Passion 2012 #1

Have you ever been to an event that has overwhelmed not only your heart with passion towards others but also changed your life? I just got back from one of the greatest 4 days of my life. This was the Passion 2012 Conference in Atlanta Georgia. I want to put all of this experience into words but I am struggling to do so and took yesterday as a day to prayerfully think about what to write on here so I can fully glorify God while also explaining exactly what happened in Georgia. The one word that can fully explain everything is Jesus!! He wasn't just present in the Georgia Dome and surrounding buildings but he was alive and working through the 45,000 in attendance as well as those who volunteered their time to make this conference happen.

I unfortunately was about two and a half hours late the first night because of my inability to get off work before noon but I showed up right at the time God had planned. When I got there I had already missed the first main session of the event in which Louie Giglio spoke and Chris Tomlin led worship so needless to say I was very bummed by the time I entered the World Congress Center to register. When I entered the building I was overwhelmed with the amount of people walking to their family groups. The lady at the desk gave me a packet that had a purple bracelet in it but then I explained that I had no clue where to go so she switched me from that color to a green one and more importantly a striped green one. Their room was right beside where I registered. This sounds very insignificant but this little change was all God because little did I know that I knew four people in this group and most importantly that I would meet 7 new people that would eventually become my family in a matter of 48 hours. These 7 come from different states in the U.S. but they all have a love of Christ and are all attending this conference hoping that God will give them answers to different things in their own personal lives. When I walked into this hall with 5,000 fellow striped green wearers I did not know what to think other than I hope I have a group with the people I know and well God had different plans. After we all met and broke some of the ice we dove right into the word of God in Ephesians. One of the best parts of having a random group of people studying the word of God is everyone has their own interpretation of what it means and also we all have different life experiences that we can bring to the table that could in turn help out those within the group. When I left our family group that night I knew we had something special but honestly excitement was building because I wanted to hear the David Crowder Band for the late night concert. DCB brought the house down and had the 45,000 wanting more but we all had to leave the Dome and get some sleep because it was going to be a long four days.

When leaving the dome on Monday night I had one thing on my mind, sleep! I drove to our hotel but took a different route and then had to drive around the downtown area of Atlanta because of the multiple one way streets. This detour opened my eyes to the poverty level in this city and many others in the world. I saw over 100 homeless people and I could not believe it. Yes I've seen the homeless before but never of this magnitude and I, like many others, just put this harsh reality into the back of our minds and move on with life. I forgot to mention that on Monday night it was spitting snow and was very very cold. I struggled to fall asleep that night knowing there was so many people just in this city that have no homes and have to resort to using other peoples trash to manufacture something to keep them warm. Before getting to Passion every person attending was asked to bring towels and socks so they could use this mass donation to give to those homeless and needy in the city. I was frustrated because I had to stop and buy socks for this Monday afternoon but after seeing the homeless I knew that what I donated would help keep a few people warm for many many nights. My thoughts have changed toward this and I am going to try and give back to my community both with my money and time.

As I close this portion of the blog regarding my experiences at Passion, I ask that you all pray for the 45,000 who were in attendance. We all are back at our normal lives now on fire for God and ready to make a difference. I also ask that you all consider donating something to a local charity so those less fortunate might be able to have a better life. Remember there are hundreds if not thousands of homeless in Atlanta Georgia right now and probably some in your hometown. I also ask that you might open your Bibles today and read some of Ephesians in not the whole book. (It's Short) God Bless you all and I will be blogging about the rest of my experiences at Passion 2012 in the days ahead. Have a wonderful day.

Ephesians 1:11-14 "11 In him we were also chosen,[e] having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory."

Mary Did You Know?

It's a couple of days before Christmas and a few days ago I saw a status update with the lyrics of the song "Mary Did You Know" which has sparked this post. This song is very powerful and has made me think a lot about the birth of Christ. After much thinking it has made me curious to what Mary thought when she saw Jesus for the first time. This baby that was miraculously placed into her body was the son of God and the one who would eventually save her and everyone else from eternal damnation to a life in Hell. I know what it was like to hold my niece for the first time just a few minutes after she was born. To see that perfect being with no worries in the world come into a place with many worries and hardship is a surreal feeling of love and hope for her life. Jesus on the other hand was a perfect being not just the day he was born but throughout his earthly life. Jesus also had the weight of the world on his back even on His first day on earth. Looking back at the song mentioned earlier, I think it would be hard to parent a child who is our own Savior. How would you discipline a kid who is the son of the most high? Could you even tell Him no? I know these questions are not answerable and are ultimately rhetorical but I only ask these to spark thoughts in your mind. I also ask these questions so you can give thought to the reason for this Christmas season and not just go through the motions again this year. There is a chance this could be my last post before Christmas and if so I wish you all a very Merry Christmas. I hope all get to spend it with your love ones. I am happy and lucky enough to be around my whole family this year. I feel very blessed for this. Thank you all for reading and God Bless you throughout this Christmas season!!

