Ribs are Cages

You ask me simple, "How are you?"
And I want to tell you.
I want to explain every detail with infinite adjectives
Because I want you to know me.

You have no idea how hard it is,
How accustomed I am to complacency.

But I want you to know me.
I want you to know me better than I know myself,
I want you to hold me.
Not just in your hands, but in your words and in your thoughts
In your heart I want you to hold me and know me and that be a good thing.

And it's better than I told myself
It could be. Know me.
So how am I? Tell me.

Tomorrow and Forever

          The best poem I ever wrote
          Is the one that has yet to be written.
          (...what?)
          Poetry comes from feelings. It comes from thoughts, and experiences.
          These poems are feelings, they are thoughts, they alone are experiences in themselves.
          They are

          Excitement
                             and
                                    disappointment

          Unending joy
                                 and
                                        immeasurable pain

          They are life
                               and sometimes
                                                       they're
                                                        death.

                But the best poem I ever wrote
                 Is the one that isn't written yet.

Don't Worry 'bout a Thing

Luke 12:22-31
Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
“Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well."

I encourage you to please pray that God helps you understand His word and message through scripture, then read through these verses a couple of times, really chew on these verses today.

Jesus made it very simple for us by giving us instructions in the bible. He was also very specific on a lot of things, like telling us not to worry. He's very clear that worrying isn't going to help get us anywhere, and worry is not from God. Life is so much more fulfilling when you let God take care it. He was even loving enough not to just say "Okay, don't worry", but instead explains what to replace those types of thoughts with as well.

He tells us to "seek his kingdom". Focus on loving God with everything you have, surrender your every day to Him and be excited that He has everything under control! Worrying will not add a single hour to your life, all it does is rob you of your joy and peace, which takes your eyes off of the One who can take care of the situation! When you worry, you're focusing on the problem instead of the solution. God LOVES you beyond what you can even comprehend; He wants you to live an abundant life full of joy and peace and love that is absolutely overflowing. He's going to make provision in your life and give you what you need. I've seen Him do it in my life and the lives of my faith family countless times.

But so often I let the problem distract me from the solution (God!) and I let myself worry about it, even though I've experienced God work situations out in ways I would've never imagined, and way better than I could've guessed! So when you do start to worry about a situation (because you probably will, we all do because we're human, there's a reason Jesus talked to us about this!) be intentional about taking those thoughts captive! (2 Corinthians 10:5, Philippians 4:8) Start by talking to God; thank Him for what He has already done in your life. This is going to build your faith and remind you of how He has already worked out situations in the past (thanks for helping me pass that impossible class, thank you for healing my friend's illness, thank you for providing me the funding for that mission trip, etc.). Then ask Him to take the worry away and replace it with peace and comfort, and ask Him in confidence to work the situation out, and know without a doubt that He is going to take care of it! (Romans 8:28).

Pray this week that God helps you to stay free from worry. There is freedom that comes with being a child of God, and that includes freedom from stress and worries. Actively focus on how God has worked out problems in the past for you and people you know, and even for people in the bible. Remember to stay plugged in to His word and the power that is yours as a child of the most high King!


Related Scripture to Keep You Focused This Week:

• Philippians 4:4-13
  
• Matthew 6:25-34
  
• Jeremiah 29:11-13
  
• Proverbs 3:5-6
  
• Matthew 11:28-30

Where Freedom is Found

Happy Wednesday! (Or whatever day is happens to be when you're reading this). Pray that God gives you understanding of His word, and read over these verses in John a few times and really pay attention to what is being said about freedom.

John 8:31-38
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word. I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father."

The truth of the gospel is the truth of love and a future and the good news of Jesus Christ. By being completely grounded in the teaching of Jesus you experience the freedom that comes with a relationship with Christ. But what does that set you free from? Let's look at what Jesus told the group.

