Reading as Renewing.

So Christmas was great. I have 4 new books to read.

Blue Like Jazz [I've polished off Donald Miller's other 3 books long ago]

Sex God [Velvet Elvis was refreshing. Almost finished with Sex God already]

Searching For God In Harry Potter [I love Harry. And until JK writes more stuff I will read this to get my fix]

Starving Jesus [A book about getting out of the pew and into the world]



I love to read. As many of you know, I am always reading at least two books at a time, usually different each week. One book that I am in the midst of finishing has really stood out amongst the hundreds of other books I've read. Girls Gone Mild is an amazing book that my youth pastor gave to me to read and I strongly urge all women that are in leadership positions to read it. It will make you cry. A lot. But we have to be knowledgeable as to how our girls are being viewed by the world in order to respond to how they are feeling. Girls Gone Mild is about reclaiming innocence and modesty, it's about the undermining, deeply seeded desire of young women to feel connected and secure with the opposite sex and with themselves. That need has been slurred throughout our generation. Casual sex is looked at as normal. But when sex is casual, that's all it is. Sex. No connection. No love. It's not really sexuality at all. Our girls are growing up with the idea that sex is what sells, sex is how you become powerful, and sex is how you get men to respect you. But it is so backwards. Purity is OKAY! Being dressed so that not every single man looks at your booty is also OKAY! Our girls need to understand how important and beautiful they are. This book interviews thousands of girls across the world, and all of them have one thing in common- they are all searching for purpose and love. The whole casual sex thing throws that off and many, many girls get lost in thinking that that's how you become special. And these girls end up believing that something detrimental to their very nature makes them complete. But completion comes through Christ and nowhere else and we need to take a stand on not just how we are treated as women, but also how we allow ourselves to be treated.


Sorry, I'm a big fat nerd that seemingly goes on rants from time to time. No worries. I am not Sylvia Plath and I have no plans of sticking my head in an oven.

Love you all.
Desiree'

Shelfari!

Shelfari is a cool way to showcase off your book collection of stuff you've read, are reading, or really want to read in the future. Personally, I'm a nerd and I am always reading something. So here's a little peek into my brain. It's really important to renwew your mind. All knowledge is good knowledge. Utilize your ability of literacy! It's a gift.

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Tuesday Smallgroup!

just a quick reminder...

we will be having small group for middle school this coming Tuesday at Panera in the galleria from 7 pm to 8 pm. be there. bring friends. bring your smiling faces. but leave your maces/swords/axes at home.



can't wait to see you!

J-Town

Welcome to my Velvet Elvis.

"The point of the cross isn't forgiveness. Forgiveness leads to something much bigger: restoration. God isn't just interested in the covering of our sins; God wants to make us into the people we were originally created to be. It is not just the removal of what's being held against us; it is God pulling us into the people he originally had in mind when He made us. This restoration is why Jesus always orients his message around becoming the kind of people who are generous and compassionate. The goal here isn't simply not to sin. Our purpose is to increase the shalom in this world, which is why approaches to the Christian faith that deal solely with not sinning always fail. They aim at the wrong thing. It is not about what you don't do. The point is becoming more and more the kind of people God had in mind when we were first created.

It is one thing to be forgiven; it is another thing to become more and more and more and more the person God made you to be.


Let me take this further: If we only have a legal-transaction understanding of salvation in which we are forgiven of our sins so we can go to heaven, then salvation essentially becomes a ticket to somewhere else. In this understanding, eternity is something that kicks in when we die. But Jesus did not teach this.

Jesus said that when we believe, we have crossed over from death to life. God always has been and always will be. And when I enter into a relationship with God through Christ, I am connected with God now and I will be connected with God forever. For Jesus, salvation is now.

I need a God for now.

I need healing now.

I need help now.

Yes, even greater things will happen someday.


But salvation is now."


This excerpt from Velvet Elvis is something you all need to read, read again, and maybe once more read it through. For those of you who were at high school Remix, remember when Ben played the video about Bono? Bono pointed out that being a follower of Jesus means bringing Heaven to earth, not the other way around. It's about reaching out to those in need and being Jesus to them. It's about getting in with the lepers. It's about feeding the hungry. Salvation starts now, not when you die. Healing starts now, not when you die. Jesus died for us to forgive sin, that is true... but He also died for us to restore our broken souls. To morph the mess that we carry from our pasts. Did something happen to you when you were younger that drives you to do things a certain way now? I know that's the case with me. But salvation is here and it's now and it's not about pushing to be perfect and gaining acceptance from other people. It's about letting Jesus, who loves you more than you could ever imagine, heal your crap. Seriously. It's about being who God intended you to be... and I can pretty much guess that it has nothing to do with the clothes you are wearing or the group you sit with at lunch. Be you. And let that person be generous and genuine and loving and caring and change the world. The cross does more than just for you. It does something in you.

Engaged!

and so you have it, folks.


Jim Curran asked me to marry him.




I said yes. :]








Thanks to God for answering a prayer 2 years ago that changed my life forever. Jim Curran. My best friend. MY FIANCE. Saved me. And now I get to spend the rest of my time here on earth with him...giving back to God what He so graciously gave me.

Did I mention that I am SO FREAKING EXCITED!?!?!?!

Bonfire. at RayRay's.

Laurelville. 2007.

You know... the only thing that comes to mind when I look back at this past weekend of fall colors, perfect weather, ZUMA ZUMA and mud football...is man, I really love Jesus Christ. I feel him when I am dancing to Hannah Montana songs, when I am painting Erin's nails 3 different colors, when I am laying in the mud letting 20 or so girls roll over me, when I am learning how to do the Soldier Boy dance, when I steal other peoples marshmallows out of their Lucky Charms... I feel God in every moment I spend serving Him. Thank you to all of my cabin girls for making it so easy to have fun and reminding me of how much God values those relationships between all of us. I can't even explain to you how much I care about every single one of you. And RayRay MaeMae ClayClay, I am thrilled that God put you in my life once again this weekend. He is doing such powerful things through the simplest things like Hannah Montana songs. Life is so beautiful. Jumping up and down at worship, shaving cream on Erin when she is sleeping...each of those moments make us better friends, closer in our faith, and we are reaching more and more toward the prize called salvation. And the invisible children video-- keep spreading the word about what is going on in Uganda. And start here at home by loving people that you normally wouldn't. I'll do the same. We were made to love. Love wins.

On that note, I think I'll sign off my blog and relax and reflect on why I am here. Jesus is my everything. He is my life. I am so, so happy that my cabin girls were wanting to know more about this thing called Faith. This is onlllly the beginning of an awesome journey for you. Keep reaching.

Laurelvillllle

Cosmic PutPut!