Making a bad choice does not make a bad person

We are all human. We all make mistakes in life. Nobody is perfect not even a perfectionist. Basketball players turn the ball over every once in a while. Parents make mistakes when they are parenting their kids. Teens make mistakes and errors in judgment in their searches for identities. When someone goes down the wrong path, that person will eventually figure out what they did wrong. Everyone deserves a second chance. No one deserves disrespect or to be looked down upon just because they made a choice in life that they will regret. All people need support and care. No one person can get through life on their own. Even if you feel lonely, you are not alone because God is always with you through the good and the bad. People of this world judge by your outward appearance, but the Lord examines you inwardly at the heart.

Making a bad choice in life does not make you a bad person. When you make a wrong decision, talk to God about it because he knows everything about you and your circumstances before you even talk to him. God will never leave you nor forsake you. He is with you when you are struggling. He is with you when you are weak. For when we are weak, God is strong. He is Almighty and Powerful. He shows extreme kindness to us for a reason. God wants us to be saved, to follow him, and to share his Word with the people we meet on a daily basis. God rejoices in your screw-ups and pain because he views a mistake as an opportunity to work inside of you and bring a change in order to walk humbly and faithfully with Jesus Christ.

Do not let other people tell you that you cannot do something, and you are worthless. When you try your best, you may fall down a few times, but when you try your best and rely on God, you will succeed. God wants us to succeed. He is there to pick you up and place you on your feet. A bad decision does not make you a bad person. A bad decision is an opportunity for God to help you turn your life around and make a true difference in your life.

Do not worry about what other people think of you. Do not worry about tomorrow or the past because our Almighty, Powerful God will be his same loving, accepting self today, tomorrow, and forever. If you are hopeless right now, God will give you hope. If you need rest, God will give you rest. All you have to do is come to Jesus, and he will fill you up. You will never be thirsty again.

Jesus died on the cross to save this entire world from sin because he loved each person so much. He showed his kindness by sacrificing his life, so that every person would have the opportunity to love, know, and follow him. Jesus shed his blood so that we may be saved and spend eternal life with him. God showed mercy on us, so that we may show mercy and forgiveness to others. We are all sinners, but God sent his Son, so that we can be saved through Christ Jesus.

When we are saved, Jesus takes the burdens off our backs, breaks our chains, and sets us free. God is your friend. The only thing he wants is a holy relationship between you and him. Becoming a follower of Christ is a huge decision, and it has its rewards and benefits, but there will still be times of struggle and hurt that everyone has to go through. The tough times are what test a person's faith and trust in God. Those times help us to grow deeper in our relationship with Jesus, so that we can rely on him more.

The important thing to remember is that God is always there for you. You can talk to him when you are in pain. You can praise him in a storm. You can share about him with your friends, family, and co-workers. God is the absolute center of your life. Let him take control, and you will see his invisible qualities (almighty power and divine nature) work through you, so that you can be a light in the darkness of this world. God is your protector, your comforter, your all in all. He is your everything.

Amplify and live your life out loud for Jesus Christ. Do his purpose. Fulfill his will he has for you on this earth. God is the Rock of Salvation. He loves you, and he has a purpose for you to serve. Serve your Almighty Father. God gave you time on this earth, so use it wisely as a Christ-like example. Your Christ-like attitude and behavior can make all the difference.

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I —I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference."
--Robert Frost

What's the Next Step in Life?

In today's society, it feels like we have to be continuously moving toward a goal or a dream. We have to work hard and persevere in order to accomplish tasks, get things done, and succeed. When we finish one chapter in our lives or when we are finished with one opportunity, we are already working towards something else. We are already striving to accomplish other tasks. How do we know what the next step in life really is? How do we know what we are supposed to do? For me, these questions have been a huge challenge in my life.

I got done with high school in 2009, and I am about to enter my second year at the University of Minnesota. I have goals and dreams just like everybody else, but I am having doubts in what I should do next. I have been searching for a part-time job for several months now in these bad economic times in order to pay for tuition. I have been deeply examining myself this summer to find my true identity and my true passion. I like to write, so I have been thinking maybe a Journalism or a Scientific and Technical Communication major would be something worth pursuing. I also love math. So, I have been wondering about a mathematics major or minor.

There has been so much on my mind, especially in the last two weeks, on the path I should take in order to figure out my next move. I have also been seriously considering the military, so that my higher education would be more affordable, and I would be able to have more time to search for my identity and passion.

I do not think anybody can figure out the next step in life on their own. It takes support from family and friends. More important, it takes constant prayer with God, and that is what I have been doing. Each day, I ask God for help because I know he is listening, he will answer, and he will provide for me. God knows my future before it even happens. I absolutely know God has magnificent, wonderful plans for me.

Taking the next step is about having faith and trust in Christ Jesus because Jesus is the beginning and the end; he is the author of destiny. I should not worry because I know God will reveal his purpose for me soon enough. That is why taking the next step in life is not about how much money you can make or about how much you can accomplish in life. It is about letting God be in control. Taking the next step should be about fulfilling God's purpose in order to develop a personal, intimate relationship with him on earth.

Why do we rush to get things done? Why do we feel like time is running out all the time when we try to complete tasks? I think it is important to live in the moment. Life is fleeting. Time on this earth is brief. Our demanding schedules should not be centered around work. They should be centered around God. Our goals and dreams should serve God's purpose. His vision is the best vision.

It is important to set aside private, one-on-one time with Jesus each day. If you do not have time, make time. Jesus wants to meet with each one of us on a daily basis. Maybe, you need to wake up an hour earlier than usual. Perhaps, you like to take walks. That could be your personal time with God. God is the author of our life stories. We need him in order to have hope for the future and to have strength for the moment.

I think God has been really touching me and my life these past two or three weeks. Whatever God throws at me in this life, I am ready and prepared for the challenge to follow and complete his purpose for me. He will reveal his plans for me when he thinks I am ready. God knows everything about me. He knows my next step in life, even though I have no idea. I am just so glad I have Jesus Christ as a friend inside of me. He is working in my life, so that I may share and spread his Words with people whom I meet.

Praise God for what he has done because he is so amazing. I am so glad he came to save us. Since he came to save us, our value to God is not how much we accomplish by the end of the day. Our value to God is how much we grow in our faith. Our value or worth to God is our personal relationship with him. What is the next step in life? Ask God. He has the answers, but do not forget to thank him.

"Don't worry about anything instead, pray about everything. Tell God your needs and don't forget to thank Him for His answers." Philippians 4:6

Trials and Temptations....Praise God in the Storm...: James 1:1-18

One of the best parts of the summer months is the storms that come through. It is exciting to see the lightning fill up the sky, hear the loud thunder claps, and to hear the quiet, but heavy raindrops. Nothing fascinates me more than a thunderstorm. I like to gaze out the window to see the dark sky, flashes of lightning, and the tough, fast winds moving through the trees. Storms can also cause a lot of damage to homes, buildings, cars, and entire cities. Storms are not always a good thing, but they are a part of God's magnificent, beautiful creation. When it rains, for example, the rainbow is God's promise that he will never flood the earth again.

There are physical, literal storms in our lives, but there are also metaphorical storms happening in our lives as well. These storms are the trials and tribulations that we face on a daily basis on our Christian walk with Jesus Christ. Trials and tribulations are not necessarily bad. Most people have a tendency to get upset when something in their life is going wrong, so they may fall away from God or lose faith entirely.

God uses pain and struggle to test us and our faith. If we can stand through the storms, we develop perseverance, and we tend to grow in faith and walk more closer to Jesus in the end. A good place to look in the Bible about trials, temptations, and tribulations is the book of James. James 1:2 says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." No one says life on earth will be easy. Certainly, no one says that making decisions and choices will be simple. God tests the faith of everyone because he loves every person on this earth. He wants people to come and know, love, and follow him.

When things get hard, do not give up and turn away. Rely on God. If you try your best, you might fail because you are not leaning on Jesus. However, if you try your best and put your trust in Jesus Christ, you will never fail. God wants us to work hard. He has already prepared the work that we are supposed to (Ephesians 2:10), so that we may be ambassadors for Christ. When we get through the tough times, we have persevered and can stand victoriously in heaven right next to Jesus. Depressing years may be painful now, but the reward for perseverance is great later. For James 1:12 says, "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." Stay faithful to God and his unfailing love, and God will give you your crown of life.

