More from Cornerstone Simi

I thought I'd just jot down some quotes that have really jumped out at me from the Cornerstone Simi podcasts. Feel free to comment with any thoughts you have.

"I want to be so gracious and loving that it just makes the day of each person I meet. Am I a person that loves God? Am I a person that loves people? And when they come in contact with me, do they see that? I want people who come in contact with me just to go, "Man, he like looked in my eyes, like he really cared! He genuinely loved me!" That's what God does for us. Okay, this isn't going to be by your own power. You don't just master up a love like that. You come before God and say, "God, make me a lover of You. Make me a lover of people. Holy Spirit change me. Holy Spirit empower me, so that I can show that type of love to my friends and that I can share the word of God with my friends, as imperfectly as it's going to be. Help me to disciple my friends and let's just see what happens from there."
~ Francis Chan, Love God Love People

"I'm very excited about the future... It's an adventure and our lives are going to be over before we know it."
~ Francis Chan, Love God Love People

"There will be no cowards in heaven."
~Francis Chan, The End

"I love how the fact that Paul talks about it in Philippians 1:6– the one who began a good work in you, He's going to complete it. He has a goal–not only in this grand level with these people, but in each of our lives, to shape us and mold us into the image of Jesus. That was the purpose of the cross, was that we would be drawn to Him… that now being drawn to Him because Jesus is open this way we can now go to that God and as we draw near to Him, we begin to look like Him and walk like Him and we gain His heart, we gain His mind. And we become these people, true humanity– what God desired us to be."

~ Todd Nighswonger, "The Great Salvation of God" 8-7-11

Of love, faith, and freedom

‎"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." 
- John 13:34-35

All across America today churches will be gathered and hold services in memory of 9-11-01.
That is not wrong. The loss of life that day was horrible.
But how many people will also remember those who have suffered and died since then?
How many people will take action to help those who are still suffering the repercussions?
The response of "Christians" in America has not always been what it should have been. We have allowed bitterness and hatred to grow unchecked towards millions and millions of people that we have grouped all into a generalized category, regardless of whether or not they fit in that category, all in the name of patriotism. Responses of certain "churches" have been completely atrocious– people reacting from their own hurt, but in turn hurting a multitude of other Christ followers around the world who then fall victim to extreme governments who wrongly have grouped these earnest, gentle Christ followers in with these "Christians" in America who are being so hateful. The result? More persecution, false trials, and wrongful imprisonment and death for those who dare to follow Christ in those districts across the world, as well as bigger barriers built between true Christians and those we are called to love.
Lately I've been listening to the Cornerstone Simi Podcast "The People of God" sermon by Christian Burkhardt given on 7-10-11 and it's really made me think through some of these issues.
Do we have the heart of a priest, representing Yahweh to the people in this world? Think back on Moses offering to take the people's punishment himself in Exodus 32. That is what Christ did for us. Do we have that same love towards others? We have indeed been called to represent God to those around us. Do we care so deeply for those who don't know God that we would be willing to offer ourselves in their place?

Here are some links you might find interesting if you want to pursue some of this further:
If you would be interested in building bridges rather than barriers:
https://www.crescentproject.org/
advocating for persecuted Christians:
http://www.opendoorsusa.org/advocacy/
writing a government official on behalf of an imprisoned Christian:
https://secure2.convio.net/ccod/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=243

Those are just a few of many options. Feel free to share thoughts or more links below.
I'd like to close with the prayer that was given at the end of the podcast referenced earlier:
"Yahweh, You are who You are and not who we think You are and You are more than we can understand. Would You, Lord, please keep our feeble minds from gravitating towards what is comfortable and understandable to us because You are bigger than we can understand and You are better than we can understand, and You have called us to make You known. Father this is not about us trying harder to be like You. This is about being in Your midst, drawing near to You. We have that amazing promise from You in James that if we draw near to You, You will draw near to us. And we see how You took a man like Moses and You molded and shaped his heart to bring it in line with Yours and we ask You to do the same in us. We do not love as we should, we do not care for others as we should... it is intimidating to think of having to love in such an uncomfortable way but Your love is uncomfortable and it's unstoppable and You want to show that through us. It's not about our ability, it's never been about our ability. It's been about You and Your plan and so we humbly ask, God, would You make us a part of Your plan? Would You use us in amazing ways to show Your glory? We ask this in Your name, Lord Jesus, Amen."

Double Take

*other people's names and scores have been changed to protect privacy*

So last night was our first EMT test (covering the first four chapters). I was extremely nervous, not having a clue as to what to expect. We took the test on four different scantrons, turned them in by chapter, and had a good half hour to sit around in agony (AKA break) before starting the lab part of class (taking vital signs). The tests came back in the room and sat tauntingly on the corner of the desk with the promise that we'd find out our scores right before we left for the night.
On another break I asked the instructor leading the lab (Eric) why my resting heart rate first thing in the morning could be as low as 54 but the one I took in class (after the test) was 78. He said he doubted that my numbers were right, but that stress could influence heart rate a lot.
I said, "Could apprehension over a test be enough stress to raise it that much?"
He looked doubtful, but Murray, the other instructor who had graded the tests, pointed down at a column of numbers he'd written and tapped a circled 91 with his finger saying, "That's her score."
Eric looked down at the number and nodded back at me. "Yes, that may have done it."

***

At the end of the night, the class started packing up our stuff and putting back stethoscopes and blood pressure cuffs while Murray started reading off our test scores by number. (Each person in the class has a number so this allowed us to find out what we'd gotten without the rest of the class being able to link scores to person.) "1. 72, 2. 83, 3. 68, 4. 75..." I listened, gathering my things and waiting to hear number 11 just for added confirmation even though I'd seen the score earlier. "9. 58, 10. 77, 11. 75, 12. "
My breath caught, the muscles in my jaw briefly flinching as I willed myself not to give myself away. I slid my notebook into my backpack. Maybe he was reading off the scores for each individual test instead of the average I'd seen earlier. "Oh! Wait, sorry. Number eleven, 91. 12. 78..." I exhaled and reached for my textbook. When all the scores had been read, Murray passed out blank scantrons for the next three chapter quizzes. I swung my backpack on and took the pack of sheets he offered. He grinned, asking, "So, did I scare you when I read the wrong score?"
"Yes!"

Glad the first test is over. Hope the rest of the tests go as well! :)

Just... juice??

So I am considering embarking upon a new endeavor. One that most people think is a bit crazy...

What would it be like to just live on juice for 92 days?

Now, before you think I'm totally insane, let me clarify. What I'm talking about doing is called a juice feast. This is significantly different from what most people have heard of being a juice fast.
In a juice fast you drink about 2 quarts of juice a day, which is a deficit in normal caloric intake, resulting in you becoming quite lethargic and finding it difficult to continue with your daily activities.
In a juice feast you drink a gallon to a gallon and a half of juice a day, maintaining your caloric intake, allowing you to continue to meet the demands of life.
One more clarification: we're not talking store bought juices here (too processed and full of sugar and preservatives to do much good). Instead, you make all the juices by hand with fresh fruits and vegetables in a blender and then strained through a nut milk bag to remove the fiber.
Here is a link to the juice feasting website:
http://www.juicefeasting.com/
and here is a link to a video by one of the guys who really heads up the movement who has some pretty interesting things to say about a wide variety of diets:
http://www.viddler.com/explore/JuiceFeasting/videos/275/

So, there you go! If you have any thoughts about this, I'd love to hear them! :)