#(God would I love to take Tozer)

[saints-who-never-existed]

I want to think a bit more about this but right now I just want to say that I'm blown away and delighted by all the thoughtful replies this has gotten already! :)

I hope it didn't come across as condescending in any way - lord knows there have been plenty of times I myself have struggled to parse the funky wee accents and unique dialects of my own countrymen...

And I also hope I haven't given the impression that some mystical new level of understanding is unlocked when one happens to know one's Liverpudlians from one's Mancunians because that's certainly not the case.

Really, I just like thinking about language and locality and all the possible influences that could have on character - nature vs. nurture and that sort of thing. :)

I've been thinking about Terror character/actor accents and origins again today and I'd love to hear some non-British/otherwise outside perspectives on the subject at some point - might even attempt to make a poll about it.

I'm just curious!

Do you find the different accents in the show difficult to understand at any point? Are some more challenging than others? Do you think having more context on different character accents and origins would change anything about your understanding/interpretations of the show and the relationships within it?

[the-slow]

WOE, TERROR PLAYLISTS BE UPON YE

9 playlists, (Tozer, Hickey, Little, Jopson, Irving, Hartnell, Blanky, Bridgens/Peglar, Crozier) 8 songs each. Made in both a davechella "this is what I think they would listen to in the modern day" sort of way, as well as a "the songs are about the character" way. Playlists under the cut. Enjoy!

🦞 Best Shot Here | Tozer* Something To That Tune, Queer Melody For A Marine, etc

Built By Nations - Greta Van Fleet

Houses Of The Holy - Led Zeppelin

From The Ritz To The Rubble - Arctic Monkeys

Iron - Woodkid

Heartbroken, in Disrepair - Dan Auerbach

I Promise - Radiohead

The Curse of the Blackened Eye - Orville Peck

Rounder - Watchhouse

Removed: The Switch and the Spur - The Raconteurs

🔪 Morals/Practicals | Hickey Everyone get unemployed. I will provide for us.

Shove It (feat. Spank Rock) - Santigold

Sinister Kid - The Black Keys

Easy Way Out - Gotye

Judas - Cage The Elephant

Circuit Breaker - Röyksopp

The Future - Mystery Skulls

Big City Life - Kidkanevil

Krazy World - King Geedorah

🥇 Every Gold Thing | Little What if your unread emails turned into a spirit bear and the bear gave you blue balls

Human Sadness - The Voidz

At The Door - The Strokes

You Can Let Go - Half Moon Run

There, There - Radiohead

Cowgirl - Ora Cogan

I Am The Dog - Sir Chloe

Don't Run Into The Dark So Quick - Jon Bap

The Place Where He Inserted The Blade - Black Country

Removed: Romance - Fontaines D.C.

🦅 Smaller Hawks | Jopson Miss Battle Butler Takes Care of Business!!!!!!

Don't Call It Love - Zero 7

Tiny Garden - Jamila woods

Private Road - Bent

You Have My Heart - Ursina

If You Let Me - Alina Baraz

Compromised - Tim Atlas

The King - Sarah Kinsley

Leash - Sir Chloe

✝️ Reborn Clean | Irving John Irving's giant shame playlist

Punish - Ethel Cain

De Selby (Part 1) - Hozier

The Lament of Eustace Scrubb - The Oh Hellos

All the Trees of the Field Will Clap Their Hands - Sufjan Stevens

St Jude - Florence + The Machine

Picture You - Chappell Roan

Roses Are Falling - Orville Peck

Cigarettes And Chocolate Milk - Rufus Wainwright

🧊 Spared To Meet | Hartnell The Cunty Stander Strikes Again

When You Were Young - The Killers

Yellow - Coldplay

Float On - Modest Mouse

Island In The Sun - Weezer

Lavender - Ray LaMontagne

Plum - Widowspeak

Satellite - Guster

Ends of the Earth - Lord Huron

🐻‍❄️ Unnatural With Thoughts | Blanky The undisputed champion of Rock In Bucket ten years running

Sacred Love - Sting

Life In The Fast Lane - Eagles

Love Me Two Times - The Doors

Theresa Maria - Fine Crowd

Moondance - Van Morrison

Deacon Blues - Steely Dan

Free - Seal

Strangers In The Night - Frank Sinatra

Removed: Reelin' In The Years - Steely Dan

📚 No More Herodotus | Bridgens/Peglar Relapsed. Relapsed. Relapsed. Relapsed.

I Melt with You - Modern English

Holland, 1945 - Neutral Milk Hotel

Love My Way - The Psychedelic Furs

I Will Follow You into the Dark - Death Cab for Cutie

Dreams - The Cranberries

My Love Mine all Mine - Mitski

Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) - Kate Bush

The Book of Love - The Magnetic Fields

⚓Travel Well | Crozier

Untitled 2 - The Green Kingdom ⚓

Fortress Around Your Heart - Sting 🐻‍❄️

You Can Bring Me Flowers - Ray LaMontagne 🧊

Would That I - Hozier ✝️

Sunday - The Cranberries 📚

Spinning - Zero 7 🦅

End of Nowhere - Ora Cogan 🥇

Goin' Home - Dan Auerbach 🦞

Removed: There, There - Radiohead

*PLUS - 8 songs was simply not enough for Solomon "my beautiful husband" Tozer, so here's an extended playlist:

[bloggin-by-zama]

Practical steps to help you grow in your faith. (via. ChatGPT)

1. Cultivate a Personal Relationship with Jesus

• Daily Prayer: Make time to pray each day. Share your thoughts, fears, and gratitude with Jesus as you would with a trusted friend. Remember to listen as well, seeking His guidance.

• Scripture Reading: Dive into God’s Word regularly. Start with the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) to understand Jesus’ life, teachings, and heart for humanity. Reflect on how His words apply to your life.

• Be Honest with Him: Jesus already knows your heart (as seen in John 2:24-25). Don’t hesitate to bring your doubts, struggles, or joys to Him.

2. Strengthen Your Foundation in Faith

• Study the Bible Deeply: Go beyond surface-level reading by studying the context, background, and meaning of passages. Use study guides or commentaries to gain deeper insight.

• Memorize Scripture: Commit key verses to memory. This will help you rely on God’s truth in challenging times. For example:

• Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart…”

• Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything…”

• Understand Theology: Explore the core beliefs of Christianity to deepen your understanding of God’s character and His plan for humanity.

3. Build a Life of Worship

• Worship Regularly: Worship isn’t just singing—it’s a lifestyle of honoring God in everything you do. Make time to express your love and gratitude to Him through worship, both privately and in a church community.

• Live for His Glory: Seek to glorify God in your daily actions—whether at work, in relationships, or in how you treat others.

4. Be Part of a Community of Faith

• Join a Church: Being part of a local church allows you to grow alongside others, receive support, and learn from experienced believers.

• Participate in Bible Studies or Small Groups: These provide opportunities to discuss scripture, share experiences, and gain accountability.

• Serve Others: Jesus modeled servanthood. Look for ways to serve in your church, community, or even your own home. Acts of service help us reflect God’s love to others.

5. Trust God in Difficult Seasons

• Life isn’t always easy, but faith grows strongest in trials. Surrender your struggles to Jesus, trusting that He will guide you and work all things for your good (Romans 8:28).

• Develop a habit of thanksgiving, even in tough times. Gratitude shifts your perspective and reminds you of God’s faithfulness.

6. Share Your Faith

• Tell others about Jesus—not just through words but also by living a life that reflects His love and grace. Let your actions speak of your relationship with Him.

• Pray for opportunities to share your testimony. Your story can inspire and draw others to Christ.

7. Pursue Continuous Growth

• Read Christian Books: Authors like C.S. Lewis (Mere Christianity) or A.W. Tozer (The Pursuit of God) provide deep insights into faith and spiritual growth.

• Attend Workshops or Seminars: Look for events or conferences in your area focused on deepening your spiritual life.

• Embrace Discipline: Set spiritual goals, like fasting, journaling prayers, or taking quiet retreats to focus on your relationship with God.

8. Rely on the Holy Spirit

• The Holy Spirit helps us grow in faith and gives us the strength to live as followers of Christ. Pray for the Spirit’s guidance and empowerment in your daily life.

• Galatians 5:22-23 reminds us of the fruit the Spirit cultivates in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Reflective Questions to Deepen Your Faith:

1. Do I truly believe Jesus knows my heart and loves me unconditionally?

2. How can I make more room in my daily life for prayer and scripture reading?

3. Am I trusting God fully, or am I holding back in certain areas of my life?

4. How can I serve and encourage others in their faith journey?

Closing Encouragement:

Remember, growing in faith is a lifelong process. Don’t rush it or feel pressured to be “perfect.��� God is patient and delights in every step you take toward Him. Trust in His love, seek Him wholeheartedly, and allow Him to transform you from the inside out.

[laststandx3]

I'll be bitter for a minute and say it: i think the terror for how good it is, is also very partial on crozier on being #1 mister only good colonizer in the arctic, and i sort of hate it because the change happens only because he sobers up. and sure alchool makes people cruel, but sobering up doesnt make them perfect. he went from let silna be left on the ship without protection/kick her out for the tuunbaq if she doesnt help us/ rip the guy that died to get me a bottle of whisky, anywayy to peace and love on planet earth lets us all take this walk together while i share words of wisdom and love with this other colonizer who's also very sorry he didn't do anything good with his life. Crozier started the journey at least as a heavy day-drinker and i understand how that's different from heavy alcholism but at the same time i can't imagine all of crozier's faults being the consequences of whisky alone. and having him overcoming his alcholism and wising up immediately after being clean for a few weeks is FOR ME a terrible writing choice that paints him as being naturally good and his 'bad' behaviors coming ONLY from the alchool. yes he sees blanky getting hurt and that's starts his sobering up path. but that's not enough for me. the people (other characters state aloud for the audience) he loves more than god loves them are dying left and right. and i really dont care if corzier cares about the crew or not but if he cared he should have cared about them even when he was drunk and not remembring about their wellbeing AFTER he got clean. i'm not saying you cant enjoy crozier. i just believe his character development isnt earned and that he got it only because he's the designed good character that canonically survives in the book. i dont think that him shitting himself for a few weeks while sobering up can count as having the emotional development to go from one extreme to the other. especially because everyone else is also there sufferring physically and psychologically even more than him due to the fact that their all stranded in the arctic and dying of scurvy and no one else in the crew could have the time off work, privacy and attentions to heal. crozier being the 2nd on command and then captain used his power to become a drunk and later to clean up. and i just dont believe that a man who abused his position like that from the beginning just becuase he was pissed he couldnt marry the woman he wanted suddently stops abusing his position because he's now clean and pure. TO ME it's a bad writing choice that is also force-fed to the audience with the line 'more than god loves them' so that you get it for sure that he's the good guy who cares about people not like those others evil characters who would do anything to survive like killing innocents and being racist (the good guys could never. except they canonically did- but wait, not in THIS continent so it doesnt matter) and eating people (which is a sign of being naturally evil, no matter the circumstances) or following a religion in a desperate last chance of survival (again no one on the good guys side would put religion above good sense and the safety of fellow human beings. in this continent?? maybe? ugh)

in summary i think the main flaw i find in the terror is how much it still tries to draw a line between good and evil. instead of just trying to portray the human disperation for their mortal condition. how much having to come face to face with tuunbaq must destroy all of those men convinctions on what life/afterlife are (for what i remember it just addresses it for tozer AND in the SCRIPT) nobody else gets a life shuttering experience. it's either the devil, then good christians should be safe, or it's a different religion, then what?? what do you do when your life looses its meaning? and the answer for most of the charactes was 🤷‍♀️guess we'll think about it after this awesome party we're about to throw. i dont want this to be about religion, but these men are wrecked in every way, there's nobody to save them and everyday they're a little more in pain than the one before. there shouldnt be a camp of the good men lead by the strong and wise one who take care of their sick and lets the dying die peacefully with morphin. while in the bad guys camp they eat people and have evil laugh competitions and kill their sick with knifes bc giving them poison might make them unedible. and specifically those evil guys where also the reason why the expedition happened to hurt the locals, the good guys have nothing to do with it.

i dont think there's nothing wrong (narratively) in doing anything to survive. even if it's something cruel, because those men are at the end of the world alone, it's at least realistic that they'll try everything to avoid death. crozier(and jfj even if offscreen) gets to be cruel at the beginning of the story but by middle point they're shown to be sad (about unrelated things) and spend the last few episodes being kind and brave (and forgiven by the narrative) while their chance at character development is uniquelly given by their ranks. in the meantime the consequences of those cruelness (only hickey, because we dont get to see survivors of jfj trip to China, if he left any) dont get the chance to heal and change because hickey's position of subordiante never allows him to be really safe, and because his torture was public, automatically making every witness taking the side of the perpetrator. hickey's never given weeks off work to recover because he got lashed because of his own actions. hickey doesnt get words of wisdom from a companion because in his mind everyone agreed with crozier in him deserving the lashes, (except maybe tozer? but even that isnt that clear cut) hickey, manson and hartnell also magiaclly heal from the lashes after a few weeks (even when ANYOTHER character cant heal because of scurvy) so the narrative can't held crozier accountable for the pain he caused.

the good guys and the bad guys' actions are treated differently by the show. even when the good guys actions should have consequences and the bad guys' shouldnt. the narrative has already decided which sins will be forgiven and which will be punished. and it's a bit annoying to me because for how wonderful the terror is, i cant help but feel like i'm being spoonfed a narrative about morality when at its core the story is about humanity.

[bbynedtime]

I have made the list!

Half inspired by this ask, thank you!

The nuance of their relationships will be in the chart, which will take a while as I have two big exams coming up.

This is of course NOT like.. a must to go by, ever. It's just how I like to think about them in the 'AU' we've slowly been building on this blog💖💖💖 I'm really open to other interpretations and thoughts. I deviate from these myself, with little Frankie for example, so this is just for fun, really.

There are way more CGs than littles but let's be honest, taking care of the littles is a tough job. Plus there's a lot of people who I think would switch between the two. Anyway!

Littles:

Little, Collins, Peglar and Wentzall are really sweet, and also fluctuating between 'ages'

Gore and Tozer as more puppies than babies, but we love them and they belong in the little group

Pilkington is a little feisty thing. Not a puppy but will bite things. Just hope it's not your finger

Irving sometimes full baby mode, sometimes bigger kid mode. Coin flip.

Armitage tends to be older than most littles but is little nonetheless

Cracroft because I want her to <3 The image of her in a stroller pushed by Lady Jane has me sobbing on the ground okay? Let me have this. She gets really bouncy when she's little. Lots of energy to spend.

Switch:

Jopson and Stanley will go down biting and scratching but enjoy it once they let go. ONLY around one or two certain people.

Goodsir and Bryant switch back to adult when they sense they're needed or there's trouble brewing.

Hodgson and Hickey not really out of need, just for fun time to time. Plus Hickey takes care of littles only as long as it's fun for him

Best slips so seamlessly and quietly into being small you will not even notice

Des Voeux and Hoar are SO much worse when they're little oh my god what is wrong with you horrid gremlins, please stay adult (or not.. i enjoy putting their CGs through agony <3)

Morfin. Hear me out hear me OOOUUUTTT!! *sits in complete silence for an hour* .... yeah, no, I really have no justification. To help relieve his headache perhaps

J.C. Ross once in a while, with Ann as CG. He more enjoys being the cool uncle

Caregivers:

Fitzjames, Bridgens and McDonald are the softest gentlest parents in the world (but two of them will spank a little if it's needed wanted)

Crozier, Crispe and Le Vesconte are honeslty way better at being CGs than one would expect. First two just needed more time to adjust

Blanky, Diggle and Silna don't have littles, but all the small ones love them.

Jartnell, Tartnell, Torrington and Manson are the cool cousins. Glad to babysit or help around, though some are limited by health and often stay home

Peddie isn't very good at being a CG but helps out where needed. You have to ask, though. If you don't ask, he won't

Heather and Weekes are just trying their best, guys, honestly

Sir John and Lady Jane are beauty pageant parents

Ann Coulman Ross will step in whenever needed and will calm down Any little somehow

Fairholme, Wall, Farr, Braine, Silna's dad, Kuvijuq and white man #80-130 are the extended family who come by once or twice a year for big celebrations, with gifts and gossip and cool stories to share.

Gibson wants an abortion, he didn't ask for this

[yieldfruit]

i was curious your opinion on my friend’s situation:

my friend is in school to study psychology and go into research. one of her professors approached her to do a summer internship to work under the professor and help with her research. it’s basically a great opportunity for experience, networking, etc. the only thing is that the research her professor does is focused around the LGBTQ+ community (note: her professor is apart of that community). the internship would be to recruit people in that community to partake in an interview where they would share their coming out stories. my friend is a Christian, but when i asked her if she would do it, her only hesitation was that she doesn’t have any connections to that community so it would be hard to recruit people for the interview. as a Christian, should there be more hesitations for this internship? like is doing this internship supporting LGBTQ+ in some way? idk. i don’t think i would take the internship, because not every opportunity is from God.. but i’m not sure how to explain that to her or if i’m even right in that?

thank you in advance!

Hmm...I have friends in the LGBTQ+ community, but I would: never condone homosexuality, transgenderism, etc. or attend a wedding of such persons. Why? Because of love. Because the Bible teaches clearly and plainly on such issues and there is no skirting around it. I must honor God. Yet I have friends in that community because I care about them very much and like them as people, but my soul hurts for their destination and living apart from God and I cannot condone what God says He hates. How can I love and embrace what God calls evil? I cannot. Which is why I also cannot embrace a spouse cheating on their husband, sex before marriage, pornography use, etc. Sexual immorality is a devastating evil prevalent in many human hearts and it is our downfall more often than not. Lord, deliver us. And He does, but we don't respond. Anyway...back to your friend: I don't think it would be bad to seek people out and ask about their "coming out" stories, but I would not condone their choices. So I would have a hard time doing this project because I would have to bite my tongue and act as if I somehow condone this by highlighting these stories. The issue is this though: the root is that your friend is working with someone who is a part of that community and is 100% focused on that community, what did they expect? So I would not align myself in partaking in research/an internship with someone with celebrates willful sinful lifestyles against God's creative order.

For example of another sexual perversion: if I was to align myself with doing research with a professor who is a proponent of pedophilia I would expect that any projects with this person would be, in their own way, a proponent of pedophilia. I would be careful who I align myself with. We are to honor the Lord and His Word first and foremost: He will take care of the results.

Even though I care deeply about people who are homosexual, I love God more and cannot condone that which He hates. I have compassion for them because who would I be without Christ? Really, what made me to differ besides His grace and studying His Word and knowing what He teaches? What do I have that I haven't received? I have compassion, but I cannot turn my back on God.

"Much of our difficulty as seeking Christians stems from our unwillingness to take God as He is and adjust our lives accordingly. We insist upon trying to modify Him and bring Him nearer to our own image." – Aiden Wilson Tozer

[caladblog]

#DAVECHELLA

to be updated each week! or whenever i have the time y'know.

---

15) Billy Gibson: I Just Don't Care That Much // Matt Maeson runner-up: Meds // Placebo

smthn i really like about gibson--which is easy to forget, what with [waves hands at hickey's whole thing]--is that he's the one to start the mutiny. seriously, go back and watch the beginning of ep7-- he's the first to express Doubt in the captains' plans, specifically doubting that fairholme's party is coming back with help and that the natives would be friendly. over the course of the episode (and ep8) it spirals into a bigger thing, more of an active mutiny than simply taking supplies and striking off on their own in order to move faster, but gibson was still the spark here. hickey does not have the monopoly on bastard actions in that relationship and it makes them more interesting.

14) Tom Hartnell: Like a River Runs // Bleachers runner-up: Ashes // The Longest Johns

i got really attached to tom hartnell when i saw that poll that was like "which of the characters would you most like to work with" and i realized that i've actually worked with several tom hartnells before, which is to say, young well-meaning dudes who fuck up on occasion but earnestly try to make it better once they realize they've fucked up, and i'm like yeah :) i'll have tom hartnell on a job site any day. pick up a coffee for him on break when it's cold. swap the aux cord in the work van. he'd tease me for being old but also listen to my advice. look when i went back to trade school i was in a class of almost entirely dudes straight outta twelfth grade and i wound up adopting most of them as honorary baby brothers ok???? don't @ me

13) Henry Collins: Overboard // Johnny Manchild & the Poor Bastards runner-up: Sea Song (You Waded Out) // Apocalyptica

rip henry foster collins, dead 1848 of The Years Start Comin' And They Don't Stop Comin'

i didn't notice until i rewatched with subtitles that he's the one who ordered billy orren up into the rigging immediately before he died :') gosh i love it when this show hurts me and hurts me and hurts me

12) George Hodgson: Iscariot // The Vassar Devils runner-up: Delusional // Charlie Allen

oh hodgson you're so. you're so unsuited for command T_T what are you DOING out here, you should be back in england playing the clavier and making delightfully eccentric drawing-room small talk. he's basically one of [these birds] and what i wanna know is who thought it'd be a good idea to bring that to the arctic

11) John Bridgens: Our Time Is Short // Gang of Youths runner-up: Genesis // Amelia Day

[riffles angrily through all 5 of the somft romantic songs i own] dave k if you don't make at least one of these nerds listen to punk i'm gonna be in trouble

10) Solomon Tozer: Death of Me // Red runner-up: Believe // The Bravery

just so you know i'm having a completely normal one and i haven't chewed even a little bit of drywall over tozer's playlist

my initial music choice for him was just the entire discography of Rise Against. then the official playlist dropped and i blacked out and woke up surrounded by Flesh by Simon Curtis and Blood in the Cut by K.Flay and other such things and also i was wearing my leather gloves for some reason? so narrowing down my options here was somewhat of a trial

9) John Irving: Tell Me How It Ends // David Wirsig runner-up: I'll Be Good // Jaymes Young

the narrator of Tell Me How It Ends is a dying man who's struggled with faith all his life and the song is addressed to god [UPSIDE DOWN MELTING SMILEY FACE] ANYWAY HOW BOUT THIS HIGH STRUNG SELF HATING LIL MISS ANGER ISSUES, i want to poke him with a stick until he has some sort of breakdown <3

8) Thomas Blanky: Frozen Pines // Lord Huron runner-up: Heavy Rescue // Doomtree

give it up for the guy i have zero ideas for! i mean i love him don't get me wrong, i just don't know re: music. shrug emoji

7) Thomas Jopson: The Rockrose and the Thistle // The Amazing Devil runner-up: Seamstress // Dessa

i had 2 thoughts when Davechella was first announced and one of them was that modern jop only listens to death metal. "turmoil on the inside needn't show on the out," he says, putting on his extremely high end headphones and making his ears bleed

to which hodgson is like "why spend $2k on headphones just to listen to music where you can't understand the words?" (<- also spent $2k on headphones but sensibly listens to opera) and nedward is like "you're gonna be stone deaf by age forty :/"

to which jopson is like "hah, as if i have to worry about living that long" before remembering that normal people tend to take those jokes poorly I'M NOT PROJECTING YOU'RE PROJECTING

ANYway im not cool enough for dave's jop (i can't be in the club i'll be saying shit like perchance & thrice) but my contributions are more about the show than the modern AU

6) Edward Little: Bad Things // Social Animals runner-up: Downhill // Lincoln

[cracks open my Depression Jams playlist like a tepid beer!]

i do find it pretty funny that one of the Edward Little Certified Sad™ images for shitposts etc is actually the bit from ep3 right after franklin kicks the bucket bc like. that's not ned being sad that's ned looking at fitzj like Oh God He's Having A Whole Ass Breakdown Here. Oh God Please Get Me Out Of This Room Before He Starts Sobbing What Do I Do Oh God We Are So Cooked

5) Harry Goodsir: (beginning) beach piano // The Narcissist Cookbook (end): Bitter Medicine // The Crane Wives

oh, doctor mister harry goodsir. there's much i could say about him (and i've already said some of it) but here i'll just keep it to: more than any other character, i think, even crozier, he's split into a Before and After over the course of the show. so that's what my two songs are here, rather than a main and a runner-up like all the others.

i'm screaming abt beach piano btw. you see it right. i can't bear to not understand things. you can't keep the frog and dissect it. but when all you have is a scalpel / then everything looks like a cadaver.

4) "Cornelius Hickey": I'm Always Walking as Somebody Else // American Murder Song runner-up: Apotheosis // Kai Straw

"#A SECOND WRITER'S FAVORITE CHARACTER HAS HIT THE DAVECHELLA" lmaoooooooooo well today i dedicate my SSRIs to edward little and henry collins. cheers lads

my second davechella thought was oh. American Murder Song for hickey and it's not just because i'm super gay for terrance zdunich's voice i promise. [sidebar: The Indiana Man for the au in which he fled to america instead of tryin for the sandwich islands? he woulda thrived here, we love a horrible charismatic rat-faced grifter] but like c'mon his Carnivale costume was himself if i can get away with picking an on-the-nose song for anybody it's this guy.

3) James Fitzjames: Achilles Come Down // Gang of Youths runner-up: Cleopatra // The Lumineers

dave k week 1: don't read too much into this dave k week 13: [twirling hair, kicking heels] here's my third separate fanfiction :3

the thing that interests me the most about jfj is the undercurrent of self-sabotage to nearly everything he does. "i'll bring a cheetah on this boat! i'll walk across siberia! i'll pick fights with the bad-tempered coworker i'm stuck with for a minimum of two years! i won't promote any more lieutenants to replace the ones that are gone from the ship that's my responsibility now! i'll hide how badly i'm rotting from all my fellow leaders and the men who depend upon me!" like as long as it's sufficiently impressive and/or noble, he doesn't care if he gets hurt or dies. he's perpetually watching himself, even at the end of vanity, to the extent that he doesn't notice when people need him or when this attitude screws anybody over.

2) Francis Crozier: Way Out There // Lord Huron runner-up: Spite // Vandaveer

all of the Somebody Lives / Not Everybody Dies AUs in which the crew gets shunned on return to england-- that's not how it'd go. look at history. look at franklin's history, even. the Coppermine Expedition was a failure by all definitions, half his men died for nothing, and he was knighted for it. they made him a hero, and that's the worst thing that could happen to crozier after all he's done and failed to do.

1) Silna: Higher Ground // The Crane Wives runner-up: Fraud // Jonathan Coulton

i've already written a lot about her and most of the rest of my feelings can be summed up by the poem [I, Minotaur] by Natalie Diaz. i went to grab a link for y'all and reread it and now i'm screaming and crying!! i have a name yet no one who will say it not roughly!!!

---

and that's all folks!

stay tuned next week for my playlist DAVECHELLA_final_Final on spotify and 8tracks: a single song for each character in this order, plus a small handful of encore songs for characters who didn't make it on this list.

[hacash]

Series asks:

• The Terror

• The Musketeers

• the last movie you watched

Marvellously the last film I watched was LOTR, which makes this beautifully easy! Also I want to sue for making me choose just one husband-candidate from the Terror character list, this is nothing but pure biphobia.

The Terror

Character I’d want as a best friend. - Depending on my mood it would either be Bridgens (sweet, gentle, loves books, will clearly be a comforting presence) or Fitzjames (gossipy, kinda bitchy, would enjoy drag brunch and hopefully sharing his fabulous wardrobe with me).

Character I’d want as a parent. – I was going to say MacDonald, as he’s just so nice and dry-witted and shaped like kindness, but honestly one of the fundamental rules of life is that you can't think your parent is hot and Charles Edwards remains an absolute dish, so it's gonna have to be Captain 'Grumpy Pants' Crozier here.

Character I’d want as a sibling. - Irving, my troubled dweeby little baby queer: I have so many queer Christian groups to share with you.

Character I’d want as a significant other. – SOL TOZER. LOOK AT MY TAGS. THIS MUCH IS APPARENT. He's loyal, he's snarky, he's genuinely protective of his men, he's the hottest one of the bunch and clearly takes orders well: which is basically my dream husband. Because I'm greedy I will also dub Fitzjames and Hartnell as very close runners-up: two absolute Good Eggs who also happen to be very pretty.

Character I’d want as a child. – Honest to God, if I could pop baby Thomas Evans into a sling like a baby kangaroo and carry him around all day, I would, with his curls and his pinchable cheeks and his heartbreaking loyalty to his buddies.

Character I’d want as a weird inlaw. – There is only one possible right answer for this, and that answer is Thomas ‘Monsterfucker’ Blanky.

BBC Musketeers

Character I’d want as a best friend. - Porthos, 100% the best musketeers of the bunch.

Character I’d want as a parent. – Obviously Captain Treville; apparently a specific blorbo-type I have is ‘gruff figure of authority who would die for anyone under their command’ and Treville was definitely a foundational blorbo here.

Character I’d want as a sibling. - Sylvie only had a single series and I'm still gutted about it; not only do I think she'd be a great sibling but we could overthrow the government together.

Character I’d want as a significant other. – I didn't spend several years spamming your feeds with reams of d'Artagnan gifsets and meta not to dub him my honorary husband now.

Character I’d want as a child. – Aramis: granted he’s an adult man but I feel like he needs a full-time parent just to tell him what not to put his dick in.

Character I’d want as a weird inlaw. – Can you imagine going to family dinners and having Louis as an in-law? Those meals would be so messy, I would absolutely love that.

LOTR

Character I’d want as a best friend. – I would argue that pretty much the entire point of the trilogy is ‘you will never get a best friend better than Samwise Gamgee’, so obviously my answer’s gotta be Sam. We both like gardening, planting, being snarky little shits and loving Frodo Baggins so we’d probably get on.

Character I’d want as a parent. – Absolutely Theoden: Bernard Hill’s delivery of ‘no parent should ever have to bury their child’ ruined me twenty-two years ago and honestly I’ve never quite recovered. (He makes such a good dad!!)

Character I’d want as a sibling. – Boromir is the archetypal big brother; I would bond with him over adorable hobbits and being aspec so so much.

Character I’d want as a significant other. – My little eleven-year-old self’s crush on both Pippin and Merry was a significantly formative period in my life, so honestly, either of them. They’re both Good Eggs, we can bond over cooking, Pippin can make me laugh lots and Merry can compensate for my utter inability to plan anything ever.

Character I’d want as a child. – Those two adorable baby hobbit kiddos played by Peter Jackson's kids.

Character I’d want as a weird inlaw. – Gandalf is the only weird inlaw.

[pomodoriyum]

i love that its billy who gives hickey the idea for the mutiny. and i love that hickey seems— if not apprehensive— perhaps cautious? about the idea

-

also. collins. aww horrible from supper you poor little guy

-

those rations look fuckign disgusting, jesus christ

hickeys eyes. big and wet like bug

silna staring at him :0

-

ooooof morfinn having. bad time /(

tozers lil ‘oh christ’ where he drops his lighthearted “im talking to the men” <3 voice

UHOHHHH <3

-

kwwping that secret is gonna backfire. woof

its quiet but james fitzjames is Doing Badly

tozer im so sorry why would you try to get hickey armed. did you thibk that wouldnt be suspicious as hell???????

THIS FACE IS SO FUCKING FUNNY. LIKE. HELLO?????

—

aw, goodsir. him crying is sooo. mmm. panic attack :,(

also that bed is fucking filthy jfc

SILNA <3

—

jopsons “oh thank you very much sir 😒” WAS SO FUNNY

promotion~ ! (not sure if jopson is actually happy abt this????)

