Common Core: My Thoughts!!

Common Core: Goodbye to the America We Knew

Common Core centers around “College and Career readiness” which defines hypocrisy because common core seeks to dumb down and simplify materials for students to better understand it. The government today seems to believe that education no longer requires knowledge of history or literature. The Common Core initiative aims to make students into bureaucrats rather than fulfill the true role of being a student. An educator’s responsibility is to foster and encourage students in the ability to learn and become productive individuals in society. Look at the list of the best entrepreneurs in American History, how many of them went to college?? The American Public School system has failed in encouraging parental responsibility in the growth and education of their students.

Should the entire approach to American education be focused on world peace and global unity? What happened to learning about the Greek virtues, or Shakespeare, or the history of the Romans? What happened to encouraging students to make a life for themselves and to do what they love? Hasn't anyone noticed that, as government has become more and more involved in public education over the past 60 years, educational standards have plummeted, students dislike education now more than ever, our high school graduates are less prepared for the future, and our parents have been excused from their traditional role as parents in training their children for a responsible life as an adult.

Above all, the message to students to conform to the universal globalism approach to education destroys individual identity and promise. Why don’t we let students decide their path in life rather than telling them where they are going? It eerily sounds and looks similar to the approach taken in the USSR and in many other socialist regimes in the mid to late 20^th century. If we learned anything from history, we know that dumbing down standards and forcing everyone into the middle ground on issues and beliefs, always ends in a society that believes whatever they are told, regardless of truth.

Read about Common Core people! Students should be given the freedom to learn, to make mistakes and take chances, rather than memorizing how to “play the system.” 

Praise You In This Storm

Growing up in the United States, we are told, by society, just what to do to be "successful." It is drilled into us from a young age that we need to get a good job, get married, and buy a house. This all leads to a "good" life. To many college aged individuals like myself, this task can be daunting because too often we lose sight of what is truly important in this life. Yes, I want a good job so I can live comfortably. I want to get married and live "happily ever after," but more times than not, we find ourselves getting discouraged when these accomplishments/events seem to be beyond the reach of our grasp. We cringe at the thought of having a job we will hate or not getting married and ending up single.

Going to college at Hillsdale College is no exception, the same fear of failure follows me around here daily. Recently, there have been a number of engagements or new relationships springing up like wildflowers. It is frustrating because the thought of leaving college without a girlfriend brings a sense of failure to my life. People in my situation feel like losers because we do not have that significant other at the time we graduate. We are faced with leaving this place where we are surrounded by such wonderful,Christian women and venturing out into the world where it is more difficult to find the type of individuals we grow so accustomed to at this college. As I sit here typing this, I have no job, at the moment, for after graduation and I am single yet, I have everything I could ever need in Jesus. Too often we try to go through life with our struggles without putting them before the Lord. Isaiah tells us in Chapter 40:28-31,

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

I sit here depressed and sad about the lack of what I perceive to be important in life but whoever said these things would come when I wanted them to. God has plans for me and I know that He will provide for me all that I need at a time of His choosing. All I can do is continue to grow in my faith. I think this is what this time is for. I think it is why I may not have a girlfriend right now. Either way God will provide.

This storm we see in our lives may just be our own imperfections getting in the way of our relationship with God. I need to refocus my walk with God and this must take priority above everything else. Only through this process can I accomplish God's plan for my life.

The storm is here...what will we do???

Fiscal Crisis: What has the past taught us?

As I sit at home listening to and following online the battle in the U.S. House of Representatives between the "right" and the "left" over the looming fiscal cliff, I can only think about how far left the nation has truly gone. 

There was once a time when government spending was minimal and a federal deficit was considered bad. Contrast that with today where our president just signed an executive order granting congress pay raises even as the poor and middle class are about to be hit with tax hikes which has the probability of throwing the U.S. economy back into a recession again. I stop and consider what would happen if instead of voting themselves a raise, Congress voted themselves a 5-10% pay-cut to help manage the federal deficit. That coupled with a decrease in the rates of Corporate income taxes, income taxes, and a reduction in Medicare/Medicaid, could potentially stem the ever-growing federal debt total.

