New

In my last post, I wrote about how I would like us to start taking our blogs and living them out.  But today, I was thinking back about what good blogging did for me.  You know how sometimes, you get those thoughts that really are interesting to you, but may not spark other people's interests?  It happens to me a lot because I really enjoy Math and Science, and understanding how the world works in very general (but accurately based) theories.  I have decided to begin dedicating a new blog to exactly that train of thought. It is going to be mainly Christian based, but the entire purpose will be to explore new ideas about our world, why things work the way they do, and why we do the things we do.  It may not be updated frequently, but I hope you enjoy the things I will begin to share there.

Thanks, and may God be with you always. (:

~♥
(http://debunktheuniverse.blogspot.com/)

Taking Out

So for anyone who has followed me, you may notice I no longer post on a regular basis.  It may seem as though I have slacked off from a project that I started, but dear bloggers, I must say it is a better reason than that.  I am using my thoughts and my words at school, both in everyday conversation and situations, and in Friday's Student-lead Chapel program.  As one of our two school Chaplains, I have been blessed with the opportunity to share my thoughts with my entire High School and Middle School, and hopefully leave a bigger impact on my world.  Writing these blogs has helped shape how I view the world and how I approach different situations in my life, and now I am taking what I am learning and putting it out in the real world.

I really would like to encourage you, if you write a blog of your own or if you have been considering doing one, to try to move your thoughts into actions out in the world. Keep writing if it helps, like it did me, but in the mean time pray and watch for ways to take what you write and make it happen in your world.  You never know, I have received "thank you"s from people whom I would have never expected to be impacted by my God's words that I have spoken for Him.  When an opportunity arises, take a risk; maybe this is God's will for your life, and he is just waiting for you to take the step!

Don't be afraid, for God is with us, his children, and he will give you the words to speak, like Moses, as long as you listen to his voice.  Pray and stay in his Word, and may you be a blessing to all who meet you.
  ~♥


"With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith.  We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ."
 - 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

Important Things

Today I saw a post on Facebook that read, "Put prayer back in schools!"  The person was claiming that if people were only allowed to pray as a part of school that our schools would be better. First of all, you can pray in school.  You can pray anywhere really; saying it out loud makes no difference to whether God hears you or not.  I have many Christian friends who pray for tests and friends and troubles throughout their school days and don't get in trouble at public school.

Secondly, I don't believe that adding prayer will change anything in school.  The most it may do is allow some teachers to preach to students, but it will not guarantee that the students will suddenly become great, amazing, rule-following people.  We have to face it: we live in a fallen world.  It will never be perfect; there is no 'one-step solution' to this page.

Before you ask how could I not want prayer in schools, I want you to see the bigger picture.  Parents are no longer forcing their kids to come with them to church.  That was a big thing in freshman year; all of these modern worldviews talking about how cruel it is to force a religion on some kid before they are old enough to decide what they want to follow.  I found it convincing at first, but I realized that the reason why parents do push their kids out of bed every Sunday is because they are learning a religion either way.  If you don't take them, you are teaching them that it isn't as important as sleep, or not even real.  I don't know too many people who had gone to church service every Sunday up 'till graduation and turned away completely in college.  Even if that person couldn't make it to worship services on Sundays, they probably would still at least pray before an exam.

It is also true though that a person whose parents never went to church or forced them to go with them would be far less likely to pray in school either.  I attend a Christian school and we pray every morning after the pledge.  Even though everyone gets quiet, not everyone prays.  The people who say the prayer on the announcements don't always care either.  I heard a prayer once said in a very dejected voice, "Dear God, thank you for this day, amen."  Everyone in the room laughed, the teachers were upset that he didn't put more into it, and you probably would have been too.

So how are we going to get kids who have never even heard of God to pray in public schools to him?  To them it will be like the pledge: "We do this because the government makes us. I hate America."

What makes my school different than public schools then?  The real Christians who are working there.

I have to say, we have so many teachers who care about their kids.  They don't even talk to us about Jesus all the time or pray over us everyday in class; not many of us actually care about that stuff.  No, we have teachers who are honest with us, share with our conversations more than the topics in the plan; and then we have talks with them about problems in our lives.  They sit down and work out problems between two students, judging the truth from the lies.  We learn to trust our authorities because they are reliable, knowledgeable  and don't fall for 'teacher's pets'.  Their opportunity to speak about Christ is during chapel, but their opportunity to show Christ is in the classroom, and they do it well here!

We need to stop losing sight of the important things in life.  Small stuff will get you no where; we all know that.  So why focus on praying in school? Why not focus on being the example you want kids to see and respect?  Even if it's hard, that's what Jesus calls "loving our enemies" and "praying for those who persecute you".  We have to do the action even if we ain't feelin' it.

I realize this is a lot longer than I had planned, and I applaud you for reading this far, but I have one last thing to share: not too long ago, I watched this video which got me thinking.  It talks about focusing on the bigger picture rather than the little things.  It is inspiring and thought-provoking, and I encourage you to watch it.

In fact, do more than watch it; share it with your friends, your church, your local school.  Maybe if we Christians change like Christ asks us to, then others will see his light where it wasn't before.

The "Unforgivable" Sin

"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"
Jesus replied, " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'  This is the first and greatest commandment.  
And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
 - Matthew 22:36-40