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Saturday, February 12, 2022

Critical Zone Athlete - 400 & 800 Training and The US High School Track Show

  Ryan Banta

Critical Zone Athlete - 400 & 800 Training - Ryan Banta

Description

In this course, Coach Ryan Banta reveals multiple weekly practice plans for the 400m and 800m athletes that you need to know in order to improve their times. He emphasizes the necessity to train your athletes for both races. If you are a coach who wants to make your 400m and 800m runners stronger and faster, then this is the course for you!  Book this course..... (Continued below...)

On this week's US High School Sports Show we bring you the highlight reel of an outstanding middle-distance sprinter from India. We cap it off with some distance running training advice from Coach Marisa Tuzzi. Let's get after it!

Part one:
Kimaya Tandon (Fall 2023) - College Track & Field Recruiting Video.
Contact information is on the video.

Part two:
Distance Running For Track - Weekly Schedule.
In this course, Coach Marisa Tuzzi details multiple workouts, and practice plans for long-distance training. She even reveals some of her own drills and sample weeks you need to know in order to make your athletes faster. If you are a coach who needs help planning practice or need some new drills to throw into the mix, then this is the course for you!
For the complete video: - https://shrsl.com/3dry4 -



The Coach

Ryan Banta

(...Continued.....)Coach Ryan Banta has been a Track & Field coach for 19 years. He is also the author of "The Sprinter's Compendium" and writes for elitetrack.com and speed endurance.com. He is the Head Women's Track & Field coach at Parkway Central High School starting in 2003. He is also the Head Women's Cross Country coach at Parkway Central High School starting in 2013. He also has USATF Level II in sprints, relays, endurance, and hurdles. Coach Banta is also the MTCCCA VP and an MSHSAA Board Member. 

Coaching Accolades:

  • 84 school records
  • 2 top 4 finishers in 2008 and 2009
  • District Champions in 2007, 2008, and 2009
  • 4 runner up finishes at districts 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014
  • 2 state records in the 4×800m and 3200m run
  • 14 nationally ranked events
  • 34 all-state performances
  • 7 runner up finishes
  • 8 state championship events
  • 70 state qualifiers(Track and Cross Country)  
  • Book this course today.....
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Friday, February 11, 2022

Adding Deadlifts to Your Fitness Program

 

  • Author Jonathon Hyatt
After the squat, the deadlift might just be the most important exercise for physical fitness. It's such a basic movement, yet it involves almost every muscle in your body.
Even better, most trainees can deadlift more weight than with any other exercise! No matter your current goals, this is one move you've got to be doing. Here are a few ways you can add deads to your own lifting program.

Heavy Lifting for Mass

Heavy deadlifts will put slabs of muscle on your back like no other exercise. They'll also stimulate new growth in your quads, hamstrings, traps, and even biceps. If you have one day per week for training your back, try getting a few heavy sets in before your pull-ups and rows. If you train your upper and lower body on separate days - or if you train every muscle at every session - rotate deadlifts in with your other leg exercises.

Deadlifts for Fat Loss?

Most people don't think of heavy lifting as good exercise for fat loss. However, it's FAR more effective than cardio can ever be! Heavy deadlifts activate muscles all over your body, and they have to work hard to move all that weight. This is metabolically demanding, and you'll burn hundreds more calories for hours after a good training session. However, you've got to focus on deadlifts and other "big" movements. Curls, raises, and other isolation exercise are not very demanding, and they will have minimal impacts on your metabolism and body composition.

Condition with High Reps

If you've got great form, then deadlifts can actually be a good conditioning tool, as well. While sets of five or six are great for building muscle, high reps will tax your cardiovascular system like nothing else. When it's too rainy to run - or you just don't have time to hit the track - try knocking out a few sets of twenty with short rest periods. Just make sure you keep your back in a safe position when you start to get fatigued.

Tips for Perfect Form

Despite its simplicity, there are still several important form tips for the deadlift. Make sure you understand this advice before including deadlifts in your physical fitness program.

*Keep your lower back in a safe position. Arched or flat is fine, but a rounded back will inevitably lead to injuries.

*Lift with your whole body. Make sure you're engaging your hips, quads, and hamstrings in addition to your back.

*Pull back. You should think about pulling the weight "backwards" as you get it off the floor. This keeps the bar as close to your body as possible, making for a faster, smoother rep.

*Mix your grip. Once you start deadlifting some heavy weights, you'll need to alternate the directions your palms face when you grip the bar. This keeps it from rolling out of your hands.

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Wednesday, February 9, 2022

Is Society Becoming More Polarized Because of Social Media?

 

  • Author Liam Barrett
Research Proposal

This paper discusses how social media is causing society to be more polarized in politics. It can be argued that social media does not have any impact on the standpoint of political and social beliefs, but there are numerous examples of how it has impacted society and history. The effects are not well known to many citizens on what exactly social media is doing to society. Young people are easily influenced by social media’s manipulative tactics. It is crucial to address the effects of social media because it may ultimately change the future. A fundamental problem in social media is that many people only see one side of a story, which influences their political views. If many people become increasingly divided in their beliefs and opinions from each other, it can cause violence and prevent the advancement and growth of society. This research project will pull from many databases and sources of information to best examine how social media is impacting the polarization of the public. The research shows that social media is causing society to be more politically and socially diverse.

Abstract

Society is becoming more polarized because of social media’s numerous platforms and manipulative business models, which have political and social impacts. It is established that social media can be manipulative and have very real effects on individuals. Research has shown that there are and will be more problems in society due to social media, which includes more violence between political groups and people with different backgrounds and lifestyles. Polarization is the increasing division between two attitudes or beliefs to ideological extremes, and it causes many changes to occur in society throughout everyday life.

The research was gathered from online articles, databases, documentaries, and books that prove social media is causing polarization in society.

With all of the numerous platforms, there is a great amount of false and biased information to possibly be spread. These platforms are manipulative and cause polarization which has many political and social impacts on society.

In conclusion, social media has many ways of being polarizing to society. It is proven that social media does have a serious impact on many people’s lives in society.

Democrat or Republican. White or Black. Us or Them. Polarization is the increasing division between two attitudes or beliefs to ideological extremes that causes many changes to occur in society throughout everyday life. When social media was first created, many citizens did not realize the possible and countless real effects of polarization in society. Society is becoming more polarized because of social media’s numerous platforms and manipulative business models, which have political and social impacts.

The numerous social media platforms available provide more polarized opinions than ever before and target age groups differently. Back in the 1960s, there were only three channels that were broadcasted on television: NBC, CBS, and ABC (Ganzel 2007). These television channels had minimal biases. Now, there’s Tiktok, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, along with hundreds of cable networks and radio stations that have all different kinds of information. The many platforms cause people to be more polarized because more information can be false, manipulated, or biased. Author Hong expresses that “Daily, citizens share information published via government Twitter accounts, and the content may be fragmented or customized. Furthermore, the trend for information to be shared in this way may not be easily reversed” (Hong 2016). These platforms also target age groups differently. Facebook is generally used by older citizens, TikTok is commonly used by teenagers and younger kids, Instagram and Twitter are social media apps that are commonly used by many different ages of people (but still mainly appeal to the youth). Author Hong explains that “Twitter has emerged as a key platform on which anyone with a smartphone can engage in political discourse” (Hong 2016). Similar age groups engage in political debates over social media, which separates the spread of ideas between generations. This spread of false information causes differences in viewpoints between those who are constantly fed information from one biased source and those who are fed information from a different biased source. Twitter can post something about politics and have it be spread instantly to citizens all across the world with information many people will remember. Overall, the many social media platforms available are contributing to the polarization of the public.

