The Best of all Possible Worlds

I was watching a movie and I stopped to analyze the author's and director's view of human nature. The author believed that in a perfect world, full of family values, the desires of the people are repressed. The desire for art, sex, relationship, and discovery is fully repressed and no one seeks to know about it. (Sidenote: sex should only occur in the context of a monogamous, committed God-honoring relationship.) 

I believe different. I believe that a God's perfect world is much different from our dream. Our dream of a perfect world is where everyone fits, and plays nice. Everyone does everything perfectly and is acts in each relationship perfectly. I believe that God created us to do so much, to be so much more than we will ever know (on our own). I believe that as Chrisitian that we have a duty to enjoy the good things God gives us (1 Timothy 6:17); Ecclesiastes 2:24 is another good verse. I believe that we have a duty to enjoy nature, to our nature, and to enjoy the beauty of God that is showcased in others. We are born with talents, we are blessed with gifts, we work hard to gain skills; through these we can see the beauty of God and we should take the time to enjoy it. We are encouraged by the company of others, by the humor and comfort they bring. I believe it is our duty before God to enjoy those moments and to be grateful for it. 

In Isaiah 55:1, and Revelation 22:17 God invites to come to Him. He invites to enjoy Him, to be satisfied by Him, to adore Him. I believe that one day we will and the "perfect" world that we see will be MUCH different than our dreams (a verse should go here). 

I think we will always be moving satisfying our need to give  (and be recieved), satisfying our need for beauty, for hardship, and for relationship. I think (in my own imagination) that a perfect life with Him would be quite invigorating/interesting.

I didn't mention the name of the movie because I wouldn't recommend it for anyone else. 

Jesus at a Party (A Short One)

John 1:1-3
1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there,
2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.
3 When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."


There is nothing wrong with a party. Most of us have been to at least one. Whether it was a wedding reception, a graduation party, a baby shower, spring festival, end-of-the-year party, gala, charity ball, Thanksgiving dinner, or family barbecue, we've been to some sort of party. Some of them have been good for all those in attendance (like my dad's 60th birthday.) Some have done more damage than good to those in attendance. As a Christian (or even otherwise) a good rule thumb is to ask "Why go?" or "Why throw the party?" Asking will help you to check your heart (Matthew 5:18-19). If your motives are pure, your actions more than likely will be pure. If your motives are self-seeking, solely pleasure seeking, your actions will show it. If you find yourself tempted to go to a party for the wrongs, then is the time to pray and ask God for help. Help to do the right thing and keep working on your heart (we can't follow God without his help). I wrote "your actions will more than likely be pure" because even with the right intentions, the wrong friends and the wrong crowd can convince to act contrary to what we believe. So even if YOUR motives are pure. The motives of everyone else at that party can make being in line with God an up-hill battle.

Jesus was invited to a party. One that his mother could go to (she was there!). He was invited to a wedding. A celebration of a new family, of purity over lust, community over individualism, and of hope over cynicism. He was there!

And for every good celebration, so should you.
(Further reading 2 Timothy 2:22, 1 Corinthians 10:31)

the standard

The standard.

2 Timothy 2:22
Flee youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

For those who work with youth, questions about dating are often raised. “How far is to far?” “Can I talk to a girl?” “What if we are not doing anything?” Youth are basically asking “What is the standard?” Please remind them/us (young adults) of the standard. God’s standard isn’t what romance looks like but what does following Him look like? (It’s what we are really asking when we ask “How does a Christian date? Or how does a Christian “do” romance? In Acts 11:26d it says “And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch” KJV. To be a Christian means one is a follower of Christ.) How does one date as a Christian? Better put, how does one follow Christ as she or he dates? Jesus lived a life of loving God. His love for God enabled Him to love each man and woman. As Christians is lust or like enough for a relationship? If He dealt with people only in love, are we to do less? Does His love look self-centered, possessive, or conditional?

How does one follow Christ as she or he dates or romances?

Paul wrote this letter while in prison. It was part of his final words to his legacy, the next generation of Christian leaders. He called this young man to follow after righteousness, faith, charity, and peace. He gave him a new aim to substitute the loss of his old one. Paul told Timothy not to do it alone but to go along with those who called on God after a pure heart.

