28- 2 Chronicles 14:11

And Asa cried to the LORD his God, "O LORD, there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O LORD, you are our God; let not man prevail against you."

27- Denver, Red-neck Vegas, and Chanute

So last week on Friday May 22, I headed west with some pretty amazing people. Myself, the Faagutus (Rachel, Uelese, and their 3 kids) and the Motlongs (Josh and Sarah and their Isabella) traveled to Colorado. We left Friday afternoon and got there... oh around 5am saturday. I got between 3-4 hrs of sleep. 9 of us stayed in a one bedroom apartment. Oh it was fun.
Later that night we headed to Colorado Springs and led worship at a prayer meeting at Freedom Church (Dutch Sheets church). Rachel did a great job leading and I loved playing with the team inclulding some other friends of the Faagutus from the area. I really enjoyed being able to worship and also learned a lot.
The next morning we led worship at Power Invasion Ministries in Denver. Again, lovedworshipping there and was also very encouraged and ministered to. I got to know some pretty cool people while I was there.
I spend Monday with my cousin, Jon. We headed up to Estes with his housemate Jacob and looked at a pretty sweet art show as well as did some offroading. I may not have been ready for the roughness of the off-roading, but was a memorable experience nonetheless. Maybe I am just a sissy... :)

Good times!!!
Monday night I joined the group again and we did a sound check at the news station.
Tuesday we played on the local News- the Deuce. Uelese (SAM*SON) did an awesome job! And it was a lot of fun playing (even though he gives me trouble for a dash of vibrato in a song, which upon reviewing was pretty silly :)

.

Josh and goose Isabella Lei Manna
I did not get a pic of Comay on the trip but here is an old one so shes not left out...

There is a video here for song http://www.2thedeuce.com/entertainment/localmusic/ just look through the video list for SAM*SON
and here is another...

We eventually left town after the show and ended getting back to KC around 3am, Wed. It was tiring but totally a blast!

Friday, May 29th my family and I left for Branson MO aka Red-neck Vegas. If your not familiar with Branson, it has a lot of different shows, restaurants and activities most of which are geared toward families and midwest/southern style. I had a really good time with my family. We went to Dixie Stampede, did some mini-golfing, shopping and certainly some eating too. I really do love my fam.

We got home Sunday.

Yesterday (June 6th) afternoon I headed to Chanute KS where I got to see some dear friends and spend time with them.

This morning I got to minister at First Baptist of Chanute. I led worship but also preached too. It had been a long time since I really taught the Word. Last time was over 3 years and was to a small girls Bible study. I was a bit nervous but ended really enjoying doing it and even went a bit long.

I spoke on how the Lord wants to be friends with us and for us to respond to this, we must understand His mercy. If we don't know his kindness to us we keep Him at a distance and cant receive the grace and love that gives us power to live righteously.

I am now home.

I have been out of town the last 3 weekends. I enjoy traveling but it will be nice staying around, at least for a little while.

God is growing me. I love Him. I love the Holy Spirit.

God is good.

26- Holy Hip Hop

Rap is one of the major classifications/genres of music alive today. Hip hop (also known as rap) is characterized by rhythmic and fluid lyrics along with heavy beats that make the listener want to move.
In the spirit of the late DC Talk- I love rap music!
I love how the rhythms and beats and catchy hooks can draw in the listener and make them want to get up and dance (or at least try).

It has become a popular (and accurate) accusation that the hip hop culture is one that promotes and influences the worship of drugs, the love of money, and the dehumanization of women. It is also popular for listeners to justify there music and convictions by attempting to convince themselves they just listen to the beat. I like a good beat, but please dont attempt to excuse yourself to listen to trashy lyrics and ideas for the sake of a good beat. Whether or not you think you are soaking the lyrics in. I am not writing to bash the immorality of mainstream rap, which for me is obviously not an option.

As a Christian it can be very difficult to find decent music as so very often, the music represented on the radio clicks more with middle-aged women than it does young people. Especially in the area of finding a good beat and groove. Specifically hip-hop.

For a long time I listened to Grits and Cross Movement. Which I would strongly recommend. Cross Movement has a record label with a number of other artists they represent. I would encourage you to check it out.
Lately I have been getting to know another group of hip hop artists. Reach Records has a handful of quality of rappers including Lecrae, Sho Baraka, Trip Lee and Tedashii.
I love it that John Piper had endorsed Lecrae and has worked with him in interviews and also producing his music video for "Don't Waste Your Life."
Another artist to check out would be Lyrycyst.
One thing I would recommend is listen to the free internet radio on Padora and create a channel with Lecrae or one of the artists I have mentioned. From there you can find similar artists.
Check out some of these sites I have linked to, launch the jukeboxes or music players and get some sweet beats along with some serious preaching too.

25- Applause vs. Fellowship

"Sometimes I feel like when I make decisions that are remotely biblical, people who call themselves Christians are the first to criticize and say I'm crazy, that I'm taking the Bible too literally, or that I'm not thinking about my family's well-being... When people gladly sacrifice their timeor comfort or home, it is obvious that they trust in the promises of God. Why is it that the story of someone who has actually done what Jesus commands resonates deeply with us, but we then assume we could never do anything so radical or intense? Or why do we call it radical when, to Jesus, it is simply the way it is? The way it should be?"

Francis Chan

A friend posted this quote. I was really convicted when I read it.
I spend too much time observing someone else living the way I should be living.

24- Psalm 121

I lift my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all evil; He will keep your life.
The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.

23- No, Mr. President. Killing Is Killing No Matter What We Call It.

via Desiring God Blog on 5/13/09

(Author: John Piper)

It's a magnificent thing: The only newly-originating life in the universe that comes in the image of God is Man. The only newly-originating life in the universe that lasts forever is Man.

This is an awesome thing.

And, as everyone knows, that reverence is not shared by our new President, over whom we have rejoiced.

He is trapped and blind in a culture of deceit. On the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, he released this statement,

We are reminded that this decision not only protects women's health and reproductive freedom, but stands for a broader principle: that government should not intrude on our most private family matters.

To which I say:

• No, Mr. President, you are not protecting women; you are authorizing the destruction of 500,000 little women every year.
• No, Mr. President, you are not protecting reproductive freedom; you are authorizing the destruction of freedom for one million little human beings every year.
• No, Mr. President, killing our children is killing our children no matter how many times you call it a private family matter. You may say it is a private family matter over and over and over, and still they are dead. And we killed them. And you, would have it remain legal.

Mr. President, some of us wept for joy at your inauguration. And we pledge that we will pray for you.

We have hope in our sovereign God.

(From the sermon: "The Baby in My Arms Leaped for Joy.")

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to Desiring God Blog using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

22- May

May 2, 2009... really? wow
So one week from right now I will be graduating from the University of Central Missouri. I am definitely excited about it. It is weird to think that I have been going to school for about 18 years. For about 18 years my schedule was pretty much decided for me. In the Spring and Summer I would go to school all day. Now, I don't have that.
Yes, I need to be responsible, but in a way, I can do what I want. In so many ways, God's leadership over my life is suddenly quite real. I had always assumed I was just supposed to go to school (which isn't wrong by any means) but now, as God commands, anything is a possibility.
Right now, I do not know what that will mean. I still have to complete my internship somewhere this summer. Then after that, I trust that God will give me clear direction in what HIS will is. There are alot of things that I would like to do, and I am sure that will be apart of what God has for me.
But I do not want my desires to be about me being happy. I want to desire to please God. He is worthy of all honor. Jesus is high above ALL things.
I give Him my worship...
and my life.

However I will serve Him, I embrace it with joy and am glad to serve my King.

I do not know what I shall do tomorrow. But I know that today I choose to obey.

BRYCE