I came in to the year 2016 with one distinct goal (or "resolution" if you will): spend a year in God's truth and see what growth follows.
More specifically, I wanted to be in God's word all 366 days of 2016. I wanted to read at least one chapter of my Bible every day. Throughout college, I've had up and down seasons with reading my Bible. I've had months where I'm in it consistently and months where I'm out of it consistently.
In college, it's really easy to get distracted by what's around you. There's always people to be around and always work that needs to get done. It's easy to get overwhelmed, and it's easy to make excuses.
Being intentional and creating a habit of spending time with Jesus every day prepared me for an emotionally tolling year, that yielded immense growth as a result. Through the following challenges, I learned that there are silver linings to everything life throws at you:
1) Death.
Death seems to be very present this year, as many have experienced heartbreak hearing of their favorite celebrities dying far too soon.
Just a few days in to the new year, four guys I went to high school with drowned in a tragic canoeing accident. One happened to be a guy I knew most of my life, growing up playing baseball together. Another was a good friend that I spent a lot of time with during my junior high and high school years at our church youth group. Through church, I became friends with his mom. Not only did I feel the devastation that the accident brought me and my friends, but I saw just how tragic it was for his family. Over the next couple of weeks, more deaths occurred. And it felt like I was just trapped in this darkness that would never pass. 2) Suicide.
A number of suicides occurred near me. As someone that has dealt with depression and anxiety, I think the sadness hits people like me in a way that may be different from others. We know what the battle is like and we want to see other people overcome it. And when they don't, it breaks our hearts. 3) Loneliness.
Transferring into Valparaiso was a much greater social challenge than I ever expected. Gone were the days of being around friends all the time. Instead, I've spent much time feeling isolated, alone and on my own. I didn't have anyone to live with and I had to move in to a studio apartment on my own. I spent a lot of weekends feeling cooped-up and bummed. 4) Physical Illness.
I was diagnosed with Graves' disease at the end of September and was unable to exercise for months. I had an allergic reaction to my medication that lasted two weeks and brought immense pain to my body. Some days, some of my bones felt broken. The illness itself brought on a great deal of fatigue that made classes harder than they ever needed to be. In addition, my sister tore her ACL and had to miss most of her junior softball season and my grandma has had some health concerns of her own. 5) Overall Anxiety.
Having anxiety, it can be difficult to find the positives when things aren't going your way. Throughout the year I felt the weight of all these things crashing down, and in turn it brought uncertainty to me at times. Graves' is known to increase anxiety, and in the back-half of the summer, I started to really panic about going back to school and returning to the isolation.
I listed off these challenges because I think everyone reading this can relate to at least one of them. At least one of these problems probably nagged you in 2016.
But here I am, standing tall at the end of it. And I can honestly say that each of these things, allowed me to grow and it taught me one big overarching message.
If I do everything that God wants me to do, what in the world do I have to worry about?
In the midst of the storms that rapidly flooded in, God was there to show me that he loved me every single day. I was reminded of his truth every single day. I was reminded that he was there in my battles, every single day. Meanwhile, God healed me physically and mentally from all these wounds.
I knew that God wanted me to be in his word, growing every day. Each Bible story taught me something different and unique, and I read a lot of encouraging verses and passages along the way. Throughout the year, God improved me in little ways, and I know that I started thinking differently as a result, looking for the positives and trying to find God in the little things. God is there in every single situation. I had the most positive-thinking year of my life.
So if God can do this all in my life, I know that he can certainly do the same in your life. He can bring healing and comfort where it is needed.
My suggestion? Try to spend 2017 hanging on the words of our Father in heaven. Try to get in to that Bible every day; you won't regret it. I guarantee that.
Whatever you decide, I hope that 2017 is a wonderful year for you. I hope that the personal changes that you want to make are able to be made and result in you being happier.
If you decide that you want to spend 2017 in God's word, go ahead and let me know. I would love help and encourage any way that I can. You are loved!
It seems that there's an ongoing power struggle throughout the Christmas season.
Should we be putting up Santa decorations or Nativity scenes? Do the tales of Kris Kringle distract us from the true meaning of Christmas?
Well today, what I'm saying to you is this: maybe there are biblical themes within the stories of Saint Nick, and Jesus' light can be shown through such art. Which brings us to today's movie examination....
Yep, my favorite Christmas movie, Elf!
In no way is Elf a Christian movie, but Elf contains some biblical themes that you might have missed, if you weren't looking for them.
Buddy the Elf is sent from the North Pole to the human world, to walk about life as a human. Sound familiar? Jesus didn't come to Earth as a god. In some ways, Jesus was a fish-out-of-water, and many didn't believe that he actually was God. Buddy's claims of knowing Santa Claus and working as an elf in Santa's workshop make him sound certifiably insane to those around him. Buddy is referred to as "the deranged elf-man" by Walter. All this, while trying to share the joy of Christmas with the people he cares about.
Jesus was put on a cross for committing "blasphemy," even though he was in fact the "King of the Jews." Though Jesus and Buddy came to different parts of the Earth, sharing different messages, each was teaching a gospel that raised some eyebrows.
Buddy did not come to New York to be crucified. He came to build a relationship with his estranged father, and show him the joy and happiness of Christmas, while showings acts of love and kindness to others. Along the way, he stumbles upon Jovie, who is "just trying to get through the holidays." Buddy presents the message of Christmas cheer to her, which is best spread by "singing loud for all to hear." The message is quickly rejected, and Buddy is told to be quiet and to stop singing.
Over time however, Buddy starts to build a relationship with Jovie, which eventually leads to her standing up singing "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" in front of a big crowd in downtown New York City. I find this similar to when we as people share the gospel of Jesus with others. In most cases, the person that receives the message is going to reject it immediately, but over time God can work in their hearts and bring them to wanting to have a relationship with Him. When someone comes to Christ, they tend to immediately be fired-up about it, and they want to share the good news with everyone. Jovie finds her Christmas spirit and wants to ignite the spirits of others.
Buddy also brings joy to Walter, Michael and Emily and helps bring them together as a family. Buddy and Michael show Walter that there's more to life than work, and Walter's act of self-sacrificing his job for the good of Buddy converts Walter from "naughty" to "nice."
Best of all though, the scene that still gives me chills is the scene where Santa flies over the group of carolers, to which the whole crowd and disbelieving television reporter Charlotte Dennon look up in awe. This makes me imagine what it will be like the day that Jesus finally returns, riding in on a chariot, as people will look on and think, "he truly is real!"
