Hello readers. Welcome to my heart. Let's begin.
First, let me paint the illustration.
So many of us, ok, most of us, alright, all of us have some eye burn. This eye burn has ruined our sight, its ruined our depth perception, our sense of clarity, and how we see the world. And we all have our different ways of coping with this eye burn. A technique many of us use are the "encouraging" eye drops.
Recently I had a good friend of mine and a follower of this blog ask me the tough question, check it out.
"Claude, how do we get to place to where we actually are believing and walking out the things we hear?"
Her question was stemming from a conversation we were having and the topic got brought up about how we hear these good things all the time. Things like, God has a plan for your life, you're beautiful, don't worry about it, let go and let God, all these encouraging words that usually gets us over the hump of bad days or bad situations or bad moods. So her question left me interested in being able to answer that the next time she or anyone else ask me. Here's what I got.
We have to get away from only being comfortable with the encouraging words, or the spiritual eye drops for our eye burn. Instead, we should seek true healing of the eye burn.
Let me say it this way.
A lot of us tweet these encouraging quotes from C.S. Lewis and ones we come up with our own, or Tweetable lines that awesome pastors drop every week in a sermon, but what will it take to actually get us applying these quotes to our lives. How do we get away from being Junkie Christians, where we just show up to worship services with our minds ready to only get our weekly fix of Jesus?
Here's my suggestion, let's focus less on getting the eye drops and more on getting the Jesus.
Let me start from it this way. Place two people in front of you, a stranger, and your best friend. Now, at the same time, these two people can say the same thing, but you'll receive them in two different ways. Let's just be elementary and imagine we're in a sandbox.
Stranger says. "You're ugly."
Best friend says. "You're ugly."
Which hurts more? They both hurt in some degree or on some measure, but the one from the best friend hurts the most. Why? Because the words from that best friend are weighted so much more than the words from the stranger. So here's what I suggest, Jesus may be too much of a stranger to you. Yes, I am suggesting that you may not know Jesus as well as you think you do. You can't feel the weight of His words for you. Which is why we must.....
STUDY OUR BIBLES.
Never in my life have I ever realized how important this is. We must study, not just read, study. What is God meaning? Its okay to ask that. Stop blindly just reading and walking away with surface level understanding. But dig in that thing. Press in on God to explain to you why you should trust in Him completely. Why He wants us to flee sexual immorality. Why we are saved by faith and not by our works. Why am I supposed to dress modest. Why should I honor women. Why, why why.
Now, I must say this. This thing doesn't work like our method of electing governing officials. Where we ask God all of our questions and then make a decision whether He should be God over our lives or not. He's already that. So all I'm suggesting is this....
Know the person that's saying these things to you.
A pastor can tell you all day that God thinks you're beautiful and worthy of respect. But, imagine the weight of hearing it from God Himself. It doesn't have to be hearsay friends.
A pastor can scream at the top of his lungs that God loves you, His grace is sufficient for you, nothing you have done can exceed the amount of grace He has for you, and once you're IN CHRIST, you have been justified and cleared of the wrath of your sins because of the sacrifice Jesus made for you on the cross---- this is grace, we can hear that time and time again, but...... miss out on feeling the weight of the Gospel. Why? Because we just know what happened, but we don't understand what happened. Too many Christians know what happened, because we've sat in Easter services for 20+ years, but we don't understand what happened. We don't understand the weight of our sins, therefore missing the weight of His wrath, and therefore missing the weight of His love, and therefore missing the weight of Jesus's sacrifice, and therefore missing the weight of grace.
I dare you to go chase after the weight of all that. Read your Bibles people. You have no idea what God is exclaiming to you deep within the text if you do not dig into it. Stop being okay with the spiritual eye drops, the comfort verses, the get over my bad day verses, the message notes I took, or whatever. Dive into it, define what God is saying to you so you can feel the weight of it.
Stop just knowing. Seek to understand. Understanding brings clarity---which proves your healing of your eye burn.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
What Are You Really After?
Hello readers. Welcome to my heart. Let's begin.
"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."
Readers. Friends. Can we talk?
One of my blessings and curses is that I wonder about you. Yes, you specifically, and all the others just like you. Is it true that we all have a our issues? We can all agree on this right? And I'll be the first to share with you that I do not have it all together. Here's how I reached that conclusion.
The other day, after a morning of complaining and praying for things to change for the better, I had one of those "mirror mirror on the wall" moments. I was putting on a shirt in the bathroom and I was looking at myself in the mirror. And, I guess I usually don't do this, but I was looking deep into my own eyes. Like, I was seriously gazing into my own soul. And this question pops into my mind.
"Claude, what are you really after?"
I dropped the shirt. The question floored me. It also exposed me, gave me a deep conviction and a reality check. My own self ratted me out. Or perhaps the Holy Spirit was doing His duty. So now, I bring this question to you. What are you really after? Here's an illustration.
Have you ever been a sucker for TV ads? The first one that pops in my mind for myself is P90X. I remember sitting there and wasting a lot of my time watching the same infomercial over and over again, because I was stunned by this one sentence, GET FIT IN 90 DAYS. Sounds good. And the sucker that I am and millions of Americans are, bought the merchandise and even got the pull up bar, got a few new workout clothes, made a playlist, set a date to start, and got ready to start this GET FIT IN 90 DAYS.
But what's the one thing that I actually forget to do? I didn't begin to prepare myself for the pain. I didn't prepare for the endurance and self discipline of completing a workout everyday for 90 days. See, I was wanting the results, but not the work. Wanting the 3 MONTH chiseled beach bod, but not the 3 MONTH sacrifice of eating better and staying committed to this thing.
What was I really after? Just the glory, instead of the pain.
Or I'll say it this way, I was after the glory, while blindly ignoring the process to get to the glory.
So it hit me. I wonder what we're really after? Why do you go to church? Why have you chosen to believe in Jesus? Why do you disagree with religion? Why do you dress the way you dress? Why do you tweet so much? Why are you so ready to get married? Why do you want love? Why are you wanting to join that sorority? Why are you wanting to be a leader in your church? Why are you prideful? Why are you chasing that dream? Why are you in college?
I tweeted the other day a revelation I had that day. Here it is.
"How you handle disappointment might expose what you really have your hope in."
Because I found it interesting how tore up we get when things don't go our way. It seems to be a frustrating season for myself and some of my friends, because we're feeling some kind of way about our lives. But for myself, I was able to follow the issue to a heart problem. Instead of my hope being only in Jesus, oh don't miss that, ONLY in Jesus, it was beginning to be placed in SOMETHINGS working out my way.
Since I've become a pastor, I've noticed how easy it us for pastors to get shot at for not delivering a certain message that a certain person needs at a certain time. Like somehow one person is supposed to know what 100 people need to hear at the same time. What are we really after? Someone to pursue Jesus for us?
Sorry, that was a rabbit trail. But, I'm going to look at you and say you're the blame. So many pastors are delivering truth, that if you choose Jesus today your life will get better, but with our selective hearing, we only begin to apply, "Ooo! Better life yes! My life is in shambles!"
So we then become after a better life, missing the part of CHOOSE JESUS. Missing the foundation, the process of getting to the glory----- we just want the glory. Everyone wants a better life. You're insane if you don't. So marriage become the ultimate gain for singles. Money becomes the ultimate gain for poor people. Fame becomes the ultimate gain for insignificant people. Love becomes the ultimate gain for the neglected. Sex becomes the ultimate gain for the abused. And more becomes the ultimate gain for people who have all of this.
Is our ultimate gain not Jesus?
Scripture supports this deeply. I'll just use one illustration. Lol. Good luck making it through this one.
Mark 10:17-27. We know about the rich young ruler right?
"A man came running up to Jesus, knelt down, and asked, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" ...Jesus responds...."You know the commandments: 'You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother."
"Teacher," the man replied, "I've obeyed all these commandments since I was young."
"Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. "There is still one think you haven't done," he told him. "Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
At this the man's face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
What was this guy really after? Eternal life? Or more security. He wanted the glory, but not the process to get to the glory. So what about you? What are you really after? If God asked you to give up what you're actually after and choose just Him, could you?
What is your ultimate gain? What are you really after?
I'll let you dwell on it. Ttyl ;)
"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."
Readers. Friends. Can we talk?
One of my blessings and curses is that I wonder about you. Yes, you specifically, and all the others just like you. Is it true that we all have a our issues? We can all agree on this right? And I'll be the first to share with you that I do not have it all together. Here's how I reached that conclusion.
The other day, after a morning of complaining and praying for things to change for the better, I had one of those "mirror mirror on the wall" moments. I was putting on a shirt in the bathroom and I was looking at myself in the mirror. And, I guess I usually don't do this, but I was looking deep into my own eyes. Like, I was seriously gazing into my own soul. And this question pops into my mind.
"Claude, what are you really after?"
I dropped the shirt. The question floored me. It also exposed me, gave me a deep conviction and a reality check. My own self ratted me out. Or perhaps the Holy Spirit was doing His duty. So now, I bring this question to you. What are you really after? Here's an illustration.
Have you ever been a sucker for TV ads? The first one that pops in my mind for myself is P90X. I remember sitting there and wasting a lot of my time watching the same infomercial over and over again, because I was stunned by this one sentence, GET FIT IN 90 DAYS. Sounds good. And the sucker that I am and millions of Americans are, bought the merchandise and even got the pull up bar, got a few new workout clothes, made a playlist, set a date to start, and got ready to start this GET FIT IN 90 DAYS.
But what's the one thing that I actually forget to do? I didn't begin to prepare myself for the pain. I didn't prepare for the endurance and self discipline of completing a workout everyday for 90 days. See, I was wanting the results, but not the work. Wanting the 3 MONTH chiseled beach bod, but not the 3 MONTH sacrifice of eating better and staying committed to this thing.
What was I really after? Just the glory, instead of the pain.
Or I'll say it this way, I was after the glory, while blindly ignoring the process to get to the glory.
So it hit me. I wonder what we're really after? Why do you go to church? Why have you chosen to believe in Jesus? Why do you disagree with religion? Why do you dress the way you dress? Why do you tweet so much? Why are you so ready to get married? Why do you want love? Why are you wanting to join that sorority? Why are you wanting to be a leader in your church? Why are you prideful? Why are you chasing that dream? Why are you in college?
I tweeted the other day a revelation I had that day. Here it is.
"How you handle disappointment might expose what you really have your hope in."
Because I found it interesting how tore up we get when things don't go our way. It seems to be a frustrating season for myself and some of my friends, because we're feeling some kind of way about our lives. But for myself, I was able to follow the issue to a heart problem. Instead of my hope being only in Jesus, oh don't miss that, ONLY in Jesus, it was beginning to be placed in SOMETHINGS working out my way.
Since I've become a pastor, I've noticed how easy it us for pastors to get shot at for not delivering a certain message that a certain person needs at a certain time. Like somehow one person is supposed to know what 100 people need to hear at the same time. What are we really after? Someone to pursue Jesus for us?
Sorry, that was a rabbit trail. But, I'm going to look at you and say you're the blame. So many pastors are delivering truth, that if you choose Jesus today your life will get better, but with our selective hearing, we only begin to apply, "Ooo! Better life yes! My life is in shambles!"
So we then become after a better life, missing the part of CHOOSE JESUS. Missing the foundation, the process of getting to the glory----- we just want the glory. Everyone wants a better life. You're insane if you don't. So marriage become the ultimate gain for singles. Money becomes the ultimate gain for poor people. Fame becomes the ultimate gain for insignificant people. Love becomes the ultimate gain for the neglected. Sex becomes the ultimate gain for the abused. And more becomes the ultimate gain for people who have all of this.
Is our ultimate gain not Jesus?
Scripture supports this deeply. I'll just use one illustration. Lol. Good luck making it through this one.
Mark 10:17-27. We know about the rich young ruler right?
"A man came running up to Jesus, knelt down, and asked, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" ...Jesus responds...."You know the commandments: 'You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother."
"Teacher," the man replied, "I've obeyed all these commandments since I was young."
"Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. "There is still one think you haven't done," he told him. "Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
At this the man's face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
What was this guy really after? Eternal life? Or more security. He wanted the glory, but not the process to get to the glory. So what about you? What are you really after? If God asked you to give up what you're actually after and choose just Him, could you?
What is your ultimate gain? What are you really after?
I'll let you dwell on it. Ttyl ;)
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Inner Roar
Hello readers. Welcome to my heart. Let's begin.
I have a feeling you've been needing me? Or perhaps I've been needing you. I find it interesting how writing finds its way to be a comfort. Clearly in that statement, I'm confessing it's an idol I turn to to ease my pain. Or it's just as simple as a digital venting as I pray my thoughts onto the screen. And the fact I'm making it public, I hope you're able to feel the weight. That I've chosen to title my blog a Heartbeat Aligned with the Cross for such a reason as this. As to title it with the clarity of my intentions for every article.
So, here we go.
It's.....interesting.... to me how I naturally check my value when disappointment enters my life. How I literally, invert the situation as a flaw of me, as a lack of in me, as an inadequacy to lead properly, or to honor honestly, or self control myself enough, or to respect others enough, or to achieve anything, able to do anything, you're nothing Claude, just why do you even bother.
And I have finally understood how I've heard pastors say time and time again the value in reading your Bibles. The value in knowing the truth about what God feels about you. Because, it activated the other night.
I was sitting in my apartment and my friend had just left after another dumping of my problems and frustrations. Oh, and I'm also the kid that gets mad at himself for being a whiner, because I've listened to culture tell me that men don't have emotions, that men don't whine, blah, so whatever.
But I was sitting in my apartment, and the flood of lies I listed earlier began to consume me. I felt like a timid little boy begging for his Dad. A lost boy, shivering from the cold, fear of the dangers that could be approaching him because he felt so alone, crying out for help. And, all of a sudden, I hear a faint roar.
What was that?
Then it sounds again. And it was louder this time. A roar like a lion. And the boy realized it was coming from inside of him. He then feels a flickering flame that slowly begins to warm him as the words of His Father's affirmation begins to ring loudly in his mind.
"Son, you are mine. I've designed you to be a leader, to be a man, to be a King, to be a warrior."
And almost immediately, the beauty of the situation reveals itself.
"Son, I saw the whole thing. I never left you. I needed you to feel this. I needed to see what you'd do. Just like Abraham, I just needed to see what you'd do. I was always there."
The roar becomes deafening as the little boy rises up off the ground and picks himself up. The truth about himself comes rushing to his mind.
"Son, you are Mine. In your weaknesses, I am made strong. So embrace the weakness, because I roar alive in you when I have to make you strong. I have covered your sins, stop beating yourself up. You are mine, you're alive IN ME. You are free from that bondage. Refuse the chains, refuse them son. You're free. You're alive."
And tears slowly
slowy
drip down my face.
Relationship.
Here---Religion would have left you with a bunch of verses to sort through to figure out which one to apply to hopefully make you feel better.
Relationship, the voice of the those verses comforts you in a personal message directly for you for whatever you're going through.
Yeah, you needed to the hear that.
I have a feeling you've been needing me? Or perhaps I've been needing you. I find it interesting how writing finds its way to be a comfort. Clearly in that statement, I'm confessing it's an idol I turn to to ease my pain. Or it's just as simple as a digital venting as I pray my thoughts onto the screen. And the fact I'm making it public, I hope you're able to feel the weight. That I've chosen to title my blog a Heartbeat Aligned with the Cross for such a reason as this. As to title it with the clarity of my intentions for every article.
So, here we go.
It's.....interesting.... to me how I naturally check my value when disappointment enters my life. How I literally, invert the situation as a flaw of me, as a lack of in me, as an inadequacy to lead properly, or to honor honestly, or self control myself enough, or to respect others enough, or to achieve anything, able to do anything, you're nothing Claude, just why do you even bother.
And I have finally understood how I've heard pastors say time and time again the value in reading your Bibles. The value in knowing the truth about what God feels about you. Because, it activated the other night.
I was sitting in my apartment and my friend had just left after another dumping of my problems and frustrations. Oh, and I'm also the kid that gets mad at himself for being a whiner, because I've listened to culture tell me that men don't have emotions, that men don't whine, blah, so whatever.
But I was sitting in my apartment, and the flood of lies I listed earlier began to consume me. I felt like a timid little boy begging for his Dad. A lost boy, shivering from the cold, fear of the dangers that could be approaching him because he felt so alone, crying out for help. And, all of a sudden, I hear a faint roar.
What was that?
Then it sounds again. And it was louder this time. A roar like a lion. And the boy realized it was coming from inside of him. He then feels a flickering flame that slowly begins to warm him as the words of His Father's affirmation begins to ring loudly in his mind.
"Son, you are mine. I've designed you to be a leader, to be a man, to be a King, to be a warrior."
And almost immediately, the beauty of the situation reveals itself.
"Son, I saw the whole thing. I never left you. I needed you to feel this. I needed to see what you'd do. Just like Abraham, I just needed to see what you'd do. I was always there."
The roar becomes deafening as the little boy rises up off the ground and picks himself up. The truth about himself comes rushing to his mind.
"Son, you are Mine. In your weaknesses, I am made strong. So embrace the weakness, because I roar alive in you when I have to make you strong. I have covered your sins, stop beating yourself up. You are mine, you're alive IN ME. You are free from that bondage. Refuse the chains, refuse them son. You're free. You're alive."
And tears slowly
slowy
drip down my face.
Relationship.
Here---Religion would have left you with a bunch of verses to sort through to figure out which one to apply to hopefully make you feel better.
Relationship, the voice of the those verses comforts you in a personal message directly for you for whatever you're going through.
Yeah, you needed to the hear that.
Monday, May 7, 2012
YOLO
"Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom." Psalm 90:12
Hello readers. Welcome to my heart. Let's begin.
I was working the other day. The sun was bearing down on my body as I stood outside The Hotel at Auburn University in my bellman uniform, beads of sweat breaking out on my forehead. And I had 5 hours of work left to go, and I was praying for God to somehow rescue me from this torture. The front desk was slow, and I was expected to wait and open doors and help guest with luggage. Well, what am I supposed to do when I don't have any guests? Just stand here!?
So I stood there, pleading for 6:00 to hurry so I could go home. And this thought hit me.
I'm rushing my life away.
If you look at our time on a timeline fashion, this is what I was doing.
Ok, it's Wednesday, 1:00 in the afternoon. I'm ready for 6:00 to get here, which would put me closer to tomorrow, which there is a huge chance that I could not make it to Thursday, but let's just hope I do because I have to work tomorrow, and tomorrow puts me closer to Friday, which makes me closer to getting out of May and into June, which gets 2012 closer to wrapping up, and I turn 25 next year, which gets me closer to getting old, which....
And it's just a slippery slope from here on out.
But do you see what we do? When we're constantly thinking and rushing our lives away, we're not even able to enjoy the day, today, the day.
And of course this thing quickly went spiritual, because everything is. But if we seriously understood the brevity of life--- how short life really is--- we wouldn't be rushing it away. If our concept of time wasn't this extended, "well I always have tomorrow", maybe we could genuinely enjoy today, the day. And perfect timing, I listened to my pastor's message from last week, Pastor Chris Hodges from Church of the Highlands, (I missed it. Thank God for the digital church). But he was actually talking about this last week. And he mentioned the stories of people who were on the hijacked planes on 9/11, and how they were calling family members with these sincere messages, because in that moment, they didn't have an extended life expectancy. Different view of their life. There wasn't a tomorrow. They knew it. Death was only two buildings away.
Let's make it personal. Let's say you have 5 hours to live. The doctor calls your cell phone right now and tells you, "Sir, ma'am. I was randomly looking at your last check up and I missed something. You may need to come down and let me explain some things to you." And you get to the doctor and he tells you that you only have 5 hours to live. I guarantee you none of us would be rushing for 6:00 to get here like I was. We'd cherish and love every single second that we are breathing.
YOLO.
But here's my point. In this world we live in, we're required to plan. We're required to make schedules and stick to them, planing for the future by finding scholarships and finding jobs and transitions and Pinterest wedding ideas and books about marriage, all these things are good and great things. So, I wouldn't dare entertain the thought of eliminating that, but we must train ourselves to learn how to plan and then live. Plan, and then live. Plan your future the best you know how, and then just live. If you noticed, the rest of the text said "so we can grow in wisdom". Here's where the wisdom comes in at. You have to plan things, there's no way around that. Or better said this way, you have to be intentional with things. So be intentional with planning, and then be intentional of enjoying life, living. Cherish every moment of your life. Because your plans working out exactly how you planned them isn't definite, because WE ALL KNOW that plans can easily change. But what you cannot change is this moment right now. Let's stop living in the future. Living in the future creates a whole new type of slavery. We're so worried about the idea that I might not get married that it ruins our time as a single. And this thought creates a fear, and a fear changes our behavior. So worried about our future that it will WORRY us in the present. So ready for 6:00 that we miss out on what's happening at 1:00. Who knows the things I could have learned or honestly, just enjoyed in those 5 hours I was rushing to get through. Look around and see the glory of God all around us. Even the fact that we're breathing right now is His glory, running itself through us every second of our lives.
And again, I'm not suggesting to stop planning. And I'm not suggesting to get wasted every night--as if any of these things will truly bring fulfillment in our lives. All I'm saying is just train yourself to remember that life is short.
That you truly only do get one life to live, YOLO.
And that you should really seize the day, CARPE DIEM.
Be sure it's fulfilled. Be sure to enjoy it. Don't waste it living a purposeless life. Don't just exist, LIVE. Well actually, I have to be careful here. Because all of us probably have a different understanding of what it means "to live". So, here's my challenge for you. Let's search for the true meaning of "to live." I honestly dare you to attempt it. But there's a secret.
You can't figure out your purpose of living without getting connected with the Creator.
And if you don't believe in that, or in Him. Good luck brewing coffee, toaster.
L0V3
Hello readers. Welcome to my heart. Let's begin.
I was working the other day. The sun was bearing down on my body as I stood outside The Hotel at Auburn University in my bellman uniform, beads of sweat breaking out on my forehead. And I had 5 hours of work left to go, and I was praying for God to somehow rescue me from this torture. The front desk was slow, and I was expected to wait and open doors and help guest with luggage. Well, what am I supposed to do when I don't have any guests? Just stand here!?
So I stood there, pleading for 6:00 to hurry so I could go home. And this thought hit me.
I'm rushing my life away.
If you look at our time on a timeline fashion, this is what I was doing.
Ok, it's Wednesday, 1:00 in the afternoon. I'm ready for 6:00 to get here, which would put me closer to tomorrow, which there is a huge chance that I could not make it to Thursday, but let's just hope I do because I have to work tomorrow, and tomorrow puts me closer to Friday, which makes me closer to getting out of May and into June, which gets 2012 closer to wrapping up, and I turn 25 next year, which gets me closer to getting old, which....
And it's just a slippery slope from here on out.
But do you see what we do? When we're constantly thinking and rushing our lives away, we're not even able to enjoy the day, today, the day.
