Update: My Life is a rollercoaster.

 Hello, everyone. It has been a while since my last post. Here is an update on my life recently. A couple of months ago I began this journey within myself. I took a look at my life and found that I didn't love who I was in Christ. I found that I loved the fact that Christ loved me but didn't let that fill my heart with joy for me to give to others around me. So I began searching for God within myself. I am happy to say that I have begun to find Him in a lot of the areas of my life. I am recognizing the blessings He has provided me and so much more.

  Good Friday I attended one of the most amazing events that I have ever attended. The event was Secret Church. It focused on the crucifixion, salvation, and glory of God. It set my heart on fire to search for God even more. Since then I have been seeing God in the decisions I make, the places I go, and the people I meet. That weekend was filled with this realization. It was also the beginning of my realization that God wants me to know that Christ crucifixion is for everyone who believes. If the resurrection never happened and Christ was never raised from the dead then my searching for Him is futile. My witness is vain and my faith is worthless. But the great and amazing and awesome thing is that it happened three days from the time of the crucifixion Christ rose as the first fruits from the dead.
 
   This past weekend i again traveled home. I am going to Italy in July and had to work on some things in preparation for it. I arrived a day to early, but that was all in God's plan. I had to run an errand with my mom on Saturday morning. The woman that we were delivering cupcakes to worked with international students. She had an amazing testimony on why her passion for international students had grown. It really opened my eyes to the gifts I have been given though they may seem insignificant God can use them in His time to bring about a lot of people to Him. But God wasn't finished with me Saturday. Throughout the day i helped several people with different tasks that they needed done. He showed me how to serve Him through His people even when they might not be part of his flock yet. I have really enjoyed learning about how my life is  all part of God's plan and that I have a purpose on this earth and it is to trust Him and worship Him.
   Sunday I went to sunday school with my dad. They have started studying the book of Job. I spent about a month and a half reading it. However that is all I was doing. While studying the first chapter something stood out to me that I missed when I read it alone. After everything was taken from Job he ripped his clothes, shaved his head, and cursed God, cried woe is me. No, he knelt and worshiped God. He said, "The Lord giveth and He can taketh away. Praise be to God." I want that to be my prayer when storms arise and I feel like everything is taken away from me. 
   Thank you for letting me share. I love all of you and pray that the Lord will bless your days.

Time, Pancakes, and Laminin

 So just recently I watched a pretty amazing movie. It was called 127 Hours. It is the true story of the guy that cut off part of his own arm to survive. The movie was rated R for good reason though. It really made me think if what I am doing right now is what I should be doing. God has a great plan for my life and I am learning to walk where he leads and wait on Him to tell me when to move next.
  This morning was high attendance Sunday at church. They provided breakfast for all of those that were willing to come early before Sunday School. It was pancakes. It really got me to thinking though. Should churches have to provide a service like breakfast to its members because they want people to come. As  the Church of Christ shouldn't we want to fellowship with each other. Shouldn't we want that community, corporate worship together. I think so. We should want every Sunday's attendance to be higher than the last. However, I had a friend who not to long ago gave his life to God completely and wanted to go through with believers baptism. That is one thing that the Church should also want to do in respect for God. My deal with it is Christ did it why shouldn't I want to do it.
   In Sunday school we talked about finding the truths about God and knowing them. We were looking in the book of Colossians. In the first twenty verses it talks about how Jesus is the first of everything. How he created everything and everything was created for Him. It also talks about how He holds everything together. That reminded me of Louie Giglio a pastor and awesome guy. Who discovered what Laminin the cell that holds all other cells together looked like. It looks like a cross with someone hanging on it. Kinda reminds you of something right? Well since then I have thought about my life and how I know that Laminin is inside of me and that really means that Christ lives in me because I have accepted his gift of grace. Yet, I take advantage of it.
  These are just some of my thoughts for today.

Why Am I Here?

 It has been a couple of days and I have been reflecting on some of the struggles in my life as of late. Honestly, I am have become grateful for them cause without them I wouldn't know if I was following what God has for my life.
   Tonight I attended a concert in town. The band was Gungor. I knew that they played some praise and worship. I was surprised that they were actually more like a soft rock band than a praise and worship band. It was absolutely amazing. There have been only a few times in my life where I have felt the Spirit of God moving through a congregation. Tonight was one of those times. Feeling the Spirit move was awe inspiring. I can't even begin to describe what I felt. Afterward I attend the college and career Bible study that is held at Taylor Road Baptist Church. The book as I have mentioned before really hit home some more things that I have in my life that are keeping me from my full and true potential in fulfilling God's plan for my life.
  Ok now that I have told you that I want to jump back to Monday night at Resonate. Lee the usual speaker was not there because of a recent surgery. That meant that our favorite guest speaker was speaking. He talked about Esther. How we as people more importantly as Christians are more concerned about why we are here than with since we are here what does God want us to do. See we were placed on this earth at this time to the parents we have, in the place where we are for a greater picture or purpose. As we live our Christian lives we have that purpose revealed to us. Sometimes just a little of it others time a lot of it. In those times when we have a lot we complain and belly ache. People will tell us don't worry God will not put more on you than you can handle. Which in all actuality is a load of crock. God puts things on us more than we can handle because we aren't supposed to handle it God is through us. Anyway, Jim really put into perspective some of the reasons why I am here.
   I am grateful for all of these things and friends to share it with.
I hope that all of you readers out there know that I love you and that God loves you. I also hope that you know your purpose is greater than even you could imagine. So, go with God He will never steer you wrong.

