Progression

" things in life take time. "

I was curious about my blog and I figured I should see what I put down in times past.  (the 5 or so posts I made) This is just a review of my life, no rhyme or reason to this rhetoric. (stupid alliterations)

Yes, "things in life take time."
Time will tell.

I am pleased with my progress since high school over the last 5 years, and especially this last year. Ironically it's been over a year since my last post.

I'm 23, going on 24.
I, at least, feel more disciplined... I use a calendar occasionally. I use to-do and note taking apps.  Google Drive is a great tool also.
I still live at home, but have thought about moving out with my friend.
I am patiently waiting for the right woman to join my life with.
God has shown me a more positive perspective of myself.

The pilot we did for By His Word had really catapulted us to developing what we wanted to see happen with media. We are nearly finished building the studio that we will do many productions out of in the future. I am excited.

I've been challenged to staying around this long with little visible results, but I know things are about to expand.

Knowing that I have had opposition to what I know God has been leading me in is exciting. You will always have opposition when God is doing a work in you, but the end result is a joy.

God's love is chasing after you. Stop, turn around, and see what He can accomplish in your life.

Look Up.

This is my reality.
It might sound poetic, but this is simple prose.
No deeper meanings, simply reality.
This had just happened to me and now I write about it... I unlock my phone. It's locked because I feel more secure. I get on Facebook because I don't feel so lonely here. I am replying to a comment on one of my tweets that I have sent to my wall. I have my tweets sent to Facebook because, in reality, I'm not influential on Twitter much at all. As I look through my news feed, I just see some complaints about the weather. I see nothing amazing, nothing life-changing, nothing. I must be looking in the wrong place. I think about the vanity of Facebook and its millions and millions and millions and millions and millions of participants. Before I leave Facebook, I come across a link to an article.
___________________________

This article was about a man from the horn of Africa. He was a Muslim man in a Muslim nation, who became a follower of Jesus. His family deserted him because he was a Christian. He soon after traveled miles upon miles eventually meeting someone who he led to Jesus, which eventually led to 25 other followers of Jesus. The article asked for the reader to continue to support this man changed by Jesus.
____________________________

I hit the HOME button of my new Android. I go to my apps and I scroll 'til I find the one I'm looking for: Solitaire. Shuffle. Thinking and Thinking. Congratulations you've won! HOME Apps Facebook Write Post "What's on your mind?": This is my reality, here I am. This might sound depressing, but to me it is simply troubling. Here is why: Everything outside the lines is about me, everything between the lines is about Jesus. In fact, everything outside the lines, Jesus's name is not even mentioned once; instead: I, me, my. Another observation, everything between the lines, not once am I mentioned. When I read the article, I was inspired to be like that man between the lines. However, in reality, I wanted to be the man who was forever changed by Jesus. I asked myself: This Muslim man knew the consequences of knowing and following Jesus and yet he chose anyway, despite that his family hates him. If I knew I would lose everything, would I follow Jesus? This is this man's reality: It is Jesus who made this man secure. It is Jesus who made this man family. It is Jesus who made this man a leader. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Him. To the Father, not heaven. Look up. There is my reality.

relevantQuote #2

When you stop reaching, you become irrelevant. -Robert Knight

Shaking Through: "Curfews", from the album Snowmine

Here's a link to a free download of the song:
Curfews | Weathervane Music

#3 - People

We are constantly surrounded by people. The world we live in makes it impossible for us to see eye to eye with almost everything. It is more likely that we will disagree with someone than agree... That is something we can agree on.

As I have been working the last four months on a web show pilot for By His Word Christian Center, I've definitely learned some valuable lessons concerning collaborating with people:

1 - If someone "hires" me for a job, they are counting on me. They expect me to be responsible with the opportunity they have given me.

2 - Absolute perfection in my eyes will come at a cost to others. I must remember that in collaboration, I am not the only person involved.

3 - Submit to authority of any form. If I believe it or not, I haven't arrived.

4 - I don't know what people are thinking until I ask. I will be destroyed if I choose to entertain vain imaginations.

5 - I don't have all the answers.

#2 - Production Day

Right now, I am coming close to finishing a pilot for my church By His Word Christian Center. The administrator for the church - my producer - and I have been taking this last year to start from the ground up on producing content designed for the web audience. This pilot is the concept for essentially a 15 minute web show intended to be relevant to any age group, any level of knowledge of the Word of God.

I feel that all of our Christian presentations today, no matter what form they are, are designed to preach to other believers of Christ Jesus. There is not much of God's word just simply being presented, it seems we're always conjuring up new schemes to become a sensation or the next big thing. Jesus said the world will hate you because of him. Well, if we forget that Jesus is our center-focus, then the world will either begin to like us or just see us as religious and hypocritical, which aren't new accusations on the block for us American Christians. Zac Gandara said on Google + : "The great thing in Church right now is that we're talking about Jesus. The scary thing is are we really talking about HIM, or just attaching his name to stuff?"

People see right through this. If you are truly sincere, if in your heart you really care about a person's situation and ACTUALLY listen to them, wouldn't it mean a lot to that person when you ask the question, "Did you know Jesus loves you?" something my youth pastor Theodore Frazier used to always encourage us to say. Growing up in church, I didn't understand what it would mean to hear that for the first time, but that phrase was one Ted knew would open the door to the power of Christ's love. How can you say to someone that they can accept Jesus into their heart just by asking and believing in Jesus if they don't see a difference in you? Is Jesus living in you or is he simply attached to you? A decoration.

Looking back at the title, I'm sure people wonder how any of this has anything to do with "Production Day". It is because the production day is not about the production, it's about the people, it's about the person. Christians live the most vain of lives if not everything they do leads back to the person of Jesus and glorifying God.

John 14:6 "Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"

relevantQuote #1

‎"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do," "If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on."

-Steve Jobs