So I was reading my emails and I ended up reading an email from christianitytoday.com which I don't usually do because... I never seem to have time and a lot of the time they just aren't all that informing. Anyways, I was reading it and it hit something in me so I thought I would post it. I think the implications of putting the label "Christian" on yourself has been coming up a lot for me lately. Just like, once you call yourself a Christian you are immediately getting half a billion more eyes on you just waiting for you to screw up. Thats a lot of pressure to be under! I guess you just have to remember that God knows that you aren't perfect and thats why he sent us Jesus, there is forgiveness!! wooh, good to know.. well, heres the article for incase you wanted to read it:


They'll know we are Christians by our fish?


I was driving in downtown Chicago last week, where traffic seems to be our No. 1 pastime—even ahead of baseball (go Sox!). In my mind-numbed auto stupor, I noticed that the car ahead of me had that little fish on the back (you know, the ichthus?) Really, I couldn't help but notice, not because I'm automatically drawn to Christian symbolism, but because the driver rudely cut me off in traffic without using a turn signal.Don't get me wrong. I'm sure my driving habits have offended others at some point too. None of us are perfect. But the car fish is one of those everyday cultural items that stir mixed feelings in me. At time I'm filled with good cheer when I see it—"Ah, there goes a brother or sister in Christ. God bless!" And admit it: When a driver with a fish on his car is courteous in traffic, you conclude that they were nice because they were a Christian, as "proven" by the fish, right?If that's true, then we need to accept the downside of the fish. It brands us as a Christian, and that means when we pull a fast one in traffic, another driver may think, There goes another rude and arrogant Christian. There's great responsibility in wearing the fish, and from my driving experiences, not enough Christians take it seriously.Should that be any different from wearing the name "Christian" in our everyday living? This directly relates to the whole secular vs. sacred debate. I think some Christian artists are reluctant to be called "Christian artists" because they're afraid that in the spotlight, they will occasionally slip up and misrepresent Christ. It's easy to think, Yes, but we're all family in Christian music—we show grace to each other when we make mistakes—whether in traffic or in the mainstream. Right? Tell that to artists like Amy Grant, P.O.D., Sixpence None the Richer, and Switchfoot.It's something to consider, the responsibility of being labeled for Christ. As it pertains to music, I can see it either way. Whether or not artists are publicly identified as "Christian artists," I can't stress enough that the emphasis be on their conduct, and not on their label. Personally, I'm not the type who calls much attention to myself with symbols and such. I'd rather be labeled a Christian by my words and actions—that people know me as a Christian by my love, not my shortcomings or my advertising.

Brent

So Brent, I bet you think this blog will be all about you. Well, if that is what you're thinking then you're definetly right. So now I bet you're wondering what I'm going to write about you? To tell you the truth, I don't even know what I'm going to write about you yet.


Well, anyways, here I go. So there once was this guy named Brent and He was what most would call a Jesus Freak, I know I definetly would. So yeah, Brent went to school at a big place called New Westminster Secondary School where he started this pretty rad lunch group that this cool girl Ashley happens to attend. At this lunch group he's pretty much one of the coolest leaders ever and actually, speaking of leaders, did I mention that he leads Bible study on sunday morning? Yeah, thats right, is this kid talented or what!? So while I'm on the subject of talented, lets talk about another one of his amazing talents. He is a super drum player, and when I say super, I definetly mean super. Brent is pretty amazing, what can I say... . So really, I could go on for hours about Brent but I don't have hours so I won't.

But before I go, I'd like to do some thanking. Thank you Brent for always being there, Thank you for always being so nice and so easy to talk to, thanks for answering all of my silly out of place questions and for putting up with all of my power trips, you are truly amazing. Thanks for being you:)

Love and such.

I'm so in love, it's really cool. This week has been pretty surreal, I've spent it with a few of the greatest people in the world, I've had conversations that I won't ever forget, I've had frustrations that led to important truths that I probably wouldn't have found without them, and I've been reading my bible tons. Who knew having a strike would be so beneficial? I've found myself doing lots of things and also having time left for those that matter the most, God and my family. It's pretty exciting. So yeah...

This week makes me smile, the last year makes me smile. I've grown more in this year than I have my whole life, its super spectacular.

I've been reading lots in the purpose driven life and there has been a ton of things that have stuck out for me and a lot of them were in the Fellowship section. I'm doing a conflict resolution class at school that I have wanted to quit so many times, not because I wasn't enjoying them or I wasn't getting anything from them, but because I am super lazy and didn't want to have to be at school that early. I know, bad reason but its true. This section made everything I'm learning in school right now applicable for using in Godly life which is super cool because thats the life I'm trying to live:). Yeah... My point was that this book is impactful and that I think that it would be the greatest thing ever if we took this fellowship thing seriously and started working it into our lives, I'm thinking that if even in Refuge we start this then it will impact the whole church and then other churches will see how close we are and then they'll want that in their church too and then all the people outside the church will be all like "woah, look at them, they're all close and such, I want that" and it will eventually impact the whole world. It's a dream, but I see it happening. Refuge, we can be the beginning of a huge movement, doesn't that excite you?

