Thoughts of a Changed Mind: Letters from Father to Son

By Eric Robinson

"Thoughts of a Changed Mind" is a series of letters written from a father to his son on a broad range of topics including stories about encountering God, a call to Catholicism, contemporary social issues, practical wisdom for everyday life, and much more.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu Publishing Services
• Release date: Dec 15, 2016
• ISBN: 9781483457192

Eric Robinson

Eric Robinson holds a PhD in intercultural studies from Columbia International University and a master’s in Christian education from Union Presbyterian Seminary. He is the author of numerous journal articles related to mission theology, including its important connection to calling and vocation. Additionally, he is a career K-12 educator. Eric is married to his wonderful wife, Letarshia. He enjoys spending time with his family, running, photography, and playing the guitar.

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Thoughts

of a

Changed

Mind

Letters from Father to Son

ERIC ROBINSON

Copyright © 2016 Eric Robinson.

Cover Design by Andrew Holzschuh

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted by any means—whether auditory, graphic, mechanical, or electronic—without written permission of both publisher and author, except in the case of brief excerpts used in critical articles and reviews. Unauthorized reproduction of any part of this work is illegal and is punishable by law.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright ©1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-4834-5720-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4834-5721-5 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4834-5719-2 (e)

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Lulu Publishing Services rev. date: 10/03/2016

Contents

Author’s Note

Acknowledgments

Foreword

Prologue

Collection One: Life & Life with Christ

Letter 1: A Kingdom Perspective

Letter 2: The Brevity of Life

Letter 3: Finiteness

Letter 4: Abiding in Christ

Letter 5: The Secret Place

Letter 6: Live under His Smile

Letter 7: God is Love

Collection Two: Encountering God

Letter 8: The Craziest Thing I’ve Seen God Do

Letter 9: Charisms of the Spirit

Letter 10: Hearing God’s Voice: Beautiful & Dangerous

Letter 11: Unlocking the Imagination

Letter 12: What Is the Gospel?

Letter 13: Movies & the Gospel

Letter 14: Jesus Portrayed in The Lord of the Rings

Letter 15: Truth is a Person

Collection Three: The Call to Catholicism

Letter 16: My Journey Toward Catholicism

Letter 17: The Lens We Wear

Letter 18: Rumors about Catholics

Letter 19: Wooed Into Catholicism

Letter 20: The Centrality of Jesus Christ

Letter 21: Typology: A Key to Unlocking Scripture

Letter 22: Typology: Mary as the New Eve and the New Ark of the Covenant

Letter 23: Typology: Israel’s Rescue from Egypt and Our Salvation Process

Letter 24: Either/Or vs. Both/And

Letter 25: One Flesh with Christ

Letter 26: What Is the Church?

Letter 27: Is It about a Sermon? Is It about the Worship Music? Is It about Community?

Letter 28: Church Shopping vs. Church Submitting

Letter 29: The Pond and the Gathering

Letter 30: Daily Mass and Acts 2:42

Letter 31: Entering into the Larger Story

Collection Four: Practicalities

Letter 32: Sowing and Reaping

Letter 33: Pavlov and Virtue

Letter 34: Discipline Leads to Joy

Letter 35: Focus on the Positive

Letter 36: Beware of the News

Letter 37: Avoid Checking Work Emails after Work

Letter 38: Being Busy

Letter 39: Pause in Nature

Letter 40: Finding Rest

Letter 41: Spending Time with God

Letter 42: Creativity & Multiplying Talents

Letter 43: Video Games: Get in the Game

Letter 44: Experiencing Other Cultures: Jesus Alone Satisfies

Letter 45: Life Is an Adventure

Letter 46: Live from Your Passion

Letter 47: Laughter

Letter 48: Follow the Fruit

Letter 49: Beware of End Times Theories & Be Careful Not to Scoff

Letter 50: Beware of Teachers Who Only Talk of Tithing (Prosperity Gospel)

Letter 51: Riches Make Entering the Kingdom of Heaven More Difficult

Letter 52: Giving

Letter 53: Debt Is Slavery

Letter 54: Constant Repentance & Assurance

Letter 55: Singing Worship: Weapon of Intimacy

Letter 56: Soaked in Scripture

Letter 57: Testing the Spirits

Letter 58: There is a God, and You are NOT Him

Letter 59: Fools Say in Their Heart

Letter 60: It’s about Your Heart

Letter 61: Thinking with Heart & Mind

Letter 62: Welcoming Wisdom, Knowledge, & Insight

Letter 63: Questioning & Learning

Letter 64: Balance in Life

Letter 65: God’s Will?

Collection Five: Manliness

Letter 66: My Dad

Letter 67: A Life of Excellence

Letter 68: That’s Like You, Baby: Identity in Christ

Letter 69: Being a Man of Consistency

Letter 70: Finish What You Start

Letter 71: Don’t Make Foolish Commitments

Letter 72: No Excuses

Letter 73: Be a Man of Your Word

Letter 74: Be a Man of the Word

Collection Six: Relationships

Letter 75: Be Friends with the Friends of God

Letter 76: The Three C’s to Every Relationship: Christ, Commitment, and Communication

Letter 77: Living in Community

Letter 78: Dogs are Sometimes Better at Loving People than People

Letter 79: My 4 Qualifications for Finding The One

Letter 80: Friendships that Last

Collection Seven: Suffering & Social Issues

Letter 81: Abortion: the Great Evil of Our Time

Letter 82: It’s Not about You… Ever!

Letter 83: Radical Submission & Nonviolence

Letter 84: Honoring & Submitting to Authority

Letter 85: Marriage: Wives Submit, Husbands Sacrifice

Letter 86: Responding to Gay Marriage

Letter 87: Temptations: Lust of the Flesh, Lust of the Eyes, and the Boastful Pride of Life

Letter 88: Pride of Life in the Midst of Ministry

Letter 89: Suffering: Reflections on 1 Peter

Letter 90: Letter to One Who Attempted Suicide

Letter 91: The Struggle is Real: No Compromise

Letter 92: Recognizing Sin Leads to Mercy

Collection Eight: Prayer

Letter 93: It All Starts with Prayer

Letter 94: Don’t Provoke Satan - Focus on Jesus

Letter 95: Our Father

Letter 96: A Spirit of Thanksgiving

Letter 97: Let It Be Done to Me According to Your Word

Collection Nine: Final Thoughts

Letter 98: Figuring It All Out & the Pursuit of God

Letter 99: Live In Light of Judgment Day

Letter 100: Six Things You Need to Do before You Die (Matthew 25)

Letter 101: Long to Be with Christ

Letter 102: Longing for Martyrdom

Letter 103: It Will Be Worth It

Letter 104: End Goal: Union with God

Epilogue

References

About the Author

Author’s Note

Dear Reader,

What you are about to read is a series of letters set in a fictional context between a father and a son. This context has given me the ability to write to my readers, both men and women of any age, about a lot of different topics on a more intimate level. The topics reflect my own changes in life. Those changes are articulated in this book and that is why the title is called Thoughts of a Changed Mind. Central to my life has been my relationship with Christ. This relationship has undergone very significant changes just this last year as I went from being Protestant to Catholic. Many of these letters, however, reflect thoughts that I’ve been meditating on for a long time, before I was even remotely interested in becoming Catholic. Therefore, this book is intended for all Christians, not simply Catholics. My hope is that these letters can be a source of unity and not further division in the Church.

Thoughts of a Changed Mind is also intended for those who do not care about Christianity at all, but who may be curious to hear a perspective different from their own. This book is for anyone who would like to have their spirit refreshed, their life with Christ strengthened, and their mind transformed.

Grace & Peace,

Eric Robinson

May 21, 2016

Acknowledgments

This book would not have been possible without the help of my friends and family. I’m thankful to my godly parents for always giving me the freedom to explore what it means to have a relationship with Christ. They are a shining witness of the love of Christ and have been a tremendous source of encouragement on my journey. I especially would like to thank my mom. Though I did not write a letter about her in this book, it is through her intercession and love that I have come to know when it is time to rise up from challenges and be a man. I love her and my own father ever so deeply. I’m thankful also to my sisters, Kelly and Amy, for the many rich experiences and conversations we have had together. We have a weird blend of similarities and differences among us I would say. My brother-in-law, Curtis, has witnessed our family’s many quirks and has been a great example of stability and service. My nieces, McKenna and Macy, remind me of what it means to be child-like in faith, so though they are shorter than me, I already look up to them.

The friends in my life have certainly played a big role in shaping the thoughts reflected in these letters. My friend, Joe, continues to be a man of deep humility and love. Our friendship has been foundational to my life. My friend, John, gave me the extra push I needed to be creative and write this book. We’ve had our fair share of philosophical and spiritual conversations and I hope they continue. My friend, Rocky, has always been and continues to be a man who brings joy and encouragement to me. He often reminds me of my identity in Christ, and we are able to refresh one another each time we talk. My friend, Ben, was a faithful college roommate, and continues to be such a light in my life. My friend, Ethan, was perhaps the biggest influence on me becoming Catholic, though he himself wasn’t Catholic at the time. Our many conversations and questions allowed us both to explore the truth and beauty of the Catholic Church. His patient endurance, holiness, and ability to communicate the deep things of God in an understandable way have greatly impacted me.

The mentors God has brought to me throughout my life have also allowed me to deepen my relationship with Christ. My camp directors, Andy and Luke, helped me wade through the murky waters of adolescence and into adulthood. Their honest pursuit of the truth coupled with their genuine love for others have greatly inspired me over the years. My mentor, Aaron, strengthened me through the most difficult trial in my life during college and has been there for me ever since. My mentor, Jared, who also served as my sponsor and RCIA Director, guided me toward my Confirmation in the Catholic Church. His willingness and ability to answer my questions concerning Catholicism proved to be fruitful. Many other friends and mentors have come alongside me throughout my life to help change my mind and mold me into the man I am today. I am thankful to each one of them!

