A few weeks ago we did a message on the topic of Confession in our 'Ritual' Series. It reminded my of this amazing act, confession, that opens up the flood gates for freedom and forgiveness yet it is practiced less and less especially in today's American Culture. In fact, the arch-nemesis to confession is something that we have to face everyday, our ego & pride. I wonder if its safe to say that the one thing that is keeping us from true freedom is ourselves? The danger here is the secret of sin. The bondage of sin seems to be so much more powerful when it is housed within a secret. Once sin is confessed, then comes forgiveness and appropriate accountability to help us change our pattern or lifestyle. The question is, who do we confess to? First and foremost the answer is, GOD. The Bible clearly states that if we confess our sins to Him..He is faithful and just to forgive us and make us new and give us another chance. The best part in all of this is that the Bible also says that after we do this confession thing God totally forgets about it. That my friend is good news. So the next time you are reminded of a sin you confessed and you feel guilty about it, know where that comes from and its not from God. To whom else should we confess? The Bible also says that we should confess our sins one to another. This is where the tangible accountability/help comes in. We have people around us that love us and can help guide us in the right direction. For me, there is extra weight to it when I know someone is going to ask me 'that question' during the week. It helps to keep me focused and to resist temptation. The importance in this is to find the right people to confess to. They are out there trust me. Maybe you need to find some better friends or have some tough conversations with the friend you have? Do it, and fast. These types of relationships are crucial to ones health and survival.
Takwaway- What do you need to confess today to God or to someone? Begin practicing it now. Your freedom is just one awkward conversation away:) take advantage of it. Why eat the crumbs when you can have the whole cake?!!

Psalm 32

It Is Better to Confess Sin

A maskil of David.

Psalm 119:25-32 (New Living Translation)

Daleth

For what its worth, here is my thanksgiving takeaway. I am so grateful for God restoration. Without it, we are in trouble, with it, we get to enjoy relationships that were once distant. Family is such an amazing gift from God. The family poses as a symbol of the church. God has adopted us into His family and in turn we live to express this very same element, love and acceptance. I have such a strong desire to be a spiritual foundation for my family. I can remember when my great grandparents were alive. Reunions, get-together s, and whatever else brought the family together always centered around them. When they showed up, the gathering was complete. It was like they were the glue, or the foundation of the family. I am so thankful for that and in turn I am so inspired to be that for my family. Shelly and I want to be that common denominator for our immediate and extended family and whoever else needs a family. I want my house to be the place of tradition and constant. A place of comfort and healing and a place of love and acceptance. This will continue to be our prayer every year.

This definitely makes me want to drink Evian:) We have come so far with our advertising!

I have gained a new perspective on the Thanksgiving Holiday this year. In times past, even though it seems quite juvenile because of the name of the holiday, I always viewed thanks giving as more of a "hoarding" day. I couldn't wait to have my time off from work so I could shut myself away in my home with my family and eat lots of food at my table. However, this year my perspective is quite different. I am intrigued by the example that Jesus set by giving up himself and his desires for others. There is nothing that he possessed that He would not give. I wonder if part of our problem is that we spend all of our energies towards acquiring things and holding on to them for dear life? Then comes anxiety, stress, depression, and anger. Whether it was time, money, or energy, Jesus would give it so that others could understand what they have to be thankful for. In a sense, Jesus was a giver-of-thanks. He gave his life so that others could know what they have to be thankful for, an undeserving and live-giving relationship with God. I want to take heed of this example in my own life. I wonder if the answer to every conflict you will ever face is...giving. If there is a need, give your time, money, and materials. If there is an offense, give forgiveness and love.  If you just don't have enough, give and it shall be given unto you. Give, Give, Give! It's not meant to be just a once a year occurrence. It's a lifetime discipline. I don't know about you but I want to be known as someone who gave!! Let's spend our lives in order to be givers-of-thanks. 


Takeaway: live your life to possess the ability to give! whatever hinders your ability to give, decide against it!