Greatness.

Well, another great weekend was provided by the wondrous Camp Sunrise. I think I love it there, actually i dont think I love it there, I definetly love it there. It's a place that I'd like to be still... but everybody has to go home at some point.

This weekend surrender came up, and it has been coming up quite a bit lately. This morning I went to put my jacket on, my jacket that I haven't worn since before RAW i think.. So anyways, in the pocket I found my testimony and reason for attending RAW rough draft. I read it and was amazed. I guess that sounds funny but its true. I was so joyful when I wrote that, and the cool part is that I'm still joyful. I'm coming up on a year since I gave my life to Jesus and the joy he's given me hasn't faded. Sure, I've had good days and bad days but that underlying joy is always there. Jesus is always there. That makes things a lot better.

So to end this blog on a good note, I will leave you with some beautiful pictures:)

This is my baby,
Xena-------------------------------------->

xena and monkey /Monkey Lulu Huespe

X {LR} : 8

Kittens

Dear Angel and MJ;

I thought I would publically anounce that the kittens are absolutely amazing and that I'm hopelessly in love. They've made my kitchen their home right now and they both seem very happy. The kitchen has absolutely everything they could possibly need: food, kitty litter, water and tons, I mean TONS of love. It's the busiest room in the house so they never get bored. They've got lots of toys but they only really like one... I made it all by myself! Its actually just the string from my pajamas... I tied a little mouse to it and they go crazy playing with it. It's quite entertaining. I think they're the most adorable when they're sleeping.. They either sleep real close to me or sleep in my hands. They're ultra precious. I've only named one so far and that would be the siamese kitten. Her name is Xena. No-one in my family is ultra attached to that name for her but I think it fits her perfectly and she loves it lots. She's my little warrior princess. The fluffy kitty is still anonymous but I'm thinking! I really love them a lot and I want to thank you guys a million times for letting them be a part of my family. One day after school or whatever you guys should come over and we'll hang out and play with the kitties.
Love you lots and lots,
Ashley

PS - I'm in need of email addresses from both of you. Mine is straykittie27@hotmail.com.

Me and God time.

My teachers are on strike. I'm definetly not complaining, today was a very good day. I relaxed, played guitar, read and ate. All of those happening to be a few of my favourite things.


I attempted at "praying without ceasing" today... I wasn't very successful but I'm guessing that it's one of those disipline things thats going to take a while. It's something that I'm going to work on. It was cool doing it though. I talked to God about a lot of stuff that was going on at school and such. We talked about boys and dating and He cleared things up for me. It was a good experiencing so I plan on continuing.

what else has been going on... well there's listening prayer tonight, i guess i'm looking forward to that. Wait, not I guess, I mean I am very much looking forward to it.

<3

Happiness

I've been really happy lately. Everything seems to be working. I feel like... transformed. Born again, again. Its truthfully one of the coolest feelings I've ever felt in my whole life.

One of the best things going on in my life right now is that my focus is changing. Its turning from being apon myself and now turning to God. Its kind of a process that's taking a little while because apparently saying no to self and yes to God is harder than I thought... But, I'm really happy that is changing though because even lately with my small changes I'm noticing an inner joy reveiling itself. yeah... so thats awesome.

So, thank you Jesus for blessing my life and working in my heart. You are truly amazing.

X {LR}: 8

Who am I?

That was what our first sessions were about. Finding out who we are in ways such as our:
S piritual gifts
H eart
A bilities
P ersonality
E xperience

I actually thought that Dave Allen speaking on this was really cool. He had done the "purpose driven life" in his church so a lot of what he talked about came from the book. I thought it was cool because he talked on all the things that I was reading at the time in my book. Super amazing if I must say so myself.

Mentors

That was what our second sessions were about. An amazing man named Darian Kovacs came and talked to us on this and what he said was really moving. He recounted several experiences with mentors and talked about how important they are. He talked about different kinds of mentors and said some amazing things that I will definetly repeat for you.

"Mentors can be stability during a storm,

Mentors can be truth in the midst of lies"

"you can set fire into someones life"

*"Is Jesus enough?"

"I want to be a fire sparker, not a fire fighter."

Those were some things that Darian mentioned that hit me and stuck out.

Do you want to know what my favourite part of the weekend was though? It was that we were a family. Some of us had just met eachother yet we all got along, we all talked to one another as if we had known eachother forever. It was amazing and I really want to see that in our church. I want that sense of family that I don't really see all the time. I think it would be the greatest thing in the world to be able to see all of us come together and be united as the body of Christ even just in refuge. But I don't want it to end at refuge either, God's been talking to me about a lot of things this weekend and unity was definetly a topic that came up a lot.

I thought this weekend was needed and it set me on fire. For awhile i've been feeling like my fires been very close to dieing, Iw as ready to give up. This was taking too much work and I wasnt seeing any changes. My fire was kindled this weekend though, it is now a consuming fire.

Darian Kovacs said that Olive trees take up to three generations to bear fruit. So thats like investing yourself in someone as a mentor, it takes time and you might not see fruit right away.

So those are some of my thoughts for right now.. There's a lot more in my head but I'll write them at some other point in time...