Time to think some more

Hey again!
The purpose of this post will be to elaborate on the previous post, as I had mentioned I hoped to do. The time has now come.

Let me start by addressing you, the reader, directly with a series of questions. (Now would be a good time to go back and reacquaint yourself with my previous post so you're grounded with the topics I'll be addressing here and now.) I want you to take your time answering these questions for yourself, evaluating and weighing them so as to benefit yourself and your understanding of your current inner standing.


- What is your relational focus right now? Concerning both God and people - how are your relationships being focused? What is their driving force on your end?
- If your relational focus when it comes to people involves a romantic relationship (girlfriend, boyfriend, fiancée, spouse), take a moment to examine the exisiting relationship - are the same motivations you have for it the ones you had going into it? What has changed, if anything? Whether there have been changes or not, can there be improvements? What can be improved?
- Take a moment to run a quick Task Manager on your most active and influential relationships; who features at the top? Top 5? Who's running on the most juice and consuming the most data? Does anyone need to switch places on the roster in terms of prioritization, God included?


Once you've answered these questions for yourself - and please, take the time to do so before you keep reading - you may want to write them down to compare your standing in the future with them to see what growth you've (hopefully) undergone.

Moving on the meat of the matter:

If a romantic relationship has featured on your life's personal radar with the series of questions I had you answer, and in answering the questions you determined that you did not initiate the relationship with the intent of marriage, and in answering the questions you determined that the present state of the relationship has no need for such a base intent, I would highly suggest that you re-evaluate that. Any romantic relationship that is not founded with the intent to develop and become a union of a man and his wife through marriage with the express intent of bringing Glory to God upon this earth is not blessed to succeed until such an intent be its foundation. That may not necessarily mean that it is doomed to fail (it might pay to open a discussion to draw a conclusion concerning whether the two are mutually exclusive or not, a blessed success or a doomed failure), but from a Biblical standpoint, this is the conclusion I am led to draw. I know it can sound severe to the ears, but it seems sound to me from where God has spoken, thus severity is very much rendered inconsequential at that point, for me, at least.

If you are not in the midst of starting or cultivating a romantic relationship, but have the hope and aspiration to, whether in the future near or far: again, I highly suggest you ensure that your evaluation on the matter be centered from start to finish with the Biblical purpose of marriage firmly in mind.

Now, no matter what point you're at when it comes to romantic relationships - whether you're in a steady one or just starting one or wanting to but haven't entered one or have no desire for one at all - I want you to ask yourself two questions, for your own sake:


- Should you be seeking to enter a relationship like that right now in your life?
- Should you be seeking to enter a relationship like that at all?


I know this question can sound severe, or crazy, particularly with the strident voice of society calling into question my grounds for such a request in a day and age where it sounds so off compared to what "everyone's doing" - but that's kind of all the more reason for me to ask, then.

And I want you to answer the questions for yourself from a Biblical and God-influenced standpoint. If the answers are not coming to you right now, or if they're not easy to handle, or even if they are easy to answer and/or you do have them - pray. Pray to God about these things.

Remember, I'm leading back to the topic of my last post - that marriage/family is not necessarily the route for everyone as according to God's plan and purpose for their lives in His service. (And I'm not the first to raise such a topic; the apostle Paul beat me to it a long time ago in his first letter to the Corinthians).

So my real intent in combining this topic with you, the reader, is for YOU to, with God, determine what it is that YOU should be doing as according to HIM.

I would also like to draw attention to the (perceived?) fact that, even (or perhaps particularly) within the church, there is an implicit (and often enough explicit) call to marry and avoid singlehood at all costs running as an undercurrent and commentary to a lot of what we do (at least in my experience and general observation).

Similar to last time, I feel as though I still have a bit of a jumble of thoughts in a knot in my brain to get out, but my brain is quite fried at this point to keep on writing.
I hope I have not confused you too much, but have at least pointed you in the right direction towards some clarity regarding this in your own life.

If I touch on this again perhaps I will do so by relating these things personally, to which I made small mention in the first post.

Let's take a step back

A topic to write about finally hit me today.

To family or not to family? THAT is the question.




I'm young - in my early twenties - and so I'm writing from that perspective.

For a number of reasons, it is becoming more and more evident to me how a lot of people my age and older (think 20's-30's) are focused and driven, in many different ways and degrees, to forming a family. A wonderful prospect, certainly.

But is it the right one?

I know people who have gotten married and had kids in their teens. I also know people who are getting married bearing the title of a movie: as 40 year-old virgins. Neither approach is necessarily wrong, sans context, and both have the potential to produce the same beautiful outcome.

The purpose of my writing, however, is this: I would warn against what I seem to be observing as a growing trend in our society in the younger demographics, perhaps even globally - people are seeking spouses and families before they're seeking God. And anything to take priority over God will inevitably fail (that is NOT code for divorce, note).

So many people are seeking to connect with other people, to form relationships, to envision pre-packaged family units. But a lot of those people are sometimes, or in some way, doing so to not be alone, to push for what everyone's told them they must do, and to make sure they don't get "left behind." I think a lot of young folk are using insecurities as a motivating factor in seeking to start marriages and families. And that doesn't sit right with me.

