DaTiNg

Emotionally connected but
Physically detached

Visible lines of
Invisible boundaries

Two of one or
Two of four

Holding on to what I let go of
Letting go of what holds me back

Son of God

In the heat of the day Jesus was led to the hill where He was to take His final breath. As the young soldier threw Jesus to the ground these words he said to Him; "With this nail I call 'hate,' I pierce your wrist. With this spike I call 'death,' I break your spirit and finally, with this nail I call 'hopelessness,' I end your life and your pathetic beliefs." Jesus was then raised up, blood flowing freely and He died...
When Jesus came off the cross, He did not leave empty-handed. He held in His hands the nails 'hate,' 'death,' and 'hopelessness.' Looking at the your soldier, Jesus felt compassion. Taking the three spikes He went to work on the hard heart of the young man. With the first spike He started to chisel as He said, " I will name this one 'mercy,'" The second one He grasped and proclaimed, "You will be called 'grace,'" and He chiseled more of the hardness away. Finally, Jesus took the third nail and said, 'I call this nail 'love,'"and with that He pierced the heart of the soldier. His blood flowed freely as the soldier turned to the cross and said, "Surly this is the Son of God."

Romans 5:8 "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

What if God Really is Real?

What if God really is real? What if He really does what He says He is doing and what if He really can do anything? What would my life look like if I REALLY believed that?
Which would be crazier, to ask a ghost if you could walk on the water or to let go of the side of the boat yet deny that you ever walked on the water?
God is here and He is real, so why do we as Christians deny His power in our lives? We live as if there is no God because if there really is a God then our lives can never be normal! To understand salvation is to let go of the boat but to live a life of normacy is to deny you ever walked on the water! Once you have experienced the power and love of God then how can we ever go back? God is not a great idea, God is not something that is fun to call a fad but He is the most consuming force in the universe! To claim Him in word but not in deed is to lie to those around you, to yourself, and to God. But to claim Him in deed is to not only walk away from the life you have surrendered but it is also to walk into the life God has for you to surrender to.

WHAT IF THAT LIFE IS...?

Let go of the boat that you claimed to have walked away from years ago yet you still have dry feet.

Mary's Story

My heart fails me and my breaths grow short. Death would be welcome. For I have nothing to live for. These tears that sting my eyes and trace my face are my only companions. I don't think I can go on. My strength is gone, so I collapse on the hard, cold, earth. My face is buried in the dirt. Tears fall to the ground and make mud. The sky is blue but all is gray. The sun is bright but my eyes are dark. The flowers of this garden bloom but death surrounds me. Death becomes me.
Each time I open my eyes I pray that all would be made right. But each time an empty grave is all I see, a hole in the rocks, a void in the stone, a vacant tomb. Oh, if only I could fill that space. Let me craw in and sleep forever. All hope is lost and desire to live is fleeing. Why should life go on?
What evil has done this? What devil from Hell itself has wound me so? How could anyone be so possessed that they would steal the body of my friend? I called Him Lord and teacher but not just by name, I really believed He was Messiah. He really was the Son of God. I gave my life to Him. Where He went I went, when He ate I ate, when He slept I slept. At least when He died I had a stone sealed memorial to visit but now the stone is moved and the tomb lays empty. I have nothing left to hold on to, nothing left to remember. Oh, my soul is ripped in two.
Rising to my feet I stumble toward the entrance. One last look before I leave. Maybe God has heard my cry and has taken pity on me. Stooping down and peering into the eerie walls of death... My heart stops and my breath is sucked out as to my surprise, two glowing men sit in the tomb. One sits where we laid my Lords head and the other where we laid His feet. Do they mock me? Do they think this is a joke? My blood boils as they ask me, "Why are you weeping?" The only words that would form as I felt the tears stinging my eyes again were, "They have taken my Lord and I don't know where they have laid Him." Feeling as though something was approaching from behind I spun around to see the gardener. Why was he here? Had he come to cover the evidence? Anger rushed through me as I looked at him, intently watching me. I lashed out at him with all I had left in me. I shouted, "If you have taken Him tell me where He is and I will return Him, if I have to carry Him on my back!" With that I fell to the ground and wept from the inter most part of my being.
The gardener still standing over me knelt down and grabbed a hand full of dirt. Casting the dirt to the side I heard him sniff. Could this gardener be crying? Before I could raise my head I heard this man say my name, "Mary." There was something about how He said it. I had heard that voice many times before. Looking up I saw before me no gardener but a King, the King of Kings. "Teacher," I screamed as I lunged for Him. Dodging me He said, "Don't lay hold of me. For I have not gone to the Father yet. But go tell the others where I'm going and that I will return to them soon."
Like lightning I was to my feet. I felt as if I had wings on my feet as I ran down the path. The beautiful blue sky and the warmth of the sun was my focus as I ran through the garden. A song now rests on my lips and a hope settled in my heart. My Lord was dead but now He's alive, He was gone but now He is back to stay. Praise the Lord!

