IT'S BORING, IT'S MY LIFE

family, escrow and chuppah ...

2009-11-04T23:42:00.001-08:00

I'm in the blogging mood ... so much going on in my life and marriage and family and church ... where do I begin?

My wife is simply amazing ... we've been married almost 10 years and I'm more in love with her than ever before ... our children are growing up so fast ... Ava is getting smarter and smarter every day ... this week, we introduced her to the world of Monopoly ... she won ... it's on ... Adiah dances in this Hawaiian costume every night ... so cute ... Asher is such an amazing kid ... I couldn't imagine life without my son ... and now we have little Alicia ... she's almost walking and has the most beautiful eyes ...

as far as the Stirring, today we went into escrow on the building we're purchasing ... it still seems unreal ... we've been praying for a space like this for years ... I know this is God's dream for us, and God loves to see His dreams in the hands of His children ... God is so good!

Over the next three weeks, we're wrapping up our series Under the Chuppah ... we've been talking about love and romance and dating and marriage and sex ... all the good stuff ... with all the confusion, divorce and brokenness when it comes to relationships and marriage, I'm convinced the book Song of Songs is more relevant and needed today than ever ... we're calling this generation back Under the Chuppah and into a life of freedom and purity ...

it's late and I need sleep ... blog on!

It's my life!

2009-10-10T21:29:00.000-07:00

God has blessed me with such an amazing son ... We wrestle and growl and play with motorcycles all day long ... it's my life!

weddings ...

2009-08-25T23:32:00.001-07:00

I'm the wedding guy ... here's a shot from Drew and Julie's wedding a few months ago!

skim boarding and sewer tunnels ...

2009-07-29T20:13:00.000-07:00

my family and I just walked the Pier in downtown San Clemente ...

every year, we spend a week of family vacation on the beach ... we eat Pedro's tacos, build sand castles in the sand, and sit around in glorious hot tubs ... life's a beach ... tonight, we took a family walk on the Pier ... we watched surfers and ate pink cotton candy ... my kids nail cotton candy like champions ... pure sugar rush to the head ...

last night, Sean Gafner talked me into a late night skim boarding adventure (Sean always has some crazy idea) ... we hopped in the car around 10 o' clock p.m. and went searching for the nearest Walmart to buy a skim board ... since most of the beaches are closed at night, we parked in a dark parking lot and walked through a sewer tunnel to the ocean ... we finally arrived around midnight ... we didn't have board shorts, so we skimmed in our boxers ... late night boxer midnight moment with Sean ... priceless!

we skimmed the night away in the moonlight ... I'm hooked!

a long day ...

2009-07-15T23:26:00.000-07:00

woke up late this morning (saw Coldplay at Sleep Train last night) ...
spent a few hours at Starbucks drinking coffee (reading Acts & Ephesians & 1st Samuel 30) ...
ate pizza ...
met with Emily and talked about the Stirring Kids ...
signed a few checks ...
responded to almost 130 emails (grateful for typing class in high school) ...
Red Robin with Matt and Erica parsons ...
life group at the Gafner's (steak & potato salad) ... I love our church ...
met with Darby Anderson about 'the Way' ...
called my wife in Sacramento ... (I miss my family) ...
watching a film about a cop who chases down bad guys with a gun ... (yep) ...
keeping up my blog reputation ...

poets, prophets, and preachers ...

2009-07-13T11:31:00.000-07:00

I just spent the past weekend in Grand Rapids, Michigan, soaking up the Poets, Prophets, and Preachers, a conference hosted by Rob Bell of Mars Hill, Shane Hipps, author of Flickering Pixels, and Peter Rollins, author of How (Not) to Speak of God. When I found out about this conference, I knew I had to be there. I bought a plane ticket the next week. Sometimes, you just know you've got to be there.

The heart of the conference: Reclaiming the Art of the Sermon

Here were some of the session titles: (provoking to say the least!)

The Original Guerilla Theatre (Rob Bell)
The Story We’re Telling (Rob Bell)
Returning to the New: An Introduction to Tranformance Art (Peter Rollins)
How Technology Shapes the Sermon (Shane Hipps)
The Fig Tree and the Failure of Language (Rob Bell)
Fumbling Around with Your Radar (Rob Bell)
For Those With Ears to Hear: Parables and the Lost Art of Provocation (Peter Rollins)
You are the Medium (Shane Hipps)
The One Thing I’ve Never Heard Someone Talk About That Has Changed Everything For Me (Rob Bell)

I took 15 hard core pages of notes ... I leaned forward in my chair 3 days straight ... my head hurts, but my spirit is alive ...

More than anything, I have a wider lens through which to read the Scriptures ... I have a new set of questions as I approach theology ... I have a new passion for teaching and preaching ... I have a renewed love for God's story ... (and I have a great idea for our Fall series) ... just wait and see ...

my girls ...

2009-07-03T13:33:00.000-07:00

here are few new pictures of our girls ... Alicia (4 months), Adiah (4), and Ava (6) ...

Oh Canada!

2009-06-30T14:08:00.000-07:00

we just spent the past 8 days on family vacation in Canada ...

what a glorious week in Beautiful British Columbia ... so green and so peaceful ... there's nothing like the smell of cows and hay in the morning ... we spent time with our grandma and cousins and uncles and aunts ... we watched movies ... we ate Sushi ... we took the kids to Dinotown (a mix between Kid's Kingdom and Disneyland, but more like Kid's Kingdom) ... we walked on the beach ... we have such a generous family up in Canada ... they fed us and loved us and blessed us ... thank you so much ... go Canada!

by the way, if you didn't know, I'm half-Canadian ... I told that to the lady at the border and she laughed at me!

I know this sounds crazy, but one of my favorite things to do on vacation is to visit other churches ... we visited a Canadian church 'Peace Portal' on Sunday morning ... we sang the song Oh Canada to begin the service ... it just happened to be Canada day ... the message was powerful ... just months ago, the pastor lost his wife to cancer ... she was an amazing woman of God ... he talked about the importance of community in moments of pain and death ... how do we encourage and come alongside people in the most painful moments ...

that night I went to an underground Youth Church movement ... there are over 1000 youth meeting weekly to worship and seek God ... they meet in five different cities ... they're not connected to any particular denomination or church ... it's just Canadian youth who want to reach their generation for Christ ... amazing ... the gathering was raw and real ... one of the youth shared his testimony ... just a few months ago he was dealing drugs, and then he met Christ, and now he's one of the young leaders in this movement ... he shared his story and then we prayed for each other ... God is moving in Canada!

on the way back, we spent an evening with Steve and Renee Swinburne in Bellingham, WA. ... we love the Swinburnes ... they fed us pasta and sent us off with fruit snacks and coffee ... I drank a quadruple shot Iced Caramel Macchiato and drove 12 hours straight back to Redding (with only one speeding ticket) ... 70 mph in a 60 mph zone ... 60 mph on I-5??? ... what the heck? ... Steve warned me about the Washington police and how they're out to get those speedy Californians ... I should have listened to him ... bummer!

now I'm back ... I've missed my country and my bed ...

seminary and ramblings ...

2009-06-18T22:20:00.000-07:00

almost done with class ...
just wrapped up my last paper ...
absolutely intrigued and wrecked by the life of Bonhoeffer ...
just got back from Grandma's memorial service ...
shaping my message for Sunday ...
performing Drew and Julie's wedding this Saturday night ...
getting excited about our vacation to Canada ...
just drank a cup of coffee at 10 pm (awful idea) ...
I am white and I need a tan ...

sitting in class ...

2009-06-15T16:19:00.001-07:00

I'm finishing up two weeks in Tozer Seminary ... two weeks, 10 days, 80 hours of class ... "the life and thought of Bonhoeffer" and "Global issues in Evangelism" ... my head hurts ...

I'm sitting in class with some great friends ... yes, of course, the one and only Shawn Bagley from Utah ... sitting right next to me and making me laugh ... we're drinking coffee and eating skittles ... skittles, friends, and theology ... it's my life ...

Once I finish this week, my family and I are leaving for our summer vacation to Canada ... good old British Columbia ... I can't wait ... all 6 of us piling into our mini-van for an adventure to the land of Canada ... go Canada!

I'm going home ...

2009-06-12T00:09:00.000-07:00

my grandma June passed away this Thursday morning at 6:05 am ...

she loved Jesus ... she walked with God ... she lived a life of courage and passion ... she played the piano and used her musical talent for God's glory ... more than anything, she loved to serve people ... she had a burning passion for people ...

my grandpa Paul and grandma June were missionaries in countries all around the world ... they saw revival in villages, cities and nations ... they preached the message of Jesus with boldness ... they prayed for the sick ... they cast out demons ... they saw the dead come back to life ... they planted churches in New Zealand, the Philippines, and Canada ... they lived filled with the Holy Spirit ...

grandma June leaves behind a great legacy ... she gave her life ...

early this morning, my grandma called the nurse into her hospital room ... she spoke quietly, yet boldly to the nurse and said, "I need to get dressed, I'm going home" ... these were her last words, and she fell asleep ...

brothers ...

2009-06-03T22:43:00.000-07:00

when I was young, my brothers and I were in a rock band named 'Outburst' ...

Benji played the drums, Jeremy played the guitar, and I played the piano and sang ... in fact, we actually filmed a music video (we never finished it, due to the fact I got angry with my brothers and kicked them out of the video) ... anyways, one day I'll post it on my sight for your entertainment ...

we wrote a few song and performed concerts for the neighbors and their families ... we set up our instruments in the garage and jammed for hours ... back in the grunge days (before Nirvana caught on) ... I wrote a rap song called 'the Resurrection Rap,' inspired by Carmen, of course ... and I wrote a few worship songs, inspired by Michael W. Smith and Keith Green ...

as a band, we never released an album, but we were a hit in the neighborhood ... and that's all that matters ... we made people laugh and our songs gave people hope ... years later, when I began high school, the band broke up ... it was a sad day, but nothing great lasts forever (except love and Jesus and Christian rap) ...

