So this last week has been extremely busy for me. I haven't had much of a chance to write in here. Saturday I spent all day up at church. Spent time being trained on some new sound equipment that we will now be using and afterwards ended up helping rig one of the speakers. Then proceeded to start setting up for Sunday morning worship for about an hour and then we had soak time with the highschool group. many of you may ask, what is soak time? Soak time is something we started doing last summer at beach camp. It started out as a time in the afternoon to relax for an hour and soak in God. We did it every day at beach camp and then 2 days a week during the rest of the summer. We continued it this year during beach camp and changed it up just a little bit. Because of construction on campus this summer, we held it on Saturday nights. The cool thing about that was we would either a) play music in the background and soaked or b) our worship leader from beach camp came and sang over us while we soaked. This Saturday, I had a lot of things going on in my head. Would just continue to get worse throughout this week. However, while I was soaking, I was looking at James. I have read James several times. However this time was different. James 1:2-18 talks about our trials and the temptations that we face.

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the LORD; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. 9 The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. 10 But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. 11 For the sun rises with scorching heatand withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business. 12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 13 When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. 16 Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

The first verse is really hard for me. It says we are to consider it pure joy when we face trials. IVe had a trial going on in my life for 3 months now and find it extremely hard to consider it joy. I find it continuing to bring me down. But verse 3 and 4 turn around and tell you that testing your faith creates perseverance. And then it tells us if we lack wisdom we should ask God for that wisdom. And that we have to truly believe that He will answer our prayers. If we are just praying and not believing that He will answer them, then we are just a wave in the ocean being tossed around in the wind.

For this last week, I keep coming back to this verse. It reminds me that in the toughest of times, we are to consider it joy because through our pain we will gain perseverance and that perseverance will make us more mature in the end.

Anyways, Sunday night we back up to church and we hung the other speaker unit and the screen. Monday night I helped wire the subs and a few other things. Computers were down all day on Tuesday. Ended up just going out with Bryan and Kristina to Applebee's, came home and went to bed. Wednesday after work I helped run the drum mics and monitors. I can't wait until Saturday night when we get the worship team on stage and plugged in for practice. Which is where the second part of the scripture has come full realm to me this week. Northwest had a giving campaign for the future generations fun. God brought us the donations and money needed to remodel the Jh and Hs rooms and theater. James also reads further down that all good and perfect gifts are from God and the chance to renovate these rooms would not have been possible if it was not for God and the gracious giving of His church. Having been able to help in setting up the new rooms for use this next week has been my building block. I have reminded myself during the day of the first half, and during the afternoon and evenings while working at church the later part.

I encourage everyone to Read James and though I have just started. I look forward to digging in deeper to James in my personal study.

My Redeemer Lives - Team Hoyt

So this morning I was on the way to church. Normally I hop in the car, plug in my music and listen to hillsong on tomlin. However, this morning was different, I turned on KLTY. It was a commercial and the first song back was My Redeemer Lives. I can not listen to that song without thinking of the video that I have seen countless times to that song. I have included a link to it. Please take the time to watch it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFVGdZOhlL0

As many of yall know, I volunteer at a camp for the disabled and their families called Joni and Friends Family Retreats. Not only do I volunteer with them but I also live with my grandparents. My grandfather is a double amputee from below the knee. I have a heart for the disabled and love working with them. Got to visit with a lady from the US Navy this last week. Her son is a quad and they were looking in to ways the BSA can have wheelchair/disability friendly camps.

Anyways, while I was driving to church, listening to this song and getting a little teary eyed thinking of this video. It makes me wonder how much our God really loves us. If Mr. Hoyt loves his son so much to train and race the triathlon, pulling his son behind him in a tube while swimming, ride a bicycle with his son on the front end pedaling the weight of two bodies and then to top it off, run behind his wheelchair pushing it to the finish line, just so he can let his son do something he enjoys. How great is our Father in heaven? Who sent His ONLY son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins so that we could live with him for eternity in heaven.

God's Chisel

So here goes the second post. I get to church this morning and we have a great worship set planned. Everything worked out great and had several students say they loved worship this morning, that they really enjoyed their worship experience. After worship it was decided that the highschool students would stay in the room and watch a video before we broke up into our small groups. Here is the link to the video, please watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhfUzodLRvk

It was a great lead into our small group time. I am normally with the sophmore guys but today went with the freshman guys. definitely a different experience for me as a leader. Had a rather good discussion over how we try to impress others and how we try to impress God.

After church I came home and just chilled and relaxed on the sofa for the afternoon. Went to the mall with my grandmother while she had someone from hospice over to stay with my grandfather. Then went up to church to help Rocky and Jared hang the last of our speakers in the new building. Jason came in and helped as well. We also got the screen installed and the projector set up. All in all a good day to end a great week. Hope you enjoyed the videos and until another day......Good night

So for the last couple of weeks I have been debating about "blogging". I am in no way a writer and if i end up writing something, i typically end up typing more than what anyone wants to read. The last several weeks I have had Matt 5:14-16 on my heart.

14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praiseyour Father in heaven.

Then last Sunday I went to a church service where the pastor was speaking on Col 4:5

5Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.

He also challenged us to "lose confidence in ourselves and gain confidence in Christ". I have heard it many times that we will grow in our faith if we share the gospel. That if we get asked questions that we don't have answers to, it's ok to say "I don't know" and then take the time to find that answer. Again, challenging ourselves to grow in our faith and finding out something new.

And thats how I get here. This is a great way for me to be able to share with others what God is doing in me, around me, and through me. We are called to let our light shine upon men, let our words be seasoned with salt and be a living example of Christ Jesus and that is what I am hoping to do with this. I pray that even if it is just one person, that someone would read this and have God touch them in a way that would draw them closer to Him.