Back in the 1920s, President Harding took office facing a massive deficit following WWI as well as high tax rates. His secretary of State Andrew Mellon came up with a plan to massively reduce the tax rates as well as cut federal spending. These actions enabled Harding's administration to go from yearly deficits to surpluses throughout his time in office. The point here being that lowering tax rates, especially the corporate tax rate, actually leads to higher government revenue because firms actually gross more profits yearly and this leads to firms expanded and bringing in more taxable revenue every year. Smaller taxes lead to higher government revenue.

On the flip side, examine the affects of higher tax rates and higher government spending during Franklin D. Roosevelt's time in office. At its height, Dr. Fulsom, a Hillsdale College professor, tells us that FDR raised income taxes to 94% for everyone making more than $200,000 a year. The Corporate income tax was also at 90%. This restrictive tax policy crippled small business growth and the economy because business owners were being taxed so high that they were unwilling to take on new projects and invest because they knew that whatever profits they made would inevitably be taxed.

This is the question we face today. Are we going to stand up for individual and fiscal responsibility or let Congress continue to take us down the "road to serfdom?" We live in a society where 47% of the population pays no taxes while the top 10% pay over 70%. We live in a society where millions of poor and illiterate accept federal welfare money without understanding that A.) this is designed to keep them poor and reliant on the government for their everyday needs and B.) the money which funds these programs is being forcibly taken from hard-working Americans. We live in a society where war has become a hobby and big defense firms bank on the U.S. being in a conflict in order to turn a profit. We live in a society where people wrongly believe government jobs equate to private sector jobs We live in a society that no longer recognizes the power of individual human action and the importance of non-restrictive tax policy. Mises once said, "The consumers suffer when the laws of the country prevent the most efficient entrepreneurs from expanding the sphere of their activities. What made some enterprises develop into big business was precisely their success in filling best the demand of the masses." Lets look to the past to determine the appropriate action to take to respond to this looming fiscal crisis because we have tried higher government spending with higher tax rates before and it did not work.

The ONLY way to get away from deficits and move towards surpluses is a concentrated effort to reduce tax rates and government spending at the same time.

Why are Christians afraid to die???

Tim Keller in his sermon "The Cosmic King" says God is the "Beginning and the end in everything." So the question is how do we face death as Christians?? To answer this question we must look at the beginning and what should be the ONLY purpose of our lives. "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God." God existed before all else and He was our Creator and our only worth. He brought mankind into the world and the whole of the Old Testament leads up to that climatic moment in history, the birth and death of His Son Jesus! Keller says that everything is created for God and that "the future is rushing into His lap." The future rushes onward yet God has forseen it all and is ever present in all.

With this in mind, how should we, as believers, view death? The apostle Paul writes in 2Timothy 4: 6-8, "For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing." Knowing that his death was at hand, Paul portrayed the attitude towards death we, as believers, should live for!! Death is not something to be feared!! It is the final frontier and the LAST journey we take in our earthly existence. It is that ultimate and final step in our re-unification with God!!

The world we live in constantly talks about death in a negative fashion and makes every effort to stave off the inevitability of the finality of one's existence. We can be comforted to know that Jesus and God are the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end!! The goal of our lives is to glorify God in all that we do, there is no room for error. It is both frightening and calming!!

Too often, we view God as the Answerer of our prayers. We go through life asking God to give us good jobs, a relationship, etc. In all of this, we lose sight of the fact that God is the beginning, the end, and the center of our universe!! While God does answer our prayers, if that is the way we view Him, we are failing! HE is EVERYTHING!! When others look at us, they should not see our individualality but the light of God's grace!!!!

