Serving.

There a lot of things in my life that I have been realizing lately. 

I was going through my room and cleaning the other day when I came upon some old music charts from when I did waiting room with Tyler. I text him about it and we started to talk about how much we enjoyed doing that. I truly do miss it... Quite a bit actually.

I quit playing in church probably about a year ago and even then it was for a church that wasn't really a church I wanted to go to, but I did it more as a favor to a friend. Most people would be like well you like playing guitar and that's why you miss it. While that is partially true... in reality I don't break out my guitar very often. 

The thing is that I know that it is a gift that He has given me and it is one way I can serve Him. I feel called to start serving again. 

So I am asking for those doors to open and to volunteer doing that again. 

Some of the messages at New City Church (where I have been going to church) recently have hit home with where I am and I think it is time to act. I want to experience what He has to offer to me. 

I pray that things are going well for you and that He is showing more of who He is and what He is calling you to. 

Maybe...we can talk more about this all someday.

"Time is a tyrant. It consumes choices left unmade."

Open my eyes...

I feel like I have been awakened... 

That this life is GOOD because HE IS GOOD... 

There are times where you think you know so much... 

But you really don't. 

You will never have all the answers...

And the truth is you don't need them all.

If you knew the answer to everything... Then where is the mystery? Where is the adventure of learning? 

God doesn't call me to know everything, but He does call me to trust Him... and to follow Him when He leads. 

This life moves faster than sometimes we want to admit. While some days drag on... Before we know it another year has gone by... And before we know it has been several years... 

There is so much I want from this life... Things I want see... Places I want to go... Things I want to experience... to grow in my relationship with Christ... and someone to share all this with... 

I am a simple man. I know I could go do these things on my own... But I don't just want stories. I want memories to share and remember with that someone who means the most to me... and to always be making more memories. 

Father, you are the only one who truly knows my heart and you know the concerns of my heart, my desires, my faults, my failures... and yet you love me wholly for who I am. I ask that your love would wash over my heart. I am broken and hurt... But you are there. I ask that you would give me what I need and that you would open my eyes. May the scales fall from my eyes to see what you really have in store for me. I am so thankful for your love for me. 

Amen... 

"This is not the sound of a new man or crispy realization

It's the sound of the unlocking and the lift away

Your love will be

Safe with me..."

Thankful.

Well I wanted to sit down and actually READ my Bible and not just browse through it or listen to it on my iPod. So I started by asking God what is it that I needed to read. So He can open my eyes and heart to it. I felt like He really wanted me to read 1 Thessalonians chapter 1, so I did.

The first thing that really stuck out to me was verse 2, which states, "we give thanks to God always for all of you making mention of you in our prayers." This is something that has been on mind for the past few weeks. I have been "pretty good" about praying for those I love dearly, but do we thank God for everyone that is in our life, even those who cause strife and make life difficult?

What was crazy about this is tonight while I was drving home I prayed for a pretty usual set of people, but then it me... there are people who I constantly get upset with who make me angry by something they do to me or to someone I love.

So tonight I prayed for and was thankful for people who have caused problems and strife in my life. It makes me appreciate those who have constantly loved me and supported me that much more because I know there were times when I was difficult.

I am so thankful for those people who are in my life.

Day by day, Jesus chips away pieces of me, forming me into who He wants me to be.

Ephesians 3:20-21 "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Oh Life...

It's hard to believe that another year of school has passed by the wayside already. It feels like it started as soon as it ended, and yet so many things have changed this year. I conquered two semesters of 19 credit hours. I played in a PR band this whole year, which was hectic at times. Waiting Room was Amazing this year! I love those people to death and I'm so glad that I have great friendships with them! I find myself at a new church and quite frankly I love it there! I love the people there and I see a passion in the leadership that I think is so important. Which is all very exciting.

Using the Lord's name in vain...

How many of us really think about this topic? Do we only apply this to people saying GD? Is this the worst offense for using the Lord's name in vain?

I ask these questions because I feel like in the six months or so I have seen people and experienced people who claim for something to be of the Lord's will for their life and they act like it is complete and total truth and they speak with such conviction about it. Then later down the road something happens, a new opportunity presents itself (A relationship, a better job offer, or just something better in general). All of the sudden that becomes God's new will for their life. My question is then which of these things is really what God wanted you to do? I'm not saying that God cannot use your decisions for good, but what I'm saying is why do people peg these things as God's will?

Just a thought.

Learning

Tonight I went to a church with some friends and sat on a panel to answer questions for a group of junior high kids, most questions that were asked were silly, but there was a few serious ones... but we started talking about God's sovereignty and how that works with what people call "free will" Does God choose us, or do we choose Him?....

This is a pretty deep topic for junior highers and I most things kind of went over their heads, but it really made me think... and honestly I think that God is better decision maker for my own life than I am... the reason that I say this is because He has pulled some people out of my life that really hurt me and all He has done is put better people in my life since then. There are so many friends in my life that I am thankful for their patience and the wisdom that they have.

To my best friend Andrew Smith, Thank you for being there for me during so many differents times and just really being like my brother to me. I'm glad we've had serious talks, all the laughs, dirty jokes, food, and video games. I just pray for many more years of your friendship and brotherhood.

There are several other friends that have always just been awesome friends to me and I have learned so much from you all and for that I'm thankful!

Also to all my new friends, you guys are great and I hope that our friendships continue to grow into something that is just as awesome in its own right!

But most of all I'm thankful for my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who not only paid for my sins and everyone else's, but for the wisdom and guidance of Him and for Him removing those things from me that were not of His will and Plan, Thank You Lord. Lead on Jesus, Lead on.

I leave you with lyrics,

Beautiful Exchange- Hillsong Live.. actually look them up ha

What do I really have to say?

I start with that title because it makes me think of whats really important.

No true knowledge about life I have is something profound and new that I came up with, but the TRUE knowledge has come from God showing me and teaching me what this life is really about.

So here is what I have learned...

1. Choosing to really Follow Jesus Christ was the best decision I've ever made.

2. Learning how to submit to His WILL can be the hardest thing, especially when you think you know what is best.... you're lying to yourself. haha.

3. He uses you even when you feel like you are falling short and not holding up your end of the bargain... the truth is we are never able to do it "all" and hold up our end of the bargain. Example: Sending His only Son to die for us, because on our own we would never be able to achieve salvation.

4. We serve a God who is much BIGGER and POWERFUL THAN WE WILL EVER UNDERSTAND!

Words used to describe our God

Sovereign- having supreme rank, power, or authority; supreme; preeminent; indisputable; greatest in degree; utmost or extreme.

Holy- entitled to worship or veneration as or is if sacred.

Awesome- inspiring awe. (Awe-an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, fear, etc., produced by that which is grand, sublime, extremely powerful.)

5. Serving God with the talents He has given me are way more meaningful to me than anything that I could ever conjure up on my own.

6. Always trying to have a heart that is open to Him!

7. Listening to Him is way more important than telling Him what you think is important.

So far this is what I know that God has taught me about life so far.