"Yes Anding" God

There's something about the act of just moving in the "yes" direction. When you get up and take a stand for the "yes's" that you are and the "yes's" you want to become, something happens. Something very important and something you've wanted all along. But, the decision is more than just a thought or a word. 

Whether you’re a fan of Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, or Steve Carell, you’re well acquainted with people who really understand the concept of taking risks. In fact, I even would go out on a limb and say that most of the greatest comedians in our world today understand a lot more about this major aspect of living as a Christian than most of us who would #blessed or write Christian under the “religious views” section on Facebook. Why? Because they fully understand and embrace a concept that we in the acting/improv world like to call “yes, and…”.  

“Yes, and…” is the golden rule of improvisation. It is you agreeing with every piece of the reality that your partner creates and is the technique that you use to keep the scene moving forward. It let's your partner know that you support their decision and that you're onboard with the task of moving to the next moment. I happen to think life works a lot like improv...or improv works a lot like life. Especially life with Jesus.  It seems to me that the key to everything is not only “Yes,” but the addition of “and…”. So many Christians are willing to say “Yes Jesus, I trust you”, “Yes Jesus, I will give”, “Yes Jesus, I want you to change me.” 

“Yes.” 

But what about the “and”? What about the part where you partner with Jesus? He’s not just up there doing a solo act. (Although he’s funny and that would probably be the best one-man-act you’ve ever seen…) That’s not who He is and that’s not what He’s about. He’s about the “and..” He’s a God of “and.” He is all about the partnership. He’s about the sacrifices you make for each other in the scene of life. He’s about the steps and the risks you take to move each scene forward in trust. Just saying you trust Him doesn’t do a whole lot to take your life in any direction. But truly agreeing with him and taking that step of faith toward a reality that you never expected but that he is somehow creating? That is trust. 

Most of our realities are nothing at all like we thought they would be. Most of us grew up with some sort of fantasy as to how our life would work out or end up, but somehow, it’s nothing like we thought. This was something I had to learn, especially as a twenty-something struggling to “make it” in Los Angeles. You imagine the way your life will look and feel one day, but somehow it always turns out differently. You take turns that you never expected to take, lose things you never dreamed of losing, and gain things you never even knew you wanted or needed. 

But that’s all the beauty of “yes, and…” 

If you were doing an improv scene and you planned everything out in your mind from start to finish, you sure wouldn’t get very far because it wouldn’t be a partnership. You’d be stuck at the first line the minute your partner introduces himself as the brain surgeon who will be removing your tumor when the whole time you’ve planned to be two teenage friends shopping at the mall. If you can’t let it go of the mall idea and trust that whatever your partner is offering with the brain surgeon scene will be just as wonderful, your scene will either be dull and lifeless, be really hard to recover, or just end completely with a flop. It’s a complete parallel to our life with Jesus. If we just trust where He’s taking us, and what he’s saying, chances are it’s going to turn out a lot better than if we try to stick to our own version of things. Sure things might come up that are terrifying, things we didn’t plan for, but it will all be worth it when we look back and see what a masterpiece we have created together with Jesus. 

Most of the time Jesus will probably ask you to step out of the everyday box you’re used to being in. He’ll probably ask you to do things you’re afraid of. And that is one of the other most important rules to improv and life.

Follow your fear. 

The general Christian community would likely never support the idea of following something that looks dangerous. At least not when it really came down to it. The concept of “yes, and…” might take you to places that are terrifying. But most of the time, they’re uncomfortable because that’s exactly where you need to be. Fear often reveals itself in places that we know we should be, but often times don’t go because of the opportunity for rejection, failure, embarrassment, disappointment, etc. Most of the time, it’s probably the very thing holding you back from the next level in your life. 

I don’t know where you come from, but here in the City of Angeles there are generally two types of people: the Doers and the Talkers. There are a LOT of Talkers in this city. A whole lot of ‘em. The Talkers "yes" a whole lot. They "yes" about their next project, they "yes" about wanting to get together for coffee, they "yes" about their desire to support you, they "yes" about believing in a cause. 

