The Answer

Do you ever feel frustrated without an apparent reason? Like you are burning up inside for something more than just an ordinary existence? Do you feel like nothing in your life could ever make up for the pain that you've experienced? If you have ever been upset at everything without any provocation, then you are in spiritual agony. There are three levels of pain: physical, emotional, and spiritual. The last is the greatest, but it is often treated as if it were the least. Our society is run on a predominantly scientific basis. Physical pain is therefore treated as if it were the greatest level of suffering because it exists and is solved by natural processes that can be systematically studied. Emotional pain is given second priority because its causes can often be found in the physical world, but it cannot be eliminated as easily as physical pain. Spiritual pain is all but ignored. If you feel you are suffering spiritually, then maybe you need to get into nature, go to church every Sunday, try meditation, fall in love,... No concrete answer is offered for the alleviation of spiritual suffering. We are told that truth is relative: Some people adhere to this truth and it makes them happy; others adhere to another truth and are just as happy. Only here's the problem: I have never met a legitimately happy person. And if truth is relative, does it not cease to be true? In our scientific society, atheists like to demote spiritual pain to the emotional or physical level. They try to explain it away with scattered facts so they can deny that such a thing exists. In a world where everyone is trying to hide from the deepest questions of existence, I am ready to face them head on. So what is the cure for spiritual agony?

Sadly, I cannot give the answer right away. Ask a history teacher when George Washington shot vampires in Azkaban, and you will probably not get a very good answer because there is no such thing as vampires and no such place as Azkaban. If you ask when George Washington led the Continental Army against the British, the teacher would answer that he was general from 1775 to 1783. The problem then is not with the teacher's knowledge, but with the question. Before a legitimate answer can be given, you must be sure that the question itself is legitimate. The question asked here assumes two things: first, that a spiritual realm exists; second, that there is a cure for the pain experienced in this realm.


Because I am dealing with people who are used to a science in which the idea of anything beyond random natural processes is scorned, I cannot merely assume my readers agree that there is a spiritual realm. So does God exist? How can you believe in something you cannot factually prove? Well, is there anyone who cares about you? If you were to die today, who would attend your funeral? Think of the person closest to you in the world. Maybe it is a parent, a spouse, a sibling... Now, does this person love you? Can you prove it? You can try, listing off things that he or she said or did for you, but how do you know that person really loves you? How do you know he or she is not merely using you for selfish purposes or that he or she does not do these things out of guilt or fear? Do you know that this person loves you? At this point, I sometimes get the response that "I have a strong feeling this person loves me, but I cannot know for sure." Why don't you try telling your person that? This is the wrong answer. You know deep in your heart, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that this person loves you, but you cannot prove it. For our purposes, there are two ways of knowing things: a fact can be proven; a truth is innate. Both are correct. Just as you can know beyond the shadow of a doubt that your person loves you, I know that God exists. I cannot prove any of this, but judge for yourself if what I say is true. Assuming there is such a thing as spiritual suffering, is there a way to solve it?


What is God? God is love. Literally. Members of a family love each other, even if they do not always act that way. Since God is perfect love, He (I only say "He" for you. People get offended if I try to call God "It". God is neither male nor female.) is also the perfect family. He is mother (Holy Spirit), Father, and Son. The Trinity is often hard for people to understand. How can God be three different persons and still be one God? You also are made up of different connected parts. Your heart, bones, and skin are different from each other, but you are still one person, are you not? Remember this illustration; it will come in handy later. One day, God wondered what it would be like if He made the universe. The Holy Spirit foresaw all the beautiful things that would be -- especially humans -- yearning for it. The Father commanded it to be, and the Son made it happen. Now, it has often been argued that the world could not have been created by perfect love because the world itself is imperfect. When the story of man's fall in the Garden of Eden is used to explain away imperfection, we must ask why God did not make people who would always obey his commands. It is commonly argued that God would not be loving if He simply made "robots" without free will, but humans misuse their free will. I have trouble with this because to assume that God made totally independent people is to assume that God is not actually sovereign. I believe that God programmed the world to be the way it is because He could see the inhabitants of the earth who would result and was overwhelmed with love for them; you would not be the person you are if it were not for your specific life experiences, and God just had to have you. Since God was so overwhelmed with His love for you before the creation of the universe that He was compelled to make it exactly the way it is, it is pretty obvious that he wants to be with you. Unfortunately, perfect love cannot stand anything less than perfect love. Since the fall of man, humans have been less than perfect, so God cannot be with the people He adores. But God is all-powerful, so He is able to save the people He made from a life separated from Him. The only way He could do it was for the Son to come to earth in the form of Jesus of Nazareth for the purpose of suffering in every way. Now the sins of those who want a relationship with God are forgotten. They have been cast upon the ultimate scapegoat. After suffering death on a cross and enduring hell for every sin ever committed for three earth days, Jesus rose from the dead for forty days so those left behind could see that he has absolute power over death. Those who accept his free gift never have to be afraid of anything because the supreme power is on their side.

