pushingenvelopes

PLACEHOLDER!

2006-07-01T10:37:00.000-04:00

I decided to move my blog over to: here.

As far as I can see, I won't be posting here anymore, so please update bookmarks accordingly!

Thanks!

-ATS

Very Special Delivery...

2006-05-13T22:02:00.000-04:00

Interesting article on the British 'Times Online' about a baby, conceived via IVF, who is now immune to her mothers hereditary eye cancer.

Interesting thoughts, here. Can/Should we tamper with what comes naturally? Do we 'trust' God to work it out, or do we excercise our abilities (given BY God) to prevent something (such as cancer)?

What do you think?

Article Here

Of Carrot Sticks And Double Cheeseburgers

2006-04-07T20:44:00.000-04:00

For the past year or two, our family has purposed to be intentional about the things we eat, primarily watching out for things like saturated fats, sugars, hydrogenated ingredients, and boosting our intake of fruits and veggies. At first, this new meal plan met with the expected amounts of groans, but as we acclimated to our new diet, we found that those Double Quarter Pounders (with cheese) didn’t taste so good anymore.

In fact, the couple times I HAVE eaten at a fast food restaurant, I feel sick to my stomach afterwards. Get this: I actually miss fruits and vegetables when I don’t get them at meals. Plus, I like weird drinks with wheat grass and green algae mixed in with fruit.

All this thinking about health food somehow got my mind working on parallels between eating habits and our spiritual lives. (I’ll skip the obvious jokes here). Just as we can adjust from eating Carrot Sticks and Fat Free Ranch to Double Quarter Pounders (with extra cheese), we can so easily slip from faithful Christian living back down to self-glorification and gratification.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about consistent, authentic, progressively healthy Christian life, and how to go about living one. I think one of the tricks is knowing your weaknesses. It’s not a good idea to shop through the cheese aisle if you are hungry, or walk past the Outback if you are fasting; likewise, it’s not too bright to intentionally put yourself into situations that might make your trip.

I know that I am susceptible to certain temptations, so I try and make an conscious effort to not allow myself to be in situations that easily bring about those temptations. Makes sense, right? The hard thing is getting used to denying ourselves what, initially, is our natural inclination. But, once we get into the habit of not giving in to that temptation, it gets easier and easier (although never disappears completely!) to resist, and eventually becomes something that makes us sick to our stomachs.

Another key to living healthily is being accountable. Eating healthy was hard initially, but as we kept to our plan, we all began to chide other family members who ‘cheated’ (namely, myself). Eventually, we all conformed to the idea, and now it’s not only habit, but inbred desire. I think it’s similar in the Christian life. If we have someone, or several someones, to be accountable for our failures to, we are much more likely to be motivated not to give in to temptation. My Dad and I use a little app that sends an list to him of all the websites I visited in the past two weeks. It certainly is motivation for me to think twice about clicking on a link, even if it’s only questionable, would I be OK with Dad seeing this site?

We can also keep in mind that we always have both a coach and an accountability partner in Jesus. He is always there for us to talk (and confess) to. The great thing is, He knows all about our struggles, and is always willing to help us through them, no matter how often we fall.

Keep in mind what you are eating, both physically and spiritually! Did you have a McGrease Burger for dinner, or did you go for the Chef Salad?

Grace and peace through God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ!

Karl Marx -- Age 17

2006-04-05T17:38:00.000-04:00

". . . union with Christ consists in the most intimate communication with him, in having him before our eyes and in our hearts, and being so filled with the highest love for him, at the same time we turn our hearts to our brothers whom he has closely bound to us and for whom also he sacrificed himself."

Social Justice

2006-03-25T11:37:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, I was given the privilege to attend the Search for the Free Methodist Soul Symposium. Near the end of the first day, a paper on the topic of justice was shared by Pastor John Hay, Jr.

It rekindled my interest in the subject, and reminded me that it should always be in the forefront of my mind, and not something that comes up only in theological musings.

