Why do I repulsively ignore that you’re there when without you there is not even air
I sit and I wonder why life is this way, why these things must take place, why I can’t see your face,
But then I see the creations that can only be done into your perfection by the one hand that will never let go
That is when I know
You never leave my side even as I try to hide
As if I could run from you or decline this honor that is not mine
Your love and your grace, your desire and companionship, your story, your word
Your son
You answer every call and your timing will never run behind
You know yet seeing am I, the more knowledgeable are the blind
For the blind do not question the beauty in this world
They see the flawlessness in all that you have done and do not question that the war has already been won
Lord I pray that you make me blind so that I might see the beauty in your eyes
That I may rely on you for all that I do
I pray that you wrap me in your arms and show me your secret place
You show me the escape, and remind me that you are the only way
One way
You are the only way
Never changing or leaving or letting go
You are living and you are loving and I am never left alone
Your love goes deeper than any can imagine
Right down to the pit of my soul
You love your people
you love me
And that’s all I need to know
30 April 2011
02 October 2010
The Heart
As humans, as people, we are always told to guard our hearts. Especially as women, we are told not to lay our hearts out on the line unless we are certain it is the right decision. But how can we be sure if it is the right decision if we can’t put our hearts out there to begin with? “Listen to your heart,” is what I am always told but how can I do that if I have to put up walls around it? Am I missing out on some cool internal phone line from inside the walls? How do I decipher when it is okay and when it is not, who it is okay to put my entirety into and who is not?
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. - Proverbs 17:17
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. . .And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. - excerpts from 1 Corinthians 13:4-13
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. - John ffection15:12-13
'Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. - Leviticus 19:18
Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs. – Proverbs 10:12
Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends. – Proverbs 17:9
We recognize a lot of these verses because nine times out of ten a person would agree that love is the most important thing to man. Well what is love? Love is a strong positive emotion of regard and affection. According to my MacArthur Study Bible, (btw an awesome bible well worth the cost) “affection literally refers to the internal organs, which is the part of the body that reacts to intense emotion. It became the strongest Greek word to express compassionate love—a love that involves one’s entire being” (notes on Philippians 1:8). One’s entire being! Hello! Take that as you may but as a part of your entire being there is your heart! With that in mind, how in the world do we expect to fulfill God’s commands on love if we have to worry about guarding our hearts and putting up walls? Well I have good news for you!
Philippians 4:7 says "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
This is our answer! This is how great and wonderful our Lord is! He tells us to love and the world says “Wait! BE CAREFUL! Don’t put yourself in the way of a heart break,” but God steps in and says “I have taken care of it! Do not be afraid of your heart being broken! I am guarding it and therefore it is in not just in good hands but in the hands of the best!” I don’t know about you but this is incredible news to me! It is something to get excited about! So what does this mean exactly… for me, this means that those friends over there who have hurt me in the past, the ones everyone keeps telling me to just forget about, I am still going to love them will the entirety of my heart because I know that God is guarding it. I am free from listening to everyone tell me to be careful and to forget about them. I am blessed enough to get to love them with all that’s in me, and my God is not going to let me down.
So this is just something that God has laid on my heart here lately so I thought I would share :) Have a great day in the Lord!
30 September 2010
Informing a male that there are feelings floating around in a personal universe just for them is a complex and fragile procedure. The supplies for telling someone of these feeling vary depending upon the situation, however for this technique supplies include a love interest, a fictional or nonfictional stud, form of communication, and a friend for support.
Step one is finding a stud. A stud is person or character looked upon as someone that others strive to become. A male that knows where he is going in life, and could have any lady marry him in a heartbeat. The stud can be found in a book, a movie, personal experience, or any other dimension in life. A stud has to mean something on a personal level. Once the stud is chosen get to know him from the inside out. While doing this make sure the love interest knows about the stud. Tell the love interest to read the book, watch the movie, get to know the stud, etc. by bringing it up in casual conversation.
