I Believe This is Day #3: The Beautiful Art of Mentorship

I work at an awesome place.

Technically, it's not my primary job, just something I enjoy doing. It's a ministry built solely on selfless love and goals.  There are two main things this ministry directs it's attention to.  The first, is delivering boxes to those stricken by poverty in Boerne and 7 other surrounding counties.  The second, Is their mentoring programs.

I was sitting there staring at my screen, the next topic I would be writing about popped out at me.  Much to my dismay, this was the only one on the list I didn't really want to do.  Not that it was a bad topic.  I just didn't know what I was going to write about.  I racked my brain all day while I was at work. The screen quietly voiced,  Find a coach.  What does this mean?? I will not lie, I was utterly and miserably stumped. Then it hit me.. again. Kinda like when I came up with this whole idea in the first place.  Things hit me a lot I guess.  And this brings me back to what I was saying in the beginning.  Mentoring.  Daily Bread Ministries volunteers' sacrifice their time to mentor and minister to some of these kids that come in everyday from broken families.. thirsting for attention and sometimes even yearning for love.

It's not until you see a mentored child or hear stories that you really begin to realize what an impact mentoring can make.  Sometimes we become so immune and desensitized to what's going on around us that we fail to see the hurt and the pain that lingers beneath the surface. This doesn't mean you have to rush out and join the nearest mentoring program. While this is nice, this isn't mainly what I'm conveying.  Sometimes all you have to do is take the time to really look and really feel and really care.  Sometimes we become so absorbed in life that it just passes us by and we completely miss it!  I, myself, am guilty of this.  Going to work there completely changes my attitude.  Because just for a while I can see the growing need as God sees it,  and because he has equipped me with certain gifts I can do my share in helping with this need. We as humans have a unquenchable desire to be loved.  We as Christians have been clothed with the love of Christ, not so we can keep it to ourselves, but so we can give it to those ask. By mentoring, talking and simply caring for those with spiritual, physical or emotional needs our eyes can be opened to what's really going on in the shadows of this dark world.  Let us use mentor ship to bring a light of Christ to every corner.  When we choose to sacrifice our wants for their needs, the benefits are numerous.  Not only do we see the world through a new pair of eyes, but these little acts of kindness can mean the world to them.   They don't have to have a pain that's obvious, they can be hurting internally.  Whatever the need.  Let us rise to the challenge of meeting it.

"Love them like Jesus, carry them to him. His yoke is easy and his burden is light.  You don't need the answers to all of life's questions, just know that he loves them and stays by their side, so love them like Jesus."  -Casting Crowns//Love Them Like Jesus


{Conner Danielle}

Day #2: ProcrastiNation

"Give me your tired, your poor,Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" ~Emma Lazarus 

The American heritage is one of hard work, sacrifice, family, and accomplishment. Our Nation was founded by men, who were convicted enough to believe that it was their duty and end to secure the future freedom of their families, and those of their friends and countrymen. Sadly, these men only made up five percent of the population, and today, not much has changed. 

Millions of people in this nation dream of doing something significant, and those  that actually "make it", we give the title of "celebrity", or "world leader", etc.. But how many of us ever truly succeed in becoming significant? The answer is, none of us. Whether you are a famous actor, fashion model or politician, you are only significant or famous, because you have been given the title. They may be significant in our little eyes, but to those of our Creator, they are just another little foolishness, crawling about on a speck of dust. 

But to the point. Back when ships were made of wood, and the men were made of iron,  a time when people didn't stand by and do nothing. It was a time, where men stood up to tyranny, and acted on their convictions. I do admit that there were nasty things like duels and guillotines back then, but hey, we've filtered those out now. We've also filtered out a lot of our passion and determination. 

Time to fess up. I'm just another procrastinator who says things like, what can one person do? The answer is, A LOT. Mahatma Gandhi, one man who who left his mark on history said, "A 'no' uttered in deepest conviction is better and greater than a 'yes' merely uttered to please, or, what is worse, to avoid trouble." 

We all have convictions, and maybe it's time that we do something about them. Our Nation was built on hard work, sacrifice, and action. The statue of Liberty is not just a tourist attraction, it is a symbol of the courage and freedom, that was bought at a high price. We are privileged to live in this country, and our freedom isn't given to us, so that other's can violate it. We have the freedom to make a difference. Use it. 

Mix in, or stand out. Your choice. 

"There are a million ways to lose a work day, but not even a single way to get one back." ~Tom DeMarco

~Andy

Day # 1: Confidence is attractive. Pride? Not so much

We all know (or should know) who was in the NBA  Finals this year..

*Drum Roll*

The Miami Heat vs. The Dallas Mavericks.

While I am purely Texan.. I did not waste my precious time rooting for the mavs (I now realize what a mistake that was.) I was all for Miami this year.  I can't say I was head over heels for either team, but seeing as I had to pick one I might as well go with Miami.  My dad on the other hand was going for the mavs.  Much to his dismay, he would much rather have liked to cheer for his all time favorite team, the San Antonio Spurs.  But as they didn't make it, we could only hope for next year. 

