'There,' says the architect, 'this building is strong.' Yes, sir, but it must be tested. Let the wind blow against it. There is a lighthouse out at sea. It is a calm night; I cannot tell whether the edifice is firm. The tempest must howl about it, and then I will know whether it will … Continue reading The Desert is Not the End
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him. Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable … Continue reading Tax Collectors and Disrepute Sinners
Putting myself on a writing schedule is getting kinda tiring but I know that it's good for me and I know it will make me better at writing and will make me better at talking about theology and the Bible. One of the habits I've picked up recently is listening to the Ask NT Wright … Continue reading Discipline or Habit
This Wednesday is two different holidays. One of them I'm excited about and the other one is literally my least favorite holiday. Every year, Ash Wednesday signals the start of the Lenten season which ends on Easter Sunday when we celebrate the resurrection of our savior, Jesus Christ. Easter remains important in Protestant churches but … Continue reading From Dust to Dust
I recently read a book for one of my graduate classes that deeply impacted me and spoke to a topic that me and my friends discuss frequently. Apathy. Particularly, spiritual apathy. This book is called The Scandal of Evangelical Conscience by Ronald J. Sider. Shameless plug, go read it. If you buy it, don't buy … Continue reading Are You Hot, Cold, or in the Middle?
Last night I got back from a youth ministry retreat and proceeded to sleep for fourteen and a half hours. Why? Because I sacrificed my sleep this weekend so I could minister to the sixteen students that I brought, as well as serve the district that I work on. Do I regret it? No. Since … Continue reading How Much Will You Sacrifice?
I write this sitting in a library at the university that I currently attend grad school at, the catch is, I attend online. This is only the second time I've come to campus to work in the library, I have access to the student wifi and I'm able to checkout book. It only makes sense … Continue reading I Need God
Last week I talked about one of the things we receive from the Holy Spirit, our Spiritual Gifts. We receive these gifts alongside salvation and eventually, the Fruits of the Spirit. The Apostle Paul is the person we can thank for our list of the Fruits of the Spirit, which he provided in his letter … Continue reading One Tree, Nine Fruit
When I was in fourth grade, I had scored high enough on a test the previous year to be invited to a gifted class. One day a week we would go to a different school and learn about topics more advanced then the rest of our peers. In this sense, being gifted was something that … Continue reading Gifted by God
All of you are likely aware that today is the start of a new year. The start of a new year always comes with new dreams and new challenges. For me, his blog is one of my new dreams. This year, I hope to have my thoughts and words shared with a wider audience. I … Continue reading New Year, New Endurance
Moments with Emmanuel 