chriszimmerman.wordpress.com

Ok. I’m not really dying, at least not any faster than normal (as far as I know). Sometimes, though, it feels as if I am. The state of the world; the lying, the hurting, the crap all around us…that’s on us. It’s our fault. It’s brought death to our lives. I can feel it, and if you slow down for a second I bet you can too.

Friends, when are we going to stop? Hating each other? Lying to each other? Talking down and killing others with our words? Gossiping and starting rumors? Tearing each other down…hating, killing, destroying ourselves and others…from the inside out. Is this really what we want? Are these things, deep down, really our hearts desire?

Be honest.

God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love—like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love.

[Ephesians 4.14, 15 from the Messsage]

Love. We need to love.

I want to get this clear; I am NOT pointing my finger at you, you or you. I’m not calling anyone out. If I were, I’d be pointing 3 more fingers back at me. I’m merely putting the facts and the truth out on the table. For all to see. We are a mess and we aren’t doing much to clean up our acts. I’m the chief of sinners. I own just as much of this crap as anyone of you do. Would you take some time to pray for each other? Pray for yourselves. Pray that we could…no…that we will change.

It’s time for change. Obama was right about that. We need it. But it won’t be brought about by a new president, a new economy, a new haircut. The change, real lasting, meaningful change starts inside the hearts of the people. We need to learn to love again. Speak up in love, Act in love. Somewhere deep inside our hearts is the ability to love. Inside you and me and that guy or girl you’re always talking crap about. That smelly old homeless guy on the exit ramp every morning that we all quickly pass by, he could change everything…each of us,..could change everything if we would simply love. When will we?

I have so many struggles of my own right now, not that I’ve ever been without them, but they seem to be screaming and calling me out every chance they get. We all have crap in our lives; we all make stupid ridiculous mistakes. We live to please ourselves and climb our own individual ladders of success, however we measure it. Some of us find success in how much money we can make a year. How much junk we own. Some of us by the number of friends we have (real or on Facebook). Some of us by how “smart” we are or how many guys or girls we’ve been with. Does any of that REALLY matter? Is this what we are putting our life’s value in? Is this what we are striving for from the moment we wake up till the moment we close our eyes at night?

Stop.

Just stop.

Don’t give me that crap about it “not being that easy” or oh, maybe I’ll change next week. One more high and I’ll tone it down.

That won’t work.

I’ve tried.

You’ve tried before.

We’ve failed.

It’s time to wage a new war. It’s time to quit focusing on all the distractions, all the pleasures, all the things we think will make us happy and fight. Fight for our lives…for the lives of those around us.

It’s time to speak up, speak the truth and speak it in love. Let us not stop there though. Let’s act in love, one small action at a time. Encourage one another. Pay for someone’s drink, coffee or dinner. Give someone a good book to read. Take the time to pray with one another. Simply spend time with each other and listen. Listen.

Stop the death. Stop the killing. Let’s start truly living. Living in love.

²⁵ So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. ²⁶ And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷ for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

²⁸ If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. ²⁹ Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

³⁰ And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. ³² Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

[Ephesians 4.25 – 32, New Living Translation, SE]

I love you all…grace and peace. May God’s love be shown.

Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. He said,

“I came naked from my mother’s womb,
and I will be naked when I leave.
The Lord gave me what I had,
and the Lord has taken it away.
Praise the name of the Lord!”

In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.
[Job 1.20-22, NLT]

Some people struggle with tragedy and heartbreak all their lives. Others seem to sail through relatively unscathed when it comes to such traumatic interruptions as job loss, injury or illness. Still, when troubles come, we may have a hard time echoing Job’s prayer in Job 1.21. Instead, we expect God to give and then give some more. We certainly don’t expect God to take anything away–and we usually resent it when He does. Yet everything remains His. At most, we’re stewards of what He’s entrusted to us. When we hold on to people or possessions as though they belong permanently to us, we only set ourselves up for deep disappointment.

Jesus taught that we wrap our hearts around whatever we treasure most (see Matthew 6.21). But if what we treasure can be taken away or destroyed, our hearts will always be in danger. God was the center of Job’s life–his treasure. Job appreciated what he had, but his life didn’t revolve around his possessions. Instead, his heart was wrapped around his relationship with God. What lessons can you learn from Job’s experience?

I’m glad in God, far happier than you would ever guess—happy that you’re again showing such strong concern for me. Not that you ever quit praying and thinking about me. You just had no chance to show it. Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.
[Philippians 4.10-13, The Message]

i have a simple request. please pray for me. i don’t ask often, but right now i really need it. if you don’t read any further than this please just pray that God give me peace with my emotions. also pray for my job/career situation.

i do have a full time job right now, but i’ve been feeling really out of place there. i need a job, actually more of a career, that fits me better and where i know i am in God’s will fulfilling my purpose…and i need it to pay better than my current job. i have a lot of debt and financial struggles right now that i need to take care of.

some of you know that i really struggle with depression, some of you didnt know until now. but it’s become progressively harder and harder to hide my depression. it’s been pretty intense lately. please pray that God heal me of this, and that my attitude toward life and others just gets better.

i really haven’t been myself lately…i guess i just need to refocus…i don’t know…i’ve written something here just to erase it completely and start new a few times now but at some point i just need to post what i’ve written and hope it makes sense and doesnt come off sounding selfish or self centered even tho i’m sure no matter what i write it will feel that way to me….

anyway, thank you for taking time to read this and even more thanks for your prayers. i really do appreciate those of you who pour your lives into others through prayer and just living life with each other. life is a lot about community and a lot about communication with God and with others.

prayer does make a difference. it does change things. whether it’s a change in me or my surroundings. thank you again, you are loved.

