Blessings and Curses

Why is it so hard to return a curse with a blessing? I was reading 1 Peter 3:8-9 today and stumbled upon what it says, "To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing." WOW! How many times do I quickly return a curse with another curse? How many times do I return insult with insult? How many times do I return evil for evil? I don't know that I could actually count the number of times I have really returned a curse with a blessing. Maybe once or twice? How sad is that? I am much more quick to curse someone than to bless someone. I was reading an article titled A Summer that Counts and was challenged to live this summer with a missional attitude. Being missional means having a purpose for what I do. I don't want to waste away this summer and make it a time all about me. I want to return curses with blessings. I don't want to miss the boat. "If only you had paid attention to My commandments! Then your well-being would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea. Your descendants would have been like the sand, and your offspring like its grains; their name would never be cut off or destroyed from My presence" Isaiah 48:18-19. May we all seek to bless those who curse us and to live in harmony as we pursue a missional attidude where every person matters because every person matters to God.

What's Been Going On

Well, it's been almost a month since I've written anything on here, so I figure I better change that! A lot has happened this past month and I am really excited about what God has in store for my life. I have been wanting a change in jobs for a while now, and I knew that God had that in plan for me, but I just wasn't sure what all that looked like. Little did I know that my travels and experiences at SBU would lead me to several opportunities that seemingly would fall in my lap. First, a pastor friend in Las Vegas offered me a spot as his right-hand-man doing an internship out there. Last Sunday, they baptized over 1,100 people! God is doing some awesome things in Vegas and it would be an honor to be part of that movement firsthand. He also let me know about a full-time position that would be opening up after I finish my MBA. So, I applied for both of those. I guess it's a good way to figure out if the Lord is calling you to a place if you go through the application process. As these things were settling out, God have also presented an opportunity for me to be on the Board of Trustees of a new non-profit group that helps troubled kids learn discipline by using martial arts. Then, my buddy Ryan let me know he would really want me to join him in the financial advising business. With that job, I could live wherever I wanted to. All I would have to do is get licensed and go through a couple of hoops to start up.

Needless to say, the Lord really is using this time as a growing time for me. I am learning more and more the necessity of prayer in daily life! God often presents many good and right opportunities, but His way is the wisest way. I am excited to see for sure what I will be doing in the next few months!