just a vapor*in the wind

Reading the Bible in a Year: Day 1 (Part 2)

2012-01-13T13:02:00.001-05:00

I guess it's time that I at finish sharing day one (even though I'm on day 14 right now...). I think I left off towards the end of Genesis 2, where God showed me something pretty cool about marriage that I never really thought of before.

In verse 24, the Word declares that "therefor a man shall leave his father and mother and cling to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." Whenever the Bible (or any book) says "therefor," you gotta step back and ask yourself why. Some versions will say "for this reason..." For what reason? I had read this a while back and came to the conclusion that, like the Bible says, marriage was created because it is not good for man (or woman) to be alone. We all need a suitable helper. When God saw that it was not good for man to be alone, he designed and purposed a helper for him.

But now I see that it, perhaps, is a little more than that. God created Adam from the dust of the ground and very well could have done the same for Eve. He did not, though, and I believe that is important. In verse 23, the man says:

"This is now bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called 'woman,'
for she was taken out of man."

Then, we see the "therefor." To me, that painted a more powerful picture of the bond God intends a man and his wife to share, and of the duty the man has for his wife. As men, we should hold fast to our wives, and treat them and provide for them just as well as we would our own bodies because they ARE of our own bodies. We should honor, respect, nourish, love, cherish, and protect them as we do ourselves, because together, a man and his wife are one. God says that not only in a sexually physical way, but in a literally physical way, as well as spiritually and emotionally. God gave women each so many unique gifts and strengths that men are missing, and vice versa. God created the two out of each other so as to eternally bond them together. Marriage was the first covenant God created. He values it infinitely, and desires us to do the same.

Reading through the Bible chronologically, I have come across so much OT scripture that represents Christ. I believe this is one of them. Christ left His father to be here with us on Earth, and to cling to US, the Church, and the two of us have become as one! If you let Christ live out in you and strive to die to yourself everyday, you are a part of this illustration of God's perfect view of marriage.

[Genesis 3] This is the fall. The consequences of the events in this book are told throughout the Bible and end with the mess of a world we live in today. As I was reading through the fall, though, I can't help but think that we're all like Adam and Eve. Sin takes almost the exact same route as it did in that book. Basically the serpent tempts Eve, who sins, and then tempts her husband, who sins. When asked by God about it, the sin takes the opposite path. Adam blames his wife, who blames the serpent. Who is at fault?

Everyone.

That sequence is so real, that I bet everyone can relate to it. Satan tempts you or your friend or your significant other. He clouds your thinking and tricks you into compromising. Once one person sins, it can quickly tempt others or you (i.e. gossiping, impurity, lying/cheating). Afterwards you may think "I can't believe whats-her-face talked me into that" or "I can't believe he/she let us fall like that".

People naturally like to blame others when they see sin manifest itself in the world or in their own life, but the truth is we all need to rise up and be accountable and humble. Silence Satan's lies with the name of Jesus, and stop sin from spreading before it already does. Ditch the idea that perfection is obtainable, and embrace God's grace.

The fall is referred to as an event, but in reality it is a condition. Without the cross, we would all be continuing to fall away from God. The sooner we can admit to ourselves (and to others and to God) that we are weak and are incapable of leading a sinless life, the sooner God can help us combat Satan through Christ and the guidance of His Spirit in us. We can do nothing alone but fall.

God's love and mercy, through Christ's sacrifice of atonement, allows us to stop falling and start rising. Check out this pretty sweet verse from St. Paul:

"For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!"
-Romans 5:10

PS - There is no way with school and work and letting this Bible plan sink in that I'll be able to give an update of every day. Maybe next year when I am done, but it is just so overwhelming right now (in a good way!). All I can say is that if you have never committed to a plan to read the whole Bible, try it out! It's such an amazing experience.

PPS - I pray that what I post on here is representing the true Gospel. Please, as my brothers and sisters in Christ, let me know if the Spirit is telling you otherwise.

Reading the Bible in a Year: Day 1 (Part 1)

2012-01-04T11:28:00.001-05:00

I'm only on Day 5 of my chronological reading plan of the Bible, and I can already tell this is one of the best commitments I have ever made. Most of what I have read so far are passages that I have already read before - Genesis 1-11, Job 1-9. It's amazing though how God can teach or point out something totally new to you nearly every time you read something. Honestly I came into this dreading the first week or so when I would be reading chapters I'm already familiar with, but God totally rocked my quiet times and put me back in my place.

Who am I to even think that I don't need to read the book of "X" chapter "X" verse "X" because I have already read it a thousand times? Isn't it referred to as a living book? The very words of God? It reminds me of a passage from Isaiah:

"As the rain and snow
come down from Heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the Earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."
-Isaiah 55:10,11

When I first read that passage a while back, it made me think of missions witnessing. It was a comforting verse I thought of when I needed to know that despite how things looked, God was using His word through me whenever I shared it. Now, though, I can apply that to any reading. God has a purpose and desire for every quiet time you spend with Him. He can and wants to teach you something about Himself. He wants to grow with us intimately everyday!

My first day of reading included Genesis 1-3. I don't really want to summarize anything, but rather my thoughts and what stood out to me.

[Genesis 1] First off, the creation sequence bears a striking resemblance to what scientists believe the "evolution" of life on earth was. Photosynthesizing creatures, then sea creatures, then land. I don't really give any thought or credit to scientific origin theories, but the fact that their arriving at the same conclusions despite efforts to alienate themselves from creation-thinking is just really cool and satisfying to me.

In verse 2, the Spirit of God is described as "hovering over the waters." What a loving and beautiful picture of God! I read probably a million times before, but this time it just stuck out to me and really comforted me. It made me think of a similar verse from 2 Chronicles that we read during my mission trip to Los Mochis:

"The eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole Earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him."
-2 Chronicles 19:9

In the first few verses of scripture, we see the essence of our marvelous God and Creator. He is loving and caring towards His creation. He hovers across the waters (even when the Earth was new and formless) to make sure everything is just so, and probably also to enjoy what He has done. Try to just picture that scene: God's spirit hovering over the waters. Awesome, isn't it? Truly awesome.

Skipping down to verses 7 and 8, I noticed something else really awesome. Please forgive me if this is dumb or obvious, but when I read that God separated the waters "above the expanse from the waters below the expanse" and that he "called the expanse Heaven," I immediately thought... "Woah, this is talking about waters in Heaven!" I know this sounds like a basic thing and you're probably thinking "Oh yeah, waters in Heaven, Zack, whoop-de-stinkin-do." To me, though, that was just really cool. God referenced Heavenly waters in Genesis, and I had missed it until now. These waters that God gathered in Heaven way back in Genesis are the same waters that God promises to His people through both Isaiah and Jesus Himself:

"Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters.
You who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.
Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and you will delight in the richest of fare.
Give ear and come to me
listen, that you may live."
- Isaiah 55:1-3

Through Isaiah, God uses the waters of Heaven as an invitation to those who are lost and need the LORD, and advise them to stop investing themselves in worldly desires that do not satisfy the soul like only the waters of His love can.

"Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
-Jesus Christ (John 4:14)

Here we see God again inviting His people to drink of His waters. Not only that, but we see Him consistently making a separation between what Earthly and Heavenly satisfaction. In the beginning God set His waters aside with a purpose and plan in mind. He new that only they can truly give eternal joy, satisfaction, and life. He separated them from our own with the infinite expanse of the Heavens, and advises us to do the same with our own desires. We must greatly distance ourselves from the unfulfilling desires of this world that and cling to His waters and His Kingdom. Any other desire will disappoint us and trap us and corrupt us. This isn't an easy task, and we cannot do it without Christ! But what joy is there in thinking of the great expanse of God's living, Heavenly waters, and how He invites us to drink of it and live! He hovers over us to give us love and support when we call on Him. He intricately and carefully designed us. He offers us and promises us His waters, with which we will thirst no more, hurt no more, and suffer no more.

I thought when I started reading Genesis 1 I would be going back to the basics. Wrong! Right from the start, God is working miracles and preparing a place for me, for us. Working hard to make sure He is there when we need Him. How great is our God?

[Genesis 2] I could spend so much time sharing how fascinating this chapter is to me. It's basically a more detailed account of the creation of man and woman. The scene that is described is so incredible:

"the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of them man, and he brought her to the man."
-Genesis 2:21,22

It reminds me almost immediately of a surgery scene, where a physician will use anesthesia and operate on a patient while they are sleeping. This is written way before the idea of putting someone to sleep for surgery (or even the idea of surgery itself) were even thought of, so we can be absolutely sure the person who is narrating this book (presumably Moses) is not making this up (I would never suggest that any part of the Bible is made up, but Genesis and the creation story get attacked so frequently by atheists that it is so sweet and legit and satisfying to note scriptures that can be used to combat those claims). There is something incredibly awesome about this scene though...

Many people have said that men have one less rib because of the creation of women. It's a myth that is certainly not true, though something even more amazing IS true: the rib is the only bone in the body that can be used to reconstruct damaged bone and...... (drum roll please...).... regenerates itself. That's right! In fact, physicians today use the bone in reconstructive surgeries. The rib has to be removed perfectly in order for it to grow back, but hey, we're talking about the Great Physician here, aren't we? He does all things perfectly (He even says so after each step in creation, calling His work "good.") and takes great pride in His work.

After reading that verse and reflecting on research I had come across, I couldn't help but just sit there in awe of His glory and wisdom and perfect design.

I think I'll stop there and pick back up in a little while. On the seventh day God rested and probably just admired it all and let it sink in. Let us do the same! Rest, and let God's perfection and glory sink in. Seek His waters and drink of them. Rest peacefully, knowing his eyes are watching over you. Rest in Him, loved and cared for.

Isn't our God amazing?

New

2012-01-02T09:27:00.001-05:00

It's kinda sad to see 2011 go, because it was such a monumental time period for my life (~~probably~~ most definitely the most monumental, eventful, fun, growth-filled, and important year of my life) for reasons just about all who read this know. I got married, moved to our own place, found new friends, got a new pet and a new job. I love 2011.

God's movement in my life isn't transient, though. It's constant. And I want to commit to growing in Him daily, both as an individual and together with my wife. There is not a reason in the world why 2012 can't be just as filled with adventure, romance, God, growth, and fun; I have a feeling it totally will be.

I'm not a fan of "resolutions," because they rarely work for me, but one goal I have set for myself that I am excited about is reading the whole Bible in a year. Only being a Christian for about four years means that there is so much of the Bible I have yet to even scratch the surface in. Entire books and prophets, even. Plus, reading the bible daily is the one sure way to constantly grow in Him and know Him better, so I started a chronological reading plan of the whole Bible on New Years Eve (which you can find on YouVersion); so far it has been great.

