New Computer

Hey, Sorry t has been so long since I have written, but it is really hard to blog when you have no PC. I also have pictures back, which you probably have guessed.

I have been thinking about a lot of things recently, the foremost- How to reach the Valley for Christ. It seems at times that this place is just to far gone, to post modern, to post- Christian. There are currently only 1.5 % of people in the Valley going to a Bible Believing Church. For comparison, China, a country that is considered Anti-Christian and "Unchurched" has about 6 % of it's population at a Bible Believing Church.

So then, how do we reach them? I guess the first question is why do I want to reach them? Why does my church care so much? Well the answer is simple, I believe in God, and what He has done for me. Any of you who knew me 4 years ago in Amherst can attest that I was a mess. God reached down and saved me, so how can I not tell everyone? I can't. God is offering life right now to so many, and they refuse it, and it breaks my heart.

I used to dream of fulfilling every sensual desire I had- and I tried to live that way. However, when I really thought about it, that is not what I wanted, what I want now. I know so many men who just want to sleep with very attractive women. They are finding their meaning in sex and sensuality. Here is the problem with that though. We are ll going to grow old and be unattractive. And so if sex is our savior, we will eventually be let down. Even if you could have sex with lots of hot young women, at your death bed would it be worth it? Well the answer a lot of guys have given in this Valley is YES, especialy among the younger men I have talked with.

But can sex with no relationship ever be fulfilling? Eventually it will suck your life away. The life of Porn stars and the super rich seems so empty. Yet everyone around me wants them. They have bought the lie that they can be forever young, independent, and happy. That all they need is a lot of money and sex with young women and some booze to loosen them up. They have been told that fame and fortune are the way to happiness, and they all want a little bit of it.

And my heart breaks. The guys objectify women, trade sex stories and wonder at the end of the day why they are sad, angry, alone. That was me just 4 years ago, and I want to give them the joy I have know. I know this is a bit of a rant, but that is the title of my blog, so promised fulfilled.

Anyway, sorry about the aside. I guess the way these broken people get reached is first prayer- so please pray for the Valley, and then initiation. One thing I want to start is an outreach to self mutilators. This has been something that has been on my heart for a while. It was easy to find help for the drugs and alcohol, but because of the shame of self mutilation, it was much harder to talk about and get over.

Now that isn't to say I wanted to harm myself after I gave my life back to God, but it was harder to work through some of the crap that I had accumulated because of the scars. I feel like there is a whole lot of hurting people who are covering their scars daily, and have no where to turn. I want them to be able top turn to the church and find peace in Jesus. I want them to be able to experience the freedom that I have had. I want them to find life everlasting, and be able to wear short sleeve shirts again.

Anyway, pray for that as well. I am preaching Sunday, so I will post my sermon soon. Until then...