Credo's Christmas Break

Schedule

December 21 - Trip to the Palace of Auburn Hills to watch my sister play baskeball before a Piston's Game in Detroit, MI

December 25 - Christmas in Portage, MI

December 27-29 - Play guitar for my Dad with the rest of my family for the Friends of Israel Youth Conference at Gull Lake Camp, MI

January 1 - New Year's in Portage, MI

January 9 - Speak in chapel at Heritage Christian Academy in Oshtemo, MI

Goals

1) Spend time with my family

2) See my friends in and around Michigan

3) Sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep

4) Prepare for Project 20Ten launching next semester

5) Begin reading Lead Like Jesus and Total Truth

Credo Chews A Goldfish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzbvyypUHQY

Words From Psalms

Rest, Wisdom, Compassion, Splendor, Fortress, Refuge, Trust, Safety, Faithfulness, Shield, Dwelling, Forever, Exalted, Love, Protection, Deliverance, Majesty, Strength, Established, Holy, Avenger, Great, Blessed, Salvation, Marvelous, Worthy, Truth, Light, Upright, Joy, Just, Glad, Renown, Enthroned, Savior, Favor, Righteous, Everlasting, Judge, Commander, Creator, Miraculous, Unfailing, Redeemer, Powerful, Victorious, Crusher, Gracious, Steadfast, Sovereign, High, Triumphant

So in the middle of the work week, just remember...

THIS IS OUR GOD!!!

Feed Hungry People From Your Computer!!!

Freerice.com - Just click on this banner to help feed hungry people while you expand your vocabulary!!! This is incredibly easy - PLEASE just check out this website and see how easy it really is to help the poor and the starving!!! Every vocab word you guess right gets 20 grains of rice sent to needy countries through the World Food Program.






Below is a chart showing the different nations receiving free rice.

Thanksgiving Break '07

Here are some pictures from my Thanksgiving Break in Harrisburg with my family. I got to stay with Aunt Jess and Uncle Brett and visit with Aunt Ruth and Uncle John from Tennessee. It was an amazing week just spending time together, playing with my little cousins, decorating for Christmas, and basically "chillaxing" for once!!! Brett and Jess have 2 kids - Courtney and Chloe, and John and Ruth have 3 kids - Ethan, Abigail, and Bethelle. The pictures are from our little tree hunting excursion this past weekend...

Humility: True Greatness #12

Chapter 12

- "Are any of your ambitions for your child more important to you than their cultivation of humility and servanthood - the basis for true greatness as biblically defined?"

- "Parents are to be an example of greatness for their children."

- "Our culture daily celebrates those who are clearly not great in the eyes of God."

- To Kids: "So listen up and wise up and don't be a fool. Honor true greatness. Honor your father and mother. Make it your godly ambition that between this moment and that moment when you stand before their lifeless form, you will express your love and appreciation for them in countless creative ways."

- "Intentionally teach your children to serve."

Humility: True Greatness #11

Chapter 11

- "Respond humbly to trials."

- Follow Habakkuk's example: 1) Prayerful before God 2) Waiting on God 3) Rejoicing in God.

- "Waiting is not resignation; waiting is an active trust in God to provide fulfillment in His perfect timing, according to His ultimate purpose of glorifying His Son."

- Are we more aware of our trials or our great salvation?

- "Rather than praying and being concerned about God's glory, rather than seeking to discern His purpose, rather than appealing for Him to be glorified in and through my trial, I'm instead questioning and complaining and demanding relief."

Humility: True Greatness #10

Chapter 10

- "Invite and pursue correction."

- "Personal insight is the product of community."

- "It's possible to attend a meeting where others are confessing their sin where others are welcoming and responding to correction and yet fail to follow their example."

- "Humbly recognize your need for others."

- "Don't assume that by merely attending a group, by merely associating with those who are godly, you're therefore satisfying God and growing in godliness. That is deception."

- "Are you humbly and aggressively participating or merely observing [in your small group]?"

- "Studying biblical humility offers the potential of making serious progress in godliness..."

- "Humility doesn't demand mathematical precision from another's input; humility postures itself to receive God's grace from any avenue possible!!!"

Humility: True Greatness #9

Chapter 9

- "Each of us speaks about 25,000 words a day... How much of [those words] reflect pride, rather than a gospel-motivated humility?"

- "Encourage others each and every day."

- "How many of your twenty-five thousand words each day could be characterized as corrupting talk?" (Eph. 4:29)

- "Truly edifying words are words that reveal the character and the promises and the activity of God."

- "In Ephesians 4:29, Paul commands that our verbal communication always be purposeful."

- "What do [my] words reveal about [my] spirit?"

