March 2014

Hello, friends! I hope you’re having a great April Fools’ Day. Can you believe it’s already been 2014 for three months? That just seems crazy to me. But, since it’s a new month, it’s time for a life update. Here’s what’s been going on in my life in March.

I was supposed to start March by preaching at two different churches in one day, but the weather was bad, so both churches had to cancel. I was pretty disappointed, but these things happen. I’m very thankful for all the ministry opportunities I’ve been given lately, and I love serving any way that I can.

My fellow Religious Studies seniors and I went to Fort Worth earlier this month for the Southwestern Conference on Religious Studies (also known as SWCRS). We had a good time hanging out and listening to people present their papers. I even got to see my friends Walt present his senior thesis, which was really cool. Watching other people present inspired me to finish my thesis and gave me some preparation for my presentation in front of my peers and professors in May.

Speaking of my thesis, I finished it! Or the first draft, at least. A couple of weeks ago, I made that fateful click and sent my thesis off to be graded. It was a proud moment, but it also made me nervous. Handing something over for revision that you’ve been working on for so long can be very scary. But I feel good about the work I’ve done, and I was happy to have a break from writing.

Last week was Spring Break, and I made the most of it. I went to Cabot to visit with my friend Ross. He and I had fun catching up and watching Mr. Peabody and Sherman. On Sunday, I preached morning and night at Ozark Free Will Baptist Church. The people were really hospitable, and I think it all went pretty well. Of course, I also spent a lot of time with Aiden over the break, and I even got to go to Springdale to visit Clayton, Shelby, and their precious son Collin (pictured above). It was a much-needed break full of quality time with friends and family, plenty of sleep, and lots of TV.

Now, I’m back at school and getting back to work. I’ve got to revise my thesis and finish my other two classes, but graduation is right around the corner. I’m going to try to fully enjoy my last couple of months as an undergrad. March has been a great month, and April is already shaping up to be even better. Thank you guys for keeping up with my life and for joining me on this journey. I hope everything is going well, and I would love to hear from you. Have a great April! I’ll see you on Saturday when I review Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

As Told By Ginger

Remember the good old days? Back before papers and deadlines and bills? Back when all you did was go to school and then rush home to catch your favorite show on TV? Yeah, those were the days. My generation has experienced an early onset of nostalgia that makes us long for those days, and we relive them by re-watching old TV shows that used to mean a lot to us. At least, that’s what I did over Spring Break. I watched all 60 episodes of As Told By Ginger.

I’m sure most of you reading this remember As Told By Ginger. It aired on Nickelodeon from 2000 to 2003. You know, back when cartoons were good. As Told By Ginger tells the story of Ginger, a girl who is just trying to fit in and survive junior high (and later high school). It is told through the lens of her diary, which we often see her writing in. ATBG is a very down-to-earth show that simply tells Ginger’s story, and it’s a very compelling one.

If you don’t remember As Told By Ginger, you might still be familiar with the animation style. The show was produced by Klasky Csupo, the same company responsible for such gems as Rugrats, The Wild Thornberrys, and Rocket Power. But what sets this show apart is that it isn’t marketed toward children. As Told By Ginger aired during Nickelodeon’s TeenNick block and was meant to appeal to preteens and teens. So although there are some similarities to other cartoons of the time, ATBG is also very different.

My favorite thing about As Told By Ginger is that the show deals with some real issues. It’s meant to entertain, but it also does more than that. Ginger and her friends have to face some very tough challenges that preteens and teens also deal with in real life. Ginger’s parents are divorced, and she tries to build a relationship with her estranged father throughout the series. In one episode, Ginger writes a sad poem and is believed to suffer from depression. One of the final episodes features a breakup scene that’s as heartwrenching and real as anything you’ll see in a live action drama. Other themes explored are betrayal, first love, substance abuse, growing up, and even death. As Told By Ginger isn’t afraid of taking these issues head-on and dealing with them in a very real way, and that’s something that I appreciate a lot.

