New Years Resolutions for 2014

It's that time of year again where Christina and I write up our New Years Resolutions. I'm excited to see what she has written. Last year I'm proud to say that I managed to achieve several of them. God is good like that. This year has similar ones but some new ones as well. Enjoy!

1.) Move to California. This is the number one goal of me this year. I trust that God will have me out there by the end of August.

2.) Get an awesome job. I graduate in May this year so I hope to find and obtain a career by the end of this summer. Ideally, when I move to California.

3.) Start Ministry Plans. I've been having so many ideas over the past few years of what I am going to do out in California to reach people with the gospel. I hope to start creating an organized plan by the end of this year.

4.) Have a Girlfriend. I have been single for the entire time I have been at college in efforts to achieve a good GPA. Now that I'm moving to where I'm going to live and that I am finishing up with school, I can finally have some time to seek for that future wifey ;) (God-willing)

5.) True Repentance. There are a few sins I have been repenting of in my life towards the end of 2013. I can't seem to break the grip of them completely. I pray that this year I will completely rid of some of those lingering sins in my life. I know that Christ can defeat them so I put my faith in that truth.

6.) Masters in Theology. I would love to begin classes towards earning my Masters Degree by the end of this year (assuming I have the funds and the time). Eventually, I will begin this process.

The Ocean of Salvation, to purchase - click link below

Insanity!

Insanity captures college, my relationship with God, and my physical fitness. 

College: 

This semester, Spring 2013 (I italicized to emphasize the stress lol), has been the work busiest semester at this University since I started here. Every semester has gotten tougher and tougher, and this just proves it. I know you may be thinking I say this every semester, and as odd as it is, each one has gotten harder! I'm only hoping that it starts to flatten out as Fall 2013 approaches. I can't imagine anything more insane than what this semester has brought. I'm talking term papers left and right, exams of crazy difficulty, presentations all over the place, team assignments, critical thinking assessments, problem solving scenarios, and quizzes every single week! As much as I am excited for it to end, I do appreciate the skills I have built over the work I've been doing. Insanity, I think so. 

Relationship with God:

I can definitely describe my relationship with God as insane. I'm not sure how to describe it truthfully. Let me first say that despite my lack of attention to Him, He still shows me affection to the greatest lengths; Insane. Despite my ugly side, He shows His beautiful side; Insane. Despite the fact I've had my doubts this semester, He never doubted me; Insane. God has truly blessed me with an amazing church family @CAPTIVATE, God has provided me with all my needs, my wants, and has been such an active player in my life! He is first. I may screw up, but He doesn't. I may slide, but He always stands. I may not always love right, but I'm right to know He always loves. Earlier this year, I received a tattoo of 2 Corinthians 4, which helps to keep my eyes on Him. This tattoo explains it; my relationship with God has been insane! Lol. 

Physical Fitness:

Lastly, the title comes from the work out program I have been pursuing called, Insanity. Exercise fitness Shaun T. pushes some boundaries in this work out like for real. Death, pain, agony, gasping for breath is describing it lightly. This is interval training that works on your cardiovascular and muscle resistance at the same time. It is by far the greatest work out I've ever done. I've been going to the gym for over a year and I can say that this work out pushes me beyond limits I never would have normally taken myself to. 

Conclusion?

Yes, this semester has been insane. All of this has kept me pretty preoccupied and busy. I've hardly had any time to socialize (to my friends, I apologize). I'm hoping that all this insanity will build me up into a better person. I've got my spiritual, mental and physical health in check. Amen to that!

New Years Resolutions 2013

I can't believe another year has gone by. Creating these new year resolutions have started to become tradition for me. This allows me to reflect on how this past year has been like, and what this new year can bring. God has answered "yes" to so many of my prayers this year. This year has been the year of "Redemption" for me. God has saved me out of the filth I fell back into after getting saved back in 2008. This year God has reminded me that He has never left me, that He has always loved me, and that no matter what,  He'll make sure that I'll remain close to Him. I've been a problem child for my Father, and I want to make it up to Him for the rest of my days til that day of eternity because I love Him so much!

Resolutions for 2013:

1.) I hope to see my family again in California. This year was messed up because I didn't get to see them at all, and I really miss them.

2.) I'd like to do more for my Church community. Recently I've been active in the Parking Lot team at my Church, greeting the guests. I'd like to use more of my gifts that the Spirit has given me. Particularly in theology, and teaching.

3.) I want to have a good second semester as I close with my junior year at college. I'd like to make Dean's list again (if possible!)

4.) I want more time with God. I've realized that as much as I pray, or read the Bible, or worship or go to Church; I've noticed that on my busy days with school, I'm absent from Jesus. This is no good. I want to find an even better routine to keep Christ closer to my heart!

