Your mercy found me,
Upon the broken road,
And lifted me beyond my failing,
Into Your glory,
My sin and shame dissolved,
And now forever Yours I’ll stand.

In love never to end,
To call You more than Lord,
Glorious friend.

(Chorus)
So I throw my life upon all You are,
‘Cause I know You gave it all for me,
And when all else fades,
My soul will dance with You,
Where the love lasts forever.

And forever I will sing,
Lord forever I will sing,
Of how You gave Your life away,
Just to save me, Lord You saved me.

With You, where the love lasts forever.

Take time a read these lyrics. I was at a United concert last night and this song blew me away! By far my favorite. "So, I throw my life upon all that you are"... "When all else fades, my soul will dance for you!"... When life goes to the can, I'll still dance for Him. Because you see, the Joy thats in my heart is not dependant on the circumstances around me. It's deeper than that, I can't control it! I have the creator of the world living in me, taking every step i take with me, and He's not going anywhere. The same one who painted the sunset yesterday, the same one who told the ocean waves where they had to stop, the same one who put the stars in the sky and knows each by name. So, no matter what happens in life, I'll be dancin, cause He is right there with me!

simply amazing, check it out. . . and maybe you can grow your own crowder.

http://www.growyourcrowder.com

David Crowder's influence apparently goes far beyond music...

"I pray that when I die, all of hell will throw a party in celebration that I am no longer in the battle!" - C.T. Studd

Not kidding, this may be the coolest thing I've ever seen.

Surfing for Him. . . awesome!

http://www.surfingthenations.com/

Below is a link about this ministry. This story ran in the New York Times.

http://www.theocracywatch.org/rel_inst_hawaii_times_june1_05.htm

hmm....

The roar is under me and the wind is blowing through my hair. I’m going way too fast and am tempted to slow, but at the moment I’m completely consumed with adrenaline. The jump ahead looks far too dangerous to mount, with my two other passengers, but I press on anyways. At the beginning we prayed for safety, so we’ll be fine, right? We hit, we fly, we land, and I press harder on the gas. Bugs and dust in the face and an emotional rollercoaster between fear and awe. I’m riding four wheelers again.

While a friend is driving I bow my head and close my eyes. I feel the cool night air on my arms, my feet are still wet from the river, and I’m uneasy because now I’m not in control. I’m on for the ride. Suddenly, my heart lights up.

Someone is teaching me.

I hear “This is how life is meant to be lived.”

Not quietly and conformed where I know all will be okay but, on the battlefields with Him where I’m really not sure everything will go the way I want. Where I have to look at Him and say “Okay, I’m in your hands and I’m trusting you with everything, my fears, my future, my passions, my hopes, my dreams. Do with me what you will. Glorify yourself by using me, whatever that looks like” This is the adventure. There is no telling where God will take you or what you will do. You have no control. He is pushing you around. Just like that four-wheeler was pushing me.

By holding anything back, we only sell ourselves short.

I could have played the coward and said “Stop, I want off” and set my feet on sure, solid ground, but I would have missed the “ride”, the adventure.

I want to be pushed around by God. Realize this life isn’t mine to live for myself and let go. I want to jump in where I can’t see exactly what’s ahead, and let him take me where he pleases. “Jesus, I’m ready for my adventure! I release control, take me.”

So, we made the trek last night. Four hours down to Atlanta to attend the second to last Louie-led edition of 722. If by some chance you’ve lived under a rock (or are just deprived) and don’t know what 722 is; go to http://www.722.org and you can watch everything. Otherwise, you understand how cool it is to go.

As I evaluated the happenings of last night I come across two main things that stick out to me, one “natural”, the other is something the selfish part of me isn’t comfortable with.

We walk in, it’s crowded and hot, we’re a tad late, and sit on the floor in an isle. Suddenly, I find myself consumed again. Consumed by a God I can’t understand. One who shatters every comprehending, “Hey, I think I get this!” bone in my body. I’m uncomfortable at the thought of how he works from time to time because I’m finite and can’t see the whole picture he is painting. So this is what I naturally fall to, being uncomfortable. This uncomfortableness (this is not a word I know, Microsoft just told me so) though is one I’m content in. If God were something I could “get”, he wouldn’t be God.

