This year is a canvas

This year is a canvas and you are the painter. Let me be nothing more than the paint that you choose to paint something beautiful with.

I have no idea what this year will entail, where it will bring me, what will happen, what adventures I may embark on or where I will go. However, what I do know is that one year from now when I look back upon the previous 365 days that the definitive words will not be mediocre, boring or lackluster. You have incredible plans for the entirety of my life, of that I am sure, but what those plans are I am left optimistically wondering. I have lived an incredible life so far, received so much more than I come close to deserving and for that I am truly left in awe... but what will this year bring?

Again, I do not know. All I know is I follow a God that knows all things, He alone is my compass, He alone is my guidance. I cannot wait to live everyday, it truly is an adventure that is unrivaled by the things this world has to offer me. Wealth, fame, popularity and everything else painfully fails in comparison to the life that is made available to me through obedience to the one that created me.

This year will bring opportunities I cannot even begin to fathom, this year will bring things my way that I have never dreamed of happening and this year will bring new challenges and struggles that I feel so inadequate to deal with. But I know that in all things you are bigger and you are stronger and you alone will be the rock upon which I find my foundation to stand.

So, let it begin.

If I had anything in my hands to make a toast (the only thing in my near vicinity is an empty coke can, I feel as though that falls short of being toast-worthy) I would raise it and say:

Cheers to a new year friends, one full of adventure and excitement. We know not where we are going but we know who to follow to get us there. With every choice we make, every decision that will need deciding, may we find our source of direction in our Father alone.

-kAt

B.H.A.G!

Big Hairy Audacious Goals.

Jim Collin's writes that we should all set big, hairy and audacious goals for ourselves, so I have set one for myself over the break.

My goals for the break are, and I apologize for another list, it's just the best way to organize my goals.

1) to spend as much time as possible with my family. Especially Zakk as he leaves for New Zealand in a month and a day. I want to hang out with them as much as possible.

2) To rest well and often.

3) Recuperate after a crazy semester! This is similar to the last, but there is a difference here.

4) Connect with friends in an authentic way.

5) Laugh often.

6) AND this is my BHAG. I want to read two books a week, and a variety of kinds of books, not just my usual spiritual development, ministry-oriented books. Read a lot! Which means less T.V. (except for of course the World Juniors), just less of the garbage that so often litters the channels. So far my list of books I want to read are:

Long Walk to Freedom - Nelson Mandela
Wide Awake - Erwin McManus
In the Company of Jesus - Bill Donahue
The Appeal - John Grisham
Habitudes - Dr. Tim Elmore
Left to Tell - Immaculee Ilibagiza
The Fisherman's Testament - Cesar Vidal
Paths of Glory - Jeffery Archer

That is a list longer than my actual break, I realize that... Those are just eight books that I have been meaning to read and so I put them here... Whether those are the books I read or not I know not, but that is my starting point.

Well, I'm off to read, gotta accomplish this BHAG,

Merry Christmas my friends,

-kyle.trigg

The greatest mentor currently walking on earth...

The award of greatest mentor on earth is hands down going to my Dad. Seriously, I have been so beyond blessed to have him not only as a dad, but as a best friend and a mentor. I am so fortunate to be able to learn under him. I have dozens upon dozens of reasons why, and then some more on top of that to boot. For example, I'll share the latest lesson I learned from him just this past week.

For those who did not hear or see on the T.V. or newspaper there was a fire a few weeks ago in the neighborhood of Citadel where five houses burnt completely to the ground. The church my dad works at, Foothills Alliance Church (FAC), responded to this situation by giving financial aid, love and support to all the families affected to help (though in a situation like that, nothing can adequately compensate for the intense lossthose individuals are in) but FAC tried their best to help wherever they may. The owners of these houses had never come to Foothills before, but as my Dad said several times throughout that weekend's service, we care for our neighbours because that is what our church is about, loving those around us.

Anyways after the weekend service where Foothills said they would do whatever they could to help these people, CBC news heard what we were doing and wanted to interview someone at Foothills about what we were doing. It was Monday, my Dad's day off, and my Dad as the lead pastor was probably the best person to interview about it, but my Dad asked James, the associate lead pastor (and he's a beyond amazing man too!) to do the interview.

OKAY, here is the lesson I learned from Poppa Trigg. And first, I feel I should write, it's not wrong to be on T.V. at all. It's the lesson behind the story that I was impressed and taught by. I know for me, if I had the chance to be interviewed about something on a national broadcasting channel about something a church I worked for did to respond to a situation I would be so excited and jump at the opportunity! I could even attempt to justify it by saying I am being a visible face of the church loving those around us... but the truth is that it would likely be out of a hidden agenda, one of selfish ambition and perhaps conceit. So what did I learn?

1) I asked my Dad why he didn't want to go in for the interview and he said "you know when I was younger I would think that is a pretty incredible chance, but now I have realized there is more to it than that." He taught me that there is more than being a face in the media, that the point of ministry is not to be seen in the public spotlight and "popular." The point is to humbly serve, to love those around us not for attention but out of legitimate and authentic love for those around us. That we do not do things to be seen (sounds like the Pharisee's, in fact ironically enough right after this incident I read Matthew 23:5-7 and realized just how much my Dad was not about that.)

2) Instead of being interviewed, he decided to stay at home cleaning the house for my mom (her love language is gifts of service, cleaning the house is the way for my Dad to tell her he loves her). He chose to hang out with Zakk (my brother) and myself while cleaning the house. He taught me that though there are cool opportunities, know the real importance in your life. He exhibited in an obvious way his love for his family.

3) He showed me how to say no. The reality is there are so many 'cool' things to do, lots of things that would be fun, but we need to say no to things so that we may do the things that are more important. I am a people pleaser, I have a hard time saying no, but he showed me that it is okay to say no, and that we should say no, to the things that are important.


4) The most important thing I can ever do is just be faithful, obedient, humble, and be in a passionate pursuit of Jesus and the life that God has planned for me. I need not search out the 'cool' spotlight of fame and glory. It is all about being an invisible messenger of God, so that HE is FULLY visible.

5) I am so lucky to have him as a mentor and example in life.

Blessings friends :)

-kyle.trigg

Guilty Pleasure?

I almost feel guilty right now, almost. But the truth is that I find pleasure in my current situation. I see littered throughout facebook friend's posts allllll about how many finals they have, how long they have studied and the counts/scores (ex. finals=1, me=0) lately. See I feel guilty because I know the pain they are suffering under, I see how much time they are investing in these finals. My pleasure is that I am essentially done. Ohhh yes, life is good.

For me to alleviate my guilt I just need to remember to two weeks ago when I had more papers due in a week than the number of days found there within. I was under the stress and anxiety and pain writing those papers at that time, and it was rough! But, now, I am home free, and that is a good feeling.

Friends happy studying, I suppose I will just read (and not text books) while watching movies, O.D.Ring (Out door rink) and relaxing. :)

Maintain your sanity, it's almost done you all!

-kyle.trigg

20 going on 78?

I legitimately feel like an old man, and yes, I realize how ridiculous that may sound... But here is why.

My body, no lie, creaked and cracked and groaned far more than either the stairs I climbed up or the bed I jumped in. My knees were crack-a-lackin', my ankles sounded like they were being rolled by a rolling-pin, my back cracked, and my muscles feel as though I got hit by a bus.

So though I may appear to be a spry and supple young man... If you see Grandpa Joe on the street, he'd probably beat me in a fight.

Hope you're alive and well my friends, staying sane amongst the insanity of this time of year :)

-kyle.trigg

Idolatry.

When I say Idol....

You think of what...?

Let me guess... when I say that *oldschool* word you think of golden calves, images and icons, statues, you say that it is Old Testament stuff like wooden creations made by man, a bygone and no longer a reality.

Yeah, I thought so.

The unfortunate reality is the majority of the world today still thinks of idols as being dead and a bygone of history. But how very dangerous that is. The truth is that idols are just as real today, just as destructive and leave us just as unsatisfied as the idols of Old Testament times. In fact, I would argue (and I have the support of many, many authors and scholars, people much smarter than I) that the idea of idolatry in today's world is far more rampant now than it has ever been in the past, and the underlying issues with idolatry are so very dangerous and present to all members in today's world. I believe it to be a necessity that this be brought into the light, the fact that our society we live in is guilty of placing our sole hope and trust into the many empty promises that these various idols we naively trust promises us.

