Perfect Love

I have written about love before on here and I have said many things regarding the unconditional love of Christ. I think people struggle everyday with loving others (I know I do). Whether it is just me getting upset with others or my displeasure with the way people drive, think, or act. I get so frustrated with people and sometimes I say that I just downright hate people. Sometimes I think things would be easier if I could just avoid people on a daily basis because I like to think that they are the root of my problems. I know that occasionally I have problems because of other people but usually it is because I make something my problem or I blow something up (figuratively). I know there is plenty of room in my heart to grow and I think that I have a way to go before I can truly love others but I know that I am capable of it. If you ask any of my friends, they would more than likely tell you that I would go to any length for them and that is because I love them. When it comes to love, I have always and will always believe that a major component is that you would go to any length to make somebody happy. Sometimes it is not always beneficial for us to love because it can be painful at times (look at Christ on the cross), however, we see that sacrificial love is the idea of true love and it shows that no matter what you have to do, you will do it for the benefit of another. I firmly believe you can show love to others without knowing them or even having feelings for them. There is a big difference between loving someone and falling in love with them on a passionate level. God and Christ have exhibited both of those traits with us as humans, whether you choose to believe it or not is your own opinion. I think that God created us to exhibit both forms of love and we have distorted it because of the world that we have created for ourselves. We love many things but that is not true love, it is love of something, not love of a person or the expression of love. I think of things we love more of as a favorite rather than a love.

I have pretty much bared myself on here and I will say that I like some "chick flicks" and the other night I DID watch Beastly alone. One particular line stuck out to me, the main character Kyle states, "My dad always said, 'how much people like you is directly proportional to what you look like'.... They hated me." Kyle was considered the most popular person in school and the best looking but his personality sucked and he did not quite understand the notion that people talked behind his back and they did not like him because of the way that he treated those that were not as good looking or those who were, "losers." Love looks past the imperfections of a person and we see this in 1st Corinthians 13:10, "But when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears." Now this does not mean that you will find someone perfect, it means that when the right person comes along, nothing else matters, you deal with the flaws because all you can see is perfection. Now there are going to be bumps in the road and it is going to take work but when there are problems, it is the notion of perfection that drives you to see past the flaws and hardship. You battle for people that you love, you do whatever it takes to ensure their success and you try to drive them to the top. If you do not believe me then look at the words of God and Jesus in the Bible. There are mistakes almost from beginning to end in the Bible but God and Jesus see past that to push people towards perfection because they are able to exhibit unconditional love and never give up on those that they care most about (which is everyone). His pursuit of us is never ending and he will fight for us until our last breath is taken. My prayer is that I can find a way to love all people this way but until then, I will continue to love those that I already have in my life and the ones that are coming into my life that I feel I can love. I will probably never love everybody but I think that if I strive to and I can overcome some of my personal feelings, I can strive to and continue to work on it for a lifetime.

Thanks again for reading, it has been a great week and I have a somewhat long one ahead of me. I am leaving for Oklahoma on Monday morning and heading to Texas on Wednesday and then up to Manhattan sometime next weekend. I have some friends who need prayer, mostly health problems, if you could, please keep them in your prayers.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Battle Call

I consider myself a fairly free thinker and I usually say what is on my mind depending on the situation. I think of some of the craziest scenarios in my head and think of what I would do in certain situations. For example, I found myself thinking about being in a scenario where there was a national emergency (plane hijacking, shooter, bomber, etc.) whatever the case may be and what would I do if I had the chance to give my life to protect others. As I played a particular possibility in my head I knew exactly what I would do in defense of my family and the good of my country. I know that given the right circumstances I would give myself up for those around me, not because I would be considered hero but because I have a deep care for others and I want others to have a good life. I have had to drop my pursuit of relationships, friendships, or sharing of the Gospel for the simple fact that I needed to do it for the other person. I have stated before that some people are only apart of your life for a short amount of time but their impact can be significant and there are others who are there by your side for the purpose of helping you along. I started listening to a song yesterday and the lyrics state, "This is a battle call, gather soldiers, time to go to war. This is a battle song, brothers and sisters, time to go to war." The lyrics resonated with me in that as a Christian, my battle call has been sounded. I have been asked to go and fight for the lives of those around me, to give up my life for the cause of Christ that I might lead others to do the same. I have been truly blessed to live the life I have lived so far and I would not trade it for anything. It is time to go to war and to fight for something that is truly worth living for.