However, I know that the hard part of committing to such a plan hasn't even begun. Will you pray with me as I begin this journey?

Anyway, Happy New Year everyone! I know this is late, but I've been busy! The good kind of busy. Kaitlin and I had a really nice two-week break from work (since we both work with kids and therefor still get Christmas break!). I hope everyone has also had a nice New Years day and Christmas!

One last thing before I call it a post: the subject of "change." Many people look at a new year and find it the perfect time to start all these changes in their lives. Eating healthier, working out more, praying more, reading more, etc. I don't think all of that is bad, but don't let it consume you. God has already made you new, and is continuing to do so:

"Praise be to the God and Father of our LORD Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." 1 Peter 1:3 (NIV)

The source of the voice telling you to change is ultimately either God or Satan. Pray and be sure before you leap into something. If you feel the urge to change or make resolutions, give it all to Him, and let Him guide you to change as He sees fit. He has been molding you and changing you constantly since the moment He entered your heart, mind, body, and soul. Pray, pray, pray, and pray some more. There is no rush to figure something out soon so you can start changing at the beginning of the year. Let God's timing take over, lest you become your own God. And most importantly, don't look back on regrets of the past year. Look forward to the future. Don't try to make this year different; try to make your life follow God's perfect will. Jesus reminded his followers to seek first the Kingdom of God, and everything else will follow and present itself to them (Matthew 6:33). Paul says in his letter to the Philippians that although he has not achieved his goal yet or taken hold of all that Christ meant for him, he focuses his energies on "forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. [He presses] on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called [him] heavenward in Christ Jesus."

Seek Him and His kingdom, growing in Him daily. He'll take care of the rest. You are precious to Him and incredibly loved. If there is anything in the world that you need, ask Him first! He will never fail you. In fact, He alone will not fail you. He is your Helper, your Guide, your Savior, your Love, your Father, your Everything. He makes all things glorious. He makes all things new.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree...

2011-12-04T14:50:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, after a fairly successful (and fun!) yard sale and a surprise visit from some pretty awesome friends, Kaitlin and I made our way to the Silver Creek Christmas Tree Farm to pick out our very first Christmas Tree. Upon arriving, we were quickly greeted by the friendly staff, given a saw and a measuring stick, and headed out towards the countless rows of leyland cypress and white pines.

We quickly found this not to be an easy endeavor.

For about half an hour we searched, frequently running into nearly-perfect trees, only to find bald spots when we circled them. Some would be great from one angle, but just not that great from everywhere else. From far away, many looked promising, only to disappoint us when we finally reached them. In hindsight, we were probably very unfairly critical and judgmental towards these trees. When we finally realized that we were not going to find an 8 feet tall tree that was unfailingly symmetrical and branch-y from top to bottom, one called out to us, and we knew it was just right.

I took the provided hand saw and started cutting. This became quite tiring in no time at all, especially having gotten up at the break of dawn to start our yard sale earlier that morning, and having to use a saw that was dull from hundreds of uses. In about a minute or two, it finally hit the ground and we started dragging it back. We didn't get far at all before one of the staff came rolling along in a tractor pulling a trailer that he offered to pull the tree in. I snapped a photo of Kaitlin, and then he snapped one of the both of us, which was nice!

Note how beautiful she is!

A little blurry, but it was a phone camera.

They drove it up, wrapped it, and tied it to the top of the Nissan Altima while we ran into John Moore (the college minister of West Rome Baptist Church) and got to have a brief chat about Christmas trees and exchange belated congratulations (he recently had some additions to his family, and we got married (in case you didn't know)).

On the way back a whole-in-the-wall BBQ restaurant caught our eyes. Those are the best kinds, so it was very exciting. Upon closer inspection, however, we found that they were closing, which was extremely unfortunate. We went to Shane's instead. There, we ran into two other friends, who just so happened to be UGA fans and were headed to continue watching the game. We put our college football loyalty differences aside and enjoyed a little fellowship before they left.

Anyway, back to the tree. We soon discovered that there is more to putting up a tree than just cutting it down and bringing it home. It has to fit into the stand. That was not happening. Some of the bottom branches had to go. Out of desperation, I tried some pretty stupid things like a box cutter and a steak knife. The branch of the pine yielded to neither. Meanwhile, Kaitlin is trying to hold up the tree and balance it on the little part of the stand that the tree can sit on, with a few close calls when it leaned a little too far for comfort. This wasn't going to work. We needed a new plan.

I carried the tree outside so it wouldn't cause any more mess in the house, and drove to Wal-mart to get a heavy-duty clipper. After rushing back home, I hopped out of the car and quickly started to clip those stubborn branches off. Finally, we got it into the stand and tightened the screws. My cutting job was not very straight, and the tree itself was not perfectly straight. This made it a little harder to work with, but we finally got it to stand without leaning and though the bottom looked a little naked after the trim, we were very proud of ourselves.

Our tree! I added our Nativity scene today. It's from Willow Tree and it's so awesome!

There is just something about having the tree up that makes Christmas feel so much more closer. I'm so excited about our very first Christmas! Just looking at the tree awakens that excitement and makes me so thankful to God that He has blessed me with such an incredible life, wife, and home, and that He loves us so much that He left His throne and became the Son of Man that I (and you and you and you and even YOU) may be saved by the grace shown through His death and Resurrection. It has become so cleche, but in the mess of it all, let us not ever for a moment this year forget that we are not gathering in the name of capitalism or materialism, but in the name of Jesus, Son of the Living God.

Merry 21 days before Christmas, everyone!

- Zack

God is the Source

2011-11-29T21:30:00.001-05:00

About a month or two ago I started the "Life Journal Reading Plan" on YouVersion. For any of you who don't know what YouVersion is, you should check it out! It's a sweet website that lets you start your own Bible reading plan. But anyway, it was a plan to read the whole Bible in one year, which became a bigger challenge than I first thought. I got about two weeks into it before falling behind and it's taken me this long to try to continue it. I realized the other day that the reason I started falling behind was that my heart just really wasn't in the right place when I started it, but I'll get back to that a little later.

The plan started with Genesis 1-2, and Luke 1. I only had to read a couple verses before my faith was both challenged and strengthened. Everyone knows and has probably heard the signature verse of Genesis 1 being used:

"And God said 'Let there be light,' and there was light."
- Genesis 1:3 (ESV)

I read it and continued and it really didn't stand out to me until I read verses 14 and 15:

"And God said 'Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth."
- Genesis 1:14,15 (ESV)

That opened up such a can of worms for me. I began to question the order of the creation story. Light came before the sun and the stars? How could that make sense? The sun and the stars are what emit light, right?

A few minutes later and I suddenly felt convicted. Is our God not the LORD? Is HE not the source of everything? How could I dare to question how God could create light without the help of giant balls of burning gas and plasma? Does God need anything other than Himself to create? I know it sounds like a small little minute detail of my reading, but for me it was huge. God alone is the source of light.

More than that, God alone is the source of everything else. I soon found that it doesn't really stop with just the origin of light or the order of creation. If we're not careful, we can take for granted all that God does, and just assume that the source of our [life, success, love, freedom, forgiveness, happiness, joy, peace, provision, food, water, relationships, intimacy, etc.] is something material or worldly (or worse, ourselves) instead of God Almighty. Everything we have, we owe to God, because HE is the source of it ALL. He spoke our lives into being. He brought everyone into our lives that we know and love. He makes sure we are well and provided for. He created and designed intimacy, love, peace, and happiness. We owe it all to Him. And if there is anything in our lives that makes us happy or at peace, let us make those reasons to praise Him with all our hearts. Thank Him the minute you think of it! It's so easy to take it for granted. Thanksgiving may be over but may we never cease giving thanks!

I'm going to try my very best to start this Bible reading plan over. I'm going to let the source of my motivation to complete it be to strengthen my relationship with God, and to know Him better, not just to finally read the whole Bible, or to read it in just one year. Those motivations will just run dry. However, motivation for anything can never and will never run dry if God, and God alone, is the source!

- Zack

“There is something beautiful about a billion stars held steady by a God who knows what He is doing. (They hang there, the stars, like notes on a page of music, free-form verse, silent mysteries swirling in the blue like jazz.) And as I lay there, it occurred to me that God is up there somewhere. Of course, I had always known He was, but this time I felt it, I realized it, the way a person realizes they are hungry or thirsty. The knowledge of God seeped out of my brain and into my heart. I imagined Him looking down on this earth, half angry because His beloved mankind had cheated on Him, had committed adultery, and yet hopelessly in love with her, drunk with love for her.”

― Donald Miller, Blue Like Jazz

Magnify the LORD with Thanksgiving

2011-11-28T10:48:00.001-05:00

Psalm 69 reveals something pretty neat about thanksgiving. I was reading in the Psalms on the morning of Thanksgiving, when a couple verses popped out at me:

"I will praise the name of God with a song;
I will magnify Him with thanksgiving.
This will please the LORD more than an ox
or a bull with horns and hoofs."
- Psalm 69:30-31 (ESV)

Other translations say "glorify" instead of "magnify," but they both essentially have the same meaning. I hadn't really thought a lot about the ways giving thanks can magnify the name of the LORD, but David tells us that not only does it glorify God to give thanks, but it pleases Him much more than any sacrifices we can offer Him. Is that not amazing to think about? God cares a whole lot more about us having a thankful spirit and heart than any expensive, worldly offerings we can make. More than that, I think we can take this verse and safely say that a thankful spirit and attitude is needed while we give our offerings to God (i.e. tithing). If we don't tithe with a grateful heart, will that not offend our God? Sure, we're offering our first 10%, but if we're just doing it out of a feeling of obligation and not out of a spirit of thanksgiving and joy, will that not be foul-tasting to the LORD?

It reminds me of a scene in the new Karate Kid movie (which I watch about every other week with my kids at the Boys & Girls Club), where Mr. Han tells Dre he will train him for the martial arts tournament, but every day just makes him pick up his jacket, hang it up, put it on, take it off, put it on the ground, pick it up, hang it up, and repeat. It bothered Dre's mother to no end to see his jacket on the floor everyday. When Mr. Han witnessed that, he incorporated it into the training to make Dre more aware of how he was treating people. One day, Mr. Han tells him he's doing good, but something is missing - attitude. He needed to do it smiling. So he did, but he eventually got tired of the whole thing, and wanted to quit:

The clip is cut off a bit, so we miss Mr. Han saying "Everything is Kung-Fu," which I thought was a cool line. But anyway, Mr. Han teaches Dre that he was learning and getting stronger all along, by doing something he thought was a hassle, and that Kung-Fu "is in the way we treat people."

