What do those crazy Mormons believe in, anyway? (part 6)

We believe in the same organization that existed in the primitive church; namely-- apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth. -Article of Faith #6.

We have all of those "jobs" in the church: Pres. Thomas S. Monson is our prophet living on earth today. He has 12 apostles called to help him. Our pastors are known as bishops, and they are in charge of presiding over wards, which can be a neighborhood, a city, or a state- depends on the concentration of church members there. We have teachers called by the bishops to help us understand gospel principles, and to answer our questions. Evangelists are also called Patriarchs. There are family patriarchs (the father), and stake patriarchs, and the prophet is also a patriarch, since he has all of the keys and all of the powers that God has given to men. Stake patriarchs give 'patriarchal blessings'. These blessings are for individual people, who seek to get them once they feel they are ready.

So that is that one. Almost. Just one more thing: These are the same jobs that the church members had in the time of Christ. How did we get them in these days? "That I can tell you in one word!:" Restoration!
Here is a video about the Restoration:

This shows how it happened.
The Restoration brought back the powers and keys that the church had back in the days of Christ, and Peter.

"That's All, Folks"

Judgement Day-- Happy or Nervous?

How do you feel about dying? Is it the end? What will it be like? Will I see God? or Jesus?
I think that for most people, it will be a happy day; a day when they are finally at peace from worldy cares, and are able to be at rest in paradise. I think that the majority of people are good, and will be able to say that they loved God while in life.

How would you prepare for such a day?
I love these talks given in previous General Conferences (a bi-annual LDS event):
The First Great Commandment by Jeffery R Holland
Your Once Upon a Time by Dieter F Uchtdorf
I think that they really talk about preparing, and what you need to do, and how to keep perspective.

Here are two videos of songs that I L. O. V. E. LOVE!!

"Live Like You Were Dyin'" Time McGraw

"I can only Imagine" Mercy Me.

I think that those songs really cover what I want to say.
Bye! Best of Luck in Life!
Sophie

What do those crazy Mormons believe in, anyway? (part 5)

I am not the expert on this next statement. But I can explain it :).

We believe that a man must be called of God by prophesy and by the laying on of hands, by those who are in authority, to preach the gospel and administer to the ordinances thereof.

This means that if a man is going to preach the gospel, and/or have the priesthood, he needs to 1) be called of God: be worthy. 2)be ordained with the power by the laying on of hands. 3) the people ordaining him must have the authority to do so.

Here are some videos that talk about the priesthood, and the responsibility and power that comes with that:

"The Restoration of the Priesthood"

"The Power of God"

"The Gift of the Priesthood"

"Sanctify Yourselves" This is a true story about a young man who had the priesthood, and how he effected another, young boy's life. This talks about how, once you have the priesthood, you need to live worthy of it.

Some of my Favorite Songs-- Jenny Phillips

"Valiant Faith"

"Daughter of a King" (this applies to boys, too ;)) I especially love this song. It makes me feel special.... because I AM SPECIAL!! and SO ARE YOU!

"Light on a Hill"

"Live Like you Believe"

"Beauty Is" This one is about true beauty.

"Virtue"

Here are my last two favorites, because they really communicate my testimony:

"Live It" (amazing story at the beginning, but skip to 2:46 for an exerpt of the song)

"I Know"

What do those crazy Mormons believe, anyway? (part 4)

#4-- We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, repentance; third, bptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fouaarth, laying on of hands, for the Gift of the Holy Ghost.
I'm going to split this statement up into 4 parts to talk about.


"First, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ."
* What is faith?
Faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true. (Alma 32:21)
So faith is when you hope for things, but you can't see them. So can you have faith in leperchauns? Not really. Because faith is also things that are true. To summarize: Faith is when you hope and trust in things that you can't see, but that are true.
* Why do you need faith?
Well, have you seen Christ? Or God? Have you seen heaven? Then how would you know if they were there? You'd have to have faith that they were there. You'd have to believe in something that you didn't see.
So we believe that the first thing you need to learn in order to best understand the Gospel is faith.


