Day 25 - "If I sing at the top of my lungs it won't say a thing if I haven't love."

For those just joining us, read Day 1's caveat.

I knew coming into this project it would bring a new perspective on things I had never before imagined. I have been through times of solidarity, I have been times of speechlessness, and I'm still trying to find "my story" among a sea of what seems uncertain sometimes.

Today I realized two very big things:

1) I have something to say

2) I don't love people nearly enough.

There's got to be a reason why anything Seth Roberts (Watashi Wa, Lakes) does immediately hits home for me. I'm not sure what it is, but every word of this song relates to me in some way.

I find that there are times in my life where I have to go at it alone. May it be for a day or a year, aloneness has been very much a part of my life. Likewise, I have spent months going to bed thinking that there was no way I would make it through my life. But the best parts of my life are the moments where I know God has me so close there is nobody around but Him. He is close, I am so empty and I couldn't be happier.

Through all of this I have a story to tell. But without love, it means nothing. To do "nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit..." or to "value others above yourselves" is difficult. I said this morning to a room full of teenagers that this world makes it really easy to see others' selfishness and avoid our own. Philippians suggests that sharing in the Holy Spirit of God, bringing joy to other believers and sharing in one love entails holding others' needs over your own (Phil 2:4). Can we honestly say we do that?

Can we honestly say that in the story we have to share, that above everything else, we have love? Because otherwise, it doesn't matter. And you will know it when everything comes crumbling to the ground.

"The plans that I make... they fail miserably."

Day 21 - "I'd freeze the frames, if I had the choice. I'd take you back for just a day"

For those just joining us, read Day 1's caveat.

There isn't anything too special about this post. God has been blowing my mind, and I've been thinking about my childhood a lot. How it has affected my life for better and for worse. This is my favorite band, and often they can pierce a lot of shells and cut to the heart of emotions.

This song makes me think of a great day. A friend and I could take bikes, ride down the hill by my house and go downtown... go towards the classy parts of Lynchburg, Rivermont and Boonsboro. Warm sun, cool breeze. Man I can't wait for summer.

Day 18 - "I will live to love You! I will live to bring You praise! I will live a child in awe of You!"

For those just joining us, read Day 1's caveat.

I have been serving with, in my incredibly bias opinion, what I believe to be the most highly concentrated group of people yearning after the most intimate places of God's heart I have ever experienced. It's not a doubt of mine that it is chalked up 100% to the Holy Spirit and sovereignty of God that could bring about such an amazing desire for change and life in the hearts of people that walk through our building.

This was the first song I ever sang there, and one of the most emotion filled times of worship I have ever encountered. It's been on my heart the past couple of days, and true to this experiment, something that should be shared.

The greatest love that anyone could ever know
That overcame the cross and grave to find my soul
And 'til I see You face to face and grace amazing takes me home
I'll trust in You

With all I am I'll live to see Your kingdom come
And in my heart I pray You'd let Your will be done
And 'til I see You face to face and grace amazing takes me home
I'll trust in You

I will live to love You
I will live to bring You praise
I will live a child in awe of You

You are the voice that calls the universe to be
You are the whisper in my heart that speaks to me
And 'til I see You face to face and grace amazing takes me home
I'll trust in you

You alone are God of all
You alone are worthy Lord
And with all I am my soul will bless Your name

Joel Houston:

An amazing female version as well:

Day 15 - "How great Your love for us! How great our love for You!"

For those just joining us, read Day 1's caveat.

Sometimes we feel like scripture needs some cultural adjustment. I have felt like nobody understands (and even recently almost told a couple people to their face that they don't). I have felt like this journey is mine to do alone. God never runs, though. No matter how insistent you may be that "Everything is alright" or "I'm fine" or "It's really no big deal" in feign insecurity, God is always there. He knows exactly when to pursue you even when you don't. He is strong, He is merciful, He is above all things... great. And great needs no cultural adjustment.

Oh, thank God—he's so good! His love never runs out. All of you set free by God, tell the world! Tell how he freed you from oppression, then rounded you up from all over the place, from the four winds, from the seven seas.

Some of you wandered for years in the desert, looking but not finding a good place to live, half-starved and parched with thirst, staggering and stumbling, on the brink of exhaustion. Then, in your desperate condition, you called out to God. He got you out in the nick of time; He put your feet on a wonderful road that took you straight to a good place to live. So thank God for his marvelous love, for his miracle mercy to the children he loves. He poured great draughts of water down parched throats; the starved and hungry got plenty to eat. - Psalm 107:1-9 (The Message)

Day 14 - "My heart is set on a pilgrimage to heaven's own bright King"

For those just joining us, read Day 1's caveat.

