I'm Sorry, Did I Offend You?

Very recently I made the choice to start a blog (which you are reading!) I didn't know if anyone would ever read it, but it sounded like a fun way to pass the time. Shortly after I started, I began my 'Marketing Fails of the Day' which are geared to improve the quality and relevancy of Church media. The blog's popularity began to rise rapidly as did my understanding of humanity. I have been blessed to receive a lot of feedback over these pieces, some good, some bad, and some very, very ugly. This last week as I was being chastised for my colorful, yet generationally appropriate language, I began to wonder.....

Why are we (Christians) so very sensitive? I mean seemingly so much more sensitive than the rest of the world?

Love Never Fails

"Love Never Fails"- I love that phrase. I love saying it. I love singing it. Most of all I love the implications of it. For those who don't know the phrase originates from 1 Corinthians 13- also known as the love chapter. The most well know portion is in verses 4-8:
⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  ⁸ Love never fails. 

You've probably heard parts of it read at weddings or etched on to photo frames. Most people associate it with the way love should look in a marriage. All of that is well and good but it goes way beyond that.

Humanity at my door

Today I heard a knock at my front door. I opened it to find this guy who was pretty rough. He was older, didn't speak well, and looked like he hadn't seen a shower in a while. He proceeded to tell me that he has mental problems and he has no money, etc. In my usual business I just kind of stared at him with my "OK, get to the point" face (I was pretty sure he was going to ask me for money). He then said "I don't want any money, but can you feed me something?"
My heart just sank and I nearly started to crying, because I realized that even though I'm a pretty compassionate person,

A question I can't answer.....

What is worship? Somehow I always get asked this question and I seriously hate answering that question.

*sigh*

I know, I know. I'm a worship leader and so I'm supposed to have this completely epic answer, but the truth is when I get asked that question I usually stand there with my mouth gaping open until some generic answer I heard at some conference or read in a book falls out of my mouth.

Marketing Fail of the Day

(Bumper stickers King James style- I want one that says, "Thou art a douche")

UPDATE: I posted this in 2009 and got an incredible amount of flack for it. Somehow it's ok for me to say other less pretty words but the moment I jokingly call someone a douche people start chasing me with pitchforks. For the record- I still think this is funny......... I guess I didn't learn my lesson the first time :-P

Bubble People

Do you or someone you know live inside the ‘Christian Bubble’. I borrowed that term from a book I read once called ‘They Like Jesus but Not the Church’ by Dan Kimball. It’s a term that describes the ‘inner circle’ type of mentality that many of us have. So many believers throughout history have fallen into this bubble mentality without even thinking twice. It pains me to think about how many people I can think of that I know and love who spend their days shielding themselves from the world instead of bringing light to it. These people love Jesus, and they know all about the Bible and they pray like crazy- many of these people are viewed as being really good Christians people, but they are missing the point! I love it when these people say “Well, we’re supposed to be in the world, not of it” I nearly bust out laughing every time one of the ‘bubble people’ say this to me. I mean, really? You think that justifies legalism? Being judgmental? You think God’s cool with the fact that you don’t have any friendships with non-Christians because of that? Do you think that being ‘in the world’ is only a reference to the fact that you live on the planet earth? Do you really think that living a super conservative lifestyle means you’re not ‘of the world’? I mean the list of questions goes on. This is why it’s so dangerous to base your lifestyle on just one verse in the bible.

Cultural Relevance begins at the Cross

Relevance is such a buzzword in churches right now. We all say that we are and we take a great deal of time ensuring the cultural relevance of our services. I’m a huge fan of what I call ‘intentional relevance’ in churches. I believe that intentional relevance can be a very powerful tool to create an environment that is optimum for reaching the unreached. It’s really just a term I use to encompass how we use various elements like drama, music, lights, sound, visual art, etc. to get the message across on any given Sunday.

I was on a walk not long ago doing some brainstorming. As I strolled around, I passed a church in my neighborhood. I’ve passed it a million times, but this time it really caught my attention. The sun wasn’t quite up and this church has a glowing cross lit on the top of it. I just stopped and stared. This cross that I had seen before suddenly was so mesmerizing. I felt God say; “This is relevant above all other things” It just really spoke to me as a creative in the church.

We Are The Poor

"-and the good news is preached to the poor." Matthew 11:5 (NIV)

I've probably read that line several times and I don't think I've ever thought of it as significant before. Jesus said this when he was speaking to some of John the Baptist's disciples. For those of you who care, here it is in context:
"⁴Jesus replied, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: ⁵The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. ⁶Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me." Matthew 11:4-6 (NIV)

humanity to divinity

The other day I was commenting on a blog over at Revolution115 and I said: "God takes our ordinary humanity and infuses it with His extraordinary divinity". It was one of those statements that made me pause and think. I have to give credit to God for it, because I really am not smart enough to say something that profound on my own. It stuck in my head and as I began to chew on it, I decided I should try to expound on it.

Think about all the people you know from the Bible, even if you don't know their whole story or even their whole name. I would bet you that person was really nobody special at first. Look at people like Moses, David, Paul, Mary, or any of the Apostles. All regular people. Some of them were even considered evil by our standards. So, why do we remember them? The simple answer is that we remember them because of what God did with/through them, not really for any reasons that have to do with the person.

One is the Loneliest Number

This was hard for me to write. I like to observe and discuss things that happen around me, but I'm not a big fan of discussing my own problems. I just felt really strongly when I woke up this morning that some of you out there may be wrestling with this issue of loneliness. I'm not really writing this to say "woes me, I'm so lonely", but instead I feel compelled to write it for those of you out there in the same boat. As I work through this, maybe it'll help you work through it and know that you're not alone in feeling how you feel.

I've never really been one of those people who has a ton of friends. I don't have 60 people who call me when I'm down. I don't really ever go out with people other than my husband. I have very few people who really know me on a personal level. Is that by choice? No, not really. It just is. It's been like that for many years, but I never really thought much about. As I get a little older, I'm beginning to think more about my connections with others.

"My Precious"

OK so I'll admit it, I'm a total geek. Today as I was reading the Bible (Matthew) I started thinking about the Lord of the Rings, and not just because it was a kick-ass movie. I was reading in Matthew 6:19-21:

¹⁹"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

I know most of us have heard this verse in some interpretation many times. As I read it today I kept thinking of Gollum. More specifically how much I can be like him at times. Yeah, I am more attractive on my exterior, and I can speak in coherent sentences, but there are days when I become just as rank and nasty on the inside. Don't we all?

Jesus knew this. He knew that we would want to follow Him and do well, but at the same time the forces of evil are constantly pressuring us and luring us into a prison of our own selfishness. It doesn't matter whether you're a Christian or not, we are all subject to this torment at times.

We begin to think that our lives depend on superficial things. By doing this we misplace our faith. We stop placing our faith in God and instead we place it in something else like money, appearance, sex, status, jobs, etc. Then our mind, energy, and heart goes into securing and replicating whatever that is. Are you starting to see the danger here?

There is nothing wrong with having money, looking nice, or even sex (within God's standards), but none of them should rule our lives or dictate our day. Our thoughts should not be monopolized with getting 'more' like a crack addict looking for his next hit.

I live on the beach, so I am in sand all the time, and let me tell you it's not stable. If you scoop up some sand and try to squeeze it, you will quickly find it slipping between your fingers- the tighter you grip; the more you lose. That's what happens when we try to hold tight to our treasures. The things that may seem important are really just powdery sand- it's fun, smooth, and feels good between your toes, but it's not good for much more. God is a rock or better yet a mountain. You can hold him as tight as you need- He will never crumble, never move, and never fail.

What is your "Precious"?

Beautiful, Beautiful

I was listening to a song today called "Beautiful, Beautiful" and it really made me reflect on God's grace. The opening words in the chorus are: "Like sunlight burning at midnight, making my life something so beautiful, beautiful" And it just made me think about how endless my failures are and how endless God's grace is. I know we all have failures, but I always feel like my past is so much more shady than that of my peers.

10 years ago, I was just some 17 girl. I was hurting and lost. I was addicted to drugs such as meth, cocaine, ecstasy, whatever I could find really. I wasn't so much addicted to the drugs chemically as emotionally. I used them to deal with my social and romantic pains and the shame of my sex life and emotionally abusive boyfriend. I knew about God, but never felt like I could be into that type of stuff. About 9 years ago, God went to work. I was set free from problems I didn't even know I had and God began to show me what I am worth to Him. I grew slowly over the next several years. Then I went through a really difficult divorce. I won't retell that story here. If you want, you can read my posts: Yeah I'm Divorced- Part 1 & Part 2.

I felt like that lost 17 yr old again. I felt so unworthy to even go to church, let alone approach God. It wasn't long before God went to work again, showing me how He sees me. Showing me that I could never make Him not want me. Sometimes, I think we are harder on ourselves than God will ever be. I know this is true for me. I can sit for hours and self evaluate my actions. What I've learned is that God approaches things so very differently.

God is fully aware of our condition. He knows we will mess up many things, big and small. Yet, He chooses to stick by us anyhow.

There are times in my life when I feel like I've just messed up too much. Like God is gonna say, "Well, that was the last straw! You're on your own kid!" - I actually think that sometimes. However, I'm beginning to notice a pattern......

I constantly screw things up, like everyday, and yet, God has never so much as shaken His head in disappointment at me. I've been broken in some of the most deep and painful ways a person can be broken in and yet I always seem to come out with out so much as a scratch. As a matter of fact, I always seem to come out looking better than before.

That my friends, is Grace.

No matter what we do, no matter how far we go off the path, God is right there with open arms ready to accept us and change us with His grace, mercy and love. Where we see mistakes, God sees opportunity. Where we see failure, God sees potential. If I had a perfect or even normal life, I would not be who I am. It's the friction of my life that has shaped me into who I need to be in God's Kingdom, so I can do what He has for me to do.

There are still days when I feel regret and get overwhelmed but the inevitable backlash of my failures. However, I am always reminded of Romans 5:3-5:

³Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴perseverance, character; and character, hope."

I have suffered, some caused by my own hand and some not, but I know that God doesn't want us to dwell in it. He wants us to look at our sufferings as opportunities and see the hope we have in Him. He will use our brokenness, both past and present, to recreate us into something better.

We have all failed, but God doesn't see that when He looks at us. God doesn't see what we are, He sees who we will be. We can try to mess things up a hundred times and He will never stop believing in us. I think we too often forget that God is love and love never fails. Don't ever feel ashamed to run to God. He is for us. Even when we walk away He never stops believing in us. He never stops wanting the best for his children.

I look at my life today and the direction God is taking me. It overwhelms me with joy and humility. He really has made my life beautiful before Him and it's not because I'm "super special", it's only because He loves me. It's a humbling thought.

How about you? Do you struggle with this? How do you work it out?

Love can be the Hardest Thing

Sometimes being yourself in church can be the hardest thing. I almost feel bad for saying that, but it can be very true. Most of us have been hurt badly by people. We've been misunderstood, lied to, and just treated unfairly and not just in the world but in the church too. I know that sounds sad but it's not all bad. After all the Church is made up of people. We've likely hurt others as much as we've been hurt. I once heard Rick Warren say, "Hurt people, hurt people" How true is that? There was a day when people went to the church for sanctuary. It was a place to be at peace and find comfort regardless of your condition. Nowadays, I think many people aren't afraid of God they are afraid of us.

Now, there are many awesome churches and I believe that in general, Christians have a heart to do good things, so why is it that we have such a hard time walking in love with one another? Once again, I don't pretend to know, but here's a couple of things I've observed:

1. We are insecure- I have a strong personality and that makes a lot of people feel intimidated but what those people don't get is that I am just as insecure as they are. I have the same need to feel loved, accepted, and encouraged. I just express myself differently. We are all laced with insecurities and they often get in the way of our relationships with one another.

2. We are skeptics- Our society teaches us not to trust, especially when people are too nice or too eager. We are taught that there is so selflessness. I've learned that if you continuously question someone's motives, eventually they will let you down. So really instead of believing in our brother and sisters to succeed, we are just waiting for them to fail.

3. We are afraid- If you've been hurt, and let's face it, we've all been hurt. The worst thing you can imagine is being hurt again. These emotional scars are painful reminders of what we fear most and our natural human reaction is to flee anything that looks like it might reopen our wounds. I know this from experience. This kind of fear kept me from being in a small group for years and it is very unhealthy.

The solution? Heck, I don't know! I'm not a great philosopher or theologian. I'm just some chick who's been there and maybe you can relate? The only answer I can offer is in the Bible (cause let's face it those answers are usually the best ones):
"I want you to think about how all this makes you more significant, not less. A body isn't just a single part blown up into something huge. It's all the different-but-similar parts arranged and functioning together. If Foot said, "I'm not elegant like Hand, embellished with rings; I guess I don't belong to this body," would that make it so? If Ear said, "I'm not beautiful like Eye, limpid and expressive; I don't deserve a place on the head," would you want to remove it from the body? If the body was all eye, how could it hear? If all ear, how could it smell? As it is, we see that God has carefully placed each part of the body right where he wanted it. ^19-24But I also want you to think about how this keeps your significance from getting blown up into self-importance. For no matter how significant you are, it is only because of what you are a part of." 1 Corinthians 12:14-19 MSG

We are all important. Just realizing that we ALL matter helps. Sometimes we get consumed with feelings of self importance and this can set us up for even bigger hurts and sometimes we are consumed with feeling insignificant and the result is the same. Remembering that we are all not just A part but an IMPORTANT part of God's big picture can give us great security and strength when we feel hurt, neglected, or alone and it can give us perspective when we need it.

^"4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. ⁸Love never fails. " 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV

We've all heard this a million times but it will always be relevant. This is how God defines love and this ought to be the standard for how we treat one another. At the end of the day we are all in this together. Loving each other with Christ-like love can be hard, but sometimes allowing ourselves to receive it can be even harder. I believe that the more we love each other, the greater our witness is. Let's all challenge ourselves to take the next step in love and let's do it together. It's when all of us journey together in love that we can do the greatest things for God's Kingdom.

What do you think? Am I being too harsh? Have you ever felt this way? How do you handle it?

Marketing Fail of the Day- I only wish I were kidding

Okay when I saw this on Matthew Paul Turner's website, I thought it was a joke. I really thought it was totally faked, but no. These people are totally serious. All I can say is this doesn't look like keeping the 'Christ' in Christmas it looks more like putting a little Easter in Christmas. I'm going say it's definitely a movement... towards stupidity. Seriously, would you ever in your life have this in your house?

So Beautiful- Lyrics

I was worshiping and stumbled on to this song. It feels like a metaphor for my life or something. I really have no idea what it will end up sounding like. I was playing it in D, but from there it was all very random and organic, so for now I'll just post the lyrics without chords. If anyone has a thought, please share :)


Verse:
I was broken and lost in depravity
You found me, healed me, set me free
Ashamed, rejected, no where to call home
You kept me, held me, called me Your own

Chorus
So beautiful
So beautiful
So beautiful
Is the Savior's love for us

Verse:
Your greatness and power I can't even comprehend
And still you want me just as I am
You're Justice, Love, Peace, and Truth
Everyday you make me a little more like you

Bridge:
No matter how I fall, or how far I stray
You love still saves me, this Grace will never change

Marketing WIN!!!!

Maybe it's just the classic gamer in me, but 8-bit Jesus is the best thing I've ever seen!

Marketing Fail of the Day

(Just in case your friends don't think you're lame enough already, here's a minty way to remind them.)

Marketing Fail of the Day

(thanks for confirming what the Atheists say about us, dude)

Psalm 25

^"12 My question: What are God-worshipers like?

Your answer: Arrows aimed at God's bull's-eye."
Psalm 25:12 (the Message)

I was reading Psalm 25 this morning. I was actually reading it in the New King James Version (my fav translation) and I felt God really speaking to me through it. Then I felt like He wanted me to go read it in the Message Bible (my fav paraphrase). So I did, and verse 12 practically jumped off the page at me. I just love how it describes what Christians should be like. , "Arrows aimed at God's bull's-eye" It challenged me to look at the trajectory of my day/week/year and ask myself, "What is my aim?". Are the tasks/goals that I have laid out for myself aimed at God and His Will? The truthful answer is 'no'. This verse is really challenging me to change that.

So, think about the day and what you plan to do. Ask yourself, why am I doing these things? Are my tasks aimed at God or am I just self-seeking or am I just "going through the motions"? Think about how you can take your everyday and aim it at glorifying God and furthering His Kingdom.

^"15 If I keep my eyes on God,
I won't trip over my own feet"
Psalm 25:15

A Thought on Spiritual Formation

I was walking at the beach this morning while listening to some music. The song 'How He Loves' (Kim Walker version) started playing, and as I watched the tide coming in and out; I began to think about God and spiritual formation. Our relationships with God are so much like the relationship the ocean has with the sand.

Here we are- the sand. We don't move on our own or have the ability to shape ourselves. We are filled with natural treasures, and we also contain a lot of crap that various people have dropped on us.

Then there's God- the ocean. It's powerful. It can be peaceful and calm or it can be violent and wipe out entire cities. It's both beautiful and dangerous.

The ocean hits the sand and it changes. The shore is shaped by the tide every second of the day. Some days the waves are huge and the shoreline changes quickly, and other days, the waves are more like ripples making subtle changes. One thing to notice, is that everyday it is moving. Everyday it is changing and the most amazing transformation happens just below the surface. If you ever stick your feet in the sand where the water is several inches deep, you know what I mean.

Our lives with God should reflect this constant ebb and flow. We are built to be like that sand; ever-changing, ever evolving as we are moved by God. Everyday God's Grace should sweep over us and shape us. Everyday we need to seek Him in His Word and in Prayer, so our hearts can be shaped by His love and our minds can be fed by His wisdom.

^"So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you." Romans 12:1 & 2 (MSG)

"And when God is personally present, a living Spirit, that old, constricting legislation is recognized as obsolete. We're free of it! All of us! Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him." 2 Corinthians 3:17 & 18 (MSG)