Update

Why hello everyone. Here is a flippin update from myself. A lot of things going on right now, some good and some disappointing. But in it all, I am finding myself trusting in the Lord more and more to take care of hard situations; he has given me so much peace, and an overwhelming joy in life. I even cry a lot of the time, letting my true manhood come out. God is so good. 

Some new things are going on here – “at The Renewed Revolution of Hope”.. ha I have published a new page on here called, “God”. It includes my thoughts on Faith, Family, Community, Righteousness, and Justice. Each of these are what I believe are what should be focused on in life; they are what God has called me to be and do. God has a part in each one of them, and that is why I simply called is God. This is what I am supposed to live.

 

Also, some new updates to the page, “Future Endeavors”. If you have not seen Lauren’s photos from Colombia yet, you can see it there, as well as videos that will be posted soon by myself. You can see it here.

It is really exciting to share these things with you all, and I encourage you to look at them in light of the scriptures and ask God to reveal truth to you. 

 

Also, this week I will be posting OAF’s promotional video. I am really excited to show you all. I will post it as soon as I can, and let you all see it for yourself. 

 

Peace.

Federalism & Community

What is Federalism?

That is the question.

 

I am studying American Government right now in school. Just finished listening to my moms lecture for the beginning of a new chapter, and here is a quote from Ronald Reagan that just blew my mind (this guy, i think, knows the ways, even if I like what he did or not):

He was talking of a “new federalism”.

 

An end to giantism, for a return to the human scale… the scale of the local fraternal lodge, the church organization, the block club, the farm bureau… Activity on a small human scale creates the fabric of community.

-Ronald Reagan

 

Now this is the thing, community is the way we live among other people. Here in West Virginia, community seems to have been lost, in every area of life. Ronald Reagan wanted to restore the state governments, be rid of the big government, and bring back community development. 

Now, I was thinking about this idea, and it hit me: Maybe as a result of us going into a more central, big government, the state and local governments have been forgotten and left out so much, that they have lost the since of community; they have forgotten the benefits of simplicity and personal connections. 

I told my mom two things (of many) that have hurt this, the Federal Government and American Idol. 

Now, the Federal Government has grown so much, the community has been damaged, forgotten. The beautiful, simple things we used to do together in past times for community and connections have been lost, and in its place is this: American Idol, the big involvement in the BIG system. Everyone is out for the next BIG THING, and they have FORGOTTEN THE SMALL, beautiful, simplistic, touching, relational, personal things in life that make all the difference. 

Let us return to this:

Walk outside your front door, which behind it is all the clutter and mess, the TV and the computer, the food and the games, and walk into your front yard. 

Pick up a piece of grass, look at it and image the creativity of our God, image how long it would have taken to bring together the perfect shades of green to make that SINGLE piece of grass beautiful, perfect, good. “And it was good.” 

Then think about your life, then feel the breeze, then since the beauty within yourself. 

Then… look up and see your neighbor, talk with them, treat them like you treated the piece of grass, think about the goodness in them, created by the God of the universe, the Creator of it all. 

And then, think about community; invite your neighbor over for an evening of food, friends, and music, and make it so good, all they would want to do is have you over to their house, so be with you. 

Then the wednesday night ratings on American Idol would go down from 45,000,009 to 45,000,000. 

Your family and theirs. Together.

Community.

My Missions Statement?

Tonight, I went to a little Bible study with my parents, met with some people at my church, and it turned out really good. We were talking about having vision, and they brought up that we, as people, need to not be just a visionary but an implementer, doing things with a vision to see love being spread to other people. It was really great. 

One thing really was great tonight… The leader, Steve Davis, asked us to go home and right out a missions statement for our homes, and as individuals. Now, believe me, I am not really to fond of mission statements; in fact, I’d rather live my mission statement then put it on paper or on the internet or pasted to a wall above the door of my church or house, but this time, I really thought about what my mission statement would be.

About at the end of our time, I asked them all a question. Now, all these people were at least 20 or more years older than me… actually, they were all my friends parents, no one was my age…

 

So I asked them this:

If you could make a missions statement in one word, what would it be?

 

For a moment, all of them just sat their, and my dad even said, “Wow, thats a hard one.” They all had puzzled faces. It was hilarious to make them all stutter and think about it for a minute. No one came up with anything…

And then I said, “Love.” And I continued to say, “Isn’t that what Jesus taught, that above all, love was the most important. ‘Faith, hope, and love, but the greatest of these is love.” God is love. I also continued to say, “Love God, love others. That sums of the law and the prophets. If we can love others selflessly, giving of our time and gifts, and love God by obeying His word (Jesus and his words while on earth and the Spirit that is within us), then that is the only mission statement we need: Love.”

They were all like wowed, not that it matters what I say, Jesus spoke it WAY before I did. I, in fact, got it from Him. It is for His glory that I can even say any of that. 

This is not a post to boast of my words and amazingness, but to boast in what the Lord has revealed to me. Thanks be to God!

 

 

My Missions Statement is simply: Love