As we entered the small town, I could tell my life was going to change. The roads were constructed out of dirt, the houses patched together with old mattresses.  I was quiet, my eyes absorbing everything they could.  We would begin to set up camp and become acquainted with the youth groups that we would team with during upcoming week. We were there to spend time with the children, teaching them about God's love. They taught us about humility, hope, and joy.

 I hope that I showed them how valuable they are and how much God loves them. They are priceless.

This is a video John Mayer made from footage he took in Japan during 2008. Its so artistic. This is my favorite video right now.

Did you know that God loves you for who you are right now? You dont have to do anything to earn His Love. He is Love. He loves you because He Loves you.

I heard this audio track on a friends CD. Im not even sure where or who recorded it, all I know is that God completely spoke directly to my heart through this track.

your loved.

Love-Part 2

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Phil_wickham_1

Phil Wickham is releasing his new album Heaven and Earth on November 17th. During the past few months, Ive been following his blog anxiously waiting for his album to release. He would give readers some background on how the recording process has gone and some behind the scenes knowlege on what some of the songs mean to him personally. Really intersting stuff!.

The other day he twittered that he was going to do a pre-release of the album. I was so excited! So i pre ordered it! There is two options available. I chose the $25 option. I absolutely love the album. Its fresh. It truly takes you on a journey from the beginning song - Eden, to the lasts song, Heaven and Earth. YOU HAVE to get this album, its an investment :). Here is Phil explaining how the Pre Order works.

Ayanda_Ayo

Yesterday I went to the Starfield concert. I was really excited to go see them live, I couldn't wait. The night was really great, but something even cooler happened. During the concert, the lead singer for Starfield, Tim Neufeld, spoke about a trip he took to Uganda, with World Vision. He spoke about a little girl who he met there, she had nothing. She lived in a small hut constructed out of mud, with cow dung as the flooring. On the side of her mud hut she had the words "God's Grace" written in a different color of mud. He asked her what God's Grace meant to her and she said, "The air in my lungs, that's God's Grace." Wow. What does God's grace look like to you? To me? Can I even begin to understand the meaning of grace?  

I have so many aspirations to go to these parts of the world and try to somehow offer hope to these children who are completely forgotten. At the same time, I feel so completely helpless. Like how can I help from all the way over here? And then a few days, consumed with my own agenda, I forget about these children and my desire to somehow help. Somehow, Someday. The reality is, you and I have so many avenues to help these children. World Vision is just one avenue. So before I left the concert, I decided to put my agenda aside and I walked up to the sponsorship table. 

I prayed as i looked at the children's faces, there were so many. How do I choose who gets sponsored? All the children deserve to be taken care of.

I came across this Child named Ayanda Ayo. Immediately I knew, I needed to sponsor him. He is 7 years old and lives in South Africa. For just $35 a month, I can help change his world. I know that one sponsorship is so small, but what God is able to do for Ayanda, is so big. If you want to keep him in your prayers that would be so special.    

4.2Run

I

For me, I began the race ill equipped. I had heard about the race but sold myself short, disqualified myself until about a week prior. I could never run a distance, because the fact was I didn’t enjoy running. Running to me was associated with being healthy, and being healthy is always popular for a few moments but as procrastination kicks in, idleness happens. So without thinking about it, I signed up and paid for the run. And for me that meant I was committed. No way out. Time in…

The crowd of people slowly began to spread out into smaller groups, and smaller groups became individuals. I sprinted past the 2 mile mark. Seeing the 2 mile sign immediately discouraged me. I compromised all of my energy at the beginning of the run, not realizing how long the run would feel or what it would do to my body. Still I had a goal. My goal was to keep running, no matter how hard or fatigued I would become, I had to run the full race without stopping. Walking to me, meant failure. I couldn’t fail this. As the back stretch of the run continued, the reason I was still running was purely mental. It had nothing to do with my physical endurance, I had none. I dropped my head and began watching each stride I was taking, because looking at the distance to the finish line – killed me. As I watched each stride I started searching myself for encouragement, trying to focus on anything but the fatigue I felt. 

God began teaching me a lesson in the last mile of the run. The first 3 miles I had completed – I had done on my own strength at the wrong pace. My focus from the start had been on the end – the goal. That vice strangled me. My vision should have been on each stride as they happened – making sure each stride was done with order and focus. I would have conserved and lengthened the energy I threw away at the beginning of the run. But God wanted me to teach me a lesson about my life not about my run and as I realized it, my fatigue left my mind. The way I had approached commitments to Him in the past was with fervency. I would know what the end result looked like so I did everything in my power to rush to the end result. I would give my all, my whole heart to what He asked of me, but I would always hit a wall. The wall of my mind. You’re not big enough, your only one person, you’re not talented enough. Fervency slowly would become apathy. Apathy would strangle my mind and paralyze my vision.

It was a pace issue, as well as a focus issue. I can also relate it to going to the gym and doing 6 crunches, then walking to the mirror expecting to look like the guy on latest Men’s fitness Magazine with washboard abs.  And when you don’t see washboard abs,or even one ab, your vision is taken captive by defeat and you leave discouraged, canceling your gym membership. You give up when results aren’t instantaneous. I would give up on God given vision when I couldn’t see results instantaneously.

God wanted me to see that life with Him is so similar to the run. It’s so easy to run and be energetic with hundreds of people around you going towards the same goal, it’s easy at the beginning. As fatigue begins to overcome our energy, and the world begins to take over people, people being to fade away onto different paths. Temptations and distractions lure away your focus, and all you want to do is give up. But you and I can’t afford to give up. There are people that need your gift and need your encouragement. We have to pace ourselves – living on His word instead snacking on it. Snacking on the Word of God will only sustain you for a short time. You have to finish, and live for the moments that God orchestrated and destined for your life.

It would have been easy for me to walk. Nobody at the finish line would have known. But I would have known, and I would have failed. I finished the run without stopping. Sprinted as fast as I could past the finish line.  

Matthew 7:13-14(Msg)

Don't look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don't fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires total attention.

He is worth total attention. Your neighbor, co-worker, and enemy are worth your total attention to God. Their salvation may depend on it.

Probably the most memorble concert I have ever been to. Enjoy this short montage i made from the night at the gorge.

Below is a short teaser of some footage i took in Guam. A longer video will be posted shortley. Enjoy!

Here is a fun, behind the scenes video I shot of us groomsmen (The bromance) before Terryl and Kat's wedding.