tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45362970193781594892024-03-08T13:19:34.393-08:00Jon LinebergerJon Linebergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08737859151029160637noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4536297019378159489.post-38665588349188307222017-12-23T13:17:00.000-08:002017-12-28T17:39:18.482-08:00Trust God With Your Money<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;">I am grateful to have parents that modeled for me obedience
in tithing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;">After my wife and I married in 2001 we discussed and agreed
that we would tithe 10% from the gross amount of our income out of obedience to
the Lord and as a way to worship Him, and also to show our gratitude.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;">Over the years we have countless examples of how the Lord
has been faithful in honoring our tithe and provided for us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;">My wife and I both work in education and while we are not
wealthy by North Dallas standards we do make a good living, but when you’re
raising 3 kids it can seem like you never have enough money. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;">On one occasion our upstairs air-conditioning unit went out.
The repair was going to be expensive and we didn’t have the money to pair for
it at the time. Fortunately it was spring and the temperatures were not too hot
outside, so we decided to wait until we had we money. Two months went by and
the temperature started to get hotter and the upstairs started to get warmer.
My wife noticed the kids were sweating at night and although I told her it was
building character in them she was a little more sympathetic so we decided to
go ahead and get the air conditioner repaired and agreed that we’d just figure
out a way to pay for the repairs. The next week we received a reimbursement
check in the mail because we had overpaid on our escow from the previous year
and the amount of the check covered the cost of repairs for our airconditioner.
God was saving the money for us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;">You many say, great story, but that just a coincidence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;">I’ve got a lot more stories like that one. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;">On another occasion my wife needed new tires on her SUV.
Tires are expensive, especially for an SUV.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;">In 16 ½ years of marriage my wife and I have always paid off
our credit card bill at the end of the month and I initially wanted to wait to
buy new tires till we could afford to pay for them, but then I thought, what if
it rains and my wife has a wreck because her tires are too slick. Do I really
want to risk that just so I don’t have to pay interests? So we had new tires
put on her car that day and again agreed we’d figure out a way to pay for them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;">A few days later my wife received a phone call from the
office manager of her doctor who told her that nearly a year earlier we had
overpaid on the birth of our son and they had a reimbursement check for us. My
wife said I’ll be right there. She drove up to her doctors office that day and
picked up the check and the amount of the check covered the costs for the new tires
we just purchased for her SUV. God was saving the money for us again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;">Yes, God has always taken care of our needs and sometimes
even our wants.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;">I don’t want to make God and tithing out to look like a slot
machine. I don’t believe in the give to get theology.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;">Yes, God has provided for us, but you know what the greater
blessing has been. Through our obedience in tithing God has given us freedom
and has increased our faith.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-size: large;">Money doesn’t own us
and money doesn’t provide for us. God is our provider. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;">There have been times the Lord has stretched our money and
when we tried to put it on paper it didn’t make sense. But with God it doesn’t
have to. A friend once told me that if your calculator causes you to lose your
faith you need to take out the batteries.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;">With all the other stresses in life. It is so nice to be able
to lay my head down at night and sleep without ever having to worry about
money. Yes, there are financial surprises in life, but I trust the Lord will
provide somehow and he always does.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;">As God has worked in our finances our faith in what He can
do with our stuff when we give it to Him has increased and we want to give Him
everything. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;">And we have shared with our children how the Lord has
provided and even had them pray with us over our needs as a family so that the
legacy of faith and tithing will be passed on to them as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-size: large;">Lord, thank you that
when we honor and obey you with our tithe you are faithful and provide for all
our needs and even beyond. Thank you that you give us freedom and increase our
faith. Lord, help us to share these experiences with our children and have a
testimony that will pass on a legacy of giving to future generations.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" Name="footer"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" Name="page number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;">“Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in
Jesus, but to trust and obey.”</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Jon Linebergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08737859151029160637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4536297019378159489.post-79441604947066392712015-06-09T14:18:00.001-07:002017-12-24T08:22:56.892-08:00Through a Glass Darkly<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5063" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5062" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">Through a Glass Darkly: A Eulogy for Pastor John Petty</span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5061" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5060" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">by Dr. Phil Lineberger, Senior Pastor, Sugar Land Baptist Church</span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5059" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5058" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">Tuesday, February 15, 2011 at Trinity Baptist Church in Kerrville, TX</span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5064" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
</div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5065" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1433884283468_3661" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">John Petty and I were wonderful friends through the years, he was like a son to me really. I’m old enough that he could have been my son. We spent a lot of time together. We were recently with each other at the Baptist Children’s Convention of Texas. I knew John was struggling. I called him and said, “Let’s go to the convention”. He said he didn’t want to and I said, “Neither do I but let’s go anyway”. I flew down to Harlingen and met him. We rented a car, had some good Mexican food, and some good time together. I tried to encourage John as best I could.</span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5065" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1433884283468_3663" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1433884283468_3662" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">There is an overwhelming sense of loss in John’s death. John Petty is gone. He’s not going to come through those doors anymore. He’s not going to bring his bible up here anymore to preach anymore. He’s not going to baptize anymore.</span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5067" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5067" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5066" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">John Petty is gone. But he is just gone physically. He’s still here. When Jesus’ disciples came to the tomb they were told, “He is not here, He has gone on ahead”. John has gone on ahead, but he is still here. He’s here in Kelly. He’s here in Davis. He’s here in Mara. He’s here in his mom. He’s here in his siblings. He’s here in his friends. He’s here in this church. His life and his influence will be here until we are all gone and we’re together again. This is the hope of the Christian faith.</span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">The family has asked me to talk a little bit about some of what John was going through. Patrick asked the question, “Why is John gone?” All of us want to know, “Why is John gone?” We can’t answer all of the whys. Paul wrote in I Corinthian’s 13:12 in the New International, “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part and then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known”. The King James Version says, “For now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face. Now I know in part but then I should know, even as I am known”.</span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5069" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5069" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5068" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">We can know in part. And this is the part we know. John suffered from a terrible illness that we label depression. It is called a time defying sadness. It’s unlike the sadness that you and I, in the normal sense, have when we are sad and then we are glad and then we get over it and then we go our way.</span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">Depression is a time defying sadness. Depression speaks a language of its own known only to those who are depressed. Currently, some 19,000,000 Americans suffer from chronic depression. That’s 1 out of every 15 people in America. In fact, depression is the leading cause of disability in the United States and abroad for people over 5 years of age. Depression, we’re told, may be the biggest killer on earth. It claims more lives than war, cancer, and AIDS together. Twenty-eight million people in America, 1 out of 3 Americans, are on some kind of medication to try to handle this terrible, terrible darkness, time defying sadness, and confusion of mind and emotion.</span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5071" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5071" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5070" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">Depression speaks a language of its own. A persistent and anxious emptiness. A feeling of hopelessness and pessimism. A sense of guilt and worthlessness and helplessness. A loss of pleasure or interest in things that were once extremely enjoyable. Restlessness, irritability, insomnia, early morning waking or oversleeping.</span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5057" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5057" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5056" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">The scriptures refer to depression as “the plague that destroys at midday” Psalm 91:6. Even in those days, in the days of the Old Testament, people would be observed at the height of their career or the greatest time in their life being extremely sad or confused or disengaged. And so the writers would say it is a plague or demon that destroys when the sun is highest at the midday.