when tears and rain collide on her face she feels a sense of purity and cleansing.
her water-soaked white cotton dress sticking to her skin, she collects it in her hands
and begins to run.
she slows and walks soundlessly down the path; her bare feet against the cool, wet wood.
with every post-storm salty breeze, the trees shake, relasing droplets upon her shoulders.
everything is greener after a storm.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Why fit in?
I have a friend. He's got some issues. He's stunningly attractive and comes from a wonderful home. He's got everything every guy wants to be and every girl wants to be with. But he's wasting his precious time doing things he doesn't benefit from. How do I tell him it's not getting him anywhere? That he'll look back, and wish he'd stopped himelf? He comes from a beautiful Christian family and truly has some great beliefs and sense in him. But it's being buried under so much dirt that's becoming his life. How do you bring someone back from that sort of thing? If you jump on his case about it, he'll be likely to get defensive and do it even more. But you can't consider yourself a friend if you let it happen. Something that's seemed to work in the past for me, is to ask questions. Why? What are you getting? Do you really think it's right? Whether they answer or not, the person thinks and relfects on the questions. They answer for themselves. With any luck, they come to their own realization about what they're really doing. From personal experience I know that once caught up in sin, the devil takes over your mind and builds a wall prevent any true senses and knowledge from crossing your mind. Which is what people become defensive when you confront them. They're afraid of accepting what they're doing is wrong because of the guilt that normally follows. By asking questions, though, they tend to reflect for themselves and break down the wall. Although I can't say it happens all the time, it's pretty much the best you can do. Always assure them you'll be there when they need you.
I have another friend. He's absolutely incredible, and I adore him. I have unbelievable respect for him, and yet I'm terrified for who he may become. From the people he hangs out with and his character, he would easily fit in with the (for lack of a better term) wrong group. I know he hangs out with people who could wrongfully influence him. I also know how daring he is. Sometimes he's like my brother and I want to protect him as one, but sometimes he's so much more, and it would absolutely break my heart to see him stumble. I'm not sure about his faith. He goes to church, and comes from a wonderful home, but that doesn't make you live a Christian life. He's never done anything horrible; he's a great kid. But he's been very tempted and led by the devil. I know it shouldn't bother me what he does and doesn't do, but I honestly care for him more than anyone I can think of on so many levels. He's a beautiful person with an uplifting attitude, and I would hate to see any of it go to waste. The problem is, I don't know how to keep him out of trouble. I've tried talking to him, but he's shut me out, or just blown it off. How can I really get him to see the beautiful person he is? So he's comfortable being himself and can rest assured he doesn't need anything to make him better?
More to come on this topic.
I have another friend. He's absolutely incredible, and I adore him. I have unbelievable respect for him, and yet I'm terrified for who he may become. From the people he hangs out with and his character, he would easily fit in with the (for lack of a better term) wrong group. I know he hangs out with people who could wrongfully influence him. I also know how daring he is. Sometimes he's like my brother and I want to protect him as one, but sometimes he's so much more, and it would absolutely break my heart to see him stumble. I'm not sure about his faith. He goes to church, and comes from a wonderful home, but that doesn't make you live a Christian life. He's never done anything horrible; he's a great kid. But he's been very tempted and led by the devil. I know it shouldn't bother me what he does and doesn't do, but I honestly care for him more than anyone I can think of on so many levels. He's a beautiful person with an uplifting attitude, and I would hate to see any of it go to waste. The problem is, I don't know how to keep him out of trouble. I've tried talking to him, but he's shut me out, or just blown it off. How can I really get him to see the beautiful person he is? So he's comfortable being himself and can rest assured he doesn't need anything to make him better?
More to come on this topic.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Who knew a Diddy Quote could have such an impact?
These past few days I've felt so inspired.
I've always been lost. I never made any plans for my future. "A dream without plans is just a wish." as Diddy would put it. At church we talked about using our time. Some people find they have that one thing they were made to do. I used to think they were the lucky ones, it was easy for them to plan because they knew what they wanted. For me, it was something different all the time. I wanted to be a marine biologist. I wanted to be an author. I wanted to be a meteorologist. I wanted to be a teacher. A doctor. A lawyer, an actor, a dancer. Then, when I discovered God..I wanted to be a Christian. That hasn't changed much. I now know what I want to do. I want to show the world the Incredible One that saved my life. There are many ways people feel connected to God. Some find Him when they serve. Some when they pray, or when they read the Bible. For me, it's always been music. When I accepted Jesus into my heart, it was during a song. When I cried for forgiveness it was through music. That's when I connect. That's when I get those chills, and that inexplicable warmth. That's when I catch glimpses of Heaven and hear God's voice. And that's what I want to do with my time, while I wait. We're put on this Earth to serve Him. I want to do that through music. When I saw Hillsong United in concert a few months back..and I saw them singing and dancing and talking to God..I realized that's where I want to be. The band at church last night..well, they were incredible. They said, "We're not here to put on any show. When you clap, don't clap for us, clap for Jesus. We're all here together. We're just the ones leading this." Yes, although they get paid to do it, they treat it like it's just "getting together with friends and strangers to praise our God." What better way would you want to spend your life?
Short-Term Goal: Join the FCA band at school, and praise God with friends.