Step two is making sure the love interest knows about the stud. Suggest to the love interest reading the book or watching the movie that the stud is in, or tell him to get to know or research the stud in person by bringing the stud up in casual conversation. Bringing up the stud in casual conversation is simple. Ask the love interest if he has ever met the stud, watched the movie, read the book, etc. and wait for the response. If they have not, recommend it to them, and if they have move on to the next step.
Step three, tell the love interest what makes the stud a stud. Explain the characteristics and qualities of the stud that put him above all others. Get his opinion on how he feels about the stud by simply asking, “Is he a stud or what?” and see what the love interest has to say. He will most likely answer with a simple “yes”, so from there you move on to step four.
Step four is the climax of the process, the big shebang. After discussing the stud, relate a quality of the love interest to a quality of the stud. Give a couple examples of how the love interest is similar to the stud allowing the love interest to feel like a stud himself. As the love interest is feeling all high and mighty about himself just through in there that he in fact could be a stud. At this point he should know that there are those feelings floating around in a personal universe just for him, and as he is realizing what that means tell him that he is the new stud.
The final step in this process is letting the feelings go. Let out the words “Be my stud? Check yes or no.” and let him take it from there. He will then proceed to state his opinion on why he should or should not take up the offer in becoming the stud, but either way a task has been accomplished that many fail to conquer.
Do not make the process more difficult than need be but understand the complexity of the procedure and its fragileness. Follow the five steps as listed; find a stud, inform the love interest about the stud, explain how the stud became the stud, relate the qualities of the stud and love interest, and finally ask the love interest to become the new stud. Follow the five simple yet challenging steps and there is no way to fail. Whether the answer wanted is received or not be proud of the accomplishment at hand. Just because the current love interest does not accept the call of the stud does not mean that there will never be one who will. Good luck on informing that male love interest on how he is to be the future stud, and never give up the dream of having the stud.
Step one is finding a stud. A stud is person or character looked upon as someone that others strive to become. A male that knows where he is going in life, and could have any lady marry him in a heartbeat. The stud can be found in a book, a movie, personal experience, or any other dimension in life. A stud has to mean something on a personal level. Once the stud is chosen get to know him from the inside out. While doing this make sure the love interest knows about the stud. Tell the love interest to read the book, watch the movie, get to know the stud, etc. by bringing it up in casual conversation.
Step two is making sure the love interest knows about the stud. Suggest to the love interest reading the book or watching the movie that the stud is in, or tell him to get to know or research the stud in person by bringing the stud up in casual conversation. Bringing up the stud in casual conversation is simple. Ask the love interest if he has ever met the stud, watched the movie, read the book, etc. and wait for the response. If they have not, recommend it to them, and if they have move on to the next step.
Step three, tell the love interest what makes the stud a stud. Explain the characteristics and qualities of the stud that put him above all others. Get his opinion on how he feels about the stud by simply asking, “Is he a stud or what?” and see what the love interest has to say. He will most likely answer with a simple “yes”, so from there you move on to step four.
Step four is the climax of the process, the big shebang. After discussing the stud, relate a quality of the love interest to a quality of the stud. Give a couple examples of how the love interest is similar to the stud allowing the love interest to feel like a stud himself. As the love interest is feeling all high and mighty about himself just through in there that he in fact could be a stud. At this point he should know that there are those feelings floating around in a personal universe just for him, and as he is realizing what that means tell him that he is the new stud.
The final step in this process is letting the feelings go. Let out the words “Be my stud? Check yes or no.” and let him take it from there. He will then proceed to state his opinion on why he should or should not take up the offer in becoming the stud, but either way a task has been accomplished that many fail to conquer.
Do not make the process more difficult than need be but understand the complexity of the procedure and its fragileness. Follow the five steps as listed; find a stud, inform the love interest about the stud, explain how the stud became the stud, relate the qualities of the stud and love interest, and finally ask the love interest to become the new stud. Follow the five simple yet challenging steps and there is no way to fail. Whether the answer wanted is received or not be proud of the accomplishment at hand. Just because the current love interest does not accept the call of the stud does not mean that there will never be one who will. Good luck on informing that male love interest on how he is to be the future stud, and never give up the dream of having the stud.