So what will it be?? Are you afraid of death?? This is our time to glorify our God and whether its by our life or death, if God is the center of our universe, He will be glorified!!!

You are Everything!!!

Driving back to Hillsdale today, I heard this song on the a christian radio station. It is an awesome song by Matthew West calld You are Everything!!

The lyrics are below and speak so true in my life!! To God be the GLORY!!


I'm the one with two left feet
Standing on a lonely street
I can't even walk a straight line
And every time you look at me
I'm spinning like an autumn leaf
Bound to hit bottom sometime

Where would I be without someone to save me?
Someone who won't let me fall

You are everything that I live for
Everything that I can't believe is happening
You're standing right in front of me
With arms wide open
All I know is every day is filled with hope
'Cause You are everything that I breathe for
And I can't help but breathe You in, and breathe again
Feeling all this life within
Every single beat of my heart

I'm the one with big mistakes
Big regrets and bigger breaks
Than I'd ever care to confess
But You're the one who looks at me
And sees what I was meant to be
More than just a beautiful mess

You're everything good in my life
Everything honest and true
And all of those stars hangin' up in the sky
Could never shine brighter than You

Beautiful day!!!

I woke up this morning to clear skies, a beautiful sunrise, and 45 degree weather. I look at days like today and God's hand is so easily seen in the beauty of His creation. I love waking up to mornings like these because it gives me such a positive outlook on each day and it puts a beautiful picture to God's love!

God is truly good!!

No Facebook for a week and counting!!

Well I did it, a week ago tomorrow I decided to get rid of my Facebook because I felt I spent far to much time on it and that time I could be using for so many other things. Prior to this week, the longest I had ever gone without Facebook, outside of vacations, was 3 days. I used to think there was no way I could go without it because it had become a part of each and every day. I would would wake up in the morning and go FB and go on it throughout each day whenever I was bored and had nothing to do.

A week has gone by and I have not gone on Facebook once, I deactivated my account and have been using the extra time to read and do more blogging!! Each of these activities are so much more fulfilling than just going on the FB to "FB stalk." I praise God for giving me the strength and encouragement to withstand the urge to go on Facebook. I am looking forward to all the new time I am going to have and being able to use that either to spend time with people or with God!!

To God be the GLORY!!!

NEW YEAR!!!

As the New Year approaches, so comes that time of the year when New Year's Resolutions are made and people reflect on the past year. Most importantly the year must start and end with God being the focal point of my entire life. I have seen so many different examples of God's presence in my life throughout the past year and I am so looking forward to a new year of putting Him first in my life.

Growth is so important in this time of my life and I have seen, through God's grace, a lot of personal growth. I have found focus and a career path for my time after college and this realization has allowed me to be more intensive with my studies and my relationships. To God be the GLORY!!!

I am looking forward to 2012 for all that it holds. I have no idea what God has planned for me this year but my personal desire is to be a MAN OF GOD!!! I find this section from Ephesians chapter 5 to be pretty much my desire:

"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God." (Ephesians 5)

...

There was a time in my life when I was so sure of everything. I knew what i wanted to do as a career, I was going to play college football and then graduate with a degree in Aerospace Engineering to work for NASA. Today my life looks nothing like it. After a year of horrible injuries in football, I was left with a body that could not sustain a full football season without 2 to 3 major surgeries. I also decided to transfer schools because I needed to get away from some of the more negative influences I had on Case's campus. I decided to go to Hillsdale and, while I know now that this decision was the best for me and something God wanted me to do, it has left me for the past year and half struggling to find my identity.

It seems like everywhere I turn I can't really fit in with anyone. To the athletes I'm not an athlete on Hillsdale's campus so noone can respect me that way. To the ordinary students, I am still too much like an athlete to be respected. I have seen friendships slowly slip away as I have been at Hillsdale for no apparent reasons so I am tempted to think its me.

