Transformed by Him

Today's Tidbits from a Simple Soul

2013-04-21T20:00:00.001-07:00

RHYME TIME:

To just be. To just breathe. To just live and not think.
Some of us numb our pains with liver taunting drinks.
We want just the dizzied blur, walking on reality's brink.

I wanted nothing more than to implode and merely sink.
But life changed in an instance, faster than I could blink.

Those were the days, those were the days I thought I'd never escape.
Now I'm present, using past tense to describe my new found fate.

***

VENTING SESH:

Today I arose in a disheveled heap, body heavy with the remnants of my lingering stomach flu. A nasty culprit to fend off, I ignored its nagging ache the best I could, the only sign of pain emerged through the wrinkling of my forehead and clenched shut eyes in moments when it was hard to bear.

Oddly enough, I'm thankful for this sickness because:

#1 I have become exceedingly less immobile than recent days of busyness, giving me perspective on the need for balance.

#2 I have consented to the fate of getting rest, sleep, hydration and time to write.

The truth is...life has been busy. Change seems constant and established routine is merely a mirage in my dreams. And I'm okay with this, for what seems to be the first time in my life - not because I mastered a yoga pose or meditated in silence, but because I yearn daily to release my reigns to the eternal God who grants peace beyond understanding.

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

***

PICTURE THIS:

Psalm 95: Oh come, let us sing to the Lord!

Despite my angry insides, I made it to the beach today - where God whispered to me in the breeze and roared with the crashing waves. Alone with Him...there's nothing better.

Breeze of Memories

2013-03-27T20:51:00.000-07:00

It's easiest for me to write in rhyme form
I wish I knew why, it doesn't feel quite the norm
I'm not even sure where my fingers and mind will lead me tonight
Giving control up, I have no might

Today I found an old notebook full of aged prayers and sour dreams
They reminded me of the person I once was, or seemed to be
I was scared and thought I was alone
I prayed to a God who I questioned, to give me a home

I wasn't sure who or how to trust
I just knew that eventually I must
What is a life full of lies and deceit?
I'll be the first to describe it, I was in the driver seat
Headed toward a hell far too real
Stepping on the pedal, falling into layers of pain that would be hard to heal

I look back and see myself speeding to a vast nowhere
I look forward and see the person I always wanted to be there

It wasn't anything that I did to get to where I am now
Living and breathing in the moment, a peace I have endowed
Healed of the wounds of my past
Led to an eternal life that will forever last

New Age X Goes Postal

2013-01-01T12:40:00.001-08:00

My band New Age X is featured in the Reno News and Review!

Check it out:

Going postal New Age X

By Sean Barron

This article was published on 12.20.12.

Phill Real recording vocals for New Age X.

PHOTO BY ALLISON YOUNG

For more information, visit newagexmusic.com

It wasn’t very far into my interview with Phill Real that I realized not only that we had something in common, but also that he’s quite funny, in his own understated way. During the ice-breaking stage, I’d found Real had stopped watching Sons of Anarchy some time in the third season, which is exactly when I’d stopped watching. While I had no idea why I’d stopped watching, Real said oh so eloquently that it had “turned into a bunch of old guys riding their motorcycles around who would make intermittent stops to hug each other.”
Other than that, the man was soft spoken, tired but engaged, and excited to talk about his hip-hop group. New Age X has just released their first official album, called Into the 5th Dimension, which consists of seven original tracks, all without any sampling. This is a big step for the group, who previously released online a 13-track mixtape called The Dawning for free 2011. (The mixtape and new album can be streamed at newagexmusic.com; the new album can be purchased for $5 at cdbaby.com/cd/newagex.)
The group consists of Real, who provides lyrics and music, AD-verse and Baby-B-Fresh, who also provide lyrics and vocals. They all live in different cities. Phill lives here in Reno, AD-verse in Arizona, and Baby-B-Fresh in Los Angeles.
I’m sure it would be much easier to produce and refine material when everyone is in the same place, but New Age X has found a way to navigate these pitfalls. They collaborate over the internet, sort of like hip-hop’s answer to the Postal Service. The problem is time. Sometimes it takes a few days to a couple of weeks to get through the back and forth. If they were all in the same place at the same time, they could be even more prolific than they have been in the last two years.
What’s even more refreshing than the music is the message. New Age X is about being optimistic. They deliver a “positive message that doesn’t disrespect our society.” Yes, they want a radio-friendly, polished sound, but to also deliver hopeful messages.
The thing about New Age X is that it doesn’t have a local feel. It doesn’t sound like music that your friend is making in the basement next door. It sounds like music that is—and rightfully should be—on the radio. It’s polished, from the mixing and mastering, to the crisp lyrics. As of right now, they get play on local college radio and the web, but they deserve to be heard by a wider audience.
“One time for my city that I don’t rep,” says Real in one lyric. New Age X is thinking bigger than Reno. They’re not dissing their hometown at all, they love Reno, but they realize it can be a stifling scene for bands, where it’s incredibly difficult to get people to acknowledge you, much less support you. New Age X is trying to bring a cosmopolitan feel to their identity. It’s working. They got together with an Arizona producer, called Efreezee, who put out a single off their new album, The Moment, which reached No. 1 on soundclick.com. That’s a big deal, considering there are millions of songs in the hip-hop genre on the site. It’s only now, since the product is crafted and packaged well, that New Age X is starting to become concerned with using its resources and getting into the arenas where it can be singled out in the midst of many artists.

Just Another Love Story

2012-12-16T09:03:00.001-08:00

Temporal reality and dreams collide
No zone in between in which I can hide

Cloaked in a robe of gold and white
His valiant pursuit unveils his sight

His third eye on me...the one that can see

Sabotage, crippling fear and worry rush through my veins in a frozen surge
Blinding my sight in a faulty urge

Jerking my hope that is tied to my chains
Locked with a lost key, searing in the pains

Both eyes inverted, diverting the source of reason
Always looking inside for the answer no matter the season

The love story knocks again on her door
Barely beating she picks up her heart off the floor

Slipping in the puddle of uncertainty made with self deprecated tears
She crashes to ground and succumbs to her fears

Learning the Guitar

2012-12-13T14:12:00.003-08:00

Grass is Just Green

2012-11-27T10:13:00.000-08:00

Coffee is just water. But with preparation, time, and patience it transforms its color, its code, its taste.

I am just a being. But with associations, connections, and ideas, I emerge into a new creation with constant change.

Grass is just green. But on the other side are illusions of rainbows, bursts of color, and false promises garbed in jade.

Phones are just plastic. But they hold the myths, stories, laughs and cries that echo in interpreted tones and invisible expressions.

My feet just fit in shoes. But they take steps toward positivity and light, even when the path before them is arduous and bent or when the shoe doesn't fit.

Sand is just a bunch of tiny rocks. But with strength in numbers, a close relationship with waves, and illumination from the sun, it hosts parties, captures foot prints, and never groans when it is stepped on.

Love is just four letters. But with a touch, nurturing, and a devoted exchange of energy liberated through timeless moments, a seed is cultivated into a glowing flower that withstands all seasons.

I'm Not a Prophet - Confessions of a Christian

2012-11-10T17:02:00.000-08:00

I'm not a prophet. I don't know the Bible front and back. I can't debate in apologetic litheness. I'm simply God's child...yearning to seek after Him each day. Thirsting to be fed by His word and truth. There are times when I "feel" distant. Where my human mind tells me that I'm not good enough. That I haven't prayed enough. That I'm falling away from knowing His will because I haven't studied scripture enough. That the things I'm idolizing are outshining my creator.

Romans 8:7

The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. ⁸Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.⁹You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.¹⁰But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness.

Slowly but surely I notice the desires of my flesh dwindle in life, shriveling and sinking back into the darkness where they first lurched from. The appeal that once reigned over me is dying. This process of sanctification is painful. I feel like a snake shedding my old self. Each day. Each second. But it's not based on my own works but God that works in me. I can't volunteer my time in exchange for renewal of the mind. It's the spirit of God that sanctifies me.