I had the opportunity to speak in my hometown this weekend. I always enjoy those opportunities because it brings back memories and where God has brought me and how faithful He has been to me and to my family. It also keeps me grounded and reminds me where I come from. On this particular night I was a special guest to share a message and lead a few songs as well. Towards the end of the night the musical team from the church asked if I would join them. I joined them and connected with a teenager who played the guitar as well. He was eyeing up my guit and seemed really excited to be playing along side of me (a bit awkward but cool). He seemed like a really nice kid with a great heart for God. After the service was over he came up to me and said that his mom, who was in the crowd, thinks she recognizes my name and thinks that we used to be neighbors a long time ago. Turns out it was true! What a small world. That was such a cool thing. Immediately I was reminded of my past and how much God has restored. Just a really cool reminder that God is always near.

Had the opportunity to here some thoughts from Craig Groeschel, Pastor of LifeChurch.tv this week and wanted to pass along some notes about Creating Personal and Spiritual Momentum. This challenged my heart to BE more rather than DOing more.

4 Things you can do today that will enable you to do tomorrow what you cannot do today.
1. Do something to defeat your Dark Side- face your fears and insecurities
2. Create artificial ministry deadlines- you are more productive with a dealine
3. Delegate what someone else can do- don't delegate responsibility, delegate authority
4. Do something only You can do- find it and do it well

If we are not careful, the way that we do the work of God can destroy the work of God in us.

3 Things that only You can do:
1. be a husband or wife to your spouse
2. be a father or mother to your children
3. only You can seek God on Your behalf- no one can do this for you!

Whoop..there it is! These thought really challenged my heart to make some changes..hope they do the same for You.

Starting this week and continuing up to the 1st of the year we go into evaluation mode here at NCC. We look at the past, dissect it, and dream about the future. I enjoy dissecting things. In my mind, everything has room for improvement. I thrive on thinking of ways to make things more productive. As much as I enjoy evaluating and creating, I have to make sure that I am thanking God for what He has done. Tremendous energy and synergy can be had when we look back to remember and thank God for what He has done. Its the tension of opposites. We would do well to be sure to balance ourselves in that tension. Too far on one end and we are ungrateful, greedy, and at times depressed. Too far on the other end and we don't get anything done which can result in mediocrity. Let's continue to be grateful for what God has done and push forward to keep growing and becoming better at what we do and most importantly, who we are becoming.

We are in Baltimore at our planning retreat. Great time to get down to the "nitty gritty" of things and believe God for the impossible. We are writing it down on tablets (Word Documents) and believing God to do more than we could ever dream of or think of. This retreat also lends itself to a great time to get honest and provoke change as needed. It is very easy to do the same thing over and over again every year but as we all know when you do what you have always done you will get what you you have always gotten. These times are important. It may hurt a little and take a bit of brain power and focus but in the end it will reap a harvest bigger than we can imagine. It also creates great synergy among the team which is never a bad factor:) Yesterday we planned and budgeted an entire year for our very first Deaf Ministries Budget and made plans to launch Campus Alpha at Gallaudet University. Today we will meet as Campus Pastors to evaluate our locations and finalize budgets for each. This afternoon we will gather for an all staff team meeting to talk about the year to come and then we head back to DC! Over and out.

For the month of November I am going to tweet each day different things that I am thankful for. I am doing this for two reasons. First, because I need to do it for myself. I think its important to realize the things that I am grateful for so that I am not taking anything for granted. It is also good to make a list of things that you are grateful for to help you step out of any false state of reality that certain trials or circumstances have created for you. Second, because I think its contagious. When I hear about things that other people are thankful for it makes me realize the things I am grateful for. So in the spirit of Thanksgiving, please join me in giving 30 days of thanks. Follow me at www.twitter.com/jyost
Here are my tweets for the last 4 days:

I think sometimes our greatest fears can double as our greatest potential. If we are not careful, our fears can bind us into living mediocre lives that leave much to be desired in the end. I picture our fears as doors that we come to in our lives. When we approach these doors we are left with two choices: we can turn the knob and walk through it, or we can turn around and find another way. However, when we come face to face with our fear and turn the knob, a new world of opportunity is presented to us. A new experience, with new perspectives and vision is at hand. Each new door or fear, when overcome, supplies the avenue for us to live out our greatest potential.
What fears in our lives have we not faced? What decisions do we need to make that would place us in a position to face our fears? What risks are you taking in your life. Here is a thought..if you feel like your life is boring and you are not making much of a difference its probably because you playing it too safe. Take some risks and let's make a difference together.

