Stay in the Lifeboat · 4:48pm Oct 17th, 2021
Today is a great time to be alive. I know that at many times, it can be otherwise. How could I say something like this? Because the world is the Titanic, and it is sinking. But we are in the lifeboats.
The Titanic was at one point considered to be the most unsinkable ship on earth. The designer had the ingenious idea of using multiple watertight compartments so if a portion of the ship was cut open, the entire ship wouldn't flood. I could draw a Gospel parallel to not allowing negative influences into our lives the same way a ship cannot sink if it does not take on water. But maybe another time.
Newspapers exalted it. They called the ship unsinkable. According to legend, an unidentified person said, "God himself cannot sink this ship." Another false legend says a builder painted, "We defy God to sink her," on her stern.
You know what happened. It struck an iceberg that tore open more compartments than the ship could handle. The order was given to evacuate to the lifeboats. But at first, people were hesitant to do so. The first lifeboats went out half full.
The ship was stopped, so people knew something was wrong. But the lights were on, the heating was working, the orchestra was playing, and the first-class passengers were sipping champagne. Why would they willingly go into the dark, small, stuffy lifeboats for a problem that would eventually be resolved? Firsthand accounts from survivors say that while they were being lowered down, they were greeted with mocking jeers from those still on the boat. "Yeah, you just go on ahead into your little lifeboat, I'm gonna stay here where it's actually safe." There were more than a hundred survivors who were men. How could that be when the policy of the day was women and children first? Because very few women wanted to go into the rickety lifeboats, and none of their children wanted to go alone without them.
Then something happened. The ship tilted. And all of a sudden, people started looking at the lifeboats.
"Nothing can stop the world economy," people said a few years ago. "Our system of world trade and our stock market and banks and corporations and small businesses, it's all going up and up. The GDP! Look at the GDP! America is great, and it's going to get better from here on out."
Then the world tilted. And a virus became the catalyst for a growing amount of catastrophes that threw the world into chaos. Supply chain crises, unconstitutional mandates, the rise of militant and lethal protests, the evasion of the rule of law, the turnover of Afghanistan to the Taliban, the incompetence of the federal government, natural disasters, the devaluing of the US dollar, and a growing amount of addiction, isolation, restriction, despair, hopelessness, and weariness of everyday life are just a few of the things that have happened in a relatively short amount of time. Things are accelerating at an astounding pace. For many people, the future is bleak. But for other people, these times are becoming a crucible to strengthen our faith and bring others into the light of Christ.
It is my belief that faithful people have two things that faithless people don't: perspective and motivation. I am willing to be wrong about my faith if it means that I live life with a purpose, following a plan, striving to become a person worthy of eventual reward or remembrance by my future sons. And besides, I am not wrong about my faith. I have experienced too much and gone through too much to just deny it.
I see these times as an opportunity. Trials will come, and when they do--that's a when, gentlemen, not an if--they can build us up or tear us down. And when we are strong, we can convert our brethren. And this isn't to inflate numbers or anything; this is out of genuine concern for their well-being. It is predicted that in the coming years, more people will leave Christianity than convert to it. So this isn't to reverse a flow that was entirely predicted by ancient prophets. No, instead, spread the light of Christ because He has the power to give you strength to get through your trials. Ideally, we should not want anyone to fall into depression or hopelessness. Christ is the Prince of Peace, and though peace may be taken from the earth, we can find peace in our own lives and find strength to weather the storms and press forward in faith.
Out in the desert or the dark waters around the Titanic, they suffer, hungry and helpless and cold and misdirected. This time is a wonderful opportunity to strengthen our faith and help others get through their trials. We can save people by helping them into the lifeboat. Depression and hopelessness is more deadly than any virus. If the world is going downhill, recognize it and do your best to not get depressed about it, and instead be determined. When there's no peace on earth, there is peace in Christ.
5596886
I'm not sure how I'm supposed to take that.
5596888
Same for me with this, lol
5596889
How've you been? It's been a while. I haven't been coming here except to reread my own stories.
5596891
Doing good, keeping it upbeat. 💖👍
Also, oof.
5596892
Oof? What? I'm sorry, I just don't know.
5596895
Nothin', nothin'...
5596897
Glad to see you haven't changed.
It's also good to see you haven't forgotten about me. I haven't been posting as much ever since my story finished.
5596898
Well I saw your name and thought what's he up to.
Plus, I have my eyes on a select few here for varying reasons...👀
5596903
One of them being little Hexapoo, right? How does it work out? Do you two arrange in-person meetings, or is it exclusively online?
5596906
Obviously, she's my whole world. I'm a new guy 'cuz of her.
We only PM here. I try to ask to chat elsewhere like calling or texting, but she says she's just being "cautious", so I don't want to annoy her by constantly asking. Still haven't heard what she sounds like...
We did message once or twice on PS4.
Things are going really well for her right now, it seems, so hopefully she'll be happy enough to let me call her.
5596907
That's basically how I tried it out on here. It ended up not being enough. Based on personal experience, I advise you to either continue it in person, or break it up. Without seeing or hearing her, you might as well be chatting with a computer. Realistically, it won't work out unless you pick one of two routes.
You love her. I can see it in the comments and conversations. So you should take it up a notch and, you know, hear her voice and see her face and touch her skin.
5596910
I'm trying. 😬
If she follows you and sees this, I guess she'll know that.
5596915
There were a couple of girls that I wanted to form a deeper connection with. But they never went very far. I had a very juvenile understanding of love and, uh, seduction. Mistakes were made, and I still anguish over them many months later.
You got a nice message there, It was nice reading it. I'd be lying if I said it didn't make me see things from a different perspective.
5596955
Thanks. I'm glad I could share it!
That’s easily the most mature thing I’ve caught you saying on the subject of faith. It’s also one of the most mature things I’ve caught other people of faith saying in regard to the subject.
Albeit a bit selfish because you’re expecting an eternal payout but still mature.
5596959
It's no problem. Also I'd just like to say I'm a fan of your work
Your stories are great!
5596962
Humans expect something as a reward for their work; the laborer is worthy of his hire. But I agree; if you're only in religion because you want to have a mansion in heaven, that's not going to score you any points with God. But also, counterintuitively, those who selfishly fixate on heavenly rewards are going to find heaven lacking.
Heaven will not be heavenly for those who are not heavenly themselves. Rats hate living in clean kitchens. They much prefer the garbage. Those who are not of a disposition to serve God and be with Him will not want to be in His presence. Those who cannot abide a celestial law will not live in a celestial kingdom.
5596965
I'm flattered, really! Thank you for enjoying my work! Which is your favorite?
5596967
I'd say it's a tie between The house on the hill and Fluttershy's whispers.
House on haunted hill: I've always loved stories that gave me anxiety and made me think (plus, I really love things that are horror related, it's a big interest of mine). Stories that have that "Who among us is the real imposter" type of vibe. A good example would be "The Thing" or the Mlp fanfic "The Cough". Overall it was very enjoyable to read!
Fluttershy's whispers: It's overall really well written. The main reason I like it however is because it's very comforting. I'm not gonna lie, it really did help out on tough days (as embarrassing as it is saying it out loud
)
5596987
That's perfectly fine to admit. I'm glad to hear that you found comfort in it. And I never thought The House on the Hill would be anyone's favorite story of mine. That's a new angle to consider. Thank you.
Your account is pretty new. Did you make it so you could keep track of accounts you like? That's what I did at first when I started writing my magnum opus, A Rather Large Adventure. Have you read that yet?
5596993
Yeah that's specifically why I made it. Before that I just read stories without an account because I was rather embarrassed to make one. That and I'm pretty new to the community, just recently I've started watching the show.
No I haven't, I'm sorry
I've been meaning to but it's just that I've been reading a bunch of horror stories since it's October. So right now I have a rather large backlog of stories I've been meaning to read. I'll definitely read it though, I'll be sure to let you know what I thought about it once I finish it.
5597000
I won't be around when you do. I'll be on a mission for my church for two years, and that means no Fimfiction. It'll start on the 1st of November.
5597008
I forgot how massive that story was, regardless I'll still read it. Good luck with your mission! It takes a lot of dedication to do something like that.
5597024
Thank you. I'm humbled and glad you're supportive. I really hope you enjoy the story, and the others I have. I've poured my soul into them. I can't wait to hear your thoughts!
5596966
Actually: rats are content in more sanitary conditions. They are just really, really hardy when it comes to disease. They are scavengers by nature, drawn to where the easy food might be. Human refuse is a generally safe place to nest in, knowing that we certainly don’t root around it ourselves.
A clean kitchen is only for the most part rat-free because keeping the place picked up helps prevent the scent of food from attracting them. If your home has crawl spaces; you have a potential safe zone for them to move in and breed.
Your only real deterrent against rats is having predators.
5597027
It's no problem at all really! I can tell how much effort you put into them, and yeah don't worry I'll let you know if and when you return
I have to go to class in a moment, so I might not see any replies you send until later, but I want to say that this is a pretty powerful message you have here. Never lose track of your faith, and never stop standing up for what you know to be right, Brady. You're going to go far not just in this life, but also in the next one.
God bless you, and good luck with your mission in November!
(PS: I finished reading the Pony of Vengeance, sorry for not commenting on it all that much. Overall, I think it was a fair bit weaker than A Rather Large Adventure, but that's mainly due to how your writing style became much better as that story progressed. It's still a good story at the end of the day, though.)
5597141
Thank you for your words! Every time I see your name in my notifications, I feel a lot better. It means a lot to me to hear those words. I know you have a lot of faith and trust in me. I want to live to be worthy of that trust. You're a good man too. A good person, for me, is a title we must not bestow upon ourselves, but must be accepted when others pronounce it upon us.