"The spirit's work in the life of the believer is about SO MUCH MORE. It's about transforming the believer from the realm of the flesh to the realm of the spirit." -Voddie Baucham

click to see sermon
Voddie Baucham

This I confess: I'm broken. I would seek darkness if it weren't for Christ saving me. I did for 24 years. But I have been born again. Filled up. Sealed, protected and healed. Being molded and conformed in the image of Christ. Thank you Lord God. My prayer is that I live like I know this to be true.

Sincerely yours,

The Quickest 30 Second Guide to reach Health Wealth and Happiness

2012-11-06T10:43:00.000-08:00

Buddy Heath & Bethany Michaels

of Cat Fence-In Books™ Publishing have partnered together to release their highly anticipated self-wellness book:

The book engages new ideas by offering quips and snips from their own experiences along with renowned fitness gurus, life coaches, and health connoisseurs around the globe.

Say goodbye to boring and aloha to a healthy new positive mindset (on a Hawaiian beach if you imagine!)

By offering easy to follow 30 second exercises, this short read is sure to ignite a fire in any fully committed participant.

Those who have read a preview of the book (close family and friends) have already seen results when applying the exercises to their life. In a recent review, Anthony DeLeon attests that when applying the Solution to a Problem Exercise he "woke up with a distinct answer. I asked to have a clear direction with an issue in my life and it really worked!"

With the release of 30 Seconds to Health Wealth and Happiness, Buddy and Bethany challenge readers to engage with an open mind and allow a new flow of positivity to transform their routine "blah" into renewed "awe."

Thanks to the Glipho community:

Roger Planes Rachel Montenstein Maria Nichol Kris Cannon

These writers will be featured in the book with their review of the 30 second exercise of their choice as a testimonial of its effectiveness.

*Watch for the release date, scheduled to hit ebook shelves in the end of November.*

Jessica Biel Wedding Ring - Who Cares?

2012-10-22T13:13:00.004-07:00

Boy meets girl. Boy likes girl. Boy proposes to girl and they live happily ever...in divorce?

Look, I'm not prophesying that Biel-Limber (let's see if that one catches on) will split their separate ways after they've just tied the knot, I'm simply scrutinizing by looking at the cold hard facts. After all, The Americans for Divorce Reform estimates that "Probably 40 or possibly even 50 percent of marriages will end in divorce if current trends continue."

For divorce rates sake, let's hope they don't follow the trends of their previous relationship statuses and instead try to stay "in sync."

Check out this crappy picture of the blurred promise they've made:

Splash News

Sincerely,
Butt Hurt Single Girl

What Box Do You Put Jesus In?

2012-10-15T22:33:00.002-07:00

But really...which one? There's so many to chose from in the depths of our minds. We've all got em- tall ones, teeny tiny ones, gaping wide ones. The boxes that mold our perception and our thoughts.

So, what box do you put Jesus in? This very question was recently asked by the pastor at Park Church last Sunday and slowly began creeping under my skin and tugging at my conscience. I realized that I have a ton of boxes, not just one.

Sometimes I put God in the "if you do this, then I'll do this" box.

"God, if you give me ______________, I'll resist temptation and walk in your word."
"God, if you take away ____________, I'll be sure to read scripture more."
"Lord if you just give me a different desire for ___________ I'll trust you more."

Another box that diminishes God's greatness and limits my own growth is one of the most threatening of all. It's the box that I have hidden under my bed. The one I don't acknowledge and shove into an invisible area for as long as I can stand. This box holds my ego. This box is full of my illusions I believe when I'm not in His word.

To categorize God in our own minds is dangerous and deceitful. God can not be compartmentalized according to our will or our plans. God is not something we can schedule in if we have time. If you're a believer in Christ and you pray to the Lord only when you "want" something to go your way, but don't know what it means to live your life following, pursuing, thirsting after His rich word, then you are living a life that is malnourished, driven by selfishness and fearless pride. I only say this from experience, not to scold or point my finger at those who know no better or haven't searched their hearts. Everything is according to God's will, but he also instills in us a personal desire for things. And if your will and desire constantly are being fed by the culture we live in and the people you surround yourself with, then I beckon you to ask yourself:

What box am I putting God in?

