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Randomness, Volume 1, Issue 27
Hey, everybody! I felt like keeping in line with the randomness of this whole thoughtletter,
so here we go with Issue 27! I'd just like to celebrate the fact that we have made it to our 27th issue. I realise most
people would celebrate at the 25th issue, but that's mundane and absolutely not random. So I planned to celebrate our 26th
issue, only I made Issue 26 an afterthought of Issue 25, so here we go with unplanned randomness making it suddenly Issue
27 where we celebrate. Really, 27 is a bigger milestone than 25, because 27 is two bigger than 25, isn't it? I'd also like
to celebrate the fact that we have 21 people receiving this thoughtletter, the 21st being my good friend Heidi. Now, since
we have so much to celebrate, let's take a look back through the days of Randomness and its small beginnings last May . .
.
Issue 1: We had 5 subscribers (Jesse, Angie, Rob, Will, Anthony, Lloyd) and the topic, in three paragraphs jumped
from a welcome, to how people think Christians "force" Jesus on them, to how I never win free pops in Thunder Bay.
Issue 2: This issue deals with the fact that life is like a rushing river that isnt always very kind and how we are
all swept away in it and try to help, quite often futilely. The topic also dealt with how all I really needed at the time
were the big, loving arms of Jesus around me once more, and how in the rushing river, God is always there to protect, we just
dont always see Him through the bitterness and rage.
Issue 3: We welcomed Elizabeth to our ranks, and talked about
the Steven Curtis Chapman song "Hold on to Jesus", and how holding onto Jesus was pretty much all I was doing at
that point in my life, clinging to Him and retaining my sanity through the intervention of the Spirit. As well, I talked
a bit about starting over.
Issue 4: Mattcimone joined our illustrious ranks. I talked about how as humans we are
relational beings, designed to interact and how I loved God and was thankful for Him and knew I couldnt make it without Him.
Issue 5: This issue was sent to a whole mess of my brothers and sisters in Christ and deals with heresy and dealing
with it and what exactly it is.
Issue 6: This issue talks about Bishop Spong and his 12 Theses that essentially try
to de-theise Christianity.
Issue 7: This issue deals with the points of contention we get hung up on that often dont
really matter (ultimately, only God matters, right?). I also talk about people who say they believe in God, etc., but it
isnt a HUGE part of their lives and how Christians must try to find a way to show them that God is the biggest part of any
life because He just . . . IS.
Issue 8: Katherine was welcomed into our ranks. In this issue I relate some of my
adventures travelling across Canada and how Canadas really BIG.
Issue 9: This issue talks about the ISCF Camping
trip and how great it was, and how God loves me even though Im imperfect and will never be perfect. I think I may also talk
about droplets of grace, which would be actually from Leaders Camp, not the camping trip. But I gave a quick rundown of the
camping trip.
Issue 10: This issue deals with Catholicism.
Issue 11: This issue had a table of contents
that looked like this:
Table of Contents: (Or some such thing . . .)
1-notes, comments, feedback (or lack thereof)
. . . whatever
2-news
3-comments on the world
4-todays "message" (and it's not mine!)
Issue
12: This issue deals with how the system we live in is royally messed up and that humanity is no excuse for sin.
Issue
13: We welcomed my little sister Suzie (Pahl) into our ranks. I talked about how mankind is lost and tries to comfort himself
with philosophy, but usually steers his ship off-course and dashes it to bits on rocks, committing spiritual suicide because
man does not know the Living God.
Issue 14: We welcomed Jonny (my big [natural] bro) and Lisa Hibbert. This issue
talks about liberty, and the differences between liberty in Christ and the concept of liberalism.
Issue 15: This
issue was written by Mattcimone and talks about how Jesus tore the veil in two and why we arent pagans.
Issue 16:
I told a story about perseverence in the cause of Christ (its about homeless man), and "all we have to do is be like
the bum, and never give up."
Issue 17: I began relating my faith journey.
Issue 18: We welcomed Leah,
Danielle, and Shelby to our ranks. I continued relating my faith journey.
Issue 19: More faith journey.
Issue
20: The conclusion of my faith journey story.
Issue 21: Unity.
Issue 22: A story about two bishops, one
of whom was a conservative charismatic, the other a liberal. They discussed what was killing the Anglican Church. In the
end, the narrator (who is having a vision) realises that it is division that is killing the church.
Issue 23: All
about poetry, with the first "Random Poem", "The Destruction of Sennacherib" by Lord Byron.
Issue
24: The power of God.
Issue 25: The concept that obviously there is something more to this life, something greater,
something bigger.
Issue 26: An elaboration on Issue 25, dealing with the evident power of the Almighty and His wonderfulness,
and that we need to accept Christ as our Saviour if we are to be fulfilled in this life.
Over the past 27 issues,
many people have joined. Not all of you got an official welcome, unfortunately. Im sorry. I would now like to extend an
official Random welcome to Amy Hancock, Ryan Hancock, Josh Arnold, Julie Arnold, Jon Arnold, Marcelo Austin (we miss you,
man!), Mom, and Scott Butler. Many of you have thanked me for what I have to say. Id like to thank all of you for reading,
even when Im longwinded. And Id like to thank God for the wonderful things Hes done over the past 27 issues and that He will
continue to work through many issues more.
Peace,
Matthew Hoskin
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