Last weekend I went camping with my friends Ben and Julia Johnson and Gabe and Elias. During the rain of the weekend, Ben and I went for a run on the trail, which followed a stream, during which we encountered many waterfalls due largely to the wet weather. During the run, we came across a snake on the trail, which I saw in time to stop and go around and continue the run. I thought nothing of it.

This morning I went for a run and during the run came across another snake. For whatever reason I did not have the foresight to see the snake in time to stop or go around, instead I did a last minute leap off the foot I planted right next to the snake. Luckily the snake did not strike me. I did not stop to check if it was poisonous, I was happy and thankful enough he left me alone and I continued my run.

Why did I see the snake the other day and not this morning and furthermore why did the snake not strike me this morning?

This may not seem at first to be a question worth pondering, but recently I watched the movie series Band of Brothers. A theme this time stuck out to me as I watched the movie. It seemed so random and chance how one man was shot or killed over another man. How one man was killed trying to drag another to safety away from enemy fire. How one man was killed by his own grenade. How one man was killed from a falling tree during a mortar attack. And the list goes on with the randomness and haphazard deaths and injuries which were unforeseeable.

Within this context of Band or Brothers and the snake episodes I thought this afternoon about the battle of good and evil, this battle for the Kingdom of Jesus in each of our hearts and in our communities. It seems so chance how family members and friends can fall into sin and depression and emotional distress for so long, without warning sometimes. And it goes deeper, fall into everything and anything other than the loving arms of Father God.
The Christians who were the best "trained" most "passionate" seemed to be swept away so easily, so quickly, so randomly.

WW II was a war that needed to be fought. Where the men who were killed and injured early in the war less of warriors than those who lasted for years in the fight? Not at all. Those that continued the fight for years felt they only continued because of the sacrifice and efforts of those that took the bullets and blasts before them.

What if we as Christians esteem and are thankful towards the men and women who go before us in the Christian journey. What if we had a day where we recognized the men and women who went before us in the Christian journey, who fell under the presser and weight of leadership, who fell in their faith journey, who fell miserably in purity, who tripped on their own pride, who succumbed to greed.

I write this post not to fix anything in the Christian system, and not to point out anyone or any flaws in it. I write this post only for those who see this thing that happens in the Christian journey and wrestle with the questions and even the pain of a close one who has taken a pit stop or exited off the highway of faith because of an injury they took to their heart or in the extreme case a spiritual death.

Keep praying for them, though I would also submit to you, God's ways are much higher than ours and I am sure of this, that God is not worried. He has a beautiful plan.

  

Every so often it all seems so clear and easy. I'm a child of God and my home is in eternity with Father God. Simple enough right?

Most times thats not the case. I find myself looking for a home in all sorts of temporary things, relationships, hobbies, work, ideas, and even spiritual experiences.

Its confusing, scary, and lonely living between two worlds. Between the present and being called into living a eternal life, and the huge gap between the two types of living.

I have two worlds inside me constantly battling and I experience the joys and the sorrows of both. Though I would gladly give up most, just for peace between the two. To be really honest at times I could not careless which side wins, I just want it to be done. Yet I know I do not grow in peace. I grow in the overcoming of one foe at a time.

I suppose most of this is my doing after all. I have been praying that Father God would move me forward though somethings in my life.  Be careful what you pray for.

My experience with life so far. Its hard. Get use to it.  In fact welcome the difficulties and face the fears. Pain, sorrow, fear, loneliness, brokenness, confusion is all going to be experienced. At least if you move towards it and receive it, you can face it on your terms. And in the end have something to show for all the battles you've won instead of standing in one place and taking hit after hit.

Home is surely not behind me, nor is it here tonight in this place. By faith, I say, home is somewhere up ahead.