It is so easy to walk away from your faith and turn away from God in the storms and in the valley because you may think God is tempting you. You may think that he does not care for you. In fact, he loves you deeply. He loves to show kindness. The storms are his way of showing kindness, so that you may have faith and believe in Jesus. Then, you will be saved.

It is also easy to blame God for the messes in life. Do not blame him. You should be thanking him. You should praise his name in the storm because he is helping you become complete, so that you may get up and walk humbly and peacefully with him some day. James 1:13-14 explains that God does not tempt you, but you are tempted by your evil desire. It says, "When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed." Before you are saved, your old self was not pleasing God. It was pleasing evil. When you become saved, you turn away from evil . You still may do some wrong because of your sinful nature, but pleasing God will be your number one goal.

The most important thing to remember is that God is always right by your side, even during the hardest, toughest part of the storm. It is all right to be afraid, but know that God is right there with you and ready to support you. When you are in a storm in your life, the best thing to do is to talk to God. God wants to help you. You must admit you absolutely need his help because you positively cannot do anything without him. For Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Through God, anything is possible. He can move mountains.

The storms that you are facing can be huge opportunities for you to draw closer to Jesus. You just have to ask God for help and for him to come inside of you. James 1:5 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." Do not be afraid to talk to God. He is your friend. He is the best listener there is. God can give you great wisdom and great understanding.

He is all-powerful to do miraculous things with your life. He is the commander of destiny and the Father of Hope for the future. God will never let go, even in the darkest of days. Therefore, Praise Him in the Storm.

Submission to the Authorities: Romans 13:1-7

What is your opinion about people in authority such as police officers, government officials, parents, and teachers? Perhaps, you do not like people telling you what to do. Maybe, you like to be independent with little or no supervision to get tasks completed. Perhaps, you feel like you need someone to keep you on track, otherwise nothing would get done.

No matter how you view people with more authority, control, and power than you, you must respect their leadership abilities. If they irritate or bother you, do not get angry or upset. If they make a mistake, do not think of yourself any better than they are because authority figures are just as human as everyone else. Also, when something goes wrong, it does not make it right to blame or point a finger at the person with power. Sure, "With great power comes great responsibility," but no one can handle a situation on their own no matter how much control or influence that person has. People need to cooperate and work together as one body to accomplish what needs to get done to make things better.

God appoints authority figures on this Earth. God knows what is best, and he chooses who will exercise authority, and he decides who will be a leader in this world. This appointment by God is evident in Romans 13:1, which says, "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established." This is saying that everyone must respect those who have authority because God chooses these people to be his special servants and to be leaders in every nation in order to help, protect, and provide for millions of people.

People we should respect and submit to might include the President of the United States, police officers, judges, pastors, and bosses at your workplace. For Romans 13:1 says, "The authorities that exist have been established by God." God placed Barack Obama as the leader of the United States, so you must acknowledge his leadership no matter what opinion you may have of him, but you should also pray for him because he is God's servant.

If you continually disobey and argue with your manager or supervisor during your work shift, you will have to face the consequences like fewer hours, lower pay, or even getting fired. This example is exactly what Romans 13:2 says: "Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves." So if you are not obeying the instructions your parents give you, you are not obeying God, and you are just bringing the consequences upon yourself for later.

Parents are the biggest authority figures in the world. One of the ten commandments in Exodus 20 says, "Honor your father and your mother." Submitting to authorities is important because there is punishment for those who do not submit like jail time for disrespecting a cop, a time-out for disobeying a parent, and getting kicked out of a class for not respecting a professor. Romans 13:4 says, "For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer." This is saying that authority figures use their leadership skills to help you, but if you get out of line when they tell you to do something, the authority figures have the right to intervene. Bad choices always have consequences.

Romans 13:7 says, "Give everyone what you owe him: if you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor." It is important to honor, to respect, and to submit to earthly leaders and rulers, but remember that God is the ultimate authority figure. He created the heavens and the earth. God has all the power and control in our lives. God commands your destiny from the beginning to the end. Submit to God, take up your cross, and follow him.

We are on this earth to serve and to honor him. We are here to do his purpose, so that we may shine the light of Jesus Christ wherever we may go. 2 Corinthians 5:20 says, "We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us." So, obey God's authority, and do not let his vision out of your sight. We are all a part of the Lord's army to serve other people, to honor and glorify God, and to share the Good News, so that the Lord's Kingdom will grow and grow.

Our daily walk and personal relationship with Jesus can only grow and develop if we are fully dedicated and submitted to him, his purpose, and his authority.

Silence: The Absence of Sound but not the Absence of God

What do you like or dislike about silence? Maybe, you do not like silence because you love to talk with friends, family, neighbors, and everybody around you almost all the time. Maybe, you do not like silence because you are not very comfortable in awkward situations. Perhaps, silence is scary for you because you are afraid of being alone, and you are insecure about yourself. If you are like me, you like to cherish moments of silence. I think of silence as an opportunity for me to do many things like talk to God, read, write, and think about life. For me, silence is one of the most beautiful things that God created for a reason in this world. In music, silence is added beauty to a composition or song. No matter how busy this society may seem, there is silence everywhere.

Experiences of silence might lead you to believe that you are depressed, isolated, lonely, and afraid. You might think and believe silence means that there is no God on the other end of your prayers. I remember I used to think like that. When I prayed, and God was silent, I thought it meant he did not care and was not listening. I thought he was telling me to handle my problems on my own. I believed that God's silence was his way of telling me to tough things out by myself. I used to believe that the only answers from God were audible and/or visible. Now I know that God's silence is his best answer for me. Silence is the best proof you have that God hears your prayers, cares for you, and will provide for you. It is true.

The best things that God gives us are unseen. The best things cannot be seen with your eyes or heard with your ears. The best example I can think of is faith. Faith is believing in someone or something that you physically cannot see or hear. According to Hebrews 11:1, "Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." This is saying that if we put our faith and complete trust in God (who is physically not visible), God will give us hope for the future through silent responses. God is not punishing you when he is silent. He is disciplining you and training you. His silence is his love for you. It brings you one step closer to an intimate, close relationship with God.

God's silence means that he has plans for you. He has a great purpose for you, and he knows you are ready to follow him and share the Good News with the world. His silence has a deep, spiritual meaning. It has a slightly different meaning for each person because everyone is unique and has a unique purpose in this world. When God gives you silence, do not get upset. Thank him, worship him, and praise his name because he is working in your life. He is so good. "By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible." (Hebrews 11:3). This verse is saying that our faith in God has allowed us great understanding of God, of his magnificent work, and of his beautiful "silences."

Sometimes his silences may be painful, depressing, and hard for you to understand now, but in the end, God loves you, and he will support you and provide for you in order that you may be one with his son, Jesus Christ, in a holy relationship. This is evident in Hebrews 12:10-11, "God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." The important thing is to not give up hope. God's silence is his way of disciplining and training us to become more like him in everything we do, so that others may come to know, love, and follow Jesus. It is his ultimate sign that he loves us. Put your faith and trust in Jesus because silence is the absence of sound, but it is definitely not the absence of Jesus Christ.

News Report about Corrective Rape in South Africa.....My Thoughts and Opinion....A possible, personal calling from God?

Last Tuesday, I was watching a program on television called, E:60, on ESPN. It was on at 6 p.m. I had just finished dinner, and I was deciding on whether to watch it or not. Normally, I do not like to watch a lot of television during the day, but I decided to sit down and watch this show for about 45 minutes. For those of you who have never heard of E:60, it is an hour-long television program where broadcasters share news stories from around the world about top headlines in sports. It is somewhat like 60 minutes on CBS, but with a sports twist to it.

The third news story that came up was about South Africa. South Africa was the host of the 2010 World Cup not too long ago, but soccer was not the main point of the report. The story was about how a broadcast journalist went to South Africa, and he conducted interviews with female soccer athletes in the black townships. Specifically, these women were lesbian, and they experienced the horrors of rape just because they were homosexual. This kind of rape is known as corrective rape. Someone rapes another person for the sole purpose of trying to change that person's sexuality.

