I Need To Write. I Need To Breathe Again. I'm Drowning In My Thoughts. Ideas Crash Like Waves Over Each

Don't you think that a physical relationship and sexual chemistry are a big part of a relationship too? I understand the principle of celibacy but I feel as if the physical connection is also very important in a serious relationship and it's something worth exploring before marriage.

YES. ABSOLUTELY, the physical aspect of a relationship is suuuuuuper duper important! You can’t have a healthy, functioning relationship without it. However, I don’t think that you need to have sex before marriage to figure that out. For me, I can tell if I find someone attractive the first time I look at them; I can tell if we have good chemistry the first time we flirt; and I can tell if I want to have sex with them the first time we kiss. Sooo I think that the physical chemistry and sexual tension is evident very early on in the relationship, and you don’t have to have sex to figure that out.

Also, in my ideal world, both I and my husband will be virgins on our wedding day, so we’ll sort of..embark on a journey together wherein we learn and try new stuff and experiment together. Kind of like…a blank slate. So we go in to he marriage open-minded and with an empty canvas and it ends up being a masterpiece. I think our marriage will be stronger because of that.

That’s just me :P Peace and love! -Katherine

Father`s Day Devo (My senior pastor asked me to write it for our church newsletter)

When I consider that God is spirit and has no biological relationships like humans do, I realize that the only reason God calls Himself “The Father” is for our benefit, to help us understand the relationship between God and people. God is described as many things: as our healer, provider, savior, and king; as a potter, a warrior, and a shepherd. However, our primary understanding of the identity of God is “God the Father”. So why is “Father” His preferred label? 

I came to the conclusion that if we were looking for something on earth that most closely resembled our relationship with God, It would be our relationship with our fathers. So I looked at my relationship with my dad. My dad’s the type of person who would move heaven and earth to help someone out. For example... 

-Last week he drove to Corner Brook to build a deck for the mother of one of his employees.  -Last summer I got a flat tire on my car while I was at work and he had it changed before I even finished my shift.  -When I was in grade 11, I had a public speaking competition the same weekend as the church youth retreat. He picked me up at Burry Heights, brought me to the competition in St. John’s, and then brought me back to Burry Heights after the competition. 

Truthfully, I will probably never know how much time and energy he puts into taking care of me when I’m not looking. That selfless devotion to taking care of our family and of the people around him is the essence of a father’s love. Fathers are spiritual models for how God loves us. The identity of a Christian father is imitating the character of God. The love that they demonstrate towards their children is a self-sacrificing love. That love puts their children before them. It’s the very same love that Jesus demonstrated when He died on the cross. 

In Matthew 7:11, Jesus says, “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” This is a father who literally can move heaven and earth to help us out. Like in Isaiah 38, when He made the sun go backwards, or Joshua 10, when the sun and moon stood still. Just picture God pinching the earth between His thumb and pointer finger to make it stop spinning. He interferes in the solar system for us! More importantly, He died for us. We will never grasp the vast and overwhelming love of God, but if we want a tiny glimpse, we’ll find it in our fathers.

"I think that if you're a half decent person, you'll get into heaven."

So guys I was thinking today: 

If someone says they're a Christian and then they look at me and they're like "I just think that if you're a half decent person you'll get into heaven." .... I honestly have to wonder if they've read the bible. The phrase you just uttered undermines the entire foundation of Christianity. You can't "get into" heaven by being a "good" person.

I mean, first of all, NO ONE is a good person. We're human. We're imperfect. We're mortal. And by default, we are literally incapable of being truly good. I mean, you can be alright and not like, kill people and stuff. But how do you define sin? I mean, where's the line between good people and bad people? Can you still be a good person if you've held a grudge against someone, judged someone or lied? Cause see, all sin is equal in the sight of God. There are no degrees of sin to God. It's a yes or no question. Have you or have you not done something that is not of God? The answer will always, irrefutably be yes. Romans 3:23 says "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

And so...and this is very important, so listen up...if you could "get into" heaven by being a good person, Jesus would never have had to die on the cross. 

So if you believe that you can get into heaven by being a good person, I guess you believe that the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is completely meaningless. And if Jesus Christ, being fully God, stepping into a mortal body, bearing the weight of all the sins of all the people who ever were and are to come, going to Hell, stealing the key and coming back to life to give you eternal life means absolutely nothing then what do we even believe in? 

Do you get the fact that Christianity is ALL ABOUT God reconciling the separation between sinful man and perfect deity? Do you realize that that is literally EVERYTHING that we believe in? 

Don't get it twisted: I'm not telling you that you're a bad person. I'm not telling you that you can't get into heaven. I don't think that I'm better than you and that I'm going to heaven and you're not. Because believe me, I am acutely aware of my own deficiencies. I KNOW how much I need grace. I'm just telling you that we are all human, and we all need Jesus if we wanna go to heaven. If you don't wanna go to heaven, well..I can't help you. :P

Lots of love :) Peace y'all! -Katherine

Hate is not a productive response to hate. How are we to have genuine dialogue with someone when we're putting them on the defensive? How are we to overcome evil by stooping to the same level? How are we to correct ignorance by overshadowing the real issue with our ugly words? By hating those who hate us, we ensure that we will remain trapped in a cycle of hate. Just because you're hating in the opposite direction doesn't mean you're doing the opposite of hating. You're still hating. Two wrongs will never make a right. We must overcome hate with something stronger than hate. You know where I'm going with this, right? Love. Love will always conquer hate. Love is the most radical, scandalous answer to hate, because it is unnatural. Not unnatural. Supernatural. Jesus says to love those who hate you. When your love is big enough to swallow wave after wave of malice and vitriol, then you will be truly victorious. Then you will see people take notice. Then you will change the world.

Hands

What are God's hands like?

I imagine He could hold all the earth's oceans in his cupped hand.  I imagine His fist could blot out the sun.  I imagine that the whorls and ridges of His thumb could be all the world's mountains and valleys.  I imagine the rings of his fingerprints could be the age rings of trees.  I imagine His fingernail could be the moon. 

I think that those are the hands that affixed the stars in the vast expanse of the night sky.  I think those are the hands that designed the structures of space.  The hands that penned the story of time.  The hands that composed the melody of the universe. The hands that directed the dance of the planets.  The hands that plucked the strings of life itself, its chords awakening the earth.  The hands that can stop the spinning of the globe on its axis. The hands that sculpted my face.  The hands that formed my bones. The hands that knit the fibers of my DNA together.  

What do such powerful and tender hands look like?

God's hands have a pale, circular scar in the center of each palm. They're a reminder of the nails that held Him to the cross. Those scars are remnants of the torture He endured, inflicted by the people He came to save. Those scars represent the despair and desperation of Jesus when God the father turned His back on His son. The blemishes on His palm are not imperfections; they're symbolic of His perfect sacrifice. They are tokens of the blood price He paid for our freedom. The scars testify to His victory over the grave. They proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord of Life and Death! 

Also, upon close inspection, one might notice that the intricate network of lines on His hands are note creases like on our hands, but strings of very tiny letters. His entire hands are covered in minute writing. If you could read it, you would discover that it's an overwhelmingly long list of names, inscribed indelibly on God's hands. God has written your name, and my name, and the name of every single one of His children on His hands. He will never forget us because we are eternally inked on His palm.  

Therefore, God's hands are the ultimate expression of His character. They are literally covered in the evidence of His infinite love for us, and marked with proof of His unconditional grace. 

When you kneel to pray, and fold your own hands in front of you, stop to envision your Creator's hands, emblazoned with love and grace. 

I think they must be the most beautiful hands in the world. 

I loved your response about Margery Kempe, but I take issue with the "too heavenly minded" quote. Borrowing from Randy Alcorn's book Heaven, being heavenly minded is something missed in the Church today. Paul was very heavenly minded, but that drove him to focus all the more on serving Christ on earth. I think the two go hand-in-hand for Christians. If our heavenly focus is neglected, we are more likely to become wrapped up in things of this world that do not last.

Aw hi! Thanks for that :) I'm really happy you took the time to tell me that you liked my response. And also, that is a very excellent point!  I agree that there is definitely a rampant and dangerous pandemic of people who are far too earthly minded to be of any heavenly good. And really, I'd rather be of heavenly good than of earthly good because forever is an awfully long time, and if what I do only has any significance in this world, then I've essentially accomplished nothing. I suppose that I used the quote rather flippantly because I agree with you that heavenly thinking should truly be our motivator for...everything. And that everything we do in this world should be done with the consciousness of the double consequences: natural and supernatural consequences. Again, thanks so much for stopping by to chat :) And thank you for pointing out that blind spot in my earlier response. :) 

"Being a Christian doesn't mean you're perfect, it just means you're forgiven."

You know, sometimes I think we miss the whole point of GRACE. It’s not a one-time thing (thank God), like we become a Christian and we pray that prayer, and then in that moment, everything in our past is wiped away, and then we have to be perfect form that point on. Like all our past mistakes are forgiven but we’re not allowed to make any more.

See, I have this weird complex-type thing where I’m almost convinced that I have to be absolutely perfect and I can’t handle it if I’m not. And I think that among my peers, there are more people like me than I thought. So let’s all stop, take a breath, and accept the fact that we will fail. Let’s stop hating on ourselves because “I’m not patient enough”, “I don’t have enough faith”, “I doubt God”, “I’m a terrible person”. The last one isn’t even true, for anybody. And the rest of those flaws are not the end of the world.

Because, grace means that it’s OKAY that we aren’t perfect! That is the very reason why Jesus died. The blood he shed for us covers every time we slip. I KNOW I’m not good enough! So did Jesus. That’s why He gave us His Holy Spirit to live in us and complete us, to fill the areas where we are lacking, to give us the spirit of Christ, to adopt us into His family, and give us eternal life. In my weakness, His strength is revealed. I am not enough, but He lives in me, and He is. THAT is grace.

Grace means it’s okay to be human. GRACE is what distinguishes Christianity from any religion, because it means that we don’t have to be good enough. Thank God, I don’t have to be good enough, because I never could.

This is a journal entry of mine slash a letter I wrote to my friend from a couple years ago:

“March 5, 2011

That perfect girl I want to be…she doesn’t exist. That’s the truth. Let the truth set you free. Jesus knows us. He knows that our hearts are deceitful and wicked and betray our best intentions. He knows we’re gonna screw up daily..many times a day in fact. He knows that we haven’t the faintest glimmer of hope of being the person we think we’re supposed to be, but He doesn’t want us to be that person. He just wants us to be us and let Him use us. He just wants us to choose to give Him EVERYTHING, the good and the bad to Him, because He made us, and He doesn’t make anything He can’t use. That’s when our weakness is replaced by God’s strength.

If we were perfect, what would we need Jesus for? We could get to Heaven on our own then! But that’s not the point. We are accutely aware of our own inadequacies and failings and it is because of that that we can truly appreciate the magnitude of His infinite love and GRACE, and what He did for us on the cross.

So yes, don’t be comfortable with your mistakes. By all means, try your best to be the best you can be, but don’t hate yourself when you make a mistake, or when you feel like your character is flawed beyond repair. Instead, embrace the redeeming power of Jesus’ blood.”

One of my favourite quotes is from a song by Lecrae, called Background. The lyrics say “Cause if I do this by myself I’m scared that I’ll succeed, and no longer trust in you, cause I only trust in me.”

We are nothing without Christ. So why do we try so hard to be something without Him, and why are we so surprised and dismayed when we fail time after time? Embrace being imperfect, and embrace the grace that says it’s okay.

The anti-refugee stance is closer to collaborating with ISIS than standing up to it.

Dave Pell (via blakebaggott)

THIS IS WHAT IM SAYING

I am not Christian, but I'm doing a project on Margery Kempe for school. She was a deeply religious person, her love for Jesus was so strong she would cry even at the thought of Him, as it remind her directly of His death. She morned for His death as if it had happened that very day. The society in which she lived didn't necessarily condone this behaviour. As someone who is religious what are your thoughts and opinions on Margery Kempe and her behaviours? I value your opinion.

Aww! You value my opinion?! I’m so honoured! 

Okay so I have a lot of thoughts on the topic of Margery Kempe. 

The first is that her religious education may have been slightly deficient.

I read that she wanted to become a nun but she couldn’t because she was already married. And also that she wanted to devote herself to a life of servitude for Christ but that she became a businesswoman instead. These two things are not mutually exclusive. God places people in innumerable different locations, vocations and situations as a part of his “master plan” (if you will) and people are just as effective in ministry as a teacher, a nurse, a lawyer, a doctor, a janitor, a McDonald’s employee or a plumber…as they are as a pastor.

Furthermore, a marriage need not be celibate to enhance your spirituality. Paul is one example of someone in the bible who was celibate and he wasn’t even married. He was just single. [EDIT: single at the time when he was writing the part of the bible that we read. SIDENOTE: Whether or not he may have ever been married is over my head and I have to do some more research. I’ll get back to you.] Paul said himself that it is “better to marry than to burn with lust” (1 Corinthians 7:9). And apparently ms. Kempe was subject to sexual temptations. God never intended for us to never ever have sex. He just designed it with a users manual (see what I said about sex here).

And finally, the whole confessing of your sins thing. Part of the reason she had her first vision was the panic brought on by the belief that she was not absolved from her partially-confessed “secret sin” and the fear of eternal damnation. Just for the record, that’s not how it works at all. You don’t have to go through a priest; you can speak directly to Jesus. And as soon as you tell him what it is you feel bad about and apologize for it, it’s gone. Poof! Might as well have never happened, for all He’s concerned. So for all these reasons, I think that Margery’s starting point was a bit flawed. 

Second of all, if I met someone who behaved the way she did today, I would think they were a wingnut.

I’m 100% serious. She sounds like a straight-up lunatic. That being said, I am IN NO WAY saying that her visions were not real or that she was a liar. I know that Jesus loves her deeply and passionately, and that she is of infinite importance to Him. I just wonder at the way she reacted to them. I personally feel that she had some personal, very human, issues that acted as a filter through which she perceived her religion and that these issues affected her behaviours. 

For example, take the fact that she had “sexually charged visions of Jesus” (found on spark notes, haha). woah. gurlfran, if you’re having sexually charged visions of Jesus, I think something is very wrong. Jesus is (as of right now) a totally spiritual being, and I think that a real and pure encounter with someone who is a totally spiritual being, could not be so closely associated with such a very carnal and physical desire unless it was corrupted by something. 

Also, check out this quote from an interesting article I found on the topic: 

“During the medieval period women were subjected to either of two stereotypes: They were the subject of clerical misogyny that saw women as the incarnation of every evil or docile, virginal martyrs – both extreme presentations. However, in a time when women’s voices were generally very rarely heard, female mystics who experienced ‘signs from God’, (such as visions), were empowered to speak out and challenge the social perceptions of themselves.”  

Is it possible that the interactions between Margery’s gender and her religious experiences played a role in some subconscious motivation for her incredibly public displays of emotion? I’m just asking. 

Finally, in that same article mentioned above, it says that modern-day psychologists say that she exhibited many of the symptoms of schizophrenia: 

The inability to make or keep friends

A preoccupation with self

Anxiety

The obvious, delusions and visual and auditory hallucinations…”visions”, as it were.

