The Sky Is Falling

Some days it just feels like time flies. Some days I forget to even think about anything other than myself. Some days I make choices without even thinking. Some days I don't have any desire to do anything. Some days I feel fake.

But sometimes,

everything seems to go perfectly.

Some days I feel incredibly loved. Some days with joyful tears in my eyes I feel His grace covering me like never before. Some days I want nothing more than to let people know about Jesus. Some days life has never been better. My days vary all over the board from week to week. Some months have more good days than bad days, some months have more bad days then good days. But I've found that this is not what really matters most. 

Psalm 39: 4-5

"Show me, O Lord, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. 

You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before You. Each man's life is but a breath."

What does matter is that I recognize 2 very important things. Those being that in the span of time my life is but a blink of an eye; and that I am on earth for a serious purpose. 

I can then wake up every day with an urgency to live with all I've got like it's my last day on earth.

Urgency inspires purpose, so when you realize your not here long you live with all you've got.

"Like you believe in eternity." - Francis Chan

To live life to the full is to live it with all your heart beating fastest for Jesus right now.

Ecclesiastes 11:7-10 "Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun. However many years a man may live, let him enjoy them all. But let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything to come is meaningless. Be happy, young man, while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment. So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body, for youth and vigor are meaningless."

Psalm 139

"O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.

You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,"
even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.

If only you would slay the wicked, O God! Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!
They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name.
Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD, and abhor those who rise up against you?
I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

Today this chapter speaks volumes to me.
I hope you as well can wrestle with it, live in it, hope and cry and grow because of it.
Father speak, open our ears and eyes.
Give us courage and strength.
We don't want to be the same.

a few more

a couple more pictures from the Feb. Macri's show @ the gelato shop
brittani is good isn't she

Trust

So in about 2 hours I'll be headed towards Fort Wayne to play another show. This show is a bit different because I've had to learn 9 songs I've never played before. This has been honestly quite difficult for me because when I see the number 9 I flip and don't know how I'm going to learn so many new songs I've never done before at all in one show. So I procrastinate over and over till a week before the show and finally start workin on them slowly. It's now hours before I have to play them and I'm still a bit uneasy.
You see, the way I learn songs is alot like my spirituality I've found. If I can't have the song figured out before the 4 minutes of it's playing is over, I wanna give up. I know what it's supposed to look and sound like and I want to be able to play it right now.
For me, there is something deep down inside that is constantly ever pulling me to progress in who I am. The more I've learn about myself I see that its true in everything I do. I've caught myself thinking "will this text message advance me or the reciever I'm sending it to?" I often am thinking about how my next breath will be one of moving forward into being better.
I'm finding that I struggle with taking this too far at times. I can see this man God wants me to be. I have an idea of who I might be and what I might look like in the future and I want it now. I struggle with thinking I'm not enough right now, I struggle with thinking I can be more, I can do better than my best.
I'm learning that maybe, just maybe, I am who I am right now for a very specific reason. I might not be ready for the next step. I haven't learned enough in this moment yet to move to the next.
Sometimes the way I read books is just flying through one right into the next not really using or growing from what I just read. Sometimes I tend to store up information but never use it. So for one, I know I can't progress unless I'm really learning and putting to action what I'm being taught, but I'm also just realizing that God has me here right now for a purpose and I can't move on until the time is right, until He thinks I'm ready for the next step.
I'm this "me" right now for a reason and I'm learning to be ok with that.
I'm learning to be ok with the fact this His ways are higher than mine, and that my life is not my own.
I'm learning to better trust really.

Mat Kearney

Do you like Mat Kearney? I really do. He is one of my favorite writers. I think he's unique and original. He is a refreshing artist.
He has a new cd coming on on May 19th callled "City of Black and White" and I'm pretty stoked for it.
Check out this free downlode of one of the songs on it @ this website:
gonna have to copy and paste cause my computer won't let me make it a link...
https://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=batch_download&batch_id=U0d6RkJXcWZreEJMWEE9PQ

The pictures above were taken tonight from a friend of mine named Brittani Cole.
Taking pictures is one of the things she does for a living, and man she is good at it!
Thanks brittani!
check out her website for photography
http://www.brittanirenee.com

be careful what you eat before sleeping

So get this,
30 minutes ago I realized that during the night I got out of bed and sent a message to someone on facebook...all in my sleep.
Before I went to bed I remember turning the computer off, so I must have turned it on and sent the message and then turned it off and went back to bed.
The message surprisingly was decently coherent. The wording was a little funny, but yeah, last night I was sleep-facebooking.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME...

"Danyew"

Danyew is a new artist that I recently found and am really enjoying. Danyew is the last name of this guy named Phil, which is funny to me because I think he sounds alot like another favorite artist of mine named Phil Wickham.
Check him out, he has an ep w/ 2 songs on i-tunes

A New Song

Here is a song of mine that I started months ago and just found it again this morning so I decided to finish it.
In the song when I say "sure" I mean sure foundation, based off of Isaiah 33:6 which says "He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure."
The song pretty much resembles a typical Psalm I guess.
Anyways, here it is, what ya think?


"You Are Sure"

Longing to be shown, continue in the known
Waiting, with Your strength
The fire in Your purchase, burns away the curses
But still bound but what I've known to be true

Hear my heart as I'm living in undone

Waiting to be noticed, it feels like this is hopeless
Would You give Your ear and hear my prayer
Your body has been broken, and for my life You've spoken
Surrendering my will for Yours to be

Have Your way, I depend on You

Cause You are sure so I'll trust in You
And You have ransomed me
And now I have eyes to see
So let me change as I'm holding close
Stronger then is my refrain, I'll never be the same

Part of me is wondering, how I can keep stumbling
Learn to let this love be enough
Though I live in suffering, I know Your blood is covering
Anchored is my heart within Your grace

In Your love, would You look upon me

Cause You are sure so I'll trust in You
And You have ransomed me
And now I have eyes to see
So let me change as I'm holding close
Stronger then is my refrain, I'll never be the same

I see Your light I see Your light
It's shining brighter than the sun
I'm holding tight I'm holding tight
Onto Your love thats overcome

Cause You are sure so I'll trust in You
And You have ransomed me
And now I have eyes to see
So let me change as I'm holding close
Stronger then is my refrain, I'll never be the same

Drugged Up Kid After His Dentist Appointment - watch more funny videos

The Inspirational Jack

Believe it or not, I find daily inspiration from a dog. It's http://www.commonjason.com/'s 4 year old golden retriever named Jack.
Here are the following 2 biggest reasons why.
1: Jack is the most consistent and persistent living thing known to me on this earth. I know every time I walk in the door that I am loved by him. I'm his world, he is overjoyed to be with me, he does the best chewbacca impression ever cause he is so excited I'm home, and he won't stop until I give him some attention. So I scratch and pet him and he slaps me with his tongue. Its quite amazing, and my affection for him continues to grow.

Jack turns me back to God after a long day. Because of Jack, I'm reminded of the faithfulness of my God and the truth that He is in endless pursuit of my heart. He loves me with an endless love and I can come home to Him every day no matter what my mistakes and He runs to meet me with arms wide open to embrace me like no one ever could.

2: Jack is content. I am talking specifically about his food. Jason tell me that he has fed Jack the exact same food since he got him years ago.

Jack reminds me to be content with everything I have been given and to hold everything I own with a loose grip.

Jack Miller is a pretty big inspiration to me.

I'm in Memphis, Tennessee as I write this and I can't wait to get home tomorrow cause I know that as I walk up the steps to the door of my house I will be hearing him barking cause he knows I am home and I'll walk in and He will jump me.

Thanks for reminders Lord, thanks for putting things in my daily path that turn me back to You.

Just more proof of Your endless pursuit of my whole heart.

Riley Robbins

Currently, I am with 50 others from GSM (granger student ministries) on our way to Memphis, Tennessee to the Student Life conference. Sitting next to me is the seriously one of a kind, Riley Scott Robbins. Let me tell you a little about this fascinatingly undeniable bundle of random goodness. He's one of the only people I know who can keep up with my randomness. We have randomness wars often. He is part of the GSM band as our drummer. He's only 16 but let me tell you that you won't find a better drummer, for real.
The kid wears his heart on his sleeve. He is very passionate, extreme, energetic, at the same time can slow down and say things that make you really think. His heart beats fast for Jesus Christ and he won't deny it. I've been getting to know him for about a year or more now and he continues to amaze me as I watch him grow. I love the kid. He inspires me.
At the moment he is looking out the window and wearing a blue shirt, and yelling "i'm being washed away! i'm being washed away!" which makes no sense at all, its great.
11 random facts about Riley:
He almost died when he was 2.
He ran away from home in the 5th grade with a snare drum, a loaf of bread, and his Bible.
He used to be scared at night and would sleep on his parents floor till he was 11.
He wanted to be a spy for about a year of his life.
At the age of 5, his dream was to work at Discount Tire.
He wants to be a pastor.
He hit his old dog on the head with a metal baseball bat on accident.
He has climbed to the top of Mt. Rundle in Alberta, Canada.
He has played hockey since he was 4.
He once punched his older brother in the face for making fun of his girlfriend.
He spent his birthday this year with me in Michigan making music and drinking hot chocolate.

