Well I suppose we’ve all realized by now that the Submerge07 blog wasn’t quite the buzz we had perhaps hoped. But, that is alright. It was mostly because of the lack of down time (good thing) during the week, and also because the little down time we had was spent at the beach or shopping.

Regardless, it was an awesome trip! And it was still well documented, we just never posted any pictures. But I plan to figure out an easy way to do that soon.

For the techies, I just switch my laptop over to Ubuntu Linux running a Windows XP virtual machine. It’s much nicer, it works with my hardware much nicer. However, I’m still learning the in’s and out’s of it all, so I have had trouble doing mass uploads of photos to the web. (Any suggestions are welcome)

Also, quick little blog testimony…
I told you about the speeding tickets that Elton and myself received on our way to camp last week. Anyway, this week we spent a lot of time on the phone trying to find a way to have the tickets reduces in some way that wouldn’t affect our insurance as much (or at all). However, after finding all of our options and deciding the first step was to pay the fine for the tickets, we called with our citation number and were surprised to find out that our tickets were not in the computer system at all! It has passed the deadline for the officer to submit the ticket so as far as we can tell, we don’t have to worry about it anymore. Granted, I’m still going to keep checking, but you get the drift. Praise God, awesome stuff.

In other news, the L.A. Mission Team will be leaving a week from tomorrow (we leave on the 16th). I’m really excited about the crew that we have, and I know God has some awesome things planned for the people we come in contact with, and just as much in our group.

Things should be getting back to normal this week, and I will at least post from my phone during the L.A. trip.

As much as I love traveling, it’s always good to be home.

Also, much love to Dan O. for the constant blog encouragement. Be sure to check out the new and improved DanOhlerking.com!

I was just doing a little studying and this song came around on the iPod Shuffle. If you’ve never heard it, feel free to take a listen. If you have heard it, at least look over the lyrics. This is the kind of passion I strive for everyday, and I’m blessed beyond belief to be able to work with dozens of people on a regular basis that are running the race with me. Striving to have hearts that hurt for the things that hurt His heart.

There are many prodigal sons
On our city streets they run
Searching for shelter
There are homes broken down
People’s hopes have fallen to the ground
From failures

This is an emergency!

There are tears from the saints
For the lost and unsaved
We’re crying for them come back home
We’re crying for them come back home
And all your children will stretch out their hands
And pick up the crippled man
Father, we will lead them home
Father, we will lead them home

There are schools full of hatred
Even churches have forsaken
Love and mercy
May we see this generation
In it’s state of desperation
For Your glory

This is an emergency!

Sinner, reach out your hands!
Children in Christ you stand!
Sinner, reach out your hands!
Children in Christ you stand!

And all Your children will stretch out their hands
And pick up the crippled man
Father, we will lead them home
Father, we will lead them home

I apologize for the extreme overload of posts about the Italy trip but it has sort of consumed my daily workings the past few days. Anyway, one last reminder for now… Please keep our team in your prayers this summer as we prepare and raise funds for our trip.

I’m so excited that we have the opportunity to show God’s love to people that regularly get overlooked for the simple reason that they are not suffering like children in Africa or any other “true mission fields”, when in reality, they are lacking the biggest thing we have to share, just as much as any third world country. They are educated people, a good portion of them even fairly wealthy, but they look at the gospel and the story of our Saviour as fairy-tales and mythology. What an awesome opportunity to shine His light! There are two major groups of people that need God to touch them: The first group has never heard the name of Jesus. The second group has heard, but think they don’t need it or don’t need to care. The second group is prevalent in Italy. I’ve really had this group on my heart since I’ve been at LSU this past year because everywhere you turn there are very educated people who don’t know and accept the price that He paid on the cross. Sorry to get preachy, but let’s be real, you know you love it and you love me.

These things have really been on my heart, especially in the light of Aimee taking her first trip to London to see the area that she will be living and working for the next year of her life. That really just woke me up to start re-examining my own actions, as far as my faith goes. How many things come down the pipe from God and we completely miss them and don’t TAKE ACTION? It’s so awesome to me that she is taking action on this opportunity, regardless of if the whole plan is visible or clear. I pray that God stirs me to take action as much as I possibly can towards the opportunities that come across my path.

God has put places like Italy on my heart and the hearts of our team and I can’t wait to see what He accomplishes through us!

I would like to take this time to apologize to my readers for the past week of inactivity in blogging, but more importantly, for the preceding week of blogorrhea.

You see, during that time period, blogging was my way of remaining sane amidst the swirling and crazy world of studying for finals at LSU.

Alas, this is no excuse.

The same goes for this current week and the lack of posts that have encompassed it. There are no excuses, simply my own lack of energy, again, as a result of the terrible mess that we call finals.

But that is all over now. Today, we turn over a new leaf. This will most definitely be a blogging Summer, and I will strive to keep the highest quality in my posting, for you, the readers.

Also, I will be introducing a few new categories to my blog. Some will be fun and recreational, others will be regular pieces aimed at a general goal. More explanations will follow.

I would like to leave you with this picture. I found this guy at Tabitha’s house. For those of you that don’t know, Tabitha is one of the few at HPC that share my wonderful Italian heritage.

I hope this brightens your day.

Alright, first I want to apologize that I do alot of shouting-out lately. I understand that it can be taken as a lame excuse for blogging, but I assure you, I’m not trying to pass it off as such. I’m amazed daily at the amazing people that I am blessed to work with and know on a daily basis. That being said… Sweat me.

First off, go check out my boy Ryan Miller aka MILLERACHI! I haven’t known him for long but I know he’s got some good stuff to say, so check him out, he’s a new blogger! Give him some love.

Ok, this one is half-way a shout-out, but really I need to brag on someone.

Most of my readers know or know off Jason Laird aka Tweezy. For those of you that don’t know, he is the high-school pastor at HPC. He’s slightly throw’d off for Jesus, if you know what I mean. (it’s a good thing, don’t hide your kids)

Like I said, I’m blessed to be able to call him a friend and leader in my life. But he did something last night that really impressed me. It wasn’t some huge sermon (although if you were at Refuge then you heard his slamming message which was, not ironically, what I’m about to talk about) But no, this wasn’t anything super spiritual. We were sitting in McDonalds after a meeting last night (yeah, we roll to MD’s for meetings at HPC) and the good Doctor Tweeze was heading to the door on his way home. I mentioned to someone that he had on a pretty rockin belt and buckle. Anyway, he heard his name but not the comment. As soon as I told him that I was just complimenting his belt, without thinking he pulled it off, handed it to me with a quick “love you man” and headed on his way home.

If you have ever doubted his sincerity, I implore you to rethink that opinion. I know that it’s not a huge deal, but it speaks volumes about his heart, and more importantly the DNA of the church! This freak will give you the clothes of his back (or waist) if he thinks it will even slightly make a difference in your life! That is what it is all about! Are you willing to do whatever it takes?

We have the solution that the world is in desperate need of. We have this solution in our Savior. Do you value it as such in your life? I know I go many days where I certainly don’t. Revolution will not take place until the revolutionaries believe that they have something worth changing the world for! Are you willing to do what it takes? Are you willing to sacrifice everything and count it all joy? Do you believe in the value that you hold? Do you believe it enough to give it away?

What do you do on the days when everything seems to be going wrong? How do you respond when the things you thought to be so distant from the realm of possibilities have suddenly snuck up on you?

What do you do on the days when your iPod is sad?

Ok, you really need to read this awesome post by our highschool pastor, Jason Laird aka Tweez. If you read further down in his blog you will see more info about what we half-jokingly refer to now as the HPC_Bridge Campus.

“HPC_Bridge Campus”

I love this. This is why I feel at home at Healing Place Church. This is why I think This is one of the most amazing groups of people on the planet, not because of anything they have done other than allow themselves to be used to show His love at the most basic levels.

Seeing a need and meeting it. That is what Jesus did. He didn’t spend His time building a following, He wasn’t worry about finding the nicest sandals. He served. That is what church is about, that is what being a christian is about. I love it!

Here’s a clipping from the post…

“5 days ago there supposedly was 7500 homeless people in B.R. well, as of today there must be 7497…..may not seem like a big difference but ask marc, chief, and alex….its a big difference to them…”

That is what it is all about. Changing the world by serving one.

Way to go Tweez, thanks for allowing yourself to be God’s hands and feet and touching lives at the most basic level. You inspire me ;]

Last post before I head to bed…

This weekend the worship team played a song special that really spoke to me. If you know me pretty closely, you know I’m a sucker for basic truth in writing and I pretty much try to keep to that theme with the stuff that I write.

Anyway, this song is incredible. It was of course a hymn first and was later rearanged by Kristian Stanfill, I believe. If you don’t think about anything else this Easter just check out these lyrics and take a listen. This isn’t HPC Music, but I might have that soon…

Ok, really this time… Happy Easter, and goodnight.

I hear the Savior say, “Thy strength indeed is small;
Child of weakness, watch and pray, Find in Me thine all in all.”

Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.

Lord, now indeed I find Thy power and Thine alone,
Can change the leper’s spots And melt the heart of stone.

Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.

And when before the throne I stand in Him complete,
“Jesus died my soul to save” my lips shall still repeat

Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.

Oh Praise the one who paid my debt
And raised this life up from the dead!
Oh Praise the one who paid my debt
And raised this life up from the dead!

If you weren’t there (shame shame), this weekend was absolutely amazing at HPC! With 7 services at our Highland Road Campus alone, and around 15 more at our other campuses around the globe, the story of His sacrifice was definitely celebrated and shared in an awesome way.

10 a.m. service at HPC Easter 2007, photo credit: Dan, I think…

I was blessed to be able to take part in the services at our main campus this year. If you have ever had thoughts of doubt towards the multi-campus, large church approach, I really urge you to come visit for a weekend. I was absolutely blown away again by the atmosphere that our staff and volunteer teem provided for anyone seeking an encounter with God this weekend. But of course, none of that amounts to much if God doesn’t show up. And show up He did.

The altar was flooded during every single service with people who made decisions for Jesus for the first time. There is nothing quite like someone making that decision on Easter Sunday morning…

Pastor Dino delevered a strong and clear message that definitely made me think during each service. Praise God for a church that is blessed with a pastor that hears from God!

This weekend was a huge success for the kingdom!

Props to the band guys and gals, you are awesome! J-Dawg, your song was rocking bro. Joe, I’m gonna miss you man! We’ll be up there to visit you soon enough I’m sure.

Also, much respect to my boy Doug Musso for showing up even the pastor!