Member Blogs

During this time of waiting and hardship and trials and exile and…whatever you want to call it…I’ve learned something. The theology I’ve been taught doesn’t work that well in the desert. Now, I’m not talking the core aspects of the faith, such as Creator God, being made in His image, the sinful nature of man, our need for redemption, Christ’s atonement…No, that theology is sound. I’m referring to something different. I’m talking about the “bless me” theology. Ever since I came back to Christ 10 years ago, I’ve been fed this steady stream that God is somehow a blessing machine – that He is there to make my life more comfortable, nicer, better. That if I pray enough, believe enough, jump through enough hoops, everything will be ok. Every temptation will be destroyed. Every hardship overcome. Every desire I have in my heart will be given to me. The problem is – that’s not always the case. As I read through the scriptures, I come across stories of people who were thrown into fire, people who were stoned, people who were shipwrecked, people who lost everything. Stories of persecutions, trials, even death. Stories of shattered dreams, unanswered prayers and desires never fulfilled. I’m sure Hosea desired a faithful wife, and not a prostitute. I’m sure Jonathan asked God to protect him in battle, and didn’t expect to die. I’m sure those in exile prayed to go home, not stay there for years. I’m sure countless people have prayed for healing, only to remain sick. And I’m sure people have asked for their heart’s desire, never to receive it. And I’m sure many feel like the heroes in Hebrews who “were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised” (11:39). Doesn’t sound like a Blessing Machine God to me. So does this mean God is broken? That somehow He’s not who He portrays Himself as? Not at all. It means our theology is broken. It means our teachings that God will give you every desire of your heart, that with enough faith you will be healed, that if you just hold on long enough, everything will be ok. Cause sometimes it’s not. Sometimes you don’t get healed. Sometimes you don’t get that one desire. Sometimes things don’t turn out ok. Sometimes you’re left wandering the desert and don’t see the Promised Land. But that doesn’t mean God is any less good or any less God. It just means He sees the bigger picture…and knows what is best, even if it’s not our idea what is best. And maybe that’s the point of the desert. To strip away any idea that God is here to bless you, that He will give you the desires of your heart, that He will always give you what you want, and show you that He is God. Not you. And so, my brothers and sisters, as you find yourself wandering the desert, may you remember that He is not a blessing machine. May you begin to see that false theology die in your heart. And may you come face to face with the real God – the uncontainable, mysterious, Master Planner God that we serve.

Who would have thought that one single piece of paper would leave me stranded in the middle of the ocean in a sinking ship?!

This is the last of many attempts to create a prolific, meaningful 'blog entry. A lot has occurred this week and there are a multitude of subjects on which I could write, but...

I suppose I am unsure of what to write because I have yet to fully process what's going on in my head. I'm no longer certain about the direction my life is taking (or why it's suddenly taken a detour). It's like being in a boat on a river. I'm moving along - headed up stream, but steadily moving. I'm enjoying the ride and event the work that goes along with it. I blink. When I open my eyes I'm in the middle of the ocean and there is a giant leak in the middle of the boat.

I have a patch kit and I could always opt for the dingy below deck but when I try to walk, my legs are frozen in their place. I know what I need to do but I just can't muster up the desire. My boat is sinking, I'm at risk of drowning but I could not care less. I just stand there, watching the watercraft go down.

With each passing day I begin to regain the feeling in my legs. Off in the distance I spot land. I shake my head and stretch my limbs. Soon, I'm moving toward the leaking hole, patch kit in hand. I sit down and begin to figure out how to make it to the island. I have a lifeboat, a map and a GPS system. I should get to work on the ever-expanding hole in the floor but I find myself seated there, afraid to move. Part of me fears the unknown of patching the whole and eventually arriving in a new land. The other part of me keeps cautious vigil, just waiting for the bottom to fall out.

Melodramatic? Of course. But this is life, not just for me but for thousands of twenty-somethings all across the United States. We are in enigmatic economic times with employment opportunities few and far between. In an age filled with endless demands and limited options we may feel like we have few choices. But we do have a choice!

We can choose to press on. We can choose not to wallow in our circumstances and continue to believe that there is something worth living for. We can vow that no matter how difficult the challenge gets, no matter how badly we may feel, we will express ourselves in love.

"Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him.As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth." - Hosea 6:3

"Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me, though they had seen what I did." - Psalm 95:6-9

At the end of the day it is up to us to decide if our desire to succeed in pursuing the will of God is more important than succumbing to society's idea of failure.

