Interesting. What do you think?

I found this article when signing into my yahoo email.

What are images of Angelina Jolie and John Lennon intertwined with images of Mother Teresa and Martin Luther King Jr. doing in the Bible?

What does it say about them?

What is it trying to teach bout end times?

Is this a good or bad contribution to the efforts of spreading the Word?

Will it confuse people?

Didn't the King James generation freak out about having the NIV made?

Can't God speak through anything?

Although I know that having accepted the Holy Spirit, if I pray to have the truth revealed, He'll reveal it through my own exploration of the book, but I want other's opinions. 

What do you think about the new "Book"?

Two New Bibles Preach A Hip, Eco-Friendly Gospel

by Lynn Neary

See images from the 'The Book'

 

“This is a way to make [the Bible] as available as any other magazine.”

Dag Soderberg

 

Enlarge

Mother and child: A veiled woman illustrates the story of Mary and Jesus in The Book.

 

The epigraph to The Green Bible is from the Book of Genesis: "God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good" (1:31).

 

“Did Jesus say anything about recycling? Did God care what we do with the earth? These are the existing conversations that are emerging that I think 'The Green Bible' contributes to.”

Rev. Jeremy Smith

 

Morning Edition, December 4, 2008 · Two new Bibles targeting a young, hip — even secular — audience are hitting bookstores. One is a slick, illustrated version of the New Testament; the other is an environmentally friendly edition that takes advantage of the popularity of the green movement.

A Peek Inside 'The Book'

First, the flashy coffee-table Bible: Dag Soderberg, a secular Swedish advertising executive wondered why so few people actually read the "good book," so he set out to make it more appealing, with glossy photos and magazine packaging. The resulting publication is an illustrated version of the New Testament called Bible Illuminated: The Book.

"A coffee-table magazine is read by the many everyday, everywhere," explains Soderberg. "This is a way to make [the Bible] as available as any other magazine."

If you didn't know this was a Bible you might think The Bookwas a "goth" magazine, or perhaps something you'd find in a doctor's office. The front cover is a close-up of a translucent green eye, caked with black makeup and staring eerily from the page. On the back is a photo of a faceless figure wearing a black hooded sweat shirt.

Inside, photos of celebrities like Angelina Jolie, Bono and John Lennon are interspersed with pictures of heroic figures like Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa and Martin Luther King, Jr. A veil-covered African woman holding a young child illustrates the story of Mary and Jesus. Images taken from the news — both jarring and poignant — radiate a message of social justice.

United Methodist minister andHacking Christianity blogger Jeremy Smith says The Book is meant to provoke discussion.

Smith points to the series of images that run in conjunction with a quote from the Book of Revelation. The quote reads: "The whole earth was amazed and followed the beast ..." The photographs show post-Katrina New Orleans, a four-page spread of an animal slaughterhouse in Nigeria and, finally, a picture of a man pumping gas.

"They are interpreting this with some very political and edgy and — honestly — some disorienting imagery," says Smith.

Though skeptical when he first heard about the book, Smith says he found many of the images compelling. But equally compelling, he says, is another new Bible that takes a completely different approach.

The Green Book

With its beige cloth cover, embossed with a picture of a green tree, The Green Bible is the embodiment of simplicity. Inside, passages that refer to the environment are highlighted in green.

Smith says the book catches people's attention: "I took it to a Bible study and set it down on the table and people looked at it and said, 'What is that?'"

Mark Tauber, the senior vice president at HarperOne, which publishes The Green Bible, says that the book is important in both form and function.

"The actual form of the Bible, we think, is a green product," he says, noting that the entire book is made of recyclable materials. "Then in function, it performs the function of helping people be better stewards, if you will."

Smith points out that while The Book seeks to begin a conversation, The Green Bible wants "to add to the conversation."

"Did Jesus say anything about recycling? Did God care what we do with the earth? These are the existing conversations that are emerging that I think The Green Bible contributes to," says Smith.

The book is drawing attention in secular venues, including the Earth First Web site, where bloggers offered unusual praise, which Tauber paraphrases as: "Those crazy wacko religious people ... if you have to believe there is something beyond this life, this is probably a good Bible for you to read."

"It was this backhanded compliment from people not known for being so friendly to people of faith," says Tauber.

Both The Green Bible and The Book are aimed at the young. But Soderberg says that when the illuminated Bible was published in Sweden, it appealed beyond its target audience. In fact, he says, the publisher expanded the market by almost 50 percent in a year.

And Soderberg says there is no question that a new conversation about the Bible is under way in a lot of unexpected places.

He says he's seen people in offices that are very strict talking about the Bible, "because everybody flips through this magazine. ... That's cool."

And an illuminated version of the Old Testament is in the works. Soderberg says it will be published in the U.S. in the spring of 2009 — just in time for Easter.

Just to touch the fringe of His garment.

I said to myself just now, 

"How I wish Jesus were here in the flesh. I could just touch Him, and be healed."

This was His reply:

"My darling Leah, my beautiful daughter, I am here.  Your body is a temple, a holy vessel, and you hold me deep within it." 

Sometimes I just don't give the Holy Spirit His overwhelmingly due credit. 

How amazing would it have been back in the day, if the hemorrhaging woman could have just prayed her condition away?

Jesus did not say that it was her touching his cloak that healed her, but it was her faith.  

My Jesus, My Savior, My First Love and Best Friend, died so that that exact thing could happen.  What healing power it is to truly cry to our Lord! 

He hears us in times of trouble, and it doesn't stop there, He saves us.

I don't know what made me forget the Holy Spirit just now, maybe my need for some kind of physical contact or emotional exaggeration, but none the less, I did for a second. 

However, there are plenty of times that we all forget Him. 

 

Every time we look at another person in judgement, or kindly talk behind their back. 

Every time we get full of pride and stop "needing" the Jesus-fill for the day. 

Every time we forget who we are, and who others are in Christ. 

Pride and insecurity go hand in hand. And this is a sure sign that you and I have forgotten Who made us.  Who so beautifully crafted us together, and gave us our gifts so that we could please Him.  Loftiness is forbidden in the Kingdom of Heaven, and so is hatred of self.

We are all equals, we are all loved, no matter who bothers us to no end!

And no matter how much we want to beat ourselves down for screwing up AGAIN. 

Beth Moore so gracefully put it this way: 

"Nothing like Priding yourself in Hating yourself."

And Jesus put it this way:

"Get the plank out of your own eye... It is not the healthy who need a Doctor, but the sick."

For those willing to let go of pride in hating others or yourself, or any kind of pain you may carry with you at any time in your life, David wrote this and many other Psalms that have so dearly touched my heart: 

"The Lord is near to all who call on Him, 

to all who call on Him in truth.

He will fill the desires of those who fear Him. 

He will hear their cry and will save them."

I encourage you right now, and myself to stop trying to swim to shore alone, but to climb into the lifeboat that is Christ Jesus. 

Sanctus Real "Whatever You're Doing"

It's time for healing time to move on
It's time to fix what's been broken too long
Time to make right what has been wrong
It's time to find my way to where I belong
There's a wave that's crashing over me
And all I can do is surrender

Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but somehow there's peace
It's hard to surrender to what I can't see
but I'm giving in to something Heavenly

Time for a milestone
Time to begin again
Reevaluate who I really am
Am I doing everything to follow Your will
Or just climbing aimlessly over these hills
So show me what it is You want from me
I give everything I surrender...
To...

Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but somehow there's peace
It's hard to surrender to what I can't see
but I'm giving in to something Heavenly

Time to face up
Clean this old house
Time to breathe in and let everything out
That I've wanted to say for so many years
Time to release all my held back tears

Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but I believe
You're up to something bigger than me
Larger than life something Heavenly

Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but now I can see
This is something bigger than me
Larger than life something Heavenly
Something Heavenly

It's time to face up
Clean this old house
Time to breathe in and let everything out

No Christ, No Love

Since I've signed up for Mary Kay, I've been extremely worried. 

My biggest fear is failure, and that is what keeps me from doing most everything that God has asked me to do. 

Oh yeah, my other fear is not carrying out the will of God. 

So I've been thinking a lot about whether or not this whole MK business is of God's will, AND I fear that I will fail at this.  I fear that my parents and friends will be disappointed, and that some people might even get the pleasure of telling me, "I told you so."

I don't know who would, but that's a fear anyway. 

Last weekends service, (although for it was for men) hit me on the spot. 

My heart felt like I should have gone up and got a necklace that stated, "You're my daughter, and I'm proud of you." but of course I didn't.  It might have been too weird for other people. 

I care too much about what other people think. 

I guess that's the root of fearing failure. 

So of course, when the person I love most and I get to giving sarcastic comments to each other, (which is usually normal and doesn't bother me) I blow up and take it too far, because I'm insecure and I had been offended. 

Why is it I always hurt the person I want to love the most? 

It's because I try to take control of loving. 

God is love, so when I try to do anything without Him, I do it without love. 

It's actually quite annoying. 

So finally, after a long talk about all that was wrong with me... lol

We made up, and of course I feel better. 

I don't deserve this man who gets on his knee and promises to deal with my mood swings.

I don't deserve someone who vows to take care of me forever, no matter how badly I hurt him.

But God blesses. 

And now I cry, because I think of all the many times I hurt Christ without thinking twice about it. I think about how he is way more loving than any human ever could be, and I'm in awe of how amazing He is. 

Who am I to receive forgiveness?

Much less abundant blessings. 

Why me?

So although it racks my brain, I'm accepting this love. 

I'm accepting that I need to refuel myself with it everyday in order to live the life He wants to give me. And I'm accepting that wherever I am, He's right there with me, even if I am about to fail. 