I think we can apply that to giving thanks. Thanking God is in everything we do. It's in the way we treat people. Jesus said that "whatever [we] did for one of the least of these [His] brothers, [we] did for Him. (Matthew 25:40)" I believe that Psalm 69 is talking about more than just giving thanks to God. I believe that, like the verse says, the name of the LORD is made more widely known when we give thanks and carry around a grateful heart. Sometimes, it's through direct giving and taking care of those in need, but sometimes, it's through doing things for the people around you that seem like a hassle. For Dre in the movie, it was picking up his jacket.

For me, it's in everyday things. I've only been married to Kaitlin for about 5 months, but I am already finding our more about love than I ever knew in the 3 years we were dating. Some of the best ways to show her that I love her and that I'm thankful for her love for me and how hard she works is to do chores around the house. For example, we have no dishwasher and I absolutely hate doing the dishes. We both do. But I'll bet that seeing the dishes done when she gets home from a long day of teaching pleases her and makes her feel more loved and appreciated than even the most expensive gift I can buy for her. (Kinda like how thanksgiving pleases the LORD more than costly sacrifices). And I can do it smiling, if I just think about how thankful I am for her and all she does.

Just like we can tithe smiling, or during any other offering we present to the LORD. Because while thanksgiving is about thanking other people, it's mostly about thanking God. I wrote our tithe check for November during the Thanksgiving break we had. Sometimes it feels like a lot of money, but this Thanksgiving (our first Thanksgiving!), all I could think about was how much God pulled through for Kaitlin and I when we really needed it the most. It is UNREAL. A month before we got married, we were unemployed with no job offers at all, and we felt like we had exhausted all of our options. We knew marriage was where God was calling us, but had no way of getting through financially. We didn't even know where we were going to be living. About a week or so before "I do," I got three job offers and she had two, all of which were Rome. We went from having no jobs or bites to having to CHOOSE what we wanted to do. A month or so later, when our hours were cut at the Boys & Girls Club and we realized we needed a lot more income anyway, God pulled through for us at the last minute and gave Kaitlin an amazing job offer. I am still to this day amazed at all He did for us, and have nothing but thanksgiving and a smile to give Him with every penny of my tithe, and every little thing I do for others in need.

About a month or so ago, we ran into this homeless man in front of Taco Bell that we had helped before in the past and we started talking to him, and asked him what he liked from Taco Bell. When we gave him some food and a drink, I gave him a 10, telling him its all we really had on us since we don't carry cash. He said that he was more grateful than we could know, because he had only needed $7 more to get a hotel room for the night. He said he had been sleeping in an abandoned house on a cold floor. I realize he may have been lying and a lot of homeless people are said to "not even try to work," but when it comes down to it, that doesn't really matter. You never know what big an impact you can make on someone when you stop to ask them what you can pray for them about and try to meet their needs in some way. It's the simple act of extending your hand that does more than what you give someone, and it's easier to do when you're thankful for what you have, because you'll want to share that feeling of being provided for with everyone else. You'll want to magnify and make more widely known the name of the God that holds you in His hands.

That is what Thanksgiving is really about. Joyfully and freely loving and thanking others. And, I would add that we shouldn't just tell people we're thankful for them. Thank them specifically for what they've done. Thank God specifically for what He's done. Not just on one day of the year, but everyday, constantly. Thank without ceasing! Magnify the LORD with thanksgiving! It will please Him more than you know, and bring others to know His glorious name.

- Zack

It's Been a While

2011-11-09T11:46:00.002-05:00

It's been far too long. Here's an update on things:

I got married!

I started working at the Boys & Girls Club

We got a Lionhead rabbit and named her Hannah! She's sweet, but she's also mischievous.

Kaitlin and I went camping! The hurricane came through and we almost floated away! It was my first time camping, and we had a blast!

My hunt for Dr. Pepper 10 came to an end when it was introduced at our Wal-mart. I soon after got addicted! I was already addicted to soda. But still!

I started geocaching more. This is me with my 50th find! Photo courtesy my beautiful wife, Kaitlin!

I attended my first NCAA college football game, where the Jackets CRUSHED the Tigers! If you look closely, you might find my brother-in-law rushing the field.

I went to my last David Crowder*Band concert during the 7 Tour when they came to Atlanta at the Tabernacle! That's us with Matt Ames after they melted our faces off.

I guess that's about it in a nutshell. I might add more later, and I'll try to do this more often!

in Christ,

Zack

Palm Sunday

2011-04-18T00:24:00.001-04:00

So, if you've never read the story behind Palm Sunday, you definitely should! It's pretty awesome. Jesus enters the city on a donkey and everyone lines up to shout praises for him. He is welcomed with robes and tree branches. A triumphant entry. (Matthew 21:1-11)

Only days later, those same people cried "Crucify him!" Which is crazy to think about. It makes me really angry and reading it made me wonder how something like that even happened. I first attributed it to people just going with the crowd. The bandwagon effect.

But when it comes down to it, aren't we all guilty of this sometimes? We praise Him on Sunday only to reject and crucify Him later with our sins. Maybe I shouldn't use we. I know I'm guilty of this, but I shouldn't assume that you are too. I don't want to judge anyone. I just felt convicted of this today. I look in the scriptures and see people betraying and rejecting and denying Christ, and I feel so much frustration with them, because they SAW Him. And yet, I do the same exact thing. I betray Him. I reject Him with my sins. I deny Him. I love Him very dearly, do not get me wrong. He is my life, my salvation, my song, my everything. I am just not perfect and I know I cannot be.

I don't want to be this way though. We should all strive to praise Him everyday and resist temptations to sin against Him. We should all proclaim Him even when it is unpopular or dangerous. He deserves nothing less. Let this be our prayer and reflection as we experience the Easter season this year. It's not just a Holiday or a cause for celebration. It is a call to remember, glorify, praise, and obey.

in His grip,

Zack

(imported from Tumblr)

You know it's love when...

2011-04-03T19:22:00.000-04:00

1. What genuinely makes you the happiest and most excited is finding new ways to show you love her and seeing her happy.

2. You don’t have to hide your fears, insecurities, or quirks from her because she make you feel so free and safe.

3. You see her on her bad days and know that there is still nothing more beautiful and pleasant on Earth besides her presence.

4. You put a ring on it and then can’t stop thinking about marrying her, so you count down the days, hours, minutes and seconds.

5. She’s more and more beautiful every time you see her.

6. Every other blog you write is about her.

On God and Suffering

2011-03-31T02:38:00.002-04:00

A common argument against the existence of God is the presence of evil and suffering. How can God be truly sovereign if suffering and evil is allowed to exist? Is God all-powerful, but just doesn’t care, or is He caring but not all-powerful?

I think if we’re going to ask these questions, we need to reflect on what evil really is. Is evil just the actions, or does it extend to thoughts and intentions? Where do you want God to stop when it comes to eliminating evil from the world? Do you want Him to destroy all evil, or just some of it? Jesus stated that hatred and anger is just as evil as murder (Matthew 5:22), and lust as evil as rape (Matthew 5:27). If all of evil is purged from this Earth, we are going along with it.

Evil isn’t just something that exists on Earth that God can’t get rid of. Evil is a decision we choose every time we reject God in favor of the world. Evil is anything that opposes God. We create evil. We embraced it way back when Adam and Eve decided to turn against God. At that moment, we were banished from the Garden, where God does not allow evil, to Earth, where we have brought evil. We are separated from God because we chose to be. Evil exists because we brought it here. We gave into Satan’s temptation, and continue to struggle between Satan’s temptations and God’s promise. What happened when Satan turned against God? He was banished from Heaven (Luke 10:18, Revelation 12:9). What happened when we turned against God? We were banished from the Garden (Genesis 3:23).

The truth is: God can eliminate evil. He can get rid of it. He can, and He did. We have been separated from Him, and so has the Enemy. But the amazing and incredible part of the story is he allowed us to live, that someday we may return to Him. And yet we see in the scriptures that despite every attempt from God to show us His mercies and grace, there were still those who chose to reject Him. And from this rejection of God spawns all the evil that we witness in the world: the murder, the homocide, the rape, the slavery, the injustice. Do the victims deserve justice? Absolutely. Are the sins of those oppressing greater than the individual sins of the oppressed? Absolutely not. All sin is equal.

The fact of the matter is that no matter how oppressive someone may be, that person can never have an impact on the eternal fate of those who are oppressed. In the end everyone is judged according to what they have done (Romans 2:6). Everyone is responsible for their own actions. Too often we look at the suffering in the world and we blame God, when really man is to blame. Granted, there are circumstances where man does not directly cause the suffering (natural disasters, sickness, etc.), but even still, we should not blame God. God stated Himself that He would never again destroy the Earth by a flood (Genesis 9:11). If God were to destroy one people’s for their sin via natural disaster, He would have to destroy all peoples, because all sin is equal. We can rest in His covenant that states that He would never do this. We live in a fallen world not because God neglects it, but because man has corrupted it. Suffering and evil are products of this fallen world, not God’s neglect.

Many times people look at the book of Job and attribute his suffering to God letting it happen. This is not the case at all. God only let happen to Job what He knew Job could handle, and to prove to Satan that Job’s commitment to Him was not dependent on how well He provides him. We should instead look at the book of Job as an example of God’s sovereign power. God forbid Satan from doing certain things. He drew lines and Satan obeyed. Satan rules over this fallen world, causing temptation, evil, and suffering, but we can rest assured that God triumphs over Satan, evil, and restores those who are suffering. Jesus stated that although we may face hardships in this world, we should take heart in the fact that He has overcome the world (John 16:33).

It is clear that God does not turn a blind eye to our sufferings. Jesus wept when Lazarus died (John 11:35), showing His deep compassion for His children. When we are sad, God is sad also, wiping away every tear (Revelation 21:4), and hearing our every cry for help (Isaiah 30:19). He LONGS to be gracious to us and He RISES to show us compassion (Isaiah 30:18). We are not distant from God when we are suffering, no matter how tough it may be. No, we are closest to Him! God reveals to us that His grace alone is sufficient for us, and that His power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).

