Just Joshing

Friday Fiction - The Legend of Bob (Vortex of Doom)

2011-09-16T06:22:00.003-06:00

I hope you enjoy this second installment of The Legend of Bob for Friday Fiction. I really have no idea where I am going with this, but I'm glad your on the journey with me to find out. :)

The Legend of Bob
Part 2
Vortex of Doom

With BFFster fame in the bag, it was time to pack up and go home. The digital timepiece proudly pronounced that it was four o’clock in the morning. Had he really been here all night? Didn’t he normally work a day shift from 8:00 to 5:00? Somewhere a blacksmith pounded on Bob’s head as though it were an anvil, sending sharp pains through his cranium and leaving him nauseous. The ticking noise synchronized itself with the pounding in his head. The location of the rhythmic clack eluded Bob as did the reason why he had come into the office in the middle of the night.

Bob stood from his ergonomic office chair and stretched out his arms to the ceiling. Multiple joints popped as though a bag of Orville Redenbacher had been heating up inside the break room microwave.

Popcorn sounds good right now. So do Oreo cookies. Bob tilted his head allowing one last crack from his neck. He began to gather his stuff and clean up. Mountain Fizz cans, Crispy Crinkle chip bags, and empty packets of Skuttles fruit flavored candies were swept into the trash can sitting below the desk. Did I actually complete any real work tonight? The details of this late night escapade would have to be sorted out later as his co-workers were soon to arrive, and he wasn’t about to stay another shift. He’d go home, put on his best “sick” voice, and leave a message for his boss Mr. Wetzel telling him that he had fell ill and wouldn’t be in today. No one had to know this happened.

Cell phone. Check. Car keys. Check. Wallet. Check. Laptop. Check. Bob stuffed his computer in the bag and staggered towards the stairwell. The crash in his head left him disoriented and threw his equilibrium off. The long corridor of cubicles began to spin in a circular motion as Bob made his way to the exit. I’m on the second floor. Only one flight of stairs to go down. I can make it.
The exit door was marked with a green lit sign. The west parking lot could be seen from a massive picture window next to the exit. Bob planted his face against the window in order to regain his balance. He glanced out at the mountain horizon beyond the parking lot. Dark clouds swirled above the peaks and lightning flashed as a brooding thunderstorm drifted its way onto the scene. Bob’s droopy eyes shot open as he saw a giant black funnel suddenly appear from behind the mountain range. The gargantuan black cone devoured its way down the side of Mount Evergreen chucking trees, rocks, small woodland creatures, and any other tasty morsel it passed into its giant, swirling mouth. Though it was a fair distance away, the funnel’s girth covered miles to both sides leaving Bob feeling as though it was right on top of him.

I’m gonna be sucked up in that black vortex soon…if I don’t get out of here!

Where Do Babies Come From?

2011-09-02T20:26:00.005-06:00

Well Friday Fiction didn't get written this week, but I plan on having Bob's story continued next Friday (or maybe sooner), so please stay tuned!

The reason it didn't get written was because my household has been crazy this past week with some big news. Namely news of a +1 increase in family size with my wife announcing to me on Monday night that she is pregnant.

She came home with a blue bag and inside the bag was a onesie (spelling?) that said "Daddy's Little Sweetheart" and a pregnancy test with a + sign on it. We both shared a brief cry and kind of sat freaked out and silent not sure what to think of the situation.

She told me that she took two tests and both showed up positive. You would think that a double positive equals a negative, but I guess it doesn't work that way in baby land. So after getting over the initial shock and freak out moment, I finally got to the place where I could become truly excited about the news.

Where do babies come from? They come from God, and apparently they come when He is ready for them to come whether it fits within our plans or not. I'm just giving Him thanks since there are so many couples unable to have kids who really want them. I guess falling in the .1% chance of conceiving while using preventative measures means we are blessed, and I sure plan on giving this baby all the love I can possibly give it. It's going to have a kookie daddy...kookie but full of love.

Friday Fiction

2011-08-26T06:47:00.002-06:00

So my plan was to be a part of Friday Fiction with Sarah, but being the amazing computer tech that I am, I couldn't figure out how to properly link my blog post this time around. I guess I really have been out of the blogging game for a while. "The Legend of Bob" is my submission for this week and it's posted below. Even if no one reads it, I do hope you go check out Friday Fiction being hosted by Julie Arduini this week at The Surrendered Scribe. Read Julie's intriguing submission for this week and leave her a comment, ok? Also, read the other great stories being submitted by those who actually know how to link them properly. :)

The Legend of Bob

2011-08-23T19:32:00.009-06:00

I've been desparate to write fiction again, but inspiration has not been my friend lately. I whipped this up tonight. It's just a snippet, but perhaps I'll keep adding more to it and see where it goes.

The Legend of Bob
By Josh Janoski

Tick tock...

Tick tock...

Time stood still. The minute hand never budged, and the second hand moved even slower. That would have normally freaked Bob out except that he still had enough coherence about him to realize that digital clocks didn't contain moving parts. Then what was the ticking sound all about?
His eyelids twitched and pulsated to the beat of the sound. Thin red blood vessels slithered over the whites of his eyeballs, itching and burning. Visine was what the doctor ordered, but sadly the bottle of liquid relief had been left at home sitting next to the box of Claritin. The LCD screen's hypnotizing glow covered Bob's face with a blanket of glorious digital luminance.

What to say? What to say?

Bob Shanigan is working really late tonight.

No. Too plain. And besides, I don't want any potential whackos to know that I'm alone in the office. They might try to break in and murder me. I really love all 546 friends of mine, but I haven't met or talked to some of them yet, so I don't know what they might be capable of.

Bob Shanigan loves Mountain Fizz soda!

That won't work either. As much as I want to declare my love for Mountain Fizz, I risk starting a riot. I can already see this generating an extensive comment thread debating how Citrus Dropkick is at minimum equal, if not superior to, Mountain Fizz. I best refrain from starting a quarrel.

Bob Shanigan :)

You can never go wrong with a smile emoticon. Actually, that may not be true. My smile could be interpreted as snide or nasty. Questions will arise as to what I'm smiling about. Am I laughing at children in third world countries who are going hungry? Do I find the sufferings of the world to be amusing? What if someone of the opposite sex sees my smile on her news feed? Will she take it as a flirtatious gesture and de-friend me? No..I cant take the risk.

Three hours passed on the digital display that hung inside Bob's cubicle. The ticking sound continued, acting as a metronome guiding the rhythm of a late night at the office. The screen's image remained static. Groogle Titanium web browser still opened to the same page - BFFster. Pronounced Biff-ster a.k.a. Best-Friends-Forever-ster. You weren't recognized as a part of the human race if you weren't a member of this premier social networking site.

The only thing more important than joining BFFster was having the most friends on BFFster. The only thing more important than having the most friends on BFFster was having the most witty status updates on BFFster. Bob had been working on said status update for an extended period of time before he finally came up with the perfect notification of his state.

Bob Shanigan is ready for the Zombie Apocalypse! His weapon and food cache is good to go!

Perfect! Everyone loves a good Zombie post. This one will be gold! Hundreds of people will be clicking the "Totally Awesome Post!" button on this one!

So much for that wisdom and wealth stuff eh?

2011-08-18T17:19:00.006-06:00

I have a One Year Bible that I read daily on my Kindle (which I love, but my Kindle romance is for another post). I just finished reading about King Solomon. There is something intriguing about a king who was the richest and wisest.

Solomon was kind of the rap superstar of his day (minus the rap). I could totally see him bringing people on a tour of his "crib" - the palace he built for himself. He'd probably also give a tour of the temple he built for the Lord, the one his father David didn't get to construct.

I read a lot about how Solomon honored the Lord in all he did. In fact, he really aimed at being pleasing to God and asked God for wisdom to rule His people justly. God granted him that wisdom and made him wealthier than any other king who had lived before him.

Solomon's wisdom can be found in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes too (though he's a bit more emo in the later book). What saddens me is how in the later years of his life he let himself be turned to other false gods. I guess when you have 1000+ women in your life, your bound to feel outnumbered and cave into the pressure. No offense ladies. We can discuss what a player Solomon was in another post. :)

Reading about Solomon's life just made me realize that no matter how wise you are and no matter how much you seem to have your act together, if you take God out of the picture then you're going to fall and fail. Solomon's ancestors could have forever sat on the throne as Israel's king, but he gave it all up for his own desires. Israel's leadership went on a downward spiral after that.

I'll stick with my one wife and my simple life, but I'll gladly take a big heaping dose of that wisdom stuff. :)

Cubicles

2011-08-15T06:43:00.004-06:00

Still a bit groggy from lack of sleep over the weekend, I find that my brain has already shut down yet again and inspiration has left me as I try to write something brilliant this morning. So I'll just talk about cubicles instead.

Cubicles are joked about in the Dilbert comic strip and most office monkeys will agree that cubicles are the evil little enclosure in which they are placed in order to have lab experiments conducted on them by their managers. I can't say that I completely disagree with this viewpoint, but I will openly admit that I am excited to now have a cubicle of my own at work.

Excited? How can one be excited about a row of square shaped corrals used to herd in the day's workforce and hold them captive until all deadlines have been met and all projects completed? I guess it goes back to the fact that I have never had my own personal space. Every job I've held up to this point had me working in an open office environment with co-workers desks near mine. I'm sure some would prefer this over their small cube spaces, but I longed for a bit more privacy.

Ok. So maybe privacy is overrated in an office environment. It's not like I'm stripping down inside my cube and taking a shower or anything like that. Shower in my cube....hmm that's an idea. But that's beside the point. The truth is that nothing I do at my desk (or at least nothing that I should be doing) requires that it be completely private from everyone else. But there is something to be said about being able to set your stuffed beanie baby Yoda on your desk and know that he will be safe and out of arm's reach from you co-workers.

Sure it's a box. Sure it's really kind of inhumane in many ways. But it's "home" while I'm at work. I think we all want our own personal space where we can focus on doing what we do best, whether it's at work or at home. All I need to do now is add a door with a deadbolt lock and a roof and I'll be all set.

Rant complete. Time to get ready for work.

I'm back!

2011-08-14T20:19:00.003-06:00

So the title isn't all that creative but it pretty much sums it all up. I'm back to blogging. This may mean that I need to build my reader base back up since no one keeps reading a blog that never has new posts. I'm willing to do that. I need to do something to get excited about writing again.

I look forward to showing my fun side more since most of my past posts have been very serious. I also want to trim my posts down to a few hundred words at most so that they are easier to digest. The only exception will be when I post short stories, but even those will be kept to about 1,000 words or less.

The closed sign has been flipped to open and Just Joshing is back in business!

Josh's Book Review - Thin Blue Smoke by Doug Worgul

2011-01-16T06:30:00.005-07:00

I don't consider myself to be qualified to "review" books in a professional manner. But being a reader does qualify me to give my opinions and thoughts on the books I read, and that is why I am starting a book review here on my blog. I want to let you all know what I'm reading and give you some ideas of books that are out there that you may want to check out if you haven't already done so.

The first book that I'm going to discuss is one that came out of the blue (no pun intended) and reminded me that sometimes when you want a good read it's best to ditch the top picks lists at Amazon and just consult your fellow reader friends. The book is "Thin Blue Smoke" by Doug Worgul. It was recommended to me by a fellow FaithWriter friend when I announced that I was buying an Amazon Kindle and wanted some book suggestions. I remembered this book being at the book table at the 2009 FaithWriter's conference, but I didn't pick it up. It was time to see what it was all about.

How do I describe Thin Blue Smoke? That's a good question. Here's what the blurb from Amazon.com says about it:

Thin Blue Smoke is an epic redemption tale, the story of two men coming to terms with their pasts. It is also a novel about faith, race, storytelling, bourbon, the language of rabbits, and the finer points of barbecue technique. Heartrending and bitterly funny, it marks the arrival of a vital new voice in American fiction.

That is a very good description. I could end this post by saying that this sums up the book, but I don't think it completely does. It's hard to begin to describe this book without giving away some of the details that make it so great and possibly spoiling them for those who have yet to read it. So, I will avoid spilling too much detail and sum it up with one word - barbecue.

I'm not suggesting that this book is simply about barbecue. Yes, barbecue does play a big role in this title and feels very much like a main character. However, what I'm referring to are the diverse and unique flavors of the book that mirror the flavors of a great barbecue meal. This book has the pulled pork. It has the brisket. It even includes a side of greens and vinegar pie. Each element mixed perfectly together, packed full of flavor, and complimenting one another.

I'll start off with the characters. Thin Blue Smoke revolves mostly around LaVerne Williams, an ex-baseball player turned barbecue joint owner. But LaVerne is not alone. He is joined by a diverse and quirky cast of characters. There's A.B. Clayton, Laverne's simple but extremely loyal employee. There's LaVerne's strong uncle Delbert and his German immigrant barbecue partner Hartholz. There's Sammy, an angry young man who is out of control. There's Warren Dunleavy, the mentally ill and yet highly intelligent son of engineering firm CEO Bob Dunleavy. There's Pug, Leon, Rose, Angela, Periwinkle Brown, "Mother" Mary Weaver, Jen Richards, and then there's my favorite character - Ferguson Glen an Episcopal priest fighting to rid himself of his inner demons and find the God who he has so long talked about but never really knew. I'm sure I've left some characters out, but you will just have to read in order to completely understand each of these people and the role that each one plays in this amazing book.

If I were to give my own category to Thin Blue Smoke, I'd label it as "Character Fiction." The story itself moves along smoothly and comes to a satisfying conclusion, but what drives the story really isn't the story at all in my opinion. It's the characters. Doug kept me turning page after page in order to learn a little bit more about each character, their backgrounds, their thoughts, feelings, hopes, dreams, and fears. I found myself caring more and more for each character as the story progressed, and I found myself comparing and relating my own life to each of theirs. It was as if I was invisibly walking with these characters through their lives observing each of their successes and failures. The characters and descriptions in each chapter are so detailed that you almost don't have to use your imagination to picture them. They clearly stand out in your mind.

Doug Worgul does an amazing job painting a realistic picture of humanity and the day-to-day struggles that we all experience. This is a book that you aren't likely to find on the shelves of Christian book stores due to some of the language included. However, the dialogue is one of the elements that I love most about this book. It's raw, and it's real. I don't think that the author intended for this to be a "religious" or explicitly "Christian" book. Doug's faith and Christian upbringings are evident and sprinkled throughout the book but not in a preachy "you're going straight to hell if you don't live right" sort of way. In fact, I'd say that the underlying themes that stood out to me most in this book were that of grace and second chances. These are the very reasons why Jesus came to this Earth and died for us. Doug shows us the sadness of sin and the hope of redemption. He shows us the consequences of wrong choices and the blessings that come with turning around and making things right. He does it in such a way that is both very real and very funny. Nearly every chapter had at least one line of dialogue that made me smile or laugh.

I could go on longer, but I'll end this review by saying that if you are looking for a book with awesome characters who you can relate to and love, along with a story that accurately portrays the ups and downs of human existence, then I'd highly recommend Thin Blue Smoke. I came away with the reminder that each of us has been given a second chance by God, and it's up to us what we do with that chance.

I've never spoken with or met Mr. Worgul, but I did look him up and you can find out more about the book by visiting the author's website http://www.dougworgul.com/

Blessings,

Verse By Verse Study - James 3:11-15

2010-12-13T06:28:00.003-07:00

Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh. James 3:11-12 (NKJV)

With the Christmas holiday fast approaching, it makes sense that one should check their heart and make sure that it is in the right place as they enter into the new year. I find myself feeling extra generous this time of year. Don't get me wrong, I love to give all year long, but something about Christmas sparks an extra bit of generousity within me. However, I have to remember what 2nd Corinthians 9:7 says - God loves a cheerful giver. Sometimes I give out of guilt or out of selfish motives and I try to fool myself into thinking that I gave because I truly wanted to and because I wanted to please God.

Sometimes as believers we go through this struggle as our flesh plays tug o' war with our spirit. We want to do what is right, but our flesh gets in the way and causes a good deed to go sour. In these verses, James makes it quite clear that good and evil cannot function together, and it is one or the other that takes precendence in our lives. Sure, we have both our fleshly desires and our spiritual ones, but we choose which one will rule over the other. Some may disagree with me on this, and that's ok. We all have differing views, but like verses 11 and 12 state "Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?" and "Can a fig tree bear olives or a grapevine bear figs?" Our good deeds and our actions that we perform are judged not by the deeds themselves but by the attitude and motives by which they are performed. I can give to the poor and wish them a Merry Christmas, but if I do so simply because I want a tax write off or because the preacher made me feel guilty at church, then I have given for the wrong reasons. God can still use my gifts to bless others, but will I be in accordance with how he would have me give? Probably not. I am applying this to the Christmas scenario, but this can be said in regards to any action we take. We must be careful that we do not allow a false sense of righteousness to enter our hearts.

We need the wisdom of the Lord to discern the sweet from the bitter, the righteous from the unrighteous. I will talk about that in my next post as I go over more verses from chapter 3 of the book of James. Until then, I pray that you and your families are blessed abundantly this Christmas and that you are able to share those blessings with those in need. Merry Christmas!

Verse-By-Verse Study - James 3: 6-10

2010-10-16T13:44:00.008-06:00

And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. - James 3:6-10 (NKJV)

A fellow blogger recently commented on how my verse-by-verse study of James has been missed. I guess I sometimes forget that there are people out there enjoying this blog and what it contains. I apologize for leaving this study to collect dust for so long. I am so thankful for Keary who prompted me to start this study up again. Thank you, Keary! I left off at verse 6 which continues to talk about the tongue.

We have many organs and body parts, but few are talked about so strongly in the Scripture as the tongue is. We read in verse 6 that "the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity" and that "it defiles the whole body." It "sets on fire the course of nature" and the tongue itself is "set on fire by hell." Wow! I don't know about you, but those words almost make me want to cut my tongue out. Why would God give my body such an instrument of evil?

I think the question I just asked could be asked regarding just about any part of our bodies or any object that we might find lying around. If I pick up a hammer, I can build a home with it for someone who is homeless. But with that same hammer I could also choose to hit someone over the head with it causing them pain, injury, or in the worst case - death.

I'm not trying to be morbid here. I am just trying to make a point about these verses. I think that James really wanted to hit home the severity of using our tongues in the wrong way. Imagine your tongue lit up from the fires of hell scorching everyone who comes near you. This may sound like an outlandish picture, but that is what can happen every time we choose to let the wrong words come out of our mouth. When we gossip, slander, lie, discourage, put down, or do any other number of evil actions with our words we are essentially burning the people around us and setting their course on a path straight to hell.

I don't mean to make it sound like we have the power to control people's destinies. Ultimately, only God (and each individual) has that power. However, our words can definitely be the difference between helping someone find God now or putting them through torment until someone else can reach them later on. And the sad part is that some people never completely recover from the words spoken to them by people. Many counselors spend day after day trying to comfort those whose parents told them they were worthless growing up. I am convinced that more damage is done each year by words than it is by physical abuse.

James goes on to talk about every creature on Earth and how it can be tamed but that the tongue can't be tamed by man. I think the key thing to note here is that "man" cannot tame the tongue. Adam had dominion over all the creatures of the Earth and each one answered to his call. However, the words of a serpent and of his wife led to his downfall.

The tongue has two sides. One side that is used to encourage and uplift. But the other side is vile and full of poison ready to destroy our fellow brothers and sisters. The quickest way to show hypocrisy is through the tongue as we praise our God in Heaven but then curse man who is made in God's image. We think we can draw close to God by singing praise songs to Him and by handing up prayers of Thanksgiving, but then we gossip and slander His beautiful creations and wonder why we don't feel God's presence.

James declares that this should not be happening. If we can't control our words on our own then what hope is there for us? Does Satan have us beat as he uses this organ of ours to unleash evil? Thankfully, we serve a God who gives us strength in every area, including the area of words. I find that as I pray to God and ask him for self control and for help taming my tongue that He grants my requests and helps me to want to encourage others with every sentence that I speak. This is not always an easy thing to do. I would be lying if I said that there aren't times where I want to tell someone off who makes me mad or I want to yell at someone who I think has treated me unfairly. However, it is during those times that I must remain silent. Better to put away your sword than to cut off the head of a person.

I would like to encourage you today to find someone to uplift today with your words. Not just someone you already like but someone who maybe hasn't been the easiest to love. Let them know that you are praying for them and that you care. Let's take these weapons of ours and use them to slay the enemy rather than each other.

God bless you all! Until next time, may God keep you as you continue on your journey towards Him.

Sometimes My Life Gets Hacked Just Like A Computer Game

2010-06-22T12:51:00.006-06:00

Leave it to me to relate serving God to a computer game, but it was bound to happen eventually. I used to play an online game with some college buddies. I won't name the game since I'm somewhat embarassed that I used to play it, but lets just say that it is the most popular massively multiplayer computer roleplaying game of all time. Anyways, after a long hiatus from this game, I decided to log into my account last night just to check on it and see how my dusty characters were doing. Lo and behold, I found out that I could no longer access my account.

This particular game allows you to go to an online database to view your characters, so I went and searched for mine to see what was up. I was shocked to see that someone else had been logging into my account and playing my characters while I was away. They changed my account password and locked me out of my account. They also deleted a number of my characters and stripped one of the characters armor off completely. It's kind of funny having me type all of this out and explain it. You would think that I was describing the story of the man who the Good Samaritan helped, the one who got robbed and stripped of his possessions. In reality, I'm describing a bunch of digital representations that I sadly put a lot of time into creating and growing in power. The account didn't mean that much to me since I no longer play the game, but I would be lying if I said that I didn't feel a bit wronged by having my personal digital property stolen like that.

Naturally, like most things that happen in my life, my mind begins to equate them to the spiritual. I started thinking about how we often times do the same thing to God that I did with my game account. Just as I stepped away from the game thinking I could come back later and find my characters sitting safely in my account, so have I found myself doing with God. I can step away and then come right back to God at anytime, right? What happens when we do this is we leave ourselves open for the enemy to come in and rob us blind. Just as I had no idea someone was pilfering my game items, we often find ourselves losing peace, joy, happiness, and other wonderful gifts that God provides without even realizing it's happening at first. We ask ourselves how the devil was able to come in and steal those things from us, and then we get smacked in the face with a reality check that reminds us how little time we have been spending with our Heavenly Father. We stick Him in a corner to collect dust hoping that He will be there whenever we return only to find that it becomes harder to re-establish that relationship each time we stray. Sure God will be there, but often times we find ourselves struggling to draw close to Him once again.

I have an e-mail into customer support to try and get my game account back. They may help me and they may not. Regardless of whether or not I get back my game account, I want to be sure to not let my relationship with God to grow complacent. I don't want my prayer life, worship life, and Bible reading life to go unattended thus allowing the enemy to come in and rob me of the blessings and gifts that God wants to bestow upon me.

I'd much rather lose a game than lose my relationship with my Heavenly Father. I'm sticking close to God and protecting the things that I hold dear to my heart. I hope you all desire to do the same. God bless!

The Lord My Shield

2010-05-12T08:01:00.002-06:00

He is my loving ally and my fortress, my tower of safety, my deliverer. He stands before me as a shield, and I take refuge in him. He subdues the nations under me. – Psalm 144:2 (NLT)

While reading Psalms 144 last night, the verse above stood out to me. In particular, the part I highlighted about God standing before me as a shield really caught my attention. I wanted to share with all of you what I feel God revealed to me through this verse.

We are all familiar with what a shield is. I think we have seen enough Hollywood action films to know about these pieces of armor wielded by warriors. I’m not one to rely on movies for historical knowledge or information, but I do think we can learn something from some of those battle scenes. Movies like Braveheart, Gladiator, Lord of the Rings, etc… All of them featured warriors wielding shields of one type or another. Some were round and some square. Some were made of wood and others of metal. Some were decorated with symbols and some were left plain. Regardless of how they looked, the shield provided one main function – to protect the warrior wielding it.

Shields could be used for other purposes as well, such as bashing the enemy in front of you, but its main purpose was not to damage but to protect from damage. A warrior relied on that shield to protect him from the numerous weapons of the enemy. Fiery arrows, sharp swords, and pointed spears were all examples of weapons that could be blocked by the protective power of a shield.

The purpose of the shield is obvious, but what isn’t always obvious is how to properly use a shield. If God is our shield, then why do we sometimes feel vulnerable and unprotected? Why it that the enemy’s fiery arrows sometime manage to hit us and wound us? God revealed to me some things about the shield this morning which I believe are quite powerful.

A shield must go before a warrior and not behind him. To receive proper protection from a shield, a warrior had to hold it to the front of his body. Most attacks came from the front, and had the warrior placed the shield behind his back or to his side, then he would find that he wasn’t receiving the proper protection. So it is with our walk with God. He may be our shield, but if we don’t put Him first in our life and allow him to go before us and take the lead, then we will find ourselves more susceptible to the attacks that Satan and his demons try to unleash on us.

A warrior must know how to properly use his shield. Most soldiers are trained before they enter combat. They are taught how to use their weapons properly in order to receive maximum benefit from them. I am not trying to compare God to a weapon, but the truth is that He wants to protect us from harm and fight our battles for us and alongside us. However, if we don’t tap into our training (which is God’s Word), then we will have no clue how to fight when the enemy approaches. We will give up and throw in the towel, letting the enemy stomp all over us and beat us down. I know firsthand what this is like, as I have struggled with depression, anxiety, and fear. I have let Satan capture me rather than fighting back, because I didn’t know how to fight back. God’s word equips us with what we need. No wonder it is called the “Sword of the Spirit.” We have all read the scriptures about the armor of God, but how many of us put that armor on daily?