</span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5073" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5072" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">The question is often asked, “Is depression a reality for Christians and how does one know if depression is really a reality for him or for her?” Depression is both ancient and universal. In fact, those who study it, doctors and psychiatrists, tell us that depression is the most common emotional problem in America. It has risen to immense proportions. No one is immune to it. It is not a willful fault nor is it a sin.</span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5055" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5055" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5054" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">Why did John go this way? Why did he choose this? He didn’t. The choice was being forced upon him by an overriding and overwhelming darkness. It is not a willful fault nor is it a sin. It is a signal that something is wrong. It is a signal that we need help and we need hope. It is not a disgrace. Some of the world’s most sensitive people have been susceptible to depression. When you read history you read people like Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Tolstoy, Abraham Lincoln, and Winston Churchill who suffered serious depression. J.B. Philips, the author of The New Testament in Modern English, suffered serious depression. Harry Emerson Fosdick, one of the greatest preachers of the last century, suffered depression. Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the great English preacher, struggled with depression to the point that he had to take two or three months off every year to deal with it. In 1866, he told his congregation of his struggle. He said “I am subject of depressions of spirit so fearful that I hope none of you ever get to such extremes of wretchedness as I go through”. He explained that during these depressions every mental and spiritual labor had to be carried on under protest of spirit. Depression knows no educational, cultural, or financial boundaries. Depression causes people to lose pleasure in daily life. From the scriptures, we find that leaders like Moses and Elijah, Job and Jeremiah suffered from depression to the point of wanting to end their lives. Elijah’s miraculous victory over the Prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18 (NIV) is followed in the next chapter with Elijah despondent and trembling with fear. The Bible says, “Elijah was afraid and ran for his life and when he came to Beersheba in Judah he left his servant there and went on a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors!” The scriptures refer to that kind of depression as demonic. Job cried out in Job 3:24-26: “For sighing comes to me instead of food, my groans pour out like water. What I feared has come upon me, what I dreaded has happened to me. I have no peace, no quietness. I have no rest. I am only in turmoil”. It is very difficult for us to understand. We don’t know why, because depression has a language that only those who go through it understand.</span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5053" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5053" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5052" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">Andrew Solomon, some years ago, who suffered seriously from depression, wrote a book entitled The Noonday Demon taken from the scripture. He said, “Depression is the flaw in love”. When it comes in, it degrades oneself and ultimately eclipses the capacity to give or to receive affection. It is the aloneness within us made real. And destroys not only connection to others but also the ability to be peacefully alone with oneself. If good spirits, some love themselves and some love others and some love work and some love God. Any of these passions can furnish that vital sense of purpose that is the opposite of depression. In depression, the meaninglessness of every enterprise and every emotion, the meaningless of life itself becomes self-evident. The only feeling left in this loveless state is insignificance.</span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">I want you to know about your pastor. Depression is emotional pain that forces itself upon us against our will. You heard these men who have known John Petty since he was a youngster, bright, intelligent, fun and fun-loving.</span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5051" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5050" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">I can remember him when we went to Israel together and we came to the Dead Sea. He said, “I have always wanted to float in the Dead Sea”. I said, “John, you can’t sink. Here, take this cigar and Bible and go float”. And I took a picture of him floating on the Dead Sea. If you know anything about the Dead Sea it stinks like a dead sea. When he came out he could have knocked a cat off a fish wagon with the smell that was on him.</span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5051" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5051" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">So you cannot understand how someone like this could come to a time like this. Ordinary grief is depression in proportion to circumstance. Depression like John had is grief out of proportion to circumstance. It been described as a tumbleweed distress that thrives on thin air, growing despite its detachment from nourishing earth. It takes time to develop in one’s life as it did in John’s. Every second of being alive hurts. We don’t know that if you don’t suffer from this kind of depression. You don’t know that.</span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5049" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5049" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5048" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">The first thing that goes in major depression is happiness. You cannot gain pleasure from anything. I think of this wonderful church, and I think of these wonderful friends, and I think of the John as a sportsman, and I see this beautiful family. And it does not make sense that John could not be enormously happy except that depression had taken over his mind and will. Soon all other emotions follow; happiness into oblivion, sadness as you have known it, the sadness that seemed to have led you here, your sense of humor, your belief in a capacity for love. Your mind is leached until you seem dimwitted even to yourself. Eventually, you are simply absent from yourself.</span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5075" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5074" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">The Bible says we see through a glass darkly. We don’t know how dark the darkness is in someone who is depressed. Through the darkened glass they can’t see the light of life or the love of others. They can only feel the pressure of the darkness of despair in their own mind. That darkness is visible to them and often invisible to us.</span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5077" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5077" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5076" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">Tragedy always leaves unanswered questions. Always. None of us are exempt from the troubles of life. All of us are left with unanswered questions when these troubles come. Even people, those of faith, who have the promises of God that all will be OK in the world to come cannot help experience anguish in this one.</span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5079" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5079" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5078" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">Christ himself was a man acquainted with grief. The apostle, Paul, faced many troubles and unanswered questions. That’s why he uses the word now twice and then twice. Now unanswered, then we’ll know.</span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5081" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5081" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5080" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">When a tragedy like this happens, the first question that comes to us is, “why?” We can see no reason for it. We’re overwhelmed by the mystery of it. Jesus Himself asked the question on the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” In this tragedy, it seems as if God had forsaken John.</span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5083" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5082" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">John had given his life and energies to serving God. Why then had God forsaken him? Why had God not taken away this darkness and despair? But God had not forsaken John. God was going through this hour with John. God was where we could not be. He was in and with John during these tragic moments leading to his death. Only those who suffer from depression can know the pressures and problems John endured. We don’t know how many times he came to this precipice and walked away. We don’t know how many battles he fought successfully before he lost this one. Life puts more pressure on some than others.</span></div>
<div id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_4910" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
</div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" dir="ltr" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5085" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span class="yiv7804222880" style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="yiv7804222880" dir="ltr" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5085" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span style="color: white;"><span class="yiv7804222880" id="yiv7804222880yui_3_16_0_1_1433882728837_5084" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;">Today, we remember the good person that John was and all the good things he did with his life. These will not be blotted out nor forgotten by this one final, tragic act.</span><span class="yiv7804222880" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;"></span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="yiv7804222880" style="color: #313131; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
Jon Linebergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08737859151029160637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4536297019378159489.post-48936973015675435672015-05-24T22:12:00.001-07:002015-05-24T22:12:38.502-07:00Just Called to Talk<div class="MsoNormal">
A few weeks ago I received a call on my cell phone while
sitting at my desk in my office at work. The caller ID read “Home” and I
answered anticipating to hear my wife on the other end. However, it was my
five-year old son saying, “Hi, daddy.” I jumped in the conversation with “Hey
big dawg, how was your day?” “Good,” he replied. We went back and forth a few
times and then I paused giving him an opportunity, because I assumed he was
calling to either ask me if he could do something or buy something. After a short silent pause I asked him a couple of more questions about his day and then
paused again, giving him another shot at asking for my permission for whatever
it was he wanted to do.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After a few moments of silence I said, “Luke, did you call
me because you wanted to ask me something or did you just want to talk to me?”