Benji grew up to be a loan officer ... Jeremy moved to Seattle to become a legend in the rock world ... I am a pastor in Northern California ... we are still friends, and perhaps one day we will resurrect 'Outburst' for one more concert in the garage ... long live rock ...

one more thing: if you've never heard of Carmen, you've never lived ...

grandpa and grandma ...

2009-06-03T11:38:00.000-07:00

I'm floored by God's goodness ...

I'm so grateful to be alive and to know Jesus ... Jesus has changed my life in every way possible ... someone asked me a question this week, "When did you know you wanted to be a pastor?" ... I responded, "I never wanted to be a pastor" ... a few years ago, I met Jesus and He changed my life ... I just want to know God and love God and walk with God ... whether I serve burgers at Red Robin or teach weekly at a church, I will live my life to bring glory and honor to Jesus ... pastor is not a job, it's a calling ...

this week, I spent time with my grandpa and grandma ... they've walked with Jesus for their entire lives ... they've traveled around the world and shared Jesus in more than 50 nations ... they've seen great revival in cities and churches and villages ... grandpa plays the trombone and grandma plays the piano ...

I'm so grateful for my grandpa and grandma and the legacy they will leave behind ... they gave their lives ... they have shown me a love worth knowing ... they have shown me a life worth chasing ... they have shown me Jesus and I will never be the same ...

Jesus and shoes ...

2009-05-28T22:46:00.000-07:00

a few months ago, we hosted our music, art and film festival, Erase the Dark ... with the purpose of using our creativity to bless children and schools in our city ... we brought together some of our favorite local artists, songwriters and filmmakers to pull off this festival ... through this event, we raised almost $6000 for the children at Cypress Elementary ...

so we purchased almost 200 pairs of Converse shoes for the kids on that campus ... last Wednesday, our team took the shoes to Cypress and gave them to the kids ... what an amazing opportunity to show God's love to children and families in our city ... for all those who helped with Erase the Dark, thanks for your generosity and thanks for using your creativity to show the world Jesus ... for all those who sponsored this event, you are fabulous ...

over the next few weeks, we'll be putting together a sweet video of the festival and the shoes ... until then, check out the pictures on the Stirring Blog ...

Happy Birthday Asher ...

2009-05-22T23:53:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Asher ...

2 years old and you're the man ... riding bikes and throwing balls ... handsome little guy, just like your dad ...

I pray for you every night, that you would grow up to be a man of God ... that you would love Jesus and follow Him with your whole heart ... I know you have a great call on your life and I will pray for you and encourage you until I see you walk in that great calling ... you're a marked little man and I can't wait to see the bold man of God you will one day become ...

and please stop beating up your sisters ... that's not cool!

Adiah's first song ...

2009-05-21T21:16:00.000-07:00

tonight, my 4 year old daughter Adiah wrote her first song ... my kids are great song writers ... it must run in the family ...

most people don't know this, but almost everyone in my family has incredible musical talent ...

my grandma plays the accordian and keyboard ...
my other grandma plays the tuba and the piano ...
my grandfather plays the trumpet and sings ...
my father plays piano, guitar and writes songs ...
my mom plays the guitar and the piano (and coordinates weddings) ...
my uncle plays the banjo ...
my brother Benji plays guitar and enjoys country music ...
my wife sings and plays the recorder ...
my daughters are songwriters ...
oh yeah, my brother Jeremy wrote a couple of songs in a rock band (I think they won some MTV contest) ...
and I played the trombone in high school ...

anyways, here are the lyrics to Adiah's new song:

I love you Jesus
Please come with me to Disneyland
Please help my birthday to come really fast
I hope my birthday has cupcakes and cake
I hope Spring comes fast

Chorus:
I love you Jesus
I love you all the way to the moon and back

I love you Jesus
I love you everywhere
I love you to the sun
I love my baby sister Alicia
I hope she grows up fast

Life Group Stories...

2009-05-21T09:51:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, God is doing some amazing things in our life groups ...

as we're traveling through the book of Acts this summer, we're already hearing so many stories of how God is changing lives ...

go check out what's happening in Sean and Rebecca's Wednesday evening life group ... praise God for baptism and swimming pools ... God is so good!

Let's keep sharing the stories of what God is doing ... this will help us be encouraged as a community!

Happy Anniversary ...

2009-05-20T21:19:00.001-07:00

Happy 9 year Anniversary!

Erica, you're the most amazing woman on the planet ... I love you so much ... you are so giving and encouraging ... you're a great mom and I can't imagine life without you ... you have a strong faith and I'm blessed by your life with Jesus ... every year, I grow more in love with you ... 4 kids and 9 years later, we're still best friends and ready for teenagers ... next year, let's ditch the kids and go to Hawaii! (for a month)

they devoted themselves ...

2009-05-18T11:29:00.000-07:00

they devoted themselves to the teachings, to the fellowship, to the breaking of the bread, and to prayer ...

to the teachings, a life of obedience ...
to the fellowship, being as committed to each other as we are to God ...
to the breaking of the bread, a life of worship ...
to prayer, simply talking to the God who moves the universe ...

they devoted themselves ... who devoted themselves? ... everyone ... the men and the women, the rich and the poor, the leaders and the new believers ... everyone devoted themselves to this Acts 2:42 life ... no one devoted them to this life ... they had to do it for themselves ... the leaders taught with boldness and passion, but the burden of discipleship fell upon the new believers ...

we can't force discipleship ... as leaders and pastors, we can teach and pray and provoke and inspire, but when the people of God devote themselves to a life of obedience, covenant, worship, and prayer, we will become the radical and world changing community God created us to be ...

let's be honest, it's much more convenient to just show up at church and sing songs on Sundays, and for some reason, we call that church ... but that's not church ... true Acts 2:42 church is much more life changing and radical and it costs us something ...

they devoted themselves ... are you devoted to an Acts 2:42 life?

there's no place I'd rather be ...

2009-05-09T22:25:00.000-07:00

I just wrapped up the craziest and fullest few months of my life ...

I finished a challenging theology course in my Masters program, brought our 4th child Alicia Amy Edwardson onto the planet, tackled a thick series on 'Heaven' at the Stirring, and we just hosted our first 'When God Dreams' Conference ...

It's been such an amazing few months ... my daughters bring me so much joy ... my son can beat up your son ... I'm enjoying spending time with my brothers and their wives ... my parents are so encouraging and generous ...

I love our church ... our church is the bomb ... I'm not talking about Sundays, I'm talking about the people ... the people who serve and the people who love and the people who worship and the people who encourage me and hold up my arms every day ... the ones who carry ladders and speak words of life and put courage in me ... that's the church ... thank you for being WHO God has CREATED you to be ... I'm proud to raise my family in our church ...

I just spent the last hour hanging out with my wife on a couch ... there's no place I'd rather be ... I'm fried and ready for bed ...

the first Stirring conference ...

2009-05-07T00:05:00.000-07:00

it all begins tomorrow night at 7 p.m. ...
20 churches ...
120 peeps ...
American Apparel t-shirts ...
clouds and ladders ...
worship and painting ...
new films ...
bohemian drum circle ...
lattes ...
creative church forum ...
dream sessions ...
and of course, Jesus Himself ...
seriously, how the heck did we get this crazy idea to do a conference?
don't miss it!

Unleashing the power of everyone ...

2009-05-03T22:36:00.000-07:00

tonight we began our Acts series ... we're calling it unleashing the power of everyone ... in Acts, Jesus says, "you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you!" ... our prayer is that God would give us the courage and boldness to live filled with His Holy Spirit ...

our 'When God Dreams' Conference is this weekend ... I'm spending the next few days praying and preparing for the Conference ... at this point, we have more than 20 different churches from our city and beyond coming to be involved ... I'm so grateful for everyone helping create and dream and pull this thing off ... props to our amazing Stirring team ...

My wife and I saw Wolverine Friday night ... amazing! ... we're huge X-Men fans ... if you could be any mutant, what would you be? ...

Easter Baptism 2009 ...

2009-04-29T23:29:00.001-07:00

We baptized 48 Stirring peeps ... the best Easter ever! (I love peeps!)

late night ramblings ...

2009-04-26T23:06:00.000-07:00

just got back from the Catalyst Conference ...

what a life changing few days ... more than anything, spending time with leaders and visionaries from all over the nation affirmed what God is already speaking to our church and where God is leading us in this next season ... whenever I hear Erwin McManus speak, I get infused with passion and creativity ... Francis Chan ruined me ... I was on my face on the ground underneath my chair ... awkward, but powerful ... coming back from the conference, I am more desperate for the raw power of the Spirit of God in my life ...

next week, we're beginning our new series through the book of Acts ... unleashing the power of everyone ... Acts is such a dangerous and threatening story ... I can't wait to see how God shapes us over this Summer ... my prayer is that the Holy Spirit would come upon us and fill us so that we can live the power of God in every way possible ...

we had an incredible day with the Stirring community ... we just wrapped up the Heaven series ... over this past year, the Stirring has become so much more than just a gathering or people ... we've really become a family ... God is healing and God is speaking and God is calling and God is shaping us to become a force of love in our city ...

may we be filled with Jesus ...
may we breath life into the dry bones all around us ...
may we live heaven now ...

Catalyst Conference ...

2009-04-23T21:59:00.000-07:00

just wrapped up the first day of the Catalyst Conference in Irvine ...

we listened to Andy Stanley talk about leadership in the face of uncertainty ... Guy Kawasaki talked about innovation and convinced everyone to buy Macs ... Bryan Houston brought such a burning passion for the church and its great calling on earth ... and Hillsong United led worship ... those guys are money ...

we hung out with 3200 pastors and leaders, ate chicken sandwiches for lunch, drank 8 cups of coffee, waited in line for 15 minutes for the bathroom, and took a friendly ride in a hot air balloon ... we are filled with joy and God is speaking ... the perfect conference, except for the waiting in line bit ...

tonight, we went to the beach and saw dolphins ... we ate chicken nachos and jumped in a hot tub until wrinkled and ready for bed ... it's my life ...

Courage ...

2009-04-20T23:42:00.000-07:00

I met with Banning today over lunch to share hearts and get ready for the 'Dreams Conference' this May ... it's going to be amazing ... as of now, we have over 15 different churches coming and so many creative leaders, pastors, church planters, business men, worship leaders, filmmakers, songwriters, and people just hungry to dream with God ... one of the themes this year is going to be courage ... more than anything, we need courage to dream with God ... there is a war for courage and an enemy who lives to discourage ... we need courage to rise up and chase after God's dreams with boldness and passion ...

Over the past few weeks, I've been reading the book of Acts to prepare for our Acts series this summer ... seriously, Acts is such a dangerous book ... it confronts us and threatens us ... it's impossible to read the story of Acts and not be filled with courage to follow Jesus ... it's a great time to be alive!

I've wanted to teach through this book for a long time ... in the first chapter, Jesus makes this amazing promise ... that the Holy Spirit would come up on us and that we would have power ... power to love and power to serve and power to forgive and power to cast out demons and power to prophecy and power to heal the sick and power to raise the dead ... is that your life?

Years ago, someone asked me this question? ... "If the Holy Spirit removed Himself from your life for a day, would anyone even notice?" ...

I want my life to be so filled with love and courage and so defined by the power of the Holy Spirit that people around me are drawn deeper into a life with God ... I can't wait to see what God does in our church this summer ...

My next few weeks ...

2009-04-16T23:59:00.000-07:00

Wrapping up the Heaven series (two more weeks) ...
Attending the Catalyst Conference in Southern California ...
Watching Wolverine with my wife on opening night, May 1st ...
Launching a new 12 week series through the book of Acts ... unleashing the power of everyone ...
Hosting our first 'When God Dreams Conference' May 7th-9th ...
Celebrating my 9 year anniversary with my wife on May 20th ...

what's up with the rapture?

2009-04-15T22:24:00.000-07:00

It's 10:24 pm ...

I'm wrapping up the last paper for my theology class ... It's about the second coming of Christ and the millennium and the rapture ...

so, what's up with the rapture? ... I'm not a fan of popular rapture theology ... that Jesus comes back and takes us Christians away and everyone else is left to wander the earth ... I don't buy it ... and most of the Scriptures used to argue that 'left behind' rapture theology are taken out of context ...

Yes, Jesus returns ... Yes, I do believe Jesus is coming back and when He comes back, He will throw Satan and his demons into the lake of fire, He will judge the living and the dead, He will reward the righteous, and ultimately, the new heaven comes down upon the new earth, where we live with God on the new earth forever ... Yes, we will be resurrected and given new sexy glorious bodies ...

Yes, we will see Jesus face to face ... no more tears and no more pain and no more death and no more dirty diapers ... but I'm not sure what we mean by rapture? ... if Jesus is bringing the new heaven on the new earth in every way possible, then where are we being raptured to? ...

Anyone want to help me out? ... let's get some rapture discussion ... bring it!

Kicking it with my family ...

2009-04-10T18:28:00.001-07:00

It's good Friday ...
Just kicking it with my family ...
Pulled my son around the neighborhood in a red wagon ...
My daughters are pure drama ...
We're about to eat Erica's famous enchiladas ...
I'm starving ...
Tonight is family video game night ...
I like Super Mario Kart, but the girls always choose Mario Smash Brothers ... it's a violent princess fighting game ... it's a crazy world!

I'm stoked about this weekend ...
the tomb is still empty ...
Dan Lance, Jamie White and my brother Jeremy are leading worship ...
We're baptizing over 40 people ...
We get to show a new video we've been working on ...
And I get to eat pink peeps all weekend long ... long live peeps!

Good Friday Gathering ...

2009-04-09T15:13:00.000-07:00

hey everyone, I just found out that Risen King is hosting a Good Friday service this Friday at 7 p.m. at Mistletoe School ... if you're looking for a place to worship and celebrate Jesus and His journey to the Cross this weekend, join them this Friday night ...

for everyone else, I'll see you this Sunday ... we're celebrating the greatest day in history ... the tomb is empty and Jesus is alive ... and we're baptizing almost 40 people this weekend ... don't miss it and bring your mother ...

the Stirring tonight ...

2009-04-05T22:36:00.000-07:00

just got back from the Stirring ... two campuses and three gatherings ... it's a long day, but I enjoy every minute of it (most of the time) ...

Dan spoke today in the Heaven series ... great word about living Heaven now ... so many times, we get saved and we sit around waiting for Heaven someday ... Dan used the analogy of a waiting room ... just waiting and waiting and waiting for Heaven someday, when Jesus comes and invites us to live Heaven today ...

worship was incredible at both campuses ... thanks Jacob and Jenna ... our worship leaders are so in love with God ... we are blessed ...

more than anything, I love seeing God change lives ... I'm looking forward to the baptism on Easter Sunday ... we're baptizing almost 30 people this coming weekend, and probably 20 others who get inspired and crazy and jump in the tank with their clothes on ... why not?

may His kingdom come and may His will be done, on earth as it is in heaven ... I think I've heard that somewhere before ...

Kings ...

2009-04-04T21:54:00.000-07:00

just spent a few days with my family in Sacramento ...

my father got me officially hooked on the first 3 episodes of Kings ... a new television series based on the David and Saul story in the Bible ... it's incredible ... the story and the writing and the cinematography and the creativity ... and so far, it's fairly true to the actual story, with a few Hollywood differences, of course ... I won't ruin it for you ... if you're not watching it, go online and get caught up ...

the only bummer, it shows Sunday evenings at 8 a.m. ... I think I'm a bit tied up Sunday evenings ... but I'll catch up online ...

it's a great time to be alive ...

2009-04-03T20:48:00.000-07:00

I'm stoked about the next few months ...

Easter and baptisms ... I get to baptize great friends ...

Catalyst Conference in Southern California ... it's gonna be sweet!

When God Dreams Conference ... our first Stirring Conference ... crazy!

Family vacation to San Clemente ... our favorite family vacation spot ... skunks and the beach!

Summer ... we love summer!

It's a great time to be alive ... and to have four kids and a mini-van!

200th post ...

2009-04-03T20:35:00.000-07:00

please take this moment with me to celebrate my 200th post ... I'm making blog history ...

I want to take this special moment to thank all my blogging friends and fans ... this blog wouldn't be possible without you ... I thank my family and my amazing wife ... you give me the courage to blog in the face of such a dangerous world ...

a special shout out to all the Stirring bloggers ... you make me laugh and you make my cry and I will forever read your blogs ... thank you for your silly videos and your precious links and sharing all your beautiful stories with me ... you are truly an inspiration ...

and most of all, I want to thank Jesus ... without Jesus in my life, I am blogless ... period ... You are my hope and my blogging life ... may my blog bring You glory ... amen ...

almost finished ...

2009-04-02T00:30:00.000-07:00

I just finished my master's paper on healing ... tomorrow morning, I have an online presentation for my class ...

in this theology class, I'm writing 6 papers on Jesus and the mission of the church ... even though I can't wait to be done with my master's, I am learning quite a bit ... these classes have forced me to wrestle and study and dig deeper into the Scriptures ... I've completed 21 classes and I have 7 to go ... yes, I'm counting ...

when I graduate, I want to throw a huge party with all my friends ... hot tubs and steak and corn hole ... it's my party ... everyone's invited, even President McKinney ... I hope he enjoys hot tubs ...

shaved ice ...

2009-03-30T21:00:00.001-07:00

my father is spending the week in Hawaii ...

he took this picture today from his I phone ... it's a small world ... I love shaved ice ... long live America and shaved ice ...

heaven is hip hop ...

2009-03-30T00:23:00.000-07:00

so, let's get some talk about the heaven series ... gardens and walls and stones and rivers and fruit ... any thoughts? ... any questions? ...

when Jesus teaches us to pray for the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in Heaven, what is He talking about? ...

what does it look like when Heaven comes down? ...

will there be steak in Heaven? ... is Jesus a vegetarian? ...

why are angels guarding the city of Heaven? ...

does God look more like Morgan Freeman or Gandalf? ...

will Heaven look more like the Emerald City or Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory? ...

will there be sex in Heaven? ... will we all be naked? ...

will Jesus ever let me ride His white horse? ...

are you living Heaven now? ...

website prowler ...

2009-03-28T16:11:00.000-07:00

I'm a church website prowler ... I fascinated by design and imagery and what others churches are doing around the world ... there are times I will spend hours just surfing the net for new churches and websites ... lame, but true ... it's boring, it's my life ...

one of my favorites is Life Church ... they're one of the most creative churches on the planet ...

I enjoy Ed Young and Fellowship Church ... creative church, but they make you pay for everything ... unbelievable ... so many churches are ripping people off ...

a couple nights ago, I stumble upon Elevation Church ... check it out ... I haven't listened to any messages, but I'm enjoying the layout of their site and blogs ...

if you find some great websites, send my way ... I'm a late night website prowler ...

heaven crashing down ...

2009-03-22T14:16:00.002-07:00

at the Stirring, we began our new series 'heaven' this morning ...

we talked about heaven crashing down on earth ... in Revelation 21:2, we get a glimpse of heaven at the end of the age ... the prophet John sees heaven coming down from God in heaven and crashing into earth ... and a loud voice shouts that God will live face to face with His children forever ... this has always been God's heart ... to live with us ... to bring heaven on earth ...

if you're interested, I've listed a few of the books I've been reading to prepare for this series ... if want to take this deeper, read these books ... Surprised by Hope written by the notorious N. T. Wright, probably my favorite author on earth ... Heaven written by Randy Alcorn, is the most profound and captivating book on Heaven ... and of course, the Bible, which has so much to say about Heaven ...

through this series, my prayer is that God would show us and teach us how to live heaven now ... there is so much talk about getting to heaven somewhere someday, but Jesus comes and invites us to live heaven today ... to know God and experience the life of heaven here and now ...

heaven series ...

