Burn.

So, it's been a while. No?

Yes.

But I'm back, and this time I really will stay with this.

Promise...

So where do i even start? This summer -- peru -- wow. Absolutely amazing. I don't know what to say about it really. Most of you have already heard me talk about it and I'm exhausted from doing so. I'm just exhausted in general I think. Everything is finally caching up with me. But yeah, the summer was amazing. God totally rocked my world...from having prophetic visions to praying in the spirit to prophetic prayer at TYI...man God is good.

And TYI? Wow...again. The perfect end to the perfect experience. There's just nothing like being in an environment of love, passion, devotion, and worship for a mighty and worthy God. More that worthy. How do we even give back? Where do we even start to repay and ever-giving, ever-loving, all-powerful and all-forgiving God?

Love. That's how.

I've learned that love is key. Not just being "in love" with your wife, husband, whatever you have...but loving. You have to love people. At TYI Captain Marion Platt spoke of loving others. He talked about loving the last, the lost and the least. The bible says that if we don't love, we can't receive love. That without loving others, we don't fully understand love.

Loving others isn't my problem, though. Loving Christians is.

Christians let me down...so, so much. At least with others I don't really expect them to act better, be respectful, be honest and be real. I expect them to have faults. I expect them to fall short. When they do, I'm not surprised. Whether it's living a life of sin or just rejecting God, I expect it. (now stay with me...a point is coming...) With Christians, I expect them to be real people. I don't expect them to fake their way through life. I don't expect them to lead people on, to lie, to deceive, to hate...or do I? The lines are so blurred now. We(Christians) should stand out, no? I think that when we can't even tell the difference between ourselves and "people of the world" - "others" around us that's a problem. I trust others more. Others understand. Others don't judge because they don't think they are more "holy" than I am or that talking to people about me will better their popularity in the gossip rings of the army. I don't just mean me spefically, I am just using that...

But others -- I feel comfortable with them. They are more accepting. They don't judge me. They don't say "how dare you do that" or "hey guess what so-and-so told me." They listen. They offer advice.

And Christians? I've found that all too often it's the opposite. It's, "I can't believe you'd do something like that" or "how do you call yourself a Christian with that in your past?" Well how do you call yourself a Christian and judge me? How do you call yourself a Christian and not accept people and love them regardless of their faults? How do you let your own pride and vanity get in the way of prayer and understanding for another child of God? Get real.

I've been let down by a lot of Christians. The people in my life that have hurt me most or betrayed me most are "Christians." That disappoints me. Some people would say "well you can't expect more of them -- they're just people and they make mistakes." Shouldn't expect more? Like hell I shouldn't. I'm sorry but that's rediculous. We should hold each other to a higher standard. Not that we're better than the "others" but we sure better live up to our call from God and commitment to Him. Don't you dare call yourself a Christian and then lie, betray, gossip and mislead. Don't you call yourself a good person and act like an angel when you lie to your boyfriend or girlfriend about what's really going on. Don't proclaim your faith to me one minute and then call me while you're drunk the next. Don't tell me you love God and then prove you love the world more. Don't act like my friend and lead me on just because you're bored with what's going on in your life. I don't want phonies...I don't want fake Christians. I want real people. God wants real people. I'm not saying I'm perfect...God knows I'm not. But I'll own up to what I've done. I've done it before and I'll do it again. I know when I fall short and I'll admit it. But don't lie to yourself to the point where you don't even know what's true anymore. That's sad. You're killing yourself...you are.

I don't know how my post got to that but, well, surprise. It did.

Here's what I'm thinking right now...actually my mind is racing so much right now I don't even know. I don't even have the attention span to read what I just wrote so i have no idea if it makes sense or if I ever made a point.

I just moved to Atlanta, and it's stressing me out. I need a job and I need to stay in the Word and I need to stay pressing forward. Please keep me in prayer for those things mainly. I think everything else will follow.

...Oh and if you can pray that my future wife wakes up and finds me that would be great too... :)

I have missed this. I'll do it more for sure.

Sorry that was so long. Thanks for reading.

In the silence,

David.