The same goes for girls! To them, I am just like theyre "older brother." I get stuck in the friend stage with girls and then if they find out that I like them, suddenly things get weird. No girl on campus ever likes me in a dating kind of way so I am stuck in this single period of my life. I know this is probably because of my weight but girls dont stop and realize that the biggest reason why Im this big right now is because i couldnt run for like 8 months straight after I stopped playing football. You know its funny, cuz girls are always saying that they don't look at the outside of a guy when deciding if they like him, its the inside that matters, I think its just not true most of the time. I try not to let it get the best of me but when you see girls you like going out with guys that aren't good for them and you know they will never like you, its frustrating!

But anyways, what can I do?? I can't change the way people are or how they see me. I guess I will just concentrate on impressing the ONLY ONE WHO MATTERS, Jesus. Maybe one day it will be my turn to have a girlfriend seeing as I am the only one out of my friend-group who hasn't had a serious relationship ever. Maybe one day it will be my turn. Until girls can view me differently, it might be a while...

WELFARE...Destroying American families since FDR!!

I have been reading many different things over break regarding our current welfare state and have come up with some interesting solutions. The first thing to note is that almost every single welfare act was designed, in principle, for a very great purpose however, over time, that purpose has morphed into a business of sort. People complain about the loss of family values in the United States but never really look at the real reasons why such a loss has occurred. First and foremost, the downfall in TRUE religion in the United States has produced a culture where almost anything is considered normal and true. Secondly, the welfare state has produced a generation of people who expect everything to be given to them by the government.

The loss of religion has produced perhaps one of the greatest genocides ever in the ever-growing support of Abortion. Abortion is and will forever remain an act of killing an unborn human child. People can debate the issue of when does the heart start beating all they want but the truth is; from the moment the egg splits in two, that is a living organism and has a DNA structure which is completely its own. It's DNA is made up of each parents so it is unique!! This casual attitude my generation has taken towards abortion is fueled by society saying that having sex out of wedlock is ok. It's not ok alright!! Let's just get that out of the way. The government constantly preaches about contraceptives and how such protection is all you need to avoid getting pregnant. What this has done is to completely destroy the institution of marriage and then we wonder why the divorce rate is so high. Waiting until you are married to have sex is not a prude thing to do, it is that way because most people are not mature enough to have a baby until they are mature enough to get married. The government passed an act in the 50's to help independent mothers with their children. This bill was originally designed for a good purpose to help mothers who's husbands had run away or been killed. Today it is a corrupt business where women purposely have children out of wedlock and then make huge amounts of money off of taxpayer money! In short, WE are paying for these women to irresponsible! Even more important is the message this sends to young teens. By giving these women money, we are telling all teenage girls that it's ok if you get pregnant out of wedlock because, if you do, the government will take of you.

Life...what really matters?

I have been spending a lot of time lately thinking about my plans for the future and something has really stood out to me. What does God want me to do? We spend so much time worrying about what jobs we will have or who we will date but so many times, we lose sight of God. It is a relief to know that, should we bring those worries or requests to God, He will as Paul writes in Romans 8:

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because[g] the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,[h] for those who are called according to his purpose.

Think about it!!! God knows our desires and prayers before we even say them!! It is truly a humbling realization. So what does God want me to do?? I don't know 100%, all I know is God has put a desire in my heart to make a change in the way people in my generation view government. That is the desire I have and God has given me a yearning for this; I hope and pray this is His Will for me!! The same goes with girls, relationships, etc.. We will never know 100% if the one we like is THE ONE, but when two people are completely focused on God and He brings them together, I believe it is usually a good start!!

May the Lord Bless us
May the Lord Keep us
May the Lord Lift up His Divine Countenance upon us
And Bring us PEACE!!