So what is the cure for spiritual agony? Those experiencing spiritual agony are experiencing it because they are ignoring their life purpose, which is to enter in communion with God. How do you enter in communion with God? You cannot do it through angels, baptisms, cliche prayers, Bible reading, church commitment, good deeds, or the faith of those around you. Once you are aware of what God did for you, His call is irresistible. If you plead for Him to reveal Himself, then He will, but you have to be ready to accept Him. After this, everything else just falls into place.

The cool thing about the cure for spiritual suffering is that it also cures emotional and physical pain. Remember the example of one body with different parts to explain the Trinity? When you accept Christ, you enter into the family of God. You are now one with God. You are now perfect love. When you sin, it is no longer you doing it, but it is your animal nature, which will be destroyed someday. Since God is all-powerful, you can overcome your animal nature and look out for the other members of the human race. As a matter of fact, it is the most natural thing in the world for a person made perfect to do good out of overwhelming love. Now, I do not believe that you must do good to prove to God that you love Him. God is all-knowing; you don't need to prove anything. Now that you are saved, you are saved forever. Your reward in heaven is no greater for anything you do on earth. Still, you will yearn to do good, and if everyone were working to alleviate the physical and emotional pain of the other inhabitants of the earth, these would cease to be overwhelming issues.

This is the answer.

Bridging the Gap Between the Rich and the Poor

Poverty is among the most pressing issues in the world today, and has been for time immemorial. Why is it that some have in great abundance, while others have little to nothing? Now, I want my readers to first understand that I am not some spoiled upper-middle class high school kid. I technically live in "poverty", but all my needs have always been met. I am used to living paycheck-to-paycheck, day-to-day. I am only saying this as a rebuttal to anyone who wants to argue that I don't really understand what it is like to be "poor", but I consider such an argument irrelevant anyway. There is no reason the "rich" should not come to an understanding of this. I am writing this primarily for them. Yes, I live in American "poverty", which is still comparatively "rich" to many of the world's inhabitants. I was told that I would understand poverty better when I had experienced the conditions of the "poor" in Mexico. I have been on three trips to Mexico now. Every time, I brace myself for the heart-wrenching conditions, and every time I end up disappointed. Frustrated, even. The inhabitants of a small, "poor" town with a church at its center do not seem upset with their stations in life. Neither do the abandoned and orphaned children in the Matamoros Children's Home, where Christian teachings come before bread. If life is really better here in the United States where you can have anything you want, then why is it that the "poor" in Mexico are content -- and even overjoyed -- to be where they are, whereas the "rich" of the U.S. are filled with discontent -- and some committing suicide. Shouldn't this be the other way around? Let me explain:



The thing that has always upset me the most about being "poor" has to do with my pride. I look at the "rich" thinking You are my inferiors, and they continue to look down on me in pity. That is among the most infuriating things I have ever had to deal with. It took me a while to realize the exact reason for this. I am not poor.



