I'm a Liar [A Guest Post by Cara Sexton]

Today I'm excited to have over here @ 'The Voice' Cara Sexton who blogs at Whimsy Smitten (a blog I personally love to read). Bold believer in Christ, wife and mother of three, Cara writes with so much authority you could feel it jump right out of the page and I must say, I love the transparency, authenticity and grace her writing brings with every word. Visit her blog Whimsy Smitten and you can also follow her on twitter @WhimsySmitten

 [Image via Pinterest]

I'm a Christian.

And I'm a liar.

Serious lies. Major. Compulsive.

I say I love the Lord with all my heart, soul, and mind, but I check Facebook each morning before checking into the Word of God to get a fix of what's really most important in my heart.

I say my kids are the most important thing on this earth to me, but I shoo them off of me so I can concentrate on writing an email.

I say I'm for human rights but I shop at big-box stores that support child labor and don't think hard about buying cheap coffee and cheap clothing that exploits the workers involved in the manufacturing process.

I say I write as ministry, to communicate what the Lord puts on my heart, but I have paid advertising on my blog so I can get a little something for my effort.

I say I'm part of the church body, but shy away from serving in ways that aren't "my gift."

I say I'm open-minded and respect all people, but I avoid lengthy discussions with the Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons that come to my door. I smile and nod in the name of faith instead of listening and sharing and praying. I speak out against what I don't believe in rather than striving to understand all sides in mutual respect and humanity.

I say I believe in the power of prayer but drive my sick kid to the doctor and fill a prescription before I think to utter a word.

I am increasingly aware of the difference between faith in word and deed. I'm a writer. It's easy for me to wax poetic about the beautiful redemption of Christ but walk through life as though I don't believe it at all.

It's easier to use grace as a bandage to cover over the evil that so easily takes root in my heart, rather than taking a scalpel to it. Scalpels are more painful than bandages, but bandages don't heal the root of infection.

So what can be done?

I can use the scalpel to cut away one lie at a time. I can bring my choices before the Lord and cut out hypocrisy. I can remove advertising from my blog for things that are financially motivated rather than mission-ally motivated. I can pick up my Bible before my laptop, even when I don't feel like it. I can go with less excess to make more humane spending choices. I can listen when I disagree, breathe when I'd rather yell, pray when I'd rather control. It's one small, hard choice after another. It's one uncomfortable step at a time and we don't take the steps to be right but to be holy, to give the world a glimpse at the way He does it. Jesus does not divide; He unites. He does not injure; He heals.

Do I?

iRecommend : Church Clothes by Lecrae [+ Free Album Download]

if You Like: KJ 52, Tedashii, J Cole, Jadakiss, Trip Lee, Busta Rhymes, Timberland and Rick Ross

It's no news that rapper Lecrae been cooking things up in the studio for months. It's done and on this one he decides to give it off free. I have listened to Church Clothes, filled with lots of catchy beats, punchlines and whole truths. Though fans of bouncy pop choruses in rap songs might be a little disappointed on this one but it is a SOLID hip-hop record. Want some new jammings that would make your head go up and down in sync with the car bonnet and your heart? Download 'Church Clothes'  by clicking here

Ponder:

Giving up hope on life is like drowning yourself to keep from getting wet. Life is a war, dont stop fighting. - Lecrae

p.S- You can also follow Lecrae on twitter @lecrae

iRecommend : Love & War by Josh Garrels [+ Free Album Download]

If You Like: Gotye, Mat Kearney, Gungor, Florence + The Machine, Adele, Eminem

Today I'm excited to present to you Josh Garrels, songwriter and maker of beautiful music. Love & War (& The Sea in Between) is his 6th release and it has been described by Christianity Today as  "prophetic, incisive, achingly human, and longingly spiritual,". It has also been tagged as their 2011 Album of The Year. To Download and listen click here.

Ponder:

"Only this moment is Life. The past is memory, the future is imagination." - Ted Dekker

p.S. - Please note that this download is only available for the next forty days. You can also check out the artist (Josh Garrels) on twitter @JoshGarrels

The Difference Between A Wall and A Bridge.

First definitions, this is what they are.
A bridge - a safe structure with boundaries on both sides spanning a river or a place where there is no road e.t.c to give a type of communication across.
A wall - an erection or boundary of brick, stone e.t.c for security or to enclose a space such as a piece of land.
Similarities
They are both as a result of bricks and stones and they both have some sort of boundaries
Getting Real.
In our relationships when the bricks and stones come rushing through what do we do with them?
We could either build walls or bridges.
A wall would keep the other party totally out and you totally alone, sometimes even from parties apart from the party that has hurt us.
But today I present to you the case of a bridge. I think the starting point is knowing that a bridge is also built, that is it takes cautious effort, that is it is intentional. What do I mean by saying we build bridges?
How We Build Bridges That Stand Strong.
1. Answer the question of purpose even in relationships.
Why this relationship? What are we communicating or do we intend to communicate?
2. Keep the main thing the main thing.
I have seen great connections fizzle out all because of petty things. What ever the essence of the relationship must be kept like a picture before the two parties.
3. Set boundaries. (Even Mother Teresa would have enjoyed some sort of privacy.)
Do you have boundaries in your relationship. Does the other party know your preferences? Or you're just a lifeless mannequin anything-fits?
4. When stones and brick come, you will be tempted to build walls, strengthen the bridge.
I don't mean to sound naïve but I believe there are abusive relationships where a party could be a tormentor and distance is needed. But one thing is always true, for a relationship that had great potential, we can always build on what remain. When hurts come isn't a time to withdraw, it's more of a time to be open to one another, review our preferences, and see the root cause of our problems.
Remember a bridge is a safe structure spanning over rivers, places where there are no roads and sometimes mountains. A wall keeps us in, we are safe for a while but soon we discover we are starving. What are the essential relationships in your life? What would you do to preserve and fight for them? What have you been building with your bricks walls or bridges?
I would love to hear from you.

"Relationships are painful. Relationships are wonderful. We all live in the drama that plays out between these two truths" - Tom Holladay
"Don't build walls when people offend you, build bridges"