Long-Term Goal: Join a professional band, go on tour, and praise God with the world.
What are your Goals?
I've always been lost. I never made any plans for my future. "A dream without plans is just a wish." as Diddy would put it. At church we talked about using our time. Some people find they have that one thing they were made to do. I used to think they were the lucky ones, it was easy for them to plan because they knew what they wanted. For me, it was something different all the time. I wanted to be a marine biologist. I wanted to be an author. I wanted to be a meteorologist. I wanted to be a teacher. A doctor. A lawyer, an actor, a dancer. Then, when I discovered God..I wanted to be a Christian. That hasn't changed much. I now know what I want to do. I want to show the world the Incredible One that saved my life. There are many ways people feel connected to God. Some find Him when they serve. Some when they pray, or when they read the Bible. For me, it's always been music. When I accepted Jesus into my heart, it was during a song. When I cried for forgiveness it was through music. That's when I connect. That's when I get those chills, and that inexplicable warmth. That's when I catch glimpses of Heaven and hear God's voice. And that's what I want to do with my time, while I wait. We're put on this Earth to serve Him. I want to do that through music. When I saw Hillsong United in concert a few months back..and I saw them singing and dancing and talking to God..I realized that's where I want to be. The band at church last night..well, they were incredible. They said, "We're not here to put on any show. When you clap, don't clap for us, clap for Jesus. We're all here together. We're just the ones leading this." Yes, although they get paid to do it, they treat it like it's just "getting together with friends and strangers to praise our God." What better way would you want to spend your life?
Short-Term Goal: Join the FCA band at school, and praise God with friends.
Long-Term Goal: Join a professional band, go on tour, and praise God with the world.
What are your Goals?
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Tick tock, tick tock.
Time.
It really freaks us out. How much time do we have left? And then we're always trying to figure out what to do with the time that we have. But here's the funny thing about time. It doesn't change. It's always certain. I know that in exactly 24 hours from now it will be the same time that it is now. And in 60 minutes, an hour has passed. Seven days; that's a week. Yes, there are changes when it comes to daylight savings and lunar calendars and whatnot, but the point is: time remains the same. Time is a lot like God. God has always been and will always be the same. Time rules our life sort of the way our Lord does. Everlasting, never-changing. Here's the difference. When we think of time, we think of either birth to death, or history of the world sort of thing. When we think of God..we tend to think more about Heaven. and when you think of Heaven, do you think of time? I know I don't. Because when you think of eternal life, time has no control, it doesn't mean anything.
In Ecclesiastes, chapter 1, verse 4 says "Generations come and generations go, but the earth never changes. 5 The sun rises and the sun sets, then hurries around to rise again."
Ecclesiastes is a great book when it comes to figuring out life on earth. In chapter 3, it really breaks down 'time':
A Time for Everything
1 For everything there is a season,
A time for every activity under heaven.
2 A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
3 A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4 A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
6 A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
8 A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.
9 What do people really get for all their hard work? 10 I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. 11 Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. 12 So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. 13 And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.
So what do time and God have in common? They never change. They're everlasting.
But time is bound to earth; Heaven has no concept of it.
It really freaks us out. How much time do we have left? And then we're always trying to figure out what to do with the time that we have. But here's the funny thing about time. It doesn't change. It's always certain. I know that in exactly 24 hours from now it will be the same time that it is now. And in 60 minutes, an hour has passed. Seven days; that's a week. Yes, there are changes when it comes to daylight savings and lunar calendars and whatnot, but the point is: time remains the same. Time is a lot like God. God has always been and will always be the same. Time rules our life sort of the way our Lord does. Everlasting, never-changing. Here's the difference. When we think of time, we think of either birth to death, or history of the world sort of thing. When we think of God..we tend to think more about Heaven. and when you think of Heaven, do you think of time? I know I don't. Because when you think of eternal life, time has no control, it doesn't mean anything.
In Ecclesiastes, chapter 1, verse 4 says "Generations come and generations go, but the earth never changes. 5 The sun rises and the sun sets, then hurries around to rise again."
Ecclesiastes is a great book when it comes to figuring out life on earth. In chapter 3, it really breaks down 'time':
A Time for Everything
1 For everything there is a season,
A time for every activity under heaven.
2 A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
3 A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4 A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
6 A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
8 A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.
9 What do people really get for all their hard work? 10 I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. 11 Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. 12 So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. 13 And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.
So what do time and God have in common? They never change. They're everlasting.
But time is bound to earth; Heaven has no concept of it.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Testing 1,2,3..
Hello!
I've haven't thought about blogging in a very long time! But I always have too much to say when it comes to Twitter or Facebook. You know, I can't decide how I want to run this thing. Make it like a daily thing where I say what I did? Or dive a little deeper and use it to see how I think about things and feel. A friend of mine has a blog where she uses it to say how she's pursuing God on a daily basis. Maybe I'll do all of it. A day in the life...of a Christian Teenager.
I've haven't thought about blogging in a very long time! But I always have too much to say when it comes to Twitter or Facebook. You know, I can't decide how I want to run this thing. Make it like a daily thing where I say what I did? Or dive a little deeper and use it to see how I think about things and feel. A friend of mine has a blog where she uses it to say how she's pursuing God on a daily basis. Maybe I'll do all of it. A day in the life...of a Christian Teenager.
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