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	<title>adamlepp.com &#187; Relationships</title>
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	<link>http://adamlepp.com</link>
	<description>telling the story of Love</description>
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		<title>Lost</title>
		<link>http://adamlepp.com/2010/05/23/lost/</link>
		<comments>http://adamlepp.com/2010/05/23/lost/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 May 2010 04:22:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>adamlepp</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Identity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Relationships]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://adamlepp.com/?p=221</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Series Finale of Lost was tonight. And it was a good show.  Why was it so good?  I think that is a simple answer.  It was good because, like any other good shows out there, it told the viewers that they are worthy and accepted.  The show took flawed people and turned them into [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Series Finale of Lost was tonight.</p>
<p>And it was a good show.  Why was it so good?  I think that is a simple answer.  It was good because, like any other good shows out there, it told the viewers that they are worthy and accepted.  The show took flawed people and turned them into something important.</p>
<p>It was a common theme from the 6 seasons, especially the last 3.  I remember a specific episode when Ben was going to Locke&#8217;s side because at least there he would be accepted.  Then he was asked to stay because he was accepted there too.</p>
<p>It happend again in this last episode.  Ben was asked to be number 2.</p>
<p>I think we are all flawed.  We are human, and we all want to be worthy and accepted.  But the show is over, the good feeling it gave while it was on the air has come to an end.  However, there is one place where you can truly feel worthy, where you are truly accepted.</p>
<p>God says He loved us before we were even conceived in our mother&#8217;s womb.  He created us to love us.  Like a parent loves a child, God loves His children.  You and I.  All we need to do is receive it.  I spent 2 years of my life running away from that love, but God showed me time and time and time again just how true it was.  And guess what, it doesn&#8217;t end after six years.  It doesn&#8217;t even end after 100 years.  Not ever.</p>
<p>So, are you searching for something.  Are you looking for validation, for your identity.  If you want it, cry out to God ad ask Him for it.  Then grab a Bible, go to church, email me, or talk to someone about it!</p>
<p>I pray that right now, as you are reading this God will reveal a new piece of His love for you to you.  I pray it would be more than just a feeling or an emotion, but something real.  I pray this because He has told me who I am, and I want you to know who you are.  You are a masterpiece, a beautiful masterpiece, created by a good God who loves you deeply.  I pray this in the name of Jesus the Christ.  Amen.</p>
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		<item>
		<title>Moving Mountains</title>
		<link>http://adamlepp.com/2009/10/24/moving-mountains/</link>
		<comments>http://adamlepp.com/2009/10/24/moving-mountains/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 24 Oct 2009 20:41:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>adamlepp</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Relationships]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://adamlepp.com/?p=156</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I&#8217;ve come to realize something these last few days.  Something I should have realized long ago.  There is a power out there.  It&#8217;s greater than you&#8217;re darkest of days, or your worst moment.  It&#8217;s greater than your biggest mistake.  It&#8217;s so great it will move mountains for you, cross the widest river for you.  It&#8217;s [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I&#8217;ve come to realize something these last few days.  Something I should have realized long ago.  There is a power out there.  It&#8217;s greater than you&#8217;re darkest of days, or your worst moment.  It&#8217;s greater than your biggest mistake.  It&#8217;s so great it will move mountains for you, cross the widest river for you.  It&#8217;s so great, that the one who wields this power would sacrifice everything for you, even one&#8217;s own life.</p>
<p>A friend of mine was visiting the other day.  He was talking about his daughter.  She was born into a pretty crappy situation, and her mom didn&#8217;t want that for her.  My friend adopter her.  And here is what he was saying:  &#8221;There isn&#8217;t a thing my daughter could do that could stop me from loving her.  She might piss me off, or get herself into trouble, but I lover her.  She isn&#8217;t my flesh, begotten by me, but I love her has much as I love my own begotten son.&#8221;</p>
<p>I know without a doubt my friend would do anything for his daughter.  And that is the power I was speaking of.  It&#8217;s love.</p>
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		<title>Donuts for the Class</title>
		<link>http://adamlepp.com/2009/06/30/donuts-for-the-class/</link>
		<comments>http://adamlepp.com/2009/06/30/donuts-for-the-class/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Jul 2009 03:07:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>adamlepp</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Heaven Bound]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Relationships]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://adamlepp.com/?p=120</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Donuts for the Class There was a certain Professor of Religion named Dr. Christianson, a studious man who taught at a small college in the Western United States. Dr. Christianson taught the required survey course in Christianity at this particular institution. Every student was required to take this course his or her freshman year regardless [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<blockquote><p><strong>Donuts for the Class</strong></p>
<p>There was a certain Professor of Religion named Dr. Christianson, a studious man who taught at a small college in the Western United States. Dr. Christianson taught the required survey course in Christianity at this particular institution. Every student was required to take this course his or her freshman year regardless of his or her major. Although Dr. Christianson tried hard to communicate the essence of the gospel in his class, he found that most of his students looked upon the course as nothing but required drudgery. Despite his best efforts, most students refused to take Christianity seriously.</p>
<p>This year, Dr. Christianson had a special student named Steve. Steve was only a freshman, but was studying with the intent of going onto seminary for the ministry. Steve was popular, he was well liked, and he was an imposing physical specimen. He was now the starting center on the school football team, and was the best student in the professor&#8217;s class.</p>
<p>One day, Dr. Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him.  &#8221;How many push-ups can you do &#8220; Steve said, &#8220;I do about 200 every night.&#8221; &#8221;200 That&#8217;s pretty good, Steve,&#8221; Dr. Christianson said. &#8220;Do you think you could do 300 &#8221;</p>
<p>Steve replied, &#8220;I don&#8217;t know&#8230; I&#8217;ve never done 300 at a time.&#8221; &#8221;Do you think you could &#8221; again asked Dr. Christianson. &#8221;Well, I can try,&#8221; said Steve. &#8221;Can you do 300 in sets of 10 I have a class project in mind and I need you to do about 300 push-ups in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it I need you to tell me you can do it,&#8221; said the professor.</p>
<p>Steve said, &#8220;Well&#8230; I think I can&#8230;yeah, I can do it.&#8221; Dr. Christianson said, &#8220;Good! I need you to do this on Friday. Let me explain what I have in mind.&#8221;</p>
<p>Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room. When class started, the professor pulled out a big box of donuts. No these weren&#8217;t the normal kinds of donuts, they were the extra fancy BIG kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls. Everyone was pretty excited it was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going to get an early start on the weekend with a party in Dr. Christianson&#8217; s class.</p>
<p>Dr. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, &#8220;Cynthia, do you want to have one of these donuts &#8221;</p>
<p>Cynthia said, &#8220;Yes.&#8221;</p>
<p>Dr. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, &#8220;Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut &#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;Sure.&#8221; Steve jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten. Then Steve again sat in his desk. Dr. Christianson put a donut on Cynthia&#8217;s desk.</p>
<p>Dr. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, &#8220;Joe, do you want a donut &#8220; Joe said, &#8220;Yes.&#8221; Dr. Christianson asked, &#8220;Steve would you do ten push-ups so Joe can have a donut &#8221; Steve did ten push-ups, Joe got a donut. And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten pushups for every person before they got their donut. And down the second aisle, till Dr. Christianson came to Scott.</p>
<p>Scott was on the basketball team, and in as good condition as Steve. He was very popular and never lacking for female companionship. When the professor asked, &#8220;Scott do you want a donut &#8221; Scott&#8217;s reply was, &#8220;Well, can I do my own pushups &#8220; Dr. Christianson said, &#8220;No, Steve has to do them.&#8221; Then Scott said, &#8220;Well, I don&#8217;t want one then.&#8221;</p>
<p>Dr. Christianson shrugged and then turned to Steve and asked,  &#8221;Steve, would you do ten pushups so Scott can have a donut he doesn&#8217;t want &#8221;  With perfect obedience Steve started to do ten pushups.</p>
<p>Scott said, &#8220;HEY! I said I didn&#8217;t want one!&#8221; Dr. Christianson said, &#8220;Look, this is my classroom, my class, my desks, and these are my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don&#8217;t want it.&#8221; And he put a donut on Scott&#8217;s desk.</p>
<p>Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down. You could start to see a little perspiration coming out around his brow. Dr. Christianson started down the third row. Now the students were beginning to get a little angry.</p>
<p>Dr. Christianson asked Jenny, &#8220;Jenny, do you want a donut &#8220; Sternly, Jenny said, &#8220;No.&#8221; Then Dr. Christianson asked Steve, &#8220;Steve, would you do ten more Push-ups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn&#8217;t want &#8221; Steve did ten&#8230;.Jenny got a donut.</p>
<p>By now, a growing sense of uneasiness filled the room. The students were beginning to say &#8220;No&#8221; and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks.</p>
<p>Steve also had to really put forth a lot of extra effort to get these pushups done for each donut. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.</p>
<p>Dr. Christianson asked Robert, who was the most vocal unbeliever in the class, to watch Steve do each push up to make sure he did the full ten pushups in a set because he couldn&#8217;t bear to watch all of Steve&#8217;s work for all of those uneaten donuts. He sent Robert over to where Steve was so Robert could count the set and watch Steve closely. Dr. Christianson started down the fourth row.</p>
<p>During his class, however, some students from other classes had wandered in and sat down on the steps along the radiators that ran down the sides of the room. When the professor realized this, he did a quick count and saw that now there were 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it. Dr. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set.</p>
