NEW BLOGS FROM JAMIE
Just wrote this, for the VISION section of the new twloha.com. Wanted to share it here as well:
The vision is that we actually believe these things…
You were created to love and be loved. You were meant to live life in relationship with other people, to know and be known. You need to know that your story is important and that you're part of a bigger story. You need to know that your life matters.
We live in a difficult world, a broken world. My friend Byron is very smart - he says that life is hard for most people most of the time. We believe that everyone can relate to pain, that all of us live with questions, and all of us get stuck in moments. You need to know that you're not alone in the places you feel stuck.
We all wake to the human condition. We wake to mystery and beauty but also to tragedy and loss. Millions of people live with problems of pain. Millions of homes are filled with questions - moments and seasons and cycles that come as thieves and aim to stay. We know that pain is very real. It is our privilege to suggest that hope is real, and that help is real.
You need to know that rescue is possible, that freedom is possible, that God is still in the business of redemption. We're seeing it happen. We're seeing lives change as people get the help they need. People sitting across from a counselor for the first time. People stepping into treatment. In desperate moments, people calling a suicide hotline. We know that the first step to recovery is the hardest to take. We want to say here that it's worth it, that your life is worth fighting for, that it's possible to change.
Beyond treatment, we believe that community is essential, that people need other people, that we were never meant to do life alone.
The vision is that community and hope and help would replace secrets and silence.
The vision is people putting down guns and blades and bottles.
The vision is that we can reduce the suicide rate in America and around the world.
The vision is that we would learn what it means to love our friends, and that we would love ourselves enough to get the help we need.
The vision is better endings. The vision is the restoration of broken families and broken relationships. The vision is people finding life, finding freedom, finding love. The vision is graduation, a sunrise, a Super Bowl, a wedding, a child, a sunrise. The vision is people becoming incredible parents, people breaking cycles, making change.
The vision is the possibility that your best days are ahead.
The vision is the possibility that we're more loved than we'll ever know.
The vision is hope, and hope is real.
You are not alone, and this is not the end of your story.
And Blog Number Two:
Hi Guys.
First off, we want to say that our thoughts and prayers are with everyone in Texas and the Gulf tonight. It's difficult to announce exciting news when we know this night will be a difficult one for a lot of people. Perhaps the only transition that makes any sense is to say that TWLOHA and this MySpace page exist because we know that life is hard and a lot of people feel alone and a lot of people feel stuck. In the face of that, it's a privilege to continue to say that people need other people, that community is essential and that hope and help are real.
The exciting news is this:
A couple months back, while we were on the "Up in Arms" tour with Switchfoot, a crew from NBC came and spent two days with our team in Florida. Day One was at our office in Cocoa and Day Two was at the Switchfoot show in Jacksonville. Our time with NBC was honestly great - the producer told us this story reminded her why she got into journalism - to tell stories she believed in. When it was over, she told us that she considers us friends. It was a pleasant surprise to say the least.
We're told that nine million people watch NBC Nightly News w/ Brian Williams so we're obviously excited... Much of the work we do involves talking about things that tend to stay silent. We want people to know that they were never meant to do life alone, and we want them to know the hope and help that exist in the face of these issues. So we're excited for a whole bunch of folks to be invited into this conversation tonight...
Here is a LINK to see when NBC Nightly News w/ Brian Williams is on in your neck of the woods. We believe it's 6:30pm in most of the USA.
Also, there will be two additional stories online at MSNBC.COM
We're in all these things together.
Peace to you.
jamie
The vision is that we actually believe these things…
You were created to love and be loved. You were meant to live life in relationship with other people, to know and be known. You need to know that your story is important and that you're part of a bigger story. You need to know that your life matters.
We live in a difficult world, a broken world. My friend Byron is very smart - he says that life is hard for most people most of the time. We believe that everyone can relate to pain, that all of us live with questions, and all of us get stuck in moments. You need to know that you're not alone in the places you feel stuck.
We all wake to the human condition. We wake to mystery and beauty but also to tragedy and loss. Millions of people live with problems of pain. Millions of homes are filled with questions - moments and seasons and cycles that come as thieves and aim to stay. We know that pain is very real. It is our privilege to suggest that hope is real, and that help is real.
You need to know that rescue is possible, that freedom is possible, that God is still in the business of redemption. We're seeing it happen. We're seeing lives change as people get the help they need. People sitting across from a counselor for the first time. People stepping into treatment. In desperate moments, people calling a suicide hotline. We know that the first step to recovery is the hardest to take. We want to say here that it's worth it, that your life is worth fighting for, that it's possible to change.
Beyond treatment, we believe that community is essential, that people need other people, that we were never meant to do life alone.
The vision is that community and hope and help would replace secrets and silence.
The vision is people putting down guns and blades and bottles.
The vision is that we can reduce the suicide rate in America and around the world.
The vision is that we would learn what it means to love our friends, and that we would love ourselves enough to get the help we need.
The vision is better endings. The vision is the restoration of broken families and broken relationships. The vision is people finding life, finding freedom, finding love. The vision is graduation, a sunrise, a Super Bowl, a wedding, a child, a sunrise. The vision is people becoming incredible parents, people breaking cycles, making change.
The vision is the possibility that your best days are ahead.
The vision is the possibility that we're more loved than we'll ever know.
The vision is hope, and hope is real.
You are not alone, and this is not the end of your story.
And Blog Number Two:
Hi Guys.
First off, we want to say that our thoughts and prayers are with everyone in Texas and the Gulf tonight. It's difficult to announce exciting news when we know this night will be a difficult one for a lot of people. Perhaps the only transition that makes any sense is to say that TWLOHA and this MySpace page exist because we know that life is hard and a lot of people feel alone and a lot of people feel stuck. In the face of that, it's a privilege to continue to say that people need other people, that community is essential and that hope and help are real.
The exciting news is this:
A couple months back, while we were on the "Up in Arms" tour with Switchfoot, a crew from NBC came and spent two days with our team in Florida. Day One was at our office in Cocoa and Day Two was at the Switchfoot show in Jacksonville. Our time with NBC was honestly great - the producer told us this story reminded her why she got into journalism - to tell stories she believed in. When it was over, she told us that she considers us friends. It was a pleasant surprise to say the least.
We're told that nine million people watch NBC Nightly News w/ Brian Williams so we're obviously excited... Much of the work we do involves talking about things that tend to stay silent. We want people to know that they were never meant to do life alone, and we want them to know the hope and help that exist in the face of these issues. So we're excited for a whole bunch of folks to be invited into this conversation tonight...
Here is a LINK to see when NBC Nightly News w/ Brian Williams is on in your neck of the woods. We believe it's 6:30pm in most of the USA.
Also, there will be two additional stories online at MSNBC.COM
We're in all these things together.
Peace to you.
jamie