be who you is...

Recently I've been labeled as being urban or ethnic. Labels may be a simple way to categorize and organize groups, but it also compromises diversity. I find the label comical since I've been out of the 'hood for over fifteen years. Apparently home school, public school, private school, and graduate school can't cover my roots. Maybe Snoop Dogg was right when he said, You can take the boy out the 'hood, but you can't take the 'hood out the homeboy.

While in New Jersey teaching at a women's conference, a very sweet woman came up to me with her eyes bright and hands excited as she communicated with every ounce of her being. I love when you talk your ghetto-talk when you share. It's so fresh and real! I know she meant well and her intentions were flattery, but she solidified deep fears. I was the only woman of color speaking at the conference and I felt different, odd, slightly out of place. It was if I spoke like Rosie Perez or Bon QuiQui and simply needed fake gold hoop earring and bangle bracelets to complete the image.

I called my dad and he siphoned through the jokes. He saw the hurt from 3,000 miles away.

Words dipped with honey soothed my soul as he assured me with the words of Paul--we all belong to something bigger than us. A body is comprised of different parts, even parts darker than others, but all parts are necessary. His accent permeated the sentence, his life has permeated this belief. Be who you is, B. Be who you is.

There's something great about being different, odd, and slightly out of place. Different exposes new possibilities; oddity reveals diversity; slightly out of place expands territory. As members of something larger than us, expose new possibilities, reveal diversity, expand territory. Be who you is.

things that matter...

“To admit the existence of hunger in America is to confess that we have failed in meeting the most sensitive and painful of human needs. To admit the existence of widespread hunger is to cast doubt on the efficacy of our whole system.” George McGovern, 1975

As millions of Americans sat around their dining room table to celebrate Thanksgiving with mounds of muffins and pounds of potatoes, 35.9 million people struggled to find a meal. Three decades later, McGovern's words prophetically have come to pass as evidence indicates the existing system is failing a vast number of Americans

Yes, poverty is a reality in America. 12.9 million children are either living in homelessness or part of a new social group, working poor. Almost 50% of children living in poverty are African American or Hispanic and many more are undocumented citizens surviving on one meal a day. 3.4 million senior citizens live in poverty and make less than $10,000 a year.

Our lives end the moment we become silent about the things that matter. (Martin Luther)

Poverty isn't a continent away--it's in our backyard. This past Thanksgiving, over 300 volunteers did something which mattered. I'm so proud to have worked with CCM and Mariners church on such a great event. But the journey doesn't end here. You, me, we, us need to do something. Get involved and do something that matters!

And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward. (Matthew 10:42)

100 word wednesday: truth...

The thing about truth that is most annoying is that it is true, making anything that contradicts it false. Christ is either God incarnate, risen from the dead, or He is not. There is no halfway position here. If he is not, then His teaching hold no more authority than those of Confucius, Tupac, or Oprah. We can take them or leave them.

But if Christ is God, it changes everything—there is nothing more important, more authoritative, or more central to the human race, to the way we live our lives, and to our very understanding of the world. Christ is an all-or-nothing proposition, and one way or another, every one of us has already made a choice about Him. We have either committed our lives to Him whole-heartedly, or we have not.*

Which lends me to ask, if Christ's claims are true, what are you doing about it?

*Thanks to Dr. Suzanne Wyle for forcing her students to think critically in 100 words or less. Represent WC!

an open letter to david wenzel...

Dear David,

Today you will receive the results of your long awaited MRI to determine whether or not the tumor inside your brain has shrunk. This day is meaningful on so many levels simply because you have another day to kiss Amy, laugh aloud, create beauty, and love life. Yes, the simple things in life I take for granted.

As you stood in our church sanctuary to share your story last week, I sobbed. Cathartic healing occurred in drops of tears and labored breathing while you spoke Truth to nameless faces who fell in love with you, your story, and your belief that God is truly the author and finisher of our faith. Past the tapered denim, impeccable diction, and fierce determination is a man who has a faith larger than Goliath, a trust greater than Noah's, and a promise larger than Abraham's. You are the lover of God who I aspire to be.

My prayers do not end at noon when the doctors determine your fate. My prayers continue to forge past results, hypothesis, chemotherapy, natural medicine, and homeopathic remedies because I'm calling out to Jehovah Rapha who can heal all, my friend. To Him who can do exceedingly abundantly more than we can ever think or imagine, I lift you up to our God who stands above and claims that He is proud to be your God (Hebrews 11:16).