Whatever you decided, just remember that you're not alone. Whether you're in a boat in the ocean, on a concrete sidewalk downtown or a front porch Anytown, U.S.A., you are not alone. God is with you and He will calm the storms of your life. Even if you feel like you're drowning, just hold out your hand and He will be there to catch you.

"If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?" -Matthew 8:22-27

Blessed With a God Whose Love Never Fails,
Aisha

Today is a new day, with fresh opportunities amidst old routines. On the agenda is laundry, baking, cooking, learning, violin practice and hopefully a little sewing. It all seems so mundane, and it is if you view it entirely in terms of the busywork, but just underneath the surface is where the eternal work of God is taking place. If my heart is in tune with His the opportunities for joy, contentment and His glory are endless; the only question is will I answer the call. Will I work with joyful hands at the same old tasks; laundry that I just washed last week, washing dishes that were put away just this morning, and preparing meals and snacks that keep me in the kitchen in what seems like half of my waking hours? Will I plant seeds sown with kindness, joy, and love in the precious souls of these children God has given me care over as I teach, admonish and discipline them. Will I mourn with my brothers and sisters who are suffering in Haiti and Chile over loss of loved ones, limbs, and homes. Will I remember that not everyone had a blissfully uneventful day, week or year. Will I pray. My spirit is willing, but my body is weak. Thankfully, all that He asks of me he provides. thisismycup.com

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” — Luke 15:20 I’m not completely sure why, but I have always drawn from the story of the Prodigal Son. Maybe it’s because I myself have had moments of running from God, maybe it’s the way the father in this story receives him back, or maybe it’s just cause it’s a good story. Whatever the reason, it’s a great story…and even more powerful when you dig a little deeper. On the surface, this is a story about a son who asks his father for some money…then goes off to spend it foolishly. And while I’m sure no parent wants to hear their kid ask for a ton of money, and then spend it foolishly, that’s not all that the son did. His actions showed that he wished his father was dead. You see, the son in this story wasn’t just asking for a handout. He wasn’t just hitting his father up to give him money for the latest gadget or trip to “find himself.” He wasn’t even asking for an allowance or something that was really owed him. He was asking for his inheritance. That might not seem like a big deal now. Many people divvy out the money or possessions they want to leave to loved ones before they die. Or they let their loved ones pick what possessions they want. But in the Jewish culture, at the time of this story, asking for your inheritance was an act of disgrace. It was akin to telling your parents – I love your money more than you…and I can’t wait until you die. Not something any parent would take lightly. In fact, if a child ever did disgrace their parent in such a way, the parent had every right to disown him and leave him with nothing. Which makes this story all the more interesting. You see, the father didn’t disown his son. He didn’t kick him out and withhold his inheritance. He gave his son the money and let him go. Maybe the father knew his son would come back. Maybe he knew his son needed to hit bottom before he could appreciate what he had. Or maybe the father was completely heartbroken. Whatever the reason, the father showed his son an incredible amount of compassion to let him go. But even greater, was when he returned. Rather than being angry, or bitter, or saying the words that everyone just loves to hear: “I told you so,” the father does something interesting. He meets his son on the walk home. He doesn’t even wait for his son to get home. He sees him in the distance and starts running. He didn’t care what his son did. He didn’t even allow his son to list off all the sins he committed. He ran to his son with open arms and welcomed him back. Maybe that’s how God acts when we return to Him. Maybe repentance isn’t about getting our act together ourselves. Maybe we don’t need to clean ourselves up and tell God how bad we’ve been. Maybe we just need to start heading home… So He can run out to meet us. And so, my brothers and sisters, as you journey past your sin to the place of repentance, may you remember that nothing you could have done could separate you from God. May stop trying to clean yourself up. And may you, as you begin to turn back to him, see Him running towards you with arms open wide. [Read more on my blog at: jasonvana.wordpress.com]

Last week kicked off the 40 day span of Lent. Growing up, I remember vaguely hearing about Lent as something my Catholic friends did, deciding whether or not to give up chocolate or caffeine. Two years ago was the first time I started to understand what Lent really stood for--more than denying yourself some of life's little treats. Yes, that can be an element of it (allowing us to identify with Christ's suffering on the cross), but it's more than that.

These are 40 days where we anticipate Easter. Where we look around us and see our need for Easter, for Christ's death, resurrection and conquering of evil. Where we see our need for that kind of eternal hope in a world that is filled with suffering. But that the suffering will come to an end, and is coming... It is a time when we see that hope and realize our own brokenness, it is a time of repenting for our sins and appreciating the freedom that Christ brought us with the first Easter. That is why we can celebrate come Easter morning!