Proverbs 16:3 says, "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed."

And I can't even begin to number how many passages in the Bible tell us not to worry.

So no matter what I do, I just need to commit it to God. 

I meet plenty of new people in this business, why not be a witness?

Wherever you are, you're right where God wants you to be. 

(Unless of course you've just committed murder or something.)

Don't worry about accomplishing His will.  Just work on your character.

Don't be afraid to fail, because only one opinion matters. 

"Shake it off" 

And be all God has made you to be. 

"I wish I could throw off the thoughts which poison my happiness. And yet I take a kind of pleasure in indulging them." -Chopin

Listening to his classic, Fantasy Impromptu, I feel as though I know what Chopin meant when he wrote this song. 

It's fast, then slow, then crazy, then calm. 

Yep, like life. It's "like a box of chocolates."

But I think he was dealing with more than circumstance.

Rather, I'd like to think he struggled with emotion. 

Sometimes, life's crazy twists and turns aren't what get me. 

It's the normal. 

I might even crave for a twist, maybe even a jolt of pain to justify the way I'm feeling.

But I am left with no reason.

I have no explanation of why my emotions betray me. 

Things just are they way they are.

No words can express all that one deals with emotionally, spiritually, relationally.

None whatsoever.  

To accomplish that, one would need a mix of keys beautifully pressed in sequence to make the most sense on paper than words ever could.

Poems.

So I've always had this philosophy, that before one enters a relationship, they must have their life pretty much figured out.  At least spiritually. 

I have got to have every thing down.  Be perfectly on track with God.

Although this has truth, I've slowly begun to realize...

As long as we're alive, there's always something we don't have under control!

Maybe it's even as serious as an addiction.  But even if it's not, there's always going to be SOMETHING you don't have down pat, and if you think you have it all figured out, keep searching, because there's always room to learn.  

So I've given up this philosophy because I met this guy that I didn't want to keep waiting any longer while I figured something else out. 

He's helped me actually stay on track with God. 

Sometimes I worry that he might become more important than he should to me, but whatever is improving my relationship with Christ, is dang good enough for me to keep around.

This first poem was written after we were together, and I still had these thoughts of doubt and being unsure about all God wants for my life...

I Know

I can feel you listening to me.

I know you're there.

I can hear you in the silence.

I know you speak without words.

I can see you moving

everywhere but here.

I know you're alive.

I've felt you,

touched you,

seen you,

heard you,

loved you,

wanted you,

had you,

craved you,

believed you,

been loved by you.

And still.

I feel

like I don't know

You

and all you have for me.

Set me free

from my unbelief,

please.

And these poems express my gratitude and my heart because we are together, all written on the same day...

It's What Love Is

It's not just that I'm completely comfortable with you

It's not just that I know you'll always be there for me

It's not just that you're my best friend.

It's not just the way you make my heart smile

Or make me feel like I'm the only woman in the world.

It's not just that I want to be with you forever

Or that you're the only one I can see myself with for that long.

And it's not just that we've learned patience and how to love

But that I can see how much more we can grow.

It's that God did this.

It's that we both want to make Him proud.

When we are weak, He'll be strong in the other.

Trust, Commitment, Love

Will not be broken.

It's not just that I love you.

It's that because of God,

we know what Love is.

And poem numero dos...

How I Know

I want to feel everything that you feel.

I want to share your joy

your pain,

your sorrow and grief.

Your laughter, your love, your hopes and your dreams.

I want all of it.

The good

The bad

And the ugly.

I want to know all you are

And I want to love you with everything

Just like Christ has loved me.

So let us fall in love together.

You, Me,

and the Three.

Okay, so they're a bit sappy.  And some may even say a little too soon. 

But I say different.  This kid's been my best friend for the past two years, and I just can't see my life without him. I feel like this is it. 

And hey, there's the off-chance that it won't work out.  That I'll lose my best friend, (yet again) and that my heart will be crushed.  But even if that happens, my God is more than able to restore my heart. I know this because He has done it time and time again.

I guess what I should say to everyone, is not that you have everything down in your relationship with Christ, because there's way too much to work on there, but to make sure you've fallen in love with Him first.  

Your heart can't break beyond fixing if it belongs to the All-Powerful.  

And as for my last blog, yeah, I'm getting better.  If you deal with the same issues I do, just go to God.  I know, it can be the hardest and most difficult thing to do sometimes, especially if you're lazy or even actually like the feeling of being down in the dumps sometimes.  It's twisted, but it's true.  Pray for an event to bring you closer to God if you physically try everything and can't do it yourself.  

Of all people, I'm the one who hates generic Christian bumper sticker answers the most, but the phrase "Let go and let God" has been the most real in my life. 

I wish I had more advice to give, I wish I had everything down, but I just don't.

