What if We Treated Our Salvation Day Like Our Birthday?

After giving a birthday greeting to an acquaintance, I had a thought  what if we celebrated the day we got saved like our birthday? What if the merit was just as great and the esteem just as high? Our birthday is a special day that is recognized throughout all the world in different cultures and traditions. Our birthday stands out as a part of us written and marked in the scrolls of time. Our birthday represents our first moment and day of life on earth. Our salvation is just as important, but because it is represented as an inward change that eventually displays as outward it's often not as celebrated. It is often not as celebrated and recognized because it's eternal. However, as we come to know God we realize eternal correlates with mortal. Without eternal we could not be the mortal humans that we are today.I believe if the day of our salvation beat relentlessly in our breast, and was remembered like  our birthday, we would never forget God. We would never return to the old habits that he saved us from. We would never go backwards,but we would always progress. Our destiny's would be accomplished and man and woman would live to their fullest potential. Everyone as a Christian has potential that can rocket through the sky , to the moon higher and higher and explode so mighty that many can see. We can all leave this world with an impact that figuratively speaking rocks the every foundation of this earth! However, that only happens by pressing on in Christ, I urge you to press on but, never forget where God brought you from, for that is the very force that God will use to promote you to where you wants you to be!!!!

Rivers and Robots Interview

Speaking of music recently, I had the honor to do an interview with  an amazing and dynamic Christian Indie/worship band called Rivers and Robots.For all those Christian Indie or Worship or just music lovers this interview is for you! Sit back and get ready to be empowered, inspired and moved.
( CP=Me (A Christian Sister Perspective) J=Jonathan Lead Singer, of Rivers and Robots)

I always like to begin with how an artist came to have faith, before reflecting on the aspects of their faith through their music.

CP: How did you come to know the Lord( salvation story) and how did this tie in with your love for music?

J: I grew up in church (my dad is a pastor) and spent a lot of time in church meetings, listening to worship music. I come from a very musical family and learnt piano, guitar and a couple of other instruments when I was growing up. I ended up playing bass in the church worship team, and later drums. We're a small church, and so I just filled in wherever there was a gap. Doing that gave me a really good understanding of how each of the instruments work within a band though!

It wasn't until the age of 15 that I really started to take my relationship with God seriously. Until then I just believed in God, and that I was going to heaven, and that was mostly it. But at age 15 was when I finally realised that there was so much more to God than I had realized, and I started to develop a real relationship. Around the same time I started to ask God where he wanted me. I had read that we were all different parts of one body and I wanted to know what my part was!

A week or so later I was in a worship time, and felt so much love for God I thought I was going to explode, and I was trying to figure out what else I could do to just express worship and what I was feeling, and in that moment I felt God say "this is why I made you", and I knew from that point that worship was what I was meant to be doing. I spent a year just worshiping at home before I was brave enough to get up in front of anyone and sing but eventually I started to lead worship at church.

CP: How did you form a band?

 J: Out of those time worshiping at home though, these songs would come out and I'd start recording them and saving them on my computer. A year or so later, God told me that this was what he was calling me to as well, not just leading worship in church, but writing songs that are all about who He is, and that help others to worship in a different and creative way. The kind of songs I was writing didn't always fit in church, so I would record them and put them out online.

Eventually I started to put albums together and when I was 18 I released the first Rivers & Robots album "The Great Light". It was pretty rough, and all recorded and mixed at home in my bedroom. I was still figuring out how to do this creative worship thing, and by the time I did my second album I had a lot better idea of what I was meant to be doing. You can still hear the beginnings of it in my first album, but there was some definite moments that I would go back and change if I did it again.

The second album, Take Everything, was still recorded in my bedroom, but this time I had a lot clearer vision of what these songs were meant to be, and I made it much more God-centered and worshipful. That album started to do pretty well online, and by the time I finished it in 2012, I met these 3 guys that became great friends, and were also great musicians. I took a weekend out to pray about it all and the more I prayed the more excited I got, so I sent out an email and all 3 came back and said yes! We spent a year learning how to play the songs from Take Everything live, and then worked on some new songs together. It was my first time working with other musicians, my first time recording somewhere that wasn't my bedroom, and my first time letting other people to come in and help with the mixing and mastering. But it's a much better sounding album for it! We released All Things New in 2014 as a free download, which did really well and spread by word of mouth. So that's how it all started!

CP:Very inspiring to see how everything started out!Entering into the Christian music scene is huge. Some Christian artists have been pressured to compromise, as the Bible says how the mighty have fallen. Keep My Fire Burning lyrics are deep and real. As new  music opportunities arise what is your anchor to keep you rooted and grounded in God and the purpose behind your music?
  

