How Now Shall We Live?

Hey! Man, it's been a long time... hopefully I'll get some past adventures up here real soon! I know it's no excuse, but I've been real busy with school and the like. I've had sooo many good experiences in the last few months that I want to share though! God has shown me a ton. Basically, that He is good and takes care of us no matter what we do. =) How amazing is that?

I was talking to a friend, and somehow it came up that I had never really written a poem. She asked me to write one, and this is what I came up with. No, it doesn't rhyme. =)
God bless, everyone!!!

Brooklin
______________________________
Faith.
Hope.
Love.
But the greatest of these is love.

Little child, what do you feel?
Feel loved, Little Child.
Little child, what do you give?
Give love, Little Child.
Little child, where is your heart?
Keep your heart near the Father.
Little Child, what do you have?
Have faith, Little Child.
Little Child, what do you hold?
Hold hope, Little Child.
For the Father up above
Is looking down in love
Be careful Little Child,
How you live.

Stress test?

I was walking out of Wal-Mart today, and there was a booth set up outside with a "stress test". The guy sitting there (Johnny) stopped me to ask if I wanted to take a stress test. I said I'd take it if he took a test I had for him. (That would be the Good Person Test) He agreed to take it, so I took him through lying, stealing, murder and adultery. He confessed all four. The frustrating part about this guy was that he just didn't seem to care. He was basically "Yeah, nobody's perfect. So?" When I asked if he would go to heaven or hell, he said he doesn't really worry about it. "What's true for you is great! I'm glad you have that. I'm not going to say you're wrong." Oh boy.
So, the conversation wasn't really fruitful, but I was reminded that we are simply called to reach out and talk to people. God will take care of the rest, and we are not to worry about that part. That's God's part. (And praise Him for that!!)

"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Therefore go and make disciples. Christ gives us the strength we need to do our job, and He takes care of the rest.

Of Pirates, Pizza, and theology.

I was walking past the Regal theater in Simi yesterday, and saw a strange sight... several groups of people set up in lawn chairs, blankets, and reading material. With Pirates of the Carribean 3 coming out, they weren't taking any chances of being the first into the theater. I started talking to several people at the start of the line. Sure enough, they were there to see Pirates. I talked with them about movies, past and present... who was with who (they were mostly all strangers..just drawn to the same movie. =)

Then I started talking to Vince, someone who was there by himself to see it. I asked him if he minded a random question: "What do you think happens when we die?" He didn't know. "With all the different religions in the world, how can we know what one is right? And if we pick one...what if it's the wrong one?" He didn't know if there was a God, but he was "trying to be a good person". Good person test, anyone? =) He admitted that, if Christianity is true, he would go to hell. There were a lot of distractions, so the conversation drifted off and on the subject of God, but I was able to share with him some of the truths of Christianity, opposed to other world religions.
There was a group of about eight people ordering pizza; Vince didn't have any money, so I chipped in... didn't think I was going to be there when it came. ;) When it did, I asked another guy, Matt, the same question I asked Vince. His response was #1, religion is okay for some people, because it gives them hope. That's alright for them. And #2, he's more "into science", not "religion." Like with Vince, I showed him just a few historic/scientific facts about creation vs. evolution, and why evolution doesn't add up. Apparently he hadn't heard some of the arguments before.

I sat with the group for about an hour and a half... it was a great interaction, especially with Vince and Matt. The pizza was good too. ;) I didn't change either of these guys minds on the spot...but hopefully seeds were planted. Be praying for Vince and Matt, and that God will use the seeds.

Resurrection Sunday

In all of life,
It comes down,
To just one thing.
That is to know you, Oh Jesus.

Not exactly the first lyrics you think of on Easter, but still, I thought they were fitting. Nothing in this life really and truely matters, except for our relationship with Christ. He died for us. And then, guess what? He rose again. I don't know about any of you, but I've never met a guy who has raised himself from the dead. That's pretty amazing, if you ask me. And guess what else? He died and rose again for us. That's even more amazing. We're offered eternal salvation. I'd like to see the Easter Bunny top that.
So I was going to post more, but I think that's about it. Read 1 Corinthinas 15:1-34 for me. Full of good stuff. =)

In all of life,
It comes down,
To just one thing.
That is to know you, Oh Jesus.
And to make you known.

