God Is Freaking Awesome!!!!

simple post:

4 hrs.

(50+) 9-17 year olds worshiping God.

redemption, forgiveness, personal communion.

this is the best thing ever. EVER!!!! 

who knew kids would inspire ME!?!?!

I Don’t Understand…

it hurts.

i feel so distant, so separated, so disheartened.

i hope i see him in heaven.

i feel like i got kicked in the chest. 

Working Overnights Made Me Not Want To Write…

so i haven’t written in over a week. although i’ve had plenty to actually blog about, i haven’t felt motivated to be on the computer long enough to write anything.

but now i can, and tomorrow should get lots more wordage.

i just got into Richmond, VA on early Sunday morning. basically i brushed my teeth, took out my contacts and went to bed after the 15 hr bus ride.

we then went to church, sunday school with the teens first, then both service to be prayed over for Bridge Builders  service was pretty good, worship was alright as well. then the day started: Bridge Builders meeting with 70+ people, lots of cool new friends i’ve made in a small amount of time. then fun times playing basketball and a concert, with free food. i love food, especially the free kind. then back here to the Bruchert/Patterson home.

i’m excited for this week and then Nashville next week. and i get to go to the beach tomorrow!!!  WOOT!!!

so pray for me, for the kids and those leaders, God’s gonna move.

p.s. I want to be a person that shows unconditional love to people. i’m gonna try hard.

be prepared for lots of goodness in the coming days!!!

God Bless.

God’s Little Gifts

i am SOOOOO glad God gave me patience.

because otherwise i would want to throw stuff and kick things and be really upset and frustrated.

but i’m not.

and for Brennan, because he is a funny funny guy.

and Melissa, she gave me a really good hug at ThuRsdays last night.

i’m going to bed.

pray for me, and each other.

When Things Go Good…Part 1

i got a job. and boy is it a boring one. but i get paid and that’s a good thing. i also work nights, which is nice when its freaking hot out. i’m the only Christian there, the only one that doesn’t smoke. i work about 6.5 hours out of the 8 i’m there. i get to listen to my iPod while working. i work with 3 other guys, 4 counting the supervisor. it’s pretty chill.

i have a quasi type dinner date on Wednesday. i don’t know if it’s a real date or not because i haven’t been on one in over 3 and a half years. but it’s food, conversation and enjoyable company. close enough to a date. it involves a girl, and her parents (who happen to be very cool). i am actually quite nervous. this happens to me when i think there’s potential for something good, because a lot of times it tends not to work out well. ESPECIALLY with girls.

i am moving out of my current residence in about 3 weeks. at first i didn’t have a place to stay, but now i do. God is pretty awesome as of late. He’s answered my prayers in the ways i didn’t expect Him to. but that’s OK. a good answer is always a welcome answer.

i’m still not sure about whether or not i’m going to Bridge Builders or not. it would be nice but the time for planning is getting super tight and everything would be last minute. If God wants me to go then He will provide a way.

ok so here’s a song i listened to a lot in the last few days that kinda goes along with this blog.

“Up And Up” by Relient K

Yesterday
Is not quite what it could’ve been
As were most of all the days before
But I swear today
With every breath I’m breathing in
I’ll be trying to make it so much more

Cause it seems I get so hung up on
The history and what’s gone wrong
And the hope of a new day
Is sometimes hard to see (what you see)
And though I’m finally catching onto it
And now the past is just a conduit
And the light there at the end is
Where I’ll be

Cause I’m on the up and up
I’m on the up and up
And I haven’t given up
Given up on what
I know I’m capable of
And I’m on the up and up
I’m on the up and up
Yeah there’s nothing left to prove
Cause I’m just trying to be
A better version of me
For You
A better version of me
For You

To be prosperous
Would not require much of me
You see contentment is the one thing
It entails
To be content with where I am
And getting where I need to be
I’m moving past the past
Where I have failed

But I’m finally catching onto it
And now the past is just a conduit
Right there at the end
Is where I’ll be
Oh

You never cease
To supply me with
What I need
For a good life
So when I’m down
I’ll hold my head up high
Cause You’re the reason why

God Bless.

Are P.O.D. Christians or Rastafarians?

I found this article and even though the guy goes way overboard at some points, it brings up and interesting fact.

but I’ll let you decide for yourself.

it’s a bit lengthy, so give yourself some time.

here it is:

P.O.D & Christianity

Sometimes You Just Gotta Say “I’m An Idiot, I’m Sorry”

i  don’t agree with Keith O.

watch the video.

it makes me really freaking angry.

This Website Is GREAT!!!

http://icanhascheezburger.com/

seriously folks, this website makes me smile at least once a day.

check it out. bookmark it. share it.

Nothing But Feelings & A Softball Injury

so i was thinking the other day. yes i do that from time to time.

i was playing softball the other week and i injured myself sliding back into second base.

it was the dreaded brush burn. the injury that doesn’t really hurt at first but half an hour later you definitely feel it. then it scabs over and begins to heal. but the pain does not go away. NOOOO! it is a tender scab and it might not heal for 2-3 weeks.

i realize it’s the same way with being hurt emotionally, mentally or spiritually. you don’t always realize how much it affects you then BAM! you feel the pain or the loss. you do your best to take care of it but the pain doesn’t go away when you want it to. there is a time of healing, of tenderness. sometimes you might have a scar showing, the proof that you went through a difficult time. sometimes something won’t be healed or get fixed without outside help.

THAT is where God comes in. He will help heal us. He will help us through the difficult rehab process. He will be there to give advice on how we can grow and get better from a hurtful experience.

God will provide us with friends, colleagues, pastors, and random strangers to help us. He loves us that much!

here are a few verses that might help out:

(All are in NIV translation unless noted otherwise)

Job 16:5
But my mouth would encourage you; comfort from my lips would bring you relief.

Psalm 86:17
Give me a sign of your goodness, that my enemies may see it and be put to shame, for you, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me.

Isaiah 49:13
Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains! For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.

2 Corinthians 1:4
who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

2 Corinthians 1:3
[ The Rescue ] All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too. (The Message)

God Bless.