Pull.I.Am

"Like Eve after she tasted the forbidden fruit, we women hide. We hide behind our makeup. We hide..."

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:22:40 -0400

“Like Eve after she tasted the forbidden fruit, we women hide. We hide behind our makeup. We hide behind our humor. We hide with angry silences and punishing withdrawals. We hide our truest selves and offer only what we believe is wanted, what is safe. We act in self-protective ways and refuse to offer what we truly see, believe, and know. We will not risk rejection or looking like a fool. We hide because we are afraid. We have been wounded and wounded deeply. People have sinned against us and we have sinned as well. To hide means to remain safe, to hurt less. At least that’s what we think. And so by hiding, we take matters into our own hands. We don’t return to our God with our broken an desperate hearts. And it has never occurred to us that in all our hiding, something precious in us is also squelched, diminished, and refused- something God needs so very, very much for us to bring to the world.”

- “Captivating” by John and Stasi Eldredge

“Here’s my heart Lord, take and seal it, seal it for...

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 00:31:29 -0500

“Here’s my heart Lord, take and seal it, seal it for Thy courts above” <3

Some good worshipin’ before I retire for the night....

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 00:53:02 -0500

Some good worshipin’ before I retire for the night. “I will fall at Your feet, I will fall at Your feet, and I will worship You here.”

"The love for equals is a human thing- of friend for friend, or brother for brother. It is to love..."

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 15:24:26 -0500

“The love for equals is a human thing- of friend for friend, or brother for brother. It is to love what is loving and lovely. The world smiles. The love or the less fortunate is a beautiful thing- the love for those who suffer, for those who are poor, the sick, the failures, the unlovely. This is compassion, and it touches the heart of the world. The love for the more fortunate is a rare thing- to love those who succeed where we fail, to rejoice without envy with those who rejoice, the love of the poor for the rich, of the black man for the white man. The world is always bewildered by its saints. And then there is the love for the enemy- love for the one who does not love you but mocks, threatens, and inflicts pain. The tortured’s love for the torturer. This is God’s love. It conquers the world.”

- Frederick Buechner- “The Magnificent Defeat”

"We take Jesus’ command in Matthew 28 to make disciples of all nations, and we say, “That..."

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 22:22:48 -0400

“

We take Jesus’ command in Matthew 28 to make disciples of all nations, and we say, “That means other people.” But we look at Jesus’ command in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest,” and we say, “Now, that means me.” We take Jesus’ promise in Acts 1:8 that the Spirit will lead us to the ends of the earth, and we say, “That means some people.” But we take Jesus’ promise in John 10:10 that we will have abundant life and we say, “That means me.”

In the process we have unnecessarily (and unbiblically) drawn a line of distinction, assigning the obligations of Christianity to a few while keeping the privileges of Christianity for us all. In this we may choose to send off other people to carry out the global purpose of Christianity while the rest of us sit back because we’re “just not called to that.”

”

- David Platt

"What if we take away the cool music and the cushioned chairs? What if the screens are gone and the..."

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 22:18:37 -0400

“What if we take away the cool music and the cushioned chairs? What if the screens are gone and the stage is no longer decorated? What if the air conditioning is off and the comforts are removed? Would His Word still be enough for His people to come together?”

- David Platt- Radical

This bracelet is not just an ordinary bracelet. It’s a...

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 19:04:56 -0400

This bracelet is not just an ordinary bracelet. It’s a symbol, it’s a promise, it’s a reminder. This summer God gave me the greatest platform I could ever ask for. For 12 weeks I was able to travel the east coast and pour out my testimony about how God has changed my life. Many know that about a year ago I went through a time of depression, which resulted in me daily consuming antidepressants that were destroying the faith I had in Christ. Many times I tried to take my life but every time I mustered up enough courage something or someone interrupted. Never in a million years did I ever think I would go through something like this. Many nights I stayed awake screaming at God, expressing my anger towards Him and not understanding why He would let me hit rock bottom. One night I sat in my room with thoughts of giving up rushing through my head and I cried out to God to show me something that would show me I had a purpose. I opened my Bible and looked down at the verse it flipped to- Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God.” In that moment I experienced God like never before. He was there with me, arms wrapped around me, He had never left my side. How selfish was I for wanting to take my life, a life that wasn’t even mine to begin with. I took those pills that I had been using to give me “joy” and flushed them down the toilet and fell to my knees and thanked God. My hatred was consumed by peace.

