The Time Has Come

For a very long time, lets say the overwhelming majority of the 31 years I have spent on this earth, I have thought things were all working towards a goal, an idea that would leave a legacy. It took until today for me to realize that I have done absolutely nothing but shoot myself in the foot time and time again with no regard for the people around me or even caring about their perceptions of me. Many of us like to think that we are confident and that we can "ignore the haters", but that is simply not true. Each and every time we are rejected or contradicted, a wound is opened and a band-aid is simply put on to mask the existence of said wound. We mask the pain by laughing it off or going to a quiet place, when in reality, we hold onto those wounds and just try to pretend that they will heal. The rarest thing that we can do as humans is to truly forgive and forget. Yes, we can forgive, but its the forgetting part that is the true struggle.

This struggle is one that occurs on the emotional, spiritual, physical and mental parts of us. The hardest thing that we can do is somehow try to balance all of these and carry on with our lives. There is always going to be something that is out of whack. The reason that this is true because we are all carrying around baggage and memories of past sins and failures that we refuse to let go of and make a real effort to be what we are meant to be. For example, my name, David, means "man after God's own heart." How often can I say that I have legitimately lived my life in a way that is in constant pursuit of God's plan for my life. Many of you may try to doubt the existence of God and say that He isn't real, but I can promise you with every last breath in my body that God is real and that the proof is in the way that I am actually a functioning human being. The fact that God keeps giving me a new day is the most incredible gift that I could ever receive. The fact that I have a family who loves me, even though I'm a giant screw-up is amazing. The fact that I have a family at Woodside Royal Oak that I get to serve with is such a blessing. The fact that there is someone whom my heart longs to walk beside no matter how tough things get make me the luckiest man alive. Even though I constantly make mistakes and fail and believe me, fail miserably, drives me to start each day by simply thanking God that I have a new opportunity to be better.

But there's more...

I have a been a fraud, a liar, a hypocrite, a control-freak, and a victim for too long. I have told people that everything is alright, when in reality, the world is shattering around me. I have said things that hurt people, while I smile behind their backs. I have said things out of ignorance and stupidity that have made some of those I am the closest to, sever the tie of our relationships and not willing to confront me on my issues because of my defensive reactions. I have fallen in and out of times in which I indulge in the one thing I am most passionate about fighting against. But today, this ends.

Today, I woke up, and did something that I haven't done in a few weeks. I opened the Bible and was smacked in the face with the harsh reality. I can't do this on my own. I need people willing to jump aboard my sinking boat and help me get the water out. I need people to walk beside me and keep me accountable for the stupid things I do. I need to be a real member of my local body of believers and ACTUALLY tithe, instead of making excuses. I started to realize that I need to have the audacious faith like the one that is displayed in the life of Joshua in the Old Testament. I started reading a book called "Sun Stand Still" by Steven Furtick today. The book suggests that I have the faith to ask God for the most outrageous things imaginable in my life, but actually follow through with the faith and hard work it takes to make them happen.

Yes, I still am crazy, and yes I still make a ton of mistakes, but no job, apartment, car, or amount of money is going to fill my life with more joy than the people who stand beside me in my walk, and the same God who led the Israelites out of desert, guiding my path.

From now on, there is a series of new goals that I am going towards. (Not in a particular order)

1. DAILY time spent with God in the Word and stepping out in faith and tithing.

2. Working closely with organizations like XXXChurch.com and Fight the New Drug to spread awareness about the dangers of pornography, as so much damage has been inflicted by this horrible plague upon society.

3. Giving everything I have to making sure that Community Life at Fairlane Woods is an incredible experience to all who live here.

4. Quitting slacking off when it comes to schoolwork, driving for Uber, and hosting trivia.

5. Allow God to dictate the direction of my personal relationships, even though I already know I will fight Him every step of the way.

6. Work on opening what it tentatively called "Rocketown: DET", an indoor skatepark and music venue that will reach the lost generation of youth, and provide a safe place for them to feel love and acceptance, instead of judgment and stares by those who have rejected them in the past.

7. Lastly, I will not quit sharing the name of Christ to people for the rest of my life. I am on this planet to share the love that God has given us to as many people as possible, with no regard to my personal safety or fears. I am proud to align myself alongside the most controversial person who ever walked the planet earth. I call Him Father and Friend. His name is Jesus Christ. I'd love to show you how to meet Him.

Thank you for sticking through this entire post and may God do incredible things in your lives.

If you'd like to know why my faith is so strong, please take 45 minutes and watch the following video entitled, "Why I Choose to Believe the Bible." Your life will never be the same.

https://youtu.be/gWU12DzPTUo

Have a wonderful day.

-@thedavejohnson