WOW!!!

I wish that I had something all deep and spiritual for you but I just wanted to share my evening with you real quick....seriously I'll make it quick.

Yesterday I decided that I needed to breathe life back into my dirt bike after it had been laying unused and inoperable in my garage for something close to nine months. Humans are created in this time and I couldn't get my bike going!!! So I pulled the carb and got it all tuned in and cleaned then threw some gas into it and she started right up. Steve called me up today and we decided to go for a ride tonight after work. It was a beautiful evening when we left. Good temperature, a bit cloudy, two running bikes and two very willing riders. We gassed up and then took off to an undisclosed location (we weren't supposed to be there but couldn't resist the temptation) to stretch the legs of our bikes. We took off up the mountain slippin' and sliding on the wet earth and slippery rocks. We wheelied and jumped our way up the mountain becoming more and more aware of the extemely ominous clouds to the west that were rapidly aproaching. These clouds weren't the usual greyish clouds, oh no they were BLACK with curtain under them that you couldn't see through at all. Then it got interesting, lightning! It was beautiful....and getting closer as we got closer to the top of the mountain. How could this ever go wrong?

The rain hit hard and fast. A good wind kept it company and the easy rumbles of thunder had turned into bone shuddering claps. We decided that we should probably head back down the mountain to we turned tail and fled the elevations that brought us closer to the lightning. It was a slippery ride down but my friends it was beautiful. Redding was below us, lightning hitting all around us, our bikes below us slipping all over the trail and God was with us. He really went all out with tonights show. This was a fantastic show of might, creativity, beauty and sound. Every sense was alive!!!

Father thank you for blessing me with this life that I take for granted far to often. Thank you for showing me such an awesome side of you tonight . Thank you for my friend Steve, Father. I pray for him and his family and that they find you and become passionate and in love with you Father. Thank you Father. Amen!

A Changed Heart

Tonight was a grand night....today was a grand day....this sure is a grand life. Lately I've been struggling a bit with my relationship with God. It hasn't been anything severe or terribly rough it was just another struggle and place to grow in. That being said, that is what I have been working on. I have increased prayer and made sure that it wasn't just empty recitals of chosen words that have a nice ring to them. This is an easy trap to fall into and one that I honestly feel is straight from the depths of hell. I'm sorry my friends, I'm getting a bit side tracked.

Tonight I worshipped God with Jeremy Riddle. It was a small venue, only a couple hundred people or so. It was great to raise my hands in worship to our Father with such a talented man of God. It was one of those times where it seemed like everything that happened was just for me. Every song spoke to me, the things that the pastor spoke about were for me and God was at the center of it all and He had a special evening planned out just for me. There was even more to it than just that. This little shindig took place at a church that I went to for a short while before my passionate pursuit of God.

I remember sitting in that church wishing that I had slept in a bit longer so that I wouldn't have to listen to the stupid worship. Tonight my arms were outstretched in worship, my heart and soul open to His will in my life. I used to stand there while everybody worshipped just looking from one person to another and wondering what there sins were. I remember seeing nothing but sinners and cowards. Tonight I stood next to my brothers and sisters, Gods servants, His children, brave men, women, and children who would stand for God and what they know is right against all else. What an honor it was to stand there worshipping God with these people.

Thank you God for always being there for me especialy when I had only turned my back to you and fought your existence. Thank you Father for bringing me to that place tonight. Father thank you for this life!!! I pray that you continue to do great things in my heart and soul, I pray that you take my heart and make it your own. Thank you Father. Amen!!!

City Slickers!!!

I love living out by the country!!! I love the tree's, the lakes, the deer, the people and even the bears. People aren't all congested and crammed into this little area. This makes for happier people! We get to play in the woods, climb mountains, fish streams, swim in the lakes, hike, mountain bike ( a personal favorite ), and....well the list can just go on and on. I have to tell you about one of my favorite things though. I love to hang up my hammock between two trees and just hangout to read or take a short nap. The beautiful thing about the trees is that they are strong enough to hold my not so dainty frame and they really don't mind if I use them, I think that they might even appreciate the company. Apparently the trees in our states fine capitol are a bit more fragile.
So here's what went down. I was spending the day in Sacramento and had a fair amount of down time to spend relaxing so I went to this park with my hammock. You probably already have the rest of the story figured out but please humor me. I walked all over this park and it had at least a hundred squirrels running around the place. There weren't to many great trees for hanging a hammock but I ended up finding a spot that would work. I got all set up and read for a little while and then had to go and put some more money in the meter so I took off across the park to settle up with uncle Sam, you know do my civil duty. I'm not going to try and skip out on my fare share. As I walked back to the hammock there was a fine example of a civil servant there protecting my hammock. I was so impressed that one of our own honorable CHP officers was standing guard at my hammock. "I love this city!" I say to myself.
"Is this yours?" that fine civil servant says to me.
"Yes sir it sure is." I respond with a wide grin.
"You're going to have to take it down."
"Are you kidding?" was the response that I came up with...hindsight being 20/20 and all that I think I could have done better with that one.
" No, I'm not." He then let me know what civil code I was breaking by hanging something from the trees. This guy was great at his job!
"Uh....OK." I really dug deep for that witty response. "I hate the city" I then mumbled under my breath.

