The REAL Milk and Chocolate Chip Cookies

"Do you think I could take this milk home, too?" he asked.
He wanted his sisters to have the full experience - not just the warm cookies, but the warm cookies and milk."
   -Excerpt from An Invisible Thread by Laura Schroff

Reading this quote today about how a middle class white woman befriended an 11 year old young boy who was a panhandler made me think:

-For my friends who identify themselves as followers of Jesus -how often do we give people the full experience of knowing Him? The cookies and the milk?
-For my friends who are teachers, college students, parents, etc. - how often do we give our children, co-workers, and family the full experience of life free from gossip, coarse language, anger, resentment, grudges, etc? The cookies and the milk?

These questions make me wonder how often I have gotten in the way of Jesus being able to show people his true self and of jumping right in to provide my students with answers instead of allowing them room to explore, create, and experiment. From personal experience and observing our society today, I know that our culture often seeks a "look at me" mentality. Over the past year, I have been learning that God can work without me. He doesn't need me but chooses to use me to fulfill his greater work for the world. As a teacher, I've learned that surrendering the limelight to my students has opened my eyes to a creation full of potential and wonderous beauty.

The cross cultural duty that stretches over open seas is this: being a faithful friend, a trusted confidante, and a avid listener.

Elizabeth Lawrence writes:

"There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where colors are brighter, the air softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again."

I believe that the challenge for all of us lies in coloring the pages of our neighbors souls so that we may experience the radiant hue that our Creator originally intended for our world to have.

Training Wheels and the Wide Eyed Wonder of a Child

Major events in my life seem to happen in "fours".

Much has changed since I last stepped foot in my high school. For one, I am not in high school anymore. Second, I am not the shy person that I once was. I see  myself as having considerable drive, trying to put others needs before my own, and making the most out of each day (though we all fail at this from time to time.)

Today, I went back to visit my high school for an alumni vs. students basketball game. As I sat on the bleachers watching the ball glide thru the air and the crowd go wild for a three pointer, I found myself in a very strange but familiar place. You could say that I was in a collision. On one end of the spectrum, I was completely done with high school. I saw new students walk through the doors of the gymnasium that I've never seen before and talked with friends about where they were in their college journeys. Many families sat in the rows in front of me on the bleachers with their kids. And I thought, "Wow, time flies."

On the other side of the spectrum, I saw myself completely finished with college. All those memories gathered up in photos, handwritten cards, and emails that were selected to be in the "saved mail" folder. And so, I saw myself sitting between these two points of my life (ironically four years each) and wondering which side feels wierder. Or, maybe "wierder" isn't the best word but rather, which side feels more "wow." I came to the realization that neither side outweighed the other; but that it's a place where I've never found myself in before.

You see, when I transitioned from high school to college, many of my friends were also coming with me. Finding my wings was challenging, but I had some familiar faces that I saw in passing from class to class. In college, I found a great group of friends (or perhaps, they found me) that really nurtured me in my physicial, emotional, and spiritual life. Now, I see myself as a post-grad, completely awestruck about the work that God has done. I am a child staring up at the ball coasting thru the air, wondering "what's next?" I am speechless yet excited about what will happen in this new chapter of my life. It's almost like I've been riding with training wheels forever and I'm ready for them to come off. God is ready, too. I see him the holding the bicycle seat, giving me a push, and saying "go."

But, "go" where?
Perhaps, that story is the next four years of my life.

A Rebirth of Sorts

A few days ago at about 8pm at night, I decided to clean my room. Before you continue reading, there are a few things that you should know when I get into a "cleaning mood":

1) It's incredibly hard for me to do work with a room that is untidy.
2) I find it easier to think when things are clean.
3) I feel a sense of accomplishment.

So, with all that said - I began to clean. I found items that I forgot I had - old high school yearbooks that flooded me with memories, books with notes that I had written in, and jewlery that I was searching for. A part of me felt like the widow who was looking for her one lost coin. She turned her entire house upside down in order to find it. (Luke 15: 8 - 10). Clothes that I hadn't worn in years were set aside in a laundry basket to give away to a nearby thrift store.  All throughout my cleaning escapades, the following thought crossed my mind:

"Cleaning is symbolic for the season that you are in. It represents a new chapter in your life and a future that God has planned out for you."

As a recent college graduate, many people have been asking me "What's next?" I feel like cleaning (physically and spiritually) is the "next" part of my life. We all have so much dirt and dust in our lives, that's it's clogging the pores on our skin, it's stunting our growth, and it's causing us to have distorted views of life. Sometimes, I feel that we get so accustomed to seeing things only one way, that we miss out on what James 1:17 says: "every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." 

I've recently been learning that the presents we "want" are not always packaged in the way that we would like them to be. In fact, I would argue that what we "need" is often what we miss out on the most. I've received more joy out of watching the same red headed woodpecker come to my birdfeeder the past two days then watching the next television program. I've taken more delight in observing astounding sunsets from my house than worrying about the next day.

In a way, you could say that I am maturing, but in another way - it feels like I have been cleaning out the windows of my soul. I've been scrubbing with windex and dusting with a cloth in order to put everything back in order. See, there is a specific place for my bed as there is for my desk. In a similiar way, God longs for everything to be put back in it's proper place. Paul says in Romans 8:22 that "we know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time". We are all giving birth to something new. We are a hurt and broken people who all share something in common that arises from the depths of our being - we long to see the world restored back to it's original design. God never intended for divorce but for marriages that would show the world a picture of himself; he never wanted murders but sought people to love their enemies. A new world is groaning within us that is unlike the one in which we are living in right now.

As a post grad, I see myself moving from a place of wanting "things" to being quite okay with waiting for them. The Bible encourages us to pray all the time but also when we find ourselves in these points of our lives. Matthew 6:8 says: "do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him." It's with this type of prayer and reflection that I am coming to terms with such a reality. My plans for my life have been laid aside in exchange for God's dreams and hopes to reign. Everyday, I see parts of my old self dying in order that Christ may rule within me. Romans 6: 5 -11 says:

"If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him  so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin - because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus."

In this season of Advent, where there are only 5 days until Christmas - let us pause and reflect. Let us think about what we are purchasing and ask if the item is something that we can live without (at least for a little while). I notice that during the holidays, we become so focused on money, buying, exchanging, purchasing, and wanting - that those things that are meant to be beautiful in the right rhythm with God actually become cheap and foggy.

May you take some time out of your day to stop and smell the flowers, to enjoy a cup of hot cocoa, to have a meal with friends, to smile at your neighbor, to talk to the person you've been holding a grudge against, to sing in the parking lot, to skip down the aisle at the supermarket. Embrace the innocence of childhood. Relive the memory of Jesus in a manger - born into extreme oppression under challenging historical circumstances.

Allow yourself to be "reborn again." Jesus conversed with Nicodemus on this topic during his time on earth:

"How can a man be born again when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"

Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth ot flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, "You must be born again. The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

As I clean, I am preparing for something new to arrive. Just like some of us are preparing for the new year and writing resolutions, I find myself trying to wrap my mind around a God that came to earth as a baby, gave his life up for me, hung on a cross, died, and rose from the dead so that I may live. This gift, the one that cannot be packaged in a box with a neat little bow, is the one that I've been waiting for my whole life. It's that one present that's left under the tree with my name carefully inscribed on it where I'm like

"Whoa."

Now, having the God of the universe know me by name: "Alexandra" - that's not something I would trade in after the holiday.

That's a keeper forever.

Home

Transitions.
Sun to stars.
Day to night.
Waking to sleeping.
Lunch to dinner.
Tadpole to frog.
Kindergarten to first grade.
High school to college.
College to graduation.
Graduating to a future
that's got the fingerprints of God all over it.
Yet sometimes, I see my fingerprints mixed in with his, too.
There are stages of my life
where I see more of his love than mine,
and more of his breath than mine.
Then, there are those times
that are far and few in between
where I see a mixture and cannot tell
if they are mine
or his.
This is the place I find myself in now.
A place of transition to myself and God,
to the "we" in a team of partners,
to the hands that are held together by the bonds from birth.
to the pair of footprints that are marked in the sand.
In the seasons, he is always there.
When I imitate the disciples lack of trust
in my storms raging on the seas,
he is there.
When I doubt or question,
he is there.
When I ask, "what next?"
he is there.
When I say I won't betray you
and do,
he is there.
I walk on a dark and uncertain path
and you light the way for me.
I cry bucketfuls of pain for a world so broken and
you weep alongside me.
With a touch of a finger,
you move the hair out my eyes and
gently caress my face.
You beckon me to stretch me out my hand to you,
and I obey.
You place a ring on my finger, give me a robe, and sandals for my feet.
I look up into your eyes
and realize
I am home.

(copyright by alex puleo 10.29.11)

Prodigal Promises

Come.
Watch.
Hear.
Listen.
His glorious favor spreads rainbows of promises
across the brazen sky;
a sky that quenches with thirst,
of brokenness and shattered lives.
Gray clouds stretch and loom overhead.
Suddenly,
the tears dry up,
the desert becomes fertile and fruitful,
and birds sing in octaves unknown to human ears.
Babes speak as water springs forth from a once barren land.
Neighbors understand each other
and speak the common language of love.
The mender takes a needle and sews the hearts
of the lost back together.
The guy and girl find their hope in Him;
they are betrothed to their Maker,
their Creator,
for eternity.
A love so tender,
so compassionate,
is His devotion to us.
I am His and He is mine.
The ring has been purchased.
The wedding has begun.
Red wine fills clear glasses,
as the host calls for a toast.
Let's feast!


(Copyright - Alex Puleo 10.4.11. This poem I wrote found it's inspiration in two places: The Prodigal God, by Tim Keller, and Psalm 66: 5 & 16: "Come and see what God has done, how awesome his works in man's behalf. . . Come and listen, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me.")

Break Your Jar

Lately, I have been reading and thinking a lot about the prophets in the Bible. Job and Jeremiah were sent to prophesy against the evil and idol worship in their city and were unbelievably persecuted for it. There comes a point in Job's lament where he curses the day he was born; thus, echoing Jeremiah's same cry for himself and the people he is interceding for. God sends Jeremiah to speak against the worship of false gods and the people do not want to hear this message. In a turn of events, the people that Jeremiah is praying for actually seek to take his life. They have now become his enemies.

But then, the most powerful part of this story climaxes when God tells Jeremiah to visit a potter. He tells him to purchase a clay jar, go to the Valley of Ben Hinnom, and hold the pot while proclaiming the Lord's message to his people. Through some research on the Valley of Ben Hinnom, I learned that it was actually a graveyard outside the city walls. It was a custom not to bury the Jewish people inside the city walls but rather outside of them. Parents often sacrificed their first born children here to the gods. Jeremiah is called to break the jar in front of everyone. So, this place seems pretty significant in that, Jeremiah is standing (literally) on a place of death and delivering a message of healing. It is counteractive. In a way, he is standing in the gap, in the tension and being God's spokesperson to bring heaven to earth. Jeremiah is bringing people back to a place where death once reigned and is saying "no more". In a way, releasing that jar is like releasing all of the hurt, the child sacrifices, the blood, and the killings in order to make a way for something new. Jeremiah says:

"God will smash this nation and this city just as this potter's jar is smashed and cannot be repaired."

I can physically picture this event happening. Jeremiah takes some of the elders with him as he goes to proclaim this message. This kind of reminds me of people going to a rock concert to hear a musician sing and, instead of singing and music, are suddenly told some powerful news about the musician's life.

Today, I read a passage in the book I Once Was Lost, that referenced Moses holding up the Rod of God. When Moses let his arm down, the battle turned.

"Seems simple enough. But what happens to Moses? He grows weary. At first his friends bring a rock for him to sit on. But even a seemingly simple activity like holding up your arm while seated becomes fatiguing with time. Eventually Aaron and Hur have to come and help Moses hold up his arm.

We, too, need to intercede for our friends. And we, too, need to be reminded not to stop. Not to grow weary. It might not be a bad idea to get an Aaron and Hur of our own - enlisting other people to uphold us as we uphold others at this spiritually intense time."

Jeremiah did not break his clay jar as a spectacle. He was not like the Pharisees who stood on street corners loudly proclaiming Jesus and making a show out of it only to glorify themselves. He did this out of the Holy Spirit's leading, out of genuine humility. And with this, he probably experienced some sort of questioning about God's ability to change things. Haven't we all asked at one time, "Are you sure you know what you are doing? What if this isn't the right way? What if I take this step and it's not what you have called me to?" Yet, when we finally do take that step of risk and of vulnerability, we see God at work - even if the outcome changes.

So all of this makes me ask:

1) Who are my elders or my Aaron(s) and Hur(s)?

2) What does my clay jar represent? What's in it? How would it feel to lift it above my head and break it? If I dared to invite such change into my life, what would it be like?

3) What am I being called to?

I firmly believe that we are all called to something. We all have a greater purpose for being here. This process will probably take some time, discernment, and trusted friends to help you talk through your concerns, fear, and hopes. But in this, know that you are supported and are loved, even as you stand up in the Valley of Ben Hinnom and break your jar in front of everyone to see. This countercultural act may seem bizarre in our world today. Yes, it's true that following the Spirit's leading may bring you to some unheard of or even mundane and simple places. But, it's in this journey that I find myself growing closer to God and seeing things from his perspective as I seek to follow him more and more everyday.

Release Your Balloon

Lately, I have been learning a lot about the word "discernment." At first, the word used to scare me because I could never wrap my mind around it. So while I've had (and continue to have) experience with it, the word itself has become less scary. In fact, it has taken on a certain measure of hope - a likeness revealing God that nothing else compares to.

Two years ago, I felt myself begin this "discernment" process. In some ways, it was almost like learning how to drive a car again without my parents. With it, came a sense of independence but also a sense of maturity, vulnerability, and great responsibility. It is in this place that I felt God really opening myself up to opportunities that I had never considered. To picture myself in such a role really began the influx of questions. God began to water the seed that he planted in me from long ago that I never knew was there and was just longing for water, sunlight, and some TLC. Psalm 139: 13 - 16 explains how intimately God knows me (and all of us) even before we were born.

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.

 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.

When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.

All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."

This weekend at church, a friend talked about the creativity of God. At this moment, I was reminded of a 2 hour silent retreat that I went on in the mountains of New Hampshire. Those who organized the trip distributed a paper to each of us - where one of the tips was to "allow God to be creative with you."

Dallas Willard writes about the creativity of God in his book, The Divine Conspiracy. He says:

"You will know this finding of soul and God is happening by an increased sense of who you are and a lessening of the feeling that you have to do this, that, and the other thing that befalls your lot in life. That harassing, hovering feeling of 'have to' largely comes from the vacuum of your soul, where you ought to be at home with your Father in his kingdom. As the vacuum is rightly filled, you will increasingly know that you do not have to do those things - even those that you want to do."

Even at my homegroup last night, one person shared this helpful analogy. He said to picture a kid that has a bunch of chalk and is told to go outside and draw. Now, give that same chalk to an adult and ask them to draw. They will probably be more concerned with what to draw, the details of the drawing, what others will think of it rather than the innocence and freedom that comes with the child who is told to go and draw whatever he wants.

Very recently, people have been speaking into my life about this very topic - discernment (and may not have realized it) through text messages from friends I haven't heard from in a while, conversations, and interactions. And, I've begun to experience and feel a sense of rightness and peace about my purpose in life. Ecclesiastes 3 says that:

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace."

For so long, I've tried to plan every facet of my life. And God is telling me to stop doing his job. To give all of my planning, hopes, and dreams over to him and his mighty hands. For those who have never experienced this before - it's hard to put into words. But, there is this sense of freedom that comes with releasing the balloon in the air, watching it make formations with the clouds that it never did when I was holding tightly onto it, and abandoning itself to a land greater than my own.

So, I do see myself (at this point in my life) as the balloon. I know that once I let go of all that I've been trying to control and plan - then God can work in my life. The rest, is a beautiful creation of the potter molding the clay, of Ebenezer's built to God, of a song sung completely out of tune yet sounding beautiful to my Maker's ears.

And all done with a heart of love, favor, and surrender to the Most High God.

A Sandbar Engagement

This summer, I have been learning a lot about discernment. One of the books that I have spent ample time reading is Abundant Simplicity by Jan Johnson. She told the story of a friend who encouraged her to:

"Write down every single responsibility and duty in your life. Obligations that are so important that you simply can't get out of them. When you are all done, cross out half of them."

Johnson then gets more specific. List everything you do for a month. Then rank each thing that you did in order:

1) essential
2) important but not essential
3) helpful but not necessary
4) other

Finally, eliminate all of the last two categories and 20% of the first two. While you are doing this, work through the two questions: What do I want? Why do I want that?

