Another day, another chapter

Godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 
          -1 Timothy 6:6-8

It's with a heavy heart, that I let y'all know that I've been academically suspended from the College of William and Mary, and that I've decided to not appeal the decision. Which means that I won't be attending the College of William and Mary this fall, and probably not again for awhile, if ever. Although I am saddened that this has happened, I don't have any (major) regrets.

It's been pretty scary, knowing that I'm about to be thrust into the "real world". I don't know what the

Thankful

I was sitting in my Epidemiology class, just jotting down notes, minding my own business. The professor started telling a story (for reasons that escape me) about her first job after college. The first place she ended up working at was at a mental hospital, where she worked with severely autistic children. Her description of them was that they needed to wear helmets because they would bang their heads against the wall.

Story time: When I was a kid (think ages one, or two), I used to bang my head against things. And people around my mom told her to get me tested for autism. She said  that she wasn't willing to pay such a large amount of money to find out if I had a disease that couldn't even be cured.

Guns, guns, guns

The tragedy at Oregon was tough. Some people might view it as the beginning of the persecution of Christianity. The end of a 'golden age' for America, and the inception of its impending doom. I view it as another incident of a problem that has gone on too long without a solution- school shootings.

Each time we see these events hit the news, there's a lot of talk (a LOT), but I rarely see much action taking place. It's always the same debate, mental health vs gun control. The fight is so vicious on both sides, that little ends up happening.

I'm really not one for politics. I can't really say I'm Republican, nor Democrat. Both sides fight for some of the right stuff, and both sides are egregiously wrong on other stuff.

I hope this goes over well...

Wow. I realize I started my previous post with the same word, but still... wow. I honestly am having a hard time believing that all of that just happened. All I did was write a blog post about the crazy dream, and wasn't even the first person to social-mediafy it. A few weeks before this event, the Google Doc barely had any sign-ups. But then, just a week ago or so, I looked again at the Google Doc, and was shocked to find only five or so slots not signed up for.

A few of my closing thoughts...

-Act/pray with the expectation that God will act. In Acts 3, we see Peter tell a lame beggar to walk.

God is so faithful

Wow. College life has been crazy in the past week and a half, but I'm already seeing just how amazing God is. As September approaches, so does the 100 Hours of Prayer. Alone, this is impossible. But God's plans are good, and immutable, and will ALWAYS come to fruition.

When I first wrote that post, I didn't even share it on Facebook or anything, and barely even published the post itself. It's such a crazy dream, that is impossible by all human standards. But then a friend shared the post, and it started to get a lot of support.

Eventually I made a Facebook event in order to try to gauge interest. Steadily more and more people responded. Just last week I checked who was going and was amazed to see that there were people on the list who I had NO MUTUAL FRIENDS. This might seem weird, but to me it was a clear sign that this was growing way bigger than me, and anything I could have possibly imagined.

And then, just yesterday I met with a couple of people. That's it.

No, I'm kidding, it was about 100 Hours of Prayer, and they continued to give shape to this vision. More details came together, and now there's a specific plan moving forward on how to bring this dream together.

Small things (and large things... you know what, let me start this sentence over). Things like this really amaze me, and really point out the fact that this is God's plan. My timidity, laziness, forgetfulness, and whatnot cannot frustrate God's plans.

And that's what's so amazing. Despite how incredibly far I fall short of a glimpse of the radiance of a speck of the glory of God, God still chooses to invite us to be a part of His plan for redemption. Because He only invites us, we CANNOT mess up God's plans. I mean, how small would God's plans have to be for us to mess them up? I mean, we're talking about GOD.

I was planning on attempting to describe Him, but I think that this video does a much better job. That's all. See you soon. Perhaps.

Your Love Never Fails...

At a church service recently, we sang this song, and it made me really think about the phrase, "Your love never fails, it never gives up, never runs out on me". And during that, I really got a deeper revelation of God's grace.

God's love never fails. God will never stop loving you, nor stop chasing you, no matter the circumstances.

At the same time, I realized that this love is not just for me, but is also applicable to anyone, and everyone. I know this might all sound like a sermon of sorts, or the rantings of a Jesus freak (well, this just might be that), but it holds such a deeper meaning when you take time to dwell on it.

Too many times over the last couple of months I've heard about "people like that". There's no hope for "people like that", nothing can be done. I can't continue this person, because this person is one of those kinds of people.

Each time, I wonder "What does that mean?" If we truly believe that God's love NEVER fails, then there is no lost cause, no hopeless situations.

Over the past number of months, my heart has really been breaking for one of my friends back home. Apathy, hatred, and lies dictate his lifestyle. But he's been one of my oldest friends, and he's been like a brother to me. My heart yearns so deeply, so painfully for him to know Jesus, but I have no idea what he would look like as a Christian. A couple of months ago, I wondered if he could even become a Christian. I mean, it almost seems like hating God is a part of him.

But now, I know that I CANNOT GIVE UP. God's love sure doesn't, so who am I to say that I know better? A couple of months ago, I blogged a bit about a vision I had about the final days, and God's glory being so evident that every knee would bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. The face that popped up in that vision, the first person I saw proclaiming the glory of God was this friend.

And I knew that he'd be PISSED if I didn't try harder, didn't pray more, didn't reach out to him more. This might sound a bit like striving, but I know that the outcome isn't in my hands. It's in God's hands. But I am so desperate for my friend to know God, that I bring it to Him in prayer each day.

God's love has, and will never give up on me. It also sure won't give up on my friend, and I guarantee you that there is no one that God's love will give up on. So keep praying, and wait expectantly for God to move.

It's the Final... part to the challenge!

It's the final part to the challenge! BTW, I thought of a solution to the fact that I don't know enough bloggers to nominate three bloggers a day (thanks Brianna Meeks of A Cool Glass of Lemonade)- if you're reading this, and blog, then CONSIDER YOURSELF CHALLENGED. DO IT.

Anyways, this quote if from Richard Foster's Celebration of Discipline

"The moment we feel we can succeed and attain victory over sin by the strength of our will alone is the moment we are worshiping the will"

-Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline