One thing I realized on Friday night after the HALO Bible study (part of Bethlehem Church) is that I feel strongly about several things, and I'm thinking there's a reason why I feel strongly about these things.  For example:  I encouraged Mare to be more consistent with her devotions by devoting a certain time each day or by changing up what she reads.  This made me realize that I feel strongly about encouraging/helping believers have a regular and meaningful quiet time.  I realized just a few weeks ago that I feel very strongly about confronting obvious sin among believers.  I don't think a person can be part a discipleship group and be blatantly involved in sin and have no desire to change.  This was partially brought on by my subteam's study of Revelation, which condemned some churches for allowing sin to exist among their members.  Toleration is terrible.  I also feel strongly about teaching believers an easy way to share the gospel.  A lot of people think it's really difficult and you need several hours to explain everything.  Other people think you need to bring people to an evangelist or an outreach to have the gospel explained properly.  I believe every Christian should know how to explain the gospel to any other person.  It can be as simple as what's on my gospel page.  Another thing I feel strongly about is dating with marriage in mind (courtship) as opposed to dating for fun or "to see where things go."  I hate hearing about people who are just trying dating to see where it leads them.  I can tell you this from experience:  it only leads to bad things.  People are naturally sexual beings; that's how God made us.  You can't put a hungry wolf in a room and expect it not to eat a juicy steak.  I think we just need to be honest with ourselves and realize where things are going before it's too late and we weakly give in.

I think I feel strongly about these things because I've experienced all of them.  I've had trouble with having a consistent quiet time with God; I've been engaged in sin while in a discipleship group only to be confronted about it; I've been afraid of sharing the gospel because I just didn't know it well enough to share; and I've dating for fun only to realize how stupid it is.  I guess this is all part of the Christian walk.  We experience things and stumble for a reason:  to grow. #religion