And of course this thing quickly went spiritual, because everything is. But if we seriously understood the brevity of life--- how short life really is--- we wouldn't be rushing it away. If our concept of time wasn't this extended, "well I always have tomorrow", maybe we could genuinely enjoy today, the day. And perfect timing, I listened to my pastor's message from last week, Pastor Chris Hodges from Church of the Highlands, (I missed it. Thank God for the digital church). But he was actually talking about this last week. And he mentioned the stories of people who were on the hijacked planes on 9/11, and how they were calling family members with these sincere messages, because in that moment, they didn't have an extended life expectancy. Different view of their life. There wasn't a tomorrow. They knew it. Death was only two buildings away.
Let's make it personal. Let's say you have 5 hours to live. The doctor calls your cell phone right now and tells you, "Sir, ma'am. I was randomly looking at your last check up and I missed something. You may need to come down and let me explain some things to you." And you get to the doctor and he tells you that you only have 5 hours to live. I guarantee you none of us would be rushing for 6:00 to get here like I was. We'd cherish and love every single second that we are breathing.
YOLO.
But here's my point. In this world we live in, we're required to plan. We're required to make schedules and stick to them, planing for the future by finding scholarships and finding jobs and transitions and Pinterest wedding ideas and books about marriage, all these things are good and great things. So, I wouldn't dare entertain the thought of eliminating that, but we must train ourselves to learn how to plan and then live. Plan, and then live. Plan your future the best you know how, and then just live. If you noticed, the rest of the text said "so we can grow in wisdom". Here's where the wisdom comes in at. You have to plan things, there's no way around that. Or better said this way, you have to be intentional with things. So be intentional with planning, and then be intentional of enjoying life, living. Cherish every moment of your life. Because your plans working out exactly how you planned them isn't definite, because WE ALL KNOW that plans can easily change. But what you cannot change is this moment right now. Let's stop living in the future. Living in the future creates a whole new type of slavery. We're so worried about the idea that I might not get married that it ruins our time as a single. And this thought creates a fear, and a fear changes our behavior. So worried about our future that it will WORRY us in the present. So ready for 6:00 that we miss out on what's happening at 1:00. Who knows the things I could have learned or honestly, just enjoyed in those 5 hours I was rushing to get through. Look around and see the glory of God all around us. Even the fact that we're breathing right now is His glory, running itself through us every second of our lives.
And again, I'm not suggesting to stop planning. And I'm not suggesting to get wasted every night--as if any of these things will truly bring fulfillment in our lives. All I'm saying is just train yourself to remember that life is short.
That you truly only do get one life to live, YOLO.
And that you should really seize the day, CARPE DIEM.
Be sure it's fulfilled. Be sure to enjoy it. Don't waste it living a purposeless life. Don't just exist, LIVE. Well actually, I have to be careful here. Because all of us probably have a different understanding of what it means "to live". So, here's my challenge for you. Let's search for the true meaning of "to live." I honestly dare you to attempt it. But there's a secret.
You can't figure out your purpose of living without getting connected with the Creator.
And if you don't believe in that, or in Him. Good luck brewing coffee, toaster.
L0V3
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Handle With Care
Hello readers. Welcome to my heart. Let's begin.
I wish I could be fully transparent with you all. I do what I can but considering I don't know all of my readers--- a little discretion is just a safe precaution.
So, I've found myself in a new situation. And what I've noticed myself doing is looking back into my old blogs for some encouragement or insight to possibly help me. And what's even stranger about that is I've realized the amazing power of text and how it can reveal itself in new ways. But it also makes me wonder.....
Who is actually writing these blogs? It's a cool thought to think that Jesus could be speaking to you and I'm just a vessel that's hitting the keystrokes. I've heard your compliments and your praise, that I'm wise and such. But the more I'm walking in this situation the more I realize I know nothing, nothing at all. So I'm starting to believe that the wise know they know little, so they constantly stay in the state of learning.
But again, I know nothing.
Anyways, the title of this blog is Handle With Care. Here's the story. It seems that I may have almost trapped myself in this macho man of God idealism. Upon hearing words like leader and warrior and risk taker---these words automatically lull me into this big chested gladiator attire Bible quoting dude, with the physical strength to snatch women out of brothels and beat up pimps, or jump in front of cars and actually not get hurt, or kids can jump on his back and he still can walk 12 miles, or juggling three flaming torches while preaching. I know, crazy right? So as I've been learning and viewing everything in these macho lenses, I've accidentally developed this idea that every situation deserves an overpowering and aggressive force. To get even more specific, the idea of protecting hearts has accidentally turned into this war between fleshly desires and mind reading.
What do I mean by mind reading?
I'll start by saying this. You think we all don't have broken hearts? I mean, seriously. I think even considering anyone has it all together is a gamble---so also to say that everyone probably has a broken heart. Now, let's use our brains here, because there's a lot of different levels of broken. Anything is broken after the original state is altered in anyway, so that could be a chip, a split in half, shattered, whatever the degree---its still broken when the original form has been modified. So when dealing with hearts, sometimes or honestly probably all the time it must require some handling with care.
We think that people need love forced on them? To be honest, I've seen it work. In movies. The girl pushes the guy away and he comes to her driveway, of course its raining, and he tosses rocks at her window, and she comes to the window, and he screams to her, "I will always love you. I will never leave this spot unless you come down to me and let me love you.", and she screams back "Just leave me alone." And he doesn't relent and she falls into his arms after letting him climb up a ladder that was conveniently located up against the house, and then she slowly says, "I'm afraid of getting hurt again," and then he goes, "I will never hurt you." and then she cries, and then he holds her, slow fade, credits.
Are you vomiting yet? You missed your cue. Moving on.
But many times, forced love doesn't work. I think there's a proper discernment that's needed. A man has to learn a balance of the two. It's just like when a man can firmly shake another man's hand but can also gently caress a baby's face. The discernment that this is a fragile baby, a precious child, but can firmly grasp a screwdriver to screw a bolt in. Or let's jump back to the broken analogy. Gentle handling must be done when dealing with broken objects. Sometimes in our loving others, we must learn how to allow, to step back, to let go. Allow someone else(Jesus) to deal with it, because people like us may be why the person's heart is broken. Hmmm...again, I say this.
I know nothing.
#venting
Yes, I hashtagged in this blog. #boom
I wish I could be fully transparent with you all. I do what I can but considering I don't know all of my readers--- a little discretion is just a safe precaution.
So, I've found myself in a new situation. And what I've noticed myself doing is looking back into my old blogs for some encouragement or insight to possibly help me. And what's even stranger about that is I've realized the amazing power of text and how it can reveal itself in new ways. But it also makes me wonder.....
Who is actually writing these blogs? It's a cool thought to think that Jesus could be speaking to you and I'm just a vessel that's hitting the keystrokes. I've heard your compliments and your praise, that I'm wise and such. But the more I'm walking in this situation the more I realize I know nothing, nothing at all. So I'm starting to believe that the wise know they know little, so they constantly stay in the state of learning.
But again, I know nothing.
Anyways, the title of this blog is Handle With Care. Here's the story. It seems that I may have almost trapped myself in this macho man of God idealism. Upon hearing words like leader and warrior and risk taker---these words automatically lull me into this big chested gladiator attire Bible quoting dude, with the physical strength to snatch women out of brothels and beat up pimps, or jump in front of cars and actually not get hurt, or kids can jump on his back and he still can walk 12 miles, or juggling three flaming torches while preaching. I know, crazy right? So as I've been learning and viewing everything in these macho lenses, I've accidentally developed this idea that every situation deserves an overpowering and aggressive force. To get even more specific, the idea of protecting hearts has accidentally turned into this war between fleshly desires and mind reading.
What do I mean by mind reading?
I'll start by saying this. You think we all don't have broken hearts? I mean, seriously. I think even considering anyone has it all together is a gamble---so also to say that everyone probably has a broken heart. Now, let's use our brains here, because there's a lot of different levels of broken. Anything is broken after the original state is altered in anyway, so that could be a chip, a split in half, shattered, whatever the degree---its still broken when the original form has been modified. So when dealing with hearts, sometimes or honestly probably all the time it must require some handling with care.
We think that people need love forced on them? To be honest, I've seen it work. In movies. The girl pushes the guy away and he comes to her driveway, of course its raining, and he tosses rocks at her window, and she comes to the window, and he screams to her, "I will always love you. I will never leave this spot unless you come down to me and let me love you.", and she screams back "Just leave me alone." And he doesn't relent and she falls into his arms after letting him climb up a ladder that was conveniently located up against the house, and then she slowly says, "I'm afraid of getting hurt again," and then he goes, "I will never hurt you." and then she cries, and then he holds her, slow fade, credits.
Are you vomiting yet? You missed your cue. Moving on.
But many times, forced love doesn't work. I think there's a proper discernment that's needed. A man has to learn a balance of the two. It's just like when a man can firmly shake another man's hand but can also gently caress a baby's face. The discernment that this is a fragile baby, a precious child, but can firmly grasp a screwdriver to screw a bolt in. Or let's jump back to the broken analogy. Gentle handling must be done when dealing with broken objects. Sometimes in our loving others, we must learn how to allow, to step back, to let go. Allow someone else(Jesus) to deal with it, because people like us may be why the person's heart is broken. Hmmm...again, I say this.
I know nothing.
#venting
Yes, I hashtagged in this blog. #boom
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
An Overlooked Reality About Sex Trafficking
Hello readers. Welcome to my heart. Let's begin.
So I've recently gotten a heavy burden for sex trafficking. I honestly support the awareness movement because the passion and burden came after I became aware of it. So amazing how that works. But I'm not planning on informing you right now about the matter, no statistics. Nothing like that, this blog is not for that purpose. I'm here to point at an overlooked reality that I've noticed. Here's how I reached it. So every time this horrible matter comes to my mind, I begin to pray about it. It is such a detestable thought that men are doing this to God's daughters but this thought came to me....
Why won't the girls just leave?
No no, don't run away from that thought. Just, sit and consider it with me.
Recently, well yesterday to be exact, I asked myself that question, Why won't they just leave? What's keeping them there? What's keeping a woman in a place where she is being forced to allow her body to be picked and lusted and used over like she was nothing more than a dollar menu food item. What's keeping her there to take on abuse and the horrible horrible things that are being forced on her? What is keeping her there? The answer, I know you have it. But keep backing up and looking at this perspective. This horrible hidden torture chamber and horror story is being initated by men.
Men.
So when I first realized this, a thought flooded my brain---and it is exactly what God has been screaming at me for months now. Men are leaders. Men are divinely appointed as leaders. Men lead, women respond and submit. It's the design of God. And it's so evident in this example of sex trafficking. I see the design of God being horribly corrupted and abused in this matter. And if you're trying to point the blame at God, don't miss the point here. That's like pointing the blame at the designer of the handgun everytime someone is murdered with one. Don't do that. But my heart broke again for the women of this generation. Here's what I see now. Allow this rabbit trail please.
I see a world where beauty is being defined by man. So women dress and eat and lose weight and buy makeup and pamper and primp and buy and shop and dress and all of these things because man IS defining beauty in these things. I see a culture that is responding to male leadership. Good or bad, we're responding to male leadership. I see women's fashion continuing to gear towards showing more skin because men are lusting more than ever, and women are blindly following. Just convince them that's its cute and comfortable. Leggings and short shorts are comfortable, yes, that's the sugar coated way of getting you to conform to the real reason, SHOW MORE OF YOUR BODY FOR MEN TO SEE. Hey ladies, the serpent didn't tell Eve she'd be removed from God's presence, he deceived her, he lied to her, he made her believe that it was okay to do what he was tempting her to do.
Breathe.
Oh, and if you disagree with this then I would love to have a conversation because I would love to find an excuse to take the pressure off of me. I would love if you could grace me with the looney idea that we're just born like this. That insecurities and lack of hope and no concept of our worth and brokenness was something we were just born with, and that it wasn't a learned behavior because of good or bad male leadership. Yes, remove this burden from me, share your heart, confirm it to be wrong for me!
Nothing to say right? Yeah, I know. So this burden will eat away at me until I take my last breathe.
Back to the point. This thought of sex trafficking just makes me shake my head at me and my gender. Oh dear God what has happened to your sons? That we would devalue and mistreat something so valuable and precious to you. I've had the pleasure or misfortune, whatever, of running into a lot of strong women, meaning women who disagree with the idea of submitting to a man. Women who will argue and fight with you to their grave about equality and 50/50 and we're just as good as men and I don't need a man to make me happy and I'm independent. Or the women who feel the need to quarrel with their mouths to show their importance, to affirm their worth, to challenge man to say "Hey, I can go toe to toe with you, with any man, I'm just as good as you!" I've met them all, and all I see now is God look at what we've done! We've pushed women into becoming sinful just to protect themselves! Women who have and are right now submitting themselves to men and they're being abused and neglected and dishonored!
Again, I can't let you miss this.
Men, we've pushed women into becoming sinful just to protect themselves!
The above attitude of the 21st century woman is the product of this. Women, being trained to hate men. Women, being trained to devalue men, the same ones God is calling them to submit to. Women, forced into believing that their value and worth is found in how well they can perform with sex and a dollar amount is placed on them. Oh, there's a horror of sex trafficking that stretches beyond just the obvious reality. Men, what else are we trafficking?
Men, we're also beauty traffickers. We've defiled God's beautiful creation by telling them that they have to have big butts and tight abs and pretty faces to be seen as beautiful. We've defined beauty for them, and then we rank them by measurables of how pleasing they are to the eyes and if they cause us to get aroused or not.
So the answer to the question I asked earlier, why won't they just leave? I know you know the answer. The fear of losing their lives, the fear of their family being harmed, the shame, the self blame, the dirtiness, the hopelessness, the distrust, so many factors----all placed in them by men. But again, I point to this and just say, wow, look at the response of women when a man is pouring into her fear and dishonor and manipulation and false hope. Look at the response to men aggressive enough to take action, even though its sinful and degrading and detestable. I'm not giving them credit or props on their actions, I'm pointing to a reality, and here it is.
Just imagine if a man was to pour into a woman love, grace, encouragment, a secure and true hope? What if men became agressive in honoring and protecting women?
Wow. To be continued......
So I've recently gotten a heavy burden for sex trafficking. I honestly support the awareness movement because the passion and burden came after I became aware of it. So amazing how that works. But I'm not planning on informing you right now about the matter, no statistics. Nothing like that, this blog is not for that purpose. I'm here to point at an overlooked reality that I've noticed. Here's how I reached it. So every time this horrible matter comes to my mind, I begin to pray about it. It is such a detestable thought that men are doing this to God's daughters but this thought came to me....
Why won't the girls just leave?
No no, don't run away from that thought. Just, sit and consider it with me.
Recently, well yesterday to be exact, I asked myself that question, Why won't they just leave? What's keeping them there? What's keeping a woman in a place where she is being forced to allow her body to be picked and lusted and used over like she was nothing more than a dollar menu food item. What's keeping her there to take on abuse and the horrible horrible things that are being forced on her? What is keeping her there? The answer, I know you have it. But keep backing up and looking at this perspective. This horrible hidden torture chamber and horror story is being initated by men.
Men.
So when I first realized this, a thought flooded my brain---and it is exactly what God has been screaming at me for months now. Men are leaders. Men are divinely appointed as leaders. Men lead, women respond and submit. It's the design of God. And it's so evident in this example of sex trafficking. I see the design of God being horribly corrupted and abused in this matter. And if you're trying to point the blame at God, don't miss the point here. That's like pointing the blame at the designer of the handgun everytime someone is murdered with one. Don't do that. But my heart broke again for the women of this generation. Here's what I see now. Allow this rabbit trail please.
I see a world where beauty is being defined by man. So women dress and eat and lose weight and buy makeup and pamper and primp and buy and shop and dress and all of these things because man IS defining beauty in these things. I see a culture that is responding to male leadership. Good or bad, we're responding to male leadership. I see women's fashion continuing to gear towards showing more skin because men are lusting more than ever, and women are blindly following. Just convince them that's its cute and comfortable. Leggings and short shorts are comfortable, yes, that's the sugar coated way of getting you to conform to the real reason, SHOW MORE OF YOUR BODY FOR MEN TO SEE. Hey ladies, the serpent didn't tell Eve she'd be removed from God's presence, he deceived her, he lied to her, he made her believe that it was okay to do what he was tempting her to do.
Breathe.
Oh, and if you disagree with this then I would love to have a conversation because I would love to find an excuse to take the pressure off of me. I would love if you could grace me with the looney idea that we're just born like this. That insecurities and lack of hope and no concept of our worth and brokenness was something we were just born with, and that it wasn't a learned behavior because of good or bad male leadership. Yes, remove this burden from me, share your heart, confirm it to be wrong for me!
Nothing to say right? Yeah, I know. So this burden will eat away at me until I take my last breathe.
Back to the point. This thought of sex trafficking just makes me shake my head at me and my gender. Oh dear God what has happened to your sons? That we would devalue and mistreat something so valuable and precious to you. I've had the pleasure or misfortune, whatever, of running into a lot of strong women, meaning women who disagree with the idea of submitting to a man. Women who will argue and fight with you to their grave about equality and 50/50 and we're just as good as men and I don't need a man to make me happy and I'm independent. Or the women who feel the need to quarrel with their mouths to show their importance, to affirm their worth, to challenge man to say "Hey, I can go toe to toe with you, with any man, I'm just as good as you!" I've met them all, and all I see now is God look at what we've done! We've pushed women into becoming sinful just to protect themselves! Women who have and are right now submitting themselves to men and they're being abused and neglected and dishonored!
Again, I can't let you miss this.
Men, we've pushed women into becoming sinful just to protect themselves!
The above attitude of the 21st century woman is the product of this. Women, being trained to hate men. Women, being trained to devalue men, the same ones God is calling them to submit to. Women, forced into believing that their value and worth is found in how well they can perform with sex and a dollar amount is placed on them. Oh, there's a horror of sex trafficking that stretches beyond just the obvious reality. Men, what else are we trafficking?
Men, we're also beauty traffickers. We've defiled God's beautiful creation by telling them that they have to have big butts and tight abs and pretty faces to be seen as beautiful. We've defined beauty for them, and then we rank them by measurables of how pleasing they are to the eyes and if they cause us to get aroused or not.
So the answer to the question I asked earlier, why won't they just leave? I know you know the answer. The fear of losing their lives, the fear of their family being harmed, the shame, the self blame, the dirtiness, the hopelessness, the distrust, so many factors----all placed in them by men. But again, I point to this and just say, wow, look at the response of women when a man is pouring into her fear and dishonor and manipulation and false hope. Look at the response to men aggressive enough to take action, even though its sinful and degrading and detestable. I'm not giving them credit or props on their actions, I'm pointing to a reality, and here it is.
Just imagine if a man was to pour into a woman love, grace, encouragment, a secure and true hope? What if men became agressive in honoring and protecting women?
Wow. To be continued......
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Letter To My Daughter
Dear Daughter,
Can I open this letter to just say that I love you so very much. Seriously. Hey, I hope that when you hear Me say that you don't judge me on your definition of love. I need you to learn my definition of it. I never intended for this world to be in the shape its in. I'm still in control because I've conquered it, but please hear me when I say that I'm sorry that you have to go through all of this. Whatever it is, please still know that Daddy loves you. I know what you long for. You are longing for security because I designed you to submit. And sadly, I've watched you try to find it in so many ways. You've hardened your heart to love because it hurt you. You hardened it to secure it, to protect it. Well love cannot hurt you. When you harden your heart from love, you hardened it from me. Please don't do that. You've also began to long for marriage in an unhealthy way. When you long for marriage for reasons other than to bring Me glory, you put too much faith in a man to provide that security for you. You miss out on enjoying being fully intimate with me. Here's what I want you to know. You are loved, already. Let me define it for you. My son died for you. If that's not enough, I can be whatever you need whenever you need it. I never sleep. I'm always watching. I'm always listening. Want to know why I am the Great I Am? Because I AM everything you need. You need peace? I am that. You need love? I am that. You need grace? I am that. You need security? I am that. Learn my definition of love. And also, I want you to know that you're beautiful. Let me define it for you. When you look at the sunsets, do you see Me? When you look at the stars at night, do you see Me? When you look at the beach, the beautiful waves of the ocean, do you see Me? When you look at nature, the canyons and the valleys, the mountains and the skies, the trees and the creation, do you see Me? Well, when you look in the mirror, just as with those things....see Me. I designed all of that, and I've also designed you. See Me in all of MY creation. You've allowed your beauty to be defined by the filth of man, by the corruption of this world. Have you not realized yet that this world is sinful and broken? And you define your worth in it? Turn it off. Watch it no more. Listen to it no more. Turn to me. Listen to me. Hear what I say about you. You are loved and you are beautiful. I long for you to know that. If you come to Me, I will work hard for you to know this. I've already sent my Son to show you. But if you need more, I will be that. I AM MORE.
I love you. More than your little mind can imagine.
Love forever and always.
Your Dad.
Can I open this letter to just say that I love you so very much. Seriously. Hey, I hope that when you hear Me say that you don't judge me on your definition of love. I need you to learn my definition of it. I never intended for this world to be in the shape its in. I'm still in control because I've conquered it, but please hear me when I say that I'm sorry that you have to go through all of this. Whatever it is, please still know that Daddy loves you. I know what you long for. You are longing for security because I designed you to submit. And sadly, I've watched you try to find it in so many ways. You've hardened your heart to love because it hurt you. You hardened it to secure it, to protect it. Well love cannot hurt you. When you harden your heart from love, you hardened it from me. Please don't do that. You've also began to long for marriage in an unhealthy way. When you long for marriage for reasons other than to bring Me glory, you put too much faith in a man to provide that security for you. You miss out on enjoying being fully intimate with me. Here's what I want you to know. You are loved, already. Let me define it for you. My son died for you. If that's not enough, I can be whatever you need whenever you need it. I never sleep. I'm always watching. I'm always listening. Want to know why I am the Great I Am? Because I AM everything you need. You need peace? I am that. You need love? I am that. You need grace? I am that. You need security? I am that. Learn my definition of love. And also, I want you to know that you're beautiful. Let me define it for you. When you look at the sunsets, do you see Me? When you look at the stars at night, do you see Me? When you look at the beach, the beautiful waves of the ocean, do you see Me? When you look at nature, the canyons and the valleys, the mountains and the skies, the trees and the creation, do you see Me? Well, when you look in the mirror, just as with those things....see Me. I designed all of that, and I've also designed you. See Me in all of MY creation. You've allowed your beauty to be defined by the filth of man, by the corruption of this world. Have you not realized yet that this world is sinful and broken? And you define your worth in it? Turn it off. Watch it no more. Listen to it no more. Turn to me. Listen to me. Hear what I say about you. You are loved and you are beautiful. I long for you to know that. If you come to Me, I will work hard for you to know this. I've already sent my Son to show you. But if you need more, I will be that. I AM MORE.
I love you. More than your little mind can imagine.
Love forever and always.
Your Dad.
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