Like it is for everyone who is still alive, being a Christian is a battle. Don't take it personally, Satan wants to take down God's kingdom.  If you feel horrible or less than worthy, it's because he knows you can do something for God's kingdom, and he'll do anything to stop that. 

Don't let him.

I encourage you to keep your hopes up, and think positively as I try my hardest to do the same.

I don't get it.

Because I am a woman, I have about a billion mixed emotions right now, all directed at myself.

To name a few- disappointment, discouragement, tick-off-ed-ness, sadness, and yet, still a bit of happiness when I think hard about the positive things in my life.  

I've been a little down lately, and I could name a billion reasons why.

But let's focus on the positive.

My family is alive, and where there's life, there are chances for change.  

The friendships I've been keeping in tact are going very well. I got a phone call from my Lauren last night that was quite encouraging.  Can't wait to see her. =D

(I've been scheduling time with friends lately)

My newest blessing however, has been my Joshybear.  =D

And how everyone I talk to is okay with and even exclaiming the word, "Finally!" when speaking about our relationship. 

I've never had a wanting-to-please-God relationship before.

The waiting pays off.

This boy reminds me of who I am in Christ everyday, and he shows me almost the same kind of love.

We've both had to forgive each other for hurts in the past. I think I could take up my whole page with simply negative occurrences over the past year, but obviously I won't.

I like forgiveness.  I've grown accustom to it over the past 19 years of my life.  

And I think that's the problem. 

Josh and I listened to the song "The Alter and the Door" by Casting Crowns.  

(Surprisingly I'd never heard it before then)

And it's pretty much about living the Christian life based on feeling. 

At the alter you are convicted, you feel ashamed and you pray for forgiveness, but you walk out the door, the feeling is gone and all you have left is the same emptiness you started with before you walked in. So you go right back to the way you were. Numb, but happy you're not hurting. 

 

Feelings.

I think this is about the oldest Christian problem in the book.  

The sad part is when you get to the point where you know you did something wrong and you don't feel convicted about it, but ask for forgiveness anyway because you simply have knowledge that it is wrong.

Any stage downward after that sucks completely.

I'm not living in some secretive sin anymore, but I have almost the same problem.

God has asked me to do a few things, but I haven't done them yet, and I'd rather not face Him right now.  I'd rather ask for forgiveness and keep living my mediocre life. 

I took care of some of it last night, but mostly, I'm the same way. I've got the same feelings of loser-esqe-ness, and I'm a bit down because of it. 

I believe God can do great things. 

I have a rock from the service last weekend, and believe me, that service helped.

But it was still almost an alter and door situation.  

When will I stop letting discouragement control me?

I've been set free and re-chained again.

It IS all my fault, but I need to let that go. 

I'm tired and hungry.

I'm gunna go eat.

What is delusion?

Who has the right to tell me or you or anyone, that any of us are insane?

To some people, the belief in God is insanity, to others, the lack of belief is.  

So who's opinion is right when it comes to these issues? 

But of course, the answer that is more clear than the other must be right.

And doesn't that bring us back to opinion?

Has Earth evolved from primordial soup on the backs of crystals, or did God speak it into existence? 

Did Paul really mean that no woman should ever teach in a church?

Did God really tell me that this is where I'm supposed to be and who I'm supposed to be with?

Who's opinion is right?

My pastor's must be.

Then again, my father is right on that one... 

Can you see how trying to find the truth can be overly exhausting? 

In my opinion, the Bible is the ultimate truth because the Holy Spirit has lead me on many an adventure that relying on His Word - Jesus Christ was the only way to get through it.  

Then again, there are so many interpretations to the Bible. 

Who's is right?

I think Francis Chan hit it right on the money when he spoke of reading the Bible and letting the Holy Spirit guide you instead of being spoon-feed by so many other inputs. 

But what of those who have been searching the Word for answers, and in this they have found the ultimate answer of where they need to be and who they need to be with, and then it fails? 

Did God lead me astray?

Or were the desires of my heart in the way?

I have no ultimate answer to these questions. 

All I have is Faith. 

No matter where I end up, or who I end up with, I know God's got his hand wrapped around it. This is called peace. 

A peace in Christ that I can rest in no matter how bad the world gets.

I had to fight for this peace. 

And I still do, every day. 

Satan attacks on all sides.  He knows right where to tear through my head to get to my heart. 

And it's a fight.

Do I loose some battles?

Many.

Do I win the war?

Definitely.

Only because I'm on the winning side.

When I am wrong, I admit it, and I move on. 

God is on my side, He's got me covered.

No worries because he told me not to. 

(Philippians 4:6)

And if believing in this ultimate God who loves me and disciplines me as His own child, who so perfectly died for me, who is with me everyday of my life, is insanity, 

then sign me up for the loony bin.

My God is omnipresent, He'll be there too.

He's alive!!!

Death where is your sting? Grave your victory?
Jesus holds the key, forever and ever!!!!

Joy, peace, love, patience, victory! It is ours in Christ Jesus!
Never have I felt so alive!
Who knew that baptism would take me where I thought I'd never be again?
Obedience. That's all it was!
God's plan is so much better than our own.

I'm no failure, God is going to use me.
And I CAN'T WAIT for what's next!

Until then, all things are done for the Lord.
Oh the Joy, Oh the peace, is this Jesus in me.

Freedom.

My heart was beating much faster than I was comfortable with.
But isn't that what we're called to?
A life of leadership. Being comfortable would mean complacency, not change.

It was so embarassing to cry in front of my friends and aquaintances.
But isn't humility necessary?
Love requires that you put away pride.

Fear consumed me, until I took the first step...
This Good Friday, Troy spoke on hope again.
I've heard it before, but I allowed fear to take the place of my next step.

Going up was humbling for me. It was me admitting, that after years of trying to do this Christian thing right, I still don't sometimes.

I was baptized by Hal Mayor in January of '97 at the great age of 8.
I've been baptized, I've repented when I "went wrong" and have had different obstacles in my life that I trusted God with, finding peace and hope in Him.

Too bad the Christian walk doesn't end there. lol
What was this uneasiness in my heart about? Why was God so distant at the time I needed Him to reveal to me what the heck was wrong?
I was going through the motions, and for a while I was almost forcing myself to believe God's Word, because that's hard to do when hope is dead.

I was suposed to be alive in Christ, but I didn't even want to wake up to the days He had so graciously given me. I didn't realize until now, that I was spitting on the gift of life.

So what was the big change?
Persistance.

I didn't want to give up on the most genuine thing in my life jut because I didn't feel good at the time, and that made all the difference.
I asked people to pray for me, for God to reveal SOMETHING, ANYTHING.
And just because it's not what I wanted gives me no right to refuse it.

I didn't get a clear answer on what God wants me to do with my life. All I got was a reinforcing of something I already thought I knew.
Whatever you do, do it for the Lord.

Previously, I had failed to take steps for God, and it was still eating me alive.
The devil was winning, telling me that I'm a useless failure.
And I knew! I knew I wasn't, God made me for great things, but I didn't believe it.

I had let God down, and I was so very hard on myself for it.
I was out of my control, my family was out of my control, my workplace and my own schoolwork, my relationships, everything. And I hated it.
No matter how hard I worked, I only grew tired and discouraged.

Do I have all the answers yet?
Oh my dear, of course I don't.
But I'm going to start living life one step at a time, for the hundredth time.

Things won't happen when I want them to. And that's okay.
God's timing, God's plan.

It was a decade since I had been baptized when God called me to obey Him again last year, but I was afraid of what people would think.
No more. Tomorrow morning, I'm getting dunked one more time, because contrary to popular belief, I'm a completely different person now than I was at eight years old.

If I can do this, you can do whatever God is calling you to do.
I know the challenges will only increase.
You pray for me, I'll pray for you, and God will work through all of us.

Reality

What is reality?
Dictionaries define it- the state or quality of being real, resemblance to what is real, a real thing or fact.

Philosophy describes it as something that exists independently of ideas concerning it, something that constitutes a real or actual thing, as distinguished from something that is merely apparent.

For one person, reality can be poverty, another, wealth.
So one could say, there is no reality that all persons share, but it is simply perception of the life we've been handed.
For some, there is a fine line between reality and negativity because of this.

I believe in God's reality, where nothing is impossible. Because in my reality, a healthy relationship centered around Christ is impossible. Changing my attitude and discipline habits is impossible. And forget about changing the world.

Oh, but in God's reality, all these things and more are just waiting for me.
All I've got to do is wake up everyday and choose to believe God's reality instead of my own.
Trust God's leadership instead of my own, and I must say, the most difficult, to let go of what God does not want me to control.

For God's Glory

All I seem to hear lately are complaints about how Flamingo Road Church is not doing everything right. Things are too extreme and we're not glorifying God.

My rebuttal is this:
1. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean it won't work for someone else.
2. If we do screw up, no one is perfect.
3. Humans make mistakes and yes, even church leaders are human as well.
4. God hates negativity just as much as you hate whatever we might do wrong.
5. God can use ALL things for His glory.

I've been at this church for 15 years. Even though I was young, I've been old enough to understand the changes that were taking place. Depending upon opinion, some good, some bad.

Depending upon opinion.

In my opinion, the church is doing plenty of good. Do I disagree with a few things?
Sure, every once in a while, but voicing them when I have no plan of action is simply negative and ultimately what tears a church apart.
As a whole, when I think of Flamingo Road, I think of a church with a vision who takes extreme measures to spread the Word of God. In that, things can go wrong, but as a whole, this church is my home. When the little things bother me, I pray that God will bring peace to my soul.
If you try that, and you still can't stand the way we're doing things, that's perfectly okay. Join a church you feel comfortable in, but don't bash something that God can and will use for His glory.

Don't let the devil use you in bringing down something God can use.

The pharisees of Jesus' time made impossible rules to keep in order to be "holy". At the time, it wasn't so very religiously popular to go against the grain of those rules. People were beaten and killed for disobeying them, but Jesus brought revolution. Rebellion, leadership,
forgiveness.

Just because it isn't popular, doesn't mean it can't be used by God.

Just think about it.

Have a freakin cry fest why dontcha?

This weekend has been the most emotional weekend I've had in a while.
It could have been hormonal, but I really did think about a lot.
Friends. Most of all my friend who's been going through what is unimaginable to me.
She's so strong. I cry for her.
Family. Most of all my immediate family, what will happen for us in the future.
Sometimes I loose hope, but I cry out for peace.
Myself. I didn't know how many issues I carried in my heart. I disguised my fear with what I thought was a different purpose for my life.
I love Lauren and all the girls I meet with Sunday, really, you've helped me more than you know.

God reveals things to us in intervals.
We deal with different things at different times according to God's plan.
This weekend however, oh, how I learned about peace.

Everyone says it, "This peace in Christ that I've found!"
And sure, I've had God moments that can be explained as peaceful, but in realization that it can truly be well with your soul is unexplainable.

Love is patient, God proves this with how rediculously patient He is with me.
How many times have I failed and then complained about the same thing?
How long did it take me to finally understand waht God was trying to tell me?
Ah, patience.

I love how God puts people in our lives to help us with all we need.
Now that I know what I need to do, I have a new hope in the fact that God is there.
My friends are there, my family is there, and often I get those two confused by how close my church family is. lol

I'm actually excited to submit my whole world to God tomorrow.
I'm waking up and embracing my morning with a work out of worship =D

God didn't only give us new years, months and weeks to refocus, everyday is a brand new day.
And oh, I can't wait for the morning.

You asked for it...

Since I don't have much to write about lately and/or I don't have much time to write about anything, I haven't much been on blogger.com to do just that.
BUT, and that's a big butt... [HAHA punny.]
I have had blogs on myspace that I particularly liked, so I picked seven to highlight all that I accomplished/had an epiphany about last year. And here they are...

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

So I can't save the world... Prayer. Sometimes it is the only thing that keeps this heart beating with purpose - with some kind of hope. Sometimes I feel it does nothing. I pray for everyone I know that I see falling, even myself. Especially my family and close friends. I see pain, and no solution. I've heard stories of people waiting a numerous amount of years for their prayers to be answered - but after waiting that long, doesn't it become coincidence that what they wanted to happen came about? It's just like the Big Bang Theory I guess. Everything on this earth is so intricately and delicately put together, right down to human anatomy - but it was just coincidence. A random explosion put us all together here and it worked out perfectly that we formed into the human beings we are today. It was coincidence - chance. I'm going to go with something that makes more sense. God makes more sense. I'll wait for my prayers to be answered, even though God chooses not to control an individuals choice (hence the messed up world) I'll wait, and pray without ceasing. Even if I have to wait 30 years, I will continue to pray for those I care deeply about. I'm going to hold on to this last shred of hope, and I choose not to let my faith - who I am in Christ - break. I have a feeling I won't be let down too harshly.

Friday, June 15, 2007

PERU '07 Current mood: absolutely joyous It's a glimpse at what matters most. A shred of truth. I believe we waste a lot of time that is spent not helping others. Okay. You can't go to Peru. But here are a few numbers to think about… 22.6% of Peru is below the poverty line. 20% of America is below the poverty line. A mission trip is amazing. It's physically, emotionally, but most of all spiritually exhausting. And I didn't want to leave. I've realized that the more fortunate were put here so we could help the less fortunate. Why would God put misfortune on Earth anyway? It's simply sin. Everyone suffers in different ways. They suffer with poverty. But who is better off really? The poverty stricken or the brainwashed who think that wealth is all there is to life? All of the children in Peru were extremely friendly. They wanted to hug and love on you, just because. They saw the importance of human decency, and never ceased to smile. I got back to America and was astonished by the mood change already. Just sitting in the airport there was a couple who seemed to care more about looks than their own daughter. (I hate plastic surgery- it screams, "I'm unhappy with myself.") I smiled at the little girl who looked only a year older than Sierra, and there was no emotion on her face. Just a blank stare. At three years old a little girl had already been trained not to smile. And I wanted to cry. In the middle of poverty, unknown faces showed up and were still welcomed with open arms, hearts, and smiles. Back home, the best I got was a blank stare. Where has the happiness gone? I'll tell you. It's in the eyes of the homeless when you hand them a blanket and shelter. It's in the hungry when you give them something to eat. It's in the hopeless, when you tell them about the love of Christ. That's where I find my happiness and my peace. That's where I know God is love. A tribe we went to told us that we were the answer to their prayers. If you ask Him to, God will work through you. He did just that for me. If you want to feel like life is worth living, do something that helps others live.

