Another Quarankingdom Story: A Movement to Isolation

 On Friday, 11/20/20, I started to not feel so good. At first, I thought it was allergies because it is that time of the year, but I was wrong. I let my boss and professors know that I was not going to be at any meetings that day that I had planned on being at and that I was going to be tested for Covid-19. I contacted my school's health email and got direction as to where I was to go get tested. I went to Rhea County's Health Department and after three hours, I finally got my nose swabbed. 

As I was in line, I started to feel wobbly and not able to really drive for a long period of time. The health team at Bryan wanted me to go into quarantine until I at least got my results back, but with it being so close to the end of the semester, my mom and I decided it would be best for me to come home. I had to have my mom and bonus dad to come pick me up as, like I said, I was not up to drive for 3 hours. 

I came home to my room where I have been for most of my time here so far. On Saturday, I got my results back and they said that I was Positive for Covid-19. My symptoms are mild and not too much to complain about. It feels like a severe sinus infection: stuffy nose, headache, and clogged ears (kinda like when they do not pop when coming off a mountain). I am noticeably more tired than I usually am and my breathing is harder as well. For right now, I have to watch what I eat lest I want to return it. I can do a lot of things like shower, write a blog, walk to the kitchen to get water, and such, but then I do need to sit down for a moment to get my bearings. (As I am writing this, I just got a call from Rhea County Health Department to ensure that the results I saw were correct: I am positive for Corona.) 

So, now the Quarankingdom is populated again with people that I know. I have a couple of friends that are positive for Corona and many others that are in quarantine because of these cases. The quaranpeeps will reunite (socially distant that is) and have fun while we all await our sentences in this kingdom. 

The main thing about this is, God is still in control. What makes this better than last time is that I am home and am able to have some communication with people on a day to day basis. God will still teach me things while I am in this isolation and I hope He does the same for my friends. 

As always, prayers are appreciated. God bless you all! 

The Election Results are In!

 Today is the day that many people in the United States have been eyeing for many months. Today is Election Day. Many people are anxious and stressed over this election to see which candidate holds the highest government office in the United States. Like many others, this is my first ever presidential election that I was able to participate in. 

My experience was probably not the most orthodoxic as I did not early vote or even vote in person but through an absentee ballot. My vote has been received since 5 October 2020, and I have felt the pressure of the results lifted from me as I did my civic duty. But voting for the election was not the only reason the stress was lifted from me. Why? Because no matter who becomes the next President of the United States, I know the King of the Universe. 

Sometimes, with all the people worried about the election, I wonder if people really trust God to put into place who He wants in place. Romans 13 tells us that "there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God." What Paul is writing about is the marks of a true Christian. He tells us to follow God, be kind, quiet, genuine, kind and submissive to the government as long as the government does not try to supersede God. What I see are people being extremely vocal about candidates and how they are the ones going to change America. I am sorry, but I did not know Jesus was running for office. You see, only Jesus can change this nation and world. He will use people like us to change it, yes, but we can do absolutely nothing aside from Christ. 

I hear people say that we are only voting between the lesser of two evils. You are 100% correct. Every man is fallen from God and is in need of salvation. Therefore, we are going to be choosing between the two (or more) evils. So what do we do as Christians in a political world? Here are a few things to keep in mind when voting anytime: 

• Do not just look at the party, look at the person. There are some that run on a platform and do the complete opposite in their personal and professional lives and some run on a platform that they mostly agree on except for one issue. 
• Read the Bible and research what we are called to do as believers. Let this guide you to who to vote for. Who is planning on doing these things you have researched? 
• Do not trust the government to do the things that you researched. Instead, do it yourself with your church. think the government needs to help the foster care system and widows (like I do)? Then set up a ministry within your church or join one that has something like that. 
• Research, Research, RESEARCH! Go to websites like Ballotpedia, your local election office website (for sample ballots), campaign websites, etc. 
• And if you are up to it, there was a debate at Bryan College where four Believers talked about their different political views and how their beliefs drove them to that viewpoint. The link is https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=405033184220136 
• As always, pray. Pray for God to show you who to vote for. Pray for peace. Pray for people to see God in this time by you and other believers. 

The best thing that we can all do right now and as the results roll in tonight is pray and be quiet. Let us not be puffed up in our flesh but let the Spirit guide us to what we do. Let us not fight over who we all voted for but instead rejoice that Jesus Christ is on the Throne. 

