(no subject)
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY EVERYONE!!!!
parts one and two of my senior paper are supposed to be about your personal backgroung and beleifs.... i felt like posting it...and would appriciate your critisim :) love yalls
Part One: Personal Background
If there is one thing that I have learned in my life, it is that I am extraordinary. Nowhere on this planet is there a person like me. I am here for a reason, and there is a purpose for my life. The world would not be the same without me. However, I do not think this is because of anything I myself have done. I believe that I am unique, special, and extraordinary because of the people and experiences, which have shaped my life.
More than anything else, the Lord has been a driving force in my life, and has shaped and formed me into the person that I am. I began actively seeking a relationship with him my sophomore year. Since then, Jesus has become the most important thing in my life, and the reason for every productive thing that I do. At my church, Puyallup Foursquare, I take advantage of many leadership opportunities. I serve as a leader at my youth group, in the drama program, and have helped to establish a Bible study at Emerald Ridge. My prayer life has also become very important to me. Talking to God is one of the most powerful and fulfilling things I do. I have gained faith, humility, a love for others, knowledge, talents, and devotion from prayer. Many of these things contribute to my constant goal of Christ-like living.
Another thing which has contributed to my life is horseback riding. I have owned my own horse, Austin, and have participated in competitions with him since I was fifteen years old. The main thing I have learned from working with horses is responsibility. Owning a horse is like having your own child. They demand constant care, exercise, and attention. I feel that because of the experience of owning a horse, I will be better prepared for parenthood later in my life. It has also taught me to be responsible with money. Horses are very expensive, especially when they get sick, and so for the past three years of my life I have found that I cannot afford to be as careless with money as many teenagers are. Austin has also taught me reasoning skills. Horses are very intelligent, sensitive, strong-willed, and weigh about 900 pounds more than me. Getting in an argument with an animal in possession of those characteristics can be dangerous. I have had to learn how to communicate and negotiate with him, so that neither one of us gets hurt.
My youth pastor, Chad, has been an amazing teacher and example for me. His life is a shining example of faith, determination, and integrity. Chad’s love for God and other people, is inspiring, as well as his faith. He shows incredible determination to reach out to young people in our area, and is proactive about doing so. Many people in our high schools know Chad because he spends so much of his time traveling from school to school, simply being a friend and a light to teenagers. He is genuinely interested in our lives and shows this constantly. He has such a strong conviction to spread God’s love, and an incredible heart for service. I see his faith and focus as an example I should model my life after. In the last eight months, I have grown a lot in these areas because of his leadership. Spreading God’s love is my passion, and the main focus of my life partially because of the environment of outreach Chad has created.
My grandma is another person responsible for molding me into the person I am. She is one of the strongest people I know, having overcome many difficulties in her lifetime. She raised six children, taught vocational school, served in the Peace Corps, and continues to volunteer her time in other countries even though she is seventy-three! She has lead a very interesting life. Throughout my youth, she has taught me about love, the importance of family, and faith. Her life is an example of these three things. I have never met anybody as friendly, caring, and motivated as she. My life would be lacking so much without the lessons she has taught me.
I know my importance on Earth. God has a purpose for my specific characteristics of responsibility, faith, love, devotion to God, and passion. The people in my life and opportunities I have been given deserve the credit for who I am. Without any one of these experiences, I would be a different person. They have trained me to become a person capable of fulfilling the purpose God has for my life. Who I am is extraordinary because of these things.
Part Two: Personal Beliefs
Every decision I make and every path that I take determines a little bit of my future. Because I want my future to be in line with God’s purpose for my life, I weigh each choice I am faced with carefully. My decisions are made based on faith, and the principles I live by. This belief system has been developing my whole life, and an endless amount of principles continue to form in me everyday. Sharing what I believe is my daily goal. I believe that nothing is more important than giving others the opportunity to hear about what God has shown me.
I have believed in God my entire life. In fact, I cannot remember any time in my childhood when I questioned his existence. However, I recall a large portion of my life when I admitted his reality, but did not follow him whole-heartedly. I grew up knowing a God with two different personalities. The first was like a grumpy old man, who small children like myself had to be silent around, for fear of annoying him, or causing him a headache. This god said that in order to receive salvation I must memorize my prayers, be silent in church, and be a good girl all the time. The second god was like a repairman. I would come to him if I were upset, if things had not gone my way, or if I wanted something no one else would give me. To this god I would say things such as, “God, please make my parents see how evil they really are for making me eat that casserole,” or, “God, please, if you truly love me, please make that boy in my English class fall in love with me.” Not surprisingly, this god usually let me down.
