Monday, July 4, 2011

That is Who You Are...

If I'm honest, I can get through life with relative ease.

I find that I do not need people. I do not need things. I sometimes can even go without money. More often than not, I find that I can turn on auto-pilot, ignore what's going on around me, focus on my goal and get there.

But that goal, when I arrive, is never truly satisfying.

If the goal is money, I always want more. If the goal is fame, I'm never famous enough. If the goal is pride, someone is always better. If the goal is a woman, there's always someone prettier.

We all do this. If we aren't able to admit it, we all see it. We all jump at the opportunity to point out someone who is sustained by money, greed, lust, fame, negativity or anything else it may be.

When it comes to created things there is nothing that fills a soul that longs to constantly be filled. Whether this is our own, or others'.

I have nice clothes. Clothes that will never satisfy me.
I have an iPhone. An iPhone that will never completely satisfy me.
I have a very expensive and very exquisite guitar. An instrument that will only disappoint in its inability to fully and completely satisfy me.

When it comes down to it, God is all that will fully satisfy me. I hate cliches, but the statement is no less true. It only becomes cliche when the zest and power behind it is gone, which at times, it is for me.

So this is what the Holy Spirit brought me to today to curb this fickle, wandering, unfaithful heart that yearns for satisfaction in the wrong places. A desire to never be satisfied without knowing who God is more.


O God, You are my God, earnestly will I seek You; my inner self thirsts for You, my flesh longs and is faint for You, in a dry and weary land where no water is.

So I have looked upon You in the sanctuary to see Your power and Your glory.

Because Your loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You.

So will I bless you while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.

My whole being shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips

Psalm 63:1-5

Monday, March 14, 2011

The World Race and Walk In Love Clothing

There are few moments that I find myself in where I say, "People need to hear about this".

The moment is here. Twice. If you can give, please lavish on these people however God calls you to!

1) The World Race is a service journey that gives people the opportunity to visit and serve in 11 countries in 11 months. I know people who have returned from this journey broken for serving people. These "Racers" lives are not the same, nor the lives of the people they encounter. A friend of mine, Amiee Wood is one of those racers. She is serving men, women and children of all shapes, sizes and colors. You can read about it here: http://amieewood.theworldrace.org/. She needs support, though. As of March 9th, she needed $1,258 and her deadline is April 1st. If you can, please give! Help her bring the gospel and servant-hood to quite literally, the corners of the earth.

2) Walk in Love clothing is a gospel orientated fashion company in Lancaster, PA. Their name comes from Ephesians 5:1-2: Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and WALK IN LOVE, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. I've had merchandise of theirs for less than a month and had multiple people comment on them. What an easy opportunity to bring the gospel to a very religion polluted country in a way that grasps culture exactly where it is? Walk in Love is trying to open a store to do this and needs as of today $21,355 by April 1st. If you can, PLEASE GIVE! These are people who are using their God-given talents and passions to reach people in whatever way will hit them closest to home.

If you can't give, then spread the word! Tell others about these people and their passion!!! It's not everyday that I get emotional about things, but these people truly are seeking out ways to bring the gospel to (in some cases literally) the doorsteps of those who need to hear it!

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Day 25 - "If I sing at the top of my lungs it won't say a thing if I haven't love."

For those just joining us, read Day 1's caveat.

I knew coming into this project it would bring a new perspective on things I had never before imagined. I have been through times of solidarity, I have been times of speechlessness, and I'm still trying to find "my story" among a sea of what seems uncertain sometimes.

Today I realized two very big things:

1) I have something to say
2) I don't love people nearly enough.


There's got to be a reason why anything Seth Roberts (Watashi Wa, Lakes) does immediately hits home for me. I'm not sure what it is, but every word of this song relates to me in some way.

I find that there are times in my life where I have to go at it alone. May it be for a day or a year, aloneness has been very much a part of my life. Likewise, I have spent months going to bed thinking that there was no way I would make it through my life. But the best parts of my life are the moments where I know God has me so close there is nobody around but Him. He is close, I am so empty and I couldn't be happier.

Through all of this I have a story to tell. But without love, it means nothing. To do "nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit..." or to "value others above yourselves" is difficult. I said this morning to a room full of teenagers that this world makes it really easy to see others' selfishness and avoid our own. Philippians suggests that sharing in the Holy Spirit of God, bringing joy to other believers and sharing in one love entails holding others' needs over your own (Phil 2:4). Can we honestly say we do that?

Can we honestly say that in the story we have to share, that above everything else, we have love? Because otherwise, it doesn't matter. And you will know it when everything comes crumbling to the ground.

"The plans that I make... they fail miserably."

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Day 21 - "I'd freeze the frames, if I had the choice. I'd take you back for just a day"

For those just joining us, read Day 1's caveat.

There isn't anything too special about this post. God has been blowing my mind, and I've been thinking about my childhood a lot. How it has affected my life for better and for worse. This is my favorite band, and often they can pierce a lot of shells and cut to the heart of emotions.

This song makes me think of a great day. A friend and I could take bikes, ride down the hill by my house and go downtown... go towards the classy parts of Lynchburg, Rivermont and Boonsboro. Warm sun, cool breeze. Man I can't wait for summer.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Day 18 - "I will live to love You! I will live to bring You praise! I will live a child in awe of You!"

For those just joining us, read Day 1's caveat.

I have been serving with, in my incredibly bias opinion, what I believe to be the most highly concentrated group of people yearning after the most intimate places of God's heart I have ever experienced. It's not a doubt of mine that it is chalked up 100% to the Holy Spirit and sovereignty of God that could bring about such an amazing desire for change and life in the hearts of people that walk through our building.

This was the first song I ever sang there, and one of the most emotion filled times of worship I have ever encountered. It's been on my heart the past couple of days, and true to this experiment, something that should be shared.
The greatest love that anyone could ever know
That overcame the cross and grave to find my soul
And 'til I see You face to face and grace amazing takes me home
I'll trust in You


With all I am I'll live to see Your kingdom come
And in my heart I pray You'd let Your will be done
And 'til I see You face to face and grace amazing takes me home
I'll trust in You

I will live to love You
I will live to bring You praise
I will live a child in awe of You


You are the voice that calls the universe to be
You are the whisper in my heart that speaks to me
And 'til I see You face to face and grace amazing takes me home
I'll trust in you

You alone are God of all
You alone are worthy Lord
And with all I am my soul will bless Your name
Joel Houston:

An amazing female version as well:

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Day 15 - "How great Your love for us! How great our love for You!"

For those just joining us, read Day 1's caveat.

Sometimes we feel like scripture needs some cultural adjustment. I have felt like nobody understands (and even recently almost told a couple people to their face that they don't). I have felt like this journey is mine to do alone. God never runs, though. No matter how insistent you may be that "Everything is alright" or "I'm fine" or "It's really no big deal" in feign insecurity, God is always there. He knows exactly when to pursue you even when you don't. He is strong, He is merciful, He is above all things... great. And great needs no cultural adjustment.
Oh, thank God—he's so good! His love never runs out. All of you set free by God, tell the world! Tell how he freed you from oppression, then rounded you up from all over the place, from the four winds, from the seven seas.

Some of you wandered for years in the desert, looking but not finding a good place to live, half-starved and parched with thirst, staggering and stumbling, on the brink of exhaustion. Then, in your desperate condition, you called out to God. He got you out in the nick of time; He put your feet on a wonderful road that took you straight to a good place to live. So thank God for his marvelous love, for his miracle mercy to the children he loves. He poured great draughts of water down parched throats; the starved and hungry got plenty to eat. - Psalm 107:1-9 (The Message)

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Day 14 - "My heart is set on a pilgrimage to heaven's own bright King"

For those just joining us, read Day 1's caveat.

Yes, I needed a 2 day break. :)

I don't know how to explain the large amount of things God is teaching me right now. I will say, however, that God is good, He is holy, and sometimes to get to God we have to wade through a lot of junk. It's funny, because many of the same scriptures that spoke to me early in my encounter with Christ still hit me between the eyes now, just in a different way. The same way with music.

Charlie Hall seems to be a musician that God uses consistently. As my friend Chris pointed out yesterday, I am a very emotional person and I seem to get crazy joy from some of the truths that are in Charlie Hall's lyrics. That sentence may not make sense considering the song below

And on the road to beautiful
My seasons always change
But my life is spent on loving You
To know You in Your power and pain
For most people, a somber song would pull them down. Now, for me, it does in some settings. However! Think about how true these lyrics ring out! They may be very Ecclesiastical, but there are times for weeping, for singing, for dancing, for mourning. There are different seasons, and with each one brings a very unique perspective to God!
They who sow in tears shall reap in joy and singing. He who goes forth bearing seed and weeping [at needing his precious supply of grain for sowing] shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. - Psalm 126:5-6 (AMP)
I'm not sure that I would say there can't be joy without tears, but there certainly can't be reaping without sowing. I just said to my friend Andy today that in my finite mind, good and evil have to exist to understand either. Regardless if that is true or not, I know that I know the joy of God from the pain I have experienced. The title of this post speaks of a focus on higher things. The subsequent line says "So in faltering or victory, I will always sing!"

I hope that while you're reaping or sowing, you're singing. And sing loudly.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Day 12 - "I don't know perfect conversation and I don't know the way to turn a head"

For those just joining us, read Day 1's caveat.

Maybe it's the fact that February is in full swing and Valentine's day is about a week away.
Maybe I have been desiring to play more guitar.
Maybe Dave Barnes is just amazing (read: incredibly handsome).
Maybe it's the series that we are going into that I've been praying about.
But I'm feeling a little sappy. And sappy is okay. And it's what's been in my head all day, and that was the very point of this experiment.

"Loving You, Loving Me" by Dave Barnes

"Nothing Fancy" by Dave Barnes

"Grace's Amazing Hands" by Dave Barnes and Marc Broussard

Friday, February 4, 2011

Day 11 - Sure?

For those just joining us, read Day 1's caveat.

Just a break. Here, listen to some Jonny Lang. He loves Jesus now.

"Only a Man" by Jonny and Haylie Lang

"Thankful" by Jonny Lang with Michael McDonald

"Beautiful One" by Jonny Lang

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Day 10 - "Holy is our God! Wonderful is He! Holy is the LORD Almighty!"

For those just joining us, read Day 1's caveat.

For a couple days now God has had this idea of his holiness on my mind and I can't get a couple of songs out of my head, the below being one of them.

Psalm 99:3
Colossians 1:22
Isaiah 8:13
Leviticus 21:8 (with respect to 1 Peter 2:9)

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Day 9 - "Let God arise! Our God reigns now and forever!"

For those just joining us, read Day 1's caveat.

For those who have been reading, I never truly intended to expound as much as I have been. However, I can say without hesitation that Christ has been changing my motives, my expressions, my excitement, my reactions, my love towards other people, and especially the song that is constantly on my heart. The biggest theme these past couple of days is God's eternal nature. His power and His reign over creation. Nothing flashy, no fancy words. Majesty. Holy. Holy. Holy.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Day 8 - "Our God reigns!!! Forever Your kingdom reigns!!"

For those just joining us, read Day 1's caveat.

I have a bad memory, specifically short term. I forget about what God has done. Forgetting is a big part of why I write things down. God has used it in so many occasions though to bring Himself glory, though. I realized this when I was reviewing things I had written in this blog just two years ago (specifically the story of Norman, who you can read about here).

God brought the phrase "Your throne is immemorial" to mind today after the following song came on my Charlie Hall Pandora station. Granted, I did not know the spiritual tangent and subsequent high that I would find myself going through in the middle of Panera Bread hours later....
Psalm 93:2-4: "Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting. The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up the roaring of their waves. The Lord on high is mightier and more glorious than the noise of many waters, yes, than the mighty breakers and waves of the sea!"
(Warning: If you do not get chills down your spine by how beautiful, exciting, and worshipful this is, you and I have very different personalities)

Monday, January 31, 2011

Day 7 - "I want it like it was back then! I wanna be in Eden!"

For those just joining us, read Day 1's caveat.

I am an idealist. I usually think everything is butterflies and rainbows. Sadly, Genesis 2 shows us that we kind of messed that whole "perfect world" thing long ago. If they had not messed it up back then, I'm sure I would have botched this whole perfect world thing for us all. I hypothetically apologize to all of you for that. I am sure you empathize with one of if not both feelings; idealism and thinking you would mess it up if it had gotten this far.

I wanted to explain this idea of being in the Garden of Eden and what it would be like, the implications it has on how we live and how we should go about our relationships, friendships, marriages, and such but I just could not do it today. I tried to explain this idea about 6 different ways, but I kept revealing myself, not scripture so here's a song that's been in my head most of the day:

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Day 6 - "And you are breathtaking and breath giving!"

For those just joining us, read Day 1's caveat.

I am sad to say I could not find this song anywhere on Youtube, so I had to resort to Yahoo! Music.

There is not a lot to today, except that this song has been stuck in my head since ~8:45 this morning. We talked about pride this morning and we discussed 1 Corinthians 4:7:
For who separates you from the others [as a faction leader]? [Who makes you superior and sets you apart from another, giving you the preeminence?] What have you that was not given to you? If then you received it [from someone], why do you boast as if you had not received [but had gained it by your own efforts]? (AMP)
As a culture, we ask the questions like "What makes you better than everyone else?", "What makes you stand out?", or "What makes you so different". The change needs to come in the W word. Who makes you so different?

God is not only the source of preeminence, authority, and majesty but he is also the giver of these things. Since we talked about that this morning, Charlie Hall's "Bravery" has been stuck in my head. Check it out!!

http://new.music.yahoo.com/charlie-hall/tracks/bravery--28827811

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Day 5 - "Love is a waiting game. Time is enough to make the best fall apart"

For those just joining us, read Day 1's caveat.

First of all, let me say that undoubtedly my favorite band / music is anything Seth Roberts does. Yes this is a shameless plug but if you doubt, go to www.lakesband.com. The main reason I'm so drawn to it is because so much of it seems like this I would write but never could.


The music coincides with what I've learned in large part this week. I will say unashamedly that I love my friends. I love the people I work with. I love my family. I don't say I love them like Larisa Oleynik loves her Prada backpack in "10 Things I Hate About You". I mean I love my friends, I want the best for them, and if you are in my life to any degree which shows my concern or pursuit, I will probably sacrifice any and all things to build that relationship.

Patience, however, is not my strong suit. I want things now. In fact, if I have to finish the sentence and I don't have it, it's too long. You probably relate in some area whether it's loving fast food, always wanting to watch your favorite show but can't wait 6 minutes for it to be on, freaking out during a commercial break, or the biggest problem: wanting to text someone you just sent a text message to 3.5 minutes ago just to make sure they actually got the first text.

Text messaging has done two wonderful things: it has given us the ability to show people how much we care in the easiest way that has an opportunity to convey what love we can in at least a somewhat meaningful way and turned our society into instant gratification fiends.

I realized in a conversation (read: set of text messages back and form. not synonyms) today that I am typically quicker to voice a brash opinion over text messages which is actually the exact opposite of what I should aim for. James 1:19 says:
Understand [this], my beloved brethren. Let every man be quick to hear [a ready listener], slow to speak, slow to take offense and to get angry." (AMP)
I don't see anywhere in there where it says "Just say whatever you want." This does not mean that I will be completely giving up text messages like I have some music any time soon. This does mean, however, that I will be answering text messages slower from here on if I don't just call you in response. I hope you'll be patient

After all, it's a hard thing, patience.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Day 4 - "I will love you for you. I will give you the love, the love that you never knew"

For those just joining us, read Day 1's caveat.

I want to say thank you to people already following this journey. It's funny that I would start a journey like this and have such immediate spiritual attack happen. It's actually encouraging! It means that I am doing something that is moving someone's heart towards God somewhere. I have woken up with a song in my heart of God and woken up pretty quickly (which is something that is hard for me). If I stopped today, this entire project would be a success. But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep.

Today is simple: Thank you to Marilyn Carrasco for recommending JJ Heller during this journey o' mine (and I encourage anybody to contribute or recommend music I should investigate. I don't care what genre or style at all!

Honestly, sometimes it's better to just let music do its thing so I'm going to let God encourage you through JJ Heller. I hope you connect with a story somewhere, I know I do.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Day 3 - "Cause we have all we need in you"

For those just joining us, read Day 1's caveat.

For those who have not heard this idiom before, "The Refiner's Fire" suggests trial, stretching and pressure that someone endures in hopes of refining them to be better. The hard part is that as Christians, we all want to be better but we don't want to be improved. We want to be refined, but we don't want to go through being refined.

Whether it is trying to calculate how you will pay $100 more in bills than you have money, feeling like one of your best friends is mad at you (or even feeling like you're losing one of your best friends), feeling like you are a corporate pawn, feeling completely alone or looking at your life and having no idea where it is going, there seems to be something always in our way (and those are specific examples from my life and others this week).

I don't do well when friends and I aren't on the same page. So when this song came on directly after 2 different people either said or showed that my input in their life was neither wanted nor appreciated, it immediately penetrated my heart.


