A Different Answer

Well today I’ve kinda realized a little bit of my struggle this summer. It’s been a continual fight against apathy and anger and constant frustration due to being stressed out and being a generally irritable person. But what I’ve wanted to think about all summer is why on earth its such a difficult struggle this summer. Why can’t I simply overcome these struggles with the help of the Lord. Here’s my answer.

 

It says in God’s word:

 

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

-- 1 Corinthians 10:13

 

God does not tempt you beyond what you can bear. How does that help me? Well for those of you that haven’t seen me in a while, God helped me grow incredibly through amazing resources and people this past year at school. He has grown me so much and I’ve enjoyed getting to see Him work in glorious ways around me. But, once again, how does that help me realize why I’m struggling?

 

In the book of Job we can see that God has allowed Job to be tempted because He knows how strong Job is. Job is a powerful warrior for the Lord. Well in a similar way through my growth I’ve been becoming opened to more and more trials and temptations. God has been allowing me to face more and more because He knows that I can face each temptation and overcome it. That’s why He has placed them in front of me!

 

He has placed His confidence in me and to be honest I’ve let Him down quite a bit, but there’s one more part of my answer that still is yet to be revealed. Why have I failed to overcome these previous trials?

 

Like I was saying, my trials and temptations are becoming increasingly harder to deal with and harder to overcome. But how did I overcome them in the first place? By being poured into. I want to encourage to each and everyone of you to find someone to pour into your lives. I’m not saying go to church and Youth Group, I’m talking about one on one mentoring. My struggle has been through lack of growth in order to adapt to my challenges. No one has been pushing me to grow. That’s what we all need to fight our demons. Is the assistance of God and the encouragement from our brethren. It says in Romans 5:8 “Take on the burdens of your brethren and so fulfill the law of Christ.” We are called to help our brothers in Christ and they are called to help you. Get someone in your life NOW!

 

With Love.

 

----The Running Man

A Brand New Day

Well soon starts a brand new day. A whole new set of hours that we can screw ourselves up with. I’m so excited. I get to sin again. And then attempt to earn my forgiveness and feel like such a wicked person. Should be a great day.

Unless…. I remind myself of the Gospel. Of my daily need for it. And how often have I neglected having serious time with God? To be quite honest its been since early June. Over a month since I’ve really put effort into my quiet times. Why?

I can’t answer that. I can’t comprehend why I wouldn’t want to remind myself that I’m imperfect and why I wouldn’t want to continually humble myself before the almighty God. Its so confusing. Why wouldn’t I want to do those things?

It’s cause I’m human. I mess up. And I’m so selfishly inclined it quite honestly sickens me. The idea of how perverse we really are. How abominable we are. of how filthy we are and lost we are in our own sin is something that keeps reminding me that I’m in need of a Savior. But it at the same time keeps me from running towards Him with all I’ve got. I need to be striving for Him and so do you. Love you guys, run well.

----The Running Man

Howdy Y’all

Hey thur. I’m gonna change my background… Probably tonight, but I wanted to also share with you guys some vital information!. THE CHADWICKS ARE BACK IN TOWN….. till saturday. But that’s ok cause we still get to see them. Anyways that and I have a new movie out. Some Birmingham Adventures. Check this out.

So let’s keep talking. What’s going on with life? Work. Play. Chatter. You know the deal. Yesterday we took a trip out to lake providence and did some fishing (Me, Leo, and Smeds). We caught a ton of massive Brim, but no bass. We did see a massive one come up and start attacking one the of the Brim that Leo had caught, but it seemed too great a task for the bass to actually sink in. It was frustrating.

That’s what I want to share with you guys right now. It’s the core of fishing and the key to life. Patience and Persistence. Now persistence invokes a sense of determination to get the job done. A determination to catch a fish or make that trick. But where we need persistence the most is in our daily walks with God. Sometimes, the problems that we encounter are just our own selves not wanting to want to overcome them.

For example, You walk up to a wall. You climb over it. You come to a bigger wall and you are daunted by the task of climbing over it and getting past the last wall has made you weary. Now you just don’t want to put the effort in to get over the wall, even though you want to be past it.

My boy Leo and I like to do a lot of crazy things, rock climbing, fishing, mountain biking, slacklining, and tons of other things. But the one thing that we need when doing our crazy stuff is the persistence necessary to get up and try again and attack that wall. When Leo gets it and I feel my strength fading, I decide that its time to give up and I tell that to Leo. Everytime I say that his response is always, “Well not with that attitude you won’t”. Then I decide to push through the pain and I get it. At my weakest point all it took was some encouragement and some self belief and PERSISTENCE to get it.

That’s what we need in our spiritual walks. We need that persistence. But if you notice how I was able to get it. I had someone there to encourage me and push me. That’s the same in our walks. For me personally if I ever want to work out I have to have a buddy with me or I just won’t try and I’ll waste my time. Likewise, we need to surround ourselves with Christian friends that can guide us and encourage us (BUT NOT DROWN US). We need to be focused on growth but remember that we don’t isolate ourselves.That’s all I’ve got for today! Love you guys!

----The Running Man

And We’re Back!

Greetings folks. So I got back into Birmingham after a really long week, and guess what? I got my charger! So now I will be posting far more frequently for those of you that care. Anyways, I’ve been in Callaway Gardens this last week at a “Family Reunion” I say that with quotes because not all the family was there and cause I like quotes. Anyways it was good fun, I had Leo come down and visit for a while and we did some fun stuff. Like this!

That’s a backflip off the top of the ski pavilion! WHOOP WHOOP! (sorry for the horrible quality and the fact that the sound is off. Just focus on the idea.)

Anyways, to be quite honest, it’s been a long week and its been a rough week. I’m gonna be honest with you guys I’ve been struggling with apathy all week. I have felt very much on the defensive in all things and I haven’t really tried to be with God at all. It’s so tough trying to go through life without that comfort. I know we’ve all been there and I just hit that rough spot this week. So for encouragement I’m gonna say this. God says that He is always with us and that He will never forsake us. As many times as I turn my back on Him and run towards selfishness and greed that many times and more He remains faithfully by our side.

Its so difficult to realize. Its so hard to understand why such a great and powerful God could give us this powerful and redeeming agape love. Not one of us is deserving and not one of us could even hope to deserve it. Yet His love never fails, it never gives up, it never runs out on me. Its always there. Smiling down on you when you think you’ve lost it all. Love you guys

 

----The Running Man