Little Herman

One early, cold and snowy morning, little Herman was a snoring. Herman's clock sang, "out of bed," "but I don't want to" Herman said. His closet was where he went first, "what to wear this part's the worst." "I don't know what I should wear." So he turned and walked out bare. In the kitchen he took a seat, and he said "mom, what's to eat?" "Whatever, you want, you decide." "How am I to know," he cried. "I just wont eat, that's no debate, I better leave or I'll be late." Still with no clothes he ran out the door, it was so cold he cried "help me Lord." Dressed like that and no food in his belly, it wasn't long till he was jelly. It's easy to see he didn't last long. It was that day that he ended life's song. Herman died that day without visions, all because of his decisions.

Oh what a great injustice, to kill an unborn

Oh what a great injustice, to kill an unborn.

One nation under God our allegiance was sworn.
How sweet it is to live and be.
To walk life's path or just to see.

Oh what a great injustice to kill an unborn.
An act made in such haste you're left to mourn.
It's a crime of greatest proportion.
Ending a life its called abortion.

Oh what a great injustice, to kill an unborn.
The controversy is so big, a nation is torn.
What controversy, please be a harsh joke.
How can we debate, a body is broke

Oh what a great injustice, to kill an unborn.
To throw out a precious life leaves me so forlorn.
They beckon us to give them joy.
They're the future, the girl and boy.

For Today We Fight

The battle rages on and yet I fight,
Though I am tired, my goal is in sight.

I dare not quit for to stop is to die.
My blood mixes with the tears that I cry.

I have decided to fight for what is right.
I will stand true, through this savage night.

Our trumpet has sounded and our banner is raised.
We press on and fight on for all of our days.

It's time to grab your sword and shield,
It's time to charge the battlefield

We may not be here to see tomorrow's light.
So grab your sword for today we fight.

True Love

One day Jesus was walking in the court yard. There was the normal hustle and bustle of life. You could hear the people talking on their way to work or as they went to market. Jesus could even hear the pleas of a beggar asking for alms. He looked at the beggar and his ragged clothes. There were sores on his feet from the jagged rocks which he walked on without shoes. About that time a commotion at the enterance caught the attention of Jesus. A group of religious leaders were hurrying in and with them they were dragging a woman. She was barely clothed and with her head lowered she was trying to cover her bare body. With a rough thrust the woman fell to the ground and slid across the rocky soil. Her hands and knees were now scraped and bleeding but she remained silent, her face buried in the dirt. Jesus looked to the men and waited for their explanation, though He knew why these men of trickery had brought her here. "We caught this woman in the act of adultery. We pulled her out of the bed." they said. "According to the law of Moses, she is to be stoned. What do You say we should do? Each one of the men had a smile on their face as they pointed a finger at Jesus. They looked as if they had just won the lottery. Jesus simply stood there looking at their arrogant faces. A love beyond comprehenson filled His heart. "If they only knew what love was," He thought, "they would understand forgiveness." Jesus then knelt down and began to write in the dirt with His finger. Then looking back at the leaders He said, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." Then He looked back down and continued writing. The religious leaders began to one by one, drop their rocks and walk away. Eventually Jesus stood up and walked over to the lady. He then knelt down by her side and gently He placed his hand under her chin and He raised her face up until the sunlight glittered with the tears in her eyes. Her complexion was smooth and even though she was dirty Jesus couldn't help but admire the curves of her cheeks and the symmetry of her face. He reached down and took hold of her hand. Her hand was smooth against His rough calloused hand. Tenderly He raise her to her feet and said, "Who are your accusers? Did no one condemn you?" "No one," she said as she tried to conceal her nakedness. Feeling a stickiness, Jesus looked at His hand. When He had grasped her hand the blood from her scrapes had smeared onto His palm. Knowing the cross awaited Him, He looked her in the eyes and said, "Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more."

