Persevere

I was thinking today just what the rest of the semester holds and found that it means lots of baseball and assignments. I am ahead of my assignments but there are some things I have to wait to do. I know that it might get tough at some times but I am ready for whatever I have to face because I knew at the beginning of the semester what I was going to be getting into. I find that there are many times in our lives where we come against stuff we knew was going to be in our way but we get worried because we do not know exactly what we will do when the time comes for us to get something done or when we have to overcome an obstacle. This occurs many times when we are tempted in life or when we feel like we are going to have to face that one sin that used to have a tight rein on our life. We have to discover that we can overcome it though and plan out how we are going to handle it when we come against it again. The same mistakes over and over begin to take a toll on how you live life and they will punish you more than that one mistake you made but corrected the next time it came around. We must be prepared when we face unexpected situations as well and God will help us through those times if we are doing what he has asked us to do. Perseverance is a great trait and when you do the will of God, he supplies you with much more than you could ever expect or imagine and I can tell you that it is an awesome feeling.

Take Joseph for example, he was confronted by Potiphar's wife and when he followed what he believed to be true in his heart, he was punished due to the fact that she sold him out because he would not sleep with her. Joseph remained faithful to God and the call that he had place on his life and God rewarded him for it by making him head over all of Egypt. He was prepared for what Satan was going to throw at him and after all he had gone through, he could have forsaken God but he persevered and remained faithful. Additionally, God took care of Joseph's family and the position he had allowed him to remain prosperous for many years. If we stay focused on the prize rather than the distractions around us, we will reap benefits 100 times over. I know that I have struggled with this but I have been trying to make things better and I feel like I am doing so, just have to withstand a few tests that I know will be coming towards me. If I can continue to achieve to the level in which I am capable of, I will not have some of the problems that I am having at the present time. Joseph's troubles seemed to overtake him at first but he battled through and remained victorious with the help of God.

Continue to seek God and his plan for your life, I am praying for you all and hope that you are all doing well. I still would love to have your prayers and if you need anything, please let me know. God is watching over us all and will continue to bless us.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Closing out

I think the reason I am so happy is that the semester is almost over. We have 7 weeks left and only a few weeks until Easter and then we are done for 3 1/2 months. Maybe it is the fact the snow is gone but I think this school thing is beginning to wear on me. I have 2 more years left after this one and I am excited to see where God leads me. I am fortunate to not have to worry about where I will be come next fall (unless something unforeseen happens) and I have a pretty solid position lined up for my summer experience. I am ready though and even when I continue to face tough times, I am going to battle through them. I need to continue to grow in all that God has for me and continue to push Satan out when he tries to get in. I only have room for one spirit and it is one that is holy. God has done amazing things in the past 11 months of my life and I believe he has me right where he wants me. I have hit many turning points but now I am on a straight-a-way pulling away from the rest of the field. I do not want to be part of what everyone else is doing, I want to be a part of what God is doing and I am excited for what he is doing. I read Revelation again in the past 2 weeks and let me tell you, there are amazing things that happen and I cannot wait for him to come back. To know that he will be victorious is one of the most awesome things ever and I cannot wait to be apart of it in the end.

I think for quite some time, I have been disobedient to the Lord. He has called me to be great for his cause but I have failed him. I have chosen to do wrong in the face of adversity and I have been forgiven for that. I need to follow a simple principle out of Proverbs 15:33, "The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor." If I fear God and do what is right, I will gain His respect in the end. I still hold to the fact that on judgement day I must stand before him to account for what I have done, not man. If I seek to get ahead in this life, I will surely pay for it for eternity and I am positive I do not want to walk that road. I give him all the glory for what has happened to me in my life and I give him credit for holding me together even when I did not think it would be possible. I have been blessed with a great family and a great girlfriend whom I am very proud of. Even though I do not always get along well with some people, I am still grateful for all of them and would not trade any of them for anything in this world. I love all of them and thank God for them everyday. I know they will continue to support me and help me grow and I hope to continue to invest in them for years to come.

Thank you to all who read, I am truly blessed to have you follow along with me and stick with me even when I do not post much. Please continue to pray for me as I will pray for you. God will continue to do great things as long as we seek him in our lives. Please let me know if you need prayer for anything.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson