When in doubt, just believe.

Dear Frank,

Hey man. I read your post and I can't help but notice something.

But before I continue, I just want to say that this blog post i'm making is a direct response to your post. With that said, I will continue.

First, let me congratulate you on your post. It really takes courage to write such a deep thought of one's faith and just leave it open for people (like me ofcourse) to read on and comment.

I know most of the things I will mention here in this post will probably ring a bell or two, and end up sounding really redundant. I hope though that it can help you find the fire that I know was once in you.

I can't say how many times I've questioned my faith. I've always said that my conviction is really, really strongly founded in the Lord. Because i've seen what He has done in my life. It may not have been movie-scale-J.J. Abrams-epic-star trek-super nova-explosion like.....but it has certainly felt that way at times.

The same feelings you described.....yeh, i've felt them too. But to be frank (no pun intended), It's perfectly normal. We at some point have to question our faith. I've questioned it. Sometimes I feel like "ahhh screw it, i'm jumping ship", but then I realize something. I get this feeling inside of me.

Can't quite explain it, but if i had to describe it....it is like a.....break-up. Like "well Jesus, it's been fun sir but I just don't know if this can work out". Then I start to feel remorse. Sadness envelopes me and my heart starts to hurt a little. I realize, I can't do that to Him. Not after all He's done (besides die on the cross for my sins). Things like rescue my father from the claws of alcoholism. He liberated my house form domestic violence. Restored a once torn and dysfunctional family.

Saved my life like HUNDREDS of times! (I can't tell you how many life-threatening-events I've gone through in my early childhood.)

Given me a lil' bro. I was an only child for seven years. I was alone most of the time. I felt lonely and I wished so much to have a little brother. God granted my wish. My mom kept saying "it's gonna be a girl" and I would get angry and tell her "no, because I asked God for a little brother". Surely enough, God granted my petition.

I just begin to reminisce on those things. How good has He been to me? God has been in the middle of even the toughest parts of my life (thus far)!! and even though when I was going through the thick of it....I didn't realize it then, but now here...where I am....I realize....that.....he was there the entire TIME!! I was just too caught up in MY problem, that I had forgotten the solution was there....next to me.......IN ME! residing in my heart since I was five years old, when I made the decision to accept Jesuschrist into my heart (granted, I knew little of what I was doing) even though I was really young....I knew that He has the answer to my problems. More like, my parents problems at the time. For they would fight and I would just lie on my bed and cry and wished that they wouldn't fight anymore.

Yeah, and I want to just call it quits on Him?!?!?!?

How can I do that when He's never called it quits on me......and with EVERY right to. I don't deserve His love or sympathy! I don't even deserve to have my life saved by Him, but He went and did it anyway. WHY? (obviously) we know that answer Frank. We both know the "why". I don't follow Him to stay out of Hell (even though, that's a BBIIGG benefit). I follow Him because of the promise I have in Him. Gratitude and Love is all I have for someone who has rescued me.

Yet, why is it we question our faith in Him. You would think that after EVERYTHING he's done in our lives that we wouldn't have doubt, but it's not true. We do doubt still. But, when I doubt I have to realize where the source of that doubt comes from. Doubt isn't from the Lord. Doubt has no business in a Christian's vocabulary. As a matter of fact.....Doubt is the EXACT opposite of Faith. It is then when I realize, that anything that makes me question that....CANNOT....i repeat.....CANNOT come from God, but from the adversary that we face everyday.

The devil is very good with inception. Which is a great movie by the way. He is the MASTER of inception. Putting an idea in your brain, and making you think it was your original though. At first is starts with guilt. Like "I'm not a true Christian, I don't follow God like i'm supposed to".....yeh......and it's true! but then again who does? not even modern day apostles and prophets can claim to live the way God wants us to live. No one is perfect and no one will ever be, so why should you judge yourself so harshly?

Then it doesn't stop there, the idea has already been planted and that seed quickly starts to blossom. Now you feed this guilt..."I feel like He's so far away and i don't know how to get back to Him". Then he creates this illusion (all in your head, using the doubt he has installed in you, that you are now feeding) that going back, is SOOO far and gives this feeling like... when you have a deadline on a paper and that you won't finish in time.

Final phase is when we believe it's over. You give up. Mission accomplished. That's another one for the team. You've fallen for the greatest lie ever told. That we are too far to reconnect. No Frank, I'm writing this to say to you that you can RUN and even SPRINT many steps away from the Lord, but It only takes ONE step of faith, just one tiny speck of faith to go back and repent, pick-up your cross and keep going.

After all, it is a race to the finish line......... and if you just sit and think "Gosh it's too damn far, I'll never finish this race..." all of a sudden, you feel a hand on your back and you turn around...and there He is, and with a calm voice tells you "Don't worry, we're almost there"

The Deep Breath Before The Plunge...

Hello!!!

Yes, this is it everyone. The second half of a 4 game play-off between one of the greatest (if not THE greatest) club rivalries in soccer to date, will take place today at 2:45PM EST.

The war on the pitch has extended off the pitch into the conference rooms with some verbal jousting between Mourinho and Pep Guardiola.

So let's look at what's happened so far.....

First Match - hard fought battle in the mid-field, Mo knows that if they're going to have ANY advantage against a team that starves you of possesion and can generate plays at anytime with Xavi and Iniesta's laser guided passes,tiki-taka 1,2 triangulation that can catch you off guard in a split second and the world greatest player (according to FIFA) in their arsenal to boot... he would have to stifle and disrupt the midfield plethora of passes.

