Happy Monday! I was just telling a friend how this last week has definitely become the fastest week of my life. Yes, time blasts when you're utterly having a blast. Make sense? Awe yeah!

What's new? As of now I am planning to continue on in the Southeastern University Tour-Team department. As I have become asked to direct/lead the group this year and beyond, I have begun the entire process of planning and preparing to pull together a 'dream team' if you will, of passionate Jesus followers who will lead teenagers and more at conferences, and other events that would request our presence. Super excited.

I have also become in a state of continuance of ministry at Victory Church. Thus far, my job has been pretty much to hold the fort while the church continues to develop an long term plan for the Victory Worship department as a whole.

Once school starts, I'll be backing off a bit to serve it up at Victory in the 'Underground' Sunday night church services and potentially a few other events as the year continues to move forward. This was a bit of a decision, however, I must remain true and excellent to the first reason I have come to Lakeland: to get a fine looking Bach. degree in Business Management-Three more semester to go!!

Cool.

On another note-I have just finished a top-10 book on my measuring scales, The Shack. This has become a beautiful image of God personalized, yet natural intentions regarding our relationship to Him, the Papa, Son, and the Holy Spirit. In the book author Paul Young, portrays the fictional story of a man, 'Mack', who loses in treasured little daughter, 'Misty' to a grotesque pedophile. As the story progresses, God initiates a meeting with 'Mack' at the location of his daughter's murder, the Shack, a two-room living area located in the deep woods of Eastern Oregon. At the shack, God expresses himself to Mack as an African American woman, a petite Asian woman, and Middle-eastern man; respectively who we religiously would call , 'The Father', 'The Son', and 'The Holy Spirit'.

Through this entire meeting Mack experiences with the Trinity, he gets the chance to from across the table, to ask God the hard questions in life. In this process the book becomes somewhat of an informal, yet possibly subconsciously formal theology text. Although there were few scripture reference to officially cite each claim of theology, the message is summed up in the heart of God's attempt to regain us, that we would simply have community with Him, naturally, and effortlessly, and He has so designed us to BE with Him.

The book was somewhat of a challenge to myself, as I became aware of the dead religion that often sneaks its way into my own heart. I was greatly romance by this book particularly regarding my own relationship to Papa, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Beautiful!

My prayer is that God, in all of His fullness, would make me into a speaker of the truly natural relationship he has established-yeah just as natural as that of a friend, yet divinely more extraordinary. I pray that I will move away from the death of the score system, and begin to sow the message of divine romance and fellowship with this beautiful mystery we like to call God, and also with his people. Yeah!

Well, that's enough for now. Like I said-Have a HAPPY monday! See you soon.

Early Arrival Lakeland...

Wow-it was definitely the beginning of the summer since my last post on here. Sometimes I would consider writing a bit on the Blogger account yet my personal journal has continued to draw my latest contemplations. I'm sure you'll understand.

Well, I am back in Florida! I figured that this last flight over to the Southeast has been my 23rd time across the country in the last three years. From day one, each time I have flown back into one of Tampa or Orlando, a greater sense of homecoming is welcomed in my heart. Is it okay to have 2ish homes? (Portland, OR being my initial home.)

Many have noticed that this last flight has happened just a little earlier than the routine mid August flight to check in to my dorm here on campus. Indeed, I have recently become summoned to work with a local church in Lakeland, called Victory. Here, and now for the past couple weeks I have been working as a worship director of youth and young adults. This has become a wonderful experience for myself and apparently the kids I've been working with out here. Yeah, I'm definitely falling in love with these guys. Certainly, of all the youth I've had the privilege of working with, I've never encountered such a lively, ready for growth group as these. This church definitely knows how to party to the glory of this Great, Mysterious, King we serve.

I am also in the process of preparing for another position I have become summoned to fulfill as director of the SEU tour-team department. Yet another excited step into more growth at Southeastern. In this place I'll be leading a team of roughly 10-12 college kids in the adventure of touring across the U.S. in ministry. We'll be heading out in the country simply to show people Jesus through the music we play in churches, youth camps, conventions, and more. Growing up (in my college career in the tour-team department certainly has become a prime element of my growth in the realms of leadership and music, even teaching/preaching ministry.

Either way, I'm having the time of my life out here, just meeting up with my good friends who I haven't seen since the Spring semester got out. I just enjoy this town-thoroughly!

Chat soon.