AGE

2009-03-01T05:17:00.000-08:00

Hey there life,

T'is a grand day outside with the sun's glowing warmth flowing through the window.

2009-03-01T04:19:00.000-08:00

Myles Munroe (2004) Waiting And Dating. Destiny Image Publishers. Shippenburg.

Preparing to Date

The primary benefit of dating is the opportunity to get to know someone new, to build a new friendship with a member of the opposite sex. This is important for developing self-confidence and social interaction skills as well as for learning respect for each other as persons of worth, value, and dignity. At the top of the list of potential dating pitfalls is the danger of becoming physically and emotionally involved too quickly at too deep a level, leading to inappropriate behaviour.

Healthy relationships should always begin at the spiritual and intellectual levels-the levels of purpose, motivation, interests, dreams, and personality.

You are ready to date when you don't need to.

You are ready to date when you have first learnt how to be single.

A truly single person is one who is complete physically, emotionally, spiritually, and intellectually without dependence upon anyone else.

If we do not love ourselves, it will be difficult for us to love others, or even to relate to them properly.

Successful singles find their personal identity and sense of wholeness within themselves and in their relationship with God. Because they are complete within themselves, only whole individuals are fully comfortable being alone. They can thrive and prosper whether or not they are involved in a relationship.

A whole person has a clear and solid faith. When we know what we believe and why we believe it, when we know what the Word of God says and are committed to obeying it, and when we have a good grasp of God's standards for our personal lives and we are determined to live by then, we are on our way to wholeness.

Get your spiritual roots firmly embedded in God now...

Work to develop yourself as a single person. Learn to be like Adam; get completely lost in God today. Become so comsumed by God that He will have to interrupt you to bring another person into your life. Think of singleness as a perfect opportunity for character development.

When you can be alone and enjoy it, you are a self-confident and self-aware person.

Look for her wherever the spirit of God is.

They key is to fix our attention on God's will, God's Word, and God's glory, and trust Him for the rest.

The best place to find a godly person is on the road to God's Kingdom.

Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Don't ever become so proccupied by who you want that you forget to be who you are.

2009-02-22T06:45:00.000-08:00

Eldredge, John (2001) Wild At Heart. Thomas Nelson Inc.
Nashville.

Christopher Fry

Life is a hypocrite if I can't live the way it moves me. (Fry pg11)

Life needs a man to be fierce-and fiercely devoted.

Ephesians 5:2 - Are you neglecting your loved ones?

2009-02-09T00:31:00.000-08:00

Live a life of love.

2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice.

The great scottish essayist and historian Thomas Carlyle married his secretary, Jane Welsh. She continued to work for him but when she got ill, Carlyle, who was deeply devoted to his work, didn't seem to notice, so he allowed her to keep working. But she had cancer and eventually she was confirmed to bed. Although Carlyle truely loved her, he found that he didn't have enough time to stay with her or much attention to give her. Then she died. After the funeral Carlyle went up to Jane's room, noticed her diary lying on the table, picked it up and began to read. On one entire page she'd written a single line:"Yesterday he spent an hour with me and it was like heaven: I love him so much." A reality he had somehow been too blind to see now revealed itself with crushing clarity. He'd been too busy to notice how much he meant to Jane. He thought of all the times he'd been preoccupied with his work and simply failed to notice her. He hadn't seen her suffering. He hadn't seen her love. Turning to the next page, he read words he'd never forget:"I've listened all day to hear his steps in the hall, but now it's late and I guess he won't come today." He put her diary back on the table and ran out of the house. Friends found him at the side of her grave, covered with mud. His eyes were red from weeping; tears were rolling down his face."If only I'd known, if only I'd known," he cried. After Jane's death, Carlyle made little attempt to write again. Are you neglecting your loved ones?

The Ten Commendments

2009-02-08T09:28:00.000-08:00

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

You shall have no other god's before me or besides me.

You shall not make for yourself an idol.

You shall not misuse the name of the Lord.

Observe the Sabbath day, keeping it holy.

Honor your father and mother.

You shall not murder.

You shall not commit adultery.

You shall not steal.

You shall not give false testimony.

You shall not covet your neighbours wife.

The Edge Youth Center - Core Values

2009-02-08T09:06:00.000-08:00

To promote an uncompromised Christian Faith.

Exercise Integrity.

Demonstrate unconditional Acceptance.

Offer hope through Participation and Empowerment.

Build Relationships - investing heart and mind.

Serve by putting others first.

Be Real - radically significant to needs.

Strive for Unity.

2009-02-06T12:36:00.001-08:00

Dear Lord,
Please forgive me of my sins today. In Jesus Christ's name I ask this. Amen.

2009-02-05T05:52:00.001-08:00

The Word For The Day

Your thoughts have power. To win over them, you must submit to Christ and control what you allow your mind to dwell in.

Dear Lord, help me to win over my thoughts and to submit my thinking into Christs control.
Amen.

2009-02-03T12:22:00.000-08:00

The Word For Today

The greatest challenge in your life is getting to the place where you focus on "no one except Jesus". The most important relationship you have is with him. The only plan that will work out right is the one He gives you. And the power needed to fulfill that plan comes from him alone.
Oh Lord I pray this in Jesus Christs name.
Amen.

2009-02-03T06:47:00.001-08:00

Dear Lord,

Please keep me from being indolent.

Amen

2009-02-02T13:09:00.000-08:00

Dear Lord,

What is your will for my life in terms of a relationship with a woman? I know it's not good for a man to be alone, but I think I'm happy this way, should I remain a single unmarried man?
What about Hazel father?
If I am to get married Lord, I pray for a definate and sure mind that I am to marry her.
I ask these things in Jesus precious name, Amen.

2009-02-02T13:08:00.000-08:00

Dear Lord,

I pray to thank you for your kindness, for your mercy, for your grace, for your forgiveness, for sending Jesus to die for me, bless you Lord for all that you have done for me.
Amen.

2009-02-02T13:03:00.000-08:00

Dear Lord,

Thank you for the leaders in Ballynahinch Baptist Church. I thank you for Gordon McDade> Thank you for his leadership and inspiration through preaching your word.
Thank you for Susanne and Desie Johnston, David Taylor, Rosanne Donnelly, Wesley Greeson, Derek Trimble, Crawford Bell and Gloria Kearney. I want to thank you for the support and encouragment that I have recieved from these people and for the inspiration that they have shown to me.
Thank you for Karen and Andy Hewitt, and for the rebuke that Karen gave to me, thank you father for whipping me into determined action.
Amen.

2009-02-02T12:47:00.000-08:00

Dear Lord,

I plead forgiveness of my sins. I have coveted other mens wives and longed to be with them. I have had thoughts of longing to be with them. thoughts of jealousy towards those men, and wished I had their wives. Oh Lord please help me to be strong and resist such thoughts from developing into jealousy and inappropriate actions. I commit this to you in Jesus Christs name, Amen.

2009-01-29T11:53:00.000-08:00

David Murrow(2005) Why Men Hate Going To Church.Nelson Books. USA.

Examine the two sets of values. Which One best characterises Jesus christ and His true followers?

Left Set Right Set

Competence Love
Power Communication
Efficiency Beauty
Achievement Relationships
Skills Support
Proving Oneself Help
Results Nurturing
Accomplishments Feelings
Objects Sharing
Technology Relating
Goal Orientated Harmony
Self-sufficiency Community
Success Loving cooperation
Competition Personal expression

Over the years I have shown this chart to hundreds of people: men and women, Christians and non-Christians. More than 95% of the time people choose the right set as the best representation of true Christian values.
I culled these lists from chapter 1 of the best seller Men are from Mars, Women Are from Venus. The left Set includes the values of Mars, while the Right Set includes the values of Venus. What's clear from this exercise is that when most people think of Christ and His followers, they think of feminine values. People think of Jesus as having the values that come naturally to a woman. Thus, true disciples of Jesus should adopt values that are commonly found in women while rejecting those most often found in men.

Men are changed by what they experience, not necessarily by what they are told.

A woman is much more valuable in church than a man because her natural gifts and life experiences enable her to fill so many slots.

A man may not feel complete until he has left his mark on the world. The dark side of this tendency is that men get wrapped up in their careers and neglect their families. They scar the earth and forget to build relationships.

Women want safety, but we need risk. We need men to lead us to greater adventure.

Men need vision-notjust relationships-to stay motivated in church.

men are dying for a leader. Every man, regardless of his age, needs another man to look up to and say in his heart, I want to be like him.

2009-01-27T12:19:00.001-08:00

Dave Hopwood (2006) The Blokes Bible.Authentic Media.UK.

I have to confess I've been spectacularly inconsistent when it comes to Bible-reading notes.

I hope it helps (The Blokes Bible) you connect with the God of the Bible, who wired us up, will do everything he can to catch our attention, and allows us-no, wants us-to be blokes and have faith.

Adams Best Mate
God: You know the first thing I did when I made the sea? I went swimming. All day. Snorkelling, diving, surfing. That's why it took so long to make everything you know.

Some nights I sit in...and feel a million miles from everyone else. Unable to cross the divide. Desperately seeking solace while desperately longing for love-though I never call it love. A laugh, a joke, a listening ear. Someone who 'gets' me. Someone who laughs at the unspoken jokes,, hears the hidden cries, spies the inner torture of my soul.

I take a hefty suck on my pint.

I glance back at the bar. Genial guy's staring into his empty pint glass. I could offer him a drink. But then maybe he'd think I was trying to pick him up or something.

God doesn't push these miserable sinners (Adam and Eve) away. Instead he sits on a rock with them, kills an animal for them (maybe it was the unicorn), and makes good quality clothes for them.

Samson
When the spirit comes on him he slaugthers. It's not listed in Corinthians but he has the spiritual gift of annihilation.

Here's one thing I never understood: Those parents who, ailing under the weight of a difficult marriage, decide to have another baby to bring them closer together. How does that work then?

Before we had children, I had a best friend. Now, four years, two babies and 1,000 soiled nappies and sleepless nights later, I have a mother, a wife, and somewhere way down the list, the mortal remains of my best friend.

I think of the 5.30 wake-up call this morning. Seems weeks ago now. Just like the hundreds of 5.30 wake-up calls I've endured, every one of them carefully engineered to occur on my day off...Kids have perfect timing...The one day of the week when I get to sleep in, and I spend it headbutting the bathroom wall in time with the dawn chorus.

The bits of my wife's body have been hijacked by my kids.

Congratulations, Mrs Sam(son)! You've got a healthy, bouncing baby boy. He's just outside at the moment murdering sheep.

I'm left alone with my book and my beer. One's easier to finish than the other.

Noah
The guy built a boat and sailed into the sunset, just a few family and a lot of pets on board. Must have stunk like hell.

"So be strong and take courage, all you who put your hope in the Lord!" (Ps. 31:1,24, NLT)

I went to church today. It's a rare occurence for me at the moment. Somehow sitting in rows, laughing at chessy jokes and singing lines like, " Isn't he rather lovely" and "Be all else but what thou art nought to me save that thou be something else to me " seem a million miles away...

There are three kinds of peace-sharers - huggers, kissers and shakers. I'm a (hand)shaker.

Let's be honest. Many men - in fact, all the men I know know - married or single, masturbate. And a lot of them look at the forbidden fruit on their way to doing it. We hate it, we hat ourselves. Yet we kepp coming back to the tree. There's nothing quite like flying solo for offering you one hell of a rush and leaving you with just the hell bit. Completely wrung out. You startoff waning to getting - down and dirty - and that's just what you end up feeling - down and dirty. Roll up, roll up. Get your highest high and your lowest low all in the space of time it takes to log on.

The worst part of masturbation is the after-burn.The guilt, the self-hatred, the morbid fear of punishment and being thrown into the spiritual dunghill.

Oh well thanks Adam. Thanks for eating that fruit and giving Eve the excuse to open the first clothes store.

The word on the street is that you don't need to feel bad about masturbation. Just carry on.
The word in the church is that you don't need to feel bad about masturbation. Just stop.
I sigh and take a long final suck on my pint.
Where's the solution. Perhaps the solution is, there is no solution. There's just the grace to live with the tension.

So now I'm sitting in Cutter's with a pint of Guiness and it's nowhere near St patricks day.

Page 91 Top five things

Mercy, kindness, justice, humility, and loyalty

Living it does not make me famous or important. At least, not on earth.

Methuselah. Now there's a name you don't hear everyday. Meet the kids - Keanu, Cher, Brooklyn, Lourdes - and Methusela. Shame its disappeared as it means something pretty significant:'When he is dead, it shall be sent'.

www.chesterton.org/discover/quotations

Everyone's been designed to do something. The trick is finding that, and having the courage to say 'yes', when everything inside you is yelling 'no'.

Strength, honesty, courage, compassion. For your part do what he loves. Be just, be kind, be humble.

