Good Reads! – “Five economic reforms every rational Millennial should be fighting for”

I was just introduced to a fellow blogger by the name of Matt Walsh over at The Matt Walsh Blog.

I was blown away by his writing. He says he is a truth-sayer, and from what I’ve read so far, he’s spot on. I’m going to continue reading what he has to say to determine this further, but for now the article below was worth sharing with you.

The following post was written January 6th, 2014.  The issue is the Millennial person, (or as Google defines: a person reaching young adulthood around the year 2000) and their response(s) to debt, jobs, college, etc.  Mr. Walsh takes it further and lays out a plan to reform the millennial generations’ economic policies.

As a member of this generation his article deserved a read. You can find it here: (Five economic reforms every rational Millennial should be fighting for).

His steps are as follows:

1. Don’t go to college unless you actually need to be there.

2. Don’t buy things unless you can afford them.

3. Work hard.

4. Develop a marketable skill.

5. Save money.

They seem logical enough and maybe a bit obvious. I hope you take the time to read his post.

Personally, it was really encouraging to read this because I am in debt, and need to work hard, and need to fight the urge to expect a great job to be dropped in my lap. It’s too late for me to change how I approached college and to take back my student loans, but I hope this helps those who are in the process of deciding whether or not to go to college, or to just get a job. I have begun telling high school students to pursue a job once they have graduated–A job that puts them in a field in which they would like to work full time (eventually).  There is no better opportunity to work an internship, or in a low-paying position in order to get your “foot in the door”, than right after high school. Generally, you won’t have debt, you aren’t married, the world is completely open to you. My thinking in this, is that working for a couple years after high school gives these young persons an opportunity to mature and to figure out if that career path is the one for them. If I could, I would do the years after high school very differently. Those are vital years that can dictate the trajectory of the rest of your life.  Unfortunately for me, I’m stuck with thousands of dollars in school debt that dictate what kinds of jobs i can get.  If I don’t get a high enough salaried job, then I’m stuck working multiple jobs in order to pay my bills each month.

I rejoice in the fact that I know my God has a plan for me. Matthew 6:25-31 is very comforting to me.

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ²⁷ And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? ²⁸ And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, ²⁹ yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰ But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹ Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

³⁴ “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

I hope it is as comforting to you as it is to me.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Joshua

Meaning Behind the Title – Romans 3:10-12

I believe I need to explain the title of my blog.

Photo Credit: kozumel via Compfight cc

Joshua of None is the title, and boy, does it have meaning. I was named after Joshua of the Old Testament. It was Joshua who led Israel out of the promised land 40 years after God used Moses to free them from enslavement in Egypt. Joshua, son of Nun, and Caleb,  son of Jephunneh, (not a coincidence that my brother’s name is Caleb) proved themselves faithful among the people of Israel (Numbers 14:30). Joshua progressed from a faithful man, to a faithful spy, to Moses’ faithful assistant, to the new leader of Israel. He led them into the promised land and to the fulfillment of the prophecy regarding their land (Deuteronomy 6:3).  This faithful, follower of God is my namesake, and the namesake of this blog. Joshua the son of Nun.

And yet there is more behind the meaning of the title.  I consider myself pretty good at a lot of things but I’ve never been excellent at just one thing (sort of a jack-of-all-trades).  I constantly wonder if it would be better to be super-skilled at one thing rather than mediocre at many things.  Wouldn’t I make more money? Wouldn’t I be more useful to my family? To God?  Sometimes I think I’m useless because I don’t have one excellent ability. I have struggled with this notion a few times in the last 10 years, especially while I was a student.  I had so many professors expecting excellence from me; my plate was full.  How could I produce excellence in all those activities and assignments when I was already spread so thin?  I have had to reconcile my actual mediocrity with my understanding that the Lord has laid out my path and guides me through this life (Psalm 23).  He has allowed me to experience life as I know it for a purpose and His plan is perfect (Jeremiah 29:11). And though this verse is for those who were taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar, it is still an encouragement to me that my God is directing all things, and that His plan is perfect and to be desired over all things.  Therefore, I am comforted to know that what I, and the world, see as inexperience in my life, the Lord has purposed as part of His plan for my life. Don’t get me wrong. I have skills, and abilities, and some may call me an artist, but I do not stand out as an authoritative voice. However, through my faithfulness now, my confidence is that His will is being carried out, and His plan is far more important and perfect than mine could ever be. It just happens that this Joshua is jack-of-none; for now.

But there’s more. Check out this verse.

Romans 3:10-12

English Standard Version (ESV)

“as it is written:

‘None is righteous, no, not one;
no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one.’ “

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This is the killing-blow, and the real power behind my title.  I am one of those “none” that Romans 3:10-12 talks about. Romans 5:6-11 tells me that before I was saved, I was UNGODLY, His ENEMY, a SINNER, and DESERVING OF HIS WRATH. I was one of those sinners; I was part of the enemy team; I was ungodly or anti-God, and I deserved wrath because of my sin. And yet, (here’s the awesome part) HE SAVED ME! That is the incredible thing about my God. I didn’t do anything to deserve being saved from that life. He chose me and as I was running from Him, he plucked me up out of that headlong rush and since then, I have been safe in His arms. I can trust that He will provide for me, will care for me. He has declared me righteous because of the saving work of His Son, and I have been given all the rights of Son-ship. I am a child of God. It is all God’s doing and NONE of my own. Without Him I am nothing.

My example is Joshua of Nun.  In the world’s eyes, my experience racks up to nada, zero, zip, none. In my Lord’s eyes, I am His Son, but came from none. Thus, I am  JOSHUA OF NONE.