Its strange to think that in two days I will be in Haiti. A place that will change my life. The things I will see will stick with me forever.
The Lord has really been preparing my heart for this. He has been calling me to spend hours a day sitting in His presence just praying. Even though I have fallen short of that, when I have taken the time it is so rewarding. His presence is so strong in those times. A great heaviness in the room that could only be of Him. I find myself crying a lot during these times as He shows me His heart for those people. How deeply He loves them and desires for them to be happy. A happiness that only comes from a relationship with Him. Its strange to cry for people I have never met but I see it as a gift. I know this is my call in life. I could never walk away from it. To care for the orphans of the world. My heart breaks for them.
I was talking to one of my professors today about being gone and my trip. He is also a Christian man. He told me how his son went to Africa about a year ago. He briefly described what his son had seen and it was horrific. There are fields of trash in Africa where orphans, with no where else to go, live. All day long they sniff glue to get high and eat whatever garbage they can. This is their life, get high and eat garbage. Thousands of children in Africa live this way. I had no words to say, I just stood there, shocked.
I can only image what God has planned for this trip. I just pray for the strength to walk with Him at all times and do what He calls me to do while I'm there. I thank all of you for your support and prayers in this, they are a huge blessing. This is just as much your trip as it is mine. We are all part of body and are all one in Christ.
See you all in a couple weeks!
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
In Motion
The days seem to be getting busier and busier. I leave the house early every morning and don't get back till late. I get a lot done but it always feels like more needs to be done. No matter how many things I do, there is something more. Don't get me wrong, all the things happening are huge blessing from the Lord and I've met the most amazing people but I can't wait till they all come together.
The biggest one is the non-profit my friends and I are starting. There is a ton of paperwork and filing of documents to do. A bunch of legal stuff I don't really understand..... I can't wait till it all gets started though. I can see all the dots the Lord is connecting already and im sooo excited. It feels like everyday I make some unreal connection with another on fire Christian with a heart for orphans. Things only explainable through God. I can't wait to just travel around and support orphanages for a living. What could be better? Helping people in need and teaching them about Jesus. My first trip will be in about a week. Going to Haiti to take supplies to an orphanage. While I'm there, I should make some really great connects to other orphanages out there, so once the NPO is up and running, we can begin to support them. So stoked for this trip. The beginning of something really cool.
I just continue to remind myself everyday of how great God is. Every morning realizing how broken I am. No matter what I do, I fall so short of His glory. Just being alive I fall short, even just sitting in my room. We need Him so much its ridiculous. We are so lucky to have a God that loves us.
The biggest one is the non-profit my friends and I are starting. There is a ton of paperwork and filing of documents to do. A bunch of legal stuff I don't really understand..... I can't wait till it all gets started though. I can see all the dots the Lord is connecting already and im sooo excited. It feels like everyday I make some unreal connection with another on fire Christian with a heart for orphans. Things only explainable through God. I can't wait to just travel around and support orphanages for a living. What could be better? Helping people in need and teaching them about Jesus. My first trip will be in about a week. Going to Haiti to take supplies to an orphanage. While I'm there, I should make some really great connects to other orphanages out there, so once the NPO is up and running, we can begin to support them. So stoked for this trip. The beginning of something really cool.
I just continue to remind myself everyday of how great God is. Every morning realizing how broken I am. No matter what I do, I fall so short of His glory. Just being alive I fall short, even just sitting in my room. We need Him so much its ridiculous. We are so lucky to have a God that loves us.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
opportunity
The Lord has begun to stir a passion in my heart. Don't get me wrong, I am very passionate about God but I feel He wants me to take it to the next level. A place of only fearing Him, not holding back, and not trying to justify why I don't do everything He calls me to. Complete sacrifice.
This would mean feeling very awkward in a lot of situations and doing things we are nervous about. This pull has to do with Long Beach State. I feel that the Lord wants to start a movement here. I am currently sitting in the library and as I look around, I wonder what will happen to all these students. Will they ever come to know Christ? Will they always feel a duty to pursue worldly knowledge and success? What if no one ever has to nerve to tell them about Jesus?
This could very well mean that they will not go to heaven. That they will perish for eternity because I didn't want to get a little uncomfortable. Something that begins to surface is wanting people to like me. If I go around telling people about God, and doing what He actually calls us too, then I will not be liked by most and probably made fun of or worse. But who really cares right? I have Jesus and that is more than enough. So why do I continue to doubt and hold back?
These are just thoughts running through my head. I think they all hold some truth in them though. Like if we truly believed in hell and all that is, wouldn't we do everything possible to stop people from going there? I would never want anyone to go there but yet I am willing to just walk by someone who has a real chance of going there.
Its all a process to learn how to go about these things. Relying on God's power and not trying to do it on our own. I definitely need to spend time in prayer about all this and see how the Lord wants to move in it. I know it is all in His timing.
"remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins." James 5:20
This would mean feeling very awkward in a lot of situations and doing things we are nervous about. This pull has to do with Long Beach State. I feel that the Lord wants to start a movement here. I am currently sitting in the library and as I look around, I wonder what will happen to all these students. Will they ever come to know Christ? Will they always feel a duty to pursue worldly knowledge and success? What if no one ever has to nerve to tell them about Jesus?
