This blog has been around for under 24 hours and I've gotten lots of great comments already! I guess I underestimated the reach of these things! To Wez - we've talked about podcasting before. I plan on posting mp3's from time to time (like a "song of the week/month" thing) and maybe I'll do some audio commentaries along with the written posts. I've wandered by your site before. Very cool!

Anyhow, here is my formal introduction for those who may stumble across this little outpost of supposed brilliance on the web. The title is "True Heart Times". What the stink does that mean? For those unfamiliar (and there won't be too many of those if I have my way with this), the idea of living from your true heart comes from my all-time favorite author, John Eldredge. The story, in brief, is this:

Let's say you buy into the literal story of Creation as found in the Bible. Adam and Eve were created by a passionate God who wanted nothing more than our fellowship and to love us. A snake, an apple - next thing you know we're into all those Sunday school lessons about a boat and a ram in the thicket, etc. But what did our first parents leave behind besides the garden? Their true identity! The way God originally made them to be. Everything else from there on out was inspired by a lie. And down through time it goes - we're all broken, damaged goods. Until the Son of God came...

The "last Adam" has given us the ability to re-discover Adam's true heart within us and, thereby, reconnect with the heart God planned on having in us from day one. It's living with passion. Living without fear that someone is going to expose you as a "fake". Understanding that God is amazingly on your side and nothing else really matters. Living in God's truth for us instead of letting the world "squeeze us into it's mold". The true heart. The only way to live.

As an example, let's talk about what everyone is talking about. The majority of people I've heard from (mostly those not in touch with their true heart) are not talking about how Terry Schiavo should be allowed to LIVE to her full capacity. We consistently talk about how she should DIE at her earliest opportunity. We cloak starvation and dehydration in terms of compassion and humane treatment. Oh, yes - removing the tube that keeps her alive, allowing the toxins to pile up inside her so that she literally is swallowed up by her own
waste. Humane? I'd go to jail if I tried that on my dog.

It's a death culture. Spurred on by Satan himself, who is whispering in the itching ears of all those who themselves would check out of here if given the first opportunity. There's nothing here for you anyway. You're just an accident. You live, you work, you die. Why not check out? It's not like you're going to miss anything important! Abortion. Physician assisted suicide. Now this.

To me, the true heart here says life is precious. God created Terry, though I don't know her relationship with God at this point. He knew the uproar this would cause before she was formed in her mother's womb. WWJD? Walk up to her bedside, lay His hand on her head, say "Arise!", and next week she's booked on Oprah, in her right mind. Will that happen? Stay tuned. Remember, we are at war against spiritual forces in this world that want to take us all out. The threshold of death is the last portal.

The true heart also says that we should forgive those who "don't know what they are doing" in wanting to harm Terry. Just because someone doesn't appreciate life as you or I may doesn't mean their "stupid". Unenlightened? Perhaps. Demon-possessed? As much as I was before Jesus set me free. Remember what you were before you were saved? I do. A confused, unintelligible mess! How else can you make some of these arguments, much less believe them and defend them!

I feel this is a tremendous opportunity to discuss issues pertaining to life in a context everyone can relate to. How many people have YOU talked about this case with? Do you get caught up in the raw emotion? The media bias? The legal wrangling? Don't. Get caught up by Jesus' heart for you, one He loves dearly. If you try to persuade by brilliant words, you do no better than they do. Let those who insist on ending A life see THE life in you. Then, when they realize just how deep, true, and amazing life here can truly be, they'll realize how foolish wanting to check out really is.

What do you think? E-mail a comment and let me know.

Coming soon - my trip to the Wild at Heart Boot Camp in Colorado. Pictures and everything. It'll be just like being there...except for the altitude sickness.