The main reason it penetrated my heart is how much faith I put in people. We don't think of ministry, "Christian music", or people who point us towards God of idols. We think, "I trust this person's opinion because they point me to God". We eventually get to the point, however, where we turn to that person for comfort, advice, or solace and not God. We think that we cannot get through the fire without that person. In all reality, we cannot get through the fire with anything but God.

My biggest prayer is that I would trust that I am taken care of. That He is truly ALL I need. After all, Jesus is better than the waves.

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? - Matthew 6:25-27 (NIV)

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Day 2 - "As surely as the sun will rise, You'll come to us! As certain as the dawn appears!"

For those just joining us, read Day 1's caveat.

I never recommend playing bible roulette. That is, flipping your bible wildly and dropping your finger like some spirit-led anchor believing that wherever you land is where God needs to speak to you specifically.

However, I must say that if you happen to be listening to a song running through your queue on Youtube, you open your bible to your ribbon (please someone correct me if I'm not calling it by some proper classy name that I've never heard of) and your eyes drop immediately to words that seem to answer what is being sung through your aforementioned queue, you've got a winner.

The words I am talking about are "come" and "call". The song was singing the phrase in the title. The song is below


The words being read from Psalm 141:1-2 were eerie in their request:
"LORD, I call upon You; hasten to me. Give ear to my voice when I cry to you. Let my prayer be set forth as incense before You, the lifting of my hands as the evening sacrifice."
See today I sent a text message to a close friend saying about me being stressed but that I was focused on Jesus, but I knew there were waves beneath me, I just had to stay focused on Jesus. If Peter couldn't do it, did you really think for a moment I could? I started sinking at about 1:30 thinking about all I have to do tomorrow and I remembered my friends advice about being stressed... "Stop it".

I managed to call out in that moment and felt the pull of Jesus putting me back on my feet. I couldn't last the whole day though. I don't think I could have said the sentence "Thank you for getting me back on my feet". Before the "T" in "Feet" I would have already transitioned to "But what about the waves?!" and I promptly sunk for the day before arriving home and subsequently at Psalm 141.

I may not be perfect, but I know that when we call, God comes. I hope that when I wake up tomorrow that the first thing in my mind is "I have decided, I have resolved to wait upon You, LORD" because He will come. Hopefully I will remember that tomorrow. After all, as we learned yesterday... it may not be the prettiest thing you'll ever see, but it's a new day.

Oh baby, it's a new day.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Day 1 - "And if you're like me you need hope, coffee, and melody"

To catch some of you up, I have decided that I will not be listening to any secular musicians throughout the end of January and February. For those who make much of nothing, let me go on the record and say: there is nothing inherently wrong with music by people not following Christ. Honestly, often times "secular music" has a very similar message as "Christian music" does. My only stipulation during this is that the musicians themselves are following Christ regardless of genre or message.

Warning: Call it cheesy, but I really do believe the song in your ears is usually the song in your heart. Also what you feel is the song in your heart. So this next month(ish) I will be making reference to the "song in my heart" frequently.

Now that we're all caught up...

I have listened to a lot of Gabe Dixon, MUTE MATH, Hillsong and a lot of Robbie Seay today. The main one being Robbie Seay's album, "Give Yourself Away"...


"New Day" and "Shine Your Light On Us" have awoken a very real idea with the aid of James 1. See, I hate the phrase "I understand". I hate it because in my past I have only been told "I understand" when the person just wants me to shut up. While I may have had a very similar circumstance, in all honesty I would be kidding myself if I thought I knew exactly what you were going through. However, should that really keep me from trying to?

You have needs just like I do, and there is a particular group of people James talks about having needs as well...

"External religious worship [religion as it is express in outward acts] that is pure and unblemished in the sight of God the Father is this: to visit and help and care for the orphans and widows in their affliction and need..." James 1:27a (AMP)

Why is it so easy to forget about them? Quite honestly, I have no idea how that could even begin to play out in my life. However, I do know that there are hurting people in my life that I can relate to, or even help. The words on my lips as I go to sleep are ones I hope you start singing:

"Yesterday's gone and today is waiting on you to show your face..."
"It might not be the prettiest thing you've ever seen, but it's a new day..."
"I'm gonna sing the song, to let you know that you're not alone..."

So it's a new day. Think of how different our world would be if we could show just 1 person that it's a new day. Yesterday is long gone. Tomorrow might bring pain. Today is all we have. Take care of each other.

We will see the song I'm singing in the morning.