Mr. & Mrs. Betterhalf

Do you ever leave after hearing a great message with a knowing that you will never forget what you have just heard?

Well, Pastor Steven Furtick of Elevation Church struck a chord with me in a recent series titled "Mr. & Mrs. Betterhalf."

My friends and I have talked about this for weeks since.

The first portion I watched was actually online.

I'm a Pilates fanatic (don't judge) and I prefer to watch sermons while doing the home videos.

I had to stop the Pilates Video that day for two reasons.

A) The sermon was too good NOT to take notes.

B) I was laughing so hard I couldn't breathe.

Quite a sight.

But on a serious note, whether you are married, single (happily or not), on the market, YOU NAME IT, this series is for you.

The thing about teaching on marriages from a Biblical standpoint is that most of the concepts apply to all relationships in our lives, because we should have the attitude of Christ in all avenues.

I put the link below to the 3rd week because it was my absolute favorite, but please make a point to watch the entire series. It is so worth your time.

And the second week was just hands down awesome because Pastor Furtick's wife spoke, too cool : )

Mr. & Mrs. Betterhalf, Part 3: An Arranged Marriage

Currently Playing:

Life As A Lifer

We walked into a very familiar room.

On the first day of kindergarten, as daunting as it was, this was the very place each of our mother's brought us. Throughout our first year of school at a place we would grow to know as home, Hickory Grove, we shared countless memories and milestones in that very room.

None of us imagined that weeks before our graduation we would be sitting in the very seats which we were assigned some thirteen years ago.

But this is, in fact, precisely where we found ourselves on the day to celebrate the Class of 2011 Lifers.

'Lifers' meaning each of us attended Hickory Grove all 13 years of school.

Needless to say, these people are more than peers, they are family.

Mr. Ward, a man very close to my heart, has been there for me through the years like few others. He has prayed with me, laughed alongside me, raced me in the gym, but most importantly he was the man that lead me to Christ some twelve years ago. Throughout the years I have always known him to be by joy-filled headmaster, until he retired at the beginning of my senior year.

Much to my surprise and excitement though, he still made time for the annual Lifer Day!

The day began with magic tricks, handwriting lessons, and Bible verses in child-size chairs...just like my first day of Kindergarten!

Mr. Ward also remembered to present us with the 'Class of the Week' prize...priceless!

Of course, a visit from Mr. Ward would not have been complete without a blow pop!

Then, the whole gang (pictured above) headed to the gym for a repeat of a race that we ran 13 years ago, almost to the day. As we watched Mr. Ward lace up his 'crazy shoes' as he refers to them, we prepared for the race of a lifetime =]

The girls might of given good 'ole Mr. Ward an advantage, but either way, he took home the W. 

The day was filled with laughs and smiles...

...Hugs and tears.

There are few people in this world that I love and respect as much as I do Henry Ward. He is a man after God's own heart to say the least and I would not be the person who I am today in the absence of the role he played in my life.

In light of Lifer Day, I dedicate this post to Mr. Ward, a man of God, who would give the shirt off his back to anyone in need. 

He taught me countless lessons I will carry through life, but one of my favorites was and continues to be, "Keep a smile on your face and your eyes on Jesus."

That's gold y'all. 

P.S. - JESUS MAKES ME H-A-P-P-Y

=]

C. S. Lewis Song

Brooke Fraser is hands down one of my favorite artists. 

She captivates feelings and thoughts I can't verbalize at times, lately more so than ever.

One of my favorite Fraser songs is entitled "C. S. Lewis Song." 

The moment I saw this song on an album of her's I purchased, I knew I would love it, if not only for the fact it concerned possibly my favorite author in the world.

The song opens with a series of lyrics that I will forever adore:

"If I find in myself desires nothing in this world can satisfy,

I can only conclude that I was not made for here

If the flesh that I fight is at best only light and momentary,

then of course I'll feel nude when to where I'm destined I'm compared."

This song became my inspiration lately.

I will be honest with you, my priorities found themselves rather out of whack the last couple months (wonder who's fault that might be :D) and one day it hit me like a ton of bricks.

Nothing that I was working towards, consuming my thoughts and time with...nothing would matter in eternity. At the end of months worth of full days, I could not pinpoint one that I felt utterly fulfilled by, because "I was not made for here." 

We are made for more, more than momentary troubles, fleeting fancies, and unfulfilled wishes.

We are children of the Lord, set apart, and called out. 

