Why You Runnin?

Why you runnin in wrong direction
Lost and without no protection
Livin life without discretion
Thinkin you're self direction is the right direction
Yet evil is your complexion
but I see the truth that that complexion
Is a facade of a reflection

Why you runnin in wrong direction
Why you runnin in wrong
Why you runnin
Why you runnin
You know you were made for light
or maybe you don't know
that is the question

Why you runnin in wrong direction
Why you runnin in wrong
Why you runnin
Why you runnin

You say it's my choice to choose this direction
I see clearly and agree with your assertation
Free Will is part of the order of creation
Free Will is even part of Salvation
Free Will is also part of Deception
Free Will is given for heart adaptation
You choose life when you choose salvation
You choose death when you choose humanism
It's your free will choice life or deatheption

We all struggle with self fascination
We all remain dead in self fascination
We all runnin to hell with selfie fascination
Choosin death and the lie we take a vaccination
Against love and truth and call it revolution
Except it ain't nothin but incarceration

Why you runnin in wrong direction
Why you runnin in wrong
Tryin to convince me and everybody listnin
You in the right
But you still runnin

Why you runnin
Why you runnin

Why you runnin from your family who loves you
They give up all just to make sure you
Got everything you need and yes they love you
They take the time to teach you and lead you
But you so smart you deny them and choose you
Yeah you so smart you deny truth and choose you

Why you runnin in wrong direction
Why you runnin in wrong
Why you runnin
Why you runnin

Why you runnin with the ganstas, playas, and martyrs for evil
Livin up the playas life but no one can see You
Actin all brave and courageous with your life on the line
Hidin out in the shadows fakin you fine
Pretendin you love the darkness Covered so deep in the devil's shame
Wading so far into hell playin devil's games
You tell good lies cuz they got a little truth in them
You've accepted satan's job description

Why you runnin in wrong direction
Why you runnin in wrong
Why you runnin

Why you runnin around saying you love women
As far as I can tell you just hate women
Always rappin bout how you gon hit dat and flip dat
The way I see it you just hate women

And it must be simply because you hate yourself
You know you a fake yourself
You so lost you mis take yourself
Mistook you are by Your self

Cuz I know you Mama and she's an amazing women
Full of godly love, grace, and wisdom
I know her and your Father weep nightly For you.
And my heart breaks for you too--thats
Why I wrote this spoken word for You.

Now back to your own self hatred and self loathin
The root of this my son is abiding
When you spend your life abiding in darkness
You reap what you sow a life consumed by darkness
When you spend your life overwhelmed by darkness
You reap what you sow a life voided by darkness
When you spend your life a fool for darkness
You get what you got a life illuminated by darkness
Except Wait-darkness can't illuminate its physically impossible
I hear you searching for light on your tracks
I hear you crying our for hope and purpose on your tracks
You already know where to find it

Why you runnin in wrong direction
Why you runnin in wrong
Why you runnin
Why you runnin

You so smart you know where truth is
You were born with a holy heritage
You were made to carry the light
You were made to run with the light
You were made to run into the night
Run into the darkness to make it all bright

So You in the right place just under the wrong direction
You in the right place for a holy production
God's purpose for you is not a reproduction
of what your father and his father did in the congregation
God equipped you with your own purpose and flare
You are where you are cuz its your destiny to be there
You were made to spit contemplations about life and the struggle
But God's purpose for you in not a reproduction
of what your father does in the congregation
Nor is it a copy of what the father of lies calls assimilation
You were born in your fathers image with a holy destination
To use your passions, talents and gifts to bring good news and the light of Christ to the nations
Where hopelessness, lack of purpose and fear rule, this is your true destination.

Why you runnin in wrong direction
Why you runnin in wrong
Why you runnin
Why you runnin

The definition of insanity--well you already know
Cuz thats how you're livin now
Repent, turn around, embrace your true identity
The identity given by the name your parents gave you
Caleb was the spy that was ready to take the land
Caleb was the one who trusted God's hand
To deliver them and protect them as they entered the hostile territory
Caleb was the one who was assigned to bring God glory
Caleb you're the one assigned to Bring God glory
Caleb you in hostile enemy territory as I write this on my blog
You in the middle of Gog and Magog
Perfectly positioned you are to take the land God has given you
Honestly, you will fail if you just trust in you.
Honestly, I see a warrior ready to burst free inside you.
Honestly and humbly surrendered to Abba Father
Honestly I see you clothed in David's Armor
In position you are will you be courageous and carry
The light of Jesus you were born and brought to this land to carry

Why you runnin in wrong direction
Why you runnin in wrong
Why you runnin
Why you runnin

Im callin out to the light I see in You
Im callin out to the man of God I know is You
Im callin out to truth I know is in You
Im callin out to the carrier of light I see in You
Im callin out to the leader of nations I see in You
Im callin out to the prodigal son I see in You
Im callin out to the evangelist I see in You
Im callin out to the bright I see in You
Im callin out to the night--beware of You
Im callin out to the light I know is You
Im callin out your purpose and heritage in Christ
Im callin out to the purpose and Christ I see in You
Im callin out to the King I see in You...

On that day that's comin real soon
I prophesy Salvation come before noon
Jesus is the only one able to disrupt your current tune
I trust Him to do that very soon
Jesus is the only answer to your questions
The ones I hear you constantly asking
Open your ears to His holy, divine, supernatural revelations
I dare you, fear not
Instead of having your mind blown by an herbal nation
Run with Jesus and get holy revelation

And then, We gon celebrate your new tunes
That shine light--a reflexion of heavens throne room

Holy Revelation is what you were born for
It's in your DNA you can't deny it
And don't lie sayin you already tried it
I don't buy it and you know you can't buy it either
You were born for more--
Wake Up from your  slumber and be fascinated instead
by the light of Yeshua's Glory that was meant for your head
You were born for reflectin the glory of Heaven
Unfortuneately the father of lies got you livin
His lie and death thinking only about drugs, sex, and women
The fact remains
You were born for reflectin the glory of Heaven
Be strong and courageous to pursue that justification
In Yeshua you can find all the multiplication
of purpose, of life, of truth, of blessin,
of answers, of healin, of contentment and contemplation

Why you runnin in wrong direction
Why you runnin in wrong
Why you runnin
Why you runnin

Repent, turn around, embrace your true heritage
And the identity God has assigned You
In the arms of Christ is truth
To help You

So the answer my son to your question of
WHO AM I
You are the son of the most high
Born to reflect His glory and light.
Run to the light instead of the dark
Its your heart--JUST START!

Leanning on My Savior

This week has been a week.  Let's just say that I've been through the wringer.  Feeling the strangling power of the enemies attack. 

On my 35 year journey of faith , I've found myself here many times.  And I still get overwhelmed and amazed when God shows up with undeserved, unmerited, grace filled, mercy overflowing, reconciliation, faithful, redemption power. 

Just 54 hours ago chaos and trouble overwhelmed me, as I sat talking with my pastor about the struggles I was facing.  We laughed and shared, both veterans in ministry, sometimes laughing is all you can do--or at least that is what I choose to do. 

I'm a verbal processor so I'd shared with my husband and a trusted friend the issues I was facing and then I called on several of my prayer warrior friends.  Then I hit play on my ipod...to worship the only God who has the power to deliver me from the miry clay and the quick sand that would encompass and swallow me whole...were it not for My Savior's Victory already won!!!! 

Jesus Culture's new album Awakening...was like water to my parched soul.  And the words of worship led me straight into peace...peace in the midst of the storm.  And I leaned.  I leaned into the chest of my Savior just like John the beloved disciple at the last supper.  And I leaned with a heart beat of anxiousness and fear of the unknown.  And I leaned knowing that my Savior is faithful.  And I leaned knowing that He would carry me no matter the outcome.  And I leaned worshiping and praising my faithful beloved.

As I entered the room, filled with my unknown fate, overwhelmed with anxiety, I leaned.  Trusting the only one I can in moments like these, I just breathed a quivering breath and waited for Him to make Himself known.

And in the very first words spoken, peace entered the room.  I was surprised and why?  Why?  Just 48 hours before there was no peace.  And now...peace.  And surprise.  Why?  That is consistently how my Savior works and I so easily forget to remember the countless ways He covers me and moves on my behalf.  All those in the room that day had been on their knees intently before the Lord, crying out for His will to be done...and it was.  That is how it is supposed to be.  Us crying out, before the Lord, seeking His heart, then coming together, and seeing His demeanor take over the room, watching His demeanor of Love transform our hearts into the likeness of His.

I thank my Savior for being the one I lean on.  I thank my Savior that my brothers and sisters lean on Him as well.  And I thank my Savior for showing His faithfulness to all of us simultaneously by doing supernatural miracles among us as we all encountered Jesus in the words and grace of one another.  I celebrate this week as an amazing Victory in my life as a minister of the gospel.  I celebrate the presence and power of My Savior who is ever moving and working in the hearts of His children.  And I thank God for the overwhelming sense of peace that I had as a result of the miraculous work God did in us and among us in that moment.  Praise Jesus!  The King of Kings.  The Lord of Lords.  The Victor over all creation.  The Savior of my heart and the one I lean on!!!

   

I Still Have A Lot to Learn

Being a good mom is so important to me.  I had a "good mom" moment today.   My youngest daughter and I went to the YMCA to swim.  Packing the bag of items we would need to go swimming was an adventure all its own. 

Goggles are an essential tool when swimming.  The hunt for the goggles is always a fun search...not.  My girls find it impossible to put things back in their proper place after use.  And it often becomes my fault when they cannot find them.

I encouraged my youngest to begin the search.  She opened the closet, looked in and said, "I cant find them."  I reply with, "well you have to move a few things around."  Uncharacteristically and to my great surprise, she begins dismantling the whole closet in search for the missing goggles.  She even retrieves the ladder from the basement to assist in her search.  She finds some fun things but not the goggles.

I do a quick search and come up with a win.  We pack our bag and we are off...leaving my older daughter home to finish her homework.

Once at the pool she was in the water in a flash.  We came during the lap swim time.  She proudly boasted of swimming laps when she went to the pool in Kansas over Thanksgiving break with her grandparents, while I went shopping.  She was already 3 laps in when I finally got into the pool and got used to the water.

She was so cute.  She was determined to get to wall first every time I set off to swim a lap across the pool.  I've seen her competitiveness come out when she cheats to win a game or something.  But tonight she was really pushing herself and succeeding.  Not that I'm a great swimmer, but I wasn't going easy on her.

We only raced for real on two laps, which she won.  The whole night, I only beat her across once.

She talked to me about how much she loved the water.  I listened and realized that I never really knew how much she loved the water and swimming before that moment.  I mean all kids like playing in water, right.  But there is something more to her love for the water than just a kids love.  That was a rich moment I will never forget.  

We were in the lanes for 90 minutes swimming, talking, racing, learning.  And the whole time we are both having a blast.  She's smiling and cherishing every moment.  And I'm so happy I chose to do this with her instead of waste a night in front of the TV or computer. 

I get so busy and self absorbed that I forget how much moments like these mean to me and to my girls.  How are you supposed to do everything and still have energy for moments like these?  My husband and my children suffer when I'm busy.  And when I'm busy giving myself to my job, or my volunteer work, or cocahing volleyball, I don't have much left to give to my family...so my family gets the least of me.  I don't like that and I know they don't like it either.

With volleyball over, it's the first time in 4 months we can breathe, individually and as a family.  My youngest daughter has such a strong sense of family and the need for us to spend time together.  Even at her young age she pays attention and directs us on ways to be together.  And I love this quality in her that draws us together. 

We are an independent family--valuing our independence over one another.  Why do we do that?  Who has taught us to be so self absorbed and consumed?  ##&*&@!@###

Tonight, it was my idea to go swimming.  That may be the only reason I was so willing to go.  I'm ashamed to admit that, but it's true.  I've been praying consistently for weeks that God would help me focus more on my family and less on myself.  I can be very selfish with my time.  I think God is helping me see how my own selfishness has contributed to some of the issues my daughters are having in their tween and teen years.

They've learned from me to think selfishly.  I still have time to help them learn what it's like to think unselfishly.  And it's moments like tonight at the pool that remind me that it's not to late for me to change.  

I pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to turn my heart away from selfishness.  Lord Jesus help me to value my family over myself.  Forgive me for being so self absorbed and selfish with my time.  Give me eyes to see and ears to hear the needs of my family.  Strengthen my resolve to meet their heart felt  needs.  Change my heart so that I put them first.   

I still have a lot to learn as a mother. 

Tonight I learned that I have a daughter who loves to swim laps.  She loves to win when she swims laps.  Being in the water brings her great joy.  I learned that time with my daughter at the pool, swimming laps, is the best way to spend my time on a Monday night like tonight.  May there be many more laps to follow!

Moralistic Deism vs The Love of Jesus

Matt Chandler has a video on youtube called "de-churched".  It's pretty short, but very important for us to hear and understand in this age.  So many young people are leaving the church after they graduate high school.  Moralistic Deism is one reason.

Chandler defines Moralistic Deism as the belief we've all been taught in Sunday School, that there is a prescribed order....don't do these things, i.e., sex, drugs, alcohol, R movies, curse, etc.  Don't do this, do this--making your Christianity all about your behavior and whether or not you can act in a way that is pleasing to God.  Are you moral enough to fit into "God's box"?  Do you measure up to the standard--don't lie, don't cheat, don't curse, don't even look with lust at another, don't hate your brother, on and on...

So we grow up trying to live up to this standard and some of us have mild success and begin to feel good about ourselves and believe we are finally getting our spiritual lives in order, based on our moral success.  Then let something bad happen...divorce, not getting into the school we wanted to get into, a hard break-up, or lost job.

This leads many of us to throw our hands in the air, mad that God would do this to us since we are living so hard to please Him.  So we walk away--thinking God is unjust, unloving, and uncaring--all counter to His true nature.  But because we only have a relationship based on how well we kept the commandments, we are not in touch with His true nature of unconditional love, mercy and grace.

I can't measure up to this moral standard.  My life is not ate up with sin, but I'm also not capable of living such a clean life.  That is why Jesus came.  He knew that without His righteousness, I would never be acceptable before my God and King.  So His blood covers the multitude of my sins and when God looks at me He see's the righteousness of Jesus.  

Morality does not transform.  Morality is only momentarily achieved by any of us.  And if I spend my life focused on all the rules, then I am more governed by the law than by love, and Christ came to fulfill the law so that love would rule--chiefly--the Love of Christ!!  My morality, any morality, no measure of morality transforms humanity.  It is only the love of Christ Jesus that transforms our heart, life, soul, and spirit.  And it is this love that woos and draws and fascinates the hearts of lovers to live for Jesus with joy, passion, and fiery persistence.

Moralistic Deism has taught us that if we are good, God will watch out for us and we will never have to go through hard times.  There are several places in scripture that say we should plan for hard times and not be surprised by them, even welcome them.  It is because I know that the love of Christ is present in my life that I pursue righteous living.  And when I fail at righteousness, I know that God's love for me never waivers. 

My immaturity, and my rebellion are the reasons I need Jesus so deeply.  And through my daily interactions with Jesus I learn of His never-ending love, forgiveness and provision for my life.  I want to please my God with my choices, but when I don't I am confident that is love is unwavering toward me. 

I'm new to this whole blog deal, so keep that in mind.  Feel free to share your thoughts.

Stand up and RUN!!

Retreat . . . I Mean. . .Charge!
A friend of my dad's received a National Medal of Honor for bravery in combat. He laughed as he told us what happened.

All of the soldiers were stuck in hiding. They were trying to get to the top of this hill and they hit a machine gun nest and some snipers that were just picking them apart. The gun fight was going and they were hiding in holes, behind trees, anywhere they could find. He made it farther up the hill than the rest of the group. This meant he was taking a lot more heat. He was running low on ammo and he decided that he was going to make a break for it and retreat back to where the others were.

He got psyched up knowing that this would probably not end well. He counted to three, jumped out of his hole and took off running. He took two steps and notice that the entire US Army was now running up the hill. So he turned around and ran up the hill too. The enemy was so shocked that they had not time to react. It was surrender or die.

The US Military took the hill and secured a very strategic location.

After things calmed down a little, the men started coming over to him shouting, "You are the craziest man I have ever seen." "I thought we were gonna die out there until you charged the hill."

Wait, "charged the hill?" Everyone thought that he jumped up to lead the charge. They were so excited that they followed him into battle. To this day they still think he rushed the machine gun nest. He never had the heart to tell them that he was high-tailing it out of there and they were confused.

Take a little scan of your friends. Do you have a lot who are Christians but they really don't take a stand? They'll still go drink and party. They still get into the sex stuff with whoever they are crushing on at the moment. They still don't dig too deep and too often into the word of God.

It may not be that they are just anti-committed. They may be waiting for someone to jump up and make a move. It may not take a huge move. Just take a stand for what is right, for what is God and you'll be amazed at how many people will follow you.

[[ David was just a teen who decided to take a stand. He went out with some rocks and a sling shot and put a giant on his back. And then watch what happened, "Then the men of Israel and Judah surged forward with a shout and pursued the Philistines to the entrance of Gath and to the gates of Ekron. Their dead were strewn along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron." I Samuel 17:52 One kid stood up and it gave these wimps the courage to be warriors. Take a stand.]]

This came from the daily devotion book: 97 Random Thoughts of Life Love and Relationships.

My Favorite Revivalist is Leonard Ravenhill--he says, "I'd rather have 10 who are hungry for God then 10,000 who aren't."  Where are the 10?  I want to be one of the 10 who stand and run, knowing the bullets will come, but not caring--just running, because it's the only thing that matters. 

Who will run with me?

Preventing Teen Pregnancy: Parent Facts & Tips

Preventing Teen Pregnancy: Parent Facts & Tips: "The U.S. has the highest rate of teen pregnancy in the developed world...."

the overflow: STUDENT MINISTRY TRUTH #1: ENCOURAGEMENT IS TOO RARE

the overflow: STUDENT MINISTRY TRUTH #1: ENCOURAGEMENT IS TOO RARE

To all the Youth Ministry Volunteers,

You are the key to ministry with teens. Your connection with the students is the way God communicates His love and acceptance. Never underestimate your value and importance. It takes many points of contact from men and women of God to impact and change the lives of teenagers and bring Glory to Jesus.

Every smile; every time you listen; every time you pay attention; share a hug; provide transportation or financial support; every time you laugh with a teenager; every time you share a tear; every single moment you invest in a teens life--God multiplies that investment and lives end up changed, including your own.

Blessings!