In an effort to fill an emptiness or a space within us, we'll easily and readily turn to our fellow man - but God designed us to be filled with Him first, before anyone else enters the equation.

In some ways this topic has been a very real struggle with me lately. So it's not like I'm speaking from a concept foreign to me.

There is much I would like to elaborate on but the daily rigors call me away for now. Perhaps I can and will expound in another post soon.

(I mostly just wanted to get my sentiment onto some platform lest I should forget it.)

I invite my blogging brothers to enter the discussion of this with me.

'Til then,
God be with us.

Need-to-know Basis

What do you need to know about me? What do I need for you to know about me?

At this point? Very little.
But very little does not mean unimportant.

In fact, what little I will reveal about the entirety of my being is core to my existence.

As introductions go, my name is Chris (which, believe it or not, is a VERY core part of my identity; maybe I'll touch upon that later), and I am a sinner saved by God's unyielding grace.

That's it.

That's all you need to know for now.

Rest assured that as time goes on - just like in any relationship - more and more of who I am will be made known to you.

So to add some length to this introductory post I will now address this blog, its beginning, and its purpose.

This blog: was a friend's idea. Not really rooted in much else, to the extent of my knowledge.

Its beginning: is now. Is us. Is presently unfolding. Like any beginning it has all the promise and potential to go one of several hundred thousand different ways. What I DO know for sure from the outset is that we leave its direction of growth in God's capable hands.

Its purpose: Can you believe we founders haven't really had a powwow to discuss this in a thorough fashion? And yet, I feel confident in saying that the purpose we forge this blog in is for the unashamed, proclaimed, and all-too-due advancement of Christ, and for the growth of learning that comes from shared life (even if it's only online).

I hope and pray all you who read the words written here will always have gained, and not lost, something from it.

Hello... It's me

          A bunch of dudes starting a blog… What can go wrong? I guess we’ll see as time goes on. As you know from a previous post a bunch of us dudes are starting a blog. A group of guys who God has used greatly in my life, and continues to use to this day. So thank you for stepping into our little world.

         With that being said allow me to introduce myself. My name is Jordan. I like long walks on the beach, puppies, black and white romance films... Did you buy that? Hahaha, anyways. I am a sinner deserving of hell, but saved by the blood of Christ (Yes that means I’m a Christian). I’m a 21 year old Floridian born, and raised. I am the oldest of 4 kids, I attend SPC pursuing my bachelor’s degree in business with a focus on marketing. Friends, family, and fun all the way. I love music whether I am listening (just about everything except country, sorry folks) or playing music (guitar, and recently ukulele). I would love to actually be able to pursue music one day whether with a band or as a solo artist, but until then I will continue to work at my current job. I could continue to rant on about myself, but I will spare us both. The more you read, the more you will learn about me. Hope this didn’t sound too much like a college online course introduction, but oh well.

Until next time Homies.
Follow me on the gram if you so choose too, @jludlam7

“Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;” – Colossians 4:2

- Jordan

Introducing Myself (The Beginning Of A Journey)

So I had a thought to start up a blog with some close friends. Pretty simple I think. Oh, I suppose you may be asking yourself "well you didn't exactly explain anything". Honestly, I can't give you some exciting story behind this decision, it just seemed like an interesting adventure to embark upon. Hopefully those who read this blog find it more relate-able then anything as we are going to be attempting to share the ever changing lives of some young men. We will be open as it seems appropriate. This may burn up in flames, but that's the risk all new journeys contain, so my prayer is that this becomes immensely edifying and encouraging. The only direction we have is our shared friendship and faith in a wonderful savior, our lives will be an example of that grace displayed whether it be in our suffering or our rejoicing. 

So about me. I am a 21 year-old senior in university, pursuing a BFA in studio art (focus in photography) http://www.alexanderodumphotography.com/ . Currently residing in Florida, a place I find most torturous in the heat and humidity. Chasing after Christ, though sometimes it feels like he is pushing me from behind. Not going to go into my past yet, I know it will come up as needed. I am the middle child of three boys, not as bad as most make it out to be. For now, I think that is enough to go on. More about me will be intertwined in later posts I am certain, way to much to try and sum up here. 

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." -Proverbs 3:5-6

May the peace of Christ go with you, 

             

Until next time. 

Chandler Ludlam

Hello all! My Name Is Chandler, nickname (Chan). I'm 17 years old, I enjoy photography (specifically Portraits). I am the owner/founder of Spinwheel Photography  https://www.instagram.com/spinwheel_photography/ . I use a Nikon d90 for now and am 110% Nikon. I am a Christian, following Jesus Christ til the end. I work at Chick-Fil-A and enjoy most things I do there. I also enjoy fixing and riding bicycles of all kinds (Specifically Schwinn & Trek). Probably my second favorite hobby would definitely be music. I play a neurofibromas Ovation acoustic/electric guitar and a YAMAHA Keyboard. My favorite band currently is Panic! At The Disco (P!ATD) "Death Of A Bachelor" my fav song. I Love to longboard, built my own custom board and enjoy it a lot. Well... I hope you enjoy our Blog and start/Continue to follow us Thanks!!

-Chandler Ludlam