2009-03-18T19:09:00.000-07:00

this week, we've been getting ready for our Heaven series that begins this coming Sunday ... we've been waiting almost a year to launch this series on heaven ... this may be one of the most challenging series for us as a team ...

we have so many confusing images and beliefs about heaven ... chubby cherubs playing harps on fuzzy clouds ... pearly gates and golden streets ... huge mansions and eternal cotton candy ... yep, heaven ... as a kid, I thought heaven was the never ending church service ... punch me in the face ...

this is the heart of this series ... what we believe about heaven someday 'shapes' how we live heaven today ... we'll talk about heaven on earth, life after death, the door to heaven, the resurrection, judgment, and hell ... that kind of stuff ...

my prayer is that God would show us and teach us how to live heaven now ...

this is amazing ...

2009-03-16T22:23:00.000-07:00

I found this on my wife's blog and I had to post it ...

Here's the reply the teacher received the following day:

Dear Mrs. Jones,
I wish to clarify that I am not now, nor have I ever been, an exotic dancer.
I work at Home Depot and I told my daughter how hectic it was last week before the blizzard hit. I told her we sold out every single shovel we had, and then I found one more in the back room, and that several people were fighting over who would get it. Her picture doesn't show me dancing around a pole. It's supposed to depict me selling the last snow shovel we had at Home Depot.
From now on I will remember to check her homework more thoroughly before she turns it in.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Smith

simply Christian ...

2009-03-11T23:18:00.001-07:00

I'm reading Simply Christian again and getting ready for our 'heaven' series ...
N.T. Wright blows my mind ...
This is the most inspiring and provoking book I've read in years ...
My mind hurts so good ...

I just finished a chapter on the Holy Spirit ... God's breath upon His people ... God's spirit alive in us, making us the temple of God, where God dwells on earth ... where heaven crashes into earth ... the Spirit of God awakening God's new creation in the world ... amazing ... we are God's people on earth, filled with the Spirit of God, calling the world back into a life with Jesus ...

tonight, I'm praying for more of that in my life ... I'm so grateful for Jesus in my life and I'm so hungry to see heaven on earth ... to see the love and compassion and justice and beauty of God crash into earth through His people ... not someday, but today ... (or tomorrow, because it's already 11:41 pm and I'm tired) ...

this book will change your life ... (and read the Bible, too) ...

Erase the Dark ...

2009-03-05T21:24:00.000-08:00

shoes ...
children ...
art ...
film ...
songwriting ...
interactive piece ...
painting ...
sushi ...
erase the dark ...

tomorrow night at 7 pm ... $10 ... don't miss it ...

confessions ...

2009-03-04T22:53:00.000-08:00

I just finished my paper on Sanctification ...
It's the second of six papers I am writing for my theology class and ordination ...
The next one is on healing ...
I'm tired and I wish I owned a hot tub right now ...
My body hurts ...
I still have this awful cough ...
Every time I cough, I feel piercing pain in my pancreas ...
Facebook sucks ...
I still haven't heard the new U2 album ...
I can't wait for Erase the Dark ...
If you don't play Settlers, we can't be friends ...
My toes ache ...
If you're still reading this blog, you must really like me ...
Goodnight ...

the Stirring ...

2009-03-01T22:35:00.000-08:00

just got back from the Stirring tonight ... we're in our Jonah series ...

tonight, we asked a few questions ... why does God send winds and waves and whales into our lives? ... why does God hurl us into the ocean depths? ... why does God bury us beneath his stormy and wild waves? ...

God, in His mercy, humbles us and exposes us and tests us and disciplines us to shape our character ... to make us holy ... to make us more and more like Jesus ... Read Hebrews 12 ... amazing ...

I can't wait for Erase the Dark this Friday night ... we've got some amazing films and artists and food and creativity ... I hope we can fit 1000 people in that gym ... everyone I know is going to be there ...

quote of the day ...

2009-02-27T21:42:00.000-08:00

A quote from one of my favorite books ... a great story about love and revenge ... if you've never read it, you're missing out ... go to Barnes and Noble and buy it tonight ... much better than the Americanized happy ending film ...

"Life is a storm my young friend, you will bask in the sunlight one moment be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes. You must look into the storm as you shout as you did in Rome. Do your worst for I will do mine. Then the Fates will know you as we know you ... "

-The Count of Monte Cristo

Stirring Downtown ...

2009-02-27T17:53:00.000-08:00

we just spent the past few hours moving our office downtown ...
we're stoked about the new office ...
hard wood floors and crown molding and traffic sounds ...
it's a great day to be alive and downtown ...
thanks to all the Stirring peeps who found boxes and packed books and loaded up trucks and helped us move ...

once we get fully moved in, come and hang and check it out ... and bring some pretzels for Patrick ...

the most legendary person of the 21st century ...

2009-02-25T20:54:00.001-08:00

I am legend ... I won't let you down ...

LYNK Training ...

2009-02-25T14:17:00.000-08:00

hey guys, I'm speaking tomorrow night at the LYNK training at River City Church ...

I'm speaking on reaching culture and reaching the next generation ... if anyone wants to come, we'll get you in for the night ... just tell them you're with the Stirring ... Thursday night at 7 pm ...

we'd love to see some Stirring peeps come out and support ...

ReJesus ...

2009-02-23T15:46:00.001-08:00

I just got back from Barnes and Noble and I bought this new book ... ReJesus ... written by authors Alan Hirsch and Michael Frost ...

they wrote two other books, the Shaping of the Things to Come and the Forgotten Ways ... great books ... Dan and I spent a week with these guys at a conference last year in Florida ... these guys have a profound and compelling grasp on the mission of the church and God's heart for discipleship ... so needed today ...

I probably won't read this book for a few weeks, since I'm already reading 30 books for my master's theology course, but eventually I'll get to it ... one day, I think I'll write a book called 'Jesus' ... it's never been done ... who wouldn't buy a book titled 'Jesus'? ... until then, ReJesus will have to do ...

i lost my voice ...

2009-02-23T12:42:00.001-08:00

I'm not sure what happened ...

I took a quick nap yesterday afternoon after the Stirring, and I woke up sounding like a seal ... my voice almost completely gone ... my kids are sick, so maybe I'm on the verge of a massive nasal and viral disease ... or maybe I just have a little cold ...

last night, Dan Lance rocked it at the Stirring ... we're in a series called 'I am Jonah' ... Dan talked about how God uses Jonahs ... prideful, racist, depressed, disobedient, and suicidal people like Jonah ... and if God uses Jonahs, God can use you ... go check out the podcast later this week ...

today, I'm hanging out with my family ... playing Tinker Bell Old Maid with Adiah and trains with Asher ... our newest one, Alicia Amy is healthy and dark ... all she does is eat and poop and poop and eat ... it's boring, it's her life ... we're heading off to Barnes and Noble for a family date ...

this Thursday night, I'm speaking at the citywide LYNK gathering ... I'll be speaking about the need for fathers and mothers in the church and in our city ... we don't need more outreach programs and rock concerts and youth groups to reach the young people in our city ... we need fathers to embrace their father calling ... we need mothers to embrace their mother calling ... period ... this has always been God's heart ...

Jesus Culture Live ...

2009-02-19T20:44:00.000-08:00

tomorrow night, Jesus Culture is playing live at the Cascade Theater ...

if you want to come, I've got quite a few tickets for the show ... just email me at nathan@thestirring.org so we can get your name on the guest list ... then show up tomorrow night and tell them your name ... we'll get you in ... get the word out ...

it's more than just culture ... it's Jesus culture ...

Alicia Amy Edwardson ...

2009-02-17T11:48:00.000-08:00

just got back from the hospital ... I've been drinking those 7-up and Cranberry juice drinks all night long ... amazing ...

Alicia is so tiny and beautiful ... she weighs 7 pounds, 6 ounces and looks just like Adiah ... dark hair and dark eyes ... her eyes are wide open and she just stares at me wondering, "who's that crazy guy with the crazy hair?" and "why are they letting him hold me?" ... she has long Edwardson toes and fingers ... tomorrow, I'm going out to buy her a guitar ...

Erica is resting and hopefully coming home tonight ... she's my baby making hero ... everyone needs one ...

this afternoon, I'm taking the kids up to meet their baby sister ... they're stoked ... I'm not sure if Asher knows what's going on, but he's excited anyways ... it's a great day to be alive ... and to have a full quiver ...

hasta la vista creepy floating baby ...

I am Jonah ...

2009-02-16T00:48:00.000-08:00

tonight, we began a new series at the Stirring called 'I am Jonah' ...

what a great story ... every kid loves the story of Jonah ... there's a man Jonah ... he runs from God ... he gets swallowed up by a whale ... he sings a song in the whale ... he lights a candle in the whale and the whale spits him up on dry land and he becomes a real boy ...

God calls Jonah to a great city ... Jonah runs, God pursues ... Jonah hides, God exposes ... Jonah sleeps, God wakes him up ...

As we read through the Jonah story, we find that we are Jonah ... God has called us to a great city ... we run and God pursues ... we hide and God exposes ... we sleep and God wakes us up to the call on our lives ...

next week, we get to talk about the huge fish ... props to my friend Juan for drawing our Jonah image ... so good ... the most amazing and creepy fish I've ever seen ... we have so much passion and talent in our church ...

my Valetine's ...

2009-02-14T12:19:00.001-08:00

it's Valentine's day ...

I have the most beautiful Valentine's in the world ... I asked my daughters to choose a special Valentine's restaurant to go on a special Valentine's date ... yep, they chose Round Table Pizza in the mall ... we're off to eat pizza ... and then we'll walk around the mall looking for heart shaped candy, doing our best to avoid creepy older men and high school gangsters ...

Happy Valentine's day ... enjoy every minute of it ...

nets and barrels ...

2009-02-12T15:23:00.001-08:00

hey Stirring, we're looking for nets and barrels for our Jonah series ...

you know, Pirate stuff ... if anyone has nets or eye patches or peg legs, please let us know ... or a talking parrot that sits on my shoulder while I speak ... whatever ... anything that draws us into the Jonah story ...

if you haven't read the story of Jonah, read it this week ... it's one of the shortest books in the Bible ... if you can't find it, here's a hint: it's somewhere between Obadiah and Micah ...

when God dreams and big fish ...