The report was very sad. South Africa is not a safe country for people who may be homosexual because 80% of South Africans believe that homosexuality is wrong. Plus, one out of every two women end up getting raped in South Africa, which is the highest rate of rape in the world. The police do not do much to try to control the situation either. Sometimes, they do not even try to catch the suspects. The men in the townships do not care what happens to these women. Many of the men believe that a man is a man, and a woman is a woman. The homosexual women get beaten, get knocked unconscious, and some end up pregnant where they have to have an abortion because they cannot care for the child. No one would stand up for these women. The women had to step up and stand up for themselves. The journalist who conducted the interviews did a nice job of coming into South Africa, respecting the opinions and beliefs of both sides to the story, and leaving with a report that would inform the world of this terror.

I have been thinking about this news report for a couple of days now. It just bothers me that so many people do not know about this, especially after the World Cup taking place. Maybe, this is God calling me into action. Perhaps, God wants me to use my writing skills to become a journalist to inform people of what is truly happening to this world. I do not know, but I think God is telling me to use my passion for writing to make a difference in this world, to provide a light in this dark world, and to give people some perspective.

Still, I do not know if journalism is the right career path for me, but finding my call from God is going to take lots of prayer and listening to what God has to say. Maybe, God is giving me a global challenge or opportunity to help interconnect identities in an evolving world with the words and opinions I write down and share. God knows best, and I have to trust in him with all of my heart no matter where he leads me in this life. Journalism is a very tough career path for any person, but if God is calling me to my passion of writing, I am ready for the challenge. I am prepared to go the distance and embrace the future. God is so amazing in what he can do.

Here is a link to the video and news article. Just to warn you, the video might be disturbing.

Worship Testimony: An Experience that Changed My Life

My favorite part of youth group at church was going on the retreats, especially the one at Camp Shamineau in the fall. My favorite summer childhood memory was going up to Camp Shamineau for a week meeting new friends, growing in my walk with Jesus, having interesting adventures, and playing awesome night games like Wells Fargo and Capture the Flag. Camp Shamineau was my favorite place to go. It is the place where I got stung three times in a row by three different bees. This camp helped me to really examine my life, and it provided me with some challenges to bring back home in order that I may continue to develop an intimate relationship with Jesus. The best part of my camp experience was chapel because I loved to worship. There were always cool bands up on stage. I loved singing along, even though I could not sing well. I loved doing the actions and clapping my hands. I enjoyed worshipping and having a good time. My favorite part of all the retreats I went on was the worship because I loved music. I loved to celebrate and give thanks to Jesus for what he had done for me.

My love for worship started back in elementary Sunday school. At the end of my class, all of the classes would join together for a kids' worship service led by Julie Andersen, Director of Children's Ministries at my church. She encouraged us to read the bible, memorize bible verses, learn the actions to songs, and most important, to sing loud for Jesus.

After elementary school, my love for worship simmered down. The passion cooled off. It felt like my enthusiasm was disappearing. In Junior High, I started not to care. I felt like I was better by not participating or singing. I did not want to sing because I did not know what other people would think of me since I could not sing well. I did not want to embarrass myself. Every time I tried to worship in Junior High youth group, it felt like everyone else was being "filled with the Holy Spirit," and I was being left out. When I tried to worship, I always crossed my arms, my attitude was negative, and I could not wait until it was over because I started to turn away from God, lose faith, and not rely on him anymore. When I prayed, it did not seem like I was getting an answer. It did not seem like God was listening.

I continued to attend youth group in junior high because I had some great friends I liked to hang out with on Wednesday night like Josh Gross, Kyle Terhark, and Quentin Cross, but I was deeply struggling in my walk of faith with Jesus Christ. I had an I-do-not-care attitude inside of me.

Obviously, that is not where I am today. Let me tell you about an experience that changed me. In 11th grade, I went on this winter retreat in Upsala, Minnesota, with my church. I met a lot of new people. I spent time with some old friends. I just had a blast playing broom ball, sliding, drinking hot chocolate, and watching the talent show. I came into the weekend with a negative attitude. I did not care about the weekend and would be happy when it was over. I did not believe that God had the power to bring a change in me. I did not have the faith to believe that God could give me a second chance, hope, and a renewed life.

During worship, I crossed my arms, sang softly, and ignored the words. During meals, I did not talk to anybody, and I tried to sit by myself. During free time, I spent my afternoon playing a little bit of broom ball and carpet ball, but other than that, I was alone taking pictures, thinking about my life, or just not really doing anything. No one noticed me. It was like I was invisible for most of the time. I felt lonely, depressed, and hopeless.

Then, it was Saturday night, and I saw something incredible happen to me. My youth pastor, Jeff Dexter, did something different. Most of the chapel time was dedicated to worship that night. At first, I had that I-do-not-care attitude again. Then, I realized everyone around me, and I felt alone. Then, one of my friends, Tom, put his arm around me, and he started to pray with me. I asked myself: How can someone like me with a negative attitude be so lucky to have a friend who cared about me that night? I began to cry. For the next ten minutes, while the music continued, I talked to God. When my friend put his arm around me, I found strength, hope, and lots of love. I talked to God like he was my best friend. I had tears of joy running down my cheeks because I renewed my faith and trust in him.

After talking to God for about ten or fifteen minutes, God filled me with the Holy Spirit. I was sitting in the corner of the room, but I began to listen carefully to the words of the songs. One of the songs that I still remember from that night was called, "You Never Let Go," by Matt Redman. Then, I began to sing the words, and my voice got louder and louder. I did not care what other people thought of me because during that entire experience, the only two people in the room were me and Jesus. It was amazing. This was around 10 p.m., and I was not even tired. I was energized with the Holy Spirit.

Towards the end, I stood up, and I put my hands up in the air, and I just had the best time with God. I saw the change in me. For the rest of the weekend, I had an open mind about activities, I had a positive attitude about the retreat, I listened and talked with so many people, and I had so much fun. Certainly, that night of worship goes in my top ten favorite moments of all time.

Today, I love to worship. I listen to KTIS and the REFUGE on the radio in my room and every time I am in the car. I love the special one-on-one time I get with God to praise his name. I do not care what other people think of me when I worship, even when I am clapping off the beat or when my voice is out of tune. I give it all to Jesus because he gave his life to save the world from sin. Worshipping God is not about how well you can sing. It is about how well you connect with Jesus. It is about submitting your entire life to God and letting God take control.

What is your opinion about worship? Let me leave you with some bible verses about worship:

I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders.
--Psalm 9:1

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship.
--Romans 12:1

Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.
--Exodus 34:14

But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.
--Psalm 59:16

Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his footstool; he is holy.
--Psalm 99:5

The Pilot of My Life: Jesus, Take the Wheel

I believe in destiny. I believe that life is all planned out for us the minute we are born. There is a reason behind the choices we make, the things we do, and the people we meet. Kofi Annan, the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations, once said, "To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who you are and what you stand for, where you want to go and why you want to get there." Life is a series of choices. Make the right choices, and you can be satisfied with yourself, especially the path you took to reach your final destination. If you make the wrong choices in life, you can end up with more regrets and with more questions than answers.

Life choices are difficult to make. You have to think each situation through carefully without jumping to conclusions. In life, the answers are not spoon fed to you. You have to search deeply sometimes through others who you encounter and sometimes through the quietness and loneliness of yourself. There are moments in life where it is okay and acceptable to feel lonely and be alone. Our toughest challenges that we overcome tend to define us as people. No matter who we are, we all face troubling, depressing, and challenging times that push us to the limit where we find ourselves on a balancing tight rope act wobbling our way through the uncertainties of life.

We should not have to worry about anything that comes our way. I know that God will provide for me if I learn to trust in him with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. God is the Almighty, the Creator of Life, Prince of Peace, Wonderful Counselor, and Rock of Salvation. He will always care for us no matter how far we stray from the path, no matter what bad things we have done, and no matter the circumstances in our lives right now. Do not worry about the future. The future is the present. The future never comes. Tomorrow never arrives. Yesterday was history, and tomorrow will always remain a mystery.

