Spiritual Compatibility

To know me is to know my spirit. If that understanding is not present between two people in an intimate relationship, something will be missing. If I don’t feel like that spiritual component is present I will withhold pieces of who I am, not out of a fear of rejection, but out of not being understood.

I’m not just talking about having a similar relationship with God. I’m also talking about having goals and a deep sense of connectedness to humanity. It’s about the desire to work on yourself inside and out. It’s about having purpose and seeing yourself as a contribution; it’s about how you see the world; it’s about compassion and helping others and having a similar concept of right and wrong.

On the other hand. . .I believe that unity is one of the most beautiful and dominant characteristics of the Kingdom of God. And as someone who follows Jesus, I live to bring people together like He did. I value diversity for the beautiful mosaic it creates when everyone works together for a common good. I believe that we can work together for this Kingdom even if we believe different things.

So my questions are these:

Is it hypocritical of me to believe that unity and diversity are a beautiful way to live towards God but not offer the same grace in my intimate relationships? Is it hypocritical of me to require that my partner be someone with whom I sees eye to eye on a spiritual matters when I believe it is not necessary in the grander scheme of the world?

Strong yet dependent

"God takes the wind out of Babel pretense, he shoots down the world's power-schemes." Ps 33

pretense - the act of pretending; a false appearance or action intended to decieve; mere show without reality

power - the ability or official capactiy to exercise control; authority; forcefulness

scheme - a secret or devious plan

devious - deviating from the straight or direct course; away from the main road; distant or removed.

take the wind out of somebody's sails - to challenge someones boasting or arrogance; make someone feel less confident or determined.


When we put on a show pretending to to be what we're not, God will challenge that arrogance. He sees our secret plans to control and they are not the path that he has designed us for. We are East of Eden.

God, expose my pretending and faking. Show me and challenge me to be humble and honest. Challenge my arrogance. Show me how to be proud of myself and dependent on you at the same time. I need to be shown how I cannot do life on my own. I need to know that I'm not in control and I need to depend on more than myself. I need to ask for help and I don't know how. Please help me. Please teach me how to be strong and to completely depend on you. I don't know how.

Thank you Marshall

Portion of an email I received from a friend today, telling me exactly what I needed to hear today:

"I was on the beach yesterday morning, and I noticed how smooth the beach was and how all the foot prints from the day before were washed away. The Lord gave me a similar word. Our Father washes those things that beat us down and step on us away and makes things new and beautiful. It's only for a day or season and He is faithful to smooth things out in our lives or at least give us the peace to look at things that way."

Breathe

"I live and breathe God" Ps 34

God is life giving, refreshing, cleansing, all around everywhere, essential, calming when anxious, in a good smoke, like proper breathing while singing a breath of God gives me power to sing/live strong and in tune.

Breathe God

God, I want to stay with you today. Remind me to breathe you throughout today. Calm me, rejuvenate me, cleanse me. Give me power to live strong and in tune today.

Run. . . . .

But anyone who runs to me for help will inherit the land, will end up owning my holy mountain. Someone says: "Build, build! Make a road! Clear the way, remove the rocks from the road my people will travel." (Is 57)

Run to Him.
Let Him run to you.
Clear the road between you and Him.
Clear the road between Him and others.
Lead the way.
Show others how to remove the rocks.
Show others how to remove anything that comes between them and God.
Let others follow the road you've prepared.
Let others follow your lead as you run to Him.
Bring people with you.
Take their hand and run to Him together.
If they fall, pick them up, remove the rock that tripped them and keep running.
If you fall, get up, kick the rock aside and keep running.
God is running towards you.
Run towards God.
Keep the path clear.
Don't let people get in the way.
Don't let anything get in the way.
He loves you so much.
Let him run for you.
Open your arms.
Don't hesitate.
Don't be scared.
Do not be afraid.
Do not be afraid.
Do not be afraid.
He will not turn his back on you.
He will never abandon you.
He will never stop running to you.
He will never stop loving you.
Never.

Zesty?

Light, space, zest--that's God! Psalm 27:1 (MSG)

Things I think of when I hear these three words:

light:

a smile

warm

no secrets

nothing to be ashamed of

inviting

love

security

happy

space:

relief

no boxes

no labels

opened up to others

accessible

forgiving

allowing for others faults

generous

patient

calm

zest:

fun

inviting

confident

energy

smiles

fully alive

adventurous

spontaneous,

living in the now

happy

no worries

Revelation I had when making these lists:

I have never thought of God as fun or "zesty". I've always thought of Him like my dad--quiet, reserved, man of little words, stands back and watches, not so adventurous. I wonder what my relationship with God would look like and how it would change if I started to see him as a fun guy (ha! I just said fungi).

That's violence

An few brilliant excerpts from Jesus Wants To Save Christians by Rob Bell and Don Golden

"If evil always takes some form of violence, then more violence isn't going to solve anything."

"When people are manipulated with guilt and fear, when they are told that if they don't do certain things they'll be illegitimate, judged, condemned, sent to hell forever -- that's violence.

It doesn't matter what spiritual language is used or what passages in the Bible are quoted, it's destructive. It's the misuse of power. And central to the way of Jesus is serving, which is the loving use of whatever power you possess for the good of another."

Pay it Forward

Whatever I have been given is for the purpose of blessing and giving to others.

"He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and he couldn't bear to let go." Matt 19

"Strength is for service, not status" Rom 15

In Matthew 19, Jesus told the man that he couldn't be a part of the kingdom because he held too tightly to his possesions. He had been blessed, but would not use it to bless others.

In Romans 15, strength is the blessing. It is not to be hoarded and used to become powerful. It is given to serve others. It is given in order to be paid forward to others. God needs us, he needs human bodies to be his funnels of love, and grace, and mercy, and joy, and justice. He gives to us so that the world will be blessed and know that he is all of these things.

When we hold too tightly to what we've been blessed with, we become self-focused, private, possessive, paranoid, untrusting, and we clearly make a boundary between what belongs to "me" and what belongs to "you". Justice tragically turns from "I will give to you because I have it and you need it" to "I earned this, you cannot have it because you do not deserve it. . .try harder."

I have been given:

an education

friendship

artistic talent

love

singing

time

money

a house

a car

a family

energy

strength

health

intelligence

etc

etc

etc

. . . all to serve others.

We've got it all backwards.

I do not own these things because I "DO" and earn by doing. I have been given these things because I am deeply loved and trusted with them. And since I have been trusted with all of this in my life, it is my responsibilty and honor to bless others with it.

Like a Child

"Unless you return to square one and start over like children you're not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in. Whoever becomes simple and elemental again. . . will rank high in God's kingdom." Matthew 18

When I think of living life with a child's perspective, this is what I think of:

openminded

accepting

uncomplicated

joyful

optimistic

unworrying

happy

living in the moment

laughing

making the best of what they've got

trying new things

letting their parent take care of the things they can't

trying to figure out how to have fun doing absolutely anything!

And that is who I want to be.