CHIC 2K9 Day 1

Covenant High in Christ 2009 (CHIC 2K9) was a great experience.  It is for the Evangelical Covenant Church denomination.  It was held at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.  It happens every three years.  Over 5000 high schoolers attended.  I wrote a few notes on facebook when I returned recapping each day and message.  In the next few days I'll post my recaps of what the messages where in my pre-senior year of high school thought and writing.  At the beginning of each day I may have a quote from that speaker.

Day 1

The first speaker was Erwin McManus.  He mostly talked about how everyone has dreams inside of us and we are what he called, dream incubators.  We just have to take that dream and run with it.  It can be used as we want it to be.  That dream is not really our dream per se, but God's dream, plan, for us.  God has a dream for each and every one of us. It is up to us to decide what to do with it.  Do we follow it? Do we take and run with it? Or do we throw it away and make our own dream? The 2nd choice is the best choice, the one we should take.  The first is okay...and the third is selfish and can become frustrating because it doesn't result in eternal satisfaction. Aka, satisfaction that lasts. That only comes with the second choice which is God's plan for your life. Are you gonna follow God's dream for your life?

So what are you going to do? Are you going to open your ears and listen to what God has to say? Pray and think about His plans for your life and just run with it? Or are you going to do what you want to do?

I'm choosing to run with it.

Dream Big, follow Christ's plan for your life.  Experience that Eternal Satisfaction

Freshman year over, Already?

Wow.  Freshman year sure did go by quickly. So much has happened. So many friends have been made. So much spiritual growth has happened. So much knowledge gained. Where do I begin?

College couldn't come any quicker for me.  High school was great and all, but I was ready to move on to bigger and better things. I  wanted Deep friendships where I was able to share whatever I could.  I was ready to grow spiritually.  I was ready to make new friends. To fall in love. All of those things happened and MORE happened , but falling in love. That will come in the Lord's good timing.

The only thing I'm able to say as a response. God is GOOD! All the glory to Him!

I begin by saying I am incredibly thankful for what has happened this year. Praise God!  The Lord brought me to David Burkett to room with in Wiley Hall. An older guy.  I learned a lot from him. Patience. Respect for parents.  Cru does things the way they do for a reason, they have experience. LOL means League of legends. How to be creative with our room (wireless light switch so we don't have to use the normal room light, its like a hospital light. and coloring on our windows).

I learned a lot from the Wiley men.  I heard some great poop stories.  I experienced my first real authentic Bible study.  Where it was led by a peer, where we really dive into the Word of God.  I learned how to take different views on the Bible.  I learned how to have a Godly discussion about the Word of God and be edifying to each other. I learned how to take constructive criticism. I found brothers in Christ.  I met great people...too many to name.  I learned being myself is fantastic from Phong. Its okay to know a lot of people and be social.  I was lifted up when I fell by these men. And I chose to leave them, which I am deeply saddened by. But I was called to a ministry in a different dorm...but I'll get to that little fact later.

Indy Christmas Conference came.  I learned a lot that week.  The first semester of college I hung out with girls a lot.  It always just happened, I never really tried to.  One thing I had been praying for since at least junior high was a best friend.  And at this conference I realized I needed to be more intentional. Intentional about hanging out with other guys.  The last night of the conference I felt like being by myself during worship. A now good friend, Cody Wilson, saw me and invited me to stand with him. He had no clue who I was. But that was the beginning of a beautiful friendship that developed this past semester.  Oh and my great friendship with Ethan also started here as well, when I just opened up to him about something that was bugging me.

In february was freshman retreat. The theme of it was "Audience of One."  So pretty much what I learned from that is it doesn't matter what you're doing, just do it for the Lord, for He is the only one who really matters. I also was an emcee for the last session. I happened to be sick, but I really enjoyed doing that with the one and only Andrea Devries.  I believe this retreat also sparked a great friendship between Tom Agler, Ethan Hall, and me.

During spring break I went on Big Break to Panama City Beach, Florida.  It was my first time to Florida and my first time really sharing my faith.  I loved it!  I learned so much about how to share my faith in an effective way that shows I really care about the person.  I learned God can use me, even if I feel like I totally messed up or I'm not good enough.  A way to state that is God uses crooked sticks to draw straight lines.

Early February I Bryan Searfoss accepted my offer to be roommates and I decided to move from Wiley to McCutcheon.  Mid march I started to go to McCru small group and late march to early April I really made the push to become a part of the group. I figured getting to know the Mcru people now would make first semester of Sophomore year easier. I also thought it'd be easier to focus on ministry then. I did become a part of the group. In fact I feel as if I'm a part of the McCru family and I love it! I look forward to the coming years in McCutcheon. I can't wait to see what God will do.

All this to say is WOW! God is good!


LORD, I know that people’s lives are not their own;
   it is not for them to direct their steps.
-Jeremiah 10:23


God directed me to all these things that happened, especially McCutcheon. and I know big things that only He knows will happen. and I know He has a plan.


For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
-Jeremiah 29:11

I guess I'm a Blogger Now

First I should probably point out the main reason I have this blog is to keep my friends and family updated on what is going on during my summer project.  Hopefully I'll be able to keep this up during the summer.  I do plan on writing still after the project is over. Whether it be after a Cru conference or just what God is telling me to write or copies of things I've written in the past. I'm still going to use this.

Starting June 10th, I have an incredible opportunity to go on a summer project to Anchorage, Alaska.  It is one of three stateside (I'm unsure if there are international men's projects...I doubt it). Campus Crusade for Christ projects that are men's projects.  That means  about 20 other men and I will go to Alaska together.  It will be a rare opportunity indeed.  One I will be able to experience God's beautiful creation, Alaska. Alaska is one of the most amazing places in the U.S., even the world.  I will also be immersed in a community of Christian men unlike any other time in my life up to this point. And I will potentially never be immersed in such a community again.  This summer I will be bent and broken in ways only God knows.  I will grow as a man of God.  I will become more like the man God created me to be.

A big reason I am going on this project is to share my faith.  I will share my faith within my workplace and I will go out on the streets and share it there.  I will try and reflect Jesus with my actions and words in the workplace.  I will also share the gospel.  To do this, I will most likely use various tools Cru tools, such as perspective cards and the knowing God personally booklet.  A quick overview of what I will share is:

1. God loves you, created you, and has a plan for you.

2.  We have sinned and fall short of the perfection God calls us to. Therefore we are separated from God.

3. God sent His only son Jesus Christ to Earth who lived a perfect life and died on the cross and rose again three days later.

4. It isn't enough to just know this, we must respond. We must accept Jesus Christ as our only Saviour.

I need to raise at least $3150 or $3750 for the extra expenses.  That is a lot of money.  But I am trusting in my Lord and Saviour to provide.  He has blessed me with a large company of people who know the Lord and may be willing to support me on this adventure of a lifetime.

Now you my reader.  You may have the most important job of all. Prayer.  I ask that you pray for me.

• That I follow the Lord's will.  
• That I'm bent and broken, 
• that I grow as a man of God this summer. 
•  That I listen to God when He tells me to talk to people. 
•  That He'd prepare me to talk to those people
•  and those people to talk to me.
• Safe travel to and from Alaska...I'm flying
• Safety while in Alaska.

ALL the GLORY to God.

Amen.