Whiplash Records artist and host of iShine KNECT, Paige Armstrong has been a guest blogger for YMZ the past few weeks. If you missed her previous thought-provoking blogs, simply click the links below and prepared to be challenged.

• Who, ME?.

• The Button
  
  

On October 6th, Paige released her debut album Wake Up and DVD Sermonettes to Canadian Christian retail. With a new book in process and a full time focus on ministry with speaking engagements, Paige represents the very best of authentic faith and humility. We are glad to have her onboard.

For more information on Paige, visit please visit her YMZ artist page and www.paigehasastory.com.

Beautiful Contradiction

I am a contradiction. I am sweet, but feisty. Gentle, but rough. Small, but mighty. ; ) Social, but nerdy. Confident, but insecure. Saint, but sinner. Serious, but goofy. Restored, but broken. Shy, but bold. Polished, but edgy. Reserved, but wild.

These are contradictions… but I am all of these things.

I am finding that this surprises people. They don’t expect one thing to be put with another. But I’m also finding… I like surprising people.

Ever since I was about 13, I sang and spoke at all kinds of different churches, fundraisers and corporate events. Before singing what used to be known as my signature song, “The Warrior Is A Child” by Twila Paris, I would share my story of having cancer and how God brought me through. This turned into an unbelievable ministry with a domino effect of things that I never could have imagined.

One of the many unexpected opportunities was being asked to be the speaker for the iShine LIVE tour that launched last fall. Getting to go out on the road and share with a new audience every night the value, identity and purpose God has for us, was absolutely amazing. I hardly felt adequate for such a role, but yet was empowered by the way God was working each and every night.

Along with our live show, iShine Knect launched, which is our TV show that airs every Saturday on TBN. During the show, I interview artists and give what we call “sermonettes”, which is basically a short sermon on relevant topics for today’s youth.

Needless to say, with all of these things building up, people began to know me as the “inspirational singer/speaker”. Besides close friends and family, no one really knew about the songs I was writing or the rock music I was passionately listening to.

Since my record, “Wake Up”, has come out, there’s been a massive response of straight up surprised people. They couldn’t believe that the girl who gave the serious sermons and sang the ballads was the same one belting over head-banging guitars.

But that’s EXACTLY how I wanted it. I wanted the passionate combination of a bold message with explosive rock music. Besides. Who says those who share God’s Word can’t rock too?

2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”

We’ve been given a spirit of power!

With this being said, our generation needs to take that power to be countercultural. That doesn’t mean against culture or something negative, but simply opposite of it. We need every day people who are willing to step out in beautiful contradiction to the world.

See, scripture is full of all kinds of things that seem to be opposite. For instance: Being in the world, but not of it. Loving your worst enemies. Being joyful in the midst of trials. Fearing God, but being intimate with Him. Being innocent as a dove, yet wise as a serpent. Being weak in yourself, and strong in Him.

Even the very bottom line: Having faith = Believing in what you cannot see.

What?! These are all things that normally would never make sense together! Yet they’re perfect, powerful… beautiful.

You are set apart (Psalm 4:3). You’re supposed to be different. What is your beautiful “contradiction”?
The world needs you to surprise them.

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