So, yes, the results are in: Jesus is King. Are you following His rule? 

Calling

 I have only been busier since I left the Quarankingdom, but that is for all the better. I have put more hours towards my internship and am even closer to finishing my first semester of senior year. 

In a meeting today for the group Engage, we learned more about leadership and what servant leadership is. When the lesson was done, our director of student outreach came up and asked us to be servant leaders. She asked to follow her because we are called to our passions and places and want to serve them in any way that we can. She said that Engage will not be the same come next semester due to bigger and better changes. These changes will require us to be on board and not try to be offended if our own initiatives change. This hit me later on this evening as I realized that I will comply with this request not because she asked but because of what I am called to do.

 You see, I am not called to a person but to a purpose. 

I believe that all people are called to a purpose and not a person, but what really is the difference? First, I would like to begin that all purposes are God given. These purposes will not contradict his Word and is something that can be confirmed through prayer, reading of scripture, and mentorship. 

A person that follows only a person (they may feel as if they are called to them, but I do not think this to be the case) no matter where that person goes, good or bad. These people will make excuses for someone's misbehavior and words. They will make sure to stand with the person and negate their faults. 

A person that is called to a purpose (and follows it) will see a person who fits the purpose of which they are called and serve them for as long as they continue in the purpose of the person. The main counterpoint that many of you are thinking of at this moment is "What about loyalty?" Well, loyalty is still there. I can serve someone that does not serve in the same purpose that I do because of a prior commitment to that person (i.e. job commitment, promise, etc.). What I am saying here is that we are all called to a specific purpose and we will not be satisfied until we are serving the purpose in which we are called. 

When a person is called to a purpose, we try to do everything that is within us to achieve that purpose and that even means going through changes that may look weird at first but will be better in the end. This is why I will comply with the new changes that will be implemented because in the end, it will only be better. In the end, more people will be helped through the service done by Bryan College and Engage. 

So, when you are faced with a decision in these next few weeks and months, remind yourself what your God given purpose is and then decide based on that. 

Until Next time. May God bless you all. 

Welcome to the Quarankingdom! Population: Varying

 It has been five days since I was put in quarantine. My test results have come back Negative, praise God, and I now await the day that I can leave. Since I have some friends that are also quarantined, we all naturally made a group chat to make sure we are all doing fine. We have named the group chat the Quarankingdom and we even have a Quaranqueen. We've added people to the chat as they come to quarantine and we tend to keep them there even after they get out. We plan movie nights, game nights, and alert others when food has been delivered. We have built a community even though we can not see each other's faces except through that of a screen. We take care of each other and try to build each other up. 

In this kingdom we all have a role; I am the Quaranbishop and there is the Quaranjester (has been released from Quarantine), Quaranknight, Traitor Quaranpeep (has been released from Quarantine), Quaranrook, and the Lord of the Covid at Rhea House. We try to have fun about this time of solitude and tend to talk in semi-Old English just for the heck of it. We are all going a bit stir crazy and have tried to find ways to alleviate being in a cinder block room. One has done cartwheels, another practices martial arts, another walks around the room as much as possible, and another writes, reads, and watches movies all the time. These help, but it is the people outside of this building that make sure we are doing well that make our day. 

From snack bags to window meetings to Zoom game nights, all of it is appreciated. We all only have a short amount of time left in the Quarankingdom, but it has changed us all. For better or worse, it has forced us in with our thoughts and prayers. It has also allowed us to be alone to rest and not worry too much about the outside world. Our classes are being recorded and that helps with not falling behind, though I wait for the day I can be in classes in person. 

Though I yearn to leave, I cannot leave behind the lessons that I have learned. I have learned to be silent and listen to God. I have also learned to rely and trust others and sometimes that meant to relinquish control. I have had to trust people to bring stuff that I forgot in my dorm, for food from the cafeteria, and to hold events without me being there. This lesson has taught me to slow down because not everything is going to crash and burn if I do not have my hand on it (I am good but not that good). 

Now as I finish my thoughts here, I will go back to my virtual studies and maybe a movie or two. I hope you all have a wonderful day. God Bless!

Senior Year

 After 5 months of being uprooted from my Junior year at Bryan due to COVID-19, I am finally back at Bryan College for my Senior year. I knew this year was going to be different because of all the new guidelines that we had to follow both on and off campus, but it is perfectly fine because I know this school wants us to be safe and they care for us deeply; that has never changed. 

