The Value of Christ Centered Relationships with Brothers and Sisters in Christ

As I have been pondering relationships that every person has while they live on this earth and beyond, I am greatly amazed at how God has put everything together.  He provides us with parents to guide and direct us throughout our lives. He provides wise men and women in everyones life in order to direct them in the right direction (of course we have to listen to such people).  The most important relationship any person has in their life is that of their relationship with God Himself.  The very outcome of eternity for any one person depends on their standing with God.  He has sovereignly drawn His people to Him so that they might live with Him in glory for eternity.  That is the relationship that God should be most praised and thanked for in a Christian's life.  For without Christ and His sacrifice, we would be living in enmity with Him and have no hope, peace, or joy in our lives.  Praise God for His pursuit of His children! Its exactly those children that God brought to Himself that are the parties contained in some of the most meaningful and blessed relationships one can have in their lives:  the relationship we have with our brothers and sisters in Christ! 

Believe it or not, all of us as Christians and children of God are eternally united with all those who have placed their trust and faith in Him.  This is a powerful union which cannot be broken by anyone or anything for it is as strong as the union between Christ and the Church, the persons of the trinity, and Christ's union with His flesh (1 John 1:1-2:2)!  Elisabeth Elliot wrote, "The relationship between Christian brothers and sisters is not something we create, ITS ALREADY ESTABLISHED, we are members of one another. We are related." A Christian should live in that truth and recognize that those relationships between brothers and sisters in Christ are uniquely important!  

Personally I recognized this truth a few years ago in a new way.  I had never noticed how important such relationships are in a believer's life.  Personally I had never had any really close relationship with a brother or sister in Christ.  I recognized that I had truly been missing out which is why I started to diligently seek God and ask Him to provide for me a uniquely close friend.  I began to develop close relationships at college but still had been missing out on a best friendship with a passionate follower of Christ. God graciously provided such a deep and blessed relationship with a sister in Christ about a year and a half ago and my lessons in how valuable close Christ centered relationships with other children of God began! 

Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.                    - 2 Timothy 2:22

Paul is exhorting Timothy to find brothers and sisters in Christ who will passionately call upon the Lord alongside him.  For Paul, it definitely seems that God's glory should be the goal in every Christian friendship one has.  He wants our friendships to be an expression of a passionate desire for God and His glory.  He wants our friendships to be completely surrendered to His Will and surrendered to Christ in everything.  After all, Christ is the one who has given you such a sibling relationship in the first place, so why shouldn't it be surrendered to Him and be for His glory alone? The pursuit of righteousness, faith, love, and peace should characterize all that one says and does with their siblings in Christ. Friendships with other children of God should ultimately be characterized by true biblical fellowship, affection, and genuine care; not to mention, a true longing and purpose of serving Him side by side! 

Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you might be healed. - James 5:16

The importance of biblical fellowship in a friendship with a brother or sister in Christ cannot be expressed enough.  The goal of any friendship with a sibling in Christ should be to grow in godliness together through discussing and sharing what God is teaching them and doing in them.  God and the Bible should be the common passion between friends and should be discussed constantly in order to encourage one another in their walks with Christ and spur one another on to love and good deeds!  I have been so blessed by God for a couple close friendships with sisters in Christ that are characterized by biblical fellowship.  One specific friendship with my best friend is so full of talking about scripture and what God is teaching us that we cannot help but be focused on Christ every moment of every day.  I have been so blessed by that relationship because in essence, it is impossible for me to take my eyes off of Christ due to the constant biblical fellowship we have!  Praying for one another is also very important! You would not believe how much more you notice God answering prayer when you have been sharing prayer requests with a close sibling in Christ and praying for one another thusly!  Christ truly works and answers prayer but its harder to notice such answers to prayer when you are walking on your own without close biblical fellowship with a brother or sister in Christ.  With biblical fellowship as a very important part of a friendship, you cannot help but encourage your brother or sister in what they are working on.  For instance, my friend was struggling with anxiety when it came to future decisions in the past, and I had the opportunity and great blessing to be able to encourage her in Christ through sharing with her Philippians 4:6-7 and constantly reminding her of that glorious passage in Scripture, not to mention praying for her.  God blessed that time of encouragement and prayer. She could not help but seek Him and trust Him, leaving the planning up to Him.  Now, she cannot help but rejoice and praise God for how all the decisions are coming together in such perfect answer to prayer! PRAISE THE LORD! 

Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as father, YOUNGER MEN AS BROTHERS, older women as mothers, YOUNGER WOMEN AS SISTERS WITH ALL PURITY.          - 1 Timothy 5:1-2

Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another. - Romans 12:10

Affection between brothers and sisters is also key to a fruitful sibling friendship that is Christ centered.  Protection and care for your brothers and sisters is key to a healthy and fruitful friendship, especially when it comes to opposite sex friendships. Affection towards siblings of the opposite sex should be done in ALL PURITY.  Preserving your brother or sisters purity in a friendship is very important to God and should be very important to you.  As one looks in 1 Corinthians 13 (the love chapter), one will notice that all the characteristics of love boil down to one thing and that is seeking what is best for the other person.  In order to show affection and genuine care for your brothers and sisters, you need to learn how to seek what is best for other person.  Believe me, this takes a lot of work and thought! One thing that is best for every brother or sister you will ever have is their purity being maintained.  This includes looking out for your siblings when they are in other relationships, making sure their purity is maintained.  This is especially important when one has affection and desire beyond friendship towards one of their brothers or sisters.  I have had recent experience in just that area.  God truly has blessed me with incredible wisdom from above and from authority in my life in order to help me look out for what is best for my sister in Christ.  What is truly best for her is for me to seek and maintain her purity, holiness, and sanctification in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 5:22-33; 1 Timothy 5:1-2; 1 Corinthians 7 etc).  This is played out in words left unsaid, constant surrender to Christ, and accountability.  I ultimately want to hear from her future husband these words..."thank you for being a brother to my wife!"  Those would be glorious words to hear from any husband or wife of people whom i have developed close friendships with! 

Other ways to show true affection and care for your brothers and sisters in Christ are to truly esteem them as better than yourself.  Do things for them that are honoring.  Give gifts, share with them why you value their friendship, lift them up, encourage them.  Most importantly, constantly look for ways to encourage them in their walk with God.  Look out for each other and serve each other.  Even rebuke each other in kindness and love so that you may continue to grow in Christ! Show true brotherly kindness towards your blessed siblings in Christ for Christ has provided such friendships for a purpose! 

And let us consider how we may spur one another on to love and good deeds. - Hebrews 10:24

Finally, living and serving side by side is key to a healthy friendship with your brothers and sisters in Christ. We should be living side by side in service to our Savior.  We have been called to serve Christ in the world and serve each other.  He calls us to be firmly committed to biblical friendships that seek to serve Him.  In our sibling relationships, men and women should spur each other on to godliness.  We should stand against wickedness together, seek God together, and honor one another as we grow in grace.  A friendship is focused on something outside of them; a purpose and goal to serve in the world.  In service, true friendship is found and we can know our friends in a deeper way than ever though imaginable.  As we spur one another on to love and good deeds, the sky is the limit as to how close the friendship will get, how much of a blessing it will be, and how powerfully God will use the friendship! Serve and live side by side as siblings in Christ, seeking to serve Him with everything you have! 

I truly hope continue to grow and develop my own friendships with the siblings in Christ i have been provided with by my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  They are truly blessed relationships that should not be neglected but should be sought out, grown, and developed as you both grow closer to Christ in your lives.  Praise Him for the union we have with those who have given their lives to Him!  

O the Grace of God in Bringing Me to My Knees

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. -Rom 5:10

The most important relationship anyone ever has in their life is their relationship with God! Believe it or not, everyone has a relationship with God whether or not they recognize it as so.  One is either in a broken relationship with God because of their sin or one is reconciled to God and in the most beneficial relationship one will ever have that will literally last forever! One is either an enemy of God or a friend of God.  A child of God or a child of Satan. A seeker of God or one who doesn't seek God. A lover of God or one who hates God.  One who is obedient and in submission to Him or one who is disobedient.  One who is elect or not.  One who sees Him as Lord or not. There is no grey area, there is no in between! Either God looks down upon you as a beloved child or He looks upon you with wrath because you despise Him and live in your sin! Yet people try to live in grey areas. They try to display attributes of God but essentially don't display any real Godlike substance in their lives. Where does pretending to be His end and truly being His beloved child begin?