"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31

The Price Believers Pay

In this day and age, so many so-called "Christians" live their daily lives and go to church on sunday. The problem here is if you were to examine their daily lives throughout the week on the premise of "if you are a Christian, I should be able to see Jesus Christ in all that you do every single day," there would be some major discrepancies. This idea has been weighing on my mind most of the past few months and I have turned to the Bible to find the answer to this question. First and foremost, Jesus plainly tells us in Matthew 16:24 that:

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me."

For too many people, Christianity is a feeling and a process of going to church on sundays. Christianity is infinitely more. To follow the One who came to die for our sins, we must give up everything in us that works contrary to THAT reason for which Jesus' earthly existance was required. If we are not meant to actively get rid of those habits, whether its drinking or just acting wrongly with women; then why is the Bible filled with verses like:

For, dear brothers, you have been given freedom: not freedom to do wrong, but freedom to love and serve each other. For the whole Law can be summed up in this one command: “Love others as you love yourself.” But if instead of showing love among yourselves you are always critical and catty, watch out! Beware of ruining each other. Galatians 5: 13-15

Anyone who says he is walking in the light of Christ but dislikes his fellow man is still in darkness. But whoever loves his fellow man is “walking in the light” and can see his way without stumbling around in darkness and sin. For he who dislikes his brother is wandering in spiritual darkness and doesn’t know where he is going, for the darkness has made him blind so that he cannot see the way.
1 John 2: 9-11

Yes, each of us will give an account of himself to God. Romans 14: 12

And I tell you this, that you must give account on Judgment Day for every idle word you speak. Matthew 12: 36

Your words now reflect your fate then: either you will be justified by them or you will be condemned. Matthew 12: 37

God tolerated man’s past ignorance about these things, but now he commands everyone to put away idols and worship only him. For he has set a day for justly judging the world by the man he has appointed, and has pointed him out by bringing him back to life again. Acts 17: 30-31

Remember, too, that knowing what is right to do and then not doing it is sin.
James 4: 17

We MUST give up everything in us that works contrary to Gods' redeeming presence in us. There is no room for error, no time to wait, and the clock in our lives clicks on. More Christians need to have the attiude of "taking up their crosses" because if you put your faith in that context, the big truth immediately becomes clear. Being a Christian in these times is going to make many people hate you and that is a good thing!! It has taken me a long time to figure this out. I went through the Christian motions but, in the back of my mind, I always wanted people to like me, especially those who weren't Christians. None of us know the hour of our deaths so we cannot afford to say "oh, I'm gonna go out drinking tonight because I want to, but it will be the only time this semester" or "Im gonna date this girl, even tho I know shes not a Christian because shes cute and maybe through dating me, she will become a Christian." We do not have that time, I personally want to know that I have, to the best of my ability, been TRULY a man carrying the Cross of Christ when it comes my time to face the final test of death!!

We need to focus on the fact that we will stand in Judgment one day and we will be tried for our actions on this earth. I was watching a movie the other day called Kingdom of Heaven, its an awesome movie about the defense of Jerusalem by Crusaders against the Saracens attacking it. Its a classic war movie but I was struck by a line in the movie where one of the main characters, when speaking about virtue says:

But remember that, even when those who move you be kings or men of power, your soul is in your keeping alone. When you stand before God you cannot say "but I was told by others to do thus" or that "virtue was not convenient at the time." This will not suffice. Remember that!

Our soul IS in our keeping and it is up to us to face the onslaught from the World with a happy heart knowing we are taking up our crosses!!! Remember, earth is temporary, but HEAVEN is FOREVER!!! Keep your eyes ever on Him who we owe everything!!!

FORGIVENESS

"The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him;"
Daniel 9:9 NIV

What is forgiveness? When is it appropriate? Can one forgive only if the wrongdoer apologizes?

All these questions have been going through my mind lately as I have been dealing with some personal struggles with some of the relationships I have on this campus. Its amazing how many of the little, daily issues that we deal with can disappear if we have this attitude towards those who may wrong us. I dont know if it is the way I was raised or my pride, definately a mixture of both, but when I am wronged, I feel a need to be vindicated and I do not want to forgive someone until the say they are wrong. Well, the only thing I can say is that the Lord, through several different circumstances, has been teaching me the value of true forgiveness in that, I have to be able to forgive and move on, whether or not someone actually says they are sorry.

