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 Pick: Love Song, Canton Jones & New Album Dominionaire
A performance of Canton Jones’s “Love Song” (from the album Access Granted: The Password) on the show Check the Sound, reminding us that we can’t sing about love without first remembering the One who created it.
Love Song Lyrics:
Verse 1:
I made the heavens farther than the eye can see,
placed the stars in the sky, made the moon shine brightly.
Woke you up with the sun shining through your window,
sing you a serenade every time the wind blows.See, the earth in all of its beauty, it all came from me,
(and if you don’t know),Take the time to look above,
and you’ll know you can’t sing about love…Without singing about me…
A new Canton Jones album, Dominionaire, is now in stores. Click here to order from his site and see the promo video for the album below.
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What Does Love Mean To You? Share and Enter to Win a Dream in Soul T-Shirt
SOAR and Dream in Soul Creative wants to know what real love means to you, whether it be the love of God, romantic love or the love we are called to have for one another on earth. Share your thoughts and you could be featured on SOAR’s Valentine’s Day Special.
One entry will win a Real Love T-Shirt from Dream in Soul Creative! Please submit by February 13th. You must also be a member of the Dream in Soul and SOAR Facebook pages to enter!
Entry Questions
1. What does love mean to you?
2. Why have you decided to wait for real love? If you are married, can you share a little about what it meant to wait for the right person and give advice to young people on waiting?
3. Can we use your first name, initials and/or picture? (Your answers can be anonymous if you’d like)
Send your answers to envibrance@gmail.com.
Above, Evelina Solis of Sol2Soul is wearing the Worth the Wait T-Shirt in light blue, based on John 15:13: Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. (Click here to view other styles and colors of this shirt).
Photo Marina Marston Photography
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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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FlashBack: Group 1 Crew In the Lyrics – A Lot in Common, I Have a Dream & Revolve Update
This month we celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and two songs that remind me of his vision of diversity, unity and dreams are from Group 1 Crew: “A Lot in Common” & “I Have a Dream” from their first self-titled album. Listen to the songs below and check out the lyrics to be inspired:
Group 1 Crew: “A Lot in Common”
In the Lyrics: “A Lot in Common”
Sometimes we’re up and sometimes we’re down
Sometimes the world goes round and round
And we don’t stop to think that / We got a lot in common
Sometimes we have it sometimes we don’t / What matters most is not the physical
Just look inside your soul cause / We got a lot in common…Click here for the full lyrics
A 2007 Live Performance of Group 1 Crew’s “I Have a Dream”
In the Lyrics: “I Have a Dream”
But I could never see my dreams they were always too far
Dreams of being free dreams of being able to sing
I dreamt a man loved me cause I wasn’t scared to be me
I saw a life where every woman had respect for herself
And every little girl would run and ask her mommy for help
I’m not afraid to write a song that exposes my pain
I lived my life backwards so when it poured it rained
But I got through the weather now I’m changing the game
And dreaming remains the source of everything we proclaim…
Click here for the full lyrics
A few months ago Group 1 Crew released their album OuttaSpace Love (click here to order) featuring some of my favorite songs like “Beautiful” and “Walking on the Stars.” You can catch Blanca, Manwell and Pablo performing songs from the album on The Revolve Tour: Dream On a fun, faith-filled weekend event for teen girls coming to a city near you. Below are some pictures from the event in Garland, TX, that I got to attend:
Above: Group 1 Crew in concert at the Revolve Tour; Dream in Soul & SOAR’s Editor Julene with Group 1 Crew at autograph signing.
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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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Dream in Soul Blog Updates and Soul Dreamer Inspiration – January 2011
Soul Dreamer Article From CatalystSpace: Our Callings, Our Spheres
This article by Tullian Tchividjian from www.catalystspace.com, adapted from his book Unfashionable: Making a Difference in the World by Being Different speaks on how believers can have an impact in any sphere of influence, not only in “Christian” occupations…
Morning Worship: You Won’t Relent – Jesus Culture & Soul Dreamer Inspiration on Worship Leading
“You Wont Relent”, written by Misty Edwards, here performed by Chris Quilala & Kim Walker-Smith of Jesus Culture, from the album Your Love Never Fails. Also Kim Walker-Smith gives inspiration on leading worship…
Editor’s Journal: Immeasurably More Than All We Ask or Imagine
It’s amazing how God can take us to places we’ve never imagined and among people of influence to teach us His purposes. In December I was able to go to Australia with the Oprah Winfrey Show…
Remembering the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Let’s remember the legacy and dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr….
Remembering Haiti: Be Still and Know…
The earthquake hit close to home for me as I have many family members who live in Haiti that were affected. I praise God for the hope He gives even in tumultuous times…
Click here to visit the main Dream in Soul Blog…
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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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Click Here for our Interview with Music Artist & Producer TJ Pompeo on Dreams, Faith & Trust