J:  There's certainly pressure in the christian music industry to conform to a certain style or sound, and we've had lots of great opportunities come along that just weren't the right fit for us. The thing that keeps us rooted is prayer, and coming back to the things God has spoken. God gave us a few clear prophetic words at the start of the band and a few big verses that have meant a lot to us, we often come back to these things in big decision moments to see if it lines up. But with every opportunity we take on we're learning to pray about it, no matter how big or small it is. We're aware that God is leading us as a band, and we don't want to try and take over at any point and start making everything happen by ourselves. We're learning that not every opportunity that comes along is necessarily from God, and sometimes, particularly the more people hear about you, you start getting invites to all sorts of things that aren't where God wants you. So we simply ask God about each opportunity that comes our way, and wait for a confirmation that we should or shouldn't do it.

The other major thing that keeps us rooted is our one-on-one times of worshiping and praying at home. We talk a lot about living a lifestyle of worship, and really the times that we get on a stage and sing our songs are just an overflow of what we do at home. Our friend James runs a ministry called Prayer Storm, and he often says that it's one of the most tragic things to have a growing ministry but a shrinking heart towards God. As our ministry grows it's important that our relationship and intimacy with God is growing at the same time.

CP: What are your aspirations for your music is this something that you guys currently do full-time?

 We're working towards going full time as a band. Two of us are already full time, and one of us is part time, but we're in the process of setting up our own non-profit organization to help us do more with the band, as well as helping other artists to do creative worship and give them a platform to share what they do.

CP:  I love that your songs are surrounded by scriptures and that you've given away music for free. The new album is full of great songs.Could you tell me the story behind Light Will Dawn and In the Family?

In The Family is one of the few songs I wrote that started with a lyric. I tend to start with music first and lyrics come later, but for song God was speaking to me about being in the family of God and the relationship that we have to Him. I knew that I wanted to write a song with the line "I'm in the family now" in it, and I sat at my piano and the song just came together. Verse 2 took a while to write, and we actually went to recording with it unfinished. In the middle of doing the vocal recordings I ended up sitting down with my notepad and writing something out just before we recorded it.

Light Will Dawn is one of the few songs that was a co-write. I tend to write most of the songs myself, I just never learnt how to do it with other people well. But our bass player Nathan sent me an idea for a song, and it fit really well with something I was already writing. So I ended up writing the verses, and the tag near the end of "You are really coming back", and I used Nathan's song for the chorus and the last tag. It just seemed to fit together well. A lot of our songs are written about the second coming, and this one is no different! It's a song about Jesus coming back and the hope of the light that he will bring in the midst of darkness.

CP: Another artist that I love to worship to is Misty Edwards she brings you into the presence of God and worship.What are some fellow worship artists that inspire you and artists that maybe you'd like to work with or had the pleasure to work with?

 J:We love Misty Edwards as well! I went to IHOP in Kansas City a few times for their one thing conference, and there's so many great worship leaders and artists there. We're also friends with United Pursuit who are writing great songs at the moment, and we're slowly getting to know a lot of other creative worship bands around the UK and beyond. Part of the reason we set up our Set Sail website is to share some of these artists that we like. We also put together a Spotify playlist of indie worship bands that we're regularly updating.

CP: Besides being incredibly talented musicians, what are some other hobbies/things that you guys enjoy doing in your spare time?

J:When we're not doing the band stuff we love going to gigs (Manchester is great for that!), watching movies, eating chicken and doing some of our other creative hobbies. I'm a graphic designer too, and our guitarist Dave is a video editor. We all have our little side projects and things we enjoy as well as playing music.

CP: Lastly, I  saw you guys mention tea and cakes.  I'm from the U.S and have quite a sweet tooth,I have seen in times pasts the custom of  tea times, is there still such a tradition? What are you guys favorite tea and cakes? 

J.:Tea is still a big deal in the UK, we maybe don't have the traditional 'tea time' quite so much, but it's rare that I go more than a few hours without having a cup of tea. Every now and then we go traveling somewhere where they don't do tea, and it's just not right. People shouldn't have to live like that.

Well that's the interview! It's refreshing to hear from musicians who are just as passionate about their personal walk with God as their music.Our relationship with God is more important than anything in this world.Thank Rivers and Robots  for doing the interview and may the Lord bless you.

To get their recent cd or for more information check them out here:http://riversandrobots.com

Photo Credits: http://riversrobots.bandcamp.com

Why I Will Not Watch the VMAS

Call me boring,old fashioned,judgmental or religious, but I was a bit disappointed when a Christian publisher posted a article concerning the ‪#‎VMAS‬ (secular music awards a.k.a a freak show)and actually encouraged Christians a little to watch it.

