(1921,1,'2011-11-08 08:58:45','2011-11-08 16:58:45','If you didn\'t read yesterday\'s post you should start there. This is the second post in a series called: <a href=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/sex1\">Why Are Christians Waiting for Marriage for Sex? </a>\r\n<h4>Trust means you have a firm reliance on the integrity and ability of a person or thing. Trust creates a foundation for strong relationship.</h4>\r\nIt’s no surprise that exercising self-control in a dating relationship builds trust.\r\n\r\n<em>Trust</em> that your spouse is the kind of person who can control his or her sexual urges.\r\n\r\n<em>Trust</em> that your spouse values his/her sexuality enough to guard it until marriage.\r\n\r\n<em>Trust</em> that your spouse values you and your needs above anyone else.\r\n\r\n<em>Trust</em> that your spouse understands the concept of self-sacrifice and delayed gratification.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Screen-shot-2011-10-10-at-11.22.25-PM-210x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"210\" height=\"300\" />If you walk into marriage without trust in these things, you’re asking for trouble. And think of this: If you’re asking, “How far can we go?” you’re wasting energy that could be spent building <em>trust</em> in your relationship.\r\n\r\nGuarding sexuality in a dating relationship (or as a single person) is an opportunity to demonstrate trustworthiness to your future spouse.\r\n<h5>How much trust do you want to demonstrate? A little or a lot?</h5>\r\nIf you\'re single you might not know your spouse now. But think of how trustworthy you’ll seem when you say, “Yeah, it was hard. And there were times that I was lonely. But I wanted you more than I wanted anyone else.”\r\n\r\nIf you\'re in a relationship you might be dating your future spouse right now. How much does that person mean to you? Are your actions demonstrating that?\r\n<h3>Building trust takes time. You might as well start now.</h3>\r\nIf trust builds a strong relationship, and you care about your future marriage, why wouldn\'t you embrace an opportunity to demonstrate and build trust?\r\n\r\nIf you knew your actions were a direct reflection of how much your spouse would trust you someday how would it change the way you act?\r\n\r\nAnd if you knew that the amount of trust you demonstrated before marriage would be equivalent to the amount of trust you have after the wedding day? What then?\r\n<h5>Would you still be asking “how far is too far?” or would you start asking “What more can I do to demonstrate my trust?”</h5>\r\nIf you’ve already messed up, it’s okay. <em>This is your chance to prove that you’ve changed</em>. This gives you an opportunity to prove your true identity. You are a man or woman of value.\r\n\r\nYou can be trusted.\r\n<h4>Do you believe that?</h4>','Why Are Christians Waiting for Marriage for Sex? Part 2','','inherit','open','open','','1891-revision-5','','','2011-11-08 08:58:45','2011-11-08 16:58:45','',1891,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/08/1891-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(1923,1,'2011-11-08 09:00:52','2011-11-08 17:00:52','<h3>I don’t understand what all the fuss is about. Saving sex for marriage isn’t that big of a deal.</h3>\r\nThink about it.\r\n\r\nIt’s a test of your will. That’s all. Just a line drawn in the sand that you tell yourself you’re not going to cross. You can walk up to the line, poke your toe over the edge, push it around a little and see if it will budge.\r\n\r\nYou might even jump over the line a couple of times but then you’ll chalk it up to a moment of weakness and jump back to the other side. The guilt you feel will keep you on the right side of the line, at least for awhile.\r\n\r\nThat what “saving sex for marriage” is about, isn\'t it? That’s how we’re all acting. I keep getting questions about this and can’t help but wonder what it is we’re trying to get at. What does it mean to save sex for marriage? What are physical boundaries all about?\r\n\r\n<em><strong><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Wedding-199x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" />Correct me if I\'m wrong, but here are the questions you really want to ask.</strong></em>\r\n\r\nIf I’m saving sex for marriage can I have oral sex? Is that wrong?\r\n\r\nHow much kissing is too much kissing? Can we sleep in the same bed?\r\n\r\nWhat about dry humping? What’s the verdict on that?\r\n\r\nWhen it comes to touching am I allowed to touch and be touched in whatever ways I want as long as it’s over the clothes?\r\n\r\nWhat if I get an orgasm from it? Is that wrong?\r\n\r\nWhat about getting naked? Can I take my shirt off as long as my pants are on? Can one of us be naked if the other one isn’t?\r\n\r\nWhat is the right combination of nakedness to clothes to prevent myself from being convicted of sexual sin?\r\n<h4>We’re talking ourselves in circles. We’re asking all the wrong questions.</h4>\r\nAnd we wonder why, at the end of the day - no matter where we set the boundary - we have a hard time keeping it.\r\n\r\nFollowing a list of rules like that is pointless. As in it <em>has no point</em>.\r\n<h4>No wonder we get tired and give up.</h4>\r\nI want to challenge us to stop asking the question “What’s okay for me to do or not do” and start asking this question instead:\r\n\r\n<em>“Why am I committed to this in the first place?”</em>\r\n\r\nHonestly. Consider this a free-for all in my comments section.\r\n<h3>Why are Christians waiting until marriage for sex?</h3>','Why Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage - Part 1','','inherit','open','open','','1887-revision-5','','','2011-11-08 09:00:52','2011-11-08 17:00:52','',1887,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/08/1887-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(1924,1,'2011-11-08 08:59:08','2011-11-08 16:59:08','If you didn\'t read yesterday\'s post you should start there. This is the second post in a series called: <a href=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/sex1\">Why Are Christians Waiting for Marriage for Sex? </a>\r\n<h4>Trust means you have a firm reliance on the integrity and ability of a person or thing. Trust creates a foundation for strong relationship.</h4>\r\nIt’s no surprise that exercising self-control in a dating relationship builds trust.\r\n\r\n<em>Trust</em> that your spouse is the kind of person who can control his or her sexual urges.\r\n\r\n<em>Trust</em> that your spouse values his/her sexuality enough to guard it until marriage.\r\n\r\n<em>Trust</em> that your spouse values you and your needs above anyone else.\r\n\r\n<em>Trust</em> that your spouse understands the concept of self-sacrifice and delayed gratification.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Screen-shot-2011-10-10-at-11.22.25-PM-210x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"210\" height=\"300\" />If you walk into marriage without trust in these things, you’re asking for trouble. And think of this: If you’re asking, “How far can we go?” you’re wasting energy that could be spent building <em>trust</em> in your relationship.\r\n\r\nGuarding sexuality in a dating relationship (or as a single person) is an opportunity to demonstrate trustworthiness to your future spouse.\r\n<h5>How much trust do you want to demonstrate? A little or a lot?</h5>\r\nIf you\'re single you might not know your spouse now. But think of how trustworthy you’ll seem when you say, “Yeah, it was hard. And there were times that I was lonely. But I wanted you more than I wanted anyone else.”\r\n\r\nIf you\'re in a relationship you might be dating your future spouse right now. How much does that person mean to you? Are your actions demonstrating that?\r\n<h3>Building trust takes time. You might as well start now.</h3>\r\nIf trust builds a strong relationship, and you care about your future marriage, why wouldn\'t you embrace an opportunity to demonstrate and build trust?\r\n\r\nIf you knew your actions were a direct reflection of how much your spouse would trust you someday how would it change the way you act?\r\n\r\nAnd if you knew that the amount of trust you demonstrated before marriage would be equivalent to the amount of trust you have after the wedding day? What then?\r\n<h5>Would you still be asking “how far is too far?” or would you start asking “What more can I do to demonstrate my trust?”</h5>\r\nIf you’ve already messed up, it’s okay. <em>This is your chance to prove that you’ve changed</em>. This gives you an opportunity to prove your true identity. You are a man or woman of value.\r\n\r\nYou can be trusted.\r\n<h4>Do you believe that?</h4>','Why Are Christians Waiting for Marriage for Sex? Part 2','','inherit','open','open','','1891-revision-6','','','2011-11-08 08:59:08','2011-11-08 16:59:08','',1891,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/08/1891-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(1925,1,'2011-11-08 09:01:31','2011-11-08 17:01:31','<h3>I don’t understand what all the fuss is about. Saving sex for marriage isn’t that big of a deal.</h3>\r\nThink about it.\r\n\r\nIt’s a test of your will. That’s all. Just a line drawn in the sand that you tell yourself you’re not going to cross. You can walk up to the line, poke your toe over the edge, push it around a little and see if it will budge.\r\n\r\nYou might even jump over the line a couple of times but then you’ll chalk it up to a moment of weakness and jump back to the other side. The guilt you feel will keep you on the right side of the line, at least for awhile.\r\n\r\nThat what “saving sex for marriage” is about, isn\'t it? That’s how we’re all acting. I keep getting questions about this and can’t help but wonder what it is we’re trying to get at. What does it mean to save sex for marriage? What are physical boundaries all about?\r\n\r\n<em><strong><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Wedding-199x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" />Correct me if I\'m wrong, but here are the questions you really want to ask.</strong></em>\r\n\r\nIf I’m saving sex for marriage can I have oral sex? Is that wrong?\r\n\r\nHow much kissing is too much kissing? Can we sleep in the same bed?\r\n\r\nWhat about dry humping? What’s the verdict on that?\r\n\r\nWhen it comes to touching am I allowed to touch and be touched in whatever ways I want as long as it’s over the clothes?\r\n\r\nWhat if I get an orgasm from it? Is that wrong?\r\n\r\nWhat about getting naked? Can I take my shirt off as long as my pants are on? Can one of us be naked if the other one isn’t?\r\n\r\nWhat is the right combination of nakedness to clothes to prevent myself from being convicted of sexual sin?\r\n<h4>We’re talking ourselves in circles. We’re asking all the wrong questions.</h4>\r\nAnd we wonder why, at the end of the day - no matter where we set the boundary - we have a hard time keeping it.\r\n\r\nFollowing a list of rules like that is pointless. As in it <em>has no point</em>.\r\n<h4>No wonder we get tired and give up.</h4>\r\nI want to challenge us to stop asking the question “What’s okay for me to do or not do” and start asking this question instead:\r\n\r\n<em>“Why am I committed to this in the first place?”</em>\r\n\r\nHonestly. Consider this a free-for all in my comments section.\r\n<h3>Why are Christians waiting until marriage for sex?</h3>','Why Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage - Part 1','','inherit','open','open','','1887-revision-6','','','2011-11-08 09:01:31','2011-11-08 17:01:31','',1887,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/08/1887-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(1926,1,'2011-11-08 09:02:58','2011-11-08 17:02:58','<h3>I don’t understand what all the fuss is about. Saving sex for marriage isn’t that big of a deal.</h3>\r\nThink about it.\r\n\r\nIt’s a test of your will. That’s all. Just a line drawn in the sand that you tell yourself you’re not going to cross. You can walk up to the line, poke your toe over the edge, push it around a little and see if it will budge.\r\n\r\nYou might even jump over the line a couple of times but then you’ll chalk it up to a moment of weakness and jump back to the other side. The guilt you feel will keep you on the right side of the line, at least for awhile.\r\n\r\nThat what “saving sex for marriage” is about, isn\'t it? That’s how we’re all acting. I keep getting questions about this and can’t help but wonder what it is we’re trying to get at. What does it mean to save sex for marriage? What are physical boundaries all about?\r\n\r\n<em><strong><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Wedding-199x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" />Correct me if I\'m wrong, but here are the questions you really want to ask.</strong></em>\r\n\r\nIf I’m saving sex for marriage can I have oral sex? Is that wrong?\r\n\r\nHow much kissing is too much kissing? Can we sleep in the same bed?\r\n\r\nWhat about dry humping? What’s the verdict on that?\r\n\r\nWhen it comes to touching am I allowed to touch and be touched in whatever ways I want as long as it’s over the clothes?\r\n\r\nWhat if I get an orgasm from it? Is that wrong?\r\n\r\nWhat about getting naked? Can I take my shirt off as long as my pants are on? Can one of us be naked if the other one isn’t?\r\n\r\nWhat is the right combination of nakedness to clothes to prevent myself from being convicted of sexual sin?\r\n<h4>We’re talking ourselves in circles. We’re asking all the wrong questions.</h4>\r\nAnd we wonder why, at the end of the day - no matter where we set the boundary - we have a hard time keeping it.\r\n\r\nFollowing a list of rules like that is pointless. As in it <em>has no point</em>.\r\n<h4>No wonder we get tired and give up.</h4>\r\nI want to challenge us to stop asking the question “What’s okay for me to do or not do” and start asking this question instead:\r\n\r\n<em>“Why am I committed to this in the first place?”</em>\r\n\r\nHonestly. Consider this a free-for all in my comments section.\r\n<h3>Why are Christians waiting until marriage for sex?</h3>','Why Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage? - Part 1','','inherit','open','open','','1887-revision-7','','','2011-11-08 09:02:58','2011-11-08 17:02:58','',1887,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/08/1887-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(1927,1,'2011-11-08 09:03:24','2011-11-08 17:03:24','<h3>I don’t understand what all the fuss is about. Saving sex for marriage isn’t that big of a deal.</h3>\r\nThink about it.\r\n\r\nIt’s a test of your will. That’s all. Just a line drawn in the sand that you tell yourself you’re not going to cross. You can walk up to the line, poke your toe over the edge, push it around a little and see if it will budge.\r\n\r\nYou might even jump over the line a couple of times but then you’ll chalk it up to a moment of weakness and jump back to the other side. The guilt you feel will keep you on the right side of the line, at least for awhile.\r\n\r\nThat what “saving sex for marriage” is about, isn\'t it? That’s how we’re all acting. I keep getting questions about this and can’t help but wonder what it is we’re trying to get at. What does it mean to save sex for marriage? What are physical boundaries all about?\r\n\r\n<em><strong><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Wedding-199x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" />Correct me if I\'m wrong, but here are the questions you really want to ask.</strong></em>\r\n\r\nIf I’m saving sex for marriage can I have oral sex? Is that wrong?\r\n\r\nHow much kissing is too much kissing? Can we sleep in the same bed?\r\n\r\nWhat about dry humping? What’s the verdict on that?\r\n\r\nWhen it comes to touching am I allowed to touch and be touched in whatever ways I want as long as it’s over the clothes?\r\n\r\nWhat if I get an orgasm from it? Is that wrong?\r\n\r\nWhat about getting naked? Can I take my shirt off as long as my pants are on? Can one of us be naked if the other one isn’t?\r\n\r\nWhat is the right combination of nakedness to clothes to prevent myself from being convicted of sexual sin?\r\n<h4>We’re talking ourselves in circles. We’re asking all the wrong questions.</h4>\r\nAnd we wonder why, at the end of the day - no matter where we set the boundary - we have a hard time keeping it.\r\n\r\nFollowing a list of rules like that is pointless. As in it <em>has no point</em>.\r\n<h4>No wonder we get tired and give up.</h4>\r\nI want to challenge us to stop asking the question “What’s okay for me to do or not do” and start asking this question instead:\r\n\r\n<em>“Why am I committed to this in the first place?”</em>\r\n\r\nHonestly. Consider this a free-for all in my comments section.\r\n<h3>Why are Christians waiting until marriage for sex?</h3>','Why Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage? Part 1','','inherit','open','open','','1887-revision-8','','','2011-11-08 09:03:24','2011-11-08 17:03:24','',1887,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/08/1887-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(1928,1,'2011-11-08 09:02:24','2011-11-08 17:02:24','If you didn\'t read yesterday\'s post you should start there. This is the second post in a series called: <a href=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/sex1\">Why Are Christians Waiting for Marriage for Sex? </a>\r\n<h4>Trust means you have a firm reliance on the integrity and ability of a person or thing. Trust creates a foundation for strong relationship.</h4>\r\nIt’s no surprise that exercising self-control in a dating relationship builds trust.\r\n\r\n<em>Trust</em> that your spouse is the kind of person who can control his or her sexual urges.\r\n\r\n<em>Trust</em> that your spouse values his/her sexuality enough to guard it until marriage.\r\n\r\n<em>Trust</em> that your spouse values you and your needs above anyone else.\r\n\r\n<em>Trust</em> that your spouse understands the concept of self-sacrifice and delayed gratification.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Screen-shot-2011-10-10-at-11.22.25-PM-210x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"210\" height=\"300\" />If you walk into marriage without trust in these things, you’re asking for trouble. And think of this: If you’re asking, “How far can we go?” you’re wasting energy that could be spent building <em>trust</em> in your relationship.\r\n\r\nGuarding sexuality in a dating relationship (or as a single person) is an opportunity to demonstrate trustworthiness to your future spouse.\r\n<h5>How much trust do you want to demonstrate? A little or a lot?</h5>\r\nIf you\'re single you might not know your spouse now. But think of how trustworthy you’ll seem when you say, “Yeah, it was hard. And there were times that I was lonely. But I wanted you more than I wanted anyone else.”\r\n\r\nIf you\'re in a relationship you might be dating your future spouse right now. How much does that person mean to you? Are your actions demonstrating that?\r\n<h3>Building trust takes time. You might as well start now.</h3>\r\nIf trust builds a strong relationship, and you care about your future marriage, why wouldn\'t you embrace an opportunity to demonstrate and build trust?\r\n\r\nIf you knew your actions were a direct reflection of how much your spouse would trust you someday how would it change the way you act?\r\n\r\nAnd if you knew that the amount of trust you demonstrated before marriage would be equivalent to the amount of trust you have after the wedding day? What then?\r\n<h5>Would you still be asking “how far is too far?” or would you start asking “What more can I do to demonstrate my trust?”</h5>\r\nIf you’ve already messed up, it’s okay. <em>This is your chance to prove that you’ve changed</em>. This gives you an opportunity to prove your true identity. You are a man or woman of value.\r\n\r\nYou can be trusted.\r\n<h4>Do you believe that?</h4>','Why Are Christians Saving Sex for Marriage? Part 2','','inherit','open','open','','1891-revision-7','','','2011-11-08 09:02:24','2011-11-08 17:02:24','',1891,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/08/1891-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(1929,1,'2011-11-08 09:05:39','2011-11-08 17:05:39','&nbsp;\n\nThis is the third post in a series called: Why Are Christians Waiting for Marriage for Sex?\n<h3>I’ve interviewed hundreds of married couples over the past 12 months.</h3>\nThey say the same thing about marriage: “Friendship is the most important aspect of our relationship. Don’t marry someone unless they are your best friend.”\n\nSex creates passion and romance in a relationship but when sex enters the picture friendship takes second best. And for good reason.\n<h4><strong><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Screen-shot-2011-10-11-at-12.37.27-PM-200x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />Sex is fun. It was designed that way. We’re supposed to enjoy it.</strong></h4>\nSex in addition to friendship creates a really lasting bond in a relationship - one that is hard to break. Sex without friendship is fragile and explosive. It’s like an expensive vase set on an unsteady table. Just give it the slightest bump and it will tumble and break.\n\n<strong>Don’t just disagree with me. Think about it.</strong>\n\nRemember the last one night stand that you had? Even if it wasn’t sex? What did you feel when you “hooked up” with someone outside of relationship? Secure and steady? Or uncomfortable and confused?\n\nStrong boundaries create security in relationship - not chaos.\n\nFriendship takes time to build. But dating gives you space to do it. Stop wasting energy asking yourself “how far is too far?” and use that energy to create space to grow friendship in your relationship.\n<h4><strong>The bigger space you create the faster friendship grows. And the sooner you can get to the good stuff.</strong></h4>\n<em>Kidding. Kind of.</em>\n\n<em>Friends</em> laugh together and play.\n\n<em>Friends</em> talk about things that matter to them. Fears and frustrations. The things that make them hopeful and excited.\n\n<em>Friends</em> communicate with each other even when they\'re angry. They work through difficult conflict.\n\n<em>Friends</em> assume the best about each other.\n\n<em>Friends</em> learn about each other through shared experiences. They celebrate accomplishments.\n\n<em>Friends</em> know the best and the worst parts of each other. They demonstrate love even when it\'s difficult.\n\n<em>Friends</em> <a title=\"It Builds Trust: Why Are Christians Waiting for Marriage for Sex? Part 2 of 6\" href=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/waiting-for-marriage-2\">trust one another</a>.\n<h4>Friendship like this takes work to build.</h4>\nCan you think of any friends you have like this? Give yourself time and space to build this kind of friendship. You\'ll be glad you did.\n\nIf you’re having a hard time redirecting your sexual energy don’t be discouraged. That’s a good thing. That means you’re human and you like each other. And when you’ve gone to a certain place physically it’s really hard not to go back.\n\n<strong>But don’t try to be a super hero. No one is expecting you to be that strong. Create boundaries will help you to accomplish your objective.</strong>\n\nHang out in groups. Go out on dates. Don’t stay in. Ask people to hold you accountable and ask you hard questions. Don’t try to manage your actions or justify them. Admit you were wrong and ask for help.\n\nLaugh. Talk. Play games.\n\nBe friends first.','Why Are Christians Saving Sex for Marriage? Part 3','','inherit','open','open','','1893-autosave','','','2011-11-08 09:05:39','2011-11-08 17:05:39','',1893,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/08/1893-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(1930,1,'2011-11-07 14:34:45','2011-11-07 22:34:45','<img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-4812\" style=\"border: 1px solid black;margin: 1px 5px\" src=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Screen-shot-2011-10-11-at-12.37.27-PM-200x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\nIf you didn’t read Monday’s post you should start there. This is the third post in a series called: Why Are Christians Waiting for Marriage for Sex?\r\n<h3>I’ve interviewed hundreds of married couples over the past 12 months.</h3>\r\nThey say the same thing about marriage: “Friendship is the most important aspect of our relationship. Don’t marry someone unless they are your best friend.”\r\n\r\nSex creates passion and romance in a relationship but when sex enters the picture friendship takes second best. And for good reason.\r\n<h4><strong>Sex is fun. It was designed that way. We’re supposed to enjoy it.</strong></h4>\r\nSex in addition to friendship creates a really lasting bond in a relationship - one that is hard to break. Sex without friendship is fragile and explosive. It’s like an expensive vase set on an unsteady table. Just give it the slightest bump and it will tumble and break.\r\n\r\n<strong>Don’t just disagree with me. Think about it.</strong>\r\n\r\nRemember the last one night stand that you had? Even if it wasn’t sex? What did you feel when you “hooked up” with someone outside of relationship? Secure and steady? Or uncomfortable and confused?\r\n\r\nStrong boundaries create security in relationship - not chaos.\r\n\r\nFriendship takes time to build. But dating gives you space to do it. Stop wasting energy asking yourself “how far is too far?” and use that energy to create space to grow friendship in your relationship.\r\n<h4><strong>The bigger space you create the faster friendship grows. And the sooner you can get to the good stuff.</strong></h4>\r\n<em>Kidding. Kind of.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Friends</em> laugh together and play.\r\n\r\n<em>Friends</em> talk about things that matter to them. Fears and frustrations. The things that make them hopeful and excited.\r\n\r\n<em>Friends</em> communicate with each other even when they\'re angry. They work through difficult conflict.\r\n\r\n<em>Friends</em> assume the best about each other.\r\n\r\n<em>Friends</em> learn about each other through shared experiences. They celebrate accomplishments.\r\n\r\n<em>Friends</em> know the best and the worst parts of each other. They demonstrate love even when it\'s difficult.\r\n\r\n<em>Friends</em> <a title=\"It Builds Trust: Why Are Christians Waiting for Marriage for Sex? Part 2 of 6\" href=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/waiting-for-marriage-2\">trust one another</a>.\r\n<h4>Friendship like this takes work to build.</h4>\r\nCan you think of any friends you have like this? Give yourself time and space to build this kind of friendship. You\'ll be glad you did.\r\n\r\nIf you’re having a hard time redirecting your sexual energy don’t be discouraged. That’s a good thing. That means you’re human and you like each other. And when you’ve gone to a certain place physically it’s really hard not to go back.\r\n\r\n<strong>But don’t try to be a super hero. No one is expecting you to be that strong. Create boundaries will help you to accomplish your objective.</strong>\r\n\r\nHang out in groups. Go out on dates. Don’t stay in. Ask people to hold you accountable and ask you hard questions. Don’t try to manage your actions or justify them. Admit you were wrong and ask for help.\r\n\r\nLaugh. Talk. Play games.\r\n\r\nBe friends first.','It Builds Friendship: Why Are Christians Waiting for Marriage for Sex? Part 3 of 6','','inherit','open','open','','1893-revision-3','','','2011-11-07 14:34:45','2011-11-07 22:34:45','',1893,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/07/1893-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(1932,1,'2011-11-08 09:06:15','2011-11-08 17:06:15','&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThis is the third post in a series called: Why Are Christians Waiting for Marriage for Sex?\r\n<h3>I’ve interviewed hundreds of married couples over the past 12 months.</h3>\r\nThey say the same thing about marriage: “Friendship is the most important aspect of our relationship. Don’t marry someone unless they are your best friend.”\r\n\r\nSex creates passion and romance in a relationship but when sex enters the picture friendship takes second best. And for good reason.\r\n<h4><strong><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Screen-shot-2011-10-11-at-12.37.27-PM-200x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />Sex is fun. It was designed that way. We’re supposed to enjoy it.</strong></h4>\r\nSex in addition to friendship creates a really lasting bond in a relationship - one that is hard to break. Sex without friendship is fragile and explosive. It’s like an expensive vase set on an unsteady table. Just give it the slightest bump and it will tumble and break.\r\n\r\n<strong>Don’t just disagree with me. Think about it.</strong>\r\n\r\nRemember the last one night stand that you had? Even if it wasn’t sex? What did you feel when you “hooked up” with someone outside of relationship? Secure and steady? Or uncomfortable and confused?\r\n\r\nStrong boundaries create security in relationship - not chaos.\r\n\r\nFriendship takes time to build. But dating gives you space to do it. Stop wasting energy asking yourself “how far is too far?” and use that energy to create space to grow friendship in your relationship.\r\n<h4><strong>The bigger space you create the faster friendship grows. And the sooner you can get to the good stuff.</strong></h4>\r\n<em>Kidding. Kind of.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Friends</em> laugh together and play.\r\n\r\n<em>Friends</em> talk about things that matter to them. Fears and frustrations. The things that make them hopeful and excited.\r\n\r\n<em>Friends</em> communicate with each other even when they\'re angry. They work through difficult conflict.\r\n\r\n<em>Friends</em> assume the best about each other.\r\n\r\n<em>Friends</em> learn about each other through shared experiences. They celebrate accomplishments.\r\n\r\n<em>Friends</em> know the best and the worst parts of each other. They demonstrate love even when it\'s difficult.\r\n\r\n<em>Friends</em> <a title=\"It Builds Trust: Why Are Christians Waiting for Marriage for Sex? Part 2 of 6\" href=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/waiting-for-marriage-2\">trust one another</a>.\r\n<h4>Friendship like this takes work to build.</h4>\r\nCan you think of any friends you have like this? Give yourself time and space to build this kind of friendship. You\'ll be glad you did.\r\n\r\nIf you’re having a hard time redirecting your sexual energy don’t be discouraged. That’s a good thing. That means you’re human and you like each other. And when you’ve gone to a certain place physically it’s really hard not to go back.\r\n\r\n<strong>But don’t try to be a super hero. No one is expecting you to be that strong. Create boundaries will help you to accomplish your objective.</strong>\r\n\r\nHang out in groups. Go out on dates. Don’t stay in. Ask people to hold you accountable and ask you hard questions. Don’t try to manage your actions or justify them. Admit you were wrong and ask for help.\r\n\r\nLaugh. Talk. Play games.\r\n\r\nBe friends first.','Why Are Christians Saving Sex for Marriage? Part 3','','inherit','open','open','','1893-revision-5','','','2011-11-08 09:06:15','2011-11-08 17:06:15','',1893,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/08/1893-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(1933,1,'2011-11-07 14:33:52','2011-11-07 22:33:52','<img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-4842\" style=\"margin-top: 1px;margin-bottom: 1px;margin-left: 5px;margin-right: 5px;border-width: 1px;border-color: black;border-style: solid\" src=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Screen-shot-2011-10-13-at-2.41.42-AM-300x195.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"195\" />\r\n\r\nIf you didn’t read Monday’s post you should start there. This is the fourth post in a series called: Why Are Christians Waiting for Marriage for Sex?\r\n\r\n<span class=\"Apple-style-span\" style=\"font-size: 15px;font-weight: bold\">Relationships don’t always make us happy. I know. Breaking news. Big gasps. Etc. Etc.</span>\r\n\r\nSex and all the things leading up to sex make us feel good. We wouldn\'t be having this discussion if they didn\'t. But happiness isn\'t everything in relationship. Good relationships are good in part because of a commitment demonstrated even when things are difficult.\r\n<h4>Relationships are more about holiness than they are about happiness.</h4>\r\nIs your relationship making you more holy? CS Lewis explains <em>holiness</em> like this:\r\n\r\nYour life is a continuum where <em>wholeness</em> is on one end and <em>destruction</em> is on the other. Each decision you make is moving you one direction. What direction are you moving because of this relationship?\r\n<h5>Are you becoming more broken or more whole? Holiness just means you’re becoming more whole.</h5>\r\nIs the relationship you\'re in moving you toward the good? Is it helping you become the person who God made you to be? Or is it hindering you from that growth?\r\n\r\nIf the purpose of my relationships is happiness then anytime I feel unhappy or uncomfortable the temptation will be to end my relationship. If the purpose of my relationship is holiness then I\'ll see every discomfort as an opportunity to work toward becoming more <em>whole</em>.\r\n\r\nIf I value a relationship only for the happiness it brings me then I miss the joy that comes over the long haul in relationship.\r\n\r\nIt takes strength to stick it out when you don’t feel happy. That strength is a muscle that needs to be exercised. Self-denial and self-sacrifice won\'t define every season of your relationship, but they do build a sturdy marriage.\r\n<h5>Do you want to work out now? Or later? Is there a difference?</h5>\r\nIf you’re asking the question “How far can we go?” you’re wasting energy that could be spent taking big steps toward wholeness, restoration and peace. The less energy you waste trying to draw an imaginary line the more energy you’ll have to take bigger steps.\r\n\r\nTrust me. I’ve tried to walk this line. I’ve stay in relationships too long where both of us were using each other to manage our own loneliness.\r\n<h5>It will either be hard now or hard later. Don\'t defer the difficulty. You are not stuck.</h5>\r\nYou have the power to change your circumstance. You have the strength to take the next step toward holiness - even if it means ending your relationship.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Which direction will you step next?</strong>','Happiness isn\'t Everything: Why Are Christians Waiting for Marriage for Sex? Part 4 of 6','','inherit','open','open','','1895-revision-3','','','2011-11-07 14:33:52','2011-11-07 22:33:52','',1895,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/07/1895-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(1935,1,'2011-11-08 09:09:33','2011-11-08 17:09:33','This is the fifth post in a series called: Why Are Christians Waiting for Marriage for Sex?\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-4853\" style=\"border: 1px solid black; margin: 1px 5px;\" src=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Screen-shot-2011-10-14-at-1.06.33-AM-300x273.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"273\" />Do you have any idea how valuable you are? I don’t think you do.</h3>\nIf I had known how valuable I was I wouldn’t have wasted so many years offering myself for such a cheap price to so many undeserving men.\n\n<em>No wonder I didn’t feel valuable.</em>\n\nNo wonder men didn’t see the value I was desperate for them to see in me. Value is like a mirror. The way I see myself in the mirror impacts the way I present myself. The way I present myself impacts how I\'m perceived. When I feel less than valuable I project myself as less than valuable and that is how I am received.\n\n<strong>It\'s a vicious cycle.</strong>\n\nStrong physical boundaries in relationship speak to your value. They speak the message that you want others to hear. You are worth more than a movie ticket or a cup of coffee or a couple of dinners out. You are not that easily accessible. It takes more than that.\n<h4>Let your physical boundaries speak to the value you place on your sexuality.</h4>\nThank goodness for people in my life who helped speak to my value. We need people who hold up a mirror and say, \"Look! This is what you really look like! Remember how valuable you are?\" I have a ton of people like that. Who does that for you in your life?\n\nPeople who <em>value</em> you love you not because of the things you do or what you offer them but just because you are you. They want what is good for you even if it isn\'t good for them.\n\n<strong>I don’t have to prove earn my value or prove my value to these people. I am valuable. I just am.</strong>\n\nWhat would happen if you eliminated all the people from your life who care more about what you have to offer them than they do about your well-being? What would happen if you stopped caving in to them?\n\nI spent years of my life searching for security, significance and belonging in the wrong places. It was like looking in a broken mirror. I didn’t realize that I already had all of the things I was trying to find.\n\n<em>I needed someone to hold up a mirror to show me who I really was. I had those things. I was valuable. I am.</em>\n\n<strong>You will not find the self-value you are looking for in a physical relationship. I know it feels like you will but you won\'t. You\'ll feel less valued than you did when you were alone.\n</strong>\n\nDo you believe me?\n\nDo you know how much value you have?','Why Are Christians Saving Sex for Marriage? Part 4','','inherit','open','open','','1897-autosave','','','2011-11-08 09:09:33','2011-11-08 17:09:33','',1897,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/08/1897-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(1936,1,'2011-11-07 14:34:07','2011-11-07 22:34:07','If you didn’t read Monday’s post you should start there. This is the fifth post in a series called: Why Are Christians Waiting for Marriage for Sex?\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-4853\" style=\"border: 1px solid black;margin: 1px 5px\" src=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Screen-shot-2011-10-14-at-1.06.33-AM-300x273.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"273\" />Do you have any idea how valuable you are? I don’t think you do.</h3>\r\nIf I had known how valuable I was I wouldn’t have wasted so many years offering myself for such a cheap price to so many undeserving men.\r\n\r\n<em>No wonder I didn’t feel valuable.</em>\r\n\r\nNo wonder men didn’t see the value I was desperate for them to see in me. Value is like a mirror. The way I see myself in the mirror impacts the way I present myself. The way I present myself impacts how I\'m perceived. When I feel less than valuable I project myself as less than valuable and that is how I am received.\r\n\r\n<strong>It\'s a vicious cycle.</strong>\r\n\r\nStrong physical boundaries in relationship speak to your value. They speak the message that you want others to hear. You are worth more than a movie ticket or a cup of coffee or a couple of dinners out. You are not that easily accessible. It takes more than that.\r\n<h4>Let your physical boundaries speak to the value you place on your sexuality.</h4>\r\nThank goodness for people in my life who helped speak to my value. We need people who hold up a mirror and say, \"Look! This is what you really look like! Remember how valuable you are?\" I have a ton of people like that. Who does that for you in your life?\r\n\r\nPeople who <em>value</em> you love you not because of the things you do or what you offer them but just because you are you. They want what is good for you even if it isn\'t good for them.\r\n\r\n<strong>I don’t have to prove earn my value or prove my value to these people. I am valuable. I just am.</strong>\r\n\r\nWhat would happen if you eliminated all the people from your life who care more about what you have to offer them than they do about your well-being? What would happen if you stopped caving in to them?\r\n\r\nI spent years of my life searching for security, significance and belonging in the wrong places. It was like looking in a broken mirror. I didn’t realize that I already had all of the things I was trying to find.\r\n\r\n<em>I needed someone to hold up a mirror to show me who I really was. I had those things. I was valuable. I am.</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>You will not find the self-value you are looking for in a physical relationship. I know it feels like you will but you won\'t. You\'ll feel less valued than you did when you were alone.\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\nDo you believe me?\r\n\r\nDo you know how much value you have?','You Are Valuable: Why Are Christians Waiting for Marriage for Sex? Part 5 of 6 ','','inherit','open','open','','1897-revision-4','','','2011-11-07 14:34:07','2011-11-07 22:34:07','',1897,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/07/1897-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(1938,1,'2011-11-08 09:11:59','2011-11-08 17:11:59','This is the fifth post in a series called: Why Are Christians Waiting for Marriage for Sex?\r\n<h3>Do you have any idea how valuable you are? I don’t think you do.</h3>\r\nIf I had known how valuable I was I wouldn’t have wasted so many years offering myself for such a cheap price to so many undeserving men.\r\n\r\n<em>No wonder I didn’t feel valuable.</em>\r\n\r\nNo wonder men didn’t see the value I was desperate for them to see in me. Value is like a mirror. The way I see myself in the mirror impacts the way I present myself. The way I present myself impacts how I\'m perceived. When I feel less than valuable I project myself as less than valuable and that is how I am received.\r\n\r\n<strong>It\'s a vicious cycle.</strong>\r\n\r\nStrong physical boundaries in relationship speak to your value. They speak the message that you want others to hear. You are worth more than a movie ticket or a cup of coffee or a couple of dinners out. You are not that easily accessible. It takes more than that.\r\n<h4><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Screen-shot-2011-10-14-at-1.06.33-AM-300x273.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"273\" />Let your physical boundaries speak to the value you place on your sexuality.</h4>\r\nThank goodness for people in my life who helped speak to my value. We need people who hold up a mirror and say, \"Look! This is what you really look like! Remember how valuable you are?\" I have a ton of people like that. Who does that for you in your life?\r\n\r\nPeople who <em>value</em> you love you not because of the things you do or what you offer them but just because you are you. They want what is good for you even if it isn\'t good for them.\r\n\r\n<strong>I don’t have to prove earn my value or prove my value to these people. I am valuable. I just am.</strong>\r\n\r\nWhat would happen if you eliminated all the people from your life who care more about what you have to offer them than they do about your well-being? What would happen if you stopped caving in to them?\r\n\r\nI spent years of my life searching for security, significance and belonging in the wrong places. It was like looking in a broken mirror. I didn’t realize that I already had all of the things I was trying to find.\r\n\r\n<em>I needed someone to hold up a mirror to show me who I really was. I had those things. I was valuable. I am.</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>You will not find the self-value you are looking for in a physical relationship. I know it feels like you will but you won\'t. You\'ll feel less valued than you did when you were alone.\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\nDo you believe me?\r\n\r\nDo you know how much value you have?','Why Are Christians Saving Sex for Marriage? Part 5','','inherit','open','open','','1897-revision-6','','','2011-11-08 09:11:59','2011-11-08 17:11:59','',1897,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/08/1897-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(1939,1,'2011-11-07 14:34:38','2011-11-07 22:34:38','<em>This is the last post in a my series about physical boundaries. The post went out in my newsletter last week but several of you missed it so I\'m being nice and giving you a second opportunity to read it here. </em>\r\n\r\nIf you think that you can entertain lust in a dating relationship (or as a single person) and stop when you get married you’re in line for a rude awakening. Lust does not have a light switch.\r\n\r\nSome of you know this. Your trigger response is lust and you’ve tried to turn it off and it hasn’t worked.\r\n\r\n<em>You’re addicted to porn. </em>\r\n\r\n<em>You’ve tried to stop hooking up with guys but it hasn’t worked.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>You can’t fall asleep without masturbating.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>You can’t keep your hands out of your girlfriend/boyfriend’s pants.</em>\r\n\r\nYou think this will go away when you get married? It won’t. There is not a magic button that turns lust off when you walk down the aisle. If you want to get rid of your lustful thoughts and feelings you have to decide you’re going to do it now.\r\n<h4><strong>Wouldn’t you rather get rid of these thoughts and feelings before you get married?</strong></h4>\r\nYou have a choice. Do you want to get rid of lust <em>now</em> or <em>later</em>? What if I told you that the faster you got rid of your lustful thoughts the more quickly you would have a really satisfying sex life with your spouse? What then?\r\n\r\nDon’t try to manage your lust or moderate it. Lust is not manageable. You can’t “sort of” get rid of lust. You have to decide to kill it completely.\r\n\r\nIf you don’t kill lust, lust will kill you.\r\n\r\n<em>I promise. </em>\r\n\r\nI once had a friend tell me that whatever you feed lives and whatever you starve dies. Do not feed your lust. Kill it.\r\n\r\nLooking at pornography <em>feeds</em> your lust. Masturbating <em>feeds</em> your lust. Silently ranking guys or girls you see on the street, or undressing them with your eyes, or messing around with them outside of a married relationship feeds your lust.\r\n\r\nPushing the boundaries with your boyfriend or girlfriend feeds your lust.\r\n\r\nLust is incredibly self-serving. It is also self-destructive.\r\n<h4><strong>If you’re asking yourself “how far can we go?” your giving lust room to grow.</strong></h4>\r\nWouldn’t you rather kill lust now, while you’re dating, so that you can have a really satisfying sex life in marriage? Wouldn’t you rather kill lust now?\r\n\r\n<strong>There’s a difference between lust and sexual passion.</strong>\r\n\r\nSexual passion should exist in your relationship - even if you’re only dating. If you don’t feel passion in a sexual way toward your significant other you should ask yourself if you’re really interested in marrying that person.\r\n\r\nSexual passion is not a bad thing. Sex is a gift from God. Sexuality is healthy. The difference between lust and sexual passion is that you have control over your sexuality.\r\n\r\nThat’s why it says in Song of Solomon: “Do not arouse or awaken love before it is time.”\r\n\r\nYou get to decide when to arouse sexual passions and when to put them to sleep. That’s now what it’s like with lust. You’ve been controlled by your lust but when you put lust to sleep, you control your sexuality. It does not control you!\r\n\r\n<em>Did you catch that?</em>\r\n<h4><strong>You control your sexual desire. It does not control you. </strong></h4>\r\nIt’s like a craving for good food. Your body craves food and that’s a good thing. If you never got hungry you’d wonder if something was wrong with you.\r\n\r\nBut when you get hungry you get to choose when you eat and when you don’t. You make decisions about what kind of food to put in your body.\r\n\r\nAre you going to choose good food? Don’t satisfy yourself with a McDonald’s cheeseburger when there is a gourmet dinner waiting for you just around the corner. Stop asking yourself, “how far can I go” to manage your hunger.\r\n\r\n<em>Let yourself be hungry. Hunger is a good thing. The gourmet dinner will taste even better. </em>','Lust is Not Manageable: Why Are Christians Waiting for Marriage for Sex? (Part 6 of 6)','','inherit','open','open','','1899-revision-4','','','2011-11-07 14:34:38','2011-11-07 22:34:38','',1899,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/07/1899-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(1941,1,'2011-11-08 09:03:42','2011-11-08 17:03:42','<h3>I don’t understand what all the fuss is about. Saving sex for marriage isn’t that big of a deal.</h3>\r\nThink about it.\r\n\r\nIt’s a test of your will. That’s all. Just a line drawn in the sand that you tell yourself you’re not going to cross. You can walk up to the line, poke your toe over the edge, push it around a little and see if it will budge.\r\n\r\nYou might even jump over the line a couple of times but then you’ll chalk it up to a moment of weakness and jump back to the other side. The guilt you feel will keep you on the right side of the line, at least for awhile.\r\n\r\nThat what “saving sex for marriage” is about, isn\'t it? That’s how we’re all acting. I keep getting questions about this and can’t help but wonder what it is we’re trying to get at. What does it mean to save sex for marriage? What are physical boundaries all about?\r\n\r\n<em><strong><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Wedding-199x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" />Correct me if I\'m wrong, but here are the questions you really want to ask.</strong></em>\r\n\r\nIf I’m saving sex for marriage can I have oral sex? Is that wrong?\r\n\r\nHow much kissing is too much kissing? Can we sleep in the same bed?\r\n\r\nWhat about dry humping? What’s the verdict on that?\r\n\r\nWhen it comes to touching am I allowed to touch and be touched in whatever ways I want as long as it’s over the clothes?\r\n\r\nWhat if I get an orgasm from it? Is that wrong?\r\n\r\nWhat about getting naked? Can I take my shirt off as long as my pants are on? Can one of us be naked if the other one isn’t?\r\n\r\nWhat is the right combination of nakedness to clothes to prevent myself from being convicted of sexual sin?\r\n<h4>We’re talking ourselves in circles. We’re asking all the wrong questions.</h4>\r\nAnd we wonder why, at the end of the day - no matter where we set the boundary - we have a hard time keeping it.\r\n\r\nFollowing a list of rules like that is pointless. As in it <em>has no point</em>.\r\n<h4>No wonder we get tired and give up.</h4>\r\nI want to challenge us to stop asking the question “What’s okay for me to do or not do” and start asking this question instead:\r\n\r\n<em>“Why am I committed to this in the first place?”</em>\r\n\r\nHonestly. Consider this a free-for all in my comments section.\r\n<h3>Why are Christians waiting until marriage for sex?</h3>','Why Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage? Part 1','','inherit','open','open','','1887-revision-9','','','2011-11-08 09:03:42','2011-11-08 17:03:42','',1887,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/08/1887-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(1942,1,'2011-11-08 09:04:13','2011-11-08 17:04:13','If you didn\'t read yesterday\'s post you should start there. This is the second post in a series called: <a href=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/sex1\">Why Are Christians Waiting for Marriage for Sex? </a>\r\n<h4>Trust means you have a firm reliance on the integrity and ability of a person or thing. Trust creates a foundation for strong relationship.</h4>\r\nIt’s no surprise that exercising self-control in a dating relationship builds trust.\r\n\r\n<em>Trust</em> that your spouse is the kind of person who can control his or her sexual urges.\r\n\r\n<em>Trust</em> that your spouse values his/her sexuality enough to guard it until marriage.\r\n\r\n<em>Trust</em> that your spouse values you and your needs above anyone else.\r\n\r\n<em>Trust</em> that your spouse understands the concept of self-sacrifice and delayed gratification.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Screen-shot-2011-10-10-at-11.22.25-PM-210x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"210\" height=\"300\" />If you walk into marriage without trust in these things, you’re asking for trouble. And think of this: If you’re asking, “How far can we go?” you’re wasting energy that could be spent building <em>trust</em> in your relationship.\r\n\r\nGuarding sexuality in a dating relationship (or as a single person) is an opportunity to demonstrate trustworthiness to your future spouse.\r\n<h5>How much trust do you want to demonstrate? A little or a lot?</h5>\r\nIf you\'re single you might not know your spouse now. But think of how trustworthy you’ll seem when you say, “Yeah, it was hard. And there were times that I was lonely. But I wanted you more than I wanted anyone else.”\r\n\r\nIf you\'re in a relationship you might be dating your future spouse right now. How much does that person mean to you? Are your actions demonstrating that?\r\n<h3>Building trust takes time. You might as well start now.</h3>\r\nIf trust builds a strong relationship, and you care about your future marriage, why wouldn\'t you embrace an opportunity to demonstrate and build trust?\r\n\r\nIf you knew your actions were a direct reflection of how much your spouse would trust you someday how would it change the way you act?\r\n\r\nAnd if you knew that the amount of trust you demonstrated before marriage would be equivalent to the amount of trust you have after the wedding day? What then?\r\n<h5>Would you still be asking “how far is too far?” or would you start asking “What more can I do to demonstrate my trust?”</h5>\r\nIf you’ve already messed up, it’s okay. <em>This is your chance to prove that you’ve changed</em>. This gives you an opportunity to prove your true identity. You are a man or woman of value.\r\n\r\nYou can be trusted.\r\n<h4>Do you believe that?</h4>','Why Are Christians Saving Sex for Marriage? Part 2','','inherit','open','open','','1891-revision-8','','','2011-11-08 09:04:13','2011-11-08 17:04:13','',1891,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/08/1891-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(1943,1,'2011-11-08 09:06:29','2011-11-08 17:06:29','This is the third post in a series called: Why Are Christians Waiting for Marriage for Sex?\r\n<h3>I’ve interviewed hundreds of married couples over the past 12 months.</h3>\r\nThey say the same thing about marriage: “Friendship is the most important aspect of our relationship. Don’t marry someone unless they are your best friend.”\r\n\r\nSex creates passion and romance in a relationship but when sex enters the picture friendship takes second best. And for good reason.\r\n<h4><strong><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Screen-shot-2011-10-11-at-12.37.27-PM-200x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />Sex is fun. It was designed that way. We’re supposed to enjoy it.</strong></h4>\r\nSex in addition to friendship creates a really lasting bond in a relationship - one that is hard to break. Sex without friendship is fragile and explosive. It’s like an expensive vase set on an unsteady table. Just give it the slightest bump and it will tumble and break.\r\n\r\n<strong>Don’t just disagree with me. Think about it.</strong>\r\n\r\nRemember the last one night stand that you had? Even if it wasn’t sex? What did you feel when you “hooked up” with someone outside of relationship? Secure and steady? Or uncomfortable and confused?\r\n\r\nStrong boundaries create security in relationship - not chaos.\r\n\r\nFriendship takes time to build. But dating gives you space to do it. Stop wasting energy asking yourself “how far is too far?” and use that energy to create space to grow friendship in your relationship.\r\n<h4><strong>The bigger space you create the faster friendship grows. And the sooner you can get to the good stuff.</strong></h4>\r\n<em>Kidding. Kind of.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Friends</em> laugh together and play.\r\n\r\n<em>Friends</em> talk about things that matter to them. Fears and frustrations. The things that make them hopeful and excited.\r\n\r\n<em>Friends</em> communicate with each other even when they\'re angry. They work through difficult conflict.\r\n\r\n<em>Friends</em> assume the best about each other.\r\n\r\n<em>Friends</em> learn about each other through shared experiences. They celebrate accomplishments.\r\n\r\n<em>Friends</em> know the best and the worst parts of each other. They demonstrate love even when it\'s difficult.\r\n\r\n<em>Friends</em> <a title=\"It Builds Trust: Why Are Christians Waiting for Marriage for Sex? Part 2 of 6\" href=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/waiting-for-marriage-2\">trust one another</a>.\r\n<h4>Friendship like this takes work to build.</h4>\r\nCan you think of any friends you have like this? Give yourself time and space to build this kind of friendship. You\'ll be glad you did.\r\n\r\nIf you’re having a hard time redirecting your sexual energy don’t be discouraged. That’s a good thing. That means you’re human and you like each other. And when you’ve gone to a certain place physically it’s really hard not to go back.\r\n\r\n<strong>But don’t try to be a super hero. No one is expecting you to be that strong. Create boundaries will help you to accomplish your objective.</strong>\r\n\r\nHang out in groups. Go out on dates. Don’t stay in. Ask people to hold you accountable and ask you hard questions. Don’t try to manage your actions or justify them. Admit you were wrong and ask for help.\r\n\r\nLaugh. Talk. Play games.\r\n\r\nBe friends first.','Why Are Christians Saving Sex for Marriage? Part 3','','inherit','open','open','','1893-revision-6','','','2011-11-08 09:06:29','2011-11-08 17:06:29','',1893,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/08/1893-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(1944,1,'2011-11-08 09:08:08','2011-11-08 17:08:08','This is the fourth post in a series called: Why Are Christians Waiting for Marriage for Sex?\r\n\r\n<span class=\"Apple-style-span\" style=\"font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;\">Relationships don’t always make us happy. I know. Breaking news. Big gasps. Etc. Etc.</span>\r\n\r\nSex and all the things leading up to sex make us feel good. We wouldn\'t be having this discussion if they didn\'t. But happiness isn\'t everything in relationship. Good relationships are good in part because of a commitment demonstrated even when things are difficult.\r\n<h4><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Screen-shot-2011-10-13-at-2.41.42-AM-300x195.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"195\" />Relationships are more about holiness than they are about happiness.</h4>\r\nIs your relationship making you more holy? CS Lewis explains <em>holiness</em> like this:\r\n\r\nYour life is a continuum where <em>wholeness</em> is on one end and <em>destruction</em> is on the other. Each decision you make is moving you one direction. What direction are you moving because of this relationship?\r\n<h5>Are you becoming more broken or more whole? Holiness just means you’re becoming more whole.</h5>\r\nIs the relationship you\'re in moving you toward the good? Is it helping you become the person who God made you to be? Or is it hindering you from that growth?\r\n\r\nIf the purpose of my relationships is happiness then anytime I feel unhappy or uncomfortable the temptation will be to end my relationship. If the purpose of my relationship is holiness then I\'ll see every discomfort as an opportunity to work toward becoming more <em>whole</em>.\r\n\r\nIf I value a relationship only for the happiness it brings me then I miss the joy that comes over the long haul in relationship.\r\n\r\nIt takes strength to stick it out when you don’t feel happy. That strength is a muscle that needs to be exercised. Self-denial and self-sacrifice won\'t define every season of your relationship, but they do build a sturdy marriage.\r\n<h5>Do you want to work out now? Or later? Is there a difference?</h5>\r\nIf you’re asking the question “How far can we go?” you’re wasting energy that could be spent taking big steps toward wholeness, restoration and peace. The less energy you waste trying to draw an imaginary line the more energy you’ll have to take bigger steps.\r\n\r\nTrust me. I’ve tried to walk this line. I’ve stay in relationships too long where both of us were using each other to manage our own loneliness.\r\n<h5>It will either be hard now or hard later. Don\'t defer the difficulty. You are not stuck.</h5>\r\nYou have the power to change your circumstance. You have the strength to take the next step toward holiness - even if it means ending your relationship.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Which direction will you step next?</strong>','Why Are Christians Saving Sex for Marriage? Part 4','','inherit','open','open','','1895-revision-5','','','2011-11-08 09:08:08','2011-11-08 17:08:08','',1895,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/08/1895-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(1945,1,'2011-10-20 20:22:26','2011-10-21 03:22:26','<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/Jzs2SlRIvHk\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"500\" height=\"284\"></iframe>\r\n\r\nGuns and Roses is arguably one of the best bands of the 90\'s music scene.  I remember the first time I heard <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appetite_for_destruction\" target=\"_blank\">Appetite for Destruction</a>.  My world was changed much the way I image people felt when the Beatles released the White Album.\r\n\r\nDuff McKagan, the original bassist for the band has a new book out called <a href=\"http://www.duff-itssoeasy.com/\" target=\"_blank\">It\'s So Easy, And Other Lies</a>. Rock Star biographies are a dime a dozen, but this looks good.\r\n\r\nFrom his site:\r\n<blockquote><strong>“It certainly wasn’t a given that my story would amount to anything more than a lurid cautionary tale. It had all the elements: sex, drugs, and rock and roll, and fame, fortune and a fall. But instead, the story became —well, it became something else.” —DUFF McKAGAN</strong>\r\n\r\nA founding member of Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver shares the story of his rise to the pinnacle of fame and fortune, his struggles with alcoholism and drug addiction, his personal crash and burn, and his phoenix-like transformation via a unique path to sobriety.\r\n\r\nIn 1984, at the age of twenty, Duff McKagan left his native Seattle—partly to pursue music but mainly to get away from a host of heroin overdoses then decimating his closest group of friends in the local punk scene.  In L.A. only a few weeks and still living in his car, he answered a want ad for a bass player placed by someone who identified himself only as “Slash.” Soon after, the most dangerous band in the world was born. Guns N’ Roses went on to sell more than 100 million albums worldwide.\r\n\r\n[<a href=\"http://www.duff-itssoeasy.com/\" target=\"_blank\">more</a>]</blockquote>\r\nThe book came out October 4th and is available everywhere.','Duff McKagan On Addiction','','inherit','open','open','','857-revision-3','','','2011-10-20 20:22:26','2011-10-21 03:22:26','',857,'http://provoketive.com/2011/10/20/857-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(1946,1,'2011-11-08 09:14:42','2011-11-08 17:14:42','<em>This is the fifth post in the Series: Why Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage.</em>\r\n<h3>Do you have any idea how valuable you are? I don’t think you do.</h3>\r\nIf I had known how valuable I was I wouldn’t have wasted so many years offering myself for such a cheap price to so many undeserving men.\r\n\r\n<em>No wonder I didn’t feel valuable.</em>\r\n\r\nNo wonder men didn’t see the value I was desperate for them to see in me. Value is like a mirror. The way I see myself in the mirror impacts the way I present myself. The way I present myself impacts how I\'m perceived. When I feel less than valuable I project myself as less than valuable and that is how I am received.\r\n\r\n<strong>It\'s a vicious cycle.</strong>\r\n\r\nStrong physical boundaries in relationship speak to your value. They speak the message that you want others to hear. You are worth more than a movie ticket or a cup of coffee or a couple of dinners out. You are not that easily accessible. It takes more than that.\r\n<h4><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Screen-shot-2011-10-14-at-1.06.33-AM-300x273.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"273\" />Let your physical boundaries speak to the value you place on your sexuality.</h4>\r\nThank goodness for people in my life who helped speak to my value. We need people who hold up a mirror and say, \"Look! This is what you really look like! Remember how valuable you are?\" I have a ton of people like that. Who does that for you in your life?\r\n\r\nPeople who <em>value</em> you love you not because of the things you do or what you offer them but just because you are you. They want what is good for you even if it isn\'t good for them.\r\n\r\n<strong>I don’t have to prove earn my value or prove my value to these people. I am valuable. I just am.</strong>\r\n\r\nWhat would happen if you eliminated all the people from your life who care more about what you have to offer them than they do about your well-being? What would happen if you stopped caving in to them?\r\n\r\nI spent years of my life searching for security, significance and belonging in the wrong places. It was like looking in a broken mirror. I didn’t realize that I already had all of the things I was trying to find.\r\n\r\n<em>I needed someone to hold up a mirror to show me who I really was. I had those things. I was valuable. I am.</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>You will not find the self-value you are looking for in a physical relationship. I know it feels like you will but you won\'t. You\'ll feel less valued than you did when you were alone.\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\nDo you believe me?\r\n\r\nDo you know how much value you have?','Why Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage? Part 5','','inherit','open','open','','1897-revision-8','','','2011-11-08 09:14:42','2011-11-08 17:14:42','',1897,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/08/1897-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(1947,1,'2011-11-08 09:14:09','2011-11-08 17:14:09','<em>This is the sixth post in the Series: Why Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage.\r\n</em>\r\n\r\nIf you think that you can entertain lust in a dating relationship (or as a single person) and stop when you get married you’re in line for a rude awakening. Lust does not have a light switch.\r\n\r\nSome of you know this. Your trigger response is lust and you’ve tried to turn it off and it hasn’t worked.\r\n\r\n<em>You’re addicted to porn. </em>\r\n\r\n<em>You’ve tried to stop hooking up with guys but it hasn’t worked.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>You can’t fall asleep without masturbating.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>You can’t keep your hands out of your girlfriend/boyfriend’s pants.</em>\r\n\r\nYou think this will go away when you get married? It won’t. There is not a magic button that turns lust off when you walk down the aisle. If you want to get rid of your lustful thoughts and feelings you have to decide you’re going to do it now.\r\n<h4><strong>Wouldn’t you rather get rid of these thoughts and feelings before you get married?</strong></h4>\r\nYou have a choice. Do you want to get rid of lust <em>now</em> or <em>later</em>? What if I told you that the faster you got rid of your lustful thoughts the more quickly you would have a really satisfying sex life with your spouse? What then?\r\n\r\nDon’t try to manage your lust or moderate it. Lust is not manageable. You can’t “sort of” get rid of lust. You have to decide to kill it completely.\r\n\r\nIf you don’t kill lust, lust will kill you.\r\n\r\n<em>I promise. </em>\r\n\r\nI once had a friend tell me that whatever you feed lives and whatever you starve dies. Do not feed your lust. Kill it.\r\n\r\nLooking at pornography <em>feeds</em> your lust. Masturbating <em>feeds</em> your lust. Silently ranking guys or girls you see on the street, or undressing them with your eyes, or messing around with them outside of a married relationship feeds your lust.\r\n\r\nPushing the boundaries with your boyfriend or girlfriend feeds your lust.\r\n\r\nLust is incredibly self-serving. It is also self-destructive.\r\n<h4><strong>If you’re asking yourself “how far can we go?” your giving lust room to grow.</strong></h4>\r\nWouldn’t you rather kill lust now, while you’re dating, so that you can have a really satisfying sex life in marriage? Wouldn’t you rather kill lust now?\r\n\r\n<strong>There’s a difference between lust and sexual passion.</strong>\r\n\r\nSexual passion should exist in your relationship - even if you’re only dating. If you don’t feel passion in a sexual way toward your significant other you should ask yourself if you’re really interested in marrying that person.\r\n\r\nSexual passion is not a bad thing. Sex is a gift from God. Sexuality is healthy. The difference between lust and sexual passion is that you have control over your sexuality.\r\n\r\nThat’s why it says in Song of Solomon: “Do not arouse or awaken love before it is time.”\r\n\r\nYou get to decide when to arouse sexual passions and when to put them to sleep. That’s now what it’s like with lust. You’ve been controlled by your lust but when you put lust to sleep, you control your sexuality. It does not control you!\r\n\r\n<em>Did you catch that?</em>\r\n<h4><strong>You control your sexual desire. It does not control you. </strong></h4>\r\nIt’s like a craving for good food. Your body craves food and that’s a good thing. If you never got hungry you’d wonder if something was wrong with you.\r\n\r\nBut when you get hungry you get to choose when you eat and when you don’t. You make decisions about what kind of food to put in your body.\r\n\r\nAre you going to choose good food? Don’t satisfy yourself with a McDonald’s cheeseburger when there is a gourmet dinner waiting for you just around the corner. Stop asking yourself, “how far can I go” to manage your hunger.\r\n\r\n<em>Let yourself be hungry. Hunger is a good thing. The gourmet dinner will taste even better. </em>','Why Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage? Part 6','','inherit','open','open','','1899-revision-5','','','2011-11-08 09:14:09','2011-11-08 17:14:09','',1899,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/08/1899-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(1948,1,'2011-11-08 09:25:31','2011-11-08 17:25:31','','Saving_Sex_Badge','','inherit','open','open','','saving_sex_badge','','','2011-11-08 09:25:31','2011-11-08 17:25:31','',0,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Saving_Sex_Badge.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(1949,1,'2011-11-08 09:18:33','2011-11-08 17:18:33','This is the fourth post in a series called: Why Are Christians Waiting for Marriage for Sex?\r\n\r\n<span class=\"Apple-style-span\" style=\"font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;\">Relationships don’t always make us happy. I know. Breaking news. Big gasps. Etc. Etc.</span>\r\n\r\nSex and all the things leading up to sex make us feel good. We wouldn\'t be having this discussion if they didn\'t. But happiness isn\'t everything in relationship. Good relationships are good in part because of a commitment demonstrated even when things are difficult.\r\n<h4><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Screen-shot-2011-10-13-at-2.41.42-AM-300x195.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"195\" />Relationships are more about holiness than they are about happiness.</h4>\r\nIs your relationship making you more holy? CS Lewis explains <em>holiness</em> like this:\r\n\r\nYour life is a continuum where <em>wholeness</em> is on one end and <em>destruction</em> is on the other. Each decision you make is moving you one direction. What direction are you moving because of this relationship?\r\n<h5>Are you becoming more broken or more whole? Holiness just means you’re becoming more whole.</h5>\r\nIs the relationship you\'re in moving you toward the good? Is it helping you become the person who God made you to be? Or is it hindering you from that growth?\r\n\r\nIf the purpose of my relationships is happiness then anytime I feel unhappy or uncomfortable the temptation will be to end my relationship. If the purpose of my relationship is holiness then I\'ll see every discomfort as an opportunity to work toward becoming more <em>whole</em>.\r\n\r\nIf I value a relationship only for the happiness it brings me then I miss the joy that comes over the long haul in relationship.\r\n\r\nIt takes strength to stick it out when you don’t feel happy. That strength is a muscle that needs to be exercised. Self-denial and self-sacrifice won\'t define every season of your relationship, but they do build a sturdy marriage.\r\n<h5>Do you want to work out now? Or later? Is there a difference?</h5>\r\nIf you’re asking the question “How far can we go?” you’re wasting energy that could be spent taking big steps toward wholeness, restoration and peace. The less energy you waste trying to draw an imaginary line the more energy you’ll have to take bigger steps.\r\n\r\nTrust me. I’ve tried to walk this line. I’ve stay in relationships too long where both of us were using each other to manage our own loneliness.\r\n<h5>It will either be hard now or hard later. Don\'t defer the difficulty. You are not stuck.</h5>\r\nYou have the power to change your circumstance. You have the strength to take the next step toward holiness - even if it means ending your relationship.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Which direction will you step next?</strong>','Why Are Christians Saving Sex for Marriage? Part 4','','inherit','open','open','','1895-revision-6','','','2011-11-08 09:18:33','2011-11-08 17:18:33','',1895,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/08/1895-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(1950,1,'2011-11-08 09:18:23','2011-11-08 17:18:23','This is the third post in a series called: Why Are Christians Waiting for Marriage for Sex?\r\n<h3>I’ve interviewed hundreds of married couples over the past 12 months.</h3>\r\nThey say the same thing about marriage: “Friendship is the most important aspect of our relationship. Don’t marry someone unless they are your best friend.”\r\n\r\nSex creates passion and romance in a relationship but when sex enters the picture friendship takes second best. And for good reason.\r\n<h4><strong><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Screen-shot-2011-10-11-at-12.37.27-PM-200x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />Sex is fun. It was designed that way. We’re supposed to enjoy it.</strong></h4>\r\nSex in addition to friendship creates a really lasting bond in a relationship - one that is hard to break. Sex without friendship is fragile and explosive. It’s like an expensive vase set on an unsteady table. Just give it the slightest bump and it will tumble and break.\r\n\r\n<strong>Don’t just disagree with me. Think about it.</strong>\r\n\r\nRemember the last one night stand that you had? Even if it wasn’t sex? What did you feel when you “hooked up” with someone outside of relationship? Secure and steady? Or uncomfortable and confused?\r\n\r\nStrong boundaries create security in relationship - not chaos.\r\n\r\nFriendship takes time to build. But dating gives you space to do it. Stop wasting energy asking yourself “how far is too far?” and use that energy to create space to grow friendship in your relationship.\r\n<h4><strong>The bigger space you create the faster friendship grows. And the sooner you can get to the good stuff.</strong></h4>\r\n<em>Kidding. Kind of.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Friends</em> laugh together and play.\r\n\r\n<em>Friends</em> talk about things that matter to them. Fears and frustrations. The things that make them hopeful and excited.\r\n\r\n<em>Friends</em> communicate with each other even when they\'re angry. They work through difficult conflict.\r\n\r\n<em>Friends</em> assume the best about each other.\r\n\r\n<em>Friends</em> learn about each other through shared experiences. They celebrate accomplishments.\r\n\r\n<em>Friends</em> know the best and the worst parts of each other. They demonstrate love even when it\'s difficult.\r\n\r\n<em>Friends</em> <a title=\"It Builds Trust: Why Are Christians Waiting for Marriage for Sex? Part 2 of 6\" href=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/waiting-for-marriage-2\">trust one another</a>.\r\n<h4>Friendship like this takes work to build.</h4>\r\nCan you think of any friends you have like this? Give yourself time and space to build this kind of friendship. You\'ll be glad you did.\r\n\r\nIf you’re having a hard time redirecting your sexual energy don’t be discouraged. That’s a good thing. That means you’re human and you like each other. And when you’ve gone to a certain place physically it’s really hard not to go back.\r\n\r\n<strong>But don’t try to be a super hero. No one is expecting you to be that strong. Create boundaries will help you to accomplish your objective.</strong>\r\n\r\nHang out in groups. Go out on dates. Don’t stay in. Ask people to hold you accountable and ask you hard questions. Don’t try to manage your actions or justify them. Admit you were wrong and ask for help.\r\n\r\nLaugh. Talk. Play games.\r\n\r\nBe friends first.','Why Are Christians Saving Sex for Marriage? Part 3','','inherit','open','open','','1893-revision-7','','','2011-11-08 09:18:23','2011-11-08 17:18:23','',1893,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/08/1893-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (1951,1,'2011-11-08 09:26:56','2011-11-08 17:26:56','<em>This is the fourth post in the Series: Why Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage.</em>\r\n\r\n<span class=\"Apple-style-span\" style=\"font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;\">Relationships don’t always make us happy. I know. Breaking news. Big gasps. Etc. Etc.</span>\r\n\r\nSex and all the things leading up to sex make us feel good. We wouldn\'t be having this discussion if they didn\'t. But happiness isn\'t everything in relationship. Good relationships are good in part because of a commitment demonstrated even when things are difficult.\r\n<h4><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Screen-shot-2011-10-13-at-2.41.42-AM-300x195.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"195\" />Relationships are more about holiness than they are about happiness.</h4>\r\nIs your relationship making you more holy? CS Lewis explains <em>holiness</em> like this:\r\n\r\nYour life is a continuum where <em>wholeness</em> is on one end and <em>destruction</em> is on the other. Each decision you make is moving you one direction. What direction are you moving because of this relationship?\r\n<h5>Are you becoming more broken or more whole? Holiness just means you’re becoming more whole.</h5>\r\nIs the relationship you\'re in moving you toward the good? Is it helping you become the person who God made you to be? Or is it hindering you from that growth?\r\n\r\nIf the purpose of my relationships is happiness then anytime I feel unhappy or uncomfortable the temptation will be to end my relationship. If the purpose of my relationship is holiness then I\'ll see every discomfort as an opportunity to work toward becoming more <em>whole</em>.\r\n\r\nIf I value a relationship only for the happiness it brings me then I miss the joy that comes over the long haul in relationship.\r\n\r\nIt takes strength to stick it out when you don’t feel happy. That strength is a muscle that needs to be exercised. Self-denial and self-sacrifice won\'t define every season of your relationship, but they do build a sturdy marriage.\r\n<h5>Do you want to work out now? Or later? Is there a difference?</h5>\r\nIf you’re asking the question “How far can we go?” you’re wasting energy that could be spent taking big steps toward wholeness, restoration and peace. The less energy you waste trying to draw an imaginary line the more energy you’ll have to take bigger steps.\r\n\r\nTrust me. I’ve tried to walk this line. I’ve stay in relationships too long where both of us were using each other to manage our own loneliness.\r\n<h5>It will either be hard now or hard later. Don\'t defer the difficulty. You are not stuck.</h5>\r\nYou have the power to change your circumstance. You have the strength to take the next step toward holiness - even if it means ending your relationship.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Which direction will you step next?</strong>','Why Are Christians Saving Sex for Marriage? Part 4','','inherit','open','open','','1895-revision-7','','','2011-11-08 09:26:56','2011-11-08 17:26:56','',1895,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/08/1895-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(1952,1,'2011-11-08 09:18:17','2011-11-08 17:18:17','If you didn\'t read yesterday\'s post you should start there. This is the second post in a series called: <a href=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/sex1\">Why Are Christians Waiting for Marriage for Sex? </a>\r\n<h4>Trust means you have a firm reliance on the integrity and ability of a person or thing. Trust creates a foundation for strong relationship.</h4>\r\nIt’s no surprise that exercising self-control in a dating relationship builds trust.\r\n\r\n<em>Trust</em> that your spouse is the kind of person who can control his or her sexual urges.\r\n\r\n<em>Trust</em> that your spouse values his/her sexuality enough to guard it until marriage.\r\n\r\n<em>Trust</em> that your spouse values you and your needs above anyone else.\r\n\r\n<em>Trust</em> that your spouse understands the concept of self-sacrifice and delayed gratification.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Screen-shot-2011-10-10-at-11.22.25-PM-210x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"210\" height=\"300\" />If you walk into marriage without trust in these things, you’re asking for trouble. And think of this: If you’re asking, “How far can we go?” you’re wasting energy that could be spent building <em>trust</em> in your relationship.\r\n\r\nGuarding sexuality in a dating relationship (or as a single person) is an opportunity to demonstrate trustworthiness to your future spouse.\r\n<h5>How much trust do you want to demonstrate? A little or a lot?</h5>\r\nIf you\'re single you might not know your spouse now. But think of how trustworthy you’ll seem when you say, “Yeah, it was hard. And there were times that I was lonely. But I wanted you more than I wanted anyone else.”\r\n\r\nIf you\'re in a relationship you might be dating your future spouse right now. How much does that person mean to you? Are your actions demonstrating that?\r\n<h3>Building trust takes time. You might as well start now.</h3>\r\nIf trust builds a strong relationship, and you care about your future marriage, why wouldn\'t you embrace an opportunity to demonstrate and build trust?\r\n\r\nIf you knew your actions were a direct reflection of how much your spouse would trust you someday how would it change the way you act?\r\n\r\nAnd if you knew that the amount of trust you demonstrated before marriage would be equivalent to the amount of trust you have after the wedding day? What then?\r\n<h5>Would you still be asking “how far is too far?” or would you start asking “What more can I do to demonstrate my trust?”</h5>\r\nIf you’ve already messed up, it’s okay. <em>This is your chance to prove that you’ve changed</em>. This gives you an opportunity to prove your true identity. You are a man or woman of value.\r\n\r\nYou can be trusted.\r\n<h4>Do you believe that?</h4>','Why Are Christians Saving Sex for Marriage? Part 2','','inherit','open','open','','1891-revision-9','','','2011-11-08 09:18:17','2011-11-08 17:18:17','',1891,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/08/1891-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(1954,1,'2011-11-08 09:35:21','2011-11-08 17:35:21','','Fuid_Ink_Banner','','inherit','open','open','','fuid_ink_banner','','','2011-11-08 09:35:21','2011-11-08 17:35:21','',1798,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Fuid_Ink_Banner.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(1955,1,'2011-11-08 09:37:48','2011-11-08 17:37:48','<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/perception.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1799\" title=\"perception\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/perception.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"567\" height=\"422\" /></a>\n\nCopyright Rainer Galea, Fluid Ink','Fluid Ink ','','inherit','open','open','','1798-revision-2','','','2011-11-08 09:37:48','2011-11-08 17:37:48','',1798,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/08/1798-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1956,0,'2011-11-08 11:14:32','2011-11-08 19:14:32','The premier automated link-building tool for blogs. Through the use of this tool you will see a significant increase in the number of unique visitors to your site, as well as see your site jump in the search engine result pages.         \r\nThe tool is popular among both novices and gurus because of both its flexibility, power, and effectiveness.         \r\n \r\nDownload Demo-version with % discount on the link:      \r\nhttp://trichtogcopuc.pochta.ru/futylygo.html\n<!--more-->\nAUTHOR: riciatiopriek\nAUTHOR EMAIL: Cexreeragraph@gmail.com\nAUTHOR URL: \nSUBJECT: [Provoketive Magazine] Contact Us\nIP: 92.112.223.56\nArray\n(\n    [Name] =&gt; riciatiopriek\n    [Email] =&gt; Cexreeragraph@gmail.com\n    [Comment] =&gt; The premier automated link-building tool for blogs. Through the use of this tool you will see a significant increase in the number of unique visitors to your site, as well as see your site jump in the search engine result pages.         \r\nThe tool is popular among both novices and gurus because of both its flexibility, power, and effectiveness.         \r\n \r\nDownload Demo-version with % discount on the link:      \r\nhttp://trichtogcopuc.pochta.ru/futylygo.html\n)\n','riciatiopriek - 2011-11-08 11:14:32','','publish','open','open','','8839b3d6e484138f843f30b3e4d4d5d2','','','2011-11-08 11:14:32','2011-11-08 19:14:32','',16,'http://provoketive.com/?post_type=feedback&p=1956',0,'feedback','',0),(1960,1,'2011-11-08 14:42:25','2011-11-08 22:42:25','<script src=\"http://player.espn.com/player.js?pcode=1kNG061cgaoolOncv54OAO1ceO-I&width=576&height=324&externalId=espn:7208965&thruParam_espn-ui[autoPlay]=false&thruParam_espn-ui[playRelatedExternally]=true\"></script>','The NBA Locket Mess Roundup','','inherit','open','open','','1957-revision-2','','','2011-11-08 14:42:25','2011-11-08 22:42:25','',1957,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/08/1957-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1961,1,'2011-11-08 14:42:56','2011-11-08 22:42:56','<script src=\"http://player.espn.com/player.js?pcode=1kNG061cgaoolOncv54OAO1ceO-I&width=500&height=300&externalId=espn:7208965&thruParam_espn-ui[autoPlay]=false&thruParam_espn-ui[playRelatedExternally]=true\"></script>','The NBA Locket Mess Roundup','','inherit','open','open','','1957-revision-3','','','2011-11-08 14:42:56','2011-11-08 22:42:56','',1957,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/08/1957-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(1962,1,'2011-11-08 14:46:46','2011-11-08 22:46:46','','nba-lockout-video','','inherit','open','open','','nba-lockout-video','','','2011-11-08 14:46:46','2011-11-08 22:46:46','',1957,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/nba-lockout-video.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(1963,1,'2011-11-08 14:43:01','2011-11-08 22:43:01','<script src=\"http://player.espn.com/player.js?pcode=1kNG061cgaoolOncv54OAO1ceO-I&width=500&height=300&externalId=espn:7208965&thruParam_espn-ui[autoPlay]=false&thruParam_espn-ui[playRelatedExternally]=true\"></script>','The NBA Locket Mess Roundup','','inherit','open','open','','1957-revision-4','','','2011-11-08 14:43:01','2011-11-08 22:43:01','',1957,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/08/1957-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(1964,1,'2011-11-08 14:47:16','2011-11-08 22:47:16','<script src=\"http://player.espn.com/player.js?pcode=1kNG061cgaoolOncv54OAO1ceO-I&width=500&height=300&externalId=espn:7208965&thruParam_espn-ui[autoPlay]=false&thruParam_espn-ui[playRelatedExternally]=true\"></script>\r\n\r\nDid anyone thing the players were ever going to win?','The NBA Locket Mess Roundup','','inherit','open','open','','1957-revision-5','','','2011-11-08 14:47:16','2011-11-08 22:47:16','',1957,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/08/1957-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(1968,1,'2011-11-09 10:38:43','2011-11-09 18:38:43','','Organic_Outreach_Event','','inherit','open','open','','organic_outreach_event','','','2011-11-09 10:38:43','2011-11-09 18:38:43','',1967,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Organic_Outreach_Event.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(1969,1,'2011-11-09 10:36:11','2011-11-09 18:36:11','','Organic Outreach Conference','','inherit','open','open','','1967-revision','','','2011-11-09 10:36:11','2011-11-09 18:36:11','',1967,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/1967-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1970,1,'2011-11-09 10:41:16','2011-11-09 18:41:16','Join us for the Organic Outreach Conference at Shoreline Community Church in beautiful Monterey California. Do you want to share God’s love naturally with the people in your life? Do you have a desire for people to experience the amazing grace of Jesus? Do you believe that God wants to change our community and world through the ministry of the local church?\n\nIf you say YES to any of these questions, you will want to join us on November 10-12, 2011 as Pastor Kevin Harney <em>(from Shoreline Community Church in Monterey)</em>, Pastor Dan Kimball <em>(from Vintage Faith Church in Santa Cruz)</em>, and Eric Bryant <em>(from </em><em>Gateway Church in Texas)</em> lead us through a dynamic time of learning about Organic Outreach.\n\nWhy would you save the evening from Thursday November 10 through lunchtime on Saturday November 12 to attend the Organic Outreach Conference? Here are some of the reasons…\n\n*Low cost conference\n*Speakers include Kevin Harney, Dan Kimball, and Eric Bryant!\n*Delicious meals\n*FREE ministry resources, including the newest <em>Organic Outreach</em> book by Kevin Harney\n*Fun!\n*Praise music\n*Various breakouts on critical topics for reaching your community\n*More fun!\n*Learning how to use creative approaches to discuss your faith in attractive ways\n*Connecting with other believers\n*Did we mention fun?\n\n<strong> You will leave this conference prepared to share the amazing truth of Jesus with those who still need His grace and mercy!</strong>\n\n[<a href=\"http://www.organicoutreachconference.com/\" target=\"_blank\">More Information</a>]','Organic Outreach Conference','','inherit','open','open','','1967-autosave','','','2011-11-09 10:41:16','2011-11-09 18:41:16','',1967,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/1967-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(1971,1,'2011-11-09 10:40:08','2011-11-09 18:40:08','Join us for the Organic Outreach Conference at Shoreline Community Church in beautiful Monterey California. Do you want to share God’s love naturally with the people in your life? Do you have a desire for people to experience the amazing grace of Jesus? Do you believe that God wants to change our community and world through the ministry of the local church?\r\n\r\nIf you say YES to any of these questions, you will want to join us on November 10-12, 2011 as Pastor Kevin Harney <em>(from Shoreline Community Church in Monterey)</em>, Pastor Dan Kimball <em>(from Vintage Faith Church in Santa Cruz)</em>, and Eric Bryant <em>(from </em><em>Gateway Church in Texas)</em> lead us through a dynamic time of learning about Organic Outreach.\r\n\r\nWhy would you save the evening from Thursday November 10 through lunchtime on Saturday November 12 to attend the Organic Outreach Conference? Here are some of the reasons…\r\n\r\n*Low cost conference\r\n*Speakers include Kevin Harney, Dan Kimball, and Eric Bryant!\r\n*Delicious meals\r\n*FREE ministry resources, including the newest <em>Organic Outreach</em> book by Kevin Harney\r\n*Fun!\r\n*Praise music\r\n*Various breakouts on critical topics for reaching your community\r\n*More fun!\r\n*Learning how to use creative approaches to discuss your faith in attractive ways\r\n*Connecting with other believers\r\n*Did we mention fun?\r\n\r\n<strong> You will leave this conference prepared to share the amazing truth of Jesus with those who still need His grace and mercy!</strong>\r\n\r\n[<a href=\"http://www.organicoutreachconference.com/\" target=\"_blank\">More Information</a>]','Organic Outreach Conference','','inherit','open','open','','1967-revision-2','','','2011-11-09 10:40:08','2011-11-09 18:40:08','',1967,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/1967-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1972,1,'2011-11-09 10:43:29','2011-11-09 18:43:29','Join us for the Organic Outreach Conference at Shoreline Community Church in beautiful Monterey California. Do you want to share God’s love naturally with the people in your life? Do you have a desire for people to experience the amazing grace of Jesus? Do you believe that God wants to change our community and world through the ministry of the local church?\r\n\r\nIf you say YES to any of these questions, you will want to join us on November 10-12, 2011 as Pastor Kevin Harney <em>(from Shoreline Community Church in Monterey)</em>, Pastor Dan Kimball <em>(from Vintage Faith Church in Santa Cruz)</em>, and Eric Bryant <em>(from </em><em>Gateway Church in Texas)</em> lead us through a dynamic time of learning about Organic Outreach.\r\n\r\nWhy would you save the evening from Thursday November 10 through lunchtime on Saturday November 12 to attend the Organic Outreach Conference? Here are some of the reasons…\r\n\r\n*Low cost conference\r\n*Speakers include Kevin Harney, Dan Kimball, and Eric Bryant!\r\n*Delicious meals\r\n*FREE ministry resources, including the newest <em>Organic Outreach</em> book by Kevin Harney\r\n*Fun!\r\n*Praise music\r\n*Various breakouts on critical topics for reaching your community\r\n*More fun!\r\n*Learning how to use creative approaches to discuss your faith in attractive ways\r\n*Connecting with other believers\r\n*Did we mention fun?\r\n\r\n<strong> You will leave this conference prepared to share the amazing truth of Jesus with those who still need His grace and mercy!</strong>\r\n\r\n(<a href=\"http://www.organicoutreachconference.com/\" target=\"_blank\">More Information</a>)','Organic Outreach Conference','','inherit','open','open','','1967-revision-3','','','2011-11-09 10:43:29','2011-11-09 18:43:29','',1967,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/1967-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(1975,24,'2011-12-04 10:15:31','2011-12-04 18:15:31','God decided He was tired of humanity, tired of the incessant selfish requests. He called His angels in for advice. \"I would like to go somewhere were these humans will not find me.\"\r\n\r\nOne angel spoke up, \"Hide on the highest mountain, they will not find you there.\"\r\n\r\nAnother angel said, \"The bottom of the deepest ocean.\"\r\n\r\nOne angel shouted, \"The dark side of the moon, they cannot see you there.\"\r\n\r\nGod not satisfied that these suggestions would hide Him, He summoned His wisest angel and asked him, \"Where can I hide so that these humans will not find me?\"\r\n\r\nThe angel smiled and replied, \"hide in their hearts, for they fear to look within.\"My intention is to introduce a point out a view that invites one to lose interest in getting something from this world and become aware of a Reality that demands nothing, asks for nothing; One which simply Is.\r\n\r\nTake a moment to pay attention the happenings of the world around you without commenting on it. What do you see? What do you hear? Is it personal?\r\n\r\nThe world changes in appearance as we progressively remove the personal self from the world. As a practice, instead of commenting on how the world effects you, watch your colleague\'s, your wife or husband and children. Treat them as though they have no past history with you, they are simply present. Be with this moment with the intention to be kind to everything.\r\n\r\nFor some this is too simple, or boring. They are far more interested in solving problems, fixing others and (subconsciously) entertaining themselves via the drama of their lives.\r\n\r\nTo understand the addiction we have to the drama of this world think of how someone would react if we walked  into a room of people watching their favorite soap opera and turned off the TV right at the climax. Now just imagine the response. Anger, yelling, pushing and shoving are the likely effects of disconnecting people from their entertainment. Another example would be, walking into a crowded bar on a playoff night, turn the power off just prior to the end of a close game. Would you see the same reactions?\r\n\r\nTranscendence does not mean condemnation of this addiction we see so prevalent in society; at some point one just decides whether or not to continue to participate in it.\r\n\r\nThose of you who were raised in any sort of religion, culture/ethnicity, sports team loyalists, soap opera drama  fanatics upbringing were usually programmed what to believe, in many cases the reason being “because that\'s the way it is.” Even if you were not told directly it was obvious by the behavior of your family.  \"We are Bronco fans because we live in Colorado.\" We hate the Raiders and Chargers with a passion!\"  We are Catholics?Protestants/ Buddhists etc.  because our parents were and theirs before them for generations.\r\n\r\nHow do we know if anything is true? Can our thoughts, perceptions, families beliefs and customs be trusted as Truth?\r\n\r\n<strong>\"Man is intrinsically innocent because he can only choose what he perceives to be good.\" - Socrates</strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/YoungOldWoman.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-1976\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/YoungOldWoman-210x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"210\" height=\"300\" /></a>Looking at this picture, what do you see?\r\nIs this your wife or mother-in-law?\r\nWhich perception is real?\r\nDoes one negate the other?\r\nDo both exist simultaneously?\r\n\r\nI John 2: 9-11 Anyone who claims to live in God\'s light and hates a brother or sister is still in the dark. It\'s the person who loves brother and sister who dwells in God\'s light and doesn\'t block the light from others. But whoever hates is still in the dark, stumbles around in the dark, doesn\'t know which end is up, blinded by the darkness.\r\n\r\nLook around the room you are in. Is it possible to see the light? Or can you only see that with which the light illuminates?\r\n\r\nA person\'s way of speaking, behavior and thought process simply reveals what they are aligned with, it does not make them what they are. Light does not judge or condemn, it\'s simply reveals what is. God is light and in Him there is no shadow or darkness. So evil is not the opposite or antithesis of God, but simply the state in which He is not being acknowledged and allowed. Perception is therefore extremely subjective as it usually involves with duality, opposites and either-or situations.\r\n\r\nOur perceptions are derived from a mind that searches for the meaning of what it perceives or, in other words, identifies with. If the mind is programmed to desire that which it perceives to be valuable. Thoughts and feelings arise from desire, and the mind uses them as a tool to get what it views as a ‘need.’\r\n\r\n<strong>You either believe what you think or you question it. There’s no other choice. - Byron Katie</strong>\r\n\r\nOur minds, like children, are innocent. They are analogous to a brand new Mac Book Pro without any software. As we observe our families and our culture we pick up the software that runs our minds’ value system which is called perception.\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/plOB4PsoyoXsnIc0THdPhc-xSEWVLpDugXnQAUsnpD6NtlQuatHkFHb8dzSGGDi4cDOP-YoVJylmZjzSTLL1RXDz1Z8GhnUJdnG5B8Oz8jIxbYL2-2E\" alt=\"\" width=\"400px;\" height=\"248px;\" />\r\n\r\nLike this prism, perception, derived from programming, interprets the light and breaks it into categories. We then judge, evaluate and determine if what we see is valuable or deemed something we would like to avoid.\r\n\r\nPerhaps the statement Jesus made in Matthew is an invitation to return to that innocence. To shed our ideas of ourselves and this world. To give up trying to fix everything out there and simply turning within to explore what we fear the most, our heart.\r\n\r\n<strong>Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. - Jesus</strong>','The Deception in Perception','','publish','open','open','','the-deception-in-perception','','','2011-12-01 10:18:39','2011-12-01 18:18:39','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=1975',0,'post','',0),(1976,24,'2011-11-09 13:00:44','2011-11-09 21:00:44','','YoungOldWoman','','inherit','open','open','','youngoldwoman','','','2011-11-09 13:00:44','2011-11-09 21:00:44','',1975,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/YoungOldWoman.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1977,43,'2011-11-13 08:00:15','2011-11-13 16:00:15','<blockquote><strong>Women and men</strong>\r\n<strong>Bringing with them messages of love</strong>\r\n<strong>And everywhere they go love will grow</strong>\r\n<strong>When you see the faces of the women</strong>\r\n<strong>And the men, you too will know</strong>\r\n~<em>Women and Men</em>, They Might Be Giants</blockquote>\r\nI don\'t know about anyone else, but I am heartily sick of trendy \"masculine Christianity.\"\r\n\r\nAs far as I can tell, the definition of <em>masculine</em> is culturally driven and narrowly defined.  I credit my favorite description of this to author James Howe in his YA novel <em>Totally Joe</em>: \"Guy-guy.\"  You know exactly what he means—the type of person who is, in one way or another, a shining example of what it means to be a real man.  Not just someone whose interests encompass home repair, cars, or video gaming, but someone who is considered undeniably <em>male.</em>  Anyone outside that has crossed the lines of what is healthy manhood into the dangerous waters of undefined gender roles.\r\n\r\nMost disturbing is how instead of rejoicing that boys have a wider range of options available beyond the bounds of gender stereotype, some men are fighting back.  Christian leaders are claiming that boys are lost in a frightening whorl of indeterminate gender, unable to fulfill their God-appointed roles.  Others are demanding that Christians examine gender roles in the context of “what God has designed.”  Some blame “the feminists” (whoever those are; they may be imagining a panel of butch lesbians handing down edicts to the rest of us)—apparently, feminists all want a neuter society wherein no one dresses or behaves as a normal man or woman.\r\n\r\nWhat saddens me about this is the way it perpetuates the myth of pink and blue.  It also gives (male) pastors license to make pronouncements from the pulpit about what men and women “are like.”  How many times have both men and women had to sit through a sermon on sexuality which was demeaning for both?  Men are perverts with porn addictions; women are uptight and frigid, yet somehow also slutty.  It’s embarrassing.\r\n\r\nWhen we’re not being classified by our sex drives or harassed for defying cultural norms, we have to cope with the idea that certain personality traits have gender.  Being gentle, merciful, compassionate, and nurturing are feminine; being strong, tough, and forceful are masculine.  An emphasis on social justice, love, and mercy has led to recent movements in Christianity to be labeled false, emasculated, and submissive.\r\n\r\nYet my reading of Scripture implies that’s exactly what Jesus expects from us.  He didn’t turn over the money lenders’ tables or call the Pharisees a brood of vipers in order to demonstrate his hyper-masculine superpowers.  If he’d wanted to do that, he might have overthrown the Roman government or called the resistance movement to arms.  When dealing with the everyday, ordinary struggles, including the sins of the people, Jesus was gentle, humble, compassionate, and forgiving.\r\n\r\nI agree that we shouldn’t just sit around having potluck suppers and singing “Kum ba ya.”  But becoming Warrior Christians isn’t the answer.  We can still exhibit strength by standing up for what we believe in and for those who cannot stand for themselves.\r\n<blockquote><strong>So God created mankind in his own image,\r\nin the image of God he created them;\r\nmale and female he created them.</strong>  ~Genesis 1:27\r\n\r\n<strong>There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.</strong>  ~Galatians 3:28</blockquote>\r\n<pre></pre>','The Call to Be Male','','publish','open','open','','the-call-to-be-male','','','2011-11-12 08:06:15','2011-11-12 16:06:15','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=1977',0,'post','',11),(2763,24,'2011-11-29 10:20:46','2011-11-29 18:20:46','<div>\n<div>God decided He was tired of humanity, tired of the incessant selfish requests. He called His angels in for advice. \"I would like to go somewhere were these humans will not find me.\"\nOne angel spoke up, \"Hide on the highest mountain, they will not find you there.\"\nAnother angel said, \"The bottom of the deepest ocean.\"\nOne angel shouted, \"The dark side of the moon, they cannot see you there.\"\nGod not satisfied that these suggestions would hide Him, He summoned His wisest angel and asked him, \"Where can I hide so that these humans will not find me?\"\nThe angel smiled and replied, \"hide in their hearts, for they fear to look within.\"My intention is to introduce a point out a view that invites one to lose interest in getting something from this world and become aware of a Reality that demands nothing, asks for nothing; One which simply Is.\n\nTake a moment to pay attention the happenings of the world around you without commenting on it. What do you see? What do you hear? Is it personal?\n\nThe world changes in appearance as we progressively remove the personal self from the world. As a practice, instead of commenting on how the world effects you, watch your colleauge\'s, your wife or husband and children. Treat them as though they have no past history with you, they are simply present. Be with this moment with the intention to be kind to everything.\n\nFor some this is too simple, or boring. They are far more interested in solving problems, fixing others and (subconsciously) entertaining themselves via the drama of their lives.\n\nTo understand the addiction we have to the drama of this world think of how someone would react if we walked  into a room of people watching their favorite soap opera and turned off the TV right at the climax. Now just imagine the response. Anger, yelling, pushing and shoving are the likely effects of disconnecting people from their entertainment. Another example would be, walking into a crowded bar on a playoff night, turn the power off just prior to the end of a close game. Would you see the same reactions?\n\nTranscendence does not mean condemnation of this addiction we see so prevalent in society; at some point one just decides whether or not to continue to participate in it.\n\nThose of you who were raised in any sort of religion, culture/ethnicity, sports team loyalists, soap opera drama  fanatics upbringing were usually programed what to believe, in many cases the reason being “because that\'s the way it is.” Even if you were not told directly it was obvious by the behavior of your family.  \"We are Bronco fans because we live in Colorado.\" We hate the Raiders and Chargers with a passion!\"  We are Catholics?Protestants/ Buddhists etc.  because our parents were and theirs before them for generations.\n\nHow do we know if anything is true? Can our thoughts, perceptions, families beliefs and customs be trusted as Truth?\n\n<strong>\"Man is intrinsically innocent because he can only choose what he perceives to be good.\" - Socrates</strong>\n\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/YoungOldWoman.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-1976\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/YoungOldWoman-210x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"210\" height=\"300\" /></a>Looking at this picture, what do you see?\nIs this your wife or mother-in-law?\nWhich perception is real?\nDoes one negate the other?\nDo both exist simultaneously?\n\nI John 2: 9-11 Anyone who claims to live in God\'s light and hates a brother or sister is still in the dark. It\'s the person who loves brother and sister who dwells in God\'s light and doesn\'t block the light from others. But whoever hates is still in the dark, stumbles around in the dark, doesn\'t know which end is up, blinded by the darkness.\n\nLook around the room you are in. Is it possible to see the light? Or can you only see that with which the light illuminates?\n\nA persons way of speaking, behavior and thought process simply reveals what they are aligned with, it does not make them what they are. Light does not judge or condemn, its simply reveals what is. God is light and in Him there is no shadow or darkness. So evil is not the opposite or antithesis of God, but simply the state in which He is not being acknowledged and allowed. Perception is therefore extremely subjective as it usually involves with duality, opposites and either-or situations.\n\nOur perceptions are derived from a mind that searches for the meaning of what it perceives or, in other words, identifies with. If the mind is programmed to desire that which it perceives to be valuable. Thoughts and feelings arise from desire, and the mind uses them as a tool to get what it views as a ‘need.’\n\n<strong>You either believe what you think or you question it. There’s no other choice. - Byron Katie</strong>\n\nOur minds, like children, are innocent. They are analogous to a brand new Mac Book Pro without any software. As we observe our families and our culture we pick up the software that runs our minds’ value system which is called perception.<img src=\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/plOB4PsoyoXsnIc0THdPhc-xSEWVLpDugXnQAUsnpD6NtlQuatHkFHb8dzSGGDi4cDOP-YoVJylmZjzSTLL1RXDz1Z8GhnUJdnG5B8Oz8jIxbYL2-2E\" alt=\"\" width=\"400px;\" height=\"248px;\" />\nLike this prism, perception, derived from programming, interprets the light and breaks it into categories. We then judge, evaluate and determine if what we see is valuable or deemed something we would like to avoid.\n\nPerhaps the statement Jesus made in Matthew is an invitation to return to that innocence. To shed our ideas of ourselves and this world. To give up trying to fix everything out there and simply turning within to explore what we fear the most, our heart.\n\n<strong>Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. - Jesus</strong>\n\n</div>\n</div>','The Deception in Perception','','inherit','open','open','','1975-revision-29','','','2011-11-29 10:20:46','2011-11-29 18:20:46','',1975,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/29/1975-revision-29/',0,'revision','',0),(1978,24,'2011-11-09 13:03:43','2011-11-09 21:03:43','\"Man is intrinsically innocent because he can only choose what he perceives to be good.\" - Socrates\n\nIs this your wife or mother-in-law?\nWhich perception is real?\nDoes one negate the other?\nDo both exist simultaneously?','Perception is Deception','','inherit','open','open','','1975-revision','','','2011-11-09 13:03:43','2011-11-09 21:03:43','',1975,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/1975-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1979,24,'2011-11-09 13:04:38','2011-11-09 21:04:38','','380px-Blind_monks_examining_an_elephant','','inherit','open','open','','380px-blind_monks_examining_an_elephant','','','2011-11-09 13:04:38','2011-11-09 21:04:38','',1975,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/380px-Blind_monks_examining_an_elephant.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1980,24,'2011-11-09 13:05:07','2011-11-09 21:05:07','\"Man is intrinsically innocent because he can only choose what he perceives to be good.\" - Socrates\n\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/YoungOldWoman.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-1976\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/YoungOldWoman-210x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"210\" height=\"300\" /></a>Is this your wife or mother-in-law?\nWhich perception is real?\nDoes one negate the other?\nDo both exist simultaneously?\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','Perception is Deception','','inherit','open','open','','1975-revision-2','','','2011-11-09 13:05:07','2011-11-09 21:05:07','',1975,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/1975-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1982,24,'2011-11-09 13:09:46','2011-11-09 21:09:46','Those of you who were raised in any sort of religion were usually told what to believe and why. Many heard that the bible is infallible and the absolute source of God\'s authority. The messages on Sunday were directed at what to believe and the consequences for not doing so.\n\nHow do we know if anything is true. Can our thoughts and perceptions be trusted. I could use a passage of scripture in the bible to rationalize and justify pretty much anything.  Most pewople out their mad at church and its leaders a\n\n&nbsp;\n\n\"Man is intrinsically innocent because he can only choose what he perceives to be good.\" - Socrates\n\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/YoungOldWoman.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-1976\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/YoungOldWoman-210x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"210\" height=\"300\" /></a>Is this your wife or mother-in-law?\nWhich perception is real?\nDoes one negate the other?\nDo both exist simultaneously?\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','Perception is Deception','','inherit','open','open','','1975-revision-3','','','2011-11-09 13:09:46','2011-11-09 21:09:46','',1975,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/1975-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(1983,73,'2011-11-12 08:00:25','2011-11-12 16:00:25','Back in the day, my parents were hippie evangelicals concerned with Justice, Peace, and Community. They were all about Mercy, Equality and Grace. I learned the language of movements. My siblings and I wore \"boycott grapes\" buttons to school. I was in kindergarten; I have no idea what that was about. My sister and I attended a Spanish-speaking school in Rochester, NY; we were the only students for whom Spanish was not a primary language. My parents and their circle of friends mobilized protests, discussions, and debates. The adults I knew spoke openly in a way about politics and faith that seemed the marry the two in a rather lovely, if not delicate, romance. Being faithful, being a member of The Church meant seeking justice for those without a voice. Made sense to me at the time. (Still makes sense to me.)\r\n\r\nDuring college, in an effort to take seriously this faith in which I was raised, I sought out a merry gang of evangelicals of a different sort. I learned a more complicated language. We were concerned with Salvation, Sanctification, Free Will, (I am not engaging in a debate about predestination.) and Discipleship. The ideas we discussed over midnight pizza and flat soda, the earnest ways we sought to share our faith with others seeped into my justice centered, others-focused faith.\r\n\r\nThose words entered my personal lexicon of faith. The two could exist seamlessly: on the one hand, faith was about seeking justice for others and belonging to community. On the other hand, I needed to take care of my business. I could be righteous and perfected before the Lord and fight the fight of the people at the same time. Not that I was actually protesting anything, but whatever. You get the point. One kind of language and another kind of language regarding the same thing—Jesus—blended rather nicely.\r\n\r\nThen, after moving from Pennsylvania, where we do not greet our cashiers and tell our waitresses about our grandchildren, to Oklahoma, where the inverse is most definitely true, I learned a language that still sounds false coming out of my face. I’m sure it’s not a regional thing, entirely, but there’s something about a southern drawl and Jesus that just doesn’t seem to fit….me.\r\n\r\nOne of the first people I met was a Bible study teacher who scared the life out of me. When I walked in on the first day, freshly scrubbed, newly married, bright-eyed and incredibly nervous, she lifted her hands to the heavens and nearly screamed. “Thank you, Jesus!” She brought her tiny hands to her tiny face, nearly overcome with emotion, and shook her head, tears literally, filling her eyes. She did something I will never forget, as if the shouting praise weren’t unforgettable. She hugged me.\r\n\r\nI thought about turning on my heels and getting the heck out of there, and fast. But she of the tiny hands propelled me into a room, found me a seat, introduced me to the others. There was no getting out now.\r\n\r\nTurns out, I really enjoyed this Bible study, and I came to love this woman fiercely. I still do, in fact, 16 years later. She is one of the most steadfast rocks in the foundation of my faith. Do not mess with her and her shrieking ways; she means it. She is genuinely moved for people who know or who want to know Jesus. I love this about her. It is part of who she is.\r\n\r\nIt’s not, however, part of who I am. Not that I didn’t try. Stranger in a stranger land and all, I thought, “well, I guess I better try to play the part.” But this kind of deeply personal and intimate talk surrounding the relationship between believer and God makes my tongue seem to expand into a thick, malfunctioning muscle. I just can’t bring myself to use terms like: \"came to Jesus,\" or \"my testimony.\" Sentences that start with, \"The Lord has been so good to ...\" sound hollow in my mouth.\r\n\r\nHear me. I have no problem with these words or with people who use these words. What I\'m saying is when I said them, it felt like I was trying to adopt Chinese as my first language and mangling it all to bits. Instead of asking for rice and carrots, I was asking for to please flush with the elephants.\r\n\r\nIt’s not disbelief or even doubt; I just don’t feel comfortable with that particular kind of language. I tried. It sounded forced. For a long time, I figured I just needed practice. If I kept using the words, they would become like other words; just a part of how I speak. Didn’t happen. I never grew comfortable with talking about coming to Jesus or describing the ways the Lord had done marvelous things for me. I have a story, and he has done wonders. I just cast about for another way to describe it.\r\n\r\nI stopped trying.\r\n\r\nI stopped trying because because I’d rather speak confidently about my faith, with authority behind my words. I would rather appear to believe what I’m saying than looking like I hope no one can hear me.  I am more comfortable, publicly, with the lexicon of where I’ve been than the lexicon of where I am now.\r\n\r\nI have come to believe that who we are informs how we relate to and interact with God, which is manifested in the terms we use to speak about it. I have come to believe that there is no right or wrong language of faith. In fact, It seems to me that there are as many lexicons of faith as there are faithful people. Instead of struggling to use a voice that is not mine, to reflect a faith I could not claim, (like my Bible study teacher’s) I use the one I have.','The Lexicons of Faith','','publish','open','open','','the-lexicons-of-faith','','','2011-11-10 09:13:25','2011-11-10 17:13:25','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=1983',0,'post','',3),(1984,73,'2011-11-09 13:29:46','2011-11-09 21:29:46','','The Lexicons of Faith','','inherit','open','open','','1983-revision','','','2011-11-09 13:29:46','2011-11-09 21:29:46','',1983,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/1983-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1985,1,'2011-11-10 09:06:28','2011-11-10 17:06:28','Back in the day, my parents were hippie evangelicals concerned with Justice, Peace, and Community. They were all about Mercy, Equality and Grace. I learned the language of movements. My siblings and I wore \"boycott grapes\" buttons to school. I was in kindergarten; I have no idea what that was about. My sister and I attended a Spanish-speaking school in Rochester, NY; we were the only students for whom Spanish was not a primary language. My parents and their circle of friends mobilized protests, discussions, and debates. The adults I knew spoke openly in a way about politics and faith that seemed the marry the two in a rather lovely, if not delicate, romance. Being faithful, being a member of The Church meant seeking justice for those without a voice. Made sense to me at the time. (Still makes sense to me.)\n\nDuring college, in an effort to take seriously this faith in which I was raised, I sought out a merry gang of evangelicals of a different sort. I learned a more complicated language. We were concerned with Salvation, Sanctification, Free Will,* Discipleship. The ideas we discussed over midnight pizza and flat soda, the earnest ways we sought to share our faith with others seeped into my justice centered, others-focused faith.\n\nThose words entered my personal lexicon of faith. The two could exist seamlessly: on the one hand, faith was about seeking justice for others and belonging to community. On the other hand, I needed to take care of my business. I could be righteous and perfected before the Lord and fight the fight of the people at the same time. Not that I was actually protesting anything, but whatever. You get the point. One kind of language and another kind of language regarding the same thing—Jesus—blended rather nicely.\n\nThen, after moving from Pennsylvania, where we do not greet our cashiers and tell our waitresses about our grandchildren, to Oklahoma, where the inverse is most definitely true, I learned a language that still sounds false coming out of my face. I’m sure it’s not a regional thing, entirely, but there’s something about a southern drawl and Jesus that just doesn’t seem to fit….me.\n\nOne of the first people I met was a Bible study teacher who scared the life out of me. When I walked in on the first day, freshly scrubbed, newly married, bright-eyed and incredibly nervous, she lifted her hands to the heavens and nearly screamed. “Thank you, Jesus!” She brought her tiny hands to her tiny face, nearly overcome with emotion, and shook her head, tears literally, filling her eyes. She did something I will never forget, as if the shouting praise weren’t unforgettable. She hugged me.\n\nI thought about turning on my heels and getting the heck out of there, and fast. But she of the tiny hands propelled me into a room, found me a seat, introduced me to the others. There was no getting out now.\n\nTurns out, I really enjoyed this Bible study, and I came to love this woman fiercely. I still do, in fact, 16 years later. She is one of the most steadfast rocks in the foundation of my faith. Do not mess with her and her shrieking ways; she means it. She is genuinely moved for people who know or who want to know Jesus. I love this about her. It is part of who she is.\n\nIt’s not, however, part of who I am. Not that I didn’t try. Stranger in a stranger land and all, I thought, “well, I guess I better try to play the part.” But this kind of deeply personal and intimate talk surrounding the relationship between believer and God makes my tongue seem to expand into a thick, malfunctioning muscle. I just can’t bring myself to use terms like: \"came to Jesus,\" or \"my testimony.\" Sentences that start with, \"The Lord has been so good to ...\" sound hollow in my mouth.\n\nHear me. I have no problem with these words or with people who use these words. What I\'m saying is when I said them, it felt like I was trying to adopt Chinese as my first language and mangling it all to bits. Instead of asking for rice and carrots, I was asking for to please flush with the elephants.\n\nIt’s not disbelief or even doubt; I just don’t feel comfortable with that particular kind of language. I tried. It sounded forced. For a long time, I figured I just needed practice. If I kept using the words, they would become like other words; just a part of how I speak. Didn’t happen. I never grew comfortable with talking about coming to Jesus or describing the ways the Lord had done marvelous things for me. I have a story, and he has done wonders. I just cast about for another way to describe it.\n\nI stopped trying.\n\nI stopped trying because because I’d rather speak confidently about my faith, with authority behind my words. I would rather appear to believe what I’m saying than looking like I hope no one can hear me.  I am more comfortable, publicly, with the lexicon of where I’ve been than the lexicon of where I am now.\n\nI have come to believe that who we are informs how we relate to and interact with God, which is manifested in the terms we use to speak about it. I have come to believe that there is no right or wrong language of faith. In fact, It seems to me that there are as many lexicons of faith as there are faithful people. Instead of struggling to use a voice that is not mine, to reflect a faith I could not claim, (like my Bible study teacher’s) I use the one I have.\n\n*I am not engaging in a debate about predestination.','The Lexicons of Faith','','inherit','open','open','','1983-autosave','','','2011-11-10 09:06:28','2011-11-10 17:06:28','',1983,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/1983-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(1986,73,'2011-11-09 13:30:27','2011-11-09 21:30:27','Back in the day, my parents were hippie evangelicals concerned with Justice, Peace, and Community. They were all about Mercy, Equality and Grace. I learned the language of movements. My siblings and I wore \"boycott grapes\" buttons to school. I was in kindergarten; I have no idea what that was about. My sister and I attended a Spanish-speaking school in Rochester, NY; we were the only students for whom Spanish was not a primary language. My parents and their circle of friends mobilized protests, discussions, and debates. The adults I knew spoke openly in a way about politics and faith that seemed the marry the two in a rather lovely, if not delicate, romance. Being faithful, being a member of The Church meant seeking justice for those without a voice. Made sense to me at the time. (Still makes sense to me.)\r\n\r\nDuring college, in an effort to take seriously this faith in which I was raised, I sought out a merry gang of evangelicals of a different sort. I learned a more complicated language. We were concerned with Salvation, Sanctification, Free Will,* Discipleship. The ideas we discussed over midnight pizza and flat soda, the earnest ways we sought share our faith with others seeped into my justice centered, other’s-focused faith.\r\n\r\nThose words entered my personal lexicon of faith. The two could exist seamlessly: on the one hand, faith was about seeking justice for others and belonging to community. On the other hand, I needed to take care of my business. I could be righteous and perfected before the Lord and fight the fight of the people at the same time. Not that I was actually protesting anything, but whatever. You get the point. One kind of language and another kind of language regarding the same thing—Jesus—blended rather nicely.\r\n\r\nThen, after moving from Pennsylvania, where we do not greet our cashiers and tell our waitresses about our grandchildren, to Oklahoma, where the inverse is most definitely true, I learned a language that still sounds false coming out of my face. I’m sure it’s not a regional thing, entirely, but there’s something about a southern drawl and Jesus that just doesn’t seem to fit….me.\r\n\r\nOne of the first people I met was a Bible study teacher who scared the life out of me. When I walked in on the first day, freshly scrubbed, newly married, bright-eyed and incredibly nervous, she lifted her hands to the heavens and nearly screamed. “Thank you, Jesus!” She brought her tiny hands to her tiny face, nearly overcome with emotion, and shook her head, tears literally, filling her eyes. She did something I will never forget, as if the shouting praise weren’t unforgettable. She hugged me.\r\n\r\nI thought about turning on my heels and getting the heck out of there, and fast. But she of the tiny hands propelled me into a room, found me a seat, introduced me to the others. There was no getting out now.\r\n\r\nTurns out, I really enjoyed this Bible study, and I came to love this woman fiercely. I still do, in fact, 16 years later. She is one of the most steadfast rocks in the foundation of my faith. Do not mess with her and her shrieking ways; she means it. She is genuinely moved for people who know or who want to know Jesus. I love this about her. It is part of who she is.\r\n\r\nIt’s not, however, part of who I am. Not that I didn’t try. Stranger in a stranger land and all, I thought, “well, I guess I better try to play the part.” But this kind of deeply personal and intimate talk surrounding the relationship between believer and God makes my tongue seem to expand into a thick, malfunctioning muscle. I just can’t bring myself to use terms like: \"came to Jesus,\" or \"my testimony.\" Sentences that start with, \"The Lord has been so good to ...\" sound hollow in my mouth.\r\n\r\nHear me. I have no problem with these words or with people who use these words. What I\'m saying is when I said them, it felt like I was trying to adopt Chinese as my first language and mangling it all to bits. Instead of asking for rice and carrots, I was asking for to please flush with the elephants.\r\n\r\nIt’s not disbelief or even doubt; I just don’t feel comfortable with that particular kind of language. I tried. It sounded forced. For a long time, I figured I just needed practice. If I kept using the words, they would become like other words; just a part of how I speak. Didn’t happen. I never grew comfortable with talking about coming to Jesus or describing the ways the Lord had done marvelous things for me. I have a story, and he has done wonders. I just cast about for another way to describe it.\r\n\r\nI stopped trying.\r\n\r\nI stopped trying because because I’d rather speak confidently about my faith, with authority behind my words. I would rather appear to believe what I’m saying rather than looking like I hope no one can hear me.  