He replied, “I just wanted to talk to you.” Oh man, my heart was touched. At that moment he could have asked me for anything and my answer would have
been “yes” because he just wanted to hear my voice and talk with me.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On my way home from work I was reflecting over the call I
received from my son earlier in the day, feeling both loved and proud he was my
boy. Then it was like the Lord gently said me, “When was the last time you spoke
with me, not because you wanted to ask me for something, but just because you
wanted to speak with me?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
How much more would a God who owns all the cattle on a
thousand hills want to bless me out of His abundant riches if throughout the
day/week I prayed to Him not because I wanted to ask Him for something, but
just because I wanted to talk with Him?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>259</o:Words>
<o:Characters>1480</o:Characters>
<o:Company>Prestonwood Christian Academy</o:Company>
<o:Lines>12</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>3</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>1736</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>14.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thank you, God for using children to teach me what is most important in life. "...Let the little children come unto me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these" (Matthew 19:14).</div>
Jon Linebergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08737859151029160637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4536297019378159489.post-64706526518540565402014-12-31T06:37:00.000-08:002014-12-31T06:37:46.738-08:00Sustaining Christian Education<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Upon
receiving the Zig Ziglar Servant Leadership Award from Prestonwood Christian
Academy, Franklin Graham said “Christian education is the last great wall in
America.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In 2014 we saw increased liberal attacks on Christian
education, both higher education and K-12. I’m afraid these attacks will
increase, but that should only strengthen our resolve to take a stand for Jesus
Christian and Christian education. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There are many ways you can help Christ-centered educational
institutions. The most important and powerful way for you can make a difference
is to pray for Christian colleges/universities and K-12 programs. Pray that God
will give His wisdom to the leaders, teachers, and support staff at Christian
educational institutions. Pray for God’s hand of protection over our Christian
schools. Pray that our Christian schools will not give in to cultural and
social pressures that are contrary to Scripture and that they will remain
faithful to the teaching of Jesus Christ. And pray that the students will gain
a deep understanding of God’s word and develop a sincere relationship with
Jesus Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I recently heard that in the next 30 years there will be 2
types of Christian schools: 1) those that are endowed and 2) those that are
closed. Another way you can make a difference is to make a financial gift to a Christ-centered
educational institution. Establishing and giving to endowments at
Christ-centered educational institutions is a great way to ensure your donation
will give in perpetuity and the Christ-centered institution will continue to
teach the truth of Jesus Christ for years to come.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>297</o:Words>
<o:Characters>1696</o:Characters>
<o:Company>Prestonwood Christian Academy</o:Company>
<o:Lines>14</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>3</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>1990</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>14.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Let’s make sure there are more endowed Christian schools
than there are closed 30 years from now. Join me in
making a gift to a Christ-centered educational institution.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Jon Linebergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08737859151029160637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4536297019378159489.post-29744726689782253492014-06-25T11:12:00.000-07:002014-06-25T11:12:01.911-07:00Exactly What I Needed <span style="font-size: large;">I was 20 when I made a decision to fully follow Jesus Christ. My
friends and girlfriend at the time weren’t ready to make the same
decision for their life. After a couple of weeks of falling back into
old sinful habits, I knew I needed to get myself away from these friends
who were a bad influence on me. Otherwise, I would never become the
person God wanted me to be.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV) says, “Do not be misled, bad company
corrupts good character.” I needed to begin surrounding myself with
sincere Christians that would help me and encourage me to live a
Christian life.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">It was lonely for a while because I didn’t have a lot of Christian
friends, but I knew who I hung around in college would determine who I
would become over the next few years. Did I want to go back to the
person I was before Jesus changed my life? Or did I want to rise above
and become a better person in Christ? I had the desire to become better,
but unless I put myself around others that were on the same mission as
me, striving to be more like Christ, I may not get there.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">Over the next few months I did begin to develop some Christian
friendships. Including a guy that was in BYX at Texas A&M. He told
me about BYX and I was impressed. While on a campus visit to Houston
Baptist University that summer, I noticed a BYX flyer on a bulletin
board and was excited to know HBU had a BYX chapter. I called and left a
message for the president of the chapter at that time and he called me
back and told me about the chapter.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">After I moved on campus that fall, I decided to go through Greek
rush. I was exposed to several secular fraternities and was almost
persuaded to join one of them, but I had been to their parties and knew
that if I joined this particular fraternity I would fall right back into
the lifestyle Christ had saved me from. There was a part of me that
said “you can be a witness to these guys if you’re a member,” but I knew
the likelihood was greater for them to pull me down than for me to pull
them up so I didn’t pledge.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">That next spring I pledged BYX, and it has turned out to be one of
the best decisions I have ever made because I built God-honoring,
lifelong relationships in BYX. I don’t have to look back on my days at
HBU with regret because I put myself around great people. I saw how the
secular fraternities negatively influenced some of the men who went
through Greek rush with me. One of the guys that I would have been a
pledge brother to was kicked out of the school for some of his actions.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">I’m not saying my brothers in BYX were perfect. We all had our
struggles, but we were trying to get better and helping one another out.
We are all in this Christian life together. We need brothers we can
count on and look to for support, encouragement and inspiration.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="HBU Alum Blog" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-2841" height="225" src="http://betaupsilonchi.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/hbu-alum-blog.jpg?w=300&h=225" width="300" />This
recent photo (right) is of me with two BYX brothers that I still look
up to. They both had a strong impact on me while in college. The one on
the left is Justin Pankow. He was the president of the BYX chapter at
HBU when I arrived at HBU and the first person from BYX that made
contact with me. While I was not a good student starting off, Justin
encouraged me to make good grades in school. His encouragement and
example inspired me.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">On one occasion in the men’s dorm computer lab, which was notorious
for viruses, Justin was on one of the computers and an inappropriate
image popped up. He quickly turned his head and jumped up out of his
seat. We looked to his monitor to see why he jumped up and someone
closed the image on the computer.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">It was actions like this that made the rest of us look at him and
say, Justin is a man of God. He made a covenant with his eyes. Some
people may not have been shocked by the image, but because Justin worked
to keep his mind pure he had not become desensitized and was shocked.
