May 2013
5 posts
Carrots and Hummus
It’s weird when you sin everyday
but God still chooses to talk to you when you are doing mundane things like eating carrots with hummus.
I can understand how David wrote an entire book on talking to God.
Makes sense.
Anxiety?
I recently had a situation in which I was so anxious that my head legitimately started throbbing. I didn’t know that was even possible. Anywho, it reminded me of the verse that says be anxious for nothing. Really made me think about how I respond to stress and anxiety. Instead of re calculating all my stressors, I should go to the one who can relieve that stress, aka God. #lessonoftheweek
Testify
My goal is not to convince anyone of God’s existence or to convert anyone. My goal is to simply be Christ to everyone on this earth. Whether it be through preaching the Gospel or declaring identity and healing into people, where God leads me I will follow. Of one thing I am certain. One day, every knee will bow. There is no doubt. Philosophers and scientists believe that they have everything...
Forgiveness
Forgiveness doesn’t just happen. You have to “give” it. For”give”ness Wrecked.
Sarcasm (yeah, I'm talking about that one deleted...
Passage from Matthew 5
33“Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD.’34“But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,35or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is THE CITY OF THEGREAT KING.36“Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for...
April 2013
14 posts
Slow to speak
We should be quick to listen. So in practicing this I’m going to ask more questions and then listen more. A more effective strategy for countering our self centered society may be allowing them to verbalize their ideas and realize the folly of their thoughts themselves. Of course, given different situations and people there are different approaches to reaching out to them that the Holy...
Humanistically...
We are only so powerful. I’ve been depressed to the point of contemplating death. I have also experienced anger that sucks the life out of you. More tired waking up than when you went to bed. We as humans though we are fearfully and wonderfully made, are not capable of getting rid of our crap. Our anger, pride, guilt, lust, problems, etc can not be wished away. Psychological and...
That Awkward Moment...
So my high school friend told me about these “School Name Here Hookups” facebook pages that exist. Now, I’m not gonna say that I’m not human, because believe me I am. But what I saw there was horrible. I think I understand why Jesus came and has us as His followers called a “body”. I would never be vulgar to or mistreat my own flesh and blood. Once someone...
Birthday Reflections
Well.. I must say that this birthday was pretty crazy. I’ve had people do stereotypical birthday celebrations and I’ve been surprised once or twice, but I have never been as surprised as last friday. The fact that my friends would cross social circles in order to surprise me was what put the cherry on the sundae (even though it was friday). Basically, my friends from here got my good...
Friends
It’s pretty crazy how we are designed to be in fellowship with others. One of my best friends opened up to me today about a lot of the pain and hurt that one of his best friends has/had been causing him, and the amount of pain that I felt for him was surprising to me.
God has called us to be Christlike even in our friendships. Go take some time, and be Christ to those who you call friends....
bigdreamsinchrist asked: WHAT YOU'VE HAD YOUR TUMBLR FOR A YEAR AND I DIDN'T KNOW THIS. granted, i haven't known you for a year. BUT STILL. okay, i'm done spamming your inbox, i promise.
My Fascination with Rap
I recently told a few people that I was fascinated with rap because of how fast words were said in that genre of music. I guess I should rescind that considering that after a little thought, I realized I like rap because the writers are so raw with what they rap about. It’s literally their hearts on their sleeves. Profanity, struggles, modern vernacular, no pretty words, or elaborate...
Gratefulness
I’m extremely thankful for a few of my closest friends.
I don’t want to fully reveal their identities but I might just write their initials. These people have been with me in the good times and most certainly the bad. And they have encouraged me to continue to tackle life with everything I’ve got. J.B C.W M.P R.S M.H E.L M.L J.L A.A (those L’s tho..) I also am thankful for...
Contentedness
Think about this: How often are you content with being “friends” with some person without knowing what they are about, what has made them who they are, and what makes them tick? I mean… maybe I have a flawed definition of a friend, but shouldn’t we be actively looking out for those we call friends? Why are we content with just knowing that their name matches their face?
Going, Going, Gone
Life is very short. Biblically compared to a vapor.
Like a vapor that is in your bathroom after a shower: gone in a minute. Don’t wait to love those around you.
That doesn’t mean live reckless. But it does mean live intentionally.
Tomorrow will not be experienced by everyone you know.. or even you.
Pissed
Just had a facebook status that was borderline inappropriately ranty. I wasn’t trying to target everyone, but I definitely needed to remind myself and a few of my brothers and sisters that we have a different calling. I am greatly blessed to have quite a few ridiculously awesome brothers and sisters who are great examples of Christ’s love to our oh so desperate world. But I also have...