A Word
23 March 2004
This was the best birthday ever! I am finally one year away from being an adult, and now I can go watch those R rated movies with my new boyfriend. That was my favorite part of the whole day. Chris came over for the family birthday dinner and he had some surprises for me. He made me a bear that is dressed up in a tux, he brought me flowers, colorful daisies, and the best of it all was when he asked me to be his girlfriend while we were out under the stars. Of course the only thing to do was to accept with the seal a kiss. I just know we are going to last a lifetime and live happily ever after.
20 July 2004
Chris called me today. I tried to act like I haven’t thought about him sense that night back in April, but I am pretty sure he could tell I was lying. He said he was sorry and that he wanted to go out sometime to catch up. I want so badly for him to be telling the truth but I cannot help but think it is another lie. I wish I could be really mad at him and just tell him off; I know that it is a blessing that I lack the urge to do that though. I was devastated when he told me he had been cheating. Did he ever even like me in the first place, or was I just a cover up, a back-up plan? It does not matter now, what has happened happened and I need to move on. What if it truly was a mistake though and he is truly sorry; we can work through it. Things will be different this time.
1 August 2004
Chris took me to a Saints game tonight, and it was so much fun! In the middle of the third we made a touchdown and he kissed me. It was strange at first because it has been so long, but it was nice to have him in my arms again. I knew everything was going to work out. I know he leaves for college in a week, but he is not going very far away. We are going to have our happily ever after after all.
10 December 2004
Still no word from Chris, and I really thought this time would be different; he was the one. We had talked about going to school together and getting married. We were going to have kids and grow old together. Why did I ever believe him?
23 August 2005
Dad has never been one for storms, so I cannot help but wonder why we live here in Louisiana. I know it has to do with his job but seeing him get worked up every time it starts to rain just adds to my stress level. Does he not realize that I have bigger problems in my life than the weather? I have school and work. I have the dogs to take care of, I have to taxi Sommer around, and then there is Chris. I do not see much of Chris these days which is a good thing, but I cannot help but miss him deep down. Either way I wish my dad would find another job. A job where the sun always shines and there is not a cloud in sight. Maybe the Sahara Dessert would be better.
25 August 2005
Chris called. I did not think I was ever going to hear from him again, so this came as kind of an unpleasant surprise. He sounded like Dad, acting as if this storm was going to be so much worse than anything else we have endured. Why does it matter what happens to me anyways; he does not care. I nicely informed him that he meant nothing to me and to just leave me and my family alone. I said that we would be perfectly fine and not to act like he cared. I am not sure but it sounded like he started to cry. He probably just had a cold. Anyways, he said he had something to give to me, but I told him I did not want it. He did not listen though. He came by the house and gave a letter to my dad for me. I have not read it, and I do not want to. I think I might just leave it outside to blow away with this “horrible storm” that Chris and his family are running away from.
30 August 2005
I cannot watch the television any longer, because it just puts me in tears. I know I said I did not like living there, but the truth is that is our home. It scares me to think about my friends and everyone that we know. I wonder if they took the warning and left or if they had the same thought process as me and saw leaving as pointless. I am glad Dad is not a storm person; if he thought any differently we might be amongst the rubbish that is all under water in our little one story home. The only person that I knew for sure was safe was Chris; there was some comfort in that. I know I told him I did not care but it was a lie. I love him no matter what he does, and I know that God has given me the love for him for a reason.
