The Power of Taking Responsibility

I have been reading a book by Brian Tracy, called "No Excuses" I have posted a link here so that if

you so desire to read this amazing book yourself, you can. I'm still in the early stages of this book, but I am finding some good lessons and nuggets of truth that I have found to be challenging to myself and helpful in shaping my perspective as I go forward in my journey of becoming a strong leader.

In chapter three, Tracy talks about self-discipline and responsibility. Now don't get me wrong, I know what responsibility and I know what self-discipline is, however, we so often take these words or attributes for granted and don't fully think through the ramifications of what these things are. That is why I am reading more books from people who have spent significant time thinking through these things and thinking through the outcomes of practicing such disciplines.

The kicker for me was on page 57 where Tracy talks about the antidote for negativity. I believe that our world is plagued with negativity. The news always focuses on the negative, social media always focuses on the negative, and the majority of people, only comment or think about the negative that is in their lives and don't give enough thought to the positives that are surrounding them. This also has to do with the mindset that we have in our lives.

Are we weak-minded people who play the victim in every situation or are we leaders who take responsibility and control our actions and the situations around us?

Tracy suggests that the way that we can overcome negativity is simply by taking responsibility for the situations surrounding us.

"There is a direct relationship between the acceptance of responsibility and the amount of personal control you feel you have over your life. This means that the more you accept responsibility, the greater sense of control you experience."

 He goes on to say that weak minded people simply blame other people around them for their own mistakes, their own misfortunes, and their own problems. They blame everything from tools to other people to inanimate objects. Tracy likens it to insanity... which I find to be an interesting comparison.

He goes on to say that "It is not possible to accept responsibility and remain angry at the same time. It is not possible to accept responsibility and experience negative emotions. It is not possible to accept responsibility without becoming calm, clear, positive, and focused once more."

This paragraph threw me for a loop. I have never really considered that taking responsibility of your actions and situations could actually have positive emotional ramifications. I can't recall a time that I took responsibility that I also experienced any negative emotions. That is definitely a gold nugget that I have taken from this book so far and I look forward to continuing my read and learning more and sharing my findings with all of you.

However, I would highly suggest that you read this book for yourselves!

Again, I have posted a link below
to Brian Tracy's website where you can buy this awesome book for yourselves.


http://www.briantracy.com/catalog/no-excusesthe-power-of-selfdiscipline

Three Theories of Truth and One Absolute Truth (But which one?)

We live in a world today where we have sadly abandoned sound thought and reason. As a country influenced by western philosophy we have given up on sound, logical reasoning. We seem to have traded it in for a much more ridiculous ideology that centers on our emotional comfort and needs. Throughout the history of philosophy, we have generally held to the belief in three different forms of truth and many people hold to the idea that there is only one form of truth out of the three that is actually accurate.

Our society has suffered from a departure from sound reason partially because many don't take the time to verify what they read on the internet or social media, and simply take it as truth. No wonder we have so many people in this world who struggle to think in a productive manner. Faulty thinking is an epidemic and needs to be dealt with. I will try to do my part and explain what I believe and how I got to my conclusions.

For obvious reasons this blog post will not cover everything in relationship to these three major theories of truth. This is meant as an introductory post to the ideas of truth and cause people to think a little deeper.

Pragmatic Theory of Truth
This theory of truth holds that something is true only if it is useful. If it works and is practical for your lifestyle then it is true. From the outset this seems like a good view and makes sense. However, after testing this theory it seems to fall apart because it is inevitable to come to a circumstance where you have to disregard a truth you had held and "believe" something that you formerly did not believe to be true because it is useful.

Correspondence Theory of Truth
This theory holds that truth is only true if it is consistent with reality. Truth is consistent to reality and nothing else. It is outside of our humanity and outside of our realm to decide what truth is, and what isn't true. often times, people who hold to this theory of truth believe in a God or gods who has defined what truth is, and how it impacts our world. Truth is beyond ourselves and outside of our worldview. It extends far beyond the scope of humanity.

Coherence Theory of Truth
This theory claims that something is true if it is consistent with other statements that are true. Truth is true as long as it is consistent with other truths in this world. This implies that everything that is true is consistent and cohesive. That sounds really good but in the end it falls apart because you have to start asking questions and the answers do not  hold up under scrutiny. At some point the question will arise, what is the original truth, and trumps all other truths? Something will have to be the original truth that does not need to be verified by any other source of truth.


Conclusion
Let's talk about it more. ;) Where do you land, and what do you believe, and more importantly... why?
until next time,

Merry Christmas!!
            Love,
               Duckie

The Quest to Find Ourselves

There are many moments in our lives that we just have to sit down and wonder... "How did I get here, and who am I?"  this could be something that only I have had to deal with, but I have a strange feeling that I'm not alone here. I'm only 24 years old, and I sometimes feel like I'm having a midlife crisis already.
The thing is, I have read enough to know how to solve the problems of identity and purpose, but I still struggle with it and it is endlessly frustrating. However, as I struggle away, I want to maybe encourage anyone else out there who is struggling with the same thing. I have compiled a list of 10 things that help me and continue to push me towards becoming the person that I believe I am.

1. I was given gifts for a reason
We have all been given a particular set of natural gifts. For some of us we are more geared towards administrative work, some of us are good activators, some of us are good with very particular details, some of us are good at inspiring others, some of us are good listeners, and some of us are good at big vision, and future planning. We all have our specific gifts and it is important that we all find out what they are so that we can utilize them to the best of our abilities. Every single one of us has the gifts we have so that we can bless someone else. I firmly believe that and it is important that we allow this to aid us when we feel lost in a sea of confusion.


2. I can be confident in my strength, and strengthen my weaknesses 
We have strengths and we have weaknesses. Often times we let our weaknesses speak louder than our strengths because we're so scared of our weaknesses showing instead of relying our strengths to carry us through. This does not mean that we should not work on the areas in our lives that are weak, but rather... know where your strengths are so that you can be the most beneficial and fulfilled person you can be. I know, that I have certain strengths, but I let my fear of my weaknesses dictate how I act in certain circumstances and sometimes I even allow my fears to dictate how I view myself. I can tell you from personal experience that this is crippling to one's self improvement. If you want to improve remove fear from your vocabulary and from your mindset. This isn't easy, but it is possible to accomplish.

3. My emotions do not control my identity
In a day and age when much of society believes that our feelings dictate who we are and what we are we need to understand that this is just not true--it is a lie. Our feelings, though powerful, do not alter the true state of reality. If I feel one day that I am worthless and have no value because of something someone said, that is simply not true because our families and friends value us. Even if they do not value us, we are born with value in us. We were created for a purpose, and that purpose is special and individual to each of us.

4. My circumstances do not define me
Another common misconception is that our present circumstances define who we are and our worth. Again that is simply not true and we need to get rid of this falsehood. Our circumstances shows us the consequences for who we were,\ and the choices that we made in the past. That doesn't mean we are the same today. Many times our past can be a huge encouragement when we see how far we have come. Never allow your circumstance or situation define you or define your worth. If you are committed to growth, you will grow, and if you are committed to discipline, you will become more so, and your value will continue to rise.

5. My future is (somewhat) in my control, and I directly influence my progress. 
Yes, yes inevitably my future is in God's hands and I have no say about whether I take another breath or not. However, the little things in life are up to me. I can control the aspects of my life that are under my control. I can choose to spend my time growing my mind or wasting it. I can choose to hit the gym or I can choose a bag of cookies. I have the choice and I have the control to define the level of success I achieve in the future. I am in control of my future.