Your God cares. He cares so much he knows every hair on your head, th ecolour of your eyes, the length of your fingernails. Everything begins and ends with that fact. God cares for you.

If you live for yourself, you'll atrophy(waste away). Your soul will grow listless, your conscience will slip into a coma. You'll be a walking vegetable.

...the in-laws have been to stay...they haven't seen the grandchildren in a while...I usually offer them my children as a take-out affair, rather than an eat-in. In fact, I'd be very happy to rent 'em out for a few weeks. Rent? I'd pay.

I didn't mean to scare him, I was just working on my feminine side. You know, talking.

Many men fall apart when they have to retire. Their job might be mundane and grim, but it gives them purpose and a reason to get up in the morning.

One of the most humerous books I've read in my life. What a great man this guy must be, I'd love to meet him. Sounds like the kind of humour and personality I'd love to have, you know, it seems that the author see's the funny side of events or always looks on the bright side of life, or the grass is greener on the other side, or the glass is half full kind of guy, despite the lows. An inspirational read.

2009-01-25T04:33:00.000-08:00

Wilkerson, David, Sherrill, John and Elizabeth (1963) The Cross And The Switch Blade. Forty-First Printing. USA.

Putting a fleece before the Lord, because Gideon, when he was trying to find God's will for his life, asked that a sign be made with a fleece. He placed a lamb's fleece on the ground and asked Him to send down a dew everywhere but there. In the morning, the ground was soaked with dew, but Gideon's fleece was dry: Go had granted him a sign.
"Lord, I would like to put a fleece before You now. Here we are ready to Your will if we can just find out what it is. Lord, if You want us to stay here in Philipsburg, we ask that You let us know by having the Committee vote for unanimously. And let them decide of their own accord to fix up the parsonage(A church house provided for a person eg pastor) with a decent refrigerator and stove...get rid of those cockroches (in the parsonage).
"We'll fix up the parsonage with a new stove and things and fumigate the place."

"Jesus, I need some help deciding this thing ( to give up his TV and spend his time praying for 2 hours every night, instead of watching TV), so here's what I'm asking of You. I'm going to put an ad for that set in the paper...let a buyer appear right away...within an hour...within half an hour...after the paper get on the streets...with twenty-nine minutes passed the clock... the phone rang..."I'll take it".

Then I learned how to make systematic(done or acting according to a fixed plan or system; methodical) Bible-reading a part of my prayer life...never read the Bible through, inluding all the begats(archaic past of-ancient times)...important to strike a balance between prayer of petition (requests) and prayer of praise.

Wednesday prayer meeting at church...townspeople straggled in late and tended to take seats in the rear, which is a bad sign to a preacher; it means he has a "cold" congregation to speak to.

I kept asking myself why the faces of those boys(in Life magazine pictured on trial for muder) made me choke up...126th Psalm: They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that go forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

When in doubt follow the car ahead. The car ahead, it turned out was going to upper manhatten.

So if these boys were going to change dramatically, the transformation would have to come about in their hearts. I knew I could never bring this about: it would have to be the work of the Holy Spirit. But perhaps I could act as a channel through which the Spirit could reach these boys.

...what would you say is the greatest problem boys have in this city?"
"Lonesomeness."

The Big Meeting...the collection...trust...salvation...change.

...the preachr gave me a Bible and then I went home wondering if the Holy Ghost was really inside me, and how I would know...I didn't feel scared...I had company(even though he was on his own)like the way hed feel if his mother came back...I had four pot sticks(marijuana cigarettes)...ripped them up...blood always made me go crazy...from that day blood never bothered me.

I have only one desire...to burn out for God.

Drugs in New York
12,500 ships and 18,000 airplanes arrive in New York each year, with 265 U.S. Treasury Department, Bureau of Customs men to monitor the latter.

Drug habits can cost users $3-$15 a deck for a single shot.

Pushers(dealers) target schools. Teenagers with the little money they have, get addicted and have to steal to support the habit.

Peer pressure. The force responsbile for starting to take drugs?
"A pusher gets you into his car...he's got some kids from your class in there smokking pot...Marijuana won't hurt you they say...Then they tell you it isn't habit-forming. Which it isn't: but Marijuana leads to habit-forming drugs. The pusher tries to get you to take a smoke and if you hesitate, the other boys start to laugh and call you a "chicken" and in the end you maybe give in and take one of his cigarettes. That's how I got started."

Drug addiction is responsbile for $200,000,000 a year in stolen goods in New York. Narcotics Bureau New York.

Users have to steal $25 of goods a day to support their habit. Many then have to try and become dealers to pay for their habit, contributing to more users.

Why don't they just stop?
Two hours after the effect of the final shot wears off, the user begins withdrawal symptoms...deep cravings which pulls the body from every pore...sweats, chills, shakes and rising body temperature...vomitting, hours of retching...nerves twang with excruciating pain...hallucinations and nightmares more horrible than those suffered by alcoholics...lasts three days...only one in every nine make it.

New York police department describing the effects of continued use of drugs on the body:
Teeth rotted out...appetite lost...stomach and intestines don't function properly...gall bladder becomes inflamed...eyes and skin turn bilios yellow...membranes of the nose turn flaming red...partition seperating nostrils is eaten away...breathing difficult...oxygen in blood decreases...bronchitis and tuberculosis develop...good traits of character disappear and bad ones emerge...sex organs become affected...veins collaspe and livid purplish scars remain...boils abscesses plague the skin...gnawing pain racks the body...nerves snap...vicious twitching develops...imaginary and fantastic fears blight the mind and sometimes complete insanity results...death.

Acts 1:8 Power.
John 14:26 Comforter to stand by you and give strength.
Acts 16:6 Proctection.
Ephesians 2:3-6 No longer bound by the flesh but have spiritual values.
Corinthians 3:3-5 New life.
John 16:13 You will have truth.
Ephesians 2:18 You will have access to the Father.
Romans 15:13 You will have hope.
Corinthians 3:17 Liberty.
Acts 10:44 The Holy Spirit.

"But here tonight I don't think we want to read about it. And we don't want to talk about it. We want to do it!"

Roberto (heroin user healed through Christ)
"I think I'm on top of it, David(Wilkerson). I have a tool I can use; I just come with the other boys and pray."

Teen Challenge Center
Needed $15,000 to pay mortgage. David told folks to pray to God and thank Him for the money before it had been given. It arrived on the very day of payment.

The minute we try to do things by our own power we will fail.

The Holy Spirit is in charge.
We should write it for all to see on the lintels of every doorway we build. But since that might seem like so many words, we will do better: we will write it in our lives. And in all the lives we can reach out to and touch and inspire with the living Spirit of God.

I enjoy real life events and this one really is inspirational. The faith that the author displays is awesome and the impact that the Lord has through this man is just exciting. Some interesting statistics and facts included on the affects of drugs. What is most encouraging is to read of the impact that Christ has on the characters of this book.

2009-01-19T10:06:00.000-08:00

DR. Henry Cloud and DR. John Townsend (2007) It's Not My Fault. Integrity Publishers. Nashville.
This book is dedicated to all those who cope with other people's blame and those who want to deal with their own.
Where should the line be drawn between an individual's own responsbility to take care of themselves and society's responsibility to ensure that others sheild them? pg3
...should society step in and make sure you are okay? No.
How did we get to the place where someone would ever think that they could sue a hamburger chain for their weight problem? Was it the permissive sixties that did away with personal responsibility in our culture? Was it humanism tha said humanity is basically good and it is our poor environment that causes us to make mistakes? Was it permissive parenting that taught an entire generation to think that nothing is its responsibility-nothing bad that happens is my fault? Was it the psychologists who said that to discipline a child might hurt his self-esteem?
External factors do influence our behaviour. Even the Bible affirms that.
When we succeed in blaming someone for our problems, we still are no closer to a solution for them.
...it's not the bad things that happen to that determines our destiny; iyt's how we respond to them.
It is not an act of faith to fail to take responsibility for our lives and then think that God is somehow responsible for the outcome.
Reality is what it is. And much of what ultimately constructs that reality is our choice. Much of it is up to us.
...give up the idea that what you think is always the way things are.
...negative thinkers key into three things in life: themselves, the world and the future. They see themselves as unlucky, even losers who never get a break.
You may think you are being realistic. You may think, Those positive thinkers are out of touch with reality. They live in the clouds and don't understand life the way it really is.
...negative thinking can paralyse your ability to combat the culture of blame and prevent you from taking hold of your life...
...if you struggle with negative thinking, you may encounter thoughts like these:It's too much work; I don't have it in me anymore
Negative thoughts: just because you feel or think it doesn't mean it's always true!
Sometimes depression is the cause of negative thoughts. When people suffer from depression, their minds often point away from the positive and spiral downward into hopelessness. Their depression is like an anchor, pulling all thoughts and emotions down into the dark. The person is not aware that his own mind is creating his dark view; to him it seems like reality.
The mind will create a million excuses and defenses designe to keep us away from anxiety and tension (defensive thinking). Ifyou see this tendency in yourself, you need to reslove it and get past it, for it is another insidious dream-robber.
Denial preservers us from the stress of tackling appropriate problem solving that is needed. Reality thinking will take a more realistic and helpful approach...
If you find yourself excusing, get your "but" out of the way.
Don't be afraid to look at yourself honestly and critically.
When you quit putting up defences against the truth, you enable yourself to take charge of your own world.
To reach your potential, to achieve your goals and dreams, whetherthey be about career, love, family, habits, or spiritual growth, you need your mind to be your ally and friend, not an obstacle.
A mind plague with excuses, negativity, passive discouragment, and similar contamination is like an engine full of sludge. It will not get you anywhere you want to go.
Reality may not be pleasant, but no problem was ever soved, no goal ever reached without looking at the situation squarely with no editing or reframng.
What other things could you do when you feel lonely? You could: Call a friend...Or a million other things not listed here.
Ultimately, no person, or no circumstance has control over you - that control belongs to you only.
Only those who risk going to far can possibly find out how far one can go. T.S. Elliot.
Peter learned maturity from his risks, and he ultimatley succeeded in life.
For you to achieve your dreams and truly have a different life, work,and relationships, you need to see change as your friend, not your enemy.
Change is tough, uncomfortable, and unsettling. But big successes come from a willigness to change.
The potential for a chagned life is enormously greater for those who choose to change what they are doing.
Chnage can be work, and it can also be scary. You might have to admit that you have been going down the wrong path.
This book is about increasing your self control-that is control over your life.
But you can't really have self-control until you give up other control.
We are all control feaks, to an extent. We would like for ourlives, our relationships, and our jobs to operate as we would like them to operate.
When you reach the end of your abilities is when you truly live. We were designed to change, try new things, fail, learn and become better people.Those individuals who have stopped reaching beyond themselves have stopped living.
...if we don't require anything of our minds they begin to deteriorate.
It's the "use it our lose it principle".
When we are disconnected from God and others, we are separated from life and from what is most important.
Learning starts with failure; the first failure is the beginning of education. John Hersey.
When have you failed? Belfast Philharmonic Choir audtition.
What did you do as a resul? Talked to my father and a few others about my failure.
Did you feel bad about yourself? No, because I knew it was unlikely to be successful.
Did you withdraw from the pursuit of whatever it was that you failed at? Yes, because choral singing at that level is beyond me, but I can develop my singing talent to one day be good enough. No, because I'm still singing in my church worship group and learning the guitar and have taken my first booking to sing the Church of Nazarene in Dromore on Sunday September 6th 2009.
Are you now doing th thing that you failed at then? No, but I'm committing myself to developing my voice.
Are you doing it successfully? Yes, I sang in my church carol service and feedback has been mainly positive. It wasn't perfect and that criticism is my own, but I have the rest of my life to develop.
Is there anything you would like to do now that you are not doing because you might fail? Yes, learning music theory, but I'm going to try and teach myself and then give up and go to music lessons.
How to respond to failure is one of the most important lessons you can learn in life.
...without failure we never succeed.
Lesson number one about failure is this:whatever you wish to do, you will fail at it in the beginning. Accept that reality.
The first step is to normalise failure.
John 16v33 In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
Expect trouble and failure, but also expect that taking courage and joining him to work it out will get you over the hump and to your goal.
What do you feel when you fail? Sad, lonely, failure, give up, discouraged.
Do you feel bad and get deflated? Yes, and feel sorry for myself and with draw from pursuing my goal.
Does all hope go out of you? It used to, but teacher training has helped me get used to trial and error, having a go at opportunities, but I used to loose all hope, but life experience has taught me that I can only do what I can and at least try.
Do you tell yourself that you are a loser? Sometimes, recently I called myself a loser for doing something wrong.
Do you think success is for others and not for you? No, success is for whoever wants it, chases it.
You can deal with failure
Step two: Find out what failing means to you.
Step three: Go ahead and say it: "I failed".
Step four: Learn from it.
Step five: Get forgiveness.
Step six: Look at your responses.
Step seven: Go for it again.
Step eight: Have the funeral.
Step nine: Learn that you can learn.
Only the best fail.
Sure I am of this, that you have only to endure to conquer - Wintson Churchill
Everyday, people do lose weight and keep it off. The way they do it is with a little effort, time and patience.
Everyday, people achieve financial independence. But they do not do it quickly without effort. They let time do its compunding work. At the business level, they do it the same way, slowly, diligently, and with sustainable methods.
Everyday, people have good, lasting relationships. But they have them as a result of working on their communication, forgiveness, acceptance, character, intimacy, vulnerability, sacrifice for each other and the relationship, and delay of gratification when things get hard.
Everyday, people do hard work, increase their education and training, practice diligence, do jobs they do not like and are not theirultimate goal, take risks and stretch themselves, recover after failure, and soon, to build satifying careers.
Everyday, people raise healthy kids who function well and are able to adapt to life. But they do it with consistant self-sacrifice that gives them the time and energy to pour massive amounts of love, structure, discipline, and coaching into their children.
Everyday, poeple do develop the kind of faith that is fulfilling, meaningful, exciting, and sustaining in the worst crises of life. But they do it through the practice of the time-tested, age-old spiritual disciplines and consistency.
...persistant effrt and perseverence. That is the only way.
Do the work first: play later.
In the process of persistence, character is built. Muscle is developed. Maturity is gained.
James 1:2-4
Bird hatching from egg point.
The slower, surer process is against our nature. We want it now, and so focus on getting the goal but not gaining the skills.
Th big value of persistence and perseverence is in who we become as we persist and persevere.
we become the kind of peope that we need to be if we are to make it.
Sometimes obstacles are open doors. God never closes a door without opening another one.
I once asked an audience how their lives would have been if they had gotten everything that they wanted...they realised that they were much better off at having lost a certain relationship or opportunity than if it had worked out. What they thought they wanted was not what they needed. God knew better.
Proverbs 3:5-6
He is always up to something-something good.
Trust him; he is for you. He has a plan. But his plan will never come to fruition if you do not persit and persevere. That is your part, and making it all come together is his.
If you stop trying...then your ultimate failure is your own responsibility.
The obstacle is there not to stop you, but to turn you toward a better way - God's way for your life.
That's why persistence and perseverence are so vitally important.
We have to press on even when we hit obstacles and roadblocks. They might be the sttrengthing of the shell tha we like te birdie, have to break through i order to grow strong enough to succeed. Our they might be the closed doors that God uses to redirect our lives to his perfect plan. Really, now, in spite of all the heartbreak and the agony of rejection, aren't you glad that the relationship you had in high school did not work out?
Roadblocks: If we quit at the first one, we dont' find the lead that comes from the next one.
You never know what might come from the net person you talk to or the next door you knock on.
Matthew 7:8
Persistence must be applied alongside all the other principles...Blind persistence can be just "doing the same thing over and over expecting different results".
The real prize is the growth that you have realised on your journey. It is the person you have become and the people you ve touched along the way. It is the maturity you have achieved and the lessons you have learned.
James 1:4 " Perseverence must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
1 You can own your own life
2 You can learn to think differently
3 You an always find a choice
4 You can stretch and risk
5 You can get connected
6 You can learn to say no
7 You can deal with failure
8 You can persist and persevere
The Spiritual design
Dream On
Love
Work
Parenting
Relationships
Bad habits and personal issues
Don't go it alone.

Wow, this book has been very inspirational in encouraging me to just get on with life and cease making excuses. A literary kick up the ass, a real sock puller upper and a fair crack of the whip. A much needed guide on making the most of yourself.

2009-01-19T03:24:00.000-08:00

"Not today. The nose of President Washington is an inch too long. It's better that way though. It will erode and be exactly right in 10,000 years." Gutzon Borglum, the scupltor who created the memorial to the American Presidents at Mount Rushmore, when he was asked if he considered his work to be perfect.

2009-01-19T03:22:00.000-08:00

25/10/08 My Life Andrew George EdgarThe reasons why I am starting to keep a journal are because my older brother used to do it. My cousin also encouraged me to write things down after we had a good talk.I suppose it’ll take the load off my mind and help me to analyse my current position in life. Life can be complicated. The most difficult aspect of life I feel is love. All I want in life is to be happy. But how is happiness obtained in a world that is full of trial and sorrow?I’m going to begin from the start of my life. My earliest memories are important to me and I want to record them before they disappear from my memory.Annahilt PlaySchoolMy first memories are of Playschool. Mrs Capper was one of the care assistants in that place situated upstairs. The building was a large detached house almost but contained only the basic amenities.Plenty of toys about to play with can’t remember any of the other children. The only memory I hold is that of sitting in a miniature house picking my nose. Mrs Capper saw what I was doing and quickly rushed to wipe my nose. The next scene saw me in a chair separated from the main group. I think I was being disciplined for my disgusting act earlier. It was break time and on the menu was cold milk that made my brain freeze and dry hard digestive biscuits. The milk was just like drinking pure cold, no taste. The biscuits were like a combination of cardboard and wood shavings. Was a real marathon chomping my way through.Annahilt Primary SchoolFirst day of school, mum left me into the class room and when I turned around she was walking away. My mind didn’t have time to question why she was leaving. I just turned around and started crying. That was my first memory of loneliness and it was nice. Pretty soon I must have settled down, my loneliness replaced by curiosity to find who my teacher was and my fellow class mates.My primary 1 teacher Miss Moppet (I think), was pretty, firm but fair. I liked her, respected her because of her good class management, she good.I can remember Sarah Patterson, she was pretty, fair hair. We sat beside each other and the first memory of her was that we both revealed our private appendages to each other under our table during class. We weren’t caught.Primary one was good, I loved to play in the sand tub and pretend it was a quarry. Growing up in the countryside I seen plenty of tractors and other heavy machinery and from an early age I loved to watch them driving up and down the road especially during silage season.I can remember David Poots in primary one. It was craft time and I was sewing thread through a card marked with crosses. I had to stitch according to the pattern of a wind mill and David was more skilled than I, he was knitting, that’s pretty good for a kid, or maybe that was after school activities. Hmm. I can also remember spending time drawing in the morning of class whilst waiting for the children on the late bus to arrive. I had drawn a New Holland combine harvester cutting barley. I was very pleased with my effort and couldn’t wait to reveal it to some of my farmer peers in class. Jonathon and Mark Jess came into to class and I showed the picture to them, it was nicely coloured in also. I asked them if they liked it and both where unimpressed and simply said it wasn’t any good. I was sad, and I also didn’t believe them, they were probably jealous.Primary two with Miss Patterson, a new class room opposite the assembly hall. I slept in one morning, Nana left up to school. I walked in without knocking. Miss Patterson shouted at the top of her voice, “Where have you been!” Yikes, that was my first time being told off by a school teacher, well, my first memory. I can’t remember what my reply was. I was a shy boy and probably said nothing, so I quickly went into the separate cloak room and sighed, then with haste went back into the classroom and sat down.I can remember Stephen Murray vomiting next to me in class. He was at the other table. I curled up slightly to save myself from the splatter. The resulting produce was shaped like a cow pat and a pale pink colour with what looked like soggy corn flakes mixed in and lumps of raspberry jam.Cookery was a feature in primary two. I can remember making pepper mint creams, used to love eating mints when I was younger, enjoyed the taste and the fresh breath as a result afterwards and trying to contain the burning sensation. I was a real show off when I was younger, I liked the attention I received, it made me feel good, trying to perform stunts to impress my peers and earn the friendship hopefully as a result because I didn’t have the social or linguistic skills to maintain a conversation. Anyway there was about a tablespoon of pepper mint essence left in this small bottle and I said to my peers, “does anyone want to dare me to drink this?” and I think it was Richard Preston who dared me to do so. I gulped the liquid down and seconds later regretted my action as the burning sensation was so intense that I thought I was going to die.Mrs Beattie was my original primary two teacher, then Miss Patterson took over. Mrs Beattie was much older and must have been sick or something. I think she came back when I was in Primary three.Primary three was under the dictatorship of Mrs Crawford. I used to think she really was a witch in her leisure time. She was obese and I don’t mean to be harsh, I can understand her size as I love my food too.I can remember the fear of being in her class, I wouldn’t even ask questions because I couldn’t really structure a question and also thought that Mrs Crawford would shout at me for asking silly questions, so I learnt to get through class room life without asking very many questions and simply nodding to confirm knowledge and understanding. Teachers would explain a task, I was a visual learner, make listening skills were poor. When asked to start the task I would look to my partner beside me to copy what they where doing or ask for guidance on what to do because I couldn’t follow what the teacher was saying.I loved the farm display in primary three. There was a Mercedes tractor that I loved, I wanted to take it home and play with it, but belonged to somebody else.I can remember writing an essay on a sea adventure. Dad is a sailor so I guess that’s were I got my inspiration from to write the story. The essay was a massive three pages long and I really enjoyed letting my imagination run free and to record my thoughts.Break time I loved break time and in primary three I remember running out towards the playground and brushing past Laura Woods. Later I was got into trouble because I had allegedly knocked Laura down and hurt her. Mrs Crawford poked me when she questioned why I had done such a thing, but I had now answer, because I was unaware that I had hurt Laura, just ran on and didn’t look back. Sorry Laura. I think break inside was my punishment.The other Mrs Crawford was better than the latter Mrs Crawford. She was the special educational needs teacher. I would go to her and play Pairs. I loved it because it was a visual activity and I was good at remembering where the pairs where hiding.She was nice natured, spoke softly and I enjoyed getting away from class into another environment.Primary four Miss Stewart I think, she was beautiful. Firm but fair. Her class was in a mobile class room. I used to play Kissy Cats with the girls around the mobiles and I remember jumping off the mobile to impress the girls. Deborah little, Claire Jess and Jennifer.MeI’m not a very confident person, but life tests me in ways that help me to develop into a better person able to cope the complexities of life. My social skills aren’t great but I’m trying to become better. I would like to be more popular with people and have more friends that I can really enjoy spending time with. I want to be really successful and wealthy but I couldn’t be bothered with working my guts out to obtain a higher status.I can sing and I want to use my talents but I struggle with procrastination. I hate conflict, it makes me all shocked and I can’t deal with intense conflicts were people argue, I can loose my temper very easily and can lose control of myself.Friends Friends are good, but can be hard work to maintain, and they are fussy and they come and go. I’ve always been a loner. I don’t have very many friends outside my family circle. I don’t really enjoy being alone. I want to meet the woman of my dreams. Maybe that’s where I’ll meet her, in my dreams. There probably isn’t a soul mate.Optimist or pessimistI’m generally a realistic pessimist. I want to be more optimistic because I think it’ll get me more friends.ChristianityJesus is one of the very special constants in my life and I thank God for his promise of heaven and that he is the only friend I need.FamilyI love my family and I am very grateful for the members in my family.Life I wish that I could start again. I would try harder and choose music as my career choice.LoveLove isn’t simple, it’s complicated and difficult to maintain with another person. I want true love but this world corrupts and alters love away from its true meaning. One woman, one marriage, one happy life together, one love.WorkWork is shit. I want to sing. Teaching is too stressful. Landscape gardening, life guarding, class room assisting is too monotonous and laborious. ChildrenParents who bring their children up correctly with love and morals are fine. Children who are brought up without love, morals, ethics and a sense of direction and leadership from their parents are basically more likely to be lost.27/10/08SundayWoke up at Jonathon Cory’s house. The night before, we went out with his girlfriend and two friends compo and baz from college. We went to a nice bar called the pot house. There was a really beautiful looking waitress there. She had short black hair in a short angled bob hair style, her eyes were dark and made even more seductive by the use of eye liner. When I seen her I wanted to talk to her but was too shy. She was working, and looked like she didn’t have time to converse. I was thinking about giving her number. But would we be on the same wave length, would she accept my number. I feared being rejected, but now I wish I had done at least one the latter because now I’m being tormented by what if. Maybe I’ll go there again and she’ll be working. Another chance maybe, what have I got to lose? Nothing, she’ll either say yes or no, or I have a boyfriend which I wouldn’t be surprised because she is great looking.She walked towards me as I was talking to compo, I looked at her and she gave a quick and uncomfortable looking smile. What message was she trying to portray? Was she even signalling to me? Was it a way of saying, “ Hey, would you just talk to me or give me your number or do something at least”. But I still think of Rebecca, do I love her? I don’t her to be hurt again by hearing that I’ve found someone else. Rebecca is a good woman. I felt that she really loved me. Which is sad that we are now apart. Do I want to get involved in another relationship? Love is so complicated. You think you meet the woman of your dreams then along comes another woman who manages to grasp your heart and make it explode with passion and longing.That waitress was beautiful, maybe she was wanting me to sweep her off her feet. But I’m no superman, I’m a part-time teacher of leisure and tourism and a part-time gardener. She wouldn’t be impressed by that, she deserves to be with someone of higher status. When I get my higher status then I’ll have the confidence to be more forward with women.I wish I had the confidence to be good with women. To be able to hold interesting conversations, and to appeal to a woman through my personality. Maybe I’ll see her again. I wanted to sweep her off her feet, I wanted to be her knight in shinning armour, her superman, her prince charming. Maybe I will. I can try to be.Jony (the cowboy) Cory. Compo and baz. We’re all in the same boat, the same place in life, trying to make it to independence. Become are own men. Have our own place. So that we can start to live life.Jony talks for Ulster. Compo is quiet and like me has grown up in a bubble, protected from the big bad world. Baz is an only child. We all try to fit in, try to make it, but it’s tough, well I’m lazy. I want much but do too little.They’re good guys, there are others, edy, ninja, maxi, they couldn’t make it.We meet up often, usually go to the cinema, occasionally to bars and restaurants. I’m glad I have them as my friends. Without them I don’t know who I’d be with in terms of friends. Probably someone from church.Saturday was good, weather was miserable. But it was a good excuse to be lazy and rest all day. Just as well because I didn’t get to sleep until about 2 or 3am on Sunday morning.Sunday was like Saturday, just spending my time doing what I wanted, it was great, no time pressure or stress.Church was ok. Singing was fine. Sermon was a Scottish fella used to play rugby, was talking about doubt, if you ever doubt just give it all to Christ and he’ll sort things out. He talked about being in a rugby club bar after a match. He talked of the peer pressure to conform to drink beer in order to get drunk and maintain team spirit. He requested for orange juice instead. He didn’t know the results of his actions until 50 years later he went to a rugby club reunion and discovered that after his 10 year career at his club that numerous players had change from drinking beer to orange juice and that some people had become Christians.Had a good chat with some folks after church. Could have went to see Gregory but I’ll maybe leave it Wednesday when I’m off work.Work tomorrow, would rather be off, but I’d probably get too bored sitting around the house and then go out and spend money that I would need to save instead and eat too much food. Working in the gardens is a good work out so it keeps me in shape. Eat too much today so I need to keep active to burn off the calories. I’m very vain. Who isn’t?LonelinessToday is Saturday 29th November and I’d planned to lie in bed all day to rest. I’m up at 8am, as usual I got too excited about seeing the day e.g. is Transworld sport on TV? Hmmm what shall I have for breakfast, shall I stay in bed, Listen to music or go on the internet? So many options, it’s a sign of someone who’s quality of life is at a good level.Feeling lonely, last night I went for a swim, I tried to do complete 2 miles but my foot cramped slightly so I gave up. The lifeguard saw me stumble in the water, I’d lost my balance because I’d been so used to gliding in the water, nice of her to ask. Met a man called Trevor in the pool, he was telling me of his time in the fire brigade, army and his life etc. Was a decent fella, gave me good advice, I like it when people can just start talking to you as if you’d known them for years.Yeah o feeling lonely, nothing to do last night, but I met some old colleagues from my time working at the pool. I felt sorry foe them that they were still working there, but really I’m no better of in terms of pay. Met Greg who everyone seemed to take the hand out of, poor guy. Didn’t have the greatest start in life, has more to complain about than I do. Seen Shelly, she’s moody so I gave her a break this time, would have probably been the same conversation as last time. Angie was on the desk last night, she looks great, Angie has lost so much weight and looks very healthy and revitalised, I should have complimented her, maybe next week. Kirsti is a beautiful woman, nice personality, like me she’s doesn’t know what to do with her life at the moment. I tried to help her, hopefully she’ll find something.Looking back on that last passage, I wasn’t as lonely as I thought. Just because I was preferring a structured social gathering, but looking back on the amount of people I chatted to, it seems that although I was on my own, I wasn’t lonely at all. It was good to meet my colleagues again.Feeling lonely this morning, I text a friend, well he’s more a friend of Tim’s, but I haven’t made an effort with guy. He hasn’t text back anyway so I guess he’s got plans this weekend.Been doing too much swimming, I got the munchies this week and I binged out on food. Feel depressed now because I think that I look fat in the face and arse. I shouldn’t be so vain, but if I wasn’t I’d probably be very big. Just have to control myself and watch what I’m eating, chew slowly and gently with small mouthfuls.Going to practice the guitar today, want to get really good so that I can contribute more to church worship groups and sing too. Throat is tender this morning, think I’ll concentrate on playing, timings etc.Rachel hasn’t replied, I think she’s in New York, Doesn’t look good, maybe she’s busy, maybe she thinks I’m a weirdo, maybe she’s heard gossip, I’m probably not good enough for her, she’s out of my league, got to let her go. I don’t feel like starting a new relationship, I don’t even feel like dating women. I’m not gay haha. Women are hard work and I’m lazy, or my verbal skills are still developing, my structure of conversation is still developing, what do you talk about. Themselves e.g. interests, passions, hobbies, where they come from, their family, holidays, funny experiences etc. Just be yourself Andy, if she likes you then she like the real you. No point in trying to be someone else more charming and handsome because it will exhaust you trying to maintain that effort.The Belfast Philharmonic Choir are having an opening evening soon, I hope it goes well.I love the weekends, time to do whatever. Thanks to Christ for getting me through this week and for all the blessings. All glory and praise go to thee almighty. Amen.

Bazaar Dream

I dreamt that I was a Hollywood actor (Shia Lebuff) who was detained in prison for an arson attack on his own home.
Life in prison was interestingly weird and I experienced many scenarios of premonitions or could tell when something bad was going to happen.
To cut a long story short, a fire eventually broke out in the prison. Unknown to the cause of the fire, I tried to escape to save my own life. I went through a nearby door that lead to a stairwell, were I paused for a few seconds to compose myself. Suddenly the door burst open and a dark figure with a flash light entered and aggressively. The door shut violently and the flash light cut wildly through the darkness, searching with haste in the beam. Then it was turned off and the person started to run down the stairs. I was hiding in the darkness at the end of the first flight of steps and as the dark figure turned the corner to proceed down the next flight, his foot clashed with mine and I could feel the material on his jacket. He stopped and turn towards me. He grabbed me by my hands that were clutched to my chest. We wrestled for control I couldn’t lift him off, it felt like I had no strength within me. I could feel myself loosing the struggle until I prayed, “In the name of Jesus Christ be gone!” Strength was returning to my arms, but he was still upon me, so I prayed again with more haste and assertiveness, “In the name of Jesus Christ be gone!”. My strength returned and I proceeded to thrust forward and push my pursuer away into thin air. I woke up and found myself in bed. I knew I was dreaming, but why did I have to pray to get free from my nightmare? The Flu medication I was taking had worn off and I was thirsty. I had eaten goats cheese and brie Galletes at the Continental Market that evening, you know what they say about eating cheese before bed haha. Regardless, I still felt a presence that was hostile and wanted to do something to me, what it was I don’t want to know.

School

I’m enjoying supply teaching, it’s easy, I just turn up and do what’s prepared for the pupils and mark the work. If there’s no work I teach whatever I know or let them have free time to study etc.

Hazel Glenn, introduced to her via Niall Nixon. Brown hair, brown eyes, great skin, warm personality, Christian, a real woman. Wow. She’s a teacher (full time like lol). Used to play rugby with her brothers, good men. I’ve met her at church about 3 times now, the first was introduction, 2nd we sat beside each other and shared soft mints, the 3rd she invited me round to her house with some of her friends for some social. Great friends, new to the church, I hope that they settle in. Hazel nice house, Hazel is lovely, I asked her out to the Opera at the Waterfront to see Handel’s Messiah. Oh man, this is my first ever date and I’m happy. I can truly say that I am happy. Her friendship is what I need. I need to be careful with her and not imply the wrong feelings to her. Got to take time to make sure that she and I are compatible, got to be myself, be myself, not act phoney in order to be popular.

I hope she will enjoy herself, I don’t know if I want a relationship, I don’t know if she wants a relationship. I don’t want to cause her any pain. I just want her friendship, but that’s hard to maintain between friends, I mean be friends without falling in love. Help me Lord to be wise and to be a gentleman towards her, she desires a great man in her life, I feel that I am unworthy to be her man.

Help me lord to treat her right. Thank you for her company Lord, thank you for the 2 shooting stars tonight on Sunday midnight after I came home from Hazel’s house. Please Lord tell me what those shooting stars meant. Was it Hazel and I? Amen.

2009-01-19T03:17:00.001-08:00

Sunday, August 14, 2005
Sunday
Worked from 10-6 today. Not much happened, all I can remember is talking to someone about doing GCSE Law in Lisburn College, and a kid having toilet time in the pool, thankfully it was only a numero uno.Watched Hotel Rowanda, horrific stuff, film really put across the fear and terrible experinces.Read a book by Corrie ten Boom, a dutch lady how wrote about her prison experiences in Nazi concentration camps. We have it easy.

2009-01-19T03:10:00.001-08:00

My French
Bon jour!Je m'appelle Andre.J'ai vingt trois ans.Je voudrais l'ordinateur.J'aime arroser le ski.Je vais à l'Angleterre pour entraîner comme un enseignant dans le tourisme et le loisir.I need to brush up a little. Maybe I should use this site www.freetranslation.com

2009-01-19T03:08:00.001-08:00

Dinosaur!
Walked into my work staff room, just overheard a comment made by a work colleague to other fellow employees."Sure it doesn't even mention dinosaurs in the Bible".I said," The word dinosaur wasn't in exsistence back then, dinosaurs have only been discovered for a couple of hundred years". Refer to http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/dinosaurs/dinofossils/First.shtml for more information on dinosaur first discoveries.Check out Genesis ch1 v21,24-25, let me know what you ponder.

2009-01-19T02:27:00.000-08:00

Joshua Harris (2003) Sex Is Not The Problem (Lust Is).
"You can't bargain with lust and come out a winner.
God wants you to enbrace your sexuality. And battling lust is part of how you do that.
...to rightly embrace our sexuality we must bring it under the dominion of the One who created it.
When are you weak? What are your lust triggers?
Meditiate on scripture, set-up a telephone call to an accountability partner, pray and listen to worship music.
For many men and women, the internet isn't just a little battle; it's the main battle ground where they're tempted daily to indulge in lust.
Lust is always based on the same lie -that satisfaction will be found apart from God.
A man's sexual desire is often more physical, while a woman's desire is more often rooted in emotional longing.
Men are tempted by the pleasure lust offers, while women are tempted by the power lust promises.
Ultimatley, lust doesn't want sex. It wants the forbidden, and it's willing to take you deeper and deeper into preversion if you'll indulge in its latest request.
Sexual realise is not the antidote to lust.
...masturbation is something the vast majority of men and women deal with on some level.
Many of us thought of this little trick before we were old enough to know what it was called.
Here's my advice: Get married.
If you'reburning with passion, God is calling you to marriage. Get yourself ready! Get your eyes (and hands) off of yourself, and pursue the sacrifice, love, responsibility, selflessness and God-glorifying sex of marriage.
If you're in a church, don't just attend - immerse yourself in the life of the church. If there's a process for becoming a member, dive into it. If the church has small groups, join one. Introduce yourself to the pastors. :e them know who you are, and communicate your support.
Be the one to take the first step.
Don't fall into the vague confession, be specific.
If I withhold details from accountability partners, I limit the intensity of my own conviction and limit my friends ability to help.
Specific confessions lead to specific encouragement, specific accountability, and specific prayer.
Repentence involves a change of heart and a decision to turn away from sin.
We need to pray for each other and keep checking in with each other.
The Christian life is a race, but it's a race we run together.
Hand-to-hand combat with lust doesn'twork - I need the sword of the Spirit.
The fire of lusts pleasures must be fought with the fire of God's pleasures.
...for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
...found herself going online when she was feelig lonely or depressed.
Find someone you can trust and respect of the same gender who will put the question to you straight - and wait for your answer.
" Joshua Harris (2003) pg41

This book has really related to my life through the testimony of other people struggling with the same problem of lust.

2009-01-19T02:23:00.000-08:00

"If you keep looking back your going to miss your whole life." Walter Burke (Al Pacino) The Recruit (2003)

2009-01-19T02:06:00.000-08:00

Often you cannot choose what happens to you. You cannot determine which cards you are dealt. But you can always do something:
"You can always create, seek, and find a range of options to determine how you will respond to what happens, and how you will play the cards in your hand." Cloud and Townsend (2007) pg11

2009-01-19T01:51:00.000-08:00

"No I'm not going to kiss you, although you need kissing, badly and often, by someone who knows how." Rhett Butler - Gone With The Wind

AGE

2009-01-19T01:49:00.000-08:00

"...although your parent might not give you what you need in life, you do not have to continue that pattern and paa it to another generation." Cloud and Townsend (2007) pg10