I have too much to say. So I will shotgun some updates to you.
• 31 weeks prego (don't call it that), finished with parenting conference, and enrolled in natural childbirth classes
• Friends and family are awesome (threw us a shower and made us feel special)
• I am a pathological intermittent jerk but I have a renewed interest in growing up
• Deliberating between M. Div. vs. MA Phil.
• Think I want to start studying for the GRE and putting together a philosophical writing sample since that will be the harder career path and I want to keep my options open and hey why not
• Been consuming a lot of atheist writings lately
• Been finding myself praying "I believe, help my unbelief" lately. I think the progression might go from "It is important to do good works." to "Works are impotent, good thing salvation is accomplished through my faith!" to "Oh shoot my faith is feeble... thank God for saving me by His grace!" to "Oh I get it, God saved me by His grace through my faith for good works." It's a cart/horse/caboose kind of thing. I think I started going through the "my faith is feeble" phase a couple weeks ago and it is a bit emotionally painful. I hope I can get to the grace part soon.
• I am eating toast made from freshly baked bread.
I wonder what tomorrow holds.
• 31 weeks prego (don't call it that), finished with parenting conference, and enrolled in natural childbirth classes
• Friends and family are awesome (threw us a shower and made us feel special)
• I am a pathological intermittent jerk but I have a renewed interest in growing up
• Deliberating between M. Div. vs. MA Phil.
• Think I want to start studying for the GRE and putting together a philosophical writing sample since that will be the harder career path and I want to keep my options open and hey why not
• Been consuming a lot of atheist writings lately
• Been finding myself praying "I believe, help my unbelief" lately. I think the progression might go from "It is important to do good works." to "Works are impotent, good thing salvation is accomplished through my faith!" to "Oh shoot my faith is feeble... thank God for saving me by His grace!" to "Oh I get it, God saved me by His grace through my faith for good works." It's a cart/horse/caboose kind of thing. I think I started going through the "my faith is feeble" phase a couple weeks ago and it is a bit emotionally painful. I hope I can get to the grace part soon.
• I am eating toast made from freshly baked bread.
I wonder what tomorrow holds.
"• Been consuming a lot of atheist writings lately
ReplyDelete• Been finding myself praying "I believe, help my unbelief" lately. I think the progression might go from "It is important to do good works." to "Works are impotent, good thing salvation is accomplished through my faith!" to "Oh shoot my faith is feeble... thank God for saving me by His grace!" to "Oh I get it, God saved me by His grace through my faith for good works." It's a cart/horse/caboose kind of thing. I think I started going through the "my faith is feeble" phase a couple weeks ago and it is a bit emotionally painful. I hope I can get to the grace part soon."
Concerning both these points, I think reading St. Augustine's Confessions, if you have a copy lying around, would be most beneficial. I think this because, given your open mind and trembling heart, reading atheist literature/confessionals can cloud your reason. St. Augustine presents us with a pure, honest, and beautiful vision that no atheist has yet to offer us. On purely aesthetic grounds, St. Augustine's words are "more true, more good, and more beautiful" than anything that's ever been written (excluding scripture, of course).
As for the conundrums expressed in the second quoted point, I've been there myself many times, and reading the Confessions melts all those problems away and ushers in my soul a steadfast and tender sense of God's love for me.
I recommend reading it out loud with a loved one, too.
Thanks D-Rock, I do. I will take your advice.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the things you are going through, Louis. I am excited that you have an interest in pursuing philosophy/philosophy of divinity, and I remember you telling me about it while I ran sickly back to the gym. Ick.
ReplyDeleteI encourage you, brother, to pursue truth in its fullest, by whatever means, deemed necessary by yourself, in guidance with the Holy Spirit.
I have not read St. Augustine's confessions, but it sounds as if it is worth your time. Salutations, man!