Zach Taylor

Eight.

Sun, 10 Jul 2011 01:26:45 -0400

I have been trying all day to write something productive, inspiring, or just something that makes sense. But I’m over it so here is what I’ve been thinking about all day.

1.Planking is still real.
2.Your personal preference is the enemy to your own destiny.
3.All the complainers in the church…are already believers….shut up and start bringing other people who need God. Not your complaints.
4.Planking is still real!
5.The main goal of design and video is to communicate and tell a story right? So why do so many people just use effects and abstract just to do them. Be Intentional be original and communicate what your piece is on.
6.I dont own anything thicker than my ie youth hoodie…and I’m moving to the north… Problem?
7.God doesn’t just hymns he loves the hearts in which wrote the hymns. Just as he loves the keyboard player that is banging his head during worship. Because his heart and actions are pleasing to god.
8.I’ve been really cocky and selfish today.

Be still. Be still. Be still.

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 21:58:32 -0400

I feel like the meaning of faith is extending all over my life. And honestly….that’s how it should be. Kinda sad that my faith stopped growing. Kinda sad that others faith stopped growing and I could have helped them reignite it but I was to busy with the pity party I had going for myself. When God speaks it’s not always at the time you had planned for or even for anything you have been praying for. In fact for me it was the opposite! Everything about it was backwards. It was probably the most random time ever, wasn’t the answer I was looking for. But it causes me to step out in faith, be still and know that he is God and he will not lead me into darkness. And when I go back to the thought of it wasn’t what I was praying for….it was actually. I was praying that he would increase the amount of things I can handle and that he would give me times to step out in faith. And the time is soon. Very soon. And the awesome thing about God is that even when I get to the next destination…. It wont be my last and he will still be seeking out for me and for the thousands of people I will impact with the gifts that he has given me. It is always such a great feeling to be still in the middle of the storm and know that God is still not done with me. That even after this storm of life there will be another and he will still remain victorious just like he is now. I am going to a place to live with some amazing people that have done nothing but love me and support me. I’m gonna have the opportunity to create videos and designs that will make an impact on the kingdom. And most of all. I pray that God continues to ask me to step out in faith in order to reach the goals he has for me. Because there is no better place to be than being still with God and following the peace he places in your heart.

Seeking

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 15:31:22 -0400

I am so amazed that in the times that I feel like I am being obedient and living the life that he has called me to live… He is still seeking for me. He is constant in seeking out what is next for me. Even if I am in a place where I feel like I am doing what he has called me to do, he reminds me that he always has more plans for me. He doesn’t keep all these plans just incase I screw one up he has a fall back one to give me. Because we all know 10/10 we are the ones that screw up his plan. His plan for our lives is flawless and it is when man steps in and thinks with his flesh not his spirit that we begin to fall off his plan. He is calling me to make a step in faith. A huge step in faith. It is in times like these that I cannot let my lizard brain take over. I heard what was spoken now I must follow through with the action of my faith. Because even when I get to the top of this hill….he will been seeking out new things for my life. New directions, passions, people, environments and situations. And a new journey will begin. But I must always be still and know that he is God and what he is doing is good. Ultimately good.

Measure twice, cut once.

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 14:26:05 -0400

Growing up my dad put me in his stair shop at a very young age building stairs. Which if you know anything about me that is very funny. I hated building stairs. Mostly because I was 13 and my dad was having me skip school to build stairs while I wanted to be outside skating with friends. There is a term that is used all the time in building and everyone knows it. Measure twice, cut once. Very simple and affective. And yet… I never did it. I would measure the first batch twice…then… The rest of the day I would build to that first measurement. Needless to say….that didn’t work out. And all that did was cause me more work, my dad to get mad at me and me to hate building stairs that much more. Because once again… I was 13… I wanted to be skating not working all the time. But that is the life lesson I wished I would have seen when I was 13. It is in the jobs that you don’t want to do at all. The jobs that don’t fit your circumstances that you need to make sure that you are measuring twice and cutting once. I still have to do that daily with my job. Even though it is my passion and what I love to do. I have to make sure I am measuring twice and cutting once. Everyone does. Because once you are doing that. You are no longer duplicating. Which is what I wanted to do with the mass amount of stairs I had to build. And I see it all the time with churches. They want to duplicate the videos, live elements and songs the big churches do. And you are setting yourself up for disaster if that is what you are trying to do. God is not in the business of duplicating all Christians to be the exact same droids. So why in the ham samich are you trying to do that to your church? I bring this up because this is what I wanted to do for so long. If I could just get my videos to look like “insert name here.” If we just had a worship leader that could remember the words to the same 8 songs we play! And it took me getting here to realize I won’t survive if I even have a mindset like that. I have to take every single project the small and the big and make it a part of me and create it. I can’t just take something I made a while ago change the text and add some optical flares to it then render. (Sadly, a lot of church designers get paid to do that. And they all deserve a punch in the face.) In this process I have realized… I won’t cater to my congregations request. Who cares if it means you might loose the biggest giver in the church. For me and my heart I will do whatever it takes to reach those far from Christ. Because it always makes me laugh that the people that always cause the most trouble in the church are believers. I’m not worried about scaring away the believers. I’m worried about scaring away the lost… My rant is over now. You can make a project your own and still hit all the requirements the client has requested. Embrace every constraint and use it to your advantage. Measure twice and cut once.

Sprite, cruisers & heavy tarps.

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 11:47:40 -0400

This was a jounral entry I found from back in April.
Enjoy

Sprite, cruisers & heavy tarps.

Those three things mean nothing to everyone but for those very few that remember the surplus of sprites that some how ended up in my mini fridge at the hub or the mid night cruises that consisted of riding past speed clocks to see how fast we could go (one cruiser hit 200mph and this is no joke or exaggeration.) Getting pulled over by the cops and fingered printed for not having lights on our cruisers. But most importantly those dang heavy brown stupid tarps. For those that understood any of the three things I just talked about I hope you continue to read as I vomit my heart and what’s left in it onto this little rant/ what ever word you would like to call it. It’s no secret that never in 100 million years did in ever imagine life at this point looking the way it does. But then again who’s life really looks the way they once saw it in their head based on their current location and job? Infact I feel casting a vision for your life based on location and a career is setting yourself up for disaster. I am consistently asking God why? Not just for the event but why for practically anything. Why God? The great thing about God is that he never answers me with a piano falling from the sky or that dude that writes Jesus loves you in the sky with his plane. He simply says and takes me back to the time when me and garret sat on that bench the day my life was flipped upside down and it began to rain while the sun was still shinning bright. He takes me back to the countless conversations me and Bronson had in bama. Me and luis balling our eyes out together on the floor of fall retreat. Or the garage talk Megan had with me. My best friend and i riding our cruisers around town talking about nothing but everything at the same time. He allowed me to take trips to visit my family up in Rockford. A fall retreat that I did not want to be at to say the least but one of the few that has helped form me. One that I have never been more thankful that I was able to experience. And I could go on and on… And that is my answer to my constant “why?” Because at a young age God filled my life with leaders, not leaders, my best friend and my family. If anything now is my time to study and prepare for what is to come not hide and pout because this was what I wanted! Just as you never let your kid jump in a pool if they couldn’t swim God didn’t open and close doors without knowing that I can tread water and whatever else comes at me. I don’t think ive ever been so humbled and ready for whatever comes next for me in life. Honestly I could end up anywhere in the nation (please not texas or alaska lord!) and I know that ill be able to use my talents and take others under my wing and be there to lock arms with a team to make the name of our God famous. All this to say I’m honored to anyone that has ever taken time talk or hang out with me. Your constancy in the word and prayer has been passed down into me. The way you live everyday to make God smile when there is no reason to smile at all has been formed into me. When it’s not easy but it’s worth it. I am who I am because of all of you. Like I said this was a rant or what ever you would like to title it. If you made this far I’m honored… If you stopped reading a while ago…. Your going to hell. Clearly some others humor has became a part of me also :)

To the death.

ANTS

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 20:57:00 -0400

We are researching a project that is upcoming here at elevation for the motion team. It has to do with your brain. How it works and also how your program it. In a meeting today someone brought up a syndrome that I had no Idea existed….But I have it! In fact I think a lot of people have it. It is called ANTS syndrome (Automatic negative thought syndrome.) Pretty much once you have one negative or degrading thought about yourself or others that is when you continue to tell your brain to recall a recent thought…which was negative. Got me thinking. Man! This is what I do all day!! It’s not that I suck that bad everyday and do these horrible things that you would have thought that I have done if you listened to the way that I talk to myself in my head or see myself in the mirror. A bad day…really isn’t a bad day. It’s probably just one thing that you turned into some a lot worse. Not because what happened meant nothing. But that image of that one negative thing you continue to bring up. And after doing this for a day, week, month, years it becomes automatic. When I screw up on a project, forget to do something, make a small mistake that I know I could have taken care of or said the wrong thing. Instead of saying ok lets move on and forgetting about it. Which is what God does for me every 3 sec of the day. I hold onto it which then causes me to make more mistakes because it is blurring my vision. Even worse than that I have program my brain that way! It’s not a chemical imbalance its how I programmed my brain. And now I have to reprogram it for when I make a mistake to fix it and not talk down to myself like im a complete fool. That is the work of the enemy. He rubs your nose in it again and again. My god just picks me up and says I know I see what you did. Lets keep moving we have some lives to change. I am always humbled at the thought that God doesn’t need us. He has chosen us. Why? I will not know till I sit next to him and ask him about the platypus and why the latex makes me want to throw a turtle across the road! Until then I will not just sit around and say eh ill get there. Im sitting down and reprogramming my mind from this ANTS syndrome. Because turns out the words God speaks to me are true. There are lives that need to be saved. People far from God. And this little programming error I have made in my brain will not and can not old me back.

Constant

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 18:19:21 -0400

I may have days where I feel like I do nothing but fail and cause others to clean up the messes I make. I may have days when I am the one cleaning up others messes and happy to do it. I am human I have my high and lows. Sometimes I forgive sometimes I hold grudges. My thoughts are pure and selfless…sometimes they are not. I am pretty much as inconsistent as any other human. We sin. We miss the mark. Constantly. But my God is also constant. Constant at perfecting me. Cleaning me up. Telling me that I a worth it. A person that is so inconsistent with good deeds. Or even putting my faith to action for that matter. My god has found worth in me. And uses me daily to bring him glory. Consistently. For he is constant with grace and love when I am constant with selfish desires and tunnel vision for my own life. No matter what state I live in next. What job I have. The people that surround me. He is still constant.

Slow traffic

Sun, 26 Jun 2011 19:50:47 -0400

I hate!!! Hate!! Being stuck behind someone who is going 15-20 under the speed limit. It is for realz the worst thing ever! And yet…. It always seems to happen to me. It never fails. I won’t even be in a rush to get to point b. It’s like they flock to me! But it got me thinking the other night. As cheesy as it was to me this is what happens to churches, families, friends and even businesses. Someone gets in front of them that isn’t able or is not doing the speed that they need to be doing. Therefore causes me and everyone else behind me to slow down which thanks to the great public school system in Florida I learned in my 4 years of high school that there is a term for this. Traffic. I think the f’s are silent though… Granted I don’t know the story of why the person in front of me is going so slow but I don’t need to. They need to get out of the way for me to pass them and then they can figure out what their issue is. Pretty selfish huh? But at the same time it needs to happen to me. In some areas I need to step out the way. Because all I do is hinder the process. It doesn’t make me any less of a man it is just simply a field or lane for that matter that I don’t belong in. This is another life lesson I am trying to apply daily. It doesn’t mean that if anything gets hard I step out of the way because I can’t go fast enough, for some things yes. But for all no. It also doesn’t mean that when I step to the side that I sit down and twiddle my thumbs. I must be learning and training so I can get back in the as fast lane and not slow people down. Infact that was what I was a suppose to do last year…but I just sat down and enjoyed the view. Which the view sucked. It was one of the hardest and most confusing years of my life. I am always thankful though that no matter the speed I am going or not going. God is always right next to me with his hand out telling me to grab it when I’m ready and we will get through it and HE will make me the better man. HE will transform me. HE can and will do all things if I will simply let him and be faithful to what he tells me to do.

TGIT?

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 13:04:36 -0400

I am so glad I get to work a job and not have the mindset of TGIF. Which just from the start wouldn’t work because technically we have Friday off and TGIT just sounds dumb. Honestly I look forward to working on the weekends because that is when we see thousands of lives changed. Because most people that live for TGIF can’t wait to shut off their work emails, click off the light, sit on their couch and not move all weekend. And have it all about them. Not to say I never have ever had a time where I wish my weekend could be filled with things I want to do. But most of the time it can’t be. It has to be about making sure I am humbled and aligned with God so he can use me through out the weekend. Whether it be just a good person to be around on late Saturday nights at the office as we get things ready for over 10,000 people to watch our online experience. Or when it’s at set up. Oh yes I said it. Set up and tear down. The good ole amc days with myrex and db. Its funny now that I think about it. Set up is just a part of my life and I will forever fill the need wherever it is. I’m very thankful for God giving me the heart of a servant and always growing it. But back to what I ment to say. Whether it’s at set up having a good conversation with the volunteers that are serving and just helping them even though my name tag says staff. Just being a loving person and doing what needs to be done. All of that happens on the weekend. So I guess I do live for TGIF but it’s for a completely different reason then the other 97% of people that work a 9-5 mon-fri. Infact I get to help setting up the stage for those people to walk in on a sunday and have their lives transformed and start living the TGIF I live.

17-44mm

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 00:42:09 -0400

Wide angel shots are fun to work with. More to be seen, different perspectives and some different dof options. The same I’m finding out goes with God. The way I view him and also the tone I feel he uses with me has changed. Not for no reason at all. But because he knows my heart, what it needs and what it’s asking for. Over the past 2 weeks I have felt so much love for God. Along with feeling so much love from him. Not because a car has fell from the sky into my possession or because 76,000 appeared in my bank account. But because while driving to work he whispers to me. “Zach I’m proud of you.” “remember when you flew over this city and prayed to live here. You’re welcome son, now do what I brought you here to do.” I’m confident that for however long I live in charlotte it will be in Gods plan. Doing his will. That could be at elevation or doing my own freelance gig. For I know that whatever I do it will bring God glory. Its been weird but all the love from God I have felt. I have had the same love for people in my life. I’ve been so thankful for leaders that poured into me. I think my favorite thing to do is tell people about the ministries I was apart of and got to serve on! The lives that were changed! Not the stuff we did. When people went through the roof for their friends. When brothers fought for brothers. Sisters fought for sisters. When brothers still loved me when I strayed into hiding. When sisters loved my sister and brought her from darkness to light….and more darkness to more light. That’s what matters to me. That is why all the honor goes to God. Because I did nothing. I just served. And that is something I never want to leave my heart. The heart of a servant. The love of a real God and consistent new views from all highs and lows of this life on earth.

Quit screwing it up kid.

Sun, 05 Jun 2011 23:35:35 -0400

“quit destroying the masterpiece I am trying to make you.” That is the line the lord just laid on my heart. And my heart has never been so heavy. I pray God show me that your shaping my life and he yells back I am! Why are you the one that always tells me to stop or does something so stupid that shows no one that you are a follower of me!? I stay silent after that is spoken to me. I’m not sure if this will even come together but who cares. Today pastor was preaching about are the people around better of because you are around. Pretty simple. There wasn’t some twist. Do you light up the room when you walk in. Are you consistent with your generosity? And I could in a second answer that question as soon as he asked it. No. No I’m not. I do not help anyone by being around. Does that make me useless and nothing? No. It makes an opportunity for God to work in me for him to get the glory. So secretly for the rest of today I shadowed people…almost stalked them. Took notes at how many countless people they said hi to. Gave a friendly smile to. Didn’t cut them off then yell at them on 51 with their elevation sticker stuck to the back of their car. All of these things I do daily….or things I do not do daily. I help no one on a normal day! How freaking sad! I claim to be a christ follower. Why? Because I intern at a church and honestly only know how to work in churches? The lord is doing so many weird things with me and I love it. His tone is always changing with me so I can see it in a different way. But his tone might change but his faithfulness and grace that I am so underserving of still remains. And he is good. And all the glory goes to him. Just like all the glory will go to him when people love for me to be around just because my smile or presences can make their day better. Trust me out of all the things I want to do right now…working on being more friendly and just a better person to be around is not on the top of my list. A perfect example of how good God is. Because now it is. Because to be the masterpiece that God is trying to form me into I must do everything that he calls me to do. Small and big. And I’m tired of screwing it up.

Small offering

Sat, 04 Jun 2011 22:10:36 -0400

I have been doing a lot of thinking over the past few days. We are about to start our 10 day daniel fast along with reading the new testament in 30 days. But everyone kept on saying (myself included) there will be a lot of sacrifices made over the next 10 days. But I had to think…it’s not a sacrifice. I started to think of myself on the level of God. Me not eating meat and unhealthy crap for 10 days…that isn’t a sacrifice. It’s an offering…and a very small one at that. Not saying that it will be a piece of cake and it won’t phase me. But I am longing for the day that I have something that is so big to me and means so much that I will have to offer it as a sacrifice. Jesus was a sacrifice…meat for 10 days is not. I want to say I’m scared for these next 10 days…in fact I expected myself to be. But I am so shocked and how ready and willing I am. Maybe it because I have gotten myself aligned with God again. I can’t wait to see the troubles come so I can rely on my God. And he will deliver me. He has never failed. Even when I have been so unfaithful or my offering has been so small that it is meat. With my salary….my tithe even feels so small. But I know that my God is not a selfish God. And he will bless me with abundance with every offering I give. I realize daily when in walk into the lab to work and I see posters, stories, emails all with the same story of life change. I’m not looking for a new car or a hot wife. Seeing lives changed the in hundreds and thousands is enough for me now. Work in me so you can work through me.

Free update.

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 23:45:48 -0400

I get often frustrated because there is always an update our for my iPad and software! Always! Growl updates every 3 mims! And I hate it. I put it off…and off…and off….until finally it stops working or it quits to much to function. The same goes for my daily life. God is always presenting ways for me to upgrade at no cost but I to often look at it and go nahhhh don’t see the point now. It will take to much time for something simple. Most of the time an update just fixes a line of code and is a back in deal. Something I will never actually see. But I will forever see the powers of the back end work. And God is doing that all the time here. Whether it is making 200 scripture slides in a day when I could be animating a fun project. Or playing with kids and getting moon sand thrown at me. Serving food at a graduation. Holding doors for girls and saying yes ma’m no ma’m. All these little things that honestly do nothing for my outside appearance or honestly anything for my motion design. But I’m realizing quickly that….none of that crap matters. What matters is I have the heart of a servant. That I am never to good to scrub a toilet. Because as I become to good he steps out. And those things that I deal with daily trying to not let them break will….well break me when I choose for me to step in forcing God to step out. Work in me so you can work through me.

Glass shards.

Tue, 31 May 2011 20:29:25 -0400

Will I let this break me? It is so heavy on my heart. My heart has been doing nothing but aching. Even though my outward appearance is not flawed my insides do nothing but turn. But the decision that was made was the right one. Why? That is out of my reach. I cannot see the bigger picture like he does. I can barely see past the hurt. But I am confident that he is stronger. He is in control. I am trusting that what he is doing is good. Will this break me? No. No it won’t. I won’t let it. It is a perfect time for it to break me. But I won’t let it. It breaking me is not in the plan that he has planned for me. You never break while on his path.

The Code

Mon, 30 May 2011 13:54:59 -0400

1. I will act in audacious faith.

2. I am a generation of honor.

3. I will lead the way in generosity.

4. I am united under the visionary.

5. I need your seat.

6. I think inside the box.

7. I dress for the wedding.

8. I am Ruth’s Chris, not Golden Corral.

9. I am all about the numbers.

10. I eat the fish and leave the bones.

11. I am known for what I am for.

12. I will not take this for granted.

I will not take this granted. For a moment I did. Then I had to stop and apply the code to me. I will not take this for granted. Everything that is happening here. Everything that happened this weekend. I will not take it for granted. It was never mine to begin with. Everything that is happening here is the work of his hands. It is volunteers, staff, and interns putting down their own pride. The way we would like to see things or the way we would like to work. We put that aside and we unite under the visionary. Its more than seeing this city changed it is seeing this nation changed. This church is rising up leaders that will forever impact this world with the love of Christ. And I will not take this for granted. It kills me to think about what I took for granted back home. The results show that more than just myself took it for granted. Now it is up to the others to pick up the pieces that we left. I am in constant prayer that something beautiful will arise in that place. And he will be victorious. But I will not ever, ever, ever take any of this for granted. Whether I am here or anywhere else. Working in a church or being self employed. I wont take it for granted. Lives in Christ are nothing to take for granted. Work in me so you can work through me.

0 & Stiff Legs

Wed, 25 May 2011 20:39:00 -0400

I am shocked at how bad it hurts to actually walk right now. I did body by buck yesterday and it was hell. My body is still not used to being used that much! For me my job mostly requires me sitting down on my butt all day. The downside to that is once ive been sitting down for a while and then have to get up my legs are stiff and don’t want to even bend to walk. And that’s exactly what I do in my life. I get sore it truly gets hard to work. People are able to tell im limping but I cant show them im really in pain. So I sit down and sit….and sit….and sit….until it gets to the point when I get back up it wasn’t even worth sitting down in the first place. I was also shocked at the more I walked around and used my legs the easier it got to walk. My legs began to stretch more. And that’s what I will continue to do this summer. I will keep walking and stretching my legs. I will not have the mind set to sit down with it hurts. I will push and continue to push through body by buck. As stupid as it is to me and almost pointless im glad that some of my biggest struggles are body by buck and not that I don’t know when I will eat my next meal. Or what do we do when the water runs out. Thank you God for letting my body be healthy enough to work out and gain more muscle and not be fighting for my last breath. You have blessed me beyond words. I can’t wait to see what you are going to do with me and how to bring my vision to life. Nothing will be put in my back pocket so I will get it next week. It begins now.

Burpies

Tue, 24 May 2011 22:29:41 -0400

Today I got to do my first bootcamp….I get the whole staying in shape thing…but holy. crap!! That was the most intense thing my body has ever encountered in my whole 18 years of living. My body was so not used to that much happening at once that I puked. And I puked good!! But once again (god I’m not sure why you keep doing this…but I like it. Thank you) i was brought back to the basics. I felt so much better after I puked and got all of it out of my system. Granted my whole body still hurts but I was able to get back with my team and finish the work out. Same thing with life. I am so glad I got last year out of my system. Not saying all of last year was just puke I had some of the best times of my life last year. But there was so much crap and useless stuff I did. And I’m so glad God brought me to the place where it had no where to go but out. And once I looked at it when it was out. I realized how gross and stupid it was. Because now I have a clean start. I am able to do things now that I was able to do before because I had all that crap inside me. It’s funny to me…I’m the person that always says I can make the best out of wherever I am. But it took me moving to a new state with new friends and mentors to begin to “make the best.” which as far as I’m concerned….you can’t do. Your the best when your with God plain and simple. Without him you are cold and in the dark but still have a lot of pride and want to show your awesome Christian friends how strong you are being when really. Your not. Your hiding. Your just waiting to puke.

Back in black

Mon, 23 May 2011 23:27:49 -0400

I’m realizing that every hour I’m taken back to the basics. Mostly because I’ve been to busy trying to block God I’ve forgotten what he was doing with me when I told him to stop. I realized today, I do what I do because I love Jesus. The people that work and serve with do what they do…because they love Jesus. I did not decided to intern at elevation and work with churches because I love motion design. Let’s be real I could go to art school work in a studio and make an easy six figures a year. I work in churches because I know that the videos I create are helping people connect with God. I’m glad I went through last year. Because I got a glimpse of how shallow I can be. How big headed I can act. And how little I matter when I am not in the will of God. Work in me so you can work through me. And I am so thankful that in 4 days my God is faithful and my insides are turning for him.

Vhq

Sun, 22 May 2011 22:50:14 -0400

I think out of all my journal entries… This one might be in the running for one of the weirdest. Not because it will be so deep. But because it is something that I just realized that I almost in a way forgot about…and it’s somewhat a big deal in our walk with Christ. I was setting up at the uptown campus at elevation. What a throwback that was! As much as I hated those early mornings at celebrate I’m glad I did it. Because the same thing happened here. It was early, there was a lot to do and with little time. But I began setting up one of 4,000 kids ares with a new guy I met. Danny? I think…. It’s my first day…and its my journal…I know who I’m talking about. Anyway! Me and Danny talked a lot about what I was doing at the church. What he does at the church. And so on. But then there is this awesome place at all elevation campuses call vhq. And all it is a room with snacks, drinks, and food later in the day. While in this room with some of my fellow internees I thought to myself…holy crap…I have forgotten about heaven.

I say the word eternity and I talk about setting next to my creator daily…yet somehow my mind blacked out that we will spend eternity in a place that is perfect. Where he is perfect and we are made clean forever! A place where I will sit with my old intern friends (hopefully.) I will get to sit with the disciples. There will be chipotles that I can eat at! I will eat with Garret, slack, Landon and all the other people I will meet on this journey. Im believing there will be chipotles in heaven….

Something so simple and to sum might even say this is dumb. But I know that I can’t wait to get to heaven and not have any guilt, hurting, heartache, loneliness, bitterness, starvation, poverty, death, broken bones, def ears, and blind eyes. When the world is no longer taunting me to fill my voids with something temporary. Infect we wont even have voids we will be made whole with christ. These are the things i need to remember. The basics cannot be forgotten. More importantly less of me, more of him.

Thanks.

Sat, 21 May 2011 22:09:12 -0400

Tonight was my first worship experience at elevation church. And yes it was awesome! But it was when they played you have won the victory that my mind started to race around all these things that I have been through. For me this internship is a.) the biggest honor I have ever had in my life and will continue to give God the praise for allowing me to be here. No matter what the outcome is. B.) its also a landmark in my life. I’m done with high school now I’m into the “real world.” and I couldn’t help but smile and give thanks to God at that moment in the song. Not just because I was standing as an intern at elevation but because my God has won the victory! He has won! And used me! He had his hand on me the whole time and this is a clear result of the victory. Pastor is very serious on making sure that we as a church continue to give God praise for what he has done. And as soon as we quit giving God the praise and sacrifices he deserves he will remove the blessing he has put on this church and put it on a church that is asking for it. The same is in my life. One thing I am learning is how to always tell God how thankful I am. Not just because of the church I’m at but because of where I am in life. I am healthy, loved, safe, a child of God. For yours is the victory. Work in me so you can work though me.