New blog!

If any of you still want to follow me I will be at www.collectivelycaitlin.blogspot.com

Beware of Christians

Okay! I just have to recommend this documentary to you guys! No matter what your belief system is this really is a great film! Basically these four college guys have decided that they are tired of the american look on Christianity and have gone out into the world to learn how Christianity is perceived and learn what it really means to follow Jesus. Their mission is incredible and they visit some beautiful and culturally rich places! (I'm a little jealous of their travels.) But they also do it with a lot of humor, I mean their college guys after all. So it's not serious and boring. It's just a great film. They cover a bunch of topics that they feel like aren't fully or clearly addressed in Church from Biblical perspectives. One thing I love is they don't just go on this trip and learn and go back to life the way it was before. But they stop and explain how they are going to apply these things they've learned to everyday life back home in America. I am just overall really impressed with these guys. And I think they do an awesome job of representing 1 Timothy 4:12.

Sooo! To sum that up! Just go watch the movie! It's on Netflix watch instantly for all of you Netflix subscribers! :) So check it out and let me know what you think!

CCT

Being A Woman of God

I know I haven't written  in a while. And chances are I'm not going to do a very good job of keeping up with it now. But I really want a chance to get this out. So here is a blog post!

Recently God has really started to challenge me in different ways and has been teaching me to push past my comfort zone and let go of certain things. Fears mostly. And trying to control things. God has been teaching me this same lesson for years. Time and time again he is having to show me this. You would think I would get this by now. But I guess I'm a slow learner.

Am I the only one who is relived reading about the Israelite's in the Bible? God was with them and guiding them and teaching them constantly and showing his power over and over again and yet they still weren't getting it. I am exactly like that! But God still loved them and blessed them and stayed with them just like he will with you and I. That's really reassuring to me.

Anyway! Back to my story! I am really having to learn to be open to new things and to stop trying to plan everything out. To let things happen and just go where God calls me and do what God tells me to. To me that's very scary! I like knowing what I'll be doing next week, next month, next year. All of that! I plan ahead! Not usually about little things like taking short trips or going to the store or vising friends. I'm actually very laid back in that aspect. There is nothing wrong with having plans. Or even thinking ahead! But there is a problem with worrying and having to have the comfort of having it all figured out. That is something that God is working on with me. I need to stop worrying and just do what God has called me to and leave the rest to him.

Philippians 4:6 clearly says "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

That's pretty clear and straightforward about what I need to do. Stop worrying and give it to God. If it's that simple why is it sometimes so hard to do?

So I am really working on that with my new job, my school, and especially with transferring in the fall! I only know two people there! I'm an adventurous person but that still terrifies me! And just applying this to life in general.

On another note. This is actually what I sat down to write but I ended up on that little rant about how I need to let God take control. Now here was my intentions for a post.

Do you have people in your life that just ooze God's love? Like those men and women who just shine the grace of God everywhere they go! They live out Jesus' calling and they just seem to be living in the word and Holy Spirit no matter what! Even when life has been hard they still show God's love! And I don't mean people who are constantly shoving scripture down your throat. (I know some of them too.) But I mean people who just whole heartily love, seek, and serve Christ in every aspect of their life!

I think we all have at least one person who comes to mind.

But I realized recently that instead of being inspired by these people in my life, I put them on a sort of mental pedestal as "better Christians" and that their way of life is just unobtainable. I act like they are just born with such Godly character instead of allowing that to inspire me to build my relationship with God to be that strong too. It's not like they are magically more Christ like! They worship the same God as me and have the same Bible as me so why can't I strive to have their kind of faith?! I think for me that really ties into the first part of this post. With these people in my life I really should be inspired to be more like that! Instead, I do nothing.

I'm not saying that I'm not a woman of God just because I don't ooze his love like they do. I truly believe that any woman who has started a relationship with God is a woman of God! Same with men! Romans 10:13 says "For everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved." So yes, I am a woman of God. And I do seek God and I do read his word but I'm not always seeking to imitate Christ like I should. I want God to make me into a woman that is like the women who I adore for their faith! I don't think that this process will be easy. But I think it will be worth it.

So I think this post was more for me to get some stuff out. More like telling you my goals so maybe I'll stay accountable. If anyone actually reads this please leave a comment! I would love to know how you strive to be a man or woman of God or someone in your life that is the example for you! :) Let me know!

CCT

Update! :)

Hey everyone! I know it has been so long since I last posted anything. I have not had much internet access as of late. I have been working at a summer camp. It was such a great summer! I met a lot of awesome people and had many opportunities to share Gods word and love. It was really great! Sadly I had to leave that camp early due to a flare up of a back injury from years ago. But I know it's all in Gods plan! So I'm home now (and stuck in bed for a little while) getting ready for the fall ahead! :) This camp was located in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina! I even had the chance to hike 16 miles of the Appalachian Trail! Oh my goodness! It was beautiful! The views we saw from the balds we hiked were breathtaking! I hope I can do it again one day! It was an awesome hiking trip!

Zed also spent the summer at camp with me. I think he enjoyed it very much. It was cooler up in the mountains than where I live. Zed doesn't do well with the extreme heat, being from Canada and all. ;) haha! Zed also met his cousin Ted this summer. But that's a story for another time.

I am about to enter a very very busy fall. But I still plan to blog. I promise! I'm a little overwhelmed by all that is coming up this fall. And I'm not sure how I'm gonna make it all work. But I'm excited nonetheless!

I think that's enough for now! I'm glad I'm able to be back to my blogging world! :) haha!

CCT

Citadel, URL's, and Being honest with God (Job's Story)

First and foremost, I just read in my stats that 20 something of my blog hits have been from people googling "citadel girlfriend" or "knob girlfriend" That made me laugh! :) It's nice to know I'm not the only one who has no idea what to think of the whole Citadel thing and has no idea what I'm doing. Citadel girlfriends need a club. lol! Okay, okay! jk! :) But that still made me laugh to see! :) Citadel girlfriends UNITE!

Hehe! Moving on! One more base to cover before I get to my blogging. My url has changed from the crazy long counterculturalteen to an easier one to remember. CCT412. The 412 is for the verse that stared this whole blog! 1 Timothy 4:12. (The one on the banner up there ^)

Okay! I don't really have a post ready. But I have really been trying to clearly write my opinion of the story of Job. I don't have it finished. But I think I'll post some of it here. Let me know what you think.

Be Honest With God.

I’ve heard people tell me that a lot over the years. I mean I mostly grew up in the Church so I’ve heard many of these “Christian sayings” without ever truly understanding them. I’m afraid I came to truly understanding this one kicking a screaming. Well. Not literally kicking or screaming. That would just look quite childish. Plus the people around me would probably think I was crazy or demon possessed or something. I just don’t see that as being a good thing. Anyway, back to being honest with God. I learned that the hard way. I did (ha! did? okay, fine. still do! I might as well be honest with you guys too!) a lot of trying to figure things out on my own and make things work the way I want them to or the way I think they should. I still fall into that trap! “Yeah! Of course I trust you God! But don’t worry about this over here. I’ll handle that.” Even now as I type it I am reminded of how silly that is! I can’t even begin to describe how silly it is to keep things from God or to try to control them without him! And the Bible shows us that clearly! Have you heard the story of Job in the Bible?

Job was doing well in life! He had kids and a wife and lots of land and animals and servants. To me it sounds like he was a CEO of his time. He was well off in every area of life and loved God passionately. And God blessed Job.

    When the story of Job started off it said that Job would offer sacrifices on behalf of any sins his sons or daughters could have committed in their hearts. This brings up the first example of the difference of heart and actions. Job understood that people often sinned in their hearts without ever sinning with their words. This is a tough one. This goes for any other sins. The Bible is clearly saying that even if you do not sin outwardly and only keep it inward it is still sin. It is easy to sin without anyone knowing. But God still sees it. No matter how much you try to hide it, God will still know your heart and intentions. Psalms 44:19 says “For He knows the secrets of the heart.” How can you argue with that? Or hide anything from that? You can’t! God is all knowing! Omniscient! (oh yeah! I used a big word!) Job knew the difference between the two. I want to make sure that is clear before we go any further. This information will be helpful later on in the story of Jobs life.

