Next Chapter…

It goes without saying that God is so good! One year ago I was going through one of the most difficult times in my life but by the grace of God here I am, still standing strong and moving forward in life. I just got back from my school’s kick-off retreat and it was so much fun. In a lot of ways, it was officially the end of summer for me. Ever since I moved back to Antioch for the summer it’s felt like a dream, and between being in Portland and Las Vegas during the last three weeks, it still felt like a vacation. Is life really supposed to be this good? I’ve been on this journey since the summer started. The Holy Spirit has strategically allowed me to experience the presence of God like never before. From the very first sermon I heard, to this past week at our retreat, the Lord has been leading me on an amazing ride.

Character  

It started with my character. Who I am is more important than what I do. If my life isn’t backing up what I stand for then that’s a problem.

The Presence of God

I can do nothing apart from God. The more I try to, the more frustrated I’ll become. I must rely on the Lord to lead me in life and I can never substitute my ‘God time’ with anything else, I have to be disciplined with my devotional life. I recently had the privilege of meeting Bill Hybels and I’ll never forget what he told me. He said, “Whatever it is you do that brings you to the presence of God, keep practicing those things and never stop doing them. Fads and trends will come and go but the presence of God will never change. It’s the presence of God that will lead you through life. 

Application

The only way I’ll see fruit in my life is to actually apply everything I’m learning. For me personally, evangelism is what’s on my heart the most. I want to see people the way God does. I want my heart to break for those who don’t know the Lord.

I’m excited for what’s in store this semester. I’m really looking forward to this next year and I know that it will only get better from here on out. It’s such a great feeling to know you’re right in the middle of the Lord’s will for your life.

This is the end of another chapter in my life.

Podcast Heaven

I’ve been listening to quite a few podcasts and I’m absolutely loving it! Who knew listening to a bunch of guys would be so much fun? Here are some of my favorites:

• Charles Stanley: How to love your Dad & Do Fathers really matter?
• Andy Stanley: LO$T Part 3: Flashback
• Erwin McManus: Wisdom & Impact: Leave a Mark
• Creflo Dollar: Understanding a Servants Heart, Choosing a Mate, & The Levels of Friendships Part 1 & 2 
• Generation Church: Prayer Life, Principles of Prayer, & A Clear Conscience 

Viva Las Vegas!

I’m in Las Vegas right now along with the rest of my family for a little vacation. I feel bad because I’m gonna miss the first three days of school, but I’m sure I’ll get over it. We just got done walking through the city and a few casinos. All I gotta say is that I now understand why this place is called sin city…

Till next time…

Let it begin

Just left our first dorm meeting of the year and I’m really looking forward to this semester. Opening Chapel is tomorrow and it should be great! Till next time…

Hello from Portland, OR

I made it back to Portland safely. I will post more later…

Summer is Over

I’m down to less than 48 hrs until it’s time for me to drive back to Portland. A couple of nights ago I walked to the top of the hill that sits above my house and had some great ‘reflecting’ time. With my guitar in hand and twenty one years of life racing through my mind, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to smile or cry. The Lord has been so faithful to me. I would’ve never thought the day would come when my heart would beat with such peace. So much has happened in my life during the last two and a half years, and it’s not an understatement when I say that my first year of college was the most difficult time of my life. I was confused, I was lost, and to be completely honest, I felt hopeless. But God! For the first time in my life I have a sense of purpose. I know what I want to do and I know what it’s gonna take for me to get there. I cannot express how thankful I am for having the chance to come home. The time I’ve spent in Antioch has been great and I would’ve never guessed I would experience as much as I have. As much fun as I’ve had, it’s been a very overwhelming summer too. So much has changed since I moved away and if I could summarize all of it in one sentence it would be this; a young man had the opportunity to accept the harsh realities of life. Some of my closest friends have moved on and it’s very difficult to watch. In watching them I’ve learned that the small decisions we make on a daily basis really do determine which path we’ll go down in this little game called life. 

With my third year of college sitting right around the corner, there comes a sadness in knowing that I’m leaving all of my loved ones once again, but at the same time, I’m so excited for what’s in store during the next couple of years! My last two days in Antioch will be pretty hectic. As of right now I don’t have a car or a cell phone and to be honest, it’s slowed my life down dramatically! However, I still have a lot to do. By the time I write again I should be in Portland. How sweet it is…   

To all of my friends in the Bay Area, thank you! Once again you welcomed me with open arms once and I’m so grateful for each and every one of you.

Car Trouble

My car won’t start! I have no idea what’s wrong with it and I won’t know anything until Thursday. I’m hoping it’s nothing serious because I need to drive back to Portland on Saturday. If it’s not fixed by then, well, my drive back to the Northwest will be postponed. I swear, every time I come home something has happened to it within a few days of me leaving Antioch. No fun…

Change of Plans

Most of us can’t escape the busyness of life, and if you’re like me, you get frustrated when your ‘planned’ schedule doesn’t always go the way you want it to. I’m the type of person who plans his months in advanced. By the first day of each month I pretty much know where I’ll be for the next thirty days or so. As much as I love it when my schedule goes smoothly, I’m learning the joy that comes when it doesn’t go smoothly is actually better than when it does. 

This past Friday I was supposed to drive out to the Oakland Airport to pick up a package. I waited all day until I finally found out our order was coming in later than we had expected. Because it came in later than we expected, I had to postpone my trip to Oakland until the following morning. Normally this wouldn’t be a problem, but I had plans to drive out to Modesto (close to two hours in the opposite direction) and spend the day with a couple of friends. Driving out to Oakland meant I had to wake up extra early on a Saturday morning! So yeah, it wasn’t what I had hoped for, but it is what it is. When I arrived in Oakland to pick up our package a man named Theodore, who was sitting in the waiting room, over heard me talking about how I was picking up a package for my church. Sure enough, this lead to a great conversation between the two of us for a good half hour, which by the way was not in my ‘planned itinerary’ for the day. When we were done talking I had the wonderful opportunity of not only getting to pray for him, but I also had the chance to invite him to church and bless him with a CD of one of our sermons. (I know it’s not much but it was all I had) I left the airport with the confidence that Theodore was one step closer to the Lord.  

Just about 99.9% of the time my ‘planned’ schedule doesn’t go the way I had hoped for, it usually means the Lord has a divine encounter waiting to take place. It took me a while to realize this, but it’s true, and it happens every time! One of the greatest feelings in the world is to know that we’ve done our duty as a Christian and led somebody else closer to the Lord. So the next time things don’t go the way you had hoped for, get ready for your divine encounter! If you’re open to it, you’ll find it.