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Friday, December 31, 2010

I Heart Diversity

One of the things I think I love the most about my friends is how diverse they are.  I know when people generally talk about diversity they are talking about race, but that is not what I'm talking about...although I do have friends from many different ethnic backgrounds.  In this case the diversity I am talking about is diversity of views.  I absolutely love the fact that I have so many close friends and yet on almost any given issue at least two of us completely disagree.  I think it's fantastic that we can get into passionate discussions about morals, politics, ethics, and life in general and in the end walk away with respect and love for each other as brothers and sisters in Christ.

I have often thought that I feel sorry for Christians who agree on scripture and yet disagree on some silly opinion of what to watch on tv, or who to vote for and yet cannot get along because of it.  That seems ridiculous to me.  I am so thankful that I am surrounded by friends that disagree with me on issues.  It challenges me to think about why I hold the beliefs I do and also reminds me to not insult or degrade the other side because there are awesome people that disagree with me.  Also I love living in a country where both sides of any issue can freely express their thoughts.  So bring on the different views and opinions!  But in the end, Christians,  let's remember we serve the same God and that in the end....well, we're all on the same side. :)




Way to be Tea Party friends...this post is dedicated to you.  <3 lol (don't get used to it) ;)

Shame on me for writing three blogs in a row but having them posted at different times to make myself look more diligent. :)

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Four Letter Word



Ok so we've all seen that sign before.  It's pretty obvious that music has morally declined which is evident in the amount of bad language, and sexual content that is in most modern songs.  However, I want to talk about a four letter word that scares me far more than any of the other four letter words used in music.  In fact this word is rarely ever mentioned in songs at all...but tons of songs are full of it.  What I am talking about is hate.


Perhaps I am just another liberal pointing my finger at the music industry and blaming it on things.  However, I don't think it's a coincidence that the media that is popular with a lot of teens is so full of violence and hate and at the same time teen bullying and violence is at an all time high, and because of that so is teen suicide.  Again, I am certainly not blaming music on all of this...humans are sinful, there are a lot of factors.  However most of us believe that if someone constantly surrounds themselves by sexually explicit things that it will have an effect on the way they think, the way they view women, and the way they view intimacy.  I think it logically follows that exposure to hatefulness causes people to devalue others, to be less likely to just leave the kid that they don't like alone, to be less likely show tolerance of people that are different than them.


A great example of this is Eminem.  I admit, he is a stinkin' talented guy.  I like some of the collaborations he has done.  But holy crap....what a creep!  If you take time to look up lyrics to many of his songs he is disgustingly violent and hateful towards people, and he is just one of many popular artists that sells hate to my generation.  In fact I feel so strongly about it that I would say I'd worry less about someone if they were listening to a ton of songs with bad language and other bad lyrics than if they were listening to a ton of songs about killing people you hate, or songs about bullying others and degrading them.  Not saying the other songs are in any way good...i just think hate is that bad.


To sum things up:  I'm not picking on those of you that listen to those artists...I know there are bands I listen to that people could take moral offense to on different grounds, but I just want people to consider if their music is causing them to be a more loving person, or a less loving person, and if the artists they support are working to prevent the current trends of suicide, violence, and bullying, or if they are glorifying and contributing to the hate.  Maybe if we as a nation were less tolerant of hatred, bullying, and violence people like Eminem wouldn't have a career.  Idk...just a thought.


P.S.
Way to be Mill Creek youth for your love and acceptance of other people, and for the way I can see Christ through you both at church and on facebook.


Shame on you nasty nasty spider that crawled onto my face scaring the crap out of me....if Eminem wrote a nasty hateful song about you I do not think I would mind it so much...in fact I might even buy it.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

"You make beautiful things out of the dust...."

Don't get all excited about me posting two blogs so close together...I doubt this will become a habit, although I am trying to do better. :)


Anyway, forgiveness in the Bible has always been a topic that I could not get enough of.  Perhaps it is because of the heart that I have for people that are battling addictions, more likely it is because I have done a lot of dumb things in my short life.  Whatever the reason, tonight I find myself, once more, blown away by the extent of God's forgiveness....even to the point of tears.  There are a lot of things about God that completely astound me(I mean He is God after all right?).  However, I think that perhaps the thing that astounds me most is His ability to forgive.  I can picture in my head all the miracle that Christ performed, and I can attempt to wrap my head around how God is outside time....but the fact that God can look down on the worst sinner that has spit in His face and sinned against Him over and over again, even those who mock His Son that was sent to die for them and then completely wash their sin away as if it did not exist and call them His child.....that is truly awesome.

