An uncommon man trying to save himself

So I read books a lot. Typically a regular novel can last me 2 days to 2 weeks on average. Lately longer though thanks to work and school. But any Christian book, especially a good one, takes me 1 day to 1 week on average. I'm trying to always be reading a book. I'm not the biggest book nerd (unless it comes to star wars) and I don't read 5 books at a time like some people do. A lot of times I'm not even reading a book, but I do enjoy it.
I decided I'm going to start "reviewing" books, I figured maybe it'll be a good way for me to look back on what I've learned or how I feel about the book.
This past 3 weeks I've read two books, one is Uncommon by Tony Dungy, who won a super bowl against the Bears (I'm still resentful about that) in '06 and the other book is Save Me From Myself by Brian Welch who was the former guitarist for Korn before he became a Christian.
The first book, Uncommon, was a book that my good friend David recommended and let me borrow. I read it in about 5 days, he was surprised I had given it back so soon. It was that good, how good? I brought a copy just as I was finishing reading to give to another friend of mine. As a young man who just turned 21 I still have plenty to learn about being a man. This book taught me a lot on how to be an uncommon man, how to stand out from the rest, and especially, how to take control and be more comfortable when I'm put in that leadership role. Which I find myself in more and more.
It's a book I will probably find myself reading again to remember what to do in the different situations as a man. I already feel pretty mature for my age and I have had adults tell me that but I know I still have room to grow in that department like all people my age. But this book taught me a lot more than I expected. if i had to compare it to pokemon, I would say it boosted me by 10 levels.
The second book I read, which took me today and yesterday to read, was Save Me From Myself by Brian Welch. I spent about 5 years when I was younger worshipping Korn. I remember hearing about him become a Christian, I thought it was cool, but I was sad cause I liked the guy in Korn. Then when I became a Christian I wanted to read this book. I never got it until last week for my birthday because my parents remembered how much I used to love them (and I still listen to them every now and then) and thought I'd like it.
It was good, it's not a book I'd have anyone younger than middle school read since it has some swearing in it and some kind of intense stuff. But that's what I loved about it, it was REAL. I could actually relate to some of what he had to say. Hard childhood, hard times now, struggling with depression sometimes. Even the month he became a Christian in was the same month for me, Jan, and some of the conversion experiences were similar to mine. This was a guy I could relate to in several ways except for drug usage and the violent nature.
It was inspirational in some ways to me. Like for one knowing that his life, while mine was pretty rough I think, was rougher than mine and he still made it to this point is always inspiring. This was more of a "learn about my life and how I got to where I am" than a "how to be a Christian" book. And he even acknowledged that, saying he hoped to inspire people and let people know about his life and how he made it through. No preaching, no do this and that. Just simple read your bible and get to know God cause no matter what you've been through you can do it, and He still loves you no matter what. So it was a great read in that sense.
However I didn't totally agree with everything he said. He talks a little bit about speaking in tongues. Honestly I don't know the most about it, but I really don't think babbling is talking to God, and it's just really weird. But that's what I think. Maybe I'm wrong, I haven't exactly spent a lot of time on learning the theology about that. It did make me more interested and want to learn more about it. So if anyone ever wants to talk about it I'm up for it! So don't let that stop you from reading it.
So there it is, a review on two books and if i had to rate them Uncommon was a definite 5/5 but Save Me From Myself i would rate 3.75/5 (I couldn't do 3.5 but didn't feel comfortable saying 4 haha). I'll probably give a review on most books I read and I'd like to hear recommendations. But like I've said...writing a blog, while I like it to an extent, I don't feel the most comfortable about writing for the world to see. I'm still warming up to it haha. God Bless!

Where Camels and Needles Meet

WOW so these last few weeks I've been on fire haha. For no particular reason too, although Ignite helped keep it going strong, which I think is a good sign because it shows I'm trusting Him and having faith during regular times instead of needing "a revival" so to say. Honestly even though there could be things that would probably make me happier if it were happening right now, I'm very happy with the way things are going
So that part was just a random beginning to something that has come up a lot and been on my mind for the last year, year and a half. I like to talk about how I sponsor a compassion child, his name is Abenezer and lives in Ethiopia. I started sponsoring him last August and this month will be my one year anniversary sponsoring a child. There were many reasons why I did this, as a poor college student who pays for school and bills out of my own pocket.
You can imagine my excitement to hear at least 4 or 5 bands that brought up Compassion and seeing them reach out to several people who decided they wanted to take a chance and sponsor a child over the weekend.
I spent a lot of my college career saying "I can't sponsor a child, I'm too poor" and going on with excuses like that. Then I read Crazy Love by Francis Chan, and he talked a lot about going outside of the box, and reminded me of a tale I've known for years and years but felt it didn't apply to me, or at least not yet. "a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents...'Truly I tell you, this widow has put in more in the treasury than all the others". He was right, he got me, I felt you know what, I trust that God will take care of me one way or another, so I sponsored a child.
Now you don't have to, and I'm not telling you to though it'd be awesome, sponsor a child. But I'm trying instead to get people to think about what we do with our fiances. I've heard it before that just about all of us living in America, and I will assume YOU are part of this statistic, are in the top 10% of the world financially. Know what else I've learned lately? Anyone who owns a portable computer...is in the top 5%...that means more than likely YOU are one of them along with me.
Scary, know why? Jesus once said "It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the Kingdom of Heaven". Now, you and I? We're in the top FIVE % of the world, at minimum top 10. Maybe we aren't the typical definition of "rich" but you gotta admit...things could be worse! I hope this doesn't discourage anyone...if anything it made me want to work harder, and most of all it made me realize how blessed I am.
I believe God put us where we are now to take advantage of it, and give back. Does it mean I should go ahead give it all away and just live on the streets? Nah, that's not taking advantage of what God has blessed me with. I've read before that it'd be a slap in the face to God if we just wasted what we could, if we just threw away everything He blessed us with. Why throw away the food God set before us to eat?
Now I don't want to come off as righteous, I'm not halfway close to perfect, but I hope you to think about what you and I are blessed with, and what we will do with what we have. This is a topic that I am super passionate about and I really truly believe you and I can make a difference with what we do with what we have. NO ONE has too little or not enough of anything to do good things with, no one.