Father thank you for being so wise in the invention of the tree. Thank you for blessing me with the appreciation for your creation and for giving me the chance to enjoy what you have created so very often. Father I sincerely thank you for the law enforcement around in this great state and pray for humility and understanding on my part. Thank you for continuing to show me that I don't need to understand everything to accept it. Thank you for the gift of life in your kingdom. AMEN!!!

What the Monkey!!!

Jason V., Pastor Mike and I were heading down from Oregon one night and Jason said that if life gets boring then you aren't really following Jesus. This isn't an exact quote but you get the idea. With that in mind I am moving on to another growing opportunity in my life. My hours at Yaks were cut to 15 a week so I am now looking for another job. I've got to be honest with you this is not where I thought I would be as I celebrate 30 and in a worldly way it is a bit disappointing for me but it is never the less an opportunity for growth. The last time something similar to this happened (the goat turd incident of '07) my life was radically changed and I ended up being surrounded by men and women of God who helped me in finding a place in the kingdom of God. WOW what a ride!!! I continue to meet amazing people from around the globe who are passionate about God, I have repented to people that I have hurt in the past for not being a man of God, I have built amazing friendships and have grown the ones that I already had, I have hurt, I have cried, I have laughed, I have felt Love and Joy like never before, and above all else I have found the love of God and have tried so hard to become the man that he has wanted me to be. Talk about a wild year!!! So let's do a quick recap of some of the events of my adult life.

I lived in Colorado where I could snowboard to and from work. While there I got to build a stronger relationship with my grandma and my father.

I moved back to Redding where I experienced a number of rather shallow relationships with friends and women. It's weird though because on of the guys that I used to hang out with that I liked the least has become one of the closest friends that I have ever had. I had no self esteem and was lost and felt alone in the world for a couple of years.

I joined the fire academy and graduated it. I then realized that I really did have value and that I could do hard things and come out on top.

I looked a man in the eyes while he died and saw his spirit leave him.

I worked on a friends 6 month old baby for 40 minutes and still couldn't breathe life back into her.

I went into a burning building as the windows were blowing out and then put the fire out.

I fell in love. That's a hard one to follow up.

I found myself more and more and as I did so found myself surrounded more and more by real friends.

I stuck a really big needle in a ladies chest while she was looking at me and we were doing about 90mph down I-5 from north of bridge bay.

I graduated paramedic school.

I built relationships with boys and girls who had been through some rough stuff and the I got to watch them make the decision to become young men and women that could be proud of who they were. This is truly a beautiful thing and I would encourage anybody to do it!!!

I hurt and was deeply hurt by someone that I fell in love with. Then we hurt each other a few more times. Not so much fun.

I entered into another relationship (for the wrong reasons) but found some beauty and hope in it. It fell apart as well. (no God, no hope)

A dear friend spent close to 2 years patiently loving on me and coming back with "maybe but what if...." every time I tried to tell him that God and the church are a joke.

I FOUND GOD AND HE LOVES ME!!!! He even told me so.

I was broken down to a place where I could start to build a firm foundation.

I repented to some people that I had hurt and in turn brought peace and a bit of life back to those broken relationships.

I found out what a woman of God is and am still single as a result.

I found out what a man of God is and strive to be a powerful one every day.

I built two coffee shops that opened within 6 weeks of each other with some amazing people with a lot of grace (thanks PM, Nat and Jim for such a grand adventure)

A dear friend, his amazing wife and two crazy kids moved in with me.

I am dancing to the Rhythms of His grace.

Well how's that for a bit of a recap? Oh what an adventure!!!! What will I be writing about next year I wonder???? I already have an invite to Tel Aviv to build another coffee shop and work there for a bit. I am a blessed man beyond anything that I can comprehend. I have no clue why God would continue to shower me with His love and grace but I am forever grateful for it. Thank you all for being a part of my life in whatever form it might be in. Really, thank you.

Jesus Vs. Satan

Well my friends I am back. It has been a while and I really have no good excuse. My life has been full and oh so very beautiful. There are seeds that were sown many months that are starting to bear (Thank you Steve) fruit in the most amazing ways, relationships are growing and improving, faith is growing, struggles are being met with more grace and love, and I feel that God is at the center of it all. I feel like I am truly where God wants me to be right now and that He is prepping me for an amazing journey that is just a mere matter of months ahead. He has brought out greater joy and emotion in me than ever before and we have just been growing in our relationship. So there is my quick update on the happenings of me. I realize that they are a bit hazy but I think that around the new year I'll be able to put some of it into better words for you.

Today I was doing communion after an amazing time of repentance and worship. I was thinking about the moments before Jesus was betrayed and the interactions between Satan and Jesus when it hit me that the two of them had a relationship! When you think about Satan had to of known who Jesus was from the start. I couldn't imagine that Gods only begotten son could go unnoticed by Satan. So from very early on Satan knew that he had to make Jesus fall into sin. Jesus could have gone his entire life avoiding temptation and trickery by the ultimate tempter and trickster!!! In this constant battle between the two of them it had to have built a relationship of sorts. Satan had to have known what was going to happen and could have been preparing for the moment right before Judas kiss for quite some time. Can you imagine Gods most perfect angel going rogue and then becoming the one being that is the source of evil, the absence of light, good and love. This is the one that has spent eternity tricking and manipulating many strong and faithful men and women of God. Satan has this perfected and it has all been practice for this moment and on top of that he has had all of Jesus life to get to know Him and look for His weakest possible places. You had better believe that he was ready for this moment and he had it carefully planned out. This is the important part. Jesus NEVER faltered. Not for one moment. Not even on the cross when he cried out "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (refer to psalm 22 while your there continue on to psalm 23).

Jesus knew what was going to happen and He still never even backed down...He never asked God for the second option He and He did it for you...for me....for everybody you love...for the men who flew the jets into the twin towers....that tattooed guy with the pierced septum that just gave that dirty look to you yesterday and the guy who cut you off on the freeway yesterday. Satan came at Him with everything he had and Jesus won. Why? We are on the winning team. We have the Creator and Redeemer on our side. His love is beyond anything that we could ever imagine and as His only begotten son that love was deep within Him. He already loved you, me...you get the idea. I guess what I am getting at is that His love really is something far beyond my comprehension and that there is absolutely no way that we can loose this battle as long as we have faith and always look to God. We are so deeply blessed.

Father I thank you for sacrificing your Son for us. I couldn't even imagine what that must have been like to see the pain and suffering that He went through for us....for me. Father thank you for being the light and my guide. Thank you for bringing a joy to me that I would have never been able to imagine before. Thank you for loving me so very much! Father I pray that you show me how to worship you better in my every day life so that I can strengthen my relationship with you and in turn be your tool in your kingdom. Thank you Father. AMEN!!!

Dream Vacation

You know that saying "You'll never know if you don't ask"? Or how about this one "It never hurts to ask"? So I was thinking about those as I was watching the Bucket List and decided that there are a number of things that I would like to do and one of the things that would take a bit of money would be to tour the coast of Italy and Greece on an Italian motorcycle. That being said I just wanted you to know that I am open to sponsorships for this vacation. If any of you feel like you have a bit to much money please feel free to contact me so that I can take this completly self centered motorcycle trip.

I would love to hear about your dream vacations as well so feel free to drop me a few lines and let me know what yours is.

Here We Go Again!!!

Well here we go again!!! In the morning I'll be meeting Pastor Mike at Simpson University so that we can start demolition on the third Yaks. We will be going from one Yaks to three Yaks in just a matter of months. I feel so deeply honored to be a part of this process. I feel so blessed to be a part of this community and this life with our Father. He is moving mightily amongst us here at Yaks and we all hope that He will move mightily through us into our community and into the young hearts at Simpson.

I ask you to pray for us. Pray the we sharpen each other as we work shoulder to shoulder with each other. Pray that even before we open we will be reaching out into the lives of all of those around us. Pray that we are safe in our daily work. Most of all pray for our relationships with God. I can't imagine life without Him and so often I forget to praise and thank Him for my blessed life so pray for me. Thank you for your support.

Father I thank you for giving me this blessed life and this amazing community of yours to be a part of. Father thank you for giving me the chance to rub shoulders with Jim, Natalie and PM again as we build yet another shop to reach out into your kingdom with. Father I pray that we grow mightily in You and You're desires for us. I pray that our relationships grow even more and that we get the chance to bring in even more brothers and sisters to rub shoulders with on this project. Thank you so very much Father. AMEN!!!!