Relationships

"Good relationships are always built on the foundation stones of identity and worship" is a quote taken from a book called Relationships: A Mess Worth Making By: Timothy S. Lane, Paul David Tripp ($14.99 CBD Price)

The book goes on to say "When we talk about identity, we are not referring to your name, birth date, and social security number. We are talking about how you define yourself - what talents, qualities, experiences, achievements goals, beliefs, relationships and dreams you use to say "this is who i am." Similarly, when we talk about worship, we do not simply mean the order of worship at your church on Sunday morning. What we are getting at is that, because you are a human being , there is always something you are living for; always some desire, goal, treasure, purpose, value, or craving that controls our heart."

I think it is very helpful to think in these terms when thinking about our relationships. Who am I really? Who is the other person? What am I a worshiper of? What do they worship?

My Numbers

	Matt *
Weight	310
G Weight	230
Hight	6'4"
Waist	47
G Waist	34.8
Sex	m
Age	27
BMI	37.8
G BMI	26
WHR	59.2
G WHR	45.8
Body Fat	20.3
G Body Fat	18
S Metabolic	2762
L Metabolic	2872
M Metabolic	3314
V Metabolic	3756
E Metabolic	4418
Surface	2.74 m sq
Blood
G Blood	115/75

I really enjoyed all 6 parts.

I wish my wife was :)

Paradise Lost

I just finished Paradise Lost. It is well worth the read to a mature christian, the theology but being great but the imagery being wonderful. you can read the whole book by clicking the link above or download it from Librivox as an audio book. In particular I was impressed by the last 2 books which displayed a understand of the whole story of scripture I find most modern Christians unable to give. Here is an excerpt.

"To whom thus Michael. Doubt not but that sin
Will reign among them, as of thee begot;
And therefore was Law given them to evince
Thir natural pravitie, by stirring up
Sin against Law to fight; that when they see
Law can discover sin, but not remove,
Save by those shadowie expiations weak,
The bloud of Bulls and Goats, they may conclude
Some bloud more precious must be paid for Man,
Just for unjust, that in such righteousness
To them by Faith imputed, they may finde
Justification towards God, and peace
Of Conscience, which the Law by Ceremonies
Cannot appease, nor Man the moral part
Perform, and not performing cannot live.
So Law appears imperfet, and but giv'n
With purpose to resign them in full time
Up to a better Cov'nant, disciplin'd
From shadowie Types to Truth, from Flesh to Spirit,
From imposition of strict Laws, to free
Acceptance of large Grace, from servil fear
To filial, works of Law to works of Faith."

Woe to Us

If God humbled himself to take on human flesh and use human langauge, woe to us if we arrogantly presume to ignor the humanity of christ and the grammar of Scripture. - John Piper

Radical Womanhood

Radical Womanhood by Carolyn McCulley is an amazing message that addresses the history of American feminism and how we must respond to it. It is addressed to women but I highly recommend it to men as well. We must ultimately be aware of the glory of our God! That being said we should also be aware of the world around us and the history of that world. Carolyn McCulley also runs the blog Radical Womanhood and is the author of Radical Womanhood: Feminine Faith in a Feminist World.

Kevin DeYoung

Kevin DeYoung, the pastor of University Reformed Church, gave a message titled Christ's Life at the THISISNEXT conference. It was very good, click the link to take a listen. He also runs the bolg DeYoung, Restless, and Reformed that seems pretty good. He has written a couple books that I have heard good things about. The only one that I have read is Just Do Something: How to Make a Decision Without Dreams, Visions, Fleeces, Open Doors, Random Bible Verses, Casting Lots, Liver Shivers, Writing in the Sky, etc. It was great once I finished it. Much like Ecclesiastes it would be a bad idea not to read it through to the end.

International Justice Mission

International Justice Mission is a human rights agency that secures justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression. IJM lawyers, investigators and aftercare professionals work with local officials to ensure immediate victim rescue and aftercare, to prosecute perpetrators and to promote functioning public justice systems.

IJM Rescue Update Location: Mumbai, India Date: Tuesday, May 26, 2009 Result: Trafficking ring crippled - 8 suspected perpetrators arrested, victims freed

Listen to our recent 'Miracles in Mumbai' Freedom Partner podcast and learn more about the challenges and triumphs of our work.

I'm pleased to share that in a carefully planned, multi-stage rescue operation conducted last week in partnership with the India Central Bureau of Investigations, IJM struck a blow at an organized trafficking ring that had entrapped victims from as far away as Bangladesh. In cooperation with IJM staff, police arrested the suspected perpetrators and safely removed 34 women and girls from a restaurant, a hotel and the trafficker’s apartment and brought them to a safe location where they are now receiving counseling and care.

Join IJM - help us rescue more girls and women from forced prostitution.

Become an IJM Freedom Partner today by giving $50 or more a month.

Sign Up Now: The first 175 new Freedom Partners will have their entire first year’s giving doubled.*

Gratefully,

Laurie Hayes
Freedom Partner Program

* Great friends of IJM are currently matching the entire first year’s giving (dollar-for-dollar) of the next 175 new Freedom Partners! Join the movement today. Learn more about the Freedom Partner program.

Biblical Manhood and Womanhood

Offers great resources such as their Gender Blog and Journal for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood