Go out, reach out, be the rescue

"We often ask God to show up. We pray prayers of rescue. Perhaps God would ask us to be that rescue, to be His body, to move for things that matter. He is not invisible when we come alive. I might be simple but more and more, I believe God works in love, speaks in love, is revealed in our love." - Jamie Tworkowski from "To Write Love On Her Arms: The Story"

How true is that? How often do we ask God to send rescue for someone we know? How often do we ask Him to bring change around us. But do we ever stop to wonder "What can I do to BE the change"? I think it's a pretty easy concept to grasp mentally and yet so hard to begin to practice.

This is post to everyone in general. I'm gonna try to not to use my faith as something to spur you on because I want this to be something everyone can do, that everyone can understand. Maybe you see a friend of yours struggling with self-mutilation like I once did. Maybe you see a friend struggling with drugs, drinking, an eating disorder, or all of the above. How often have we walked by thinking "Wow I really hope they can get through that" or "I hope someone will reach out to them"?

I'm ashamed to say I've done it before. I talked with a friend and he told me about how he struggled with using marijuana and how he knew he was hanging out with the wrong people. I told him that he could make it through it and the conversation was over. We never talked about it again. I was kind of relieved at the time, but now looking back I wish I could've helped him. Several months later he told me and my friends how he had thrown away all of his drub paraphernalia and how he was going to try to turn his life around, and I am proud to say he did. But was I there to help? Was I there to be his rescue? No. (If you're this guy and you're reading this, I hope you'll forgive for being a crappy friend.)

I won't make the same mistake again. So how bout you? Are you ready to go and be someone's rescue? There are people all around us with needs and burdens. Sometimes its ourselves that need rescuing.

I hope that you will feel convicted of something by reading this. Please don't read this and think "Yeah more people should do this". Think "Yeah, I should be doing this".

God bless you all. Go out, reach out, be the rescue.

Music Review #3 - Hillsong Live: "This Is Our God"

Artist: Hillsong
Album: This Is Our God
Label: Integrity
Release Date: August 12, 2008

Rating: 6/10

So I LOVE Hillsong United. They have basically shaped youth group worship sets since their 2001 release "Look To You". Anyone who has attended a youth worship service or camp has heard their popular songs "Salvation Is Here", "The Time Has Come", and "From the Inside Out". That being said, Hillsong (the church's adult band) has recently released an album that I can't say I'm all too thrilled about.

Long time worship leader Darlene Zschech has noticed United's worldwide success and has minimized her leadership role on the Hillsong team, allowing new and old faces and chance at the mic and pen. Unfortunately this also causes a problem: not everyone can write corporate worship songs. You have to listen to the first 5 songs before you can get to the first song that is up to Hillsong caliber, "High and Lifted Up", and surprise surprise it's the only song Zschech wrote on this album.

A new (and good) face to the Hillsong and Hillsong United team is Brooke Frasier. Not only does she work with the Hillsong teams, she is also a successful Aussie songwriter herself. Her two contributions to "This Is Our King" are the songs "Desert Song" and "You'll Come", both strong worship songs. The big ripple in the pond for me is the song "Healer" by Mike Guglielmucci. Guglielmucci wrote this song after he was diagnosed with a terminal cancer, and during the recording concert he actually had to wear an oxygen machine in order to perform. This does not hinder the worship though, and "Healer" is the one song I can recommend to anyone who listens to Christian music. Zschech herself said that she had never heard the church sing before quite like did during "Healer". On the DVD, Guglielmucci beings the song by reading the passage from Isaiah about by "His wounds we are healed", a very emotional and inspiring opening to an amazing song.

Unfortunately four songs are not enough to redeem a 16 song album, so I can't exactly recommend this CD as enthusiastically as I would like to. If you want to get the highlights, get the songs "High and Lifted Up", "Desert Song", and "Healer".

I hate stereotypes

So this just came to mind today as I was hiking with some friends: I hate stereotypes.

