Lighthouse skit

This is a skit we did in Manatoulin, I finally got it edited, so enjoy!

Stealing an idea

Ok, so I am stealing this from Rachel, but, hey, it's a good idea.

ABC About You Questions:

A - AVAILABLE: Yes, But God has given me a peace about it.
B - BIRTHDAY: May 6, 1988
C - CRUSHING ON: trying to figure that one out
D - DRINK YOU LAST HAD: Mt. Dew
E - EASIEST PERSON TO TALK TO: My Mom
F - FAVORITE SONG: Right now probably Mighty to Save
G - GUMMY BEARS OR GUMMY WORMS: Really don't care
H - HOMETOWN: Eastpointe
IN LOVE WITH: My Savior
J - JUGGLE: Sometimes
K-KILLED SOMEONE: Thought about...jk
L - LONGEST CAR RIDE: Bus ride-17 hours
M- MILKSHAKE FLAVOR: Strawberry
N - NUMBER OF SIBLINGS: Two brothers
O - ONE WISH: to take back a major regret in my life
P - PERSON YOU CALLED LAST: Rachel, but she called me first, so I am not sure if that counts
Q- QUICKIE: Unfortunately, I know the meaning of this and it is an emphatic NO
R- REASON TO SMILE: because "My Savior Lives, My Savior Loves, My Savior is always there for me!"
S - SONG YOU LAST HEARD: "Run" by Hillsong
T - TIME YOU WOKE UP: 5:45 am
U - UNDERWEAR COLOR: blue
V - VEGETABLE(S): not sure what they are looking for
W - WORST HABIT: not sure, ask my friends
X - X-RAYS YOU'VE HAD: many of my teeth, and my foot
Y – YOYOS ARE: Can be fun and dangerous...don't ask
Z - ZODIAC SIGN: don't know

Random Questions About You:

Spell your name without vowels: Jsh Sctt
Your favorite number: 17-a lot happened when I was 17
What color do you wear most?: Blue and Red...unfortunately...lol
Least favorite color?: matters the context
What are you listening to?: NCIS on TV
Are you happy with your life right now?: I am in love with my Savior, so yeah...
What is your favorite class in school?: I love any history class and probably Survey of Mass Comm
When do you start back at school/college?: September-hopefully
Are you outgoing?: YES, except when I am really really tired
Favorite pair of shoes?: I love wearing flip flops if I have to wear something
Where do you wish you were right now? Manitoulin Island

Can you dance?: I am white and baptist...need I say more.
Can you tie a cherry stem with your mouth?: Never tried
Can you whistle?: monotone
Write with both hands?: I can barely write with one...lol
Cross your eyes?: mhmm
Walk with your toes curled?: yep

THE DO'S:

Do you believe there is life on other planets?: where do you think I came from...lol
Do you believe in miracles?: God intervention in our lives
Do you believe in magic?: Depends on the definition, but I guess so
Love at first sight?: no
Do you believe in Satan?: Yes, my enemy who would love to see me fail
Do you believe in Santa?: Never did, never will
Do you know how to swim?: Yes
Do you like roller coasters?: Not really
Do you think you could handle the stuff they eat on those reality shows?: Depends

THE HAVES:

Have you ever been on a plane?: Oh yeah, many times
Have you ever asked someone out?: no
Have you ever been asked out by someone?: no
Have you ever been to the ocean? yep
Have you ever painted your nails?: Does a Sharpie count?

THE WHATS:

What is the temperature outside?: According to my Dashboard, it's 73
What radio station do you listen to: when I do it's either 103.5, 1500, or 760
What was the last restaurant you ate: McDonalds
What was the last thing you bought?: Something from the vending machine at work
was the last thing on TV you watched?: NCIS

THE WHOS:

Who was the last person you IM'd?: Michelle
Who was the last person you took a picture of: My Nieces
Who was the last person you said I love you to? Bethany and Brianna

HAPPY SECTION.

Are you a happy person?: only by God's grace
What can make you happy?: God is the only true joy-giver
Do you wish you were happier?: Not really, I guess I will never be able to be 100% happy until glory
Can music make you happy?: Very much so

LOVE SECTION.

How many times have you had your heart broken?: disappointed maybe a couple times, but broken, none really
Have you ever loved someone so much that you'd die for them?: That is how I feel about my family and friends

LOOK AT ME. NO SERIOUSLY CHECK ME OUT.

