Quick Post.

Just wanted to cut the free space in between posts. I am working on something new (or will be starting soon) but I wanted to put something down here until then. This was taken from a lecture I was audience to at the Passion Conferences. It's from John Piper (see sidebar "Desiring God" for link) and IS NOT my material at all - so if you like it, give him credit (and then he'll send it to God, surely). Anyway - these are some steps that were mentioned in the fight for joy:

1. Fight for joy - but realize it is a gift from God.
2. Realize that joy must be fought for relentlessly (it does not come and stay forever without work).
3. Attack all known sin in life (remember that sin is not just the "big 7" that gets popularized, but anything that goes against God's will).
4. Learn the secret of being a "justified sinner" (Micah 7:7).
5. Realize the battle is primarily to see God (Satan's power is in hiding the magnificence of God with his temptations).
6. Meditate on the word of God, day and night.
7. Pray earnestly and continually for joy (to open the heart and eyes).
8. Preach to yourself rather than listen to yourself.
9. Spend time with God-centered people - for help "fighting the fight" (we are community creatures - alone does not work).
10. Be patient in the night of God's seeming absence (He IS always with you, even when it might not seem like it). Wait patiently.
11. Get the rest, excercise, and proper diet that the body is designed for (physical wellness is a direct supporter to spiritual health).
12. Make proper use of God's revelation in nature (the goal being to see Him and be awed by Him, not the creation).
13. Do the hard thing, the LOVING thing, for other people.
14. Get a global vision.

I have spoke personally on #14 with my tsunami post - and have hit on a couple others with various religious-themed posts. My post to come will be a reflection on love (based around my most recent church group). I also plan to write a very large "summation" on all the papers I have. Keep in touch if that seems interesting - although be patient as well...school is taking up a lot of my time (and if nothing more, keeping me from some things). I am going to be working on getting my priorities right, so we'll see what happens.