michael hyatt, providence, and twitter...

I usually don't blog on Sundays, but I'll make an exception for Michael. No, not Michael Scofield, Michael Jackson, or Michael Jordan. It's better! The Michael Hyatt: husband to Gail, father of five, loving dog owner--oh yeah, and Chief Executive Officer of Thomas Nelson Publishers.

He's witty, charming, disarming and as cute as a button! I've been following him on Twitter for several weeks and if Seth Godin is right about tribes, then Michael has an army! With almost 43,000 followers this man could go to war against Alexander the Great. And win. Yes, he's that smart.

On Saturday morning I tweeted about speaking at a conference on the topic of modesty. In true providential form, Mr. Hyatt tweeted about posting a blog about modesty no more than a second after I did. Michael could write about the necessity of Velcro in the 21st century and I'd love it, but this article was a perfect resource to read before I taught. So I tweeted again.

BiancaJuarez: Providence! @MichaelHyatt posted a blog about modesty the day I talk on the issue. I might have to steal his material ;) He won't mind.

And then it happened. My phone chirped with a Twitter direct message from Michael Hyatt. Wait, let me write that again. From. Michael. Hyatt.

MichaelHyatt: Absolutely! Steal away.

In that moment, Michael Jackson could have passed me his white glove, Jordan could've passed me a ball, and Scofield could've tattooed my name on his chest and I wouldn't have cared. Michael Hyatt sent me a direct message on Twitter. I squeeled like a little girl and nearly died. Twice.

Friday Video Post #2...

But Mom, I really want one! Even Daddy has a tattoo, I argued passionately. Yes, she replied, but that was when he was a drunk Marine in Viet Nam. Now he's a Christian. And with that one sentence, she struck the jugular. What I heard was something like this: Me + Tattoo = Not a Christian. In retrospect, I'm really glad my parents didn't allow me to get a tattoo when I wanted it at sixteen. I mean really, how uncool would I be today with a Lisa Frank dolphin on my ankle and the Chinese character for love on my tailbone?

Now that I'm older and study the scriptures with more voracity, I took at look at the tattoo-text in Leviticus 19. Though my mother's reason for forbidding tattoos was sincere, I'm not sure it's a Christian versus non-Christian issue. But she attended an uber-conservative church in her formative years and regurgitated the beliefs in our household. The problem is when we take a text out of context and make it a pretext for something else, we can become legalistic and dogmatic over issues that aren't explicitly sins. Or worse, we can have a gross misinterpretation of scripture.

The issues really deals with the intent of the heart and personal convictions. Here's my two cents:

Are Tattoos A Sin? from Bianca Juarez on Vimeo.

right relationships...

Friends and peers are vital in doing Life. Not all my friends are Christian. Not all my Christian friends share my personal convictions. Not all my Christian friends have the liberties I do. But I love the diversity! I love being challenged on certain topics and encouraged on others. What I've had to wrestle with is trying to find people who are like-minded and spiritually on par with where I am so I can go to them for prayer, I can open my heart to, I can share private issues with them and receive Godly counsel. But I've had to seek those relationships out. They didn't come to me.

I hear so many church people say they can't find accountability or a true friend to open up with. But do they think a stork is going to drop a large white bundle on your doorstep and you'll unwrap a best friend? No. Seek out right relationships. Put yourself out there. Make the first move. It's hard but the payoff is worth it. I know--I did it. I literally went up to two girls and asked them to be my friends. Seriously. I did. I told them to keep me accountable and gave them the right to speak into my life and ask hard questions.

Proverbs 27:6 Better are the wounds of a friend than the kisses of an enemy. These girls (and several others) have hurt me with the truth. But I am a better person because of it. I've intentionally connected myself to women who are connected to the Lord. If they weren't connected to the Redeemer, I will probably would become disconnected too. For bad company corrupts good morals (1 Cor. 3:13). I'm not saying not to hang out with non-Christians. I'm saying to be careful with who you open yourself up to for wisdom and counsel.

Thanks to Connie from Philly who asked such a great question for last week's vlog (video blog), I've been able to take inventory of those who I love and appreciate in my life. Tomorrow's vlog will be discussing tattoos :) I'm getting excited... rawr!

five things i love but don't want to...

Some people are effortlessly cool. I, on the other hand, must really try hard. You know, try to be witty, try to be suave, try to be composed when really I'm desperately trying to find that happy place of assurance in my mind. People like Promise Tangeman just are cool. Like, really, really, ridiculously cool [said like Zoolander]. Promise has a reoccurring post on her blog about the five things she loves each season. I told her I was going to copy her idea, but when non-cool kids try to be cool, it somehow ends up flat. So, I'm embracing Nerdom and creating my own version of "five things."

Five Things I Love But Don't Want To:

1. CalorieCount.com. Using this data-base you can plug in virtually any food and it'll tabulate your caloric intake. It'll also allow you to chart your weight loss, exercise routine, and help you target your necessary calories.

Why I hate it: I'm OCD and I'll become a bit too obsessed with trying to calculate my caloric intake. By the end of the day, I almost always go over my calorie amount and feel like calling my friends Ben and Jerry to bring spoons to the couch so we can commiserate.

2. Pink Grapefruit Perrier. I try not to drink carbonated liquids, but there is something about this sparkling water that I adore! I literally drink it out of the bottle like a parched man in the Sahara desert.

3. iPhone and apps. My iPhone is literally the bane of my existence. I don't want to love it, but I can't get rid of it. It's like a three-legged puppy with one eye; you don't want to like it, but it's almost neglectful to ignore it. I'm trying to work on turning it off just as an act of discipline. But yes, I twitch until it's back on.