Starbucks Gold is the New Black

2012-09-18T16:39:00.000-07:00

Hi!

As you may know, I'm an avid coffee drinker. Comes with the territory of being a writer and transforming coffee shops into my home office. And let me tell you, the one thing that really drew me in to Starbucks wasn't necessarily the delicious smell of their beans or their low prices (sarcastic on both accounts) but the fact that when I registered my Gold card, I knew I was on my way to free soy milk and syrup land.

To a loyal Starbucks drinker, Gold Card benefits are like hitting a mini lottery. You feel like you're getting away with a real steal dodging the extra $.40-$1.00 charge of liquid sugar.

So you can imagine how royally shocked I was when I discovered Free Syrup and Soy Land was being mulled over by the Starbucks corporate giant! To my utter dismay I was hit with a morbid reality today when I received this crude news in my inbox:

GOODBYE?!

...I'm horrified

Along with many other fellow soy drinking coffee connoisseurs out there...

DISAPPOINTED TOO? WRITE YOUR COMMENTS HERE...

Before Christianity was an atheist

2012-08-20T16:49:00.000-07:00

Before I was a Christian (as of almost a year ago) there pulsed within my blood an innate desire to scrutinize those who were...or at least people who had these "ridiculous" beliefs about some master of our universe...and what about other universes? Maybe there was a different God assigned to that one. I always gave credit to myself for being too smart to be conned into a rigid belief system that I assumed denied science and rational thought. Plus, I was happy thinking that if God gave me a mind to think, why would he punish me for using mine to deny his existence and embrace wordly concepts?

I was fond of philosophy, humor and cussing which I confess (pun intended, damnit) has yet to change now that I know God.

I thought that pursuing a religion or faith meant I had to give up the reality I had created for myself and the control I thought I had. Now, I can look back and see how God was working in my life, even when I never knew of his existence. Sometimes a flood of gratitude sweeps over my body and I'm hurled into a sea of tears. My world was like an Alice in Wonderland playground. My curiosity led to disaster, unanswered illusions, and complete chaos.

Now that I am a Christian, I struggle every day to die to myself. Those years of compounded beliefs that denied my savior come up to haunt me still. It's a constant battle with myself to let go of the reigns and let God guide my path.

Just because I believe in God, doesn't mean I don't believe in science.

Just because I believe in God, doesn't mean I don't believe in this world.

Just because I believe in God, doesn't mean I don't believe in myself.

I believe in God who created science, conquered this world, and gave me breath to live out His plan.

NASA photo of the Helix Nebula taken by the Hubble Space Telescope labeled
the 'Eye of God.'

He Listens When We Don't

2012-08-16T21:32:00.000-07:00

My desires are like Chinese water torture droplets
Threatening me at incessant pace that don't care to stop it

I yearn for the worldly things that quench my thirst for moments
Funny how a material thing never seems to last, don't it

I want to cry out to Jesus to save me from my sins
But it's like my own hands cover my mouth obstructing my hopeful win

I want to reach for my Bible and taste the sweetness of His word
But I'm constrained to starve myself as I reap and sow - why can't I be a bird?

This struggle that I've muddled has really befuddled my own mind
God, pull me from the quicksand that I myself have carefully designed

For it's You who hold me near to you and shepard me to your light
Even when I feel stuck in a cage too heavy to move with my might

It's you who feeds me graciously even when I think I'm full
For you know my pangs and emptiness - over all of me you rule

A feeling is deceiving, but your timeless promises remain
The day you saved me Christ Jesus, my heart has never been the same

I may feel like I'm withering away like a flower with no soil for her roots
But a feeling fades, and your love grows in an undying devoted pursuit

I trust in you my God to hear my unsaid words today
I know you keep a treasure box full of the prayers I wanted to say

I praise you my Lord in Heaven for the mysteries you've made clear
For it's not my own voice I need to hear, but yours I lend my ear

The Key to Human Success - Brand New eBook

2012-08-06T16:58:00.002-07:00

Dear You,

Yes You!

