The Resistance

How do good men become a part of the regime?

They don't believe in resistance!

The Resistance

by Josh Garrels

I was born into a system constructed for failure
It’s a sinking ship being manned by drunken sailors
An escape artist behind the bars of a jailor
An asthmatic attack when we forgot the inhaler
If the shoe doesn’t fit what good is a tailor
In the midst of this crisis please cancel the gala
Without a symphony there’s no need for a prelude
To foreshadow what’s to come.

See the secret committees, commence with their meetings
To make red tape in response to simple questions
Questions threaten the perception of the beneficial systems
A pyramid scheme with it’s cogs and it’s pistons
Mechanization of men, making more and more
Live in a miserable existance
How can so few, claim so many victims
And this begs the question

My rest is a weapon against the oppression
Of man's obsession to control things
Look at the long line of make believe kings
The lord of the flies wants you to kiss his ring
Follow new rules with invisible strings
And become a puppet in the diabolical scheme
How do good men become a part of the regime?
They don’t believe in resistance!

Hold fast like an anchor in the storm
We will not be moved

Lesson number one, overcome
Every fear of regret and confusion
It’s all illusion, delusion
Sent to disconnect the holy fusion
Of spirit and the flesh
Every mortal breath, is meant to bring forth fire
But only when the fear of death, gets consumed
On the funeral pier
So let the flames rise higher
Let every man be considered a liar
If he doubts the goodness and faithfulness of God
Itching ears will compulsively nod in approval
When unbelief is taught in all our temples and schools
But God can restrain the madness of a fool
He can bring His truth through the mouth of a mule
You can move a mountain without any tools
It just takes the faith of a little seed
To make a way through what might seem to be
Impossibility,
And the ability will match the occasion
The outcome will defy explanation
The liberation will not be televised
When it arrives like lightning in the skies

Hold fast like an anchor in the storm
For your love, we will rise and overcome
Through the fire!

Hold fast my people and sing
Through peace and through suffering
All for the joy that it brings, to be free
It’s gonna cost us everything
To follow one Lord and King
True love endures everything
To be free

Hold fast, like an anchor in the storm
We will not be moved

I love Josh Garrels' music!

Download this track [and the entire album] for free: Love, War & The Sea In Between.

Check out his site: joshgarrels.com.

Peace, Love & Blessings!

-Jo

Blessings counted.

Gosh, I am soooo thankful for my new job as an AmeriCorps VISTA at BRACE! Each day is just getting better and better.

My supervisor, DeAnna Poland-Stemock, is a fabulous woman of faith who has more than a decade of experience in Emergency Management working with FEMA!

The Director, Greg Strader, was the CEO of the American Red Cross of Northwest Florida for more than twenty five years! He is also a man of great faith and integrity.

BRACE’s Core Values are awesome! They perfectly match mine:

• Community – We are all connected. What happens to one affects us all. Every voice has value. The wisdom, participation and mutual interests of stakeholders and BRACE are actively pursued. Partnership is fundamental in achieving our mission.
• Dignity – The dignity of the human person is paramount, especially in times of crisis. We will treat all people with dignity and respect and are especially sensitive to the most vulnerable among us.
• Excellence – We are committed to excellence and a climate of continuously seeking knowledge and improvement. We understand our actions make a significant difference in our community. Our core values guide our decisions, and we believe imperishable good will result. What we build is built to last.
• Integrity – We tenaciously cling to truth so that our actions are honorable. We make right choices, even if they are not seen as the most popular or expedient.
• Love – We are committed to expressing love and compassion to our community and to one another through offering hope, grace and humility in every circumstance. This love is born of faith, which serves as the foundation of all our actions.

DeAnna has been taking such good care of me too! She's been letting me carpool with her to work every day.  And BRACE has also purchased me a brand new laptop and is providing me with a Blackberry so that I will be generously equipped to perform my duties! How awesome is that!?

