To Help Others
A Curse, with A Blessing
… while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you…
The Altar & the Door
Somewhere between the hot and the cold,Somewhere between the new and the old.Somewhere between who I am and who I used to be,Somewhere in the middle, you’ll find me. In past blogs, we’ve talked about moments when we feel out…
The Endgame
Let me ask you a question: Why do I waste so much time on these articles? It’s a question that I as a writer need to know. It’s important to know your “Why?” Let me state the obvious. The whole…
Ignorance is Bliss
May I confess my sins with you? Let me tell you of my personal struggle the past few years. Unfortunately, I’ve come to the point where I realize there are so many people in the world who are suffering. Don’t…
A Heart of Emotions
First of all, I have to make a confession. If you meet with me in person, I’m not exactly the center of the party! I do like to crack a few jokes and have fun, especially to those close to…
The Shelter
To all who are looking down,Holding onto hearts still wounding.For those who’ve yet to find it,The place is near where love is moving. Cast off the robes you’re wearing,Set aside the names that you’ve been given.May this place of rest…
The Cost of Discipleship
“When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die.”~Dietrich Bonhoeffer What does it mean to be tough? This past week at work has certainly been a different one. I was surrounded by people who thought to be tough…
The City of Lights
Today, I was listening to a song. One of sacrifice and martyrdom. It was rather sober. If you know me, I love stories with dark twists — surprise, surprise. This song’s lyrics referred to dying as a martyr for a…
Sacrifice
I wish to raise a question to you about something that is at the foundation of our faith. It’s an important concept to our belief system. And those who leave such a question unanswered will ultimately be left with a…
War
I have a vital message to give to you: STOP BEING A PUSHOVER. There is such a thing as self-defense. This topic we are going to discuss is a controversial one, and requires a carefully researched and founded answer. And…
When the Sacred is Torn
“We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” ~Romans 15:1 We all value our own lives. All we want is to be happy. To belong and be free. Kept away…
The Endgame
Let me ask you a question: Why do I waste so much time on these articles? It’s a question that I as a writer need to know. It’s important to know your “Why?” Let me state the obvious. The whole…
A Spoke Into the Wheel
“We are not to simply bandage the wounds of victims beneath the wheels of injustice, we are to drive a spoke into the wheel itself.” — - Dietrich Bonhoeffer We all have heard about the atrocities of World War 2, the…
Innocence vs Ignorance
We must learn to regard people less in the light of what they do or omit to do, and more in the light of what they suffer.” ~Dietrich Bonhoeffer There is such a blindness in the world. One of the…
To Help Ourselves
Stitches
Never open old scars that you can’t close. And that’s exactly what we were doing: Opening old scars. It was on August 20th, 2013 that my journal entries began. It served both as an emotional outlet and a method to…
Healing Rain
Healing rain is pouring down,It falls for both the lost and found. Many people read this blog and deal with mental health issues. The ones that I talk with are gentle and kindhearted. We all can relate in some shape…
The Marks of A Ring
In sincerity, each of you reading this article is greatly appreciated and valued. The intent of this article is one of a deepening relationship between you and me; a deepening relationship between reader and writer. As a typical writer, it’s…
Pain & Content
Hope is an idea that we all can relate to. Ethnicity. Race. Gender. Age. Politics. Social class. Rich or poor. Wise or foolish. And yes, even religious affiliation. Sometimes it takes pain to make us find hope. After all, how…
Demons
They say it’s what you make,I say it’s up to fate.It’s woven in my soul,I need to let you go. Your eyes, they shine so bright,I want to save that light.I can’t escape this now,Unless you show me how. What…
Bread & Wine
It’s Easter morning. Nearly two-thousand years ago, the world would never be the same. To say that Christ changed the world would be an understatement. Christ changed all in existence. He did the impossible when He defeated death. And today,…
Revealing the Hidden Scars
“How do you pick up the threads of an old life? How do you go on, when in your heart, you begin to understand, there is no going back? There are some things that time cannot mend. Some hurts that…
My Vulnerability
I come to you all with a debate in my head. If I happen to break my leg, people would see that and help out. They would open doors for me. Carry any books I have. The list goes on…
Going Against the Tide
“Peer pressure is like a pressure cooker. As more and more pressure is added, the more you start to scream.” In our high school years, it’s almost impossible to escape peer pressure. And you have to manage such on a…
It’s the Blood
On a late Saturday night, I was watching a Billy Graham Crusade on television. He posed a question that night which left me wondering. All the various religions of the world have one common denominator: It’s the blood. Almost all…
Scars