When I accepted Christ, I came into communion with God; basically I am God. That is not meant to be the blasphemous statement it sounds like. What I mean is that a good spirit must always replace an evil one. When I asked Christ to come into my life, something fundamental about who I am had to change. He gave me his Spirit of Truth to live inside of me and guide my life here. Since the Holy Spirit, part of the Trinity, is living within me -- and some of God is all of God -- my spirit has become one with God. This is expressed by Christ in his last prayer before his death (John 17). Now, God made everything; therefore, he owns everything. Since I am in communion with God, I also own everything. Not only do I own it by default, but he also gave it to me on purpose, as seen in Genesis 1. If wealth is based on your possessions, then I own everything and am wealthier than the wealthiest of the filthy "rich" could possibly ever dream to be. They only have what money can buy.



The fact that I own everything does not mean that I am needlessly reckless with it. The world is actually better because it belongs to me. In Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead, the protagonist explains to his broken client how everything he says "yes" to is his own and is special because it is worthy to be called his own. I disagree with Rand on a fundamental point, but here I can agree. Once you have gained ownership of something, you do not want that thing to be destroyed.



People are not excluded from my ownership. I do not own only my biological mother and sisters, as I used to believe. Instead, every man is my father; every woman is my mother; every child is mine; my every peer is my sibling. When I know of those I love in torment, I want to reach out to them.



This is the reason it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a "rich" man to get into heaven: If a "rich" person is truly rich, then he or she will be moved to aid those less fortunate. If America were truly a rich country, then it would overflow with love for the sick and starving in Africa. If America were truly a rich country, then there would be no theft or murder. If America were truly a rich country, there would be a drop in the suicide rate. However, it appears these conditions are worsening. Despite the comparative affluence of the inhabitants of this country, the majority is still suffering from the worst type of poverty.



These are the types of suffering from least to most intense:

1. Physical


2. Emotional


3. Spiritual


4. Total Separation from God

Here is the real problem: We treat these types of suffering as if they were in order from most to least intense. There is a reason doctors are at the forefront of society. Whenever physical pain is involved, that is the worst possible situation and it needs to be remedied as soon as possible. Physical emergencies are always given first priority. Second, you should not have to feel sad. This leads to the therapy society that basically says, "If it feels good, do it." When I say spiritual suffering and distinguish it from separation from God, it helps to have a definition. Spiritual suffering is defined here as the sort of existential pain that I imagine every human being experiences. It could be mistaken for emotional pain, but the difference is that it transcends the realm of reason. If you are emotionally upset, you can usually give a reason for why you are upset. When you have everything you could possibly want and are upset, then some part of you is broken. Spiritual pain is what often leads those with "perfect" lives to kill themselves. It is often ignored because it cannot be explained, and is therefore not allowed into our scientific world. Total separation from God is usually discounted as a type of suffering at all, assuming there even is a God. The excuse I hear most often from atheists is that a benevolent, all-powerful God would not allow the intense suffering (physical and emotional) in the world to occur. However, those who have chosen to stay as far away from God as humanly possible do not seem to be the best sources for theology. If everyone could look at the world my way, then suffering would cease to exist.

Physical suffering is the most primitive of the four types. It is least intense because it is most easily solved. If I suffer because I am hungry, then I will be satisfied once I am fed. Emotional suffering is similar, but it goes a degree further because it is harder to remedy. If I suffer because my husband died, then I can name the cause for my suffering, but that doesn't change the fact that he is gone and not coming back. For all intensive purposes, spiritual suffering is insanity. A person well-fed and without any distinct reason to be emotionally disturbed who is still upset suffers in the worst form possible on this earth. If you have ever woken up in the morning, wondered what the point of living was, and thought there might not be one after all, then you have experienced spiritual suffering. It is the frustration that seems unending, eating you from the inside out. It is not provoked, but is the result of something fundamentally wrong with the person experiencing it. By the way, everyone experiences this. You are not necessarily evil because you feel this type of pain. Insanity is a disconnection from the truth. Therefore, to not be insane, you would have to fully understand all truth all the time. It follows that everyone is at least a little insane. Spiritual hunger is that for truth (something more than scientific fact). Human nature is dual. There is a physical nature and a spiritual nature. When neglected, the spiritual nature -- like the physical nature -- can wither and die, leading to the horrors of society. Face it: there is no scientific reason for morals; whether you believe in a God or not, it is your spiritual nature that can look at an action and judge whether it is right or wrong. Spiritual suffering is not only greater than that of emotional or physical suffering, but it also leads to these two lower types of suffering. I still call them lower. When a crime is inflicted against humanity, the oppressor suffers more than his victims. If I suffer because a man has kidnapped me, raped me, and is torturing me to death, then I know why I am suffering; he has no idea why he suffers. He has no reason to torture me; he is acting out of his own misery. Though society tends to side with the victim (and I'm not saying that it shouldn't), the crimes would not have occurred if there had been no spiritual degradation of the sociopath. The final form of suffering -- total separation from God -- is the definition of hell. I have never known anyone who has personally experienced hell, but I do believe it exists and I imagine it must be infinitely worse than all three of the earthly types of pain combined.