To top it all off, there are several cool events that BRACE will be involved with in the month of March that I am really looking forward to:

Next Saturday, March 3, 2012

10a - 9p

ADVENTURE WEEKEND

Family Expo & Carnival & Extreme Youth Night

Olive Baptist Church, Pensacola, FL

--> BRACE will have a booth. Come by and see me!

--> http://www.beginmyadventure.com/

Monday, March 26 - Friday, March 30, 2012

CERT L428 "Train The Trainer" Training

International Palm Resort, Orlando, FL

--> The BRACE team is going on a road trip to Orlando!

--> http://www.internationalpalmsorlando.com/

Saturday, March 31, 2012

10a - 3p

Reimagine Warrington

Lexington Terrace Park, Pensacola, FL

--> BRACE will have a booth set up. This is going to be an awesome event! Be there!

--> http://www.facebook.com/events/144239099023805/

On a side note, I am also super-stoked about this:

Sunday, February 26, 2012, 7p

Casting Crowns

"Come To The Well" Tour

Pensacola Civic Center, Pensacola, FL

--> http://castingcrowns.com/tour

Yay!

 

 

So there.

 

 

Blessings counted.

:)

Persevere!

"Be still, and know that I am God . . ."
—Psalm 46:10, NIV


Perseverance is more than endurance.  It is endurance combined with absolute assurance and certainty that what we are looking for is going to happen. 

Perseverance means more than just hanging on, which may be only exposing our fear of letting go and falling. 

Perseverance is our supreme effort of refusing to believe that our hero is going to be conquered. Our greatest fear is not that we will be damned, but that somehow Jesus Christ will be defeated.

Also, our fear is that the very things our Lord stood for— love, justice, forgiveness, and kindness among men— will not win out in the end and will represent an unattainable goal for us.

Then there is the call to spiritual perseverance. A call not to hang on and do nothing, but to work deliberately, knowing with certainty that God will never be defeated.

If our hopes seem to be experiencing disappointment right now, it simply means that they are being purified. Every hope or dream of the human mind will be fulfilled if it is noble and of God.

But one of the greatest stresses in life is the stress of waiting for God. He brings fulfillment, “because you have kept My command to persevere . . .”

"Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth."
—Revelation 3:10, NIV

Continue to persevere spiritually!

2 February 2012
My Utmost For His Highest, by Oswald Chambers


"Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree."
— Martin Luther, Jr.

God always answers prayers!

I think that about says it all.

NEVER stop praying my friends.

Much Love,
Jo

"Cute" Therapy

Well, I’m back home after a great experience in Atlanta for my AmeriCorps VISTA Pre Service Orientation. I met so many amazing people with amazing stories – the whole thing was just AWESOME!

BUT….
Last night, Delta bumped me from my flight home and I ended up spending several extra nerve wracking hours on standby in the Atlanta airport. When I finally made it back to Pensacola, I immediately got some bad news that hurt my heart. And that was definitely NOT awesome!

THEN…
When I woke up this morning, the weather had gone to hell! By noon there was a tornado watch. My plans to walk downtown and visit my friend Becca where she works at Bia’s Sublime Tea & Artisan Workshop were completely dashed! I've been feeling LESS and LESS awesome by the minute!

SO…
I was dinking around on ModCloth and I saw this adorable picture and it made me feel better:

Winston, the ModCloth pug!

Then I remembered reading somewhere that looking at cute pictures [i.e. animals, babies] can put you in a better mood, so I decided to further test the theory.

Guess what??? It does!

Here are some of my favorites:

Lovers, not fighters!

Cup of cuteness!

Dapper dude!

Jammin'!

High stepper!

Cheeeezzz!

 

Bunny kisses!

Fashion statement!

Pig in a blanket!

Snug in a tub!

The life!

 

Snow pup!

Mmmm...

 

Bunny trails!

Snff, snff, snff...

 

AND...

The Grand Finale:

Sad French bulldog listens to Adele!

