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"Can you take that which is "unclean"/impure and make it "clean"/pure? 

2/17/2017

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Question: Can one take that which is unclean/impure and make it clean/pure?
Answer: We can’t, but God can.
This question has been rolling around in my head for the last few weeks.  I often ponder (probably more than the average person) questions, concepts, ideas, and dilemmas until I can get clarity from God by the Holy Spirit revealing wisdom through His word, spirit-to-spirit revelation, a teaching, a conversation with another, etc.  God speaks to us in many ways, and I have learned over the years to be sensitive to His divine timing and placement of people, conversations, and words of Truth at just the moment I need them.  His promise is true. When we seek Him and His wisdom; we will always find it.  Seeking is active, and I believe that He honors our efforts to know Him more and to know His will in all things.  He isn’t hiding Himself or His Truth from us.  Isn’t that so comforting?

This question came to me after some recent experiences in which I was forced to face the predominantly secular, carnal and even profane use of a dance pole.  In my pole journey which has involved countless hours of training (especially in the teaching certification process), I have gone out of my way to avoid environments and situations that I felt were not honoring to God.  This conviction was the catalyst for me to found Dancing Queen in 2007.   I felt called to create a wholesome, sacred space for like-minded Christian wives to come together in a unique sisterhood, to be encouraged and empowered.  The harsh reality is that the pole dance world is derived from and thrives on a God-less perspective.  

I recently chose to remove myself from a training program that I had previously convinced myself that I needed.  (Sidenote: The reality is that our husband's do not care if we can do Cirque-du-Soleil level tricks on the pole.)  It began innocently enough but sadly, it quickly morphed into a much-degraded environment.   The Holy Spirit said to me, "What are you doing here? You don't belong here."  So I chose to remove myself and have committed to resume my training in a solo fashion trusting, nay knowing that God will honor and bless my obedience.  Herein does lie the great challenge; to be competent, and proficient without being exposed to or dragged down by the often deadly ends to which this path (like many in this world) can lead.

After I had made the decision to remove myself from said training program, I continued to ponder and pray on the matter.  The Holy Spirit spoke softly, yet clearly to me; "Can one take that which is unclean and make it clean?".  I love it when He asks me questions because it fires up my passion for digging into His word and excavating the answers, His Truth.  Somehow I think He knows that will be the outcome, don't you?  (smile)

I discovered the following:
  • The topic of sanctification is spoken of 142 times in scripture.  
  • We are called to a continual state of sanctification in Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit, but what about things?  Can they be sanctified?
  • Sanctify (verb) set apart as or declare holy; consecrate for God, His purposes, and His glory.  
  • When studying the Doctrine of Sanctification I came across the Greek (Hagiasmos) translation; consecration; a separation unto God from a profane, secular, and carnal use to a sacred, religious, and spiritual use.  
  • In scripture, God is spoken of as sanctifying persons, material things, and immaterial things.  
Man has as much to do with the sanctification process as God because we must exercise our God-given free will and decide to choose to sanctify ourselves, our marriages, families, careers, hobbies, etc. to God.  Man and God are in a "sanctification partnership" if you will.  
​

All of this leads me to the following conclusion; a dance pole and the activity of pole dancing can be sanctified only if we choose to separate it unto God for the sacred purpose of infilling our marriages with love.  We must submit ourselves and the activity to the moral laws of God.  We must continually ask ourselves, and more importantly, ask our Father in heaven; "Does this line up with the scriptural and moral principles that I am called to fulfill?" "Is this blessing (making better/ stronger) me, my husband, and my marriage?"  If ever the answer to these questions are "no," we must lay it down.
Bottom line: In it's most sensual, feminine bodily expression (naked and various states thereof) pole dancing must be kept within the sacred, sanctified bond of marriage.  It is, after all, intended to be loving foreplay.  To quote my dear faithful and true sister-in-Christ, "That is for the marriage bedroom only."

PS: As always, my choice to be separate and obey my personal convictions is in no way an exacting of personal judgment/s upon any person/s.   I choose to love all and extend grace to all.  
"
And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.…" (Romans 3:22-24)  
But for the grace of God, there go I.