c

so let me get this straight
say now you loved me all along?
what made you hesitate
to tell me with words what you really feel
i can see it in your eyes you mean all of what you say
i remember so long, see i felt that same way
now we both have separate lives and lovers (and lovers)
insignificately enough we both have significate others

only time will tell
time will turn and tell

we are who we were when
could’ve been lovers but at least you’re still my day late friend
we are who
we are who we were when
who knew what we knew now
could’ve been more but at least you’re still my day late friend
we are who
we are who we were when

but thoughts they change and times they rearrange i don’t know who you are anymore
loves come and go now and this i know i’m not who you recall anymore
but i must confess you’re so much more than i remember
can’t help but entertain these thoughts
thoughts of us together

we are who we were when
could’ve been lovers but at least you’re still my day late friend
we are who
we are who we were when
who knew what we know now
could’ve been more but at least you’re still my day late friend
we are who
we are who we were when

my day late friend

so let me get this straight
all these years and you were no where to be found
and now you want me for your own
but you’re a day late and my love, she’s still renowned
we are who we were when
could’ve been lovers but at least you’re still my day late friend
we are who
we are who we were when
who knew what we know now
could’ve been more but at least you’re still my day late friend
we are who
we are who we were when

so let me get this straight
all these years and you were no where to be found
and now you want me for your own
but you’re a day late and my love, she’s still renowned
we are who we were when
could’ve been lovers but at least you’re still my day late friend
we are who
we are who we were when
who knew what we know now
could’ve been more but at least you’re still my day late friend
we are who
we are who we were when

[Anberlin, A Day Late]

ha…that’s all i can get out right now…too worn out to comment any futher…just ha!

ct

i’ll give my usual disclaimer for this one: if all this doesn’t make any sense, i’m not surprised…

but i hate mornings like today… i have no idea if this is a common thing, or if it’s just one of those weird things that makes me who i am… i can’t remember if i actually had any dreams or what, but i feel like everyone hates me… it makes no sense because i know it’s not true, at least not blatantly true becuase i haven’t had any arguements with anyone lately, i just woke up this morning and felt like those closest to me can’t stand me and even border line hate me… hopefully i have a good day and all this will be long forgotten before lunch… oh well… i gotta get ready to leave… hope everyone has a great day…

ct

ps. pray for our high school students who are in Maine right now on a missions trip… they took 2 church vans up and yesterday at some point one of them lost it’s transmission… not sure if they’ll get it fixed or just rent a different van to drive home this weekend…

Jeep Commander… this is obviously a big wish list item… not just in size obviously but also in price (they start around $30,000) althought i’d also be happy with a Cherokee or Grand Cherokee as long as it was black and awesome…

i’ve had the tremendous blessing of being able to drive my brother Matt’s Cherokee for a week while he is up in Winterport Maine with some of our youth on a missions type trip… pray that i don’t covet it while i’m borrowing it this week cause it’s a really nice one! and i was told it’s kinda Bear-ish… suite!

anyway, gotta run, time to get back to work!

ct

“Don’t play stupid with me…I’m better at it.”
[unknown]

i’m not here complaining or attacking any one person… i am stating something that is quite obvious to me and way too common among Christians… we are soo stinkin good at talkin the talk, but when it comes to taking action and living the life, we just never measure up…

now, i know that we all fall short and we are human and yada yada yada… i get that… but part of taking the name of Christ as your own (calling ourselves Christians…) we need to live a different life… we need to talk the talk and walk the walk as Jesus did… and yes, i know, i’m at fault here too, i can always always always do better, speak better, think better, LIVE better…

let’s put a focus on praying for each other today and onward, that we can truly live this life of difference and not just be full of all the right words…

k, i’m off my soapbox for now… back to work!

ct

33 “A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad. 34 You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. 35 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart.”
[matthew 12.33-35, NLT]

Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Premium…

i want this for my MacBook bad… real bad… lately i’ve had this itch to go into graphic design/marketing/advertising-ish career especially if i can do it for a church… i think it would just be fun to toy around with graphic/visual design stuff and call that my job… i dunno, but whether i go into that or not, i love graphic design and i’d still do it as a hobby…

i’m praying that i can save up the $$$$$$$ that i’ll need to get this and that it will work well and that i’ll learn to use all the really really awesome tools that it has in it and use it all to glorify God

gotta get back to work now we are picking up a bit

ct

why do we as Christians treat each other so crappy? that’s a retorical question because i know no single person can change that fact… it’s just the sad reality that we beat our own wounded…

i’m having a very bad day…

…pray

ct

Look around what could i do
This place is unfamiliar and new
So i try to look beyond what’s right in front of me
Hope to be found how could this be true
Comfort came and left in such a hurry
So then what’s on the other side of this tragedy

You wake up to find that you’re right where you’re supposed to be
Trapped in uncertainty each day’s a mystery
You wake up to find that you’re right where you’re supposed to be
The past is unveiled and you see you’re right where you’re meant to be

[Jadon Lavik, Meant To Be]

lately i’ve been randomly listening to music i don’t listen to much on iTunes when i’m sitting here at the computer playing spider solitaire and this song came on and really fit my post from earlier tonight so i figured i’d share it… good song for any hard time in life you may be facing… God’s got you right where He means for you to be…

i’ll try to post more often during this time of transition and let everyone know how i’m doing and all that’s going on and developing around me….

before i go for the night, our pastoral staff is having a meeting tomorrow for the better part of the day just planning and brainstorming, bouncing ideas off each other and so it would be really cool if anyone reading this tonight or in the morning or whenever would just pray for West Cabarrus church and the transition we are in as a church body there… a lot of awesome things are in store for us i’m sure, God works big, we just need to show up, be available and willing to be used to paint this masterpiece He has been painting…

goodnight!

ct