Elliott Thinks: Quick and Tailored Theology →
elliottthinks:
We can’t be so eager to adopt a faith where we pick and choose what we want to believe about the Bible, nor can we accept an explanation for how God works simply because “it works for us” and suits our tastes.
If we believe the truths about God to be unchanging, then beliefs about God, no matter…
Shell Shocked
Worse than losing a battle, is losing a battle that you at first appeared to be winning.
I’m glad that I have people beside me to encourage me to get back up and to continue fighting. What I can’t let happen is a paralysis to set in so that I am unable to move due to my fear of failure. No more. If death has lost its sting, then nothing else is capable of keeping me down.
Psychopaths and Relativity
I find it fascinating that we as humans try and describe things/conditions/behaviors that the Bible explains already. Yet apparently the Bible is too fanciful and thus we use pure “science” to try and explain it. We end up with circular reasoning that doesn’t make any sense. For example. A psychopath as I’m learning, has no concept of moral right and wrong. The Bible would...
March 2013
15 posts
Less than a couple but more than single
This week has been pretty interesting. I got to hang out at home sweet home, rest, hang out with my family, and I got to hang out with friends. The majority of the days I’ve been back, I’ve gotten to talk to and hang out with one of my best friends. She’s quite the incredible woman of God. Quite frankly, she is definitely one of the Godliest women I have ever met. Anywho, we...
Misconceptions?
No, we are not all North Korean undercover people who just want to overthrow the american government. Demonization of races still runs rampant in the cinemas. One would think people would be more sensitive in a society such as ours. Guess not. Regardless of the political incorrectness, I thought Olympus Has Fallen was a movie well done.
Fear
I definitely had the most nightmarish dream that I have ever had just now. It wasn’t because it was outlandishly ridiculous, but it was because it felt real, and the enemy put his twisted spin on it.
I know I’m not helpless even when I’m dreaming, as I can call out to God whenever I need to.. But even so, I apparently always forget that whenever something is wrong I need to do...
A Paper
I’m supposed to write a five paged paper about my experiences at uci as an engineering student so far.
At the same time I’m at my friend’s house and I’m listening to the conversation. Let’s just say that I’m not reading this “four pillars of a man’s heart” book right now by accident…. No. Not at all.
Locked In
Once we understand that we are incapable of saving ourselves then we realize that the only people capable of fixing our broken doors are outside forces with the correct tools and knowledge. In a more practical sense, we are hopeless on our own. Only God can reach in and fix our flaws and self made problems. No matter what “skills” we may think we have, we can never reach the position...
Assassins and Awkward Conversations
So I got a revelation from losing at Assassins today. Basically, don’t talk to the enemy. It’s not enough to protect your physical body, but you have to protect your mind too, by not listening or talking to him. Basically, run while you have the chance and once you hear his lies. Now after I got killed I was talking to this one person and what they said kind of made me go a little bit...
Trust?
It doesn’t mean knowing what’s going to happen…
got to remember that
“So tolerance is a lie, in that not everyone and every ideal is tolerated. In...”
“Tolerance is only tolerant of the ideas and actions that the person who claims...”
An Engineering Perspective
Even though engineering is not a path that I’m going to continue following, God’s handiwork is visible through all of it.
Never have I ever understood the absolute genius of our sovereign God who created entire galaxies by speaking.
We have programs, formulas, and all kinds of theories that are at best, guesses at how the world works. In electrical engineering we exert our ability...
Social media
Has inflated our egos and decreased our ability to communicate in person.
Everyone thinks their opinion matters to the rest of society and so words are many and foolishness runs rampant with no repercussions.
Am I saying shut up? No not exactly. But if we were to live Biblically than we would bite our tongues and listen well rather than spitting out solutions to people who could care less.
...
“Smokescreens and False Alarms”
In the heat of the moment
Oftentimes I find that all of us when upset or anxious (or pissed off or annoyed) need our friends to bring us back to the ground.
Instead of the stereotypical friend who would hop on the angry wagon with you, what is needed is a friend to ground you in truth and wisdom.
Thank you God for amazing friends who do that.
Where do I go?
For the first time in my life, my motto of “go where you are needed most” has failed me. I don’t know what occupation to choose and my goal was to go where I was needed most. Even after I redefined my definition of “needed” to where God wants me, I realized that my entire life, the choices I’ve had to make all involved me filling spots that no one else would. ...
February 2013
11 posts
Dreams vs. Nightmares
So today while walking to class I talked to my friend about how I hated dreams because they are intensely real to me. When I dream, I have the hardest time differentiating between virtual reality and reality due to the fact that my dreams are so real, it’s like they’re happening.