Sunday, September 09, 2007

ah. Current mood: ugh. I'm tired of myself. I want to be replaced. Ihatethikingaboutyou. But mostly Ihatemissingyou. I hate my past that keeps affecting my present. And my present that keeps me from my future. I still don't understand myself one bit. And I don't believe I'm getting any closer. God help me, literally. lol He normally gets me on my way. Slowly but surely, I'll go back to who I loved myself being. Who I was in summer of 06.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

swings Current mood: breathless I felt like a child again. I do every time I reunite myself with my childhood playground favorite - the swing. But this was different. I went to that place he took me. I almost tried to contact him and ask him where it was, but decided to actually give him space this time. It's a miracle I found it by myself. I remember nothing... except for the meaningful apparently. I found myself there, praying, swinging, breathing, praying. A few times, I felt a presence so real I had to open my eyes. I wished he'd drive up. Of course he didn't. He was still in school. It's best he didn't anyway, but I still wished he did. As I swung and prayed, I felt a release and a new freedom. I could have stayed there for hours. The smell of freshly cut grass, the sun warm on my face, the wind blowing through my hair. Peace. Sure, I still miss him. If I didn't, I'm not sure what led me to that spot. But in going back, I found a little bit of me again. Right now, I listen to "Everything" by lifehouse. And it's this music that goes perfectly with my time on the swing. "You calm the storms, and you give me breath. You hold me in your hands, you won't let me fall. You steal my heart and you take my breath away. Would you take me in? Take me deeper now." "And how can I stand here with you, and not be moved by you?" "...How could it be any better than this?" '"Cause youre all I want! You're all I need! You're everything! Everything!! You're all I want, all I need, everything!!" Music playing, I'll raise my hands, I'll scream it out, I've lived the play. God Is Amazing.

Monday, October 29, 2007

Oh, how God has blessed me. Current mood: hopeful (it’s been a theme of mine lately) Today I was blessed with the opportunity to help a strong woman, who in need, humbled herself before her family. We finished putting the supplies into the back of her van without a tear shed, and then we hugged. There is just something about the human touch. The act of giving is great, but with a hug, we pronounce compassion - love and care that brings forth action. My family has been blessed with all we need so that we can have the blessing of helping others when they are in need. I just hope that hearing of this can stir others to action. I strongly believe that with faith in prayer and good deeds, we can change the world.

Monday, November 26, 2007

Angry. Current mood: annoyed What to do when all you hear is negative? Leaders aren't leading. Preachers aren't teaching. Where in hell did the love go? I had always strruggled with following what God wants, that's why I never took a leadership position before. If you choose to lead, you choose to have followers. So don't screw it up. Plain and simple. You wanted the position, so claim it. Tell people about the Bible, and for human's sake, live it. The one thing I hear from almost EVERYONE I invited to church at one point or another is that they don't feel like dealing with hypocrites. If you, a person who chose to have a higher position in the church of all things, don't lead by example - you're sending people to hell. Yes, you're human, and you believe Jesus died for your sins. But don't abuse the privelage. If you cared one bit about anyone but yourself, you'd either step down from your position or you'd make things right. There is a HUGE difference between living for God yet being human and occasionally screwing things up, and living for yourself in ignorance. You know the difference, I know the difference, but most important - and I can't stress this enough - the unsaved notice the difference. By all means, live for yourself. God will find someone to carry out His will if you don't help. But don't be on the enemy's side in bringing the Christian image down to the cliche of hypocracy. Now is a time to change people's perception of us. No kidding, I'm not perfect, but at least I'm realizing my flaws and relying on God to help me overcome them. So much of this life is a choice. So go ahead, live in the mindset of "ignorance is bliss" But don't you be surprised when Jesus pulls you aside the pearly gates and asks, "My child, why did you not love me?"

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Can I just stop to breathe? Current mood: thirsty Ever just have one of those weeks? Busy, hectic, but most of all spiritually draining. It's hard to realize what your faults are, and THEN choose to fix them. But it's coming along. Despite my ignorance of time-management and fitting God in, He used me. There was nothing like the look on their faces. Christmas is all about giving. My family even had an opprotunity to help - and they took it. I think this good deed thing is contagious. Sure, it's the holiday season, but I hope with all my heart that this mood doesn't dissapear when the ball drops. I only hope to get closer to the one who so willingly uses me when I offer to. Next time I hope to have more energy. If I fix the things that need fixing, I will. I can't wait till Passion. Finals tomorrow and Thursday, then I'm done. I still don't know if I'm working tomorrow. I hope baby's okay. Ugh, there's so much on my mind it's sick. I expect no one to understand this completely. Instead of worrying, pray. I'm gonna go do that.

