God Is Good!

I'm going to try something here that I don't know whether it's going to work or not.  I'm going to post the 3 reasons that I love Jesus.

And I want to see how many different responses we can get.  So for any of my readers, I invite you to comment on the bottom of this posting and post your reasons you love Jesus.

Despite the fact that this might be a dark and rainy time in your life there are still sooo many things to be happy about.  Sometimes we need to force ourselves to look at the positives when our life for the moment is filled with gloom.

I would like for anyone that is reading this blog that might feel down to be able to view this post and look at how mich people have been blessed and have no choice but to put a smile on their face!  Awwww man that would make my day!

1. I am just thankful that He gave me a life to live.  A life where I have the freedom to make mistakes, have failures, and learn from them.  Because I know personally, if I was forced to follow Him, I definitely wouldn't have.  So I'm just in love with his ability to love an imperfect being like myself.

2. This man, lived a sinless life, went up on the cross for me....for everyone, died a humiliting and excruitiang death.  I mean come on.  That should speak for itself.  Took on the depths of Hell.  Wow.  He deserves all my praise.  He deserves all my love.  Thank you Jesus for dying, coming back to life, ascending to heaven, and coming back.

3. He's the ultimate Comforter.  He's there when I always need him.  When my close friends are miles away or are just busy with their lives and I need someone to talk to, I always have him.  He's omnipresent.  Everywhere at all times.  24/7 365/yr.  When I don't feel the best about my appearance, dealing with self-esteem issues, uncertain about life, or just angry.  I know that I can go to God in prayer and I will be comforted

I know this is a weird blog with no guarantee to work, but lets give it a try!  It doesn't have to be 3 reasons like me.  It can just be one!  Lets be a blessing to others!  

Love God.Love People

--MJA

Spoiled Rotten

How many people have heard the term Spoiled Rotten.  Or Spoiled brat?  It is usually a name that an elder sibling gives to a younger sibling who seems to have an easier life/time that he/she had.  Maybe the younger sibling getting nicer stuff.  Maybe the younger sibling gets his or her own room.  Maybe the younger sibling gets a cell phone at a younger age.  You get the picture.  But, I'm going to make the argument that we are all, spoiled rotten brats.

Are you with me?  Ok, so this past week I was on an orientation (which was more like a retreat) to prepare for my next job which will be a Ministerial Aide if you didn't know.  It was basically a work-week long event where everyone that got a grant from the organization, MCC, went to leadership training.  There was a total of 10 of us there and we stayed in a Mansion!  Wait...it was a mansion, but it was also a Youth Hostel.  AKA all the guys (6) had one room and all the ladies (4) has another.  Here's the kicker, each room had exactly 1 outlet, beds that were as thin as toilet paper, and roofs that were ona a downward diagonal angle so head hitting was at a premium.  Throw in the fact that no one knew each other initially.  Soooo here's the scenario:  You are ina room with at least 3 other people, with only two available (two-pronged) outlets, the bed is incredibly uncomfortable.  Oh, and I didn't mention that you had to share a bathroom with any number of random people that was staying in the hostel and not all of them are exactly hygienic.

That sounds like a blast doesn't it!  Now, there are two ways to react to this scenario.  The first is what I call the: American way, which is simply complain about everything.  The second is to embrace it.  I'm not going to tell you which way I reacted but lets just say that the majority of people were Americans.  I too, am an American so I'm not knocking anyone for how they feel, but theres a slight problem with Americans that was illuminated to me: we are spoiled freaking rotten!

Since there was only two spots to charge our phones, we had to rotate our phones every night.  That provides a minor inconvenience, but how about the fact that some people...alot of people doesn't even have running electricity 24/7 like we did.  Sure our bed were egregious and some people snored, but at least we had a bed to sleep on.  The point is, we need to start appreciating the little things.  Appreciate the fact that you have a car, a bed, or even something as insignificant (to us) as electricity.

There are things that we have, that all of us has, that we take advantage on a day to day basis.  No, I'm not talking about our families (even though we do).  No, I'm not talking about our jobs (even though we complain about them 24/7).  I'm talking about God's grace.  God's grace to forgive us.  God's love towards us.