Without that understanding, "giving up" things for Lent is pretty pointless. It can too easily become legalistic, more about counting down to when we can finally have a sweet or a cup of coke rather than identifying with "the reason for the season." Last year, I decided to join the "giving up" club. I gave up soda, my friend gave up shopping. I knew others who gave up Facebook. But then, once Lent had passed, I went back to not thinking twice about ordering a soda. It mattered for a few weeks, but then the importance of it wore off, as most things do.

This year, I wasn't going to give up anything. But as I'm working through my month of not being aware of the power of my words regarding my husband, I realized how important that awareness is in every part of life, not just my marriage. I hope to use this 40 day stretch of time to ingrain a new habit--one learning to eliminate negativity from my speech--that will last long past Lent. I'll take any negativity to God or to my journal, but make an effort to keep it from my speech, which will be hard because oftentimes that can make for great conversation!

Experts argue that it only takes 21 days to learn a new habit. Lent is generous, giving me twice the amount of time to reach that (or at least a noticeable improvement!). And by the grace of God and guidance of the Holy Spirit, I will.

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26

[ more at http://lifeblessons.blogspot.com ]

(more at http://lifeblessons.blogspot.com)

How is it that one thing can feel oh-so large? That it grows and sprawls into some huge, grisly shadow that overtakes your clarity, that consumes your energy and strikes you numb to everything else swirling about you? For me, that thing is a job.

More specifically, it is a job offer. One that I am struggling with. I have been praying for God to provide me with a job, and I have trusted him with this plea, having a great peace knowing he will open the door at the right time.

But, as the door on this opportunity creaks open, I’m not sure how “right” it is—financially as well as timing-wise. It was a job I haphazardly applied for, thinking nothing of it and assuming it would go the way of most of my other applications. Yet they called me back and called me back again. And today, they offered me the job.

So here I am struggling, wrestling with this decision.

I know that “in this economy” I ought to be thankful for this opportunity. But I don’t feel that way at all. In fact, instead it drums up dread and feels like a heavy burden-of-a-boulder in the pit of my stomach, weighing me down. As I tally up the pros and the cons, the cons list staggers. I know I ought to take what I can get, but it seems that what I might be gaining in some long-term financial stability, I would be sacrificing in many other ways. If I said yes, would it be because I’m afraid of the unknown? If I said no, would it be because I’m afraid of the unknown? These are the questions that are pinging inside my head, consuming my thoughts and leaving me as though paralyzed in indecision. I know that it doesn’t make sense; I’ve asked for this over and over again, and now when it’s looking me in the eye, I feel like a hypocrite who says, “Thanks, but no thanks.”

Then I wonder, are there times when that is okay? When that is necessary? Or do you just take what you can get—even if it makes other things more difficult? This is not an easy decision I wrestle with, and these are the times when I wish that God spoke loud and clear rather than in a little, bitty whisper. I know he knows what is best for me. I know he will work everything out for good. I know that even when I make a mistake, that he can bring beauty from the broken bits I offer him. I know that God is bigger than money and paychecks. I know that he can make the impossible possible. I know that he loves me and does everything out of that love for me.

I know all these things, but sometimes they don’t translate as clearly to the minutia of humanity as I would like. Still, I stand lost and looking to the Lord, begging him for an answer.

And then I wonder, do I already have my answer?

(more at http://lifeblessons.blogspot.com)

Rejection was the least of my concerns growing up. I don’t recall even considering it much. There were times, I’m sure, that I felt its sting for a moment, but those escape my memory. Oh sure, my feelings got hurt, but that’s quite different from being told I was unwelcome. All in all, people liked me and I liked that people liked me. In retrospect, most everything I did and said was to retain a firm grip on that acceptance.

There are 2 things that I have become an expert at avoiding: disappointing others and the rejection of others. Somehow I have instinctively avoided most actions which would lead to either. Why? Because I fear loss.

I fear loss of acceptance, I fear loss of people that I care deeply about, I fear loss of trust, I fear loss of control over my life.

I fear loss of me.

It’s true. I have always placed a high value on what others think about me. I’m a rule follower, because I like the feeling of being trusted.

I despise those things about me which cause me to fear. Don’t misread me; I don’t despise myself. No, I am fully aware that God gives each of us certain gifts, talents, and abilities. To despise myself would be to despise that which He has created, and the uniqueness which He has endowed me with. I despise – I have resentment toward feelings of fear which I know have acted as a stronghold against allowing God to do wonderfully special things through me.

