The Principle of the Path

So tonight I sat down and started to read a book. Not something I do very often, but something I should do. Perhaps you've heard of the phrase "Leaders are readers," and being the leader of a student ministry I figured it was a good time to start reading. I was given the book The Principle of the Path by Andy Stanley about a year ago from my wife. I'm not sure what was going through her head when she picked it out, but I'm guessing she was thinking I was lost and I needed help finding my way.

Tonight I've made my way through the introduction and the first chapter and he's laid the framework for what a principle is. It is not a law because it cannot be broken. It is something that exists that applies to all of us. He used the example of Archimedes' principle or the principle of the harvest. Stanley goes as far as to say that this principle, the principle of the path, will spare us regret without explaining or detailing the principle itself. A life without regret is something that I would think all of us would like.

After recounting a story about traveling down a dangerous road that ended in a swamp, Stanley declares "that's where the road led and that was the road we chose." My guess is that this statement is going to be critical to the principle of the path. So tonight I'm left to wonder "what road am I on and where is it going? Did I choose it? Did I choose it by not choosing another?

Lovesick

This week at Nexus we start our Lovesick series. There’s something pretty amazing about being in love, isn’t there? The butterflies in your stomach. The dreamy gazes. No wonder so many of us are so in love with being in love. But if you look around—in the media, at school, in life—we’ve taken what God created and twisted it, morphed it and configured it into something it was never meant to be—an obsession. When romantic relationships become an obsession, balance goes out the window. We miss out on opportunities and experiences we might otherwise have had. And sometimes we even forget who we are. There’s got to be healthier way to do this. There’s got to be another way than being so lovesick.

Special Nexus Parent Night

For the past three weeks we've been telling our students how and why we should fight for a relationship with our parents. As part of the this series we've got a special session, this week 1/31/10, for parents called, never stop fighting for a relationship with your child. We've opened this up to all the parents because it's a message that's always relevant.

For parents of middle school and high school students, please bring your students with you. We'll sing some worship songs together and then they'll leave with our volunteers during the talk. For those of you with students who are not old enough to come to Nexus, we won't have childcare available, but we'd still love to have you there if you can make it.

Nexus takes place at Baxley Point, 1495 Buford Hwy, Suwanee, GA 30024 from 5:30pm-7:00pm. We look forward to seeing you there.

Number 9 album of the decade

David Crowder Band has been crafting unique worship songs for a while now, but their best album, A Collision, came out in 2005. DCB's first album, Can You Hear Us, was full of heartfelt worship songs and David's vocals added a sense of vulnerability not often found in worship music. Illuminate was an album of evolution. Remedy is DCB's most consistent album and this year's Church music is the dance worship album we all needed, but didn't know that we needed. A Collision has nuclear payloads for "epicness" as the album goes from worship to bluegrass to rock to an interview. I can't tell you how many times this album spun on my CD player, but it never get old.

A Collision Or (3 + 4 = 7) - D...

10 Favorite 2000-2009. Number: 10 Illinois-Sufjan Stevens

So I'm going to tell you my favorite albums of the last decade over the next few weeks. I hope you find something new. Sufjan Stevens' epic quest to record an album for each state may never come to fruition, but his second album in the adventure is a masterpiece. It is heralded by many to be the best album of the decade and it's fantastic. For me this album was a grower; I'll probably like it more at the end of the next decade than I do now. When I first heard it, it was different, weird and awkward, but now this album is what I pick up when I'm tired of all my music. As many times as I've listened to Illinois it never get's old. It's always fresh. If you choose to listen to this, do yourself a favor and listen to this album on headphones. There are so many intricacies to the music, you'll be blown away.

Illinois - Sufjan Stevens

Our words Matthew 15

Our words reflect our heart is the premise behind Matthew 15:16-20. Too often I chose to say what's on my heart and all too often what I say isn't a nice thing at all. I've always felt that not saying these hurtful things would help, but that wouldn't be solving the problem. My heart would still be in a poor place. It comes as no surprise that I've never been able to control my tongue, since the root of the problem is never solved. If I died today I would be known as a sarcastic person and often my sarcasm comes at the benefit of others, but being at a funeral this weekend has led me to realize that I want to be known as an encourager or a builder of people when I die. The man who passed away was both an encourager and an investor in people around him.

Lord, help me to grow out of my sarcasm and cynicism. Help me to see past the negative to the positive in people around me, especially my family. Change my heart, so my words are yours. Guide me to be an encourager of those around me and help me to believe the best about all I come in contact with.

NO Nexus on 10/25

I just wanted to let everyone know that we're going to have to move the Nexus schedule back a week. We had a loss in my wife's family this week, so we'll be out of town this weekend. So no Nexus this weekend 10/25. We'll pick back up on 11/1 and the remaining dates will be, 11/1, 11/15, 11/29 & 12/13.

Please email me if you have any questions