  If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth -

1 John 1:5-6

John was very clear throughout his first epistle about what it means to truly be a child of Him and how one knows that he is truly God's child.  John left no room for grey areas; he was very black and white in his writing so that no one could claim they were a follower of Him, yet display in their actions and lives otherwise! If we say that we have a reconciled relationship with Him, an unbreakable union with Him ("fellowship"), and yet we walk in darkness, WE ARE LYING; plain and simple! So why all the fake "believers" out there that claim they have been reconciled to God and yet don't live as though they have been?  I personally was one of those fake "believers" who truly had not submitted my life to Him and had not made Him Lord of my life.  I was essentially a "believer" at six years old, and I began to learn how to do good things.  Learned what not to do and what to do in my life as a "Christian", but essentially I didn't care about seeking His discipleship, seeking to do what He had called me to do in His word.  Sure I talked like a Christian and looked like i was walking like a Christian but honestly had no passion behind my actions, no desire to attend church and learn more about how I should be living.  I was truly living the life of a hypocrite, the life of a Pharisee.  One who knew what to say and what to do but had no desire to live it out with purpose and passion for my Savior.  This went on for several years since 6 until about 13 or 14.  I talked the talk but didn't walk the walk everywhere i went!  There needed to be change.  I needed a desire to serve Him but where would that come from and how would that desire be cultivated?

4 The Lord God has given Me the tongue of disciples,

That I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word.

He awakens Me morning by morning,

He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple. 

5 The Lord God has opened My ear;

And I was not disobedient

Nor did I turn back. -

Isa 50:4-5

44 "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.  45 "It is written in the prophets, 'AND THEY SHALL ALL BE TAUGHT OF GOD.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me. -

John 6:44-46

 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me -

John 10:27

There was hope for me, for my Savior lives and was in pursuit of me from the beginning of time! Praise God for the ways in which He drew me to Him and gave me the desire for His discipleship after living such a long time "going through the motions" and acting like I was doing right things.  God used several people who had passion for Him in my life to show me what I should be desiring.  He truly proved to me through those people and through the work of His Holy Spirit in my life, what the error of my ways were and how I needed to follow Him as His disciple having Him Lord of my life! Through His grace and His love, He brought me to my knees as He showed me that I needed to be surrendered fully to Him.  He "Awakened my ear to listen" and "Opened up my ear" so that I could truly be His disciple and never turn back from Him.  The Father taught me the err of my ways and drew me to Him, giving me a desire for discipleship I truly never had before! Oh, May we never forget and neglect the work of His AMAZING GRACE! Since I now hear His voice because of the opening of my ears to His voice, I follow Him with my life.  It is still a constant act of surrendering to Him daily though! 

"Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. -Luke 14:27

One who is so blessed by God to be able to be His disciple because of His work within Him does not have an easy road ahead of Him by any means! Such a one needs to carry His own cross daily, dying to self daily and renewing that passion for Him and His word daily so that they can learn and follow Him as Lord and Savior with their whole hearts!   I am yearning and longing to be His disciple to the best of my ability but I know that I cannot do it on my own, which is why the Holy Spirit is here to help me day by day.  He is the one who gives me strength to live for Him!  All one needs to do is ask the Spirit for strength and guidance and wisdom and it will be bestowed on Him, if he is a true disciple of Jesus Christ! Such a disciple of Him is truly blessed beyond belief and cannot help but praise His NAME with all he/she has! Praise God for His amazing grace in my life and in the lives of the brothers and sisters He has blessed me with, as we yearn to be His wholehearted disciples together daily! Soli Deo Gloria

 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. -

Eph 1:3

Parents! The Important Relationships that God has Ordained!

Well its been a couple weeks since i posted my testimony as my first blog post, and i have gotten a lot of feedback.  With this post and the two that will be following within the next couple weeks I hope to expand upon some themes that were touched on in my testimony.  Some themes that are central to everyones life and definitely central to mine for better or worse (in some cases)!  These three themes deal with relationships that God has ordained in everyones lives, the ones that God works through in the salvation of His people and in showing His grace, as well as teaching wisdom and life lessons to the partaker.