The Jews Jesus was speaking with had never been slaves, so they were confused by what Jesus was saying. "Set free? Whatever dude I'm already free to do whatever I want." Um, well... That kinda seems true at first, but it's a lie the enemy uses to decieve people into continuing on that path. Jesus said anyone who sins is a slave to sin. That's because without the intercession of Christ, we are bound by that sin. Without grace, we are stuck in bondage and the death that sin causes (Romans 6:23).

We were created by God to serve God and live in a relationship, so we have a natural instinct to worship and serve. As a result, we will either be a slave to sin (fall under temptation, chase after worldly desires that will pass away, worship idols, etc.) or a child of God, which ultimately results in freedom.

Romans 8:1-4
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

You have been set free by the sacrifice Christ made. He made that willingly because of his passionate, enduring love for you. You are free to live a life rich with joy, hope, love, and faith. You are free to live without caring what other people think or say about you, you are set free from addiction, from the hopelessness that results from sin. You have the power to resist temptation and have hope and faith under any circumstances. In addition to the liberation you have in this life, you are now set free from the struggle to make yourself right by just being a "good person" to try and get to heaven, but by grace through faith you get to spend eternity with our King. 

Smile today and know that you are free. Free to live the beautiful abundant life God has promised... Free to be the person He created you to be and live for him with everything you have.

Here's one of my favorite videos, personally... And it's a great visual for the freedom we have in Christ.

Knock Knock, Come In.

It's all fun and games until somebody gets left alone in the dark.

The edge of her numb breathe is tainted with a question mark.
Were the answers too difficult to find,
Or was she too terrified
That she would have to redefine reality?

What if she didn't even understand the question,
What if she had never articulated the words to ask?
Attempting to avoid knowing she was wrong all along.

Or, what if she had?

Maybe they tumbled like bricks inside her head
Knocking into one another while she tried to make sense
Of the difference
Between what she thought she knew, what she had been told,
and what she wanted so badly to be true.

The light reflecting off her irises is tainted with a spark.
It's all fun and games until somebody gets left alone in the dark,
Then the light can have His way, and the playing really starts.

Pits and Bieces

Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.                                John 1:3-5

 I was in a truck for a minimum of 8 hours today. That is A LOT of sitting. The result: I have a mild case of the hyper. Chaos may ensue. I was also reading Calvin and Hobbes out loud for a majority of that time to the driver. That statement speaks for itself.

Disclaimer: No mustaches, poodles, or gorillas were harmed in the making of this blog post. Please forgive me for the ridiculousness of my thought train.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Lord empty me of me, so I can instead be filled with You.

You can bake cookies, and you can cook bacon
But you can't cook cookies and you can't bake bacon.
It's just not right. So I'll write. But is it worth the fight to try and convince you it's not alright

I'm trying to stop relying on my own source of light that tends to go out at night

Pick up your cross and follow Me,
Well whatever that cross may be, I can promise it's going to be heavy.

So here's what I've learned: Vulnerability is a virtue and perfection is my enemy. I will never be good enough, and I will never be too honest with myself, or you. Because I like to lie, but I like to tell the truth.  ADOPTED

I believe that promises kept are promises wasted, and that's a promise.  ADOPTED
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Once upon a time, a well dressed french man decided to visit a local bistro for breakfast. His name was Sir Fredessondino the Fourteenth, and his delicately groomed mustache extended inches past both sides of his face. It was quite the mustache marvel, to say the least.

While walking down the cold concrete sidewalk, Sir Fredessondino the Fourteenth noticed a large, pale, pink and purple poodle. It was well-groomed, but looked like a mutt in comparison to Sir Fredessondino the Fourteenth's miraculous mustache. He quickly moved on, for he was on a mission to find macaroon morsels somewhere soon.

After rounding the corner of Ramases and Raphael, Sir Fredessondino the Fourteenth came to an abrupt stop, for a giant gorilla was standing in his path! They both stared at each other in shock and stood still in the silence.

"Excuse me, large hairy primate", piped Sir Fredessondino the Fourteenth, "You are standing in my path, and I'm afraid we must part ways so that I may presume my previous plans."

