A People's History of Christianity - Book Review

There has been a rise in recent years for people to return to their roots; to understand the inner workings of who their ancestors were discover their heritage. In the author's spiritual walk with Christ and her own study of Christian history she kept having conversations with her friends that ended up with statements like "I don't have trouble with Jesus. It's all the stuff that happened after Jesus that makes me mad." (pg.1) It is this sense of discontentment and question that caused Diana Butler Bass to write A People's History Of Christianity.

I have also expressed some discouragement, along with many of my friends, over the state of the evangelical church in the present day. There are times when we just stand back with mouths agape and eyes wide thinking out loud "How did we get to here?" It's this very question that Bass hopes to answer through A People's History Of Christianity.

A People's History of Christianity divides Christian history into five time periods: The Way (Early Christianity, 100-500); The Cathedral (Medieval Christianity, 500-1450); The Word (Reformation Christianity, (1450-1650); The Quest (Modern Christianity, 1650-1945); and The River (Contemporary Christianity, 1945-Now) and traces the social history of Christianity through those five periods. Within these periods Bass tends to highlight persons and principles that served as catalysts for movements of Christianity.

During "The Way" (Early Christianity, 100-500) "people understood Christianity primarily as a way of life in the present, not as a doctrinal system esoteric belief, or promise of eternal salvation." (pg.27) Those centuries closest to the ascension of Christ were filled with people living out Jesus' call to "come and die" on a day-to-day basis in figurative and sometimes literal ways. It would appear that this "way of life" mindset is making resurgence among many Christ-followers in the present day.

"The Cathedral" age brought about with it the rise of higher devotion to Jesus and a distancing from the institutional church. Monasticism came to a rise and more and more people were seeking true community to follow Jesus rather than the institutional church, which had become nothing more than a tyrannical theocracy. "In an age when people claim to be "spiritual but not religious," it is fashionable to downplay institutions in favor of a direct experience of the divine." (Pg.90)

"The Word" refers to the period of time in which the Guttenberg Press printed the first Bible ever. With the Word being printed and passed around this put the Word of God into the hands of the people in their own language. It made the Bible common place for society.

"The Quest" or the period of Modernity was the time in which it seemed that many were searching for truth and believed they could find it. This is a large shift into postmodern thinking in which searching is more important than finding and truth is what you make of it.

"The River" is a name given to this time period that describes the fluidity of Christianity. In our contemporary era of postmodern though truth has become what we make it. Christianity flows up and down and can fit into whatever mold I pour it into. This is all done for the purpose of ideas like the "ecumenical movement" in which people of all races, genders, denomination, sexual orientation, or creed can gather together and worship the same God all at once. Let me say this. I think that sounds like a beautiful thing. I really do. However there when it comes to some issues of theology and doctrine and biblical truth I don't budge for the sake of loving everyone. The best way for me to love someone is to sometimes confront him or her, in a loving and compassionate manner, with the hard truth of a wrong path they are traveling.

Bass effectively traces this social history of Christianity by stringing together some of her own personal encounters with each section as she herself studied Christian History in college. Some of her college experience took place in conservative theological seminaries while her PhD comes from Duke University in North Carolina. This liberal influence in her PhD work seeps through here and there in her writing as it seems throughout the book that conservative outlook is frowned upon or seen as close minded while "emerging Christianity" and "spiritual progressives" those with a more liberal view seem to shine through a bit brighter.

Bass' end desire is for Christians to understand their roots. She wants those who claim to follow Christ to know how we got to here... wherever "here" ends up being in the next few years. She longs for the readers to see an importance in knowing history and then to go and make history. (Pg. 310) Bass tends to push the reader toward a thought process that ends up on the liberal, or spiritually progressive, end of the drawing board however she does a good job of trying to stay balanced in her communicating of the topic.

Blue Like Play Dough - Review

Book Review:

In the everyday stretch and squeeze of motherhood, Tricia Goyer often feels smooshed by the demands of life. In Blue Like Play Dough, she shares her unlikely journey from rebellious, pregnant teen to busy wife and mom with big dreams of her own. As her story unfolds, Tricia realizes that God has more in store for her than she has ever imagined possible.