There is so much more to this verse. For us and those we minister to let this be the standard. In all things we are followers of Christ. Wherever the practices and aims of dating and romance do not (and cannot) conform to our aim to live like Him, we are committed to letting go, getting rid off, avoiding, those practices and aims. We are determined to live at the standard.

Keep Bleeding

Keep Bleeding.

We keep trying to hold on to our time
Our energy
Our peace
Our comfort zone
Our friends and our phones
To the refreshing times alone
And cool rep with those who matter

except for Christ

We give a away time we'll never get back
Our energy to things that won't profit us
We are troubled by things we could let go
Be won't for Christ
Our comfort zone holds no comfort
Our friends and phones don't bring us support,
Prestige, and Convenience.
Neither do our refreshing times alone:
We get pressed and burden to get "loving-people-work" done
We give up the rep of the normal, the cool, the all-together look

But we are all-together the broken;
The bleeding.
Bleeding love in as many ways as we got
Spilling blood through things we touch
On those whom we hold.
Frankly we have to much hold
And still more in Jesus' next heart-pump
Hoping that such abundance
Convince you to try a blood transfusion
(To internally recieve some of His time,
His energy, comfort, support, prestige...ect (like manumission).)

To the youth pastors
Keep bleeding,
To the pastors
Keep bleeding,
To the evangelists, inviters, nurses,
architects, maintenance-men and lunch ladies
(Wherever you are ministering)
I encourage us
Keep bleeding.

His lost people don't need
More plasma, electrolytes,
platelets, nutrients, or supplements,
It needs us.
A bleeding, broken, forgiven,
in process and whatever the mess
Ambassodors and friends of the Man

Our lost loved ones need Us.

Give Your Life

We often make the mistake of saying "he gave his life" or "she gave her life" for a certain cause or person. The thought that when one's death is the most valuable moment in life is contained in this idea. As soon as we think it, we disagree with the thought. It has been ingrained in us that life is made up and valued by the time we spend loving life. The time we spend loving our friends and family and being loved on by them, the time we spend being loved on by moments themselves as we recieve awards we slaved for, drink the sweet, concentrated, and final drops of mountain top experiences... and other stuff. When we die for certain cause or person, we give our death... not our life. How does one give their life? Answer: Define life and then give it.

For me, I define life through the example of my dad. He gave his life for me and my brothers, while we were in elementary and high school. He gave his every waking moment to being with us and taking care of us. (He even gave the moments while he should have been asleep.) He gave us his remaining years of youth and strength, he gave us his dreams, his patience, his intellect, his stories, his peace of mind, his strength, (sometimes) his moments of weakness, he gave all he could and (by the grace of God) more.

For whatever cause or for whatever person, you will rarely be offered the opportunity to give your death. You can only take that opportunity once.

You are offered the opportunity to give your life everyday. You can do it again and again and again.

For all that's worthy take it!

Give your Life.

Young Life

Recently, I got the opportunity to work with Young Life. I was a volunteer leader. The young men and women that I got to meet were amazing. Their sense of humor was sidesplitting. The love Christ showed them was crazy/muy muy loco.

I love Young Life's style of ministry, their mission in reaching the unreached (and otherwise unreachable) youth, and the love they so wisely show. At camp I found that Young Life does not make an issue of secular songs or the way the kids dress. Other than doing their best to prevent detrimental or distracting behavior the staff at Young Life focused on winning the right to be heard (through love) and introducing the teens to the Gospel of Christ. As a staff member, I grew more laid back towards music and jokes. Not to the point where I became inauthentic or compromised but to the point where I could relate with the young men and women I met. Again, I was amazed. Some teens accepted Christ. Some showed more of what it meant to be a Christian. It was a blessing every time a youth chose love over hate, service or self-concern, and courage over pride and fear. God intervened several times to keep the peace, show some love, or break a heart-callus.

I spent one week as a volunteer leader in it, God proved Himself to be truly incredible. I am grateful.


If you've experiences with Young Life or heard of it drop a line.

A Spurgeon Quote

Have nothing to do with me where I have nothing to do with Christ.

Charles Spurgeon