Honor your father and mother that your days may be prolonged in the land that the Lord your God gives you. -Exodus 20:12


A child's relationship with his/her parents is a very important and God ordained relationship, one that must not be taken lightly.  So important to God, that He makes sure to include a commandment about this relationship in the 10 commandments that He gave to Israel.  We are commanded to always honor our father and mother as we live on this earth.  In all cases and circumstances this is how a child should be toward their parents.  We must respect and honor our parents because God has put them as authorities over our lives. Not to mention, that they bore you, and in the majority of cases (provide for you and raise you)!  So important is this relationship that God made sure to lay out the punishment for dishonor of parents.  In Exodus 21:15 and 17, He points out that dishonor, cursing, striking of father or mother receives the consequence of death! That consequence should speak volumes to everyone who considers it, this relationship is very important and must be guided by respect and honor throughout one's life!

I very much understand that every parent-child relationship is ideal in this world of sin and death.  Throughout my life i have struggled with my relationship with my dad, which i know many out there have that same problem.  I have had a lot of trouble respecting him and honoring him at times in my life and as of right now pretty much don't have any kind of relationship with him other than visiting on holidays and phone calls on birthdays.  Since my parents divorce when i was 6, the relationship i have with my father has declined more an d more up until the point i am now which has been this same routine for about 4 years.  I have various reasons as to why the relationship is how it is now.  His abuse of my mom verbally every time i visited him was heartbreaking to take for 10 or so years.  His use of alcohol was also hurtful to myself and my brother, which included some phone calls in which he was drunk (those were very very harmful)!  His very conditional love throughout my life was not a picture of how things are supposed to be.  Then came when i started to commit my life to Christ, his harsh comments about talking to myself (prayer), comments about how pointless what i was doing is, etc.  All of these things combined in my life and interactions with my dad led me to a point where i just could not respect or honor him anymore which also led to me interacting with him less and less.

Through all of that hurt and abuse I was truly hateful to my dad.  I tried my best to just put everything aside but something innate inside me (I call this the Holy Spirit) has been telling me for a year or so now that I need to establish a relationship with my dad.  He is an unbeliever, and what could be better for an unbeliever than for God to use a believing son's interaction with their father to bring him to God! I also feel that a relationship with my dad is how its supposed to be according to God's Will and plan in my life as i can see it in Scripture and through prayer.  All people are called to have a relationship of honor and respect with their parents, no matter what the circumstance are.  Caring for my father is a burden on my heart but its going to be tough to get to the point where I can endure and possibly have a positive impact on him, and maybe lead him to Christ which is the number one thing he needs, SAVING GRACE! I hope to gain that relationship with him and follow Scripture in caring for him and providing for him in his later years when that comes for we are commanded to care and provide for our own and our household (1 Timothy 5:8).  I certainly hope to develop this relationship as soon as possible beginning Thursday morning when i plan on going out on the golf course with my dad for the first time in a long time, I would really appreciate the prayers for God's grace to cover our interactions! PRAISE GOD FOR HIS GRACE IN MY LIFE AND FOR HIS GUIDING SPIRIT!


Matt 15:4-9
4 "For God said, 'HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER,' and, 'HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH.'  5 "But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever I have that would help you has been given to God,"  6 he is not to honor his father or his mother.' And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition.  7 "You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: 


8 'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS,
BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. 
9 'BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME,
TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.'" 


Everyone should take Jesus' words to heart!

As for a good example of honoring within the household... I particularly have the privilege to see a very Godly family interact as often as i get the chance.  I know a godly young lady who truly exemplifies honor and respect to her parents (I am sure she still has trouble at times but the point remains). In everything in her life, as a young adult still living at home at this point in time, she seeks her parents' wisdom and blessing.  Its truly very cool to hear about and watch.  She respects and honors her parents (especially her dads) thoughts and wisdom on things she is going through, decisions she is making, relationships she has developed, etc that when it seems she is not lining up with the direction or wisdom that her parents have given, she is saddened.  Seeking their wisdom and honoring their thoughts is central to her life.  This is a good picture of honor and respect for parents I think.  It may be somewhat extreme to some people but God has ordained parental relationships for a purpose.  Wisdom comes from parents!

My son, keep your father's command, and do not forsake the law of your mother. Bind them continually upon your heart, tie them around your neck. When you roam, they will lead you; when you sleep, they will keep you; and when you awake, they will speak with you. - Proverbs 6:20-22

I definitely do not want to take for granted such an ordained relationship in my life! Praise God for His grace and His word to lead us down the right path in our relationships, the path that was ordained to be from the beginning! 

God Bless y'all!