I began this year, as usual, being involved in many things. This year, I am a Co-Captain for Neighbor2Neighbor (my PCI [service group] initiative that I created last year), Co-Captain for Debate Team, a Co-Leader for Gateway Group Leader (Where I help those who are new at Bryan with their first year experience course), Service Project Coordinator (more on that later), Senior Male Senator for SGA, and I am taking 13 hours this semester. Not too bad, but after two weeks of a busy schedule I was looking for some alone time this weekend. 

Well, God looked at my 2 days of alone time and raised it to 10. As of noon on Friday (8/21), I found out that I was in contact with a positive case of Corona on campus. This is our first positive case on campus. So, when I found out, I got a call from the head of the Bryan Health Task Force that asked me questions, in which I answered honestly, and that got me a wonderful trip to Arnold Dormitory until September 1, 2020. I have no doubt that God will show me things in here as I have a room to myself and not allowed to leave whatsoever. I only thought I need solitude for 2 days where God saw I needed more and that's okay. 

This is easier on me because I can switch my in-person meetings to online, my classes to recorded lectures (which they are all being recorded), and my social life to online with my friends and all. My assignments are essentially all online and so is my work. My friends have already been there for me as I have been there for them (cause there are 5 of us in quarantine on campus), and my friends who are not in quarantine are praying and checking in on me to see if I need anything. I truly am blessed by what I have here at Bryan. 

I do not know what these 10 days will bring, but I know God will work through anything. I get my test results back by either Monday or Tuesday, I'll keep everyone updated. 

Psalm 51:15-17

"For you do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart- These, O God, You will not despise."

I do not know what I will experience, but if this experience was made to break me only to trust God more, then praise be to God and let him do his work. May God bless you all this morning. Until next time. 

Uprooted

51 one days. That is how long it has been since I have been away from my school. We have all seen many posts about how students are feeling and how we should act towards them. Well, here's one more.

On March 13, 2020, I knew that I would not see my school for at least two weeks but I would be able to return on March 30, 2020. Well, during the week of March 23, I found out that I would not be able to return to school until April 6, 2020 with all classes online for the rest of the semester. That's okay, I  thought, it's only another week. I wanted that to be so true. Then I got another email. The email said that it was with deep sorrow that my school would be closing its doors for the remainder of the semester. I cried. I was not able to say my goodbyes to everyone I wanted, especially those who were seniors. I did not realize that my goodbyes to the people that worked in the Office with me would be the last until August. I did not realize that this virus would hit my own world so hard. I had made peace with it cancelling the event I spent all year planning, but now it had gone too far. It had uprooted my life, but that is okay because I still have my internship in San Diego for the Summer. Wrong. That too had been taken from me. I was stuck feeling lost and not knowing what to do.

I am not the only one that feels this way. However, I can only speak from my own view. This virus is like nothing that my generation has ever seen. We survived H1N1, 9/11, and even the year 2012. But this virus, this virus doesn't care if you survive it. It will still make you miserable even if you do not have it. All students were ripped away from normal, as everyone was, and we do not know when we will return to a sense of normal. We cannot go about as if we are not hurt. This all sucks. Our home away from home was uprooted, our second family was taken away from view, our sense of security was gone.

This virus came like an EF-5 tornado destroying everything in its path without holding back as to what it was destroying. However, it never fails that after a devastating tornado that everyone looks at something that was not destroyed, that withheld the storm. This item, whether a tree, flag, cross, etc. gives a beacon of hope to all who see it. Ladies and Gentlemen, this virus is devastating and we are all searching through the rubble of our broken lives to find a beacon of hope. Look no further for the God of creation has come. Jesus the Christ has died and he was raised upon a cross for all to see. And all who gaze upon him and accept him as Savior and Lord have hope that has no end.

This all hurts and continues to hurt even 51 days since I have received the news. So, to my fellow college students that are feeling the same way, hang in there. We are all in this together. Jesus loves all of us and remains our beacon of light in this time of darkness. Turn to him, I beg you, and your hope will be restored. cling to him all your days and though you may still have some dark days, Jesus is still beside you as a light away from the dark. God bless, everyone.

We Hold These Truths to be Self Evident...

