Author: ashansky

Tall and quiet programmer from Memphis, that is in love with a sweet girl from Orlando.

Kingdom Dreams

Jeff Goins recently wrote a good blog on how to get involved with Kingdom Dreams. Here’s what he says…

There is no denying it. God is moving in a coordinated fashion, planting a seed in world changers and kingdom bringers. In the past few weeks we’ve found a growing number of passionate Christ followers committed to a similar vision of Kingdom Dreams, creating opportunity for synergy amongst the church.

We are on the forefront of something great, and we want you to be apart of it.

  • Kingdom Dreams went live about a month ago, but since then we have gained greater clarity as to our role in this coordinated move by God.
  • Kingdom Dreams exists to synthesize the church; connecting the body of Christ to fulfill each persons unique createdness.
  • Kingdom Dreams is being built to be the premier location to be inspired, equipped, and resourced to pursue one’s God-given dreams and passions.
  • Kingdom Dreams will be the catalyst for the next generation of Christians focused on changing the world.
  • Kingdom Dreams offers people the space, freedom, guidance, and confidence to dream and experiment, through the channel of meaningful personal connections.

A dream this big needs the help of the body of Christ, and we want to invite you to be apart of what God is doing.

There are lots of ways to get involved. We would love it if you joined us on the forefront of this movement. Here are five different ways to join the vision:

  1. Become a coach This generation needs mentors and coaches. You have life experience and wisdom to share. Help walk someone down their unique path: Become a coach!
  2. Help us network dreamers Most dreamers need to serve under someone else dream while the mature and grow. Contact us if you can connect dreamers to a variety of opportunities
  3. Partner with Kingdom Dreams We want to provide our dreamers with job, ministry, and volunteer opportunities that match their passions. Let us know if you or your organization has open positions for some passionate world changers.
  4. Spread the word: Do you believe in this vision of making God’s dreams come true through connecting people with world-changing ideas? Share Kingdom Dreams with your friends, church, pastor, and other network by:
    1. Reposting this post on your blog, or writing your own.
    2. Talk about Kingdom Dreams on Twitter or post a link on Facebook. You can use the shortened URL http://bit.ly/kdreams.
  5. Share your dream Come to our website and let us know about your dream. You just might make yours happen, or help another’s come true. Share your dream

Let’s build this into something great together.

Life [Re]defined – Jake Hamilton

Life [re]defined by Jake Hamilton

I hear the Spirit calling me
And I’m ready to answer
I am laying down my pride
To hear the cry of your comfort

I felt your tug upon my heart
And it’s setting me free now
I can’t deny your reckless love
So, I’m bending a knee, now

Chorus:
I, I don’t want to wake up
trying to make it through
lost and confused
No, I don’t want to survive
I want to live

Yes, Lord, yes
Lord, You
You are life
Life beyond the veil
Beyond what’s safe
and normal,
What is possible

You, You satisfy
You’re more than just a fantasy of faith
You are everything
You’re life re-defined.

V2:
You are the love
that finds a way
And I can not deny it
I tried to run
and make my way
But I’m turning towards home now

You are the wisdom
that I need
And the reason I’m longing
For more than
just the American dream
I hear eternity calling!

Bridge:
I’m laying it all down
Just for one glimpse of your face
It’s gonna be worth it
It’s gonna be worth it (4x)

Stop the Candy Shop

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=15468391&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0

The Candy Shop Trailer from Brandon McCormick on Vimeo.

FILM DESCRIPTION

The Candy Shop is a film initiative to help fight against child sex trafficking.

The Candy Shop is a thirty minute film that Whitestone is now in post-production for and will release in November. This film is being made for the Doorpost Film Project, and with support from 12Stone® Church and Street Grace.

The film is a Fairytale/Parable about the child sex trafficking epidemic that has overrun our city of Atlanta. We are using the film to not only raise awareness but provoke meaningful action towards this issue taking place in our own backyard.

Up to 500 underaged girls a month are trafficked for sex here in our city of Atlanta.
It’s the number one city in the country for child sex trafficking..
The 10th in the world.

This plague has gone on for too long, and now we at Whitestone, in cooperation with Doorpost, 12Stone® Church and StreetGrace want to put a stop to it.

This film represents the spearhead of a citywide and possibly a nationwide campaign.
It is not a documentary. It is not a PSA. It is the beginning of a movement.

growth

slow
methodical
life marches on

life
a sharp plow
in the hands of God

churning
making rich the soil
of my heart

clearing
weeds and rocks
readying the soil for seeds

planting
planting seeds of
faith, hope, and love

nourishing
the young seedling
with your word

harvesting
the fruit
at season’s end

in action

if love were merely words
if love were merely thoughts
if love were merely feelings
would it really be love?

love in action
sacrifices for others
honors others
protects others

if faith were merely words
if faith were merely thoughts
if faith were merely feelings
would it really be faith?

faith in action
holds on
encourages
restores
heals

veiled

you start down the path confident
confident that you know
that up Is up
and down is down

little do you know
little do i know
all that seems real is not
and all that is real is veiled

take a peek, I dare you
take a peek, behind the veil
let your eyes adjust
let your mind adjust
let it all in to your heart

disoriented
wrecked
your confidence, shot, dead and dying
your knowledge, rags, trashed and worthless

up but not as you knew it
down but not as you knew it
life but not as you knew it

what lies beyond the veil?
see for yourself
He’s there, He’s waiting

Jesus
King of an eternal kingdom
that will not be veiled forever

blue

blue, the color God chose
for the vast ocean
and for the never ending sky

blue, the color God chose
for little eyes
that melt my heart

may they always be pure
may they always reflect His light
and may they always gaze upon His beauty

they will remind you little one
that from birth God marked you
marked you as precious in His sight

lifecycle

allow it in
allow it to stay
let it bury itself deep
a seed gets planted

the seed grows
the young plant grows
it buds and flowers
soon the fruit will appear

the fruit appears
as thoughts
as words
as actions

the thoughts
the words
the actions
are all consumed

inside
deep inside
the juicy fruit
lies seeds

allow them in
allow them to stay
let them bury themselves deep
that’s the way seeds get planted

True Masculinity

From Albert Molher’s awesome blog on true masculinity:

Our fathers and grandfathers did not put on overalls to play dress up. They were headed for work. Faludi is profoundly right when she writes that “their sense of their own manhood flowed out of their utility in a society, not the other way around.”

A true masculinity is grounded in a man’s determination to fulfill his manhood in being a good husband, father, citizen, worker, leader, and friend — one who makes a difference, fulfills a role for others, and devotes his life to these tasks. Most of our fathers went to work early and toiled all day because they knew it was their duty to put bread on the table, a roof over our heads, and a future in front of us. They made their way to ball games and school events dead tired, went home and took care of things, and then got up and did it all over again the next day.

Today’s men are likely to be more nurturing, but they are also statistically less faithful. They may be changing more diapers, but they are also more likely to change spouses. Men must be encouraged and expected to be both faithful fathers and faithful husbands. Otherwise, any society is in big trouble.