I need your words...

I am doing a project at my Graphic Design school. I am creating a website that explains the lives of the TCBC staff. So could you answer a few things for me?

1) Describe the relationships of the staff at TCBC.

2) What is the best thing about TCBC?

3) Why do you devote your whole summer there?

5) Describe the essentials you need to have to be a part of the staff (Physical, emotional, and spiritual)

Dear God,
First of all, I just want to thank you SO much for everything you have provided for me. My friends, family, food, shelter, a good life, salvation, I could go on forever! Thank you for being such a loving God!

God, I pray that you would give me courage. I love you so much and I want to tell the world about Your love, but I always chicken out. I hate it. Please Lord just give me the courage to talk about You and provide me with the words to say.

Lord, I pray that you would be with the Donohue Family. They are going through so much right now and it kills me to see one of my best friends' to go through so much pain. I pray that you bring healing to Pat. Physical, emotional, and spiritual healing, Lord. God I pray that the whole family would just keep their focus on You and not turn they eyes away from You. I pray that if You do decide to take him home early, that the family and everyone else would understand that You are in control.

God I pray for my parents. Sometimes I wonder if my prayers are heard, because I have been praying for this for years, but I know You have a plan. But I pray that you would provide spiritual and emotional healing to both of them, Lord. I pray that they would just seek after You everyday and strive to know you more, Lord. I pray that You provide them with joy. I am tired watching them be sad and listening to them complain about stuff instead of bringing their problems to You, God. God, I pray that if You have a woman for my dad that You bring about the best, most Godly, uplifting, beautiful woman for him, Lord. He deserves someone amazing, God.

Lord I pray for all of those less fortunate. That You be their only Provider. That they will see that they are in Your arms. I pray that whatever they are going through that they will find You.

God, I pray for all of my friends. From church, school, theatre, choir, camp that you would just encourage them daily. That their eyes would be focused on You and You alone God. That each day would be a new spiritual adventure for them. Lord I want to see them fully immersed in Your love, God.

And finally Lord I pray for me. That I would be seeking You daily. I am so terrible with consistently being in Your Word. Not only that but when I do read it, that I would be able to grow from it and not just read because I feel like I have to. God I pray that Your plan for my life would be revealed to me a little more each and everyday. I pray that You would use me to reach hundreds and thousands of people. I pray that my life would reflect You and that people's lives would be greatly changed for the better because of they see You in me. God, without You there is no me. I want that to show. Give me courage, strength, wisdom, understanding, discernment, patience, compassion and a love for people that is so incredibly overwhelming. I love you, Lord!

Amen.

NEW BLOGGER

Erik and I have decided to combine our talents and create a blog. SO www.aarik.blogspot.com is our new project. It combines his beautiful poetic words with my photography. We only have one blog as of now but you can be sure there will be LOTS more! It is called the Sound of Photography. ENJOY and please let us know what you think....

Overwhelmed by Meaningless Vanities...

Ecclesiastes explains it perfectly. Without God, everything is meaningless. The thing I love about this book is that King Solomon wrote it. King Solomon was the wisest king in history. He had so much wisdom and yet it all comes down to this simple conclusion. Without God, everything is meaningless.

I don't understand how my faith can be such a roller-coaster ride. One day I'll be rockin' it for Jesus and then the next I won't be feeling very "spiritual". Why is this, God? We both know that I love you so much. And that my most joyous moments are when I am praising you. So why is it so hard for my to completely drown myself in You? Why does my stupid self always get in the way of giving you my full attention? Don't blame the apple, blame the hand.

There are so many things that we are constantly wondering about God. We have so many questions. But you know, we don't need to know such insignificant answers. We tend to try and find all the "logistics" of God. Well I hate to burst your bubble, but God has no logistics. We can't confine Him into science. We need to spend less time thinking about the logistics of God, and more time just simply praising Him.

If there was a way to just simply think about God 24/7, I could change history. I would give anything for that. There would never be a dull moment.

I went to the David Crowder concert tonight and he wrote it so beautifully in this song:

And He set me on fire, and I am burning alive.
With His breath in my lungs I am coming undone.
And he set me on fire and I am burning alive.
With his breath in my lungs I am coming undone.
And I cannot hold it in
Remain composed.
Love's taken over me
So I propose the letting myself go.
I am letting myself go.

You are my joy.
You are my joy.
You are my joy.
You are my joy.

And He set me on fire, and I am burning alive.
With His breath in my lungs I am coming undone.
And He set me on fire, and I am burning alive.
With His breath in my lungs I am coming undone.
And I cannot hold it in and remain composed.
Love's taken over me and so I propose the letting myself go.
I am letting myself go.

You are my joy.
You are my joy.
You are my joy.
You are my joy.

I need to catch my breath, I need to.
I need to catch my breath, give me a moment now.

You are my joy.
You are my joy.
You are my joy.
You are my joy.

I'm laughing so hard
And I'm laughing so hard
And I'm laughing so hard

I grew more this summer than I have my whole life.

God revealed Himself to me in so many ways, whether

it be in Africa or at camp. I saw miracles happen. The

kind of miracles like Jesus performed in His day. I miracles

just like those ones when I was in Africa. Its like God

grabbed my shoulders tightly, and shook me around and

said "Aaron! Look! I am here! How could you have been so

blind as to not see me so clearly before?" Its sad that it

took miraculous things to happen for me to fully see God.

But I am glad I finally see the bigger picture now.

So many times we get caught up in our selfish desires. And

it happens so often, because it is our natural human ways.

But if know God, love God and have actually seen and

experienced God, then why aren't we spending every

waking moment praising Him, worshiping Him, talking

to Him, thinking about Him, living for Him? I just wish

so badly that I could live FULLY for Him. But in order to

actually do that, I would have to be perfect. And that just

ain't gonna happen. It doesn't take any genius to figure

this stuff out.

My life was changed this summer. God has given me a candle

and He wants me to set this world on fire. And I so deeply want

to, but every single time I try my earthly habits get in the way.

This year is going to be different. God has called me and I have

answered. By His strength, I will affect hundreds of people's

lives. By His words, I will speak to hundreds of people about

Him. And by His love, I will love His people.

All I am saying is that...

God is going to do some INCREDIBLE things in my life this summer!

"God, reveal to me who you want me to be.

Give me the words to say to others this summer.

Keep me humble, passionate, and full-heartedly Yours.

Work in my life like you never have before.

Thank you for everything you have done, you do, and you

continue to do in my life.

Thank you for all of the amazing oppurtunitie that you have given me.

Bless my parents this summer while I am away.

Work in the lives of my friends as well.

I love you, Dad.

Amen!"

I really love this song and it would be a great one to sing during one of our staff meetings. I love those!

How Deep The Father's Love For Us
By: Stuart Townend

How deep the Father's love for us,

How vast beyond all measure,
That He should give His only Son

To make a wretch His treasure.

How great the pain of searing loss,

The Father turns His face away,

As wounds which mar the Chosen One

Bring many sons to glory.

Behold the man upon a cross.

My sin upon His shoulders;

Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice

Call out among the scoffers.

It was my sin that held Him there

Until it was accomplished;

His dying breath has brought me life

I know that it is finished.

I will not boast in anything,

No gifts, no power, no wisdom;

But I will boast in Jesus Christ,

His death and resurrection.

Why should I gain from His reward?

I cannot give an answer.

But this I know with all my heart,

His wounds have paid my ransom.