Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Monday, December 28, 2009

Goals for 2010 - Stole this from Jamie

Jamie had a good idea of setting up some goals (http://www.themotremian.com/?p=67). I figured since I'm all married now it would be a great time to delve into this. I'll write out the goals in black and then come back in red or other neato colors to let you guys know (or just me) that I am keeping up with them. Making a name for this blog or myself on the net is not going to happen. I am -100 motivated and -1000 cool enough haha. I am not going to do the numbers thing as he did but just individual goals none the less.

I would like to see my tongue get better. Reading James really convicted me of this. There was an amazing scripture "Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!" James 3:5 - I don't want to talk about people, even if I think that I am helping them. I want to continually be an encourager and get better at that every day. I don't want to say lies, even small ones that are unintentional.

Music is definitely something that I have been passionate about. I would like to really get better at guitar and improve my knowledge of chords and how to transition fluidly. I like singing and now that I am married to a very talented pianist and vocal beast I can be hopefully trained to do better haha. So in all that, The Great Noreaster is looking pretty hopeful.

I would like to get in shape. Though Rachel constantly affirms me in this and thinks I look good I know I could tone up and drop a few pounds. I like working out when Im there, I just don't like making the transition into the clothes and places to do the workouts. We have a park nearby so running would be a great start and great for my heart (cool rhyme).

Giving and Saving. I want to be good at giving and saving... that is it. I have a budget and now its time for the strict obedience to the budget master (which I have assigned to be Rachel).

God is good and I so desperately want to get closer to Him. I look forward to the day when I can truly say this world looks "strangely dim".

IN CHRIST!

john

Monday, March 2, 2009

No wonder...

Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. - James 1:15

I was just sitting here at work today, thinking. I work about three stories up and work a row in my office that looks somewhat familiar to a cubicle ghost-town. All around me you can hear work going on so its pretty animated. We have so many opportunities to speak to people about Christ and yet we let them pass us by because of any old excuse we can come up with. What's crazy is that most of these excuses come around because of our sinful hearts.

No wonder we can't witness to someone when we walk around in a "dead" mindset all day because of sin we have committed a day, and hour or a few minutes before that opportunity arises. Sin and God cannot and will not dwell together. No wonder we don't have anything encouraging or nice to say about or to someone when we remember of how un-bridled our tongues have been just a few days before. No wonder we can't tell people of a Christ that has given so much, because we can't take five minutes to get on our face before Him and give Him the praise He deserves.

I love you guys and girls and I am praying that we get our hearts in the broken place and place of excitement and intimacy with Him.

IN CHRIST!
john

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Come and Listen...

I was on the way back from the Grocery store alone tonight (thank God for alone time) and God really just started to speak through a song by David Crowder. The song is titled "Come and Listen"; hence the name of my post haha.

The lyrics just say:

"Come and listen,
Come and listen to what He's done.
Come and listen,
Come and listen to what He's done."

That really just spoke to me. Why can't we just speak of what God has done for us. No, not the delving into the past and pulling out everything we have been redeemed of to prove a point... but to zero in on something so beautifully drawing. Salvation. Our answers and conversation can be simple and yet be so resounding to those around us.

We have been given Salvation. Remember what God has done for you and me.

Love you guys and girls,

IN CHRIST!
john
www.thepinflow.com

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Just some randomness that I call life :)

For once I am going to just pour myself out and let you guys and gals in on a little secret. I am a severe dreamer and excel in the aspiration of having too many aspirations. Haha. Currently it is 1:29 a.m. and I am sitting up on the web cam, talking to my bro about different things going on and just having some fun. God is ridiculously amazing to me and just keeps on blessing me with new ideas and ways to blow up this world with His love. The real question is... why do I keep piling more on? I do it because it keeps my brain so alive and stimulated and it leaves my mind with no room for the thought of success or failure; I just DO. Below are a few things I have really been up to lately.

I am currently working out at the gym at least 4 days a week. Running a mile (at least) doing some crunches that were obviously built for the actors in 300... no lie, these things are hard. Killing it with my buddy Destin on the weights and drinking about 2 bottles of water in each session, only to leave the gym (fitness19 Woodstock) with the same body and vision of success day after day haha. Being healthy though, makes it all worth it. I highly encourage this since I am only paying $13 a month.

