"may I be defined by more of Your beauty and less by my brokenness"

Most of the time the approval or rejection from people has more sway over my heart than what Jesus thinks about me. My passion to be right is often more compelling than the good news of being righteous in Christ. Controlling my circumstances claims more of my time and energy than seeking His face.

Read this prayer on a blog titled "Heavenward" and it really spoke to my heart:

"Jesus, liberate me from thinking about the next thing, so I can be present in the current moment and conversation. May people, not projects be my greater concern and joy each day. Help me to make better eye contact and heart connection with those you give me to love. Help me to be less timid around strangers more intrigued with new people I meet.

Help me to use less words and more listening when engaging others. Turn my hair-trigger reactions into slower, wiser responses. Please unshackle me from the illusion of control and my commitment to a pain-free heart. Loving well always involves risk and pain.

Jesus, break even more of the chains of my insecurities. Please unfetter me from thinking too much about what I’m not… by showing me more of you and who I am in you. May I be defined more by your beauty and less by my brokenness."

May we love loudly

Below are a few quotes from the book "Jesus for President" by Shaine Claiborne. His views are pretty radical and might offend some people but the man radiates love and seeks to challenge the way we view freedom. Our culture usually describes freedom as "freedom from" but "freedom from" is really no definition of freedom at all. This view of freedom only pushes us farther into external things so we run to what is tangible and what we can hold on to. We run to find our identity and value there...but really it is much to shallow and broken for us.

"Once upon a time there were no kings or presidents. Only God was king. The Bible is the story of a God who is continually rescuing humanity from the messes we make of the world. God is bringing the kingdom of heaven to earth. God is leading humans on an exodus adventure out of the land of emperors and kings and into the Promised Land.”

“Over and over, the people [of Israel] settled for the empty promises of empire over the eternal dreams of God. But God is relentless. God pursued, forgave, wooed them back, as a Lover.”

“So even as we see the horror of death, may we be reminded that in the end, love wins. Mercy triumphs. Life is more powerful than death. And even those who have committed great violence can have the image of God come to life again within them as they hear the whisper of love. May the whisper of love grow louder than the thunder of violence. May we love loudly.”