This is the story I was able to share to teenagers for 12 whole weeks. I can’t even begin to explain the feeling of standing in front of those who are going through or have gone through the same valley and letting them know how much God loves them and how He is bigger than any circumstance in their life.

Two women from two different states (rhode island and Texas), told me they now have the courage to throw away their pills and start leaning on Christ.

Countless numbers of teenage girls have expressed their stories to me and how they now have hope knowing that God has a purpose for them.

The bracelet above is not just any ole’ bracelet. It was given to me by a 14 year old girl who struggles daily with depression, cutting, and denial. She asked me to wear it so I would see it and remember to pray for her daily that she wont let the devil win.

All this to say that we live in a broken and bruised world, but God will make beauty from the ashes. Every time I shared my testimony I was reminded of who God is. He has a purpose and plan for everything. He gives us life when we have none, He gives us hope when all is gone, and for that I will forever be grateful.

“It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not...

Sat, 26 May 2012 22:03:26 -0400

“It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in Him.”(Lamentations 3:22-24)

This summer I’ve had the opportunity of traveling across the United States, getting to lead worship, meet new people, and witness to countless numbers of teens. One of the joys of traveling is waking up at the crack of dawn. Now I am not much of a morning person, but waking up early every morning has allowed me to see the beauty of the sunrise.
So far we have traveled to:
Savannah, Georgia
Warner Robins, Georgia
Dillon, South Carolina
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Winston Salem, North Carolina
Goldsboro, North Carolina
Neuse, North Carolina
Hickory, North Carolina
Durham, North Carolina
Knight-dale, North Carolina
Kinston, North Carolina
Danville, Virginia
Lynchburg, Virginia
Appomattox, Virginia
Cincinnati, Ohio
Wheelersburg, Ohio
Parma, Ohio

And I am awestruck at the fact that no matter where I travel to, no matter how many hours we drive, or how many miles away from home I am, I see the same sunrise every morning. Never fails. This has been a reminder to me of the mercies of God and how they are renewed each and every morning. While traveling we have our days that are tiring and long, but when I wake up and see that light peak out over the horizon it’s a new day. Thank God for that :)

This song has been such a reminder to me these past couple of...

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 22:14:26 -0400

This song has been such a reminder to me these past couple of days of how we often get caught up in all the material of this world that we soon allow ourselves to drown out what worship is all about. Worship is not about how many people you can fit on a stage, how good you are at an instrument, how awesome you can sing, the spotlights, the volume, the preference and on and on and on… Worship does not come from the lips you form the words with, but from the heart. It is more than just words on a screen or words written on a piece of paper. When you worship, you are surrendering and offering God all you have. Why is it so difficult to close our eyes, raise our hands, and sing praise to the God that sent His one and only Son so that we can have life? We have the opportunity to sing to the God that loves us, the God of all creation, the God that fashioned us, the God that gave us the very ability to sing in reverence to Him. I could rant about this subject day and night, but Clear the Stage by Jimmy Needham pretty much sums it all up…

