Final Stretch

Yep. It's finals again. I don't need a long, witty post to convince you of the overwhelming stress that comes along with this last week. I've got 5 exams next week and I've got to score about a 90% on all of them if I want an A in the class. Unfortunately, I'm really struggling to find motivation to start studying. I'm just not myself! I've spent hours watching baseball, playing Bejeweled 2, and looking up hilarious YouTube videos. On the eve of the most daunting finals week of my college career, I just can't seem to pull it together. I will get going though. Starting... now. Ok... now. Now?


By the way, If you don't see me on face book than it might be because I always remember how frustrating it is getting on and seeing how all my friends are finished with finals a week before me. I really don't want to hear how wonderful and relaxing your summer is back home when I'm busy studying the resonance structures of organic chemical compounds, effective nuclear charges of particular atoms, and deriving the quantum angular momentum of the various quantized orbital levels of an electron.

No I did not make those words up. I know I posted this video during my last "Finals" post, but I watch it every semester around finals:



See you on the flip side.

Peace.

Dear Future Wife Part 2

Dear Future Wife,

It's me again. Life is not easy right now. I wish that you were here already to make things better. I wish I could spend my day with you to ease my mind. It's racing with thousands of thoughts. I hope that you're praying for me like I'm praying for you. I could really use it right now. I love you.

Sincerely yours,

Stephen

In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day

The most recent book I've read is "In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day" by Mark Batterson. It's a book explaining how to grab hold of our God written dream for our lives in the times we often feel most overwhelmed with our circumstances. It really is an incredible book. I'm not very experienced at writing book reviews, so I'll leave that to the experts. I know I've already dedicated a whole blog post to a paragraph out of the book earlier. I really would like to just post the last paragraph of the book. It's so compelling. I would suggest the book to anyone and everyone.

The Chasing Gene

"One of my favorite DC destinations is Roosevelt Island. It sits in the middle of the Potomac River near Georgetown. My kids love the island because it is a natural habitat in the middle of an urban jungle. Plus, you have to cross a foot bridge to get there. They love chasing lizards and catching tadpoles, but our last trip involved an unforgettable encounter with larger game. We were looking for lizards when Parker spotted a herd of whitetail deer less than ten feet off the footpath.

I had no idea there were deer on the island. And I have no idea how they got there. But we spent the next half hour chasing deer through the underbrush and Parker, Summer, and Josiah were in the zone. They had the time of their lives! Why? Because kids love chasing things. Especially wild things. My kids love chasing butterflies. They love chasing rabbits. They love chasing their dad. And they love chasing each other.

It's almost like we are born with a chasing gene. It's part of our DNA. We need something to chase. We may grow up and stop chasing butterflies, but we still need something to chase. So guys chase girls, and girls chase guys. We chase academic or athletic or artistic goals. We chase degrees. We chase positions.

I believe that God created us to chase lions, but too often that chase ends in miscarriage or misdirection. We stop chasing. Or we chase the wrong thing that leads us down the wrong path. Maybe it is time to start chasing God again. Maybe it is time to seize God-ordained opportunities. Maybe it is time to unleash that lion chaser within. Chase the lion! It's what you are destined to do!"

Noah Felts: A Man After God's Own Heart

Last Tuesday night, the community of Sand Springs received horrible news. One of our friends, brother, and role models at The Depot made the decision to take his own life. Initially, the news was difficult to comprehend. It was one of the few moments in life when the earth seems to stop spinning and the hand on the clock stops moving. Immediately, you almost feel as if the news is a sick, dark joke. You wait around for the punch line, but the only thing you get is a punch in the gut of reality. Noah was not an ordinary young man. If you had even met Noah once in your life, you would comprehend that his decision was completely out of character. Noah loved God with an intensity that few fully understand at his age. His understanding of the Lord far surpassed a majority of adult Christians. You can gain a glimpse into Noah's heart simply by reading what he posted on his face book:

"Well I love JESUS. And I’m called to be a childrens pastor, and my life is amazing because i have cool people in my life and I love JESUS oh wait I already said that but its worth saying twice."

Through all of the grieving of losing our friend, son, and brother the one thing I have never questioned was Noah's heart. satan (purposefully not capitalized) knew he could not take control of Noah's heart, so he set his aim at Noah's mind. It's a tragic event that will have lasting effects for many years to come. Noah might have lost his mental battle with satan, but I still know where he is now: resting on God's lap.

You must know that I am sincerely inspired by watching the Felts family deal with one of life's most daunting blows. This is not your ordinary family. Especially Noah's father, David. When David has every single right to break apart, he has kept everyone else together. When everyone would understand if he were weak, he has been stronger than anyone. In the words of Dave himself, "Noah was a true wild man for God, he will be missed. If you want to honor his memory then take ground for the Kingdom of God. Tell people everywhere of Jesus and His love for them. Give the devil a black eye, and win the lost"! When my status might say something about hating the world all together, this man asks us to seek the lost in honor of one of the Lord's fallen soldiers. If you're ever around Word of Life than you would know David is commonly referred to as "Super Dave", and let me tell you, there couldn't be a more fitting name. He truly is my super hero. He is an incredible leader and I’m lucky to say I know him.

Now it's time to take back from the devil. The devil has messed with the wrong church. The devil has messed with the wrong family. And he has messed with the wrong city. We will not sit in complacency. We will fight back and continue to press harder in sharing the gospel with everyone. We might have lost a brother and friend, but we will never stop pressing forward. Now is the time to step up and go into the entire world with a greater passion than before. We all know it's what Noah would be doing if he were here. We are all going to miss you, Noah. I know you’re going to be ecstatic when you see the impact you are continuing to have here on earth. I wish I could be with everyone back home today. Despite my circumstances, I will still celebrate your short, powerful life from Stillwater.

Follow You

I love the lyrical statements of this song. I strive to live my life accordingly. When I first listened, it reminded me of this inspiring article. This song is called "Follow Me" by Leeland and Brandon Heath. Listen to the words.

"Follow You" Leeland

You lived among the least of these

The weary and the weak

And it would be a tragedy for me to turn away.

All my needs you have supplied.

When I was dead you gave me life.

How could I not give it away so freely?

And I'll follow you into the homes that are broken.

Follow you into the world.

Meet the needs for the poor and the needy God.

Follow you into the World.

Use my hands, use my feet

To make your kingdom come

Through the corners of the earth

Until your work is done

'Cause Faith without works is dead

And on the cross your blood was she'd

So how could I not give it away so freely?

And I'll follow you into the homes that are broken.

Follow you into the world.

Meet the needs for the poor and the needy God.

Follow you into the World.

I give all myself.

I give all myself

I give all myself... to you.

And I give all myself.

Yes, I give all myself.

And I give all myself... to you.

And I'll follow you into the homes that are broken

Follow you into the world.

Meet the needs for the poor and the needy God.

Follow you into the World.