Love Is Not A Fight

Love is not a place to come and go as we please
It's a house we enter in, and then commit to never leave
So lock the door behind you, throw away the key
We'll work it out together, and let it bring us to our knees

Love is a shelter in a raging storm
Love is peace in the middle of a war
If we try to leave, may God send angels to guard the door
No, love is not a fight, but it's something worth fighting for

To some, love is a word that they can fall into
But when they're falling out, keeping that word is hard to do
Love will come to save us if we'll only call
He will ask nothing from us
But demand we give our all

Love is a shelter in a raging storm

Love is peace in the middle of a war

If we try to leave, may God send angels to guard the door

No, love is not a fight, but it's something worth fighting for

I will fight for you

Would you fight for me?

It's worth fighting for

The Best Is Yet To Come...

By All Appearances

Did you know that all church pastors must be ordained into their positions through an official appointment process? And educational requirements for church pastors vary with the needs of the congregation. Some denominations require their church pastors to hold graduate-level degrees from schools of Theology aligned with the denomination. Churches in well-populated urban areas are more likely to have formal educational requirements than churches in rural areas. But most churches require that a pastor has to have completed a bachelor's degree or higher in religious studies, seminary, or theology. And once hired, they work as an assistant pastor as they master the practical skills of leading worship and providing spiritual guidance. Did you also know that most churches require that he be married, and at least thirty-five years old?

SO...

Did you know that Jesus would not have been hired at most churches today? Whoa...

The Bible commands us to do our best to be like Jesus. It's what we as followers of Christ live for and stand on as our way of life. It's not a suggestion. But before we can really live our lives as Jesus lived out His, we have to look at not only the big things He commanded us to obey, but also the little things that He did on a day to day basis.

What did Jesus do everyday? How did He spend His time? If we break it down simply, He spent His time doing five things: praying, walking, eating, teaching and hanging out.  And who did He walk with? Who did He eat with? Who did He teach? Who did He hang out with? According to the Pharisees and Sadducees and religious leaders, Jesus was doing everything wrong. He was walking with fishermen. He was eating with tax collectors. He was teaching for free. He was hanging out with drunkards and prostitutes and "sinners." According to they eyes of men, this was horrendous, as He was a prophet and spiritual leader and shouldn't have been doing the things He was doing.

So I have to ask...

If I hang out with prostitutes, does that make me a prostitute according to your eyes? If I eat with drunkards, does that make me a drunkard according to what you see? If I walk with druggies or gangsters, does that make me a druggie or gangster by all appearances? Because if it does, I guess that means that Jesus was a sinner and a tax collector and a leper and a drunkard and...the list goes on. Because by all appearances, to man, Jesus was no prophet or spiritual leader. And He definitely couldn't have been a pastor these days by our regulations...

I think sometimes, as Christians, we judge and gossip more than unbelievers! How many of us are just modern-day pharisees? If you were to see a pastor that you know sitting in a bar talking, I bet that most people would think, "What's Pastor So-and-So doing in a bar? He drinks? That is not ok for a spiritual authority!" Why do we so often think the worst of people before we think the best? Why are we so quick to judge someone's actions instead of asking them about it, instead of learning about their heart? It's biblical to go to the person first anyway! If you went to that person in love to ask what was going on in his or her life, I can bet that a whole lot of drama and gossip and pain would be spared.

It's sad to think that, in God's flock, the greatest wounds usually come from other sheep, not the wolves. I'm sick of God's children being torn apart by each other. All the wolves have to do is wait for the blood to be spilt, and then they can feast.

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. 

James 3:9-12

Instead:

   "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

This verse has really been hitting me hard lately. Jesus says that one of the only things that sets us apart from nonbelievers is our love for one another. Which means to me, if I'm not loving my brother or sister in Christ, I'm not proving myself to be a disciple of Christ. Ouch. I don't want to have to try to convince people that I'm a disciple. I want them to know it just from knowing me. I want them to know I'm in Christ's family. In His army. But God calls us first to be a family, and then an army. Because if we can't get it right with each other first, the rest of the world won't want anything to do with our army.

I'm going to end with this:

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

   Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Matthew 7:1-5

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” 

Luke 6:37-38

The Best Is Yet To Come...





Featherfew

I love flowers more than almost anything on God's green earth.

Sunflowers have been my favorite flowers for as long as I can remember. They've always meant something more to me than just being a flower. I always saw them as an intimate and unique symbol and connection between me and God. Sunflowers are bright and big and bold. And they always face the sun. I love that. They're eye catching and different. I want to be like a sunflower. Bright and bold and beautiful. And I always want to be facing the Son. I love them so much.

There's no way I'm replacing them, but a new flower has definitely come up on my radar that means something to me.

Featherfew.

Featherfew is one of the many wildflowers that grow in wastelands and barren soil. Despite inhospitable conditions, they thrive along roadsides, in vacant lots, even through sidewalk cracks. Humbly, perenially, without comfort, fine breeding or cultivation, they bring rich color, sweet fragrance, and simple beauty into the world. And, they bring healing. Featherfew, in particular, is known for calming distress and lifting low spirits. Like tenacious wildflowers, the gifts of Featherfew are humbly designed to bring into the world a small measure of healing and joy. Featherfew shares in the vision of a world growing in peace with an appreciation of the dignity of all people and the goodness of all creation. They're also bright and beautiful and different. I love when God makes things work in places that they shouldn't. It doesn't make any sense that these flowers would grow where and how they do. And yet they grow. And they're beautiful. I want to be like Featherfew. I want to grow in places that the world sees, or even sometimes I see, as impossible or hard or desolate. I want to bring simple beauty to wastelands. I want to bring healing to the world. Not necessarily through big acts. In the small things too. I want to bring rich color to a world that can be so black and white and grey sometimes. I want to be a sweet fragrance, as Jesus calls me to be.

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? 

2 Corinthians 2:14-16

The Best Is Yet To Come...

Happy Birthday, Tyler

Dear Tyler,
Happy Birthday, dear brother! You'd be 27 years old today...that's just crazy to me! Enough time has gone by that, every anniversary or birthday of yours, doesn't change much in my heart. It's just another year you're not here. There's no pain in my heart anymore. There hasn't been for a long time. I've been trying to think all day about what is in my heart concerning you now. How do I feel about you? What comes to mind when I do think of you? It's been an interesting thinking process through the day, especially when I look at pictures of you. I see you in pictures, and it's like there's this disconnect. Like, my heart and my mind aren't meeting when it comes to you. My mind knows that you're my big brother. My mind holds memories upon memories of growing up with you. My mind recognizes you in some way. But my heart...it's almost like it doesn't recognize you. I look at you and my heart questions...who is that? I don't even know that person. Did I know him? I think he used to be apart of my life...I think he used to know me too...
But I realized, painfully at first, that that's exactly what it was. I wasn't the same person anymore. I had done all this growing and changing without you. I had to grieve it for a moment. But then, I realized...this is God healing me. I didn't even realize He had been doing it. I was just living life, because it was still happening. I couldn't stop it. And over time, and through the very act of living, I was being healed. After the initial pain of the realization, I knew it was beautiful and miraculous even...the very wonder of Christ. It's the most surreal feeling in the world. And I've felt those feelings for years now. But it still comes as a sort of shock to me everytime I feel them. Nowadays, when I think of you, I don't think of the pain. I don't feel the hurt and sorrow from your death. What I do feel is...almost like a void. The one place that my heart and mind connect is in the fact that I should have had an older brother for the rest of my life. Sometimes, I don't think of memories that happened. I think of things that could have been if you were still here. I wonder to myself...what would you be like? Would you have been married? Would I have been an aunt by now? I've heard from many people how much I remind them of you, and I know in my heart that we would have had many incredible conversations about God and life and men and love and hurt and the future. From all that I've heard about the Tyler I didn't have much time to see because you died, I know that we would have had many of the same beliefs and outlooks and passions. I know you would have been "the man" in my life that protected me and looked out for me. I wonder what painful experiences in my life could have been avoided had you been there to point truths out to me that I was blind or biased to. I wonder what mistakes I wouldn't have made had you been there to stop me as an older brother would. I wonder who would or wouldn't be in my life had you been there to tell them who I really am and how I deserved to be treated because I was your sister, and a daughter of God. I know that you would have defended me and my heart, even when I couldn't. I know we would have gotten into many more fights. I know we would have laughed a whole lot more. I know we would have shared a million more memories as young adults, and then as real adults. I know that you would have become more important to me than almost anyone in my life. I know that you'd be proud of me. So much has happened in my life since you beat me Home. And I wish so much that I could have shared everything with you. I wish I could tell you now. I wish we could meet up somewhere and talk and catch up and swap stories of all the things we've experienced.

It's true that I don't feel the pain anymore. But this year, today...it does hurt. I not only miss you as I knew you. But almost more than that, I miss what you could have been in my life. What you should have been in my life. I don't know you anymore. And you don't know who I've become. But I know that one day, when I go Home too, you're going to be right there waiting to embrace me. And we will have that conversation to catch up on all the time that's gone by between us since we last saw each other. It seems so far away at the moment...

No matter how much time passes, I'll never forget you. That's not even possible. But it's the way of God, that I shouldn't feel the pain anymore. He doesn't want me to, and I know you wouldn't want me to either. People say that time heals all things. I don't completely agree with that statement. Time and God heal all things...if we let them. Healing from your death was the only one of its kind in my life. It kind of snuck up on me. I didn't even realize it was happening. For a long time after you died, it felt as if time had stopped. But it didn't. Life kept happening. Time kept moving. And it was all without you. But God, being the amazing and perfect Father He is, used all the time that passed, to heal me. For so long I believed Satan's lie that I would never heal from brokenness in my life, but your death is living proof in me that I can be. And I am. God has done so many amazing things through your death. Just like He promises. :) But I get to add one more thing to that beautiful list: hope for healing. Always. I love you Tyler. More than ever, if that's possible, you being gone and all. But I can't wait to see you again. I can't wait to have you in my life again for eternity.

Happy Birthday. :)

Love always, your sister,

Eryn

Tyler Glicken

February 8, 1984-December 22, 2003

P.S. The Best Is Yet To Come...

That Walt Disney....

I think every person around my age--22 years old--can relate to me when I say that Disney movies were the greatest entertainment growing up aside from Saturday morning cartoons. My childhood was filled with Disney; from the Disney Channel to the Disney movies to the Disney store to Disneyworld...it was all Disney. And honestly, I can confidently and proudly say that I'm still a Disney fanatic. You're never too old for Disney. Can I get an "Amen"? And that genius Walt Disney wasn't just about fun and entertainment. There were some amazing lessons in every one of his movies.

As I grow older and experience more of life, my perspectives change. My abilities and ways of learning change. Throughout the last few years of my life, I learned a valuable lesson: God can teach a person through anything and everything. And He just so happens to love teaching us through the things that we actually enjoy. Like Disney movies....

I watched The Lion King the other day. I'm sure (hoping) that everyone has seen it, so I'm not going to feel bad for talking about it.

So we find Simba as a "young adult" lion, if you will. He has been away from home for years and years after running away. He had run away to escape his past. And his crazy friend/teacher, Rafiki the baboon, finds him. He confronts him about his identity. He points out that Simba doesn't know who he is. Simba tries to refute him, but with no success. Rafiki leads Simba to an open meadow where the spirit of Simba's father, Mufasa, comes to him. This is the dialogue that follows:

Mufasa: Simba...

Simba: Father?
Mufasa: Simba, you have forgotten me.
Simba: No! How could I?
Mufasa: You have forgotten who you are, and so, you have forgotten me. Look inside yourself, Simba. You are more than what you have become.
Simba: How can I go back? I'm not who I used to be.
Mufasa: Remember who you are. You are my son and the one true king. Remember who you are. Remember...


While I was watching it, no joke, tears sprang to my eyes as my heart turned inside me. God was speaking to my heart. Say what you will, scoff if you want, but I was brought to my knees. More and more every day, I'm discovering my identity in Christ. If you've been following my blogs at all, you've read that it's been a crazy and amazing adventure He's had me on in finding the pieces to who I am. There was a time that I had no idea who I was. I had forgotten. I had gotten lost. And while I'm not lost anymore, my journey is far from over. And here we see a beautiful picture of a Father reminding his son who he is. He had forgotten who he was, and in that, had forgotten his Father. What powerful truth! If you would analyze all of the confusing times in your walk with Christ where you were unsure of yourself or your decisions or your life, I'm sure you would see, like me, that they were confusing because, underneath it all, you were mistrusting God or doubting Him. It's natural to ask God where He is during the hard and confusing times. It's natural to think that He must be far away. But that's just not true. He is always near and always with us. We just forget who He is in the midst of trials.

So who is He? He is our Father! And we are his sons and daughters! All we have to do is look inside ourselves and we'll see who we really are. He's inside of us. We're apart of Him! And in all of Simba's insecurity about returning to his rightful place, his Father was there to tell him who he was: royalty! Our Father God is always there to remind us and show us the greatness inside of us, the greatness He has planned for us. No amount of past sins or mistakes can change His plans for us! So when we ask, "God, how can I go back? How can I go here or there? I'm not who I used to be! I've gone too far off the path. I've screwed up too many times..." He's there to say, "No! You are royalty! You're more than what "they" say you are! You're more than what you've become! Remember who you are! Let that propel you into the greatness I have planned for you!" There's greatness inside of you.

Can you see now why I cried? :) God is so amazing. I encourage you, dear friend, to trust His word. Because His word tells you the truth about who you are. He'll remind you whenever you need Him to. As will I. :) I'm praying for you. Yes, you. Wherever you are. You're going to be okay in time. His time. You're going to be more than okay if you look to Him. He promises.

Thank you, Walt Disney...


The Best Is Yet To Come...

My King

 No weapon forged against you will prevail,
   and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,
   and this is their vindication from me,”
   declares the LORD.

~Isaiah 54:17~

Who am I?
I am a conqueror!

I beat my body and make it my slave..."

~1 Corinthians 9:27~



I will conquer what has not been conquered. Defeat will not be in my creed. I will believe where others have doubted. I will always endeavor the prestige, honor, glory and respect of my King. I have trained my mind and my body will follow.

Who am I?
I am a conqueror!

  The LORD will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.

~Deuteronomy 28:7~

I will acknowledge the fact that my enemies do not expect me to win. But I will never surrender. Weakness will not be in my heart because my King is my strength. I will look to my comrades, to those who have helped bring me through this world, to those who have trained me, and I will draw strength from them as well.

Who am I?
I am a conqueror!

 I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
I crushed them so that they could not rise; they fell beneath my feet.
You armed me with strength for battle;
   you humbled my adversaries before me.
You made my enemies turn their backs in flight,
   and I destroyed my foes.
They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—
   to the LORD, but he did not answer.

I beat them as fine as windblown dust;
   I trampled them like mud in the streets.

~Psalm 18:37-42~ 



I will gladly go into the field of battle and I will move, run and do everything that I can do. I will reach my field of battle by any means at my disposal, and when I get there, I will arrive violently. I will rip the heart from my enemy and leave it bleeding on the ground, because he will not stop me.

Who am I?
I am a conqueror!

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

~Romans 12:9-11~

To my side I have comrades. Comrades who have been with me through thick and thin. Through highs and lows. Through sacrifices, through blood, through sweat, through tears, through laughter, through love. Never will I let them fall! Never will I leave them abandoned to fight alone! Never will I leave one of them behind! Because our enemy does not know my heart.

Who am I?
I am a conqueror!

With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.

~Matthew 19:26~

No one will define me but my King. No one will tell me who and what I am and what I can be but my King. Belief will change my world. It has moved continents and countries and hearts and it will carry me through my battles. He will carry me through.

Who am I?
I am a conqueror!

We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of

our God...

~Psalm 20:5~



Defeat. Retreat. Those words are not in my heart. I do not understand those definitions. I don't understand when things go wrong. I don't always understand mistakes. But I do understand this: I understand my Victory and I understand never surrendering, because He is in me. No matter how bad things go, my heart and my mind will carry my body when my limbs are too weak. Because my King is my heart and my King is my mind!

Who am I?
I am a conqueror!

“In the time of my favor I heard you,
   and in the day of salvation I helped you.”

   I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.

~2 Corinthians 6:2~



Today will be that day. Not tomorrow, not next week, but right now, right here, in my heart and in my life.
My enemy will remember me, and I will not have to worry about him being kind. I will define myself through the Grace and Power and Love of my King. I will write and sing and live and fight His praises. And no one will tell me what I can or cannot be but my King. I will never give up, not without giving everything I've got. Because who am I?

I am a conqueror!

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

~Romans 8:36-39

The Best Is Yet To Come...

(Most of this was a speech made by a coach to his team. I changed a few words to relate to me and the Lord.)