Sittin' in a coffee shop...

I wonder HOW my life would be different if I truly believed in the power of the gospel... I wonder if my words would be more seasoned with scripture, if my actions would gracefully pierce darkness, maybe my thoughts would fuel a godly motivation....

I wonder, if the power of the gospel was let loose in my soul the way that it is intended to, I wonder how I might see the Lord carefully guiding my steps...gracefully moving my lips...creatively using my actions.....

I wonder why I'm holding it back. I wonder why I so often let my flesh take control and convince my spirit that I am less than a conqueror in Christ. I know truth. I have knowledge of His word and His purpose and His way.

I wonder if it's fear. Maybe it's pride. Perhaps it's shame. It could be chains from the past still overpowering a will toward freedom.

I wonder how frustrating it must be for the King of kings, Warrior of warriors to have empowered one with his spirit, only to watch as His soldier sits back in fear of what has already been defeated. Silly.

I'm tired of just wondering...

Finally, be STRONG in the Lord and in the strength of HIS might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore TAKE UP the WHOLE armor of God, that you may be able to WITHSTAND in the evil day, and having done all, to STAND FIRM. ~Ephesians 6:10-13

[ Fasten the Belt of Truth
Put on the Breastplate of Righteousness
As shoes for your feet, put on the readiness given by the gospel of Peace
Take up the shield of faith
Take the helmet of Salvation
Pray at ALL times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. ]

To that end keep ALERT with all PERSEVERANCE, making supplication for ALL the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an AMBASSADOR in chains, that I may declare it BOLDLY, as I ought to speak. ~Ephesians 6:18-20

HEALING IS IN YOUR HANDS:
::Christy Nockels::
No mountain, no valley, no gain or loss we know
could keep us from Your love
No sickness, no secret, no chain is strong enough
to keep us from Your love
to keep us from Your love

How high, how wide
No matter where I am, healing is in Your hands
How deep, How strong,
And now by Your grace I stand, healing is in Your hands

Our present, our future, our past is in Your hands
We're covered by Your blood
We're covered by Your blood

In all things, we know that we are more than conquerors.
You keep us by Your love

How high, How wide
no matter where I am, healing is in Your hands
How deep, How strong
And now by Your grace I stand, healing is in Your hands

a billion for a billion

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jSBW0BOPqM

NOLA: Shabat Shalom

Ok! Officially in New Orleans...

Last night was incredible. We got here to NOLA, met up with Jeremy Wicker and Quanah...headed to the temple and experienced a Shabat service.

After the Synagogue, we headed to get some official cajun food... and then...well...cafe du monde...amen? yes...amen...

now we are having a FOLEY DAY!! whoooo!!! :-) pretty much chillin, remembering old times and gettin ready to head to the french quarter later this evening...

more good times to come!!!!

I wish I was Stupid....

well, friends...here begins the start of an exciting roadtrip...

Hopefully there will be a consistent log of the adventures and good times to come...

at the moment...we are preppin' for a journey to NOLA...tonight is poppyseed chicken and bops custard...GLORY!

be on the lookout for some good video footage!

ignorance is bliss,

roadtrippers

less inlet, more outlet

Soooo, I'll be honest.  Today I feel a little more official than the day before.  I GOT A MAC! Yes, I realize it's pathetic to be this excited, but all you other people out there with Macs understand my excitement.  

A new outlet...

ooooor is it more of an "inlet"...

But this morning, as I drove to meet my parents for a farewell breakfast at the Pancake Pantry (for the second time in 4 days) I began to think about these "outlets"...are they really outlets? I mean I understand the importance of computers and phones and facebook, etc etc...Don't get me wrong, I LOVE all of them, but I would be lying to you if I said that they weren't a distraction and an area of hindrance in my life, sometimes.  More often than not, I feel like I use these distractions for my own benefit instead of the benefit of others.  That's disheartening.  

I'm so grateful to have a new computer for so many reasons, but maybe all I'm saying is that I hope it's not as much for personal benefit as it is for the good news of Christ being made known to the nations.  That's a big statement. :-) But why dream small, right? 

Challenge for myself: may these tools and resources be less inlet and more outlet for the good of the Kingdom...

Obsession

thinking a lot today about obsession...

what a dangerous tool, if misguided...and it seems to be growing more and more common...obsession over people, things, ideas, movements...
i mean i think all of those things have wonderful possibilities...but what happens when it becomes an obsession?...what happens when we can't think, eat, drink, live or react simply because we are being consumed by something contained within this world...

we are an obsessive culture...in need of a gripping freedom...

what would happen if our attention was taken from known and unknown obsessions and addictions and placed wholeheartedly on the Kingdom...

it's a challenge...a goal...a dream...
it's also a command....

The Urgency of the Savior's Message

I wrote this sophomore year of college and just recently came across it...
I was challenged...thought I'd share...

the urgency of the Savior's message: to what lengths will i go?...is it really that vital to me?...life and death?...to understand the King's call over my life is to comprehend life and to understand death...no, not heaven or hell...that's motivation, but it's not reason...my life is not lived to get to heaven and my death is not died to avoid hell...my life begins at the thought of Christ, it is lived at the notion of glory, and it is died with integrity to the King who is over all other kings....have you thought about what that means?...at His fingertips, he holds the power to strike a servant down who disobeys or looses focus....that's me!...and yet, i take for granted His glory...I ignore His great power...i have a tendency to think it's a sweet and tame glory...NO! my God, my King, my Jehovah, my Creator is NOT safe and innocent like a cute stuffed animal...He's not at my fingertips...i'm at HIS! He is bold, He is mighty, He is stern, and chissled, He is AWEsome, breathtaking, overwhelming, He is GOD!
it amazes me how i can type about it now and not fall flat on my face as i even think of His majesty and power...i should...i should be on my knees, but i don't understand that concept it seems...everything here seems so easy...i thank the Lord for food, but i don't really know what it means to be lacking...i thank the Lord for my family, but do i really know family as He knows family?...i praise God for my friends...in reality, should friends come as easy as they do? what about the prophets, paul, the disciples?...they weren't known for their friendships...they were known for their boldness in proclaiming the TRUTH!...if the Scriptures are meant to be immulated, why am i not becoming as they were? is my concern with man, or about man?...do i really love if i don't share the things that the Father has placed so graciously before me?...i'm so worried about finding the "right things" that i fail to worship the "right God"...it's blasphemous...
all i can say is..."forgive me....send me..."