Things Done This Year

-I ran the Hodson Half-Marathon(13.1 Miles) in 1:39:00 this year.
(this is better than my best past time before my ACL surgery!)
My best time before this was 1:43:00(just under an 8 minute/mile pace)
-I ran a 5:50 mile this year.
this is 7 seconds off my Personal record
-I almost dunked in a church league game(life long dream)
it rattled in and out on a fast break(maybe in the future)
-I am going to Cedar Point(i've been told its the greatest them park in the Midwest)
-I went to the Tulip Festival in Holland, MI
-I was an RA(resident's assistant in my dorm(something i've wanted to do most of college)
--I went to the intramural football championships(another college dream)
-I graduated with Honors with a GPA of 3.52
My plan was to get above a 3.5 or else i figured i was not applying myself
and below a 3.8 or else i figured personally i probably wasn't being social enough :)
-I learned how to RockClimb. I sported a 5-9+ and an easy 5-10. That's decent.

-For Pleasure Reading I have read:
Searching for God Knows What by Donald Miller
Today Matters by John Maxwell
Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller
Practicing the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence
Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell
Captivating by John & Mrs. Eldredge
The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown
A Tale of Three Kings
-I am starting to read:
Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster
Waking the Dead by John Eldredge
Hearing God by Dallas Willard
Orthodox by G.K. Chesterton


This is not meant to brag.. .this is just meant to give you a general idea of my life this year. In fact i feel like this is kindof ironic because one of the things i have been learning is how we learn not from doing but just allowing ourselves to be. Don't allow this to make you feel any less of who you are. If anything allow this to be an encouragement of where you can go and how God can bless, give strength, and restore.

Tulip Festival

This Weekend i went up to holland with this group to Jessica Frasso's house in Holland, MI. They have this famous annual Tulip Festival and it was my first time. It was all rained out except for a parade on Saturday. The parade was fun... we got to be loud. Beyond that, we were just being crazy and enjoying eachother's company. Life was good.

at lake michigan (back)kim,jared,bjorn,michael (front)tracy,emily,jess frasso

mother's day presents
This is us after we Gave Jess's mother her Mother's day presents. They were amazing if you couldn't tell

the group

I even managed to make the local newspaper!!! hahaha i just think that is funny because i was just one of many of our group and really deserved no recognition whatso ever. but here is the article's end.

HollandSentinel.com
Sunday, May 14, 2006
RHYTHM OF THE RAIN
Downpour doesn't dampen parade spirit
By NATHAN PECK, TEREASA NIMS and OLIVIA COBISKEY Staff writers
As fire engines from the Holland Fire Department brought up the rear of the parade, two groups of college students from Indiana showed their Tulip Time spirit.
"We've got spirit, yes we do! We've got spirit, how about you?" they shouted at one another across Eighth Street.
Erica Hedges of Holland brought several of her classmates from Manchester College in Manchester, Ind., to check out the festival.
"We have spirit. It's Tulip Time," said Julie Hamm, who was dressed in a Dutch costume. "This is my first time, but I absolutely love it. I can't wait to come back."
The students across the street were from Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Ind., said Brent Dongell, who had answered Hedges' cry with a hardy, "We've got spirit!"

Thoughts on church

This weekend i was able to attend Central Wesleyan Church. I loved the service and what it does, so this blog is not mocking or questioning anything they do, it is more my thoughts in general. During worship they song a song with these lyrics and my thoughts flowed from there.

