The Choice Is Yours

We make the choice to love or to hurt. We decide if we are going to let people in or push them away. We pick and choose who we allow close enough to see our tears and our pain. We hide our happiness when we know others are going through tremendous amounts of sorrow and hurt. Our worlds are so easily impacted by others. Our lives seem to fall apart at times with just a simple shift of the winds. Our world views shape our reactions, our hearts break when we hear bad news, our minds explode with the thoughts that run through them all day. We're afraid to admit we can't handle it all on our own because some where in this journey we learned that asking for help isn't ok. When the tears start to flow we apologize of hide our faces because for some reason crying about things is no longer allowed. We are beings who were created to feel and were given such strong emotions and yet we some how think it is wrong to express those emotions or feelings because of what others may say or think. We all do at least one of these things, we all feel, we all love, we all hurt, we all cry, we all freak out, but so many of us feel like we're not allowed to express any of that for some reason. Someone somewhere in our lives told us we had to SHHH and not talk about the things that happen to us, in our live, around us or those moments that will forever define us be it negative or positive. Someone said it was not ok to feel what you felt, and you shouldn't talk about it because it might make other people feel weird. Someone told you you had to hold it in, you had to suck it up and deal. Someone told you to just get over it. Someone made you feel like your emotions and reactions were not justified.

Well.... that someone LIED. The creator of the universe, GOD, created you to be who you are. HE made you with all of your emotions, all of your traits (good and bad), all of your feelings, He made all of you. He knit you together in your mothers womb, He knew you before the foundations of the earth, every step was ordered. Yeah, even that one, the one that hurt so bad you're not sure you'll ever get over it, yeah He allowed that to happen.... why.... it's simple, while GOD is incredible and loving man still remains man with free will and quite honestly stupidity and we in turn weather by accident or on purpose hurt others (hurting people hurt people). The awesome thing about hurt is... it can be REDEEMED (just like those bottles & cans that you turn in to get money). God can use your hurt to positively impact the lives of others... but... you have to be willing to allow for healing. You have to "let go and let God"... surrender your hurt, your pain and yes even your desire for revenge and allow God to love you like never before sot that you can learn to love others and help them heal.

We all make choices, we all have emotions, we were all created by a loving God who wants nothing more then to see our ashes turned into beauty. The choice is yours, how will you react?

Tagging Along

So often in our society people think they deserve honor simply because of who they are or what they think they do. In our staff meeting today Pastor Todd shared a story most of us had read before. Sometimes it takes someone else pointing it out to you for you to see something that's staring you right in the face. Pastor Todd shared Esther 4 with us. Esther is one of my favorite books in the bible because it's all about this UNLIKELY female raising up and making a huge difference.

But today I learned something new. Esther had always looked to Mordecai for direction, whatever he encouraged her to do she did. But Esther goes from this common girl in her village to the wife of the king. She is all of the sudden in this place of power. Mordecai now goes to Esther for help/ advice because his people are being threatened, their lives, their race, their linage is in danger because some guy who thought he deserved the honor just because of his position got angry when Mordecai would not bow to him. He thought he deserved honor because of his position in leadership, and so he convinced the king to sign a decree that all Jews would be killed (without the king really knowing thats what he was signing). Esther tells Mordecai what to do and then... then it happens the real reason to be honored.

Esther 4: 15 & 16... Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.” Esther was willing to die, to sacrifice EVERYTHING for the people she loved, the thing she was passionate about. Esther was committed to what needed to be accomplished and in the end she was honored for it. Because Esther was willing to sacrifice and was willing to give her everything for the cause she was honored. She was not only given an audience with the king but her request was granted.

Things like that were unheard of, queens were killed for going near the king without being asked to do so, but Esther was willing to risk it all for the passion she had. Honor follows commitment so don't just tag along to your title and authority and expect honor, work for honor with your commitment.

One Step At A Time

Five years and 5 months and 2 weeks ago I became a Bible College graduate. Today I met with my district presbyter for step one to receiving my license to preach. It's been a long time coming but it's something I have felt like I was supposed to do with my life since I was 15. This meeting today was 12 years in the making but I didn't realize just how much I wanted to pursue this until last night as I was finishing up the paper work I needed to hand in today. I stopped filling it out and left blanks because I was all of the sudden aware of the fact that this dream was only a few short steps away from being realized and yet those few short steps feel so very far away... one small step for man one giant leap for man kind.... yeah it won't affect man kind but it will affect my world ever so slightly. As I prepare to take this seemingly small step and stride toward a goal I pray God give me the wisdom, grace and strength to make choices that will be needed, pass tests and get through meetings. I pray that intimidation and fear would not be a factor and that my pass would be an asset rather than a hinderance. One step at a time I am walking this walk and following this dream! One step at a time!

Tolerance VS Respect

Tolerance--- when is enough, enough? Sometimes you have to call it quits and stand up even if you're in an undertow-- it might be hard but sometimes tolerance can be ones worst enemy

Tolerance is defined as....a fair, objective, and permissive attitude

toward those whose opinions, practices, race, religion, nationality, etc. In theory tolerance is something that seems amazing and fair but where do you draw the line? When is it time to call it quits?

Personally I feel like the line between tolerance and respect have been blurred. Respect meaning to show regard or consideration for. I think you can be respectful to other people's beliefs, thoughts, race, nationality, and other such things without becoming so complacent in your own personal convictions. Tolerance often leaves room for too much to be permitted.

Being respectful in my opinion is important in order to be a "good person" but being tolerant is not, being tolerant in my opinion leads very easily to complacency.