I am more comfortable, publicly, with the lexicon of where I’ve been than the lexicon of where I am now.\r\n\r\nI have come to believe that who we are informs how we relate to and interact with God, which is manifested in the terms we use to speak about it. I have come to believe that there is not right or wrong language of faith. In fact, It seems to me that there are as many lexicons of faith as there are faithful people. Instead of struggling to use a voice that is not mine, to reflect a faith I could not claim, (like my Bible study teacher’s) I use the one I have.','The Lexicons of Faith','','inherit','open','open','','1983-revision-2','','','2011-11-09 13:30:27','2011-11-09 21:30:27','',1983,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/1983-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1987,73,'2011-11-09 13:32:15','2011-11-09 21:32:15','Back in the day, my parents were hippie evangelicals concerned with Justice, Peace, and Community. They were all about Mercy, Equality and Grace. I learned the language of movements. My siblings and I wore \"boycott grapes\" buttons to school. I was in kindergarten; I have no idea what that was about. My sister and I attended a Spanish-speaking school in Rochester, NY; we were the only students for whom Spanish was not a primary language. My parents and their circle of friends mobilized protests, discussions, and debates. The adults I knew spoke openly in a way about politics and faith that seemed the marry the two in a rather lovely, if not delicate, romance. Being faithful, being a member of The Church meant seeking justice for those without a voice. Made sense to me at the time. (Still makes sense to me.)\r\n\r\nDuring college, in an effort to take seriously this faith in which I was raised, I sought out a merry gang of evangelicals of a different sort. I learned a more complicated language. We were concerned with Salvation, Sanctification, Free Will,* Discipleship. The ideas we discussed over midnight pizza and flat soda, the earnest ways we sought share our faith with others seeped into my justice centered, other’s-focused faith.\r\n\r\nThose words entered my personal lexicon of faith. The two could exist seamlessly: on the one hand, faith was about seeking justice for others and belonging to community. On the other hand, I needed to take care of my business. I could be righteous and perfected before the Lord and fight the fight of the people at the same time. Not that I was actually protesting anything, but whatever. You get the point. One kind of language and another kind of language regarding the same thing—Jesus—blended rather nicely.\r\n\r\nThen, after moving from Pennsylvania, where we do not greet our cashiers and tell our waitresses about our grandchildren, to Oklahoma, where the inverse is most definitely true, I learned a language that still sounds false coming out of my face. I’m sure it’s not a regional thing, entirely, but there’s something about a southern drawl and Jesus that just doesn’t seem to fit….me.\r\n\r\nOne of the first people I met was a Bible study teacher who scared the life out of me. When I walked in on the first day, freshly scrubbed, newly married, bright-eyed and incredibly nervous, she lifted her hands to the heavens and nearly screamed. “Thank you, Jesus!” She brought her tiny hands to her tiny face, nearly overcome with emotion, and shook her head, tears literally, filling her eyes. She did something I will never forget, as if the shouting praise weren’t unforgettable. She hugged me.\r\n\r\nI thought about turning on my heels and getting the heck out of there, and fast. But she of the tiny hands propelled me into a room, found me a seat, introduced me to the others. There was no getting out now.\r\n\r\nTurns out, I really enjoyed this Bible study, and I came to love this woman fiercely. I still do, in fact, 16 years later. She is one of the most steadfast rocks in the foundation of my faith. Do not mess with her and her shrieking ways; she means it. She is genuinely moved for people who know or who want to know Jesus. I love this about her. It is part of who she is.\r\n\r\nIt’s not, however, part of who I am. Not that I didn’t try. Stranger in a stranger land and all, I thought, “well, I guess I better try to play the part.” But this kind of deeply personal and intimate talk surrounding the relationship between believer and God makes my tongue seem to expand into a thick, malfunctioning muscle. I just can’t bring myself to use terms like: \"came to Jesus,\" or \"my testimony.\" Sentences that start with, \"The Lord has been so good to ...\" sound hollow in my mouth.\r\n\r\nHear me. I have no problem with these words or with people who use these words. What I\'m saying is when I said them, it felt like I was trying to adopt Chinese as my first language and mangling it all to bits. Instead of asking for rice and carrots, I was asking for to please flush with the elephants.\r\n\r\nIt’s not disbelief or even doubt; I just don’t feel comfortable with that particular kind of language. I tried. It sounded forced. For a long time, I figured I just needed practice. If I kept using the words, they would become like other words; just a part of how I speak. Didn’t happen. I never grew comfortable with talking about coming to Jesus or describing the ways the Lord had done marvelous things for me. I have a story, and he has done wonders. I just cast about for another way to describe it.\r\n\r\nI stopped trying.\r\n\r\nI stopped trying because because I’d rather speak confidently about my faith, with authority behind my words. I would rather appear to believe what I’m saying rather than looking like I hope no one can hear me.  I am more comfortable, publicly, with the lexicon of where I’ve been than the lexicon of where I am now.\r\n\r\nI have come to believe that who we are informs how we relate to and interact with God, which is manifested in the terms we use to speak about it. I have come to believe that there is not right or wrong language of faith. In fact, It seems to me that there are as many lexicons of faith as there are faithful people. Instead of struggling to use a voice that is not mine, to reflect a faith I could not claim, (like my Bible study teacher’s) I use the one I have.\r\n\r\n*I am not engaging in a debate about predestination.','The Lexicons of Faith','','inherit','open','open','','1983-revision-3','','','2011-11-09 13:32:15','2011-11-09 21:32:15','',1983,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/1983-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(1988,73,'2011-11-09 13:34:53','2011-11-09 21:34:53','Back in the day, my parents were hippie evangelicals concerned with Justice, Peace, and Community. They were all about Mercy, Equality and Grace. I learned the language of movements. My siblings and I wore \"boycott grapes\" buttons to school. I was in kindergarten; I have no idea what that was about. My sister and I attended a Spanish-speaking school in Rochester, NY; we were the only students for whom Spanish was not a primary language. My parents and their circle of friends mobilized protests, discussions, and debates. The adults I knew spoke openly in a way about politics and faith that seemed the marry the two in a rather lovely, if not delicate, romance. Being faithful, being a member of The Church meant seeking justice for those without a voice. Made sense to me at the time. (Still makes sense to me.)\r\n\r\nDuring college, in an effort to take seriously this faith in which I was raised, I sought out a merry gang of evangelicals of a different sort. I learned a more complicated language. We were concerned with Salvation, Sanctification, Free Will,* Discipleship. The ideas we discussed over midnight pizza and flat soda, the earnest ways we sought to share our faith with others seeped into my justice centered, others-focused faith.\r\n\r\nThose words entered my personal lexicon of faith. The two could exist seamlessly: on the one hand, faith was about seeking justice for others and belonging to community. On the other hand, I needed to take care of my business. I could be righteous and perfected before the Lord and fight the fight of the people at the same time. Not that I was actually protesting anything, but whatever. You get the point. One kind of language and another kind of language regarding the same thing—Jesus—blended rather nicely.\r\n\r\nThen, after moving from Pennsylvania, where we do not greet our cashiers and tell our waitresses about our grandchildren, to Oklahoma, where the inverse is most definitely true, I learned a language that still sounds false coming out of my face. I’m sure it’s not a regional thing, entirely, but there’s something about a southern drawl and Jesus that just doesn’t seem to fit….me.\r\n\r\nOne of the first people I met was a Bible study teacher who scared the life out of me. When I walked in on the first day, freshly scrubbed, newly married, bright-eyed and incredibly nervous, she lifted her hands to the heavens and nearly screamed. “Thank you, Jesus!” She brought her tiny hands to her tiny face, nearly overcome with emotion, and shook her head, tears literally, filling her eyes. She did something I will never forget, as if the shouting praise weren’t unforgettable. She hugged me.\r\n\r\nI thought about turning on my heels and getting the heck out of there, and fast. But she of the tiny hands propelled me into a room, found me a seat, introduced me to the others. There was no getting out now.\r\n\r\nTurns out, I really enjoyed this Bible study, and I came to love this woman fiercely. I still do, in fact, 16 years later. She is one of the most steadfast rocks in the foundation of my faith. Do not mess with her and her shrieking ways; she means it. She is genuinely moved for people who know or who want to know Jesus. I love this about her. It is part of who she is.\r\n\r\nIt’s not, however, part of who I am. Not that I didn’t try. Stranger in a stranger land and all, I thought, “well, I guess I better try to play the part.” But this kind of deeply personal and intimate talk surrounding the relationship between believer and God makes my tongue seem to expand into a thick, malfunctioning muscle. I just can’t bring myself to use terms like: \"came to Jesus,\" or \"my testimony.\" Sentences that start with, \"The Lord has been so good to ...\" sound hollow in my mouth.\r\n\r\nHear me. I have no problem with these words or with people who use these words. What I\'m saying is when I said them, it felt like I was trying to adopt Chinese as my first language and mangling it all to bits. Instead of asking for rice and carrots, I was asking for to please flush with the elephants.\r\n\r\nIt’s not disbelief or even doubt; I just don’t feel comfortable with that particular kind of language. I tried. It sounded forced. For a long time, I figured I just needed practice. If I kept using the words, they would become like other words; just a part of how I speak. Didn’t happen. I never grew comfortable with talking about coming to Jesus or describing the ways the Lord had done marvelous things for me. I have a story, and he has done wonders. I just cast about for another way to describe it.\r\n\r\nI stopped trying.\r\n\r\nI stopped trying because because I’d rather speak confidently about my faith, with authority behind my words. I would rather appear to believe what I’m saying rather than looking like I hope no one can hear me.  I am more comfortable, publicly, with the lexicon of where I’ve been than the lexicon of where I am now.\r\n\r\nI have come to believe that who we are informs how we relate to and interact with God, which is manifested in the terms we use to speak about it. I have come to believe that there is not right or wrong language of faith. In fact, It seems to me that there are as many lexicons of faith as there are faithful people. Instead of struggling to use a voice that is not mine, to reflect a faith I could not claim, (like my Bible study teacher’s) I use the one I have.\r\n\r\n*I am not engaging in a debate about predestination.','The Lexicons of Faith','','inherit','open','open','','1983-revision-4','','','2011-11-09 13:34:53','2011-11-09 21:34:53','',1983,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/1983-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(1989,43,'2011-11-09 13:47:40','2011-11-09 21:47:40','<blockquote><strong>Women and men</strong>\n<strong>Bringing with them messages of love</strong>\n<strong>And everywhere they go love will grow</strong>\n<strong>When you see the faces of the women</strong>\n<strong>And the men, you too will know</strong>\n~<em>Women and Men</em>, They Might Be Giants\nI don\'t know about anyone else, but I am heartily sick of trendy \"masculine Christianity.\"\n\nAs far as I can tell, the definition of <em>masculine</em> is culturally driven and narrowly defined.  I credit my favorite description of this to author James Howe in his YA novel <em>Totally Joe</em>: \"Guy-guy.\"  You know exactly what he means—the type of person who is, in one way or another, a shining example of what it means to be a real man.  Not just someone whose interests encompass home repair, cars, or video gaming, but someone who is considered undeniably <em>male.</em>  Anyone outside that has crossed the lines of what is healthy manhood into the dangerous waters of undefined gender roles.</blockquote>\nMost disturbing is how instead of rejoicing that boys have a wider range of options available beyond the bounds of gender stereotype, some men are fighting back.  Christian leaders are claiming that boys are lost in a frightening whorl of indeterminate gender, unable to fulfill their God-appointed roles.  Others are demanding that Christians examine gender roles in the context of “what God has designed.”  Some blame “the feminists” (whoever those are; they may be imagining a panel of butch lesbians handing down edicts to the rest of us)—apparently, feminists all want a neuter society wherein no one dresses or behaves as a normal man or woman.\n\nWhat saddens me about this is the way it perpetuates the myth of pink and blue.  It also gives (male) pastors license to make pronouncements from the pulpit about what men and women “are like.”  How many times have both men and women had to sit through a sermon on sexuality which was demeaning for both?  Men are perverts with porn addictions; women are uptight and frigid, yet somehow also slutty.  It’s embarrassing.\n\nWhen we’re not being classified by our sex drives or harassed for defying cultural norms, we have to cope with the idea that certain personality traits have gender.  Being gentle, merciful, compassionate, and nurturing are feminine; being strong, tough, and forceful are masculine.  An emphasis on social justice, love, and mercy has led to recent movements in Christianity to be labeled false, emasculated, and submissive.\n\nYet my reading of Scripture implies that’s exactly what Jesus expects from us.  He didn’t turn over the money lenders’ tables or call the Pharisees a brood of vipers in order to demonstrate his hyper-masculine superpowers.  If he’d wanted to do that, he might have overthrown the Roman government or called the resistance movement to arms.  When dealing with the everyday, ordinary struggles, including the sins of the people, Jesus was gentle, humble, compassionate, and forgiving.\n\nI agree that we shouldn’t just sit around having potluck suppers and singing “Kum ba ya.”  But becoming Warrior Christians isn’t the answer.  We can still exhibit strength by standing up for what we believe in and for those who cannot stand for themselves.\n\n<strong>So God created mankind in his own image,\nin the image of God he created them;\nmale and female he created them.</strong>  ~Genesis 1:27\n\n<strong>There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.</strong>  ~Galatians 3:28\n<pre></pre>','The Call to Be Male','','inherit','open','open','','1977-revision','','','2011-11-09 13:47:40','2011-11-09 21:47:40','',1977,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/1977-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1990,43,'2011-11-09 13:50:53','2011-11-09 21:50:53','','butch_jesus_460','','inherit','open','open','','butch_jesus_460','','','2011-11-09 13:50:53','2011-11-09 21:50:53','',1977,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/butch_jesus_460.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1991,43,'2011-11-09 13:48:40','2011-11-09 21:48:40','<blockquote><strong>Women and men</strong>\n<strong>Bringing with them messages of love</strong>\n<strong>And everywhere they go love will grow</strong>\n<strong>When you see the faces of the women</strong>\n<strong>And the men, you too will know</strong>\n~<em>Women and Men</em>, They Might Be Giants</blockquote>\nI don\'t know about anyone else, but I am heartily sick of trendy \"masculine Christianity.\"\n\nAs far as I can tell, the definition of <em>masculine</em> is culturally driven and narrowly defined.  I credit my favorite description of this to author James Howe in his YA novel <em>Totally Joe</em>: \"Guy-guy.\"  You know exactly what he means—the type of person who is, in one way or another, a shining example of what it means to be a real man.  Not just someone whose interests encompass home repair, cars, or video gaming, but someone who is considered undeniably <em>male.</em>  Anyone outside that has crossed the lines of what is healthy manhood into the dangerous waters of undefined gender roles.\n\nMost disturbing is how instead of rejoicing that boys have a wider range of options available beyond the bounds of gender stereotype, some men are fighting back.  Christian leaders are claiming that boys are lost in a frightening whorl of indeterminate gender, unable to fulfill their God-appointed roles.  Others are demanding that Christians examine gender roles in the context of “what God has designed.”  Some blame “the feminists” (whoever those are; they may be imagining a panel of butch lesbians handing down edicts to the rest of us)—apparently, feminists all want a neuter society wherein no one dresses or behaves as a normal man or woman.\n\nWhat saddens me about this is the way it perpetuates the myth of pink and blue.  It also gives (male) pastors license to make pronouncements from the pulpit about what men and women “are like.”  How many times have both men and women had to sit through a sermon on sexuality which was demeaning for both?  Men are perverts with porn addictions; women are uptight and frigid, yet somehow also slutty.  It’s embarrassing.\n\nWhen we’re not being classified by our sex drives or harassed for defying cultural norms, we have to cope with the idea that certain personality traits have gender.  Being gentle, merciful, compassionate, and nurturing are feminine; being strong, tough, and forceful are masculine.  An emphasis on social justice, love, and mercy has led to recent movements in Christianity to be labeled false, emasculated, and submissive.\n\nYet my reading of Scripture implies that’s exactly what Jesus expects from us.  He didn’t turn over the money lenders’ tables or call the Pharisees a brood of vipers in order to demonstrate his hyper-masculine superpowers.  If he’d wanted to do that, he might have overthrown the Roman government or called the resistance movement to arms.  When dealing with the everyday, ordinary struggles, including the sins of the people, Jesus was gentle, humble, compassionate, and forgiving.\n\nI agree that we shouldn’t just sit around having potluck suppers and singing “Kum ba ya.”  But becoming Warrior Christians isn’t the answer.  We can still exhibit strength by standing up for what we believe in and for those who cannot stand for themselves.\n<blockquote><strong>So God created mankind in his own image,\nin the image of God he created them;\nmale and female he created them.</strong>  ~Genesis 1:27\n\n<strong>There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.</strong>  ~Galatians 3:28</blockquote>\n<pre></pre>','The Call to Be Male','','inherit','open','open','','1977-revision-2','','','2011-11-09 13:48:40','2011-11-09 21:48:40','',1977,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/1977-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1992,43,'2011-11-09 13:51:09','2011-11-09 21:51:09','<blockquote><strong>Women and men</strong>\r\n<strong>Bringing with them messages of love</strong>\r\n<strong>And everywhere they go love will grow</strong>\r\n<strong>When you see the faces of the women</strong>\r\n<strong>And the men, you too will know</strong>\r\n~<em>Women and Men</em>, They Might Be Giants</blockquote>\r\nI don\'t know about anyone else, but I am heartily sick of trendy \"masculine Christianity.\"\r\n\r\nAs far as I can tell, the definition of <em>masculine</em> is culturally driven and narrowly defined.  I credit my favorite description of this to author James Howe in his YA novel <em>Totally Joe</em>: \"Guy-guy.\"  You know exactly what he means—the type of person who is, in one way or another, a shining example of what it means to be a real man.  Not just someone whose interests encompass home repair, cars, or video gaming, but someone who is considered undeniably <em>male.</em>  Anyone outside that has crossed the lines of what is healthy manhood into the dangerous waters of undefined gender roles.\r\n\r\nMost disturbing is how instead of rejoicing that boys have a wider range of options available beyond the bounds of gender stereotype, some men are fighting back.  Christian leaders are claiming that boys are lost in a frightening whorl of indeterminate gender, unable to fulfill their God-appointed roles.  Others are demanding that Christians examine gender roles in the context of “what God has designed.”  Some blame “the feminists” (whoever those are; they may be imagining a panel of butch lesbians handing down edicts to the rest of us)—apparently, feminists all want a neuter society wherein no one dresses or behaves as a normal man or woman.\r\n\r\nWhat saddens me about this is the way it perpetuates the myth of pink and blue.  It also gives (male) pastors license to make pronouncements from the pulpit about what men and women “are like.”  How many times have both men and women had to sit through a sermon on sexuality which was demeaning for both?  Men are perverts with porn addictions; women are uptight and frigid, yet somehow also slutty.  It’s embarrassing.\r\n\r\nWhen we’re not being classified by our sex drives or harassed for defying cultural norms, we have to cope with the idea that certain personality traits have gender.  Being gentle, merciful, compassionate, and nurturing are feminine; being strong, tough, and forceful are masculine.  An emphasis on social justice, love, and mercy has led to recent movements in Christianity to be labeled false, emasculated, and submissive.\r\n\r\nYet my reading of Scripture implies that’s exactly what Jesus expects from us.  He didn’t turn over the money lenders’ tables or call the Pharisees a brood of vipers in order to demonstrate his hyper-masculine superpowers.  If he’d wanted to do that, he might have overthrown the Roman government or called the resistance movement to arms.  When dealing with the everyday, ordinary struggles, including the sins of the people, Jesus was gentle, humble, compassionate, and forgiving.\r\n\r\nI agree that we shouldn’t just sit around having potluck suppers and singing “Kum ba ya.”  But becoming Warrior Christians isn’t the answer.  We can still exhibit strength by standing up for what we believe in and for those who cannot stand for themselves.\r\n<blockquote><strong>So God created mankind in his own image,\r\nin the image of God he created them;\r\nmale and female he created them.</strong>  ~Genesis 1:27\r\n\r\n<strong>There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.</strong>  ~Galatians 3:28</blockquote>\r\n<pre></pre>','The Call to Be Male','','inherit','open','open','','1977-revision-3','','','2011-11-09 13:51:09','2011-11-09 21:51:09','',1977,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/1977-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(1993,0,'2011-11-09 14:05:03','2011-11-09 22:05:03','http://jenniferluitwieler.com/2011/11/09/there-is-no-me-in-you/\r\n\r\nfor inclusion in your blog roll.\n<!--more-->\nAUTHOR: Jennifer Luitwieler\nAUTHOR EMAIL: jennifer@jenniferluitwieler.com\nAUTHOR URL: http://jenniferluitwieler.com\nSUBJECT: [Provoketive Magazine] Blog List\nIP: 108.210.115.64\nArray\n(\n    [Name] =&gt; Jennifer Luitwieler\n    [Email] =&gt; jennifer@jenniferluitwieler.com\n    [Website] =&gt; http://jenniferluitwieler.com\n    [Comment] =&gt; http://jenniferluitwieler.com/2011/11/09/there-is-no-me-in-you/\r\n\r\nfor inclusion in your blog roll. \n)\n','Jennifer Luitwieler - 2011-11-09 14:05:03','','publish','open','open','','8c8c63ca603a3dad41856ef585d6063f','','','2011-11-09 14:05:03','2011-11-09 22:05:03','',683,'http://provoketive.com/?post_type=feedback&p=1993',0,'feedback','',0),(2324,64,'2011-11-20 09:02:38','2011-11-20 17:02:38','My cup is always half empty.  At least, without Jesus it would be.  Even with the Holy Spirit active it is an <em>effort</em> to be positive.  And I try anything to change this about myself. I have even gone so far as to wear a rubber band on my wrist, switching it to the other arm each time I catch myself verbalizing something critical or negative. I could start a self-help group: <em>Hi I’m Melody.  I am a negative, cynical, gloomy, pessimistic person</em>!\r\n\r\nThe flip side of that is the clarity with which I see the world.  I think my propensity to <em>see injustice</em>, what’s broken and \"not working\", can be a good thing because it also <em>moves me</em>, causing me to speak out, write, and sometimes even shout about the injustice and pain people suffer!  Nevertheless, I am not known for my positivity and I don’t like that about myself.\r\n\r\nI consider it great progress that when I am asked the perennial question: “How are you?” I now (mostly) answer with “I can’t complain.”  And then go ahead and <em>do not complain</em>!  This practice began as a difficult task that I was committed to doing and over time it has become a way of life.  I began to choose that way of thinking, after experiencing major depression when I learned how much I have to be grateful about.\r\n\r\n<strong>I choose not to complain.</strong>\r\n\r\nGood and bad, it happens.\r\n\r\n… <em>Some might say “shit happens” right?</em>  But are we the type of people to always point that out?  Or are we the type of person that can bring something positive, or life affirming, into a really negative world?\r\n\r\n…<em> Some people just exude joy and pleasure with life.</em>  It used to be they <em>really bugged me (</em>still do sometimes) because I couldn’t imagine it being <em>authentic.  </em>But I have found<em> if</em> you can embrace someone in their joy<em>, perhaps just a little will rub off on you.</em>\r\n\r\nEven in the midst of the <em><a title=\"Depression\" href=\"https://logicandimagination.wordpress.com/2011/11/16/an-inexplicable-thing-depression/\" target=\"_blank\">hell of depression</a></em> I am grateful.  God gives us this one life and we are charged to sort it out.   He guides us, truly he does, but <em>much of life is us sifting through the good and the bad</em>.\r\n\r\nLife is choices.\r\n\r\nGeorge Thomas wrote this beautiful prayer -- may it be ours:\r\n<blockquote>“Help us, Lord, to get in tune with the rhythm that makes for life.  Slow us down and help us see that we are put in charge of our lives with your help.  We keep moving, even though we know that we are made to center down, as well as to be actively engaged in the business of life.  We compete for things and make those things more important than they ought to be.  We eat what we ought not to eat.  We neglect and misuse our bodies.  We fail to discipline our minds and to be still and know that thou art God and that we are the temple of the Most High<strong><em>. </em></strong><strong><em>Yes, we often complain about our misfortunes and our hard luck, when at times it is we who are guilty of disregard.  </em></strong>Help us to know that we can be broken by life only if we first allow the victory of evil over our spirits.  May our hope and strength and faith be grounded in you.”</blockquote>\r\nBy recognizing and living our blessings, we are blessed.  By enjoying positive people we just may become one.\r\n\r\nChange your focus, yes but God forbid we all become Precious Moments Christ followers.  No, simply commit to being a person who is grateful for each precious moment of their life.\r\n\r\n<strong>It really is utterly breathtaking -- life’s blessings.  I can\'t complain.</strong>\r\n\r\n<em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">O God, Slow Us Down</span></em> (1983) by George Thomas found in <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060926570/interluaninterne\">Conversations with God, Two Centuries of Prayers by African Americans</a>, James Melvin Washington.','I Can\'t Complain','','publish','open','open','','i-cant-complain','','','2011-11-20 09:02:38','2011-11-20 17:02:38','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=2324',0,'post','',1),(1997,46,'2011-11-13 08:00:39','2011-11-13 16:00:39','Maybe it was a long time coming after all.  We’ve certainly had our share of arguments and disagreements during the past eleven years of our relationship.  But my philosophy is if you don’t talk to God about your frustrations with Him, then they don’t exist.  And for about eleven years my plan worked out, until that one day.\r\n\r\nYou see, sometimes God seems so real to me it feels like its too much for me to take all in.  Other times, God doesn’t make any damn sense.  A couple of weeks ago I experienced the latter.\r\n\r\nFor a few years now I’ve been feeling like I’m not good enough for God’s approval.  I don’t give enough to the poor.  I don’t show my fiancé Amy enough affection.  I listen to way too much <a title=\"Tyler, the Creator\" href=\"http://youtu.be/XSbZidsgMfw\">Tyler, the Creator</a>.  Everyone kept telling me that God loved me, and that salvation was a free gift from God and not something I had to earn.  But I didn’t believe it.  If God truly was so gracious, why did we have to be so obedient?\r\n\r\nFinally one day I decided to write a letter to God.  It’s something I always do when something is weighing heavily on my mind, but I can’t find the words to verbally express it in a prayer.  I opened up my journal, got out my pen, and wrote down these words:\r\n<blockquote><em>Dear God,</em>\r\n\r\n<em>You’re really fucking pissing me off right now!</em></blockquote>\r\nBefore I knew it I was calling God every four-lettered word in the book, and chewing Him out left and right.  And I couldn’t stop, either.\r\n<blockquote><em>You expect us to praise you, but for what?  For allowing us Americans to stuff our fat faces full of pizza while millions of children die of starvation around the world?  Yeah, that sounds just fucking fantastic!</em>\r\n\r\n<em>While we’re on that subject, why did Dad bail out on Mom and me?  Why did all the kids in school treat me like shit?  Why does Grandma have Alzheimer’s?  Why does Aunt Margie have MS?  Why has Uncle Ronnie been unemployed for over two years?  Why are there people like the Westboro Baptist Church, Mark Driscoll, and pedophile priests in the world?</em>\r\n\r\n<em>I’ve had it up to here with you, God.  You haven’t done shit for me.  You’re just like my deadbeat dad.</em>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"right\"><em>Fuck you,</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"right\"><em>Travis</em></p>\r\n</blockquote>\r\nWhen I finished, I felt free.  I finally got it all out.  Now all I had to do was wait for God to respond.\r\n\r\nTwo days past and I didn’t hear anything.  I never expected a huge booming voice from the sky.  In the past, God usually spoke to me either through a particular Bible verse, or a conversation with a friend, or a song on the radio.  But this time I didn’t hear anything.  No song on the local Christian station made me want to sing along.  No Bible verse explained everything.  No friend acted like a channel for God to speak through.  Maybe God was respecting my wishes. Or maybe He just wasn’t there.\r\n\r\nMaybe it finally happened.  Maybe I finally lost my faith in God.  In the past I’ve gone through moments of doubt, but I still hung on to God because I felt like I had nowhere else to go.  Maybe this was the moment I finally realized that I had been hanging onto a silly fairy tale all this time.\r\n\r\nA few days after I wrote my letter, I was chatting with Amy on iChat when I decided to come clean about my unbelief.  I typed in the little window, “So, uh, babe, I think I might be an agnostic.”\r\n\r\nShe begged me to pray about it.  “God is there for you,” she said.  “It might not feel like it, but He is.”  Since I’m always quick to please my baby, I promised that I would pray.  So right before I went to bed that night, I prayed.\r\n\r\n“God, if you’re up there, and you actually give a shit, just let me know, okay?”\r\n\r\nAnd that night, I had a dream.\r\n\r\nIt wasn’t a big earth-shattering prophetic dream where Jesus came and explained everything.  It was actually a simple dream where Amy and I attended a local Lutheran church.  But because this dream occurred right after praying that God would give me some sort of clue, maybe it was more than just my unconscious mind playing tricks on me.\r\n\r\nThen the next day I was flipping through a devotional called <em>Faithbook of Jesus</em> (written by my good friend <a title=\"Renee Fisher\" href=\"http://www.devotionaldiva.com/\">Renee Fisher</a>) when I came across a devotion about God’s love.  Renee wrote that even though she had heard that God loves everyone all her life, it wasn’t until she was 24 that she realized that God truly <em>loves</em> her with all of His heart.\r\n\r\nAnd when I read that, I started to cry.\r\n\r\nI realized that I had not lost faith in the real God, but in the legalistic god I invented in my mind.  For years I tried to force myself to be holy and perfect.  For years I tried to win God’s approval by being the most radically loving Christian in the world.  But now I see that, despite all of my imperfections and hang-ups, God loves me exactly where I am right now.  I wish I had realized this sooner.\r\n\r\nI looked up at the ceiling and said, “Alright, God, you got me!”\r\n\r\n(As for the church I had the dream about, Amy and I went to that church on Sunday.  Even though I wasn’t too familiar with it, I felt strangely comfortable there.  Maybe I finally found my home.)','The Day I Gave God Hell','','publish','open','open','','the-day-i-gave-god-hell','','','2011-11-10 09:21:49','2011-11-10 17:21:49','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=1997',0,'post','',0),(1998,46,'2011-11-09 15:54:43','2011-11-09 23:54:43','Maybe it was a long time coming after all.  We’ve certainly had our share of arguments and disagreements during the past eleven years of our relationship.  But my philosophy is if you don’t talk to God about your frustrations with Him, then they don’t exist.  And for about eleven years my plan worked out, until that one day.\n\nYou see, sometimes God seems so real to me it feels like its too much for me to take all in.  Other times, God doesn’t make any damn sense.  A couple of weeks ago I experienced the latter.\n\nFor a few years now I’ve been feeling like I’m not good enough for God’s approval.  I don’t give enough to the poor.  I don’t show my fiancé Amy enough affection.  I listen to way too much Tyler, the Creator.  Everyone kept telling me that God loved me, and that salvation was a free gift from God and not something I had to earn.  But I didn’t believe it.  If God truly was so gracious, why did we have to be so obedient?\n\nFinally one day I decided to write a letter to God.  It’s something I always do when something is weighing heavily on my mind, but I can’t find the words to verbally express it in a prayer.  I opened up my journal, got out my pen, and wrote down these words:\n<blockquote><em>Dear God,</em>\n\n<em>You’re really fucking pissing me off right now!</em></blockquote>\nBefore I knew it I was calling God every four-lettered word in the book, and chewing Him out left and right.  And I couldn’t stop, either.\n<blockquote><em>You expect us to praise you, but for what?  For allowing us Americans to stuff our fat faces full of pizza while millions of children die of starvation around the world?  Yeah, that sounds just fucking fantastic!</em>\n\n<em>While we’re on that subject, why did Dad bail out on Mom and me?  Why did all the kids in school treat me like shit?  Why does Grandma have Alzheimer’s?  Why does Aunt Margie have MS?  Why has Uncle Ronnie been unemployed for over two years?  Why are there people like the Westboro Baptist Church, Mark Driscoll, and pedophile priests in the world?</em>\n\n<em>I’ve had it up to here with you, God.  You haven’t done shit for me.  You’re just like my deadbeat dad.</em>\n<p align=\"right\"><em>Fuck you,</em></p>\n<p align=\"right\"><em>Travis</em></p>\n</blockquote>\nWhen I finished, I felt free.  I finally got it all out.  Now all I had to do was wait for God to respond.\n\nTwo days past and I didn’t hear anything.  I never expected a huge booming voice from the sky.  In the past, God usually spoke to me either through a particular Bible verse, or a conversation with a friend, or a song on the radio.  But this time I didn’t hear anything.  No song on the local Christian station made me want to sing along.  No Bible verse explained everything.  No friend acted like a channel for God to speak through.  Maybe God was respecting my wishes. Or maybe He just wasn’t there.\n\nMaybe it finally happened.  Maybe I finally lost my faith in God.  In the past I’ve gone through moments of doubt, but I still hung on to God because I felt like I had nowhere else to go.  Maybe this was the moment I finally realized that I had been hanging onto a silly fairy tale all this time.\n\nA few days after I wrote my letter, I was chatting with Amy on iChat when I decided to come clean about my unbelief.  I typed in the little window, “So, uh, babe, I think I might be an agnostic.”\n\nShe begged me to pray about it.  “God is there for you,” she said.  “It might not feel like it, but He is.”  Since I’m always quick to please my baby, I promised that I would pray.  So right before I went to bed that night, I prayed.\n\n“God, if you’re up there, and you actually give a shit, just let me know, okay?”\n\nAnd that night, I had a dream.\n\nIt wasn’t a big earth-shattering prophetic dream where Jesus came and explained everything.  It was actually a simple dream where Amy and I attended a local Lutheran church.  But because this dream occurred right after praying that God would give me some sort of clue, maybe it was more than just my unconscious mind playing tricks on me.\n\nThen the next day I was flipping through a devotional called <em>Faithbook of Jesus</em> (written by my good friend <a title=\"Renee Fisher\" href=\"http://www.devotionaldiva.com/\">Renee Fisher</a>) when I came across a devotion about God’s love.  Renee wrote that even though she had heard that God loves everyone all her life, it wasn’t until she was 24 that she realized that God truly <em>loves</em> her with all of His heart.\n\nAnd when I read that, I started to cry.\n\nI realized that I had not lost faith in the real God, but in the legalistic god I invented in my mind.  For years I tried to force myself to be holy and perfect.  For years I tried to win God’s approval by being the most radically loving Christian in the world.  But now I see that, despite all of my imperfections and hang-ups, God loves me exactly where I am right now.  I wish I had realized this sooner.\n\nI looked up at the ceiling and said, “Alright, God, you got me!”\n\n(As for the church I had the dream about, Amy and I went to that church on Sunday.  Even though I wasn’t too familiar with it, I felt strangely comfortable there.  Maybe I finally found my home.)','The Day I Gave God Hell','','inherit','open','open','','1997-revision','','','2011-11-09 15:54:43','2011-11-09 23:54:43','',1997,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/1997-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(2003,82,'2011-11-09 17:44:48','2011-11-10 01:44:48','</dt></dl>Earlier this year, I divulged to my husband, and a few people in my life, that I’m absolutely terrified of delving deep into the writing of my first book;  one that involves much digging deep within me. Putting the images in black and white for so many to see in their own minds and hearts for themselves learning about the emotional turmoil I experienced growing up, and the healing I’ve been experiencing this past year through addressing this turmoil.\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>&nbsp;\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>It’s not easy to dig deep and expose all of my heart. Blogging sure offers a great avenue for keeping my heart exposed “just enough” – but God is calling me to expose every portion of my heart. <em>All of it.</em>\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>&nbsp;\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl><em>All</em> the dark spots that still remain.\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl><em>All</em> the scars from the many battles that have been waged on it by so many people in my life (men and women alike).\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl><em>All</em> the tender spots that are ever so slowly healing.\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl><em>All</em> along with the healthy and strong parts.\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>&nbsp;\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>In a closed, confined space with people I have developed a deep trust with over the past handful of years – such as in counseling sessions, over coffee with a dear friend, or even in a Celebrate Recovery group, this is easy – but to expose every part of my heart to <em>everyone</em> out there? Now this is painfully frightening; and the fear is not of all of you. The fear is of the potential shame this book may bring to others in my life that I love deeply and dearly. It has me absolutely petrified and stuck in my own skin.\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>&nbsp;\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>Yet, when I read what God is calling out of me through <a href=\"http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/03/how-christians-create-art-she-speaks-scholarship/\" target=\"_blank\">a post</a> Ann Voskamp put out many months ago, I must admit – I heard God loud and clear, <em>“Marni, start now!”</em>\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>&nbsp;\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>I immediately cried out, <em>“Oh my gosh!”</em>, took my glasses off and rubbed my face to help the tears stay back inside my eyes – but it did no good, they came, and I let them pour.\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>My husband looked at me and said, <em>“What’s wrong?”</em>\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>I told him in a hesitant-breathed voice, <em>“I know what I have to do, and this is going to be hard.”</em>\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>So here, I have been for the past many months – little by little – beginning to pour my heart out.\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>For so long, my heart has been encased in a very hard shell of shame due to the unspoken messages of disappointment I received from my own parents growing up. Though we are all in a healing stage of our relationship lately, I still have memories cropping up reminding me of the tones of voice, the anger, the frustration, the distancing themselves from me they would exude  whenever I chose to do something that didn’t seem to measure up to what they  agreed with in their lives (for my life). All these things have screamed volumes to me that I who I truly am, is not worth much – though I doubt this was their intention and motive.\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>My parents have always been very careful with their word choices – as they never spoke a demeaning word to me, ever – but the unsaid things spoke volumes more than any of the words that were uttered. And thankfully, they have begun to address that this is something that has been passed down throughout the generations…and it needs to stop (primarily my mother).\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>Concerning my growing through the pain of the past, let me clear, <em>my parents weren’t the only ones who ever did this in my life – many more people have as well – but this is the root of my shame unfortunately.</em> However, God is transforming it into quite the fortunate thing – because I’ve started the journey of healing in the steps toward change as I look on Him despite the fear and pain I’ve been experiencing deep in my belly for quite some time now.\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>&nbsp;\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>He’s also transforming it through the reconnection of my parents and myself working through our relationship together in a healthy manner.\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>&nbsp;\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>Now, let me very, very clear – <em>I don’t blame my parents for one thing</em> that I’ve chosen to do in response to them in the past. I absolutely harbor no resentment toward them. What has been done has been done. What <em>I</em> have embraced for so long, <em>I</em> have embraced. This is my responsibility, and in turn I take full responsibility for fully choosing to release it – because the shame is too painful to hold onto.\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>&nbsp;\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>However, through all this shame, God has revealed a drive – a passion – that I’ve never been lead to before.  To help other women out there realize they are absolutely beautiful creations in Him, and that God didn’t call the woman’s heart to live in shame – He called it to live in freedom.\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>A woman’s pains can be used as the very medium to reveal His magnificent masterpiece in within them; in turn, He’ll shine so brightly, that it’ll happen [almost by default] that they’ll help other women experience the same thing.\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>Healing is possible for any woman who has experienced any level, and avenue, of shame in their lives. In order to experience this though, a woman must embrace the shame, recognize it for what it is, take responsibility for the choices one has made to do with it, and then unabashedly hand it over to God without reservation.\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>Ladies, don’t go one more day living in shame. Let your healing begin today, breaking the bonds of shame in Christ’s beautiful, and precious name.\n\n<dl><dt>','Breaking the Bonds of Shame','','inherit','open','open','','2001-revision','','','2011-11-09 17:44:48','2011-11-10 01:44:48','',2001,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/2001-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(2004,82,'2011-11-09 17:46:06','2011-11-10 01:46:06','[caption id=\"attachment_2002\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"240\" caption=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/guarded.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-2002 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/guarded-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson\" width=\"240\" height=\"240\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nEarlier this year, I divulged to my husband, and a few people in my life, that I’m absolutely terrified of delving deep into the writing of my first book;  one that involves much digging deep within me. Putting the images in black and white for so many to see in their own minds and hearts for themselves learning about the emotional turmoil I experienced growing up, and the healing I’ve been experiencing this past year through addressing this turmoil.\n\nIt’s not easy to dig deep and expose all of my heart. Blogging sure offers a great avenue for keeping my heart exposed “just enough” – but God is calling me to expose every portion of my heart. <em>All of it.</em>\n\n<em>All</em> the dark spots that still remain.\n\n<em>All</em> the scars from the many battles that have been waged on it by so many people in my life (men and women alike).\n\n<dl><dt><em>All</em> the tender spots that are ever so slowly healing.</dt></dl><dl><dt></dt></dl><em>All</em> along with the healthy and strong parts.\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>&nbsp;\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>In a closed, confined space with people I have developed a deep trust with over the past handful of years – such as in counseling sessions, over coffee with a dear friend, or even in a Celebrate Recovery group, this is easy – but to expose every part of my heart to <em>everyone</em> out there? Now this is painfully frightening; and the fear is not of all of you. The fear is of the potential shame this book may bring to others in my life that I love deeply and dearly. It has me absolutely petrified and stuck in my own skin.\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>&nbsp;\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>Yet, when I read what God is calling out of me through <a href=\"http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/03/how-christians-create-art-she-speaks-scholarship/\" target=\"_blank\">a post</a> Ann Voskamp put out many months ago, I must admit – I heard God loud and clear, <em>“Marni, start now!”</em>\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>&nbsp;\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>I immediately cried out, <em>“Oh my gosh!”</em>, took my glasses off and rubbed my face to help the tears stay back inside my eyes – but it did no good, they came, and I let them pour.\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>My husband looked at me and said, <em>“What’s wrong?”</em>\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>I told him in a hesitant-breathed voice, <em>“I know what I have to do, and this is going to be hard.”</em>\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>So here, I have been for the past many months – little by little – beginning to pour my heart out.\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>For so long, my heart has been encased in a very hard shell of shame due to the unspoken messages of disappointment I received from my own parents growing up. Though we are all in a healing stage of our relationship lately, I still have memories cropping up reminding me of the tones of voice, the anger, the frustration, the distancing themselves from me they would exude  whenever I chose to do something that didn’t seem to measure up to what they  agreed with in their lives (for my life). All these things have screamed volumes to me that I who I truly am, is not worth much – though I doubt this was their intention and motive.\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>My parents have always been very careful with their word choices – as they never spoke a demeaning word to me, ever – but the unsaid things spoke volumes more than any of the words that were uttered. And thankfully, they have begun to address that this is something that has been passed down throughout the generations…and it needs to stop (primarily my mother).\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>Concerning my growing through the pain of the past, let me clear, <em>my parents weren’t the only ones who ever did this in my life – many more people have as well – but this is the root of my shame unfortunately.</em> However, God is transforming it into quite the fortunate thing – because I’ve started the journey of healing in the steps toward change as I look on Him despite the fear and pain I’ve been experiencing deep in my belly for quite some time now.\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>&nbsp;\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>He’s also transforming it through the reconnection of my parents and myself working through our relationship together in a healthy manner.\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>&nbsp;\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>Now, let me very, very clear – <em>I don’t blame my parents for one thing</em> that I’ve chosen to do in response to them in the past. I absolutely harbor no resentment toward them. What has been done has been done. What <em>I</em> have embraced for so long, <em>I</em> have embraced. This is my responsibility, and in turn I take full responsibility for fully choosing to release it – because the shame is too painful to hold onto.\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>&nbsp;\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>However, through all this shame, God has revealed a drive – a passion – that I’ve never been lead to before.  To help other women out there realize they are absolutely beautiful creations in Him, and that God didn’t call the woman’s heart to live in shame – He called it to live in freedom.\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>A woman’s pains can be used as the very medium to reveal His magnificent masterpiece in within them; in turn, He’ll shine so brightly, that it’ll happen [almost by default] that they’ll help other women experience the same thing.\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>Healing is possible for any woman who has experienced any level, and avenue, of shame in their lives. In order to experience this though, a woman must embrace the shame, recognize it for what it is, take responsibility for the choices one has made to do with it, and then unabashedly hand it over to God without reservation.\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>Ladies, don’t go one more day living in shame. Let your healing begin today, breaking the bonds of shame in Christ’s beautiful, and precious name.\n\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>','Breaking the Bonds of Shame','','inherit','open','open','','2001-revision-2','','','2011-11-09 17:46:06','2011-11-10 01:46:06','',2001,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/2001-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(2007,82,'2011-11-09 17:50:52','2011-11-10 01:50:52','[caption id=\"attachment_2002\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"240\" caption=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/guarded.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-2002 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/guarded-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson\" width=\"240\" height=\"240\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nEarlier this year, I divulged to my husband, and a few people in my life, that I’m absolutely terrified of delving deep into the writing of my first book;  one that involves much digging deep within me. Putting the images in black and white for so many to see in their own minds and hearts for themselves learning about the emotional turmoil I experienced growing up, and the healing I’ve been experiencing this past year through addressing this turmoil.\r\n\r\nIt’s not easy to dig deep and expose all of my heart. Blogging sure offers a great avenue for keeping my heart exposed “just enough” – but God is calling me to expose every portion of my heart.\r\n\r\n<em>All of it.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>All</em> the dark spots that still remain.\r\n\r\n<em>All</em> the scars from the many battles that have been waged on it by so many people in my life (men and women alike).\r\n\r\n<dl><dt><em>All</em> the tender spots that are ever so slowly healing.</dt></dl><em>All</em> along with the healthy and strong parts.\r\n\r\nIn a closed, confined space with people I have developed a deep trust with over the past handful of years – such as in counseling sessions, over coffee with a dear friend, or even in a Celebrate Recovery group, this is easy – but to expose every part of my heart to <em>everyone</em> out there? Now this is painfully frightening; and the fear is not of all of you. The fear is of the potential shame this book may bring to others in my life that I love deeply and dearly. It has me absolutely petrified and stuck in my own skin.\r\n\r\nYet, when I read what God is calling out of me through <a href=\"http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/03/how-christians-create-art-she-speaks-scholarship/\" target=\"_blank\">a post</a> Ann Voskamp put out many months ago, I must admit – I heard God loud and clear, <em>“Marni, start now!”</em>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">I immediately cried out, <em>“Oh my gosh!”</em>, took my glasses off and rubbed my face to help the tears stay back inside my eyes – but it did no good, they came, and I let them pour.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">My husband looked at me and said, <em>“What’s wrong?”</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">I told him in a hesitant-breathed voice, <em>“I know what I have to do, and this is going to be hard.”</em></p>\r\nSo here, I\'ve been for many months – little by little –pouring my heart out.\r\n\r\nFor so long, my heart has been encased in a very hard shell of shame due to the unspoken messages of disappointment I received from my own parents growing up. Though we are all in a healing stage of our relationship lately, I still have memories cropping up reminding me of the tones of voice, the anger, the frustration, the distancing themselves from me they would exude  whenever I chose to do something that didn’t seem to measure up to what they  agreed with in their lives (for my life). All these things have screamed volumes to me that I who I truly am, is not worth much – though I doubt this was their intention and motive.\r\n\r\nMy parents have always been very careful with their word choices – as they never spoke a demeaning word to me, ever – but the unsaid things spoke volumes more than any of the words that were uttered. And thankfully, they have begun to address that this is something that has been passed down throughout the generations…and it needs to stop (primarily my mother).\r\n\r\nConcerning my growing through the pain of the past, let me clear, <em>my parents weren’t the only ones who ever did this in my life – many more people have as well – but this is the root of my shame unfortunately.</em> However, God is transforming it into quite the fortunate thing – because I’ve started the journey of healing in the steps toward change as I look on Him despite the fear and pain I’ve been experiencing deep in my belly for quite some time now.\r\n\r\nHe’s also transforming it through the reconnection of my parents and myself working through our relationship together in a healthy manner.\r\n\r\nNow, let me very, very clear – <em>I don’t blame my parents for one thing</em> that I’ve chosen to do in response to them in the past. I absolutely harbor no resentment toward them. What has been done has been done. What <em>I</em> have embraced for so long, <em>I</em> have embraced. This is my responsibility, and in turn I take full responsibility for fully choosing to release it – because the shame is too painful to hold onto.\r\n\r\nHowever, through all this shame, God has revealed a drive – a passion – that I’ve never been lead to before.  To help other women out there realize they are absolutely beautiful creations in Him, and that God didn’t call the woman’s heart to live in shame – He called it to live in freedom.\r\n\r\nA woman’s pains can be used as the very medium to reveal His magnificent masterpiece in within them; in turn, He’ll shine so brightly, that it’ll happen [almost by default] that they’ll help other women experience the same thing.\r\n\r\nHealing is possible for any woman who has experienced any level, and avenue, of shame in their lives. In order to experience this though, a woman must embrace the shame, recognize it for what it is, take responsibility for the choices one has made to do with it, and then unabashedly hand it over to God without reservation.\r\n\r\nLadies, don’t go one more day living in shame. Let your healing begin today, breaking the bonds of shame in Christ’s beautiful, and precious name.\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>','Breaking the Bonds of Shame','','inherit','open','open','','2001-revision-5','','','2011-11-09 17:50:52','2011-11-10 01:50:52','',2001,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/2001-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(2005,82,'2011-11-09 17:46:11','2011-11-10 01:46:11','[caption id=\"attachment_2002\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"240\" caption=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/guarded.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-2002 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/guarded-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson\" width=\"240\" height=\"240\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nEarlier this year, I divulged to my husband, and a few people in my life, that I’m absolutely terrified of delving deep into the writing of my first book;  one that involves much digging deep within me. Putting the images in black and white for so many to see in their own minds and hearts for themselves learning about the emotional turmoil I experienced growing up, and the healing I’ve been experiencing this past year through addressing this turmoil.\r\n\r\nIt’s not easy to dig deep and expose all of my heart. Blogging sure offers a great avenue for keeping my heart exposed “just enough” – but God is calling me to expose every portion of my heart. <em>All of it.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>All</em> the dark spots that still remain.\r\n\r\n<em>All</em> the scars from the many battles that have been waged on it by so many people in my life (men and women alike).\r\n\r\n<dl><dt><em>All</em> the tender spots that are ever so slowly healing.</dt></dl><dl><dt></dt></dl><em>All</em> along with the healthy and strong parts.\r\n\r\nIn a closed, confined space with people I have developed a deep trust with over the past handful of years – such as in counseling sessions, over coffee with a dear friend, or even in a Celebrate Recovery group, this is easy – but to expose every part of my heart to <em>everyone</em> out there? Now this is painfully frightening; and the fear is not of all of you. The fear is of the potential shame this book may bring to others in my life that I love deeply and dearly. It has me absolutely petrified and stuck in my own skin.\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>Yet, when I read what God is calling out of me through <a href=\"http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/03/how-christians-create-art-she-speaks-scholarship/\" target=\"_blank\">a post</a> Ann Voskamp put out many months ago, I must admit – I heard God loud and clear, <em>“Marni, start now!”</em>\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>I immediately cried out, <em>“Oh my gosh!”</em>, took my glasses off and rubbed my face to help the tears stay back inside my eyes – but it did no good, they came, and I let them pour.\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>My husband looked at me and said, <em>“What’s wrong?”</em>\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>I told him in a hesitant-breathed voice, <em>“I know what I have to do, and this is going to be hard.”</em>\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>So here, I have been for the past many months – little by little – beginning to pour my heart out.\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>For so long, my heart has been encased in a very hard shell of shame due to the unspoken messages of disappointment I received from my own parents growing up. Though we are all in a healing stage of our relationship lately, I still have memories cropping up reminding me of the tones of voice, the anger, the frustration, the distancing themselves from me they would exude  whenever I chose to do something that didn’t seem to measure up to what they  agreed with in their lives (for my life). All these things have screamed volumes to me that I who I truly am, is not worth much – though I doubt this was their intention and motive.\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>My parents have always been very careful with their word choices – as they never spoke a demeaning word to me, ever – but the unsaid things spoke volumes more than any of the words that were uttered. And thankfully, they have begun to address that this is something that has been passed down throughout the generations…and it needs to stop (primarily my mother).\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>Concerning my growing through the pain of the past, let me clear, <em>my parents weren’t the only ones who ever did this in my life – many more people have as well – but this is the root of my shame unfortunately.</em> However, God is transforming it into quite the fortunate thing – because I’ve started the journey of healing in the steps toward change as I look on Him despite the fear and pain I’ve been experiencing deep in my belly for quite some time now.\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>He’s also transforming it through the reconnection of my parents and myself working through our relationship together in a healthy manner.