Community Action Free School

Community Action Free School

I was fortunate enough to have met one of the founders while participating on Alternative Spring Break this past March.  You can also check out this article on Pantagraph.com.  

TED Talks

TED Talks

Pastor Hempstead at Park United Methodist mentioned this site during her sermon today.  You can view various podcasts that deal with improving the world around us.  They post a new video every day so you can learn from experts about issues that affect the globe.

If I Die Young - The Band Perry

What Love Really Means - JJ Heller

Something Beautiful - NeedToBreathe

They rocked it out at the Taylor Swift concert last night!

This - Darius Rucker

I cannot get enough of this song right now.

For every stoplight I didn't make 
Every chance I did or I didn't take 
All the nights I went too far 
All the girls that broke my heart 
All the doors that I had to close 
All the things I knew but I didn't know 
Thank God for all I missed 
Cause it led me here to 
This 

David Crowder and Rob Bell

Tonight, I finished reading Praise Habit by David Crowder.  If you are familiar with him and/or his music, you will probably not be surprised that he has quite an interesting writing style.  I definitely think that it is worth a read.  On the last page (156), he writes:

"Sometimes life comes at us with the delicacy of a sunset, and other times it comes with the rawness of sushi and the bitter bite of wasabi.  Sometimes the tears will be because you cannot stand empty-eyed in the presence of such beauty and sometimes they will be full of fire, but notice/know this:  You are here.  You Are Here!  You are here and you are not alone."

I also highly recommend listening to David Crowder Band:

Upon finishing Praise Habit, I have decided to read Sex God by Rob Bell.  In part, I am selecting this book from my reading list because of Rob Bell's writing style (you can finish his books fairly quickly).  However, I am also curious as to what he has to say about sexuality and spirituality, especially because it is an incredibly relevant topic - from our men's bible study to a short sermon at a recent wedding.  Whether you agree with his writing or not, I suggest reading it to become more familiar with the ideas that he discusses rather than completely rejecting all of his ministry as "heresy."  (See Donald Miller's Blog Post)

Sex God

Velvet Elvis

Jesus Wants to Save Christians

Love Wins

Love Wins FAQ - from Mars Hill website

Short Daily Devotions

Short Daily Devotions

Each week at the Habitat for Humanity staff meeting, a staff member starts us off with a devotion.  As an unspoken rule, we cannot go too many weeks without one from Short Daily Devotions.  They are an excellent way to stay in the Word on a daily basis, especially when you are feeling overwhelmed or incredibly busy.

Radical

Radical

David Platt challenges Christians to do more than come to church on Sunday and have a basic understanding of the Bible.  He wants Christians in America to reexamine their lifestyle based on what scripture says.  Did Jesus really mean that we should give away all of our possessions?  Even if you do not agree with the book 100% of the time, it will certainly motivate you to think critically about what it means to be a Christian rather than an "American Christian."

For The Bible Tells Me So

For The Bible Tells Me So

After exchanging messages and having a thoughtful conversation with a pastor at my church, I decided to check out a movie that he mentioned he had started and wanted to finish.  While you may or may not agree with the main points of the movie, it will definitely cause you to think and lead to a productive discussion.  This film raises questions about what the Bible actually says about gays and lesbians.  I encourage you to take a look for yourself.

Kiva

Kiva

In an effort to alleviate poverty, Kiva allows individuals to apply for micro-loans to improve their business and/or personal lives.  By investing only $25 (or more), you can help someone turn their dreams into reality.  You should definitely browse the site and read people's stories.  You won't regret it!

Couch Surfing

Couch Surfing

The next time you go on vacation, you might want to consider staying with a local who knows the area and will welcome you with open arms.  You may also wish to return the favor and open up your couch to travelers who are interested in your area.

Check It Out

As the title implies, this blog is devoted to various websites, books, movies, music, and more that you might be interested in investigating further.  The entries on this blog will be kept short and sweet, so you can get to the information quickly and check it out for yourself.