Apparently, it is possible that her schizophrenia was triggered by “childbirth, bereavement and the exhaustive demands of a religious life.” Furthermore, “The form schizophrenia takes is directly linked to the cultural and social influences to the patient, and in the pre-scientific mass psyche of the Middle Ages, schizophrenia understandably manifested itself religiously.”

Okay, again, even though it may sound as thought I’m very skeptical (okay, I’m kind of skeptical) I am not negating the validity of her spiritual devotion. I’m not an expert, I’m just some chick in the 21st century with a laptop. I wasn’t inside her head, and I will never presume to fathom the ways of God. I just think that our religious beliefs and behaviours are filtered through our human experience, and I think that she had a lot of filters. 

The third thing I thought when reading about Margery Kempe was, “but…Jesus isn’t dead anymore.” 

It’s a terribly simplistic and childlike thing to think, but it’s true nonetheless. I understand that she mourned for the depth of his suffering, and the time, when He was on the cross. That’s cool. We all should, and do, take time to understand the inhumanity and cruelty of His murder. I honestly think that history was arranged in such a way that Jesus had to endure the cruelest form of death ever devised by man. 

HOWEVER. The really exciting thing…the thing on which our whole entire system of belief is founded…the thing that blows my mind…is that Jesus DID NOT STAY DEAD. I told my grade one-ers on Sunday morning: “Jesus beat Death!” And He is risen, and He is reigning, and His victory over death brought life for you and for me. And so weeping continuously reminds me of this skit. Jesus is no longer dead and we cannot treat Him as such. We should be celebrating His resurrection and His victory, and the freedom that brings to us! 

Last thought, I promise. Have you ever heard the expression, “too heavenly minded to be of any earthly good”? 

Now you have. That’s what I think about Margery. I mean if, as Christians, we truly believe in the love and mercy and gospel of Jesus Christ, then our primary goal should be to attract people to Him and to show them His love. 2 Corinthians 5:13 says “If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit.” I interpret that verse this way: 

Humans are primarily spiritual beings in physical shells. And our creator is a majestic, infinite, wonderful, awe-inspiring, spiritual being. And when we closely encounter Him, it messes us up, man. In a good way. Such experiences manifest themselves in the physical world (some say “in the natural”) in interesting ways, like strange languages, tears, laughter, trembling, and sometimes falling down. I think that when one experiences an encounter with God, the only natural response is an involuntary outpouring of emotion. I mean, it’s God. Our instinctive reaction to His presence is awe and worship. But I’ve only ever seen these things happen in a church service, which is a safe environment, where we’re not gonna scare anybody. You would generally not expect to see someone having a “God moment” in the middle of the street. 

And we have to be conscious of our “dual-citizenship”, if you will. Yes, we are spiritual, and we must live as such. But we are also physical, and we are put here, in this physical world, for a reason. We’ve got stuff to do. And if we’re walkin around cryin all the time, we’re not gonna get anything done. 

So like, you said that you’re not a Christian. And you know that I am. If we know each other in person, hopefully I have never behaved in a religiously fanatical manner in your presence. I try to keep that toned down ;) in all seriousness, I try to be as in the world (while not being of the world) as I can. If we’ve never met in person, I promise I’m not gonna dissolve into tears at the sight of any babies. I won’t hit you with bibles or throw holy water on you. I’ll try to be pretty normal :) 

IN CONCLUSION (”finally!”, you say): Margery Kempe was probably a devoted christian woman, who truly loved her lord, but who lacked the proper religious education, and who was somewhat troubled and misguided. 

Thank you for the question :)Peace and love! -Katherine 

Katherine's Favourite Things - Favourite Musical Artist

Okay, you probably wont ever catch me posting about music every again because my tastes are pretty eclectic, and I don’t have a very extensive knowledge of music, but this one time, I really really really wanna write about music.