As I continue to ponder the “uncomfortableness” thought, I ask myself a question. “Why does this feel so natural?” “Why am I content and comfortable in “uncomfortableness? This is completely against my ‘wanna feel secure/hate the risk side of things’ nature.” I find the answer no less than a moment after wondering.

It’s because this is what we were created to do. It is sewn into every fiber of our being as a human. It is what God intended for us to do when he thought each of us into life. To stand in awe of Him! To be consumed by Him. To come to the feet, bowed down, realizing our position in the grand scheme of things, and worship Him. Making much of Jesus. He created us for His glory. It’s the only reason we’re here. So naturally, it feels “natural” to do what we were created to do.

Louie stands to speak and you can feel the attention of the room drawn to one person. On the edge of their seat, Bibles and note-taking materials rustle as three thousand college age folks lean in to hear what God has laid on his heart today. Of which he so efficiently communicates.

This is the part where the selfish side of me is gently disappointed because he knows the answers. He just likes to “not think about them” from time to time. The message was on Grace. But, not the easy side of it we often like to hear. The part where we’ve been saved and nothing can pluck us out of his hand. This was the works side of Grace. Not that works are what saves you, but grace doesn’t exist without them. It’s like boiling water without steam, as a friend put it. Fruit proves grace. Grace is outward, visible, productive and fruitful. We are put on this earth to fulfill works he has already laid out for us. God gives us power to serve God. Hmm… this one took a minute… Then he made a statement that is often debated, but completely true. “What you get in Heaven is based on your works here on earth” (2Cor 5:10) You can either have a peanut to lay at the feet of Jesus, or you can have a few truck loads. I’d hate to get to the thrown and only have peanut to lay at the feet of my savior. Yeah, I’m in heaven, but I’m ashamed. My face is in my hands and I’m crying because I finally see that I wasted it. I have only a peanut to show for my life and everything He gave me here on earth. This flies in the face of the whole “fire insurance Christianity” that’s so prevalent.

This is the balanced side of grace.

Louie earlier said something I didn’t expect. He made the comment most of us think is inappropriate and overstepping our bounds. He said it’s ok to say to your friend “I’m not sure your saved.” Part of me inside went “uh-oh”. Our culture tells us this is exclusive and intolerant. Most would reply with something along the lines of “How dare you question my salvation!” In asking a question like this though your not being judgmental, you simply see no fruit, so you’re worried. It’s what a true friend would do. Hearts that are hit by grace are hearts that turn and serve God. If grace isn’t coming out, did it ever go in?

After the evening I was left with a thought of “I only get to bow down one time for the first time and I wanna lay down as much as I can at the feet the God of wonders”


So, was it worth 8 hours on the road, 3 hours of sleep, and a really hard morning getting up at 6? Yeah, … it was.

The next one is August 9th for all you college age folks out there.

dang good movie last night i saw... (yoda, has nothing to do with willy wonka)

but i seem to have forgotten my quote i was going to write about... probably b/c i got 3 hours of sleep... thanks for the floor spot bj...

was the movie good?
yeah, at time is questioned a couple of the liberties they took with the original story... but how do you argue with tim burton... or willy wonka....

i sure am glad im just a normal kid, im not crazy smart, i dont watch TV all the time, my parents aren't rich, my mother fed me food other than chocolate, i was taught to compete, but not at gum chewing... we saw in this movie what happens to kids like that (you blow up like a blueberry, get sucked up into a pipe, disfigured by stretching machines, or thrown to your death by a angry mob of possessed squirrels {never knew squirrel was spelled like that}... not a good thing... then little people from other lands come out and sing songs about how stupid you are... im really just glad im normal...

definitely a movie to see, especially if you liked the first one!

I may never own a chocolate factory, but I've got more than I could ever comprehend with the God of Wonder that lives in me. . . and the story I'm taking part in (through Him)... Dahl himself could never imagine!

As i sit to write this afternoon I am tired from work. All day though, as I process box after box, one question has rought every thinking bone in my body. One posed by a close friend just Wed. night, and now one i can't understand. My friend looks at me, seemingly out of nowhere, and says in a loud voice "Man, why aren't people passionate?!?!"

I think I replied with an "I just dont know", but the question still lingers within me. So I ask myself, and I think, then God lays on my heart an answer.