Because, to the best of my recollection, I have not felt great rejection or disapproval, I have grown to fear the loss that those produce even more as I get older. I have become addicted to acceptance. If everyone likes me, if everyone approves of me, the world is a fine place to be. Things that put a lump in my throat or a tear in my eye: A child with a broken heart, recalling past heart breaks, and being open and honest about my fear of loss.

Around a year ago, I ended up in the E.R. for a panic attack. Before and after the attack, I have had anxiety issues. I was prescribed various medications and also went to a therapist for several months to “cure” my anxiety. Sure, it helped, but I’ve always known the source of my anxiety – I fear loss. Loss that I know I will eventually realize if I do anything worthwhile.

This I know for certain: If I continue to hang on to who I am, if I continue to preserve my life, I will most certainly lose it. That, my friends, is no way to lose a life.

Jesus, in fact, has asked us to do precisely the opposite.

“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.” – Mark 8:34-35

He’s seriously asking us to lose our identity in Him. He’s telling us, that chose and claim to be His, to deny our own desires, our own agenda, our own selves, and to live as people sold out to Him. Literally.

The question, then, changes from “but what if people reject me?” to “but will the world see Jesus in me?”

We might find our identity in careers, in our selves, in our activism, in our causes, in the things we obsess about, in others. What defines your life? Are you willing to lose it for the Jesus you claim to obey? Am I?

How do we lose our lives to Jesus and the Gospel? We lose our lives by submerging ourselves in Him, by actually reading His Word, by actually praying to Him, by actually speaking Christ to the world. We don’t submit to our fears, we don’t put God on the back-burner, we realize that rejection is a reality. We refuse to place our fears or our comfort above His will.

At some point, you and I must decide whether we actually follow Christ, or whether we just feel safe calling ourselves Christians.

I typically prefer the book of Matthew, when it comes to gospels. I realize that it might not be all that theologically correct to have a favorite, especially because it is most probably because of this film series. However, this liturgical year the gospel of choice is Luke, and during lent I’m starting to read through it. I only got through the first 4 verses last night. Not because I don’t like it, but because I noticed for the first time in my life that the beginning of Luke is a discussion of narrative storytelling. It blew my mind a bit, so I thought I’d share what I saw in it here. First, here are the verses:

Read More...

This weekend, I was really challenged in my approach to Lent. You see, most people try to give something up during Lent, fasting from some luxury or practice they really enjoy. We spend our time and energy doing without – some because it’s tradition, others to really focus on Christ’s sacrifice. We plan, give up our comfort and try to remember every day that we can’t do that thing. While this is great – and legitimately a big part of Lent (giving something up in order to focus more on Christ and His sacrifice) – it tends to make the whole experience about, well, ourselves. Think about it. When we fast during Lent, it really becomes about what I am giving up, how I am reflecting on Christ’s sacrifice, how I am growing closer to Him, and how I am preparing to celebrate His resurrection. Definitely helps us to love God…but what about loving others? Maybe Lent needs to be about following both of the greatest commandments. You see, Friday afternoon, I was out at the church building getting some work done, and scanning web sites for Lent resources. I happened to stumble upon a Lenten Reflection Calendar done by Mars Hill church in Michigan. As I was scanning this calendar, I noticed for a good number of the days, participants were challenged to do something for someone else: call someone and make amends, buy someone coffee, invite someone over for dinner, call your city hall and ask what needs they have… But one really stuck out to me: Shovel or snowblow your neighbor’s driveway. So tonight, I put my Lenten experience to practice. After getting a good amount of snow, with more on the way, I bundled up, filled my snowblower with gas…and cleaned off my driveway, my neighbor’s driveway and sidewalks, and my other neighbor’s sidewalks. It may not be big, but I’m sure it was big to them. And God. After all, isn’t loving God also about loving others? And so, my brothers and sisters, I challenge you with this thought: What can you do during Lent to put hands and feet to your experience – and bless someone else?

We've all done it. Bored out of our tree we log onto the wonderful website called Facebook and paged from friend to friend, stalking - erm, I mean - find out the particulars of what they are up to and moving on to the next.

I am excellent at this. Today, however, I was suddenly overwhelmed with a sense of awe at ALL the cool people God has truly put into my life. Crushes, mentors, mentees (is that even a word? I mean, people I have mentored), men of God that have become like my brothers, people that I'm not even really friends with that actually kinda weirded me out in high school - all of them have left some kind of mark in my life.

Whether I've shared silly moments with them, like talking about strange ways to meet potential spouses; or have sat beside them on the school bus, marveling at how sweet they were; whether I have loved their style and wanted to steal their closet; or have imagined myself with their last name and hoped in vain for them to notice me; sometimes they are people that I see every day, sometimes I share inside jokes with them, sometimes I don't. All of them leave something on me that impacts me forever.

Today, over lunch, a phrase was said: "I am rubber, you are glue whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you." (which invariably lead to a discussion as to whether poo was part of the deal... don't ask, apparently we are still in grade 3). However, I thought about that statement this evening (once again, don't ask), and decided that I am a rock and you are a rock and we form each other by being our own unique shape and interacting with each other, leaving unique marks, prints if you will, in each others' lives.

I've gone 20 days without facebook and four days with limited television and I am feeling really good. :pleased:

Technology is a wonderful thing but I'm beginning to realize that limiting my usage of it has allowed me a wealth of time to really get to know myself and get to know God and it's been so wonderful. I am more cognizant of how I utilize my time and how precious it truly is. I'm more selective about what I watch on television so I'm less likely to watch mindless junk and more likely to watch something informative or something that I truly enjoy (i.e. a movie).

Life without facebook has been admittedly challenging. It can be hard feeling disconnected from my friends and family in this way. Conversely I've been forced to put forth extra effort to reach out to those I love, making phone calls, sending cards. Dated, perhaps, but a nice visit to a calmer, simpler past.

I've noticed that I am happier, calmer and far more at peace and I recommend that you try unplugging from the world a bit and plug into God; it's amazing what you will discover! :happy:

Blessed With a Fresh New Awakening,
Aisha

Have you ever had one of those moments when you come face to face with just how sinful you really are? You know, those times where you think you are doing pretty well, and maybe even a little proud that you haven’t fallen into your normal areas of weakness, and then somehow – through something you hear or read, God shows you the true nature of your heart? yea…that was my morning. You see, I thought that I was doing pretty well lately: I haven’t fallen into the sins that my heart is bent towards, I’ve been taking some positive steps in my life and have even gotten better at seeing the good in all circumstances…and not complaining as much. I’ve been praying more, reading my bible more, spending time in silence, seeking God’s face and desiring more and more of Him. Yea – I’ve been doing pretty well if I do say so myself. But this morning, God brought me face to face with my true condition. During my devotion time, I cracked open the CG Lent[ing] Devotional Book and today’s reading was Romans 3:10-20: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” ”Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” ”The poison of vipers is on their lips.” ”Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” ”Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know.” ”There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. Apparently, I’m not doing as well as I thought. You see, no matter how well we think we are doing, no matter how many sins we triumph over, how many times we pray or read the bible or go to church, no matter how close we are trying to get to God, the truth remains… on our own, we are messed up, sinful people. Paul reminds here that our natural tendencies are to turn away from Him, to do things that satisfy our flesh, to think only of ourselves, to seek our own way…and try to control our own lives. Even when we think we are doing well, we still aren’t righteous. Even when we think we’ve mastered sin, there’s still something we will slip into. Even though we think we’re doing well, we are still apt to turn away and follow our own path. On our own, we just can’t do it. And this morning, God showed me the depth of that truth…and brought me face to face with the areas in my life where I have allowed sin, or myself, to rule. And it wasn’t pretty… But very much needed. After all, isn’t that the point of Lent? To reflect on the areas where you have turned away from God, see the true cost of your sin, and come back fully to Him? And so, my brothers and sisters, as we continue to journey through this season of Lent, may you see the areas in your life where God is not number one. May you come face to face with the true state of your heart. And may you, as you see the depth of sin in your life, make the choice to turn around…and run back to God. In what areas have you allowed sin to hold you back from God, no matter how tiny or insignificant you might think it is? [Read more on my blog at jasonvana.wordpress.com]

