Tips for Any Incoming Freshmen from Someone Finishing His First Year of College

For those that may follow my blog, you may have seen that I haven't posted in a long time...like, a very VERY long time. The last time I posted was back in August of 2013. That was back when my first semester of college was finally kicking off to a start.  Little did I know that I was going to be extremely to the point where I was ultimately forget about my blog and expressing my opinion to the public.  But now, with only one more day left of finals, my freshmen year of college is finally coming to a conclusion.  I simply just want to give some helpful tips to my fellow classmates.  This is mainly directed towards seniors in high school, but if you were in college and wanted to check this out, I wouldn't really complain.

Here's some tips to make your freshmen year of college the least stressful possible.

• Finals week is rough. But you can make it easier on yourself by staying up to date throughout the semester
• Unless your parents are fruitful, you are going to be broke. But the best things in life are free.
• Some professors may try to intimidate you, but don't be afraid.  The professor that scared me outta my boot on my first day was the one that I learned from the most.
• Don't be scared to sign up for classes that are the furthest thing away from your major.
• Math may be hard for some people. You gotta find "that one guy" though. He'll help ya out.
• Take classes with your friends. It makes life so much easier
• Take classes without your friends. It forces you to branch out of your comfort zone.
• Don't judge your classmates. Some of them are actually really cool people with really awesome stories.
• If you're going to transfer, make sure you read EVERYTHING there is on college websites. It's 20 times more complicated than applying as a freshmen.
• If you're going to transfer, DO IT EARLY.
• If you have a job, make sure you manage your time. Sometimes you're going to have to wake up early to work on some stuff.
• Don't take 8AMs. I repeat, DO NOT TAKE 8AMS. You'll thank me later.
• Take a weekend off with your friends. Go somewhere. Get away.
• Leave time aside for yourself, especially if you're an introvert like me
• Take risks for people.
• Don't be afraid to change your major... I did it.
• Don't be afraid to drop a class... I did it.
• Some classes are going to be hard, and some are going to be really easy. Manage accordingly.
• MEET NEW PEOPLE.
• Don't be afraid to communicate with professors. They'll appreciate your openness.
• Look for doors that are opening.
• Have an open mind.
• Newsflash: You have to buy scantrons now. Crazy right. 
• Winter Break is glorious.
• 8 week courses are not a bad idea. Took 2 of them and got an A in both.
• Find a coffeeshop and get to know the barista. You'll be seeing them a lot.
• Get a cool backpack. I judge most my classmates on how cool their backpacks are.
• Get a nice laptop, but don't break the bank.
• Don't use your FASFA money on anything other than school. If you have extra money aside, just put it into a savings account unless you have to use it.
• Procrastination is pretty much expected. Just know that the best work is done under pressure... for most people.
• Meditate. Take a break. Go out with your friends. Get some sleep. It's not just a college thing, it's a life thing.
• Do what you wanna do with your life. Just because you are good at something doesn't mean you should major in that.
• Majoring in Pre-Med will get you major brownie points with older folks. But doing what you wanna do will give you major brownie points to your future spouse and kids.
• Stay true to yourself and your beliefs, but be open to hearing other opinions. Be intrigued by some, laugh at some others.
• If you think about dropping out, don't. It's not the end of the world. You'll be blessed if you persevere.
• Don't quit, you can make it. I promise.

Don't Over-Think It

For the past couple years or so, I've struggled with discovering the plan that the Lord has for my life.  I can say that the mysteries behind it has consumed me. I remember countless hours of anxiety towards the uncertainty of my success. (Which frankly is pretty selfish) I assume that the majority of the people who read my blog struggle with this ambiguity as well. Let me be the first to say that you're not alone. Chances are, you're probably a college student who's life has been bombarded by questions of whether the major that you're currently in now is what you're meant to be in. If you're not a current college student, you're probably a high schooler who's vision of college is right around the corner, especially you seniors. Making decisions is a struggle, mainly because the normal human being is concerned about making the wrong one, and the number of decisions that appear in this specific season of life couldn't even compare to the total amount of decisions that you've had in your entire life combined. Let's be honest, the biggest decision you've probably ever made before senior year is what you should wear, who your friends should be, or whether you should date a specific person or not. Here's a couple of examples: What should I major in? Where should I go to school? Should I stay home and save some money, or should I go ahead and take some loans out? What classes should I sign up for? Should I take the daring challenge of an 8AM? Where do I go to graduate school? (if applicable) Who should I marry? When should I marry? Should I even get married?! How many kids should I have? Etc. I guarantee that everyone one of these questions have entered my thoughts at some point. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that you've probably thought of these as well.