—

HICKEYS FACE WHEN HODGE THINKS HES SUGGESTING HE STOLE SOMEONES FLESH LOL

^ he says ‘is that really what you think of me’ (george is RIGHT tho is the thing)

also georges lil ‘god blind me’ woof :3c

its so so clear that tozer is. gently threateninf hodg here. and hodge is Not Interested In This At All

—

i love how hickey is on the outside of the hunting party. hes not With Them. in the way that matters?

also parallels how hes pretty clearly not putting it in while hauling, and also has a reputation for not doing things that hes been asked to (‘layabout’ fits him really well)

—

hickey The Killerrrrrrr (nah tho its so fucked up. he only does this bc hes racist in the extreme!!!!! and like. hes very bitter about francis’s idea potentially working b/c itll take the legs out from under his little mutiny— and the numbers *still* wont work!) *slams his head into the ground*

irving. thank you for being the only normal person here about the inuit

also im sorry but that murder scene audio is so funny to me. help. the tonal switch is too abrupt

hickey. also. looks kind of confused for a second after hes finished killing irvin?? like???????

SCREAM flashback. i love how he fucking throws his bag down the ladder. what an ass. like what if that hit anyone????

^^

face of someone who is realizing that their whole ‘catch a trip to oahu’ idea is going to be more complicated than they thought

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Daily Cross Carrying

by Aiden Wilson Tozer

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." – Luke 9:23

Our Lord called men to follow Him but He never made the way look easy. Indeed one gets the distinct impression that He made it appear extremely hard. Sometimes He said things to disciples or prospective disciples that we today discreetly avoid repeating when we are trying to win men to Him. What present-day evangelist would have the courage to tell an inquirer, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it" (Matt. 16:24-25)? And do not we do some tall explaining when someone asks us what Jesus meant when He said, "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law" (Matt. 10:34-35)? That kind of rugged, sinewy Christianity is left for an occasional missionary or for some believer behind one of the various curtains in the world. The masses of professed Christians simply do not have the moral muscle to enable them to take a path so downright and final as this. When will Christians learn that to love righteousness it is necessary to hate sin? that to accept Christ it is necessary to reject self? that to follow the good way we must flee from evil? that a friend of the world is an enemy of God? that God allows no twilight zone between two altogethers where the fearful and the doubting may take refuge at once from hell to come and the rigors of present discipline?

[bilgewater01]

2,3, 10, 22 for violence

2. I think every character would top or bottom given enough incentive; I make my faves bottom more often because I find that hotter but I do acknowledge they'd do either; however I don't think Des Voeux would bottom easily in his natural state. He doesn't trust anyone, he would not turn his back on you + he has more interesting things in mind + he wants to be called "Mr. Des Voeux" even in the relaxed social structure of mutiny camp, this is not a man who likes to be denigrated in any perceivable capacity (note: Des Voeux in my Devious is not the show version of the character therefore doesn't count, as for him propositioning Hickey in that one piss fic, well idk it fit there, really it isn't very rigid with me)

3. Worst take is something common among casual watchers and probably/hopefully not the fandom people; namely that Hickey is 100% evil and that Gibson was just his manipulated victim, something like "even the other gay guy was sick of Hickey's shit" when talking about the breakup scene

10. Either "Gibson overlooked the red flags on Hickey" (as he himself wasn't the worst boyfriend Hickey could ask for with that whole accusing him of rape at the slightest sign of adversity), or, something I am somewhat guilty of participating in, that Armitage wants to be a sex slave of the Marines and not a Marine himself. He didn't kill two of the unarmed natives himself only to be perceived as a "uuoohh pls daddy Tozer hold me in your strong arms and breed my boypussy until pregnant🥺🥺" (I do it more in the spirit of "by God I love the smell of Marine balls in the morning" which is funny and gives him some agency. I generally do not like men without agency, even or especially if they take it up the ass, it's 2yaoi4me you know)

22. The Terror, a novel by Dan Simmons from 2007 particularly the parts where Hickey and Manson ♥️

but serious answer regarding the show would be Hodgson's fucking Blood Meridian monologue

[saints-who-never-existed]

Rereading The Terror

Chapter Forty-Five: Blanky

The end is nigh for poor Blanky and I for one am heartbroken!

He's on his third leg now. The first was finely crafted but snapped off around the time that Pilkington and Le Vesconte (Blanky calls him Harry) died. That day he rode in a boat with Mr Honey the carpenter who fashioned him a new one, rather impressively, while on the move.

When he's up and hobbling along once more he does all he can to show solidarity with the men. They're doing things just as Blanky describes to Fitzjames in the show - carrying half a load a day's march then doubling back for the other half. And even though Blanky himself can't carry much or haul at all, he still tries to do those things anyway and makes a point of marching in both directions alongside the other men.

The only thing that's really keeping him going is the thought of being able to take to the water in the boats and put his ice master's knowledge to good use once more. It's come up a few times now, this notion that many of the men who survive longest and show the fewest signs of illness are those who have the most to live for and Blanky's definitely in that group, I think. There's even more immediacy to his situation though: "Still, it was not only his usefulness that was being decided by the ice, but his survival... once the ice master was at sea again, he would survive... If he could last until they took to the boats, Thomas Blanky would live."

Then, of course, there is Tuunbaq, still stalking them on their journey south and coming for Blanky first, so he believes. And, to be fair, that's an astute assessment of things - his leg is in a sorry state indeed and he leaves a trail of blood for it to follow wherever he goes, after all.

Blanky does what he can to hide the extent of it, sweltering in his greatcoat long after the other men are hauling in their shirt sleeves in the comparative heat of summer. "I'm cold-blooded, boys" He'd said with a laugh. "My wooden leg brings the chill of the ground up into me. I don't want you to see me shiver." :(((

Blanky reflects on a few other events as he hobbles painfully along. He recalls that two other men have died of the same tin-based poisoning that killed Fitzjames (though Richard Aylmore remains unaffected). And he notes that, even with the temperature rising, the men are plagued by frostbite still as well as snowblindness and headaches from refusal to wear their mesh goggles. One man notes that "wearing the God-damned wire goggles was as difficult as trying to see through a pair of lady's black silk drawers but much less fun." which is very amusing to me.

Blanky is especially aware of these medical issues as he's begun to help Goodsir where he can. Interestingly, Goodsir trusts Blanky not only to fetch things from the locked medicine chest but seemingly trusts him not to blab about the final secret vial of laudanum he's got in there, despite lying to the men that it's all gone.

