Pumping Iron

Have you ever thought about the phrase "Exercizing your faith"?
Sometimes I put these kinds of things to imaginary scenarios. Imagine going to a gym where it has all of the workout equipment that you will ever need. There is a gym instructor to help introduce you to all the cool machines and help you find the machines to help you on your way. From time to time there is a person that walks in, looks at the equipment and complains that it's just the same old machines and never tries to use them. Others come in regularly and listens to the gym instructor week after week and goes home without using the equipment. Still others avoid the gym all together because ... fill in the blank.
There is so much that someone can do to build a healthy faith. Maybe being a passive observer doesn't help.

Religious freedom

I love my religious freedom in the US. As you may have gathered from my previous posts, I'm a member of Jesus Christ's restored church. the Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints. As we protect each other's freedoms of religion, all of our freedoms are protected. I keep having to remind myself of that every time my brother and sister in laws attack my beliefs.
I've been thinking lately about the many things that I believe in that i like sharing with others. First has been the condescension of God to fair that I was given another treatment of Jesus Christ in the Book of Mormon. I have had a increase of my faith in Jesus Christ as I read the Book of Mormon. I don't think that I share that enough with people.

Love What You Do

Today's words of encouragement comes from living what you do. The difference between easy things and hard things is often something as simple as finding what you enjoy about it.
Some things need a little more help from the great creator for help in finding what to like about it. Don't give up.

Ghosts of the past

Sometimes I think about how people were when I knew them as a kid. Little silly worries, innocence, fun loving and good friends. I think that our good memories of our friends and family can be the strongest encouragement in our lives. We can draw on those memories to not give up on those we love and be those good influences they may need. So today's words of encouragement is don t give up on them, your doing more than you may feel you're doing.

Dad Joke

Today's words of encouragement comes from a Dad joke.

Some of the best adventures come from being lost.

By stretching yourself beyond your comfort zone, you can help people with your good influence. No tree grows tall by staying it's comfort zone.

Straining at gnats

With the cooler weather comes the little reminders that come every year. The principle that Jesus taught rings clear and is applied broadly to so many principles. I wanted to write down just some of the ways the gnat principle can be applied. In Matt 23:24 Jesus teaches that powerful principle of focusing on the small things too much.

1st, Little excuses should not stop us from doing great things. Years ago, since I didn't have anything grand to write home about, it led to large stretches of handwriting anticipation from word to my mom. I've also withheld good influence and comments on social networks because of little annoying comments that big me. Even though by small and simple things do great things come to pass, we need not stop our good because of small and simple annoyances.

2nd, by appearing to others not to sin in the least way but sin the whole law. In this way not seeing the forest through the trees we see others on social networking sites as if they are perfect but are not someone to follow.

There is so much out there to see when you see past the gnats. I had the thought that it would be beneficial to write down something encouraging everyday for a year to practice seeing past the gnats in our lives.

Faith in every footstep

Today I wanted to relate an experience about interfaith fellowship. One night I was at work, as that was the norm through my university years. While walking out to the lunchroom for break me and a reserve marine overheard a melodic sound. Curious, we peeked around the corner to see the source of the sound to see a man kneeling on a rug in a private corner. Under the marine's breath, he started muttering some annoyed comments. Trying to be respectful of both the praying man's beliefs and giving the marine his dignity, I asked if the marine feels that all people have the right to their beliefs. Knowing where I was going with this question he stopped his mutterings.
I find it interesting that with so much available when it comes to principles of freedom repeated all of the time they are only realized when we face them personally. I'm sure that the marine felt strong about freedoms but was letting popular views cloud his perspective.

Another curious thing I came across today was when someone expressed that they were sure about the truthfulness of their beliefs at one time while now they are unsure. I've always been confused with these statements. Much like saying at one time they were sure the sky was blue but now they are unsure. I wonder if we've become so hyper sensitized that when we are left to stand on our own convictions that the glamour fades. Much like the parritioner that waits for revivals to come into town to come to church and lacks the personal enthusiasm to stick to their convictions.

Considering these experiences I think it's important to keep moving on our journey of faith. With every footsteps of faith regardless of our individual pace of ability to keep up with others.