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...