Words

By now, you all know about a certain young man I know :) Well, I didn't want to say anything too soon, because it's a different sort of relationship: we're not dating, and we're not quite courting, but we are... perhaps I'll have more to say about that when we're back at school...? :) I'll keep you all updated. Thank you all for your prayers and happiness :)
Paul loves God and spends most of his free time studying the Word. I'd like you all to get to know him a bit, so here is a glimpse of his heart:

[This is from a conversation he and I were having at school]
"That's why fasting is so important to do. Putting us into that continual, completely in your face and unavoidable realization that just as physical life is only possible by depending upon God to nourish us with food, that we absolutely cannot have real life unless we depend and fill ourselves with his word; otherwise we'll die. Kind of like a 2 Peter 1:5-9 kind of thing. You're either filling youself and so growing and living; or you're not filling yourself, and instead of just not growing, you'll completely die and fall away. That's what fasting, real fasting, is for; and what we just need to do with it sometimes; deprive ourselves to the point where it feels like we can't keep going, where it feels like we can't survive any more, and feel that deep need; that same need we feel there is the same need we have in our real, our spiritual life; and so, with prayer, that fast makes us so realize that and depend upon God for the nourishment for that real, spiritual life and do whatever we can to obtain that nourishment in his word."

[This is from a group discussion on facebook about Philippians]
"--I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.
We need to live in such a manner that we can truly say this of our brothers and sisters. In order to truly thank God every time a brother comes into our minds, we first need to have reason to give thanks to God on their account. Thanking God upon every remembrance isn't just "O, Michael...thank you God for Michael being so...talented and smart. He really helps me out with my homework at school." It should be that true thanksgiving and rejoicing that comes from the glorificiation of the name of Christ. And if our friendships, if our relationships are idle, if they are with those whose lives will not glorify the name of Christ, then we are having no reason to rejoice in the Father on their account. And so we must take it upon ourselves to ensure that we have reason to rejoice in our brothers, constantly setting the redemption that is in Christ before their eyes that they might forever behold it, trust in it continually, and by faith live in this grace in which we stand, this adoption to the glorious liberty of the sons of God. Then, when we see our brothers and sisters living in their adoption, living as the new man and not as the old, bearing the fruit of the Spirit even as Christ himself did, and in all things bringing glory and honor to the name of Christ, then we will certainly have grounds to thank God upon every remembrance of them: for even then will these brothers and sisters do the work of Christ as well, preaching his name unto those around them, and bringing encouragement and comfort to others, and to ourselves. And when they minister to us, strengthen us, restore us--how much more then will we have cause to thank God upon their behalf. So let us make this true: devote yourselves to ministering to your brothers and strengthening them and building them up, especially those that are weak, so that they may be strengthened and you can truly say, along with Paul, "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you."

I just wanted you to have an idea of what an earnest, Christ-centered person he is, and maybe be challenged as I am. :) I love you!