How should I pray? (Chandler)

Some Christian guys know how to pray, others think that their praying is just good enough and some don't pray at all. When we read our Bible, God is speaking to us, when we pray we are speaking to God.

Now, for some guys it just seems like you're talking to a wall, I've been there. I sometimes feel discouraged when I am sitting around the table and I pray a great prayer thinking that it was really good. Then I hear my older sister and it seems like she has this awesome, intimate, relationship with God and nothing seems to stand in her way, I think that my prayer was absolutely pathetic compared to hers. But wait a minute, I shouldn't be thinking that way! I prayed so that I can talk with God, not so that I can impress people with my words! Too many times I have compared my prayers to other people's when that prayer is not directed to them but to God.

Prayer seems to be a very small thing to many but the fact is that prayer is the way we connect with God. We need to pray on a regular basis, every morning and night. (I will admit that I am not the best at praying at night but I am trying to remember). When we pray we need to remember that we are entering into the presence of God and we need to be reverent and without distractions.

The best way to pray is to model the Lord's prayer found in Matthew 6:8-13.

Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come, Your will be done, 

On earth as it is in heaven.

(Start be praising God and thanking him).

Give us this day our daily bread.

(Give him your requests)

Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

(Repent and ask for forgiveness)

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

(Keep us from sin)

For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.

(Praising him again)

Amen

When we pray we should include all of those vital parts. If it seems like you are talking to a wall, just remember that you're not. God hears you and cares about whatever you bring to him. The more you pray, the more real it will feel. You can count on that.

Share it!

Isn't that so true? When it comes to cars, guns, sports, etc we can talk all day, but when it comes to the Gospel why do we become so silent? Let's make sure that we share the good news and are always looking and praying for opportunities to witness.

-Chandler

What is A Gentleman, (And What Does it Take To Be One)?

"What is a gentleman," you may ask? I found a quote that about sums it up perfectly:

"A gentleman will open doors, pull out chairs, and carry bags not because she's helpless or unable, but because he wants to show her that she is valuable and worthy of respect." 

I have noticed that many young men treat older women, younger women, mothers, and sisters the same way that they would treat a boy their age. Women need to be treated with more respect than men because they are more...well...sensitive. 

My dad always says, "Think of a woman like a vase, and a man as a Tupperware bowl. Although the vase looks prettier than the Tupperware, what would happen to both if I dropped them?" It puts woman's feelings into perspective for me. We should always be making a conscious effort to treat women with the utmost courtesy a lady deserves. 

----------------------------------------------------------------

A Gentleman:

1. Opens Doors - The top complaint of women towards men is that some men will not open doors. Whether it be a car door, a restaurant door, or anything that you can open or walk through,  men have either been too oblivious or rude to do women that favor.

2. Allows The Lady To Go First - If you are getting in a line and have any girl, young or old go right behind you as you enter the line you could say, "You can go ahead of me if you would like." Saying this makes you seem very polite. 

3. Offers A Coat To A Lady When It Is Cold - Many times my sister has forgotten her coat so I offer her mine and she is very appreciative when I give it to her.

4. Avoids Vulgar Behavior - This includes burping and reciting crude jokes.

5. Allows Her To Order First In A Restaurant - Regardless if it is your mother, sister, grandma, or friend, always direct the waiter/waitress to the girl first.

6. If A Woman Is The Cook, Step In And Do The Dishes - Always do the dishes and cleanup for your mother or sister since they are the ones who cooked the meal you just enjoyed.

----------------------------------------------------------------

A Few Tips:

1. I would encourage you to always be conscious around the house and practice good manners on your mom and sisters. If you do these things, your sisters and mom and other people that you meet will notice and thank you.   

Some women of this day and age don't want your help and say, "I can open a door myself," or "I can get it." (I've got that before). If you get this response, don't take it too personally. Just smile and say, "Okay, have a nice day!"

My only precaution is that you be careful when acting as a gentleman around girls your age and younger. While opening a door is the right thing to do, pulling out a chair might be taking it a little too far. The goal is to be sure you're not overly charming.

Although some girls like to play some sports like volleyball or Frisbee, keep in mind that they still want to be treated like a lady!

Bold For God (Lane)

Hey Guys,
     So for my first post in the "Encouragement" page, I wanted to do something that had to do with the title of our blog, "BOLDLY HIS". As I was looking through the Bible for verses that had to do with boldness, I found the passage Acts 4:31 which says: "And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness." This is speaking about Peter and John and even earlier in the passage, it states that "They were untrained and uneducated men"  WOW! Even though Peter and John had had no training in preaching, they definitely had faith. That is all that they needed to shake the ground that they were standing on when they prayed and it is all that we need to make a difference for Christ; faith and boldness. Be bold for Him!

