Pirates, Food, and God's Goodness

Who among us have never had the experience of sharing the gospel with someone and their response was, "How can a good God let people starve in Africa?"

I was thinking about that as I was listening to NPR the other day as the whole Somali Pirate Attack was unfolding. The report said, "Nearly half of Somalia's 7 million people depend on food aid." These people will go hungry unless these pirates are stopped and these ships containing said help are released by these.

God provides people with food, it is the sinfulness of men that prevent his goodness to be shown forth. Now God is an ALL-POWERFUL God, He can accomplish what he wants, yet this is a reminder of that this world is broken, full of sin, and ultimately men are completely depraved.

Thanks for reading,

gap

It's time to Restart this thing...

Hi all. I have been away for the last few months and a LOT has happened.
I started my last semester of School, even though I am only taking 2 classes, it has been one of the hardest semesters ever. So I was not posting because I honesly had no time. All of that changed last week when I was laid off work.
Now, I figure, that I have more time to post my thoughts, things that I am learning, and even funny things that I have seen.
You can be praying for us, I am in need of a job, but one that will be flexible with my school schedule and my schedule this summer. I will be going to Spain twice, once to teach and once to lead a STM (Short Term Mission's Trip).
I will try to keep you updated on how we are doing...

Thanks for reading,

gap

Thankfulness and Thanksgiving

Last night Melissa and I took Cael to Walmart to do our weekly shopping. Cael usually has fun, we go shopping and he sits there and points to everything and utters gibberish. Though last night was different, he was a bit tired and feeling extremely sinful so he started to complaint. He was not yelling per se, but he had a nagging soft complaining whine. We knew that he was hungry so we gave him animal cookies and water, yet he continued to complaint. I started to talk sense into him, he is only 18 months, but I thought I could and I said to him, "Cael, don't complain, remember to be thankful. God has given us everything." OOPS... As I started saying this to him, I realize how whinny I sound to God. Granted, I do not probably yell and kick and scream, but I do have my own way of nagging and soft complaining. God has given me everything, I have to be thankful.
I need to renew my mind into making thankfulness a way of life!

A New President...

I am a big fan of Betweent Two Worlds. Not long ago, Justin Taylor wrote this
I think it is very thoughtful!

Consecrated... Do you understand what you are singing?

It was in Acts 8 when Philip meets the Ethiopian Eunuch and sees him reading the prophet Isaiah and asks him, "Do you understand what you are reading?" Sometimes I feel like doing that to myself as I sing songs and hymns of praise to God. Yesterday during our Crossroads service we were singing a great version of the song Take My Life and Let it Be, the next line is "consecrated Lord to Thee." I asked myself right a way... Do you know what you are singing. I answered myself quickly, of course, I know what consecrated means, I am in graduate school!
The problem became as I thought what I was singing; I sang "take my life and let it be consecrated...
Consecrated--

1. to make or declare sacred; set apart or dedicate to the service of a deity: to consecrate a new church building.
2. to make (something) an object of honor or veneration; hallow: a custom consecrated by time.
3. to devote or dedicate to some purpose: a life consecrated to science.

Lord to Thee..."
Is this what I want to do? Am I consecrating my life to the Lord? Do I want him to take my life?
As the song ended I felt like a hypocrite, you see I understood the words, I just did not mean them all the time. The issue is not understanding the words, but the question we need to ask is "Do you mean what you sing?"
So next time you sing, yes understand what you sing, but also to quote our Pastor Rick, "Sing it like you mean it!"

thanks for reading,

~gap

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

My friend John Fonville posted a great quote in his blog. I wanted to share it with you:

“The knowledge of our union with Christ provides us with great dignity. As I look at myself I see failure, sin, sometimes shame and disgrace. But that is neither the ultimate nor the whole truth about me as a Christian. No! I am united to Christ, a joint heir of his riches, a child of God. Knowing this to be the real truth about me lends grace and power to my life.”

Sinclair Ferguson, The Christian Life: A Doctrinal Introduction, p. 113

8 years and Counting!!!

8 years ago today, October 2nd, I asked Melissa Lawler to take our friendship to the next level and to start getting to know each other for the purpose of marriage (this is dating).
There are a few things in life that I do not regret, this is one of them!
Thank you Melissa for your friendship all these years and for saying YES that very night, before you asked me... "What level would that be?" =)

Happy 8 YEARS!!!!!!


thanks for reading

~gap