Fire & Rich

won't you look down upon me, Jesus
You've got to help me make a stand
You've just got to see me through another day
my body's aching and my time is at hand
and I won't make it any other way
-jt-

this life has shown me how we're mended and how we're torn
how it's okay to be lonely as long as you're free
sometimes my ground was stoney
and sometimes covered up with thorns
and only You could make it what it had to be
-rich-

i repent,
of living like i deserve
anything.

NYC Half Marathon & Just Life in General

in life
i have found that victory comes only through Christ,
and it is usually found
one step at a time.

inspiration from Mama T.

real prayer
is union
with God

and union is vital

as that
of the vine
to the branch

we need union
with God
to produce
good fruit

we need a life
of prayer
of poverty
of sacrafice
to do it
with love

let's walk by His side

i am ready to believe

whitewashing

i haven't been doing a very good job of keeping this thing updated,
for this i apologize.

here is a poem i wrote sunday,
it was inspired by matthew chapter 23,
it is called whitewashing:

whitewashing

stop whitewashing your tomb,
remove the dead things,
make room for the new,
whitewashing is for jeans.

today was a great day.

i had breakfast with eric knapp, nuff said.

i spent my first full day really working as the area director, i answered probably 100 phone calls, ran a bunch of errands, processed camp forms, counted money, and filled out deposit slips for over five hours...it was great actually; i could not be more excited about my job.

i got to hang out with some great old friends (tommy was on tonight by the way)...

i had a great bible study with the middletown graduates + eli, 1 john 2:7-12, man.

and then i got to go on a run. i love nightrunning, running while the rest of the world is asleep. i did 4.5 tonight and felt great the whole time, felt like i was flying. the entire time i just kept repeating to myself philippians 4:13, i can do everything through Him who gives me strength.

i just feel especially blessed tonight, i can't really explain it, i just feel it.

and still He leads me on

today is my last day as a teacher.

i am leaving a career in education to pursue a calling in full time ministry with an organization called Young Life.
although there are parts of teaching that i will miss, like the kids, and summer vacation, i could not be more excited to be following what i believe to be God's plan for my life. it is in some ways bittersweet. but mostly sweet.

the Lord has changed my life in so many ways that i simply cannot even begin to thank Him, i am so excited that soon, very soon, i will get to spend my whole days helping to give high school folks the opportunity to hear about the good news of Jesus Christ.

as i close the door to my classroom one last time and begin a new chapter in my life i am reminded that...He has brought me safe thus far, and still He leads me on.