blah.

why?

I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do you?
It goes like this the fourth, the fifth
The minor fall, the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty in the moonlight overthrew you
She tied you to a kitchen chair
She broke your throne, she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Maybe I've been here before
I know this room, I've walked this floor
I used to live alone before I knew you
I've seen your flag on the marble arch
love is not a victory march
It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

But I did my best, but it wasn't much

I couldn't feel so we tried to touch

I've told the truth I didn't come to fool you

Even though it all went wrong

I stand before the Lord of song

With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

failure to miscommunicate

ok, so i have had some folks ask about this last post.

yes i still work at the church. sorry if you got that impression. i was just updating my life over the past two months.

hopefully this will eliminate the confusion. that is all.

well.

well i've handled more in the past few months than i ever cared to endure.

can i say that i honestly didn't know what i was getting into? yep.

can i also say that i acted out in faith? yep.

weighing the two questions, however, i would consider the latter of the two to be a greater accomplishment.

so what if i have struggled. so what if i have been through tough times. who am i to complain? its not that i dont focus on the bad things in life but rather i use those bad times to turn to the Lord. i find the promises in the bible that i know, but dont believe, and i finally stop being fearful and trust those promises. God tells me he will never leave or forsake me (Deuteronomy 31:6) and he tells me that He will lift me up in due time (2 Corinthians 1:5). He wants me to realize that I am weak so that i can become strong (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). im not saying that i never get down when things dont go the way that i want them to or when i struggle, but its comforting to know that God's glory can and will be shown in my life if i put my full trust in Him. its a choice that we must make to choose a lifestyle in complete devotion to the God who plans out our lives. that great promise in Jeremiah 29:11 should suffice. life is tough, but great is He who is in heaven because he has overcome this world (1 John 4:4). thats what we push for. living a life worthy of the gospel. Jesus suffered, but overcame it all! and i can't give the excuse that its because He is God. yeah, He is, but he was tempted in every single way that we were but was without sin. we have the Spirit of Christ in us, so we also can overcome sin, temptation, hard times, and anything else thrown at us. Just trust (Psalm 9:10).

when all is said and done, i have acted out in faith. i have spoken nothing but truth and acted in response to that truth. i have tried my hardest, the hardest my sinful, imperfect human body can try, to handle and accomplish tasks (whatever they may be) to the best of my ability.

do i wish things would have been different? sometimes. do i wish i would have responded differently? sometimes. but has all of this happened because it was supposed to happen this way? rhetorical.

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

say what you need to say.

wow. life has been one hill after hill of a roller coaster. does that even make sense? i have been moving non-stop for the past couple of weeks, and it has been a huge blessing. the Lord has worked in so many ways it's ridiculous! praise God for new friends, family, and fellowship.

last weekend we had an all day youth event. we dominated the community canned food drive which was amazing, and then had a huge video scavenger hunt! i had the best time with my 7th grade boys. they were a hoot! (and no-that is not a reference to Chi O)

i went to my first date party with Shelby on thursday. we had the best time. we danced for 3 hours straight! we were so delusional afterwards, but it was worth it. i am so blessed to have her.

God has really strengthened my heart for people. i feel that i have become more compassionate for people in need. that may be a need to feel loved, or to put food in their mouths. so far i have not experienced the latter, but i feel that i should be ready whenever the opportunity presents itself.

the other night i was sitting on the peer at the Ussery's cabin, and had the sweetest time with the Lord. i was frustrated and had so much anxiety(from circumstances that should not happen, but they still do) and my heart was relieved. God took my burden when i laid it down at his feet. why don't we do that more often? the prayer of a righteous man/woman never returns void. look at Hannah in 1 Samuel 1 & 2 for example. she laid her heart down before the Lord. people looked at her like she was crazy, but when she was approached about her 'weirdness' they saw her sincerity. Eli, the priest of the temple, blessed her and said that her request would be honored. i think that we feel that our requests need to be answered the way we want them to be honored, when in fact that is a mistake. God honors our requests by answering them the way He wills. He knows what is best for us, and because of that fact He honors our requests no matter how they turn out.

last night i had the sweetest prayer time with Shelby and Dillon. shelby and i pray together before we part ways at night, and i feel that it really strengthens our relationship as we move towards Christ separate, but together.

praying with Dillon, on the other hand, is a different story. i have tried my hardest to get him to pray at night, but he just never seemed to want to. but last night he didn't even hesitate. when he began praying, i began to weep. i was filled with so much joy listening to him pray. his heart was sincere, and his mind was focused. that is what we should all want. what we should all desire. pray with that heart of a child--you can never go wrong.

speechless.

i could not tell you how blessed i am. God really knows how to handle everything. He has placed me where He needs me, and it is so cool how it has all played out.

counted blessings:

1. North Greenwood Baptist Church
2. The Ussery family as a whole
3. intentional conversations with kids
4. having everyone in town already know who I am
5. Shelby

this is only a quick snippet of the overall scheme.

And I am speechless
I'm astonished and amazed
I am silenced by Your wonderous grace

And I am speechless in your presence now
I'm astounded as I consider how
You have shown us
A love that leaves us speechless

so long sweet summer.

well summer is coming to a close. almost surreal. i am so ready for fall though. it's one of my favorite times of the year. i really enjoy being outside in the midst of creation. it's so comforting. He is so comforting.

greenwood is starting to grow on me. from the people to the activities, the food places (which really aren't the same) and the weather. it has all become a reality that i have moved away from home. but yet in some sense this feels like home. that's a good feeling.

i love the kids here. it is so evident that God has brought me here for a reason. last night was evident of that. it had poured down rain all afternoon--so in my mind i seemed to have a nasty night ahead of me (turns out i actually did, but not in the sense that i intended). i went to the PA jv football game to watch some of the youth play. while we were there i received my revelation for the night while watching some of my 7th grade boys play in the puddles at the field. so i called them over and asked them if they wanted to go do something. they said "Yes" with that eager look as to what on earth was i going to take them to do. i told them that when i was in high school we would always go mud sliding on the baseball fields after it rained or was raining. they were all for it! we all got ready and went and played wiffle ball for about an hour and a half. we were covered in mud! it was by far one of the best nights i have had since i have been here. just spending time with them and investing in them in a way outside the church is refreshing too. God is so good in how He puts all the pieces together. i pray for more nights like that.

