Man Up!

"I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity ..."
-1 Chronicles 29:17

I was searching my Bible for verses for men and I found that a lot of them pertain to fathers are such. There are verses for men, but I didn't find any that lend to what I wanted to write about, so this one from Chronicles will do.

Lately I have been going through a stage of what I like to call "Manning up". I quite like it to be honest. I feel I have gained respect from many people, even walking in and out of church, the amount of people who stop and talk to me, see how it's going and give me encouragement has been staggering. It is a great feeling now that people respect me. It has not always been so, but when God shows up, and you start listening, miracles happen. I was reading one of my many blogs that I read and I found this quote: "All of us want to experience a miracle. We just don't want to be in a situation that necessitates it." - Mark Batterson - evotional.com. (great blog btw, the guy is awesome) I am happy to say that I have experienced a miracle, and I am happy with what I went through to get here. Crap builds character. I wouldn't have the optimism I possess now without the pessimism that I had to deal with to get here.

My heart was and will always be tested. Integrity will be gained based on how I deal with each "test". God is pleased with testing me, and therefore I am willing to please God by passing the test, and learning from it. Learning how to delight in what God delights in is not always easy, but it is always the best.

"He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." -- Micah 6:8

The things you don't know

So in conversation this morning while I was at home sick from work, listening to A LOT of Techno, I found out that someone who I barely knew, and someone who I knew, but wished I has got to know better, had been praying for me. What a great feeling. Especially when they are both 1500 miles away in BC. It is nice to know someone has your back, even when you don't know they do. I just thought I would share this, and my appreciation for both of them. Thanks.