- "Let's experience afresh the transforming power and potential of this command and promise, so that increasingly a higher percentage of our twenty-five thousand words each day are soul-edifying, life-transforming, God-glorifying words of encouragement."

My Heart Is...Good???

Here's what I've been wrestling through these past few days... the author is intentionally left out (for the time being) to avoid natural biases - biases that I've been struggling with too...

"There is a widespread belief among Christians today that the heart is desperately wicked - even after a person comes to Christ... it is UNTRUE."

Dan Nichols' Reaction: "What - that's not true at all!!! Our hearts are desperately wicked!!! How can there be so much sin in my heart and such a battle in my heart if my heart is good???"

Here's why I'm starting to think through this more:

"It's not just that the Cross did something for us. Something deep and profound happened to us in the death of Christ. Remember - the heart is the problem."

Eph. 2:4-5 - "But because of his great love for us, God... made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions."

Rom. 6:4,11 - "We were therefore bured with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life... In the same way count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus."

1 Cor. 6:19 - "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have recieved from God?"

1 Cor. 3:16 - "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?"

"Okay - each of us is now the temple of God. So where, then is the Holy of Holies? Your HEART. God cannot dwell where there is evil."

Ps. 5:4 - "You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell."

"He gives us a NEW heart. And he comes to dwell there, in our hearts."

Luke 8:15 - "The seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop."

Dan Nichols' Reaction #2 - "Where on Earth is all this crap that I'm seeing in the world and in myself coming from if my heart is good???"

Romans 7:21-23a - "So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my INNER BEING I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war..."

Present Interpretation: Sin is waging war against my BODY; but my HEART has been completely changed and transformed. My heart is good. Only through the transforming power of God Himself and the resurrection of Christ.

If that is true - the implications of our potential for God are through the roof... larger than any of us have ever imagined.

Humility: True Greatness #8

Chapter 8

- "Identify evidences of grace in others."

- Pride is blinding!!!

- Shape a "divine perspective." Basically, focus on God's grace in your life as well as others' lives.

- "We motivate others by grace when we help them to see [that God is at work]."

- "When's the last time you specifically and sincerely informed your child of an evidence of grace that you've observed?"

:: I'm just going to take a second to thank MY parents for always specifically and sincerely sharing with me the evidences of grace they've seen in my life. They were and ARE incredible examples of humble parenting!!! ::

- "Would [people] tend to view you as just another fault-finder? Or do they know you as someone who actively calls attention to the evidences of God's gracious work in their lives and in the church?"

- "Let's emulate Paul's humble example and be preoccupied with the divine perspective that makes possible the deepest affection for OTHERS..."

Humility: True Greatness #7

Chapter 7

- "The grand difference between a human being and a supreme being is precisely this: Apart from God, I cannot exist. Apart from me, God DOES exist. God does not need me in order for Him to be: I do need God in order for me to be... We are dependent. We are fragile... God does not fade. God is not fragile." - R.C. Sproul

- "By the grace of God I am what I am, but God says absolutely I AM that I AM." - Matthew Henry

- "God intentionally designed salvation so that no man can boast of it." - Mark Webb

- "He didn't merely arrange [salvation] so that boasting would be discouraged, or kept to a minimum..." - Mark Webb

- "PLAY GOLF AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE... I don't think there's a more difficult or more humbling sport."

Humility: True Greatness #6

Chapter 6

- "Throughout each day we're experiencing saving grace, sustaining grace, serving grace - grace that should amaze us."

- "I must INTENTIONALLY transfer the glory to God."

- "Whatever successes you experience in your life and ministry and vocation, learn to immediately transfer the glory to Him."

- At the END OF EACH DAY - "Receive the gift of sleep from God and acknowledge His purpose for sleep."

- "A Christian, informed and inspired by Scripture, views the cessation of work each day, the limitation god places upon work each day, and the laying down to sleep each night, as altogether a gift from God."

- "Each night as I confront my need again for sleep, I'm reminded that I'm a dependent creature. I am not self-sufficient. I am not the Creator."

- "Throughout the night as you sleep, someone else is sustaining you."

- "Seize this opportunity to mortify pride and cultivate humility by setting apart sleep as a holy gift from God."

- "Let the Spirit give you a new perception and appreciation of sleep."

"I Am Free"

They’re gone.
Oh the wonder
Of being free
How can You
Forget everything
That I’ve done?
You’ve taken them,
And thrown them
As far as the East
Is from the West
Thank you
For saving me
From my damnation
From this curse
And from an
Eternity of loneliness.

Now, I’m ensured
An eternity of security,
An eternity of love,
And life.

You know me
Better than I know myself,
You know what
I have done,
Yet you choose
To forget my past
And set me free.

Baptized in perfect love,
I am forgiven.

Thank you,
For loving me
To the point
That you would
Become a sacrifice
And free me
From my past.

By: Zach Trautman

:: Zach is one of my best friends, and when I saw his latest piece of work - I couldn't resist sharing it with all of you. Thanks Fishy!!! ::

Humility: True Greatness #5

Chapter 5

Simple Steps for Defeating Pride:

- "Reflect on the Wonder of the Cross."

- "All of us have an inflated view of ourselves, especially in self-righteousness, until we have visited a place called Calvary. It is there, at the foot of the cross, that we shrink to our true size." - John Stott

- "How can anyone be arrogant when he stands beside the cross?" - Carl Henry

- "The cross never flatters us."

- "Begin your Day acknowledging your Need for God."

- "The sin of pride is ACTIVE - not passive. Sin doesn't wake up tired, because it hasn't been sleeping. When you wake up in the morning, sin is right there, fully awake, ready to attack. So rather than be attacked by sin in the morning, [Mahaney's] chosen to go on the offensive."

- "Thankfulness is a soil in which pride does not easily grow." - Michael Ramsey

- Do I spend more time LISTENING to myself or SPEAKING TRUTH to myself???

Humility: True Greatness #4

Chapter 4

- "True greatness is not even possible for us apart from the Savior's unique sacrifice."

- Our service is merely evidence of Christ's great sacrifice!!!

- "If [we] aren't aware of [sin's] danger, [we'll] never sufficiently appreciate the significance of [Christ's] death." This is Christ's sacrifice.

- "So make it your aim and lifelong havit, when you see someone who's serving, to be reminded of the sacrifice of the Savior, for apart from His sacrifice there is no serving."

- "True greatness is attained only by emulating the Savior's example - and made possible only by the Savior's sacrifice."

Humility: True Greatness #3

Chapter 3

- "Jesus was radically redefining greatness..." Mark 9:35b - "If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all."

- The pride of the disciples who walked, talked, lived, and trained with Christ is incredible... gives us all hope!!! I'm just like them... sometimes worse...

- "Jesus does not categorically criticize or forbid the desire and ambition to be great. Instead, He clearly redirects that ambition, redifines it, and purifies it: "But whoever would be great amoung must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all." (Mark 10:43-44)

- Christ is the "ultimate example of true greatness." He was a servant. "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45)

- True greatness is defined: "Serving others for the glory of God."

- "What it means to be great in the eyes of God - humbly serving others for His glory!"

Humility: True Greatness #2

Chapter 2

- "Though I can't say I'm humble - I certainly have much to be humble about!!!"

- "Pride seems to have a strange and sure way of ignoring logic altogether."

- "The real issure here is not if pride exists in [my] heart; it's where pride exists and how pride is being expressed in [my] life."

- "Pride is more than the first of the seven deadly sins; it is itself the essence of all sin."

- "Pride is when sinful human beings aspire to the status and position of God and refuse to acknowledge their dependence upon Him."

- I'm fighting for God's position in my life when I let pride take over!!!

- "Pride also undermines unity and can ultimately divide a church." I've definitely experienced this in my life - it's freakishly true.

- "Pride also brings down leaders."

Humility: True Greatness #1

I'm reading through Humility: True Greatness by C.J. Mahaney. These next few months I'm going to be posting what I'm learning NOT FROM CLASSES - but on a personal, non-academic level.

Introduction

- "I'm a proud man pursuing humility by the grace of God." We all can say the first part of that quote for sure - but can I truely say the second part?

- "God gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6/1 Peter 5:5)

Chapter 1

- Good to Great is a book that was written from 5 years of research on corporations. They found that successful corporations and managements have leaders who have two qualities. One is a drive - passion for their business. The second is humility or modesty!!! This did surprise me.

- "Humility draws the gaze of our Sovereign God." (Isaiah 66:2)

- "Contrary to popular and false belief, it's not 'those who help themselves' whom God helps; it's those who humble themselves."

- "Humility is honestly assessing ourselves in light of God's holiness and our sinfulness."

You WILL Watch This...

I literally sat at my desk today and just started weeping, hard.

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=ee73e63418003b47d7d5

Pray for BBC's Class of 2010

Please pray for our Class of 2010 - I'm introducing our mission and events to fulfill that mission in our first class chapel of the year at 10:00 Friday morning. Check out our website for the complete mission statement:

http://www.freewebs.com/credoindeum.

Basically - our main goal is to create a new Class of 2010 Scholarship here at BBC!!! This is an exhaustive list of all the events and fundraisers we are doing this year...