REALizing what REALly is the REAL REALm of REALity

We run from what could be
because we are afraid of what might be.
What might be, might be.
But what could be,
that should be,
would be,
if we believed enough to run into,
instead of away from the pain we might go through.

Live Everyday as if Under the Pier

ocean pulls and tides change
fear grips now closer is the range

pier of fun now pier of dread
tumbling over I sink like lead

wave, poll, wave, hurt, wave
brace, pray, untie, swim, save

life is sweeter with fisherman's gear
Live everyday as if under the pier

How grand is your life?

Ps. 37:4 says, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." I love this verse because on one hand it is glorifying to God which is the greatest commandant and what our everyday life should strive for. On the other hand the first world is 'DELIGHT,' this is a positive word and when used in reference to my life that is a good thing. Basically put, enjoy the Lord and He will give you what your heart longs for!
Now don't take this the wrong way I'm not preaching prosperity but I am speaking Truth. If we seek the Lord with all our heart then we will find him. If we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness then all these things will be added unto us. Really this has nothing to do with our selfish wants and desires but it has everything to do with being molded into the likeness of Jesus Christ. As we enjoy God, our time with Him, our relationship with Him, our ups and downs with Him, then we are being molded into a vessel of honor. Our desires cease to reflect self and they start to reflect Life. But the great thing about it is that thre is still that word 'DELIGHT!' Grab hold of the truth that as we allow God to mystify our minds, as we experience the explosive power of the King of Kings, as we start being molded into His bride of Christ, it is at this point that we find not only satisfaction but 'delight!' God's grace is sufficiant, therefore we are satisfied in His grace but God goes further and as we make much of Him, He then allows us to be delighted in Him as we carry our the desires of our heart! This is crazy, we get our cake and eat it too!
Yet what is more gran than that is at this point my desires are no longer focused on self but they have been transformed by God into His likeness. But there is no less 'delight' in that, there is actually more grandure! Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. How grand is your life?

How to Change the World

I want to change the world but the world has a way of changing me. So how am I to be in the world but not of it?
Last night I went downtown to enjoy the beautiful weather. I enjoy taking a stroll in the park and watching the people. Granted I got a bit of a late start because I watched a movie first so I did not even get there until after 12:00am. The night clubs were in full swing and with it all of the night life associated with it. Now I have never been in a club so I really have no idea what all is involved but what I saw last night changed my view of clubbin. I saw the world, nothing more, nothing less. Girls wore very little and if the breeze blew at all, then Victoria's Secrets were shown to all. Guys were all over the girls and everyone was drinking and feeling good. Those who were not going to clubs sat around the park and spoke in obscenities. It was a different world than I had ever experienced.
Truth be known, I was in a bit of a moral conflict. I understood what Jesus was saying when the crowns gathered in and He felt compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. These young people were so lost they had no clue what life they were living. Yet on the other hand what guy is not going to be turn on but half dressed girls that are just flaunting themselves around in a way that screams take advantage of me? How is it possible for one eye to see hurt and need and the other eye to capture lust and flesh? This is beyond me!
My heart hangs heavy today because my mind is filled with mental images of a mission field but my heart feels at a loss as to how to harvest it without contaminating my own life. How are we to be in the world but not of it? How are we to change the world but not be changed by it?
Lord, I need your wisdom because there is a world of death around me. I want to go beyond childish stumbling blocks but I don't seem to be able to even walk in the park. Change me Lord!

