Livin' the Good Life

So, the past two days have been amazing! I look at what God has given, He has blessed me with good health, a loving family, an amazing youth group, and the one friend I would trust my entire life with. I went through a stage of doubt about 2 weeks ago, and i slipped up. I just said screw it to everything and i slipped into a stage of depression. I started smoking again, but tonight i decided to put it back down. During the two days when I was being so hard on myself I called upon the one guy whom I knew would listen to me and give me good advice. And after we had talked for a while he looked me dead in the eye and said, "David, even if you go back to all of your old ways I would still love you..." I have never, ever had a friend say that to me, and hearing it was the most awesome thing. I am glad that i went through that stage of doubting God, because it has strengthened my faith in Him even more today. I just want to say this to anyone who is doubting Him right now, and that is, don't you may feel like He has left you all alone or maybe you feel like He was never there to begin with, but I can tell you from experience, the times that seem the hardest are when He is with us the most. God will never put you through anything that you cannot handle. He will always be there to give you the strength and courage to survive what has been given to you. And just know that He is ALWAYS there to answer you when you call. He may not answer your prayers right away but He is always listening to what you have to say. I will end this with something I was reading last night in Soul Cravings by Erwin McManus....

Anna, on the other hand, was a dancer in Los Angeles who had grown up in a world of divorce, drug abuse, and homelessness. Barely out of her teens, she couldn't see herself making i through one more day. She went to an infamous spot in Pasadena called "suicide bridge." It was there she decided to bring her story to an end. In that moment, she decided to call out to God one last time--one of those gauntlets. "if you have anything to say about this God, speak now or forever hold your peace."

She didn't know her cell phone was on. There was no good reason to take it with her. No one ever called. And suddenly it rang--an unexpected call. Someone needed her, was looking for her, was wondering where she was, what she was doing. How could she end her life that day? There was something for her to do. Someone needed her. She had a reason to live.

Now if that is not a reason to believe I don't know what is.

Peace Hope and Love!

David

The true Meaning of Christmas? Huh?

OK I'm not too sure who all reads my blog, but surely there is someone out there right?


what is up everyone?
So how was Everyone's Christmas????
Mine was actually really good, i just hope everyone didn't get too caught up in the material things and remembered what Christmas is really about.

Let me refresh your memory..... This is the day God gave His ONLY son to us so that we can all be saved. Isn't it just amazing how much God loves us?? I mean He gave us His one and only son and how do we repay him? well first off we killed his son, but now we all steal, lie, cheat, do drugs, lust after each other. It is pretty awesome to me that God still loves each and every one of us.

Anyway i just wanted to bring that up.


Peace Hope and Love to everyone!!
David

Truth without Love.

I just got done with my youth group meeting and we had a really good discussion tonight. My youth pastor brought up the topic of truth without love. All truth without love is, is judging. I think as Christians we judge more than we like to believe, because we think we are so much better than the rest of the world because we are followers of Christ. In reality this tends to be our downfall, because we feel this way, we feel it is our place to correct the actions of others, again all this really is is judging, and the only one who can really judge is God. I know that i am guilty of judging others, and i believe it is one of the hardest things not to do because of the society we are in. People always judge each other. I just thought it was cool to think about what we may consider telling the truth may really be judging in God's eyes. Just something to think about.

God bless people.

David

Thanksgiving holidays....how bittersweet

OK Thanksgiving, what am i thankful for? I am thankful for Jesus Christ, my Lord and savior dying on the cross for me! I am also thankful for the second chance i have been given, to basically start my life over and do it the right way, i am thankful for the amazing friends i have, I am thankful for a family that loves me. Now then, the next part of this blog is gonna make me look like a selfish hypocrite but whatever... The reason i find the holidays so bittersweet is because i am forced to be around my family. Granted i am lucky enough to even have a family to be forced to spend time with, but the fact of the matter is that my parents (my father mostly) thrive on drama. If there is not a situation for him to control, he will make one, he will dig into the past an bring something up that was resolved a long time ago, just to get a rise out of someone so he can then go off on them. This to me is just flat out STUPID!!!!

I am moving out of my house in mid-late may, at least that is my plan right now and it may very well change as it has many times before, but i have a strong feeling that my dad will cut me completely off financially, this includes taking my car, now i could be and hope i am wrong, because if he is going to take away a car he has given me, then i might be somewhat disappointed in him, and it wouldn't be because he would be taking away my car, i could buy another one, after a lot of saving, but still, i would manage, what i am getting at is that I'm so ready to be an independent it is not even funny, as of now i have a potential roommate, but again, my plans change pretty regularly. As long as i do what God wants me to do i have a feeling i will succeed at life.

Anyway i hope every one's thanksgiving was good!

God bless, much love, and lots of peace!

David

I am glad there is no quota on these things....

Well, guys, i have recently been given an awesome opportunity. Although i do not know all the details yet i am 99% sure that i will go through with it. I have been asked to help one of my mom's friends minister to a group of guys my age in the Americus YDC....I feel extremely blessed to be given the opportunity to help other people who are struggling in life as i once was and still am to an extent. I find it funny that i am blogging so much considering I'm pretty sure that no one has even read my blogs yet, but its all good because I'm sure someone will eventually....and its a good way to get out emotions. Well i gotta run!

God bless.
David

Youth convention '07!!!!