The most accurate way to start predicting the future is to start making it happen right at this very moment. What you do in the next five minutes can very well be what defines how your life turns out to be in the next 10 years. The next phone call you make can change your plans forever with one simple task of asking for forgiveness. Whatever you do, just do it. It may be meaningless to you now, but the simple jobs you accomplish now may have a huge impact on your future later.

Get involved in any way you can. Reach for the opportunities, and the dreams are limitless. Make your life worthwhile. Be yourself. Enjoy life to the fullest, and do not let other people get you down. Life is too short to worry about the little things. Have some fun, and do not forget to laugh. Laughter is the perfect medicine for the soul. Always look for ways to brighten someones day. If you are in a good mood, your friends and family around you will probably have good moods as well.

Try new things. Learn new ideas. Stop trying to spend and waste energy on proving what you already know. Start spending valuable time learning ideas, information, values, and concepts that you do not comprehend or do not know about at all.

If you try your best, you cannot fail. If you do not put effort into the activities you take part in, you do not learn the value of determination to achieve success and greatness. In general, you should always live your life to the extreme because you do not know when your time is up in this world. Live your life like you are going to die tomorrow. You only have one life to live, so you might as well make the most of it. I do not have any clue on when I am going to die, but when I do, I want to be able to say that I did what I had to do in this world. When I die, I want to be able to look at my life as 100% complete. I want to say that I did my job, I served my purpose, and I helped as many people as I could.

Life is like a parking meter. God puts coins in the meter, but he does not tell us how much time he has allowed us to stay on this Earth. When the parking meter expires, it is time for us to go. Life is the most precious thing that God has given to me. I cherish it with my family he has put me in and with the friends he has given me.

God is in complete control of every aspect of my life. God is the pilot of my life. He steers me to wherever He wants me to go. I thank Him everyday for His mercy that He shows me when I screw up, and he always shows me his unfailing love, even during troubling times. Do not be afraid to make mistakes. Mistakes are all part of the learning process. In order to have life experiences and adventures, I have to be able to make mistakes, I have to be able to embarrass myself, and I cannot care of what other people think of me.

There is no place for quitters in this world. I always have to tell myself "impossible" is not in my vocabulary. The word "impossible" has no meaning or definition. It is just a reason for someone not to try. Also, I should not be afraid to make mistakes because there are always occasions for second chances. I have to believe that I can turn my life around when situations get tough. I know that God loves me so much that he always shows mercy and forgives. He is always there for me, giving me hope, strength, and courage to face each day.

Each one of our lives is unique. We will all go down different pathways meeting new people and new opportunities. It is important to remember God is in control. God is the leader of our lives. So, it is important to get to know him throughout the course of your life. That is my ultimate goal: to live for Jesus. Jesus created us. He deserves our eyes and ears.

God is good. He cares so much for you that He died on the cross to save this world from sin. God wants to be your friend. He wants to talk to you and listen to you during prayer. God knows everything about you. He knows the number of hairs on your head, and he knows your entire life. God is your road map. God wants to help you and develop an intimate, close relationship with you. All it takes is five minutes of unrushed, quiet, and meaningful time with Jesus in a private place. Meet with Jesus today. He is the future of tomorrow.

God's Word: Why do we seek knowledge?

Throughout this summer, I have been digging deeper and deeper into God's Word. Every time I wake up in the morning, I have this thirst for knowledge to get to know Jesus Christ and who he really is, so I can walk by his side in a close, intimate relationship. When I read what God has to say, honestly, I pay less attention to the facts and little details and more to the overall spiritual message that I can apply to my daily life. God's message for us is homework for the soul. It is how we improve our relationship with God's Son, our relationship with others, and our passion for wanting to get to know him more each and every day.

It is so easy to read the Bible for our own personal gain. What do I mean by this? Reading for our own personal gain means many things. When you read the Bible, you have to make sure you put God's Word into action by living out loud for Jesus. If you read the Bible every day, but you do not set a Christ-like example in this world, you gain and learn nothing. Your relationship with Jesus just keeps going around in circles. Do not read the Bible because your parents, pastor, or somebody else tells you to or because you have a reading schedule you have to keep up with.

God's Word is the greatest book you can ever read in this world. In fact, it is the most stolen book in the world as well. It is important to set aside special, quiet time when reading. When you read the Bible, you are spending special, valuable, and quality time with God. If you have a hard time finding something to read inside the Bible, let God steer your heart. When you turn to a specific page, God led you to that one page for a reason. He wants you to dig deeper into that passage because he has a purpose for you.

Digging into God's Word should not be about gaining more knowledge and wisdom than the people around you. Facts and information should not be used to show off how much you know, but they should be used to lead others to Christ and share God's Word with those who may or may not believe. You need to put what you learn into practice in the real world, so others may see your Christ-like attitude and behavior. We are all children of God. We are a part of God's family. We are ambassadors for Christ, so we must show and tell the world who are King and Savior really is.

When I read a passage of Scripture, I find it helpful to write journal entries of what I read. This technique helps me understand the overall message better because my thoughts and ideas are written out and organized on paper. A lot of the things in my journal have ended up on this blog site because I like to share what I learned from God, and I hope that I can inspire and lead others closer to Christ with my gift of writing. Also, I find it beneficial to write down key Bible verses in my journal in order to help me remember what I read for the day. Plus, many of the verses I write down are inspirational pieces of advice and important words that Jesus said. Another thing I do when I sit down and read God's Word is I underline significant sentences in a passage. So, if I read the passage again in the future, I can see what God is teaching me, and I can make new discoveries. I also use study guides and booklets to help guide my reading along, but God is my ultimate Guide.

When I read the Bible, I feel like my relationship with Jesus is good, but it can always be better. I feel more equipped to handle the realities and hardships of life. "Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."(Ephesians 6:17). I can share God's Word without feeling afraid of persecution or being crushed. God has taught me so many things this summer, but over this past year, I have felt a deeper connection with him. My faith and trust in him has grown so much, which has helped me keep my eye on his vision, his perfect will, and his ultimate purpose for me. I pray to God that he will teach me his ways each and everyday, so that I may follow him with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Reading the Bible is not about seeking knowledge for your own personal self. Reading,understanding, and seeking knowledge in God's Word is all about growing in a relationship with Jesus Christ, so that you may be a good example for friends, family, co-workers, and the strangers in this world. John 1:1 says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

The more you dig into God's Word, the more change you find in yourself. Your relationship with Jesus will be less about facts, information, rules, and guidelines. Your relationship will feel more and more like a love affair with Jesus Christ.

Taking Risks in an Uncertain World: God never lets go

How much risk do you take in your daily life? What is risk? Does this society need to take risks in order to progress and grow for a better future? Risk is about stepping outside of your comfort zone. It is about taking a chance on something that is uncertain in your life. The risk may pay off huge rewards in the end. The risk may lead to more difficulty and trouble later on. Why do we take risks? Risk-taking is what makes us better than who we are now. It is how we improve our abilities, learn from mistakes, and grow as people. Taking a risk is about ceasing the opportunity that is in front of you. It is about not being scared of the uncertainties in the future. It is about knowing that you can do all things. Nothing is impossible when you give an effort. With risk comes failure, but with failure comes another opportunity to try again and get back up on your feet.

Have you ever played RISK: the game of global domination? I have only played it a few times. The end result was I lost, or we never actually finished the game. It is a very time-consuming game. There is a lot of strategy involved, but it is also about taking risks to try to beat your friends and conquer as many countries around the world as possible. No wonder I am never good at that game. I do not know how to take risks. It is not that I am afraid of failure or rejection. It is that I have a hard time stepping outside of my comfort zone. I am shy and reserved. Also, I have a hard time making decisions because sometimes I am afraid I might make the wrong one.

Risk-taking is in the hands of God. Taking a risk means knowing that if you mess up, God will be there to pick you up and help you get back on your feet. When you take a risk, you may get rewarded. God sees your invisible deeds, and he notices them. I put my trust in God and have faith in him because he is the only one who knows that I will get through my moments in the valley. He is the only one who can get me to the top of the mountain.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil because my God is for me. Then, who can be against me? God will never let go. My relationship with God allows me to take risks and to be who I need to be in order to do God's purpose. When God calls you to do something, he chose you for a reason, and you must follow through and be obedient to him no matter your circumstances in life. When God calls, you listen. There are no excuses. There is no turning back.