I realized that my first statement was incorrect, in that I do like dreams, I just don’t like the...
Caged
On a planet that just happens to be tilted at a perfect angle, spinning at a perfect speed, at a perfect distance from the sun, I just happen to take a breath of air that just happens to be suitable for my body to use for surviving. On this planet, the water that covers 2/3rds of it’s surface, is stopped by gravity so that it doesn’t flood all of us.
It is ridiculous to claim that...
LEECHES
There are certain people who argue for days. As Christians, we are called to share the Gospel and to show others our faith is real by sharing our testimonies and living out out testimonies. Greatest litmus test is seeing a person who has changed because of God.
So why do we so often waste our time and resources “reaching out” to those who are not looking for a solution to the crap in...
Afraid
I don’t know how to iterate how worried I am for my friends, family, and all those around me. With all the death that has been surrounding the news and our lives in general, I can’t help thinking that of my 750+ facebook friends, that one or more of them, may not be here tomorrow. What would I have done to point them to Jesus? Or to even be there for them? Would I have been content...
I write even though I'm wrong.
I have no credentials to write about life to others. In fact of sinners I am the worst. The things that I do in the secret are deserving of death and I’m not even being falsely humble here.
Yet it amazes me that God still chooses to say, “Son, I want to take what I have shown you, and I want you to speak into a megaphone and share it with those around you”
I just had a writing...
Late night ramblings
I have a midterm in a few hours.. I’m tired but not quite asleep. I’m on a high of listening to some of my favorite songs of all time. I got off the phone with my mentor, and it continues to amaze me about how much God is revealing to me through our relationship. I’ve realized that I’ve worshipped relationships over God.
I’ve learned that if I didn’t try to...
Watchbigdreamsinchrist:
-katethegreat:
somethingpithy:
blindthoughts:
blindthoughts
CLICK THE SQUARES !
THE WHOLE WORLD NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS
literally my 5th time rebloggin this
OMFG
“What’s the point of learnin’ if you ain’t out here...”
– Lecrae
Hero
If we fully grasped the concept of us being lost to sin and condemned to eternal separation from God, and how God graciously and mercifully sent his perfect son Jesus to come and die and resurrect for us in order to save us from that fate, I think that our love for others would only grow.
We would not seek only to tell people about the gospel, but we would seek to show them with our lives what...
Clarity
For the longest time I’ve written off one experience of my life as a complete and utter failure. Over the years it’s become more clear why that experience was necessary, but not until today did I realize it’s full impact.
Don’t ever write anyone you know off as a failed relationship. God uses everyone and everything to grow us. But see this is what I believed up to today...
Level 1
I don’t know how many of you are gamers, but games generally have some sort of level system.
Whether it’s literally level one to the last level, where level is a stage or if it’s level one to level fifty as in the experience/skill of your character. Regardless of which system you are most familiar with, this system of levels really kind of changed my mindset today.
You would...
January 2013
6 posts
A Matter of Faith
I sometimes become discouraged when people ask me what I plan to do with my life, and I have the “lame” answer: “I’m not sure. I’m trying to figure out what God wants me to do.”
In a world that teaches us to plan and control all the variables, a lifestyle that reflects a dependence on a source of power and wisdom much greater than ourselves is simply absurd to...
An Impossible Goal to Reach that screams that...
This optimistic, hypothetical, and ideal utopia where people all get along and don’t self destruct is completely impossible. Unless one were to completely mind control the entire population of the world (and that individual who mind controlled everyone had no ulterior motives of any kind), complete peace and harmony on this earth is impossible. Completely implausible situation. Which begs...
A Problem
Have we even considered that maybe our social problems are not a result of a lack of control? I mean, it has become all to common to hear about shootings and other atrocities on a daily basis. How is that we live in a time with so much technology and medical advancements, yet we can’t seem to fix these problems? How do you cure people who want to kill others or themselves? You can take a gun...
"you know what to do"
That line is just infamous in movies. Usually it’s some boss telling some underling to go take someone “out” or to do some thing that will change the course of the future.
Today my good friend Mr. Mendoza prayed for me after I expressed my concern at being unsure about what career to pursue. It was very encouraging, but he did say something along the lines of “but I think...
Growing Pains
You can’t physically grow without pain or discomfort of some kind, yet it always surprises me when in order to grow mentally/physically/emotionally I have to wrestle with certain hurdles or “discomforts”.
It hurts, but it’s necessary and I’ll grow because of it.
God is still good.