6. The choices I have made in my life have led me to where I am now. 
Understand that the choices we have made in the past are our decisions are we are responsible for where we are. No one else is responsible for our mindset, mentality, and drive. I look back at my first 24 years and I see many choices that I made that I really regret making and really wish I could change, but I can't go back in time and change them. I can simply vow to never make that decision again and never put myself in that position again.

7. My true friends will love me through my struggles, and flaws
You are the sum of your closest friends. If your friends are trustworthy, honest, and people of integrity so are you; but if your friends are liars, cheaters, and lazy... so are you. You will be hard put to find a situation where this does not hold true.
However, you must understand that there will be people around you who truly love you and desire the best for you. They will see you not for who you are but for the person you want to become, and they will see the potential in you and push you to achieve the greatness that has been placed in you.

8. I am allowed to make mistakes but have no excuse to repeat them. 
We all make mistakes and none of us are perfect, but we cannot allow that to excuse making the same mistakes repeatedly. We must continue to improve our decision making and learn from our mistakes. If we continue to make mistakes that we have previously made we do not deserve to experience success because we haven't become any wiser. Success will always follow our personal growth.

9. The things that I feed myself will be what I become. 
We are what we eat. If we fill our mind with junk, we will become junk. If we fill our minds with wisdom we will become wise. Whatever movies you watch, whatever music you listen to, whatever conversations you have, that is what you will become. If you desire to grow, you will invest in better music, movies, and conversations. Many times you will eliminate entertainment because your success does not have time for you to turn off your mind.

10. My identity is in the unchanging character of Christ. 
Lastly, my identity is found in Christ and his unchanging character. This is where our hope rests. It rests in Christ, his consistent person, and attributes. We have a compass to guide our lives because his character is unchanging and constant. We have the power to succeed even in the tough times, when we aren't sure about who we are, because we know that Christ will remain consistent.


We all have times of uncertainty and insecurity, and we have struggle at times. Don't let your struggles get the best of you. Continue to push forward and strive for the best in all things. You can achieve whatever level of success you want in life as long as you show consistency and growth.

The Future of Our World Through the Eyes of Music.

I have been thinking about this issue for sometime and it has started to really bother mean. I understand that in certain genres you want to employ very "brutal" or dark imagery to get your message across. I don't believe that all bands that use such really mean to be overly graphic or turn people off because of it, but that's inevitable that they do.

However, whatever you listen to and whatever you put into your head affects you. I haven't always done the best job of listening to music with a positive message. I understand that a lot of it does come down to the genre that I prefer and it is not always as positive; however that does not mean that every song and every band is negative like the vast majority.

In this particular example, I am taking two songs and contrasting the views in them. The songs that I will be looking at are, "They Will Know Another" by Thy Art is Murder and "Break the Cycle" by For Today. Both songs fall into a similar genre and address the future of our world. The difference is that one piece focuses on the problem while the other offers a solution.

Thy Art is Murder "They Will Know Another"
This song goes through and mourns the destruction of Aleppo. I do not have that confirmed from the band, but the music video does hint towards that. The band mourns the pain of losing children and how even if we try to spare them from one form of torment another will surely find them. The line that stands out to me the most is, "I'm not afraid to die, I'm afraid I'll survive and have to watch you suffer."  There are many difficulties in this world. It seems the news is filled daily with lives lost. This is where this song stops-- the problem without a solution. That is sad... Because it doesn't have to. If you let your outlook on life stop here, you will not have any hope or drive to push for a brighter future. It suggests that the answer is to give up and die which I would strongly reject. I refuse to go down without a fight and I will push with everything I have to make a positive impact on this world.

For Today "Break The Cycle" 
This song also talks about the decline of our society and world and also addresses how self-destruction and such tendencies have become commonplace. Instead of simply mourning the destruction of our culture is offers hope and a solution for our situation. They proclaim that the solution is in the blood of Christ and sharing the Gospel to a broken world is the answer. They spend the majority of the song on the hope that can be the future rather than simply mourning the future.

I believe that this is that will carry us into our future --- hope and hope in Jesus Christ.

Now, please understand this is only my two cents on the subject so I'm totally cool with starting a discussion on the topic.

I have posted the links to the music videos below, so feel free to check them out if you so wish.
Break the Cycle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1z91zfPJAw
They Will Know: Another https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nY6SLEBM19M

If you do not enjoy or care for metal as a genre of music, then you probably won't enjoy listening-- I know for many it is not their cup of tea. However I do appreciate you taking the time to read this post and hearing my perspective! Thanks!

How To Make 2017 The Best Year of Your Life

As we enter into the Christmas season, it is inevitable that people starting thinking about 2017. Some people, are super excited and pumped about what they have planned for 2017, how they plan to grow as people, and how they plan to grow in their business. Others are going into this season worried, scared, and unsure if 2017 will make it or break it for them. I want to encourage you; you can make it through this coming year. You can not only survive it, but you can thrive in it! Don't give up before it's started, and don't be afraid of the unknown.
I know from past experiences that not every year is a great year, but I also know that I'm super young, and God-willing will have many more years and will make wonderful memories. My wife, Lydia, and I are very excited about our year in 2017, and we want you guys... everyone around us that we come in contact with, whether it is in person, or over social media... We want to see you succeed and we want you to thrive! Here are ten ways to help you thrive in 2017.
10.  Understand You are the Variable of Your Success
If you want to succeed in life, you must grasp this simple truth. Life is an equation and you are the variable that determines what you will achieve. I know that some people might say, God is a bigger variable in your life than you, and yes, of course God is key to you staying alive, he will not FORCE you to follow Him, or MAKE you serve Him. That's you making a conscious decision to get on your knees and seek Him and His desires for you. As far as life is concerned, God will not work your job for you or send your bills to the electric company for you... That's on you.   PS. It's also not on the government.
9.  Understand That You are Gifted Specially for Your Life
Now, many of us have struggled at some point in our lives with our self-image and what we are capable.  If 2016 has been a year of sadness, regret, and maybe even self-hate, let me come alongside you, let your true friends come alongside you, and let's turn that around! I know what self-hate is... it's self-focus. I can tell you if you focus on yourself, you will be miserable. But if you focus on those around you and work to serve and help them.... your heart will never be empty because that is part of the purpose for you being here.
Now, understand this, you are special, and maybe you don't like HOW you are special, but you are. God created you with a purpose, and he created you for greatness. Also, he never makes mistakes, he knows exactly why you are where you are and he can heal any brokenness that you have. You have gifts that no one else has and you are powerful! Don't underestimate that!
8.  Understand Who is responsible for Your Success... YOU
Now, in light of the last point, understand that it is up to you... YOU are responsible for your outcome. So many times we blame other people, things, places, animals, corporations, jobs, the government... you name it, we've blamed it. Well... Stop it. End of discussion, you are responsible for you. Remember that deer you hit on your way to work?  If you weren't shaving in the car, you probably would've seen it... Also speeding doesn't help. For real though, do you get my point? You are responsible for you and any success that you achieve is directly a reflection of whether you have an opportunity mindset or a victim mentality. Is your boss unfair... or are you glad you have a job? Are you set on being broke for the rest of your life.... or are you looking for opportunities to make an extra income? Mindset is key to your success and if you want to succeed you must have a go-get-it mindset.
7. Understand That Discipline is Key to Your Success
Discipline is often misunderstood as disciplining a child-- punishment. That is not what true discipline is, especially for adults. Discipline means pushing yourself to create good, healthy habits, whether it is how you respond to situations at work, or whether you're hitting that snooze button 209,383,711,094 times before you get up. If you want to succeed, and excel in life, you must learn to discipline yourself... Though it might not be fun to get up at 5am and go to the gym, push yourself to do it, because I promise you... The sunrise is so beautiful to see. Real discipline will bring so many blessings into your life. If you really want to be the best, you will push yourself, even when it's not pleasant or easy. I am talking to myself here too. I need to become more disciplined as well.
6. Understand the Value of Those Who Have Gone Before You
Whatever field of study you are in, whether it is medical or sales, there are those who have gone before and have been very successful in them. In the medical realm there are giants like Stanley Dudrick or in CrossFit, Rich Froning, Jr. They have excelled in their own right, and there is much to be learned from them. In Theology, Jonathan Edwards, Matt Chandler, G.A. Chesterton. Philosophy, Voltaire, Aquinas. I could go on and on, but my point here, is you can learn from those with more experience than you, even if you don't believe or agree with absolutely everything they believe. Learn to think critically for yourself, but value those who know more and are wiser than you.
5. If You Don't have Time, Make Time
We all lead busy lives for the most part, and millionaires are no exception, especially before they were millionaires. The Majority of self-made millionaires became that way because they pushed themselves harder than everyone else, and they pushed themselves to be the best. They also mapped out their days, they scheduled every hour, sometimes down to the minute, to be the most productive that they can be. We all have the same amount of time to dedicate to whatever we choose. You can make time by organizing yourself and your day in such a way that optimizes your strengths and minimizes your weaknesses.
4. Throw Away Your Excuses... They Only Hinder Your Success
"But, I just don't have time!", "But my job won't pay me enough!"  "But I'm not any good at sales!" "But I have a... thing... I have to go to."  Stop it, get some help. The help you need is a trash bag for all your excuses. If you want to succeed you will leave your excuses in the trash and take responsibility for everything that is under your control, and you will let God take care of what is out of your control... Also, don't use God as an excuse to be lazy or inactive. I promise you, God did not call you to Netflix and Potato Chips. I have spent many years making excuses of why I can't do something or why I'm not good at anything... It has become time for me to stop making excuses for my lack of productivity and it's also time for you to do the same. We will never reach our full potential if we stand behind a glass wall of excuses.
3. Never Stop Learning! 
To be successful you must never stop growing and developing your mind, you must never stop developing your body, and your spirit. Successful people read! They listen to learners and other successful people. They invest in their minds because they realize how important it is to continue to learn, and how easy it is to become stagnant.
If you need some ideas on where to start, listen to Caroline Leaf, Michael Hyatt, Jim Rohn, John Maxwell, there are many others out there, but that's just a start. As your mind grows so does your potential and your influence.
2. Invest in Yourself and Prioritize Your Personal Development
Similar to the last point, invest in yourself and prioritize it. Many times, I have used the excuse that I should die to myself daily, as a means of not trying to improve my person. As I said earlier, I'm done with excuses, so while dying daily does mean putting others before yourself, that does not mean, letting yourself go to waste either! If you wish to be successful you will put a price on your time, and you will spend time on things that matter, and on people who help make you a better person! Get a mentor! Get around people who help make you a better person so that then you can in turn be a person that adds value to the people around you!
You are special, and you are priceless! Your life will never be lived by anyone else and it is important that you don't waste your life doing trivial things! Invest in things that matter, and make a difference so that you are remembered as a World Changer!
1. Never Let Someone Stop You From Being the Best Version of Yourself You Can Be
I left this one for last, because it is often the hardest for us to overcome. The opinions of others, and those around us influence us more than any of us want to believe or admit, but it is very true. If you truly want to be successful, you will leave the haters in your dust, and you will cling to those who believe in you and empower you to reach your God-given potential. Many people are scared to excel because being the best is often lonely and friends are few and far between, but don't let that stop you. The few friends that you will find on the road to success with be so much more precious than those who are you friend, only because you fit in with their mold.
Become deaf to those who speak down at you and you devalue  you. Open your mind and heart to those who challenge you and speak life into you. Listen to those who see your vision and are willing to not only run with you to achieve that vision, but will continue to carry you towards that vision when your strength has given out. Those who see the awesome and amazing person you were created to be! Believe that God has a purpose for you, and believe in yourself, because you are worth so much more than what average people see... You have been called to be, not only successful, but EXTRAORDINARY!

Episode 2: George Strait, Check Yes or No

Howdy Ya'll,
Yeah We're gonna start off strong in the realm of country. George Strait (aka the King of Country) starts us off with this series. "Check Yes or No" follows a couple from 3rd grade through life to the current point. Lyrically this song isn't deep, but it is adorable, and those of us who have a significant other, can remember those first time feelings when listening to this song, and it brings a smile to your face.
Musically, this song is more complicated but still superb. It matches the message of the song perfectly. This song embodies happiness and the cutest side of a loving romantic relationship. Musically this song isn't heavy, there aren't layers and layers of instruments. The key instruments to follow are the acoustic guitar, clean electric, violin, and bass. The drums don't need a focus because they are the glue that holds the entire song together. When listening to the intro and the first verse, listen for the lack of instruments (when he's singing) focus in on the finger picking pattern that he uses to compliment being young, and innocent if you will. Once you get to that first chorus, everything is in full swing, and makes you wanna dance with that special someone. Listen specifically to how the drums fit in with the bass pattern. It doesn't continue to build, but rather stays even, and consistent. It carries all the other instruments along, and guides each section of the chorus to it's conclusion. the chorus is built on 8th notes and compliments the the pattern found in the vocals perfectly. If you listen through the rest of the song listening to how the bass correlates with the vocals, it'll really make this song so much more enjoyable. Specifically because of the subject that is addressed in the song.
I have added a link of the song in this blog is if you wanna follow along as you read, that might help you pick it apart. As far as Country goes, it is a fairly easy genre to analyze. When he get to Techno/House, and heavy metal, it will get harder to dissect and figure out all the small details, but we will tackle that with we get to it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHxS8wlDngI

Open Letter to Those Who Are in Despair Over Trump (in 5 points)

Dear person in despair,
I know that this week has been a rough week for a lot of Americans. Specifically democrats and young people who have been led to believe that the government controls everyone's life. I'm sorry for all the fear that you feel and the anxiousness that must be crouching at your door, and I want you to know a few things about me. I voted for Trump, I love my wife, and value her as an amazing person that is the best part of me. I have friends who are mexican, and I have friends who are black, I love them both. I voted for Trump, but I don't plan on letting anyone hurt you. I have friends who are homosexual, and I have friends who are straight. I know you might be afraid of the next four years, but don't be. Because, we (The True Americans) are here, and we will protect you. I have listed five encouragements for you, the people who are afraid of what is to come. I really do hope and pray this encourages you, and helps you calm your hearts.

1. For Every Hater, There is a Protector
Yes, There are always going to be some people out there who are mean, evil, and spiteful towards people who are different from them. But overall, I believe that there are protectors everywhere. People who will stand and protect the weaker members of society, and who will protect you when you feel scared. I may not be the biggest toughest, guy out there, but what I can do I will. I will protect you, and I will love on you. I have nothing against, and I don't desire to fight with you, rather learn from you, and I expect the same from you... Learn who I am, and what I believe, and likewise I will learn from you, and what you believe. Your freedom still matters too.
2. Donald Trump Cannot Control Anyone's Actions but His Own
Donald Trump is now the president and many people seem to believe that everyone who voted for Trump is the most evil and vile corrupt people ever to walk the planet. I'm gonna tell you right now, you are wrong on many levels. Trump is responsible for his own actions, and he is responsible to God for how he leads this country. So take heart in that God will demand an account of Trump's leadership from Trump himself.
While Donald might be president, that does not mean that those who voted for him will act like he has in the past. Many of us are loving caring people, who want to promote and protect women. Many of us have family members or friends who are homosexual, and we don't plan on turning on them. We will continue to own our actions and treat you will respect and love. So, even if you fear Trump, don't fear us. We are here to love and protect you.
3. The Success of America is in the People
Something that seems to have gone unnoticed these past few days, is that Trump got elected because of the People. not because of government pushing for certain people to get elected. That should give you hope. The people are still in power. Now, understand this, the government does not own the majority of businesses in America. America's success comes directly  from what the people and citizens of America do. So success is still out there! Regardless of what you believe about your racial background, or status in life... Success can be yours if you want it bad enough.
4.You Define Your Success, and Are Responsible For Your Actions
Similar to my last point, we define our success. If we work hard, and push through the obstacles  in our way, we will achieve success and greatness. This means that we must grow up, and grow stronger. We must never stop growing up, because until the day we die, we will not reach perfection. understand that you have a responsibility to your actions and your success. No one else is responsible, take ownership and continue to strive for the best you can. If I can help you succeed, I would love to. You are still protected, loved, and have opportunity for success.
5. Love Will Solve Problems, Hate Will Create Them. 
I know lately rioting and burning of American flags is the way to make people sympathetic to the plights of minority and young Americans, but I can tell you this.... It's not working. Do you want to know why its not working? Because you're not spreading hope, or approaching a solution in a loving way. Someone's brother, Sister, Mother, Father, Uncle, Cousin, Friend died for that flag and gave everything so that we could be here and live with our freedoms. SOMEONE STEPPED IN FRONT OF YOU AND DIED IN YOUR PLACE.  That is what that Flag represents, the freedoms that we have here, and the symbol of our country that Men, and Family have died for. That is why you will not be successful in winning true Americans to your cause, because you disrespect their families, and you hurt them by your insensitive behavior. Learn this, and learn it well, love will solve problems and bring peace to our nation, while hate will only fuel the fire of emotion, and hurt more people.

I want to love people... Don't you? I want to protect those weaker and defend them from enemies at home, while our soldiers overseas protect us from enemies abroad. I want us to return, and become a nation of love. please... don't despair, have hope and most importantly know that you are loved, and there are those who will protect you.

Sincerely and with  much love,

                          Duckie

Episode 1: An Introduction into My Listening (Music)

If you follow me at all on Facebook I mentioned about a week ago that I was considering starting a series of blogs going over songs that I enjoy, and explaining in depth why I enjoy them, and why I believe they are so beautifully executed. This will range all over the map as far as genre is concerned so don't be afraid or weirded out by something in hip hop all the way to something in Christian Contemporary Music.
In my post on facebook I informed everyone that I am a musician. I play multiple instruments and enjoy many of them I might add. This makes listening to songs very interesting and exciting for me because I can usually break a song down in my head and listen to it, as though it was individual tracks. This allows me to pick apart songs, and put them back together to really enjoy the genius of whoever wrote/orchestrated the song.
I have decided that I will start this series and will at least be releases a new blog every week on this series until I run out of music.. That could be awhile.
I hope you guys enjoy this series, and if you have certain songs you think I should check out and analyze I would love to do that. (However, make sure they are appropriate.)

Until next time,
          Duckie

Why Millennials Won't Come Back to Church (Part 2)

Last Week I wrote a blog addressing the issue the Church is having in retaining Millennials. I realize that my last blog was heavily focused on the Church and how it has misjudged and also ostracized Millennials. The issue is not a one sided issue however, and this week I want to address the Millennials. Millennials are not without fault here, because they do have a responsibility to the church that they attend. Again, similarly to what I said in the last blog, I am not trying to come across as harsh, rude, or arrogant. If I come across that way I apologize and take my words with a grain of salt.


The Millennials and Generation Z

The first question that we need to ask is who exactly are they? According to the general consensus millennials are those who were born between the 80s to the early 90s (1992) Generation Z is what follows that, so anyone born from '93 to 2010. It is a stereotype of these generations that they are more obnoxious than previous generations. We are often viewed as self-absorbed, Self-entitled, disrespectful, and extremely egotistical. Sadly, this does describe some of us quite well. But as any stereotype, it does not fit everyone in the group. There are many who are respectful hard-working and teachable, but overall, we as a generation are one of the most unteachable generations to walk this planet. The reason for this is, not our parents faults, it is not the cultures fault, it is a sin problem that is being more and more glorified by our culture today.

When the Gospel was still acceptable to be proclaimed at school, when the Bible and this country was still considered "Under God", sin in society was somewhat curtailed. However, when the Bible was taken out of schools, we saw a decline in our society. Sin became mainstream, and acceptable. The family unit began to dissolve, and as a consequence of that, parenting became less and less involved until parents often fear to offend their children, and would rather be friends when their children than parent them. This is NOT true of EVERY SINGLE family unit in America, but in a largely secularized world it is sadly more of the norm than we would like to admit. Since there is now a lack of parenting at large, the culture, and those celebrities and artists who support a more deviant or daredevil lifestyle have no one to check them or slow down their rampage. Thus, our culture has declined, and with it the family is slowly, but ever increasingly being destroyed.

Now, the way this affects us Millennials and Generation Z kids, is with a more chillax (90s word) style of parenting, comes a lack of respect and a lack of punishment for being disrespectful. Being unteachable is a trait that is praised now rather than a trait to be looked down upon. All parents wish their children were respectful, but many do not go to the trouble to see to that their children learn how to be respectful. This trend in the secularized United States, has even begun to spill over into conservative Christian circles. Not necessarily because parents aren't parenting but because so many parents find that no amount of correction or admonishment will drown out the destructive voices in music, movies, and popular culture. This has huge and devastating role in why Millennials don't settle down at one church very long, and why they tend to want to be entertained by church instead of taught... Because the culture has taught them, that you need to be entertained 24/7 and never listen to anyone older than yourself.

What do they know?

However, after that long tirade about the decline of Millennials and Gen Z-ers, I want to point out some good things, and good traits that they have. Many of them are still driven to succeed, even if they haven't the slightest idea how to be successful (since they don't want to be taught!) Many of them are passionate, even if it is misguided passion. Many desire to do the right thing, but are scared to death of what the people around would think of them if they actually tried to be different than the culture around them. Many of them are not stupid, many have enormous amounts of potential inside them, even if they don't believe that. When dealing with us, it is a guarantee that anyone older than us, will need patience, because we're just hard to deal with. (for the most part)


Every generation has seemed less impressive than the one before them, and that's not surprising. Every generation is further away from the Garden of Eden, and the culture will regress until Christ returns and cleanses creation through fire. However, that does not mean we should look down on the next generation, rather we should reach down to them and try to help them rise up to be better than we were. Even if they haven't reached that point yet. Never give up on someone, because rejection like that hurts and will cause damage.

All this to say.... Millennials have to learn... We have to learn...

Yes, I said it, WE Millennials and Gen Z-ers have to be willing to learn and be teachable. We are internet gurus according to older generations. Sometimes we assume because we can access the internet we have all the answers and older people don't have anything to offer... Well, I can tell you, we don't have all the answers and it would do us good to listen to those older than us.


Now, having said that... how does all this apply to the situation within the church? While the church has not been perfect in its reception of Millennials, Millennials haven't exactly done their part in working to resolve the conflict. I know that in my years of going through different churches and experiencing different "denominational differences" I had choices to make in regards to what I put up with and what I didn't because no place will be perfect because it is made up of sinners like me. There are four major reasons to consider switching churches, and equally big reasons that people leave churches that are not legitimate reasons to do so.


1. Doctrinal Beliefs differ. The first reason is your convictions and beliefs differ largely from the church that you are attending. If you are a Catholic, you won't agree with a Baptist on major doctrines so you won't go to the same church. That's very obvious, but still needs to be stated.


2. Doctrinal Beliefs differ. The second reason for leaving a church, you have a different stance within a denomination, maybe the church leans toward reformed theology and eschatology, while you lean dispensational. That would cause major conflict between you and that church. That would be a reason to leave, because it is a conscience issue and that changes how you interpret the Gospels as well as the Great Commission.


3. Doctrinal Beliefs differ. The third reason is because your secondary, and less important doctrines differ. Now in my eyes, I would not necessarily leave a church for this reason, because I know that on all the major doctrines we agree and can get along.


4. Major preferences differ. If you have grown up in a independent fundamental church that only uses hymns and spiritual songs, and say, you visit a church that has a full band, this would potentially make you uncomfortable enough that you do not join that church and so move on. That is also a perfectly understandable reason for leaving a church. (However, it would make zero sense why you would join a church you're not comfortable with in the first place.)


These are really the only reasons that you have for leaving a church that are legitimate. However, specifically with millennials, we leave churches for many other reasons that are not legitimate. This is because our culture has taught, and enforced in us the idea that we must be entertained by whatever we are doing. If a professor is not interesting... Why are you taking that class? If that church band isn't cool enough, then you need to leave that church. If the pastor isn't cool enough or teaching things that tickle your ears, you should leave the church, because you are bored.... WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT CHILD?? Yes, I am right in calling you a child because you have not grown enough to be an adult if that's how you view the church and God. If you believe God is here for you, and He is calling you to church to entertain you. You might as well spit in His face and tell Him you don't need His salvation because you're not entertained by it.


I will leave that point where it is, because I do not want to get carried away with a rebuke. I want to encourage you. Be different from your generation, be a thinker, move beyond what stimulates your feelings. Stimulate your mind! Learn to learn, and let someone teach you how to be teachable. Let others wake you from the slumber of social media. Get off the computer, get off the games, and question the things that you see, the things you hear, have a discussion with someone who has seen more of life... I promise you, when you open your heart and your mind to learn from the previous generation you will reap so many benefits from it, that you won't believe that you ever "lived" on snapchat. Mind you, I'm talking to myself here too. I need to become more teachable and I have much to learn, but please... please join me to discover everything that this world (physical and metaphysical) has to offer... and let us learn from the people who have gone before us. I beg you, and... hey, the church is a great place to start, because if the church is doing it's job then they will be the most forgiving of the mistakes that you have made... Don't grow bitter, grow stronger, grow your mind, and grow into the man or women that God has destined you to become.


With Love,

Duckie

Why Millennials Will Not Return to the Church

Introduction

This is more of a clarifying statement than an introduction. I am not trying to tear down any specific church, I am not trying to offend any church leaders or pastors. If I do end up offending someone, I apologize in advance, and I hope you learn to take things with a grain of salt. Otherwise, please listen, and evaluate what I am saying at your own discretion. 

The Problem: Why Can't We Retain Young People (Millennials)?

It has been a not-so-secret problem among more conservative churches that they struggle retaining younger people. They also struggle retaining second generation Christians who have grown up in the Church. I don't think this is surprising, and it's almost to be expected in my opinion. But, I understand that this is a problem. Millennials don't stick around that much after they graduate. In my particular current situation, we have a high school attached to the church, and we struggle to retain students after they graduate. Again, this is an overarching issue among more conservative churches in general. I'm not singling out any one church, or any one denomination either. 

The Doctrine of Preference

Part of the problem is definitely the denominational preferences that are chosen and followed by the more conservative churches. The problem is because Millennials don't relate to it, that does not mean that the preferences are wrong, or that millennials are wrong, it means that Millennials and churches need to have a mutual understanding of where the other parties thinking is.

The Entertainment

A small part of the problem is definitely due to the fact that our culture pushes for us to always be entertained. Christianity, and the church is NOT a means of entertainment. It was never meant to be, and it never should be viewed as such. Millennials need to fight the urge that pushes to be entertained and trade it in for the desire to become wise and more knowledgeable. We are in desperate need for godly, intelligent leaders. 

What is the Gospel?

Let's take a step back and just review what the Gospel is and how it works. How it saves, and how we are sanctified. First of all, the Gospel can be summed up in four statements. 1. God is holy and requires those who stand in his presence to be holy. 2. Man is sinful, and has no means to change his path to hell. 3. Jesus' death and resurrection has ensured that those who believe in Jesus will be saved and pardoned by God because of their faith in Jesus Christ. 4. We as man must accept Christ's sacrifice, and his lordship in our lives. (We're not getting into a Calvinist/Arminian debate about my wording). That is the most basic way to view the Gospel from my understanding. From our perspective, every man, woman, and child has an opportunity to be saved, and needs to be evangelized or told of the good news that they can be saved. It is important that we keep this in mind when we interact with people. (Whether they are saved or not) 

Its Message Has Not Changed

There have been many people who have brought the Gospel to different people. They have brought the Gospel to Jews, Gentiles, Rich, Poor, Old, and Young. Everyone that was ever saved, was somehow told the Gospel, and believed it. The Gospel has not changed, and it will not change, it is always reliant on Christ. 

Its Relevance Has Not Changed

Just because we live in a physical world does not mean, that we are not spiritual beings. Our culture would like to deny our spiritual state, and only focus on our physical desires. However, whatever our culture wants has no bearing on what God has ordained or decided. WE ARE Spiritual beings, and WE ARE in danger of damnation. I don't care what you think, how you think it, or if you identify as a pineapple. If you are human, you are in serious, very real, danger of trying to face down a HOLY God's wrath on your own, unless you run to Jesus Christ. 

Its Method of Communication HAS Changed

This is where I think I may step on some toes. So over the centuries of Christianity, the methods of communication have changed, and desperately, the church needs to stay in touch with how we as humans are CURRENTLY communicating with each other. It's important. There are those in the church who believe that talking to people face to face is the most effective method of communication, maybe they are right, but if no one is communicating that way anymore... exactly how effective will that be? Not very effectively because you'll never talk to anyone. Understand the current trends, and understand how they effectively communication.  Millennials are pros at communicating, but not in the same way that older generations have been. They share their lives, and their beliefs, in very different ways than any other generation, and that needs to be understood and recognized. 

Why Do They Feel Unwelcome?

One of the problems that Churches face with Millennials is because many young people feel very unwelcome, and very judged by those who have been in the church for many years. Why is this the case? And exactly how do you plan on reaching future generations if the older generations do nothing but cast judgment  on the new generations? How can you disciple young people into maturity if they only feel judged, rather than feeling loved? There is a misunderstanding that will take place.  So I will clarify what I mean. There is a difference between rebuking people, and correcting people in love. You will never bring anyone to Christ through disdain, scorn, or rejection. You need to love the young people, and you need learn how to love them, so that they understand that you are loving them. If you're method of showing love is not being understood or not being received, find a new way to display love. You are not to sacrifice doctrine, or the message of the Gospel to show love, but you will show love through a real understanding of what the Gospel means. 

The Church has become the judge

I am the first to admit that I am young, and I do not have the wisdom of older people. But please, inform me how you expect me to become wise if you do nothing but judge me for who I am, or what I stand for? Exactly how am I to mature if you won't even REMOTELY listen to where I have come from or what I believe right now? Please, Give us a chance before you crucify us young people. A lot of times, we're just misinformed, not with malicious intent. 

The Church views them as a joke

As a young person myself, I have the wonderful experience of being taken lightly, and taken as a joke because  few people believe that I actually want to achieve something in my life. I do not say this because I'm salty at you or mad at you, I'm trying to explain how many millennials feel that have good intentions or dreams, and older generations take them as a joke. If you want Millennials to feel welcome around you, support their dreams, and gently steer their dreams towards a Christ-glorifying end. PLEASE.

Conclusion: Listen More Criticize Less

If you want to succeed in your mission to reach the next generation, you need to listen to them. You have no obligation to obey them, but if you listen to them, I can almost guarantee that you will get to have a chance to share your story, and your love for Christ with them... But that only comes if you listen to them, and they feel valued by you. Stay away from judging, stay away from anything that could possibly be God's responsibility. Discernment is not judgement, but there is a fine line between then, and it is important that you find it for yourself. Let compassion be your guide, and let love be in your heart whenever you interact with another human being. They were also created in God's image and if you are a Christian and they are not... You are no better than them. If anything you should understand that more than they should. Listen First, Love Second, and Correct third. Always in that order.

With Love and concern, 

              <3

                    Duckie

PS:  I will be writing a second post in relationship to this. Look for it next week. "Why Millennials Don't Stay in Church"

Pokemon Go! Brief Analysis

The Back Story of Joker BEFORE Harley Quinn (Duckie's Version)

aah ah ah .... aahhhhhhhhhh

heh, Once upon a time, after all there was.. a time.. haah. I was a sane, happy, ordinary man. I had a wife, and family and a good job too! ha, but man, how things change, and it all changed because of one. bad. day. 

Let's see, hmm. haha, yes, I was working for honest money many years ago, when I still had a wife, before I even met my darling harley. hmm. Yeah, I was working as a comedian at the time, when I made a mistake, hahaha, I have made a lot of mistakes... That's where most of these scars came from... my mistakes... what a joke. 
Anyway, no one could understand my humor so I struggled as a comedian to provide for the family, and then one day... everything, hahahahaha, it all changed. 

Sometimes, when life decides to play a joke, it goes over the top to make sure that you find the humor in it. so hahaa, one day I left for work only to find out that I had been laid off.. such good news for a man with his pregnant wife, hahaha. I return home to find my wife, lying dead on the floor, shot to death when some petty thief decided that my fine china was worth more than my wife's life. hahaha funny the price tags we put on people. 

Well, I decided  I had had it! I would get even with my wife's killer if it drove me insane. hahahaahhaa. well, I guess you could say that, it did. anyway, there aren't a lot of ways to arrange someone's death by working an honest job, so honestly, I was sick of that pace of work, so I decided to branch out, you know try my hand at this, and try it at that... so I found my true love, I didn't fear death because, well you see, I had nothing to lose. I never did since my wife and child had been taken from me. ah, killing that man was soooo enjoyable, giving him what he deserved, or it would have been...

 if Bats hadn't gone and got in the way. Well, I had tracked my wife's killer to a chemical factory just outside of Gotham, and  ah yes, I found him too! Had him in my grasp on the second floor, overlooking the chemical mixtures. Well, what with my luck, Bats decided to drop by, and he saved my enemy, and pushed me over the edge into Insanity, and I must say, it's rather pleasant here. I've enjoyed myself so far, what with this and that. When I managed to get myself out of the chemicals I knew something had changed, for I no longer struggled with the my purpose, so longer did I feel a need to kill my wife's killer... no, now I felt a rage like nothing before, my fury blinded me and I accepted it gladly. I would see the end to the Batman, for his crimes against me, He took my revenge and ruined me by it. He saved a murderer who ruined my life twelve long years ago. I will have my vengeance against this caped crusader, for he will have to dance with the devil in the pale moonlight,

and I the Clown Prince of Crime, shall be that devil that will haunt him forever, in every corner of his mind, until I have destroyed this disgrace of justice. He will be mine, and insanity will have him, and his downfall... I will make a killing off of the joke, that which was once the Batman, aaaahahahahha hahaa haa haaaha ahaha He will be no more, and I can find peace. 

Suicide Squad: The Real Heros, The Real Heart

Now that Suicide Squad has been out for sometime, and I won't really be spoiling anything for anyone by talking about it, I have decided to write a blog about it, because it was by far one of the best movies that I have seen this year. Now, I know a lot of people did not like the movie, because the characters were too shallow and there wasn't good character development. If that's what you think, I don't know what movie you watched, but it wasn't the one I saw. They might not have given every character the same development as others, but DeadShot, Dr. Harley Quinn, and Diablo were well developed. You can't give everyone a back story in two hours, otherwise the movie would have been nothing but back story. However, the point that I wanted to make in this blog is really more about the movie, and not what critics saw.   

Why was Suicide Squad sooo dang popular? Well, for starters it was well made, and it was well developed in many people's opinion. However, I think the biggest thing that we really loved about the movie was the fact that these characters were or had something that we could relate.

Deadshot's weakness was his daughter. He loved her and wanted the best for her, and give her the best life that he could. Diablo, in murdering his family after giving into greed and power, wished nothing more than to be reunited with his family and take back the mistake that he made when he lost control. Dr. Harley Quinn just wanted a normal life for her and her puddin'. She so desired a normal life for him (joker) that she went crazy to love him. Katana just wanted to be reunited with her husband that her sword had taken when in a enemy's hand. See, all these characters were not superheros who never made mistakes, they weren't super humans. At the most they were meta-humans. 

There was nothing remarkable about Harley Quinn or Deadshot, Diablo was a true meta human who had some nasty fire power. But ?Deadshot only had perfect aim, and that's something that can be developed. For the most part they were more relatable to us than Batman or someone like Superman. Because for some reason we're not all billionaires, or from a different planet. 

I think Suicide Squad was more of a hero movie than an anti-hero movie. I remember sitting in the theatre watching Deadshot interacting with his daughter, and thinking, I hope that I can be that kind of father. When Joker broke into a high security prison to free his love Harley, I thought to myself, do I love my wife enough to risk my life to protect her from those who want to harm her?

when Diablo went through his story, and explained his failure as a father and husband, I recalled the mistakes that I have made, and I thought, if someone like him (even though it is just a story) can turn around and vow to only protect others and give his life to keep that vow... even though I've made mistakes, will I let my mistakes go, and be willing to dive into my full potential like he did... in the end to sacrifice his life, to protect the world. 

Those are the things that I took away from the movie, I know that not everyone will think the same thing, or look at it the same way, or even approve of the movie... but honestly, I really don't care. I loved it, and it touch my heart and challenged me to be a better person. You can take it or leave it, this is simply my opinion... Well, until next time. I'm Duckie

                                       

                                                                                        

The Definitions of Worldview vs Mindset (Part 2)

In the last blog post, I talked about what Worldview is. I also explained why it is very important to have a consistent worldview across all areas of life. If your worldview cannot accommodate everything, then you can either rethink your entire existence, or you can assimilate new things into your current worldview, and modify those things that are necessary to change.

The second portion of this series is going to be focusing on Mindset. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines Mindset as; A particular way of thinking; a person's attitude or set of opinions on something. Now going from this definition of what a mindset is, we can probably envision what that might look like. A lot people probably associate mindset with motivational pictures, and posts, and pump you up memes.  While this is a good physical representation of a positive mindset, there is a whole lot more that goes into creating a mindset than just looking at positive things.

