Day 15

I have seen that when you have someone working together with you, anything is possible and the support system creates something that is unbreakable especially when God is right in the middle. It has been time for me to make a change and find some structure so that I could be stronger, overcoming the small things leads to huge gains and brings us closer to him with every passing moment. I know I can do all things through Christ and I can overcome with him, it is also nice to have people who share the same values as you and will not let you fall on your face. Your "Christian" friends can drag you down if you let them and just because they play the right part, they are not dedicated to the things of Christ. Do not put stumbling blocks in the way of yourself or your friends who are chasing after God. Think about the future not just for yourself, but for them, what are you going to lead others into that will change their life forever? I have said time and time before that our choices affect others and it is so true, it allows people to develop perceptions of you that can make or break friendships or acquaintances. Your kids will ultimately be affected by the choices you make because your decisions before them will lead to how you raise them and what you tell them to stay away from. Also, think about how you want your kids to be influenced, you would not want other kids tearing them down so why are you tearing others down at this point? Seeing what the future holds and the consequences of decisions can help immensely when one is choosing what they want to do. Allow the support in your life to increase and replace any broken strands with new material that will ultimately strengthen you.

Usually when I start writing on a topic, a verse pops into my head and I am able to relate it to my topic in some way which is awesome because I am able to reflect on things that I have learned in the past. I also see the need for me to grow in my knowledge of the Bible because things can get repetitive after a certain period of time. Ecclesiastes 4:12 states, "Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not easily broken." I have been put in a great position here at NCU to have more than just two or three strands to help hold me together and I am learning to lean on them a little more than I have in the past. I also think that posting has been a huge help for me to stay on task and avoid just becoming bored and giving in. I have people looking out for me and I am thankful for that because I know that I will be honest with people and I have the opportunity to grow when they can reprimand me or just ask me whether I am overcoming the struggle. I will admit that I have tried to do it all alone before and those are some of the toughest points in my life, I sit and struggle and try to find a way out but I keep myself in the same position and do not move out of my comfort zone to get help and mature. I can pray every week and tell God what I am struggling and tell him that I am ready to change but I do not put myself in a position to succeed. I have even prayed before telling God exactly what I want to happen and then continue to tell him that I know he cannot accept it as genuine because he knows I am going to screw up again within the next few days. Having some structure in my life has really influenced me to become a better person and instill some change in myself, I was and am still sick of the way that I was living but it was time to grow up and allow God to do something great that would affect me for the rest of my life.

I hope you all have enjoyed reading this and I thank you for doing so! God is great and definitely faithful so keep pursuing him with everything that you have got. Do your best to avoid giving in to the ways of this world. Please keep me in your prayers and I will do the same for all of you.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Day 14

People try to tell me that I am not good enough, people form opinions about me but in the end, it is only God's approval that I need. If the things I do in private reflect my image in the public, then I can go through my day with integrity and know that God is using me in awesome ways to reach the lost. As I said last night, people might have their own views of me based on my past experiences and decisions but that is the past, it is time for me to move on and I will not turn back to the lifestyle of old. I have worked to hard to get to the point in which I am at and God is not done working in me, he has not put in the time and effort to get me here just so that he can watch me revert to things of the past. I know that adversity builds me up and it allows me to prove to people that I am stronger now and that God is going to allow me to overcome the pain and emotional suffering that I have been through. It is not my place to try and shove it back in people's faces, but I am allowed to follow God's plan and prove them wrong because part of the road to redemption is proving that you have moved on and show the strongholds in your life have been broken. I have had various people in my life tell me that I am not good enough, that I am not strong enough, that I need to grow, or that it is just too tough for me. I refuse to accept that I cannot do something just because someone else has a negative viewpoint about it, they are so quick to judge but fail to see the effort in their own lives. We all fail, we all struggle and people make mistakes, how we bounce back is indicative of our maturity and strength because we can either choose to continue what we are doing or we can turn and show everyone that God has done something radical.

As I was writing this, I was trying to think of what God could use for me to convey this through a Bible story and I just recognized that the story of Paul is a great illustration. When Ananias was told by God that Saul was going to come and begin to minister, he was very skeptical and just replied, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. He has come her with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name " Acts 9:13-14. The Lord told him that he should not worry about that because God he had been restored in Christ and was working for the purpose of the kingdom from here on out. When Saul came into town and met the disciples, they said, " 'Isn't he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? and hasn't he come here to take prisoners to the chief priests?' " Acts 9:21. The disciples rightfully could be a little skeptical because they were afraid that he might be putting on a show so that he could have them all arrested and ultimately killed. However, God works in amazing and mysterious ways that we are unable to fathom at all. Ananias knew that God was serious and along with Saul, he had to convince the disciples that a conversion had taken place and this was going to revolutionize the world. Paul was such an integral part of the church and without this newly developed trust, he would have been alone in his ministry. I really like verse 22 here which states, "Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ." Saul had a transformation in his own life and he was able to show the Christian world that God had done something within him and that made his message so much more effective. Let God's story in your life speak for itself, do not let other people dictate where you are going or what you are doing as long as you are staying on the right path and allowing God to direct your steps.

