The Annual Christmas Ball was last Saturday... It's always fun times dancing the night away!!!Monday, December 3, 2007
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Powerful Stuff
I came across this article today & it just spoke to my heart. I really feel like this is a time where God is waking up His church. Through this awkening He is placing burdens on our hearts for the call and the purpose that He has for our lives -- To cry out and reach our generation for Him! So, if you get a chance read this article. I was blessed and encouraged by it and I know that you will be too.
RELEASE THE CRY – By Loni Mcintosh
Isaiah 40:3-5
A voice of one calling: in the desert prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
It is pretty safe to say that we, as a church, as the Body of Christ, want very much to see God’s glory cover the earth to the extent that “all mankind together will see it.” Losing yourself in that desire is quite possibly one of the most exciting adventures in Christianity. When God shows up on even a very personal and private level it is one of the most exciting and awe-inspiring events in life. We are called to prepare the earth to be covered by the glory of the Lord by making “straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.” And that is accomplished by “calling out.” We are called to prepare the way of the Lord. We are in the middle of seeing that desire awakened on the earth, but the cry has only been taken up by a few. God has released a cry. He is calling us to “call out.” Isaiah recognized this in the next verse:
Isaiah 40:6
A voice says, “cry out.” And I said, “what shall I cry?”
God is calling His church to open her mouth and cry out with the cry of the Lord. He is releasing what is on His heart. He is declaring what He wants to see happen on the earth. If we are going to prepare the earth for Him, we must be asking Him “what shall I cry?”
God is revealing His cry to people all over the nation – to people all around the world. But if we do not hear the call to cry out and position ourselves to ask “what shall I cry?” then the world may pass unchanged in our generation. Are you hungering after the heart of the Lord? Do you know what He desires to see change in the next several months? Is your cry aligned with His?
Your cry is not for you alone. This call to cry out is a global call with generational ramifications. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said it this way, “History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.” The earth is groaning for a moment in time when the people cry out with the cry of God to release what changes the face of the planet to effectively receive its King. It is not enough to have a good personal walk with God. Your cry was meant to change the landscape.
Isaiah goes on to say in verse 9: “You who bring good tidings to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, “Here is your God!”He makes it apparent that this cry is not meant to be private! God is releasing a cry that sparks societal reformation and brings His kingdom to earth. He has made us to be loud, influential, dissatisfied people.
You will not be satisfied with anything in life that falls short of changing the world. Jesus was like that. He still is. And you were made to look like Him. Jesus spent thirty years of His life in preparation, but when He opened His mouth, it became fairly obvious that He was declaring the cry of His Father. His release of that cry changed the world. It changed the course of human history. It changed a nation in a day. What was the key to the authority on His words? What made people listen? “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.” (John 5:19)
Jesus was continually listening to the cry of the Father. He demonstrated to us how life was meant to be lived. Jesus alone saved the world. He is the Head. But He’s coming back for a Body that is in proportion with Him, the Head. He designed us to want to change the world. If my cry is going to change the world, it has to be straight out of the heart of God. Our hearts must be continually listening to the cry of the Father.
“A voice says, “cry out.” And I said, “what shall I cry?””
We have the opportunity to rise up and change the world. Do you know what is on God’s heart? Are you crying out? In the Old Testament, God always did enough on His own to save His people. Every time they cried out He raised up someone who would get them out of the mess they were in. But anytime Israel entered a time of overwhelming prosperity and doing-well-ness it was because someone stood up and declared to the nation and lived in a way that agreed with what was on God’s heart. God will always raise someone up to keep us off of the brink of disaster due to His promises to our fore-fathers. But if we want to see the world change in a way that makes the glory of the Lord visible to “all mankind together,” then we must be willing to stand up and cry out.
God, release the cry!
RELEASE THE CRY – By Loni Mcintosh
Isaiah 40:3-5
A voice of one calling: in the desert prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
It is pretty safe to say that we, as a church, as the Body of Christ, want very much to see God’s glory cover the earth to the extent that “all mankind together will see it.” Losing yourself in that desire is quite possibly one of the most exciting adventures in Christianity. When God shows up on even a very personal and private level it is one of the most exciting and awe-inspiring events in life. We are called to prepare the earth to be covered by the glory of the Lord by making “straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.” And that is accomplished by “calling out.” We are called to prepare the way of the Lord. We are in the middle of seeing that desire awakened on the earth, but the cry has only been taken up by a few. God has released a cry. He is calling us to “call out.” Isaiah recognized this in the next verse:
Isaiah 40:6
A voice says, “cry out.” And I said, “what shall I cry?”
