Bottle Rockets

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Water Drop

Last summer 80 students and adults traveled to an event called Move. We expected to see God do some amazing things. What we didn't expect is for Him to lay such a huge challenge at our feet. After watching a documentary about the global water crisis our ministry has developed a heart and passion for being a part of the solution. Students have already given over $2500 towards the cause! But that simply isn't enough.

With 884 million people lacking acces to safe drinking water we knew it was time to do something more, that more is what we'd like to call Water Drop. 

On Friday night March 18th at 7pm, we'll be hosting Water Drop, a night designed to raise awareness and support for the global water crisis. We will be showing the powerful and moving documentary "Zambia's Song" as well as sharing our heart for this cause. Then comes the support. We will be giving students a chance to truly sacrifice for the cause. Instead of simply asking for support, students will be auctioning off themselves. Free grass cutting, car washes, baby sitting and more will all be on the auctioning block. Please come support our students as they literally give themeselves away for a cause close to their hearts and the heart of Jesus. 

 

And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded. - Matthew 10:42

Rehab: No Favorites

Our problem isn't that we think we are perfect, our problem is that we think we are better than they are. Whether it's the jerk in gym class, the girl in English or even the quirky guy that won't leave you alone, we play favorites. We naturally divide into those who are acceptable and those who didn't make the cut.

The Jews played the same game. They felt they held the reigns to the kingdom and everyone else was simply, second class. The early church was on it's way to reestabilishing the old tradition of being God's only chosen people when God decided to send the leader of the Jerusalem church through a little rehab.

God gave a vision to a Gentile, Roman, soldier, everything a Jew could dispise and yet it was Cornelius that God used to bridge the gap between the Jews and Gentiles. It was in this moment that Peter realized, God doesn't have favorites. Our heritage, our good deeds, our religiosity doesn't make us God's chosen servants. It's funny, scripture had been saying this for hundreds of years.

The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7

This morning at Awake we tried to stop looking at people for what they project on the outside and see the potential on the inside. Jesus died for sinners, not for the mostly good. He came to save the lost, not the mostly found. So next time you look at a person that rubs you the wrong way, remember that beneath the exterior is a soul that Jesus died to save.

Saying goodbye to a man I met once

This weekend Laura and I traveled down to Byrdstown, TN to say goodbye to her grandfather Pete Surrett. As the family gathered in the small country town we talked about the hardworking family man. I only met him once, but it left quite an impression on me. Laura and I were dating at the time when we came to visit him at his cabin on the lake. We sat down to talk and he only wanted to know one thing. He wasn't interested in my plans for the future or family background. He didn't ask about my car, my job or my past. The only thing he wanted to know was if I was saved. My relationship with Christ was the most important thing to Mr. Surrett. Much to my surprise, my enrollment in a Bible college and plan to go into ministry failed to answer his questions about my faith. Going through motions wouldn't impress him, he wanted to know that I had a guniune love for Jesus.

The most amazing part of this story was that my father-in-law told me the same story about when he met Pete Surrett. About 25 years earlier, he was asking the same questions. He might have owned a cleaning buisness, but Pete was an evangelist. It's amazing that after only meeting the man once, the impression he left was about the only thing that really matters. As I carried his casket to it's resting place I wondered, would I leave a legacy so strong? Am I talking about the only thing that matters or will my first impressions leave out the most important thing? I wish I could have known him better, I'm sure he could have taught me a lot, but I'm thankful for the lesson that he was able to pass on to me.

The Awake Super Party

Epic. Corndogs. Couches. Just a few words that could describe this year's Awake Super Party. In the past the party was smaller and met in multiple homes, but this year we decided to host one giant party to watch the big game. With the gridiron up on the big screen, tons of food and over twenty couches spread out across the gym floor.

Over 160 guests showed up and the room felt amazing. We skipped the Black Eyed Peas at halftime for our own special version of Minute to Win It. The games were intense. Here's a few captured moments.  

 

 

I'm not in rehab, just behind

The last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind. Expect lots of blogs this week in order to catch up! So what's been going on at Awake?

Well, the last two weeks we've continued our series called Rehab. Two weeks ago we talked about the difference between Doctors and Patients, but that in the church God calls us to be both. He doesn't expect us to be perfect before we start serving, we can jump in right now. We looked at facing change, something the early church had to do a lot of. We looked at three challenges, expect change, be changed and embrace the change.

This week I was out of town so Corey jumped in and taught for high school. He talked about a woman named Tabitha who, although what she did seemed small, God used her life to impact others in a great way. Being brought back to life wasn't what made her special in God's eyes, it was her faithfulness and servant's heart.

We've got two weeks left in this awesome series. If you miss one be sure to check them out on the podcast! There's a link on the top right of the blog. Enjoy!

Album Review: Mountains Move

Last week I downloaded Kristian Stanfill's album Mountain's Move. The first listen was a distracted one and not much stuck out, but after a second go around I started to really like it. The first half of the album is definitely better than the back end and has some definite potential at making it into a future setlist. If you are looking for a new worship album to put on repeat for awhile this one will do the trick. I give it 4 stars out of 5. Enjoy.