Blanky also notes, heartbreakingly, how their minds and very identities as sailors are deteriorating away along with their bodies: "Sailors who had tied off complicated rigging and shroud knots in the roaring darkness fifty feet out on a pitching spar two hundred feet above the deck on a stormy night off the Strait of Magellan during a hurricane blow could no longer tie their shoes in the daylight."

When his third leg finally snaps, Blanky sits down on a rock and accepts his fate. It's gut-wrenching just like the show but also funny as Blanky finds opportunity to be sassy to both Tozer ("He had always enjoyed irritating the stupid sergeant by using his first name.") and Crozier.

He doesn't have quite the same close relationship with Crozier as in the show, though there's clearly still respect and some love there. They argue the matter a little but Crozier respects his decision, offering him a water bottle and promising to get word of Blanky's fate back to his family (although, as with Irving and his supposed Bristol-based upbringing, Blanky's family and home in Kent (?!!) are details that Simmons apparently pulls right, infuriatingly, from his arse)

It is after midnight when Tuunbaq finally appears. Blanky greets it like an old friend ("Welcome back," said Thomas Blanky to the shadowy silhouette on the ice.") before meeting his fate grinning fiercely all the while. "You're late," said Blanky. He could not help it that his teeth were chattering. "I've been expecting you for a long time." Unlike with the front he put up for the men beforehand, Blanky knows it doesn't matter anymore if Tuunbaq sees him shivering... :(((

[yhwhrulz]

Morning and Evening with A.W. Tozer Devotional for April 20

Tozer in the Morning SALVATION'S PRICE

Too many Christian leaders, acting like enthusiastic promoters, are teaching that the essence of faith is this: "Come to Jesus-it will cost you nothing!" The price has all been paid - "it will cost you nothing!" Brethren, that is a dangerous half-truth. There is always a price connected with salvation and with discipleship. God's grace is free, no doubt about that. No one in the wide world can make any human payment towards the plan of salvation or the forgiveness of sins. I take issue on Bible grounds with the statement that "everyone in the world has faith - all you have to do is turn your faith loose." That is truly a misconception of what the Bible teaches about men and God and faith. Actually, faith is a rare and wonderful plant that lives and grows only in the penitent soul. The teaching that every one has faith is simply a form of humanism in the guise of Christianity. I warn you that any faith that belongs to everybody is not the fai th that saves. It is not that faith which is a gift of God to the broken and contrite heart!

Tozer in the Evening Man - The Dwelling Place of God - God Must Be Loved for Himself

GOD BEING WHO HE is must always be sought for Himself, never as a means toward something else.

Whoever seeks other objects and not God is on his own; he may obtain those objects if he is able, but he will never have God. God is never found accidentally. "Ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13) .

Whoever seeks God as a means toward desired ends will not find God. The mighty God, the maker of heaven and earth, will not be one of many treasures, not even the chief of all treasures. He will be all in all or He will be nothing. God will not be used. His mercy and grace are infinite and His patient understanding is beyond measure, but He will not aid men in their selfish striving after personal gain. He will not help men to attain ends which, when attained, usurp the place He by every right should hold in their interest and affection.

Yet popular Christianity has as one of its most effective talking points the idea that God exists to help people to get ahead in this world. The God of the poor has become the God of an affluent society. Christ no longer refuses to be a judge or a divider between money hungry brothers. He can now be persuaded to assist the brother that has accepted Him to get the better of the brother who has not.

A crass example of the modern effort to use God for selfish purposes is the well-known comedian who, after repeated failures, promised someone he called God that if He would help him to make good in the entertainment world he would repay Him by giving generously to the care of sick children. Shortly afterward he hit the big time in the night clubs and on television. He has kept his word and is raising large sums of money to build children's hospitals. These contributions to charity, he feels, are a small price to pay for a success in one of the sleaziest fields of human endeavor.

One might excuse the act of this entertainer as something to be expected of a twentieth century pagan; but that multitudes of evangelicals in North America should actually believe that God had anything to do with the whole business is not so easily overlooked. This low and false view of Deity is one major reason for the immense popularity God enjoys these days among well-fed Westerners.

The teaching of the Bible is that God is Himself the end for which man was created. "Whom have I in heaven but thee?" cried the psalmist, "and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee" (Psalms 73: 25) . The first and greatest commandment is to love God with every power of our entire being. Where love like that exists there can be no place for a second object. If we love God as much as we should surely we cannot dream of a loved object beyond Him which He might help us to obtain.

Bernard of Clairvaux begins his radiant little treatise on the love of God with a question and an answer. The question, Why should we love God? The answer, Because He is God. He develops the idea further, but for the enlightened heart little more need be said. We should love God because He is God. Beyond this the angels cannot think.

Being who He is, God is to be loved for His own sake. He is the reason for our loving Him, just as He is the reason for His loving us and for every other act He has performed, is performing and will perform world without end. God's primary reason for everything is His own good pleasure. The search for secondary reasons is gratuitous and mostly futile. It affords occupation for theologians and adds pages to books on doctrine, but that it ever turns up any true explanations is doubtful.

But it is the nature of God to share. His mighty acts of creation and redemption were done for His good pleasure, but His pleasure extends to all created things. One has but to look at a healthy child at play or listen to the song of a bird at sundown and he will know that God meant His universe to be a joyful one.

Those who have been spiritually enabled to love God for Himself will find a thousand fountains springing up from the rainbowcircled throne and bringing countless treasures which are to be received with reverent thanksgiving as being the overflow of God's love for His children. Each gift is a bonus of grace which because it was not sought for itself may be enjoyed without injury to the soul. These include the simple blessings of life, such as health, a home, a family, congenial friends, food, shelter, the pure joys of nature or the more artificial pleasures of music and art.

The effort to find these treasures by direct search apart from God has been the major activity of mankind through the centuries; and this has been man's burden and man's woe. The effort to gain them as the ulterior motive back of accepting Christ may be something new under the sun; but new or old it is an evil that can only bring judgment at last.

God wills that we should love Him for Himself alone with no hidden reasons, trusting Him to be to us all our natures require. Our Lord said all this much better: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33) .

Copyright Statement This material is considered in the public domain.

[yhwhrulz777]

Morning and Evening with A.W. Tozer Devotional for October 26

Tozer in the Morning Gazing Upon Christ

We have all seen the person who begins all arguments with the unassailable proposition that he is right and reasons from there. We have received a few letters which purported to settle all questions, not by bringing forth reasons, but by establishing the writer's qualifications to pronounce judgment. "How dare you question my actions," he says. "I am the foremost leader in my field. I have written this many books and spoken to this many people over a long period of this many years." Ergo, I am not to be trifled with, nor are my opinions to be questioned. If I do it, it is right. Ispe dixit. He has said it.