Even though there are other activities that you could blissfully be basking in right now -- like watching the Olympics or tending to your overgrowing tomato garden in the backyard -- I'd like to say thank you for continuing to read this ongoing sentence that seemingly goes nowhere, but if you continue reading, you'll see it actually goes....nowhere.

Now that we have that completely irrelevant fact established, I'd like to give you some content I actually find valuable and believe you will too.

Surprisingly, I've been given the opportunity to utilize my college degree, and I've been editing and writing for the author Bud Heath who has composed several books with fervent creativity. I'm very excited to announce that the short philosophical book Humantics is now available to order as an ebook online. If you have any passion to take a break from pruning the weeds from your garden and relax your eyes on some pixelated print, then I suggest you order a copy right now.

Honestly, I would greatly appreciate your support and feedback of the book.

The topic is that of human success, or lack thereof.

Please click the link below for an overview.

Just a Click Away...

God is Alive

2012-07-29T00:00:00.001-07:00

I don't need to site scripture to prove that God exists. He is alive in my every breath, in my beating heart, in his intricate designs of the world. Reflecting on the past, I see now what I was blind to then. I was stuck in darkness. I was a lost soul, sucking life from people and leeching onto anyone that I trusted my emotions with. I was sinking slowly into a pit of fire without knowing that I was the one dousing myself in kerosene. But then, He saved me. He saved me by allowing me to light and burn in my own fire. And now, the old self, my old chains slowly are burning to death. And my new body, mind and spirit emerge with a likeness of Christ. Each day a part of my past dies, and a promise of my eternal life is planted and watered with the Lord's word.

God, you are my hero. You are my King. You're my father even when I rebel. You are forever burning. Forever interceding for my sins. You sent your son to redeem me. Your plan is amazing. I am awestruck each day at your beauty. Whether it's the simple breeze that tosses my hair, or the indulgence of your word; you fill me up with truth. Thank you Lord.

Willow Smith, Yellow Hair, Girlfriend?

2012-07-20T22:46:00.003-07:00

Willow Smith + GF = lots and lots of scrutiny

An 11 year old with yellow hair and a chick on her arm?

Definition of the American dream.

Innocence or turmoil in the making?

The NEW New Age

2012-07-15T19:04:00.002-07:00

You'll wanna double tap this! <3

Check the NEW WEBSITE for New Age X

Listen to "The Moment" JUST LEAKED
from our upcoming EP!

2012-06-22T17:02:00.002-07:00

He found himself looming near hell on earth as he reached an unequivocal cross road. He wanted to close his eyes and find his way to a distant peace without moving. But stagnancy would only expose helpless dread. On the verge of disintegrating into a forgotten nothing, Johann’s only cure lived in the change that he was blind to. Without the ability to see his only escape, it seemed he was destined for ultimate darkness. But the particles of pain that leeched onto Johann like a blood sucking parasite, instantaneously melted in impotence as a cascading light descended upon his whole entity. Sanctifying his heart, reinventing his faith, resurging his desire like an endless waterfall.

Johann was saved.

2012-06-22T16:32:00.000-07:00

It had been a long road for Johann. The pain of a broken heart had crept inside his soul far too many times to bear on one’s shoulders, so he broke. He slouched in numb defeat with a paralyzed energy; any sense of life was siphoned from the depths of his being. Steps heavy as he walked, he willingly trudged through misery as it weighed him down like layered mud under his shoe. He forgot what it meant to hold on. His grip on life perished as his weakened spirit slowed to a threatening pace. Barely beating, barely eating, he was in dire need of nourishment and regeneration. Behind his transparent smile thrived a grim evil.

Save me a Seat in Heaven

2012-06-05T22:19:00.001-07:00

Things make me happy.

A new ring.

A sparkly nail polish set.

Candy scented lip gloss.

A clean car.

A decent career path.

Beautiful scenery.

Things make me happy on the surface, but there's a gaping space that exists in all of us that yearns for more than name brand items and luxurious worldly treats.

My soul. It needs more than a quick fix. Like a thirsty sponge, it shrivels into dry rubbish when it isn't fed with pure love.