So many mistakes I have made in my life have stemmed from the very fact that I, until quite recently, have been unable to simply forgive people. The worst part of comes down to this realization I came up with the other day. I was NOT willing to give the SAME forgiveness I was EXPECTING from others!!!! To anyone reading this who may have been on the receiving end of this thought process, I am sorry and odds are that, if you are reading this, I have forgiven and moved on from any difference/issue I have ever had with you.

God commands us to love another as we love Him and part of that love is forgiveness.

Wisdom and the LOVE of God

How refreshing is it to know that your peers/friends have some of the same struggles as you? To know that you are not the only one traveling through this temptation-ridden life.

Today, I met with an awesome man named Denny. As I sat there in AJ's talking to this 50 year old guy, I was filled with so much encouragement and hope for my future. Hearing the similarities between our conversion stories and knowing that I am not the only one in the world with these struggles. I also realized the importance of someone in my state to be meeting and talking to older and wiser men. There is soo much in life I do not understand and through talking to men such as Denny, I learn so much.

Paul writes in Colossians 3:1-4 that "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, they you also will appear with him in glory."

As I opened my Bible today, it was the first verse I saw and how appropriate that, as I have been struggling with the temptation of drinking, God chose to show me this. I can't even begin to describe how many times this has happened since I have been taking my Bible reading more seriously.

God knows all and is charge of my life! He loves all of us more than we can grasp and we need to remember this as we look to our future. An ant does not move without God's knowledge so who are we to question His path for those created after His image. This passage beautifully illustrates my point.

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is life not more important than food and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life. (Matthew 6:25-27)

To God be the glory, for ever and ever!!!!!

New Years Eve...Examining the past year to Plunge into the new one

Once again, the New Year approaches. Once again, the Champagne or sparkling wine, depending on the age group, is uncorked.
This is my favorite time of the year. The 12 days of Christmas represent such a happy, relaxing time with family and friends.

So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
(Isaiah 41:10)

Reading it provided me with comfort to know that, in all things, God watches out for His children and will comfort and strengthen them.

When looking at this past year, God's grace and plan for my life overpower anything else. Through His grace, I, through a truly miraculous set of circumstances, found myself at Hillsdale College. When I look at my life up to this point, I see that, through it all, God has had a plan for my life and I can only pray that I continue to live in His love. I still have struggles yes, but dont we all. My outlook on life has changed from one where the soul thought of my life was of me and my own pleasure. I see now that my life is a gift from God and I am called to use it to worship and glorify Him.

As I go into this new year, I pray for God's continued guidance in my life. I know there is so much opportunity for me at Hillsdale and am so excited for what lies ahead next semester.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Lessons learned for 2nd Semester

It's funny how even when you try to turn your life around, change does not happen immediately. Such was the case for my first semester. While most new students at Hillsdale were freshman, I was a transfer student coming from a science-engineering school. Because of this, I not only have to adjust to Hillsdale as a new school but I have to break old habits and start new ones. I had hoped to be more successful breaking the bad habits I started last year at Case this semester on my own. I have since learned that I cannot break some on my own and I will need help, both from God and from friends of mine. Next semester, some of my dearest friends have already told me they will help me in my struggles and I am SO blessed to have such friends in my life.

Soooo, what I have learned leading into next semester is:

Reading your Bible every day and cultivating a relationship with God is the only way to be truly happy!

Talk to your friends when you have either personal issues bothering you of if something they do negatively affects you. Its better to talk to someone than keep it bottled up

DONT SKIP CLASS!!!! (I dont want to ever skip a class again and I need your help as my friends to help me keep this problem)

Every person has both good and bad personality and, as Christians and adults, I need to better see the good in people and recognize that sin negatively affects everyone. I need to look past people's faults and focus on the good because I have faults of my own!!!