Not Without Love!

..:♥:..

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.”

“If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.”


“If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.”
-1 Corinthians 13:1-3, NIV

God has been dealing with me lately on showing love to those who are “difficult.”  I am greatly humbled and extremely challenged by this because I know that in the past there were [and perhaps still are] times when I was considered “difficult” myself.  I realize this negativity, this bitterness, this selfishness [heck, let’s call it what it is: this pride] comes from old soul wounds and really has nothing to do with the current “difficult” person.  But something about the woundedness in me reacts like oil and water to the woundedness in them.  I begin to resent them because of their bitterness and negativity towards me and others...then I begin to withhold showing them any love…then what does that make me???

Aaarrrggghhh!


The sad part is that my relationship with God and my growing understanding of Him has given me a genuine love for all people. I have a deep sense of the worth of every individual now.  He has also gifted me with great compassion.  But...in spite of it all...I still have a hard time showing love to those who consistently fail to show any love or compassion for others.


God, help me! I know that all the spiritual gymnastics in the world amount to NOTHING if I don’t have love! In the name of Jesus, show me how to love like You! Show me how to show this genuine love You have given me [this agape love] to everyone!

..:♥:..

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?”

-Jesus, Matthew 43-44, 46-47, NIV

..:♥:..

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.  If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also.  If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them.  Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.  And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you?  Even sinners do that.  And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you?  Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.  But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.”

-Jesus, Luke 6:27-35, NIV

..:♥:..

Love must be sincere.  Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.  Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil.  Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.  Do not take revenge, my dear friends…

On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” ^[a]

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

-Romans 12:9, 10, 14, 17-21, NIV, [a] Citing Proverbs 25:21-22

The Power of ONE

"With so many people, most of whom seem so much more capable, more gifted, more prosperous, more important than I, who am I to think my part amounts to much?"

That’s the way folks think. They really do.

Maybe you’ve found yourself stuck in that mental trough too.

Aren’t you glad Patrick Henry didn’t occupy such a rut?  And Henry Ford?  And Martin Luther King, Jr.?  And General Norman Schwarzkopf?  And Martin Luther?  And Winston Churchill?  And Jackie Robinson?  And Abraham Lincoln?  And Mother Teresa?  And Margaret Thatcher?

"Ah, but it’s a different world today, man. Back then, there was room for an individual to emerge and stand out in a crowd. You can’t do that anymore."

WRONG!

God has always underscored individual involvement.

He still does.

How many did it take to help the victim who got mugged on the Jericho road? One good Samaritan.

How many were chosen by God to confront Pharaoh and lead the Exodus. One.

How many sheep got lost and became the object of concern to the Shepherd? One.

How many were needed to confront adulterous David and bring him to his knees in full repentance? One.

How many prophets were called to stand before the wicked King Ahab and predict drought? One.

How many did the Lord use to get the attention of the land of Palestine and prepare the way for Messiah? One.

Never, never underestimate the power of ONE!

Excerpt from Charles Swindoll, Start Where You Are: Catch A Fresh Vision For Your Life

One man come in the name of love

One man come and go

One man come here to justify

One man to overthrow

In the name of love!

One more in the name of love!

Pride (In The Name Of Love), by U2

Will you be one more in the name of love???

What makes great faith?

Pastor Doug was back in the house this morning bringing the Word in a powerful way. He continued to teach on the topic of "Jesus, The Healer" and it was right on time for me. As he discussed the "great faith of the centurion" in Matthew 8, I felt the unmistakable urging of the Holy Spirit to listen up!

What made the centurion's faith so great?

1.   He had great compassion.

When He entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, ^"Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, in terrible agony!” (v. 5-6)

A man of his social standing would not typically exhibit this kind of concern for a mere servant. Despite his elite position in Roman society, the centurion displayed great compassion for his slave!

2.   He believed in Jesus' authority and power.

“Lord,” the centurion replied, “I am not worthy to have You come under my roof. But only say the word, and my servant will be cured. (v. 8) 

What faith! The centurion fully believed that Jesus could simply say the word and his servant would be healed!

3.   He was submitted to his earthly authority, as well as to the Lordship of Jesus.

For I too am a man under authority, having soldiers under my command. I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” (v. 9)

The centurion had a solid understanding of authority and that Jesus' authority came from God. Despite his powerful position in Roman society, he displayed great humility by submitting himself to the Lordship of Jesus! 

Hearing this, Jesus was amazed and said to those following Him, “I assure you: I have not found anyone in Israel with so great a faith!  Then Jesus told the centurion, “Go. As you have believed, let it be done for you.” And his servant was cured that very moment. (v. 10, 13)

I felt like God was saying to me that I have great compassion for others and belief in His authority and power, but I was not yet fully submitted to His Lordship.  That is why I have been struggling to submit to some of those that He has placed in authority over me.  Despite whether or not I am feeling condemnation from them, I'm supposed to submit to them out of obedience. I am supposed to show my trust in God by being obedient to them.................................................................Huh!?

Hellooo!!! I felt immediate release from my distrust and resistance toward authority! I am now fully submitted to the Lord and submitted to my authority figures in obedience to Him. Whatever they do is between them and the Lord.

On a side note, I also got peace and clarity on the issue of condemnation that I have been struggling with. Let me see if I can articulate it...

I believe that people generally only have the capacity to understand grace as it pertains to areas in their life in which they themselves have received it.  If they have not received grace in a particular area and don't have any real life experience in that area, some times it can be difficult for them to relate with compassion towards those who have.

Let me give you my personal example:
While I understand that my struggle with  __________  is sin against God, I am more apt to receive correction and guidance from someone who has struggled with  __________  or something similar to  __________  and doesn't constantly have to throw the word "sin" up in my face. I don't need to be told the obvious (that my struggle is sin). I need to be ministered to in love and compassion and counseled as I fight to overcome my sin!

Now please hear what I am not saying:
I am not by any means suggesting that we ignore sin, or that God is in any way okay with sin. I am simply suggesting that we address sin with compassion and not condemnation.  It seems to me that we minister with more compassion in areas that we ourselves have received grace. Maybe it is just how we are wired. We understand things better when we have actually experienced them. But God says that we are supposed to comfort each other when we are in "any kind of affliction" with the same comfort we ourselves have received from Him.

Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
- 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

--> All scriptures cited taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.

Before the rooster crows, you will deny me…

“And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, ‘Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.” –Matthew 26:75, ESV

Gosh, I’m so disgusted with myself right now. I think I have an inkling of how Peter must have felt when he realized that he had just denied the Lord despite his best intentions. “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” –Matthew 26:35, ESV I realize more and more just how downright weak and pathetic I am by nature, in my flesh, that is. Here I was thinking I was completely sold out to Christ, then some persecution and suffering comes my way and I begin to waiver in my faith. How dare I deny my Lord, after all He has done for me? What could I possibly know about suffering that He Himself has not endured and then some???
He is always good even when I am not! 
He is always good even when others are not!

“This is a trustworthy saying:
If we die with him, we will also live with him.
If we endure hardship, we will reign with him.
If we deny him, he will deny us.
If we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself!”
-2 Timothy 2:11-13, ESV

Father, I am a wretched person indeed! Forgive me and cleanse me from all wickedness. Strengthen me that I may do your will, no matter what it costs! I want to have the faith that Paul so eloquently proclaims in Phillipians:

“For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”

–Philippians 3:8-11, ESV

Father, give me the faith to pray like Jesus did:

“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me.
Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” –Luke 22:42, ESV

Hold On, by Shawn McDonald

Love God. Love People. [K.I.S.S.]

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment.

And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

-Matthew 22:36-40, NIV

Keep It Simple Stupid [JoAnn]!