So, now that we know the types of suffering, how are we to end them?

Let's start by answering spiritual suffering. The reason we suffer spiritually is that we need to have truth as much as we need food. When responded to positively, this type of suffering leads us to search for truth. Truth can only be communicated fully by God's Spirit; communion with God is the only answer for spiritual suffering.

Once the greatest type of suffering has been answered, emotional suffering remains a problem. The type of pain one experiences from the loss of a loved one is hard to describe, but it still has a definite cause. Since the person suffering emotionally has now experienced spiritual freedom, however, there is hope that this type of pain may also be eventually remedied. God promises to wipe every tear from the eyes of his people in heaven.

The answer to physical suffering is the simplest, since it actually has a tangible scientific answer. The rich will look at the poor and will give out of their love for what is their own.

With all of this in mind, it is the "rich" that have the greatest need for missionaries. I am not saying that it is wrong to feed the hungry in a third-world country, but spreading the gospel is the absolute best thing you could do anywhere. As far as the hungry without Christ go, it is necessary that physical needs be met before a victim can accept him. I know there are a few who share my views on the nature of poverty, but I feel that many Christians do not fully appreciate the mission field they were born in. The United States is going to hell right now because the poor have been neglected. It is my personal mission to show to the "haves" of the world what it is they have-not.

This is how to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor. I have been told that religion is nothing more than a tool to control the masses, but I am not the masses. Everything written here has been ringing true for me, and I believe it will also ring true for the "rich" who have yet to understand this truth. I assert that this is the only way one can ever hope to solve the problem of poverty.

Life Gave Me Lemonade

Besides from being something nice to drink on a hot summer day, I have realized that I can explain my whole theology using lemonade. Start with a lemon. Would you like to eat it? If not, why not? Because it is sour? But let's say this is all you have for nourishment. Life gave you lemons. Well, what do you do when life gives you lemons? Simple: you make lemonade. This is actually not simple. How do you make lemonade? You could start with a glass; now peel and squeeze your lemon. Would you like to drink this? Is this not just as bad as eating the lemon? Maybe, if you pour some water over your lemon juice, it will be less sour. Even now, your "lemonade" is pretty sour. Life sucks, huh? No matter how hard you try to better yourself, everything still tastes sour. Maybe, you just have the wrong attitude about it. Maybe, lemons aren't actually so bad, and you should be thankful for what you have (even though you hate it). Try this. You can put on an act, pretending to like lemons, but you still feel unsatisfied, even if no one else cares to look past their own lemons and see your misery. You yearn for someone to understand. Maybe it just doesn't matter. What if you killed yourself? Why would that be wrong? It is understandable that you would not want to live a life of lemons. What is the point, anyway? Maybe you won't kill yourself because you can't even come up with enough motivation to end it all. Why even pretend? Shout out to the world your bitterness. There can't possibly be a God because, if there were, there would also be such a thing as lemonade, which is really just an idea in your head that would be neat if it were true. But, what if there is a God after all? What is missing in your attempt at making lemonade? Realize now that all you really wanted was some sugar. You've tried lots of sweeteners, but they have never been quite satisfactory. Assuming sugar does exist, however, where is it? What does it look like? You don't even understand the meaning of the word. How could you? God is the sugar. When you hear the truth about Christ --that he died on a cross so that you could have a relationship with God the Father despite any wrongdoing that came from the bitterness of a life of lemons -- and you accept this, asking Jesus Christ to come into your life, you receive the Holy Spirit. You are now one with God. Now you not only have sugar, but you are overflowing with sugar, so that no effort is needed to mix lemonade. It appears to those living in lemons that you are content to eat straight lemons, when you are actually living in lemonade. Some will call you a fake because they know there are others who pretend to enjoy lemons, but you can finally reach the point where you crave the flavor. The fact is, life either gives you lemons, or it gives you lemonade. If you are reading this right now, life is offering you lemonade. You can continue with lemons, but now you know how easy it is. All you have to do is ask. This is the reason behind suffering. People work too hard at trying to end (or at least to reduce) suffering. What they never seem to realize is that there is only one thing they need to do. True Christians do not suffer. It was not hard for Jesus to choose to live the life he lived and to die on a cross. God is love, and love is God. The two are inseparable. When one is living a life of lemonade, one truly loves, so good deeds come as naturally as breathing. You don't need to prove to anyone your validity as a Christian; God knows your heart, and that's all that matters. God's desires become your desires, so the world turns in your favor for as long as you shall live, and it can only get better from here. Life gave me lemonade!