He did this to a certain degree of success when he deployed Pepe in to a Defensive Midfield role who's only mission was to be the designated "destroyer" in the center of the park. Yellow cards, professional fouls and some pushing with a tad bit of shoving..... It doesn't matter as long as the trio of Xavi, Iniesta and Messi worried about the "bald-headed wonder" from pushing up behind them sending them face down to the grass.

Barca were able to penetrate (as expected) but Casillas was prepared each and every time. The man within the posts had made up his mind that day to not concede..... UNTIL...... a penalty call ruined all his heroics up to then and the point scored by no other than the acclaimed Messi(as) himself.

Real Madrid didn't let up, their blood was drawn first so they came back with a fury. This time a penalty called against the Catalan side. Slotted calmly by no other than Ronaldo himself.

end verdict. 1-1.

A TIE.

This was it. The Barca side that struck fear into every opponents hearts now were matched. Not in posession, passing percentage or shots on goal.....but in equal determination to win. Teams that contain Barcelona torrential downpour of attacks have a hope and figure they're still in it as long as "THEY" don't score but the inevitable occurs and the drop of morale to the damaged side is evident as the fervent closing and determination to contain the all powerful Spanish Conquistadors goes out the window.

Second Match: But not Real Madrid. This tie was said to be flukey as calls for questionable calls and referreeing were shouted and in particular the penalty conceded to Los Merengues. Yet in GAME 2 of these play-offs, Real Madrid went to enact a man for man 4-3-3 (matching that of peps favorite formation) and not only holding out a Barcelona side to a scoreless night but to bring it to them and score and end a 13 yr. drought of silverware to the capital side.

NOW..... we head into GAME 3: Barca supporters claim Barcelona didn't care about the Copa Del Rey to put a winning effort into the Final. That the only real cup match that mattered was the Champions League. Real Madrid meanwhile cared so much.....that they let the Cup drop 12 ft. from the Madrid-mobile and get squashed by it. While the fans celebrated the victory as if the World Cup was won once more. Casillas finally gets the only trophy that eluded him through-out his 13 yr tenure with the club. While Ronaldo gets temporary bragging rights.

So what changes today? how do the 2 sides go into these matches?
for one..... Barcelona depth will be tested to new lengths today. With the confirmed abscence of Andres Iniesta and the BIG question mark hovering over the head of Carles Puyol, it is clear Pep Guardiola is going to have to prove the his squad's dominance does not solely rely on his starting 11 or even his 1st choice subs. With Adriano, Bojan, Maxwell all injured... It is clear that Pep is gonna have to pull something out of that hat of his today if he hopes to contain a FULL-STRENGTH Real Madrid side.

Meanwhile....... Los Blancos will be firing on all cylinders. Having the return of the confident Gonzalo Higuain, plus having the likes of Karim Benzema and Kaka as back-up (though it's absurd to me to have such a player like Kaka as back-up) with the only down of Carvalho and Khedira who are both comfortably replaceable with not much of a difference within the subs. Real Madrid HAVE TO, HAVE TO, HAVE TO, HAVE TO keep a clean sheet today. That is both vital and crucial to completely have success within these 2 legs.

Today will be just as important as next week but I believe that whatever is the outcome today will defeinitely set the tone for what happens next week.

PREDICTION:

Barcelona: Today they will show what Champions are made of, if they keep posession calmly and not let the rough/power gameplay of Real get to them, then they will succeed in frustrating the other side. With one man in particular who absolutely HATES not having the ball (CR7).

Real Madrid: These folks have to take advantage of the fact the left side will be weak. Sergio Ramos needs to return to his old self and take charge of that right side. Marcelo needs to pressure Dani Alves and pin him to just defensive runs. Ronaldo needs to be selfish when needed and less greedy when the opportunity appears to pass the ball. Gonzalo, Benzema, Adebayor, Kaka. Whoever is chosen to partner Ronaldo need to make smart off the ball runs as much as with it.

FINAL VERDICT - Real Madrid edge Barcelona with a 2-1 scoreline.

Next week will be a different beast.

Life - We change to learn, but do we learn to change?

I'm sick and tired......


Tired of people that whine and moan.

And it's not the action of whining and moaning that gets to me...NO....cuz i whine too. I get irritated at life sometimes. It becomes hard and I complain too.

But what gets to me are those that complain when they KNOW the answer to their solutions. Then they blame God.....like if it's God's fault that we put ourselves through difficult times!!

To me it's ridiculous to expect God to act for you when the only time you give to him, is when you are forced to go to church!

EVEN THEN you don't praise, you don't open your mouth, you don't raise your hands and surrender your troubles and tribulations to him.

NOT EVEN A SIMPLE "THANK YOU".....

but NOOOO.....things go bad for us......and then suddenly "WHY GOD?!" "WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS?!"
"IF YOU WERE REAL I WOULDN'T BE IN THIS SITUATION!"


says who? where in the bible does it say that we are exempt of problems, simply because we worship God?

Where does it say that HE is accountable to US!!!???

NOWHERE.

God is JUST. He is FAIR. He is MERCIFUL. HE IS THE STRONGHOLD TO THE JUST WHO COME........TO.......HIM!

PERIOD.