One Bible story that comes to mind when I think about answering the call is David. He was just a shepherd who had no significance to anyone other than his father and his brother in that he was able to tend to the flock while they were away doing other business. When David showed up to bring food to his brothers, he found a more significant purpose. Day by day went by and none of the other soldiers in the Israelite army would stand up to Goliath because he was a formidable opponent. Not only was he tall but he was very powerful. I imagine him being able to basically knock guys out with one punch and his reach would be so long that it would take a long distance weapon to take him down. David saw the opportunity to step up and save his people and his family from being taken captive by the Philistines. Even when no one else believed in him, David knew that he had to answer the call. What is so surprising is that the call did not even come from his own camp, it came from across the field where Goliath would stand every morning and mocked the Israelites and challenged anyone to come and face him. When I think of a battle call, I think of our own people sounding the alarm that it is time to fight but this time was different. The enemy was practically begging for someone to come out because he thought that he would slaughter anyone who would come against him, Goliath should have just walked away but he was arrogant and wanted to pick a fight. Just about everyone knows the story, David convinced the Israelites to allow him to go forward and he used a sling and a rock to take down Goliath. Not only did David answer the call but he won the war because he stood up for what he loved and he had faith that is rarely seen. I feel that we are called out on a daily basis by the devil and his demons to face the world because they think they can get the best of us. Whether it be by causing us to sin or discouraging us in our pursuit of sharing the Gospel, the devil wants us to battle him because he thinks he can win. Unfortunately for him, we have the same opportunity to win like David did because God is still on our side! We have nothing to fear because our God is with us no matter what the circumstances are and he will aide us in our endeavor to complete is work. So I encourage you to answer the battle call and do not allow yourself to be bullied by the enemy!

Thank you all for reading, I truly believe this is a blessing to some people and for those who have commented, thank you! Please continue to pray for me as I am heading back to the midwest in a few days and I have a long road ahead of me!

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

I miss...

I miss being a kid, I miss being innocent, I miss not having much to worry about, I miss the days of hanging out with friends from morning to evening, I miss the days filled with video games from wake up to bed time, I miss the cheesy birthday parties with goofy gifts, I miss showing up to play baseball and win or lose you still got to do something fun afterward, I miss the innocent crushes, I miss having my day planned out for me, but most of all I just miss how easy things were. I wish I had days that were carefree and I wish that the consequences of my disobedience were not as great as they are today. I wish I could go back and enjoy all my favorite moments over again. I do not want to go back in time to fix things or do things differently, I just want to relive the great memories. My scars make me who I am today but the good experiences will only be memories. I am thankful for the memories I have with good friends, with old friends, and even the friends that I will never see again. I think about the friends that I do have and am so glad that they are there for me. I have one particular friend in Arizona whom I would not trade for anything. I get along with her so well and even though we do not hang out or talk much, we have a great time when we do hang out. We met junior year and we spent some time together and those were probably our most fun times together. Senior year we talked a little bit and even had a class together which was fun, she got in trouble a lot which was always hilarious but through all that I most enjoyed getting a call or text asking for help on the homework. Sometimes I tend to think of myself as not a very good friend but something she wrote in my yearbook senior year has stood with me through the years and I think it has been the core of why I do not give up on some people very easily. She wrote, "Joe, you are such an amazing friend, even when I am not and it means a lot." I think that is what having friends is all about, even when you are treated bad (intentionally or unintentionally), you stick with those people through whatever it is and you try to not lose touch with them because they will impact you more than you could ever imagine.