1) Concessions
2) Dorney Park
3) Discount Cards
4) Picture CD's
5) Bandemonium
6) Roller Skating
7) Rotunda Time
8) I-View Party

Please pray for our class and what God's going to do through us - especially our officer team... Matt Owlett, Renee Korb, Kari Shirk, Hannah Quigley, Ben Hixson, and Sarah Baker. They are the greatest team EVER - and we really need your prayer support.

Credo's Life 9.13-9.15

Thursday
Chapel (10:00-11:00)
Biblical Themes in Literature (11:30-1:00)
OT Prophets (1:00-2:00)
Lunch (2:00-2:30)
Student Leadership Council (5:00-6:00)
President's Dinner (6:00-7:00)
Student Leadership Council (7:00-8:00)

Friday
Work - Underground (7:00-10:00)
Class Chapel (10:00-11:00)
Theology II (11:00-12:00)
Philosophy of Youth Ministry (12:00-1:00)
Lunch (1:00-1:30)
Leave for Adirondack Marathon, Schroon Lake, NY (2:00)

Saturday
Adirondack Marathon (NY)

Credo's Life: 9.07-9.10

Friday
Work in the Underground (7:00 AM - 10:00 AM)
Chapel (10:00 AM - 11:00 AM)
Theology II (11:00 AM - 12:00 PM)
Youth Min. Philosophy (12:00 PM - 1:00 PM)
Genesis (1:00 PM - 2:00 PM)
Lunch (2:00 PM - 2:30 PM)
Travel to Erie Marathon (3:00 PM)
Arrive at Hotel (7:30 PM)

Saturday
Work at Erie Marathon (Erie, PA) - (7:00 AM - 10:00 PM)

Sunday
Church in Erie
Back to BBC in the Afternoon

Monday
Chapel (10:00 AM - 11:00 AM)
Theology II (11:00 AM - 12:00 PM)
Youth Min. Philosophy (12:00 PM - 1:00 PM)
Street Hockey (1:00 PM - 3:00 PM)
OSD Meeting (3:00 PM - 3:30 PM)
Meteorology (7:00 PM - 9:00 PM)
Officer Meeting (9:00 PM - 10:30 PM)

And We Think WE Have a Hard Life???

http://hipandthigh.blogspot.com/2007/09/who-maketh-blind.html

Sophomore Year

1) 18 Credits
2) Working in the Underground Cafe
3) Working for National Running Center
4) Teaching Guitar Lessons
5) BBC Defender's Golf Team
6) Class President
7) Social Life
8) Sleep

And in all this...

God wants me to spend my TIME...

With Him.

Please pray that I will not live college life without my Savior.

God Saves!!!

The last week of camp, God allowed me to be a counselor!

Tuesday, during swimming time, God saved the soul of Mike Benham, a 15 year old camper in my cabin. Now he desperately wants to read the Bible more and begin his spiritual walk with God. Please pray for Mike as he starts his spiritual journey.

Also pray for Dusten, a 14 year old kid who's been going to church his whole life and still doesn't believe that God exists or if the Bible is true. He promised me he would read the Doctrine of God papers I gave him as well as "Evidence that Demands a Verdict" fast facts on the Bible. I'll be following up with Dusten soon - please pray for his soul.

Teen Leadership Conference Notes

Leadership = Influence

Leaders: 1) Make no excuses 2) Build Godly character 3) Assess situations

"What is expected is connected to what's inspected." - Don Jackson

A leader trusts truth - like Josiah. A leader crushes sin - like Josiah.

There is NO Biblical pluralism. (John 8:32, John 17:17, 2 Timothy 2:25)

Leadership Fundamentals: 1) Be strong in God's Faith and Promises 2) Read God's Word, talk about it, and think about it 3) Be strong in God's Presence

Priorities are revealed in response to... 1) Trials 2) Problems 3) Status

Trials are not problems. Trials are a test of our relationship with God. Problems are human tests (i.e. will power).

Philippians 2 - Leaders... 1) Have the same purpose 2) Actions are motivated from a love for God 3) Consistently EMPTY THEMSELVES - IT'S NOT ABOUT US!!!

A leader's heart... 1) Is committed to God publicly and privately 2) Acts immediately on truth 3) Never makes deals 4) Confesses sin when confronted

Comprehend the importance of our mission - Christian leaders.

Be clear with what you believe.

See people as POW's.

Live as a reflector of light - not a freaking filter!!!

Wrapping Up the Summer of '07

Tonight, I'm in Canton, OH resting before trecking back to Lincoln Lake in Grand Rapids. This next week I will wrap up Worship Leading at Lincoln Lake. I'll be in Kalamazoo for the next week to get my personal business together before heading back to BBC on August 19th.

TLC notes coming soon!!!

Teen Leadership Conference

My friend Kenny and I left Lincoln Lake at 10:30 PM on Friday night, and we got to BBC at 9:00 AM on Saturday Morning - 10.5 hours on the road. This weekend we've been going through staff training as counselors for the next 2 weeks. The first week we have about 570 students at the conference; I have 15 guys I'll be counseling.

This is a definite RISK (which is my theme this summer). I've never been to TLC, let alone counseled at one. Everything's going to be new for me - even in the counseling role. At Lincoln Lake I don't get the opportunity to counsel one-on-one because I'm the worship leader. This is going to be risky, but that's exactly what God wants for me.

God's going to do some amazing things through this conference.

Please pray!!!

A Prayer Request

This morning I went to church with my friend Zach (a.k.a. Fishy). The pastor's message was on "Worship in Motion." Toward the end of the message he called up a man named Will Dye.

Will had to move to a trailer park after losing 3 businesses and his home due to a heart attack that claimed all of his finances. His daughter met God at the age of 8 through a VBS that Zach's church held two years ago. Will's daughter introduced him to God after her VBS experience 2 years ago.

This year, Will found out that Lake Center Bible wouldn't be having a VBS this summer. He couldn't believe it - so he e-mailed the pastor and expressed his concern for the trailer park he lives in. You see, financially, Will no longer has to stay in the trailer park community.

Will is so burdened for his community - he's staying there so that he can help this desperately needy world - a world that's only 3 MILES FROM MY PARENT'S HOUSE IN PORTAGE, MI.

The kids are referred to as "trailer trash" at school. They have a different school bus so they don't have to ride with the other kids. The driveway to the park doesn't even have a sign - it doesn't even have a name!!! These kids are taught that they are the lowest of the low in Portage's white-collar society. They need the hope of God.

So Will is doing his own VBS there in the park on July 18-21. Unfortunately I'll be at camp and then Teen Leadership Conference that week. But I am going to be praying for this VBS - and I'd like to ask for more people to be praying for this trailer park community that I never knew existed 3 miles from my parents' house.

Will's taking a huge RISK for God.

Risky Spiritual Warfare

Here's what I'm learning this summer...

Leadership = Scars
Taking Risks = Increased Spiritual Warfare
Taking More Risks = Even More Attacks From Satan
Give Your All - Satan Makes It Seem Worthless
Keep Giving Your All - Satan Takes Your Mind Off the Positive

BUT

"My body and my mind may become weak, but God is my strength. He is mine forever." (Psalm 73:26)

That is not just religious jargon.

That's a promise from the God of the Universe.

He's worth the risk.

Father's Day

This man is my hero. This man is my mentor. This man is my friend.

Happy Father's Day, Dad!!!

Pictures from Week 1

Pinball Canoeing with Water Snakes

So it was 6:50 in the morning. Pastor Alan walked into the Yurt with a bull-horn blaring... "Goooooood Morning Staff!!! Time to get up - be at Breakfast in 10 MINUTES!!!" We were barely conscious of what just happened. My friend muttered... "So ya want to play the ARMY game, huh?!"

We were sent on a 12 mile canoe trip that Monday - we started at 8:00 and canoed for about 8 hours. I was with my good friend Rachel - she was in front and I slowly learned how to steer. Unfortunately - it took me about 2 hours to get the hang of it. My friends Alex and Naomi were in the canoe behind us laughing at me. After 2 hours of pinballing off the reeds, trees, and shore, I finally asked, "Alex, how the heck do you steer this darn thing???" He calmly responded, "Oh, just drag your paddle on the side you want to turn..."

Duh.

So after 3 hours we reached the fallen tree stage of the journey. Rachel and I were doing a lot better, but suddenly we got caught up in the rapid part of the current and ran up against a tree. As I tried to push off, I looked up at my hand on the branch as a ginormous water snake raised it's head to eat my hand. Rachel turned around and screamed louder than anything I've ever heard before. I tried to calm her down and push off from the tree at the same time. Thank God the current caught us right back again and we were on our way.

After about 8 hours, we reached the shore of Greenville, MI. The cell phone placed for us to call camp was dead - ON PURPOSE. So Alex, Myself, Rachel Melson, and Wess had to walk through Greenville begging for a phone to call camp with.

Alex and I were shirtless.
Rachel and Wess looked like a homeless couple.
We were a great looking group of hobos...

Yes, we made it back to camp.

Next morning - 6:40 AM - repeat performance.

Except this time - we had to do it all AGAINST THE CURRENT. You see, we hadn't followed our orders to the letter on Monday... we thought we needed to break the rules for physical safety. The Directors thought otherwise. So we had to canoe from the spot in Greenville back to Lincoln Lake. Through the trees, upstream, against the current, and with only 1 peanut butter sandwich...

Felt like freaking boot camp... not gonna lie.

Sparing the tiresome details of the rain, the dead end, the hunger, the cramps, the jumps in the water to pull the canoes, the multiple breaks, crossing the dam...ect... God did the impossible.

Not only did we make it back to Lincoln Lake - WE MADE IT IN TIME FOR DINNER!!!

Yeah, staff training was rough at the time...

But it was worth it.

Risks in Staff Training

Well, I never figured that moving to camp would be a major risk - but it is... emotionally it's weird moving in with another large group of people that I'm still getting to know. I'm learning to, again, take risks and build relationships which is really difficult for me. I love the staff here - we've been doing some incredible team building that's really helped us and turned us into a pretty tight group.

Speaking of risks - MY WORSHIP TEAM DOESN'T GET HERE UNTIL A WEEK FROM TODAY - (that's 2.5 days before camp starts)... My faith in God is definitely growing - probably because He put me in a place where it HAS TOO!!!

The ministry I'm doing is extremely fast-paced. Staff training is a lot of work and a lot of fun - but extremely exhausting. I can't go into everything, but one thing I'm totally jacked about is my new job assignment. Lincoln Lake is starting a basketball camp this summer, and they've asked me to be one of the coaches for their new basketball camp!!! Today, we trained for it for 3 hours in the heat out on our ghetto basketball court - it was AWESOME!!!

So I'm still learning about risks - not only as a worship leader or a video supervisor, but now a basketball coach too.

A Life In The Fast Lane

Tomorrow will be the third time I've moved in a year and a half.

Move #1 - January 2006 - From Cleveland, OH to Kalamazoo, MI

Move #2 - August 2006 - From Kalamazoo, MI to Clarks Summit, PA

Move #3 - May 2007 - From Clarks Summit, PA to Grand Rapids, MI

Pray for me as I start work at Lincoln Lake Camp. I'm going to be leading two separate teams at Lincoln Lake - the Worship Team and Video Team. This means I'll be responsible for 2 chapels a day leading worship and setting up the speaker for that session - this in turn equals 10 chapels a week. The video part of my contract means that I'll be responsible for producing the weekly video we send home with the campers every Saturday morning. This will probably include many Friday all-nighters...but I couldn't be more excited!!!

God's called me to a life in the fast lane - and I FREAKING LOVE IT!!!

Walmart

Today I found out how much I absolutely hate shopping for necessities. It was a hot and muggy day - the kind of day you crank the AC as hard as you can. (In my family's Taurus that would be Level 4... ya, that's right. Not just any level - Level 4). So I entered Walmart.

And the Walmart Greeter Lady failed to greet me...

Needless to say, but I'm going to say it anyway - I was incredibly disappointed in the lack of greeting from the Walmart Greeter. But I pressed on - to the Men's section. Grabbed a few things, then I made a startling discovery. I needed to get a cart for the first time in my life!!! (Well, for the first time ON MY OWN). See, in college, you never need a cart. You grab like 2-3 things and you're set for the month, ya know... well - not today. Today - I was shopping for the whole summer.

I must have looked really stupid as I went up to the Walmart Cart People, smiled politely, and dumped my stuff in the cart. They were probably thinking, "Isn't he supposed to do that when comes IN?" So I headed for the toiletries section. I hate the toiletries section - with a passion. I must have paced up and down that section 9 times trying to find the stupid hairspray. Couldn't find it for like 14 minutes. Finally - there it was - ONLY 96 cents!!! Ya - take that economy.

As I nonchalantly meandered to the register, I noticed that the candy bars are only 48 cents now!!! That's incredible... no joke. Then I made my second startling discovery. The guy in front of me was already paying... and all my merch was still IN THE CART.

So I tried to act all suave - like I just didn't feel like putting my merch on the belt yet... ha - riiiiiight. The Walmart Register Lady bought my act though. Her name was Stephanie. As I suavely leaned against the credit card machine, I made my 3rd startling discovery. The credit card machines now ask you if the Walmart Register Lady GREETED YOU!!! Stephanie had, indeed, greeted me - so I took the germ infested plastic Walmart Credit Card Payment Pen and said, "Yes."

I just wonder why they don't ask you if the Walmart Greeter Lady greeted you as opposed to the Walmart Register Lady? Oh well, that's Walmart... I guess.

A God Moment

Last night I went to a David Crowder Band concert put on by the Church of God Convention in Michigan. Little did I know what God had in store for me...