Thank you all for your faithfulness in reading. Two weeks down and a lot more to go, the journey is getting off the ground at this time. Please continue to keep my in your prayers as the semester comes to a close over the next 6 and a half weeks. God has awesome things in store and I am excited to see where he leads me.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Day 13

This wrist injury is nagging and it will not go away. I wish it would just get better and I could practice every day. Sitting on the sidelines and doing nothing is one of the worst things to do as a player and it helps you develop a new love for the game. Unfortunately, I am unsure as to when I should go back to practice because there is the fear that I will just set myself back even further. Setbacks are probably one of the worst things to deal with especially in your walk with God. You might be doing really good and then a setback pushes you down and you have to remove yourself from the a habit that is in your life. The most refreshing thing is coming back from something and overcoming it so that you can be at full strength again. I have realized this over the past few weeks in my walk with God. I am still going to struggle or have some soft spots but when I identify those and firm up my life and my soul, then I will become stronger and be able to focus on growing and getting better rather than just trying to do the bare minimum. I need to grow if I want to find success and if I want to move on to better things. I have been doing this blog for almost 2 and a half years (mostly intermittently) but I know that on top of this I could have so much more but I have not matured enough to take my voice out to those who need to hear it. I feel like God is preparing me for something bigger and I am excited to attain what he has for me and finally get moving on this journey.

When I think of setbacks, I think of Samson and how he left himself vulnerable by divulging his secret to Delilah. God had provided him with an amazing gift and he squandered it by allowing someone to take advantage of him. He lost his strength and was unable to battle the enemy anymore but God had a plan for him to recover and repay the evil that was done to him. In the same way, I think God is working in me to restore my strength and deliver a blow to Satan and what he is trying to do here on earth. I think this blog was a good foundation and I wish I had some more influence but at this point I am just trying to build rapport and prove that I can overcome the things that are trying to tempt me and pull me down. My inner drive right now is much greater than it was even just 3 weeks ago. I can think about things but not give in to those thoughts, God has been strengthening me and I have started listening to my blogs from a while back about choices and overcoming the mind when it wants me to give in. There is so much that we can control when it comes to our own desires and whether or not we listen to the temptation of the world. We have been given freedom of choice and what we choose will impact us for the rest of our lives. The first part of Galatians 5:13 states, "You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature;" I have used this verse before as well but my youth pastor used it last night and it was nice to be reminded that we do have options and what we decide will affect us and those around us.

Thanks for reading! I hope you all had a great day. Please continue to keep me in your prayers and if you have any prayer requests please post. I would be more than happy to pray for you. God is so gracious and loving and I am so happy that he has blessed me in the ways that he has.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Day 12

Tonight as I was praying before service, the Spirit came over me like never before. I usually just pray and it is the same thing over and over each week. There is nothing wrong with my weekly prayers for the students but tonight was something special and I believe it edified me and will be a huge stepping stone in my walk with Christ. As I was walking around, I just prayed that the students would enter into the pace expecting something to happen and they would walk out completely changed. I also was praying that they would see that just living a "good" life was not what being a Christian is all about. The goal is not to get people to recognize us as people who do not do certain things, it is about showing people that we are working toward a higher calling and reward. The reason we do not participate is not because we cannot or because we are good people, it is because what we have on earth is not worth it in the end. It is not just about living a good life so that you can call yourself a "true Christian", it is about getting to heaven and taking in the promise that God has called us to. We will have something greater than anything we could have here on earth if we strive for it and we achieve it. Our purpose here is to make people desire what we have and it is not about being a good person, it is about being an example of Christ and spreading his word and love for everyone to hear and see. Sure, not sinning is a great tool but that is not what being a Christian is about (in my opinion), we learn from mistakes and strive perfection so that Christ's work can be seen as credible and successful in our lives.

Psalm 37 really resounded with me tonight and I think it it just sends a really good message about how God is always watching over us and the wicked will perish in due time. God has been so faithful and he is showing me exactly which side of the road that I want to be on when it comes to the end for me. David's words are so inspiring and they bring me to my knees before Christ because they make me see my need for Christ and just how much I am valued by him. I do not get put in bad positions or punished because I am doing wrong, he is trying to save me from the destruction that I am headed toward. He is truly watching over me but at times I am just too caught up in myself that I completely disregard his presence and then I just continue with how I was living but he has a funny way of getting back at me by allowing the Spirit to make me feel the guilt of sin. It is a result of the decision to give my life to Christ when I was younger. He knows where my heart truly lies, he just knows that I am human and he has to put in a little extra work to grab my attention. I know he will not give up on me and I will do what I can to overcome the evil that I am up against but I can only do it with his help. I have been put in such an awesome position here with school, baseball, and leadership. I am getting prepared for the rest of my life through the life lessons I have learned here and the hardships I have faced. I am learning to trust God with the things I cannot control and he has proven to be right there and he is handling things really well. Psalm 37:40 states, "The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him."

God is truly amazing and I am thankful for all that he is doing. Continue to seek him and trust him for he is unmatched in every area. Please continue to pray for me and I will pray for you. Thanks again for those of you who read!

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Day 11

Another day in the books and another day towards the end of life. God is still great and I am thankful for the opportunity that I got to go through the day and for every breath that I was given. It has been an adventure over the past few days. School seems a little overwhelming but I think I will be able to handle it and baseball is headed for the grind of the season and I could not be happier. Coming to North Central was definitely a humbling experience and I have not enjoyed every moment of my time here but I know that things are continuing to get better and I know I will miss this place when I leave. Sure, the school is small and has it's own drama and everybody is involved in their neighbor's business but I think it can be helpful if utilized correctly. We need people to look out for us and restore us, not destroy us and push us to the point of falling apart. Our brothers and sisters are supposed to come along side us and walk the journey with us. I wish I had more people that would do that. I have no one asking me if I am struggling or if I am walking tall and I feel like it leads me to keep my own record however I want to and nobody will know if it is the right one or not (except God). Sometimes it feels like nobody cares about what you are doing or how you are coping with things, they just come into contact with you everyday and assume that you are okay. I just want someone to look out for me and be there for me when I need them the most, I cannot do it on my own.

One thing I like about Proverbs is that it is very practical. I am a very practical person and so it all makes sense to me and I can apply it rather quickly. Proverbs 19:16 states, "He who obeys instruction guards his life, but he who is contemptuous of his ways will die." When I think of this, I do not just think of instruction such as just reading The Bible and praying, I think of the instruction we receive in chapel as well as when we attend church. If God is truly speaking through the people giving the message (discernment), then we should be applying what they teach and chasing after God with every passing lesson or sermon. If we try to pass something off as not applicable to us, then we are missing the point and putting ourselves in a vulnerable position. If we dissect a message enough, then we can find something that is applicable to our walk and it will strengthen us with every passing day. If we do not get anything out of church then why do we go? We would do much better sitting at home and reading our Bible and then mediating on it. We have been given an opportunity, a chance in this great nation to follow our religious beliefs without persecution and yet so many of us fail to exercise that right on a daily or weekly basis. Let us cling to the instruction that we receive and utilize it fully so that we do not fall way from the one who is drawing us near to him. You will not go wrong as long as you follow his path for your life and his map should be what you are following on a daily basis as it will be the only thing that leads you to your destination.

I hope you all had a great day, God is doing amazing things and I know his hand is over in Japan. Please keep me in your prayers as well as Japan, it is very important that we do not forget them in this time of need.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Day 10

Today was nice to get back into the swing of things. I had all my classes but we had a much needed day off from practice. Being able to rest a little bit and allow my body to catch up on sleep and recover from the weekend. It will be a crazy last half of the semester but I am ready to take it on and I feel like I am better equipped this semester for just getting through it. I have battled through many tough things while I have been here at NCU and I am stronger because of it. I am so glad that I have this opportunity and I am ready to make the most of it. Having a pessimistic view on life makes it easy to get through things for a little while but in the end it makes things more difficult and prevents you from taking chances because all you expect is disappointment/failure from people. If I take a more optimistic approach to things then I have something to look forward to and something to fight for. Ultimately I think this is the reason as to why I have had success in the past and am currently doing what I am doing. I feel like I have wasted a lot of time just sitting around and letting things pass me by in just the past few months/semesters but I can make the change and allow for God to renew things and provide new opportunities for me. I have been knocked out for quite a while but as I come to, I see the fight is not over and I have a chance to get back in the ring and battle to the end.

I find that the more I search after God, the better I feel and I am able to distance myself from sin much easier. Ecclesiastes 2:26 states, "To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind." I read this and I find it to be so true. When I am living in the world and sinning, I feel like nothing I ever do is good enough to please people but when God is in the midst of my work, then I know that I am doing is pleasing to him and it is building his kingdom. People may recognize me and my work but usually it is just because I have done them a service, it never usually is helpful for me except that it humbles me but at the same time it causes anger and pride to come to the forefront. I feel like I do not want to just be recognized, I want to receive something in return but I have nothing to receive unless I have God working in it with me. When everything I do is pleasing to God, then I can truly say that I am living for him to the best of my ability and that I am ready to receive everything that he has promised me. Jim Elliot said, "It is His business to lead, command, impel, send, call, or whatever you want to call it. It is your business to obey, follow, move, respond, or what have you." I could not agree more with this statement. God has laid down the guidelines and given us a practical manual for how to live and be obedient to Him. It is our choice as to whether or not we are going to obey or disobey, whatever the outcome, it is ultimately our decision and he can do nothing about it (aside from divine intervention).

I hope that you all had a good Monday. God is continuing to do awesome things and I could not be happier with my situation right now. I am growing stronger each day and I am so excited to keep moving forward! Thank you for your prayers, please keep praying! I will be praying for all of you.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Day 9

Spring break was a stressful week but it has come to a nice conclusion. We had an eventful trip down to Missouri for baseball and a long trip back over a span of about 15 hours but we made it and it is back to the grind of school tomorrow. If there is one thing I have learned over the trip, it is that you can be efficient and work hard even when you are battered and tired. The pain and the tiredness are not enough to overcome the joy of something that you love. When you understand the limits of your body but the drive of your spirit, then you can truly battle all day and all night long. Our strength comes from the Lord and when our physical bodies say it is time to quit, our spirit says it is time to begin. The drive that God has instilled in us is far greater than anything else that can motivate us to work our hardest. Too many times I have failed knowing that I was just one decision away from making it through but my body told me to go the other direction. I cannot stand by and let Satan control me when I am weak and my mind tells me that what God desires can wait. He has so much more in store for me and as I open up to him, his promises are being revealed, it is truly amazing to experience and take it all in. I love to just breathe in the fullness of God as I am just sitting alone or in a chapel service, it is the most relaxing thing on earth and it brings me the greatest peace in the universe. If you do not believe me, take some time when you are alone and just meditate on God and all that he is and then take a slow, deep breath in that moment and just feel everything that he is as his Spirit and life enter into your soul. God is so awesome and unable to be matched in any way, shape or form.

Sometimes I just open my Bible and I feel like God is using me as I speak on here. It is like he has given me an ability to relate his word with how I am feeling at the current moment. Other times, I find a verse and just go with it but I feel like the more I become connected to him, the more I will find his favor and I will be open to hearing him speak to me. Isaiah 61:1-2 states, "The Spirit of the sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair." I think a lot of times we think of the poor just as those who have no money but I think we need to look at them as those who have not yet heard the gospel. Those who have no hope and spiritually have nothing to look forward to when it comes to Christ. I feel like this is a good verse for me right now because I went and got anointed with oil a week ago Friday, as I was asking for anointing, I was told that the priests use to be anointed in hopes that the Spirit would empower them to make good decisions and I feel like stepping out made a huge difference for me. The Lord has put me in this position to minister and just tell my story and I am going to take advantage of it and seek out those who are lost and desire Christ.

Thank you all for reading, I hope you had a relaxing weekend! Tomorrow it is back to the weekly grind but we have joy because God is with us! Let us embrace every moment that we are given to do good and bring honor to his name.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Day 8

Well today was another long day. We split again but we beat the team we lost to yesterday and lost to the team we beat. Both games were very exciting and I am very happy it is baseball season. I love everything about the game and am so thankful for the opportunity that I have to play it this far into my college career. God has been so faithful and I am learning that with patience he will continue to provide no matter what happens. I have become much better with my attitude on and off the field and I feel like things that used to set me off are becoming less and less of a nuisance. I know that it is mostly just a short term change for now and things could go back but I want this all to continue on. I am dedicated to this cause and will fight for it no matter what is going on in my life because it means that much to me. I am completely exhausted from the day but I know that God working in my life is more important than the sleep I could bet getting right now. Know that when God is working in you, you cannot help but continue to seek after him and tell others what he is doing because it is so motivating and relaxing to know that he is at work and you can see the effects of it. Keep pressing on and allow God to speak to you, do not let anything hinder your spiritual walk and distance you from God. He is the only thing that can be your source and he will give you everything that you need.

Galatians 6:6 states, "Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor." I feel like I have many people who instruct me in the word and so this blog is my way of sharing the good things with my instructor(s). My parents have been an integral part of me growing since I have been in college and I could not be more thankful for that. I have had several pastors and professors speak into my life and I have benefitted greatly from that as well. I wish I could go down the list of people who have given me solid biblical instruction but it is not feasible for me to do something like that. I absolutely love that I have older people in my life who look out for me but I know that I also need my peers to look out for me and hold me responsible for the things I do. I am tired of who I have been and I will continue to press on so that I can overcome and show people that God can turn somebody around who has walked a way from him for a little while. I feel like my experiences have allowed me to grow immensely and I am stronger because of it all. The different experiences have enabled me to learn about situations that I can handle and the situations that I do not want to be in again.

Well, it is definitely time for bed. I hope you all had a great day! Please continue to pray for me as I will be praying for all of you.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson