TRENT: I Will Hold On

Going through life we can get sideswiped by circumstances that can seemingly come out of no where. I am currently in one of these circumstances. Though this is one of the most challenging things I've had to face in my life; and though my faith has been shaken. I must remind myself that my hope is in Jesus and I must hold on to Him. He will carry me through because my life is in His hands. In fact, I am securely in both the Father and Son's Hands.

If you are going through a difficult trial at the moment, remember these words of Jesus and draw strength and hope from them. John 10:27-30 (NIV) My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

Mobile Prayer Station: DAY 36

As you can see, my friend Nobuki visited the Mobile Prayer Station for the first hour today. While he was there, an old college friend of his just so happened to be in the area. Coincidence? I think not. From what I gathered, this friend hasn't met the new creation Nobuki, but only knew the old Nobuki who did drugs and partied. So, Nobuki had a chance to share about his new life in Jesus with this friend. Very cool! The timing couldn't have been better because Nobuki is currently on a "short-term" mission trip back to his old art school to visit friends and to share about his new life in Jesus. Prophetically speaking, I believe that this divinely appointed meeting was like a foretaste of what was to happen on this coming trip. 

Throughout the rest of the day, I talked and prayed with Cindy, who is becoming a friend; Matt, a Greenpeace volunteer who also gave me some encouragement; Cassandra, a social worker spending the summer in Chicago; as well as a dad and three kids. Each was a special moment because what I'm beginning to really understand is God's deep desire to be near His children (both lost and found). The more that I talk and pray with people while on the street, the more I'm impacted with the reality that God has such plans and purposes for each of His children. But, the sad reality is that sin and the evils of this world weigh people down from actually going after their destinies. In some instances they are completely blinded from actually even seeing God's destiny for their lives because satan, the god of this world has truly blinded their eyes from seeing their amazing destiny in Christ (2 Corinthians 4:4). So, if there's one thing that I love to do, it's to pray that God would set people free, open their eyes and reveal their God destiny to them. 

God has a wonderful plan for everyone's life. He has a wonderful plan for your life. There's a Scripture verse that has eternally impacted me: "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,' declares the LORD" (Jeremiah 29:11-14a NIV). God has an amazing destiny for your life. I know that at times it may be hard to believe. But, it's in the rough patches of life that we need to all the more remind ourselves of this Truth: that "God has an amazing plan and destiny for my life." So, this is my prayer: that the Holy Spirit would ignite these words of truth in the very core of your being and release faith into your heart to believe and receive these words of grace, hope, truth and love. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Pennies HEART

The guys at Phos Pictures never fail to move my heart towards hope. This video is especially endearing: who's heart doesn't break when they see kids in distress? I couldn't even begin to imagine what this family went through. The Scripture passage that comes to mind is "All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us" (2 Corinthians 1:3, 4 NLT). God is the great Comforter, but He also empowers His people to comfort others. I love that a community of people gathered around this family and comforted, prayed and cared for them. For me that's a clear picture of the family of God: "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:35 NIV).

SafetySuit: life left to go

There's something so familiar about this song. Maybe it's the depth of sadness and longing that permeates this song. From the melody to the lyrics there is an all too familiar melancholy that pulses. When I listen to it, the lyrics resonate with the deeply broken areas of my soul because I know what it feels like to be in a crowd of people and still feel alone and forgotten. No one deserves to be alone. "Sometimes the edge serves as more than a friend than you thought it would be. And the pages you write in your journal each night are your only release." Loneliness is so horrible because it goes against the very reason God created us: He created us for relationship, both with Him and with one another. We were created in love and for love. A love which can only be fully expressed and experience through relationships.

Lately, I have been inspired by Jason Ma who has been on this mission of 365 days of love. From my understanding he is being intentional about loving people everyday for 365 days. When I read about his exploits of love there's something within me that wants to be both the recipient of this love and the giver of this love. There is something so powerfully good and right about hearing a kind and compassionate word from a stranger or experiencing personally love in action. I feel like in these moments, Heaven literally kisses earth. Scripture says that we love because God first loved us (1 John 4:19). So, the more I experience God's love for me, the more I will be inspired to love others more richly, deeply and fully. "But there's no pain you feel that I know love can't heal, here at all." I believe this because I have experienced healing love first hand.

Every person has value because we have all been uniquely created by God in His image. So even though you may or may not know me, what I do know is that this world would dim a little without you in it. God has given all of us a voice and I hope and pray that you find yours. "I'm begging you no, there's more life left to go. I'm begging you please, cause I don't want you to leave." When you're feeling all alone in this world, this is my prayer for you: That God would bring people into your life to tell you, "I know you'll smile again." That God would bring someone special into your life who loves spending time with you because they love you for you. Even more, I pray that you would literally feel in the very depths of your being God's unconditional love for you. And that you would hear Him say to you: "I see you and I love you! And the failures you see don't seem failures to me here at all."

Sky Lantern Festival 2010

In watching this video I am again reminded of just how fast paced of a world that we live in. Do you have days where it seems like you are just going and going and going? I know I do. It is so difficult sometimes to just slow down and be: to unplug myself from my iPhone, the Internet and all the many avenues of communication (thanks to social networking) that are at our fingertips and go offline for a moment in order to connect with God. That's what I love about the Sky Lantern Festival, it gives people a moment to pause from the busyness and write prayers containing their wishes, hopes and dreams on sky lanterns that then float up to heaven. If only more people would pause nightly to offer up their own sky lanterns of prayer to the one and only living God who loves it when we speak with Him about our wishes, hopes and dreams. How wonderfully beautiful life could be...

addiction

If you asked me what addiction looks like, I would probably describe it in ways similar to this video. Addiction has an almost insatiable appetite that cares not for anything or anyone, only to satisfy oneself. People create attachments to things all day, everyday, but when these attachments go unchecked, that's when they can turn in unmanageable addictions that suck the very life out of a person and of the people around them. But, here's the Good News, there is a living God who hears the cries of those hurting (Psalm 55:17; 72:12), who is near the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18; 147:3) and who listens to those who call upon His Name to be rescued (Psalm 91:14-16).

Over this past year, I've started the 420 Prayer Movement that specifically prays for people struggling with drug addiction. Drug use among the next generation has been steadily on the increase. More and more middle school (junior high) children are now experimenting with drugs. That which was the exception has very much now become the norm. The 420 prayers consist of praying that: 1) That the Kingdom of God would break into their lives in power (1 Corinthians 4:20); 2) That they would leave their current lifestyle, in order to follow Jesus (Matthew 4:20); and 3) That the Holy Spirit would transform their hearts into the good soil that hears and accepts God's Word and bears abundant good fruit (Mark 4:20).

Now, I am all for support groups that help people who struggle with addiction gain greater coping skills and accountability. But, for me, I want lasting transformation for them and the abundant life that Jesus promises those who follow Him, which from my understanding comes only from God.

a tribute to Emma McCune

Emmanuel Jal performs his song about Emma McCune, who was the aid worker in Sudan who rescued him. She has an inspiring story which goes to show that one person can make a difference. Go out a touch someone's life today in love!

If you are interested in hearing Emmanuel Jal tell his amazing story go here.

Just a really cute video

Led by the Spirit

I hope that this powerfully moving video based on Galatians 5:16-25 has inspired you to: Invite the Holy Spirit to transform your worldly and fleshly appetites into eternal and righteous ones to the glory and praise of our Lord Jesus Christ! It is only through Him that we have true and lasting redemption where all things become possible (Mark 10:27).