Please, By All Means, Label Me!

I recently read an article in which an Alternative band was mentioned, a band that does a song I happen to really love.  I won’t say who the band is, because I’m not interested in bad-mouthing them; rather I’d like to address something I see as a problem in Christian music. 

It seems to be a growing attitude amongst Christian bands that we “don’t want to be labeled as Christians.”  The prevailing thought behind this is that without the “Christian” label, they’ll be able to reach more people, who theoretically will be brought to Christ by being fans of their Please-Don’t-Label-Us music.  My response to that:

Who are y’all kidding?

Let’s face it, guys.  The world isn’t interested in feel-good Christianity.  They’re not interested in more of what they already have.  They don’t need a God who timidly tiptoes around the background, making sure His people aren’t “offensive” to those around them.  The Jesus I worship was a radical, counter-culture Jew.  And yeah, he offended people.  Important people. 

It’s a good thing He didn’t mind being labeled.

And before you protest that you ARE being radical and offensive, let’s be clear: rock music is NOT going against the norm, okay?  I’m sorry, it’s not counter-culture, it lines up WITH culture.  It just lines up with the wrong culture—the culture you’re supposed to be standing AGAINST.  (Relax, I like some rock music.  Just don’t stick a few “You”s instead of “Baby”s in it and try to say you’re winning people to Christ with it.)

In all areas of our lives, and specifically in our music, let’s quit trying to fit in.  We don’t, and we shouldn’t.  Everything about us should be different, from the way we dress and talk to the kind of music and entertainment we make.

I, for one, am proud to wear the label “Christian”.  I’d be insulted if the world didn’t label me that way.

“As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”—Joshua 24:15

Nonsensically Hopeful

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.—Jeremiah 29:11

As is probably obvious, I was raised in a Christian home and became a Christian at a very young age.  There were a lot of things that I grew up accepting that other people may not, and I’ve always been aware of that.  So I’m not normally surprised when the world around me rejects an idea I take for granted as true.

However once in a while, I’ll forget.  Certain aspects of my faith have become such a part of me that I sometimes forget people around me don’t know what I know.  Hope is one such aspect.  It’s just something I don’t think about; the deep set belief that everything is going to be okay, that it’ll all work out, that someday, we’ll all look back on whatever we’re going through and smile, understanding what it was we needed from that circumstance.

Now lest you think I have no empathy for the hopeless, let me share with you that I too, have lost hope before.  Until 2010, I didn’t actually know what it was like to NOT have hope for a good future.  The thought never even crossed my mind; I had a dream, a calling, a fantastic family, a couple amazing friends, a loving church clan….my future was bright, even if my present wasn’t quite what I wanted it to be.  Until an unexpected betrayal and an illness that struck WAY too close to home changed all that.  The next two years were the hardest of my life; full of fear, relief, anger, joy, resentment, bitterness, and growing pains like you wouldn’t believe.  It was the roller coaster of a lifetime, and while I LOVE roller coasters, I have to confess I’m not particularly thrilled about emotional ones.  It was probably the end of 2010/beginning of 2011 before I realized I no longer believed with complete certainty that everything was going to turn out fine.  Quite the opposite, actually, I was so bogged down with pain and fear I could barely see tomorrow, and when I did catch a glimpse of it, all I could see was more of what I was feeling right then.  More sadness, more ache in my heart, more exhaustion.  I barely had the energy to keep up the façade my life had become to keep anyone from suspecting something was wrong.

2011 wasn’t much better than 2010, and by the end of it, I had reached the end of my rope.  Circumstantially, my life was actually going quite well: an awesome family vacation in summer 2011, a new job, a couple new friends, reconciliation with some old ones, and the illness that nearly took someone very dear to me was stabilized if not beaten completely.  But inside, I was a MESS.  I had finally reached my limit, there was no way I could continue to act like I was fine.  Perhaps the cliché that God changes your heart when you come to the end of yourself has some truth, after all.  My parents, of course, had been well aware of how I was really doing for months (some kind of parent radar, I don’t know how they do it), and had been trying to get me to talk about it.  I, naturally, wouldn’t; but when everything finally imploded, they were right there to help me pull through it. 

But it was a couple months into 2012 before I really got my mojo back—actually at the time I was starting this blog.  And when I finally came back, I came BACK.  It was like waking up from a horrid dream and remembering who I was before—but with a bit more maturity and experience.  My hope, faith, joy, contentment all became as much a part of me as if they’d never gone. 

Which was why, as I tried to talk a friend through a really tough situation the other day, and they accused me of feeding them “hopeful nonsense”, I was slightly taken aback.   It got me thinking on hope and whether it really is nonsensical.

