Inspired by Life

I once met a pretty free-spirited homeless man, well actually more like chased him down in a field b/c i was so convinced that the Lord wanted me to speak to him, but anyways...we started talking about God and life after death. He told me about his childhood as a missionary kid and how he believes in a "deity" that is good and rules this world, but believes that when we die - that's it and there is nothing afterwards. So our mission here on this earth is to live at peace with nature and the people around us. He went on to say that he strongly supports Christianity because it changes bad people into good people...everyone shares, they are more kind/loving their neighbor etc. So though he no longer believes in God, he still clings to the morals of Christianity. He even encouraged me to keep up what i was doing "people need to hear your message." Dude, what? "For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own des...

So...i've been personal training for over a year now. Best job of my life (so far). It feels like only a couple days ago i was sitting on the edge of a treadmill in a quiet little room crying over in my mind the prospects of even becoming a trainer...what i would have to give up, work on, and strive for to become the person i wanted to be, if i was ready, and if my passion for the Lord would be compromised by the dedication to this career field? Well, so far it has been more challenging than i ever imagined, more rewarding than i dreamed, and more time consuming than i bargained for. None the less I LOVE IT! Training has been my dream job for about five years...let me tell you - when i received my official certification it was like being on the platform of the Olympic ceremonies receiving my first medal. But as any athlete will tell you, with time, that electric sensation of all your dreams coming true slowly fades...and it's back to either everyday life or the next big dream. ...

i'm not taking marriage stuff...i'm talking about spiritual warfare and the battle of flesh...willingness to confidently take your stand against all odds. Sometimes i want so badly to have a heart like Christ's but i can't seem to muster it up within myself, no matter how hard that i try. i want to think like Christ, love like Christ, but i can't seem to shake this earthly flesh of mine off - it just will not go away! As Elizabeth Elliot said: "i was wishing that my wishes were what God wished, but if my wishes were not what God wished, i wished that i could wish that my wishes would go away, but the wishes were still there." ...Sounds a lot like Paul in Romans 7, eh? "For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no long...