4. Reality TV. Ugh, I know, I know. Reality television isn't real. But that's why it's better than real life. Hello?! I'm smart enough to know that game shows are rigged, scripts are surreptitiously memorized, and drama in injected to every episode, but that's what make it fun.

5. Hulu. My schedule pretty much doesn't allow time for television, but now there's this handy-dandy website that is AMAZING. Thanks Hulu for letting me waste the few free minutes I have on mind-rotting trash. You're the best!

So at the end of my day you'll find me sitting on my couch drinking Perrier out of the bottle, twittering on my iPhone, and tabulating my calories while watching reality TV on Hulu. So spill it! What are your five things you love but don't want to? I dare you!

why am i created...

For centuries philosophers have been asking the age old question why are we created? Socrates, Plato, Sartre, Derrida, Foucault have all discussed in conversation the meaning of life and our existence on earth. While in graduate school I remember feeling like an existential, metaphysical blob of collected cells. And let me tell you, walking around thinking there is no purpose in life and my existence is mere happenstance is a dark way to live. I'm surprised I didn't dress in black and hug myself while rocking in the corner of a dark room.

When I heard my friend Joey Rozek explain our purpose in life, it was painfully simple. I remember skeptically listening to his two minute dissertation on the true meaning of life and I was sure that there had to be more--there had to be a Secret that only one author and Oprah could truly know. But maybe, just maybe, Occam's razor was right: the simple answer is always the right one.

Why are we created? What is the meaning of life? We are created to bring God glory. Period, the end. Isaiah 43:7 says, Everyone who is called by my name, whom I have created for My glory... God has called us with a purpose and a destiny. I've asked a million times over what my purpose in life is. God has never come down with a booming voice and said, YOU ARE TO BE A UNDERWATER BASKET WEAVER, MY CHILD. What has happened is that I've taken steps of faith, then been able to look back at my journey and see that God's hand was upon every step. It's stepping out of the box and trusting, committing, and relying upon the Lord for direction.

Paul wrote to the Colossian church and informed them, All things were created through Him and for Him. If we believe this simple truth, that our purpose is to bring Him glory, no matter what you're doing should be for the glory of God. Teacher, chef, trash collector, homemaker, lawyer, homeschool mom, or dog whisperer, we have the honor and obligation to do all things for His good purpose.

Take pictures that make God proud. Write songs that make God proud. Run really fast to make God proud. He's given us gifts for His glory. Now use 'em!

wait for the great...

I used to have an affair. Yes, it's the truth. I became addicted at a very young age to something that was not good for me. In the realm of life-changing experiences in my three years on earth, McDonald's ranked above breathing, blinking, and sleep. According to urban legend [read: mom's memory], Jasmine and I would cry and wince in our car seats at we screamed out for fench fye every time we passed the magical golden arches. I still wince in my seat as I pass McDonald's--but it's for a new reason.

I saw the documentary SuperSize Me. Enough said. Since then I've been able to look at the manufactures of artificially colored cheese, processed meat, frozen hydrogenated fries, and fluffy white buns in a whole new light. McDonald's panders to those who want the simple, the easy, and the cheap. They've made billions on this marketing scheme and it's works (well, that and the McFlurries are delicious).

What really bothers me is that we've taken this mentality in our personal lives. I see countless of people settling for so little when they could have so much (Col. 2:9-10). Sure, we can survive of McDonald's 69 cents cheeseburgers... but why should we? More importantly, why would we want to? God is proverbially serving us His choicest meat (Hebrews 5:14) that has been marinated and rubbed with seasonings, baking delicious bread from imported flour (John 6:32-35), pouring unending drinks to quench our souls (John 4:10), but we sit totally content eating our artificially produced 69 cents cheeseburger?!

I vividly remember talking to a young girl who approached me and was upset that I lambasted McDonald's. Just because you don't like MickeyD's doesn't mean it's bad, she said with indignation and offense. I actually think it's really good, she crossed her arms at her chest and waited for a defense. I looked directly into her eyes, paused, and gently replied, Tanya, you think McDonald's is good because you've never had anything better. As hurtful as it may have sounded, it was true. Once we taste and see the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8), we will never want to go back to surviving off of something so little, when God has something so great.

Friday Video Post #1...

Hey y'all! For those who watched the interview yesterday and supported me with tweets or facebook comments, you rock! I was very nervous and felt unprepared to handle the topic thrown at me ten minutes before we went live, but it done with a purpose. Solo deo gloria, right?

We didn't get a chance to answer any of the questions asked on last week's post, so I'm being a brave girl and answering questions via my office... during construction... on my laptop camera... and no guest host... so cut me some slack. Who loves you, kid?

If you agree or don't agree on the issue, I'd love to hear your thoughts! Either way, thanks for stopping by, friends.

Edit to post: I said Hebrews 11:25, but it's actually 10:25. My bad!

www.hischannel.com...

So if by chance you're tired of facebooking at work, darning socks at home, or reorganizing your paper clip collection, you can tune into HisChannel today at 1:05pm (PST) to watch Today's Faith with Cheryl Brodersen and... er, um... me.

From what I gather so far, I'll be giving my two cents about being the most functional dysfunctional pastor's kid, ministry life, and what I do in my spare time. Basically, nothing more than life, love, and the pursuit of happiness. If we have time at the end, we'll be answering some of the questions you posted last week.

Eeeeeek! I'm so nervous/anxious/scared stupid. This is live so if I say something stupid, I'm asking for forgiveness in advance! Unfortunately there isn't a delete button for internet television :)