    As the story goes on the Devil comes to God and God points out how great Job is. I mean, after all, Job 1:1 says that Job was a perfect and upright man who feared God and shunned evil. He sounds like a pretty great guy! I’m totally paraphrasing here, but then the Devil basically says “Well duh Job loves and fears you! You have always taken care of him! You have been spoiling the pampered guy! I bet if you took away all of those blessings he would not love or fear you any more.”
Job 1:12 says “All right, you may test him,” the Lord said to Satan. “Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don't harm him physically.” So Satan left the Lord's presence.”
So Satan has permission the mess with Job’s family and property. He just can’t touch Job physically. So he takes this very seriously and goes on to kill all of his  servants, animals, crops, and his children. He grieved deeply. He tore his clothes and grieved while praising God. Job did not sin…. this time.

    So after seeing that Job still stayed strong in his faith in God, the Devil decided to make another visit to the Almighty God. The first thing that happens is God starts to brag on His son Job again. He says “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil. And he has maintained his integrity, even though you urged me to harm him without cause.” (Job 2:3) Clearly God is proud of Job. He seems to kind of rubbing Jobs faith in Satan’s face. So the devil decided to ask to be able to mess with Jobs health. He thought that is Job thought his life was at risk surely he would give in and begin to curse and hate God. So God gives him permission to do this. 

    Job was infected with boils. Boils is a terrible infection. WebMD (yep. went all WebMD on you! Honestly, I just wanted to really know what a boil was.) says “A boil is a skin infection that starts in a hair follicle or oil gland. At first, the skin turns red in the area of the infection, and a tender lump develops. After four to seven days, the lump starts turning white as pus collects under the skin.” that doesn’t sound good, right? And they become painful and fill with puss and rotting flesh! Rotting flesh! Can you imagine how he smelled? And these can often get to be golf ball sized. Wow! And the Bible says his whole body was infected with this! I can only imagine the misery!

So Job is sitting around scrapping his skin with parts of broken pots to try and stop some of the pain. He’s in a bad place. And his wife comes to him and says “Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die.” (Job 2:9) I want to point out something about Job and his wife. Job seemed like a very smart and blessed man. Do you think he would have picked a foolish woman for a wife? I highly doubt it. I also know that since she was his wife she knew Job and his heart better than anyone on earth. After all, they raised ten kids together! They had been through a lot together! She knew her husband better than anyone. She was a good wife to stay through all of that. I think that she had wisdom in what she said. She knew that Job was sinning against God in his heart and holding on to being self-righteous by not saying it out loud. To further validate this point, in the very next verse Job says “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” He clearly thought his wife to be a wise woman otherwise he would not have found anything remarkable in her statement. But he did find this statement out of the norm He said that she was speaking like the foolish women! Not that she was a foolish woman. In fact in every version I can find it specifies that she was speaking like a foolish woman. She was not a woman who was known for being foolish. Maybe he should have followed her advice.

The next thing that the Bible says is that “In all this did not Job sin with his lips.” Remember how we learned that Job knew the difference between sinning with the heart and not words? Well this has come into play here! It sounds to me like Jobs wife was right. Otherwise, why would it specify that Job was not sinning with his lips? There would be no need to that to be added. If Job hadn’t sinned at all then they could have just said that Job didn’t sin! Just like they said after the first time the devil came around. He reacted differently this time. He truly was upset with God but did not want to express this. He was not only trying to look more righteous than he really was to the people around him, he was also trying to hide this from God.


That is all I have for now. Feel free to comment with your thoughts or opinions! I know this isn't a common view of Job or his wife. So I'd love to get some feedback!

Plus, any Citadel girlfriends, I'd love your comments on anything! lol! :)

Being A Real Activist

This video was recently put on youtube. :) I like it. I like most of the videos these guys make. They can be a little rough. But I still like them. And this is something I really want to address. So I will start my post with the video.

Thank you blimeycow.

Did you watch it? I hope so.
I generally consider myself an activist. I'm not the march on wall street kind of activist. But an activist nonetheless. Most people who have met me know this to be true. But, like the video stated, those that just know my facebook, just see me as someone who likes a lot of pages. hehe! And I do like a lot of facebook pages. But there are a few things that I really feel passionately about that I really do stuff for and want to do more.