Storm Delay

  Dear friends. I know it has been a week since my last post. I am deeply sorry. A lot has been going on in my life lately. However, everyday i have kept with the challenge and looked for something to be thankful for. It is getting easier to see in what ways God has blessed me. It actually quite amazing to see how much I have missed the blessings that God has bestowed on me.
   One of the first things I noticed was my parents. God gave them to me. He placed me in their care. He was the one that had me to be born at the certain time and certain place in their lives. This past week my parents came up to take me out to lunch for my birthday that was last week. I didn't expect them to also buy me tons of food to keep me sustained for the week. I have some of the best parents in the world. They both seek after God in all areas of their life. They build me up when I am down and I know I can talk to them about any problem that I am going through.
    The second thing is a home. Yes, I live in Montgomery and I have made it my home, but the one place that I will always call home on this side of heaven is right there in Troy, Alabama with my parents and sister. My dad pointed out in an earlier post that I had said something about not being appreciative of that home. I am correcting that statement and showing that I am truly grateful for it. There is no place like a home that you can take refuge in when storms come and you need protection. In our lives that home is heaven and the father and helper is God.
    The third and final thing for this post is times to corporately worship. This past Monday night was Resonate at the BCM. The campus minster is teaching through Colossians. However, we have only gotten to verse 23 in chapter one. But one statement stood out to me. No matter how hard the storms that we face Jesus faced them as well, maybe not in the same way but definitely the same situations. He is there waiting for you to push into His embrace. We need Him more than we think, yet we refuse to turn to Him until we believe our lives to be worthless and we give up the fight. I was reassured of these facts Wednesday night when I attended the college Bible study at Taylor Road Baptist Church. The book that we have now begun stated all of the questions and problems I have been struggling with these past few months. I look forward to discovering how this author will instruct me to handle these storms that I currently face.
   God is good and I relish the times I am in His presence. I have realized that throughout my life there has never been a time where I haven't struggled and God has been there to pick me up and carry me until I am able to run again.
   I love you all and hope that you will get much out of my words. I am praying for all of you.

Missed yesterday fixing problem now

 Sorry guys, I missed posting yesterday. I just was filled with a lot of good things. First I was treated to lunch by my roommates dad. Then, I had work, which was a blast. So yesterday I guys I was thankful for life. Yeah I know I already posted about life but that was different. This one is about all the fun you can have and lose track of time.
  This isn't long but it is what I was grateful for.

Reflections on life and how insignificant we truly are.

 So today is a very special day indeed. It is opening day for baseball, but more importantly it is my 21st birthday. I don't plan on doing anything extremely special except hang out with my awesome friends. Today however I would like to take the time to reflect on my life, your life, everyone's life in the scheme of God. Not that we are worthless for we are truly worthy as Christ is worthy to receive our praise.
  It is crazy to think that twenty one years ago today my mom suffered in child labor to give me a chance to praise God the rest of my days. For see I was already alive in my mothers womb. Now I can fulfill the purpose of that life that I was granted. Yesterday, after my post I was reading one of the most inspirational books that is in existence today. That book is the Bible. The specific place in the Bible I was reading was the book of Job. I have been reading it in my quiet times lately and learning that God is big and proud, and loves to boast about His creation as it is His right He did create it. That reminds me of a Shirley Temple commercial I saw. In this commercial she is talking to a lady and says, "My duck is special!" to which the lady replies, "What's so special about your duck?" Temple replies, "My duck can lay an egg, can you lay an egg?" Okay sorry went on a rabbit trail there. However it is true that God created period. In Job, Job is speaking and sharing that wisdom is hidden from everyone who doesn't seek it. He says that people who seek it tend to look in the wrong places. He explains that wisdom can't be measured by riches or jewels. God holds wisdom in His hands and only those who seek it there will find it. That got me to thinking of how small and insignificant my complaints, my accomplishments, my life is to how big and holy and honorable God is.
  See its my birthday the day that God chose to let me see the outside of my mothers womb so as to fulfill the purpose He has for my life. It is my special New Year. This year I plan to live for God no matter what the world, Satan, and Satan's demons are allowed to throw at me. Yes, I said allowed. God allows things to happen to us not only to prove that we need to trust Him only, but to bring others to an understanding of who God is and how He loves them. So Happy Birthday to me for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. And Happy Birthday to everyone on there birthday for it truly is happy for God chose you for a reason and that reason is to bring only Him glory.
  That's all for today have a wonderful day and I and God love you.