I believe in miracles,

Bianca

For more on David's battle, check out his blog.

For the vodcast of the talk he gave at my home church, click here and chose a one-time subscription.

play to win...

Eyes roll, bodies shift, and long sighs ending with snickers accompany my suggestion of a friendly game after dinner. I'm a board game junkie. I'll play anything, anytime, anywhere. But lately I've been really struggling with my competitive reputation. Do I deserve the reputation of Killa'?* Yes. Yes, I do. But I've been feeling condemned about it by my friends and family... until I read 1 Timothy 6:12 again, Fight the good fight of faith.

There is nothing worse than seeing an apathetic boxer enter the ring before a fight. There is nothing worse than seeing a dejected basketball team in the last few minutes of a game. There's nothing worse than people believing, It's just a game! No, people, IT'S NOT JUST A GAME.

If I run a mile, I run to win. If I study for an exam, I study for an A. If I play Monopoly, I play with the aspirations of building multiple hotels and charging you rent every time you land on my Boardwalk estate. I don't understand when people laugh when I repossess their property to pay rent. Hello?! You just became homeless, fool! But that's the way many Christians play the game of Life.

There's nothing worse than an apathetic Christian's approach their devotional time. There's nothing worse than a dejected Christian professing to have joy. There's nothing worse than Christians believing this is nothing more than a game. No, people, THIS IS NOT JUST A GAME! If you are called to suffer, suffer well to the glory of God. If you're successful, be successful unto the glory of God. If you're alone, utilize this time unto the glory of God. If you're competitive and your friends think you take board games too seriously, tell them you play to win, you're fighting the good fight, and you expect the rent on Park Place to be paid in full.

*In a heated Scrabble game with a friend, I busted out a Latin word for a rockin' 36 points and gloated for the next hour. Father, forgive my sins.

*In a heated game of Pit, I elbowed my brother-in-law in a reach-to-the-finish dash for the stock pile. Father, forgive my sins.

*In a heated card game of speed [on my first youth event], I screamed at a youth and accused her of cheating. Father, forgive my sins.

advocate life...

Deep, dark eyes, barren and empty, filled with tears as he spoke in tones hushed by fear. He sat across from me and let out the guilt, shame, and rejection he was experiencing from his family and church. He grew up in the church and knew the Leviticus and 1 Corinthians texts about homosexuality. Reiterating these truths would be moot and wasteful.

He wasn't asking for spiritual insight or forgiveness, but rather crying out as a broken man in need of love. In that moment I remembered a quote from one of my favorite pastors, "It's God's responsibility to save. It's our responsibility to love." My friend didn't need condemnation. So many others already had. He needed to know he was a child of God who, like me, needs a Savior.

Advocacy for Children of God from Bianca Juarez on Vimeo.

I came across this article on the Marin Foundation blog and was completely taken back at what is occuring in Africa. There is a grave injustice occuring and if the church believes in the sanctity of Life, this matters. Despite gender, color, race, or ethinicity, we are all children of God. Advocate life. This is not a social gospel. This is the gospel.

you know you're stressed when...

You know you're stressed when...

...your left eyes twitches involuntarily at the sound of an email notification.

...you begin to speak a language only you and celestial beings understand.

...you begin to talk to yourself, then disagree about the subject, get into a fight over it, lose, and refuse to talk to yourself for the next hour.

...you respond with flipping over tables and yelling, "You brood of vipers," when people ask you WWJD.

...you specifically stay sequestered in your office so as to not have to waste a nanosecond on the noun, hello.

...you keep yelling, "Stop touching me!" even though you're the only person in the room.

...you wake up at 4:32am singing songs from Psalty the Singing Songbook.

...you write the same sentence over and over, without realizing you've written it before.

...you write the same sentence over and over, without realizing you've written it before.

...you stop drinking water because using the restroom is a waste of time and energy.

My life.

100 word wedneday: what would you say...

I knew her.
Her childish face was tear-stained and swollen.
A warm embrace caused her body to collapse in my arms.

Through the sobs she wailed, My baby! My baby! I killed my baby…

She swore she’d never do it.

But family disdain was too much.