\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>Now, let me very, very clear – <em>I don’t blame my parents for one thing</em> that I’ve chosen to do in response to them in the past. I absolutely harbor no resentment toward them. What has been done has been done. What <em>I</em> have embraced for so long, <em>I</em> have embraced. This is my responsibility, and in turn I take full responsibility for fully choosing to release it – because the shame is too painful to hold onto.\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>However, through all this shame, God has revealed a drive – a passion – that I’ve never been lead to before.  To help other women out there realize they are absolutely beautiful creations in Him, and that God didn’t call the woman’s heart to live in shame – He called it to live in freedom.\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>A woman’s pains can be used as the very medium to reveal His magnificent masterpiece in within them; in turn, He’ll shine so brightly, that it’ll happen [almost by default] that they’ll help other women experience the same thing.\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>Healing is possible for any woman who has experienced any level, and avenue, of shame in their lives. In order to experience this though, a woman must embrace the shame, recognize it for what it is, take responsibility for the choices one has made to do with it, and then unabashedly hand it over to God without reservation.\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>Ladies, don’t go one more day living in shame. Let your healing begin today, breaking the bonds of shame in Christ’s beautiful, and precious name.\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>','Breaking the Bonds of Shame','','inherit','open','open','','2001-revision-3','','','2011-11-09 17:46:11','2011-11-10 01:46:11','',2001,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/2001-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(2006,82,'2011-11-09 17:46:17','2011-11-10 01:46:17','[caption id=\"attachment_2002\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"240\" caption=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/guarded.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-2002 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/guarded-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson\" width=\"240\" height=\"240\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nEarlier this year, I divulged to my husband, and a few people in my life, that I’m absolutely terrified of delving deep into the writing of my first book;  one that involves much digging deep within me. Putting the images in black and white for so many to see in their own minds and hearts for themselves learning about the emotional turmoil I experienced growing up, and the healing I’ve been experiencing this past year through addressing this turmoil.\r\n\r\nIt’s not easy to dig deep and expose all of my heart. Blogging sure offers a great avenue for keeping my heart exposed “just enough” – but God is calling me to expose every portion of my heart. <em>All of it.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>All</em> the dark spots that still remain.\r\n\r\n<em>All</em> the scars from the many battles that have been waged on it by so many people in my life (men and women alike).\r\n\r\n<dl><dt><em>All</em> the tender spots that are ever so slowly healing.</dt></dl><dl><dt></dt></dl><em>All</em> along with the healthy and strong parts.\r\n\r\nIn a closed, confined space with people I have developed a deep trust with over the past handful of years – such as in counseling sessions, over coffee with a dear friend, or even in a Celebrate Recovery group, this is easy – but to expose every part of my heart to <em>everyone</em> out there? Now this is painfully frightening; and the fear is not of all of you. The fear is of the potential shame this book may bring to others in my life that I love deeply and dearly. It has me absolutely petrified and stuck in my own skin.\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>Yet, when I read what God is calling out of me through <a href=\"http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/03/how-christians-create-art-she-speaks-scholarship/\" target=\"_blank\">a post</a> Ann Voskamp put out many months ago, I must admit – I heard God loud and clear, <em>“Marni, start now!”</em>\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>I immediately cried out, <em>“Oh my gosh!”</em>, took my glasses off and rubbed my face to help the tears stay back inside my eyes – but it did no good, they came, and I let them pour.\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>My husband looked at me and said, <em>“What’s wrong?”</em>\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>I told him in a hesitant-breathed voice, <em>“I know what I have to do, and this is going to be hard.”</em>\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>So here, I have been for the past many months – little by little – beginning to pour my heart out.\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>For so long, my heart has been encased in a very hard shell of shame due to the unspoken messages of disappointment I received from my own parents growing up. Though we are all in a healing stage of our relationship lately, I still have memories cropping up reminding me of the tones of voice, the anger, the frustration, the distancing themselves from me they would exude  whenever I chose to do something that didn’t seem to measure up to what they  agreed with in their lives (for my life). All these things have screamed volumes to me that I who I truly am, is not worth much – though I doubt this was their intention and motive.\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>My parents have always been very careful with their word choices – as they never spoke a demeaning word to me, ever – but the unsaid things spoke volumes more than any of the words that were uttered. And thankfully, they have begun to address that this is something that has been passed down throughout the generations…and it needs to stop (primarily my mother).\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>Concerning my growing through the pain of the past, let me clear, <em>my parents weren’t the only ones who ever did this in my life – many more people have as well – but this is the root of my shame unfortunately.</em> However, God is transforming it into quite the fortunate thing – because I’ve started the journey of healing in the steps toward change as I look on Him despite the fear and pain I’ve been experiencing deep in my belly for quite some time now.\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>He’s also transforming it through the reconnection of my parents and myself working through our relationship together in a healthy manner.\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>Now, let me very, very clear – <em>I don’t blame my parents for one thing</em> that I’ve chosen to do in response to them in the past. I absolutely harbor no resentment toward them. What has been done has been done. What <em>I</em> have embraced for so long, <em>I</em> have embraced. This is my responsibility, and in turn I take full responsibility for fully choosing to release it – because the shame is too painful to hold onto.\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>However, through all this shame, God has revealed a drive – a passion – that I’ve never been lead to before.  To help other women out there realize they are absolutely beautiful creations in Him, and that God didn’t call the woman’s heart to live in shame – He called it to live in freedom.\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>A woman’s pains can be used as the very medium to reveal His magnificent masterpiece in within them; in turn, He’ll shine so brightly, that it’ll happen [almost by default] that they’ll help other women experience the same thing.\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>Healing is possible for any woman who has experienced any level, and avenue, of shame in their lives. In order to experience this though, a woman must embrace the shame, recognize it for what it is, take responsibility for the choices one has made to do with it, and then unabashedly hand it over to God without reservation.\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>Ladies, don’t go one more day living in shame. Let your healing begin today, breaking the bonds of shame in Christ’s beautiful, and precious name.\r\n\r\n<dl><dt></dt></dl>','Breaking the Bonds of Shame','','inherit','open','open','','2001-revision-4','','','2011-11-09 17:46:17','2011-11-10 01:46:17','',2001,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/2001-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(2008,82,'2011-11-09 17:53:30','2011-11-10 01:53:30','[caption id=\"attachment_2002\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"240\" caption=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson http://blog.lorijacksonphotography.com\"]<a href=\"http://blog.lorijacksonphotography.com\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-2002   \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/guarded-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson\" width=\"240\" height=\"240\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nEarlier this year, I divulged to my husband, and a few people in my life, that I’m absolutely terrified of delving deep into the writing of my first book;  one that involves much digging deep within me. Putting the images in black and white for so many to see in their own minds and hearts for themselves learning about the emotional turmoil I experienced growing up, and the healing I’ve been experiencing this past year through addressing this turmoil.\r\n\r\nIt’s not easy to dig deep and expose all of my heart. Blogging sure offers a great avenue for keeping my heart exposed “just enough” – but God is calling me to expose every portion of my heart.\r\n\r\n<em>All of it.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>All</em> the dark spots that still remain.\r\n\r\n<em>All</em> the scars from the many battles that have been waged on it by so many people in my life (men and women alike).\r\n\r\n<dl><dt><em>All</em> the tender spots that are ever so slowly healing.</dt></dl><em>All</em> along with the healthy and strong parts.\r\n\r\nIn a closed, confined space with people I have developed a deep trust with over the past handful of years – such as in counseling sessions, over coffee with a dear friend, or even in a Celebrate Recovery group, this is easy – but to expose every part of my heart to <em>everyone</em> out there? Now this is painfully frightening; and the fear is not of all of you. The fear is of the potential shame this book may bring to others in my life that I love deeply and dearly. It has me absolutely petrified and stuck in my own skin.\r\n\r\nYet, when I read what God is calling out of me through <a title=\"How Christians May Create by Ann Voskamp {http://aholyexperience.com}\" href=\"http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/03/how-christians-create-art-she-speaks-scholarship/\" target=\"_blank\">a post</a> Ann Voskamp put out many months ago, I must admit – I heard God loud and clear, <em>“Marni, start now!”</em>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">I immediately cried out, <em>“Oh my gosh!”</em>, took my glasses off and rubbed my face to help the tears stay back inside my eyes – but it did no good, they came, and I let them pour.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">My husband looked at me and said, <em>“What’s wrong?”</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">I told him in a hesitant-breathed voice, <em>“I know what I have to do, and this is going to be hard.”</em></p>\r\nSo here, I\'ve been for many months – little by little –pouring my heart out.\r\n\r\nFor so long, my heart has been encased in a very hard shell of shame due to the unspoken messages of disappointment I received from my own parents growing up. Though we are all in a healing stage of our relationship lately, I still have memories cropping up reminding me of the tones of voice, the anger, the frustration, the distancing themselves from me they would exude  whenever I chose to do something that didn’t seem to measure up to what they  agreed with in their lives (for my life). All these things have screamed volumes to me that I who I truly am, is not worth much – though I doubt this was their intention and motive.\r\n\r\nMy parents have always been very careful with their word choices – as they never spoke a demeaning word to me, ever – but the unsaid things spoke volumes more than any of the words that were uttered. And thankfully, they have begun to address that this is something that has been passed down throughout the generations…and it needs to stop (primarily my mother).\r\n\r\nConcerning my growing through the pain of the past, let me clear, <em>my parents weren’t the only ones who ever did this in my life – many more people have as well – but this is the root of my shame unfortunately.</em> However, God is transforming it into quite the fortunate thing – because I’ve started the journey of healing in the steps toward change as I look on Him despite the fear and pain I’ve been experiencing deep in my belly for quite some time now.\r\n\r\nHe’s also transforming it through the reconnection of my parents and myself working through our relationship together in a healthy manner.\r\n\r\nNow, let me very, very clear – <em>I don’t blame my parents for one thing</em> that I’ve chosen to do in response to them in the past. I absolutely harbor no resentment toward them. What has been done has been done. What <em>I</em> have embraced for so long, <em>I</em> have embraced. This is my responsibility, and in turn I take full responsibility for fully choosing to release it – because the shame is too painful to hold onto.\r\n\r\nHowever, through all this shame, God has revealed a drive – a passion – that I’ve never been lead to before.  To help other women out there realize they are absolutely beautiful creations in Him, and that God didn’t call the woman’s heart to live in shame – He called it to live in freedom.\r\n\r\nA woman’s pains can be used as the very medium to reveal His magnificent masterpiece in within them; in turn, He’ll shine so brightly, that it’ll happen [almost by default] that they’ll help other women experience the same thing.\r\n\r\nHealing is possible for any woman who has experienced any level, and avenue, of shame in their lives. In order to experience this though, a woman must embrace the shame, recognize it for what it is, take responsibility for the choices one has made to do with it, and then unabashedly hand it over to God without reservation.\r\n\r\nLadies, don’t go one more day living in shame. Let your healing begin today, breaking the bonds of shame in Christ’s beautiful, and precious name.','Breaking the Bonds of Shame','','inherit','open','open','','2001-revision-6','','','2011-11-09 17:53:30','2011-11-10 01:53:30','',2001,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/2001-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(2009,82,'2011-11-09 17:53:47','2011-11-10 01:53:47','[caption id=\"attachment_2002\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"240\" caption=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson http://blog.lorijacksonphotography.com\"]<a href=\"http://blog.lorijacksonphotography.com\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-2002   \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/guarded-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson\" width=\"240\" height=\"240\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nEarlier this year, I divulged to my husband, and a few people in my life, that I’m absolutely terrified of delving deep into the writing of my first book;  one that involves much digging deep within me. Putting the images in black and white for so many to see in their own minds and hearts for themselves learning about the emotional turmoil I experienced growing up, and the healing I’ve been experiencing this past year through addressing this turmoil.\r\n\r\nIt’s not easy to dig deep and expose all of my heart. Blogging sure offers a great avenue for keeping my heart exposed “just enough” – but God is calling me to expose every portion of my heart.\r\n\r\n<em>All of it.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>All</em> the dark spots that still remain.\r\n\r\n<em>All</em> the scars from the many battles that have been waged on it by so many people in my life (men and women alike).\r\n\r\n<dl><dt><em>All</em> the tender spots that are ever so slowly healing.</dt></dl><em>All</em> along with the healthy and strong parts.\r\n\r\nIn a closed, confined space with people I have developed a deep trust with over the past handful of years – such as in counseling sessions, over coffee with a dear friend, or even in a Celebrate Recovery group, this is easy – but to expose every part of my heart to <em>everyone</em> out there? Now this is painfully frightening; and the fear is not of all of you. The fear is of the potential shame this book may bring to others in my life that I love deeply and dearly. It has me absolutely petrified and stuck in my own skin.\r\n\r\nYet, when I read what God is calling out of me through <a title=\"How Christians May Create by Ann Voskamp {http://aholyexperience.com}\" href=\"http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/03/how-christians-create-art-she-speaks-scholarship/\" target=\"_blank\">a post</a> Ann Voskamp put out many months ago, I must admit – I heard God loud and clear, <em>“Marni, start now!”</em>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">I immediately cried out, <em>“Oh my gosh!”</em>, took my glasses off and rubbed my face to help the tears stay back inside my eyes – but it did no good, they came, and I let them pour.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">My husband looked at me and said, <em>“What’s wrong?”</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">I told him in a hesitant-breathed voice, <em>“I know what I have to do, and this is going to be hard.”</em></p>\r\nSo here, I\'ve been for many months – little by little –pouring my heart out.\r\n\r\nFor so long, my heart has been encased in a very hard shell of shame due to the unspoken messages of disappointment I received from my own parents growing up. Though we are all in a healing stage of our relationship lately, I still have memories cropping up reminding me of the tones of voice, the anger, the frustration, the distancing themselves from me they would exude  whenever I chose to do something that didn’t seem to measure up to what they  agreed with in their lives (for my life). All these things have screamed volumes to me that I who I truly am, is not worth much – though I doubt this was their intention and motive.\r\n\r\nMy parents have always been very careful with their word choices – as they never spoke a demeaning word to me, ever – but the unsaid things spoke volumes more than any of the words that were uttered. And thankfully, they have begun to address that this is something that has been passed down throughout the generations…and it needs to stop (primarily my mother).\r\n\r\nConcerning my growing through the pain of the past, let me clear, <em>my parents weren’t the only ones who ever did this in my life – many more people have as well – but this is the root of my shame unfortunately.</em> However, God is transforming it into quite the fortunate thing – because I’ve started the journey of healing in the steps toward change as I look on Him despite the fear and pain I’ve been experiencing deep in my belly for quite some time now.\r\n\r\nHe’s also transforming it through the reconnection of my parents and myself working through our relationship together in a healthy manner.\r\n\r\nNow, let me very, very clear – <em>I don’t blame my parents for one thing</em> that I’ve chosen to do in response to them in the past. I absolutely harbor no resentment toward them. What has been done has been done. What <em>I</em> have embraced for so long, <em>I</em> have embraced. This is my responsibility, and in turn I take full responsibility for fully choosing to release it – because the shame is too painful to hold onto.\r\n\r\nHowever, through all this shame, God has revealed a drive – a passion – that I’ve never been lead to before.  To help other women out there realize they are absolutely beautiful creations in Him, and that God didn’t call the woman’s heart to live in shame – He called it to live in freedom.\r\n\r\nA woman’s pains can be used as the very medium to reveal His magnificent masterpiece in within them; in turn, He’ll shine so brightly, that it’ll happen [almost by default] that they’ll help other women experience the same thing.\r\n\r\nHealing is possible for any woman who has experienced any level, and avenue, of shame in their lives. In order to experience this though, a woman must embrace the shame, recognize it for what it is, take responsibility for the choices one has made to do with it, and then unabashedly hand it over to God without reservation.\r\n\r\nLadies, don’t go one more day living in shame. Let your healing begin today, breaking the bonds of shame in Christ’s beautiful, and precious name.','Breaking the Bonds of Shame','','inherit','open','open','','2001-revision-7','','','2011-11-09 17:53:47','2011-11-10 01:53:47','',2001,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/2001-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(2010,82,'2011-11-09 17:54:13','2011-11-10 01:54:13','[caption id=\"attachment_2002\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"216\" caption=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson http://blog.lorijacksonphotography.com\"]<a href=\"http://blog.lorijacksonphotography.com\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-2002    \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/guarded-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson\" width=\"216\" height=\"216\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nEarlier this year, I divulged to my husband, and a few people in my life, that I’m absolutely terrified of delving deep into the writing of my first book;  one that involves much digging deep within me. Putting the images in black and white for so many to see in their own minds and hearts for themselves learning about the emotional turmoil I experienced growing up, and the healing I’ve been experiencing this past year through addressing this turmoil.\r\n\r\nIt’s not easy to dig deep and expose all of my heart. Blogging sure offers a great avenue for keeping my heart exposed “just enough” – but God is calling me to expose every portion of my heart.\r\n\r\n<em>All of it.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>All</em> the dark spots that still remain.\r\n\r\n<em>All</em> the scars from the many battles that have been waged on it by so many people in my life (men and women alike).\r\n\r\n<dl><dt><em>All</em> the tender spots that are ever so slowly healing.</dt></dl><em>All</em> along with the healthy and strong parts.\r\n\r\nIn a closed, confined space with people I have developed a deep trust with over the past handful of years – such as in counseling sessions, over coffee with a dear friend, or even in a Celebrate Recovery group, this is easy – but to expose every part of my heart to <em>everyone</em> out there? Now this is painfully frightening; and the fear is not of all of you. The fear is of the potential shame this book may bring to others in my life that I love deeply and dearly. It has me absolutely petrified and stuck in my own skin.\r\n\r\nYet, when I read what God is calling out of me through <a title=\"How Christians May Create by Ann Voskamp {http://aholyexperience.com}\" href=\"http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/03/how-christians-create-art-she-speaks-scholarship/\" target=\"_blank\">a post</a> Ann Voskamp put out many months ago, I must admit – I heard God loud and clear, <em>“Marni, start now!”</em>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">I immediately cried out, <em>“Oh my gosh!”</em>, took my glasses off and rubbed my face to help the tears stay back inside my eyes – but it did no good, they came, and I let them pour.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">My husband looked at me and said, <em>“What’s wrong?”</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">I told him in a hesitant-breathed voice, <em>“I know what I have to do, and this is going to be hard.”</em></p>\r\nSo here, I\'ve been for many months – little by little –pouring my heart out.\r\n\r\nFor so long, my heart has been encased in a very hard shell of shame due to the unspoken messages of disappointment I received from my own parents growing up. Though we are all in a healing stage of our relationship lately, I still have memories cropping up reminding me of the tones of voice, the anger, the frustration, the distancing themselves from me they would exude  whenever I chose to do something that didn’t seem to measure up to what they  agreed with in their lives (for my life). All these things have screamed volumes to me that I who I truly am, is not worth much – though I doubt this was their intention and motive.\r\n\r\nMy parents have always been very careful with their word choices – as they never spoke a demeaning word to me, ever – but the unsaid things spoke volumes more than any of the words that were uttered. And thankfully, they have begun to address that this is something that has been passed down throughout the generations…and it needs to stop (primarily my mother).\r\n\r\nConcerning my growing through the pain of the past, let me clear, <em>my parents weren’t the only ones who ever did this in my life – many more people have as well – but this is the root of my shame unfortunately.</em> However, God is transforming it into quite the fortunate thing – because I’ve started the journey of healing in the steps toward change as I look on Him despite the fear and pain I’ve been experiencing deep in my belly for quite some time now.\r\n\r\nHe’s also transforming it through the reconnection of my parents and myself working through our relationship together in a healthy manner.\r\n\r\nNow, let me very, very clear – <em>I don’t blame my parents for one thing</em> that I’ve chosen to do in response to them in the past. I absolutely harbor no resentment toward them. What has been done has been done. What <em>I</em> have embraced for so long, <em>I</em> have embraced. This is my responsibility, and in turn I take full responsibility for fully choosing to release it – because the shame is too painful to hold onto.\r\n\r\nHowever, through all this shame, God has revealed a drive – a passion – that I’ve never been lead to before.  To help other women out there realize they are absolutely beautiful creations in Him, and that God didn’t call the woman’s heart to live in shame – He called it to live in freedom.\r\n\r\nA woman’s pains can be used as the very medium to reveal His magnificent masterpiece in within them; in turn, He’ll shine so brightly, that it’ll happen [almost by default] that they’ll help other women experience the same thing.\r\n\r\nHealing is possible for any woman who has experienced any level, and avenue, of shame in their lives. In order to experience this though, a woman must embrace the shame, recognize it for what it is, take responsibility for the choices one has made to do with it, and then unabashedly hand it over to God without reservation.\r\n\r\nLadies, don’t go one more day living in shame. Let your healing begin today, breaking the bonds of shame in Christ’s beautiful, and precious name.','Breaking the Bonds of Shame','','inherit','open','open','','2001-revision-8','','','2011-11-09 17:54:13','2011-11-10 01:54:13','',2001,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/2001-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(2012,82,'2011-11-09 17:55:41','2011-11-10 01:55:41','[caption id=\"attachment_2002\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"216\" caption=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson http://blog.lorijacksonphotography.com\"]<a href=\"http://blog.lorijacksonphotography.com\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-2002    \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/guarded-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson\" width=\"216\" height=\"216\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nEarlier this year, I divulged to my husband, and a few people in my life, that I’m absolutely terrified of delving deep into the writing of my first book;  one that involves much digging deep within me. Putting the images in black and white for so many to see in their own minds and hearts for themselves learning about the emotional turmoil I experienced growing up, and the healing I’ve been experiencing this past year through addressing this turmoil.\r\n\r\nIt’s not easy to dig deep and expose all of my heart. Blogging sure offers a great avenue for keeping my heart exposed “just enough” – but God is calling me to expose every portion of my heart.\r\n\r\n<em>All of it.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>All</em> the dark spots that still remain.\r\n\r\n<em>All</em> the scars from the many battles that have been waged on it by so many people in my life (men and women alike).\r\n\r\n<dl><dt><em>All</em> the tender spots that are ever so slowly healing.</dt></dl><em>All</em> along with the healthy and strong parts.\r\n\r\nIn a closed, confined space with people I have developed a deep trust with over the past handful of years – such as in counseling sessions, over coffee with a dear friend, or even in a Celebrate Recovery group, this is easy – but to expose every part of my heart to <em>everyone</em> out there? Now this is painfully frightening; and the fear is not of all of you. The fear is of the potential shame this book may bring to others in my life that I love deeply and dearly. It has me absolutely petrified and stuck in my own skin.\r\n\r\nYet, when I read what God is calling out of me through <a title=\"How Christians May Create by Ann Voskamp {http://aholyexperience.com}\" href=\"http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/03/how-christians-create-art-she-speaks-scholarship/\" target=\"_blank\">a post</a> Ann Voskamp put out many months ago, I must admit – I heard God loud and clear, <em>“Marni, start now!”</em>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">I immediately cried out, <em>“Oh my gosh!”</em>, took my glasses off and rubbed my face to help the tears stay back inside my eyes – but it did no good, they came, and I let them pour.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">My husband looked at me and said, <em>“What’s wrong?”</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">I told him in a hesitant-breathed voice, <em>“I know what I have to do, and this is going to be hard.”</em></p>\r\nSo here, I\'ve been for many months – little by little –pouring my heart out.\r\n\r\nFor so long, my heart has been encased in a very hard shell of shame due to the unspoken messages of disappointment I received from my own parents growing up. Though we are all in a healing stage of our relationship lately, I still have memories cropping up reminding me of the tones of voice, the anger, the frustration, the distancing themselves from me they would exude  whenever I chose to do something that didn’t seem to measure up to what they  agreed with in their lives (for my life). All these things have screamed volumes to me that I who I truly am, is not worth much – though I doubt this was their intention and motive.\r\n\r\nMy parents have always been very careful with their word choices – as they never spoke a demeaning word to me, ever – but the unsaid things spoke volumes more than any of the words that were uttered. And thankfully, they have begun to address that this is something that has been passed down throughout the generations…and it needs to stop (primarily my mother).\r\n\r\nConcerning my growing through the pain of the past, let me clear, <em>my parents weren’t the only ones who ever did this in my life – many more people have as well – but this is the root of my shame unfortunately.</em> However, God is transforming it into quite the fortunate thing – because I’ve started the journey of healing in the steps toward change as I look on Him despite the fear and pain I’ve been experiencing deep in my belly for quite some time now.\r\n\r\nHe’s also transforming it through the reconnection of my parents and myself working through our relationship together in a healthy manner.\r\n\r\nNow, let me very, very clear – <em>I don’t blame my parents for one thing</em> that I’ve chosen to do in response to them in the past. I absolutely harbor no resentment toward them. What has been done has been done. What <em>I</em> have embraced for so long, <em>I</em> have embraced. This is my responsibility, and in turn I take full responsibility for fully choosing to release it – because the shame is too painful to hold onto.\r\n\r\nHowever, through all this shame, God has revealed a drive – a passion – that I’ve never been lead to before.  To help other women out there realize they are absolutely beautiful creations in Him, and that God didn’t call the woman’s heart to live in shame – He called it to live in freedom.\r\n\r\nA woman’s pains can be used as the very medium to reveal His magnificent masterpiece in within them; in turn, He’ll shine so brightly, that it’ll happen [almost by default] that they’ll help other women experience the same thing.\r\n\r\nHealing is possible for any woman who has experienced any level, and avenue, of shame in their lives. In order to experience this though, a woman must embrace the shame, recognize it for what it is, take responsibility for the choices one has made to do with it, and then unabashedly hand it over to God without reservation.\r\n\r\nLadies, don’t go one more day living in shame. Let your healing begin today, breaking the bonds of shame in Christ’s beautiful, and precious name.','Breaking the Bonds of Shame','','inherit','open','open','','2001-revision-10','','','2011-11-09 17:55:41','2011-11-10 01:55:41','',2001,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/2001-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(2011,82,'2011-11-09 17:54:18','2011-11-10 01:54:18','<p>[caption id=\"attachment_2002\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"216\" caption=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson http://blog.lorijacksonphotography.com\"]<a href=\"http://blog.lorijacksonphotography.com\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-2002    \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/guarded-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson\" width=\"216\" height=\"216\" /></a>[/caption]</p>\r\n<p>Earlier this year, I divulged to my husband, and a few people in my life, that I’m absolutely terrified of delving deep into the writing of my first book;  one that involves much digging deep within me. Putting the images in black and white for so many to see in their own minds and hearts for themselves learning about the emotional turmoil I experienced growing up, and the healing I’ve been experiencing this past year through addressing this turmoil.</p>\r\n<p>It’s not easy to dig deep and expose all of my heart. Blogging sure offers a great avenue for keeping my heart exposed “just enough” – but God is calling me to expose every portion of my heart.</p>\r\n<p><em>All of it.</em></p>\r\n<p><em>All</em> the dark spots that still remain.</p>\r\n<p><em>All</em> the scars from the many battles that have been waged on it by so many people in my life (men and women alike).</p>\r\n<dl>\r\n<dt><em>All</em> the tender spots that are ever so slowly healing.</dt>\r\n</dl>\r\n<p><em>All</em> along with the healthy and strong parts.</p>\r\n<p>In a closed, confined space with people I have developed a deep trust with over the past handful of years – such as in counseling sessions, over coffee with a dear friend, or even in a Celebrate Recovery group, this is easy – but to expose every part of my heart to <em>everyone</em> out there? Now this is painfully frightening; and the fear is not of all of you. The fear is of the potential shame this book may bring to others in my life that I love deeply and dearly. It has me absolutely petrified and stuck in my own skin.</p>\r\n<p>Yet, when I read what God is calling out of me through <a title=\"How Christians May Create by Ann Voskamp {http://aholyexperience.com}\" href=\"http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/03/how-christians-create-art-she-speaks-scholarship/\" target=\"_blank\">a post</a> Ann Voskamp put out many months ago, I must admit – I heard God loud and clear, <em>“Marni, start now!”</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">I immediately cried out, <em>“Oh my gosh!”</em>, took my glasses off and rubbed my face to help the tears stay back inside my eyes – but it did no good, they came, and I let them pour.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">My husband looked at me and said, <em>“What’s wrong?”</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">I told him in a hesitant-breathed voice, <em>“I know what I have to do, and this is going to be hard.”</em></p>\r\n<p>So here, I\'ve been for many months – little by little –pouring my heart out.</p>\r\n<p>For so long, my heart has been encased in a very hard shell of shame due to the unspoken messages of disappointment I received from my own parents growing up. Though we are all in a healing stage of our relationship lately, I still have memories cropping up reminding me of the tones of voice, the anger, the frustration, the distancing themselves from me they would exude  whenever I chose to do something that didn’t seem to measure up to what they  agreed with in their lives (for my life). All these things have screamed volumes to me that I who I truly am, is not worth much – though I doubt this was their intention and motive.</p>\r\n<p>My parents have always been very careful with their word choices – as they never spoke a demeaning word to me, ever – but the unsaid things spoke volumes more than any of the words that were uttered. And thankfully, they have begun to address that this is something that has been passed down throughout the generations…and it needs to stop (primarily my mother).</p>\r\n<p>Concerning my growing through the pain of the past, let me clear, <em>my parents weren’t the only ones who ever did this in my life – many more people have as well – but this is the root of my shame unfortunately.</em> However, God is transforming it into quite the fortunate thing – because I’ve started the journey of healing in the steps toward change as I look on Him despite the fear and pain I’ve been experiencing deep in my belly for quite some time now.</p>\r\n<p>He’s also transforming it through the reconnection of my parents and myself working through our relationship together in a healthy manner.</p>\r\n<p>Now, let me very, very clear – <em>I don’t blame my parents for one thing</em> that I’ve chosen to do in response to them in the past. I absolutely harbor no resentment toward them. What has been done has been done. What <em>I</em> have embraced for so long, <em>I</em> have embraced. This is my responsibility, and in turn I take full responsibility for fully choosing to release it – because the shame is too painful to hold onto.</p>\r\n<p>However, through all this shame, God has revealed a drive – a passion – that I’ve never been lead to before.  To help other women out there realize they are absolutely beautiful creations in Him, and that God didn’t call the woman’s heart to live in shame – He called it to live in freedom.</p>\r\n<p>A woman’s pains can be used as the very medium to reveal His magnificent masterpiece in within them; in turn, He’ll shine so brightly, that it’ll happen [almost by default] that they’ll help other women experience the same thing.</p>\r\n<p>Healing is possible for any woman who has experienced any level, and avenue, of shame in their lives. In order to experience this though, a woman must embrace the shame, recognize it for what it is, take responsibility for the choices one has made to do with it, and then unabashedly hand it over to God without reservation.</p>\r\n<p>Ladies, don’t go one more day living in shame. Let your healing begin today, breaking the bonds of shame in Christ’s beautiful, and precious name.</p>\r\n','Breaking the Bonds of Shame','','inherit','open','open','','2001-revision-9','','','2011-11-09 17:54:18','2011-11-10 01:54:18','',2001,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/2001-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(2013,82,'2011-11-09 17:56:15','2011-11-10 01:56:15','[caption id=\"attachment_2002\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"216\" caption=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson http://blog.lorijacksonphotography.com\"]<a href=\"http://blog.lorijacksonphotography.com\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-2002    \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/guarded-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson\" width=\"216\" height=\"216\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nEarlier this year, I divulged to my husband, and a few people in my life, that I’m absolutely terrified of delving deep into the writing of my first book;  one that involves much digging deep within me. Putting the images in black and white for so many to see in their own minds and hearts for themselves learning about the emotional turmoil I experienced growing up, and the healing I’ve been experiencing this past year through addressing this turmoil.\r\n\r\nIt’s not easy to dig deep and expose all of my heart. Blogging sure offers a great avenue for keeping my heart exposed “just enough” – but God is calling me to expose every portion of my heart.\r\n\r\n<em>All of it.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>All</em> the dark spots that still remain.\r\n\r\n<em>All</em> the scars from the many battles that have been waged on it by so many people in my life (men and women alike).\r\n\r\n<dl><dt><em>All</em> the tender spots that are ever so slowly healing.</dt></dl><em>All</em> along with the healthy and strong parts.\r\n\r\nIn a closed, confined space with people I have developed a deep trust with over the past handful of years – such as in counseling sessions, over coffee with a dear friend, or even in a Celebrate Recovery group, this is easy – but to expose every part of my heart to <em>everyone</em> out there? Now this is painfully frightening; and the fear is not of all of you. The fear is of the potential shame this book may bring to others in my life that I love deeply and dearly. It has me absolutely petrified and stuck in my own skin.\r\n\r\nYet, when I read what God is calling out of me through <a title=\"How Christians May Create by Ann Voskamp {http://aholyexperience.com}\" href=\"http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/03/how-christians-create-art-she-speaks-scholarship/\" target=\"_blank\">a post</a> Ann Voskamp put out many months ago, I must admit – I heard God loud and clear, <em>“Marni, start now!”</em>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">I immediately cried out, <em>“Oh my gosh!”</em>, took my glasses off and rubbed my face to help the tears stay back inside my eyes – but it did no good, they came, and I let them pour.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">My husband looked at me and said, <em>“What’s wrong?”</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">I told him in a hesitant-breathed voice, <em>“I know what I have to do, and this is going to be hard.”</em></p>\r\nSo here, I\'ve been for many months – little by little –pouring my heart out.\r\n\r\nFor so long, my heart has been encased in a very hard shell of shame due to the unspoken messages of disappointment I received from my own parents growing up. Though we are all in a healing stage of our relationship lately, I still have memories cropping up reminding me of the tones of voice, the anger, the frustration, the distancing themselves from me they would exude  whenever I chose to do something that didn’t seem to measure up to what they  agreed with in their lives (for my life). All these things have screamed volumes to me that I who I truly am, is not worth much – though I doubt this was their intention and motive.\r\n\r\nMy parents have always been very careful with their word choices – as they never spoke a demeaning word to me, ever – but the unsaid things spoke volumes more than any of the words that were uttered. And thankfully, they have begun to address that this is something that has been passed down throughout the generations…and it needs to stop (primarily my mother).\r\n\r\nConcerning my growing through the pain of the past, let me clear, <em>my parents weren’t the only ones who ever did this in my life – many more people have as well – but this is the root of my shame unfortunately.</em> However, God is transforming it into quite the fortunate thing – because I’ve started the journey of healing in the steps toward change as I look on Him despite the fear and pain I’ve been experiencing deep in my belly for quite some time now.\r\n\r\nHe’s also transforming it through the reconnection of my parents and myself working through our relationship together in a healthy manner.\r\n\r\nNow, let me very, very clear – <em>I don’t blame my parents for one thing</em> that I’ve chosen to do in response to them in the past. I absolutely harbor no resentment toward them. What has been done has been done. What <em>I</em> have embraced for so long, <em>I</em> have embraced. This is my responsibility, and in turn I take full responsibility for fully choosing to release it – because the shame is too painful to hold onto.\r\n\r\nHowever, through all this shame, God has revealed a drive – a passion – that I’ve never been lead to before.  To help other women out there realize they are absolutely beautiful creations in Him, and that God didn’t call the woman’s heart to live in shame – He called it to live in freedom.\r\n\r\nA woman’s pains can be used as the very medium to reveal His magnificent masterpiece in within them; in turn, He’ll shine so brightly, that it’ll happen [almost by default] that they’ll help other women experience the same thing.\r\n\r\nHealing is possible for any woman who has experienced any level, and avenue, of shame in their lives. In order to experience this though, a woman must embrace the shame, recognize it for what it is, take responsibility for the choices one has made to do with it, and then unabashedly hand it over to God without reservation.\r\n\r\nLadies, don’t go one more day living in shame. Let your healing begin today, breaking the bonds of shame in Christ’s beautiful, and precious name.','Breaking the Bonds of Shame','','inherit','open','open','','2001-revision-11','','','2011-11-09 17:56:15','2011-11-10 01:56:15','',2001,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/2001-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(2014,82,'2011-11-09 17:56:32','2011-11-10 01:56:32','[caption id=\"attachment_2002\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"216\" caption=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson http://blog.lorijacksonphotography.com\"]<a href=\"http://blog.lorijacksonphotography.com\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-2002    \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/guarded-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson\" width=\"216\" height=\"216\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nEarlier this year, I divulged to my husband, and a few people in my life, that I’m absolutely terrified of delving deep into the writing of my first book;  one that involves much digging deep within me. Putting the images in black and white for so many to see in their own minds and hearts for themselves learning about the emotional turmoil I experienced growing up, and the healing I’ve been experiencing this past year through addressing this turmoil.\r\n\r\nIt’s not easy to dig deep and expose all of my heart. Blogging sure offers a great avenue for keeping my heart exposed “just enough” – but God is calling me to expose every portion of my heart.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All of it.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All</em> the dark spots that still remain.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All</em> the scars from the many battles that have been waged on it by so many people in my life (men and women alike).</p>\r\n\r\n<dl><dt><em>All</em> the tender spots that are ever so slowly healing.</dt></dl>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All</em> along with the healthy and strong parts.</p>\r\nIn a closed, confined space with people I have developed a deep trust with over the past handful of years – such as in counseling sessions, over coffee with a dear friend, or even in a Celebrate Recovery group, this is easy – but to expose every part of my heart to <em>everyone</em> out there? Now this is painfully frightening; and the fear is not of all of you. The fear is of the potential shame this book may bring to others in my life that I love deeply and dearly. It has me absolutely petrified and stuck in my own skin.\r\n\r\nYet, when I read what God is calling out of me through <a title=\"How Christians May Create by Ann Voskamp {http://aholyexperience.com}\" href=\"http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/03/how-christians-create-art-she-speaks-scholarship/\" target=\"_blank\">a post</a> Ann Voskamp put out many months ago, I must admit – I heard God loud and clear, <em>“Marni, start now!”</em>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">I immediately cried out, <em>“Oh my gosh!”</em>, took my glasses off and rubbed my face to help the tears stay back inside my eyes – but it did no good, they came, and I let them pour.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">My husband looked at me and said, <em>“What’s wrong?”</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">I told him in a hesitant-breathed voice, <em>“I know what I have to do, and this is going to be hard.”</em></p>\r\nSo here, I\'ve been for many months – little by little –pouring my heart out.\r\n\r\nFor so long, my heart has been encased in a very hard shell of shame due to the unspoken messages of disappointment I received from my own parents growing up. Though we are all in a healing stage of our relationship lately, I still have memories cropping up reminding me of the tones of voice, the anger, the frustration, the distancing themselves from me they would exude  whenever I chose to do something that didn’t seem to measure up to what they  agreed with in their lives (for my life). All these things have screamed volumes to me that I who I truly am, is not worth much – though I doubt this was their intention and motive.\r\n\r\nMy parents have always been very careful with their word choices – as they never spoke a demeaning word to me, ever – but the unsaid things spoke volumes more than any of the words that were uttered. And thankfully, they have begun to address that this is something that has been passed down throughout the generations…and it needs to stop (primarily my mother).\r\n\r\nConcerning my growing through the pain of the past, let me clear, <em>my parents weren’t the only ones who ever did this in my life – many more people have as well – but this is the root of my shame unfortunately.</em> However, God is transforming it into quite the fortunate thing – because I’ve started the journey of healing in the steps toward change as I look on Him despite the fear and pain I’ve been experiencing deep in my belly for quite some time now.\r\n\r\nHe’s also transforming it through the reconnection of my parents and myself working through our relationship together in a healthy manner.\r\n\r\nNow, let me very, very clear – <em>I don’t blame my parents for one thing</em> that I’ve chosen to do in response to them in the past. I absolutely harbor no resentment toward them. What has been done has been done. What <em>I</em> have embraced for so long, <em>I</em> have embraced. This is my responsibility, and in turn I take full responsibility for fully choosing to release it – because the shame is too painful to hold onto.\r\n\r\nHowever, through all this shame, God has revealed a drive – a passion – that I’ve never been lead to before.  To help other women out there realize they are absolutely beautiful creations in Him, and that God didn’t call the woman’s heart to live in shame – He called it to live in freedom.\r\n\r\nA woman’s pains can be used as the very medium to reveal His magnificent masterpiece in within them; in turn, He’ll shine so brightly, that it’ll happen [almost by default] that they’ll help other women experience the same thing.\r\n\r\nHealing is possible for any woman who has experienced any level, and avenue, of shame in their lives. In order to experience this though, a woman must embrace the shame, recognize it for what it is, take responsibility for the choices one has made to do with it, and then unabashedly hand it over to God without reservation.\r\n\r\nLadies, don’t go one more day living in shame. Let your healing begin today, breaking the bonds of shame in Christ’s beautiful, and precious name.','Breaking the Bonds of Shame','','inherit','open','open','','2001-revision-12','','','2011-11-09 17:56:32','2011-11-10 01:56:32','',2001,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/2001-revision-12/',0,'revision','',0),(2015,82,'2011-11-09 17:56:38','2011-11-10 01:56:38','[caption id=\"attachment_2002\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"216\" caption=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson http://blog.lorijacksonphotography.com\"]<a href=\"http://blog.lorijacksonphotography.com\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-2002    \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/guarded-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson\" width=\"216\" height=\"216\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nEarlier this year, I divulged to my husband, and a few people in my life, that I’m absolutely terrified of delving deep into the writing of my first book;  one that involves much digging deep within me. Putting the images in black and white for so many to see in their own minds and hearts for themselves learning about the emotional turmoil I experienced growing up, and the healing I’ve been experiencing this past year through addressing this turmoil.\r\n\r\nIt’s not easy to dig deep and expose all of my heart. Blogging sure offers a great avenue for keeping my heart exposed “just enough” – but God is calling me to expose every portion of my heart.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All of it.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All</em> the dark spots that still remain.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All</em> the scars from the many battles that have been waged on it by so many people in my life (men and women alike).</p>\r\n\r\n<dl><dt><em>All</em> the tender spots that are ever so slowly healing.</dt></dl>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All</em> along with the healthy and strong parts.</p>\r\nIn a closed, confined space with people I have developed a deep trust with over the past handful of years – such as in counseling sessions, over coffee with a dear friend, or even in a Celebrate Recovery group, this is easy – but to expose every part of my heart to <em>everyone</em> out there? Now this is painfully frightening; and the fear is not of all of you. The fear is of the potential shame this book may bring to others in my life that I love deeply and dearly. It has me absolutely petrified and stuck in my own skin.\r\n\r\nYet, when I read what God is calling out of me through <a title=\"How Christians May Create by Ann Voskamp {http://aholyexperience.com}\" href=\"http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/03/how-christians-create-art-she-speaks-scholarship/\" target=\"_blank\">a post</a> Ann Voskamp put out many months ago, I must admit – I heard God loud and clear, <em>“Marni, start now!”</em>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">I immediately cried out, <em>“Oh my gosh!”</em>, took my glasses off and rubbed my face to help the tears stay back inside my eyes – but it did no good, they came, and I let them pour.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">My husband looked at me and said, <em>“What’s wrong?”</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">I told him in a hesitant-breathed voice, <em>“I know what I have to do, and this is going to be hard.”</em></p>\r\nSo here, I\'ve been for many months – little by little –pouring my heart out.\r\n\r\nFor so long, my heart has been encased in a very hard shell of shame due to the unspoken messages of disappointment I received from my own parents growing up. Though we are all in a healing stage of our relationship lately, I still have memories cropping up reminding me of the tones of voice, the anger, the frustration, the distancing themselves from me they would exude  whenever I chose to do something that didn’t seem to measure up to what they  agreed with in their lives (for my life). All these things have screamed volumes to me that I who I truly am, is not worth much – though I doubt this was their intention and motive.\r\n\r\nMy parents have always been very careful with their word choices – as they never spoke a demeaning word to me, ever – but the unsaid things spoke volumes more than any of the words that were uttered. And thankfully, they have begun to address that this is something that has been passed down throughout the generations…and it needs to stop (primarily my mother).\r\n\r\nConcerning my growing through the pain of the past, let me clear, <em>my parents weren’t the only ones who ever did this in my life – many more people have as well – but this is the root of my shame unfortunately.</em> However, God is transforming it into quite the fortunate thing – because I’ve started the journey of healing in the steps toward change as I look on Him despite the fear and pain I’ve been experiencing deep in my belly for quite some time now.\r\n\r\nHe’s also transforming it through the reconnection of my parents and myself working through our relationship together in a healthy manner.\r\n\r\nNow, let me very, very clear – <em>I don’t blame my parents for one thing</em> that I’ve chosen to do in response to them in the past. I absolutely harbor no resentment toward them. What has been done has been done. What <em>I</em> have embraced for so long, <em>I</em> have embraced. This is my responsibility, and in turn I take full responsibility for fully choosing to release it – because the shame is too painful to hold onto.\r\n\r\nHowever, through all this shame, God has revealed a drive – a passion – that I’ve never been lead to before.  To help other women out there realize they are absolutely beautiful creations in Him, and that God didn’t call the woman’s heart to live in shame – He called it to live in freedom.\r\n\r\nA woman’s pains can be used as the very medium to reveal His magnificent masterpiece in within them; in turn, He’ll shine so brightly, that it’ll happen [almost by default] that they’ll help other women experience the same thing.\r\n\r\nHealing is possible for any woman who has experienced any level, and avenue, of shame in their lives. In order to experience this though, a woman must embrace the shame, recognize it for what it is, take responsibility for the choices one has made to do with it, and then unabashedly hand it over to God without reservation.\r\n\r\nLadies, don’t go one more day living in shame. Let your healing begin today, breaking the bonds of shame in Christ’s beautiful, and precious name.','Breaking the Bonds of Shame','','inherit','open','open','','2001-revision-13','','','2011-11-09 17:56:38','2011-11-10 01:56:38','',2001,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/2001-revision-13/',0,'revision','',0),(2016,82,'2011-11-09 17:56:54','2011-11-10 01:56:54','[caption id=\"attachment_2002\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"216\" caption=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson http://blog.lorijacksonphotography.com\"]<a href=\"http://blog.lorijacksonphotography.com\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-2002    \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/guarded-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson\" width=\"216\" height=\"216\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nEarlier this year, I divulged to my husband, and a few people in my life, that I’m absolutely terrified of delving deep into the writing of my first book;  one that involves much digging deep within me. Putting the images in black and white for so many to see in their own minds and hearts for themselves learning about the emotional turmoil I experienced growing up, and the healing I’ve been experiencing this past year through addressing this turmoil.\r\n\r\nIt’s not easy to dig deep and expose all of my heart. Blogging sure offers a great avenue for keeping my heart exposed “just enough” – but God is calling me to expose every portion of my heart.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All of it.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All</em> the dark spots that still remain.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All</em> the scars from the many battles that have been waged on it by so many people in my life (men and women alike).</p>\r\n\r\n<dl><dt><em>All</em> the tender spots that are ever so slowly healing.</dt></dl>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All</em> along with the healthy and strong parts.</p>\r\nIn a closed, confined space with people I have developed a deep trust with over the past handful of years – such as in counseling sessions, over coffee with a dear friend, or even in a Celebrate Recovery group, this is easy – but to expose every part of my heart to <em>everyone</em> out there? Now this is painfully frightening; and the fear is not of all of you. The fear is of the potential shame this book may bring to others in my life that I love deeply and dearly. It has me absolutely petrified and stuck in my own skin.\r\n\r\nYet, when I read what God is calling out of me through <a title=\"How Christians May Create by Ann Voskamp {http://aholyexperience.com}\" href=\"http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/03/how-christians-create-art-she-speaks-scholarship/\" target=\"_blank\">a post</a> Ann Voskamp put out many months ago, I must admit – I heard God loud and clear, <em>“Marni, start now!”</em>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">I immediately cried out, <em>“Oh my gosh!”</em>, took my glasses off and rubbed my face to help the tears stay back inside my eyes – but it did no good, they came, and I let them pour.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">My husband looked at me and said, <em>“What’s wrong?”</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">I told him in a hesitant-breathed voice, <em>“I know what I have to do, and this is going to be hard.”</em></p>\r\nSo here, I\'ve been for many months – little by little –pouring my heart out.\r\n\r\nFor so long, my heart has been encased in a very hard shell of shame due to the unspoken messages of disappointment I received from my own parents growing up. Though we are all in a healing stage of our relationship lately, I still have memories cropping up reminding me of the tones of voice, the anger, the frustration, the distancing themselves from me they would exude  whenever I chose to do something that didn’t seem to measure up to what they  agreed with in their lives (for my life). All these things have screamed volumes to me that I who I truly am, is not worth much – though I doubt this was their intention and motive.\r\n\r\nMy parents have always been very careful with their word choices – as they never spoke a demeaning word to me, ever – but the unsaid things spoke volumes more than any of the words that were uttered. And thankfully, they have begun to address that this is something that has been passed down throughout the generations…and it needs to stop (primarily my mother).\r\n\r\nConcerning my growing through the pain of the past, let me clear, <em>my parents weren’t the only ones who ever did this in my life – many more people have as well – but this is the root of my shame unfortunately.</em> However, God is transforming it into quite the fortunate thing – because I’ve started the journey of healing in the steps toward change as I look on Him despite the fear and pain I’ve been experiencing deep in my belly for quite some time now.\r\n\r\nHe’s also transforming it through the reconnection of my parents and myself working through our relationship together in a healthy manner.\r\n\r\nNow, let me very, very clear – <em>I don’t blame my parents for one thing</em> that I’ve chosen to do in response to them in the past. I absolutely harbor no resentment toward them. What has been done has been done. What <em>I</em> have embraced for so long, <em>I</em> have embraced. This is my responsibility, and in turn I take full responsibility for fully choosing to release it – because the shame is too painful to hold onto.\r\n\r\nHowever, through all this shame, God has revealed a drive – a passion – that I’ve never been lead to before.  To help other women out there realize they are absolutely beautiful creations in Him, and that God didn’t call the woman’s heart to live in shame – He called it to live in freedom.\r\n\r\nA woman’s pains can be used as the very medium to reveal His magnificent masterpiece in within them; in turn, He’ll shine so brightly, that it’ll happen [almost by default] that they’ll help other women experience the same thing.\r\n\r\nHealing is possible for any woman who has experienced any level, and avenue, of shame in their lives. In order to experience this though, a woman must embrace the shame, recognize it for what it is, take responsibility for the choices one has made to do with it, and then unabashedly hand it over to God without reservation.\r\n\r\nLadies, don’t go one more day living in shame. Let your healing begin today, breaking the bonds of shame in Christ’s beautiful, and precious name.','Breaking the Bonds of Shame','','inherit','open','open','','2001-revision-14','','','2011-11-09 17:56:54','2011-11-10 01:56:54','',2001,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/2001-revision-14/',0,'revision','',0),(2017,82,'2011-11-09 17:57:00','2011-11-10 01:57:00','[caption id=\"attachment_2002\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"216\" caption=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson http://blog.lorijacksonphotography.com\"]<a href=\"http://blog.lorijacksonphotography.com\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-2002    \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/guarded-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson\" width=\"216\" height=\"216\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nEarlier this year, I divulged to my husband, and a few people in my life, that I’m absolutely terrified of delving deep into the writing of my first book;  one that involves much digging deep within me. Putting the images in black and white for so many to see in their own minds and hearts for themselves learning about the emotional turmoil I experienced growing up, and the healing I’ve been experiencing this past year through addressing this turmoil.\r\n\r\nIt’s not easy to dig deep and expose all of my heart. Blogging sure offers a great avenue for keeping my heart exposed “just enough” – but God is calling me to expose every portion of my heart.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All of it.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All</em> the dark spots that still remain.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All</em> the scars from the many battles that have been waged on it by so many people in my life (men and women alike).</p>\r\n\r\n<dl><dt><em>All</em> the tender spots that are ever so slowly healing.</dt></dl>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All</em> along with the healthy and strong parts.</p>\r\nIn a closed, confined space with people I have developed a deep trust with over the past handful of years – such as in counseling sessions, over coffee with a dear friend, or even in a Celebrate Recovery group, this is easy – but to expose every part of my heart to <em>everyone</em> out there? Now this is painfully frightening; and the fear is not of all of you. The fear is of the potential shame this book may bring to others in my life that I love deeply and dearly. It has me absolutely petrified and stuck in my own skin.\r\n\r\nYet, when I read what God is calling out of me through <a title=\"How Christians May Create by Ann Voskamp {http://aholyexperience.com}\" href=\"http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/03/how-christians-create-art-she-speaks-scholarship/\" target=\"_blank\">a post</a> Ann Voskamp put out many months ago, I must admit – I heard God loud and clear, <em>“Marni, start now!”</em>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">I immediately cried out, <em>“Oh my gosh!”</em>, took my glasses off and rubbed my face to help the tears stay back inside my eyes – but it did no good, they came, and I let them pour.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">My husband looked at me and said, <em>“What’s wrong?”</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">I told him in a hesitant-breathed voice, <em>“I know what I have to do, and this is going to be hard.”</em></p>\r\nSo here, I\'ve been for many months – little by little –pouring my heart out.\r\n\r\nFor so long, my heart has been encased in a very hard shell of shame due to the unspoken messages of disappointment I received from my own parents growing up. Though we are all in a healing stage of our relationship lately, I still have memories cropping up reminding me of the tones of voice, the anger, the frustration, the distancing themselves from me they would exude  whenever I chose to do something that didn’t seem to measure up to what they  agreed with in their lives (for my life). All these things have screamed volumes to me that I who I truly am, is not worth much – though I doubt this was their intention and motive.\r\n\r\nMy parents have always been very careful with their word choices – as they never spoke a demeaning word to me, ever – but the unsaid things spoke volumes more than any of the words that were uttered. And thankfully, they have begun to address that this is something that has been passed down throughout the generations…and it needs to stop (primarily my mother).\r\n\r\nConcerning my growing through the pain of the past, let me clear, <em>my parents weren’t the only ones who ever did this in my life – many more people have as well – but this is the root of my shame unfortunately.</em> However, God is transforming it into quite the fortunate thing – because I’ve started the journey of healing in the steps toward change as I look on Him despite the fear and pain I’ve been experiencing deep in my belly for quite some time now.\r\n\r\nHe’s also transforming it through the reconnection of my parents and myself working through our relationship together in a healthy manner.\r\n\r\nNow, let me very, very clear – <em>I don’t blame my parents for one thing</em> that I’ve chosen to do in response to them in the past. I absolutely harbor no resentment toward them. What has been done has been done. What <em>I</em> have embraced for so long, <em>I</em> have embraced. This is my responsibility, and in turn I take full responsibility for fully choosing to release it – because the shame is too painful to hold onto.\r\n\r\nHowever, through all this shame, God has revealed a drive – a passion – that I’ve never been lead to before.  To help other women out there realize they are absolutely beautiful creations in Him, and that God didn’t call the woman’s heart to live in shame – He called it to live in freedom.\r\n\r\nA woman’s pains can be used as the very medium to reveal His magnificent masterpiece in within them; in turn, He’ll shine so brightly, that it’ll happen [almost by default] that they’ll help other women experience the same thing.\r\n\r\nHealing is possible for any woman who has experienced any level, and avenue, of shame in their lives. In order to experience this though, a woman must embrace the shame, recognize it for what it is, take responsibility for the choices one has made to do with it, and then unabashedly hand it over to God without reservation.\r\n\r\nLadies, don’t go one more day living in shame. Let your healing begin today, breaking the bonds of shame in Christ’s beautiful, and precious name.','Breaking the Bonds of Shame','','inherit','open','open','','2001-revision-15','','','2011-11-09 17:57:00','2011-11-10 01:57:00','',2001,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/2001-revision-15/',0,'revision','',0),(2018,82,'2011-11-09 17:57:30','2011-11-10 01:57:30','[caption id=\"attachment_2002\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"216\" caption=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson http://blog.lorijacksonphotography.com\"]<a href=\"http://blog.lorijacksonphotography.com\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-2002    \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/guarded-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson\" width=\"216\" height=\"216\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nEarlier this year, I divulged to my husband, and a few people in my life, that I’m absolutely terrified of delving deep into the writing of my first book;  one that involves much digging deep within me. Putting the images in black and white for so many to see in their own minds and hearts for themselves learning about the emotional turmoil I experienced growing up, and the healing I’ve been experiencing this past year through addressing this turmoil.\r\n\r\nIt’s not easy to dig deep and expose all of my heart. Blogging sure offers a great avenue for keeping my heart exposed “just enough” – but God is calling me to expose every portion of my heart.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All of it.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All</em> the dark spots that still remain.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All</em> the scars from the many battles that have been waged on it by so many people in my life (men and women alike).</p>\r\n\r\n<dl><dt><em>All</em> the tender spots that are ever so slowly healing.</dt></dl>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All</em> along with the healthy and strong parts.</p>\r\nIn a closed, confined space with people I have developed a deep trust with over the past handful of years – such as in counseling sessions, over coffee with a dear friend, or even in a Celebrate Recovery group, this is easy – but to expose every part of my heart to <em>everyone</em> out there? Now this is painfully frightening; and the fear is not of all of you. The fear is of the potential shame this book may bring to others in my life that I love deeply and dearly. It has me absolutely petrified and stuck in my own skin.\r\n\r\nYet, when I read what God is calling out of me through <a title=\"How Christians May Create by Ann Voskamp {http://aholyexperience.com}\" href=\"http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/03/how-christians-create-art-she-speaks-scholarship/\" target=\"_blank\">a post</a> Ann Voskamp put out many months ago, I must admit – I heard God loud and clear, <em>“Marni, start now!”</em>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">I immediately cried out, <em>“Oh my gosh!”</em>, took my glasses off and rubbed my face to help the tears stay back inside my eyes – but it did no good, they came, and I let them pour.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">My husband looked at me and said, <em>“What’s wrong?”</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">I told him in a hesitant-breathed voice, <em>“I know what I have to do, and this is going to be hard.”</em></p>\r\nSo here, I\'ve been for many months – little by little –pouring my heart out.\r\n\r\nFor so long, my heart has been encased in a very hard shell of shame due to the unspoken messages of disappointment I received from my own parents growing up. Though we are all in a healing stage of our relationship lately, I still have memories cropping up reminding me of the tones of voice, the anger, the frustration, the distancing themselves from me they would exude  whenever I chose to do something that didn’t seem to measure up to what they  agreed with in their lives (for my life). All these things have screamed volumes to me that I who I truly am, is not worth much – though I doubt this was their intention and motive.\r\n\r\nMy parents have always been very careful with their word choices – as they never spoke a demeaning word to me, ever – but the unsaid things spoke volumes more than any of the words that were uttered. And thankfully, they have begun to address that this is something that has been passed down throughout the generations…and it needs to stop (primarily my mother).\r\n\r\nConcerning my growing through the pain of the past, let me clear, <em>my parents weren’t the only ones who ever did this in my life – many more people have as well – but this is the root of my shame unfortunately.</em> However, God is transforming it into quite the fortunate thing – because I’ve started the journey of healing in the steps toward change as I look on Him despite the fear and pain I’ve been experiencing deep in my belly for quite some time now.\r\n\r\nHe’s also transforming it through the reconnection of my parents and myself working through our relationship together in a healthy manner.\r\n\r\nNow, let me very, very clear – <em>I don’t blame my parents for one thing</em> that I’ve chosen to do in response to them in the past. I absolutely harbor no resentment toward them. What has been done has been done. What <em>I</em> have embraced for so long, <em>I</em> have embraced. This is my responsibility, and in turn I take full responsibility for fully choosing to release it – because the shame is too painful to hold onto.\r\n\r\nHowever, through all this shame, God has revealed a drive – a passion – that I’ve never been lead to before.  To help other women out there realize they are absolutely beautiful creations in Him, and that God didn’t call the woman’s heart to live in shame – He called it to live in freedom.\r\n\r\nA woman’s pains can be used as the very medium to reveal His magnificent masterpiece in within them; in turn, He’ll shine so brightly, that it’ll happen [almost by default] that they’ll help other women experience the same thing.\r\n\r\nHealing is possible for any woman who has experienced any level, and avenue, of shame in their lives. In order to experience this though, a woman must embrace the shame, recognize it for what it is, take responsibility for the choices one has made to do with it, and then unabashedly hand it over to God without reservation.\r\n\r\nLadies, don’t go one more day living in shame. Let your healing begin today, breaking the bonds of shame in Christ’s beautiful, and precious name.','Breaking the Bonds of Shame','','inherit','open','open','','2001-revision-16','','','2011-11-09 17:57:30','2011-11-10 01:57:30','',2001,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/2001-revision-16/',0,'revision','',0),(2019,82,'2011-11-09 17:58:31','2011-11-10 01:58:31','[caption id=\"attachment_2002\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"216\" caption=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson http://blog.lorijacksonphotography.com\"]<a href=\"http://blog.lorijacksonphotography.com\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-2002    \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/guarded-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson\" width=\"216\" height=\"216\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nEarlier this year, I divulged to my husband, and a few people in my life, that I’m absolutely terrified of delving deep into the writing of my first book;  one that involves much digging deep within me. Putting the images in black and white for so many to see in their own minds and hearts for themselves learning about the emotional turmoil I experienced growing up, and the healing I’ve been experiencing this past year through addressing this turmoil.\r\n\r\nIt’s not easy to dig deep and expose all of my heart. Blogging sure offers a great avenue for keeping my heart exposed “just enough” – but God is calling me to expose every portion of my heart.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All of it.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All</em> the dark spots that still remain.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All</em> the scars from the many battles that have been waged on it by so many people in my life (men and women alike).</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All</em> the tender spots that are ever so slowly healing.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All</em> along with the healthy and strong parts.</p>\r\nIn a closed, confined space with people I have developed a deep trust with over the past handful of years – such as in counseling sessions, over coffee with a dear friend, or even in a Celebrate Recovery group, this is easy – but to expose every part of my heart to <em>everyone</em> out there? Now this is painfully frightening; and the fear is not of all of you. The fear is of the potential shame this book may bring to others in my life that I love deeply and dearly. It has me absolutely petrified and stuck in my own skin.\r\n\r\nYet, when I read what God is calling out of me through <a title=\"How Christians May Create by Ann Voskamp {http://aholyexperience.com}\" href=\"http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/03/how-christians-create-art-she-speaks-scholarship/\" target=\"_blank\">a post</a> Ann Voskamp put out many months ago, I must admit – I heard God loud and clear, <em>“Marni, start now!”</em>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">I immediately cried out, <em>“Oh my gosh!”</em>, took my glasses off and rubbed my face to help the tears stay back inside my eyes – but it did no good, they came, and I let them pour.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">My husband looked at me and said, <em>“What’s wrong?”</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">I told him in a hesitant-breathed voice, <em>“I know what I have to do, and this is going to be hard.”</em></p>\r\nSo here, I\'ve been for many months – little by little –pouring my heart out.\r\n\r\nFor so long, my heart has been encased in a very hard shell of shame due to the unspoken messages of disappointment I received from my own parents growing up. Though we are all in a healing stage of our relationship lately, I still have memories cropping up reminding me of the tones of voice, the anger, the frustration, the distancing themselves from me they would exude  whenever I chose to do something that didn’t seem to measure up to what they  agreed with in their lives (for my life). All these things have screamed volumes to me that I who I truly am, is not worth much – though I doubt this was their intention and motive.\r\n\r\nMy parents have always been very careful with their word choices – as they never spoke a demeaning word to me, ever – but the unsaid things spoke volumes more than any of the words that were uttered. And thankfully, they have begun to address that this is something that has been passed down throughout the generations…and it needs to stop (primarily my mother).\r\n\r\nConcerning my growing through the pain of the past, let me clear, <em>my parents weren’t the only ones who ever did this in my life – many more people have as well – but this is the root of my shame unfortunately.</em> However, God is transforming it into quite the fortunate thing – because I’ve started the journey of healing in the steps toward change as I look on Him despite the fear and pain I’ve been experiencing deep in my belly for quite some time now.\r\n\r\nHe’s also transforming it through the reconnection of my parents and myself working through our relationship together in a healthy manner.\r\n\r\nNow, let me very, very clear – <em>I don’t blame my parents for one thing</em> that I’ve chosen to do in response to them in the past. I absolutely harbor no resentment toward them. What has been done has been done. What <em>I</em> have embraced for so long, <em>I</em> have embraced. This is my responsibility, and in turn I take full responsibility for fully choosing to release it – because the shame is too painful to hold onto.\r\n\r\nHowever, through all this shame, God has revealed a drive – a passion – that I’ve never been lead to before.  To help other women out there realize they are absolutely beautiful creations in Him, and that God didn’t call the woman’s heart to live in shame – He called it to live in freedom.\r\n\r\nA woman’s pains can be used as the very medium to reveal His magnificent masterpiece in within them; in turn, He’ll shine so brightly, that it’ll happen [almost by default] that they’ll help other women experience the same thing.\r\n\r\nHealing is possible for any woman who has experienced any level, and avenue, of shame in their lives. In order to experience this though, a woman must embrace the shame, recognize it for what it is, take responsibility for the choices one has made to do with it, and then unabashedly hand it over to God without reservation.\r\n\r\nLadies, don’t go one more day living in shame. Let your healing begin today, breaking the bonds of shame in Christ’s beautiful, and precious name.','Breaking the Bonds of Shame','','inherit','open','open','','2001-revision-17','','','2011-11-09 17:58:31','2011-11-10 01:58:31','',2001,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/2001-revision-17/',0,'revision','',0),(2020,82,'2011-11-09 17:58:39','2011-11-10 01:58:39','[caption id=\"attachment_2002\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"216\" caption=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson http://blog.lorijacksonphotography.com\"]<a href=\"http://blog.lorijacksonphotography.com\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-2002    \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/guarded-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson\" width=\"216\" height=\"216\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nEarlier this year, I divulged to my husband, and a few people in my life, that I’m absolutely terrified of delving deep into the writing of my first book;  one that involves much digging deep within me. Putting the images in black and white for so many to see in their own minds and hearts for themselves learning about the emotional turmoil I experienced growing up, and the healing I’ve been experiencing this past year through addressing this turmoil.\r\n\r\nIt’s not easy to dig deep and expose all of my heart. Blogging sure offers a great avenue for keeping my heart exposed “just enough” – but God is calling me to expose every portion of my heart.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All of it.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All</em> the dark spots that still remain.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All</em> the scars from the many battles that have been waged on it by so many people in my life (men and women alike).</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All</em> the tender spots that are ever so slowly healing.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All</em> along with the healthy and strong parts.</p>\r\nIn a closed, confined space with people I have developed a deep trust with over the past handful of years – such as in counseling sessions, over coffee with a dear friend, or even in a Celebrate Recovery group, this is easy – but to expose every part of my heart to <em>everyone</em> out there? Now this is painfully frightening; and the fear is not of all of you. The fear is of the potential shame this book may bring to others in my life that I love deeply and dearly. It has me absolutely petrified and stuck in my own skin.\r\n\r\nYet, when I read what God is calling out of me through <a title=\"How Christians May Create by Ann Voskamp {http://aholyexperience.com}\" href=\"http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/03/how-christians-create-art-she-speaks-scholarship/\" target=\"_blank\">a post</a> Ann Voskamp put out many months ago, I must admit – I heard God loud and clear, <em>“Marni, start now!”</em>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">I immediately cried out, <em>“Oh my gosh!”</em>, took my glasses off and rubbed my face to help the tears stay back inside my eyes – but it did no good, they came, and I let them pour.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">My husband looked at me and said, <em>“What’s wrong?”</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">I told him in a hesitant-breathed voice, <em>“I know what I have to do, and this is going to be hard.”</em></p>\r\nSo here, I\'ve been for many months – little by little –pouring my heart out.\r\n\r\nFor so long, my heart has been encased in a very hard shell of shame due to the unspoken messages of disappointment I received from my own parents growing up. Though we are all in a healing stage of our relationship lately, I still have memories cropping up reminding me of the tones of voice, the anger, the frustration, the distancing themselves from me they would exude  whenever I chose to do something that didn’t seem to measure up to what they  agreed with in their lives (for my life). All these things have screamed volumes to me that I who I truly am, is not worth much – though I doubt this was their intention and motive.\r\n\r\nMy parents have always been very careful with their word choices – as they never spoke a demeaning word to me, ever – but the unsaid things spoke volumes more than any of the words that were uttered. And thankfully, they have begun to address that this is something that has been passed down throughout the generations…and it needs to stop (primarily my mother).\r\n\r\nConcerning my growing through the pain of the past, let me clear, <em>my parents weren’t the only ones who ever did this in my life – many more people have as well – but this is the root of my shame unfortunately.</em> However, God is transforming it into quite the fortunate thing – because I’ve started the journey of healing in the steps toward change as I look on Him despite the fear and pain I’ve been experiencing deep in my belly for quite some time now.\r\n\r\nHe’s also transforming it through the reconnection of my parents and myself working through our relationship together in a healthy manner.\r\n\r\nNow, let me very, very clear – <em>I don’t blame my parents for one thing</em> that I’ve chosen to do in response to them in the past. I absolutely harbor no resentment toward them. What has been done has been done. What <em>I</em> have embraced for so long, <em>I</em> have embraced. This is my responsibility, and in turn I take full responsibility for fully choosing to release it – because the shame is too painful to hold onto.\r\n\r\nHowever, through all this shame, God has revealed a drive – a passion – that I’ve never been lead to before.  To help other women out there realize they are absolutely beautiful creations in Him, and that God didn’t call the woman’s heart to live in shame – He called it to live in freedom.\r\n\r\nA woman’s pains can be used as the very medium to reveal His magnificent masterpiece in within them; in turn, He’ll shine so brightly, that it’ll happen [almost by default] that they’ll help other women experience the same thing.\r\n\r\nHealing is possible for any woman who has experienced any level, and avenue, of shame in their lives. In order to experience this though, a woman must embrace the shame, recognize it for what it is, take responsibility for the choices one has made to do with it, and then unabashedly hand it over to God without reservation.\r\n\r\nLadies, don’t go one more day living in shame. Let your healing begin today, breaking the bonds of shame in Christ’s beautiful, and precious name.','Breaking the Bonds of Shame','','inherit','open','open','','2001-revision-18','','','2011-11-09 17:58:39','2011-11-10 01:58:39','',2001,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/2001-revision-18/',0,'revision','',0),(2022,1,'2011-11-09 16:27:55','2011-11-10 00:27:55','Those of you who were raised in any sort of religion were usually told what to believe and why. Many heard that the bible is infallible and the absolute source of God\'s authority. The messages on Sunday were directed at what to believe and the consequences for not doing so.\r\n\r\nHow do we know if anything is true? Can our thoughts and perceptions be trusted? I could use a passage of scripture in the bible to rationalize and justify pretty much anything.\r\n\r\nLets take a look at perception so we can then reexamine our experience with religion.\r\n\r\n<strong>\"Man is intrinsically innocent because he can only choose what he perceives to be good.\" - Socrates</strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/YoungOldWoman.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-1976\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/YoungOldWoman-210x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"210\" height=\"300\" /></a>Is this your wife or mother-in-law?\r\nWhich perception is real?\r\nDoes one negate the other?\r\nDo both exist simultaneously?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI John 2: 9-11 Anyone who claims to live in God\'s light and hates a brother or sister is still in the dark. It\'s the person who loves brother and sister who dwells in God\'s light and doesn\'t block the light from others. But whoever hates is still in the dark, stumbles around in the dark, doesn\'t know which end is up, blinded by the darkness.','Perception is Deception','','inherit','open','open','','1975-revision-6','','','2011-11-09 16:27:55','2011-11-10 00:27:55','',1975,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/1975-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(2333,12,'2011-11-21 08:00:00','2011-11-21 16:00:00','<a href=\"http://www.life.com/hdgallery/66721/image/ugc1273001/lifes-20-worst-covers#index/1\">Life Magazine published it\'s 20 most regrettable covers online recently</a>. Some of them were simply awful. It was a fun way for them to look back on some of their past mistakes and call themselves out for poor oversight and design. They basically said in an enjoyable manner, \"We messed up and here are our awful mistakes for everyone to see.\"\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/life55.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-2334\" title=\"life55\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/life55-231x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"172\" height=\"223\" /></a>It made me reflect for a moment. I have a lot of moments in my life that I dwell on from my past that were not so good. They are moments my mind drifts back to that I cling to selfishly, wishing they would be wiped away. Some of them are regrettable moments that others will remember where I made a terrible error. Other moments are things that have no history besides being written on the pages of my mind. But all of them I still remember in vivid color, like the cover of a magazine.\r\n\r\nHere\'s a really stupid one. When I was in college, we had intramural flag football. One game, we were playing against a team that we really didn\'t like. In fact, I couldn\'t stand one of the guys on the offensive line. I\'m not a big guy at all, but during one play, I got overly aggressive and gave him a cheap shot when the play was over. It was unnecessary. What made it really memorable was when the team ran a play to my side the next time and three of them planted me on my butt.\r\n\r\nI stewed about it for a week. Well, more than a week. Fifteen years. It still makes me angry. Angry that I let my emotions get the best of me. Angry that I got knocked down. And it was not one of my proudest moments. But it\'s still there.\r\n\r\nIs it that big of a deal? Yes. No.\r\n\r\nIt\'s one of the covers of my life I\'d publish if I were doing \"regrettable moments\" from my life. There are more. A lot more. Worse moments. We all have them.\r\n\r\nMaybe we had a chance to help someone in need. Maybe we turned our back on a friend. Maybe we said something we couldn\'t take back. Maybe we did something we have never told anyone. And we hold onto it forever.\r\n\r\nWhile doing interviews <a href=\"http://store.civitaspress.com/books/284\">for my upcoming book</a>, I was interviewing a fellow fallen pastor. He said one of the most remarkable things I\'ve ever heard. I asked him something along the lines of, \"What do you wish had happened differently?\"\r\n\r\nHe didn\'t hesitate. He said, <em>\"The past can be slavery and the future can be idolatry. Don\'t look back, don\'t look too far forward or you\'ll miss what\'s happening right now where the kingdom and spirit are.\"</em>\r\n\r\nThat gave me tremendous peace. There\'s a time to put away the horrendous covers of our past failures and least memorable moments. Sure, it\'s hard to forget them when they\'ve been published and put out there for the world to see. But that doesn\'t mean we have to keep rereading the same material over and over again, reminding ourselves of the past.\r\n\r\nThere\'s \"Life\" going on now that demands to be cherished and lived.','Viewing the Past in Vivid, Regrettable Color','','publish','open','open','','viewing-the-past-in-vivid-regrettable-color','','\nhttp://store.civitaspress.com/books/284','2011-11-20 09:09:37','2011-11-20 17:09:37','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=2333',0,'post','',2),(2025,12,'2011-11-10 09:31:43','2011-11-10 17:31:43','We\'ve all been shocked at the events at Penn State. It\'s been a horrific thing that has happened. There\'s no way around that.\r\n\r\nI\'ve been listening to sports radio. There is plenty of blame to go around. There is no telling when the dust will settle. The victims of this crime, I pray, will find some peace eventually.\r\n\r\nA few days after the news broke, students from Penn State gathered around Joe Paterno\'s house. He is the head coach of Penn State. He has been the head coach of Penn State for 44 seasons and students had shown up in support. Sports analysts were critical of the event.\r\n\r\nThe board of trustees fired him and he and his wife came to the door to speak to the media.  His elderly wife was in a pink nightgown. He said a few words then went back inside.\r\n\r\nA man who had coached longer than any other, then made a horrific, awful error. Gone.\r\n\r\nHis loyal fans will remember his legacy, but in the back of their minds, the stain of the scandal will remain. The world will always remember. It is an important reminder.\r\n\r\nWhen we were growing up, we put posters up on our wall of our heroes. They may have been athletes, rock stars, actors or family members. To all of us, they were untouchable. We idolized them. We wanted to be like them. They were more than human. We placed them on our own personal pedestal. They were our heroes.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/mj1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-2028\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/mj1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a>There\'s something about heroes, though. They\'re human. We find out as we grow. They\'re fallible. They\'re flesh and blood like us. In my era, most kids had a Michael Jordan poster. As he aged, he got weaker. He was accused of gambling problems. He was human like the rest of us.\r\n\r\nOur heroes are great because we want them to be great. We need them to be great. We need something to aspire to. But we eventually learn that they are like us. They are flesh and blood. They hurt, they are weak, they are human, like us. We find out that we don\'t really know them like we thought we did - and we find disappointment.\r\n\r\nWe see men like Joe Paterno coming to the door with his wife in her pink nightgown without any real answers. The crowd cheers, trying to make up for his weakness.  They want him to be great at that moment, but he is weak. Like the rest of us.\r\n\r\nLeadership is a difficult thing. Heroes are what we make them to be in our mind. They are no greater than the rest of us because they are human. Maybe the greatest attribute we can assign to our heroes is their humanness - and the ability to be just like we are. Our hope is that each of us is as great as our heroes, with something to offer the rest of the world.','Joe Paterno and Heroes','','publish','open','open','','joe-paterno-and-heroes','','','2011-11-10 18:11:15','2011-11-11 02:11:15','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=2025',0,'post','',2),(2026,12,'2011-11-10 00:45:08','2011-11-10 08:45:08','','jp','','inherit','open','open','','jp','','','2011-11-10 00:45:08','2011-11-10 08:45:08','',2025,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/jp.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2027,12,'2011-11-10 00:46:12','2011-11-10 08:46:12','','mj','','inherit','open','open','','mj','','','2011-11-10 00:46:12','2011-11-10 08:46:12','',2025,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/mj.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2028,12,'2011-11-10 00:46:33','2011-11-10 08:46:33','','mj','','inherit','open','open','','mj-2','','','2011-11-10 00:46:33','2011-11-10 08:46:33','',2025,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/mj1.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2029,12,'2011-11-10 00:46:44','2011-11-10 08:46:44','We\'ve all been shocked at the events at Penn State. It\'s been a horrific thing that has happened. There\'s no way around that.\n\nI\'ve been listening to sports radio. There is plenty of blame to go around. There is no telling when the dust will settle. The victims of this crime, I pray, will find some peace eventually.\n\nA few days after the news broke, students from Penn State gathered around Joe Paterno\'s house. He is the head coach of Penn State. He has been the head coach of Penn State for 44 seasons and students had shown up in support. Sports analysts were critical of the event.\n\nThe board of trustees fired him and he and his wife came to the door to speak to the media. He and his wife came to the door to speak to the media. His elderly wife was in a pink nightgown. He said a few words then went back inside.\n\nA man who had coached longer than any other, then made a horrific, awful error. Gone.\n\nHis loyal fans will remember his legacy, but in the back of their minds, the stain of the scandal will remain. The world will always remember. It is an important reminder.\n\nWhen we were growing up, we put posters up on our wall of our heroes. They may have been athletes, rock stars, actors or family members. To all of us, they were untouchable. We idolized them. We wanted to be like them. They were more than human. We placed them on our own personal pedestal. They were our heroes.\n\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/mj1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-2028\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/mj1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a>There\'s something about heroes, though. They\'re human. We find out as we grow. They\'re fallible. They\'re flesh and blood like us. In my era, most kids had a Michael Jordan poster. As he aged, he got weaker. He was accused of gambling problems. He was human like the rest of us.\n\nOur heroes are great because we want them to be great. We need them to be great. We need something to aspire to. But we eventually learn that they are like us. They are flesh and blood. They hurt, they are weak, they are human, like us. We find out that we don\'t really know them like we thought we did - and we find disappointment.\n\nWe see men like Joe Paterno coming to the door with his wife in her pink nightgown without any real answers. The crowd cheers, trying to make up for his weakness.  They want him to be great at that moment, but he is weak. Like the rest of us.\n\nLeadership is a difficult thing. Heroes are what we make them to be in our mind. They are no greater than the rest of us because they are human. Maybe the greatest attribute we can assign to our heroes is their humanness - and the ability to be just like we are. Our hope is that each of us is as great as our heroes, with something to offer the rest of the world.','Joe Paterno and Heroes','','inherit','open','open','','2025-revision','','','2011-11-10 00:46:44','2011-11-10 08:46:44','',2025,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2025-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(2030,12,'2011-11-12 08:03:52','2011-11-12 16:03:52','I love blogging. I love reading other blogs.\r\n\r\nBut there seems to be a strange movement for the past few years to prove one\'s opposition to a certain movement or theological stance. Writers take to the blogosphere and write articles against certain movements and title them, \"Why I\'m not a _____________.\"\r\n\r\nLet me give an example that is not personal to me. For instance, let\'s say a blogger is a hardcore believer in the Dewey Decimal system. (You\'re going to have to trust me on this example.) They hate the Library of Congress cataloging system of filing books in the local library. This person has a blog and they want the world to know that they absolutely <strong><em>hate</em></strong> the Library of Congress system of cataloging books.\r\n\r\nOn their blog, they post the following entry: \"Why I\'m NOT a Library of Congress Cataloger: Point 1 - First of all - blah blah blah\"\r\n\r\nThere\'s a dearth of it out there. It\'s a new polemic. People seem to want to argue why <em>they\'re not something</em>. Oh yeah. It makes for good material. People want to tell you all day why they\'re not \"Calvinist, emergent, fundamentalist, Baptist, Methodist, denominationalist, Democrat, Republican, Armenian, post-modernist, public schooled, home schooled, federally funded, pro-life, pro-abortion, pro-gambling, anti-gambling, blah blah blah blah, whatever.\"\r\n\r\nEvery time I see a blog like that I\'m reminded of Paul in 2 Corinthians 11:16-19:  <em>I repeat, let no one think me foolish. But even if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little. What I am saying with this boastful confidence, I say not as the Lord would but as a fool. Since many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast. For you gladly bear with fools, being wise yourselves!\"</em>\r\n\r\nPaul was defending his Apostleship. He wasn\'t telling them what he <em>wasn\'t</em>. He was telling them what he <em>was</em>.\r\n\r\nFor some reason, I believe it\'s a whole lot easier to tell people what you are that to tell people what you aren\'t. When we delve into the realm of what we aren\'t, it begins to smack of a bit of self-righteousness. If we have a problem with someone\'s beliefs, them we need to approach them directly. Masking our issues with someone else\'s beliefs with our own self-doubt is a problem.\r\n\r\nStand firm with your beliefs if that\'s where you are, but be open to listen to others. We\'re all on a journey and can at least have respect to listen to other people. A wonderful place to start is to engage others in conversation in commonality, compassion and working from there.\r\n\r\nBeginning with \"I\'m not a ________ because of the following 10 reasons\" is not a great place to start a dialogue.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','\"Why I\'m Not a ___________\" and the New Polemic','','publish','open','open','','why-im-not-a-___________-and-the-new-polemic','','','2011-11-13 18:17:43','2011-11-14 02:17:43','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=2030',0,'post','',1),(2031,12,'2011-11-10 01:13:51','2011-11-10 09:13:51','','argue','','inherit','open','open','','argue','','','2011-11-10 01:13:51','2011-11-10 09:13:51','',2030,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/argue.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2032,12,'2011-11-10 01:12:19','2011-11-10 09:12:19','I love blogging. I love reading other blogs.\n\nBut there seems to be a strange movement for the past few years to prove one\'s opposition to a certain movement or theological stance. Writers take to the blogosphere and write articles against certain movements and title them, \"Why I\'m not a _____________.\"\n\nLet me give an example that is not personal to me. For instance, let\'s say a blogger is a hardcore believer in the Dewey Decimal system. (You\'re going to have to trust me on this example.) They hate the Library of Congress cataloging system of filing books in the local library. This person has a blog and they want the world to know that they absolutely <strong><em>hate</em></strong> the Library of Congress system of cataloging books.\n\nOn their blog, they post the following entry: \"Why I\'m NOT a Library of Congress Cataloger: Point 1 - First of all - blah blah blah\"\n\nThere\'s a dearth of it out there. It\'s a new polemic. People seem to want to argue why <em>they\'re not something</em>. Oh yeah. It makes for good material. People want to tell you all day why they\'re not \"Calvinist, emergent, fundamentalist, Baptist, Methodist, denominationalist, Democrat, Republican, Armenian, post-modernist, public schooled, home schooled, federally funded, pro-life, pro-abortion, pro-gambling, anti-gambling, blah blah blah blah, whatever.\"\n\nEvery time I see a blog like that I\'m reminded of Paul in 2 Corinthians 11:16-19:  <em>I repeat, let no one think me foolish. But even if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little. What I am saying with this boastful confidence, I say not as the Lord would but as a fool. Since many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast. For you gladly bear with fools, being wise yourselves!</em>\n\nPaul was defending his Apostleship. He wasn\'t telling them what he <em>wasn\'t</em>. He was telling them what he <em>was</em>.\n\nFor some reason, I believe it\'s a whole lot easier to tell people what you are that to tell people what you aren\'t. When we delve into the realm of what we aren\'t, it begins to smack of a bit of self-righteousness. If we have a problem with someone\'s beliefs, them we need to approach them directly. Masking our issues with someone else\'s beliefs with our own self-doubt is a problem.\n\nStand firm with your beliefs if that\'s where you are, but be open to listen to others. We\'re all on a journey and can at least have respect to listen to other people. A wonderful place to start is to engage others in conversation in commonality, compassion and working from there. .\n\nBeginning with \"I\'m not a ________ because of the following 10 reasons\" is not a great place to start a dialogue.\n\n&nbsp;','\"Why I\'m Not a ___________\" and the New Polemic','','inherit','open','open','','2030-revision','','','2011-11-10 01:12:19','2011-11-10 09:12:19','',2030,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2030-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(2033,12,'2011-11-10 01:14:08','2011-11-10 09:14:08','I love blogging. I love reading other blogs.\r\n\r\nBut there seems to be a strange movement for the past few years to prove one\'s opposition to a certain movement or theological stance. Writers take to the blogosphere and write articles against certain movements and title them, \"Why I\'m not a _____________.\"\r\n\r\nLet me give an example that is not personal to me. For instance, let\'s say a blogger is a hardcore believer in the Dewey Decimal system. (You\'re going to have to trust me on this example.) They hate the Library of Congress cataloging system of filing books in the local library. This person has a blog and they want the world to know that they absolutely <strong><em>hate</em></strong> the Library of Congress system of cataloging books.\r\n\r\nOn their blog, they post the following entry: \"Why I\'m NOT a Library of Congress Cataloger: Point 1 - First of all - blah blah blah\"\r\n\r\nThere\'s a dearth of it out there. It\'s a new polemic. People seem to want to argue why <em>they\'re not something</em>. Oh yeah. It makes for good material. People want to tell you all day why they\'re not \"Calvinist, emergent, fundamentalist, Baptist, Methodist, denominationalist, Democrat, Republican, Armenian, post-modernist, public schooled, home schooled, federally funded, pro-life, pro-abortion, pro-gambling, anti-gambling, blah blah blah blah, whatever.\"\r\n\r\nEvery time I see a blog like that I\'m reminded of Paul in 2 Corinthians 11:16-19:  <em>I repeat, let no one think me foolish. But even if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little. What I am saying with this boastful confidence, I say not as the Lord would but as a fool. Since many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast. For you gladly bear with fools, being wise yourselves!</em>\r\n\r\nPaul was defending his Apostleship. He wasn\'t telling them what he <em>wasn\'t</em>. He was telling them what he <em>was</em>.\r\n\r\nFor some reason, I believe it\'s a whole lot easier to tell people what you are that to tell people what you aren\'t. When we delve into the realm of what we aren\'t, it begins to smack of a bit of self-righteousness. If we have a problem with someone\'s beliefs, them we need to approach them directly. Masking our issues with someone else\'s beliefs with our own self-doubt is a problem.\r\n\r\nStand firm with your beliefs if that\'s where you are, but be open to listen to others. We\'re all on a journey and can at least have respect to listen to other people. A wonderful place to start is to engage others in conversation in commonality, compassion and working from there. .\r\n\r\nBeginning with \"I\'m not a ________ because of the following 10 reasons\" is not a great place to start a dialogue.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','\"Why I\'m Not a ___________\" and the New Polemic','','inherit','open','open','','2030-revision-2','','','2011-11-10 01:14:08','2011-11-10 09:14:08','',2030,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2030-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(2341,1,'2011-11-17 08:26:37','2011-11-17 16:26:37','<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/xq3BYw4xjxE\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"500\" height=\"254\"></iframe>\r\n\r\nby <a href=\"http://makanamusic.com\" target=\"_blank\">Makana</a>\r\n<div>Ye come here, gather \'round the stage\r\nThe time has come for us to voice our rage\r\nAgainst the ones who\'ve trapped us in a cage\r\nTo steal from us the value of our wageFrom underneath the vestiture of law\r\nThe lobbyists at Washington do gnaw\r\nAt liberty, the bureaucrats guffaw\r\nAnd until they are purged, we won\'t withdraw\r\n\r\nWe\'ll occupy the streets\r\nWe\'ll occupy the courts\r\nWe\'ll occupy the offices of you\r\n\'Till you do\r\nThe bidding of the many, not the few\r\n\r\nOur nation was built upon the right\r\nOf every person to improve their plight\r\nBut laws of this Republic they rewrite\r\nAnd now a few own everything in sight\r\n\r\nThey own it free of liability\r\nThey own, but they are not like you and me\r\nTheir influence dictates legality\r\nAnd until they are stopped we are not free\r\n\r\nWe\'ll occupy the streets\r\nWe\'ll occupy the courts\r\nWe\'ll occupy the offices of you\r\nTill you do\r\nThe bidding of the many, not the few\r\n\r\nYou enforce your monopolies with guns\r\nWhile sacrificing our daughters and sons\r\nBut certain things belong to everyone\r\nYour thievery has left the people none\r\n\r\nSo take heed of our notice to redress\r\nWe have little to lose, we must confess\r\nYour empty words do leave us unimpressed\r\nA growing number join us in protest\r\n\r\nWe occupy the streets\r\nWe occupy the courts\r\nWe occupy the offices of you\r\nTill you do\r\nThe bidding of the many, not the few\r\n\r\nYou can\'t divide us into sides\r\nAnd from our gaze, you cannot hide\r\nDenial serves to amplify\r\nAnd our allegiance you can\'t buy\r\n\r\nOur government is not for sale\r\nThe banks do not deserve a bail\r\nWe will not reward those who fail\r\nWe will not move till we prevail\r\n\r\nWe\'ll occupy the streets\r\nWe\'ll occupy the courts\r\nWe\'ll occupy the offices of you\r\nTill you do\r\nThe bidding of the many, not the few\r\n\r\nWe\'ll occupy the streets\r\nWe\'ll occupy the courts\r\nWe\'ll occupy the offices of you\r\nTill you do\r\nThe bidding of the many, not the few\r\n\r\nWe are the many\r\nYou are the few\r\n\r\n</div>','Occupy The Music','','publish','open','open','','occupy-the-music','','','2011-11-17 08:33:39','2011-11-17 16:33:39','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=2341',0,'post','',0),(2035,43,'2011-11-09 13:52:03','2011-11-09 21:52:03','<blockquote><strong>Women and men</strong>\r\n<strong>Bringing with them messages of love</strong>\r\n<strong>And everywhere they go love will grow</strong>\r\n<strong>When you see the faces of the women</strong>\r\n<strong>And the men, you too will know</strong>\r\n~<em>Women and Men</em>, They Might Be Giants</blockquote>\r\nI don\'t know about anyone else, but I am heartily sick of trendy \"masculine Christianity.\"\r\n\r\nAs far as I can tell, the definition of <em>masculine</em> is culturally driven and narrowly defined.  I credit my favorite description of this to author James Howe in his YA novel <em>Totally Joe</em>: \"Guy-guy.\"  You know exactly what he means—the type of person who is, in one way or another, a shining example of what it means to be a real man.  Not just someone whose interests encompass home repair, cars, or video gaming, but someone who is considered undeniably <em>male.</em>  Anyone outside that has crossed the lines of what is healthy manhood into the dangerous waters of undefined gender roles.\r\n\r\nMost disturbing is how instead of rejoicing that boys have a wider range of options available beyond the bounds of gender stereotype, some men are fighting back.  Christian leaders are claiming that boys are lost in a frightening whorl of indeterminate gender, unable to fulfill their God-appointed roles.  Others are demanding that Christians examine gender roles in the context of “what God has designed.”  Some blame “the feminists” (whoever those are; they may be imagining a panel of butch lesbians handing down edicts to the rest of us)—apparently, feminists all want a neuter society wherein no one dresses or behaves as a normal man or woman.\r\n\r\nWhat saddens me about this is the way it perpetuates the myth of pink and blue.  It also gives (male) pastors license to make pronouncements from the pulpit about what men and women “are like.”  How many times have both men and women had to sit through a sermon on sexuality which was demeaning for both?  Men are perverts with porn addictions; women are uptight and frigid, yet somehow also slutty.  It’s embarrassing.\r\n\r\nWhen we’re not being classified by our sex drives or harassed for defying cultural norms, we have to cope with the idea that certain personality traits have gender.  Being gentle, merciful, compassionate, and nurturing are feminine; being strong, tough, and forceful are masculine.  An emphasis on social justice, love, and mercy has led to recent movements in Christianity to be labeled false, emasculated, and submissive.\r\n\r\nYet my reading of Scripture implies that’s exactly what Jesus expects from us.  He didn’t turn over the money lenders’ tables or call the Pharisees a brood of vipers in order to demonstrate his hyper-masculine superpowers.  If he’d wanted to do that, he might have overthrown the Roman government or called the resistance movement to arms.  When dealing with the everyday, ordinary struggles, including the sins of the people, Jesus was gentle, humble, compassionate, and forgiving.\r\n\r\nI agree that we shouldn’t just sit around having potluck suppers and singing “Kum ba ya.”  But becoming Warrior Christians isn’t the answer.  We can still exhibit strength by standing up for what we believe in and for those who cannot stand for themselves.\r\n<blockquote><strong>So God created mankind in his own image,\r\nin the image of God he created them;\r\nmale and female he created them.</strong>  ~Genesis 1:27\r\n\r\n<strong>There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.</strong>  ~Galatians 3:28</blockquote>\r\n<pre></pre>','The Call to Be Male','','inherit','open','open','','1977-revision-4','','','2011-11-09 13:52:03','2011-11-09 21:52:03','',1977,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/1977-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(2036,48,'2011-11-16 09:00:53','2011-11-16 17:00:53','There inevitably comes a time (or in my case, multiple times) in one\'s life when one asks oneself, \"What\'s the point?\" With the ins and outs of life, the monotony of daily routine, pain and trials, etc., it is easy to wonder if our lives are really all that meaningful. Even armed with a faith in God and knowledge that we have an eternal life after this fleeting, temporal one, sometimes it is a struggle to find true purpose and  meaning in the humdrum of our day-to-day lives, whether you are a stay-at-home mom picking up toys for the thirtieth time today, a CEO at a Fortune 500 company wondering whether your legacy will be more than the hours you put in at work, or a pastor at a church questioning the effectiveness of your ministry.\r\n\r\nThis struggle to find meaning in a <em>sometimes</em> seemingly meaningless life, while buffeted by despair, angst, boredom, and other distractions, is the focus of Existentialism, a philosophical school of thought that credits its beginnings with such 19th and 20th century philosophers as Søren Kierkegaard, Gabriel Marcel, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Nietzsche. However, perhaps the first documented existential struggle is from around the 3rd century BCE: the Book of Ecclesiastes. Reading through Ecclesiastes, Solomon\'s struggle could almost be repackaged and sold as a practical how-to handbook on working through existential despair.\r\n\r\nIn the opening lines of Ecclesiastes, we find Solomon bemoaning the vanity of it all, as he declares,\"“Meaningless! Meaningless!...Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). As a king and a ruler, it is no surprise that he is offended at the realization that a man will diligently develop his life\'s work but for no profit, as he will pass away and another will take his place. To add insult to injury, no one will remember his name: \"No one remembers the former generations, and even those yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow them.\" (1:11). And why should they? Neither he nor his contributions to the world are unique: “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” (1: 9).\r\n\r\nIronically, Solomon, who is arguably most well-known for seeking wisdom from God, later goes on to say that wisdom, while it may make your life on earth easier, really has no eternal value.  Furthermore, he declares that pleasure, riches and treasures, skills and work, popularity, youth, and all that the world values and chases after are utterly meaningless.\r\n\r\nBut wait, it gets better. Not only is everything meaningless, but it also doesn\'t matter if you try to do the right thing, because, \"All share a common destiny—the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad,<span class=\"Apple-style-span\" style=\"font-size: 11px;\"> </span>the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not. As it is with the good,  so with the sinful; as it is with those who take oaths, so with those who are afraid to take them\" (9:2). Solomon\'s complaint that he can find no reason or meaning behind those who suffer and those who do not, those who prosper and do not, and those who are righteous or not is similar to the Existential concept of the Absurd, the conflict between the human tendency to seek value and meaning in life, coupled with the human inability to find any meaning.\r\n\r\nThis is in direct contrast to the commonly held karmic belief that good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people. But as Solomon has found, there is no rhyme or reason to it, for: \"the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of skill, but time and chance happen to them all\" (9:11). If you have struggled with the question of why good things happen to bad people (and vice versa), you are not alone. Even Solomon wondered at it and struggled with how our righteousness (or lack there of) can be of value or meaning when it doesn\'t appear to affect what happens to us here on earth.\r\n\r\nPerhaps it seems counter-intuitive, but I find comfort in Solomon\'s struggles and observations throughout Ecclesiastes, for three reasons:\r\n\r\nFirst of all, Solomon was a man who knew God and was given incredible wisdom from Him, yet he still struggled with the meaning and purpose of life.  It could be that it is wisdom itself to struggle with the meaning of your life, or it could simply mean that gaining God\'s wisdom will not make you immune to a very normal, human struggle.  Regardless, if you are struggling with doubts about the meaningfulness of your life and purpose, take heart that one of the greatest kings who sincerely sought after the mind of God and His wisdom also struggled through this very same issue.\r\n\r\nSecondly, Ecclesiastes illustrates an important life lesson best learned early: whenever you seek for meaning in transient or changeable things, you will inevitably end up disappointed, discouraged, or worse: in complete despair. If you seek for meaning in possessions or money, or even pleasure and adventure,  you will eventually realize that they do not guarantee true happiness nor do they have any eternal significance. If, like many others, you seek to find meaning in life from your job or vocation,  you may despair if you believe your job is not significant or prestigious. Or, like Solomon, you may decry the fact that years from now, no one will remember you or your work.\r\n\r\nTo take it a step further, what would happen if you completely defined your life and its meaningfulness by your work or vocation? Say you are a dancer who loses a leg in an accident or a pianist whose cripples their hands, suddenly and permanently unable to do the one thing which defined you? What then? It is easier to realize that true meaning in life is not found in earthly things or possessions, but perhaps we need to consider that it can\'t be found in our calling or vocation either. It is a very freeing moment indeed when we  first truly grasp that what we <em>do</em> is not who we <em>are.</em>\r\n\r\n<em></em>Thirdly, I find comfort in Solomon\'s observation that bad things may happen to good people and good things may happen to bad people. Yes, I admit, part of me finds this incredibly unfair. \"Good\" people who work hard, treat others fairly, and do the right thing may get sick, lose their job, or suffer innumerable trials and pain. Meanwhile, \"evil\" people who oppress others and cheat for their own gain may prosper, be filthy rich, and coast through life without a worry. The fact is, good and evil befall us all, and trying to find meaning in the whos or whys of it all is a waste of time. Yes, God can use all things for the good of those who love Him-- but that does not mean we have to define who we are or what our lives mean by what \"happens\" to us, be it good or bad.\r\n\r\nAt the end of Ecclesiastes, Solomon concludes that, regardless of how things may appear in our earthly life, we should: \"Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man\'s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.\" (12:13-14). Looking beyond Ecclesiastes into the rest of the Bible, I do not think this is the sole meaning we should find in life; however, Solomon\'s conclusion does rest on something unchangeable and incorporeal: God. While our time here on earth is transient, and we may struggle with whether anything we do here has any real meaning, in the end, there is a God in heaven who created us and has a purpose for us.\r\n\r\nWe are immortal souls housed in mortal flesh working our way through a world riddled with sin, and we have an innate need to seek for meaning in this absurd mess. But the full, complete meaning of life cannot be found here in the temporal world, but rather it must be found in the context of God and eternity. It  is a difficult task to seek out our own meaning in the Everlasting when we are continually faced with temporal and earthly pains-- and even pleasures.  But, God is big enough to handle our struggles and doubts with life and it\'s apparent meaningless at times. He won\'t shrink back at our questions. Really, I think this very struggle is a necessary part of coming to an understanding of our relationship with God, as well as the purpose of our lives, on earth and eternally.','Finding The Meaning In It All','','publish','open','open','','finding-the-meaning-in-it-all','','','2011-11-16 08:10:32','2011-11-16 16:10:32','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=2036',0,'post','',2),(2037,48,'2011-11-10 08:46:50','2011-11-10 16:46:50','There comes a time, or even multiple times, in one\'s life when one has to ask oneself, \"What\'s the point?\". With the ins and outs of life, the daily routine, monotony, or boredom, it is easy to wonder if our lives are really all that meaningful. Even with a faith in God, and knowing that we have an eternal life after this one here on earth, we can struggle to find true meaning in our lives. Soren Kierkegaard, Gabriel Marcel, Jean-Paul Sarter, Nietzshe-- these are people who struggled with this question: how does the individual create meaning in the face of an apparently meaningless life, and being buffetted by despair, angst, boredom, and the absurdity in life?  These gentleman are credited with starting Existentialism in the 19th and 20th century, but as I read through Ecclesiastes, I find another, much earlier great thinker in the depths of existential despair: Solomon.\n\nFrom the very beginning of Ecclesiastes, we find Solomon\'s despair at the apparent meaninglessness of it all, where he declares \"all is vanity\" (Eccl. 1:2).  A man works and labors his whole life, but how does it profit him? He will pass away and another will come, and no one will remember him. Nothing that he will do is new or truly ingenious-- for \"there is nothing new under the sun\" (1:9). In fact, Solomon, goes on to say that seeking wisdom, pleasure, riches and treaures, skills and works, and popularity: it is all vanity (see Ecclesiast 2:1-4:16). Solomon, a king with power and riches, who could probably have whatever he desired, decried the meaningless of his life.\n\nSolomon also despaired at the Existential concept of the Absurd. The Absurd is the idea that there is no meaning to be found in the world beyond what meaning we give to it, and that it there is a basic \"unfairness\" instrinsic to world, in contrast to the karmic way of thinking in which bad things don\'t happen to good people. Rather, \"rain falls on the just and the unjust alike\". (scripture reference!!!). As Sololom says,  \"All things come alike to all: One event happens to the righteous and the wicked; to the good, the clean, and the unclean; to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; He who takes and oath as he who fears an oath (9:2).  And further, \"The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of skill, but time and chance happen to them all\" (9:11). Isn\'t this one of the main questions we have: why do good things happen to bad people (and vice versa)?  How is our goodness (or lack there of) meaningful, if it seemingly makes no difference here on earth?\n\nIn the end, Solomon came down to this: Fear God and keep His commandments, for\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','Solomon, Existentialism, and Maslow\'s Hierarchy of Needs','','inherit','open','open','','2036-revision','','','2011-11-10 08:46:50','2011-11-10 16:46:50','',2036,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2036-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(2038,1,'2011-11-10 08:54:10','2011-11-10 16:54:10','My husband is a teacher.  I appreciate that, because it gives me a window into the world of public education.  Recently, Dear Husband was looking for information on <a href=\"http://www.dianeravitch.com/\">Diane Ravitch</a>.  He came across an excellent <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZUDmBZ6Y4s\">speech</a> she gave at Stanford University in August of 2010.  Our favorite moment is when she suggests that No Child Left Behind is a foolish endeavor.  She likens it to the federal government demanding that the police reduce crime to zero percent within 10 to 15 years.  If they are unsuccessful, police officers will be fired and police departments will be closed.\n\nDear Husband found this entertaining enough to start a thread on his Facebook page.  He suggested that perhaps the same principle could be applied to all sorts of professions.  Others have suggested this as well; some examples can be found for <a href=\"http://www.trelease-on-reading.com/no-dentist.html\">No Dentist Left Behind</a>; <a href=\"http://www.hollandsentinel.com/opinions/x227108199/COLUMN-Teaching-in-America-No-Child-Left-Behind\">No Patient Left Behind</a>; <a href=\"http://www.janebluestein.com/articles/football.html\">NCLB: Football</a>; and even <a href=\"http://libraryhopper.blogspot.com/2006/09/parody-for-you.html\">No Cow Left Behind</a>.  There\'s even a <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dAujuqCo7s\">song</a>, the very funny (and piquant) \"Not on the Test\" by Tom Chapin.\n\nSo far, there is no end in sight to this educational train wreck.  One of the problems is that it\'s a goal it\'s hard to argue with.  When teachers have questioned it, the answer is, \"Well, why <em>wouldn\'t</em> you want your students to succeed?\"  There is no response to that.  Of <em>course</em> teachers want their students to be successful, otherwise they\'d have gone into some other profession.  But at what price?\n\nThe problem with the demand for all students to pass grade level standards is that there isn\'t a level playing field.  Far too many factors prevent children from reaching their potential.  Several years ago, I had a fascinating conversation with my late brother-in-law\'s girlfriend.  She was working for the state in which she lived, and her committee was discussing the low rates of female college enrollment.  This young woman told me that her colleagues had failed to see the obvious:  If you live someplace where your roads are lousy and your water quality is poor, you probably aren\'t worried about how many women go to college.\n\nThe same principle applies to NCLB.  The one factor that has been conclusively demonstrated to be important in educational improvement has been parental involvement.  We won\'t see all students succeed until all parents are actively taking part in their children\'s learning.  We won\'t see parent participation until we resolve larger problems related to poverty and family stress.\n\nIn the meantime, the rest of us may be able to lend a hand.  I had the wonderful opportunity to volunteer in my son\'s classroom recently, something I will be doing bi-weekly throughout the year.  His teacher assigned me to reading conferences.  The kids read a page or two of their books, then discuss it.  At first, I wasn\'t sure whether the kids would warm to having me sit with them and listen to them reading.  I needn\'t have worried.  These kids are so eager to share, so full of joy at having a special grown-up pay attention to them and care about what they like.  I had a list of discussion prompts; I didn\'t need them.\n\nIf kids\' parents won\'t, or can\'t, be there for them, then <em>we</em> can.  Those of us who are able, who have time or can make time, have the chance to touch these kids\' lives.  We <em>can</em> make a difference.  Let\'s support our kids, our schools, and our teachers by reaching out and loving these children towards success.','The Children Are Not All Right','','inherit','open','open','','1734-autosave','','','2011-11-10 08:54:10','2011-11-10 16:54:10','',1734,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/1734-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(2039,48,'2011-11-10 08:57:18','2011-11-10 16:57:18','There comes a time, or even multiple times, in one\'s life when one has to ask oneself, \"What\'s the point?\". With the ins and outs of life, the daily routine, monotony, or boredom, it is easy to wonder if our lives are really all that meaningful. Even with a faith in God, and knowing that we have an eternal life after this one here on earth, we can struggle to find true meaning in our lives. Soren Kierkegaard, Gabriel Marcel, Jean-Paul Sarter, Nietzshe-- these are people who struggled with this question: how does the individual create meaning in the face of an apparently meaningless life, and being buffetted by despair, angst, boredom, and the absurdity in life?  These gentleman are credited with starting Existentialism in the 19th and 20th century, but as I read through Ecclesiastes, I find another, much earlier great thinker in the depths of existential despair: Solomon.\n\nFrom the very beginning of Ecclesiastes, we find Solomon\'s despair at the apparent meaninglessness of it all, where he declares \"all is vanity\" (Eccl. 1:2).  A man works and labors his whole life, but how does it profit him? He will pass away and another will come, and no one will remember him. Nothing that he will do is new or truly ingenious-- for \"there is nothing new under the sun\" (1:9). In fact, Solomon, goes on to say that seeking wisdom, pleasure, riches and treaures, skills and works, and popularity: it is all vanity (see Ecclesiast 2:1-4:16). Solomon, a king with power and riches, who could probably have whatever he desired, decried the meaningless of his life.\n\nSolomon also despaired at the Existential concept of the Absurd. The Absurd is the idea that there is no meaning to be found in the world beyond what meaning we give to it, and that it there is a basic \"unfairness\" instrinsic to world, in contrast to the karmic way of thinking in which bad things don\'t happen to good people. Rather, \"rain falls on the just and the unjust alike\". (scripture reference!!!). As Sololom says,  \"All things come alike to all: One event happens to the righteous and the wicked; to the good, the clean, and the unclean; to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; He who takes and oath as he who fears an oath (9:2).  And further, \"The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of skill, but time and chance happen to them all\" (9:11). Isn\'t this one of the main questions we have: why do good things happen to bad people (and vice versa)?  How is our goodness (or lack there of) meaningful, if it seemingly makes no difference here on earth?\n\nIn the end, Solomon came down to this: \"Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man\'s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.\" (12:13-14). While it our time here on earth is transient and it may seem like it doesn\'t matter what we do, in the end, there is a God in Heaven who will bring all things into account.\n\nAt first glance, the entirety of Ecclesiastes may seem pretty depressing. Solomon tells us to enjoy the pleasures we have, don\'t work too hard or too little, bad things happen to the good and good things happen to the bad, we all die, and eventually God will bring everything into judgment. But I find comfort in Ecclesiastes being included in the Bible for many reasons. First of all, that Solomon, a man given incredible wisdom from God, struggled with the meaning and purpose of life, as well as why good and evil fall on everyone alike. Secondly, that God is okay with us struggling with the meaning of life and it\'s apparent meaningless at times. He is okay with us questioningwhy bad things happen to good people.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','Solomon, Existentialism, and Maslow\'s Hierarchy of Needs','','inherit','open','open','','2036-revision-2','','','2011-11-10 08:57:18','2011-11-10 16:57:18','',2036,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2036-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(2041,1,'2011-11-04 18:44:12','2011-11-05 01:44:12','My husband is a teacher.  I appreciate that, because it gives me a window into the world of public education.  Recently, Dear Husband was looking for information on <a href=\"http://www.dianeravitch.com/\">Diane Ravitch</a>.  He came across an excellent <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZUDmBZ6Y4s\">speech</a> she gave at Stanford University in August of 2010.  Our favorite moment is when she suggests that No Child Left Behind is a foolish endeavor.  She likens it to the federal government demanding that the police reduce crime to zero percent within 10 to 15 years.  If they are unsuccessful, police officers will be fired and police departments will be closed.\r\n\r\nDear Husband found this entertaining enough to start a thread on his Facebook page.  He suggested that perhaps the same principle could be applied to all sorts of professions.  Others have suggested this as well; some examples can be found for <a href=\"http://www.trelease-on-reading.com/no-dentist.html\">No Dentist Left Behind</a>; <a href=\"http://www.hollandsentinel.com/opinions/x227108199/COLUMN-Teaching-in-America-No-Child-Left-Behind\">No Patient Left Behind</a>; <a href=\"http://www.janebluestein.com/articles/football.html\">NCLB: Football</a>; and even <a href=\"http://libraryhopper.blogspot.com/2006/09/parody-for-you.html\">No Cow Left Behind</a>.  There\'s even a <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dAujuqCo7s\">song</a>, the very funny (and piquant) \"Not on the Test\" by Tom Chapin.\r\n\r\nSo far, there is no end in sight to this educational train wreck.  One of the problems is that it\'s a goal it\'s hard to argue with.  When teachers have questioned it, the answer is, \"Well, why <em>wouldn\'t</em> you want your students to succeed?\"  There is no response to that.  Of <em>course</em> teachers want their students to be successful, otherwise they\'d have gone into some other profession.  But at what price?\r\n\r\nThe problem with the demand for all students to pass grade level standards is that there isn\'t a level playing field.  Far too many factors prevent children from reaching their potential.  Several years ago, I had a fascinating conversation with my late brother-in-law\'s girlfriend.  She was working for the state in which she lived, and her committee was discussing the low rates of female college enrollment.  This young woman told me that her colleagues had failed to see the obvious:  If you live someplace where your roads are lousy and your water quality is poor, you probably aren\'t worried about how many women go to college.\r\n\r\nThe same principle applies to NCLB.  The one factor that has been conclusively demonstrated to be important in educational improvement has been parental involvement.  We won\'t see all students succeed until all parents are actively taking part in their children\'s learning.  We won\'t see parent participation until we resolve larger problems related to poverty and family stress.\r\n\r\nIn the meantime, the rest of us may be able to lend a hand.  I had the wonderful opportunity to volunteer in my son\'s classroom recently, something I will be doing bi-weekly throughout the year.  His teacher assigned me to reading conferences.  The kids read a page or two of their books, then discuss it.  At first, I wasn\'t sure whether the kids would warm to having me sit with them and listen to them reading.  I needn\'t have worried.  These kids are so eager to share, so full of joy at having a special grown-up pay attention to them and care about what they like.  I had a list of discussion prompts; I didn\'t need them.\r\n\r\nIf kids\' parents won\'t, or can\'t, be there for them, then <em>we</em> can.  Those of us who are able, who have time or can make time, have the chance to touch these kids\' lives.  We <em>can</em> make a difference.  Let\'s support our kids, our schools, and our teachers by reaching out and loving these children towards success.','The Children Are Not All Right','','inherit','open','open','','1734-revision-7','','','2011-11-04 18:44:12','2011-11-05 01:44:12','',1734,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/04/1734-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(2040,1,'2011-11-10 08:58:25','2011-11-10 16:58:25','','classroom','','inherit','open','open','','classroom','','','2011-11-10 08:58:25','2011-11-10 16:58:25','',1734,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/classroom.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(2042,1,'2011-11-07 11:32:31','2011-11-07 19:32:31','I try to be conscious of what I buy and what I eat, and to take an interest in where things are made, by who, for how much, and so on.  And yet, no matter how well I manage to do this, I remain a consumer.  I might purchase fair trade coffee and chocolate, but I’m still addicted to coffee and chocolate.  My wife tries to shop only for clothes made in the U.S., but she still really likes to shop.   So I started wondering how much of this is just human, and how much of it is culturally constructed.\r\n\r\nDespite the fact that many Christians themselves get caught up in this pattern of behavior, there seems to at least be some level of awareness in the church about the problem.  This is a good thing.  Less understood though is the extent to which society is able to increasingly produce in us an insatiable desire for consumption in the first place.  You also hear the word materialism, but this could be a misnomer.  Material-ism implies the absolutization of the material, when in fact the lie we are fed is that the material offers something else: happiness, fulfillment... a certain image or experience.In their genuine intent to encourage counter-culturalism, we might hear pastors talk about the innate human drive to always want more.  But how much of this is rooted in a universal anthropology vs. just a modern Western phenomenon now gone viral?  I mean, people aren\'t just born with preferences for television sets.  Our preferences typically  emerge from a context of social relations.\r\n\r\nOf course there is a difference between our basic needs and deepest desires.  Theological anthropology has said that human beings live with a kind of openness directed toward possibility in the world, always becoming and searching.  Some people say there is a \"God-shaped hole\" in each us - a void.  This too can be a good a thing.  But this desire can be distorted.  It can be harnessed by market forces in such a way as to induce complacency in our individualism and trivialize any concern about our unsustainable standard of living.\r\n\r\nEven more troubling, this desire is very difficult to control.  Theologian <a title=\"Joerg Rieger homepage\" href=\"http://www.joergrieger.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Joerg Rieger</a> argues that in today\'s world the drive to consume is frequently propelled by economic mechanisms and reinforced by the advertising industry.  The deceit of this system is increasingly taken for granted.  Obviously recognizing this, one of my former seminary professors Roger Olson recently wrote a <a title=\"Can a Christian Work in the Marketing Field?\" href=\"www.patheos.com/blogs/rogereolson/2011/10/can-a-christian-work-in-the-marketing-field/\" target=\"_blank\">blog post</a> asking whether Christians should even work in marketing at all!  Rieger further contends that economic and religious desires often parallel each other.  This is illustrated by the way we tend to project our desires and ideals from the physical world onto the divine and thus replace the transcendent God with an idol.  If desire is shaped by the production of wealth in a given society, this process can have a subconscious effect on people’s deepest convictions and ultimate values.  This means that the way culture teaches us to view wealth has a tremendous impact on the kind of people we become - not to even mention the potential social costs that can be incurred on society\'s most vulnerable citizens as a result.\r\n\r\nAs communities that are supposed to be convicting, healing and nurturing us on the path to holiness, churches have a vital part to play in resisting co-optation by the marketplace.  Sadly it’s not uncommon, however, for Christian congregations to become complicit in the cycle of consuming and selling as well, even if only in very subtle ways.  To a degree this might be unavoidable, but it’s imperative for us to be sensitized and attentive to how we succumb to various addictive, superimposed desires.  I’m interested in how the church can be a place that enables Christians to subvert the status quo in this regard.  I know there are many tangible ways to do this, but I’m curious as to what others have seen and discovered about how our local practice can transcend systems that resist and suppress change.\r\n\r\nSpeaking of which, I really liked what David Fitch had to say recently <a title=\"Why branding is the ultimate anti-missional act\" href=\"http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/the-mars-hill-seattle-%E2%80%9Ccease-and-desist%E2%80%9D-letter-why-branding-is-the-ultimate-anti-missional-act/\" target=\"_blank\">in a post he made</a> about branding as the ultimate anti-missional act.  Seems very related to this struggle.','That to Which Your Heart Clings: Diagnosing Consumerism   ','','inherit','open','open','','1148-revision-28','','','2011-11-07 11:32:31','2011-11-07 19:32:31','',1148,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/07/1148-revision-28/',0,'revision','',0),(2044,1,'2011-11-10 09:00:38','2011-11-10 17:00:38','I try to be conscious of what I buy and what I eat, and to take an interest in where things are made, by who, for how much, and so on.  And yet, no matter how well I manage to do this, I remain a consumer.  I might purchase fair trade coffee and chocolate, but I’m still addicted to coffee and chocolate.  My wife tries to shop only for clothes made in the U.S., but she still really likes to shop.   So I started wondering how much of this is just human, and how much of it is culturally constructed.\n\nDespite the fact that many Christians themselves get caught up in this pattern of behavior, there seems to at least be some level of awareness in the church about the problem.  This is a good thing.  Less understood though is the extent to which society is able to increasingly produce in us an insatiable desire for consumption in the first place.  You also hear the word materialism, but this could be a misnomer.  Material-ism implies the absolutization of the material, when in fact the lie we are fed is that the material offers something else: happiness, fulfillment... a certain image or experience.In their genuine intent to encourage counter-culturalism, we might hear pastors talk about the innate human drive to always want more.  But how much of this is rooted in a universal anthropology vs. just a modern Western phenomenon now gone viral?  I mean, people aren\'t just born with preferences for television sets.  Our preferences typically  emerge from a context of social relations.\n\nOf course there is a difference between our basic needs and deepest desires.  Theological anthropology has said that human beings live with a kind of openness directed toward possibility in the world, always becoming and searching.  Some people say there is a \"God-shaped hole\" in each us - a void.  This too can be a good a thing.  But this desire can be distorted.  It can be harnessed by market forces in such a way as to induce complacency in our individualism and trivialize any concern about our unsustainable standard of living.\n\nEven more troubling, this desire is very difficult to control.  Theologian <a title=\"Joerg Rieger homepage\" href=\"http://www.joergrieger.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Joerg Rieger</a> argues that in today\'s world the drive to consume is frequently propelled by economic mechanisms and reinforced by the advertising industry.  The deceit of this system is increasingly taken for granted.  Obviously recognizing this, one of my former seminary professors Roger Olson recently wrote a <a title=\"Can a Christian Work in the Marketing Field?\" href=\"www.patheos.com/blogs/rogereolson/2011/10/can-a-christian-work-in-the-marketing-field/\" target=\"_blank\">blog post</a> asking whether Christians should even work in marketing at all!  Rieger further contends that economic and religious desires often parallel each other.  This is illustrated by the way we tend to project our desires and ideals from the physical world onto the divine and thus replace the transcendent God with an idol.  If desire is shaped by the production of wealth in a given society, this process can have a subconscious effect on people’s deepest convictions and ultimate values.  This means that the way culture teaches us to view wealth has a tremendous impact on the kind of people we become - not to even mention the potential social costs that can be incurred on society\'s most vulnerable citizens as a result.\n\nAs communities that are supposed to be convicting, healing and nurturing us on the path to holiness, churches have a vital part to play in resisting co-optation by the marketplace.  Sadly it’s not uncommon, however, for Christian congregations to become complicit in the cycle of consuming and selling as well, even if only in very subtle ways.  To a degree this might be unavoidable, but it’s imperative for us to be sensitized and attentive to how we succumb to various addictive, superimposed desires.  I’m interested in how the church can be a place that enables Christians to subvert the status quo in this regard.  I know there are many tangible ways to do this, but I’m curious as to what others have seen and discovered about how our local practice can transcend systems that resist and suppress change.\n\nSpeaking of which, I really liked what David Fitch had to say recently <a title=\"Why branding is the ultimate anti-missional act\" href=\"http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/the-mars-hill-seattle-%E2%80%9Ccease-and-desist%E2%80%9D-letter-why-branding-is-the-ultimate-anti-missional-act/\" target=\"_blank\">in a post he made</a> about branding as the ultimate anti-missional act.  Seems very related to this struggle.\n\n&nbsp;','That to Which Your Heart Clings: Diagnosing Consumerism   ','','inherit','open','open','','1148-revision-29','','','2011-11-10 09:00:38','2011-11-10 17:00:38','',1148,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/1148-revision-29/',0,'revision','',0),(2043,1,'2011-11-10 09:04:01','2011-11-10 17:04:01','','consumerism_sale','','inherit','open','open','','consumerism_sale','','','2011-11-10 09:04:01','2011-11-10 17:04:01','',1148,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/consumerism_sale.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(2045,0,'2011-11-10 09:06:54','2011-11-10 17:06:54','The intersection of life, faith, and music\n<!--more-->\nAUTHOR: Patrick Reeves\nAUTHOR EMAIL: pdrhwr@gmail.com\nAUTHOR URL: http://www.tiedtoarocket.blogspot.com\nSUBJECT: Provoketive Magazine Writing For Provoketive\nIP: 64.216.45.33\nArray\n(\n    [Name] =&gt; Patrick  Reeves\n    [Email] =&gt; pdrhwr@gmail.com\n    [Existing Blog or Website] =&gt; www.tiedtoarocket.blogspot.com\n    [List the topic you are interested writing about] =&gt; The intersection of life, faith, and music\n    [Current or New WordPress Login Name (We\'ll send you a password.)] =&gt; pdreeves\n)\n','Patrick Reeves - 2011-11-10 09:06:54','','publish','open','open','','c8984564b910086eb294e72dc15d9bb6','','','2011-11-10 09:06:54','2011-11-10 17:06:54','',358,'http://provoketive.com/?post_type=feedback&p=2045',0,'feedback','',0),(2046,48,'2011-11-10 09:09:19','2011-11-10 17:09:19','There comes a time, or even multiple times, in one\'s life when one has to ask oneself, \"What\'s the point?\". With the ins and outs of life, the daily routine, monotony, or boredom, it is easy to wonder if our lives are really all that meaningful. Even with a faith in God, and knowing that we have an eternal life after this one here on earth, we can struggle to find true meaning in our lives. Soren Kierkegaard, Gabriel Marcel, Jean-Paul Sarter, Nietzshe-- these are people who struggled with this question: how does the individual create meaning in the face of an apparently meaningless life, and being buffetted by despair, angst, boredom, and the absurdity in life?  These gentleman are credited with starting Existentialism in the 19th and 20th century, but as I read through Ecclesiastes, I find another, much earlier great thinker in the depths of existential despair: Solomon.\n\nFrom the very beginning of Ecclesiastes, we find Solomon\'s despair at the apparent meaninglessness of it all, where he declares \"all is vanity\" (Eccl. 1:2).  A man works and labors his whole life, but how does it profit him? He will pass away and another will come, and no one will remember him. Nothing that he will do is new or truly ingenious-- for \"there is nothing new under the sun\" (1:9). In fact, Solomon, goes on to say that seeking wisdom, pleasure, riches and treaures, skills and works, and popularity: it is all vanity (see Ecclesiast 2:1-4:16). Solomon, a king with power and riches, who could probably have whatever he desired, decried the meaningless of his life.\n\nSolomon\'s further complaints are similar to the Existential concept of the Absurd. The Absurd is the idea that there is no meaning to be found in the world beyond what meaning we give to it, and it contains the further idea that the world operates in contrast to the karmic way of thinking that bad things don\'t happen to good people. Rather, \"rain falls on the just and the unjust alike\". (scripture reference!!!). As Sololom says,  \"All things come alike to all: One event happens to the righteous and the wicked; to the good, the clean, and the unclean; to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; He who takes and oath as he who fears an oath (9:2).  And further, \"The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of skill, but time and chance happen to them all\" (9:11). Isn\'t this one of the main questions we have: why do good things happen to bad people (and vice versa)?  How is our goodness (or lack there of) meaningful, if it seemingly makes no difference here on earth?\n\nBy the end of Ecclesiastes, I\'m not sure that Solomon has truly worked through his existential crisis.  He does conclude that, regardless of how things may appear in our earthly life: \"Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man\'s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.\" (12:13-14). While our time here on earth is transient and it may may struggle with whether anything we do here has meaning, in the end, there is a God in Heaven who will bring all things into account.\n\nAt first glance, the entirety of Ecclesiastes may seem pretty depressing. Solomon tells us to enjoy the pleasures we have, don\'t work too hard or too little, bad things happen to the good and good things happen to the bad, we all die, and eventually God will bring everything into judgment. But I find comfort in Ecclesiastes being included in the Bible for many reasons. First of all, that Solomon, a man given incredible wisdom from God, struggled with the meaning and purpose of life. Secondly, that God is okay with us struggling with the meaning of life and it\'s apparent meaningless at times. He is okay with us questioning why bad things happen to good people. And perhaps, it this struggle is a necessary part of coming to an understanding of the purpose of our time here on earth.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','Adventures in Solomon, the first Existentialist?','','inherit','open','open','','2036-revision-3','','','2011-11-10 09:09:19','2011-11-10 17:09:19','',2036,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2036-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(2047,48,'2011-11-10 09:10:34','2011-11-10 17:10:34','There comes a time, or even multiple times, in one\'s life when one has to ask oneself, \"What\'s the point?\". With the ins and outs of life, the daily routine, monotony, or boredom, it is easy to wonder if our lives are really all that meaningful. Even with a faith in God, and knowing that we have an eternal life after this one here on earth, we can struggle to find true meaning in our lives. Soren Kierkegaard, Gabriel Marcel, Jean-Paul Sarter, Nietzshe-- these are people who struggled with this question: how does the individual create meaning in the face of an apparently meaningless life, and being buffetted by despair, angst, boredom, and the absurdity in life?  These gentleman are credited with starting Existentialism in the 19th and 20th century, but as I read through Ecclesiastes, I find another, much earlier great thinker in the depths of existential despair: Solomon.\n\nFrom the very beginning of Ecclesiastes, we find Solomon\'s despair at the apparent meaninglessness of it all, where he declares \"all is vanity\" (Eccl. 1:2).  A man works and labors his whole life, but how does it profit him? He will pass away and another will come, and no one will remember him. Nothing that he will do is new or truly ingenious-- for \"there is nothing new under the sun\" (1:9). In fact, Solomon, goes on to say that seeking wisdom, pleasure, riches and treaures, skills and works, and popularity: it is all vanity (see Ecclesiast 2:1-4:16). Solomon, a king with power and riches, who could probably have whatever he desired, decried the meaningless of his life.\n\nSolomon\'s further complaints are similar to the Existential concept of the Absurd. The Absurd is the idea that there is no meaning to be found in the world beyond what meaning we give to it, and it contains the further idea that the world operates in contrast to the karmic way of thinking that bad things don\'t happen to good people. Rather, \"rain falls on the just and the unjust alike\". (scripture reference!!!). As Sololom says,  \"All things come alike to all: One event happens to the righteous and the wicked; to the good, the clean, and the unclean; to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; He who takes and oath as he who fears an oath (9:2).  And further, \"The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of skill, but time and chance happen to them all\" (9:11). Isn\'t this one of the main questions we have: why do good things happen to bad people (and vice versa)?  How is our goodness (or lack there of) meaningful, if it seemingly makes no difference here on earth?\n\nBy the end of Ecclesiastes, I\'m not sure that Solomon has truly worked through his existential crisis.  He does conclude that, regardless of how things may appear in our earthly life: \"Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man\'s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.\" (12:13-14). While our time here on earth is transient and it may may struggle with whether anything we do here has meaning, in the end, there is a God in Heaven who will bring all things into account.\n\nAt first glance, the entirety of Ecclesiastes may seem pretty depressing. Solomon tells us to enjoy the pleasures we have, don\'t work too hard or too little, bad things happen to the good and good things happen to the bad, we all die, and eventually God will bring everything into judgment. But I find comfort in Ecclesiastes being included in the Bible for many reasons. First of all, that Solomon, a man given incredible wisdom from God, struggled with the meaning and purpose of life. Secondly, that God is okay with us struggling with the meaning of life and it\'s apparent meaningless at times. He is okay with us questioning why bad things happen to good people. And perhaps, it this struggle is a necessary part of coming to an understanding of the purpose of our time here on earth.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','Adventures in Ecclesiastes, Part 1: Solomon, the first Existentialist?','','inherit','open','open','','2036-revision-4','','','2011-11-10 09:10:34','2011-11-10 17:10:34','',2036,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2036-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(2856,1,'2011-12-01 14:36:29','2011-12-01 22:36:29','','Zach_wahls','','inherit','open','open','','zach_wahls','','','2011-12-01 14:36:29','2011-12-01 22:36:29','',2855,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Zach_wahls.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(2049,1,'2011-11-10 09:12:18','2011-11-10 17:12:18','','little_church','','inherit','open','open','','little_church','','','2011-11-10 09:12:18','2011-11-10 17:12:18','',1983,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/little_church.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(2052,1,'2011-11-09 13:38:21','2011-11-09 21:38:21','Back in the day, my parents were hippie evangelicals concerned with Justice, Peace, and Community. They were all about Mercy, Equality and Grace. I learned the language of movements. My siblings and I wore \"boycott grapes\" buttons to school. I was in kindergarten; I have no idea what that was about. My sister and I attended a Spanish-speaking school in Rochester, NY; we were the only students for whom Spanish was not a primary language. My parents and their circle of friends mobilized protests, discussions, and debates. The adults I knew spoke openly in a way about politics and faith that seemed the marry the two in a rather lovely, if not delicate, romance. Being faithful, being a member of The Church meant seeking justice for those without a voice. Made sense to me at the time. (Still makes sense to me.)\r\n\r\nDuring college, in an effort to take seriously this faith in which I was raised, I sought out a merry gang of evangelicals of a different sort. I learned a more complicated language. We were concerned with Salvation, Sanctification, Free Will,* Discipleship. The ideas we discussed over midnight pizza and flat soda, the earnest ways we sought to share our faith with others seeped into my justice centered, others-focused faith.\r\n\r\nThose words entered my personal lexicon of faith. The two could exist seamlessly: on the one hand, faith was about seeking justice for others and belonging to community. On the other hand, I needed to take care of my business. I could be righteous and perfected before the Lord and fight the fight of the people at the same time. Not that I was actually protesting anything, but whatever. You get the point. One kind of language and another kind of language regarding the same thing—Jesus—blended rather nicely.\r\n\r\nThen, after moving from Pennsylvania, where we do not greet our cashiers and tell our waitresses about our grandchildren, to Oklahoma, where the inverse is most definitely true, I learned a language that still sounds false coming out of my face. I’m sure it’s not a regional thing, entirely, but there’s something about a southern drawl and Jesus that just doesn’t seem to fit….me.\r\n\r\nOne of the first people I met was a Bible study teacher who scared the life out of me. When I walked in on the first day, freshly scrubbed, newly married, bright-eyed and incredibly nervous, she lifted her hands to the heavens and nearly screamed. “Thank you, Jesus!” She brought her tiny hands to her tiny face, nearly overcome with emotion, and shook her head, tears literally, filling her eyes. She did something I will never forget, as if the shouting praise weren’t unforgettable. She hugged me.\r\n\r\nI thought about turning on my heels and getting the heck out of there, and fast. But she of the tiny hands propelled me into a room, found me a seat, introduced me to the others. There was no getting out now.\r\n\r\nTurns out, I really enjoyed this Bible study, and I came to love this woman fiercely. I still do, in fact, 16 years later. She is one of the most steadfast rocks in the foundation of my faith. Do not mess with her and her shrieking ways; she means it. She is genuinely moved for people who know or who want to know Jesus. I love this about her. It is part of who she is.\r\n\r\nIt’s not, however, part of who I am. Not that I didn’t try. Stranger in a stranger land and all, I thought, “well, I guess I better try to play the part.” But this kind of deeply personal and intimate talk surrounding the relationship between believer and God makes my tongue seem to expand into a thick, malfunctioning muscle. I just can’t bring myself to use terms like: \"came to Jesus,\" or \"my testimony.\" Sentences that start with, \"The Lord has been so good to ...\" sound hollow in my mouth.\r\n\r\nHear me. I have no problem with these words or with people who use these words. What I\'m saying is when I said them, it felt like I was trying to adopt Chinese as my first language and mangling it all to bits. Instead of asking for rice and carrots, I was asking for to please flush with the elephants.\r\n\r\nIt’s not disbelief or even doubt; I just don’t feel comfortable with that particular kind of language. I tried. It sounded forced. For a long time, I figured I just needed practice. If I kept using the words, they would become like other words; just a part of how I speak. Didn’t happen. I never grew comfortable with talking about coming to Jesus or describing the ways the Lord had done marvelous things for me. I have a story, and he has done wonders. I just cast about for another way to describe it.\r\n\r\nI stopped trying.\r\n\r\nI stopped trying because because I’d rather speak confidently about my faith, with authority behind my words. I would rather appear to believe what I’m saying than looking like I hope no one can hear me.  I am more comfortable, publicly, with the lexicon of where I’ve been than the lexicon of where I am now.\r\n\r\nI have come to believe that who we are informs how we relate to and interact with God, which is manifested in the terms we use to speak about it. I have come to believe that there is no right or wrong language of faith. In fact, It seems to me that there are as many lexicons of faith as there are faithful people. Instead of struggling to use a voice that is not mine, to reflect a faith I could not claim, (like my Bible study teacher’s) I use the one I have.\r\n\r\n*I am not engaging in a debate about predestination.','The Lexicons of Faith','','inherit','open','open','','1983-revision-5','','','2011-11-09 13:38:21','2011-11-09 21:38:21','',1983,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/1983-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(2053,1,'2011-11-10 09:12:54','2011-11-10 17:12:54','Back in the day, my parents were hippie evangelicals concerned with Justice, Peace, and Community. They were all about Mercy, Equality and Grace. I learned the language of movements. My siblings and I wore \"boycott grapes\" buttons to school. I was in kindergarten; I have no idea what that was about. My sister and I attended a Spanish-speaking school in Rochester, NY; we were the only students for whom Spanish was not a primary language. My parents and their circle of friends mobilized protests, discussions, and debates. The adults I knew spoke openly in a way about politics and faith that seemed the marry the two in a rather lovely, if not delicate, romance. Being faithful, being a member of The Church meant seeking justice for those without a voice. Made sense to me at the time. (Still makes sense to me.)\r\n\r\nDuring college, in an effort to take seriously this faith in which I was raised, I sought out a merry gang of evangelicals of a different sort. I learned a more complicated language. We were concerned with Salvation, Sanctification, Free Will,* Discipleship. The ideas we discussed over midnight pizza and flat soda, the earnest ways we sought to share our faith with others seeped into my justice centered, others-focused faith.\r\n\r\nThose words entered my personal lexicon of faith. The two could exist seamlessly: on the one hand, faith was about seeking justice for others and belonging to community. On the other hand, I needed to take care of my business. I could be righteous and perfected before the Lord and fight the fight of the people at the same time. Not that I was actually protesting anything, but whatever. You get the point. One kind of language and another kind of language regarding the same thing—Jesus—blended rather nicely.\r\n\r\nThen, after moving from Pennsylvania, where we do not greet our cashiers and tell our waitresses about our grandchildren, to Oklahoma, where the inverse is most definitely true, I learned a language that still sounds false coming out of my face. I’m sure it’s not a regional thing, entirely, but there’s something about a southern drawl and Jesus that just doesn’t seem to fit….me.\r\n\r\nOne of the first people I met was a Bible study teacher who scared the life out of me. When I walked in on the first day, freshly scrubbed, newly married, bright-eyed and incredibly nervous, she lifted her hands to the heavens and nearly screamed. “Thank you, Jesus!” She brought her tiny hands to her tiny face, nearly overcome with emotion, and shook her head, tears literally, filling her eyes. She did something I will never forget, as if the shouting praise weren’t unforgettable. She hugged me.\r\n\r\nI thought about turning on my heels and getting the heck out of there, and fast. But she of the tiny hands propelled me into a room, found me a seat, introduced me to the others. There was no getting out now.\r\n\r\nTurns out, I really enjoyed this Bible study, and I came to love this woman fiercely. I still do, in fact, 16 years later. She is one of the most steadfast rocks in the foundation of my faith. Do not mess with her and her shrieking ways; she means it. She is genuinely moved for people who know or who want to know Jesus. I love this about her. It is part of who she is.\r\n\r\nIt’s not, however, part of who I am. Not that I didn’t try. Stranger in a stranger land and all, I thought, “well, I guess I better try to play the part.” But this kind of deeply personal and intimate talk surrounding the relationship between believer and God makes my tongue seem to expand into a thick, malfunctioning muscle. I just can’t bring myself to use terms like: \"came to Jesus,\" or \"my testimony.\" Sentences that start with, \"The Lord has been so good to ...\" sound hollow in my mouth.\r\n\r\nHear me. I have no problem with these words or with people who use these words. What I\'m saying is when I said them, it felt like I was trying to adopt Chinese as my first language and mangling it all to bits. Instead of asking for rice and carrots, I was asking for to please flush with the elephants.\r\n\r\nIt’s not disbelief or even doubt; I just don’t feel comfortable with that particular kind of language. I tried. It sounded forced. For a long time, I figured I just needed practice. If I kept using the words, they would become like other words; just a part of how I speak. Didn’t happen. I never grew comfortable with talking about coming to Jesus or describing the ways the Lord had done marvelous things for me. I have a story, and he has done wonders. I just cast about for another way to describe it.\r\n\r\nI stopped trying.\r\n\r\nI stopped trying because because I’d rather speak confidently about my faith, with authority behind my words. I would rather appear to believe what I’m saying than looking like I hope no one can hear me.  I am more comfortable, publicly, with the lexicon of where I’ve been than the lexicon of where I am now.\r\n\r\nI have come to believe that who we are informs how we relate to and interact with God, which is manifested in the terms we use to speak about it. I have come to believe that there is no right or wrong language of faith. In fact, It seems to me that there are as many lexicons of faith as there are faithful people. Instead of struggling to use a voice that is not mine, to reflect a faith I could not claim, (like my Bible study teacher’s) I use the one I have.\r\n\r\n*I am not engaging in a debate about predestination.','The Lexicons of Faith','','inherit','open','open','','1983-revision-6','','','2011-11-10 09:12:54','2011-11-10 17:12:54','',1983,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/1983-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(2054,1,'2011-11-10 09:14:44','2011-11-10 17:14:44','Maybe it was a long time coming after all.  We’ve certainly had our share of arguments and disagreements during the past eleven years of our relationship.  But my philosophy is if you don’t talk to God about your frustrations with Him, then they don’t exist.  And for about eleven years my plan worked out, until that one day.\n\nYou see, sometimes God seems so real to me it feels like its too much for me to take all in.  Other times, God doesn’t make any damn sense.  A couple of weeks ago I experienced the latter.\n\nFor a few years now I’ve been feeling like I’m not good enough for God’s approval.  I don’t give enough to the poor.  I don’t show my fiancé Amy enough affection.  I listen to way too much <a title=\"Tyler, the Creator\" href=\"http://youtu.be/XSbZidsgMfw\">Tyler, the Creator</a>.  Everyone kept telling me that God loved me, and that salvation was a free gift from God and not something I had to earn.  But I didn’t believe it.  If God truly was so gracious, why did we have to be so obedient?\n\nFinally one day I decided to write a letter to God.  It’s something I always do when something is weighing heavily on my mind, but I can’t find the words to verbally express it in a prayer.  I opened up my journal, got out my pen, and wrote down these words:\n<blockquote><em>Dear God,</em>\n\n<em>You’re really fucking pissing me off right now!</em></blockquote>\nBefore I knew it I was calling God every four-lettered word in the book, and chewing Him out left and right.  And I couldn’t stop, either.\n<blockquote><em>You expect us to praise you, but for what?  For allowing us Americans to stuff our fat faces full of pizza while millions of children die of starvation around the world?  Yeah, that sounds just fucking fantastic!</em>\n\n<em>While we’re on that subject, why did Dad bail out on Mom and me?  Why did all the kids in school treat me like shit?  Why does Grandma have Alzheimer’s?  Why does Aunt Margie have MS?  Why has Uncle Ronnie been unemployed for over two years?  Why are there people like the Westboro Baptist Church, Mark Driscoll, and pedophile priests in the world?</em>\n\n<em>I’ve had it up to here with you, God.  You haven’t done shit for me.  You’re just like my deadbeat dad.</em>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"right\"><em>Fuck you,</em></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"right\"><em>Travis</em></p>\n</blockquote>\nWhen I finished, I felt free.  I finally got it all out.  Now all I had to do was wait for God to respond.\n\nTwo days past and I didn’t hear anything.  I never expected a huge booming voice from the sky.  In the past, God usually spoke to me either through a particular Bible verse, or a conversation with a friend, or a song on the radio.  But this time I didn’t hear anything.  No song on the local Christian station made me want to sing along.  No Bible verse explained everything.  No friend acted like a channel for God to speak through.  Maybe God was respecting my wishes. Or maybe He just wasn’t there.\n\nMaybe it finally happened.  Maybe I finally lost my faith in God.  In the past I’ve gone through moments of doubt, but I still hung on to God because I felt like I had nowhere else to go.  Maybe this was the moment I finally realized that I had been hanging onto a silly fairy tale all this time.\n\nA few days after I wrote my letter, I was chatting with Amy on iChat when I decided to come clean about my unbelief.  I typed in the little window, “So, uh, babe, I think I might be an agnostic.”\n\nShe begged me to pray about it.  “God is there for you,” she said.  “It might not feel like it, but He is.”  Since I’m always quick to please my baby, I promised that I would pray.  So right before I went to bed that night, I prayed.\n\n“God, if you’re up there, and you actually give a shit, just let me know, okay?”\n\nAnd that night, I had a dream.\n\nIt wasn’t a big earth-shattering prophetic dream where Jesus came and explained everything.  It was actually a simple dream where Amy and I attended a local Lutheran church.  But because this dream occurred right after praying that God would give me some sort of clue, maybe it was more than just my unconscious mind playing tricks on me.\n\nThen the next day I was flipping through a devotional called <em>Faithbook of Jesus</em> (written by my good friend <a title=\"Renee Fisher\" href=\"http://www.devotionaldiva.com/\">Renee Fisher</a>) when I came across a devotion about God’s love.  Renee wrote that even though she had heard that God loves everyone all her life, it wasn’t until she was 24 that she realized that God truly <em>loves</em> her with all of His heart.\n\nAnd when I read that, I started to cry.\n\nI realized that I had not lost faith in the real God, but in the legalistic god I invented in my mind.  For years I tried to force myself to be holy and perfect.  For years I tried to win God’s approval by being the most radically loving Christian in the world.  But now I see that, despite all of my imperfections and hang-ups, God loves me exactly where I am right now.  I wish I had realized this sooner.\n\nI looked up at the ceiling and said, “Alright, God, you got me!”\n\n(As for the church I had the dream about, Amy and I went to that church on Sunday.  Even though I wasn’t too familiar with it, I felt strangely comfortable there.  Maybe I finally found my home.)','The Day I Gave God Hell','','inherit','open','open','','1997-autosave','','','2011-11-10 09:14:44','2011-11-10 17:14:44','',1997,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/1997-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(2057,1,'2011-11-10 09:21:00','2011-11-10 17:21:00','','shadow_man','','inherit','open','open','','shadow_man','','','2011-11-10 09:21:00','2011-11-10 17:21:00','',1997,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/shadow_man.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(2058,1,'2011-11-09 15:56:39','2011-11-09 23:56:39','Maybe it was a long time coming after all.  We’ve certainly had our share of arguments and disagreements during the past eleven years of our relationship.  But my philosophy is if you don’t talk to God about your frustrations with Him, then they don’t exist.  And for about eleven years my plan worked out, until that one day.\r\n\r\nYou see, sometimes God seems so real to me it feels like its too much for me to take all in.  Other times, God doesn’t make any damn sense.  A couple of weeks ago I experienced the latter.\r\n\r\nFor a few years now I’ve been feeling like I’m not good enough for God’s approval.  I don’t give enough to the poor.  I don’t show my fiancé Amy enough affection.  I listen to way too much <a title=\"Tyler, the Creator\" href=\"http://youtu.be/XSbZidsgMfw\">Tyler, the Creator</a>.  Everyone kept telling me that God loved me, and that salvation was a free gift from God and not something I had to earn.  But I didn’t believe it.  If God truly was so gracious, why did we have to be so obedient?\r\n\r\nFinally one day I decided to write a letter to God.  It’s something I always do when something is weighing heavily on my mind, but I can’t find the words to verbally express it in a prayer.  I opened up my journal, got out my pen, and wrote down these words:\r\n<blockquote><em>Dear God,</em>\r\n\r\n<em>You’re really fucking pissing me off right now!</em></blockquote>\r\nBefore I knew it I was calling God every four-lettered word in the book, and chewing Him out left and right.  And I couldn’t stop, either.\r\n<blockquote><em>You expect us to praise you, but for what?  For allowing us Americans to stuff our fat faces full of pizza while millions of children die of starvation around the world?  Yeah, that sounds just fucking fantastic!</em>\r\n\r\n<em>While we’re on that subject, why did Dad bail out on Mom and me?  Why did all the kids in school treat me like shit?  Why does Grandma have Alzheimer’s?  Why does Aunt Margie have MS?  Why has Uncle Ronnie been unemployed for over two years?  Why are there people like the Westboro Baptist Church, Mark Driscoll, and pedophile priests in the world?</em>\r\n\r\n<em>I’ve had it up to here with you, God.  You haven’t done shit for me.  You’re just like my deadbeat dad.</em>\r\n<p align=\"right\"><em>Fuck you,</em></p>\r\n<p align=\"right\"><em>Travis</em></p>\r\n</blockquote>\r\nWhen I finished, I felt free.  I finally got it all out.  Now all I had to do was wait for God to respond.\r\n\r\nTwo days past and I didn’t hear anything.  I never expected a huge booming voice from the sky.  In the past, God usually spoke to me either through a particular Bible verse, or a conversation with a friend, or a song on the radio.  But this time I didn’t hear anything.  No song on the local Christian station made me want to sing along.  No Bible verse explained everything.  No friend acted like a channel for God to speak through.  Maybe God was respecting my wishes. Or maybe He just wasn’t there.\r\n\r\nMaybe it finally happened.  Maybe I finally lost my faith in God.  In the past I’ve gone through moments of doubt, but I still hung on to God because I felt like I had nowhere else to go.  Maybe this was the moment I finally realized that I had been hanging onto a silly fairy tale all this time.\r\n\r\nA few days after I wrote my letter, I was chatting with Amy on iChat when I decided to come clean about my unbelief.  I typed in the little window, “So, uh, babe, I think I might be an agnostic.”\r\n\r\nShe begged me to pray about it.  “God is there for you,” she said.  “It might not feel like it, but He is.”  Since I’m always quick to please my baby, I promised that I would pray.  So right before I went to bed that night, I prayed.\r\n\r\n“God, if you’re up there, and you actually give a shit, just let me know, okay?”\r\n\r\nAnd that night, I had a dream.\r\n\r\nIt wasn’t a big earth-shattering prophetic dream where Jesus came and explained everything.  It was actually a simple dream where Amy and I attended a local Lutheran church.  But because this dream occurred right after praying that God would give me some sort of clue, maybe it was more than just my unconscious mind playing tricks on me.\r\n\r\nThen the next day I was flipping through a devotional called <em>Faithbook of Jesus</em> (written by my good friend <a title=\"Renee Fisher\" href=\"http://www.devotionaldiva.com/\">Renee Fisher</a>) when I came across a devotion about God’s love.  Renee wrote that even though she had heard that God loves everyone all her life, it wasn’t until she was 24 that she realized that God truly <em>loves</em> her with all of His heart.\r\n\r\nAnd when I read that, I started to cry.\r\n\r\nI realized that I had not lost faith in the real God, but in the legalistic god I invented in my mind.  For years I tried to force myself to be holy and perfect.  For years I tried to win God’s approval by being the most radically loving Christian in the world.  But now I see that, despite all of my imperfections and hang-ups, God loves me exactly where I am right now.  I wish I had realized this sooner.\r\n\r\nI looked up at the ceiling and said, “Alright, God, you got me!”\r\n\r\n(As for the church I had the dream about, Amy and I went to that church on Sunday.  Even though I wasn’t too familiar with it, I felt strangely comfortable there.  Maybe I finally found my home.)','The Day I Gave God Hell','','inherit','open','open','','1997-revision-2','','','2011-11-09 15:56:39','2011-11-09 23:56:39','',1997,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/1997-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(2059,48,'2011-11-10 09:11:03','2011-11-10 17:11:03','There comes a time, or even multiple times, in one\'s life when one has to ask oneself, \"What\'s the point?\". With the ins and outs of life, the daily routine, monotony, or boredom, it is easy to wonder if our lives are really all that meaningful. Even with a faith in God, and knowing that we have an eternal life after this one here on earth, we can struggle to find true meaning in our lives. Soren Kierkegaard, Gabriel Marcel, Jean-Paul Sarter, Nietzshe-- these are people who struggled with this question: how does the individual create meaning in the face of an apparently meaningless life, and being buffetted by despair, angst, boredom, and the absurdity in life?  These gentleman are credited with starting Existentialism in the 19th and 20th century, but as I read through Ecclesiastes, I find another, much earlier great thinker in the depths of existential despair: Solomon.\r\n\r\nFrom the very beginning of Ecclesiastes, we find Solomon\'s despair at the apparent meaninglessness of it all, where he declares \"all is vanity\" (Eccl. 1:2).  A man works and labors his whole life, but how does it profit him? He will pass away and another will come, and no one will remember him. Nothing that he will do is new or truly ingenious-- for \"there is nothing new under the sun\" (1:9). In fact, Solomon, goes on to say that seeking wisdom, pleasure, riches and treaures, skills and works, and popularity: it is all vanity (see Ecclesiast 2:1-4:16). Solomon, a king with power and riches, who could probably have whatever he desired, decried the meaningless of his life.\r\n\r\nSolomon\'s further complaints are similar to the Existential concept of the Absurd. The Absurd is the idea that there is no meaning to be found in the world beyond what meaning we give to it, and it contains the further idea that the world operates in contrast to the karmic way of thinking that bad things don\'t happen to good people. Rather, \"rain falls on the just and the unjust alike\". (scripture reference!!!). As Sololom says,  \"All things come alike to all: One event happens to the righteous and the wicked; to the good, the clean, and the unclean; to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; He who takes and oath as he who fears an oath (9:2).  And further, \"The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of skill, but time and chance happen to them all\" (9:11). Isn\'t this one of the main questions we have: why do good things happen to bad people (and vice versa)?  How is our goodness (or lack there of) meaningful, if it seemingly makes no difference here on earth?\r\n\r\nBy the end of Ecclesiastes, I\'m not sure that Solomon has truly worked through his existential crisis.  He does conclude that, regardless of how things may appear in our earthly life: \"Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man\'s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.\" (12:13-14). While our time here on earth is transient and it may may struggle with whether anything we do here has meaning, in the end, there is a God in Heaven who will bring all things into account.\r\n\r\nAt first glance, the entirety of Ecclesiastes may seem pretty depressing. Solomon tells us to enjoy the pleasures we have, don\'t work too hard or too little, bad things happen to the good and good things happen to the bad, we all die, and eventually God will bring everything into judgment. But I find comfort in Ecclesiastes being included in the Bible for many reasons. First of all, that Solomon, a man given incredible wisdom from God, struggled with the meaning and purpose of life. Secondly, that God is okay with us struggling with the meaning of life and it\'s apparent meaningless at times. He is okay with us questioning why bad things happen to good people. And perhaps, it this struggle is a necessary part of coming to an understanding of the purpose of our time here on earth.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Adventures in Ecclesiastes, Part 1: Solomon, the first Existentialist?','','inherit','open','open','','2036-revision-5','','','2011-11-10 09:11:03','2011-11-10 17:11:03','',2036,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2036-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(2069,48,'2011-11-10 09:48:38','2011-11-10 17:48:38','There comes a time (or in my case, multiple times) in one\'s life when one has to ask oneself, \"Really, what\'s the point?\" With the ins and outs of life, the monotony of daily routine, boredom, etc., it is easy to wonder if our lives are really all that meaningful. Even armed with a faith in God and knowledge that we have an eternal life after this temporal one on earth, it can be a struggle to find a true purpose and  meaning in our lives. This struggle to find meaning in a seemingly meaningless life, all while buffeted by despair, angst, boredom, and the absurdity of life is the focus of Existentialism, a philosophical school of thought. Many credit such 19th and 20th century philosophers as Soren Kierkegaard, Gabriel Marcel, Jean-Paul Sarter, and Nietzshe with starting Existentialism, but as I read through Ecclesiastes, I find another, much earlier great-thinker in the depths of an existential crisis: Solomon.\n\nFrom the very beginning of Ecclesiastes, we find Solomon despairing at the apparent meaninglessness of it all, declaring,\"“Meaningless! Meaningless!...Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). He decries that a man diligently develop his life\'s work, but it will profit him none; he will pass away and another will take his place, and no one will remember him: <strong>\"</strong>There is no remembrance of the former things, nor will be any remembrance of things that are to come by those who will come after\" (1:11). Furthermore, neither he nor his contributions to the world are unique: “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! This is something new”?  It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time” (Ecclesiastes 1: 9,10). In fact, Solomon, goes on to say that wisdom, pleasure, riches and treasures, skills, popularity, and youth are all utterly meaningless. Solomon, a king with power and riches, who could probably have whatever he desired, struggled to find a\n\nBut wait, it gets better.\n\nNot only is it meaningless, but also? It doesn\'t matter if you seek wisdom or try to do the right thing: because \"All things come alike to all: One event happens to the righteous and the wicked; to the good, the clean, and the unclean; to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; He who takes and oath as he who fears an oath (9:2). Solomon\'s further complaints are similar to the Existential concept of the Absurd. The Absurd is the idea that there is no meaning to be found in the world beyond what meaning we give to it, and it contains the further idea that the world operates in contrast to the karmic way of thinking that bad things don\'t happen to good people. Rather, \"the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of skill, but time and chance happen to them all\" (9:11). It shouldn\'t surprise us that people struggle with the question of why good things happen to bad people (and vice versa), for even Solomon wondered at it and struggled with how our goodness (or lack there of) can be meaningful, if it seems makes no difference here on earth?\n\nBy the end of Ecclesiastes, I\'m not sure that Solomon has truly worked through his existential crisis.  He does conclude that, regardless of how things may appear in our earthly life: \"Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man\'s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.\" (12:13-14). While our time here on earth is transient and it may may struggle with whether anything we do here has meaning, in the end, there is a God in Heaven who will bring all things into account.\n\nAt first glance, the entirety of Ecclesiastes may seem pretty depressing. Solomon tells us to enjoy the pleasures we have, don\'t work too hard or too little, bad things happen to the good and good things happen to the bad, we all die, and eventually God will bring everything into judgment. But I find comfort in Ecclesiastes being included in the Bible for many reasons. First of all, that Solomon, a man given incredible wisdom from God, struggled with the meaning and purpose of life. Secondly, that God is okay with us struggling with the meaning of life and it\'s apparent meaningless at times. He is okay with us questioning why bad things happen to good people. And perhaps, it this struggle is a necessary part of coming to an understanding of the purpose of our time here on earth.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','Adventures in Ecclesiastes, Part 1: Solomon, the first Existentialist?','','inherit','open','open','','2036-revision-8','','','2011-11-10 09:48:38','2011-11-10 17:48:38','',2036,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2036-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(2066,48,'2011-11-10 09:37:45','2011-11-10 17:37:45','There comes a time (or in my case, multiple times) in one\'s life when one has to ask oneself, \"Really, what\'s the point?\" With the ins and outs of life, the monotony of daily routine, boredom, etc., it is easy to wonder if our lives are really all that meaningful. Even armed with a faith in God and knowledge that we have an eternal life after this temporal one here on earth, it can be a struggle to find a true purpose and  meaning in our lives. Existentialism is a philosophical school of thought that struggled with this question: how does the individual create meaning in the face of an apparently meaningless life, all while buffetted by despair, angst, boredom, and the absurdity of life?  Many credit such 19th and 20th century philosophers like Soren Kierkegaard, Gabriel Marcel, Jean-Paul Sarter, Nietzshe with starting Existentialism, but as I read through Ecclesiastes, I find another, much earlier great-thinker in the depths of an existential crisis: Solomon.\n\nFrom the very beginning of Ecclesiastes, we find Solomon despairing at the apparent meaninglessness of it all, declaring,\"“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” (Ecclesiastes 1:2).\n\nA man will work hard to develop his life\'s work, but it will profit him none. He will pass away and another will come, and no one will remember him: <strong>\"</strong>There is no remembrance of the former things, nor will be any remembrance of things that are to come by those who will come after\" (1:11). Furthermore, neither he nor his contributions to the world are unique: Nothing that he will do is new or truly ingenious: “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! This is something new”?  It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time” (Ecclesiastes 1: 9,10). In fact, Solomon, goes on to say that wisdom, pleasure, riches and treaures, skills, popularity, and youth: it is all meaningless . Solomon, a king with power and riches, who could probably have whatever he desired, decried the meaningless of his life.\n\nBut wait, it gets better.\n\nNot only is it meaningless, but also? It doesn\'t matter if you seek wisdom or try to do the right thing: because \"All things come alike to all: One event happens to the righteous and the wicked; to the good, the clean, and the unclean; to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; He who takes and oath as he who fears an oath (9:2). Solomon\'s further complaints are similar to the Existential concept of the Absurd. The Absurd is the idea that there is no meaning to be found in the world beyond what meaning we give to it, and it contains the further idea that the world operates in contrast to the karmic way of thinking that bad things don\'t happen to good people. Rather, \"the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of skill, but time and chance happen to them all\" (9:11). It shouldn\'t surprise us that people struggle with the question of why good things happen to bad people (and vice versa), for even Solomon wondered at it.   How is our goodness (or lack there of) meaningful, if it seemingly makes no difference here on earth?\n\nBy the end of Ecclesiastes, I\'m not sure that Solomon has truly worked through his existential crisis.  He does conclude that, regardless of how things may appear in our earthly life: \"Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man\'s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.\" (12:13-14). While our time here on earth is transient and it may may struggle with whether anything we do here has meaning, in the end, there is a God in Heaven who will bring all things into account.\n\nAt first glance, the entirety of Ecclesiastes may seem pretty depressing. Solomon tells us to enjoy the pleasures we have, don\'t work too hard or too little, bad things happen to the good and good things happen to the bad, we all die, and eventually God will bring everything into judgment. But I find comfort in Ecclesiastes being included in the Bible for many reasons. First of all, that Solomon, a man given incredible wisdom from God, struggled with the meaning and purpose of life. Secondly, that God is okay with us struggling with the meaning of life and it\'s apparent meaningless at times. He is okay with us questioning why bad things happen to good people. And perhaps, it this struggle is a necessary part of coming to an understanding of the purpose of our time here on earth.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','Adventures in Ecclesiastes, Part 1: Solomon, the first Existentialist?','','inherit','open','open','','2036-revision-7','','','2011-11-10 09:37:45','2011-11-10 17:37:45','',2036,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2036-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(2060,1,'2011-11-10 09:30:10','2011-11-10 17:30:10','Earlier this year, I divulged to my husband, and a few people in my life, that I’m absolutely terrified of delving deep into the writing of my first book;  one that involves much digging deep within me. Putting the images in black and white for so many to see in their own minds and hearts for themselves learning about the emotional turmoil I experienced growing up, and the healing I’ve been experiencing this past year through addressing this turmoil.\n\nIt’s not easy to dig deep and expose all of my heart. Blogging sure offers a great avenue for keeping my heart exposed “just enough” – but God is calling me to expose every portion of my heart.\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>All of it.</em></p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>All</em> the dark spots that still remain.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>All</em> the scars from the many battles that have been waged on it by so many people in my life (men and women alike).</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>All</em> the tender spots that are ever so slowly healing.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>All</em> along with the healthy and strong parts.</p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_2002\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"216\" caption=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson\"]<a href=\"http://blog.lorijacksonphotography.com\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-2002     \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/guarded-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"216\" height=\"216\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nIn a closed, confined space with people I have developed a deep trust with over the past handful of years – such as in counseling sessions, over coffee with a dear friend, or even in a Celebrate Recovery group, this is easy – but to expose every part of my heart to <em>everyone</em> out there? Now this is painfully frightening; and the fear is not of all of you. The fear is of the potential shame this book may bring to others in my life that I love deeply and dearly. It has me absolutely petrified and stuck in my own skin.\n\nYet, when I read what God is calling out of me through <a title=\"How Christians May Create by Ann Voskamp {http://aholyexperience.com}\" href=\"http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/03/how-christians-create-art-she-speaks-scholarship/\" target=\"_blank\">a post</a> Ann Voskamp put out many months ago, I must admit – I heard God loud and clear, <em>“Marni, start now!”</em>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I immediately cried out, <em>“Oh my gosh!”</em>, took my glasses off and rubbed my face to help the tears stay back inside my eyes – but it did no good, they came, and I let them pour.</p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">My husband looked at me and said, <em>“What’s wrong?”</em></p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">I told him in a hesitant-breathed voice, <em>“I know what I have to do, and this is going to be hard.”</em></p>\nSo here, I\'ve been for many months – little by little –pouring my heart out.\n\nFor so long, my heart has been encased in a very hard shell of shame due to the unspoken messages of disappointment I received from my own parents growing up. Though we are all in a healing stage of our relationship lately, I still have memories cropping up reminding me of the tones of voice, the anger, the frustration, the distancing themselves from me they would exude  whenever I chose to do something that didn’t seem to measure up to what they  agreed with in their lives (for my life). All these things have screamed volumes to me that I who I truly am, is not worth much – though I doubt this was their intention and motive.\n\nMy parents have always been very careful with their word choices – as they never spoke a demeaning word to me, ever – but the unsaid things spoke volumes more than any of the words that were uttered. And thankfully, they have begun to address that this is something that has been passed down throughout the generations…and it needs to stop (primarily my mother).\n\nConcerning my growing through the pain of the past, let me clear, <em>my parents weren’t the only ones who ever did this in my life – many more people have as well – but this is the root of my shame unfortunately.</em> However, God is transforming it into quite the fortunate thing – because I’ve started the journey of healing in the steps toward change as I look on Him despite the fear and pain I’ve been experiencing deep in my belly for quite some time now.\n\nHe’s also transforming it through the reconnection of my parents and myself working through our relationship together in a healthy manner.\n\nNow, let me very, very clear – <em>I don’t blame my parents for one thing</em> that I’ve chosen to do in response to them in the past. I absolutely harbor no resentment toward them. What has been done has been done. What <em>I</em> have embraced for so long, <em>I</em> have embraced. This is my responsibility, and in turn I take full responsibility for fully choosing to release it – because the shame is too painful to hold onto.\n\nHowever, through all this shame, God has revealed a drive – a passion – that I’ve never been lead to before.  To help other women out there realize they are absolutely beautiful creations in Him, and that God didn’t call the woman’s heart to live in shame – He called it to live in freedom.\n\nA woman’s pains can be used as the very medium to reveal His magnificent masterpiece in within them; in turn, He’ll shine so brightly, that it’ll happen [almost by default] that they’ll help other women experience the same thing.\n\nHealing is possible for any woman who has experienced any level, and avenue, of shame in their lives. In order to experience this though, a woman must embrace the shame, recognize it for what it is, take responsibility for the choices one has made to do with it, and then unabashedly hand it over to God without reservation.\n\nLadies, don’t go one more day living in shame. Let your healing begin today, breaking the bonds of shame in Christ’s beautiful, and precious name.','Breaking the Bonds of Shame','','inherit','open','open','','2001-autosave','','','2011-11-10 09:30:10','2011-11-10 17:30:10','',2001,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2001-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(2061,48,'2011-11-10 09:26:59','2011-11-10 17:26:59','There comes a time (or in my case, multiple times) in one\'s life when one has to ask oneself, \"Really, what\'s the point?\" With the ins and outs of life, the monotony of daily routine, boredom, etc., it is easy to wonder if our lives are really all that meaningful. Even armed with a faith in God and knowledge that we have an eternal life after this temporal one here on earth, it can be a struggle to find a true purpose and  meaning in our lives. Existentialism is a philosophical school of thought that struggled with this question: how does the individual create meaning in the face of an apparently meaningless life, all while buffetted by despair, angst, boredom, and the absurdity of life?  Many credit such 19th and 20th century philosophers like Soren Kierkegaard, Gabriel Marcel, Jean-Paul Sarter, Nietzshe with starting Existentialism, but as I read through Ecclesiastes, I find another, much earlier great thinker in the depths of existential despair: Solomon.\n\nQ. Does my life have meaning?\n\nA. Nope, sorry Bucko: “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” (Ecclesiastes 1:2).\n\nQ: Will people remember me or my life’s work when I’m gone?\n\nA: Again, nope! “No one remembers the former generations, and even those yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow them” (Ecclesiastes 1:11).\n\nQ: Am I unique or my contributions to the world unique?\n\nA. Meh, not really: “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! This is something new”?  It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time” (Ecclesiastes 1: 9,10).\n\nWow. I know I feel uplifted. Don’t you?\n\nThroughout the rest of Ecclesiastes, Solomon goes on to say that wisdom, pleasure, folly, toil, promotion, wealth, power, youth and vigor…they are all meaningless. Dang. Solomon must have been having his own life crisis when he was writing this. Although he does give a little shout out to wisdom, in that it’s better than folly. But really, if it’s all meaningless, who cares?\n\nFrom the very beginning of Ecclesiastes, we find Solomon\'s despair at the apparent meaninglessness of it all, where he declares \"all is vanity\" (Eccl. 1:2).  A man works and labors his whole life, but how does it profit him? He will pass away and another will come, and no one will remember him. Nothing that he will do is new or truly ingenious-- for \"there is nothing new under the sun\" (1:9). In fact, Solomon, goes on to say that seeking wisdom, pleasure, riches and treaures, skills and works, and popularity: it is all vanity (see Ecclesiast 2:1-4:16). Solomon, a king with power and riches, who could probably have whatever he desired, decried the meaningless of his life.\n\nSolomon\'s further complaints are similar to the Existential concept of the Absurd. The Absurd is the idea that there is no meaning to be found in the world beyond what meaning we give to it, and it contains the further idea that the world operates in contrast to the karmic way of thinking that bad things don\'t happen to good people. Rather, \"rain falls on the just and the unjust alike\". (scripture reference!!!). As Sololom says,  \"All things come alike to all: One event happens to the righteous and the wicked; to the good, the clean, and the unclean; to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; He who takes and oath as he who fears an oath (9:2).  And further, \"The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of skill, but time and chance happen to them all\" (9:11). Isn\'t this one of the main questions we have: why do good things happen to bad people (and vice versa)?  How is our goodness (or lack there of) meaningful, if it seemingly makes no difference here on earth?\n\nBy the end of Ecclesiastes, I\'m not sure that Solomon has truly worked through his existential crisis.  He does conclude that, regardless of how things may appear in our earthly life: \"Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man\'s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.\" (12:13-14). While our time here on earth is transient and it may may struggle with whether anything we do here has meaning, in the end, there is a God in Heaven who will bring all things into account.\n\nAt first glance, the entirety of Ecclesiastes may seem pretty depressing. Solomon tells us to enjoy the pleasures we have, don\'t work too hard or too little, bad things happen to the good and good things happen to the bad, we all die, and eventually God will bring everything into judgment. But I find comfort in Ecclesiastes being included in the Bible for many reasons. First of all, that Solomon, a man given incredible wisdom from God, struggled with the meaning and purpose of life. Secondly, that God is okay with us struggling with the meaning of life and it\'s apparent meaningless at times. He is okay with us questioning why bad things happen to good people. And perhaps, it this struggle is a necessary part of coming to an understanding of the purpose of our time here on earth.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','Adventures in Ecclesiastes, Part 1: Solomon, the first Existentialist?','','inherit','open','open','','2036-revision-6','','','2011-11-10 09:26:59','2011-11-10 17:26:59','',2036,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2036-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(2062,1,'2011-11-10 09:29:13','2011-11-10 17:29:13','','green_chains','','inherit','open','open','','green_chains','','','2011-11-10 09:29:13','2011-11-10 17:29:13','',2001,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/green_chains.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(2063,1,'2011-11-09 17:59:03','2011-11-10 01:59:03','[caption id=\"attachment_2002\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"216\" caption=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson http://blog.lorijacksonphotography.com\"]<a href=\"http://blog.lorijacksonphotography.com\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-2002    \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/guarded-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Guarded by Lori Jackson\" width=\"216\" height=\"216\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nEarlier this year, I divulged to my husband, and a few people in my life, that I’m absolutely terrified of delving deep into the writing of my first book;  one that involves much digging deep within me. Putting the images in black and white for so many to see in their own minds and hearts for themselves learning about the emotional turmoil I experienced growing up, and the healing I’ve been experiencing this past year through addressing this turmoil.\r\n\r\nIt’s not easy to dig deep and expose all of my heart. Blogging sure offers a great avenue for keeping my heart exposed “just enough” – but God is calling me to expose every portion of my heart.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All of it.</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All</em> the dark spots that still remain.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All</em> the scars from the many battles that have been waged on it by so many people in my life (men and women alike).</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All</em> the tender spots that are ever so slowly healing.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>All</em> along with the healthy and strong parts.</p>\r\nIn a closed, confined space with people I have developed a deep trust with over the past handful of years – such as in counseling sessions, over coffee with a dear friend, or even in a Celebrate Recovery group, this is easy – but to expose every part of my heart to <em>everyone</em> out there? Now this is painfully frightening; and the fear is not of all of you. The fear is of the potential shame this book may bring to others in my life that I love deeply and dearly. It has me absolutely petrified and stuck in my own skin.\r\n\r\nYet, when I read what God is calling out of me through <a title=\"How Christians May Create by Ann Voskamp {http://aholyexperience.com}\" href=\"http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/03/how-christians-create-art-she-speaks-scholarship/\" target=\"_blank\">a post</a> Ann Voskamp put out many months ago, I must admit – I heard God loud and clear, <em>“Marni, start now!”</em>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">I immediately cried out, <em>“Oh my gosh!”</em>, took my glasses off and rubbed my face to help the tears stay back inside my eyes – but it did no good, they came, and I let them pour.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">My husband looked at me and said, <em>“What’s wrong?”</em></p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\">I told him in a hesitant-breathed voice, <em>“I know what I have to do, and this is going to be hard.”</em></p>\r\nSo here, I\'ve been for many months – little by little –pouring my heart out.\r\n\r\nFor so long, my heart has been encased in a very hard shell of shame due to the unspoken messages of disappointment I received from my own parents growing up. Though we are all in a healing stage of our relationship lately, I still have memories cropping up reminding me of the tones of voice, the anger, the frustration, the distancing themselves from me they would exude  whenever I chose to do something that didn’t seem to measure up to what they  agreed with in their lives (for my life). All these things have screamed volumes to me that I who I truly am, is not worth much – though I doubt this was their intention and motive.\r\n\r\nMy parents have always been very careful with their word choices – as they never spoke a demeaning word to me, ever – but the unsaid things spoke volumes more than any of the words that were uttered. And thankfully, they have begun to address that this is something that has been passed down throughout the generations…and it needs to stop (primarily my mother).\r\n\r\nConcerning my growing through the pain of the past, let me clear, <em>my parents weren’t the only ones who ever did this in my life – many more people have as well – but this is the root of my shame unfortunately.</em> However, God is transforming it into quite the fortunate thing – because I’ve started the journey of healing in the steps toward change as I look on Him despite the fear and pain I’ve been experiencing deep in my belly for quite some time now.\r\n\r\nHe’s also transforming it through the reconnection of my parents and myself working through our relationship together in a healthy manner.\r\n\r\nNow, let me very, very clear – <em>I don’t blame my parents for one thing</em> that I’ve chosen to do in response to them in the past. I absolutely harbor no resentment toward them. What has been done has been done. What <em>I</em> have embraced for so long, <em>I</em> have embraced. This is my responsibility, and in turn I take full responsibility for fully choosing to release it – because the shame is too painful to hold onto.\r\n\r\nHowever, through all this shame, God has revealed a drive – a passion – that I’ve never been lead to before.  To help other women out there realize they are absolutely beautiful creations in Him, and that God didn’t call the woman’s heart to live in shame – He called it to live in freedom.\r\n\r\nA woman’s pains can be used as the very medium to reveal His magnificent masterpiece in within them; in turn, He’ll shine so brightly, that it’ll happen [almost by default] that they’ll help other women experience the same thing.\r\n\r\nHealing is possible for any woman who has experienced any level, and avenue, of shame in their lives. In order to experience this though, a woman must embrace the shame, recognize it for what it is, take responsibility for the choices one has made to do with it, and then unabashedly hand it over to God without reservation.\r\n\r\nLadies, don’t go one more day living in shame. Let your healing begin today, breaking the bonds of shame in Christ’s beautiful, and precious name.','Breaking the Bonds of Shame','','inherit','open','open','','2001-revision-19','','','2011-11-09 17:59:03','2011-11-10 01:59:03','',2001,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/2001-revision-19/',0,'revision','',0),(2064,1,'2011-11-10 00:47:06','2011-11-10 08:47:06','We\'ve all been shocked at the events at Penn State. It\'s been a horrific thing that has happened. There\'s no way around that.\r\n\r\nI\'ve been listening to sports radio. There is plenty of blame to go around. There is no telling when the dust will settle. The victims of this crime, I pray, will find some peace eventually.\r\n\r\nA few days after the news broke, students from Penn State gathered around Joe Paterno\'s house. He is the head coach of Penn State. He has been the head coach of Penn State for 44 seasons and students had shown up in support. Sports analysts were critical of the event.\r\n\r\nThe board of trustees fired him and he and his wife came to the door to speak to the media. He and his wife came to the door to speak to the media. His elderly wife was in a pink nightgown. He said a few words then went back inside.\r\n\r\nA man who had coached longer than any other, then made a horrific, awful error. Gone.\r\n\r\nHis loyal fans will remember his legacy, but in the back of their minds, the stain of the scandal will remain. The world will always remember. It is an important reminder.\r\n\r\nWhen we were growing up, we put posters up on our wall of our heroes. They may have been athletes, rock stars, actors or family members. To all of us, they were untouchable. We idolized them. We wanted to be like them. They were more than human. We placed them on our own personal pedestal. They were our heroes.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/mj1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-2028\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/mj1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a>There\'s something about heroes, though. They\'re human. We find out as we grow. They\'re fallible. They\'re flesh and blood like us. In my era, most kids had a Michael Jordan poster. As he aged, he got weaker. He was accused of gambling problems. He was human like the rest of us.\r\n\r\nOur heroes are great because we want them to be great. We need them to be great. We need something to aspire to. But we eventually learn that they are like us. They are flesh and blood. They hurt, they are weak, they are human, like us. We find out that we don\'t really know them like we thought we did - and we find disappointment.\r\n\r\nWe see men like Joe Paterno coming to the door with his wife in her pink nightgown without any real answers. The crowd cheers, trying to make up for his weakness.  They want him to be great at that moment, but he is weak. Like the rest of us.\r\n\r\nLeadership is a difficult thing. Heroes are what we make them to be in our mind. They are no greater than the rest of us because they are human. Maybe the greatest attribute we can assign to our heroes is their humanness - and the ability to be just like we are. Our hope is that each of us is as great as our heroes, with something to offer the rest of the world.','Joe Paterno and Heroes','','inherit','open','open','','2025-revision-2','','','2011-11-10 00:47:06','2011-11-10 08:47:06','',2025,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2025-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(2065,1,'2011-11-10 09:31:43','2011-11-10 17:31:43','We\'ve all been shocked at the events at Penn State. It\'s been a horrific thing that has happened. There\'s no way around that.\r\n\r\nI\'ve been listening to sports radio. There is plenty of blame to go around. There is no telling when the dust will settle. The victims of this crime, I pray, will find some peace eventually.\r\n\r\nA few days after the news broke, students from Penn State gathered around Joe Paterno\'s house. He is the head coach of Penn State. He has been the head coach of Penn State for 44 seasons and students had shown up in support. Sports analysts were critical of the event.\r\n\r\nThe board of trustees fired him and he and his wife came to the door to speak to the media. He and his wife came to the door to speak to the media. His elderly wife was in a pink nightgown. He said a few words then went back inside.\r\n\r\nA man who had coached longer than any other, then made a horrific, awful error. Gone.\r\n\r\nHis loyal fans will remember his legacy, but in the back of their minds, the stain of the scandal will remain. The world will always remember. It is an important reminder.\r\n\r\nWhen we were growing up, we put posters up on our wall of our heroes. They may have been athletes, rock stars, actors or family members. To all of us, they were untouchable. We idolized them. We wanted to be like them. They were more than human. We placed them on our own personal pedestal. They were our heroes.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/mj1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-2028\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/mj1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a>There\'s something about heroes, though. They\'re human. We find out as we grow. They\'re fallible. They\'re flesh and blood like us. In my era, most kids had a Michael Jordan poster. As he aged, he got weaker. He was accused of gambling problems. He was human like the rest of us.\r\n\r\nOur heroes are great because we want them to be great. We need them to be great. We need something to aspire to. But we eventually learn that they are like us. They are flesh and blood. They hurt, they are weak, they are human, like us. We find out that we don\'t really know them like we thought we did - and we find disappointment.\r\n\r\nWe see men like Joe Paterno coming to the door with his wife in her pink nightgown without any real answers. The crowd cheers, trying to make up for his weakness.  They want him to be great at that moment, but he is weak. Like the rest of us.\r\n\r\nLeadership is a difficult thing. Heroes are what we make them to be in our mind. They are no greater than the rest of us because they are human. Maybe the greatest attribute we can assign to our heroes is their humanness - and the ability to be just like we are. Our hope is that each of us is as great as our heroes, with something to offer the rest of the world.','Joe Paterno and Heroes','','inherit','open','open','','2025-revision-3','','','2011-11-10 09:31:43','2011-11-10 17:31:43','',2025,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2025-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(2068,1,'2011-11-10 09:43:03','2011-11-10 17:43:03','','Ally Spotts','','publish','open','open','','ally-spotts','','','2012-12-18 12:55:08','2012-12-18 20:55:08','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=2068',59,'nav_menu_item','',0),(2070,48,'2011-11-10 09:53:35','2011-11-10 17:53:35','There comes a time (or in my case, multiple times) in one\'s life when one has to ask oneself, \"Really, what\'s the point?\" With the ins and outs of life, the monotony of daily routine, boredom, etc., it is easy to wonder if our lives are really all that meaningful. Even armed with a faith in God and knowledge that we have an eternal life after this temporal one on earth, it can be a struggle to find a true purpose and  meaning in our lives. This struggle to find meaning in a seemingly meaningless life, all while buffeted by despair, angst, boredom, and the absurdity of life is the focus of Existentialism, a philosophical school of thought. Many credit such 19th and 20th century philosophers as Soren Kierkegaard, Gabriel Marcel, Jean-Paul Sarter, and Nietzshe with starting Existentialism, but as I read through Ecclesiastes, I find another, much earlier great-thinker in the depths of an existential crisis: Solomon.\n\nFrom the very beginning of Ecclesiastes, we find Solomon despairing at the apparent meaninglessness of it all, declaring,\"“Meaningless! Meaningless!...Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). He decries that a man diligently develop his life\'s work, but it will profit him none; he will pass away and another will take his place, and no one will remember him: <strong>\"</strong>There is no remembrance of the former things, nor will be any remembrance of things that are to come by those who will come after\" (1:11). Furthermore, neither he nor his contributions to the world are unique: “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! This is something new”?  It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time” (Ecclesiastes 1: 9,10). In fact, Solomon, goes on to say that wisdom, pleasure, riches and treasures, skills, popularity, and youth are all utterly meaningless. Solomon, a king with power and riches, who could probably have whatever he desired, struggled to find any meaning in his life.\n\nBut wait, it gets better.\n\nNot only is it meaningless, but it also doesn\'t matter if you try to do the right thing, because, \"All things come alike to all: One event happens to the righteous and the wicked; to the good, the clean, and the unclean; to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; He who takes and oath as he who fears an oath (9:2). Solomon\'s further complaints are similar to the Existential concept of the Absurd. The Absurd is the idea that there is no meaning to be found in the world beyond what meaning we give to it, and it contains the further idea that the world operates in contrast to the karmic way of thinking that bad things don\'t happen to good people. Rather, \"the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of skill, but time and chance happen to them all\" (9:11). It shouldn\'t surprise us that people struggle with the question of why good things happen to bad people (and vice versa), for even Solomon wondered at it and struggled with how our goodness (or lack there of) can be meaningful, if it seems makes no difference here on earth?\n\nBy the end of Ecclesiastes, I\'m not sure that Solomon has truly worked through his existential crisis.  He does conclude that, regardless of how things may appear in our earthly life: \"Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man\'s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.\" (12:13-14). While our time here on earth is transient and it may may struggle with whether anything we do here has meaning, in the end, there is a God in Heaven who will bring all things into account.\n\nAt first glance, the entirety of Ecclesiastes may seem pretty depressing. Solomon tells us to enjoy the pleasures we have, don\'t work too hard or too little, bad things happen to the good and good things happen to the bad, we all die, and eventually God will bring everything into judgment. But I find comfort in Ecclesiastes being included in the Bible for many reasons. First of all, that Solomon, a man given incredible wisdom from God, struggled with the meaning and purpose of life. Secondly, that God is okay with us struggling with the meaning of life and it\'s apparent meaningless at times. He is okay with us questioning why bad things happen to good people. And perhaps, it this struggle is a necessary part of coming to an understanding of the purpose of our time here on earth.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','Adventures in Ecclesiastes, Part 1: Solomon, the first Existentialist? ','','inherit','open','open','','2036-revision-9','','','2011-11-10 09:53:35','2011-11-10 17:53:35','',2036,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2036-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(2075,48,'2011-11-10 09:53:45','2011-11-10 17:53:45','There comes a time (or in my case, multiple times) in one\'s life when one has to ask oneself, \"Really, what\'s the point?\" With the ins and outs of life, the monotony of daily routine, boredom, etc., it is easy to wonder if our lives are really all that meaningful. Even armed with a faith in God and knowledge that we have an eternal life after this temporal one on earth, it can be a struggle to find a true purpose and  meaning in our lives. This struggle to find meaning in a seemingly meaningless life, all while buffeted by despair, angst, boredom, and the absurdity of life is the focus of Existentialism, a philosophical school of thought. Many credit such 19th and 20th century philosophers as Soren Kierkegaard, Gabriel Marcel, Jean-Paul Sarter, and Nietzshe with starting Existentialism, but as I read through Ecclesiastes, I find another, much earlier great-thinker in the depths of an existential crisis: Solomon.\r\n\r\nFrom the very beginning of Ecclesiastes, we find Solomon despairing at the apparent meaninglessness of it all, declaring,\"“Meaningless! Meaningless!...Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). He decries that a man diligently develop his life\'s work, but it will profit him none; he will pass away and another will take his place, and no one will remember him: <strong>\"</strong>There is no remembrance of the former things, nor will be any remembrance of things that are to come by those who will come after\" (1:11). Furthermore, neither he nor his contributions to the world are unique: “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! This is something new”?  It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time” (Ecclesiastes 1: 9,10). In fact, Solomon, goes on to say that wisdom, pleasure, riches and treasures, skills, popularity, and youth are all utterly meaningless. Solomon, a king with power and riches, who could probably have whatever he desired, struggled to find any meaning in his life.\r\n\r\nBut wait, it gets better.\r\n\r\nNot only is it meaningless, but it also doesn\'t matter if you try to do the right thing, because, \"All things come alike to all: One event happens to the righteous and the wicked; to the good, the clean, and the unclean; to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; He who takes and oath as he who fears an oath (9:2). Solomon\'s further complaints are similar to the Existential concept of the Absurd. The Absurd is the idea that there is no meaning to be found in the world beyond what meaning we give to it, and it contains the further idea that the world operates in contrast to the karmic way of thinking that bad things don\'t happen to good people. Rather, \"the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of skill, but time and chance happen to them all\" (9:11). It shouldn\'t surprise us that people struggle with the question of why good things happen to bad people (and vice versa), for even Solomon wondered at it and struggled with how our goodness (or lack there of) can be meaningful, if it seems makes no difference here on earth?\r\n\r\nBy the end of Ecclesiastes, I\'m not sure that Solomon has truly worked through his existential crisis.  He does conclude that, regardless of how things may appear in our earthly life: \"Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man\'s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.\" (12:13-14). While our time here on earth is transient and it may may struggle with whether anything we do here has meaning, in the end, there is a God in Heaven who will bring all things into account.\r\n\r\nAt first glance, the entirety of Ecclesiastes may seem pretty depressing. Solomon tells us to enjoy the pleasures we have, don\'t work too hard or too little, bad things happen to the good and good things happen to the bad, we all die, and eventually God will bring everything into judgment. But I find comfort in Ecclesiastes being included in the Bible for many reasons. First of all, that Solomon, a man given incredible wisdom from God, struggled with the meaning and purpose of life. Secondly, that God is okay with us struggling with the meaning of life and it\'s apparent meaningless at times. He is okay with us questioning why bad things happen to good people. And perhaps, it this struggle is a necessary part of coming to an understanding of the purpose of our time here on earth.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Adventures in Ecclesiastes, Part 1: Finding the Meaning in it All','','inherit','open','open','','2036-revision-10','','','2011-11-10 09:53:45','2011-11-10 17:53:45','',2036,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2036-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(2077,1,'2011-11-10 12:06:49','2011-11-10 20:06:49','A six-part series exploring sex before marriage by Ally Spotts, author of <a href=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/asking-all-the-wrong-questions\" target=\"_blank\">Asking All The Wrong Questions</a>.\n\nWhy Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage: Questions\n\nWhy Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage:\n\nWhy Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage:\n\nWhy Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage:\n\nWhy Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage:\n\nWhy Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage:','Why Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage','','inherit','open','open','','2076-revision','','','2011-11-10 12:06:49','2011-11-10 20:06:49','',2076,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2076-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(2078,1,'2011-11-10 12:12:24','2011-11-10 20:12:24','A six-part series exploring sex before marriage by Ally Spotts, author of <a href=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/asking-all-the-wrong-questions\" target=\"_blank\">Asking All The Wrong Questions</a>.\n\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/why-are-christians-saving-sex-for-marriage-part-1/\">Why Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage: Part 1 - Questions</a>\n\nWhy Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage: Part 2 - Trust\n\nWhy Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage: Part 3 - Friends\n\nWhy Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage: Part 4 - Happiness\n\nWhy Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage: Part 5 - Value\n\nWhy Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage: Part 6 - Lust','Why Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage','','inherit','open','open','','2076-revision-2','','','2011-11-10 12:12:24','2011-11-10 20:12:24','',2076,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2076-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(2079,1,'2011-11-10 12:12:39','2011-11-10 20:12:39','A six-part series exploring sex before marriage by Ally Spotts, author of <a href=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/asking-all-the-wrong-questions\" target=\"_blank\">Asking All The Wrong Questions</a>.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/why-are-christians-saving-sex-for-marriage-part-1/\">Why Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage: Part 1 - Questions</a>\r\n\r\nWhy Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage: Part 2 - Trust\r\n\r\nWhy Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage: Part 3 - Friends\r\n\r\nWhy Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage: Part 4 - Happiness\r\n\r\nWhy Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage: Part 5 - Value\r\n\r\nWhy Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage: Part 6 - Lust','Why Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage','','inherit','open','open','','2076-revision-3','','','2011-11-10 12:12:39','2011-11-10 20:12:39','',2076,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2076-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(2080,1,'2011-11-11 11:36:26','2011-11-11 19:36:26','A six-part series exploring sex before marriage by Ally Spotts, author of <em><a href=\"http://www.allyspotts.com/asking-all-the-wrong-questions\" target=\"_blank\">Asking All The Wrong Questions</a></em>.\n\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2011/11/09/why-are-christians-saving-sex-for-marriage-part-1/\">Why Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage: Part 1 - Questions</a>\n\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/2011/11/11/why-are-christians-saving-sex-for-marriage-part-2/\">Why Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage: Part 2 - Trust</a>\n\nWhy Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage: Part 3 - Friends\n\nWhy Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage: Part 4 - Happiness\n\nWhy Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage: Part 5 - Value\n\nWhy Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage: Part 6 - Lust','Why Are Christians Saving Sex For Marriage','','inherit','open','open','','2076-autosave','','','2011-11-11 11:36:26','2011-11-11 19:36:26','',2076,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2076-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(2858,1,'2011-12-01 14:53:29','2011-12-01 22:53:29','[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMLZO-sObzQ[/youtube]\n\nThe is not a new video but it is a profound one. Zach Wahls, a 19-year-old University of Iowa student, was raised by two gay, married women and spoke out about the issue to the Iowa House of Representatives. The House was proposing Joint Resolution 6 which would end civil unions in Iowa.\n\nWhat strikes me about this video is not just his character, but the strength of which he makes his argument: the dignity of each human being and the commitment to family and marriage.  Regardless of your belief on the issue, one way or the other, it speaks to the profound commitment necessary for human beings to stay committed.\n\nWell done Zach.','Zach Wahls Speaks On Gay Marriage','','inherit','open','open','','2855-autosave','','','2011-12-01 14:53:29','2011-12-01 22:53:29','',2855,'http://provoketive.com/2011/12/01/2855-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(2082,35,'2011-11-14 08:00:27','2011-11-14 16:00:27','At the end of the first session with my therapist, he wrote on a yellow sticky-note and gave it to me.  “Put this on your refrigerator.”   It said, “I’m doing the best I can.  That’s good enough.”  “Bullshit,” I said.  “I’m doing the best I can, and it’s never good enough.”  “Bullshit,” God said.  “You might as well accept it.  It’s the way it is, for now.”\r\n\r\nWhat?  My best today sucks, because I don’t care enough to change anything.  I have a vision of making great strides to improve my behavior so I’m not self-defeating.  But today, I’m not taking good care of myself, and I know it.  Why would I do that?  Because I’m not ready to change.  I’m unable to do what it takes to alter my self-destructive actions and set myself free.  Isn’t that what God does for us?  Yes and no.  If I don’t cooperate, God won’t eclipse my will until I’m ready to help myself.  Today I’m thinking about treating myself better, living without blatant pain, letting myself go into the wonderful potential I know I have, but can’t claim yet.  God sits with me in my uncomfortable mess, waiting for me as long as it takes until I choose to move on.  I hope that day comes soon, but until then, I am a:\r\n\r\n<strong>Brown Leaf Down</strong>\r\n\r\nClear.  Cold.  Numb.\r\nUnable to stuff enough colored leaves\r\ninto my fallen heart\r\nto fill the shadows with light\r\nso I might probe my way out of here.\r\n\r\nI’m at war with myself –\r\nboth the Good Guy and Bad,\r\nkilling the victor with guilt and pain\r\nbecause what I want\r\nis diametrically opposed\r\nto the freedom that waits for me.\r\n\r\nWhy do I try so hard to screw things up?\r\nWhat do I gain by gouging\r\nmy self-esteem into harmful behavior,\r\nnegative reinforcement of the lies\r\nI know aren’t true?\r\nIt’s not like I have my head up my ass.\r\nI know what I’m doing –\r\nsabotaging success at grasping freedom\r\nand claiming it for me.\r\nAs me.\r\nLiving out my true identity\r\nof Precious, Honored, True\r\ninstead of treating myself like shit.\r\n\r\nAnd you won’t do this for me, God.\r\nThat’s not your responsibility.\r\nAsking for your help isn’t enough\r\nif I don’t take your advice.\r\n\r\nPlease help me help myself to liberation.\r\nI’m stuck in the muck\r\nof my own making.\r\nMake a way for me.\r\nTake away my resistance\r\nto love myself,\r\nand please come looking for me.\r\nI’m the brown leaf\r\ndown on the ground.','My Worst Best','','publish','open','open','','my-worst-best','','','2011-11-12 10:26:27','2011-11-12 18:26:27','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=2082',0,'post','',2),(2083,35,'2011-11-10 13:33:51','2011-11-10 21:33:51','','brown leaf','','inherit','open','open','','brown-leaf','','','2011-11-10 13:33:51','2011-11-10 21:33:51','',2082,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/brown-leaf.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2084,35,'2011-11-10 13:30:36','2011-11-10 21:30:36','','Auto Draft','','inherit','open','open','','2082-revision','','','2011-11-10 13:30:36','2011-11-10 21:30:36','',2082,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2082-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(2202,0,'2011-11-12 10:02:32','2011-11-12 18:02:32','Faith and Culture.\n<!--more-->\nAUTHOR: Helen Ann Luther\nAUTHOR EMAIL: dinahcal@yahoo.com\nAUTHOR URL: http://www.lightbygrace.com\nSUBJECT: Provoketive Magazine Writing For Provoketive\nIP: 96.11.219.134\nArray\n(\n    [Name] =&gt; Helen Ann Luther\n    [Email] =&gt; dinahcal@yahoo.com\n    [Existing Blog or Website] =&gt; www.lightbygrace.com\n    [List the topic you are interested writing about] =&gt; Faith and Culture.\n    [Current or New WordPress Login Name (We\'ll send you a password.)] =&gt; lightbygrace\n)\n','Helen Ann Luther - 2011-11-12 10:02:32','','publish','open','open','','eda6842c36d9d699a5a5581569006a1a','','','2011-11-12 10:02:32','2011-11-12 18:02:32','',358,'http://provoketive.com/?post_type=feedback&p=2202',0,'feedback','',0),(2203,1,'2011-11-12 08:09:36','2011-11-12 16:09:36','At the end of the first session with my therapist, he wrote on a yellow sticky-note and gave it to me.  “Put this on your refrigerator.”   It said, “I’m doing the best I can.  That’s good enough.”  “Bullshit,” I said.  “I’m doing the best I can, and it’s never good enough.”  “Bullshit,” God said.  “You might as well accept it.  It’s the way it is, for now.”\r\n\r\nWhat?  My best today sucks, because I don’t care enough to change anything.  I have a vision of making great strides to improve my behavior so I’m not self-defeating.  But today, I’m not taking good care of myself, and I know it.  Why would I do that?  Because I’m not ready to change.  I’m unable to do what it takes to alter my self-destructive actions and set myself free.  Isn’t that what God does for us?  Yes and no.  If I don’t cooperate, God won’t eclipse my will until I’m ready to help myself.  Today I’m thinking about treating myself better, living without blatant pain, letting myself go into the wonderful potential I know I have, but can’t claim yet.  God sits with me in my uncomfortable mess, waiting for me as long as it takes until I choose to move on.  I hope that day comes soon, but until then, I am a:\r\n\r\n<strong>Brown Leaf Down</strong>\r\n\r\nClear.  Cold.  Numb.\r\nUnable to stuff enough colored leaves\r\ninto my fallen heart\r\nto fill the shadows with light\r\nso I might probe my way out of here.\r\n\r\nI’m at war with myself –\r\nboth the Good Guy and Bad,\r\nkilling the victor with guilt and pain\r\nbecause what I want\r\nis diametrically opposed\r\nto the freedom that waits for me.\r\n\r\nWhy do I try so hard to screw things up?\r\nWhat do I gain by gouging\r\nmy self-esteem into harmful behavior,\r\nnegative reinforcement of the lies\r\nI know aren’t true?\r\nIt’s not like I have my head up my ass.\r\nI know what I’m doing –\r\nsabotaging success at grasping freedom\r\nand claiming it for me.\r\nAs me.\r\nLiving out my true identity\r\nof Precious, Honored, True\r\ninstead of treating myself like shit.\r\n\r\nAnd you won’t do this for me, God.\r\nThat’s not your responsibility.\r\nAsking for your help isn’t enough\r\nif I don’t take your advice.\r\n\r\nPlease help me help myself to liberation.\r\nI’m stuck in the muck\r\nof my own making.\r\nMake a way for me.\r\nTake away my resistance\r\nto love myself,\r\nand please come looking for me.\r\nI’m the brown leaf\r\ndown on the ground.','My Worst Best','','inherit','open','open','','2082-revision-6','','','2011-11-12 08:09:36','2011-11-12 16:09:36','',2082,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/12/2082-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(2088,35,'2011-11-10 13:43:27','2011-11-10 21:43:27','<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">At the end of the first session with my therapist, he wrote on a yellow sticky-note and gave it to me.  “Put this on your refrigerator.”   It said, “I’m doing the best I can.  That’s good enough.”  “Bullshit,” I said.  “I’m doing the best I can, and it’s never good enough.”  “Bullshit,” God said.  “You might as well accept it.  It’s the way it is, for now.”</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">What?  My best today sucks, because I don’t care enough to change anything.  I have a vision of making great strides to improve my behavior so I’m not self-defeating.  But today, I’m not taking good care of myself, and I know it.  Why would I do that?  Because I’m not ready to change.  I’m unable to do what it takes to alter my self-destructive actions and set myself free.  Isn’t that what God does for us?  Yes and no.  If I don’t cooperate, God won’t eclipse my will until I’m ready to help myself.  Today I’m thinking about treating myself better, living without blatant pain, letting myself go into the wonderful potential I know I have, but can’t claim yet.  God sits with me in my uncomfortable mess, waiting for me as long as it takes until I choose to move on.  I hope that day comes soon, but until then, I am a</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Brown Leaf Down</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Clear.  Cold.  Numb.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Unable to stuff enough colored leaves</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">into my fallen heart</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">to fill the shadows with light</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">so I might probe my way out of here.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">I’m at war with myself – </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">both the Good Guy and Bad,</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">killing the victor with guilt and pain</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">because what I want</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">is diametrically opposed</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">to the freedom that waits for me.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Why do I try so hard to screw things up?</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">What do I gain by gouging</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">my self-esteem into harmful behavior,</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">negative reinforcement of the lies</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">I know aren’t true?</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">It’s not like I have my head up my ass.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">I know what I’m doing – </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">sabotaging success at grasping freedom</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">and claiming it for me.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">As me.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Living out my true identity</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">of Precious, Honored, True</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">instead of treating myself like shit.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">And you won’t do this for me, God.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">That’s not your responsibility.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Asking for your help isn’t enough</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">if I don’t take your advice.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Please help me help myself to liberation.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">I’m stuck in the muck</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">of my own making.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Make a way for me.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Take away my resistance</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">to love myself,</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">and please come looking for me.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">I’m the brown leaf</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">down on the ground.</span>','My Worst Best','','inherit','open','open','','2082-revision-4','','','2011-11-10 13:43:27','2011-11-10 21:43:27','',2082,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2082-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(2085,1,'2011-11-12 08:10:41','2011-11-12 16:10:41','At the end of the first session with my therapist, he wrote on a yellow sticky-note and gave it to me.  “Put this on your refrigerator.”   It said, “I’m doing the best I can.  That’s good enough.”  “Bullshit,” I said.  “I’m doing the best I can, and it’s never good enough.”  “Bullshit,” God said.  “You might as well accept it.  It’s the way it is, for now.”\n\nWhat?  My best today sucks, because I don’t care enough to change anything.  I have a vision of making great strides to improve my behavior so I’m not self-defeating.  But today, I’m not taking good care of myself, and I know it.  Why would I do that?  Because I’m not ready to change.  I’m unable to do what it takes to alter my self-destructive actions and set myself free.  Isn’t that what God does for us?  Yes and no.  If I don’t cooperate, God won’t eclipse my will until I’m ready to help myself.  Today I’m thinking about treating myself better, living without blatant pain, letting myself go into the wonderful potential I know I have, but can’t claim yet.  God sits with me in my uncomfortable mess, waiting for me as long as it takes until I choose to move on.  I hope that day comes soon, but until then, I am a:\n\n<strong>Brown Leaf Down</strong>\n\nClear.  Cold.  Numb.\nUnable to stuff enough colored leaves\ninto my fallen heart\nto fill the shadows with light\nso I might probe my way out of here.\n\nI’m at war with myself –\nboth the Good Guy and Bad,\nkilling the victor with guilt and pain\nbecause what I want\nis diametrically opposed\nto the freedom that waits for me.\n\nWhy do I try so hard to screw things up?\nWhat do I gain by gouging\nmy self-esteem into harmful behavior,\nnegative reinforcement of the lies\nI know aren’t true?\nIt’s not like I have my head up my ass.\nI know what I’m doing –\nsabotaging success at grasping freedom\nand claiming it for me.\nAs me.\nLiving out my true identity\nof Precious, Honored, True\ninstead of treating myself like shit.\n\nAnd you won’t do this for me, God.\nThat’s not your responsibility.\nAsking for your help isn’t enough\nif I don’t take your advice.\n\nPlease help me help myself to liberation.\nI’m stuck in the muck\nof my own making.\nMake a way for me.\nTake away my resistance\nto love myself,\nand please come looking for me.\nI’m the brown leaf\ndown on the ground.','My Worst Best','','inherit','open','open','','2082-autosave','','','2011-11-12 08:10:41','2011-11-12 16:10:41','',2082,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2082-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(2201,1,'2011-11-10 13:45:00','2011-11-10 21:45:00','<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">At the end of the first session with my therapist, he wrote on a yellow sticky-note and gave it to me.  “Put this on your refrigerator.”   It said, “I’m doing the best I can.  That’s good enough.”  “Bullshit,” I said.  “I’m doing the best I can, and it’s never good enough.”  “Bullshit,” God said.  “You might as well accept it.  It’s the way it is, for now.”</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">What?  My best today sucks, because I don’t care enough to change anything.  I have a vision of making great strides to improve my behavior so I’m not self-defeating.  But today, I’m not taking good care of myself, and I know it.  Why would I do that?  Because I’m not ready to change.  I’m unable to do what it takes to alter my self-destructive actions and set myself free.  Isn’t that what God does for us?  Yes and no.  If I don’t cooperate, God won’t eclipse my will until I’m ready to help myself.  Today I’m thinking about treating myself better, living without blatant pain, letting myself go into the wonderful potential I know I have, but can’t claim yet.  God sits with me in my uncomfortable mess, waiting for me as long as it takes until I choose to move on.  I hope that day comes soon, but until then, I am a</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Brown Leaf Down</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Clear.  Cold.  Numb.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Unable to stuff enough colored leaves</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">into my fallen heart</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">to fill the shadows with light</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">so I might probe my way out of here.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">I’m at war with myself – </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">both the Good Guy and Bad,</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">killing the victor with guilt and pain</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">because what I want</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">is diametrically opposed</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">to the freedom that waits for me.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Why do I try so hard to screw things up?</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">What do I gain by gouging</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">my self-esteem into harmful behavior,</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">negative reinforcement of the lies</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">I know aren’t true?</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">It’s not like I have my head up my ass.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">I know what I’m doing – </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">sabotaging success at grasping freedom</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">and claiming it for me.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">As me.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Living out my true identity</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">of Precious, Honored, True</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">instead of treating myself like shit.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">And you won’t do this for me, God.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">That’s not your responsibility.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Asking for your help isn’t enough</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">if I don’t take your advice.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Please help me help myself to liberation.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">I’m stuck in the muck</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">of my own making.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Make a way for me.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Take away my resistance</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">to love myself,</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">and please come looking for me.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">I’m the brown leaf</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">down on the ground.</span>','My Worst Best','','inherit','open','open','','2082-revision-5','','','2011-11-10 13:45:00','2011-11-10 21:45:00','',2082,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2082-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(2087,35,'2011-11-10 13:41:48','2011-11-10 21:41:48','<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">My Worst Best</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">At the end of the first session with my therapist, he wrote on a yellow sticky-note and gave it to me.  “Put this on your refrigerator.”   It said, “I’m doing the best I can.  That’s good enough.”  “Bullshit,” I said.  “I’m doing the best I can, and it’s never good enough.”  “Bullshit,” God said.  “You might as well accept it.  It’s the way it is, for now.”</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">What?  My best today sucks, because I don’t care enough to change anything.  I have a vision of making great strides to improve my behavior so I’m not self-defeating.  But today, I’m not taking good care of myself, and I know it.  Why would I do that?  Because I’m not ready to change.  I’m unable to do what it takes to alter my self-destructive actions and set myself free.  Isn’t that what God does for us?  Yes and no.  If I don’t cooperate, God won’t eclipse my will until I’m ready to help myself.  Today I’m thinking about treating myself better, living without blatant pain, letting myself go into the wonderful potential I know I have, but can’t claim yet.  God sits with me in my uncomfortable mess, waiting for me as long as it takes until I choose to move on.  I hope that day comes soon, but until then, I am a</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Brown Leaf Down</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Clear.  Cold.  Numb.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Unable to stuff enough colored leaves</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">into my fallen heart</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">to fill the shadows with light</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">so I might probe my way out of here.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">I’m at war with myself – </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">both the Good Guy and Bad,</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">killing the victor with guilt and pain</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">because what I want</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">is diametrically opposed</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">to the freedom that waits for me.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Why do I try so hard to screw things up?</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">What do I gain by gouging</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">my self-esteem into harmful behavior,</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">negative reinforcement of the lies</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">I know aren’t true?</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">It’s not like I have my head up my ass.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">I know what I’m doing – </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">sabotaging success at grasping freedom</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">and claiming it for me.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">As me.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Living out my true identity</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">of Precious, Honored, True</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">instead of treating myself like shit.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">And you won’t do this for me, God.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">That’s not your responsibility.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Asking for your help isn’t enough</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">if I don’t take your advice.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Please help me help myself to liberation.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">I’m stuck in the muck</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">of my own making.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Make a way for me.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Take away my resistance</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">to love myself,</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">and please come looking for me.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">I’m the brown leaf</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">down on the ground.</span>','','','inherit','open','open','','2082-revision-3','','','2011-11-10 13:41:48','2011-11-10 21:41:48','',2082,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2082-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(2086,35,'2011-11-10 13:34:28','2011-11-10 21:34:28','<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">My Worst Best</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">At the end of the first session with my therapist, he wrote on a yellow sticky-note and gave it to me.  “Put this on your refrigerator.”   It said, “I’m doing the best I can.  That’s good enough.”  “Bullshit,” I said.  “I’m doing the best I can, and it’s never good enough.”  “Bullshit,” God said.  “You might as well accept it.  It’s the way it is, for now.”</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">What?  My best today sucks, because I don’t care enough to change anything.  I have a vision of making great strides to improve my behavior so I’m not self-defeating.  But today, I’m not taking good care of myself, and I know it.  Why would I do that?  Because I’m not ready to change.  I’m unable to do what it takes to alter my self-destructive actions and set myself free.  Isn’t that what God does for us?  Yes and no.  If I don’t cooperate, God won’t eclipse my will until I’m ready to help myself.  Today I’m thinking about treating myself better, living without blatant pain, letting myself go into the wonderful potential I know I have, but can’t claim yet.  God sits with me in my uncomfortable mess, waiting for me as long as it takes until I choose to move on.  I hope that day comes soon, but until then, I am a</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Brown Leaf Down</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Clear.  Cold.  Numb.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Unable to stuff enough colored leaves</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">into my fallen heart</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">to fill the shadows with light</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">so I might probe my way out of here.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">I’m at war with myself – </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">both the Good Guy and Bad,</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">killing the victor with guilt and pain</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">because what I want</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">is diametrically opposed</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">to the freedom that waits for me.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Why do I try so hard to screw things up?</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">What do I gain by gouging</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">my self-esteem into harmful behavior,</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">negative reinforcement of the lies</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">I know aren’t true?</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">It’s not like I have my head up my ass.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">I know what I’m doing – </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">sabotaging success at grasping freedom</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">and claiming it for me.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">As me.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Living out my true identity</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">of Precious, Honored, True</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">instead of treating myself like shit.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">And you won’t do this for me, God.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">That’s not your responsibility.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Asking for your help isn’t enough</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">if I don’t take your advice.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Please help me help myself to liberation.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">I’m stuck in the muck</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">of my own making.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Make a way for me.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">Take away my resistance</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">to love myself,</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">and please come looking for me.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">I’m the brown leaf</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Calibri;font-size: small\">down on the ground.</span>','','','inherit','open','open','','2082-revision-2','','','2011-11-10 13:34:28','2011-11-10 21:34:28','',2082,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2082-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(2855,1,'2011-12-01 14:48:56','2011-12-01 22:48:56','[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMLZO-sObzQ[/youtube]\r\n\r\nThe is not a new video but it is a profound one. Zach Wahls, a 19-year-old University of Iowa student, was raised by two gay, married women and spoke out about the issue to the Iowa House of Representatives. The House was proposing Joint Resolution 6 which would end civil unions in Iowa.\r\n\r\nWhat strikes me about this video is not just his character, but the strength of which he makes his argument: the dignity of each human being and the commitment to family and marriage.  Regardless of your belief on the issue, one way or the other, it speaks to the profound commitment necessary for human beings to stay committed.\r\n\r\nWell done Zach.','Zach Wahls Speaks On Gay Marriage','','publish','open','open','','zach-wahls-speaks-on-gay-marriage','','','2011-12-01 14:48:59','2011-12-01 22:48:59','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=2855',0,'post','',1),(2090,100,'2011-11-10 17:04:43','2011-11-11 01:04:43','[caption id=\"attachment_2091\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"174\" caption=\"Stephen Burke\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/stephen-burke-300x400.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-2091 \" title=\"stephen-burke\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/stephen-burke-300x400-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"174\" height=\"232\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSomething Beautiful Episode 4.34\r\n\r\nThis week on the something beautiful podcast we talk with Stephen Burke, who heads up the Lord Will Provide end-time ministry.\r\n\r\nStephen talks about how he transitioned from an advertising exec, to a church planting ministry and now into a ministry in building cities of refuge.\r\n\r\n[audio http://www.somethingbeautifulpodcast.com/podcast/102811.mp3]','Something Beautiful - Stephen Burke','','publish','open','open','','something-beautiful-stephen-burke','','','2011-11-10 17:04:43','2011-11-11 01:04:43','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=2090',0,'post','',0),(2091,100,'2011-11-10 14:11:59','2011-11-10 22:11:59','','stephen-burke','Stephen Burke','inherit','open','open','','stephen-burke-300x400','','','2011-11-10 14:11:59','2011-11-10 22:11:59','',2090,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/stephen-burke-300x400.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2092,100,'2011-11-10 14:11:16','2011-11-10 22:11:16','\n\nThis week on the something beautiful podcast we talk with stephen burke, who heads up the Lord Will Provide end-time ministry.\n\nStephen talks about how he transitioned from an advertising exec, to a church planting ministry and now into a ministry in building cities of refuge.\n\n[audio http://www.somethingbeautifulpodcast.com/podcast/102811.mp3]','','','inherit','open','open','','2090-revision','','','2011-11-10 14:11:16','2011-11-10 22:11:16','',2090,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2090-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(2093,100,'2011-11-10 14:13:17','2011-11-10 22:13:17','[caption id=\"attachment_2091\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Stephen Burke\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/stephen-burke-300x400.jpg\"><img src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/stephen-burke-300x400.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"400\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2091\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThis week on the something beautiful podcast we talk with stephen burke, who heads up the Lord Will Provide end-time ministry.\n\nStephen talks about how he transitioned from an advertising exec, to a church planting ministry and now into a ministry in building cities of refuge.\n\n[audio http://www.somethingbeautifulpodcast.com/podcast/102811.mp3]','[something beautiful] Stephen Burke','','inherit','open','open','','2090-revision-2','','','2011-11-10 14:13:17','2011-11-10 22:13:17','',2090,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2090-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(2096,100,'2011-11-10 14:24:32','2011-11-10 22:24:32','This week on the something beautiful podcast we talk with stephen burke, who heads up the Lord Will Provide end-time ministry.\r\n\r\nStephen talks about how he transitioned from an advertising exec, to a church planting ministry and now into a ministry in building cities of refuge.\r\n\r\n[audio http://www.somethingbeautifulpodcast.com/podcast/102811.mp3]','[something beautiful] Stephen Burke','','inherit','open','open','','2090-revision-5','','','2011-11-10 14:24:32','2011-11-10 22:24:32','',2090,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2090-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(2094,100,'2011-11-10 14:18:15','2011-11-10 22:18:15','[caption id=\"attachment_2091\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Stephen Burke\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/stephen-burke-300x400.jpg\"><img src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/stephen-burke-300x400.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"400\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2091\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThis week on the something beautiful podcast we talk with stephen burke, who heads up the Lord Will Provide end-time ministry.\r\n\r\nStephen talks about how he transitioned from an advertising exec, to a church planting ministry and now into a ministry in building cities of refuge.\r\n\r\n[audio http://www.somethingbeautifulpodcast.com/podcast/102811.mp3]','[something beautiful] Stephen Burke','','inherit','open','open','','2090-revision-3','','','2011-11-10 14:18:15','2011-11-10 22:18:15','',2090,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2090-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(2095,100,'2011-11-10 14:24:11','2011-11-10 22:24:11','[caption id=\"attachment_2091\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Stephen Burke\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/stephen-burke-300x400.jpg\"><img src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/stephen-burke-300x400.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"400\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2091\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThis week on the something beautiful podcast we talk with stephen burke, who heads up the Lord Will Provide end-time ministry.\r\n\r\nStephen talks about how he transitioned from an advertising exec, to a church planting ministry and now into a ministry in building cities of refuge.\r\n\r\n[audio http://www.somethingbeautifulpodcast.com/podcast/102811.mp3]','[something beautiful] Stephen Burke','','inherit','open','open','','2090-revision-4','','','2011-11-10 14:24:11','2011-11-10 22:24:11','',2090,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2090-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(2097,100,'2011-11-10 14:24:57','2011-11-10 22:24:57','This week on the something beautiful podcast we talk with stephen burke, who heads up the Lord Will Provide end-time ministry.\r\n\r\nStephen talks about how he transitioned from an advertising exec, to a church planting ministry and now into a ministry in building cities of refuge.\r\n\r\n[audio http://www.somethingbeautifulpodcast.com/podcast/102811.mp3]','[something beautiful] Stephen Burke','','inherit','open','open','','2090-revision-6','','','2011-11-10 14:24:57','2011-11-10 22:24:57','',2090,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2090-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(2098,100,'2011-11-10 14:27:30','2011-11-10 22:27:30','This week on the something beautiful podcast we talk with Stephen Burke, who heads up the Lord Will Provide end-time ministry.\r\n\r\nStephen talks about how he transitioned from an advertising exec, to a church planting ministry and now into a ministry in building cities of refuge.\r\n\r\n[audio http://www.somethingbeautifulpodcast.com/podcast/102811.mp3]','[something beautiful] Stephen Burke','','inherit','open','open','','2090-revision-7','','','2011-11-10 14:27:30','2011-11-10 22:27:30','',2090,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2090-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(2099,1,'2011-11-10 17:06:01','2011-11-11 01:06:01','[caption id=\"attachment_2091\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"174\" caption=\"Stephen Burke\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/stephen-burke-300x400.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-2091 \" title=\"stephen-burke\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/stephen-burke-300x400-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"174\" height=\"232\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nSomething Beautiful Episode 4.34\n\nThis week on the something beautiful podcast we talk with Stephen Burke, who heads up the Lord Will Provide end-time ministry.\n\nStephen talks about how he transitioned from an advertising exec, to a church planting ministry and now into a ministry in building cities of refuge.\n\n[audio http://www.somethingbeautifulpodcast.com/podcast/102811.mp3]','Something Beautiful - Stephen Burke','','inherit','open','open','','2090-autosave','','','2011-11-10 17:06:01','2011-11-11 01:06:01','',2090,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2090-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(2100,1,'2011-11-10 14:37:12','2011-11-10 22:37:12','This week on the something beautiful podcast we talk with Stephen Burke, who heads up the Lord Will Provide end-time ministry.\r\n\r\nStephen talks about how he transitioned from an advertising exec, to a church planting ministry and now into a ministry in building cities of refuge.\r\n\r\n[audio http://www.somethingbeautifulpodcast.com/podcast/102811.mp3]','[something beautiful] Stephen Burke','','inherit','open','open','','2090-revision-8','','','2011-11-10 14:37:12','2011-11-10 22:37:12','',2090,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2090-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(2101,1,'2011-11-10 17:03:11','2011-11-11 01:03:11','','Something_Beautiful','','inherit','open','open','','something_beautiful','','','2011-11-10 17:03:11','2011-11-11 01:03:11','',2090,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Something_Beautiful.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(2102,1,'2011-11-10 16:57:49','2011-11-11 00:57:49','[caption id=\"attachment_2091\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"174\" caption=\"Stephen Burke\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/stephen-burke-300x400.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-2091 \" title=\"stephen-burke\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/stephen-burke-300x400-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"174\" height=\"232\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThis week on the something beautiful podcast we talk with Stephen Burke, who heads up the Lord Will Provide end-time ministry.\r\n\r\nStephen talks about how he transitioned from an advertising exec, to a church planting ministry and now into a ministry in building cities of refuge.\r\n\r\n[audio http://www.somethingbeautifulpodcast.com/podcast/102811.mp3]','Something beautiful - Stephen Burke','','inherit','open','open','','2090-revision-9','','','2011-11-10 16:57:49','2011-11-11 00:57:49','',2090,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2090-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(2105,12,'2011-11-10 09:31:56','2011-11-10 17:31:56','We\'ve all been shocked at the events at Penn State. It\'s been a horrific thing that has happened. There\'s no way around that.\r\n\r\nI\'ve been listening to sports radio. There is plenty of blame to go around. There is no telling when the dust will settle. The victims of this crime, I pray, will find some peace eventually.\r\n\r\nA few days after the news broke, students from Penn State gathered around Joe Paterno\'s house. He is the head coach of Penn State. He has been the head coach of Penn State for 44 seasons and students had shown up in support. Sports analysts were critical of the event.\r\n\r\nThe board of trustees fired him and he and his wife came to the door to speak to the media. He and his wife came to the door to speak to the media. His elderly wife was in a pink nightgown. He said a few words then went back inside.\r\n\r\nA man who had coached longer than any other, then made a horrific, awful error. Gone.\r\n\r\nHis loyal fans will remember his legacy, but in the back of their minds, the stain of the scandal will remain. The world will always remember. It is an important reminder.\r\n\r\nWhen we were growing up, we put posters up on our wall of our heroes. They may have been athletes, rock stars, actors or family members. To all of us, they were untouchable. We idolized them. We wanted to be like them. They were more than human. We placed them on our own personal pedestal. They were our heroes.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/mj1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-2028\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/mj1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a>There\'s something about heroes, though. They\'re human. We find out as we grow. They\'re fallible. They\'re flesh and blood like us. In my era, most kids had a Michael Jordan poster. As he aged, he got weaker. He was accused of gambling problems. He was human like the rest of us.\r\n\r\nOur heroes are great because we want them to be great. We need them to be great. We need something to aspire to. But we eventually learn that they are like us. They are flesh and blood. They hurt, they are weak, they are human, like us. We find out that we don\'t really know them like we thought we did - and we find disappointment.\r\n\r\nWe see men like Joe Paterno coming to the door with his wife in her pink nightgown without any real answers. The crowd cheers, trying to make up for his weakness.  They want him to be great at that moment, but he is weak. Like the rest of us.\r\n\r\nLeadership is a difficult thing. Heroes are what we make them to be in our mind. They are no greater than the rest of us because they are human. Maybe the greatest attribute we can assign to our heroes is their humanness - and the ability to be just like we are. Our hope is that each of us is as great as our heroes, with something to offer the rest of the world.','Joe Paterno and Heroes','','inherit','open','open','','2025-revision-4','','','2011-11-10 09:31:56','2011-11-10 17:31:56','',2025,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2025-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(2108,1,'2011-11-10 22:25:25','2011-11-11 06:25:25','Nancy Murphy, Dallas Willard, Jurgen Moltmann, Miroslav Volf, Walter Brueggemann, John Caputo, Stanley Hauerwas. In the past decade the Emergent Village Theological Conversation has been held with the world’s foremost theologians, bringing robust conversation alongside the practice of ministry and the work of the church.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2110\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"133\" caption=\"Monica A. Coleman\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/coleman_1-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2110\" title=\"coleman_1-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/coleman_1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"133\" height=\"133\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2111\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"133\" caption=\"John B. Cobb\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/johncobbforpage256-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2111\" title=\"johncobbforpage256-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/johncobbforpage256-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"133\" height=\"133\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2112\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"133\" caption=\"Philip Clayton\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Philip-Clayton-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2112 \" title=\"Philip-Clayton-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Philip-Clayton-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"133\" height=\"133\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThis year, we are thrilled to partner with the Claremont School of Theology and Process and Faith to add to that list process theologians John Cobb, Philip Clayton, and others. We will engage and explore the dynamic conception of the living and life-giving God and it is our belief that a progressive, missional, holistic, and radically relational theology with legs will emerge. As always, we will partner these theologians with on-the-ground pastors and practitioners to ensure a fruitful and helpful dialogue for those of us in the trenches.\r\n\r\nCobb has proclaimed that the church should “join God in working for the salvation of the world.” This strong assertion flows right out of the open and relational vision of theology he has pioneered throughout his career. It is our belief that in conversation with Cobb a progressive, missional, holistic, and radically relational theology with legs will emerge.\r\n\r\nAfter setting the context with an introduction to process theology we will immediately turn towards the biggest challenges facing the world, making those essential conversations for all creation the location for doing theology. Through practical engagements of Process and Emergence we will reflect on how God relates to the world, works within the world, and do what all theology is suppose to be doing: seeking to engage and transform the world as it exists in reality. This will take us into ecology, economics, religious pluralism, secularism, and the relational ramifications for the Church both locally and globally.\r\n\r\nCome join us in Claremont California, January 30- February 2, 2012 for the conversation.\r\n\r\n<strong>Partners</strong>: This event is sponsored by the <a href=\"http://www.emergentvillage.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Emergent Village</a> &amp; hosted at <a href=\"http://cst.edu/\" target=\"_blank\">Claremont School of Theology</a> in partnership with <a href=\"http://processandfaith.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Process &amp; Faith</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Hotel</strong>: Our event hotel is the <a href=\"http://www.myhotelclaremont.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Hotel Claremont</a>. They are giving our participants a special deal with rooms for 59 – 69 bucks a night for bed, breakfast, and a shuttle to the campus. Just let Steven Mercado know you are part of the ‘emergent village’ when reserving your room. Email him: reservations@myhotelclaremont.com\r\n\r\nAs always, SPACE IS LIMITED. You won’t want to miss this conversation, so register soon!\r\n\r\nClick <a href=\"http://www.processtheology.org/theological-coversation-registration/\" target=\"_blank\">HERE</a> to register.\r\n\r\nWhen:\r\nJan 30 – Feb 2, 2012\r\n\r\nWhere:\r\nClaremont School of Theology\r\n1325 N. College Ave.\r\nClaremont, CA 91711\r\n<a href=\"http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Claremont+School+of+Theology,+1325+North+College+Avenue,+Claremont,+CA&amp;hl=en&amp;ll=34.113759,-117.712154&amp;spn=0.02345,0.045447&amp;sll=34.1081,-117.716081&amp;sspn=0.023452,0.045447&amp;vpsrc=6&amp;hq=Claremont+School+of+Theology,+1325+North+College+Avenue,+Claremont,+CA&amp;t=m&amp;z=15&amp;iwloc=A\" target=\"_blank\">Map</a>\r\n\r\nPrice:\r\n$99 until 12/31/11\r\n$119 after that','2012 Emergent Village Theological Conversation','','publish','open','open','','2012-emergent-village-theological-conversation','','\nhttp://www.processtheology.org/theological-coversation-registration/','2011-11-10 22:34:21','2011-11-11 06:34:21','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=2108',0,'post','',1),(2110,1,'2011-11-10 22:18:59','2011-11-11 06:18:59','','coleman_1-150x150','Monica A. Coleman ','inherit','open','open','','coleman_1-150x150','','','2011-11-10 22:18:59','2011-11-11 06:18:59','',2108,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/coleman_1-150x150.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2111,1,'2011-11-10 22:19:43','2011-11-11 06:19:43','','johncobbforpage256-150x150','John B. Cobb  ','inherit','open','open','','johncobbforpage256-150x150','','','2011-11-10 22:19:43','2011-11-11 06:19:43','',2108,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/johncobbforpage256-150x150.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2109,1,'2011-11-10 22:16:58','2011-11-11 06:16:58','','Theological_Conversation','','inherit','open','open','','theological_conversation','','','2011-11-10 22:16:58','2011-11-11 06:16:58','',2108,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Theological_Conversation.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(2112,1,'2011-11-10 22:20:28','2011-11-11 06:20:28','','Philip-Clayton-150x150','Philip Clayton','inherit','open','open','','philip-clayton-150x150','','','2011-11-10 22:20:28','2011-11-11 06:20:28','',2108,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Philip-Clayton-150x150.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(2113,1,'2011-11-10 22:20:15','2011-11-11 06:20:15','[caption id=\"attachment_2110\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"Monica A. Coleman\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/coleman_1-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2110 \" title=\"coleman_1-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/coleman_1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_2111\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"John B. Cobb\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/johncobbforpage256-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2111 \" title=\"johncobbforpage256-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/johncobbforpage256-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nNancy Murphy, Dallas Willard, Jurgen Moltmann, Miroslav Volf, Walter Brueggemann, John Caputo, Stanley Hauerwas. In the past decade the Emergent Village Theological Conversation has been held with the world’s foremost theologians, bringing robust conversation alongside the practice of ministry and the work of the church. This year, we are thrilled to partner with the Claremont School of Theology and Process and Faith to add to that list process theologians John Cobb, Philip Clayton, and others. We will engage and explore the dynamic conception of the living and life-giving God and it is our belief that a progressive, missional, holistic, and radically relational theology with legs will emerge. As always, we will partner these theologians with on-the-ground pastors and practitioners to ensure a fruitful and helpful dialogue for those of us in the trenches.\n\nAs always, SPACE IS LIMITED. You won’t want to miss this conversation, so register soon!\n\nClick <a href=\"http://www.processtheology.org/theological-coversation-registration/\" target=\"_blank\">HERE</a> to register.\n\nWhen:\nJan 30 – Feb 2, 2012\n\nWhere:\nClaremont School of Theology\n1325 N. College Ave.\nClaremont, CA 91711\n<a href=\"http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Claremont+School+of+Theology,+1325+North+College+Avenue,+Claremont,+CA&amp;hl=en&amp;ll=34.113759,-117.712154&amp;spn=0.02345,0.045447&amp;sll=34.1081,-117.716081&amp;sspn=0.023452,0.045447&amp;vpsrc=6&amp;hq=Claremont+School+of+Theology,+1325+North+College+Avenue,+Claremont,+CA&amp;t=m&amp;z=15&amp;iwloc=A\" target=\"_blank\">Map</a>\n\nPrice:\n$99 until 12/31/11\n$119 after that','2012 Emergent Village Theological Conversation','','inherit','open','open','','2108-revision','','','2011-11-10 22:20:15','2011-11-11 06:20:15','',2108,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2108-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(2118,1,'2011-11-10 22:23:46','2011-11-11 06:23:46','Nancy Murphy, Dallas Willard, Jurgen Moltmann, Miroslav Volf, Walter Brueggemann, John Caputo, Stanley Hauerwas. In the past decade the Emergent Village Theological Conversation has been held with the world’s foremost theologians, bringing robust conversation alongside the practice of ministry and the work of the church.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2110\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"Monica A. Coleman\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/coleman_1-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2110\" title=\"coleman_1-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/coleman_1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2111\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"John B. Cobb\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/johncobbforpage256-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2111\" title=\"johncobbforpage256-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/johncobbforpage256-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2112\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"Philip Clayton\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Philip-Clayton-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2112\" title=\"Philip-Clayton-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Philip-Clayton-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThis year, we are thrilled to partner with the Claremont School of Theology and Process and Faith to add to that list process theologians John Cobb, Philip Clayton, and others. We will engage and explore the dynamic conception of the living and life-giving God and it is our belief that a progressive, missional, holistic, and radically relational theology with legs will emerge. As always, we will partner these theologians with on-the-ground pastors and practitioners to ensure a fruitful and helpful dialogue for those of us in the trenches.\r\n\r\nAs always, SPACE IS LIMITED. You won’t want to miss this conversation, so register soon!\r\n\r\nClick <a href=\"http://www.processtheology.org/theological-coversation-registration/\" target=\"_blank\">HERE</a> to register.\r\n\r\nWhen:\r\nJan 30 – Feb 2, 2012\r\n\r\nWhere:\r\nClaremont School of Theology\r\n1325 N. College Ave.\r\nClaremont, CA 91711\r\n<a href=\"http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Claremont+School+of+Theology,+1325+North+College+Avenue,+Claremont,+CA&amp;hl=en&amp;ll=34.113759,-117.712154&amp;spn=0.02345,0.045447&amp;sll=34.1081,-117.716081&amp;sspn=0.023452,0.045447&amp;vpsrc=6&amp;hq=Claremont+School+of+Theology,+1325+North+College+Avenue,+Claremont,+CA&amp;t=m&amp;z=15&amp;iwloc=A\" target=\"_blank\">Map</a>\r\n\r\nPrice:\r\n$99 until 12/31/11\r\n$119 after that','2012 Emergent Village Theological Conversation','','inherit','open','open','','2108-revision-6','','','2011-11-10 22:23:46','2011-11-11 06:23:46','',2108,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2108-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(2114,1,'2011-11-10 22:20:50','2011-11-11 06:20:50','[caption id=\"attachment_2110\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"Monica A. Coleman\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/coleman_1-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2110 \" title=\"coleman_1-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/coleman_1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2111\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"John B. Cobb\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/johncobbforpage256-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2111 \" title=\"johncobbforpage256-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/johncobbforpage256-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2112\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"Philip Clayton\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Philip-Clayton-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2112\" title=\"Philip-Clayton-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Philip-Clayton-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nNancy Murphy, Dallas Willard, Jurgen Moltmann, Miroslav Volf, Walter Brueggemann, John Caputo, Stanley Hauerwas. In the past decade the Emergent Village Theological Conversation has been held with the world’s foremost theologians, bringing robust conversation alongside the practice of ministry and the work of the church. This year, we are thrilled to partner with the Claremont School of Theology and Process and Faith to add to that list process theologians John Cobb, Philip Clayton, and others. We will engage and explore the dynamic conception of the living and life-giving God and it is our belief that a progressive, missional, holistic, and radically relational theology with legs will emerge. As always, we will partner these theologians with on-the-ground pastors and practitioners to ensure a fruitful and helpful dialogue for those of us in the trenches.\r\n\r\nAs always, SPACE IS LIMITED. You won’t want to miss this conversation, so register soon!\r\n\r\nClick <a href=\"http://www.processtheology.org/theological-coversation-registration/\" target=\"_blank\">HERE</a> to register.\r\n\r\nWhen:\r\nJan 30 – Feb 2, 2012\r\n\r\nWhere:\r\nClaremont School of Theology\r\n1325 N. College Ave.\r\nClaremont, CA 91711\r\n<a href=\"http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Claremont+School+of+Theology,+1325+North+College+Avenue,+Claremont,+CA&amp;hl=en&amp;ll=34.113759,-117.712154&amp;spn=0.02345,0.045447&amp;sll=34.1081,-117.716081&amp;sspn=0.023452,0.045447&amp;vpsrc=6&amp;hq=Claremont+School+of+Theology,+1325+North+College+Avenue,+Claremont,+CA&amp;t=m&amp;z=15&amp;iwloc=A\" target=\"_blank\">Map</a>\r\n\r\nPrice:\r\n$99 until 12/31/11\r\n$119 after that','2012 Emergent Village Theological Conversation','','inherit','open','open','','2108-revision-2','','','2011-11-10 22:20:50','2011-11-11 06:20:50','',2108,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2108-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(2116,1,'2011-11-10 22:21:50','2011-11-11 06:21:50','[caption id=\"attachment_2110\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"125\" caption=\"Monica A. Coleman\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/coleman_1-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2110 \" title=\"coleman_1-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/coleman_1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"125\" height=\"125\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2111\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"125\" caption=\"John B. Cobb\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/johncobbforpage256-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2111 \" title=\"johncobbforpage256-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/johncobbforpage256-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"125\" height=\"125\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2112\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"125\" caption=\"Philip Clayton\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Philip-Clayton-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2112\" title=\"Philip-Clayton-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Philip-Clayton-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"125\" height=\"125\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nNancy Murphy, Dallas Willard, Jurgen Moltmann, Miroslav Volf, Walter Brueggemann, John Caputo, Stanley Hauerwas. In the past decade the Emergent Village Theological Conversation has been held with the world’s foremost theologians, bringing robust conversation alongside the practice of ministry and the work of the church. This year, we are thrilled to partner with the Claremont School of Theology and Process and Faith to add to that list process theologians John Cobb, Philip Clayton, and others. We will engage and explore the dynamic conception of the living and life-giving God and it is our belief that a progressive, missional, holistic, and radically relational theology with legs will emerge. As always, we will partner these theologians with on-the-ground pastors and practitioners to ensure a fruitful and helpful dialogue for those of us in the trenches.\r\n\r\nAs always, SPACE IS LIMITED. You won’t want to miss this conversation, so register soon!\r\n\r\nClick <a href=\"http://www.processtheology.org/theological-coversation-registration/\" target=\"_blank\">HERE</a> to register.\r\n\r\nWhen:\r\nJan 30 – Feb 2, 2012\r\n\r\nWhere:\r\nClaremont School of Theology\r\n1325 N. College Ave.\r\nClaremont, CA 91711\r\n<a href=\"http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Claremont+School+of+Theology,+1325+North+College+Avenue,+Claremont,+CA&amp;hl=en&amp;ll=34.113759,-117.712154&amp;spn=0.02345,0.045447&amp;sll=34.1081,-117.716081&amp;sspn=0.023452,0.045447&amp;vpsrc=6&amp;hq=Claremont+School+of+Theology,+1325+North+College+Avenue,+Claremont,+CA&amp;t=m&amp;z=15&amp;iwloc=A\" target=\"_blank\">Map</a>\r\n\r\nPrice:\r\n$99 until 12/31/11\r\n$119 after that','2012 Emergent Village Theological Conversation','','inherit','open','open','','2108-revision-4','','','2011-11-10 22:21:50','2011-11-11 06:21:50','',2108,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2108-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(2115,1,'2011-11-10 22:20:57','2011-11-11 06:20:57','<p>[caption id=\"attachment_2110\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"Monica A. Coleman\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/coleman_1-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2110 \" title=\"coleman_1-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/coleman_1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]</p>\r\n<p>[caption id=\"attachment_2111\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"John B. Cobb\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/johncobbforpage256-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2111 \" title=\"johncobbforpage256-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/johncobbforpage256-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]</p>\r\n<p>[caption id=\"attachment_2112\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" caption=\"Philip Clayton\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Philip-Clayton-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2112\" title=\"Philip-Clayton-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Philip-Clayton-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>[/caption]</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p>Nancy Murphy, Dallas Willard, Jurgen Moltmann, Miroslav Volf, Walter Brueggemann, John Caputo, Stanley Hauerwas. In the past decade the Emergent Village Theological Conversation has been held with the world’s foremost theologians, bringing robust conversation alongside the practice of ministry and the work of the church. This year, we are thrilled to partner with the Claremont School of Theology and Process and Faith to add to that list process theologians John Cobb, Philip Clayton, and others. We will engage and explore the dynamic conception of the living and life-giving God and it is our belief that a progressive, missional, holistic, and radically relational theology with legs will emerge. As always, we will partner these theologians with on-the-ground pastors and practitioners to ensure a fruitful and helpful dialogue for those of us in the trenches.</p>\r\n<p>As always, SPACE IS LIMITED. You won’t want to miss this conversation, so register soon!</p>\r\n<p>Click <a href=\"http://www.processtheology.org/theological-coversation-registration/\" target=\"_blank\">HERE</a> to register.</p>\r\n<p>When:<br />\r\nJan 30 – Feb 2, 2012</p>\r\n<p>Where:<br />\r\nClaremont School of Theology<br />\r\n1325 N. College Ave.<br />\r\nClaremont, CA 91711<br />\r\n<a href=\"http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Claremont+School+of+Theology,+1325+North+College+Avenue,+Claremont,+CA&amp;hl=en&amp;ll=34.113759,-117.712154&amp;spn=0.02345,0.045447&amp;sll=34.1081,-117.716081&amp;sspn=0.023452,0.045447&amp;vpsrc=6&amp;hq=Claremont+School+of+Theology,+1325+North+College+Avenue,+Claremont,+CA&amp;t=m&amp;z=15&amp;iwloc=A\" target=\"_blank\">Map</a></p>\r\n<p>Price:<br />\r\n$99 until 12/31/11<br />\r\n$119 after that</p>\r\n','2012 Emergent Village Theological Conversation','','inherit','open','open','','2108-revision-3','','','2011-11-10 22:20:57','2011-11-11 06:20:57','',2108,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2108-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(2117,1,'2011-11-10 22:21:55','2011-11-11 06:21:55','[caption id=\"attachment_2110\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"125\" caption=\"Monica A. Coleman\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/coleman_1-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2110 \" title=\"coleman_1-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/coleman_1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"125\" height=\"125\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2111\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"125\" caption=\"John B. Cobb\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/johncobbforpage256-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2111 \" title=\"johncobbforpage256-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/johncobbforpage256-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"125\" height=\"125\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2112\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"125\" caption=\"Philip Clayton\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Philip-Clayton-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2112\" title=\"Philip-Clayton-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Philip-Clayton-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"125\" height=\"125\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nNancy Murphy, Dallas Willard, Jurgen Moltmann, Miroslav Volf, Walter Brueggemann, John Caputo, Stanley Hauerwas. In the past decade the Emergent Village Theological Conversation has been held with the world’s foremost theologians, bringing robust conversation alongside the practice of ministry and the work of the church. This year, we are thrilled to partner with the Claremont School of Theology and Process and Faith to add to that list process theologians John Cobb, Philip Clayton, and others. We will engage and explore the dynamic conception of the living and life-giving God and it is our belief that a progressive, missional, holistic, and radically relational theology with legs will emerge. As always, we will partner these theologians with on-the-ground pastors and practitioners to ensure a fruitful and helpful dialogue for those of us in the trenches.\r\n\r\nAs always, SPACE IS LIMITED. You won’t want to miss this conversation, so register soon!\r\n\r\nClick <a href=\"http://www.processtheology.org/theological-coversation-registration/\" target=\"_blank\">HERE</a> to register.\r\n\r\nWhen:\r\nJan 30 – Feb 2, 2012\r\n\r\nWhere:\r\nClaremont School of Theology\r\n1325 N. College Ave.\r\nClaremont, CA 91711\r\n<a href=\"http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Claremont+School+of+Theology,+1325+North+College+Avenue,+Claremont,+CA&amp;hl=en&amp;ll=34.113759,-117.712154&amp;spn=0.02345,0.045447&amp;sll=34.1081,-117.716081&amp;sspn=0.023452,0.045447&amp;vpsrc=6&amp;hq=Claremont+School+of+Theology,+1325+North+College+Avenue,+Claremont,+CA&amp;t=m&amp;z=15&amp;iwloc=A\" target=\"_blank\">Map</a>\r\n\r\nPrice:\r\n$99 until 12/31/11\r\n$119 after that','2012 Emergent Village Theological Conversation','','inherit','open','open','','2108-revision-5','','','2011-11-10 22:21:55','2011-11-11 06:21:55','',2108,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2108-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(2119,1,'2011-11-10 22:24:19','2011-11-11 06:24:19','Nancy Murphy, Dallas Willard, Jurgen Moltmann, Miroslav Volf, Walter Brueggemann, John Caputo, Stanley Hauerwas. In the past decade the Emergent Village Theological Conversation has been held with the world’s foremost theologians, bringing robust conversation alongside the practice of ministry and the work of the church.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2110\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"130\" caption=\"Monica A. Coleman\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/coleman_1-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2110\" title=\"coleman_1-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/coleman_1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"130\" height=\"130\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2111\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"130\" caption=\"John B. Cobb\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/johncobbforpage256-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2111\" title=\"johncobbforpage256-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/johncobbforpage256-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"130\" height=\"130\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2112\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"130\" caption=\"Philip Clayton\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Philip-Clayton-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2112\" title=\"Philip-Clayton-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Philip-Clayton-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"130\" height=\"130\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThis year, we are thrilled to partner with the Claremont School of Theology and Process and Faith to add to that list process theologians John Cobb, Philip Clayton, and others. We will engage and explore the dynamic conception of the living and life-giving God and it is our belief that a progressive, missional, holistic, and radically relational theology with legs will emerge. As always, we will partner these theologians with on-the-ground pastors and practitioners to ensure a fruitful and helpful dialogue for those of us in the trenches.\r\n\r\nAs always, SPACE IS LIMITED. You won’t want to miss this conversation, so register soon!\r\n\r\nClick <a href=\"http://www.processtheology.org/theological-coversation-registration/\" target=\"_blank\">HERE</a> to register.\r\n\r\nWhen:\r\nJan 30 – Feb 2, 2012\r\n\r\nWhere:\r\nClaremont School of Theology\r\n1325 N. College Ave.\r\nClaremont, CA 91711\r\n<a href=\"http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Claremont+School+of+Theology,+1325+North+College+Avenue,+Claremont,+CA&amp;hl=en&amp;ll=34.113759,-117.712154&amp;spn=0.02345,0.045447&amp;sll=34.1081,-117.716081&amp;sspn=0.023452,0.045447&amp;vpsrc=6&amp;hq=Claremont+School+of+Theology,+1325+North+College+Avenue,+Claremont,+CA&amp;t=m&amp;z=15&amp;iwloc=A\" target=\"_blank\">Map</a>\r\n\r\nPrice:\r\n$99 until 12/31/11\r\n$119 after that','2012 Emergent Village Theological Conversation','','inherit','open','open','','2108-revision-7','','','2011-11-10 22:24:19','2011-11-11 06:24:19','',2108,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2108-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(2120,1,'2011-11-10 22:24:43','2011-11-11 06:24:43','Nancy Murphy, Dallas Willard, Jurgen Moltmann, Miroslav Volf, Walter Brueggemann, John Caputo, Stanley Hauerwas. In the past decade the Emergent Village Theological Conversation has been held with the world’s foremost theologians, bringing robust conversation alongside the practice of ministry and the work of the church.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2110\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"130\" caption=\"Monica A. Coleman\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/coleman_1-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2110\" title=\"coleman_1-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/coleman_1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"130\" height=\"130\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2111\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"130\" caption=\"John B. Cobb\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/johncobbforpage256-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2111\" title=\"johncobbforpage256-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/johncobbforpage256-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"130\" height=\"130\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2112\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"130\" caption=\"Philip Clayton\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Philip-Clayton-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2112 \" title=\"Philip-Clayton-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Philip-Clayton-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"130\" height=\"130\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThis year, we are thrilled to partner with the Claremont School of Theology and Process and Faith to add to that list process theologians John Cobb, Philip Clayton, and others. We will engage and explore the dynamic conception of the living and life-giving God and it is our belief that a progressive, missional, holistic, and radically relational theology with legs will emerge. As always, we will partner these theologians with on-the-ground pastors and practitioners to ensure a fruitful and helpful dialogue for those of us in the trenches.\r\n\r\nAs always, SPACE IS LIMITED. You won’t want to miss this conversation, so register soon!\r\n\r\nClick <a href=\"http://www.processtheology.org/theological-coversation-registration/\" target=\"_blank\">HERE</a> to register.\r\n\r\nWhen:\r\nJan 30 – Feb 2, 2012\r\n\r\nWhere:\r\nClaremont School of Theology\r\n1325 N. College Ave.\r\nClaremont, CA 91711\r\n<a href=\"http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Claremont+School+of+Theology,+1325+North+College+Avenue,+Claremont,+CA&amp;hl=en&amp;ll=34.113759,-117.712154&amp;spn=0.02345,0.045447&amp;sll=34.1081,-117.716081&amp;sspn=0.023452,0.045447&amp;vpsrc=6&amp;hq=Claremont+School+of+Theology,+1325+North+College+Avenue,+Claremont,+CA&amp;t=m&amp;z=15&amp;iwloc=A\" target=\"_blank\">Map</a>\r\n\r\nPrice:\r\n$99 until 12/31/11\r\n$119 after that','2012 Emergent Village Theological Conversation','','inherit','open','open','','2108-revision-8','','','2011-11-10 22:24:43','2011-11-11 06:24:43','',2108,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2108-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(2121,1,'2011-11-10 22:24:49','2011-11-11 06:24:49','<p>Nancy Murphy, Dallas Willard, Jurgen Moltmann, Miroslav Volf, Walter Brueggemann, John Caputo, Stanley Hauerwas. In the past decade the Emergent Village Theological Conversation has been held with the world’s foremost theologians, bringing robust conversation alongside the practice of ministry and the work of the church.</p>\r\n<p>[caption id=\"attachment_2110\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"130\" caption=\"Monica A. Coleman\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/coleman_1-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2110\" title=\"coleman_1-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/coleman_1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"130\" height=\"130\" /></a>[/caption]</p>\r\n<p>[caption id=\"attachment_2111\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"130\" caption=\"John B. Cobb\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/johncobbforpage256-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2111\" title=\"johncobbforpage256-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/johncobbforpage256-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"130\" height=\"130\" /></a>[/caption]</p>\r\n<p>[caption id=\"attachment_2112\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"130\" caption=\"Philip Clayton\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Philip-Clayton-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2112 \" title=\"Philip-Clayton-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Philip-Clayton-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"130\" height=\"130\" /></a>[/caption]</p>\r\n<p>This year, we are thrilled to partner with the Claremont School of Theology and Process and Faith to add to that list process theologians John Cobb, Philip Clayton, and others. We will engage and explore the dynamic conception of the living and life-giving God and it is our belief that a progressive, missional, holistic, and radically relational theology with legs will emerge. As always, we will partner these theologians with on-the-ground pastors and practitioners to ensure a fruitful and helpful dialogue for those of us in the trenches.</p>\r\n<p>As always, SPACE IS LIMITED. You won’t want to miss this conversation, so register soon!</p>\r\n<p>Click <a href=\"http://www.processtheology.org/theological-coversation-registration/\" target=\"_blank\">HERE</a> to register.</p>\r\n<p>When:<br />\r\nJan 30 – Feb 2, 2012</p>\r\n<p>Where:<br />\r\nClaremont School of Theology<br />\r\n1325 N. College Ave.<br />\r\nClaremont, CA 91711<br />\r\n<a href=\"http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Claremont+School+of+Theology,+1325+North+College+Avenue,+Claremont,+CA&amp;hl=en&amp;ll=34.113759,-117.712154&amp;spn=0.02345,0.045447&amp;sll=34.1081,-117.716081&amp;sspn=0.023452,0.045447&amp;vpsrc=6&amp;hq=Claremont+School+of+Theology,+1325+North+College+Avenue,+Claremont,+CA&amp;t=m&amp;z=15&amp;iwloc=A\" target=\"_blank\">Map</a></p>\r\n<p>Price:<br />\r\n$99 until 12/31/11<br />\r\n$119 after that</p>\r\n','2012 Emergent Village Theological Conversation','','inherit','open','open','','2108-revision-9','','','2011-11-10 22:24:49','2011-11-11 06:24:49','',2108,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2108-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(2122,1,'2011-11-10 22:25:25','2011-11-11 06:25:25','Nancy Murphy, Dallas Willard, Jurgen Moltmann, Miroslav Volf, Walter Brueggemann, John Caputo, Stanley Hauerwas. In the past decade the Emergent Village Theological Conversation has been held with the world’s foremost theologians, bringing robust conversation alongside the practice of ministry and the work of the church.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2110\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"133\" caption=\"Monica A. Coleman\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/coleman_1-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2110\" title=\"coleman_1-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/coleman_1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"133\" height=\"133\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2111\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"133\" caption=\"John B. Cobb\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/johncobbforpage256-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2111\" title=\"johncobbforpage256-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/johncobbforpage256-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"133\" height=\"133\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2112\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"133\" caption=\"Philip Clayton\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Philip-Clayton-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2112 \" title=\"Philip-Clayton-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Philip-Clayton-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"133\" height=\"133\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThis year, we are thrilled to partner with the Claremont School of Theology and Process and Faith to add to that list process theologians John Cobb, Philip Clayton, and others. We will engage and explore the dynamic conception of the living and life-giving God and it is our belief that a progressive, missional, holistic, and radically relational theology with legs will emerge. As always, we will partner these theologians with on-the-ground pastors and practitioners to ensure a fruitful and helpful dialogue for those of us in the trenches.\r\n\r\nAs always, SPACE IS LIMITED. You won’t want to miss this conversation, so register soon!\r\n\r\nClick <a href=\"http://www.processtheology.org/theological-coversation-registration/\" target=\"_blank\">HERE</a> to register.\r\n\r\nWhen:\r\nJan 30 – Feb 2, 2012\r\n\r\nWhere:\r\nClaremont School of Theology\r\n1325 N. College Ave.\r\nClaremont, CA 91711\r\n<a href=\"http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Claremont+School+of+Theology,+1325+North+College+Avenue,+Claremont,+CA&amp;hl=en&amp;ll=34.113759,-117.712154&amp;spn=0.02345,0.045447&amp;sll=34.1081,-117.716081&amp;sspn=0.023452,0.045447&amp;vpsrc=6&amp;hq=Claremont+School+of+Theology,+1325+North+College+Avenue,+Claremont,+CA&amp;t=m&amp;z=15&amp;iwloc=A\" target=\"_blank\">Map</a>\r\n\r\nPrice:\r\n$99 until 12/31/11\r\n$119 after that','2012 Emergent Village Theological Conversation','','inherit','open','open','','2108-revision-10','','','2011-11-10 22:25:25','2011-11-11 06:25:25','',2108,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2108-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(2123,1,'2011-11-10 22:27:37','2011-11-11 06:27:37','Nancy Murphy, Dallas Willard, Jurgen Moltmann, Miroslav Volf, Walter Brueggemann, John Caputo, Stanley Hauerwas. In the past decade the Emergent Village Theological Conversation has been held with the world’s foremost theologians, bringing robust conversation alongside the practice of ministry and the work of the church.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_2110\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"133\" caption=\"Monica A. Coleman\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/coleman_1-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2110\" title=\"coleman_1-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/coleman_1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"133\" height=\"133\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_2111\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"133\" caption=\"John B. Cobb\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/johncobbforpage256-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2111\" title=\"johncobbforpage256-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/johncobbforpage256-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"133\" height=\"133\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_2112\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"133\" caption=\"Philip Clayton\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Philip-Clayton-150x150.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2112 \" title=\"Philip-Clayton-150x150\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Philip-Clayton-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"133\" height=\"133\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nThis year, we are thrilled to partner with the Claremont School of Theology and Process and Faith to add to that list process theologians John Cobb, Philip Clayton, and others. We will engage and explore the dynamic conception of the living and life-giving God and it is our belief that a progressive, missional, holistic, and radically relational theology with legs will emerge. As always, we will partner these theologians with on-the-ground pastors and practitioners to ensure a fruitful and helpful dialogue for those of us in the trenches.\n\nCobb has proclaimed that the church should “join God in working for the salvation of the world.” This strong assertion flows right out of the open and relational vision of theology he has pioneered throughout his career. It is our belief that in conversation with Cobb a progressive, missional, holistic, and radically relational theology with legs will emerge.\n\nAfter setting the context with an introduction to process theology we will immediately turn towards the biggest challenges facing the world, making those essential conversations for all creation the location for doing theology. Through practical engagements of Process and Emergence we will reflect on how God relates to the world, works within the world, and do what all theology is suppose to be doing: seeking to engage and transform the world as it exists in reality. This will take us into ecology, economics, religious pluralism, secularism, and the relational ramifications for the Church both locally and globally.\n\nCome join us in Claremont California, January 30- February 2, 2012 for the conversation.\n\n<strong>Partners</strong>: This event is sponsored by the <a href=\"http://www.emergentvillage.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Emergent Village</a> &amp; hosted at <a href=\"http://cst.edu/\" target=\"_blank\">Claremont School of Theology</a> in partnership with <a href=\"http://processandfaith.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Process &amp; Faith</a>\n\n<strong>Hotel</strong>: Our event hotel is the <a href=\"http://www.myhotelclaremont.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Hotel Claremont</a>. They are giving our participants a special deal with rooms for 59 – 69 bucks a night for bed, breakfast, and a shuttle to the campus. Just let Steven Mercado know you are part of the ‘emergent village’ when reserving your room. Email him: reservations@myhotelclaremont.com\n\nAs always, SPACE IS LIMITED. You won’t want to miss this conversation, so register soon!\n\nClick <a href=\"http://www.processtheology.org/theological-coversation-registration/\" target=\"_blank\">HERE</a> to register.\n\nWhen:\nJan 30 – Feb 2, 2012\n\nWhere:\nClaremont School of Theology\n1325 N. College Ave.\nClaremont, CA 91711\n<a href=\"http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Claremont+School+of+Theology,+1325+North+College+Avenue,+Claremont,+CA&amp;hl=en&amp;ll=34.113759,-117.712154&amp;spn=0.02345,0.045447&amp;sll=34.1081,-117.716081&amp;sspn=0.023452,0.045447&amp;vpsrc=6&amp;hq=Claremont+School+of+Theology,+1325+North+College+Avenue,+Claremont,+CA&amp;t=m&amp;z=15&amp;iwloc=A\" target=\"_blank\">Map</a>\n\nPrice:\n$99 until 12/31/11\n$119 after that','2012 Emergent Village Theological Conversation','','inherit','open','open','','2108-autosave','','','2011-11-10 22:27:37','2011-11-11 06:27:37','',2108,'http://provoketive.com/2011/11/10/2108-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),