Take a leap of faith and dive right in. You make a mistake, and God will be right by your side. You need help, God is ready to lift you up. You need somebody to talk to, God is just a conversation away. I think God wants us to step out of our daily routines and activities. It is important to go out in the world and have an adventure because life is fading away. Life experiences help you to help others. Your story can lead someone to Christ. Your invitation to church can put a smile on someones face and give that person a brand new hope in life. Your talk at the coffee shop can make someones day and give them a whole new purpose that they never saw before.

What will you do to take a risk and be a Christ-like example on this earth? How can you make a difference in your community, city, state, country, or world? Being Christ-like means being an ambassador of Christ and doing what Christ would do in all situations. When you go out and try to change lives, you will find that your life will change as well. Sometimes, your life changes more. Do not be afraid to live life out loud for Jesus. If you are afraid to take risks, pray to God. He has all the answers. Jeremiah 33:3 says, "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." Uncertainty is a valuable part of life because if you take a risk or a leap of faith, you can get closer to God in an awesome, intimate relationship. Risk is just God's way of telling us to have faith in him because he can move mountains and get us through the storms in our lives.

Graffiti: A work of art or vandalism?

What is your opinion about graffiti? Do you find graffiti to be a beautiful, art masterpiece? Maybe, you think graffiti is just plain wrong, and it is vandalism. Perhaps, graffiti to you does not belong in the art category at all. I tend to think both ways on the subject, but I am more on the side that it is artwork. There are actual artists in the world who paint graffiti for a living. For example, Juan Carlos Arguello (1966-1995) was a Spanish graffiti artist during "la movida madrilena." This was a Spanish countercultural movement in Spain that took place during the first years of the transition toward democracy until the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975. Juan Carlos was known for being a pioneer in Spain of the graffiti style. When you walk by graffiti artwork, it is "cool" to see all the colors mixed together, and it is interesting to see all the crazy, unique, beautiful designs that are displayed in graffiti. Part of me also thinks graffiti is vandalism. For sure, it can be. Writing slang words and gang symbols on public buildings without permission is definitely vandalism, and there should be punishment. Overall, I believe graffiti has artistic value, importance, and worth. It is a way for young people to express themselves in legal, mature manners. Graffiti is alternative culture, or you might call it counterculture. Young people just want to do something different and stand out, and plus, they take pride in the work they show off to millions of people. What do you think of this cultural phenomenon?

How do you pick a major/career path?

So, I am entering my sophomore year at the University of Minnesota, and I still do not know my major. College is tough. There are so many options available. There are so many roads and paths to take. Which opportunity do I pursue? What do I want to do for the rest of my life? These are just some of the many stressful, struggling questions that I and most college students face. The ultimate decision is mine, but I feel like I am getting no where with that decision. I know I should not worry because God will provide and knows my future, but seriously, college is not cheap.

I only have one more year left until I absolutely need to declare my major. So, what do I do? This summer, I have been doing research on three different majors that interest me: Scientific and Technical Communication, Journalism, and Mathematics. They all seem like really good fits for me. I like both writing and math. These subjects are what come easy to me and what I am good at.

Picking a major should be about following your heart, achieving your goals and dreams, and exploring a passion. Picking a major is not about the money. You should not worry about how much money you will make after college in your career. Pick a major that you enjoy because the career you choose will be there for the next 20-30 years. Do something you love and is worthwhile to you.

90% of Americans hate their jobs. In fact, most heart attacks occur on Monday morning between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. because adults have to wake up, start their week, and do something they hate doing. Money is important, but it is not everything. When considering a major, journal or ponder about this for awhile: if money did not exist, what would you enjoy doing for free? You know that you picked the right career path when you realize your passion. Everyone has unique talents, abilities, gifts, and skills (T.A.G.S.). Everybody uses their T.A.G.S. (a term used by Jermaine Davis, a very popular college motivational speaker) in different ways. Some people have the skills to be teachers, even though pay is not that good. Some have talents to be doctors, lawyers, writers, and architects. Others have abilities to be secretaries, police officers, or engineers.

If you pick a major you are really interested in, you will enjoy your time in school a lot more. Classes will be more exciting, challenging, and worth your time. You may be only in college for four or five years, but you will have a career for the next thirty or forty years. Be a part of the 10% of Americans who love what they are doing.

Once you pick a major, life does not get any easier. Some majors are harder than others. You have to work for your major and be determined so you can fulfill your dreams and goals. With college, comes sacrifice. A rule of thumb in college is that every hour you are in class, you should expect to spend two to three hours outside of class studying and doing homework. If you want to receive an A, you have to study more than than two hours. You must learn how to manage your time. Manage your time around classes and not around other activities or events.

You must have a vision of where you want to go. Helen Keller once said, "What's worse than being blind, is when you have sight, but no vision." Make a plan and stick by it. Your vision is a road map inside of your brain that tells you in what direction you are going in. Make goals and dreams for yourself, so you can have something to achieve and look forward to in the future. The time and effort you put into learning about something you love now will determine how well you can use your talents, abilities, gifts, and skills in a future career you will enjoy.

How I find blogging/writing ideas

If you have read through many of the blog posts on this website, you probably notice that I write about a wide variety of crazy, random, and interesting topics. I have noticed that too. I have written about everything from the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico to a story about my cat.

So, how do I find ideas to write about? Honestly, about 90% of the time I really do not know where an idea came from. Sometimes, I will grab a pen and paper, and I will not stop writing. I will just write whatever is on my mind. I go to the park, my room, or wherever it is quiet and begin writing down my thoughts, ideas, opinions, values, and beliefs.

Other times, my ideas come from specific sources of inspiration. If you have a hard time trying to write a paper, a blog post, or a note, listen to the lyrics carefully to some of your favorite songs. There are plenty of songs out there that have hidden, deep meanings that you can uncover with your writing. Sharing my thoughts about topics from songs has inspired me, and I hope they inspire anyone who reads them. Some of the songs and artists/bands that have inspired my writing are "Temporary Home" by Carrie Underwood, "Daylight is Coming" by Remedy Drive, "The Old Rugged Cross," and even my own piano composition, "Still With Me."

Taking clips from movies is another source of inspiration. Films have powerful messages. If they did not have meaning, no one would watch them or even make them. Everybody likes movies. Everyone has different values, beliefs, and thoughts about movies. When you walk into the theater and view a movie, each person leaves the auditorium with just a slightly different impression and understanding of the movie. I use popular movies like "Invictus," "The Blind Side," and "August Rush" as starting points for my writing when I get writer's block because one comment about a movie can start a chain of responses from multiple points of view. More important, films help discover something about yourself, especially if you can somehow relate to the film. Even though films are part of the virtual world, they can tell you some deeper meaning about life and the world around you with the messages they portray.

Another good source of inspiration for my writing is to find things in my life that might be symbolic of some idea, concept, lesson, or meaning. Symbols are all around us, especially in nature. Take a walk, and you can think of many symbols because the meanings of symbols are personal and vary from person to person. For example, climbing a mountain to me is symbolic of the difficulties, troubles, and suffering we all face in life. I think of moving a mountain to be symbolic of being able to do anything through Jesus Christ who strengthens me (miracles do happen). Start with any object or item here on earth, and begin writing from there.

By far, my biggest and best ideas come from God's Word. His word is the absolute truth. Everything you need to know about life is in the Bible. Perhaps, I will read a passage, and I will not understand it. I do not like memorizing the facts in the Bible. When I read it, I seek the deeper meanings in the words because every single word in the Bible has a purpose for being there. So, when I do not understand something the first time I read it, I read it again and again. Sometimes, I begin writing about the passage I read because that usually helps me open up new doors of knowledge and understanding of what I just read. Writing about God's Word helps me to see the bigger picture in all the areas of my life. It helps me to see the better things ahead, and it helps me to see how I can be used for God's purpose. Opening up the Bible is not about how much I know. It is about how much I grow in my relationship with Jesus. I am very shy, and I do not like to share my opinion out loud, but rather, I can open up to people with my writing, which is generally more comfortable for me. Jesus Christ is my number one inspiration for writing and for trying to become a better writer.

