This Is Me and What I Do

I am a man. I am a husband. I hope one day soon I will be a father. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon / LDS). I am a student. I am a son. I am a brother. I try to do my best in all these roles, but I am far from perfect. I have many struggles. I have many regrets. I have experienced pain and sorrow. I have caused pain and sorrow. I have learned many things from my experiences, but it has only made me more aware of how much I still have to learn. I am quiet and shy to the world, but to those closest to me, I am confident. Well, most of the time. I love my wife. I desire her happiness and want to help her shine. I have great desires to change my myself for the better. I have goals. I often struggle to stick to my goals and commitments. I face many struggles. I fight them daily. I may end up fighting the rest of my life, but I will never give up. I love my Lord and Savior. I learn more each day what it means to rely on Him. I want to be more righteous. I want to be a leader. I am a saint and a soldier...

This blog has two purposes. The first purpose is to help me. It will help me to stick to my goals and keep myself accountable. I will write posts that fit in three different categories; My Studies, My Life, My Goals. I see this as being much like a journal. I will share many experiences I have and insights I gain as I travel this journey. The journey of life and becoming more of what and who I want to be.

I am keeping this blog anonymous. At least for the present time. This is due to the second purpose I am writing this blog. I desire to sound a warning voice and take an active stance against the harmful effects of pornography. This plague held me captive for about five years of my life. The after effects of this addiction still haunt me today. I will describe to some degree the struggles that I have with it, but I will try to focus mainly on the solution rather than the problem. I will focus on my faith in Jesus Christ, and the ways that He strengthens me and helps me. I will share tools and insights that I learn in an effort to help others who may struggle with the same or similar trials.

My first message is that there is always hope. I once was in a place mentally where I felt I would never be able to escape the addiction. But I have! I am no longer a slave to it. It is true that I still feel effects of it today, but I have found a way out. As I mentioned before, this is a journey. One that I hope inspires others. I pray that I will be able to touch the life of someone who may need to hear what I have to say. I am not really a writer, but I will do my best to express myself as best I can. I am an everyday guy who is striving to become something more. It is my hope that others who are also everyday people with similar troubles will find hope in my message and learning.

I have entitled my blog A Saint and a Soldier. I chose this because I love the imagery of fighting with sword and shield the evil influences that exist in the world today. This is a battle, and it is one that can only be won with the Lord Jesus Christ on our side. This is where the "Saint" part comes in. I want this imagery to fill my life and be a strength to many. I don't know if this blog will grow to popularity or simply remain small with a few followers. Either way, I hope and pray that it will positively effect the lives of those who find it. I hope that we will all strive to be a saint and a soldier.