In what ways did the people you learned about during this unit suffer? What was their reaction to their suffering? Which story from the Acts of the Apostles did you find most inspiring and why? How have they experienced challenges in your own life and how have you dealt with them? Who are people that you can turn to in times of need and why?
By: JWilson19
In what ways did the people you learned about during this unit suffer? What was their reaction to their suffering?:
In this unit, we learned about people suffering in different ways. Many people were arrested, killed, abused, and went through so much to preach about God or to have a religious experience. Paul was a major character in most of the presentations. He was abused, sent to jail, and was constantly being put down for his beliefs, but he did not give up. He continued to preach about God's word and go against people who did not believe him. Paul could have easily given up and left the towns, but he wanted to make a difference and continue God’s work. Paul expected this reaction from the towns because it was against the rule to preach. In Act 28, many started to warm up to him and accept him. Paul spoke at gatherings and welcomed many into his home. Paul and other men were scared and terrified when they were suffering during their lives.
Which story from the Acts of the Apostles did you find most inspiring and why?:
The Acts of the Apostle story that I found most inspiring was Act 18: 1-16. Paul dedicated his life to spreading the word of God. He traveled from Athens to Corinth He was discouraged by many of the people, but was still devoted to his mission. The Lord visited Paul in a vision and kept on encouraging him not to give up. God gave him hope, supported him, and helped him get through his hard time. Paul stayed in Corinth and was dedicated to still preach. The Jews brought him to Galileo because they thought Paul deserved to be persecuted and die for his actions. Galileo did not see anything wrong and let Paul go. This is an inspiring passage because Paul did not give up and committed himself to God. God helped him persevere through his life obstacle: lacking the belief and support from the people around him. At the end of Act 28: 17-30, people started to welcome him into their lives.
How have they experienced challenges in your own life and how have you dealt with them? Who are people that you can turn to in times of need and why?:
Challenges that I experienced in my life are friend drama, school drama, and people I do not get along with. These challenges sometimes distract me and discourage me from my top priorities. Before, I had a hard time adjusting to high school and my new Varsity Soccer team. I learned to be open to new friends and be more comfortable around them. For soccer, my team and I had a lot of team bonding activities to be more closer. I overcame them by talking to someone about it, relaxing, and by doing things I like to do. When I am feeling that I can't deal with something by myself, I go to my family. I usually talk to them about all my daily school drama and they usually listen and respond or give me advice on how to deal with the problem. This helps so much because they are my support and help me go through my day. It feels good being able to talk to someone.
Bibliography
N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/becoming-a-christian/is-christ-the-only-way/how-can-god-allow-so-much-evil-and-suffering>.
Sonnenberg, Frank, About Frank SonnenbergFrank Is an Award-winning Author. He Has Written Six Books and over 300 Articles. Frank Was Recently Named One of "America's Top 100 Thought Leaders" and One of America's Most Influential Small Business Experts. Frank Has Served on, Carlos Fonseca Says, Frank Sonnenberg Says, Mark Sutton Says, Christopher Avery Says, Rita Bueter Says, Lisa Says, Lucy DelSarto Says, Anthony D. Laut Says, Kent Julian Says, and Taffy Le Says. "What Do Tough Times Say About You?" Frank Sonnenberg Online. N.p., 12 July 2014. Web. 15 Feb. 2017. <http://www.franksonnenbergonline.com/blog/what-do-tough-times-say-about-you/>.
"Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles Announce New Campaign – Family Always Has Your Back!" Nerds and Beyond. N.p., 13 Sept. 2016. Web. 15 Feb. 2017. <http://www.nerdsandbeyond.com/2016/09/14/jared-padalecki-and-jensen-ackles-announce-new-campaign-family-always-has-your-back/>.
1. Pope Francis lives a very interesting life. He is not just a religious person that preaches about the Bible. Jorge Mario Bergoglio(Pope Francis) is like any other human. He went to school, had relationships, and was very social. Bergoglio then heard a call from God for him to become a priest and help spread the word of God. Bergoglio was a very well-known man in the area he lived in. He would just walk around the streets and talk to people about their lives. He interacted with people and made their days. Bergoglio then became Pope. Many were happy to see him become the Pope, but sad that they had to share him with the world. He was not a desk Pope, but a Pope who wanted to be seen as any other human and he wanted to care for his people. This struck me most because this is a Pope who often went to towns and talk and care for citizens. 
4. Some hopes I have for the present day Catholic Church are for them to accept differences and to take action instead of talking about action. I learned that each one of us are created equally. I believe that women can be more active in the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church is a male dominant environment, I think that women should be a little bit more involved. I also think that the Church should not always have negative views on differences. They should instead celebrate our differences. I also think that the Catholic Church should celebrate God in more creative ways to engage younger audiences. Many more younger people will be more engaged and take in more from what the Catholic Church preaches. 