 My favourite artist is Macklemore. This is unabashedly, unashamedly, a Macklemore appreciation post. And I know that if I’m a Christian I suppose my favourite artist should be like Tenth Avenue North or something (don’t get me wrong – I love Tenth Avenue North, and Sidewalk Prophets, and Bluetree, and Mikeschair and all of those fantastic people) but it’s Macklemore. Furthermore, at least four of the people in my life who are the closest to me have expressed concern at my recent obsession with the poor guy.

 Hear me out.

 Reason #1 why I love Macklemore: He is independently produced.

And the fact that he always has been, and chooses to remain, independently produced and the reasons he does so, tells you a lot about him. Take a look at some of his lyrics…

 “I’d rather be a starving artist than succeed at getting f***ed.” – Jimmy Iovine, Macklemore

 “Not gonna lie, that s*** sounds so nice, but I got creative control and my soul’s mine.” – Victory Lap, Macklemore

 “If I’d done it for the money I’da been a f***ing lawyer.” – Make the Money, Macklemore

 “I was put here to do something before I’m lying in the casket. I’d be lying on the beat if I said I didn’t know what that was.” – Vipassana, Macklemore

 “I make a living off my words and do what I love for work.” – Ten Thousand Hours, Macklemore

 “If I’m not making music, why the f*** am I existing?” – Inhale Deep, Macklemore

 “People fear that if they’re steering away from the mainstream then their album won’t sell. Well I could give a f***. I’m just gonna freestyle and spit what’s in my gut.” – I Said Hey, Macklemore

 Please note, four out of seven of those quotes were taken from songs that were written after he actually became successful. As you can see from his writing, he’s independently produced because this is not about the money for him. He makes music because it’s who he is and what he was made for, and because it’s the only way he knows to express himself. He was actually offered a record deal and turned it down because he prefers to write what he wants instead of what will sell. Admittedly, he has said “I’m not dissin anyone who’s trying to get paid; I’m trying to get paid too.” (BBoy) and “I’ll be honest, I’m tryna become famous.” (Ego) and that’s perfectly understandable and acceptable, but he does it on his own terms, and that deserves mad props.

 Reason #2 why I love Macklemore: He is conscious of the responsibility associated with his platform as a rapper.

Anybody making music for the general public could be called a “role model”. I’ve heard the arguments that it’s not their job to raise your kids and that they never asked to be a role model, and honestly, I call bulls***. Whether you like it or not, the minute you picked up that microphone, stepped into that recording booth or onto that stage, you made yourself a role model. Kids are listening to your lyrics and those words are infiltrating their psyche and shaping their worldview and you better own up to the responsibility that comes with that. It’s up to you what you do with it, but be aware of it.

 And Macklemore gets it. And he uses his power for good and not evil!

 “And if you want to you can go and label me cautious, but remember there’s a kid at a bus stop beat boxing whose life will be affected by what’s inside of his Walkman.” – I Said Hey, Macklemore

 “Us as rappers underestimate the power and the effect that we have on these kids.” – Otherside, Macklemore

 “How can I talk about the problems of someone else when I don’t have the motivation or confidence to change myself?” – Inhale Deep, Macklemore

 “Not to say that I’m a role model, but I know these words are power.” – Contradiction, Macklemore

 “Am I building the empire up or using my fire to burn it down?” – Contradiction, Macklemore

 That last quote there is probably one of my favourites ever of all his lyrics, because it demonstrates his entire philosophy towards making music, and I find it extremely gratifying to know that he is aware of the power in his lyrics and that he’s consciously trying to write things that are productive and edifying and positive.

 Reason #3 why I love Macklemore: He addresses the duality of Caucasian culture.

My mom calls me a reverse racist, because instead of thinking my race is superior to all others, I think that mine is inferior to all others. She’s technically right, but I would like to tell you that that’s not entirely accurate. Okay, from an esthetic point of view, I have to say that white is my personal least favourite. That’s not the point. The point is that I’m kind of uncomfortable being on the privileged side of injustice. You know? My skin colour has such a history of hate and judgment and inhumanity associated with it. My skin colour still gets treated better. And I don’t understand it and I don’t think it’s fair and I don’t know how to deal with that so it manifests itself in this subconscious desire to not be white.

 And I like to think that Macklemore knows what I’m talking about. He wrote an entire song called “White Privilege”, specifically about the “cultural appropriation” of hip hop music by white people, and in that song, he said that we’re “so scared to acknowledge the benefits of our white privilege.” In the song “A Wake”, he says “white privilege, white guilt, at the same d*** time.” I’ve probably never heard a lyric more accurate in describing my feelings towards my pigment.

 Here’s the extended quote:

 “And my subconcious telling me stop it

This is an issue that you shouldn't get involved in

Don't even tweet, R.I.P Trayvon Martin

Don't wanna be that white dude, million man marchin'

Fighting for a freedom that my people stole

Don't wanna make all my white fans uncomfortable

But you don't even have a f***in' song for radio

Why you out here talkin race, tryin' to save the f***in' globe

Don't get involved with the causes in mind

White privilege, white guilt, at the same d*** time

So we just party like it's nineteen ninety nine

Celebrate the ignorance while these kids keep dying”

 Snap.

 Reason #4 why I love Macklemore: His transparency.

In the song “Can’t Hold Us”, he says “I shed my skin and put my bones into everything I record” and that’s a pretty good way to describe it. He’s completely genuine in all his writing.

 “A lifelong passion, journey and drive; an emcee. People ask me what it means/I don’t know where to start – it’s the deepest connection between my soul and my heart”

…

“This s*** ain’t complicated man just be who you are.”

…

“Now who’s got the passion? Stand the h*** up! Cause I wanna hear somebody rappin who’s got it inside their cuts. Or you can get intricate displayin your fancy cadences, but if you’re not speakin truth you might as well not be saying s***.”

…

“If I don’t speak me, what’s the difference between my lyrics and what you hearin on MTV?”

-I Said Hey, Macklemore

 “Whatever happened to the heart that pumped the passion into the art?”

…

“If you gotta think to feel, that’s not rapping that’s acting.”

…

“In the end what’s classic? Radio bubble-gum or a voice filled with passion?”

-BBoy, Macklemore

 “I use my veins to create the colour I paint from. Delve into something til my heart becomes my paintbrush.” 

…

“I stare into this paper instead of sitting in a cubicle/take all the ugly s*** inside and try to make it beautiful/use the cement from rock bottom and make it musicle/so people can relate to where I’ve been, where I’m going, what I’ve seen, what I’ve heard.”

-Vipassana, Macklemore

 “Now for artists and musicians you see the target’s to listen to the heart and then script it with no margin or limits. To make the pain, strengths, sunrays a part of the picture and convey it in every shade and take it farther and vivid.” – As Soon As I Wake Up, Macklemore

 To me, this demonstrates a respect for the art form and his true passion as an artist. You will never find a song on one of his albums that doesn’t draw either from his own experiences or his own convictions. He’s adamant about the dangers of talking about things in your music that you haven’t lived yourself. And now I know a lot about him and his life just by listening to his lyrics and what I see through those words inspires respect and admiration.

 Reason #5 why I love Macklemore: His humility.

I have mad respect for people who strive to remain humble, especially when they’re routinely performing for thousands and thousands of screaming fans. He wrote an entire song (“Ego”) about the ego associated with hip-hop culture, and the evidence of that same ego inside of himself, and the struggle to conquer the ego.

 “Put those gloves on, sparring with my ego.” – Ten Thousand Hours, Macklemore

 “I got my city right behind me. If I fall, they got me. Learn from that failure, gain humility, and then we keep marching.” – Can’t Hold Us, Macklemore

 “I’m just a flawed man, man I f***ed up. Like so many others I just never thought I would.” – Starting Over, Macklemore

 In case you didn’t know, Macklemore used to be a drug addict and an alcoholic and went to rehab and got clean and was clean for 3+ years and then relapsed. The song Starting Over is about his relapse. It’d break your heart. The first time I heard it, I kinda just wanted to give him a hug. Some of the lyrics:

 “Everyone that put me in some box as a saint that I never was, just a false prophet that never came.”

