Monday, November 30, 2009

imprint......



This week has been quite an intense one. I find myself discovering more and more everyday. The odd thing is that many of the things i'm just now discovering have been thrown in my face for some time now. It's literally nothing new. Here i sit, grateful for things reiterated.

Last week my bible study leader/great friend Jason Sheridan spoke to me and the rest of The Council of Kings about leaving an imprint on the world that declares God's name. We've all heard the basis of christianity which is: believe that God is the father of us all, that Jesus Christ was the messiah who saved us from our sins, and that we are TO MAKE DISCIPLES. That latter part was the least prominent in my little Jesus Agenda for my life.

My view on the matter was, "okay God, you know the kind of person that i am! You know that i'm not the type of person who is gung-ho about speaking to strangers and who is gonna push people even sometimes to the point of their unsatisfaction. You know that i like when everyone is happy. Soooooo that MUST mean that me not partying, drinking, cursing, sleeping around, etc. is what i'm called to do. Cool, thanks bro!"
WRONG!!!!!!
Sure, the things that i thought were the important parts of my placement in God heart are in fact very important in the grand scheme of christianity. But they are only compartments of the one major reason for my existence. Jason made a HUGE point when talking to us. He said, "trying to love one another," something i forgot to mention prior to this quote," is not the only thing that we are called to do here." He said, "JUST loving someone doesn't save them from Hell, does it?" That beast shot right through my charcoal human heart!
How dare i lay here dormant in my faith as i try to work out every single kink in my own spiritual life and not make it so that other people share the reason i have for living. I'm so sick of sitting here, in this cesspool of shame and guilt concerning the things i keep screwing up in my life! I want to actually leave an IMPRINT of God's name on this earth, no matter the size! I want to come boldly to the throne of grace and accept my title as fisher of men!

So that was my mental state all during thanksgiving. And i KNOW it was Jesus! i mean, other than the obvious reasons for the accusations, i felt SOOOO empowered by the Spirit. So, i prayed, and prayed, and prayed. And today i got to put it into action. I asked God, "please give me the strength to do SOMETHING for you kingdom today!" He did. I decided to take a walk around campus after class and came across this girl sitting outside of the music building, obviously waiting for a class to begin. Her name was Olivia. I saw her reading some science fiction novel and just KNEW that this was going to be very interesting. I went up to her and told her that because finals were coming up, i wanted to just pray with her over the entire student body. She looked at me and said, "Sorry, i'm not really religious." Now, the normal Dillon would have, you guessed it, said, "ok, sorry" and walked off. Automatically i replied, "You don't have to be religious to pray. Here, i'll do the talking!" So we sat there for about a minute and i prayed aloud my thanks to God for our opportunity to receive an education and for His son Jesus who died for our sins. I finished, asked for her name so that i could continue to pray for her, smiled (which was returned) and walked off. I felt sooooo empowered! Enough to inspire me to do the same with a nice gentleman by the name of Daniel who was sitting about fifty yards from Olivia. This guy looked a little split-minded, not unlike myself. We prayed, i got his name, told him i would be praying for him, and asked him to do the same for me. And that was my day with God. Bam. It's not that hard.

I know hardly anybody reads this junk. I know of only one. I just pray that whoever does read it, may use my story and apply it to their life so that to Him be the Glory! He is worthy to be praised!

Monday, November 16, 2009

"If we are going to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, let that bomb when it comes find us doing sensible and human things -- praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts -- not huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about bombs. They might break our bodies (a microbe can do that) but they need not dominate our minds."

C. S. Lewis On Living in an Atomic Age

Sunday, November 15, 2009

something should be done.....

APATHY. It's one of my least favorite words of all time. Why? I'm pretty sure it's because it perfectly describes my relationship with Jesus Christ. It's hard to be apathetic, right? I mean you have to be Hercules to not get caught up in lying around, piddling on youtube, watching gLee, and ultimately just being lazy. NOT! This is something that i have found to be requiring of no strength whatsoever.

DISTRACTIONS. They really suck. Constantly i find myself praying for diligence and desire to always be focused on and thinking about the Word. If I'm not constantly in the Word, there is no telling whether or not i can use it on the lost. Do you ever find yourself aching from all of the mediocrity exuding from you whilst in the presence of God? So many times we've said, "Father, You are sovereign. Thank you for everything. Help me to live like Jesus. Give us the peace that surpasses all understanding." Yet we place God in a box, take everything for granted, we look like the world, and continue to mentally shame ourselves because of it all. Show me the scripture that talks about God being proud of those who take a few extra minutes to sleep and show up late, or those who take break after break during the day and continue to procrastinate, or those who don't serve others because they've done enough for today. It's apathy. Stop thinking. Start acting.

C. S. Lewis states in Surprised by Joy,
"Enough had been thought, and said, and felt, and imagined. It was about time that something should be done."

Saturday, November 7, 2009

ah....my hammond friends

I'll start off with saying there is nothing like meeting new people in new places and forming new relationships! I've recently experienced this while beginning my college career. And it all started with a very special group of people known as the Council of Kings.

One of the things i continually hoped for, honestly didn't really pray for, was that i would find comfort from the new scene of college in new fellowship. I wanted to meet new people, experience new personalities, and start fresh with relationships. I started attending a guy's bible study that was held at the Southeastern BCM at 10 pm on tuesday nights. From the first meeting, we all totally connected. I automatically knew that these were the guys that GOD WOULD USE to save me while i was in college. And boy has He!

The original group consisted of myself, Willie, Johnny, Austen, Seth, and our leader, Jason. Let me tell you, outsiders looking in would say we were lunatics when around each other! We are so crazy when you put us all in the same room together. Since the first meeting in august, we gained a few new members and become closer each week.

Through each other we've actually met other people as well. Seth's friend Brandee has become somewhat of an honorary member of the council haha. We've even met people through her and we've all become great friends. Because of them i feel no more discontent from being away from my friends in central. Because i miss them so dearly, i needed this divine intervention. I can say that i truly love these guys and gals even after only a few months. It's true that when God is the link between people, all of the junk that keeps people from relating to one another is never a factor.

Aside from those from bible study, my relationship with the two ladies across the parking lot known as Sarah and Taylor, has become one that i cherish greatly! These two kids have raised my enjoyment of college exponentially and give me a reason to face the craziness that is a collegiate student body. Sarah's gleefulness could literally dissolve any frown it comes in contact with. Taylor's intense phrases and overall sarcasm could make anyone wet their pants with laughter.

So thank you father for these beastmode new friends of mine. Help me to be as much of worth to them as they are to me. Help us to collectively shine your light to those around us. Amen









Wednesday, November 4, 2009

paintings....





Here are some paintings that i recently did this month. Two of them were inspired by my favorite contemporary artist, Cindy Thornton :)

Top Left: "By My Side" by Cindy Thornton recreated by Me
Top Right: "John 15:5" Dillon Chustz original
Bottom Right: "Evening Wonderment" by Dillon Chustz with elements taken from Cindy Thornton




Tuesday, November 3, 2009

alanis morisette's You Learn lyrics

You Learn

Ooh, ooh, ooh...

I, recommend getting your heart trampled on to anyone, yeah
I, recommend walking around naked in your living room, yeah

Swallow it down (what a jagged little pill)
It feels so good (swimming in your stomach)
Wait until the dust settles

You live you learn, you love you learn
You cry you learn, you lose you learn
You bleed you learn, you scream you learn

I, recommend biting off more than you can chew to anyone
I certainly do
I, recommend sticking your foot in your mouth at any time
Feel free

Throw it down (the caution blocks you from the wind)
Hold it up (to the rays)
You wait and see when the smoke clears

I, I, oh, oh

Wear it out (the way a three-year-old would do)
Melt it down (you're gonna have to eventually, anyway)
The fire trucks are coming up around the bend

You grieve you learn, you choke you learn
You laugh you learn, you choose you learn
You pray you learn, you ask you learn
You live you learn