Yes, I needed a 2 day break. :)

I don't know how to explain the large amount of things God is teaching me right now. I will say, however, that God is good, He is holy, and sometimes to get to God we have to wade through a lot of junk. It's funny, because many of the same scriptures that spoke to me early in my encounter with Christ still hit me between the eyes now, just in a different way. The same way with music.

Charlie Hall seems to be a musician that God uses consistently. As my friend Chris pointed out yesterday, I am a very emotional person and I seem to get crazy joy from some of the truths that are in Charlie Hall's lyrics. That sentence may not make sense considering the song below

And on the road to beautiful
My seasons always change
But my life is spent on loving You
To know You in Your power and pain

For most people, a somber song would pull them down. Now, for me, it does in some settings. However! Think about how true these lyrics ring out! They may be very Ecclesiastical, but there are times for weeping, for singing, for dancing, for mourning. There are different seasons, and with each one brings a very unique perspective to God!

They who sow in tears shall reap in joy and singing. He who goes forth bearing seed and weeping [at needing his precious supply of grain for sowing] shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. - Psalm 126:5-6 (AMP)

I'm not sure that I would say there can't be joy without tears, but there certainly can't be reaping without sowing. I just said to my friend Andy today that in my finite mind, good and evil have to exist to understand either. Regardless if that is true or not, I know that I know the joy of God from the pain I have experienced. The title of this post speaks of a focus on higher things. The subsequent line says "So in faltering or victory, I will always sing!"

I hope that while you're reaping or sowing, you're singing. And sing loudly.

Day 9 - "Let God arise! Our God reigns now and forever!"

For those just joining us, read Day 1's caveat.

For those who have been reading, I never truly intended to expound as much as I have been. However, I can say without hesitation that Christ has been changing my motives, my expressions, my excitement, my reactions, my love towards other people, and especially the song that is constantly on my heart. The biggest theme these past couple of days is God's eternal nature. His power and His reign over creation. Nothing flashy, no fancy words. Majesty. Holy. Holy. Holy.

Day 8 - "Our God reigns!!! Forever Your kingdom reigns!!"

For those just joining us, read Day 1's caveat.

I have a bad memory, specifically short term. I forget about what God has done. Forgetting is a big part of why I write things down. God has used it in so many occasions though to bring Himself glory, though. I realized this when I was reviewing things I had written in this blog just two years ago (specifically the story of Norman, who you can read about here).

God brought the phrase "Your throne is immemorial" to mind today after the following song came on my Charlie Hall Pandora station. Granted, I did not know the spiritual tangent and subsequent high that I would find myself going through in the middle of Panera Bread hours later....

Psalm 93:2-4: "Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting. The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up the roaring of their waves. The Lord on high is mightier and more glorious than the noise of many waters, yes, than the mighty breakers and waves of the sea!"

(Warning: If you do not get chills down your spine by how beautiful, exciting, and worshipful this is, you and I have very different personalities)

Day 7 - "I want it like it was back then! I wanna be in Eden!"

For those just joining us, read Day 1's caveat.

I am an idealist. I usually think everything is butterflies and rainbows. Sadly, Genesis 2 shows us that we kind of messed that whole "perfect world" thing long ago. If they had not messed it up back then, I'm sure I would have botched this whole perfect world thing for us all. I hypothetically apologize to all of you for that. I am sure you empathize with one of if not both feelings; idealism and thinking you would mess it up if it had gotten this far.

I wanted to explain this idea of being in the Garden of Eden and what it would be like, the implications it has on how we live and how we should go about our relationships, friendships, marriages, and such but I just could not do it today. I tried to explain this idea about 6 different ways, but I kept revealing myself, not scripture so here's a song that's been in my head most of the day:

Day 6 - "And you are breathtaking and breath giving!"

For those just joining us, read Day 1's caveat.

I am sad to say I could not find this song anywhere on Youtube, so I had to resort to Yahoo! Music.

There is not a lot to today, except that this song has been stuck in my head since ~8:45 this morning. We talked about pride this morning and we discussed 1 Corinthians 4:7:

For who separates you from the others [as a faction leader]? [Who makes you superior and sets you apart from another, giving you the preeminence?] What have you that was not given to you? If then you received it [from someone], why do you boast as if you had not received [but had gained it by your own efforts]? (AMP)

As a culture, we ask the questions like "What makes you better than everyone else?", "What makes you stand out?", or "What makes you so different". The change needs to come in the W word. Who makes you so different?