Why aren't people passionate about their relationship with the creator of the universe? Did you catch that? The CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE! The same one who created everything they are passionate about! I can only think of one answer... the deceiver.

Satan pushes the idea that our Lord and Savior is weak. The things of this world are important. He was just an old man a long time ago. You've got your fire insurance, go on about your way. Don't worry about taking people to the party with you, they'll find their own way. Then we unknowingly accept these concepts as reality, or maybe we don't in our thinking, but we do in our actions. . . This is the biggest lie ever told in the history of mankind... Our God is weak, therefore we aren't passionate about Him!

When in reality, one day, every knee will hit the dirt and every tounge old and new, willingly or not, saved or unsaved, will shout at the top of their lungs JESUS IS KING!!! (even the phsych teacher you'll meet in college who swears that God is just a handicap idea created by humans to make themselves feel safer) Satan will be defeated and our God will reign! The victory has already been won! (see the book of Revelation)

Jesus asked Peter "Do you love me?", He asked him this 3 times.. at this Peter was hurt. But, it seems to me that Jesus is asking Peter something that we miss. I think he is asking him, "Peter, are you passionate about me? You love me, but are you passionate about me?" He is asking YOU the same question! We see that Peter defintely learned to be passionate later on. (read about how he died!)

We're passionate about lots of things...guitar, music, politics, art, cars, our b/f, g/f, the country, clothes, our religion, sports, and many other things... but why not our relationship with God himself? The one who gave us this feeling we call passion!

Satan tells us a lie! And, we believe it! If we are not passionate, we are not affective in the world we live in! Satan knows this!

Look at the pic below this writing... why aren't people passionate?

"Jesus, PLEASE make me passionate about you, your kingdom, your work, and your renown! Let me live every moment of every day for your glory alone! I'm begging. . . "

photo from justincredible


Occasionally, in my wondering through this waiting room we live in, I forget. I forget what I am, a representative of the most high God, a new creation, cleansed by the blood of Jesus. I forget that he was the sacrifice that gives me a relationship with my creator. I loose sight of the reason I live my life. I forget his love for me, and that no matter how fast i could run or how far I could go, He is faster and will go farther than I ever could!

He went to the cross with YOU and I on His heart and now WE are identified in Him!

He is waiting on YOU!

He is PLEADING "{insert your name} I want you! I want to do more through you than you could ever imagine! Draw everything you need from me. I have more than enough. Put your life in my hands, I ... LOVE ... YOU!"


But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
Ephesians 2:12-14

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
1 John 1:7

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
Colossians 2:13-15


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.

I'm resting on the counter by my office today and my boss walks up and mentions the time I need off to go to NY. . . without me ever mentioning it to her. . . then she proceeds to inform me that it will be no big deal for me to take that week off!

I had never mentioned it to her because i was worried and nervous about asking b/c i've already had a lot of time off, but she mentioned it to me...

walking away, all i could say was "Thankyou Jesus". . .

Let's admit, waiting is not something we enjoy doing. If were in line for a movie ticket or to check out at wal-mart we'll take the fastest path we can see just to get out of that line. It's part of our impatient nature. We are busy people, we don't have time to stand in a line.

But what about when it comes to something a little more important than checking out at wal-mart. What about waiting a door to open? What about waiting on God to speak? What about waiting on a relationship.... your future husband or wife? What about waiting on God's perfect timing....for anything?

Lamentations 3:22-25 Becuase of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore i will wait on Him." The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him; to the one who seeks Him.

Isaiah 64:3-5 For when you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came down and the mountains trembled before you. Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways.

Waiting demands we embrace and rely on faith. Why in the world would God make us do a thing like that???

It's about God's Journey, not always just the destination.

For those of you that think gospel music has gone to far.
You think we got too radical with our message.
Well I got news for you , you ain't heard nothin yet,
and if you don't know now you know. Glory, Glory!!

Lately I've been going through some things that really got me down.
I need someone somebody to help me come and turn my life around.
I can't explain, I can't obtain it. Jesus your love is so, it's so amazing.
It gets me high up to the sky, and when I think about your goodness it makes me wanna stomp.
Makes me clap my hands. Makes me wanna dance and stomp.
My brother can't you see I got the victory. STOMP!!!