After seeking wisdom from people older than me, reading a couple books, and digging into Scripture, I've formulated a theory that has comforted me immensely.

DON'T OVER-THINK IT.

"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the fields, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." - Matthew 6:25-34

I've read this passage over and over again, and it wasn't until lately that I've taken it to the heart.  Jesus doesn't necessarily take our obsession with the future and some little quirk that we live with, but instead as evidence of how small our faith really is. If we honestly trusted Jesus with our lives, then we wouldn't be so worried about our future.  If what I'm saying is truth, then I will be the first to say that I don't trust Jesus as near enough as I should.  Have comfort knowing that God will have mercy poured upon the troubles for today, and know that his mercy is so vast for the troubles that will come for years.

I don't believe that God will hand me a divine map of where I should be, and where I should end up. I've learned that the vast power of God can be used through me wherever I'm at in life. Now, I'm not questioning the supreme omniscience of Him, because He knows what I will do with my life, but that isn't for me to know until I get there.  I'm glad that He works like that, because it forces my trust to be bestowed in Him.

Sometimes I think that Christians open up the Bible and expect answers to the countless non-moral decisions that we face in our lives. Sorry to break it to you, but you're not going to open up God's Word and magically see the name of your future spouse, or your future income. If the Bible was like that, it would be a lot more bland and disheartening. The Bible is much more than just a "rulebook" or a "magical compass" that will take you to the most prosperous life planned possible. The Bible is a book that is written by God Himself, and it amazes me as to how simple it is sometimes.

Let's ask the question, "What is the will that God has for my life?" and see what comes up in Scripture.
"For this is the will of God, your sanctification." - 1 Thessalonians 4:3

Woah, that was easy. God wants you to become sanctified in the life that you have. Sanctified literally means to be "set-apart." Simply put, sanctification is you becoming more like Jesus and less like the world. The doctrine of an idea called "progressive sanctification" is something that I believe in.  In essence, progressive sanctification states, that my life will gradually align with the life of Jesus, and will not be fully completed until I enter in to the Kingdom of Heaven. I also think that God's will for your life is that you continue to know him more so that you can bear fruit. Ya know, the basics, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, and then actually producing these fruits towards other people.

Honestly, I'm not afraid to say that God probably doesn't mind what you do if you bear the fruit of the Spirit. If God was hard to impress, it would be really tough to be a Christian. All that matters to Him is if you know His Son, and you are serving His Kingdom. No matter if you're doing that as a teacher, scientist, or real estate agent, it all pleases Him the same.  God concerns more about whether you loving Him with your entire heart, rather than if you're living in the "right" place. "Love Jesus, and do whatever the heck you want." - Boone Benson

Our society has morphed every single decision into a "Right or Wrong" answer.  I think that some of the biggest non-moral decisions are based on an answer of "Right or Left." You can either go right, or you can go left, but the most important thing is that you have to turn. Don't over-think it. Just make a choice, and don't turn around. Don't be so worried about where the other road may have lead, but look at the road ahead, and make the best out of it! Do what makes you happy, and love Jesus all the while.

I'll conclude with a famous poem written by Robert Frost. I'll let your interpretation be what it may.

The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

This I Believe

For those who don't have Mrs. Isgitt for AP English IV, for the last assignment of the years, we we're assigned an essay to write about what we believe.  It could be about anything; something tangible, metaphorical, philosophical, or even spiritual. In my opinion, this essay has been one of the best assignments that I've ever had to do. (Trust me, there aren't many assignments that I enjoy doing) The fact that it's word limit was only 500 made it that much better. Originally, "This I Believe" essays were started by a radio station.  The radio station first asked certain people to write them, but as the popularity of the program increased, the station opened up to public submissions. Now, 60 years after the program started, I'm writing one of my own. I thought it was pretty cool, so I decide to share my essay with the folks who aren't in my English class. If you're curious, they have tons of essays online at www.thisibelieve.com that are open for public reading, and let me say, there are some fantastic writers out there with some outstanding ideas.

Gathered Around a Campfire

There’s something about a good story that we all love.  We’ve all been there.  We all have a movie that we could watch time and time again. We all have a Netflix series that we waste away our Sunday afternoons on, and whenever the series ends, we feel as if a piece of our own being is gone.  As much as we joke about never reading, all of us have a book that we constantly return to on a rainy evening.  We fall in love with the heroes, and we scorn the villains. We all countdown the days until the new season starts, or when the sequel gets released.

Don’t get me wrong, I love a good TV series as much as the next guy, but it’s the stories of real, actual people that get me hooked the most.

I went on a mission trip to Galveston during the spring break of my 8^th grade year.  The group that I went with was around 25-30, so it was a pretty close-knit, tight group.  On the last night we were there, we gathered around a campfire on the shoreline.  Now, I’m not so sure what it is about a campfire on the beach, but everyone seems to get incredibly genuine all of a sudden.  On that night, we all shared our stories; where we’ve been, where we are, and where our story hopes to be years from now.

I believe in stories. And while I do love books, movies, and shows, these aren’t the stories that I’m talking about.  I love the stories that even Hollywood cannot script: The testimonies of a young, ambitious man who overcame the poverty and drug abuse, the memoirs of an elderly woman who has had the pleasures of watching her children and grandchildren grown into adults, or even the experiences of a kid in high school just trying to be accepted.  It’s the stories like these that I heard on Galveston Beach that have inspired me to continue my own. 

As I continue living my life, I come across all different kinds of stories. Whether its stories that make me cry, or stories that make me laugh, each one that I’ve heard has affected me in some sort of fashion.  I don’t care who you are, where you’ve been, where you’re going, or what race, religion, or political background you have, I believe in your story.  I believe in stories because it reminds me that I’m not alone in this world. The memories that create these stories are what allow us to make ties between one another.  With each person’s unique, individual story, we can break the chains of isolation a link at a time. Simply listening to their story could change a person’s attitude from complete loneliness, to feeling loved, and valued. The best part is you’ll never get bored.

Jesus Is My Carpenter.

"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience - among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind." - Ephesians 2:1-3

We were dead. We followed Satan. We let the spirit of sin consume our lives. We gave into our flesh. We were children of wrath. We rebelled. We spat in the face of Jesus. We made his grace cheap. We were hurting. We were broken. We were crooked. We didn't know what to do. We were clueless. We were full of doubt. We were bruised, battered, burnt, and bent pieces of wood, just as the branch of a tree broken by the weight of a hurricane. We were hopeless.

Notice how they are all in past tense. Trust me when I say that it does not end there. Just as Jesus rose from the dead, we can also resurrect from the sin that was literally eating us alive. Every time I come across a "but" in the Bible, I highlight or underline it. "But" initiates an exception, dispute, or a turn of events. Although something appears in some sort of fashion, once you insert a "but," everything changes.

Let's say we have a prodigy baseball player. This kid can hit the ball 500 feet, he's able to hit for average, he steals bases left and right, he's able to throw a guy tagging up at third with ease, and he makes plays in the outfield that appear on SportCenter's Top Ten almost every night.  He's an obvious 5-tool player. He's a first ballot Hall of Famer before he even gets drafted. Needless to say, he's a stud. But, he has developed heart problems, and his doctors won't allow him to play baseball ever again because it could risk his life. All the potential that this kid could live up to is taken away, just because of this one "but." Once we introduced this "but," the entire plan for his life took a turn of events. Everything changed.

There's different degrees of these "but"s. It could either be "All of these are green, but this one is blue" or "This kid would have been a Hall of Famer, but he has a heart problem." While the "but" in my example is a very unfortunate and tragic, the one that I'm about to show you is the complete opposite. It's the "but" that gives us our biggest hope. I'm certain that the "but" that is coming in verse 4 is the biggest "but," not only in the Bible, but in the history of mankind.

"But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved - and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is a gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." - Ephesians 2:4-10

We were dead, but he made us alive together with Christ. We were in chains, but we have been liberated. We were broken, but now we are formed. We were resting our heads in the pit of hell, but he seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ. We were lost, but now we are found.

I'm sure that Jesus wasn't a carpenter on accident. My English 4 teacher explicitly tells us to find details in the novels or passages that we read. I've started to read my Bible with the same detail that I read any other piece of literature. (mostly due to repetition, I'm forever forced to look into the details about everything, not necessarily a bad thing.) I think Jesus being a carpenter is just a detail that creates a much bigger metaphor for what he will do for each of us. He took pieces of wood that don't have much purpose, and reshaped them into chairs and tables. His calloused hands cut the wood into specific shapes and sizes. He sands down every detail of the pieces. Every nook and corner of his work is perfected. It is being fashioned into something that can be of daily use. He takes a simple (sometimes broken) log of wood, and shapes it into something that is beneficial.

Some of us were just modest logs of wood. We lived our lives with ease. We did good things. We tried to live a good life. We got into our routines and lived a normal life, but it didn't have very much purpose. Jesus didn't come just to give us a normal life; he came to allow us to live life in abundance. Jesus can take the normal, modest man or woman, reshape her life, and allow us to live with a greater purpose. He makes us into something useful, and effective. If you feel as if your life is just normal, ask him to come and change you into something that has a greater purpose than anything this earth could ever offer. The process is a joyride, lemme tell ya. I'm still in the middle of it.

On the other hand, some of us are logs of wood that have been completely shattered. We have gone through a hurricane, and we are broken. Your parents get divorced, your brother dies in a car accident, you continually get broken-hearted, or some other life event that leaves you lost. Let me tell ya something: nothing that is of this world could piece you back together. Not a girl, not a boy, not sex, not drugs or alcohol, not judgement, nor anything else that you could ever try to make you feel complete. The only thing that could leave you 100% satisfied is not of this world: that is Jesus. If you feel like you've gone through a living hurricane, ask Jesus to come and start a great work in you. He can rebuild you as well! His grace and love will never return void, no matter how crushed you may thing you are. Nothing is too hard for him, because he's God. Maybe you've been burned and battered, but I promise he can make you into something beautiful.

Jesus has changed my life. The path towards sanctification is definitely a joyride. There's unexpected twists and turns, ups and downs, and detours, but the road always leads to greener pastures, higher hills, and sweeter waters. It's hard sometimes, but it's always worth it. Jesus is my carpenter, and he is continually making me new. He will never stop the work that he has started in me. This truth goes for every single person in all of creation, and all you have to do is allow him to start it.

"I am sure of this: that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." - Philippians 1:6

P.S. Lift up a pray for Boston today. Some people who have a passion for running will never be able to run again.

Sunday is Coming.

It's Saturday. The day after Jesus was crucified. I can't imagine the questions surrounding everyone in Judea at this time. I'm sure the word has spread to Damascus by now. The supposed Son of Man is murdered? The man who came to Earth, who was worthy of every praise, who was worthy to be exalted, who was worthy to overtake all the kingdoms of the Earth, but instead came to love, to serve, and to humble himself to the point of death? The man who had been prophesied hundreds of years before is dead? He's gone? This can't be!

Last week at the high school ministry service at my church, our pastor challenged us to read the proceedings that had happened from the Triumphal Entry all the way until the Resurrection. I hadn't really thought about the day between Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday all that much... but it still was a day. A day after Jesus had been crucified. Can you imagine? How sad it must have been, or how much of a victory it was (depends on who you were). Whenever I was reading in between the crucifixion and the resurrection, I put myself into the different shoes of the people back then. I just want to share with you what I imagined it could have been for specific groups of people that had been involved with his crucifixion.

Now, there isn't that much said in Scripture on what had happened on that day... I mean, it was the Sabbath, not much could have happened anyways. But I did find two different areas in the Gospels pertaining to today. The first one is in Matthew, and it relates to Pilate and the Pharisees.

"The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, "Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, 'After three days I will rise.' Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, 'He has risen from the dead,' and the last fraud will be worse than the first. Pilate said to them, "You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it secure as you can." So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard."
- Matthew 27:62-66

Obviously the Pharisees weren't done with Jesus. I don't know about you, but this passage makes me sick. The day after they kill him they still continue to call him an impostor? And then they call him a fraud? I'm sure the Pharisees couldn't have been happier with the death of Jesus. After they all party around the imagine of him of the cross, they go back to the temple, high five each other, and then leave to go find another person to judge. They say, "Man, now that the Jesus-dude is gone we can go back to being on top." They walk around town with their heads held high, thinking they saved their faith from being control, and have comfort knowing that they can control their lives without the criticism that comes with their hypocrisy. They have everything under control. They've killed Jesus, and now they can live their lives thinking that they could work their way into heaven.

But aren't we the Pharisees? We continually reject Jesus, and spit in his face, not even noticing the work he has done in our lives. We walk around with our self-righteous heads held high, while we wave around our good deeds just hoping someone will notice just how amazing we are. We roam the halls of our schools and see people who are living in sin, saying to ourselves, "Wow, I'm glad I'm not that guy," but aren't we just as guilty as they are? I couldn't trust the best 5 minutes of my life to get me into Heaven, but sometimes I walk around with this self-glorifying look on my face, knowing that I'm able to live a morally sound life, while I'm just as broken as the guy sitting next to me. We wait until the day that our good deeds overcome the amount of the bad ones, and when that day comes, we feel the right to go around and judge everyone and their faults. I'm guilty of this. It's a bad place to be, because it takes some serious conviction to get out of it. Don't be so heavenly minded that you're no earthly good.

Get ready Pharisees, because Sunday is coming.

Another area where I found what happened on Saturday is in Luke. Instead of the Pharisees, this very small reference to Saturday pertains to the followers of Christ. It reads:

"On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment." - Luke 23:56

That's pretty simple. What's there to imagine about that? Now, I'm not sure if this is right, but this is what I imagined what happened on the Sabbath. Whenever I'm resting, I think a lot. I think about the God moments that had occurred throughout the week. I think about the work that he is doing through me in my life. I think about other people, especially the ones closest to me. I think about how blessed I am to have them. I think about the amazing things that they are going to do with their lives. I think about the times I have had with them.

I think that's what the disciples did on Saturday. They thought.

They have to be in a world of doubt. Was Jesus really worth losing my entire life over? Did I just waste the past three years of my life? Is Jesus really the Messiah? Was he just a man who just knew how to live? Was he really God? Peter is probably in an entire universe of doubt. Peter, known for being one of the boldest disciples, had just denied of knowing Jesus three times. Peter fought for Jesus, until he saw death become a realistic thing. He drew his sword ready to fight for Jesus. He denied knowing Jesus and know he saw him upon the cross. The rest of the disciples did the same thing. I'm sure they remembered what the prophet Isaiah had said. They remembered about Zion's Coming Salvation, and the Future Glory of Israel, but they still doubted. Their thoughts consumed them, and they feared their lives for following this man. They feared death themselves, and I'm sure they were afraid that their death would be in vain. What if it didn't mean anything?

I can find myself relating to the disciples felt, and I'm sure a lot of other Christians could as well. Is giving our entire life away worth is? Is Jesus really who he says he is? Is hope all lost? Am I wasting my life away following just a man who was crazy? Is this really worth it? Is it true? I know it says in the Bible that I'm sealed into the Lamb's Book of Life, but is that really true? Does God really love me? Does he care about me? Are my sins too big enough for him to bear? Why did he do this for me? I'm really messed up bro, can he really forgive me? I've grown up in a Christian home, and I've been exposed to Jesus my entire life, but I'm afraid. Will God keep his promises?

Just as his followers rested on the Sabbath, so did Jesus in the grave. Jesus reflected on what he had done on the cross. He had just beared the weight of sin of the entire Earth onto his shoulders. He broke the veil between God and man. He made the way. That's amazing, and that's definitely something to reflect about.

Doubt is normal. That's what a lot of today is about. It's about doubt and silence. But let me assure you.