"Second, Repentance"
Without repentance, we could not get to heaven. We are all sinners. We have all sinned. It may be big, it may be small, but we've all sinned.
Alma 40:26 ... for they are unclean, and no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of God...
Since we are all 'unclean', how can we get to heaven? We need to "wash up" :). But who can do that? Jesus could, and He did. That is what the Atonement did, it made it so we could repent, and be washed clean.
(for more, see "What do those crazy Mormons believe in, anyway (part 3))


"Third, Baptism by Immersion for the remission of sins."
aka Being baptized (immersion = completely covered with water) to lose our sins. Wait! We can lose our sins? All we have to do is be baptized? No... well, sorta. After you are baptized (with a sincere heart, and with the proper authority*) your sins so far are forgiven. Then, after that, repent, and take the sacrament each Sunday, and that will be like being baptized again. We believe that you should be baptized when youare 8, because then you are old enough to realize that you are responsible for your sins. Before that age, we believe that you aren't accountable. You just don't know about it. (Note: Buddhists sort of do this, too. They begin to teach their kids about meditation when they are 8 years old). Of course, you can be baptized when you are older, and you are accountable for your sins from since you were 8 (unless you didn't know they were sins)
When you are baptized, you make certain covenants (exchange of promises) with Heavenly Father. These are found in Mosiah18:8-10
8 ...(A)s ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;
9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—
10 Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?
Did you catch the covenants? You promise to help other people, and to come to God, keep His commandments, and be a witness of Him. He, in return, promises to redeem your sins (when you repent), save you a place in heaven, and give you the Holy Ghost to guide you. Does this seem unfair? Well, the Holy Ghost will be with you always, even if you are not always with God. Heaven will last forever, that's right, never ending happiness. What's this short time of 70-100 years (at the longest) of keeping a few rules designed for your happiness compared with a never ending state of happiness? Now that's food for thought :).
For more on baptism, click here and here


(Last one:) "Fourth, laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost."This is also called 'confirmation', and is usually coupled with baptism, because it happens shortly after (either the same day, right after, or the next Sunday in Sacrament Meeting). When you are confirmed, you recieve the gift of the Holy Ghost, to be with you always. The Holy Ghost is the 3rd member of the Godhead (God, Christ, and the Holy Ghost). It is a spirit, so it can enter us and give us comfort and counsel. This may sound a little eerie, but trust me-- if you don't want the Holy Ghost to come, it wont come. You have to want it, among other things.
When it says 'laying on of hands' it means this:


This girl is receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. Worthy men holding the proper authority* are blessing her.
Here are links with words from Church Leaders about the Holy Ghost.

*The priesthood authority. More on that, later.

Videos about the Atonement

"Jesus Sacrificing in Gethsemane"

"Reclaimed"

"The Greatest Gift"

"The Atonement-- Not a one Time Thing"

"Lifting Burdens-- The Atonement"

 

 

 

 

Quotes and a Poem about the Atonement

Here are some quotes that I LOVE about the Atonement.

“The Father briefly withdrew from Jesus the comfort of His Spirit, the support of His personal presence. It was required, indeed it was central to the significance of the Atonement, that this perfect Son who had never spoken ill nor done wrong nor touched an unclean thing had to know how the rest of humankind—us, all of us—would feel when we did commit such sins. For His Atonement to be infinite and eternal, He had to feel what it was like to die not only physically but spiritually, to sense what it was like to have the divine Spirit withdraw, leaving one feeling totally, abjectly, hopelessly alone. . . . Because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so” -Elder Holland

 

We cannot imagine the anguish of a loving Father, who, knowing what had to be done, accepted His Beloved Son’s willingness to suffer for all mankind. In this agony Christ was not left alone. As if the Father were saying, ‘I cannot take it from you, but I can and will send you strength and peace,’ ‘there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.’ -Elder Rex D. Pinegar

 

What weight is thrown on the scales of pain when calculating the hurt of innumerable patients in countless hospitals? Now, add to that the loneliness of the elderly who are forgotten in the rest homes of society, desperately yearning for a card, a visit, a call—just some recognition from the outside world. Keep on adding the hurt of hungry children, the suffering caused by famine, drought, and pestilence. Pile on the heartache of parents who tearfully plead on a daily basis for a wayward son or daughter to come back home. Factor in the trauma of every divorce and the tragedy of every abortion. Add the remorse that comes with each child lost in the dawn of life, each spouse taken in the prime of marriage. Compound that with the misery of overflowing prisons, bulging halfway houses and institutions for the mentally disadvantaged. Multiply all this by century after century of history, and creation after creation without end. Such is but an awful glimpse of the Savior’s load. Who can bear such a burden or scale such a mountain as this? No one, absolutely no one, save Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of us all -Callister

 

“For many years I thought of the Savior’s experience in the garden and on the cross as places where a large mass of sin was heaped upon Him. Through the words of Alma, Abinadi, Isaiah, and other prophets, however, my view has changed. Instead of an impersonal mass of sin, there was a long line of people, as Jesus felt “our infirmities” (Heb. 4:15), “[bore] our griefs, … carried our sorrows … [and] was bruised for our iniquities” (Isa. 53:4–5).
The Atonement was an intimate, personal experience in which Jesus came to know how to help each of us.” -Merril J. Bateman 

