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Hey, Where am I?

February 15, 2012 in Abundant Life, Good Stuff with 0 Comments

So last semester I posted three times a week, every week. This semester, not so much.

You may not have even noticed, but if you have, you deserve an explanation. 2 major things have thrown me off.

1) Getting hacked kind of destroyed my spirits. I know it shouldn’t keep me down, but when you are in a rythm and something blows it out of the water it can be hard to drag the ship back into the sea.

2) I’m working on another extremely awesome project with a friend. It will launch in early March, so start getting excited. You’ll be one of the first to know about it, and I think it could really have a great impact.

That being said, I do still plan on posting here. I’m just trying to figure out what and how often with these other things going on.

Thanks for your readership, and have an incredible President’s day weekend!

Good Stuff 01.20.11

January 20, 2012 in Good Stuff with 0 Comments

Here is some of the best stuff around the web this week:

1) Favorite Sermon Series: I’ve never been more excited for a series than Grace’s “One Story.” Seriously. You can see why by checking out part 1 here.

2) Favorite Music Video: A Love so Deep (by high schoolers!)

3) Favorite Cat:

4) Favorite 100 year old predictions: 1912 article on what 2012 would be like

5) Favorite Video: Crave (part 1)

6) Favorite Video Blog: Shooting on Location for the Hobbit

Books Christians Should Read

January 18, 2012 in Abundant Life, Good Stuff with 2 Comments

It’s time for a new permanent page! You can find this whenever you want under “Resources” in the top bar.

There are thousands of books out there filled with stuff Christians should know. These are a few of my favorites, and they will give you a nice range of great knowledge. If you’re interested in checking out any of these books, click on one of their links to purchase on Amazon.

The ESV Study Bible: This is, by far and away, the best study Bible on the market. The ESV (English Standard Version) is an incredibly accurate translation and the study resources here are amazing. It contains tons of great commentary, book introductions, colorful maps and diagrams, and an incredible appendix. If you want a new Bible, get this one. It also comes in Leather.

Mere Christianity: C.S. Lewis is my favorite author, and this is his defining work. He answers difficult questions in an incredibly logical way. His greatest gift is taking incredibly complex answers and making them so simple that even an elementary school kid could understand them. If you want to learn more about the essentials of Christianity, get this book.

The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism: Tim Keller is a great pastor in New York City. I actually heard him preach up there once, which was pretty cool. In this book, he answers all of the questions his extremely smart New York congregation had asked over the years about God’s existence and whether or not we can really believe. It’s stellar.

The Book that Made Your World: This one goes out to all the history buffs. Turns out, the Bible has had an incredible impact on all of our society: the arts, science, technology, education, politics, and so much more. This book constantly impressed me and taught me a great deal about how our world came together as it is today.

The Answer: So many people in the world are looking for true satisfaction in life. Randy Pope, an incredible pastor and expert at sharing the Gospel, presents the answer in a simple way that is perfect for both believers and non-believers. If you want to know how to share your faith better, or if you know someone looking for fulfillment, get this book!

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: Donald Miller is a goofy Christian author. He is hilarious, but has great insight. This book is for all you story tellers, and explains how he learned what made for an interesting life by making a movie. Turns out the same things that make a great story also make for a great life, and the Bible is full of invitation to join the Best Story.

The Treasure Principle: Giving tends to be a touchy subject in churches today, but did you know that the New Testament talks about money and possessions more than Heaven and Hell? We are in an economic rut these days, and I’m convinced a major cause is that we’ve lost an eternal perspective on finances. This short book addresses those and is worth your money.

*All Amazon links are affiliate links

What books are missing from this list?

Great Blogs around the Web

September 5, 2011 in Good Stuff with 4 Comments

Happy Labor Day! I am at the Beach relaxing with my wife and friends. Rather than post something new today, I thought it would be cool to share some great blogs I spend some time reading every week. Since you are probably not working today, you may have time to check them out!

My Killer Tribe: This is an incredible community of bloggers who are all seeking to grow in their writing. It is very encouraging and helpful, and a must for anyone out there wanting to become a better blogger.

The Whole Dang Thing: A very insightful and funny walk through the entire Bible. I recently read through Genesis, and there are some parts that can be hard to relate to. This blog, however, breaks it down incredibly well and I highly recommend checking it out. Sample Post: Bless You II: The Revenge!

Mike Breen: Mike is one of the most brilliant teachers I’ve ever heard and knows how to empower people to do mission. His books are great, but his blog is an excellent starting place to get a taste of his work. Sample post: Steve Jobs and Your Church.

Reluctant Runners: I really don’t like running, but somehow this site has tricked me into signing up for the Atlanta Half-Marathon this Thanksgiving. Sample Post: Planning Your Long Run.

