Since the last time I wrote this, I definitely feel like I have changed. Its been a whirlwind of things happening, people changing, and soul searching. Lets play a little catch-up.
I think the most recent time I wrote, I was a junior. Man, that feels like yesterday but decades ago. This past year, I thought I was in a good place. I had a job at McDonalds that was paying pretty well, I started to get involved in Younglife, and my grades were good. MY LIFE WAS "PERFECT". I had one thing that always continued to kind of hinder my happiness. I was 250 pounds. I felt like my whole high school career just revolved around my appearance. No one wants to hangout or been seen with the fat kid at school. So the self esteem dropped pretty heavily. I was also a people pleaser, like my whole reputation revolved around if I made the right people happy. I felt like God was only there if something bad happened, I thought of him as a judge and nothing more. It was starting to feel nothing like the first months after I accepted him as my Lord and Savior. The end of the school year was becoming a struggle, and everything was starting to change. I felt like I was losing my grip on my situation. I felt like my life was slowly spinning out of control.
My health was also getting worse. My blood pressure was spiking into 140/80 and the weight was still going up. Honestly other than before I accepted Christ this was rock bottom. I put so much weight on all these worldly things: girls, money, acceptance, and material things. I learned my lesson when those bottomed out on me and left me exposed, or raw, unprotected.
Okay, maybe that wasn't the most happy-go-lucky thing you were looking for today, but trust me it gets better.
After all these health problems, my mom insisted that I get a personal trainer. So we went to Cook Performance to meet my new trainer. I felt ashamed going in there, I felt like he was pitying me, but that wasn't the case. I started to train with him and it really showed me how far off I was from the right track. I could barely do pushups, I mean come on that's sad. I started with my trainer in May, and it's been a long journey. After several weeks of hard work. I lost a total of 15 pounds before heading off to my latest adventure. Younglife camp at Rockbridge! It was an awesome week, its definitely one of the best things about being a high schooler. I met some really awesome people. God made His presence there too. These moments that I had with these people truly showed the work that was going on inside these guys and gals. I also turned 18 in a West Virginia McDonald's! That was a weird experience, but I wouldn't wanna have it any other way. I went back to the grind of working out afterwords for a couple weeks and got to the 20lb weight loss mark. These I headed to my favorite place on Earth, Mahoning Valley Christian Service Camp. If I didn't state in one of my previous blog posts, this is where I fully accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior as a freshman. The place itself is surreal, its a place away from the world with people who all have the same mission as you. My last year is this year so it makes me sad but I'm gonna make the most of it! It was a great week and I was headed home optimistic and refreshed. I then wanted to start taking my faith seriously, so I got a journal, a new bible, and a devotion book. Then I didn't even touch them for about a month. I've started to do my daily devotions though and it's making a huge difference in my life so far. I feel as if though I've matured in my faith and have become an example. Which I hope I don't screw up. Anyway, to end my the last parts of my story up to here, I have a job at Goody's and Amack's Well (come get a good cup of coffee will ya?). I have been becoming renewed in my faith and I'VE LOST 50 POUNDS. I doesn't even feel like it, but I'm happy its happened.
Weekly Devotional Pick (From "15 Minutes Alone with God for Men" by Bob Barnes)
My pick of the week from devotions that I would like to share with you comes from Exodus 20:8-11. The title is called "I'm Too Busy Sawing" and I'd like to quote the opening of this devo.
"Suppose you come upon a man in the woods feverishly sawing down a tree.
'You look exhausted!' you exclaim. 'How long have you been at it?'
'Over five hours,' he replies, 'and I'm beat. This is hard.'
'Maybe you could take a break for a few minutes and sharpen the saw. Then the work would go faster.'
'No time,' the man says emphatically. 'I'm too busy sawing.'" (Barnes 18)
I feel like in this modern society, we work so hard everyday that we forget to take a break to rest and recover. Or to "sharpen the saw". Exodus says that we have six days for ordinary work but the Sabbath should be kept holy to rest. Since God made the world in six days and rested on the seventh. I believe that you and I can become much stronger if we take the time to rest and sharpen our saws.
There are four areas where we can sharpen our saws.
Physical- referring to exercise and things of that nature.
Mental- reading, thinking and planning.
Social/Emotional- service, empathy and security
Spiritual-spiritual reading, study and meditation.
NO ONE can sharpen our saws for us, to practice these, we must be proactive. It comes from ourselves.
In this book I am reading, there are suggestions on how to sharpen our saws. Honestly, they sound pretty dang good,
"Physical
- Get a message or take a sauna
- Exercise regularly
- Change your eating habits
- Take a stress-management class
- Walk or run in the rain
- Volunteer
- Help a friend in need
- Listen to good music
- Read a good book
- Find a spot for meditating and reflecting
- Write a letter to an old friend
- Write out goals for the next three months
- Have a good cry (yes, men cry)
- Have breakfast or lunch with a friend
- Spend a day doing anything you want
- Visit a friend
- Make a new friend
- Read the book of Psalms
- Meditate on Scripture
- Join a Bible study
- Examine your motives
- Listen to inspirational music
Lord I come to you a sinner. I pray that the words I have written can bring someone closer to You. I pray that Your light shines through each and every person reading this. I thank You for opportunity and resources to write on this and to spread Your good news. I hope every prayer request that are said and unsaid are answered. Thank You for everything you have done.
2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.
-Philippians 2:2
God Bless!
-Aidan
Barnes, Bob. ""I'm Too Busy Sawing"" 15 Minutes Alone with God for Men. Eugene, Or.: Harvest House, 1995. Print
Barnes, Bob. ""I'm Too Busy Sawing"" 15 Minutes Alone with God for Men. Eugene, Or.: Harvest House, 1995. Print
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