27 August 2006
We came back to our home today, or what is left of it. I watched out of the car window holding Sommer’s hand as she wept. I tried to be strong for her but it did not last very long. We reached a place where we could get out of the car and walk around, but there was an unsettling feeling in the air. Trash was all over the ground still with the stench of mildew and wetness. Over in the far corner of the house I was an envelope that looked as if it was hanging on for dear life through the monster they called Katrina. We were not supposed to touch anything but there was something drawing me to this piece of debris. When I picked it up my name was barely readable on the front of it and my heart sank. I quickly put the envelope on my pocket and walked away. I have not read it yet because I am scared at what it might be. Maybe tomorrow.
30 August 2006
Chris’s mom called me. They have not seen him sense they left a year ago. I thought Chris left with them. He said they were going north for safety. I have not stopped crying sense I talked to his mom. She said they are hoping he will return soon but I cannot help but think that something bad has happened. I asked her why Chris was not with them when they left and she told me he said he had something important to do first but that he would see them soon. She asked me if I knew what he might have been doing and I told her I did not. I could not have been the important thing he was talking about. He brought that letter by but that was not important. The letter; I put it outside to blow away with the storm. That is the letter I found the first day we were back. Am I the reason Chris is missing?
30 August 2006
August 24 2005
Samantha,
I need to have a word. I've neglected you and I'm so sorry. You have done nothing but care about me ever since we've met, and it's time for me to begin acting like a man and start living up to my end of the bargain. You are the strongest person I know; even when I was such a terrible person to you, you continued to have faith in me and I love you so much for that. Now it's time for me to be there and have faith in you. You are such a blessing to everyone you come in contact with, me included, and anytime you need someone to lean on, I want you to know that from now on, you can count on me being there. You have changed my life for the better, and now it's my turn to do the same thing for you. I love you with all of my heart and if you are going to stay and endure this storm then I am going to be here as well. I want you to know that you are the only thing that matters to me at this point. I know you say you do not care but I know you better than that. We are going to get through this and I am going to give you the happily ever after you have always wanted.
Love, Chris
5 September 2006
Death. Darkness. Guilt. Sorrow. Chris is dead and it is my fault. If I would have just read the letter I would have known he was still there while we were fleeing the storm. His parents will never look at me the same again, and I cannot blame them. They just buried their 19 year old son because he chose to love me.
This was the best birthday ever! I am finally one year away from being an adult, and now I can go watch those R rated movies with my new boyfriend. That was my favorite part of the whole day. Chris came over for the family birthday dinner and he had some surprises for me. He made me a bear that is dressed up in a tux, he brought me flowers, colorful daisies, and the best of it all was when he asked me to be his girlfriend while we were out under the stars. Of course the only thing to do was to accept with the seal a kiss. I just know we are going to last a lifetime and live happily ever after.
20 July 2004
Chris called me today. I tried to act like I haven’t thought about him sense that night back in April, but I am pretty sure he could tell I was lying. He said he was sorry and that he wanted to go out sometime to catch up. I want so badly for him to be telling the truth but I cannot help but think it is another lie. I wish I could be really mad at him and just tell him off; I know that it is a blessing that I lack the urge to do that though. I was devastated when he told me he had been cheating. Did he ever even like me in the first place, or was I just a cover up, a back-up plan? It does not matter now, what has happened happened and I need to move on. What if it truly was a mistake though and he is truly sorry; we can work through it. Things will be different this time.
1 August 2004
Chris took me to a Saints game tonight, and it was so much fun! In the middle of the third we made a touchdown and he kissed me. It was strange at first because it has been so long, but it was nice to have him in my arms again. I knew everything was going to work out. I know he leaves for college in a week, but he is not going very far away. We are going to have our happily ever after after all.
10 December 2004
Still no word from Chris, and I really thought this time would be different; he was the one. We had talked about going to school together and getting married. We were going to have kids and grow old together. Why did I ever believe him?
23 August 2005
Dad has never been one for storms, so I cannot help but wonder why we live here in Louisiana. I know it has to do with his job but seeing him get worked up every time it starts to rain just adds to my stress level. Does he not realize that I have bigger problems in my life than the weather? I have school and work. I have the dogs to take care of, I have to taxi Sommer around, and then there is Chris. I do not see much of Chris these days which is a good thing, but I cannot help but miss him deep down. Either way I wish my dad would find another job. A job where the sun always shines and there is not a cloud in sight. Maybe the Sahara Dessert would be better.