Whore. Slut. Irresponsible. Unlovable.

You’re a child who took the life of another child, they exclaimed.

I cried because she cried.

Nightmares. Suicidal thoughts. Isolation. Guilt.

I don’t deserve to live. I just want to die. God hates me.

Heartbroken at wordless, I asked for God to give something to say.

But how would you respond? What would you say?

psalty and me...

Royal blue book cover, large happy eyes, and expressive white gloves welcomed children of all ages to enjoy singing at Sunday school. If a modern comparison is needed, he’s the original Barney—except with unquestionable sexuality and a chipper family in tow. Psalty the Singing Songbook was part and parcel of my formative song retention in vacation bible school and home life. In fact, I secretly wanted to be part of his musical family. Yes, I wanted Harmony, Rhythm, and Melody to be my siblings, so my faux name was Symphony. [What!? I was a creative homeschooler!]

One song in particular has been etched in my memory and I can still recite the chorus: God is great! God is good! He kept His promise like He said He would. God is great! God is good! Blessed be the name of the Lord.* It’s odd that one melody and set of lyrics so simple, can be so profound.

A few weeks ago I tweeted about a Thanksgiving event I was coordinating at church. I jokingly said Jesus needed to perform a miracle with some fish and loaves to feed the amount of people attending. But, today I am humming like Psalty because God is great, God is good, and He kept His promise like He said He would. We have over 200 volunteers giving up their national holiday to serve others, 212 donated turkeys, 500 cans of donated vegetables, 167 donated pumpkin pies, 250 brand new jackets to give away and 1,500 food boxes donated from Mariners Church. But it gets better! My friend Matt from Mariners Outreach is bringing over 100 volunteers to serve along side of us AND they’re bringing a hair team to provide haircuts and styling to those in need.

I woke up at 4:32am this morning overwhelmed by God’s provision and care for those in need. Like the prolific songbook once sang, God is great! God is good! Blessed be the name of the Lord. Are you overwhelmed by God's goodness? Or just overwhelmed? Either way, speak it out! I love knowing how to specifically pray for those I care for.

* Psalm 104:1

insert long sigh here...

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:3

Linear thinking on Sunday afternoon at 4:03pm: I don't need a new car. I want a new car. I miss my BMW. Honda's aren't cool. [Insert long sigh here.]

I realized this small fact as I sat in Santa Monica, ate at a vegan restaurant, and watched young Hollywood drive by with their convertible tops down. Thoughts began to run through my head and desire seeped through my pores. But I want it. I sighed, ate my tofu burger, and recalculated my finances in attempts to convince myself that I can once again drive a depreciating luxury good with a convertible top. [Insert long sigh here.]

Because God is hilarious and drops reminders that He's all I need, I get a love-note from God in my morning devotions.

Keep your lives free from the love of money...

Me: Check! God, you know I totally I don't love money, right?

God: Bianca, have you tithed this month yet?

Me: Well, um, [cough, cough], you see God, I've been really busy and I... okay, no I haven't.

Be content with all you have...

Me: I'm totally content, right God?

God: Every day you ask for something that you promise me you can't live without. Do you think you're content?

Me: Well, um, [cough, cough], you see God, I really want... okay, I'll own it! No, I'm not content in all areas of my life.

God has said, "Never will I leave you; Never will I forsake you."

God: Do you believe me? Do you believe I will never leave you? I know what you need. I won't let you down.

Once again the vortex of Want sucked me in. Instead of recalculating my finances, I need to recalibrate my thinking. God has never let me down. I've written about it here, journaled about it, spoke about to groups of people about it, but I needed a reminder. Sometimes I think we all do...

Me: God, you are have never left me. Thank you for my Honda. [Insert long sigh here.] But just so know, I think I might die if I never have a Louis Vuitton purse. Just kidding! Well, half kidding.

four-letter words and substitutes...

The neon ball floated through the air above the net and I knew there would be no way JD would--What?! He hit it. In the nanosecond it registered, I scrambled across the tennis court but it wasn't enough time. I missed the return. To lose the set after a long, hard volley was beyond frustrating, so I did what any John McEnroe lover would do: I flung my racquet onto the floor and screamed out a word of injustice to the tennis gods. I turned to my tennis partner, Jelani, but he was motionless. I turned to JD. Then to Jas. No one moved.

Something in the cosmos changed because our lively, fun little game of tennis turned into spiritual intervention, with lame phrases like, It's just a game, or Why don't we call it a night, or the ever-patronizing, Why don't we stop and pray, by my over-religious sister.

I was confused. What just happened?

To this day, they still think I screamed out an unchoice word loud enough for people in Milwaukee to have heard. But I didn't. I promise I didn't. I let out a substitute word that may have sounded like a four-letter word. But I'm holy and a bible teacher and love Jesus and would never say such things, right? Riiiiiigt.*

But does this matter? An angst-filled word meant as a substitute is still an angst-filled word. If you're like my mother, you think I'm totally wrong. If you need intervention like me, how can we change the error of our ways? On a non-related note, why do I look like I'm going to eat you in this video?

Cursing and Coarse Jesting from Bianca Juarez on Vimeo.

*Disclaimer: Please don't ever bring this story up. I hate it. In my defense, I haven't cursed since the age of six when my mother heard me say a four-letter word and she washed my mouth out with a bar of soap. Seriously.

reason #342,937,140...

Reason #342,937,140 why I'll be a bad parent:

I never thought I'd be that pet owner. You know, those people who are weirdly in love with their pets. For instance, one of my best friends in high school, Jennie, had a pair of annoying poodles who she was enamored with. (Sorry Jen--I can still hear Misty and Hersey barking in my nightmares!) She let them lick her face, sleep with her, and yes, rule the house. One Christmas she went to PetSmart and actually posed with her dogs and passed out the pictures to her friends as gifts. If I was truly mean, I'd scan the picture and post it here but she'd kill me so I won't--but it would be hilarious.

Last night at dinner we somehow ended up talking about pets. I immediately pulled out my phone and started gawking about how amazingly adorable my pets are while scrolling through pictures of them (yes, pictures as in plural). I was waiting for them to turn a light shade of green because I seriously have the most adorable dogs in the whole wide world. No, the universe. No, the Milky Way!

But they didn't. In fact, they politely smiled and continued on with conversation. Oh wait, I thought to myself, maybe that's a bad picture. They have to see this one! But, no, they weren't filled with envy as I showed them pictures. I put my phone away and was slightly bruised that they couldn't see that I had the most gorgeous children in God's great universe.

Then it hit me. I'm going to be that parent. You know, those people who are weirdly in love with their children and think they're brilliant, well behaved, and beautiful. I'm going to pull out my phone and scroll through a million images that only a mother can love. So, dear Internet, when I send you a picture with my children at PetSmart in front of a Christmas tree backdrop, you better love it! In fact, you better tell me that my children are the most gorgeous creations in God's great universe. Because really, they will be!

100 word wedneday: everything...

1 John 3:16-20

The conclusion is inescapable. Jesus asks much more of us than just believing right things.

Our society compartmentalizes life:

Work [here] Friends [here] Church [here] Finances [here]

But our faith must permeate every aspect of our life. We can’t compartmentalize faith to Sunday mornings—it’s more than a political affiliation, hobby, or thing to do. Our faith must be like the very air we breathe. For when we breathe in Jesus, we exhale Him to those around us. The poor, the rich, the lonely, the successful, the annoying, the amazing—every one needs Jesus like everyone needs air.

What does God expect from us? Everything.

*Thanks to Dr. Suzanne Wyle from Whitter College for forcing me to critically think in 100 words or less. Go Poets!

beautifully broken...

The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!' (Luke 15:28-30)

In The Phantom of the Opera, there is a scene when the mask that covers the monstrous face of the Phantom is dramatically pulled off and exposes the hideous creature beneath the mask. A heinous, marred face of the man with divine musical talent cowers like a beaten child. Even after seeing the play five times, I always cry every time the mask is removed—and now I’ve figured out why.

Amidst a small group of women on Sunday night, I trusted them to accept me for me; ugly, pockmarked, and decrepit. As uncomfortable as it must have been to watch me remove my mask, I knew it had to be done. The bible study paused as I metaphorically sung like the Phantom my story of jealousy, envy, and conviction. I saw some eyes turn away, shift, or look down; I’m sure it was out of embarrassment for me. But I knew the person beneath the mask and she longed to be exposed.