 

We do not know, we cannot tell, no mortal mind can conceive the full import of what Christ did in Gethsemane. We know he sweat great gouts of blood from every pore as he drained the dregs of that bitter cup his Father had given him. We know he suffered, both body and spirit, more than it is possible for man to suffer, except it be unto death. We know that in some way, incomprehensible to us, his suffering satisfied the demands of justice, ransomed penitent souls from the pains and penalties of sin, and made mercy available to those who believe in his holy name. We know that he lay prostrate upon the ground as the pains and agonies of an infinite burden caused him to tremble and would that he might not drink the bitter cup. We know that an angel came from the courts of glory to strengthen him in his ordeal, and we suppose it was mighty Michael, who foremost fell that mortal man might be. As near as we can judge, these infinite agonies—this suffering beyond compare—continued for some three or four hours. -Bruce R McConkie

 

This one is for those who don't know if they can use the Atonement:

"I repeat, save for the exception of the very few who defect to perdition, there is no habit, no addiction, no rebellion, no transgression, no apostasy, no crime exempted from the promise of complete forgiveness. That is the promise of the atonement of Christ" -Packer 

 

Well, first of all, I have the capability to repent. I can now repent of all of my sins, no matter the size, and be forgiven of them.
I can learn to be willing to say "Not my will, but Thine be done" without fear. Christ said it with extreme faith in Heavenly Father. He knew that God had a plan for Him, and without His submitting to God's will, He would never had been able to follow through with the Plan. Don't let Christ's influence on you fade away! -Anonymous

 

This is a very powerful poem that was sent to me: 

After All We Can Do By Robbie Pierce

I had been in that hole for a very long time—
In the dark and the damp, in the cold and the slime.
The shaft was above me; I saw it quite clear,
But there’s no way I ever could reach it from here.
I could not remember the world way up there,
So I lost every hope and gave in to despair.

I knew nothing but darkness, the floor, and the wall.
Then from off in the distance I heard someone call:
“Get up! Get ready! There’s nothing the matter!
Take rocks and take sticks and build up a fine ladder!”
This was a thought that had not crossed my mind,
But I started to stack all the stones I could find.

When I ran out of stones, then old sticks were my goal,
For some way or another I’d climb from that hole.
I soon had a ladder that stood very tall,
And I thought, “I’ll soon leave this place once and for all!”
I climbed up my ladder, a difficult chore,
For from lifting those boulders, my shoulders were sore.

I climbed up the ladder, but soon had to stop,
For my ladder stopped short, some ten feet from the top.
I went back down my ladder and felt all around,
But there were no more boulders nor sticks to be found.
I sat down in the darkness and started to cry.
I’d done all I could do and I gave my best try.

But in spite of my work, in this hole I must die.
And all I could do was to sit and think, “Why?”
Was my ladder to short? Was my hole much too deep?
Then from way up on high came a voice: “Do not weep.”
And then faith, hope, and love entered into my chest
As the voice calmly told me that I’d done my best.

He said, “You have worked hard, and your labor’s been rough,
But the ladder you’ve built is at last tall enough.
So do not despair; there is reason to hope,
Just climb up your ladder; I’ll throw down my rope.”
I climbed up my ladder, then climbed up the cord.
When I got to the top of it, there stood the Lord.

I’ve never been happier; my struggle was done.
I blinked in the brightness that came from the Son.
I fell to the ground as His feet I did kiss.
I cried, “Lord, can I ever repay Thee for this?”
He looked all about. There were holes in the ground.
They had people inside, and were seen all around.

There were thousands of holes that were damp, dark and deep.
Then the Lord looked at me, and He said, “Feed My sheep.”
And he went on his way to save other lost souls,
So I got right to work, calling down to the holes,
“Get up! Get ready! There is nothing the matter!
Take rocks, and take sticks, and build up a fine ladder!”

It now was my calling to spread the good word,
The most glorious message that man ever heard:
That there’s one who is coming to save one and all,
And we need to be ready when he gives the call.
He’ll pull us all out of the holes that we’re in
And save all our souls from cold death and from sin.

So do not lose faith; there is reason to hope:
Just climb up your ladder; he’ll throw down his rope.

 

What do those crazy Mormons believe in, anyway? (part 3)

We believe that through the Atonement of Christ all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
This is the third Article of Faith. This one will take a lot of thinking, studying, and praying to perfectly understand. 

Jesus Christ came to the earth for a purpose. His purpose was to make a way for us to return Home-- Home being Heaven, with Heavenly Father. To do this, He did two things: He taught us, and He performed the Atonement. In order to get to Heaven, we need to overcome physical death. How can we go somewhere if we're dead? But there is no possibe way for us to do this. But Christ was able to do this. Why? Because His mother was Mary, and His Father was God. His mortal nature was able to die, and to suffer. His divine nature allowed Him to choose His time of death, it also allowed Him to raise from the dead.
 I am not an expert on this subject. This is just what I have learned. If you would like to find out more about the atonement click here for a link. For Jesus, and His purpose and nature, click here.
The conquering of death is available for everyone, no matter what they had done, or what they believed in.

But conquering sin is much bigger. Here is a video of Jesus atoning for our sins. He suffered for every single person's sin. It wasn't like a whole pile of sins, it was each and every one.
To go with that, I have a story:
In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room. There were no distinguishing features except for the one wall covered with small index card files. They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order. But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly endless in either direction, had very different headings. As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was one that read "Girls I have liked." I opened it and began flipping through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each one. And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was.
This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog system for my life. Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and small, in a detail my memory couldn't match. A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring their content. Some brought joy and sweet memories; others a sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching.
A file named "Friends" was next to one marked "Friends I have betrayed." The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird "Books I Have Read," "Lies I Have Told," "Comfort I have Given," "Jokes I Have Laughed at ." Some were almost hilarious in their exactness: "Things I've yelled at my brothers." Others I couldn't laugh at: "Things I Have Done in My Anger", "Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath at My Parents." I never ceased to be surprised by the contents.
Often there were many more cards than I expected. Sometimes fewer than I hoped. I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had lived. Could it be possible that I had the time in my years to fill each of these thousands or even millions of cards? But each card confirmed this truth. Each was written in my own handwriting. Each signed with my signature.
When I pulled out the file marked "TV Shows I have watched", I realized the files grew to contain their contents. The cards were packed tightly, and yet after two or three yards, I hadn't found the end of the file. I shut it, shamed, not so much by the quality of shows but more by the vast time I knew that file represented.
When I came to a file marked "Lustful Thoughts," I felt a chill run through my body. I pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to test its size and drew out a card. I shuddered at its detailed content.
I felt sick to think that such a moment had been recorded. An almost animal rage broke on me. One thought dominated my mind: No one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see this room! I have to destroy them!" In insane frenzy I yanked the file out. Its size didn't matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards. But as I took it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it.
Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to its slot. Leaning my forehead against the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh.
And then I saw it.. The title bore "People I Have Shared the Gospel With." The handle was brighter than those around it, newer, almost unused. I pulled on its handle and a small box not more than three inches long fell into my hands. I could count the cards it contained on one hand.
And then the tears came. I began to weep. Sobs so deep that they hurt. They started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and cried. I cried out of shame, from the overwhelming shame of it all. The rows of file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No one must ever, ever know of this room. I must lock it up and hide the key. But then as I pushed away the tears, I saw Him.
No, please not Him. Not here. Oh, anyone but Jesus. I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards. I couldn't bear to watch His response. And in the moments I could bring myself to look at His face, I saw a sorrow deeper than my own.
He seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes. Why did He have to read every one? Finally He turned and looked at me from across the room. He looked at me with pity in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn't anger me.. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to cry again. He walked over and put His arm around me. He could have said so many things. But He didn't say a word. He just cried with me.
Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files. Starting at one end of the room, He took out a file and, one by one, began to sign His name over mine on each card. "No!" I shouted rushing to Him. All I could find to say was "No, no," as I pulled the card from Him. His name shouldn't be on these cards. But there it was, written in red so rich, so dark, so alive. The name of Jesus covered mine. It was written with His blood. He gently took the card back. He smiled a sad smile and began to sign the cards.. I don't think I'll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but the next instant it seemed I heard Him close the last file and walk back to my side.
He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, "It is finished." I stood up, and He led me out of the room. There was no lock on its door. There were still cards to be written.

Does that make sense? Christ suffered because He loves us. He has made the ultimate sacrifice for us.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." -John 3:16 (KJV)

What do those crazy Mormons believe in, anyway? (part 2)

Here is statement/Article of Faith #2: We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression.

What does this one mean? It does not sound as simple as the first one, does it.

First of all, Adam's transgression is when Adam and Eve fell from the Garden of Eden, bringing sin and death into the world. Now that there was sin and righteousness, there was choice. We had to choose to sin, or not to sin. We can choose what to do, but we can't choose the consequences.
Here's a story that might help you understand it:
 Once upon a time, there was a man. This man only had spinach to eat, so he only ate spinach. Then, one day, the man invented candy!! Now, he could have candy whenever he wanted, or he could continue to have spinach. Not only did he have to decide, but all of his neighbors now hd a choice. Some of them decided to stick with the spinach come what may. Some of them would only have the candy occasionally, but would mostly eat spinach. Some of the people would only eat the candy, and they would eat it and eat it and eat it!
Now, there are some obvious consequences. The people who stuck with the spinach were strong (as strong as Popeye :)), and the people who only had a little bit of candy were pretty strong, too. But the people who only had candy were sickly and weak.
Which would you rather be? Strong, or weak?
Now, just to set the record straight, I like candy, especially chocolate. I think that it is very, very heavenly :). I don't really like spinach (who does?). But those are just parts of a metaphor.
The spinach stood for righteousness, and the candy stood for sin. Adam was the man who invented candy (although, technically, Satan/the devil is the author of sin.) We are his nieghbors.

So, that is Adam's transgression. Now for the rest of the statement. "Men will be punished for their own sins." That makes sense, doesn't it? Why should the police arrest you because your 3rd cousin (once removed) stole someone's car? It just isn't fair.
In history, we learn about instances when a person rebels against the king, and the person's whole family is killed. When I read things like this, I feel sick inside. (Who cares that it happened hundreds of years ago, people were people back then, too). It just doesn't sit right that someone will get in trouble because of something that someone else did.

That is statement #2. Come back next time for #3 ;)

What in the World do those Crazy Mormons believe, anyway? (part 1)

Elementary, my dear Watson.
We believe that a man must have more than one wife in order to get to heaven (we call this mormigamy, often confused with polygamy).... Or not.* :)

 To answer these questions, I am going to used 13 statements called "The Articles of Faith". These explain mormon's beliefs.

Statement #1: We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. 
Pretty simple, right?

Some people have supposed that Mormons aren't Christians. Well, check our name. No, not "Mormon", that's a nickname. "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints". People who think we aren't Christian either get us confused with Muslims, or are just confused, period.

Not only do we believe in Christ, Heavenly Father, and the Holy Ghost, but we also believe that they are separate beings. How would we know this? Simple.
 When Jesus Christ was batized, He was in the water. The Holy Ghost desended on Him in the form of a dove. The Holy Ghost was in the dove, not the water. The voice of God was heard from Heaven. God was in Heaven, not in the dove, nor the water.
Another example: Acts 7:55-56 (KJV) 55 But he (Stephen), being full of the Holy Ghost looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

 56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

The Holy Ghost was in Stephen, God was in heaven, Jesus was also in heaven, but He was next to God.

That is the first statement of belief.

*(There was once a time in LDS history when the men were getting killed off at a stunning rate, leaving many women uncared for. God spoke to the latterday prophet of the time, Joseph Smith, and told him to use polygamy to take care of all of the women. Only certain men were chosen for this, and later God revealed that the time came for mormons to stop using polygamy. But this has stuck with the reputation of the mormons ever since.)

Are you Ashamed?

Romans 1:16 (KJV) For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is the power of God, unto salvation, to everyone that believeth...

Romans 1:16 (SBV) For I, Sophie, am not ashamed to stand up, and live the gospel of Jesus Christ. 'Cause if I believe and act I will have the power of God, and I will be saved. I am a mormon! I know it. I live it. I love it. :)

Next, I would like to share 2 poems. The first one is short, sweet, and to the point. The second one takes a bit longer to read, but it is worth it. 

You've gotta be brave in order to mot be ashamed. There's also a link to a video about this poem:

"Dare to be a Mormon

Dare to Stand Alone

Dare to have a Purpose

Dare to Make it Known"

I love this poem. I memorized it once, but it has since slipped away from me. :). It was definitely worth it, though, to know it once. 
 
Fellowship of the Unashamed
I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. The dye has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made; I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, or be still.

My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I’m finished and done with low living, small planning, smooth knees, Colorless dreams, tinted visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence, positions, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded.

I now live by Faith, lean on His presence, walk with patience. I am uplifted by prayer, and labor with power. My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my Guide is reliable, my mission is clear.

I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, divided or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table with the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won’t give up, shut up, or let up until I have stayed up, stored up, and paid up for the cause of Christ.

I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me.  And when He returns for His Own, He will have no problem recognizing me.  My Banner will be clear.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of GOD unto Salvation to every one that believeth…” Romans 1:16.


So, now you know me. What about you? Are you ashamed? Are you hiding?  Well, stop it. 
"Stand up, speak out! and boldly, in God's name. Be strong!" (-Be Strong by Babcock)