I love when I get the opportunity to be a part of something that will out last my lifetime. We are in the process of filming a Discipleship Experience in ASL. The videos will reveal truth, challenge thought, and encourage action that will be followed by group discussion. Since only 2% of all the deaf people in the world are Christian, this has potential to be an amazing impact/influence on the deaf community. We have already made some awesome connections that could result in nation and worldwide distribution. And all this before completion...amazing!! Pray with us as we diligently work to completion. We have 2 of the 10 videos completed so far. Above is a sneak peak into one of the sessions.

We are in the middle of a 6 weeks series entitles Rituals. We are breaking down a few of the "rituals" in the Bible that were emphasized by Jesus. If we are honest we are not that good at them. perhaps we can do a better job? After all, if Jesus emphasized these practices, it may be worth our while to focus a bit on them and see how we can better apply them in our everyday lives. This week it's all about Baptism. We will invite all who want to be baptized to join us the following week for a baptismal celebration at Ebz. Join us this weekend at one of our locations or tune in online @theaterchurch.com

Developing community is crucial for personal growth. Everybody wants to grow and be connected with others in some form or fashion. Community tends to happen naturally with those who are most like you. But what about those who are not like you? What if they don’t look like you or dress like you? What if they don’t hear like you or speak like you? How then do you go beyond the boundaries of culture to create a community of love and acceptance? You guessed it, you build a coffeehouse! Join us this March as we travel to Managua Nicaragua to assist missionaries Matt & Eva Barlow in building a modern day well in the middle of their community. This coffeehouse will meet a crucial need to bridge the gap between cultures and all people of their community. What an amazing opportunity to be a part of this catalyst to change a neighborhood.

Psalm 93

The Majesty of the Lord

Its been a while since I have last blogged. I feel like I am at a "soak it in" stage. I have been trying to slow down lately and focus on the basics again. I have been processing through things in more of a silent manner. It has been interesting even for myself:) God takes us on different seasons and we enjoy the time. Thanks for those that tune in on a regular basis and sorry for any unmet expectations. I know what its like to anticipate something new on the screen only to find the same thing you read last time:) Thanks for your patients. A lot has happen over the past month and very quickly at that. I will enjoy process it with you and sharing all the really cool happening that God has blessed us with. Until then, enjoy the seasons of life. There is a time for everything...

The weather here in DC has been so nice lately. The other day Shelly and I woke up, got in the car and just went for a ride. We opened the sunroof, put the windows down, and gently breathed in the not so fresh city air. After driving around for a while and taking in the site we decided to return for home to get on our bikes and continue our exploration. On our way home one of my all-time favorite songs, which i will leave you guessing for, came on the radio. I was so excited and cranked the volume. Just as we were getting into the tune and singing at the tip of lungs we were approaching the tunnel near our house and the signal began to fade. My instinct told me to speed up in order to get through the tunnel and catch the rest of the song. Since we are supposed to obey the laws of the land I only excelled to 10 mph over the designated speed limit...i think. However, buy the time we ascended out of the tunnel, you guessed it, the song was over!
Later that afternoon I came across this scripture about the Great Banquet found in Luke 14:15-24. I was overwhelmed with the invitation that God gives us each and every day to come sit as His table and eat with Him. His table is the place where everyone of us belong. At His table there is no need for image, or titles, or anything else that drains our life and energy throughout the day. Its the place were we feel normal, comfortable, valued, loved, appreciated, and protected. The greatest thing is, its an open invitation everyday. I believe with all my heart that, like radio waves that are moving all around us, God is speaking and inviting us in, always. I need to sit and eat with God. I don't want to be the one who is too busy to accept the invitation to what really matters. The question is, are we listening? Are we tuning in to hear His invitation?

Check out The Nines today. Its an all day online conference. 60 leaders from all over the country are sharing their thought for 9 minutes on the biggest leadership lesson they have learned up to date. Check it out if you have time today and learn along with over 12,000 leaders who will be tuned in. 9/9/09 @ thenines!! Brought to you by Catalyst.

It was just about a year ago today that Shelly and I put out house up for rent, I quit my job, Shelly transferred offices, and we moved to the DC Metro area as missionaries to team with NCC for one year to impact the marketplace community with the hope of the Gospel. I can remember like it was yesterday, driving over the bridge in the Uhaul, leaving behind everything that was comfortable and familiar. With all the overwhelming emotions and the anxiety waiting to rush through the door of my mind, there was one thing that I am forever grateful for...we were not going at this alone. Throughout this entire year we had 10 families that faithfully and sacrificially gave to us as provision for all of our daily/monthly needs. Plus many more that gave throughout the year to help keep the ministry happening. This was a new method of provision for me. It taught me so many things that I will never forget and have made me a better person because of it. The two major things it has taught me is that trusting in God is more than just saying it from your lips or knowing it in your head. Trusting God is walking forward when you don't see the ground. It puts faith in action! The second thing is that none of us can do this thing alone. We need each other. This year we have shared life with so many. People are the prize. People are what matters to God. This year I have truly learned that. It has been such a great experience sharing life with others and joining in on the up and downs of life. I would not trade it for anything. I wish there were enough letters in the alphabet to use to express my love and gratitude for all those who gave this year. Each person went beyond the letter and realized a great opportunity was at hand. And for that I am eternally grateful. We could not have done this with you!! Thank you so much for everything!! Here is to a great year!!!

We are doing a cookout for the Freshman at Gallaudet this coming Labor Day. So excited to make some great connections and just hang out with some students and learn there stories on how they got here. We are just going to roll up our sleeves and bless em' with no strings attached. Should be a fun Labor Day!! If you are around, come on out and enjoy the fun!

Shelly and I had a great vaca at the beach. I am back in the saddle this morning with over 100 emails to return. Its great to come back to a job that you love and are privileged doing. It sure beats the post-vaca depression:) So excited about our trip to Nicaragua this year and all the other great trip and opportunities we have planned. More info to come!!

Last Protege Horray was at Fogo De Chao. I am a firm believer that Fogo De Chao is a great place to spend your dough. I hope this doesn't sound too carnal but I wonder if this is a good picture of what heaven is like?:) All the meat you can eat!

I am speaking this weekend at our Ebenezers and Georgetown Locations on the Parable of the Talents. I am not sure I have ever dove into this parable as much as much as I have over the past two weeks. I love the meat of the parables. Jesus shares so much in such few words. I have come to the conclusion that Jesus would be amazing on Twitter:) He would be able to astound us with only 140 characters. Here is a pre-take away to the weekend: each and everyone of us has God-given talents so that we can reach our God-given ability. However, the Parable of the Talents reveals that if we don't use them, we will lose them! How are you investing your God-given talents each day. Are you using them at all? What risks do you need to take today to begin making the right investments?

This weekend Pastor Heather spoke on the Parable of the Vineyard. The summary of the parable goes like this: one worker worked a full day and the worker that only worked for one hour got the same amount of pay. The conclusion was that God is not fair but He is extravagantly generous. I have two take aways from the message:

It is time for some margin in our lives. This has been a great summer season of high impact and we have loved every bit of it. Now, its time to take advantage of some R & R. Seasons of constant gain and high energy are great but you have to couple it with seasons on downtime and low energy or you can burn out. So, this month we will take a week off, maybe two, to create some margin in our lives. Our only agenda will be to enjoy each other and pray for surf!

One word to describe last night: WOW! What an amazing time. We shared videos, stories, interviews, had Q & A, and even shared some snacks and drinks together. The whole opportunity was amazing. The whole night was MC-ed and led by our deaf leaders with text followed on the screen for interpreting purposes. We pulled an audible at the very end. We opened up the floor for everyone and anyone to ask whatever question they wanted to ask a deaf person. Our leaders did so great. I think everyone left that night changed and equipped to bring change and equality in our community and world. What a huge monumental night to capture in the books!!

Every year we commit a week to reveal a few unjust situations in our local community and around the world. We utilize media, literature, and interviews to get the point across. This week it all begins. You can come out each night to learn about different topics from Refugees, to Sex Slavery, to Financial Debts, to Deaf Culture. Our small group is hosting the Deaf Culture Night on Tuesday. We will step into the Deaf Culture and take a look at some ways we can make a difference by bringing equality both locally and globally. Come out for a viewing. All programs are listed at weekofjustice.org. Together we can be the hands and feet of Christ and be the Catalyst of change for our world!

We kicked off a new series this weekend titled, Figuratively Speaking. We will journey through the parables for the next few weeks and unveil the powerful truths that Jesus conveyed through stories. I have always loved the parables and how Jesus can sandbag his point with such weight at the end. Just when you thought he was talking about someone else, all the while he was talking about YOU! Ouch! Join us these next few weeks live or on the web. 

If I knew ahead of time that I had only on last supper I would want it to be at a Brazillian Steakhouse. I have always wanted to go to one of these but have never got around to it. Last night I joined a few friends to take the plunge and I must say it was salivating. The portions just kept coming. They give you a coaster with a red side and a green side. Green side means keep it coming and the red side means I need to rest. It was amazing. I had 3 Brazillian sausage, 4 filet mignon, 2 garlic marinated sirloins, 1 piece of flank steak, 2 portions of rib eye, 1 portion of bbq pork, and 1 portion of chicken parmesan. The best thing is, I did not walk away feeling sick. It was perfect!! It took on a whole new meaning of the red light green light game I played as a child:) Can't wait to go again, I scored another 50% off coupon so I can take Shelly:)

Shelly and I have hosted a small group at our home this summer every Wednesday. The focus of the group has been to bring different cultures and languages together, especially the deaf and hearing communities. It has been awesome. Lots of people each week with lots of stories and great studies. Each week we have done a theme for food like- italian, favorite cereal, dip night and more. This week we had Japanese night and Sara and Wendy prepared some sushi. I was thinking cool, maybe they will make a few rolls and we can all have one or two. Yeah right!! To our surprise they walked in with a humungous tray with up to 100 rolls of sushi. We all stood there in shock and didn't want to touch the masterpiece. It literally took us a few minutes to dig in. It was awesome!!! Thanks gals. 

I love it when God gives the opportunity to share life with people. This year provided a great opportunity to share life with a few people for Shelly and I. During this entire year as missionaries we have partnered with a few investors to make life happen for us. It has been such an amazing experience. I would not have traded it for anything. The people we have connected with are amazing and we are forever grateful to them. This week I had the opportunity to sit down with one of them for a dinner and a tour of our facilities. It was so energizing to hear about family updates and what God is doing in their hearts and lives. It feels great to be a part of family that expands beyond those that live in your home. Its such a joy to be able to share life with others and join in on their journey with Christ. What a cool perk that God gives us. Enjoy the journey today and take time to invest in someone else's journey as well!!

I love the days that can maximized for getting things done around the job, but I also love the days that can be maximized for a little, or a lot, of R & R. I think this is just as important as being productive on the job. We have to be productive on our days off and play, play, play or rest, rest, rest. Monday I had an ortho appt. at the beach so we decided to use the appt to maximize the day. We hit the appt. then went to the beach for a few hours then got a bushel of crabs, hung out with the family, had brownies, and played Tiger Woods on xbox. Nice! It was a great day off. Then we woke up and came back to the city! I am a firm believer that you will make time for what is important to you. Everyone has the same amount of time in the day. It is all about how you use. If you really want to do that thing or see that person you will because you will find a way to make time for it. So maximize your day and do what it important. See your family, take a nap, have dinner with your neighbors or friends, read a book. Whatever you do, be sure to Maximize it!

It is understood that our digestive track is of upmost importance to our daily lives and our future. Through the process of digestion our body receives its proper nutrients for survival. What am i getting at? I think in the same way it is important for us to digest the information we get each day whether that be through conversations with our colleges, to reading books, to important meetings, to conferences and seminars and so on. There is a big difference when you come home after a conference and read your notes and think of different ways to apply what you have learned that just going to a conference never writing anything down and never thinking about what was said after you return home. Digesting information is important to our growth and success as leaders or whatever role we find ourselves in. So...at the end of this week I am going to have to stay in digestion mode. I had some great opportunities to connect with some great people this week and I don't want to miss it. From connecting with a dozen methodist pastors and discussing different ways of rethinking church, to connecting with a Deaf Missionary and discussing how to better serve and mobilize the Deaf Community here in DC, to connecting with renown author Dallas Willard and discussing the progression of the modern university and how it relates to faith, to meeting with a Pastor from Ethiopia and discussing ways to infiltrate our communities with love and hope, locally and globally.  Shewwee, I need to digest. Don't miss the opportunity this week to digest and stop and think about what you are doing, what information you are receiving, and how you can apply what God is teaching you. It will change your life as far as you know it.

A few years ago I had a paradigm shift that totally changed my philosophy of ministry and my life in its entirety. I think in everyone of us there is a huge tension of wanting to be noticed by society. We want to make an impression on someone whether good or bad. This notion of wanting to be noticed sometimes drives our relationship with God as well. We will go to great lengths to do, do, do to try and impress others and perhaps God. We think that if we do this and do that and become a member of that then God will notice us and deem us worthy. I felt like this myself and still have to be aware of it in my life. Especially as a guy, we want to be noticed that we are strong leaders and important people. So we never say no to opportunities and we sign up to be a part of every board and program there is. Somehow this gives us a sense of status or importance. But in the end it becomes our downfall because when we are out doing, doing, doing, we are never there, there, there for what is most important ( _______) you fill in the blank. God is so much more concerned about who we are becoming than what we are doing or where we are going. Its not so much do, do , do but be, be, be. God created you and He knows the true you. He loves you for who you are. You were created in His image. It's not about what you can do for God, it's al about who you are for God. He notices you behind the scenes and in the nominal things of life. You don't have to parade yourself around and spend your days trying to be noticed by God and by those around you. Do you remember when Jesus noticed Nathaniel? What was he doing?

This weekend my mother and little brother came to visit. We had a blast hitting up all the parks, markets, and monuments. On this particular day I noticed something, or someone, a number of times throughout the day. You know how for no reason one day you will see the same car over and over and over again. Anyway! It was Lincoln. As we were driving around I saw his name or his picture everywhere. Then, when we went to the Lincoln Memorial and even though I have seen it many times, I had this thought. It is so amazing to me that one guy can have such an impact on history. It has been years and years and we are still reading about him and will forever see his enormous figure at the memorial. The ironic thing is that while he was living, he was not as honored for his efforts as he is now. I wonder if he ever thought he would have such a lasting impact on the U.S. as a whole when he was living out his daily life? Maybe he did. Maybe he didn't. I don't know about you, but that inspires me. Every single day is an opportunity to write history in your live and possibly in the lives of the people around you. Did you know how important you life is? How much of a gift it is? What are you doing to make a difference in the world around you? We may not ever read about you in the history books or see your statue at the nation's capitol, but your life can still have a lasting impact on someone's life. For instance, if you ask anyone around you who has had the most influence on their live to date I bet you that you would have no idea who that person was if they named them. Do you read me? That person could be you. You can make a difference as a teacher, beautician, trash collector, tax collector, business owner, graphic designer, mother, father, brother, sister, etc. Every breathe is an opportunity to make a difference. Don't waste it. Leave a legacy worth reading about!! 