“I am free to run, I am free to dance, live my life for you”

What does it mean to be free in the Lord?
When do I get to show freedom without restraints?
Even when I want to live free in God’s security I’m always worried as to whether I am waiting on God in the way I should or not? (there are no prerequisites for how much time to listen or whether you are approaching in complete righteousness)
I’m always questioning my freedom
I’m supposed to be free to live in my choices: but i am always questioning whether they are right or wrong.
I think it is always funny to hear Wesleyans sing about being “free to dance?” What does that look? A few people in the congregation swaynig back and forth? The most i have seen Wesleyans dance at most is every once awhile in celebration and i don't even know that we do that well.
Free to listen to my own music: I am usually too worried about making others stumble
Everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial
I’ve always emphasized "not beneficial" instead of everything being permissible
“everything not being beneficial” Allows us to keep control by not letting things get too out of hand
I have been learning lately
-avoid extremes because that’s when good things often become evil.
-Don’t get too prideful/complacent cause that’s when you get burned the most
-ie.Poker- when you are most sure about your hand is when you lose the biggest.
I still have so much to learn
I feel like I have a good grip on life but I know I’m not the most disciplined person and that i have other problems I’m not thinking of.
When do I get to be okay with my inadequacy?
I feel like I have to accept my inadequacy and then I have to move on and do better at worldly wisdom or making a difference for Jesus. I never get to accept my inadequacy and God's sufficiency and that be it. Instead, I use that thought, “anything I do is enough for Jesus, no matter how small, because it’s more than I have to do for God” as a comfort when I get stressed, but not as a basic drive belief

My Basic Drive Beliefs:
Enjoy life to the fullest
Know God as good as possible
Be the best Christian possible
Accomplish as much as possible
Including having the largest impact on people as possible
Have fun
Stay fit
Live up to others expectations for me to succeed
Be the model:
-be real with people
-be relevant/cool
-not do anything questionable even if I want to

I am not saying that all of these Basic Drive Beliefs are right or the best... they are just a reality about my life. I would love to hear your thoughts... i am still figuring things out.
re

God is coming alive

I am learning amazing things through a few different things i am reading right now. Rob Bell's book velvet Elvis has been amazing in helping. I am realizing that the Bible is trying to show us what truth is. The bible is more than just trying to convince people it is right. It is trying to show us what God meant when he set the world in to place. The bible is teaching us raw truth and how the world works. For instance, "beware of money." It's true, with more money comes more problems. I love the relationship aspect with the Lord and i am loving that i am excited to read the Bible to see how the world works better. To see what the Bible is teaching. For instance, we are told we are holy and blameless as believers. I have been told that my whole life but never believed it. I have been told Christ literally lives in me and i have known it, but i don't know that i have ever believed it. Don't get me wrong i have been a christian and i know Christ, i just feel like for the first time i actually believe that Christ actually LIVES in me and that i have the power to heal and restore others. That as holy and blameless, i am not perfect, but that God somehow sees me as holy and blameless and although i may not understand it completely, for the first time i actually starting with that as truth and seeing what that means and what the repurcussions of that are. If you aren't experiencing that belief of restoration and reality, i pray you do, because it is aMAZING! God is good and very real to me right now.
As to future, i am currently trying to figure out where i will be used in ministry in the most effective and alive way. I am trying to decide whether more schooling is involved since i love to learn. Please be praying for me and where the Lord will lead me.

I graduated!

funny basket
I was going by a church close to Indiana Wesleyan and found this basket in the back. i thought it had character and thought you might enjoy.

tom lehman
Just another doodle. This was my macroeconomics teacher. This was the one class that i almost didn't pass and graduate, but i pulled it out and graduated with honors. 3.52GPA Yeah baby!

aaron cloud, tyler green, levi huffman, julia hurlow, kyle scott
These are friends of mine that i met up with after graduation. aaron and tyler will be RA's in Hodson Hall next year. Levi was my RD(boss), Julia was a good friend since my freshmen year.

me and my mom and dad
The parents are always the best support. It has been nice having them close. jen and Brandon are busy in South Dakota and just couldn't quite make it down. Kelly was busy with her last weekend with the girls down at Oklahoma Wesleyan. I know they both wanted to make graduation, but growing up seems to get in the way over time.

abby, micah, rachael, and kristen
These were all close friends who all graduated with me this year. Abby and i have been hanging out lately, but who knows what will happen when i go to San Diego this summer and then a future job wherever this next year.

the best picture ever
One of my friends took this over Spring Break in Florida. and i really don't have to say anything. It is the best picture ever!

Single... you know it.
This picture just makes me laugh to.