God is not only the source of preeminence, authority, and majesty but he is also the giver of these things. Since we talked about that this morning, Charlie Hall's "Bravery" has been stuck in my head. Check it out!!

http://new.music.yahoo.com/charlie-hall/tracks/bravery--28827811

Day 5 - "Love is a waiting game. Time is enough to make the best fall apart"

For those just joining us, read Day 1's caveat.

First of all, let me say that undoubtedly my favorite band / music is anything Seth Roberts does. Yes this is a shameless plug but if you doubt, go to www.lakesband.com. The main reason I'm so drawn to it is because so much of it seems like this I would write but never could.

The music coincides with what I've learned in large part this week. I will say unashamedly that I love my friends. I love the people I work with. I love my family. I don't say I love them like Larisa Oleynik loves her Prada backpack in "10 Things I Hate About You". I mean I love my friends, I want the best for them, and if you are in my life to any degree which shows my concern or pursuit, I will probably sacrifice any and all things to build that relationship.

Patience, however, is not my strong suit. I want things now. In fact, if I have to finish the sentence and I don't have it, it's too long. You probably relate in some area whether it's loving fast food, always wanting to watch your favorite show but can't wait 6 minutes for it to be on, freaking out during a commercial break, or the biggest problem: wanting to text someone you just sent a text message to 3.5 minutes ago just to make sure they actually got the first text.

Text messaging has done two wonderful things: it has given us the ability to show people how much we care in the easiest way that has an opportunity to convey what love we can in at least a somewhat meaningful way and turned our society into instant gratification fiends.

I realized in a conversation (read: set of text messages back and form. not synonyms) today that I am typically quicker to voice a brash opinion over text messages which is actually the exact opposite of what I should aim for. James 1:19 says:

Understand [this], my beloved brethren. Let every man be quick to hear [a ready listener], slow to speak, slow to take offense and to get angry." (AMP)

I don't see anywhere in there where it says "Just say whatever you want." This does not mean that I will be completely giving up text messages like I have some music any time soon. This does mean, however, that I will be answering text messages slower from here on if I don't just call you in response. I hope you'll be patient

After all, it's a hard thing, patience.

Day 4 - "I will love you for you. I will give you the love, the love that you never knew"

For those just joining us, read Day 1's caveat.

I want to say thank you to people already following this journey. It's funny that I would start a journey like this and have such immediate spiritual attack happen. It's actually encouraging! It means that I am doing something that is moving someone's heart towards God somewhere. I have woken up with a song in my heart of God and woken up pretty quickly (which is something that is hard for me). If I stopped today, this entire project would be a success. But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep.

Today is simple: Thank you to Marilyn Carrasco for recommending JJ Heller during this journey o' mine (and I encourage anybody to contribute or recommend music I should investigate. I don't care what genre or style at all!

Honestly, sometimes it's better to just let music do its thing so I'm going to let God encourage you through JJ Heller. I hope you connect with a story somewhere, I know I do.

Day 3 - "Cause we have all we need in you"

For those just joining us, read Day 1's caveat.

For those who have not heard this idiom before, "The Refiner's Fire" suggests trial, stretching and pressure that someone endures in hopes of refining them to be better. The hard part is that as Christians, we all want to be better but we don't want to be improved. We want to be refined, but we don't want to go through being refined.

Whether it is trying to calculate how you will pay $100 more in bills than you have money, feeling like one of your best friends is mad at you (or even feeling like you're losing one of your best friends), feeling like you are a corporate pawn, feeling completely alone or looking at your life and having no idea where it is going, there seems to be something always in our way (and those are specific examples from my life and others this week).

I don't do well when friends and I aren't on the same page. So when this song came on directly after 2 different people either said or showed that my input in their life was neither wanted nor appreciated, it immediately penetrated my heart.

The main reason it penetrated my heart is how much faith I put in people. We don't think of ministry, "Christian music", or people who point us towards God of idols. We think, "I trust this person's opinion because they point me to God". We eventually get to the point, however, where we turn to that person for comfort, advice, or solace and not God. We think that we cannot get through the fire without that person. In all reality, we cannot get through the fire with anything but God.

My biggest prayer is that I would trust that I am taken care of. That He is truly ALL I need. After all, Jesus is better than the waves.

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? - Matthew 6:25-27 (NIV)

Day 2 - "As surely as the sun will rise, You'll come to us! As certain as the dawn appears!"

For those just joining us, read Day 1's caveat.

I never recommend playing bible roulette. That is, flipping your bible wildly and dropping your finger like some spirit-led anchor believing that wherever you land is where God needs to speak to you specifically.