100 More Things to Think About

1. The inability to explain away an attraction is the first sign of falling in love.
2. Everything is wonderful.
3. Saying a cute little prayer and getting dunked in a pool of water does not give you a relationship with Christ.
4. Never listen to your heart! Instead, listen to the Spirit of Truth that whispers to your heart.
5. The best investment you can make in your future is a close relationship with God.
6. Not believing in Truth doesn't make it any less real.
7. To those who believe you should be on your best behavior in church: A hospital is the best place to be sick.
8. The only way to be remarkable is to accept that you're not.
9. It is not your actions but the reasoning behind them that makes what you do valuable.
10. How can I be serious about anything when I am so full of joy that everything is play?
11. I am in love with God and dancing -- in that order.
12. How silly is it that I should be upset at mere trivialities when I am so blessed?
13. Don't make plans; life is more exciting that way.
14. Would you like to know how to be happy with anything? Stop making comparisons.
15. I don't think I ever really change my mind; I only make realizations on what it always has been -- what I think and why I think that way.
16. I know I won't make the same mistake my parents made because of the way I am. I am more likely to fall in love with an entire person than his phony act to impress me. I am not impressed as much by what other people are impressed by. Everyone can show off strengths, but there aren't many ready to admit faults. I feel affection for those I can really see and understand.
17. Humans, no matter how rough or hopeless, all have a deep inner hope that keeps them alive and, when awakened, can transform them from the inside out.
18. The only difference between night and day is the world's perspective.
19. A kind smile opens more doors than anything else.
20. "Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars!"-Les Brown Shooting for the moon is great, but I have more fun with stars.
21. A dim room is light to those who haven't seen the sun. After staring into the sun, everything else is dark.
22. Those who fear death are never really born.
23. You must fall before you can fly.
24. It is good to not feel.
25. Now that I think about it, I realize it is my perspective that has changed more than anything else.
26. What a mistake it is to wish for the past! When looking back at missed opportunities, people fail to see the ones right in front of them, only creating more regret for themselves.
27. Keep your superior tone in check. You disable God's kingdom when you forget what it was like to be human.
28. If you go through life expecting nothing, you will smile at everything merely because something is there.
29. Life is like a puzzle. No matter how small or unattractive a single piece may be, when removed, the whole picture is ruined. Therefore, everything is important.
30. If you wish to be more than human, you must seek out truth and accept it when you find it.
31. Remember everything, but dwell on nothing.
32. It is better to marry for logic than for feelings that can disappear as quickly as they appeared.
33. I am really free! I can hang on to worldly things, but I don't have to. It's okay to let go.
34. Our spiritual eyes are closed right now. If this is what we see with our eyes closed, just imagine what we'll see when they open!
35. Wherever I am is where I'm supposed to be.
36. Life is a game. You must accept the hand you're dealt and make your plays from there. You may enjoy life or complain about it -- the choice is yours. I'm just glad I get to play.
37. I know God is going to win in the end, so I don't have to live like I don't know.
38. Ends do NOT justify means.
39. If I am really doing the very best I can do, what does it matter if I fail on someone else's terms?
40. What right have I to say whether an event is right or wrong?
41. You will be laughing at what you cry over now in the future.
42. Negative words dampen spirits and make bad situations worse.
43. I can't stand hypocrisy -- especially in myself.
44. Beware the voice of "Why not?" -- It has power to enable and destroy life.
45. I refuse to grow up.
46. No one is really black or white.
47. Here is something I have trouble with: I like volunteering; it gives me a special inner boast. However, when I am in trouble, it makes me upset that others attempt to help me. I don't want to be someone else's charity case, even though I do charity work all the time. I feel like I should be giving more than receiving, but, when I refuse help from those willing to give it, I cheat them out of that boast. So, in a way, I give when I thankfully receive. As you should give to whoever asks, so you should also accept service from whoever offers.
48. If I were to tell you that the heart digests food, the brain pumps blood, and the stomach is the nerve-center for the rest of the body; you would ridicule my idea because it is ridiculous. Now, if you just happened to ridicule another idea that turned out to be right, would that make my idea any less ridiculous?
49. I common human mistake is the tendency to make complicated things simplified and simple things complex.
