Let's Talk About Sex Baby

This weekend I'm off to a sex convention.
Well, sorta. I'm volunteering at it.
Yeah, with my church.
BOOM.
You're minds blown right now huh?!
Well good, it should be.

'Romance Uncensored' is a national annual convention put on by my pastor and his wife and it's for married couples to get together for a weekend and talk about, you guessed it, sex.

Whether or not that word, that term, that concept, or the act itself makes you uncomfortable is, no offense, kind of irrelevant. We unfortunately don't have a choice. It's everywhere. In our minds, in our DNA, in our desires, in our tv shows, in our books, in our music, in our workplace, in our schools, in our homes, it's even in our freaking foods (aphrodisiacs people).  We can't escape it and the more we are ashamed of it, the more hurt and harm we inevitably cause for ourselves.

I'm a firm believer that if the church would talk about sex more, our reality would be radically different. Now, I'm not talking about the stereotypical kind of talk either...

SEX IS FROM SATAN!!!!!!! 

PREMATRTIAL SEX = STRAIGHT SHOT TO HELL, GOD WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!

WHEN YOU ARE MARRIED, THE MAN IS ONLY ALLOWED ON TOP AND THAT'S IT! EVERYTHING ELSE IS SINNNNN!

.....................

FALSE.

You may think that sounds crazy, but you know it's what most people at some point of their lives have been led to believe. Which is just down right heartbreaking.

I'm so blessed to be apart of a spiritual family that's open, honest, in your face with sex and all it's many colors. For me, it's not only been eye opening, but more life changing than anything.

In honor of sextember, I'm going to share a few of my all time favorite videos about the topic: 

PS... Some exciting stuff is in the works for this ol' bloggy of mine. FINALLY!
Stay tuned for the new(ish) direction and some actual blogging all coming your way sometime next week. Happy Weekending you beautiful people!

religion on a board

I walked out of class around 11am this morning and as I did, I noticed this large board right smack dab in front of the union. Which, of course, is right in the middle of campus. As I walked closer, I couldn't help but stare. I've seen some seriously amazing things go on in the middle of campus, but I have to say... this is my favorite. 

I watched for probably 10 minutes before I decided to write something. Then, I wrote a few things. I was shaking the entire time. I walked up with the pen and then stepped back nearly 20 times. How could I put into words all I wanted the say? What could I possibly write something that would even come close to all the emotions I was feeling? I prayed and trembled and just wrote. I tried to think from the heart of a nonbeliever, and someone just searching for answers and for hope; someone searching for love.

I have to say, I was absolutely breath taken by some of the words people used and deeply saddened by others. Yet, throughout the whole thing it was so amazingly beautiful to see how many people responded and wanted to not only write but also to talk to one another. This sign hadn't even been up for two hours and by the time I left, the board was nearly twice as full as these pictures show.

 

My favorite. 

The longer I live & the more I learn about the world, the more I realize how littler I know. Everyone seems to think they have all the answers to the world's problems. But I know nothing really EXCEPT one thing. That the Almighty God, Creator of the universe is real. He is good. He is just. He is perfect. And he actually loves me. I don't understand it, but it set me FREE.

I'm still praying over the board and it's impact on each set of eyes that fall upon it.

Great Expectations

Lately, I've been dealing a lot with expectations of people; what I think they should be doing, saying, acting, etc. I expect them to do certain things and act a certain way {typically towards me} and when they don't I get extremely bothered by it. To the point of turning my frustration into harsh words and ill feelings towards said person and then voicing those feelings of anger to someone else which just stirs up the fire in my heart even more.

They should be doing this for me. They should talking like this to me. Why aren't they doing this for me, I would do it for them? I wish they would see this is what I want them to do and just do it. If they were a better friend they would do this for me instead. I did this for them before, why aren't they doing it for me now?

How incredibly selfish is that? How so openly ugly can someone be? Yet, I know I'm not alone and these thoughts are probably shared by all those reading today. ((If you never do this to people, congrats. Email me your tricks of trade)) But for the rest of us, these are true emotions we face daily, despite how much we don't want them to be apart of us.

Then, I got a nice little awakening this Sunday at church, where all my revelations seem to be happening lately //more on that later// YAY! go God. 

Anyway.. back to my awakening. OK, are you ready? You should probably set down for this... 

Here goes....

Friends, when we start to get disappointed in others because we had expectations of them and they let us down, I imagine this is just a tinniest of tiny example of what God feels when we don't do for Him all that we should. When we aren't good friends and children to Him.

BOOM. ROASTED. 

 I can just imagine God thinking, "I gave MY ONLY SON for you. My Son, who was perfect in every way shape and form, And you can't even pray to Me? You can't even take time out of your day to read My word. Even worse... You. Are. Ashamed of Me. Ashamed to speak my presence."
Man, talk about feeling like the worst person ever, right?

John 3:16  “For God so loved the world,that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

After wanting to curl up in a corner and cry my eyes out in such shame.. God spoke again and said,

"But I love you anyway. I love you more than you could possibly imagine, and you are Mine."

Holy smokes. Talk about an eye opener. And a feeling of hope and love all at the same time. Friends, we must not hold each other to such great expectations. We must be patient with one another and cherish the good things we DO HAVE and DO RECEIVE. We must forgive and love as God does for us all the time. The next time you begin to get angry or discouraged at something someone did or didn't do for you, take a step back, pray, and let it go. Your rewards for doing this my friends will be greater than you can possibly imagine! Watch your life begin to fill up with peace, love, and happiness! 

Proverbs 10:12 "Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses."

Romans 13:8  "Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law."

Proverbs 17:17  "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity."

All my love.