This kind of thing would be comical if it were not tragic. We mention it only to point up the truth under present consideration and to show by horrible example what long continued self-assurance will do to a human character. Let the public accept a man as unusual, and he is soon tempted to accept himself as being above reproof. Soon a hard shell of impenitence covers his heart and chokes his spiritual life almost out of existence. The cure, if there is to be a cure, would be simple, of course. Let him look to his past and to the cross where Jesus died. If he can still defend himself after that, then let him look into his own heart and tell what he finds there. If after that he can still boast, close the coffin lid.

Tozer in the Evening Being Who We Are

This need for external support for our sagging faith accounts for the introduction into religious activities of that welter of shoddy claptrap that has become the characteristic mark of modern Christianity. . . .

To guarantee immunity to this disease of the heart, we must cultivate a spirit of faith and humility. This works as an antibody to destroy the moral bacteria that cause bloat and distention.

If we have faith, we will be concerned only with what God thinks of us. We can smile off man's opinion, whether it be favorable or unfavorable, and go our God-appointed way in complete confidence. The excited devotees of the twin gods Publicity and Reputation will race past us with no more than a pitying glance. The self-acknowledged Great of the kingdom, the Eminent, the Outstanding will ignore us or patronize us or perhaps seek to cultivate us for their ends. We in the meantime will step neither to the right hand nor to the left. We will honor all men, be courteous to everyone, love our Christian brothers, glorify God and fear nobody.

It takes a lot of courage and independence of mind to insist upon being just what we are, and no more. But when the Lord comes, we will not have cause to regret that we did.

Copyright Statement This material is considered in the public domain.

[psalmonesermons]

Following Jesus Part 2

What does Jesus expect of his followers?

Here are three things that Jesus requires of his followers (disciples).

1. If we love Jesus, Jesus expects that we will obey him.

John 14:15 If you love me, keep my commandments.

What commandments – the three found in the New Testament; Love God, love your neighbour, love one another as I have loved you John 15:12

2. We are expected to follow his example

Jesus told His disciples to follow Him, while He showed the disciples how to follow God. Jesus did not tell His disciples to follow other teachers; in fact, He warned against "false teachers" and rejected teachers of questionable beliefs. Paul followed the example of Jesus as he instructed believers to follow him, 1 Corinthians 11:1 “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ."

It is scary thought to consider ‘just who are our children following today’? Our modern society "teachers/leaders" can include both people and peers and even the media. Media includes influences such as educational curriculums, books, television, music, movies, gaming, internet, etc. This is an urgent need for people especially our children to see just who it is that we are following.

Many people would rather follow someone on Twitter rather than follow Jesus in life.

3. Jesus expects His disciples to count the cost of following Him. In the book ‘Mere Christianity’ [1] C.S. Lewis put the idea of counting the cost like this:

"The terrible thing, the almost impossible thing, is to hand over your whole self--all your wishes and precautions--to Christ.

A.W. Tozer on this topic expressed it like this: "Among the plastic saints of our times, Jesus has to do all the dying, and all we want to hear is another sermon about his dying."

Part of following Jesus is being willing to put the self-life to death.

Rom 6:11a Think (reckon) of yourselves as dead to sin.

Death to self is NOT optional for Christians- We need to count the cost of following Jesus and the effects it will produce in our lives. It is a sobering thought to read-

Mat 10:38 anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

Amen

Personal Prayer

[1] C S Lewis Mere Christianity Chapter 23: 24, 26-33.

In Part 3 we discuss the path that Jesus wants us to follow.

[lindajenni]

jan 12

familiar friday - the pursuit of God

"when gideon came to the jordan, he and the three hundred men who were with him crossed over, exhausted but still in pursuit." judges 14:14 i had a dear friend write me the other day.  she is a fairly recent friend but one that has entered my heart with the warmest of welcomes.  she wrote me the other day about one of the dailies i had written.  it was just a short note commenting about it's content. since i am relaying her message anonymously, i feel safe in repeating it here.  "beautiful, linda. always, just beautiful. how could anyone every read these tributes and not want to know the Jesus YOU KNOW????" i do not repeat this in any way to try to lift up myself.  i only want all of you to know, "this is indeed my mission ... to make you want to know the Jesus I KNOW".  He has at last become the greatest desire of my heart.  for years i wandered around in the dark.  for years i ignored His gentle tugs at my heart and sought to find happiness in things transient and unfulfilling.  but He was always there, waiting to greet me as the Father did the prodigal son.  not just waiting, but rushing out to greet him and celebrate his return.  yes, he was returning; returning from the filth and squalor the world had finally driven him to.  it is the only outcome that can be in a heart that has not prepared a place for our Lord. "the thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.  I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."  john 10:10  he will entice you with pleasures, fame and fortune.  he may grant you these for awhile.  he offered our Lord the kingdoms of the world if He would just bow down to Him.  it would truly be a foolish heart to give what he could never lose for that which he could never keep. i love the book "the pursuit of God" by aw tozer.  we are all in the pursuit of God.  our God has set it up this way.  "truly You are God, who hide Yourself, o God of israel, the savior!"  isa 45:15 it is like the verse from a poem i know.  "take heart and let the thought of God allure you further on."  our pursuit of knowing Him can be a most fulfilling task in itself.  ah, but the finding.  shall we ever know the finding of all that He is?  eternity will not be long enough for such a task.  all the goodness, all the holiness, all the love, all the many perfect things that make Him God.  the pursuit - yes it is worth it; worth it a thousand times over to me.  "there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul."  deut 4:29 if you've never felt the release of all the shame and guilt and hopelessness, it is there waiting for you.  often it is at the rock bottom.  we often have to reach the end of ourselves.  from the bottom there is no place to look but up and up is where He is.  "a broken and a contrite heart — these, o God, You will not despise."  psa 51:17 do i want you to know this God i love and serve also?  with all my heart.  would that my heart extended to the lengths the apostle paul's did, but it does not.  "for i could wish that i myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh."  yes, i love you but i am in the pursuit of my God and i will not let go.  follow not me.  follow Him! i leave you with this invitation and warning from the word of God.  "know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts.  if you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever."  1 chron 28:9 i pray you will begin your pursuit today.  if you already have, intensify it.  seeking and finding will be one's reward over and over again.  try as we might, we can't never out give God.