I think perhaps love in it's purest form is forgiveness.  A lot of people can be kind to others, and sacrifice for others, but to have someone completely do you wrong and then to turn around and forgive them and not hold it against them....that's love.  One of my favorite things about God is that I can talk to anyone....no matter what they have done, and share with them that there is a God that has the power to forgive all their past, the horrendous murderer, the sex addict, the liar, the thief...anyone and that He can make them pure and white as snow.  How cool is that?!  And not only does He forgive them...but if they follow Him, He will use them for great things and to further his kingdom.  On a side note, yet also related, it also blows me away and greatly humbles me that God loves everyone...no matter what they do.(yes I do believe that, sorry Calvinist friends) :).  God's awesome guys!

I'll leave you with a few verses on forgiveness that spoke to me:

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 
1 John 1:9 

"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,"
Acts 3:19

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,"
Romans 8:1

"Come now, let us reason together,"
says the LORD.
"Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool."
"
Isaiah 1:18

"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace."
Ephesians 1:7

"Then he adds:
"Their sins and lawless acts
I will remember no more."" 

Hebrews 10:17

"The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him;"
Daniel 9:9

"For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
Colossians 1:13-14 

"As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us." 

Psalm 103:12 



P.S.  Way to be Gungor for making songs that speak to my heart.   And shame on you Eminem....you're disgusting.


Monday, December 27, 2010

Sticks and stones can break my bones but words....

Being that I have a passion for ministry to youth that struggle with depression and addiction I often think about words and their effect.  One thing that seems to be constantly on my mind is the name of my former youth group: The Refuge.  I often question whether or not I do my best to make my house, my church, anywhere I am a refuge for those who are struggling.  I have been to places that feel like a true refuge, and many places that do not feel like a refuge at all.  But what makes a place a true refuge?  Obviously it is the hearts of those that are there.  But how can we tell someone's heart?


Matthew 12:34b "...the mouth speaks what the heart is full of"

Lots of youth groups have posters about God's great love, or even from TWLOHA, or about God being a great refuge, and almost every youth group sings songs of God's great love.  I doubt you could find a youth pastor that openly says he won't be there for a student if they struggle with depression, cutting, homosexuality, or other such sins and addictions, in fact I would venture that nearly every youth pastor would encourage people to come to them or other leaders with such struggles for counseling.  So why aren't teens with those issues coming out in full force to seek help in the church?  There are a few theories.

1.  There are very few teens with those struggles in the church and in youth groups. (ignorant)
2.  Many do seek help, but since it is confidential we don't hear about it. (true in some cases, but still most statistically there are many kids that struggle with depression, and even more that struggle with homosexuality that do not feel as if they can talk to anyone in their church)

My answer?  I think we as Christians have dropped the ball somewhere.  Now this is not intended to be one of those theologically liberal notes bashing the church while coming up with no real answer at all besides "the church sucks"....I HATE those.  I think the body of Christ is fantastic and many churches are doing fantastic jobs of reaching these kids(I know I do my best in the youth group I work with, and the leaders I work with do the same).  However, there is always room for improvement and encouragement to continue to do right.

I think well meaning people sometimes just do not realize what they are saying.  I have heard many Christians over the years make jokes about cutting, suicide, and being gay.  However, I don't think we know the effect that those words may have on people around us who are secretly struggling with that.  And let's not be naive enough to say that we know that there are not people around us that cut, are depressed, or struggle with homosexuality.  I have talked to kids that struggle with all those areas and when asked why they didn't speak up sooner many of them say it is because they heard jokes about it and figured that people would think they were stupid, or not take their struggle seriously, or even more heartbreaking...they thought that because of their struggle people would not want to help them because God would not love them because of their struggle.

So let's lead by example.  So instead of making a jokes about "emo cutting kids", using words like "fag", making jokes about people killing themselves, or making comments about "those druggies" how about showing God's love and making yourself available to talk to those people?  Because I guarantee you if they don't go to Christians with their struggles, they will turn to the world.  And who knows....maybe you will get an opportunity to introduce someone to the God that died for us "while we were yet sinners"(Romans 5:8).  If Jesus hung around tax collectors and whores, I am pretty sure no one is too good to reach out in love to that gay kid at school, or the kid that wears long sleeves and scowls at everyone so they won't see his cuts. :)

Shame on you people who use your words for no other reason than to cut people down e and then boast about how you "stood up for Biblical truth".