I came to the conclusion that yeah, it really is.  Knowing the stats, knowing how the world works, knowing that bad things happen ALL the time to good people….it is logically a crazy idea to honestly believe everything will work out in the end.  And that’s where hope and faith come in.  Hebrews says faith is “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”.  And it’s all based on Jeremiah 29:11—God’s promise that He has good plans for you, not evil ones. 

Oh.  And I have one thing to say to those who call faith a crutch: I’ve been on both sides of this thing now, faith and hopelessness.  Giving up hope is easier.  Holding on to something you can’t see is no crutch; it takes more strength than simply throwing one’s hands up and saying, “my life is going to hell, whatever.  I don’t care.”  So next time you’re tempted to call someone weak for believing in something they can’t see or hear or touch:

DON’T.

They’ll just laugh at your ignorance.

All that to say, yes.  We should be nonsensically hopeful.  You know why?  Because we have an “in” with the Creator of the Universe.  He loves us passionately, unconditionally, deeply; He wants the best for us.  And He can make it happen. 

So hope.  Have faith.  Be crazy in your determination to never give up believing.  Go make them wonder why the heck you’re still certain of your future when everything is falling apart.  Then when they ask, tell them of the God who loves you more than life itself, and Who gives you hope that is completely crazy, it’s so strong. 

Give It Up

There’s a type of monkey that is easily trapped—it’s kind of an ingenious idea, really.  The trap involves  a jar of peanuts that is just large enough for the monkey to get his hand into.  He grabs a handful of peanuts—and refuses to let go.  Then the monkey is easily caught or killed, while all he has to do to escape is let go of the peanuts and withdraw his hand from the jar.

Isn’t that how we are sometimes?  We grab hold of something we want—a dream, a desire, a possession—and we steadfastly refuse to let go, no matter WHAT.  Society has even glorified the idea for us—the concept of “not letting go” of something important is considered a noble one.  Don’t get me wrong, determination is an admirable trait, and it has its place; but I’d like to suggest a radical, maybe slightly crazy idea regarding our desires and dreams:

Give them up.

You heard me right; let them go.

I can already hear the clamoring of angry protests: what about hard work?  What about accomplishment?  You honestly think we should all be lazy and apathetic? How can you even consider the idea of asking people to give up their deepest desires and lifelong dreams??

Before you stone me, let me explain.

Remember the monkey and the peanuts?  Often we hold so tight to what we want that it does us harm.  It distracts us, traps us, leaves us open to attack from the Enemy of our souls.  I know; not because I’ve witnessed it, but because I’ve experienced it.  I have grabbed on to a particular dream and steadfastly refused to let it go, trying to make it happen whenever possible—and becoming more and more discouraged every year that passed without that dream coming true.  I have neglected other vastly important aspects of my life while chasing something I cannot right now HAVE.

I have been that monkey.

And here is what I have recently learned.  Everything comes down to trust: if we are close to our Father in heaven, if we are constantly tethered to Him by prayer, praise, and His Word, if our will is HIS will—then the desires we have have been put there by HIM.  What does that mean?  It means those desires are very likely part of His plan for us, and will probably come to pass at some point.

But WE have to stay out of the way.

We have to let go and trust.  Because like Abraham and Sarah, if we try to jump the gun and make it happen ourselves, we’ll only make a mess of our dreams.

Give them to your Father, He’s much better at making dreams come true than you are.

And when He gives you that dream, that opportunity, when it’s time, and He tells you to move, NOW: that’s where determination comes in.  When you feel His release, His blessing on an opportunity, take it and run, and don’t you dare stop until you accomplish it.

Don’t stop working, don’t stop hoping, and don’t stop obeying.

As to MY particular dream, I’m still waiting.  So I’m not telling you to do something that I’m not right in the middle of struggling through myself.

Be encouraged, friends, He has your best interests at heart.  Give your dreams to Him; He is a better caretaker and smarter strategist for them than you could ever be.

Trust Him.

The Light of the World

I look the part, blend in with the rest of the church crowd/
I know the routine, I could list all the bible studies in town/
Watch Christian TV, I know all the preachers and their clichés/
I’ve been born again, without a doubt I know I'm saved/

I try to speak faith, never give the devil one inch to get in/
I do worship and praise, let everybody know just where that I stand/
On the back of my ride is a fish and a cross for the world to see/
I know God is good, all of the time, yes there's no doubt for me/
But sometimes I hurt, and sometimes I cry/
Sometimes I can't get it right no matter how hard I seem to try/
Sometimes I fall down, stumble over my own disguise/
I try to look strong as the whole world looks on/
But sometimes alone I cry/

                                                                ---Sometimes I Cry, as performed by Jason Crabb

To me, this song represents a fundamental part of not only Christian life, but of life for any human being.  The necessity to hide one’s true feelings, to struggle alone, to present to the world the face they expect to see, regardless of whether it is a true face or not.  But the struggle is slightly different for a Christian; slightly more….intense.

We’re taught from an early age (if you grow up in church) that Christians are “the light of the world”.  We’re supposed to point the way to Christ in a society full of darkness and evil.  It’s an epic struggle on a spiritual level that we’re not only supposed to engage in on a daily basis, but also in such a way that the rest of the world doesn’t see and think we’re completely off our rockers.  Don’t believe me?  Just try it.  Go tell a nonbeliever you’re engaged in a daily battle against the devil and see what happens.  They’ll laugh you to scorn, I guarantee it. 

I am not a supporter of going around and spilling your guts to every person who asks the question “how are you today?”, and I understand the need to speak carefully to unbelievers.  But I think most of us get the whole concept of “Light of the World” wrong in two distinct areas.

First of all, to be a light to a dying world does NOT mean refusing to interact with said world.  It does not mean acting like an untouchable superhero.  It does not mean judging their every move.  Most of all, it does NOT mean being so “perfect” they can’t relate to us at all.  Part of our light IS the reality that there is darkness in us, that we still struggle with some of the same things they do, that we are not perfect lights. Our message isn’t that Christ solves all our problems and after we get saved we are perfect.  People are not stupid.  They’ll never buy that, nor should they.  Our message is that once the spark of faith is lit, the darkness no longer holds power over us.  Our message is that God is the ultimate Light, and when we allow Him into our hearts, He shines through us, flaws and all.

Secondly, we should not have to hide this struggle from each other, from our brothers and sisters.  Those of you who are Christians understand that it can be wearing, this daily battle to live in a world that not only disagrees with us, but hates us a good majority of the time.  We really must support one another, not kick one another while we’re down.  And no, I’m not one for “CHRISTIAN UNITY!!! WE SHOULD ALL JUST AGREE AND SING KUM-BA-YA TOGETHER!!”  But I am one for supporting each other through thick and thin.  Disagreement is one thing, judgement another.  Let’s stop wounding each other, we get enough of that from the rest of the world.  It’s time we started acting like Christians—acting Christ-like—to one another as well.  Love your brother.  Support them.  Be there when they need a helping hand.  Do not judge them for their mistakes.  And always be ready to reconcile when they’ve done you wrong.

The only way we’re ever going to be a light to this world is if we are REAL.  We cannot expect the world to buy a lie.  We’re not perfect.  We’re not always happy.  We’re not even okay sometimes.  We’re not invincible, untouchable, always strong.  Face it, guys, we’re just like them.  Except for one vital difference: we have God. 

And that makes all the difference in the universe.

THAT is what they need to see.

Frying Pans, Who Knew, Right?

When you see someone doing something you don’t want them to, when you really REALLY need to get their attention, when they’re as dumb as a post and nothing else is going to make them stop what they’re doing, what do you use?

Well, okay, honestly we all know one smack from one of those would cause permanent brain damage and they probably wouldn’t remember you, BUT.  You get the drift. 

Ever had one of those experiences where a truth from God hits you so hard it knocks you on your backside?  A friend of mine calls them Spiritual Frying Pan Moments.  I think its appropriate. 

I had an especially staggering one last weekend.  It’s still smarting a bit.  One of those ones where you realize you’ve been going about something wrong for YEARS, the ones that result in a complete paradigm shift because you know the only way to correct your mistake is to turn totally around.

I’ve known I’m destined to be a musician for years.  Those of you who know me know it’s a dream, a calling, and an eventual career.  Southern Gospel music is what I grew up on and it’s what I love.  But even as I’ve worked at it, dreamed of it, and prayed for it; there’s always been a nagging thought at the back of my mind that has prevented me from giving my whole heart to it: “A song?  God, look at the world.  Look at it!  People dying, getting sick, hurting; they’re afraid, the world is twisted and evil and horrifying.  I want to help, and you want me to SING a SONG?  How exactly does that change the world??”

Yes, in response to your gasps of horror, I did in fact BERATE the creator of the universe.  I also feel really stupid about it.  Just for the record.  But He’s forgiven me, so should you. 

My point is, I realized the other night just HOW wrong I was, not only to question my Heavenly Father, who knows everything; but how wrong I was about music.  I’ve always been incredibly encouraged by gospel concerts, they remind me who I am, call out the best of me—the musician and the Christian.  But I always attributed that to the fact that I’m weird, figured that wasn’t the case for anyone else.  For the first time Friday night, I saw what gospel music does for OTHER people.
and I

The same thing it does for me.

I saw people who were hurting laugh.  People who were broken smile.  Families who were otherwise splintered singing together.  I saw old and young people respond to the music, the humor, and the ministry the same way: hungrily.  People—even Christians—NEED to know they’re not alone.  They NEED to laugh, to be encouraged, to be reminded that even though the world is harsh, God is still in control.

And God has asked ME to be one to tell them.

What an honor. 

If you take nothing away from this post, please take this: if God has given you a talent, asked you to do something, rest assured it is meaningful.  You may not be the superhero, running around in a cape and tights (or more realistically, a uniform of some kind) saving people’s literal lives.  You may not be a powerful politician writing legislation.  You may not be a rich company owner, able to donate money to worthy causes.  It doesn’t matter.  God needs everyday people to work in areas that don’t seem important but really are. 

You are important.  What God has called you to do is IMPORTANT.  You’re an irreplaceable part of His plan.  Don’t waste years wondering like I have.  Throw yourself into His work with all your heart, and make the difference He has created you for!

Reflections

A tree, a star, a park---

These are small reflections of a beauty nearly forgotten by probably 85% of humanity, especially the ones who live where I do. Their concerns are of shopping, theaters, coffeepots potentially left on; a smorgasbord of daily worries and activities that consume our attention nearly constantly. But somewhere in my mind, beyond all these concerns, beyond the convenience of living near a Wal-Mart, beyond the everyday grind; there is a place in my heart that remains empty here. A place that yearns for something….LESS. And yet so much MORE.

A place filled only by being in the Colorado Rockies.

Or, as I can sometimes arrogantly think of them, MY Rockies. MY Rockies, where the sound of one vehicle is rare enough to warrant a look toward the only road in sight; gravel, of course. Where simple amenities like toilets, running water, and electricity are missed, in their turn; but not enough to keep you away. Where “exercise” doesn’t mean driving to the gym and running in place on a treadmill for an hour—it means hiking to the top of a mountain, where your reward is not only lost inches around your waist, but the sheer grandeur of the panorama around you.

Countless trees, bright myriads of stars, national parks so big it would take days to traverse them on foot---

These are the originals to the reflections in the city.

There’s something humbling about standing on a summit being completely dwarfed by the miles of valley, hills, and forest around you. Something fulfilling about puffing your way to the top of a rock outcropping at over 9,000 feet above sea level that makes touching the sky seem like less of a dream and more of a possibility. There’s something healing about sitting in a glade beside a stream, wondering if anyone has EVER been here before, it’s so untouched. And there’s something incredibly therapeutic about sitting round a campfire with people you love and respect, just talking and laughing together.

Yes, my Rockies are the most beautiful place in the world, but more than that—they heal and fill the hearts of those of us who love them.

This is why I love Colorado.

What about you? What makes you feel completely at ease and utterly content? What makes life’s killing pressures disappear, if only for a time? Comment below!

Does Silence Dogood?

Most everyone is familiar with the false persona that Ben Franklin created--a middle aged widow named Silence Dogood --in order to get his opinions published in his brother's weekly publication. Fortunately, for us, these days there's not much need to create a separate person in order to be heard. I honestly considered adopting a nom de plume for the purpose of avoiding any consternation directed toward what I may say; but the more I thought about it, the less I liked the idea. I'm not ashamed of what I have to say, why hide behind a made-up name? Keeping that in mind,the purpose of this blog is to write about whatever I have something to say about: there will be some politics, some moral issues, some faith, some entertainment, probably music and movie related. I feel it only fair to warn you: I am a Christian, Messianic specifically. I am conservative. I am a Republican. I am white. I am female. If any of those things bother you, dont bother reading. I welcome differing points of view on the comments section;the person who can't defend what they believe has no business believing it....BUT I will not stand for hate speech, personal attacks, or general rudeness. If you have something to say, feel free to say it politely or not at all on my blog. Thank you. I'll try to update at least once a week of, but you should know; I'm the world's worst procrastinator, so it may not always happen. :) "As all human beings are, in my view, creatures of God's design, we must respect all other human beings. That does not mean I have to agree with their choices or agree with their opinions, but indeed I respect them as human beings."--Stockwell Day Couldn't have said it better myself.