This is the type of person I needed to be around and model myself after.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">On the right is Ross Shelton. Ross was another man I looked up to
both spiritually and academically. He became president of HBU’s BYX
chapter after Justin graduated. Ross and I also became roommates and his
good habits rubbed off on me.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;">“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” -Proverbs 27:17 (ESV)</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">Both Justin and Ross inspired me to be a better student and
Christian. I thank God for these men and I thank BYX for giving me the
opportunity to meet them and build a relationship with them. This is
what BYX is about; brothers unifying to grow in faith, character, and
Christian leadership. I didn’t see these qualities among the leadership
of other fraternities on campus.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;">“Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!” -Psalm 133:1</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">Please don’t get me wrong, BYX wasn’t like living in a monastery. We
had a lot of fun, some of the most fun I’ve ever had. In fact, I’ve had
more fun living my life for Jesus than I ever did trying to live for and
please myself. But I didn’t get in trouble and I never had to deal with
guilt or shame after hanging out with my BYX brothers.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">My point is that BYX attracts and helps develop men striving to
follow Jesus Christ. If you are a college student wondering what group
to join look no further. You will never regret joining BYX. If you are
an alumnus, grateful like I am for having had the opportunity to be in
BYX, find a way to support your chapter and promote BYX by posting
stories of your experience on social media so others will know about the
great fraternity and impact of BYX.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">*I wrote this post for The BYX Blog posted on June 9, 2014. Here's a link:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">http://betaupsilonchi.wordpress.com/2014/06/09/alumni-spotlight-exactly-what-i-needed/ </span>Jon Linebergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08737859151029160637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4536297019378159489.post-77930513140846533902013-08-28T12:51:00.001-07:002013-08-28T12:53:00.534-07:00Top 10 (Plus 5) Reasons to Earn a College Degree<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267"> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267"> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style> <![endif]--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">There are plenty of reasons why you can’t achieve your dream of earning a bachelor’s degree, but you only need one reason why you can. Focus on that reason and don’t allow negative thoughts to steal your future. Five years from now you’re going to be five years older, with a degree or without. If earning a degree is one of your goals do something today towards making it happen. Go after your dream! You will have the rest of your like to enjoy the benefits.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Top 10 (Plus 5) Reasons to Earn a College Degree </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">(In no particular order)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1. </span><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bucket List</b> – Earning a degree is a personal goal lifelong goal and you just want it for self-satisfaction.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2.</span><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> Set an example for your kids</b> – Great reason. Studies show that children will either meet or exceed the education level of their parents. If you want your children to value hard work and an education model it for them.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">3.</span><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> Reinvent yourself</b> – Perhaps you are tired of your current career or lifestyle and want to make a change. One way to do that is to earn a degree in a new field.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">4.</span><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> Earn a promotion at work</b> – I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been told by different adult students that they are back in school because they were passed up for a promotion for not having bachelor’s degree and someone younger with less experience was given the position because they had a degree. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">5.</span><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> Build confidence</b> – There is a certain level of confidence gained once you’ve earned a degree that money can’t buy you. The satisfaction of knowing you accomplished this great milestone in life and no one can take it away from you. This intangible benefit will spill over into every area of your life.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">6. </span><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Gain respect</b> – People that earn a bachelor degree share a mutual respect for one another and those that don’t have a degree admire those that do. Additionally, one reason employers look for applicants with a degree is that they know degreed applicants have the perseverance it takes to stick with a goal through to completion and stick-to-itiveness is a characteristic worthy of respect. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">7.</span><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> Expand your mind</b> – Challenging yourself at an educational level will help develop your mind to deeper levels of thinking including the esteemed ability to think critically.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">8.</span><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> Prepare for unknown opportunities</b> – While we may not know exactly what the future holds for us we should always be preparing for the future. Abraham Lincoln wisely said, “I will prepare and one day my chance will come.” We might not be able to see what doors could open up for us if we prepare, but we never will if we don’t.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">9.</span><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> Expand future choices</b> – Without a degree your choices and opportunities will be limited, but with a degree your entire life could change by the opportunity of one additional choice. You never want to live with the regret of - if only I had completed a degree 10 years ago I could take advantage of such and such opportunity today. One of my favorite quotes is by an unknown author and reads, “The future is that time you’ll wish you had done what you aren’t doing now.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">10.</span><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> Build a larger network and increase resources</b> – Not only will you meet people in class that may become lifelong friends and even professional colleagues, but you will forever be a part of an alumni network of an academic institution and enjoying the benefits such camaraderie affords.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">11.</span><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> Have more control over job opportunities and your life</b> – A degree will give you more control over what type and level of job you are able to interview for and can open the door for jobs in a specific field or industry for which you lack experience.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">12.</span><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> Stretch yourself</b> – Discover what you are able to accomplish and push the limits of your threshold. You can increase your mental and physical perseverance when faced with scholarly and rigorous academic adversity. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You will be amazed at what you can achieve when stretched.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">13.</span><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> Separate yourself from competition</b> – Make yourself more marketable and desirable to potential employers. All things being equal the applicant with a degree will get the job.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">14</span><span style="font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">.</span><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> Recession Proof</b> – While a degree does not provide complete immunity during a recession, you may survive a layoff given that those without a degree are typically the first to go.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">15. </span><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Become a professional</b> – Occupations as a lawyer, doctor, psychological counselor, university professor all require graduate level education. The stepping stone for such careers is the bachelor degree. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">If you’re an adult looking for a flexible degree completion program I recommend <a href="http://www.dbu.edu/professional">DBU’s College of Professional Studies</a>.</span></div>
Jon Linebergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08737859151029160637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4536297019378159489.post-46414736245633698402013-08-26T11:47:00.001-07:002013-08-26T12:25:38.615-07:00Shake Your Booty at Satan<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267"> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style> <![endif]--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Praying with my children every day is one of my greatest joys in life. It’s a commitment my wife and I made early in our parenting. Each night before bedtime we read from the Bible and then get on our knees as a family to show our reverence for Christ and take turns voicing a prayer to God. My middle child demonstrated great insight last night in commenting that “when we get on our knees and bow our heads to God we show our booties to Satan and when we pray it’s like we shake our booties at Satan.” Well, Satan sure doesn’t like it when we pray to Jesus so when we get on our knees in prayer I guess it kind of is like mooning Satan. I’m not sure that’s Biblical, but I think it’s good theology for a 7 year old and we should all practice it more.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you’re not praying with your kids each day you are missing out on one of the biggest blessings you could ever experience. You get to hear the tender hearts of your children expressed in prayer to the Lord and you will learn a lot about what is going on in the life of your child. You will learn about their struggles and what they are most thankful for. There have been times my wife and I have been so touched by the precious sweet prayers of our children that we get choked up and teary eyed. On other occasions we’ve been so tickled by some of their innocent yet humorous remarks and struggled to contain our giggles. We’ve also come to understand what Jesus meant by a childlike faith and some evenings feel we learn more from our kids than we’ve taught them. Maybe sometimes the prayers God enjoys hearing the most are the honest prayers of children. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you aren’t spending time each day praying with your family I want to encourage you to start today. Starting a prayer time doesn’t have to be perfect. Trust me, I know evenings can be a crazy time trying to get your kids ready for bed. Some nights it’s a victory if you can just get them all in the same room. Keep in mind that conditions don’t have to be perfect and you can always come up with an excuse as to why you should start tomorrow. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Just start today and make praying together a priority for your family each day. Don’t worry or get frustrated if your kids get distracted or the prayers are perfect. I can promise you they hear everything and there prayers will develop as their faith matures. Just do your best to model for them what a prayer should sound like. Likewise, don’t be afraid if your prayers aren’t perfect. You prayers will also develop and deepen over time. If you’re not sure where to start begin with the model prayer Jesus left us with in Matthew 6:9-13. The important thing is that you’re spending time together as a family praying and helping your children develop a relationship with God. Before long praying with one another will seem very natural and through praying together as a family you will see your child's confidence and security increase. So start shaking your booty at Satan today!</div>
Jon Linebergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08737859151029160637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4536297019378159489.post-66985002267780135932012-04-25T04:33:00.001-07:002012-04-25T08:50:37.441-07:00Do you know what they're going through?<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wow, it has been almost two months since I released my book
and I have gone through a cyclone of emotions. My family and I were having
dinner at some friends’ home one Saturday night back in March and I was asked “What
is your book about?” I was a little standoffish in my response. I wasn’t
intentionally trying to be rude (so sorry if you are reading this and realize I
am talking about you), but as strange as it may sound I am a little embarrassed
to talk about my book; mainly because of the content. I’m not ashamed of Jesus Christ or the work He’s done in my life, but it is humbling to tell
people what a mess your life was at one time without the Lord. I wish I had the
testimony of Tim Tebow to talk about, but unfortunately I didn’t make the good
decisions he did growing up.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since the release of my book I’ve had<span style="color: #262626;"> a good phone conversation
with the assistant principal that called me into his office my senior year and in
front of my parents told me I would have to leave Carroll High School. I also
had lunch and a good hug with the head football coach that kicked me off the
football team (he paid for lunch). </span>I’ve had to relive a lot, but both
encounters were such a blessing. <span style="color: #262626;">I could write a book on why I wrote this book.
