God as our "Ultimate Creator"

Before "time" God was there. I often forget that before creation God was there and I now wonder what He did before He created earth. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth..." The beginning spoken of here is our beginning as a created species on a created planet with created heavens and earth. God was and is the supreme being and authority in our lives, in humanity, on earth, and in the heavens and space around our planet. As the "ultimate creator" God creatively made all that we know including us. Each of us is different in some way... physically, mentally, spiritually, etc. We, like God, are also creative but in our own way. We cannot create something out of nothing (ex nihilo) like God did. What we can do is show God's love to others in creative ways. We have the ability to create ways to reach others and share the gospel with them. I pray that we can actively seek out creative ways to reach people and minister to them in a variety of ways.

Clean Hands and a Pure Heart

I am 1 hour away from FUEL where I will be speaking out of Psalm 24:1-6. The topic is Give Us Clean Hands and a Pure Heart. We must strive to present ourselves sanctified, pure, and clean before God each day. We let too many things in our life run how we live our life. Possessions are what push us, not the passion for a relationship with our Father in heaven. I pray that my students will learn something tonight that will speak to them in a way that will push them to flee from the things of this world and pursue God. I hope they will set aside the idols, emotions, and physical "needs" they think mean everything to life. We will be writing things that come between us and God onto a large canvas that already has a clean hand identical to the on in this picture. The words of... anger, sadness, friends, pain, status, beauty, etc. will fill up the space that surrounds the hand to leave only a "clean hand" which is purified by setting aside all the things in our life that lead us astray. When you meet God and He stretches out His hand to you... will you be able to grab His hand or will you end up handing Him your cell phone, your computer, list of people you hate, a list of people who are "more beautiful than you", etc. You need to have clean hands to be able to grab thhe hand of your creator when it comes to that day and each day when you spend your time with Him - you should pursue purity as if He is right next to you... because HE IS!

Baptizing My First Youth

Last Sunday August 9th I got to baptize a rising-sophomore named Brittany. She got saved while we were at camp and I got to baptize her as my second ever baptism but my first youth! It was truly a great day where our church was able to celebrate with her in the salvation that we all have in Jesus Christ. I look forward to baptizing so many more students in my ministry. God was revealed that day and as He is everyday. I only hope to catch a glimpse of His greatness each and every day. I know this can happen if I wake up each day looking for what God has planned for me and not what desires I have planned for myself. Thank you God for your greatness and mercy!

The Month of July!!!!!!!!

WOW! July was a great month for me. It began with taking 11 youth to Cedarville, Ohio for Student Life Missions Camp (6-10). We had one girls get saved and another who rededicated her life to Christ. We did work at Adcare Hearth and Home for alzheimers patients. the kids really enjoyed it and now we will begin doing it hear in Lexington in September. Jeremy Kingsley was a great speaker and Rush of Fools did a great job leading worship. The lead singer, Wes, came and spoke to our group one night along with Dustin, the lead guitarist. It was great to meet and greet with those guys in a small personal setting. The day after we got back from camp I left for Peru for a week (11-18). Where do I begin... I got to preach on the 12th twice. Once in the morning to 53 youth where 27 were saved and once in the evening where over 25 were saved. We handed out hundreds of Bibles throughout the week in Lima, Gomorrah, and Pachacutec. We got to share the Gospel and hand out blankets to prostitutes in downtown Lima where several were saved. It was a great week where hundreds were saved and hundreds more had seeds planted. I came back to Lexington for a week before heading to Las Vegas/San Diego for Cory Wells' wedding (29-3). In Las Vegas we saw 2 Cirque du Soleil shows - LOVE and O. They were awesome! I got to play TPC Las Vegas where I shot 73. We drove to Riverside, CA for Cory's wedding on the 1st and then on the 2nd drive to LaJolla where I played Torrey Pines South with Marc Mangiafico. I shot 76 there with an eagle on 13. It was a great day... I loved it! Ahhhhhh the month of July is now over.