Currently Reading : Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne

Oh man, I love adrenaline. The fuel you get when you are all pumped up.

So my friend had her guitar stolen a couple months ago. She's been trying to get it back from the guy, as we know who has it, for months and was refusing its return. I was walking downtown the other day and I run into the guy playing her guitar. I boldly walk up to him and say "Hi Matt, I'm Nicole, Tasha's friend, ya that's her guitar and I'm going to take it back now." After a lot of profanity and being called every name in the book he said he wasn't going to give me the guitar because I could go break it or something and then it would be on his shoulders. He then wanted to talk to Tasha to "make sure it was okay with her that he returned her guitar". He said "oh cant get a hold of her, I said no, but I can get a hold of the cops". That's when he walked off telling me to burn in hell.

So at this point I'm all pumped up to find this guy and get her guitar back. Another reason I was so passionate about this, was that Tasha uses her guitar to worship. It is her connecting point with the Lord, and he was denying her that access.

So he's out of sight. Lives out of the city, so I figure he has gone off and I wont see him anytime soon. So I get a hold of Tasha at work and explain whats going on, she tells me to call the cops. Oh by the way I hadn't called the cops yet, partly because with all the adrenaline in me, I wanted to be the hero or something. I end up calling the cops and they tell me they cant do anything anyways because its not my guitar.

Let me go on a well grounded tangent here. This has showed me once again why community is so vital. If we live as if we share everything we have, then Tasha guitar suddenly becomes my guitar and now the authorities can get involved. Without that, the world sees it as hers not mine - and therefore why even bother to try and get it back? Life is so much easier in community.

Back to the story.
After that, I go into the mall where I originally saw this Matt guy and I tell mall security that there was a guy in here playing a stolen guitar and if there was anything they can do. Again I was shot down. So I go to the liquor store (yes there is a liquor store inside the mall - I do oppose this) and say there was a guy playing a stolen guitar in front of the store. They were nice, they took my name and number and said they would call me if they saw him again.

So, I'm out of everything. Cant call anyone else. Can't notify any one else. Blast, I was so sad/mad. He was right there and I couldn't do anything. So I was walking down Yates Street, when so clearly the Lord spoke and I stopped in my tracks and turned around to go up Douglas. There walking towards me was none other then Matt and the guitar. (For the record, if you are trying to get away with stealing, one might want to flee the area one has previously been caught in - you don't stay around!)

"Gigs up Matt" I say "Give me the guitar". Again a bit more yelling and more choice words spoken. He then tells me to call the cops, cuz hes not giving me the guitar. A random tourist hands me her phone to do so - this only angers him more. As I got out my own phone he changed his mind and said let me talk to Tasha. I dial her number and pass the phone to him, as shes telling him to give me the guitar, my punk rocker friend Michelle and her punk rock buddies come up and say "Hey Nicole". I tell them that this guy has Tasha's guitar and he wont give it back. This only added points for the victory.

He made a deal that he would walk her guitar to Tasha at work as long as I didn't walk with him. As if. I'm smarter then that. I told him he had three choices. He could give the guitar to me and I would take it to Tasha. We could walk to Tasha work together and he would give it to her. Or I could call the cops and he could give it to them.

I ended up getting the guitar.
It was so fun!

Oh, and I was caller nine on some radio station and I get to be a tourist in my own town this weekend with three friends. Should be fun.

God is here.

Currently Reading: "Irresistible Revolution" by Shane Claiborne

Today I was serving lunch down at the ARC (Addictions Rehab Center), and my friend came in OD'ing. He was going in and out of consciousness. I went and sat with him to keep him awake while the ambulance came. When the paramedics arrived he refused to go with them. When the paramedic guy said "We will need you to sign this paper declaring you are not going to the hospital against our recommendation" and when he signed it I just burst into tears. I just watched my friend choose death. He remained in our cafeteria trying to eat and trying to drink his coffee, but he kept spilling it, or dozing in and out of consciousness thus dropping food everywhere. Today's meal was spaghetti and he would take the fork and doze off before it reached his mouth and sauce would get all over his hands, face, clothing. All I could do was sit there and cry. It came time for us to close, and I had been talking to him the whole time to keep him awake and I asked him again, this time with tears flowing down my cheeks if he would go to the hospital now, he still refused stating he was okay. He wasn't. He was dying. So what could I do at that point...nothing. He left and I watched him stagger away, falling backwards, crossing the street impaired. After this I went to find him. I didn't find him. I pretty much watched my friend die. Can I do anything else? Would Jesus be here typing on a blog or would be be out still trying to find him?

I was speaking at some group this week and I got asked a question. "What would you do if these people you meet who are homeless and set up their tents and stuff in the city parks we pay for with our taxes"...implying how would you kick them out.
In the most polite way I could, because we all know I don't like confrontation I replied...I would set up a tent and join 'em!...I just might do that this summer. Anyone have a tent I can borrow???

Anyways yesterday I promised this new revelation that will change my prayer life. Well here it goes. I think Ive hyped it up to much, its really not as exciting as it sounds.

Well I work at this Mental Health Group Home. One of the ladies I was working with the other day was having a bad day. The voices in her head were too much and were taking control of her speech, her mind, her body. She was crying, that cry that feels like the deepest parts crying out, those sobs where its sooo painful. Man I just wanted to take her in my arms and hold her. She was too out of it to administer her meds, and the voices were too loud for her to listen to me, so all I could do was pray for her. I didn't know how to pray - so I mostly prayed in tongues...but then I was like "Jesus I don't even care if she knows its you giving her joy-just bring her joy please, I don't even care if she knows its you bringing peace-but I just pray Lord that your peace surrounds her right now"...

All this time I have been praying for people with the intentions of "See it was Jesus who did that, and my motives for prayer often have been so that afterwords I can preach to them....I have more been praying for what I think is important, then for what my friend really needs. When my friend has Legions in her head speaking all sorts of horrible things, she doesn't need to hear Jesus can set you free, she just needs freedom. Its much more simple that way too. And really once that freedom or peace or joy does come its pretty hard to deny the work of the Holy Ghost, after all every good and perfect gift come from Him.

This probably doesn't make sense, and maybe it doesn't have to...it makes sense to me...and maybe I'm wrong.

hmmm...

God is here.

Currently Reading: Irrisitable Revolution by Shane Claiborne
(which brought me to tears this morning - great book - while Im plugging this read I might as well plug a book just as good - Revolution by Aaron White and Stephen Court available at armybarmy.com)

Why am I putting a currently reading in my blogs now. Well I have this goal for 2007 to read at least one book a month and I thought I would entertain you with my current titles aswell as grab on to your accountability that I continue this reading streak. Some of you many say "only one book a month" others who know that aside from the Bible I havent really read a book since "The Outsiders" in eighth grade english. (okay, slight lie- I did cover to cover a few in the past two years but I can count those on one hand - but prior to War College I hadnt read a book since the mentioned eighth grade read.)

Other reads of this year include: Blue Like Jazz, A Tale of Three Kings, This Means War. You see Im well ahead of my book a month adventure.

Anyways, thats not why Im blogging today. Sorry for the lack of blogging by the way. Im blogging because I discovered something that now revolutionises the way I pray, the way I love and the way I evangelise. And its so simple Im shocked I never understood this before this morning.

However, I dont have time right now to write it all out (same reasons I havent been blogging these days)...but Ill get back on it soon, and I will write about my new revelation!

God is here.

Love, it never fails does it.

God is here.

Love hurts.

Watching someone I love cry tears of pain, tears of abandonment, tears of hopelessness - ya that hurts.

Being shut out of someone I loves life because of that pain, abandonment and hopelessness - ya that hurts too.

Needing to be hard in order to love effectivly - ya that hurts too.

Being hated, mocked, ignored by someone I love - ya that hurts.

Love is paitent. Love never fails.

Im scared. Im scared that what I have worked for and invested time in will return void. I am also promised it wont, because I am promised love doesnt fail remember. So if I have truely loved then everythings going to be okay? Right? Why do I find that hard to beleive.

Love hurts.

Jesus knows love hurts.
He was flogged 39 less one times because of those tears we cry of pain, of abandonment of hopelessness.
He placed a crown of thorns, that peirced is brow on because of the way we hate.mock.and ignore him.
Ya, Jesus knows love hurts.

Love hurts.
Love never fails.

God is here.

My friend Darren Hailes blogged about this Blasphemy Challenge thing.
Refer to his blog for details.

In short it encourages teens to upload videos to you tube denying the existence of the Holy Spirit.

I am so angry.

What am I going to do....
Well create a Holy Ghost Challenge of course!

I am challenging all young people to counter attack. I reckon we can upload more videos testifying the truth and the existence of the Holy Spirit then this gay Blasphemy Challenge.

Right now there are 897 responses to the Blasphemy Challenge.
Lets beat em.

Are you in?

Once I get my hands on a video recorder I'm in...
for now I will just tell a bunch of people to upload videos and beat this Blasphemy Challenge to the ground.

God is here.

I am reminded of a song a friend of a friend of mind wrote.

You are God in my hurricane and I will choose to trust you.

You are God in the center of my storm

And you are God when I walk through fire, and you are still my one desire.

You are God in my hurricane and I will choose to trust you.

He is God.

Man, Jesus is amazing eh? In the storm, in the tempast, in the hurricane in the fierce and mighty wind, when all around there is chaos - He is peace. His Voice will bring peace. Too often we forget to to focus on Him during the storm. We alow ourselves to get caught up in the whirlwind of emotions and events but the answer is in Jesus. The Prince of Peace.

Peace is a powerful weapon. Lets use it.

Keep your focus on Jesus. Through the storm, dont look at the storm look at Jesus. And to sound cliche - the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.

God is here.