Arise Worship Internship

So I made a quick mention in my last post that I have been incredibly busy over the last few weeks. Well now I am finally ready to announce to the world the one primary thing that has been the focus of most of my hours over the past month: The Arise Worship Internship!

The Arise Worship Internship is going to be an amazing 9 week program that produces earth-shaking, culture-shaping worship warriors. The entire purpose of this internship is to raise up and hone people who have a burning desire to use their musical abilities to affect things for the Kingdom. We are going to pour into, and release, an army of revolutionaries that are sold out to the cause of Christ and are also musically excellent. This internship gives everybody 18 years of age and up the chance to come be a part of what’s going on here, get sharpened up, learn, and grow and THEN go back out and take everything they’ve acquired and infect their corner of the world. It’s going to be incredible!

So tell all your friends, tell your family, tell everybody about the Arise Worship Internship!! I have absolutely no doubt that the Lord is going to do some truly remarkable, new things through this program and the people who come to be a part of it. Bring it on, Lord, we’re ready!! In Jesus’ Mighty Loving and Awesome Name, Amen and Amen!!!!!

Gotta Know

Man, I’ve been so crazy busy over the past few weeks that my blog has seen little love. The product of my invisibility will soon be shared on here, but it’s got a few more touch-ups and final tweaks before I can post it. You guys will be among the first to know once it’s done :)

One thing I have squeezed in over the past few weeks has been a few basketball games. It’s March Madness—what am I supposed to do?! Since I do have a crazy schedule though, some of these games have been relegated to watching far after they actually take place (via the magic of DVR). Now, this usually isn’t a big deal, but when it comes to college basketball games in March, it’s hard to keep from catching a score even when you’re trying not to listen. And what’s even harder is not hearing a UK score when you live in the great state of Kentucky. Next to impossible.

But in my quest to actually watch the game and sit in suspense just like I was watching it live, I go out of my way in doing lots of things: I turn my head from looking at any TV with sports on it, I don’t look at texts from my UK-loving friends (or my UK-hating friends), I announce to everyone I’m hanging with that I haven’t seen the game and not to spoil it for me, and I avoid looking at Facebook. I actually alter the course of the rest of my day to make sure I can watch the game and not have the ending ruined.

Obviously, if I knew the ending going in, then I wouldn’t get near as much enjoyment from watching it. All of the twists and turns of the game don’t pack as much as excitement because I’m not left wondering at any point how it will end. In fact, it can get boring enough that I’ll just turn it off and go do something else.

Why then do we all try so hard to know the outcome of everything in our lives before it happens? Why can’t we be ok with not knowing how things are going to turn out?

We have promises from God in the Bible that tells us we’ll be taken care of. We may even have words that have been spoken to us by the Lord through revelation, dreams, or other people. If we know enough of the ending to know that it’s good, then why do we need more!?

We all need to get more comfortable with not knowing the answers to everything. Peace amidst uncertainty is something that all believers in Christ should have. Let us pray for and attain to new levels of faith and trust in the Lord and just let God do what He does: make things so great for us beyond all of our wildest imaginations and dreams. Let it come, Lord, let it come! May it be done in Your Name!

In Jesus Christ of Nazareth’s Mighty Comforting and Holy Name, Amen.

Spectating

I was born and raised in Kentucky. So it goes without saying that Wildcat basketball is in my blood. Rupp Arena, Midnight Madness, 7 National Titles: the best program on earth. I buy UK merchandise, tailor my plans for 6 months out of the year around tip-off times, and yell until my throat becomes a tattered mess of reddened tendons. I’m a true fan.

March is my favorite time of the year. I, along with millions of other fans across the country (albeit supporting lesser teams), sit on pins and needles as one-by-one every heavyweight and Cinderella is knocked out of the tournament until only one team is left standing. Year in and year out, it is the one sporting spectacle that never fails to deliver.

But for all the zeal I pour into cheering on the Big Blue, how much more energy would I exude if I could play for them? Even in defeat, wouldn’t it be infinitely more satisfying to be in the game than to just scream at my TV from the living room?

Here’s the deal: God never made you to be a spectator in your life. Those skills you have, those things that make you tick—they were put there by your Maker. The way you can paint, the way you can organize, the way your energy is infectious, the way you can listen to people empty their hearts out, the way you see things differently—all put there by the Lord.

These giftings you have are meant to be used. Sometimes it can be easy to watch the star players and just be content to say, “Man, they are awesome!” Yes, they are awesome. But one of the cool things God did was make us all part of one body. You see, a body needs all of its parts to perform at its peak. No, we may not have the flashy, show-stopping abilities of John Wall, but we all have something to add to the team.

Is it good for you to support others? Yes. Is it OK for you to not take the lead in every single situation? Yes. Should you rabidly cheer on those around you who are following hard after their own dreams? Absolutely. But God has something for you, too. Something that He designed specifically with you in mind. Something that is all your own. Go get it.