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ShepherdforJC
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Name: Stephen
Country: United States
State: Maryland
Birthday: 5/1/1984
Gender: Male
Interests: My walk with God, History, The Three Stooges, movies (espcially historical epics like Braveheart and M. Night movies like Signs and The Village); music, excercise
Expertise: Don't really have anything im an expert at; everyday is a constant reminder of my weakness and need for Christ
Occupation: Student
Message: message meEmail: email me
Member Since:
9/2/2005
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| Entering New Chapters and Seasons in LifeGreetings to the faithful few who continue to keep a regular xanga journal entry. I admit I have been a sinner, and have not kept up with Xanga for, well over a year now. However, I have returned and I will try to again keep up a xanga journal since some of my faithful commenting friends still regularly keep up with xanga... Alot has changed in my life since September 2006. I had the greatest year and my last year in College. It's amazing how being a senior has always been my favorite year in both the high school era of my life and the college one. Alot of challenges came in my last year in college, but I also had alot of fun and grew in my faith. After I graduated, I searched, and prayed for the right church for me to apply as Youth Pastor. In the end, as usual, God worked it all out for me to get the right church for me with the right package that met all of my present and future needs. For over a month in a half, I have now been the associate/Youth Pastor at a wonderful church, and have been truly blessed to begin my time in ministry here. I have been awed by the faithful hand of God in my life, but there are stll challenges ahead, mountains that need to be moved and my reliance on the providence and soverignty of God has only continued to increase for me as time has gone on. I miss College sometimes, and I definely miss my finace whose still there for now, but im content also to be moving on to a new chapter in life. I have been very reflective of life lately, of how life is a journey, filled with chapters and seasons that come and go, and you look back and you can;'t believe how far you've already come. I miss staying up late to play halo, I miss how easy it was to get the whole gang of guys I grew up with together, I miss alot of things about previous chapters. Most of all I think I just hate how fast life goes by, but I am also excited for the new things to come...Being in ministry is fun and exciting, Soon to be marrying my best friend of all time is fun and exciting, and I always wil maintain a good friendship with the gang of guys I grew up with....There will be fun times ahead, because for a Christian, there is always a sunrise ahead, never a sunset; and I can say that especially, when my life is over on this earth. May the LORD be my Shepherd, to guide me, protect me and take care of me as I enter this new season and chapter of my life. Know he will do the same for all of you! Those are my thoughts for now -S.J.M. | | |
| Trusting God?Greetings,
It's been a while. I'm sorry that all 3 of you haven't been able to
read my thoughts lol. Sorry I have to joke about it. Anyway, honestly
guys my faith and my walk has been pretty tough lately. Oh, life
overall has been good for me and blessed. I cannot deny that. I have a
wonderful family, an amazing girl and awesome friends. The first 2
weeks of being back at Valley Forge have been amazing and loads of fun.
I love my classes (especially Gospels :), I've had several fun moments
and memories with Cass and the boys already. I love my life...........
But These last several months have really been a trial for me in
different ways. I won't pretend to dramatize my life and act like I
have these big reasons to be down inside or to be questioning God. I
don't. But taken all together the last several months have worn on me
and I have struggled to keep trusting that there is a hand that is
guiding my life in the path he designed it. When I say that, please
don't freak out and think im backslidden. I'm not. I believe in God and
I believe the Bible is true. But i have been struggling alot. I've been
hurting alot. This summer was filled with crap.
The hurt and pain of having lost a close friend and brother the way
that I did was only maximized in August with a complete rejection by
him and an unfortuntate dose of reality which was that, at least for
now it doesn;t look like God is going to work to change this situation.
The pain and hurt inside is alot for me. Nobody knows how much I hurt
and feel inside because I try to keep a good attitude and have fun. But
inside im constantly crying, and my questions have only multiplied.
