calling my name. But God willing I will get good grades on all of these, and finish the year strong. 

andy 

Not Everything is Perfect.

Golf could be one of the most frustrating things in the entire world. You have a great shot, then the worst of your life. And as much as I hate sports metaphors, this one speaks to me. When I play golf, I could have 2 attitudes. The first, is to get angry when I don't play as well as I'd like, or the second, I could realize that I'm not a pro, and just have fun. I normally start out going toward the first, and end up at the second. I just know that my golfing days would be ruined if I didn't keep a level head. 

The same goes for life. It seems like I get so angry sometimes when things aren't perfect. Somewhere along the line of that event, I realize that I need to "take a chill pill," and just let things happen. I just wish that in my life, I could realize that things happen, and deal with them as they come. Perfection is impossible, and no event, speech, assignment, or day, will ever be perfect. We've just got to out there, live life, and make the best of what we've got. 

Everyday Living

I recently been reading through the book of James. This book is filled with advice for the everyday life of a Christian. Today in particular I read chapter 5 verses 13-16. It reads;

"Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make them well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."

How many things can we pull from this passage? When I'm in trouble pray, when I'm happy praise the Lord, when I'm sick, ask people to pray for my healing. I'm only going to write about the part that is most potent to me. 

"Confess your sins to each other, and pray for each other..." 

Do we do this enough? I don't think I tell many people other than God what my sins are. And how am I supposed to keep from doing them if I don't have my friends to keep me accountable. I think that is the point, that we need a support system in place to help us with our struggles. No matter what the struggle is, God will forgive you. I don't care if it's homosexuality, lust, greed, or murder. God forgives if you truly are trying to live for Him, but we need to talk about it. 

A couple of friends and I have been trying to keep each other accountable this semester, and we are still learning, but so far it has helped. The great part of accountability is that it keeps you from doing it, because you have another reason to feel guilty. You aren't just accountable to God, you are accountable to someone that you know will ask you how you are doing. Who will be disappointed in you when you have to admit that you failed them. I know it seems rudimentary, but it definitely helps me.

Along with confession comes prayer; praying for yourself and the other people that you are in the fight with is monumental to your growth. If you pray for God to protect you, He most certainly will. Ask God for His guidance for you and your friends in order to become more like Him. Tell Him you are weak, and He is strong. Because I can honestly say that after years of struggles, there is no other way than to rely on God. Considering He is the only reason you don't want to sin in the first place, you should turn to him for help with it. I know it took me years to figure this out, and the sooner you do it, the sooner you will see the tide turn; when that tide turns, you will see more steps forward and less steps back.