Sadly, the best clip I could find on the internet cuts this wondrous scene short. But next time you watch Elf, try to think about some of these things! In no way is Buddy Jesus, but in some ways, Buddy is Jesus-like. To say that someone is a Christian is to say that one is Christ-like.
Though I do not think the writers of the film intentionally did this, I do believe that there are Christian themes to look for and enjoy in Elf. The whole story of Santa is based around believing and has some similarities to faith (The Santa Claus 2 comes to mind!). So I'd challenge you to look for such things while you watch your favorite Christmas classics in the coming days, and maybe just maybe the birth of Christ and the generosity of Santa Claus can coexist this holiday season.
"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."
-Hebrews 11:1
Is there a Christmas movie you think has biblical themes (Nativity Story doesn't count!)? What is it? Let me hear your thoughts in the comments! Or on Twitter @vellvita7.
For those that might not have heard, about a month and a half ago I was diagnosed with Graves' disease, an illness that isn't nearly as bad as the name may suggest.
Any illness with "Graves" in the name doesn't exactly sound promising, so naturally spectators are going to wonder what exactly is going on and ask questions. I very much appreciate that people are concerned.
Problem is, I don't always love answering these questions or talking about Graves' a ton. Sometimes when I talk or think about it a lot, it leads me to feeling negative and bummed out, unhappy with my current circumstances, which is ridiculous because though this is a minor speed bump for right now, I have things pretty great.
So I figured now with some downtime during Thanksgiving break, I would share with all that are curious what is going on.
Graves' disease is an illness that accelerates the thyroid gland to work overtime, and in turn creates some problems for the rest of the body, including weight loss, headaches, stomach aches and dizziness, problems sleeping, fatigue, anxiety, sore throats and more. All of these are symptoms I have been experiencing to an extent since some time in July.
Initially, I wrote off my symptoms as anything significant. I thought I was probably just stressed about going back to school and that as a result I had had some problems sleeping and eating well which created these problems.
After dropping close to 35 pounds over a two-month span and having nagging headaches and tiredness that was keeping me from getting to my classes every day, I knew it was time to talk to a doctor and get a check-up. What I soon discovered was that I had an overactive thyroid which was sending messages to my heart to work harder as well. I was averaging a heartbeat of at least 130 beats per minute. It didn't take much for my heart to start pounding like a bongo. Walking longer-than-short distances and going up 2+ plights of stairs is enough to have me out of breath. Nevertheless, exercise is off the table for the time being.
What I soon found out though was just how common thyroid problems are. As I started to explain to people around me what my problem was, it seemed that a large percentage of people I talked to knew someone who either had an over or underactive thyroid gland. Not only were thyroid problems common, but they can be easily treated with medication.
I got started on two different medications (one for my thyroid, one for my heart) at the end of September. A few weeks later, I had a bad allergic reaction to the thyroid medication which spelled skin irritation and bad body aches for the next two weeks. One night it felt like both my wrists were broken. Nothing was wrong, I just had to stop taking the meds and wait for them to work their way out of my system. This proved to be a minor setback, as I went an entire week without any thyroid medication, bringing back the intensity of some of the problems I have been having.
I got started on a new medication for my thyroid nearly four weeks ago and have seen some results. I've gained 12 pounds since my initial diagnosis. Also, seven or eight weeks on my heart medication has brought down my heartbeat to under-100! The number of headaches I get has gone down significantly, but the headaches and tiredness is still very present. And I still have trouble doing a large sum of walking.
But the best improvement I've seen isn't something that can be measured by any unit, nor is it something that can be directly correlated to my medication dosage. The best improvement I've seen is an improvement of something I've dealt with while feeling 100% fine physically. The greatest improvement I've seen is my level of anxiety at an all-time low.
I've dealt with anxiety since I was a teenager and as we learned, Graves' only increases anxiety. Yet, I know that this trial that Graves' has provided has only increased my trust in God. It's been something that I've allowed God to work through and use to improve me as his son.
Being on the sidelines for the last few months, no doubt I've been limited physically. Initially it was very hard for me. I missed playing sports. But I decided early on that I wanted to make the most out of my time on the couch. So I started spending more time in God's word and just praying. I knew God is the only thing that could and would bring me through this. Often times we make excuses for why we don't give God the time he deserves; now I was out of excuses.
Next I decided to spend more time writing poetry. It feels good to create something artistically and do something productive. One poem after another and I decided it was time for me to start learning guitar. As I learn guitar and continue to write poetry, I now have new ways to praise God and give him glory. This has been a much better experience than one might think it would be.
And through it all, God has taken away my worry. A thought God has recently put on my heart is as follows: If I do all that God wants me to do, then what the heck do I have to worry about? In other words, if I'm obeying God and keeping his commands, then why spend my time worrying about anything else? God pieces the rest of the messy puzzle together for us if we let him and give him full control.
While a medical diagnosis that brings problems such as these might freak one out, I'm feeling relaxed and I'm holding on to God's promises. And maybe, just maybe, this what God's needed for me to continue to grow in his word and his truth, and to give him all that I've got.
PS- Graves' can go away in time with the help of medications or stay with a person for a long time- either way I know that eventually the medications will bring me back to normal. It won't be too long until I'm feeling normal again!
PPS- Thank you to everybody for the prayer, care and support. I very much appreciate the love and understand why you may ask what's going on. This blog was my hope to keep everyone up to speed with what's going on, and I will continue to keep you in the loop.
PPPS- I'll let my favorite band Relient K play us out with one of their great but overlooked songs- I'm on the up and up.
The Warriors are rapidly currying favor (see what I did there?) from fans and journalists all across the nation. But here's why 2016-17 won't be all sunshine and rainbows for the city by the Bay.
1)Many stars, still only one ball. Only so many points can be scored by an offense, and putting four guys who made last year’s All-NBA teams together doesn’t guarantee victory, shot attempts and by translation, happiness- just ask Kevin Love. The Warriors had no shortage of scoring or outside shooting in 2015-16, so how much better can their offense be? There comes a point where you to need remember that there is still only one ball that’s being played with in an NBA game, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
2)By adding Durant, the Warriors could be sacrificing some defense. Durant is no-slouch defensively, but Andre Iguodala is a hitman. Iguodala limited and contained LeBron in last year’s finals, until a back injury slowed Iguodala and allowed LeBron to run wild. With Barnes and Iguodala, it was easier for Steve Kerr to allocate minutes between the two wings. Durant is going to play significantly more minutes than Barnes demanded. Though Klay Thompson is a defensive whiz, the Warriors might struggle with distributing minutes among “the big four”, Iguodala and whatever big the Dubs want to roll with. If there’s a coach that can solve such an equation, it is Kerr, but this will be much more complicated than it looks on paper.