So, I did this exercise. And something that Johnson said repeatedly came back to me:

"Each of us in our friendship with God grows in discernment of what we are being drawn toward. We learn to live in this sense of peace to the point where we recognize it as soon as we're out of kilter and we've lost it."

She continues on to say that it takes discernment to know the point(s) in your life where "I'm done. I'm grateful I did this, but I'm done." In terms of service commitments, "focus all your efforts on considering what you want - what you really want - and ask yourself, what breaks my heart that breaks the heart of God? What tugs deeply at me?"

So, I made a list. And it took a while to really figure out everything that I do in a month. But once it came to crossing things off from the last two numbers, it was easy to see where my heart lies. But crossing off 20% of the first two really caused me to think about where I am honestly spending my time and energy - is it to gratify myself or to lift up others?

This huge issue of discernment, of "what next?" after college; has been an overarching theme in my life this summer along with vulnerability and risk. While reflecting on the items that I had listed and the moments in my life this summer where I was truly happy and fulfilled; my true identity is/was where Christ was being revealed. The layers that I had clothed myself with were slowly coming off due to the sweat of realization; to the fact that I need to follow - must follow the Holy Spirit's calling on my life or I will never be walking in my purpose.

This experience reminds me of the engagement party that is happening next door. There are many 20 somethings outside under a beautiful see-through tent in gorgeous dresses, handsome suits, enjoying the ocean view and the breeze. I sit inside glancing out my window wondering, "Will I ever experience this joy?" And, then I look straight ahead to the calm ocean, barely moving but beautiful with sandbars and aqua blue water. I am experiencing this joy. I am humbly reminded that someday, I will experience the joy of the celebratory party - but, if I am constantly focused on that - and completely disregard the calm beauty that lies before me, then I will miss it once it comes.

This is similar to discernment. If I am constantly focused on what I want to do but never once consider the work that God is already doing in my life, then I will miss the opportunities that lie right in front of me.

////////

Thank you Lord for this humble reminder. Thank you that you always bring me back to the cross. May your will be done in my life. As Ecclesiastes 3 says: there is a time and a season for everything. " May you give me the strength to pursue and to continue in walking with you for the rest of my life. Thank you for the blessings that you have given me today. May you give them also to someone else who is in need of them right now. Amen (or let it be so.)

Have You Seen the One My Heart Loves?

"All night long on my bed I looked for the one my heart loves;

I looked for him but did not find him.

I will get up now and go about the city, through its streets and squares;

I will search for the one my heart loves.

So I looked for him but did not find him.

The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city.

"Have you seen the one my heart loves?"

Scarcely I had passed them when I found the one my heart loves.

I held him and would not let him go till I had brought him to my mother's house,

to the room of the one who had conceived me.

Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field:

Do not arouse or awaken love before it so desires."

-Song of Songs 3:1-5

I think that many people often skip over this book in the Bible. It's images are so vivid, its words so true, and its language so pure. Yet, when I read this passage today, I saw it all in a different light. God searches for us in the same way that the lover searches for his beloved. God earnestly tries to find us and seeks us out. I am reminded of our first beginnings in Genesis, where following Adam and Eve's disobedience in the garden, they hid. God called out to them and asked "Where are you?" Their nakedness and shame left them exposed. Yet, God continued to search for them, admist their brokenness and heartache. He loved them.

So, I read and re-read over this passage again. And then, I replaced the phrase "have you seen the one my heart loves?" with my name "Alexandra." And it became so much more personal to me.

"All night long on my bed I looked for Alexandra;

I looked for Alexandra but did not find her.

I will get up now and go about the city, through its streets and squares;

I will search for Alexandra.

So I looked for Alexandra but did not find her.

The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city.

"Have you seen Alexandra?"

Scarcely I had passed them when I found Alexandra.

I held Alexandra and would not let her go till I had brought her to my mother's house,

to the room of the one who had conceived me.

Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field:

Do not arouse or awaken love before it so desires."

He loves us. He wants to know us. This type of relationship is not a Disney romance or a celebrity marriage. It is something much more. It is a symbol of unity, of togetherness, of oneness. God wants to be with us. and his love extends to every human being; regardless of past, race, gender, social status, location on the globe. He wants this type of relationship with all of us. In fact, it is needed. We just need to be willing to open ourselves up and see him the way he sees us - beautiful puzzle pieces brought together in a unique mosaic.

My Blessings

I've been doing a lot of reading lately. And one of the things that I've come across numerous times, is "blessings." In the book, The Good and Beautiful God by James Bryan Smith, he talks about the importance of recognizing the blessings that are already present in our lives. All too often, we are consumed with "wanting more" that we miss out on what is already in front of us. One of his experiments is to list your blessings. So, I gave it a try. Here is my list.

*cool 75 degree summer days
*light chatter/laughter surrounding the table during a meal at homegroup
*when the music stops at church and people sing acappella
*the smell of rain and freshly cut grass
*the sound of rain hitting the roof
*the sound of bicycle tires on the pavement during the summer
*summer breeze
*walking barefoot in the sand
*cold ocean water
*sleeping in
*watching my cats sleep
*birds singing
*boats on the water
*July 4th fireworks
*jazz music
*cooking and sharing a meal together
*dance
*shadows and light between trees
*thoughtfulness
*clouds
*mango sorbet
*vegan chocolate chips
*the color blue
*a robin standing on an old porch
*an Italian meal of pasta and garlic bread
*zinnias
*ice cold lemonade in a glass pitcher
*vacations: "having nothing to do and all day to do it in."
*old trees
*historic buildings
*the city
*hugs
*unexpected happy surprises
*the warm sunshine on a spring day
*June 21
*leaves hanging off a branch
*peanut butter and banana sandwiches
*sunsets and sunrises
*a flower behind a guy's back before he gives it to a girl
*sleep
*the smell of a new notebook
*old bookstores
*handwritten letters
*calligraphy
*stillness
*sound of a guitar outside
*leaves changing color in the fall
*students going back to school
*poetry
*plaid shirts
*antique car shows at A & W
*rootbeer
*real peppermint
*handmade bracelets
*street performers and musicians in New Orleans
*a couple holding hands

(this list goes on and on! take some time to make your own and watch it grow. take comfort in knowing that you are already blessed.)