Last night, God challenged me. I mean, really challenged me. You see, I wasn’t even a full day into Lent, and already I started making it all about me. What I was giving up, what good things I was adding to my life, the steps I had laid out to focus on Him. Yea…I made it all about me. And to top it off – I spent most of the night playing with my new phone. [sigh] Not a great start to Lent. But when I crawled into bed last night, I picked up and read the next chapter in i am not, but i know I AM by Louie Giglio. (side note: If you are looking for a book to read during Lent, this is it. While it is not a Lent-themed book, the pervasive topic of recognizing that God is really really big, and we are really really small fits beautifully with the topic of Lent.) In the chapter I read, Giglio talks about Sabbath…and the need to rest. Not just the suggestion to rest, but the COMMAND to rest in the fact that God spends more words laying out the command to keep the Sabbath holy than he does the following six commands combined. Apparently, sabbath is very, very important. And not just because it’s a ceasing from labor and a time to sleep in and have fun. But Sabbath is about one thing. Sabbath is about God. As Louie puts it: Clearly, Sabbath is about ceasing from labor, but at it’s core, Sabbath is about a whole lot more than sleeping in or catching a nap. Sabbath rest is about a state of mind, a deep-seated belief that God is the creator and sustainer of all things – an acknowledgment that He is sufficient and He can be trusted. Because one of the symptoms of sin is short-term memory loss, we quickly forget that He set in motion the entire universe before we arrived on the scene. We need to get our memories corrected and our trut renewed by stopping long enough to remember that His name is I AM and our names are i am not. And with that God hit me. In order to connect with and focus on God, sometimes, it’s as simple as disconnecting from everything around you. So this morning, I did just that. Rather than check email and Facebook during breakfast, I sat in the dining room and talked with God. Instead of playing on my iPod while getting ready for work, I left it on the night stand and enjoyed the morning. I didn’t even pick up my new phone until it was time to leave…and didn’t turn the radio on at all on my drive in to work. And I have to say… this was the best morning ever. Taking that time to disconnect, I enjoyed being with God this morning. I wasn’t rushing around trying to get out the door and I didn’t even want to sign into Facebook when I got to work (and will probably continue to limit my time on all my personal social media sites). Because this morning brought me something… peace. And so I’ve decided to be intentional about disconnecting this Lenten season…signing out of Facebook, stepping away from the computer, turning off the cell phone, powering down the iPod… and reconnecting to God. What things can you disconnect from in order to reconnect to God? [read more on my blog at jasonvana.wordpress.com]

Ash Wednesday….the start of the Lenten season. This is the day when many Christians from around the world will go to a special service to get an ash cross on their foreheads. If you have never been a part of a high-church denomination, this practice might seem somewhat…silly…to you. And while there definitely are people who participate in Ash Wednesday completely out of a sense to tradition (“I do it cause I’m supposed to”), when you do understand the meaning behind it, this practice takes on a whole new meaning. You see, in the Jewish faith found in the Old Testament, whenever you were in a time of repentance, whenever you realized you had turned from God and were making the decision to come back, you would sit in sack cloth and throw ashes on yourself. It was a symbol of repentance. It was a reminder that you are dust. It told everyone around you that left to your own devises, you are a sinful person…and in need of God’s mercy. What better way to start the season of Lent – when we reflect on Christ’s sacrifice, the immensity of our sin, and take time to repent and turn back to Him – than to mark ourselves as a person entering a time of repentance? After all, Ash Wednesday is more than just a liturgical tradition with a blotch on your forehead. It’s to remind us how small, messed up, sinful and incomplete we are… without Him. So this year, I am going to remind myself of who I am without Christ. This year, I’m going to take the mark of someone entering a time of repentance. This year, I’m going to receive my ash. And be faithful to see my season of fasting and repentance to completion. How are you going to remind yourself that you are dust…and need to repent?

So, God has been telling me that I need to give up television for Lent...

Every year I tell myself that I will not watch "American Idol" but every year I get sucked back into the frenzy.

While I admit that the show is entertaining I cannot help but come away from an evening of watching the show feeling a little less wonderful. The show's greatest asset is probably its greatest downfall. Viewers identify with a contestants, seeing their own lives in their story. Whether a girl farm girl from Tennessee or a city slicker from New York, there's often someone for everyone. Sometimes people failure because they just don't have the vocal talents and stage presence to move onto the next round. Other times contestants have everything it takes - excellent vocal ability and stunning stage presence - but fail to make the cut.

As viewers watch their favorite contestants succeed or fail viewers often experience their successes and failures vicariously every week from the comfort of their homes; it's great fun for a lot of viewers, but some may wonder what matters more: talent and tenacity or appearance and sex appeal.

Of course, I cannot blame "American Idol" because this show is not the first (or the only) show to emphasize outer beauty as opposed to inward ability, nor will it be the last. Television is a brilliant medium for communication and has the ability to do a lot of good but also has the power to do a lot of harm.

I never wanted to admit it before but I watch a lot of television. At least the television is on a lot. Between television commercials, reality shows and music videos the amount of complete garbage that enters our minds every day is ridiculous. I am not certain that I will be able to give up television completely but I believe that it's worth drastically limiting the time I spend allowing the television to litter my mind.

What are you giving up for Lent? Let me know so I can pray for you!

Blessed With an Alternative,
Aisha

Adding the Good Jump to Comments Tomorrow begins our journey through Lent, which means one thing – today is Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras – the day when all inhibitions are put aside and people go crazy before delving into the fast that is Lent. And while I understand the reasoning behind it – this is the last day you can partake of whatever it is you are giving up for Lent, so do it BIG and enjoy it while you can – somehow, that just doesn’t seem…right. But maybe the reason we want to go wild and get it out of our system is that instead of trying to focus on our sin and the price Christ paid on the cross, Lent has become nothing more than trying to follow some rules: don’t eat meat on Friday (cause that makes you more godly?), give up something you like, and try to be a good person. I mean, I have been asked multiple times today what I’m giving up for Lent. But maybe Lent is more than giving something up. Maybe it’s more than following some religious tradition we don’t fully understand. Maybe Lent is about becoming more like Christ. Maybe Lent is really about repenting of sin (not fasting from it), removing distractions, and focusing on Him. Maybe, just maybe, it’s all about Him. So this year, instead of just giving up the bad, maybe we should add the good – in order to become more like Him. Here are a few ways I plan on adding the good this Lenten season: * Read more * Give $100 total to people in need * Be intentional about connecting with friends * Spend time in silence, to reflect on Him What are you adding to your Lenten experience to become more like Him? [read more on my blog at: jasonvana.wordpress.com]

For the first time in a long time I was brought to tears of joy. Last night's opening ceremony of the 21st Winter Olympics was absolutely breath-taking and transported me back to a fond place in my childhood. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, my parents and the local school systems made sure to expose me to the Native American culture there.

I spent a lot of time in British Columbia, Canada for family vacations and was proud that my home-away-from-home paid homage to the beautiful aboriginal peoples of the country. The imagery, the heart and the spirit of an oppressed people group is one that has a universal message for so many across the world. The landscapes created at the B.C. Place Stadium were stunning and I was truly moved to tears.

It was nice to experience a piece of my past; oddly enough, it gives me hope for the future. Since I completed my internship and truly started my search for a job I have become increasingly discouraged. I have not been able to find gainful employment at this point, but that is not really the part that bothers me; my real challenge is the reality that I am no longer a part of the seemingly ready-made social, physical and spiritual world that a traditional four-year university provides.

"I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done." - Psalm 143:5

Before graduating I always heard people (such as the hilarious cast of "Avenue Q") say that life after college is tough, but I never really understood what they meant. Until now.

College was like a buffet, a smorgasbord, if you will, of activities - whether it's social fraternities and sororities, the school fitness center, health center and cafeteria or the campus ministries, you have everything you need within walking distance. Once you graduate and leave the convenience of the on-campus lifestyle a different sense of reality hits you. Suddenly you have to try to do things you never had to try to do before.

Want to be social? Great! But remember - you can't walk down the hallway of the dorm or look over at your roommate and have an instant party anymore. In fact, your closest friends may now live 100s, maybe even 1,000s of miles away. Of course you don't end those life-long friendships but now you're forced to seek out new friendships within the community, which can be intimidating, particularly at first.

Of course there are no meal plans in the real world. And if you want to shed that Freshman-Forty you never seemed to get rid of you cannot just opt to walk to class rather than drive and you'll probably have to fork out a nice chunk of change for a gym membership when it used to be [basically] free.

But one of the greatest challenges for me has been the absence of a "spiritual bubble." At my alma mater there are several campus ministries available in which students may participate. I was very active in a couple of ministries at my school and always knew that if I wanted to meet up with someone in a quiet place to pray there were a number of people I could call. I knew that there were groups of people who thought similarly to me and understood my experience as a Christian living in this world. And while nothing was perfect - because people never are - I really benefited from a wonderful community of believers while in school.

Once I graduated I began to realize that the way I really conceptualized Christ was largely based on the experiences I had with other Christians while in school. Now that I'm no longer in that setting I have found it difficult to identify my faith apart from my peers. I read Scripture and listened to music and found myself making more connections to people I knew and experience I had than the God who made it all happen.

Needless to say I was very concerned; I felt like I had been duped, tricked into thinking I knew who I was in Christ when I really just knew how to identify with the Christian culture to which I was attached. Upon this revelation I knew that something had to be done. So I've started trying to read Scripture every day and I'm currently reading "Battlefield of the Mind" by Joyce Meyer. I've laid off a bit on the amount of secular music I listen to and I really want to try to watch less television. I'm even working out 6 days a week!

Hard? Yes. Drastic? Not really. My life was out of balance and I felt like I was drowning. I didn't feel like myself and I had to take action. I may have been confused about how to identify with Christ on my own but I knew that I needed Christ. So I had to make a decision: live the rest of my life in chaos or let God help me figure out how to add structure and new meaning to my life. I chose the latter of these options and I am much happier for it.

So, for anyone who has recently graduated or will be graduating in the near future, I highly suggest you take some time every day to sit completely alone with God - away from the music, away from the friends and the hipster clothes, and find out who you are and who God created you to be.

Blessed With a New Outlook on Life,
Aisha

I have recently gone through some things in my life that have brought me to a new appreciation of God’s provision as well as his presence. I have felt pains in my heart that seemed to make the simple act of breathing feel like one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I fought through sadness, anger, depression, and fear. I cried out to the living God and felt no immediate relief. Time slowed and the world outside me was overshadowed by the dark fog that hung over my mind. I knew that this couldn’t be the end, that somewhere there was hope, that in some way God would deliver me. The writer of Hebrews commands us to trust God in what he has given us because he has promised, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” And there amidst the loneliness and pain, there is hope in God’s faithfulness to unfaithful people such as me. The almighty God has made a promise to us and in his promise there is life. In the last week I have come to experience God’s steadfast love and faithfulness in some amazing ways. He spoke to me reminding me of his love and peace. Genesis 37 through 50 gives an account of the life of Joseph, a simple shepherd boy that becomes second in command in Egypt. While Joseph’s story in the whole seems to be a tale of success, it is scarred by betrayal, dishonesty, loneliness, pain and loss. Joseph is betrayed by the brothers he loved, thrown into a pit, sold as a slave, framed for a crime he didn’t commit, and forgotten for two years in prison. Yet somehow Joseph gets through it all. He doesn’t give in to the anger he felt towards his brothers, the fear he felt in the pit, the shame he felt as a slave, the bitterness of being framed, or the complete loneliness that must have come with being forgotten in chains. Scripture doesn’t point towards Joseph’s inherit strength or positive attitude as the source of his ability to continue on, rather it states time and time again throughout the account of his life that Joseph moved along because, as scripture says, “the Lord was with him.” The powerful truth in this phrase is subtle, but profound. The Lord’s presence is essential to life and growth. To view entire post please visit www.rustyview.com

“Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.” — Romans 6:8 The past few days, there’s a phrase that’s been rolling around in my heart: From Death, Life And while it’s definitely not the most cheery, awe-inspiring, “I’m gonna go out and conquer the world” kind of phrase, it has been surprisingly bringing me, well…life. You see, the past fourteen months have been pretty tough. I was laid off from my job, saw my savings dwindle quite a bit, gave up some basic creature comforts, saw the death of any kind of social life, found myself spending a TON of time alone, working a PT job that, in all honesty, I could never live on, saw my dreams fade away and have for the past 5 months just been “getting by”. No dreams. No aspirations. Nothing to look forward to – just trying to get through each day without losing it. But as we are approaching Lent, I’ve begun seeing this season in a different light. Lent, in all respects, is a season of death. It’s a time to reflect and focus on the price Christ paid on the cross. It’s a time to look inward, see the sin in our lives, and repent. It really is a dark and heavy season. BUT It ends in the light of Resurrection. From Death, Life. Maybe, these past fourteen months have been a personal season of darkness for a reason. Maybe, there had to be some death, in order for there to be an amazing Resurrection. Maybe this year, Resurrection Sunday is going to mean so much more. Maybe there will be an end to this desert season. So I wait in anticipation to see what light God is going to shine at the end of this darkness, to see what prayers are going to be answered, and to see how He takes one of the darkest seasons of my life…and turns it around for good. The desert is coming to an end. I think I see the Promised Land in the distance… [read more on my blog at: jasonvana.wordpress.com]

A while back I was talking with a friend about people I’d known who had been making some poor choices in their lives. It amazed me how some people who claimed to be Christians could follow lifestyles there were anything but Christ-like. I told my friend, “I guess they just don’t live what they believe.” But he wisely corrected me, pointing out that they were living what they believed, though not what they claimed to believe. I was struck by that idea: we all live exactly what we believe. When I think about it that way, but with the critical eye fixed on my own darn self, my faith appears to be so minuscule. If I really lived out the things I claimed to believe to their logical outcome, I have a feeling my life would be drastically different from the one I’m now living. So what can I do? The only thing I know to do: go humbly before God, thanking Him for His grace and pleading for the transformation of this doubting heart. Only He can plant the seeds of hope and cause faith to sprout from the rocky grounds of unbelief. Only He can give me victory over the shortcomings of my sinful flesh so that heart, mind, body, and soul all work in unison toward the completeness that only Christ can offer.