Sure, life is messy and beset by doubts. But God keeps showing up in the most unlikely places–in a bowl of carrot soup, the umpteenth reading of Goodnight Moon, a woe-is me teen drama, or play dough in the hands of a child.

In Tricia’s transparent account, you’ll find understanding, laughter, and strength for your own story. And in the daily push and pull, you’ll learn to recognizes the loving hands of God at work in your life… and know He has something beautiful in mind.

Author Bio:

Tricia Goyer is the author of numerous works of fiction and nonfiction, including Generation NeXt Parenting and the Gold Medallion finalist Life Interrupted. Goyer writes for publications such as Today’s Christian Woman and Focus on the Family, speaks to women’s groups nationwide and has been a presenter at the Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) national convention. She and her husband, John, live with their family in Montana.

If you are interested in purchasing the book click here.

The Dirty Hands Of A Derelict

It's been a busy day. I've been pretty preoccupied with the world around me today. I've been doing work getting things designed and printed and ready to send out. I've been getting price quotes on t-shirt designs for our F.L.O. ministry and our SURV teams for PowerSource (pretty excited about those shirts) but, the thing that I've forgotten today is my time with God. Yes it's true. Today I missed my quiet time. Normally I do it in the morning right after I get to my office or before I get there in my car in the parking lot for a few a little while. I normally pull out my bible and read through some passages and meditate on them and pray through them asking God to reveal His word to me. I pray through requests that I know of and I spend some time in silence listening for God's voice. I wait for Him to move and speak to my heart.

This morning I completely didn't do any of that.

I got wrapped up first thing in my office work and reading other books than my bible. I like reading so even reading can become a distraction. One must be careful to not get so caught up reading books about God and the Christian life that they forget to spend time in the Word of God itself. I did that today. It's 10:00pm and I'm just now getting around to reading in my Bible and praying spending some time now reflecting. I normally reflect on what I've read by blogging. It's my form of journalling. I used to write a lot in a journal and I still do to some extent but, recently it's just been more natural to blog it out. Regardless, here I am. Let's begin.

Isaiah 1:29-30 (NCV)

You will be ashamed, because you have worshiped gods under the oak trees. You will be disgraced because you have worshiped idols in your gardens. You will be like and oak whose leaves are dying or like a garden without water.

This passage I read tonight it spoke pretty loudly to my described situation. God's talking to the people of Israel about their worship of idols, false gods. He says that those who have worshiped false gods will become like what they worshiped. If you worshiped under the oak tree you'll become like an oak whose leaves are dying. If you worshiped idols in your garden you'll become like a garden without water... dried up and dying. I began to think of that in light of this morning. I would consider and idol anything and everything that takes priority of or place of God in our lives at any point in time. This morning my reading and my work turned into an idol. I was so excited about reading and about designing that they took priority over my excitement to dive into God's word. It's true... it happens to all of us. So what did I become today? I became tired. I felt like the dry pages of a book filled with mans words about God rather than God's words to me.

I'm glad God forgives and I'm able to ask for that forgiveness and make things right. Earlier in this same chapter in verse 25 God says that He will clean away Israel's wrongs "as if with soap". He washes us clean if we are willing to be washed. He won't force us to be clean. We have to allow Him to clean us.

I'm reminded of a song that came out a while back by the band Mukala. As far as I know they only ever released one album. I saw them on tour with Bleach and Seven Day Jesus back in the early 90's. Their hit single was a song called "Soap" it goes like this.

I'm bleaching and scrubbing
Been rubbin' around in the dirt
Infested, Infected
My soul beginning to hurt
I'll whitewash my tombstone
So bright and white and clean
But I don't think no one can see the rot beneath

What Soap can never wash away
Deodorize or disinfect
The dirty hands of a derelict
What soap can never wash away
The blood-stained hands of a guilty man
Only Your love can

We're fickle; we're wayward
Rubbin shoulders with fallen angels
And carry epidemics
Spread around by street corner medics
We try and we try
To heal with the naked eye
And find a cure for the sinful seed
We carry in our genes

- MUKALA: "SOAP"

What are your idols?