The gorilla scowled at Sir Fredessondino the Fourteenth. The french man cleared his throat, and secured his arms across his chest. Suddenly the gorilla stood straighter than before and smiled. "I see ya take good care of that there mustache, mister."

Sir Fredessondino the Fourteenth was quite shocked! This gorilla had a southern accent as if he was from the countryside (which was a ridiculous dialect for a gorilla to have in France, to say the least)!

The proud man curled the ends of his mustache and grinned. He became so distracted by the luscious locks detailing his face, that he lost contact with reality and stood in a daze, rubbing his facial hair.

Then the gorilla grunted, shook his head, and killed Sir Fredessondino the Fourteenth.

The end.

I Want to be Your Hands and Feet

...

Until The Whole World Hears
Casting Crowns

Lord, I want to feel your heart
And see the world through your eyes
I want to be your hands and feet
I want to live a life that leads

Ready yourselves, ready yourselves
Let us shine the light of Jesus in the darkest night
Ready yourselves, ready yourselves
May the powers of darkness tremble as our praises rise

Until the whole world hears, Lord, we are calling out
Lifting up your name for all to hear the sound
Like voices in the wilderness, we're crying out
And as the day draws near
We'll sing until the whole world hears

Lord, let your sleeping giant rise
Catch the demons by surprise
Holy nation sanctified
Let this be our battle cry

Ready yourselves, ready yourselves
Let us shine the light of Jesus in the darkest night
Ready yourselves, ready yourselves
May the powers of darkness tremble as our praises rise

Until the whole world hears, Lord, we are calling out
Lifting up your name for all to hear the sound
Like voices in the wilderness, we're crying out
And as the day draws near
We'll sing until the whole world hears

We'll sing until the whole world hears
We'll sing until the whole world hears

I want to be your hands and feet
I want live a life that leads
To see you set the captive free
Until the whole world hears

And I pray that they will see
More of you and less of me
Lord, I want my life to be
The song You sing

Until the whole world hears, Lord, we are calling out
Lifting your name up for all to hear the sound
Like voices in the wilderness, we're crying out
And as the day draws near
We'll sing until the whole world hears

We'll sing until the whole world hears
We'll sing until the whole world hears
We'll sing until the whole world hears
We'll sing until the whole world hears
We'll sing until the whole world hears 

Forever is a Long Time

Consistency has never been one of my strong points. I'm not totally sure what my strong points even are, for that matter. I praise God that He is so consistent; and the revelation that His love literally endures forever is such a beautiful thing, and something that I have to re-realize every day.

My friend and I had an impromptu bible study (one of the best kind) once and kinda dove into what that really meant. I'm looking at Psalm 136 specifically, which says "His love endures forever" in every single verse for the entire chapter, which happens to be for 26 verses. That's just in one chapter in one book of the bible. This phrase is also repeated in a lot of other places.

I'd just like to point something out that my friend and I learned while going over some of these verses. The word "endure" actually means "to suffer patiently". When the reality of that truth sinks in is when the real miracles happen. That's when lives are changed; when you realize that God loves you that much, that He's patient with us despite all our crap. He literally loves us so much it hurts. If you've ever felt like you've loved someone so much it hurt, try to wrap your mind around a perfect, omniscient creator that made you with above and beyond that kind of love.

Thank God for... well, God.

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Psalm 19:14

On the Road to... God's Will: A Reflection

"On the Road to Damascus" is such a fun piece for me, for several reasons.

For one, there's some parts that are more musical I guess and lines that require singing instead of just speaking, and singing is one of my favorite ways to worship God (next to doing so through poetry). The combination of these two mediums really reminds me of how incredible God is and I absolutely love being able to praise Him in both ways at the same time.

I also love narratives. On the Road to Damascus tells a story, and there is such power in that for the listener and speaker both. Every time I read or speak this piece I can get something new out of it, and I pray that anyone else who reads or hears it has similar experiences. This particular narrative is also an open door into my own life. Although it may not be completely obvious at first, this piece delves into some of my darkest closets and shines a light on my past. But, like any good "God story", it flips those ugly things upside down into a beautiful testimony of how Jesus is still changing lives.