Here is my list of things:
Adoption, hope, and care for orphans
Ending child and sex slavery
And making a difference in mine and future generations
Building community

These are my main things. The things that will start very heated conversations with me. Not fights. Just heated and passionate conversations. I am way too much of a pacifist personality to fight. (I'm not claiming to be a pacifist in the political sense. I'm not against ever having war. Although world peace does sound like a good idea, not an easily obtainable or realistic one.) Maybe that is why I am not the march on wall street type. They are too assertive. lol! Okay, I'm a type A, pacifist, activist. Who knew there was such a thing! lol!

Anyway, I don't have t shirts for any of these things the people around me know I care about them. I'm sure I could do a much better job than I do. And I'm sure the real humanitarianism types have a much longer list of noble passions. Mine stops there for now.

I do have a t shirt for TWLOHA. And that to me has been an awesome conversation started and way to make a difference in mine and future generations in a big way! A way that totally opens up doors to share what they are doing to save teens lives. Even the lives of people I know and care about. How they are giving hope through Jesus and giving teens a reason to live! :) So I guess that activist t shirt of mine goes back to my passion for making a difference in my generation.

My point in all this is that I do see a lot of things that  need to change in the world. But I can't be a part of everyone one of them! No one can! So find the things that you are passionate about and go for it! Put your heart into it! Get the word out about it! Although using the internet is an awesome way to get the word out about what you feel passionately about, it is not always the best way.

I know you are probably reading that thinking "does she know she is using a blog to get this message across?" And yes, I do. But this is also something that I am active about. I am involved in my community in many ways. Because I feel passionately about that! I also do what I can to get the word out about groups that are doing great things for orphans! My newest mission is to help the Red Bus get to my state! They are doing some amazing things further south! They are a group with Show Hope. I have volunteered with Show Hope before and love them!

I do what I can to act upon the things I believe. But that first and foremost comes from what I believe. The reason that people have the desire to feel passionately and share what they believe comes from God's design for us to love Him and love others. This is my belief.

Paul says "Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good." (Romans 12:9) He also repeats this belief that without loving others he has accomplished nothing in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 "If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn't love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn't love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn't love others, I would have gained nothing."


Clearly this was something Paul felt passionate about. Something he cared about and wanted to share. God loves us with so much more love than we can ever understand. And we are called to share that love no matter what. Doing this brings glory to God and that is what we are called to do as Christians.


The term "Relationship with God" is heard all the time. And the church universal has built an image of what to expect that to look like. The church has this image of a relationship with God being very self disciplined. Very intense. Most people think of someone who gets up early to read their Bible and who spends hours praying everyday and only listens to the kind of Christian music that hasn't changed over the past three decades.


Now don't get me wrong, those are all GREAT things! You should read your Bible, pray, and even sing praise! But following that tight schedule isn't what makes a relationship!


Imagine if you and your friend scheduled to talk on the phone at the same time every day. And you were going to talk about the same things for the same amount of time. And you believed the things your friend and you talked about. But you never went and did anything together. You would seem like a strange set of friends right? But that is exactly what you are doing when you aren't walking with Jesus in a personal and passion filled way! (I can be totally guilty of this. In fact, for get "can be", I am guilty of this!)

Once again I am going to clarify my point. I am not saying that you need to be the kind of person that walks around talking about Jesus all the time. 

Those people get on everyone's nerves. 

Even on Christians nerves. 

They are just annoying. 
(Hey! Paul said it first! Have you ever heard a noisy gong or clanging symbol that wan't annoying? I didn't think so. He called us annoying.)

But I am saying that when you have a passion for Jesus it will show in your love for those around you. It will give you passions that Jesus has called you too! And it will help you to live out a love for those passions and the people around you! That, I believe is what every Christian is called to do. I believe a relationship with God is never to be bound by a schedule and it should be viewed by others as someone who really cares about the God they serve and serving that God on earth! Not as the person who is never late for Bible study.


I think got created all of us to be activists. In Ephesians 4 we are called to be the body of Christ. When Christ was on earth he cared for people and taught and loved and lived the life God called him too. He was active. I would certainly consider Jesus to be passion filled about the mission God gave Him.

Zed: On Questions and the zombie apocalypse

So! I will start this post by answering some very intriguing questions asked by my loyal readers.

The first question was, "What is your favorite holiday?"

Well, let me remind you, I am Canadian. Many Canadians would say Canada day. But really, very unoriginal. Many in my field of profession (maple syrup harvesting) would say National Maple Syrup Day. (It's a real thing. December 17th.) But personally, mine has to do a lot with my heritage. 

