Living a Movie

My life should be made into a movie.


Just gonna go ahead and throw that out there cause it would be awesome, or at least that's what I think.

It wouldn't fit into any one genre either, because it would totally blow the drawers off those preconceived genres. The movie itself would create a whole new genre of awesomeness filled with comedy, drama, action, horror, mystery, science-fiction, and anything else awesome. I would like to see maybe a young Tom Cruise, like in Top Gun, play my role. As for the other roles, I have no idea who should play them. I'll let the professionals make those decisions, but I'm sure they could place some of my friends as like extras or something.

My movie would feature a lot of monologuing by me like in the show "Scrubs." I've got quite a few thoughts and questions that go through my head during the day. I also think that a good movie gets the audience involved with either laughs or thoughts. Great movies feature both, which is what my movie would have.

As I'm trying to put this post together I keep wondering what would make my movie better than anyone else who had their life made into a movie. To answer that question, I think my story is one that should be shared, nothing more than that. You can call me arrogant or any other good insult that might describe me cause I think my life would make a good movie. I'll just take that as an indication you will not be seeing my movie in theaters and so I won't get tickets for you, ha take that.

Survey Says...

Here's just a quick thing that I've been trying to think about the past couple days...

Being up in Boston, people back home always ask me how are things going. I usually just say good and tell them when exactly I'll be home to visit. Or whenever I meet someone for dinner or a Bible study we usually start by asking how each other's week is going. I'd say a majority of people throw out a "good" or "fine" without even thinking about it. But now I just can get this issue out of my head- what determines "good" or "bad?" Is it how classes are going? How many dates I've gone on? How many Bible chapters I've read? I just don't know what to think about this whole thing anymore.

With all that, I could use some help. Leave me a comment with some thoughts about this whole thing of "good" and "bad." Who knows, maybe we'll all figure something out.

Another Perspective

I've always been a big fan of Paul's epistles and all the stories in Acts about the things he did. Every time I read through that book I spend a great deal of time just meditating on what it would be like to been around in that period of history. Fresh off the life of Jesus and His ministry, the apostles entered into a time of just pure excitement. The spread of the Gospel rested solely upon their shoulders even with persecution right in their face. Just think about how awesome it would have been to share in those experiences.

Let me just take some time to quote how great of a time this was.
Acts 2:41 "Those who accept his (Peter) message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day."

Verse 43 "Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles."

Acts 3:1-10 with the story of Peter and John healing a crippled beggar.

There's a little kicker when you read the story of the healed beggar.

After this man starts jumping and dancing around people start looking at him and wonder what the heck happened. Peter, the bold apostle he is, starts asking everybody why they are so surprised? That question kind of takes me back a bit. In my little realm of faith, how am I not surprised? I think Peter was operating on a whole different level though. It's all about our perspective. It's about what point of view we're coming from. Peter's coming from the perspective of Christ and the bigger picture with the glory of God. Most of us instead come from the perspective of how it's all going to affect our own glory and ego. Just take that and really examine which perspective you think you're operating in.




What would those early apostles think and say about the world today?




Honestly, I have no idea what they would think. Would they seem how plentiful the harvest is? (Matthew 9). Or instead would they be slightly appalled at the situation in the world today? I'll let you all determine what their response would be.

Coming Back

The stupidity of just my little ole self amazes me sometimes.

Tonight's been a great night. I got some studying in, talked a little on the phone, had a good meal- all stuff of a good night for a college kid. But what took my night from being just the average "good and decent" night to the status of "great" was my time in prayer tonight. It wasn't just the "Hey God, could you hook me up with the answer to #2 on this quiz?"; it was the meaty confession, intercession, and really became more of a conversation towards the end.

There had been some stuff weighing on my heart and really been eating at my ability to hone in on what the Lord was speaking to me. I got it all out there on the table and the Holy Spirit and I labored through it. I felt great after; so much peace just rising up within me. I even got a great word out of it- Isiah 43:2.

