{"id":90,"date":"2015-12-03T20:48:00","date_gmt":"2015-12-03T20:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/felixculpa\/2015\/12\/life-in-an-uncertain-world-and-what-to-do-about-it.html"},"modified":"2015-12-03T20:48:00","modified_gmt":"2015-12-03T20:48:00","slug":"life-in-an-uncertain-world-and-what-to-do-about-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/felixculpa\/2015\/12\/life-in-an-uncertain-world-and-what-to-do-about-it.html","title":{"rendered":"Life in an Uncertain World (and What to Do About It)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>
<\/a><\/div>\n

Last night, Mom and I came home from the grocery store to find my back door swinging\u00a0open. When we left, I had watched her lock and close it with my own eyes, so I was a little bit stumped \u2013 and unnerved \u2013 at why it might be open. The house appeared undisturbed. The door wasn\u2019t damaged and there wasn\u2019t any other evidence of forced entry. Still, an open door never makes me feel too welcome. <\/p>\n

With arms full of groceries, we jumped back in the car and I\u00a0called Andrew, thinking (hoping!)\u00a0the door may have been ajar because\u00a0he came home while we were out and didn\u2019t get it locked well. But no such luck. <\/p>\n

Given the fact that I\u2019m writing this, you\u2019ve probably gathered that all was well. We came to the conclusion that we simply\u00a0didn\u2019t get the door shut all the way, but given two recent shootings (one of which we had just heard reports on before we left for the store), I admit\u00a0we were\u00a0on guard more than usual. <\/p>\n

These shootings are nothing new. I question why they\u2019re happening so frequently, and though I don\u2019t have all the answers, I know this: the answer is multifaceted: extreme Islamists, mental health issues,\u00a0psychiatric drugs (over-prescribed!), and of course the\u00a0\u201conly evil continually\u201d heart of man. These all play a part in what we are seeing flash across our screens like\u00a0foreign tales \u2013\u00a0things that shouldn\u2019t be taking place on our<\/em> soil. No,\u00a0we are the country that has it all together. We<\/em> help others.<\/em> We do not need help. We have our stuff together. We are the greatest, strongest country on the planet. We are where everyone else comes to \u201clive the dream.\u201d <\/p>\n

What is<\/em> this \u201cdream\u201d we so often speak of?\u00a0Try and step out of our borders. If looking from afar, what would we see that would make us want to be here more than any other country? <\/p>\n

The answer to that, in the past, has been freedom of religion, speech, etc. But what\u00a0about now? What are people seeing in us that would make them want to come here? And what do they see about solutions that we can\u2019t see ourselves? <\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n

Some days, I feel the \u201cland that I love\u201d dying before my eyes. And I ask \u2026 what can I do?<\/em> What does an every day housewife\/writer do about mass shootings, the terror of Islam, the beginning of Christian persecution, and a lackadaisical leader? <\/p>\n

There will always be practical measures I can take: write my Congressman, learn to protect myself and others, stock up on every day material\u00a0needs in case \u2026 in case what?<\/em> A second\u00a0civil war? The government decides Christians and\/or Jews\u00a0should be exterminated? What is practical and what is insanity talking? Is it insanity, or is it prudence coupled with a realistic realization that all we have may come to an end because of\u00a0our country\u2019s stubborn, rebellious heart? <\/p>\n

I don\u2019t read anything in Scripture that instructs us to spend enormous amounts of time, energy, and money on self-protection, self-care, and self-preservation. Practical measures are okay, in moderation. But what I mainly hear in Scripture is this: <\/p>\n

Occupy until Jesus comes<\/strong>. And we do that by: <\/p>\n

-Prayer.<\/p>\n

-Making disciples.<\/p>\n

-Caring for widows and orphans. <\/p>\n

-Whatever else we think God might be calling us to through Micah 6:8. <\/p>\n

He has shown you, O man, what is good;<\/em>
And what does the Lord require of you<\/em>
But to do justly, <\/em>
To love mercy,<\/em>
And to walk humbly with your God?<\/em> <\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n

Life, like my experience coming home last night, can be nerve wracking. Scary. Fear-full.\u00a0That\u2019s why we\u2019ve got to focus and keep the main thing the main thing. We can\u2019t afford to cower in fear, because fear\u00a0takes\u00a0large portions of\u00a0time and energy that could be used for the valiant, kingdom\u00a0work God has called us to. <\/p>\n

So sure, we can\u00a0do whatever\u00a0necessary to feel reasonably safe and prepared, come what may,<\/em> while living within our monetary means. But\u00a0more importantly, we should keep on keepin\u2019 on for the cause of Christ. Stay the course. And if\u00a0there are only three words\u00a0we take away from this post, let it be these: <\/p>\n

Onward, Christian soldiers.<\/em> <\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Last night, Mom and I came home from the grocery store to find my back door swinging\u00a0open. When we left, I had watched her lock and close it with my own eyes, so I was a little bit stumped \u2013 and unnerved \u2013 at why it might be open. The house appeared undisturbed. The door […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":421,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-90","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nLife in an Uncertain World (and What to Do About It)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Last night, Mom and I came home from the grocery store to find my back door swinging open. 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