You Can Ask or Be Jealous.

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Katalina stood at the Bronze door of Emperor Gustavo’s mansion wearing rags. She crouched, bent, sighed and said a lot of things to herself. She walked, pounced and made the millionth excuse as the new maid dropped off from the Royce and asked what she wanted standing at the door. “I am here to see my father” she said as she mustered up some courage to look past the maid’s Givenchy red tinted sun glasses. “He works here?” she retorted. “No he owns here” Katalina replies with a sad smile. 

‘You must be mistaken my dear’ the maid adjusted her short dress and shades at the same time. “This place is owned by The Emperor Gustavo, leader of the Learsi order, he owns no children”. “Have you checked the address ma’am? You need to check the address ma’am”. 

Confidence they  say is what we need to stand up tall in dirty rags and look smashingly fly but this time all it collided with Katalina to do was to answer the maid with this words ‘I have checked the address. This place is owned by Emperor Gustavo, leader of the Learsi order, he owns many children and he is my father”

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God owns many children but one strange thing I have seen on the earth surface are princes living in wastelands while the castle of their dreams stand by. 

God owns many children but I see them entangled in jealousy over what their neighbors are owning, building and doing.

Can we get some things straight friend, you don’t have to be jealous of what’s going in some other person’s life, just ask. You have a father and he owns the world. Jealousy is one of the responses we can give when our eyes open to beauty going on outside our territory, the other respond is to dream beyond where we are and go to God in prayer that he would give on to us that which would make us beautiful too. 

God owns many children but I see them with pouted mouths at the door not knocking, not asking, expecting something to happen. Ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, it is heaven’s protocol. Step up and stop being a naughty child.

Prayer is such a privilege and like a dance. It is boundless. We can ask and dream. This is our father’s world and nothing is too big for him to do.

Dear friend, whatever dream is on your heart this year, ask! Whatever lovely desires you are having, ask and quit fantasizing. Forget what didn’t happen last year. Press pass the pain and anger and what people didn’t do for you. This year you can be what God has called you to be. It doesn’t have to be flashy like your neighbor’s but you would know that you are in your God ordained place.

Happy New Year! Make prayer a priority this year. It’s an opportunity to ask from the father, be with and dwell where he’s placed us and remember: When you see extravagant beauty outside your territory, you can respond in two ways, Get jealous or pray. Choose the later friend, ask your Father.

God has many children but one strange thing I have seen on earth surface are those called into an adventure settle for the mundane, those called into a relationship settle for a religion.

The Best List! [2012]: Music [Singles]

Were there songs that just couldn't stop listening to at some point during this year? I had a couple of those. Below is a list of my best hit singles of the year in no particular order.

Ho Hey by The Lumineers

The Lumineers are not an ‘out there’ Christian band. I’m not even sure if they are Christians but I came across this song via the RELEVANT podcast and I must say it’s worth the 4MB space on any iPod.

Music by Beckah Shae

This is a really good song. Never heard anything like it before.

Fearless by Group 1 Crew

“As I stand in the eye of the storm, it’s your love that keeps guiding me on. I’m fearless. I’m fearless” :) 

Your Song by Poema

Your song by Poema is that song you come across on an album you weren’t big on at a time. This was my best drive song this year. 

  

Another One by Chris Cobbins

Great song. Very catchy too. Get the album it’s on for free here.

Caught Up in Love by J Moss

Something funny happened with this song. I had the album didn’t like the song. Then a friend told me about it. Went back to it and then liked it. I meant loved it.

Hello Feat. Suzy Rock by KB

I love this song.

Crave by For King and Country

This is the non-worship song I found myself lifting my hands to at every point during this year. My year Anthem. Lol.

Sparrow by Audrey Assad

Audrey Assad’s Sparrow couldn’t have missed this list. You need to blow up your apartment with this song over your very good speakers to know what I mean. Apologize to your neighbors latter (if you have one).

1961 by The Fray

I’m surprised this song made my list. I will have been surprised also if it didn’t.

Lame by Rachel Chan

What wouldn’t you love about Rachel Chan’s Lame? Epic.

*Below are also some great song that weren’t produced this year but should have made my list

Gbogbo Titi - Frank Edwards 

Beautiful things by Gungor

Beautiful Exchange by David’s Plea

You are on Our Side by Elevation Worship

Your Favor by Elevation Worship

The Best List! [2012]: Music [Albums]

From Veterans like Hillsong, Jaci Velasquez, Sandi Patti and Mark Schultz to newcomers like Nicole Croteau, Rachel Chan, Travis Ryan and Joshua Rogers, this year sure witnessed the release of some groundbreaking records. So I have come up with a list of the few I couldn't stop playing from top to bottom. I hope you find this helpful. Enjoy! 

Musical Revival by Forever Jones

This album was way diverse and more professional than their first Grammy nominated ‘Get Ready’ album. And creative too. 

Precious Remedies against Satan’s Devices by The Welcome Wagon

Okay, this gets my overall outstanding album of the year. Produced by the veteran Sufjan Stevens and if you love books by dead guys (like me), you would quickly recognize the title was gotten from a book of the same name by Thomas Brooks written in 1652. I think what I love about this album is how genuine and creative it is in all its aspect, how a theme like story flows through it and how it’s so scripture focused unlike most creative albums. This I would say gets  my reflective/writing album for the year.

Anchors & Silhouettes by Nicole Croteau

I love this lady’s music. All I would say is, we need more artist and music like this. And just to let you know, She’s a member of the dream center band Press Play, Though you would never know with her style unless you were told. Oh, I just did. Lol!