There are many different examples throughout the Bible of true friends and standing up for each other. We see division among friends as well as reconciliation, we see people betrayed and people saved, it is truly amazing the life lessons that can be found in the Bible. One of the great examples of friendship is between David and Jonathan. Jonathan covered for David when Saul was trying to kill him and he did exactly as David asked. We see that Jonathan practically put his own life on the line for his best friend and to find out if his dad really intended to kill him. In 1st Samuel 20:12-17, they make a pact and it is a lifelong, once in a lifetime agreement to always be friends no matter what happens. Jonathan wants David to understand that no matter what his father wants, he will always be on his side and he will do his best to protect him. These friends shared a special bond that not many people are able to for fear of mistrust or just simply being insecure. If David and Jonathan had never seen each other again, they would still have the memories of their childhood together and they would never forget each other. At times, it is difficult for us to get along with our friends or with other people in general but God has placed people on earth that we can trust and that we can open up to if we allow ourselves to. We all have our own perception of what life should be like for ourselves and a lot of times we chase after that while leaving others behind. Do not leave your friends in the dust as you continue to grow. Share what is going on and allow them to provide insight or come along with you on the journey because you never know what they can do to help. Instead of missing the days when things were great, carry on the tradition and good times by keeping people in your life whom you can really appreciate and hopefully invest in as well. Always be thankful for the people that you have and never give up on those who have been troublesome but you know you can rely on.

Thanks for reading, hope you all are having a great day. Let me know if you need prayer for anything and please continue to pray for me.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Speed

Life seems to go by quicker with each passing day. I have a niece who will be 10 this December, the majority of my brothers and sisters are into or close to their 30s, I have a year left of undergrad, and the days just seem to get shorter and shorter with time. I do not know why it seems that things are going by so fast but I need to try and slow it all down some way, some how. In the past I have really sped things up and almost moved on to some important steps in my life before I was ready. I have found that I want things to happen on my terms and not on God's or anyone else's and that usually leads to me ruining something or giving up on it before it is time. I have been foolish at times and have given into my own desires but I have also stood up for myself and my belief and left myself feeling pretty good. It is all just a matter of how you approach things and determining whether or not you are going to push the boundaries of what you believe and where you stand on certain things. I find some things so much easier to control than others and I can stand against some things easier than others. I guess we all have our giants that we face and we all have our own Samson spot. We all are weakened by something but we need to prevent those areas from being attacked and left vulnerable. Samson lost his sight because he left himself open to an attack but God still used him to accomplish something great. Let us become aware of what hinders us and begin to ensure that we are not brought down by those things, I believe those are the walls that keep us from attaining all that we want to in Christ and it is up to us to ask for help to break down those walls and find the freedom that has been promised to us.

We all have days and moments where we find ourselves in a bind. Whether we are spiritually falling apart, a relationship is falling apart, we have lost someone, or whatever the case may be. I have had some pretty crummy days and I have pushed myself into some tight spots but I always seem to get back up and I really have no idea how I do it. I wish things were easier most of the time but I do not think that I would ever grow or get stronger and so for the trials and suffering, I am thankful a thousand times over. My prayer for today is Psalm 119:65-72 which states, "Do good to your servant according to your word, O Lord. Teach me knowledge and good judgement, for I believe in your commands. Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word. You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees. Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, I keep your precepts with all my heart. Their hearts are callous and unfeeling, but I delight in your law. It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold." Let us remain in good faith and fight for the promises that God has given to us for he is faithful forever. Some days I just do not know how much more I can take but then I think about what he did on the cross for me and I know that I will have the strength to make it through, I may not always be the happiest person but I am working on that and I am trying to turn things around. It has been a rough road and there is still a long way to go, I hope that I can figure out how to smooth things out and slow things down. Until then... we'll see what happens.

Thanks for reading, hope that all of you have a good day/night and if you need prayer for anything, do not hesitate to ask.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Refuge

It is all becoming real, I have two nights left in Arizona, a weekend in California and then I head back to the midwestern/northern part of the country. I get to write the script for the next 9 months with every passing day and I wholly intend to include God in every part of it. I am going to be searching his plan because my decisions in the past have led to my downfall and my unhappiness. If there is one thing I have learned over the first three years of college, it is that I need to be more careful and I need to adapt quickly. Unfortunately I have been unable to adapt to NCU very quickly and I have been miserable because of it. Everyone tells me that I am the one who makes NCU miserable for myself and that is very true but I think that I want it to be miserable because I feel like I made the wrong choice in going there. I have had times where I would think that it was the best place for me, usually it is just me being in the right place at the right time but I think in the overall picture, many people would be just as fine if not better off if I had not chosen to go to school in Minnesota. The factors that brought me to Minneapolis were not the right ones but I am so glad I have the opportunity to work with youth and invest in the lives of young students. The leadership role I have been given at school has been such a great learning experience even though I have not always been the best role model. I can hack it on the field and in the classroom but life is just rough and I have made mistakes. It rocks me to the core that I have been messed up for awhile and it is all within my control to change and I have been and hope to continue the changes I am making so that I can be stronger this year and for the rest of my life. I have to remember that changes should not just be temporary, they need to change my lifestyle and never return so that I can actually mature and learn from where I have been.

I have said this before and restated it in many different ways but I find rest in God alone and he is my peace in times of trouble. I believe he has given me the gift of baseball to release anger, to relax, to find peace, to just be me. I am forever thankful for the ability to play and just have a good time, God has blessed me immensely and I do not know what I would do without the gifts that he has given me. Psalm 62:5-8 states, "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God, he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge." I like the part that says my salvation and honor depend on God. Everything that I do, my future, my eternity are all dependent upon his truth, his plan, his way that he has prepared for me. I have received so many honors, in school, sports, and other activities and none of it would have ever been possible without him. In my times of turmoil and pain he was always there to push me through whether I knew it or not. I believe that God can drive you in the right direction even when you are not seeking him because subconsciously he is always with us, he is ingrained in us as our creator and nothing can ever take that distinction away from him. He will be our father whether we choose to acknowledge him or not and he will always be crushed if we do not return to him. Let us not forget just how easily accessible God is to us and his comfort, his peace, his rest, is all just a call away for every single one of us. This has been my saving grace in situations of doubt and confusion. Seek him and find his wonder anew everyday!

Thank you all for reading, I hope that I can contribute to your daily walk and that you are inspired by some of what I write. If there is ever anything that you take from this, I am forever grateful to God that he is using this to help people. Please continue to pray for me, God is working in my heart and I am doing my best to facilitate the growth needed to live strong and fight for his kingdom daily.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Another Day

Well it is near the end of yet another monday in the summer and though I still have several weeks of summer left, I begin my roughly 9 day trip back to Minnesota starting next monday. I have definitely enjoyed my time in Phoenix but am not entirely sure I am prepared for another year in Minnesota. Good news is that if the last few years are any indication, it will all be over before I know it and I will be pulling into the driveway of my house in a little over 9 months with a bachelors degree and looking forward to the future. I am not going to miss out on anything this year and I will cherish the memories and moments that I get to spend as part of my senior year but I will definitely be ready to walk across that stage and move on. I find this year completely different from what I was expecting my senior year in high school. I wanted my final year of high school to go by slow because I knew that those were going to be some of the greatest moments of my four years there and I was right because I always wish I could go back to high school and relive those moments. As for college... I just wish it would end sooner rather than later. Maybe I am anxious to start my career and to settle down and start a family but I really just think it has to do with the atmosphere and just knowing that things could have been different if I would have made better decisions. This year I am determined to try and make things different, not only will I make better decisions but I am going to try and distance myself from any trouble that I could get myself into. Let God guide your footsteps and you will be just fine, he will carry you through the tough times and his guidance is impeccable