So the real question is this: How can God truly be just and allow our sin to go unpunished? Why does He let us walk this Earth when we consistently reject Him in favor of the things of this world? How, although we sin, are we saved from God’s wrath? The answer is Christ. We deserve death, Hell, and the divine wrath of sin for all the crimes we have committed against an infinitely holy God, from our thoughts to our actions. Even still, we can be saved from that wrath by His grace through our faith in Christ Jesus, who He sent to bare the sins due us on the cross.

No amount of oppression can separate us from that Love. No wave of the ocean can wash it away. No bullet can pierce it. No words can prove it wrong. No evil can overtake it. Love never fails. First, however, we must accept His love. We must put our whole faith in to it. We must trust it, go all in, bet our lives on it. It’s all we’ll ever need, and we all desperately need it.

God cares and we can be sure of it: He took on the cup of the wrath of God so that we may be re-united with Him. Let us rejoice in our sufferings and keep in mind that “suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” - Romans 5:3-5

in His grip,

Zack

Conversation With My Mentee

2011-03-23T15:57:00.001-04:00

The Student I Mentor: I wanna come to yall's wedding!
Me: Okay! We'd love that! It's pretty far away so we'd have to work something out.
Student: Cool. So yall coming back that Sunday?
Me: No, we're going to spend a week in the mountains, so we'd be back the next weekend.
Student: Oh, so if I went with yall, I'd be with you for a week?
Me: Well, I don't know if you could stay in the cabin with us, but we can hang out when we got back!
Student: Okay!

I love being a mentor!

PS - Tumblr 30 Letter Update:

Letter Four (to a sibling)
Letter Five (to my dreams)

Going to the Chapel

2011-03-17T14:46:00.000-04:00

The Camp Pinnacle Chapel
(Photo Courtesy Kaitlin Rachel Wood)

Kaitlin sent me this photo last Saturday. It was my first glance at the chapel where were are getting married. My immediate thoughts were that it was perfect. So perfect. It seemed surreal, at that moment, that we are getting married. It's really really exciting, but also really surreal. It's something we've been waiting for and working towards for a long time, and it's actually happening. The chapel is booked, along with the reception area next to the lake. The rooms are booked for us to stay in the night of the rehearsal dinner. The honeymoon is booked. I have a solid job to provide with. It's happening. It's really happening. Its so exciting!! I could cry just thinking about it.

We drove up the following Monday to see everything in person. Y'all, this chapel really is the most beautiful and perfect in the world. I don't care where you have been, there is no place I'd rather get married. The whole campus is bursting at the seams with God's love and spirit. It's so evident everywhere. The chapel looks so amazing. And the whole time, I couldn't help fast-fowarding to June. The next time I see it might be the day before the wedding. So cool and surreal. The empty (yet still elegant) chapel will soon be full of people and joy (and, inevitably, stress and probably a little chaos, but still!).

These pews will be filled with loved ones

She'll be walking down the aisle, beautiful as ever, in white

That's my bride! She got her hair down while we were up there and it looked so gorgeous (though, it is impossible to mess up her naturally beautiful hair). It was another little piece of what the wedding would be like (that I was surprised to be able to preview, but hey, I'm not complaining!). I can't wait to stand in front and wait for her to walk down that aisle. I'll be so nervous and excited and happy.

God instituted and ordained this and I can't wait for him to lead our wedding and our marriage. I know it's going to be perfect. This is happening! It's really happening. =]

in His grip,

Zack

I Feel Like a Trader

2011-03-13T19:09:00.004-04:00

I've made myself a Tumblr. I really like Tumblr. But I also like Blogger. I need to blog more often, but anyway. That was random. I guess I just feel kinda silly trying to decide which blog site to use when I don't feel like I blog enough. But for now, I think I'll keep both. And just post the same main things in both. And if I ever decide to officially switch, I can.

Over there, I've been doing the 30 Day Tumblr Letter Challenge. Here are the links:

Letter One (which is supposed to be to my best friend)
Letter Two (which is supposed to be to my crush)
Letter Three (which is supposed to be to my parents)

I might eventually copy the entire letters over here, but at least my blogger people can get to them now. Not like they couldn't before. I'm sure facebook helped mediate this issue. Maybe I'm thinking too much into this?

Okay, enough with the blogging about blogging.

Today is Sunday. Which means tomorrow is Monday, the day I get to see the Camp Pinnacle Chapel. The new Camp Pinnacle Chapel, where I will be wed to Kaitlin! Do people use the phrase "wed" anymore? I just did. It feels so surreal that the wedding is so soon. In a good way. I love it. It feels really exciting and peaceful and joyful. It'll be in a little over 3 months. Which means I've been engaged longer than the time left until I get married. Crazy! Time flies so so fast.

I saw this Friday Favorites idea on Joanne's blog, who got it somewhere else. I liked it, so I'm going to try it. But I'm not a girl, so I will either replace or remove some of the items! I hope no offense is taken by my few loyal readers.

Favorite Time of Day: Probably the evening time because it's quiet and peaceful and I can rest and relax and do things I like to do. Unless I'm working the evening shift. In which case my favorite time is sleepy time.

Favorite Season: Spring! It used to be Fall, but now there is no Fall. There is just Winter. Winter is too cold. I love the snow very much, but I absolutely cannot stand freezing weather. A phenomenon of weather perfection could be achieved, in my book, if it could snow on a warm, clear, sunny day.

Favorite Month: Either April (my dating anniversary), June (my future wedding month), or December (because I love Christmas time)

Favorite Holiday: Christmas! Easter is a close second.

Favorite Color: Blue and green. Especially blue.

Favorite Movie: I love so many! Here are just a few:

This movie never gets old! Not a lot of people I know have seen it.

Enough said.

I watch this movie a lot. It reminds me of how amazing my Savior is
and helps me through tough times.

All around great movie! And not just because Kaitlin loves it. =]

It's similar to Frequency, but different too.

Favorite Celebrity: Uh. I don't really know. My favorite actor is probably Tom Hanks, but I don't really keep up with celebrities.

Favorite Place to Shop:

The iTunes store! I love music.

Favorite Kind of Music: Just about everything Christian, and some secular pop/rock/country. I've recently been introduced to Christian Hip/Hop & rap and it is amazing! My current favorite bands/artists are: Lecrae, David Crowder Band, and Owl City.

Favorite TV Show: I don't really watch a lot of TV, but I do like Storage Wars. I used to watch LOST religiously before the disappointing finale. I just don't watch a whole lot of TV.

Favorite Thing to Do: This is hard. Obviously, I want to make everything in my life glorify God. I want my life to be a constant state of worship (in some way, shape or form). I know that isn't always the case with my life, but I try! Hopefully my life and the things I do come close to bringing Him glory. I've recently become addicted to geocaching. It's really fun. Other than that, I love to find new ways to make Kaitlin smile and surprise her and show her how much I love her. Really. I'm not trying to be cheesy. It's really fun!

Favorite Place in the World: Probably in Kaitlin's arms. Too cheesy? Deal with it! It's the truth. Want like an actual public place? Probably Camp Pinnacle at the moment because I am getting married to Kaitlin there in 97 days!

Favorite Hobby: How is this not the same as my favorite thing to do? Well. I love to geocache. Thats probably my current favorite. I also love to draw, paint, read, and play soccer.

Favorite Animal:

That is a wolf. It's a silly band my beautiful fiance, Kaitlin
got me from camp. This also doubles as my favorite
silly band

Hawks are my second favorite animals! I just so happen to
BE a hawk, too! Neat!

Favorite Place to Live: Probably Georgia since I've only ever lived here, but I would like to live in the country when I get older.

Favorite Place to Vacation: Anywhere peaceful, where I don't have to worry about any of the burdens of the world. I've been to Jekyll Island a lot with my family. So I like it for sentimental reasons. I also love St Augustine. It's so pretty and fun. I've been with Kaitlin like four times (with her family, of course!) and I love it. But I also love love love love the mountains! Probably the most. I haven't been a lot, but that's were Kaitlin and I are going on our honeymoon so that should be great.

Favorite Restaurant: The Cheesecake Factory. Hands down. Great food and great portions. I also like the Melting Pot, but it is really expensive.

Favorite Thing to Cook: I love cooking! My favorite thing to cook is probably chicken parmigiana. I also love to cook chicken francese. Italian recipes are always keepers. I think crab rangoons are fun to make too. And anything with eggs.

Favorite Drink:

Hands Down

Favorite Cologne: Abercrobe Fierce. $50+ a bottle, I know. And it's kinda fading in quality. But it's all I've ever used! I don't like the slutty pictures of half-naked men, though. I peel them off.

Favorite Books: The Bible goes without saying! Anything by C.S.Lewis. My lovely fiancee got me The Quotable Lewis for Valentines Day! I'm getting into Ted Dekker too. Also, David Platt's Radical is pretty sweet. OH! And John Eldridge's Wild at Heart. And the Shack.

Favorite Bible Verse: This is the hardest question ever. I love so many verses. Here are just a few.

"The LORD is like a father to His children, tender and compassionate to those who fear Him. For He knows how weak we are; He remembers that we are only dust." - Psalm 103:13,14

"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing." - 1 Corinthians 3:1-4

"I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." - Luke 10:18-20

Okay, looks like I've covered it! That was pretty fun.

in His grip,

Zack

Patience

2011-03-06T00:58:00.003-05:00

This is my amateur sketch of I-75 whenever I am in a hurry (or am tired of driving). It always seems like there are three options: drive the speed limit in the granny lane, drive 5-10mph over the limit in the middle lanes, or drive like its the Autobahn in the fast lane. How fast do I usually want to drive? Between 75 and 80mph. Not on the menu. And I have to admit, it gets on my nerves sometimes. I want to drive the way I want, how fast I want, uninterrupted. On the road, my patience often fails. Sure, most of the time I slow down let people merge ahead of me. I give people space when I'm passing them. I use my signals. That's considerate, right? Yeah, but honestly, it's easy to do those things when I've got plenty of time on my hands. How often do I drive considerately and patiently when I am in a hurry to get somewhere? Do I go out of my way to let people merge then? Do I use signals? Do I try to avoid cutting people off? Not always. Impatience gets the best of me.

That's not all, though. There are plenty of situations (standing in lines, sitting in class, shopping, listening to someone who loves to talk, trying to get your internet/computer/car to start working again, waiting at the DMV) where my patience is seriously tried. How do I act? Sometimes, pretty grumpy and impatient. It's not something I'm proud of and lately, I've felt really convicted of that. Patience is something I should strive for. It's a fruit of the spirit, and an important practice of a Christ-follower.

And, it's a constant practice of the Lord. What? Yeah. Let's look at two verses. The first is in the second letter of Peter:

"And remember, our Lord's patience gives people time to be saved." - 2 Peter 3:15 (NLT)

"Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation" - 2 Peter 3:15 (NIV)

In this particular context, Peter is talking about the return of Christ. He addresses the impatience and doubt surrounding the second coming, stating that God's timing is perfect and is patient for the lost. Although God is unhappy and angry by how His people reject him, betray him, and sin against Him, He is patient with us all so that we may have time to repent and be saved. Isn't that crazy? What's also crazy is that we (myself included) sometimes find ourselves a little impatient and ready for His return. Or maybe that is just me. Either way, such impatience neglects and even insults the loving name of our LORD. He has every right at any minute to claim His people and destroy all those who are without faith. He has every right because everything on this earth, including earth, is His alone. And He sits in Heaven and watches every day as His creation is abused and His name is defiled and many of His people are lost and living in sin. He watches, patiently and lovingly. He prolongs His return and His righteous judgement because He wants you and I to be saved by His grace and spend eternity with Him. He says so in the 30th chapter of Isaiah, where our second verse will be:

"Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore He will rise to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him!" - Isaiah 30:18 (NIV)

Here, God is speaking through Isaiah to His people who, desperate for an ally in battle, chose to trust in Egypt's help instead of His strength. They did everything to defend themselves except pray for the protection of the LORD. They rejected the name of the LORD and went to Egypt for help - the same people who enslaved them and worship idols and reject God the Father. And after showing His people of their mistake, adds that he waits to show them grace, and exalts himself to show them compassion. He uses His great patience and mercy to give His people a way to come back to Him. He could have destroyed the entire nation for what they did, yet He chose instead to be patient.
I love the magnificent illustration these verses paint concerning God. The fact that He is patient with us even though we really don't deserve it is incredibly gracious. And even more gracious is the fact that His patience means salvation. Because the LORD chooses to be patient, people are saved. What if you knew that being more patient everyday could lead to opportunities for people to be saved by God's grace? What if instead of rushing to get from A to B, we shared and loved? Just something to think about. I know I need to work on it.

in His grip,
Zack

Our Engagement Story

2011-01-27T20:31:00.006-05:00

CAUTION: The following blog post may contain content that is mushy and/or lovey-dovey.

   So as I sat on a futon in Kaitlin's apartment, typing that last blog after my quiet time, I felt her head rest on my shoulder while she read her book. In that moment, I experienced rest. It was quiet and we were just sitting and not really doing anything important except relaxing and enjoy each other's company. It felt warm and peaceful and there was this closeness to her and to God that I had needed all weekend. I continued with a great big smile on my face and pressed "publish," posting not only my first blog of the year, but also my first since last September. At that point I realized that I clearly left out some pretty big updates that are very blog worthy, namely that the beautiful face that rested on my shoulder belonged to the woman that I am now engaged to be married to, and have been since November 5th, 2010. I just cannot post another blog without sharing the story of one of the happiest days of my life.
   It was the day before the Zeta Tau Alpha semi-formal, and I had asked her earlier that week if she wanted to have movie date or something on that night. Not like a movie theatre date, because nothing good was out. A redbox movie date, so we could just relax on the couch and watch something together and pop some popcorn that didn't cost an arm and a leg. That kind of movie date. It didn't really matter, though, because I secretly just asked her that so that she would keep the night open and not plan anything else. I didn't want her to expect anything suspicious either.
   I had been looking at rings for a while and I knew the one I wanted to get. I didn't want to get it too far in advance, though, because (1) I tend to be impatient and I would probably get too excited and spontaneously propose to her, and (2) I was paranoid I would lose it. Luckily, she wanted to nap after class so I picked it up while she was sleeping. It was also a good thing that she wanted to nap because I was really nervous. Excited, but nervous. Not nervous in an omg-i-hope-she-says-yes sorta way. Nervous as in lots of butterflies in my stomach and in a i-hope-i-do-this-perfect sorta way. In a this-is-really-happening kind of way.
   She woke up from her nap later that afternoon and, with the ring tucked in my pocket, I cooked her favorite meal - chicken parmigiana. Then I asked her if she wanted to go to Berry and have a bible study in Frost Chapel and dance with me. She said yes. After we drove into the campus, we met some deer on the road to Mountain Campus. I pulled over so we could see them. Partially because I wanted to see them and try to touch them, but mostly to stall because I was nervous.
   When we arrived, there was a man standing outside the chapel and I thought, "Great... way to ruin everything, sir!" I was kidding. Sorta. So Kaitlin suggested that we just do our bible study on the stone wall, because there was probably something going on in the chapel. I knew there couldn't be, because I called beforehand. So I insisted that we go at least look in the chapel window to make sure no one was using it. As we were walking towards the chapel door, the man who was standing to the side came towards us and said:
   "Hey, my brother is proposing to his girlfriend in the back room, so if you don't mind just please don't go in there."
   "Oh! Okay! Is it okay if we go in the chapel?" I asked, trying to soak all the irony in.
   "Yeah! That's totally fine," he said.
   The room he was talking about was separated from the main chapel. He was free to steal my idea in peace. Just kidding. Sorta. Anyway, so we went inside and sat down in the pew and opened our devotional to the chapter we left off on last time. If I'm going to be honest, I don't think I focused very well, if at all, on the devotional. I was too busy practicing in my mind what I was going to say and how I was going to do this.
   When we had finished, I stood up, reached out my hand, and, smiling excitedly, asked her, "Would you like to dance?"
   "Yes," she replied, also smiling.
   So I held her close and we danced without music for a few minutes, and I looked her in the eyes, telling her how wonderful and beautiful she is, how much she means to me, and how thankful I am to have her. Then, with my heart beating so fast that I'm surprised I didn't pass out or something, I knelt to one knee, took the ring out of my pocket (which was velcro, by the way, so it echoed loudly off the walls of the chapel as I opened it) and asked her if she would marry me. After the initial shock wore off, she finally said "YES!" I stood up and we held each other tightly in our arms for a while before making our way back to the car.
   And now, almost two months later, we have a date and a time and a venue - June 18th, 2011, 2pm, at Camp Pinnacle in Clayton, Georgia. I could not be more happier or excited, and I can't wait for us to begin our happily ever after.

in His grip,
Zack

Rest

2011-01-23T22:43:00.006-05:00

"Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the LORD, who makes you holy."
-Exodus 31:13

"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy."
-Exodus 20:8-11

Sabbath comes from the Hebrew shabbat, meaning "he rested." Shabbat derives from the Hebrew verb shavat which means "to rest," or "to cease." God doesn't just ask us to rest or cease work. He commands it. Think about it. Our great, perfect, holy God delivered His people from years of slavery in Egypt, performing numerous miracles through His prophet Moses, and afterwards, while they were all gathered together, purposefully gave them ten instructions to live by, one of which was to take a break from doing things. God values rest and ceasing to do work (after all, He did so Himself on the seventh day).
Connect Rome's new series is titled "Busy Bodies," and it has made me re-think a lot of how busy I let myself get, and how much I neglect God's command to rest. I know that I struggle with resting. I feel the need to always schedule out my days and fill them with stuff to do. My planner becomes my second Bible, with a constant, never-ending list of things to do, so that even when I accomplish everything that I set aside to do for the day, I still have a mindful of deadlines, needs, goals, and stuff to worry about. The week becomes a long, tedious run-on sentence. No breaks. It's the culture we live in: we are encouraged and expected to always be productive, and people who deviate from the busy-body way are often considered lazy or unproductive.

This is a tragedy on so many levels.

I find myself trying to take a break or a nap or enjoy some time doing nothing, but it almost feels irresponsible or unnatural, as if there are a million trillion things I could be doing to make better use of my time. Is there, though, something better to do than obey God? Obedience is the greatest way to show Him my love for Him and yet I so often disobey His command to cease all my work, business, productiveness, etc. and just rest in His beauty and peace. Resting requires one to stop trying to be in control of everything, stop worrying about how everything is going to be done, and relinquish it all to God, praising Him for all He has done, and trusting Him with all He is still doing.

On that note, I think I'm going to get some rest.

in His grip,
Zack

Peace is only a Piece

2010-09-30T00:34:00.006-04:00

The past couple of days/weeks have been filled with trials, due to circumstances that I won't go into or dwell on. Needless to say, it has left me exhausted physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I haven't really blogged much because either I didn't feel inspired or didn't want to write anything that didn't have a happy, care-free tone to it. Which I realize now goes completely against what I said when starting this blog: that I didn't want it to become a part of any kind of "beauty contest." It's important to remember that it is okay to not be okay, and it is more than okay to be transparent about it. I was reading the Word of God for some comfort and strength when I came across this verse:

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid."
- John 14:27

   It got me to thinking: what is peace? What does it mean to receive peace from God? Surely it doesn't mean peace in the sense of the absence of war or conflict, because Christ said he did not come to bring that type of peace in Matthew 10:34. In fact, He says he came to "bring a sword" and to "set a man against his father." We know that Christ does not prevent us from having battles; He equips us and prepares us for them. So the word "peace" in this context should (and does) shout out at us as an important term. He does, after all, refer to it as the gift He is leaving us; something the world cannot give us.
   To find this answer I looked at the Hebrew word Christ uses when He refers to the peace He is leaving us. It turned out to be shalom. So I looked up shalom in Strong's Concordance, and these are the definitions it gave: completeness, wholeness, health, welfare, safety soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord.....and peace. The Hebrew root of shalom is shalam, meaning to be safe or complete.
   Isn't that amazing, wonderful, and beautiful? Christ's gift to us is completeness, wholeness, welfare, etc. He says in this verse that the world cannot give us these things. When we try to use things on Earth to make us whole or complete or safe, we are let down, broken, and disappointed 100% of the time. Which is where I (and just about everyone) find myself: broken. Why? Because I've allowed myself to depend on things of this world for happiness and completeness - finances, friends, academics, family, relationships, etc. Most of these are established by God and are definitely good and are meant to enrich our lives, but are not meant to make us whole or complete. When any of the things of this world that we turn into strongholds (or a combination of them) start to hit a rough spot (and they most certainly will), it can be completely devastating and stressful. Even if they are all going smoothly, they will never be enough. There will always be an emptiness and dissatisfaction within us. We will always want more. There is only one love that can satisfy us and make us complete, whole, and right with God: Christ. If we allow Christ to be our stronghold and trust Him as the mighty rock that He is, He will never ever disappoint us. His love endures forever.
   The things in this world that we depend on can do many things for us, and may even give us feelings of peace and happiness. Friendships and relationships are beautiful, God-given gifts in our lives and can help us ease our burdens and grow. But what in this world, when faced with the attacks of Satan, stands a chance? What in this world can keep us safe from his spiritual warfare?
   There is only one name that can make Satan quiver and flee: Christ. If we rebuke Satan in Christ's name, he will flee 100% of the time. We will be protected and safe. The peace that God gives us is not the elimination of trials, conflict, or trouble, it is the guarantee that when those times come we will come out of them remaining complete, whole, and in the safety of God's righteous and loving arms. This is confirmed and reassured to us later by Christ when He says to His disciples:

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
- John 16:33

Again, we see Christ referring to achieving peace in Him. Completeness in Him, wholeness in Him, perfection in Him, well-being in Him, protection in Him, and safety in Him. Shalom in Him, and Him alone. Peace may be the best translation of what Jesus is saying, but it is truly only a piece of His gift to us. It is okay to be going through troubles, and it is okay to not be okay. Christ foretold of all of the troubles we are going through, and desperately wants to be the peace that we live in through it all. He knows that the world cannot complete us and lead us to the life we were meant to have. He loves us so much and wants to guide us to the path of righteousness. He does all this yes, for the glory of God and so that the Father may be glorified in the Son (John 14:13), but also for our own good and so that we may have life. Jesus states (again, in the gospel of John): "I have come so that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)"
We have all heard the expression "live life to the fullest." And especially in times of trouble, that's what we wish we could do. Christ came to fulfill that in our lives. He came so that we could live life to the fullest! We can only achieve that through Him. We need His peace, His completion of our lives, His wholeness in our beings, and His protection. So if you find yourself in that low place, broken and discouraged, take heart! Christ has overcome this world and all the troubles in it. He has brought you His peace so that you may have life to the fullest extent. He is so good.

in His grip,

Zack

No Such Thing

2010-09-06T18:43:00.003-04:00

   For those that do not know, I am graduating in December (God willing), and to be quite honest, it is kinda scary. Nothing is certain as far as having a job or a plan or what exactly I am going to do. All I know is that I want to get married and I want to answer a calling from God to go into medicine and use it for His glory. That is really all I know. Part of me is unsettled and uncomfortable because I don't know exactly what I'm going to be doing in January (or even the next January).
   What I've discovered, though, over the past few weeks is that it is okay to be uncomfortable and unsettled and not know for sure what is going to happen next. In fact, it's better to not know and to trust God fully with your life and your future. Otherwise, you risk becoming so confident that you are doing what you are meant to do that you may not feel like you even need God to guide you or come through for you or provide for you. I know this seems perhaps a little reckless and irresponsible, but bare with me.
   I was listening to "No Such Thing" by John Mayer yesterday and it really hit home. Not only that, but I feel like the song really touches on some of the pressures that are placed on us by society and those who believe to have our best interest in mind. Now I may be way off from what this song is really trying to get at, but this is just what it spoke to me. It begins with this:

"'Welcome to the real world', she said to me

Condescendingly

Take a seat

Take your life

Plot it out in black and white"

   Now isn't this what we are told by everyone growing up? Plan out your life, start thinking about what you want to do, start preparing for this and that. Now, I'm not saying we should grow up without a care in the world and not be responsible for our actions and what is coming at us. But hasn't it gone a little too far? I remember when I was in growing up in school and the teachers would say "Now I know this seems strict, but we're just trying to prepare you for the 5th grade, when things are going to be different."
   And then I got to the 5th grade, and the teachers would say "We're just trying to prepare you for middle school. You think this is hard? Middle school is a whole different ballgame." And the middle school teachers would tell us they were trying to prepare us for high school; the high school teachers would be preparing us for college and college professors try to prepare us for "the real world."
   Maybe you did not experience this, and I'm sorry if I falsely assumed that. But are we not pressured starting our freshman year of high school to know everything about what we want to do with our lives? The college we want to go to, the career we want to pursue, etc.? We live in a fast-paced society that treats the education system like an assembly line, where the end of someone's education represents a finished product completely ready to occupy their predestined niche in society and work right away and have a nice, comfortable salary and life. And if not, we've been conditioned to believe that something went wrong. That it's not normal. That the person made some sort of mistake.
   This, I believe, is an obstacle in the face of every individual born in this generation. I also firmly believe that it is a stumbling block in our spiritual lives and in the Kingdom of God itself. The truth is, we don't have to have everything mapped out. We don't have to jump on a track and stay on it for life. We don't have to decide what we want to do for the rest of our lives and who we want to be and where we want to live. We don't have to and we can't.
   Only God can. And he will. God will call you to be someone. He may do it in the form of a loud, resounding wake up call or in the form of a quiet whisper. He may call you by giving you gifts and passions, leading you to use them for His glory. Our Lord is creative and good, and will call you in whichever way He feels necessary. His calling might completely go against everything the world around you is saying. While the world around you is telling you to aim for a job that will pay really well and give you comfort and security, He may (and probably will) call you to a career that doesn't pay as well but better suites your passions and gifts, in order to better further His Kingdom. While the world is screaming at you to save your money and build your savings to achieve financial security, God may (and probably will) call you to live a humble life, giving the money you don't need to the needy and only taking your daily bread (Proverbs 30:8,9).
   While the world screams at you to plan things out and "secure" your future, God begs with you to live by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). He wants you to trust Him and fall into His arms and not turn the blessings He has given you (money, family, a job, a house, etc.) into your treasures and your strongholds. He longs to get you to trust Him and praise Him as a Holy God that will never ever leave you empty handed. A God who takes care of the birds, and therefor will take care of you with even greater consideration (Matthew 6:26). A God who will work all things for the good of those who love Him and put faith in Him (Romans 8:28). A God who loves you more than the world and will never let go of you. Another verse in the song goes like this:

"They love to tell you

Stay inside the lines

But something's better

On the other side"

The world draws lines for us to stay in, but they only lead to more stress and hardly ever produce any fruit. All along, God is on the sidelines calling you to come to Him. To the other side. To something way, way better than the world can ever provide or offer you. He will take care of you and use you to bring glory to Him and establish His Kingdom on Earth.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that we need to stop worrying about how we're going to make it in the future and just love God with all our hearts and place full trust in Him that He will provide a way for us to succeed in life and in His Kingdom. This semester, I've seen this come true. I wasn't sure I would even be able to return to Shorter University, due to financial strains. But God provided a way through a grant. Doors have been opened for jobs, volunteering opportunities, etc. I am confident that God is watching over me and sending his angels to hold me up each and every day (Psalm 91). After studying the book of James, I have tried to commit to praying with faith. It isn't always easy, but God always comes through in some shape or form. He is continuously freeing me from anxiety and outside pressures, and He is just as present for you as He is for me. He loves you and He has everything under His perfect control.

in His grip,
Zack Akvan

Praying With Faith

2010-08-10T21:09:00.012-04:00

One of the most important, crucial components of a believer's relationship with the LORD is prayer. Prayer, however, is the subject of so much criticism and frustration. Countless Christians (and non-believers) challenge the power of prayer when they don't feel like their prayer was answered or that they received what they asked for. Many will question the faithfulness of God. After all, Jesus did say that if we ask anything in His name, He will do it (John 14:14).
So why, then, do we feel like our prayers are not answered? That our prayers do not have power? I just finished studying the book of James and one concept I learned from it is the ridding of doubt from prayer. Doubt is one of the biggest obstacles to effective prayer. James states in his letter:

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord." - JAMES 1:5-7

When we approach God with our requests, we have to believe that He can fulfill them. Sometimes, we ask but do not receive because we do not trust or believe that we will receive. God deserves better than that! We have to have faith in Him. If we ask from God with doubts in our hearts, we insult His majesty and sovereignty. Before God can fulfill our requests, we have to show Him that we are truly following Him and willing to rely on Him for everything. We not only have to give him our requests, we have to trust him with our requests. Trust requires faith. Prayer needs to be our first response to tribulation, rather than our last resort. James reaffirms the power of a faithful prayer later on in his letter:

"The prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up..... the effective prayer of a righteous person has great power." - JAMES 5:15,16b

When we pray with faith, miracles can happen. We have to have faith in God. And in addition to that, we have to have faith in ourselves. We are, after all, empowered by Christ and the Holy Spirit to do all things through Him. Christ tells us this in the Gospel according to Luke:

"Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you." - LUKE 10:19

The power of Christ is within us! We have the power and the authority to do all things through Him! This is very important to remember. It's said all the time: you cannot love anyone until you can love yourself. I have found this to be very true. And it is perhaps most true with our relationship with God. Part of the reason we have trouble believing in what God can do through us is that we have lost confidence in ourselves. We not only have to believe in God, but also ourselves because we are the vessel by which Christ lives and works on this Earth. In John, Christ reiterates the power we have when we have faith in Him:

"I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." - JOHN 14:12

   We know that Christ did miraculous things on Earth. But are we ready to believe that we could do those same things through faith in Him? Do we believe that we can do greater things through Him? I know I am guilty of doubting the strength that I have through Christ Jesus. Christ says that the signs that accompany those who believe Him are the ability to heal the sick, cast out demons, and speak in tongues (Mark 16:17-18). Christ has so much faith in us. It's time that we buckle down and believe in ourselves, and the power of Christ within us.
   We quote all the time that we can do anything through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13), but do we really believe it? Are we moving mountains with our faith or being tossed by the ocean of our doubt? Do not be afraid of anything, brothers and sisters. Do not think twice. God is with you and will strengthen you. With Christ in you and the Father above you and the Spirit around you nothing can stop you. You can heal the sick. You can cast out Satan.
   You can do anything through Christ. And Christ can and will do anything for you. He loves you more than you know.