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”” Luke 2:11-14 NIV

Eli's story: Ripped from the womb

I think you all will find this article very interesting and heartwarming. This young man is from my hometown and my high school. Enjoy everyone and God Bless!!

Eli's story: Ripped from the womb

Home for Christmas

This year has been different than those of my past. A few years back I thought I had it bad living 3 hours away from home and not being able to spend the whole Christmas season with my family. This year is much different. My parents asked me many times what I wanted and I told them different random things but honestly all I want is to be with them without having to worry about going back to work or being stressed about something pointless. I made a list for Santa (oh yeah I still believe)this year and the list could have been summed up with a simple phrase. All I want for Christmas is to be home!! I am happy to say I get to go home and be with my family and friends in two days. To say I'm excited is an understatement. The only thing I'm not looking forward to is the huge weather change from the 65 degrees we had today to the sub 30s. I'm still looking for reader participation. What are you looking forward to most this Christmas? Thanks again for reading and have a Blessed day

Proverbs 24 "19 Do not fret because of evildoers or be envious of the wicked, 20 for the evildoer has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out."

Fun Friday

I want to start a tradition of blog posts on Friday to be fun and have a more relaxed reading. This Christmas season is full of fun and should be a great time of the year. One of my favorite movies of the season is Elf. This movie has a good mix of children and adult comedy but most of all it is enjoyable year after year. We all need to have an attitude like Buddy does in this movie toward how we treat others. He is friendly and loves everyone he comes into contact with. The world would be a different place if we treated others like this. Try it out this Christmas and give back to others in your life. Below is one of my favorite scenes in the movie so I hope you enjoy it. I would like to have more reader participation in this blog so I'm curious what is your favorite Christmas movie? and Why do you like this movie so much? Thank you for reading and God Bless

Proverbs 21:13-14, "13 Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered. 14 A gift given in secret soothes anger, and a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath."

The Albert Pujols Departure

Tonight there are many thoughts going through my mind but the main one is of Albert Pujols. I am a die hard Cardinals fan and have been a fan of Mr. Pujols since his entrance into Major League Baseball. This departure from the Cardinals was at first hard to take and was actually saddening news. But after looking at the whole situation it is probably best he signed with the Angels especially for the amount of money they gave him. I have great respect for Albert and the Christian man that he is. I think he will use this money wisely and will be able to add to his foundation. Now with everyone who seemingly "Hates" him makes no sense at all. Facebook and Twitter exploded with people who call themselves fans but are bashing Albert. I think everyone needs to look at this deal in a much smaller term to understand. Say your boss offers you a promotion in a different city doing the same job but for a much greater amount of money. What do you do? Most people will take that new job especially if they want to get ahead in this world. A lot of people forget that baseball, although it is a sport, it is still a job for those who play and it is also a business. Teams like the Cardinals know their fiscal responsibilities and know how much they can afford and 250+ Million dollars over 10 years is way too much. The Cardinals will be successful this season and could possibly make it back to the World Series. Albert Pujols I thank you for your years of service with the Cardinals and I wish you 10 years of success with the Angels. I also hope you come back and retire in STL. Most importantly Albert please continue to be a man of God and lead people to Christ. All of the hype over baseball is only temporary and heaven is for eternity! It might be time for everyone to check their priorities and realize the only thing that really matters in this world is our Savior Jesus Christ. God Bless you all and thanks for reading. Proverbs 3:9-10 "9 Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; 10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine."

Actions speak louder than your Facebook status

Tonight as I look through Facebook status updates I realize how confused some people have it. I see updates with a real sentimental Bible verse or I get a text from them saying they went to church a couple of times on Sunday but when I look more into their lives I see different. It's like what you see on the outside is not who they really are when you do a little investigating. I don't mean to judge and know it's not in my right to judge peoples actions but it really bothers me when I see this. I know it ultimately comes down to them and God. I just hope some people change before its too late. Getting drunk every weekend is only hurting yourself and those who are around you. Remember you only get one chance at life. Don't waste it being intoxicated and remember when you die it's either Heaven or Hell and you don't get a redo. I want to live my life to glorify God and teach others about Him and want to save people from an eternity in Hell. After reading this my prayer is that you might take a deep look into your life and realize that maybe your actions are speaking louder than what your Facebook status is trying to portray. Remember a lot of people read your status but even more look at your pictures and the comments you put on other peoples pages. If you see you need to change your lifestyle please kneel before God and ask for forgiveness. He is with you and will greatly take your hand and heart and love you more than you have ever known. The Heaven's rejoice when a sinner is saved!! Have a great Tuesday everyone. Thank you for reading and God Bless. Also please feel free to comment and send my link to others to read. Proverbs 23:12 "Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge."