Alrighty then, I finally decided to try this xanga thing out. So I guess my first subject of discussion will be... well first off I want to apologize for my horrible spelling. I spell worse than most third graders. And my computer likes to not put the letter on the page when I type it. So if you can decipher my posts, consider yourself having learned a new language. Sorry for my excesive use of smiley faces. =) So I was baptized a few sundays ago. To add to the craziness I realized that the biggest soccer game i will ever see: Brazil vs America, the one that I had already paid 60 dollars for was the same day of my baptism I didnt think it was a big deal since the game didnt start until 3:30. But my ride wanted to leave four hours early... in case they had reduced the speed limit on the highway to 35mph maybe. So when I decided to get baptized I knew I would have to give my testimony. God's work in my life still leaves me in disbelief and awe, but I wasnt sure if it would be as meaningfull to others. I was ver nervous about what to say and how to say it. So of course I procrastinated as long as i could. In the weeks leading up to when i wrote it I would pray and ask God that my words would accurately describe His work. I didnt want to take away or add to it. As i sat down to type and opened Word i discovered a new type of writers block. Its called: "writer's you dont even know your own name much less how to write block". Twenty minutes later a blank screen stared at me. I dont remember if I prayed or what, but I remember deciding to just tell my story. It didnt need to be some theology statement, it needed to reflect the glory of my salvation back to God. I typed: I have been taught the stories and truths of the Bible my whole life. And my fingers took over. An hour later I had my two page testimony completed. I remember fearing that when Ryan read it I would have to completely change it to fit a cookie cutter testimony that I have heard so much. But that was not at all the case. Two sentences needing rephrasing was more than doable. (Cool thing that God did) About a week before my baptism I was extremely nervous. Not to speek in front of people so much, but I was afraid of what the church would think of me. I knew it didnt matter but its still pretty nerve racking to think about them thinking "wow, could you try and fake christianity any more?" After i few days of this i finally took it to the Lord in prayer. And talk about quick answer to prayer. I wasnt nervous at all... I couldnt wait to share it. The day of: So i get dressed into official baptism clothes, and make my way up to the tub. I was so afraid that my dad was going to make me cry before I even got down there. =D I cant tell you how cool it was to look out and see all of my friends that had come to support me. Awesome! I tried to break the ice with a "Can you guys hear me ok?". And of course nobody said anything so I start shaking like I have turrets. But right when i started talking to them it all went away. It was like talking to a close friend (but with 149 other people watching). So I get done and slap my wet feet all the way back to the dressing room where I am greeted by "The mic wasnt working!" from my pastor. It really disapointed me because I had friends there that I wanted to hear it. But thats when Ryan said something that is so true but we usually forget it. He said "God is able." And He was. Shortly after my baptism, while on the way to the game, i got a txt message from one of those people who was sitting in the back. He said that he loved the speech and it really made him think about the way he lives his life and still calls himself a christian. What a mighty God we serve. (sorry for those of you who didnt get to hear it.) So hear it is for all of you who didnt get to hear. I followed it loosely so if there is something that I said that wasnt in the testimony, or something thats in there but I didnt say, sorry. God has done an incredible work in me and I am really looking forward to sharing it. But for the sake of time I have paraphrased. So if anyone has any questions or would like to hear the whole story, feel free to ask. I have been taught the stories and truths of the Bible my whole life. I was raised in a Christian home and went to this church every Sunday. As I got older I went through stages of spiritual highs and lows where I would realize my need of a Savior and ask Jesus into my heart. This Spiritual high would last for a few days, but every time the pleasures of this world proved to be more important to me. Just over a year ago I came to lowest I have ever been. As I went through my high school years, I gained more freedom, and the real desires of my heart came out. I was totally living a sinful lifestyle while keeping a Christian appearance for the people that would think less of me if they knew the truth. (And that’s pretty much everyone in this room.) The scariest part was that in the midst of all my sin I still thought I was a Christian. It was a combination of denial, rationalization, and a lot of optimism, but I was convinced that I was going to heaven. But