Brian

Soli Deo Gloria

My Life and God's Work in Opening My Eyes through His Amazing Grace

Therefore David inquired of the Lord---2 Samuel 5:23

God has worked throughout my life with in so many astounding circumstances and situations, that i can do nothing less than thank Him with all I have! He is the reason I live, truly the reason why I am where I am right now in my pursuit of Him, living by His grace! My life has been marked by grace and mercy, it has been guided by the Lord, and I have seen Him work in so many amazing ways through answering my inquiries and prayers.  The deluge of His grace is truly indescribable... I have no other proclamation in my soul than to sing AMAZING GRACE! 

David inquired of the Lord about fighting the Philistines... this was after a winning battle against those same Philistines, an onslaught of sorts! Even after one of His greatest victories that the Lord had granted Him, David made sure to seek the Lord and His Will and plan for this next battle. This is truly trust and faith in the Lord, such trust to not make a move without asking the Lord what His plan is.  I have been striving to have this character in my life for the past several years, and by His grace, my life has been characterized by and guided by seeking out His Will and what He has planned that is best for me in each stage and season of life.  My life was not always characterized by this principle of seeking His Will out, but God guided me to this point and has been sanctifying me to the point of being able to live this principle out wholeheartedly. How has God brought me to this point? Simple... by opening my eyes to His Amazing Grace and guiding me out of my sin loving lifestyle and into Christ's loving arms so that I can do His Will.  

I grew up in a non-Christian household for my first six years of my life.  I cant remember much about those years but I do know they were probably characterized by fights between parents and other family members, for my parents divorced at my young age of 6.  My mom took me off to live with her and my brother about 15 minutes up the road from my dad.  I was utterly devastated, but God had other plans for me.  By His great plan for me and my family, He brought my mom to go to church after the divorce and she pulled me along with her and my brother.  We were both Saved by God's grace that year, I being 6, but i sure did not display the fruit of salvation for many years to come.  

From that point on, for the next 8 or so years of my life, it was rough going for me.  I did not have many friends at all and if i did have any, they were superficial friends.  My school life was horrible from elementary school on into middle school and even into high school, the same jokes and abuses followed me all the way through.  I was accused of being gay for most of that time, the object of much verbal and even physical abuse at school.  I was even abused for my religion, even though i did most of the talk but never really walked the walk as far as being Christlike goes.  I was by far not the worst kid in school, I was looked to as a very good kid compared to all others, and was even verbally insulted for that.  I also throughout High School had never gotten a girlfriend or even decided to pursue such a relationship, which even more added to the notion that I was gay.  My church life was nonexistent, as I went to visit my dad every weekend and used that as an opportunity to not go to church on Sundays since I absolutely hated it throughout this time period in my life. I always fought my mom on going to church on Wednesday nights as well, but my mom made sure I went, which I am so thankful for to this day.  This definitely was the dark time in my life which led to so many things in my thoughts and desires, also led to sinful habits which I would be fighting to this day if God had not stepped in and Opened My Eyes to His love and Grace and moved me into an unbelievable relationship with Him!  

God grabbed hold of me at around the age of 14 or so.  My mom kept making me go to church and i slowly grew weary of visiting my dad on the weekends which led to me attending church more.  God brought a young man into my life as a youth pastor and mentor during this season in my life and I am eternally thankful for how God used this man in my life.  Pastor Josh saw something in me that I never saw and I saw something in him that I wanted dearly, I am still not sure to this day what drew me to him, but I can definitely say that it was a God thing.  One night I wholly rededicated my life to Christ and truly began to show the fruit of real salvation and trust in my Lord Jesus Christ.  I developed a love for God's Word and His work, His ministry.  I was put into a leadership position in the youth group and was so happy to serve in God's Work.  God continued to sanctify me and free me from such habitual sin I had in the past.  During this time though, I was very weary and unsure of what God had in store for me, or what He wanted me to do with my life!  I knew He had a plan, yet i wasn't sure what that could be.  So I INQUIRED OF THE LORD! I prayed every night for His Will, to know His Will, for Him to guide me for about two years before He showed me so clearly what He would have me do.  Before He showed me, I was very much set on going to a technical college and becoming an electronics engineer or even a pro golfer, but Oh did God have bigger plans for me. He showed me through a young man at a church camp one year (this young man was about 14 and I 16 or 17 during this camp)... God showed me the true love of Christ through intense servant-hood through this young man.  God showed me the potential young people have that can be tapped into when they truly love Christ with all their being!  So after two years of Inquiry of the Lord, God revealed to me that He wanted me in the ministry, primarily to young people at this time.  He also gave me the grace to trust His decision and plan for my life, so I began seeking out Bible Colleges.  Now i am at Washington Bible College/Capital Bible Seminary seeking out my Master of Theology Degree trusting God for what He has next.  But thats not all, Christ really has moved me even more in sanctification and faith throughout these past couple years here.