David was not just a king but also a soldier. He fought many physical battles along with the spiritual battles, so it makes sense that in his writings David would reference things such as shields, swords, fortresses, strong towers, etc… He was relating his God to the things that were familiar to him on the battlefield. He knew that a physical sword and shield alone were not enough to save him. He knew that the physical wall of a fortress could be broken down, but that his God could never be defeated. He put his trust in God and relied on him to help him win his battles.

I hope I have made sense with this posting. I just wanted to share what God had revealed to me regarding this verse in the Psalms. I have to work daily to put my complete trust in God and let him go before me as my shield and protection.

Thank you Lord for protecting me.

Thank you Lord for fighting my battles for me.

Thank you Lord for being my refuge in times of trouble.

I am married!

2010-04-06T06:31:00.003-06:00

Don't let this post's title deceive you. I am not on my honeymoon blogging. LOL. I have actually been married for over two weeks now (my wedding was March 20th). I must say that married life has been wonderful so far. Being able to go to sleep and wake up next to the love of your life is a beautiful thing. It reminds me of all the nights we had to say goodbye to each other and how painful they were. Now, I can look back and appreciate having my wife close.

I'll admit that I am having a bit of a struggle balancing life's tasks now that I'm married, but if the truth be told, I had a hard time doing that before I tied the knot. It just seems like there aren't enough hours in the day to do everything I want to do. My heart continues to crave getting back into blogging and writing again, and I am hoping to be able to at least post here on Just Joshing more often than I have been doing.

Regardless of the challenges, I am so relieved and blessed to finally be married to the woman of my dreams. I look forward to being able to share stories from my marriage with others and be able to look back and see where God has taken us together as a couple. I want to thank everyone who has prayed for me and supported me during this very special time in my life.

God bless!

I Serve A Beautiful God Who Blesses

2010-03-19T21:34:00.003-06:00

Rarely do I blog nowadays, because my life has been so busy lately. Writing has definitely taken a backseat right now to life's other obligations. However, I feel like it is important to mention why I have been out of touch with the blogging scene.

I AM GETTING MARRIED TOMORROW!

There you go! That's why! I am so very excited! Most of my friends from FaithWriters have been following my countdown on Facebook and are aware of my big day tomorrow. A wedding is exciting for everyone, but most don't realize what significance this day has for me. No one was there to feel my anguish when I would lay in my bed or on the couch in my apartment literally crying out to God for a mate. No one was there to see my pain when I would see other couples holding hands or sharing a peck on the lips and wishing that were me giving and receiving that affection. It's hard to describe unless you have been there. I never thought there would be a woman who who would love me enough to want to spend the rest of their life with me.

But then God sent me Jamie...

And now my life is less empty as I prepare to become one with her tomorrow in front of our family and friends. One thing I understand is that marriage is not meant to be the end all solution to loneliness. There are many who would attest to the fact that you can feel very lonely even within a marriage. However, I also realize that marriage is meant to bring two people closer to each other and to God, and as you draw closer to God, that loneliness you have felt will begin to fade as He wraps you tightly in his arms of love. Tomorrow I join together with my helpmate - the one who will stand together with me and help me draw closer to God. I will help her do the same. My goal is to serve her and sacrifice for her just as Christ did for all of mankind. What a beautiful opportunity He has given to me to be able to share the love He has given to me with such a beautiful creation. Jamie truly is beautiful and deserving of that love.

I could go on and on, but for the sake of not making this post too long, I want to end this by saying that God knows our needs and our desires. He will give to us blessings if we seek Him and give Him control of our lives. I am proof of that. Whether it is a spouse or something else, whatever it is that you long for, seek God on it. As long as it is within reason and something that will allow you to grow in your relationship with Him, then He will give it to you.

Thank you all for supporting me during this special time in my life.

25 Days!

2010-02-24T09:22:00.002-07:00

Only 25 days until my dream of becoming a married man comes true! I am ecstatic about the whole thing. I am also nervous about the new challenges it will bring into my life, but I know that none of the challenges are beyond God's ability to control. Jamie and I are both adamant about making sure that we keep God at the center of our relationship, and so I know things will work out.

I still find myself trying to adjust to the idea of being with another person. That might sound funny considering that I have been in this relationship for a little over a year now, but it's different when you are looking at soon living with someone else. I am tyring to get rid of some of my bachelor ways of thinking, and remember that finances, time, and everything else needs to be properly balanced and that I am going to have to consult her regarding decisions before I make them.

I am more than happy to make these adjustments, because I have wanted this for so many years. Looking back at some of my early writings, I see how far I have come. No longer am I that lonely computer geek writing about all my relationship troubles. Now I am with the woman of my dreams, and I'm embarking on a new chapter of my life. Praise God for providing me a helpmate.

That's all I really have to say right now. I'm just thinking and typing out my thoughts while work is slow. I pray that all of you are experiencing God's providence and blessing in your lives as well.

Steady Progression

2010-01-25T06:32:00.002-07:00

I'm not a big fan of moving, but I finally got my stuff moved to the same city as my fiance. It is a relief to know that all of my stuff is now in one location and that I am one step closer to getting married.

It's so funny looking back at my life and seeing how things have evolved. I'm not talking me starting off as an ape and slowly turning into a man (though some would argue that happened. hehe). I'm talking about how God has transformed my life into something so much different and amazing than what I could have ever expected to receive. I never thought I would have the opportunity to become a married man, and yet God decided to bless me with that opportunity. I never thought I would have a good job, and yet God has blessed me with several along the way.

I'm just thankful today for the progression. I'm thankful for God and His ability to make our wildest dreams come true. I'm thankful for His ability to block those things that we might try to step into that could be harmful and His choice to instead replace those things with things that will bring us joy and life.

Rest in Him this week. He loves you.

A Servant's Prayer

2010-01-22T06:01:00.003-07:00

Here is my prayer for today. Feel free to pray along as you read if you would like.

God,

Here I am. I am but a tiny creation in your massive universe, and yet you value me highly. So highly in fact, that you came to this Earth to die for me. You paid the price for me. How can I ever repay that Lord? I can't. There is no way that the debt you cleared could ever be reimbursed by anything I do. But I can choose to serve you with my whole heart. I can choose to let my will be bent and broken and replaced with your desires for me. Father, I need you to guide me. I need your footsteps to be my footsteps each and every day. I pray that I will not let my thoughts or perceptions of how my life should be interfere with the grand plan that you have for my life. Every moment of every day I want my lips to speak of the blessings and wonderful things that you are doing and have already done in my life. I want to give thanks for all things big and small. Let me seek you. Let me praise you. Let me love you as much as you have loved me. Forgive me for when I have grumbled and complained. Forgive me for when I have taken you and your works for granted. Let me humble myself. Let me be a servant. Let me heed your commands and do as you say. I ask this in your very precious name.

Amen

My Surrender Story On The Surrendered Scribe

2010-01-07T06:24:00.003-07:00

Julie Arduini is a FaithWriter friend of mine who is always using her blog to not only feature her own writing but also the writings of others. She was kind enough to post my story of surrender, and I am happy to provide a link to all of you. The post can be read here:

Wrestling With God Eventually Translates Into A Surrender

While you are there, I highly recommend you subscribe and bookmark Julie's blog, because she posts a lot of great writing of her own and has been an encouragement to me numerous times. Thank you Julie for letting me share my story with your readers today.

2009 Year of Change, 2010 Year of Growth

2010-01-01T08:34:00.002-07:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I pray that each and every one of my blog readers has an amazing 2010 and that all of them manage to accomplish those new years resolutions that they have set for themselves.

What can I say about 2009? It was a year of change for me. New job, new location, and a new girl. The change continues this year as I switch jobs and locations again. However, I see 2010 being something more than just big changes in my life. At church the pastor is talking about how this is going to be a year of growth, and I see where that is already starting to take place in my life. I am growing spiritually as God reveals new things to me. The people around me are growing in numbers as I get involved in church activities and other social gatherings. My family will be growing as I take my fiance's hand in marriage in March. So much is happening, and I must say that I am excited to see what God does in my life and the lives of other people.

I hope to keep my blog updated with some of these growth experiences as they take place. I am praying for all of you to experience growth as well. I want each and every person to experience God's move in their lives and see themselves stepping out of mundane routines and into fresh things that glorify the Lord and bring honor to His name.

May 2010 bring lots of growth and blessing to each and everyone of you.

In The Ring With God

2009-12-09T07:21:00.003-07:00

As a child, I loved WWF wrestling. I knew it was fake, but for some reason I still enjoyed watching two, steroid filled men toss each other back and forth inside a ring.

This past week, I have felt like I have been in a wrestling match. My opponent? Well I wouldn't say He is my opponent. I would say that He is my God. I haven't intentionally wanted to wrestle with Him, but that's what I have been doing. And this wrestling isn't at all fake. It is very real and filled with lots of emotion and even a bit of pain.

My post yesterday describes part of this battle that I have been debating back and forth with my Heavenly Father. I am much like that man who Jesus spoke to. I really hate giving up my financial security in pursuit of a higher calling. It's nice being able to sit comfortably in my little bubble and just let that monthly paycheck get me by. Having to budget and get strict with the finances is a tough idea to swallow. However, every single excuse I use to try and forward my case gets countered by God. It's as if I'm running at Him in the ring and then I get clotheslined. It's not a bad thing though. It's a much needed, albeit painful process.

Josh: "God, it makes no sense to give up my financial security when I want to be a provider for my future family."

God: "Who is doing the providing here, Josh? Is it you or me?"

Josh: "Why should I have to give up all that I have worked so hard for?"

God: "Why shouldn't you? What makes your duty of sacrifice any less important or needed than anyone elses?"

Josh: "Why are you stripping away everything good that You have given to me God?"

God: "Because it is distracting you and making you rely on yourself and not me. I want to strip away the monetary so that I can increase the spiritual in your life, Josh. Besides, you are gaining a wife and a new life in the process."

Josh: "I feel like Job right now."

God: "Job lost a lot more than you are losing, and everything he lost I returned in a greater amount to him because he chose to serve me regardless of his situation."

As you can see from some of my internal dialogue with God, He is an opponent that you don't want to have to face, because you will lose everytime. Instead of opposing Him, it's much better to team up with Him. Tag teaming with God against the devil and his demons is the way to go.

I still don't have clear answers about what I need to be doing with my job situation and the opportunities that are opening before me, but God came over me this morning while I lay in bed with a bad attitude. The Holy Spirit fell on me, and I began speaking in tongues. This is an experience that hasn't happened to me for a while, so I know that God was speaking to me this morning, and what He showed me is what this blog post is really about. I recently blogged about the sacrifices of Cain and Abel, and how it was Abel's sacrifice done with faith that was pleasing to God. If I am to make this sacrifice, then I must make it with a faith that relies on God to provide. otherwise, I am just going to regret my decision and bring forth an unacceptable offering to my Lord.

Be encouraged today to not wrestle and argue with God, but instead let Him strip away all uneeded things in your life so that He can replenish them with the much needed spiritual things. And if you have the time, please pray for me that I can do the same. I'm not completely out of this struggle yet, but I know it will have a happy ending if I stay the course. Thank you for reading this.

And Then Jesus Asked "Will You Give It All Up?"

2009-12-08T07:35:00.002-07:00

"There is still one thing you lack," Jesus said. "Sell all you have and give the
money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
- Luke 18:22 (NLT)

I had absolutely no idea that I would be blogging about this scripture today. I've read it time and time again. A rich man comes to Jesus wanting to know how to receive eternal life. The man has followed all of the laws and commandments laid out before him, except for one. Jesus tells him to sell all he has and give to the poor. For the longest time, I had no pity on this man. I always felt like he was selfish and didn't deserve to make heaven his home...until now.

I find myself in a modern day version of this story, and I now understand this man's struggle. I have an awesome job that I love with great benefits and great people. I have a good paycheck and a little bit of job security in an uncertain job market. But I was recently presented with an opportunity, and that opportunity is testing my faith and my heart to the max.

A friend of Jamie's (who is also now my friend) works at Compassion International, and he gave me a reference to a contract position that is open with the company. For those of you who don't know about Compassion, they are an awesome non-profit organization based out of Colorado Springs who help poverty stricken children worldwide. They provide them food, clothing, education, and share the Gospel with them. I have sponsored a teenage boy in India for over two years now with Compassion. So when the chance to maybe have a shot at an interview with them came up, I was thrilled. If I could take my computer skills and talents that God has blessed me with and use them to further an organization with a mission like Compassion's, then why would I refuse?

Well turns out that there are some catches involved. Because the position is a contract position, it would mean a huge cut in pay as well as losing ALL of my benefits. I would not be on Compassion's payroll. I would be on the payroll of an IT staffing agency who would pay me my hourly rate, and everything else would be out of my pocket. That includes 401K, health insurance, and forget about vacation time. I don't get any hours for time off.

Suddenly, I feel like I am that man who wants to go where God leads me, and yet I am letting my wealth stand in my way. However, there is good news to my story. I am going to take the interview if offered to me. I have no guarantee that I will get the job (or even an interview), but either way, I will know if this is God leading me if I do get an interview and a job offer. Jamie is worth more to me than money, and serving others through my work is more precious than gold. I know that God can (and will) provide if this truly is a door that He has opened. If Compassion did end up liking me, then I could possibly be hired on full time and then maybe have a few more benefits than I would have upfront. If they chose to let me go after several months, then I know God would still provide another opportunity.

This is a huge leap of faith for me, and I appreciate all of the prayers and support from my blog readers. Making a decision like this makes me look insane to the world, but if I am following the leading of my Lord, then what do I have to worry about? The righteous have never been forsaken, and their seed have never been left begging for bread. I am just going to take things one day at a time, and if I am approached by Jesus and asked to give it all up to follow Him and gain eternal life in heaven, then I will have to do it no matter how tough that decision may be.

Thank you guys for letting me write out my thoughts. Sometimes I feel like this is a journal of sorts for me, except that I love sharing my journal with all of you so that you too can be encouraged to not let the things of this world hold you back from what God is calling you to do.

Blessings to all of you.

Lessons From The World's First Sibling Rivalry

2009-11-15T07:45:00.006-07:00

I've been doing a lot of studying in the Bible lately, and I have been taking lots of notes. I wanted to take my notes from a couple weeks back and do a little post talking about what I learned. Sometimes when you open up God's Word, you don't know where it's going to take you or what it is going to reveal to you. This is one of those unexpected lessons.

I remember trying to decide what I was going to study, and somehow I ended up in the book of Genesis reading the following verses:

At harvesttime Cain brought to the Lord a gift of his farm produce, while Abel
brought several choice lambs from the best of his flock. The Lord accepted Abel
and his offering, but he did not accept Cain and his offering. This made Cain
very angry and dejected. Genesis 4:3-5 (NLT)

After reading this, I asked myself why Cain's offering would be rejected. After all, Cain was a farmer, so giving produce seemed like a valid offering. Able was the shepherd, so naturally you would expect him to give a sheep. Of course when you read these scriptures closely, you notice that it says that Abel gave the best of what he had, and no where does it say that Cain gave his best. I wanted to probe further though to see if there was more to this. Perhaps it is the Sherlock Holmes in me that wants deeper answers to the simple clues given to me. Some of those answers came by reading the following scriptures:

It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain
did. God accepted Abel's offering to show that he was a righteous man. And
although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us because of his faith.
Hebrews 11:4 (NLT)

This verse shed some new light on the whole Cain and Abel sibling rivalry. Faith...what did faith have to do with bringing a more acceptable offering to God? Suddenly I had more questions than I had answers, but that didn't stop me from pondering this thought and digging deeper. I realized what God was beginning to show me. Could it be that it wasn't Abel's offering as much as it was his belief in God that made him acceptable to the Father? No where does it say in Genesis that these two men had sinned, therefore I don't believe that a blood sacrifice was required. These were offerings of worship. Perhaps this wasn't a debate of vegetables vs. meat. Perhaps it was a debate of belief in God vs. unbelief, reverence vs. lack of reverence. Where was Cain's heart when he gave his sacrifice? Was it in a place that was acceptable to God? I think the following scripture continues to reveal to us what really took place between these two brothers.

We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother.
And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his
brother had been doing what was right. 1 John 3:12 (NLT)

Apparently Cain had a history of evil that was not talked about in Genesis. But we get little hints. I mean the fact that his offering was unacceptable to God tells us that this was more than just God not wanting to eat his veggies. God penetrated the heart of Cain. He saw the evil inside him. He saw what he was capable of doing and what he was going to do. Murder was in his heart. Hatred and jealousy consumed him. This was not just a humble farmer who didn't have an acceptable offering to give. This was a man who made a choice to not serve the one true God, and therefore had no faith in the one who had breathed life into him and allowed him to walk on the Earth. Just as his parents Adam and Eve had chose to listen to the serpent's hiss, so did Cain choose to listen to the lies of the Enemy. God tried to warn Cain if we look back at Genesis:

Why are you so angry?" the Lord asked him. "Why do you look so dejected? You
will be accepted if you respond in the right way. But if you refuse to
respond correctly, then watch out! Sin is waiting to attack and destroy you,
and you must subdue it." Genesis 4:6-7 (NLT)

It would have been nice if Cain had heeded this warning from God and fought back against the evil that prodded at his heart. Unfortunately, we know that this story ends with the bloodshed of an innocent man who loved God.

Thankfully, Abel's death was not in vain. Digging into this story has taught me some important lessons. God wants our very best, and the best of what we have to offer Him can only come directly from our hearts. If we do not have a personal relationship with God and do not give what we have out of faith, then what we have to offer is no more acceptable than anything the rest of the world might give. It's all about our heart and where it is directed. Abel gave from his heart with love and reverence for the God who had created him. Cain gave but with evil in his heart and no true relationship with the Father. This is what caused his offering to be rejected.

Heavenly Father, my prayer today is that you guide each one of your people to make sacrifices that are acceptable and holy in your sight. I ask that you cleanse each one of us and take away any evil junk that might be in our hearts. Let us give out of reverence and faith. Let us show you through our decisions that we make that we do love you and care about your laws and commandments. Bless each one who takes the time to read this blog and grab hold of your Word that you so graciously give to us. Let us absorb your truth and carry it with us each and every day. I ask this in your most precious name, Amen.

Ultimate Freedom

2009-10-11T19:06:00.007-06:00

For you have been called to live in freedom - not freedom to satisfy your sinful nature, but freedom to serve one another in love. Galatians 5:13 (NLT)

After scraping an inch of ice off my car earlier and driving back home, I began praising and thanking God. Tears of joy ran down my cheeks and I began laughing a deep belly laugh. It was the joy of the Lord overtaking me, and it's an amazing feeling that I hope everyone gets to experience over and over in their lives.

Once I got home and sat my stuff down, I decided that I needed to open my Bible and see what word God would give to me tonight. I began reading in Galatians chapter 5, and the above verse really stuck out to me.

Americans know what the term "freedom" means. We pride ourselves on being the most free country in the world, and while I am afraid that we are losing some of that freedom, we still have much more of it than most other countries do. We boast about our founding fathers and how they fought for the rights that we have today. But what about the freedom that Paul speaks of in Galatians? Is this freedom all about stars and stripes, or is there something different and exciting about this kind of freedom?

Paul speaks of the freedom that was given to us one day as an innocent man - the Son Of God hung on a tree for our sins. At that moment, the old laws had been replaced by a newfound grace and forgiveness that none had experienced before. It is that same grace and forgiveness that we possess today as believers in Jesus Christ.

So what does this freedom entitle us to? Well Paul decides to start off by telling us what it DOESN'T entitle us to. He says that this is not freedom to satisfy our sinful nature. Sorry folks, but Jesus didn't die so that we all could have a license to sin. The freedom given is a freedom to serve one another in love. Notice the keyword SERVE in that sentence. In a world that is self centered and all about fulfilling our own fleshly wants and desires, Paul is saying that we have freedom to think outside of ourselves and serve other people. Show love to them. Let them know how much we care. I don't know about you, but often times I forget what a privilege it is to be able to serve others and to show them the love of Jesus. Loving our neighbors as ourselves is the very thing that Jesus said sums up all of the laws. So essentially this newfound freedom we have been given is a freedom to fulfill the laws and at the same time have a positive impact on others around us.

I'm proud to be free to serve God, serve others, and show love to all that I come in contact with. Let's celebrate this freedom together and go out there and do something with it. Blessings to all of you on this Sunday evening.

Moving Again...

2009-10-04T20:34:00.002-06:00

It seems like I never stay in one place for very long. The year lease at my apartment will be up soon, and it looks like I am going to move a bit closer to my work. Right now I am 25 miles from work, so I end up driving 50 miles a day to work. That doesn't include the weekend trips I make to see Jamie that are 300 miles roundtrip. Moving closer will definitely save me a lot of money on gasoline.

I also live in a very nice but very pricey apartment, and so I am going to save a ton on rent too. I'd like to buy a house someday, but until God shows me where I am settling down, I have to just keep renting. It's funny how God has worked in my life. I lived in the same town for 26 years, and now I am moving twice in less than two years. I guess when God is ready to move you then He does it.

I just want to remain faithful to what He is calling me to do, and I pray that I will continue to go wherever He leads me. I just don't like the hassle of moving, but I'll cope.

Ok. I'm done ranting on my blog tonight. Have a wonderful evening everyone!

My Son Kevin

2009-10-04T20:22:00.002-06:00

Lately I haven't had much inspiration to write stories, so my blog has been a welcome alternative to feed my writing addiction until the creativity comes back.

I'd like to talk a little bit about my child. Jamie named him "Kevin" and the name seems appropriate considering that it starts with a K. My child is literally a pain in the butt sometimes and a pain in my back too. Sometimes he frustrates me and causes me to take prescription medication in order to cope with him. Other times he leaves me alone, and I am thankful for the little bit of rest that I get when he isn't busy pounding on me.

I am forced to take him to work tomorrow, and I really don't want to because I know my co-workers are going to ask if he is still around, and sadly I will have to say yes. I would be happy to give him up for adoption. I know there is a doctor that would happily take him so that he can study him closely and run tests on him.

Unfortunately, I can't turn him over until he comes out, and I haven't yet birthed him. So I guess Kevin the Kindey Stone will be sticking around for a while until one day he decides to enter this world. At that time I will cry tears of joy, not because I became a father, but because I finally lost a son. Is that wrong of me? Am I a terrible parent? LOL.

I'm looking forward to when Jamie and I can have some real children, and then maybe I can help coach her through the process. At least then we'll have something wonderful to show for all of the pain she will go through and for all of the medical bills that we'll receive.

I'm Stoned

2009-10-01T04:48:00.004-06:00

Most of you probably know by now that I have a kidney stone trying to pass its way down my right ureter. I tried to avoid emergency room care because of the cost, but Tuesday night I ended up having to go there and get medication for the pain because it was so bad.

What I think is funny about the whole thing is that I have had 5 different women (who didn't know each other) tell me that they have had both children and kidney stones before. They said they would rather birth another child than have to pass another kidney stone. LOL. I knew this pain was horrific, but I wasn't aware that it was that bad.

One good thing to come out of this is that I have been coming up with a lot of stone related jokes to go with my condition. Things like:

I am not "without fault" but I want to cast the first stone.

People have always told me that I have rocks in my head, but they must have migrated to my kidneys.

I also thought that maybe once I pass it then I could get a nice setting for it and give it to Jamie as a birthday present. Ok. That just made me sick thinking about doing that, so maybe I'll "pass" that idea. LOL. There is so much untapped humorous material that comes with a kidney stone.

People told me that eating too many bowls of Fruity Pebbles for breakfast wasn't good for me, and they were right. This is what I get for wishing that I had a Pet Rock again. I just hope that it leaves my body by next week, because this medicine I am taking for the pain sure makes me feel "stoned." LOL. I could go on and on...

I'm sure I won't be laughing so much once the medical bills arrive in my mailbox, but I have to have fun with it while I can. I would not wish this condition on even my worst enemy. It is painful for sure, but it will allow me to have more sympathy on Jamie when she is birthing our little ones someday. I can see myself in the delivery room...

"Come on babe! Push that stone...I mean baby on out! You can do it!"

Speaking of babies, my property manager at my apartments told me that she would give me a Cabbage Patch Kid so that I could have something to show for my birthing experience. While that would be cool, I'd rather just have my stomach shrink once I'm out of labor. Is that too much to ask for? :)

My #1 and My #2

2009-09-28T12:02:00.001-06:00

I hope you all don’t mind, but I’m going to ramble a little bit on my blog today about two wonderful figures in my life. There are a ton of awesome people who have greatly helped me in my spiritual walk, but I feel led to talk about these two people in particular right now, since they have been on my mind today.

The first person is actually much more than just a person. I don’t think the word person even begins to describe Him. He is my father, my friend, my mentor, my shelter, my counselor, my foundations, and I could go on and on… Yes you know who He is, and I have bragged on him many times before, but I want to brag even more about Jesus Christ…God…my Heavenly Father.

I was saved at a young age, so it may seem like I don’t have much of a testimony to give. After all, don’t you have to grow up lost in order to be able to share how you found Him (or more accurately, how He found you?). Well the truth of the matter is, I was lost, and I still would be lost if Jesus hadn’t been a part of my life. Sure I grew up hearing The Bible stories told to me. I grew up singing Jesus Loves me. But that didn’t make me “saved,” nor did it save my life. It wasn’t until I matured and realized that there was a God out there who loved me more than anything that my life finally began to transform. I started seeing how God desired a much deeper, more intimate relationship than what I was giving Him, and that is what drew me closer to Him. Since then I have had my down times. However, I am finding myself drawing closer to Him once again and re-discovering that deep love that I had first encountered as a teenager.

God has blessed me so much, and without Him, I wouldn’t be able to brag on this next person in my life. It’s not until you are 27 years old and still without a companion that you can fully begin to appreciate it when God sends you someone so special, so perfect for you, that you couldn’t have found that person yourself if you had searched every corner of the Earth. Jamie is that special person in my life, and I thank God every single day for putting her there by my side. Things haven’t been easy for us. They still aren’t easy. But through every struggle we have faced in these nine short months of knowing each other, we have found ourselves drawing closer to each other and to God. I can’t wait until she becomes my bride and we can start a family together. It gives me hope and keeps me excited about what lies ahead.

God and Jamie. Both are very different, and yet both are very important to me. God is my #1. He is who I live for. He is who I seek to please. Jamie is my #2. She is the companion God sent to me to assist me in my spiritual walk, and I seek to love her just as Christ loved the church. I am thankful for both of them, and I just wanted to share this thanksgiving that fills my heart today. Thank you for letting me ramble.

Just Kidding

2009-09-27T16:49:00.001-06:00

Well the blood is back, so it likes like I was just kidding about it being gone. However, I was not kidding about God healing, and I know he'll heal me somehow. Going to go back to the doctor as soon as possible and see what else could be the issue. Thanks for any prayers you can give at this time.

God Still Heals

2009-09-26T15:55:00.002-06:00

I have heard many people ask the question "Why doesn't God still heal like He did back in the Bible times?" Or "Why isn't Jesus here to touch me right now and heal me like He did all those people in the Four Gospels?"

Well I know that God still heals even today, and I have the praise report to prove it. In my last post, I mentioned how I was seeking medical attention for a problem. To make a long story short, I started having blood in my urine on Thursday evening. This really scared me, because I have never really had any internal bleeding like this before. I went to the doctor and found out that it was an inflamed prostate. My first reaction was "What am I like 40 years old or something? How could this be happening to me already?" Well my dad has a long history of prostate problems, so perhaps some of it could be genetics passed down to me.

Anyways, I won't go into the details of what the doctor did to this old man. I'm sure most everyone reading this can guess what the routine was. LOL. He gave me two medications and told me to call him today if the blood and burning did not go away. I am strapped for cash right now, so the last thing I wanted was a long string of doctor's bills and expensive prescriptions. My work health insurance stinks.

I've been reading the Book of Acts, and while I was laying in bed last night praying, I thought about Peter and John at the Gate Called Beautiful. I think about how the crippled man was healed through Peter in JESUS NAME. It wasn't Peter's doing, but he did take the authority he had been given by Christ before He ascended back into Heaven and used it to heal this man. Well I laid hands on myself and claimed healing in the name of Jesus. I still had blood one time after praying, but the second time after my urine had cleared up somewhat and continues to get clearer.

I know this is a funky subject to be talking about on my public blog, but I needed to say all of this to my readers. Why? Because I want people to know that the power of Jesus Christ is still alive and well today, and we as believers need to be open to letting God use our faith to see miracles take place. No, not everyone gets healed just by claiming a healing. But speaking forth healing and positive words into our lvies has never hurt anyone either. If nothing else, it gives us a hope to keep on pressing on no matter what difficulties we may face.

I am thankful that God healed me and rmeinded me of that story in the Book of Acts. I'm thankful that I can share this testimony and praise report with all of you. I am also thankful for all the prayers that have gone up for me by all of you. They too played a huge part in seeing my circumstances change for the better. I am sure that just about everyone who reads my blog can list a bunch of these wonderful moments where God heard a prayer and answered it.

Be encouraged today. He's alive and on the throne.

Needing Medical Attention

2009-09-25T05:41:00.004-06:00

I've sure been on a roll blogging, haven't I?

It's amazing how God has freed up my mind to allow me to once again post my thoughts here. However, a couple of days ago I started having some health issues that I am now trying to get taken care of. I went to the doctor, but I'm waiting to see if the medicine he gave to me clears up the problem. Please pray for me that not only does the condition get fixed, but also that I will somehow have the finances to pay for it all. The job I have now pays a lot better than my previous job, but the health insurance is terrible. I have a $3,000 deductible before they will begin paying anything, and I really don't have $3,000 extra to spend. Everything a doctor does costs a fortune, but I can't afford to let this problem go unattended as it could worsen if I don't take action now. Please don't worry about me, as I don't believe it is anything serious at this point. Perhaps I will share more later when I have the chance.

Thank you all for your prayers during this time. I love all of you.

Good Things Happen When You Spend Time With Him

2009-09-23T08:34:00.003-06:00

This morning I am reflecting on how much good it has been doing me to dig into God's Word and pray. I've really been trying to draw closer to Him again and rely solely on Him to satisfy me and make me whole. I still have my tough times and my times where faith just wants to run away, but I'm mustering up all the strength I can get and just holding on tight for the ride.

I am reminded of how much better every aspect of life is when you are in tune with God and have the Holy Spirit leading and guiding you. It's not just my spiritual walk that is increasing once again, but other areas of my life that I thought had died are coming back alive.

My one of my dear Aussie friends from FaithWriters e-mailed me and asked if I would like to collaborate on a book with him. He has been trying to get me back into writing, and he has been a great encourager during this dry spell I am going through. I wrote the first chapter last night, and then passed it on to him to write the second. Neither of us is sure where the story will go, but it is exciting to see that small spark of inspiration inside of me once again. I credit it all to God and the blessings He is pouring out on me as I continue to seek Him each and every day.

When you give God time, you will find that all areas of your life start to come together nicely. That doesn't mean that the struggles aren't still going to be there, but you will find that they are a bit easier to deal with when you are nuzzled up next to God and letting Him hold you in His arms.

Just my simple thought of the day for what it is worth. I hope that everyone reading this is happy and encouraged by God. If any of you have prayer requests, feel free to let me know and I would be glad to pray for you.

No One Is Immune To Struggles

2009-09-22T07:25:00.003-06:00

During this time of drawing closer to God, I've been reading various parts of the Bible. I tend to jump around a lot, because I like to get a good mix of the Old Testament books along with the New. Right now I've been reading the Book of Acts, and I wanted to share a few things that stood out to me while exploring this book.

I try to picture myself living during the time period where Jesus walked the Earth preaching and teaching. I picture the crucifixion to be a very brutal event, and the resurrection to be a very exciting and jaw-dropping event for those few who witnessed it. I guess the one misconception that I have had (and maybe others have too) is that after Jesus arose on the third day, and then ascended into Heaven shortly thereafter, that suddenly everything was right in the world for a while. You know, suddenly the dark clouds rolled away and bright blue sky could be seen everywhere. Flowers magically grew again and deer pranced around everywhere while little bunnies followed closely behind them. Rainbows crossed the skies while the songs of angels could be heard softly in the background.

I may be exaggerating a bit, but I'll admit that I kind of thought this was how it was. That after Jesus made the sacrifice, everything became perfect for a while and everyone suddenly believed He was the Messiah they had been waiting for. Unfortunately, this wasn't the case. The Apostles such as Peter, John, and the others left on Earth still continued to struggled. There were still those who doubted. There were still those who persecuted them for speaking the name of Jesus. Several times throughout the book of Acts, Peter and John were arrested or threatened to be arrested if they continued to proclaim the name of Jesus, and yet neither would back down.

The point I'm trying to make here is that we are not alone in our struggles. We hear a lot of people talking about the "end times," and I do believe that we are getting very close to the return of Jesus. I don't know if it will happen in my lifetime, but I believe it is soon. However, living in the end times doesn't mean that we have it so much worse than anyone else before us. All have struggled. From the beginning of time when Adam and Eve fell, we have since had to face hardships. I personally think that the time right after Jesus ascended into Heaven would have been one of the hardest times to live. People were jailed, tortured, and brutally killed for claiming the name of Jesus. If we feel like we are under attack now as Christians, we need to remember that there are many before us who died claiming the same great message that we now carry.

I don't say any of this as a way to be negative or present gloom and doom. I personally take comfort in knowing that I am not alone in my struggle to serve Christ each and every day. And I rejoice in knowing that the same God who has had His protective hand on generations past now covers me. I am also happy that the same miracle working power that was demonstrated in the Book of Acts still exists today, and that I possess it. You possess it!

The Apostles weren't immune to struggles and neither are any of us, but we have the privilege and the honor of reading about what they did so many years ago and then going out and doing the same things for our world today. May God comfort you in times of struggle and give you the power to reach the lost and hurting. Blessings to all of you!

New Covenant Encouragement

2009-09-21T07:28:00.005-06:00

"...And I will forgive their wickedness and will never again remember their sins." - Jeremiah 31:34 (NLT)

Yesterday I was following along with a great Internet broadcast. The pastor speaking on the broadcast was speaking on Christianity and the old vs. the new. The study focused on Jeremiah 34 and the New Covenant that God gave to his people. As I was listening and following along in my Bible, one part of this covenant really stood out to me, and it is the portion of verse 34 that you see listed at the beginning of this post.

One of the things I have been struggling with lately is remember that God has given me grace to help me along my spiritual journey when I do accidentally stumble and fall. One thing that has kept me distant from God is thinking that He is angry at me for all of my mistakes.

Remember when you were a kid and you did something wrong? Wasn't your first instinct to run and hide from your parents? You didn't stop and think "Hey, I should just go explain the situation to mom and dad and make it right with them." No. Our first instinct is to run and hide for fear of punishment and for shame of doing what we know was wrong.

That's exactly the place I have been in and didn't realize it. I have been living under the law, feeling like my every move is being scrutinized and that if I mess up once, there is no going to my Father to make things right. I get to where I feel like I can't pray to Him because of my mistakes. This is very silly thinking, and it isn't thinking that I have always had. I think within the last couple of years I started replacing my clear image of God and who He is with a distorted one. I no longer saw the grace that was there but all I could see is guilt and shame that I didn't think could be wiped away.

Yesterday, verse 34 reminded me that I am not under the law. God has established a New Covenant with his people through Jesus Christ, and this Covenant brings many wonderful benefits along with it, one of those being forgiveness.

This Internet radio study discussed how in the old law everything was external. Men wore the ten commandments over their eyes so that they would not forget them. The laws were written on their hands as reminders to what God required them to do. Sin was forgiven through a lengthy process involving sacrifice. God broke the conditional Old Covenant with the Israelites who wandered in the desert for fourty years and established this New Covenant that is binding and cannot be broken. This Covenant is not external but internal. It is written on our hearts and provides a way for us to have a close relationship with God. Here are the things that God says He will do regarding the New Covenant in Jeremiah 34:

"I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts" (v. 33)

"I will be their God, and they will be my people." (v. 33)

"...And I will forgive their wickedness and will never again remember their sins." (v. 34)

"...I will not consider casting them away forever for their sins." (v. 37)

I don't know about you, but these promises encoruagement me. Mianly because I know that when God makes a promise, He will never break it. These promises are for a lifetime. This study helped free me up from my insecurities that I was having regarding my mistakes. No, I don't see this Covenant as a license to sin. I realize that God's laws are still very much in place, and we are still required to follow them and obey everything that God commanded us. However, we have the freedom of knowing that when we do screw up, He is there waiting to erase the mistakes and give us another chance to press forward.

Praise God for His New Covenant! Praise God for His unfailing love!

If you wish to listen to the study that I referred to in this posting, you can do so by visiting, Strength For The Journey. This is a three part study that truly blessed me, and I hope it blesses you as well.

Is my name Josh or Jonah?

2009-09-20T08:51:00.002-06:00

After a long discussion with my fiance last night, I began to fully realize something that God had been trying to show me for a while now. I expressed to her my frustrations with us not being able to get married at this time and how I felt like I was partially to blame for this.

As the conversation continued, I began to express how I had felt disconnected from God. When I was in high school and even my first couple years of college, I felt extremely close to God. As graduation approached, I began to feel myself distancing myself from the Lord. I say distancing, because I wasn't turning my back on Him, I just wasn't putting Him front and center where He needs to be.

I felt God speak to my heart and tell me that He will provide a way for me to get married as soon as I'm ready, but right now I need to get back to that place of seeking Him at all times for all things before He lets me tie the knot. This makes total sense to me, and I am thankful that God is not allowing me to jump into marriage without being better prepared.

I feel like I'm Jonah right now, and Loveland, Colorado is my fish belly (a really nice fish belly though). This is the place God has stuck me so that I will seek Him and quit running away from the leadership responsibilities that He keeps trying to give to me and that I keep refusing. I keep telling Him that "I'm just a follower not a leader," but I cannot be a husband without being able to lead. One of the key roles that a husband is called to play in a marriage is that of a spiritual leader, and if I'm running from that duty, then my marriage won't work.

Jamie and I agreed that for the next couple of weeks, we are refraining from phone calls and text messages. We are instead going to seek God with our whole hearts and get into the positions that He wants us to be in so that we can better hear His voice. We have become dependant on each other for encouragement instead of God, and it has left us both discouraged and confused. Fasting my fiance might seem extreme, but I want to show God that I love Him more than anyone else, including her. He needs to be #1, and I believe that after we both do this that we will see things begin to change within our hearts, minds, and spirits. Who knows? I may even see that door open up for me to get married this year or early next year. I'll wait however long I have to. I just want to keep moving forward. Please pray for me as I make this sacrifice and earnestly seek the Father with everything I've got.

The Story I Would Like To Write

2009-09-03T07:19:00.007-06:00

I've been thinking a lot about what kind of story I would like to tell if I were to make a full length novel. I've been given the suggestion by several people to take my Cook family stories and turn them into a novel-length story. While I would like to do that, I feel like that would be beating a dead horse. I really don't want to take any of my challenge stories and turn them into novels at this time. I'd rather do something completely different that I have never attempted before.

One of my favorite genres is the fantasy genre. I'd have to say that I enjoy a good fantasy epic more than I do a sci-fi tale or any other type of story. I also love spoofs. Mel Brooks is one of my favorite directors, and I love how he puts comical spins on classic stories and movies. I think if I were to write a novel, it would be a spoof of the fantasy genre. More specifically, it would be a spoof of the fantasy genre aimed at geeks who like to play roleplaying games.

For many of my blog readers, this might seem like an utterly ridiculous idea, and it would be aimed at a very specific crowd. Not everyone who picks it up is going to appreciate the humor in it, but many might find it fun. I'll have to develop this idea and see if it goes anywhere. Right now my writing has fizzled out completely, and even writing something such as this that discusses me wanting to write another piece of writing is a significant step for me. These small steps are going to determine whether writing was just a phase I went through to get me through my lonely times or if I actually have the talent and motivation to take this hobby to the next level.

We'll see what happens, I guess.

A Friendly Reminder From My Deodorant

2009-08-31T20:06:00.002-06:00

So I recently bought a new stick of deodorant from the store. I like to change up my deodorant frangrances from time to time, and I never bother reading the names of the scents when I buy them. I prefer to let my nose do the choosing of what frangrance and brand I buy. I found one that I think is the best smelling deodorant I have ever put on. Being a guy, I don't usually major on this kind of stuff, but now that I have a woman to please I like to make sure that I am wearing frangrances that she would like.

So to make a long story just a tad longer, I was putting this deodorant on this morning when I noticed the name of the frangrance on the label. The deodorant was called "Dark Temptation." I couldn't help but laugh a little bit. Not only at the kooky marketing title of the fragrance but also at the idea that maybe this was the title of a really horrible romance movie or novel. Then it occured to me, perhaps there is more significance to this deodorant than just a cheesy label.

I am reminded of my own dark temptations. Youi know, the ones that I don't want anyone to know about. The ones that I try to hide away in my closet hoping no one will find out. If you are reading this and acting like you don't know what I'm talking about then I'd suggest you go and think about things you do that you are ashamed of and then come back and finish reading this. We all have them. Our sins that we try to hide away as we put on our perfect personas for family, friends, co-workers, and anyone else who happens to walk into our lives. But no matter how well we hide them, we are still tried and tempted. We still get the urge to do things we shouldn't do and all darkness is brought into the light eventually.

Maybe its that urge to get revenge on someone who has done us wrong or over indulge in foods we know we shouldn't eat. Perhaps its cigarettes, prescription medication, alcohol, or pornography. Maybe it's something as simple as lying or pride. Regardless of what it is, we are all faced with that forbidden fruit that we are directed not to eat of and yet are drawn to like flies on fresh poo.

This "Dark Temptation" deodorant smells so good, much like our other temptations in life. Sin comes with some pleasure attached to it. If it didn't then why would anyone ever want to sin? However, that pleasure comes with a price, and any dark temptation comes with a dark consequence that will leave us hurting and begging for God to make the pain stop.

I'm going to keep on using this deodorant, but everytime I apply it, I am going to remind myself that every evil thing I am tempted with might smell good, look good, and feel good for a moment, but in the end it will only lead to destruction. Repelling B.O. has become my way of reminding msyelf that there is an enemy out there, and I must be mindful of his tactics in order to stay true to the God I love and serve.

Friday Fiction - Meet The Cooks Episode Four

2009-08-14T14:09:00.007-06:00

It's been a while since I've posted for Friday Fiction, but it is being hosted by Rick (a.k.a. Hoomi) at his blog "Pod Tales and Ponderings". Be sure to go there and check out all the other great fiction being posted.

My submission this week is another episode of my zany superhero family - The Cooks. If you haven't read the previous three episodes, I highly recommend that you do so in order to make a little more sense of this. You can read any of them at my FaithWriter profile located here. Thanks for reading!

Meet The Cooks - Episode Four -Every Kid Needs A Bubble Lawnmower

By Joshua Janoski

It’s time for another action-packed episode of Meet The Cooks! This episode begins with Joe and Linda Cook both asleep in their bed. Joe seems to be twitching uncontrollably beneath the bed sheets. That means it’s time to cue...

THE DREAM SEQUENCE!

Joe Cook (a.k.a. Captain Treehugger): “Put that down, Polluto! Don’t make me use my Eco-Vision on you!”

Polluto: “Don’t threaten me, Treehugger! One more step, and I will throw this laptop into this garbage bin. It will then be taken and thrown into a landfill to forever contaminate the soil with its lead based electronic components!”

Captain Treehugger: *Gasp* “You are pure evil!”

Polluto: “And your fly is unzipped! Are those Spongebob Squarepants boxers?”

Captain Treehugger: “Nice try, but I’m not falling for that trick! Prepare to face the wrath of nature!”

Captain Treehugger crosses his eyes, makes a funny fish face with his lips, and bends over as if he is going to lose his lunch on the pavement while staring directly at Polluto. Pink colored clematis plants begin to wrap around Polluto’s laptop wielding arms.

Polluto: “Nice try, but these puny plants will not stop me from contaminating the Earth!”

With strength the size of a circus midget, Polluto breaks free from the vines that ensnare him. He starts to drop the laptop.

Captain Treehugger: “Time for my backup plan. I have the EPA on speed dial. Let’s give em’ a call!”

Polluto: “Before you do that, let me introduce you to someone. Come on out, Son!”

A teenage boy teleports into the alley. His face is pale, and he looks as if he has been sucking on the exhaust of a car’s muffler.

Polluto: “Say hello to my child. His name is EmishSON! Get it? It’s like emission but it’s spelled a little bit differently and has the word ‘son’ in it. I crack myself up!”

Captain Treehugger: “Since when do you have a son, Polluto? He’s not the result of that fling you had with Patsy Summers back in high school is he? I warned you about that!”

Polluto: “This is much better than some secret son story, Treehugger. Take a close look at the boy.”

Captain Treehugger: Hmmmm…He looks like a combination of Linda and myself. He can also teleport. Kind of reminds me of my three-year-old son Dylan if he were a teenager…Oh my! I know what’s going on! This kid is from the local cyber café, and you borrowed his laptop to try and trick me into thinking that you were going to pollute the environment, huh?”

Seriously? And we trust this guy to defend our environment? No wonder the ozone is depleting!

EmishSON (a.k.a. Teenage Dylan Cook): Actually, I used to be your son.

Captain Treehugger: “DYLAN? NO WAY! You are still a toddler!”

Polluto: “You see Treehugger, I didn’t bring you here to watch me toss away a laptop! I wanted to introduce you to the newest face of planetary destruction! My son! Who is formerly your son! Who is now EmishSON!”

Captain Treehugger: Dy..Dy…Dylan! Why would you betray your mother and I?

EmishSON: “When I was three I wanted a Fisher Price Bubble Lawn Mower and you refused to buy me one. It left a deep scar on my emotions and sent me down a path of self-hatred and destruction.”

Polluto: “Simple Psychology 101 stuff. Go read a textbook, Treehugger. Sheesh!”

Excuse me! If you aren’t really going to throw that laptop away, can I have it? My Dell notebook fizzled out on me last month and it’s hard to go to night school without a working…

Polluto: “Zip it, narrator!”

EmishSON: “I’m sorry, Joe. You have left me no choice but to do THIS!”

*Kabammo!* <-----------The sound of Captain Treehugger receiving a roundhouse kick to the face by his teenage son. (Kids, don’t disrespect your parents like this in real life, ok?) END THE DREAM SEQUENCE!

Linda Cook (a.k.a. Spyder the Ninja): “Joe! Wake up! You’re having a bad dream!”

Joe Cook: “Huh? Dylan wants a bubble lawn mower! I must go and buy him one!”

Linda Cook: “Relax, Dear. Dylan doesn’t need every toy he asks for. We don’t want him growing up to be a spoiled brat when he reaches his teenage years.”

Joe Cook: *Sigh* “I guess you’re right, but can you do me a favor, Baby?”

Linda Cook: “What’s that?”

Joe Cook: “Don’t ever teach Dylan how to execute your famous roundhouse kick to the face, ok?”

FaithWriter Friendship

2009-08-10T19:50:00.004-06:00

There's something about meeting someone for the first time that can often make a person nervous. Maybe you feel like that person won't like you. Maybe you feel like they will judge you or misinterpret your heart and your motives. Or maybe you just won't measure up in their eyes once they actually see you in the flesh and talk to you face-to-face. These are feelings I have had in the past when meeting new people, but I can honestly say that none of these feelings washed over me when I arrived at the Radisson hotel in Livonia, Michigan on Friday afternoon.

It was time for the 2009 FaithWriter's writing conference. From the moment I was picked up at the airport, I was greeted by faces that I felt like I had known for years. Lisa, Karlene, Leah, and Sara all greeted me. Their smiling faces were a joy to behold. All of them were exactly how I pictured them to be. I am not referring to their faces, because I had seen photos beforehand. Their mannerisms, voices, personalities, and attitudes were exactly what I pictured them being. Perhaps reading someone else's writing really does give you a deep look into their mind, body, and soul.

Once I arrived at the hotel, nothing had changed. I caught Jan and Deb walking through the hall. It was amazing to get to see these women in the flesh. Both have had an enormous impact on my writing. Both have been inspirational to me, and while it may seem like I am idolizing them, I am merely appreciating what they have contributed to the FaithWriter's site. The seeds they plant on FaithWriter's help many aspiring writers.

As the conference got started, I found myself surrounded by many more awesome folks. Diana D came in and sat down next to me. She was so cool and down to Earth. We both shared how excited we were to be surrounded by so many familiar faces.

David Ian took the stage and left me excited and motivated to let out my Screaming Muse. That guy really knows how to entertain and educate in a way that is fun and invigorating. I found myself laughing a lot. Laughter was a huge part of the conference. I'd say that the three L's were very much present - Laughter, Love, and Learning.

Speaking of learning, Saturday's workshops were all so amazing! I have never attempted my hand at poetry, but Jan's poetry workshop left me itching to give it a try. Deb's workshop on critiquing reminded me how important it is to encourage while you are giving out advice to other writers. David Ian once again made me laugh and educated me when he taught about the various parts of a story in his storytelling workshop. Linore Rose Burkard gave some wonderful tips on how to write believable Christian characters, and Cori Smelker inspired me to step out of my comfort zone and begin to write pieces outside of my normal writing voice.

Deb ended the workshops with an important discussion about nurturing the entire writer. She discussed taking care of our body, souls, and spirit. I'll admit that I thought the workshops might be of lower quality than one of the bigger conferences, but every single one I attended was top notch, and the fact that they were being taught by friends made them even better!

We spent our nights playing games, and I had a good time laughing with Scott, the founder and owner of FaithWriters. I am sure that I probably annoyed some people with my obnoxious loud voice and over exuberant personality, but everyone was kind to me anyhow. They all showed me love and care that is very rare to find in people nowadays. Cat, Leah, Marita, Laury, Joanne, Shari, and the list goes on and on...It was a pleasure getting to be with everyone and share a common bond - love for Jesus and a love to serve Him through our written words.

When it was all over, I packed my bags and came back home. It was good to be back and near my fiance, but I must say that I can't wait until we can all reunite again. FaithWriter's truly is my family. I love every single person that I know from the website, and I would encourage anyone who reads this that isn't a member to join the forums and get to know the people. This isn't a shameless plug. This is an invitation that will change your life in a good way if you are even remotely thinking of finding a great writing community.

For those who didn't make it, I pray that you will be able to join all of us again the next time that we gather. There were many folks who were dearly missed.

Hope to see everyone again real soon! Thank you all for blessing me!

Reaping What Has Been Sown In Years Past

2009-07-11T07:19:00.004-06:00

Before I start, let me make something clear. This post is not a shameful announcement that it is my birthday. I did not create this post to announce to my readers that I am turning another year older today. Any of my close family and friends will tell you that my birthday is the day that I least like to emphasize. I might have to share some of my nightmare birthday stories here on my blog sometime. I have plenty of them.

So, even though this isn't meant to make everyone cheer that I was born on this day 27 years ago (yes I said 27), I did think it was appropriate to mention that it was my birthday for the purposes of looking back.

