Don't Say Good-bye

Another year has come to an end... one would think that after doing the "graduation thing" two times already it would be getting easier to watch people move on to the next stage of their lives. Easy to be excited for them... knowing they are walking into great things the Lord has planned. Whether it was the fact that I lived on a bus in such close quarters with these people... that this year the Lord taught me a new level of His love... several other reasons, or a combination of all of them... I must admit watching My team, my family, the people who I've done life with for the last year leave........... has been the hardest transition yet. I found myself grasping at every last moment I might have to share with them, regretting all the time I chose to not spend with them, and wishing, that just for one more day, that sad goodbyes could be prolonged....

But here I am, at the beginning of a new adventure, they've all gone on to their new adventures, some goodbyes avoided, but gone all the same. And while I find that a piece of me is "missing" in a way.... I know the Lord is faithful, and HE will fill whatever emptiness or longings I may have. My team.... will always be MY TEAM and no matter what, they will have a special place in my heart. I may not remain best friends with every single person, I may not ever talk to some of them on this earth again....... but man, to think about the party that will happen in heaven when we all get to get back together... some party that's going to be. To share in the triumphs of each others lives, and know if only for a moment, we were a part of those triumphs.

To my team... I miss you! May you never stop relentlessly pursuing the Lord as He is a lion chasing in a Relentless Pursuit after you. (Rachael - play the kitty)

What to write when the good is gone?

I know it's been longer than I made it sound it would be between when I last wrote and now. I could explain, or excuse, or... I could simply let you in on what my life has looked like since the last time I wrote... and maybe, just maybe, it will make sense all by itself. Have no fear, I'm not going to ramble about what I ate everyday, or how many times I took a trip to Sonic... no, those details seem mundane, and unimportant. What is important... is to see what the Lord is doing. Because after all, wasn't that the original goal? And as a Christian shouldn't that always be my goal?
Now I'm sure at this point you're thinking... the title and this blog... so far they don't go together. Oh, but they do. See life... that thing we all too frequently expect to be a bed of roses... it hasn't been a bed of roses, and I've been trying to find how to appropriately talk about that. Because I could write everything that's going wrong, I could point at people who have hurt me, I could say a lot of things that would be true... but if the truth isn't glorifying to the Lord... there's still a part of the truth that's missing. So yes, the good has been gone, life has been hard, and people have hurt me, but what you write about when the good is gone... is how God is never gone. In my weakness, in my pain, He is there. When the good is gone, you write of His faithfulness. How while things are not good, and it would be easiest to call it quits, to rationalize that going home at this point doesn't matter because the tour is over, THAT is the place where you find the sweet, intimate grace of the Lord that helps you carry on. In the love of the Father, in the love He shows through friends, in the love poured out from the body of Christ... In Christ nothing is impossible.
It may sound trivial, it may sound unbelievable, and in some ways I suppose it is. Because unless you experience it, it is unbelievable. But how beautiful that the grace and love I speak of is available to everyone.
One of my favorite bible characters has always been David, and probably because of the evidence of his humanity throughout his life, and yet, he was a man after God's heart, and was used in the lineage of Jesus. David understood the concept of praise in the storm. He was hunted time and time again, and always sought the Lord's will and the right thing to do. It's so evident throughout the Psalms. And so many times David commanded his soul to bless the Lord.
Bless the Lord oh my soul and all that is within me. That's what you write about when the good is gone. you write about the one great and powerful, almighty, loving, caring, gracious, patient, forgiving, faithful constant in life. Jesus!

Tour is over...

Yes, you read the title right, after 22 cities and 8 months, we've done it. Does it seem real? Not in the least bit. I'm sure it will hit me eventually, just not yet. While I take the time to process what the Lord did this year in my life, my teammates lives, and the roughly 100,000 teens my team ministered to... check out the highlights video for the year.

Relentless Pursuit End of Year Highlights

Finally catching up on my own videos

The rain brings refreshing.... 

Ok, it's not actually raining... but I've got a bum foot, so I've had to slow down and I realize how far behind on sharing I really am. With that being said... here's Richmond....

And... here's a video composing everything since Richmond (since I slacked on taking pictures and didn't want to overwhelm everyone with so many videos)

Over and done

Dallas has happened, the Greater NYC event has happened, and we are on our way to Tampa. It seems crazy how fast things are flying now. We only have three events left before we're on campus for the summer. After Tampa we'll head to Lansing and Baltimore and we're done. It seems crazy to say... I remember when we were only three events in and I couldn't even tell you what the next event was. Now I can list all seven fall events and 11 spring events we've done so far... in order. That's the kind of mark what I'm doing leaves on a person I guess. I've stayed in more strangers homes than I can count, and yet from that I've met some amazing people and had some amazing experiences.
I'd love to write more right now, but I've got to get ready for class and such before heading out on the road again. Keep an eye out for a more detailed look at the most recent events soon!

Catching up

We had another event, and I sit here, overlooking the arena for our next event.

View from the team room... probably the sweetest we've had yet

It seems that so much has happened since the last time I wrote. I've watched the Lord move in my life, and in the lives of those around me. And whether in the big things or the small, it never ceases to amaze me at how faithful He is. There are days I wish I could take everything He's done and somehow find a way to express it all in text, but no words would ever truly convey Him in all His glory. And perhaps that is part of the beauty of it... it is indescribable. The journey of this year truly has been unlike any other. Don't get me wrong... it's not over yet, and I couldn't be happier that I still have time to soak in every moment I have left, but it is very real that my time in this season of my life is coming to a close.

Now those of you reading this from the home audience may be getting a little exciting... thinking this may mean I'm coming home... well, the good news is... it's in the Lord's hands (so if you want to get mad at someone guess it's got to be Him not me)... but that's not the season the Lord is bringing me into either. Right now I'm walking in what the Lord has for me... well, right now. I know that in His timing what comes next will happen, and I know I'll know that it's time.

In less serious news (ok... maybe not less serious, just more fun) I got to reconnect with someone from my childhood while in N.C. A week break for Easter allowed me to go home. And, it was much more exciting having friends along for the ride, as well as hanging out at my house with me.

Well... should probably get back to work, there are things to be done and the hours are ticking away! (not that I have spent hours doing this... but between everything today they are)

Keep a watch for what's to come!

ATF 2013 Winston-Salem Relentless Pursuit Highlights

Check out the highlights from Winston Salem this year!