Something I also love, and believe is one of the most important things when it comes to sharing Christ, is the ability to relate. We all are or have been Sauls at some point in our lives. However, Jesus has the ability (AND desire) to change your name (or circumstance, or mind, or plan, or life for that matter). Thank God for that.

The idea for this poem first came up after hearing a testimony. An amazing man I've had the privilege to get to know and love told his story about how he had endured a very difficult upbringing and lifestyle and had to suffer the consequences of the choices he and the people around him made. Then, he told about how Jesus came to him "right there in the kitchen" and changed his life forever. The mentions he made in his story about ridiculing Christians and trying to convince them that their faith was ridiculous reminded me of Saul on the road to Damascus, especially the way Jesus made such a powerful appearance in such an everyday place. I'd also like to note that a majority of his story was told through a poem he wrote; the awesomeness of that is self explanatory. So this poem is dedicated to the changer of lives, Jesus Christ, and to the vessel he chose to use for a very special period in my life, my youth pastor Jarrod Scott.

When it comes to Reflections I tend to try and explain the poem itself, sometimes very tediously line by line, but I think it would be more advantageous to leave that to the Holy Spirit at this point. You and I both know He's way better at it than I am, anyway.

Child, open your eyes, we'll sing a new song.

Lift your hands to the skies; we'll sing a new song,

Sing a new song.

I think that it's about time we really open our eyes. Whether you're not a Christian, or have been for awhile. This message applies to everyone, because there is always room for growth and revelation.
For me personally, I know it's time for me to really open my eyes and stop allowing the world to distract me. In the grand scheme of things, most of what I'm worrying about is not as big of a deal as I'm making it out to be.
What's standing in the way of you and Jesus? I can guarantee He's not letting anything get in His way of you. He wants you to be close to Him. Is there something clouding your vision- relationships, money, stress, anger, unforgiveness, anxiety, worry, material things? Set them down for a minute and really breathe. Christ has a new tune He wants to teach you, and I promise it's sweeter than anything you've been singing up to this point.

Worship God with everything you have today. I'm speaking to myself here, too. I want to sing that new song. I want to breathe that new hope and comfort. With arms high and heart abandoned, let's stand in awe of our Creator, and praise Him for being willing to strike us blind when we aren't looking in the right direction.

Read "On the Road to Damascus"

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 19:14

My Heart Cries Out Even When My Mouth Refuses To.

There's no place I'd rather be than here in your love.
So set a fire down in my soul that I can't contain, that I can't control. I want more of You God.
I want more of You God.

I want to want more of You God; in every day and every moment. I pray that you continuously increase my desire for you. Forgive me my shortcomings, and lead me to bring them to the cross, always. Give me the strength to bring you what I have, though it be little, and rely on you to take it the rest of the way. Multiply my loaves. Lead me to give them up to you in the first place. Thank you for wanting to do that, thank you for being patient with me when I keep them to myself as if I expect them to magically manifest into a bounty on their own.
Just... Thank You. Praise You. I love you. Be glorified above all else. Amen.

Fin

He isn't even trying.
He isn't necessarily not trying, either. He's not living, or thriving, or compromising.
He is simply existing.
He's sitting in the back row wondering if anyone will turn around. Even if it's to reach into their bag hanging on the back of their chair, or to check the time on the clock on the back wall. He wonders if anyone will turn around, and for a split second glance his direction, make eye contact.
"God. I hope not." He begs the universe to prevent it.
And it does. No one turns around. Not even an impatient glimpse at the hour.
He slouches down in his seat, floating further and further away from the inaudible murmuring coming from the front of the room. He can't keep from leaving; he isn't even trying.


"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." 

Psalm 19:14

To Introduce

When it's too quiet, You are sound.
And when I'm overwhelmed and the noise is too loud, it's in Your presence where solace is found.