I specifically remember my last two birthdays. My 25th and 26th birthdays were nothing like what today is going to be. I was working a low paying job in IT that I really did not enjoy. I was living in a place that was home to me, and yet I craved to venture out and explore new territory. And worst of all, I was still extremely lonely and wanting new friends and a female companion that I could spend the rest of my life with.

God sure works FAST!

Today, I have a great job, I live in one of the most awesome small towns in Colorado, and I have the most beautiful and sweet fiance that any man could ever dream of! All of this happened in less than a year. It actually started happening in December of last year, so only about 6 or 7 months have passed.

I think that what is happening to me right now is straight from the scripture. Ecclesiastes says it best:

There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 (NLT)

I had to go through that sowing time. That time where I sowed my seeds of prayer to God. I let Him know my heart's desires. I let Him know that I wasn't happy where I was at and that I wanted to progress forward in Him. Now He is bringing me into a season of harvest. I am reaping what I sowed for so many years.

As I continue to age, there will be more times of sowing and more times of reaping. It is a cycle that will continue throughout my lifetime just as it does with every other human being that walks this planet. Right now, I am thanking God for this bountiful harvest and sowing my seed for the future. You see, just because a farmer's crop thrives does not mean that he can sit back and not continue to work. He has to get back out there and continue to plant, so that he can continue to see his harvest spring forth, year after year.

This was not the direction I envisioned this post taking as I started writing it, but evidentally God wanted me to share this with all of you. Please pray for me as I start another year of life. I want to grow in God more now than ever, but I often find the walk hard. Please pray that I can remain faithful to my Heavenly Father and continue to sow seed that will benefit His kingdom and glorify His name.

Thank you all!

Lessons From Psalm 51

2009-07-06T17:08:00.003-06:00

I just got finished reading the book "Thr3e" by Ted Dekker. It's an awesome book by the way, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys an edge-of-your-seat thriller that doesn't let go of you until the last page.

In the book, Ted explores man's good side and his evil side and the struggle between the two. Today, I was reading fromk Psalm 51, and I recognized this struggle within David. This Psalm had been written after David committed adultery with Bathsheba. You can feel the torment within his soul as the weight of his sin lay heavy on him.

I learned several lessons from this Psalm that I would like to share with you.

Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. Psalm 51:1-2 (NLT)

#1 David recognized God's love and mercy. He knew that he served a God that was good and that wanted him to succeed. God was not some bad guy holding a lightning bolt, ready to strike him down at any second if he made a wrong move. David knew that his God loved him and wanted to free him from the burdens of sin.

For I recognize my shameful deeds-- they haunt me day and night. Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just. - Psalm 51: 3-4 (NLT)

#2 David accepted full responsibility for his sinful actions and did not try to pretend that he did no wrong. David's eyes were open to the realization that he had goofed up. He knew that it was against God he had sinned. He didn't try to play off his sin or make excuses as to why it was ok to do what he did. He broke a commandment that the Lord had put into place, and he was ready to accept the judgment and punishment that God saw fit to give to him.

For I was born a sinner-- yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. But you desire honesty from the heart, so you can teach me to be wise in my inmost being. Psalm 51: 5-6 (NLT)

#3 David was aware that he was born into sin and was completely honest with God about it. He understood his sinful nature and tendency to want to gravitate towards things that were harmful. However, he was honest about his shortcomings and recognized that God looks at a man's heart when he judges him. Total and complete honesty straight from the heart is what David possessed, and it is the very thing that helped him find favor with God.

Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me-- now let me rejoice. Don't keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don't take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me again the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Then I will teach your ways to sinners, and they will return to you. Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness. Unseal my lips, O Lord, that I may praise you. Psalm 51: 7-15 (NLT)

#4 David knew that God was the only one who could cleanse him. Within this Psalm, David pleads to God to blot out the stains of sin, wash him clean, purify him, and renew his spirit. Never once does he imply that he can do any of these things on his own, nor does he ever ask anyone but God to do these things for him. David knew who had the power to forgive and to save. I especially like the part where he asks God to "make me willing to obey you." It may seems strange, but I often have to ask God to help me serve Him. Sometimes I find it quite difficult to stay away from sin and the things of this world. I have to ask God to help keep me on the right track as I go forward each day. Thankfully, God does forgive me. He does cleanse me. He paid the price for me. He loves me, and he wants me to succeed. Though there may be judgment and punishment involved at times, God only corrects because He loves me. He wants to keep me on the straight and narrow road.

Before Jesus came to the earth and sacrificed himself for all of mankind, David unserstood who his Savior was. He knew that in order to to lift the hwavy weight of the sin from his shoulders, he would have to be honest with God, confess his sin, take correction and consequences, and then be willing to let God change him and bring him back to where he needed to be spiritually.

I learned a lot through this passage of scripture, and I hope that you enjoyed hearing my thoughts about it. Any comments are welcome. Thanks for reading. God bless each and every one of you!

I Think I Remember What It Feels Like To Write

2009-06-23T08:17:00.002-06:00

This is me just writing a short post so that I can get back in the habit of writing. With so many ideas running through my head for novels, short stories, and other works of fiction, you would think that I could get something new crafted. However, planning a wedding, exercising, and working take up a lot of my time now. So, I guess something had to get shoved onto the backburner, and it ended up being my writing that got shoved back.

My hope is that after the end of the year when the dust settles and I get back from my Disney World honeymoon that maybe then I can have more time for blog reading and writing and time to craft some awesome fictional tales. If it doesn’t happen, at least I can say that I had a fun run during the times that I did write, and at least now I will be married and on my way to starting the family that I always dreamed of having. Sacrificing writing for love and companionship is not a bad exchange. In fact, I am happier than I have ever been because of that love and companionship.

Thank you to all of you who still follow my blog despite me not being able to follow yours as often as I would like. Sometimes it just helps to know that I still have my writing friends out there supporting me and cheering me on even when I have set aside this hobby for other life events. God bless each and every one of you!

Two Amazing Grandparents

2009-06-10T05:41:00.002-06:00

I just got back from Iowa. I went with my fiance Jamie to meet her grandparents. I must say that I had a wonderful time with them, and I can see how both of them have been such a strong influence on Jamie's life and how both have helped influence her relationship with God.

While I was there, her grandfather told stories of how angels had rescued him from near death. He also shared his testimony of how he got saved. It was beautiful and nearly brought me to tears, though I wouldn't be able to re-tell his story here with the same beauty.

Jamie's grandmother amazed me when we pulled out an old hymn book. Jamie's sister would randomly choose a hymn title from the book and ask her grandmother what the lyrics were. Her grandmother could repeat all of the hymn's lyrics from memory! It was as if she was a human hymnal. This amazed me, and it blessed me. I am back home now, but I will never forget my experience with these two people. Both are living examples of how blessed one's life can be if they choose to dedicate it to the Lord and His works. I pray that when I'm in my 80's that I too can look back and see where I have spent my life passionately serving the Lord and glorifying Him in all that I do.

What Will I Do For Others? Hmmmm...Let Me Give This Some Thought

2009-05-07T07:32:00.002-06:00

It seems like when I get active with one area of my writing then another area gets left behind. That’s the case with my blog. I’ve been doing a lot of writing for FaithWriters lately, so my blog has been neglected. I have also neglected to read other blogs, and I apologize for that. A lot of it has to do with time restraints (which this blog post is partially about).

Oh and one last thing before I get to the subject at hand. I posted the third episode of my video blog, and I don’t think anyone got the update. If that is the case, be sure to scroll down and check it out. I read some fan mail and answer some questions. :)

What I really wanted to talk about is not my video blog or my lack of posting. I wanted to bring up an observation. At my work, there are various whiteboards scattered around the different offices of IT. Each week, an identical question is posted on each of the boards, and anyone can go to any of the boards and write down an answer. Some of these answers are humorous and some are very serious depending on the personality writing them. At the end of the week, the answers from each board are collected and then a list of answers is e-mailed out to everyone in IT.

Well this past week’s question was “What are you going to do for someone else in 2009?” I bet it wouldn’t surprise you to find out that this question got the least amount of responses out of any question so far. Out of the few answers given, one person wrote “Nothing.” I’m sure they were just trying to be funny, but this actually saddened me. What saddened me those most though is that I didn’t respond to the question! I walked past the boards many times, stopped and thought about the question, and never put an answer down. Why? Well the sad truth is I really hadn’t thought about what I would do this year for someone else, and perhaps that was the problem with most of the people who read that question.

I do a lot for various people in my life throughout the year, but do I ever really stop and plan to do something special for someone? Do I ever stop and think about helping a complete stranger or someone else who I might not normally help? Do I find myself being “too busy” to step out and fill a need that someone has? These are questions I had to ask myself, because without answering these questions, how can I possibly answer that question posted on the board?
We are all caught up in a fast paced world where we grab our coffee and jet out the door. How many of us set aside time to purposefully do something for someone else? I can think of many examples of people who do that very thing. My friends Joanne and LauraLee from FaithWriters are always taking time out of their busy schedules to visit my blog and other people’s blogs and leave encouraging comments and feedback. They also take time to contribute their own thoughts and words of wisdom for others to read. My mother is always taking time out of her day to aid my elderly grandmother and to make sure that her family is well taken care of. My fiancé Jamie devotes much of her time to children’s ministry at her church and to reaching out to teenage girls.

There are so many ways to contribute to the lives of others, whether it’s helping the homeless, sponsoring children in other countries who need food and clothing, or just being there for someone when they need a shoulder to cry on and an encouraging word. We can all contribute something, and we can all consciously do it. I’m not talking about just “accidentally” stepping into helping, though that is never a bad thing. I’m talking about actually sitting down and making a list of people who need our help and making a conscious effort to aid them. This is something that I am going to have to force myself to take time to do, because in all honesty I really feel stretched thin right now. However, God has put it on my heart to think about this, so that next time a question like “What will you do for someone else in 2009?” comes up on a board, I will be able to list not only one, but many things.

Be encouraged today and keep on walking with Jesus! Thanks for reading! God bless all of you!

The Just Joshing Video Blog - Episode Three (Take Two) - Josh Answers His Fanmail

2009-04-23T22:23:00.003-06:00

If you subscribe to my blog, you may have received an e-mail about episode three of my video blog, and then came here to realize that the post had been deleted. That's because I decided to make a more fun episode for you all to enjoy (or use to help you fight insomnia). In this revamped episode, I read and answer some of the fan mail that I receive. Enjoy!

Fiction Fridays - "Meet The Cooks - Episode Three - My Dictator Drives A Prius"

2009-04-17T11:20:00.016-06:00

It's Fiction Friday today, hosted by Patty Wysong at her blog Patterings. Be sure to go there and check out links to more great fiction.

My contribution this week is another episode of The Cook Family saga. For those of you who don't know who the Cooks are, they are a family of superheroes (similar in style to The Incredibles only much wackier), who I created for the FaithWriter writing challenge. However, the challenge no longer lends itself very well to these stories, so I am going to be sharing them with you on Friday Fiction. I am starting off here with episode three, but if you are confused, you can view the first two episodes by clicking on these shameless plugs, I mean links:

Meet The Cooks - Episode One - Iron My Son's Underwear

Meet The Cooks – Episode Two – Al Gore is a Hunky Beast

FaithWriter's Promo Featuring Joe and Linda Cook

So without further ado, here is this week's Friday Fiction...

Meet The Cooks Episode Three My Dictator Drives A Prius

Time again for another action packed episode featuring our favorite superhero family, The Cooks. This episode finds Spyder the Ninja infiltrating the fortress of the evil Emperor Shao Kahn…

Spyder the Ninja (a.ka. Linda Cook): “The Temple of the Discombobulated Monkey! Wow! Long have I waited to be able to confront Shao Kahn face-to-face and end his reign of terror. China will soon see freedom!”

Captain Treehugger (a.k.a. Joe Cook): “Linda, wait up!”

Spyder the Ninja: “Joe? What are you doing here? This is my mission! And where’s Dylan? You were supposed to be watching him while I was gone!”

Captain Treehugger: “Relax, Sugar Booger! Dylan is with my mother, and she is taking good care of him. You know how she always complains that she never gets to spend time with her grandson. I figured this would give her some time with the kid and me some time with my wife if ya know what I mean” *Wink* *Wink*

Spyder the Ninja: “You think this is a romantic getaway? I’m here fighting evil dictatorship, Joe! Not cozying up with you in a steaming hot tub!”

Captain Treehugger: “Speaking of hot tubs, I bet they have a few inside this swanky joint. Hehe.”

Spyder the Ninja: “JOE! ENOUGH! Go home and get Dylan! I don’t trust your mother to watch him properly while I am away. Her and the Emperor are good friends, and if she knew I was here, she would surely try to find a way to disrupt my mission!”

Captain Treehugger: “I don’t know where you get the idea that my mom is friends with a fascist dictator. They had lunch one time. He was visiting the states on a business trip and they went to Panda Express. No biggie.”

Spyder the Ninja: “Fine then! You keep that in mind the next time I go have lunch with Polluto!”

Captain Treehugger: “That’s different, Babe! You are happily married and my mom is a widow.”

Spyder the Ninja: “Yeah! A Black widow! Your poor father didn’t die from a ‘Mentos and Pepsi Accident’ like she said. She killed him Joe! I know she did! Now let me get back to my mission. I have to find a way to sneak into this place.”

Captain Treehugger: “I wish you would please let me, Captain Treehugger, help you out here. I mean since I happen to be here now anyways.”

Spyder the Ninja: “And what is Captain Treehugger going to be able to do? Fight off the samurai hordes with his amazing ability to instantly biodegrade plastic?”

Captain Treehugger: “Well, Linda, it looks to me like this fortress was constructed of 100% recycled waste! Perhaps the Emperor is going green and I can have some pull on him with my powers.”

Spyder the Ninja: *Sigh* “Whatever, Joseph. I’m scaling this wall with my grappling hook. If you insist on following me, then you are more than welcome to enter through the back door and take the stairs. No flying this time for you, Mister! The doctor said that you need the exercise. Oh, and don’t get in the way of me kung powing Kahn in the butt. “

Thirty minutes later, Spyder the Ninja found herself reaching the 150th floor of the Temple of the Discombobulated Monkey. Captain Treehugger’s hand was waiting to grab onto hers and pull her inside.

Captain Treehugger: “Come on in, Sweetie! Doesn’t this place smell great? I think its citron green tea that’s tickling my nose.”

Spyder the Ninja: “Joe! How did you get up here so quickly?”

He took the elevator instead of the stairs.

Spyder the Ninja: “WHO IS THAT? Did I just hear a voice?”

Relax, Linda. It is I, your friendly neighborhood narrator, giving the play-by-play of what’s happening on your adventures so that our readers can join in on the fun. Josh Janoski hired me. He also added your names before each of your lines so that people know who is saying what. Pretty nice improvements over the previous two episodes, huh?

Spyder the Ninja: “Um, that is just weird. I never knew we had a narrator. I’m going to have to have a talk with Josh about this later, but right now I have to deal with Kahn’s cronies who are coming at me!”

WOOSH! ←------------------That’s the sound of legs wrapped in black latex pants kicking the sweet and sour sauce out of ten katana wielding, samurai crazy men!

Spyder the Ninja: “Whew! That was fun! Now to find Kahn, He has to be around here somewhere.”

Emperor Shao Kahn (a.k.a. “Chef Shao” on the show “The Great Wall of Food with Chef Shao”): “No need to look, Spyder. I am right here.”

Spyder the Ninja: “Kahn! We finally meet! I just wanted to let you know that your chinese cooking show on Food Network sucks! I can make better wonton soup in my sleep!”

Emperor Shao Kahn: “Your words cut deep, Spyder Lady. But not as deep as the cuts you will take from my sword!”

Captain Treehugger: “NOT SO FAST!”

Emperor Shao Kahn: “Who is this?”

Captain Treehugger: “I am Captain Treehugger, defender of the environment and husband to that lovely lady you are threatening to slice and dice!”

Emperor Shao Kahn: “So I get two for the price of one today? Fabulous!”

Captain Treehugger: whispers “Um, Honey. Why is Shao Kahn’s mouth not in sync with his voice?”

Spyder the Ninja: whispers “It’s called dubbing, and all good Chinese action movies and stories use it.”

Captain Treehugger: “Hmmm…interesting. Anyways, Kahn, I think you are completely overreacting here. I see this evil lair you have built that is energy efficient. Don’t think that I didn’t notice the recycling bins you have outside for paper, plastic, and aluminum. I get you, man. I totally get you. Let me ask you something. What kind of car do you drive?”

Emperor Shao Kahn: “I just bought a Toyota Prius. Why do you ask?”

Captain Treehugger: “Very good choice, my friend.”

Spyder the Ninja: “Did you just call Kahn your ‘friend,’ Joe?”

Captain Treehugger: “Relax, Darling. I know what I am doing here.”

Little Mr. Jump (a.k.a. Dylan Cook): “MOMMY!”

Why it looks like Joe and Linda’s three-year-old son Dylan has decided to teleport into the fortress and join his parents.

Spyder the Ninja: “My baby! I knew grandma wasn’t going to watch you very closely. You need to go back home with daddy while mommy takes care of some business.”

Emperor Shao Kahn: “Not if I have my way!”

Oh no! Shao Kahn has snatched up the boy! What’s going to happen? I say that pretending to not know the outcome, but guess what? I know exactly what is going to happen next, because narrators get a copy of the full script. Too bad you don’t! Ha ha ha!

Little Mr. Jump: “Mommy! Mommy! Help!”

Emperor Shao Kahn: “Don’t either of you move or else this little boy that you cherish will die!”

Spyder the Ninja: “I would put Dylan down right now if I were you, Kahn. You don’t know who you are messing with.”

Emperor Shao Kahn: “Is that so? What is the little tike going to do to me? Sit me down and make me watch the Teletubbies? Hahahaha!”

POOF! ←-----------The sound of an evil dictator getting teleported to the frozen tundra of Siberia.

Spyder the Ninja: “I tried to warn him about the dangers of holding a child that can teleport, but do you think he would take time to listen? Of course not! He’s a man!”

Captain Treehugger: “Rats! I was just about to ask him his thoughts on solar panel heating! Oh well. Our work here is done. Whaddya say we go find Kahn’s hot tub and sit and soak for a little while, eh?” *Wink* *Wink*

Spyder the Ninja: “Whaddya say that perhaps you take the stairs this time and get some exercise? Lipitor alone is not going to save you, Joe!”

Captain Treehugger: *Sigh* Alright, Honey Buns. But do you think we could have some Wonton Soup tonight?”

Spyder the Ninja: After we get back from Siberia. We have a three-year-old to pick up. You flying, or do you want to drive the Prius?”

Looks like this adventure is not over yet! Join us again for another action packed episode of Meet…

Spyder the Ninja: SHUT UP ALREADY!

Um, to be continued…

Hot Or Cold? I Guess I'm Cold This Week

2009-04-16T07:29:00.002-06:00

Well I really really really wanted to enter the Faithwriter’s writing challenge this week for the “hot and cold” topic. I had two great ideas, but I did what I have been doing a lot lately. I came up with good ideas but I couldn’t seem to get them on the paper. Good thing I have my blog to keep me writing during this dry spell. It’s not even a creative dry spell. It’s just a “I have my idea but I can’t seem to word it correctly on the page” dry spell. If I can manage to somehow write out one of the ideas I had, then maybe I’ll submit it for Fiction Friday tomorrow. I’m not making any promises though. :)

Spiritual Fraud

2009-04-15T07:41:00.003-06:00

Yesterday I was combing over my credit card statement. I am trying to get away from using credit cards, and so I am transferring all automatic deductions to my debit card. However, I still have a couple things being taken out monthly, so I decided to check and see if they had been processed. To my surprise, I saw an unrecognized charge that was made a couple days ago. This charge was a small amount (around six dollars), but it immediately set an alarm off in my head. I looked up the company in question, and found that many others had been getting scammed with fraudulent charges by them. They start off by taking out a small amount of money, and then if you don’t report it, they use your card for bigger purchases. When I called the company, all I got was an answering machine. Of course, I expected that to happen. I called my credit card company, had them reverse the charge and issue me a new card and card number.

I got to thinking about how Satan works in much the same way. He wants to catch us off guard. Just like this company wanted to sneak in to my card statement unnoticed and blend in with the rest of the authorized charges, so does Satan want to slip in while we are distracted with everyday life and wreak havoc on our lives. If he sees that he can get away with a little bit, then he will begin to attack us in much bigger ways by exposing our weaknesses and hitting us where it hurts the most.

The Bible says this about our enemy:

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. – John 10:10 (NKJV)

The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy us, but I don’t say this to scare anyone. If you look at the second part of this scripture, Jesus came to give us life and give it in greater abundance. God can reverse the false charges and attacks enacted upon us by the enemy. Just as I was issued a new card number, so can God issue us a new life, free from sin and fear. Whenever the devil slithers into our lives and tries to deceive us, we must remember this:

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because Hewho is in you is greater than he who is in the world. – 1 John 4:4 (NKJV)

Praise God for that! Just as Jesus counteracted the enemy’s temptation with Scripture, so must we seek God’s word for answers whenever we find ourselves slipping into the enemy’s grasp. This is not a message of fear that I give you today. It is a message of hope to remind you to seek God daily. Let Him guide you. Turn on your spiritual radar by reading God’s Word, and then you will be able to recognize spiritual fraud in your life when you see it.

God bless you all today! Thank you for taking the time to visit this blog and read this post.

A Blog Full O' Testimonies

2009-04-05T19:08:00.003-06:00

LauraLee over at Selah posted my testimony today. I encourage you all to go check out her blog, not just for my testimony, but for all of the testimonies that she will be posting this next week. LauraLee is an amazing sister in the Lord, and she always has wonderful insights from God that she freely shares with her readers. If you don't already frequent her blog, then you have been missing out, and I encourage you to subscribe to her updates. You will be blessed. I guarantee it. Here's the link again:

http://lovinthearts.blogspot.com

Fiction Friday - Tau The Lion Cub

2009-03-26T22:23:00.006-06:00

This week I am hosting Fiction Friday here on my blog, so please join me by posting your fiction and linking to it in the box at the bottom of this post. I am posting this a few hours early, because I need to get in bed for work tomorrow. That gives some of you early birds a chance to go ahead and submit your great stories. :)

My contribution to Fiction Friday is a story I wrote aimed at children (pre-teen boys would probably be the best audience). I think adults can appreciate it too though as there is a good lesson to be learned from Tau the Lion Cub.

Tau the Lion Cub

By Joshua Janoski

The Serengeti sizzled as the sun reached its peak in the sky. The young lion club, Prince Tau, decided to forego his usual mid-afternoon nap, and instead pay a visit to the waterhole to see his friends – Zuri the elephant, Mosi the monkey, Nia the cheetah, and Buru the rhinoceros. Tau and his parents, King Akin and Queen Kali, lived atop “Royal Bluff” a hill that overlooked the vast African plains. The waterhole sat nestled at the base of the hill.

“Bye, Mom! Be back later!” Tau yelled, as he leaped down the hill with great intensity and surefootedness. He swiftly approached his mark, planting his paws into the grass and coming to a screeching halt at the lip of the waterhole.

“Nice approach Tau,” Zuri giggled, as she showered herself with a stream of water from her trunk.

“That was decent speed…for a lion”, Nia grinned.

Mosi peered down at Tau as he lay on a branch in a tree that hovered over the waterhole. Buru glared at Tau in silence, while slowly chewing some grass.

“Sorry for the delay, but I had to let mom know where I was going. She worries if I don’t, and then I have to deal with Dad when he wakes up.”

“Whoo whoo whoo ha ha ha! You’re just a momma’s boy Tau,” Mosi laughed while scratching his underarms.

“No I’m not Mosi! I am the prince of the Serengeti! Hear me roar!”

Tau sucked as much air into his lungs as he could and let out a shrill…

“Rarrw!”

Nia placed her paw over her mouth in order to suppress her laughter. Zuri spewed water out of her trunk as she tried to hold back a chuckle. Buru kept his emotionless glare as he continued to chew on the same old piece of grass.

“Whoo whoo whoo ha ha ha! What was THAT? Did a meerkat die somewhere nearby?” Mosi taunted as he turned face down on his tree branch, swinging his arms and laughing hysterically.

Tau’s yellow face flushed beat red as he sat humiliated in front of his friends.

Nia tried to comfort Tau. “It’s alright, Tau. Someday you will be able to roar with the best of them.”

Tau opened his mouth and started to speak but was quickly interrupted by a giraffe that came running up to the waterhole.

“Help! My baby is stuck!” the giraffe screamed in a panic.

Tau and his friends followed the giraffe to a large boulder that had rolled down, trapping the leg of a baby giraffe that lay at the foot of a hill. The mother giraffe reached her long neck down and attempted to nudge the boulder with her head, but it would not budge. Zuri attempted to push the huge rock, but being a young elephant and not yet fully grown, she couldn’t move it either.

“Stuck between a rock and a hard place! Not good! Whoo whoo whoo ha ha ha!”

“You’re not making things any better Mosi,” Tau scolded.

Beru stood silent in the distance, glaring at the boulder and chewing his grass. He lowered his head and began to charge. The other animals quickly jumped out of the way as Beru smashed into the boulder with his horn, rolling it off of the young giraffe’s leg.

“Thank you! Thank you so much!” the mother said with relief.

Beru nodded and walked off. The rest of the animals went back to their homes. Tau went hunting with his dad later that night and then went home to sleep. As he lay down, he began to mumble to himself…

“I want to be a strong rhinoceros like Beru and not a wimpy lion with a squeaky roar” he wished as he fell into slumber.