What do you worship instead of God?

What do you need to be washed clean "as with soap" of?

Will you make things right and allow God to wash you clean?

Hold Me Now - Hillsong

Yet another video and song from the upcoming Hillsong album Faith+Hope+Love.

Hillsong "Hold Me Now" from Ben Arment on Vimeo.

The Tale Of The Three Day Old Sheetz Coffee And A Word To The Colossians

I finished a cup of coffee today that I bought Sunday morning from Sheetz. It's been in and out of fridge as I've nursed it slowly. I bought it Sunday because we just moved and all of our coffee stuff was packed away in a box and I needed some caffeinated loving. I picked up Matt Godsoe, one of our students, and we swung into Sheetz grabbed the cups-o-joe and made our way to PowerSource. The thing is that Sunday morning got a little more crazy than I had hoped for on the way toward our start time and I never got to drink my coffee. At the end of service I took some sips to keep myself from falling asleep, bed time the night before was around 1:00am due to unpacking and it was a 5:30am waking up before the dawn. I dropped it in the fridge took it over to the apartment last night (we're repainting it white) and brought it home and put it back in the fridge. Woke up a little later this morning with no time to brew a hot cup and grabbed my trusty Sheetz Coffee cup out of the fridge again and finished it in a meeting this morning. Granted this morning it was by far NOT the best cup-o-joe I've had. It was actually a bit gross. Ok really gross but, I was desperate.

I was reading in Colossians today for a bit of a switch up and got to verse 13 of chapter 1 which reads: "God has freed us from the power of darkness, and he brought us into the kingdom of His dear Son." (New Century Version) I started thinking about how I've been freed from darkness. I'm no longer a slave to it. I don't have to remain in it... but.... sometimes.... my heart drifts back to dark places and in the end I'm left screaming and crawling back to the light. It's kind of like my Sheetz coffee. I had opportunity to get other coffee. I could have gone over to Starbucks or even dropped back by Sheetz for a fresh brew but, I kept returning to my cold sludge. I had the opportunity to be freed from it. There was nothing holding me there but I kept going back to it.

What sins keep calling you back to the darkness?

Things you feel like you can't escape?

May you rest in the fact that as a child of the King you are freed from the bondage of the darkness.

May you run into the marvelous light cast by the Son Jesus Christ.

May you get some fresh brewed, warming, refreshing cup-o-joe and not settle for the sludge.

Meditate on Colossians 1:13 today.

Rest in it.

Release it.

Be free.

Clear The Stage | Worship Is More Than A Song

CLEAR THE STAGE

Clear the stage and set the sound and lights ablaze
If that's the measure that it takes to crush the idols.
Chuck the pews and all the decorations too
Until the congregations few then have revival.
Tell your friends that this is where the party ends
until you're broken for your sins you can't be social.
Then seek the Lord and wait for what he has in store
and know that great is your reward and just be hopeful

Cause you can sing all you want to.
Yes you can sing all you want to
you can sing all you want to
And don't get me wrong, worship is more than a song.

Take a break from all the plans that you made
And sit at home alone and wait for God to whisper.
Beg Him please to open up his mouth and speak
And pray for real upon your knees until they blister.
Shine the light on every corner of your life
Until the pride and lust and lies are in the open.
Then read the word and put to test the things you've heard
Until your heart and soul are stirred and rocked and broken.

Cause you can sing all you want to.
Yes you can sing all you want to
you can sing all you want to
And don't get me wrong, worship is more than a song.

Anything I put before my God is an idol.
Anything I want with all my heart is an idol.
Anything I can't stop thinking of is an idol.
Anything that I give all my love is an idol.
We must not worship something that's not even worth it.
Clear the stage and make some space for the one who deserves it.

Cause I can sing all I want to.
Yes I can sing all I want to
I can sing all I want to
And still get it wrong, worship is more than a song.

And you can sing all you want to.
Yes you can sing all you want to
You can sing all you want to
But don't get me wrong, worship is more than a song.

- Ross King

Such a beautiful line. Such a beautiful truth.

I was reminded of the song "Clear The Stage" by Ross King not long ago by my friend Lynsey Koles (@OneBlindMouse) This song always gives me perspective and helps me to drop my pride a bit if you will. I was thinking this morning quite a bit about the role of "worship" in our churches. I thought about how much time and effort and money and staffing is put into our "worship ministries" in our churches. We spend so much money to create worship environments that are extremely visually engaging and interactive for our congregations. This song reminds me that in order to truly worship sometimes we need to strip the stage. We need to get rid of all of that and simple get alone with God. Worship in public can't happen if worship in private is not happening already. What things do you need to clear out of the way to make way for genuine authentic worship that is seeking God completely looking for nothing for self but giving completely and sacrificially to God in Spirit and in Truth?

No Reason To Hide - Hillsong

Another new tune from the upcoming album FAITH+HOPE+LOVE by Hillsong

A great reminder of how God is EVERYTHING WE NEED!!!

No Reason to Hide - Hillsong from Tony Morgan on Vimeo.

I Will Exalt You - Hillsong

The NEW song from the album Faith+Hope+Love coming out 8.4.2009 by Hillsong.

It's beautiful.

Just rest in it for a bit.

Make it your prayer.

One Big God

I've been reading through the book of Acts in which it describes the history of the events that happened after the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension to Heaven of Jesus Christ among those of His followers who remained faithful in speaking about Jesus mission and message. In chapter 4 (I've been camping here for a bit recently) I was stopped today at verse 24. It's random because the verse is simply the beginning words of a prayer from the apostles after a confrontation between Peter & John and the religious council.

Acts 4:24 (ESV)

24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices p together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, q who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them,

It's so simple but, it just made me stop and think...

When is the last time I opened a prayer to my God with that type of reverence and respect?

They open with calling God their:

"Sovereign" (i.e. in complete control - having ultimate authority)

"Lord" (i.e. not just a friend or a guy they talk to when they want something but, their LORD the one they have dedicated their every breath to)

Imagine what it would look like if we lived like we believed that God was really our Sovereign Lord. Wow.

Not only is their Sovereign Lord but He made the Heaven, Earth, Sea, and EVERYTHING IN THEM.

Tonight go out and look at the stars if you can see them where you are. Just gaze. Try and count them. It's pretty overwhelming. Our God made that. He made it so we could look up and see the magnitude of just how big He is and how small we are. (Go to http://crazylovebook.com/ click on "Videos" then "The Awe Factor Of God" video to see just how far up those heavens go.)

Look at a globe. Find your country. Your State. Your County/City. Your Street. How small is that in comparison to the entire Earth. Think of all the people that inhabit our planet. God created them and loved them.

Think of the sea. When I think of the sea I think of shows like Deadliest Catch and Whale Wars and Planet Earth. Shows that take us to the most dangerous, and most beautiful waters on our planet. The oceans and seas are so full of life that sometimes seems more "alien" to us that anything in the heavens could seem. God created that. To show us the depths of His creativity and majesty.

Point is. God's a big God. Even though He's big. He loves us. That's beautiful and amazing.

It's a joint prayer "they lifted their voices together to God and said," it's not just one person praying, but all of them with their hearts and souls as one (Acts 4:32). We should come together as one body, the church, unified and saying, singing, dancing, living, working, serving, exhorting, praying, - worshiping this one big God. In all we do in all we say, think, and breathe, we should be giving "glory to God forever" because He is our Sovereign Lord who made the heavens and the earth and the seas and everything in them.

Glory to God

Glory to God

Glory to God forever

Take my life and let it be all for You and for Your glory

Take my life and let it be Yours.

- Fee

I Will Not Be Silent

Acts 4:18-20 (ESV)
18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for l we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

Peter and John here in this passage have just been told by the religious leaders of the day that they need to keep quiet about the miracle, through God's power, of Peter healing the crippled man. Note this is a "charge" not a request. Peter and John were basically just defending themselves in a court of law. So what do they do? They cannot keep silent.

So if you're told by the government, your school, your friends, your parents to stop telling people about Jesus... will you have the courage to stand up and say

NO. I WILL NOT BE SILENT.

I'm reminded of the chorus by David Crowder Band "Make A Joyful Noise/I Will Not Be Silent":

Make a joyful noise to the Lord all the earth

Flowers of the field are crying to be heard

The trees of the forest are singing

And all of the mountains with one voice

Are joining the chorus of this world

I will not be silent, I will not be quiet anymore.

I will not be silent, I will not be quiet anymore.

Running through the forest I dive into the lake

Bare feet on beaches white

Standing in the canyon with painted hills around

And the wind against my skin

Every ocean on tree

Every river every stream

Every mountain every tree

Every blade of grass will sing

Make a joyful noise to the Lord all the earth.

May we join with creation... in not being silent about the love and beauty of our King.

A People's History of Christianity

I'm reading A People's History of Christianity right now, and you'll be getting my thoughts on it soon. In the meantime, check out this OOZE.tv interview where Diana discusses the impetus behind the book."

To My 8th Graders Moving Up:

"May you - shine your light to let the whole world see the glory of the Risen King Jesus - may He be the center of your lives - your one passion - when the road is dark ahead may you rest in the shelter of His wings as He sings over you with gladness and brings you quietness through His love - oh how He loves you so oh how He loves you how He loves you so - may you find your identity in the beauty of Jesus blood that never fails you - may you live as if you would give your life to follow everything you believe in - because it is all because of Jesus that you are alive - may your hearts break for what breaks God's - may you shine with the light of God, speak words of love, get a little wild when you dance, worship the King with everything that you are and make a joyful noise to the Lord with all of creation because you are known and loved by the King."

Emersion by David Jolley - The Beauty Of Dance As Art And Worship

Emersion by David Jolley, originally uploaded by she dances.

The medium of dance has been coming up more often for me lately as an art form. I'm married to a dancer so naturally it comes up a lot but, in a more than normal way dance has made it's way into my heart and mind quite frequently.

The TV show So You Think You Can Dance has created a venue for aspiring dancers across the nation to make their mark on the world of dance as they use their bodies to communicate a thought, idea, emotion, or scenario.

Dance has gotten a bad rap in our churches for years. It's been viewed in a negative light and unfortunately there is a good deal of dance out there that is very immoral. For this reason we've stripped it from our churches. My question then turns to the radio. There are a number of songs that are written out of immoral heart and have lyrics that should make us crawl under a rock and hide. Yet we use some of the same rhythms and chord progressions to create art that is pleasing to our God and king. We have used the medium of painting in our churches, one might think of the Jesus Painters ministry or the series "CANVAS" done by Louie Giglio and Andy Stanley some years back. There is quite a bit in modern art that is also displeasing to God. We still use the medium but direct it's focus toward heaven.

Dance communicates all sorts of things. It can be used to communicate light or darkness. As with the other mediums I've discussed, to see dance focused on drawing the watcher toward a better understanding of a truth about God is a beautiful, beautiful thing and I would go as far to say that it can't be experienced any other way.

In dance, the dancer must use their whole body, their facial expression, their emotion, their heart to direct others toward Christ in worship. It's amazing. It's my prayer that we would begin to see dance as a form of worship to be used in our services.

How has dance been used in your community? Has it been? How has it effected you?

My Favorite Things... (In This Module)

We'll my favorite topic in this module didn't have much to do with raindrops on roses or whiskers on kittens.... but it does have to do with style of church and worship. As a worship leader I love to see how and why the church does what it does as it ebbs and flows through culture creating new art and teaching new generations about the love of God. It's amazing to look at the Charleston vs. Sandy Creek Movements and trace through to how my church does worship today.

Some background would be nice I guess. Charleston Baptists started in 1740 and grew mainly in the US state of South Caroline. Interestingly enough I've spent a fair amount of time in Charleston this summer doing missions and speaking to youth. Characteristically Charleston Baptists have a more liturgical style of worship. They value highly their education programs and believe that discipleship should be the main emphasis of all teaching in the church.

Sandy Creek Baptists, originally called Separate Baptists, started in 1755 were a bit more of a wild bunch. They were very evangelistic in nature and in their congregational methods. In general they were less educated and wealthy that the Charleston Baptists and had a more "extemporaneous" worship style. They emphasized evangelism and church planting over discipleship and education in ministry.

It would honestly say that my church falls somewhere in between. While there are deep Charleston roots it seems that our worship styles feel more Sandy Creek. Regardless of where they come from or which movement we claim for our roots the important thing is that both of these stylistic methods for "church" can point to Christ and draw others to Him.

It can be messy that's for sure... but, it's beautiful.

The Great Awakening (1720-1740)- Lecture

Introductions:

I'm doing quite a bit of study in the realm of Church History this summer. I'm taking the first of two parts of an overview of Church History and then a more specific study concerning the history of Baptists. In my studies I've come to the point where a bit of discussion on The Great Awakening (1720-1740) is in order. I thought to myself (at the prompting of a discussion board) if I were to teach a class on The Great Awakening what would my main three sections be? What parts of The Great Awakening are crucial to the understanding of what exactly the movement was?

The Background:

It's important first to understand that we are not speaking in general terms of the Great Awakenings but rather the First Great Awakening. "The Great Awakenings were several periods of rapid and dramatic religious revival in Anglo-American religious history, generally recognized as beginning in the 1730s. They have also been described as periodic revolutions in U.S. religious thought. The term is also used in some respects to refer to American religious revivalism that the Protestant Reformation inspired during and after the 1500s, as well as to identify general religious trends within distinctly U.S. religious culture." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Awakening) The First Great Awakening was indeed a revival, think full commitment not tent preachers with gimmicks, of the soul.

The reasons for the start of this awakening are threefold: Providential in that it was affirmed by the works of Jonathan Edwards and others; Physical as natural disasters and diseases such as an earthquake and diphtheria brought the people to think heavily on eternal matters, and Spiritually there was very little involvement in the church by the colonists and the lack of understanding about spiritual matters brought many to place of questioning.(Ergun Caner CHHI 694 Lecture Notes Lesson 12 Pgs. 3-6)

Controversies: (Old & New Lights)

As with anything in the local church there are always those who champion and oppose. There were those among the Congregationalists who rejected the revival called the "Old Lights". Many of these men and women later became Unitarians. Those who championed the cause of the revival from this group, the "New Lights", began to question things like infant baptism and later became Baptists. "As more religious dissenters and more of the general populace supported the idea of separation of church and state, more ministers from various denominations supported the Great Awakening. Although it began to reinforce the old, traditional theology of Calvinism among people, a new group of preachers arose later in the years called the New Lights. Leaders such as George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards were New light preachers who gave emotional speeches. They believed that salvation was more important than religious training. In contrast, the Old light preachers used more closely reasoned, rational arguments in their sermons."(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Awakening)

Results:

Some important results of the Great Awakening were: renewed evangelism and revivalism, religious freedom, emphasis on being part of the local church, and renewed call and passion for ministry. (Ergun Caner CHHI 694 Lecture Notes Lesson 12 Pgs. 6) The greatest result was that the Great Awakening helped to draw people back to Jesus this was an is still the most important aspect of any revival in the church. That God would draw all men unto Himself so that He alone can receive glory for the work done in men's hearts.

Finding An Unseen God: Reflections Of A Former Atheist - Book Review

It's always a beautiful thing to hear the stories of lives that have been changed. Lives that were heading deeper into the darkness of the world only to be rescued and brought into the Light. It's a beautiful thing to hear about how Jesus changes lives.

That's exactly what the book Finding An Unseen God is all about. It's a true story, a testimony if you will, of a changed life. The author, Alicia Britt Chole, writes with passion and zeal to communicate the story of the events surrounding her encounter with Jesus.

As a former Atheist, Alicia writes from a slightly apologetic perspective. She reminds Christ-followers that they are to be known by their love. This is not a wishy washy love that wipes over all people without an attempt at sharing the gospel. Alicia encourages the reader to communicate the truth in love and one might get the idea that she feels the telling of your own story may be the best way to do just that.

