Jason Vana: Becoming a Better Man

Brokenness Redeemed →

Photo Credit: iStockPhoto.com

We’re all broken. We all have flaws. We all know those places in our lives we’d rather forget.

The recurring sin we can’t seem to break.
The heartbreak we endured at the hand of a friend.
The nagging insecurity, fear, or doubt.
The deep, dark secret we’re convinced no one could handle knowing about.
The broken relationship, broken dream, broken hope.

We’re all flawed, broken, and riddled with scars.
It’s part of the human experience.

It can be easy to look at our brokenness and feel disqualified to do, well, anything. We think if people know how we were broken, if they knew our flaws, if they knew the areas we continue to stumble in, they wouldn’t trust us. Or like us. Or allow us to speak into their lives.

So we hide our faults.
Bury our shame.
And convince ourselves we’ve messed up too much to be of any value to the kingdom of God.

Read more and join the conversation!

A Needed Word →

Photo Credit: Blue Eye Brown Eye (Buy this card online!)

I have this image that God is embracing you right now.

I felt His presence around me as my friend spoke those words. I had asked a couple of guys to pray for me before we started the first session of the Ignite Encounter Retreat. I always ask for prayer before I get ready to speak. It helps me focus, prepares me to speak what God has put on my heart, and sets the atmosphere in the room, but I wasn’t expecting this.

God’s presence began surrounding me in a tangible way. I could feel His arms around me, His head next to my ear. Then I heard the words that would become God’s encouragement to me this weekend:

I’m proud of you.

Read more and join the conversation!

Hope in Darkness →

Photo Credit: LaPrimaDonna (Creative Commons)

“When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”
John 19:30

On Friday, many will find themselves in special services, reliving the events and celebrating the freedom from sin found through Christ’s death. We rejoice in these days, thanking Christ for what He did and go as far as calling it Good.

But to the original disciples, Friday was anything but good.

At that point in the story, they didn’t understand the need for Jesus to die. They didn’t realize it was all part of God’s redemptive plan. They didn’t know His death was only temporary, and He was going to come back to life in a few days.

Friday was dark.

Read more and join the conversation!

Righteousness of God →

Photo Credit: Flickr User godserv (Creative Commons)

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
2 Corinthians 5:21

We are new creations.
Who we used to be, what we used to struggle with, is no longer part of our identity.

It’s not an easy concept to live out.

Sure, we’ll say we are new creations.
We’ll even tell others we are new.
But when it comes to messing up, when it comes to sinning yet again, we don’t always understand our newness.

We still feel like the same, old people.

In his letter to the Corinthian believers, Paul makes an astounding statement:

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

The readers of Paul’s letter would have found this idea revolutionary.

Read more and join the conversation!

Advent Deeper: Prince of Peace →

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 

Prince of Peace.
It’s what the Israelites expected to find in their Messiah.

They were looking for someone who would bring an end to their oppression.
One who would overthrow their countless captors and rule their nation.
Someone who would restore prosperity, hope, and wealth into their hands.
One who could put an end to the centuries of turmoil, persecution, and degradation, and place them back as the apple of God’s eye.

The Israelites wanted rest from their struggles.
And they were looking for a Messiah who would bring it to them.

Read more and join the conversation on the Ignite blog!

Advent Deeper: Prince of Peace →

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 

Prince of Peace.
It’s what the Israelites expected to find in their Messiah.

They were looking for someone who would bring an end to their oppression.
One who would overthrow their countless captors and rule their nation.
Someone who would restore prosperity, hope, and wealth into their hands.
One who could put an end to the centuries of turmoil, persecution, and degradation, and place them back as the apple of God’s eye.

The Israelites wanted rest from their struggles.
And they were looking for a Messiah who would bring it to them.

Read more and join the conversation on the Ignite blog!

Should Christians Celebrate Halloween? →

Photo Credit: Rich Bowen (Creative Commons)

There seems to be a controversy among many Christian sects when it comes to Halloween. Some are fine with the holiday, as long as congregants don’t get too out of hand. Some change the holiday name and opt instead to host Harvest Parties or Fall Festivals. Others denounce the holiday all together as worship of the devil.

Read more for a history of the holiday and biblical examples on the celebration of Halloween.

Should Christians Celebrate Halloween? →

Photo Credit: Rich Bowen (Creative Commons)

There seems to be a controversy among many Christian sects when it comes to Halloween. Some are fine with the holiday, as long as congregants don’t get too out of hand. Some change the holiday name and opt instead to host Harvest Parties or Fall Festivals. Others denounce the holiday all together as worship of the devil.

Read more for a history of the holiday and biblical examples on the celebration of Halloween.

A Working Relationship →

Photo Credit: Michel Y. HERVE (Creative Commons)

A relationship with God takes work.

Coming to Him doesn’t.
Accepting Him into our lives is easy.
We just have to believe.
Make a decision.
He did all the hard work.

But getting to know God, following Him in our every day lives, becoming more and more like Him?
That is much more difficult.
That takes work.

And we don’t like work.

Read more and join the conversation!

A Working Relationship →

Photo Credit: Michel Y. HERVE (Creative Commons)

A relationship with God takes work.

Coming to Him doesn’t.
Accepting Him into our lives is easy.
We just have to believe.
Make a decision.
He did all the hard work.

But getting to know God, following Him in our every day lives, becoming more and more like Him?
That is much more difficult.
That takes work.

And we don’t like work.

Read more and join the conversation!