Are You Hip?

Note: Below is a copy of the email that I sent to our nephew, Jared Duba, also known as JD (JesusDisciple) followed by a poem. He is a 19 year old writer, singer, and producer of Christian Rap.

Hey Jared,

I trust that you are doing well and that you and Amanda are finding the grace of God, through the person of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, sufficient and abounding to meet your every need.

As I was viewing the article below and listening to a couple of the videos on "What God is doing through Christian Hip Hop", I couldn't help but think of you and thought you night enjoy the view sent out by John Piper's Desiring God blog, if you hadn't already seen it.

The following words came to mind as I was writing you, and trust the Lord will use them as an encouragement to be strong in the faith giving glory to God.

If ya wanna show that you are hip,
Then look to the Book of Holy Script.
Beyond all trends, conventional cool--
Walking in light, in Christ, He rules.

For all in love God does for you,
To show Himself, that He is True.
By steadfast love and faithfulness,
We're made partakers of His holiness.

By grace out-poured, His Spirit's fire,
Delivers us from the deep quagmire
Of all the doubts that make us lame--
Entrust all to Him by His Holy Name.

For only dross does He consume;
The dessert rose, He brings to bloom,
In our afflictions we thus share,
As like Him, His image we shall bare.

So now in His cross we rejoice--
Strength He gives by His lovely voice.
To do for us what we can't do;
Transformed to give Him the glory due.

Praying for you,
Michael & Aunt D.