I cannot say this enough...How many people here, we offer up his/her only begotten son/daughter to die the most hirrd death, for people that doesn't deserve it.  For people that complain about every little issue, every little scratch on their arm, while when Jesus hung up on the cross (partly human), he didn't complaim (well he did say that he was thirsty [John 19:28-29], but thats nothing major).  As a matter of fact, amidst His suffer, the Icon had us on his mind when he pleaded with the Father to forgive us because we don't know what we are doing....Wow...that's true love from the Father and Jesus. (Luke 23:24)


When was the last time you told your mom that absolutley gets on your nerves (NOT MINE! :] ) that you love her?  That you appreciate her? And you GENUINELY meant it.  Mothers Day?  Come on people!  If women are a gift from God, mother's must be the winning lottery ticket from God.  Treasure, and appreciate them.  And that goes for the fathers too....and brothers, sister, uncles, aunt, friends...Let's throw enemies in there as well...  Oooo, I just made a boo-boo.  Yep, I'm serious, love your enemies and appreciate them.  Bless them that persecute them.  (That's not my saying, that's Jesus'!) (Matt 5:44)

What am I trying to say??? We are SPOILED ROTTEN!  We are blessed.  No matter how much you think you have, without Jesus you have nothing!  No matter how little you think you have, you still have more than someone else.  It can always be worse right?  Cherish your friends, your family, your God, and most importantly your car!  Tell your car that you love it...yup, I'm dead serious!  Ok, not really, but seriously.  Remember the rule: Love God, Love People.  Let's step up our game! Oh and by the way, we all survived that retreat closer than ever before to each other despite our minor inconveniences.

And now its time for me to call my parents to tell them that I love them.  Pardon me.

Singleness Is A Gift From God

This is probably the hardest entry I've ever made due to the fact that this is what I've been struggling the most with recently.  It takes a lot out of me to admit this, but the more I meditate, read, and discuss with people, the more I realize that: Singleness is truly a gift from God.

I used to question why people enjoyed being single.  I mean, God made us relational beings, so when someone came around that you had some attraction to, you mind as well give them a chance right? Wrong!  It doesn't work that way and I thank God it doesn't work that way. 

I can be the first to acknowledge it: it really sucks to be single sometimes.  ESPECIALLY when all your freiends tend to be in relationships (thanks Messiah College) and you become the 7th Wheel.  You contstantly battle with that nasty bug called lonliness and you have to deal with the elephant in the room that there are going to be some nights where you are going to be alone.  But maybe that's not soo bad.  (See my blog about Divine Time-Outs).  It's necessary to be alone.  It's all about your mindset.  If you go into those nights saying, "woe is me, I'm so alone," it is definintely going to be a long night.  But, if you go into it excitied, things may change.  Now why in the world would you want to get exicted?  Well, I'll tell you!  

• You get to relax with no drama (my bros know what I mean!), no issues, just you and yourself!
• You get to do some soul searching (since its basically impossible to do it when you are with others).
• You can watch your favorite movie/tv show without ANY distractions.

Now doesn't that sounds great!!  Ok, I'm not naive enough to think that that's enough to convince anyone that spending a Friday Night alone is better than with a significant other.  But, I am going to make the argument that the world NEEDS single people.

Let's put it this way: we can do things in a much easier capacity than our coupled counterparts can.  We have an essential ingrediant called freedom.  To put it simple, we only need to worry about ourselves, and we can do whatever we want (within reason) to make us happy.

To make this practical, lets just say you are a successful musician.  Always touring and away from home.  It is SOOOO much easier to do this when you are single as opposed to married.  Married musicians constantly worry about leaving their man/woman/children and gone for Lawd know how long.  BUT if you are single, you are able to just go and do yo buisness!

Another practical example, is that, in the Bible, Jesus commands us to go and disciple right?  Well, let me ask a rhetorical question.  Is it easier to care for one person or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or (if you are ambiitous 10)?  Obvious answer.  Single people are able to do things for the Kingdom muhch more fluently and flexibly than those encumbered by relationships.

Now don't get me wrong.  When my Miss. Amazing comes along, I (hopefully) won't hesitant to sweep her up! Best believe that!  But, stastically, you are going to spend more of your time ina relationship, as opposed to single!  Sooooooo singleness is a gift!  It's a minority in our lives.  We should embrace it and ask God: Lord, what do you want me to do with this gift of singleness in my life?  Lead me Lord, I will follow because I can do it very easily as compared to Mr. & Mrs. Smith.

Remember that emotions are only temporary, so don't let them leave a permant impact on your life! 

Weeping may endure for the night but....

--GOD BLESS YOU ALL!