View high resolution
(Reblogged from chadmccroskey)
As you’ve probably noticed, I’m reading a book called “Heroes and Monsters” right now, by Josh Riebock. I’ve heard Josh speak twice now when he came to my university, and I can tell you right now I have not met a more raw and real person, in all aspects. In this book, he holds nothing back about his life, either public or private. Like…nothing. Especially about his walk with Jesus. It’s actually a bit comforting reading this book, because I find that a lot of the conversations he has with Jesus, or just personal ponderings at that, are some that I’ve had, and I’ve been too skiddish and embarrassed to think that somebody else could very well be asking the same stuff. So if you see it, buy it. Let that be a “subtle” command. Worth it. One of the more intriguing things about Josh that I find is that he always refers to God, or Jesus….as “Jack”. I love it. So he’ll describe that “Corbett (his sister) and Jack walked into the room”. His relationship is that constant, not just during “rituals”. He’s come to the point where he is so aware of his desperate and constant need of God, that he truly believes that He is with him [us] wherever he [we] go[es]. And conversations are never-ending. Constant. And a good thing to read, too, is that Josh questions everything. Constantly. He knows he doesn’t have all the answers, but instead writes a book that simply tells of how he goes, as he goes along. He has quite the wandering, questioning, probing, clogged, over-thinking mind that I sometimes find that I have. What he finds and discovers, he just writes, instead of shoving stuff down people’s throats. And trust me- he’s gone through a lot. Here’s one of my favorite excerpts: A simple conversation with his friend, Gus. Josh, saying he’s a believer, is in the midst of questioning. A wandering soul and mind. Wanting everyone to think he knows everything, but is really a pit of question marks in his gut.  -So, Josh.+Yeah, Gus.-I got a question for you.+Okay.-What do you think the point of a relationship with Jack is?+…..-You want me to just tell you?+Sure. I’d love to know what the point of having a relationship with Jack is. (Lie).-I’m being serious.+I know that.-Really, do you want to know the point?+You’re going to tell me the point of a relationship with Jack?-Actually, yeah, if you want to know.+Yeah. I really do. (Lie).-Intimacy.+What?-Yeah. Intimacy. The point is being with him, knowing him, letting him know you. It’s about keeping nothing from him, sharing yourself, being together, being deeply connected.+….-It’s about letting Jack into all of you, being completely naked, so to speak, with Jack, just like things were in the very beginning. That must’ve been something. back then there was no pretending, no games, no hiding, no shame. It must have been awesome.+You think?-Absolutely! Are you kidding? Nothing got in the way, you know? They didn’t even wear clothes, not even a leaf covering…well, anything. Just honest, beautiful, naked vulnerability. Complete connection. Intimacy. That’s the point.That’s the point.  View high resolution

As you’ve probably noticed, I’m reading a book called “Heroes and Monsters” right now, by Josh Riebock. I’ve heard Josh speak twice now when he came to my university, and I can tell you right now I have not met a more raw and real person, in all aspects. In this book, he holds nothing back about his life, either public or private. Like…nothing. Especially about his walk with Jesus. It’s actually a bit comforting reading this book, because I find that a lot of the conversations he has with Jesus, or just personal ponderings at that, are some that I’ve had, and I’ve been too skiddish and embarrassed to think that somebody else could very well be asking the same stuff. So if you see it, buy it. Let that be a “subtle” command. Worth it.

One of the more intriguing things about Josh that I find is that he always refers to God, or Jesus….as “Jack”. I love it. So he’ll describe that “Corbett (his sister) and Jack walked into the room”. His relationship is that constant, not just during “rituals”. He’s come to the point where he is so aware of his desperate and constant need of God, that he truly believes that He is with him [us] wherever he [we] go[es]. And conversations are never-ending. Constant.

And a good thing to read, too, is that Josh questions everything. Constantly. He knows he doesn’t have all the answers, but instead writes a book that simply tells of how he goes, as he goes along. He has quite the wandering, questioning, probing, clogged, over-thinking mind that I sometimes find that I have. What he finds and discovers, he just writes, instead of shoving stuff down people’s throats. And trust me- he’s gone through a lot.

Here’s one of my favorite excerpts: A simple conversation with his friend, Gus. Josh, saying he’s a believer, is in the midst of questioning. A wandering soul and mind. Wanting everyone to think he knows everything, but is really a pit of question marks in his gut. 

-So, Josh.
+Yeah, Gus.
-I got a question for you.
+Okay.
-What do you think the point of a relationship with Jack is?
+…..
-You want me to just tell you?
+Sure. I’d love to know what the point of having a relationship with Jack is. (Lie).
-I’m being serious.
+I know that.
-Really, do you want to know the point?
+You’re going to tell me the point of a relationship with Jack?
-Actually, yeah, if you want to know.
+Yeah. I really do. (Lie).
-Intimacy.
+What?
-Yeah. Intimacy. The point is being with him, knowing him, letting him know you. It’s about keeping nothing from him, sharing yourself, being together, being deeply connected.
+….
-It’s about letting Jack into all of you, being completely naked, so to speak, with Jack, just like things were in the very beginning. That must’ve been something. back then there was no pretending, no games, no hiding, no shame. It must have been awesome.
+You think?
-Absolutely! Are you kidding? Nothing got in the way, you know? They didn’t even wear clothes, not even a leaf covering…well, anything. Just honest, beautiful, naked vulnerability. Complete connection. Intimacy. That’s the point.

That’s the point. 

The film of the past in your head has an “OFF” switch. It does not have to be played.

“Friends, don’t get me wrong: by no means do I count myself an expert in all this. But I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward- to Jesus. Forgetting what’s behind me, I’m off and running. And I’m not turning back.”

Philippians 3:13-14

View high resolution
(Reblogged from artispeace)
“
Redemption has longer arms than you think.
EJ

“Wooden Heart”

-Listener

Lately I’ve really gotten into spoken-word poetry. I know there’s a lot of diversified kinds out there, but the alternative, grunge scene really intrigues me. I stumbled across this simple duo, Listener. I’m quite captivated by his poetry and the overall pondering his words make you do. This one is one of my favorites. I feel like my own explanation would just be unnecessary redundancy. 


Your hand in mine, my fingers in your veins connected 
our bones grown together in time
our hands entwined, your fingers in my veins braided 
our spines grown stronger inside 
because our church is made out of shipwrecks 
from every hull these rocks have claimed 
but we pick ourselves up, and try and grow better through the change 
so come on yall, and let’s wash each other with tears of joy and tears of grief 
and fold our lives like crashing waves that run up on this beach 
come on and sew us together, we’re just tattered rags stained forever 
we only have what we remember

“
Everyone can change tomorrow. Everyone solves problems tomorrow. But the only changes that matter are the ones we make today. Tomorrow is the easiest day I’ll ever live. Today is the scary one.
“Heroes and Monsters”
godsfingerprints: 186/365 Wisdom from above View high resolution

godsfingerprints:

186/365 Wisdom from above

(Reblogged from myoutpouring)

“Memories”

-Levi the Poet

The life of Jesus. From the view of Jesus.
He wants memories with us. 

A Merry Mother’s Day to one of the biggest blessings in my life. Thank you, Jane, for showing me what Jesus looks like these past 20 years. (Taken with instagram) View high resolution

A Merry Mother’s Day to one of the biggest blessings in my life. Thank you, Jane, for showing me what Jesus looks like these past 20 years. (Taken with instagram)

“
[In a relationship], the trust beast needs to be tamed; because love is a force furious enough to require a conscious, and trust is that conscious- the only thing that keeps love from killing, because without trust, love murders.
“Heroes and Monsters”
“
You may not like Me, but you know Me. Even those who don’t know Me, know Me. In the chaos of the wind and in the cadence of the tide, you know Me. In a bride’s happy giggle and in the stampeding rhino, you know Me. And you feel Me. And something deep inside you wants to return to Me. I know this. So when you cry for help, for hope, for some kind of relief, for your insides to be warmed, for destiny, for something, you are crying for Me. When you’re not even sure who or what it is that you’re crying out for, you’re crying for Me. Whether you know it or not, I am, I am, I am…all that you are crying for. Call Me the boundless one, the braiding of thunder and elegance. I’ve been around since forever, and I’ll be here long after all the trees are replaced by holographic projections and your country is absorbed by a smaller one across the way. I go by a lot of names, some more appropriate than others, but mostly I am; I am.
“Heroes. And Monsters”