Fear

Fear is definitely an emotion that we as humans feel from time to time. Fear could derive from anything that makes you feel uncomfortable, not at peace, worried or anxious. Fear is something that we all have to face in our life from time to time, but just remember that we are not alone.

The bible says "Fear not, for I am with you say th the Lord." I truly believe in this. God has been with me through every step that I have taken through life. Without him fear would have encompassed my entire being and I know that I would be in a miserable state.

There has been many obstacles in my life that I have been scared and feared what tomorrow will bring, and living with this fear has definitely took a toll on my life. I was not myself. Thoughts would race through my mind regarding the obstacles that I was facing, it seemed as if there was no way of escaping from them. Then I reminded myself of what God has spoken "Fear not, for I am with you." God is always there, next to me, guiding me through every step of the way and only through him I am able to live my life fearless. Fear is not of God.

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Always seek God first in all that you do. Do not allow fear engulf your life, let God into your heart and allow him to work his miracles. Do not let the enemy come in with falsifications and doubts that would bring you down.

"Fear not, for I am with you say th the Lord."

My Life, My Story

Brice Kohara

Faith

There are many times in my life that I have been told to put my faith and trust in God as at these times, I have fallen off the path of righteousness and burdens were building up fast and at a constant rate. I am one who has always believed in God, but have always tried to deal with things through my own perspective and understanding, I have realized that this has not helped me at all. I think I have finally grasped the understanding of putting your faith and trust in God as he has a set plan for my life. Now, all I have to do is follow it and continue to have faith and trust in God, and not doubt his power, as Pastor Evan Carmichael has said "nothing is impossible for God." This is definitely true, we as a human may think that going over a mountain that stands in out path is impossible, but it is not when you put your faith and trust in God, he will see you through.

I am currently going through an obstacle in my life that has brought my nothing but stress, anxiety and worry which are aspects that are not of God. These aspects have beat me down to my knees, not being able to enjoy life, when life was created for us to enjoy. Granted, yes, I still do have these little anxiety attacks from time to time, but I constantly tell myself to put my faith in God and he will see me through which brings a calm spirit over my body. God has spoken to me in multiple ways to remind me to put my faith and trust in him, here is what he has said:

• Pastors at 2 different churches in 2 different states: "Do not worry, God has a plan for you, when one door closes another door opens. God is always by your side, holding his hand out for you to grab onto. It is our free will to grab onto his hand, so reach out and allow God to guide you through your struggles."
• Joyce Meyer: God speaks to us in many different ways, one of which is our circumstances. We need to look deeper into our circumstances to find the message that God has spoken through them.
• My Mom's Bag: "For I know that plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11
• Twitter: "Move to the passenger side and let God take the wheel. Have faith."

All of these messages that God has sent me has just recently overwhelmed me with joy and a sense of relief. For I know that God has his plan in place for me and has opened a new door in my life, all I need to do is follow it and trust in him.

Though at times it seems hard to let go of what you currently have and accept something new, it is needed to be done in order to advance within your life and move on with what God has planned for you. God always opens and closes doors, but he does it at the right time and the right moment. Don't worry, just remember that God is holding your hand each step of the way, all you have to do is step out in faith and trust in him.

Though moments before this post I was worried about what my future has in store for me, I am relieved and have the sense of peace upon my heart that only God can provide. I am ready for the new journey that God has prepared me for and excited to embark on it.

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Put God first, trust in him and walk by faith and everything will fall into place. Do not take things upon yourself, but seek the help of God and he will see you through. Just remember that nothing is impossible for God and patience is a virtue that we must embrace. God has a perfect place and time for everything, we just need to trust in him.

"Put your confidence in God and not in man." - Unknown

My Life, My Story

Brice Kohara

The Search Is On

When a problem or situation arises about anything in life, many people spend countless hours trying to find the answers to solve their mishaps on their own. This leads to even more frustration after running into multiple dead ends and non relevant information. At the end of the day, people ask themselves "why bother?" or tell themselves to just give up as there is nothing out there that could possible turn a situation around.

I have definitely been that person in the past, trying to solve life's greatest mysteries on my own. During these times, I have found myself to be more frustrated and pissed off then I originally was with just the problem at hand. As humans we run into problems, tough problems throughout our lives that we cannot control. These problems could be almost anything, and they are just as big or as little as you make them out to be. The few problems and situations that I have gone through that had made my life miserable during the solidifying process were definitely learning experiences. Although I did not enjoy these situations, I am happy that I went through them and was able to learn valuable lessons of what to do and what not to do in the future. That was then, this is me now.

My previous post talked about holding a positive image. I recently went through a situation that has taught me once again one of life's huge lessons. The difference in the way that I have handled the situation compared to what I would have done if my mindset had not changed are completely on different ends of the spectrum. Being a person that has re-found my way in my beliefs in God and trusting in him to guide me through this situation has definitely made a difference. Although for others, this financial scare that I am going through might bring them down and change their emotions drastically, but I for one have not let this affect my life. I just gave it to God, putting my trust in him to get me through this. With this, I have been a more positive and uplifting individual, not allowing this stressful situation get to me. This has made my life much better, actually, I take that back, God has made my life much better. All I know is, through him, I can do all things, but I just need to keep my focus on him and continue to trust in him and not let my emotions go before. Being positive allows me to impact the lives of others, as people want to be around positive people, life is much more enjoyable that way.

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Religious or not, be positive. No matter how down you feel or how stressed out you may be, do not let your problems or situations effect your emotions or attitude as it will not only effect you, but effect the lives of others around you. Just remember that things happen for a reason, learn from your mistakes and work to bettering your life. Things will ALWAYS get better, even though you may feel that they wont.

"Every day may not be good, but there's something good in every day. " - Unknown

My Life, My Story,

- Brice

God Will Provide

No matter what you are going through in life, whether it be financial situations, social needs or just about anything that you are unable to get your hands on that is important in your life, just remember that with trust and faith, God will provide. I am not talking about things that you desperately want, but things that you need in order to survive and get back on track with your life.

Today, I went to church for the first time in 7 months and I can honestly say that I have been blessed and know that everything in my life will fall into place in a positive manner.

The message was about changing our ways and how the past is the past. Even though one changes there life for the better and turn to God for a better life, the past will always remain in the eyes of others who have known you before your new life. All you need to say is "but God." Meaning, although I was that person back then, but God changed me and made me into who I am today. This is very true, as people do look back on the past life and wonder how in the world are you able to do the things you do with the background that you have? just remember "but God."

Here is where the message that the pastor shared today really touched me. He said, put your faith and trust in God to help you through your problems and situations...He will provide. Currently I am going through a financial situation that has taken a toll on my life, leaving me stressed and clueless of what to do. I have tried to solidify this financial mishap through my own understanding, but have found my self lost and unbelievably upset. By putting my faith and trust in God to see me through this situation has put me in a more positive light and mindset. With this, I have found myself free of worries and doubts and I know that everything will be taken care of in the near future, because "God will provide."

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Everyone faces different types of situations or problems in their lives that they are clueless of what to do in order to solidify the problem. By keeping a positive mindset will help you through any hurdle or obstacle you are going through, being a positive person will make you feel better and allow you to go through each day more comfortably. Just put your faith and trust in God and allow God to take your burden from you and allow him to do his work in your life and the situation at hand. You will find that being positive even in the toughest situations will make not only your life easier and fun, but the lives of others as well. First step, give it to God and trust that he will see you through. Second step, be positive and know that it is out of your hands and in the hands of God.

"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:19

My Life, My Story,

- Brice

The Right Path

Although everyone has their own path in life, we don't know exactly where that path would lead us. Each day, we find obstacles and disturbances that lead us off our path that God has chosen for us to follow. Even though we linger off the path, it is still there for you to get back on. God places challenges through our journey through life in which we need to go through in order to stay and continue on our path. Though at times, the challenges may seem like climbing a mountain, we need to put our faith and trust in God to lead us through. God will never give us more than we can handle. Everyone including myself gets tangled up in different aspects of life that lead us away from the path that had been built for us. Even though we fall off track at times, God is always there reaching his hand out to us, but it is our responsibility and choice to grab onto his hand and get back to the path.

I am so thankful that I have come to the realization of the importance of my faith in God, without it, I am nothing. Although it has taken many obstacles in my life to get me back into the mindset that I have, I know that everything that I have gone through is a lesson learned. Yes, at times I do feel like there is no hope or the end of the dark tunnel is still a journey away, but I have found that relying on God and putting your faith and trust in him will make the endless journey come to an abrupt end. It is through him that I am where I am today. It is through him that I have found my way through the difficult obstacles and challenges of life. It is ONLY through him that I am able to live my life.

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Don't get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life and lean on your own understanding. Put your trust in God and he will see you through. Even though the problems and situations that you are going through seem endless, just remember that God is right by your side, guiding you back to the path that he has prepared for you. All in all, put your trust and faith in God

"God will provide!"

My Life, My Story,

- Brice

The Importance of FAMILY

Family is definitely an important part of any individuals life, no matter if they consider their family to be their biological/immediate family, extended family, or friends. The essence of family is having the feeling of a "bond." Just like a child has a strong bond with his/her parents from birth, one can build a close bond with friends and companions as well. Family is by far one of the most important aspects that I hold dear to my heart and this includes my immediate family, extended family and close friends.

I am very close with my immediate family and enjoy every waking moment spending memorable times with them. Although I currently live far away from them, I know that they will always be there for me. The bond that I share with them is unbreakable and nothing can tare us apart. Although I miss seeing them on a daily basis, I know that they are a simple skype or phone call away.

Living here in Arizona, I have built a family of friends that I cherish dearly. It is definitely not easy for any freshman to move to an unfamiliar place for college, not knowing anyone upon arrival. With the amazing friends that I have gained and the bond of brotherhood in my fraternity that I have experienced, I have definitely built a new family that has helped me through my struggles through college without having my immediate family by my side at all times. These close friends and relationships that I have built will be my extended family for the rest of my life.

The reason why I decided to write about family today is because of the experience that I just recently encountered. I posted a listing on craigslist regarding a rather large dining room table that I was selling as I am moving out of my current residence and no longer need it. The woman that called me has been searching for a large dinning room table and she did not care about the condition, she just wanted a large dinning room table for her family. When meeting this happy couple, I asked her about their current dining situation in which she replied that they currently don't have a table as they couldn't find one that would fit their family of seven. With this, I knew that all she wanted was to have her family be able to sit down, have meals together and talk about their day. I could see that she valued her family and the time that they are able to spend with each other. Her husband also said that this was very important to her. With this, I knew that family was everything to her, even if it meant just having a simple dining room table where they can all come together as one. Upon departure, I wished them happy memories with the table that I no longer needed and that I was excited that something that I no longer needed will be put to good use by someone else.

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No matter who you consider to be your family, hold them close and never let them go. No matter the ups and downs that you may face with your family, just always remember that they will always be there for you through thick and thin. Although at times negative moments will be encountered, just remember all the positives and memorable moments.

"Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one." - Jane Howard

My Life, My Story,

- Brice

No need for the gym to get a GREAT WORKOUT

Like myself and many other people, finding the motivation and time to go to the gym for the daily workout isn't an easy task. I myself find the gym to be very boring, not worth my time or effort. Many people go to the gym to scalp their perfect bodies and to build self esteem, but there are definitely other ways that could boost this goal. The lack of time, motivation and sincere enjoyment diminish the wanting to go to the ordinary gym. Though the avid gym lovers may think differently on this scenario, I sincerely think that you can actually get a great workout by doing something that you truly enjoy doing.

I, myself truly enjoy playing volleyball and am quite good at it too. While playing 4 hours of volleyball tonight, I found that I am not only working every muscle in my body, but having an immense amount of fun doing it. Volleyball to me is a very intense and competitive sport in which the player needs to exercise every muscle in their body to achieve greatness in the sport. The compassion, drive and absolute enjoyment of this sport is key in excelling greatly in any match. Volleyball is something that I truly enjoy doing, so why not make it the absolute workout, substituting the countless hours in a gym in which I greatly dislike.

There are definitely other great workout options out there that would allow you to get in shape and build the perfect body in which you desire. Tonight, while having a drink with a friend, she told me about her experience with Bikram Yoga, in which she truly enjoys. Bikram Yoga is an intense workout in which yoga is performed in a very hot atmosphere with temperatures reaching over a 100 degrees. She says that she prefers participating in this and burning more calories in an hour than she would at the traditional gym. Plus, it's definitely a a relaxing and enjoyable alternative.

I am definitely a person that hates going to the gym and running on a treadmill, but I found the alternative in getting an awesome workout and having a lot of fun at the same time, and that is playing a few games of volleyball every other day.

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If you completely hate the thought of going to the gym to get the workout that you want in order to achieve your desired exercise, find an alternative. Find a physical activity that you truly enjoy participating in that would allow you to work all the muscles in your body. Anything that keeps you active such as sports, yoga, or even the simple hike will definitely allow you to keep in shape and avoid attending the boring gym settings. FIND SOMETHING PHYSICAL THAT YOU ENJOY DOING AND DO IT!

"An hour of basketball feels like 15 minutes. An hour on a treadmill feels like a weekend in traffic school." - David Walters

My Life, My Story

- Brice