When your feeling down, take a friends advice and RUN!

So right now I'm a college student. I'm going to school and I'm working part time as a mechanic. I have a lot on my plate and these last few weeks have been bearing down on me cuz I have a huge paper to write for my marketing class and my other classes have exams and assignments. All due by the middle of next week. So I'm stressed. I'm falling apart. I'm regressing and all I want to do is play stupid video games and watch tv. I don't want to so this. I just want to give up! It's so hard!! So my friend Dustin called me. And I told him I'm stressed out. And all he tells me is "go for a run. Take a break and come back to it. You got this man!" Here's the text I sent him after I took his advice....

Well. I took your advise and I went for a run. The first 1.5 miles I just worked on breathing. It's been awhile since I've gone for a run. I wanted to stop. I wanted to take a break and pray. To figure out why I'm so stressed. But I didn't stop. I didn't stop cuz I set a goal for myself. I decided I would run a 5 k. And I was timing myself. So I prayed while I ran. I asked why it's so hard. Why can't I decide what I want! What do I want? Well, I want a family. I want a wife that I love and a family that I can provide for. I want to find joy in my future by providing for and teaching them (my future family) values. So why is it so hard? Well becuase nothing good comes easy. I need to learn to work. To push and keep on pushing even when I want to quit. When I want to take a break. Because if I don't fight for what I want I will never earn it. How can I find and impress my future wife if I can't even impress myself! Yeah maybe I don't know what I want to do. And maybe this class won't be my career. But it is teaching me discipline. It's teaching me how to learn. How to push when I feel like giving up. So I'll push. And I'll ignore the distractions in my life. The things that pull me in and knock me off course. I'll simplify my life so I can see my end goal. So I ran. And I kept running. And I started to hurt. My body ached and my lungs were screaming. But I pushed. And I never slowed down. I kept fighting. "IM A WARRIOR!!!" And I finished my goal. One 5k without a single rest. Without slowing my pace. 3.1 miles in 24 min. Average pace of 8 min a mile. I did it! I completed that goal! And now I'll fight for my goal to strengthen my mind. To push for a better future for my kids that I already love more that I even understand. Thanks D for pushing me and being there when I'm beating up on myself. Your an amazing friend! I'm glad our paths crossed cuz your one of my best friends. Now quit distracting me! I got a paper to write! 

Don't place stumbling blocks

Romans 14

"...embrace(s) righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."

10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

     instead of judging each other and putting each other down, uplift each other. Be an example to everyone you meet and reach out the hand of God to them, pick them up, dust them off and show them joy.

12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.

     There is already so many things in this life that make it difficult, why would we ever want to add troubles and difficulties to another person. Show love and compassion to everyone instead of judging them and becoming a stumbling block. Not everyone will follow this. But if you desire to be the change and the good in society. If you want to go home every night with a clear conscious. Make an effort to be the example of good, and turn the other cheek if others fail to understand. Continue to show love and example and don't let them get to you. Those that don't understand or won't understand the true joy of this life are trying to be stumbling blocks to you. But you can jump over them by not letting it get to you. Remember offense is taken, not given. 

16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:

17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

     like I said, not everyone will agree with you. And they may try to belittle you and your beliefs. But you need to remember that you have a goal, you have a desire to make this better. To be better. To live in a way that edifys you and those around you. 

     there is so much more in these verses and the other verses in this chapter. Things we should avoid,things we should remember. I'm not giving a full breakdown, I'm just sharing the thoughts and impressions I got while reading this. I highly recommend you read these scriptures for yourself, sit down with a marking pen and highlight what stands out to you. Cuz many times the scriptures will speak to us in different ways depending on our situation. 

I'm gonna go to bed now.  I have class in less then 7 hours. Goodnight :)

Wake up! NOW is the time to love your neighbor and walk in the light!!

Romans 13: 9-14