<p>Steve asked Dr. Christianson, &#8220;Do I have to make my nose touch on each one &#8221;</p>
<p>Dr. Christianson thought for a moment, &#8220;Well, they&#8217;re your pushups. You are in charge now. You can do them any way that you want.&#8221; And Dr. Christianson went on.</p>
<p>A few moments later, Jason, a recent transfer student, came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled in one voice, &#8220;NO! Don&#8217;t come in! Stay out!&#8221; Jason didn&#8217;t know what was going on.</p>
<p>Steve picked up his head and said, &#8220;No, let him come.&#8221;</p>
<p>Professor Christianson said, &#8220;You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten pushups for him &#8221;</p>
<p>Steve said, &#8220;Yes, let him come in. Give him a donut&#8221; Dr. Christianson said, &#8220;Okay, Steve, I&#8217;ll let you get Jason&#8217;s out of the way right now. Jason, do you want a donut &#8221;</p>
<p>Jason, new to the room hardly knew what was going on. &#8220;Yes,&#8221; he said, &#8220;give me a donut.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;Steve, will you do ten push-ups so that Jason can have a donut &#8220; Steve did ten pushups very slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered, was handed a donut and sat down.</p>
<p>Dr. Christianson finished the fourth row, then started on those visitors seated by the heaters. Steve&#8217;s arms were now shaking with each push-up in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. Sweat was profusely dropping off of his face and, by this time, there was no sound except his heavy breathing, there was not a dry eye in the room.</p>
<p>The very last two students in the room were two young women, both cheerleaders, and very popular. Dr. Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, &#8220;Linda, do you want a doughnut &#8221;</p>
<p>Linda said, very sadly, &#8220;No, thank you.&#8221;</p>
<p>Professor Christianson quietly asked, &#8220;Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn&#8217;t want &#8221; Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow pushups for Linda.</p>
<p>Then Dr. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan. &#8220;Susan, do you want a donut &#8221;</p>
<p>Susan, with tears flowing down her face, began to cry. &#8220;Dr. Christianson, why can&#8217;t I help him &#8221;</p>
<p>Dr. Christianson, with tears of his own, said, &#8220;No, Steve has to do it alone, I have given him this task and he is in charge of seeing that everyone has an opportunity for a donut whether they want it or not. When I decided to have a party this last day of class, I looked at my grade book. Steve, here is the only student with a perfect grade. Everyone else has failed a test, skipped class, or offered me inferior work. Steve told me that in football practice, when a player messes up he must do push-ups. I told Steve that none of you could come to my party unless he paid the price by doing your push ups. He and I made a deal for your sakes. Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Susan can have a donut &#8221; As Steve very slowly finished his last pushup, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 pushups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.</p>
<p>Dr. Christianson turned to the room and said. &#8220;And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross, plead to the Father, &#8216;into thy hands I commend my spirit.&#8217; With the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, he yielded up His life. And like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk, uneaten.&#8221; Two students helped Steve up off the floor and to a seat, physically exhausted, but wearing a thin smile. &#8220;Well done, good and faithful servant,&#8221; said the professor, adding &#8220;Not all sermons are preached in words.&#8221;</p>
<p>Turning to his class the professor said, &#8220;My wish is that you might understand and fully comprehend all the riches of grace and mercy that have been given to you through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He spared not only His Begotten Son, but gave Him up for us all for the whole Church, now and forever. Whether or not we choose to accept His gift to us, the price has been paid. Wouldn&#8217;t you be foolish and ungrateful to leave it laying on the desk &#8221;</p>
<p>- Author Unknown</p></blockquote>
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		<title>The Atheist Theology Student Who Was Found by God</title>
		<link>http://adamlepp.com/2009/06/28/the-atheist-theology-student-who-was-found-by-god/</link>
		<comments>http://adamlepp.com/2009/06/28/the-atheist-theology-student-who-was-found-by-god/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 2009 23:45:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>adamlepp</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Relationships]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://adamlepp.com/?p=117</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I stumbled upon a lost forgotten notebook of mine the other day.  I&#8217;ve read threw it a few times laughing and crying, remembering what it contained.  It&#8217;s mostly a collection of stuff I&#8217;ve found and collected over the years, as earliest as the summer after my freshman year (I think).  These works are not my [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I stumbled upon a lost forgotten notebook of mine the other day.  I&#8217;ve read threw it a few times laughing and crying, remembering what it contained.  It&#8217;s mostly a collection of stuff I&#8217;ve found and collected over the years, as earliest as the summer after my freshman year (I think).  These works are not my own, but by others.  I want to share some of the more memorable items from it, spanning a few posts.  Enjoy</p>
