Our Men's Bible Study

The Guys and I had our weekly bible study tonight. Will lead tonight, and oddly enough he focused his study 110% on encouragement. Odd because my last blog talked a lot about encouragement, and how I got it from others. Not because they literally came up to me and encouraged me, but just the way because of his current circumstance. Will had the brilliant idea of going around the room and encouraging each of us, on a deeper level. Basically going around the room and letting all of us know what he appreciates about each of us, and what we bring to the table. He went around the room and let us all have it, and lifted us all up. Immediately following we took our turns and encouraged each other too...little did we know what God had in store for the night. We allowed an hour, due to Nelson's planned departure time (11pm), its almost like God heard us limit it...laughed, and thought to himself 'we'll see'. We finally wrapped the whole thing up at 12:45am...what a night!

For those of you that don't know Will Bailey, you need to get to know him. willrbailey.blogspot.com Will is an awesome guy, he has his struggles just like everyone else out there, but the big difference about Will is that he doesn't let what is going on in his life effect how committed he is to you and your friendship. He has been through a lot of things, and seen enough to write a book...and no matter how distracted he gets he always gets refocused. His determination is contagious, and just has that spirit of comfort draped over the top of him.

One of the most awesome things about God are his ways of filling voids. Upon me dropping the bottle for a bible, I have split ways with some of my closest friends. Im still friends with them, and they still in my upcoming wedding, but the bond that we once had just isn't there anymore. About 6 months into my walk with God, the effects of not having them around really began to take it's toll on me. With my actions, attitude, way of thinking, I was lonely, and just heart broken because I had friends that I couldn't hang out with because of our different lifestyles. On Wednesday night when I was at church, they were making their rounds to liquor stores and/or to find a fix. I was at my lowest, when I felt like I had ran out of options, after hours and hours of hard and sincere prayer...I saw nothing changing with this situation. In the middle of blowing out my last breath...Matt Markle barges in my door and my life like wind in a hurricane. Filling that void and my lungs with the spiritual breath, and answered prayer, that I needed to make it through. Matt is the life of our party...our apartment is so upbeat and buzzin' all the time because Markle makes it that way. He is so possitive, and so full of energy. The best way that I could help paint Matt's picture for your mind is the energizer bunny. No matter what is going on, no matter how bad things are in our lives, no matter how upset or mad or depressed/discouraged we are...Matt charges us back up spiritual and emotionally!

I cannot count the times that I was scared at my dad's because of the usage of alcohol. Or the times that my mom and I got into it, for so many different things, and I had to get out of the house. Times when I couldn't just stay at home, because I would sit and watch Sports-center with my phone in my hand waiting for the call to tell me that a buddy of mine was killed or tragically injured in an accident of some sort. I had to have a place to go where I could just hang out with somebody, Nelson...and keep my mind off that stuff, to keep myself from insanity. Nelson has been that best friend and brother that I needed, and could turn to because he was going through the same heartache that I was. Two guys, with the same struggles and worries, able to find comfort and stregth in one another. Nelson has been, without him even realizing it, the strength that I always needed when my tank was running empty.

For those of you who aren't aware of it, Nelson is Terry's little brother. Terry has been my best friend since we were put on a terrible basketball team in the 6th grade, full of baseball and football talent, bowl haircuts, and short shorts. Our team was 1-11, and our only win came from a forfit, so basically we didn't win a game. Yeah...we were angry about the losing season, but God was working wonders on that court that year. The good Lord did not put us together to win basketball games, the Lord put us together to win each other. To accomplish friendship, family, and brotherhood...three unbelievable blessings, that we could not understand at the age that we were at. Terry and I surrendered it all to God around the same time. Honestly, at first, I thought Terry's sudden turn for the better was as real as unicorns. Quickly, Terry...or should I say, God showed me just how real Terry was. The first time that Terry asked me to go to church with him, I was hesitant...due to some issues from the past with church...but I went and it was awesome. The worship started and we both just fell apart, we started crying and crying and crying and just couldn't stop. From there, we have both made progress that nobody would have ever thought possible...we are Junior High leaders, very looked up to, and both have huge hearts to reach out and make the difference. I'm not sure what exactly my strength is, but I know that Terry's is praying. He is that one that we all look at when we are quiet, waiting on someone to volunteer to pray. He always knows what to say, and prays with such authority...there is just so much power in his prayer. Get to know this guy at terrybutler.blogspot.com

My mom has worked just about everywhere that you could think of. From furniture stores to staffing agencies, from apartment complexes even to convenient stores. That is where David and I were introduced at only 4 years old. Growing up together, David in I have done a lot together. From baseball championships to throwing dirt clots at each other to up all night skates...there are very few things that we didn't do together as kids. Like most childhood friends, we grew apart. He went his way and I went mine, two way different ways at that. For 5 or 6 years, David and I communicated none. Then one day, after we had graduated, I saw him at another buddies house. It turned out that he was looking for a job, and my boss told me earlier that day that we needed people. The next week, David had a job at Eureka Pizza. It was so weird how we just picked up where we left off, it never crossed my mind that it was weird or anything like that...it just felt good. That was about a year and a half ago, and man have I been blown away buy what has taken place. Just a few months ago, I didn't even know if David believed in God...and then last week he led Bible study, and an awesome one at that. Like everyone else, David is recovering from some things...and making amazing progress. To hear him talk about it, or his feeling on it, just gives you some peace and happiness that I can't explain. He is so wise, and full of knowledge...that his words are so incredibly uplifting and re-assuring.

Notice that I highlighted a word(s) in each of these paragraphs. These are the different God given gifts that these four guys bring into my life. They are strongest or most used/admired in these areas, to me. I explained this to them in the study and this is how I did it, I don't any other way to do it...

DETERMINATION+POSITIVE ENERGY+STRENGTH+PRAYER+POWER THROUGH WORDS/ACTIONS=THE BODY OF CHRIST

We all have our stengths, but none of us have the strength to make it through this vicious world by ourself. We must come together, and find those Christians that have what we don't so that they can help us through. You may have all of these qualities, I do...but not to the level that the other guys do. I have been around some of the guys for 8+ years, and after I took time to stop and appreciate what they do for me, I realized just how important some of these people were to me. I encourage you now...to encourage others. Find that comfort, through Christ, to tell your friends and family that you love them, and what you appreciate about them. What sets them apart? That is something that is so easily over-looked by everyone, but so so powerful.

Below, I posted the verses for the night. Click on them and that will bring up the actual verse...keeping it simple. :) I strongly recommend that you read those verses, get them stuck in your head, and take them out into the battle field.

Phillipians 1:3-5
1 Thesalonians 5:11
Hebrew 10:24-25

Thanks to all!