I was at Sonic tonight and had a good hour-long discussion about God's sovereignty and predestination.  I laid out a logical argument and refuted many of the person's theological conclusions.  I showed him logically why I was right and he was wrong.  However, he's still not convinced. :-)  I've had many such discussion, and every time the person I am talking to doesn't change their views.  Every time.  Why is that?  If they don't have an answer to my questions and if I can show them why their conclusions are wrong, then they have every logical reason to change their views to what I am advocating, but they don't.  This can really frustrate the heck out of me sometimes.  But you know what helps me move past it and accept people even if they don't change their views?  The fact that I know that God is the only one who changes hearts.  It doesn't matter how logical my argument is, unless God changes a person's heart to believe what the Bible says, they won't change.  God is the one who changes hearts, not me.  I leave it in His hands.  I have done my best to show people what I believe the Bible says, and now I can just leave the results up to God.  There is a reason that so many different, loving Christians have vastly different theologies.  God has a reason.  It is up to me to tell people what I think the Bible says, and it is up to God whether or not they believe it.  So if you're ever frustrated that someone doesn't believe what you believe, even though what you believe seems to make perfect sense, just relax.  God's in control, and if He wants that person to change, He's the one who's going to make him change.  

As most of you know, I have now graduated from high-school.  The next step is Bryan College where I plan on majoring in English and playing keeper on the JV soccer team.  Other than that, most everything else is up in the air.  I thought that I would spend some time just telling you what I've been thinking about recently in terms of my future. 
   First, why English?  Honestly, I have no idea what God's will is for me.  I don't know what vocation He is calling me to after college.  I've prayed for wisdom in this matter, and I've decided to major in English.  Why?  I didn't get any writing on the wall or audible voice.  However, I think God's wisdom came to me in the form how He made me.  He has given me a love of writing and a love of communication.  I also believe He has gifted me in these two areas.  Why not follow my interests/gifts?  Rarely will God give us a definitive answer to our prayers for wisdom.  Instead, we must discern how He has made us, what His Word tells us, and what doors He has opened.  Right now He has opened up the door for me to study one of Bryan College's elite majors.  This fact, combined with the others mentioned above has revealed to me God's immediate will for my life.  I have no idea how God will use this major, but I believe this is where God is calling me right now.
   Secondly, why soccer at Bryan?  I also believe God has given me athletic gifts.  He has blessed me with an athletic body and skills as a goal-keeper.  Along with it, He has given me the passion that I need to succeed at the next level.  I really don't know how it will turn out.  I know that I will have to compete for my spot on the team and that there are several keepers that are better than me.  I know that I will have to work hard and that I will be sacrificing a lot of free time to play soccer, but I think it's worth it.  Who knows?  Maybe God will show me that He really doesn't want me to play soccer.  I'm going to go for it and see how He works. 
   What else do I have planned?  I've been thinking about student government at Bryan for several reasons.  Firstly, I think God has given me leadership gifts and I think I can put these to good use in student government.  Secondly, I am very familiar with the college and how SGA works--I've had two brothers on student government.  I've been thinking about freshman president.  The president's main tasks are team vision and team leadership.  He's supposed to provide the vision for the other freshmen in student government and he's supposed to help the team bond and get along.  I think I can do this well.  However, I'm not sure if God is calling me to student government.  I know that I can use my leadership gifts without having to be in a formal leadership position.  I can lead on the soccer field and I can lead among my friends.  Also, I want to make sure that my reasons for running for SGA are good.  I don't want to do it because I feel an obligation--since both my brothers have been doing it for 6 years.  I also don't want to do it in order to gain the spotlight or make myself feel important.  We'll see what happens.  I'm not really sure yet.
   Besides these things, I plan on growing spiritually, academically, and relationally.  I have many friends who are going to Bryan with me but I have no idea where those friendship will go once we get there.  We could stay close or we could grow apart.  I really don't know what will happen.  However, I'm looking forward to meeting many new people and enjoying their fellowship.  I also am trying to figure out how to maintain my Dayton friendships while making sure that I keep my main attention on the society that I'm in--namely, Bryan College.  While I'm at Bryan, I need to make sure that my main focus is on the people there.  However, there are some relationships in Dayton that I need to keep up as well.  It will be tough, but I know God will help me do what is right. 
   Thanks for reading my long post.  I hope you now know a little better what my future looks like and I ask that you pray for me as I transition from the life that I know so well into a different setting altogether.  Thanks a bunch!