Stand in awe with me... At the majesty of our King.
Let the reality of His mercy sink in through your skin, and melt the cold that's growing in your bones.
Think with me... about the unfathomable miracles that he never ceases to conceive,

And believe in the love that He has for you, a love so infinite, we couldn't even begin to accurately perceive its ability.

Sit back and imagine. Allow the picture to clearly saturate your mind.
Close your eyes.
Remove insecurity, fear, injustices, and resentment, and you'll be surprised at what you'll find.
Something more than just a doctrine to believe in: Truth.

Imagine nothing; darkness, emptiness, void.
And then He said, and it was.
He spun the universe into existence with the utterance of a few syllables
Everything- from the complexities of the magnificent galaxies
Down to the minute details of every atom in every molecule.

He meticulously thread together everything that came to be.
The course ridges of trees wider than we can embrace and taller than we can see
The delicate, translucent elements of a butterfly too small to notice with the naked eye
The dynamic waves that crash against and fade away from the shore changing form and creating new designs that weren't there before
The gentle breeze that reminds you of the cooling peace that can be found in the midst of the heat
The indomitable wind, strong enough to completely erase entire landscapes.
The light that never fails to glow at the beginning of each day,
And the light that governs the night when the sun goes away.

And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly
above the earth across the expanse of the sky."
So God created the great creatures of the sea
and every living and moving thing with which the water teems.
And God said, "Be fruitful, and multiply."

Stand in awe with me... At the magnitude of the universe in its entirety.
The earth we stand upon is bigger than we can fathom.
And it is only a small part in our solar system, I mean compare it to our sun.
And consider how small that is in relation to the innumerable galaxies that span the rest of creation
How big can you picture space? Can we even begin to understand?
Now think... That all of this, from that butterfly to the end of universe
Would not even fill the palm of His hand.

Now know... That that same hand that holds all of creation in the balance,
Every single aspect, everything that breathes, and sees, and moves
Is the same hand that is personally, individually reaching out to you.

God knew we would never be good enough, He saw the failures and mistakes and sin before it even began
And He knew He would have to send His only Son as a sacrifice for man
But He created us anyway.
Seeing the pain we could cause, the countless breaking of laws
Yet He still gave us that chance; an opportunity at life.
He provided a choice.
In addition to the loving design He so carefully put in place,
He also loved us enough to let us decide whether or not to accept His embrace.

The same God who created the universe through a spoken word
And rose dead men from the grave
And freed slaves with the crash of a wave
And rained manna down from heaven on his children

Wants to hear from you; about your day, your worries, your fears, your passions, your struggles, your insecurities, your desires, your hopes, your dreams, your excitements, your disappointments.
He wants a one-on-one relationship
He desires for you to love and be loved
He wants you to experience abundance, and fullness
Allow His spirit to invade the void the way His voice must have destroyed the darkness in the beginning,
Before you were,
But His mind was already made up: He wanted you.

 

It is March.

This is my first post of the new year... but it's already March.

That's okay, because I'm determined to make more posts this year than I have the past two years.
I want to write so badly, it's such a deep rooted passion that it makes me anxious when I go too long without doing so. However, I have a hard time figuring out what it is I'm wanting or supposed to say.

So, I'll take the advice of so many writers/teachers/readers: Just write.
Write whatever comes to mind. It's a good brain storming technique. Maybe something will happen, maybe something won't. But hey, there's a better chance of something productive resulting from making an effort than there is from not doing so.

So I shall do.

I'm in my second semester of college right now and I'm not sure what direction I'm headed in, or what direction I want to be headed in for that matter. I'm just going to do my best and finish this semester and then reassess my situation at the end of the year and decide from there I suppose.
I just want so badly to be in line with God's will, so I'm going to have faith that He's going to guide me as long as I'm seeking Him and following after Him wholeheartedly.

"Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass." - Anton Chekhov

Before
Back door
Ground floor
Convenience store
Gore
Restore

Disapprove
Improve
Undo
Move
Rendezvous