The business models of these platforms are polarizing their users because they focus on selling ads, reinforcing viewpoints by showing people what they want to see, and fostering addiction. Platforms sell advertisements to companies for a profit. Instagram’s website appeals to businesses by telling companies that “each ad is tailored to the actions users took on [the business’s] site” and that they can “promote specific products a user viewed or are likely to buy” and “up-sell existing clients with related offerings” (AdRoll 2021). Social media apps track what a viewer does on an app and then sends ads that are believed to be related to what the viewer likes. A simple advertisement shows people what they want to see (they are exposed to only what they are already interested in). Similarly, social media can make a person have a certain belief about something that they can reinforce by never exposing them to the other side or by portraying the opposite side in an excessively negative, harsh light. Reinforcement of viewpoints is another highly common business model of social media apps. Algorithms are the way in which a viewpoint is reinforced to a citizen through an app and there are many different ones. Certain algorithms send and suggest information to a viewer that is related to what was looked at previously and is information that the viewer wants to see. On TikTok, there is something called a “for you page,” which has endless videos that are related to videos the viewer has previously watched. James Cooper talks about how “TikTok focuses on the performance of each individual video rather than [taking] into account your whole profile. The platform looks at the amount of rewatches, shares, comments and likes each video gains” (Cooper 2021). Viewpoints on social media that people disagree with are rarely shown to opposing sides, leading to social media “bubbles.” “Polarization in the U.S. could be driven by exposure to views people disagree with, rather than being separated from them by filter bubbles'' (Lee De-Wit, Sander Van Der Linden, Cameron Brick 2019). This leads to an increase in polarization. Another documentary says, “We’ve created a world in which online connection has become primary. Especially for younger generations. And yet, in that world, anytime two people connect, the only way it’s financed is through a sneaky third person who’s paying to manipulate those two people. So we’ve created an entire global generation of people who were raised within a context with the very meaning of communication, the very meaning of culture, is manipulation.” (Lainer 2020). Social media apps are designed to be addictive and manipulative, which is caused by algorithms designed to keep people happy in their comfort zones, contributing to polarization. The business model of these apps also fosters addiction. One reason people get addicted to social media is that it creates a sense of well-being. If someone posts something and gets many likes and followers, it can cause a feeling of euphoria, which would not have occurred without the use of social media. “When we replace the human-level communities we thrive in—such as religion, civic responsibility, education, and volunteerism—with communities online that give us a false sense of power, we are heading down the path of failure” (Zito 2019). Social media provides a false sense of power and righteousness because people are manipulated into developing extreme opinions through the problematic business models of social media platforms and are rewarded by the addictive nature of these apps to keep their opinions.

The effects of polarization range from political riots to social beliefs that focus on an “Us vs. Them” attitude. One of the biggest effects of polarization is seen in politics. The article “Are Social Media Driving Political Polarization?” says “Since 1994, the number of Americans who see the opposing political party as a threat to ‘the nation’s well-being’ has doubled.” (Lee De-Wit, Sander Van Der Linden, Cameron Brick 2019). More citizens are either Democrats or Republicans instead of moderates, which is caused by social media feeding negative beliefs toward the opposing political group. There is even evidence that shows that the most recent election has affected people’s viewpoints because of social media. Violence at the capitol building is the result of social media encouraging political violence by spreading rumors about rigged election counts and secret terrorist organizations. There are also numerous amounts of social polarization in our society. Social media has created tension about the subject of racism in society today. “Cancel culture” pits the public against a single individual and allows people to be easily criticized. When this happens, some people apologize for their actions and join the canceling majority, but others, rather than admitting to making a mistake, only strengthen their previous beliefs to justify their actions. Many people believe that African Americans are still not completely equal to white Americans, and this has caused lots of anger in society. "Big Walter used to say, he'd get right wet in the eyes sometimes, lean his head back with the water standing in his eyes and say, 'Seem like God didn't see fit to give the black man nothing but dreams - but he did give us children to make them dreams seem worth while” (Hansberry 29). Many African American citizens in society today are still being degraded and people on social media are arguing about it, which has caused lots of violence and riots from those who support this idea and those who do not. “I used to support BLM, but now I see them as violent domestic terrorists not interested in addressing the real problems within the Black community. BLM is about a communist revolution not about helping the Black community…” (Perrin 2020). This is an example of a person who had his beliefs manipulated by social media. His opinion on Black Lives Matter changed because of misinformation that has been spread about the purpose of the movement. It proves that social media has caused many citizens to argue issues about racism and think negatively toward someone who has a different view on something. Along with these topics, there is an increase in polarization on the topic of sexism and sexual preference. All of these are just examples of how the public is becoming more polarized.

Social media is contributing to the polarization of the public. There are many effects, such as an increase in people who have extreme views, which can lead to violence between opposing groups. People on social media and social media platforms have greatly contributed to an increase in polarization in society. Many citizens do not realize how social media’s manipulative business models are making people more separated from each other. There have been many effects and more will continue to happen if social media keeps reinforcing polarization in society.

Works cited

AdRoll. “Facebook and Instagram Ads with AdRoll.” AdRoll, 2021, www.adroll.com/sem/facebook-instagram-ads?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=intl-facebookbudget-signup&utm_term=instagram-ad&utm_content=instagram+ad&ar_clx=yes&ar_channel=google_ads&ar_campaign=10167352534&ar_adgroup=101817626877&ar_ad=506815353270&ar_strategy=search&gclid=Cj0KCQjw0oCDBhCPARIsAII3C_FScYs0bLRyK1fAI8cwrfbSFDTf6kyFg2cyCzkliImv9P0WuBmNgV4aAuxMEALw_wcB.