There are really two types of mindsets that you can accept/achieve. The first is a negative mindset, and the second is a positive mindset... Crazy right? Now, for me a positive mindset is a creative mindset, and always asks how can I? Everyone's mindset with be slightly different than anyone else's mindset, but you can still tell if it is a positive or negative mindset. A positive mindset will continue to grow, and develop, whereas a negative one will remain small, and the same. A positive mindset will strive to learn, and understanding continually more about the world around you, while a negative one will be closed to anything new, and stay ignorant of reality. some people think if abstract ideas, and jumbled thoughts that are smooth and easily understood by themselves, while others have very organized thoughts, and can simply and quickly solve problems, both are fine, and neither one or the other are wrong. My point in say that is everyone's mindset is going to vary, and just because your mindset doesn't match someone else's doesn't mean yours is inferior, or that theirs is.

The Definitions of Worldview vs. Mindset (Part 1)

When mindset is brought up in conversation, hardly anyone would think to substitute  worldview for mindset. However, if asked to explain the difference between the two, some people might struggle to define the difference. This blog is not to teach something to those who already know the difference, Rather, it is to inform those who are not aware yet. There is nothing wrong with not knowing, the excitement is in the learning away.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary minds-set is; "A particular way of thinking: a person's attitude or set of opinions about something." Now, this is a good definition for mindset, but without  any application/example it is really hard to fully understand the power of mindset. Mindset shapes your framework for HOW you do life. How you think, how you interact with people, how you accomplish things, and whether or not you accomplish things. 

The Merriam-Webster's definition for worldview is, "The way someone thinks about the world." however, this simple definition is not very helpful. Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry gives a much more comprehensive definition of Worldview: "A worldview is a set of beliefs and assumptions that a person uses when interpreting the world around him. A worldview deals with issues like, what are we? Were we created, or did we evolve? What is our purpose in life? Does God exist?" etc. etc. This definition gives us a much better look at what worldview actually is. World, helps you interpret your world around you. It gives you guidance, and supplies you with a construct for morality, and truth. For example, if you have a pragmatic worldview, you will assume truth to be whatever it most helpful to your current situation and truth can change. If you believe in a Coherent worldview, then truth is not relative to you, rather truth is beyond you, and you are bound by it. You do not define your own truth, rather truth defines, how you react and respond to different things. Coherence also means that truth is logical, and not based on a whim. 

Now that we have some working definitions of what mindset is, and what worldview is...? For starters every single one of us, has both. We have a worldview and we have a mindset. However, your worldview will help to shape the mindset that you have. Since I have defined them in this order, it would make sense that I address Worldview before Mindset.

Worldview influences everything you see in the world, and how you see the world. It informs your beliefs, but often times in very interconnected with your beliefs. For example, if you want an effective,  and dynamic worldview it needs to be logically consistent. If you have contradicting beliefs, you will eventually run into problems because you will realize, the root of your thinking does not make sense. If your worldview cannot make for your internal beliefs, there is no way it will make sense of the world you live in. In short, your worldview must be logically consistent.

Secondly, your worldview will define, your stance on many different issues, and how you respond to different stimuli. For example, a very basic belief that informs your worldview is whether or not God exists and how he is involved in our human world. If you are an atheist it will drastically change how you answer all philosophical, and ontological questions. Comparatively if you have a traditional biblical worldview it will also change how you view the world, and all that is in it, as well as how you define your purpose for life.

The biggest problem with many people in our culture today, is a denial of absolute truth. Many people hold to a more pragmatic view of truth because it is convenient... Not because it is consistent or logically stable. pragmatic truth, is the idea that truth is truth as long as it is practical and the most effective view at the current moment. The ominous issue with this theory of truth is because you are stating an absolute while denying an absolute truth, which is just as logically sound as stating that one plus one is now two-hundred and fifty. The point is this philosophy should be rejected simply on the basis that it is not logically consistent.

From the beginning of your intellectual life, you will have to decide what your worldview is going to be and once you have established your worldview then you can began to delve into more about your individual person, your likes, dislikes, and what morality you hold to. However, the challenge is to stay consistent, and not contradictory.

In the second part of this series I will discuss the import of Mindset, and how that shapes your personality, as well as how you stay motivated.

7 Encouraging Thoughts for the Conservative Church

First of all, I have nothing against the Independent Fundamental Churches, I have nothing against Southern Baptist Churches, and I have nothing against Non-Denominational churches. As long as you preach the true Gospel, and disciple those in the congregation with truth and love, I am willing to support and encourage you. However, I do believe there are some areas that these churches could definitely work on. I do not claim to be an authority on the church or how to lead a church. I am only a seminary student who has observed a few things. I am willing to be rebuked and take my words back if I have offended or compromised the Gospel.  Here is a list of seven things I believe conservative Churches need to be encouraged in.


1. Encourage Congregations to Actively Pursue Community
From personal experience I have found it very hard to have active relationships within a church. Given, I do not expect families to bend over backwards to hangout with other families, but it would be nice to see. There are many churches who primarily focus on community and do a whole number of activities and they build strong friendships, and have wonderful times together. However, I have found in these settings certain theological depth can be lost, and growth is stunted when the social is overemphasized. However, this does not excuse more doctrinally sound churches from their lack of apparent community. I believe from the Acts 4:23 church we see a very strong emphasis on community and doctrine. There is definitely a balance, but encourage congregations to be more active in pursuing these wonderful blessings known as friendships with fellow believers.

2. Encourage Congregations to Strive For Excellence in All Things
I know that this can be a very touchy subject in many circles, and yes, I admit it is a touchy subject to me as well. If you YouTube "Terrible Singing" you are bound to come across an offertory gone horribly wrong. Why? Because we sometimes let people stand up and sing or do something that they have been actually been gifted in. Example, I would prefer to never stand up and sing an offertory because I know there are people who can sing much better than I, at the current church I attend. I do not wish to compromise the music by not achieving excellence. Those who have been gifted with teaching let them teach, (As long as they have sound doctrine, and have been decently trained in the faith!) Those who are artists let them paint, and display their works of God's beauty in a specific place or avenue. Those who can listen and empathize, let them do so, and encourage those who need someone to talk to. As Paul would say, each part of the body has a place, but there is no reason for a hand to try to be an ear.

3. Encourage Congregations to Memorize Scripture
I cannot stress enough the importance of memorizing Scripture and being completely saturated with knowledge of the Bible. The beginning of knowledge is the fear of the Lord, and it God is your basis, knowing more of the Bible will only increase your growth. Many conservative churches do very well with memorizing Scripture so I heartily applaud you for that!

4. Encourage Critical Thinking And Healthy Questioning
This can be a scary one, because sometimes we might not know the answers. That doesn't mean you don't question things anyway. Everyone has been a teenager (or will be one!) Teens question things! It is super important that we do not smother their search for answers and truth, but rather encourage them in their pursuit of what is truth. Even as adults we have questions, and we desire answers. What is the true meaning of God's will? How does Christ's deity and humanity work together? What is the role of spiritual gifts? All these are good questions, and need to be asked, thought through, and resolved. Encourage congregations to be intellectually strong.

5. Encourage Disciplined Lifestyle
There is so much apathy in 1st world countries (specifically talking about America). Disciplined people are far and few between. I have to admit, I am not as disciplined as I want to be, but I will continue working at it, until I reach perfection. This discipline does not end at one compartment of life, but rather transcends all areas of life. If you call yourself disciplined and are only disciplined in one area, you are a hypocrite. Strive to be disciplined in every area, and not only will you grow as a person, but your life will inspire others to do the same as well.