This could very well mean that they will not go to heaven. That they will perish for eternity because I didn't want to get a little uncomfortable. Something that begins to surface is wanting people to like me. If I go around telling people about God, and doing what He actually calls us too, then I will not be liked by most and probably made fun of or worse. But who really cares right? I have Jesus and that is more than enough. So why do I continue to doubt and hold back?
These are just thoughts running through my head. I think they all hold some truth in them though. Like if we truly believed in hell and all that is, wouldn't we do everything possible to stop people from going there? I would never want anyone to go there but yet I am willing to just walk by someone who has a real chance of going there.
Its all a process to learn how to go about these things. Relying on God's power and not trying to do it on our own. I definitely need to spend time in prayer about all this and see how the Lord wants to move in it. I know it is all in His timing.
"remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins." James 5:20
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Joy
This week has been amazing to say the least. All I want to say is Jesus is so rad!
I can't even write down all the amazing things the Lord has done. All the doors that have been opened, new communities he is building around me, and seeing friends I haven't see in a long time. It was somewhat difficult to see the old friends. We ran into each other by accident. We were friends back before I came to Christ and hurt a couple of them pretty bad, just being stupid. I hope that the feelings that were hurt can heal with time. But it was great to share with them how God has changed my life for the better and I'm sober now. They were a little shocked ha. Surprised to hear I was going to church and actually involved there. I hope that we can start to hang out again, it would be a huge blessing. They are both really awesome people.
My last day of work is Saturday. The Lord put it on my heart to quit, so I did. Never felt better about anything in my life ha. I know it sounds crazy but Im stoked to not have a job! More time for Jesus. Also with going to school full time, that will lighten the load a little.
"And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." Galatians 5:24-25
I can't even write down all the amazing things the Lord has done. All the doors that have been opened, new communities he is building around me, and seeing friends I haven't see in a long time. It was somewhat difficult to see the old friends. We ran into each other by accident. We were friends back before I came to Christ and hurt a couple of them pretty bad, just being stupid. I hope that the feelings that were hurt can heal with time. But it was great to share with them how God has changed my life for the better and I'm sober now. They were a little shocked ha. Surprised to hear I was going to church and actually involved there. I hope that we can start to hang out again, it would be a huge blessing. They are both really awesome people.
My last day of work is Saturday. The Lord put it on my heart to quit, so I did. Never felt better about anything in my life ha. I know it sounds crazy but Im stoked to not have a job! More time for Jesus. Also with going to school full time, that will lighten the load a little.
"And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." Galatians 5:24-25
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
A New Season
Today marks a day that will forever change my life. For the past few months the Lord has truly opened my heart for the city of Huntington Beach. It all started last May. The Lord put a call on my heart to down to main street and begin to pray. So I began to go down there as much as possible. At this point I hadn't told anyone about what God was showing me. One of my friends, Bryan, calls me one day and straight says, "We need to go down to Huntington and pray. The Lord is calling us." I was sooo stoked. Now it was starting to build.
I ended up going away for three months this past summer on a missions trip to Czech Republic but the whole time still felt the pull toward Huntington. When I got back the Lord quickly introduced me to others who had that same calling. All of us knew we needed to be down on main street serving God. It started out with us praying, then standing outside starbucks handing out the gospel of John, and now we just hand out straight Bibles. Everyone who walks by we ask if they would like a free Bible. The ones who stop, we pray over and give them information on how to get connected at Rockharbor. It so amazing how the Lord works down there. The things we have seen and experienced will never be forgotten. But the Lord wasn't finished yet.
A couple months ago, it became clear to all of us that Huntington needed a new church. We had no idea what that was going to look like. With heavy prayer it became clear. We need to start that church. Not a church like anyone has seen before but one completely lead by the Holy Spirit. One that is outward focused, builds up disciples to send out to the nations, teaches the hard things of the Bible that most churches tend to stay away from, and ultimately provide a place for people to feel loved and cared for. It is a place where everyone is welcome, whether homeless or rich. To have community with one another and become a family. All of that begins tonight, Tuesday, February 1st. Our first meeting. Praise the Lord!
The name of the church is "In His Grace" (cause there's nothing better than being in His grace right?)
919 Georgia street unit 1, huntington beach at 6:30pm Tuesdays
I ended up going away for three months this past summer on a missions trip to Czech Republic but the whole time still felt the pull toward Huntington. When I got back the Lord quickly introduced me to others who had that same calling. All of us knew we needed to be down on main street serving God. It started out with us praying, then standing outside starbucks handing out the gospel of John, and now we just hand out straight Bibles. Everyone who walks by we ask if they would like a free Bible. The ones who stop, we pray over and give them information on how to get connected at Rockharbor. It so amazing how the Lord works down there. The things we have seen and experienced will never be forgotten. But the Lord wasn't finished yet.
A couple months ago, it became clear to all of us that Huntington needed a new church. We had no idea what that was going to look like. With heavy prayer it became clear. We need to start that church. Not a church like anyone has seen before but one completely lead by the Holy Spirit. One that is outward focused, builds up disciples to send out to the nations, teaches the hard things of the Bible that most churches tend to stay away from, and ultimately provide a place for people to feel loved and cared for. It is a place where everyone is welcome, whether homeless or rich. To have community with one another and become a family. All of that begins tonight, Tuesday, February 1st. Our first meeting. Praise the Lord!
The name of the church is "In His Grace" (cause there's nothing better than being in His grace right?)
919 Georgia street unit 1, huntington beach at 6:30pm Tuesdays
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
A little gift
Yesterday I started my first semester at long beach state. Due to high fees for the parking pass, I choose to take the bus to school. Figure I could meet some cool people. Well I was right. Sitting at the bus stop, waiting for the bus to come. Three guys come walking over and one of them sits right next to me. I tried not to listen in on the conversation but there was nothing else going on, ha. I quickly realized that the guy sitting next to me was on his way to rehab. It seemed an intervention of some sort had just gone on and now they were taking him to get checked in. I started to pray, in my head of course. I soon found myself sharing part of my testimony with the guy sitting next to me. He also is 21 and I got to share how I have been sober for two years now and life couldn't be better.
Just moments before I left for the bus stop, the Lord had put it on my heart to bring a bible with me in my backpack. As I sat there talking, I knew this was the reason why. I asked his friends if they allowed patients to bring in any items. They said yes. I reached in my bag and handed him the bible. His face lit up. I told him it might not seem like much now but this book will get you through this difficult time. His friends all agreed. What an amazing opportunity. But that wasn't the best part. Right after that happened, his friend looked at the bus schedule and realized they were at the wrong stop. I laughed a little on the inside and thought, no you came exactly where you needed to come. They walked away and I realized I didn't even get their names. Doubtful I will ever seen them again.
I wanted to share that as an example of how the Lord can use us. I had no idea that group of guys would sit next to me, no idea why I was carrying around that extra bible but when the opportunity came, I knew if I didn't act, then who would? What if I had just sat there and minded my own business? I will never know the outcome of that boys life but can only pray the Lord speaks to him through that bible. I want to encourage everyone to be prepared for who the Lord might bring into your path. It could be for a greater purpose than our own.
Just moments before I left for the bus stop, the Lord had put it on my heart to bring a bible with me in my backpack. As I sat there talking, I knew this was the reason why. I asked his friends if they allowed patients to bring in any items. They said yes. I reached in my bag and handed him the bible. His face lit up. I told him it might not seem like much now but this book will get you through this difficult time. His friends all agreed. What an amazing opportunity. But that wasn't the best part. Right after that happened, his friend looked at the bus schedule and realized they were at the wrong stop. I laughed a little on the inside and thought, no you came exactly where you needed to come. They walked away and I realized I didn't even get their names. Doubtful I will ever seen them again.
I wanted to share that as an example of how the Lord can use us. I had no idea that group of guys would sit next to me, no idea why I was carrying around that extra bible but when the opportunity came, I knew if I didn't act, then who would? What if I had just sat there and minded my own business? I will never know the outcome of that boys life but can only pray the Lord speaks to him through that bible. I want to encourage everyone to be prepared for who the Lord might bring into your path. It could be for a greater purpose than our own.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
About Me
My name is Justin and I've been attending Rockharbor for two years now. I have loved every minute of it. There are some really amazing things that go on at that church. I grew up in a christian family and went to private school my whole life, except first grade but that doesn't really count ha. My life has definitely had its ups and downs but I'm glad to say I've been steady in my faith for past two years. I have seen God work in some amazing ways, not only in my life but in others around. Radical conversions, freedom from addictions, healings, miracles, prophesies, all things the Lord has allowed me to witness. He is so undeniable. His love and grace surround us in everything we do and to deny that would be foolishness. I try to live my life for Him daily but I do fall short. That is the beauty of it though. I fall so short but still He picks me up. Still He loves me. Everything I have is from Him. He just allows me to hold on to it for a short time. My desire is to be involved in ministry anyway I can. Whether that means mopping the floors or teaching in front of hundreds. Wherever He leads me is the path I will take.
I joined this group to build even greater community with other believers around me. I feel it is necessary to surround ourselves in deep relationship together as we experience Christ. To support each other during hard times, encourage one another, and build each other up. I feel this group will be great way to do all those things. We have a unique opportunity to not only meet and grow with each other but learn how to disciple others. That is what the tells us to do isn't it? "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations." (Matthew 28:19). Im excited to see how we all grow over these next months together.
I joined this group to build even greater community with other believers around me. I feel it is necessary to surround ourselves in deep relationship together as we experience Christ. To support each other during hard times, encourage one another, and build each other up. I feel this group will be great way to do all those things. We have a unique opportunity to not only meet and grow with each other but learn how to disciple others. That is what the tells us to do isn't it? "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations." (Matthew 28:19). Im excited to see how we all grow over these next months together.
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