My church is better than your church!

Tuesday nights are great for me. A few of the guys from the band come over to my place and we have a little bible study (we're in Luke). Because of a prayer request of mine we got to talking about competition amongst churches. I wonder how many churches in this area feel like we're in competition. Do we think we're better than them? Do they think they're better than us? The funny part of this is that before joining staff here at Clovis Hills, I was involved with Campus Crusade for Christ (an interedenominational, college ministry focused on evangelism and disciplship) and we always thought no church did it right! So if my church is working to be better than yours and your church is working to be better than mine and parachurch orginizations think we all suck, then who's caring about lost people? Who friggin' cares what other churches are doing? What if churches were focused on fulfilling their calling and reaching lost people and were genuinely happy for other churches when God blessed them? College students think we are too churchy, some people in our church think we're not churchy enough and all the while people still need Jesus. I'm so glad to be on staff with people who don't get caught up in that and who are surrendering their lives to work at fulfilling the call God has given us.

Funny shirt

you may notice that I have just titled this funny shirt, because I can not continue lying by saying that this is the funny shirt of the week, as I do not post one of these anywhere close to weekly. But I liked this one and I'd like to dedicate it to all my hommies with learning disorders around the world! Dyslexics of the world untie!

More MLK pics

Here are a couple more...see post below!

MLK Celebration

I've been waiting to post this until I had pictures, and here they are! On Monday, our choir, New Day, and our band were asked to sing at a celebration honoring Dr. King at Warnor's Theatre. The building was friggin' freezing and the event was pretty poorly planned. Regardless, we had an amazing time. It was pretty interesting singing gospel music in front of nearly a thousand African Americans, but I think an experience that helps us all grow. It was also the debut for some of the guys in the band at church who started their own thing on the side. They don't have a name yet, but they rocked so hard, they don't need one. Check out the pics!

this is utube huh? Am I famous yet?

funny shirt of the week

I've been cautioned by other bloggers, that while this platform can invite authenticity it is always wise to write with a sense of discretion, as there are an unknown number of people reading. However, I feel like I need to get this off my chest. You know, share it with the whole world. So brace yourselves, I'm about to get transparent and vulnerable. Here goes... I'm afraid of clowns. I've said it (boy that feels good). Seriously though, they freak me out; Mimes too. Maybe it's the painted smiles, I'm not sure. In light of that, this "funny shirt of the week" is perhaps not so much funny as it is a warning. Either way, I hope you enjoy. It's True

2006 survey

I know my blogging as of late has consisted mostly of failed promises to blog more and pilfering stuff from other people's blogs and I'm sorry for that. So...I promise to blog more and this is something I stole from someone else's blog. 2006 Survey 1.) Where did you ring in 2006? In my apartment with Jenn watching "When Harry Met Sally" 2.) What was your status by Valentine’s Day? Married, but unemployed (I was working part-time at Chili's) 3.) Were you in school (anytime this year)? Yes 4.) How did you earn your keep? Chil's and leading worship at Clovis Hills 5.) Did you ever have to go to the hospital? yes, my mom was in a car accident so I went to the waiting room. Does that count? (she's fine by the way, thanks for asking) 6.) Did you encounter the police? yes - I witnessed a car accident and told them my story. 7.) Where did you go on vacation? Montana 8.) What did you purchase that was over $500? Martin DC-Aura guitar 9.) Did you know anybody who got married? two of Jenn's cousins, my friends Lauren and Robert and Jason and Danielle 10.) Did you know anybody who passed away? no 11.) Have you run into anybody you graduated high school with? an ex-girlfriend (awkward) and a bunch of "I slightly remember you" kinda people since moving back to Fresno 12.) Did you move anywhere? Fresno 13.) What sporting events did you go to? Giants game, and the World baseball classic 14.) What concerts did you go to? none (pretty lame huh?) 15.) Are you registered to vote? Yes 16.) If so, did you do your patriotic duty on Nov. 7? Yes I did 17.) Where do you live now? Fresno, CA 18.) Describe your birthday. Jenn and I met my family in Turlock (not because it's awesome or anything, but it's in the middle) and had a family dinner at Red Robin. I got some sweet gifts, played golf during the day and got to hang out with my wife. 19.) What’s the one thing you thought you would never do but did in 2006? went into full time ministry that wasn't with Campus Crusade 20.) What is one thing you regretted this year? getting off course a bit with the weight loss 21.) What’s something you learned about yourself? I'm more creative than I thought. 22.) Any new additions to your family? not yet (wink wink) 23.) What was your best month? any of the last 5. I'm doing what I love to do, it doesn't get much better. 24.) For what pop culture landmarks will you remember 2006? Grey's anatomy season 3 (I know, I'm a girl), Pursuit of Happyness and the year I started this blog. 25.) How would you rate this year with a scale from 1 (crappy) to 10 (excellent)? one of the hardest and best years of my life...8.5 Have you taken the survey?

The beauty of a solitude day

Normally, my days off consist of sleeping in, not showering until just before Jenn gets home (around 3:00 or 3:300) and sitting around watching a movie or playing Playstation. I have discovered today, however, the beauty of solitude. I still slept in, but then spent some extended time in the word (I know, super spiritual huh?) as well as reading other books. I've been chilling on this super comfortable love seat in the bedroom all day listening to some Jimmy Needham and not even looking at the TV. What a great day it has been. I even showered right away this morning, for those of you who were wondering. So I think this is my new tradition. So here's my question for you... Do you solitude?

Ikea Commercial

So I saw this on Carlos Whitaker's blog and then went and found it and put it here. I know that's lame, but this is friggin' hilarious.

Welcome to 2007!

So I realize, it's been 2007 for a few days already, but I'm going public with my New Year's Resolutions! Not resolutions so much, but things that I'm trusting God for. 2006 was incredibly hard and yet so satisfying and sweet. For 10 months I looked for a job and went through the roller coaster of where would God have Jenn and I, and then Clovis Hills came around! This year Jenn and I were forced, more than ever, to trust in and lean on Jesus. This year was not just about finding a job, but it was about growing in Him and crossing the bridge between chapters of our life. So now that we're here and firmly planted in Clovis, I figure it's time to write out some of the things that I want to trust God for this year. 1) Finding a creative outlet of my own - I have loved the opportunity that being a worship leader gives me to be creative. I have been able to focus soley on music and more specifically worship. I've been writing a ton and becoming a better musician, but this year I'm hoping to find an avenue for doing my own music, seperate from the church. 2) I want to see Clovis Hills become a worshipping church. I'm trusting God that people who come on Sunday will feel freedom to respond to the Lord in worship. I'm not talking about dancing or clapping for the sake of it, but that we'd see genuine responses to who God is. 3) This is the year we get out of debt. The plan is in motion and if God keeps providing the funds, we'll be debt free be the end of this year. 4) I want to lose 80 pounds. I've lost 30 and, though the holidays were rough, I've maintained pretty well. Now it's time to kick it in the booty and start dropping the pounds. 5) I want to see real depth in my relationships with people here at the church. I'm pretty good at keeping things surfacy, but we've been here long enough that it's time to persue genuine relationships. I think that's it. Not asking too much right? I've got a year.