The Wikipedia defines Social Justice:

"Social Justice is a philosophical definition of justice, that is, giving individuals or groups their due within society as a whole. As a concept, "social justice" has fascinated philosophers ever since Plato rebuked the young Sophist, Thrasymachus, for asserting that justice was whatever the strongest decided it would be. The debate continues today as to whether it is possible to construct a reasoned set of criteria against which to determine objectively and universally what is 'socially just', or whether 'social justice' is merely determined by power, or the lack of it, or by changing custom."

In my mind, Social Justice is an urgent matter that requires attention, thought, and action. Jesus was all about justice.

“"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
for he has appointed me to preach Good News to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim
that captives will be released,
that the blind will see,
that the downtrodden will be freed from their oppressors, and that the time of the Lord's favor has come.” –Luke 4.18-19

God speaks through the prophet Isaiah in regard to justice:

1"Shout with the voice of a trumpet blast. Tell my people Israel[a] of their sins! 2Yet they act so pious! They come to the Temple every day and seem delighted to hear my laws. You would almost think this was a righteous nation that would never abandon its God. They love to make a show of coming to me and asking me to take action on their behalf. 3`We have fasted before you!' they say. `Why aren't you impressed? We have done much penance, and you don't even notice it!'

"I will tell you why! It's because you are living for yourselves even while you are fasting. You keep right on oppressing your workers. 4What good is fasting when you keep on fighting and quarreling? This kind of fasting will never get you anywhere with me. 5You humble yourselves by going through the motions of penance, bowing your heads like a blade of grass in the wind. You dress in sackcloth and cover yourselves with ashes. Is this what you call fasting? Do you really think this will please the LORD?

6"No, the kind of fasting I want calls you to free those who are wrongly imprisoned and to stop oppressing those who work for you. Treat them fairly and give them what they earn. 7I want you to share your food with the hungry and to welcome poor wanderers into your homes. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help.

8"If you do these things, your salvation will come like the dawn. Yes, your healing will come quickly. Your godliness will lead you forward, and the glory of the LORD will protect you from behind. 9Then when you call, the LORD will answer. `Yes, I am here,' he will quickly reply.

"Stop oppressing the helpless and stop making false accusations and spreading vicious rumors! 10Feed the hungry and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as day. 11The LORD will guide you continually, watering your life when you are dry and keeping you healthy, too. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring. 12Your children will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities. Then you will be known as the people who rebuild their walls and cities.

I wonder what the Lord sees as he looks at his followers all around the world, as we live in relative opulence at the same time thousands starve to death.

So, how can we practice justice, and through justice, mercy? I believe that though acquiring a genuine love for people by seeking to see them as our God sees his children, our response will be the same as Jesus’.

Intentionally practicing justice in simple ways will cultivate a habitually Christ like lifestyle, that will not only shows justice and mercy, but brings those qualities about in the lives of those around them.

My natural inclination is to look towards the biggest need, become overwhelmed by the huge task, and put it off until later, or give it up as an impossibility. But, God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and a sound mind. He calls us to proclaim freedom to the captives (of prison, drugs, immorality, fear and doubt..), sight for the blind (of heart, mind, and spirit), and freedom from oppression (spiritual, mental, habitual, etc.). Have we become so acclimated to the degradation around us that we fail to see the great need in our own backyards?

For many of us, opportunities to practice justice and mercy are presented every day. Remember that homeless man downtown? That customer at work? Your own family?

We also must remember those outside our immediate realm of perception. Our brothers and sisters in China, India, Cambodia, Thailand, and all over the world who are persecuted because of their love for Jesus. Paul admonishes us to remember those who are in chains, as if we were there with them. I believe that we must make an extra effort to remember/reach out to those still undecided about Jesus. These are the ones that Jesus focused on. The sick who need a doctor. The widows and orphans who are oppressed in so many ways. These are our mandate!

I believe there are three main ways that we can obey Jesus call to these people.

1) Go.
This is the most obvious to me. If something needs fixing, why wait? Why send someone else if you are capable? A missionary to Africa once said about his calling to serve:

‘I saw a need, I felt like I could meet that need, I felt it would please God for me to meet the need, so I went.’

He has dedicated many, many years of his life to bringing justice, mercy, and hope to those in Africa. Isn’t this the attitude we should have? Whatever would please God (not what we think would please God) should be our only needed motivation.

2) Give.
I think you can see where this is going. Out of our abundance, we have the ability to give to others who have less, or have none. This should always be at the forefront of our minds as well.. Give up everything so that we, and others, may gain Christ.

3) Pray.
Again, a seemingly simple task, yet simultaneously an extremely important component of missions. Praying for support, peace, encouragement and for God to work in the hearts of his children is one of the most important things any Christian can do. Ask the Lord of the Harvest to send out workers in to the harvest field, and for a bountiful harvest!

C1 - C6 Contextulization

2006-02-12T15:29:00.000-05:00

Through my study of Islam, one of my biggest questions has been 'How can we get more Muslims to come and follow Jesus?' I have come to the realization that while there is plenty we can do to plant seeds, only God can make them grow. What I find interesting is the plant that grows after the seed has been planted.

Below is a table from
Evangelical Missions Quarterly showing a different kind of disciples that what is normally thought as traditional. Some might argue that C5-6 are syncronistic, but I find the variation on 'traditional' Christianity not only acceptable, but exciting and challenging.

I love hearing stories about how Muslims are coming to know Isa (Jesus) through reading the Qur'an, or through traditional Islamic beliefs and practices.

The brothers and sisters in the C5-6 catagories are modeling what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9.22:

To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.

By staying in their Islamic communities, and continuing to practice the cultural norms, they open many doors that would otherwise be closed if they allowed themselves to undergo 'Christianiazation', they would not only be percieved at heretical, but as Western sycophants.

Anyway, just thought I would share some thoughts... Keep praying for more workers in the Muslim harvest field, and that God would continue His great work in the Islamic world.

Mohammed Cartoons

2006-02-07T20:36:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to bring this to your attention..

Recently, a Danish newspaper published cartoons that depicted the Muslim Prophet Mohammed in less then respectful ways. This caused Muslims all over Europe, and especially in the Middle East to react with disgust, resentment, and in some cases, violence. Foreign Embassies were burned in Damascus, Syria, and leaders of Islamic extremist groups called for the execution of the artists who had drawn the cartoons.

Not only were the cartoons considered disrespectful, but any image of a religious figure in Islam is explicitly forbidden in the Hadith (secondary Muslim holy books):

"The most severely punished of people on the Day of Resurrection will be those who try to make the like of Allah's creation."

"Allah (swt ), Most High said: "And who is more unjust than those who try to create the likeness of My creation? Let them create an atom, or let them create a wheat grain, or let them create a barley grain."

"Every picture maker is in the Fire. A soul will be placed in every picture made by him and it will punish him in the Hell-fire."

(references gathered from:
www.usc.edu)

I think it is interesting how much of a reaction this invoked from Muslims, both violent and non. It also raises an few questions in my mind. "Should freedom of speech/press include obvious derogatory, offensive and negative comments/images/etc? Especially religious figures of ANY sort?'

It also makes me think about how often our Lord Jesus is slandered, and we sit by and take little if any action. Does it merit any response? I believe it does. John Wesley once said something to the effect of:

"A dog barks and bites when his master is attacked. As God's servant, can you expect me to do less than a dog if my Master is attacked?"

I do not think that comments made about our God merit physical violence, but I do think that we need to be aware of how people use the name of Jesus, and remember that it's how we represent our Master that determines people's perception of His worth.

Dad and AT's Excellent Adventure, 2.0

2006-01-15T05:42:00.000-05:00

Back in Indy again!

What an amazing time at GSI... In the interest of maintaining an interesting blog, I'll refrain from writing about every minute detail, but I would like to tell about one especially interesting time we had last week. (By the way, check out Dad's new blog for some of his thoughts, as well as some great pictures).

So, one of the first places we went to in Cairo was Garbage City. Basically, Garbage City is an inhabited city dump. The people who live there sort the trash in to categories, recycling some, reusing some, then haul it off to certain areas in the city, or to the recycling area.

Obviously, the first thing you notice is the smell. Imagine sealing yourself inside a garbage truck, and you might be able to begin to imagine the assault on your sense of smell. The city itself is situated at the base of a hill, at the top of which sits a Coptic Church, well away from the sights and smells of Garbage City, though close enough to walk to. We walked to the top of the hill, into a cave where service were sometimes held, into the church, and into several other places just outside of the City. Plenty of interesting stories there, but the main thing I want to talk about is Garbage City itself.

After the sun went down, we returned down the hill to attend the evening service at the Garbage City Free Methodist Church.

Tucked away in the middle of piles of every sort of garbage imaginable, was a small building that housed the body of Christ that lived in Garbage City. What a perfect picture of the desire for incarnational ministry our church has, as opposed to the Coptic church tucked up on the hill, somewhat removed from the people.

Our group was welcomed warmly, and regaled with the story of how an elderly member of the church had actually divided his house in half so that the church would have a place to meet. We sang a song, then were treated with bottles of orange pop.

As our group was getting ready to leave, I was given the opportunity to stay, and attend the evening service. I appreciated Dad giving me the chance to stay at what would be an exciting experience.

Most of the service was in Arabic, with the exception of our missionaries sermon, which was translated by a Egyptian brother. My friend David and I were asked to give our testimonies, and then to sing a song (we sang the Doxology).

I am always amazed at how passionate, authentically seeking worship is both refreshing and encouraging, even if I am unable to understand the language. Sensing the presence of the Lord, and being caught up in the praises of His people is an experience you don't soon forget.

After the service, while we were waiting for a taxi, David and I were able to spend some time with a couple of the kids who went to the church. We talked as best we could, and played soccer (football) with a rock.

Once we had left Garbage City, we went to an Arabic restaruant, where Lamb, Hummus, Bread, and drinks were served. I was surprised at how much I liked the Lamb... YUM! :)

From there, our friend took us to the Khan Al Kalili Market, where we had 'Om Ali' (English: Ali's Mom), which is a super-good form of tapioca topped with coconut, almonds, raisins, and whipped cream, and heated in the oven. Oh man... I had some Turkish-style coffee, and was about as content as I have ever been.

I also was able to buy a drum at the market. It looks like a small djembe, and says 'Alexandria' on the head (Evidentally, Alexandria is a center for drum making in Egypt). It came in handy the rest of GSI, and I have enjoyed pinking away here at home.

So, there you have about 120 miutes out of the 24, 480 we had in Egypt. It was an altogether amazing experience, and I thank the Lord for His blessings, and the oppourtunities He has, and continues to give me.

Dad and AT's Excellent Adventure, 1.0

2006-01-01T10:22:00.000-05:00

Dad and I made it to the London/Heathrow Airport, and are finishing up our relax time before the final leg of our journey.

After what seemed like one delay after another, we finally made it out of Indy, almost two hours after we had been scheduled. Once in Chicago, we had to run to our gate, and even then were some of the very last people to board.
After a relatively decent (only 7 hours) flight to London, we were able to clean up, and have some downtime before our next flight. Interesting how sitting there on a plane is so tiring.

Anyway, only a couple more hours, and we will be in Cairo! What a great place to spend New Years Eve, huh?

Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers for our whole family. The pretty part of the Spangler Family leaves for Texas in a couple of days to go see Gram and Grandpa.

Looking forward to the next couple of days!

Good King Wenceslas

2005-12-21T22:39:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite Christmas Hymns, 'Good King Wenceslas' is a great metaphor for Jesus care for those outside His Kingdom, His care for those in His service, and His love for all people.

Good King Wenceslas looked out on the Feast of Stephen,
When the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even;
Brightly shone the moon that night, tho' the frost was cruel,
When a poor man came in sight gath'ring winter fuel.

"Hither, page, and stand by me, if thou know'st it, telling,
Yonder peasant, who is he? Where and what his dwelling?"
"Sire, he lives a good league hence, underneath the mountain;
Right against the forest fence, by Saint Agnes' fountain."

"Bring me flesh, and bring me wine, bring me pine logs hither:
Thou and I will see him dine, when we bear them thither."
Page and monarch, forth they went, forth they went together;
Through the rude wind's wild lament and the bitter weather.

"Sire, the night is darker now, and the wind blows stronger;
Fails my heart, I know not how, I can go no longer."
"Mark my footsteps, good my page. Tread thou in them boldly:
Thou shalt find the winter's rage freeze thy blood less coldly."

In his master's steps he trod, where the snow lay dinted;
Heat was in the very sod which the saint had printed.
Therefore, Christian men, be sure, wealth or rank possessing,
Ye who now will bless the poor, shall yourselves find blessing.

May we all walk in His footsteps this Christmas season, and all the year to come!

Merry Christmas!

-Andrew

Little Update...

2005-12-11T20:42:00.000-05:00

Hey! More AThoughts coming before too long..

I had my two bottom wisdom teeth pulled this past Thursday. Still recouperating, but definately getting better. Thanks to all you who were praying!

I also wanted to point out a couple cool resources I have come across recently.

First, is a bookmark service called Del.icio.us. It allows you to share your favorite websites with anyone and everyone, and I am assuming, is a really fun resource to find new websites. Anyway, my bookmarks can be found at This Link.

Secondly, a handy website for all you bloggers and blogreaders out there,
Bloglines.
Bloglines allows you to moniter all of your favorite blogs from one page, which can be handy if you have more than one or two! Our good friend Tim Griffin put Dad and I onto this.

Thirdly (one more than a couple), I would encourage you to check out Dad's new and improved eWorldPhotos. He's been posting a new picture from his extensive archive almmost every day... Fun stuff.

I guess a little more news won't hurt anyone...

Been attempt to get back on track after a hectic couple of weeks, and an imbalanced couple of months. I am trying to rediscipline myself to consistantly do what I know is right, both inside and outside, as well as snap out of my lethargic funk. I think that the two are interconnected, and that when I reconnect my spiritual loose ends, my discipline and attitude will fall into place a lot easier than they are now.

I've been meditating on this Psalm when I get the chance:

¹ Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
² But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
³ He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

⁴ The ungodly are not so,
But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
⁵ Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

⁶ For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

-Psalm 1, NKJV (biblegateway.com)

Lord, help me to be a man who delights in Your law, and sets an example for others.

Only 14 days 'till Christmas, and 19 days 'till Egypt!

Isau wa salaam! (Jesus' peace to you)

-Andrew

New Post

2005-11-21T06:37:00.000-05:00

Got a new article in the works... In the meantime, check out the Famblog!

Bikini-clad, chainsaw wielding ninja Grandmothers…with chainsaws

2005-10-14T11:21:00.000-05:00

Desensitization is a word that you may not recognize by itself, but most likely have felt the effects of. The Wikipedia defines it:

“Desensitization is a method to reduce or eliminate an organism's negative reaction to a substance or stimulus”

Contrasting even the last five years with 50 years ago, it is surprising how much the North American culture, and we as Christians in that culture have allowed ourselves to be desensitized. For our grandparents, it was risqué for a woman to wear shorts. Today, models in lingerie are posted larger than life on billboards. For our parents (those of us under 25), depiction of extreme violence was rare. Today, murders and cannibalism are shown on TV during mainstream hours.

If we compare recent history and modern culture, we will continue to see continually widening gaps between moral and ethical values.

Working at a hardware store not only affords me the opportunity to observe people firsthand, but also to be near the head of the juggernaut that drives our culture: materialism. As both Halloween and Christmas are right around the corner, we have begun to set up decorations for the holidays, first focusing mainly on Halloween, but even now setting up gobs of Christmas decorations.

As customers walk through our Halloween decorations and toys, those called the ‘Baby Boomers’ almost always make a comment about how they never had this kind of stuff when they were a kid. ‘This is great! We never had a skull that oozed steam when I was little’ ‘Wow! I never had a demon bat, or a cat eating a rat when I was a kid! This is great!’

One of the most graphic decorations we are carrying for Halloween is a yard stake. About four feet high, at the top of the stake, sits an impaled head. Quite realistic, Cousin Bob’s head sits in all it’s gory glory, tongue sticking out, with bloody, jagged edges around where the neck would be.

On May 17, 2004, America's first state-sanctioned, same-sex marriages took place in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Since then, over 6,100 couples have been married. (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/09/14/national/main846230.shtml)

I watched in disappointment as the Episcopal Church appointed an openly homosexual bishop, which in turn opened up a Pandora’s Box that never should have even existed. How can blatant disobedience (in any form) to God even be a question of ‘is this really such a big deal?’

