LIVE

I hope you live your life as God intends you to. Dont allow worry, shame, doubt, or guilt control your days here. Live on past the constant pesky scrapes that hurt your inner being and focus on Jesus and His Love. Focus on His Forgiveness, and how you are the one and only in Christ' eyes. Be strong, do not allow the world or what happens in it control you. Be Courageous!

Give

Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” —Luke 21:1-4

Give joyfully and do it without expecting something back. I am trying my best to be like the family on Blindside:-) What a great movie.
Also, I just wanna say I thank God for Organized religion. I am tired of saying and hearing all the negatives of it, although I understand being hurt by it personally. Its just that Im thankful for a building, a time, worship leaders, sermons, giving, serving and being served by my family and body of Christ. We are all guilty of being hypocrites christian or not, Over It!
Blessings
J

If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?

—James 2:15-16

I am OAK

INTRO:
My obsession with Oak trees may seem weird. I get it. This is me and everything I feel right now written down. "Keep moving forward" is my Brothers final words. A road side bomb hit his Humvee, his side sending shrapnel through his insides instantly and he still gave his men the one order that saved their lives, and one order that has saved mine.




I wish I was, I will be, and I am an OAK. I grow everyday in slow time but I grow stronger that way. I am forced to stand tall during high winds, rain, in ice and snow storms I can get through. I have the deepest roots of all trees thanks to these hard times. My creator knew exactly what I was before and He still knows what I am today and He knows me and my tomorrow. Its tough at times, we all have different seasons to battle through, and we all have the Beautiful and Abundant Grace of God to rejuvenate during the good seasons. For another Bad one is on its way and I will not know the day, but I will be ready for it when the time is here. In the midst of my storms and crack I cry, bleed, and I also have nights and days that I am afraid. But there is something my creator told me..."Be Still, and know that I am Lord". It takes the edge of pain right off of my bark covered back, and in that same voice I hear so perfectly is my forgiver. In my pain and knowing the battles that have come, and gone, I know there will be more around me soon on this earth that can shake me, and scare me real bad too. Here is my choice to make. I choose to except Gods Grace and for the storms to come as they may, because God knows what I was before, He knows my size and how strong I am now, He knows my final breath. He is in control and when the Storm comes, the storm that could be my last, I will freely ride it home, and for the first time feel the grasp of my savior before me. But...That is all in Gods timing. Today I must grow more, focus and steady myself on strong foundation, continue to root further and allow my Creator to have control. Fight through knowing that with Christ in your heart you have already won the War. Just allow God to live in you and use you! If you are in one now, KEEP MOVING FORWARD. When you are in one, KEEP MOVING FORWARD. When you are not, KEEP MOVING FORWARD. Do not be afraid, and KEEP MOVING FORWARD.
Be real. and instead of focusing on yourself, focus on God. Then you will learn to focus on each other and self comes naturally, like breathing.

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

ISAIAH 41:10


I love you,
JARED

Obedience

	This Praying without ceasing has not been an easy task, and sometimes I really think Im crazy for ever saying i would try. I still have hope that its possible and today my mom sent me this devotion that was really cool. I mean I love dogs more than most things and so it has to be good. Love love Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you." Genesis 41:39-40 My two dogs love to run free. Whenever I go for a run, I'll open up the gate and they both come running to the car. Like little kids, they fight for the front seat, (though usually the weimaraner gets it over the retriever). Those dogs know that I'm about to drive them to an open canyon where they can run free, and they love it. But when I take them for walks, it's a different story. I'll open up the gate, and as soon as they see the leash, they're both perfectly still. No excitement, no fighting to see who's first -- they don't like the leash. But without a leash, they'd run way out ahead of me, or out into the street, and get themselves into all kinds of trouble. Without a leash, they would never walk close to me. Sometimes the Lord allows us to experience pain and suffering so that we'll learn to walk closer to Him. Like a leash, trials teach us obedience. Joseph was a man who knew pain and suffering. He had been abandoned by his family, shunned and almost killed by his brothers, rejected by his boss, abandoned by his friends, and forgotten by his enemies. At the age of 17, he found himself in a foreign land where he didn't know one person, and didn't speak the language. He'd been abused, imprisoned, and mocked. By age 30, he very likely could have been a bitter, hardened criminal. But he wasn't. Not by a long shot. Thirteen years after being abandoned by his brothers, Joseph had developed such a close relationship with God that he held no grudges or bitterness. In fact, he had such wisdom from God that Pharaoh appointed him the most powerful man in all of Egypt. At age 30, he sat at the most powerful place on the planet, and was able to rule millions of people with wisdom. I'm sure Joseph must have wondered many times, while sitting in a dark jail cell, "Why God?" Have you ever found yourself asking God that question? "Why am I suffering like this?" I sure have. But God doesn't give us the big picture, because it would require no faith on our part. Had God told Joseph that He was going to make him the ruler of the most powerful, most advanced nation in the world, Joseph would not have developed such a tender heart, and would not have learned to rely on God. He would have sat waiting for a paycheck, an entitlement that was "due" him. Instead, he learned obedience and acquired wisdom, both of which would equip him for the daunting tasks that lay ahead of him. You see, when we suffer trials, God is at work. Romans 8:28 says that "in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." Sometimes it will take thirteen years to see what God has been doing all along, but like Joseph, we must learn obedience through the suffering. When we get to the end of our lives, myself included, we're going to kick ourselves that we didn't spend more time with the Lord. We're going to wish we'd spent more time praying, serving, learning from His Word, and fellowshipping with Him. Today, whatever your circumstances, learn to walk closely with God. Mike MacIntosh

Thank you Lord for Pain

-Numbness can occur when sustained pressure has been applied over a nerve - inhibiting/stimulating its function. (wikipedia)

I wish I was Numb sometimes, simply because I just don't want to hurt or feel pain. I guess this is common to us humans, and it is more of an epidemic now as we battle these Drug issues today. Its especially hard when we can just ask our Doc for something to wash away the pain I may have in my back and he just writes out a permission slip and signs.
I have a friend that had a wife and has 2 kids, he lived your normal life. Long story very short he had bad things happen to him and now he is in a vegetable state of mind for reasons I cant really explain. His wife left him because of this, and he hardly understands the fact that he has a boy and a little girl. Do I really want to be numb?
I have a dream of having a baby one day. To see my nephew Gunnar born was one of the happiest days and experiences of my life. I cried, I laughed and thanked God for such a beautiful miracle. I cannot imagine having a baby of my own. Do I wanna be numb?
I think the Devil uses paresthesias to his advantage at times. I am no where near God when I feel numb. Its a blessing how God created numbness for when our arm gets cut off, or like when my brother Josh died I felt numb for quite a while. I really believe sometimes its Gods Grace, especially when dealing with death our bodies that God created tend to go through the numb phase of Grief and I know its for a good reason, but what a perversion it has become. To see friends abuse this feeling, and to give everything they have in their lives up just to feel it is a scary thought.

I battle depression and I would lie if I said I didn't want pain. Its something I never understood until I went through it. Just like everything else in this life, and now I think the experience is freedom! Man if I was the first to go through these problems, I really don't think I could have made it through them. You see, God used so many people in my life that has had worse experiences than me, or that have made worse decisions than me, but more importantly they all made it through and were able in allowing God through their forgiven heart to save mine. Thank you for allowing those people to suffer. Thank you for my sufferings, because the pain in my past through Christ Jesus has been made Joy. It has Made me who I am and it has brought me closer to Jesus. It has freed me from my ignorance, pride, and negativeness towards others. It has taught me how to Pray. I have learned how weak I really am as a human, and how powerful God is as my Father. I have learned not to Judge, but to be humbled by others experiences.
Through the power of my Savior I have already won this fight. You see, when we go through hell we come out stronger than ever. Satan thinks he wins these battles and he very well might sometimes, but not our battles, because in the midst of shit and tears we are being made into bigger, and sharper swords. I love how God can turn the worst possible thing in our life into the best thing that ever happened in our life. Of course my God is going to take a negative and make it a positive.



“Many men owe the grandeur of their lives to the tremendous difficulties” CH Spurgeon



I dare you to except the pain of growing. Going through life was never promised to be easy, but by the Glory of God, and the freedom in Jesus, removing the weight of this world has never been easier :-)

-Removing the pressure will typically result in gradual relief of these paresthesias, often described as a "pins and needles" feeling. (wikipedia)

It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. (Deuteronomy 31:8)

God Bless, and I love you.
Jared

A Birdcage Religion

A Birdcage Religion

so slowly i'm losing
who i've sworn to be.
a promise in pencil
that years have made so hard to read.
i've spent my life building walls
brick by brick and bruise by bruise...
a birdcage religion that whispered me to sleep.

but time is spinning silk
that coils ruthlessly;
with the devil's patience,
it binds my hands so quietly
that soon it becomes a part of me.

so soften these edges and straighten out my tie.
and help me remember
the hope that i have compromised.

please be a broken record for me.
..................................................................................................
Sleeping At Last
Storyboards

Please go listen to it or just buy the dang record!

Grace

Stand and be yourself, if we do not except the Grace of God then we do not share it. Its by the Grace of God we are here today, forgiven, free, and have eternal life with our Savior in heaven. The Love of God is mesmerizing, how stupid am I to listen to satan and ignore this Love that fills my heart day in day out. Its daily choices we have, and its daily we have to choose to Stand and except Grace. The work we do without Gods Grace is impossible and almost unbearable at times without allowing the Holy Spirit to fill our heart and void with our Father and His daily gift of Love, joy, mercy, forgiveness, Grace feels like it Gods breath filling my lungs, it is communication with our Father drawing us closer and it is not only internal but eternal. Its a never ending PEACE! What a gift I have gladly received by my perfect Dad, its a gift I do not deserve. Much like the gift of Jesus. Its a gift we have to except, receive and be grateful for. So stand up friends! Live, here and now, responsible, honorable, and God-fearing lives. And also... "See to it that no one misses the grace of God..." Hebrews 12:15

Titus 2:11-12 (Phi) For the grace of God, which can save every man, has now been shown for all men, and it teaches us to have no more to do with godlessness or the desires of this world but to live, here and now, responsible, honorable, and God-fearing lives.

So be strong, and remember that in continuous prayer we present a problem to Satan. An impenetrable cloud will be among you, Hold Fast.

Love,

JARED