***

When he woke up, it was still dark. He heard rustling around him. He looked up, startled at a large ostrich stretched out before him.

“Why, hello there young Prince Tau”, the ostrich said sweetly.

Tau jumped up and took a defensive stance.

“Who are you? And what are you doing on Royal Bluff?”

“I am your fairy Godstrich. I am here to grant your wish.”

“Fairy Godstrich? My wish?” Tau inquired with a puzzled expression.

“You said you wanted to be a rhinoceros, right? Well, I am going to grant you your desire. So go back to sleep young prince. A day filled with new surprises awaits you.

The ostrich gently pecked Tau on the head with her beak, putting him back to sleep. Then she vanished.

Tau woke up. He began to stand, but for some reason it seemed harder to get up today. He looked around for his parents, but he didn’t see them anywhere, so he assumed that it would be alright to just go on down to the waterhole for a short time. He began making his charge down Royal Bluff. However, instead of his light run, he found that he was pounding the ground with heavy footsteps. As he approached the waterhole, he tried to stop, but instead went crashing into the pool, sending an eruption of water into the air.

“Thanks, Tau.” Nia sat disgusted, her fur soaked.

“Golly, Tau! Leave at least a little bit of water in there so I can take my bath,” Zuri whined.

“Whoo whoo whoo ha ha ha! It looks like the big brute doesn’t know his own strength, Mosi remarked while picking at his hindquarters.

Tau didn’t understand what they all were talking about, until he looked down and saw his reflection. There, reflected in the pool, was the image of a thick-skinned gray rhinoceros with a long white ivory horn. Tau went into a panic…

“Oh no! It actually happened! She did it to me!” He silently screamed in his head. “But what about Beru? Did he…”

Tau turned around to see Beru sitting in his usual spot, the same bored expression on his face. He was chewing the same piece of grass and sitting on his back legs, only this time, he was a small lion cub.

“A lion cub eating GRASS? That is just wrong!” Tau exclaimed.

“Hey I don’t judge anyone like that. I mean my family has eaten far worst stuff than that if you know what I mean.” Mosi winked.

“DISGUSTING, Mosi!” Zuri screamed.

Once again, the conversation of the group was interrupted, this time by the cries of a zebra.

“The Serengeti is burning! Come quickly!”

Tau loved eating zebra, but of course this instinct had been suppressed, as he was no longer a lion, and Beru the lion cub seemed to have no interest in the fine delicacies of raw zebra flesh. Tau followed the others, creating small tremors in the earth with every step he took. His steps may not have actually been that powerful, but after getting used to maneuvering on light paws, he definitely felt like more of a powerhouse.

A small fire had started in the wild grass near the waterhole. Zuri came running up with a trunk full of water and spewed it onto the flames, dowsing them and leaving only a small charred circle where the grass had been burnt.

All the nearby animals cheered for Zuri and offered their gratitude. After a small amount of celebration, the friends each went their separate ways back home once again.

“I hate being a rhinoceros,” Tau said to himself. “I think it would be cooler to be an elephant like Zuri. Having a trunk like that would be very useful.”

***

Once again Tau fell off to sleep, and the Fairy Godstrich greeted him again. When Tau woke up, he took the time to examine himself before heading down to the waterhole. This time, he possessed a long trunk and big floppy gray ears.

“I’m an elephant now! Yippee!”

He stomped down to the waterhole, this time monitoring his speed and footing to ensure that he didn’t create a splash this time. He was greeted with silence as he approached the pool.

“Hmmm. That’s strange. No one is here right now. I wonder where they went?”

Suddenly, he heard a noise in the distance. He followed the direction of the sound and found Mosi, sitting on the ground, holding his bleeding arm, which had been cut. Nia stood ready to attack as she backed up Zuri, who in her new lion form, was fending off a wild hyena. Beru had returned to his normal rhinoceros self, chewing grass and spectating the fight.

The hyena lunged at Zuri’s neck with a menacing growl. Zuri knocked the hyena back with her paws and pounced on him. As she stood peering down at his face with her teeth showing, the hyena’s aggression turned into fear. Zuri moved away from the hyena, and watched as he coward off into the distance.

“Good job Zuri. I didn’t even need to jump in and help you! You scared him off all by yourself!” Nia exclaimed with wide-eyed excitement.

“Thank you for defending me, Zuri. I guess hyenas don’t like it when you laugh back at them.” Mosi whimpered.

“THAT WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY! I SHOULD HAVE DEFENDED MOSI!” Tau shouted.

“Don’t be crazy, Tau,” Zuri said. Elephants are powerful, but it is best to let us lions handle this kind of stuff. We were created to hunt and protect.”

Tau stood silent. He was upset, and so he left his friends and ran home. He laid down and covered his eyes with his trunk.

***

“Let it stop! Let it stop!” he repeated over and over under his breath. He uncovered his eyes only to find himself surrounded by monkeys, with he himself also now a monkey. Mosi sat up in the Wild Date Palm tree atop Royal Bluff, laughing hysterically.

“Hey look guys, it’s Uncle Moobi!” Mosi said, pointing at Tau.

“Hi Uncle Moobi!” all the monkeys shouted in unison.

Tau shrieked in terror. “NOOOO! I’m a monkey’s uncle now!”

“Whoo whoo whoo ha ha ha! You got that right, Chump!” Mosi flung something at Tau, hitting him in the head.

“Those better be dates being flung at me!” Tau said in anger.

The monkeys all laughed together as Tau tried to run away. The monkeys surrounded him in a circle, refusing to let him escape.

“Make it stop! I’m sorry that I didn’t appreciate who I was created to be! I’m sorry that I wished to be someone else! Please, just make it stop already!”

Tau rolled around on the ground.

“Make it stop! Make it stop!”

“Tau! Wake up dear! Wake up!” Kali said softly.

Tau’s eyes opened up to his mother’s face, staring down at him. Her paw was gently placed on his stomach.

“Are you alright, Dear? You must have been having a bad dream.”

Tau ran down to the waterhole and checked his reflection. He was once again a lion cub. It had been all just a bad dream. He let out a sigh of relief and prepared to go hunting with his father.

That night, Tau saw his friend Nia the cheetah dart after a zebra with her father.

“Wouldn’t you like to be as fast as a cheetah, Tau?” King Akin asked.

“Um, actually, Dad, I like being a lion. It’s who I was created to be. I have my role to play in this world, and Nia has hers. I think I should just be thankful for who I am.”

Akin smiled at his son, and then he looked up at the stars.

“You possess great wisdom, Son. I’m sure that your Creator is very proud that you want to be who He created you to be.”

Verse-By-Verse Study - James 3:2-5

2009-03-25T18:04:00.003-06:00

For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. Indeed, we put bits in horses' mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!. – James 3:2-5 (NKJV)

As I continue my study of James, I want to discuss the tongue. I am splitting this into two posts, and this first post will cover the first four verses in chapter three that talk about the tongue. I will then continue the discussion in my next post.

I don’t think anyone would disagree with me that the tongue is an important organ in the human body. It helps us speak as well as eat. It even helps us make funny faces at each other at times. However, the Bible speaks about the tongue in a very different way, and it is very important that we understand what this muscle is capable of.

In verse 2, James starts off talking about how we all stumble in many things, but how if a man does not stumble with his words then he is perfect and able to control his entire body. He goes on to further illustrate his point in verses 3 and 4 by comparing our tongues to two different objects – a horses bit and a rudder on a ship. He says:

For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. Indeed, we put bits in horses' mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires.

Both objects are small, and yet both are able to control the larger object that they are a part of. That small bit placed in a horse’s mouth can be used to help the rider guide and direct the whole body of the horse. The same goes with the rudder on a ship. Such a small piece is what is used to guide the larger mass across the waters. I think the key point to note here is that James said that the bit can “turn” the whole body of the horse, and the rudder “turns” the ship. It’s not that the bit drives the horse. The horse’s legs do that. And the ship is driven by the wind, but it is the bit and the rudder that allows them to steer in different directions.

Our tongue is very similar to the bit and the rudder. It can steer us (and others around us) in different direction depending on how we use it. We can steer someone in a positive direction with kind words, or we can steer them off course with negative words. James puts it this way in verse 5:

Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!

The tongue may be small, but it is capable of causing much destruction if we are not careful. Just as a small spark can destroy an entire forest, so can one wrong word spoken from our tongue also destroy the life of someone else if we are not careful. In my next post, I will dig deeper into the tongue and how it can be used for evil. This is not to discourage you from speaking, but rather to encourage you to use this organ that God has given you to speak forth blessings and hope into people’s lives. Stay tuned! More to come!

Life Continues Even When The Words Have Ceased

2009-03-17T19:35:00.002-06:00

I try not to use this blog as a journal. I feel like there are certain thoughts that should be kept private, either because they are too personal to share with everyone on the Internet, or because I just don't want to bore people with them. However, sometimes I feel like I need to get personal on my blog, because it helps me gain perspective. Sometimes I want people to know what I am thinking.

I've been reflecting lately on what is happening to me. So many wonderful changes are taking place in my life, and I have been at the peak of my happiness. Jamie has been a total blessing and a true treasure. My job is progressing, and I'm learning a lot. Loveland is such a great town with so much natural beauty surrounding it. God and I have been having a lot of discussions lately, and that is the best thing that has been happening. One thing is lacking though - my writing.

This may not seem like a big deal. After all, with everything else going good, why complain about a writing hobby? Well I am not really complaining. I see the glass as being a lot fuller now than I used to. I just miss being able to bless people with my words. No, let me re-phrase that. I just miss being able to bless people with HIS words that flow through me.

I don't know what has happened, but I have grown somewhat distance from the rest of the Christian writing community. I don't hear from a lot of my old writing buddies like I used to, and they don't hear from me as much either. I try to stay in touch, read blogs, and submit challenge entries on FaithWriters. But no matter how hard I try to make things like they were just a short time ago, I fail at it. Perhaps it's because I used to have a job where I was allowed to sit and write when I had a slow day, but this new job forbids that. Maybe it's because I was lonely before and had time to sit on the FaithWriter message boards and comment on blogs and now that I have a fiance it has changed. Maybe the creativity has left me and I'm left with few ideas to mold into stories. Whatever the case may be, I feel like I am no longer a part of what I used to be part of.

I want my blogging to continue. I want to keep my James study going. I want to get back to reading friend's blogs and commenting on their posts. I want to once again be able to pull a creative entry out of my head for the writing challenge on FaithWriters.

I guess this is a plea for prayer in regards to this area. If God truly gave me this ability like I believe He did, then I don't want to stop using it. For those few people who are still loyal and read my blog, I want to say thank you and I'm sorry for slacking off in regards to reading your blogs. All I would ask is that you would please keep me in your prayers. Everything is going real good with me right now, but I do wonder if my writing is going to ever be able to return with full force. It is a huge part of my life, and I didn't realize that until now when it seems to be slowly fading away. Thank you all for supporting me! I pray that God blesses all of you!

My Testimony

2009-03-15T22:45:00.002-06:00

My friend LauraLee Shaw at Selah is requesting that people submit their salvation stories, so I decided to post my testimony of how I woke up to what it truly meant to have salvation in Jesus Christ. Here it is:

What is my testimony?

This is a question I used to ask myself. I never really felt like I had much of a testimony to share with people. I hadn’t been addicted to drugs. I wasn’t a recovering alcoholic. I never found myself in jail or hanging with the wrong crowds. I guess you could say that I was pretty “straight-laced” growing up. I was the shy, timid boy who was afraid to say much to anyone, let alone go out and get myself in to a bunch of trouble. I didn’t seem to have found my salvation. It sort of found me, or at least I thought that was the case.

I grew up with Godly parents that taught me about Jesus from birth. My mother has a cassette tape of me singing Jesus loves me when I was one and a half years old. I attended a private Christian elementary school, and I had first accepted Jesus Christ into my heart at the age of 6. I was then baptized in water at age 10. Nothing exciting about my walk with the Lord, it was all pretty straightforward and boring, right?

That all changed when I entered the 7th grade. I began experiencing a fear and terror unlike anything I had ever faced before. The internal scare was accompanied by physical symptoms of hyperventilating, shakiness, and dry mouth. At age 13, I was experiencing anxiety and “panic attacks.” They were something my dad had struggled with for years, and I had never understood them. I still didn’t understand them, and neither did my teachers or principal. They thought I was just a clever kid who was finding a way out of having to go to school. They didn’t know me and how much I loved academics. They didn’t realize that I thrived on going to school and learning new things. This was not a ploy to get to go home and have fun. This was a battle within my mind.

For several months I struggled with sitting in the car every morning, ducked down and sobbing uncontrollably, afraid to enter the school building. The principal decided to let me try half days to see if that would work better for me. It did for a short while, but then I began to be plagued again by the symptoms. Finally, my parents gave up and pulled me out of public school to homeschool me.

I was a failure. There was no hope for me. God had abandoned me. The Savior that I grew up praising had left me. I sat in darkness for a period of time until I finally hit rock bottom. It was at this point that I realized I needed to renew my commitment to the Lord. I asked Him into my heart for a second time, but the second time felt like the first as I had now matured enough to know what having a relationship with Him truly meant. I now realized what salvation in Him was, and for the first time, I truly felt saved. I made up my mind that I was going to get things turned around in my life. I graduated high school and decided to go on to college.

The symptoms began to hit me again during my first semester of college. I started to cower down in fear, but I heard that beautiful, still-soft voice speak into my ear “Remember 7th grade. How long will you keep running from this? Be strong because I am with you through every step of this journey.”

I now have my Bachelor’s Degree. I now have a good paying job and a lovely fiancé. Most of all, I now have my testimony and my assurance of who I am in Jesus Christ because of what He has brought me through. My salvation is in Him alone, and I cannot thank Him enough for loving me.

Verse By Verse Study – James 3:1

2009-03-01T19:53:00.003-07:00

My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. – James 3:1 (NKJV)

It is time to start chapter 3 of the Book of James. This first chapter 3 post is only going to focus on the first verse. My next post will be more in-depth, as we will be dealing with the tongue and its power. But James decided to start this chapter off with a warning. I wanted to discuss that warning and what it means to each of us.

James instructed that not many of us should become teachers. What does he mean by “teacher?” Is he referring to someone that teaches you reading, writing, and arithmetic? Is it someone who takes you in a car and instructs you how to drive when you are a teenager? The word “teacher” in this verse translates to mean “one who teaches concerning the things of God and the duties of man.” In other words, James is referring to those who teach within the body of Christ.

You may be thinking that this means pastors only, but there are many who teach of God within the church. There are Sunday school teachers, missionaries, evangelists, youth leaders, Bible study leaders, and the list goes on and on… Any of us has a potential of being one of these teachers. So, the question here might be “Why would James say that not many of us should become teachers?”

I’m going to give my personal view regarding this. Some of you may disagree, and that is ok. Just keep in mind that this is how I see and interpret what James is saying. I think that James is trying to make a point that teaching others about God is a serious matter. It is not something that should be taken lightly. Many feel like they have the duty and the right to go around telling others what they should and shouldn’t be doing. However, many of these people do not have the other person’s best interest in mind. They may be using God as a way to control them or to make them feel condemnation for what goes against their own personal opinions and ways of thinking. You see this happen too often nowadays. There are so many hypocrites both in leadership positions as well as those who sit by the wayside professing to possess the love of God but do nothing to show it to others.

James is warning each of us that if we are going to put ourselves in a position to instruct others in the ways of the Lord, then we better be prepared and called to do so. We need to be sure that we seek God daily, pray, and do our best to prepare our hearts and minds before passing anything on to others. What happens if we don’t? Well then we stand a good chance of misleading others. We could possibly hurt others more than we help them if we blindly go in and try to start teaching.

Think of it this way, anyone is capable of putting out a fire. However, not everyone is skilled enough to handle all fires. It takes special training to be able to handle a big blaze. If you’re not careful and you try to fight a fire that you aren’t trained to fight, then you might end up burning yourself and destroying the life of the one you are trying to save.

James mentions that God holds those who teach to a higher standard. Their judgment will be stricter. Does this mean that we should be afraid to teach? Does this mean that we should hide away and never share the love of Christ with others for fear of being judged harshly by God when we reach Heaven? I don’t think that is what we should do at all! What we need to do is make sure that we are seeking God and letting his Holy Spirit guide us before we try to guide others. If we do that, then we are going to be a great blessing to others, and we will see people come to Christ through our willingness to lead them. We need to make sure that we are letting God first lead us, so that we then can lead others. Being blind and trying to lead another who is blind does not work very well.

That is my opinion regarding this verse. We each play an important role in the body of Christ, but we need to make sure that we are filling ourselves with spiritual food before we pass on food to others. God has a high standard for His teachers, and He wants them to take their job seriously. Thank you for reading this post. I look forward to studying further and posting more!

James Is Returning...But First Here's Joshua!

2009-02-24T07:33:00.000-07:00

Good morning to all my faithful blog readers!

I have two things that I would like to share with you this morning. The first is in regards to my study of James. I am going to be starting chapter 3 here real soon. I know that I am slow with this (I should have been finished with the entire book by now), but I have not given up on it yet. I love this book of the Bible, and I want to continue delving deeper into it, so please stay tuned! A new post is coming!

I also wanted to speak a bit about what I read in The Bible last night. I was reading the last chapter of the book of Joshua. Needless to say, I am quite partial to this book because it bears my name. LOL. All joking aside, I am very proud that my parents named me after such a mighty man of the Bible.

Chapter 24 has Joshua speaking to the Israelites. They had finally reached the land promised to them by God, but it was not without many hardships and struggles. Most of those who first set out to see the Promised Land died before they reached it due to their complaining and aimless wandering in the desert. Moses had died, and Joshua took over and finished leading the people into the land that God wanted them to possess. It is in this chapter that he recalls all that God did for the people despite their disobedience and their worshipping of false gods. Joshua then gives the people a choice. Either they continue to disobey the God that they know brought them out of bondage and the wilderness by worshipping their false gods, or else they turn away from those idols and serve the Almighty God that showed his mercy and love to them by keeping His promise. Joshua then makes this declaration to the people at the end of verse 15:

“…but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” –Joshua 24:15 (KJV)

My parents have this scripture engraved in a small plaque on the front door of the house. I had seen it many times, but it wasn’t until last night that I really saw the full impact of this statement that Joshua made. He was declaring his allegiance to the one true God. I’ve thought about how many times God has brought me through the wilderness, how he has released the shackles off my feet. And yet, many times I have still put other gods before Him. I have let money drive me, people control me, and my desires to have things my way consume me.

I see myself now standing before my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. I see myself having to make a decision. Do I serve God with my whole heart? Do I declare that me and my household will serve Him no matter what? Or do I continue on seeking after futile, fleshly gods? Don’t get me wrong, I have always loved God, but have I truly made up my mind that I am going to serve Him and lead those around me to serve Him no matter what? I find this to be an important thing to grasp both now and when I do get married in the near future. Being a wise spiritual leader hinges upon understanding this verse and what it is truly saying.

My prayer is that we all make the same declaration that Joshua made. Let us all choose to serve the Lord this day.

Thank you for reading this! Be blessed today!

Resisting Temptation During A Long Engagement

2009-02-17T07:55:00.002-07:00

Those of you who know me well know that I am very transparent when it comes to sharing my life on my blog. Some would say that this is a downfall of mine, and I would agree at times. There are times when I feel like maybe I share too much with people and open myself up for ridicule or condemnation, because let’s face it folks, some people want to make your life’s business their life’s business.

However, I also see my openness and honesty as being a good thing as well, because it allows me to connect with my blog readers and the world in a way that wouldn’t be possible if I were to hide my flaws and my struggles. So with that said, I am about to open up on a subject that has been brought to my attention by several people since I announced my engagement. It is the subject of temptation.

People have expressed their concern over my engagement being a long one. They are afraid that I will fall into sexual sin, because I will slowly let myself step closer and closer to the forbidden line until I finally cross over it. Let me say that I love these people and their concern and I appreciate them sharing their feelings with me. This concern has caused me to evaluate my motives and also seek God for His strength to overcome any temptation that my flesh may want to give into during this long season of engagement.

Let me say that I didn’t exactly want to get engaged and then have to wait a year to get married. Circumstances prevent me from being able to get married at this time, but even if they didn’t, I still feel it is the right thing for me to wait. Why? Well I have several reasons. First of all, I am still growing closer to God and to Jamie. I am seeking His will for my life and trying to prepare myself financially and spiritually for marriage. I got myself into some debt that I am actively trying to pay off (by the way Dave Ramsey has some excellent tips for getting out of debt). I am also trying to step up and learn to be a leader which has never been natural to me. I find that God is giving me the strength to do so as I step out in faith and actively seek Him. I also find that I appreciate being with Jamie so much more because of the lack of time we have together, and that is going to help me cherish and appreciate getting to see her everyday once we do tie the knot. Also, marriages take time to plan, and so this gives us plenty of time to set things up the way that we want them so that the day is memorable for both of us. I could list a lot more reasons, but these are the major ones. The engagement came fast, but I want to slow things down a bit now.

So what about temptation? Is it a legitimate concern to think that I might be tempted to step beyond the line of intimacy that God has drawn out for me? Most definitely! I’d be a fool to think that I can overcome my flesh in my own power. However, I would also be a fool to be scared of my flesh. They key here is to know who gives me my strength to overcome fleshly desires. It is ONLY through God that I can resist temptation, setup boundaries, and stick to those boundaries. I like this scripture:

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. – 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV)

I firmly believe that we can overcome any temptation with God’s help. He always gives us a way of escape. Of course, we have the choice of whether or not we choose to escape. We can choose to ignore the escape path and stay on the path of destruction if we desire. I, myself, have made up my mind that I do not want to go down that path. I have remained a virgin for over 26 years, and I intend to stay one until I am married. That may mean having to consistently keep my actions and motives in check, but that doesn’t mean that I should be scared to embrace my fiancé and love her by holding her close to me or be afraid of being by myself with her. We just have to know our boundaries and seek God together in prayer. We must flee from temptation, but we also must not fear temptation. Fear, in and of itself, is a sin. I don’t feel it necessary to rush into marriage strictly so that I can have sex without dishonoring God. That to me says that all I care about is being able to fulfill my carnal desires early. I’d much rather show perseverance and self-control while preparing other aspects of my relationship such as finances, spiritual leadership, etc.. If I cannot learn to crucify my flesh man, then there is no way that I can go into a marriage with the proper tools and mindset that I need to make it a success.

I’ll end this long post with this thought. If this truly is a spiritual race like Paul suggests, then we have to stay strong. I have managed to stay sexually pure for 26 years, and while it hasn’t been easy, I do not plan on giving up now. Often times the end of the race is the hardest part to stay strong. You are out of breath and ready for it to all be over. It’s easy to give up at that point and throw your victory out the window. But the end of the race is also the best time for us to demonstrate God’s strength in us as we muster up all that we have left and sprint for the finish line. This can be applied in all areas of our lives and not just sex. We must never give up, and we must seek God for strength as we go boldly go forward in what He has for us. Please pray for me that I will finish strong and be able to have the blessed relationship that God has placed before me.

I Am Engaged!

2009-02-15T14:32:00.003-07:00

Well it finally happened folks. This here single guy finally popped the question yesterday. It seemed so cliche to me to propose on Valentine's Day, but it totally took her by surprise since she figured I would wait because it seemed like too obvious of a time to propose.

I had a hard time figuring out how I would propose, but I managed to get creative. I bought an empty, red Valentine's notebook. I wrote her a nice letter and at the end I explained how the blank pages represented the chapters of our lives that had not been written yet, and I hoped that she would fill them in as she sees fit later on. I also mentioned that no book can be written without a proper beginning and I told her to turn to the back of the book to get our lives started together.

She had told me that she would marry me with simply a string on her finger. I joked and said that I would be proposing to her with a green string since green is her favorite color. Well I hung the ring from a green string and taped the string to the back page of the book. When she turned there she started shaking as she saw the ring. I just happened to have a pair of scissors under the couch (how convenient huh? lol) and cut the rung off the string and proposed on one knee. Thankfully, she said "yes" and we both got tears in our eyes.

I guess you could say it was a great Valentine's Day for the both of us. My first Valentine's Day with my first true love, my first kiss, and now my soon to be first and ONLY wife. We will more than likely be having our wedding in a about a year or so.

I just wanted to thank all of my devoted friends and blog readers who have prayed for me in regards to finding a good God-fearing woman. I firmly believe that it is your prayers and support that helped bring her into my life. God is so good to bless me with such a precious treasure. It is definitely going to be a big change for me after 26 years of living as a single man, but I am so excited to embrace the challenges and changes ahead.

Blessings to all of you!

More Memory Verses To Lay A Strong Foundation

2009-02-09T07:30:00.005-07:00

Well I am doing well with my first batch of memory verses. In case you didn't read my last post regarding this, I am in the process of learning new memory verses each week. Well, the plan was to make it a weekly thing. I got a little bit behind, but I am not giving up. I have memorized the following scriptures (New King James Version):

Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.– Psalm 56:3

The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? – Psalm 118:6

It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in man. – Psalm 118:8

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. – Isaiah
41:10

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. - Jeremiah 29:11

I am adding three new verses to this list that I am starting to learn today. They are:

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. - Romans 8:1

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. - Hebrews 4:16

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. - Psalm 18:2

Memorizing scripture is helping me immensely. I find that when I am struggling, these verses I am learning just pop in my head. There is great comfort to be found in God's Word. I am so thankful that He created The Bible for us. It truly is our instruction manual for life and the light that guides our path.

So Blessed And So Thankful!