Clear the stage and set the sound and lights ablaze 
If that’s the measure you must take to crush the idols 
Jerk the pews & all the decorations, too  
Until the congregations few, then have revival
 Tell your friends that this is where the party ends  
Until you’re broken for your sins, you can’t be social 
Then seek the Lord & wait for what He has in store  
And know that great is your reward so just be hopeful 
 ’Cause you can sing all you want to 
Yes, you can sing all you want to 
You can sing all you want to 
And still get it wrong;
worship is more than a song 
 Take a break from all the plans that you have made  
And sit at home alone and wait for God to whisper
 Beg Him please to open up His mouth and speak
 And pray for real upon your knees until they blister
 Shine the light on every corner of your life
 Until the pride and lust and lies are in the open
 Then read the Word and put to test the things you’ve heard  
Until your heart and soul are stirred and rocked and broken 
‘Cause you can sing all you want to 
Yes, you can sing all you want to
 You can sing all you want to 
And still get it wrong; worship is more than a song 
We must not worship something that’s not even worth it 
Clear the stage, make some space for the One who deserves it 
 ’Cause I can sing all I want to 
Yes, I can sing all I want to I can sing all I want to
 And still get it wrong 
And you can sing all you want to 
Yes, you can, you can sing all you want to 
You can sing all you want to 
And still get it wrong; worship is more than a song
Worship is more than a song
Worship is more than a song
Clear the stage and set the sound and lights ablaze
 If that’s the measure you must take to crush the idols

The Yeast of Life

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 20:46:48 -0400

Galatians 5:7-10

“You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty”

Watch and Share If the world knows who Joseph Kony is, it will...

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 16:41:31 -0500

Watch and Share

If the world knows who Joseph Kony is, it will unite to stop him.
It starts here.

KONY 2012 is a film and campaign by Invisible Children that aims to make Joseph Kony famous, not to celebrate him, but to raise support for his arrest and set a precedent for international justice.

The Quality of Life

Sun, 15 Jan 2012 22:13:57 -0500

“You have searched me O Lord, and You know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; You perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and You lay Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right had will hold me fast.
For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mothers womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are Your thoughts O God! How vast the sum of them. Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of the sand. When I awake, I am still with You.”-Psalm 139:1-10, 13-18

What's In A Resolution?

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 20:20:24 -0500

New Years Resolution = A commitment that an individual makes to a project or the reforming of a habit, often a lifestyle change.

If you are anything like me, it’s sort of a tradition to come up with at least one of these resolution things this time of year. I’m not one to make a legit list, but I find myself creating a visual list in my mind of things I want to work on this coming new year. Usually half (maybe more than half) are broken not before long into the first 2 or so days. Hopefully I’m not the only one that fails at keeping steady with resolution commitments.

So why is it that we fall short when it comes to New Years Resolutions?

During my quiet time the other day, I came across John 15:4 which says,“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” I sat and pondered over this verse for a few minutes and then put two and two together. What’s a resolution if it’s not one part of the will of God? Absolute hogwash I’d say.

As the hours count down to the new year, I will not be quick to make a list of things that come from the selfish human desires inside, but I’m going to try something new this year. I will pray for wisdom on what God wants me to work on. Ask Him to bring to light the areas in my life that need some WD-40 ;)

My life verse to ring in 2012 will come from Acts 20:24:

” I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.”

Hello Miss Pulliam could you please follow me

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 18:59:21 -0500

Of course!

When I look into the faces of these little Nicaraguan children,...

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:00:52 -0500

When I look into the faces of these little Nicaraguan children, I catch a glimpse of Christ. Peace, Kindness, Gentleness, Graciousness, Love. They taught me the true meaning of being thankful and I will forever hold that virtue dear to my heart. Reflecting on my time spent in the country of Nicaragua, I’m reminded of how good we have it. Not just materialistically but through the freedom of Christ. We know nothing of persecution. While our Bibles sit on bookshelves collecting dust, many in other countries are sacrificing their lives for the name of the Gospel. How radical would it be if the greatest country across the map could live by example and do the same?

Step Into My Heart.

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 21:28:06 -0500

August 24th marks one of the most crucial stepping stones of my life. COLLEGE. A seven letter word that carries a whole lot of baggage. It’s the time in life that I’ve been anxiously anticipating since the first day of Kindergarten. Over the years I have created my own vision or picture of what it will be like, what kind of people I will meet, what my dorm will look like, the classrooms and the professors, on and on and on…

But now that I’m here, it’s much more than meets the eye. The once so called “perfect vision” that I have shaped, believed, rearranged, and held dear to for quite some time, has been completely thwarted, trampled on, and left in the dust. Now I don’t mean to seem negative or depressing, college is great don’t get me wrong, but there’s so much more to it than all the fluff that goes into the jazzed up “college life.”

And what I mean by this is that God has shown me who’s boss.

Throughout high-school I considered myself a good Christian. But what constitutes whether you’re a good Christian or not? Who am I to consider myself a good Christian in the first place? Doing good or being good is not enough. It might get me to the gates of Heaven, but it sure isn’t going to get me a ticket in. Sure I was a nice person, tried to make decent grades, stayed clear of peer pressure, kind to other people, just an all around “good girl.” But all that doesn’t even matter if I’m lacking one thing: Christ-like love.

Well what does that mean? What is love? Better yet, what does God define love as? Many of you are familiar with the passage 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, but honestly how many times do we actually stand by what it reads?

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrong. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”

You may say to yourself, “Man that’s a really good verse.” Yes it sure is, but what’s the point if we abandon its truth daily. This scripture can apply to numerous situations throughout life: choosing our spouse, boyfriends/girlfriends, the way we treat others, our friendships, our family, and so much more. In these verses, God wants us to get a clear as day picture of what love should look like.

Recently I’ve been convicted of my lack of love. Sure I have love for my family, my friends, and things I enjoy doing, but where is my love for the lost, the hurting, and those who are just hard to love…Reflecting on my time spent in high-school there’s only one way to express myself as a Christian: Ashamed of the Gospel. Yeah that’s pretty blunt, but it’s unfortunately true. How could I call myself a Christian if I couldn’t even invest any time into those who were desperately crying out for help?

I remember sitting at a lunch table with all my friends, talking, laughing, having a good ole’ time. Every so often I would take a break and find myself scanning my surroundings and the first thing I would see were those sitting alone; but guess what…I did nothing. Absolutely nothing. Everything inside me would yearn to reach out to them, but I never mustered up enough courage to stand up from my selfish, comfortable life and share the love of Christ with them.

How many opportunities did I let pass by? How many people are still alone because I didn’t give them the time of day? How many of those people are struggling with cutting, depression, or suicidal thoughts because I passed them by just like everyone else? Worst of all, how many of those people will never come to know Christ because I never showed them the beauty of God’s love?

This is me, on my hands and knees, sending out a plea to all who are taking the time to read this. SHARE THE LOVE OF CHRIST. Do not be ashamed of the Gospel. Have a heart for those who are hurting, those who are lost, and those who are difficult to love. Do not let another day go by without sharing Christs’ love. This is our mission, our purpose, our present, and our future. Nothing less but so much more.

"If your past is still weighing you down in your present, then it’s not your past, it’s..."

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 22:09:10 -0500

“If your past is still weighing you down in your present, then it’s not your past, it’s your right now and it needs to be dealt with.”

Where's the Hope?

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 18:38:03 -0400

Riiiiiiiiight here…

Romans 5:1-8

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And weboast in the hope of the glory of God. ³ Not only so, but wealso glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

⁶ You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”

"God didn’t only reconcile me by His death, but He reconciled me by His life. The cross is the..."

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 15:20:33 -0400

““God didn’t only reconcile me by His death, but He reconciled me by His life. The cross is the greatest expression of His love for us. He doesn’t love us because we are lovable but because He IS love, that’s who He is. “”

-Beach in Nicaragua Gosh, my God is so beautiful. The wonders of...

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 01:04:00 -0400

-Beach in Nicaragua

Gosh, my God is so beautiful. The wonders of His works are truly breath-taking. The same hands that formed this overwhelmingly glorious creation, fashioned me. No words will ever begin to explain His beautiful ways, I will forever be awestruck.