But, see, the problem is none of these people actually believe. None of them are actually willing to take a risk, to add the “and” to their “yes.” The Doers really believe in what they talk about, and therefore, somewhere along the line it manifests into action, into something beautiful that has been created. 

After a few years of being around these two types of people, you begin to realize what category you want to live in. The Talkers or the Doers. The hard part with being a Doer, though, is actually believing. 

And that's why people leave. That's why people live in LA for 10 years claiming that they are somebody who's doing something and they actually haven't done anything at all. My first month here I met a guy on set who said he'd been out here for over 6 years as an actor. I asked him what he'd done or how it was going and he told me that this was his first time on set in 5 years.

"I'm sorry sir.... but did you say you're an actor?" 

Now the thing is, at some point, this guy really thought he was an actor. He had moved his entire life, including his family, all the way across the country for acting. So at some point, he had believed he was an actor. He had taken the steps of faith toward becoming an actor. But somewhere along the line he turned into a Talker. Somewhere in there he stopped believing he was what he said he was. So then, all of the sudden, he wasn't who he said he was. He knew who he wanted to be, but he didn't believe it. 

It sounds to me like this guy saw his fear and ran away. And now his fear just keeps staring at him every day, lying to him. His belief, his trust in who he is and who he wants to be has been completely lost. And so it can be with our Jesus partnership. It’s really easy for me to get wrapped up in all the fears staring back at me in the eyes. And let me say, they’re not afraid to get real personal. But, sometimes, all it takes for the fear to dissipate is taking the step of “and.” Belief and trust don’t always come right away. They may take some time. It may take a lot more of “yes, anding…” to what Jesus has to offer, especially in the presence of your fear, but the outcome of this scene is going to be a whole lot better. (If not, at least it’s going to be a hell of a lot more interesting than sitting in your same, old, comfortable fear box.) 

When I started writing this blog, I didn’t really realize that it was going to be about taking risks. But it seems like God keeps talking to me about it, so I guess this is what you get. As many of you know, the hard part of risk taking is that it doesn’t always look smart. Normally it looks illogical and scary not only to you, but to other people as well. 2 Nights ago I had a dream where I was in a room filled with my friends and family from all parts of life. Someone, who was not in the room, had given me this new mascara and I began to apply it to my eyelashes. As I did my eyelashes began to grow and my eyes began to open. It was as if a thin film started falling off of my eyes in pieces. As it did, I began to see so clearly. Everything was clear and bright and magical and better, way better than the old world. It was as if I was living in an augmented reality, where some new, better worldwas superimposed on my old, drabby world. I tried to tell people, “Hey! You guys! Look! You have to try this new mascara. It opens your eyes! I can see things I’ve never seen before! It’s amazing! It’s incredible!” 

But everyone just stared at me. “No,” they said. “We like our old one better.”

“I’d rather just stay with this one. I’m comfortable with it.”

I’m comfortable with it. 

I woke up with the words of Jesus ringing in my ears. “You cannot make anyone see what they don’t want to see. You can’t teach anyone to see what they aren’t able to see.”

And that’s how it is: some people will just not see, they cannot see, or understand. Even other Christians we know, other people who have said “yes” a whole lot. They won’t understand our risks. They won’t understand what it’s like adding the “and” to the “yes.” But that’s what it’s like to be called and chosen and really choose to follow. To partner. And why would we want anything else? 

Yeah, it’s freaking terrifying. Yep, it costs a whole lot. Sure, it’s a sacrifice. But you and I both know, our reward of Jesus far outweighs any of that. We want to see. We want to move. We want to really believe. 

Written by Alicia, Los Angeles, CA

Follow her journey here

Lessons in Gardening

The older I get, the more God finds creative ways to speak to me. Right now it’s through my plants-- an ever expanding mini garden in my bedroom window. The process of planting seeds and watching them grow has brought endless amounts of joy, along with some beautiful God lessons. It is amazing to watch the growth in our lives be reflected by the physical representation of a few awesome little green plants.

To grow a plant it takes a seed, soil, water, and sunshine. With those 4 ingredients you can get endless amounts of plants, but each seed has its own process and journey to make. Just like us, no seed is the same and no process is identical.

- The Slow Grower -

This is the seed that you plant with care, water regularly, and keep in the well lit corner of your coffee table. You wait with anticipation, each day hoping to see a little bud break through the surface of the soil. And you wait... And you wait... You begin to wonder what is happening beneath the surface. Is anything actually happening below? Doubt starts to creep in. Did you do something wrong? Is the seed just a dud? Does the plant need more water? More sun? You have done everything according to the book, yet nothing seems to be happening. You are tempted to throw the whole thing away and give up on the little patch

of dirt that seems unchanged since the beginning. But then, all of a sudden, there it is... a tiny little sprout, a hint of life, a little growth to show you that your faithfulness has been worth the wait. Your plant is finally growing! It will probably continue to grow painstakingly slow, but now you know and now you can see it with your own eyes - growth is definitely happening!

Sometimes life is like this - we plant seeds in our lives or in the lives of those close to us. We plant good seeds of self-esteem, joy, love, forgiveness, but each of those can take time. It is a beautiful journey in trusting God and his timing, of trusting that even when you can’t see a single tangible glimpse of something growing, you know that God is still at work. These seeds are faith builders. They require continual care when nothing appears to be happening. 

It’s the friend who just cannot seem to grasp the fact that she is beautiful. You tell her every chance you get how pretty she is, inside and out. You keep watering the seed of self esteem and self worth, trusting that one day she will finally understand her beauty in a real way.

It’s the old man on the bus that you smile at every morning, yet his face seems to remain permanently stuck in a disgruntled grimace. You continue smiling each day trusting that one day the seed of joy you are planting will break the surface of his face with the most wonderful smile. 

It’s God telling you over and over again that you are loved. Each day giving that seed a healthy dose of water and care, and then one day it clicks, the little sprout breaks through the surface and you finally begin to understand how much God really does love you. 

- The Fast Grower - 

These are a rare delight! It’s the seed that you plant on a Monday and by Wednesday there are tiny little shoots breaking through the surface of the soil.

It seems to happen over night, like the seed was magic. The plant continues to sprout and grow. It’s almost as if you can literally watch the little leaves growing taller and taller right in front of your eyes. This is the growth process that encourages you to continue on. It’s a gift, a faith booster, an almost instantaneous feeling of purpose and of a job well done.

These are beautiful moments in life - when something takes root so fast and so strongly that it can’t help but burst through the surface with an insane desire to grow. 

It’s the rare, but amazing story of someone hearing about God the first time and deciding right then and there that they want to give their life to God. It’s powerful!

But more often than not, these faith boosters are smaller.

It’s the friend that walks into your house and immediately feels at home - welcomed and loved. You didn’t have to do anything special, but in an instant they are able to feel love in a way that they have not known before.

It’s the times when you hear a sermon or a teaching and a revelation drops into your spirit instantly. Something clicks in a very personal way and you know that your spirit has been longing for that revelation for some time.

- The Sun Searcher - 

Then there are the plants that are growing fine and looking good. You planted a seed, you waited, and they’ve been through a slow and steady growth process, but then all of a sudden they begin to lean.

The tall and strong stem begins to bend in a strange direction. Everything seems to be growing sideways. It’s a curious sight, but then you realize all your plant is trying to do is find more sun. It’s searching and longing for the light and stretching its leaves in whichever way it needs to find the source of light.

We have friends like this too, people that are so drawn to the light, and it’s written all over them. They know something is missing, they know there is something more out there, they know they need a source of light in their life. We have the opportunity to show them the way, to point them in the right direction and to help them get the light they so desperately need. 

It’s the friend that has only ever known a religious and tyrannical God, but is so longing to be loved and know the Father’s heart.