OK so this weekend, i had a life changing experience, I went with my new youth group to the 2007 youth convention in Macon Ga...God spoke to me so clearly while i was there. I have a really good feeling that i know where it is that i am supposed to be going to serve God. I have never been so moved by God as i was this weekend!! I can honestly say that I felt God wrap himself around me and show me what he wants from me. I learned a lot about myself this weekend, and more importantly i learned a lot about God... This life change that i have been going through has been one of the most amazing things that has ever happened to me in the 17 years that i have been a live....I can honestly say that i am deeply saddened that i was running away from God for this long, i don't see how i ever got this far with Him guiding me and showing the way that i should be going. I just want to shout out to Josh, Renae, Pastor Eric, and everyone that has helped through these times that i have been connecting with God and realizing who i really am and what I am really supposed to be doing. I love you all so much!!

God Bless!!

David

what to do???

so i have been praying about what God wants me to do for the past month or so, and when i say praying i mean, every morning, night, and whenever i am alone and thinking about stuff (which happens a lot for those of you who don't know me well) And anyway, as i have been praying i have began noticing that everything i had planned out, i have lost complete interest in. That is a big deal to me, because i am very stubborn and when i set my mind on something, i do it. So for me to just lose interest in something is kinda weird, but i know that God will lead to me where He wants me to go. Ive also had the sudden urging to get out of Albany, granted I'm sure being a senior in high school and my living here my whole life has something to do with it, but there is something else pushing me to get out now! its hard for me to explain, especially since I am still trying to figure out how to interpret what God is saying to me.

I have been getting to know a lot of people lately and i am beginning to realize how many awesome people there are in this crappy little city, it is very interesting to me that as soon as i get my life on the right track and i start making friends that i know are true and "good" for me that i have the urge to up and move. I mean i get the feeling that God is telling to get out of Albany for a reason that he plans for me somewhere else in the world, and I'm sure he does, i just wish i knew whether or not it was just my mind going wild or if this is the real thing and that God really is telling me to get out and find a city that could better use me. Its weird, here i am 17, going on 18, and i am already trying to figure out my life, i guess its just because all my friends are in their 20's and they all have it figured out mostly....i dunno..What i do know is that I love God and i know he will always be there for me when i need him most, and even when i don't think i need him because he is always there even though we cannot feel it!!!

I am beginning to realize how messed up Albany is becoming, which is somewhat of an oxymoron because i see all these churches and youth groups that are trying so hard to grow and make a difference, but at the same time i am seeing just how much drama Albany revolves around. I had a not so wonderful confrontation today with someone who was basically calling someone whom i grew up with and used to be very close to, a loser ( there were some choice words but this seem more appropriate) anyway she went on to say how gross his girlfriend was and how much of a loser he was because he told his girlfriend something she told him, and it basically escalated into her calling these two people that i care a lot about losers, i don't want to say i went off on her, but i basically called her out, and told her that first of it was not her place to judge them and how she was just living off the drama of trying to get me involved.....it was weird because i have never had the experience of telling someone off and backing up what i said from the Bible, it was a cool experience, and when i say tell off, i simply mean calling her out on being so judgemental.................

This blog seems to be getting longer and longer so i think I'm just gonna end it now.....anyway good night to all, and God Bless!!!

David

Church is so cool!

OK, so basically i went to church this evening rather depressed and upset, mainly because i have lost interest in a lot of the things i used to love doing. Lets just say that about 10 min into the service I was suddenly overcome with joy, and i have just been in a great mood ever since....It is such an amazing feeling to know that God is right there with me, this is the second time i have literally felt God wrap his arms around me, it is the most amazing feeling, i cannot even describe it to you!!! He just takes away all of my pain, my wants and my sins! I am so close to God, and I love it! If you haven't found Him in your life yet, please just let me know, and I will be more than Happy to help set you in the right direction...I always thought to myself "Yeah the whole God and Christian thing isn't for me...." yeah well i was wrong, since I have become close to God My entire life has changed, but for the better. I am not to sure yet what ti is that God is calling me to in life, and i know he will reveal it to me in due time, i just cannot wait to know what the Big Guy has in store for me!!! Anyway, i love all of you and I'm gonna run!

Peace out God bless and much love!!!!

David

well, this sucks

so basically, i have been doing a lot of thinking latel, and a lot of praying too...and im not to sure what i want to do with my life any more. I had it all planned out and i knew exactly how i was gonna do stuff and when i was gonna have it done, but ever since i made this transition in my life, EVERYTHING has changed, my friends, my lifestyle, even the way i talk, and i must say, i am happier for it. But lately i have been getting somewhat depressed, i guess its because i dont know where i am supposed to go now. I pray about it daily and i still have not received a real message from Him telling me what to do, granted i know its prolly not gonna be clear as day when He lets me know what it is He wants me to do, but im pretty sure i have not received the memo yet. I guess im also somewhat depressed because my mentor and the person i can honestly thank for being where i am today, has been so busy and i have not had a chance to really talk about anything with him lately. I understand what it must be like for him, and i respect that, i guess just my being younger and somewhat dependent on our relationship, i have been getting upset at the lack of our converstaions. (Josh if you are reading this dont feel bad, i understand!) anyway i guess this is just somewhat of a refelction for me. This is my first post and i hope that i may be able to help someone one day the way Josh stepped into my life and helped me.

God Bless!!!

David