Transformed by Cheneta Jones

Cheneta is an indie gospel artist I came across sometimes in the middle of the year. The intro of this album is worth the price of the whole album. So good.

Excellent by Propaganda

I’m surprised this album made my list. For one, I came across it later this year and two I’m not a BIG fan of rap music. But what I love about Propaganda’s Excellent is the length at which he goes artistically with the details on it. And guess what, you can get it for free here!

Stronger by Jor’Dan Armstrong

This is really an outstanding album. Never heard anything like it in a while. Really good stuff for you if you like the sounds of Sean Kingston, Neyo, Chris Brown and Jason Derulo.

The Loft Sessions by Bethel Live

Spooky worship! I love Bethel. This is one Worship album that is radically different. Listened to it a lot this year. Loved every bit of it.

Jesus at the center by Israel Houghton

Don’t hate if you learn this about me: I am not a fan of Israel’s music. Yes I said that but he got me with this one. So good. So so good!

Royalty by The Royal Royal

Royal Royal equals epicness. Unconventional music that would focus your attention on God. Their sound would bring to mind the classic sound of the ‘The Beatles’.

Destiny by Beckah Shae

You should sue me if anything Beckah Shae didn’t make this list. She’s da bomb!

*Please note. The albums mentioned were produced in the year 2012. I discovered some other great albums this year but didn’t make the cut because they weren’t produced this year. Each of the albums mentioned I also found to be press play albums (That is I didn’t have to skip any song while listening)

If you were to rewrite this list, what album(s) would you toss, what would you add to the list? I would love to hear from you :)

The Best List! [2012]: Books

So I decided to share the my top 10 best things of the year 2012. And the first best list comprises of the best 10 books I read this year. I hope this is indeed helpful. In no particular order, below are the titles and authors plus a quote from the books. Enjoy!

Cold Tangerines by Shauna Niequist

I first thought it dumb reading the memoir of a thirty year old lady. 'What has she been through?' I thought 'In thirty years?' But a few pages into this book, I wanted to place it into the hands of every twenty something I had as a friend. It was a beautiful read. 

“Celebration when your plan is working? Anyone can do that. But when you realize that the story of your life could be told a thousand different ways, that you could tell it over and over as a tragedy, but you choose to call it an epic, that's when you start to learn what celebration is. When what you see in front of you is so far outside of what you dreamed, but you have the belief, the boldness, the courage to call it beautiful instead of calling it wrong, that's celebration.”

Tribes by Seth Godin

Please if you haven’t read Tribes, walk up to a book store, neglect the fact that such a small book could have a big price and buy Tribes. It’s one of the best materials I have come across on leadership.

"Some tribes are stuck. They embrace the status quo and drown out any tribe member who dares to question authority and the accepted order"

Now What Do I do? by Dr. John Townsend

This is a good book. Very practical and helpful stuff. I highly recommend it if you are feeling stuck or if you are twenty something.

"We sometimes create a problem where none exists. So make sure you have an actual problem"

Love Does by Bob Goff

 Reading this was a roller coaster ride for me  and I got the chance to speak with the author on phone after I closed the last page. What more can I ask?

" I used to think God guided us by opening and closing doors, but now I know sometimes God wants us to kick some doors down"

Change Agents by Steve Chalke

Great small book on leadership. Had to give a copy away on my blog after I finished. So good.

"Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret"

Empty Promises by Pete Wilson

Please read Pete Wilson’s book Empty Promises: The Truth about You, Your Desires, and the Lies You’re Believing. I read this at the first quarter of the year, it helped me mapped out a couple of routines and disciplines that made the year successful.

"Often what we think is the good life is not really the good life at all. It's nothing but smoke and mirrors. It's an illusion, an elaborate trap. It's a collection of empty promises. But that doesn't mean the good life doesn't exist"

The Holy Wild by Mark Buchannan

A lot of people aren’t big on Theology. I don’t know why. Cause Theology literally means knowledge of God and what you know about God automatically forms how you relate to him. This is not a ‘Theological’ book. Mark Buchannan, a Canadian pastor writes poetically about the various character of God. This really changed my perspective and broke down old shacks I had built about who God is. Great book to pick up if you think you don’t know God. Also a great one to pick if you think you know Him. Never mind I was in the latter category before I picked up this book and found out a couple of pages into it I was actually in the former. It’s an awesome one I kept checking things up in through the year even after I finished it.

"Sabbath is a gift of the restful God to His restless people"

Sex God by Rob Bell

When a controversial author writes about a controversial topic, you sure know it’s not one to miss. Above controversy, I must say this is a beautifully written book. 

"The other day my five-year-old son asked my wife, "Mom, what does sexy mean?" She thought about it for a second, and then replied, "Sexy is when it feels good to be in your own skin. Your body feels right, it feels comfortable. Sexy is when you love being you"

The Secret Things of God by Dr. Henry Cloud

Dr. Henry Cloud is a world acclaimed professional psychologist and business writer. He is also a Christian. He is such a blessing to the Christian body and to this generation.

"While God alone is all powerful, we do have a certain amount of power in our lives- the ability to exert control over the things that affect us. One of the marks of mental health is the degree to which people realize that they have control over their own lives and exercise that power to choose"

Wild Grace by Max Lucado

The normal awesomeness of Max Lucado plus some instructive relevant uniqueness makes this one an excellent read.

"Mercy gave the prodigal son a second chance. Grace threw him a party"

I hope you enjoyed going through this list and got some ideas of books you might want to check out this coming year.

What good books did you read this year? What books do you think I should place on my list in the coming year? Please tell in the comment section. I would love to hear from you.