Wednesday, December 29, 2010

A crazzzzzzzy year!! (Some crazy stories from my life)

ps. I highly recommend stopping and reflecting on the year past. Reminds you to be thankful for the good in your life.

I've noticed some people looking back at 2010 and I thought I'd do the same. This is really long, but really worth it... take 15 minutes and just read it.

Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah is playing right now... I'm not sure if that's adding to the emotional intensity... but wow I'm also brought to tears when I think of where I was a year ago and to think what God has done in me this year.

January through March summed up the end of an 8 month escape... From mass amounts of drinking to gaming to pot, all wrapped up in lies and darkness, at the end of the 8 months came a cross roads where I saw with clarity my choice of death or life. Thank God for good friends, his grace and strength. I saw where I was headed with my addictive personality, desire to 'feel less' of the pain inside me, and it scared the crap out of me. I signed a month contract to stop my selfish lifestyle of indulgence, and pulled it off by his grace...

In May God stole my heart. He showed me his love again, and showed me his grace that I never understood growing up. THIS CHANGED EVERYTHING.

Summer was an amazing time of being refreshed in Gods grace and reminded of his call for my life... Nanoose Bay Teen camp was awesome... I love seeing people worship... especially young people. Street Invaders was also really sweet times.

Sept-Dec has been a blur. So many good things have happened. Seeing people grow and encounter God at City Youth has been so awesome... In october we also were able to record our first CY EP 'A World of Change' and play with Hillsong Youth... both big highlights of the year. Since then God has been growing my heart for what he wants at CY + with CY worship... dreaming and believing for even greater things.

Adison + Christina having kids has also been amazing... I feel like an uncle + those kids bring me big joy. Seeing new miracles of life grow is pretty incredible.

I'll share this story to finish. It's just one of the many crazy ways God has showed me grace in the past two years, but this story is a good picture of how God has kept me alive. This isn't the first time God has kept me from death...

(I had to take the story down because of certain risks with certain authorities... apparently...)

I've also been 6 months without alcohol which is HUGE... and I celebrate that.  More over, I celebrate Gods incredible grace and love towards mankind, his children; The beauty of second, third and fourth chances; how God takes a life and uses it for good... for his glory. How I can live in faith of who Jesus is and have JOY + HOPE deep within me. That I can expect AMAZING things for the future because I'm in love with an AMAZING God who loves me and has the best possible plans ahead. This is life to the fullest. This is love in its purest. This is what its all about. Don't fool yourself into thinking anything else. Nothing else compares to who Jesus is and what life with him is like. It's the greatest love we will ever see or know.

HUGE THANKS to my family for their incredible grace + putting up with my disgusting life-leeching selfishness. To Benson Hicks for his incredible loyalty as a friend when I needed someone most. To Adison Norman, Lukas Bonnett + Evan Allnutt for speaking life and being amazing dudes. HUGE THANKS to all the friends in Australia who prayed and fought for me... Jason Maynard, Logan Reinard, Rob Ricotta, Matthew Pugh and more... my sister Joy Liira who prayed for me every day for months. To Andrew Evans for his honesty and many coffees to point me in the right direction. Also massive love to Lisa + Roy Milner who opened their home and hearts... Roy Milner... you were the guy who had the guts to speak the hard truth that I didn't want to hear that brought me back to reality. I love you all so much and you'll have some sweet gifts in heaven... I can't wait for the day when we're all hanging there together. It's going to be amazing.

Sorry for the long post, there's just so much I want to say.  These have been the hardest two years of my life... But heres what I want to say. I've had hundreds of opportunities to give up this year. I've had massive battles, huge temptation, and really hard fights. GODS GRACE has kept me in the game and allowed me to move forward. Heres the deal guys... Don't settle for an average life. Don't believe the bullshit lies that are keeping you from moving forward. If you have given your life to Jesus Christ and are living for his cause... You are destined for HUGE purpose. For BIG influence. In obedience and dying to self there is TRUE JOY. In living to love others there is FULFILLMENT. If you don't live with Jesus you're missing everything and can't know or understand true love.

Instead of bullshiting some new-years resolutions that have such little value and won't amount to anything... commit to allowing your mind to be transformed by the power of the word of God. Hebrews 4:12-13 says: 12-13God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon's scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God's Word. We can't get away from it—no matter what. Spend some time to allow God to do some surgery on your heart. If you want to see you family life succeed... spend time with Jesus. If you want to be better motivated in your work... spend time with Jesus. If you want to find that special someone this year... spend some time with Jesus. He'll change you so radically you will no longer recognize yourself, your desires or your dreams. And this is the sweetest part... God is GOOD. Plain and simple. So naturally, his way is the best way. You can't go wrong with him. Don't settle... Don't compromise... Don't give up... Keep fighting the good fight. There are good things around the corner for those who are faithful. This could be the best year of your life. Make it happen. Take my word for it, and Gods word for it: there is only one way, one truth, one life.





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