The characters on the show are just wonderful. The show focuses mainly on Ginger and her best friends Dodie and Macie. Darren, the classic boy next door, is also a main character. Ginger is taken under the wing of popular girl Courtney and thus develops a rivalry with Courtney’s best friend Miranda. But the show also focuses on Ginger’s family. Lois, Ginger’s mom, plays a key role, and most episodes feature some kind of storyline involving Carl (Ginger’s little brother), Hoodsey (Dodie’s little brother), and Blake (Courtney’s little brother) and their middle school hijinks. The show has a great cast, and they interact in hilarious, unexpected ways throughout the series.

Being a teen show, As Told By Ginger also breaks some cartoon conventions. The characters change outfits to show a change of day, which was probably a lot of work but adds to the show’s credibility. The characters also change in appearance over time, just like the show’s audience. Darren especially shows dramatic change over time, going from wimpy brace-face to hulking football stud. But all of the characters show some development, and I think that’s pretty cool.

As most good things do, As Told By Ginger ended long before it should have. It only ran for three seasons, and even some of those episodes didn’t air until years after they had been produced. It’s a bit of a shame, but thanks to the Internet, all of the episodes can be watched online. The show also airs on the TeenNick channel from time to time. I think As Told By Ginger is a great show that has a lot to offer. If you used to watch it, it can give you that nice sense of nostalgia people my age are so fond of. And if you’ve never seen it before, the show has a lot of heart and some great life lessons that anyone can appreciate. Check out As Told By Ginger and re-live one of the greatest cartoons (or maybe even one of the greatest shows) to ever grace television.

Little Things

The other night, I went to Walmart to buy some snacks (as college students tend to do when they should be doing their homework). As I walked up to the register to pay for my items, I did something out of habit. I asked the cashier how she was doing. She told me she was good, and then she paused. She looked at me and said, “You know, I’ve been working here all night, and you’re the first person to ask me how I’m doing.”

Wow. What a sad thought. This nice woman had been interacting with people all night, providing a service for them, and not one of them had bothered to simply ask, “How are you?” I don’t know about you, but that really struck me. It broke my heart a little bit. Maybe a little more than a little bit.

Sometimes, all I need is just to know that someone out there somewhere cares about me. When I’m feeling sad and alone, all I want is for someone to look me in the eye and tell me I mean something to them. That they notice me. That they care about what I’m feeling and about my well-being.

I don’t think we get that enough. That sense of just feeling acknowledged. Noticed. Cared about. Important. I think we all yearn for that at times, but we just don’t get it enough. We live in a society that oftentimes puts us down and makes us feel like nothing. Like we’re just a number, or less than a number. But we don’t have to feel that way. You don’t have to feel that way.

You are important. You are noticed. You are loved. And if no one’s told you that in a while, I am sincerely sorry. But I’m telling you now because it’s true.

This world needs some encouragement. There are people all around you every day who are struggling. Some of them may feel worthless, broken, even unloved. You may find yourself there right now. We all need some encouragement from time to time. But the good news is that there’s plenty to go around. All we have to do is share it.

What if we took one second out of our busy days to put down the to-do lists and the homework and the work projects and whatever else and just connect with one person around us? What if you took the time to look someone in the eye today and ask, “How are you doing?” and really mean it? Or even just smile at a stranger on the street? Do you have any idea what kind of difference you could make in a person’s life if you just took one second to show someone that they matter?

It really is the little things that often mean the most. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a crummy day turned completely around by a simple smile from a stranger I passed on the street. Or how many times I’ve felt really alone until someone came to me and sincerely asked me how I was doing. It didn’t cost them much time. It really wasn’t a big deal. But it meant the world to me. It showed me that I was important to someone, and that was enough.