God was merciful and did not leave me there. I remember somewhat realizing that I couldn’t be living the way that I was and still call myself a Christian, and was willing to take small steps to change… and that’s when God stepped in. In different ways, He exposed my sin to those people that would think less of me. They didn’t join me in my rationalization, and their sadness and shock really opened my eyes to my open rebellion against God and His Word. That is what it took to make me realize that if I died that day I was going to hell. Looking back I see that this is when God began to work in my life. I knew that without Christ in me I couldn’t please God, but I decided that if wasn’t going to be saved, I would give God the best filthy rags I could. I decided to pursue God with all my heart because I couldn’t go on living a fun filled life straight to hell. I began putting off all the outward sin, and putting on a lifestyle that a true Christian should have. I broke my friendships with the people that didn’t care how I lived and surrounded myself as best I could with Christians that would encourage and help along the path that I wanted to be on. I started reading the Bible not because I was supposed to, but because I wanted to know God. But by far the biggest tool in my spiritual growth was my college’s Christian club Intervarsity. Every Thursday night a group of young Christians on fire for God would get together and have a worship service. We weren’t there because our parents made us, or because we were worried about what people would think if we didn’t go, we were there to worship God and know Him more. I was seeing a ton of spiritual growth and evidence that God was working in me. But I’m the twenty first century doubting Thomas. I knew that by my actions I had rejected God and He had every right not to save me. How could I know that I was really saved? What if my life change was caused by the dramatic exposure of my sin? What if I wasn’t one of God’s elect, and all of this was fake? How could I ever be 100% sure that I was going to heaven? And then sometime in June I heard a sermon preached on the helmet of the hope of salvation. He talked about how there are a lot of things that the devil uses to make us doubt the power of God, and the helmet is hope in God’s promise of salvation to all who call upon His name. Deuteronomy 29:29 says that whether or not I am called and truly a child of God is only for God to know. All I can hold to is what God has given to me in His word which is: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." (Matthew 7:7) It was then by God’s grace that I put my hope in that promise. I had asked ,and sought and I trusted God that He would be faithful to complete the work He started in me. In the past two months that blind hope has turned more and more into a unwavering faith(****) based only on God’s promise. My assurance of my salvation does not come from the evidence or fruit of my salvation, but on the unwavering promise of God and His Son’s sacrifice. If there is anyone here today who is going through the same thing I did, seek Christ, pursue Him with all your heart and you will find Him faithful. I am so thankful for everyone who prayed for me and I hope my testimony will encourage you to continue to pray for others who are rejecting God .God is faithful and this baptism is my public declaration of that truth. End It is cool to already see Gods work in me affect other people. I ment what I said. If anyone wants to hear the stuff I had to leave out or wants to ask me questions (the more specific the better) please feel more than free to do so. peace out | 
). I know that some people have convictions that certain types of music are sinful and I completely respect that. However, I believe that no inanimate object in this world is sinful in and of itself; it is how we use it that makes it sinful. I believe that contemporary rock is no less God-honoring than classical music because I have not found anything in the scripture that would say otherwise. 
But seriously, I thought the purpose of preordering was to get it the day it came out. Well Best Buy doesnt seem to understand this concept. I got my copy 3 days after it came out while 30 copies sat on best buy's shelf. 
But thanks to school and work it wasnt a huge deal. I have waited over year, I can wait 3 more days. (Im going to get rebuked for that one hahaha) So the first time I played it was at my friends house where we played 4v4. I was ready for all my halo 2 skills to take over and lay the smack down... but i found my spartan napping on the floor far more often than I could handle. The game in appearance looks not much different from halo 2. I mean the graphics are way better, but the gameplay looks the same. BUT ITS A LIE!!! The mechanics very different. But nothing a little practice cant fix. So live it up now nick, josh, and caleb. For I looked into your future and I saw death... and death, and death, and more death. 
I walk (if you can call it walking) like Im 90 years old. I want to take my picture every time I scale the mighty mount "our stairs". 