Call my family!!!!

I need to spend more time actually getting to know people and not just the superficial conversations. My goal for next semester is to get to know Ben, Travis, Jack, Scott, Maggie, Mary, Rachel and Courtney better and actually become good friends with Caroline, Eric, Shannon and some other people.


These are obviously not all of my goals for next semester but these are definately the most important! I miss all the people from our group and cant wait to be back at school with you guys. I hope you are all having a wonderful break!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

My First Semester at Hillsdale

Wow!! Sitting here in Aj's, I suddenly realize that I only have 8 days left here at Hillsdale. After all the late nights staying up writing papers for english class or studying for physics tests, you look up and, suddenly, finals week arrives. With the full knowledge that, for the next week, I will spend more time studying than living, I thought it would be nice to reflect on this past semester.

After a disappointing year at Case Western Reserve University, I made a decision which has changed my life for the better. Playing football, being in a fraternity, and attending one of the toughest university in country does not bode well for an individual if they add drinking and partying to the list of activities. I went away to college an angry, confused teenager and my experience at Case reflected the depravity of my heart. After a personal turnaround which involved me once again drawing close to Jesus, I made a decision to refocus my life around God and what He has in store for me. This new path has changed my life in such a way I can't even explain. As my faith has progressed, so has my understanding of the world around me.

With the turnaround I experienced, I also made the decision to transfer to Hillsdale College. At the time, I transferred because I knew Hillsdale was a good school. The mistake I made centers around the fact that I thought I would get away from all the temptations and struggles I had at Case when I transferred here. I learned, quickly, that my struggles and temptations will always be with me until I conquer them. My semester has not gone completely as planned, I have made significant progress in some areas but I still struggle in others. The hardest part of this is that, last year, I started and maintained several bad habits which have proved soo hard to break this year. I plan on not only breaking these habits next semester but beginning again with good ones.

The biggest change for me this year has been in the relationships I have been forming with those around me. Last year, I only spent time with the partiers and, lo and behold, I became one. This year, I am making a conscious effort to make good Christian friends. What a difference this is making in my life. Not only have I not been partying (I have not been near alcohol in 5 months), but I have been growing as a man and friend. I am learning so much about friendship and just what it means to be a man. I have a good circle of friends and I am continuing to find new ones, but, overall I am trying to be that light in Matthew 5:15-16 where the author writes, "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." This verse has had such a profound influence on my life, I cannot use words to describe. To God be the Glory!!! The only thing I can say is that, even in my sin, God had a plan for my life and He has brought me to my knees to help me rise in His name.

Even in the new struggles I have in my transition to Hillsdale, I am so happy God directed me to Hillsdale. I believe He led me here to help me begin again in His Name. I am so happy for all of you who have helped me transition to Hillsdale and who have given me encouragement.

I wish you all such a Merry Christmas and Wonderful Holiday Break...I hope you all have an Awesome time at home with your families....GOOD LUCK WITH FINALS!!!

By His Grace,

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (I Corinthians 10:31)

Starting out

So, I have always been that guy who hated bloggers but today, my friend Caroline showed me one of her blogs and I realized why people blog. So, to start off, what a journey my life has been so far, from the highs to lows, God has been there all along. Its amazing how much change can come about it one's life when he finally accept Him as his Savior and releases his will to Jesus' divine grace. Such was the case in my life. My move to Hillsdale College has changed my life in ways I cannot even imagine. The people I have met, the new opportunities that have opened up for me, and even the new struggles I have, all are helping me grow as an individual.

I have made mistakes this year but my growth as a person far outstrips my downfalls. Before I was unsure, now I am steadfast in my beliefs and ready to share my testimony with others.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son Jesus Christ, that all who believe in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." *John 3:16