Word for the day:

"But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves to sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin have become slaves of righteousness." Romans 6:17-18

let my heart be fully committed to the Lord and serving Him because i have been called.

one more note: i love the rain, but not on move in day.

unashamed.

"as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be a all ashamed, but that withe full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death." Phillippians 1:20

can i honestly say that i am unashamed of being a Christ follower? is He really honored in my life? do i completely and wholeheartedly, not out of obligation, live my life in a way that shows complete devotion to the Lord and Creator of everything?

i used to struggle with this. but honestly i can say that my life is in His complete control. of course i mess up, of course i struggle, but i am human. thats the beauty of our Lord. He gives us mercy and grace. He gives me the opportunity to be forgiven. He has granted us all salvation to take hold of and no longer look at our sin. that is why my life is His. i continually work out my own salvation (phil. 2:12), daily, so that my life can reflect and honor Christ crucified.

"Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ." Philippians 1:27

can you tell i read Philippians? 

im movin' on.

well im moving. i thought this day would never come. the past few weeks have been very grueling and tiring, but well worth it.  i will be moving to the great state of Mississippi to work as a youth intern over the jr. high. weird. but i know that it is something the Lord needs me to do right now in this season of my life.

the weird thing about moving this time is that this is it. the chance of me ever moving back home is very slim. i mean VERY slim. so this is it. my official move out. kinda overwhelming if you ask me. im really excited about it. God has so much in store for me, and i cant wait to get started.

these past few weeks while this whole process has been in the works, the Lord has really taught me some things:

1. patience. i was telling someone tonight how it has been a resounding theme for me as of late. it has been really hard not to know things right away and wait for an answer. but i was and still am. God has provided.

"I waited patiently upon the Lord; And He inclined to me and heard my cry." Psalm 40:1

2. God really does take care of the details. you would not believe the things that the Lord has provided for me with this job. not only has he given me a ministry, but also the means to do so. he gave me a house. and yes, i said gave (that means it was free). he has given me the chance to already invest in lives of adults and kids. and so much more.

"...how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" Luke 11:13b

"Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4

3. when you truly seek after the Lord, everything will come together. it has been so cool to see all of this fall in place. i just wish everyone could see it how i did. i mean people saw some of it, and heard of it. but they didnt experience it like i did.

"But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul." Deuteronomy 4:29

"And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." Hebrews 11:6 

my faith has been stretched beyond belief and i pray that it continues to do so. i want to be challenged. i want to grow. i want to experience God in bigger and mightier ways! 

Lord, take me and make me more like you.

wettin' a hook.

wow. this past week has been somewhat of a doozy lets start with this weekend:

i had the opportunity to spend four days in beautiful greenwood, ms. upon my arrival i really didnt know what to expect from the town, but i was truly welcomed with open arms. i absolutely had the best time there! i got to hang out with some of the kids from camp, talk with the youth on Sunday night, and speak with the pastor and youth minister about a potential job. i must say that it was quite an eventful weekend.

i stayed with the ussery family all weekend, and i can sum them up in one word: amazing! they really made me feel like i was home. it was like my family away from my own. the parents were great, and their children Dillon, Shelby, and Hunter were awesome! i got to hang out with their son Dillon a lot. i have known him for 3 years now, but it was neat getting to see him in an environment other than camp. he is such a neat kid. he desires to know a lot. nothing really in particular, he is just a curious fella. on monday we had the chance to go fishing at his family's lake house. let me tell you, it was an adventure! we got out on the lake and began fishing. we just sat there and waited. we got to talk about a lot of things, including the Lord. he has such a desire to know Him better. it's really neat, and i got to share Christ with him on the boat, in the middle of a lake, on a beautiful mississippi day. after fishing for about 2 hours, the battery in our motor dies. we just laughed. we tried to paddle with our fishing poles, but it failed miserably. after about 5 minutes of sitting there, the Lord blessed us with a wind that pushed us to the shore. we then proceeded to paddle tom and huck style to a place where we could get out to go back to the cabin. on our way back we realized that we had left the key to the ranger in the boat, so i had to run back. after about 30 minutes of getting back to the cabin, we replaced the battery and continued fishing until we were ready to leave. he told me that it was probably one of the best days he had fishing out there, even though we only caught four fish. it was fun. so much fun with nature. we decided that we needed to start an outdoors show called: the adventures of daniel and dillon.

today i got to move my youngest sister to college. man was it different. i was not only taking my last sibling off to school, but i wasnt going back either. it was weird. but she is there, and i know she is going to have a good time!

things i learned from this week:

-fish like gummy scooby snacks as bait

-patience is so nice

-my place of ministry

-UNA has real lions!

mood: ready.

remind me, Lord.

