Giving Praise To Whom It's Due.

Freedom. surrendered.

Firstly, a large thank you to all the people of the past, present, and future who have fought to ensure the freedom and independence of America. May this day encourage an attitude of gratitude that extends beyond this single day.

Next, a larger thank you to You for Your sacrifice, that we have the opportunity to be free from our anxieties and worries in this life, whether it be career, education, relationships, acceptance, finances, etc.

Love. It’s the point at which you sacrifice and surrender your own freedom for someone else.

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name. -Philippians 2:5-9

He was fully man and fully God, yet surrendered His power, position, and freedom to be crucified for our freedom. May we do the same.

Being a Christian isn’t about being a “good person” or doing the “right things,” but loving God so much and being so thankful to the point of surrendering the freedom that is received: freedom to pursue money, freedom to pursue a life partner, freedom of living for yourself…

If you love Me, you will obey My commandments. -Jesus, John 14:15

Since we love our parents, we do as they ask. With eating, we surrendered the freedom to eat dessert before dinner. With driving, we surrendered the freedom to stay out late. With independence, we surrendered the freedom to exclude them from our lives.

I apologize for any hurt due to my hypocrisy and that of other Christians, where freedom and forgiveness were used as an excuse for to sin.

Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. -1 Peter 2:16

May I find joy in Your freedom, and even more in surrendering my freedom that results from it.

Power, Popularity, and Possessions

Why are we sometimes so reluctant to trust and have faith in the concepts of the Bible or a pastor? Concepts such as life is greater than having the biggest paycheck or having the most friends or having the most prized a significant other or having the nicest car or pleasing the most people or having the best degree. Why do we get offended when someone tells us life is greater than our ourselves and our wants?

But we have faith in what we’ve been told by our parents and society. That power, popularity, and possessions/money will make us happy and lead to a “fulfilling” life.*

*I’m not against having these, but I’m saddened by how the pursuit of them can become primary goals of life.

Yet, the people who have ALL of these, the celebrities, why are they not happy? Why do so many of them have strained relationships and fall into drug addictions?

But we still want and seek what they have. There has to be more to life. And there is.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will find it.” -Matthew 16:24-25

Extra commentary: The Bible is filled with paradoxes. The wisdom of losing your life only makes sense when you realize that there is another life to be gained. But that new life only comes when we first suffer the loss of giving up what we hold dear. Part of the dilemma is that we have to give up the familiar with no sense of what the new holds. This requires an action that engages our heart, mind and soul. And that is when the Lord can use us the most. To lose our life positions us to walk by faith, and that is the path that God has made us for since the Garden of Eden. -Dave Whitehead, Senior Pastor, GraceNYC.org

Do we spoil ourselves?

I feel morality is the level at which you determine the appropriateness of acting on one’s desires.

Everyone has desires, but which are good and bad? …a desire for a cheeseburger? a desire to get a boba milk tea? a desire to gamble? a desire to tell-off someone? a desire to counterfeit money?

Sometimes, we know “better” than to eat junk food, we understand that acting on our desire for it will have negative effects on our physical well-being.

However, why are we sometimes so quick to assume that acting on our desires for a relationship, for a prestigious job title, for money, for popularity, for that euphoric feeling from alcohol or drugs, will be best for our well-being?

Just because you want it; it doesn’t mean it’s good for you.

We know giving children everything they want will make them spoiled. So out of love, we don’t give them everything they want.

But sometimes it seems we want God to spoil us. We say, “If God is so loving, why doesn’t He give me what I want?” He loves us too much to spoil us.

God doesn’t always give us what we want, but what we need.

Is encouraging another to act on their desires as long as it “floats your boat” or “makes you happy” really not hurting anyone? Or are we breeding a selfish society?

Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. -2 Timothy 2:22

May my desires be rooted in pursuit of righteousness, faith, love, and peace.

What if life isn’t supposed to be all gravy?

It can be tragic how it takes tumblr to reveal our innermost feelings, particularly our hurt. (Not discrediting it though, because sometimes it’s the only way to find out what someone is actually going through.)

I’m just saddened by the society-encouraged facades of people; they let people hide what’s challenging them underneath their sculptured smile, what will grow them in due time, what may possibly be an ordained encouragement or testimony to another of similar circumstance, either at the time or in the future. Why is it “awkward” to reveal your innermost struggles and curiosities without first revealing your school/job, year, major, hobbies, etc.?

You’re not alone. You’re not meant designed to be alone, nor feel alone.

Life isn’t supposed to be perfect trial-less, and neither are those trials meant to be faced alone. Life is perfect because it isn’t. (kinda like we’re made perfect when we realize we aren’t.)

But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. -2 Corinthians 12:9-10

If you’re reading this, let me know if you have ANY prayer requests, or just want to talk/share/vent. If you’re not reading this, the same applies. (well, if you know someone who’s not reading this.) We all have struggles. I won’t judge you, I will love you. If you want to be anonymous, send it here: http://www.formspring.me/craigahlicious.

…lovin’ you, but not even close to how much He loves you. :)

Life is the ultimate rollercoaster.

Rollercoasters have their ups and downs, but in the end, you know you’ll be safe and okay.

I heard that’s also what makes scary movies appealing to some people: that you can be scared and worried, but you know in the end, you’re safe and everything’s going to be okay.

“In the end, everything will be okay; if everything’s not okay, then it’s not the end.” :)

Life is meant to be enjoyed, not stressed over.

(Congrats Stace. Your wedding may have sometimes been stressful on the surface, but we all know the greater significance of it all. And that we enjoyed and will remember. I’m excited for what’s to come in this new season of your life.)

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. -Romans 8:28

Do you remember?

Sometimes we can become self-focused and be thankful for a day off simply for our barbeques, rest, and having a three-day weekend. But it’s more than that. It’s a day to remember sacrificial love.

Don’t forget their sacrifice.

Don’t forget His sacrifice.

Thanking you and Thanking You.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. -Romans 5:8

Unconditional.

We often want puppies because their love can be just about unconditional for their owner.

We often want to be kids again because we didn’t care who we played with. We didn’t care what degree they had, if they were married, how popular they were, what their salary was, or what their life purpose was; we were just glad to be with them.

Interesting how as we “mature” and become more “intelligent,” our love for others can become more unconditional.

…can’t we use that maturity and knowledge to have unconditional love?

He does.

He knows my name
He knows my every thought,
He sees each tear that falls
and hears me when I call…

He’ll never leave me,
no matter where I go

Thank You.