Our country currently has spent over 200 billion dollars and over a thousand lives on the war in Iraq. As tragic as this is, many people never hear about the near 25 thousand dead Iraqi civilians. (http://www.iraqbodycount.net/press/pr12.php)

What happened? How did we as a culture move from one extreme to another? Can we blame it on the ‘advancement’, or change of our culture? Or should we use the cop-out that people have to make their own decisions, and that if it works for you…?

In the movie Hotel Rwanda, Joaquin Phoenix’s’ character comments on the reaction of the western public upon viewing video footage of the genocide in Rwanda (1994): “If people see this footage, they will go, 'Oh God, that's horrible' and go back to eating their dinner."

I believe that one of the main reasons our culture has become so saturated in, and desensitized to, sin is due to the gradual move away from God and his Word. As we slowly took God out of our schools, our workplaces, our government, He slipped out of our homes as well. I once heard a quote that related God to a gentleman. He won’t force himself on anyone, but rather waits to be invited.

I also believe that all too often, the church as a body has been way too silent. While there are a few on the front lines, most of us have stood on the sidelines, not wanting to get involved. Why? Are we not the church of Jesus Christ? Has he not called us to be the salt and light of the earth? How can we as his collective body look at what is going on in our world, and say ‘that’s horrible’, then go back to our dinner?

I think part of the answer lies in two places. First, we must have the right heart attitude. Over and over, Jesus talks about how important the attitude of the heart is, even more so than the actions themselves.

A good person produces good deeds from a good heart, and an evil person produces evil deeds from an evil heart. Whatever is in your heart determines what you say. Luke 6.45, NLT

Once we have our hearts in the right place, we are able to implement the second piece of the puzzle: practical application of our faith. It seems to me that with over 2 billion people claiming Christianity as their faith, this world should be radically different. Look at how much 12 Christians did during the formation of the Way. How much more could we do today if we had only a handful of people totally sold out to Jesus?

By truly living our faith through our actions, words, and especially our thoughts, we do truly become the salt and light in the world. Start by putting aside your fear of rejection, your pride in self, your bigotry against whatever, and devote yourself completely to Jesus. Be willing to be willing.

-AT

www.aradhnamusic.com

2005-10-14T09:37:00.000-05:00

track 9 Prabhu ko Darshan by Nepali bhajan
Prabhuko darshan Yeshuko darshan, paayera bhai laagaa sewaa maa
Nepal deshle daaki rahecha, au bachao haamilai
Aatmaa mardai chan, aatmaa mardai chan, hera hazaaron paapko saagar maa
Krusmaa aaphno praan Prabhule jagatko laagi die
Premlai hera, prem lai hera, Nepalko laagi unko hrydaya maa
Andhakaar chaayo chaarai dishaamaa raat aai pugyo
Je garnu parcha, je garnu parcha, aile nai gara dinko jyoti maa

The vision of the Lord Jesus is in you; now go and serve your people
The nation is calling, "Come save us"
Souls lay dieing, thousands upon thousands, in the ocean of darkness
On the cross the Lord gave his life for the world
See what love he holds in his heart for this land
Darkness is falling; night has arrived
Whatever you must do, now is the time while the light of day remains

CCM

2005-10-14T08:29:00.000-05:00

Here's an interesting article I came across. It's about the trend that seems to be making it's way around the Christian music scene: Christian bands making worship-specific albums (ie. Jars of Clay Redemption Songs, Third Day Offerings 1 & 2, Newsboys Adoration and Devotion).

I don't necessarily agree with this guy, but he has some interesting thoughts about Christian music in general. Check it out!

-AT

2005-09-25T22:15:00.000-05:00

Welcome to pushingenvelopes!

My purpose for this blog is to 'push envelopes', and to hopefully challege Christians to think, discuss, and grow in their knowledge and understanding of Jesus Christ.

Most of the posts will be my own personal opinion or reflection, so I welcome any input, thought, or 'corrections'!

I will be posting periodically, so check back about once a week.

Thanks for reading!

-AT