If you abide in Me and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you --- John 15:7

Inquiry continued for me in several different areas throughout the next couple years of school into my college years.   Such inquiries of the Lord began way back at age 15 or so... Since I never had a girlfriend and was always ridiculed for such, I had began seeking the Lord in the area of relationships and marriage.. asking Him to prepare for me a wife, and to show her to me.  You see, this was a noble inquiry but with selfish means.  I did not fully trust Him in this inquiry either.  I began seeking out relationships with girls unwisely at the beginning of  my college years, never made it to bf/gf relationship, and regret doing so even though By GODS GRACE, one or two of those relationships became good friendships, even after my unwise immature moves.  God used this time to show me that my inquiry was not what i should be desiring at least not in such a selfish manner as I had been.  He showed me the err of my ways and led me to learn that I need to reevaluate my motives and truly, unselfishly, seek what He has for me as far as relationships go.  This was a very tough breeding time of patience and diligence in seeking Him, that continues to this day.  Another thing I had been praying for was a true friendship, a true biblical friendship, where one is closer than a brother or sister.  God began to show me what that looks like and brought such a friend to me in the past year and a half or so.  Why and How did He do this for me?  I finally had moved my desires to what He desires for me, and He did those things for me as He had planned and in His timing.  (John 15:7)  

Delight yourself in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart--- Psalm 37:4

One more thing that He did show me that I needed to do is FIRST delight myself in Him and His word, seeking His Will, then the desires of my heart will come to pass.  I began to dig more into His word and He molded my desires into unselfish noble desires which were characterized by Godliness and O did He open the floodgates then.  He brought an amazing friend into my life. Our friendship is characterized by true biblical fellowship, care for one another, and keeping Christ central. He has also brought wisdom into this friendship in the most amazing way and I am so thankful for that as well!  He has developed in me patience and kindness and more love for His people, a true unselfish care for my brothers and sisters in Christ.  I have been able to display such care in the friendship He so provided me with, a truly awesome sibling relationship full of Christ who is the center of it all, ALL BY HIS GRACE!  I am eternally thankful to my amazing Savior and Lord for such answers to prayer and He continues to amaze me everyday!  

Even in all of this, He has not ceased to reveal to me what I should be asking for and seeking next in my life.  He has give me such a desire now to seek out how I can prepare for the future.  He has put on my heart to seek out how to become and mature into a Godly Man, in preparation for ministry and in preparation for marriage whenever He may have that in store for me (all in His Perfect Will and Timing!).  He has also provided the means to do such a search... constantly bringing to me sources of learning; a mentor, sermons and articles (that i randomly find on the internet without even looking), Godly Wisdom all around!  He is truly preparing me for something great and I owe my all to Him!  

As i move forward in my life, I look back and I know i need to especially thank certain people as God has used them greatly in my development into a lover and servant of Christ.  I must thank my mom for her persistence in getting me to church, her preservation of me throughout my young years (she as a single mom), and much much more to this day from her.  I must thank Pastor Josh for showing me what potential I had and giving me guidance and mentoring as needed.  MOST OF ALL.. I must thank JESUS CHRIST for His perfect sacrifice and His pursuit of me!  He is my all in all and the only reason I have the ability to write this blog post!  I am eternally thankful for Him, and don't know where i would be without His AMAZING GRACE!  

HIS GRACE ALONE HAS SAVED ME and CONTINUES TO SUSTAIN ME! 

Sin has been hammering my heart unto a hardness, void of love, Let supplying grace to cross his art drop from above. 

That is my hearts cry... without His grace to sustain me, preserve me, sanctify me, guide me, lead me, I would not be where I am now in a joyful and content state living for Him! Jesus Paid it All and I owe all to Him! 

Soli Deo Gloria

My goal of this blog is to let God speak through me by His grace as i ponder and study His Scriptures... that is my prayer!  

OPEN MY EYES THAT I MAY SEE WONDROUS THINGS FROM YOUR LAW --- PSALM 119:18