It’s the friend that just can’t seem to stay on his feet. Life keeps knocking him down again and again and he is beginning to see that his own strength is failing him. He is searching for a foundation, something that won’t let him down, something that can sustain him.

It also happens in our own lives. When life gets busy and we find ourselves running to and fro frantically trying to get everything done. When something seems off and you realize it’s been way too long since you rested in God’s presence. Your body, mind, and spirit are all telling you to stop, take a moment for yourself, and sit with God.

- - -

Our lives and the lives of those around us are all in the process of growing. To stop growing is to stop living. Be encouraged no matter the process. If it seems sooooo very slow, remember that God is faithful. If it seems quick, almost instantaneous, thank God for the gift of being able to tangibly see Him at work. If you need sun or know someone that does, position yourself to get it, or show them the way to the light. Soak it up and let it build you up to your full strength. Let it make you whole. 

God is at work in all of us and it truly is a beautiful process when we stop and enjoy it. 

I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building.

1 Corinthians 3:6

Written by Shanda, Malaga, Spain
Follow her journey here.

Take A Breath

Isn’t it interesting how English writers can be so different, yet all be confined to the 26-letter-parameter of the alphabet? 

As I consider the process one goes through to so eloquently arrange and splice to mesh and dice, I’m awakened to the power and the poetry stemming from the spaces and the assembly of those letters. 

Take a look at this powerful declaration, comprised of eighteen letters and four spaces:

“I can change the world!”

Now, let me take a minute to rearrange, to exchange letters for spaces, all while keeping the characters the same*:

“Each drowning act, heal”

Same letters, different words. (It’s crazy how much time I spent on this second statement!)

With a positive outlook, I can take this second sentence to mean: no matter what may come my way in life, I need to let myself heal. With every crashing wave that may take me under, I just need to breathe in and heal.  

However, with a negative lens, I can take it to mean: maybe there is only one way to be completely healed. Is this a story about a final drowning act? Is this how I end it all?

Wait, hold up!

I thought I was writing about how “I can change the world!?” What happened in the last 278 letters and 117 spaces? (Did you just count!?) How did something so positive and powerful get so twisted and depressing? 

I got to this point through my space bar and in the arrangement of letters. 

You see, like the 26-letter-parameter, we all have circumstances to work with in life. We all have different places we choose to take a breath, and we all have an eye for the arrangement. 

Our circumstances can be bad or good, a dream or a nightmare. But it’s not the circumstances that define us. It’s our breaths, our choices, our lens. 

It’s the GOD-WITH-US and WHO-CAN-BE-AGAINST-US spirit we need living on the inside. It’s the discipline and hunger to breathe in and rest in the presence and faithfulness of God. 

It’s the discernment and eye to see the “what if’s,” and find the I-AM-ALWAYS-WITH-YOU and I-WILL-NEVER-FORSAKE-YOU God in the midst of peace AND in chaos.

I don’t know where you find yourself today, but be encouraged to breathe in, to explore afresh, and to rearrange.  

*If you double checked, I actually have an extra “A” in the second sentence. I gave up after half an hour of rearranging the first sentence! But, you get the point.

Written by Jordan, Atlanta, GA

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness...

*Deep breath…this is not a political piece. 

A few weeks ago the phrase, “Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness” popped into my thoughts. I realized I couldn’t recall the context in which it was written since the last time I read the Declaration of Independence was probably in my 7^th grade Civics Class… so naturally I Googled it:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

After reading it, I couldn’t seem to shake the thought…

I mean… the men who penned this and established a country upon it, drawing the line in the sand against the nation that threatened their freedom, understood (at least in part) the gifts we so often forget or ignore…

As sons and daughters of God we have indeed been  “endowed by (our) Creator” with the gifts of Life, Liberty, and in pursuing him, we indeed find Happiness…I looked up the word “endowed and discovered it to mean:

“To provide with a permanent fund or source; equip; to furnish, as with some talent, faculty, or quality.”

Holy wow…

Now, we all know that when you pursue God it is not a skip in the park…most days it feels like you went to skip in the park only to trip and come to a skidding stop with a few teeth knocked out, clothes torn, knees scrapped, all in front of the huge crowd of people enjoying the park…

Still, the truth that we have a “PERMANENT SOURCE” of life, liberty, and happiness…of truth, wisdom, peace, hope, and the list goes on…the source is permanent. God is a Constant, True, Just, Loving & Good Father. He does what He says He will do… I mean if Scripture doesn’t hold enough evidence of this, just ask Chuck & Della or any of the Regeneration Kids…or read the previous blogs! We all have stories of seeing God come through…of providing everything we need, from funds and flights, to comfort, healing, and restoration. His desire for us truly is Life:

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” –John 10:10

He also deeply desires Freedom for us… Liberty for us…Liberty by definition means:

“Freedom from control, interference, obligation, restriction, hampering conditions, etc.; freedom from captivity, confinement, or physical restraint”

He desires for us to be free so we can walk fully with Him…

“He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food.”-Job 36:16

Think of those moments you’ve shared with friends and family gathered around an awesome meal at the table…I know for me, it is a beautiful peace-filled thought. While staying with the Magnets on and off over the past 6 years, some of my favorite life altering moments have happened at the table…They were not obvious, but quiet moments of looking around the table at the faces…for the first few years, I was nervous and awkward when I looked around…I hadn’t quite understood yet what it was to be a daughter…As God has walked and wooed me through the shame, fear, insecurities, etc. of my past into freedom, I find that now when I sit at their table I am truly at ease when I look about me…I know they are family…they too are sons and daughters… I know my place at the table and I am indeed free to be a daughter. That is the freedom, the liberty God desires for us and is wooing us to…for us to not be shackled by our sins and/or wounds from years ago or even moments ago…

“For you did not receive the Spirit of Slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of Adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’” 

–Romans 8:15

And if that wasn’t enough:

“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are Children of God, and if children, then heirs-heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.” 

–Romans 8:16-17

We have received the Spirit of Adoption… we are not orphans wandering about…if anything we are far more like the Prodigal Son…prone to wander…. But we have a Father who we belong to… And He has called us to Freedom. 

Peter put it in simplest terms:

“ Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.”- 1 Peter 2:16-17

It blows my mind that God has called us to a life such as this… I used to believe it was all too good to be true… but just as the Sons of Liberty fought against tyranny and forged this country, so to God has walked me through the fight for freedom from the tyranny of lies, shame, worry, despair, fear, doubt, feeling worthless… He leads us to our true identities gently…

I love what Stephanie wrote in the previous Re-Generation blog:

“When we let God bring us close to hear His heartbeat, His intense and overwhelming love for us, then all the other disturbances fade and peace prevails. We are quieted and strengthened by His love… 

…Be weak and know that I am God. 

Be quiet and listen to My heartbeat.

Drop all that other stuff you’re carrying just to try and show you’re strong, and know that I will take care of you.

Your failures do not diminish who I Am or who you are.

Curl up against Me and be quieted by My love.”

What joy we have in knowing that God loves us without restraint…he just does. He is the Father watching the road waiting to see the Prodigal Sons & Daughters return…to put a ring and new cloak upon us, embrace us, seat us at the banquet table and celebrate us as family…as Sons & Daughters!! We don’t have to wallow at the pig trough too ashamed to go to the Father… we have a permanent source of Home and Belonging because we have the Spirit of Adoption and can truly join the Father in what He is doing right now. 

Truly, “Taste and see that the Lord is good. How happy is the man who takes refuge in him!” –Psalm 34:8

  I urge you, Sons…

I urge you, Daughters… 

Let us be a generation who Truly, Deeply and Fiercely pursue Life, Liberty, and Happiness in Christ…

Let us not be a generation of back-burner dreams and half-ass lives, but instead let us be a generation of trail-blazers, peace makers, life givers, truth speakers, wisdom warriors, and justice seekers…

That we would be done with fear and shame and truly walk as Children of the Light…teeming with Love and Guarded by Peace.

Written by Alana, Cartersville, GA