I'm excited to watch him grow up.

Lastly, in pure riley fashion, he would like you all to know - "Je t'aime. Quand j'etais jeune, j'aime bien grimper aux arbres. Je n'aime pas le class de maths." which means - "I love you. When I was little I loved to climb trees. I dont like math class."

Knowing When To Move Forward

So check it.
There is this incredible calling placed on us from the Maker of all creation who has purposed for each and every one of us a life of meaning and longs for us to seek Him with all we've got so that He can show us how to live it.
I'm convinced that our desires can only be truly satisfied in Him and in our following the way of life He's made for us by His death on a cross. He knows exactly what we don't and do need.
That, and if we claim Christianity, looking like Jesus is a requirement/response because our actions then give proof of our love for Him. And that is what it's all about, a relationship where we do good because we love Him because He loves us, not a religion of obligation, but a life of response to His goodness.
1st John 2:3-6 "We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did."

With that said, my thoughts move in the following direction:
As we seek Christ, with every breath of air, every inspiration we take in from Him, we are given life. With every breath out we must exhale that life for another breath to be given us. Though it's not that we leave behind anything we learn, it's not that we let go or forget what He inspires us with, but that once something is understood it should become a part of our ever increasing foundation with which we live out of.
As humans, in order for us to stay alive, we operate in the balance of breathing in and breathing out. Spiritually, for us to stay alive, I think we must learn to do the same, otherwise we face the threat of apathy. We are given inspiration to move us into action, not to hold onto it for our own benefit keeping us where we are in comfort, but to live it out in our daily lives. And get this, in doing so we give what we've been given.
Genesis 12:2 "And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing."
We are blessed to be a blessing, we are inspired for action for our benefit, and in our action we inspire others. How cool.

James 1:22 " But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says, otherwise you are only fooling yourselves."
Sometimes it takes us longer to learn certain things but once the thing is grasped it then should become action. We start off with an idea and then it should become part of us by living it. Without action I don't think an idea can ever move past being just an idea. To have learned something is to be able to do it, to be able to live it. An idea by itself isn't of much value because it's just stationary without action. Understanding gives ideas life, and what do we do with life? We live it. Once an idea is grasped, it can't just be held onto, it can't just stay an idea, it must become more. It must be used, it must be implemented into our daily lives. Understanding an idea and never doing anything with it would be like you or me buying a car and never driving it, just letting it sit in the garage.
Sometimes we breathe in inspiration and hold our breaths by keeping a hold of the same old teaching that we should have gotten by now, we should have made a part of who we are, naturally living it out. Sometimes we start driving on a new road and keep travelling that same road over and over and it then soon becomes an old road. He calls us to continually be making advances in the likeness of Him. Christ was perfect, so our striving to be like Him will never cease.
In a big but basic part of being human, we breathe in life and we breathe it back out to be given more life. We let go in order to be given more. Oh! If only we could remember this and keep it at the forefront of our minds, we might not hold so tightly onto what "we think" is so important.

What is it that we are holding onto in our minds that we probably need to move to our hearts, building upon our foundation, so that we can be given something more and keep becoming more like Christ?

