A-ROD

Self reflection

Wed, 10 Nov 2010 01:15:14 -0500

Hello Tumblr i know it has been awhile….but im not one to just sit down and write out my thoughts. The fact is i like to just think my thoughts and then move on…whether they are shared or not is another story. The most important fact of the matter is that i love JESUS. He has done soo much in my life and its just a breath of fresh air to know that i am saved through the shed blood and have been given his redeeming grace. The amount of time that i sit and think about him does not amount up to what it should be. This is something that i must strive for to change. Christ should be my first focus then whatever comes next. I challenge myself to just dig deeper and to really get to know him. To build my relationship with him. My heart goes out to those people in need. It is something that God has laid on my heart to do. The thought of just being there for someone even when they dont need it just gives me a great comfort. A warm smile can brighten anyones day. I feel that this attitude is reflected in my thoughts and actions. I strive for perfection which has ultimately led me to many struggles in my life. There is just something about having everything worked out without any flaws that is soo enticing too me. It makes me less or more motivated to do something. I hope that one day people can see me for someone that has made a difference. That i didnt just stand on the sidelines and watch, but actually get in on the action. Anyways this is just a little about me so you are not completely left in the dark as to who I am.

The Dream

Wed, 06 Oct 2010 16:45:36 -0400

Sunshine breaks upon the horizon as a man wakes from a weary sleep. He gets up to view the surrounding landscape to find that he is on top of a rock column in the middle of a desolate area. Wondering how he got here the man stands up to see if there is anyone to help him. Looking down he finds that he is higher up than he thought. The ground is not only barren but there are large holes that have consumed the earth. Fire leapt forth out of these holes. In the distance something was coming towards the man. It had wings like a bird, but the body looked like that of a human. As it gets closer the being comes into focus. It is an angel. The angel told the man that he was here to take him to Heaven. Down in the depths of the hole a demon saw that the angel was heading to save another soul. He climbed the rock column to see if he could steal away that soul away. Before the angel could lift the man up to heaven the demon grabbed him by the ankle. He dragged him down the column and into the hole below. The man realized that he was in Hell. He was forced to be a slave for the demons of the earth. All that was going through his mind was what did I do to deserve this. He did not know that he was there by mistake. The man then knelt down to pray keeping a watchful eye so that the demons did not see his actions. The man asked for protection and guidance while he was in the depths of Hell. After some time the man’s shackles were removed. He was allowed to be a slave without being bound. When the opportunity was right the man slipped out and began to climb back up the rock column. The angel seeing this communed with the rest of the angels on what to do. They told him to go and save the young man and if anything happened they would be there to help things along. When the man got to the top he reached forth with outstretched arms. The demons below saw the angel and realized that the man was gone. In an outrage he gathered the rest of the demons to take back what was theirs. They raced to the top of the mountain. The angels waiting in anticipation saw what was happening and prepared for battle. It would be angels vs. demons. The man was just hoping and waiting to be saved he could not stand to be down there in the earth. As soon as the angel got to him he reached out his hands to grab onto the man. At that same instant the demon reached for his ankle. This started the struggle between the two forces. The angel pulled with all his might and lifted free the man from the demons hold. The fight was over the angels all ascended back to Heaven bringing the lost soul finally home.

Taylor Times By: Seth Bollier

Wed, 06 Oct 2010 11:45:00 -0400

—Excitement, friendships, and outreach all define the Taylor Invite. During the fall, in the tiny town of Taylor, which is located in Eastern Missouri, is an annual weekend invite. This invite is held by the Taylor Church, for members of the Apostolic Christian Church, attempts to bond high school and college aged students as believers. A couple hundred people come from all over the country. Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, Oregon, Kansas, and of course Missouri are some of the representative states. The traditional Taylor Invites, in the past, has focused on bringing Christians closer together and having fun. This past fall, the Invite centered around outreach to the community more than time of fun and games. I have attended the past two Taylor Invites which have varied in activities, socially, and spiritually.
—Over the past decade, Taylor invites have been held to bring people together in Christian love. It’s an amazing weekend of fun filled events that warm the heart, and challenge the spirit. Attending for the first time a year ago, I participated in activities which created new friendships and team bonding. Some of the activities included: Bible baseball, a matching game with Bible verses and other team focused events. The rest of the weekend was filled with volleyball, ultimate frisbee and more. The second invite, which occurred this fall, contained events reaching out to those in need. The group of more then one-hundred and fifty people tackled and completed eleven work projects. Washing windows, painting fences, talking to local residence at a nursing home, and roofing a house were all parts of the outreach projects we helped with. As Christians we are called to serve—like Jesus did. That is what this falls weekend brought that the first didn’t have—a service for Christ and closer knit relationships.
—The first invite, a year ago, was very socially focused. I was so absorbed in hanging out with good friends, that there was a loss in reaching out to others and getting to know new people. The games brought about a ton of social fun, but the work projects, of this year, brought a serving fun. Both, of course, were filled with amazing times that will always be remembered. Some of those times from a year ago were: playing volleyball, making some terrible hot chocolate and laughing about it, riding ten minutes in a trunk, and picking up trash, in the dark, on the activity field with friends. A couple memories this fall were: painting a fence—and sometimes each other, singing praise songs in a dimly lit basement, hearing the speaker talk about revival, and sharing about Jesus to residents in the nursing home. This falls invite, for me, was an amazing time to build relationships. By working with other Christians we could spend time encouraging each other and lifting up Christ at the same time. We could have a joy in hanging out while we served Jesus. That’s what this fall brought, a social mindset that was focused on Christ. It was a blast to hang out with people and have fun and play games, but overall, I think the more important social time came when people were serving Jesus together.
—This brings me to my last point—the spiritual side of the two weekends. During the first invite, I had so much focus on fun, but not enough room was left for what really mattered—God. Through working with others and even sharing the gospel message, the second weekend, from a spiritual side, really out did the first. A couple friends and I got the opportunity to share Jesus with a resident at the nursing home. The man, Mr. Brooks, didn’t receive Jesus into his life, but we planted a seed and it’s up to God to bring the increase. Walking away from that conversation gave my friends and me a joy in the Lord. By vocally telling Mr. Brooks that we all had peace in our heart because of Jesus’ shed blood on the cross, overwhelmed me. I felt an amazing hope that I am God’s child and servant. For me this fall gave me a joy in the Lord that I didn’t feel over the first invite.
—By comparing these two weekends, I’ve found that The Taylor Invite is—no matter what—a highlight on the fall calendar. It’s a time where friendships build and grow. Most importantly, however, it’s serving people in need, and doing it in the name of Christ. A friend, Brandon Wiegand, who was quoted in the Quincy newspaper, summed the outreach weekend up pretty well: “This is what we’re called to do,” he said, “We’re called to share Jesus. That’s the whole point of this.” In conclusion, both weekends were an absolute blast, but the outreach weekend stands out in bold because of the focus on Christ.

A Still Small Voice

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 18:04:48 -0400

Death can come swift and fast. The things in this life are just a vapor, yet we still

take our life for granted. We pray to God to bring the person back to us. We should

not wish for him back but look to see if God is working through the persons death.

That is the greatest thing that we can wish for. This came to mind because a friend

of mine is in the ICU and right now has no brain activity. It is crazy to think how

many people come together when someone that is young comes so close to losing

their life.

This is a song that my friend wrote after a good friend of ours...

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 17:47:09 -0400

This is a song that my friend wrote after a good friend of ours passed away. It is about the moto for our friends life and his passion for christ!

Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person. -Mother...

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 17:20:03 -0400

Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person. -Mother Teresa