Now days we'd think a person was crazy

In the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God. As it is written in the Prophets:

"Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You. The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.' "

John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. .......Now John was clothed with camel's hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.- Mark 1: 1-4, 6

Sex God

I thought that title might grab some attention and before i let your minds wonder to far you should know that it is the title of a book that Carl and I are reading together. You know out of all of the pre-marital counseling book recommendations this one has been a good one so far.

It isn't a 'how to' book on sex, it isn't about the anatomy of the male and females and or the differences in how our bodies work but instead it focuses on how Christians should think about sex.

It's a book that talks about sex in marriage and created for marriage, but it also talks about how we as sexual beings, created such by God, can focus are energies towards other things as singles.

A book about sex talking about sex for singles? Doesn't sound good I know but it is...

Don't get me wrong this book IS NOT advocating for pre-marital sex but it advocating that we as singles view our sexuality in a healthy light, so that we realize that our sexual desires in and of themselves are not evil things...We do in fact have the ability to take those "good desires" and use them for other things other than sex itself that will still help us to re-connect with those around us.

This book like all books should be read with discretion and there are some things that even i don't fully agree with but as I told Carl try to take the good things away from this book...you may find some things very enlightening.

Today we read a chapter that talked about lust. And the main point of this chapter was that lust seems to start in a persons heart when they are not satisfied or content or at peace with their lives and what they are doing...so what happens is they go searching. Searching for something that will make them satisfied...and this is where lust can easily begin to sink in.

It should be noted that we as humans can lust after many things, we can lust after sex, we can lust after money, we can lust after clothes, we can lust after cars, we can even lust after education. Lusting is rooted in the lie of "If i just had..."

"If i just had .....

him,

her,

that,

(fill in the blank.)"

"Then I would be....

cool,

beautifiul,

sexy,

hip,

respected,

(fill in the blank.)"

When the truth is lust rarely ever satisfies and it rarely ever fulfills it's promise. But it always leads us to wanting more and then we seem to be caught in a web of deception and we aren't sure how we got there in the first place.

Instead of lusting we must learn to be content with our surroundings, with our lives, and we must find something good to pour ourselves into, to give our desires to, but what ever that something is it needs to be good and beneficial to not only us but to those around us and glorifying to God.

So then my question becomes which the book does not answer is...how do we find that something? How do we find that one thing to give our lives to? And how do we know when we've found it and in the mean time how do we stay content and at peace with our surroundings? How do we not lust while we're searching for that something?

I think there will be more thoughts to come later.

The Lord must always be our continual source of comfort and strength...

-just a little something that i'm learning

hello?

It has been almost a month since Carl or I have posted and so much has happened since then i just thought i would update anyone who may read this.

1. God has been so gracious and has slowly kept revealing to me his plan for my life and he has done things above and beyond i could have ever imagined. Wow!

2. Carl and I are engaged to be married on the 25 of August sometime in the early afternoon but no later that 1:30 for sure...( yes Carl i upgraded the time by a half hour...lol but i'm sure that this will be pushed to 2:00 now...lol)

I am not like my fiance' when it comes to posting about God but i can't help but express how amazed i am at how God has worked in my life and in the lives around me.

So i just would like to give a big YEAH GOD! to God...

Joshua 3-5 Part 2a-Chiastic Structure, introducing a memory

My last post, back in the beginning of April, was brief and far too provoking to leave you hanging. Unfortunately, I will be refering to that post in this one because it contains brief contextual information to this story. If you wish to understand the rest of the context I would recommend reading the Exodus of the Israelites in the early chapters of the Book of Exodus--specificly chapter 14, when they cross through the Red Sea.

To understand this post you will at least want to read Joshua 3-4, which is one synergistic passage linked by Chiasm. (Chiasm is literary structure used to join thoughts together in a fashion that emphasizes what is in the middle and compares what is done on either end. Click the link to find out more.) The middle of the Chiasm is at the end of Chapter 3 and beginning of Chapter 4. Notice they are the exact same sentance: "All the nation had finished crossing the Jordan." After that "middle point" there is type of segway in thought, picking up from Chapter 3:12, which was a break in sentance. The passage is emphasizing the segway about 12 memorial stones. God wanted them to remember who He was/is and what He did for them because of it.

Sara posted her thoughts quite well on this part of the chapter awhile ago. I will simply seek to add on to it from the surrounding text.

Around and inside of that centeral part of the passage are key words that frame what God wanted the Israelites and us to understand. Two of them were already introduced by the officers (c.f. previous post). I will pick up on the other two in my next post.

Lots of Thanks Giving

No, I'm not talking about the big meal feast, all though I can't wait till the next coming one...

I don't have any verses to write and try to explain my take on them. Sometimes i'm just not as good at it as Carl is but instead I will write about what I have been extremely thankful for lately.

I have been thankful for many phone conversations that have resulted in some type of praise/adoration for our Savior. These conversations put a hope and a joy into my soul again. I think sometimes my days can get long and discouraging but it always seems more complete and fulfilling when someone else gently reminds me that i have much to be thankful for.

I have been thankful readings of Winnie the Pooh, and while some out there in the blogging world would see this to be quite childish it is very peaceful for me. The 'silly o'le bear' has a way of bringing me back into a child like wonder. It reminds me that everyday things can be an adventure. For example, my work environment can be a place of great place of refuge and significance when i imagine and begin to believe at times that i really do do something that can change lives.

FIO..my favorite Pooh story so far has been the one about Eayore (? i can't spell) having a birthday...that cracked me up.

I have been thankful for morning and evening prayers. For days that i get to begin with God reminding that every day counts and is significant.

I have been thankful for a week of continuously surrendering those that are most important to me back to God and walking away with peace and comfort knowing that they/he is indeed the best hands that I could place them/him in.

I have been thankful for silly chats with my roommate and for superhero images.

I have been thankful for all of the continual peace and grace that God gives me even when i don't deserve.

I am thankful to have such a wonderful Savior, a beautiful God, and a loving Spirit.

Overdue Gratitude

Life is a blink and this thanks is too short for the people who have commented on a blog long left uncultivated.

Many thanks, I hope the few upcoming posts will be thankful response.