Then, the only thing I was happy about, my agent might not turn out to
be a blessing. Upon further research it looks like my agency won't
really get my teenage deovotional book published. I highly doubt it,
and it looks like it may indeed be quite a while before this teenage
devotional book reall could get published. My only thing to cheer about
is taken away........................And then there's the future. The
fear, and anxiety is overwhelming. Keep me in prayer and keep Adam in
prayer as he is contiuing to deal with his family's health situation. I
love you all
I want to be a man of Faith, of Prayer and hope. But Im really having a
harder and harder time doing so. Nevertheless I will. "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" - Proverbs 3:5
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| End of the Summer of 2006Hola to my faithful few,
Yet again the summer is over and over so fast. The summer of '06 has come and gone with alot of frusturation, stress, disappointment but also some hopeful fun moments.
The summer of 2006 began with a stressful trial with my mother's health and from there I experienced several periods of trial, stress, anxiety as well as hopeful expectation. Whether it be the stress of my mother's health, or the future for me and Cass, or being a substitute teacher, or Cass' mother's health. I had moments of fun and triumph like getting an agent for my book, My Vacation trip in Late July,lots of fun with my girl, family and friends, and even my summer jobs (Subsitute teaching and Walden Books). But, i've defintely experienced alot of hurt and pain as well. The situation with Josh, which I felt was building to a climax, came to that climax with a complete and outright rejection by him towards me and my friends. And the future for how things will work out for me and my girl remain uncertain. I really don't understand why things had to happen this way for me, but even as I hurt and question and stress; I will continue to trust in God.
My teenage devotional book "War With the World: The Teenage Battlefield" throughout the summer has been officially critiqued, and edited. Now, the week before College begins again i'm trying to finish putting polishing editing touches on the book. Hopefully my agent can start pushing it to publishers this September. This fall, i'll then begin collecting ideas for my next book project. Pray for it all, pray for me. Love you all and God bless
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding"- Proverbs 3:5 | | |
| The Second Half of the Summer of 2006 Greetings to my faithful few,
I am honestly shocked when I really think about how fast time and especially the Summer of '06 has been going by. I mean, it's already well into July now. Enjoy every day guys, cause the ride goes fast.
So far the Summer of 2006 has been very mixed for me. May was a difficult month for me due to my Mom's health problems. I did get a cool job being a substitute teacher for about half of June but since then I spend most of my time with my girl, family, friends and by trying to find another job. I struggled for almost 3 weeks to find another job, because I need a way to get the money to save up for Cass' engagement ring which I hope to give her this coming Spring. I finally did get a new job at Walden Books but i haven't really started yet. Besides that I just have been doing my internship at church which has been well OK.
The Best highlights for the summer have mainly been three things: 1) I have gotten an agent for my Teenage devotional book "War With the World: The Teenage Battlefield", but we're still on a long process ahead to polish up my book for selling to publishing companies. 2) Me and the Boys (Rodney, Keith, Tom, Andrew) got to see the REv. Billy Graham live in Baltimore in what he himself said will probably be his last stadium sermon. i had tears in my eyes in seeing Christianity's most amazing and effective representative speak about te Gospel of Jesus Christ. He spoke clearly, he was funny and at the conclusion of the message thousands of people came foward to recieve Christ as Lord and Savior. It was an experience I shall never forget. 3) Finally, there has been small holes of hope with the continuing situation with Josh. A mutual friend ran into Josh a few weeks ago and Josh asked this friend if he had seen me and the boys and he asked how we were doing. This plus also reconciling with a mutual friend btw Josh and us does give me some small lights of hope.
Now, I prepare to embark on a 1 day visit to see the Adam's family at VFCC. Keep it real guys and keep me in prayer. | | |
| The Latest Hello to my faithful few,
Here we are already in the second half of June 2006. I continue to be amazed at how fast summer is going by and indeed of life itself. I admit to you all that the Summer of '06 hasn't been as excitng as i'd hoped so far but there's still plenty of time left for it to become that.
I've been stressed like hell about my future, i've been kind of depressed inside about the continuing hopelessness in the Josh situation, It hasnt been the same without Brown and Dotter around, and honestly I just haven't felt as close to God lately. Please pray for me with all the above, its been hard for me to deal with.
The only real good news this summer has been that the teenage devotional book I wrote with God's inspiration, "War With the World: The Teenage Battlefield" has gotten an agent to represent my work to publishers. They believe it will sell and will get a publisher. Thats a huge step for the project, but please keep it in prayer. We still got a long way to go.
Well I think thats all folks. God bless and keep him first
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