2009-02-12T09:48:00.000-08:00

this Sunday, we're beginning a new series at the Stirring called "I am Jonah" ...

God calls and just like Jonah, we run ... God pursues and just like Jonah, we hide ... God sends storms and just like Jonah, we are exposed ... God sends fish and just like Jonah, we get swallowed up by huge fish ... we are Jonah ...

I'm stoked about our When God Dreams Conference ... so many amazing friends getting involved with this conference ...

Banning Leibscher, pastor at Bethel Church, who leads Jesus Culture and the Campus Awakening movement, will be speaking at our conference ...

Stu Streeter, who is currently planting Disciples Church in Sacramento, will be coming up with his team to be involved with the creative church planting bit ...

I just got off the phone with Sean McMasters, who recently planted Antioch Church on the streets of Santa Cruz ... Sean is coming up to bring his passion for church planting an evangelism ...

I can't wait to spend some time dreaming and praying and seeking God with these guys ...

the greatest cartoons ever ...

2009-02-09T17:13:00.000-08:00

I'm hanging out with my family ...
It's sabbath ...
We're watching Tarzan, one of the greatest cartoons ever ...
I've only seen it once, but I love it ...

I can't believe I waited so many years to watch Tarzan ... where have I been the past ten years ... and I hear it's based on a true story ... gorillas raising a man to be a gorilla ... amazing ... and Tarzan meets Jane and they fall in love ... she teaches him to speak ... he shows her a 'whole new world' ... what a great story ... that's my life ...

Tarzan and Finding Nemo and Shrek and the Incredibles ... genius ... I can't wait until my kids grow up and we can watch big kid films ... like Goonies and Zoolander ... but until then, let's watch Tarzan 3000 times ... bring it on ...

hanging out with friends ...

2009-02-08T22:06:00.000-08:00

I'm hanging out with Patrick, Bethany and Josiah ...
It's 10 o' clock at night ...
Eating pretzels ...
I'm craving vanilla ice cream ...
We're getting ready to play Settlers of Catan ...
I'm hooked ...
Sheep and Ore and Brick ...
We're having a baby in 23 days ...
It's my life ...

God tore down the wall ...

2009-02-07T14:42:00.000-08:00

this Sunday, we're wrapping up a 5 week series called Honor, the lost virtue ... I'm stoked about this series and what God has been doing in our church ...

this week, we're talking about honoring other churches ... this is such a deep passion of mine ... almost 10 years ago, I was grateful to be apart of a movement in our city we called Celebration ... in less than a year, God brought together more than 50 different churches in our city for a night of worship ... we worshiped God for hours ... we prayed and we sang and we wept and we laughed ... it wasn't about style or music or doctrine or theology ... it was about God's presence ... during those few years, I believe God showed us something about real unity ... God showed us something about Himself ...

in Ephesians 2:14, Paul writes that God "tore down the wall of hostility that separated us" ... God tore down the wall ... we've been united in Christ ... together as one body, Christ reconciled us to God by means of His death on a cross ... in Ephesians 4:4, Paul writes that "there is one body and one Spirit and one glorious hope and one Lord and one faith and one baptism" ... and more than that, "there is one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all" ...

so, if God has torn down the wall that separated us, why are we throwing up walls? ...
why are we so divided? ...
why are we so threatened by other churches? ...
why are there over 40,000 different Christian denominations in the world? ...
why is Christ so divided? ...

my prayer is that God would show us how to honor other churches ... she is the bride of Christ ... and He loves her deeply ...

LYNK Training ...

2009-02-05T16:18:00.000-08:00

a few of us are going to check out the LYNK Training tonight at River City Church ... they're bringing together some of the city leaders and pastors to inspire and train people to reach our city ... it's every Thursday night for the next 7 weeks ...

LYNK stands for Love Your Neighbor Kingdomstyle ... sweet ... is Kingdomstyle really a word? ...

tonight, Jon Thompson and Danny Silk are speaking on the church's call to influence the city ... next week, Bill Johnson from Bethel is speaking on Kingdom authority ... they've asked me to speak on Thursday night, February 26th ... I'm speaking on influencing culture and reaching the next generation ... I'm hoping to rally the Stirring peeps ... let's show up and see what God does ... Kingdomstyle ...

I'm out ... see you tonight ...

district retreat ...

2009-02-04T00:38:00.001-08:00

Dan and I are spending three days in Pleasanton at the Four Points Sheraton ... it's the life ... hot tubs and room service and flat screens ...

it's our Alliance District Retreat ... we gather with a few hundred leaders and pastors from Northern California to Las Vegas ... worship and training and encouragement and of course, breakout sessions ... the focus of this retreat is mentoring leaders in our churches ... coming alongside emerging leaders and shaping them to become men and women of God ... sweet ...

it's been a great few days ... especially the hot tub ...

when God dreams conference ...

2009-01-30T16:55:00.000-08:00

in a few months, we're hosting our first Stirring conference ...

When God dreams is a conference that inspires people to become God dreamers ... God is a dreamer, but when God dreams, He dreams through His children ... and we believe that God is looking for men and women who will lock onto His dreams and run with them ...

for three days in May, we're inviting emerging leaders, church planters and creative minds to come together for provoking dialogue, worship and teaching ... more than just an event, our prayer is that this conference will be an experience that will leave people encouraged, inspired and ready to chase after the dreams God has placed in them ...

Banning Liebscher and I will be speaking in the main sessions ... my brother Jeremy Edwardson and our worship leader Jenna Barney will be leading worship with the Stirring team ... we'll have breakout sessions and creative church forums to dream together for the future ...

if you want to be involved or have any creative ideas, please let me know ... until then, rock on ...

the Settlers of Catan ...

2009-01-27T21:59:00.000-08:00

I'm hooked on a new board game ... I love board games ... risk and monopoly and candy land ... anything strategic and challenging ... I'm extremely competitive, especially when it comes to board games ... ask my wife ...

anyways, my friends introduced me to this new game a couple of weeks ago ... the Settlers of Catan ... it's a bit like Risk, except more strategic and it doesn't take 9 hours to play one game ... I've already played 4 times ... sheep and wheat and brick ... bring it on ...

this blog is dedicated to all the game board geeks in the world (including Patrick and Micah and Mark and Jenna) ... wherever you are, you are not alone ... and for all of you who look down on us game board geeks ... you're not invited to our next Settlers tournament ... true story ...

Stirring Downtown ...

2009-01-23T23:11:00.000-08:00

yes, the rumors are true ... in a few weeks, we're moving the Stirring office downtown ...

we found this sweet suite in one of those old school buildings downtown ... right above Nathan's Anthems, that tattoo parlor on the corner ... and my brother Jeremy is designing and building a recording studio downstairs ... hipsters unite ...

not to mention,my friend Paul just helped to open a new restaurant downtown called the Eatery ... I eat at the eatery almost every week ... burgers and tacos and calamari ... and South American coffee drinks that keep you up for 3 days ... (don't tell fleck) ...

downtown is where it's at ... the studio, the eatery, tattoos and the Stirring ... oh yeah, and the police department ... just in case some crazy guy tries to fight me or tries to choke me on the sidewalk ... downtown gets crazy ...

40 days ...

2009-01-22T10:11:00.000-08:00

40 days and counting ... we're having a baby ... 40 seems like an important number ...

40 days God floods the earth ...
40 days God's children wander in the wilderness ...
40 days Moses was on the mountain with God ...
40 days the spies are in the land ...
40 days of Jonah and Ninevah ...
40 days Ezekial lays on his right side ...
40 days Jesus was tempted by the Devil ...
40 days Jesus was seen by His disciples after resurrection ...

in 40 days, my life changes ...

life group ...

2009-01-21T21:27:00.000-08:00

our Life Group is out of control ...
26 of us sitting in a living room, reading Scripture and eating grapes ...

this week, we talked about honor, prophecy and women in ministry ... great thoughts and conversation ... we're reading 1st Timothy this week ... Paul writes this letter to his spiritual son Timothy ... calling him out as a young leader in Ephesus ... teaching him how to love ... teaching him how to honor ... teaching him how to lead ...

Paul writes ... "Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but be an example for other believers in your speech, behavior, love, faithfulness, and purity" ... 1st Timothy 4:12 ...

that's a good word right there ...

Erase the Dark ...

2009-01-19T00:03:00.000-08:00

we're still looking for songwriters, artists and filmmakers to get involved with Erase the Dark, our music, art and film festival ... friday night, March 6th ... save the date ... last year was amazing, and this year will blow your mind ...

and all proceeds go directly to provide shoes for the hundreds of kids at Cypress Elementary, one of the lower income schools in our city ... this is the calling of the church ... to put the love of God on display ... we can sing worship songs at church all day long, but the world is longing to see the love of God on display ...

if you want to get involved, let us know ...

Kris Vallotton at the Stirring ...

2009-01-15T23:21:00.000-08:00

hey everyone, we've invited Kris Vallotton to speak at the Stirring this coming Sunday night, January 18th @ 5 pm and 7 pm ...

if you've never heard Kris speak, you've got to be there ... Kris has such a burning passion for calling out and raising up a generation of sons and daughters ... over the past few years, he has had such a deep impact on my life and our church ... I just read his new book called "purity" ... great for anyone single or dating ... or those with a passion to mentor and walk alongside young couples ... we'll have copies of this book at the Stirring ... bring your checkbook ...

anyways, I'm stoked about this weekend and this honor series ... Derrick Fleck will be speaking in the morning gathering and Kris Vallotton will be speaking in the evening ... I can't wait to worship with our Stirring family and hear God's speak to us as a generation ... may we become men and women of honor ... may we learn how to humble ourselves as a generation ...

see you Sunday night ...

50 days ...