Trying to re-establish a collapsed dream of independent wealth; Astounded Design. My brother and I have been going at this business for a good 3 years with no success. It's not our work that prevents the phone calls and emails coming in... it's our work ethic. Haha, we like to work on our own time. I'm sure if we buckled down we could have this business down to methodical perfection. People love our work and we get paid well. So why not do it full-time? Yeah, we ask ourselves this weekly haha.

Project Inflow. Man this is where my heart is. Week after week Dusty and I meet and share dreams to our fellow friends and new-comers about how amazing Christ is. We try to push the envelope of vision and scope of His goodness to a point that is almost surreal. It gets me excited just thinking about the beauty that surrounds our group and how much growth (spiritually) I have personally seen in these quick 11 months. It stuns me to know that God would choose some random guys from Acworth, Georgia (there is my shout out haha) to lead such a great group of guys and girls to the cross.

My girlfriend. Man she has shown me some great things. How God can take two people from various regions and spectrum's of life and bring them so meticulously close together. God knows what He is doing even when we try and shut Him out and pick our own paths. One day I hope to make her my wife... and guys... be jealous. She is the ultimate pick :) Never thought I would find a girl with the qualities that she has and on top of that, love God with a fervency that rivals and sometimes surpasses my own.

My friends. Man am I a friend type of guy or what? Haha. I am always doing something with someone or hanging out somewhere or just calling/texting one of these guys and girls. I couldn't ask for better friends or Christian brothers/sisters to surround myself with. At any moment I believe that one of these would take a bullet for me, as I would do the same. For those getting married soon... I highly suggest you evaluate where you and your friends stand. Marriage doesn't equal the end of this phase in your life. God intended for us to have such close relationships that our very hearts plunge into mourning when they mourn, laughter when they laugh, and that are joined at arms length when it is time to stand for God.

God is doing so much in my life and providing me with such astounding opportunity that I can't help but spread the name of Christ. Whether that be face to face, in a blog or just at passing glance with someone that is a fellow or non-believer. God expects this of us. Quoting my pastor "I live a life without options". Once you take this on, don't turn back. Give everything you have to God, and then some. He went to the cross and gave it all up that we might live a life; richer, fuller and more exuberant life than we could ever imagine.

"If we insist on keeping Hell (or even earth) we shall not see Heaven: If we accept Heaven we shall not be able to retain even the smallest and most intimate souvenirs of Hell." - C.S. Lewis (The Great Divorce)

IN CHRIST!
john
www.thepinflow.com

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Preview for Pinflow Tonight

IN DESPERATE NEED OF A SAVIOR

We can never comprehend the containment of true love that was held captive in Christ’ heart. He lifted the burden of all of man kind and took the sins, the grief and the sorrow upon himself so that we might be redeemed and reconstructed for His Glory.

We don’t need Christ to fulfill our wants in this world, but rather our needs. Salvation is such a necessary need in this world but is taken for granted by the majority unless there is great distress or drama in our lives.

Scripture Reference:
Matthew 2:9-7

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

What drives you?

Last night I was at cell meeting (a community group meeting) at my church and I was really contemplating what drives me to be the guy that I am... the good and the bad. I was telling the guys, as they know, that I am one of those guys who can go in and get the crowd energized about whatever I am excited about. Whether it be a new business adventure, a trip or just motivation to do the normal things in life, I can make them sound exciting. My great battle with that is that I also know how to kill the crowd haha. I can get you to the peak of believing that what I am saying is actually going to go forward (funny enough is that I believe it too) and then in a week or month from now I would have dropped the idea all together. Haha, so I can be the hype-man and the next minute the letdown guy. That comes with it's benefits and setbacks and it's all part of the bigger picture.

We have to learn how to hone the gifts that Christ has given to us, and not condemn ourselves to failure in Him. He has made us this way for a reason and its not to keep it all to ourselves. Luk 12:48 "But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more"