Inspiration

With all the distraction these days coming at us from every direction, as I'm sure you can relate with me, it is so easy to forget the standard of living we're called to, it's easy to forget Who's we are. Sometimes it's hard to make the right decisions. Sometimes we want to do good but instead we do bad. Sometimes it's so easy to get caught up in just "doing" life every day. It's easier living like that really.
So I've become aware to the fact that I need constant inspiration.
Inspiration: The drawing of air into the lungs; inhalation...a divine influence directly and immediately exerted upon the mind or soul.
I need as many reminders, as many signs in the road, as many things in my day/week as possible to keep turning me back to Him and His goodness so that I can be convinced over and over that He is my true satisfaction and abundant life-giver, and that there is nothing better than Him. So that when I come to the fork in the road like most days where I will make the either life or death decision, my selfishness or His will, I will have then a fresh example of His goodness that is so much better than the meaningless things I could chose over Him, and I will then have strength to choose Christ.
Are you setting yourself up for success? Are you purposely placing things in your path that will inspire you to choose Him over and over? I know I need to.
I also need you to, and you need me to!
Here I think are my top 3 to make sure I've got in a week. People, Places, and time by myself.

Hebrews3:13 "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness."
I am inspired by the people I choose to surround myself with.

Hebrews 10:23-25 "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (check this verse out in the Message too)
I am inspired when I go to church.

Psalm 119:105 "Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path."
I am inspired when I read my Bible.

We all need constant inspiration to keep our minds fixed on Him so that we can keep making choices that move our steps in His direction. So what inspires you? And what are you doing to make sure that you are continually meeting up with it, keeping mind that we are inspired not only for ourselves.

my own Psalm

The "hard stuff" for me lately has been dealing with myself. It's been the fact that I know You, I've felt You, I've heard You, I've seen You, I've experienced You in so many ways, yet I still continue to make choices that keep me from You, and I hate it. I know that my wholeness is dependent on giving all of myself to You. I've tasted and tried lesser things and I know that You 've made my desires and so they can only find their full satisfaction in You and still, I choose Your opposite.
But! You are ever still on my heels waiting for me to come back to You. You are endlessly pursing me all the time no matter what. Your grace is enough and when else fails, and when I've got nothing left to give, You are still there, with the same hope, the same love, and the same grace because You are perfectly faithful even when I'm not and when I'm sick of myself, when life sucks and I keep screwing up, You still give me all of Yourself, over and over and over and over.
This is why I praise You! This is why I keep striving to be like You, this is why I'll never give up, because You never have, and You never will. You are my God, the same yesterday, today, and forever, my sure Rock, the ever growing foundation on which I live!

Lamentations 3:22-23
"The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
His mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness."

Top 52

The list your about to view is filled with much goodness with which I recommend.
Here are my top 52 most recent listened to songs (in no specific order)

Greg Laswell: Days Go On
Desperation Band: Promises
Pictures and Sound: Shadowboxing
Keane: Hamburg Song
Sarah Bareilles: Many the Miles
Switchfoot: This Is Home
The Script: Before the Worst
Playdough: Palm Sunday
Red: Never Be the Same
Red: Fight Inside
Centrevol: Flame
Paul Wright: Pacific Beach (PB)
Paul Wright: Lost
Jon Mclaughlin: Why I'm Talking To You
Chris Quilala & Kim Walker: You Won't Relent
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus: Pen & Paper
Marty Sampson: Landslide
Hillsong London: You Brought Me Home
Hillsong London: You Are Here (Same Power)
Lydia: This Is Twice Now
Geoff Gascoyne: Shapeshifter
People In Planes: Vampire
Fiction Family: Out of Order
Chevelle: Tug-O-War
Kristian Stanfill: Lord of All
Kristian Stanfill: Faithful
Sarah Reeves: Sweet Sweet Sound
The Fray: The Absolute
The Fray: You Found Me
Brendan James: The Other Side
Anberlin: The Resistance
Anberlin: The Symphony of Blase
Brooke Fraser: C.S. Lewis Song
Coldplay: Swallowed In the Sea
Copeland: Good Morning Fire Eater
Dave Barnes: Adeline
Dave Matthews Band: Two Step
Dave Matthews Band: Tripping Billies
Gabe Dixon Band: Ever After You
Hillsong: With Everything
Jamie Cullum: Where Is Your Heart At
Jimmy Eat World: Dizzy
John Mayer: Gravity
Marc Broussard: Love & Happiness
Phil Wickham: Sailing On A Ship
Shawn McDonald: I Must Confess
Hillsong United: You Reign
Hillsong United: Second Chance
Sigur Ros: Staralfur
Misty Edwards: Finally I Surrender
Chris Rice: When Did You Fall
Andy Davis: Union & 3rd

new blog

My good good friend/roommate/mentor/brother Jason Miller now has a blog and I'm recommending it highly.
Check it!
Here is the link - www.commonjason.com