My favorite holiday is Boxing Day.

You see, all Canadian fish are known for being extremely helpful. So many of my ancestors worked as servants. Generations of Canadian fish have done so. (I was a bit of a wild child and let that for my love of maple syrup) Boxing day is a holiday for people to give gifts to their servants. It showed the care and appreciation they had for the helpfulness they displayed all year long. It really was something special. Ah! The memories of childhood Boxing Days!

My next question was, "Since fish is obviously not an appropriate food choice (forgive me for mentioning this atrocity once more), what is your favorite meal?"

First I want to thank this reader for their understanding about the fact that I am quite sensitive to the whole sushi situation. It means a lot to me.

My favorite meal. Is McDonalds french fries. Thankfully my human also has a love for them and about once a week or so she will go through the McDonalds drive through on the way to class and split a large fries with me. We bond through our greasy potato eating. It has greatly strengthened our friendship.

And the last question of the day! "How does it feel to be a 'fish out of water'?"

Well, it is actually quite freeing! I can feel the breeze between my fins and eat french fries! :) Once I tried eating french fries once underwater. I wouldn't recommend it. And I get to travel! How do you think I got to America? I didn't swim here! It is great!

But it is very difficult to do a lot of things. I have little tiny fins. And it takes me forever to type these posts! I mean look at that! The size of this keyboard and the size of my little tiny fins! It it just crazy!

So there you have it! Feel free to comment with your questions for me! :)

And here is a question from me to you! What is your ultimate zombie apocalypse plan?

Thanks guys!

Zed

I've gone and done it. I got a tumblr.

So! As if I didn't have enough online outlets to write my many opinions, thoughts (both pointless ones and ones with some direction), and pictures. All of which no one really cares or needs to know. But! Here I am anyway, right? Oh well! I have given in and got a tumblr! I have managed to stay off of twitter for now. But I'm afraid that come next. Oh well! For now! Check out my new tumblr!
http://cct94.tumblr.com/

Grace, Hope, Love, and Faith

Did you know that the word grace is written 170 times in the Bible?

Or that the word love is written 281 times?

And that the word hope is written 130 times?

What about the fact that the word faith is written 245 times?

Clearly these are very important words to be repeated oh so many times! Just four simple words. With very powerful meanings. These definitions came from dictionary.com

Grace- the influence or spirit of God operating in humans to regenerate or strengthen them.

Love- the benevolent affection of God for His creatures, or the reverent affection due from them to God.

Hope- to look forward to with desire and confidence.

Faith- the trust in God and in His promises as made through Christ and the Scriptures by which humans are justified or saved.

I thought I was going to write a post about these things. But rather, I think I will post some verses on them and let them speak for themselves.

Romans 5:2 Through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

2 Corinthians 8:7 But as you abound in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us to see that you abound in this grace also.

1 Timothy 1:14 And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

Titus 3:15 All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.

1 Corinthians 13:13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

1 Thessalonians 1:3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father,

1 Thessalonians 5:8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.

1 John 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us.God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.












(I know, a Zed post is long overdue! He will be back and writing again soon. I promise!)

TWLOHA

TWLOHA- To Write Love On Her Arms

So that's not a very descriptive name is it? Well, what this group does is really amazing! And it's something I want to put out here on my blog as a resource. This group is a huge asset to teens and young adults that struggle with depression, self injury, addiction, and thoughts or attempts of suicide. As a teen you have either struggled with one of these or know someone who does. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for people ages 15-24. And two out of every three people who struggle with depression don't seek help.

TWLOHA has been an amazing resource for me. Most teenagers at least know someone who needs this kind of help. It is so important to let people know about amazing resources like this.

Knowing people who have committed suicide is one of the hardest things to live with. I will never fully be able to understand it. It just can't be done. I will never understand what gave them that final push to end it all. People who had so much going for them. People who should have been here much long. People who's life had so much to offer. People that will always be remembered and missed. When someone you care about has committed suicide there is always regrets of what could have been done. I don't know what I could have done. But what I can do is try to stop it from happening to others. Supporting TWLOHA is my way of doing so. I'm not going to be able to stop every death. But I can help lower statistics. This is why TWLOHA is so important to me. 

www.twloha.com

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

~ Philippians 4:13