“For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:” ~2 Corinthians 1:8 Weall have them. Emotional,…
Difficult to Swallow
This article is personally one of the hardest to write, because it hurts to write this. As I’m sure it will hurt you if you follow through with it. Jesus wants us to forgive those who hurt us. But we…
The “Stranger Things” Series
Maxine’s Last Confession
It’s not a sin to speak from the heart. Max Mayfield’s symbolic story revolves around one idea: externalizing mental illness. We all have scars in some shape or form — whether they be visible or invisible. We are talking about invisible…
Death By Entanglement
We all desire peace; we all desire tranquility. It’s part of our God-given design. That’s not to say we never experience sorrow or regret. Far from it. Rather, God is able to provide us with much needed strength. In such…
Written In Blood
We all desire acceptance; we all want to be understood. It’s innate. And I say that not only about dark times. It could be any sense of understanding. It allows for a community of family and friends. In this day…
Marked By Trauma
First and foremost, this article examines secular material. It’s not to glorify sin. But the quote is true: “You can’t give an answer before being asked the question.” Let’s listen to what’s around us. Not to approve, but to acknowledge…
Our Purpose
Petty Preaching
There’s an unspoken rule for preachers to not use their stage for personal quarrels, but rather for God’s purpose. To break this unspoken rule is to be a “petty preacher.” To be a preacher is an honor and a privilege.…
All I Have
Let me confess that my articles lately haven’t been of myself. To be an artist of any sort (painting, writing, music, etc.) is to put your audience above yourself. But in some cases, this can be damaging and unhealthy for…
Prodigal Noise
This is about a high school student who was known among the smartest in his class. With the aid of an exceptional scholarship, he went to college seminary for the dream of being the senior pastor of a large church.…
Collaboration Over Competition
I hope to use this article for clarification of a past article. If you’re a regular fan of our ministry here at the Millennial Spark, you know that we previously mentioned the importance of ‘spiritual leadership.’ In such a case,…
Purpose & Passion
“The call of God is not just for a select few but for everyone. Whether I hear God’s call or not depends on the condition of my ears, and exactly what I hear depends upon my spiritual attitude.” ~ Quote…
The Spark is Alive
The entire message of Christianity is redemption. Recantation. Rebirth. To not necessarily dismiss our past, but rather to free us from the darker side of things. Don’t get me wrong, this is not in reference to make our pains and…
A God-Given Belief in Ourselves
I’ve always heard of two key phrases: The first being “We are not defined by our past.” The second of, “It’s our past that builds us up.” On a personal level, both phrases mean a lot to me. The first…
Emptiness
Just yesterday, I finished watching a movie known as The Lovely Bones. It’s basically about a young teenage girl named Susie Salmon who has her whole life in front of her. She has a hobby of taking beautiful pictures, and even…
A Calling
Why have you been put on this earth? It’s a big question that is so very important. It gives us meaning to pick ourselves up in the morning from bed. In other words, know your ‘Why?’ As Simon Sinek put…
Being Our Own Leader
“And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?” ~Exodus 3:11 We’re all scared of it. The burden that comes with being…
DIY: Do It Yourself
Who has the power to make a difference? That’s what we’re going to explain in this article. This is a common question a lot of people love to ask. You’ve already heard that even the smallest of people can make…
Setting Embers on Fire
You’re burnt out. You can’t go on in life. Your preacher is telling you to “keep living for Christ,” but you’ve ran out of steam. What are you to do? How are you to deal with it? irst of all,…
How To Start A Fire
What does it mean to have a revival? How do we start one? It’s a question with a simple answer, really. You don’t need mathematical formulas or a degree in rocket science to figure it out. A revival starts with…
Lexington & Eastern Kentucky
My Experience with CSF
I sit here today thinking of what to write. It’s been so long since I’ve made a Bible Blog. For those of you who don’t know, I have friends at Christian Student Fellowship at the University of Kentucky. One of…
The Tale of Two Cities
There’s quite a distance between the small cities of Lexington and Paintsville. Both have been my home for the past few years. And while in the past I have criticized both cities, I admit that pointing fingers never really solves…
The Lights of Lexington
What does light represent? Some might say goodness or purity. Others might say knowledge, as in lighting the way to brighten out the enemy of ignorance. For me, it means hope. And I found hope in Lexington of all places.…
The Lexington Question
There is the problem of eastern Kentucky, but there is also the problem in Lexington. First off, this article is from my personal experience and should only be taken as seriously as an opinion may be taken. Most churches in…
The Eastern Kentucky Question
Disclaimer: Most of this article is about my personal experience, and I encourage you to question it. Most of eastern Kentucky has bi-vocational preachers, in which the preachers have full-time jobs as well as preach on the weekend. This is…