So faithful, so constant
So loving and so true, so powerful in all you do
You fill me, You see me
You know my every move
You love for me to sing to you

I know that you are for me
I know that you are for me
I know that you will never, forsake me in my weakness
I know that you have come now
Even if to write upon my heart
To remind me who you are

So patient, so gracious
So merciful and true, so wonderul in all you do
You fill me, You see me
You know my every move
You love for me to sing to you

I know that you are for me
I know that you are for me
I know that you will never, forsake me in my weakness
I know that you have come now
Even if to write upon my heart
To remind me who you are

You Are For Me by Kari Jobe

last days.

this past week of camp was an amazing one! God really showed off in my life and in the lives around me! it is really cool how he puts the bible studies and track times together. 

sign language track was amazing this week! i had six wonderful kids! they really wanted to be there and learn the song, but at the same time the were really open to the Lord. we got to know each other so well that i was to the point that i could call them out on their sin and the still respected me for it. we had some good times. we literally rolled on the floor laughing on thursday! God brings us so much joy!!!

one kid in my bible study really encouraged me. his name was josh anderson. he genuinely loved the Lord. he has dealt with a lot of things in his life, but his faith is still strong. as i was talking and encouraging my kids on the last day, i told them how cool would it be if 10 years from now i bring my children from the church i will be working at to camp and they were our camp counselor. as i was scanning the room saying this, me and josh made eye contact, and he kind of smiled and he knew that i was talking directly to him. he was made for it. i could just tell.

well this is it. i only have a few hours with some of the people i could spend the rest of my life with. i love me some CK3.

they have shown me what real christian community looks like. they are a people who genuinely love the Lord. it is so encouraging.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us" -Hebrews 12:1

they really helped me in my faith. they truly cared for me as an individual, which doesn't happen a lot. they called me out when i messed up, and the praised me when i succeeded. God truly blessed me with these people.

i really can't express in to words my feelings for these 22 amazing people. i wish everyone could get to know brandon, brent, sparkle, billy, liz, david, delape, chris, lauren, whitney, alice', ansley, eric, ashley c., abi, alicia, mason, emily, morgan, thomas, henry, and ashley a. like i did! i pray for only the best for all of them!!

daisy chains.

No I don’t understand 
And I can’t comprehend 
This power that draws me to you 
But I know for the cross 
I’ll consider it all lost 
In an effort to tell of the truth 

That the world may know 
That the world may know 
You have been heaven sent to us 

Fearless by Building 429

well it has come. the last week of camp. kind of bitter sweet. i don't want it to end. but that is how God designed it, and i must be satisfied with that truth.

this past week God really burdened me for the kids. i had 5 kids in my bible study who were unsure about their faith. this was the most that i have had all summer. one kid in particular stuck out in my mind. his name was caleb. i called him "peanut". he received my heart in prayer last week. their was just something about him that made me want to invest in his life from the first moment i met him. later that week i sat down with his adult leader because i wanted to know what was going on in Caleb's life. he told me everything he was going through and it is no wonder God laid him on my heart. this kid needed some serious love. love that could heal him. love that could only come from Love itself. on wednesday night of camp i was sitting with caleb out by the volleyball pit talking. we started talking about stuff we had been learning this week and i just had the urge to ask him about his relationship with the Lord. i flat out asked him, "Do you have a relationship with the Lord?" he responded with, "I dunno?" we talked about it some, but he just didn't seem that it was something for him. i let him know that i was praying for him, and as soon as he came to the realization that i was doing that he freaked. his response to that was "You pray for me?" that showed me that he either has never experienced someone p[raying for him, or no one has ever told him that. it really broke my heart, but it really made me grateful that i had the opportunity this past week to invest in his life. even though he never made a decision, i still did my job.

"So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth." 

1 Corinthians 3:7

i am not ready to leave this team. they are my best friends. i was talking with one team member today, and we discussed how we could convince Lifeway to put us all on the same team again next year. i would totally do it too.

this weekend we have been getting ready for the MEGA last week of camp. that means we have approx. 800 kids. CRAZY!! so we have had to move our stage stuff, and prepare for a huge registration process. great fun. it really helps you realize whether or not you like the people you are working with. honestly i had no problems--except for the fact that we had to do auditorium inventory (which i absolutely despise!!) but it is all done and i am ready for campers to come.

i am so ready.

i am not.

wow.

i am not.

God is. He always is.

To accomplish anything I must be dependent on something.

He is not dependent on anything.

what an amazing truth.

snow in mississippi.

well Christmas weekend in July is well under way. we have done Christmas eve dinner. we have done Christmas morning brunch. we opened presents from our secret encouragers. now all that is left for the festivities is to complete the staff talent show. what amazing weekend.

my secret encourager was the "silent killer". Emily Godby for those of you who don't know her by that (honestly i think i am the only who knows her by that name--haha!) she did an awesome job encouraging me these past few weeks. she completed my gift with an awesome CK3 signed soccer ball, lemon drops like my grandmother use to give me to shut me up in church, and a frame that has my life verse in it (Romans 8:38-39). it was so AWESOME!!!!

so how about we had snow too. yeah we ordered snow and had snow fights in the parking lot. but that funny thing was that even though it was real-artificial snow, there was a hazard. it made me laugh. but it was soooooo much fun!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

are you sure?

this is the question that has been the theme for the week. whether it was kids or the Lord, i was asked if i was sure. that could be with the things that the Lord says, or with a question from a child. and i am sure. i am sure that God is gracious, merciful, loving, and true. He is amazing.

my 12 year old self was here this week. his name is Noah Frank.  he is such an amazing

 young man. God has taught me so much through him, and is actually still working on me through him. Noah asked me one night if i was sure that God wanted me to be a teacher (elementary that is) and not something else, and it was in that tone that i know something that you don't. WHAT? a 12 year speaking truth into my life.  he obviously saw that God may have something else in store for me. so i have begun to pray. i am praying that the Lord will help me understand what i need to do with my life. i know it is to be teaching children, but i am not sure in what capacity. i am just so blessed to have been able to come to camp this summer so that the Lord can teach me new things. Oh how I love Him so!

