Jeremiah 17:9

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I love fantasy movies, books, and comics. When I was a kid I wanted to be Batman (but honestly, who didn’t?). Even today I still really enjoy fantasy novels and yes, I did go watch The Avengers and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Now, we are all created differently because God is creative and didn’t want a world full of automatons. Thank you, Jesus! So while you may not be as in to fantasy and such as I am, I hope you are able to find some edification from my musings!

I’m very happy to have the imagination I have, it gave me endless hours of entertainment as a child, but there’s always a catch right? That same imagination that brought fantastic adventures as a child, has now grown into a powerful tool, a tool for creative expression and inspiration and a tool for dreadful sin. I’ll be honest with you, I’m thankful you all can’t get inside my head because let me tell you, it can be a terrifying place.

I feel the Lord has been confronting me a lot lately with the wickedness of my “heart” and “mind”. The Christian rapper, Flame, has a song where he addresses the issue of the heart and it’s deceitful ways. As I listened I thought about Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, who can know it?”

It’s crazy! This beautiful gift full of creative thoughts, wonderful dreams, and righteous desires, was transformed, by man’s sin in the Garden of Eden, into a “desperately wicked” tool for evil! Jesus says that even hating someone with your heart is as murder (Matt 15:19), if you look on a woman with lust you’re an adulterer, etc. And as I say to myself, “I wish I could tear you out, you filthy imagination!” I remembered Jesus’ words, “You shall love the lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.” Luke 10: 27

Conviction much?! Guys, I need prayers. Please pray for this battle ground that is my “heart” and “mind”. I want to give God the glory through my thoughts as well as my deeds, but it’s only going to happen through God’s grace and strength.

And to all you who struggle also, you’re not alone.

Just some thoughts from a sanctified sinner:
Mark

Unencouraged

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“Therefore encourage one another and build up one another.”

1 Thessalonians 5:11

The New Testament is chock full of examples of believers building up and edifying one another in the love and encouragement of Christ. We are also to live in a way that is sensitive to our brothers and sisters in every way so as not to cause them to stumble.

During my engagement to Lauren, I received a lot of godly council regarding the many new challenges I was going to face as a husband. There was also some people who would say things like, “Why would you commit to someone for so long?” “But you’ll never be able to go out with other women” “Are you sure she’s good enough?” These comments mostly came from people who were not part of the family of Christ and they were vastly outnumbered by the encouragement and edifying comments that came from within my Christian family. Comments I still reference in my daily marital life.

It’s been interested to see, however, that this does not tend to be the case in regards to Lauren’s pregnancy. While there have been several individuals who have been extremely encouraging, whom I am so thankful for, the majority of the comments I hear consist of negativities. Comments like, “Oh man, you think you’re tired now, just wait till your baby comes,” “Man, your life is going to suck when your baby is born!” “Enjoy living now cause you’ve only got nine months left.” These comments would not be so hurtful if it were not for the fact that they largely come from my Christian brothers and sisters.

Would my marriage be the same without all the encouragement and advice I received during my engagement? What would my marriage look like if everyone was as discouraging then as they are now?

I hope no one takes this as a personal attack on themselves, nor am I talking about every comment I get. But sadly, the majority have been negative.

I know that having a baby will change my life just like I knew that getting married would change my life. The godly advice I received during my engagement was priceless and I still am encouraged by it to this day, but sadly, though I’m incredibly excited to become a father, I’m also becoming more and more embittered and resentful through some of the discouraging comments. Am I going to hate my child? Should we have not gotten pregnant? Is my life ruined now?

People, this is unacceptable, why do we think there are so many mothers choosing to end their pregnancies? I have a feeling that a lot of them feel the same way I’m starting to feel. This is not a biblical perspective, nor is it right to look at this child with dread. I don’t think this is how God would have the church act, do you? I choose to look forward with anticipation at the beautiful gift that God has given me in my new child, and whatever challenges come with fatherhood I’m excited to grow through them. I choose not to fear and cling to selfish resentment at the freedoms I’m choosing to give up, but to cling to every bit of godly wisdom I take in and utilize that in the raising of this baby.

This is a call to everyone to change this cycle, and start encouraging those of us who are starting out at this parent thing. Stand behind your young fathers and mothers and help them become the godly parents that they are supposed to be. I want to be a good dad and I know that I won’t if I start out my child’s life with negativity.

I choose to rejoice and be glad in this opportunity.

“Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him. Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior’s hands. How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them! He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates.” Psalm 127:3, NLT

Just some frustration from a sanctified sinner,
Mark