Did I change that cashier’s life by asking her how she was doing? Probably not. But did I give her a little boost that helped get her through the rest of her shift? I like to think so. Little things can go a long way if they’re done in love. Give someone some encouragement today. Do one little thing for someone else. You never know how big an effect one little thing may have.

Timehop

I’m the type of person who is very prone to nostalgia. I even wrote a blog post about it last month. I like to look back at my past experiences and reflect on them. But this can sometimes get out of hand. When I’m up late and can’t sleep, I find myself spending hours looking through old Facebook posts. This probably isn’t the most healthy method of handling my nostalgia. Fortunately, I’ve found a better way.

A year ago, I was sick on Spring Break. Two years ago, I was introduced to the fantastic television show Community during an all-day TV marathon with a friend. And three years ago, I made myself some cheese dip and bragged about it online. How do I know all of this? Because of Timehop, an awesome app that helps me manage my nostalgia.

Timehop is an iPhone app (with an Android version coming soon) based on the idea that every day is the anniversary of something, however small. Every day, Timehop will tell you what you did a year ago, two years ago, etc., as far back as it can go. It’ll show you statuses you posted, conversations you had with others, photos you shared, and places you went. It’s a quick and easy way to look back at where you were on this date in the past.

Setting up Timehop is simple. All you have to do is sign into social media accounts in the app, and they’ll do the rest for you. Timehop currently supports Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Foursqure. It will also sync photos from your phone’s Camera Roll, your iPhoto library, and your Dropbox account, if you like. Although this might not cover everything you do online, it does serve to give you a pretty good snapshot of what you were up to a year ago.

The interface is really simple. Just open up the app, and it will give you a stream of your posts for that day, starting with a year ago and going backwards. At the bottom, they usually share a significant news event from that day and an inspiring quote from the app’s dinosaur mascot, Abe (pictured above). I usually start my day with Timehop. It gives me a chance to have my daily dose of nostalgia and also gives me some context for the day ahead.

But Timehop doesn’t just show you what you did. It tries to make the remembering process a social one. You can share anything from your day’s Timehop to Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, with a simple tap. And Timehop is currently working on a new feature called Throwback that allows you to pick one post from your Timehop per day and share it with all of your friends who have Timehop. It really does make the app more fun when you share it with others and start remembering together.

The people who make Timehop are really cool. They keep users updated on Twitter when things go wrong or when they need people to beta test new features. They interact with users who contact them, and they definitely add some humor to the app through Abe. And most importantly, they are constantly and diligently working to make the app better based on user feedback. That’s something that really sets Timehop apart from other apps.

I’ve been using Timehop for over a year, and I’ve had a great experience with it. I love being able to look back at cool stuff I did in the past, and it helps me keep my nostalgia in check. I shared Timehop with my friends, and they love it, too. We all use it everyday, and we often share some of our past posts with each other for fun. Give Timehop a try and get your friends onboard. Let’s make every day worth remembering.

Timehop is available for free on the iOS App Store and is coming soon to Android.

Mountaintop Experiences: Jesus

“Nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.” —Jesus[1]

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been looking at stories from the Bible of people who had amazing, life-changing experiences with God on a mountaintop. First, we looked at Abraham and how he laid everything down before God on top of a mountain. Then we looked at Moses, who climbed a mountain and not only saw God, but found the direction that he so desperately needed. This week, we turn to the New Testament and look at a very special mountaintop experience. Let’s talk about Jesus on the mountain.

Jesus’ life was literally full of mountaintop experiences. Scripture tells that after spending a period of time healing and teaching, He would retire to a mountain to spend time alone with the Father. The most famous sermon ever preached is called The Sermon on the Mount because Jesus delivered it on a mountain. Jesus’ transfiguration, in which His glory was revealed to a few of His disciples and He talked with Moses and Elijah, took place on top of a mountain.

