Monday, October 19, 2009

Building Destroyed Destiny: Introducing the #LOTD


Something has moved me. Over the past month, a single word in a song can grip me for and entire day. Sometimes its the most obscure line of a song by a band I have never heard before. Its amazing the power of words.

A word, a sentence, a statement can change everything.

What Builds is Labeled Destructive
What is ironic is how 'flipped' culture has become. Imagine this scenario. A person of courage speaks words of truth and honesty but because the listener's insecurities, the words are ignored, teflon'ed, or worse, denied. The words are labeled mean or insensitive. Because of the listeners flawed definition of truth, they'll commit all resources to image management. Deny, re-direct, or deafen...but they'll do anything but dedicate to the words they thought were hurtful.

What is Destructive is Labeled Life Building

So many times, flattery leads to greater flaws and failure. Compliments are cunning. The reality is that we have inverted what is healthy by what "feels good." Sometimes truth hurts. Thicken the skin and embrace what is needed not what it wanted.

Build a destiny that is filled with people who love you enough to tell you the truth. Then when it cuts like a knife, know that immediately their words will heal as they are processed.

Words.

I had just watched a friend ignite in a flame of failure. Pride strangled potential. Ego eclipsed hope. Living across the country, it was hard to get a sit down with them. Within days, they had vomited words on every common friend trying to lobby an army into their corner called "favor." Meanwhile, I just shrugged it off and thought, the poor soul...its going to be a rough landing...and then I heard it.

Who would of thought Marshall Mathers could speak such truth the situation. With 1000's of miles between us, if all of creation were listening to the song, the world that they brought into the conversation, would see the dark colors that betrayal used to paint an image protecting alibi. Instead, I latched on to a few of these words...

"[The World]Feed it beans, it's gassed up, if a thing's stopping me
I'mma be what I set out to be, without a doubt undoubtedly
And all those who look down on me I'm tearing down your balcony
No if and's or buts-don't try to ask him "why?" or "how can he?"


I just realized, sometimes people tear down their own balconies.

Words build.
Words destroy.

So I introduce you a joy ride into my brain and Ipod. From twitter and facebook, I am going to throw a lyric a day #LOTD.

You can do it too.

Until then, speak life and embrace truth.

JAS

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Giving Away the House...Seriously.

In just a few hours, I head out to Detroit. Of all the stops on the tour, this one grabs we deeply. I believe it is the practical nature of showing and being love, not just speaking love.

In the early planning stages of the book tour, Craig and I wanted it to be more than just locations that could represent a chapter in the book. But Detroit represented so many people who were hurting, voiceless and marginalized. So we decided to try to change that. Our goal was to find people who felt disconnected from hope and destiny and try to be a road map back. Somehow, hope is in shelter.

We bought a house in the beginning of the summer. In one of the most impoverished, crime strickened ghettos of America, someone is going to be a home owner. Our goal was simple. Use local people all summer long to fix it up, then tomorrow, in conjunction with one of our friend's detroit based church, give it away. No strings attached. All summer long, families in need have applied to be the new home owners. Our team has vetted each applicant and tomorrow, someone will become a deeded-home owners. The colonial style home is amazing. Jesus' love works. We are learning that most don't have a problem with Jesus, just some who speak on his behalf. Help change this!

The Detroit Press is a buzz. Here is a link to cut and paste for the newspaper story. [ http://tinyurl.com/ykygan9 ]

ABC News covered on their evening news. I love it when hope is talked about rather than death and violence.



Great things can still happen.

Follow me on twitter [ www.twitter.com/bechange ] to get updates all day Sunday. Read more or get your copy at Amazon.com
Link: [ http://tinyurl.com/JLYBOOK ] Leave a comment if you've read it.

Be the change you want to see in the world,

JHARP