Despite life's twists and turns, God is always there...

It's been very nice to relax for the two and a half weeks that I've been home. I've gotten to watch some movies with the family, take two trips to where we used to live in MN, run a Half Marathon, lots of good stuff. I'm very glad for this break because it's been and will be one of the more extensive breaks I've had in the last two years. It's also a good time for reevaluation of where I'm at spiritually. I feel like I've struggled more lately to remember why I am on this earth. I feel like I'm just going through the motions of life, drifiting in the monotony of distractions. I'm trying to remember that the Lord is still right here with me no matter where He places me in life. I'm also trying to remember that Christianity is neither a show of theological understanding or just being a nice person who is hospitable to people. It's a life that is lived out by trusting in God, reading His Word and praying, and just desiring to live on this earth for His purposes. I feel like sometimes I just struggle with wanting to be nice and helpful to other people but forget that I should be doing it for God's glory. It's not enough to just do good if it's not done for God's glory. I pray that He'll grant me the grace to connect these two. I feel like, ever since I transferred from Master's, I've had to look at life from a broader perspective. This isn't a negative because it's just given me a better picture of what the rest of the world is like. As long as God gives me life I pray that He can use me as a beacon for Him to this fallen and confused world. Apart from His grace I would be ignorantly drowning in the same vanity. It's a daily battle that's impossible for me to win without His neccesary intervention. So I guess the biggest thing I'm learning is that I just need to turn to Him for strength and wisdom. I won't survive this world's sinful attacks otherwise. I pray that He gives all of us as His children the strength to stand for Him as the days worsen.

In Christ, Josh