And now we find Jesus on the mountaintop once again. Luke tells us that after He celebrated the Passover with His disciples (a meal we now refer to as the Last Supper), Jesus went to the Mount of Olives to pray “as He was accustomed.”[2] But this was no ordinary prayer session. In this passage of scripture, we get a unique, beautiful look into the way Jesus, the Son of God and God Himself, interacted with the Father. And what does Jesus say? He says, “Father, if You are willing, take this cup away from Me — nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.”[3]

Jesus knew what was coming. He was preparing for His next mountaintop experience, His crucifixion and death on the hill called Calvary. He knew in the coming hours, He was going to be betrayed by one of His best friends, abandoned by the others, arrested, falsely accused, and sentenced to death. He knew He was about to go through the most gruesome, painful, demeaning death one could imagine—all to atone for sins that He did not commit.

And there was at least part of Him that didn’t want to do it. You see, Jesus was human, just like us. He felt emotions just like we do. You know the pain you feel when a friend stabs you in the back? Jesus felt that as He watched every single one of His friends leave Him in His most desperate hour. Also, Jesus had nerve endings under His skin just like we do. Just like we feel pain when we get a cut or break a bone, Jesus felt physical pain as well, and He was about to endure the most agonizing pain imaginable.

But He didn’t have to. Just as much as Jesus was human, He was also divine. He had the power to stop everything that He knew was about to happen. Later that evening, when Jesus was being arrested, He told Peter that all He had to do was say the word, and God would send legions of angels to protect Him.[4] At any point during this whole process, Jesus could have stopped it. He could have said, “I don’t want to do this, I don’t have to do this, and I’m not going to do this.”

But He didn’t. Jesus climbed that mountain, and He had that experience with God where He said, “Not My will, but Yours, be done.” That may have been the hardest thing Jesus ever had to do. But I am so glad He did. Because He made that choice, history was changed forever. Because Jesus chose the Father’s will over His own human will, we now have salvation through Him. Because of His selfless desire to follow God’s will no matter what, we can now have a personal relationship with God and enjoy His presence everywhere we go. I am so thankful that Jesus had that mountaintop experience that day! Aren’t you?

Believe it or not, each of us is being called to do something right now. No matter who you are, God has something that He wants you to be doing for Him today, at this moment. It may be small, or it may be huge. But it’s something, and if God is calling you to do it, then it’s really, really important.

Scripture tells us that God has a good, acceptable, and perfect will for each of us.[5] God has a plan for my life, and God has a plan for your life. God wants to give each of us the best possible life we can have. That’s His desire for me and for you. My pastor, Bro. Will Harmon, puts it this way: Your purpose is to find, follow, and finish God’s good, acceptable, and perfect plan for your life. That’s it. Find, follow, and finish. It’s that simple.

Yes, sometimes God calls us to do things we don’t want to do. That’s a part of how God works. But we have to trust that He has our best interests at heart. Our field of vision is so small. God sees the big picture, and He will never lead us astray. When God calls you to do something, you’re supposed to trust that He knows what He’s doing and simply do whatever He asks. If you’ll trust Him to guide your steps, He’ll give you the best possible life. I promise you that.

Maybe God is calling you to do something that you just don’t want to do. Maybe it’s something you’ve been struggling with for a while, and you just can’t bring yourself to do it. You may be tempted to ignore God’s call or put it off, but I urge you to follow the example of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He climbed that mountain, He humbled Himself before the Father, and He chose to do God’s will even though it was hard. You can do the same thing. You can climb that mountain and make that choice today. If you do that, if you climb that mountain, God will guide you and bless you every step of the way. And someday, you’ll look back on that choice that you made and think, “My life is different because I had that experience with God that day. I’m so thankful I chose to follow Him.” God’s calling you to do something, and He wants you to answer. Have that mountaintop experience with God today.

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1. Luke 22:42 (HCSB)  ↩

2. Luke 22:39 (NKJV)  ↩

3. This is the full version of Luke 22:42 from the HCSB.  ↩

4. Matthew 26:53  ↩

5. Romans 12:2  ↩