Hesed @ 3:00

'Hesed' is a Hebrew word that doesn't translate into English very well. In an attempt to define the word you would come up with, love, mercy, grace, benevelance, kindness, goodness, loyalty, and covenant faithfulness. If you put all that in a mixing bowl and beat it around for a minute you basically end up with, 'looking to others as more important than yourself." There are several times in Scripture when we are commanded to look to others as more important than ourselves, or we are to love our enemies, or we are to love our neighbor as our self. So hesed is not a new idea but maybe it is more of a revolutionary idea which is not being practiced very much today.
First off let me ask the simple question, why would anyone treat another person as more important than them self? Try to go more personal than, God told me to, but truly seek your own answer, why would I give up something so someone else could have it? Why would I alter my life and dreams so that someone else can benefit from my loss? It's interesting to find out, this question is not so easily answered. When was the last time you really gave something up, "that you wanted." It's easy to let your brother have the last spoonful of green beans because green beans are nasty anyways but what about if it came down to not buying the 160Gb video iPod for almost $400 because you felt a friend needed to go on an oversea mission trip more? Or if it comes down to going to play softball with the group or going to see your grandparent in a nursing home, which would you do? And don't be super spiritual and say I did that once. I'm talking about a life style of hesed. Truly why would anyone give up something they wanted so someone else could benefit from my loss?
The only answer I can come up with is 'love.' The Bible says no greater love has anyone than this, than for a man to lay down his life for his friend. The only reason I can think of as to why someone would lay down their physical or metaphorical life for someone else is, love. A prime example of this is Ruth. Ruth express hesed toward Naomi when she flat out gave wedding vows to her and said, "for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and the LORD do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you and me." Ruth left everything she knew and believed, her home, family, friends, dreams, religion, etc. She walked away from all of that with her mother-n-law to seek out a new life, not because she was so lost in Moab without her husband but because she loved Naomi. She was committed to Naomi to the point of giving Naomi her own life.
Wow, I don't know that I really understand that. Would I be willing to walk away from my life to better someone else's life? Maybe if I was willing than more people would be hearing about Jesus. That sounds kind of harsh but is it not true? Jesus laid it out very simply, Love God and love other people. That's what our life should revolve around. An easy way to remember that is to simply remember 3:00 on a standard watch. One hand points up, vertical and the other points over, horizontal. Each day at 3:00, I'm reminded that my life is about a vertical relationship and a horizontal relationship, anything other than that and I'm losing time.
So honestly, I'll be humble enough to admit I struggle to view others as more important than myself but I am trying to be open to God's teaching. Which is interesting because God showed me the other day in Luke 23:44-46 that Jesus' physical death on the cross happened at the ninth hour which, you guessed it, is 3:00. Jesus was the ultimate expression of hesed when He gave His life up so that I could have Life and that was done at 3:00. Does this mean I run around looking for people to give my life away to? No, but I am looking for opportunities to give to others because the Bible says, we love because He first loved us.

Tapestry

I have a friend named Mark. He is a really cool guy. He says he's an accountant and that he goes to church. He enjoys reading the paper and talking. The cool thing about Mark is that he is always available. He doesn't have a cell phone but he doesn't need one because if you want him, he is always at the same place. I've talked to Mark a handfull of times and each time I learn something new. Rarely does he remember me but that's ok because he meets a lot of people everyday. There was one time I went to see Mark and it started to rain, and believe it or not, Mark didn't get up he just sat there and talked to me like it was nothing. Mark has a way of making you fill like you are worth a million dollors. Actually the day I met Mark, I went up to him because I wanted to see what it would be like to be him for just a minute. Sometimes if the wind blows right I get a wiff of something that reminds me of Mark. It's weird how that happens. If you ever get the chance to meet Mark I recomend that you take it. I doubt that you will ever be the same. But then again Mark probably lives much closer to you than you know. Don't worry about knocking on his door, he's never home anyways. He lives on the park bench near the hospital. If you go by he'll talk even if it is to his invisible friend. You'll know it's Mark because he smells like filth. Each day tons of people walk by him but no one ever talks. You may have walked by him before but it's likely that you didn't see him. But if you ever have a minute, when you are not doing anything, and you are board out of your mind, just try to see the world through Marks eyes. Ask him if you can sit on his bench for a minute. I garuntee he won't mind. But if you do, be ready, because you might just see that there's something to Mark.

The world is made up of every size, color, type, and thought. We make up a tapestry designed by God, Almighty. This tapestry is a portrate of the glory of God, but understand this portrate would be lacking if Mark wasn't woven into the fibers. God made you, me and the Mark next door to be a testimony of his glory. Yet what are we saying if we say nothing?

TrUtH

The smile of your eyes. That is the song that you sing. Even when all around you is dry. He is you and I could have been too but you are here because I need to see the smile within your eyes.


tired toes tell the tale that torment this teacher. though thanks to thy tennisshoes this teacher takes time to think. that to touch thy troubles this teacher too treks through thy life.

