Happy Cinco De Mayo!

My BFFEAE

Coming Soon...

You won't want to miss this... Coming soon to Amazon.com, Barnes and Nobles.com, etc.

Learn more about Rod Brace.

Four Conversations by Rod Brace. Published by Lucid Books (a Transform Media Group Company)

Taylor Swift Concert

"OH MY GOSH!  TAYLOR SWIFT, Y'ALL!!!"

The fun before the drama.

I will still blog here too...

Some friends have wondered if I will continue to blog on this blog as well, the answer is, "Absolutely." The new 40 Pounds of Purpose Blog is specifically for that project. There will naturally be some cross-pollinating, but I will be blogging about life in its entirety (holistically, actually, which is a pre-modern term before it was a postmodern term...).

I have some cool stuff I'd like to share with you, but it's late and I have to be up at 5am to drive to Seminary. Things you could be praying about:

1. 40 Pounds of Purpose
2. Writing a curriculum called: The Naked Truth, but it will actually be The Whole Naked Truth. If you don't understand the content, then you can ask your momma. I may actually make this into a book, too. We'll see.
3. I have another book idea that I am just in the beginning stages of outlining.
4. Wrapping up the final 6 weeks of seminary.
5. I just have to have 5, so I am putting this one here. :-)

Started a New Blog: 40 Pounds of Purpose

40 Pounds of Purpose - Days 1 & 2

There is something that I have been struggling with for the past 2 1/2 years. It's totally an acceptable sin/struggle, even in the most conservative circles, and it is not a new struggle for me. However, I have finally had enough. "I have what the doctors call a little bit of a weight problem." - Tommy Boy.

In the fall of 2002, my good friend Joel Engle gave me a talking to about my weight. He was very kind and willing to walk with me through repentance (and getting off my lazy rump) and got me started on a 'new way of life' (see Galatians 6:1-2). I lost over 30 lbs and was in the best shape of my life. Although my travel schedule continued to increase, I was able to stick to the diet/workout schedule pretty well and maintained a healthy body.

Then in June 2006, our sweet daughter Braelyn arrived. I had done pretty good during the pregnancy (as did Steph), but after B arrived, there were many late nights. Around this time we had discovered TV shows on DVD and I had (re)discovered Goldfish crackers. Many late nights up with the baby we would watch TV shows and I would chomp down on Goldfish crackers. I wish I could blame the entirety of my current predicament on Goldfish crackers, because that would be pretty cool, but that's just where it began.

So, here I am, 2 1/2 years later, 30 years old, 238 lbs, high-cholesterol, pre-diabetic, and borderline blood pressure. Not good. Something has got to change, so with the help of my dear wife, and the encouragement of some close friends, I am going to aggressively (Lord willing and Lord helping) attack this sin problem. Now, I am only a mild glutton (and for that I repent), but the deeper sin is entitlement.

Entitlement (a caveat of pride) is a wicked vice. It can manifest in many ways including times that I feel like I have been working hard, so why not comfort myself with some tasty treats? Or, I am feeling sorry for myself. Or, I am happy and wanting to celebrate (apparently I have a LOT to be happy about!). I have this Oprah-esque hidden belief that I 'deserve' all these good things in abundance. However, if these things are so good, then why am I finding myself at a fork in the road with 2 options. Option 1 - eat, drink, and be merry, but understanding that my close friends and family will have to explain to my dear daughter that, "Daddy just loved food and himself more than you and Mommy." Or, I can commit to being different, truly humbling myself, pulling an old word out of storage, "No", and humbling myself to specific forms of accountability.

Now, some of you, I'm sure are wondering why in the world I would post this? Is this a gross illustration of pride (I guess it can work in the direction of starving for humiliation, but that's not my pride-of-choice)? Or perhaps I just am starving for attention? No. As I get older I'm more of an introvert, especially as I have been learning to, "sit down on the inside" (Thanks, Neil). Then what gives?

It's really quite simple. I recall talking to an old friend of mine who has trouble with his weight/health and he told me the reason he went to Weight Watchers™ was because he was forced to humiliate himself once a weak by stepping on a scale in front of a group of other people. That was his last ditch effort, because everything else (done in the dark), didn't seem to help. Also, I need your help, but let me start with what I don't need from everyone on the face of the planet. I know there is a huge risk in doing this, but it's worth a shot.

What I don't need from you:

1. Uninvited accountability partners. There are several people I have talked to or intend on talking to later this week about this struggle. They will have the right to speak into my life. So, if I have not asked for this delicate help, then I don't expect you to run up and slap a cheeseburger out of my hand or ask me how many calories are in such-and-such. There will be days that I will have a treat or two, which will be determined by me and my dear wife.

2. Fat jokes are not funny. I'm pretty laid back with most things, but it has gotten old having people pat my belly and make jokes about Blue Bell, etc. Thank you, I know you mean well, but seriously, I am very much aware that I have gained weight. It's just hurtful. I'm a tough man, and if you've said something stupid (which I honestly don't recall the who's and what's) no need to apologize, just be aware.

3. Denial of my weight struggle. Now, if I were 165 pounds and 6 feet tall and was talking about aggressively losing weight, then I definitely would need a talking to. However, if a person has 2 eyes and believes in science, then it is apparent that some radical changes need to take place. So, please don't try to say, "You don't look that fat..." I mean, I can handle it, but seriously, not very helpful.

4. Tons of diet plans. If I ask for tips on here, please feel free to share. But, I have become diet-schizo trying to incorporate everyone elses diets into my life. I can't handle all of that. I've lost weight before, I know what my body responds to, so thanks, but not necessary. I like tips like, "Green Tea is a great substitute for coffee!" That's helpful, but, "Do this diet and you'll lose 85 pounds in 2 weeks!" - Not helpful.

5. Brussels Sprouts. I do not care how good they are for me. No.

How you can help:

1. Pray. Please pray. I know how cliche it may seem, but I cannot do this on my own, nor do I want to strain my marriage by having Steph have to 'force' me towards anything. I need the Lord's help.

2. Gift cards to HEB, Wal-Mart, GNC. Not really, but my family and I are committing to eat much 'cleaner' and I know the supplements that help my body function appropriately, so any love in that regards would be great. :-)

3. Join me. This is a bummer to do alone. I'd love for some of my friends out in the blogosphere to join me in committing to living healthier.

4. Healthy Food Options. I never want a guest to plan a meal around me, by any means. That is why I have not made specific food requests in my ministry agreements (even though my Doc was trying to make me do so). However, if you are going to have pizza, please have salad. There are days that I will still eat pizza, but I love pizza, and need to watch my intake. Or, if all else fails, just let me know ahead of time that you are going to have unhealthy food and I'll get something to eat on my own. Totally cool.

5. Encouragement. When I said previously that I did not want uninvited accountability partners, this does not mean at all that you cannot ask me how it is going or encourage me. I just need to have some healthy boundaries.

Now for the Days 1 & 2 Summaries:

DAY 1: I had committed last week that this Monday (March 16) I would begin eating better and working out. To be honest, I like to work out, it just takes so much time, of which I am often limited. However, as I was driving home yesterday afternoon, I realized that I had sprouted, bloomed, or whatever you want to call it. I actually had MAN-BOOBS! Frustrated, yet determined, I walked in the house, barely said 'Hello' to my wife and declared that I would be going to the gym. She could tell that I was feeling upset and asked what was wrong and I declared, "I HAVE MAN-BOOBS!" Apparently, she thought that was funny, and in hindsight, I suppose that astute observation (and truthful statement) could be a bit humorous. However, I didn't think it funny at the time, but appreciated her light-hearted response.

So, I went to the gym, worked my upper-body and then did 20 minutes of cardio (just walking, after lifting I lacked the energy to run with all this extra weight). I ate well yesterday, and Steph has been a big help. Also, I have been drinking a lot of Green Tea, I hear it's good for you and a healthy alternative to coffee.

Day 2: Today has been a good day so far. I drank a lot of water yesterday, so I have been a freqeuent guest to our 1-bathroom and at times to our backyard (hey, we live in the country!). I had some Fiber-One™ Cereal this morning and Green Tea. Went to the gym and did 30 minutes on the elliptical machine. Am blogging now, drinking green tea, and about to go have lunch. Weighed in at the gym today and I'm still 238 lbs. As much as I was going tinkle, I had thought that I could have dropped a pound of water weight or something. No dice... Steph reminded me today, "It didn't take one day to put the weight on, so it's not going to come off in a day either." True. Encouraging and discouraging.

Well, I'm off for now. I started another blog to follow this journey and to offer public humiliation/encouragement. 40poundsofpurpose.blogspot.com .

Another Interesting Article... Again, no comment for now...

In response to my last post, another friend sent me this article. Again, I graduate on May 9th, so will refrain from commenting until May 10th. :-)

Click here for Mark Driscoll's response.
Click here for Mark Driscoll's response to his response.

No Comment... for now...

A friend sent me a link to this article today. As many of you know, I will be graduating from SWBTS on Saturday, May 9th. So, I won't be commenting until May 10th...

I Am Her Guitar Hero...

A Convicting Reminder to Myself

Song by Derek Webb
Video by The Work of the People

When the One You Love is ADHD and/or Depressed

One of the toughest things for those who love and support someone struggling with ADHD and/or depression, but have not endured it themselves, is the inability to truly comprehend what it’s like. With ADHD a common question is, “Can’t you just make yourself focus?” This often leads to, “He can focus on things he likes: music, movies, video games, etc.” --> Which inevitably leads to some pretty acute feelings of bitterness if you are not careful.

However, once you realize that as annoying as it is for you, it is torturous for him. You may notice in the next few weeks (while in the beginning stages of taking his meds) that he may be irritable and quite a ‘jerk’, which unfortunately is one of the consequences of taking a stimulant to help you concentrate. I had a friend almost dump his girlfriend (who is now his wife), because he started taking medicine and “didn’t care”... It may not have that affect on him, but just something to be mindful of. This also doesn’t mean that you just let him treat you poorly, but hopefully it will help you take it a little less personally.

When a person is struggling with depression, I think it prudent to encourage them towards activity and help them to identify the positive things going on. If their life is just totally in the dumps, then I encourage them that it really can’t get any worse! ;-) However, you have to treat it like a marathon and not a sprint. Baby-steps are sometimes best when walking with someone with depression. Hopefully it passes in the matter of a week or two.

The issue of becoming overwhelmed by school is one I remember very well. Especially when I wasn’t totally certain about what I wanted to do. It seemed pointless and tiresome, especially the courses that ‘didn’t apply’ to what I wanted to do. Compound that with the struggle of paying attention, then it becomes quite normal to start feeling ‘stupid’ or just want to quit. For me, I had to get to the point where I began to learn to love to learn, and realized that college was a means to an end for me, not the end of it all. Some re-thinking and other times just pushing ahead (when I didn’t feel like it) helped me to get through my undergrad program and Lord-willing through with my masters this May.

So, what are you to do?

1. Encourage him to make good choices when it comes to diet and sleep. The reality is, he needs to take better care of himself. I believe if he would take better care of himself, back off the caffeine and alcohol, eat healthier, and get plenty of sleep that he will see an improvement with his ADHD, Depression, and health in general.
   
   
2. Don’t mother him. That is an improper role for you to take as a girlfriend or a wife. This doesn’t mean you’re a cold, mean woman, but it does mean that you don’t just stand by and let him stay where he is. However, there is that balance of girlfriend / boyfriend encouragement. It’s a little easier if you were his wife, but you are not, so that’s tough.
   
   
3. Help him to set more realistic goals. I.E. - instead of thinking about a PhD or even graduation (if it is far off), help him set an academic goal for the week. If he can start experiencing some small victories, it will boost his confidence and help him to become more proactive.
   
   
4. Help him learn how to become more organized. Rod Brace helped me a lot with that, it might be worth visiting his website and reading some of his articles. It really reduces stress.
   
   
5. Remember, feeling overwhelmed and thus shutting down likely brings about most of his depression. One can only sustain high levels of stress for so long. So, like they say about how to eat an elephant, you need to remind him it is one bite at a time. Therefore, you need to help him identify the bites that he needs to take and empower/encourage him to take those ‘bites’.

**DISCLAIMER: I am not a licensed professional in dealing with these issues. These are some tips based upon my experiences with these struggles.**

Photoshop Fun - Christ Church - 021509

Original Pic

Rise Up Weekend - Official Promo

www.riseupweekend.com

* we changed out the songs as to not violate copyright laws *

Who are antagonists?

"Antagonists are individuals who on the basis of nonsubstantive evidence, go out of their way to make insatiable demands, usually attacking the person or performance of others. These attacks are selfish in nature, tearing down rather than building up, and are frequently directed against those in a leadership capacity."

-Kenneth C.Haugk
Antagonists in the Church

Rise Up - Unofficial Video

A Refreshing Drink

My soul has a been a bit dry lately. While I know that the Living Water has been given to me, and I'll never be thirsty again (see John 4), I believe that all followers of Christ have seasons when they are busy pouring out more than they are 'taking in'. I take full responsibility. It isn't as if God is running short of Himself. Afterall, he is eternal and infinite. The honest truth is, the last few months I had been far too busy and far too over-committed. It's my fault, and by God's grace He has placed people in my life (especially my wonderful bride) to wave the red flag and encourage me to slow down.

Over the break I had some good down-time and I'm feeling ready to take on the last semester of seminary. Also, over the last few weeks my 'tanks' have been refilled and I'm once again ready to charge Hell with a water pistol, as it were. However, there are times when we need a little encouragement, and it comes in many different shapes in forms. One of these great encouragements to me is the album Cannons by Phil Wickham. I just purchased it the other day, but God has been using it in a great way to stir my passions once again for Him. I thank God, and I thank Mr. Wickham.

Just a friendly reminder (to myself included) that our hope isn't in music, speakers, preachers, books, friends, pastors, etc. Our hope is in Jesus Christ. When discerning the benefit of a 'resource' we must always answer the question, "Does this stir my passions for God?" and/or "Does this encourage me towards Christ?" If we just feel 'spiritual' with no specific direction, then we are setting ourselves up for great disappointment at best, and idolatry at worst.

So, if you have $7.99 laying around you can go to Amazon.com and download the MP3 album and enjoy. His first self-titled album Phil Wickham is also great.

Our Mini "Vay-cay"

Steph and I are currently sitting in one of our favorite coffee shops in the country, Brasil, down on Westheimer in Houston. We have taken a 2-night 'vay-cay' to spend sometime investing in our relationship, celebrating our anniversary, and re-charging our batteries before my final semester in seminary. Our goals are: shop with Christmas money, eat well, sleep, eat, sleep, drink coffee, read, blog, shop, shop, eat, etc.

Since I travel quite a bit, I have learned that you can find great deals on Priceline.com and in the past we have gotten some sweet deals. So, as we were planning our little escape I went on Priceline and I put in $75/night for the Galleria area. To my pleasant surprise, we got a room at the InterContinental Hotel near the Galleria!!! Too good to be true?


I was amazed! Feeling proud (borderline arrogant) I boasted to my bride of our win and I shared my victory with my friends. It's a beautiful, high-end, 4-star hotel, and we got it for $75/night!!! How in the world could an expensive, plush, hotel afford to put commoners like us in its beautiful rooms for $75/night. However, when we got into our room, we figured it out.

We are on the 5th floor at the end of the building, right next to the workout room. The room itself is beautiful, but once you open the curtains, here is what you see:


It quickly became apparent why they were able to give us the room for $75/night. I was a little bitter about it, but I did ask the guy at the desk to, "give us the best we can get for what we paid for." He was probably thinking, "He he heh, I have a room for you, cheapskate!" However, we are grateful for our time, and don't care about the view. We'll enjoy living like royaltly on a paupers budget for a few days!

More to come, I'm sure.

Happy 8th Anniversary, My Love!

My Soul Mate

---

My Best Friend

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My Lover
(Don't worry kids, it makes God happy!)

Worth Checking Out: YouVersion.com

Friends, I know I commend a lot of things on this blog to you, but I would strongly encourage you to check out YouVersion.com It is a great way to study the Scriptures both individually and in community (not to take the place of real life community). I hope to start posting on there soon.

My user name on YouVersion.com is: caseycease

Hope to see you on there!

Christ Church's New Building - Renovations pt. 1

Rise Up - Better than an old school Kung Fu movie...

Recent Reviews:

"Follow the road of devastation left by an exiled Jewish Shogun warrior seeking to avenge the death of his local deli owner/sensei in this non stop action packed thrill ride!"

I couldn't help myself...

Rise Up Weekend - Promo

"Florida Woman Says Former Church Plans to Make Her Sins Public"

I saw this article yesterday and was curious to see what you all thought about the situation. Essentially, this woman was a member of a church in Florida and was actively in an immoral relationship. She was confronted by one person, then a group of ladies, and now the Elders have sent her a letter calling her to repent or have her sin taken before the church (all in accordance with Mt. 18:15-17). Before I write about my opinions, what do you all think?

You can read the article for yourself here.

Top of the Morning to You!

I am currently sitting at a Starbucks on Post Oak Blvd and 610 awaiting a 7:30 meeting at a nearby office building. The meeting was organized by my good friend and former board member, Jody Johnston. He asked me if he could arrange this breakfast so that he could invite some colleagues to come and learn more about Transform Ministries and give them the opportunity to support the ministry. I agreed to come and share with the group what God has been doing and how we have seen and experienced the Gospel transform lives through the ministry over the years. More than gaining financial supporters, my prayer is to make some new friends that will faithfully pray for us. If the Lord compels them to give, I wouldn't deny them that joy, however. ;-)

In other news, I have been greatly enjoying my time off from school. Don't get me wrong, I love learning and I love the fellowship I have with my fellow students and the professors, but I needed a break. In hindsight I am glad that I took 12 hours. While my grades may not have been as high as they would have been with 6 hours, I ended up doing pretty well. Plus, Steph and I are both at a place where I need to be done with this (6 year) season of our lives. This revelation (of my impending graduation) often illicits the following question, "What are you going to do next?"

My first response to this question is, "Geez, let a brother catch his breath!" Then I start asking internal questions like, "Do these people think that I haven't been doing anything 'grown-up' over the past 6 years?" This question isn't meant to reflect any sense of discouragement, but more curiosity. Perhaps my being in grad school causes people to think that I can't really do anything serious until after I receive my masters. Or, some people, because of their faith background, are used to 'pastors' not being able to 'pastor' until they get the credentials. Regardless, I understand that most of the time the question, "What's next?" is a natural question, which I don't mind answering.

This, however, begs the question, "What is next?" As of right now, nothing really new, but more time to invest into what I am currently doing; traveling & preaching, running Transform Ministries, Community Pastoring at Christ Church, building websites, helping out at Faith Mission, and leading a discipleship class at Brenham Christian Academy. For now there isn't any desire to look for a 'real job', i.e. a higher paying ministry position at a large church. Instead, I'd rather take the energy currently being budgeted towards my education and poor it into ministry endeavors. The rest is still yet to be revealed (further education, future ministry opps, etc.).

Well, I need to head out to the meeting. Thanks for taking the time to read.

Done At Last!

Well, for the semester anyway. By God's grace I now only have one iTerm (week long intensive course) and the spring semester and then I will have completed my Master of Divinity (Lord Willing)! I've enjoyed my time at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary's J. Dalton Havard School of Theology in Houston, TX. While my degree is technically 'No Concentration', all of my electives (with the exception of one or two) have been Bible. So, I guess my specialization is Bible, which is good, no?

Now that the semester is over, I hope to be blogging again far more frequently. There has been a lot going on that I would like to share, so stay tuned.

For those of you who don't know, I now build websites in partnership with Gutensite. My latest site is for Calvary Baptist of Brenham. Check it out and let me know what you think! Let me know if you would like for me to build you a site!

Braelyn and Me

This Guy Saved Me a TON of MONEY!

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to my new insurance agent, Alex Leiva. He is with Liberty Mutual and he was just able to save me a TON of money. Seriously, like close to $700/year on my home owners and auto insurance. Not only that, but he was able to provide me BETTER coverage! Do you believe this?

I had the pleasure of ministering to Alex when he was a teenager and he married one of our first students (Tonya was in the 8th grade group during my first summer internship). He is a great guy, UH Alumni (GO COOGS!), and a hard-working guy. Give him a call or send him an e-mail and see if he can help you out as well. You won't regret it!

Phone: (281) 364-1090 ext. 59239
E-mail: Alex.Leiva@libertymutual.com

The Never Ending Spin Class

I've never actually taken a spin class, but my life feels like one right now. You know, you're sitting on a bike pedaling like crazy, not really going anywhere, but being encouraged to go longer and faster. Life has been insanely busy lately, that's why the only blogs I've posted are Bible verses and goofy pictures instead of any personal reflections, etc. In the midst of this craziness, God has been very gracious to us. I don't say this out of obligation to post a cliche, but to humbly acknowledge His faithfulness in the midst of all this.

Here's what I've been up to lately in a concise list:
1. Seminary: 12 hours (Grad in May '09, Lord Willing!)
2. Christ Church: Elder, Community Pastor, Leading College Group (which is going great!)
3. Discipling a few guys...
4. Faith Mission: helping out with their computers, website, videos, etc.
5. Building Websites: Just finished one for Calvary Baptist of Brenham
6. Spending time with my family (we all had a stomach bug over the past week and a half... ugh)
7. Consulting work for Gutensite
8. Transform Ministries: This is my primary 'job' / calling and I have been blessed to travel quite a bit this fall and share the great news of Jesus Christ.
9. Writing curriculum for 'Rise Up' Conference launching in '09.
10. Did I mention I was taking 12 hours in seminary this semester...?

Well, I am looking forward to some time with my friends and family over the holiday. Don't worry, we are conscientiously submitting ourselves to this pace for a short season to enable me to finish my masters. We are praying that the church will continue to grow and Transform will continue to expand so that I can continue to narrow the focus of my time. In the midst of all this, I pray that God is glorified, and my family and I would continue to find our satisfaction in His glory. I'll blog more soon...

Last one... Maybe.

High School Sweethearts!

YearBookYourself.com

"Daddy! Color wit me!"

Interpret and Critique at will... How do you differentiate the banister at the bottom when coloring? I'm a novice... Yes. I did color this picture...

More Scripture to Think About

“For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.””
(Matthew 11:18-19 ESV)

Scriptures on my Heart

“Brothers,if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” (Galatians 6:1-3 ESV)


“The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.”
(Proverbs 20:5 ESV)

““Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye?You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
“Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.”
(Matthew 7:1-6 ESV)

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.” (Galatians 5:1-6 ESV)

“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.”
(Galatians 5:13-15 ESV)

My Girls!

New CDs are Here!

Hey everyone! I am excited to announce that the newest version of testimony CDs 'Tragedy to Truth' have arrived! I'd love to send you each one (or many)! If you are interested in receiving a copy of it please click here and request one!

Returning From the Land of Goatees and High-Fives

This past week I went with my good friends John Barnard and Justin Hyde to the Youth Ministry Conclave in Arlington, TX. I had a great time with the guys and we had the chance to reconnect with several friends as well as meet several great folks.

Here are some pictures from the event. They are a bit blurry because I had to use my Blackberry camera and I was shaky from too much coffee, or something (Thanks Dave Hassell Band for the great coffee!).



Above: Our new sign designed by Gutensite and printed by my good friend James Lane.

Above: Here is our booth (#422) with our professional arm wrestling table on one side, and our info table on the other. This was the most blurry of the pictures.

Above: Pastor Justin is getting his spin on.

Overall, it was a great time with these guys. We didn't get near as much traffic from conference attendees as we had hoped, but are praying that some new opportunities will arise for our ministry partners.

Shalom!

Note: For those of you who don't know, I am half Jewish (full Jewish according to Paul in Romans 2). This was the Yammukah I wore to my grandfather's funeral in 1994. Apparently we descend from the Tribe of Levi. Somewhat fitting, I suppose. I am 30, so I had better get to it!

New Version of Testimony CD - Coming Soon!

We will get 1,000 copies of this newly recorded testimony CD this week! Featuring music from my good friends Blake Quimby, Tim Barosh, and Stephen Miller!

By God's grace we have handed out over 17,000 free copies of my previous 2 versions of the testimony CD. Let me know if you'd like a copy!

I also want to give a special thanks to my good friend Hank Hamberg of Magellan Sound Studio for mixing and mastering Blake and Tim's tunes and mastering my testimony... You Rock W.C. (Hank) Hamberg!

Christ Church on iTunes

You can now subscribe to Christ Church's weekly podcast on iTunes.

1. Download iTunes for free.
2. Click on the iTunes Store from the application.
3. Search "Christ Church Brenham."
4. Click subscribe.

Behind the Times

I've always been a bit behind the curve in regards to what is hip or cool. With the exception of when my mom and dad took me to buy Z-Cavaricci's in the 6th grade, I haven't been that trendy. Occasionally, I realize that I like something, but I'm way behind the ball on getting the 'cool thing.'

Apparently it has happened again with the Castro-Style Dictator caps. I'd probably look pretty dumb in one, but I think once again I am going to be a late adopter. So, if you feel like getting me a random gift you can go here and ship it to my home address. :-)

Until that time, I will be content with my Black T's, Jeans and running shoes. I am blessed that on occasion my wife helps me get dressed, and that is cool.

Chronicles of Ike - Part 2

My heart breaks for the many who lost so much to Hurricane Ike. By God's grace, we did not receive much damage at all. Our power didn't even flicker... Here are some photos of our 'damage'.


A few downed branches and leaves were all that we had 'wrong' with our property. I have a section of fence that was held together literally with string, and it was fine.

One interesting site was at HEB on Sunday, September 14th here in Brenham in the Bread Isle:
Zero bread, one package of rolls, and some tortillas...

We are praying for all of you who have been affected by Ike, especially those who won't read this post for several weeks or months even. Please let us know how we can help.