6. Encourage Empathy, Compassion, and Service to Others
Many Americans whether in the church or outside the church are self-absorbed. Many forget compassion, empathy and service, simply because it is not convenient to practice such attributes. Let me remind you: Christ Jesus did not have to save you from anything. It was not convenient for Him to give up his crown and glory to suffer and die for you. He is our example, step up, and serve those around you. Even if... heaven forbid... you miss the first ten minutes of that football game.

7. Encourage Discussions on Controversial Topics  
Lets face it, in today's world there are many controversial things going on. Whether it is an Orange politician raging at someone for something, or someone sexually identifying as a toaster. There are many controversial topics out there, and for the most part the church has been silent. Whether it is out of fear, or out of embarrassment that we must talk about sexuality, and other topics in the public square... Let's face it, if you don't talk to your children about it, someone else will, and the results could very well be devastating. Don't shy away from the "scary" topics, discuss them, and teach others to think through them with a christian worldview and positivity for God's design.


Again, I do not claim to know more than the next person, and I do not wish to offend anyone.. However, I feel that these areas need work, and to those out there who are striving already for these I applaud your efforts and I pray to God that He gives you the strength to push through and achieve greatness for the Kingdom of God.

What is Success?

Well, I guess I already asked the question... What. IS. SUCCESS?
Many would define success as winning, whether it is in sports or in a contest of some sort. While they are not wrong, there is a much deeper and richer definition to success. I asked a few people to give me a short definition of success.

 "To achieve fulfillment in faith and self, and through that to inspire and challenge others."

"Success is being able to wake up each and everyday here in the USA. Living in the greatest country on earth, and knowing you with God's will control your destiny."

"Success is being able to glorify God while reaching a set goal."

"Find out what is important to you, setting goals to reach those things, and surrounding yourself with resources and people to get you there. Be determined, work hard, and arrive where you want to be."

One thing that you will notice with these definitions is that they vary... As does success in our lives. For some of us, success is getting  out of bed to face another day even though we suffer from severe depression, for some, it is reaching a new personal record in fitness or in sports. however, for all of us, success is closely tied to self-improvement.

We hardly call it success when we've eaten 50 chicken nuggets by ourselves, sitting on the couch binge watching netflix, or falling into a mud puddle... We simply don't view such things as a success. Why? because they do not improve our current state of being. now, if you enjoy falling in mud puddles, then be my guest and contradict me, but for the vast majority that is not a success. here are three things to help you think through what success is.

1. Success is Personal
Success is not necessarily something that can be measured by anyone but yourself. Only you know, if you gave everything you had. If you are on a diet, only you know if you stuck to it. Only you know, if your heart was in it.
Don't try to set a standard for your success by someone else's standard. Given, in business there are cooperate, and financial standards for success, but when you are working on yourself, use the Bible as your standard, and push yourself to be the best version of you that you can be. This includes, spiritual, mental, and physical discipline.

2. Success is Contagious
Success can be contagious. If you are successful you will attract two types of people, those who are already successful and those who are hungry to be successful. You will find as you grow in your journey of personal development and success building that Success is not something that can be taught, it must be caught. YOU CANNOT TEACH SOMEONE TO BE SUCCESSFUL. why? well... look at number one. It is a personal decision to become someone who strives for success.

On a side note, if you are someone who is working hard to be successful, do not be so self-centered as not exclude others from that success. Help others become successful as well.    

3. Success is Hard
There is nothing easy about success. You will be mocked for trying to excel. In our country, and culture being sub par is often the status quo. Anything different from the status quo will be difficult. that doesn't mean you should strive for it, it simply means, you must push that much harder to become successful. We have no place in this world for those who are happy to be nothing. Enough people have chosen that path already. Step up, and take your place among the legends of humanity. Those who bowed to none but God, and as a result changed the world. Jesus was successful, and it cost him EVERYTHING. ..



Oh, by the way... Christ is our example for how we are supposed to live.


   Think about it.


             Colossians 3:23-24

7 Habits to Cultivate into Your Life Before College

CONGRATS! YOU MADE IT! You finished high school and in the fall you start college!  Some people are super excited to be getting out of the house for the first time, while others fear being away from their parents. Feeling either way is just fine. It's a part of growing up.

Your college experience hinges heavily on you. The things that you choose to get involved in, the classes you take, the major you select, the people you choose to surround yourself with. All of these things hinge on you. Will you enjoy it? depends on you. 

                 but... 

                        no pressure. :P

Having recently graduated college and started Grad studies, I look back at my college experience and I honestly wish people had warned me of certain things. Of course my parents told me to manage my time wisely, but to a senior in high school what in the world does that even mean? I was told to be responsible and do the right things, but while I knew what that looked like in theory... what does that mean in real life? 

    Ugh.... so many questions.... what do I do?!?!  

Well... Here's a list of seven habits you should start incorporating into your lives before you go to college. 

1. Time Management

HA! got you. just kidding. Well, lets start with a question. What is time management and what does it look like? when you go to school you will have classes you must keep track of, and meetings to schedule with advisors, study sessions with friends. All of these things will need to be scheduled. I would advise that you start living on a schedule before you leave. Regardless of your class schedule you should create habits that you can keep throughout your college career. For example, 7:00am Wake up 7:30 breakfast, 8:00 reading (class) etc etc. start living in a structured way so that you will succeed and start building a healthy habit of being organized. It might not be fun to be living on a schedule but it is infinitely more frustrating missing assignments and meetings because you can't keep track of things in a professional manner.

2. Reading for enjoyment

Yup. You read that right. Learn to enjoy reading, because you will have to read stuff in college that is not only dull, but duller than that. No one ever read a math textbook for enjoyment... (some might have, but they are a special breed of person!) If you start getting in the habit of reading intellectually challenging books, you will find reading your textbooks much easier, and more tolerable if you start reading over the summer. Reading is a blessing for the rest of your life, and you should never stop learning.

3. Exercise

This one is important because it is very easy to become a potato wandering around campus. If you don't plan ahead (time management) you will struggle to find time for exercise, but if you are exercising you will think clearer, and have a much more enjoyable time. My freshman year of college I gained 50 pounds, and that wasn't enjoyable at all. 

4. Meaningful friendships

It has been said that you are the sum of your five closest friends. That is most definitely true. Surround yourself with people who want to grow, and want to change the world. befriend those who challenge conventional thinking, and desire to think critically about issues that the world is facing. Befriend the dreamers, and leaders. Don't waste your years of college with those who are happy with being average. You have a greater purpose in you, than average. 

5. Listening

This is one, that I did not take advantage of in my first few years of college. When you are on campus you have access (if it is a small school) to extremely knowledgable professors and teachers. Shut up. Listen to what they have to say, and treasure the moments you have sitting in their offices listening to their wisdom. you don't know half of what you think you know. Be teachable, and let others invest in you.

6. Sleeping

call me boring, but it is true. You need sleep. it is super critical that you don't spend your nights up until three in the morning randomly doing nothing. Literally nothing good happens after midnight on a college campus. be smart, and discipline yourself to sleep as you would if you had to go to work to next day at 7am. being a student is your job for the next few years, so treat it as such. Sleep is extremely important for your overall well being and mental functioning.

7. Living For Christ

Of all the things on this list this is by far the most important aspect of life after high school. Whether you go to a secular college or christian college, you will be surrounded by people who do not want to put Christ first in their lives. You will be in the minority. Do not cave to peer pressure, pursue Christ in all things. In the habits you form, place Christ at the forefront of your thoughts. Be disciplined with your time, So that Christ is always put first. That does not mean skip class to pray in your closet, but it does mean, getting up early enough to spend time with Christ and his Word, before you go to class. Do all things to the glory of God. He created you, and He desires the best for you! So give Him your best and do your best in appreciation for all He has done for you!