The Best Championship games and Super Bowl in Years!

     I feel like over the past decade there has been a lacking in great playoff games and incredible match-ups. However, this year is proving to be very different. The tail of the NFC and AFC championship games is one to remember. Two very different conferences combining into one amazing super bowl!

     In the NFC we have the pleasure of watching two young star quarterbacks bring their hard-hitting defenses together in a rivalry game for the ages. Kaepernick has been here before, Wilson has the chance to prove himself. The Seahawks defense has been stellar throughout the season, truly a force to be feared, especially at home games. When your fans can cause a small earthquake, you know you have something going for you at home. 49ers have a strong receiving core and a defense that was able to stop the Carolina Panther not once, but twice on the goal line in the previous week. This is a match-up of strength and will. Whose defense will hit the hardest and last the longest? Whose quarterback will step up to the challenge of the other teams defense? Will the home team's 12th man play a factor? Who wants to go to the big game more?

    In the AFC it's a completely different story. We have the pleasure of watching two tough, seasoned quarterbacks meet for 14th time. On the one hand we have Peyton Manning coming off his best season in history, and with one of the strongest most formidable offenses in the league. On the other we have Tom Brady who has somehow managed to rally his rookie team through many hard fought games, and with a strong running rotation almost unheard of from previous Patriot offenses. The Broncos seamed to have some issues with their star cornerback out against the Chargers last week, but Manning's strong arm and coolness helped them achieve success against a driven Charger's team. The Patriots were helped a lot by Andrew Luck's interceptions in their success over the Colts last week, which we can almost guarantee won't be as much of an issue for Manning. However, Legarrette Blount is a force for the Broncos to recon with. He rushed for 4 touchdowns against the Colts last week and will most likely look to do the same against the Broncos defense. This match-up will test the seasoned quarterbacks and which defense will have success each other's potent offenses. Which quarterback will prevail on offense? Which defense will be able to stop the threat of powerful offense? Who will make the mistakes that cost them the game? Which coach will have the better plan to beat the other team? Who wants to go to another Super Bowl game the most?

    Now, we've discussed the NFC and AFC championship games, but what about the Super Bowl? What is this year's big game going to look like? Well, let's look at the possible match-ups. Any way you look at it, the match-up for the Super Bowl is going to offer two polar opposites. On one side you have seasoned quarterbacks with powerful offenses looking to win another title for their team and perhaps one of their last chances to do so. On the other side you have young quarterbacks with powerful defenses looking to prove themselves by winning their first of perhaps many title games. We can expect a clash of strong defense with potent offense, but there are two things that I believe will decide the game: mistakes and the weaker side of each team.

     First let's look at mistakes. Why did the Colts struggle so much against the Patriots? Andrew Luck, though a great quarterback, threw more interceptions in post-season than regular season. Why did the Panthers look terrible against he 49ers when they have performed well all year? Two reasons, the 8 penalties for 73 yards most of which could have been avoided and the 2 critical interceptions, one they 49ers scored a touchdown after and the other in the 4th quarter essentially killing their chances of a crazy comeback. (Side note, the referees did not seem to help the Panther's struggling situation either. Some questionable calls for penalties and missed calls against the 49ers.) So, all that to say when it comes to the biggest game of the year in football, mistakes like unnecessary penalties and turnovers will quickly decide a game. Second, let's look at the weaker side of each team. Patriots and Broncos have proven to be strong offensive sides this year, not surprising having Peyton Manning and Tom Brady as quarterbacks. Seahawks and 49ers over the past decade have seemed to dominate the defensive side of the game. So, what about the Broncos and Patriot's defenses? The Patriots prevailed against a strong Colt's offense last week to move on, and the Broncos held back Matthews and Philip River's strong arm as well. In the Super Bowl, I will be watching the defense of the AFC team to see if they can step up to the challenge the other team's defense poses. So, what about the Seahawks and 49er's offenses? The Seahawks have a strong running back in Lynch they build plays around and a quick quarterback in Russell Wilson who is tough to bring down. The 49ers have Kaepernick who has been to this game before and prevailed. He has a strong arm and isn't afraid to run for 10 yards if the opportunity arises. I will be looking to see if one of these two young quarterbacks on the offense will be able to perform under this intense pressure of the big game and capitalize on the opportunities their strong defenses will provide them. 

     Surely no one will deny that these championship games will be exciting and possibly the best we've seen in a decade, and these games will lead up to one of the most intense and amazing Super Bowl games of all time. I look forward to watching these games with interest. The big question is, which team will be able to handle the pressure and capitalize on the other teams weakness? I look forward to finding out.

Merry Christmas

    It's been a while since my last post that's for sure. I guess starting my full time job at Lowe's has kept me busy. I still enjoy my job, but they have really cut back hours, and it has put more stress on the rest of the workers. We celebrated Christmas this past weekend with my family in Greenville. We had a lot of fun with my family and enjoyed our time with them. We spent the night with Jordyn's family and enjoyed the festivities this morning and this afternoon! 

    It's always nice to enjoy time with family during the holidays. It's also nice to remember the real reason for this season. Christ's birth marks the redemption of mankind. I'm very thankful for His sacrifice for my life, and I wish everyone could understand why. It's simple really, yet Satan and sin have marred everything so much to confuse everyone. We are ALL born as sinners, we ALL need redemption from our sin so that we can live eternally with our Creator, and that same Creator provided that redemption with the greatest gift of all, His only Son, Jesus. See how simple it really is?

