The Christian Times is my personal blog, no, I'm not a celebrity nor I'm a pastor in any church. What I am is a 18 year old Christian guy that not too long ago got a revival in his faith, and that a few days ago now decided that I need to start spreading the gospel as Jesus commands us (Matthew 28:19).
Some backstory:
When I was 16-17 I lived for a year in a small southern american city (the very idea of small town, America) there I found a church, where my pre existent faith got a for the first time a revival, there I learnt about the importance of the christian community and how it can help to further develop your faith. Sadly, my time in Small town America came to an end in May 2015, coming back home was hard, but the hardest was finding out that in my city there was no church that came even close to the one back in america. Because of this, although my faith didn't wore off, my commitment did though. 1 and a half year later, I found myself believing in God, in Jesus, and in the Gospel, however, my commitment was next to 0 if not 0. I was addicted to Porn, to lust itself in all terms, gluttony, I was filled with pride, I was kinda narcissistic, manipulative, and many other character flaws, however, even though I wanted to be on top of everything I did, and although in conversation the main theme to talk about was me thanks to my everlasting bragging, I never stopped being gentle, caring and compassionate. During this time, I started dating a girl, super sweet, kinda rough on the outside, hard to get to know her truly, but sincere and caring, also, a BIG and hugely committed believer, all of this drew me in like no one had ever done. Drawback? she was a mormon. I tried to be kinda part of her world, go to church with her, be there for her, participate as much as i could, but 1 month in the relationship problems where huge, I would try to be involved in her church, so I also tried to invite her into churches of my belief (evangelical), I did this latter invitation just right after sunday school ended in her church, and well, lets say she didnt take the invitation well. Must admit I did it in a more or less rude way, but still, I was part of her life, anyone would expect her to be part of my beliefs as well, at least give it a try.
Religion ended up being the factor for why not even 3 months after our first kiss, I broke up with her... She expected me to become a mormon if we were to be long term... I date for a wife, not for fun, so I had to call it off.
This experience, being with such a big believer led me to some jealousy I must admit. I longed for the time of faith she had, i felt less of a believer in many ways, because I was not committed to stay pure until marriage, I was addicted to porn, I couldnt care less about going to church or sunday school. She'd talk about the greay joy of going to LDS church Camp and "seminar" and I felt as i was lacking that community. I had never gone to sunday school, or a church camp, nor to any type of religious learning class of any kind, lets not start with something as big as seminar for mormons. But it also left me with a renewed faith, I was now striving to leave porn behind, to be part of a church, to go to church camps and sunday school, to spread the gospel, to be a misionary for God's word, to be able to hear "Luke 5" or "Jonah 2" and immediately know recall about how Jesus called his first disciples, or remember jonah's Prayer. I longed for this things... Lucky for me, God had the same plan for my life.. I was now 18 and heading into university (no 4 year colleges in my country, yo go straight into university)... I had two options, a med school in my city, the best in the country, or to move to another city and go to another Med school... I'm a good student, top of my class, always the best scores, 27 on the ACT.. you know, the whole deal, BUT I earned 0 scholarships, from 10-15 scholarships I applied to, and some of them being Federal grants that are given to around 90% of applicants, even if I met all requirements, none came through, so I had to say good by to my best friend, my life, and my pride, and moved... Now, one week in, having started med school i found this amazing church, everything I have always wanted, just like the church back in america...
Now, i have attended Sunday school, taken the lord's supper there, and I might even go to church camp during holly week... Thanks to the lord, now I've received all that I asked for... all but one thing... I was barely fulfilling that commandment that I mentioned at the beginning, I was not spreading the Gospel.
My country is 60% atheist or agnostic, God is nowhere in schools, out of that believing 40%, 30% are old catholic grandmas, and 10% is divided mainly between Jehovah's witness and Latter Day Saints Mormons...
so its safe to say that only 2-3% of the country is "Protestants" (Methodists, baptists, evangelicals, Lutherans, and so on) so I was Afraid, I was afraid of loosing friends due to their rejection of religion, I was Discouraged from talking about religion in any significant manner by my mother (she believes... but in a very "in the air" believing, almost pantheistic). I was afraid of the world... until i read Mark 10:22 "And you'll be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endured to the end will be saved" and Matthew 16:25 "For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."
I have now come to terms with angering Atheists, friends or nor, I have decided that I'd rather be judged by friends and the world, and be alright with God, that be alright with the world, and be judged by God.
Now. I have decided that i'll begin preaching as i can, this blog, to my friends, with empathy, with touch, not being one of those annoying westboro's look alike....