2009-02-01T06:09:00.007-07:00

It's been a while since I posted anything, so I decided to give an update on what God is doing in my life. I am very excited about all of the blessings and changes that are taking place, and I wanted to share them with my blog readers.

First of all, God has been helping me memorize his Word. I had posted up some scriptures that I wanted to memorize a while back, and I plan on posting some more here soon now that I have learned those. I want to continually build on my scripture memorization list as I go forward so that I can embed God's Word deep into my heart.

Second, God provided me with another Editor's Choice award in the Faithwriter's Writing Challenge. The name of the entry is "Crikey!" and it took first place in the advanced level and fourth place overall. Now there wasn't a lot of entries this week, but I am still proud of the accomplishment, because I was feeling like my writing was drying up and that I had nothing left in me. I thought I had a good run for a while and that I had finally lost my touch. Thankfully, when God gives us a gift, He will never take it back if we are willing to use it for His glory. I just want to minister to people and put a smile on their face with my words.

God also has been helping me with my new job. I got my first paycheck on Friday, and I have been there nearly a month now. Crazy huh? I remember when I was busy asking my FaithWriter friends to pray for me regarding a new job, and their faithful prayers helped bring me to the place where I am at today. I am still adjusting to my new job and new environment, but I know it is where God wants me right now.

And I saved the best for last. Just as I am finally getting back to a strong place in the Lord, He decides to send me the woman of my dreams. And the best part is that she helps me grow even stronger in the Lord and I do the same for her. God took my list of desires that I had wanted in a woman, and he gave them to me and then some. I didn't ask for anything physical. I was more concerned with the mental and spiritual aspects, but guess what? She is also beautiful on the outside (and brunette. I've always had a thing for brunettes. LOL). I mentioned her on my blog before. Her name is Jamie, and I am so thankful to have her in my life. She is so on fire for God, and she loves to pray with me, worship with me, read the Bible with me, and go to church with me whenever we are able to do so together. This one is a definite keeper folks. :)

Here's a pic of "Beauty" a.k.a. Jamie and the "Beast" a.k.a. myself with a new facial hair experiment.

Dear God,

Thank you so much for all of the blessings you have been giving me. I am overwhelmed by your goodness, and I know that I don't deserve any of it. However, you love your children and want to bless them with good things, and I thank you Father for answering my long prayed prayer for a Godly woman. I also thank you for providing me with a good job in an unstable economy and helping me to embed your Word in my heart so that I can carry it with me wherever I go. I am also thankful for my writing ability that you so graciously provided, and I want to continue to write for You. Thank you Jesus for everything! It all means so much to me!

Love,

Josh

Fiction Friday Original Story - Her Faithful Touch

2009-01-16T06:13:00.003-07:00

I have been away from Fiction Fridays for a while, but I am glad to finally be back and have an original story written especially for FF. Fiction Friday is being hosted by Lynn Squire at her blog Faith, Fiction, Fun, and Fanciful. Be sure to go there to check out more great fiction.

This story is short, but it is a fictional re-telling of a true story that I am sure you will recognize. I felt inspired to write it, and I hope that it blesses you today.

Her Faithful Touch
By Joshua Janoski

Unclean…

That is what they call me. They tell me that I must stay away from the others. I am not welcomed in the marketplace. I am not welcomed among my people. Many of my friends want to be with me and support me, but they are not allowed to because of the laws. I can’t really blame them. After all, who wants to be around someone with a problem like mine.

Weak…

I am without energy, and my body continues to fail me. I live out each day drained and grasping for just a small amount of strength to get me through another moment. The failing of my body has caused me to lose track of time, but if I remember right, it has been over twelve years that I have now suffered.

Incurable…

The physicians tell me that they can do nothing for me. Their attempts at healing this plague have done nothing but intensify the problem. I am poor and destitute. Everything I had was spent to try and rid myself of the crimson flow that stops me from living a full and happy life.

Determined…

I am not going to shut myself up in this house any longer. I am going to go out among the people. Though I may be ridiculed and shunned, at least I can avoid letting these four walls smother me into eternal darkness.

Hopeful…

I was told that the man they call Jesus is near today. He healed the daughter of Jairus, and he is crossing over this way. Perhaps He has the cure that no one else has.

Faithful…

I see him walking through the crowds. The pushing and shoving on my body causes me to fall, but somehow I manage to pick myself back up and continue weaving in and out. I have to get closer to Him. I just know that if I can touch Him that I will find healing.

Reaching…

I’m getting closer to Him! If only the people that knock me down would realize how badly that I need this. I’m nearing Him. I just have to stretch a little bit farther and I will be able to touch His garment. When I do, then my disease will go away. I will be healed. I know it in my heart to be true. Just one stretch of my arm. I am so weak, but I must do it.

Touching…

There! I touched Him. I feel a surge through my body. A power so strong that words cannot even begin to describe it. I feel a relief that I have never felt before. For the first time, I know what it is like to be free from my bondage. He turns to me. His loving eyes look directly into mine. He speaks…

And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction." – Mark 5:34 (NKJV)

Memory Verses - Week One

2009-01-12T21:42:00.004-07:00

My friend Yvonne over at My Back Door decided to start this year off with memorizing scripture. I too had put this down as one of my goals for this year. I was going to learn the same verses that she is learning, but God led me in a different direction as I opened up His word. So each week, I am picking a handful of verses to learn, and I want to build on them each week. It may seem like I am picking too many at a time, but I want to challenge myself and consume as much of God's word as possible.

I am memorizing from the New King James translation, and here are my verses for this week:

Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.– Psalm 56:3
The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? – Psalm 118:6
It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in man. – Psalm 118:8
Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. – Isaiah 41:10
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. - Jeremiah 29:11

I know the verse in Jeremiah, but it's my favorite so I decided to include it in this week's batch. I plan on studying these each day. Satan tries to hit me with fear, and so a lot of these this week deal with fear. I am excited about this, and I hope that along with Yvonne and I, you too will make it a goal to internalize God's Word and write it on your heart.

Verse By Verse Study - James 2:17-26

2009-01-12T21:36:00.004-07:00

Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe--and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. – James 2:17 -26 (NKJV)

I am finishing up chapter 2 of the Book of James. In my last post, I gave an explanation of why I felt that Paul and James were on the same page when it comes to faith and works. I hope that the post was as enlightening to my readers as it was to me as I studied and wrote it. If you have not yet read that post, then you can do so by going here.

James continues to speak of faith and works. Two very different things, and yet when combined, they bring forth something very exciting and powerful within us. There is power to change lives when faith and works are combined.

My friend LauraLee Shaw commented on my last post regarding this subject, and I would like to quote something that she said at the very end of her comment. She said:

“Dare I say, faith and works HAVE to go together. There's no other way to live on this earth. Faith alone gets us to Heaven, but works combined with that faith on earth gets others to Heaven through the power of the Holy Spirit working in us.”

I don’t think that I could have put it any better. Faith is the component that gets us to Heaven. You can’t earn your way to Heaven. And yet, without works, our faith is useless in helping the lost find Jesus.

James speaks of how even the demons in hell believe there is only one God. In verse 19 he says:

You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe--and tremble! James 2:19 (NKJV)

So if even demons believe in God, then what separates our belief from that of the evils of hell? It’s simple. Our actions are what separate us. When we declare our belief in the Lord, then what we are saying is that we believe not only in “who he is” but also in “what he says.” It means that we take his commands and direction seriously, and we do our best to obey Him and walk according to His will for our lives.

James gives two examples of people that “walked” their faith. You see, walking is an action. It’s not a noun. It’s a verb. When you “walk by faith” then you are not only declaring your belief in God, you are also showing it.

James first speaks of Abraham in verses 21-23:

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God. James 2:21-23 (NKJV)

Abraham was told by God to sacrifice the son that he had prayed and waited for. Can you imagine doing that? I could picture myself. I would be going along praising God and declaring my faith and trust in Him one moment, and then I would be running scared the enxt afraid to do what He had commanded me. But you see, Abraham did not do that. He knew that God would provide an alternative sacrifice, and even if he hadn’t, Abraham knew that He was obeying God and putting action to his faith. These scriptures say that by works Abraham’s fsith was made “perfect.” The translation of that word perfect in this passage can also mean “complete.” Abraham had added the second component that allowed his faith to be stronger than ever, and in turn, he has become a Biblical example to all of us of what it means to trust and obey God.

Another example James uses is the prostitute Rahab. In verse 25 he writes:

Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

Rahab was spared because she decided to act. Her actions saved her household and prove that God honors those who willingly step up and do what He has called them to do.

I like how James ends this chapter. This verse is very important. Verse 26 says:

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. James 2:26 (NKJV)

Without our spirits, our bodies are nothing more than empty shells. So also is faith without actions to back it up. No amount of works will ever earn us a place in Heaven. That only comes by accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior. But when we do accept Him and claim faith in Him, then it is through our actions that we show the world who He really is and how much of a positive impact that He can have on their lives if they turn to Him. We become living examples of our faith, and that is what gives us the power to see souls saved and people brought closer to God.

Thank you for sharing this study with me. I know I have been slow posting it, but it blesses me every time I go back to it. Onto chapter 3…

The Beginning of My Journey With Her

2009-01-11T00:47:00.003-07:00

Those who read my writings regularly know that I have longed to meet a virtuous woman of God. Aside from growing in God and continually drawing closer to Him each day, my biggest desire has been to meet the right girl with the hopes of someday settling down. I must say that I have found a rare diamond, and I plan on hanging on to her.

This girl is amazing! She loves the Lord so much, and everything she says and does really reflects that. She is funny, sweet, genuine, honest, and sincere. There are too many wonderful words to describe her, and she is EXACTLY the woman that I have been praying for! She lives two hours away from me, but I will not let that stop me from being with her. Eventually I would love to move to where she is at, but for the time being I am in Loveland and will stay there until my lease is up on my apartment or until God finds another way of moving me. Until then, I will continue to work this great new job and continue to grow in the Lord along side her.

You may be wondering who this girl is. Well I hope she doesn't mind me saying that her name is Jamie. She is an answer to my prayers, and I appreciate that she is as dedicated to me as I am her. I can't wait to see what God has planned for us as we both seek Him and put him at the center of our relationship.

It is amazing how in just two short weeks you can go from losing all hope in finding someone to finding the one that God has for you. I am confident in this relationship, not because of mine or Jamie's abilities, but because of God's ability to bless it and work it out. I look forward to praying with her, reading the Word with her, praising with her, and loving and cherishing her.

I just wanted to share this good news with my blog readers. Please pray for Jamie and I to stay focused and keep God front and center at all times.

Jesus,

Thank you so much for putting this awesome girl in my life. Please bless this journey as we both continue to grow closer to you and each other. Let us seek you and keep you at the center of our lives. Thank you so much for answering a prayer that I have been praying for many years now. Thank you for shutting the doors that needed to be shut in order to prepare me for this open door. God, you are so good! I don't deserve you or your blessings, but I am so thankful for them.

Lord you are wonderful...Thank you!!!

The Just Joshing Video Blog - Episode Two - Home Sweet Home

2009-01-04T17:46:00.013-07:00

Good evening to all my faithful blog viewers!

Tomorrow is the big day. I start my new job. My parents earlier this evening, and now I am on my own in the big (I mean little) city. I decided to relax a little bit and film for you my new place so that you guys can check it out. It was before my parents left, so excuse their mess. I have to get on their back and force them to clean up their room sometimes. LOL

I hope none of you get motion sickness from this video. I got a bit crazy with the camera. Enjoy!

Prayer For 2009

2009-01-01T09:27:00.003-07:00

A new year is upon us. Time goes so fast, doesn't it? Remember when you were a kid and Christmas couldn't seem to get here fast enough? You would count down each day until you could open presents. When it was all over, you would begin counting down the days until next Christmas, and it always seemed to take FOREVER!

As you get older, the holidays start to blur themselves together. You remember great memories, but you often forget which memories came from which year. Some may say it is old age, but at 26, I don't think I am that old yet. This happens to me, so I think it is something else. I think life gets busier. I think the days go by faster because we are all frantically running around doing a million and one different things. I also believe that our holiday focus shifts, and we begin to realize that those presents under the tree shouldn't be life's main focus. Waiting all year to unwrap some boxes becomes less important to us as we begin to look at the bigger picture of life.

Regardless of the reason for the time shift, I believe it is God's way of showing us that life is short. We get one chance on Earth, and none of us know how long our time here will be. It is so very important that we make sure that our lives are right with God and that we are prepared to meet Him when our time comes. This is not a doom and gloom message. I am not focusing on death, rather I am focusing on how we can make the lives that we do have ready for Eternity.

Perhaps there is something that you want to change in your life that has been hindering you. 2009 is a great year to cast aside the burden and walk in freedom. Maybe there is a loved one that you know that doesn't know Jesus. 2009 is a great year to pray for that person and let them see the love of Jesus Christ through your actions. Whatever the case, 2009 is a great year to make sure that we are all prepared for whatever God has in store for us and that we are confident and assured that we will someday make Heaven our home.

I want to pray for us on this first day of the new year. I want to start this year off right as we go forward in faith...

Dear God,

First of all, thank you for 2008. What a blessed year! I'm sure we all have different stories of how this past year has changed our lives. There has been joy, sadness, peace, restlessness, life, death, hope, uncertainty, and so many other mixed emotions in 2008. We have seen problems in our economy, but we have also seen your provisions. We have seen our country vote in a new leader to lead us over the next four years, and while some may not be happy with the decision, you have still called us to support the president elect and pray for him. We have laughed and we have cried this past year. We have turned to you with prayers of need and prayers of praise. And now that 2008 is behind us, I am remembering the good you did, and I am ready to pray for 2009.

My prayer is a simple one - that your children would turn to You CONSTANTLY in this coming year. Father, let us turn to you when 2009 brings us pain and put the problems in your hand. Let us also remember to turn to you with shouts of praise when you pour out your joy and blessings over us. Let us include you in everything that we say and do in 2009.

Please give president elect Obama wisdom and guidance to lead this great country of ours. Let him make the right decisions that will benefit our nation and the world around us. Bless the missionaries that preach your Word across the globe. Keep them safe and aid them as they do your work. Help those that are lost and in need of you. Let them find peace and love as you draw them towards you. Bless my blog readers and all of my faithful friends that are spreading your love through written word and through other ministries. Let their actions be a catalyst in people's lives that will enact positive change.

Most of all, let us never fail to thank you and give you praise for what you have done and are continuing to do in our lives. As we study your Word, sing your praises, and meditate on your goodness, reveal to us your will so that we may do the things that you have called us to do.

I thank you for this new year of great opportunity. I thank you for life.

Amen

Goals!

2008-12-27T12:26:00.004-07:00

It's that time of year again. Time to make "New Year's Resolutions." That's just a fancy way of saying that we are going to have good intentions that we probably won't follow through with. Kind of sad if you think about it. I asked myself this morning "What if I actually DID the things that I set out to do this next year?" Don't get me wrong. I see myself as an ambitious person when I really set my mind to something. I work hard at my job, and I take it very seriously. However, it seems like I never put that drive and ambition into accomplishing the goals that I set at the end of each year.

I really want to make 2009 the best year that I have had yet, and I believe that with God's help, this next year is going to be awesome. Lord willing, I would like to accomplish the following things:

Lose some weight. Over the summer I lost 20 pounds, and I was feeling great. Being healthy is important to me, and so I want to get back into a regular routine of jogging. Even though the weather is cold, I have a treadmill and other exercise equipment available to me at the apartment complex where I will be living. Time to take advantage of that and continue to melt the pounds away. I really don't have much to lose to be at my right weight if I will just stay the course instead of getting sidetracked (yes, Christmas food got the best of me this year).

Complete at least one major writing project. This could be a full blown novel or even a mini-novel. I just want to complete at least one work that is longer than the short stories I have been writing all year long in 2008. This might mean that I have to step back from the FaithWriter's Writing Challenge for a while, but it will be worth it in the long run. I am probably going to make my Fourth Magi story the focus of this goal.

Get familiar with my new job and be the very best employee that I can possibly be. I don't just see work as being a way to pay the bills. God put me into this position for a higher purpose, and I want to please God with my performance and attitude at work. I want to show the guys that hired me that they made a good choice, and hopefully my light will shine for all to see.

Memorize some scriptures. My FaithWriter friend Yvonne has a plan to memorize verses, and I want to join her in this. I think of Psalm 119:11 that says "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." I want to fill myself so full of God's word that I have absolutely no room for my own fleshly desires.

Get into a relationship with a lovely God-fearing woman. I mention this final goal with a big smile, because I know that whether or not this goal gets accomplished is not really up to me. However, it is a goal that I set every year along with the others just in case that it happens. Gotta be hopeful right? ;)

So there is my list. I could list a lot more, but I think this list alone will be enough to keep me very busy. What are your goals? They don't have to be anything big. If they are goals that are going to help you in your walk with God, then chances are you are on the right track. Don't worry about if you accomplish them or not. Set them, pray about them, and trust that God will give you the strength to accomplish them as you step out in faith.

Why I Won't Become A Monk Just Yet

2008-12-26T11:09:00.007-07:00

I've always thought that I would make a good monk. I possess the head, the gut, and the purity of one. I also have a tendency of isolating myself from other people and going off alone to pray. The only thing I lack is the shortness. I would probably be the tallest monk on record if I became one. Of course, I might just be thinking of the stereotypical definition of a monk. Perhaps there are such things as tall, skinny monks with full heads of hair. Some of them may socialize with the outside world and not even pray as much as they should. Who knows? Some may even lack the purity part. Uh oh! Of course, I am not referring to those "fake" monks. I fit the stereotypical definition minus the shortness.

I thought that I would check into some monasteries and see where I would best fit in. Since things aren't working out on the relationship front, perhaps this was my true calling in life. While brown isn't my favorite color, I think I could get used to it after a while. Besides, I love the story of Robin Hood, and Friar Tuck was a good chap. I could be like him! Yeah!

I tried looking in the yellow pages for monastery phone numbers. I couldn't find any. I was about to call the operator and ask for some, but then it dawned on me....

Monasteries probably don't offer wi-fi connections.

That was the deal breaker for me. So I guess I'm not going to become a monk until they decide to get with the times and upgrade their technology. People are always poking fun at the Amish, but in some ways they are much more advanced than our frocked, bald-headed brothers. They may not offer wi-fi either, but at least they wear really cool black clothes that I dig.

Those are my thoughts for the day....

The Christmas I Will Never Forget

2008-12-22T22:23:00.003-07:00

I don't remember much as a young child, but one memory stands out. I was 5 years old...

It was close to Christmas. I don't remember what I had been given that year. I do remember what I gave though.

My dad was on a disability income, and my mom stayed home with us kids, so I guess you could say that I grew up kind of poor. However, I learned a valuable lesson that Christmas. While I may not have been rich, I had been blessed with a room full of toys that I didn't play with. I remember my dad handing me a bag and asking me to put all of the toys that I didn't play with anymore in the bag. I hesitated at first. After all, they were my toys, and I didn't know what he had in mind for them. I picked out a few items. I don't remember what they were, but I remember what happened next.

We arrived at an orphanage. A little boy and little girl sat in a somewhat dingy building. My dad told me to go up to them and take out the toys in the bag and hand them to the boy and girl. I did as he said, and I remember the smiles on their face as they played with the toys. It was if they had never had a toy to play with. While I had thrown these items aside and took them for granted, these kids who were close to my age cherished them.

That Christmas had such an impact on me. It actually shaped who I have become today. I am proud to say that I love to give to others. I was so blessed to be able to help two friends get to see each other for the first time in person this year (and they will be seeing each other again soon). I have also been blessed to have the opportunity to sponsor a boy in India through Compassion International and a girl in Africa through World Vision.

God has richly blessed me and provided me with a decent job in an unstable economy. My apartment is beautiful, but I don't want to sit and dwell on my possessions. There are others out there that would be more than willing to take my leftovers just as those orphans did 21 years ago. However, I am not content with just giving leftovers anymore. I want to give the best of everything I have. I want to be a giving vessel for the Lord. I want to pour out my heart, soul, finances, time, and anything else I can give to see people blessed and touched.

I don't take credit for what I have done. After all, how could I give if God didn't give to me? All good things come from Him. I'm just thankful that I can be a part of the giving. Not just at Christmas time but all year round.

The Just Joshing Video Blog - Episode One

2008-12-21T01:19:00.005-07:00

Surgeon General's Warning: If you can't stand listening to someone ramble on for 7 minutes, then do not continue reading this, and do not view the following video clip!

Well Christmas time is almost here, and so I decided to end the year with something a little bit different on my blog. I created my very first "video blog" clip for Just Joshing on December 6th, but technical difficulties prevented me from posting the clip until now. In this very first episode, I explain why I decided to post a video of me rambling.

This video is part of an experiment I am doing to try and keep my blog fresh and enjoyable. PLEASE PLEASE give me your feedback. If you found this to be boring or stupid, let me know and I won't post anymore. If you think that clips like these could add value, then let me know that as well. I am a writer first and foremost, and I do not plan on replacing my written words with video. This is just something that I decided to do for fun, and I may end up posting a new clip every few weeks or so to go along with all of the writings that I post here.

Looking forward to your feedback! Enjoy!

Verse By Verse Study - James 2:14-16

2008-12-11T09:32:00.002-07:00

What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?.– James 2:14-16 (NKJV)

I am finishing up chapter two of The Book of James. This last section of scripture is going to be broken down into two posts, both dealing with the same subject. Last time, James spoke of mercy and judgment, and we learned the importance of extending that mercy to others. In these final verses, James speaks a lot of two things – faith and works.

There has been a lot of controversy regarding James’ view, because many feel that he conflicts with the writings of Paul. While Paul spoke much of being justified by faith without works, James speaks much of faith with works. I am not a Theologian, and so I will not try and give you a definitive answer for what appears to be a major conflict in The Bible. However, I see where both Paul and James are right, and I will be sharing my opinion of this as I go along. I think the two men were actually in agreement, and that they compliment each other’s teachings.

Ok. So we have two things that James is speaking of. In verse 14, he poses some questions. He asks us what benefit do we receive if we have faith but not any works. Can faith alone save us? In order to answer these questions, I think that it is important to clarify these two words and what we are actually talking about.

Faith – The Biblical definition as given in Hebrews 11:1 is – “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Works – As defined by the dictionary are – “exertion or effort directed to produce or accomplish something; labor; toil.”

If I were to put James questions into modern day lingo, then I think it would go something like this:

“Hey everyone, what good is it doing you to say that you believe in God and that He will supply all of your needs if your actions don’t match your belief in Him?”

Right away, some people get angry at these questions being asked. People think that this teaching is similar to that of some other religions that believe that what gets you to Heaven is how well you behave and how many good deeds you do on this Earth. I don’t think James is saying that at all. I’ll explain as we continue on. James gives us a scenario to explain his side.

If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? – James 2:15-16 (NKJV)

Here James is giving the example of someone who is in desperate need of clothing and food. Perhaps you have ran into someone just like this before. Imagine two different scenarios when encountering this person…

Scenario One:

You: May I help you?

Destitute Person: Ma’am, I really need some help. My clothes are torn, and I haven’t had food for days.

You: Well sir, I understand your situation, and I just want you to know that Jesus loves and cares for you. So go out there in that cold weather and be of good cheer! God is watching over you and He will provide all of your needs! Goodbye.

Scenario Two:

You: May I help you?

Destitute Person: Ma’am, I really need some help. My clothes are torn, and I haven’t had food for days.

You: Well sir, I understand your situation, and I just want you to know that Jesus loves and cares for you. In fact, I believe that He sent you here so that you could see your needs met today! Come in, I have some food cooking on the stove, and I’m sure I can dig up some clothes for you somewhere.

Both of these scenarios offer the destitute person hope. Both of these scenarios speak encouragement into that person’s life. But which one actually witnesses to the person and shows them that the one offering them this hope actually believes it themselves? I don’t need to answer that, because I think it is obvious which scenario does that.

You might be saying, “But my actions toward others do not determine my salvation and whether or not I will get to Heaven someday.” You are absolutely right. Grace cannot be purchased. What Jesus did on the cross can never be repaid by any number of good deeds. Paul spoke of a faith that saves us – an internal faith. James speaks of that same faith and says “this is what that saving faith looks like” – the external faith. James isn’t contradicting Paul, he is expanding upon what Paul is saying.

A better way of illustrating this is by looking at vinegar and baking soda. Let’s pretend for a moment that vinegar is faith, and that baking soda is works.

Vinegar (faith) is sitting by itself.

Baking soda (works) is also sitting by itself.

Pretty boring huh?

Let’s try and mix the two together…

Something occurs when we combine vinegar and baking soda (or faith and works) together. A reaction takes place. Pressure builds as carbon dioxide gas is produced, and the two chemicals (vinegar and baking soda) erupt out of the container that they were placed in.

Paul was right. Faith is the component that saves us. Just like the vinegar sitting by itself was still vinegar. Nothing changed that fact. However, if a person finds that they only possess faith in God but no works, then they probably aren’t experiencing the genuine article of saving faith, because it isn’t until you combine the faith and the works together that the reaction occurs. The change takes place when the two mix together. Both faith and works are two sides of the same coin, working together to not only save us but to also transform us.

Whew! This is getting pretty deep. I never realized that something like this could be so complex. You may or may not agree with what I am saying here, and feedback is always appreciated. I just study the Word and interpret it the best way that I know how, so feel free to interject any thoughts or comments that you might have regarding this topic. I will continue studying it in my next post. James adds a lot more to this, and so I don’t want anyone to think that this is the whole picture. There is more to study and think about. Thank you for reading my posts!

One Life Ending, A New One Just Beginning

2008-12-06T10:54:00.003-07:00

Yesterday was my last day at my current job here in Pueblo. I must say that I had mixed emotions as I said goodbye and took down the phone numbers and e-mail addresses of some of my co-workers. I was very happy that God is giving me a great opportunity to start fresh, but at the same time, I am going to miss what has been so normal and comfortable for me for 26 years.

I had flashbacks of when I graduated school in May 2006. I remember my last day of class. I remember leaving the campus and saying to myself "You did it, Josh! You got your degree!" I also remember becoming somewhat sad as I was reminded of the fact that I would probably never set foot on that campus again, at least not as a student.

The same feelings came over me after my graduation ceremony. I watched various students, some that I knew and others who I had never talked to, drive their cars out of the parking lot with cap and gown on. So many smiles were on their faces, but there wasn't one on my own. Looking back, I don't know why I wasn't smiling. I guess reality had hit me that I was now officially an adult. I had been one for a while, but it never completely sunk in until that moment. I had wondered what each of those students was going to do. Where were they headed? Would they stay in Pueblo? Would they go elsewhere? Where would their paths take them and where would my path lead me?

I now look at my life and how much it has changed in just a little over two years, My memories of college life are still fresh, but now I am an IT Professional working in a competitive field. I have been blessed with a decent salary and some amazing learning opportunities. I am smiling more now, but I still have times where I doubt myself and where I am headed. It is at these times that I have to remember that nothing is by my strength alone. I have never done anything by myself. It has always been a heavenly hand reaching down towards me that has carried me along and guided my path.

I'm happy that I can share this journey of growth and faith that I am taking. It's nice to have people follow alongside me and watch and pray as God shows me who I am. This may be the end of one era, but it is the beginning of another. I am still the same Josh, only now I am heading in a new direction that I believe will lead to great things if I continue to trust and hold on to the God that has been there since day one.

Thank you for sharing this experience with me.

Cleaning House

2008-11-30T09:13:00.003-07:00

I have spent the last two days packing up my belongings in preparation for my move to Northern Colorado. As a single guy, I thought it would be fairly easy to move everything out of this small one-bedroom apartment. Boy, was I wrong!

I didn't realize how much "stuff" I had accumulated. Items that I didn't even know I owned popped up as I cleaned out every nook and cranny of my abode. I looked at some of the stuff and wondered why I had even kept it.

Needless to say, I knew it was time to downsize a bit. Some went into a storage unit, and some is either going to be sold or given away. I made up my mind that I am only going to take the items that I really want/need up there with me. There is no need to take all of this excess junk...I mean treasure to my new place.

Isn't that true with our spiritual lives as well? As the years go by, don't we find ourselves accumulating a lot of "trash" in our lives? What might have started out as a clean vessel for the Lord, gradually becomes dirty and cluttered. I'm not simply referring to sin though. Perhaps there are things in our lives that aren't really hurting us, but they are taking up space. Philippians 4:8 puts it this way:

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things. - Philippians 4:8 (NKJV)

How can we focus on these good things if we have too much clutter in our way? Just like that widget or doohickey in your living room might not actually be hurting anything, it is still taking up space for something else that you do want/need in your living room. It's the same with our spiritual lives. If we have excess distractions, events, or things (good or bad) that are preventing us from focusing on the good of our Savior and His plan for our lives, then we have to take inventory and start doing a spiritual cleanup. It's not easy parting with things that you have held onto for so long, but believe me, it is well worth it once you do.

I challenge each and everyone of us (yes, I am including myself) to take the time to search our hearts and minds and evaluate our priorities. If something doesn't match up with God's Word, or if we see a hindrance or distraction, then lets get rid of it.

Lord,

Help us today to find ways to better focus our attention onto you. If we are letting things in our lives take up unnecessary space then shine a searchlight on our hearts and let us see these things so that we might get rid of them. Let us fill our spiritual dwellings with the things that we need to better serve you and bring people to your kingdom. Thank you for your strength and assistance in this area.

Amen.

7 Days of Thankful Prayers - Day Seven

2008-11-25T21:19:00.002-07:00

Lord,

I waited to post this last prayer, because I wanted to think about what I would say. Then it dawned on me, I didn't need to end these prayers with anything specific. I realized that just thanking You for being who You are is sufficient. After all, You deserve to be honored for being God no matter what. It is my duty to give you the honor and praise that You deserve.

I should never sit around waiting for a blessing before I will lift up Your name. This isn't a bargaining table. I can't sit here and say "If you Lord will bless me then I will honor you." It does not work that way, and I am glad that it doesn't. I thank you for being God of the Universe. I thank you for being my Creator. I thank you for being the Head of Heaven and of Earth.

These 7 prayers are just a start. I did this as a way for me to get back in a habit of praying to you. I did this so that I would begin to give thanks more rather than constantly complaining like I had been in the recent months. A new year approaches, and I want to enter it with a heart of thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is not just a holiday with turkey and all the trimmings. Thanksgiving is an attitude that must be expressed on a daily basis, all year round.

Thank you for the ability to pray and give thanks to you, Lord. I ask that you bless my blog readers as they take bold new steps for you each day. Bless them for their faithfulness and encouragement. Thank you for sending them to me, and thank you for the ability to share my heart with them.

I ask this in your precious and holy name,

Amen.

7 Days of Thankful Prayers - Day Six

2008-11-22T17:08:00.002-07:00

God,

What would I do without your Word? The Bible is more than just a book. It truly is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. It guides me in the direction that I need to be going. If there is ever a doubt about what I should or shouldn't be doing, all I have to do is consult the scriptures for the answers. Sometimes it may feel like all of the answers aren't there, but when looked at up close, every answer that I need is within those 66 books.

That is what I enjoy so much about your Word - its depth. I may read one scripture one day and get one thing from it, and then I may read it a completely different day, and depending on my circumstances and situation at the time I read it, there is a good chance that I will discover something completely new and fresh that speaks to me.

I am privileged to live in a country where I am allowed to read the Bible. Unfortunately, I and so many others have failed to recognize and take advantage of the opportunity to freely absorb the pages of your Word. We spiritually starve ourselves by not eating of the words spoken by You and your servants.

Father, help me to always appreciate the Word that You have given to me. Let me never take it for granted, and let me always partake of it on a daily basis. Let me allow it to guide and direct every decision that I make. Thank you for speaking to me through the Bible.

Lifesong in the Limelight Courtesy of LauraLee

2008-11-21T22:17:00.004-07:00

This week, I am being featured on my friend LauraLee's blog for her "Lifesongs in the Limelight" feature. I submitted a post several weeks back for a contest that she was having. She wanted song testimonies, and while I didn't win the contest, the true gift was getting to put my testimony out there for all of you to read.

If you haven't yet been to Laura's blog, then you are missing out! This woman encourages me and blesses me with every single post she writes. Her writing is authentic, and it will speak directly from her heart into yours. There are links to her blog on my sidebar, or you can visit it by clicking the picture below. Be sure to sign up for her e-mail updates!

7 Days of Thankful Prayers - Day Five

2008-11-21T22:08:00.002-07:00

Precious Father,

I saw the sun rising today as I was driving to work. What a marvelous sight! I am in awe of your creations. Living here in Colorado is such a blessing. You have placed such beautiful mountains, trees, rivers, and skies here. I love basking in your creation, because through your creation I learn so much about you. No, I do not believe that nature is God, but I do believe that God is in nature. You reveal so much to us about your awesome power and might through your creation. Just look at the mountains! They rise majestically into the sky, proclaiming their Creator's name!

What amazes me even more is that you created me and care for me more than anything else you created. I am the greatest of all your creations, and I thank you Lord for placing me on this Earth and giving me a chance to soak in all of the beauty that is to be found here. I never want to take for granted what you have made, and I always want to give thanks for all things good.

Thank you for being the God of creation. Thank you for creating me.

7 Days of Thankful Prayers - Day Four

2008-11-19T23:12:00.002-07:00

Lord,

I am so blessed to have many wonderful people around me. Every time that I start to feel lonely or my friends move away, then you always send new people into my life to encourage me and bless me. Just this year alone, you have sent me many wonderful online friends through FaithWriters. You have also sent me new local friends that I am able to fellowship with. I don't know what the future holds, but I do know that you will provide me with friends in Fort Collins once I move up there.

In addition to providing me friends here on Earth, you have also extended your own friendship to me. It's hard to grasp how the Almighty God of this world would choose to be my friend. You don't sit on your throne and treat me like some worthless peasant. You treat me with dignity and respect. You treat me like a king even though you are the king. You go out of your way to help me, and that right there is the ultimate sign of a true friend. I am not trying to make light of your other titles by referring to you only as my friend. You are much more than just that. You are my Father, my healer, my deliverer, my shelter, and I could go on and on listing what you are to me, but right now I am focused on the fact that you are also my friend.

I am sorry for the times that I do not recognize your friendship and presence in my life. People will come and go in and out of my life, but you will always be there. Please bless those who have chose to give me a chance and become a friend to me. Help them to see how special they are to me. And most of all, thank you for being my very best friend and companion. Without You, I couldn't make it through life's journey.

7 Days of Thankful Prayers - Day Three

2008-11-18T23:10:00.002-07:00

Lord,

I need to take the time to thank you for something that I don't often thank you for. I often overlook the fact that you make dreams come true. You take the impossible and you make it possible. I have faced roadblocks in my life that I never thought I could get past. However, you made a way for me to prosper. It's like my favorite scripture Jeremiah 29:11 says - You have good plans for me to give me a hope and a future.

I have two wonderful parents that support me and help me when I am in need. I have clothing, shelter, food, and transportation. I have a great new job opportunity awaiting me. I have a chance to experience a new city with new people and brand new ministry opportunities. You have blessed me with the ability to write. You have given me a unique and humorous outlook on life that many people wish they had. Most of all, you have given yourself to me. You have blessed me with a personal relationship with You. What a wonderful honor that is.

No matter how many times I may look at something and say that I can't do it, You are right there to tell me that I can. I truly can do all things through You who strengthens me. On my own I am weak. There isn't an ounce of strength in me. But when touched with your strength, I can do the impossible and leave everyone standing there with their jaws dropped in amazement.

This might not be the most eloquent prayer tonight, but it is sincere. I'm so very thankful for what you have already done in my life, and I'm excited about what you plan on doing in the future. Each day becomes a little bit sweeter, and it's all because of You. Thank you God!

7 Days of Thankful Prayers - Day Two

2008-11-17T23:22:00.002-07:00

God,

I'm imperfect. You know that better than anyone else. You created man. You watched him thrive, and you watched him fall. I think about all of the times I have failed you, and yet you continue to love me.

I am so thankful for the sacrifice you made on the cross for me. You could have backed down. After all, you didn't owe me anything. You could have complained. You could have said it's not worth it. But you didn't. Instead, you paid the price. You erased the debt.

Christmas time is near, and we all like to give each other gifts. However, no gift given to us by our fellow man can ever measure up to the gift you have given us all - the gift of eternal life. All other gifts seem minuscule in comparison.

Forgive me Lord for where I have sinned against you. Many times it has been an accident, and other times I knew exactly what I was doing and chose to do wrong anyways. I need you to wipe my slate clean once again. Thank you Father for cleansing me. Thank you for the blood that was shed. Thank you for being the sacrificial Lamb - unblemished and perfect. Thank you for thinking of me and caring enough about me to die in my place.

As I get ready for bed, I meditate on You and your goodness. I meditate on what it means to be set free. I meditate on the chance to be able to start each new day fresh and without the guilt or shame of previous days. I meditate on freedom...thank you for freedom.

7 Days of Thankful Prayers - Day One

2008-11-16T17:48:00.002-07:00

In addition to my series on The Book of James, I was inspired tonight to start a weeklong series of prayers. I feel led to pray to God, and I want to share my prayers with all of you. So from now until next Sunday, I am going to post an impromptu prayer to God. My focus is going to be on "Thanksgiving," because I feel so strongly that I need to give thanks. Feel free to post your own prayers if you would like.

God,

Where do I begin? Can I begin? Is there a starting point to your goodness? If there is, I have yet to find it, and I'm sure not even a thousand men traveling the world will be able to find where it starts...or where it ends.

I guess the best place for me to start is with my beginning, the beginning I know. July 11th, 1982 you allowed a baby boy to come into this world. His father was told that he could not have children, and yet you listened to his prayers as he asked you for a son. That son was given a strong name - Joshua Aaron.

Fast forward 26 years, and here I am now sitting at my computer on a Sunday evening typing out this prayer to you. What has transpired from the time I entered this world up until now? So much has occurred, and yet, I cannot think of a time when you were not with me.

Panic, anxiety, depression, and fear all tried to consume me. They all tried to eat me up and destroy who You called me to be. But just as you would not allow Satan to kill Job, neither would you allow these afflictions to kill me. Here I stand, a young man with a heart that craves you. A young man with a purpose and a plan that I am only scratching the surface of right now.

You have brought me through hard times. You have given me friends and family that care for me. You have given me talents beyond what I could have ever hoped to possess. You have blessed me with a new opportunity to branch out and move into a new job that will help further my career. And all I ask is one thing from you, Precious Father. All I want from all of this is for you to use me to do your work. Let me take the added finances and use them to further your ministries. Let my writings bless those who need to be blessed today. Let me never forget what you have given to me. Let me never be found discontent or unthankful.

I have done a lot of complaining these past couple of months. You know that my attitude has not been right. I have shown a side of me that I never wanted to show, and yet you humbled me and reminded me that I am but an imperfect human being that is still learning. I am still working on being more like you, and it takes time and patience. Yes Lord, I have been learning patience.

During the learning process, you have broken me down and let me see the difficulties that I will face if I do not submit completely to your will. You never hurt me, but you did allow me to see the hurt that I was causing myself and others around me. Thank you Jesus for opening my eyes. Thank you for your gentle correction that helps me stay focused on what is right.

As I spend this next week praying prayers of thanksgiving, I hope that I will be putting a smile on your face. I never tell you enough how much you mean to me, but you are my everything. Without You, life would be meaningless and death would be my only option. Thank you God for caring for me. Thank you God for listening to me when I talk to you.

I cannot end this prayer just yet, because it's not finished. I will continue to give you the thanks that you are worthy of...

Movin' On Up!

2008-11-10T22:31:00.002-07:00

Well I got a job offer from the University of Northern Colorado today. I am going to get back to them on Wednesday after praying a bit, but I'm almost positive that I will be taking the job. I really appreciate everyone's prayers and support. I will probably be moving to Fort Collins and commuting in order to avoid the manure and slaughterhouse smell in Greeley.

I am more at peace now with the idea of moving than I was just a few days back. I think it's because I know that God wants me to progress and step out of my comfort zone. He has blessings for me if I will just reach out and grab them. I look forward to being able to take this extra pay and use a portion of it to give to more ministries and people in need. I want to keep on giving back to God what He has so graciously blessed me with.

I am tired, so I will end this for now. I just wanted to give everyone who has been praying for me an update. God bless you all!

Three things that make Josh Janoski a cool dude :)

2008-11-10T12:59:00.003-07:00

My dear friend, Joanne over at An Open Book decided that I needed a self-esteem boost (why does everything think I need that? LOL). So she tagged me with this meme that Kristen over at {dancing} in the margins (and A Heart-Stirred Designs) created. I have to list three good things about myself that I personally like. Well, I think I might be able to come up with three, but that is pushing it. Just joking. God has given me many wonderful traits, and here they are:

#1 I have a heart for people. I love people, I hurt with and for people, and I long to see every single person make Heaven their home someday. It is my personal quest to bring joy and happiness to each and every person that I come in contact with. Now that may not always be feasible, but I sure do my best. Whether that be giving a word of encouragement, a couple bucks to help them out when finances are tight, or just a friendly smile. I want people to know that Jesus Christ cares and loves them, and I want that care and love to emanate through me.

#2 This second thing goes along with the first one. I love to give, and I am a very generous person. I give of my time and of my finances to help others in need. I don’t do this as a way to brag about it to others. In fact, most of my giving I try to do in secret just as Matthew 6:3-4 says. I want God to get all of the glory, and I feel like I need to return the blessings that He has given me. When God gives you much, then you must be a good steward with what He has given you, and I try to do just that.

#3 I am funny, or at least people tell me I am. I don’t always think that I am, but I do know that I appreciate humor and love to laugh and joke. Humor has always been my way of coping with the tough things in life such as death, sickness, my own flaws, etc… and so sometimes I come across as morbid or wrong in the way that I joke. Those who know me understand that I am just trying to smile about things rather than frown. I used to think that my writing was limited to serious devotionals only, but God has shown me that bringing laughter to my writing can be a way to minister to people who need that happiness brought into their lives.

I know I am only supposed to list three, so I won’t mention a fourth one (*ahem* my imagination *ahem*). I kind of feel funny even talking about these things, because I don’t want to seem boastful, but I guess we all do need to be proud of the wonderful traits that have been gifted to us by the Lord. When looking at it that way, I sure am proud to be me, quirks and all.

I’m going to tag Tracy, Shirley, and Dee. Have fun! :)

Verse By Verse Study - James 2:13

2008-11-05T09:45:00.006-07:00

For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. - James 2:13 (NKJV)

You would think that after being away from my verse-by-verse study of James for so long, that I would choose more than just one single verse to talk about. However, I think this verse stands well by itself for today's study.

Mercy - It's a word that we hear from time to time, but do we really know what it means? The Greek word for mercy translates into the word "compassion." However, I believe there is a difference between the two. Now bear with me for a moment as I share what I feel the differences are. Keep in mind that these are the thoughts and opinions of Josh Janoski, so you may or may not agree, but I hope you will see where I am going with this.

Compassion is described in the dictionary as being "a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering." As Christians, we should be demonstrating compassion everyday. Jesus himself went out on the streets and had compassion for people he saw there that were suffering. He took action and healed those people. You can take it a step further by saying that Jesus held compassion for the entire world enough to sacrifice His own life so that the sins of man could be forgiven and so that man would not have to face an eternity in Hell. He stepped into our shoes, into our bodies. He felt how we felt. Though He never sinned, He knew that this imperfect nature of ours was tearing us apart and destroying us, and He alleviated the suffering by allowing us a way out of it through the Cross. That right there is the compassion of Christ.

in addition to compassion, Christ also showed us "mercy." So what is the difference? The difference is that we really didn't deserve Christ's sacrifice. It wasn't like He owed us His life and was just paying off His debt. No, WE owed the debt, and he paid it off for US. That thought right there is huge. Take time to think about it for one moment.

Jesus told a parable in Matthew 18:23-35 about a master and his servants. The one servant owed the master a large sum of money, and when brought before him, the master ordered that he and his family be sold to pay the debt owed. This servant fell down at the feet of the master and begged him not to sell him and his wife and children. The master had compassion on the man, and he decided to free him of his debt. The Master didn't have to do that. Technically, this man owed him the money, and therefore, the master had every right to collect what was rightfully his. However, he chose to have compassion on this man who really didn't deserve the compassion. See where I'm going with this?

Compassion is: a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.

Mercy is: having compassion on someone that is unworthy or undeserving of that compassion.

It's easy to let your heart goes out to those in need that you are friends with or like. But how about your enemies? How about the people that you don't care much for? What if your decisions impact them, and can make or break them? Will you choose to have compassion just as the master in the parable did? Or will you choose to take the attitude of "they aren't deserving of my compassion, and so I will show them none?"

Unfortunately, the servant who was forgiven the large debt went out right after and found a fellow servant who owed him a small debt. He demanded that this servant pay him what was owed to him, and when he couldn't, the other servant had him thrown in prison. This is a perfect example of what James is talking about in this verse when he says:

"For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy."

After the master found out what this servant had done, he asked him "'Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?'" He then sent the servant to the torturers until the debt he had originally forgiven him of was paid in full.

The servant did not show the mercy that was given to him. Again, he had every right to collect what was owed to him, but he had just been shown mercy for a debt much larger, and he chose not to extend that same mercy to the other servant. There is no mercy for those who do not show it. We serve a very merciful and kind God, but He requires that we pass it on. The next part of this scripture is very important:

"Mercy triumphs over judgment."

Maybe there are people around you that don't deserve to be treated well by you. Maybe they have hurt you, used you, and left you in a mess. Perhaps these people are those that you could easily hurt back or cause problems for and they would totally deserve it because of what they have done. However, you have to ask yourself if paying them back with the same cruel acts is the proper way of handling things. If what James says is true, and if mercy triumphs over judgment, then perhaps repaying one's acts with undeserved compassion is the way to go.

"Well no one has every shown me mercy, and the scripture says that judgment is without mercy to those who have shown no mercy." That might be something you, or someone around you, is saying. it may appear that no other human being is showing you mercy, but that does not mean that you haven't ever received any. It goes back to what I was saying at the beginning about the cross. The cross was the greatest act of undeserved compassion (a.ka. mercy) ever shown to mankind. Jesus gave it to ALL of us, so none of us has an excuse not to pass that mercy on to other people. We need to forgive others of their debts and let them be free from that bondage. In turn, we will find ourselves being set free from a life filled with hatred, bitterness, and unforgiveness. Unmerited compassion - what an idea. Let's all give it a shot! :)

My Second NaNoWrioMo Attempt

2008-11-03T06:12:00.002-07:00

I had tried NaNoWriMo two years ago, and I ended up stopping after 5,000 words. I still have that novel lying around somewhere. Well, I am at it again, and for those few of you that don't know what this event is all about, I will explain.

The goal is to have a 50,000 word novel completed by the end of November. The cool thing about this is that the focus is not on the quality of content but on the amount of content. The goal is to get enough words down on the page so that you have something to go back and edit and polish up. After all, you can't fix a novel that hasn't been written! :)

I have three ideas for novels in my head right now. I have a sci-fi story (which was my first NaNoWriMo attempt), a historical fiction novel, and a fantasy novel. I decided to go with the fantasy novel this time. The novel is titled "Brotherhood of the Shadow." I can't give too much away at this point, but basically it is about a group of assassins. The story focuses on one man in particular that joins these assassins. It is not exactly a Christian work, but since God's values and principles live within me, then I'm sure there will be much Christian teaching within it. It is a story of falling and then being redeemed.

My word count is at 2,162 words. I didn't have time to write yesterday (other writing obligations took precedence), but I plan on catching up tonight after work. I want to apologize to all of you for not reading your blogs and for not posting more of my James study. That is also something I want to do, but it just seems like I need to develop better time management skills so that I can do more things in a day. I will get caught up eventually. After my interview at the end of this week, things should calm down.

Also, I wanted to apologize for the negative nature of some of my recent posts. I use my blog for many things, including venting my frustrations from time to time. However, that is not my main goal. My goal has always been to use my writing to encourage and bless people, and so I don't want the majority of my posts to go opposite of that goal. The one good thing I see in my negativity is that it shows others that I am only human. I am not a Christian Superman that never faces trials. I struggle just as much as the next guy. The difference is that I have a God who carries me through these struggles and eases the pain and difficulty in my life.

Praise God for His love and help. Praise God for sending me wonderful friends that read my posts, consider what I have to say, and pray for me when they see a need. What a blessing!

A Second Interview...And Cold Feet

2008-10-31T14:48:00.002-06:00

Well it looks like I was wrong...again.

I must have done better than I thought at the UNC interview. They scheduled a second interview for next Friday, November 7th. I am getting cold feet now though. It turns out that my friend Doug got a job in Colorado Springs, and so he won't be moving with me up there. So that means I will know absolutely no one in Greeley if I get the job. Scary stuff! What if I need help? Who can I talk to? My dad refuses to drive through Denver because of a bad experience he had before, so it looks like I will either have to find him an alternate route, or else I will have to be the one to always make the three hour trip down to Pueblo. Perhaps I am too much of a momma's boy, but I just have never left this city before. It's not that I have to have my parents right there. I just would like to have someone.

I am sure that I can get to know my co-workers and also join a local church. However, I know me all too well. I have a tendency to want to avoid special church gatherings and groups and only go on Sunday mornings. I tend to not want to branch out and try to meet new people. I am bad at meeting new people. It takes me a really long time to get to know someone. Once I break the ice or they break it for me, then I am the most outgoing person they will ever meet, but until then, I am a clam hidden away in his shell. There is no point in moving out of town if I am going to carry this introverted personality with me. It will end up being the same thing as what I have here right now...

I am just going to have to have faith that God will place me where He wants me and provide me some friends (and maybe a girlfriend. LOL. wishful thinking) wherever he leads me. It's just very scary for me to take a giant step like this, but I have taken other scary steps before, and God always held me up so that I didn't fall flat on my face. I traveled by myself 5 times last year, and God protected me. Sure, I was meeting up with people on the other end, but I had never flown before in my life. For me to step out like that and suddenly fly 5 different times was quite an accomplishment for me. So I know I could move three hours away if it's God's will.

This post has no rhyme or reason other than to give you all a brief update and to think outloud. I appreciate all of the prayers and support that I have received from my friends, and I want you all to know that I include each of you in my prayers as well.

Half Truths Leading To Whole Lies

2008-10-27T10:54:00.000-06:00

It’s good to be back and posting on my blog again. I also look forward to catching up on everyone else’s blogs that I have sorely missed reading these past couple of weeks. You all know about my struggles, so I don’t want to focus on those anymore. Instead, I want to share some insights that will help lead you to victory.

I have never been a Christian who likes to give Satan credit for anything. I have known many Christians that like to blame Satan for everything. “Satan is at it again! He broke the transmission in my car and he caused me to get the stomach flu!” While it is true that Satan is the cause of many problems that we have, I don’t believe that we can blame him for everything. Perhaps that car of yours is just getting old, and like most mechanical devices, it just got worn out. Maybe that stomach flu was the result of eating some bad sushi. Whatever the case may be, there are going to be times where Satan does attack us, and then there are going to be other times where it is just circumstances and this imperfect world that gives us trouble. With that said, I do want to focus on something that Satan does do that can affect our walk with Christ if we are not careful. He has been doing it to me, and I’m sure he has done it to all of you as well.