   Now, all we have to do is accept Jesus as our Savior, and let Him lead our lives for His glory. 

   Merry Christmas everyone and may we all remember the true reason we celebrate this day.

God's Funny Timing

      Well, my last post was full of truth and soul searching. I expressed my never ending trust in my God and the trust I have in His perfect timing. I've struggled learning this trust, but to finally express it publicly helped re-affirm it in my life. Many friends and family expressed their concern and promised to pray for patience and God's direction, that was Sunday. Monday morning I had my devotions, checked my e-mail, and searched for more job opportunities. I noticed on the Lowes Home Improvement website that they were hiring cashiers. Once more I applied to the position. Later that day while doing errands, I received a phone call from the resource manager asking me if I could come in for an interview. In short, I interviewed on Monday afternoon, and the Lord helped me make a good impression. They performed a background check and called me today, Wednesday, for a drug test. Now, pending the drug test, I was offered the job and will start training next week!

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     To all of you struggling with trusting God with your life, I just want to tell you that I am a living testimony of His love and provision! His timing is perfect, and if you ask Him to use you for His will, then He will provide for you! I thank God for this new opportunity, and I am glad I have the opportunity to share it with others that may need encouragement! Thank you for praying for me and encouraging me through everything. A special thanks to my wife who has encouraged me all the way!

Here's to a great God and a great new opportunity in my life!

Emotional Roller Coasters

     Males generally aren't emotional beings. We try to pride ourselves on not crying during touching films, not being emotionally attached in relationships, and being hard-knocks when it comes to any emotional situation. So it's funny how for the past couple months life has sent me on an emotional roller coaster. Recently moving to Winston-Salem has been a struggle. I have too much time on my hands, applied to over 30 jobs, and still have not found employment. My emotions have ranged from happiness spending time with my wife and her family to dismal depression about not having a job to help support my wife and I. Throughout these many tough days I've learned one thing and perhaps that is what God has intended for me.

     What I have learned is trust. I have learned to put my trust wholly in God who in the end has entire control over my life and everything that happens in it. Romans 4:4-5 has comforted me more and more, "Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness." This is the definition of my life right now, and I've just found out! I may be jobless, but my trust is in my God who knows the very hairs on my head. He will provide, He will not let me fall, and I will always trust Him.

Here's to trusting God for provision!

Forever Faithful

     Lately I've been struggling with having faith that the Lord will provide for my wife and I. I want to know right now where we will live, and how we will provide for each other. I want a clear answer but feel so uncertain about what to do. As I read through Roman 4:18-21, I am beginning to realize that I need to be more like Abraham. He only strengthened in his faith when the odds seemed to stack up against him.
     I now understand that the more difficult and impossible a situation becomes, the more amazing it is when God provides. It's strange how the hardest thing for me to do right now is let go and let God have control. I find myself not wanting to let go because I don't like the feeling of losing control. However, now I realize I have the best pilot to fly me safely through any storms.

Here's to letting go of control, and letting God rule.

Romans 3

      More and more I am realizing my fallen state of being, and as I witness this sinful nature in me, I am more aware of just how deceitful the world is. Every part of life we humans partake in is coated with a layer of fake goodness and temporary joy. I see millions jumping from one celebration to the next. They devote their lives to living from event to event. Sadly, churchgoers have become the same way with God. We work all week looking forward to Sunday where we can see all our friends and get our "holy high" for the next week. Romans 3 states, "There is no one righteous, not even one... there is no one who does good, not even one." The world and believers (including me) have lost sight of what Paul is saying. Ironically, our fallen nature would like us to think we are good, because if we can convince ourselves that we are good, then sin has a foothold into all other areas of our life. Let's start by admitting that we are by nature sinful and evil creatures, and from there live our lives as sanctified followers of Jesus.

     Reading Romans 3 really opened my eyes, not just to the truth written above, but also to what the Lord has planned for my life. I now know and realize that there is nothing I love more than to read through Scripture and pull out truth for myself and others. I enjoy finding new refreshing things in God's Word and sharing them with other people. I do believe God is showing me that in my future somehow I need to be doing this more often with other believers. I do not know where, how, when, or on what scale, but I know God has placed this on my heart and I will follow wherever He leads.

   Here's to trusting God and following Him no matter what!

Done with College

On Saturday I will be graduating from college. Four years of hard work, studying like crazy for tests and finals, sleepless nights, and persevering through everything to reach this point. It's a little surreal as I think that I am about to graduate with a Bachelor's in Science, and yet I do not have a career set ahead of me or even graduate school set yet. I am now in at a crossroads in my life, and I don't know which direction I will go. So, why am I not freaking out right now, why am I not stressing about jobs, a place to live, and the future? Because I know that ultimately the purpose and direction of my life is in the Lord's hands. He knows all things, has control of all things, and he has the perfect plan for my wife and I.

There are a lot of things on my mind, but I won't bore you with every personal thing in my mind. I am going to enjoy graduating on Saturday and thank God for the abilities he has given to me. Here's to finishing college!