My First Time Being Angry At God

One day at my school’s mass Mr. D volunteered to tell a story that related the gospel and homily. For the first time in a formal setting he had caught my attention right away. He faced the congregation and told his inspiring story. A baby and his mother boarded a flight one day. Bad luck came their way and the plane crashed. The pilot was the only survivor. As the pilot was exiting the plane eagerly trying to save himself, he heard a cry from the passenger area of the plane. He managed to find his way to a little baby boy crying in the hands of his mother. The baby had survived by the help of that kind pilot. That miracle baby was my middle school teacher and softball coach. Mr. D’s lost his mother that day, but due to the kindness of another individual his life was saved. This experienced has influenced and driven this elderly person to teach the youth. Mr. D teaches English to children as well as teaches children sports, his true

My faith and how I lived in my faith made serves as a lasting example to believers in Christ (Lindslay, 3). In life, I believed that all work that I did was spiritual work for the betterment of the Lord’s kingdom. Whether I was writing, ministering, eating out, or simply talking with friends, all work, all things, all I did was for the advancement of the Lord’s kingdom. For the work of “a Beethoven” or the work of a “charwoman” were all the same in my eyes; for both the workers, their work should be “offered to God” and done “humbly” “as to the Lord” (Eshlemen, 2). Although I struggled with cynicism, this way of living life challenged and brought new meaning to my life (Lindslay, 3). This idea on the life I lived and how I lived the life I was given serves as an example of Colossians 3:17 for Christians who wish to live and long to live in similar fashions (The Holy, 237). This way of living my faith truly required me to be quite public and open with my thoughts and beliefs. My faith was not always outright and public. When I was young, my family was my first spiritual influence (Eshlemen, 5). My faith started when I was young, but was shattered with the death of my mother when I was ten years of age (Lindslay, 1). This tragedy shook who I thought God is. The death of my mother affected me deeply. In fact, in college, I denounced the protestant

Finally, a personal struggle that happened in my life was what happened with my mother’s friend, Lynzee. Lynzee had six children, four girls and two boys. She really wanted to have another addition to her family. So, when she found out that she was pregnant with a baby girl she was filled with joy. Sadly, her baby was born too early and was fighting for her survival. Her first name was Violet and her middle name was Hope. Violet fought hard and long for her life, but her body was just too weak. She ended up passing away two years after her birth. Lynzee and her family were devastated at the loss of their family member. She overcame this difficult struggle by being with her family and looking on the

This was not my first pregnancy , but it would prove to test my faith like it has never been tested before. I spent many nights in that old recliner pounding at my thoughts. Maybe, If had done something that GOD was angry at me for, or maybe he turned his back on me. I try to live my life right that was pleasing to GOD. I prayed daily. I walked by faith and not by sight. I gave my last to help a fellow man. I prayed for my family more than I prayed for myself. So when, the doctor told me 5 months ago that my twins had Spina Bifida I didn’t understand. Not one but both girls had Spina Bifida. Spina Bifida is a birth defect where there is incomplete closing of the backbone and membranes around the spinal cord. I even blame myself because as an License Practical Nurse for 11 years I was aware that Spina bifida was linked to an folic acid deficit. My doctor quickly reassured me that this was not the case. All my lab work was okay. My faith taught me that GOD don’t make

Welcome to life. Understanding everything, every single little girl and boy. Learning just like every other kid. Experiencing life for what it is, But you know you're going to die within one year of living. Some who are lucky to experience the life they have. Faith is growing up and learning how to be a mature woman. Faith was a one of a kind girl. Faith was not sure of what was happening to herself, but I'm sure her parents did not want her to know what was going on as well. For others life is more difficult if you have a medical condition, anxiety, or even if you have family problems. Everyone has a different lifestyle. As Faith has life going pretty well for her. She was born into a family with two parents who loved her with all of their

The mission trip to New Orleans. I had let Jesus into my heart but I started to get this desire and passion to want to start following him, but I didn't know what that looked like or what that meant or how to do it. And so I prayed and longed for him to show me that. As we headed down to New Orleans, the back of my van started to get into really good conversations about life and each other and Katie Thul asked the question that forever has changed my life. “What has been the hardest part of your life so far?”. This might not seem like to bad of a question, but the fact of the matter was that I had never told anybody about the dark and gritty parts of my life before. I had always bottled it up, to scared to tell anyone because I feared what people thought of me, to afraid they’d turn away. And as people went around sharing, it came my time to share and I knew I couldn't do it, so I said I didn't want to share, and as they went around deep inside me I was being told I needed to. I needed to let it out and just speak. And so they came back to me and I let them in, I told them about what I had gone through and as I was in tears I looked up and saw this kid looking back at me from the front of the van. He wasn't apart of the conversation we were having but you knew he was listening in and as our eyes met, he was in tears. I then realized that this was Anna’s brother. This was the kid. That week I embraced my past and used it to help and grow and evangelize this kid, Jackson. I knew what to say because I was in the exact spot he was in just a year earlier. The Lord showed me that I can make a difference in people's lives through him. God opened my eyes to the people I had around me. He put Sydney into my life, someone who on this trip poured a tremendous amount of wisdom, truth, and love into me and essentially pushed me to love and follow Jesus recklessly and at all costs. So many people, from Ally to Zach, to

I saw kids of all ages living with a burden pinned to their backs. However, they did not show it. They were just like me, a normal kid. Yet everyday they had to live in a sort of jail. Following a strict schedule when to eat, play, sleep, and go to school. They couldn’t hop in the car with their mom and go to the mall. The things I take for granted were what they were praying for. While here my fellow life teen members and I came together as a sort of beacon of light to play with and be a friend to these kids. We all came together to achieve a common goal and help those in need. This experience really hit home with me as I underappreciate all the little things in life that I should be grateful for. Trying to live a selfless life can be hard, but I will continue to help my community and those in need throughout my

I interviewed my dear friend Ashley Johnson for my Religious Experience Project. She was a natural choice for me. I admire her genuineness and kindness, but what inspired me to interview her for my project was how seamlessly her religion is integrated into her life. She is a shining example of Christianity without ever being preachy. She has a passionate and intimate relationship with her God that inspires me. This is exemplified by her response to my question “How would you describe your relationship with God?” Here simple answer was: “Like a love story.” I know I have much to learn from her and understanding her religion and beliefs would be a good place to start.

Likewise high school student Brooke Thawley (Hayley Orrantia) finds her relationship with her parents wrecked by publicly professing faith in Christ. For brief moments these characters made me feel as if God’s Not Dead 2 had suddenly became a documentary. I know people who have gone through similar experiences I have grieved with converts to Christianity who were shunned by their families and mocked by their former

My cousin’s name was ironically Christian. Christian had a troubled childhood, one that seemed like a nightmare. He was raised by a single mother, since his dad was fatally shot by a rival cartel in Mexico. Christian would get in and out of trouble at school, to the point where he was expelled for having possession of marijuana. He was then forced to go to a military school for kids that had bad grades or bad behavior. During that time, I would talk to him occasionally to see what he was up to. I knew he was making a lot of bad choices, but I never judged him for it. I was just waiting for the right day to invite him to church with me. At that time, I did it because I knew he was lonely and still hurting from the lost of his father. I figured that it would be a thousand times better for him to be at church than being up to no good. Surprisingly, Christian accepted the invitation. Due to that choice he made, his life was forever changed. Christian actually liked the feeling of being at church and told me that he wanted to continue to come along with me every Saturday. He told me that being in church was the only place that can fill an emptiness he had deep inside. Sadly, Christian came with me to church a few more times, but strayed away by some friends who were bad influences. I knew it was going to happen in a matter of time, but I thought his absence would only be temporary. Few years passed, Christian then invites me over to hang out. As we talked, he brought up that he wanted to start going to church again. He said that during his absence he still believed in God, but his girlfriend and his friends kept him from going. I was really shocked, but at the same time was very happy. Just over a week ago,