Expressing Faith Like…
Broken Vessels
“There is much to be known, life is short, and life is not life without knowledge. It is therefore an excellent device to acquire knowledge from everybody. Thus, by the sweat of another’s brow, you win the reputation of being…
Black & White
An enjoyable hobby of mine is to lay back, relax, and enjoy my favorite Christian songs. An evening a couple months back, I had the opportunity to do so — but this opportunity was unique. I opened up Spotify, laid…
Osteen vs the Spark
To clarify, I’m one who despises the prosperity gospel. It’s a fake promise of, “God will give you money, power, and everything else” and follows with one of the two statements: “This is not how it should be, and I’m…
Tortured Poetry
“The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.” If you had asked me beforehand what I knew about Taylor Swift, I would respond with the valid response of, “I haven’t got a clue.” Upon further research, Taylor Swift…
Back to Black
We all have secrets, imperfections, and unanswered questions. It’s what makes life as it is. Strangely enough, some of us snub others for their abnormalities — despite the abnormalities of our own. This confirms scripture’s claims that we as a…
Sanctimony
There’s a song that’s been circling pop culture that caught my attention. As with any song, your initial focus is on the flow and rhythm of the music. In this case, it’s very gothic-like and interpreted from a puritanical point…
City of Wonders
Put on your brake lights,You’re in the City of Wonder.Ain’t gonna play nice,Watch out, you might just go under. A central point of our ministry as the Millennial Spark is to remind you of your infinite value — a value…
The Unbreakable
I remember a time when I lay listening to my cd player one late evening. It was late that evening in the fall of 2008 when I had the typical high-school pressures. To understand the context, my faith at that…
The Spark is Dead
Tell all my secrets,and open my scars.Break me into pieces. Because at the end of me,At the end of me,That’s where you start. ~Bebo Norman, “At the End of Me” A shift is occurring. A paradigm has been remade. The…
Life Is Uncontrollable
Cliffhanger
I waited for you today,but you didn’t show.I needed you today,so where did you go? Cliff·hang·er: An ending to an episode that leaves the audience in suspense. There are times we feel alone or — in some cases — abandoned.…
Sin Into Beauty
Today, I was feeling incredible dread. I’ve been feeling this way for many years now. I could never understand it. Something deep inside of me was bothersome, but I couldn’t figure it out. Without hope. Full of darkness. It shook…
So You Think You Have Control? … Cute
So many people think they run their own lives. Are you one of these people? Do you think hard labor and smart work will set up your future? That’s cute… Let me tell you something. Jesus had it right when…
The Hunger
Most of you may know I never release the names of those that I use in my blog. The reason is most of my blogs are very sensitive information. To call a person out in their struggle is rude, inappropriate,…
Fear
Mental illness is like a spider web. Some remain hopelessly caught. Others escape. I was one of those who escaped… Don’t get me wrong. This is not an intent to brag. Rather, this is a token that I have been…
The “Free-Will Factor”
Why does God let us go on? When looking at all the statistics, surely it would have been a better idea to stop this progression of sin as soon as possible. This should’ve been done to prevent people from going…
There Is A River
The following material is very sensitive. It’s a very dark article that involves suicide. I’m writing this not to force anyone to lose hope. But as Christians, we need to talk about these things. To go to church with a…
Answers We Don’t Want
Let me tell you a story: You’re standing out in the cold. No friends. No family. Lost with no shelter – in negative degree weather. A stranger comes by and requests you to do the unspeakable: “You’re not allowed to…
The Fog of Life
I have two stories to tell you. So go ahead. Ask Tim Tebow his current stance on abortion. The answer he will give you is that no abortions are justified. There’s even a personal story regarding his own mother deciding…
Chaos
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set…
Born Into A Fallen World
I have a puzzle for you to solve. A puzzle that will make you stumble in your faith unless you answer it. I come to you with this question because it has made me stumble countless times before in my…
The Maker of the Wind
There’s a white oak on the hill at my old Clinch Mountain home,It stands straight and true on that windy spur alone.And when the cold winds blow, its roots bend and moan,But when the storm has passed, it straightens up…
Faith Enough
Ice is thin enough for walking,Rope is worn enough to climb.Throat is dry enough for talking,World is crumbling, but I know why. I come to you all with a dilemma. A question not made of outward appearance, but within ourselves.…
The Invisible Hand
We think we control our own destinies. But some would submit the question of “do we really control our destinies?” In other words, are there uncontrollable forces that rule our lives? It’s a serious question that must be answered… Weplan…