Manure

Talk about getting out of your comfort zone. I have learned that my spiritual gift is not going door to door, even if I'm doing it on the mission field. But there we were, in Honduras, going door to door telling people about Jesus. Our team was made up of Jeff Webster, Pastor Augustine, Recardo and myself. I was relieved because I wasn't doing any of the talking; I was just nodding my head as if to I understood what they were saying.
As we walked up to this one house we found out the family was working in the field, so we walked on a small dirt path, which led to an open threshing floor. The dirt had been swept smooth and there were tree trunks lining the edge. There was also a very large pile of... something... very dark brown and wet... it sure looked like a five foot high pile of manure. We walked around the very large pile of... very fresh... manure and as we greeted the father of this family he warmly greeted us back by saying, "we greet you as friends and we treat you as family." This was an unusual greeting but then again we were probably the only white people he had seen in quite awhile so I can understand some uncertainties.
Come to find out this family was working on re shingling their little house. They were making clay shingles that looked like a pipe cut in half, about two foot long and six inches wide. I had grown accustom to seeing these shingles because every house in Honduras was covered with them but never had I known, never, in my wildest dreams did I ever think that those shingles would be made of... manure. But sure enough I stood there and watched them dry out the manure and then beat it with a stick to get all the clumps busted up. They would put it in a hole and pour water and dirt in on it and then they would get in that hole and stomp around in it mixing it up. Finally they would make manure flavored mud pies out of it so they could form shingles and let them sun bake for two days.
The problem here was the form this family was using to shape the shingles had broken. Pastor Augustine and Recardo jumped into high gear, helping this family to make a new form. Jeff and I were left standing to the side fascinated at such a large pile of... Well anyways, I began watching a man beat the dried out manure with a stick. There was quite a massive dust cloud being formed from the flying particles of manure. We tried to hold our breath so as not to breath it in but eventually we had to just inhale a lung full. This had become a very sober moment, standing in Honduras, surrounded by manure and hard working strangers, I felt like God was telling me something but I wasn't sure what. Then I remembered something I had learned in school, "people won't care what you know until they know that you care." I did want to share Christ with this family but surly God wasn't calling me to go beat that... Surly God wouldn't call me to go stand in the middle of that pile of... No, God knew it was about 90 degrees and we were surrounded by flies and... but sure as the world God said, "Go."
I began walking over to the man beating the manure with a stick, when all of a sudden he dropped the stick and bent down and started grabbing hand fulls of manure and working it in his hands! I stepped back and began actively consulting with God. Lord I'll go to Honduras for You and I'll even beat manure with a stick but if You think I'm going to get down on my knees and work manure over with my hands, You had better think again! But sure as the world God said, "Go."
The man looked at me as I bent down and timidly grabbed a handful of grass filled, dry, dusty manure. I was grateful the manure was dry but it didn't take long for my arms and shirt to be covered in dust. My lungs had been adequately covered as well. I began working the manure in my hands just like my new friend, whom I'm sure was laughing at the white man playing in cow dung, but we worked together for twenty minutes, getting the clumps out. Finally to my relief he began putting the manure in a bucket to be transported to the stomping pit.
Jeff had been put to work sawing wood. I looked at him, clean and just barely sweating and then I looked at myself, soaking wet with sweat, which caused my manure-covered arms to streak brown. Then the wife of the family came out of the house with some grape Cool-Aid. She handed Jeff and me a glass which we accepted but then turned to Recardo to see if he thought we should drink this all natural Honduran water based drink. He smiled and said, "I think it make you sick, but I drink it anyways, I know where the bathroom is." Jeff looked at me and I looked at the Cool-Aid. With a silent pray we turned our glasses bottoms up and down the hatch it went. Finally we finished the form and talked to the family a little and then it was time to go.
A few days later we were talking to Pastor Augustine who began telling us about the conversation he had, had with the father of that house. Augustine told us the father had said, "He saw God in us because we were willing to come to Honduras and work with them." Who knew God would have had manure-covered arms? It makes me wonder why most days my arms are so clean.

Touch

dusty rain. as we stand around and i try to talk to you, i see you start to dance in the rain. the dust of the earth is stirred up by the rain. how i miss the dusty rain.


This little hand beside me. You sit there next to me,with starling eyes you watch the world. Things may look different from where you sit but to me I see a little hand. But in that hand I see the future.

To color all the worries away. So many worries & so many fears. I see you in ICU. You are in the down of life but today is the day that all is colored away.

