When peace like a river attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot that hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul

My sin-oh the bliss of this glorious thought-
My sin, NOT IN PART, but the whole
IS nailed to the Cross, and I bear it no more!
PRAISE THE LORD! praise the Lord, oh my soul

I am a sinner just like anyone else. I deserve death. I deserve hell. I deserve eternal separation from God. Can you even begin to understand eternity? let alone eternity in hell.... I am a sinner just like anyone else, except God sent Jesus to die for MY, Ben Warnock's sins, so the creator of the universe sees me as holy and perfect. God looks on me and sees Jesus. Holy what?!?!? I did nothing, save for sin against God, and he saves me with the death and torture of his son? "But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

I am saved by nothing I did, and I am going to heaven, which I anything but deserve. Praise be to God!! Praise be to Jesus Christ!!

So what now then, you ask?

"For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." If I am saved by Jesus, then my life is inherently his, so my living IS Christ. And I gain the presence of God in death. So why should I fear those who can merely destroy my body? I fear him who, after destroying my body can cast my soul into hell for eternity. In death I gain Christ, and in living on earth, I live for him, so that every action may glorify God.

"Blessed be your glorious name
And may it be exalted above the heavens and the earth
You alone are the Lord
You made the heavens, even the highest heavens
And all their starry hosts.
The earth and all that is on it
The seas and all that is in them
You give life to everything
And the multitudes of heaven worship you."

Praise be to God!! Praise be to Jesus Christ!!

howdy -

what a crazy day. phew. the important thing is this: BEN GOT A CELL PHONE!! new company (screw cingular), new number, and a freaking razor!!! the number is (651) 295-1818. so call me immediately. . . . . ummm, what are you still reading for? call me now so i can hear mynew phone ring. peace.

b dubs

hey -

so i just found this on laura mason's livejournal, and its perfect for me right now:

Oh thank God for friends. I feel like I say it a lot, but thats because it always
feels like this wonderful, new revelation....No matter how bad
things can get. A true friend stands by you...a true friend will work through
all of the (scuse my language) shit with you..to get things back to the way they should be.

Friendships arent easy...fights are normal!!! fights are healthy..something I learned in Vancouver..
If you're not fighting sometimes..its not a healthy relationship. You're pushing things away..things are going unsaid.
and those..are the things that will kill you. Silence.
I don't mean huge "i hate you" yelling..packing suitcases fights....but conflict is so natural..
Conflict brings us closer to people by finding out what really makes them tick..what makes them feel angry.horribly sad. conflict brings up our deepest emotions and says hey..whats up ..lets look at this..and see why its this way. Lets embrace it.

FEELINGS. EMOTIONS. show them...I've realized..i cry quite a bit, but its good. its okay..
I don't cry just for the hell of it. I cry because I feel something...
I'd rather feel those things
then shove them all inside...like a hand-packed pint of chai ice cream.
yes...

yesterday was amazing, until the end of the day when i became an ass and started being a jerk to dan, jon, and jersey.

its so easy to be defensive and not accept help from friends. its so hard to take guidance and encouragement well and take it as attacking and judging. dan, jersey, and jon, youd be poor friends if you didnt look out for me like yesterday, and somehow i got it in my mind that that was a bad thing. thanks for being there, and i know it wont instantly be better, but i need to work on taking criticism well. keep encouraging and especially challenging me because even when i fight back, its what i need. i love you guys. peace.

ben

oh!!! and im going to myrtle beach, SC this summer for Summer Beach Project. im going to be pursuing the lord with other believers that will be running hard in the same direction as me. It will be a very challenging summer, but hopefully i will be able to draw near to my Jesus! Just thought id let everyone know the news. aight peace

hey hey hey,

so my new favorite band is ANBERLIN. the best album is "Never Take Friendship Personal." They pretty much rock my face off whenever i listen to them. anyway, check 'em out.

oh man, and i went to a down and above show with dropping daylight on thursday. it was sooooooo incredible. down and above is by far the best local band - they are talented and awesome in every way imaginable. im going to make babies with the bald bass player. but in like, a straight way. and sabastien is a beast on the piano (for dropping daylight). that was a fantastic night, plus i got to see joe and kyle!

yesterday was a wicked awesome day. i woke up and played piano, and cleaned my room, which always makes me feel good. and i started writing another piano song. its crazy how like, i went months without being able to write, and now i have like 3 new songs in a week and a half. thats crazy talk. So then laura mason came over, and we played guitar and piano together. that was tons of fun. we were like playing praise songs and originals, and it was just really relaxing. then we went and played ultimate frisbee. it was really slippery, but tons of fun. although, im really out of shape, so i was kind of hurting. then i came back chilled in my room for awhile, and napped and stuff. theeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen, i went to north central and watched fun with dick and jane with some girl named cassie :) it wasnt super amazing, but it was pretty funny. jim carrey is freaking hilarious, and cassie is tight too, even though she kept falling asleep on me haha. well, im off to breakfast with dan bullard. have a fantastic weekend everyone!

ben