I have also been getting to the feelings to preach at CK. yeah, i know. crazy. but it has been on my heart for a few weeks and it actually came out of some fellow staffer's and adult's mouths this week that i should be one. so I'm praying about that too.

man i need to catch back up on my sleep.

mood: blessed.

it's what i do.

i came to the realization that me and my friends have the best job in the entire world.

this week i had the most amazing opportunity to hang out with kids and tell the about Jesus(for the fourth week in a row) which is just awesome in itself, but i also slid down a huge slip n' slide. we did this for two hours. talk about a fun day. but as the sliding continued on you must expect that the ground turns soft and turns a great brown color. so after about thirty minutes it was no longer a slip n' slide, but rather a mud slide. so much fun!!!! we had races and distance challenges! they had an amazing time!

after that we had a firing range. we had some left over water balloons for missions, and me and several of the staff lined up against the wall and let the kids chunk balloons at us. it was one of the most scary moments of my life. i did get hit in the jugular artery with an un-busted balloon so that hurt, but the fact that i was in an "execution" line was enough.

tonight we are going to a baseball game for the 4th of July. there will be fireworks, but i think the best part of the night will actually be getting to do something with 22 of my closest friends other than camp and eating. i am really excited. God has really blessed me this summer! i am so thankful for all that he does. all things do work for the good of those that love him(Romans 8:28), even through the people who are placed in you life.

i am so blessed!

a taste of what i do.

These are some of my sign language kids that absolutely rocked my face off this week!!!
This is Trent (the boy called into ministry that I talked about from my last post)
My Bible Study won OMC this week! We did an awesome cheer that was themed after Star Wars (hence my Jedi Costume). It completely rocked!!

doubt.

why do we doubt so often? i mean, why in the world do i doubt the work of the Lord?

this week at camp has been crazy. crazy in a good way. the beginning of the week was rough. there was so much in front of the people here. they had huge barriers on their hearts. it lasted through tuesday. it killed me inside. i was moved. just like Jesus was moved and troubled because the people around him didn't understand that he was God. i guess i felt sorta the same way. these people (kids and adults that is) didn't see that he was God. and so i prayed.  i gave up my life as a sacrifice on wednesday and i want to tell you that the word of the Lord does not return void. God did a mighty work. you wouldn't believe the life change that happened. it's one of those moments where all you can say is that it was the work of the Lord. He moved. and I am so thankful.

there is this boy in my Bible Study named Trent. as soon as I saw him on Monday, I knew that God was doing something in his life.  I could tell that he wanted to get something out of him, and he just couldn't muster up the strength to confess it.  but on wednesday, God broke him. it was so amazing. i wish that everyone could have seen his heart. he poured it out. he was that little child that Jesus calls us to be in Mark 10:15. he understood that Jesus was perfect, spotless, and without blemish. He understood that Jesus loves him, and willingly gave himself up for him. he understood that without Jesus he couldn't get to be with God in heaven. all he did was thank God....over and over again.  he understood God. so amazing! and that really isn't the best part. he feels that God is calling him to preach. INSANE!! a 12 year old wants to start preaching! 

i am telling you people that God can move in great ways, so why do we doubt Him? i want to stop doing that. Psalm 9:10 says, " And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, for You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You." i want to trust him better. that's what i want to change in my life right now. pray that over me.

Mood: thankful

broken.

when was the last time that you were truly broken? I experienced that tonight. God did a huge working tonight at camp. It is so amazing to see children answer the call that Christ has placed on their lives.

week 2 is over and week 3 is about to start. it seems like only yesterday i was leaving my house in good old Decatur to come to camp, but now it is a third over..... 

"sometimes I wonder whether we are moving through time, or if time is moving through us...." -Donald Miller

i love my team. they are all amazing individuals. we all stayed together tonight after worship and continued to pray for the kids for another 30 minutes.  that just shows me that this is a group of people who really seeks after the Lord's heart. they want Him to be exalted and lifted up. they don't see this job as an obligation, but rather as an opportunity. man i am soooo blessed!

Jesus rocks my face off!!!!!!

act natural.

wow. two weeks of training week are coming to a close and we start camp TOMORROW! honestly it seems like it has been forever since i left my house to drive to camp. where has the time gone? its ok really, i just feel like i have been doing this for months now....

my team is great. they are funny, loving people. we like to joke around a lot. i love this in us, but i worry. i worry that it will come to a breaking point where it will hurt our ministry, where it will hurt one another. i saw that happen before and i experienced it, and i dont want it to happen again. division is never good in the body of Christ. we need each other. we cant do it on our own. pray we will be that body. that we will grow in faith and fellowship together....

i really have no reservations for the summer other than what i have just expressed. God is going to move in some awesome ways. i know that. im ready for that.

let the adventure begin.

it is finally here. im leaving for camp in the morning, but i get to start my adventure today. how, you may ask? i get to pack. haha! yeah, i know. that is not really what you wanted to here. but that is part of the adventure. i get the joy of packing for 10 weeks in one suitcase. being a guy that is no problem, but i like to think about some of my female friends (MEREDITH-yeah i called you out) who are having the worst time narrowing down what to bring. its really not that complicated, but i think its funny for the people that make it that way.

my sister rachel graduates this year. i am proud of her. good job rae!

im at panera right now listening to people and watching how everyone interacts with one another. people are so different. i want to know peoples stories. i want to know where they came from and how they came to be who they are. i am thinking this because my dad was watching a documentary on WWI, and after watching he informed me that there is only one living vet from the war still living. that is like a whole generation of people gone. crazy.  i would have so many questions to ask that man. makes me wonder what it would be like when i am that old. what would people ask me about my generation?

i'm allergic to vegetables.

You're the breath of life
You're the God on high
Your song shall rise
And never pass away

O, Your Majesty
Evermore shall be
The earth, the skies, the sea
Shall bring You praise

And I hide my eyes
With my face to the ground
In the presence of Your Majesty
And I clap my hands
And I lay my crowns
In the presence of Your Majesty

Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty
Early in the morning we will sing
Holy, Holy, we bow down before Thee
All Your children love to sing Your name
God Almighty

on my way home today from FP God really spoke to me. well not spoke, but rather he rode all the way home with me. i could feel his presence. it was good to drive home in the beautiful country side singing praises to the creator of the universe and know the fact that he was wanting to spend time with me on the way home. that is so amazing to me. almost surreal.

i miss the kids in FP. they are growing. its weird. yes i know, people grow. i have a degree in human development for pete sake, but its neat to see them mature.....well sorta. i love the fact that they are still kids. i love the fact that they still think i'm cool(which i am far from it). i love that i get to see them grow. i am extremely glad that God placed me in their lives. they have been a blessing to me. they are my family.

shankles is one of my dearest friends. i am so glad that she puts up with me. :)

7 days till camp. God please give me the opportunity to be patient.

fp.

You love this town even if that doesn't ring true
You've been all over and it's been all over you
It's a beautiful day 
Don't let it get away
It's a beautiful day
Don't let it get away

[Beautiful Day - U2]

one piece of advice.

i am officially a graduate from the university of alabama. crazy. this was final at around 9:45 this morning. good times.

my schedule today:
got up at 4 am to get ready to leave to be in ttown by 8 this morning (and i was up all night playing with my new computer i got for graduation. this = no sleep), got to ttown around 7:30 to be at the ceremony at 8, went through graduation from 8-11:45, hung out with family and friends from 12:30-5, left Tuscaloosa to come home, stopped by the outlet malls, rolled in drock around 8 pm.

that was my day and i'm still going. my good friend Mary claims that it is just me preparing for camp mode. i agree. :)

i am so thankful.

today i was reminded of how blessed i am. with friends, family, food, money, etc. God has given me more than i deserve.

i am thankful for my friends. i missed everyone in Tuscaloosa. as soon as i connected with them today we started laughing. i had not laughed like that in a long time. thank you God for Chris, Tyler, Andrew, Wesley, Lyndon, Gina, Jordan, Emma, Audrey, Heather, and Sarah. they are my true friends. i am also so thankful for my dear friend Amy. she came from Birmingham to be with me on graduation. she knew she didn't have to, but she did anyway. she is awesome!

i am thankful for my family. they have been more than a support for me these past four years. from yelling to crying, and laughing to bribing. we have been through it all, but i would never trade one moment that i have experienced with each of them. together or separately. i love them!

God, you rock!

attention, salute, pled.......wait, what?

last night at my sister's senior night something hit me.

the colors came in, brought by the JROTC, and we pledged. afterwards they proceeded out and we sat down. this simple act got me thinking. why do we do it? i know it shows patriotism, allegience, etc. but the simple fact that we are vowing an oath to a flag....it just seems kind of odd to me. dont get me wrong, i love this country. i am so blessed to be here, and i would consider myself as a patriotic person, but how can we go about swearing allegience to a nonexisting thing, more of an idea, and not be that way to the Lord? some, i will say, pledge half heartedly, not really felt, while others have full allegience and consider it honor to recognize something like our great nation. i guess that is like the luke-warm attitudes that the Lord talks about in scripture. it's either all or nothing, there is no in between....

where does our allegience lie?

how did you manage that?

so i have been teaching a fourth grade class this week (i am off today, but will be back tomorrow), and i have come to find out that 4th graders are an interesting breed-or at least the ones i have been working with. they say the craziest things, and perform the weirdest stunts. i have a few stories....

so i'm sitting in class on monday waiting for the kids to come back from Spanish. as they trickle back into the room, i notice one of my boy's shirt is wet. i walk over to him and he kind of looks at it, looks at me, and tells me that he is wet. and i'm not talking about like a wet spot. it was a wet puddle! immediately things start going through my mind. i asked him was it from the water fountain or from the bathroom. he says the bathroom. once again, my mind starts to race, and mind you it is not on his pants. only his shirt. i send him to the office to call for another shirt, but loandbehold he comes back shortly after saying that he wasn't aloud to call, but its was ok because he wiped his shirt with a paper towel. i just hung my head, trying not to laugh, and sent him to his desk.

shankles got a kick out of this story. i told her one of my kids wet himself, and she proceeds to tell me that is why she likes older kids. HE IS AN OLDER KID! she told me she literally burst out laughing. oh, to be a teacher....

second story: this one is not as interesting as the first, and you would have had to have been there to appreciate it, but i will try my best to paint a picture in your minds...

tuesday we had a play that i got to be apart of. they did a great job. it was on the costs of freedom in our country. some of the songs they sang could have been in church-or at least that's what the black ladies on the front row were saying... anyway, after the play, the other fourth grade teachers decided to throw them a dance party.

**before i begin, let me ask have you ever seen a fourth grader dance? well in your minds you may be thinking something totally different then what i am about to say...

ok, so i wanted to go home and take a shower and curl up in the fetal position after what i saw. these girls watch too much TV! they were poppin, grindin, etc. and it made me sick. on a positive note they had good rhythm, i just didn't care to see what i saw. on the other hand all the boys think dancing is jumping up and down off beat which is funny in itself as well.

if you haven't guessed, this is me. and i will say that this is probably the most accurate picture of me. you may not be able to see it, but i actually have facial hair. fun stuff, huh? and i love that my name is spelt "T-e-whatever letter that is-g-e". and yes my name was on the board....

i cant wait to be a teacher. it will be fun and funny.

turkeys are done.

i have eaten way too much sugar this past week. to the point where i think i have had all artificial energy, and not any energy from foods that i really need. and believe me when i say that it caught up to me. i was irritable and tired, and if you know me that is not a good combination.

well i can now officially say that i am done with my undergraduate career. weird. but i must say that this has been a quite enjoyable last four years. i have done things i never thought that i would do, like drive across the country with my best friends, get in trouble with the cops(loud dance party--no alcohol involved), or even be in tune with the Spirit. i have been super blessed these past four years, and honestly i wouldn't trade it for the world. don't hear me wrong, I WOULD NEVER GO BACK, but it was truly time well spent.

what makes time fly so fast? is me being so unaware of what is going on around me. sometimes i can sit around and do nothing and feel like time wont go fast enough, and then others where i think where has my day gone. its all too complex for my little brain. haha.

so i have decided that when i start teaching i will not teach 5th grade. they stink. literally and metaphorically. the don't wear deodorant and they have really bad attitudes. ill stick with my young ones.

i will be running a 1/2 marathon the day after my birthday next year. where you might ask? in disney world! i figured the happiest place on earth is the place to run one....maybe ill be happy the whole time i'm running....

25 more days till camp. im super excited! we received our staff letter yesterday from our camp director and i can already tell that this is going to be a good summer. just by reading what he said i know i am going to respect him as an individual and as my leader. he used a verse from
1 Peter 1:9 that says, "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." this hit me hard once again because i have been apart of teams that don't have this vision. i mean they claimed to have it, but it really wasn't there. i am really excited to work along side this team because my Spirit tells me that they are a people chasing after God's own heart. pray for us, pray for the kids we come in contact with, and pray that the Lord does some amazing things this summer!

mood: relaxed (finally)

whole numbers and fractions.

i'm tired of complacency. i see it all around me. even in my own life. i want a deep desire for change and passion to occur across the board.

God really got a hold of my heart the other night. i miss Him. i miss talking with Him like i use to. it isn't the same without Him, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

soccer is almost over. im kinda sad, but ill be ready for next year. WE will be ready for next year.

tonight at our game, i threw my knee out during warm-up. i hate my knees. they stink.

i owe taxes this year. first time ever. i owe the state of georgia $1. yeah, i know. lame. but thats georgia.

im soooooo ready for camp. it will be such a relief to be gone for the summer playing with kids and sharing the love of Jesus. it can't come fast enough. ALSO, i found out that my great friend skankles will be joining me, so that makes me really happy.

i need some cereal.

Jesus, soccer, and snot.

im sick. dont know why. maybe it has something to do with this crazy weather we have been having. we had freezing ran on monday, which i stood in during a soccer game, and the cold weather turned my toes blue last night. God is an interesting character when it comes to weather. maybe he wants us to laugh about it--cause i mean, surely he is...

the morgan county soccer tourney started this week. so far i guess it has been good. we lost our first game 1-0 and then won our second game 6-1. today was by far the best day to play, but guess who had a bye and didnt play today....thats right, us. oh well. i got to spend all afternoon with mom and rachel. good family time.

holy week is this week as well. i have totally been blessed. God has really grabbed a hold of me this week while we remember his journey to the cross. i am so thankful for the person, the power, and the potential of the cross. God thank you!

bless the Lord oh my soul, bless the Lord.

wow. God is so cool.

tonight at church we had our children's musical. they did it on hymns which was a great topic. just seeing/hearing them sing was a blessing. it is so simple yet so overwhelming. they get it. that heart of a child....

i was offered a job today. sorta. mom told me that a principle in our school system asked me when i would be done with my graduate degree so i could teach at his school. he also asked if i would be willing to coach too. weird yet awesome. i haven't even gotten a teaching degree yet and i have already gotten job offers.

secondly, i am too excited about camp. today i got an email that asked me if i wanted to help write the track/sport time manual. i accepted the offer and i am ready to get started. cool how God can use your talents and abilities for others.

......He is so overwhelming.

amputation.

well it is 4:30 and i am wide awake. i did not feel well at all yesterday afternoon and night, so i decided to come home after the soccer game and eat and go to bed. i took a tylenol p.m. and slept till 3:45. why does it never seem to work when you need it to? i mean i did get a good 5 hour, hard sleep, but i would prefer to have had 8 so i don't have to be right now...

well it is officially april. april fools day to be exact! hmm.....i wonder what kind of mischief i can get into today......

what april has in store:
-morgan county soccer tourney. next week. april 6-11.
-my sister's birthday. april 13th.
-my internship ends. april 30th.
-one month before i leave for camp. im so ready. april 28th.
-PACT family day in the park. april 25th.
-verifying my plans for the fall. april _(insert date)_.
-getting ready for graduation on may 9th. meaning a trip to tuscaloosa. april (insert date) .

april has a lot in store.

so i think the Lord is really working me on my obedience. not that i disobey a lot, but rather its the lack of me not obeying. does that make sense? im not deliberately disobeying him out of rebellion, i just don't do it. is it lack of motivation? am i lazy? i don't know. i just really want to serve him in my obedience too. he has blessed me beyond belief and the least i could do is obey him and his commandments. he has shown me his love. i need to show it back and that partly comes through obedience.

"trust and obey
for there's no other way.
to be happy in Jesus
is to trust and obey."

work repurposed.

"the principle of representation states that when you serve someone else in the name of the Lord, for the glory of God, the person that you are serving becomes a representation of Jesus Christ. And even if the person doesn't appropriately appreciate you, acknowledge you, or compensate you, your labor is not done in vain....God is the ultimate destination of all your investments."

this weekend has been amazing.

saturday=church missions day. this has been the first one i have gotten the chance to be apart of and i have been blessed beyond belief. my Sunday school class did yard work. i hate yard work. so why was i blessed? because it was all for the Lord. we had the opportunity to change someones life for the better and we took hold of it. like my good friend meg (megan jones to most of us) said, it was refreshing. refreshing to be doing something for the Lord to the best of our ability. to know that that should be our attitudes day in and day out. i was really reminded of that this weekend.

sunday=great music and the cross relived. the african children's choir came to church today. HOLY MESS!! they were amazing. mom leaned over to me and said, "you can't tell me there won't be dancing in heaven." so true. i will be doing that with them one day. i can't even wait!

the cross was preached today. and it wasn't what you would normally think of. i had seen nothing like it before. it was joyful to see what Christ had done for me. it was sad to see why He did it. i feel a lot of people saw that today. i saw grown men and women crying. that is rare in the church these days. but that means God is moving.

thank you for the cross Lord and what it means to me. what You mean to me.

QUOTE: "It didn't take the cross for Christ to show his love for you. He has always loved you."

things i am thankful for:
-the cross.
-the african kids from Uganda. they are all amazing.
-amanda shankles. she is such a good friend.
-cherry 7up.
-the love of my family.
-cereal.

goalies are an endangered species.

one thing i despise in this world is incompetent people. why do we give jobs to people when they stink at it?

word to the wise: if you are gonna be a high school referee you better know what you are doing!

mood tonight: frustrated

it's raining on sunday.

"getting lost in the gaze of your eyes. getting lost in the warmth of your smile."

days like today make me want to stay in. it had rained all night, i heard it, but now it is sunny. you know what that means? humidity. i dont like humid days. especially after a good rain. we have a soccer game tonight. not gonna be fun. but i sure hope we win. it will feel so good to.

i am meant to be a teacher. its a gift of mine. the atmosphere is overwhelming me. i got a lot of it today. i was at a school and i was called a teacher that is in the school several times. people had to do a double take at me. it was quite humerous. good times.

3 thingsim thankful for:
panera bread.
slow praise and worship music.
my new obsession with professional soccer.

taco salad and chicken fingers.

"what can say to you? what can i bring to you? what can i do for you beautiful king?"

yesterday was probably by far the worst/best day ever. i didnt go to sleep last night and spent all of the time waiting at the airport. i didnt get back to birmingham(which is where my car was) until 5:20ish. i had to be back in decatur by 6:30 for a soccer game, so you see i was stressed out to the max! and if you know me i dont like being stressed, expecially when it has to do with time. on top of this i had not eaten but cheap plane snacks, so i was hungry too....

well i have to say i probably set a new world record for getting to decatur from my grandparent's house. i pulled into the high school around 6:45, and we were winning. we ended up winning out in a double over time shoot-out. the score being 8-7. incredible. they needed that. i needed that.

today has been good. i ate taco salad for lunch and we are having chicken fingers tonight at church. good meals for the day.

i think i may have my life sorted out when i graduate. we shall see though. that will come in another post.

is it ok to feel like an alien in this world, even when you are around other christians?

how could pajamas be a sign of hate?

i just finished wacthing the best, yet sadest, movie. the boy in the striped pajamas. i dont understand why so much animosity was created. why can people be so cruel? i dont understand. it makes me mad. it makes me sad. it makes me wonder. and it makes me question. but it also makes me greatful. i am greatful for the fact that i care. i care for others. i am willing to lay down my life for those in need.

i want everyone to see it. or at least read the book. hopefully it will give you insight like it gave me.

one more day until i go to Costa Rica. it won't come fast enough.

life is good.

Today's happenings:
1. work was very chillaxed. i like those kind of days.
2. practice was fun. i love soccer and i love coaching. God has really blessed me there.
3. mom made chicken chili. OH SNAP!! it was soooooo good. just what i needed to "warm my bones" (as Mrs. Cookie would say) on this cold day.
4. dad brought home a cookie cake. i love cookie cakes. it is by far the best cake ever made. i always ask for one on my birthday. last year i didn't get one and i was devastated. i didn't care about my presents. i just wanted me cake. today the cake said "Life Is Good." it only said that because my dad loves that company. when i asked my mom for one today, i wanted it to be my un-birthday cake. i really don't care what it says. just give me some to eat!!
5. i think i may have an ear infection. yeah, you read right. im a 22 year old with an ear infection. OH!! and i might add that it is in both ears. stupid infectious diseases.

SPRING BREAK IN COSTA RICA STARTS IN PRECISELY 3 DAYS!!!!!!!

you can call me the professor.

i had the best sleep last night. i didn't sleep but 4 hours the night before (due to reasons unexpected), so i was extremely tired last night. well i wanted to make sure that i got some great sleep, so i took an advil p.m. I SLEPT LIKE A ROCK!! i honestly think i slept the entire night. incredible.

well i have been given a title for my internship. they have all decided to call me "the professor". why you ask? well my co-workers(Mrs. Cookie and Mrs. Latoya) are named the "power-puff girls". well if you know anything about the show(as I do because it was introduced while i was a kid) the girl's father is called professor. so we deliberated and we(more like I) decided that that would be my name. i mean i am keeping them in line all the time....

today was a very solemn day at work. one particular reason is the cause. i saw a little boy with autism today. he had a break down. it was so sad to see it. really heart breaking. i just wanted to give him a big hug and tell him the Jesus loves him.

well its only three more days until i start my trek to Costa Rica. i am so ready to get away from everything for a while. it has long been overdue.

Scripture for the day: Galatians 6
It is so hard for me to carry someone else's burdens. i mean i really like helping people. it really breaks my heart to see someone suffer, but i think i am actually afraid of abuse. i feel that they will abuse my services to them. i have seen a lot of that in my job. people just looking for handouts; but after this morning i was reminded of a passage from Romans 12. basically it talks about us as believers doing things for people regardless of their intentions. we need to show them love and grace no matter what. we just need to do what the Spirit leads us to do and in turn he will convict them of their wrong doing if it is in place. as the scripture says, he will place burning coals on their head(Daniel paraphrase).

"get in your home!"

well tonight was an eventful night. we played a top ten team in soccer tonight and lost in a penalty kick shoot out. talk about nerve racking. but they played hard. they played with heart. and that is all that i could have asked for as a coach.

they deserved to win that game. i just couldn't believe it. why won't the ball go in?

after the game was over i went to get my haircut. they all knew something was wrong with me, so i explained to them what just happened. i had this crazy feeling inside me. i wanted to do two things: eat and run. so i did both. at first i thought i was gonna throw up, but it ended up not being so bad.

Mood of the day: happily frustrated

kindergarten crush.

1. This time next week I will be in Costa Rica. One week can't get here fast enough.
2. I love doing nothing on Mondays. It's really relaxing.
3. My metabolism rocks! I love the fact that I can eat whatever right now and it not affect me. Funny thought though....in high school I couldn't.

Quote of the day:
Mom: Are you sweet towards each other?
Me: I spit on her.
Mom: Yeah, you like her.

Mood of the day: anticipatory

truth and actuality.

Truth: I am outrageously and unconditionally loved by Christ.

How do I respond to that?

this realization came to me this past sunday. it is so overwhelming to know that the God of the universe loves me. he loves me for who he has made me to be and not for what man wants me to be. he has changed my life for the better. my relationship is "that i may know Him and the power of his resurrection and may share in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death." -Pilippians 3:10.

it's weird that you would want to share in somone's sufferings. but why can't i give back my whole life to someone who has suffered theirs for me?

Truth: Today's church wants a God filled life of a good marriage and kids who don't swear. They don't want Jesus and His sufferings--that's for the radicals.

why can't i be a radical? why can't i do what makes some people uncomfortable? thats all i have been taught. i shouldn't look for the approval of anyone else. if i am living my life for Christ then that is all that matters. my joy lies above and not in the things of this earth. "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field." Matthew 13:44. i should be willing to do all i can to obtain this.

Truth: Luke-warm Christians are a lot different from an authentic Christian. We all mess up. There is no perfect person (except Christ). But when a luke-warm Christian messes up, they could care less. The difference lies in how we respond. When an authentic Christian messes up they become broken.

it's only when we are broken, life change can really happen. we need to be broken and made into something else. something that can be made to be used by Christ.


Challenge:
....be willing to suffer, be willing to go against the grain, be willing to be broken.

i look down when i walk.

last night was one of the greatest nights i have had in a long time. i really like to dance. i like MoTown bands. i like food. and i like spending time with mere.

day light savings time stinks. i am sitting here listening to my alarm go off and purposely not making it go off just to show day light savings time who is boss. do you think it will get the message?

even in defeat...i find victory.

do you ever feel like some things you do to the best of your ability turn out to be done in vain? well that is what i felt like today. we lost our 3rd game in a row today to a team we should have beat. they just dont have the heart. they gave up. i was almost to the point of tears. everything we had taught them just seemed to fly by them like nothing; but, thats where i guess i learned my lesson. i tell them all the time that we dont live in defeat and that we must rise from our failure. well, i think they are doing just that.....


.....you see, when i got home tonight i had a message in my inbox on facebook that was from one of my players. he was asking (more like stating) if we could start a bible study with the team, or those who wanted to. i was like "WOAH!!" that is so amazing! i had been praying for this very thing to happen. not that they would be kicked in the face spiritual, but to actually be able to start a bible study with them!! talk about an answered prayer!! PTL forever and ever!! so i guess God reminded me once again that all things can be directed back towards His glory!


Things I liked about today:
-God's awesomeness!!
-Meredith coming to see me. I like her.
-The great back scratch that she gave me (you know I can never give up that opportunity).
-Eating some sweet tart jelly beans. Mmmm!
-My chicken quesadilla from Rosie's.

Song for the day: I Will Rise by Chris Tomlin

There's a peace I've come to know
Though my heart and flesh may fail
There's an echo in my soul
I can sing, it is well

Jesus, has overcome
And the grave is overwelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

And I Will Rise when he calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I Will Rise, on Eagle's wings
Before my God fall on my kness, and rise
I Will Rise

There's a day that's drawing near
When the darkness breaks to light
And the shadow's disappear
And my faith shall be my eye's

Jesus, has overcome
And the grave is overwelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

And I Will Rise when he calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I Will Rise, on Eagle's wings
Before my God fall on my kness, and rise
I Will Rise

who ripped the pages out of the bible?

....haha! that was my favorite quote while listening to John & Kate Plus 8. Those kids are great!



Top Things of Today (it would be a Top 10, but I couldn't finish the list):

1. God reminded me of his greatness once again! I read Galatians 3 this morning and I am so thankful for the willingness of Christ to suffer for me! Thank you!!
2. Mrs. Cookie(my boss) cries a lot(happy tears). She makes me smile! She cried for like 20 minutes straight today. So fun!
3. My internship is more than I could ever ask for! I love being all things for all people!
4. I love a good back scratch....especially if it's from mom!
5. I love bread. I had mine, Mrs. Cookie's, and Mrs. Brown's bread today at Panera. I then proceeded to have 1 1/2 corn breads at church. And then I ate a sandwich for dinner tonight. I could live on bread alone.....
6. Soccer. Enough said.
7. Working with kids is so beneficial. Just to have a kid walk down the halls at school and say, "Hey Mr. Daniel" fills my heart with joy.
8. My quote for the day.

Mood of the day: joyful

i dont mind working for free.

well this is the second time i have attempted to keep on online blog, so we shall see how it goes.

well it seems to me that my life is in a great place right now. i am excited and anticipating every move. that is odd for me. i dont think that i have ever felt that before. why has that changed now? i couldnt tell you. i will do some searching....

so today i found out that i enjoy working. not in the sense that i have a job, but just doing something to help someone else out. i coach high school soccer. that is a job. but i dont get paid. honestly i could care less about the money. i just enjoy doing it. to see the gratification on the kid's faces when the succeed is overwhelming. but its not always pretty. they fail, and they are easily hard on themselves. but thats where the beauty of me coaching comes in. i have been able to share Christ with them through this. and they respect that. they love that (or so they seem). i could care less if they win one more game (it would be nice to), but thats not why i am there. dont get me wrong, i am there to coach, but i have been given a charge to uphold. the charge that comes from 1 Timothy 1:5. that is what drives me. coaching to share the love of Christ.

mood of the day: accomplished