5.) I want to change at least one person's life this year. I want to share the gospel efficiently, and have that person do a 180 for Christ!

6.) I'd like to make a bit more improvement in my work outs. I'm doing extremely well with getting in shape, however, I always feel like there is room for more improvement. I want to go hard.

7.) I'd like for my life to be a better reflection of Christ. I've realized that many times we tend to use the excuse, "I'm only human" not to live as a mirror image of Christ. I think we forget that He dwells, if He dwells, then our behavior will reflect Him.

Moving on...

Tomorrow is the day. The day I have been awaiting for. I'm getting my apartment. I'm going to be out, living completely on my own. I'm so excited. Who would have thought this day would be here so soon? I can still remember playing in my old town house neighborhood, going to the bus stop, passing the football, sledding in the snow. Now look at me. Grown up, loving Christ, and doing what God has me to do. I never saw this coming for me. I have to be honest with yall, I use to be drug addict, alcoholic, and a smoker. I use to struggle with certain sexual sins, details will stay between me and God, but I'm not ashamed to let yall know that I was a mess. I went down a nasty road. Perhaps it was my life growing up with my "lesbian" mother, perhaps it was the verbal abuse, perhaps it was my dad's apathy, perhaps it was my brother's street life, perhaps it was my clinical depression...but in all truth, the real answer lies within myself. I allowed Satan to take hold of this boy. Starting at 11 years old, things really took a spin for me. I had no idea where I was going with myself. I would cry and plead at night for relief. I never saw myself as a deans list student at Towson University. I never saw myself getting my own apartment at 20, I never saw myself associating with good peers and not negative ones. Most of all, I never  saw myself with a vision to move out to California, and get a job out there, and live on the pacific coastline. God had and has this all in store for me! God is just so amazing. The things God has done for me. The state of mind He brought me out of. (Yes, I do take anti-depressants, but He led me to take them!). I can't even begin to explain my THANKS to Him. It's like a loss of words that my heart can only express. My will power wasn't enough, I needed the Spirit's power. I struggle with sin to this day. I fall into sin. But I will never allow myself to live in it again, because I'm going to stay strong with Jesus. He is the one that keeps me away. I love Him too much to allow it!

As I embark tomorrow morning on a new point in my life as a Junior at Towson, living on my own in an apartment complex, I must always keep Christ the closest. I can't allow people to separate what me and Christ have, and I believe in the promise of Romans 8:38. I'm going to be moving on with life. Another stepping stone, half way done with College. HALF-WAY! Wow. It's truly amazing. Deans list every semester so far. How crazy! This is all for the glory of God. Truthfully, I will use my degree to help the needy, to travel to places to mission to lost souls, to help out my friends. I just want to enhance the Kingdom of God in any way that I can. It turns out that in California, there are several pastors I love that live out there. I'm hoping to unite with them, and follow Christ all the more!

When I say that I'm moving on, I don't just mean with this apartment move that I make tomorrow. I'm talking about everything. I'm moving on with all old friends that are of no use to me anymore and rather ridicule my love for Jesus (I've already done this truthfully). I'm talking with family members that don't seem to respect my die hard passion for the gospel message. I'm talking about with the "next step" in life. I'm talking about with Christ. I'm moving on from one stage spiritually to the next. I'm constantly growing. This new place will allow me to proclaim God times 10! There will be no secular attraction in my home. When I'm not studying for classes, I will be giving God glory in some way for most of the time. I'm not going to say always because that is a strong word, but I do hope one day, there will be nothing that I do that doesn't give glory to the Lord. For those that read this, and for those that pray, please pray for me! Pray for strength, for a closer relationship with Christ, for God's will to be done in my life. Thanks everyone. 

Updates

So as time goes by, more events and stuff arises of course. I'm finished with my sociology course now, and I'm almost done with my philosophy class. Time is flying by! It makes me appreciate eternity all the more when this life goes so quickly. It's just so temporary! Anyways, I finally bought a mic, not the real expensive one I would like, but a decent one. It gets the job done a little bit better than the recording device I had been using. This mic also came with a new music creator program that I've been using instead. It's much better. I've recently recorded this album, better known as a demo, and it is titled, "Jesus Christ, My White Knight". It's my best stuff so far. Lyrics and beats. I'm very, very satisfied with it. I'm actually kind of excited about it truthfully. I might be able to send this in to a reach records. I'm debating it though. I'm not sure if I want all that fame yet, just in case something clicks. I'm not sure I'm ready for that jelly. I'll have to ask God what I should do. Meanwhile, I'll just enjoy the recording process and writing lyrics (lol). I gotta be honest, I love working for the Kingdom of God, it's a great job. The rewards are great, the benefits are great, everything about it is great. I may have lost a lot from my past, but I've gained so much for my future, it's definitely worth it. I love Jesus so much, and I have so much in store, I can just feel it. All the plans God has for me in the next several years, so much is going to happen between now, and 25. I can't even fathom it all, I'm putting it all into the Lord's hands. He takes care of it better than I ever could.

I'll also be attending, The Unashamed Tour 2012, featuring the whole 116 crew, I'm so excited about that. All those guys are awesome, and Jesus lovers. I'll be going to that from October 12th through the 14th (I'll be leaving that day). I'll be getting a hotel down in Virginia beach, and seeing all of them. It's gonna be such a great weekend! Praising God with the people I love. Not to mention, my friend will be going so that'll make it even better. I'm looking forward to it, just about as much as the Gravity album by Lecrae coming out September 4th! Yall need to check it out! Support the movement! That's about it for now in my life. Just Jesus praising going on (lol), and that's how it should be. Just FYI, I'll also being moving into my apartment August 20th! Pray for me! Thanks, and God bless.

Check it out

Thought it was about time I did an update on this blogger. I hardly ever write anymore on here. I've been so busy with my online courses, with reading, with making music, listening to music, watching movies, hanging out with friends, going to concerts...it's just been a pretty crazy summer. I'm enjoying every minute of it. It's nice being able to serve God minus all the Towson University stress. Don't get me wrong, I'm blessed to be able to go to college and get a good education, and and get the opportunity to get a good job. It's just so much work, and sometimes it leads me away from the real center of attention being the Lord Jesus Christ. Anyways, I want to fill yall in on the music I've been creating. So this past month, I got this program for my computer called Fruity Loops. It's pretty cool actually, I can make beats and record my voice, the negative side is that my voice doesn't have the "professional quality" I desire it to have, and it annoys me because my lyrics are actually pretty good but it sounds amateurish because I don't have a 500 dollar mic. Oh well, I can use it to send demos to record labels, and maybe they'll let me use their professional studio which would be awesome! My music is actually very focused on Christ. I made one demo album so far, this album focuses on giving yourself up to God with all you are, and rejecting the world that we live in. I have songs that discuss my testimony, the significance of the blood, wanting to be like Christ, what it means to be truly dedicated, and much more. If you would like to hear some, let me know! I'll send you a sample via email. This demo album is titled, "Choose Him, not them". The next demo album that I'm currently working on now, is called Realizations. This is all about what it means to experience a true conversion. People don't seem to understand what it means to be captured by His grace. These songs talk about the importance of confession and forgiveness, living by the Spirit and not the flesh, serving a God more than just about the love, but about justice as well. I'm hoping this will reach out to a lot of people because I've basically taken sermons, put them into lyrics, provided a beat, and presto, I have gospel track with style (Lol).

On top of my music making, my mornings have been preoccupied with the gym and my online class work dealing with philosophy and sociology. Sociology is a piece of cake, the philosophy class on the other hand, would be great if the professor wasn't crazy! (lol). She just has ways of getting on my nerves, and apparently, she forgets it's a 101 course, not a 401. Enough about that stuff though, it's boring enough to simply do it. I am however interested in talking about some of the books I've been reading. There are 2 that really stick out in my mind, written by Frank Peretti, He's a christian author. The first one is called "This Present Darkness", and the second follows called, "Piercing the Darkness". It's a very interesting 2 part series that discusses the struggle of spiritual warfare, between angels and demons. He physically portrays both parties, and you can see them in the background working out the main characters (who of course can't see them as the reader can). It's very good, I highly suggest reading them.

I think that about covers most of my daily events. I'd like to add that I saw Lecrae a couple weeks ago, which was amazing. He was so active on stage, praising the Lord, and having fun. I was jammin out, rapping to all the lyrics, trust that. It was a good day (minus the 100 degree weather), but I persevered through it, and it was without question worth it. I'm looking forward to KB's new album, Weight and Glory, coming out next week, and Lecrae's album, Gravity coming out this fall. So much goodness all at once, then of course, the grand finale being the, I'm Unashamed Tour. Good stuff coming up! I've also joined a new Church, called, Abundant Life. They are pretty chill, I haven't met many people yet, but I'm sure after a couple weeks, I'll get to know more people. The only bad part about it is once I start going back to Towson, I won't be able to go there on Sundays for Church, but at least I have a good Church to attend during the Summer. I'd say the Lord is great! He has blessed me with so much of Him this summer, it was exactly what I was hoping for! Amen.