However, I must say that if you happen to be listening to a song running through your queue on Youtube, you open your bible to your ribbon (please someone correct me if I'm not calling it by some proper classy name that I've never heard of) and your eyes drop immediately to words that seem to answer what is being sung through your aforementioned queue, you've got a winner.

The words I am talking about are "come" and "call". The song was singing the phrase in the title. The song is below

The words being read from Psalm 141:1-2 were eerie in their request:

"LORD, I call upon You; hasten to me. Give ear to my voice when I cry to you. Let my prayer be set forth as incense before You, the lifting of my hands as the evening sacrifice."

See today I sent a text message to a close friend saying about me being stressed but that I was focused on Jesus, but I knew there were waves beneath me, I just had to stay focused on Jesus. If Peter couldn't do it, did you really think for a moment I could? I started sinking at about 1:30 thinking about all I have to do tomorrow and I remembered my friends advice about being stressed... "Stop it".

I managed to call out in that moment and felt the pull of Jesus putting me back on my feet. I couldn't last the whole day though. I don't think I could have said the sentence "Thank you for getting me back on my feet". Before the "T" in "Feet" I would have already transitioned to "But what about the waves?!" and I promptly sunk for the day before arriving home and subsequently at Psalm 141.

I may not be perfect, but I know that when we call, God comes. I hope that when I wake up tomorrow that the first thing in my mind is "I have decided, I have resolved to wait upon You, LORD" because He will come. Hopefully I will remember that tomorrow. After all, as we learned yesterday... it may not be the prettiest thing you'll ever see, but it's a new day.

Oh baby, it's a new day.

Day 1 - "And if you're like me you need hope, coffee, and melody"

To catch some of you up, I have decided that I will not be listening to any secular musicians throughout the end of January and February. For those who make much of nothing, let me go on the record and say: there is nothing inherently wrong with music by people not following Christ. Honestly, often times "secular music" has a very similar message as "Christian music" does. My only stipulation during this is that the musicians themselves are following Christ regardless of genre or message.

Warning: Call it cheesy, but I really do believe the song in your ears is usually the song in your heart. Also what you feel is the song in your heart. So this next month(ish) I will be making reference to the "song in my heart" frequently.

Now that we're all caught up...

I have listened to a lot of Gabe Dixon, MUTE MATH, Hillsong and a lot of Robbie Seay today. The main one being Robbie Seay's album, "Give Yourself Away"...

"New Day" and "Shine Your Light On Us" have awoken a very real idea with the aid of James 1. See, I hate the phrase "I understand". I hate it because in my past I have only been told "I understand" when the person just wants me to shut up. While I may have had a very similar circumstance, in all honesty I would be kidding myself if I thought I knew exactly what you were going through. However, should that really keep me from trying to?

You have needs just like I do, and there is a particular group of people James talks about having needs as well...

"External religious worship [religion as it is express in outward acts] that is pure and unblemished in the sight of God the Father is this: to visit and help and care for the orphans and widows in their affliction and need..." James 1:27a (AMP)

Why is it so easy to forget about them? Quite honestly, I have no idea how that could even begin to play out in my life. However, I do know that there are hurting people in my life that I can relate to, or even help. The words on my lips as I go to sleep are ones I hope you start singing:

"Yesterday's gone and today is waiting on you to show your face..."

"It might not be the prettiest thing you've ever seen, but it's a new day..."

"I'm gonna sing the song, to let you know that you're not alone..."

So it's a new day. Think of how different our world would be if we could show just 1 person that it's a new day. Yesterday is long gone. Tomorrow might bring pain. Today is all we have. Take care of each other.

We will see the song I'm singing in the morning.

Sacrifice

Col 1:24-25 -- I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church. God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you.

Often there are times when I read two verses that are next to each other and wonder why God pushed the person to write them in that order.

Why next to each other?

What do they have to do with each other?

Paul quotes something similar in his second letter to Timothy, who is actually helping him write this letter to the Colossians, in the second chapter:

"If we die with him, we will also live with him. If we endure hardship, we will reign with him."

This is the entire message of the gospel, which is even included in the third chapter of Paul's second correspondence to Timothy that anybody who even holds the desire to live a godly life will be persecuted.

"So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. That's why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ's mighty power that works within me."

Paul counted it such a blessing to be persecuted in the trips he took. The partial message is everlasting life. The "entire message" includes a persecution and hatred from the world that clearly Paul was overjoyed to possess.

Living to die? Dying to live?

"For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die." Phil 1:20

It's an amazing accomplishment to know that in someone's death, they can actually make as much of an impact if not more than when they were alive. Since his death, Michael Jackson has sold over 2 BILLION albums. If he's really still alive, this was the greatest hoax the world has ever seen. Much like if Christ is really did, that would be an even larger hoax. Paul says that even in his own death, the life he had led would bring honor to Christ. Can we honestly say that about ourselves?

"For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don't know which is better. I'm torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live."

After losing a good amount of the mentors I would consider most noble and respectable already in life, I can honestly say your life can shine bright. However, your death can shine brighter. Sadly, nobody remembers the charitable, kind, good spirited man who picks a fight with the wrong person. Then again, people often remember those young in their pursuit towards caring for the world who leave us when we're not ready.

The difference is is the consistency. Paul hits the nail on the head and hopefully reminds us to keep hammering away when he says, "I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die."

Keep hammering away, just as you have. And expect, and hope that you never have a sore thumb.

Worship

I'm going to let this one speak for itself.

Psalm 145

I will exalt you, my God and king, and praise your name forever and ever.

I will praise you every day; yes, I will praise you forever.

Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness.

I will praise the Lord, and may everyone on earth bless his holy name forever and ever.

Not the typical...

Nothing profound today.. just a thought.

"If you feel you have been excluded from the Bible, please write your way back into it."

That's what a Scottish gallery is encouraging visitors to do.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/europe/2669187/Gallery-invites-visitors-to-deface-Bible

Read the article, and if you can, the comments. Post your thoughts.

Is it art? Is it sacrilegious? What needs to be said of the people participating in the exhibit, if anything? What else do you think about this exhibit?

I hope that we as adults can get along here. Play nice. No arguing.

My mommy said never talk to strangers..

Here are some of the dumbest questions in the world:

What Pokemon are you? Could you survive a Zombie infection? Are you a potato? How asian are you? How fat will you be in 20 years? How many seconds will you last in a fight against Chuck Norris? What Crayon Color are you? What kind of librarian are you? Are you a mac or a PC? Which Hogwarts teacher are you?

That's right. Facebook quizzes. EVERYBODY hates them. If you don't, I probably blocked 99% of what you put on my minifeed. Not because I don't love you, but because these quizzes should be fairly easy!

Are you a potato? No! You have fingers to click on this quiz, potatoes don't have fingers!

How asian are you? "I'm asian." You are asian!

What kind of librarian are you? "I'm a janitor" The not-librarian kind of librarian!!!

By no means am I about to go on to say "If you fill out facebook quizzes you don't love Jesus." It's a non-necessary social networking cite. I have the log in my eye too, don't worry.

However, the massive amounts of quizzes does lead me to believe that we're quickly forgetting who we are. Ephesians 2 says: So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family. Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself." (verse 19-20)

Some of you have that feeling of not feeling like you belong, even with your own family. I'm sure there are people out there who do take facebook quizzes just to feel like they're as famous as their favorite celebrity/pokemon/zombie (I'm finding research that says they're all the same). Or when they're in a relationship they know is wrong, that facebook says they are loved and will be together forever. It's rough to see that quiz pop up and then see them break up a week later (sorry if you're one of those).

Why don't we just stand content in ourselves, as Paul says earlier in the chapter, "For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus". That's a family I'm very comfortable to be a part of.

Everything!!

The beatitudes. One of the most challenging parts in all the Bible. How exactly are we supposed to live up to the standard of being poor in spirit, mournful of evil, humble in spirit, thirsting of justice, merciful, pure, peaceful, of light and of salt, and neither angry nor lustful in even our thoughts?

It's funny that I would never think to look for an answer guide to this passage. With all these commands, a map almost, you would never think to search for where Jesus is really trying to bring us. It's hard to focus on fourteen thousand things of God when your mortgage is due, you can't find the time to go grocery shopping (so you eat out all the time and spend more money), or you're too busy to pray over small and large things for yourself let alone others.

Jesus clearly gives us the directions, but the destination seems almost hidden. Anyone searching at the end for the answer clearly has read too many math books. He almost hides it in the middle of his sermon. Most people would say the golden rule is the destination "Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you (Matt 7:12). I would disagree.

There's a common saying among Christian women. "A woman's heart should be so lost in God that a man needs to seek Him in order to find her." Anyone who actually takes this to heart is understanding a fundamental that many, myself included, have missed. Matthew 6:33: Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

As a very wise friend of mine once said, "If you don't have it, then you don't need it yet." All you need is the fervent desire to search for the things of God. Everything is second place.