I cannot explain what all has happened since the last post. Some are asking what is going on and I do not have an answer other than it is uprooting everything that we know in society. This virus, this pandemic has caused mass destruction like my generation has never seen before. Some are comparing it to the flu and how the flu kills more than this virus. While this may be true, it is not fair to compare it to the flu. The main reasons of this are because of the unknown. We know the flu and what to do with it. We do not know COVID19. This is why the vast measures have been taken. But this is not what I want to write about.

You see, I am seeing a lot of people getting antsy in their homes (as an extrovert, I am one of those people) and some are even taking to the streets their distress with the government. I even see Christians being a part of this. While we have a right to protest that does not mean we have to exercise it every time something inconveniences us. I am writing today to not say that we should be sheep led to the slaughter, but, instead, sheep under the leadership of God. Are some rights suspended right now, yes. Is it legal, yes, it actually is. I have seen numerous posts on Facebook that say that they can and it's their "God-given right". Let me tell you, the only God-given rights you have are Life and Salvation. That's it. You have a right to live and you have the right to accept the free gift of salvation that cost our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ everything. All the other rights are icing on the cake that men have given us. We, as believers, are to follow man's law, as it says in the Bible, until it tries to supersede God's law. And as of right now, none of God's laws are being overrun. We Americans are so caught up in the idea of Freedom that it is becoming an idol above God. Yes, we are free and I am so grateful to my country for that, however, this freedom will not last. The only freedom that we can enjoy for everlasting is that of God. Once we free in Christ, no other freedom can compare. If we are all caught up in the artificial freedom that the government has given us and that is all that we can think about, then we are no longer free; we are then slaves to the same government that we want to rebel against.

Some are saying that they have right to gather in their church buildings. Why? Why do we need the buildings? The church is not there, it is wherever we go. WE are the Church. The Church has not been canceled but deployed. God has something in store for us and will see us through it all. We can let the government know when they overreach their power (which they have not all the way), but we need to comply as we are called to do in James.

Brothers and Sisters, let us not get caught up with this artificial freedom, but instead with the freedom from God himself. We may hold the truths found in the Constitution to be self evident, but God's are even more evident and are far more truthful than the others. God bless you all.

Spirit of Fear: Covid-19

It has been a tiring couple of weeks for our world. Covid-19, or more commonly known as the Coronavirus, has instilled a spirit of fear into the hearts of every single person. While some have made jokes about the virus itself, they are fearful of what the world will come to with the reaction the virus has gotten.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, we cannot let this happen. We as believers must stand together in a time of prayer to expel this spirit of fear from our homes, our schools, our churches, and our countries. We may not know what this will all lead to, but we have to trust in God and his will. Everything that is done is within his supervision, and nothing catches him by surprise.

I have prayed, and had people pray for me, that God would give me the strength to trust him throughout the process of Service Day. I also prayed that he would continue to give me the peace to overwhelm the stress of preparing for it. God has been so generous in answering those prayers for me, and even though I am disheartened at the moment, more later, I still feel the peace of God and I trust him to do his will.

My college, Bryan College, has joined the list of the multitude of schools. Bryan College has made the right decision to extend Spring Break and has left the door open for the possibility of a few more weeks beyond the week extension. With this in mind, all of the extra-curricular activities (sports, mission trips, and our Chorale Tour) have all been canceled and will remain canceled until the school sees fit for us to return to campus. We starting the week after Spring Break, all students will be online and at home. If the school sees fit to continue online and at home for another week after our extended break, then Service Day, the event that I have been planning since August, will be canceled for the first time in its history.

While I am disheartened, God has given me the strength to trust him and a peace. This peace is not happiness but contentment in him. I am sad. I have cried, yelled, and thrown things, but one thing remains and that is Jesus. He has not failed me yet and he never will, but my emotions still stand. My trust is in him and in his plan for his plan is perfect.

The spirit of fear that this virus, this pandemic, has caused is worse than the disease itself. As believers, we must stand with each other and pray. Let us not be blind to the spiritual forces behind this making what they think is a power move. Let us not sit idly as people are worrying about the afterlife and us not tell them the good news that gives all hope. GO! Be safe, but GO! Go to work and share the gospel, more people are willing to listen and they need to hear the good news! What Satan plans to destroy, God is using to open people's hearts! Let us not waste this time that God has given us! Let us go out into our nations and scream from the mountaintops that Jesus is Lord and he is in control!

We cannot let this spirit of fear win, for if we do, then we are surely defeated. God bless and good night.

Empathy

Sometimes days can be rough. Sometimes they can be very productive and good. And other times, they can be both. Today was one of the both kind of days. For my job, I am aiming to get 32-36 people to serve on Service Day which is April 2, 2020. In this job, I have to call each and every project and see what the need is for this year. This is great for me because I love people and I love to serve and know them. Sometimes in my calls, though, I am privileged to hear some of their stories. I take great notice when God allows me to hear these stories because I am extremely empathetic. Being an Empath is feeling everything that a person tells me what they have experienced. If you share with me a dark time, I am there with you. If you tell of heart break, I cry with you. I cannot help but have this Gift from God, but sometimes it drains me. Today was one of those moments that drained me.

One of the people I contacted today had such a terrible couple of years and they were willing to open up to me about this. He told of great heartbreak when his wife passed a couple years ago and then again a few weeks later when his son was killed. As he told me this, I could not keep the tears out of my eyes and I could tell his voice was cracking on the other end. I got off of the phone and I had to stop for a couple of minutes while I prayed and tried to pull myself together. I continued throughout the day hearing that conversation play back and forth in my head. When I feel something with empathy, then I feel it for the day.

A friend in the office and great voice of wisdom later told me that God gives us these gifts to use for his Glory, but we cannot let what we feel using this gift get in the way of all the other things that God wants us to do that day. I reflect on that and see that God has given me a great gift so that I can connect with people. I cannot bear everyone's burdens for all burdens are easier with Christ Jesus by our sides. Jesus, in the Holy Spirit, is who walks beside us to guide us and help us. Though I may feel the heavy burden of people's feelings on me, Jesus is there to take the unnecessary burdens off of me. I still have my cross to bear to follow Jesus, but all the other things can be cast upon Him.

To all my other Empaths out there, take the advice that my friend gave to me. We have a great gift, but we cannot take everyone's burdens as ours. If we do, then that will only weigh us down and not allow us to do God's will for us to the best we can. Listen to people, see people, and help people, but leave the burdens with Christ.

Amen.

2020 Vision

As it has turned over to a new year, so has my life. Many things surround us that we do not tend to see, and many things surround us that we choose not to believe, even if we see. As I sit on a bench at my school, enjoying this cool and refreshing breeze, I notice those who are around me. There are people on hammocks enjoying each other's company and swinging in the wind, there are people who are long-boarding on the sidewalks, and then there are people who simply pass by this wonderful day. I look behind me to my right and I see the Cross that is at the Chapel.

Looking at all these things, I cannot but help think back to my time in Switzerland. The main lesson I learned there was that of people. All people want one thing and that is to be seen by others. It does not matter what religion, ethnicity, nationality, etc., all people want to be seen and understood. This lesson has been so ingrained in my mind for this school year that I even brought it into my job. I am the Service Day Coordinator for Bryan College. Service Day is an event where all of Bryan College in Dayton, Tennessee, closes down and serves the community in which we reside. Around 500 people, faculty, staff, and student, go into Rhea county and serve over 3000 people. I have the honor to set this up with our community partners and with the school. My theme is "Vision: Seeing Those Who We Serve" and it is based off of the lesson I learned in Switzerland. When we serve people, regardless if it is Bryan College or you who is reading this, we tend to think of the action of us serving them and not the person we are serving.

We always want the gratification of serving someone that we do not think of the person we are serving. We might love to serve but for what purpose? Is it for the glorification of ourselves or to actually see the person in need as a person and not a project? The people we serve have scars that we do not see. They have stories they want to tell but have no one that stop and listen to them.

So, how do we listen to people? You might say, "Well, Jack, we listen by hearing them." What if I told you that listening is not always with your ears? I've already alluded to how seeing people is not always by our eyes but instead in acts of service. But listening, can that, too, be accomplished through acts of service? What about the other four love languages? While listening can, and often does, start with hearing people, we have to be willing to take what we hear and continue to listen by our actions. Our actions say, "I have heard you loud and clear. I love and care for you so much that I thought of doing this or giving this." Giving of yourself or of material and spiritual needs say already that you hear them. Even if it is in some quality time in a rough patch of life, that too can be hearing the person and what they need.

My challenge to you is to hear and see someone this week. How are you doing that? What is the primary way of you doing that? See yourself and figure out how you can see others around you.

May God bless you and keep you. Amen.