Copyright ©2017 by Ronilynn Brissey-Ramos
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VINTAGE ERA & VINTAGE BEDROOM BEATS

12/2/2016

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VINTAGE BEDROOM BEATS

​"CAN'T HELP LOVIN' THAT MAN"    JULIE LONDON
"FEVER"   PEGGY LEE
"BLUE PRELUDE"   CANDIDO CAMERO
"I'VE GOT A CRUSH ON YOU"   ELLA FITZGERALD

"I JUST WANT TO MAKE LOVE TO YOU"   ETTA JAMES
"MAKIN' WHOOPEE"    JULIE LONDON
"AS TIME GOES BY"   KAY PENTON
"BECAUSE YOU'RE MINE"   NAT KING COLE

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE ROMANTIC SONG 
​FROM THIS ERA?  PLEASE SHARE IT WITH US HERE!
I don't know about you, but I believe that there is something very romantic about the 1950's.  It goes beyond the "cool" design aesthetics in automobiles and home interiors.  And as much as I love fashion, I must confess that it also surpasses the level of celebration and honor in fashion trends for both genders.  The 1950's were a time when gratitude was high in the hearts of the American people.  It was post-WWII, families were reunited, children were safe to play in the streets (even after dark), and although homes weren't burgenoning with material goods, people were less stressed and generally more happy.  Faith, marriage, family and the roles of responsibility there-in were still held in high-esteem.  My precious father, who was born in 1940, taught me that gratitude infuses all of your relationships with a level of honor and respect.  It is sadly very hard to come by nowadays in our entitled, "It's all about me" culture.  Speaking of gratitude, I am certainly grateful for all of the modern advances in medicine, technology and living conditions that we get to enjoy.  However, there is a part of me that looks back with a sense of longing for a beautiful, more simplistic era gone by, an era that we can only experience now through the stories of those who were blessed enough to live it and live on to tell it.
Author, Ronilynn Brissey-Ramos
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"LIGHT HIS FIRE" THIS CHRISTMAS
WITH THESE VINTAGE SOUNDS!

"MERRY CHRISTMAS BABY"  
LIONEL HAMPTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA
"SEXY, SAUCY, SOMETIMES NAUGHTY TIME OF YEAR"   STEPHANIE URBINA JONES
"SANTA BABY" 
MARILYN MONROE

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"ever never forever" by Shae Catherine Corey

3/29/2016

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Author:
Shae Catherine Corey
17 Years Old
#singleladiesputyourhandsup

​I’ve never been kissed,
I’ve never held hands,
Walking down the street,
With my own man.
I’ve never felt security while lying in his arms,
I’ve never found a hair that wasn’t mine and been alarmed.
I’ve never felt his heart beat fast when I’m tucked against his chest,
I’ve never screamed at another girl for her questionable actions.
I’ve never taken his breath away,
I’ve never felt butterflies.
I’ve never had to wipe splintered tears from my red eyes.
I’ve never been in love before,
I’ve never been kissed,
And although there is so much I feel that I have missed,
I am still waiting to trip and fall in deep,
Into a love so beautiful,
One I can always keep.
So I can say that I never gave up on waiting,
I never gave into my lusts, 
I kept myself whole and pure, 
I never gave my heart up.
So one day I can wear all white and say I do,
Because I only ever let myself fall in love with you.
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Death Of Romance  by: Ronilynn Brissey-Ramos

2/26/2016

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Is romance dead? 
Some would say that it is completely dead and buried.  Our tech-obsessed, sex-crazed, distracted, stressed out and self-absorbed culture might be to blame.  Or is it?  A very wise man once said, “Your past may explain you, but it does not excuse you.”  In this case, I say, “Your culture may explain you, but it does not excuse you.”

Before we can truly ponder the question and answer to this dilemma, we must first understand what romance is.  We must open ourselves up to the idea that we have strayed from the essential romantic path that leads to a life of true, honorable, and lasting love.

Merriam-Webster defines romance as a medieval tale based on legend, chivalric love, and adventure, or the supernatural; a prose narrative treating imaginary characters involved in events remote in time or place and usually heroic, adventurous, or mysterious; a love story especially in the form of a novel and something (as an extravagant story or account) that lacks basis in fact.  Lastly, it defines it as an emotional attraction or aura belonging to an especially heroic era, adventure, or activity.  

When we ask our friends, “What is romance?”  We tend to get a totally different variety of ideas.  Most people think of what I consider acts or expressions of love versus a literary or historical ideal.  Things like sending roses, writing a lover’s poem or song, surprising gifts, extravagant or well-planned experiences, etc. often top the list of answers given.  What if we consider the notion that true and lasting romance (the kind that real life love stories are made of) is a combination of both Merriam-Webster’s definition and our collective ideas of love?  