<blockquote><p>The Atheist Theology Student Who Was Found by God</p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">John Powell a professor at Loyola University in Chicago writes about a student in his Theology of Faith class named Tommy:</span></span><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Some twelve years ago, I stood watching my university students file into the classroom for our first session in the Theology of Faith. That was the first day I first saw Tommy. My eyes and my mind both blinked. He was combing his long flaxen hair, which hung six inches below his shoulders.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">It was the first time I had ever seen a boy with hair that long. I guess it was just coming into fashion then. I know in my mind that it isn’t what’s on your head but what’s in it that counts; but on that day I was unprepared and my emotions flipped.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I immediately filed Tommy under &#8220;S&#8221; for strange &#8230; very strange. Tommy turned out to be the &#8220;atheist in residence&#8221; in my Theology of Faith course. He constantly objected to, smirked at, or whined about the possibility of an unconditionally loving Father-God. We lived with each other in relative peace for one semester, although I admit he was for me at times a serious pain in the back pew.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">When he came up at the end of the course to turn in his final exam, he asked in a slightly cynical tone: &#8220;Do you think I’ll ever find God?&#8221;</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I decided instantly on a little shock therapy. &#8220;No!&#8221; I said very emphatically.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">&#8220;Oh,&#8221; he responded, &#8220;I thought that was the product you were pushing.&#8221;</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I let him get five steps from the classroom door and then called out: &#8220;Tommy! I don’t think you’ll ever find him, but I am absolutely certain that He will find you!&#8221; He shrugged a little and left my class and my life.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I felt slightly disappointed at the thought that he had missed my clever line: &#8220;He will find you!&#8221; At least I thought it was clever. Later I heard that Tommy had graduated and I was duly grateful.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Then a sad report, I heard that Tommy had terminal cancer. Before I could search him out, he came to see me. When he walked into my office, his body was very badly wasted, and the long hair had all fallen out as a result of chemotherapy. But his eyes were bright and his voice was firm, for the first time, I believe. &#8220;Tommy, I’ve thought about you so often. I hear you are sick!&#8221; I blurted out.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">&#8220;Oh, yes, very sick. I have cancer in both lungs. It’s a matter of weeks.&#8221;</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">&#8220;Can you talk about it, Tom?&#8221;</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">&#8220;Sure, what would you like to know?&#8221;</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">&#8220;What’s it like to be only twenty-four and dying?&#8221;</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">&#8220;Well, it could be worse.&#8221;</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">&#8220;Like what?&#8221;</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">&#8220;Well, like being fifty and having no values or ideals, like being fifty and thinking that booze, seducing women, and making money are the real ‘biggies’ in life.&#8221;</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I began to look through my mental file cabinet under &#8220;S&#8221; where I had filed Tommy as strange. (It seems as though everybody I try to reject by classification God sends back into my life to educate me.)</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">But what I really came to see you about,&#8221; Tom said, &#8221; is something you said to me on the last day of class.&#8221; (He remembered!) He continued, &#8220;I asked you if you thought I would ever find God and you said, ‘No!’ which surprised me. Then you said, ‘But he will find you.’ I thought about that a lot, even though my search for God was hardly intense at that time. (My &#8220;clever&#8221; line. He thought about that a lot!) But when the doctors removed a lump from my groin and told me that it was malignant, then I got serious about locating God. And when the malignancy spread into my vital organs, I really began banging bloody fists against the bronze doors of heaven.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">But God did not come out. In fact, nothing happened. Did you ever try anything for a long time with great effort and with no success? You get psychologically glutted, fed up with trying. And then you quit.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Well, one day I woke up, and instead of throwing a few more futile appeals over that high brick wall to a God who may be or may not be there, I just quit. I decided that I didn’t really care &#8230; about God, about an afterlife, or anything like that. &#8220;I decided to spend what time I had left doing something more profitable. I thought about you and your class and I remembered something else you had said: ‘The essential sadness is to go through life without loving. But it would be almost equally sad to go through life and leave this world without ever telling those you loved that you had loved them.’ &#8220;So I began with the hardest one: my Dad. He was reading the newspaper when I approached him.&#8221;</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">&#8220;Dad&#8221;. . .</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">&#8220;Yes, what?&#8221; he asked without lowering the newspaper.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">&#8220;Dad, I would like to talk with you.&#8221;</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">&#8220;Well, talk.&#8221;</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">&#8220;I mean. .. It’s really important.&#8221;</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The newspaper came down three slow inches. &#8220;What is it?&#8221;</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">&#8220;Dad, I love you. I just wanted you to know that.&#8221; Tom smiled at me and said with obvious satisfaction, as though he felt a warm and secret joy flowing inside of him: &#8220;The newspaper fluttered to the floor. Then my father did two things I could never remember him ever doing before. He cried and he hugged me.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">And we talked all night, even though he had to go to work the next morning. It felt so good to be close to my father, to see his tears, to feel his hug, to hear him say that he loved me. &#8220;It was easier with my mother and little brother. They cried with me, too, and we hugged each other, and started saying real nice things to each other. We shared the things we had been keeping secret for so many years. I was only sorry about one thing: that I had waited so long. Here I was just beginning to open up to all the people I had actually been close to.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">&#8220;Then, one day I turned around and God was there. He didn’t come to me when I pleaded with him. I guess I was like an animal trainer holding out a hoop, ‘C’mon, jump through.’ ‘C’mon, I’ll give you three days .. .three weeks.’ Apparently God does things in his own way and at his own hour. &#8220;But the important thing is that he was there. He found me.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">You were right. He found me even after I stopped looking for him.&#8221;</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">&#8220;Tommy,&#8221; I practically gasped, &#8220;I think you are saying something very important and much more universal than you realize. To me, at least, you are saying that the surest way to find God is not to make him a private possession, a problem solver, or an instant consolation in time of need, but rather by opening to love. You know, the Apostle John said that. He said God is love, and anyone who lives in love is living with God and God is living in him.’ Tom, could I ask you a favor? You know, when I had you in class you were a real pain. But (laughingly) you can make it all up to me now. Would you come into my present Theology of Faith course and tell them what you have just told me? If I told them the same thing it wouldn’t be half as effective as if you were to tell them.&#8221;</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">&#8220;Oooh . . . I was ready for you, but I don’t know if I’m ready for your class.&#8221;</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">&#8220;Tom, think about it. If and when you are ready, give me a call.&#8221; In a few days Tommy called, said he was ready for the class, that he wanted to do that for God and for me. So we scheduled a date. However, he never made it.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">He had another appointment, far more important than the one with me and my class. Of course, his life was not really ended by his death, only changed.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">He made the great step from faith into vision. He found a life far more beautiful than the eye of man has ever seen or the ear of man has ever heard or the mind of man has ever imagined.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Before he died, we talked one last time. &#8220;I’m not going to make it to your class,&#8221; he said.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">&#8220;I know, Tom.&#8221;</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">&#8220;Will you tell them for me? Will you . . . tell the whole world for me?&#8221;</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">&#8220;I will, Tom. I’ll tell them. I’ll do my best.&#8221;</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">So, to all of you who have been kind enough to hear this simple statement about love, thank you for listening. And to you, Tommy, somewhere in the sunlit, verdant hills of heaven: &#8220;I told them, Tommy . &#8230; &#8230;as best I could.&#8221;</span></span></p></blockquote>
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		<title>Anthony</title>
		<link>http://adamlepp.com/2009/05/17/anthony/</link>
		<comments>http://adamlepp.com/2009/05/17/anthony/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 17 May 2009 19:53:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>adamlepp</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Relationships]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://adamlepp.com/?p=86</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Just a few minutes ago, I was out and about in Sioux Falls.  I was actually looking for some souvenir from SD to take to Honduras and give as gifts to the family that will be providing bedding for about a week.  I first stopped at Wal Greens to see if they had some stuff [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Just a few minutes ago, I was out and about in Sioux Falls.  I was actually looking for some souvenir from SD to take to Honduras and give as gifts to the family that will be providing bedding for about a week.  I first stopped at Wal Greens to see if they had some stuff (they didn&#8217;t) as well as print of some photos of my family.  Well, the photos were going to take a while so I figured I would run to Cross Roads (a Christian bookstore) for a pocket bible to take along.  The were closed (its Sunday).  Well, lets go to Wal Mart.  Maybe they have some stuff.  As I&#8217;m driving in, I see a man holding a sign</p>
<blockquote><p>I&#8217;m Homeless<br />
I&#8217;m Hungry<br />
God Bless</p></blockquote>
<p>Well, I figure it&#8217;s about time I stop running away from these things and actually do something to serve this man.  I go into Wal mart, find my 3 dollar souvenir and head to the grocery isle.  I don&#8217;t know a lot about food, so I call Ashley up (she did use to be a nutrition major) and asked her for ideas.  I ended up buy some food for the guy and headed out to give it to him.  I took a bible along and a gallon of water.  I gave him everything, but he didn&#8217;t want the bible.</p>
<p>He told me his name was Anthony.  I was able to talk to him, turns out he is no longer with his wife, and heading from North Dakota to Las Angles.  He has a lot of hurt in his past, believes that God exists, doesn&#8217;t like religion, and doesn&#8217;t think God cares much about him.</p>
<p>Please be praying for this man.</p>
<p>Thanks,<br />
Adam</p>
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		<title>All for Jesus</title>
		<link>http://adamlepp.com/2009/03/02/all-for-jesus/</link>
		<comments>http://adamlepp.com/2009/03/02/all-for-jesus/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Mar 2009 03:54:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>adamlepp</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Relationships]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://adamlepp.com/?p=56</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This was originally posted on http://sdsuintervarsity.com on January 31st, 2009 It’s me Adam and it’s Saturday night here at Break Away 2009.  Let me tell you, Jesus is moving in this place! I’ve been wrestling with God a lot today.  I’ve had a feeling that God was planning something big for this weekend for some time [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This was originally posted on <a title="http://sdsuintervarsity.com/2009/01/all-for-jesus/" href="http://sdsuintervarsity.com/2009/01/all-for-jesus/" target="_blank">http://sdsuintervarsity.com</a> on January 31st, 2009</p>
<hr />It’s me Adam and it’s Saturday night here at Break Away 2009.  Let me tell you, Jesus is moving in this place!</p>
<p>I’ve been wrestling with God a lot today.  I’ve had a feeling that God was planning something big for this weekend for some time now.  The problem became apparent to me this evening that while I knew something big was going down, I was trying to make it go down according to my will and my timing (I seem to do that a lot).  Anyways, I figured I would start my day out in the prayer room, so I got up earlier than my roommates and headed down to the prayer room before they were out of bed, before breakfast.</p>
<p>All was well, although I admit I was a bit tired (I saw 1 or 1:30 last night, way past my bed time).  I did some morning devotion, but really couldn’t focus on anything.  So breakfast came and went (I had a Yogurt for the first time), then we headed to our electives.  I attended “Fire and Consuming Passion for the Campus” and God really was at work.  I could just sense and see the Spirit working in the hearts of all of us there.  The coolest thing was seeing those there come together at the end and we all just started praying.  It was deep and intense prayer.</p>
<p>After his amazing time, I headed to lunch.  I’m thankful I ran into Danny as he told me I needed to be wearing shows (which I wasn’t) in order to go into the food court area.  I went to my room and grabbed my sandals and grabbed some awesome food (thanks Cragun’s) and then headed out to the lake for some ice skating.</p>
<p>This is about the time I started to let that which was goign through my head get to me.  I really, really wanted to make my will God’s.  Well, I got down to the rental area, and they didn’t have any skates my size.  Bummer.  Oh well, I figure I would watch the others and take pictures and what not.  Well, they all got their skates, but my heart just wasn’t in anything.  I just wanted to cry out to Jesus.  I eventually made it to the prayer room where I found Annie and Erica rocking out with Jesus (Rieger later came in).  I sat down, but really couldn’t figure out what my problem was.  I was having difficult figure out what I was feeling, why this weekend wasn’t turning out what I thought it was going to be, why things were working out as I wanted them (I didn’t realize that this was my thoughts though, I didn’t understand).  Eventually I started talking with Annie.  When I was ready to go, and started to, she asked me to stay and work my anger out (again I didn’t realize it was anger) with God with the supplies there.  I said it wasn’t my style (it’s not), but then Rieger came in.  We talked some more and stuff, and with out much reason (other than fun), Annie asked if she could wipe her hands (which were full of chalk) on my face.  She did and Ashely joined in the fun too.</p>
<p>I still don’t understand it, but I found comfort and healing through it.  I don’t exactly remember what happened next, but eventually found myself watching and learning how to play a new card game.  After that we played some Cribbage.  Then supper time and I heard some awesome testimonies of how a couple of people came to know Jesus.  It was amazing to see God working in and through those conversations.  Thanks God!  But my heart started to fall back to where it was.  We went to the worship gather and chapter time, but my heart really wasn’t in it.  At the end of chapter time though, we got in groups of three.  The other two in my group prayed over me.</p>
<p>I tell you what, God can work fast.  Like really fast.  I went and played two hands of cribbage which was just amazing fellowship.  Then the extended worship service started.  I have very few words to describe what was going on there but I think <em>WOW</em> is a good one.  Everyone was going crazy and cheering and praising the Lord God Almighty.  Jumping, dancing, giving everything.  And God found me there, I was just able to surrender all my desires to him right there.  I got on my knees and just prayed for healing and confessing my sorrow for trying to take control of His will.  It was truly amazing just to fill His presence working in me and in that room.</p>
<p><em>Praise you Lord Jesus, for you are a huge God, and You have it all under control.  I am nothing, yet you love me with an intense and fiery passion.  Thank you for your gift of life, and thank you for working in my heart today.  All that I am, I surrender to you, Amen.</em></p>
<p>I leave you now with the lyrics to a song we sang tonight.  I hope the lyrics touch you like they did me.</p>
<blockquote><p>Jesus all for Jesus<br />
All I am and have and ever hope to be<br />
Jesus all for Jesus<br />
All I am and have and ever hope to be</p>
<p>For it’s only in Your will that I am free<br />
For it’s only in Your will that I am free</p>
<p>All of my ambitions hopes and plans<br />
I surrender these into Your hands<br />
All of my ambitions hopes and plans<br />
I surrender these into Your hands</p>
<p>For it’s only in Your will that I am free<br />
For it’s only in Your will that I am free</p></blockquote>
<p>God bless,<br />
Adam</p>
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		<title>Thank you</title>
		<link>http://adamlepp.com/2009/01/20/thank-you/</link>
		<comments>http://adamlepp.com/2009/01/20/thank-you/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 21 Jan 2009 02:40:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>adamlepp</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Relationships]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://adamlepp.com/?p=28</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I just want say thank you, do all of those who have crossed paths with me somewhere along the line.  Every one of you have influenced my life, either for good or for bad.  It has has been those interactions that have helped shaped me and remind me who I was created to be.  I [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I just want say thank you, do all of those who have crossed paths with me somewhere along the line.  Every one of you have influenced my life, either for good or for bad.  It has has been those interactions that have helped shaped me and remind me who I was created to be.  I am so thankful that most of my experiences in life have been good, that there so many people out there that genuiely care about me and others.</p>
<p>I also want to say a special thanks to those to gentelman who helped me get out of the ditch today.  I seriously could not stop praising God for putting you in my life and going out of your way to help me.  Thank you.  It reminded me that there are people out there that care.  That will love a stranger, not wanting anything in return.  I often think that the world is hopeless and humanity has no chance, but there is hope.  May God bless you guys.</p>
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		<title>It wasn&#8217;t to buy my love</title>
		<link>http://adamlepp.com/2009/01/08/it-wasnt-to-by-my-love/</link>
		<comments>http://adamlepp.com/2009/01/08/it-wasnt-to-by-my-love/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 09 Jan 2009 03:27:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>adamlepp</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Relationships]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://adamlepp.com/?p=25</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[So, my room mates were just listening to that Bare Naked Ladies.  You know that one about a million dollars.  Find the lyrics here.  Any ways, conversation led started to revolve around the topic of buying one&#8217;s love.  Some said it was possible to buy someone&#8217;s love.  Some said it&#8217;s possible, but you need a [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>So, my room mates were just listening to that Bare Naked Ladies.  You know that one about a million dollars.  Find the lyrics <a href="http://www.ourweddingsongs.com/dollar-dance-songs/if-i-had-a-million-dollars-lyrics" target="_blank">here</a>.  Any ways, conversation led started to revolve around the topic of buying one&#8217;s love.  Some said it was possible to buy someone&#8217;s love.  Some said it&#8217;s possible, but you need a lot of money.  The rest simply said it not possible.</p>
<p>I of course made my argument that it&#8217;s not possible to buy someone&#8217;s love.  And then it hit me.  When Jesus came, he didn&#8217;t come to buy our love.  Not in any way, shape, or form.  It&#8217;s so simple, but it just blows my mind away.</p>
<p>It was the other way around.  God the Father loves us so much, for that reason, He sent His son for us, so we would have a chance at having life. He paid dearly for me.  How can I help but love Him back.</p>
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		<title>A reflection?</title>
		<link>http://adamlepp.com/2008/12/27/a-reflection/</link>
		<comments>http://adamlepp.com/2008/12/27/a-reflection/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 28 Dec 2008 00:43:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>adamlepp</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Relationships]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://adamlepp.com/?p=17</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Well, it&#8217;s two days since Christmas.  I&#8217;m not entirely sure what to write.  I guess I have just had the urge to write something since last night. Christmas was cool.  I had a chance to hang out with the family, which I hardly ever get to anymore.  Even seeing my parents is rare, even though [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Well, it&#8217;s two days since Christmas.  I&#8217;m not entirely sure what to write.  I guess I have just had the urge to write something since last night.</p>
<p>Christmas was cool.  I had a chance to hang out with the family, which I hardly ever get to anymore.  Even seeing my parents is rare, even though they are no more than a 50 minute drive away.  It&#8217;s so easy to get caught will everything that is going on, that we miss what is important in life.  I once heard this saying.</p>
<blockquote><p>It&#8217;s all about relationships!</p></blockquote>
<p>So true.  Family, friends, even strangers on the street.  It&#8217;s important to constantly take to time to invest in your relationship with all of them.  We should love everybody, always.</p>
<p>And I suck at it.  I suck at loving even the closest people to me.  I want to, I try to.  I just seem to mess it up everytime and put my desires and my wants before others.  The coolest thing is, and I really don&#8217;t understand this, nor will I ever, is that there is one person who does love me perfectly.  He loves me even when I don&#8217;t love him.</p>
<p>And I guess that comes back to the whole Christmas thing.  We wouldn&#8217;t even have anything to celebrate if this guy didn&#8217;t love all of us so much.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.&#8221; &#8211; John 3:16-17</p></blockquote>
<p>God loves us so much, that 2,000 some years ago, He gave us His son.  He sacrificed His son, so that we might be able to have a relationship with him.  In view of all that He has done, lets do what we can, to the very best of our ability, offer ourselves to Him, to be a part of that relationship with Him, and those around us.  Let us not stop celebrating Christ&#8217;s birth because the holiday is over, but live it every day of our lives.  Let us seek and invest in those relationships every moment of everyday, let us love everyone we see or talk to, to the best of our ability.  And have mercy when someone screws that up, because I know I will.</p>
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		<title>What happened to me today</title>
		<link>http://adamlepp.com/2008/12/21/what-happened-to-me-today/</link>
		<comments>http://adamlepp.com/2008/12/21/what-happened-to-me-today/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 21 Dec 2008 22:37:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>adamlepp</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Relationships]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://adamlepp.com/?p=3</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[(originally posted on Facebook, Wednesday, December 3, 2008 at 11:31pm) I don&#8217;t always have the best words, and while what your about to read might not sound the best or be grammatically correct (or even make sense for that matter), it comes from my heart. I feel like over that last week or so, I [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<address>(originally posted on Facebook, Wednesday, December 3, 2008 at 11:31pm)</address>
<p>I don&#8217;t always have the best words, and while what your about to read might not sound the best or be grammatically correct (or even make sense for that matter), it comes from my heart.</p>
<p>I feel like over that last week or so, I have spent the weekend with God. And it&#8217;s been amazing! It wasn&#8217;t at all what I expected either. I didn&#8217;t even know what I was getting myself into.</p>
<p>I think the hardest part for me in my relationship with God is His ability to love me. I&#8217;ve never been able to understand why God, the guy who created the Universe, would want to love someone as small as me. I was reading this story about a guy named Mack today. In this part of the story, God told Mack that He was going to have to judge his five children. Mack had to choose two of his children to go to heaven, and the other three were to go to hell.</p>
<p>As you guys know, I don&#8217;t have any children, but I do want a lot of children (God willing of course). Wouldn&#8217;t that be scary, a bunch of little Adams running around <img src='http://adamlepp.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>Anyways, I instantly knew that if I was in that position, that I wouldn&#8217;t be able to choose some to live, and some to die. And Mack&#8217;s story continued in that same fashion. He told God he didn&#8217;t want to choose, that he couldn&#8217;t. You see, Mack loved each of his children differently, but none the less he loved them equally. God responds with &#8220;What about when one of them hurts your, or is having problems, like Kate? Don&#8217;t you love one less when that happens?&#8221; Mack responds, almost obviously, &#8220;No!&#8221; Mack continues resisting this judgment he has to make, and is a complete mess in tears and finally cries out &#8220;Can&#8217;t I just sacrifice myself or something so they can all go to heaven!&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8230;</p>
<p>Wow&#8230;</p>
<p>At this point in hearing this story, I&#8217;m in tears, and I think you can see why. God of the universe loves His children. All of them. Every one. He loves them so much, that He sacrificed Himself by sending Jesus to the cross, so that His children could live.</p>
<p>At this point, my mind started to wonder from the story in front of me. I wanted to know why though. Why does God love His children. &#8220;Because that is who I am&#8221; I hear so clearly. OK, fair enough, God loves, that is His nature. But why did He create me in the first place. The only answer I can come up with is &#8220;Why do I want children?&#8221; &#8220;Because I want to love them.&#8221;</p>
<p>I know thats not the fullness of it</p>
<p>I know there is a lot more to learn of His love</p>
<p>I&#8217;m a complete mess at this point, tears everywhere, no idea what to think or even how to respond. Here I am, God&#8217;s child, whom He loves. He is especially fond of me. He created me so He could love me.</p>
<p>Your His child too.  He is fond of you.  He is madly in love with you.</p>
<hr />
<div>The story I heard comes from a book called The Shack (<a onmousedown="UntrustedLink.bootstrap($(this), &quot;7d5be4c1bc75a117bd55888c09191adc&quot;, event)" rel="nofollow" href="http://theshackbook.com/" target="_blank">http://theshackbook.com/</a>). I highly recommend reading it, and can hook you up if you want a copy. What I talked about above is just a small part of Mack&#8217;s story, there is a lot more and this book, I can honestly say, has changed my life.</p>
<p>I love you all.  May God bless you and your day.<br />
Adam</p></div>
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