What is your current hair color?: Brown
Current piercings?: none
Eye color?:Hazel

HAVE YOU EVER

Been to jail: does a tour count?
Mooned someone: What happens in the guys room stays in the guys room...enough said
Ran away from home: thought about it once, than reason kicked in
Laughed so hard you cried: once or twice :)
Cried in school: since my home was my school, yes
Thrown up in a store: Can't remember, but maybe
Wanted to be a model: no
Cheated on someone: no
Done something really stupid that you still laugh at today: umm...Hart Plaza anyone
Seen a dead body: yes

THIS OR THATPepsi or Coke: Pepsi
McDonald's or Burger King: McDonalds
Single or Group Dates: never been on either
Chocolate or Vanilla: Ice Cream-Vanilla, candy-Chocolate
Strawberries or Blueberries: Strawberries
Meat or Veggies: Meat.
TV or Movie: Depends on my mood, but TV for the most part
Guitar or Drums?: I like both, but solo, guitar
Chinese or Mexican: Mexican
Cheerios or Corn Flakes: Cheerios
Cake or Pie: Cake
MTV or VH1: neither

New post!

Okay, sorry for not posting in like forever. Been a very hectic since I posted last.

Found this youtube video that is really good, why don't we have more Representatives in Congress like this?

Funny 911 Calls

Some people are so stupid. But at least we get a laugh out of it:

Ok, time for some humor-at least for me

Ok, I find this video hilarious. Maybe everyone else wont find it as funny, because I admit, I have a weird, geeky sense of humor. But I will post it anyways. Enjoy!

Soli Deo Gloria

A Song that has been encouraging me

So, I have been transferred back to my old shop. A transfer that I did not want, but nonetheless happened. I was disappointed because I really like the shop I was at, but God has me where I am at for a reason.

Well, I was listening "Today is the Day" by Lincoln Brewster, and the phrase: 

Today is the day You have made

I will rejoice and be glad in it

And I won`t worry about tomorrow

I`m giving you my fears and sorrows

Where you lead me I will follow

I'm trusting in what you say

was just really encouraging to me. God has lead me to where I am at, and He will take care of me. God has made everyday, and I will rejoice in it!

Here is a video of Lincoln Brewster singing "Today is the Day."

Soli Deo Gloria

Cardboard Testimonies

I was watching some of these Cardboard Testimonies on Youtube. I am going to warn you, you may cry. But it shows how great our God is! 

Soli Deo Gloria

2,000 Years Ago-My Savior Lives

"My Savior loves, my Savior LIVES, my Savior is always there for me..." My Savior conquered death, securing my salvation. He suffered, He died, He rose. If He did not rose, my faith would be in vain, but He did rise; and my faith is not in vain! I can place my trust in Him, and He will not fail me! 

Jesus fulfilled prophecy from the Old Testament, even all the way back to Genesis 3. God said to the serpent that the woman's offspring will crush his head, but he will bruise his heal. Christ heal was bruised 2,ooo years ago; but 2,ooo years ago, the serpent's head was crushed! Satan no longer has any power over me, because JESUS CHRIST IS RISEN!!!!

Soli Deo Gloria

2,000 Years Ago

Two thousand years ago, a man was executed, a man who had truly done nothing wrong. And while people have been executed throughout history, and not all have been guilty of the crime they were executed for, He was the only one who truly had done nothing wrong. That man is Jesus Christ. However, on that day, He did not die alone. On either side of Him was a thief. These men were guilty; but only one saw his own guilt. Jesus died for that man, and for all who will believe. He took the guilt of that thief, so that the thief can spend eternity worshiping God! 

Jesus came to this sin-cursed world, was surrounded by sinners, died surrounded by sinners, why? So that God can be glorified! That is why we are saved, so that God can be glorified. So, what do we do with that, we put Christ on display and point others to Him!

Two thousand years ago, my savior came, my savior died, so that I can glorify God! Isn't that an amazing thought. I need to put my savior on display, and I fail everyday. But one day, I will not fail, I will be able to put Christ on display without any sin! I can't wait for that day!

Soli Deo Gloria

What is friendship?

What is true friendship? We say we have friends, but do we? Here in America, we use the term "friend" almost too loosely. We say "Oh, that is my friend." But, what do we know about that person? Do we know their likes and dislikes, do we know their struggles, their passions, what makes them laugh, what makes them cry? Are we there for them when they need someone to talk to, or just someone to listen? Are we willing to die for them? Jesus said, "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." So, do we have friends. or just acquaintances?

In French, the word for friend is "ami," and a French person will not call a person, "mon ami"-"my friend" unless they were really close and knew each other well. I am happy to say that I do have several friends I can call "mes amis." Friends are a gift from God, it is only by His grace that we can have friends. And in having friends, we have a great responsibility to point them to Christ, and to make sure that the friendships are bringing glory to God.

So, those are just some things I have been thinking about recently. Sorry about not posting in a while, every time I would go to post, nothing came to mind, now something has :).

Soli Deo Gloria

Reflection on James 1:5-8

Okay, after not posting anything for a while, I decided to continue my reflection on James 1. So, verses five to eight:

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."

What is wisdom? According to dictionary.com, wisdom is "knowledge of what is true or right coupled with judgment as to action." So, wisdom is applying knowledge correctly. As Christians, we have a great responsibility to apply the knowledge we have in a way that will bring glory to God. 

So, where does wisdom come from? From God. And the amazing thing is, God love to give it freely without chastising us for asking. Now, it is easy to know that academically, but actually believing it, that is the hard part. That is why James says to ask in faith. When we ask God for something, we must have faith that God will give it to us. Now where does faith come from? According to Ephesians 2, it comes from God. So, if both wisdom and faith comes from God, we need to ask Him for both. However, God has given us enough faith and knowledge to be able to ask for wisdom without doubting. I would go as far to say if we ask God for wisdom, but doubt, we are sinning. When we doubt that God will do good, we are double-mined, a person with with two minds torn between God and the world. 

Now, why would James talk about wisdom right after talking about trials? It can almost seem like a complete change of subject. However, part of getting through trials is having wisdom to know what to do with those trials. So, when we are going through a trial, let us ask God to give us the wisdom to properly apply the knowledge gleaned from that trial; because it is part of counting it all joy when we meet trials of various kinds.

So, those are just a few thoughts I had about these verses.

Soli Deo Gloria

A Really Cool Music Website

For all of you music lovers, I thought you would like to know about http://free.napster.com/.

It is an awesome site where you can stream a whole lot of music and can choose to look them up my artist, album, or track. For me personally, they even have Hillsong, Chris Tomlin, Steven Curtis Chapman, David Croward, Celtic Woman, and many, many more.

Soli Deo Gloria

A reflection on James 1:2-3

Recently James 1 has been a big part of my life, so here are some thoughts I have on the chapter.

Verses two and three

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

Something someone told me recently when I was venting about something, "Congratulations, God won't give you more than you can handle." We need to count it joy when we face trials. Facing trials is part of the Christian life. And why do we face trials? To refine our faith. Recently I heard the illustration of trials being like the refining process of gold. In order for gold to be refined, it must be heated; however, if it is heated too much, it will evaporate. That is how God is with us. He will not allow us to go through more trials than we can handle. 

An example we see is Job. When Job was tempted, Satan had to ask God permission to tempt Job. So, in order for us to be tempted, Satan must first ask God. And when Job was tempted, what was his response? "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, Blessed be the name of of the Lord." We need to rejoice in trials. Now, that is easier said than done. But, God grace is enough!!!

Now, another reason for trials is to produce steadfastness. And steadfastness, or it could also be translated "perseverance," is so that we can be more like Christ, perfect. Now, we will never be perfect; however, we can, as Paul puts it, "strive for the masteries." Also, so we can be laking in nothing. Christ needs to be our everything. He needs to complete us, so that we are complete. And trials bring us closer to Christ.

So, those are some random thoughts on James 1:2-3. In future post, I will continue my thoughts on the rest of the chapter.

Soli Deo Gloria

What have I been up to.

Ok, wow, I have not posted anything in like forever. So, what has happened since then? Glad you asked. Over Christmas I went down to Rockford, Ill. to spend Christmas with my family who live down there. It was such a wonderful time, Jason, my oldest brother, hosted Christmas at his house. His two oldest, Bethany & Briannia, were so cute on that morning. As we were waiting to open presents, they came up to as I was sitting in a recliner and said, "Uncle Josh, can I sit on your lap because I love you." Well, that of course just melted my heart (my nieces have a way of doing that to me) and they sat on my lap until it was time to open presents.

After that, we came back on Sunday, I spent two days home and than left for The Break at Lake Ann. I went up with nine other people from my church. We had such a great time up there.

Bobby Huteck and I took second place in doubles foosball tournament. And I was able to get a free t-shirt from it. 

We also were able to enjoy a New Years Eve concert by Audio Adrenaline, which was amazing. On Thursday night, there was a Praise and Worship service that was amazing. One song we sang was "Mighty to Save" which is one of my all-time favorite worship songs. 

So, that is a brief overview of what I have been up to. In future post I will go into what Tony Tice was speaking about and how that impacted my life.

Soli Deo Gloria