From time to time I like to read Proverbs and see what kind of wisdom I can gain or just what kind of interesting lines I can find. Some of it can be rather common sense but other advice found in there is pure God genius. There were two that stood out to me today and I think they are great for all people and their truth is outstanding. Proverbs 29:1 states, "A man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed -- without remedy." Basically, those who continue to do bad even after having been caught and reprimanded, will end up on a destructive road with no way out. We cannot continually find ourselves in the pit and expect to always find favor with those around us, it is very difficult to support people who always put themselves in a bad position. Fight for your friends, family, and even those you do not know but you can only do so much and if they choose not to take your hand when you have extended it over and over, you have to find someone else that you can help and maybe try again later. The other verse is found in Proverbs 29:6, which states, "An evil man is snared by his own sin, but a righteous one can sing and be glad." I have said this in one form or another before, when I am in the word and chasing after God, I am happy more often than not. However, when I am caught in sin, I feel like I am worthless and that I could do better but I fell like there is no way out for me. Sin is very controlling over our lives and it looks for opportunities to sneak in. We need to protect ourselves and ensure that we have guarded our hearts and minds so that we can stand firm in the faith and allow God to work through us.

Hopefully you all had a great monday and are not too tired to finish the rest of the week already. I believe God has a purpose for every day, every moment, and every second of our lives. We can change the world, we can change people, we can change the course of history but we have to allow ourselves to be used for the correct purpose. I am praying for all of you and hope that you will continue to pray for me, even when I am not posting I could definitely use it.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Gonna be O.K.

The last few weeks have been really weird, there has been a lot of stuff going on but at the same time I have been extremely bored and that has probably been the worst part about this summer. I am pretty sure I have said it before that when I am bored I usually find myself getting into trouble or just doing something really stupid. In some respects I have been really good about that recently and I have been reading this book that I got at the world series as well as starting my blog back up again. I probably should have started earlier in the summer and it would have made the summer go by a lot quicker and more than likely a lot smoother. Other than the fact that I did not work this summer, I feel like this summer was rather successful. I helped out at my old high school a lot and tried to set a good example and provide advice for some of the players and I got some work in on my own hitting and taking ground balls. I know I could have done so much more but I am happy with the way it all played out and I am glad that I was given the opportunity to get to know a young group of guys who try to come out and play with passion on a daily basis. I get discouraged easily and sometimes I feel like I do not know what to do with my day or what I am going to do to get through a situation (not just temptation). We all have moments in our lives where we feel like everything is falling apart just as I mentioned with Job. God has a plan and at times it can seem like the most disturbing and trial filled plan but we have to rely and believe in his word to carry us through the day. We lose friends, we lose family, our relationships get shattered, and sometimes people just leave. Life sucks and is really difficult at times but I know one thing no matter what happens and it is that in the end, everything will be O.K.

You can ask just about any of my friends and they would probably agree that I am a downer more often than not and I could use a little joy in my life. Usually when I am alone and I think about positive things or listen to uplifting music but when I get around people I can shut down really fast. I always tend to forget that God and Jesus are right there for me to lift me up and tell me "you are going to get through this." On the outside I like to think I can be strong but what is deep down starts to fight its way out and it becomes evident that things are not okay with me in just a few moments. I find myself battling to be strong but in the end it is just a facade and I fall apart. Hebrews 13:5-6 states, "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.' So we say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?' " Nothing that happens to me on Earth can keep me down because I have a promise that I will never be left or forsaken and that means that everything will be O.K. We are going to get down and we will be disappointed, we will have heartbreak but in the end, we will be fine and we will move on. I am sorry if that sounds insensitive to some people but if we take ahold of the promises that God has given us, we can overcome any hardship, any trial, or any obstacle that may stand in our way in our pursuit of happiness. Healing takes time and so does learning and growing from mistakes, we like things to be immediate but it does not work that way and we just need to stay focused on making it through and understanding that everything will be O.K. as long as we remain in the arms of God and seek his face.

I took a run in the 108 degree weather and though it was difficult, I tried to push myself a little bit and was surprised at how far I made it. We tend to give up in life when things get difficult, shutting down is so much easier but it eliminates the chance for growth. Do not take the easy road on any given day. God has made this day and you should thank him for it, every breath is a blessing so try to cherish it and make the most of it! Thanks for reading, have a great Sunday.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson