So what’s the deal with the title of this site anyway? ‘Ruined for Life’ sounds kind of dark, doesn’t it?

Am I depressed? Cynical? Disenchanted with humanity? Obsessed with the doctrine of original sin? No, not really. The key to understanding the title of this site is really in the inflection of how you say it. Stop for a minute and think about it: ruined for life. Sound it out loud: ruined for life.

I know that the title probably makes some people feel a little uneasy because it does sound a little dark– and in all honesty, that’s part of the reason I like it so much. When I say ‘ruined,’ I am meaning it in the best possible way. Once you begin to grapple with the meaning behind it, it isn’t dark at all – it’s wonderful. There is freedom in being ruined for life. In fact, I think it is probably the only thing that will allow us to approach reconciling and fulfilling some of the deepest longings in our hearts. But here’s the catch: though it is wonderful, it often involves extraordinary pain, disappointment, and even death. Sign me up!

Think of ‘ruined for life’ in this context: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.” The literal interpretation behind being ruined for life is about death for life. It is dying to what the self incessantly wants, and in so doing, finding what the heart desperately needs – what it was created to need – real, deep, meaning-filled life. That’s the offer God made above – if you die, I’ll show you real life.

Uh oh. I know. "G-d." Yep, this site is definitely about God. In fact... it gets better. It's mostly about that Jesus guy too. As many knees jerk at the mention of either God or Jesus, take comfort in knowing that this isn't a site about brow-beating, getting you saved, 10-steps to claiming God's blessing/inheritance/blah-blah-blah, better programs for church, or even why you should go to church. In fact, I don't 'go' to church (more on why this would be impossible can be found in the dining room). So there are no tricks. No agendas. Seriously.

That’s where the other ‘twist’ to the title comes in. For me, my journey of being ‘ruined’ has involved losing my appetite for more ‘traditional’ ways of pursuing that life in God. By traditional, I probably mean going to church in the 'traditional' sense – i.e., going to a building, taking part in a service with announcements, sung-worship, a sermon, and other programs. I don’t think there is anything wrong with going to a church in that sense, so long as all of above is about leading people to a real way of relating with one another and God as they share the journey of dying to themselves. But often times, even the best meaning services and churches and programs can get in the way of that journey. It is easy to get caught up in attending events and programs or even maintaining the image of ‘having it all together.’ It is easy to be very involved without ever really taking the time to form deep relationships with the people around you. My appetite has been 'ruined' in that sense; I can't go back to that particular way of doing things and walking out this journey. More importantly, I don’t feel God wants me to.

But what I have found in being 'ruined' for that way of getting to know God is a different type of community. It’s basically just people who want to know what’s in that death-for-life exchange with God, sharing and writing their story together. It's about sharing all of life, all the time, with God and everyone else.

So being 'Ruined for Life' may not be that bad after all:
...It's about death for abundant life
...It's about giving everything to receive something more real
...It's about sharing new ways to walk out the journey.
...And not looking back.

Some people may connect deeply with that, others may not. And probably, some of you don’t know what the heck I’m talking about. But either way, this site is here exactly for that reason – it’s part of sharing life together, and understanding one another. I really don’t have a goal or destination in mind as much as I want to just share some of the scenery on the ride. Although it's not always an easy road to walk, there's no better way to live. After all, if you're going to be ruined anyway, it might as well be for life. And at the very least, if we get enough people to come, Google will buy us out and we’ll all make millions.

Based on the number of questions that have been pouring in regarding the site *ahem* and the meaning of life, I feel like the little dutch boy plugging a leaking dam! Contribute to the leak, and e-mail us. We'll post them... just as soon as our fingers are free... from plugging all those leaks... yeah.