When I was fifteen years old I was introduced to a different God. Or rather, I began to see God, who I had known of my entire life, for who he truly was. This is when everything was brought out into the light. God loved me exactly the way I was, but he loved me too much to keep me that way. God did not require good deeds in order to receive salvation, but gave it freely, and such good deeds simply followed. God did not give me everything I wanted, to show that he loved me, rather he gave me everything I needed to fulfill his purpose for my life. God was not a grumpy old man, but a spring flowing with indescribable beauty and love which I could not even begin to imagine. There was a reason for me to pursue this God at all costs.
Through my newfound relationship with God, and my commitment to study the Bible, I was taught several principles which began to shape who I was to become. The first of these is faith. I used to think that faith simply meant to believe that God existed. The Bible says, “Faith is to be sure of what we hope for, and to be certain of what we do not see”(Hebrews 11:1). To paraphrase, faith is to be sure that God is in control, that he forms all things into his plan, and that he never wastes a painful experience. Faith is to trust in him, even when we cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel. Everyday I learn how to die to my own worries and fears, and give them all up to God. Through faith, I do a self-check, to make sure that I am truly trusting him with everything he created.
Another principle which has shaped my life is love. Jesus said, “ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22: 37-39). To love God, and love people is my ultimate goal. So many other things tie into this commandment. It tells me to trust. It tells me not to judge others. It tells me to repent. It tells me not to gossip. It tells me to forgive. It tells me to educate others about God’s love, in a loving way. This brings me to the next principle I allow to work through me.
Evangelism is a word which usually reminds people of televangelists, door-to-door Christians, and crazy people on the streets. I once shared this impression. However I have come to realize what evangelism truly is. Evangelism is being a light that shines Christ’s love into people’s lives. It is acting as Jesus acted, and taking advantage of every opportunity to teach about God. All evangelism must be done in a loving, respectful way. Not only is evangelism something I love and am honored to do, it is a commandment from Jesus himself. After appearing to his disciples, the last thing Jesus said was, “Therefore go, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28: 19-20).
My relationship with God is the most important thing in my life. This relationship has been forming and growing my entire life, and because of this, God continues to change me into the person he wants me to become. Everyday I strive to put my faith completely in God, and be an example of love to those around me. I feel the responsibility to share my beliefs with others in a loving way. All of these things determine the decisions I make everyday, and who I will become in the future.
parts one and two of my senior paper are supposed to be about your personal backgroung and beleifs.... i felt like posting it...and would appriciate your critisim :) love yalls
Part One: Personal Background
If there is one thing that I have learned in my life, it is that I am extraordinary. Nowhere on this planet is there a person like me. I am here for a reason, and there is a purpose for my life. The world would not be the same without me. However, I do not think this is because of anything I myself have done. I believe that I am unique, special, and extraordinary because of the people and experiences, which have shaped my life.
More than anything else, the Lord has been a driving force in my life, and has shaped and formed me into the person that I am. I began actively seeking a relationship with him my sophomore year. Since then, Jesus has become the most important thing in my life, and the reason for every productive thing that I do. At my church, Puyallup Foursquare, I take advantage of many leadership opportunities. I serve as a leader at my youth group, in the drama program, and have helped to establish a Bible study at Emerald Ridge. My prayer life has also become very important to me. Talking to God is one of the most powerful and fulfilling things I do. I have gained faith, humility, a love for others, knowledge, talents, and devotion from prayer. Many of these things contribute to my constant goal of Christ-like living.
Another thing which has contributed to my life is horseback riding. I have owned my own horse, Austin, and have participated in competitions with him since I was fifteen years old. The main thing I have learned from working with horses is responsibility. Owning a horse is like having your own child. They demand constant care, exercise, and attention. I feel that because of the experience of owning a horse, I will be better prepared for parenthood later in my life. It has also taught me to be responsible with money. Horses are very expensive, especially when they get sick, and so for the past three years of my life I have found that I cannot afford to be as careless with money as many teenagers are. Austin has also taught me reasoning skills. Horses are very intelligent, sensitive, strong-willed, and weigh about 900 pounds more than me. Getting in an argument with an animal in possession of those characteristics can be dangerous. I have had to learn how to communicate and negotiate with him, so that neither one of us gets hurt.
My youth pastor, Chad, has been an amazing teacher and example for me. His life is a shining example of faith, determination, and integrity. Chad’s love for God and other people, is inspiring, as well as his faith. He shows incredible determination to reach out to young people in our area, and is proactive about doing so. Many people in our high schools know Chad because he spends so much of his time traveling from school to school, simply being a friend and a light to teenagers. He is genuinely interested in our lives and shows this constantly. He has such a strong conviction to spread God’s love, and an incredible heart for service. I see his faith and focus as an example I should model my life after. In the last eight months, I have grown a lot in these areas because of his leadership. Spreading God’s love is my passion, and the main focus of my life partially because of the environment of outreach Chad has created.
My grandma is another person responsible for molding me into the person I am. She is one of the strongest people I know, having overcome many difficulties in her lifetime. She raised six children, taught vocational school, served in the Peace Corps, and continues to volunteer her time in other countries even though she is seventy-three! She has lead a very interesting life. Throughout my youth, she has taught me about love, the importance of family, and faith. Her life is an example of these three things. I have never met anybody as friendly, caring, and motivated as she. My life would be lacking so much without the lessons she has taught me.
I know my importance on Earth. God has a purpose for my specific characteristics of responsibility, faith, love, devotion to God, and passion. The people in my life and opportunities I have been given deserve the credit for who I am. Without any one of these experiences, I would be a different person. They have trained me to become a person capable of fulfilling the purpose God has for my life. Who I am is extraordinary because of these things.
Part Two: Personal Beliefs
Every decision I make and every path that I take determines a little bit of my future. Because I want my future to be in line with God’s purpose for my life, I weigh each choice I am faced with carefully. My decisions are made based on faith, and the principles I live by. This belief system has been developing my whole life, and an endless amount of principles continue to form in me everyday. Sharing what I believe is my daily goal. I believe that nothing is more important than giving others the opportunity to hear about what God has shown me.
I have believed in God my entire life. In fact, I cannot remember any time in my childhood when I questioned his existence. However, I recall a large portion of my life when I admitted his reality, but did not follow him whole-heartedly. I grew up knowing a God with two different personalities. The first was like a grumpy old man, who small children like myself had to be silent around, for fear of annoying him, or causing him a headache. This god said that in order to receive salvation I must memorize my prayers, be silent in church, and be a good girl all the time. The second god was like a repairman. I would come to him if I were upset, if things had not gone my way, or if I wanted something no one else would give me. To this god I would say things such as, “God, please make my parents see how evil they really are for making me eat that casserole,” or, “God, please, if you truly love me, please make that boy in my English class fall in love with me.” Not surprisingly, this god usually let me down.
When I was fifteen years old I was introduced to a different God. Or rather, I began to see God, who I had known of my entire life, for who he truly was. This is when everything was brought out into the light. God loved me exactly the way I was, but he loved me too much to keep me that way. God did not require good deeds in order to receive salvation, but gave it freely, and such good deeds simply followed. God did not give me everything I wanted, to show that he loved me, rather he gave me everything I needed to fulfill his purpose for my life. God was not a grumpy old man, but a spring flowing with indescribable beauty and love which I could not even begin to imagine. There was a reason for me to pursue this God at all costs.
Through my newfound relationship with God, and my commitment to study the Bible, I was taught several principles which began to shape who I was to become. The first of these is faith. I used to think that faith simply meant to believe that God existed. The Bible says, “Faith is to be sure of what we hope for, and to be certain of what we do not see”(Hebrews 11:1). To paraphrase, faith is to be sure that God is in control, that he forms all things into his plan, and that he never wastes a painful experience. Faith is to trust in him, even when we cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel. Everyday I learn how to die to my own worries and fears, and give them all up to God. Through faith, I do a self-check, to make sure that I am truly trusting him with everything he created.
Another principle which has shaped my life is love. Jesus said, “ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22: 37-39). To love God, and love people is my ultimate goal. So many other things tie into this commandment. It tells me to trust. It tells me not to judge others. It tells me to repent. It tells me not to gossip. It tells me to forgive. It tells me to educate others about God’s love, in a loving way. This brings me to the next principle I allow to work through me.
Evangelism is a word which usually reminds people of televangelists, door-to-door Christians, and crazy people on the streets. I once shared this impression. However I have come to realize what evangelism truly is. Evangelism is being a light that shines Christ’s love into people’s lives. It is acting as Jesus acted, and taking advantage of every opportunity to teach about God. All evangelism must be done in a loving, respectful way. Not only is evangelism something I love and am honored to do, it is a commandment from Jesus himself. After appearing to his disciples, the last thing Jesus said was, “Therefore go, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28: 19-20).
My relationship with God is the most important thing in my life. This relationship has been forming and growing my entire life, and because of this, God continues to change me into the person he wants me to become. Everyday I strive to put my faith completely in God, and be an example of love to those around me. I feel the responsibility to share my beliefs with others in a loving way. All of these things determine the decisions I make everyday, and who I will become in the future.