Gratitude Wednesday or Day 3

Happy Wednesday everyone. Well that's what one of my friends says for everyday of the week. So, today has also proven to be a tough day to find something really deep and meaningful to be grateful for. However, today is going to be about friendship.
  I have some of the best friends in the world. Or at least I think so. Yes sometimes I feel like they don't appreciate me, or that I don't have any at all. Usually during these times I see how special my friends truly are. Some friends more than others, yet all the same they have great meaning in my life. I take my friends for granted sometimes and sometimes I forget who they are completely.
  Looking at this part of my life I can think of a handful of friends that I regard higher than the others. Over the years I have had friends come and go. One that has stuck with me through a lot of the rough stuff is my best friend from Troy, Alabama. Since college I have had several friends that know who I am and keep me motivated to search for the truths God has provided for us to know who He is. I honestly don't know what I would do without them. They remind me daily that without God I can do nothing, but with Him I can do all things. The first is a guy that I met my first year in college. We quickly became friends and now are accountability partners. The other I met this year she is grounded firmly in her faith and makes me want to search for God more and more everyday. We too are accountability partners. While both of these friends are completely different they build me up in so many ways.
  So today I am grateful for God loving friends that build me up and never tear me down.
   That's all for today.  I look forward to telling you about what I am grateful tomorrow. It might be about life but I don't know yet.

Gratitude day # Two

 Today will mark the second day of this my gratitude challenge. While yesterdays was very meaningful and heavy with emotional value, today is just an acknowledgment of how truly blessed I am.
 Today I am grateful to have a job. My usual work days are Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I realized today that the job I currently have the opportunity to posses I have had for an entire year. To some that isn't that big of a deal, but to me it is a major achievement. Since I moved to Montgomery about three years ago I have had little odd and end jobs until this wonderful one. In the past three years I have worked as a silver polisher, as a kennel worker, a loader for UPS, and what I call and ice specialist at Nancy's Italian Ice. Since working there I have loved every minute of it. I started not knowing anyone I worked with to now I am having new employees shadow me.
  This opportunity has been the best one I have had since high school. That wasn't as glamorous but it was my job. I ran a paper route in the mornings for my uncle who was off in Iraq. I thank God everyday for my job at Nancy's for without it I would still live at home and have to commute everyday to go to school.
  That's all I have today check back tomorrow for day three

Gratitude day #1

 So, since my last post I have had a lot of things happening in my life. Yeah in like three days a lot can change. This past Saturday night and all day Sunday I spent reflecting on my life, my relationships, and my relationship with my ABBA Father.
  First, have you ever been completely broken in spirit and emotion. That's what happened to me. See last Monday night at Resonate (the local praise and worship service the AUM BCM holds) I was confronted with some ideas. The speaker quoted one of my favorite Christian authors, John Piper, he states, "God is not an ambulance drive, God is a surgeon." This concept is very true. God doesn't get there when life has left you broken and torn so he can fix the problem. God is the one who brakes you. He is the one that goes into your life and cuts out the bad and puts good in. So all week God began to do surgery on my life. By Saturday night He had gotten to the root of my problem. I am struggling with the problem of not loving myself at all. I had lost my first love with Christ and my second love of myself so that I can love others as I love myself. My life  lately has become a treacherous storm that is seeming to hard to bare. Yet, I know that I have a father in Heaven that loves me anyway. I have friends that will stand by me through this storm no matter what the cost. I have a family that will be there to help me pick up the pieces after all of the damage is done.
  In the past six to nine months I have changed the college I am attending. I have been in and out of a seemingly healthy relationship. I have kept the job I have for a year. I have learned that I don't love myself. I have learned that I can be loved even when I don't show it. I have realized that I have been wearing a mask so long that I don't know who the real me is and what is the mask anymore.
 I have a friend that loves me no matter what I do to make her feel  bad or complain about how big the storm is. When she simply tells me the age old saying, "Don't tell God how big the storm is. Tell the storm how big God is." She introduced me to the gratitude challenge. I believe that this will help me find myself and learn to love it. I am amazingly blessed I have been to stupid to see it though. So for the next  Twenty or so days I hope to tell you at least one thing I am grateful for.
 So today I am grateful for God, Yahweh, Abba, ex. Without Him I can do nothing. Without Him life would be a moot point. Without Him life wouldn't even exist. Without Him there would be nothing. Thank you God, Father, for sending your only Son to this wretched world to save it from total destruction.
 That's all for today