Freedom to Live

Last night I had a dream, that I was in Africa on a mission trip. There was a large group from my church there and we were driving through the bush. I was driving the SUV as we came up to a military check point. A man armed with a large gun began walking around the vehicle and inspecting it. Inside the car were my parents, a lady from my church named Patty Nance, and a couple other people I don't remember. As the soldier walked behind the SUV and out of my sight, I was told we could drive on. So I drove off the ramp we were sitting on and continued our drive through the bush. All of a sudden I heard gun shots sound, I floored the gas realizing the soldier had not intended me to leave yet. More shots were fired as they shruck the car. I flew around a corner of the dirt road only to be met by a road block of soldiers armed with shot guns. As I hit the breaks the soldiers began to unload their guns into the vehicle. Shot gun pelets were hitting us and leaving wounds but not killing us. I thought to myself, I wonder when the big shot will be felt and I'll see what death feels like. I could hear everyone screaming as the pellets riddled the car. I began to pray, "Lord if there is anyway to get us out of here please let it be." About that time the soldiers stopped shotting and they openned the doors to the vehicle and pulled us out. They threw us on the ground and were yelling at us. I remember I had been wounded right below both of my knees and I was hurting all over. Laying in the dirt, I saw Terick Simpson break through the crowd of soldiers and put some money in the soldiers hand. I knew this was bribe money to try to buy us back. The soldier lifted his gun in the air and yelled, "I have not even begun to deal with you!" All the soldiers began yelling a cheering. At that point people from church and people of Africa began walking up and dropping money as his feet. Finally the soldier was satisfied and he took the money and left. With my legs hurting, I tried to catch him and ask what we had done wrong but he just kept walking. As I leaned against the door of the SUV I notice it was now dark and the stars were shinning brighter than ever. I began sobbing as I thought about how God had saved our lives. Patty seeing me crying came over and told me to get in the back of the car and she would drive. I then woke up but to my surprise my legs still hurt right below my knees. I laid there in bed prayed and thanked God for buying my life and saving me from death.

Freedom is a funny thing. Becuase of the Revolutionary war, Americans have freedom FROM England, freedom FROM oppresion, freedom FROM monarchy, but we also have freedom TO worship freely, freedom TO democracy, freedom TO be free. Spiritually as Christians we have freedom FROM sin, freedom FROM death, freedom FROM evil, but we also have freedom TO hope, freedom TO love, freedom TO life. This freedom came at a very high price. it cost Jesus his life, but unlike anyother religion, my Jesus didn't stay dead. Today I don't have to worship God, I have the opportunity and the freedom TO worship a living God! I don't have to read my Bible or pray, I have the freedom to read the words of the living God and almighty creater, I have the freedom to talk to God and know that He wants to hear from me. I love Jesus because He first loved me and while I was still a sinner, He paid the price that bought me freedom. That's the God I freely serve!

Mixed Drinks

Webster’s Dictionary defines, mix, as ‘to unite or blend into one mass.’ Mix up, is defined ‘to confuse.’ Simply put, mix is, puttin two things together. Now I’ve never tasted a mixed drink but I have been known to order my water on the rocks. Mixing is a funny thing, it can enhance a substance or it can create a mess. For instance, when it comes to a casserole or a bowl of soup, the more vegetables and meats the merrier. Also with medicine, just the right amount of chemicals and elements could save your life. Then again if you mix Cool-Aid and new carpet, you have a life threatening mess. When you mix, hot sauce and Mexican your stomach is in a mess. So then, “to mix or not to mix, that is the question.”

It’s interesting that Nestlé bottles water called, “Pure Life.” That’s funny I thought pure life only came through Jesus Christ, but you can purchase it, for like a dollar at any Seven-Eleven along with your lottery ticket. Now that 16oz bottle of “Pure Life” water is pure and clean, good for drinking, but if you were to mix in just a pinch of dirt, that whole bottle of water would be no good to you because it wouldn’t be ‘pure’ anymore. Even though there is 16oz of pure water, it only takes a pinch of dirt to contaminate the whole thing.