Okay, so a couple of them were strange. But that's my last year of blog-life in a nutshell.
If you still crave some more of me, I'll be writing just as soon as something interesting happens, I promise. =D
Love you all!
(Yes, even you.)

Believe

So winter jam was pretty much, how the kids say, "off the hook!"
I don't know why I'm weird.
Anywho, I'm pretty much stoked for passion. It's going to be winter jam times a million. And that's like- a lot. lol

The only problem with me lately though, is that I'm very maliable and open to new ideas, etc. So since my religion teacher was teling us to look at everything intellectually, I did at winter jam.
I noticed how the guy speaking was pushy when asking for donations, I realized how easily influenced the crowd was, and then I noticed I wasn't enjoying myself as much as I should have been. Sitting next to me you'd never know this, because when skillet came on I acted like a maniac, but on the inside I really was thinking. lol
But on the other side of things, I noticed that I only paid ten bucks for a show that'd normally cost 60, and the donations were going to the next ten dollar show they MIGHT have down here if they raise enough.

There are a number of different sides to everything, and as humans, we obviously need to keep thinking intellectually so that we don't fall into random cults, or even follow the church mindlessly. We need to think about what we're doing, yes, but God also created (and I believe God created because everything is so intricately and perfectly put together on this earth that there's no way it was a random crash) anyway, God created our minds, yes, but He also created our hearts and souls. The parts of us that feel if we let them. The parts of us that take in a sunrise and feel the music booming to the beat of our soul.

Oh yes, think intellectually because there is an evil force in the world, but don't you dare stop believing what your heart knows to be true.

I should be doing homework.

So I absolutely hate my english class this semester.
Right now I should be working on an almost impossible paper that the four of us in my group (two of which are out of town) are supposed to finish by Tuesday.
We picked a theme that almost no one else has any opinion on.
I guess this is my giant.
If I don't do this, and then teach the homegroup lesson on Monday about "Facing our Giants" I will indubitably be a hypocrite.

P.S. I need more help on this blog thing.
Can you add friends? If so, how do you find them?
I can't blog stalk if I don't know how to find anyone, now can I?

Well, onto the paper.
Fun, fun, fun.

Pray for me?
=/

"For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."

Random:
I totally looked up the word segway - GOOD thing because on dictionary.com it is described as a self-balancing personal transportation device with two wheels.
I found the proper spelling of the word I was actually looking for so I could say this:

Since I can't think of any proper segue into this...
My myspace name is leahpeah, and since it caught on so well, I figured I'd try and pick a new old nickname for my new blog.
Leahpeah was a teasing-like nickname from childhood friends, leahbeah is an endearing nickname given to me by my mother. =)
(I'm sure no one cares, but I figure you're supposed to introduce something when you create a blog for the first time...)

So now that you know why I chose my name, I chose my url because I love Stacie Gonzalez, currently known as IE because of the two Stacey/ie's in our homegroup.
IE helped me create my blog. Hence the url.
I'm a simpleton at heart, really.

Those who are in Mo's homegroup know this because they know me.
I had been praying for good close friends who were in the same stage of life that I wanted to be in, and although I didn't see it at first, God oh-so-greatly answered my prayer.

This place has grown to be a place of warmth, love and comfortableness (for lack of an existing word - sorry Stacey Laurel - aka Estacia! lol)

Today when I left that place, I felt hope again.
For so long I had given up on myself and those closest to me. I'd been on an "emotional rollercoaster" (for lack of a more unique phrase) ever since I saw what God wanted me to do. I'd get on fire to do it, then I'd get discouraged and fall.
I'd gotten so immune to this rollercoaster, that it no longer made me sick.
But opening up tonight, talking about things, knowing that someone will be there to encourage me when I need it, knowing that they WANT to be there, just fills my heart with joy.

I thought I was going to have to do so much on my own, so I'd suck it all up to myself and put a sweet little smile where tears were just minutes ago.
Tiring, but my belief was that this was just the burden I'd been given to deal with on my own.
Of course I suffered spiritually because of that belief - and spiritual affects all dimensions of the body.
No one is made to carry others around them spiritually. If that were the case, we'd have to worry, but we are not permitted that burden.
I had to first give my burden to God, and finally share the fact that I am weak with other humans who are just like me.

These friends are willing to cry with me, open up to me, and NEVER judge me.

Sure, I've had friends like that before, but these friends are different.
They're God-driven, and that makes the biggest difference in the world.

I told myself I had to do things alone, but there is a reason God created the church.
Although I'm a part of our great big church which will go out and do great big things, if I wasn't with this group of guys and girls, I'd be missing out on the soul of the church - the place God made to go and know that you've got people rooting for you.

Give your burdens to God, share your experience with friends.
Cry together, laugh together, even screw up together (just don't make that a habit lol) but most of all, pray together and share the Word of God.
Even if at first you don't think they're so much "your type", choose a circle friends that you can make God the center of, then wait...

love will show up in the midst of your pain.