We started the Bible Study, and the kids were hanging on every word that was said. The same thing happened the next day, but you could feel something different. God had prepared a soul to be harvested, and that soul was my kid Joel. That afternoon I walked him back to his apartment, and I asked Joel if he knew Jesus. He told me that he did, but he didn’t know if Jesus lived in his heart. So, we sat down and talked for a while about his relationship with Christ. So on that day, July 20, Joel gave his life to Christ. I was so humbled and shocked that I didn’t tell anyone what had happened until that night. I had first-hand experienced God work, and it was so

I had never been in an airplane before and flying half way around the world was a little scary, but God was by our side on every flight and he was with us when we went through customs in Kazakhstan and did not have to pay “extra” (We had been warned that many times the men who worked in customs took money from Americans.) He was with us when we held Briana for the first time, it was love at first sight for all three of us. We were saddened to find that because our daughter has cerebral palsy she had been left in a crib and was very stiff and did not speak. We began to work with her that very first day. For the first two weeks we were allowed to see Briana for two hours a day. It was on August 2nd that we were given the honor of becoming Briana’s parents. After court we went back to the baby house where the woman in charge stripped Briana naked and handed her to us. I will never forget that shocked look on Briana’s face when I put a new pink dress on

God helped me battle the raod to depression and I didn’t even have to travel on it. I looked for the blessing in diguse, that I wouldn’t have been able to give a child a perfect life that he or she would deserve. Tht eime wasn’t right. I look forward to the day the time is right and I’ll look back on this and remember what I was able to overcome through the power of the Lord. nyone yet because our families live in Gerogia and Flordia. I was glad we waited to announce it because it could have been even harder. Even though I didn’t want to I called my mom. I called her in tears. By that time I knoew I was going to have to have surgery to have my mom was the only other person besides my boyfriend’s dad that knew. John was supportive through the whole thing. Anything I needed her would do or get for me. He had to leave for hcokey the day ager my surgery Though he treid to stay home I didn’t want him to miss a tournament his first year as UA’s headcoach. When he left I was home along for four days until my mom came to be with me. I only took four days off of work because I love my job and hate missing work for anything. My workers are amazing. UDuring thouse four days alone I had a really hard time. I was alone, I was upset, and I was hurting mentally , and physically. I didn’t know what to do. I started opening my bible. I looked ip bible verses for child loss or things similar. I vsmr sacross a verse ahbout how God has a plan for you and how

Her name was Corjay. She asked me, “ How can I love a God who is so mean to my family.” She explained that her aunt was addicted to drugs and multiple family member had recently become homeless. She couldn’t understand why a loving God was causing her family so much pain. I explained to her how God puts some people in situations that will cause suffering, but through that comes the gaining of wisdom and strength. I recited 1 Peter 3:17 which states, “For it is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.” Using our journey to Philadelphia I was able to explain how we realized our abundant blessing but only after we had endured our

My mom once told me when I was young and ignorant, “Faith is the foundation of a beautiful friendship with the one person who will always remain by your side”. These words were expressed even more profoundly every Sunday in the echoing corridors of a small church by a priest I had yet to know or even care about. Preaching with his perplexing words in which I could only muster barely a fourth of my full attention span listening to. Thus, the term faith did not exactly resonate with me until many years later. My early years were filled with the teachings of the bible in Sunday school and later on as well in middle school during Friday night sessions. Unfortunately, my mom was an extremely strong enforcer of our faith for she was also raised Catholic from birth, but my dad on the other hand has a more scientific approach to how the world came to be. The years I spent in Sunday school blurred into an everlasting line of bleak nothingness just a ticking clock waiting till an end. Even today I do not remember anything that occurred within those taxing sixty minuets of constant bible studies it’s as though I lost the key to the inner workings of my childhood. Nonetheless, there have always been unbelievably great role models in my faith such as my mom, youth ministers, and friends who encourage me to be open to my faith. However, it’s always been my own restrictions that prevent me from furthering my relationship with God. So when my sister suffered her first severe