3)Size is a concern. Having a dominant big guy in today’s ever-changing NBA is quickly becoming overlooked and undervalued. Last year it appeared that the big man approach was outdated, until we got to May. Steven Adams and Tristan Thompson punished the Warriors in the low post. Losing Bogut was a bigger blow than expected, allowing Thompson a great number of offensive boards and letting LeBron to fly freely to the rim. Meanwhile, Varejao was flat-out awful in the Finals, making me wonder if the Cavs sent him over to Golden State as an undercover mole, in charge of messing things up. The Warriors did little to address their interior needs and even sacrificed Bogut and Ezeli for Durant. Other teams’ grind-it-out in the paint strategy could be their kryptonite. If they decide to run small with Iguodala with the big four, they will be at an even greater loss inside.
4)Team chemistry is equally as big of a concern. Look, Durant and Curry seem to love each other, and off-the-court I think this team should get along great. However, once this team hits adversity for the first time, it could have some serious problems. Durant is a very emotional guy, and it could be difficult for him if he has to defer even more than he did when he was playing with Westbrook. It’s not going to be fun for him traveling across the country and getting booed in every NBA arena outside of the Bay Area. LeBron had a tough time with it his first year in Miami and I think it showed. There’s going to be a lot more pressure. This could quickly become a miserable and far-from-fun year for this team.
Draymond could also get upset if the team struggles and he is capable of lashing out at any given moment. Draymond might want to touch the ball more and if he doesn’t, he could carry a bad attitude on defense, where he is needed most. Draymond might not like being the fourth guy that doesn’t make it on to posters and billboards. What if Durant has another foot injury? Or Curry hurts his knee again? This team could find itself in a great deal of turmoil very quickly, and is gambling on everybody staying healthy. The Warriors had to sacrifice some of their depth to get Durant, a roll of the dice that just about any team would take, but with any gamble comes the chance of coming up short.
5)The history of super-teams is not what one might think. The 2012-13 Lakers and 2003-04 Lakers are two prime examples of teams headed by four stars or more that couldn’t figure it out, and eventually burned into flames. Payton, Malone, Shaq and Kobe melted against an inferior Pistons team. Kobe, Dwight, Nash, Metta and Pau barely reached the 2013 playoffs and were immediately eliminated. Also keep the 2010-11 Heat in mind.
6)The Cavs are capable and the Cavs have LeBron. Though the Warriors caught some bad breaks in last year’s Finals, LeBron cemented his place as the best player in the league and with Kyrie, brought a title to Cleveland for the first time in decades. And I have no reason to think that the Cavs can't do it again.
7)The Spurs are capable. After losing Duncan and getting a raw deal in last year’s playoffs (pure robbery from the officials), the Spurs are still chugging along. Duncan passed the torch to Aldridge in the same way that David Robinson passed it to him early in the new millennium. Even without Duncan, the Spurs have the best frontcourt in the league headed by Kawhi, Pau and Aldridge. Pau will fit in beautifully with a great-passing and great-shooting team. Kawhi can lockdown Durant while Aldridge and Gasol (and whatever international big guy they have this year) bully the Warriors in the paint. Each of those bigs can step outside and knockdown mid and long-range jumpers too. Ginobili and Parker can still stroke it with Danny Green (another beast defender) and Patty Mills, and I love what the Spurs have to offer. Also, be on the lookout for Jonathon Simmons and Kyle Anderson. Both guys have shown a lot of promise and I think could be key contributors to another Spurs’ championship team.
While the Spurs might not carry the same star power or the same degree of shooting ability, the Spurs are a team. A team that can shoot, pass and grind, and a team that’s a little more versatile than the Dubs. And as we saw with those Lakers teams, the more talented team sometimes loses to the team that plays better together as a team.
I’ll take the Spurs over the Warriors in 7 and the Spurs over the Cavs in another 7.
I distinctly remember a scene from the non-memorable 2012 film The Watch.
Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn and company stumble upon an alien invasion and play Batman to their town as the vigilantes known as the neighborhood watch.
The gang shoots down an alien, after using several bullets, to which the alien squirms and fights for its dear life. Even when it appears to be dead, Stiller and Vaughn comically continue to shoot the alien out of fear that the alien could still come back to life. The thing just wouldn't die.
(The short bit can be seen from 1:35 to 1:54ish)
As I watched game 3 of the National League Division Series, one thing became increasingly clear- the San Francisco Giants are the annoying alien that never seems to die, defying every logical reason that they should be gone. In other words, they aren't dead until somebody actually chops their head off and puts them to bed.
Over the course of game 3, Cubs fans experienced a wide range of emotions, all the way from pure ecstasy and hope to bitter heartbreak and despair. The threat was real. It had felt as if the Cubs had stopped firing the gun and allowed the alien to get up and walk around.
Suddenly we were all reminded just how great of an empire the Giants have built. Midway through the 2010's, the Giants had already collected three rings- all in even-numbered years. The Giants had won each way imaginable, including a 2014 Wild Card run finishing in a game 7 thriller. With a 10-game win streak in elimination games, we knew exactly what the Bay Area Bombers were capable of.
Game 3 slipped out of the Cubs' fingers and with the Giants nursing a comfortable three-run lead a night later, panic set in for fans. A couple of guys were texting me wanting to talk about what the Cubs needed to do in the off-season- all this, with the Cubs still holding the 2-1 lead in the series. Yet at the time, it didn't seem so crazy; it felt like the Cubs were going to be the Giants' latest prey.
What happened next is something I haven't fully digested yet. Backed in to a corner, the Cubs offense came up big and knocked in four runs to take a 6-5 lead. Less than 24 hours after blowing game 3, Chapman made up for his mistakes and the Cubs were going to the NLCS. The alien had finally been obliterated.
Photo via AP
The Cubs actually did it. They performed a mafia hit on a dynasty and moved past a major roadblock. Though they had never faced this Giants' team in the playoffs before, they were now overcoming different demons.
Through four series', the Cubs had never won a playoff game in the pacific time zone, much less eliminated a west coast team from the playoffs. Ever. In the back of my mind, somewhere, there is my memory of the 2007 and 2008 playoffs, where the Cubs got swept in back-to-back NLDS's by the Diamondbacks and Dodgers.
Then there's the one time the Cubs have faced the Giants in the playoffs, in '89- when they split 1-1 at home, and got embarrassed on the west coast. And who can forget '84? My parents did an excellent job of shielding me from the misery that was '84 and the Cubby-killer that was Steve Garvey, until I stumbled upon one of the San Diego games last year on ESPN Classic. Oh, the evil and disturbing things you see in college.
But after a century and a quarter, the Cubs have gotten over another hump. And what better than to do it against a team that's a modern dynasty? A team that won its last 10 elimination games and possesses the indisputable, without argument, best postseason pitcher of the era? And what better way than to do it in dramatic, comeback fashion?
As the victory began to sink in, I started to think back to the 80s and 90s NBA Eastern Conference. Teams had to wait and pay their dues before they could be the new sheriff. Isiah had to wait through Bird's Celtics. Jordan had to get past Isiah's Pistons. Everyone else had to wait until Jordan stepped away from basketball (twice) to get their chance to reign supreme. The Knicks and Pacers, led by alpha dogs Reggie and Ewing, got to the top of the Eastern Conference, but only after Jordan was done running them over.
And now, for the National League in an even-numbered year of the 2010s, the Giants are finally out of the picture, and it's someone else's turn.
Pixar is no stranger to making references in its movies.
Whether it's a Buzz Lightyear toy in the background of the waiting room of the dentist's office of Finding Nemo, a Darth Vader reference in Toy Story 2 or one of the several references to The Shining throughout their films, Pixar has shown to enjoy placing familiar images in viewers' heads.
Finding Dory makes good use of this, however it may come in a less familiar way, if you caught it.
At the near-end of the film, Dory is lost swimming, until she notices a trail of shells. Her parents (who she has not seen since her adolescence) taught her at a young age to follow the trail of shells, and she'll be home. Dory continues upon the trail, to where she finds her parents still avidly searching for her after many years, still laying out shells. Her parents drop the shells and quickly swim over to warmly embrace Dory; it truly is a great feel-good moment. The camera zooms out and the audience sees that the parents have made dozens of different trails, all leading to the same place.
I couldn't help but think of several different biblical themes shown in this scene.
First, Dory's parents are named "Jenny" and "Charlie." I'm pretty sure that through every mention of them, it is always "Jenny and Charlie" and never "Charlie and Jenny." Now let's do something wild, and put the letters of their first names together. JC. Where else do we see "JC"? Jesus Christ?
Let's put Jesus in the place of Dory's parents.
In this case, the multitude of paths paved by shells lead to Jesus. Jesus is actively setting paths before his people, and actively searching for them.
Each Christian has their own unique personal journey that leads to Jesus. And God, who is a father, set that path before each of them.
There also comes a point where Dory is about to get to her parents. All of the sudden she gets scared and says that she isn't sure if she wants to see her parents. She wasn't sure if they would accept her after all of these years.
Oftentimes, as humans, we feel the weight of our sin and our human pride comes in to play. We don't feel like we are good enough for God. This is because we are undeserving of grace. In this case, Dory feels that she is undeserving of her parents' love after many years away from them.
The love that Dory is shown upon her arrival is reminiscent of the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15), a tale that further symbolizes the home and the feast that our Father is preparing for us in Heaven.
This wouldn't be the first time that director Andrew Stanton has used biblical imagery in his films. In 2008, he talked about the biblical influences on the making of Wall-E. So maybe there's something to this, or maybe this is a rare coincidence. I'll let you be the judge. Nevertheless, Pixar hit another home run with its 17th installment Finding Dory.
Q: Vegas gives the Cubs 4-1 odds of winning it all. Too high, too low, or just right? -Jon, Mequon, WI
JV: TOO HIGH!
First, let's take a look at the most recent teams with the highest odds of winning the World Series.
In 2015, it was the Washington Nationals, at 6-1. In 2014, it was the Los Angeles Dodgers at 11-2. 2013? The Nationals again at 6-1. 2012?
And just how did all of those teams finish?
'15 Nationals: 83-79, missed playoffs.
'14 Dodgers: 94-68, lost to Cardinals in the NLDS 3-1.
'13 Nationals: 86-76, missed playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Kansas City Royals (my 2015 preseason pick to win it all), after winning the American League pennant and pushing the World Series champion San Francisco Giants to a closer-than-people-remember-game 7, gave gamblers a 30-1 payout when they reached the top of the sports world last October.
Many teams have difficulties when the target is on their backs. Remember when the Cubs were favored to win the World Series after winning the NLDS as underdogs? And then they got swept.
This is a team that has performed at its best when there have been no expectations at all for them. And after waiting a 108 years to emerge victorious, the last thing the team needs is more pressure.
4-1 is a casino's meanless plea for ambitious gamblers to mortgage the farm on a sexy pick. Do the odds-makers know an awful lot about this stuff? Absolutely. But they will also try to trick and trap people in to bad bets, and in addition to that, if the Cubs do win the World Series, the payout won't be that high. So really, a good job done by them on this one.
In addition to the pressure, I don't expect the Cubs to be better than they were last season. Arrieta had a historically great season that won't be replicated by ANYBODY anytime in the foreseeable future. Arrieta will still be good. I don't think it was a fluke season and he can still make his first all-star appearance. However, I do worry about pitchers following up a 238-inning season, especially after never going more than 156 prior. But let's assume Arrieta is fine. He will NOT go 22-6 again. Let's say he wins 15 games this year, that means 7 wins will need to be picked up by other pitchers. (More on this in a bit)
Remember when you TP'd some girl's house in junior high? The first time it was fun and all, but the next time she overheard you were having a sleepover with your boys she and her friends prepared and threw eggs at you and your plan was much less effective? Let those awkward junior high moments serve as a symbol of what to expect out of the Cubs second-year players.
After impressive rookie campaigns from Addison Russell, Kris Bryant, Jorge Soler and Kyle Schwarber, the honeymoon phase is over. Pitchers are going to have all kinds of tendencies researched, and they are going to have a better idea of how to pitch to these guys.
We should know because as fans, we learned from experience. The 2013 season was one of the most miserable summers of my life. Following Anthony Rizzo's standout rookie season, the soon-to-be-star took a significant dip (.233 BA). Why? Because that's just a part of the process. It's growing pains and it happens to the best of them.
Expecting Bryant (.275 BA, .369 OBP, 26 HR's, 99 RBI's in 151 games), Schwarber (.246 BA, .355 OBP, 16 HR's, 43 RBI's in 69 games), Russell (.242 BA, .307 OBP, 13 HR's, 54 RBI's in 142 games) and Soler (.268 BA, .324 OBP, 15 HR's, 47 RBI's in 125 games) to up their production in their sophomore years would be flat-out unfair. Don't be surprised when half of those guys struggle this year. They'll be alright long-term; it's just a part of the process.
The Cubs will be in the mix in 2016, but to pick them as the favorites? If you take a closer look, you might realize that it is a tad bit far-fetched.
So who should be favored to win the World Series?
The same team has won the World Series every even-numbered year of this decade. The San Francisco Giants are backed by a Hall of Fame manager, a stacked lineup, a very much improved pitching rotation and a steady bullpen. The Giants made the moves that I wanted the Cubs to make. Jeff Samardzija is poised for a bounce-back season after a forgettable 2015. Johnny Cueto, despite his inconsistency, has shown that he has the capability to mow teams down when it matters. Couple the pair with the most dominant postseason pitcher of this era (Madison Bumgarner) and you are looking at an absolutely filthy team. Neither Cueto or Samardzija will be asked to be an ace, and if they struggle, they lose nothing from the moves. They also don't play in the best division in baseball (the N.L. Central) and have a better chance of avoiding the play-in game. But if they do face the play-in game, they can just throw Bumgarner at their opponent.
I'd give the Giants the highest odds at 6-1.
Q: How well does John Lackey fit into the rotation? -Andrew, Valparaiso, IN JV: The signing of John Lackey was an odd one, although we should have seen it coming. Lackey was a pick up of Theo's in Boston, and he, along with Josh Beckett and now current teammate Jon Lester (reunited!) were the at head of the pitching rotation for the Red Sox.
Lackey enjoyed his best statistical season in year 13 of his career in 2015, posting an ERA of 2.77 and winning the lone game he pitched in the postseason.
But there are some things that need to be considered:
A) Lackey is 37. Just a few years ago in 2011, he posted a 6.41 ERA in 2011. 2010? 4.40. His career looked over (aside from a 3.52 in 2013) until a mid-season trade to the Cardinals helped him achieve success. But even then, he still only pitched 4.30 in six starts after the trade.
B) Keep in mind the Cardinal effect. Yes, that's a thing.
There are certain teams that have systems that allow players to play better than what they might be. For whatever reason, players perform better in certain locations than others, and it doesn't always make sense.
Take a look at some past Cardinals pitchers, and even position players for that matter.
Jason Marquis: 15-7 with a 3.71 ERA in 2004. After fleeing for free agency in the winter of 2006, Marquis never had another ERA under 4.
Matt Morris: 2x All-Star, left the Cards after 2006 and posted a 4.89 ERA the next year. Was out of baseball by the end of 2008.
Kyle Lohse: went 16-3 with a 2.86 ERA in 2012 before testing the waters of free agency. Had an ERA of 5.85 in 2015 with the Brewers.
For more examples, see Joel Pineiro, Woody Williams, Julian Tavarez, and even Edwin Jackson. The list goes on.
So what am I getting at? I'm not crazy about the Lackey signing. Not only am I not sure how much he has left in the tank, but I don't see how big an upgrade he will be over an ailing Dan Haren. Pitching was the most glaring weak spot of the 2015 Cubs, and if they were willing to spend $180 million on one player this winter, I would have much rather seen them spend that on a big time pitcher.
The best thing about the signing is that it is only a two-year contract. So if it doesn't work out, they won't be stuck (a la Soriano).
But come on. $180 million dollars, and John Lackey is the best you could do?
Here's how I forecast this season's pitching staff:
Arrieta- takes a step back but is still very effective.
Lester- pitches better than he did last year and finds more consistency in his second year.
Hendricks- improves, and shows the same promise he did after his rookie campaign (7-2, 2.46 ERA).
Hammel- stays the same as he did last year.
The bottom is still shaky. Initially, I shook my head at the Price contract. But when I saw Jason Heyward get $22 million/year, I reconsidered.
If signing Greinke was out of the picture, I would have signed Samardzija to the same deal San Francisco gave him (5 years/$90 million). I truly believe that he is going to return to form (2.83 ERA with the Cubs before being shipped to Oakland) in 2016. His ERA inflated last year (4.96) due to a) not getting along or seeing eye-to-eye with his pitching coach b) being left in games longer than he should have been- there were times where he'd pitch a solid 6 innings and one run, but then get shelled in the later innings, and still be left out in to pitch, c) the designated hitter. Samardzija isn't an ace, but he would be a dang good number 3.
It didn't have to be Samardzija, it could have been Jordan Zimmermann, Mike Leake, Cueto, Doug Fister or Scott Kazmir... or Price or Greinke.
I think the Cubs could have done much more to improve their pitching staff, and even if Lester and Hendricks are better this season, the staff could be even weaker than it was last year (factoring in an Arrieta decline).
At the end of the day, Lackey will likely be placed in the number three role, and I will hope that the Cubs can ooze out every ounce of baseball he has left. (1 Arrieta, 2 Lester, 3 Lackey, 4 Hendricks, 5 Hammel).
Q: How good will Ben Zobrist be? -Laura, Wilmette, IL JV: For the last two years, I have been pleaing the Cubs to trade Starlin Castro to open up more playing time for Javy Baez and add another pitcher. The Cubs suddenly did this at the beginning of December, but it didn't go the way I had expected.
The Cubs dumped Starlin Castro in exchange for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. No disrespect to Adam Warren, who I think will actually be a good acquisition, but this is a 25 year-old middle infielder that has already made three All-Star appearances and is just nine hits away from 1,000. I thought for sure that Castro would be the type of player that you could package with a solid prospect or two for a really good pitcher. Instead, the move was made just to clear roster and salary space for another middle infielder, this one at the age of 35.
First: Castro might be at his best with the Yankees. He can DH, which would keep him from getting down on himself after making an error or a foolish play in the field. He also has a great manager that has a way of bringing a lot of the pieces he is given. The Yankees had no business playing postseason baseball last year but Girardi somehow got them there. This is a great landing spot for Starlin and I wish him the best.
Second: Although it might not have yielded the kind of return the Cubs could have used, I really like Zobrist as a player. He is a prototypical veteran leader that has been in the playoffs before and probably wants to win more badly than any other guy on the team. He's been with Joe Maddon and it worked out really well before, and most importantly, he can play six or seven different positions.
Zobrist is a great contract hitter, something the Cubs need. The Royals built their championship run on contact-hitting. They hit the Mets, something the Cubs couldn't do. I would like to see Zobrist lead off. Although he doesn't have the speed of the prototypical lead-off guy, that's okay. The Cubs don't have any true burners on the team, and Maddon's approach to stealing bases doesn't put an importance on speed.
What I like best about the signing is that after this year or next, the Cubs can move Zobrist to a bench role, and he can still play 120-140 games just by filling in for other guys to give them days off. It's not a sprint, it's a marathon and his arrival can help the team stay healthy.
While I would have liked to see Baez get to play every day to improve, we will just have to wait a little longer.
Zobrist will be good, but his numbers could drop off some time soon. But even if they do, he'll help the team in much more ways than hitting. Good pickup.
Q: Will Jason Heyward ever live up to his contract? And did the Cubs make the smart decision signing Heyward over pitchers on the market? -Evan, Lake Villa, IL
JV: Jason Heyward is without a doubt, an elite defensive player. At the age of 26, he already owns three Gold Gloves. And he had the 15th best WAR (a statistic that I don't fully trust yet) last season. But does anyone remember the hype on him when he up in 2010?
Articles like this were being written. Heyward was supposed to be the new Ken Griffey Jr.- a 5-tool player with Hall of Fame potential.
While Heyward has had a very nice WAR and a solid OBP the last few years, prior to joining the Cardinals last year, Heyward was a career .260 hitter. He hit .293 in a contract year with a team that we already talked about being amazing at player development and now he's a lifetime .268. La-di-fricken-da.
I like Heyward as a player, and perhaps he did figure things out last year. He still is just 26 and his best years may have yet to come. But for $22 million/year for 8 years?!
In a city haunted by bad contracts (Alfonso Soriano, Carlos Marmol, Jay Cutler, Derrick Rose, Carlos Boozer, Ben Wallace anyone?) I naturally fear big, long contracts. So much can happen; so much can change. What if the guy you gave all that money to gets hurt? *Cough* *cough* Derrick Rose. How many times have we been able to look and say, "that guy lived up to his big payday." It's rare.
Many are quick to point that Heyward can opt out after year 3 or year 4, but that still scares me. It is completely out of the Cubs' hands. Let's just say that Heyward were to opt out after year 3, at age 29. He would need to find an offer that's better than 5 years/$110 million. If he underperforms or gets hurt, what club would give him more money than that?
If the Cubs are stuck with Heyward on their payroll, it is going to be all the more difficult to bring back fan favorites and tomorrow's stars (KB, Schwarbz, Addy, Baez, Soler). Rizzo and Arrieta are going to need new contracts too. If a .268 hitter can yield the kind of contract that he did, what is going to be the price for a late-20's superstar? If I'm the GM, I want to keep those youngsters around for as long as possible. The longer they are here, the longer the Cubs' championship window is open. What I dislike most about the signing is that the Cubs have someone that's 21 that can play the outfield like Heyward very soon. Albert Almora can be a star. And the Cubs wouldn't have to shell out the kind of dough they did this past winter.
With that said however, no one in the farm system is ready to be the proven answer in center field this year. So I look at another nice move the Giants made. I would have liked the Cubs to add Denard Span. As mentioned earlier, the thing the Cubs are lacking is a burner on the basepaths that is also a consistent hitter. Span does all that with a flashy glove at a much cheaper price (4 years/$39 million).
By adding Heyward, the Cubs only clog up their outfield, blocking young prospects from seeing consistent playing time at the big league level (which will make them better) in coming years. In my eyes, the Cubs should treat 2016 like they did 2015. No "championship or bust," no pressure; just another growth season. Because if the Cubs can do what they did last year with rookie players, just picture the super team they can be in a few years when those players have flourished and enter their primes.
And before you give me the "I trust Theo" spiel, while Theo has drafted all of the right guys, made some great trades and made the Cubs what they are now, consider his track record with free agency.
He has done a really good job of picking up undervalued players like Chris Coghlan, Scott Feldman and Chris Denorfia. But some of Theo's big signings have made him look like a child foolishly using his dad's credit card.
J.D. Drew- 5 years/$70 million at age 31. Hit .264 over that span, and a dismal .222 in his final season.
Julio Lugo- 4 years/$36 million at age 31. Hit .251.
Mike Cameron- 2 years/$16 million at age 37. Hit .219.
Daisuke Matsuzaka- paid over $100 million to negotiate and sign him from Japan. Although dominate in his sophomore season (18-3), Matsuzaka's ERA with the Sox was 4.52, including an 8.28 (yikes!) in his last year with the team.
David Wells- at age 41, Theo gave Wells a 2 years/$18 million deal in 2005. His ERA was 4.45 and 4.98 over the two years.
Edwin Jackson- 4.98 and 6.33 in two years with the Cubs before being released mid-season in 2015. The Cubs are still giving him paychecks through 2016, the last year of his 4 year/$52 million deal.
Not a great list.
I wouldn't have signed Heyward to the contract that he received. And I would have rather had them put that money towards pitching. Which brings us to... Q: Is there any player(s) on the Cubs [that] baseball fans should watch during Spring Training? -Robert, Valparaiso, IN
I am assuming that you are talking about young players.
Albert Almora plays with a grittiness in the outfield that is rarely seen from players. Look him up on YouTube and you'll see what I'm talking about. He started to bust out of a slump last summer and caught fire in his last two months in AA Tennessee. For more on him, check out this article I wrote last fall.
For Cubs fans, Ian Happ and Arismendy Alcantara should be interesting to keep an eye on. Alcantara was supposed to be the Cubs' utility guy last year, but after a lackluster spring he spent the year in AAA batting an even more lackluster .231. Happ struggled (.259) in his first year in the Cubs' farm system after being picked ninth overall in the 2015 MLB Amateur Draft.
Another to watch would be outfielder Billy McKinney, who slapped a .340 in Myrtle Beach prior to his AA promotion last year. He's got good wheels and the tools to be a really good outfielder. And the Cuban Eddie Martinez who was signed in the off-season also is intriguing.
But for baseball fans like yourself, Robert, watch out for Gleyber Torres, Dan Vogelbach and Wilson Contreras. Why? Because they may be coming to a city near you!
Torres is 19 year-old shortstop from Venezuela that slashed .293 in 2015 class A South Bend, earning him the title of #41st best prospect in all of baseball via Baseball Prospectus. He'll need to work on his fielding--he committed 27 errors in 2015--but his bat is worthwhile. New Starlin Castro?
Dan Vogelbach physically looks like Kyle Schwarber. In fact, some fans have already mistook him for Schwarber, asking for Schwarbs' autograph at spring training. Vogelbach is a good hitter, but not a great fielder. He's likely a future DH.
Jeimer Candelario has impressed too. He has some value.
Wilson Contreras is #57 on the same list that Torres appeared on. Considering that the Cubs drafted Kyle Schwarber as a catcher and have talked about getting him more reps at catcher, Contreras may not be in the Cubs' long-term plans... or Schwarber could be the odd man out. But the 23 year-old hit .333 last year in AA. I imagine that he isn't far away from playing at the big league level, but there aren't a lot of openings on the Cubs' 25-man. After I saw him at spring training though, I would like to keep him. He's the best fielding catcher the Cubs have and he calls a good game. Depending on Contreras' performance, Montero's days may be numbered.
So what does that mean?...
Q: What will the Cubs be doing at the trade deadline? Who will they be moving in and out? -Chris, Winnetka, IL
JV: Last year I predicted a Starlin Castro-for-Tyson Ross trade. Although it didn't happen, I think think Ross is still on the Cubs' radar. This one will be dependent on the Padres' asking price. Will it be as a ridiculous as reported last season?
The Oakland A's are back in rebuilding mode. 26 year-old All-Star Sonny Gray is the team's most prized possession. The Cubs might realize that they need another pitcher. Adding the American League's third best pitcher last year would make all the difference for the Cubs' pitching staff. Imagine a trio of Arrieta-Gray-Lester and then take your pick from Hendricks, Lackey and Hammel in a playoff series.
With that said, if I was in Theo/Jed's shoes there are a handful of position players I would not trade. Rizzo, Bryant, Russell, Schwarber, Baez, Soler and Almora are untradeable RIGHT NOW in my eyes. I think that's the core of the team (who all came up together) that can shape a Chicago Blackhawks-like dynasty on the North Side. That can change. But right now I think it's most wise to keep them all.
The good news is that the Cubs are so loaded, they probably are capable of acquiring a big ticket pitcher without having to part ways with any of the seven named above. Besides, knowing Billy Beane, the A's will be more interested in minor leaguers that are younger and haven't begun their service time yet. So I would trade some kind of combination of Torres, Candelario and Vogelbach. If needed, although I really like McKinney, he could go in this deal and I would be okay with it. McKinney was originally drafted by Beane, so he has to like McKinney. Here's another hypothetical: if (big if) the Cubs outfield deals with injuries, couldn't you see Chris Coghlan being added to this trade to make a return and make another playoff run?
Sonny Gray to the Cubs will be my kind-of-prediction/hope-it-happens trade of the season. But I hope from the bottom of my heart that it doesn't mean letting go of Soler, Baez or Almora. I think all can be All-Stars with Hall of Fame-like potential. Baez can be Jeff Kent + killer wheels, better baseball instincts and a flashy glove. I've already defended Almora and I think trading Soler is humorous after his killer playoff series against the Cardinals. He brought life to the team, gave them an offensive pick-me-up and threw out a runner at home that killed a rally in game four. I think Soler is going to have a really good 2016, the best of the Cubs' sophomores.
The Cubs were far more aggressive this offseason than they have been in any since Theo/Jed took over. That could hint at a blockbuster trade in July. Only time will tell.
One more trade idea: the Cleveland Indians have been stuck in average-team-mode for quite some time now. If they don't break out, would it make sense for them to trade Corey Kluber? Because I would love to have Corey Kluber on the Cubs! I'd trade the same package for Gray/Kluber but nothing more.
Q: How does the signing of Dexter Fowler and the trade of Chris Coghlan impact the Cubs' outfield situation? Where does that leave Kyle Schwarber? On that note, will Kyle Schwarber ever be a full or most of the time catcher? -James, Prospect Heights, IL
JV: Fowler's return was about as confusing as the ending of Looper. While it didn't make me as angry at Cubs' management as I was at the filmmakers of Looper, I was upset/disappointed at the result of the decision, because it meant losing Chris Coghlan.
On a team of youngsters that like to have fun, Coghlan was the appropriate adult in the room when needed. He did a lot for the Cubs, and though the team added Zobrist I'm not sure the team needed to part ways with Coghlan.
Door 1: Fowler, 2: Heyward, 3: Austin Jackson, 4: Coghlan.
Coghlan actually hit better than Heyward in 2014 and I think he's going to hit well again this year. Coghlan brought the team more versatility than Fowler, and Coghlan graciously accepted his move to a bench role. He knew his role and he made the most of it.
I would rather take Coghlan than Fowler. While Fowler was alright, a fan favorite and a fixture in the clubhouse, he hit poorly in the first half of the year and his defense was bad all year round. He looked lackadaisical. I thought the move of adding Heyward was to upgrade defensively from Fowler (even though Heyward has seldom played center in his career). Now the Cubs intend to have Fowler starting with Schwarber/Soler platooning. I'm still confused. If it means less playing time for young players that are developing in to stars, I'm not in to it. I think Soler and Schwarber are better players than Dex.
I guess my biggest thing is that if the Cubs had planned to bring back Fowler this whole time, then why make the splurge for Heyward? The Cubs only need one of those types of players in their starting lineup, and they could have saved a whole lot of money.
Reports are saying that Cubs intend to use Schwarber behind the plate. If that's the case, I really like that. Schwarber strikes me as the type of guy that would work his rump off until he gets something right. If he needs to be a catcher, he can be a catcher. If he needs to be an outfielder, he can be an outfielder. Besides, Montero is a liability defensively sometimes; how much worse can he be?
It will be tough to find playing time for Schwarber behind the plate with two other catchers on the 25-man and Contreras lurking. But if the Cubs are able to make this work, we could expect Schwarber playing catcher half of the time with days off and days in the outfield in just a year or two. Having someone that can hit the way Schwarber does playing catcher would be great for any team. Perhaps Montero will be traded in a year or two if Schwarber shows significant improvement behind the plate.
So in summary, yes, Schwarber can be a full-time or most-of-the-time catcher, but obviously that won't be happening this year.
On the topic of catchers...
Q: What will be the legacy left by David Ross, as he heads into the final season of a legendary career? -Daniel, Glen Ellyn, IL
JV: David Ross will be remembered as a great clubhouse guy that will make a great coach/manager one day and called a good game behind the play while making nice, heads-up defensive plays, but the guy couldn't hit for crap and his buddy Jon Lester found jobs for him in his final four seasons.
In the one season Ross appeared in 100 games (2007- he played 112 games), he batted .203. Last year, he hit .176. The Cubs should have made a behind-the-scenes handshake with Ross that would involve a paycheck and Ross taking a job as a bench coach. If it weren't for Lester, Ross would be out of the bigs by now.
Q: Soler? Baez? How will they be utilized? -Justin, Champaign, IL
JV: So it sounds like there will be some kind of rotation going on between Soler/Schwarber/Fowler in the outfield. A popular statistic that people point to is the dip in numbers Soler experienced in colder games. Don't expect many starts from Soler in home games in April. Soler will do some pinch-hitting, but I don't think Fowler is going to play as much as he did last year. He shouldn't. I think Soler and Schwarber are better players than Dex already, and clearly have higher ceilings.
Soler also has had issues staying healthy, so perhaps some extra rest will help him. My hope is that Soler doesn't transition into a bench role. If the Cubs are playing in a play-in game, he should be starting. I don't expect Soler to be a full-on bench guy.
Maddon's plan for Baez this year is to be a Zobrist-in-training. He should make some spot starts in the outfield, and Maddon plans on using him as the back-up first baseman. He should be able to fill in for any infielders. Also, Zobrist likely won't be playing 140 games this year. Last year he only played 126. At age 35, Zobrist will probably play about the same amount he did last year and he will be moving around too.
My prediction? Baez impresses this season and takes over as the starting or most-of-the-time second baseman next year. I also think Soler will have a really good year.
Q: What will be the impact, if any, of the Matt Murton signing? -Daniel, Glen Ellyn, IL
JV: None.
Q: Who is your fav player? -Laura, Wilmette, IL
JV: This is the toughest question I've received in this mailbag. It was hands down, Mike Olt for the last two years. But when the Cubs cut Mike Olt and then traded Chris Coghlan I had to pick a new one. But I will go with Kyle Hendricks. I had a very pleasant conversation with him at spring training last year. Great guy.
But really, a lot of them are great guys. Theo/Jed have built this team up with good character guys.
In terms of entertainment, my favorite players to watch are Soler, Baez and Russell. But if Almora does come up this year and plays like he has in the minors, he might quickly become my new favorite.
Q: What ever happened to Ronnie Woo-Woo? -Daniel, Glen Ellyn, IL
He's still there. Q: A fun one: what's the over under on how many unique lineup cards not counting the pitcher Joe Maddon turns in this regular season, my vote: 130. -James, Prospect Heights, IL
JV: Whoa! Holy smokes. 130 is a lot. I'm gonna go under that. Let's roll with 83. Is there a person that keeps track of this? Can we make one? Great question!
Q: How far do you think they'll make it this year? -Laura, Wilmette, IL
While I have pooh-poohed this Cubs team all throughout this blog, the Cubs have a chance to do it this year. They're a lot closer than we expected they would be at this point. I once read a story that in the winter of 2011, when a new front office took over, a brand new front office employee walked in to the room and said, "Well, 2017 is the year." Although it may sound comical, I believe that is the track the Cubs were on from the start, and have been on ever since. I think everybody is surprised that they would win 97 games and a playoff series in 2015. I think the early success accelerated the hopes and expectations of what could be a future dynasty. They've gone all in now and there's no turning back.
But I'm just not sure if they are completely there yet for the reasons I have already listed off. Are the Cubs capable of winning the World Series this season? Absolutely. But here's my prediction:
The Cubs have to deal with the play-in game again. When you have to win the play-in game, all bets are off. Anything can happen on any given day. Let's just say the Cubs win the play-in game again. Depending on who they have to deal with, I say they exit the playoffs in the NLDS or the NLCS. So much can happen, and injuries can occur, so this is subject to change- but I have trouble seeing them getting past the Giants right now. But I think they redeem themselves and reign supreme in 2017.
That's me as an unbiased sportswriter.
This is me as a Cubs fan: the Cubs can win it all in 2016 and put an end to all our suffering. The Cubs can do it. We're on our way. Go Cubs go.
I can't pinpoint a time where I had one previous to Wednesday. I can't remember ever feeling like I was out of breath when I hadn't been running or swimming.
What preceded this was the weight what has been perhaps the heaviest semester of my life.
19 credits. 7 classes. Work. Multiple deaths in my life over the past two months, including the deaths of two friends and a childhood friend and teammate. And now most recently, hearing of the health problems of my grandmother.
For two years, I walked my grandma's dog every single day. We have a very close relationship. And over the last three weeks, she has been in the hospital three separate times.
So here I am, losing my breath and feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders. I had to write three stories for the school newspaper and turn in a project that would be worth 10% of my grade the next day.
My body just gave out for a little bit and shot me a warning that I need to slow myself down a little bit, otherwise I could find myself in worse trouble.
So I thought about it. And I asked myself the question, aside from the grueling work and schoolwork I was doing (which everybody else has to do), what else was I spending my energy on? Why was I so exhausted?
The answer immediately became clear to me. Fear. Worry.
For years, I have gotten anxiety and depressed at random times. It's just the way my brain is wired. But in that moment, it finally clicked to me. Stop worrying.
Stop worrying. Perhaps the most frequent thing we are told NOT to do in the Bible is to fear.
Some examples:
Matthew 6:25-34, summed up by verse 34: "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
Isaiah 41, summed up by verse 10: "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
1 John 4:7-21, summed up by verse 18: "Perfect love casts out fear."
And the list goes on. Throughout the scriptures, God is telling us continually not to worry, because he's got us. He's going to take care of us. And if something unfortunate were to happen--for example the death of my friend Patrick--he still is there for us. He is still doing things that we might not see.
I think it's interesting that in that passage from 1 John, he juxtaposes love to fear. Wouldn't you expect it to be something like, love vs. hate? Or hope vs. fear? It's because love and hope are synonymous and fear comes from the enemy.
In 1 Peter, the disciple Peter describes the devil as a "roaring lion" roaming around looking for its prey (us). The negative thoughts that we get come from him. He's looking for a foothold. And I realized that the thoughts of worry I get about my grandma come from him. It's his way of trying to take me down.
Whatever happens with my grandma is completely out of my control. And I know that she wouldn't want me to get down or to worry about her. Nor would Patrick or Brad, who passed away untimely. They all would want me to keep living my life and giving it my all. They wouldn't want me to slow down for anything.
It's so easy to get worked up about things. Heck, this has been the worst two-month stretch I can remember going through. But God is still doing something. He's still giving me life every single day. God is still good.
So in summary, Satan = depression, anxiety and all the other messed up stuff.