2009-01-12T23:03:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure what to write, but I have to draw attention to the creepy floating baby on my blog page .... 50 days and counting ...

we've been changing diapers and filling sippy cups for almost 6 years straight ... I can't remember a time when kids weren't hanging on my pant legs ... I can't walk down the hallway without stepping on a barbie or a plastic chainsaw ... they always forget to flush the toilet ... I've watched Finding Nemo 468 times ... and I wouldn't trade any of it for the world ... (except the nasty diapers) ...

this week, we begin our Spring Life Groups at the Stirring ... I'm teaming up with Bill and Jill Randall to lead a leadership group for the next 13 weeks ... over the years, both Bill and Jill have had such a deep and profound impact on my life ... they have encouraged me and challenged me and shaped me to become the man, the father, the husband and the leader that I am today ... I am so grateful for their voice in my life ... and now we get to spend the rest of our lives shaping young leaders who will shape the world ... there's nothing on earth I would rather be doing ...

in our life group, we'll be focusing on leadership, calling and character ... we're reading through portions of the New Testament as well as the book 'Next Generation Leader" ... I'm stoked about the young men and women who are apart of this group ...

anyways, watch out for dirty diapers and plastic chainsaws ... it's my life ...

honor: the lost virtue ...

2009-01-11T23:21:00.000-08:00

tonight at the Stirring, we began a new series called "Honor: the lost virtue" ...

over the past few years, I have been on a personal journey when it comes to honor ... learning how to honor my parents, how to honor the spiritual fathers and mothers in my life, how to honor leaders and how to honor other churches ...

you cannot read the Scriptures without being exposed to God's heart for honor ... Jesus teaches, "the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored" ... James writes, "humble yourself before God and He will honor you ... more than anything, honor is humility in action ... honor is how we humble ourselves before God ...

in America, we live in such an honorless culture ... we've thrown honor out the window ... instead of honor, we live gossip and betrayal and slander and jealousy and envy and division ... honor is the lost virtue ...

as a generation, can we recapture God's heart for honor? ... over the next few weeks, I'm praying that God would show us His heart for Honor ... that we would become a people of Honor who shape a culture of Honor ...

Erase the Dark ...

2009-01-09T23:23:00.000-08:00

in two months, the Stirring is hosting Erase the Dark, our music art and film festival ...

last year was amazing ... films and music videos ... original songwriting and music ... delicious food ... and over 100 pieces of art ...

this year, Erase the Dark will be on Friday evening, March 6th ... we'll feature 6 live performing artists, a couple short films, an art gallery and an interactive piece ... we've already spoken with a couple local filmmakers and songwriters ... if you want to be involved, please let us know ...

and the best part, all the proceeds goes directly to help the children at Cypress Elementary school in our city ... it's one of the lowest income schools in our area ... last year, we were able to purchase backpacks for almost 300 students on campus ... we bought gifts to thank every teacher ... we painted hallways and sanded bleachers ... we even designed a school shirt (thank you Juan) and gave every student a Cougar shirt ...

this year, it's all about shoes ... our goal is to raise enough money to buy shoes for every kid on that campus ... and partner with Cypress Elementary to help out in the most creative ways possible ... any ideas?

anyways, get involved ... church is more than just a chair ...

60 days ...

2009-01-02T00:12:00.001-08:00

what the heck? ... we're having a baby girl in 60 days ...

so, my wife and I just bought a Toyota Sienna mini-van ... 33,000 miles ... amazing condition ... steering wheel ... four beautiful tires ... CD player ... seats 8 adults and 14 children ... yep, we're mini-van people ... and we're stoked ... I drove it all the way home from Sacramento with a huge smile on my face (listening to Coldplay and Radiohead) ... I'm a proud mini-van dad ...

it's the first car we've bought in over 10 years ... crazy ... we're thinking about throwing a party in the mini-van for all our friends with children ... dancing and music and twister in the mini-van ... everyone's invited ...

anyways, I'm still freaking out about the 60 days thing ... that's just a few weeks ... hospitals make me sick and dizzy ... props to doctors and nurses and janitors and anyone who spends their lives in hospitals ... I couldn't do it ... my stomach gets weak ... I throw up in mouth and pass out ... I get dizzy and punch myself in the neck ... I go crazy and use those rubber gloves for balloons ... then someone tackles me on the ground and they drag me out on the street ... this has never happened, but you can imagine ... yep ...

anyways, I love my kids and I can't wait to meet Alicia ... happy new year ... it's past midnight and I'm a bit delirious ... blog on ...

car salesmen ...

2008-12-30T22:38:00.001-08:00

we spent the entire day with car salesmen ...

we threw our kids in the car (huge mistake) ... and drove into Sacramento ... we've spent the last 9 hours car shopping all over the city ...

the Honda Pilot ...
the Hyundai Entourage ...
the Kia Borrego ...
the Toyota Sienna ...

actually, it's the first time in 10 years we've shopped for a car ... punch me in the neck ... anyways, we almost bought 19 different cars ... so many options ... the sun roof, DVD players, 6 disc changers, electric windows, tinted windows, hydraulics ... pimped out mini-vans ... fortunately, we fought the urge to cave in ...

tomorrow, we set out again into the land of family cars ... I think we'll leave the kids with my parents ...

Stirring Anniversary ...

2008-12-29T13:42:00.000-08:00

this coming Sunday, we celebrate our two year Stirring Anniversary ...

we planted the Stirring church in January 2007 ... two years later, God has surrounded us with such amazing families and couples and students ... men and women who are so hungry for God ... we are so blessed and grateful for our church and how God has spoken and led us this past year ...

when God dreams ...
we are family ...
becoming who we are ...
face to face ...
we love, we make disciples ...
the elephant in the church ...
simple ...

one year ago, Dan and Alyssa Lance moved with their family from Riverside to join our staff ... we love these guys ...

four months ago, Emily Branca came on staff with a passion for the Stirring kids ... she is such a great leader with such a genuine heart for children ...

four months ago, Jenna Barney joined our staff as our worship leader ... Jenna chases after God ... there are few worship leaders with such a bold and focused passion for God ...

this year, T.J. Macke came on board to pastor and lead our Jr. High movement ... I enjoy his relational and creative approach to reaching the next generation ... we are grateful to see our Jr. High students learning how to follow Jesus ...

three months ago, Sean and Rebecca Gafner joined our staff to help plant the Sunday morning campus ... what an amazing team ... I can see God in their lives ... we are so blessed by our friendship with the Gafners ... and Sean's jambalaya ...

oh yeah ... and October 12th, we planted our Sunday morning Eureka Way campus ... we did it ... props to the launch team and everyone else threw down to make this happen ... once again, our team is the bomb ... they are servants ... and they are so in love with Jesus ...

it's been one amazing year ... period ... don't miss our two year Anniversary this Sunday morning and night ... worship and stories and vision and food ...

One Gathering ...

2008-12-26T22:40:00.000-08:00

hey everyone, this coming Sunday, December 28th, we're having an all Stirring gathering at the Eureka Way Campus at 10 am ... we're calling it the One Gathering ...

yep, the entire Stirring packed into the Adventist Church ... filling every pew and the balcony ... it's gonna be sweet ...

remember, NO Sunday evening Stirring ... No 5 pm gathering and NO 7 pm gathering ... One Gathering at 10 am ... everyone's invited ... coffee and donuts and muffins and pews ... bring your mom and your children and your friends ...

this Sunday, we're wrapping up the Simple Series ... it's been such an amazing few weeks ... live simple, love loud ...

and then next Sunday, January 4th, we'll celebrate our 2 year Anniversary as a church ... we'll be reflecting on where God has brought us as a church and where God is taking us this coming year ... you're all invited ...

merry Christmas and a happy new year ... stay away from creepy Santa ...

creepy Santa ...

2008-12-23T23:29:00.001-08:00

the other night, we were walking downtown and we came across Santa Claus, just sitting there bored ... yep ... no crazy long line of kids ... no elves ... no cameras ... no Santa sign ... no hype ... plain old Santa ... just sitting there all by himself ... bored ...

when Ava saw him sitting there, she ran up to sit on his lap ... creepy ... some old man in a Santa costume downtown ... passing out candy canes ... talking to my daughter about Barbie and roller skates ... what am I supposed to do? ... it's Santa ... I felt like tackling him on the ground and ripping off that fake beard ... and shouting, "you're not the real Santa because I saw the real Santa in the Mt. Shasta mall!" ... and then I'd run off with his beard ... but I didn't ...

at this point, my youngest daughter Adiah is terrified ... she refuses to sit on Santa's lap ... thank God ... instead, she runs up and grabs a candy cane and runs away ... amazing ...

yep, Christmas Eve at the Cascade ... Wednesday night ... 5 pm and 7 pm ...

I spent some time today reading through the Christmas Story and praying about the gathering tomorrow evening ... I'm stoked ... Garrett Viggers and Jamie White are leading worship ... we're showing a couple of our Stirring films ... and Bill Randall and I are reading the advent Scriptures ... sweet ...

this Christmas, may we know the peace and joy and love of God ... and whatever you do, don't sit on Santa's lap ... it's a trap ... grab a candy cane and run ...

the longest day of the week ...

2008-12-22T01:00:00.000-08:00

it's late Sunday night ... I'm laying in bed wide awake ... it's been such a great day ... I'm convinced that Sunday is the longest day of the week ...

if you're wondering, this is my typical Sunday ...

wake up at 7:30 ...
get dressed and cruise downtown to the Eureka Way campus ...
I drop off the laptop computer ...
I cruise down to Starbucks for a doubleshot on ice ...
I speak at the 10 am gathering ...
We eat lunch at Burrito Bandito ...
I nap ...
I cruise to the Bechelli Campus ...
on the way, I buy two footlong turkey Subway sandwiches ...
I speak at the 5 pm gathering ...
I eat a Subway sandwich and drink iced tea ...
I speak at the 7 pm gathering ...
I pray for people, tear down a stage and cruise home at 10 pm ...
my wife and I watch a movie ...

tonight, my wife and I watched "Run, Fatboy, Run" ... amazing ... what a great film ... I hope I get it for Christmas ... once again, I am inspired to write and direct films ... since the first time I watched "Good Will Hunting" in the theater years ago, I have been fascinated with film writing ... actually, I wrote a film years ago, but I lost it ... bummer ...

anyways, I'm looking forward to Christmas Eve at the Cascade ... don't miss it ... enjoy God and drink protein shakes ...

vanilla protein shakes ...

2008-12-16T23:48:00.001-08:00

I'm drinking two vanilla protein shakes a day ... with a banana ... I'm hooked ... and I'm working out a bit ... 4 times a week ... gluts and biceps and legs and chest and triceps ... unbelievable ... I'm that guy ... 'gym' guy ... drinking shakes and eating chicken and curling dumbbells and doing crunches on a huge pink ball ... yep ... crazy ...

my work out partner is a professional trainer ... I've put on 5 pounds ... my arms are huge ... I can bench almost 135 ... everyone at the gym knows my name ... last week, I got crazy on the weights and almost killed myself ... jacked up my neck ... just a reminder, I'm still a little guy ... drinking vanilla protein shakes with bananas ...

anyways, it's been such a great few weeks ... it's great to alive ... and ripped ...

simple ...

2008-12-15T16:16:00.000-08:00

at the Stirring, we're in this series called simple ... in a world spilling into the margins, Jesus calls us back into a simple focused life ...

we've talked about money and time and relationships ... we live in a culture that devours margin ... margin is having space in your life ... space for God and space for relationships ... margin is running but not running as fast as you can ... margin is showing up somewhere early ... margin is not having to be somewhere in five minutes ... margin is getting to the end of the month and having money leftover because you spent less than you earned ... imagine that ... margin is rest ... margin is life ...

and when we live without margin, we get stressed out, we get self consumed and more than anything, relationships suffer ... because relationships happen in the margin ...

when it comes to our paychecks and our schedules and our time and our relationships, Jesus calls us to become a people of margin ... spend less than you earn ... learn how to rest ... enjoy God ... spend a Sabbath day with your family ... unclench your fists and let God be God ... stop trying to control every aspect of your life ... stop trying to cram 7 days work into 5 work days ... slow down ... take your shoes off ... chase what matters ... do you have margin in your life? ... this is what it means to follow Jesus ...

our prayer is simple ... teach us to live simple so we can live loud ...

90 days ...

2008-12-03T23:03:00.000-08:00

90 days to go ... 4 kids ... what the heck?

We're stoked about this little girl ... a few weeks BEFORE we knew we were pregnant, an older lady prayed for me at the Stirring ... she encouraged me and then prayed for my family ... she asked, "how many children do you have?" ... to which I replied, "3" ... she smiled and responded, "you've got another child on the way, a little girl and she's a special one" ... I laughed to myself ... not another child, and for sure, not another girl ... a couple weeks later, we found out that we were pregnant ... and yep, a little girl ... tampons and periods and boyfriends and lipstick ... my future ...

I'm so blessed to have such an amazing wife and family ...

live simple, love loud ...

2008-12-01T20:45:00.000-08:00

just wrapped up a week vacation with my family ... I feel rested and ready for the Christmas season ...

it's beginning to feel a bit like Christmas ... we just threw up Christmas lights around our house ... this year, I'm competing with my next door neighbor ... moving lights, moving reindeer, moving elves, whatever it takes ... it's on ...

we just got our family pictures back from Emily Faulknor ... amazing ... great shots of the family and the kids ... my wife is sexy and my kids are crazy ... I love it ... thanks emily ... you are so talented and we miss you so much ...

last Sunday, Dan kicked off our new series Simple ... I'm stoked about the next few weeks ... life gets so busy and hurried and empty ... Jesus confronts our cluttered lives ... Jesus confronts our busy schedules ... Jesus confronts our shallow relationships ... Jesus calls us back to one thing ... live simple, love loud ...

I'm reading three great books ... Margin, Simple Church and the Pressure's off ... great books calling us back to the simple life of Jesus ... if you get a chance, read Matthew 11:28-30 ... life changing ...

leftovers and michael jackson ...

2008-11-28T18:33:00.001-08:00

hey everyone ... happy day after thanksgiving ...

today, we relaxed and we shopped ... I bought a new jacket, drank a Starbucks double shot on ice, and we took the family on a good old fashioned hay ride ... 4000 pound horses ... creepy ...

now, we're sitting around eating turkey leftovers ... there's nothing more satisfying than turkey leftover sandwiches with mayo and cranberry sauce ... apparently Americans consume more turkey during Thanksgiving than any other time of the year ... amazing ... I can't stop eating ... and later tonight, leftover pumpkin pie ... I've already gained 16 pounds ...

oh yeah, and I just found out that Michael Jackson is coming to the Arco Arena next year ... I can't wait ... thriller and bad and dangerous ... the moonwalk ... I'm hoping the Myriad will open for him ... the greatest show ever ...

family vacation ...

2008-11-25T14:39:00.000-08:00

finally, family vacation ... I'm sitting with my beautiful and rambunctious daughters in a condo in Bend, Oregon ... we've been watching movies and searching the woods for baby tigers ... we found a baby tiger cave, but I think the tigers were sleeping ... we'll go back later to capture one and bring it back to Redding ... every family needs a pet tiger ...

this morning, I slept in until 10:30 am ... walked along with river with my parents ... ran around with my son ... drank a protein shake ... and tonight we're going into town for dinner ... and then I'll introduce my son Asher to the world of hot tubbing ... as a family, we love hot tubs ... and tonight my son will become a man ...

stirring kids film ...

2008-11-23T23:00:00.000-08:00

hey everyone ... we're thinking about producing a short kids film for Christmas ... we'd like to film on Saturday afternoon, December 5th around 2 pm ... we're looking for 12 children, anywhere between the ages of 2 and 8 ... we'll be interviewing some of our Stirring kids ... also, if you want to be involved in costume or production, please let me know ... we need costumes and props and flannel graph Jesus figures ... you'll see ...

anyways, please let me know if you have children who might be interested and available on Saturday, December 5th ... we'll be showing this bit at the Stirring and at the Christmas Eve gathering at the Cascade ... sweet ...

market street manor ...

2008-11-22T20:34:00.000-08:00

around noon, I threw my family in the Oldsmobile and we cruised down to the Market Street Manor ...

we joined up with the Cables, the Stirring and the Bridge Community Church to encourage and bless the families living downtown in the Market Street Manor ... moms and children and families and soup and smiles and cookies ... amazing ... we love God, we love each other, we love the world and we love the least ... that's church ...

I love bringing my kids with me ... Ava was asking so many questions ... "why are we eating soup?" ... "who are these people?" ... Ava wanted to make a cameo on my blog ... she writes, "we gave clothes to kids and people ... we gave food, too ... we ate lots of soup" ... (ava's first blog) ...

on the homefront, our whole family is sick ... headaches and runny noses and achy bones ... monday morning, we leave for our family vacation to Bend, Oregon ... I can't wait ... hot tubs and bears ... that's the life ...

vampires and hot tubs ...

2008-11-20T23:14:00.000-08:00

it's 11:14 pm ... I'm finishing up a paper for my theology class ... yep, Karl Barth ...

my wife just called me from Movies 8 ... she's been waiting in line all night for that new vampire film 'twilight' ... high school flick with sharp teeth and creepy goth vampire girls ... she bought me a ticket and she's sitting in the theater right now ... the theater is already packed for the midnight showing ... 496 women and 3 men ... punch me in the face ...

my wife asked me if I wanted to sit with my brother Jeremy or with her ... I laughed out loud ... of course, I want to sit with her ... how embarrassing to watch a girl vampire movie with my brother ... no question, I'm sitting with my wife ... if people laugh at me, I'll just point to my wife and tell them she dragged me to watch it with her ... now who's laughing? ...

anyways, my brother Jeremy just called and asked me if I would sit with him (Meghan didn't save him a seat with her) ... I laughed out loud again ... "there's no way I'm sitting with you" ... so he's stuck sitting by himself in the back of the theater ... he's that guy ... sitting alone in the goth chick vampire flick ...

anyways, this whole vampire thing is out of control ... I'd rather be hot tubbing ... more to come ...

starbucks in heaven?

2008-11-19T20:18:00.000-08:00

i spend most of my life in Starbucks ...
reading books ...
writing in my journal ...
studying scripture ...
praying and thinking and dreaming ...
mentoring Jesus followers ...
meeting new people ...
drinking coffee (which I don't really like) ...
yesterday, I sampled the new Christmas blend ...
it all tastes the same to me ...
one question: will there be Starbucks in heaven? ...
coffee? ...
coffee shops? ...
starbucks double shot on ice? ...
I'm curious ...

the wild donkey ...

2008-11-18T00:04:00.001-08:00

inspired by Dan's message on Sunday night, I wrote a worship song (and I threw some cardboard in the blue recycle bin) ... it's called the wild donkey ... it's from Job 38 & 39 ... here are the lyrics ... I'm hoping Jenna will let me introduce it at the Stirring this next weekend ... sorry, i can't give you the chords for copyright issues ...

verse:
Leaves are green
Trees are green
Grass is green
God loves green

pre-chorus:
who can tell the lightning where to bolt?
who can speak to the baby mountain goat?
who can tell the oceans where to break?
who can comfort the fawn while she mates?

chorus:
You let the wild donkey go free
And God, You still love me
You untied its ropes so it could go free
And God, You still love me

we've are officially done with the elephant in the church series ... greed, sex, drinking, politics, pornography and the environment ... if you missed it, listen to the podcast ... God has so much to say about this stuff ...

to our church, the Stirring ... you have been so encouraging and courageous ... you bless me and challenge me as a leader ... it's been such an amazing two years ... keep chasing Jesus ... there is so much more ... and it's just the beginning ...

the perfect day ...

2008-11-17T22:07:00.000-08:00

woke up late ...
worked out with a friend at his private gym for trainers ...
chest and biceps ... I'm huge ...
drank one of those protein shakes with a banana ...
hung out with family ...
ate lunch with grandpa at Tai Cafe ... mango sticky rice ...
shopping for 9 hours at Winco ...
met some Bethel students who were on a treasure hunt in Winco ...
it reminded me of scavenger hunts in high school ...
carried 37 bags of groceries into the house ...
met with the Stirring Advisory team at P.C.I. for dinner ...
steaks, potatoes and salad ...
watched Heroes with my wife on the couch ...
ate a bowl of granola cereal ...
blogged ...
the perfect day, except 9 hours at Winco ...

august rush ...

2008-11-14T22:56:00.000-08:00

friday night ...
just watched August Rush again with my wife ...
what a great film ...
these kind of films inspire me ...
to write songs ...
to write films ...
to start a rock band ...
to learn the cello ...

music has always been such a huge part of my life ... I always hear music ... on most days, there's a song resounding in my soul ... I hum melodies throughout the day ... and when I see a piano, I must sit down and tap them out ... music draws me to God ... music draws me to His heart ...

one of my favorite verses in Scripture talks about God singing ... "the Lord takes great delight in you, He will quiet you His love, He will rejoice over you with singing" ... Zephaniah 3:17 ...

I'll never forget an interview I saw with Bono a couple of years ago ... he was talking about music and songwriting and God ... he said, "God gives me melodies, it's my gift" ...

David writes, "God has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God" ... Psalm 40:3 ...

I'm not sure where this blog is going ... it's late ... my teeth ache ... my wife is talking to me about something, but I'm not really listening ... maybe one day, my brother Jeremy will ask me to join the Myriad ... I could wear tight pants, cowboy boots and color my hair black ... goodnight ...

the perfect worship set ...

2008-11-13T23:23:00.000-08:00

every worship leader dreams about the perfect worship set ...

you know, the one that makes everyone laugh and cry and fall on the ground and raise their hands ... and the songs all flow together ... and the sound guy has tears in his eyes ... and the drum fills are angelic ... and you're singing words that aren't even on the screen ... the perfect worship set ...

of course, it's all about the perfect worship songs ... so, I've decided to dedicate this blog to the perfect worship set ... 5 songs, that's it ... and maybe one song for ministry time at the end of the service (while everyone stands around wondering IF the service has actually ended or IF they should keep standing around until the pastor jumps back on the microphone and says 'you can be dismissed' or 'awesome') ...

so, whether you're a worship leader or you own a Delirious album or you play acoustic or you can't sing or your last name is Yoder, please WEIGH IN with the perfect worship set ... don't be shy ...

the perfect worship set ...

Show your Power (everyone clapping & Aaron Wardle singing back up)
In the Light (strobe light, fog machine & my brother Jeremy on electric)
Where you go I go (Scott Davis on drums upside down wearing yellow tank top)
I could sing of your love forever (with Russ York & teenage boys choir)
Send Your Rain (grand piano & Jon Klein on harmonica)

Wash Over me (with live marching band during final chorus)

top that ...

111 days ...

2008-11-12T18:13:00.000-08:00

creepy floating baby ...

she's alive ... she's moving ... I think she's Hispanic ...

in 111 days, my life will change ...

3 girls ... 1 boy ... 2 chihuahuas ... 1 huge cat ...

nathan, welcome to life ...

not in my house ...

2008-11-10T23:08:00.000-08:00

it's late, but I feel like blogging ... I'm praying and God is speaking ...

last week, God woke me up in the middle of the night ... I prayed ... as I prayed, God began speaking to me about pornography ... God began showing me the war in the Spirit against pornography ... there's a war raging in heaven against pornography ... Satan has this handful of porn ... I saw his hand of porn so deep in our lives, so deep in the church, so deep in our families, so deep in our marriages and even shaping our children ...

as I prayed, I saw the people of God so consumed and defeated by pornography and lust ... trapped under dark clouds of guilt and shame ... though I saw a great army of God's people, each man and each woman felt alone ... some were fighting, but most had given up and given in ...

then I saw God rise from the darkness ... I saw God rise in compassion and justice ... I saw God rise with a sword to cut off the enemies hand ... and I heard God shout from heaven, "NOT in my HOUSE!" ... with holy anger, I saw God cut off Satan's hand of porn ... and the people of God were set free ...

as I prayed and wept, I felt God's freedom in my home ... I felt God's freedom in my marriage ... I felt God's freedom in my family ... "NOT in my HOUSE!" ... I cried out to God on behalf of my son, Asher ... I felt God's freedom for Asher ...

it is for freedom that Jesus Christ has set us free ... the enemy has been defeated ... Jesus triumphed over the enemy on the cross ... the battle belongs to God ... and God rises with compassion and justice to cut off the enemies hand ...

so humble yourselves before God.
resist the devil and he will flee from you.
draw close to God, and God will draw close to you.
James 4:7, 8

may you know the freedom of Jesus Christ in your life ...

the church plant ...

2008-11-10T22:35:00.000-08:00

5 weeks ago, we planted our Sunday morning Stirring on Eureka Way ... the Stirring with pews ... it's been a crazy few weeks ... we've been tackling the elephants in the church ... greed and sex and politics and pornography ... the perfect way to plant a church ...

props to our launch team ... they're on it ... the prayer team and the worship team and the Stirring Kids team and the greeters and the sound guys and all our amazing Sunday morning peeps ... we're so proud of you ... your love for Jesus and your passion for people ...

we've met so many new families and couples and students ... this past Sunday, we had over 18 preschoolers in one of our 5 classrooms ... unbelievable ... God is speaking and God is filling and God is moving ... I'm so grateful ...

as we move into this stressful, busy, hurried, rushed and depressing holiday season, my prayer is that we would SLOW down enough to hear God's voice, to sit at His feet, to rest in His presence ... God is calling us face to face ... may we live face to face with Jesus ...

yellow number three ...

2008-11-06T16:30:00.000-08:00

10 years ago, I wrote my first song ... yellow number three ... I wrote this song about a painting that hung on the wall in my Lancer's apartment (home of the greatest disco dance party ever) ...

Yellow sky and golden fields, how we used to love to play, and how I came here not expecting anything to go my way

As young as I feel, as far as I can see, running arms wide open on a shady after Tuesday and I would shake off all my leaves

If I could scoop them up and have you once again, and I would shake off my leaves, to have you once again, but you’ve left me all alone, just hangin on a wall

How Can i get away, from all the things that bring me back to you
Somehow I’ll make it through

As young as I feel, as far as i can see, crawling on our hands and knees, underneath a wire on a fence, it catches on your shirt, your Skin Shines through, but I know that you don’t care, it reminds you of the stupid things we’ve done

I dedicate this blog to the boys who lived at Lancers ... I'll never forget those years ... stay classy ...

national vote day ...

2008-11-04T22:28:00.000-08:00

I almost forgot, today is national Vote Day ... so I voted ...

because I love my mom MORE than I love my veal, I voted yes on Proposition 2 for animal rights ... animals need rights, too ... rights to move their legs and extend their arms and walk around fields like all the other animals ... to keep them locked up in cages and boxes is pure evil ... it's animal ...

anyways, I voted and I wore that sticker with pride ... and I just checked online and I guess that Obama guy just won the election ... I think he's a democrat ... anyways, I hope he cares about the animals as much as my mom ...

the porn addicted elephant ...

2008-11-04T22:01:00.000-08:00

yes, there's a porn addicted elephant in the church ... it's one of the most evil and destructive elephants ...

in the Stirring, we're in this series called the Elephant in the Church ... we're tackling the issues that everyone's thinking about (or looking at), yet so many times, no one's talking about it ... and we're convinced that when we talk about this stuff as a church, we experience a healthy tension ... and God wants to weigh in ...

we've talked about the greedy elephant (a great way to launch a new campus), the sexy elephant (my mom showed up), the drunk elephant (carried a six pack of Pale Ale on stage) and the political elephant (one word: submert) ...

this coming weekend, we're exposing the porn addicted elephant ... it's huge ... when it comes to pornography, we're praying that God would bring freedom to a generation ... that God would bring healing and hope to our marriages ... that God would shine His light on this scheme of the enemy ...

to infinity and beyond ...

2008-11-01T16:58:00.000-07:00

last night, we took our kids to the Risen King Harvest Carnival ... what a blast ... throwing footballs through swinging tires ... throwing darts at balloons ... cake walks ... huge bounce houses ... hundreds of kids eating candy and running around filled with sugar ... creepy clowns ... who doesn't love carnivals? ...

Asher wore the best costume ever ... Buzz Light Year ... wings and flashing lights ... seriously, he's the man ... I gave him a lollipop and he chilled with me all night ... next year, I want to dress him up as a little Darth Vader ... my kids love Star Wars ...

growing up, my parents were anti-Halloween ... you know, the Devil's holiday ... so we weren't allowed to 'trick or treat' or dress up or bob for apples ... so instead, my parents would take us in the mini-van on a little Halloween vacation ... we would take a family road trip out of town, we'd eat dinner at some Chinese buffet, and then we'd stayed at a classy hotel with an indoor swimming pool and hot tub ... that was Halloween ...

so, while everyone else grew up 'trick or treating' and dressing up like vampire's and butterflies, we were eating at buffet's and swimming in hot tubs ... later on, my parents lightened up and let us celebrate Halloween ... but I do admit, I miss those Halloween family vacations ...

late night blog ...

2008-10-28T23:46:00.001-07:00

I realize I haven't blogged in days ... yes, I'm alive ...

I'm taking a Master's counseling class at Simpson this week ... 40 hours ... I'm learning how to listen and how to pray and how to encourage and how to grieve ... I'm learning how to slow down and love thick ... I'm reading three ginormous textbooks ... I'm drinking coffee to stay awake ...

last night, God woke me up in the night ... I can't talk about it on this blog, but God spoke something so clearly to me for our church ... I prayed and wept and journaled and then went back to bed ... God is so real ... I shared it with my wife tonight ... we're praying for God to give us courage and wisdom to lead the Stirring through such an exciting and stretching time ... God has given Erica so much wisdom ... I'm so grateful to have her in my life ...

I'm praying for Randy and Kristen Miller ... last week, they found cancer in Randy's body ... it's hard to believe ... Randy is one of the most courageous and encouraging men I have ever met ... I'm proud to stand with him in this time ...

these days, I live in a tension ... so much to be grateful for and so much to grieve ... one thing I know, God is so good ...