Goins Writer: If you desire to become a better writer, you should be reading this blog. He comes up with new helpful hints everyday that are simple and can transform your writing. Sample Post: 7 Tips for Effective Writing.

What other blogs/websites out there do you recommend?

How Kairos Moments Change Lives (and how you can too!)

August 19, 2011 in Cultural Connection, Good Stuff, Videos with 0 Comments

My friend Gardner sent me an e-mail with an incredible video. In the e-mail, he said the following:

“Last Tuesday a friend of mine from high school was killed in a head on collision.
I’ve been struggling all week wondering where Bobby would spend eternity because I was fairly confident he had never accepted Christ as Lord and Savior. Bobby was a wild kid, acquainted with every drug known to man, and lately struggling with severe depression.”

With that being said, this video is pretty incredible, and well worth your time:

We talk a lot about Kairos Moments at church. In the Greek New Testament, there are two main words for “time.” The first is “kronos” and the second is “kairos.” Kronos is where we get the word “Chronology,” and it simply means the time on your watch.

Kairos, on the other hand, means the time of fulfillment. It is a specific moment when the course of one’s life is changed. A great example is in Mark 1:15 when Jesus says, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” A kairos moment, then, is any time we encounter God and we choose to act on it.

In the above video, both Jose and Bobby had an encounter with God. Both of them chose to follow God, and the results are nothing short of miraculous.

Yes, it is extremely sad that Bobby died in the car accident. We should weep at the loss, just like Jesus did when Lazarus died. But we have hope, because Jose encountered God and chose not to ignore him, and Bobby met God and chose not to reject Him.

How will you act when you encounter God? What do you think you will miss out on if you choose to ignore or reject Him?

Nice Finds 07.30.11

July 30, 2011 in Good Stuff with 0 Comments

Nicest Movie Mashup: Time by Hans Zimmer

Nicest Animated Movie Trailer: The Dark Knight Rises

Nicest Video Blog: The Hobbit part 2!

Nicest Harry Potter Recap: HP a cappella

(Still) Nicest Song: Roll Away Your Stone

(Other) Nicest Video Blog: The Hobbit blog 3

Nice Finds 05.27.11

May 27, 2011 in Good Stuff with 0 Comments

Nicest Movie Trailer: Green With Envy (watch the entire thing!)

Nicest Modern Escape Artist: Great Fan Escape

Nicest Talking Animal: The Dog Tease

Other Nicest Movie Trailer: The Fuzzy Pack (I have an obsession)

Nicest Choke: The Bulls losing to the Heat while I wrote this post.

Nice Finds 04.29.11

April 29, 2011 in Good Stuff with 0 Comments

Time for some nice finds!
But first, some news. I will be posting a really cool music video on Monday with some behind the scenes info, so stay tuned!

1) Nicest Way to start your morning: Moose Standoff

2) Nicest tale of suspense: Milk by Brak

3) Nicest Movie Trailer: Harry Potter Deathly Hallows part 2 trailer

4) Nicest penguin laugh: Penguins are ticklish

5) Nicest Video Blog in HISTORY: Behind the Scenes of the Hobbit

Redefining Blessing

April 27, 2011 in Abundant Life, Good Stuff with 0 Comments

A couple weekends ago I tagged along with Perimeter Church on their 6th grade retreat. It was a great weekend and Morgan and I had a fun time together helping out. Laura Story led worship on the retreat, and she told everyone the story behind her new album, “Blessings.” The story, and the way she and her husband have reacted to it, has really been hitting me all week in a powerful way so I figured I would share it. Or, better yet, you can watch her share:

If you prefer reading, here is the story: Laura and her husband have been married for about seven years. After being married for a year and a half, Martin was diagnosed with a brain tumor (part of the reason this story impacted me is the fact that Morgan and I are the same exact place in life). They knew something was wrong because he grew 1.5 inches as a 24 year old man and would go 4 nights in a row without sleeping. When they finally figured out it was a brain tumor, they knew they had to operate.

The operation was more complicated than originally planned, and Martin barely made it out alive. Fortunately he did, but the recovery process took a long time. In fact, it is still going on and may never end. He has lost his peripheral vision and has trouble with short term memory.

As a young married person, I can certainly say that this is not the type of life change I would react well too. And although Laura and Martin have not loved it either, they are handling it in an incredible and God honoring way. Laura talked to the students about 2 Corinthians 12 where Paul talks about his “thorn in the flesh.” Something was hurting Paul, and he asked it to be taken away, but God chose to leave it there. Paul’s final reaction is to say the following: “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

It’s amazing to see how Paul uses his pain to glorify God. It was equally amazing to see Martin and Laura doing the same thing with their trials. If you have not heard any of Laura Story’s music, I highly recommend you look it up. She is authentic as it gets and loves the Lord well. Here is the song she wrote about their experience, called “Blessings.” (You can also find her on iTunes by clicking here)