Dilemma? I think not!

After an amazing encounter with God this morning, I encountered a religious person.
Like immediately after.

Don't you just hate how the devil always comes along to try to undermine the divine work of God?

Needless to say, I left church offended today.

At first I cried about it, then I felt some righteous indignation, then after dialoguing with God about it and receiving some encouragement from compassionate, Jesus-loving people like myself, I was okay.

Three things God kept bringing to mind:

"Man looks at the outward appearance, but I look at the heart."

"Focus on me. I love you and I will never hurt you."

"Forgive them, for they know not what they do."

Then later on in the evening, I had this funny thought:

Worldly people think I'm religious and religious people think I'm worldly.

Thank God I don't let what people think about me define me anymore.
Glad I already know who I really am.

Who I am IN CHRIST, that is!


Peace, Love & Blessings Y'all!
><> Jo (Loving my new identity!)

Just Pray

I woke up this morning and checked my inbox and found the most lovely new jewel of a song. It was written and recorded in honor of the shooting victims in Aurora, Colorado, but it is relevant for anyone, anywhere, anytime.

It's called Just Pray.

Can someone please pass the tissues?

Just Pray by Moriah Peters & Rhett Walker

I woke up to the news
Half awake and half confused
How easily could I have been the one

All the questions in my head
Weigh me down back into bed
But what’s said is said, what is done is done

Woh…
Though I can’t find the right words to say
Woh…

I’ll just pray
I’ll just pray
Though this world is dark
And my heart is hard
And the answers seem so far away

I’ll pray
I’ll still pray
When I’m weak alone
On my knees I’m strong
And I know you’re listening
So I’ll just pray

I know it’s hard to do
And I know there’s hurt in you
But now’s the time to cast your doubts aside

And just pray
And just pray
Though this world is dark
And my heart is hard
And the answers seem so far away

I’ll pray
I’ll just pray
When I’m weak alone
On my knees I’m strong
And I know you’re listening
So I’ll just pray

Woh…oooh
Woh…oooh

So I’ll just pray
So I’ll just pray
Though this world is dark
And my heart is hard
And the answers seem so far away
I’ll just pray
I’ll just pray

When I’m weak alone
On my knees I’m strong
And I know you’re listening
So I’ll just pray

You can download the song for free here: Just Pray.

Moriah Peters and Rhett Walker playing "Just Pray" with
Scott and Kelli from K-Love in Denver, CO on July 20th, 2012; the day after
the tragic shooting at a movie theater in Aurora, CO

The Road Not Taken

When I was younger, I loved to read poetry. Recently I have rediscovered my love of poetry and even have written some myself, though I rarely share my own. This is one of my old favorites by Robert Frost. Someone gave me a copy of it when I started on my road to recovery. So now it's even more special to me. :)

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Happy Birthday to a hero!

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most.
We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?'
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won't feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in all of us.
And when we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."
-Nelson Mandela

Happy Birthday to a hero!

<3

Open Bible. Open Mind.

Lately I have been listening to Ashes & Fire, the latest album from Ryan Adams, alot. It has really gotten me thinking. I've even wept a couple of times.  His song “Kindness” especially moves me. It really makes me reflect on my own journey out of darkness, depression and addiction into the light of love, forgiveness and service to my fellow man...the glorious results of Jesus in my life.

If you’re so kind, can you let down your hand

Can you let down your hand, if you’re so kind

If you’re so kind, can you shelter the weak

Can you listen as the strangers speak

Bring them calm

The lyrics of this song remind me of the Beatitudes, where Jesus spoke of those that the world viewed as “less than” and called them blessed!

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.

 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.

 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.

 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.

 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.

 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.

 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”–Matthew 5:3-10, NIV

These eight incredible statements that Jesus made have shown me what is truly important in life. They show me the values that Jesus cares about and what He wants me to care about too.

Kindness don’t ask for much, but an open mind

Kindness can cure a broken heart

Honey are you feeling kind?

Do you believe in love?

Do you believe in love?

Having a relationship with Jesus and getting to know Him by reading and praying over His Word has made me open-minded, not closed-minded. Gone are the false beliefs and stigmas of my past. Gone are the lies I believed as a result of the society and culture in which I was raised.

Racism. Gone.
Religiosity. Gone.
Bigotry. Gone.
Superiority. Gone.
Favoritism. Gone.
Making Excuses. Gone.
Unforgiveness. Gone.
Intellectualizing Everything. Gone.
Materialism. Gone.
The Endless Pursuit of Pleasure. Gone.

My mind has been completely renewed and I am a new person, just as Paul says in Romans 12:2:
“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

God has given me:
A genuine love for all people, in place of racism.
An intimate and real relationship with Him, in place of religion.
Kindness, in place of bigotry.
Humility, in place of superiority.
Equality, in place of favoritism.
Accountability, in place of making excuses.
Grace, in place of unforgiveness.
Faith, in place of intellectualizing everything.
Contentment, in place of materialism.
Service to my fellow man, in place of the empty and endless pursuit of pleasure.

He has replaced my false beliefs with truth. And I know this is His will for me because His Word continuously confirms it in my spirit.

If you’re so kind, will you let down your hand

Will you try and understand when things go wrong

Days come and gone, and it's been said and been done

I will shelter you with my love and my forgiveness

Kindness don’t ask for much, but an open mind

Kindness can cure a broken heart

Honey are you feeling kind?

Do you believe in love?

Do you believe in love?

Yes, Mr. Adams!
I do now!

“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” –Galatians 2:20

“Don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.” –Galatians 5:13

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” –Ephesians 4:2

“You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.” –1 Peter 4:2

“Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.” –1 John 3:18

“But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” –1 John 4:8

“No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” -1 John 4:12

“We love each other because He loved us first.” –1 John 4:19

“God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” – 1 John 4:16

“This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.” –1 John 4:17

"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." –Matthew 5:43-44

On a side note, I just had to chuckle a little when I was reading Jon Acuff’s blog SCL recently and I saw this sign he playfully created in response to the hateful picketers from Westboro Baptist Church.



Peace, Love & Blessings Y'all!
Jo
-Lyrics taken from Kindness, by Ryan Adams, Ashes & Fire © 2011, PAX AM, Jacksonville, NC. All rights reserved.
-Scripture citations taken from the Holy Bible. New Living Translation © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation, Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, IL 60188. All rights reserved.

The Essence of Compassion

"Resolve to be tender with the young,

compassionate with the aged,
sympathetic with the striving,
and tolerant with the weak and wrong,
because sometime in your life you will have been all of these."
-Author Unknown

Thank you to my dear friend George Coolbaugh for this little nugget of wisdom.

It made me think of this wonderful song:

Kindness by Ryan Adams

Peace, Love & Blessings!
Jo