Found Reason While Freezin'

 So, I took a trip over Spring break to America Last Frontier. To most of you that is Alaska. Before going I had doubts on if I should go, or if that is what God has for my life at this time. Boy was I shocked to find out that it was the one place that God would reveal Himself to me.
  My life has been a roller coaster the past few months. I have experienced things that everyone experiences. However, for me it happened all at the same time or so it seemed. The biggest thing was learning to love myself before I can open myself up completely to others to show them love. In Matthew 22:37-39 is probably one of the most known sections of scripture. It state," Jesus replied: '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 thy neighbor as yourself.'" This is one of the hardest things for me. I am not comfortable with who I am. Since Alaska I am finding who I am and how to love God first and myself and others second.
   Alaska is one of the most beautiful places in North America. Everyday I would wake up and step outside the church where the team I was working with stayed and would exclaim WOW. This wasn't completely because I was taken aback because of the beauty. It was mostly because I saw how HUGE God is and how small I am. Several years ago I read a book about this very fact. It opened my eyes then but I didn't grasp the magnitude of that simple fact.
   More times than once I was working on the daily project, walking around the neighborhood, or walking in the wilderness I found that God was telling me, "Love yourself, Obey Me, Love yourself." It wasn't until I returned that I found that I was not obeying God.
   Now that you have the basis of why and what I experienced let me tell you the fun stuff. On the first official day there the team was given the opportunity to do something completely unique from anyone. We were able to go dog mushing. The same type as done in the Iditarod dogsled race. The feeling of being pulled by a team that is solely working toward one goal is exhilarating. I really believe it set up the way the rest of the trip turned. out. While we were not on the sled at the same time our team without noticing it learned the true meaning of team work. See the days  following the team was faced with baking, inserting information into a computer, painting, cleaning buildings, and being split for a night. Yes, there were times we grumbled amongst ourselves and grumbling about the work. We bonded as a team that could accomplish anything. The last day of actual work we were assigned to paint a youth room some interesting colors. We accomplished the task in way under the time that the church thought that we would. That day we worked more as a team than any other day.
     In conclusion, God did amazing things not only in my life but in the life of a team that is stronger now than when we first jumped on a plane in Atlanta and flew to Anchorage, Alaska. I am learning to love myself so that the love I have inside myself will flow out to others around me. God is amazing and his grace is greater than anything we can fathom. Know that I love all of you whoever you are reading this and I know that God will do great things in your life.

Live Like Your Dying

 It amazes me how many times we fail, fall, or disappoint people. Over the past few months I have done this repeatedly. Whether is was not making good grades, or just not being there for someone in need. This is only one of my many down falls that I make. The follow up of this is having the all to sad "pity party". I usually get down in the dumps when this happens. I turn into the guy I was before I met Christ. A guy that hates everything about himself.
 However, the times that I feel at my lowest dump God has a way of bringing people into my life that will point me right back to Him. A short time ago I was in one of my pity parties when a friend lent a helping hand. As a matter of fact she has pulled me out a numerous amount of times in the past month or so. When I get in one of those moods she tells me, "Matt, it's ok your human." Being human sucks most of the time. Yet, the only thing better than being human is quite frankly being dead. Now before you get crazy on me the dead I am talking about is life. Paul tells in his letter to the church in Philippi, "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21) He is saying that he will gain much when he dies for he will be with Christ.
 This reminds me of a song that hit the country music stage several years ago. The song: Live Like You Are Dying, the artist: Tim McGraw. Now this song is not a song that you would think could be used, but it talks about living your life to the fullest. Now in my idea of living life to the fullest means living every second I have like Christ. So when I die I gain much.
 My friend also told me just recently that I didn't have a very optimistic attitude. I stood back and took a look at my life and realized that I truly had a pessimistic attitude most of the time. If I were living like I was dying then would I not relish the opportunity to be in the lower dumps to see that I am gaining so much more when I conqueror it. A lot of times I turn to self pity, but if I turned to God first when I screw up then those dumps would disappear altogether.
  This has been an excerpt from the mind of Gates. I do hope you will consider these things and enjoy life. God bless and have a wonderful day.

Welcome, Don't Stay to Long.

Hello, My name is Matthew Gates. I would like to invite you on a journey through the many channels of my mind. Some things will be funny and have no sense. While others will be very deep. And yet others will require response for my mind would love to hear what yours s is thinking.

 Here is a poem that I recently wrote. I hope this will give you an idea of what one aspect of this blog will be about.

Our All
 What makes our breath cease?
       What makes our hearts increase?
 What is our one desire?
       What sets our soul afire?

Jesus is our breath taker.
        Jesus is our heart quaker.
 Jesus is our one desire.
        Jesus sets our souls a blazing fire.