We were watching the game and my dad began to mock the Heat.  He was openly expressing his feelings for them.   I probably did my own share of making fun, but I also asked him why he didn't like the Heat very much.  His answer was simple and straightforward.

"Because they have too much pride"  Specifically, he was referring to the teams infamous leaders.. Dwayne Wade and Lebron James.  At the beginning of the year the duo had promised a 2011 championship as they flaunted their swag and unmistakable skill.  "They're confident.. what's wrong with that?"  "That's not confidence" My dad replied in a tone of disgust. "That's pride".

I realized he had a point. 

I think confidence is an attractive thing. It releases an air that just draws people to you.  But it's when confidence morphs into pride that a problem begins to develop.

Philippians 1:6 says,
"Being confident in this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

So the challenge for the day is this: Be confident!  And live with conviction.  Be confident in what you believe.  Be confident in your walk with Christ.  And like the verse so accurately states, be confident that the Lord will finish his good work in you.  Don't be weighed down with your own pride, but rather, be adorned with confidence.

"Confidence imparts a wondrous inspiration to it's possessor.  It bears him on in security, either to meet no danger, or to find matter of glorious trial."

        ~John Milton~


{Conner Danielle}

Are You Ready For This?!

 There's this terrible, awful, miserable, wretched thing..

..It's called writers block. 

Yesterday I was slowly ambling around the house.  Cleaning perhaps, because that is what I succumb to in a state of boredom. Maybe day dreaming.. I have a season pass to La La Land.   Whatever I was busying myself with at that moment,  I was apparently completely lost in thought because without a moments notice I was hit full speed with an idea.  A couple of days ago I ran across a little book sitting on the table.  It instantly caught my attention.  "Today is the best day of my life!" screamed the cover in big multi colored letters.  Hmmmmm,  I thought, what do we have here? 

Basically, it's a little book.  (No duh!)  And every page has a certain challenge on it for that day.  Normally, It would be used by an individual as a self motivating tool, but remember what I said earlier about writers block?  This was my answer to that problem.   This is what you would call a 'lightbulb' moment.  I knew exactly what I was going to do.  For each day I would write about the designated challenge for that day.  Accompanied with stories, verses, etc.  The more I thought about it.. the more I liked it.  But then I thought.. (I do this a lot).  It would be boring if it was just me babbling on and on for the next 30 days.. I'll get someone to write with me!  And so I did.  I managed to lure Mr. Andrew Harris into my evil trap.  *Evil laugh*

So, my bloggy friends and any others who have found their way to this blog, for the next 30 days we will writing about the different topics.  It will be fun!  And who knows? It might just save me from some of this boredom.

"Failure" is just a word

I sometimes tell people, "Random is my middle name”, due to the plethora of random things that exit my mouth on a daily basis. But last week was different; random had been subconsciously substituted for stressed. But not just any kind of stressed the super duper kind. Last week I was set to take my very first CLEP test. Exciting? Yes. Overwhelming? Maybe. Fun? Absolutely not! Perhaps this lack of enjoyment came from the particular test I was taking. Analyzing and interpreting literature. I love reading! But analyzing?? Really? The whole week consisted of memorizing terms till I could say them in my sleep, analyzing poetry, prose and drama. Learning new words, taking those dreaded practice tests and learning meter and iambic pentameter. Now some of you may be wondering what those last words are . . . meter and iambic pentameter. Well, basically . . . uh . . . uh . . . um. . . I have no idea. Actually, out of all the material I studied that section was the only part I had a difficult time understanding. Thankfully, none of that was on the test. *phew* Now, I can honestly say I have a much deeper appreciation for literature.


It was Monday night, a whole 2 days before my test, and I was staring at the workload in front of me with exhausted reluctance and pure hatred. It wasn't that the test was going to be extremely difficult, I just had a mounting fear that I would walk in there and fail. And not just any kind of fail, the miserable kind. This was the wrong kind of attitude you have. Mom, with her never ending words of encouragement, walks back to my room and tells me that my own worst enemy for this test is the one and only Mr. Attitude! Hmmmm, I thought, I'll show him. And I think I can honestly tell you that I did indeed, show Mr. Attitude who's boss.

With never ceasing prayer and constant encouragement from my family and friends, I was able to adopt the right attitude and pass my CLEP. I walked out of the room slowly, thinking of how I was going to jokingly trick my mom into thinking I didn't pass. It was a failed attempt. I was so relieved, I couldn't help but smile.

I was so afraid of letting people down that I had completely forgotten who I still had on my side. Jesus Christ. What did I possibly have to fear? That day, he showed me that I had absolutely nothing to fear, I was just unnecessarily worrying and over thinking things, as I sometimes do.


So . . . failure? Eh, it's just a word.