Rest your head disciples, because Sunday is coming. There will be no more tears, because Sunday is coming. All of our doubts will be erased, because Sunday is coming. We will know that our work was worth is, because Sunday is coming. Do not be afraid, because Sunday is coming.

The Beauty of the Cross.

So, today I was walking with my girlfriend, Hannah, around Islands of Adventure. We we're walking towards the Harry Potter World and we both notice a girl wearing a shirt with a cross on it, with multiple French words. I looked at her and I said, "I'm not so sure I would buy a cross shirt with words in a different language on it without knowing what they meant." She educated me on the first word that she saw (she took French in high school) and said that it meant "luxurious." She continued on to say that, "I'm not so sure why you could consider the cross luxurious. It's not. The cross is sad, and painful, but not luxurious." She's really smart by the way.

But isn't that so true? It got me thinking...

The cross wasn't meant to be easy. It was hard. Jesus has doubts about whether it really had to be done. You remember the whole, "If in any way possible, take this cup from me" thing? It wasn't convenient. Jesus died at a young age. He was only 33. His ministry only lasted 3 years! The cross wasn't easy for Jesus to accept. Yet, he was still willing to do it.

I've noticed in the recent weeks that we have made the cross into a fashion statement. All around the stores in our malls, we have shirts that have huge crosses on the front of them. We go to jewelry stores and get these extravagant golden crosses with real diamonds imbedded in the fronts of them. We decorate our houses with all different styles and patterns. Why? I think it is because the cross truly affects people whether they know it or not. I'm not trying to say that these things are bad. Anything that helps spread the name of the Lord cannot be bad. My mom loves to decorate our houses with crosses in the front, and I wear a cross necklace around my neck. I'm just trying to say that I think a lot of us, including me sometimes, forget what the cross means.
  
"Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever will save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?"" - Matthew 16:24-26

If you've grown up in church, you've heard these verses over and over and over again. You probably have them memorized for the sake of repetition. But these verses have power! Jesus is telling his disciples to take up their cross. Remember, the cross was a torture device in Roman rule. It was used for execution. That's some crazy stuff! He's telling them that the cost of following him is to take up a device used for executions! To carry that on their sleeve? These men must have been radical! 2000 years later, this verses means the same to us. Let's put it in modern terms though. Think of, "take up your electric chair" or "take up your noose." That's some pretty intense stuff. I wonder if some of us are really willing to take up our electric chairs and nooses for the sake of following Jesus. Sometimes I do the same, I'm human just as you are.

But what does it mean to take up these things of execution? Does it literally mean to put crosses over our necks and on our t-shirts to let the entire world know that we're a pretty little goodie-two shoes Christian? I'm not so sure. I think taking up your cross means to go to the point of execution for the sake of following Jesus. Remember, Christianity isn't easy. The cross wasn't easy. The road is narrow and long, and few take it. Jesus promised persecution. It's real life! Not necessarily in our 21st century American society, but in countries all around the world, people are accepting that status of "martyr" for the name of Jesus. Except our persecution is a little different. It means being able to accept that sometimes your friends will talk junk about you. Maybe you won't be able to go to parties as much anymore. In rare cases, sometimes your parents won't respect you following Jesus. (This is not my case. I'm blessed to have awesome parents.)

Remember today that the cross is not comfortable, first-class, opulent, or luxurious. The cross is bloody. Our Savior was murdered on the cross. The cross is agonizing, excruciating, and miserable. The cross was a struggle. But hope is not lost. The cross is the reason for our salvation. Like Lecrae says, "If Jesus wasn't executed, then there's no celebration." Celebrate the cross, not because it's luxurious, or comfortable, but because of the beauty in the ugliness of it. The beauty is like a father working extra hours to supply for his family, a mom quitting her job to take care of the child at home, or a person willing to tithe even when the finances are tight. Sacrifice is of the highest beauty, and Jesus sacrificed the highest price, his life.

Get off the cruise ship, and let's get on the battleship!

2013 Uganda Mission Trip

Good day family and friends! While my usual blog posts are just me rambling on about something that I found interesting about life, this one is different. This post means so much more to me than any of the other posts ever combined. If you have the second to read any of my other posts at all, then spend just a few minutes reading this one, because it means this much to me. It's me asking something to you. I need your help!

