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I'm listening to JJ Heller in the background. Makes me want to dance. Sometimes you can see or hear an artist and you can feel the Spirit just leak out of their art. Like the firey bones of Jeremiah desperate to let the smoke out... just wet with the water of God. The most beautiful part of it, is that, that type of art doesn't make me obsessed with the artist, but where the artist takes me. The creator they point me too. That is talent. You cannot make that happen. Only God can. I hope my life does that.

We have shared our faith in Jesus Christ a few different times now. The first was clearly solicited by a couple students from Matt's class. The subject of spirits and witches is one of natural topic here. In fact you can get your palm read here as easily as you can buy a coke. A young woman named Jasmin, had shared in class (during a topic on Spirits) that she couldn't understand a faith that was exclusive, that demanded only one way to heaven. Over beers later that night in a bar near University of Costa Rica, Jasmin looked me straight in the face and said tell me about your faith. I said, what part exactly. She said, "All of it." Bet.

I shared with Jasmin and Matt's teacher Gabby that I couldn't understand a philosophy that demanded all ways are right, when several of those ways themselves demand there be only one way. Even in the universal perspective, one is forced to begin deducting... even what we think is all inclusive, is exclusive. We talked some about the innate degree of standard we all have in our conscience and why that is. That maybe there is an intuitive absoluteness that all of us embrace. I shared the purpose of Jesus full out over the course of the night and gave significant emphasis to the importance of the heart's condition, vs. actions. I literally shared stories of Jesus, how he questioned the Pharisees intentions...

The concern about the person in the corner of the world who will never hear about Jesus came up... I wanted to encourage them that their concern should be their heart in this moment, not the unknown person's in the corner of the world, but I understand the importance of the question generally, especially for an unbeliever- fair. I have asked it myself. So I shared the story of Job, the oldest book in the bible. And how even Job, never knowing the name of Jesus, identified His need for a savior. For some type of mediator who could intercede between an imperfect man and a perfect God... that led to my conviction that Christianity, for it to take root in our hearts must begin with 1. acknowledging you are imperfect 2. that our imperfections build chasms between us and God 3. that there is nothing we can do to eliminate the chasm unless God himself does it 4. desperately want that chasm closed... 5. Start reading the bible and let the life of Jesus speak for itself. The Savior reacts to those who want saving...

I told Jasmin that the fact that she was so intrigued by faith and had so many questions, that I believed God was drawing her to Himself. She smiled. Those of you who are believers, if you would, pray for Jasmin and her heart. I think she is closer to God then some Christians at church.

The second time was in Montezuma this past week, pool side. 2 sweet women, in their 40s. Canadian. ...they were tatted up, in their bikinis, on their fourth round of pineapple and rum, soaking up the sun. Vacation. One of the women came over to me and said that she saw my "beloved" tattoo and then later saw Matt's and was wondering the story. We explained that we got them on our honeymoon. She told us they reminded her of a fantasy series she had read by her favorite Australian author. That it was one of the most beautiful love stories she had ever read. I told her that it was in fact a love story that inspired the tattoos. I told her how back in my dorm room in college I was reading "Song of Solomon" from the bible and their was a line that said, "I am my beloved's and His desire is for me" when I discovered that scholar's think it is a metaphor for the love relationship between us and God, I began to embrace that truth more fully in how I identify myself. Matt was just love icing on the cake :)

She said that was the most beautiful thing she had ever heard and was going to consider opening her book reading horizons. That was the start of an hour and a half pool conversation with Sheila and her friend. She had grown up athiest and for that reason had found it very strange that, that very morning while walking on the beach she had looked down just in time to fore go a rock and she (without thinking) thanked God. It came out that both women had been very hurt by religion and the church. In fact, Shelia's friend had a gay son and her parents would no longer accept him and she found that so hurtful.

This conversation entailed much more listening. At one point my heart ached for how bad their experiences had been with professing Christians and more as a side comment I said, ".. the heart is deceitful and wicked..." Shelia's friend stared at me and said that, that was the most profound thing she had ever heard..I laughed and said, "I stole it from the bible" They both didnt beleive me and I shared that God acknowledges we are imperfect, and that his solution was grace through Jesus and changing our hearts. I didnt go into too many details...the rum was at work and they were very chatty but our convo ended with me asking them for forgiveness for the Christians that had hurt them and that if they were to know the Jesus of the bible, he would deal with them much differently. They both got out of their seats and hugged me.

I am hoping Shelia will pick up Song of Solomon or something...

Again, this past week in Montezuma, Matt and I were sitting at a corner table on the main strip (the whole town is about 2 blocks long) and we met a 26 year old American girl named Christina. We invited her over to our table to smoke a chocolate dipped cigar with us (rare occasion) and she accepted. She was in San Jose for 6 months teaching English and was on her way out at the end of the week. She ended up doing some venting and shared that her good friend's husband had cheated on her and the girl was with child. The worst part about it, was that her friend couldn't have children so it was like a slap in the face. I shook my head and told her it reminded me of the story of Hannah. She asked me to explain, so I told her how in the book of Samuel in the bible, there are these 2 women who were married to a good man - Hannah and another woman, will call her "P." The husband loved Hannah very much, but P could have kids and would throw it in Hannah's face. So one day Hannah prayed for a son and promised God she would dedicate him back to God. And God gave her Samuel...soon to become the first and arguably greatest prophet in Israeli history. She said she had no idea that was in the bible.

My hope is that Christina will want to read I Samuel or something...