Reflections

Submit to your design

2012-02-08T13:06:00.002-06:00

Our relationship with Christ really starts when we submit to him. When we allow him into our minds hearts and souls and truly open up. We have to lay all of our fears, dreams, failures, successes, pride, insecurity at his feet and say "I am yours". I don't know about you, but I find myself often rebelling against this. The world would teach us to do it our own way and just gut it out, but Jesus says it differently. He teaches us to rely upon him and him alone. We have to submit to his design for our lives and trust that He is in complete control and will not hurt us. Jesus wants good things for us, and ultimately wants to dwell with us again. It's uncomfortable, it's hard, it's filled with God, and it's so worth it.

The Song "Give it All Away" by Arron Shust is a prayer to do just this. It's a prayer for God to search our hearts, minds and souls and transform them to His design.

Stronger

2012-02-03T14:22:00.001-06:00

"Stronger" by Mandisa is honestly one of my favorite songs. It's all about our weakness and how we need to rely upon the Lord for the strength we need to get through the tough times. The thing about the song that I love is that you would never know that by listening to the instruments and beat of the song. There is nothing dreary about it. It is a joyful noise to the Lord in the midst of all the storms and trials of life. I cannot listen to this song without dancing, bobbing my head or singing.

I really think this is what Jesus wants of us. He came to set us free from our sin; he didn't come to hold it over our heads and have us dwell in it. If we truly act out our faith and live our lives as Jesus died on the cross, the we should truly be free. In order to be free of our sins we are called to repent, but that should be the end of it. Jesus conquered sin and death for us to truly live, and that is why I LOVE the juxtaposition of the lyrics and the musical style of this song. It's amazing. My favorite part of this song is the hope that is provided in the bridge: "and if he started this work in your heart he'll be faithful to complete it if only you believe it!". Amen.

Courageous

2012-01-18T12:28:00.001-06:00

"So my Son be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus."
2 Timothy 2:1

We are all broken. We are all incomplete, and we are all powerless to climb the hills that are too steep to climb. We are also full. Fully loved, fully unique and fully in Christ. We have been given that gift by His grace and His grace alone. So, let's recognize that we are broken, and let those places be opportunities for God's love and light to shine through us. Let's be courageous because we know that we are full in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.

I've had this song stuck in my head since I heard it on the radio the other day. "Corageous" by Casting Crowns challenges the ways of this world and the passivity that has become the normal. Like in the movie "Courageous" (which is amazing and if you haven't seen it yet, rent it or buy it) we are called to not fall victim to this normal, but to live for Christ and for his will that he calls us to as believers, Fathers, Husbands, Mothers, Daughters, Sons, and Friends.

Beautiful Things

2012-01-10T15:30:00.000-06:00

He who was seated on the throne said. "I am making everything new!" Revelation 21:5

This is such an amazing promise that God has given us. This verse is of course about the remaking of the world, but the same is true with our own rebirth in life. Jesus washes away our sins, and makes something and someone beautiful out of brokenness, pain and sin. Jesus is the key. He is waiting for all of us to turn toward him and his love for all of us.

In this new year our church is doing a sermon series on a Richard Rohr book titled "Breathing Underwater". In this book he ties together spirituality and the 12 step program; this is going to be really good. Since it is the new year we invite any and all to our church as well as invite you to invite someone else to church. Invite them to read the word, invite them to your home just to be a friend and show them the love of Christ. Our God is a relational God and you never know when He might use your invitation in someones life.

The Song "Beautiful Things" by Gungor inspired this post today. It conveys the truth that our amazing God makes beautiful things out of the dust.

Don't waste the gift

2012-01-05T12:27:00.001-06:00

Life is such a gift. God has given us all specific talents and traits to glorify him. So often we get bogged down in expectations of others that we forget to choose God's will first; we forget to let God know what is going on in our lives. The story told in the song "We Live" by Superchick is a wonderful illustration of the choice to follow Christ. No matter what happens around us we choose to Live, Love, Forgive and never give up. I love this song because of the message, and it's super catchy. Enjoy.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T08:00:00.000-06:00

Enjoy "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" by Mercy Me:

We were made

2011-12-22T11:17:00.003-06:00

This Christmas let us focus on the one who we were made to worship.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas.

Breathing

2011-12-01T12:08:00.001-06:00

In our spiritual formation group we were talking about the name of God. In Hebrew it is not possible to pronounce, but it is said to be the sound of us breathing in and out. We pronounce it Yahweh, but that is only so we have something to say.

It is easy to start thinking that God is far away or that we can separate ourselves from him. The reality is that he breathed life into us. We speak what sounds like his name simply when we breathe. He is also as important as breathing. We need Jesus' forgiveness just as much as we need air. We need the Spirit's guidance as much as we need oxygen. We need God the Father so much that our every breath sounds like his name.

Jason Gray's song "The Sound of our Breathing" says exactly this. We came alive with heaven's kiss. Let's begin to know God as well as we know how to breathe.

Reason for the World

2011-11-21T09:45:00.000-06:00

This post has been on my mind all week. I knew that I wanted to share this song, and there was something about it that I didn't understand yet. I finished reading Revelation for the first time this week and it brought this song into a whole new light for me. In his song "Reason for the World" by Matthew West, he makes some guesses as to why things happen to us in this life and ponders the reason for the world. After reading about the remaking of the world this week I began to understand this even better than I did before.

God uses the trials in our lives to realize our sinful nature and to bring us closer to his Son Jesus. Jesus died on the cross to completely break the power of our sin so that we could serve him in this life out of love. The spirit lifts us up to bear its fruit once we know and abide in Jesus. There will be a day when we all will stand in judgement and Jesus will be our only defense for our sins. This scared me until this week when I finally read the rest of Revelation.

"And I hear a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away'" Revelation 21:3-4

All this must happen so that God can dwell with us in his new creation. God desires to live with us again. He loves us all so much that he gave up his only Son to begin the remaking of his world.

Waiting for Tomorrow

2011-11-18T12:30:00.000-06:00

Do I really live every day like Jesus died on the cross for me? Do I really always believe the fullness of his grace? Hardly, but Jesus gives us grace so we don't get stuck in our sin; so we are free to act out of his love. The song "Waiting for Tomorrow" by Mandisa expands on this message. Why do we wait for tomorrow? Christ died and is raised! We know who wins. The same person who wants to dwell in the new creation with us at the remaking of the world. Jesus loves us all and has conquered our sin. What are we waiting for?

James 1:22 "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says"

Never forget who you are

2011-11-09T13:49:00.002-06:00

It's been a while since I have been posting so today definitely called for two.

I am constantly reminded why I need the Lord on a daily basis. I see my own failures, where I don't measure up, how I could be better, and I often let those things bog me down. But how does Christ see me? He sees me for who and what I really am. He sees me with all the gifts he gave me and for who I was created to be. He sees me with eyes of love that only he can understand. A love that says, no matter what I love you.

This is the theme of the song, "Remind me who I am" by Jason Grey. He paints a beautiful picture in this video of how we label ourselves and how others label us, but then at the end how we are all seen in Christ.

Reign in Us

2011-11-09T10:03:00.000-06:00

This week I am playing for a good friend's wedding, and they asked me to play the song "Reign in Us" by Starfield. I am incredibly honored to play, but this song is an amazing song, and also a wonderful choice for a wedding. Often when learning a new song I miss the meaning until I truly have ears to hear the spirit. Until then I am focused on the performance, and not on what the spirit is doing within me. I am so blessed to be able to play music because there is a connection with God that can't be described when you open your heart to it.

The message of the song is clear. The focus is on God and not on ourselves. We want God to reign in our lives, change our actions, and have his spirit fall fresh in our lives. This song is an invitation. The most important invitation that we can ever make. When we open our hearts and as Jesus to rule over our hearts as Lord. Where we ask the spirit to search our hearts and minds to cleanse us. This song calls our attention to the desire that unites us. The desire for the touch of Jesus in our lives.

The Spirit

2011-10-26T14:18:00.000-05:00

The Spirit reveals itself in ways that we can never begin to understand, or immediately recognize. How is the spirit speaking to you?

God's Timing

2011-10-04T10:03:00.001-05:00

It seems like our society is made for impatience. We can get things when and where we want with the use of technology or just conveniences we are so used to. We rarely have to wait for anything. That's why it is so hard to take leaps of faith and trust the Lord. God's timing is not our own. We have to put our trust in him, and be faithful and patient where we are. Watching the movie "Fireproof" with my wife the other night the song "While I'm Waiting" played during a critical scene. It wasn't when things were the best, but instead when they were the hardest. Waiting for the Lord to work in only ways that he can. Being faithful to what he has put in front of you. Being obedient to what we are called to do. We have to wait.

He is all we need

2011-09-26T14:15:00.002-05:00

It is amazing what stopping, slowing down, taking a step back and just listening can do. I heard the song "Sing to the King" by Passion Worship Band on a drive yesterday and it really hit home. The song really says it all, but I just thought about how Jesus really is the King of my life. He is all that I need. I have really been leaning on my own understanding lately and not trusting him. This song spoke to me yesterday to remember these simple truths. Singing to the King is the joy of my life, I invite you to do the same.

The Pretty things

2011-09-16T09:07:00.000-05:00

The song, "All the Pretty Things" by Tenth avenue north has been making me reflect a lot these past few weeks. In the song is expresses that there are all these pretty things that steal our hearts away from Jesus. This can be so true. For me it is things like Technology, Football, and TV. These things can be good things, but they can easily steal our hearts and minds from God.

I heard a powerful skit about this once on Northpoint ministries podcast (by Andy Stanley). In the skit there were two guys talking about the bible verse they were supposed to memorize for church. They were struggling trying to recall it, but in between trying to recall the verse they recited loads of specific statistics and facts about the lastest Football games and cars. They were able to tell what player ran for how many yards, but they couldn't remember 2-3 sentences of a single verse from the Lord. This hit so close to home it wasn't even funny. I have fallen victim to this as well. I asked myself, what do I really put my focus on, and is it worth it?

There is always hope though. This morning I read about Zacchaeus in Luke 19. His life was consumed with "all the pretty things". He was a tax collector and a sinner in the eyes of the people, but Jesus saw his heart and knew he was lost. He ends by saying:

"Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost" Luke 19:9-10

Even though our hearts may be stolen now and again, Jesus seeks us out to save us. He wants that relationship with us. All we have to do is welcome him in.

Suddenly Your Grace

2011-09-14T09:30:00.000-05:00

Lately a lot of my bible reading has been about judgement. These verses can be hard to swallow. The truth is that there will come a day when we all stand in judgement. That is part of Gods promise to us, but it is important to remember that coupled with justice is grace and mercy. Working behind all of these things is Love. God's Love for us. We don't only have justice, or only have love, or grace from God; we have them all. God wants so badly to be in a personal relationship with us, and for that requires some things on our part. We have to believe in him, love him, communicate with him all to have a relationship with him. He gave us free will, and he is telling us that choices come at a cost. We can choose to be in a relationship with him, or we can choose to be separate from him.

Yesterday I was riding my bike and I was battling with the verses about judgement because of the way I had acted this past week toward different people. I was beating myself up, and then thinking about verses of judgement...not a winning combination. Then when I was praying about it God just spoke the word "Grace" into my heart. Jesus was telling me to remember his grace. To remember the cross, and that I am free from the sins that I commit. It was such a "duh" and "oh wow" moment all together.

The song "Beautiful Beautiful" by Francesca Battistelli came to mind when I was thinking about this. The lyrics of this song are amazing, but some stand out to me:

"Awakening my heart, breaking through the dark, suddenly your Grace"
"Like sunlight burning at midnight making my life so beautiful"

I hope you enjoy this song

"Beautiful Beautiful"

Yours is the Glory

2011-09-12T09:35:00.002-05:00

Yesterday in worship we sang "Praise the Father praise the Son" by Chris Tomlin. As we were remembering the events on the 10th anniversary of 9/11 it was an amazing comfort to sing and praise God with these words. God's glory and love transcends everything that this life can throw at us. No matter what evil is done to us, God will work through those situations for his glory.

How he loves us

2011-09-01T15:34:00.002-05:00

"So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him"
Luke 15:20

"Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?"
Luke 15:4

"Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies."
Psalms 36:5,7,10

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever."
Psalms 118:1-4, 29

"In love a throne will be established; in faithfulness a man will sit on it-- one from the house of David-- one who in judging seeks justice and speeds the cause of rightousness."
Isaiah 16:5

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son. That whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life"
John 3:16

Not searching, but listening

2011-08-26T12:30:00.001-05:00

Lately God has been stirring my wife and I. We feel restless where were are, and we are ready to serve the Lord. Searching for the right thing to serve God in is where I seem to have come. I keep trying to think up myself what we could do to serve the Lord. Not surprisingly I always come up short. God is the only one who knows what he has in store for us. It isn't up to me, but instead up to him. Shifting our focus from searching to listening is what I should be doing. If I truly want to serve the Lord, then who better to listen to. Who better to talk to about it, and who better to understand. Jesus isn't after my accomplishments, or what I have done or can do, but instead he is after my heart. What better way to start than to fully give it to him. To turn my attention to Him instead of what I can do.

The song "Something Holy" by Stellar Cart seemed to portray just how I am feeling today. This song is one of my favorites, and illustrates that we are all truly restless until we allow Jesus into our lives. That He is so much bigger than us, and he is the only one that can fill the hole in our hearts.

"But it is written:

'What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the hear of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him'--

these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God."
1 Corinthians 2:9-10

Rise

2011-08-25T12:37:00.000-05:00

This song has been stuck in my head the last week or so. It is a great reminder of who is in us and the promise that Christ gives us. Even when we are at our lowest point Christ will raise us up. No matter what happens to us, God is greater. The creator of all that we see, who has seen everything in this world, who is above it all loves us enough to lift us up.

I hope you enjoy the song "Rise" by Shawn McDonald

Summers end/Monday

2011-08-08T11:19:00.000-05:00

It is fitting that the end of the summer came on a Monday today. My job returns to whatever one can call normal, and most teachers are getting back in the swing of things. Kids are getting ready to go back to school, and the weather is (hopefully) starting to change. Mondays have become a dreaded day in our culture, and in my life. We are reminded that we have to go back to work, and some/most of us to jobs we aren't always fond of.
Thinking about this on the way to work this morning I had the question, "what am I really called to do in this situation?". God calls us to be a light to this world. I know this doesn't always sound great on a Monday after the summer has ended, but hear me out. Christ died for our sins, and that makes us free. Free from the dread of Mondays. Free from the discontentment of the weekend ending. His sacrifice and resurrection gives us a life that is such an amazing gift.

Colossians 3:23 says:
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men"

When I first read this verse I thought it meant work to make God happy. Like God is your boss. I realized that I missed the true meaning here when I thought of it that way. The part I missed was the love. How many of us really love our bosses? I can hear the crickets from here. So, what happens if we treat God like a boss? It doesn't really work. I think that this verse is way more relational than that. When you do something for someone you love how do you do it? With all your heart. God has placed us where we are for a reason. How do we know that? Because we are where we are. He has made the ultimate sacrifice for us and has shown us a love that is unending. We don't work to try to appease God. We work with all our hearts because of what Jesus has done for us. We work with all our hearts because we love the one who put us where we are and has provided for our every need.

Summertime

2011-07-25T09:54:00.002-05:00

Summertime, a set on Flickr.

This summer has been wonderful, and God has given us so many gifts. These are just a few photos from what Lindsey and I have done this summer, and actually captured with our camera. This set is from the 4th of July and highlights of the Oregon coast. I hope you enjoy the amazing sights that God gifted us so far this summer.

Can you see it?

2011-07-15T13:32:00.000-05:00

This morning driving to work, I had wonderful time with God. I was listening to "Behold the Lamb of God" by (guess who) Anderw Peterson. It is such an amazing work of music and praise. Through music he paints a picture of the Bible as a story that all points to Jesus. That is exactly what it is. It's all about Jesus. It's a love story that is real. A story that is between us and God, and what true love is. Sometimes, it is easy to get hung up on the old testament. I was guilty of this until I heard this song.

The song is called "So long Moses" and is a part of the "Behold the Lamb of God" album. It connects the entire old testament and tells the story in a way that paves the way for Jesus. God used this song to point me to scripture and really read and know these stories. I invite you to listen, and see the whole picture that God paints in the Bible.

In honor of Mr. Potter

2011-07-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

This week I read an amazing post by my favorite christian artists Andrew Peterson on his site called The Rabbit Room. This post explored and appreciates the world of Harry Potter as a christian. I cannot do his writing any justice, but like Harry Potter or not I encourage you to read this article. It has some amazing thoughts about faith, and our understanding of the world as christians.

His post is titled: Harry Potter, Jesus, and me

God Bless,

David

The Reckoning

2011-07-13T13:14:00.000-05:00

Today's post is short. Today we can all rest in the promise of Jesus. The promise to come again. The promise to remake the world in his new creation. The song "The Reckoning" by Andrew Petersen is an amazing song about our wait for this moment. I hope you enjoy.

There's always a choice

2011-07-11T11:40:00.000-05:00

This past week was a tough week for me. I felt constantly under attack and felt as if I was being challenged on a lot of things. Contentment didn't ever come, and things were just off. I realized while sitting in worship yesterday that I was looking for my contentment in everything but the Lord. I think this happens to us all sometimes. I was reaching everywhere to find an answer, but never stopped to let God know what was going on. I got complacent with my faith. Instead of actively speaking to God, I tried to fill the void with other things and thoughts. There is always a choice to be made. We cannot just sit back and be comfortable with where we are with God. When we do, the enemy is ready to strike. And he will.

This weekend was a healing weekend. Through worship and intentional time with my wife God just spoke to me saying, "I'm still here. I always will be". We all have difficult days, weeks, months, or years, but we can always know that God is with us. That his Son paid the ultimate sacrifice to make us free. It is just amazing to see our own love stories with God unfold.

The song "Healing Begins" by Tenth Avenue North is appropriate for today's post. It encourages us to let down the walls that we put up. To invite God into our hearts, and that is where the true healing begins.

Thanks for reading my ramble today.

Let Faith Arise

2011-06-24T10:11:00.000-05:00

My wife and I are continuing to read Acts this week. The last two stories we read demonstrated incredible faith by the apostles in the face of persecution and death. In Acts 5:12-42 we are given amazing accounts of faithfulness by not only apostles, buy by other believers. People see the power of the name of Jesus in Peter so much that they simply aim to pass under his shadow to be healed. Peter and the other apostles also are brought before the council of Israel and told not to teach in Jesus' name. They respond with unending faith in Jesus knowing that that may lead to death. God delivers them out of the situation, but not before they are flogged and scolded by the elders of the church.

What extraordinary faith that is. To stare fear, death, and your peers in the face and be every faithful. I can't help but question if I would do the same. Would I stand in front of enraged people and proclaim the name of Jesus, especially if that is what got me there in the first place? This is the kind of faith that needs to arise in us. A faith that makes us stand up and take action. A faith that gets us out of ruts. A faith that overcomes the day to day grind. A faith in Jesus the savior of the world.

Chris Tomlin's song "I Lift My Hands" tells us to have faith in the one who gave everything, who loves us, who is the healer of the world. The chorus and main theme of this song is "let faith arise". As I listened to it this morning it became my anthem for the day. Let's let faith arise over everything else, and lift Jesus high today.

A true community of faith

2011-06-22T10:03:00.000-05:00

"Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common."

-Acts 4:32

Reading this verse yesterday made me think about what a true community of faith is. This illustration of the early church depicts members giving of themselves without any thought. They acted with love toward one another, and God provided for their needs. This is very backward from our society today. Our society doesn't teach to give of ourselves. One could argue that "the Economy" is the most selfless societal entity, but even that is based on selfish materialism. In our society of capitalism we are taught to be self sufficient. We are taught to get jobs, pay the bills, and get "stuff", and that is what makes the world work. The more stuff you have the better off you are. Instead of going over to my friends house to watch tv, I buy my own cable and flatscreen tv (even if I can't afford it) just so I wont be an inconvenience. The focus is on the material instead of the relationship.

In my bible (ESV) this section in Acts is called "They Had Everything in Common", and how appropriate. We really all do have so much in common as a body of Christ, but I know I fall terribly short when it comes to giving of myself. What does it take to leap beyond just being a church with great worship, to being a community of faith? It is very tough to go against such a judgmental and material society. I personally have been thinking about this verse all day to come up with ways to give more of myself to God and others.

Jesus teaches us to serve and to love on another. In reading "The Love Dare" devotional last night my wife and I read that something that shifts the focus to the right thing:

"Loving God, and others is not about you but about God and the other person. "

This is so profound. It shifts the focus to where it needs to be, on God. He is the one that can change our hearts, he is our everything, and will provide for our every need. The early church wasn't looking for what they could get next in this world that would improve their lives and their economy. They were working and living fully for the Lord. They were completely content in his presence and that allowed them to give freely of themselves and love one another. God is the center, and our wholeness. In Jesus we can be truly whole as well.

Let's shift our focus

2011-06-11T08:00:00.001-05:00

Often times I find myself relating to God as an aid for my life. That He can help me get where I need to go in my life. That I am the center and he is just an assistant to get there. It is so easy to think this way in our "me" centered world we live in. We get bombarded with false expectations and standards we "need" to meet. We get to the point that we even think of our creator and and savior as second rate. This simply isn't true.

What if, instead we thought of God as our everything? What if we took our contentment and fulfillment from the one who loves us the most? What else would we need in this life? Who would we work for? Where would our stress go?

God loves us more that we can ever fathom. He is our strength, salvation, love, encouragement, and our life. Have we truly taken a step back to think of Jesus this way?

The song "The Stand" by Hillsong is one of my favorite worship songs. This is the full version. The lyrics are beautiful, and this is the perfect way to turn our focus to God.

It's more like...

2011-06-09T13:37:00.000-05:00

So many times we as Christians get wrapped up in the works we do. We think that somehow we are earning our way into God's grace if we do the right thing or a good thing. While doing good things and working for the Lord is a good thing, the motivation behind the work is more important. We don't go to church, serve others, and do good works to earn Gods grace, because it simply cannot be earned. Our salvation has nothing to do with you and I, but everything to do with who Jesus is, and what he did for us. That is why we worship on Sundays. Not to earn anything, but to worship the God who has saved us by the blood of his Son who conquered death. When we work for the Lord, it is a work free of guilt and burden because he has already lifted the burden. We work because we have been saved. We worship because we have been saved. This attitude can bring us closer to Christ. To realize what he has done for us first and to take care of our earthly world second.

Our relationship with Jesus isn't about requirements, rules, guilt or burden. Our relationship with him is about love. Jason Grey's song "More like falling in love" puts into music this different way of thinking about the God who loves us more than anything. The God who wants nothing more than to have a relationship with us.

Strong Enough

2011-06-01T14:33:00.000-05:00

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength
Phillipians 4:13

This verse is one of the most important truths we can learn, but also the first one that we forget. Too often do we try to lean on our own strength to get through life. We face adversity, or just get busy and the stress of it all gets to us. It affects our attitude, and we eventually just try to get by instead of resting in God's grace. God strengthens us in all circumstances that we feel like we fall short. He is our strength and our victory.

The Song "Strong Enough" by Matthew West is an amazing illustration of Phillipians 4:13. For me, it puts the words of the bible verse into vivid color.

God gave me you

2011-05-27T08:46:00.000-05:00

God has blessed me with so many people in my life that bless me in so many ways. I am truly grateful to have so many friends, a wonderful family, and an amazing wife. God gives us all people in our lives that help us through the times of doubt, struggle, and also the times of joy. I find it hard sometimes to let go of my pride and rely on the people that God has put in my life, but that is truly what God wants for us. He knows we can't do things alone, and he wants us to give up that "control" and let his glory shine through.

The song "God gave me you" by Dave Barnes has been going through my head all this week. When I hear this song I immediately think of my wife. She stands by and supports me through everything, as I do for her. She is an answered prayer in my life that I am thankful for every single day. When things are up and down in my life I stop and thank God for where he has taken me and what he has done in my life. I hope this song can remind you of that person in your life that makes all the difference.

Mighty to Save

2011-05-21T07:55:00.000-05:00

I can't say anything more than what Laura Story does in her version of "Mighty to Save".

Enjoy:

So long self.

2011-05-20T15:25:00.000-05:00

One of the hardest things for us to do as followers of Christ is to die to ourselves. We often think in terms of this world, and think that we are in control of our lives and situations. When we do this we begin to lean on our own understanding of the world. We think we can and have to take on the world all by ourselves. This is just not true. God has given us all the talents and gifts that we need. We have to die to our own pride first. We have to put away the lives we knew, and live for the glory of another. Someone who knows us for who we are. Someone who sees us for what we are capable of doing and not for what we have done. Someone who truly loves us. He doesn't love us because of what we do, where we live, or what we say or sing, but instead he loves us because of who he is. Jesus. The Savior of the world.

The song "So Long Self" by MercyMe illustrates this truth in an almost sarcastic way. The main chorus of the song is, "So long self well it's been fun, but I have found somebody else". It is an internal dialogue between a man and himself. It demonstrates the joy we should feel dying to ourselves. The joy of knowing that we are not in control of things. Knowing that God our creator loves us and wants to be in a relationship with us.

It's about Love

2011-05-13T11:37:00.000-05:00

How often do we simply manage our lives? We go from one thing to the next, and never fully enjoying anything. We are discontent with most things, and never fully get satisfied. This kind of life effects our spiritual lives as well. We see the places in our life where we need to improve, but we don't focus on the places where God is fully active and alive. We miss out on God's love for us because we make the choice to be busy. We make the choice to be alone. We make the choice to take things on without help, and end up creating separation between friends, family and our heavenly father.

This week I found myself in this pattern. I had to take a step back and realize what I was missing in my life. Love. God's Love. One of my friends told me this week that it is easy to get focused on one thing and miss the things that are truly important. When we fail to see God's love for us in our lives, and fail to abide in that love we fall short. We keep grasping for things that will fill our hearts, but we never find them.

The song "Your Love" by Brandon Heath sums it up very well. The only thing that matters is…Your Love.

"So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him."
1 John 4:16

Listen, and be still

2011-05-10T12:08:00.000-05:00

When I pray, I often get hung up on what to say. I often think that I am the one that has to do the talking. I then find myself searching for God in my life because I don't communicate with him through prayer the best. Communication isn't just talking though, it's also listening. Listening for God in our lives is just as important as speaking to God. Reading his word, noticing things around us, or simply being still. One of my favorite verses is from Psalms is in chapter 46 verse 10:

"Be still and know that I am God"

The song "Word of God Speak" by MercyMe reminds us that it is ok that we can't find the words sometimes. We need the word of God to speak to us so it can make us new. God knows, and if we intentionally look we will find him. If we start listening our relationship will blossom.

He came to our rescue

2011-05-09T14:26:00.000-05:00

Sometimes in worship God speaks to us in a way we just can't ignore. We get an overwhelming sense of wholeness when we are full of the Holy Spirit, and we cannot help but sing to God. We get reminded that we are not in charge of our own salvation. We cannot earn any standing with God. It all comes through Jesus. He came to our rescue. He gave his life for us, so that we might live. It is not about what we do, but who he is. Our calling is to love him first, and to serve. Serve because of what he did for us, and not to try an earn anything.

This weekend in worship while singing the song "Came to my rescue" by Hillsong United, I was definitely filled with the Holy Spirit. I felt at home. I knew that God is God, and all I have to do is be still and abide in him.

Give me the strength

2011-05-03T15:53:00.000-05:00

What is a prayer that you have said lately? Mine often start, "Lead me and guide me". Our lives our stressful. We live in the most stimulating era in the history of the earth. We are pulled in so many different directions, and it is often overwhelming. It is easy to turn inward to try and find strength, but we never to find it there.

The song "Lead Me" is a very real story that is told too often. It tells how life does get hard, and the prices our families often pay. This song has helped me realize my role in my family as a leader, and realize who's strength to rely upon. I daily need reminders of this, and this was mine today. Enjoy.

Forgiven

2011-05-02T13:57:00.000-05:00

The few weeks after Easter are pretty tough. Easter is such a wonderful time filled with hope, renewal and light. What happens in the weeks after though? On Sunday I broke a string while rehearsing with the praise team before church. I was in a panic and things just weren't the same as the week before. On Easter we were all excited and all the instruments sounded phenomenal. Trumpets blared, we sang our praises and knew that Christ was risen! Things just aren't the same after Easter...or are they? As Pastor Craig preached on Sunday, "Jesus is still alive". We are still forgiven of our sin. Just because it doesn't feel the same as it did on Easter doesn't mean that it isn't still true. He is still risen! We are still forgiven! Jesus wants to know you, so don't fall back into the normal patterns of life. Don't look to other things for fulfillment now that the Lenten season is over.

Sanctus Real's song "Forgiven" always touches me. It reminds us not of who we've been, but what we are. Forgiven.

Really Living

2011-04-27T15:55:00.000-05:00

Perspective can sometimes be everything. The other day at work one of my coworkers hit their leg on something, it really hurt. They said, "it's alright pain lets me know that I am still alive". While this was an innocent comment it really got me thinking. How many times in life do we allow pain to let us know that we are alive? Sometimes it is easier to live in our past pains and to just, "get by" rather than focus on what God has and is doing in our lives.

Before the disciples were called by Jesus they were alive. They were simple fisherman. All sinful men. All had past pains, and probably just got by each day. Then Jesus walked into their lives. He said, "don't be afraid, from now on you will be fishers of men." (Luke 5:10). From this day on they were alive. They were alive in Christ. They had a new perspective. That life was more than what they do or had done, but that Jesus gave them purpose in their lives.

The song "Lifesong" by Casting Crowns is one of my favorites. It invites us to truly live for the one who loves us the most. To let our lives sing to God. That is truly living, and not just knowing we are alive.

Voice of Truth

2011-04-26T12:16:00.000-05:00

What voice are you listening to? The voice that constantly is against you? The voice that says you are a bad person? The one that invites you to be lazy? The one that stands up for the earthly things we hold on to? The one that starts sentences with "there's nothing wrong with..."? How about the one that tells you that your best friend or your spouse is the enemy? There is an enemy, but it isn't a person in your life. He's the one telling you these lies.

We are all created by, and in the image, of God. We are loved. We are good. We are saved through Jesus. These past 40 days we have remembered the sacrifice that Jesus made for us, and the Victory that he accomplished. Don't we owe it to him and ourselves to listen to his voice? To pray. To listen and look for him. The voice of truth. The voice that tells us to not be afraid. The voice that tells us that he has been there, he understands and that we are not alone.

He is Risen!

2011-04-24T01:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Easter everyone! This song really says it all for me on Easter Morning. The song is called "I will rise" by Chris Tomlin. It is amazing music with an incredible message. Glory to God.

Amen!

Lead Me to the Cross

2011-04-21T08:36:00.001-05:00

Today is Maundy Thursday. A day where we begin to remember the reality of what Christ did for us on the cross. Many churches will be having services today that end in solemn darkness. When thinking of Maundy Thursday the song "Lead Me to the Cross"(this version is by Chris and Conrad) came into my mind. This song is very powerful and reminds us what the cross is all about. The title is very appropriate for today as we begin our journey to the cross and to Easter on Sunday. I hope your journey to the cross can bring your personal relationship with Jesus even closer this year.

Love Never Fails

2011-04-20T12:27:00.000-05:00

As I am continuing to read the story of Jesus' crucifixion this week I am just simply amazed. I am amazed at the expression of love that he shows for us. The confidence that he has in His fathers love. The amazing faith that he has throughout all the trials this world could throw at him. Jesus knew the truth that is said in 1 Corinthians 13: 7 before it was written: "Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things". The Love he has for us. The Love His, and our, Father in heaven has for us and Him. "Love Never Fails" by Brandon Heath reminds us of this. Love never fails us. God's Love never fails us. Jesus truly knew this, and he displayed it in those days.

Jesus knows us.

2011-04-19T12:21:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I had a rare day off waiting for my car to get fixed. I took part of the time waiting to read scripture since it is holy week. I did something I have never done before. I read the same story in all four gospels back to back. Yesterday I read the story of Jesus' betrayal and arrest. (Matthew 26:1-56, Mark 14:1-50, Luke 22:1-53, and John 18:1-11) In reading these scriptures you can really see the relationships between Jesus and the Apostles crumble. These are His closest friends and they fall asleep on him, betray him, lie to his face, hear but don't listen.

Sometimes it is easy to compartmentalize Jesus. He is at church, but doesn't know anything about my relationships. Wrong. Jesus knows. He's been there. He has been lied to. He has been stabbed in the back. He was kissed by his friend to identify him as the one to take away to be killed. As I was reading I kept thinking about the emotions that He must have felt during all these trials. He knew what was happening, and what would happen, but nothing can prepare you for when a relationship crumbles. We often focus on the physical punishment Jesus went through on the cross, but before he went to the cross, his emotional world came crumbling down. His support system was gone. From then on it was Him and God.

All of these terrible trials happened in about 24 hours. But the love that Jesus displayed throughout this lasts for eternity. Because of what He did that day, because the scriptures were fulfilled we are free. Because of this our suffering is also temporary. It is also for Gods will, and Jesus is there right with us. He knows the burdens we carry. He has carried them just the same. Let's not forget to love and communicate with our savior. The one who loves us, and the one who saved us.

Don't miss a second

2011-04-17T20:23:00.001-05:00

This week is holy week. The week we remember Jesus' crucifixion and celebrate his resurrection! Since I have become a Christian this week has felt different to me. Sacred. It just has a different rhythm to it. But before that it was just like any other week. I didn't pay any attention to it except on Sunday. So often in life it is easy for us to skip from one thing to the next. We focus on what we can get out of life instead of taking a step back and looking at what God has given us.

Easter teaches us what true love is all about.

John 3:16 says, "for God so loved the world that he gave his only Son. That whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life."

This is what true love is all about. God loves us. He loves us so much that he made the ultimate sacrifice to know us and to have us love him in return. Our pastor challenged us this week to look at the places in our lives that steal the focus away from God. There are so many out there these days that it is hard to keep track of. When was the last time you took in the colors of life? How long has it been since you have felt the spirit and presence of God?

The song "Blink" by Revive tells this same story. We get so busy in life that things pass by in a blink. Start this week. Don't let Jesus' love or you pass you by in the blink of another week. Pray, read, and meditate on how much our wonderful God loves you.

My Own Little World

2011-04-16T08:00:00.001-05:00

It's so easy to live inside our heads. It's comfortable there, and everything is about us. We have our minds made up about the people around us. We know everything. That life makes sense to us. It is what our society is geared toward. Personal computers, personal devices, all make it so we can play by our own rules on our own time. But is that really God's will for our lives? How are we to really do his will when we are so wrapped up in our own desires and pride? Matthew West illustrates this theme in his song "My Own Little World".

If we are always talking how are we able to listen to God? If we are always running to the next thing, when will be stop and be thankful? Maybe it will happen something like in the song. Maybe it will be something more personal, but whatever it may be God is trying to show you that there is something more. That our own little worlds don't really exist, and that this world is not about our glory. It's about His.

By Your Side

2011-04-15T08:00:00.001-05:00

Sometimes in life we try to control things way too much. We go to our jobs thinking that if I don't work hard today God wont love me, or I have to do this so that God will love me. God's love is not a bargain. It has nothing to do with us at all. It has to do with who God is and what he has done for us. When I hear the song from Tenth Avenue North "By Your Side" it reminds me of this every time. It encourages us to turn toward God when we fall and when things are good. That he is always by our side. It is written as a song from Jesus to you. Listen and in that frame of mind and reflect on how much God loves you. He wants desperately to be in a relationship with you. So much that he paid the ultimate price for you.

You love me anyway

2011-04-13T09:21:00.000-05:00

As we come closer to Easter I have been reminded again and again of my brokenness. The fact that I am not in control. That I am far from perfect, and that there is one who is perfect that loves me enough to look past that. Who asks us for possession of our imperfections so that he can work through them and fill those places in our lives with his glory. We are reminded every day that we are broken. That we live in a broken world where terrible things can happen. The light in this darkness is always Love. A Love that can cover all things. All transgressions and iniquities. This is illustrated in the song "You Love Me Anyway" by Sidewalk Prophets.

This song reminds us that we are broken, but God loves us anyway. That we are capable of terrible things, but he has forgiven us and lifted us up. He loves us. No matter what. God loves you. A love that no power of hell nor scheme of man can conquer. He loves us.

Rest and Restore

2011-04-11T10:00:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was Sunday, the Sabbath. It gave Lindsey and I a chance to rest and restore our souls. After worship in the morning we went for a drive in the country, took some pictures, read our separate books, took a nap, I played my guitar, and then we went to play our separate sports (her tennis and I played softball). There are many different thoughts about how this should be recognized and practiced. Jesus says this in Mark 2:27:

"The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath"

Right before he said this he was criticized for healing on the Sabbath. That it was work that should not be done and it was unlawful. What Jesus was saying was that the Sabbath was created to restore us and heal our souls and not to restrict us. We should do things that make our hearts soar, and that bring us back to give thanks to the one who loves us and created us. In Jesus case he, healed, taught, ate, worshiped, and had his disciples pick grain for food all on the Sabbath. His point was, these things all physically and mentally restore the body and soul. That is the purpose of the Sabbath.

Sometimes just hearing a song can restore my soul. Hearing this one by the Newsboys always makes me smile, sing and give thanks.

I am new

2011-04-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

Kind of a theme this week on my blog leading up to Easter. We are truly new in Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

In Jason Gray's song "I am new" he paints us this picture. He has also said that this is his understanding of the gospel. We are new in Christ.

You are more

2011-04-08T09:41:00.000-05:00

It is so easy for us to get trapped in our past and our doubts of God. When we look to this world we find judgement, insecurity, and hopelessness. This just isn't true. There is hope in the God that has saved us. The God that came down and died for us. We are new. The song "You are more" by Tenth Avenue North illustrates this very well. They remind us that we are more than the choices we make, and more than the sum of our past mistakes. This isn't because of us, but because Jesus loves us. Because he died to make us new.

Manifesto

2011-04-07T08:27:00.000-05:00

The City Harmonic has a new song out called "Manifesto". Growing up in the church I remember reciting the Apostles Creed. I hear this song and it reminds me of this, but with the energy, joy, passion, and love that we should have when we say what we believe.

Listen, enjoy and I hope you find yourself singing Amen as loud as I do when I hear this song. God bless.

Imperfections

2011-04-05T10:26:00.001-05:00

I was driving home last night listening to K-Love and people were texting in their praises to God. They read one person's text and it said something like this, "praise God for all the imperfections in my life so that he can use them to polish me into a pearl for Him". This got me thinking (which can be dangerous). It got me thinking about imperfections. Who defines these things as imperfections? God? I don't think so. The world defines things in our life that we might not like or we might not agree with as imperfections. While driving and thinking this thought came to me:

"The 'imperfections' in our lives are just places where God's glory can shine through our lives."

This was my response to the worlds take on imperfections. If we are in control of something we usually feel like we don't need God. We also might define these places as "perfections" in our lives. If we are striving to "perfect" our lives, does that mean we are (sometimes, not always) striving for a life that is built on our own understanding? A life without submission to the one true God who loved us enough to send His only son to die for us?

The other night my wife and I had a conversation about the Bible and how we don't like using the word inerrant (that is another blog post). We were discussing the difference between flawless and perfect. We arrived at the conclusion that the terms aren't interchangeable. That God's idea of perfect doesn't match up with the worlds view of flawless. God's idea of perfect is messy. Just look at the world he has created!! It's full of bumps and bruises, pits and valleys, dark and light, joy and sadness. Why? That is simple. Love.

Love is messy. If you have ever loved someone you know that. It's full of emotion, feeling, passion and just messy stuff. We cannot truly love our God without choice. It's our choice that makes things messy. When we truly choose to love our God even when things aren't perfect and they are messy, then it is true love. When we have to rely on the one that created us and loves us more than we can understand. That loves us enough to send us a savior. A savior who lived in a messy time, and died a gruesome death all for love. To God, to Jesus, that is perfect.

"Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is." - Romans 12:2

In Christ Alone

2011-03-09T08:00:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite worship songs is "In Christ Alone". My brother calls it "the Gospel in a song". It truly is. Every time I listen or sing this song in church I am reminded where my identity truly lies. It is not in me, but it is in Christ. This song is so empowering. My favorite visual of this song is when it says, "no power of hell, no scheme of man can ever pluck me from his hand". How true that is. We are his and he is ours.

The Good Confession

2011-03-08T12:10:00.000-06:00

Short Post today. Just wanted to share this wonderful song by Andrew Peterson. The song says it all. Enjoy:

Philippians 4:6

2011-01-27T11:17:00.000-06:00

Our "Remember 2011" verse this week is Philippians 4:6:

"Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns."

This is such a powerful verse, and one I haven't stopped to contemplate. It has awakened the spirit in my life this week. It is so easy to get bogged down with worry that we do not see the blessings of God in our lives. We focus on the negatives instead of the positives. God tells us to put those worries be shaped into prayers by worries and praises. Wow. How powerful. Praise his name and your worries will be shaped into prayers from your heart to God's. It is such a transforming thought, and a transforming mindset. I pray that we all could set aside our worry and let our petitions and praises to God transform our lives into prayerful abiding in Him.

Dancing in the Minefields

2011-01-27T08:43:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite (if not my favorite) Christian artist is Andrew Peterson. My wife and I and some of our friends saw a presentation of his "Behold the Lamb of God" concert. It is truly amazing. I can honestly say that listening to that CD and concert deepened my understanding of the Bible and of Christ. He is an amazingly connected artists that truly serves and loves the lord.

At his concert he played a new song of his called "Dancing in the Minefields". This is a song about marriage and what the promise really means. It is truly an amazing song. Take a listen:

In our newly growing marriage, my wife Lindsey and I take comfort and encouragement in this song. Knowing that there will be minefields to cross, but when we get to them we will dance together in them. My favorite part is when he talks about that the light in us comes from the son of man so we have nothing left to fear. How true! Enjoy.

Remember 2011

2011-01-17T10:00:00.000-06:00

This year our local Christian radio station MyBridge Radio is doing a project called "Remember 2011". Each week of 2011 they are encouraging people to memorize a different Bible verse. This helps me keep God in my heart by memorizing his word verse by verse, brings the believers in the state together by knowing that we are doing this together. Please pray for me that I keep devoted to this throughout the year.

This past week's verse was Romans 8:32
"He who did not spare his own Son but gave Him up for as all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things"

Thinking about this verse all week has given me the understanding of God's sovereignty over all of us, and the lengths he will go to provide for us. If he didn't even spare His own son, then He will definitely not spare anything to fulfill his will in my life. He will provide where he needs to and teach where he needs to.

Light up the Sky

2011-01-14T13:20:00.000-06:00

I have been hearing this song almost every day to work lately. God has given me the gift to accompany it with a sunrise almost every time. I am listening to the lyrics "Light, light, light up the sky to show me you are with me" and I am seeing amazing landscapes painted by the one who is currently lighting up the sky! What an amazing thing to experience.
It is easy for us to forget that God is with us in our everyday lives. We get busy and fill our time with our own pursuits. I have Proverbs 12:11 posted at my desk. It says, "but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense". This reminds me that is indeed God and his Son Jesus who light up the sky and my life. So the next time you see a sunrise remember who is the one that lights up the sky. Remember who our world revolves around, and thank the Lord that he lights up the sky and our lives!

He is "He"

2010-07-01T09:33:00.000-05:00

There has been one big issue that I have pondered in my spiritual journey that I end up thinking about a lot. It is a very ridiculous issue when I think about who I am and who God is, but sometimes it gets in the way. The issue is the gender of God. I am not proclaiming to have any type of answer because God is God and he created gender, but it is how we refer to him that makes the difference. I had a breakthrough the other night when I was thinking about this issue. I realized that how I refer to God has a lot to do with my faith. When I say "him" or refer to God as a male I am referring to Jesus. I realized that Jesus is Lord. He was given authority over all by God and therefore is God. I realized that when I questioned God's gender I was also questioning Jesus' authority and reign over me. I found it almost laughable that I would do such a thing. It became very cut and dry for me. Jesus was a man, Jesus is Lord and Savior, so He is "He".

Transformation

2010-06-25T13:10:00.000-05:00

We have been studying transformation in our weekly bible study and I have been studying identity in Christ on my own these past couple weeks. This morning God was speaking to me on my drive to work and I made a great connection. I know this sounds too obvious, but sometimes it is hard for me to realize that it all starts and ends with Jesus' love for us. All the good things that have happened, all the changes I have made in my life all start with Jesus' love for me and the relationship I have with him. It is easy for us to think in terms of "ok if I do this what will God bless me with", and I have been very guilty of that line of thinking. It's not a bargain. Jesus loves us. He wants to know us and for us to know and love him. It is through that relationship that we make the change in our lives from me centered to Christ centered.

Sometimes it just takes us longer to let things sink in, or to realize how much Jesus wants to be in our lives. Jesus isn't a cause. Jesus is alive in our lives. He is our identity and he wants to know us. What a great Friday! :)

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. "
John 15:9

From Three to Nine

2010-06-25T12:02:00.000-05:00

First of all, this is my first post in a long time! Wow I forgot how much I miss this. I have gone through a lot of changes in my life and I found myself to start to get off center. This brings me to the point of the title of the blog today.

About 18 months ago three young adults (including myself) met at my church. We all were seeking to find a group where we could share bible study, and true Christian fellowship with other young adult Christians. The problem was that no such group existed. So we started meeting and discussing topics. It remained 3 - 4 depending on the week and through that first summer we stopped meeting. It started back in the fall and we all felt a push to make it more serious. We were meeting two Tuesdays each month and we were all sensing this wasn't enough. We bought some actual bible study material and started meeting every week. This was great. Our discussions lasted long into the nights and we shared truth about ourselves and our real problems that face us as young adults. Then business set in again. We were all tugged in separate directions for a couple months and we didn't meet. Our small group is faithful though. My beautiful fiance moved back and she came with me the first time. After that she invited a friend who had expressed interest in coming. My roommate also started bringing his fiance, and our group began to grow more diverse and more solid. There was much more discussion, more laughter, more testimonies, more prospective that all added to what God tries to reveal to us.

And now last night another couple joined us which brought our numbers to nine. It was truly amazing to see what God had done in such a short time. God through many circumstances brought us all together for a reason. Each time we come together I am so touched by how awesome (and random) God is. Who would have thought that such a group would come together. Only God could create and provide such a blessing and opportunity. Thanks be to God!

"And I will multiply people on you, the whole house of Israel, all of it. The cities shall be inhabited and the waste places rebuilt. "
Ezekiel 36:10

Let it Rise!

2010-02-21T19:05:00.000-06:00

Sundays during 40|2010 are for rest, worship and reflection. This morning at worship we sang the song "Let it Rise". It was amazing! I have never heard a congregation sing that loud and enthusiastically during worship...ever. Immediately it brought a smile to the face of everyone in the worship band. We were all definitely worshiping God with all our hearts this morning and you could tell. Praise God for that!

Tomorrow's task is:
"If you are frustrated, confused or angry, stop and pray for God's guidance."

Day 4: The Mirror

2010-02-21T18:48:00.000-06:00

"Look in the mirror and say, 'God loves me'"

This can be hard to do sometimes. I found myself delaying this until about mid-day. The previous two days made it hard for me to do this, but it also made it much more necessary. When I got around to doing this today I said it at least five times. Starting to sink in throughout the day, my mood and outlook turned more positive. I found that I had motivation to do the things I had been stressing about all morning. Just to know that God loves you no matter how dumb or prideful you get motivates me to be a better man. This exorcise not only helped me forgive myself, but also turned my week around.

Day 3: Forgiveness

2010-02-21T18:38:00.000-06:00

"Forgive someone today" was the instruction for today. It was really appropriate because of the hard day I had the day before. I was talking to my girlfriend Lindsey and I told her what the theme for today was. She simply responded, "that makes sense". She knew as well as I that it was exactly what I needed. God has a tendency to do that. I had got so consumed with what I thought was right and I needed to step back and look at what God was trying to tell me. I also learned that sometimes the hardest person to forgive is myself. It is hard sometimes to fathom that God can love us even when we are being so stubborn and...dumb. This day wasn't necessarily a happy day, but it was one that definitely needed to happen.

Day Two: Philippians 4:13

2010-02-19T12:01:00.000-06:00

Day Two: Memorize Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."

This was a trying day. It wasn't the memorizing that made it trying, but actually taking the verse to heart. I found myself at the end of this day feeling very beat down from a bad end to the work day. People at work received less than favorable news about salary increases and there was a group of us that did not agree on the situation. This verse reminded me throughout the day that I don't have to do it all. I must rely on God's will for my strength and not my own. This was hard to put into practice today, but incidentally I found myself repeating the verse throughout the day. Today was a slap in the face to me to be more understanding about others situations. I caused myself a lot of heartache over my own pride and stubbornness.

Lent 40|2010

2010-02-19T11:54:00.000-06:00

This Lenten season my church is doing a project called 40|2010. The idea is that instead of giving something up for Lent we add something every day. I am going to reflect what my experiences are everyday with these things.

I am starting a little late, but I will catch up today.

Day One: Smile at a stranger

I found it hard in my job to find people I didn't know today. Luckily I was provided with the opportunity when we had to meet with a group of people from a different college for work. When we got into the meeting the three of us were late and we were met with a very cold atmosphere. Apparently a smile was what everyone needed. I found it challenging to smile at these people at first, but also found that once I smiled the first time it snowballed to everyone. It lightened the seriousness of the meeting and we were able to talk about things rationally. By the end of our time we were relating with each others issues and we were even laughing. It is amazing what something as simple as a smile can do.

Not Giving Up

2009-10-02T13:22:00.000-05:00

This past week has been a great week for me and my faith. I have started to pray every morning out loud. It is amazing what a difference this makes. When I acutally speak the words of my prayer I feel completely focused on God. My mind doesn't wander and it makes the prayer that much more meaningful. It helps me be present in the prayer. This has given me amazing focus just to remember that my life is in God's hands and that I follow his path and no the other way around.

The Saturday night service is now entering its 4th week! Everything is going great, but our attendance numbers are dwindling. I was gone for the last weeks service visiting Lindsey in Iowa, and my pastor said the numbers were "pretty bad". Throughout this week and since the service has been coming about I have been inviting my friends to come. Some have committed to coming and some turn from the idea immediately. This could be discouraging if I let it, but this week God spoke to me and said, "don't give up so easily". It was an amazing realization that I have been giving up on things rather quickly lately if they didn't pan out right away. Our timing is definitely not the same as Gods timing. What God wants us to do is to have faith and perservere. And that is just what we are going to do.

First Saturday a Success!

2009-09-14T12:07:00.000-05:00

This past Saturday our church kicked off our Saturday night worship service. It went great. It was amazing to feel a different type of worship at a different time than I was used to. It really renewed the sense of actual worship in me. It was also extremely emotional. I found myself many times choking up during songs after seeing how people were reacting to our music. My absolute favorite part of this worship is that is participatory. The congregation is involved in the worship, the kids are involved in the worship, and I think it brings that much more to God. I saw people that I normally see on Sundays with renewed life and energy during worship. They were able to give their full hearts to God in a welcoming and celebratory environment. Praise God!

What a difference a week makes...

2009-08-24T13:34:00.001-05:00

This past week has been very trying for me at work, and also staying devoted. When things get hectic in my life it seems like I always turn inward to my past experiences to solve the problem. This never helps though. When I turn inward I only find past pains, and more stress. I try to take on the world, and try to manage the people and things in my life. If only it was about me...

It's amazing how God can give you a gut check back to reality. It's about God. Doing Gods work by using my talents, and me trusting in him. I heard something great on the northpointe ministries podcast the other day that really struck me on this topic. The preacher Andy Stanley said this,

"We don't need more knowledge to fill the voids of our lives, but instead we need submission to God who is able to fulfill our needs."

In busy and stressful times I need to focus on God and his plan. I need to thank him for these stressful times, because I am blessed to be doing the work he laid out for me.

Now getting back to it being all about God. I read something that has stayed with me from a book by Max Lucado. The book was called "It's Not About Me". In the book he explains the fact that we were created in Gods image and that is a prime example of how it's not about us. He says that just as a mirror reflects our image that we reflect Gods image into the world. This is such a wonderful thought and a privelage that it feels so foolish that we would ever focus inward on ourselves.

Living with our Gifts

2009-07-09T13:04:00.000-05:00

Sometimes we have gifts from God that we don't always like to use. However, these gifts are so needed that it is necessary to use them. I have a gift to understand and work with computers. I battle with this gift on a daily basis, because the culture that I work in seems so far from God sometimes. I will save that rant for another blog though. On my recent trip to the Dominican Republic I visited a school that teaches underpriveleged Dominican children up to the 8th grade. When I walked in and Lindsey (my girlfriend) started introducing me I told people I worked with computers. Immediately I learned of huge needs that they had to fix their computers. There is 1 computer shop in the town and very minimal tech support anywhere. I knew I had to help them. I knew that they didn't understand the problems that they were having and I did.

In that moment I realized why God brought me to that place, and why he gave me the gifts that I have. These people are doing amazing things for these children, and I know that what I did, however small, helped. It's easy to look at situations like those and say, "what will this do to my time?". When I ask that question it's very easy to say no and hide my gifts. When I ask, "how much can I help them out?" or, "How big is their need?" followed by, "you know you are the person that needs to help them" my attitude changes. Living with our gifts doesn't always accomplish our wants, but it will accomplish God's wants for you.

Galatians 1:10

2009-07-09T12:55:00.000-05:00

I was doing some bible study today and read this passage. I realized that I ask myself this question on a daily basis. It reads: "For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ."

I think this is a great question to ask on a daily basis. Is what I am doing for God or to please someone or myself? I often find that the decisions I make are to please myself or others and not God. I find that when I am trying to please others my life is very scattered and I get stretched to thin. When I work to please God, I feel as though I have focus and purpose, and that brings energy.

I don't think that these things are mutually exclusive however. Maybe this is the people pleaser in me, but I know that when we aim to please God we will please others. This doesn't mean we will always please others that we would like to please, but it may mean that we help those who need help the most.

Sharing

2009-04-20T12:10:00.000-05:00

Lately in my life I feel like God has been asking me to share my life with others. In church I have been called to lead music for our Saturday night service as well as perform on sunday mornings using my talents. On Saturday I began to share the good news about my brother to all of my freinds. This was an amazing experience. By hearing people's reactions and talking to them for a bit about the ordeal I got a sense that our family and Scott had more support in this than we realized. I had told most of my friends about this and they knew that I was going through this, but to actually hear the releaf and joy in their voices at the news was a blessing. It almost brought me to tears everytime I dialed the phone.

I have been reading the book, "Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren lately and last week the strong theme was that we are not meant to be alone in this life. We need to share our lives through our faith and true fellowship with others. Share our experiences, joys, pains with others. This could be people in your church, it could be friends or it could be anybody. I have truely seen that sharing is definitely worth it.

God Bless

-d

The Journey comes to an end

2009-04-20T12:02:00.000-05:00

On Friday we got official word from the doctors that my brother is cancer free! This past 6 + months has been an incredible journey of faith, family and fellowship. With that report I know that my brother is cured of cancer, but it also made me think of everything we have gained from this journey. My relationship with God has taken off because of this. My relationship with Scott has only strengthened, and my relationship with my family is stronger than it has ever been. I hate cancer and always will, but there is always a silver lining and that is where I see God at work in circumstances like this. Scott will continue to get stronger and gain his energy back and will soon be blowing amazing solo's on his sax on a nightly basis. For now he is finishing up school and simply healing from an incredible journey of body and spirit. I have been fortunate enough to be able to be there for him when he needed me. He is one of my heros and this just reinforces that.

Risen Indeed!

2009-04-13T10:46:00.001-05:00

Easter this year was probably the most memorable in my 24 years. I had wonderful experiences all day. Easter service was amazing. I played in a trumpet trio, sang in the choir, sang a duet, and sang in the praise team. The sermon spoke to me, and it was a fantastic rejuvenating service. After the service I spent time with my family, re-connecting with cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and parents. It was truly a joyous day.

These things were not the thing that made the day fantastic though. For the first time in my 24 trips around the sun Easter meant something to me personally. I finally began to see the love of God all around me. Through my relationships with people in my church, friends an family. I started to understand what true unconditional love is. I kept thinking in church, "God doesn't love me because I am a devoted christian, because I go to church, because I read the bible, or because I pray. God loves me because I am me. Because God made me to be me." That is what Jesus died for, us. It is so amazing that it can't be described. I felt God's presence in me all day. Just being me.

Wow what a day!

After the Countdown

2009-03-26T09:30:00.000-05:00

Ok, after my last post it reminded me of another howie&scott song that really got through to me. "After the Countdown" reminds us that every ending has a beginning that follows it. The song ends with the words "after the countdown a new one begins" in a round. It is probably one of my favorite songs. Again thinking of all the changes in our lives, and about our relationship with God I realized that when one door is closed that another is opened. Countdowns are never final. There is always a new countdown to pay attention to. It was a very refreshing thought. Since my brother Scott sings in this recording it hit me double hard. This Friday he finishes his Chemotherapy treatment for Hodgkins Lymphoma. Hearing him sing "after the countdown, a new one begins" almost brought me to tears. After this journey is over he can begin a new one. I am so greatful for all the support that he has recieved through prayer and encouragement. It does help. Good Friday is in a few weeks, but this Friday is pretty "good" too. :)

Signs

2009-03-26T09:20:00.000-05:00

Yesterday on my iPod I decided to listen to the album "Signs" by howie&scott. If you want to know more about howie&scott visit www.mrfuriousrecords.com. This was an amazing musical journey that I forgot about. There many interesting songs on the first half of the album that stretch your mind, and then the last half of the album is solid. Three songs in particular were very appropriate for the season. Easter Morning, Easter Afternoon, and Easter III are a fantastic trio of songs spaced throughout the album. Just these three songs are their own journey through Easter and what it means. I honestly couldn't tell you the lyrics, because I get lost in the music. Easter III ends the album with energy, rhythm and passion, just how I think Easter should make us feel. Here is hoping that the Easter season brings you the joy and promise that it is able to bring.

Peace.

Impressions broken down

2009-03-17T20:57:00.000-05:00

Its amazing how God breaks down first impressions that we have of people. It is like he is saying, "if you care enough to get out of your own head I will show you who they actually are and why they are in your life". Tonight I went to the first meeting of our small group for young adults at church. It was a very small group. Only four, but we made up for numbers in spirit. In this small time I learned more about these three other people and their journeys with God. I also am beginning to see why he brought these people into my life. When I met all of these people I thought they were all well established in the church and also in their faith. I felt as though I was inferior and that I had much learning to do. I came to find out that they were seeking God either for the first time or in new ways as I have been. It is always refreshing to see that you aren't the only one seeking sometimes.

How it's done

2009-03-17T13:14:00.000-05:00

Lately I have been listening to the Northpoint ministry podcast. This podcast has great sermons available with many great lessons. I just started a series today called "Taking Care of Business". Its about work. I have struggled with work lately. I work in IT and a lot of the times it is hard for me to find God in my work. Everything is so lifeless and mechanical that it doesn't seem that it has any lasting value. I constanly question why I get stressed over the things that I do, because they seem so insignificant sometimes. Until I heard this on the way to work today. The pastor said, "God doesn't care what you do, but instead how you do it". This made the difference for me today. God does want us to realize our potential, but for the time being we need to put our whole hearts in to what we are doing. When we do that, God will lay out the path for us. This was very refreshing for me today.

Its a beautiful day.

2009-03-16T23:08:00.000-05:00

It wasn't hard to enjoy God's creation today. The sun was shining, the wind was blowing and the temperature was just right. It's amazing the ups and downs that a single bike ride can give me. When the wind was at my back I felt on top of the world and cruised pretty fast. When the wind was in my face I felt as if the weight of the world was on my shoulders. These difficult times soon led to downhills and easy pedaling. It was an amazing journey that only lasted 25 minutes. It seemed that when I was going into the wind that the harder I tried to overcome it myself and try to overpower the wind, the more I struggled. When I submitted to the wind and let accept my limitations the pedaling was easier. Funny how that works out. The more I wanted out of the ride, the less I got. When I was content with the situation and played with the hand I was dealt, the ride was easier and much more enjoyable. This directly relates to life. The more we want the less we are fulfilled, but when we are content with what God has blessed us with we are fully filled with the Holy Spirit.

My pastor offered some advice a few weeks back on this subject that I love to think back to. He said, "Look at what you have and don't see what isn't there, but instead look at what you have and see potential".

What a difference a year makes

2009-03-16T22:45:00.000-05:00

Last Friday I turned 24. Looking back on the past year, I have gone through many changes in my life. These all were difficult changes to stomach, but they all have one thing in common. All of the changes in my life have brought me closer to God. A serious relationship ended which made me dive into reading, and that led me to the Bible. My brother was diagnosed with cancer in October, and that led me to find a church for comfort and worship. Since at church I have been involved in the music during worship and that is how I connect with God the best. Sometimes I look back and think about all of the hardships that I faced, but when I look at where I am today I wouldn't have it any other way. One year truly does make a difference!

Greek Week makes me look back

2009-03-16T22:44:00.000-05:00

It is Greek Week at Doane this week. This is the pledge week for fraternities and sororities. I have made a lot of changes in my life this year and I find greek week this year different as I have in the past. I used to find it as a source of energy, excitement and renewal of the group that I was apart of, but now I am seeing it more as a comfort. It is fun to see guys that were freshmen when I graduated being in charge. The same things happen to the pledges as they did when I was a pledge. In a year that has brought so much change and uncertainty, Greek Week this year has let me know that the world is still going how it should be. It has shown me that though some things might look a little different they are definitely the same.