50. I suggest we do things backwards: children teach adults.
51. To those who believe nothing with a will to live should be eaten: I think we should all just lie around and wait to die.
52. When you are saved, you become God.
53. Schools teach that you should be a free thinker, as long as you're thinking MY way.
54. I am entitled to nothing.
55. Never let a guy know exactly how much you like him.
56. The ignorant are easily manipulated.
57. Christ came to cause a separation between the people of and in this world. He is not PC and does not want everyone to "just get along". It's time to fight for what is right!
58. You should always love people before liking them.
59. I can't see your spirit.
60. Girls, focus on being beautiful in God's eyes.
61. We can twist what has been twisted to evil back to good.
62. When you realize how meaningless everything is, don't let it discourage you. Instead, think of how thankful you should be for everything you have. None of it is necessary; it is all a gift given to you by God merely for your enjoyment. Maybe he cares about that.
63. You have never met a mere mortal.
64. If you lose everything, it doesn't matter -- unless you've abandoned God.
65. Crying for yourself is useless. No one else is crying for you. No one else cares. This isn't changing anything. Now get up and DO something!
66. When you hear God's voice calling you, chase it until you can't possibly run anymore. Ignoring who you are will make you suicidal.
67. Think of others before yourself. This is the closest you can ever get to happiness.
68. Smiles are another form of tears.
69. As long as there is a government, people are going to be dissatisfied with it. The only other choice is anarchy.
70. As long as you are on Earth, I know this for sure: Nothing ever gets better.
71. Relative truth is no truth at all.
72. Our society is completely dependent upon "losers".
73. If nothing else, AP classes teach students the necessary skill of failing with grace.
74. There is nothing more sexually attractive than talent.
75. True love is forever.
76. Material prayers are like asking your Heavenly Father for a pony. You can ask all you want; you're probably not going to get it.
77. God is more concerned with your moral character than your immediate happiness.
78. I would rather be despised than ignored.
79. People judge you based on who they are.
80. I believe the key to success now is to stop thinking. Just allow yourself to be totally brainwashed, soaking up only thoughts others have made up for you, and you will be an all-A's student.
81. Why don't you kill yourself? What is it you're living for?
82. Everyone is equally religious.
83. Fear is a demon. To listen is to sin.
84. I call you blind because you don't see the obvious, but this is not the case. You're not blind; your eyes are closed. I would like to warn you before you open them that what you see will break your heart. To not open them, however, will produce at least a million times greater agony.
85. Hell is nothing.
86. Do you want to know how to make a difference? Stop putting yourself out there. When you are alone, the lonely will see you and gravitate toward you. Once you have befriended the friendless, your words will be worth so much more. Stop acting and get real! Don't do what you're supposed to do, but what you want to do.
87. Lazy days depress me. I don't like that my vacation is all about me. Even if I need the rest, I lack a sense of purpose when I'm enjoying the relaxation. I suppose I'm ambiguous that way. When I am active, I get tired and crave a vacation. When I am on vacation, I feel worthless because I am less active.
88. Life is long. Sex can wait.
89. God did not make somebody for everybody, but he made everybody for himself.
90. The short happy moments of life are not enough to justify all the pain if this is all there is.
91. I want to have children so I can feel important.
92. To those who believe science and religion should never mix: How can close-mindedness increase reason or faith? A person who fears to dig deeper into a subject because a few previously held beliefs may be challenged is obviously not interested in any sort of truth.
93. If I were to bake a batch of cookies, and you were to attempt to figure out my secret recipe, your knowledge of how I made the cookies would not change the fact that I was the one who baked the cookies.
94. I do not have enough faith to be an atheist.
95. The search for meaning in itself is meaningless. Life's purpose, then, must either be learned or innate.
96. It is great to be commended for your efforts, but keep in mind that paper tears.
97. I am the stupidest idiot because that is what I see when I look in the mirror. This must be true because I cannot change my mind.
98. I don't want life to be meaningless! I know that it isn't, but the feeling that it is never goes away. My life consists of constant passion, constant joy, and constant depression. I fear nothing and I weep about nothing except this one, inarticulate, never ending longing. This is who I am.
99. The wise confess their idiocy; the foolish profess their intelligence.
100. You can't make lemonade without sugar.