Writing. Anyone can write. It is important in life no matter how good you are. Writing is not about trying to receive an A on a paper. It is not about trying to write up a speech, so you can pass history class. No. It is about sharing opinions, telling stories, reaching out to people, informing about the news around the world, communicating with loved ones, and much more. Writing a letter can make some one's day when that person receives it in the mail. For me, receiving a letter in the mail is much more special than receiving an e-mail message that arrives in less than thirty seconds. You do not have to be a best-selling author or a famous musician to write. All you need is some paper and a pen.

Savor the Moment

Another thing most people do not know about me is that I am a cat person. I have three cats, and they are all blue point Siamese. Blue point just means they have blue eyes. From oldest to youngest, their names are Jewel, Snobelle, and Whitey. I do like dogs, especially since I can go on walks with them, but overall, I love cats. Sometimes, I believe that this preference might have to do with my personality. I am a very emotional person who is very shy, reserved, and sensitive inside. I am not outgoing, but rather I like silence and quiet rooms where I can think and ponder about things. I like all three of my cats, but Snobelle is definitely my favorite. He sleeps on my bed at night. He is sitting right next to me as I write this too. Every time I get home from school, I see him waiting for me on top of my desk, up on the window ledge, sleeping on my bed, or pawing at the door. Snobelle is my special cat. He means a lot to me because he helps support me, and he gives me lots of love.

More important, what do most cats like more than anything else? Well, my cat, Snobelle, loves sunlight. He loves to sit on the window ledge to get warmth from the sun that is beaming through the glass. When I see him sleeping on my bed during the summer, he always finds a spot where there is sunlight. Sometimes, I will just watch him as he enters and leaves the light. Other times, I will sleep with him or pet him. I like spending time with my cat. Why do cats like sunlight so much? I thought about this, and then I realized something interesting. Cats, in a way, are just like humans. They like to "savor the moment" in the "sunlight."

What do I mean by this? For humans, the sunlight represents the good times in life. The times we are happy, joyful, and excited about things happening in our lives right now. When we step into the "sunlight," we feel good about ourselves. Maybe, it was a great day with a friend. Perhaps, you saw your grandpa yesterday right before he died. These are the moments we have to savor when they happen because we are bound to step out of the sunlight eventually. We do not stay in the sunlight for very long periods of time. We constantly enter in and out of it. When we step out, you may feel hopelessness, lost, confused, troubled, depressed, or in despair. Do not worry because better days are ahead of you. You will find the sunlight again no matter what you may be going through now. Life is short, so cherish the time you have on earth. Cherish the friends and family you have for support. Just make sure to savor the moment in the "sunlight." When life is good, be happy. No one knows when they will die. If you wake up tomorrow, it is a good day. Savor the moment because things on this earth are temporary. Nothing is forever and time goes by so fast. Be grateful. Do not spend time worrying because everything will be all right and okay. Savor the moment.

Savoring the moment in the sunlight reminds me of the song by Remedy Drive, "Daylight is Coming." We must hold on because daylight is coming. Darkness must precede the dawn, and hope can be lost in the midst of the black skies. In the dark, dreams become invinsible, but the morning will come and burn out the night. We must hold on to our faith because the future is bright. Trust in God because he sees better days for each of one us. I never really understood the meaning of this song until now. It is somewhat hard to understand because most of the song is metaphorical and not literal. However, it is a very good, inspiring, positive song.

For people who do not like cats, you probably found my cat story uninteresting and boring, but I hope the application to the story made sense and was inspiring because it was and still is inspiring to me. Basically, our moments in the sunlight are when we are at the top of the mountain, but we have to step out of the light and go back down the mountain in order to help others reach the light. When we go down into the valley, we will be persecuted, but not abandoned and crushed, but not destroyed. The valley tests our faith in Jesus Christ, so we can trust in him. Being in a right-standing relationship with Jesus is the most important thing in this life. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.

Inspiration, Hope, Motivation....How do we inspire ourselves to greatness?

Scene from the movie, Invictus.

What inspires you to do something? What inspires you to be better than who you really are? Each day, we can always find room to improve. Nobody is perfect, but there is something in life that is worth striving for. It is important to work hard and give an effort because if you do not become better or improve, you will fall behind. That is why it is crucial to have life experiences where you can gain knowledge, wisdom, understanding, and important life skills. You need motivation.

Why do you get up in the morning? I wake up knowing that this is a new day. Whatever happened yesterday is in the past and that better things are yet to come. I open my eyes with a positive attitude knowing that I can make a difference if I try to do my best and rely on God.

What is your motivation to attend school? Perhaps, there is no motivation. Maybe, you go because your parents make you. I attend school because I like having an open, creative mind, so I can learn new ideas and concepts in order to follow my career path wherever that may go. School may not be fun. It does get tough, but do not worry about that now. The years spent in school do not start to pay off untill later in life.

There is inspiration everywhere. How does an athlete become inspired to be better and work harder in his/her sport? What about a teacher trying to explain something to a student? In tough times, it is important to find inspiration or motivation in yourself. You need to cling onto some hope that things will get better. Things will get better if you truly believe there is always a glimmer of light in your life.

When you inspire yourself to do more than what is expected, you will be surprised how much you can inspire others to do more. Inspiration comes from role models and from example setters. Inspiration comes from God. That is why it is significant to be a Christ-like example to others around you.

God gives us hope and inspiration, so that we may deny ourselves, take up the cross, and become his followers. Then, that hope and inspiration allows us to overcome barriers and achieve greatness. Finally, we can use our hope, trust, and faith in God to share the good news with the world. Inspiration starts with the heart. If you truly believe, you will succeed.

The Expansion of Tourism in Cuba Assists Cuban Hotel Workers

Globalization has a significant impact on workers in developing countries. Globalization manipulates a worker’s quality of life and standard of living positively and negatively. Tourism is a fast growing industry in Latin American countries, and it is currently helping the lives of hotel workers, especially in Cuba. Rural Cubans leave the countryside every year in search of a better quality of life in the larger cities such as Havana, Cuba. Quality of life and standard of living positively impact hotel workers but to critically evaluate quality of life and standard of living, these terms need understanding and definitions. In the article “Comparing Standards of Living in the Global Economy,” standard of living is decided by the salary a worker makes, how much a worker can buy with a salary, and by different ways to add on to a salary. The article also states that quality of life is a more general concept referring to government and communication quality, and the quality of values within a nation (1). Although some aspects of tourism can be considered harmful to Cuban hotel workers, the tourism industry has an overall advantageous impact on hotel workers’ standard of living in terms of income in Cuba because tourism can potentially create more and better job positions and education opportunities in hotels.

Cuba’s tourism industry greatly helps many hotel workers improve their quality of life because with the many jobs, many Cuban hotel workers have the opportunity to get the education and income they need. Philip Peters, Vice President at Lexington Institute in Arlington, Virginia (a libertarian, free market oriented policy institute), declares that as the tourism sector expands in Cuba, there will be an increase in the number of hotels and in the wages of hotel workers because the work place is giving workers valuable education in areas of customer service to satisfy developed country visitors (10). Peters makes an imperative point because there is a cause and effect relationship between education and income. The greater amount of education a hotel worker has the more income a hotel worker receives. So, the increase of jobs in Cuban hotels means that more Cubans are applying to become hotel employees where they receive precious teaching. The education from working at a hotel directly leads to better wages and to better job positions within the hotel.

Stephen Wilkinson, director of the center for Caribbean and Latin America Research and Consultancy at the London Metropolitan University, emphasizes that tourism has an affirmative influence on hotel workers’ incomes because the tourism sector supplies jobs and income to other Cuban sectors like the tobacco industry (987). Wilkinson’s findings are crucial because of the impact tourism has on Cuban hotel workers. When the tourism industry is on the decline, the need for unqualified hotel workers goes down. When the demand for untrained hotel workers goes down, the demand for highly skilled employees in the hotel increases because the tourism industry is rapidly emerging, and the sector cannot afford to slow down. Thus, the employment in hotels stays stable when the tourism industry declines, but the quality of hotel workers improves immensely because the employees are better qualified. Better qualification and education directly causes better income, and it is a direct cause of attracting more visitors.

