SOAR Love Series: Part 1
The posts this week on SOAR will be dedicated to talking about love. Since today is Valentine’s Day we’ll start off talking about love as it pertains to relationships. Stay tuned for more posts this week on the L-word…
We asked SOAR readers to share what love means to them. Here’s the winning entry of the “Real Love” T-Shirt contest (more responses will be shared later this week). Our winner E.A. said:
What does real love mean to you?
Sacrifice! Love is not a feeling. Real love is continous selfless actions towards others!
Why have you decided to wait?
I decided to wait because God’s will is perfect. Anything else outside of that is settling for nonsense! God’s will is worth waiting for.
Why I’m Waiting – by SOAR’s Editor Julene
For me waiting for love means being intentional with my time as a single and the plans God has for me now. It is also about trusting that God knows what’s best for me and that though it’s up to me to be open to what opportunities He brings, it is not for me to “chase” them relentlessly.
I made a post about “Real Love” on my Tumblr blog a few weeks and loved seeing how many young people responded and have a passion for waiting on a real love story written by God. 70 people reposted and liked the post, which shows that society isn’t necessarily right in portraying young people as the microwave generation – “those who don’t want to wait.”
I truly believe that God wants to use love on earth not only for our pleasure but to teach us lessons beyond what we can see, and to let us more fully understand God’s love for us and sacrifice on the cross. If we are worth it in the eyes of the God of the universe, then our hearts are worth the wait for true love that resembles His, and a love story written by Him. John 15:13 says, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”
In His sacrifice we are washed, cleansed and showered in love. It is patient, it kind, it never fails. That’s the kind of love God lavishes upon us and that He wants us to wait for. Though unworthy as we feel and imperfect as we are on this Earth, He wants us to trust Him to shape that type of love in us and for us. Waiting for God’s direction, rather then settling for being “unequally yoked,” is worth it.
I shared this piece on SOAR last year but wanted to do so again in case you missed it and for new readers:
He loves me?
I guess it’s almost every girl’s dream, cliché as it seems, to have Prince Charming sweep them off of their feet. Then real life happens and they interact with guys their own age and the daydream of the prince quickly fades. That’s when settling comes in, lowering our standards just so we can experience “love” and be accepted by someone – anyone…
Sometimes experiencing what we call romance in this world leaves us wondering what love truly is. You feel that happy pounding and patter in your chest when he reveals a bouquet of roses, candy and tickets to “that thing you love”. Getting hurt though can peel away the layers of our hearts, like someone plucking the petals from a flower.
He loves me not…
When we’re young, and throughout our lives, we want to feel loved but sometimes we rush out too blindly looking for a person to fill us, and feel the eventual impact and pang of disappointment. I’ve been there and so have so many others – what we thought was sweet sometimes turns sour in the end. With our heart still tender we search for healing – looking for someone, something to mend the torn pieces back together. God is always there, before, now and always waiting for us to give Him our all. Before looking for that type of love from man He wants us to let Him satisfy our every need and want, to fall deeply in love with the One who knows us best…
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Music Picks: Hold Me – Jamie Grace feat. tobyMac, & Holding On
It’s awesome to see new young artists coming to the music scene and using their talents for His glory (though you might have heard of this one already since she’s been posting videos on Youtube for years!) Gotee Records and tobyMac recently announced the signing of their newest artist Jamie Grace. The creative, multi-talented 19-year-old is a singer, song-writer, speaker on The Revolve Tour for teens & actress on the show iShine KNECT for tweens on TBN. We love how her bright personality shines whether she’s speaking or singing, and how she infuses a variety of styles in her music.
For more info on Jamie Grace you can visit jamie-grace.com or connect with her on Youtube or Twitter: @jamiegraceh
In the video below tobyMac Introduces Jamie-Grace, and you can also listen to the song “Hold Me” from her EP of the same name:
Below you can also listen to her latest song “Holding On” with a slower tempo and a relatable message of holding on to God when our faith wavers in hard times.
tobyMac on Jamie Grace and Her Style
“Every couple of years, I get a true desire to find an artist and dig in to try to help them develop songs, find the right producers and introduce them to the world at large,” explains multi-platinum selling recording artist TobyMac. “Jamie Grace is a great fit for Gotee Records for a lot of reasons. She writes, sings and plays her own music. She has a style that can’t be put into a typical label box—a dash of reggae, a dash of folk, a dash of hip hop. I’ve said it a million times, ‘If we’re every going to be a shining city on a hill, we have to be diverse city.’ Jamie Grace is part of that diverse city. She’s such a natural, beautiful next step for our industry.”
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Hear Their Stories: Testimonies From Young Believer’s Broadcast
If you are looking for something on TV both intriguing to watch and that portrays truth, the Young Believer’s Broadcast is the show for you…
YBBtv is designed for young adults by young adults with the goal to provide quality Christian media to help your relationship with Jesus Christ grow. It has a variety of creative and edgy segments that delve deep into issues of faith and themes that young adults and teens face everyday.
The program broadcasts on Saturday nights on DirectTV 378 and SkyAngel 126. Check out the intro for the show below:
Below are some moving testimonies from teens and young adults on trials they’ve faced, from YBBtv:
Alyssa spent time giving herself to others, but at a breaking point realized what it meant to give herself to Christ…
Andrew who only knew routine and faked his way through life’s circumstances, got real with a real God…
Will found out that he couldn’t rely on basketball and his image to fulfill him, and discovered true purpose…
Sarah’s world was spinning out of control. Struggling with anorexia, she found out that handing over the reins was what she needed all along…
Connect with YBBtv on the Websites Below:
Watch Clips Online at: http://vimeo.com/channels/ybbtv
Watch Full Episodes Free On ITunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/young-believers-broadcast/id163914910
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ybbtv
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/ybbtv
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Video Pick & Inspiration: Headphones from Britt Nicole & Update From the Revolve Tour in TX
The Revolve Tour Update
Above: Photos from the “Dream On” event in Dallas, TX (from The Revolve Tour’s Facebook Page).
Britt Nicole is currently on The Revolve Tour: Dream On, a fun, faith-filled weekend event for teen girls coming to a city near you. I got to meet her when the tour kicked off in Dallas and could tell that Britt has a beautiful heart for God and people from the way she took the time to speak to each of the girls during the autograph signings, and even gave me some words of encouragement before she left.
It was amazing to see her and her dancers do the song Headphones and others live – each one was awesome and so full of energy. I was especially moved to tears during the song “Have Your Way,” also from the album The Lost Get Found which talks about giving all of our heart, dreams and life to God.
Visit www.revolvetour.com for dates and more information about the Revolve Tour, it is an amazing event! Check back later on SOAR for more on my experience.
Video Pick & Inspiration: Headphones from Britt Nicole
Britt Nicole sings about the ups and downs of life, and reminds us that God’s love is always in reach in this colorful, inspiring and playful video for her song “Headphones” from the album The Lost Get Found. You can also find a guitar-accompanied version on her Acoustic EP.
Britt Nicole on the Story Behind Headphones:
“I actually wrote it to my cousin, who is around ten years old; I think she’s twelve now. I wrote this song for her…
“The first verse talks about how we want to fit in, and how sometimes we want to be like everybody else. But God has something so special for you, you are fearfully and wonderfully made, and He made you unique. He made you to be who you are. If you’re ten years old, you’re kind of figuring out who you are. You’re learning different things at school. You’re seeing that some people live one way, and some people live a different way. I would encourage her to be who she is, and to not be afraid to stand up for God.”
- From an Interview with Tracy Darlington on TitleTrakk.com
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Not Forgotten: Paige Armstrong Dedicates a Song to Haiti
One year ago on January 12th, Haiti was devastated by an earthquake. Paige Armstrong wrote and released a moving song called, “Not Forgotten” to honor the 1 year anniversary of the event. Paige wrote in her blog:
Over a million people are living in tents with unspeakable conditions. Of the survivors still living in tents, approximately 380,000 are children. Women and children, as young as 4 and 5, are being raped by gangs operating unchecked in the 1,200 refugee camps.
Though money has been pledged to help Haiti from several countries, most of that money and help has yet to arrive. I was shocked to hear that less than 5% of the debris from the earthquake has been cleared… leaving enough to fill dump trucks parked bumper to bumper halfway around the world. (information from http://bit.ly/ifEaxF)
While it has been a year since this tragedy, it is clear that the Haitian people are still in great need of prayers and help. Though a year of other disasters and needs have piled up since theirs, they cannot be forgotten.
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Lecrae Overdose In Stores Now
Check out the latest video for the second installment of Lecrae’s album Rehab – The Overdose. You can visit Reach Records online to order.
Description of the album:
Around every corner is the lure to consume. A desire to be satisfied. Unfortunately no human being has found anything under the sun that brings satisfaction. So we consume more, and more, and more. Eventually we overdose. However, there is hope if Christianity is our Rehab. In Jesus satisfaction can be found. Grace, love, peace and hope can be found…and there is always more. Consume more of Jesus. Overdose.
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Music Pick: Beautifully Made – Leah Smith
This soulful song “Beautifully Made” from Leah Smith’s EP of the same title, is a reminder of Psalm 139 and how we are made with God’s craftsmanship; how we shouldn’t measure ourselves by the world’s standards but through God’s word, knowing that we are fearfully and wonderfully made with purpose.
You can find Leah on Facebook or at www.leahsmithmusic.com to find out about her upcoming events and music. If you haven’t already, visit Itunes or Amazon to order the Beautifully Made EP – all of the songs are just as amazing!
“…I’ve had those times when I’ve looked into a mirror not happy at all at what I’d see… ‘Cause I don’t feel special, I don’t feel beautiful, I don’t feel smart enough, strong enough, good enough, feel like nothing at all. But at times like these I come back to the truth that I have found… I am beautifully and wonderfully made.” – Lyrics from Beautifully Made
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Video Pick: Dianna Hobbs – I Sing For You
Dianna Hobbs, who Dream in Soul interviewed a few weeks ago, just released the video for her new song, “I Sing For You.” The song is a reminder of giving our devotion to God in whatever we do, and the music video is youthful and energetic. Check out the video below and the song on Amazon or Itunes.
Click here to view our interview with Dianna and to find out more about her empowering ministry.
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Video Pick: Background – Lecrae feat. C-Lite
Reach Records recently released the video for Background, featuring C-Lite, from Lecrae’s latest album Rehab. Be sure to get the album on iTunes, Amazon, or on the Reach Records storefront and check into the “The Rehab Center” at http://therehabsquad.ning.com.
The video is impromptu, laid-back but especially gives a reminder of Who should play the leading role in our lives as we humbly play the background…
“I know I’m safest when I’m in Your will, and trust Your Word
I know I’m dangerous when I trust myself, my vision blurred
And I ain’t got no time to play life’s foolish games
Got plenty aims, but do they really Glorify Your name?
And it’s a shame the way I want to do these things for You
Don’t even cling to you, take time to sit and glean from You
Seems You are patient in my ignorance
If ignorance is bliss, it’s ’cause she never heard of this…”– From the song “Background”
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Dream in Soul is a new media site for the young-at-heart and purpose-full, inspiring you to live and use your talents passionately for God. To learn more, 
Click Here for our Interview with Music Artist & Producer TJ Pompeo on Dreams, Faith & Trust
