Risks!

To laugh is to risk being a fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out to another is to risk involvement.
To express feelings is to risk exposing your true self.
To place your ideas and your dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To live is to risk dying.
To hope is to risk despair.
To try is to risk failure.
The person who risks nothing -- does nothing, has nothing and is nothing.
They may avoid suffering and sorrow, but they simply cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love or live.
Risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.
Only a person who risks is free.

I have been inspired by God to risk everything for Him. That means vulnerability - that means showing my emotions.  That means doing this completely out of my comfort zone. That means breaking every mould I ever fitted. But I am doing it! And it is such an adventure with my King! I can just feel in up above looking down at me doing what He wants, proud of me. And laughing at me sometimes. I laugh at me, too! He is with me.

"It was compassion that moved Jesus to go to the dark, death-ridden tomb, calling out 'Lazarus!', transforming the cries of mourning and misery into tears of joy. 

It was compassion that led Him to my tomb and yours, calling us by name. For 'God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions.' If we want to follow Jesus, we must look at the world with compassion."

-Matt Roper-

   Still That Girl

Dreams, they come
Plans, they change
Yea, we're gonna break
Yea, we're gonna break
Things we face make us who we are
Baby you're a star shining in the dark
Let's go back to the summer, summer when
We dreamed in love, let's go back again
Let's go back again
Yea, back again, my friend
To the summer when...
I'm holding a picture from seven years back
I smile at the memory, it's smiling right back at me, and I see
Brown hair and bright eyes, such a beautiful blue
A heart full of laughter with nothing to lose
That's how I remember you

You were young, you were free
And you dared to believe
You could be the girl
Who could change the world
Then your life took a turn
And you fell, and it hurt
But you're still that girl
And you're gonna change this world
Woh oh oh oh oh oh
You're still that girl
You're still that girl
Woh oh oh oh oh oh
You're still that girl
You're still that girl

Sometimes life don't go the way you planned
And we all have days when we just don't understand
Searching for meaning, it's not always easy
But your story's not over, it's still being told
Your sunrise is coming brighter than gold
Let's go back again
To the summer when

You were young, you were free
And you dared to believe
You could be the girl
Who could change the world
Then your life took a turn
And you fell, and it hurt
But you're still that girl
And you're gonna change this world
Woh oh oh oh oh oh
You're still that girl
You're still that girl
Woh oh oh oh oh oh
You're still that girl
You're still that girl

What if the picture is bigger than you see?
And God has you right where he wants you to be
Just listen to your heart
He's telling you with every beat
[x3:] You're still that girl

You were young you were free
And you dared to believe
You could be the girl
Who could change the world
Then your life took a turn
Don't you know?
Don't you see?
All you need is to believe
But you're still that girl
And you're gonna change this world
Woh oh oh oh oh oh
You're still that girl
You're still that girl
Woh oh oh oh oh oh
You're still that girl
You're still that girl

I see it in your eyes
I see it in your smile
You're still that girl
You're still that girl

~ Britt Nicole

I heard this song for the first time today. It is so cool!