And I could probably fill a book with all the addendums I would like to make to
this book after publishing it. (I can visualize one of my editors shaking his
head in a yes motion right now.) Which is really ironic because the first time
I tried to write my book I only wrote 20 pages and wondered how I could write
anymore or anything else. Now I feel like I can’t write enough. There is so
much more detail to some things I talked about that I wish I had added. So much
more explanation that some statements I make deserve. And I could probably
write another book answering all the questions I have received about some of
the things I've said in this book. I guess that is why a lot of people end up
making changes in their 2<sup>nd</sup>, 3<sup>rd</sup>, etc. editions (Which I
plan to write). I’m not sure if I will ever fully be able to say all that I
want to say, but I’ll keep on trying. It has taken me years to get to the point
to share the stories that I was willing to share and included in this book. For
the most part, I actually completed this book about two years ago, but I just
wasn't ready to put it all out there. I had a lot of fears holding me back. One
of my fears related to how some of the things I say in this book could affect
my kids. Another one of my fears was how this might affect my current and
future employment situations. (Both legitimate fears.) However, I’ve had this
burning inside of me, which has grown over the years and is especially more
intense when I am in church or in the car meditating on the Lord. The burning
was the feeling that I had to share my story because there are people that are
probably like I was silently struggling with their pain not knowing how to deal
with it or even if there is hope for them. I got to the point were it doesn't
really matter anymore what people think of me as long as I can help the ones
that really need help. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since releasing the book few people have told me that
they didn't know all of that was going on in my life. Even some of my friends
didn’t realize all that I was struggling with. I would say only a close inner
circle knew how bad I was, but even they didn’t know some of the deep dark
secrets I struggled with. (Praise God that He freed me from all of that and
that I do not have to live in that deep dark pit any longer.) The first time
someone said to me that they didn’t know all that I was going through I thought
to myself "Really, it wasn’t obvious to everyone that I was a train
wreck?!" I guess in some ways perception is reality; whether my own or
someone else's.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #262626;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #262626;">Another one of my other fears was that people would began to talk about
all my sins that I didn't share in the book and bring up more dirt on my, but
it has been quite the opposite. People have been really supportive (thus far),
which has been a pleasant surprise. (Except for when my sister called and
reminded me of a story I excluded.) The comment about not knowing all that was
going on in my life does make me think, how much is going on in the lives of
people all around us that we don't know about. How many people are hurting or
struggling with painful challenges and we are clueless about them. They could
be our friends, coworkers, or even family members. I guess we all put on a
front at times and hide what's really going on in our lives. I know that when I
was in high school my insecurity caused me to put up a front. Many times I’m
sure that front came across as arrogance. Along with that I was pretty much living
a double life. I learned to show up on Sundays and look like I was doing the
right thing, but then acted completely different in other situations. Sometimes
it was even more complex that. Many times I sincerely wanted to do the right
thing and tried to, but then when I placed myself around the wrong type of
people or put myself in the wrong situation I wasn't strong enough to resist
temptation. I'm not trying to blame anyone else. I still made my own decisions.
Sometimes it was just that I gave in to my own lustful and selfish desires. There
were two particular vices I had that began to control my life and as much as I
wanted to quit them at times I didn’t have the strength to. (That was part of
the problem, I was trying in my own strength to quit and not in God’s.) As sins
began to mount, guilt set in, depression took over and the cycle continued
(sin, guilt, depression – sin, guilt, depression – sin, guilt, depression).</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #262626;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All this to say that we, I’m including myself here, need to all
be better about checking on people around us. We need to let people know that
we sincerely care about them. We need to sometimes ask the tough questions. In
some cases, and when appropriate, we need to be more transparent with our own
lives. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If we were all a lot more open and honest with each other about what is going on in our lives we would probably be a lot nicer and more encouraging to one another. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Facebook is a good example of how we all put on a front. Most people
post pictures of themselves on exotic vacations, at fancy restaurants,
attending premier sporting events or some other type of experience which causes
us all to envy their life. I’m guilty of this myself, but those pictures are
not reality. Most people aren’t going to post pictures of their terrible day at
work, their last argument with their spouse or child, or a miserable
disappointing experience. Recently, some of my psychologist friends have told
me there is a new phenomenon entering the counseling field. It is depression
associated with Facebook. People look at all the fun stuff their friends are
doing and wish they themselves had a better life or that everyone around them
is experiencing a better life than they are. The truth is we all have ups and
downs. Life is not always easy for any of us and we all need help from others
at different times in our lives. Before the day is up call someone that is on
your heart just to check on them and see how they are doing. Your sincere
concern and encouragement could make a key difference in their life. </span></div>
<br />Jon Linebergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08737859151029160637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4536297019378159489.post-3056835746823577892012-02-23T05:03:00.000-08:002012-02-23T05:03:17.972-08:00Don’t Worry About What Others SayIf you are feeling discouraged by what someone has said to you or about you, thats understandable. Words sometimes do hurt and people can be mean. Constructive criticism is useful, but comments aren't always intended to be constructive. If you can learn something by what they say, great. If not, move on. Don’t worry what "friends" think or say about you. It doesn’t matter. Don't let people get you down. If you believe God has a mission for your life and you are following Him stay focused and remain faithful. If Noah had taken the time to worry about what his friends thought about him building an ark out in the middle of the desert, he would have drowned along with them. You will always have critics. It’s a fact of life. Not everyone is going to like you nor will everyone appreciate the work God does in your life. <br />
<br />
In John 15:18 Jesus is recorded as saying, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.” Jesus also tells us in Luke 6:22-23, “Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.” <br />
<br />
When people insult you or say bad things about you because of Christ just count it as stripes for Jesus. <br />
<br />
After committing my life to Christ there were some people in my church that talked negatively about me. They said the change in my life wasn’t real. I don’t necessarily blame them. I was a young Christian and made some mistakes. I had a lot of maturing to do as a believer and still do even today. However, I don’t think they’re talking now. There may be Christians you know that make similar accusations about you. Don’t worry about them. Just continue to do what you know is right.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, the truth is there will always be the doubters and people will say things behind your back or maybe even to your face. Let God handle those people. After the prodigal son came home and was shown love by his father, the prodigal son’s brother became angry and spoke negatively about him (Luke 15:11-32). <br />
<br />
Insults and gossip may begin with people you may least expect, like a close friend, a family member, or an employer. A minister may criticize you or talk falsely about the work God is doing in your life. You may not be able to do anything about others' attitudes so don’t allow them to bother you or get you down. Keep doing what you know is right. God’s blessing on your life is not dependant on what your friends, your boss or others say or think about you. Focus on what it is that you need to do. Don’t fall off course or allow others to discourage or distract you. There is a reward for those who remain faithful to the end.Jon Linebergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08737859151029160637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4536297019378159489.post-3776895463060105052011-12-23T20:48:00.000-08:002011-12-24T08:12:54.688-08:00How's Your Reception?<div class="MsoNormal">My father recently purchased one of the new iPhone 4 smartphones hoping to now have a superior communication device. However, he has grown increasingly frustrated with the poor reception and number of dropped calls he has experienced since using the new iPhone 4. While he and my mother share the same service provider my mother’s phone, albeit just a regular non-smart phone, gets significantly better reception than my dad’s iPhone 4. After taking the iPhone 4 up to the storefront where my dad purchased the mobile device a sales representative informed him that the thin metal band which wraps around the iPhone 4 is responsible for the poor reception. He then added that Steve Jobs knew about this problem before releasing the device, but liked the way the metal band astatically looked on the iPhone 4 so he insisted on keeping it. After doing some simple online research of my own and even watching a demonstration on YouTube I discovered that if a user’s fingers touch the metal band wrapped around the iPhone 4 the bars representing the signal strength can drop from 5 down to 1. Apple has realized this mistake and plans to make a change in the new iPhone coming out later in the spring.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This scenario reminded me of times in my life that I have allowed sin or other things to interfere in my communication with God. Instead of removing those things from my life that I knew were not good for my walk with the Lord I insisted upon them because I either liked the way they looked or felt. I placed my will, what I wanted, above God’s will, which is what was best for me. I allowed my own desires to come between me and my relationship with Jesus Christ. To get right down to it I knowingly chose to limit my “reception” with Jesus because I wanted my own will over His. Ultimately, this has and will continue to cause me a lot of frustration in life, just like the thin metal band has caused frustration for so many iPhone 4 users. If I want my “reception” and communication with God to increase I have to make the conscious decision to do what is best by removing those things that I know are causing interference, confess my sin(s), and ask Jesus to forgive me. Doing so will not only restore my "reception" and enable me to avoid a lot of frustration, but will help me achieve God’s will and plan for my life.</div>Jon Linebergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08737859151029160637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4536297019378159489.post-52664584020994150812011-12-16T04:38:00.001-08:002013-05-27T13:20:33.286-07:00Since When Did Anything Else Matter Except For The W?<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tim Tebow has faced a lot of adversity over the years as an athlete and a Christian. I can remember watching the ESPN “Faces in Sports” documentary on Tim when he was in high school titled “Tim Tebow: The Chosen One.” At the time he was being recruited by almost every major program in the country. Tim actually almost committed to The University of Alabama before deciding to play for Urban Meyer at Florida. He is an intense competitor and this season with the Broncos Tim has, on more than one occasion, brought his team back from behind to win. Come from behind victories are not new to Tim. During Tim’s senior year at the University of Florida I had an opportunity to attend a game with my dad at The Swamp in Gainesville. Florida was playing the University of Arkansas. From the start of the game it looked like Arkansas would win. They scored fast and had a good lead. The Gator fans that filled stands were almost completely silent then at the start of one particular possession Tim walked out on the field to lead his offense. As he did he turned to the crowd and waiving both arms in an upward fashion much like a choir conductor would to motion his choir to stand, the crowd jumped to their feet and cheered. The roar of the crowd was so incredible that it still gives me goose bumps today just thinking about it. On that possession Tim marched the offense down the field and scored. The momentum changed in Florida’s favor and after several more successful offensive possessions Florida came back and won the game.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The X's and O's were not as important as </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">the team's chemistry, camaraderie, and mind-made-up determination</span> in the Gator's win over Arkansas and behind it all was great leadership. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tim seems to have some intangible qualities and God
given gifts which help him lead his teams to victory. There is
something about Tim that is infectious to all those around him. </span>When Tim is in the game his teammates believe they can win and play sold out every down knowing and believing that if they can stay in the game Tim will find a way to win.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Like many other sports football is a team effort, but there is no doubt Tim Tebow makes an impact wherever he goes. The impact Tim makes far exceeds the playing field though. Currently there is a pending bill in the Alabama State Legislature named “The Tim Tebow Bill.” This bill was presented to allow homeschooled children to play sports for local schools. For a few this bill is somewhat controversial, but controversy is also not new to Tim. After Tim’s final year as a college athlete the NCAA established a new rule dubbed the “The Tebow Rule” which banned players from writing messages on eye black intended to help shade the eyes from glare. This is a result of Tim writing scripture references on his eye black each game. Recently a new term has been coined, “Tebowing.” This term is used to reference to the action of kneeling on one knee to pray as Tebow does before and during each game. The term originated as more of a mockery than a praise, but admires have begun Tebowing as a fun way to show respect. I’m sure Tim will continue to have an impact on pop culture whether he wins or loses, but for now his team is winning.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As a starter for Denver Tim is 7-1. Pretty good, especially when you consider that prior to his draft many NFL scouts and analyst were predicting Tim would play as a tight end or in some type of slotback position because he didn’t have the technique “required” to play as a quarterback in the NFL. Tim didn’t like that idea. He told team owners and coaches that he wanted to play quarterback and that they were going to have to prove to him that he couldn’t play quarterback in the NFL before he would play any other position. So if a team wasn’t going to draft him as a quarterback they need not draft him at all. I really like that about Tim. He is one of the most determined individuals I’ve ever seen.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After a disappointing loss to Ole Miss in 2008, Tim made his famous promise and pledge speech to reporters on national TV which is now engraved on a plaque at the University of Florida. Tim kept that promise and led his team to a National Championship that season. That whole season Tim seemed to will his team to some hard fought victories. But after that season ended skeptics of Tim and even some of his fans didn’t think his iron will and fierce determination would be enough in the NFL. That attitude could be changing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">While Tim’s first start this season resulted in a win, critics argued that his throwing motion and technique were lacking and gave a pessimistic career outlook for him. Tim’s next start resulted in a very ugly loss and this time no commentator held back on their negative comments or criticism of Tim’s style. I remember watching a sports show and listening to what sounded like the demise of Tebow’s career as a quarterback.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The following week Tebow got another win and sports analyst said, “Yeah, but…” The next week another and the next week another. Soon Tebow was 4-1, with three victories in a row. Now people were starting to talk more positive. I even heard one analyst on ESPN stick up for Tim when his co-host counterpart dogged Tim’s throwing technique by saying, “Since when did anything else matter except for the W?” (“W” as in Win). Tebow’s technique may not be perfect or the “best,” but the last time I checked no points were added on the scoreboard for style.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Since when did anything else matter except for the W?” That night as I went for a walk I thought more and more about that comment, particularly as it relates to life. We are not promised life is going to be easy. Even as a Christian I have found life extremely difficult to face at times. People can be mean and circumstances can be difficult. We will most likely get scratched and bruised along the way. Our technique may not look so good and life may get pretty ugly at times, but when we come to the end the only thing that matters is the “W.” John 16:33 quotes Jesus saying “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Also quoting Jesus, John 15:18 says, “If the world hates you, keep in mind it hated me first.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you are experiencing a difficult time in life don’t give up. Don’t throw in the towel. Hang in there, work hard, and keep moving forward even as challenging as it may seem. Your life may look more like a come from behind victory than a triumphant blow out, but remember that God hasn’t asked us to be perfect just persistent. Stay focused, stay in the game, play every down sold out knowing that when you get to the end of life all that matters is the “W.”</span></div>
Jon Linebergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08737859151029160637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4536297019378159489.post-91154703172632796162011-08-26T03:58:00.001-07:002011-12-16T10:49:17.242-08:00You Got Your Mind Right?<br />
In 2 Corinthians 10:5, Paul encourages us to take charge of every thought to the obedience of Christ. Contrary to what some may say, positive thinking is Biblical. You might even say that God invented positive thinking. <br />
<br />
Philippians 4:8-9 says, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Also, Proverbs 23:7 says, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he” (NKJV). Julian of Norwich, in her book Revelations of Divine Love wrote, “For of all the things our minds can think about God, it is thinking upon His goodness that pleases Him most and brings the most profit to our soul.” <br />
<br />
God wants us to think optimistic and uplifting thoughts because He knows whatever we focus on we will become. Actions follow thoughts. As you think, so will you act. If you want to be positive and happy, you have to think positive and happy.<br />
<br />
The difference between thinking positive thoughts as a Christian and in other worldviews is that in Christian positive thinking Christ is at the center. He is the reason why you choose to think positively, whereas the secular model is a “self-help” technique with the self at the center. Christ is the only reason anyone can have hope and the only reason we can be positive. Self-help methods are egocentric and the self cannot save. Instead of an egocentric mentality our attitudes should be God-centric with Christ being the reason for our positive thoughts. Charles Spurgeon, a Baptist preacher who lived in London in the 1800s, said, “The greatest enemy to human souls is the self-righteous spirit which makes men look to themselves for salvation.”<br />
<br />
Frank Minirith, M.D. and Paul Meier, M.D. wrote a book titled Happiness Is a Choice. The 200-plus-page book has a lot to say, but the premise is that you can be happy if you choose to be so. If you opt to be depressed or upset, you will be depressed and upset. If you decide to worry all the time you will only stress yourself out. Matthew 6:27 (NIV) says, “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”<br />
<br />
If you choose to focus on the good, and to think and meditate on things that are positive, you will radiate a positive disposition, and people will want to be around you.<br />
You can choose to think about all the bad in life or you can decide to think about all the good in life. If you select to focus on all of your problems, people will most likely not want to hang around with you. After all, who wants to be friends with a grump? <br />
<br />
You can focus on what you can’t do or you can focus on can do. Either way your outlook, attitude, and overall demeanor will resemble your thoughts. How you think coincides with how you feel and vice versa; there is a direct correlation. If you want to feel better, think better. In essence, happiness is more a state of mind than a set of circumstances. I’ve heard it said that happy people don’t have the best of everything; they make the best of everything.<br />
<br />
Clinical psychologist and author Dr. Henry Cloud said, “Happy people set limits on what they will and will not allow in their lives.” If you don’t want to be negative, don’t allow negative people or things in your life. Likewise, if you want to be positive, place positive people and things in your life. Put friends around you that will speak truth in your life. Don’t waste your time hanging around people that are always putting you down. Negative people feed off of each other. Instead of hanging around people who tell you how dumb you are, put yourself around people who will encourage you and say positive things about you. Hang around people that will build you up. Most people will live up to or down to the expectations of others. If you want to be good put yourself around people who expect you to be good.<br />
<br />
There are a lot of things in life you can’t control. You have no control over who your parents are, what your age is, your skin color, whether you are born male or female, but you can control your attitude. <br />
<br />
You can choose to be a positive thinker. If you want to be a winner you’ve got to think like one. If you want to be successful you’ve got to see yourself as a winner and no longer a loser. 1 Corinthians 15:57 says, “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our LORD Jesus Christ.” <br />
Don’t focus on your failures, focus on what you want to achieve.<br />
<br />
Jesus has already paid the price for us as believers to be victorious over life. As I began to see myself the way God saw me, as a winner – and not as the person I use to be—my life began to pick up more momentum. Consider the message of the following poem (anonymous): <br />
<br />
Watch your thoughts; they become words. <br />
Watch your words; they become actions. <br />
Watch your actions; they become habits. <br />
Watch your habits; they become character. <br />
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.<br />
<br />
In their book Telling Yourself the Truth, William Backus, Ph.D. and Marie Chapian, Ph.D. discuss what they have coined as Misbelief Therapy. This brand of therapy encourages clients to take on a new way of thinking. Some people get stuck in negative thoughts, which over time becomes a cycle in which the person is trapped and thinks pessimistic thoughts all the time. The authors suggest that clients break the habit of negative self-talk by speaking truth into their lives. Some examples of thought pattern changes listed by the authors include the following:<br />
<br />
Instead of thinking “I am dumb” think “Thank you, LORD, for giving me intelligence.”<br />
<br />
Instead of thinking “I am unattractive” think “Thank you, LORD for making me attractive.”<br />
Instead of thinking “I have no talents” think “Thank you, LORD, for the talents you’ve given me.”<br />
Instead of thinking “I’m lonely” think “Thank you, LORD, for the friends I have.”<br />
Instead of thinking “I am miserable” think “I’m content.”<br />
Instead of thinking “I’m poor” think “Thank you, LORD, for making me prosper.”<br />
<br />
Proverbs 15:15 says, “All the days of the afflicted are evil. But he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.” Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”<br />
<br />
It’s not always what happens to you; rather it’s your reactions to what happens to you that make the difference. Many times the situation that you may think you are in is not reality, but your misbelief of the situation. Instead of allowing yourself to be afflicted by negative thoughts, be grateful for what you have. In other words, quit your “stink’in think’in” and choose to be positive.Jon Linebergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08737859151029160637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4536297019378159489.post-85474656244262103132011-07-17T20:19:00.000-07:002011-12-16T14:31:25.022-08:00Where is God?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">God is there, even in the midst of uncertainty and even trouble.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I would speculate that most people have experienced a difficult time in their life and wondered where God was in the midst of their trying set of circumstances or if God had forgotten about them, or why He didn’t intervene in their time of trouble.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My wife has given me permission to share this story. A few years before she and I got married, my wife had to have back surgery and was told by the doctor that she would have to remain flat on her back for at least six weeks to recover. During her recovery she quickly used up what little sick and vacation time she had accumulated in her short tenure with a small company. She then had to start taking time off without pay. Her employer ended up letting her go.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">She was very upset, lonely and depressed. In that moment she began asking God questions like, “Lord, where are you in all of this? I had to have back surgery and now I’ve lost my job.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">While she believed her back injury occurred while on the job she didn’t pursue any wrongful cause on the company’s part because she really just wanted to be done with it all. I won’t go into all the details, but the company she had worked for was not a good environment to be in and some of the employees were not positive influences in her life. Even still, it was difficult for her to lose that job especially when she was hurt and didn’t have another job to step into.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">During her recovery and time away from work however, she began to spend more time in God’s word, meditating on Scripture and going through a Bible study. Her relationship with God and faith in Christ was strengthening with each day.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A few months went by before she approached a temp agency to find some work so she could pay her bills. She took a series of tests to measure various skills and, while she had a degree from The University of Texas at Austin, she was offered only a temporary secretarial position. The temporary position however, was with a Fortune 100 international company and she was paid more in that position than at the smaller company from which she’d been let go. She worked hard at her new job and was appreciated and </span><a href="about:blank" name="_GoBack"></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">recognized for her performance. Within nine months she was hired on full-time and given a raise with full benefits. The next year she was promoted and accepted into a two-year management-training program and rotated around in various departments within the company to gain more experience and a bigger picture of how things operate. With that opportunity her income doubled! A few short years later she managed a project and led her team, even as the youngest member, to receive the company’s Excellence Award, which is the most prestigious award within the organization. She was flown to the company’s headquarters in New York with her team and presented the award. (Knowing she was a UT grad the company also gave her two coveted tickets to the Texas vs. OU game that year.) She felt on top of the world.