On June 8, 2013, I will be graduating high school from Fossil Ridge High School in Keller, TX. I plan to attend Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma, enrolled in the Honors College, while majoring in Biochemical Engineering. While usual high schoolers ask for a graduation gift to aid their purchase of a new laptop, TV, or any other accommodation towards their college life (which are all fantastic things by the way), I want your help in supporting me on my mission trip to Uganda in the summer of 2013.


In July of 2012 the Met Church took their first international mission trip to Uganda, East Africa. The Met partnered with Buyamba Uganda, a non-profit ministry organized to support the orphaned and disadvantaged children of Uganda. Buyamba Uganda supports the vision and work of Pastor Bethuel and Florence Dongo at Buyamba Orphan Outreach in Uganda through God Cares Schools (GCS) and Orphanage.

Our 2012 Mission Team consisted of 14 individuals who felt God’s urging to step out in faith and travel to Uganda to work alongside the staff and teachers of God Cares Schools (GCS) and Orphanage in their efforts to provide a safe, healthy, spiritually rich environment for children to learn and grow. The lives of those 14 individuals were changed forever and the impact of their efforts on behalf of the children at GCS will be felt for years to come.

In 2013, the Met will return to Uganda and God Cares Schools to continue our support of the children and staff. Our mission projects are still being defined, based on needs identified by Pastor Dongo and his staff and on the talents of our mission trip members. In 2012 our mission team members taught in the
classrooms, painted offices, built clothes lines, gave haircuts, lead devotions, conducted a women’s conference, and even put on a puppet show. While we don’t yet know what our 2013 mission projects will be, we know that whatever we do, as long as we do it as to The Lord, our efforts will be blessed.


Uganda is one of the world’s least developed and resource-poor countries. It has endured the scourge of civil war and the deadly AIDS epidemic, causing an environment where an estimated 85% of Uganda’s population live in rural areas with 50% of its total population being children. Of those children, it is estimated that at least 20% are orphans. Very few of any of these children have access to an education. School life
expectancy is 10 years and the adult literacy is only 66%.

Uganda’s current population is about 32.7 million (last census 2010), with 50% being under the age of 14, the Sub-Saharan African nation has more than 2.3 million children orphaned due to AIDS-related deaths. With a total population of more than 30 million, Uganda has the highest proportion of AIDS orphans of any country in the world.

Though Uganda now has a stable government, it is still crippled by debt, lack of industry, and the AIDS crisis. Therefore, the government is unable to support services to rescue its children. Churches and international relief agencies are vital to confront this crisis on a daily basis.

After seeing such a great need within their beloved country, God put it on Pastor Bethuel and Florence Dongos’ hearts to reach out to His people, people with Aids (HIV), orphans, and children who are abandoned, destitute and poverty stricken.

Recognizing thousands of children lacked love, education, and simple basic needs, Bethuel and Florence started Buyamba Orphan Outreach to provide love, care and assistance to orphans and needy children whose parents were too sick or destitute to care for them.

Buyamba Inc., a non-profit corporation, was founded in the U.S in 1999, to support the Dongos’ efforts with Buyamba Orphan Outreach in Uganda, through its child sponsorship program and provision of needed resources. As a result, God Cares Nursery and Primary School was started in 2002 with 97 children. Today the Nursery and Primary School enrollment is approximately 800, with an additional 400 students
enrolled at the God Cares High School.

I will be in Uganda from July 1 - July 12. The total cost of this trip is $3500, which $1000 needs to be paid by March 15th. As much as Pastor Dongo's hearts reach to those children, mine do as well. Any donation will mean the world to me, whether it be $5, or the entire trip, it's all the same. If you feel the Lord leading you to give, and to help support me as I reach this goal, then I would be more than excited to give your more details in that regard. My email is piefer.matt@gmail.com, you can message me on Facebook, or Twitter, and I can give you my address to send. Cash, check, anything goes.

You guys are amazing. Thanks for taking time out of your day to read this. Anything helps. Even just a press of the "Share" button on Facebook, or a retweet on Twitter. It all goes a long way. God bless you all!