Jeremy Camp & Gangsta Rap Remix

...yeah, doesn't sound good to me either.
A lesson on noisy distractions

The weather has finally started to warm up and I am SO excited about that! Excited for windows down, music bumpin', drivin' down the road feelin' that good 'ole fresh air on my face!

So naturally, that's what I did last night. I went to Walgreen's to pick up this adorable picture I had printed of my first niece! I'm such a proud aunt!


 

Isn't she adorable!? Such a thinker already! I want to squish her cheeks now!!

 



 Now, where was I?
 
Oh yes, windows down, K-Love bumpin' on the stereo system, wind on my face.... I pull up to a red light and bring my car to a stop. A few seconds later, my car starts to shake!
Is it from an earthquake?
No.
Is a tornado coming?
No.
Is the Hulk shaking my car?!
No.
Is the girl who stopped next to me bumpin' her gangsta rap 20 times louder than I am bumpin' my Jesus tunes?
YES.

Jeremy Camp's "Walk by Faith" had just started to play on my radio, when I totally checked out. I started listening to this deafening music coming from the speaker's of the car next to me. I don't even know if I should call it music. It was NOISE. LOUD NOISE. I can be the nosy type, and I was  trying to listen to the lyrics of the song this girl was playing, trying to get a feel for what she was listening to. Trying to figure out what she hears in this music that makes it worth listening to. What emotions does this strike up for her? As my ear leaned closer to "the noise" my ear drew further away from "Walk by Faith". The louder the noise, the softer more distant "Walk by Faith" became.  I tried to focus back on "Walk by Faith" yet I still heard "the noise".  I tried to focus on both at the same time, that was impossible. Both of them mixed together, sounded like a jumbled up mess! If there is a word for a notch above noise....that's what that sounded like!

It was:

babble, bewailing,

boisterousness, clamor,

 clang, discord,

disquiet, fuss,

 jangle, tumult, turbulence.

(props to thesaurus.com)

 

IT WAS A HOT MESS.

 

And then ...in an instant....with "noise girl" still next to me...it was as if the whole world suddenly got quiet, not a decibel of sound to be heard, that really special place, where God speaks to you so softly.

 

That happened. My lesson happened. It clicked.

 

 

How often in our lives, do we let ourselves get distracted by "noise". How often, do we let "noise" pull our attention away from God? How often do we give our full attention to "noise" and miss out on what God has for us in that moment? How often do we try to make "noise" and "Walk by Faith" work together in perfect harmony, when we know it is just a hot mess?

 

The world we live in today is full of noise and it can be almost impossible to avoid sometimes. We have the noise of the media, calling girls to be a size 0 and be flawless to be considered beautiful. Leaving us to feel not good enough and unworthy. The noise of money and wealth as a measurement of success in our lives. The noise of a busy schedule distracting us from spending quality time with the Lord.

 

I've been completely distracted by noise the past few weeks. So distracted to where I just mentally gave up.

No desire to pray.

 No desire to talk to God.

 No desire to read the Bible.

So I didn't do any of them.

 

 I was zoned in and focused on the base bumpin' noise comin' out of a shaky car. (Really though, it's amazing I was actually listening to K-Love yesterday) I was focused on the laundry list of everything going wrong in my life. Focused on the stress. On the  to-do lists. Focused on past hurts. Focused on mean people. So focused on things that don't matter, I lost focus of the things that do.

 

This was my wake up call.

 

It's inevitable that this will happen. We are human and aren't perfect. Life is hard, we were promised that. Distractions and noise will definitely come. It's my prayer for you and for me that  in the moments we get distracted by "the noise", we are able to recognize them, have friends to gently keep us accountable and pray for us when we can't even pray for ourselves, and quickly turn our focus back to the truths of God. To also, not attempt to live in harmony with noise, to not be a lukewarm Christian. To love God with your whole heart, mind and soul (Luke 10:27). You'll never know what you might miss out on. Is it coincidental that I missed out on these specific lyrics, missed out on what I needed, missed out on what God was trying to tell me, when I was distracted by "the noise"....

 



 Well I will walk by faith
Even when I cannot see
Well because this broken road
Prepares Your will for me

Help me to win my endless fears
You've been so faithful for all my years
With one breath You make me new
Your grace covers all I do

Well I'm broken- but I still see Your face
Well You've spoken- pouring Your words of grace

 

Nope. God's not coincidental, he is planned and deliberate.

"Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand" Psalm 37:24

In what ways have you been distracted by noise? What helps you to refocus on God's truth?

Tim Tebow Crush - Turned Devotional

A lesson on the impact of your husband

Let me set a disclaimer right up front. Sometimes I'm a bit ridiculous. This post might seem a bit ridiculous. But that's God. :) He knows I'm entertained by ridiculousness and shows me little lessons through my ridiculousness. SO humor me. :)

TEBOWMANIA. TEBOWING. THE CHOSEN ONE.

I jumped on the bandwagon a little late. The first time I heard/saw anything on Tim Tebow was when I was at Lifeway Christian book store. I kept seeing this book on the shelf . He was obviously some upcoming football star given the glare thingys under his eyes (what are those darn things called anyway!?) I didn't understand. WHAT IS WITH THIS TIM TEBOW!? Every time I went in the store, there was the book STARING at me, GLARING at me. Finally one day I picked it up to give it a look (I mean, I felt like the book was stalking me! I needed to give it some attention I suppose!). Got a bit of his story and went on my way.

This was about the same time as the trade between the Broncos and Jets was occurring. TEBOW WAS EVERYWHERE. In the news, on the twitter, on the facebook, in the magazines. It's then when I started putting my CIA investigator hat on, and did some real research into this kid. He was genuine, he had a massive heart for Jesus and was not ashamed to proclaim it and shout it from the mountain tops! He loves his mom and family, is silly, and his character is unreal. The most attractive thing however is that he loved Jesus.  (I know, I know, let the ridiculousness begin!)

After watching interviews and other snipits of footage of this "Tim Tebow" I won't lie...a bit of a crush started to occur. (Extra Ridiculous)

It was then that I sensed a ridiculous change occurring in my life. I wanted to have a closer relationship with God, because I saw it in Tim. He inspired me. He's a leader, a leader I wanted to lead me. When I was starting to take a turn down a road I shouldn't, I thought, well that wouldn't be attractive to Tim. I wanted to store more scripture in my heart, thinking, well the girl Tim will eventually end up with will be able to lift him up in his times of distress, comfort him, and encourage him. I wanted to be that for him! (Ridiculosity {is that even a word}is off the meter by now!) I found myself drawing closer to God, because of this guy.

I'm not embarrassed of this happening. It showed me something, and taught me something very real.

These are the things I need to seek and that should be present in my husband, the man I will spend the rest of my life with, spend the rest of my life serving our God with, growing with, and loving.

My husband needs to be a leader. One that encourages and doesn't make me stumble. One that has the same boundaries I do before we are married. Will help me stay pure. I've learned that I can start preparing myself to be the wife the Lord has called me to be. To pray for my future husband everyday, to discover ways to encourage men and be a loving wife when that day comes. I've learned that I need to be me, I'm goofy and I don't need to lock that part of me in a box to fit with someone. I am exactly the way God made me and I should be myself.

The biggest lesson learned. The biggest argument someone might raise is "Well you shouldn't want to do all those things for SOMEONE, you should want to do them for THE ONE. To draw close to God...because He is the Lord, not because of some guy". I know. I get it.  The biggest lesson is that I should crave, pray that I have the strength, to do the right thing and be a loving Christian for Jesus solely because I love Jesus, EVERYTHING should be for Him, and His Word promises that He will give me the desires of my heart.

I do wish this Tim Tebow character was just Joe Schmo down the street. :/

So Mr.Tebow. I will probably never meet you, but my brother, I will see you in Heaven one day, and I thank you. Thank you for being a rolemodel to so many, and thank you for unknowingly helping God teach me an invaluable lesson.

And that my dear friends, is how a silly crush on a football celebrity turned into a devotional for me.

Christians are Super Humans!

A vent.

I've recently been reminded that as a Christian, I am indeed a perfect super human!!!! I have perfect love. Am completely forgiving. I show grace and mercy to all. And would you believe that I don't sin!?

...well that's what some people think. And when you aren't a Jesus clone, when you miss the mark of perfection you are marked-
a hypocrite
a poor Christian
a poor excuse for a human being
a selfish individual
no better than scum on the bottom of a shoe

Why yes, you who marks, you are correct. I'm not perfect, because I'm not Jesus. He is the ONLY human that can claim that.

I truly wish that people didn't expect me to be Jesus. Expect perfection out of those that seek His face.  As a Christian, my number one priority is to love God and seek His will in all I do. End of story.

It doesn't mean that I will always succeed. It doesn't mean I'm perfect or trying to be. It doesn't mean I don't sin. It doesn't mean I always make the right choice. And I don't claim any of those things either.

I wear one mark. It's the only mark I will acknowledge by the only One authorized to mark a person.

I wear the mark of LOVED from our maker.
A forever love that includes sweet mercy, unending forgiveness, and so much more.

Your marks don't hurt me. I already know I'm not perfect. :)