A girl I hadn't talked to in 5 months asking me if I smoked weed because I hung out with people who other people thought did drugs...even though they don't. In fact they hate it as much as I do.

I love this group of friends. Me and my friend stayed up till 6:30am at a friends house talking and we talked about why our group is so awesome. One of her comments was "I think we're so tight because we're just honest with each other." That doesn't really mean we tell the truth 100% of the time, but more that we're honest to ourselves around each other. There's no faking, no masks there. It's just honesty at it's purest, "This is who I am, take it or leave it". And I love it.

I hate to admit it, but when I hang around with my Christian friends I feel like I have to put up a front sometimes. That if I'm just not really feeling very "spiritual" that I have to kind of fake that in order to fit in. But with this other group of friends (I'm not going to call them my non-Christians because some are believers, plus I don't think religion can label everything) I can just be aggravated and it's a big deal. If I'm having a tough day, then I act like I'm having a tough day. And most of the time someone will ask me about it and just through talking about it, I always feel better. Which brings me to what I said about this new group of friends, we care about each other.

Sure there are some people who rub other people the wrong way, but you know what we deal with it. We hang out with them there anyway. Which is more than I can say for some Christians that I know. When you go to a different church service just because someone in the first made you angry, that's called stupidity. When you don't talk to someone because they have a reputation of doing "bad" stuff, that's called being judgmental. On the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches to "not judge, so you won't be judged" (Matt 7:1).

Plus, we care about other people, even outside of our group. I usually try not to judge people right away, or use what somebody else tells me to decide if I like a person or not. I like making my own opinions on people. Yet, people are so quick to judge other people by they wear, by how they talk, by what kind of music they listen. Sure, these things can help you get an idea of what a person is like, but as far as judging them as "Christians" and "non-Christians" it's absolutely ridiculous. I've met people that automatically thinks that because someone is wearing a V-neck shirt they're gay (btw, I own a couple v-necks...what now?!?!) and if they're wearing a "I Love Jesus" shirt (you know what I'm talking about) they're a Christian. To be honest, I've met people who wear "Christian" shirts (can shirts be labeled Christian? do they have a soul? are they going to heaven? hmm...) that don't act like Christians at all. In the same sermon, Jesus says that "You will know people by their fruits" (Matt 7:16), or actions. Sure, we all screw up sometimes. You get the picture I think. Now, even though we can usually tell by actions, no one knows for 100% but the person and God. Keep that in mind.

So I hit a lot of points today, but this is my main one: don't judge people by what people say. Not only is it unfair to the person, it's stupid.

Plug: To Write Love On Her Arms

Anyone who knows me has see me wear one of my To Write Love On Her Arms shirts. If you don't know me, then you might have seen someone you do know where one. To Write Love On Her Arms is a non-profit organization that helps teenagers who struggle with depression and self-mutilation. I've added a banner to the bottom of this page, so go check them out. If for some reason it doesn't work, go to www.twloha.com

A One Hundred Piece Puzzle with Ninety-Nine Pieces

A One Hundred Piece Puzzle with Ninety-Nine Pieces

[V1]
My life it sometimes falls to pieces
And every now and then you’re there
To pick up the pieces
But what happens when you take the piece
That belongs to you and don’t come back
Now I’m incomplete

[Chorus]
This picture is made of different pieces
Some are bigger than others, some are smaller
But yours is the biggest and go right in the middle
Without yours this picture is lacking clarity

[V2]
Now I’m just sitting here staring
At the picture that is my life, but it’s missing
You
All there is is a note of how you left on a train
And you only bought a one-way ticket
You’re never coming back

[Chorus]

[Bridge]
But what a miracle
There’s someone out there that loves me
And gave me a replacement
And now I realize
That this picture of my life
Is better now without you

[Ending]
This picture is made of different pieces
Some are bigger than others, some are smaller
But yours was the biggest, it used to go in the middle
Without yours this picture is a complete work of art