Many of us long for romance now more than ever.  The disconnected way in which we do life and the prevalence of casual sex without emotional connection have left us increasingly lonely and longing.  There are more people turning to alternative solutions (like pornography, romance novels, manufactured vaginas and dildos, and high-tech virtual aka “video game” sex) for their “love fix” than any other time in history.  Much of this may be due to an ease of accessibility, but what if we are actually sabotaging ourselves by forfeiting the basics?  By forfeiting things like human connection, respect, virtue, honesty, chastity, and the like.  

How do we begin to combat this epidemic and return to REAL romance?  First, let’s dive deeper into the definition.  Chivalry has long been viewed as an essential component of romance, but I believe that we have lost an understanding and appreciation for it all together (to the point that young men don’t know how to treat a lady and young ladies don’t know how they should be treated).  Chivalry was a high example for us all that fell onto the ash heap of history somewhere along the way.  Courteous behavior, especially that of a man towards a woman was once the norm.  Many men were truly chivalrous in their relations with women.  They were models of gentlemanliness, gallantry, courtesy, politeness, graciousness, and restraint.  To be otherwise in dealing with a lady, one would be shunned and labeled a classless brut.  However, men are increasingly seeing women primarily as sexual objects and treating them with little to no respect whatsoever.  

Ladies, the weight of responsibility in all of this does not rest on men alone.  We too have changed our modus operandi over the course of time.  We have lost our appreciation for femininity, mystery, and (dare I say) inherent nobility which lends itself to self-respect.  Along the way we were told that we must be like a man to gain respect, but what if we were being fed a lie?  What if “respect” was peddled to us as a guise for rebellion and dominance?  What if that female dominance was the very thing that robbed us of chivalry?  And what if the lack of chivalry robbed us of romance?  And what if the absence of romance robbed us of our true tales of life-long love?  

I’m reminded of the classic and great song chorus by The Fixx, “One Thing Leads to Another.”  May we reconsider what our choices are leading us to.  May we revisit the qualities that created countless life-long love stories that fill the pages of history.  Stories that are not mere literary imaginations of fantasy and legend. They are real and not just a thing of the past. They exist today, and we hold the power of choice to make them our reality for the future if we choose to put down our hand-held devices (phones, tablets, and even sex toys) to reconnect with the humanity around us.  Take time to honor and respect, know and become known.  Be trustworthy so that your life-long love can give themselves to you with reckless abandon, nothing held back in safe keeping because you are worthy of their all, their most precious self, their true essence and their love…for a lifetime.  

So, “Is romance dead?”  I say, "Not if you CHOOSE to keep it alive and FIGHT for it."  
Copyright ©2016 by Ronilynn Brissey-Ramos

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Dating In A World Of Expectations  by Sabrina Joseph

1/12/2016

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Google the word “dating” on the internet and find a long list to “To-do” items. Things like how many days you should wait before calling, the protocols for texting and facebook, the list of non-negotiable things you are looking for as a potential life long mate, how to impress on a first date… the list goes on and on.

I really feel for the men and women of our generation. The pressure and expectations are insurmountable.  We set up all these rules and expectations and find ourselves in an over-analytical puddle of fear, frustration and confusion. Trying to be the woman or man that the other sex “really wants” and “do things the right way.”

But what if how we are designed to connect was less about what we DO and more about WHO WE ARE.

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. Romans 8:19

This is less about doing everything right, and more about trusting that we are already made right, because we are sons and daughters of a perfect Father. 

And what we DO flows out of WHO WE ARE. So we take the pressure off our actions, our ability to follow these 10 perfect laws of dating, or having the perfect figure or look. There in lies grace.

The pressure is off. The expectations are false. The confusion is self-inflicted. Jesus says we are perfect in all He created us to be. And out of that confidence flows love, grace, authenticity and the ability to truly connect. 

You,man of God, are ENOUGH.

You, woman of God,
are ENOUGH.

Let us be a generation that rises up into a true picture of manhood and womanhood by receiving the ownership of our IDENTITIES of sons and daughters of the King. 
And as we take ownership of all that we are in Him, we become men and women that real men and women are looking for. 

Follow Sabrina's Blog:  https://sabrinajoseph.wordpress.com
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GIRLS  by EMILY GREGORY

9/17/2015

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I notice yours more now, you know. I can't help but look. I'm not obsessed with them and it's nothing personal, but I'm totally looking at your girls, girls. Maybe it's because it's summer with all the tank tops and swim suits, or maybe it's because my own breasts will be gone soon. Whatever the reason, sometimes I can't take my eyes off yours.

