Rhythm

"The song is playing all around us all the time, the song is playing everywhere,
it's written on our hearts, and everybody is playing the song. See the
question isn't whether or not you're playing the song, the question is 'Are you
in tune?'" - Rob Bell

I recently watched the Nooma video "Rhythm" which related God to a song with different parts all working together to create a beautiful, masterful piece of music. The type of music that reaches deep into your core, the music that you can't help but feel. We are all a part of this orchestra, but the issue is if we are intune with the music or not. Christ's song is one of love, compassion, acceptance, authenticity, passion, desire, creation and hope. How many of us live intune with this song? Does our song sometimes consist more of judgement, condemnation, and hate? How much does our being out of tune mess up the beauty of the song that is on our hearts?

"Maybe you have this sense like you have no sort of relationship with God
because of all these things, these ideas you have about what that means, all these things that you've been told about what is or what isn't. And an
infinite, massive, kind of invisible God, that's hard to get our minds
around, but truth, love, grace, mercy, justice, compassion- the way that
Jesus lived, I can see that. I can understand that. I can relate to that. I
can play that song."- Rob Bell

So my question to you is are you intune with God's song? Can you hear
it, feel it, live it? Or are you still out of tune squeeking and making people cover their ears?

My new Fashion Accessories

A friend sent this to me. It is amazing...I didn't even know what to say except "WOW". I am running out to get mine today!!! Gotta look good for Jesus.

Worth thinking about

"The greatest enemy to the movement of Jesus Christ is Christianity."-
Erwin Raphael McManus

And the race continues

Do you ever feel like you are in a never ending race? It just keeps going and going and you never see the finish line? Your body begins to get tired and you feel as if you are never going to make it until the end?

When I swam in high school I remember this feeling very well. The first couple laps would be awesome and I would feel as if I could keep going forever, but then a few laps into it my body would become drained of oxygen, my muscles would become tired and I would become weak. I would begin talking to myself, telling myself that I was going to make it, that I could finish the race. I would remind myself that I had been training for this and had done it a million times. Each time I would hit the wall I could hear my friends and coaches cheering and somehow it would give a little bit of energy to go another lap. That final lap was always the worst though, because I would put all the energy that I had left into it, pushing and yelling until I would stretch my entire body to reach for the wall at the very end. Finishing was amazing, but I remember that I would be so tired that sometimes I wouldn't even be able to get myself out of the pool.

My life feels like that right now. I feel like I keep going and somehow every day make it though even though I really don't know how. Those little conversations of encouragement, the yells and screams that are heard through muffled water. The small voice of the Lord guiding me through another day, not knowing how I keep going. I am tired, my body feels weak and my mind is going in twelve different directions. There seems to be no end to this race, the month is young and so much needs to happen, but somehow I continue and I know that it is not through my own strength that it happens. I have to say that God is amazing and His small voice, simple words and amazing love and hope provide what is needed to keep enough energy to finish this race. When will this race be over and the next one start, I don't know, but I do know that He has prepared me for this one and I can finish even when every fiber of my being says other wise.

I know the Lord is always with me.
I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. Psalm 16:8

Completely Content

I have come to realize over the past few days that I am completely content with my life right now. It is awesome. I don't feel as if I need anything more than what I have here and now. I have found it completely amazing how God continues to work in ways that I will never understand and leaves us totally at peace even when the surrounding circumstances say that we should not be at peace at all.
I mean to be completely honest I am living in a strange place, in a trailer with my dog where it is very cold most of the time. I don't really know anyone except married people and the prospects of friends or even dates are very slim. I mean people are a little strange out here sometimes. I really don't have much money and I work alot.
The funny thing is that I love it. I love the people that I have met and am friends with. I work with a great friend, and I love every minute of ministry. I am also completely happy and content being single. I have come to realize that other people are more concerned with it than I am. I am not looking at the past and longing to be there, but am excited about the future and what God is doing in it. I love the excitement of what is around the next corner and I have to say that the view here in Arlington is beautiful. The only complaint that I do have is that things close way too early around here. Seriously Starbucks closing at 8pm...come on now.
Anyway, it is an amazing feeling to be so content and excited. I think that this is the first time in my life where I am not searching for more or the next thing, but am happy growing in God and learning each day more and more about His vast and amazing love and hope. It is awesome and I hope that everyone is able to experience it at some point in their life.

Newsletter

I am getting ready to send out my quarterly newsletter. It is an awesome way to see what has been going on here in Arlington, Washington with Youth Dynamics. If there is anyone who doesn't already recieve my newsletter and would like to let me know. Send me an email and I will get you on my mailing list. It is a great way to stay connected and know what our prayer needs are up here also. Email me at jmaher@yd.org if you are interested.

I also send out periodic email updates, if you are interested in recieving those let me know and I will get you on that list.

There are awesome things happening here and I don't want you to miss out.

Passion

How is it that some people can live with what seems like no passions in life at all? How can a person live and just not care about anything at all? What drives this person? What makes them get up day after day? I just don't understand.