During my walk up the stairs to my room I started to think of all the occasions I have spent intimate time with God like that and found that there is always one common denominator- I feel so alive and awakened after. It truly is one of the most wonderful feelings in the world. I'm sitting here actually trying to figure out how soon I can get back to the prayer room because it's such a great feeling.

Now here's my thing: if praying to the Lord and laboring with the Holy Spirit always leaves you with this fantastic feeling, why for the last month has there been stretches of many days without times of prayer? It seems kinda stupid that I would allow such a dry spell. I just become dumbfounded by my laziness and the weakness that is my flesh as I think about it. It seems to be an uphill battle when really it shouldn't be. There has to be a better way to overcome it than just attempting to grit my teeth and saying "Yeah I'll remember to go pray today."

So friends I want you to spend a good hunk of intimate time with the Lord, your Creator. I bet a pretty penny He won't leave you satisfied, and while you're there, would you offer one up for me to remember His calling of me back to the prayer room?

Tonight!

The Office comes back tonight

It's a glorious day

A Glipse of the End

Greetings from Northeastern!

Last night was a really uplifting night in what has started to be a bit of a string of discouraging days with classes getting started and all that. I skipped out on the mandatory presentation featuring the author of "Three Cups of Tea" and went to the Agape Christian Fellowship. It's basically the Campus Crusade for Christ here at NU. There were about twenty or thirty of us in this room at the Student Center.

Immediately when I got in the room I could feel and absorb the love for the Lord and the love for everyone from the Agape people That's pretty awesome cause the term "agape" is Greek for the selfless type of love. I grabbed a slice of pizza after meeting a few Agape members. There was some small talk with a pretty diverse group. Then the leaders of the Agape, Paul and Allie, got up and gave a little talk about what all goes on in Agape. They've got this Fall Retreat to a lake in New Hampshire the last weekend of September that I think I'll go to; it'll give me a chance to get out of the city.

After giving the basics, a guy named Colin came up to share his testimony which is always awesome to hear how other people found God. You could also see the laboring and working the Lord had done within Colin during his walk with God thus far.

I left that meeting with a great smile on my face and thinking that if I don't accomplish anything else during my time up here I want to be like Paul, Allie, or Colin. I want random unknown people to take notice of my love for others and most importantly, my love for God.

Mini-Posts

There's been a lot going on lately in my life and just a bunch of stuff that I wish I could put into full posts but would take a ridiculous amount of time and right now I simply don't have that. So with that mouthful out I came up with a plan to preserve my sanity and not spend an entire month trying to write it all. I'm going to devote a singular paragraph to each individual topic that's spinning around in my mind right now. That's good because a paragraph is only 3 to 6 sentences which keeps me from rambling and from just typing about whatever first pops in my head, like right now I'm not sure if it's raining outside cause I hear something that sounds like it but I've also got my music going. Now that I've gotten that bit out on the table let's begin.


I found a church up here in the city that I think I'm going to try. After checking out its website it seems like it might be pretty cool. I just know that it won't be near as cool as going to New Life and hearing a great word from Sam. I've also looked at a few others so I'll probably give them a try too unless I just get an amazing sense of peace from the Lord when I go tomorrow. I'm kinda looking forward to going out and testing the waters here, seeing exactly what I'm up against.

My roommates are amazing. It's only been two days and I know it'll be a fun year. I've been blessed by God for having such roommates. Scott is about 6'6" and really good at basketball so we'll try to put a 3 on 3 team together. Mark is also tall (6'4") and really into 80's hair bands like Poison and Motley Crue. I'm really going to enjoy living with them.

The only thing that I'm nervous about are my classes. I'm taking 19 credit hours which basically means a butt load. However, Dessi, a girl in the room next to me, is going to be in alot of the same classes with me so we'll get a nice little study group going here once classes kick up. My classes also start really early and that's no fun but what can ya do right?