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Where was God when she underwent back surgery and was let go from her job? He was there all along; allowing her to go through difficulties because he knew what type of character it would produce in her. God had to remove her from that unhealthy environment to take to her a better place. God was protecting her from bad influences and used that situation, as painful, lonely and confusing as it might have seemed, to teach her to rely completely on Him.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Throughout Scripture we can read of story after story of how God used tragic circumstances to mold and shape the lives He used. It should be no surprise to us then that when He decides to use one of us He may take us through some difficult times.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Imagine being Joseph as recorded in the book of Genesis. Here’s the short version: One day Joseph is the favored son and the next day his brothers sell him into slavery never to be heard from or seen again. Joseph probably thought his life was pretty much over. He would never see his family again and would now be forced to serve at the pleasure of his master. Joseph had to get to a point where he would have to rely on God completely. God also wanted to build character in Joseph’s life and teach him some lessons along the way, mainly, lessons in humility. Joseph continued to trust in God, work hard and he was eventually elevated to second in command of all of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself. Through the wisdom God gave him, Joseph was able to save the people of Egypt from a great famine. Later when Joseph was reunited with his family, he forgave his brothers, telling them, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Most likely we will never experience being sold into slavery like Joseph, but many of us may go through a time when we wonder if God is even aware of our hardships. What do you do when you find yourself in one of these situations?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If you are going through a tough time right now, trust in God and continue trusting in Him. Stay faithful to Jesus Chris and believe in His faithfulness to take care of His children. Look for the good in the midst of the situation and try to discover what God may be trying to teach you or even protect you from. It may sound silly, but along with prayer regarding your situation, begin to praise God in the midst of all your trouble and acknowledge His sovereignty over everything. When you do you will be amazed how the anxiety you’re feeling will begin to shrink.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Dig into Scripture and meditate on God’s word. Even if you’re not sure what to read, don’t procrastinate, just open up your Bible. I am always amazed at how often I seem to find stories in the Bible that I can identify with. God’s word not only teaches us how to live, but encourages us through our difficult times. It’s one of the ways God communicates with his people.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Keep your head up, move forward and continue to work hard. Growing up I once heard my father say “There’s nothing unspiritual about hard work.” You never know who may be watching you and observing your work ethic. Even if no one else sees you, remember that God is always watching and it is our Lord that ultimately rewards us. No employer or person could ever give you what God can.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If you’re not experiencing such a circumstance look for the opportunities to minister to and encourage those who are going through a difficult time; they are all around you.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">*I wrote this post for the July 2011 edition of Frisco Style Magazine and is printed on pages 76-77 (</span><a href="http://digital.turn-page.com/title/4248"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">http://digital.turn-page.com/title/4248</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">). </span></div>Jon Linebergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08737859151029160637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4536297019378159489.post-35934013231682399012011-07-02T09:40:00.000-07:002013-05-26T19:34:23.078-07:00You're In My Seat<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Just after my wife and I were married we decided to support Buckner’s Shoes for Orphan’s Souls program. A few months after making our first donation we were invited to attend the annual R. C. Buckner Founder’s Day dinner held at a fancy hotel in Dallas. We were excited and felt privileged to be invited to this event.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the evening of the dinner we dressed up in our finest attire, doing our best to appear sophisticated. When we arrived at the hotel and checked in we were told that we could sit in open seating. As we entered the banquet room it was filled with who’s who. I wanted to get as upfront a seat as possible so after saying a few “hellos” I walked my wife all the way to the front row. I noticed there was no name on the table so I sat down and took a sip of the water at my seat. Moments later a middle aged man walked up to us and informed me that we were sitting at his table reserved for his family and that he was being honored that evening. How embarrassing? I had just taken a sip from the guest of honor’s glass. Immediately my mind went straight to Luke 14:7-11 which says,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When he [Jesus] noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Each time I go to a banquet I am reminded of that embarrassing event and of Luke 14:7-11. On most occasions and unless I have an assigned table or seat I will now try to wait until everyone has sat down and then fill in at an open table (not wanting to repeat that embarrassing moment). Not every time, but sometimes as a result of waiting I’ve ended up at a much better seat than I might have picked out on my own.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">One great example happened to me during this last 82<sup>nd</sup> Texas Legislative Session in Austin. I was attending a luncheon and was subject to open seating. I waited until everyone at the luncheon had found a table and sat down. While I was still in the doorway entering the banquet room someone asked me where I was sitting and when I told them I had not yet found a seat they invited me to sit at their table. Would you believe I was invited to sit at the head table on the front row along with a state senator, two state representatives, the two guest panelist, and two senior level executives (one from a fortune 100 and one from a fortune 500 company)? As the program portion of the luncheon began the state representative I sat next to went up on stage to make a few opening remarks and introduce the guest panel. During his opening remarks he mentioned me by name and the organization I was with.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As I sat there I thought this is exactly what Jesus meant. Don’t try to exalt yourself by rushing to sit in the best seats. If you do you just might get humbled when you’re told the seat was meant for someone more important than you. Instead humble yourself by allowing others to choose a seat before you do and allow God to exalt you. I learned a great lesson the hard way, but I’ve also experienced the reward of doing it God’s way. Please don’t get me wrong, I’m definitely not holier than thou and I’m not saying that every time you humble yourself at a banquet you will end up with the best seat in the house. (It hasn’t always happened that way for me). But I will confirm that God’s word is true. James 4:10 says, “Humble yourself before the Lord and He will life you up.”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">ADDENDUM: </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A few months after I posted this blog I was at a luncheon and didn't have an assigned seat. I was standing in the back talking with a County Commissioner and he was about to head toward his seat when he asked me if I had a place to sit. I told him that I did not, but that I typically just wait around in the back for a seat if I'm not invited to a table. (The Governor of Texas was speaking at this luncheon so the room was packed.) The County Commissioner pointed out the only remaining seat in the room which was on the back row so I made my way over to it and sat down. I was literally the last one in the room to take a seat. I sincerely enjoyed visiting and getting to know the people at the table I was sitting at. Then the Governor walked into the room and stopped at my table and introduces himself and starts a conversation. Crazy. It was the one table he stopped at before making his way to his table. If that wasn't enough, the media videoed our conversation and it made the news that evening. </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(See picture below. BTW - The Governor told me to stay seated.)</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/149376_10150933617599918_544511299_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="spotlight" height="195" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/149376_10150933617599918_544511299_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
Jon Linebergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08737859151029160637noreply@blogger.com