What I am referring to is the lies of the enemy. We all know he is a liar. The Word says so…

“Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” – John 8:44 (KJV)

However, what we don’t realize sometimes is that Satan is very cunning with his lies. You see, he doesn’t always blatantly feed us falsehoods. Many times, Satan will feed us “half truths” in order to entice us into believing him.

A personal example of this is from my own life. Part of the struggle I have been going through lately is feeling separated from God. A big part of why I have felt separated has to do with my prayer life. I am one who absolutely LOVES to pray. I have always felt that prayer is my strongest area when it comes to serving the Lord, and Bible reading has often been my weakest area. What began to happen is I began to read scripture more, but then I started slacking off talking to God. It wasn’t because I didn’t want to. Like I said, I love praying and communing with my Heavenly Father. The problem was that I had screwed up in a few areas. I had committed some sins that I was ashamed of, and right away Satan came and whispered a half truth in my ear. It went something like this:

Satan: You messed up and sinned against God

Me: Yes. You’re right. I did mess up, but I’m sorry, and I am going to repent for my actions.

Satan: What makes you think that you are worthy to go before God and ask for forgiveness? An unclean vessel has no place within the throne room of the Almighty God. You are tainted and dirty from your actions. I wouldn’t even try talking to God, because you cannot expect Him to listen to your requests when you don’t even follow the simple commandments that He has given you. Besides, how many times are you going to have to repent for the same sins? You know you have committed these before, and if you were sincere, then you wouldn’t have to keep going back for forgiveness.”

As you can see, Satan lures us in with a truthful statement. The truth was that I did mess up. There was no denying that part. However, after getting my attention, he then proceeded to fill my head with lies about how God will not forgive me or listen to me because of my wrongdoings. This part was a blatant lie, and yet I listened to it for a while there, because I was not fully aware of who I was listening to. I was grabbing onto what I was hearing without taking it and putting it up against the Word of God to check its validity. Because of this, I got into a mode where I didn’t pray much for a while, because I felt like it would be a futile thing. Well I am here to tell you today, that there is NEVER a time when prayer is futile. Prayer is never futile and ALWAYS essential. It is through prayer that I am coming out of my depression now, and I am able to stand and tell you what God has revealed to me through all of this.

In order to counteract the lies of the enemy, we must first know the truth. After all, how can you differentiate between a lie and the truth if you don’t have a truth to compare with? That is why reading the Word is just as essential as prayer. Jesus himself said this…

“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” – John 17:17 (KJV)

As I began to dig into the Word, it dawned on me how it was Satan telling me that I wasn’t worthy enough to go before God anymore. Even though I had done it countless times before for countless other sins, this time I had felt like God was tired of hearing me. Upon reading the scriptures and refreshing my memory of some of them, I realized that God wants nothing more than for us to go to Him when we have fallen and confess our wrongdoings. He wants us to be free from the bondages of sin, and if Satan can shut us up and prevent us from communicating with God, then he can keep us in that bondage.

“Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” – James 5:16 (KJV)

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” – 1 John 1:9 (KJV)

Remember, Satan will try to use half truths to get you to believe his whole lies. Don’t let yourself fall prey to his sly tactics. Stay in the Word, and keep on praying. Even if you don’t know what to say, just let God know that you desire to communicate with him. If you sin, don’t think that He will not hear you or forgive you. God wants to forgive you, and He wants you to be free from bondage. I hope this message has encouraged you as much as it has me today. God bless all of you who take the time to read my posts!

Beaten Down But Not Dead (And Rising Up)

2008-10-24T10:43:00.001-06:00

My interview at UNC went horrible, and I am 99.99999999999999999999999…% sure that I did not get the job. However, I have learned some valuable lessons in the process. One lesson has nothing to do with getting a job. It has to do with what sometimes happens to us when we are making progress in our spiritual walks. I don’t have any scriptures to pull out at this exact moment, but I do know one thing, Satan does not want us to prosper, and he absolutely hates when we are doing good things for God.

I have been attacked the past several weeks. As much as I want to pretend like I am a super Christian that never gets weak, I can’t. The truth is, I took a dive, and it was a hard crash to the bottom. I started questioning my writing ministry, my relationships with family and friends, my ability as an IT tech, and my faith and belief in God. I lead one of the most blessed and successful lives, and yet, I felt like I was the poorest, most-insignificant, and bad-off person during this time.

I tried to figure out what had changed to make me feel this way all of a sudden. What would cause someone who was doing so well with his writing ministry, faith, friendships, and job to suddenly be plunged into total and complete darkness? At first it didn’t make any sense, but then a hand dropped me a flashlight, and when I turned it on, I started to understand. It was the fact that I was doing so well that made me a prime target for Satan’s attacks.

You see, Satan is cunning, and while it may seem that he just picks on everyone, he actually picks and chooses his targets very carefully. Sure, he wants us all to be destroyed. It’s like this scripture from John says:

"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” – John 10:10 (NKJV)

Satan wants to destroy all of us, but he especially wants to destroy those that are having a positive effect on the world. If you are playing a board game, such as Monopoly, who are you going to want to go after? The guy who is almost bankrupt and doesn’t have much to offer you, or the guy who poses a serious threat to you winning? You will want to attack the prosperous person and take what he/she has first, then you can always come back later and pick off the weaklings. Satan often works in the same manner. If he sees you starting to rise up, then he is going to do everything in his power to knock you back down.

I get wonderful comments from people, some I know and others I do not know. They let me know how much I am a blessing to them and how much they appreciate my blog, my James study, and my stories at FaithWriters. I get people at work who thank me for helping them fix their computer issues, and I have several people who I have designed websites for that tell me how much it has helped their ministry go forward. I say all of this not to brag, but I say it to make a point that it is when you are doing good that you will often go through the hardest tests of your life. I know I have (and still am) there, but it is with God’s strength that I am continuing to trudge my way through the valley in an attempt to get back up to the mountaintop.

Go back up and look at the second part of John 10:10. Here is the good news: Jesus has come so that we may have life and have it more abundantly. The word “abundant” in the Greek means “over and above.” God not only wants to give us life, he wants to give us an EXTRAORDINARY life that goes far beyond just the daily mundane routine that we get so used to. He wants us to prosper, and in our prosperity, bless others.

So here I am. I am a weak, pathetic, useless, blogger/storyteller/Christian/IT tech/son/friend on my own, but I am a strong, amazing, useful, all of those things with God in my life. I am proof that God uses even the weak to do His work. In fact, I think sometimes being weak is a requirement in order for a person to be able to be used by God. It is through weakness that we learn submission, and it is through submission that we are able to say “Jesus, use me! Let me set aside my hopes and desires and follow after You and Your will for me!”

Just so you know, this servant isn’t going anywhere. I am going to preach the Gospel until I die! If Satan wants a fight then he is going to get one, because I am not going to be beat down any longer. That is why I posted this. I didn’t feel like it, but I did it anyway, because I am stronger than that. All of you out there reading this are strong too! You have the same source of strength living in you that I have in me, and together we can make a difference. Just hang on to God and know that when you are struggling the most is also when you are being the most effective for Christ.

“God is my strength and power, And He makes my way perfect.” – 2^nd Samuel 22:33 (NKJV)

Reason For Not Blogging, Fireproof, UNC Interview, Etc...

2008-10-16T10:44:00.001-06:00

I haven’t been blogging, because I have been feeling blah, and it makes me feel like a hypocrite when I tell others to be encouraged, and yet I can’t even encourage myself. I’ve been having some major spiritual struggles these past couple of months, and so I don’t want to be fake in my postings. I’d prefer not to post rather than post something false and without substance. However, today I had a few things on my mind that I wanted to share that I think are real.

First of all, I went with my mother to see “Fireproof” at the theatre. It’s starring Kirk Cameron, and it is an AWESOME Christian based film. I recommend it to everyone! While the storyline focuses primarily on marriage, there are also a lot of good lessons for single Christians to learn as well. The film reminded me that when I get in these frustrating situations, it is often because I am ignoring God and not letting Him lead and guide me like I should be doing. I left the movie feeling the impact of it, and it prompted me to go home and ask for forgiveness from my Heavenly Father. It’s amazing how God knew exactly what I needed to see and hear at this difficult point in my life. I have felt farther from God in these last couple of months than I ever have before in my life. It’s so scary to me to feel like I’m missing the only One who gives my life purpose and meaning. I’m hoping to get back to having that strong relationship with Him that I used to have and so sorely miss.

Second, I got called for a job interview next Wednesday at The University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. They are interviewing 10 people, and there are three open positions, so I have a 30% chance (100% with God if it’s His will for me) to get the job. If I get hired, then I will either move to Greeley or else move to Fort Collins and commute.

Finally, I have been disappointed in myself for not posting more of my James study, so I hope to have another post written in a day or two. I also have other thoughts I need to share, but I am waiting until I have prayed more so that I can be as real as possible and without the hindrance of depression or discouragement plaguing my words.

I’ll end this for now, but stay tuned. And if you haven’t checked it out yet, then go see “Fireproof.” We need to support these awesome Christian movies so that they can keep making them and putting them in the theatres. Our world needs good clean alternatives such as this film in the cinemas.

God Speaking Through Song - Who Am I?

2008-09-29T09:01:00.004-06:00

LauraLee Shaw is holding an awesome contest at her blog. You can check it out here. Basically, she wants everyone entering to post their testimony about a song that they have heard that touched and changed their lives in a real way. I personally am not worried about winning what she is giving away, because I just want to share my heart regarding this subject.

The first time I heard this song, I wasn’t all that inspired, because to be honest, I wasn’t really listening to the words closely and absorbing the song’s message. However, during June 2007, I found myself fighting a deep depression that caused me to not want to leave my apartment. My mother had given me a Casting Crowns CD, and I decided to play it. The song "Who Am I?" was one of the songs to come on, and I immediately recognized the tune, but this time I decided to listen to the words closely.

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart

Lord of all the Earth. That’s a big position. And yet He takes time to know my name? To feel what I am feeling? He understands this depression I am experiencing?

Bright and morning star. Wow! He could choose to horde His light from me but instead He lights my path and steers my heart in the direction that it needs to go. Why am I depressed if God has my path laid out perfectly?

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are

I’m so worthless. Why leave this apartment and go outside to a world that doesn’t care…but wait a minute. HE CARES! Why? After all I’ve done to hurt Him and other people, how can He love me? I guess it’s not because of who I am, but because of who He is. It’s His loving nature shining through. It’s not anything that I’ve done to deserve this, it’s what He did. He made the sacrifice. He bore the sin and shame.

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
Vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours

My life here is temporary. I am getting older every day. Each breath takes me closer to my last breath. I am but a tiny grain of sand on a large stretch of beach, but He hears me when I cry out to Him! He understands this pain I am experiencing right now. He is listening to me. He wants me to seek His help and counsel.

Lord, help this flower that withers away! Lord, help me to take this time I have and not use it to be depressed or downtrodden! Let me use it to serve you! Catch me Lord as I take a dive backwards into this pit of despair! Catch me and pull me out!

What is that Lord? What did you say? I am…yours? You mean you take possession of me? Even though I feel like I have no one to turn to, you still claim me as your own? I’m yours? Really? I ask this and yet somehow in my heart I know it to be true. I am yours. I am a child of the Almighty God.

Who am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love and watch me rise again
Who am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me

I am dirty. The weight of my sin bears down on me, leaving me weak and weathered. My hands are covered in the grime of this world that I have wallowed in for so long. I thought what I was doing would make me a better person, but instead my actions seek to haunt me and destroy me. Your eyes see my wrongdoings. You know all and see all, and yet, you don’t kick me when I’m already down. You watch me get back up using the strength of the hand that you have stretched out towards me.

I feel this storm inside me calming. I see you standing there and commanding this storm in my life to cease. I see now that no matter what I do, how I feel, or where I’m at, that I can trust in you. You care about this tiny grain of sand mixed in among millions of other grains.

I am a flower quickly fading
I am a wave tossed in the ocean
I am a vapor in the wind

But most of all…

I am yours.

That right there is the message that carried me out of that depression and brought me back to the truth of God’s love for me. I hope that if you haven’t listened to this song that you do so, because I believe it will bless you just as it did me. it's strange, because I heard it on the radio yesterday after church, and I had just got done thinking about writing this post. I sang the song as I headed home, and I took the time to remember who I am in Jesus Christ.

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
Vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours

Who am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love and watch me rise again
Who am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
Vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
Vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours

I am Yours
Whom shall I fear
Whom shall I fear
'Cause I am Yours
I am Yours

Patty's Fiction Fridays - Ministering In Any Situation

2008-09-26T08:47:00.003-06:00

I am participating in Patty Wysong's Fiction Fridays. This week, it is being hosted by Joanne at An Open Book. Be sure to check out Joanne's blog to read more great fiction. After winning my first Editor's Choice award yesterday, I decided that it would be fun to show you all where it began. This story was my very first entry in the FaithWriter's Writing Challenge. I have re-posted it in all of its raw and unedited glory, so please excuse the poor writing. It will allow you to see how much I have progressed, and hopefully, the story will also bless you. Enjoy!

Ministering In Any Situation

Tick tock……

The clock hypnotized young Derek as he sat at his desk, spreadsheets and paperwork piled in front of him. There was work to be done, but all he could do was dream. Working in the accounting department of a Fortune 500 company was not his desire. The money was good, but Derek longed for a different occupation.

At age 15, Derek attended a summer youth camp with his church. Derek had first accepted God into his heart at this camp. During this time with God, Derek began to feel the call to become a pastor. Once he finished high school, he talked to his parents about attending Bible College, but his father denied him the money he needed to attend.

Derek’s father didn’t see how being a pastor would pay the bills. Rather than argue, Derek decided to become an accountant like his dad. He went to business school instead of Bible College.

Derek’s dream to preach didn’t leave him though. When he wasn’t crunching numbers, he was thinking about preaching the gospel. He envisioned standing behind a pulpit, preaching to a congregation. He got excited thinking about sharing what God had put on his heart to a large group of people each Sunday. Every day his mind would float off into the clouds, and every day his mind was brought back down by a loud “WHAP!”

That sound was the sound of Pete, one of Derek’s co-workers, smacking him in the back of the head.

“Wake up!” Pete would say in an obnoxious tone as he slapped the back of Derek’s cranium. This happened every day, and annoyed Derek very much.

“It’s time to go home! It’s five o’clock!” Pete said as he grabbed his coat and rushed to the elevator.

“I work with a bunch of idiot monkeys” Derek mumbled to himself as he left work. He decided to go visit his grandfather. His grandmother died several years back, and his grandfather got lonely at times.

Derek arrived at his grandfather’s house, and knocked on the door. His grandfather opened the door and greeted him.

“Derek! So good to see you!” the old man said. “Come on in! Have a seat!”

Derek sat on the couch. His grandfather situated himself in a recliner.

“So how’s work?” Derek’s grandfather inquired.

“It’s good” Derek said with a sigh.

“You don’t sound very believable” his grandfather said with a chuckle.

“You’re right. I can’t fool you. The truth is that I hate my job. I really get annoyed by it. I really wish I could have become a pastor like I feel called to do. Instead, I am wasting away at a job that offers no real fulfillment. I don’t understand it. I thought that God spoke to me and was leading me to preach.”

Derek’s grandfather asked him to hand over a Bible sitting on the coffee table. Derek gave the Bible to his grandfather. The old man turned the pages to Luke 16:10. He handed the book back to Derek and told him to read the verse. Derek read it aloud:

“He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.”

After reading the verse, Derek sat silently. His grandfather spoke up….

“Derek, God wants to use you right where you are. You can’t become the preacher of a church if you won’t witness to those who he has put around you right now. There are plenty of ministry opportunities all around you. You just have to look for them. We have to embrace the small responsibilities that God gives us in order to prepare for bigger responsibilities down the road. You have to give thanks for little to be blessed with much.”

Derek returned to work the next day. He thought about the verse and his grandfather’s words. He looked around the office. He saw many opportunities to share the gospel. Pete sat in his cubicle writing. Jill stood at the copier scanning documents. Susan sat at her desk looking sad with tears in her eyes.

Derek pulled up a chair next to Susan and asked her what was wrong. Susan explained that her mother was diagnosed with cancer and she didn’t know how to handle the news. Derek grabbed her hand.

“Let me pray for you” he whispered.

His heart rejoiced. He thanked God for the opportunity to minister right where he was at.

I'd Like To Thank...

2008-09-25T10:51:00.018-06:00

I remember visiting the FaithWriter's website for the first time, and reading about their "Weekly Writing Challenge." Apparently the top entries each week would get published in a book. They called those entries the "Editor's Choice" entries. I started typing away at my first entry entitled "Ministering In Any Situation." Reading it now, I see the amateur nature of it, but at least it was a start into what was going to be a great writing adventure. Now, 28 entries later, I find myself winning my first Editor's Choice award that I had been eyeballing since January. My entry entitled "The House On Baltic" took 2nd place overall and 1st in my level. WOW!

It's a great feeling to finally accomplish something that I set out to do. Many times, I have left my hopes and dreams by the wayside, letting discouragement and fear of failure creep in. Something was different this time though. You see, I didn't just start entering a contest on a website. That first week, I also introduced myself on the FaithWriter's message boards. That began another adventure that led me to meet a ton of wonderful individuals that share not only my passion for writing, but also my passion for Jesus Christ. They have been used by God as vessels of encouragement in my life. This blog post is dedicated to them. And now in typical Academy Award receiving fashion, I want to thank the following people:

GOD (He gave me this ability)
Scott Lindsay (For creating FaithWriters)
Deb Porter (For being so cool and such an encouraging overseer of the challenge)
Amy Michelle Wiley
Angela Baker-Bridge
Ann Grover
Benjamin Graber
Beth LaBuff
Betty Castleberry
Bill Obenauer
Catrina Bradley
Celeste Ammirata
Cheri Hardaway
Chrissy Siggee
Dee Yoder
Dub Wright
Edmond Ng
Ellen Dodson
Gerald Shuler
Glynis Becker
Heather Sargeant
Helen Dowd
Holly Westefeld
Jan Ackerson
Joanne Sher
Joy Stewart
Julie Arduini
Karen Wilber
Kristen Hester
LaNaye Perkins
LauraLee Shaw
Laury Hubrich
Leah Orcutt
Lisa Mikitarian
Loren Thomas
Lynda Schab
Lynda Schultz
Lynne Churchyard
Mandy White
Marianne Holbrook
Marita Thelander
Marlene Austin
Matt McClay
Michele Roach
Mick Dawson
Mid Stutsman
Pamela Kliewer
Pat Guy
Patrick Whalen
Patty Wysong
Peter Stone
Rick Higginson
Sara Harricharan
Scott Sheets
Shari Armstrong
Sharlyn Guthrie
Shelley Ledfors
Sheri Gordon
Sherry Castelluccio
Shirley McClay
Seema Bagai
Tim Pickl
Tracy Keck
Verna Cole Mitchell
Yvonne Blake

This is by no means, a complete list of people. Forgive me if I forgot to mention your name. It's not that I didn't want to, it's just that my memory isn't always the greatest. These people above, as well as any that I forgot to mention (hopefully not too many), have been instrumental in encouraging me and keeping me striving to be a better writer. I hope to continue in the challenge when possible, along with branching out into other writing endeavors. This is an exciting day indeed! Thank you all so very much!

Verse By Verse Study - James 2:10-12

2008-09-23T08:47:00.003-06:00

For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. – James 2:10-12 (NKJV)

After getting sidetracked for a while, I am finally studying James again. We left off at verse 10 of chapter 2. Let’s dive in, shall we?

I think that these verses are pretty self explanatory, but I do want to share my thoughts on them, because I think there are many deceived people out there. I’m not trying to point fingers, because in the past, I have been one of them.

It always cracks me up when I talk to a “self-righteous” person. Do you happen to know one or two or a dozen of these people? You know, the kind of people whose (pardon my French) fecal matter doesn’t stink. They go to church on Sunday, attend Bible study on Wednesday night, help out with church banquets and other events, and during the rest of the week they sit at home and talk to their friends and family about all the good they do for God.

What really makes me laugh with these type of people is that they always have the same response when defending their righteousness. “I don’t drink, smoke, or cuss” is often what you will hear them say. If you were to read their version of the Ten Commandments, it would look something like this:

Thou Shalt Not Drink

Thou Shalt Not Smoke

Thou Shalt Not Swear

Ok. So I guess they would be the “Three Commandments” instead. I’m not trying to pick on anyone here, because lets face it, we all have fallen into this trap before. We like to pick apart the little sins of others while sweeping our own sins under the carpet. It’s easy for us to point the finger at someone who struggles with a drug addiction, while we are busy gossiping about them to our family and friends. We can always find fault in our pastors and church leaders, but what are we doing to support them? We may never say a foul word in our life, but if we are having an affair with someone behind closed doors, are we any better than the guy who says an off color word every now and then?

The stark reality is that our flesh tends to want to justify what we do that goes against God’s laws, but it wants to crucify everyone else for their shortcomings. We all need to crucify our own flesh, because one sin is not any less severe than another. James speaks this clearly in verses 10 and 11:

For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

In verse 10, James was speaking to those who were guilty of self-righteous behavior. Those people who did manage to keep most of the laws and commands, but who were sinners just the same as the people they were condemning. James points out that even one sin makes you guilty of all sin. You can’t claim to be perfect if you commit even one sin, because that one sin is still sin.

We try to rate sins based on their severity. After all, isn’t stealing worse than calling someone a mean name? James used two examples of sin in these verses. He compared adultery to murder. Most of us if asked which sin is worse would immediately say murder. After all, isn’t taking someone’s life far worse than having an affair with his/her spouse? James says no. He says that both sins make us transgressors (breakers) of the law.

In God’s eyes, there are no small sins and large sins. Sin is sin, plain and simple. It may seem unfair to compare someone who has committed adultery to someone who has taken a life, but think about both acts for a moment. The person who commits adultery can cause just as much damage to a family home as someone who murders. Sure, they may not be physically stealing away a life, but in a sense they are stealing away life from a home. The same holds true with the person who lies and gossips. While their sin may appear to be harmless in comparison to a killer, how much damage have they done with their words? In some ways, they may have destroyed more lives than the inmate on death row.

I’m sure that some reading this are not going to like me very well after reading this. I may come across as judgmental or preachy. However, I have to share what God has laid on my heart as I do these studies. I see a trend of self-righteousness in the body of believers that disturbs me, because if it continues, then it will render us ineffective to share the Gospel with others. We begin to look like hypocrites to the world rather than shining examples of Christ’s love. I’m not saying that we should be proud of our sins or shortcomings, but we should never be afraid to admit to others that we have flaws. By letting others know that we struggle with sin, we are not demeaning our Christian faith; rather we are showing others how Jesus Christ really can take a dirty vessel and make it clean. We are not putting ourselves up on pedestals to try and make people feel like we are above them. Instead, we are showing them that we were at their level until Jesus Christ came along and raised us up. That right there is a powerful way to witness.

I want to close this post by quoting what James says in verse 12:

So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.

I couldn’t speak the truth any better. Each word that comes out of our mouth and each action that we perform must be checked against God’s laws and commands. If we find that anything we say or do does not line up with God’s Word, then we must immediately take corrective action to fix our flaws before they have a chance to damage ourselves or other people. Let us all pray for God to shine a searchlight on our hearts so that we might find any unrighteousness there and get rid of it. God bless you all for reading my study today!

8 Random Things About Josh

2008-09-21T05:28:00.006-06:00

I just realized that I had been tagged by a couple of people to post a list of "8 Random Things About Me." I apologize for not posting this sooner, but here it goes:

#1 I won a baby beauty contest when I was a year old. My mom put me in a sailor suit, and pictures were anonymously posted at the mall. People went in, looked at the pictures, and then voted on their favorite. Even though I had the chickenpox in the picture, I ended up with a savings bond and a trophy with a naked crawling baby on top.

#2 I maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout college except for one A- that I received in my final year from an art teacher in a computer animation class. It was an elective, and to be honest, she knew nothing about animation, and I had to teach myself Flash in order to pass the class. For some reason, she felt compelled to give me an A- instead of just an A, which ended up lowering my GPA to a 3.9 somethingarather.

#3 I don't watch much television, but my current favorite tv show is "The Office." My old favorite show that ended its run is "Friends." I really relate to Chandler. :)

#4 One of my eyes is bigger than the other. I'm told that this is common in most people, but I don't think that's true. I can tell in my pictures, but I can't tell in theirs.

#5 I own a Star Wars pinball machine. I am a pinball fanatic, and I am also a Star Wars geek (original trilogy only no stinkin' prequels), so it makes sense that I would own one. The scoreboard screen is not working right now though, so I don't play it at the moment. :(

#6 If I were to choose a career outside of the computer field, then I would pick professional writer. LOL. As if that comes as a surprise to anyone. :P

#7 One dream of mine is to take a tour across Europe someday. I want to visit England, Scotland, Italy, Germany, France, Greece, and Switzerland.

#8 As a child, the profession that most adults thought I would end up taking on as an adult was the role of a pastor. LOL. Well that didn't exactly happen, but I guess I do get preachy on my blog don't I?

I'm supposed to tag 8 people, but I think most of my blogging buddies have already been tagged and posted this. Do me a favor, and if you read this and haven't been tagged yet, pretend like I tagged you and re-post this with your cool random things.