Reading Jim Collins, How the Might Fall. Its all about how we can track our status as companies and see where we are in decline before its too late. The tricky thing is, we can already be on the road to decline while we are on on the uphill road to success. There is a lot of good statistical and case study work in the book. I came across a quote in the book about Robert Galvin of Motorola. Motorola is a company that has seen its ups and downs. Currently it is making the trek back up after a huge decline. However, Galvin learned while enduring the history of Motorola that, "it's far better to create your own future repeatedly, than to wait for external forces to dictate your choices." Translation, be on the offense. Playing offense is what creates wins and keeps you in the game. Are you progressing in your life's accomplishments? Is your life bigger and better than it was last year? If not, it is probably because you have been playing defense instead of offense. One of the things I like to do to help me stay on offense is to keep a yearly covenant or goal list. Shelly and I wrote down goals in four different areas (physical, spiritual, financial, & travel) back in December. We will look over it again this month to assess our progress and make changes as needed. Again, this helps with playing offense in our lives instead of waiting around for our circumstances to create us or define who we become. Maybe today you can make a 6 month goal list for the rest of the year? Whatever you do, get on the offense and take initiative in living your life full of success!

You have heard the term "walk it off" or "work it out". When it comes to prayer, how about "walk it out". Our small group series this week is about the Power of Prayer. We are going to do a prayer experiment/experience and walk around our community and ask God to give us the land. He said it to Joshua so why not join in the fun. Believe for God's promise today. Walk It Out!

Sorry for the inconvenience. The blog site is going through some technical html difficulties we should be up and running very quickly and hopefully with the same look or an even better one!

Here is a list of books that I am currently reading. I like to keep 3 categories on the dock at all times- biography, marketing, leadership. These are all of course second to the Bible. Check them out if you are interested. These are great reads:

Every year NCC has a play and pray retreat. Pastor Mark takes everyone out to some place to have fun and pray together. This was mine and Shelly's first trip with the team. We had so much fun. We went to Osprey Point right near St Michael's. What a beautiful place. We kayaked, canoed, played corn hole, lacrosse, football, beach volleyball, ate lots of food, and prayed. This was definitely a highlight. It is so awesome to be a part of such a great team. There is so much moral here as a team its erie. Our number one priority (apart from God of course) is family and fun. Everything else flows from that. We had so much fun goofing and spending time together. It felt like a huge family vacation. One day we played beach volleyball for hours. I am still sore today from it:) 

Last week I spent a day on Capitol Hill. Had the opportunity to connect with Congressman Joe Pitts from PA to discuss our progression in faith-based initiatives and international relations. I was so inspired by Mr. Pitts' relational philosophy of politics/influence. Overall great guy and great respect for him. After our meeting I took a tour of the Capitol building. I am ashamed to say that it was my first time ever inside the Capitol. It was pretty cool. Lots of history, paintings, sculptures, and stone. My favorite part was sitting in the House Chamber while they were voting on a bill. I think it found it so neat because that it where they have the State of the Union Address. It is always cool to walk into a place that you have only seen on TV before. This was a great day. Made some awesome connections and felt very inspired to continue our efforts in international relations here at NCC. This week, Shell and I will get a behind the scenes tour of the White House.

Shelly and I are creating our own Rekindling Weekend to spend some time evaluating each other and our marriage as a whole. This is such an invaluable time spent. We consider it an investment by far. I think it is important to create times like this or always keep a marriage or relationship book in the rotation. Why? Because it doesn't always come natural to connect in a focused way to deal with deep and personal issues. In my own life I always am reading a biography, business, and christian inspirational book to evaluate myself and become better at who I am and what I do. That is always on my radar. it's what drives me everyday. And because it is always on my radar, I invest a lot of time in it. How much more important it is to invest time into my marriage and work to better myself and find different ways I can encourage and influence Shelly. This is an area that is well worth your time. You can't go wrong. The return on this investment is priceless!!