God is calling His church to open her mouth and cry out with the cry of the Lord. He is releasing what is on His heart. He is declaring what He wants to see happen on the earth. If we are going to prepare the earth for Him, we must be asking Him “what shall I cry?”
God is revealing His cry to people all over the nation – to people all around the world. But if we do not hear the call to cry out and position ourselves to ask “what shall I cry?” then the world may pass unchanged in our generation. Are you hungering after the heart of the Lord? Do you know what He desires to see change in the next several months? Is your cry aligned with His?
Your cry is not for you alone. This call to cry out is a global call with generational ramifications. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said it this way, “History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.” The earth is groaning for a moment in time when the people cry out with the cry of God to release what changes the face of the planet to effectively receive its King. It is not enough to have a good personal walk with God. Your cry was meant to change the landscape.
Isaiah goes on to say in verse 9: “You who bring good tidings to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, “Here is your God!”He makes it apparent that this cry is not meant to be private! God is releasing a cry that sparks societal reformation and brings His kingdom to earth. He has made us to be loud, influential, dissatisfied people.
You will not be satisfied with anything in life that falls short of changing the world. Jesus was like that. He still is. And you were made to look like Him. Jesus spent thirty years of His life in preparation, but when He opened His mouth, it became fairly obvious that He was declaring the cry of His Father. His release of that cry changed the world. It changed the course of human history. It changed a nation in a day. What was the key to the authority on His words? What made people listen? “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.” (John 5:19)
Jesus was continually listening to the cry of the Father. He demonstrated to us how life was meant to be lived. Jesus alone saved the world. He is the Head. But He’s coming back for a Body that is in proportion with Him, the Head. He designed us to want to change the world. If my cry is going to change the world, it has to be straight out of the heart of God. Our hearts must be continually listening to the cry of the Father.
“A voice says, “cry out.” And I said, “what shall I cry?””
We have the opportunity to rise up and change the world. Do you know what is on God’s heart? Are you crying out? In the Old Testament, God always did enough on His own to save His people. Every time they cried out He raised up someone who would get them out of the mess they were in. But anytime Israel entered a time of overwhelming prosperity and doing-well-ness it was because someone stood up and declared to the nation and lived in a way that agreed with what was on God’s heart. God will always raise someone up to keep us off of the brink of disaster due to His promises to our fore-fathers. But if we want to see the world change in a way that makes the glory of the Lord visible to “all mankind together,” then we must be willing to stand up and cry out.
God, release the cry!
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Clash of the Titans!!
Should America Bring Democracy to the World?
This years debate topic was one that I had been hearing everywhere for the past year… news, class, you name it has been talked about.
This debate brought some of the foremost political leaders of our day to talk about whether or not America should bring democracy to the world. The common ground between these four notable speakers was that they all believed that America should bring democracy to other countries, but the differences came in on how that should be done. Here are their responses and thoughts:
Karl Rove former advisor to President Bush was the first to speak. His immediate response to the question was, "Yes. It's in our national security interest." He talked about the pro’s of democracy and how ultimately it leads to more peaceful and stable government. Charlie Rose then posed the question about the progression of implementing democracy to which Karl Rove responded, “Successful, but the spotlight is on Iraq.” He then made mention of the positive advancement of democracy in countries in Africa and also in Japan and Europe.
General Barry McCaffrey' stance is that democracy is a successful form of government. He specifically stated that he agreed with the hypothesis of democracy, but that we should not forget the disaster it could pose by intervening in other countries with different cultures. He also added later on in the debate that freedom and liberty are of less value than food and other amenities in developing countries.
Gov. Jeb Bush said that we have a role to engage those who are struggling, but that we should not impose democracy on them. He gave these reasons why we should engage:
1. If the United States doesn't do it, who will?
2. Support for democracy isn't done in isolation or against national security interests.
3. It must be done over the long term. It will take a generation of time.
4. We live in an interconnected world that is dramatically different, and more dangerous.
5. Freedom and Liberty is world-wide, for all people.
Max Cleland, former U.S. Senator that we should lead by example, not by force. He then said that, "Leadership by example is hard, the toughest thing on earth." He also referenced Matthew 5:16 by saying that we should “Let your light shine,” not make it shine. He compared that to democracy by saying that we cannot force democracy on anyone.
There were a couple of heated moments about Osama Bin Laden and the war. Overall, the debate was interesting and thought provoking. It makes one think about the issues that our world is facing today. I think democracy can be successful, but a country has to be some what developed to be able to sustain it. Economics play a huge part. If people of a particular country are not having their basic needs met then most likely democracy is not going to work. Survival is going to be more important to them. Other important factors to have a healthy democratic nation are having legitimacy, sovereignty, and authority. Without respect for the government, the country and its leaders it is going to be hard to move forward into democracy.
This years debate topic was one that I had been hearing everywhere for the past year… news, class, you name it has been talked about.
This debate brought some of the foremost political leaders of our day to talk about whether or not America should bring democracy to the world. The common ground between these four notable speakers was that they all believed that America should bring democracy to other countries, but the differences came in on how that should be done. Here are their responses and thoughts:
Karl Rove former advisor to President Bush was the first to speak. His immediate response to the question was, "Yes. It's in our national security interest." He talked about the pro’s of democracy and how ultimately it leads to more peaceful and stable government. Charlie Rose then posed the question about the progression of implementing democracy to which Karl Rove responded, “Successful, but the spotlight is on Iraq.” He then made mention of the positive advancement of democracy in countries in Africa and also in Japan and Europe.
General Barry McCaffrey' stance is that democracy is a successful form of government. He specifically stated that he agreed with the hypothesis of democracy, but that we should not forget the disaster it could pose by intervening in other countries with different cultures. He also added later on in the debate that freedom and liberty are of less value than food and other amenities in developing countries.
Gov. Jeb Bush said that we have a role to engage those who are struggling, but that we should not impose democracy on them. He gave these reasons why we should engage:
1. If the United States doesn't do it, who will?
2. Support for democracy isn't done in isolation or against national security interests.
3. It must be done over the long term. It will take a generation of time.
4. We live in an interconnected world that is dramatically different, and more dangerous.
5. Freedom and Liberty is world-wide, for all people.
Max Cleland, former U.S. Senator that we should lead by example, not by force. He then said that, "Leadership by example is hard, the toughest thing on earth." He also referenced Matthew 5:16 by saying that we should “Let your light shine,” not make it shine. He compared that to democracy by saying that we cannot force democracy on anyone.
There were a couple of heated moments about Osama Bin Laden and the war. Overall, the debate was interesting and thought provoking. It makes one think about the issues that our world is facing today. I think democracy can be successful, but a country has to be some what developed to be able to sustain it. Economics play a huge part. If people of a particular country are not having their basic needs met then most likely democracy is not going to work. Survival is going to be more important to them. Other important factors to have a healthy democratic nation are having legitimacy, sovereignty, and authority. Without respect for the government, the country and its leaders it is going to be hard to move forward into democracy.
“Democracy is not easy. It is a complex, finely balanced system that depends on a political culture that grows best under a market economy with a large, educated middle class and a tradition of pluralism. Centuries of religious and philosophical evolution prepare democratic attitudes. Iraq lacked all these. Eventually Iraq or any other country can turn democratic, but it may take some time” (Cord, Jones, Medeiros, & Roskin, 2006).
Thursday, October 11, 2007
CD Recommendations...
This CD is simply amazing. Their music is so anointed. If I'm ever having a bad day all I have to do is listen to anything by Hillsong. I would recommend getting any of their CDs... you won't be disappointed. My two favorite songs are "Savior King" & "Hosanna."Hosanna Lyrics:
"Heal my heart and make it clean, Open up my eyes to the things unseen, Show me how to love like you have loved me, Break my heart for what breaks yours, Everything I am for your kingdom's cause, As I walk from earth into eternity"
Phil Wickham's new cd, "Cannons" came out about a week ago. I
haven't bought it yet, but I have heard a few of his new songs &
they're awesome. I have his first cd & really like it. His lyrics are
raw, moving, and encouraging, they come from a heart that passionately loves God. So check him out.
This week has been kind of crazy. As Regent students know it's the last week of this session. HALLELUJAH! This session has been my busiest thus far, but it's almost over. I only have 3 huge papers, 3 blackboard posts, 4 reply posts, & a final due by Monday. That's not too much is it? :) Needless to say, Pray for me!
Friday, October 5, 2007
Dreams
n. A condition or achievement that is longed for; an aspiration
Alicia's definition: Dreams are desires and goals that give us something to strive for, they shape us and keep us going, they add enjoyment to this life...
It's funny because a few years ago I had a notion of what I wanted to do with my life career wise. It consisted of me graduating with a degree in Government & then going on to law school. From there working in government & eventually becoming a judge. I still have those dreams, but over the past year God has completely expanded my notions.
As the days go by my dreams are morphing into His... It's amazing. Just lately it's like God's slowly unveiling His plan for my life. His plan consists of things that I never had a desire or passion to do, but now they have become my hearts very desire. He has changed the desires of my heart to match what He wants for me, what He knows I need. He’s awakened desires that have been dormant. He’s molding my heart more and more into who He wants me to be, and He lines up my desires for myself with His desires for me.
Proverbs 29:18 “Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, But happy is he who keeps the law.”
Having a vision or dream for our lives is important. Dreams can easily be lost through failures, lies of the enemy, relationships… but all hope is not lost. God gives us our dreams, if we seek Him He’ll revive the dreams that were lost or stolen from us. We can then have the freedom to walk out our calling and see those dreams come to past.
Alicia's definition: Dreams are desires and goals that give us something to strive for, they shape us and keep us going, they add enjoyment to this life...
It's funny because a few years ago I had a notion of what I wanted to do with my life career wise. It consisted of me graduating with a degree in Government & then going on to law school. From there working in government & eventually becoming a judge. I still have those dreams, but over the past year God has completely expanded my notions.
As the days go by my dreams are morphing into His... It's amazing. Just lately it's like God's slowly unveiling His plan for my life. His plan consists of things that I never had a desire or passion to do, but now they have become my hearts very desire. He has changed the desires of my heart to match what He wants for me, what He knows I need. He’s awakened desires that have been dormant. He’s molding my heart more and more into who He wants me to be, and He lines up my desires for myself with His desires for me.
Proverbs 29:18 “Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, But happy is he who keeps the law.”
Having a vision or dream for our lives is important. Dreams can easily be lost through failures, lies of the enemy, relationships… but all hope is not lost. God gives us our dreams, if we seek Him He’ll revive the dreams that were lost or stolen from us. We can then have the freedom to walk out our calling and see those dreams come to past.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Who Owns the Moon?
Late night randomness... so I'm sitting here with some friends and a random thought came to mind. Who Owns the Moon? Not having an answer I went to the trusty google.com. Then I interviewed my friends & here are the answers that I received.Lenny – The U.S. government
Bekah – Jesus.... No one can own the moon
Ashley – Nobody, but eventually someone will try to claim it
Bekah – Jesus.... No one can own the moon
Ashley – Nobody, but eventually someone will try to claim it
So there you have it... any thoughts?
*Update... I just read on foxnews.com a news article about how China may get to moon before the U.S. check it out -- http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,299514,00.html
Monday, October 1, 2007
Guess what today is??
The first day of the Supreme Court's new term. Yay! I know you're probably thinking, ok Alicia you're such a nerd. It's probably true. ;)I have followed the different Supreme Court rulings in the past, but not as much as I probably should have. So, beginning with this term I am going to follow the cases more carefully. Some interesting cases will be heard this session (to name a few... terror laws, gun control, lethal injection) ... but don’t worry I'll keep you updated on the results. :)
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
What I am passionate about...
Founded in 1997, International Justice Mission began operations after a group of human rights professionals, lawyers and public officials launched an extensive study of the injustices witnessed by overseas missionaries and relief and development workers. This study, surveying more than 65 organizations and representing 40,000 overseas workers, uncovered a nearly unanimous awareness of abuses of power by police and other authorities in the communities where they served. Without the resources or expertise to confront the abuse and to bring rescue to the victims, these overseas workers required the assistance of trained public justice professionals.
When the poor are hungry, homeless or alienated, the Church has come to their aid by providing food, shelter and missionaries to meet the pressing needs. But when the poor have been oppressed, treated unjustly and suffered under the hand of someone more powerful, little was done on their behalf.
Accordingly, IJM was established to help fill this void, acting as an organization that stands in the gap for victims when they are left without an advocate. IJM staff members (human rights experts, attorneys and law enforcement professionals) receive case referrals from, and work in conjunction with, other non-governmental organizations and casework alliances abroad.
I believe that this is part of our mandate as Christians. In Isaiah 1:17 it says, “Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.” This organization is accomplishing just that. I hope to get involved with IJM sometime in the near future. I wish I could just quit school & go right now... but God knows what He's doing, so I must be patient. :)
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Where Has Summer Gone?
The past few months have just flown by. My summer was amazing. It was spent site-seeing, sipping coffee, eating great food, & studying… oh yeah, did I mention this all took place in OXFORD! : ) Yes, this summer I went out of the U.S. for the first time. This experience truly opened my eyes not only to different cultures, but also to the call that God has on my life (I'll expound in a later blog). If you are thinking about studying abroad with Regent, I would definitely recommend it. It is a great way to immerse yourself in a new culture, while also being given the opportunity to meet great people and be challenged academically.
Fall classes have started once again, for some crazy reason I've decided to take extra classes this session. It hasn't been very gracious on my social life, but that's ok. It's going by fast, already 1/4 way through this semester. Life is good and so is God. Until next time…
Alicia
Micah 6:8 “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
Fall classes have started once again, for some crazy reason I've decided to take extra classes this session. It hasn't been very gracious on my social life, but that's ok. It's going by fast, already 1/4 way through this semester. Life is good and so is God. Until next time…
Alicia
Micah 6:8 “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
Here are some pics from this summer...
Monday, May 21, 2007
What a letter represents...
Quote By: Eric Ludy
From the book, "When Dreams Come True"
"A letter represents far more than a kiss ever could. It evidences thoughtfulness and the gift of time. While a kiss can prove tender, it must overcome the stigma of impulsiveness to truly display love. A letter, on the other hand, when written in the spirit of ardor and romance -even if it never mentions passion- strokes the heart deeper than any other form of physical touch. A kiss cannot be felt again and again from great distance; but a letter can be read and reread thousands of times. A kiss only familiarizes lips with the physical body of a lover. A letter familiarizes the heart, mind, and soul. Maybe that's why God chose to write us a letter."
.... so, i choose to write
From the book, "When Dreams Come True"
"A letter represents far more than a kiss ever could. It evidences thoughtfulness and the gift of time. While a kiss can prove tender, it must overcome the stigma of impulsiveness to truly display love. A letter, on the other hand, when written in the spirit of ardor and romance -even if it never mentions passion- strokes the heart deeper than any other form of physical touch. A kiss cannot be felt again and again from great distance; but a letter can be read and reread thousands of times. A kiss only familiarizes lips with the physical body of a lover. A letter familiarizes the heart, mind, and soul. Maybe that's why God chose to write us a letter."
.... so, i choose to write
Friday, May 18, 2007
It's Summertime!!!
Well, summer is finally here. Yay! Finals are a thing of the past, well at least for a few months. So what do these upcoming months entail for me? Well, I'm leaving mid-June to go home (Illinois) for a few weeks. Then from there I’m off to England to study abroad at Oxford for the month of July. God is so faithful. Many of you already know my Oxford story, but I’ll put a condensed version up, because it’s pretty cool. Basically, I heard about the study abroad trip in January and thought that it would be an amazing opportunity. A few months past & I forgot about it, but God didn’t. Little over a month ago, I was up late & I stumbled across the Oxford page on Regents website. I pulled up the application & really didn’t want to fill it out for fear of rejection. But as a sat there contemplating what to do, God was just like fill it out. So, I did. To be honest I still didn’t think I would get accepted. Less than a week later I received an acceptance letter.
I know I said this in my last post, but God will truly give us our desires (Psalms 37:4). He cares about every decision in our lives. So, if you’re discouraged today know that God is faithful. Know that He cares about every little detail of your life. Just lay your cares and worries down at His feet. I’ll leave you with some verses that have helped me greatly.
1 Peter 5:7, “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”
1 Corinthians 2:9, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him."
Philippians 1:6, "Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
I know I said this in my last post, but God will truly give us our desires (Psalms 37:4). He cares about every decision in our lives. So, if you’re discouraged today know that God is faithful. Know that He cares about every little detail of your life. Just lay your cares and worries down at His feet. I’ll leave you with some verses that have helped me greatly.
1 Peter 5:7, “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”
1 Corinthians 2:9, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him."
Philippians 1:6, "Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Hello Regent Community...
So, I decided it’s time to start blogging. :) Here's a little bit about me... My name's Alicia Bliss, I'm a 20 yr. old Government major here at Regent. I transferred to Regent last fall from Eastern Illinois University, which is in Charleston, Il. Why did I transfer? I felt God whisper to my heart. About two years ago I looked up Regent University as a prospect for law school and at that time undergrad wasn’t an option for me. So, in that moment God started to place the desire to go to Regent in my heart. Long story short a year and half ago God started to call me out and I answered. Moving away was the hardest decision I’ve ever made, but of course God’s proved to be faithful.
My second semester is wrapping up and summer’s approaching quickly. Great things are in store… the opportunities are endless. God gives us our dreams and desires, so dream BIG. He has so much for you.
God Bless,
Alicia
“Two roads diverged in a wood. And I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.”
-- Robert Frost
My second semester is wrapping up and summer’s approaching quickly. Great things are in store… the opportunities are endless. God gives us our dreams and desires, so dream BIG. He has so much for you.
God Bless,
Alicia
“Two roads diverged in a wood. And I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.”
-- Robert Frost
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