The girl. I hated her yet wanted to be her all at the same time. I felt like the world was celebrating sin and rewarding folly by fawning over this woman. But my mask hid the Prodigal-Brother-Syndrome and I watched with envious eyes as she was being blessed. What I didn’t realize was she had removed her mask to reveal the ugliness she possessed. In doing so, she invited the world to gaze upon her brokenness and marred past. I was convicted by her humility and honesty upon hearing her story; her ugliness was somehow beautiful up close and I needed to ask for forgiveness.

As I drove home on Sunday night feeling ugly and free and accepted, I knew why I cried when the Phantom removed his mask—he wanted to feel what I felt on Sunday night: beautifully broken and accepted.

the prayer of juarez...

You have to read it! Really, it’ll change your prayer life, she said. Maybe it’s the rebel in me, but anytime someone says I have to do something, I want to do the opposite. I know, I know, I’m a female James Dean. But since it was a dear friend whom I trusted, I took her word and bought the newest Christian phenom of a book, The Prayer of Jabez. The book is based off an obscure prayer found in the middle of a long section of genealogies in 1 Chronicles 4: “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.”

Here’s the book in one sentence: If we truly pray for God to bless us and be used for His kingdom, good things would happen—God would bless and enlarge our territory and we would serve Him in a deeper and expanded way.

Nothing is wrong with this assertion, but many people read this book like a get-rich-quick manual. Like God is a celestial Bob Barker waiting to pull back a colorful door to reveal A new boat! A new dining room set and china cabinet! A set of jet skis! and other signs of wealth. All we need to do is spin the prayer wheel and ask for the illusive $1.00 spot.

I don’t know if this was the author’s intention, but to me, it was a palatable prosperity gospel* in mini-book form. It didn’t bode over well as I sat back and looked at my mother who was dying of cancer, I was a stellar college grad who was jobless, and my heart was broken for choosing God’s will over mine. I rested the book on my chest, placed my hand on my chemo-ridden mother and thought of Paul the Apostle. According the 2 Corinthians, Paul had frequently been in prison, flogged severely, exposed to death many times, whipped 39 lashes five times, beaten with rods three times, stoned, shipwrecked, and endured dehydration and starvation. But his territory expanded. In fact, he authored more than half the New Testament, was thee early church father, and was a legit theologian who has changed lives even today.

The Prayer of Jabez is a poetic request from God, and yes, God blesses the lives of those who serve Him. But the Prayer of Juarez would include, Thy will be done, not my will. Come cancer, death, success, and health, blessed be your name. You give and take away, but my heart will surely say, blessed be your name.

*Prosperity gospel: the belief that God rewards faithful and sincere Christians with success! Good health! And material prosperity!

Friday Video Post: Is Drinking a Sin...

Some Christians think of alcohol as up there with adultery, idol worship, and South Park. I met a fundamentalist who argued that the "wine" drunk in the Bible is not wine at all but actually grape juice (I'm pretty sure Thomas Welch was behind that theory). I simply asked for a scripture reference which bans alcohol. He couldn't provide one. I wasn't lobbying for the alcohol industry, I was simply advocating for a balance of scripture.

Is Drinking A Sin? from Bianca Juarez on Vimeo.

When I don't have the answer on a topic, I search for one. Being a nerd, I found the experts of all experts, a conservative Christian oenophile named Daniel Whitfield. Whitfield has made an astoundingly exhaustive study of every alcohol reference in Scripture--all 247 of them. I quote his findings here:

On the negative side, there are 17 warnings against abusing alcohol, 19 examples of people abusing alcohol, 3 references to selecting leaders, and one verse advocating abstinence if drinking will stumble a brother. Total negative references: 40, or 16 percent.

On the positive side, there are 59 references to the commonly accepted practice of drinking wine (and strong drink) with meals, 27 references to the abundance of wine as a example of God's blessing, 20 references to the loss of wine in offerings and sacrifices, 9 references to wine being used as a gift, and 5 metaphorical references to wine as a basis for a favorable comparison. Total positive references: 145, or 59 percent.

[Note: Being an over-achiever, I also found one reference to medicinal alcohol in 1 Timothy 5:23. Maybe my grandma knew a little sumthin' sumthin' if you know what I mean!]

It comes down to the battle between the Bible's gusto for life, and the Bible's weariness of excess. Between it's Epicureanism and Puritanism. You can find both themes in Scriptures. The Epicurean side is best seen in Ecclesiates:

"There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and find fulfillment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God" (Ecclesiates 2:24).

