I've been learning so many lessons recently from John Adams, second president of the United States. His life and his story inspire me because he is a fantastic example of what a single life can mean. Mr. Adams was not a genius, nor was he incredibly eloquent. He tended to be a little self-satisfied at times, and could be extremely blunt. Maybe that's why I learn so much from him... we're so similar!

Despite these things, though, Mr. Adams fought to contribute all that he could. As a strong Christian, he desired to present God with a life lived in fullest service to him. He aspired to greatness not to be remembered, but to be satisfied at a job well done. When finished, he didn't want to say to God, "I was the greatest proponent of the Declaration of Independence, I was the most vehemently against slavery of anyone in Congress, I was the originator of the ideas that eventually made up the Constitution, I was the second President of the United States, I taught my son in such a fashion that HE became President of the United States..." Instead, he gave an accounting that includes seeking to serve others, even when they said he was arrogant and out for himself. He pointed out that at every turn, he did the best that he knew how to do. He was prouder of his faithfulness to his wife than he was of the trade treaty he negotiated with France. Certainly, he had his weaknesses and failings. At the end of the day, though, he wanted glory for God more than he wanted it for himself.

Isn't this the kind of person we want to be? Value is found in virtue, and virtue founded in the unchanging, absolute principles of the Bible. Great men are those that seek to serve God with their talents, their resources, and their very lives. That may include politics, or it may include farming. Each is different. However, it is certain that a Christ-centered life is fulfilling, satisfying, and significant... all those things that the truly great man wishes for.

So each day, as I plod through meaningless constituent letters and copy newspaper articles, I need to see that if I am focused on that goal of serving God and not myself, anything I do will be significant, because contributions to God's kingdom are the only things that will have permanent value anyways.

Thanks for stopping by, and take a minute to e-mail me and let me know how you're doing. I love hearing from people!

Till next time.

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Refrain

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Refrain

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Refrain

Today;
1. My parents are in Ukraine.
2. My drunk housemates brought a bunch of girls over, and 12-13 people had a raucous party until 2 in the morning.
3. I still haven't connected with a Christian organization that I respect and want to be a part of.
4. I am the only serious Christian in the "zones" in which I operate each day.
5. I am worried about the results of this weekend's leadership retreat for CCF which I could not be at.

But you know what? I am content today, because God is faithful. His love doesn't change, which is a powerful thing. Despite the politicians, the reletivists, the weakness, the immorallity... his love and consistency are unshakeable. When I take the time to build off of that, and force myself to make him my starting point, I find that the world consistently embarasses itself in comparison to the creater of goodness and order. Dedicating your life to a cause isn't so hard of a thing when it is such a proven cause. I truly believe that nobody can KNOW what is true, nor can faith be enough. I believe that God calls us to make our decision WELL. A well-made decision carries both the power of logic and knowledge and the beauty of faith and hope. I look around and see the decadence of this city, and am appalled by it; but I do not fear for myself, because my foundation is one grounded both in faith and in knowledge. I love that God is so COMPLETE... he fulfills all that is good and rejects all that is evil, in its entirity. To top it off, this wonderful God cares about each soul in an individual way... in the midst of a world that is designed to make me weak, Lord, GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS.

To those who do not have this foundation, you're missing out. To those who do, be proud. Your joy should know no bounds, no matter your situation.

Till next time.

Hey Folks...

Here I am in DC! After a LONG and BORING vacation (punctuated by some wonderful highlights, thankfully), I am officially in DC and on my own. It's frustrating, I must say... despite the comfort of chatting on the phone, I really miss the emotional intimacy of relationships in CCF. Here, my fellow interns are hard-drinking womanizers... and I'm not exaggerating in the least. Still, I'm seeing the good in being here. Why?

For one thing, I'm all set for work. I still have a shot at the White House, but I've lined up an alternative even if I don't get it, so that's helpful. Congressman Rogers' office seems to like me a lot, since I know half the lobbyists in Michigan!

For another, DC is SOOOO fun. No homework, no classes, just lots of free time in my favorite city in the world. Believe it or not, today I walked over 6 miles round trip to get Vermacelli at Chinatown! Very cool, I know. It's so neat to be so close to all the sites; I'm across the street from the Heritage Foundation, 5 minutes walk from Union Station, and 10 minutes walk from the Capital. My house where I'm staying is well furnished. My room is the size of TWO MSU dorms, and I only have 1 roommate. Between the things the room came with and what my roommate and I brought, I have 3 lamps, a fridge, TV with cable, VCR, DVD, large windows, plenty of closet space, and a dresser. On top of all this, I'm already meeting people who are helping me "get to know" the town better.

Third, I've had a chance to get serious about some of my interests. I've been reading voraciously... including CS Lewis-Mere Christianity, Russell Kirk-The Roots of American Order, David McCollough-John Adams, a devotional with readings from some of the early church fathers, and of course the Bible. Not surprisingly, I'm seen as a bit of a geek (reads a lot, doesn't drink, isn't out to get laid, conservative, etc.) Still, I think that can be a good witness.

Finally, I think I'm starting to prove to myself that things will be ok in the end. I AM capable, I CAN surivive on my own without help from the 'rents, and I AM headed in the right direction. I've really been struck by some of my readings on John Adams, a guy who at age 20 was smart, ambitious, eloquent, loved reading, was a strong Christian, and was slightly arrogant... sound familiar? Even so, he struggled with whether he'd ever mean anything in life. Obviously, though, he went on to become one of the most important Founding Fathers that we had. I don't expect to reach those heights, but at least God is showing me that he can do plenty with me... I just need a little patience, surprise surprise.

Don't get me wrong... there are a lot of hard things about being here. I hate trying to cook and I'm sick of the loneliness and I'm tired of having to be careful about every detail of every relationship. I MISS CCF. Still, I think things are headed in the right direction. Keep praying for me... and feel free to call or e-mail! I really appreciate it when people take the time to call me... it lets me know that you want to stay in touch, and I'm willing to call you once in a while if you let me know you want it.

Well, I'm off to do some serious reading... have a great day!

Till next time.