More and Acts

This will somewhat be a continuation of the last post. 


There were a few major aspects of my life that I would love to talk on. 
As a many people who are my friends know, I play music. I love guitar, acoustic and electric. I love singing. I even play a tiny bit of drums and bass... but what musician CAN'T play bass?  Anyways, as you can tell I love music. Playing and listening. My favorite bands are As Cities Burn, mewithoutYou and So Long Forgotten. Anyways, that's enough small detail. 
For the past 3 years I have been leading worship on a weekly basis for the youth programs at my church. One year there were many of us guys who could sing, play, and lead. The next year there were 3. And this past year there was for a big chunk of the year only two of us. One of my best friends on earth Blaine Tiller and I. Over this last year I learned a lot about worship leading. Being on a stage almost every thursday and every other wednesday and sunday grew me tremendously. I have learned that I do have a passion for writing and doing this for a long time, and I also learned one huge lesson. From the words of Aaron Keyes, "a worship leader leads worship sets. I worship pastor leads people." It is not my job to simply lead a band in a set of songs. It is my job to lead the people that God has entrusted me with. 
Learning new things rocks. 
Another awesome part of my life is my beautiful girlfriend Ana and my friends.
Ana is probably the nicest person I have ever met, you should meet her.
My friends and I are possibly the sloppiest hang-out buds that you will ever meet. You should hang out with us. 
My friend Graham who leads  behind me on stage by passionately playing drums lives in my basement. We used to be in a band together. We might have covered a Katy Perry song. Don't ask. 
Just in-case it wasn't made clear though.. The church I lead worship at isn't just a place for me to go and play music. Altaer (high school ministry) is my family. I love those people so much. I try my best not to speed on my way there because in all honesty I'm happier around my family at altaer than I am anywhere else. Shift (middle school ministry) is so full of such crazy, awkward, goofy, off-the-walls middle schoolers...and I love every second of it. 


God has blessed me so much and I am so thankful.


Last thing...
One major lesson I have learned in my life is that you don't have to be 21+ to make a difference in this world. Sometimes that lesson slips away from me, but this afternoon God reminded me through his word. In Acts 23 many Jewish people are plotting to kill Paul. They vow to not eat or drink until he is dead. A young man, most likely in his teens overhears this plan. He tells Paul, who sends him with a centurion to the commander. The commander has paul moved to a different city so as to have a fair trial and not die that night. 
A teenager. He saw something bad about to happen and he decided to help, to do something. Paul didn't die that night. 


You don't have to be an adult to make a difference. Nor do you have to go to Africa or go volunteer at a shelter. Even though those things are great, look for something that you can do today or tomorrow that will bring joy to another. That's what I'm going to challenge myself to do, and you are totally invited. 


If you read all that, you rock. I love you. 

That first post where you talk about yourself some.

I've always wanted to blog... I don't really know about what, but it has always been a desire of mine. So, here goes nothing!

If you're reading this first post there is a pretty great chance you know me pretty well, but before I blog anything I'd love to lay out who I am and where I am in life right now.

I have one more week of summer before my senior year of school begins at Collins Hill High School. Everyone says senior year is easy, which I must say I'm hoping is true. I've got the classic case of senioritis. What senior doesn't? High school has been great, but school got old to me once I hit 7th grade... I'm not really a scholar. I make decent grades and I love learning new things. But enough about school! I've got one more week and I'm going to enjoy it.

My parents are teachers. Elementary school. Which is funny because I'm not the biggest fan of humans under the age of 12. But they love what they do. I have two awesome brothers. Joshua, who is 7 years older than me, is about to get married! It's weird having a brother who is about to be married... I don't think it has actually clicked yet. Josh has been an example to me for years with his wisdom and discipline. Jacob (whom I am aloud to call Jake, and you are not) is 5 years older than me and is finishing up school at UGA. He works with videography and that's about the extent of what I know of his schooling haha. Jake has also been a huge influence in my life through his passion and artistic-ness. Both of my brothers are incredible people, leaders, and friends. 

The most important and central part of my life however, isn't family. And it definitely isn't school. 3 years ago I made the choice to follow Christ. Best decision of my life. My life was going nowhere fast and I was quickly given purpose. That purpose wasn't to go to church and look like a good boy. It wasn't to just NOT do 'bad' things. It was to passionately pursue the living God who had awakened me from death. A dead man can't bring himself back to life. I didn't wake myself up. He woke me up; he put life in my dead bones. Now as a result of that, it is my PRIVILEGE not my RIGHT to proclaim his name until the day I die. I named this blog Be Still, because at this point in my life I find myself very busy almost every day. Always going and doing things. Friends, school in a week, family, and church. Don't get me wrong, I love these things. However, amidst all these things I sometimes have to remind myself to BE STILL. Exodus 14:14 says The LORD will fight for you; you need only be still. How awesome is that? We learn how to be still, and God will fight for us. I love it. 

I will end this first blog there. Hopefully you know more about me than you did 3 minutes ago, and hopefully you are encouraged in some way by this brief version of my testimony. 

"What a beautiful God, what a beautiful God there must be. What a beautiful God, what a beautiful God You must be." - mewithoutYou