Discerning God's Voice - JP Moreland

Hardship Fosters Growth - Joanne Jung

Why I'm Not An Atheist - JP Moreland, PhD

Faces of Addiction

Here is the work of a man who is trying to get to know those that many tend to avoid. It's challenging to think about the fact that there are people who try to make a change simply by developing relationships. It's so easy to walk passed people whom we feel we cannot help or change. But sometimes, the only thing that a person needs is to be heard.

His name is Chris Arnade and his project is called, you guessed it: Faces of Addiction.

But then, I am challenged with Scriptures such as these:

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? (James 2:15-16, NIV)
or

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (James 1:27, NIV)
or

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? (Isaiah 58:7-6, NIV -- read in context)
or

Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. (Hebrews 13:3, NIV)
or


I [Christ] was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ (Matthew 25:36 ESV)

How then, am I supposed to respond?? I can't feed every single person, nor can I clothe each one of them. And, getting to know these people seems like committing to relationship building I do not have time or money to invest in just now. I am just a broke student with ideals, no money and a life of uncertainty ahead of her... How does one live out these Truths and instructions with so little to offer; so little resources?

Lord willing, in God's timing, an answer to this question will be made. Stay tuned as I try to stay in tune...

A Friend's Words of Wisdom

I was talking with a good friend about the constant fear and battle of trusting God with my life and these are the brilliant words she shared:

"Just because things don't happen the way you want them to and just because things don't happen the way you expect it to doesn't mean that things are not happening the way that God intended it to. We have eyes of the world and we see things according to the world but God is outside of this world and sees the bigger picture." - friend

Allow Me to Re-Introduce the Christ

Dried Paint

He creates purpose because He is the Artist. 
Without the stroke of His brush to guide our path, 
We simply move, unaware 
Of the meaning of our existence. 
We fight to create meaning for our lives 
But live with the frustration of never finding it; 
Choosing to be oblivious to the evidence that 
Our life is not our own.
We intentionally ignore the fact that 
Our value was assigned by Another.
We exist,
Only attached 
To the paintbrush of the artist. 
Why is this truth so difficult to embrace?

This Artist is passionate for His work! 
He loves His art and cherishes His creation. 
But, He can only do so much with dry paint!

Why not let Him add Life to this color that you are?
Why not let yourself gently move to the stroke of His brush? 
He sees the big picture; He knows where you fit best.
Before calling yourself worthless, 
Let this genius of beauty work His magic.

He knows what you don't know; 
He sees what you are blind to. 
The reality is that 
This Artist can make beauty out of anything 
Because He sees beauty in everything. 
This is the Creator of art, the Inventor of color! 
Adding Life to your color is what He does best.

So, let Him add life to your color 
So that 
You may also dance 
To the stroke of His brush; 
Letting yourself be part 
Of this beautiful masterpiece 
He affectionately calls
My Beloved.