thick.

...in the difficulty and pain,
when we take risks,
when our faith comes to head with...

x, y, z [everything else]

...when there is much to much emotion,
and history,
and hurt,
and lives you love...

and you stand up for your faith

HE is there.
closer, it seems, than before

Jesus journeys with us in the pain
the nearness is thick
and i rejoice in the pain

imposter.

Sometimes I look around and feel like an imposter. 

I'm a dad? 

I'm a husband?

I'm a pastor?

I bought this home? 

I'm 26 (at least for four more days)?

I feel like I'm still a kid. 

I feel like I'm playing house. 

I feel like I should still be dreaming and planning about the realities I live in. 

I guess this is part of God's wild surprises in life. 

The adventure moves quickly. 

together

yesterday, we spent together.

church/community/friend-family

all day:

(8-8)

worship.

eating.

walking.

talking.

giving.

praying.

and that's the way it's supposed to be.

(ekklesia)

garden

God uses my garden to teach me

About life

And process

And spirituality 

And I find my life to be much like my garden

Where things grow and die

Weeds and bugs creep in

Some spots get too dry 

Yet others are too soaked, they're drowning

But my Gardener cares daily

And knows what I need 

He waters, tills, prunes, and plants

And so if I can be a little more like my Gardener

In my own home garden

I think the kale and lettuce,

Strawberries, basil, and plumeria tree

Will be just fine. 

God help me. 

on my mind [and i can't stop thinking about]...

• i'm going to be a dad... to a BOY! this is my dream come true
• gardening slows me down, allows me to breathe, and process the processes of life
• i am enjoying being back into a normal rhythm of life and work now that school is back in
• where will we go on a mini-vacation before the baby comes?

some favorite things

(1) iced coffee in the mornings

(2) listening to npr while driving

(3) pumping up my sleep number bed a little firmer or softer just for fun

(4) lowes

(5) dreaming about our new home

(6) praying for our baby 

renovation.

today, we became homeowners. and renovators. 

renovation,
restoration,
new life

always begins with tearing out the old
before you can replace with the new.

"if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.
the old is gone, the new has come."
2 corinthians 5:17

community.

its a shame
that some
would walk through life
without others.

i'm blessed.

inspiration

recently, i have been reflecting
on the joy-filled expression of love
called inspiration

my wife possesses a fun, creative spirit
that is at its best, i notice, when i am attentive enough
to inspire

some simply label it
'bringing out each others best'
but
inspiration is more like it

i desire for everything that she is to overflow
into her day to day reality:
connecting with God
celebrating life
dreaming grand possibilities

so i must be ever mindful of ways
i can draw her out of herself
daily


who will you inspire today?

Scripture Sunday: The Lord is Good

Sometimes I forget.

This simple, yet grand truth: The Lord is good.

Pause. Let that sink in.

He is good.

The perfection of goodness.

The Author,

Originator,

Good to all: great and small; those near and far from Him.

He is good.

Simple Saturday: Free Entertainment

today was a simple day.

window shopping.

dreaming of being homeowners on friday.

free entertainment.

(except the $1 Ikea ice creams)

here we go again

Sitting in LAX, waiting for our red eye flight to Atlanta...then Atlanta to Grand Cayman for 10 days!

Realized that its only been 2 weeks since our last trip in Big Bear with our high school students...and 2 weeks before that was Big Bear with our Jr High students.

We leave for Mexico in 3 weeks too.

Wow.

This is our life and I love it.

It will change one day I know.

But right now...I and thankful and loving it.

fascination

We live in a time and culture where the young are so fasciated by that which is raw. beautiful. A little disheveled.  And i love it.

I really do.

But i don't flaunt it as they do.  That doesn't make me better, by any means, and i hope it doesn't come off that way.  Im impressed by them.

I love the style. art. food. drink. music. dreaming...

My hope is this: make it last.

discover the beauty of the world created in and through and for and by Jesus.

And there might be a greater discovery.

MANUARY with Jr Highers

Last night we celebrated MANUARY: The Stache Bash! with our Jr. High students! We had so much fun playing many games that are super manly:

• Match the Stache
• Pin the Stache on Justin Bieber
• Must-dash Trivia
• Beef Jerky Eating Contest

 Our hope was to give students the opportunity to think about what a godly man is, so that boys can seek to be that, and girls can make friends who are godly men.  The main points of our teaching:

A godly man...

• Loves God.
• Repents often.
• Is humble in all his relationships.

REMEMBER: Jesus Christ is the Ultimate Man!

. . . o n & o n . . .

These thoughts go on and on in my mind...

• Mexico meeting yesterday got me excited for the upcoming spring break missions trip
• Winter camp is so soon
• I'm thankful for brothers in Christ who spur one another on to be godly husbands
• I wish I could sleep more
• I'm stoked about this season of ministry
• Today marks 7 years of dating Kaitlin (84 months if you count like high school relaionships)
• I'm itching for deep prayer time with the Lord
• Anticipating genuine community 
• Sunday naps
• Discipleship
• My Patagonia vest keeps me warm 
• Thankful for my wife
• Enjoying Hope Coffee currently 

2012 Travels

2012 was an insane year of travel for Kaitlin and I.
It was so incredible seeing God and the way He is moving through many countries.
Some trips were for youth ministry.
Some were for missions.
Some were for vacation.
Some were travel.
Either way, we saw God in so many places:

• Nassau, Bahamas
• Big Bear, CA
• Honduras
• Mexicali, Mexico
• Lake Mojave, NV
• Ethiopia (Kaitlin only)
• Honduras (again!) 
• Oahu, Hawaii
• Rome, Italy
• Paris, France
• Barcelona, Spain

Awestruck

There is so much growth, Holy Spirit conviction, celebration, and life change that happens in this room.

I'm just feeling really thankful to God right now that he pursues His people relentlessly!

Sacred Mornings

This morning Kaitlin and I enjoyed breakfast in bed. The highlight of our food consumed was the iced coffee.

We read a devotional by John Piper that talked about how God gives us the grace and the ability to carry out his will. This is refreshing because he does, indeed, command many things for the believer, but we can either become overwhelmed by the commands and give up, or we can try to carry these out by our own will...which ends in failure or religious effort.

God enables us to do what he commands us to do. Praise Him! He is sovereign and in control of it all, from his plans in our lives to how they get accomplished!

Things on my Mind Today at Work...

• Studying/thinking through the life of David after out Philippians series ends late spring...
• Mapped out Philippians 2...this could take like 12+ weeks to preach through if I wanted...maybe more...i'll do 4ish i guess...
• SMALL GROUPS! I can't wait for our revamp in January...Good small group leaders are SOOOO important! SO is putting the right students with the right leader. 
• My senior pastor told me I looked like Justin Bieber/Beaver today...so did 3 others
• Left over Youth Thanksgiving for lunch is great!
• Date night tonight with Kaitlin (!!!)
• So many kids going to winter camp
• I love my job...i'm so thankful

Excited for this...