Full Ride Scholarship

At the time I was smart and confident, as time passes I can see I was an idiot. My freshman class at Everett High School went out one day and put a time capsule in the ground. We put down what we wanted to accomplish in life. My list looked like this: get a full ride scholarship to either Michigan State, Western or Central Michigan to run track or swim. If I failed at that I wanted to be a sports writer. I put more stuff down but can’t remember it. As I look back now, I wasn’t that bright.

I didn’t have a standout freshman season and in no way was capable of getting a full ride as most swimmers and runner weren’t even offered full scholarships. You couldn’t tell the 14 year old me this. I thought I would work hard and improve. Man was I off base. Sometimes in life we give ourselves more credit than we deserve. I thought I was wise and knew what I was talked about. I was off base.

Sometimes in life we think we are wiser then we truly are. No matter how smart, there is always someone smarter who knows more. I thought this about faith, I thought I understood this and nobody could tell me otherwise. God wisdom trumped my wisdom though.

1 Corinthians 2:6-8…

“We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord or glory.”

It took me all of high school to realize, God is way smarter than me and there is a lot I don’t understand. Ever pray to God and not know the result or be disappointed when things didn’t go your way? I have many times, sometimes I look back at my prayers and think if I got what I wanted I wouldn’t have been taught a valuable life lesson. Sometimes my prayers were a want list from God, I want this….please make this happen…etc.

God’s wisdom goes beyond our own. There are many times he has proved that I am not as smart as I think. I appreciate that time. It’s a time where I can learn. Can you look back and see where you were wrong and thought you were right? God’s wisdom goes beyond our own, it’s nice to know that there is a greater plan that goes beyond our own understanding.

Looking like a fool

My name and fashion never come up in the same sentence. I am not an expert in what looks good or how to dress.  The only days I look good are the days I check with Hailee before I go out. In high school I never wore jeans or khakis, I rocked out to jogging pants. This past week I got to where an outfit that took the cake.

It was a multiple color shirt and pants combo. My friend Bella and I found these outfits at Goodwill years ago and decided to where them to volleyball.  I made a wager with a friend that MSU would beat Indiana in basketball in their first meeting this year. MSU lost and therefore I had to where this outfit. Not a look I plan on keeping.

Sometimes in life we can look like a fool with what we say or do. I have been a fool many times in my life. Often times it dealt with faith. When figuring out what faith in Jesus was truly about, then after making a decision to follow Christ I looked like a fool multiple times. I would make ignorant comments about faith and the Bible….

How could a loving God allow evil in the world?

If Jesus is love, why do his people do the opposite?
Oh man, someone is asking me a question about the Bible and I have no idea what the answer is.

These were some of the comments and questions I had with faith. I tried not to look like a fool and probably did.

1 Corinthians 1:19-21…

“For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.”

I was a fool and confused with what I believed in God. Yet I one point, I thought I knew the truth. Christians were just hypocrites who believed in God’s word but did the opposite. I thought I could prove a Christian wrong with their faith because most didn’t understand it and what God taught. People proved to me that God was a lot smarter than me. I gave me life over to Christ and soon people started asking me how I could believe in it and I had no response. In life we look like a fool sometimes.

1 Corinthians 1:25…

“For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is strong than man’s strength.”

God is smarter, stronger and more brilliant then I. It took a lot for me to realize I will always have questions in faith. There would be things that confuse me and through all God is still God and I am not. I was a fool and it was more than the clothes I wore.

Throughout history scholars have said people would give up on faith and turn towards something else. Year after year God is still here and over it all. The church is still here even though numbers show more and more people give up on faith and stop going. A smart man once told me, “What I know of God and Jesus is one tenth of one percent and that might be an overstatement, but I know enough to know he exists, he is all powerful and all knowing.”

We all look like fools at times, but we don’t always have too. What questions do you have on faith? What questions have people asked on faith and you had no idea how to respond? Seek the answers, you might not always find the answer, that is where faith can overtake us and it over took me. I didn’t want to believe in Jesus until I had all the answers. I never had all my questions answered, but I still believe in Jesus. Sometimes in life there is beauty in the unknown. What do you think?

Have a great day.