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sanctified29
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Name: Daniel
Country: United States
State: Wisconsin
Birthday: 6/29/1984
Interests: I love music. Playing it. Singing it. Hearing it. Dancing to it.
I also enjoy sports, watching movies with friends, and just hanging out with people.
Expertise: Creativity
Occupation: Student
Message: message me
AIM:  singNrun
Member Since:
8/5/2004
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| More ThoughtsIt has been a LONG while since I've written anything on here. Just thought I would post some thoughts. Yesterday was my church's annual baptismal picnic. It was a good day. A long one, but a lot of fun. It was basically volleyball all day long.
The batismal part was enjoyable to watch. I remember when I was a kid I watched people getting baptized at my mom's church. Now I am older, attend church separate from my family, and I wasn't able to witness the baptisms at my church the past couple of years, so seeing them this year was a blessing.
For quite some time I struggled with the teachings I would hear on baptism. But I have a tendency to overcomplicate things, and this I think was no exception. What I realized was that it's simply about obedience -- making a public confession on your decision to follow Christ and live your life with that commitment.
Well this week will be my last full week of work. I will begin the fall semester of classes on Monday the 21st. I guess it will be bittersweet. I'm not really ready for summer break to be over, mainly because I would like to earn more money right now. However, I do want to be done with school, and this will be my final year. So, with that in mind, I look forward to getting through these last two semesters.
Now on to the always confusing subject of WOMEN.
I was just reading a friend's blog entry and she was writing about boy issues. It was interesting to read. None of it really surprised me. I can tell she has matured on the subject which was good to see.
Anyway, I'm dealing with some issues myself right now. More than what I will choose to write about. I think it wise to discriminate about what I share publicly. No offense to any of you.
My thoughts on the subject feel as though they travel a mile a minute and I find my mind feeling bombarded with more thoughts than it can process clearly.
Sorry if you're disappointed, but that's probably all I should share on that subject at least for now.
Well if anyone out there is willing, please pray for me. I know that I do need it. Specifically, for wisdom (relationship, work, financial planning with school and debt, friendships, commitments), for healing (I know that I have a wounded heart, and that only God can mend it), for courage (sometimes I just need to do what I know I need to do even when I'm afraid), and for a renewed mind (my mind can be a crazy place full of imagination and creativity and a million other things... and I just want to be able to think clearly right now and experience God's peace in my mind).
Thank you so much to those of you who would pray for me. I believe in prayer, and that it often makes the difference. I wish everyone a blessed day! Drop me a comment if you like!
-Dan
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| Some Not-so-random Random Thoughts
Paul (in the Bible) writes that he wished they would imitate him as he imitates the Lord, Jesus Christ. This makes me think, am I imitating Christ everyday? Would I be able to tell others to imitate me as I imitate Christ? Heavy stuff. Many times I feel inadequate to accomplish the things that are set before me. But as I learn to press on, only good things have followed. In my weakness, God shows his strength, and then there is no doubt about who is receiving the glory. Lately, I have been feeling burned out with all of the serving I have been doing at church. Mainly the time I have spent playing on the worship team. We're supposed to be scheduled every other weekend (every weekend we have 3 services), but I think in the past 8 weeks I have played 7 weekends. And I was telling one of my friends about this and she brought up a good point. She said that if I think about it, yes it is good to serve, but when you just keep going and going and you're getting burned out, in some ways you can actually be robbing God of his glory. This made me think. I had never thought of it that way. If I am serving God but finding myself just doing it to do it, and my attitude is turning negative, and my heart is not feeling joy, then there's a good chance that I NEED rest. In my busyness of serving I have neglected to find time to just rest and sit at the feet of Jesus. Hmmmm, that reminds me of Mary and Martha.
Lord, I'm sorry for getting caught up in being busy. I'm sorry for not spending more time with you recently. Help me to recover and find rest in you -- to find time to just bow my heart before you and receive your love, your joy, your peace. I place my hope and my trust in you. I believe you will not fail me. You never have. I love you. In Jesus' name, amen.
Well, I hope that was encouraging for someone out there. For me, I'm so thankful for the friends God has blessed me with. They encourage me, build me up, and probably most importantly, they tell me what I need to hear rather than what I may want to hear... even when it may be tough.
ttyl world.
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| So, I'll finally give you all a real update.
This weekend has been wonderful. It began slowly, and I was nervous about getting homework done as well as leading worship for all three services, however I can say it has been good. I was asked just on Wednesday if I could lead this weekend... kinda short notice, yeah, but looking back on it I'm glad I did it. Everytime I lead, I learn more. More about leading. More about worshipping. More about myself. I am humbled and I know that I am blessed to have the opportunity to lead. In my own abilities and strengths I know I fall short. But it's one of the things I love most about leading -- in my weakness, God shows himself strong, and he receives all the glory.
Search throughout the Bible and you will find that whenever God used anyone to do something great, they would not have been seen fit for the task by their peers, let alone themselves. Yet God knew their hearts. He seeks to find those who are willing. Those who will be faithful. That could be YOU. And I hope it is, because God will lift you up, and you will be amazed at the things you will do in life and the places you will go. Amen. How cool is that??
Well, I don't know when I will update next, so here's to a Merry Christmas for everyone!!
PS Dream BIG dreams. And then... LIVE them out!
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| Faith is not what some people think it is. Their human dream
is a delusion. Because they observe that faith is not followed by
good works or a better life, they fall into error, even though they
speak and hear much about faith. "Faith is not enough," they
say, "You must do good works, you must be pious to be saved."
They think that, when you hear the gospel, you start working,
creating by your own strength a thankful heart which says, "I
believe." That is what they think true faith is. But, because
this is a human idea, a dream, the heart never learns anything
from it, so it does nothing and reform doesn't come from this
'faith,' either.
Instead, faith is God's work in us, that changes us and gives
new birth from God. (John 1:13). It kills the Old Adam and makes us
completely different people. It changes our hearts, our spirits,
our thoughts and all our powers. It brings the Holy Spirit with
it. Yes, it is a living, creative, active and powerful thing, this
faith. Faith cannot help doing good works constantly. It doesn't
stop to ask if good works ought to be done, but before anyone
asks, it already has done them and continues to do them without
ceasing. Anyone who does not do good works in this manner is an
unbeliever. He stumbles around and looks for faith and good
works, even though he does not know what faith or good works are.
Yet he gossips and chatters about faith and good works with many
words.
Faith is a living, bold trust in God's grace, so certain of
God's favor that it would risk death a thousand times trusting in it.
Such confidence and knowledge of God's grace makes you happy,
joyful and bold in your relationship to God and all creatures. The
Holy Spirit makes this happen through faith. Because of it, you
freely, willingly and joyfully do good to everyone, serve
everyone, suffer all kinds of things, love and praise the God who
has shown you such grace. Thus, it is just as impossible to
separate faith and works as it is to separate heat and light from
fire! Therefore, watch out for your own false ideas and guard
against good-for-nothing gossips, who think they're smart enough
to define faith and works, but really are the greatest of fools.
Ask God to work faith in you, or you will remain forever without
faith, no matter what you wish, say or can do.
-Martin Luther, 1522 | | |
| Do you ever stop to think about your life? I mean to just stop and drop whatever you are doing, whatever you are thinking and just contemplate the subtleties of your life - the things that often mean the most. Or to stop and just experience God in the stillness of your heart.
Lately I have been trying to do this more often. I find myself praying for others more than myself, worshipping with greater abandonment, and loving others for no other reason than just because. And it's all been really great. Really it has. I'm thankful for the lessons of life God is teaching me and for the way He is leading me right now.
And right now at this moment, I find myself amazed at what God has done for me -- what he has done for you -- what he has done for us. "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God." -1 Peter 3:18
In our neverending search for the right formula or the right steps or the right way, perhaps we miss the truth of that verse entirely. God never offers us a formula or a 10-step plan to live this life. He offers Himself. He offers us relationship with Him. It's the only thing that will fulfill us, because way back when in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve committed a relational crime against a pure and holy God. And ever since, God has been working to restore that lost and broken relationship. WIth Him we have security in knowing who we are and who we belong to, not relying on other people to tell us who we are or affirm our value.
He offers us Himself. And who deserves that? Not a single one of us. That's the best part.
Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now I'm found. I was blind but now I see. | | |
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