Growing

It happens in every Christian's life. We can never know when or how it will happen, much more how long it will take. But when it does, there's nothing like the strength that appears afterwards. After all, growth is the best part of life.

Now true, it hurts as any growing pains do. I mean, no one wants to realize that those you called friends are no longer there for you. But that's because those friends became "God." But when they are gone, well most of them anyway, you see who really love you: God firstly, and then those who He has deemed to be the true companions that person needs. They'll never leave you.

Nor is it easy to hear the gospel truth watered down without becoming a little broken hearted. but then again, it also feeds your passion to study and share the REAL truth effectively. To be able to tell people not just about "God's love," but about His wrath, His righteous jealousy, and the inescapable fires if not repentant.

but one of the hardest things to grow through is dealing with a weak church. To see racism, hypocrisy, idolatry, and even down right ignorance flowing through the Body should make anyone part of the fellowship unbearibly depressed. No one should settle for all worship and praise services without a drop of sound teaching and doctrine. One should not think they can throw up their hands on Sunday, but then conduct their manners in any way the other six days. No one should have to watch sin engolf another's life and not act, believing it's not their responsibility. But even more, its hard to see others strive to memorize scripture and doctrines for the sake of being known as Pastor, Dr., or even just as "a good Christian." But again, without this growth, one would not have known how much more they have to go.

And with that, I end my blogging career. If you haven't realized yet, all those topics above are things I am dealing with to this day. And God has shown me that I have much more growing to do. It is time for me to take the couple of friends I have and move on towards Him. He has something better waiting for me. Goodbye all.

group shoot photos

Louisville Kentucky trip

For four years, I've been at Missouri Baptist. And in that timeframe, they've had several student trips to places like Chicago, Atlanta, and so on. I never had a chance to go on these trips due to previous responsibilities. But just this past weekend, I finally went. And whats better, it was with a bunch of my friends.

Friday morning, approximately 30 students piled into the school's bus with high spirits, ready to head down to Louisville, Kentucky. There was a conference down there design for young christian college students. So not only were excited to be getting out of classes, but also to learn about our God.

The ride was approximately four and half hours. we stopped once to grab some food, but then were back on the road. on the way up we bumped all kinds of music, anything from Christian rap to alvin and the chipmunks. We even had time to watch a movie! Jokes were thrown around, people danced in the walkway, and laughs were shared. pretty soon, before we even realized, were were in the Louis!

The campus we were on was absolutely amazing! It was large and spacious. It even had its own hotel! My roomates and I called ourselves the 1200, because our weight added together was over a ton.

After getting settled in our rooms, we met up for dinner and ate pizza. After that was the first lecture of the conference, followed by a concert, which featured famous contemporary Christian artist, Shane and Shane.

The next day, after a night of classic funny moments never to be forgotten, we began attending different elective sessions about various subjects. Needless to say we all tried to get sessions with each other.

Then came the time I dreaded: time to leave! So with heavy hearts, but more educated minds, we boarded our bus and headed back. Now I'm a city boy, been one all my life. So as we drove back to Saint Louis through the country, and as the sun set and it became dark, all I could think of is how it would be so much like a horror movie if the bus broke down.

But thankfully it never came to that. We arrived back at MoBap with no issues. We went our seperate ways, but closer than we had been before.

The Mac and the Land

These are my macro and lanscape shots.

Papparaze style

these are just some pics i took at random.

Winter Blues.

So college life is starting to get a little rough. I have 20 hours right now, but there is some opposition coming up. My spring time enemy for the past three years: the Cold.

It never fails. Every January-Feburary, I get a cold or some kind of flu bug. This time it was sinuses. My nose was stuffed up, my head hurt, my chest ached, and my throat was sore. I still came to school-can't afford to miss one day- but i felt worse than the first person kicked off of a reality TV show.

My friends were encouraging though. They kept me awake in classes, offered me some medicine, and just made life, the part I was aware of anyway, more comfortable. Though some refused to touch me. Understandable.

A piece of Advice for everybody out there: sleep with something on your head. Drink orange juice like it's water. And most Importantly, stay out of the cold weather as much as possible.

Oh, in case your wondering, I'm doing better. God bless!!!