Love. The only truth I've found that permeates all humanity is the love I've found in a God who is all too real to me. The God who saved me from myself. Who guarded my heart and protected my perpetual habits of sabotage and self hatred.

Gratitude could never suffice. "Thankful" could never explain the heat the emanates from my new beating heart founded in God's grace.

No order of words or superfluous language could arrange a meaning so undeniably perfect to simulate God's goodness.

So I stop writing. And am left to my thoughts, lifted up to my Savior.

My Soul Purpose

2012-06-03T17:46:00.001-07:00

No matter where I go whether near or far
God follows me like a midnight star
He shines bright and lights my path
Sometimes he loves me with grace, sometimes with wrath
I cherish what he has done for me
Healed me from a life of dreaded disease
Loved me and built me up into a mountain of strength
Founded upon my undying faith

God I pray to you that you will hold me close to you
Be the father I never had and make me anew
Remind me how much I desperately need you
Not a man or a friend, just my belief in truth
Shelter me from these distractions that rap at my door
Take my hand and lead me to what I need more
Push me and challenge me in the areas that need growth
So I can fall on you and lean into your word with an oath

I vow that I'll never look back at that life I had
Before I knew you, simple things and people made me glad
I rejoice in your undying presence and constant drone in my heart
You beat like a drum inside my soul like an art
I yearn for you to reveal yourself even more to me
I know I don't deserve even a moment of clarity
But you're gracious...my King, my Lord, Savior, my mighty lion
I have never seen the world in such pure light, you turned my "off" switch to "on"

My vision is sometimes blurred, mixed with sin and lightly stirred
But I know of something that combats all darkness that lies within just one word

JESUS

Nothing more or nothing less to describe the King in heaven
My everything, my center, my peace, my blessing

Gear Up for Humantics

2012-06-01T13:59:00.003-07:00

This philosophical writing draws upon rationalities that we are

all born with undeniable worth and importance with the aptitude

to succeed. Almost ready to hit the shelves and Kindle land,

you can stay in-the-know with Facebook updates until then.

Plum Influence Has Arrived

2012-06-01T13:26:00.000-07:00

Check it out!

The inaugural issue of Plum Influence Magazine re-branding Reno/Tahoe.

With a mission to spread the word about the positives of our community, Plum Influence debuted today in a big way! If you're sick of Reno's bad rap...this is a MUST READ.

2012-05-15T23:00:00.002-07:00

The littlest things remind me of you
Like a flavor of gum or a type of shoe
We used to laugh about the stupidest things

You gave me your heart when you gave me that ring

Now I'm left with none of you

Just the grieving of what I once thought was true

The dead wishes and promises we both made

The memories of pain and hurt were the first to fade

I just remember the good
How you treated me like a man should
Your smile is seared into my brain
The fire of our love still burns like a flame

I'm consumed by the lies and deceit I've conjured

That our love was forever and could never be blurred

I need to break free from the chains I've locked shut

I want to let go, I want to be free, BUT....

It's always the but that holds me back
"But I truly love him still, that is a fact"
"But he was the best friend I ever had"
"But he really loved me and without him I'm sad"

You should never say never, but I still always say but

I make excuses for my steadfast love, for my deepest rut

And until I can admit to myself and him

That we will never try our love over again

I'll be stuck in this muck of hurtful lust
For the one I loved and thought I could always trust
But it's me who I should invest my trust in
Not a man, not a feeling, not my struggling sin

I miss you and I hate that we fell apart as abrupt as a drunken car crash

I wish you and I could have made it last

I still grieve and ask God to heal my heart

I wish that our end never had a start

An Evening with Jim Walberg

2012-05-03T20:50:00.000-07:00

I'd say tonight was a success. Amongst a room of entrepreneurs, multi-colored infused paintings, and deliciously prepared h'orderves by Swill coffee shop the event was a smash hit. Highly renowned real estate specialist, Jim Walberg, spoke to an audience of a smidge under 50 business men and women. Intrigued by his approach to business, I must admit that he's doing something right with a 4.5 million dollar li$ting. Stay tuned for an in-depth debrief of the event in the upcoming Home Folio article, exposing major must-have information Jim revealed in his presentation.