Site Has Been Moved

Alright, as it's been noted, I have only had that one blog entry. So this will be two. Wow, huh? Well, I FINALLY got an interview for an actual job. It's in Columbus, but it's money... much needed money. Other than that, not much else is going on. Our Friday night gathering has been pretty good and stable... in that people are always there. The amount tends to vary though. So, since I've had AMPLE time to read and stuff, here's something good that I forwarded out to a lot of people that I think is a good perspective on this not-so-great aspect of life. It's long, but worth the read...

 The Fine Print 
by John Fischer

 
We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are 
perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never
abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through 
suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the 
life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. (2 Corinthians 4:8-10 NLT)
 
These verses are what I call the fine print of the Christian life. When you 
sign up, you sign up for this, but unfortunately, not too many people read 
that far into the contract, and not enough leaders point it out. So when bad
things start happening to us, we think something went wrong with our faith. 
Not necessarily, in fact, it's an honor to think that your faith is worthy 
of being tested. 
 
It's a reverse spiritual principle that nonetheless is true: we get beaten
down so that Christ might rise in us. It's the whole idea God has of
avoiding confusion. See, He doesn't want people confusing human power and 
achievement with His power and what He is achieving in and through our 
lives. If all Christians were super-Christians, people would be impressed  
with them. As it is, God wants people to be surprised at us, not so much 
impressed — surprised that we can keep on believing, given what has happened 
to us. Surprised at us — impressed with God. That's the way it should go. 
 
It's important to know this so that the things that happen don't throw us 
into a tailspin. Paul wrote in the passage above that troubles, confusions, 
knock-downs and drag-outs, are all to be expected in a life of faith, and
they are not just something to suck it up and endure, they are what will 
actually release the power of God in our lives. We encounter deathlike 
experiences so that Christ's lifelike nature may clearly be seen in us,
despite what is happening. 
 
Let me try and say this again. This is not just endurance training through 
tough times. This is God's strategy for ministry through us. There is no
other way for it to be done. His strategy is His power and strength through 
our weakness — His life through our death. This doesn't just happen to some 
Christians; it happens to us all if we desire to be effective in our faith. 
 
So don't forget the fine print today, and allow the troubles you face to 
springboard you into finding God's purposes even in this. He had this 
planned all along. It's even in the contract!
 
We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are 
perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never 
abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through
suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the 
life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. (2 Corinthians 4:8-10 NLT) 
 
These verses are what I call the fine print of the Christian life. When you  
sign up, you sign up for this, but unfortunately, not too many people read 
that far into the contract, and not enough leaders point it out. So when bad 
things start happening to us, we think something went wrong with our faith.
Not necessarily, in fact, it's an honor to think that your faith is worthy 
of being tested. 
 
It's a reverse spiritual principle that nonetheless is true: we get beaten
down so that Christ might rise in us. It's the whole idea God has of
avoiding confusion. See, He doesn't want people confusing human power and 
achievement with His power and what He is achieving in and through our
lives. If all Christians were super-Christians, people would be impressed
with them. As it is, God wants people to be surprised at us, not so much 
impressed — surprised that we can keep on believing, given what has happened
to us. Surprised at us — impressed with God. That's the way it should go. 
 
It's important to know this so that the things that happen don't throw us 
into a tailspin. Paul wrote in the passage above that troubles, confusions,
knock-downs and drag-outs, are all to be expected in a life of faith, and
they are not just something to suck it up and endure, they are what will 
actually release the power of God in our lives. We encounter deathlike
experiences so that Christ's lifelike nature may clearly be seen in us,
despite what is happening. 
 
Let me try and say this again. This is not just endurance training through
tough times. This is God's strategy for ministry through us. There is no
other way for it to be done. His strategy is His power and strength through 
our weakness — His life through our death. This doesn't just happen to some
Christians; it happens to us all if we desire to be effective in our faith.  

So don't forget the fine print today, and allow the troubles you face to 
springboard you into finding God's purposes even in this. He had this
planned all along. It's even in the contract!