Though I’ve made my fair share of mistakes, I’m grateful to not have the regrets of my past haunting my present. Through His grace, God has a persistent way of whipping me back to into shape before I self-destruct. And though I don’t always appreciate it in the moment, God often stops me in my tracks before I truly suffer the consequence of my wayward sinful nature. Today I was reflecting on poor decisions I’ve made in the past, I was reminded of God’s amazing grace. I thought of the story of Jonah, and although not so dramatic, I see could similarities of his experiences in mine. When I find myself outside of God’s will, God relentlessly pursues me. And at times it seems He does everything in His power to keep me uncomfortable. I find myself trapped in my own “storm at sea” or “fish”. In the moment I hate the pain and discomfort, and I even feel chastised by God but eventually I recognize His grace.

God is in continual pursuit of us and He goes great lengths to save and protect us. I’m thankful for a God who is gracious enough to save me from regret of my mistakes.  I’m thankful for a God who is gracious enough to save me from my self-defeating actions and leads me where I don’t have sense enough to go on my own. I’m thankful for second chances. I’m so thankful for grace.

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 1 Peter 5:10 NIV

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3:23-24 NIV

- Paige A. Henry

Paige is a clinical therapist who works with adjudicated youth in Detroit, MI and a singer/songwriter. Check out her music at www.sydneyandpaige.com or follow her on twitter @paigeahenry

One constant fact of life: NOTHING EVER GOES THE WAY ITS PLANNED. Ever. Sure things may be go fine for some time but whether it’s in relationships, careers, your next big move, or whatever else you set out to do in life, there are bound to be twist and turns.  Some pleasant. Many not so much.

Disappointment is a feeling we all try to avoid. Uncertainty produces feelings of anxiety and fear that sometimes prohibits us from stepping outside of our comfort zone. In any relationship trust is a necessity, but especially in our relationships with Christ. God has this funny way of what seems like telling you as little information as possible which at times drives me crazy. 

Recently I began a 90 day Bible reading plan, and this process gave me sort of an epiphany.  When reading the old testament it is so easy to get frustrated with the Israelites. “Hard Headed” would be an understatement. Even after witnessing God’s power time after time the Israelites were double minded and had difficulty trusting God when placed outside of their comfort zone. Instead they turned to other gods and refused to abandon their own plans leading to a lot of unnecessary hardships. And before I got too proud I realized I wasn’t so much different. When placed outside of my comfort zone, when things don’t go the way I’ve planned, I began to second guess God. I try to rely on my own power instead of trusting Him. I don’t want to be like the Israelites, how many times will God have to reveal His power before I trust Him. How we ever get trust issues with God who has never failed us I’m not sure, but my faith will no longer be confined to my comfort zone, I’m stepping out.

But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. James 1:6-8 

Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. 1 Peter 5: 7
 

- Paige A. Henry

Paige is a clinical therapist who works with adjudicated youth in Detroit, MI and a singer/songwriter. Check out her music at www.sydneyandpaige.com or follow her on twitter @paigeahenry

There are times when I get so tired of dealing with the same problems over and over. "Tired" may be an understatement... I was tired 12 months ago, now I'm worn out, drained, and overwhelmingly exhausted.

Sure I trust God but if I'm being honest then I'll have to admit that sometimes it's with exceptions. Because like many of us I have fears. I'm willing to trust God to spare me from experiencing my fears, not so much to allow me to experience them and guide me through. And to be honest I think my stubbornness played a huge role in getting me where I am. Not because He's punishing me, but because if I never experienced the hurt I wouldn't know that He could get me through it.

Once I went white water rafting, which can be dangerous in itself but even more so for someone who can't really swim.  So I said a quick prayer asking God to keep me from falling out of my raft, because that was my biggest fear. Instead, one of the first waves we hit sent me flying out of my raft. Before I reached the surface of the water my first thought was "What are You doing?" . I had specifically asked God to spare me from this one thing and He did the opposite. But after I had experienced being jolted out my raft I stopped fearing it. I continued the trip with ease knowing that I could  handle it and when trouble came ( we ended up getting stranded on the river at night!) I wasn't haunted by fear. I realized later that God had allowed my experience so I would overcome my fear in order to face the challenge that was ahead.

This has become a reoccurring theme in my life within the last year or so. I have faced some of my greatest fears and without those experiences I would have continued to be controlled by that fear. Now I know that in my greatest trials God is still able to comfort and heal me. I know now that there is a certain comfort and understanding that only comes through trials. I am only able to truly experience the power of God through my weakness. There is  a level of refinement that only comes through fire. So hang in there, He's only trying to complete a work in you. Trust in Him, He knows what He's doing.

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. (James 1:2 MSG)

At first I didn't think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me, My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10 MSG)

I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, 'They are my people,' and they will say, 'The Lord is our God.'" (Zechariah 13:9 NIV)

-Paige A. Henry



Paige is a clinical therapist who works with adjudicated youth in Detroit, MI and a singer/songwriter. Check out her music at www.sydneyandpaige.com or follow her on twitter @paigeahenry

I love the board game Risk. Those who play strategically and with purpose, making bold and calculated moves tend to be among the first to get out or the winner. Keeping it safe will often keep you in the game longer but, it won’t sustain you. Currently, I find myself in my own real life “game of Risk”, only the consequence of losing is far more than wounded pride. You see, God stomped all over my safe approach in pursuing my calling to ministry and directed me to pursue it boldly. Several weeks ago I found myself stuck between a rock and a hard place, not liking any of the options before me. Needing to save money for a car and if possible, tuition for the fall, it seemed that my only options were to work with a conservative ministry I didn’t completely align with or choose another option that went against my convictions. Greatly troubled and sensing that change was coming, I prayed and waited. Long story short, God made a way and I got a full-time job and on top of that a car even before I started working.

This is major, especially considering my long bout of unemployment/underemployment and financial situation. It was just like one of those miraculous stories I sometimes read at the end of sabbath school lessons (bible studies) that seemed to happen to everybody else but, me. It was the type of  scenario that I wished and prayed would happen.  A scenario I thought would be the greatest confirmation that God was faithful and leading me. So you’d think it’d be smooth sailing from here on out but, reality is that I’m just as uncomfortable as before. I still have the same fears as before. I’m just as impatient. I’m still unsatisfied. I still want more. 

"So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering..." (Romans 12:1-2 MGS).

I used to wonder why the Israelites, who witnessed such great miracles, lacked so much in faith. The peace and faith they gained from even greater experiences only sustained them for so long. Soon they were back to their old habits but, now I realize why. See, my external circumstances don’t need changing. I do! I’m comfortable when things are going my way because, it’s then when I see how I can accomplish things in my own power. However, when things go God’s way it requires faith. As long as I put my trust in myself, I’ll need constant confirmation. It won't be enough to sustain me because I’m not trustworthy. Satisfaction will only come when I take a perceived risk and truly let Jesus be my Savior. Our savior is whoever and whatever we put our trust in. Christ must become more than just the superhero in my afterlife plot. He must be my superhero in my everyday life. More than we know, we need God practically right now, today. Whatever the situation, He is waiting to give you a hand. My desire is that I stop trading the truth for a lie, that I stop being an idol for myself, that I stop worshiping myself, a creation, instead of the Creator (Romans 1:25).


-Sydney Henry




Sydney is an independent gospel artist
and executive director of Uprise.
Find her music at sydneyandpaige.com or
follow her on twitter @sydneyhenry

Uprise’s Night of Worship on March 16, 2012.  Guest speaker Pierre Quinn challenges us consider how our wants are controlling our lives.

In all of us we have this unexplainable need to be loved, to be valued. Some of us place our value in our beauty, others in ability, and for many affirmations we find from others. From our very beginnings we thrived from the nurture our parents or caregivers gave. As I witness daily as a clinical therapist, the absence of a parent’s love or the demeaning experiences of abuse can produce voids so deep they can seem impossible to fill. Like it or not all of us have this need, all of us need to be valued. We all need to be loved.

Unfortunately, throughout life we experience insults, failures, betrayals, disappointments, and other negative experiences that challenge our own self-worth. They leave us searching for evidence of our value again. They leave us longing for validation.

June 10, 2011 – Father

He enters the room. No words spoken and eyes wide with anticipation. Not sure how to react, he just stands. Eyes glossy. Standing. Palms sweating. Standing. Unfathomable thoughts racing through his mind, he dare not speak in fear that they come to pass. So, he stands.  Helpless and speechless, he stands.

June 1, 2011, Joseph Antonio Bulgin stands helpless. He stands as his only son bleeds from his side. He stands as his only son cries in agonizing pain from the wounds covering his body. He stands because he is helpless within those four walls in which he stands. His school training has not prepared him for a moment like this. No words can be arranged on paper to present to the small audience that fills this room because this is uncharted ground. So he stands waiting for hope and reassurance in this time of duress. A prayer falls from his lips asking his Father in heaven to calm his spirit, asking his Father in heaven to take the lead, asking his Father in heaven to take control. Eyes glossy and palms still sweating, he stands.
How could a loving father stand and watch his only son in so much pain? How could he stand motionless and not lift a finger in fear of the death of his son?

As a boy, he heard a story of a Father who let His only Son leave their beautiful home and enter a world of dangerous people, places and things. He heard a story of a Father who watched His only Son achieve great things while away from their beautiful home. He also heard how this Father who had all the power in the world, did not lift a finger when the dangerous people of this Earth crucified and killed His Son. Jesus came to Earth, lived and died and conquered the curse of sin and death all while his Father stood.

So my father stood, like his Father in Heaven stood. My father stood firm in the assurance of life beyond the grave. He stood weak in the emotion of the situation but strong in the Controller of the situation. He stood unknowing of the why’s of the situation but confident in the Who that was in control of the situation. He stood knowing that the God he serves had complete control and he stood in agreement of the prayer, “Thy will be done.”’

June 1, 2011, Joseph Antonio Bulgin, my father stood for me as an example of a man who trusts a God bigger than any situation. My father stood firm in his faith that God has got it all in control, good or bad. I saw that in my father that day and although I pray I don’t have to display it in the same situation, I pray that one day I can display the same strength and faith in the God that sustained me, his son.

John 3:16-17 (NLT) “For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him.”

Excerpt from 25 and Counting.
-J. Anthony Bulgin


Jason is an author, speaker, educator, musician, songwriter and actor who encourages youth who may otherwise be lost in the battles of their own soul.
http://www.janthonybulgin.com

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 
Hebrews 4:12 ESV

I know too many who’ve left church. I’m not talking about people who’ve stopped following Christ. No, individuals who have kept their faith but, have discarded church. For some, their spiritual needs were not met. Others were hurt by well meaning or not so well meaning church folk. And still some just got tired of the culture/environment. The list goes on. On the other hand, I know even more who attend church who feel they aren’t being fed properly spiritually, have been hurt, don't like being there and who instead of leaving, silently grumble. When made aware of such stories our first reaction is to point at the church and determine what wrinkles leaders need to iron out. I’m not saying this is bad because in fact it isn’t. However, I propose that as a second step we stop giving church leaders, organizations and denominations so much responsibility over our contentment and satisfaction in church. That we stop being consumers and start being co-laborers with Christ. Let’s not wait until someone else will step up and fix the problem. Let’s prayerfully ask God what we can do. Not just for our benefit but, for the benefit of others.

A consumer attends church with a shopping list, solely concerned with what they can get out of their church experience. While a co-laborer is not only concerned with their own interest but, that of others. 

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped.
Philippians 2:4-6

How is God leading you to give to others in your church?

How is God leading you to aid in the mission of your church?

Where is God asking you to serve in your church? 

By God’s grace, I will graduate from Oakwood University on May 12, 2012 with a B.A. in theology and a minor in English. I must say, I have benefitted greatly from studying theology in connection with English. In fact, the title of this blog is a product of my experience in both departments.

I Want to Go to Heaven…

Out of the various maxims related to my future that I’ve developed while studying theology, this is primary. There are various reasons why I want to go to heaven. I long to be reunited with family and friends who’ve died and are awaiting the return of Jesus (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). I am looking forward to living a life of which temptation, sin, sickness, and death will no long be apart (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:26, 51-57; Revelation 21:1-4). To be honest, I desire to live in a mansion uniquely and specifically prepared for me (cf. John 14:1-3). MOST OF ALL, I want to see Jesus face to face and hear Him say “well done” (cf. 1 Corinthians 13:12; 1 John 3:2; Matthew 25:21, 23).

Yes, I want to go to heaven. “So do I”, you might be thinking. That’s good for both of us, and we are a part of a larger community who truly desires to go to heaven. We believe that the promise of a better day is legitimate and available to all who believe and accept Jesus Christ.

But…

Although I’ve been exposed to literature from some of the best authors the world has ever known and received compositional training par excellence, it’s the little things, such as conjunctions, that still have a peculiar impact on me.

You, like me, probably learned about conjunctions in elementary school. When connecting two or more ideas use “and”. When comparing two or more ideas use “or”. When contrasting two or more ideas use “but”. Of course there are exceptions and variations to each rule.

My favorite conjunction is (you guessed it!) BUT. Simply explained, the presence of this contrasting conjunction informs the reader that the following idea(s) is more important than, and at times completely negates, the preceding idea. So, based on this definition, one could infer from the title of this blog that I have a want that totally negates or at least is more important than my strong desire to go to heaven. One is right….

I have some competition…

I want to go to heaven, but I have some competition. I wish I could say that at this point in my Christian experience my desire to see Jesus face to face is unrivaled. Every now and then, there are a few things that vie for my primary attention. As mentioned above, I’ll be graduating from college on May 12, 2012 at 8:00 PM in the Von Braun Center located on…you get the point. My family, friends, and I have been looking forward to this day for five years. Hey, I want to go to heaven, but I want to graduate first!

The Bible says, “It is not good for the man to be alone…for this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh” (Genesis 2:18, 24, NIV). I agree! Is there anything wrong with wanting to be a faithful husband and loving father? My parents have been married for nearly three decades. I, too, want to experience the joys of marriage, and all there is to “know” with my wife and experience with children of my own. I want to go to heaven, but I want to have a family first!

To be continued…

-Richard

Richard Martin is a student at Oakwood University

It seem that, as it pertains to ministry or anything else God instructs or calls us to do , Finagle’s corollary to Murphy’s law is especially true.  Anything that can go wrong, will—at the worst possible moment. Volunteers don’t show, whatever funds you thought you had coming don’t come in and the list goes on. You take one step forward and then two steps back but, the beauty of it all is that, in the end, God gets all the glory.

From the beginning, the book of Ezra is incredible because “the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing...The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah” (1:1,2). Moreover, 42,360 came out captivity, who were of the exiles taken captive to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar, thus fulfilling God’s promise to restore his people using Cryus.

Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and to loose the belts of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed...For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I name you, though you do not know me. I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me, that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the Lord, and there is no other. (Isaiah 45:1,4-6)

As as the narrative continues, the Israelites began rebuilding the temple and are making progress until the Samaritans set out to stop them and are successful at it. I don't know about you but, whenever I set out to obey God and huge obstacles get in my way, I start to wonder if I heard God wrong. However, I've come realize that God doesn't promise smooth sailing. In fact, the obstacles we face help us and other realize that we aren't successful in our own power. God gets all the Glory! Our struggles keep us dependent on him. The Israelites do eventually rebuild the temple and you too, through God's grace and power, will triumph.


God is not a man that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not make it good?
Numbers 23:19


-Sydney


Sydney is an independent gospel artist 
and executive director of Uprise.
Find her music at sydneyandpaige.com

     At least for me, in every season of my life there is a passage that holds particular meaning to me. For a while now I've been "stuck" on 2 Corinthians 12. In it Paul talks about boasting about his weakness, at first glance it seems to be an irrational thought but I've learned to share this same irrational joy about my weaknesses. Don't get me wrong, no one likes being weak, but when you live under the protection of Gods unfailing power, personal deficits can become strangely comforting. You see, in our weaknesses and limitations God's power is demonstrated. It's like that feeling, as a little girl, when Daddy carries you inside from the car you were sleeping in, or he opens the jar that's closed too tight for you. I no longer have to pretend to have it all together, I don't have to rely on my own strength. Strangely, I long the comforting feeling of God's power that only my weaknesses can bring. I'm weak! And I will continue to proclaim that because I deeply long for God's power to work in me.

I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

-2 Corinthians 12:5-10 NIV


 Paige Henry is a school social worker and independent artist in Detroit, MI. Check out her music at http://www.sydneyandpaige.com/
www.facebook.com/sydneyandpaige
Twitter: @PaigeAHenry

One reason in particular why I like using my current web browser, especially when it comes to uploading  files, is that it tells me what it's doing. There's no need to incessantly click the upload button. I know that it's uploading, how far along it is in the process and an ideal when it will be finished. No faith required. I don't have to trust that it's doing it's job while I stare at the spinning pinwheel of death. Can you relate this to your spiritual life?