I've always appreciated hymns - their authors and the history behind them. But I never really liked hymns. (My generation has this problem). So I never really expected to have a major God moment while singing a hymn.

Until last night.

DCB broke out the hymn Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing. I've never heard a rock version of this hymn before - it was incredible. Here are some of the words that we sang... "O to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be! Let thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love; here's my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above."

Now, I have no idea what the heck a fetter is. Obviously it's something that binds...

But the TRUTH of this verse and PASSION/EMOTION of the music combined in one defining God moment. I've never been able to praise God as freely as I did last night. The intense and ferocious love that He has for me, my incredible debt that He completely demolished, the stupid decisions I make on a daily basis, and the commitment I've made to him as a kid of the King of Kings - all of these thoughts came crashing down on me all at once.

I wept.

A lot.

Then we sang Amazing Grace - acapella... and God just took me right to my knees. I've always wanted to bow before God during a worship service - but that stupid pride that I have in me always kept me from it. Last night - I didn't have a choice. Why? Because God knelt with me. TOGETHER, we re-committed my passions, my summer, my goals, my dreams, my will, my love, my energy, my time, my life...

To Him.

Two Risks Have Begun

God's convicted me about two specific risks that I'm taking action on this week. Please pray that God will bless these efforts. One is a relational issue that needs to be resolved - the second risk has to do with material things.

By the way - I'm finishing Blue Like Jazz this week.

It has changed my life.

YOU need to read it.

No, seriously.

Quote #1

"The ability to accept God's unconditional grace and ferocious love is all the fuel we need to obey him in return."

- Donald Miller (author of Blue Like Jazz).

My Summer Focus

God has given me a new focus for Summer '07.

RISK

My life is too safe. I'm going to be focusing on risks in a two step process this summer. Here's how it's going to look.

1) Study - I'm going to study God's Word doing character studies of those people who were models of "risk-taking" in the Bible.

2) Action - I'm going to prayerfully find out what risks God wants me to take. After God shows me a certain risk - I'm going to attack it and passionately act on faith.

Please pray for me - keep checking the blog for updates!!!

My "Religious" Excursion

Believe it or not - today I entered a Roman Catholic Church for the first time in my life. I was waiting in the church's garden studying for my two finals tomorrow, and I decided to wander into the sanctuary.

The first thing I noticed were the kneeling benches in the pews. I couldn't help thinking how amazing those would be at Parker Hill. Evangelical Churches just don't have kneeling benches. Why not?

The next thing I noticed was the unbelievable architecture of the building itself. I immediately crossed my arms behind me in respect for the grandeur that surrounded me. The decor is insane - I couldn't help but stand in awe at the majesty of Jesus Christ as he stared at me from the largest crucifix I've ever seen in my life.

Strange, the Christ I know isn't on the cross anymore.

The choir loft and the organ are placed behind the congregation up on a second level balcony. The congregation doesn't get distracted from the worship leaders. How cool is that?

There were about 10-12 marble carvings that encircled the sanctuary telling the story of Christ's death. As I followed these marble carvings, I ran into Mary's Altar. There she was - the Mother of Christ. Oddly enough - across from Mary's Altar was a statue of Christ himself.

There was NO prayer altar for Christ. Only Mary.

That broke my heart.

In a sense, I wish that I had more respect, awe, fear, and trembling when I go to church. This building fostered an incredible sense of respect, awe, fear, and trembling. I would be a fool to not acknowledge this spiritual weakness in my life. In that sense, I wish I was Catholic - to foster that respect, awe, fear, and trembling before God.

There's a problem though...

My God is alive - no longer on the cross.
My God paid the price - I don't have to.
My God answers my prayers - not Mary.

The Glory of Jesus Christ

My church - Parker Hill Community Church - has been going through a study of the Trinity over the past few weeks. Today we started focusing on God the Son - Jesus Christ.

I've never been so enthralled with Christ my Savior as I was this morning.

Colossians 1:15-18, "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;

all things were created BY him and FOR him.

He is before all things and in him all things hold together.

And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead,

so that in everything he might have the supremacy."

That's MY God.

Stepping away...

The highlight of my Thursday was not our last Freshman Class Chapel - as great as that was.

The highlight of my Thursday was not our Student Leadership Council dinner - as great as that was.

The highlight of my Thursday was stepping away from my work, away from the confusion, away from my desk, away from people, away from distractions, away from the normal, away from my habits, away from my dorm, away from music, away from everything else...

Just to walk and talk with my God.

THAT was the highlight of my Thursday.

Officer Team Dessert Night

So Tuesday night, Ben, Clark and myself all decided to treat the ladies on our Freshman Class Officer Team to a dessert night where we made crepes from scratch with ice cream, fresh blueberries, strawberries, chocolate syrup, and whipped cream. We also made our own chocolate covered strawberries to go along with the crepes. My dorm-parents, the Boykins, were gracious enough to give us their apartment for the evening where we could watch Pride and Prejudice after reviewing the highlights of our year as an officer team. Our advisor Matt Pollock and his wife Rosemary were able to come out, while our other advisor Shane Miller and his wife Shelley weren't able to make it. Our incredible Treasurer Renee Korb was unable to come because of softball - we missed you, Renee!!! Here are some pictures...

Week of April 30 - May 6

Monday: 4 Classes, OSD Meetings, Concessions for Softball Game,
Tennis w/ the Loescher Guys, 24
Tuesday: Ministry Coach Meeting, 2 Classes,
Freshman Officer Dessert Night
Wednesday: Prayer Meeting at Breakfast, 4 Classes, Advisor Meeting,
Leadership Team Meeting
Thursday: 2 Classes, Student Leadership Council Dinner
Friday: 3 Classes, Golf Scramble at Scranton Municiple Golf Course,
Jr./Sr. Banquet!!!
Saturday: STUDY FOR FINALS!!!
Sunday: Parker Hill, Small Groups (Messy Spirituality)

BBC Spring Banquet 2007

My amazing friend Jennifer Pollock and I are on the left. Jenn and I met last semester, and she let me talk her into coming to the banquet with me! On the right are Jordan Durga and Kristi Sterken. Kristi and I met last semester - then Jordan came to BBC this semester. He moved into my dorm, and we got to play on the golf team together. We go to church on Sundays together as well as small groups on Sunday nights. (Click on the photo to enlarge.)















My Class Officer Team: Kari Shirk (Secretary), Hannah Quigley (Class Rep.), Renee Korb (Treasurer), Sarah Baker (SLC Rep.), Clark Wolf (Vice-President), Myself (President), Ben Hixson (SLC Rep.) (Click on the photo to enlarge.)

Post-Arby's Photoshoot

So this was the result of my friends and I having a little photoshoot after our dinner at Arby's ... and no - I am not trying out for the next X-Men film (in case you were wondering).

Boykin Quote #1

Ted Boykin (pictured here with his beautiful daughter Katherine) is my Dorm Dad here at BBC. His quotes are extremely funny; so I decided to start posting the good ones as they keep rolling in...

Me - "For sure"

Boykin - "Or in MY neighborhood, they say 'FO SHO'..."

Week of April 23-29

Monday: 4 Classes, Golf Practice, 24
Tuesday: Golf Match in HARRISBURG
Wednesday: 4 Classes, Advisor Meeting, Golf Practice,
Class Leadership Team Meeting
Thursday: Campus Appreciation Day, Golf Match in PHILADELPHIA
Friday: 3 Classes, Golf Practice, Spring Banquet!!!
Saturday: Touring NEW YORK CITY
Sunday: Parker Hill, Small Group (Messy Spirituality)

Tribute to Virginia Tech

We are praying for you!!!

April SnowStorm

This was taken YESTERDAY here on campus. Afternoon classes were cancelled - as well as golf practice (go figure). Yes - we had a snow day on April 16th, 2007. Global warming? I think NOT!!!

Week of April 16-21

Monday: 4 Classes, Golf Practice, 24.
Tuesday: 2 Classes.
Wednesday: Team Prayer Meeting, 4 Classes, Advisor Meeting, Teen Leadership Conference Training, Officer Team Meeting.
Thursday: NEAC NCAA Div. III Golf Tournament - Maryland.
Friday: NEAC NCAA Div. III Golf Tournament - Maryland.
Saturday: Bandemonium - Freshmen Class Fundraiser - I'm MC'ing a concert fundraiser for the Class of 2010.
Sunday: Parker Hill, Small Groups.

Weekend April 14-15

This morning I'm getting up at the unholy hour of 6:27 to travel with the BBC Men's Golf Team to Keuka, NY to try to get win #2 this week. After the match, I'm coming back to BBC's campus to help with the MXC Freshmen vs. Sophomores event in the Gym at 9:30. Our officer team did the advertising for this event, and we're really excited about it! Sunday, I'm going to Parker Hill as always - we're starting a new series this week. At 2:00 I'm meeting with the artists from BBC who are singing in Bandemonium coming up a week from today - April 21st! Pray that this fundraiser will help our class financially so that our influence can expand for God's Glory in our class, our campus, and our community!!!

The One Video

The One Campaign

Bono, lead singer for U2, has started a campaign to end extreme poverty in Africa. We don't need money - just your voice. Watch the video above this post. Go to www.one.org and vote to save lives in Africa.

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