So, what's do you think? How can we have our liberties, yet be mindful of our weaker brothers? Comments, suggestions, stones to throw?

revelations to revolutions...

Last night I met with two wonderful girls from Wonderfully Made to discuss stories about life, Internet friendships, and changing the world one day at a time. These amazing women are starting conferences on college campuses and churches with the sole ambition of reminding girls that no matter who you are or what you look like, you're wonderfully made.

Kayla is bubbly and chipper and beautiful inside and out. Allie is honest and kind and strong, yet soft spoken. Over her ahi salad and ice water, Kayla asked me how my Biblical Living challenge was going. I paused for a second then blurted out that I'm totally a pharisee and had a huge revelation while in Chicago last week. I decided that maybe I should share it here as well.

I wasn't going to post anything about this challenge anymore but I think I should chronicle the revelation I had and share it with the blogosphere. If anything else, I'm documenting my committment to love like Jesus loved, live like Jesus lived, and touch like Jesus touched.

revelations to revolutions... from Bianca Juarez on Vimeo.

fish and bicycles...

In the 70s a feminist by the name of Irina Dunn coined the ever-popular phrase, A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle. If what she said was true, then call me Nemo and hand me a Schwinn, baby! This fish needs a bicycle.

She would never come to know how her graffiti mark on a restroom wall would impact much of the Feminist movement even today. She died alone and divorced in her Australian apartment. I often wonder if she surrounded herself with books at night to keep her warm--then laugh because so do I.

With that being said, Marcus Buckingham's book is rocking my world. I am learning so much and I barely started chapter two?! One point has been ringing in my ears for the last hour: Since the feminist revolution, women's satisfaction in life has decreased steadily every year. What's the correlation? I'm sure Michael will address this coming chapters but my own assertions lead me to Genesis 2 (yes, I'm a bible nerd).

God knew that Adam needed a mate suitable for him (v18) and it definitely wasn't an animal (v20). Biblical narrative suggests that Eve was physically taken from Adam's side, but who knew how long that might have taken?! Donald Miller noted in his lecture* that it probably took roughly ten years. I don't know about you but after years of naming animals, I'd sing out some poetry too if I saw someone made from me, butt-naked and unashamed!

So maybe, just maybe, fish were meant to ride bicycles. Okay, okay, maybe the analogy doesn't work, but is there a correlation between feminist ideology and unhappiness in life?

Totally curious and open to opinions,

The Man Lover

*Million Miles book tour (Los Angeles, CA)

my computer, cast away, and commands...

I'm still crying about not having my laptop. According to the FedEx Fascists, next-day delivery doesn't actually mean the next day. No, it means whenever they feel like delivering it. I guess if this was Cast Away, I'd be Tom Hanks, completely forgotten, and talking to a volleyball waiting for someone from FedEx to actually care I'm forgotten.


As I writhe in longing for my appendix, I will share some learnings I had in Chicago. The short: I'm totally the suckiest Christian ever. I started my Live Biblically challenge like all other challenges I self-impose: decide now, assess later. As always, assessing my decision to do this in the middle of the vow has been like asking for directions in the middle of a hurricane. As a control freak, I gave the illusion that everything was fine while my left eyelid twitched, heart stuttered, and head spun trying to follow my list. I've been driving myself crazy trying to be a good Christian. But that's been the problem. I'm will never ever live up the title Little Christ (literal definition).

Here's the best part--it was never expected of me.

What does God expect of us? What is the Christian faith about? Going to church on Sundays, praying before meals, and stringently following a list of commands--or does God expect more? When people say they are Christians, what exactly does that mean? If you're a Christian and you believe Jesus is the Son of God, then all He said and did is deeply significant to how we live our lives. So it's cool we believe, but God expects more. More than prayer, church attendance, or a list of rules; God asks us for everything. As Richard Stearns pointed out, He requires a total life commitment from those who would be His followers. In fact, Christ calls us to be His partners in changing our world, just as He called the twelve to change their world two centuries ago.

So, the challenge can be wrapped up in two simple commands, not 2,345,345,962:
Luke 10:27, ...'Love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul with all your strength with all your mind,' and 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' I think I might be able to pull this off after all.