All of a sudden it seems like everyone, or only a couple (my estimate could be off), has started to blog and are now chatting about each other's blog and just getting in on the whole deal. I don't like saying this but I feel maybe jealous or something. It seems like "Hey back off! I was here first." Writing has been my thing to release whatever was within me when I couldn't find anyone to have a conversation with about it. And these new bloggers just have this knack to be great at anything and everything they do. Maybe I'll take my blog "off-line" and just make it a little electronic journal, except the whole point for blogging in the first place is to let other people see it and hope that they let you know what they think about it. Oh well, under the radar works for me just fine.

I'm not incredibly homesick yet, only a smidge. It still feels like a vacation and I'll be getting back on the plane to come home any time. I know it's gonna hit me like a brick here soon though. I also don't have very many pictures to put up in my room so if my friends who are reading this would like to send me some here's my email: bosox_355@hotmail.com. I think I was able to spend time everybody one last time and say farewell except there is one person I didn't get a chance to really spend time with...

I wish I could get connected with a cool Christian kid here soon. I realize it's only been three days and not everyone is on campus yet. It's just a matter of trusting in the Lord.

That could be a whole length post easily, just trusting in God through all times. Trust Him that He's got a plan for some small town Kansas kid in the big city out on the east coast. It's going to be a struggle to constantly keep that in mind and that is a big area that I need prayer for. There are tons of things that God simply takes care of and all required by me is trust. So please pray that I could find incredible trust to put in the Lord.

Panting on a Leash

This evening I took my dog, Easton, for a walk. I figured he'd really like that considering the size, or rather lack of, of the house that we currently fit four humans and three dogs in. So here we are, man and his best friend going back to the stone age setting out on this adventure. Easton, for those who aren't in the know, is a chocolate lab (black at night though) who's still got plenty of puppy in him for being almost two years old. We start out and Easton is dragging me along by his leash, just constantly tugging. Then we hadn't even made it a full block before he saw another canine and went ballistic with hair rising up and guard dog mode in full gear (he's actually a big sissy so no worries.) Finally we settle into a good pace with plenty of slack through the leash. The walk ends up being very anti-climatic and we both made it home safely, but I had discovered a pretty astonishing thing.

The walk I just took with my dog was incredibly similar to another walk in my life, my walk with Jesus.

Only instead of the one holding the leash, I'm the one kept on the path by it. Like Easton, I keep tugging on this leash of my beliefs and just as I love my dog so I don't let him run wherever, Jesus holds onto the leash so I won't become overwhelmed by everything in the world.

Another good similarity shows up in the way Easton acts once another dog is in sight. He puffs up and barks to put on a good show, letting the other dog know that he's protecting me. In life we come across those who challenge our faith in Christ and we have to put up a guard against said challenge.

There are also things on our journey that can distract us like a squirrel coming into Easton's sight. We get amazed at such simple stuff sometimes causing us to lose focus of the main goal in life. The world catches us up in the busyness and gossip until we feel that tug on the leash.

Eventually, like Easton finally did, Jesus and I settle into a good pace, just enjoying each other's company.

Just as my canine friend trust me, I put all my trust in Jesus, knowing He's leading me back to that glorious front porch waiting with a heavenly bowl of water.

Great Revealation

We, as believers in Jesus Christ, have been blessed and anointed with the responsibility to share our faith. (Matt. 28) But if you're anything like me, this aspect of the whole Christian shin-dig is one slightly shied away from and swept under the rug. I mean, we would just hate to maybe offend somebody or throw-off their busy schedule if we ever ask them about Jesus. It's not like we were given a spirit of power or nothing. (2 Timothy 1)

I've been given a great opportunity to really branch out up at Northeastern. I'm going to be in a place with so many people and able to interact with them on a really raw level. How could I possibly be in a better situation to spread the Truth?

A few weeks back I went up to campus for two days of orientation. I got this feeling of just these other students, smart, funny, and great people, were starving for something. It was almost like whatever they had been doing so far with their life hadn't filled them up at all. Some of them knew there was something better out there for them while others still don't at the moment. After bearing witness to all this I came home with this new mission of preparing myself for the encounters with people up in Boston where I would get the chance to share my faith. Looking back now I realize God was a couple steps ahead of me in this great preparation.

I came up with the question of in my conversations with people about Jesus what should be the thing I leave them with? I thought of all sorts of good theology and whatnot but it just didn't seem like the right thing. In my time spent reading the Bible the word "love" kept coming up. It wasn't love like husband and wife, rather like neighbor and friend. It seemed like it was everywhere- Jesus' teachings, Paul's letters, John's letters, and Proverbs. Even in the way Jesus spoke it felt like there was so much love for His disciples and everyone else He came across.

Finally the light bulb went off. That was it- love. That's what all those students were missing. They just need to be loved on, shown that someone else actually cares. I'm also willing to bet that kids up in Boston aren't the only ones missing some good lovin'. Therefore I'm asking you to join me in sharing some genuine love with whoever needs it. That is in my opinion the most powerful way to share your faith with another.

Child-like

Matthew 18:3

And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

It seems lately that I have found such amazement in God's working both in and around me. It is a miracle to be able to recognize it and another miracle entirely to have faith that He's still at work even when I haven't picked up on it yet.

Now I must admit for I feel rather silly since these moments of awe aren't the seeing Him hold back the Red Sea or watching water flow out of a rock, but incredibly child-like.

"Wow God, You can really do that?" is a typical question of mine followed by His loving response of "Yes, my son, don't worry."

Like I said, totally three-year-old-ish.

Sometimes the wording of my question shifts when I look back on events and finally see His work to more of a "Oh, hey, You were right there in the middle of it the entire time, weren't You?

Once more, followed with a heartfelt reassurance from Him.

I confess, sometimes I feel dumb for even thinking of asking Him such questions. I get critical of myself for not having that seemingly minimal mental capacity of knowing He is always at work in my life, but seemingly is such a big snag there. Then right at that time is when I usually get His answer which just fills me with awe and warmth. It truly is just a wondrous thing to rest in amazement of Him.

I remember back to one evening where I was driving and coming across the top of this hill I saw the most amazing sunset. The horizon was filled with bold reds and oranges and deep purples and blues. The clouds formed a magnificent silhouette and the little child rose up in me asking "You created all that?" After receiving His overwhelming peace and joy, I slowed my speed dramatically just to soak up the scene and the amazement that came with it.

So I encourage everyone to go out and ask Him silly questions that a three-year-old might come up with; ones such as "You can do that?" or "You actually do love me?" Then rest in His love and grace that is His answer.

Matthew 11:25-26

At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure."

Leaving On A Jet Plane

So at the moment it's 5:45... In the a.m. And I'm sitting the the terminal at Mid-Continent Airport in Wichita waiting for my flight to Boston to board and get on its way. What makes this so different from all the other incredibly early flights I've made in the past is I'm alone. Just me, no mommy or daddy there to hold my hand.

In a lot of ways this is terribly frightening and amazingly exhilarating at the same time. I am leaving the house of my father just as Abraham left his when God called him to. There is this part of me, instinct or something I suppose, that just tells me it's alright. It's normal that I'm sitting in the airport all by myself about to travel halfway across the country. And this instinct brings an incredible amount of peace with it somehow.

The lady at the counter just told everyone we're boarding now so I guess that's my cue to take a few more steps by myself this morning and really a few more on the journey of life.

How's It Going?

There are random times throughout everyday life where you'll be walking past someone, or standing next to them, or even sit down beside them. Whatever the circumstance, to break that first awkward silence they ask, "How's it going?" or "How are you doing?" If you happen to be like a majority of society, you answer back with a simple "fine" or "good." If you're feeling wild you might throw out at "not too bad." No matter the answer, you just want this guy off your back so you can get back to just being content in your own little world.

Then there are other times with the scenario being exactly the same save there is actually something wrong with the person being asked. But instead of taking the time to get that huge burden off their back they shy away and give a completely empty answer of "just fine."

My question is have we become so wrapped up in ourselves that we ignore our fellow man? Have we gotten terribly caught up in the American dream of prospering our own lives while leaving everyone else behind that we simply turn of an intuition screaming that something wrong here is going on?

And to those struggling but simply choose to hide it, what are we afraid of? Is the fear of being weak an exposed driving us to hide deeper within our shells overruling the glory of being free and liberated?

With all this I can honestly say that I have absolutely no answer. It just is an enigma to my mind and my own experiences have driven me to pen all this down. I was almost stopped in my tracks there in the hallway simply by all the thoughts that rushed to my head. I wish I were capable of solving this issue but I come up short...

Whirlwind

10/9/08
It's kind of windy outside, blowing just enough wind to make you want to grab a jacket right before you go out. But it's nothing compared to what's going through my mind right now.

With that said, let me unload all that's going on. First off, I met a pretty awesome girl this past Sunday at house church. Her name's Laura and the kicker is she's a Kansas girl that somehow made it up to the big city. She's truly this cute all-American girl. We've spent this whole week so far just talking and hanging out, went down the the aquarium and we're going out for dinner on Friday. I've feel like there's just been this sorta goofy smile on my face all week. Hopefully this is the start of something beautiful.

"This is the start..." That's exactly what I'm wondering. It's like I know that God is in this situation but what exactly is He up to? This summer was a time of turning my relationships and girl situations over to Him. It was pretty cool and at one point it was like He just flat out told me what my wife will be like. She's gonna be musically talented somehow and have a super sweet personality with this ability to minister to issues that people hide below the surface. I'm maybe a little afraid to acknowledge it but Laura fits that, which now that I'm really confronting this whole thing is flat out awesome.

There is still a little fear though. Let's say things between her and I keep going great like they are now. Let's say we get serious about things and we're in a relationship. What's gonna happen with those deep conversations about our pasts? I mean I'm so far from perfect and perhaps contrary to appearance, there's stuff in my past that I don't want to bring up. Or how about conversations about the future? I got no plan of where I'm going to end up in life. And what about the topic of past relationships? I've had a bad experience with girls' past boyfriends. As obvious as it is, I really need to pray about this.

Even with all those questions and maybe "doubts" you could say, every single one of them disappears when I'm talking with her or playing cards. I really think this is a glorious start of something beautiful and I'm just going to take it one day at a time enjoying every minute of it.

Matthew 6:34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself."

Learning As We Go...

Life does not come with a user's manual or an instruction handbook.

In all my searching for one, my quest simply seems to leave me more confused and bewildered than when I first tried to figure out one little aspect of life. However, I think I am finally on to something. This so-called "manual" does exist; the problem is that it needs an author. Each individual I believe is charged with the call to write their own handbook however they see fit. Certain influences such as parents, environment, and other conditions will help to shape that handbook with unique flavors.

With all that said, I think I have gotten a fair start on my own personal "how-to" booklet. I've been raised in a small town with those small town principles about right and wrong, but yet I am human and surrounded by other humans who make the same mistakes I do. I've gotten out and seen things that some do not have the opportunity to see. I've done somethings on the darker side of life, but it is only by the grace of God that He sought me and hunted me down to come into a relationship with Him. I can honestly say, to whoever may read this, that I would not trade my relationship with Christ for anything in the world. I also have come to discover that in life there are a ton of things to do, think about, and just be overwhelmed by. When it comes down to it, I believe the best approach to life and all it encompasses is just to take it one step at a time, and to learn as you go.


I wish you all the best of luck in the progress of your manual or guide or whatever title you see fit to it. It is yours so who am I to say what you ought to call it. I think I will just keep doing what I am doing and figure it all out as I go.