Way to be all people who don't just speak the truth...but who speak it in love.


Monday, November 22, 2010

Talkin' 'bout my generation

Today while reading facebook and listening to people talk something occurred to me.  I hear the older generation bash mine a lot.  People like to talk about how this new generation is one of "anything goes" and of relative truth.  The claim is that this generation has lost touch with a lot of morality.  And there is definitely a lot of truth to that.  However, I think perhaps some of the good qualities are overlooked.  As someone who works with youth I just want to say that I love this generation.  I have found that this generation as a whole are more loving, less hateful, and less bigoted and prejudiced than any group of people that I know.

Sometimes I get tired of Christians putting down a whole generation.  Instead of focusing on the problems with the generation, why not focus on the strengths and how we can encourage them to use those strengths to follow Christ?  Definitely still battle post-modernism and the lies that this culture tells us...but instead of saying sweeping negative statements about the entire generation how about also encouraging the good things?  This generation has been taught to love and to accept.  That is definitely a problem when it means accepting sin...but I have found that the Christian youth are far more open to reaching certain people groups for Christ than their parents generation.  Instead of ranting about homosexuality and those dirty people that are gay this generation says "how can we love them and reach them for Christ", instead of writing off drug addicts or people that are different this generation says "how can we help them"?  I'm not saying that these people aren't present in the older generations...I just find that they are more present in this one.  Since working with the youth I know I have become a more loving person, someone who can more easily look past someone's sin and see the person loved by God and created in His image.  I, for one, am excited about what this generation is going to accomplish for Christ! :)

I understand the frustration with the lies that are being taught, and the growing "anything goes" mentality.  However, as a youth leader, and also a member of the generation I will be the first to step up and defend it by saying these Christian youth are some of the most loving, giving, people I know and I am proud to be their brother in Christ.  Every generation has is flaws...thank goodness we serve a God that is known for using the flawed in huge ways!

In the words of the great Bob Dylan "Your old road is rapidly agin'....please get out of the new one if you can't lend your hand".  Spend some time with the generation, teach them about absolute truth...and who knows, maybe you will learn something about love and how to love like Christ.  I know I have.  Because if you are just complaining and not instructing or learning...well then you're just standing in that road.




Today way to be Stephen for initiating a family movie night....nothing like Moulin Rouge to bring our family together.


Also, shame on you computer virus creators!  I have never been more conflicted in my anti-death penalty views before....because part of me really believes that if you are caught you should die for such an evil act.  I thought that Baptist college or living in the Bible belt would be the cause of me losing this rather liberal view...I never suspected it would be from some pale, scrawny, nerd living is his mother's basement.  Shame. On. You.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Remember that day I started a blog?

So I have finally done it.  I have taken the time to start a blog.  How much time?  Well I'm not going to say...although I will say it appears that I am still super anal with designing things.  This is why it takes me hours just to make one person on The Sims.  My vision for this blog is to be a place for me to talk about life and ministry after graduation.  I also plan to end each blog with a "way to be" and a "shame on you" statement.  The title of this blog is from my one of my favorite Bible verses, which is also located in one of my favorite books of the Bible.   Habakkuk 3:19 "The Lord God is my strength, He makes my feet like hinds' feet, He makes me walk on high places".  I want this to be a constant reminder to me that no matter what is going on in life, God is my strength.


Speaking of those "high places", yesterday was one of those days that God really used to lift me up.  First, I found out that I could go home a day early for Thanksgiving break!  Woohoo!  Then the teacher of my very last class let me out of class forty-five minutes early giving me just enough time to make it home to go to a GAG meeting.  For those of you that don't know GAG stands for "Guys Accountability Group".  A group of guys in our youth group meet once a week to encourage each other, hold each other accountable, and to study God's word.  I can't express what a joy it was to be able to hear teen guys excited about studying God's word together!  Those are the kind of days that make everything that is hard about ministry worth it.


So today...
Way to be Evan, Elijah, Zach, Ramsey, and Isaiah for making my night, and Sarah Grout for letting me out of class early.


Also, shame on you Stewart for trying to bite me....you should know better!

JPS