100 Things to Think About

1. People can like you without loving you.
2. The most dangerous human tendency is that in which one wants what can never be had, yet despises what is already gained.
3. The emptiest life I can imagine is one chasing after happiness.
4. Why do people make themselves animals?
5. Beauty depends on perception.
6. The only thing that matters, ever has mattered, or ever will matter is pure, unremitting love. Nothing else is of value.
7. Love is God.
8. People are as easily forgotten as they are remembered.
9. You can exist without living.
10. You are not a body.
11. The only real purpose of an earthly life is to learn what is required of you for eternity.
12. The end never really is the end.
13. There is nothing new under the sun.
14. People are stupid.
15. Earthly existence is temporary.
16. Humans are undeservedly higher up even than the greatest seraph.
17. Loving others is better than being loved.
18. The heart is deceitful and evil above all things. Who can understand it?
19. If you can't hang on to God, then you can't hang on to a spouse.
20. God sent his angels messages to all of us, but only a few listen.
21. Tears are a gift from Heaven.
22. People have to realize they are insufficient before they can strive to be sufficient.
23. People are as easily forgiven as they forgive others.
24. I hate the cliche: "How are you?" No one really wants to know how you are!
25. I hate the cliche: "What's up?" There is always too much going on that is important and not enough that is trivial -- which is all people really want to hear about -- so you say: "Not much."
26. Except for Christ, you are never really blameless.
27. People have told me I am like a child. Maybe children have the right idea about things.
28. I am like the wind. The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.
29. I think money makes people unhappy.
30. Anyone can say anything. Very few people are real.
31. No one is really special. It's just that very few people realize the obvious.
32. Sometimes it's right to stop praying and take action.
33. God created romance to give us just a small understanding of his passion for us.
34. To live, you must die to yourself.
35. Everything in life is in perfect order. Why do you think that is?
36. You should never date anyone you wouldn't seriously consider marrying.
37. The United States is NOT a Christian country. As a matter of fact, it is illegal to be a Christian.
38. I doubt that there is anyone who honestly disbelieves the existence of a God.
39. Idolatry is everywhere.
40. What good is courage without fear or virtue without temptation?
41. Everyone is really a lot stronger than they think they are.
42. When you love someone, you die to yourself.
43. If you chase after things of the earth, you will become a part of the earth.
44. People can do anything to you, except take away your soul. No one can touch your spirit.
45. I'm probably about the wealthiest person on the planet -- in wisdom, in luxuries, in hope.
46. Death comes closer every second. Are you ready for its arrival?
47. People who see angels are not exceptionally holy. It is only the weak that need a mediator.
48. Knowing everything isn't always pleasant.
49. Sometimes I feel like the only human being on the planet who has any vision.
50. I think most people wast a lot of time trying to convince others that they're sane.
51. Everyone is messed up.
52. I honestly have no talents; the little I can do does not belong to me.
53. Giftedness without character will crush you.
54. I think high school is one of those experiences that should be completely forgotten as soon as it is over.
55. The only true talent is life.
56. Everyone is heterosexual.
57. Lust is one of the trickiest demons; it feels just like love. It seems so right and wonderful and perfect moments before it crushes you.
