Warriors Prayer

A prayer to the army of Christ

May your swords be sharp
May your shields be hardened
May your feet be swift
May your eyes be opened to adventure and danger
and may your stamina be higher than ever
For when the devil comes a knockin'
may you fight strong
stand firm
and live...
For Christ

God Bless

The Big Dipper

One day The Big Dipper will scoop us all up and we'll dance amongst the stars...

The Science of God

As long as mankind can remember, people have always been studying science. Just when you think that we have developed our sciences and technology enough, a new discovery or a new addition as been made to 'Science.'
This has been going on for years and years as far back as we can recall. There is always more to discover. When will science be 100% developed? NEVER. This is where God comes in. None of these changes or developments would be possible without God. Without God as the driving, what else is supposed to start change?
Just a short idea
Something to think about

God bless

YOUR STORY IS IMPORTANT!

Some time from when you are reading this, our generations will have died away.
Now think back a moment to the earlier forms of man. They left traces behind whether it be pottery, art, tools, writing etc. Archaeologists in later years discovered these and have led the present generations to learn a lot from the past.
Now fast forward. We are long gone and one with the earth. Our souls have moved onward. The future generations are now the present generations. How will they remember us.
We need to set a footprint in the sand and be able to say this is our footprint. This is how we lived. This is the way we walked. Often times we find ourselves living in the today and almost getting lost in it. I'm not saying live for the future (Take things day by day). I'm saying 'leave your mark while we are alive and kicking.' Years from now when we find ourselves fading away, we will not be able to tell the story the way it is acted out. We must tell the story while we are acting it out.
Someday, someone may come across your story and say 'hey this person had something to say' and could possibly take a lot out of it.
Even if you tell your story to your neighbor or friend tomorrow, it will still be important.
What I'm saying is 'Write it down!'
Write while you still have time because when someone stumbles over it tomorrow or in a hundred years, it will still have meaning and can still leave a deep impact on someone.

God bless
Be warrior poets and keep on writin' and fightin'

The Hikers Words

As we trek along the mountain pass, we look to the trail behind us. People and objects seem small as they are distant, yet they are still visible to us. The past may be far gone but it's significance leaves a carving in our soul, whittling us to who we are now.

The future is fogged and unable to be viewed, for the mountain extends into the clouds. Our past has prepared us for the dangers hidden within the clouds that may lay siege upon our band of brothers and sisters.

We travel together because as brothers and sisters we grow stronger together, grow wiser together, and live better together.

We know not what awaits at the summit yet we continue onward through the clouds to reach the top where the suns rays will beat down on us and the rhythm of its rays will warm us from the chill.

Reach the summit,
God bless

God Has Got The Answers

I came to a conclusion the other night after talking to a friend about some personal things. I look up to him and fight alongside him as a brother.

My Conclusion:
Only God has all the answers.

It is one thing to believe this, but it is another to understand it. When faced with personal troubles, I looked to my friend for help only to find he couldn't give me an answer ([Friend], if you are reading this I hope you understand).
This is not saying to not bother talking to your friends. Talk to your friends. More heads are better than one. You can't fight by yourself or you will fall.

What I'm trying to say is that not even the wisest man on earth knows all the answers. Yes, it does hurt to be left in darkness or confusion. Just know everything happens for a reason. Everything will work itself out. Only God has the answers and he will answer at the perfect time. His work is truly beautiful and you will find this when everything falls into place. Pray to him for help. Pray that he'll pull you out of the confusion. Know, however, that you may be disappointed. God puts us in these positions so we grow stronger. We must be able to learn to fight the confusion and darkness.

When Jesus was in the garden before his last moments, he did not want was coming for him. I don't think anyone would particularly like crucifixion. He knew what was coming. He did not want it, but he knew, God, his true father had it done that way.

This is just showing us that we may not like Gods answer. When you are faced with these tricky decisions, think to yourself, 'Is this what I want or is this what God wants'

I pray you seek the right answers.
Fight strong and God bless

Prayer Index

http://www.soulstrength.com/Devotions.html

This is the link to a prayer index I stumbled upon.
I have a feeling this will help you (the reader) with whatever troubles you may be taking on.

Check it out
You won't regret it!
God Bless and fight strong.

Get Your Armor On!

I figured I might start this passage with a cheerful story.

Away in a manger, far far away, a young virgin was pregnant with the child of God. There were many furry creatures awaiting the birth of the newborn babe. There were sheep, horses, donkeys, and baby chicks.
Cute right?
Then there was a DRAGON, waiting to devour the child as he entered the world. The heavens opened and there was BATTLE! Swords clashing, flames, explosions, as the heavens opened up releasing angels to fight the beast. The demons of hell crawled out of the darkness to protect the dragon. Both sides fought well, but the heavenly forces triumphed.
I hope that story was heartwarming enough for you.
That would be the book of Revelation. (Not word for word but you get the jist)
So next Christmas when you see the nativity scene set up, remember that there is more than meets the eye.

The point I'm getting to is that there are evil forces at work. The battle of good and evil goes on to this day and we are all warriors. Yea, Jesus is nice, but he is a warrior, a warrior drenched in blood riding into battle, a risk taker, and adventurer.
You need to be aware of the evil forces around you. The enemy knows what you think, he knows your past, and he is more powerful than you think. When you fight temptation, he screams in agony.
However, marching into battle without a sword or armor, you'll probably get a serious beating. Everyday, pray to God to help you see the enemy's attacks. Ask him for the proper armor to shield you from the blows. Most of all, ask for the sword, the proper tools to fight the good fight. He will help you, he will stand behind you, and he will pick you up when you fall. You must know that he will not fight your fight. Your fight is yours to fight. Do not give into temptation. Through practice you will become a great warrior.
So you have a weapon and armor but don't march into battle quite yet. The odds will be against you. Rally the forces! Gather people to help you fight. No, not a support group, not someone to keep you in line, but someone who will fight alongside you in battle. A hesitant warrior will not survive. He must decide to kill or be killed. This doesn't mean to leave others behind in the dust. Grab em', train them, and put a sword in their hand. I hope you get the idea.
What I'm getting to is that there is evil all around you. The forces of good and evil are in an invisible battle that takes place every day. Be aware of the enemy, ask God to protect you, gather your forces, and CHARGE!

Aye, fight and you may die. Run, and you'll live... at least a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willin' to trade ALL the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take... OUR FREEDOM!
-William Wallace, Braveheart-

God bless and fight the good fight!
Inspiration for this post came from the book WILD AT HEART by JOHN ELDREDGE

Lil' Buddy

Ya gotta enjoy the little things.
Sometimes we find ourselves looking for big, grandiose, immense purposes in life. In fact we actually lose life when looking for the bigger things. I'm not saying the pursuit for God is wrong. I'm not saying that he is tiny and meaningless. God is the biggest three letter word. We need to keep in mind that what God has gifted us with is right in front of us. We're looking too far and we've narrowed our focus shutting out part of the world. OPEN YOUR EYES! If you stop focusing you'll clearly see that God is in the warm summer breeze or a full moon on a clear night. God is in the whispering trees. He's in the birds song. He's in the smell of the flowers. He's in the feeling soft cool grass on a bare foot. He's in the taste of wild blueberries.
If you noticed, I mentioned all five senses.
God is everywhere. You don't need to look hard to find him. You can sense him through all your senses.
Imagine the body as a mason jar. You are completely empty. You will not be complete until you have that space filled. You can put stones in the jar to fill it, but there is still space between the stones. You can put pebbles in to fill in those cracks, but they only take up so much room. We can put sand in to try to fill all the Gaps, but you still seek something more. You have searched the world picking up stones, pebbles, and sand to fill in your empty spaces. After all is said and done, you are saddened to know that something is missing. It burns at the depths of your soul. Water is the key. You pour water in the jar, watching it soak through the sand. You feel the jar grow heavier and full. The fire inside is put out and the thirst is satisfied. God is our water. He is not the big stones, he is not the pebbles or the sand. Unlike the stones water and sand, God is the only one that can fill you completely. He can fit in the smallest places that not even the sand can get in.
This is a little idea that shows that God isn't just some huge idea. He slips through the spaces and into the little things.
I pray that you go stompin' through the woods, or experiencing the little things first hand.
Don't let life pass you by.
God Bless and keep living!

Bumper Stickers and Books

I saw a bumper sticker on the back of a pickup truck today. It read 'Only real men love Jesus.'
Oh so very true Mr. Sticker.

Speaking of men and Jesus...
To the male audience: You should read the book 'Wild at Heart' by John Eldredge. The book talks about what real men in todays day and age are missing. What does it really mean to be a man and follow Christ. Trust me! This is not something you want pass by. (This is when the blinking lights go off in your head) If you are both a male and a Christian, then this book was written for you.

And ladies, fear not.
There is a book for you called 'Captivating' written by Stasy Eldredge.
I however am not of the female gender so I have no idea what the book is about.
I have heard that it is the female equivalent to 'Wild at Heart'

Men I seriously urge you to read 'Wild at Heart'
It will guide you on those tough steps through manhood.
God Bless and GET READING

Day By Day (quote)

In the morning the sun will rise and who knows what the tide will bring...
-Tom Hanks
-Cast Away

This quote from cast away is a perfect example of the 'Day by Day' idea constantly expressed.
So your having a tough time, you got the blues and feel like crap.
What do you do?
Do what you can, and when you've done all you can take things day by day.
When the next day comes you never know what it's going to bring.

In the movie, Tom Hanks' character was stranded on a deserted island. He was going to kill himself but failed his suicide attempt. He then realized he has no control over what the world brings. He couldn't even decide how he wanted to kill himself because that failed. So he just took things day by day and said this quote. One day the sun rose and the tide brought a rescue boat to him and he was saved.

In the morning the sun will rise and who knows what the tide will bring...
-Tom Hanks
-Cast Away

Day by day,
God Bless

A Morning Prayer

Here is a short little prayer to help you. It is a good prayer to practice every morning when you wake up.

Good Morning God,
You are ushering in another day untouched and freshly new, so here I come to ask you God if you'll renew me too?
Forgive the many errors, that I made yesterday, and let me try again dear God, to walk closer to Thy way.

But Father, I am well aware I can't make it on my own. So take my hand and hold it tight for I can't walk alone.

Hope it does you good.
God Bless

Why we worship God

Someone asked me the other day 'why should we worship God? I don't believe he made us to worship him.' I think this poem sort of sums it up. It came to me soon after I was confronted with this question. However, I didn't write it. It was written by a follower about the same age as me. His name is Daniel Eliason. Dan, if you ever read this I thank you.
God Bless.

I don't worship Him,

because He is worthy,

Although there is no one more deserving.

I don't worship Him,

because He is powerful,

Although with an utterance from His lips,

The earth was shaped.

I don't worship Him,

Because He died for me,

Although through His death and resurrection I am able to.

I worship Him,

Because when in His presence,

And faced with His glory,

The only thing I can do....

Is Worship.

-Daniel Eliason

Lone Ranger

There comes a time when we all need to be alone, in the wild, in an unknown territory. Well what happened today wasn't exactly wilderness, but it was uncharted territory. Have you ever felt the need to just drive to uncharted territory? Well thats what I did.
I was on my way to a friends house from the Univerity of Rhode Island. As I was departing URI, fire trucks were being called causing a huge traffic jam along the way to my friends house. I knew there was an alternate route, however I was not sure of all the turns, so I took a chance and knew God was with me in whatever direction I go. This little detour caused me to get lost into the land of the unknown. I drove through land I had never been through before. I saw hills of beautiful foliage and then I realized something. This is man's kingdom. This was the land God created and gave man dominion over, and this is only a tiny portion of it. We were meant to roam. I remember at one point I felt the urge to skip my exit. I wanted to just see more of God's beauty, so I did. I drove into roads I had never drove on. I was perfectly calm knowing that I was in the hand of God.
After I found my way back to civilization, I ended up driving down one of the main roads in my town. As I drove down this road, all these memories just started entering my head. I remembered everything from childhood memories to high school memories as I drove. Every minuscule detail of every moment that happened along that road all flashed back into my head like a tape on rewind. As I kept driving every light was red forcing me to just stop and take everything in.

Ya know, sometimes red lights are okay. Sometimes we just need to stop and smell the roses. Sometimes we just need to reflect on our place in the world.

I urge you, if you ever get the chance, to just go. Go into uncharted territory. Go into an area unfamiliar to you. Step outside your surroundings and reflect on your place in the universe. Know that, all the time, you are in a massive kingdom made just for men (male and female) to share amongst other men. Know that he has made it just for you and, whether you believe it or not, he is always with you and loving you.
God Bless

Day by Day

So if there is one thing you need to know, its that everything happens for a reason. I don't know how many times I can say that, but with that you must know to take things day by day. I remember midway through the year I was talking with my friend on the phone. I told them about how I might not be able to come back to the college next year because of my grades. The college I'm at now, Colby-Sawyer, is my home. I don't know what I would do without it. I needed my friends and support. I realized the pressure that was on top of me and didn't think I could do it. I took things day by day, prayed for help and when the final grades came in, I had exceeded even my own expectations.
It just goes to show you, with time, patience, and a bit of Jesus, things will work out.
AMEN

My Story

Hello again,
Sorry if the intro was a bit confusing.
So you know now that everyone's story is important, well here is my story.

I went to a Catholic all boys high school. As funny as it sounds, I chose to go there. I could focus on my grades and not worry about girls. Sometime during freshman year the teachers and staff sorta injected God into my head. Basically it was forced upon us to learn about religion. It was a good school, though the staff did tend to go down hill toward the end of my high school career, so by senior year I was ready to move on, go to college, and party it up. My mind wasn't focused on spirituality so much anymore because it was never that big to me. It was sort of an inkling in the back of my mind.
So college comes around and I was sick of home and just wanted to get out. There was a Christian Fellowship group at our school that I thought I'd look into. I don't remember why I joined. I think my parents may have wanted me to look into it. It sorta just came to me. So I went to the meetings when I could and when I remembered. Time went on and it just seemed like the same thing. So I thought, "God if your not pushing any buttons in my life, then I want out."
Well little did I know, that's not how it works. Believing in God is a relationship. You can't just break up with someone and get over them the next second. I thought I was over God, but denying God brought up so many questions and ultimately led me into a depression.
Sophomore year of college comes around and I am ready to go back. Summer sucked and I missed my buds. I stopped going to the fellowship and tried to just enjoy life, but the whole God thing kept pounding at my head. So I decided to go back and see how the fellowship was doing. Little did I know, I was about to be blown away.
You see, that night I was brought to the fellowship by God.

Then God said "Hey dude, enough is enough. You're acting stupid and I wanna help ya."
--A reading from the book of Devin--

Well I went in not knowing what to expect. That night the fellowship split up into groups of three. We were asked to talk about what God was doing in our life. Oh crap, I stopped believing in God. What now? We went around our tiny group of three and said what God was doing in our life and when it came to me I pretty much straight up said I don't believe in God. I told them of my past life and why I don't believe in God. Georgia, one of the girls in the group then said that maybe God comes when you least expect it. I least expected it.
So we got back into the big group for closing prayer when someone began crying in the corner. He had someone explain for him that he was hearing spirits speaking to him and were crying out to God but couldn't reach. He said his ears were physically burning and he just wanted it to stop. I immediately knew he was talking about me. I felt all the things he was talking about. My knees became wobbly and weak and I could barely stand.
After prayer I sat down and just stared into nowhere in shock of what had just happened. My friend Evan just walked over and put his arm around me and said, "Glad to have ya back man," and I just balled my eyes out.
I took things slow and built up my faith. Then one day I ran into Evan and he asked me If I wanted to get baptized. I didn't even hesitate. This was my way of clearing my past and truly accepting the Lord. So I said yes.
Before baptism, I ended up being brought to this church. This church was unlike any other church. It took place in an army tent on a mountain. I went in and there was music and I could just feel the warmth of God. It showed me that church doesn't have to be one way. It is however you want to make it. After the worship, the worship leader came up to me and performed a spiritual impartation in which I could physically feel the Holy Spirit flow through me.
Then came the beautiful dunk, the baptism. Now you might think, if you were a Christian, wouldn't you be baptized at birth? Well then I would not be conscious of the ceremony, would I. This was a doing on my own part. It was way of committing myself to God as a warrior of Christ. When we are baptized, we are surrounded by water and our sins are washed away. It was my way of saying I'm sorry for my faults God, I'm ready to follow you.
On November 22nd, 2009
I was baptized in Lake Sunapee of New London, New Hampshire.
I still took things slow. Again, a relationship with God is like any other relationship in that you can't rush in. You got to take things day by day. Evan had taught me a way to pray. He said that praying out loud is better because you are being as up front as possible. God knows your thoughts, there is no need to hide them from him. Evan told me just to talk to God. So one night I was all alone after pulling an all nighter doing homework. I figured no ones around so I began talking. I was just talking about random stuff and I went on and on. So I figured I'd shut my yapper and let God reply. Not 10 seconds later do I look over and see I love you written in the back of a cars dusty window. I then face forward to see the clouds just breaking and the sun peaking through. I just thought, 'Thank you God.'
Now once you believe in God doesn't mean your life just becomes easy. He'll go easy on you at first, but we'll never grow if we're not challenged. I began straying off the path and getting involved with girls.
--To my female audience, I apologize. You are not evil and this is not a sexist blog--
The thing about girls is that they changed my focus from a relationship with God to a relationship with them. I finally said one day, enough is enough. I broke up and apologized explaining that the relationship wasn't right for me and it was keeping me from my spirituality.
From there I stepped back on the trail and continued my search for God.

After all this hectic mayhem of dealing with girls and other things at the time, I needed a getaway.
I was then presented with the perfect opportunity.

I got the chance to go to my first retreat!
This was big. It was a time to refocus my spirituality, a time to remember the path I'm supposed to be traveling. The retreat was something else. There was so many people all worshiping God freely. It wasn't abnormal to bring up God in conversation, in fact most people did. The retreat had a certain theme. There is a Bible verse that talks about a man who knew of a field with treasure in it. He sold all his possessions so he could buy the field with the treasure. God is indeed a treasure so great that the only way you will find him is if you give all of yourself to him.
When you give yourself to God, you begin to live, for the only way to live is to surrender.
The retreat also involved us in workshops Mine focused on walking in the midst of fear with God and also bringing God to our neighbors.
You see you should be afraid. Fear makes you afraid. You shouldn't let that fear get in the way though. Know that God is with you through the fire and the flames. In your darkest times he is your light and your armor. We can walk through fear. We just need to believe God is everywhere, including with us. Keep in mind, it is one thing to say God is with us. Its another thing to believe it. You may need to make a conscious effort to believe he is with us. Once you do this, it will come to you easier after practice. Believe God is with you.
The other workshop focused on bringing God to our neighbors. This also ties in with the first. When confronting another about God, know that whatever happens, God is with us.
One thing that really boosted my faith was a certain occurrence that happened on this retreat.
You see, I entered the retreat keeping girls off my mind. I already had enough girl trouble and I didn't want anymore. Anyway, after the last night time meeting I was confronted by a girl. I first I thought, keep guard, we don't want trouble. Part of me was willing to listen and share though. The girls name was Melanie.
I remember it like yesterday. Melanie came up to me and said that she really felt God had brought her to talk to me. So I introduced myself and we sat down and talked for a good 2 hours. I shared my testimony (or story) and she told me hers. We later became good friends and keep in touch to the day. God makes everything happen for a reason, and I believe Melanie was put into my life to support me and strengthen my faith as I was put into hers to do the same.

And here I am today

This note is a keeper... God makes everything happen for a reason, keep that in mind when the unexplainable happens, because sooner or later the unexplainable will be explainable. God's got a plan for us all including you.

So this is my story thus far, this was the kickstart to my blog and, more importantly, the kickstart to my life. I share my story with you in hopes that you will take from it, learn, and grow.

We write our stories cover to cover, beginning to end. We begin at birth and close the book at death. Your story matters so keep writing it and search for the treasure in the field.

May God bless you on your journey,
Devin

In the beginning, there was a blog...

Yea, the name is straightforward. Why is it named Your Story? Well you see whether your buff or scrawny, big or small, tall or short, black or white, your story is important.
Why is it important?
Well its not so much what happens in the story, its the ending. The prince charming at the tower to save the princess. In other words, its what your story can give to you and others.
Still confused?
One mans trash is another mans treasure. Your story may not seem so important at first but it could mean a lot to someone else. You'll know why these things happen in time.
My story? Well, I'm a believer in Jesus. So yea, I'm on the God Squad and proud of it. In other words I'm a Christian. This blog is about my journey toward Christ and my journey toward becoming a man. Its my first blog so bear with me. Speaking of bears, this blog involves a lot of out doorsy stuff like man hikes, for it is in the wilderness that God made man (meaning 'male') so when we return to the wilderness, we return home.