 “Will they think that everything that I’ve written has all been fake or will I just take my slip to the grave?”

 “I’d rather live telling the truth and be judged for my mistakes than falsely held up, given props, loved and praised.”

 “God wrote Otherside, the pen was in my hand. I’m just a flawed man, man I f***ed up. Like so many others I just never thought I would. I never thought I would. Didn’t pick up the book, but doing it by myself didn’t turn out that good.”

 “If I can be an example of getting sober, then I can be an example of starting over.”

 It takes great strength and vulnerability to be so open about your failings, your mistakes and your struggles to millions of strangers. He doesn’t mind being imperfect, even in his position as a popular musical artist. That humility will keep him grounded, and it will protect him from the pressure in his culture of music and media. There will never be a scandal about him because he’d probably be the first one to admit his mistake to his fans, in a song. That integrity is rare and valuable.

 Reason #6 why I love Macklemore: His commitment to his fiancée.

They’re engaged after seven years of dating. ‘Nuff said.

 Actually, not enough said. Let’s talk about this girl – Tricia Davis – shall we? This chick is phenomenal. I can’t imagine it’s easy sticking with someone through addiction, rehab and relapse. And she’s been with him since his humble beginnings all through his rise to fame. The way he talks about her in songs like Love Song and The End is truly touching and so an extension of my respect for Macklemore is my respect for his fiancée.

 Reason #7 why I love Macklemore: He uses his struggles to help other people.

Okay, so he screwed up. We all do. The truly amazing thing is that he’s completely turned his life around and is using his past mistakes for good. He’s very open about his battle with addiction in his music and the song Otherside has reached thousands of people who either struggle themselves or know someone who struggle with addiction. He’s a shining beacon of hope for everyone who is trying to quit or kick the habit. How many of us can say that we can take our failures and turn them into something positive? That’s just his attitude towards life – keep marching, keep looking forward, and use everything that’s behind you to propel you onward. Incredible.

 Reason #8 why I love Macklemore: the sheer quality content of his songs and the fact that he tackles tough issues head-on.

This is the reason I’ve always loved rap more than any other genre. Because I am a very words oriented person, I appreciated the songs with a story and with profound messages than the fluffy worship songs that were just the same three lines over and over again. It’s just me – a well-constructed sentence, not a pretty tune, tugs on my heartstrings. So when I discovered (very late in his career, I am ashamed to admit) this rapper on pop radio, I was astounded and impressed that the same guy who had a song on the top hits with Ryan Seacrest, was rapping about these topics:

Homelessness (see “City Don’t Sleep”)

Racism (See “A Wake”, “Claiming This City”, and “White Privilege”)

Homophobia (See “Same Love”)

Consumerism (See “Make the Money” and “Jimmy Iovine”)

Materialism (See “Wing$”)

The justice system – specifically juvenile incarceration (See “Soldiers)

Politics – through satire (See “Bush Song” and “American”)

Religion (See “Church” and “Neon Cathedral”)

Drugs (See “Vipassana”, “Inhale Deep”, “Otherside” and “Starting Over”)

 Like, are we not gonna talk about this? I’m so proud of him because someone who actually talks about stuff that matters made it to number one on iTunes! He’s the type of artist who makes you want to go right out and change the world. So I’ll leave you with one final quote of his:

 “You wanna see change? Then put your ones in the air. Then point em to yourself cause change starts right there.” – City Don’t Sleep, Macklemore.

 And he lives it.

 Sooooo….in conclusion: dear friends and family, I think the question here is not “why do I love Macklemore so much?”, it’s “Why don’t you??”

 Who’s your favourite band/musical artist?