58. The reason most proclaimed Christians are fake is not because they don't believe in a Savior; it's because they don't realize how much they need one.
59. If the only moral basis we have is selfish human ethics, our destruction is certainly not far away.
60. Some people put walls up merely to see who is willing to break in.
61. Be careful how you treat strangers -- they may be angels in disguise.
62. Fitting in on Earth will make you an outcast in Heaven.
63. I am never really alone.
64. It doesn't matter if you know for sure everyone thinks you're the best thing out there; it's still nice to get acknowledgement.
65. I am dead.
66. Humans can never fully understand their purpose as long as they have an earthly existence.
67. Knowing everything doesn't change anything.
68. Sometimes, when giving up dreams, the end result is better than anything you could have ever dreamed of.
69. A real Christian never goes a day without asking him/herself if he/she is really real.
70. Are we cheating God?
71. Wishes do not come true merely because you wished them.
72. At the risk of sounding heartless, people are easily replaceable. Anyone can replace anyone.
73. The pursuit of something good can lead a person to evil.
74. If I know I can't be perfect, then why do I worry about it so much?
75. I think the main reason behind failure's disappointment is that we don't really want what we think we want.
76. How terrible it is to understand the pattern of your own life and be unable to change it!
77. Extreme ability is determined by extreme disability.
78. People must create their own value in society.
79. There are no accidents.
80. The yellow grass, along with the green grass, grows all around; the only question now is which you are going to pay more attention to.
81. Love is illogical: You don't love someone because you should or even because you want to -- you just do. You can't choose love; it chooses you.
82. Happiness and joy are not the same thing.
83. Things are not always as they seem; as a matter of fact, more often than not, they aren't.
84. I may be a silly, stupid little girl, but I am also Jesus' beloved bride.
85. Be extremely careful when making promises.
86. God exists outside the realm of time.
87. We are relational creatures.
88. You cannot justify any one's actions by saying, "They were just born that way!" People are born naturally evil. Does that mean we should nurture and instill it in our children? If we are supposed to just accept everyone the way they are, then what is the point of society? We should be a wild, chaotic species of savages like the other animals!
89. If you claim to be a Christian but refuse to follow God's laws out of childish arrogance, then your life is utterly meaningless and the saddest and most worthless you could ever have.
90. Every time you sin, Jesus suffers again.
91. Even a raindrop appears deep to a molecule.
92. There is no use worrying over or trying to change the inevitable. The future, like the past, is set in stone. What will happen will happen.
93. The cause of all our problems -- the origin of the human condition -- is the fact that we put too much value on things that can never be valuable.
94. Perhaps I was given a guardian angel so that I could learn to be a guardian angel to others.
95. As all writers or painters or artists of any kind know, no one can love a creation as the creator does.
96. Are things really changing, or is it all an illusion?
97. You may know everything, but your knowledge is useless if you can't explain to others its relevance to life.
98. The most beautiful gifts come wrapped in ugly paper.
99. You don't have to be extraordinary to be loved; all you really have to do is exist.
100. No one can ever really be happy because happiness is dependent on circumstances. Joy is real because, when present, nothing can change it.