The pursuit of holiness without the pursuit of God is not only unbearable, but impossible.

Somebody I agree with almost completely...

I’ve just listened to Paul Washer a bit, and am in the middle of his dating sermon. He definitely leans towards Biblical courtship and despises today’s recreational dating, and the one thing that I have difficulty swallowing is the rule to not be alone with a girl. He seems to assume that their is always some risk when being alone with the opposite gender (outside of family). He uses the example that people would outcast if he was found alone with a women baking cookies (Paul Washer is an over 40 year old pastor). Would that be the same situation if he wasn’t married? Is it different because I know I have no temptation when hanging out with a female friend and also have no other girl that I’m committed to? And let’s say I did. Let’s say I have a girlfriend in Minnesota, would I then be out of place being alone with a girl because it could appear as a scandal to some people? (This is all assuming there is no temptation and no reason to believe something will happen) Ahh… but he clarifies: ‘If you are alone with a girl that you are attracted to enough time, you will fall.’ So know your limits, and the limit is temptation.

"If your clothing is a frame for your face, it is of God."

missflower:

Classic. 

Indeed.

Is it acceptable to be in the middle of multiple books?

The Newsboys made a film!??!

It is called Down Under the Big Top. It even features Mark Lowry!!! Crazy.

Wow, this was an amazing and quirky film. I love the (old-school) Newsboys. 

I found it difficult to pray intently, or at all, while on my back.

I'd like to say I feel popular,

but I believe about 15 of the 22 texts I got while losing my phone are from Twitter. Oh well. Thank you God for everything.

Just got a journal for less than $3

I may be blogging a little less. We’ll see.

Hallie is in town.

Super excited to see her

This is bad

terrible

Arg

I was just going through my Google Reader and followed up on a friend who went on a missions trip. He was writing on the change that is to come from that, and I was curious as to what changes aside from a ‘broadened mind’ were to come from that. But then I realized that I need to be taking a similar inventory. I have been gone from home for quite some time, and although I’m not saying Northwestern College is comparable to a crazy missions trip, God can change people anywhere. So I need to be reflecting, reflecting so I do not forget the things that have become so important, reflecting to not lose the change in thought and life that redirect me to God. How can I be so impotent that I fall back into the same habits, the same thoughts, the same un-awakened life that I had before?! I need to be tearing through this, not letting myself settle into a useless heap of crap. Honestly, I have let most of the change fade away. I wasn’t unaware. I’m not helpless. I am just “far to easily pleased.” Me being aware makes me feel all the worse. I’m not deserved of being able to go back to God. But what makes me think that I ever deserved to come to God. Grace, and only grace. I don’t believe that I do good things to make myself righteous, and that I do them because I want to please God. So knowing that I will always do something that is displeasing, and that I need daily grace, I should be brought to… to something. Wanting to seek righteousness isn’t bad, but I can’t forget that I need God’s grace everyday, and that he just lets it flow because he loves so much. And how can knowing this bring anybody to anything aside from a desire to just seek God?! What is wrong with me?

(insert omitted prayer, because this prayer is just a plea before my Lord)

I'm not a huge fan of people who just follow you in the hopes that you'll follow them.

Have Tumblr and Twitter just been reduced to popularity contests?

But the people who do that won’t ever read this, because they never read the people they follow. So if you don’t read this and are following me…

A wonderful morning catching up with Mia

It is great having friends who share a passionate fundamental view of the Bible.

A resolution to glorify God in all things.

 1 Corinthians 10:31

"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."\

The most important aspect in how I am going to work at this is by creating a schedule. Yes, I am going to schedule my life during the summer. Now a scheduled life doesn’t automatically mean a God glorifying life, and not have a schedule doesn’t mean you aren’t glorifying God, but personally, when days on end have nothing concrete going on, and I have no plan, my sinful, lazy flesh takes control. I want to be spirit driven, so I’m going to have a plan, starting Wednesday. Tuesday I’m not starting my little schedule because I’ll be up late tonight and then sleep much of the day away.

The tough question is: How do all things to (or for) the glory of God? Well, first I’m going to pray a lot. I want my life to be spirit filled so that I will be more likely to just automatically follow in God’s plan. Also, I should be doing all things in that I can honestly and whole-heartedly being praising and thanking God. (But not as an incessant duty.) I don’t think I am being crazy (or at least too crazy) when I wonder how I can do things like playing video games to the glory of God. Am I wrong to just say that as long as I’m thanking God for the game, I’m okay? Well currently, I don’t feel that that alone would lead to a God fearing life, and so I want to have the majority of my game time be for social action that puts time into relationships. Ah, and having friendships that actually bring glory to God is an entire different topic. Are all the friendships (or even acquaintanceships) glorifying God? And how does such a thing even happen?

Even I’m led to think that I might just be over analyzing things, but when it comes to matters of the spirit, it must be thought on, so long as our thinking doesn’t pull us away from God or our time with God.

Got a little off topic there. The point is, I want to do a U-turn and use all this extra summer time to not only relax, but to glorify God and grow closer to Him. Summer Mindset is a thought coming from Colossians 3:2. The effects of what happens when the wrong mindset occurs has definitely happened to me already. It is worth a read.

Give thanks to the Lord!

Shameless Advertising, because I would get $

If you buy something from Gilt after making an account from me, I get free store credit. So if you find something cool, doesn’t matter how small, it would be AWESOME!! 

Membership is free, and they have a wide variety of stuff. If you want, you can consider buying something from here (after making a membership through this link) as my birthday present!! It is a win-win!! Plus, I need clothes that fit me.

http://www.gilt.com/invite/dfingold

What could be the purpose of this?

I really really really hope I don’t lose the scholarship because I didn’t send the acceptance form in on time. OF COURSE I WANT IT!! WHY WOULD I DENY A SCHOLARSHIP!?!

What could be the purpose of this?

A change of habit does not mean a change of heart.

Jenny Frank

“The surest way of spoiling a pleasure is to start examining your satisfaction” -C.S. Lewis

I wonder if this is what I’ve done. To think that I am able to understand upon examination would a prideful thing indeed.