No good reason

Well most of the time I write posts because I have something to say, or because cool stuff is going on in my life. And while Jesus is continuing to work on my heart, and transforming me more and more into His image daily, there really is not too much to report. But I'll just keep writing and see what I'll come up with.

Well last Wednesday I went to a job interview at Geico, and I found out that I had both the aptitude and the personality for sales, and they were saying that I was essentially everything that they wanted in an employee. They were offering me a job that would pay 45-50 thousand a year plus bonuses which I would recieve with every sale. I also would have medical, dental, and car insurance paid for. So I was at first excited.
However then they said that I needed to make at least a 2 year commitment, and they would want me to start a career in it. It was at that time I saw myself working there, getting promotions, eventually making 70,000-90,000 a year and having an office job. It was there it was safe, and it made sense.
But that is not what the Lord would have for me, I know that He has a calling on my life. He has given me this passion for the word, and for full time ministry. This job would mean financial security, I wouldn't have to worry about my job, or money or any of that. In essence I wouldn't have to rely on the Lord, nor would I have to persue His calling for me life.
That all flashed before me, and while the idea sounded nice I turned it down.

Anyway on a lighter note, the countdown is on, it's less than a 3 weeks till I get to see my beautiful, amazing, lovely Donna. For those of you who read this blog who don't already know I am madly in love Donna Mae Blaisdell. She is a blessing.

College group

Today I decided to check out the college group at Southside Baptist church. It was pretty cool. The leaders there really made a concerted effort to make sure that I was getting plugged in and making sure that the people noticed me which was appreciated. I notice that when it's just me, I tend to be quiet, which isn't exactly the way one goes about making friends, I need a wingman, someone who I know as backup, and so it was interesting going today because I lacked that wingman.

Anyway the lesson today was about relationships (since tommorrow is Valentine's day). The lesson essentially was an acronym, TOADS and it represented what people need in order to have a healthy relationship
Trust
Openness
Affirmation
Dating
Seeking the Lord

It was pretty good I guess, but I really enjoyed being able to hang out with a bunch of believers specifically Christian guys. I've realized that I need bros, and it's good that there are a lot of cool guys there. Hopefully I can find a brother who I can really talk to.

so anyway it was pretty good and I think that I am going to go back, hopefully I can make some good friends there and get plugged into some bible studies.

Today

So this blog wont be too long, but there are 3 things that happened today.
1. I finally got a job, I'm not working at Logan's Steakhouse. The manager seems to be pretty nice, and I get to finally be making money so that's cool.
2. I did it as you can see in the picture I shaved my gotee, not necessarily because I wanted to, but it was one of those things that I kept saying that I would do but never wanted to, but because Donna wanted to see what I looked like without it, and because Adam shaved his off too, I deciede to. I hate it though so Donna had better not like it.
3. Um... I was going to send my valentine's package for Donna today but the post office was closed so that stinks.

Yeah I look fat I hate being clean shaven... so it wont happen again so enjoy it while it lasts.

Grace pt. 1

I've grown up in a christian home, and in fact I have known the definitions to such words as predestination, atonement, and even transsubstantiation, since I was a kid. I grew up living a life that said "I'm a Christian and here's why..." the problem is that while I knew a of a lot of things about the Word, there was a key principle, a key idea that I was never taught. That was the idea of grace. Sure I may have been able to define what grace was "God's unmerited favor" but the reality is the definition without a full understanding is lacking power.
I was talking with Donna last night about the whole job thing, and the thing is I kept coming back to the idea that I needed to do something, I needed to be better, I needed to search harder etc. But as we were talking it hit me, so much of how I see my life, and my relationship with Christ is based on how I live for Him. That's how I was trained all my life to view that relationship.
However something began to really strike me in bible college, and that was the idea that it's not about what I do for Him, it's about who I am in Him.
That more than anything has been something that I have been struggling with. It's grace, and the stuff I learned about it shows just my vast lack of understanding of what it truly means to live under grace. It's not the way that I have been taught to live, and it's not the way that I have necessarily been living, but it is the core to my relationship with God. Grace shouts "you do not deserve anything that I have been giving you, so stop trying."
Anyway so I have started to read the book "Why Grace Changes Everything" by Chuck Smith, and to be quite honest as I have just read the first two chapters so far I have felt so... freed. I don't know any other way to express it.
So far there has not really been anything that I have not intellectually known, but it is stuff that my heart has had trouble accepting and believing. But this time as I consider these things, I pray through them. I stop consider what I read and the type of ramifications this stuff will have on my life if I truly believe them, and I have been blown away. Here are the three main things that the Lord has spoken to me through this book so far:

1. Nothing I do, good or bad, can change my standing before God.
2.I am no more righteous than anyone else, nor is anyone more righteous than I am. It's not based on me at all, it's all based on Christ.
3. Anything and everything that is good in us, even things that we may not consider (such as a hard working spirit, a good memory, or the ability to overcome) are all gifts from God and not things we have to muster ourselves.

All of these things are all based on grace, and it when we are in Christ, that we can gain these.

Anyway I'll keep posting on the stuff I have been learning about grace. This has been such a blessing so far, and I am excited to hear what the Lord is going to show me as I continue studying.

So it's Monday

Well I determined today to write a blog about something. But I am trying to think of a good topic to talk about here on my blog, but as or right now I am not exactly sure what to put so I am just writing hoping that something comes to me.
So as of right now nothing is coming to me. I've noticed something though, just how much tv and stuff that the people watch, yet at the same time I've noticed how stupider and stupider television is becoming. So I don't think I am going to have cable or anything when I get my own place, if I really want to watch something I'll watch it on iTunes.

Donna knits

that's right she is a nifty knitter.