Cooper, James. “TikTok Marketing Companies (2020).” Business of Apps, 10 Mar. 2021,

www.businessofapps.com/marketplace/tiktok/.

Fitzgerald, F. Scott. Great Gatsby. New directions, 2021

Ganzel, Bill. Television, Wessets, 2007, livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe50s/life_17.html.

Hong, Sounman. Political Polarization on Twitter: Social Media May Contribute to Online

Extremism, OpenScholar, 2016, scholar.harvard.edu/sounman_hong/political-polarization-twitter-social-media-may-contribute-online-extremism.

Instagram for Business, Instagram, 1 May 2019, business.instagram.com/.

Lee de-Wit, Sander Van Der, et al. “Is Social Media Driving Political Polarization?” Greater Good,

Greater Good Magazine, 16 Jan. 2019, greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/is_social_media_driving_political_polarization.

Orlowski, Jeff. “The Social Dilemma.” Netflix Official Site, 9 Sept. 2020,

www.netflix.com/title/81254224.

Perrin, Andrew. “23% Of Users in U.S. Say Social Media Led Them to Change Views on an

Issue; Some Cite Black Lives Matter.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 16 Oct. 2020,

Zito, Salena. "Social Media Does Not Reflect the Real America." Gale Opposing Viewpoints

Online Collection, Gale, 2021. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/EGEVZE488199519/OVIC?u=cast18629&sid=OVIC&xid=f3dd7713. Accessed 18 Feb. 2021. Originally published as "The perils of trading social

Annotated Bibliography

Hong, Sounman. Political Polarization on Twitter: Social Media May Contribute to Online

Extremism, OpenScholar, 2016, scholar.harvard.edu/sounman_hong/political-polarization-twitter-social-media-may-contribute-online-extremism.

This is a great source written by a professor from Harvard who talks about social media and how it is creating polarization in society. It says that social media creates networks of people with similar viewpoints which can influence many things including politics. It even states that the recent presidential elections have been manipulated because of social media. Political leaders and followers of them can easily and quickly spread information about them or events related to them and it causes numerous impacts and polarization.

Lee de-Wit, Sander Van Der, et al. “Is Social Media Driving Political Polarization?” Greater Good,

Greater Good Magazine, 16 Jan. 2019, greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/is_social_media_driving_political_polarization.

This is a reliable resource that talks a lot about how social media is contributing to polarization in the United States. It specifically says how in politics the percent of democrats and republicans has increased greatly rather than groups in between them. It also states that social media only shows one side to an event which is and can lead to polarization. Many democrats and republicans have thoughts that the opposing political party is a threat to the nation's well-being. This source has a lot of good and reliable information I can use in my research paper.

Orlowski, Jeff. “The Social Dilemma.” Netflix Official Site, 9 Sept. 2020,

www.netflix.com/title/81254224.

The social dilemma is a Netflix documentary that thoroughly discusses the effects and the dangers of social media in society. It talks about how social media was designed and its effects can be very polarizing. It talks about how social media easily manipulates a person; it keeps showing information that the person viewing it wants to see which can reinforce opinions. This is a reliable source to use with lots of information to show people how social media is very much impacting society and making it more polarized.

Zito, Salena. "Social Media Does Not Reflect the Real America." Gale Opposing Viewpoints

Online Collection, Gale, 2021. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/EGEVZE488199519/OVIC?u=cast18629&sid=OVIC&xid=f3dd7713. Accessed 18 Feb. 2021. Originally published as "The perils of trading social interaction for social media," Washington Examiner, 18 Aug. 2019.

This database is all about how social media does not reflect the real media because of its information. It says that social media was designed to bring people together but in reality, it is doing the opposite. It says that social media can often punish people with unpopular ideas because the apps create standards to be the perfect person. I also learned and read on the website that social media creates a false sense of power. On social media people receive likes and comments which can often create a false sense of fame which in real life people do not receive. This database article gave me a lot of good information that I can use to show how social media is making society more politically diverse.

I am a Softmore at Chaparral Highschool. This is my research paper on how social media is making society more diverse. My email is Barrettlm@s.dcsdk12.org.

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Tuesday, February 8, 2022

Concealed Carry Featuring: Self Defense Techniques – Using a Handheld Flashlight

 

by  

Final Lesson in this 11-part series

We promote a self-defense strategy that begins with a proper mindset of awareness and avoidance. Unfortunately, avoidance isn't always possible, and when de-escalation is ineffective or impractical, we can make the mistake of thinking our everyday carry (EDC) handgun is the solution. Without question, a handgun is a fantastic tool in some self-defense situations, but certainly not all of them.self defense

Close-Quarters Self-Defense:

We need to develop other skills to defend against an attack at a close distance. Unfortunately, even though most of us know this reality, many still fail to grow in this area.

For this reason, our friend and instructor, Matt Numrich, has produced an 11-part video training program on Close Quarter Defensive Tactics. Today, we will share one of the videos from that series below, but please note, the entire course is available now for Guardian Nation Members.

You can learn more about the benefits of being a Guardian Nation Member here.

guardian nation join

Combatives instructor Matt Numrich produced this 11-part course, only available in its entirety to Guardian Nation members. Today, we will bring you the final special preview of Numrich's online course, Close Quarters Defensive Tactics.

Self Defense Techniques – Using a Handheld Flashlight

You probably carry a handheld flashlight on you every day. It's great for illumination and can be incorporated into hand strikes in a non-permissive environment where the flashlight may be all you're armed with. Like any other self-defense technique, it should involve a simple process that we can perform under stress, not just at half-speed with a compliant attacker.

matt numrich

The fundamentals covered in this lesson are:

  1. Areas of the body to target when using a handheld flashlight
  2. How to strike using a handheld flashlight

Like any other self-defense technique, these techniques are not overly complicated. The methods are repeatable and straightforward so that we can perform them under stress, not just at half-speed with a compliant attacker.

As you will see when viewing this lesson, the course requires active, physical participation. Therefore, getting a buddy or family member to take the class with you would be ideal. This way, you have a person with whom you can go through the repetitions.

The MFC (Modular Compact Flashlight) Spark flashlight from ReadyUpGear, is a fantastic administrative handheld light that I carry daily. It has aggressive knurling that provides grip and, while it's pretty compact, works well in the techniques described in the video. If you have big hands and need a flashlight with a longer body, consider this one from Streamlight.

 

handheld flashlight

Take a look at this week's lesson from Matt Numerich's course Close Quarters Defensive Tactics.

As I mentioned, this 11 part video course is available for free to members of Guardian Nation.

SPECIAL BONUS: Right now, Matt Numrich is offering a special free DVD to our readers. You can claim a copy of Matt Numrich's Krav Maga online training course for free (just pay shipping and handling). Some of the topics covered in the course include:

  • A specialized hand strike that will drop any attacker who gets hit in this unguarded target
  • Devastating self-defense move, perfect for the street, and showed three different ways to cover different kinds of attacks
  • .How to “strike low” when an attacker outside your peripheral vision attacks you
  • Discover a defensive and offensive kick that will move a guy back ten feet while letting all those around you know that you mean business
  • Learn how to defend yourself if pushed or knocked down to the ground
  • Find out the three-step defense technique to counter anyone who chokes you on the ground in the scariest position!
  • The FIVE key elements of effective self-defense training, so you can learn these moves quickly and defend yourself even faster
  • Find out how to quickly get out of a common ground position, which takes MMA champs years to learn! You'll learn a better way in seconds!
  • The best fighting stance, which mimics what the body naturally does to defend itself and will help your moves become like second nature
  • A dominant defensive position that will control your opponent and position them for incredible and brutal follow up strikes after they try to attack you

matt numrich

 

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Monday, February 7, 2022

We Have Met the Enemy and He Is Us and Joe Rogan, Cancel Culture & Misinformation: Can we have consistent standards?

 

  • Author June Stepansky
Cartoonist Walt Kelly modified and changed Commodore Perry’s famous quote to, “We have met the enemy and he is us” in a cartoon he created in 1970 celebrating the first Earth Day in 1970. The message being that man from his treatment of the earth is the planet’s enemy.

It may also be true that the greatest enemy of democracy is not our corrupt leaders, but that a large part of our country’s citizens do not love or understand what democracy really means. If they do not love or want a free press that allows opposition and differences of opinion to flourish, then they do not love or want democracy. If legislators take away the rights of any minority and hamper free elections and the ability for every eligible citizen to easily cast a vote, then they do not love democracy. If school boards take books out of libraries as Texas is doing, because they consider the books too disturbing or controversial, then they are going down the path of the book burnings that happened in Nazi Germany and they do not love or want democracy. Instead of democracy they want only their own opinions and their own laws to prevail and flourish and are willing to vote for leaders who will give them what they want. But leaders who willingly lie and bend the laws to obtain power eventually take away not only the rights of the minorities they oppose, but also ultimately take away all their citizens rights as we have seen in other countries that have become authoritarian and have lost their democracy.

In the United States we are on a dangerous road toward losing our freedom. If in the next few elections the people vote for leaders with selfish and corrupt motives and authoritarian tendencies, then the voters will ultimately be responsible for giving away their precious freedom and once you give away your freedom, it is very difficult and perhaps impossible to ever get it back.

In a Democracy everyone has a voice and is worthy of respect. Poor people, rich people, minorities and majorities and people of different religions and different ethnicities. If a voter does not believe in that, then they do not love democracy. That is the dilemma that the voters in America will soon be facing in the coming elections in 2022 and 2024. How many voters still love democracy and are willing to vote for and support leaders who will protect it? The future of our country and the future and well-being of our children and all future generations are now in the hands of all of us who are voters—an awesome and frightening responsibility. We must now all work and fight to protect our ability to vote. We must fight for the "For the People act of 2021" that will help to protect every citizen’s right to vote. We must all make an effort to get the information we need from many different reliable sources so we can become wise and informed voters and ultimately cast our vote for leaders who will always protect our democracy and the rule of law and keep it forever strong and safe. Democracy needs every voter now as it has never before needed all of us to work and fight for its very survival.

June Stepansky is a published writer and poet who writes books and articles about happiness, self-improvement and social and political issues. Her poetry has been published in the literary magazine Vol No 21 Childhood and in Vol No 22. Poems that Need to be Explained.

A Different Voice—free self-help book

A Different Voice, by June Stepansky: FREE Book Download (free-ebooks.net)

Kaleidoscope—free poetry book

Kaleidoscope, by June Stepansky: FREE Book Download (free-ebooks.net)

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Protester Stopped From Picking Up Trash

The must have stopped Antifa and BLM in 2020 as well eh?

Sunday, February 6, 2022

BEING EMBRACED BY GOD and the Rock Almighty Voices with Holy Soldier

 

BEING EMBRACED BY GOD

by Taffi Dollar 



We live in a world that knows nothing about the nature and character of God and the love He has for us. When most people think about God, they conjure up images of a frightening deity who either hates them or is angry with them; this is heartbreaking and just plain wrong. He’s not a vengeful God waiting for us to make a mistake so He can have a reason to condemn and punish us. He’s the essence of love and wants very much to enfold us in His arms and embrace us.

Get Holy Soldier today on:
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Alive Music Festival 4 Day Pass with Maverick City Music, For King and Country, TobyMac, Skillet and more

We all share the same basic needs for love and happiness, but most people don’t know where to find them. The world only offers substitutes that leave a person feeling empty and unfulfilled inside. By contrast, God stands ready to offer us what the world can’t. He wants only good things for us. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11, NKJV).

God’s kind of love goes much further, wider, and deeper than human love. Humans love cautiously, conditionally, and with reservations; God’s love is unconditional, eternal, and has no boundaries. God loves us so much, He sacrificed His own Son on our behalf so that He could have a relationship with us. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16, 17).

Jesus, who is the perfect image of His Father, died a painful death on a cross for us; He then rose from the dead with the promise that we can have access to the same eternal life in heaven that He has. Out of love for us, He sealed the promises He made with His own blood; we have His Word that He’ll be faithful and true, unlike any fair-weather friend. For though a thousand generations may pass away, he is still true to his word. He has kept every promise he made to Abraham and to Isaac. His promises have become an everlasting covenant to Jacob, as a decree to Jacob” (Psalm 105:8-10, TPT). God is exceedingly, abundantly good. Believers can be confident that they will inherit the same loving promises that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob received.

God wants to be with us, just like earthly parents enjoy being with their children. Our acceptance by faith of what Jesus did for us on the cross to save us from our sins makes us God’s children. “…But ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ…” (Romans 8:15-17). As His sons and daughters, we also receive peace, joy, prosperity, safety, forgiveness, wisdom, and victory in life. These are things the world can’t receive because it doesn’t know God.

When we accept the love God has for us, He’ll fill us with it until it runs over, spills out, and splashes onto others. In this way, we’ll experience—perhaps for the first time in our lives—what it’s like to receive and give His love. When we’re embraced by Him, we’ll definitely know it. Our heavenly Father is simply waiting for us to reach out to Him.