The book jumps from chapter 52 and the end of her story to chapter 1 the beginnings to 51 to 2 and so on until it meets in the middle. While at first this is a bit confusing it later became pretty enjoyable and worked like a seamless puzzle joining up in just the write moments. It also became very nice in breaking up what some might consider heavier apologetic sections of reading. While there is no real, "heavy reading" in Finding An Unseen God it's still nice to keep the story moving while breaking it up as well. The theme of puzzles seems to flow throughout the book, from the clever cover art to an actual word puzzle at the beginning of the book, that serve as metaphorical touches to Alicia's testimony of her life that at many moments seems like a table full of puzzle pieces waiting to be put together. Thankfully all is found and put in place by her Savior, Jesus.

While Alicia spend 90% of the book simply telling her story, it's not lost on this reader her attempts to draw those without a relationship with Jesus into one. She leaves the reader with four filters to apply to their own faith, which she in tern has applied to her relationship with Christ. "(1) - My faith's savior, Jesus, is consistent to the core. (2) - My faith - though quotable - is also livable. (3) - My faith in Jesus is sustainable (4) - My faith in Jesus is transferable to others."

Overall, Finding An Unseen God, is an enjoyable and quick read. It's the true story of a woman who has come to grips with who Jesus is and what He has done in her life.

"Watership Down EP" - Lyrics

Bombs

into the darkest night they call

all of the demons have lost their hold

in this heavenly ward for souls

breathing His last drops the atom bomb

brace for the blast

victorious

Constellations

God pull Your hunter's bow from constellation's arrow

strike deep

pull from me with Your sparkle and fade

a new heart with dawn breaks

I'll rise

all rise

Canyons

the canyon's rise up all around me

i am lost in the magnificence of how with all this

You still created me

i'm on the cliff looking out

give me the strength to take the steps

to dive

Stumbling

stumbling is where i am most days

cradling i'm lost in Your grace

through the death by love i am enslaved

capture me in freedom's chains

Quarter Of A Century - Looking Back On 25 Years Of Life

Genesis 5:25-27 (NCV) - "When Methuselah was 187 years old, he had a son named Lamech. After Lamech was born, Methuselah lived 782 years and had other sons and daughters. So Methuselah lived a total of 969 years and then he died."

Methuselah was the oldest record person to ever live.

He lived for 969 years.

He had kids, sons and daughters.

Then he died.

That's it.

That's all we know.

That's all that the account in Genesis tells us.

There's even a pine tree named after him.

The "Methuselah Pine" is the oldest living tree species on the planet and all it's known for is that it gives birth to leaves and is old.

Pretty exciting huh?

No not really.

If your life was listed out for all to see...

Your major accomplishments.

Your biggest failures.

What would it say about you?

Would all we know be.... "He lived _____ years and then he died." ?

What can be said of my life?

If I was listed out for all to see...

What will be written of me?

I'm typing this to you on my 25th birthday. I've been alive for a quarter of a century.

As I look back and evaluate my life I feel I'm doing pretty good...

I have an amazing relationship with the Creator of the universe who died to set me free.

I have the most beautiful and loving woman on the planet to call my wife.

I have 2 loving parents, who in a few years will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary!

I'm closing on a townhouse on the 23rd.

I own a car that is paid off.

I'll finish my 2nd Masters Degree in the Spring of 2010 with hardly any if any debt at all.

I'm fairly healthy... at least average... not on the poor side of things.

I get to work at a job where I design art and create art and bring others to an understand of how that art can point us to Jesus. I get to work with kids here and I love my job. I love my coworkers. They are more like family that office mates.

The world would look at my life and say... yeah he's doing ok.

What does God think of my accomplishments?

What does God think of my day to day?

Does my life point others to Him?

This is my hearts cry. It's what I want to do above all else and I sometimes feel like it's the hardest thing to do.

I don't want to just be known for having kids (eventually) and growing old.

I want my life to count for Christ.

Father, thank You for these years of life.

Thank You for how You've blessed me.

Guide me in the way I should go.

Give me courage to follow You when I can't see or hear You.

Let my Yes be Yes and my No be No.

Let me live and move and breathe Your glory and love and truth.

Amen.