First I feel as though it would be appropriate to identify by what I mean by "idol". I don't mean the latest singer on that T.V. show American Idol, I don't necessarily mean a celebrity, person or a statue. I mean (yes anything, even if we feel as though it may be a good thing) that we place our hope in to give us something that we desire other than God. It looks different for everyone, it is different for everyone... I touch on that near the end though. Just wait to get there my friend!

I know I am so "preachy" in my blog entries, I realize that, and for those of you that find that annoying, I am sorry. But with this entry I feel as though both Christian and non-Christian would do extremely well to read and in the very least ponder on what I'm saying. It's a hard lesson to see that our society has been pursuing and placing our trust in things that are empty, though we believe them to be our help in the current crises of our day. To prove my point I think the greatest example available is to take a glance back to our history to prove this point.

If the society of one hundred years ago were to look briefly at where we are now, I believe they would give us a HUGE standing ovation. They would applaud the fact that every child has an equal opportunity to a government-paid education, children are generally not forced to drop out of school prematurely to help support the family and the average income of a house is significantly higher than that which they are used to. The world of 100 years ago would be lost in that which we daily live. They would not recognize how we go about our daily activities as our technological advances would appear to be space-like to them... and they would likely see this as a good thing I believe that many of the luxuries we have that were not available one hundred years are an incredible blessing, but I am not convinced that we are better off than they were. Over the last 100 years our capabilities have skyrocketed (technologically speaking), which in many ways is a great thing! But in an equal ratio to this skyrocketing are the skyrocketing issues and problem we face. As our advances as a society increase, our problems do as well, you cannot deny this. That as we attempt to strive for a better life the way in which we try to accomplish this task is the source of all problems we have to deal with daily on a local and universal level.

As I mentioned before I believe there are underlying issues and problems that go deeper than just the idols we esteem. I think these underlying issues are based upon the ideologies we are taught and convinced to hold with high esteem. Meaning, I believe our society has instilled values in people to pursue and strive to meet certain standards to be "successful" people. This is where it gets dangerous. Some of these ideologies are things such as security, status, satisfaction or stability (S4). I think if you look at almost every one of the major problems in the world today they all stem from one of the aforementioned issues. People are taught to pursue these with all that they are, afterall that is the chief goal of mankind (a general term for humanity, not the sex).

This is when it becomes so dangerous. When we allow these end goals to become our gods. In our pursuit of S4 we unknowingly and unintentionally let our ideologies becomes our god, we become dependent on them. Being possessed by the end is what is incredible dangerous for all of humanity, that is when we are in danger of being controlled by what we have allowed to become a god, this is where we become idolaters.

In response to the pursuit of S4 we as society and individuals have two possible paths to choose between. The first path is that which involves our commitment to live our lives according to the biblical way. That is to live justly, to love our neighbours, to be good stewards of that which God has entrusted to us and that our goals will fall in obedience to what God’s goals for us are. The second path is that which is living in accordance to our own selfish, limited-perspective goals, the way that leads to the many social issues around the world.

We have been given the freedom to choose to follow the first path which would ultimately lead to the world God has created for us to live in, where we passionately pursue Jesus and not our own ambition, where we view everything through the lens of the cross.

However, as a whole we (I say we, because we are all tied together here on earth) have chosen to follow the second path. To pursue the building of our own kingdoms, not God's kingdom being built here on earth.

Take a look at the world around us... It is clear that we have chosen to follow this second path, we have chosen sin, disobedience to God, a willing walk away from the path we know we are supposed to be following. From Adam to now (with the exception of Jesus Christ), every human being has fallen, sinned and deliberately done what we know we ought not too. Because of our choosing this path, evil, suffering, and sin have entered the world. We as a society are now caught in this destructive life-style, trapped on this destructive pathway following false ideologies, worshiping false gods and living a life that leads to imminent death with pain, hurt, disgust and suffering as constant companions along the way. We have pursued the building and advancement of our own kingdom, but the ironic thing is that this is exactly what leads to our personal kingdoms demise. The one that we need for us to be salvaged and saved is the one along the other path, Jesus Christ.

We have got to appreciate and realize that ultimately it ALL comes down to following Jesus, He alone connects all the loose ends we see in the world. Without him, we are without hope, we are without life, without guidance and without anything that will help us accomplish the S4. Society has these which we all too often seek to satisfy internally on our own. But to accomplish this we need to walk the path, the thin, narrow path that leads to Jesus and is led by Jesus. Too often Jesus is not who we look to, we look to ourselves, and that is where we become idolaters and have false gods lead our way. When we allow the idols of our time to govern how we live, that is when we are led to our death. Only when Jesus is our navigation, only when we look to Jesus for our everything will we truly reach what we desire in our innermost self...

He is the only way we can ever achieve anything of value, Jesus is the only way we can reach what we truly are searching for... Because we are searching for Him. The false hope we place in so many things (which I have called idols up to this point) whether it be drinking, partying, sex, pornography, relationships or X (that generic valuable which changes for every individual, you know what your struggle here is) always leads to pain, brokenness and heartache, leaving a whole bigger than the one we were previously trying to fill.

In fact, when we do learn to pursue Jesus with our everything, the S4 which we thought we needed begins to fade in its former luster and importance and we realize that we don't need anything but Jesus. For He is the way, the truth and all source of life for us. He is all we need. I promise you on all that I am, He is everything.

Be blessed friends, find your fulfillment in Him alone,

-Kyle.Trigg

Let me use this in my life...

Let me use disappointment as material for patience.
Let me use success as material for thankfulness.
Let me use trouble as material for perseverance.
Let me use danger as material for courage.
Let me use reproach as material for long suffering.
Let me use praise as material for humility.
Let me use pleasures as material for temperance.
Let me use pain as material for endurance.

-John Baillie

A Franciscan Benediction

I figure if I am lacking the time necessary to write my own blogs I may as well steal writings from people far more intelligent than I that have blessed me... In hopes that these words may bless you as well.

May God bless you with discomfort
At easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships
So that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger
At injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people,
So that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.

May God bless you with tears
To shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger and war,
So that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain into joy.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness
To believe that you can make a difference in the wrodl,
So that you can do what others claim cannot be done
To bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor.

Amen.

Eh hee

"Strange evolution, how people have come to believe,
we are its greatest achievement
when really,
we're just a collection of cells overrating ourselves"

- Dave Matthews Band

No Shave November

Novembeards are here.

The best part is, I now have a justification for being greasy and unkept. In fact, I have an entire army of the same kind as me doing this and encouraging me along the way to keep the course!

It's gonna be fun.

It's all about this.

It is so easy to get distracted from what really matters in life, isn’t it?

It is really quite simple to lose site of the one thing that matters and to drift towards the concerns of the world. For example, the culture in which we live offers us so many lenses in which to view our social status through. We can look at life through the lenses which judge our worth by how much (moola wise) we’re worth, or the fashion lenses (no not sunglasses) which, when looking through, we must compare ourselves to see if we have the latest and greatest “threads” on the street. There are the lenses which tell us we have to look like we have it all together, at all times, and anything less than this is far less than appropriate, acceptable or okay. Thousands of voices screaming at us daily saying “meet this standard,” “look like this model,” “act like this celebrity,” “buy this and oh yes, I promise you’ll be happier,”… Yeah, you know those sound familiar. And let’s be honest for a moment, we’ve all given in to these voices at some point, to some degree, maybe not one of the four examples I gave, but I know, and am willing to bet, at some point throughout your (who knows how many) years on life, you have given in to the tempting voice of our culture to satiate that desire to “fit.”

Please don’t think for a moment that I am speaking down to you. Trust me, I have done, and still do, and unfortunately (as I am human) will continue to fall for these stupid temptations over, and over again. I have tried the money game, the fame game, the clothing game, the sporting game, the popular game, and I have sucked at everyone of them, I have lost them all, not even been close to the king of any of them… BUT, I did learn one thing, they are all futile, they are all useless, they lead to nothing but complete emptiness.

The more I have attempted to view myself through the eyes of the world, the more I have come to a realization of one thing, which is, it leads to nothing. I need to view myself through the lens of the cross.

A professor at my school spoke in chapel last week about how everything we do must be centred on the cross. For chapel, he placed a cross directly in front of himself, at the front of the stage. It was a little uncharacteristic of an Ambrose chapel speaker to have a cross directly in front of him, in fact, to be honest it was a little intrusive to his personal space, but isn’t that just the point? That the cross should be at the very forefront of our minds so that no matter what we do, we say, or anything we see, the cross should be at the very front of that, before that? (I unfortunately due to feeling ill wasn’t at the chapel, so all of that was relayed to me by friends who were there)

When we look at ourselves we must see ourselves through the eyes of Christ, the eyes of the man who gave His very life to forgive us, to be in relationship with us, to have us follow Him. We have got to! When we try to judge our value, we must use the cross as the weigh scale, in that if it doesn’t line up, hold to, and work with the cross, it’s not worth having in our lives. If what we’re focusing on isn’t focused (in some way or another) the message of the cross, I sometimes wonder is it truly worth out time? I’m not saying everything else is bad, far from it, "for physical training is of some value", what I’m trying to say is that we must remember that our number one priority has absolutely got to be the cross. If other things are hindering the cross from being our central focus, if other things are blocking our eyes view on the cross, if things are in the way at all, they have got to be dealt with.

First and foremost, above all else lies the message of the cross. When we look at ourselves we have got to see the body that Christ died on the cross to save, when we look at friends, when we look at enemies, when we do our homework, when we work, when we play, when we lay down to go to sleep, we must keep at the forefront of our minds the cross.

-kyle.trigg

The Search

Something I found on my computer from years and years and years ago. Thought I'd share it

The Search

He searches, searches in vain
Willing to do everything but surrender
He is too wrapped up in the world to abandon it
But that is exactly what he needs to do.
So he searches, but he does so half heartedly.
He goes through the motions afraid of what he might find.
He looks like the model man
But only he knows what it is like to be in his shoes.
To be behind the mask.
To be the hypocrite that nobody knows.
He needs to surrender, but He is afraid of the unknown.
So he searches, searches in vain.

Huh... I wonder how many people can relate to that. Faking where you are at, pretending to have it all going on, but truly being scared to death of admitting the reality that you don't, and being scared of letting go and letting God take control.

-kyle.trigg

It's been a long while, I know

I just went to my blog and realized I haven't published anything since April. What a shame that is! You may look at that as an indication of how busy I am, which is extremely, but nonetheless, it's a misfortune that I haven't published anything on here for so long.

However, I have been writing. I have lots of neat things saved onto my computer, even drafts on my blog that are just awaiting editing before I post them on here, and I have some unfinished thoughts floating in my head that will (hopefully) very soon arrive on this here blog.

For the meantime, I think I have come to the conclusion that in life, I am too busy. I have too much going on, too many things I have committed myself too, and too many things occupying my time. They are all very good things, which is the struggle, but there are far too many. I realized this over the weekend when in conversation, nearly everytime the topic of how many things I am involved in and how busy I am came up, which is a tragedy really.

I think this is dangerous, being as busy as I am. In some ways I guess it's good, the good ole cliche of how being busy "keeps me out of trouble" which is true, I do not even have time to get in trouble. So I suppose I'm thankful for that. But, there is also dangers involved, and that is what I am starting to realize.

Wish I could expand on this thought a whole lot more, but I have a book that doesn't read itself! I think I am going to try to be more intentional and dilligent about writing on here. As an external processor (and a very, very obvious E.P., as in you'll be hard pressed to find someone that processes more externally than I) this is a good way for me to see what is truly going on upstairs. Most of the time I have thoughts floating in my head, and I am not even aware they are there until I start to write... Maybe, this is the truly best formula for me to stay sane?

Oh, and P.S. if I were to listen to the news, I would probably have H1N1, a super bug, something wrong in my lungs, an aneurism, a broken rib, and tore my ACL... At least, that's how I feel - I feel terrible! My head is very near explosion, I'm afraid. Got a nasty cough, my knees be hurtin' that's for certain, and my back hurts too! Oh the joys of being a student and an athlete, who is (ironically) too busy to sleep enough, which leads to me being sick. But that's okay, my life is completely full of joy because of what I get to do, just at times I get overwhelmed with all of my commitments, so I need to write about it to stay sane.

-kyle.trigg

Pet Peeve.

I'm in class right meow, which is generally a great class. The content is fascinating, the material is well delivered, I have great friends in this class, really I don't have any complaints... except one...

The professor clears his throat every ten seconds. It's actually ridiculous. He has his water bottle in his hand daily... SHOULDN'T THAT HELP?! Or clearing your throat six times within the last minute... SHOULDN'T THAT HELP TOO?!?!

Woe is me.
Woe is me.

I so wish he wouldn't, it's distracting, and so frustrating... ugh, I think it would be fair to say it is my pet peeve.

(he just had a triple throat clearing)

Have a day full of happiness :)

-kAt

That puddy on the ground, was my brain.

I wish I had more time to blog.

But if you look carefully under the cubicle I frequently sit at in the library(it's tremendously annoying, it rattles and makes far too much noise.. We tried to glue it back to a normal cubicle with gum, t'was a sufficient temporary fix.)

I just want to leave it at this:

Supply, Support, and Sustain me.

You and I both know I need it desperately.

You're cool God, I love you and I say thank-you in advance.

-kAt

World Religions.

So much potential.

That is oh so wasted.

This class truly is a shame. I have taken classes that I do not particularly enjoy (ahem, high school years... but math, science, french... not my cup 'o' tea) and even in University there are some courses that are not my favourite (Hello Effective Writing and World Civilizations) but I have never taken a class that actually makes me angry.

It's not because the content is so bad that it leads to the evoking of anger... It's because there is SO much untapped potential in this class. The first day of this class there was probably about fifty people sporadically placed around the class there are now (let me scan the classroom and check...) 14 students, all of which are in the very last row on their laptops. Student X, remaining unnamed for their safety ;), is playing FreeCell, Student Y to my right, remaining anonymous for the aforementioned reason, is on facebook, and every other student I can see is fooling around on their computer to some extent. This class is painfully pathetic and horribly heinous!

It's so frustrating because I think it could be fantastic. Not to mention it's at 8:15 - ew.

Such a cryin', cryin', cryin' shame... My ode to Jack Johnson. WHOM by the way is one dreamy man... in a heterosexual way... He is as dreamy as they come.

Signed,

Bored in the backrow.

RE.

"And what was said to the rose to make it unfold, was said to me here in my chest" - David Crowder Band

"Re" seems to be a recurring (aha!) theme in my life lately. So many words that begin with those two commonly used letters are so applicable and appropriate for how I am currently feeling in my life.

I feel refreshed, rejuvenated, relieved, renewed, etc... I feel new, I feel alive. I have had a sudden inrush of passion, love, joy, excitement and general zeal for life. I have never felt better. It has got me to thinking of how God works in lives. Last semester was a rough one for me. Feelings of apathy determined what I did with myself. I was not overly motivated to do much with myself, I felt as though maintaining status quo with my life was perfectly acceptable. I did not have much desire to strive for more. But then I did the best thing for myself that I have done in months, something that was severely lacking within my personal life, and that is reading the Bible.

It is an incredible thing to see how spending regular time in the bible has had a direct influence on the course of my life. Regular time in the bible seems like such a natural thing to do as a Christian and just what everyone should always do, but lately I have seen more and more in my current situation that there is a decreasing number of individuals in regular scripture study. OH what they are missing out on!

I have never felt so impassioned and alive in my life than I have lately. God has opened His flood gates into the centre of my soul, and let me be the first to say, it is incredible! The word of God is moving in me, transforming me, and changing me daily. Life has become an adventure, a journey, an experience again... I am alive with excitement for where I am going and what is happening within me!

I have come to the realization that I am not meant to be a mediocre man, nor do I desire to be. I am not going to have a mediocre life, a mediocre ministry, or mediocre anything. Mediocrity is not good enough for me, it is not what I want... I want extraordinary, phenomenal, and unprecedented impact. I know that this is only possible through one means, and that is God. I have nothing without Him, He is what I need, what I seek after, what I desire... I want God to use me. I know that on a biological level I am no different than any other human on earth... but that does not limit me to a life the same as everyone else.

I know that God has big plans for my life, I know that beyond a shadow of a doubt. I have had two incidents that could have very easily taken my life, medical experts would say I should no longer be "kickin" it on mother earth... yet here I am. God has a plan for my life, Jeremiah 29 promises me that. But with that said I think that to whom much is given, much is required... I have been given infinitely more than I could have ever hoped for, which is an incredible blessing... But I also think it means that infinitely more is going to be required of me, and has been required of me. I feel as though I never have any right to be prideful again (I am unfortunately, because I have so much "ugly!") but I know that anything I have in this world, what I think I have, is a direct blessing, gift, and privilege from God. Something I do not deserve.

I guess you can call me a man on a mission. I know that God has a high calling on my life, I know that there are a lot of expectations on me, and I know that I cannot just maintain status quo... I have to be a leader in this generation, I desire to be a vessel that God uses to reach the nations.


I went for a directionless drive with a good friend yesterday through neighbourhoods and on the high way. I passed countless houses, cars, people on walks... All I am sure have a great life, but it made me realize there are many people doing the same, mundane things on a daily level , living life at status tuo (wa-ohohoh, stick to the status quo.. HSM anyone?) BUT I am beyond convinced that as Christians we have so much more to offer this world.

We can and should be a movement. We are called to be a movement of love, hope, joy. This movement is one that cannot be stopped.

In fact, the only thing stopping us is ourselves...

Be blessed,

kAt.

Relationships.

Here's something that has been cycling around blogs and emails and notes and all of that jazz... it's powerful, it's practical, it's real. 

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Everyone longs to give themselves completely to someone, to have a deep soul relationship with another, to be loved thoroughly and exclusively. But God says...

No, not until you are satisfied, fulfilled, and content with being alone, with giving yourself totally and unreservedly to Me, will you be ready to have the intensely personal, and unique relationship that I have planned for you. You will never be united with another until you are united with me, exclusive of anyone or anything else, exclusive of any other desires or longings.

I want you to stop planning, stop wishing, and allow me to give you the most thrilling plan existing, one that you cannot imagine. I want you to have the best. Please allow me to bring it to you. Just keep watching me, expecting the greatest things. Keep experiencing the satisfaction that I am, keep listening and learning the things I tell you. Just wait. That's all.

Don't be anxious. Don't worry. Don't look around at things others have got or I have given them. Don't look at the things you think you want. Just keep looking up to me, or you will miss what I have to show you.

And then, when you are ready, I will surprise you with a love far more wonderful than you could dream of. You see, until you are ready and the one I have for you is ready (I am working even at this moment to have you both ready at the same time.), until you are both satisfied exclusively with Me and the life I have prepared for you, you won't be able to experience the love that exemplifies your relationship with Me, and thus is perfect love.

And dear one, I want you to have this most wonderful love, I want you to see in the flesh a picture of Perfect Love, of your relationship with another as you become One. I want you to enjoy materially and concretely the everlasting union of beauty, perfection and Love that I offer. A perfect love that is unified by me. Know that I love you utterly. Believe it! Be satisfied!

-- Jesus. 

I know what is missing...

Something's Missing - John Mayer

I'm not alone, I wish I was
'Cause then I'd know I was down because
I couldn't find a friend around
To love me like they do right now
They do right now

I'm dizzy from the shopping mall
I searched for joy but I bought it all
It doesn't help the hunger pains
And a thirst I'd have to drown first to ever satiate

Something's missing
And I don't know how to fix it
Something's missing
And I don't know what it is
No I don't know what it is
At all

When Autumn comes, it doesn't ask
It just walks in where it left you last
You never know when it starts
Until there's fog inside the glass around your summer heart

Something's missing
And I don't know how to fix it
Something's missing
And I don't know what it is, no I don't know what it is
At all

I can't be sure that this state of mind
Is not of my own design
I wish there was an over-the-counter test for loneliness
For loneliness like this

Something's missing
And I don't know how to fix it
Something's missing
And I don't know what it is
No I don't know what it is

Something's different
And I don't know what it is
No I don't know what it is

Friends - check
Money - check
Well-slept - check
Opposite sex - check
Guitar - check
Microphone - check
Messages waiting on me when I come home - check

How come everything I think I need
comes with batteries?
What do you think it means?
How come everything I think I need...
________________________________________________________________

...Never quite adds up? Always dissappoints? Everything you think you need has such high promises, such great guarantees. It promises to bring true inner contentment, promises to bring joy, happiness, fame, wealth, it promises the world... But it does nothing but prove to be futile, empty, shallow, and leaves you feeling worse than you began?

John Mayer, ahh I hear the girl's hearts swooning already. I hear some ridiculously talented guitar riffs just screaming off the page. I hear a voice that most would kill to have, and I see a young celebrity who could have any girl he wants, has had so many celebrity relationships, has the sold out concerts every night, has absolutely everything the world and our society claims to be the greatest, everything our world tries to hold up to value... Yet he writes a song about how he positively has something missing, how he isn't complete, how he has everything he could ever want, yet it's not enough. Hmmmm, very peculiar?

I think not. In fact I know not.

In fact it seems like it's becoming a common trend in today's world. Too many people buy the lie that the more you have, the better off you will be. But is bigger really better? I'm not convinced. The more you have does not necessarily equate to the more happiness you will possess.

Mr. John Mayer, John Doe, and far too many people who walk this earth, I know what is missing. It's Jesus Christ.

Our world is pushing away the one thing we absolutely, positively need to focus our life on. We're pushing Him out of schools, out of the malls, out of the stores, out of our lives, which is the one place we need Him the most.

The world we dwell in struggles with greed, jealousy, consumerism, materialistic ways, unfaithfulness, a lack of moral good, and a whole plethora of other deep-rooted issues. In this lost and hopeless world, I'm convinced the only hope we can solidly rely on is found solely in the life and death of Jesus Christ.

It been my experience that the greatest moments of joy and happiness I have experienced in my life are not the possessions I have, they are not found in what I buy, have, or get... They are found in the moments where I am doing exactly what I am callled to do. Place my hope, my love, my all into my saviour Jesus Christ, the times where I am sacrificially generous, overwhelmingly faithful, and serving from a humble heart. Now I admit, these moments are rare and far between in my life, and I am working on increasing the frequency of these times in my life, but I know that those are the times where I feel most complete, most full of joy, most free, and most loved.

John Mayer, you're missing the most valuable, incredibly gift ever offered your way. I promise you that you will not be dissappointed, I promise you will not be left down, in fact you'll be loved beyond anything you have ever witnessed or experienced. You're right you know, you're not designed to feel this way, you're not created to be alone, you're created to love and be loved, best part is, it's free.

And there's no need for batteries.

Truth hurts??? I think it brings forth freedom.

It's funny.

The truth hurts has become a cliche of this day and age... I think that the only reason the truth hurts is because oftentimes we lie, disguise, or avoid the truth. We avoid things that may 'rub us the wrong way' hoping that it will disappear but we all know that never happens... We may temporarily avoid the uncomfortable feelings that the truth may bring our way... But avoiding the stitch will rarely bring true authentic joy, peace, and comfort into the centre of our souls.

A great example is avoiding the basic hygiene practice of brushing your teeth. Sometimes when it's late at night, or a rushed morning it's difficult to find the minute to brush your teeth, so you just think "I'll have gum, mouthwash, and do an extra job tonight" (Okay, I know this is disgusting, but don't act like it hasn't happened to you at some point in your life! In case you were wondering, I brush my teeth at a high frequency - I'm a part of the cavity free club at my dentist!) And this may lead to a slight tooth ache, and we just avoid doing anything about it. But eventually we get a cavity, or need a root canal, and for anyone who has had either of those, you cannot avoid that! It is far too painful! All that to say, is that avoiding telling the truth right up front is what causes the truth to hurt.

I have come to realize that avoiding the truth, avoiding things that may make me feel uncomfortable, lying, or distorting the truth are some of the most damaging things one can do in a relationship. Whether that be a relationship with a friend, signficant other, parent, business partner - anyone... it causes severe damage. And the only way to remedy the damage that has been done is through telling the truth, the fully truth, and nothing but the truth (My tribute to the justice system) which is so often what hurts. It is far from easy telling the truth at all times, I get that, I know that well. But it's even more difficult to tell the truth after lying to disguise the reality.