Medical Missions 2010: Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico

2010-07-16T17:29:00.004-04:00

   I had the blessing and the honor of serving our God in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico. Sinaloa is a nation roughly the size of Tennessee, but sadly only has about 33 churches. Under the leadership of Marco Vallejo, whom we had the awesome opportunity to serve with and live with for the week, each of these 33 churches are establishing “missions,” which hope to become fully functioning churches within 3 years.
   Throughout the week we set up 4 free clinics, mostly at the mission churches. The goal had two parts: (1) to heal the sick, both physically and spiritually, and (2) to attract and invite people to the mission churches who may not even go near the church otherwise.
   Most of the people of Sinaloa cannot afford proper healthcare or even the simple over-the-counter medications that they need. Countless people said to us that they knew that they needed to see the doctor but could not afford it. Fortunately, we were able to give everyone who came something that they could use to help ease their pain and suffering, but it came more and more evident to me as the week went on that it really wasn’t at all about what we could provide these people.
   It was about what God, the Great Physician, could supply them. God reveals to us in Psalm 41:3 that he will “sustain [His children] on [their] sickbed” and “in [their] illness restore [them] to full health.” This is something only the LORD can promise. No matter how many vitamins, antibiotics, and pain relievers we supplied these people, nothing could ever compare to the healing and loving nature of our God. And so, we made it an effort to pray with and for each patient individually and love on them the way that He loves on us. In the Gospel according to Luke, chapter 10, Jesus sends out the seventy-two and commands them to “heal the sick in [every town] and say to them ‘the kingdom of God has come near to you.’” If we were to minister effectively as missionaries and followers of Christ, we needed to not only attempt to heal these people, but to also make an effort to further His kingdom.
   The most memorable moments of this trip were praying with these people. I prayed over more people during that trip than I ever did in my entire life. Some people were more receiptive than others, but I have no doubts that in those moments the kingdom of God was brought nearer to them. One woman came back to me after I prayed over her, asking me to pray again and also for her son. Keep in mind the language barrier. Almost no one who came through our clinics could speak a word of English, and yet they still wanted to hear us pray for them in our language. Another man, after praying with me, thanked me and my whole team for the work we are doing for God and said (in Spanish) that “a prayer made in trust and in faith and in truth is worth more than any medicine the world can provide.” After I heard a friend of mine translate that for me, I was so overwhelmed. This man had suffered from three heart attacks and still believed in the power and faithfullness of God.
   One of the most emotional and memorable events of the trip involved a man named Salvador Lopez, who came to our triage table with pre-heart attack symptoms. He was immediately rushed to our nurse and given some aspirin. There was really nothing we could do for him except give him the little medicine we had, pray for him, and send him to the hospital. I still to this day wonder what would have happened to that man if God had not sent our team to set up that free clinic at that church. He probably would not have gone to the doctor, because he couldn’t afford it. He probably wouldn’t have gone to the hospital because he had no idea what was coming. God may have saved that man’s life that day.
   Aside from the amazing work done through helping their sickness, another part of our clinics was a “vision center.” Where we provided cheap, simple reading glasses for anyone that needed them. We used a Bible to test whether or not the people needed corrective lenses for reading. It hit us mid-way through the week during our reflection time that some people in this world can’t even read their Bible because they cannot see it. I cannot imagine what I would do if I couldn’t see the word and truth of God.
   This trip revolutionized the way I think about my faith, missions (especially through medicine), prayer, and the medical field. It reaffirmed God’s will for my life and reawakened my passions for medicine and ministry. The gospel may have been written 2000 years ago but the world is still the same. There are still countless sick that need healing and lost that need to be found. Christ calls us to reach out to these people and to fill their needs. God challenges us through James that “if a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? (James 2:15)” It felt so amazing to be apart of a ministry that I felt confident was the will of God. I hope to continue doing His will, through missions, my career, my relationships, my entire being.
   I feel like these scriptures, along with what I have experienced in Los Mochis can be applied to the American church. We often ask why there are so many lost in the world when we build churches and invite them and pray for them. God’s word says that we must fill their needs and love on them and get to know them before they will ever accept our messages of peace and truth. The lost can’t be found without knowing God; they can’t know him until they feel His love; they can’t feel His love until we give it to them; and they won’t accept the love we give them until we get to know them and their needs.
   God is so much greater than we can possibly ever know, and it has been a blessing to share with you a tiny bit of what I saw Him do in Mexico. God bless you!

In His unending love,
Zachary Akvan.

Hineni

2010-03-15T22:28:00.012-04:00

For those of you who don't know, "hineni" is one of my favorite Hebrew words ever. It means "here am i," and, in its use in the Bible, it is usually associated with surrendering to God.

"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?'
And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'" - Isaiah (Isaiah 6:8)

"When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!" And Moses said, 'Here I am.'" - Exodus 3:4

"But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, 'Abraham! Abraham!' 'Here I am,' he replied." - Genesis 22:11

   You get it. Just as God revamped my understanding of Jeremiah 29:11, He taught me an important lesson in surrendering when I went to the BCM summer missions interview weekend. It was such an emotionally, spiritually, and physically exhausting experience, but one of the best of my life. Someone actually told me that exact same thing right before I left, and I remember thinking... Really? Exhausting? How? I already know where I want to go. There isn't much to it.
   I was very wrong. For those who aren't familiar with the process, you basically show up and divide up into groups. Its kinda like a group interview, if you've ever done one of those. Every group has a leader, and the leader's goal is to get to know everyone in the group as well as they can so that they can discern the best, most God-inspired mission to assign them to. Most of the "interviews" are done as a group, like ice-breaker questions that relate to your background, personality, and passions. There is also a one-on-one interview with the group leader that helps finalize your preferences- a list of 8 missions the interviewee feels called to go to in order of preference. There is also a box that you can check that indicates that despite your preferences, you are willing to serve anywhere.
   I made the mistake of going with the attitude and mindset that I already knew where God wanted me to go, and so I never planned on checking that box, even though our group leaders encouraged us to do so. As the day went on and I had more time to pray about it, the conviction started settling in. I started trying to justify my choice to limit my preferences. Things like... I need a job over the summer and so I can't go on most of the trips. Or that I am a pre-med major so it's obvious that I need to go on a medical trip. Or the thought of my parents not supporting it if it wasn't a medical trip. I was writing all this to God in my journal when I heard His voice almost audibly say something along the lines of... Drop all you have and follow me. Am I not your God who knows your needs and where you should go?
   Now, I don't want you to think I am crazy. And this may have just been the Spirit guiding my thoughts. But whatever it was, it was enough to wake me up. What was I doing by submitting a preference sheet that only allowed me to be assigned to one of four mission trips, all of which were medical? I was (1) limiting myself, (2) telling God that I don't trust Him with my summer (or my life, essentially), and (3) telling God that I would love to serve Him, but only if I could be sent to those four places. How proud and unfaithful was that of me? Very.
   God knows my gifts and my talents. He knows where I will succeed and sew seed. He knows what I need in order to serve Him. And if I need a job, He'll provide a way for that to happen. If my assignment takes up most of my summer, then clearly it means that getting a job is (A) not necessary this summer to prepare for the life He has in mind for me and (B) is not as important to Him as me serving Him in a place of need.
   And so I said to my God, Hineni, and searched for additional trips to fill my preference sheet of 8 and indicated that I would serve anywhere. And at the closing service, which was SO beautiful, I placed it on the wall with the others that picked my number one choice, drove back to Rome, hopped out of the car and waited for the call. I was glued to my phone all night and all morning the next day, anxiously waiting for the call that would let me know of my assignment. Kaitlin and I took Isaiah (our loppy-eared rabbit) to the park and played parcheesi while we waited. It was a gorgeous day.
   Ironically, I missed my call because my phone had been on vibrate the whole time. I found out my assignment through Kaitlin when she got her call. I was assigned to Los Mochis, Mexico. There, I will spend a week of my summer setting up medical clinics, sharing the gospel with villagers, and educating them about health.
   I am so stoked. =]

In Christ Alone,
Zack

The R-Word: Let's ditch it. It's about time.

2010-03-03T18:52:00.002-05:00

   First off, for those who are unaware with the term "r-word" it refers to the word "retard," which has unfortunately become a very popular term in everyday use. The truth is that the r-word is extremely offensive to people who are disabled. It is essentially an equivalent of the n-word. Only, disabled people don't tend to call eachother the r-word. But anyway.
   This blog isn't meant to be deep or anything. Just thought provoking. I myself am guilty of using the word. I only stopped to think about it after becoming a founding father of the Shorter Associate Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity. Our philanthropy is Push America, an organization founded and operated by Pi Kappa Phi. It's mission is to serve people with disabilities and raise awareness/understanding. Today, Push America is teaming with the Special Olympics in a campaign to "Spread the Word to End the Word."
   Have you used the r-word lately? In what context? What if someone who were disabled were present?

Pledge your support and spread the word by clicking here.

I Know the Plans I Have for You, So Come and Get 'Em

2010-03-01T20:48:00.008-05:00

For the longest time (and by that I mean... a little over two years?) I have considered Jeremiah 29:11 my favorite Bible verse. Over the past couple of months I have experienced so much life-changing scripture that it's hard to imagine choosing one as my favorite. But anyway, that doesn't really matter. I think that, for the most part, people tend to only pay attention to the first part of this verse (myself included), and don't realize the beauty and meaning behind the scripture that follows it. The Lord has convicted me and changed me recently through studying it deeper. Jeremiah 29:11-13 reads:

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." (NIV)

"For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me." (NLT)

   I think all to often I have looked at Jeremiah 29:11 for comfort and have taken it for granted. But just because God knows the good plans that He has for me doesn't necessarily mean that no matter what I do and how I act, that my future will be amazing and glorious if I call myself a Christian. God definitely presents a promise to claim: that He will listen to us and provide us with all the hope and prosperity we need. God also, however, delivers a command to obey. We must seek him with all of our hearts.
   As nerdy as this sounds, I first began to understand this in my Anatomy & Physiology II class when my professor was briefly discussing immunology. Our immune system is amazing. Really, it is. Basically, the immune system hinges on the concept of recognizing self vs. non-self. The immune system must be able to recognize what is not you, so that it can attack it (if necessary) and your body's health can prosper. It also must be able to recognize what IS you, so that it does not harm you. Your immune system equips you with the capability to destroy/prevent anything that can potentially cause you harm. Theoretically, everyone has the potential to live amazing and healthy lives without ever getting sick. Those are the "plans" the immune system has for you. But we do get sick. Everyone gets sick. The problem is, the immune system can only do so much for us; we have to do the rest. We have to take care of ourselves and be responsible. If we get sick because we're not taking care of ourselves and getting the vitamins/nourishment we need, can we really blame our immune system? This may sound dumb, but there is a point.
   The truth is, we can't. No matter how sick we are, the immune system is doing everything it can, and, technically, the mechanisms by which it works are still near perfect. The way we do our part to help it is where the imperfection lies. Now granted, there are some genetics involved here, and some people are more susceptible to certain conditions. Not everyone gets sick because they don't take care of their bodies. But anyway, I'm digressing way too much.
   The point is that, yes, God has amazing, wonderful, perfect plans for us. But He's not just going to poof them into our lives. We have to keep our relationship with Him healthy and alive, and take care of His sheep. We have to seek him with our whole heart, and find him. And by finding Him, we find the plans he has for us and it becomes second nature to follow them. His plans are still there no matter what, and they are still perfect no matter what, and they are still ours to claim no matter what.