The poorly educated losing income is not a negative impact because while the tourism industry is declining, other industries around it are growing. Hotel management cannot afford to keep the poorly educated for long time periods. Therefore, some employees might start to lose their pay. For example, Wilkinson explains that the tobacco industry grows with the tourism industry because tobacco sells to incoming visitors, and the tobacco boosts the Cuban economy and profits attracting sponsors from the developed world (987). Therefore, Cuba’s economic sectors can be of assistance to hotel workers’ wages when more money from attentive advanced countries is being brought into Cuba. Hotel workers can find another job in another industry to supplement the income they already have because with the quick pace in tourism, there is always a high demand for jobs in other parts of Cuba’s economy for the trained or untrained.

The role of tourism in Cuba constructively develops the quality of life of hotel workers because a larger income positively affects the daily lives of the workers, and tourism affects how much and what the workers can buy with a larger income. Selim Elekdag and Subir Lall, researchers at the International Monetary Fund Research Department, confirm that less advanced areas provide commodities to its citizens for inexpensive prices, and the monetary value in these areas is larger in terms of buying control compared to more advanced areas. Normal GDP (Gross Domestic Product) values deform the well being of a poorer region, but Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) accurately reflects what is going on inside developing areas and how developing areas are supplying globally (Elekdag and Lall). Purchasing power shows the affect of an industry on hotel workers because hotel workers in the tourism industry receive better incomes. Hotel workers receive better incomes because they have high skills for a high demand job. As a result, the workers can buy more goods in the market with their improving incomes and still have an adequate amount left to live at ease. It is central to realize what the workers can buy. When the hotel workers have better incomes, they have greater access to necessities. Thus, the workers find it easier to buy essentials like water, food, and clothing.

The uneducated are directly affected by the tourism industry because there are many important positions connected to working at a hotel that provide training and income. Most of the hotel positions are for the experienced, but the hotels supply job positions that pay adequately to the unskillful like taxi drivers and room service. Not every Cuban hotel worker has to be a manager to be affected by tourism. All hotel workers have to start at the bottom to get to the top. Elekdag and Lall report that PPP helps accurately determine the significance of tourism on wages for all positions within the hotel (Elekdag and Lall). Without the developing tourism sector, a hotel worker’s standard of living diminishes because the worker’s income deteriorates which leads to a smaller purchasing power and a smaller access to necessities. The ability to attain supplies like food is an important factor for shaping a worker’s quality of life because hotel workers have a greater purchasing power when they receive higher incomes.

Wilkinson argues that the tourism industry has encouraging impacts on hotel workers, but admits the industry has its flaws that can hurt workers’ incomes (980). Deane Neubauer, professor of Sociology at Yale University, claims that rural workers move to urban centers to find work thinking they are going to be successful and acquire wealth. When the rural workers arrive to the big cities, they find themselves living in poor, overpopulated situations. The large number of workers in cities leaves a shortage of labor and income in rural sectors (Neubauer). The migration of workers to major cities is a pattern that is happening in Cuba, and it can turn into a problem because if enough Cubans travel to urban areas to work in the tourism industry at hotels to avoid poverty, rural sectors like the sugar industry are going to lose labor and income. When the tourism industry starts to decline, there will be a surplus of hotel workers. So, the massive amount of hotel employees will be without pay which gives them a smaller income and purchasing power. The swift growth of tourism can be a curse for Cuba because the supply of workers might exceed the demand for hotel employees. Then, the shortage of labor in rural industries harmfully affects the workers in Cuba because some workers leave behind family and lifestyles in rural environments to be able to make enough money at hotels to buy rations.

Wilkinson claims that the tourism industry saves the structure of Cuba because tourism expands Cuba into a capitalist country, and he asserts the values of capitalism can be beneficial to hotel workers’ incomes. Socialist Cuban officials are being compelled to use the tourism industry as a way of opening up the economy to the rest of the world and to increase Cuba’s income to benefit its citizens. By opening up Cuba’s market, the socialist leaders of Cuba are using their supremacy of the market through capitalistic ideas (979-980). The results from Wilkinson’s article are fundamental to knowing the influence the swift pace of tourism is having on employees’ wages because Cuba has one of the fastest growing economies in the Caribbean that is intensifying. With the opening of Cuba’s market to advanced countries, Cuba is improving employment, income, and education in the tourism industry for employees in hotels.

Wilkinson reasons that tourism has its negatives, but argues it saves Cuba’s market from the failure and fall of communist values and communist Russia. There are arguments that tourism produces greater income inequalities, but the hotel workers agree that if democratic organization helps their incomes, hotel workers are for capitalistic values that help connect Cuba with other regions (981). Capitalism is a central point because the past failure of communism has left the door wide open for the tourism industry to adopt capitalistic values to help Cuba recover its industries and to help Cuba globalize and catch up with developed nations which has an immediate impact on wages and education of hotel workers. It is essential to recognize that tourists coming from developed countries save Cuba’s political system by expanding Cuba’s currency and industries to overseas sponsors. These sponsors assist hotel workers drastically.

There are two important sides of tourism on a developing country’s standard of living, but in Cuba, the pros outweigh the cons for the incomes and education of hotel workers. It is reasonable to see the industry as harmful because it leaves a scarcity of workers in rural industries, and tourism has an unpredictable future on wages. It is vital to assert that tourism is gainful to the hotel workers’ income and education. Tourism attempts to open up Cuba’s doors to the rest of the world and to globalize this emergent country in order to make this nation a successful, advanced country filled with educated hotel workers that have a lot to contribute to Cuba and the world.

Works Cited

“Comparing Standards of Living in the Global Economy” Student Reading 1.2, n.d. Web. 7 Oct. 2009.

Lall, Subir and Elekdag, Selim. “Global Growth Estimates Trimmed After PPP Revisions.” International Monetary Fund, 2008. Web. 21 Oct. 2009.

Neubauer, Deane. “Mixed Blessings of the Megacities.” Yale Global, 2004. Web. 9 Oct. 2009.

Peters, Philip. “International Tourism The New Engine of the Cuban Economy.” (2002):1-16. Google Scholar. Web. 21 Oct. 2009.

Wilkinson, Stephen. “Cuba’s Tourism ‘Boom’: a curse or a blessing?” Third World Quarterly (2008): 979-993. Academic Search Premier. Web. 21 Oct. 2009.

Temporary Home

Listen to this song before reading this post. Temporary Home by Carrie Underwood

Do you ever feel like you do not belong on this earth? Do you ever feel tired, scared, afraid, lonely, or sad in this world? I am sure everybody has felt this way at least once or twice in life. It is all right to feel lonely, depressed, or lost in the world. We are all here for a very short period of time. Nothing is permanent. Nothing is forever on Earth.

So, why do we worry? Why do we have doubts about the future? Spiritual confusion is a part of life. The only way to not be confused is to take God's hand and trust in Him. He knows what he is doing. You have to let God get you through temporary situations, even though you may not understand what exactly is happening. If we go through times of confusion and trials, we can understand what God truly wants from us.

God is always your friend. He will never let you go and never allow you to fall. He may not seem like a friend when you go through rough times, but during those rough times, God wants you to earnestly seek Him through prayer. When you seek God, He will answer you, and you will find what you are looking for. Luke 11:9-10 says, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."

It is important to talk to and to get to know your Heavenly Father because your relationship with Him is the only way for you to overcome challenges in life. It is nice to have family and friends in this world for care and support, but do not be ashamed of your heavenward glances because God is always there behind the steering wheel of life.

For some, it is a struggle to find a place in this world. Some feel like they do not belong at all and have very little hope. There is no need to worry. The only place that matters is the room God prepared for you in heaven. "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." John 14:2-3. Jesus said this in order for us to know that God is our only hope and light.

God will come and pick us up from this temporary home and will take us to His where we can spend eternity with fellow believers. "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever." 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. So, there is no reason to fear death. If you lose a loved one, just remember that the loved one is in heaven with Jesus now, and you will be with that person soon. When someone close to you passes away, it is not a sad day. That person gets to see God's beautiful face and gets to stand in His presence. The person gets to meet Jesus and be with Him forever. Life is short and temporary. You will meet Jesus and loved ones sooner than later.

Jesus laid down his life, so that this world may be saved, and we can spend eternity in our Father's House (John 3:16). For me, it will be a joy to meet Jesus when I arrive in heaven. I feel lonely and out of tune in this world, but it is a great feeling to know that God has a special place for me in His House. In this world, we are just passing through windows and doors. We may be sad, lonely, and frightened, but remember, the world is a temporary home. The final destination is eternal life in the Father's House.

There is a song by Carrie Underwood called, "Temporary Home." This song was very inspiring to me and is now one of my favorites. I love this song. Take another listen now that you have read through this passage I wrote. Here is a link to the song on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LraOiHUltak

Memorial Stones

One thing most people do not know about me is that I am a collector. I collect rocks, coins, baseball cards, school papers, piano compositions, and poetry I write. Why would someone want to collect things? Many people do not find value in cherishing certain things because they just take up space and do not last forever. I find it important to hold onto things because they serve as good reminders or memorial stones.

What do I mean by memorial stones? These stones are symbolic of events that happen in life and of memorable experiences or situations that a person never wants to forget. The symbolic memorial stones may serve as a reminder of something to look forward to in the future. They may be a reminder of a specific friendship or relationship like a bracelet or a wedding ring. The stone can be anything you want it to be really.

Memorial stones can be photographs. That is why I love to take pictures with my camera because photos can usually describe people, events, and places much better than words can. Plus, photos are easy to share and good storytellers. A memorial stone should be something that you can share with others and future generations.

Another memorial stone I have is a purity necklace. It is a reminder that I will stay pure until marriage no matter what. This stone is especially significant because when I received the necklace, I made a promise to God that nothing would happen until my wedding night.

One of my favorite childhood stones was the game ball I received after one of my eighth grade baseball games. That ball is a reminder of my hard work, effort, and the practice it took to be a better player. The ball is a great way for me to remember my accomplishment and what I did to receive and earn the game ball.

I have created blogs that serve as memorial stones of my writing. The blogs serve to show me my improvement and potential as a writer. Those blogs help me to stay focused on my goals and not to give up on my dreams.

There are a lot of memorial stones that I have not mentioned like ticket stubs, sports trophies, autographed baseballs, and even sentimental items such as antiques from grandparents.

However, I think there is one memorial stone greater than them all and that is the cross. The cross is the greatest reminder we can have. It is the place where Jesus laid down his life in order to save this world from sin. The cross helps us remember how much God really loves each and every one of us. Jesus is the living sacrifice.

Next time you go through a difficult time in your life remember the cross. Jesus suffered and was persecuted by many with insults and physical beatings just so we can be saved and spend eternal life with Him. If you are going through hardships and feel like giving up, you need to remember the cross and the ultimate penalty Jesus paid. Problems and crises in life are God's way of saying he cares about you because crises are what drive your faith forward and bring you closer to God in a righteous relationship.

When you look at the cross, remind yourself of what Jesus did for you, do not stop believing in troubling times, and be a Christ-like example towards others in order to see yourself walking side by side with Jesus Christ in a perfect, holy relationship.

If you liked reading this, check out the youtube video I attached of the song called, "The Old Rugged Cross." I heard this song for the first time this year(2010) at my church. I think this song goes very well with this blog post. Plus, I like finding songs that match up with what I am writing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CltrLsjsQl0

Bible Verses

So, I find it helpful to write down Bible verses as I read Scripture because it helps me to better understand what I am reading, and it gives me something to look back at later if necessary. I thought I would post them regularly on my blog to share with anybody who comes across this site.

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in the present age, while we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Titus 2:12-13

So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
Luke 11:9

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28

If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
Matthew 16:24

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10

If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.
Romans 6:5

Ultimate Authority of Love

What is Love?
This is such an interesting question, and I do not think there is one answer most people can agree on. I do not think there is a right or wrong answer. Most people you meet will tell you something different about love. Now, I do not have all the answers, but let me reflect on my ideas and thoughts about this topic for awhile.

Where does love come from?
In my opinion, love comes from God. God gave all human beings the ability and power to love. He also gave humans the ability to choose for themselves. Therefore, humans can choose not to love someone. Most important, love starts with God. John 3:16 says, "For God so LOVED the world..." Jesus even said in Mark 12:28-31 that the two greatest commandments are to love the Lord our God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself. So, it is clear that God brought love into this world and has the power to take it out. God loves us, so that we may love other people. God is the center of love.

Who are we supposed to love?
We should love everybody including our worst enemies. Show love to them. Show love so that you can receive love. You need to give love in order to obtain it. Love is like a Frisbee. If you throw a Frisbee, there is someone on the other end to receive it and give it back. If you show love to somebody, odds are they will accept it and give some love right back to you. When we love Jesus, we show love and care for all people. Love has no boundaries of hate, race, ethnicity, background, or what a person wears. Love is limitless. A little love can go a long ways. Everyone deserves to be loved no matter who the person might be.

What are some ways to show love?
Now, I am no expert on this subject whatsoever (just for clarification). Love can be shown through physical touch such as kissing, hugging, and giving a high five. Love can also be shown by just spending some quality time with a person. Someone can feel really loved knowing that you are always there to support and to talk to the person. Another way to express love is through positive, uplifting, and encouraging words. Write someone a note, poem, or maybe even a song. Be positive with someone and it can make all the difference. Now, there are a number of other ways to show love, but let us return to the original question.

What is love?
Love is communication. Expressing love involves some sort of action and reaction between two or more people. Love is about accepting people for who they are. If you truly love someone, physical/outward appearance should not matter that much. True love involves looking inward at the heart. Love is about making sacrifices. If you love someone, you will put their needs ahead of your own. Love is a special thing. It is essential for any relationship. It is absolutely necessary for children. They need love for growth.

Love is a complicated topic. It has many meanings and levels of understanding. However, bottom line is that love is God. Love begins and ends with God. The most important relationship a person can have is with Jesus Christ. It is important to know that you should love Him more than anything or anybody else because He is the pilot and the center of your life.

God gave you life, and he saved you from sin. Show your Almighty Father some love. Life is short, so love one another. God gave each one of us love. So, it is important to love, and to remember that He is in control. He is the Ultimate Authority of LOVE.

Phil's Top 5 Fast Food Restaurants

Do you need a quick bite to eat, but you cannot decide where to go? Do you want healthy? How about curly fries? Or maybe you are not a fan of fast food burgers like me? Do you have time to eat in, or do you have a broken leg and need the food delivered? With the busyness of today's society, it is almost nearly impossible not to have fast food every once in awhile. Here are Phil's recommendations for fast food restaurants that will leave you satisfied 90% of the time.

5. Burger King
Burger King does not exactly have the friendliest service, the cleanest dining area, and the nicest appearance. However, the food is good, especially its famous chicken fries. I would pick BK over rival McDonald's any day of the week. They have delicious breakfast sandwiches and for dessert some tasty milkshakes and malts. The burgers are disgusting and make me want to throw up. The food is not prepared with great quality either, but BK still cracks the top 5 list.

4. Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut is America's pizza. It has speedy delivery to your house. The employees are very friendly, the pizza is quality food that fills you up, and they do not serve only pizza. There are also bread sticks, wings, and pasta to enjoy as well. Whether you dine in, carry out, or deliver, Pizza Hut is the way to go.

3. Arby's
I come to Arby's hungry, and I always leave satisfied. Instead of the original fries, you can get the curly fries for no extra charge. They have toasted subs, roast beef sandwiches, and many chicken items. The food is quality and prepared fast. My order is usually done before I get a chance to obtain my soda. The food is a bit greasy, but the dining area is very nice and clean.

2. Culver's
Out of all the fast food restaurants I have mentioned and have yet to mention, Culver's has the friendliest service. The employees even deliver the food right to your table. The fries are not as greasy or salty. The burgers and sandwiches are tastier than other places. For dessert, they have many choices. They do not use ice cream. It is all custard. For a restaurant that can make up words, Culver's is my number two pick. Get Culverized.

1. Subway
Subway is my obvious number one pick. It is by far the healthiest fast food you can get. It has the freshest bread in many varieties. Everything is your choice and your way. You choose the type of sandwich, the size, the cheese, whether it is toasted or not, and all the extra ingredients. You can even add chips and a soft drink for not much more. The employees are nice as they make the food right before your eyes. Everything is right about Subway, even the commercials.