To those suffering in pain--

Often your mind may be clouded because of pain. Then do not try to think. You know that Jesus loves you. He understands your weakness. You may do His will by simply resting in His arms.

:: Ellen White, writing to those suffering in sickness. The Ministry of Healing, 251.

these theses

It is my argument that the early Seventh-day Adventist missionaries resisted both the racist beliefs and racist practices of the South, then -- pressured by custom and escalating violence -- they began accommodating the racism of the South by racially segregating yet continuing to resist the oppression of Blacks. Over time, however, that segregation which began as accommodation was accepted and normalized; in effect, it became part of the Adventist culture in America. Though racial segregation was a temporary expediency, the church's failure began when it ceased to question the policy (and it started righting these wrongs when it began again to corporately challenge both the assumptions and practices of racial segregation). 

I think I've got the thesis paragraph of my thesis project down.
If you want to know what I've been laboring on for months and will continue to work on for more months, there you have it, folks.

Many will be lost while hoping to be Christians.

Many are inquiring, "How am I to make the surrender of myself to God?" You desire to give yourself to Him, but you are weak in moral power, in slavery to doubt, and controlled by the habits of your life of sin. Your promises and resolutions are like ropes of sand. You cannot control your thoughts, your impulses, your affections. The knowledge of your broken promises and forfeited pledges weakens your confidence in your own sincerity, and causes you to feel that God cannot accept you; but you need not despair.

What you need to understand is the true force of the will. This is the governing power in the nature of man, the power of decision, or of choice. Everything depends on the right action of the will. The power of choice God has given to men; it is theirs to exercise. 

You cannot change your heart, you cannot of yourself give to God its affections; but you can choose to serve Him. You can give Him your will; He will then work in you to will and to do according to His good pleasure. Thus your whole nature will be brought under the control of the Spirit of Christ; your affections will be centered upon Him, your thoughts will be in harmony with Him.

Desires for goodness and holiness are right as far as they go; but if you stop here, they will avail nothing. Many will be lost while hoping and desiring to be Christians. They do not come to the point of yielding the will to God. They do not now choose to be Christians. 

Through the right exercise of the will, an entire change may be made in your life. By yielding up your will to Christ, you ally yourself with the power that is above all principalities and powers. You will have strength from above to hold you steadfast, and thus through constant surrender to God you will be enabled to live the new life, even the life of faith.




[steps to Christ, 46]

The Agony of Autumn Shades

The hues admired by passing eyes
which here adorn each branch and limb
so impress the passers-by,
yet are birthed from pain within. 

Men stroll in autumn's changing air
and revel in the fiery trees;
they think of God painting fair
these tinted bronze and golden leaves. 

But human minds could never guess
the agony of autumn shades
called forth at the divine behest
which turn the forests into graves. 

Each colored leaf on outstretched hand
is dying slow, a death most bright.
And gently falling to the land
they move toward graves of frozen night.

This mighty maple longs for June
when plenteous stars it green unfurled
to shine in verdant green at noon--!
but now stand flushed and dry and curled.

The God in heaven has seen me proud.
What strength I had I thought was mine,
but was in truth by heav'n endowed
and now in fact by heav'n resigned.

He brings me death. My weakness bared
is no triumph against Him, trying.
Yet as the passers-by declare,
my greatest glory is in dying.