   Its up to us to fall on our knees, give up all we have, follow Him, and take hold of the amazing purpose and meaning He has for our lives.
-Zack

P.S. The LORD is sending me to Mexico this summer as a medical missionary. He is so good. More on that later. =]

Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbor's iPod Touch

2010-02-10T18:22:00.002-05:00

Bethany College of Missions hosted a contest last week on Twitter. It was really simple. All you had to do was tweet this:

Follow @BCOM_network and RT this + your answer 4 a chance to win an iPod touch: "Where would you do missions?"

...as many times as you wanted. Simple, right? I tweeted about 400 times. Probably closer to 500. All I could think about was getting that iPod touch. Twitter has anti-spam programs, so I couldn't tweet the same answer twice. I'd quickly generate the names of cities and states and countries to put in the answer spot. At first, they were places that I wanted to do missions. Then, places that I thought could use more God. And then, I just started spitting out random answers. Sometimes, for an hour at a time.

The contest ended last Wednesday and the winner was announced on Friday at 2pm. Needless to say, I was anxious to hear the results.

I didn't win. I'm glad.

Did I, at any point in my pointless mass tweeting, ever once seriously think of God and/or missions? The point of the whole contest was to raise interest in mission work, and for people to discover opportunities through BCOM to get plugged into missions. What was my motivation? Was it to bring glory to God and people to hear His calling? Nope. It was an iPod touch.

I have two iPods. I won one from a contest at my school, and the other I got for Christmas. I don't even need an iPod.

But a whole lot of people need God.

GTEG on death row?

2010-01-30T22:05:00.000-05:00

About a month ago, students attending private colleges, like myself, received notification that the Georgia Tuition Equalization Grant was being cut over $100 starting this semester. About a week or so ago, we got an email that the governor has proposed the elimination of the GTEG altogether.

"The state is in a terrible budget situation, revenues are down more than 20 percent, and we looked for anything we could possibly find to cut," Bert Brantley, a spokesman for the governor's office, said. "And GTEG just happened to be one of those things."

Personally, I find this completely appalling and ridiculous. Education should be one of the governments top priorities. However, Brantley says the GTEG is considered a "luxury" that the state can no longer afford. I say bull.

For many students, eliminating the GTEG could mean that they are no longer able to attend the college of their choice. It's about $1000 worth of grants per year, which is a considerable amount of money.

I just think it's sad that the government cuts education when it's in times of financial hardships.

There is so much more I want to say, but being a Christian man, I cannot.

-Zack

No One Is Too Lost Or Too Far

2010-01-28T21:18:00.002-05:00

I love the book of Isaiah. It's definitely one of my favorite books of the bible, if not my favorite. I just love the way God spoke through Isaiah. I learn so much from his prophecies. The other day I stumbled upon this verse, and it blew me away.

"For the Sovereign Lord,
who brings back the outcasts of Israel, says:
'I will bring others, too,
besides my people Israel.' "
-Isaiah 56:8

Maybe I just get excited really easily, but this verse really makes me happy and gives me hope. Hope for people close to me that I fear will never come to see the Father, as well as for those who live in obscure places of the world that have never heard the name of Christ.

Someone I know was once deeply confused and consumed by doubt because she found it hard for a loving and just God to send people who have never heard of Christ to Hell. She even started to look into religions that suggested that multiple saviors arouse in different parts of the world so that everyone would hear the good news. She had so many questions and regrettably, I had very few answers at the time.

She must have found them eventually, because she was baptized this past December.

But that's not the point (even though it's a wonderful and happy occasion, really). I soon dug through the Bible for an answer, because I really wanted to help (and I became curious for the answer myself). Ironically, I stumbled upon the answer in one of the appendixes of my study bible. The timeline. And here is what I find. And I promise I'll come back to that first verse.

You see, before we were given the gift of the Spirit, we had to listen to people that God chose as His prophet. And the lineage of the Spirit can be traced all the way back to when God banished man (and woman) from Eden. And we notice that yes, God sends His messages to the same area. But I don't believe this is because He is selective. I believe that it is because it is the original kingdom of God, where all man came from. The reason we have so many areas of the world that have not heard God's word can be found in the very first pages of the Bible:

"So Cain went out from the LORD's presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden."
-Genesis 4:16

Some people, throughout history, chose to be like Cain and leave the Kingdom without bringing the word of God with them. It is really sad that places exist where the LORD is completely unknown, but it is not the fault of God. It is the fault of man. The more I think about it, the only way for God to be clear in His teachings and messages was for Him to be consistent in the area that He sent them. If His Word showed up in random places of the world in random bits and pieces, it would be a close to impossible puzzle to solve. God wasn't being selective, He was being consistent, reliable, and clear. Just as a perfect truth and Love should be.

Isaiah relieves us and blesses us with just how perfect His love is, in that there is hope yet for everyone. For God says that he will bring back the outcasts of Israel. Not only that, but He will bring others, too.

Isn't God amazing?

- Zack

Hitchhiker's Guide To My Conscience

2010-01-24T20:10:00.001-05:00

I thought I knew what I wanted to blog today as I was driving up to Rome from my house. But something else completely revamped my thoughts and my day.

So, it was raining and I was taking the ramp onto US 411/Ga State Route 20 towards Rome when I saw a hitchhiker walking along the road. He would wave his thumb out in his direction of preferred travel, and then when the car passed, he would continue his walking. I was next in line. I thought about stopping and giving him a ride, but ultimately just waved at him. All these thoughts popped in my head of stories of criminals acting as hitchhikers and killing/robbing/raping the victims who stopped to help them. I just couldn't trust him no matter how much of me was screaming at me to stop.

And I call myself a Christian? A follower of Christ who strives to mimic His love and courage? As I drove further and further away, it started POURING. All I could think about was this poor man who was walking on this road. But I couldn't bring myself to turning around. I saw the Connect Rome flyer and even daydreamed about reaching out and encouraging him to visit. But those were just thoughts without actions to back them up. All I did was wave.

And it got me to thinking. Even if that man was the worst person on Earth, doesn't Christ encourage us to share His love with people like him, just as we would any other man? If the Spirit was calling me to help this man, I should have trusted that the will of God is perfect and that I would have been protected.

Maybe I'm beating myself up over it too much. But I do think it's sad that society has created a paranoia that makes it hard to trust people who seem like they are in need. Who knows, I could have died tonight thinking I was saving someone from the rain. But on the other hand... I could have extended Christ's loving hand to someone, leading them to the possibility of being saved from death.

- Zack

There Is Light

2010-01-21T00:10:00.001-05:00

If my last post (or should I say first post?) sounded harsh or discouraging towards the world or the church, I apologize. I didn't mean to be, I only meant to express some thoughts I was chewing on. I left out the best and final stop of my "beauty contest" train of thought. The one that inspired me to write.

A few weeks ago, I started attending a church here in Rome called Connect Rome. They met in a bar (Matt, to answer your question, I think if Jesus were to start a church, he would probably try meeting in a bar) on Broad Street on Sunday Mornings, across the street from a non-profit coffee shop they oversee called "The Nest" (all the people who work for the Nest are volunteers, and all the money goes toward the community... every penny). Their goal: to make it simple for the people of Rome to connect to God.

They did. And do. During their first year, 160 people came to Christ.

Starting this year, both the Nest and the Church moved to our mall (to be a more family-friendly environment and to get more revenue for the community outreach programs through the Nest). I have attended three of their services within the past couple months (in three different locations, because they have been in transition). They have been the most incredible and God-inspired worship services I have ever attended.

In the most recent service, the Church opened for the first time in the mall. During the worship service, I kept glancing at the doors, hoping God would inspire others to join in. I was so excited I cried. It was worship in its purest form. Pure joy shouted out to the Lord. 6 people out of the 200 or so entered the service unaware of their need for Christ and left saved by his grace. And it was then, in the midst of it all, that I realized... this is real. This is genuine. This is the body moving. And suddenly, I realized that I hadn't checked the time during the service. I wasn't waiting for it to be over. It wasn't just one ordinary, routine hour of the week.

And suddenly I realized how beautiful church can be when its not caught up in a beauty pageant of sorts.

God is moving. He really is. Through you. Through me. Through the body.

There is light, and there always will be.

-Zack

Not A Beauty Contest

2010-01-19T21:56:00.001-05:00

Shorter College hosts the Miss Shorter Pageant every year. It was last week. I didn't go. I never go. I used to feel bad, but then I got to really thinking about it. I've never really liked beauty pageants. It really doesn't stem from jealousy at all. Being a guy, I never felt the urge to sign up. The idea of a beauty pageant just seems completely judgmental and shallow. I'm not trying to downgrade any winners of beauty pageants. I'm sure you worked hard and deserve your titles. I'm simply not a fan of the system.

I promise theres a point to what I'm saying.

We all know what a beauty pageant is. Typically, there are three areas of judgment: Overall appearance, talent, and personality (correct me if I'm wrong, I've never been to one). When we

look at those three things though... who is anyone to say that one is greater than the other? Aren't we born with our appearance, have our own unique personalities, and have areas we are skilled at and those that we are not? For the most part, these aren't things we can control. It's what makes us who we are.

As long as you are true to yourself, you should never have to consider your traits as "worthy" or "unworthy" of this world. You should never have to compare yourself to others.

Yet, it seems like the more I think about it, a lot of things work like a pageant. Society has this invisible beauty contest in effect, where people feel like they need to have the best looking cars/houses/clothes/bodies/whatever. They have to be the best at what they do and have an attractive personality or risk losing their job. Companies have to top each other with their software and products. Everyone seems to be wrapped up in some beauty contest.

Even the church.

Many times, churches focus on having the biggest and prettiest building, the best praise band/choir, the most members, and a charismatic pastor who gives the best-sounding sermons, says all the right things, and who everyone loves.

But is that what its all about? Would Christ win a modern-day beauty contest? He was hardly ever clean shaven, had bruises and scars, said things that were convicting and unpopular, and He was even considered to be crazy and a heretic by some. His own followers disowned Him and watched Him die a painful, slow death on the cross.

And yet there could never be anyone more beautiful or glorious.

I hope that in my writing, I convey the type of messages that reflect His love and a blog that reflects His beauty rather another attempt at being the sleekest, loudest, most attractive place in the blogsphere.

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed and stick around.

-Zack