Hope you all had a wonderful Resurrection Sunday (also known as Easter). God bless!

Brooklin

A Christmas to Remember

What is Christmas? This is a question that has been asked by many over the years. Some people will answer the question with things like: "Presents", "stockings", or even "leaving the cookies and milk for santa." All of these things are fine and dandy. Even I find myself opening gifts and stockings with the utmost of glee on Christmas morning. But is that what Christmas is about? Is it about who has the biggest and best gift? Or maybe beating your neighbhor in the annual Christmas-light competition, and being proud of the fact that you completed your shopping list before Thanksgiving. Perhaps it's setting the tree and decorations up before the Thanksgiving football game has even ended. Perhaps. Still more people will say that this season is all about what is called the "Christmas spirit"; evidently the good feeling people get inside once a year. It's a sudden urge to give to the poor, or be extra freindly to the teller at the bank. This "Christmas spirit" goes deeper for some. It is the very essence of Christmas. It is trimming the tree with your family, Bing Crosby's voice wafting in the background. It is baking sugar cookies with your mother, and having a good laugh over the flour on your nose. It is sharing a mug of cider with your father over an open fire. It is singing Christmas carols with friends as well as strangers. Is this "Christmas spirit" what this season is all about? Most people will answer that yes, it is. This spirit and feeling is a great thing, and makes Christmas all that much better. But the question still remains: Is this Christmas? Is this why we go to all the trouble of gifts and trees and hams every year? Perhaps there is an even deeper meaning behind this holiday? Perhaps.

A handful of people will say that this day is about a baby born more than 2000 years ago. Is this the answer? An infant born in a stable? Perhaps this is the true meaning behind Christmas. The infant, Jesus Christ, was born of a virgin, and sent from God. The holiday we call "Christmas" is celebrating his birth. But why? Why is this birth so special? Well, Jesus was, and is, a King. A king, you say? How so? How could this baby, born in a barn among the animals, be a King? He is not only a King; He is God. God the Father sent Him to be born, and to live, and to die. Not just die. He died for us. Every single one of us. And that's still not the end of it. He is alive today. He came out of the tomb, and arose to heaven; to His rightful place. When we celebrate His birth this season, we need to not only think of His birth, but of His death for us. When people say that Christmas is all about the gifts, they are right. God gave every single one of us the greatest gift anyone could ever give. Eternal life. How does a Wii or an Ipod match up to that? Not even close. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." I am a sinner. You are a sinner. But God has given us that gift. That is the true meaning of Christmas. Have a great Christmas and New Year in the Lord.

God bless!

Brooklin Nash
"Go tell it on the moutain, over the hills and everywhere. Go tell it on the moutain, that Jesus Christ is born."

Thanksgiving to God

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I pray that everyone will remember what this day is all about...no, not the food. Turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pies are all wonderful, and we are most definately grateful, but we need to be grateful to God for our lives, and what we have. I was reminded about one aspect of Thanksgiving that most (including me) don't think about. A friend of mine gave a speech on the Pilgrims in Thanksgiving...and she compared us to the Pilgrims. Sure, we don't have wooden shoes or black pointy hats, but we are pilgrims all the same. We are called to be Pilgrims for the Lord. (Or, in other words, be a witness to the fallen in this world.) As my friend put it: When you think of the Pilgrims this Thanksgiving, don't forget to look in the mirror.

On a more "thanksgiving-ey" note, I am grateful and thankful for my family, their health, the friends God has blessed me with, the schooling oppurtunity I have down here in Southern California, the freedom we have in this country to worship the Lord and pray to Him, and most of all, my salvation. I am a worthless sinner, but God has saved me. That is the best gift anyone can recieve.

God bless, and have a wonderful thanksgiving! (And give thanks!)

In Christ,

Brooklin Nash

Halloween Night

A group from my church went out to Topanga Mall tuesday night. (Halloween.) The main purpose was to get out as much literature and video's as we could, most of them pertaining directly to Halloween issues. For some reason, I'm not a fan of handing out tracts. Don't get me wrong, tracts are wondeful tools if you're in a hurry, if they're in a hurry, or if you just want to leave them places. (For example, I was at Six Flags recently, and left tracts on tables, garbage cans, bathrooms, counters, etc.) But I don't like going up to someone, handing them a tract, and leaving it at that. If you have the chance, you should talk to the person. It makes it so much more personal, and sticks with them. The first conversation I had that night, with Jeremy, was probably the must fruitfull. To tell the truth, I was feeling pretty downcast that night. I didn't really feel like being there at all. My church was having a Harvest Party, and I wanted to be there instead. Man, the enemy will get in any way he can, huh? Finally I just stopped to pray for strength and direction, and it got better from there. The first place I stopped was at a vendor's booth in the middle of the mall. I started with some trivia questions, rewarding right answers with M&M's. Works great. (Especially on Halloween. =) After winning to candies, Jeremy asked what this was all about. That opened a wide door. I asked him if he wanted to take another test, a different one called the "Good Person". He accepted. I took him through the law, and he was very open. He said that he has come to realize that there is a God, and that whoever He is, that God loves him. He had been looking into it for the last couple months. What a start to a conversation! He had a lot of questions about the deity of Christ, hell, heaven, and creation. This made me realize how much more I need to study! There's so much I don't know. But I think it was good for me. One problem he had with the Word is the idea of a hell. How do we know there is one? I showed him. About then he got off work, so I left him with a tract and my email address. Be praying for him. He's really close.

After that I met up with my group, and we decided to head over to Northridge Mall, thinking there would be more of a crowd. When we got there, the mall was already closed, but there was a haunted house, climbing wall, etc. set up outside, so we stuck out there. I teamed up with Dorothy, a young woman from my church. She said she was feeling the same as I was at the beginning of the night; not really feeling led. We decided to press on anyway. The first guys we talked to thought it was one big joke, and didn't really care about wether they were going to hell or heaven. (All he cared about was the candy that I gave him for the trivia questions.) He said he was an agnostic, and wouldn't accept anything we said, saying it was "unknowable". No matter what we said, he wouldn't put up with it. Be praying for him as well.

Right after that, we saw a group of teens, apparently waiting for a ride. Now, teen groups are my favorite to talk to for a couple reasons:
1) I'm a teen, and can relate better.
2) Because it's a group, it's not as intense as one to one.
3 ) Because of those two reasons, it's a more open atmosphere.
Again, I started with the candy/trivia. You get tired, bored teens, and give them candy, and you've got a good start. Then I gave them the Good Person Test. Most of them said that they were not good people. There was one that held out though. I focused on him. As I took them through the commandments, they became more and more serious. They seemed convinced enough, so I shared the good news. They were very receptive. Their ride came after that, so I left them all with tracts. Dorothy and I made our way back to the haunted house area, where the rest of our group had been talking. The crowd had left for the most part, but there were a few stragglers left. We're called to witness to all people, so we talked to the stragglers. Overall, it was a great night, and God definately had His hand in it. That night showed me how much I need to learn about God's Word, and encouraged me to do so. What I learned is that if you don't know the answer to something, say so, and tell them that you'll find out. Usually they'll accept that. God bless, and stay in the Word!

Getting Started

Well, I've finally got a blog up and running! (And even then I don't have anything on it. =) This is (Lord willing) going to be a blog about my personal expieriences when witnessing. (And stories other's have told me.) I first started witnessing around this time last year with a group from my church. Sharing the good news is one of the most rewarding and exhilarating expieriences of being a follower of Christ. ("For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes" Rom. 1:16) I would still call myself inexpierienced, but we are all a work in progress, and the Lord is shaping me into what He wants me to be. There are some (ok, more than some) negative encounters on the street, but that only strengthens your knowledge of God's Word and your relationship with Christ. I don't know how often I'll be posting, but I'll do it as often as I have a chance to! This blog is not to glorify what I do, (that is, what little I do. =), but to glorify Christ, and hopefully be able to encourge fellow believers. God bless, and stay in the Word!