Secular music is one of those quiet topics that creep in the background of Christianity. I was blessed enough to be raised in a home where I was taught the difference between Christian and Secular Music. The one you listen to as a Christian the other was  music that sinner's listened to. Now this is not to judge, maybe you were never taught this,but as we grow in Christ we must become more Godly. The VMAS is a flat out freak show and something that was surely cooked up by the devil. The news pictures  and even some Christian publisher's broadcast this show proudly. A Christian organization broadcasting news actually encouraged viewers to watch the VMAS! A show that a 30 year old guy said made him uncomfortable and blush.

A program that is an affront to God. No, I haven't watched the #VMAS before, but I don't have to,to see what it's all about. The article from the "Christian" publisher title mentioned hope,the only hope in the secular music world is a spiritual awakening ,that their lost and they need to be saved. The only hope is to leave the secular industry and pick up their cross and follow God not fame.Having said all this,I wonder how we as Christians can comfortably sit back and enjoy the very thing that displeases and dishonors God? God calls us to come out from among wickness and be separate.I conclude with the words of the great psamlist, I will set NO wicked thing before my eyes.‪#‎StandforTruth‬ ‪#‎SetApart‬ ‪#‎Godlylife‬

 Images by:Google

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Teacher Diaries: The Case of the Uncompleted To Do List

Teacher Diaries: The Case of the Uncompleted To Do List

As I come to the end of my first week back of teaching after a one year break, I am amazed, tired, exhilarated, and hopeful about the upcoming year! So far I am amazed by the budding relationships that have already developed between myself and the students, the student's strong interest in learning, the camaraderie among the teachers, and the welcoming staff. I have met some very interesting, engaging, people who seem to have a genuine zest for life. I have met real people who have the wow factor. The people in this small town are also so friendly and inviting. I'm really excited about the future and excited to share just a little of what I experience with you'll.

August 25, 2015

She looked at her class.
"Raise your hand if you would like to share your answer for number one with the class," she said, raising her hand. 
She was amazed when she saw about fifteen eager hands go up in the air. She was shocked by their excitement and eagerness to participate. This was going to be an amazing year she thought.


August 27,2015

A mounting list threatened to swallow her under. She looked over her long To Do list, wondering if it would all dwindle away soon.She looked it over to find she had about fifteen more things to complete. She walked swiftly to the media center and dropped off a stack of papers and decorations to be laminated. Then she went to the office to pick up a pack of paper for the copier machine that had run out of paper. Next she went to the copier machine and started making copies. She walked quickly to her room, unlocked the door, and completed her PDP plan, as Tim Janis played softly in the background. Then she zoomed back to the copy machine to check on her copies and found out she had made fifty or so copies of work packets for the sub folder that had the answers marked already. 

At the end of the day, she realized that the list was just a list and that she would finish it all in time. Stressing and trying to finish it all in a week was not the answer. She had finished half of the things on her list, but the other half would be complete in time. She relaxed. It was okay to have an uncompleted list, as long as she was working towards completing it, one day at a time. And it would all be completed by God's grace. 

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Phillipians 4:13



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Being A Lady

Thoughts on being a lady and rights,I think Catherine Marshall said it best .....

“I’d never thought much about being a girl until two years ago, when I learned from a man what a wonderful thing it is to be a woman. Until that Sunday morning, I considered myself lucky to be living in the 19th century. The century of progress and emancipation. The century when, supposedly, we women came into our own. But I’d forgotten that the emancipation of women really began with Christianity. When a girl, a very young girl, received the greatest honor in history. She was chosen to be the mother of the Savior of the world. And when her son grew up and began to teach His way of life, He ushered woman into a new place in human relations. He accorded her a dignity she’d never known before, and crowned her with such glory, that down through the ages, she was revered, protected and loved. Men wanted to think of her as different from themselves. Better… made of finer, more delicate clay.

“It remained for the 20th century, the century of progress, to pull her down from her throne. She wanted equality. For 1900 years, she had not been equal. She had been superior. To stand equal with men, naturally she had to step down. Now, being equal with men, she has won all their “rights and privileges.” The right to get drunk. The right to swear. The right to smoke. The right to work like a man. To think like a man. To act like a man. We’ve won all this, but how can we feel so triumphant, when men no longer feel as romantic about us, as they did about our grandmothers? When we’ve lost something sweet and mysterious? Something as, as hard to describe as the haunting wistful fragrance of violets?

“Of course, these aren’t my original thoughts. They’re the thoughts I heard that Sunday morning. But from them, some thought of my own were born. And the conclusion reached, that somewhere along the line, we women got off the track.
“Poets have become immortal by remembering on paper a girl’s smile. But I’ve never read a poem rhapsodizing over a girl’s giggles at a smutty joke. Or I’ve never heard a man brag that his sweetheart or his wife could drink just as much as he, and become just as intoxicated. I’ve never heard a man say that a girl’s mouth was prettier with a cigarette hanging out of it, or that her hair smelled divinely of stale tobacco.
I’m afraid that’s all I have to say."

This was her first speech and yet she said it all.Did anyone else receive  the Happy Women's Equality Day Banner when they signed in?On Aug 26, 1920, women achieved the right to vote in the US.Yes, this is truly a good thing,but what about all the other rights that are in progression now? As a lady in this age should I be proud that baring my body will give me fame instead of shame? Should I be proud that I can abort my child if I don't want it? Should I be proud that some men see women as sexual objects instead of women full of grace,purity and class? Should I be proud that employers expect  me to work just like a man ?I think not. Please don't get me wrong,I am very proud of the rights that I have with value and merit,but not the sinful rights offered to women  today.However, first and foremost I want to be the Godly woman that God wants me to be.Women God loves you and wants the best for you,you're so much more than value yourself to be!God Bless!

A Retro and Real Sunday

Sunday Confessions

Tonight, I wanted to talk about the impact of the word of God received today. Firstly I want to say that God is real and his word is like a good meal it leaves you full and satisfied. Sundays are of day of honor,worship,learning,growth and a time to be retrospective.
This Sunday:

1)Firstly, I learned that being in God's will is more important than anything.
2)That God can use anyone and anyone change and they'll humble themselves before God
and ask for his help.
3)That we can be a victim of our past or a conquerer of our future. I choose to be a conquerer!
4) Correction is to help us not to hurt us.
5)God didn't save us so we could sit back and relax until he comes back,but so that we can help save others.
6)Last but not least God has a future and a plan for you, all you have to do is accept it.

Hope you're blessed by some of my Sunday thoughts and wisdom. May you have a wonderful Monday and remember always put God first,church and God's word is awesome!


Written and Photo By Yours Truly!

Teacher Diaries

Week 1

August 17, 2015
As she drove down the road, the tune of Newsboys in the background, excitement bubbled within her. After a year of yearning to be in the classroom, she couldn't believe that she would soon be signing papers that would officially give her the chance to teach again and be a part of children's lives.

4 Days Earlier
She loved the small town feel of the town, as she drove towards the school. She made a left turn and pulled up alongside the sidewalk, and put the SUV in park. As she walked to the main entrance, she looked up at the stately, three story, brick building. When she entered the main office, a pungent smell seeped into her nostrils. 
"Hi, are you the new 6th grade teacher?" The secretary queried.
"Yes," she said.
"Nice to meet you. I'll go back and tell the principal that you're here," she said, walking towards the Principal's office.
As she waited, she took a seat, looking at the burgundy carpeted floors and wooden desk.
"You can go on back," the secretary said.
As she walked towards the principal's office, she looked straight on.

***

She tapped her pen on the desk as the lady provided her with the proper forms to sign. She signed the forms, a smile on her lips.
"Congratulations," the lady said, handing her a copy of her clearance form.
She smiled, praising God as she walked back her SUV. Her heart's desire was finally a beautiful fulfillment.

August 18, 2015
She felt the piercing feeling of fear at her core as she laid in her bed. This change was starting to feel overwhelming. With such a new start, at a new school, and new location she started to feel like she couldn't move forward. During her devotion time she felt led to read Joshua 1:9. As she read the words, she allowed them to sink in. "Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." She felt the icy feeling of fear dissolve, as courage began to swell up in her heart and mind. She could move forward in this because God was with her. He had confirmed that He had brought her to this very place.

August 19, 2015
During open house, she met many wonderful students.
"Hi!" she exclaimed when a student walked in, her family behind her. "Welcome. My name is Ms. Williams. What is your name?" she asked, shaking her hand.
"-------."
"Nice to meet you," Ms Williams said as the young lady stood, still shaking Ms. Williams' hand, a smile on her face.
"This is actually who will be in your class," her mom said, stepping up and introducing her younger daughter.

After meeting her and all of her students, she was so excited to see the students again on Monday. She felt like open house was a prelude to the first day of school. This year was going to be a good year, she thought.

August 20, 2015
Caught in the bustle of preparing for the first day of class, she stopped and took a deep breathe at her desk. Then she let it out. She was surprised at how a simple breath allowed her to release stress and continue with preparing. Excitement bubbled up inside of her at the thought of meeting her students.

August 21, 2015
She tapped her foot as the cool air blew softly on her skin from the rattling air conditioner. She rubbed her arms, the chill bumps lumpy under her fingers.
She looked at the facilitator at the front of the room as she explained how to set up a canva account. The computer lab had a welcoming feel. She was excited to be on her way to preparing for the first day of class for her students. She would complete everything in time, by God's precious grace.

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