Convicted and conversion is coming -- one song at a time!

Convicted:

I’ve loved rap music for years, and when I started running about 4 and a half years ago, this was my music of choice. Must be the public school girl in me, but I am motivated by these tunes. Give me a base line and I am a happy girl. So, upon hearing this for the first time, people are shocked. It is pretty rediculous, I know. What in the world! Over the past year or so, I’ve been convicted to give it up. Bye-bye Jay Z, bye-bye Snoop D-Oh-double-G. So here I am again. I put it away and I sneek it back in on my playlist. My children (of course) have figured out the iphone and I walked in to find them listening to some of this music --- YIKES – not a very good parental example here. I am horrified! EEK!!!

Finding that they have a "love for the beat" too. Check out the video of Reed dancing to a song I found on a golf commercial (NO WORDS!!! LOVE IT!) dressed in goves, football pants, orange goggles, socks on his arms, and a basketball jersey.

 

Hello blackmail for future girlfriends!!! I guess it could have been a lot worse!!

But as I live out my faith, this is one of those “Secrets” that I keep on that hidden playlist. Ugh, sin – seems like a little one, but I know that God is convicting me to stop – while running I could be taking that time to praise Him and pray for others. And SIN is SIN! He does say, to pray without ceasing, and it’s kinda hard to pray or communicate with God when nonsense is screaming in your ear. It makes me think of Paul, who I can relate to when he penned this verse (I think of this verse literally DAILY):   I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. – Romans 7:15. What I should be doing is praying, studying the Bible, memorizing by Bible verses. But what I do is play on FB, instagram, watch TV, listen to rap music!!

Thankfully another verse was brought to my attention TODAY at our revival and this was it:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8. (Thanks again, Paul).  So lovely and most rap music don’t really go together…so thankful for this reminder.

And I love some praise and worship more than just about any music out there, and as God is molding me into who He wants me to be I am getting there. And I have listened to my Christian rappers Trip Lee and Shai Linne and I am learning to love them more and more. A few weeks ago, I finished one of the hottest runs in a awful time and short distance and “Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns and Roses came on (I know, baby steps), and I realized that I am God’s sweet child and He’s getting me there one message at a time! The added bonus that day, when my run was over  – Tim Tebow (via Nike run) told me what a GREAT job I had done and he couldn’t wait to see me back out there tomorrow!” Thanks Tim! Godly influences are everywhere aren’t they? Even when we least expect it.

Here are some favorites on my playlist at the moment:

1.       Sweet Child O’Mine – Guns and Roses

2.       High Road – High Road III

3.       Southern Girl – Amos Lee

4.       Something Beautiful – NeedtoBreathe

5.       Philosopy – Ben Folds Five

6.       Mirrors -- JT (gotta have a little JT every once and a while)

7.       Lose My Soul – TobiMac

8.       Speaking Louder Than Before – Jeremy Camp

So it’s a work in progress, just like we all are. Getting closer and constantly striving to honor Him.