Thursday, April 25, 2013

Twenty-First Link Year Recap 4/23-4/25

Since I've started off my last two blogs with statements about how weird it is to think that Link Year is almost over why not continue that trend? Well I don't see a reason why I shouldn't do so. That being said, here we go. Link Year is basically done. I know, it's hard to think about. I don't want it to end. But all good things must come to an end as "they" say. It's sad to see it ending though. I am wondering what this summer will look like, so I guess you can say I'm anxious about that.

This week we had the year end with a great speaker, Jonathan Pokluda. He talked about some of the pitfalls you face in college that you have to be wary of. Well I'll just get straight to the point of things that I really liked this week. 

He talked a lot about commitment on Wednesday. It was really good. He said that whenever you have given yourself to a commitment, you have given a promise of your time. You have given a gift of your time. When you look at it this way, just backing out of commitments makes it a lot harder. Sticking to your word is really important. 

Guilt it a great motivator, but it's a terrible motivator because it doesn't last. JP said this and it really stood out to me. While guilt may work short term, a heart change is really what is needed. 

JP also touched on dating a little bit. He said that one of the goals of dating should be that if you leave the person you are dating, you leave them better off having dated you. You don't want to be a regret they had in their past, rather someone they grew through and learned a lot from. 

He said how some people have a fear of commitment. Make sure you actually make a decision. Even if it's a bad choice, just make a choice. If it's not moral. If choose the wrong thing, It's ok. That's what it means to be a Christian. Don't be so fearful of making a wrong decision that it paralyzes you. 

Guys I can't believe this is my last sign off for a Link Year recap. I don't really even know how to end it. On a light note? Something more serious? Maybe somewhere in between? Should I try to make you all weep out of vicarious living out my sadness? I think I know how. If you are near the end of high school or just a year into college, please consider Link Year. I don't think you'll regret it. Anyway I am done now. The journey has been amazing. Carry on everyone. 


       - Timothy Wright
             2 Timothy 2:22


Thursday, April 18, 2013

Twentieth Link Year Recap 4/16-4/18

Guys this is really crazy to think about but Link Year is super close to being over. I know I mentioned that in last weeks blog post...but guess what? It's been another week so that means it is closer to being over. Crazy to think another week gone by means it's closer to being over, hard to follow concept I know, but just try. Anyway, it is a bittersweet thought for me. I have greatly enjoyed my time here at Link Year so much but am ready to see what this summer and then fall has for me. But enough of this sad talk, let's get to the talking of this week. We had Joe White come in and talk to us on Tuesday while Wednesday and Thursday was Tim Watson who is a counselor. Biblical Counselor specifically. Joe was really great and Tim had some really sound advice to give. Here are some things that stood out or I learned!

Joe White recited all of Ephesians to us...while dressed up like Paul. He did it sorta in a theatre type way, making it really interesting to listen to. This was a huge motivation for me. All of Ephesians he just said out for us! Why have I not buckled down and meditated on God's word like that? So that is a goal of mine now, to meditate on God's word so much better that it will just become an outflowing from my mouth.

Joe kind of gave us an outline of what each chapter of Ephesians is talking about. Chapter one is about "being chosen", "redemption", and "pledge" for the most part. Chapter two was about "grace" and "workmanship". Chapter three was just one thing, "mystery". Chapter four gave us a large five. "One", "gift", "lay aside", "put on", and "grieve". Chapter five had just one with, "filled". Finally chapter six had, once again, "put on".

Joe made a really valid a great talk about putting on and laying aside. What in my life can I lay aside and then replace by putting on something? He had us draw a line down the middle of a sheet of paper and then write "Put off/Take off" on one side with, "Put on" on the other side. He then challenged us to go through and write down things we wanted to put off and then put on. This seems like a really good and practical exercise to do so I look forward to that.

Tim talked about how the Master and Mission of our hearts is the factor that determines what we will do as well as why and how we do it. Also how the things we want the most and the things we fear the most are the things that control us. These are both really good things and I know I need to check myself daily on what I want and fear the most. I need to have God in control of my life, not other things.

That's it for this week everyone! This year is going by so quickly but I look forward to these last few days with everyone, weird to think this is my second to last Link Year Recap blog. I'll have to get used to that fact. See you guys next week though for my last one, later.


Thursday, April 11, 2013

Nineteenth Link Year Recap 4/9-4/11

I can hardly believe there are only two more weeks left of LInk Year! It's super crazy to think about and while I am excited to move onto my next stage of life, I am also sad to see such a great stage as this one pass on behind me. But I know God has a lot more in store for me so I can't wait to see what is next. Anyway, this week we had a speaker by the name of Austin Ochs. Austin is basically a business man who helps run multiple companies. While he was not a favorite speaker of mine, or even in the top ten, I still learned from him and was glad to see that what he had to say is going to help me throughout my life. His main point was basically how to live a high impact life for Christ wherever you are. It was really cool to see a man who taught on this and also lived it out with his own companies. Well onto some highlights!


Don't grow up to be "Something". Grow to be the person God created you to be. The world will spend ALL its energy convincing you to be anything but that. Where you get your paycheck should be irrelevant. Really just digging into who God has made you to be and being satisfied in that. Super important if you ask me. 

Your pursuit of the Truth is measured by the amount of time you spend reading, memorizing, and meditating on God's Word. Faith is the fuel that turns knowing into doing. Your faith is measured by the quality of your prayer life. Those are all pretty good points he made that I should remember. 

As we mediate on the Word of God the life of Jesus flows out of HIm through the Word and becomes part of our bloodstream. The Bible is the primary means by which we share the life of Christ. 

He made some good points about how helpful reading the Scriptures before bed is really good. Usually what you put in your mind right before you fall asleep is what's in your dreams or what you think about right when you wake up. So putting Scripture in your sub-conscious is really important. I agree with this and have been reading Scripture before bed but still start out my day with it for different reasons. All in all those are both important things to do. Morning and Evening. 

Well everyone that is it. I know this is one of my shortest posts but it was hard to concentrate this week. Let's be honest. But I can't wait for what's in store these next two weeks at this great place! I know God can and will do some great things even in this small amount of time that's left. Live easy and see yah next time.

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Eighteenth Link Year Recap 4/2-4/4

Hey everyone, hope you guys had as great of an Easter Break as I did! It would be hard for that to be true for mine was fantastic, but I suppose you can try. Well this week we got the huge privilege of having Sean McDowell come speak to us. If you didn't know Sean is the son of the famous Christian Apologetics/Ethics/Everything Else writer Josh McDowell. I know, it is pretty amazing that we got the chance to hear from Sean! He was really pretty great and definitely ranks near the top of speakers we have had. Well onto some of the things he talked about.

1) For his first 45 minute session on Tuesday he decided to play Devils Advocate and be an Atheist. He basically just sat up there and let everyone in the class throw some questions at him and try to debate against the Atheist worldview. It should't come as too much of a surprise when I tell you that Sean completely destroyed everyone who tried to bring questions against Atheism. He was extremely well versed in what Atheist believe and has read many of the famous atheist writers like Dawkins, Hawkings, Harris..etc. Honestly I greatly enjoyed just sitting in my seat listening to all the questions and seeing how Sean went about answering them. If I'm going to be completely honest with you I was full on rooting for Sean. Can't really pin down why, but I just was.

2) Something that became obvious very quickly during the role playing was how hostile all us students were being toward Sean. It really hit home the point about how most Atheist see Christians as just hating and hostile people. For me it comes down to the key point of winning the person, not the argument. I think that's a very important thing to remember. Because they aren't going to care about what you have to say unless they know that you actually care about them.

3) Objective and Subjective truth. A pretty fun subject for me and something that I learned in Philosophy class last year but that I still greatly enjoyed hearing Sean reiterate. It's amazing how often people get those two things mixed up and always say that religion is Subjective. 

4) He gave us a really good quote, "You know what someone believes about morality not by what they say or what they do, but how they want to be treated.". I think this really hits home on the whole, "What's right for you is right for you and what's wrong for you is wrong for you", basically the whole Relativism thing going on in Postmodernism. 

5) He mentioned the book Darwin's Black Box by Michael Behe. This is also a book that was mentioned in Philosophy class last year and we discussed all the things with Irreducible Complexity. This is a subject that really fascinates me. He gives the whole example of a mousetrap and how if even on single part was not there the whole trap would not work. That being said if the mousetrap went through an evolutionary process it would not work. There is much more to this theory which is why I plan on eventually reading this book. To learn more about it and such.

So that's it folks, it was a great week as I said before. It was also really cool to go eat lunch with the Donyes and McDowell's (Not Josh McDowell, but Sean McDowell, his wife, and three kids). Definitely one of the better parts of my week. Also Sean is a baller, got a chance to play some bball with him while he was here. Pretty sweet stuff. Anyway that about wraps it up, enjoy the weekend and find some obscure holiday to celebrate.