Christmas (Lane)

     Hey Everybody!
             So for Christmas this year, we went to my grandparents to eat and have lots of fun together with all of my cousins! One of my favorite parts was when we all gathered together and sang Christmas carols. I played my guitar along with my Uncle on his guitar, and my Grandfather on his accordion. It was a really good time!

So there is me in the center, my Uncle on the right, and my Grandpa on the left!

(And thanks for the picture Anne!)



Creating a Survival Pack (Chandler)

If you are going hiking or camping in a place that you are not too familiar with, here are a few items that you should bring along:

1) First Aid Kit - I think that this is pretty self explanatory.

2) A Flare - These things burn at 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit and give of a really bright light.
They can be used for lighting your way, signaling, and of course lighting a fire.
I have personally tried lighting damp wood with a flare and it worked fairly well since flares are much hotter than a match and have a longer burning time. You can find these in the automotive section in Wall-Mart.

3) Paracord - Also known as 550 cord, this stuff is probably one of the most useful things you can have besides a knife. This cord can hold 550 pounds of weight (hence the name previously mentioned). You can use it to lash a knife onto a stick or to hold a shelter together. The uses are endless. About ten feet of paracord should be sufficient for your survival pack.

4) Bleach - Yes, it seems weird, but with the right amount, it purifies water excellently. About eight drops of it can purify a gallon of water. I think that the water bottle (in the top picture) holds a quart and would need two to three drops. When using this as purification keep in mind the simple rule of thumb, "If you can really taste it, you put to much in."

*Remember if you can boil water, do it. It is a better option than the bleach but if you do not have a metal container to boil it in use the bleach. Bleach can get you very sick and if you are in a survival situation that is the last thing you need so use it sparingly.

5) A Knife - Now what would a survival pack be without a knife of some sort? Out of all the items that can be brought I think that a knife is the most crucial. With a knife you can make almost anything that you need. A knife is the ideal shelter building tool because you can sharpen sticks and stick them in the ground for stability and with the right trees you can shave off a long, thin, piece of bark for binding things together.

6) Matches - You might be thinking, "Why can't I just use the flare to start a fire?" Well the flare is only a one time use and they last for only twenty minutes so if you are out there for more than a night, no fire for you. If you have only damp stuff to work with then by all means use the flare but if you have dry fuel for a fire stick with the matches and save the flare for a better time. The two things next to the matches in the picture are called Tinder Quick. That is just used to get your fire going a bit.

7) Whistle - The only purpose for this little doohickey is letting people know that you are out there. It is pretty useful to have because it is super small, it's loud, and it works both day and night. Also, it's pretty convenient to just blow while you walk. If you are lost blow the whistle in increments of three, pause for a second, and repeat. Three flashes of light, three shots of a gun, or three blows of a whistle are all the signs for distress. 

8) Fishing Hook and Line - Why would you carry this with you? To catch food of course! Not only can you catch fish but you can use the line as snare wire to catch rabbits since it is transparent and virtually invisible. 

9) Emergency Blanket - If you have a shelter built you can wrap it around yourself to retain heat and if you do not have one built you can make a small pup tent with it.

10) Water Bottle - If you want to carry your water around, this is the way to go! The bottle you see in the picture holds one quart of water so you would use around two to three drops of bleach for the entire thing. That bottle was 11 dollars at Big 5, a little expensive but worth it because it does not leak at all and it has a lifetime warranty if it breaks which is kind of cool. These things WILL NOT break. You can throw it off a cliff and it will be fine which is a good feature to have.

11) Mess Kit - I can cook, boil water, carry leftovers, and ward off bears with this thing so I would suggest you have one. The kit in the picture is smaller than an IPad and is about 2 and a half inches wide so it fits almost anywhere. Also, it weighs next to nothing so it pays to have it with you.

As you can see all of that does not take up much space. I was able to put 

everything in one pocket with plenty of space left over.

Of course you can add some things that you might want. Some other optional items would be a pocket chainsaw, a bandanna, or a flashlight. This was just a simple guide to start you off. Have fun!

How To Make A Fire In The Wilderness (Lane)

Step 1: Collect Materials

 You will need a fire starter or matches, some lint or cotton, some dry grass,

some small branches or twigs, and some larger pieces of wood.

Step Two: Light the fire

Set the lint or cotton on a thin layer of the dry grass and ignite it.

  

Step 3: Make sure all of the grass ignites

Cover up the flame with the rest of the grass

Step 4: Add twigs and thin, small branches

Once the grass is almost completely ignited, but before it dies down, begin adding

small, thin branches and twigs.

Step 5:Begin adding bigger pieces of wood

Once the small pieces of wood are ignited, start adding larger pieces of wood.

Step 6: You're done!

Sorry the picture does not show a very big fire, but just add some good sized

pieces and let them light!

 That's It!

-Lane