Friday Thoughts

It's Nov. 12th and I am still working on growing my beard. Obviously it's no shave November and it's intense.

Currently I'm alternating between two bands this morning. 1st is All The Bright Lights and 2nd is Gungor. I think my ears are in heaven. There is nothing better than finding a album. Okay...there are a couple of things better but I'm not going there.

Also, it's another day closer to seeing my son. Just reading back over that last sentence brings a smile to my face. Good grief this little man is gonna be so loved.

Project 345

A week ago I spoke in our student church ways to avoid temptation. One of my points was to know and read the bible. When we know the scripture we can side step the temptations thrown at us.

Sure, we all read the bible at some points and have devotions regularly but I asked the question to myself "when do I just sit down and read the bible to just read it?" I read blogs, magazines, some...books ....I felt convicted that I take in all this information about the world we live in, the cutlure, this generation of youth, and countless theories but hardly take in the Word of God.

So, starts my journey of diving into the new testament. A chapter a day. Yesterday was John 1. Wow, Verse 1 "In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God and the Word was God."

Too, Too Long

I haven't sat down to write anything for a while. It's Thursday and I feel the need to update.

Life over the past couple of months have been a ton of crazy fun. Found out Krista and I are having a little boy (wow...thank you God). I can't tell you how huge that is. It means I get to teach my boy how to hold a curve ball, line up for a putt, and how to pick up the ladies.

I have seen already how fast time goes by. I look back and feel like we just got preggo. We are 5 1/2 months+ into the pregnancy and where has the time gone? So much stuff is still needed for the little guy too. Agh. It's crazy how much 1st time parents want to buy there kid everything. I have fallen victim to it! Don't know how I'm going to combat it. I guess good luck huh.

At the end of the day God is awesome. He has heard our prayers.

Never Forget

You cannot stop the work of God, for the work of God is unstoppable. We (you and I) have the choice to be apart of it.

we aren't so different

Nope.

Cultures are different.

We are all striving for the same things in life. Every person wants to feel valued and loved. We see thousands of people everyday. Remember this one thing. Each person you come across has a soul, a heart, a desire to strive after something bigger than themselves. Where do we fit in to that equation? We care about so many things...but is one of them people?

We are more than just a name.

"I feel that I don't know anything EXCEPT the ONE THING...if we can understand the One Thing than THAT is all we need to do." - Joel Houston, IHEARTREVOLUTION.

reasonable, radical, renewing, rewarding

Are we the real deal? Where do we rate?

To revere God means to love Him passionately and purely. Yet, we find that our culture is vastly reshaping what is good and right causing lines to become blurred. Yes, people's standards have changed. In other words, everything is permissible as long as it doesn't hurt anyone. The question that arises is whether or not our worship is as radical within the church as sin is within the world?

Are we Rated G (Godless) in our worship?

- Worship that has no spiritual heart to it.

Are we Rated PG (Pretty Good) in our worship?

- Worship is more based on feelings than on faith in God.

Are we Rated PG13 in our worship?

- God may have 87% of you but 13% is still missing.

Are we Rated R (Radical) worshippers?

What does Rated R worship look like?

1. Worship that is Reasonable.

2. Worship that is Radical.

3. Worship that is Renewing.

4. Worship that is Rewarding.

Romans 12:2 NLT "Don't copy the behaviors and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Down Right Crazyness

Life. Ha. It has been so busy lately that it's been over 3 weeks since I have blogged. I have felt a slight withdraw to be honest. Many things have happened over the past couple of weeks. Here's a list.

1. For starters, Krista and I found a great house in which we are moving to in a little over a week from now.

2. Krista had some tests done and everything turned out great.

3. We also did the huge jump from long time Verizon customers to newly Sprint customers.

4. In the process of shooting a video for our youth group for Easter Sunday.

5. Spring break came and went.

6. Got a call from my buddy Kris about wanting me to help with Little League this year.

7. Here @ElkhartCalvary we installed wifi in our main lobby and auditorium.

8. Went running for the first time this year.

9. For the past two Sunday's during worship I've actually put down my guitar and just sang.

10. It was my niece's 1 year birthday!

All we can ever do is just hold on and I've got a firm grip right now. More to come.

Let Love Rule

Where is the love? Who has it? Who stole it? Just finished reading an article on Jack White...ha...Jack White...yet, he had interesting insight that sparked my feelings over the last couple of months.

"The prevailing attitude in America today is so 'survival of the fittest.' We're all about being out for ourselves instead of being out for our family. It all comes back to how you look at others and how you look at life on a very direct level." Relevant Magazine

What a time we live in. Negativity is all around us. Yet, each one of us holds the hope / the answer to what can turn negativity into such zeal, enthusiasm, and passion. So, what is it?

Love. Easy as that. Thanks to a lil cha-cha research the word Love is mention 319 times in the Old Testament and 232 times in the New Testament within the NIV. You would think that there has to be something with this word?

Are we not seeing the world around us? Our communities are struggling. Our nation is gripping to just hold on. Our world is desperate for relief and yet, we hold the keys to it all. Let's open our eyes to the things around us. Not just see what going on next door but to act and do what we are called to do. The world doesn't need speakers...they need the DOERS! Love is the easiest thing to talk about, the hardest thing to do, and the thing that matters the most. I will show LOVE!

change//faith.hope.love

I must admit something. The biggest part of why I love coming to @ElkhartCalvary every Sunday morning is the chance to worship my God. Not only for myself to worship but to see the church worshipping gets me even more excited.

It may be because I am younger that my worship gets me physically exhausted. Sweat in my worship time=one amazing experience. Think what you may but my thought is that I want to give back everything I have to my King who gave everything for me. At that moment I am laying down everything that clutters my life. Romans 12:1-2 (http://bit.ly/9MJiGM). It should be our goal every moment of every second. Am I perfect like that? No...not even close but it's what I should/am striving for.

The definition of worship for my own life is "having breakfast and then saying thank you Lord. Going to work and saying thank you Lord." It can be that simple if we choose. Will you?