This is as much a Journal as it is a way of maybe help you, facing similar issues or trying to do something similar...
May God bless y'all.
Some backstory:
When I was 16-17 I lived for a year in a small southern american city (the very idea of small town, America) there I found a church, where my pre existent faith got a for the first time a revival, there I learnt about the importance of the christian community and how it can help to further develop your faith. Sadly, my time in Small town America came to an end in May 2015, coming back home was hard, but the hardest was finding out that in my city there was no church that came even close to the one back in america. Because of this, although my faith didn't wore off, my commitment did though. 1 and a half year later, I found myself believing in God, in Jesus, and in the Gospel, however, my commitment was next to 0 if not 0. I was addicted to Porn, to lust itself in all terms, gluttony, I was filled with pride, I was kinda narcissistic, manipulative, and many other character flaws, however, even though I wanted to be on top of everything I did, and although in conversation the main theme to talk about was me thanks to my everlasting bragging, I never stopped being gentle, caring and compassionate. During this time, I started dating a girl, super sweet, kinda rough on the outside, hard to get to know her truly, but sincere and caring, also, a BIG and hugely committed believer, all of this drew me in like no one had ever done. Drawback? she was a mormon. I tried to be kinda part of her world, go to church with her, be there for her, participate as much as i could, but 1 month in the relationship problems where huge, I would try to be involved in her church, so I also tried to invite her into churches of my belief (evangelical), I did this latter invitation just right after sunday school ended in her church, and well, lets say she didnt take the invitation well. Must admit I did it in a more or less rude way, but still, I was part of her life, anyone would expect her to be part of my beliefs as well, at least give it a try.
Religion ended up being the factor for why not even 3 months after our first kiss, I broke up with her... She expected me to become a mormon if we were to be long term... I date for a wife, not for fun, so I had to call it off.
This experience, being with such a big believer led me to some jealousy I must admit. I longed for the time of faith she had, i felt less of a believer in many ways, because I was not committed to stay pure until marriage, I was addicted to porn, I couldnt care less about going to church or sunday school. She'd talk about the greay joy of going to LDS church Camp and "seminar" and I felt as i was lacking that community. I had never gone to sunday school, or a church camp, nor to any type of religious learning class of any kind, lets not start with something as big as seminar for mormons. But it also left me with a renewed faith, I was now striving to leave porn behind, to be part of a church, to go to church camps and sunday school, to spread the gospel, to be a misionary for God's word, to be able to hear "Luke 5" or "Jonah 2" and immediately know recall about how Jesus called his first disciples, or remember jonah's Prayer. I longed for this things... Lucky for me, God had the same plan for my life.. I was now 18 and heading into university (no 4 year colleges in my country, yo go straight into university)... I had two options, a med school in my city, the best in the country, or to move to another city and go to another Med school... I'm a good student, top of my class, always the best scores, 27 on the ACT.. you know, the whole deal, BUT I earned 0 scholarships, from 10-15 scholarships I applied to, and some of them being Federal grants that are given to around 90% of applicants, even if I met all requirements, none came through, so I had to say good by to my best friend, my life, and my pride, and moved... Now, one week in, having started med school i found this amazing church, everything I have always wanted, just like the church back in america...
Now, i have attended Sunday school, taken the lord's supper there, and I might even go to church camp during holly week... Thanks to the lord, now I've received all that I asked for... all but one thing... I was barely fulfilling that commandment that I mentioned at the beginning, I was not spreading the Gospel.
My country is 60% atheist or agnostic, God is nowhere in schools, out of that believing 40%, 30% are old catholic grandmas, and 10% is divided mainly between Jehovah's witness and Latter Day Saints Mormons...
so its safe to say that only 2-3% of the country is "Protestants" (Methodists, baptists, evangelicals, Lutherans, and so on) so I was Afraid, I was afraid of loosing friends due to their rejection of religion, I was Discouraged from talking about religion in any significant manner by my mother (she believes... but in a very "in the air" believing, almost pantheistic). I was afraid of the world... until i read Mark 10:22 "And you'll be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endured to the end will be saved" and Matthew 16:25 "For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."
I have now come to terms with angering Atheists, friends or nor, I have decided that I'd rather be judged by friends and the world, and be alright with God, that be alright with the world, and be judged by God.
Now. I have decided that i'll begin preaching as i can, this blog, to my friends, with empathy, with touch, not being one of those annoying westboro's look alike....
This is as much a Journal as it is a way of maybe help you, facing similar issues or trying to do something similar...
May God bless y'all.
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