My First Blog Post

My mind is absolutely overflowing with things to write here on my brand new blog.

I want to use this blog to draw seekers to the truth, bring salvation to the lost, encourage the broken and hurting, make people laugh, make people think, share my sorrows and my joys and the lessons I am learning with my readers, and stir my fellow believers to find outrageously radical faith in God. That is a big aspiration for someone as small and insignificant as I feel. But I am learning about radical faith, and radical faith means that I believe that God can use me to do the things that I just mentioned.

Some posts will be long, some will be short. Some will be shallow, some might be as deep as my finite head can go. Sometimes I will post every day, and sometimes you won't hear from me for months at a time. Sometimes I will strive to put meaning into my words, and I sincerely hope, sometimes you will take meaning from my words.

Like I said, so many things I want to write. But I told a friend I was going to write the first post about the meaning behind the name and web adress of my blog. And that is what I shall do. (:

I chose "Quiet Cricks to Rushing Rivers" because it represents so many aspects of life to me.

Sin: Sin has a way of starting very small. It creeps into your life and you think little of it (no pun intended). But then one day, you find yourself absolutely lost in it.

Words: Well I suppose this is mostly only in my case. I start out with only a very few words whenever I begin to write or speak. But when I am done, I have pages or ears full.

Thoughts: Sometimes I will think of something, and a few minutes later, I am at a loss to tell you how on earth I came from what I was originally thinking of to what my mind is on currently.

Faith and Joy: right now, my faith and joy are small. But only because my perception and understanding of God is small. They are like a tiny crick (to city folks, creek) with it's spring high in the mountains, just enough for me to sip from for now. But someday, as my feeble understanding of God's reality grows, so my faith and joy will grow into a great rushing river, overflowing it's banks like the mighty Mississippi in flood season. It will join with other springs and brooks and flow across every bit of land around it.

Hebrews 11:6 "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him."

Mark 9:24b "I believe, help my unbelief!"

Matthew 13:44-46 "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it."

Psalm 100 "Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his courts with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations!"