Ah. I get the pleasure or writing the blog the week of a nice long break! I’m sitting here in the office on Wednesday morning thinking to myself, man, this is going to be a great break! It’s going to be an awesome time to see old friends and catch up with my family. The other half of me, I think man this break may stink for this or that reason. Let me elaborate some.

You see many of my friends ‘back home’ per say are not ‘practicing’ Christians. Many of them enjoy wearing the title, or have skewed views on faith. This is an example that comes to mind when ever the topic of religion comes up among my friends and I “Well I believe in a higher being, but I don’t like the rules and formalities of church, so I like to pick what I believe.” Remember the guy in Danah’s video a couple of Wednesday nights ago that said he thought he would go to heaven because of his “good morals.” Many of my friends from home have views similar to that.

These friends just happen to be some of my closest friends I have, and I know that they figuratively “have my back”. As much as I love these guys, being with them can sometimes be difficult because they don’t understand my views on certain subjects. There’s times when my friends can challenge my faith. I find these chances an opportunity to witness to a group of people who are close to me. James 1:2-3 says: 2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, [brother] when you encounter various trials, 3knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

I turn to this passage when I’m at home [or anywhere for that fact] and I am tempted or challenged when my friends question my views on subjects. I’m reminded by verse 3 where it says “knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” It reminds me to fall back on what I know, and turn to the God that loves me when these trials and temptations do arise.

Some of you may be feeling the same way about this subject or a similar one. I encourage you that if you are tempted over break or in life that you fall back on God. Stand firm in your actions, as Paul tells the church at Ephesus: “Finally be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power” [Ephesians 6:10]

Finally I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

We are getting so close to Thanksgiving break, it has been hard to concentrate on things here! I keep thinking about going home to see family, playing with my nephews, and getting a start on my Christmas shopping. And I am sure that many of you are feeling the same way too--just ready to be home!

But we have to remember that there are still a few weeks of school left, and that means a few weeks of ministry on this campus! A break from homework is great, but don’t let that completely distract you from the task at hand. The people on this campus who need God should not become less important to us as the semester draws to a close.

Are there ideas that you come up with and think “I’m too busy right now, that will have to wait until next semester”? I have a challenge for you...Never put off til tomorrow what you can do today! Yes, that is an old saying, but I think it still rings true. Don’t put off inviting that person to church until next semester when you can invite them right now. Don’t put off getting involved in some sort of community service if you can get involved today. Don’t put off sharing your faith with a friend when you can do it now. And the list goes on...don’t let the end of the semester take away from what we are here to do. Let’s be just as excited about reaching this campus in December as we were in August!