Keep Calm And Write On

More than a song- A heart cry. Some people might think that I have fairly narrow category of music that I listen to but in reality, I'll give just about every christian artist a try once. I try to keep an open mind when it comes to a musical beat, sound, or style, because you never know what you might find. It was such open-mindedness that caused my interest to be taken by a band called Skillet. Five years ago, I barely knew their band name to hear it, and now I'm absolutely obsessed. I've seen them live-twice, and I have been known on occasion to to loudly and obnoxiously sing Jen ledger's part in the song, particularly in my favorites which remain to be "Hero"and "Monster".  "Hero," in particular I absolutely love, because it is so relate able.  "I'm just a step away.....I'm just a breath away, losing my faith today, falling off the edge today. I am just a man, not superhuman, someone save me from the hate.....I need a ...

Almost everyone in modern Christian circles is aware of the biblical ideology of 'being salt.' This idea, outlined in the fifth chapter of Matthew, verses thirteen through sixteen.     “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14  “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:13-16)  Now, salt has been used for hundreds, even thousand of years as a preservation method, before refrigeration. In addition, salt also flavors food, bring a more pleasant, savory taste to even the most bland-tasting...

"Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am faint; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are in agony. My soul is in anguish. How long O Lord, how long?" Psalm 6:2-3  One of the things I like most about the psalms is that they were often written in desperation, a raw cry for help flowing from David's pen as fast as he could move it. He wrote as if his very life depended upon it. A lot of us have visited David's place of desperation as well. when our souls are heavy and our strength is failing, when the thorn in our flesh and the bane of our existence rears its ugly head, our flesh gives up and our souls look to God for their strength. But it is then, as weak as we are, that we come to a place of total surrender and peace in Jesus Christ.  Those of you with a chronic illness may well relate to this verse on a whole other dimension, as i did. When you have chronic pan, you know all too well what it's like to have 'bones in agony', and a 'soul in anguish'.  A brok...

20 Year old Shawn Johnson is just a normal person. She has dreams, hopes, and aspirations just like anybody else.  But unlike anybody else, Shawn Johnson is an Olympic champion. She holds 1 gold and 3 silver medals in women's gymnastics, and earned the title of U.S all-around champion two years in a row, 2007, and 2008, and was the all-around world champion in 2008.  At an age when most people are halfway through college, Shawn has made it all the way to fame, with a mirror ball from the eighth season of ABC's Dancing With The Stars to her credit, as well as numerous television appearance's with well-known personalities, including Oprah, Letterman, and Leno.  But despite all the awards and fame, Shawn insists that she's really just a regular person. Her book Winning Balance: What I've learned so far about love, faith, and living your dreams is the perfect platform for her to share her story with the world. Her writing shines through as hones...

We've all been there. The strange looks, the questions we can't answer, the explanations that are never enough to satisfy. The disbelief from the people who are supposed to support you.  Yes, everyone who has an auto-immune disease, or a handicap/disability knows what I'm talking about. Well-meaning friends may have even told you that your pain was caused by some lack within yourself, lack of faith in God, or withheld bitterness or sin that is making you physically ill. Not to say that this isn't possible, and it is true that as my faith and trust in God increased, my health got better, because my increase of faith brought a decrease of stress. But just because it's the case sometimes, does not by any means determine that all physical infirmities are caused by these things.  Life with a disease or disability can change rapidly from one day to the next. One day, you are worshiping God with all the fiber in your being, and the next, you have to force your tired,...

I have committed (admittedly, rather late in the game,) to read through the bible in one year, and although I am months behind the people who began in January, I am finding that while on this reading plan, I find little nuggets of hidden wisdom-treasure that I would not have seen in my usual perusing of the psalms and proverbs.    One such nugget is the below verse that gave me reason to pause.  Matthew 10:16 "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves."  Shrewd as snakes and innocent as doves? What does that mean, exactly?  Well, there's a prevalent thought among Christian circles; in order to stay pure followers of Christ, we must completely cut ourselves off from the outside world. The focus becomes entirely on keeping ourselves 'pure' and we forget completely to be sharing the news of the gospel in the world around us.  This is why I don't understand the Amish faith. Certain aspects ...

  Although a little ashamed that I didn't know round one of the NFL draft was tonight, I am watching nonetheless. And I can't help but wonder...how cool would it be to have a voice just thunder out over the crowd and call you to something big. Suddenly, the cycle of monotony is broken, and your potential for greatness is recognized.  And then...it hit me. Every. Single. Christian knows this feeling. We know what it's like. We don't have to wonder what's like to have a higher calling. Just like celebrities and athletes, we have an entire world watching us. We are called to be committed, single-minded followers of Christ who readily accept the challenge of being more and doing more. Instead of a voice announcing our draft into one of the top NFL teams, we have within us the voice of the Holy Spirit that prompts us to a higher standard of living. Not to draw attention to ourselves or to win more games for a certain denomination, but to further the kingdom of Christ...