When I think about the goodness and fullness of God,
makes me thankful pity the hateful I'm grateful.
The Lord brought me through this far,
trying to be cute when I praise him raise him high.
I keep the live beat bumping. Keep it jumping make the Lord feel something.
Ain't no shame in my game God's Property. Kickin' it wit Kirk ain't no stoppin' me.
uh STOMP!!!

GP are you wit me?
"oh yeah we having church we ain't going nowhere."

It ain't over. It ain't over

Heard this on the way home from work. Maybe we'll play this at the party one day!

Without these trials, I would claim to know the depth and warmth of Your embrace, but would be unable to extend it to others.

Without these trials, I wouldn't know the extent of your goodness or appreciate the countless sunny days and smooth seas You've given me in the past.

Without these trials,I wouldn't be able to comfort others, empathize with them, or understand the depths of their despair.

Without these trials, I wouldn't be dependant, humble, and quiet, nor would Your character be developing in me.

Without these trials, I would begin to wonder if I was truly Your beloved and would settle for lesser lovers.

Without these trials, I wouldn't grow stronger, have a stiffer backbone, or be able to face hardship at all.

Without these trials, I wouldn't have anything to present to You except a few sticks, some stubble, and a handful of hay.

Without these trials, hope would seem shallow, faith would seem weak, and love would seem impossible.

Without these trials, my faith, which is more precious than gold, would never grow into all You've created it to be.

So in the midst, I thank you for these trials.

**
Father I ask for grace to endure the trials you've allowed in my life. I ask for the strength to overcome them and bring Glory to your name!
**
James 1:12

For everyone who wants to go, at Bonhoffers tonight Sean McConnell and Jeff Joslin are playing. Free show, Free Coffee, all you gotta do is show up at 8 ready to listen. . . it promises to be a good show!

Bonhoffers is on Greenland next to Blue Raider Bookstore, on top of what used to be the New York Cafe. . . if you dont know where, message me and we can meet somewhere . . .

It'll be good!!!

See you there!

Click below for a listen

http://www.myspace.com/SeanMcConnell
http://www.seanmcconnell.com

http://www.myspace.com/JeffreyJoslin

Grace's amazing hands, they hold me.
They are soft as a feather bed.
She would never strike or scold me,
Cause she knows the words that will work instead.

I always thought that love was frightening,
I always thought it'd be so rough.
Love has sent me down an angel, baby
I knew it was Grace, just by a touch.
Just by her touch.

Grace's amazing hands, they're ugly,
They're bruised by the blows that I have blown.
She knows well I don't deserve her,
But she laughs and says, That's the way love goes.

I always thought that love was frightening,
I always thought it'd be so rough.
Love has sent me down an angel,
And I knew it was Grace, just by her touch.
Just by her touch.

What did I do,
What did I say?
For love to smile down on me,
And show me amazing grace.
Show me amazing grace.

Grace's amazing hands are they hold me,
They are soft as a feather bed.

**
Sometimes, like today, we just need some grace to reassure us that God is in control! In my heart, the promise of Romans 8:28 holds steadfast, for that I'm thankful!

hmm.... so today was good. . . I awoke this morning a little drowsy i'll admit, i was at BJ's till late watching "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory". I knew good and well i had to be up kinda early for church, but i couldn't resist watching a classic like that. You don't just get that opportunity every day. . .

After Charles' class, which is always awesome, we had a guest speaker in Big Church that blessed my heart! He spoke a topic i often need to hear: The affects of an audacious christian. If we fully understand what we are now that we have been paid for by the blood of our savior, how could we not live audaciously in this life? To live a christian life as anything other than audacious is possibly this biggest understatement and injustice in the history of man! The creator of the universe sent his SON to die on a cross... for me (justin vance) He put this stars in the sky and knows each of them by name. He's seen the depths of my heart and loves me the same!!!
I don't think I'll ever get over it! It never ceases to blow me away! For what other purpose could i live my life for? If there were ever a reason to live life audaciously, this is it! It has been discovered!

soo. . . after lunch and some time with dad, i headed back to church for a hardcore game of unltimate friz... after running to the point of a good sweat and an accomplished feeling of excercise i boarded the little ford focus headed for home. Not knowing to listen or expecting to hear from God, my only focus was getting home to a home-cooked meal, compliments of my mama.

