Life Update 04-28-09

I thought I’d check in and give you all an update on what’s been going on in my life.
I am coming to the end of my first year here at Charis Bible College.
It’s been a wonderful experience, one that has caused me to grow tremendously.
I’ve been leading worship at my church for the past few years, and it has been great, but when I started at Charis, they decided to appoint me as the worship leader for our live worship chapel sessions twice a week.
While I know God has had me here to receive the teaching, I also came to realize that just as importantly (if not more), He had me here to receive the experience of leading worship 3 times a week instead of only 1 time per week.
And through this time, he has also given me many songs which have been awesome to write and teach to the people.
Overall it really has been a wonderful, (although sometimes stretching) process. But hey, you can’t grow without being stretched right?

I am just recently coming out of what was probably the hardest time of my life so far.
Without going into too much detail, I lost someone who was not only a very close friend, but was also the one person who I believed that I was going to spend the rest of my life with.
I believe that I had taken all of the right steps throughout the relationship, and had thrown myself wholly into it.
But in the end, it turned out to be a case where the feelings I had were not mutual when I thought that they were, and it didn’t work out.
So needless to say, the past 2 weeks or so have been terrible. There are days when everything is fine, then there are days when everything seems to remind me of the person, and it’s hard to move on through the day.
One bit of advice that my father gave me through this situation is this:
He said: “Son, you are in a place right now where yea, there may be pieces of you lying all over the floor, but this now gives you an opportunity to pick yourself up off the floor, get direction from God, and piece yourself back together in the way that God wants you.”
So that is what I’ve been focusing on doing. Getting direction from God, and restructuring my life.
Another opportunity that this trial has presented me with is the chance to reassess my relationship with God.
The relationship that just ended was unlike any I had ever been in before, in this way.
Every time I’ve been in a situation where I liked a girl and we would start to talk, other important things in my life would get pushed to the back burner. Relationships with close friends, family, and most importantly, God.
But in this situation, it was entirely different. Every one of those aspects that usually got pushed back, stayed in balance. My relationship with God was actually strengthened throughout the situation.
But now that that relationship has fallen apart, He has spoken a word to me, telling me that I need to focus even more now on my relationship with him, and take the time that I was investing in that relationship, and put it all into my relationship with Him, and into worship.
So I’ve been focusing on investing my time more and more into that.

Now, I’m at a point where I’m approaching the end of this first year at Charis, and so I’ve been seeking Him for direction on what He would have next for me.
When I was visiting my sister Sarah in Nashville last September, we were talking about the future, and she mentioned a worship school in California.
So I looked it up, and after praying about it, I decided to apply.
My best friend Luke also applied, and we were both accepted.
So this summer, Jun 17th – July 10th, Luke and I will be driving out to Redding, CA to attend Bethel School of Supernatural Worship.
I’m very excited about it, because I know that God has so much for me to learn out there. Worship, both at Charis, and at Family Life, has been amazing lately, and only getting better and better. But I know that He has a higher level that He wants to take us as a church to. And I know that I’m going to get the experience and wisdom to take our worship to that next level when I’m out in Redding.

My life has always been interesting in that I don’t usually get the next step on what I’m supposed to do in my life until I am in the step right before that.
So right now, I’m finishing Charis, and I know that the next step is worship school, but I’ve recently been praying about what God would have me to do in the fall.
Now Charis has a 2nd year program, which is called the “School of Practical Ministry”.
And while I know that it is a wonderful course, I don’t feel that that is God’s direction for me for this next year. It may be something that I come back to do in the future, I don’t feel that it is what He has for me for this year.
Now ever since I was young, I have been interested in Law Enforcement. I think it is something that a lot of young boys want to do, but it is an interest for me that hasn’t subsided as time has gone on. I am still very much interested in it, so because of that, I’m researching a career in Law Enforcement, getting details about it, and going on ride-alongs with different Police Departments in the area. I have recently tried a ride along in my hometown. And there was definitely something that “clicked” there for me. There is definite interest, so we’ll see what He has in store.
To become a police officer, you have to be at least 21 years old, so I have at least a year and a half or so before I could actually become an officer.

So I am praying about possibly going to College of Dupage in the Fall to begin criminal justice studies.
We’ll see what He has in store, but for now, I’m just walking it out, in little Baby Steps. =)
That’s what’s been up with me. I’d appreciate your prayers just for clear direction and guidance throughout all of these situations.
I’ll try to post more often just to keep y’all updated with everything that is going on in my life.
Blessings on you all!
Love ya.