25 August 2005
Chris called. I did not think I was ever going to hear from him again, so this came as kind of an unpleasant surprise. He sounded like Dad, acting as if this storm was going to be so much worse than anything else we have endured. Why does it matter what happens to me anyways; he does not care. I nicely informed him that he meant nothing to me and to just leave me and my family alone. I said that we would be perfectly fine and not to act like he cared. I am not sure but it sounded like he started to cry. He probably just had a cold. Anyways, he said he had something to give to me, but I told him I did not want it. He did not listen though. He came by the house and gave a letter to my dad for me. I have not read it, and I do not want to. I think I might just leave it outside to blow away with this “horrible storm” that Chris and his family are running away from.
30 August 2005
I cannot watch the television any longer, because it just puts me in tears. I know I said I did not like living there, but the truth is that is our home. It scares me to think about my friends and everyone that we know. I wonder if they took the warning and left or if they had the same thought process as me and saw leaving as pointless. I am glad Dad is not a storm person; if he thought any differently we might be amongst the rubbish that is all under water in our little one story home. The only person that I knew for sure was safe was Chris; there was some comfort in that. I know I told him I did not care but it was a lie. I love him no matter what he does, and I know that God has given me the love for him for a reason.
27 August 2006
We came back to our home today, or what is left of it. I watched out of the car window holding Sommer’s hand as she wept. I tried to be strong for her but it did not last very long. We reached a place where we could get out of the car and walk around, but there was an unsettling feeling in the air. Trash was all over the ground still with the stench of mildew and wetness. Over in the far corner of the house I was an envelope that looked as if it was hanging on for dear life through the monster they called Katrina. We were not supposed to touch anything but there was something drawing me to this piece of debris. When I picked it up my name was barely readable on the front of it and my heart sank. I quickly put the envelope on my pocket and walked away. I have not read it yet because I am scared at what it might be. Maybe tomorrow.
30 August 2006
Chris’s mom called me. They have not seen him sense they left a year ago. I thought Chris left with them. He said they were going north for safety. I have not stopped crying sense I talked to his mom. She said they are hoping he will return soon but I cannot help but think that something bad has happened. I asked her why Chris was not with them when they left and she told me he said he had something important to do first but that he would see them soon. She asked me if I knew what he might have been doing and I told her I did not. I could not have been the important thing he was talking about. He brought that letter by but that was not important. The letter; I put it outside to blow away with the storm. That is the letter I found the first day we were back. Am I the reason Chris is missing?
30 August 2006
August 24 2005
Samantha,
I need to have a word. I've neglected you and I'm so sorry. You have done nothing but care about me ever since we've met, and it's time for me to begin acting like a man and start living up to my end of the bargain. You are the strongest person I know; even when I was such a terrible person to you, you continued to have faith in me and I love you so much for that. Now it's time for me to be there and have faith in you. You are such a blessing to everyone you come in contact with, me included, and anytime you need someone to lean on, I want you to know that from now on, you can count on me being there. You have changed my life for the better, and now it's my turn to do the same thing for you. I love you with all of my heart and if you are going to stay and endure this storm then I am going to be here as well. I want you to know that you are the only thing that matters to me at this point. I know you say you do not care but I know you better than that. We are going to get through this and I am going to give you the happily ever after you have always wanted.
Love, Chris
5 September 2006
Death. Darkness. Guilt. Sorrow. Chris is dead and it is my fault. If I would have just read the letter I would have known he was still there while we were fleeing the storm. His parents will never look at me the same again, and I cannot blame them. They just buried their 19 year old son because he chose to love me.
I'm Not Afraid
Music, according to Webster, is the science or art of ordering tones or sounds in succession, in combination, and in temporal relationships to produce a composition having unity and continuity. Maya Angelou once said that music was her refuge. She said she could crawl into the space between the notes and curl back into loneliness. It has been said that music is the sound of feelings. To two famous rappers music is life. Lecrae and Eminem share in their passion while having both put their hearts and souls into their music, both writing about and for their true love, and both growing up in an unstable childhood; however getting to where they are today was very different for both rappers starting in their teen years while progressing through what faith they had and the challenge of support at the end of the day.
Eminem and Lecrae both put their hearts and souls into their music. Neither artist holds back their passion and desire to let the audience know what is going through their minds. Though each is passionate about different takes on life, both talk deeply about becoming a person that makes a difference or an imprint on a life whether be someone else’s or his/her own. While both artists write about life, Eminem writes about two things, himself and his family which consist of his daughter Hailie and wife Kim. Lecrae writes his music about his faith in God and living a Christian life. In both rappers’ music however, there is always an inspiration. Eminem’s song I’m Not Afraid is much like Lecrae’s Jump as they both talk about taking a leap of faith and standing up against whatever is stopping the audience member from pressing forward in righteousness. The passion that these rappers share with their music comes from different experiences in life starting in their childhoods.
Both Eminem and Lecrae grew up with a single mother and had very unstable childhoods. Eminem’s dad walked out on him and his mother when he was too young to remember. He and his mom were constantly moving around; therefore Slim Shady was never at the same school for very long. The longest he was in school in one city was three months which made it very difficult to build relationships. After failing the ninth grade for the third time in a row, Marshall Mathers decided to drop out and pursue his dreams of being a rapper. He was seventeen at the time. Lecrae, whose father also walked out on him and his mother, grew up in a rough neighborhood. His uncle was always his inspiration with his tattoos, drugs and guns. Lecrae looked up to his uncle as a role model in becoming a man. His only dream for his life was to become the gang member; however Lecrae says he knew his ways were unfulfilling while he chased all the wrong things for satisfaction. At the age of nineteen, Lecrae was born again and became a Christ follower.
The rappers’ faith is what sets them the farthest apart to this day. Accepting Christ was the biggest step in life for Lecrae, and that very step in life is exactly why he is where he is today. Lecrae gives all of the honor and glory to God in every song that he writes. Getting to the point of where he is today was a long process but Lecrae continues to believe and tell others that God is the one that took care of it all. While Lecrae uses his music to tell the Lord’s great blessings and role in his life, Eminem uses his music to tell how his life has come along and how he is still fighting what seems a never ending battle. Lecrae has found his satisfaction in life even though he knows the journey is not over until the Lord calls him home. Eminem however, is still in a constant battle with the world and the obstacles thrown at him in search of satisfaction. While fighting the world for satisfaction, Eminem constantly fights the battle of support at the end of each day. Because of his race, Marshall Mathers’ career choice has been looked down upon from day one. Even being the talented artist that he is, it was a constant struggle for him to overcome the stereotypes and judgments. Not only does the world in general look down upon him, but it is a daily struggle with his family to receive support. In Eminem’s music he raps about how his wife, Kim, was constantly putting him down and leaving him. While neither member of the relationship has perfect scores in life, Kim has added to the obstacles of Marshall’s success. Unlike the lack of support Eminem has received, Lecrae has been blessed with a loving wife and family that support him one hundred percent. Not only is there a difference in family support, but the support of the world has been different as well. Lecrae’s image as a person has been viewed by the world as an overall good person, therefore receiving support from almost all who listen. Eminem on the other hand is not viewed the same way due to his violence and profanity in his music. Beliefs on whether or not the difference in support is morally correct is dependent upon the audience; however either way the outlook is viewed, both artist have earned and fought for where they are today.
Eminem and Lecrae are both extremely talented rap artists who deserve every bit of fame they have received. Both have a passion for what they do and do not care what it takes to get their messages out. While both have had some of the same rough patches in life and have come to the same place in their careers, Eminem and Lecrae are two very different people with very different life styles. It does not make one better than the other, and it does not make one more deserving. The similarities and differences in the lives of these rappers only proves that being human has its problems; but what matters is what that person decides to do with what is handed them.
Eminem and Lecrae both put their hearts and souls into their music. Neither artist holds back their passion and desire to let the audience know what is going through their minds. Though each is passionate about different takes on life, both talk deeply about becoming a person that makes a difference or an imprint on a life whether be someone else’s or his/her own. While both artists write about life, Eminem writes about two things, himself and his family which consist of his daughter Hailie and wife Kim. Lecrae writes his music about his faith in God and living a Christian life. In both rappers’ music however, there is always an inspiration. Eminem’s song I’m Not Afraid is much like Lecrae’s Jump as they both talk about taking a leap of faith and standing up against whatever is stopping the audience member from pressing forward in righteousness. The passion that these rappers share with their music comes from different experiences in life starting in their childhoods.
Both Eminem and Lecrae grew up with a single mother and had very unstable childhoods. Eminem’s dad walked out on him and his mother when he was too young to remember. He and his mom were constantly moving around; therefore Slim Shady was never at the same school for very long. The longest he was in school in one city was three months which made it very difficult to build relationships. After failing the ninth grade for the third time in a row, Marshall Mathers decided to drop out and pursue his dreams of being a rapper. He was seventeen at the time. Lecrae, whose father also walked out on him and his mother, grew up in a rough neighborhood. His uncle was always his inspiration with his tattoos, drugs and guns. Lecrae looked up to his uncle as a role model in becoming a man. His only dream for his life was to become the gang member; however Lecrae says he knew his ways were unfulfilling while he chased all the wrong things for satisfaction. At the age of nineteen, Lecrae was born again and became a Christ follower.
The rappers’ faith is what sets them the farthest apart to this day. Accepting Christ was the biggest step in life for Lecrae, and that very step in life is exactly why he is where he is today. Lecrae gives all of the honor and glory to God in every song that he writes. Getting to the point of where he is today was a long process but Lecrae continues to believe and tell others that God is the one that took care of it all. While Lecrae uses his music to tell the Lord’s great blessings and role in his life, Eminem uses his music to tell how his life has come along and how he is still fighting what seems a never ending battle. Lecrae has found his satisfaction in life even though he knows the journey is not over until the Lord calls him home. Eminem however, is still in a constant battle with the world and the obstacles thrown at him in search of satisfaction. While fighting the world for satisfaction, Eminem constantly fights the battle of support at the end of each day. Because of his race, Marshall Mathers’ career choice has been looked down upon from day one. Even being the talented artist that he is, it was a constant struggle for him to overcome the stereotypes and judgments. Not only does the world in general look down upon him, but it is a daily struggle with his family to receive support. In Eminem’s music he raps about how his wife, Kim, was constantly putting him down and leaving him. While neither member of the relationship has perfect scores in life, Kim has added to the obstacles of Marshall’s success. Unlike the lack of support Eminem has received, Lecrae has been blessed with a loving wife and family that support him one hundred percent. Not only is there a difference in family support, but the support of the world has been different as well. Lecrae’s image as a person has been viewed by the world as an overall good person, therefore receiving support from almost all who listen. Eminem on the other hand is not viewed the same way due to his violence and profanity in his music. Beliefs on whether or not the difference in support is morally correct is dependent upon the audience; however either way the outlook is viewed, both artist have earned and fought for where they are today.
Eminem and Lecrae are both extremely talented rap artists who deserve every bit of fame they have received. Both have a passion for what they do and do not care what it takes to get their messages out. While both have had some of the same rough patches in life and have come to the same place in their careers, Eminem and Lecrae are two very different people with very different life styles. It does not make one better than the other, and it does not make one more deserving. The similarities and differences in the lives of these rappers only proves that being human has its problems; but what matters is what that person decides to do with what is handed them.
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