Now tonight i strike the keys with a heart filled with humbleness. Driving down the "4-lane" one foot hanging out the window (i cut a toe in ultimate), i looked in my rearview mirror. Over the last few minutes God had chosen to paint an amazing sunset then decided to show it to me! I almost ran off the road staring at it. Strong pinks laced with streaks of white and orange accented perfectly the deep blue spread across the sky. Then it hit me, where i was and what i was doing. I didn't deserve to be in my car, i didn't deserve to be coming home to a family, much less a meal. I didn't deserve to be able to enjoy a sunset like i was. I didn't deserve to have the breath in my body that, for some reason, God chose to put there this morning.

What i deserve is death and nothing less! But through His unrelenting grace and faithful, mind-blowing love, He made me a new creation, now identified, not in my sin, but it the cross of Jesus! This concept is truly motivation to live an audacious life for Christ!

The sunset event was a good capoff to something that had been dwelling in my heart. Like an answer from the Father to a quite voice i had been hearing all day. Something i could never completely understand, but live my life for!

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

And when I think, that God,
His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"

MINE !!!

Your actions define who you are - Batman

Windows down as the night blows in
Tap the beat on the wheel as the tires spin
Until we're there crank the radio
We'll join in with the songs we know

Hey, everything's right, said everything's right tonight

Smiles light up as we walk in
Old conversations begin again
Nostalgia's thick as the August air
It takes us back to a time when we didn't care, we didn't care

Hey, everything's right, said everything's right tonight

Oh, everything's right, said everything's right tonight



** yes, one of my many favorite Matt Wertz songs! Oh, . . . and in a few hours ill be seeing Him. . yeah... and some dude, Gavin Degraw. . . but yeah, if you wanna go, msg me and you can come jump in the car! 8 bucks... and money for waffle house afterwards! **

How did it go down?

Intro intro intro . . how do i intro this?. . . umm.... i got no ideas. . .

For a while I've been talkin/prayin about getting involved with some youth. . .

On thursday morning I got a call from CM asking if I could go to Big Stuf camp on Sat. mornin. I replied that I would have to see if I could get off work, and I would let him know. Soon after I'm in my boss's office asking permission, and next thing i know, im on a bus with 50 people. . . out of which i called 2 friends. Feeling a little worried I took my seat, only knowing my two people. Didn't know what to expect, what to think, or anything. But, I knew God wanted me there!

I grew up going to camp, so i kinda had an idea of what was going to happen. 5 years ago, I had fully submitted my life to Jesus on the exact same beach less than a mile away! So, coming back always hits a soft spot in my heart.

Soon after we arrived I was able to start getting to know the men in my room and everyone else! I have to pause here for a moment and give props to my brothers and sisters I was priviledged to be with this week. You guys were simply amazing! You have impacted my life in a positive way, and I want you to know that i appreciate it! By allowing God to work in your life, he worked in mine! I can not wait to continue being around, and doing anything I'm given the chance to do with you guys. I can't wait to watch God continue to work in your lives like i watched Him this last week! I want the ones who went on Big Stuf to feel loved when they read this Blog because YOU are loved! YOU GUYS ROCK!

So to sum up the rest of Big Stuf, I was able to worship like crazy! Never before have i been able to dance in worship of my God like i did. I was able to learn. I was able to marvel at God creation (the ocean). I was able to have fun and make new friends. When i boarded the bus to come home, i had a few more than 2 friends! (Praise God) But most importantly I was able to be a part of something amazing. God working in the lives of the awesome youth of BABC!

I write this Blog with a thankful heart. Jesus really showed Himself this week! I've only been back for a few hours so i haven't had time to process it all yet! But God is doing something major, and im pumped to be a part of it!

So that was Big Stuf, and the big impact it had on me! The blue bracelet on my left arm now serves as a reminder of the way God showed Himself to us!

So whats next? Ill tell you. Take Matthew 28:19 to heart, and GO INVITE EVERYONE GOD PUTS IN YOUR PATH TO THE PARTY! Cause it's gonna be awesome and nothing else is worth living your life for! Don't believe the illusions of this world, seek after your father in heaven as number one in your life and let Him use you!