Drinking Coffee Out of an Espresso Cup

Today, I tried something new. Iced coffee! The moment that drink made contact with my lips, a huge smile spread across my face. This was really good! Very quickly, my small espresso cup became empty and I longed for more. And then the thought crossed my mind: Why did it take me so long to try it?

Was it because for me, its a symbol of adulthood? That, once you drink coffee you are automatically accepted into a new group of coffee drinking friends and family? Was I just ready to try something new? To take a step off of that diving board and leap into an unknown world, full of open doors and beautiful opportunities? Could it be simply because I was just too comfortable with my familiarity, with smoothies, with the sweet taste that the fruit made when blended together? Was the uncomfortability of stepping into the unknown bigger than saying "Yes, I'll try it."?

To some, these thoughts may seem analytical. But to me, sipping coffee from an espresso cup, I was invited to risk. I had found myself waiting behind a barrier that I put up, to protect me from trying something new. Yet, the words:

"There is no room in the Christian tradition for a doctrine of safety"

took on new meaning. Through the Holy Spirit, I finally understood that I was "safe" with just sticking to what I knew. But in that, I was limiting the areas of my life where new flowers had the potential to grow and bloom. If I couldn't be faithful in taking a risk and trying some coffee, how could I listen to the false belief that I simply "didn't like it"?

It is easy to feel safe in our society. We have house keys, cars with automatic locks, police officers, air conditioners to protect us from heat exhaustion, seat belts, traffic lights, medicine, etc. It's not that all of these things are unnecessary; but rather, sometimes we allow safety to take control of our lives.

In Christianity, there is always risk involved. There is risk in loving someone. For if we expose our true feelings and they do not feel the same way, then our perception of ourselves and the situation is warped. Yet we continue to love again, to risk.

Why?

I think that there is an innate part inside all of us that longs for something greater outside the walls of safety. Don't get me wrong. There is risk that is just plain stupid and requires common sense. But then, there is risk in knowing that someone (greater than yourself) will protect you and allow you to learn if you let him in.

Rob Bell talks about "safety" in his book, Jesus Wants to Save Christians. At one point, he mentions the US spending billions of dollars on safety equipment (ie: weapons) in order to keep the American people safe.

He references the Old Testament and the Egyptians. Even Paul writes in Phillipians 2:12-14 to "continue to work out your salvation. . . to do everything without complaining or arguing..." Working out our salvation, showing the world a picture of who God is in one that is so consumed with the idea of safety is very challenging. It's a risk in itself. It's failing, getting up again, and continuing to walk. Just like when Jesus carried his own cross on his back and people all around him were spitting and shouting hurtful words; Jesus commands us to "take up your cross and follow me." We are called to walk on water with Jesus, just like Peter did. To take a step out of the boat, look at him straight in the eyes and begin our journey towards him. 

So, I think the ultimate question for me (and maybe you) is this: Will I continue to sit in my "safety zone" or trust and believe that I am already made safe with my creator, God?

An Experiment in Silence

For the past two days, I have been living simply. I say this not out of pride but out of humble acceptance of God's grace. My life up to this point had been filled with unnecessary clutter. It took a couple of days at my family's beachhouse without a phone and a computer to realize this. And it was in moments of sitting on the porch watching the boats in the water, standing outside listening to the birds sing their songs, sitting in front of a fan reading, cooking meals with my family, and taking some much needed naps, that God spoke to me.

Jesus humbled me. He showed me that all of these material things were taking precedence over spending time with him. When I actually followed through with this discipline, I learned more about myself and God's purposes for me in  the world. I was no longer concerned with Facebook notifications of other people's opinions about me, but was drawn to Jesus' humble attitude and servanthood. What made Him so compelling? What was it about Him that caused so many people to leave everything and follow Him?

This weekend, I experienced what one of the twelve disciples  might have felt when they heard Jesus call their name [insert your name here] to follow him. It was a call to combat the old self, to leave old habits behind and embrace a new, more fulfilling and fruitful life.

In the book, Abundant Simplicity, author Jan Johnson talks about the importance of living simple lives. They are not lives devoid of fun and adventure, but rather, lives rich with meaning and beauty. While reading, I felt his spirit telling me to try one of the small experiments that accompanies the end of each chapter. It invited me not to talk for a period of time and really listen to what others had to say. So, I gave this a try.

And I noticed that when I really listened with my ears and my heart (sounds cliche, I know), that he had been speaking to me already. When one of my family members was talking, I noticed that I reallly enjoyed listening. For 20 minutes, I was silent and when I wanted to offer my opinion, I didn't until I was acknowledged. I learned to appreciate what others said and felt accepted regardless of whether I had something to contribute to the conversation. However, after 20 minutes, I noticed that the need to remain busy resurfaced. After I settled down in my chair again, and began listening, my heart softened for the people around the table. I understood that community is not always about talking but its always about simply listening. I think it's in these moments that we truly begin to understand the need for simplicity and embrace such practices in our daily lives. The Gospel writers frequently depict Jesus "going off to a solitary place to pray." Since he both human and God, I'm sure he experienced the inner battle of wanting to remain in the crowds to witness to them but also of briefly leaving for a period of time and meeting with His Heavenly father to listen.

So, I wonder if I tried intentionally listening like this for a week, how my life would be different. How might it change when my focus is clearly off of myself and on God?  Yes, this method may seem a little extreme for some, but I think there is a part of all of us that need to have this moment of silence everyday in our lives.

I challenge you to try this experiment this week. Really try it. Carve out a point in your day to listen for 30 minutes, an hour, or even go silent for a whole day. Then post a comment here to share how it went.

Remember, we all fall short. But, the pieces have already been picked up and Jesus has won. May you take comfort in knowing that you are part of a greater family, a community that has been made new and baptized by His love, grace, and power. May you experience this in the coming week.

simplicity, fig leaves, and beauty

"I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances  I have learned the secrets of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need." -Phillipians 4:11-12

This summer, I have been learning a lot. Simplicity is one of those aspects. Life can be packed with too much. I believe that we are called to literally shed the skin of our own habits in order to reveal the beauty that lies beneath. It is this beauty that God sees in us; not the false makeup that we plaster on ourselves. Author David Benner reminds me that "I am not my accomplishments. . . My worth lies in who I am, not what I can do or how I am seen by others." Sometimes, I think that we want to be "perceived" by people as being "this" or "that" when we are really placing masks on overselves in order to cover up what God created us to be. Benner refers back to Genesis:

"Ultimately, attachments are ways of coping with the feelings of vulnerability, shame and inadequacy that lie at the core of our false ways of being. Like Adam and Eve, our first response to our awareness of nakedness is to grab whatever is closest and quickly cover our nakedness. We hide behind the fig leaves of our false self. This is the way we package ourself to escape the painful awareness of our nakedness.

The problem with the false self is that it works. It helps us forget that we are naked. Before long, we are no longer aware of the underlying vulnerability and become comfortable once again. But God wants something better than fig leaves for us. God wants us to be aware of our helplessness so we can know that we need Divine help. God's deepest desire for us is to replace our fig leaves with garments of durability and beauty. Yet, we cling to our fig leaf false self. We believe that we know how to take care of our needs better than God."

God loves us for who we are. He sees beauty in us, the kind that is not enhanced by human hands but created by the inspiration of God. He sees beauty in you. He loves you.

Love

"Nothing is more practical than finding God, than falling in love in a quite absolute, final way. What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you will do with your evening, how you spend your weekends, what you read, whom you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude. Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything." -Pedro Arrupe

Seeds into Songs

David has a beautiful way of expressing himself through the Psalms. For a good part of the summer, I've been spending more time in his book. Even after reading a passage or a verse several times, there is always that one point where you re-read it over again; and it all finally makes sense.

"As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore." -Psalm 125:2

A friend once shared with me that God is our "fortress." The impact of this word had never really hit me until now. He surrounds us and protects us. He does both. He is the chief cornerstone that Paul writes about in Ephesians 2:19-20:

"Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone."

-->Where have I allowed God to surround me, to be my fortress?
-->Where have I resisted this change? Why?
-->What things have been surrounding me and given me a false sense of protection? Why have I allowed these things to take control?

And, God makes a promise. He promises abundance in this protection, in this "fortress."

"Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seeds to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him." -Psalm 126:5 + 6

So, David is saying that Jesus will cause everyone around the world to sing and have enough? My brothers and sisters around the world - even those who are suffering from injustice, will experience joy? Even the abused mother in Africa? Even the family next door who is losing their home to foreclosure? Yes. Our seeds that we sow will become songs. There is a transformation that happens. Our notes become composed into a beautiful piece of music. But, we could be "weeping" and "sowing" for all the wrong things or for all the wrong reasons. Behind every action is a motive. So, it is helpful to ask:

-->Am I weeping?
-->What am I weeping for?
-->Are the things that I weep for the same things that Jesus weeps for? If not, why?
-->What am I spending my time "sowing"? (For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." -      Matthew 6:21)
-->Am I prepared for the "sheaves", the abundance that David talks about?
-->What kind of soil am I placing my seeds into? (Matthew 13:1-23)

Jesus promises us that he will meet our physical needs (ie: hunger, thirst); that we will emerge holding more than enough. We will have plenty. Just like a child going to bed with his belly full.

Yet, this change doesn't always happen at once. God calls us to wait, to be still and quiet.

"I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. O Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption." -Psalm 130:5-7

-->What does it look like for my soul to wait "more than watchmen wait for the morning"?
-->What does "full redemption" mean for my life and for our world, today?

"But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me." -Psalm 131:2

(For a little background knowledge, to be "weaned" is when a child no longer relies on his mother's milk.)

-->Where am I being called to be like a "weaned child"?
-->How does this new perspective influence the way that I see life?
-->How has my current prespective taken precedence over a childlike one? (Luke 18:15-17)

[copyright alex puleo june 23, 2011]

To Be Known

As a busy week comes to  a close, it is comforting to know that I am loved. As I was writing in my journal today, I was reminded of the following two verses:

-"for you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb."
-"you know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar."

I then began to look up where these verses in the Bible were from and found them in Psalm 139. It was humbling to know that His spirit was speaking to me. And, after I read the psalm and reread it again and sat in it for a while, I thought: this is so beautiful. To have someone, the God of the universe know me so intimately and personally is such a gratifying thing. To be known inside and out by someone, even before you were born is absolutely amazing to me. And, to know that God wants to know you and still knows you in that way is mesmerizing. I believe that he longs to have a deep personal relationship with all of us. Sometimes, just giving up our "anxious thoughts" is the hardest thing. Surrender is difficult when all we want to do is hold on. But, Jesus calls us to release that balloon of uncertainity, fear, control (or whatever it may be for you) all over to him. He wants every part of us, not just the parts that we feel are "acceptable". He wants the parts of us that we deem "unacceptable" because it's in that brokenness that real healing happens.

There is a song with lyrics that go something like:

"To you I give my life, not just the parts I want to.
 Your thoughts are higher than mine.
 Your words are deeper than mine.
 Your love is stronger than mine.
 This is no sacrifice, here's my life."

Psalm 139 spoke to me today and I just wanted to share it with you. May you allow it to change your life as it did mine.

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Psalm 139

1 O Lord, You have searched me, LORD, and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.
19 If only you, God, would slay the wicked! Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
20 They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, LORD, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

I am a Mustard Seed, a Widow, and a Branch

I was sitting in a coffee shop eating my lunch today. But, for some reason, I couldn't get my spirit to calm down. My mind was going a mile a minute; it felt like I was running a marathon. After about 30 minutes, I understood that I wasn't allowing the Holy Spirit to move through me. I did not have enough strength on my own to quiet down. My help had to come from God. As soon as I understood that and began accepting it, my mind began to embrace the quiet. The things that I was anxious about disappeared and God began to have full control over that moment. It was a time where I learned about submission; in surrendering your time, your heart, your mind, your soul- everything that makes you who you are - over to God. . . your identity. And, as I came to terms with this beautiful reality, I saw the collision between my brokenness and Jesus's healing power and restoration over it all.

And so, I gave my time over to Jesus. And, the following passages spoke to me. Later as I came home, I tried to understand the "why" of how can I fit this into my life? But then, his voice quickly responded to me with: "don't try to understand the "why" all of the time. Just let me speak to you."

So, I encourage you to try and do the same. Go find a quiet spot and let these verses speak into your life. Read over them slowly, meditate on them, take pauses, insert yourself into the passages, and let them grow on you.

Reflection questions that helped me are at the bottom of this post for you to reflect on yourself.

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Ecclesiastes 11:9-10
"Be happy young man, while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart, and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things, God will bring you to judgment. So then, banish anxiety from your heart, and cast off the troubles of your body, for youth and vigor are meaningless."

Zephaniah 3:17
"The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."

Matthew 13:31-32
He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches."

Matthew 9:37-38
Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

Luke 21: 1-4
"As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. I tell you the truth, he said, this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on."

John 15: 1-17
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off ever branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself: it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you. This is my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his masters business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other."

Matthew 18:8-9
"If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to  have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell."

John 15:7
"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you."

Deuteronomy 3:22
"Do not be afraid of them; the Lord your God himself will fight for you."

Psalm 46: 10
"Be still and know that I am God."

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*What is my offering that I am putting into the treasury?

*Where are the places in my life that I need to put in all that I have to live on?

*Who are the widows in my life? How can I reach out to them?

*Where do I need to be joyful in God?

*Go to a playground. Watch some kids. How is "youth" important in his plan for my life?

*What places in my life need to be pruned?

*Where am I open to the pruning? Where am I resistant? What is holding me back from experiencing all that the gardener has to offer me?

*Identify the places of sin and brokenness in your life. Sit in that reality for a bit. Based on the verses above, why do you think it is important to give these specific things up to God?

*How do I feel about being a mustard seed?

*Where has God called me to be a mustard seed in my world, life, and community?

*God says that "he will fight for me." Does this bring me comfort or confusion? Why?

*What would it take for me to understand this truth and apply it to my life today?

(copyright june 6, 2011 by alex puleo)



Just Be & Listen

Wow. God has showed me so much.

Today, I spent four hours outside. The weather was absolutely beautiful, about 75 degrees; warm, with a slight breeze. This time with God was just what I needed. I began to see things that I overlook on a regular basis and quite frankly, just take for granted sometimes.

-the birds outside nesting in the trees,
-the carefree movement of the clouds,
-the carressing of the wind as it moves the blond pieces of hair away from my face,
-the simplicity of life,
-how nature moves to its own rhythm, quite different from that of humanity.

And, as I was sitting in my wooden chair reflecting on my day, I realized that I need more of this "alone time" with God. My friend calls it "honeymooning with Jesus." Hour after hour spent with Him greatly stirred that passion inside my heart. My eyes are starting to look like his, my heart is starting to beat like his, my hands and feet are becoming calloused like his, and my words are starting to be His.

This "one-ness" was recently expressed through a friend's wedding. Through pictures and personal interaction with the happy couple, I could see that their entire marriage is based on a foundation - the love of God. They long to bring Jesus to a broken city and want to do that together.

Spending time with Jesus today rightly aligned me with his plan for my life. Not the "big one" that so many talk of after college, or the one in the future that only happens when you enter the "real world" but, rather, his plan for my life today - right now. It was to spend time with him, to get to know him better (like any relationship needs), to refocus my life on the things that truly matter the most, and to be humble in coming to terms of where I fit into his plan.

As you can probably imagine, God and I had a long talk. Only this time, I was the one doing the listening and his Holy Spirit was the one doing the talking. And I realized that the places where I thought I had full control of my life and knew the desired outcome, were simply not true. Scripture verse after scripture verse, I was reminded of God's majesty and power in all situations - even those that seem less than favorable.

The following verses that are in bold font really stuck out to me:

Ecclesiastes 8:1-17:

1 Who is like the wise? Who knows the explanation of things?
A person’s wisdom brightens their face and changes its hard appearance.

2 Obey the king’s command, I say, because you took an oath before God. 3 Do not be in a hurry to leave the king’s presence. Do not stand up for a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases. 4 Since a king’s word is supreme, who can say to him, “What are you doing?”

5 Whoever obeys his command will come to no harm, and the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure.
6 For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, though a person may be weighed down by misery. 7 Since no one knows the future, who can tell someone else what is to come?

8 As no one has power over the wind to contain it, so no one has power over the time of their death.
As no one is discharged in time of war, so wickedness will not release those who practice it.

9 All this I saw, as I applied my mind to everything done under the sun. There is a time when a man lords it over others to his own hurt. 10 Then too, I saw the wicked buried—those who used to come and go from the holy place and receive praise in the city where they did this. This too is meaningless.

11 When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, people’s hearts are filled with schemes to do wrong. 12 Although a wicked person who commits a hundred crimes may live a long time, I know that it will go better with those who fear God, who are reverent before him. 13 Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow.

14 There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: the righteous who get what the wicked deserve, and the wicked who get what the righteous deserve. This too, I say, is meaningless. 15 So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun.

16 When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe the labor that is done on earth—people getting no sleep day or night— 17 then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all their efforts to search it out, no one can discover its meaning. Even if the wise claim they know, they cannot really comprehend it.

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I've learned to just be who I am when I am with Jesus. Our relationship forces me to take off the masks that I wear. I've learned to look at Jesus in order to see a true reflection of my real self. My eyes are finally off of me and my circumstances and I have fully embraced the lenses that he has given me.

A quote by Thomas Benner from the book, The Gift of Being Yourself:

"God is not alien to the circumstances of our lives but comes to us in them. Our challenges is to unmask the Divine in the natural and name the presence of God in our lives."

(copyright june 4, 2011 by alex puleo)

My New Lenses

I have been learning how to follow God with a new set of lenses. My perspective on things has changed quite literally. In fact, it is no longer my perspective but God's. A friend shared with me that adjusting to these new lenses takes time. I'm looking at things that I've seen before with a different set of eyes; with the eyes of Jesus.

I feel compassion for the brother that is uncompassionate;
I feel love for the person that has never experienced love;
I feel happiness for the person whose joy has been dead for far too long.;
I feel sadness for the person who can't seem to get along with her family but is desperately trying.

Today I was in the Starbucks Cafe in Barnes and Noble and overheard a woman talking about going away to a different country. Going up to the counter to purchase something, I asked her where she was headed to. She answered: "Haiti." This was the bonding moment. The point in the conversation where we shared a felt need. I told her how one of my friends is going to Haiti this month through her church and how two of my friends are currently serving in the Dominican Republic through a missions trip for 21 days.

I've been understanding that if we are focused on things other than what God has intended for us; when we are preoccupied with living vicariously through someone else's experiences; then we miss what God wants to do in our lives at that very moment - in that very day. Our perspective shifts. In an essence, we begin to take our cloudy glasses out from their dusty case and put them on our face one more time. We are reluctant to see the world from God's perspective because it forces us to confront issues in our lives that those glasses have mulled over.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" -2 Corinthians 5:17.

However, when we embrace these new lenses (provided at no cost to us), we begin to see life quite differently. Our thoughts change and our hearts begin to soften for the things of God become what we want for our lives. We cannot merely do this on our own. When we accept this free gift of sight to us, we accept the simple yet powerful truth that God has left an imprint on our lives. He is now a part of us.

So, why do some people not accept these new lenses? I can't speak for everyone, but I think it may be for a variety of reasons. Some of which may be obvious or hidden. It might not be until they accept the invitation of those new lenses and put them on that they begin to confront the tension between what is and what could be.

"He replied, "The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see." (Read all of John 9:1-41).

For me, I am still trying to adjust to my new lenses. It is not always easy trying to place yourself in another's shoes because it requires that you take yours off in order to walk in theirs. Sometimes, the shoe doesn't always fit. There are times when the brokenness of this world seems too hard to handle and then I am gently reminded of the one who gave me the lenses to see in the first place. We are a team and I could not possibly walk this journey alone.

Community is so important when you first put on those new lenses. Find some people who are learning how to follow Jesus and soon, you will have a group of friends committed to sharing, growing, accepting, and living out the Jesus-way: intentionally. However, we need to be aware of the people in our midst who wear the lenses but their life does not reflect the true way. They may say and do all of things that appear to be right, but in reality, are far from following Jesus. You can pray for them and allow your life to be a light to them. Jesus says that:

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." -Psalm 119:105

There is a chorus of a song that goes like this:

"I was blind, but now I see.
I was broken but you carried me.
I was lost, now I'm found.
I was guilty but you turned me around.
Come, love, and rescue me."

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May His word be present in my life and in your life. May our paths intersect and our lives embrace the reality that Jesus longs to be with his people forever. May we continue to persist even when the weather is less than perfect and even when there are rainbows in the sky. May we praise him and give him adoration. May our lives reflect the work that he has done in us and continues to do everyday. May be be risk-takers and not bystanders. And in everything, may He get all of the honor, glory, and praise.

Amen (or let it be so).

Copyright June 3, 2011 by Alex Puleo

In it's purest form

Recently, lots of opportunities and changes have been finding their way to me. I've been making new friendships, spending more time with people, learning more about myself, and praying about the future. Yes, I am beginning to come to terms with the reality that God, has called me to something greater. So, for the past two years, I have found myself in a discernment process. School is very important to me but so are the things of God. I've learned that seeking God is not something that can be discovered in a day nor in a lifetime. His character and very nature of who he really is is incomrehensible.

I came back from a retreat yesterday. One of the speakers read a verse in from Zephaniah 3:17:

"The Lord your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love
he will rejoice over you with singing."

This is scandalous. After reading this, I was completely overcome with the reality that I am loved. Loved more than any guy or romance novel or "Walk to Remember" movie. This sense of peace, of assurance swept over me and I was speechless. I sat in that wooden cabin at a loss for words. My journal reads:

"To know that I do not have to do anything, except be. To know that my God will fight for me. That he keeps his promises. That he loves me just for me. Wow."