Yours look beautiful. Soft. Feminine. Lovely. I want ones like yours. Ones that aren't sick and trying to kill me. Ones that are fun and carefree and easy to shop for. Ones that I don't even have to think about.

If I look at you long enough, I start to feel sad. But then if I look at you a bit longer, I notice something else... you. You are so much more than your breasts.

You are your smile. It's the most beautiful thing about you.

You are your eyes. They truly are the window to your soul.

You are your hands and the little hands that hold yours back.

You are your feet and all the places they take you.

You are your ears. You truly hear me.

You are your heart. It's full of love for your family, full of love for life.

You are your strength. You've had your own struggles. I salute your courage.

You are your joy. In spite of everything, you carry on and you smile and you laugh and you enjoy just being alive.

You are your intellect. You have a contribution to make to the world. It's a shame some people never make it past your breasts.

You are a mother. Those kids adore you.

You are a wife. You have every bit of that man's heart.

You are a daughter. Your parents are so proud of you.

You are a friend. You are generous, caring, and downright hilarious.

You are you. All of you. And just you. And you are beautiful for a thousand more reasons than your breasts. And so am I.

We are the same -- you and me. You with your breasts and me soon to be without mine. We're both children of God created purposefully and wonderfully. And He can't take His eyes off US. He loves us so much more than our human minds can fathom. He sees all of who we are -- all the time -- and He even sees Himself in us. We're His very best work.

So go be beautiful today. Curves or flat. Fit or fat. Every color. Each our own masterpiece. Go be beautiful you.

Love,
Emily

"I will praise You because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, and I know this very well." Psalm 139:14 (HCSB)
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SUPPORT THE FUNDRAISER CREATED TO OFFSET EMILY'S MEDICAL EXPENSES BY VISITING YOU CARING TODAY!

SHARE EMILY'S JOURNEY 
ON HER BLOG: EMILY GREGORY-THERE IS MORE TO THIS THAN BREAST CANCER.



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CHILDREN ARE WORTH FIGHTING FOR

8/4/2015

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CHILDREN.
Some single women cringe at the word, thinking they could never handle them.

CHILDREN.
Some married women long for them, hoping that their empty home will one day be bustling with them.

CHILDREN.
Some men exploit them, selling them on the streets, our streets, for sex every single day. 


CHILDREN.
According to Psalm 127:3, children are a BLESSING and a GIFT, and at Street Grace, we have devoted our lives to ensuring they are treated as such. When Street Grace first opened its doors in 2009, children who had been trafficked for sex were treated as criminals rather than the victims they really were. Traffickers received a misdemeanor, and a mere $50 fine. In May of 2011, House Bill 200 was passed into law increasing the penalties on traffickers to include a possible life prison sentence and a $100,000 fine.

Although we have come a long way, children are still vulnerable and are still being bought and sold for sex in our own backyards. As I reflect on the depravity of our culture today, I am reminded that for generations, children have been looked down upon, considered “less than.” We really aren’t all that different from the Roman culture that Jesus experienced when he walked the earth. As Christians, if we are called to be “Christ-followers” then it’s vital for us to understand how Jesus treated children.

In Matthew 19, we find the story of Jesus and the Little Children. Jesus is busy going about his business, you know healing people from life-threatening illness, raising people from the dead. It’s just an average day as God’s son when Jesus is interrupted by parents who are bringing their children to him. Imagine the scene. Hundreds, maybe even thousands, are surrounding Jesus, just to get a glimpse of this miracle man. As most parents today, they wanted the best for their children. They wanted them to experience Jesus firsthand. I mean his shadow alone can heal! They push to the front of the dusty crowd and tell little Samuel or little Rebecca to go and sit by the nice man only to be told by Jesus’ closest friends that they are not welcome. They are not welcome? The innocent little children, created in the very image of God, are not welcome? Not only are they not welcomed, but they are rebuked (verse 13) and rejected for trying to get close to Jesus. It’s almost unfathomable.

What does this encounter tell us about the Grecco-Roman world and Jewish culture at that time? It tells us that children were not only de-prioritized, but they were considered a nuisance, a bother to society. Children, along with women, old men and slaves were considered physically weak and burdensome. In the time of the early church, babies were often discarded and abandoned along the side of the road to die if they were unable to add value to society. According to Wikipedia, "Infanticide was common in all well studied ancient cultures, including those of ancient Greece, Rome, India, China, and Japan.”

From the very beginning, the early church prohibited any such behavior because to the Christian, every infant, male or female, had value. The early church provided social services that the government did not at the time, by caring not only for their own but by caring for those vulnerable populations who could not care for themselves. They did it so well that the Galileans started getting the attention of notable leaders including emperor Julian, who loathed Christians because he suspected their benevolence had ulterior motives. According to sociologist, Rodney Stark:

In the fourth century, the emperor Julian launched a campaign to institute pagan charities in an effort to match the Christians. Julian complained in a letter to the high priest of Galatia in 362 that the pagans needed to equal the virtues of Christians, for recent Christian growth was caused by their “moral character, even if pretended,” and by their “benevolence toward strangers and care for the graves of the dead.” In a letter to another priest, Julian wrote, “I think that when the poor happened to be neglected and overlooked by the priests, the impious Galileans observed this and devoted themselves to benevolence.” And he also wrote, “The impious Galileans support not only their poor, but ours as well, everyone can see that our people lack aid from us.” (Stark, The Rise to Christianity)

Why would the early church go to such great lengths, at times even risking their own lives, to care for the vulnerable? I believe it’s because the early church closely followed the words and actions of Jesus. After all, according to Paul in Acts 20:35, Jesus himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” And there’s also the time Jesus said in Luke 6:31 to “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

And that brings me back to the story of Jesus and the children in Matthew 19. The apostles have just rebuked the parents for having the audacity to interrupt and bother Jesus with their insignificant children. Mom and dad are likely hurt, saddened and perhaps even confused. Jesus, like only he can, chooses this time in history as a teaching moment, knowing that Christians for hundreds of years to come would be able to learn from this encounter. His response? “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” As people of faith, we are called to emulate the words and actions of Jesus, which means we too are to embrace, welcome, serve, and love children. Why? Because the kingdom of heaven belongs to...CHILDREN.


Cheryl DeLuca-Johnson is the President and CEO of Street Grace, a community-based organization that provides solutions for ending Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking (DMST) in the United States. Because children are priceless, Street Grace provides programs such as Not Buying It, a demand reduction partnership with Attorney General offices across the country, as well as training initiatives to educate first responders providing protective oversight to children such as teachers, counselors and law enforcement. Street Grace is working toward a day when all children can live happy, healthy, and productive lives that are free from all forms of injustice and exploitation. To learn more, visit www.streetgrace.org. 


Feel free to share this article with your community action group and church groups.  
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIFE OF A CHILD.

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Searching For Perfect Community 

7/10/2015

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By :Sabrina Joseph

Sabrina Joseph is a Freelance Producer in Atlanta, Ga with a passion to inspire and develop others to reach their fullest potential. She loves music, nature, serving the homeless with Project Live Love and the people of her community at Passion City church.

I remember one of the first times I felt rejected.
One sunny day in the suburbs of Georgia, a young girl, age 11, playing flag football with the boys in the street. I was the kid that wanted to be included in on everything. There was no boys or girls club in my mind. We were one unit. An amazing little community of friends we had growing up and chasing adventures together. 

This particular day I was on cloud nine. Creaming the boys touchdown after touchdown. Laughing, celebrating, WINNING.  Most of them were celebrating with me, except for Tommy.  He turned towards me and yelled down the street, “who cares sierra mountains!!! thunder thighs!” All the other little boys laughed and whispered as I stood there clueless.  You see, I started developing as a woman younger than most of the other little girls. At age 11, I had what the boys were calling “sierra mountains and thunder thighs.”  When I finally realized why they were all laughing I ran home crying, and after that, my relationships with them were never the same, and what I believed about myself wasn’t either. 

Shamed.
Rejected.
Outcast. 
Instead of belonging, I now believed I was unacceptable.

Many of us have similar stories to tell, and when we look back at these incidents we see that, the tragedy is often not as much the hurt itself, but the places of ourselves that die because of our response.   We see that they have shaped and defined what we believe about ourselves and how we interact with community. Once approaching people with open arms, we have now built walls of self protection. We shy away from even small semblances of hurt, and shut ourselves off from others slowly but surely. We isolate because we want to avoid the pain, and begin dreaming about the perfect community.  
But what if pain is one of the tools that God uses to reveal His perfect communion with us?
…”And in Him you have been made complete.” (Colossians 2:10)

We find that much of our pain is caused by the unrealistic expectations we have placed on people to love us perfectly and fulfill our longing for significance, value or worth.  But, only God has the power to define these things for us. He created us to be each other’s companion, not completion.  (Genesis 2:18) 

He says that:
We are not incomplete. We are  “wonderfully and fearfully made.” (Psalm 139:14)
We are not insignificant. We are “God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)

Drawing our significance and worth from God frees us up to truly LOVE one another despite our imperfections.  Now our response can change. We can choose to stay connected instead of isolated.

Staying connected means embracing forgiveness, extending grace and reminding ourselves and each other of our true identity as precious, loved children of God. 

At age 11, Im sure I didn't know how to handle the hurt that day, nor did I have a relationship with God to draw my true value and purpose from. But, today I can look back and learn from that story and the many others, to change how I see and respond to hurt in relationships.  I am learning to receive my true value and purpose from the word of God and find perfect communion with Him, so that I freely give love and grace to others. For when we truly receive the abundance of love, significance, and grace Christ has for us, we are also able to freely give it, and in that we find that our relationships on earth are truly satisfying.  For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. John 1:16 
Freely you have received; freely give. Matthew 10:8

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WE ARE

6/27/2015

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WE ARE by Ronilynn Brissey-Ramos

WE ARE Reconciled
ONE with Him
Secure
Authentic
Humble
PURE
Beautiful
Generous
Truthful
Honorable
LOVE
Selfless
Peaceful
Tender
Purposeful
Faithful
Hopeful
Brave
Strong 
Determined
Resilient
Victorious
WE ARE HIS WARRIOR QUEENS.
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RADICAL LOVE   by Ronilynn Brissey-Ramos

6/15/2015

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Radical: adjective 1. relating to or affecting the fundamental nature of something; far-reaching or thorough.
Love: noun 1. an intense feeling of deep affection.

Matthew 6:24 & 25 "Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."
I was recently asked, "To what extent should I go to show love to my extremely difficult family member?"  My answer was, "To the greatest extent you possibly can. Your love should be radical. That's what we are called to as Christians."  Easier said than done, right?  Loving others can be very messy, painful and nearly impossible at times, but it can also be rewarding, wonderful and uplifting.  It's easy to buy into love when it's the latter of those sentiments, but there are two sides to every coin.   I have felt the dark side of love in relationships, marriage, and parenting.  Haven't we all?  There is always light in the darkness and hope in the face of hopelessness with God, though. He works all things for our good when we are faithful and seek Him with our whole heart.   I have witnessed God transform the most hopeless, dead and dysfunctional situations into beacons of hope, works of beauty and shining examples of His grace and love. 

In Matthew 25: 31-46 Jesus shares a parable with us, and we are invited to look inward to apply it.  This parable speaks to what we are called to do as followers of Christ so that we might receive our eternal reward.  How many of us can say that we have fed the hungry, given the thirsty a drink, invited a stranger in, clothed one in need, visited the sick or imprisoned?  When we do these things, Jesus says that we do them unto Him.  Have you ever noticed that it's often much easier to love a stranger than it is to love your own family?  Why is that?  The very nature of the relationship makes it easier because we don't know all of their "stuff," their baggage and flaws.  They haven't wounded us, rejected us or neglected us.  It's a clean slate.  

Did you know that we are called to love others (including our family) even when they feel like our enemies?  Matthew 5:43 -46 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?"  Wow.  That's a pretty high standard, isn't it?  But, no one ever said that being a Christian was easy.  However, it has been said that "great things are worth fighting for."  

I believe that we are called to radical love in every arena of our lives and that we must fight for it.  I believe that our marriages and families are where radical love can be demonstrated most because that is where we are tested the most.  Radical love is a love that will choose to die to self no matter what.  It's a love that puts others first.  It doesn't mean that we get to pick and choose when we will die to self.  It's not, "I will die to myself as soon as my husband dies to himself!"  It's not waiting for my needs to be met before I choose to meet the needs of another.  It's not choosing to pray for another as soon as they start praying for me.  It's not serving another under the condition that I'm shown appreciation.  It's not (fill in the blank). We all have something/s, right?  Where do you feel like God is asking you to be more radical in your love?  In what relationship/s do you hear Him asking you to die to self?  

We have a promise in scripture that we can take hold of as we attempt to meet the challenges set before us:  Philippians 4:19 "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."  We must first look to Christ for our needs to be met and for our hearts to be filled with His love.  Only then are we able to fulfill what Jesus calls us to; to give without conditions, expectation, demands, limits… to love radically.

Radical Love is a selfless adventure in trust.  Radical love is delayed gratification.  Radical love is giving with no expectation of getting.  Radical love is knowing what really matters in this life. Radical love is everything.  May we be radical.
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