send

How does one pray for the nations when they see themselves as a lost cause? So many prayers lack zeal or even belief because the redemption of the world, the won battle for this earth is a foreign concept to our small scale. Jesus' beckoning for his lost sheep consistently includes those who found him, but may have closed their eyes for a spell. May our hope for the world be fruit of our own experience with salvation.

Send revival...start with me.

holding hands in june, too (HHIJ II)

My peeps! Here is the Summer 2011 soundtrack.

This year is considerably different from last year. Not in artists (there are quite a few repeats), but in tone. I think this year is a little more somber than the bounciness of last year. A wise twin sister made the analogy that last year was more for a summer afternoon, whereas this year is more for a summer evening.

Other features of HHIJ II:
--Much fewer Brits on here....but two songs featuring Swedes!
--Three artists named Ben (four songs feat. Bens)
--Four Youtube stars (two songs feat. them)
--Two songs that feature whistling
--More profanity/suggestive themes (sorry)
--A lot of love songs
--My favorite song of all time


Song list (in preferred order):
Wild Young Hearts--Noisettes
Sleeping In--The Postal Service
Sunrise--Norah Jones
High of 75--Relient K
When Did You Fall--Chris Rice
No Sunlight--Death Cab for Cutie
Home--Jorge & Alexa Narvaez
Folding Chair--Regina Spektor
Here Comes the Sun--The Beatles
Daydreamin'--Lupe Fiasco feat. Jill Scott
Gatekeeper--Feist
Call Me When You Get This--Corinne Bailey Rae
Young Folks--Peter, Bjorn & John
Stop This Train--John Mayer
Jesusland--Ben Folds
Rhythm of Love--Joseph Vincent and Clara C
A Change is Gonna Come--Ben Sollee
Your Arms Around Me--Jens Lekman
Daylight--Matt & Kim
You and I--Ingrid Michaelson
The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts--Sufjan Stevens
Do You Remember--Jack Johnson

They should all play just fine.

A lot of the songs on here were introduced to me by my friends, so if you see a song that you contributed, thanks :) I really enjoyed making this, and I hope you enjoy listening. Happy Summer!

leaking

Sometimes when I think about you, all I sense is an ocean wave behind a door...a loud crashing earthquake, a rushing, violent wind that is uncontrollable, unstoppable.

I think about this and I get scared. I think about you wanting to meet with me and I freak out. So I keep the door closed.

I am afraid of you and your love. It is dangerous and untamed, and it seeps into every area of my life. My lack of control scares me, so I refrain from meeting with you. I avoid talking to you because it reminds me of my helplessness.

Sorry. I'm even helpless in this situation.

rebuke

me: i just want to be a part of my church community again
G: "A" church community again
G: any community can become yours
me: yeah
me: but ive been resisting joining up with the church here (getting to know them better, etc) because of what i long for in atl
G: mm yea I feel you
G: how about a new perspective?
you long for what you had in JCA, right?
but perhaps that was only beneficial with what you were going through at the time
just think: what if the community you have available is what God wants to bless you with NOW in THIS stage of your life, and you're not doing it?
if you pine for JCA, and JCA is not what you need, you will only become bitter and depressed
You're too wonderful to be BAD (Bitter And Depressed)
me: .....
me: i hear you, but i dont want to
G: I know dear
G: *hug*

funnel

"What our world often witnesses today is a devoted, committed Christian or a church serving God. But they are not seeing God. They don't see anything happening that can be explained only in terms of God's activity. Why? Because we are not attempting anything that only God can do.

Our world is not being attracted to the Christ we serve because they are not seeing Him at work in our lives. They see us doing good things for God and comment "That's nice, but it's not my thing." The world is passing us by because they do not want to get involved in what they see in our lives. We are not giving them opportunities to encounter God. They are seeing only us. Let the world watch God at work, and He will attract people to Himself.

Let Christ be lifted up, not in words but in life.
Let people see the difference the living Christ makes in a life, a family, or a church; that will affect how they respond to the gospel.
When the world sees things happening through God's people that cannot be explained except that God Himself has done them, the world will be drawn to such a God."

reunion

When I see Jesus, will I recognize him?

midnight oil

I finished two papers last night.
Two.
No, I have not slept in my bed in two nights.
Yes, there was one class casualty (twas my first! And hopefully my last).
Yes, my room looks like someone was playing hopscotch with a jackhammer.
Yes, in some senses, I brought it upon myself.
But I finished.
And I don't feel any more tired than I usually do.
I waited for you, Lord....yet your strength found me first.


I'm not who I was. God is changing me. This is a truth that I never remember without a struggle, but it's such a core concept. Whenever I slip into old thought processes, old sneaky habits that even my closest sisters don't know all about....my conscience and my rationale both heave a collective sigh. They sit around and wait for me to have my fun. I feel their low expectations and I cringe and cower. I am embarrassed by my weaknesses, like a 5-year-old who just can't figure out how to tie their shoes.

But...I am better. I have grown. The concept of our bad habits playing out like a recursive loop is a lie from Satan...but as Claudia said when we were discussing this, Satan is not very creative. God is hugging and molding every curve and crack in me, carving me into his likeness....and I know He likes what He sees. I know this because I see Him doing the same thing in my friends, and it is truly breathtaking.

I'm going to clean my room now, do some work, maybe watch a movie. Maybe I'll postpone the middle objective till the morning (no Friday classes, teehee).
I feel stronger now, maybe I won't two hours from now. Honestly, who needs shoelaces, anyway? Barefoot is the only way to dance with my Father.