burning. [continually]

"As soon as you stop learning, you stop growing. And as soon as you stop growing, you start dying. ...The goal is to continually learn." -Kris Vallotton

Continually learning keeps us alive and wholly healthy to who God created us to be. It empowers us to live out what He uniquely destined each of us to do.

Learning, getting strrrrrrrrrrrrrrretched, growing...it's so purposeful!
Keep pressin in...

YOU were born to do great things...So what are you learning as this new year is underway? How will you keep growing?

You manage you.
Take responsibility. It's up to you to keep your fire burning.

Ask God how to keep it burning. Ask Him to show you what to press into.

There are endless possibilities ahead that can turn into world changing realities if you choose to learn, grow, and move with God...

blue skies, megaphones, and spotlights.

Blue skies smiling at me::Nothing but blue skies do I see::Bluebirds singing a song::Nothing but bluebirds from now on::Never saw the sun shining so bright::Never saw things going so right::Noticing the days hurrying by::When you're in love my how they fly::Blue days all of them gone::Nothing but blue skies from now on:: "Blue Skies" written by Irving Berlin

Thank you, Mr. Berlin, for this toe tappin' tune indeed.

There is a certain irony to jamming out to this song in misty filled air and falling rain; hence the sky is full of clouds and the land is blanketed with a light fog...yeah, no blue skies.
...at night; hence it's dark out...yeah, no sun shining bright.
...while driving down a dirt road that has turned to mush; hence you're pretty much muddin' in your Bonneville....yeah, a good ol' pick up truck would have seemed more fitting as waves of muddy water splashed Bertha (my car).

Yet, even without being behind the wheel of a pickup, there was a certain kind of spunky, fun irony as this song was the soundtrack playing in my car to the scene described above while driving home from a friend's house last week. I couldn't help but laugh at the irony of the situation in my car or at the irony of what I was feelin' around me.

Hmmm...maybe irony isn't the right word here.

I'm thinking that shifting atmospheres is more like it. I laughed partly at the irony but mostly because I knew a shift was in process.

Yes...shifting atmospheres...

Ya know, like changing the mood or the vibe of what's going on in and around you. Or choosing a new outlook. Not coming under that dreariness of the day but standing over it. Not partnering with "blah" but linking arms with "blue skies" instead.

Bottom line is that it's choosing to ask God what He's doing in a circumstance and choosing to live from His truth and reality...not the dreariness of what we see or feel around us sometimes. That dreariness...that's not God, fyi. So no linking arms with it. The things we say and speak over ourselves, others, our circumstances...this is what we are agreeing with. The things we fix our eyes on...this is what we are linking arms with and this is what we are becoming. This matters...big time. More on this later.  

The sun hasn't shone here for over a week but "Blue Skies" has been playing frequently. In my head. Through speakers in my apartment. In my car as I drive from one place to the next. Through headphones as I run around town.

Surprisingly, I'm not sick of it. That's good news because there's something about this song right now that God is using to keep me connected to His perspective on things. In recent weeks, there were a few times I almost let myself get stuck in a pit of yuck while clouds of discouragement and depression hovered around me.

But blue skies are what I'm declaring and choosing to see.
 

"Nothing but blue skies do I see..." *toes-a-tappin* Have a listen. It's hard to sit still.

Choose not to give the junk you might be sensing around you right now your megaphone...aka your voice. Or your time. Your attention. Your focus.

Choose to stop shining a spot light on the negative. Yes, even what can seem like the smallest of things. If the spotlight is on those things, large or small, that means the spotlight is not shining on God, who is the One truly deserving of the spotlight and who has the solution to shift the atmosphere into something of Him. He wants to show you how to partner with Him to bring a change!

I'm not saying to ignore stuff you may need to deal with. But we need to position ourselves by focusing on God's perspective so we can release the qualities of the Kingdom of Heaven and change some atmospheres...

eager expectation.

Sons and Daughters of God - Arise and Shine 

"For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed." 

Romans 8:19

a quest to understand purity. [part 1: questions]

What is purity?
How does it impact and influence us?
Why does it matter?

I'm incredibly intrigued by these questions lately and I am officially on a quest to answer them along with many more.

I've been curious about mindsets regarding purity...starting with my own. What do I think or believe about purity and what it means to live a pure life? (Reflections will come in future posts. Stay tuned.)

What about you?

What is your current mindset regarding purity? What kinds of things come to mind when you hear that word? What do you think it means to live a pure life?

Okay, now let's step outside our individual mindsets.
  
What is the current mindset about purity in our family or community of friends?
In our workplaces?
In our cities?
In our countries?
In this world as a whole?

Lastly, though not of least importance just because I'm mentioning it last, what is heaven's mindset about this? What is God's perspective about purity? Truly?  

Note that my question isn't what I (or you) think God's heart may be regarding purity. I want to know the answer to that question as if sitting face to face with God and him speaking straight from his mouth what his heart and mindset is regarding this.

So yep - lots of questions...stirring things up a bit...getting us to think...  

This is just the beginning - much more to come about something that I'm increasingly believing is a big deal in our lives and in our world...

a large man in flannel and his (also large) blue ox.

I have 24 blog post drafts so far. At one time or another, I had a burst of inspiration to write about something going on inside or around me. Some of these posts only made it to the title life stage of a blog post. Others have a few smatterings of sentences underneath the title. I just spent awhile looking through them thinking maybe tonight was a night to dive back into one of them.

  

Nope. Not feelin' it.

  

So here's another burst of inspiration of a post that I'm believing won't become the 25th in my list of drafts... 

  

Today was great. Full. Eye opening. Challenging at moments. Emotional at others. Inspiring. Lots of thoughts, ideas, hopes, and questions floating around me right now. I know that things will filter into place in God's timing. So much is happening in this city. And inside of me.

  

Out of numerous reflections from the day, here's one: 

  

It's incredible how many people not from the area pass through Bemidji. 

  

Seriously.

  

I heard someone say the other day that the Paul and Babe statues are one of the most photographed touristy...things...in the country. (I apologize for my lack of correct words to describe this right now. It's late. Ha.) I had a hard time believing that, honestly. I could see that being a possibility for the state of Minnesota. But the whole country? It got me thinking.

  

Could there be some truth to that (possible) "fact"?

  

Today I met and prayed with a beautiful gem of a visitor from out of state who had never been here before and asked how to pronounce "Bemidji." I sat on a bench and talked with another visitor from out of the country who had never been to Bemidji and was just passing through as well.

  

For at least an hour, I watched as numerous people posed by Paul and Babe to take their picture with the large man in flannel and his (also large) blue ox. I have a growing curiosity about where everyone is traveling from to spend an hour, a day or two or more in Bemidji, MN. And what's drawing them here?

  

I have a few ideas. But that's maybe for another time and for another blog post. Or at the least a draft with a clever title of sorts.

  

Oh, and the word I was looking for earlier was tourist attraction. Ha. Figured that out as I did a little research to either confirm or deny the statement about Paul and Babe's popularity with cameras.

  

Wikipedia did have something to say about this. Maybe there's some truth to their being known around the country?

  

Regardless of just how many people come and take their picture with the dynamic duo on the left, I'm thankful people are setting foot in this city, even if just for an hour or two.

  

There's a reason...

a little bit of a lot of things.

Headphones. (check)

Good tunes. (check)

Laptop. (check)

Cozy cloths - aka zip up long sleeve and favorite pair of ripped jeans. (check...and by the way, I don't care if ripped jeans aren't in style anymore. Wayyyyyyy too comfortable for that to matter right now.)

Sitting on cozy couch in downtown coffeeshop. (check)

Stirred up thoughts. (check)
  

Seems I'm ready to blog.
  

Except I'm not so sure what's going to come out today. Usually I have a destination in mind. A theme of sorts. A known direction.
   

Yeah...not today.
  

You're about to get a little bit of a lot of things. Just a heads up. So if you are looking for an introduction, 3 main points, and a solid conclusion, you won't find it here. But if you want to travel down a windy (as in twisty-turny) little path that leads...somewhere...then follow me...
  

Soooo...anyone else a bit unsure what to do with the fact that it's already August 9th? What just happened this summer?
  

There's a hint of fall in the air today here in Bemidji. I was actually chilly outside earlier today.
  

Maybe the holes in my jeans created a draft.
  

Anyway...
  

This summer wasn't what I thought it would be in some ways, yet I'm quite sure that it has been exactly what it was supposed to be. For that, I am thankful. God is good. He is faithful.
   

Here are a few significant elements of my summer:

1st year School of Transformation wrapped up early May. (Incredible year - worth every minute of time. Heading into year #2 next month.)

I changed up my work schedule. (Creating space for new adventures.)

I moved back downtown. (Love love love.)

Dreaming, strategizing, and getting anchored. (...yeah...this is worthy of it's own focused blog entry...)

Healing and growing. (Lies exposed and truth embraced. Bill Johnson is right when he says, "I cannot afford to have a thought in my head that is not in His about me.")
  

That's a good word right there. (I should probably credit that sentence to Kris Vallotton.)
  

Don't know who I'm referring to? Check out ibethel.tv and get to know these world changers. And become a world changer yourself.
  

Speaking of the word "change" - September is around the corner and it seems that it will mark another turn on this road of life. Transition to transition. Or is it glory to glory? I like the latter way of seeing it.
  

I don't really know what this change all is, I just feel it coming. School of Transformation will start up again. I'm sure this has at least something to do with it. But I sense it's much more than that.
  

I will also say "Adios!" to my 20's as I celebrate my 30th birthday in September. Thaaaaaaaat was a little weird to type just now...haha...but I am genuinely excited! 

  

There really is something about this new decade...
  

Well, what else?
  

I'm pretty stinkin' proud of my all my neices and nephews, but today two nieces are especially on my heart. One is already oversees and serving in the Army. So proud of her! Another is leaving the state Monday to start basic training. Also so proud...We have a skype date this weekend. Skype goes on my thankful list this weekend.
  

I was this close (imagine my thumb and index fingers mere millimeters apart right now) to making a surprise trip down today. But something in me said "stay."
  

Sooo...here I am with my headphones in, good tunes on, and laptop currently covering my ripped jeans while I sit on a cozy couch in a downtown coffeeshop releasing some of my stirred up thoughts for the world to see.
  

Well, that came back around to the beginning of this twisty-turny little path in a way I didn't expect an hour ago. Perfect.
  

So peace out, ya'll. I'm hungry.

likable frequencies.

It's that time again for the top 10+ list of songs that my ears enjoy tuning into lately. Maybe it will expand your own list of likable frequencies. 

1. Stories by Bellarive
2. God of the Redeemed by Jeremy Riddle/Bethel Church
3. Postcard From 1952 by Explosions in the Sky
4. San Solomon by Balmorhea
5. Rain (Live) by Noel Robinson
6. Light by The Album Leaf
7. I Won't Give Up by Jason Mraz
8. Sing by Bellarive
9. Settler by Balmorhea
10. Set A Fire by United Pursuit Band 
10+. You Know Me (feat. Steffany Frizzell) by Bethel Music - The Loft Sessions
10+. Embrace by Jake Hamilton

If you have any for me, let me know. I'm always up for new discoveries!