2.10.09

Hi I am back, I just spent the weekend at an Athletes In Action retreat. It is a campus crusade fellowship for college athletes. It was very inspirational and gave me a chance to get out of Charlottesville for another weekend. I had a great time with many rival schools and it was cool to hang out with other christian athletes. I can officially say that I DID beat Virginia Tech in dodgeball...that is the first time I have ever beaten them in my career! It was bound to happen somehow!?!?! But on the spiritual side of things, I heard many talks on the retreat but the one that stuck out was on the parable of the pharisee and the tax collector. This parable shows the grace of God and true meaning of Christianity. It's in Luke 18 if you want a refresher. But reflecting on the weekend, I notice how much influence sports teams have on the college campus and community. Our world is so centered around Lebron, Kobe, "superbowl," that we begin to lose our focus. Many people turn this into their own type of idol. We need more Tim Tebow's and Tony Dungy's out there. I am challenging all of us to make a platform out of each of our circumstances. It might not be through sports, but through other things we can make a difference.

2.5.09

Discipleship is the process of producing reproducing followers of Christ. In II Timothy Paul teaches from jail. He doesn't need a pulpit to preach from. He is on death row, which he is eventually killed, for following Jesus. He teaches Timothy and other people about the joy of the Lord from JAIL!?! Amazing what he did. In Phillipians ch. 1, "These situations that I am going through are so i can put God on display that i might magnify Him, that i might show Him off... these situations are only temporary." He teaches that discipleship is able to be done by everyone in any circumstance. Discipleship is something that is very portable and you can take it anywhere. Everyone is different, so there is no direct way to disciple someone. But Look at is like a sketch book. A sketch book has the framework of what the picture is supposed to look like but we all color in different colors. One things you always hear is "don't color outside the lines." This is just like discipleship, in that as long as the teaching are correct and the foundation is laid down, it doesn't matter what "color," political view, race, denomination, we are but the beliefs are the same. We "don't go outside the lines" just like we don't want to blur the image of Christ. Be strong in wherever you are in your walk and become fishers of men. Have a wonderful Thursday... this week is flying BYE BYE!!!!

2.3.09

Being an example for Christ is hard to do. It is a constant battle we face each day. We need to set the example in this world. One coach always told me to never say, "Let's Go," to teammates, but he always told me to say, "Watch Me." This might sound conceited, but if you think about it, it is just what we want to say. We want to be the example and show the right way. In 2 Kings 9-10, there is a story of Jehu, commander of the army and King of Israel, who fulfills God's prophecy and slays hundreds of men as he followed what the Lord told him. I would encourage you to read these two chapters and see how God used the tenacious Jehu. Jehu was the only northern King who was ever anointed by God and was ever spoken positively about. He was a wonderful example in the Old Testament. It is interesting to point out the name Jehu and how close it is to the perfect example of JESUS. In 2 Kings 10:15, he says, "give me your hand." Jehu grabbed a mans hand and lifted him into his chariot. This is very significant and there is emphasis on giving another man your hand. When a man grabs another mans hand it is significant just like when one meets another person you grab and shake their hand. The story of Jehu ends and he fulfills the God's prophecy and yet he was so focused on fulfilling God's prophecy he still continued to worship other gods at the end of the story. It is hard to keep focused but easy to lose it as well. So, be a leader reach out your hand and grab on to those around you and bring them along. Have a wonderful long Tuesday! There is snow all over the ground in VA and it is so pretty outside!

1.31.09

On my mothers iphone getting my hair cut in Washington, DC. This is crazy! I haven't had much time to be on the Internet while I have been here but this is my two cents...trusting it the Lord is something hard to do sometimes in my life. Trust in general is a hard thing for me. I don't let very many people into my life. But if I stay closed of then I seem to bottle things up and explode. Trust in the Lord with all your heart soul and mind. In life we don't always understand what is going on or why things happen but it all is part of God's plan. Have a wonderful and beautiful Saturday and smile! Love life bc each day we have is a blessing!

1.29.09

This is the day that my parents married each other 38 years ago. It is so amazing and a blessing that they are still together and still in in love with each other and God. I strive to be like them one and day and establish my marriage on such strong religious foundations. I am going to see them tonight in DC on their special day and celebrate the joy they still have even to this day! Not too much to write about today because it is so busy. All I know is that it is Friday-eve... that is what is helping me get through the day. God bless and stay tuned for more tomorrows BLOG!

1.28.09 FUNDAY

Cell phone addiction is becoming a terrible problem amongst my generation and especially the generations to come. Kids in lower school all have cellular devices. I look around on campus, in class, restaurants, churches, libraries, while driving, etc, and see people on their cell phones. Whether it is emailing, texting, talking, searching the web, youtubing, people cannot go 5 minutes without looking at their phones. Cell phones are an amazing advancement, and I cannot imagine what it was like in the "old days" without being able to connect with someone instantly about important dates, or rescheduling appointments, etc... In my life, I find myself looking at my cell phone way too much during the day. The amount of time we spend on our cell phones is ridiculous and I sometimes I just want to turn my cell phone off and focus on other things in life. But I think, "I will be so out of the loop if I do that." No I wont, I turn off my phone occasionally and really begin to focus on things that are important in my life. You feel free from the busy life we all live. Yeah you may miss a few people's phone calls and spontaneous lunch plans with a friend, but every time I turn off my cell I find that God puts people in my path that we wouldn't have reached out to if we would have just talked and walked on by. It is very therapeutic for me to detach from my cell phone and slow life down. I am guilty of using my "Crackberry" too much as well... I want you to go through your day and think about not accepting a call or starting a textvo with someone and stop and reflect on what is in front of you. Try going through your day using the time that is usually spent talking or texting and think about how blessed you are to even have a cell phone, shoes, clothes, car, everything you have is a blessing. Have a wonderful Wednesday and call me! haha!

1.27.09

Fellowship is something that I have struggled with a lot in my life. I have always gone to church and had my church friends and then had my "not so church" friends. I lived this double-life and was being two different people around certain friends. This is a constant battle that a lot of us deal with. In my life, it is hard not going back to the old ways, but they have all come to pass in my life. I am only getting through this because I am trusting in God and not only myself...God wants us to grow with Him and also with the help of others. I strongly believe in being open and accountable with someone. In this crazy life, we can become wrapped up and our views can become skewed and influenced in ways that are not pleasing to God. We all need fellowship of other believers to energize us and hold us accountable to the things we believe in. In connection to this, I strive to become more of a man of integrity everyday. Integrity is doing and meaning what you say. I have realized how hard it is to try and do this constant daily battle alone. If we are not surrounding ourselves with good fellowship through friends it is not impossible, but it is much more difficult to resist temptations and fail. But on the other hand, I do know how rewarding it is to stand up in hard situations for what is right. It is very good to be connected to the "lost," so you can make a positive impact and show the love of Jesus through your words and actions. Jesus sets a perfect example in Mark 2:15-17, "When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the "sinners" and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: "Why does he eat with tax collectors and `sinners'?" On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Jesus showed us how He never left anyone of his grand equation. I believe that if you do little things to help serve someone it will have a huge impact on their life. Have a wonderful day and try to help out someone in need today...in a big or small way!