Galatians 2 : 20

As promised... Here is the first vlog of this year... It covers the first half of my summer vacation...

I'm glad... It's finally... Done... I've never had so much trouble with my video rendering software... haha!!

Unfortunately... The westlin' I had to do with this sucker has gone too late into the night... I'll edit this entry tomorrow morning with an actual update on where I'm at...

Sleep well all... I know I will.

Neal

**EDIT**

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

As is the case always... God is great!

I've been realizing over the past year, that each week... Behind the classes, the corps games, and all the work and fun I've been having, that each week has a theme in life. It's almost like each week is a different class, and God is my teacher. Last week was overcoming the troubles in our lives, with our eyes on the prize, that is the salvation that God is offering us should we come to know Him (and how great it is!). Fast forward to this past weekend. Luke, James, (Two of my buddies from my Corps of Cadets unit), Emily (Luke's date), and I were up in Arlington watching the football game between our Aggies and Arkansas. My focus was completely on the game until someone behind us taps me on the back. I wish I had gotten his name, because he and the the other guy sitting behind us were both a blessing that day. He called to out attention that a girl sitting next to us was "playfully" getting smacked around by her date (and probably her boyfriend).

Fast forward again one day later, I'm sitting in church and Pastor Butch is going over Galatians 2 : 11-22 where Paul rebukes another apostle Peter in public. The overall theme of the service was, why do we refuse to rebuke in public, practices that we disagree with or know are ungodly? Because we care too much about what others around us think (in this life), than what God thinks instead. We care too much about these Earthly desires, when in reality we should be dead to this world. Paul was dead to any criticism or gossip arising out of publicly rebuking Peter. Am I dead to this world, and reborn in God's way?

Back to Saturday, we paid attention to this guy and how he was treating this girl throughout the game from that point on. I seriously was feeling more nervous about this than the score, and finally Luke had had enough and approached the guy about it. This caused the girl to step down a row of seats where Emily talked to her for a bit.

Would I have done the same thing had I of been in Luke's place? Would I have been "dead" enough to what those around me and the commotion I may have caused to have said what he did? I'd like to think so.

Anyways, he climbed down to the row she was at and talked to her for the rest of the game and before it had ended, I was telling James to get ready for a fight because Luke had approached the guy again. Nothing happened, but my heart pains for that girl who had to go home with that guy. Didn't get a name, or anything, so all we've been able to do is pray. After it had all ended and that group had left, one of the two behind us, said to the four of us, "I dunno if y'all know Jesus or not... But he blessed that girl with y'all's presence today. I really appreciate what y'all did today."

My heart soared. For someone still developing in their faith still, that was special. I hadn't even thought of it from a religious standpoint but he put it together for me. What great role-models my buddies are for me and how blessed am I to have found them through these past three years and for that guy to have brought the whole situation to our attention. Praise be to Jesus!!

Fast forward to last night at Breakaway where Ben was talking about love and relationships. My heart was pained again for that girl. I just hope she knows God, and finds strength in him. But it wasn't all sadness that stemmed from his words too... I tell you what, all this talk of the importance of the family structure and the awesomeness that God invests in a family faithful to Him has me excited for the future. What a responsibility, but what an awesome blessing it will be when it happens. I look forward to seeing that day!

God is Great! And I have to head off to class...

As always... Keep it real and live a the good life y'all,

Neal