I have always disliked what I find to be the phony, pretentious, "Gee, I love the world and it's victims" attitude of afternoon television hosts (and one particular un-named; but I'll give you a clue: h-a-r-p-o) hostesses.  The idea of embracing the downtrodden is great - using it for ratings and self promotion is appalling.

Anyway, I am really glad that I work all day and miss 97.356421% of these "shows".  It seems like everyone has a story that has caused them to be a victim and TODAY the answer is to look inside yourself, be your own answer, you can become what you need to become - - let's go WAY OUT THERE with h-a-r-p-o and become our own religions - no wait - our own gods (God forbid).

There is a woman that thinks she is a man and is having a baby.  I remember reading in the Bible when the Christians were turning the world upside down.  Guess what - I think it turned back over. 

There are people and generations who have been made victims.  They have been made to be the products of their environment, or their circumstances.

I choose to be a victor, instead of a victim. 

MAYBE God was working in their lives to give them the experience to make a difference is someone else's life.  But then you would have to believe that God actually works in our lives.  MAYBE because your life was hard, you will be equipped to help someone today with their hard life.

I need to give a little history, but just a little.  I have pictures of me drinking (beer) when I was one (year old).  It was cute to give the baby a can to "sicky" on (sippy).  My sippy cup had "Genessee" on the front of it.  Beer was normal everyday life.  It went from cute "sicky" to "sicky, sicky".  When I was a little older, I was able to go to the fridge and get a beer for the grown ups.  There was always an abundance of beer drinking grown ups around (and having kids is better than having a remote control - you can send them to the fridge).  I would ask if I could open it and get the first sip.  Then I learned to ask if I could have the last sip and then go get another one, open it, and have the first sip. 

O.K., I better speed up the history.  By age 6, 7, and 8 I had learned how to sneak 3 or 4 beers out on to the back porch.  By age 16 I drank 12 beers a night (at least) every night.  I had a friend who stocked the local beer cooler and we could slip a case (24 pack) out the window, into the bushes, and get it later that evening.  By  age 19 the Counselor told me I wasn't "normal" because of my drinking habits.  My point was, that MY normal WAS drinking (what did he know, right)?

I could be great on h-a-r-p-o.  Just picture it, I could be all angry and crying that "I hate my dad, and my mom, and my older siblings for not rescuing me when I was 12."  "I hate my religious leaders for not seeing my need and rescuing me."  "I hate the school system, the bus driver, the mail man, the kids that made fun of me..."  "I hate everything." 

But wait, I don't.  I love my dad and my mom and my older siblings.  I love life and most of all, I love Jesus.

I have not lived to be bitter, and hateful,  and hurt, and a victim.  Are you kidding?  Jesus Christ has redeemed me and made me new.  I am victorious in Him.  He has changed my life. 

And I think about how I am equipped, now, to help those that most of us don't even feel comfortable being around.  In Christ, I am able to stand and be victorious, and I can be that for others.

God is great, isn't He?

I wonder what other people have been through and how I can get them to consider what God, in Christ, WILL do with their lives.  That is why I am posting this, maybe it is a way to get people to think victoriously and not as victims.  Then GO and help someone else stand.

Hope so.

I love you.

Mike

If you must strive, strive for Jesus.