The Semester Comes... the Semester Goes

Four weeks into the school semester, and I think I just got swamped. Papers to write, books to read, projects to research for, classes to attend, court summaries to study... the list goes on. Life suddenly sped up on me, and I sometimes wonder where I am going to find the time to complete everything I need to get done, and still find time for the important things in life. Between all the homework and the regular soccer practices and games, I am finding less and less time to spend on relationships.
I value my friendships highly, more highly than almost anything. Despite the business of life, I try to make my relationships with other people a top priority. However, my biggest fear is falling away from my relationship with God. God is the most important person in my life, and I never spend enough time with him. He deserves my best, my all; yet I am having a good day when I cram fifteen minutes of prayer/reading the Word at the beginning of it. I pray that God will help me make Him a bigger priority, and grant me the grace to dedicate more time to my Heavenly Father. I desire to reflect all of Him to the world around me, yet when I spend so much time on myself instead of Him, all I reflect to this world is my own sinfulness. Yet God is good. In his grace and mercy He continually forgives me and still calls me his own. In His arms I am secure.

Christian Evangelical Fundamentalists

"Christian evangelical fundamentalists". This term is constantly applied to me, and to my school, and I am continually discovering the negative connotations it carries with it. "Christian evangelical fundamentalist" appears to sometimes be used synonymously with "narrow-minded bigots", "judgmental, arrogant hypocrites", "ignorant and naive bumpkins", and much, much worse. The students at Patrick Henry College have been labeled with extremely negative stereotypes, and Christian evangelicals across the nation seem to have drawn the ridicule and anger of many people. Why such a universal dislike of a people who supposedly preach peace and love?
I myself dislike many Christians. Christians are some of the most disagreeable, arrogant hypocrites I have ever met. Many of us will smear our fellow man to the ground in order to prove him wrong, and ourselves right. Rather than speaking the truth in love to the fallen world around us, we speak condemnation with self-righteousness. Yet we are among the greatest sinners. We have been forgiven, we know the darkness of the sin and the penalty paid; yet we still abound in sin. We live no differently from the world, compromising the commands of God for the passing shadow of popularity--all to satisfy our pride. We preach Christ with our lips, yet deny him in our lives. For this, I am sorry. For this, I am ashamed that we, a self-righteous, hypocritical people, present Jesus Christ to the fallen world as a lie.
I am not saying we are all hypocritical. Many Christians live a godly life in obedience to the Word of God, and in love towards other people. These people are amazing examples of God's transforming work in an individual's life. Turning your life completely over to God will show in every aspect of your life. But being able to witness to the world effectively, it is all part of striking a balance... living in the world, but not being of the world. Loving God, and not loving the world.
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." (Romans 12:2). It is a heart issue, and the only way to change is to turn inwards and make your heart right with God. If we keep God at the center, we will be able to love others with the love of God. And if we mirror God's love to the people around us, we are reflecting who He really is to our fellow man.