I especially want to thank my friend and Chief Editor, Bridget Balch. She is an amazing writer and editor who currently works for the Houston Chronicle, which is one of the largest newspapers in the United States. More important than her credentials, is her friendship. Thank you Bridget for all the hard work and many hours you have put into this book. You have been a great friend and influence on my life.

To all my friends and family, this book is dedicated to you. I cannot thank God enough for putting each of you in my life. May the Lord continue to bless our relationships with each other and our pursuit of him!

Foreword

By Doug Robinson

(Author’s Dad)

My Son,

How did you attain such wisdom? I know that it wasn’t from me because I have learned so much by just reading these inspirational letters to your son. I believe that most of this wisdom has come from your fear (respect) of the Lord, your inquisitive nature, and the Holy Spirit. Proverbs 1:7 says, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 2:6 explains it further, For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. From an early age you have been seeking and finding this wisdom from God’s Word, from mentors in your life, and a few tidbits from your mother and me.

It has been such a joy to have you as my son and to watch your growth during this spiritual journey that you describe so well in this book. Your desire to learn about God has always been foremost in your mind. I am thankful for our moments together when we were fishing or playing sports, and our theological discussions that seemed to frequently come up. Somewhere along the way you far surpassed my knowledge and I went from giving you advice to asking for your advice. I think I have some understanding of how Joseph must have felt when he and Mary found Jesus in the temple courts, at age 12, giving answers to the teachers (Luke 2:41-50).

It has been quite a ride watching you progress through your search (and ours) for the best way to worship God and honor him. I can now see how God has used this journey to bring you to the point you find yourself today. He even taught you through my mistakes and your own exploration of different styles of worship. I am confident in your future because you take seriously his Word and allow it to guide you. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (Psalms 119:105).

I am certain that many people will enjoy and benefit from this book with the way you explain how God’s Word applies to their lives. The practical advice you share is a priceless treasure. Your mother and I are so proud of you and look forward to how God will continue to use you to inspire others.

Love,

Dad

Prologue

My Son,

As you enter into adulthood, you will experience much change in your life. I have embarked on writing these letters to you in the hope of passing on the thoughts that have been most transformative to my life. The thoughts are wide and varied, but find their center in Jesus Christ. Since God is over all, through all, and in all, there is nothing in life that cannot be drawn back to him and his glorious nature.

God has walked with me for many years, leading me from that day in first grade when I first recognized him in my life, to when I saw a skit of the crucifixion at a summer camp and re-dedicated my life to Christ, to high school and college where many friends walked closely with me through joyful highs and crippling lows, to my journey into the Catholic Church in my adult life, and to many adventures across the world. Through all these experiences, God has taught me many profound lessons. I hope you will take these lessons to heart.

In these letters you will find my lens through which I see the world. You will find my thoughts that have been changed by Christ and continue to be changed by Christ. You will find the secrets that have been fuel to my faith. You will find my voice and my love for you. Perhaps this will be the most valuable inheritance I can give to you. Treasure these letters, my beloved son. Spit out the bad, cling to the good. May these letters lead you into a full life in Jesus Christ.

With Unending Love,

Your earthly father

Collection One: Life & Life with Christ

Letter 1: A Kingdom Perspective

My Son,

From him and through him and to him are all things (Romans 11:36). To take this verse to heart is to embrace a kingdom perspective -- a way of viewing the world that sees everything as sourced in God and ending in God. Everything that is good comes from your heavenly Father. When you read a book, see a movie, listen to a song, learn a new concept, experience a new culture, and go about your day-to-day business, I beg you to see God in every bit of it.

Always be attentive to what God may be saying or doing in your midst, for the great midst of our lives is where he manifests his kingdom. Ask your heavenly Father, Lord, what are you teaching me in this? Ask him to reveal himself to you in all parts of the day. Be in constant communion and communication with your heavenly Father. When you do this, your mind is naturally set in the supernatural realm of the heavens.

Jesus is clear, Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well (Matthew 6:33). The Apostle Paul is also clear, Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of the mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:2). He also exhorts, Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth (Colossians 3:2).

Seek, be transformed, and set your mind on the kingdom of heaven. This is your choice, my beloved son. These are actions you can choose to do.

From the mind flows the will and from the will flows your behavior. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace (Romans 8:6). Everyone is after the same thing in life: life to the full, which we recognize as eternal life. Setting your mind on God is crucial to obtaining fullness in this life and the next. It is essential to experiencing a life of peace.

When you get caught up in the rat race of this world, you will become stressed. You will deceive yourself into thinking that the menial tasks are the all-important musts, but in truth, they have the insipid nature of luring you away from the things that are actually important. It is difficult not to think about earthly things at times, so if you find yourself getting stressed, I want you to close your eyes and picture Jesus breathing his rest upon you. Take a deep breath, and let his peace wash over you. This can be