I realize that I will never be fully fulfilled until I am in the presence of my Father, but there is a fine line between the road I was walking and that of my potential. 

All in all, the biggest thing that I took away from these past couple months is that I must understand that my priorities, my passions, and so on are not of this world, or at least they should not be. Christ is my fountain, and all my hopes and dreams must be found only in Him.

So, if this is my reality, what have I done or am I doing today to live out this reality?

That's the question that prompted me to make MANY changes in my life.

Let that resonate with you today, and then please act. Hearing from the Lord and remaining right where you are is a scary thing, trust me, I have tried it.

Just act, do it, take His command and run with it, all else will fall into place in His timing.

I believe this is the essence of peace.

"C.S. Lewis Song"

If I find in myself desires nothing in this world can satisfy,
I can only conclude that I was not made for here
If the flesh that I fight is at best only light and momentary,
then of course I'll feel nude when to where I'm destined I'm compared

Speak to me in the light of the dawn
Mercy comes with the morning
I will sigh and with all creation groan as I wait for hope to come for me

Am I lost or just less found? On the straight or on the roundabout of the wrong way?
is this a soul that stirs in me, is it breaking free, wanting to come alive?
Cos my comfort would prefer for me to be numb
And avoid the impending birth of who I was born to become

For we, we are not long here
Our time is but a breath, so we better breathe it
And I, I was made to live, I was made to love, I was made to know you
Hope is coming for me
Hope, He's coming 

I Am New

Now I won’t deny the worst you could say about me

But I’m not defined by mistakes that I’ve made because God says of me

I am not who I was, I am being remade, I am new

I am chosen and holy and I’m dearly loved, I am new, I am new

Who I thought I was and who I thought I had to be

I had to give them both up cause neither were willing to ever believe

Too long I have lived in the shadows of shame

Believing that there was no way I could change

But the one who is making everything new doesn’t see me the way that I do

He doesn’t see me the way that I do

I am not who I was, I am being remade, I am new

Dead to the old man, I’m coming alive, I am new, I am new

Forgiven beloved, hidden in Christ

Made in the image of the Giver of Life

Righteous and holy, reborn and remade and worthy; this is our new name.

This is who we are now

_______________________________________

Y'all, if I could pick simply one song that hits home the very most, it would be this very song. Jason Gray beautifully describes the concept of a Christian's identity in Christ, something I struggle to accept at times. In all honest, establishing and accepting my identity in Christ has been one of the biggest battles of my Christian walk.

I love that this song says, "I'm coming alive," because it is such a grand reminder to me of progressive sanctification and God's grace. No, I am not perfect. In fact, I am far from perfect, but I am still new and still coming alive. 

Another concept of this song that simply cannot be missed is that, as Christians, we are "hidden in Christ." So many beautiful mental images come to mind when I consider this blessing and reality of the Christian life. We are hidden in Christ, like a mother comforts and shelters a newborn in her arms, as a lion would protects its cub. We are covered in Him. Y'all...He's got us. We are hidden in Him.

Let that resonate in your heart and mind.

Next time you feel alone, insecure, or unsure - take heart and remember that you are new, reborn, hidden in Christ Himself.

Beloved, we have been renamed. 

Here's Why...

Christ August's song (featured below) 7X70 stopped me in my tracks.
This song talks a lot about hurt within the family, trials, burdens, et cetera.
But more than that, it's about what we are called to do with all of that...
let forgiveness make a way.
It's not easy. In fact it's hard, down right difficult.


Can I tell you something about forgiveness?
It is freeing.
I know this not because I am an expert at forgiveness, in fact, I might even say it is an area of weakness.
I don't handle pain well. In fact, I run from it,
but the times where I have surrendered and forgiven, truly forgiven, I have experienced healing.
Maybe that's why this song hit home - knowing the truth about forgiveness, yet having practiced it so infrequently.


As Christians, we are called to a radical life of self abandonment.
I was reminded that forgiveness is both of those things: radical and selfless.
I am called to remember what was done for me at Calvary and take that overflow of love and spread it all around.


Forgiveness.
I want to take the 7X70 journey in my life, join me?

7X70

Crazy Love

Have you ever picked up a book and from the very start of it realized that the content in your hands would soon change the way you view things? It has happened to me a view times and the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan was no exception. One thing I found surprising about the book was its utter simplicity about very profound topics. God is love, love is God but somehow Francis managed to keep these concepts within the scope of my understanding. Thank you, Francis. Actually, that got me to thinking. Do you ever wonder if, as Christians, we tend to overcomplicate things sometimes? Okay, maybe it is just me but I know for a fact I will spend so much time running in circles trying to understand the concept of the trinity while missing the profound commandments like love the Lord your God and your neighbor as yourself. 

Crazy Love brought me back to the basics. I hesitated to write a summary of the book, for fear of taking away from its message. Rather, I decided to share a few quotes from the book in hopes that it might spurn you to pick Crazy Love up for yourself =] 

It won't be wasted time...promise.

"The irony is that while God doesn’t need
us but still wants us, we desperately need God but don’t really want Him most of the
time."
— Francis Chan

"Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter."
— Francis Chan

"We need to stop giving people excuses not to believe in God. You've probably heard the expression 'I believe in God, just not organized religion'. I don't think people would say that if the church truly lived like we are called to live."
— Francis Chan

"God's definition of what matters is pretty straightforward. He measures our lives by how we love."
— Francis Chan

"He wants all or nothing. The thought of a person calling himself a 'Christian' without being a devoted follower of Christ is absurd."
— Francis Chan

"We don't get to decide who God is."
— Francis Chan

"Joy is something that we have to choose and then work for."
— Francis Chan

Who Will Love Me For Me

J. J. Heller's lyrics are some of the most beautiful words I have ever encountered.

This song has a powerful message.

Jesus Christ loves you.

Please take a moment to soak in the words of this video.

You Doubt Your Value, Don't Run From Who You Are

You know those moments, the ones where you instantly think, "I will never forget this as long as I live." I had one of those while sitting in an AMC Theater the other day, which I was not expecting because I so rarely go to the movies anymore due to the decline of morality in media today. However, I felt rather safe venturing to see Narnia with one of my very dearest friends. 


I had to fight to see many scenes through thick tears, but one scene particularly pulled at my heart strings and has permeated my thoughts many times since. As Lucy, one of the main characters, strives to change her appearance in an attempt to look like her older sister, Susan, she begins to lose her identity. Aslan, a lion representing God in the series, comes to remind her of her immense value in His eyes. I quoted part of the scene below and I cannot wait to share the powerful clip with you once it makes an appearance on YouTube.


Soak this in, whoever you are, if you ever feel unworthy or less than sufficient.
Then listen to the Lord, who forever tells you that He loves and accepts you just the way that you are.


Aslan: Lucy
Lucy: Aslan?
Aslan: what have you done child?
Lucy: I don't know, that was awful.
Aslan: but you chose it, Lucy.
Lucy: I didn't mean to choose all of that, I just wanted to be beautiful like susan. That's all
Aslan: You wished yourself away and with it much more. Your brothers and sisters wouldn't know Narnia without you, lucy. you discovered it first, remember?
Lucy: I’m so sorry.
Aslan: You doubt your value, don't run from who you are


Don't wish yourself away, as so often we are tempted to do. The creator of the universe knit you together in your mother's womb. He knows the number of hairs on your head and the number of breaths you will take. Rest in that.

Disc Golf Station!!!!

During my junior year of high school, I unintentionally developed a new hobby that I am now quite fond of. However, I must confess that while I love participating in this activity, no expertise can likewise be claimed.

While visiting Liberty University, a great friend of mine, Aaron Russell, along with a few of his dorm-mates took me for my first disc golf adventure. And boy, what an adventure it was. 

After making a complete fool of myself, might I emphasize complete, everyone had a good laugh at my lack of capability. Despite the fact I was not a natural, I still truly enjoy playing as often as I possibly can. I was surprised upon return to North Carolina just how many locations there are to play, but I'm still waiting for the one that draws my hidden talent : )

Recently, I discovered what is now my go-to for all things disc golf!

If you have not heard of them, you are missing out. 

Disc Golf Station is the all inclusive site for anything you could possible imagine: frisbees, bags, accessories, drivers, mid-range discs, course locators, and even helpful hints for those just starting out!

The benefits of this company are endless...free shipping, friendly service, great products, and even better prices!

If you are on the market for anything, and i mean anything, in terms of disc golf equipment...

please check out Disc Golf Station by clicking on the link below.

http://www.discgolfstation.com

I will certainly be posting pictures and updates of the great products I personally use from the site, but for starters, I would have to recommend the Surge 150 Disc! I may not be an expert, but this really is an amazing, long lasting disc for right around $15.00.

You can find drivers ranging from about $8.00 to $18.00 and Frisbees anywhere from $6.00 to $17.00!

Check them out!

Yeya Diaz

Yaya? Lala? 
No...YeYa!


YeYa! That is the name of my dear new friend, from none other than...Guatemala City!
In her short time here, 3 months to be exact, YeYa has impacted my life more than she may ever know. The Russell family accepted an offer last year to host a foreign exchange student and could not have been more hospitable if they tried. YeYa truly spent her time in the States in the best of hands. 
To my surprise, the first day I met this kindhearted 17-year old, she was speaking to me fluently in  my native tongue (right when I thought I was about to get some Spanish practice in). She communicates so very well and it has been such a blessing to hear her heart.
We have laughed together, cried together, grown together, and so much more during her time in America.
Something that Yeya taught me during her time here is that cultural differences aside, so many people struggle with the same things. As she poured out her heart to Ashley and I one day over a weekend trip to Virginia, we shared a knowing glance. The very thing the Lord was working on her heart about at the time was precisely what He was teaching Ashley and I both.
Minor language barriers and accents faded away as we realized the power of our God. The God who can fulfill any and all people, the God who for that matter created all people, and holds all things together.


YeYa has taught me so much about life, she has reminded me what it is like to be curious and to not take a moment for granted, and she has taken up a place in my heart!


The next time you are tempted, as I often am, to feel as if there is a vast difference between yourself and someone from another culture, be reminded that the Lord is sovereign over all people and we serve the same God, who has created us in His image. 


Yeya Diaz, thank you for not neglecting to bring an ample amount of joy with you on your American journey.

The Manhattan Declaration

I believe...
Christians should not shy away from intellectual pursuits, political debates, and other academic endeavors.
I know...
There is a place for Christians in every area of science, government, so on and so forth.
I have hope...
That if we band together as we are called to and unite as the body of Christ, not separated by denominations and other factors that seek to divide and destroy our witness, that there are still brighter days ahead for America. However, the opposite is true if we shrink back into the subculture  so many Christians feel most comfortable in.


What I'm coming to terms with is sometimes the right thing isn't the comfortable thing, it is not the easiest most nearly accessible, most palatable option. Typically, it will take every ounce of passion and fight within you and I am grateful there are Christian leaders standing up today on behalf of that reality.


Do you want a means by which to stand with them? 
Start here: by signing the Manhattan Declaration.


This movement speaks, shouts even, at three horrific issues in America today: The sanctity of life, the dignity of marriage as the union of one man and one woman, and religious liberty. 
Divorce rate, abortion statistics, prevalence of homosexuality and its impeding legislation, as well as threatened religious freedom must be addressed! The Bible speaks to these issues and we must defend what is true, right, noble, honorable, etc. and this is one avenue which that can be done through. 


Nearly 500,000 already have, will you do the same?

A Voice For The Homeless

     Writing is something very near and dear to my heart. 

I'm very amateur, still very unsure of myself in this area sometimes, but I have a passion to learn, develop, and grow as a writer.

     My dream is to one day write something that will change someone. Yes, even if it is just one person, I will be more than ecstatic. In fact, I often wonder if some of the tests I have recently experienced are avenues that I will one day write about and hopefully help another through.

   However, for now, I have a lot to learn : ) Therefore, I began searching for an internship at the beginning of the summer  and through what I consider to be a total 'God Thing' was connected with Speak Up Magazine. One thing lead to another and I now have the great privilege of being an intern with the local street magazine in Charlotte.

    The faith of the couple, Lana and Matt Shaw, who began Speak Up Mag is of such a high caliber that I am consistently stunned. The mission of Speak Up is to provide "a voice for the homeless" through a publicized, monthly magazine. One of the most interesting aspects of Speak Up is that the job of issuing the magazine will be given to the homeless members of our community, which will then in turn provide them with an opportunity to acquire a "livable income."

     I am currently working on a series highlighting the issue of homelessness amongst children in Charlotte. The need is so great, as I am learning. My heart has been burdened since beginning the series, for the children within my own community who survive day to day without a place to call home. (I have posted one short piece about the series on the Speak Up Blog - found on the website linked below).

Also, here is a video of Mr. & Mrs. Shaw where you get to hear them explain Speak Up and share their hearts:

 .

Vision

To speak up for the voiceless, defend the defenseless, stand up for the destitute and reach out to the needy.

Mission

To combat regional homelessness through jobs and advocacy for the homeless and by educating and inspiring the non-homeless public.

I invite you to read more about Speak Up and maybe even get involved, if you feel led.

The Speak Up Mag website can be found here:  http://www.speakupmag.org/