welcome.

so as a new chapter begins, so does a new blog, or at least, a new blog design. If you haven't already realized, my blog just went under a huge face lift. I have chosen the new design as a way to quickly scroll through everything that is, was, and is to come. And mainly because I thought it was just really cool eeas well. I recently got home from a week long trip to Pennsylvania with Bob Lenz. And let me tell you, one week turned in to what seemed an eternity haha. Which is definitely a good thing, just long;-) So after a 15 hour car ride to get there (all of which we did in a day) we began the journey through over 20 school assemblies and shows in less than a week. Talk about reaching exhaustion. I think you can say I now know the true meaning of the word "intern." haha The amazing Holly Starr was able to join us as we took the gospel to many many school. One of which being the jr. high of Taylor Swift... CRAZY. as well as taking us to one that was in the poorest city in America. Talk about a huge economical gap. But in the end, the Gospel reached the deepest parts of Pennsylvania. And although there were many spectacular nights, I will share about one that was above and beyond. While we were in the town of Redding, we had a night program that started out in the normal routine of things: we had an opener, then A.J. the illusionist would perform, bob would speak, and Holly would close the night out. But amidst all that was going on, the holy spirit moved. Heres the breakdown. Poorest city in America. Bob spoke with a sinus infection. 280 people. The message of the Gospel was preached... But, Instead of the usual counting to see how many people wanted to receive Christ, it was actually easier to see how many didn't. It is a praise that is beyond words. I usually get a little teary eyed as I watch newcomers to the faith walk through the gates of heaven despite things that may be going on around them. But that night, that night I cried my eyes out. I wish you could've been there. It was as if God himself had walked in the building and said, "follow me" and everyone just simply said yes. I can't tell you that everything I do with Bob is "biblically correct." I couldn't tell you that in anything that I were to do. I get angry, impatient, depressed. Their are many times when I feel like I should be the one being counseled instead of counseling the new believers. But in the end, God still somehow uses me. He is so profoundly showing me how great He is (mainly by showing me how weak I am). So even though I still am being taught how to see myself as "the old adam" (meaning made of the same sinful flesh of Adam from the Bible) yet completely alive and a new creation in Christ (the new adam), I hold on to verses like Psalm 91:1 (or better known as holly's favorite chapter of the bible)... "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, will abide in the shadow of the Almighty." For me, I could and literally did dwell on that for a whole day this week. I thought about what a shelter was. How a shelter is a place to go for protection. It is open to everyone, anyone that may need it. It keeps good things in and bad things out. It is my helping hand even if my own home is taken down around me. And it will be there for me even if I am not there for it. Let's think of a homeless shelter. It doesn't ask the homeless to pay for it, it isn't there so that they maintain it. It is just there. It is a place to go to receive. And to receive of in a time of brokenness. I guess we could say that a Christian should always come in a sense of brokenness or humility unto the Lord. I also believe that is why he tells us to dwell in that shelter. Take rest. Let Him take care of you. Trust that even in the times when you have nothing, you still have Something. I hope that encourages you as much as it encourages me. Don't forget to be joyful. God loves YOU. Blessings, Lucas