When Jesus in John 13, was washing His disciple’s feet and Peter objected, Christ told Him this had to be done if Peter was to have a part with Him. Peter then proclaimed wash all of me and Jesus told him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet…” As Christians we have been bathed in the blood of Jesus, we are clean. Yet there are times (these times are quite frequent for me) when we need to have Jesus wash our feet. This is because we have been mixing our ‘pure life’ with a dirty world. This is actually a very serious problem and one that the church has lost focus of. Another word for mix is compromise. Jesus calls us to be in the world but not of it. We as light are to have no dealings with darkness. God is very clear that we are to keep away from evil and the trash of the world, yet we find that Christians are way to quick to build their house on top of a trash heap. I have been convicted about the amount of dirt I’ve allowed to mix in with my pure life. The movies I watch, though they’re not ‘bad,’ are still full of sin. The jokes I tell, though not ‘trashy,’ are still not pure. Why is it that sin can look so benign until we see it on the cross? It looks entertaining until we see Jesus’ blood flowing. It looks tasty until we are spewed from God’s mouth. It looks easy until we find our self addicted to it. It’s time we stopped compromising in the name of entertainment. It’s time we stop mixing our pure life with sin just because we need a rush. No wonder so many of us don’t know what God wants for us, we are to busy getting ‘mixed up’ with dirt. Confusion is not of God, darkness is not of God, sin is not of God, and a lot of my entertainment and life style is not of God. I need my feet washed. How about you? Is it time we wake up and stop trying to unite our pure life with our filthy lifestyle.

Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

So what is life really all about?

Around three years ago, I had the opportunity to go to Retoca, Honduras. Retoca is a small village way off the beaten path. The people are amazing and the children will steal your heart. One day as the group was walking around the cobble stone streets of the village, I notice I little girl that I hadn't notice in the past couple days. We had accumulated quite a following of little children, each one could take you to your knees simply by smiling. But this little girl was different. There was something special about her, something that drew me to her.
Now my Spanish is very broken but I did manage to bribe her friendship, with a puppet. Next thing I know, our group is off on a Honduran adventure to a nearby river to go swimming, but the greatest thing of all was as I walked down the streets this little girl ran up and grabbed my hand. We walked to the outskirts of the village and as we took the well beaten path through the golden fields of the country side, I noticed a very large amount of trash. Honduras is one of the most beautiful places on the face of the earth but this little corner of it was the trash heap. As I walked hand in hand with my new found friend, she stopped walking. I looked back to see what was going on. She said something, that I didn't understand, as she was pointing at her foot. The bottom of her foot was covered with dirt except for a trail of blood which was leading to a small knick on the ball of her foot. Evidentially she was against walking through the trash heap with an open wound, I don't know why. I bent down and picked up this beautiful little girl.
She had on a faded pink shirt and her unwashed hair was put up in short pigtails. As I held her in my arms she put her arm around my neck and held on tight. There was a distinct smell coming from her to let me know that she had not been taught proper hygiene yet. This didn't concern me at all so l I began flying her around and swinging one way and then the other. It's times like this that God begins pricking your heart strings and telling you that something great is about to happen.
We walked about a mile to the river. The whole time the boys would run ahead and then run back, showing off by turning flips, the girls would skip along and play with each other. Just about the time the river came into sight, some of the boys ran over to me and began telling me something controversial. Now I didn't understand a word of it but I knew it was controversial because the little girl in my arms began swatting at the boys in protest. I began to chuckle thinking this was some harmless picking but then the boys began using their hands to let me know that my precious friend had used the bathroom in her pants. The little girl obviously embarrassed and the boys thinking very highly of themselves caught me in a very teachable moment. This lesson wasn't so much for my little friend or for these rambunctious boys but it was for a very unworthy child of God.
At that moment I was so overtaken by love for this little girl that I didn't care what she had done or what mess she had on her. I began to embrace her with all my heart. Still to this day I can feel her arm reaching around my neck and gently squeezing me back. She then turned to the boys and smiled as to say, I told you so. They then ran off to the river and jumped in but I was left back on the trail still holding a precious girl in my arms and knowing exactly what God was say to me. "I love you and it doesn't matter what you've done or how bad you think you are. I will hold you in my arms and I will stand up for you. No one will be able to touch you. Simply rest in Me." From that day on I've looked at life differently. "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this:While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8 I'm so unworthy of anything good from God but that is what makes it grace. That's what makes it a gift.
I never learned that little girls name but she taught me more about life, love, and God than anyone else. Where ever she is and whatever she is doing, I pray that God would keep her and hold her. Lavishly pouring His love on her.
"Lord, may it be as to You!"