Tribute to all in my life!

Hi everyone!

It has been a long time since I've blogged.. let me share with you my readers some of my thoughts that have been strolling through my mind in the last few weeks.

First off let me just thank you Aaron and Heather for being the most wonderful neighbors and family one could ever ask for. You watched our house for us while we were gone, and you always let our dogs out when we ask, you are awesome, Thank You!

We went on vacation to the coast end of may, beginning of june for Crys' and mines 5 year anniversary!!! It is almost surreal how fast time has just flown by. It has been the best 5 years of my life. Today I sit after a long day at work just thinking about life, about what has been, what is, and what exciting things are about to come.

Crystal if you read this, I just want to say how much I am still so in love with you. You truly are my best friend for now and always. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you. We have so much yet to see and do and I am so blessed to have you as my wife. May I always be a blessing to you too.

5 years has come and gone, we have done many things that we said we wanted to do when we got married. We bought a house and have a couple of beautiful dogs. We have really the best family, crazy at times, but honestly the best family a person could ask for. Ones that will always be there for us in the good times and the bad.

Thank you to all of our friends who have blessed and supported us through the years! It has been awesome to know so many cool people. You are all truly part of the family.

I have a feeling that as we all continue in life things will get much better and fulfilling. Life is such a gift and it should not be measured by the number of breaths that we take, but rather what we do with the ones that we are given that take our breath away.

Thank you all for your love, support and comfort.

a fantastic video... you need to watch this!

Mark 10 46-52

Read Mark 10: 46-52 it's the story of blind Bartimaeus and how all he wanted was for Jesus to hear his cry for mercy and heal his blindness. A great story that really speaks clearly about how to get through tough times.

The end result of my bible study led me to these two questions.

#1 What is it that you need to cast aside (i.e. the cloak) that is between you and Jesus?

#2 What if Jesus asked you right now "What do you need me to do for you?" , how would you respond to that?

Just so cool!!! Melo-M

Virtual Tour of "the upper room"

Virtual Tour of "the upper room" from gresham campus on Vimeo.

We went on a hike!

So any of you who know me know that I am trying to lose a few pounds... ok maybe more than a few, but in anycase I have decided that every weekend that it is nice out that we are going to go on a hike! This last weekend we went to Horsetail falls. Here is a few pics and a video blog of my time!

Oh and by the way I am sooooo sore! I should have totally stretched. oops.

Horestail Falls Blog from gresham campus on Vimeo.

Big BBQ!

big BBQ at our house tomorrow!!! Call me if you want to come, should be a heck of a good time! starts at 7:30pm.

Above All

Isn't amazing how quickly things can change, at home, at work, or school? Forest Gump's mom said "life is a box of chocolates you ain't ever gunna know what you get." It's kinda cheesy but life can truly be that way right? Sometimes for the good, and sometimes for the bad.

So what do you do when life gets really good? You celebrate right?!

What about when life gets a little sketchy? most of us go into a slum and get down...

Tonight I talked with one of my friends who didn't have time to go into what is going on in her life, but from what she said I knew that for her she is going through the "life is getting a little sketchy" time.

but you know what, there is Hope, for her, for me, for everyone! There is a realization that I had a few months ago and that I'd like to share just briefly with you.

Read Matthew 19:26 - It reads; "Jesus looked at them and said, With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (NIV)

If we try to make it all better on our own we WILL fail. But if we ask for help from the Creator He will help as He sees best fit. I know it can be hard when we don't know what God's 5 yr plan is for our life, but in a sense it is kind of a cool thing. It seems like every week I tell some that "life is all about perspective!" If we can pause and look at our lives with God's eyes then maybe things aren't so bad.

I can plainly look back at my life and see times in this roller coaster life and see where I was an inch tall and times where I felt on top of the World. Life is just that, a roller coaster. There will be ups and downs, but one thing is consistent and that is Jesus. (Hebrews 13:8) He is all powerful and more importantly He is above all! He has the power to change our lives if we just allow HIM in!

Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:25-34 exactly what we need to hear. He is the best psychiatrist I know and the best part is He doesn't charge a thing! Read Matthew 6:24-34 and take it to heart, it is instruction, not a suggestion.

My Easter Weekend!

So much has happend over the course of this weekend. I would like to share everything but that would make for a boring and long blog. Instead, let me share with you the Highlights!

>Side note, how many of you read "highlights" the kid magazine when you were younger? I did and I loved it.

So this weekend was Easter, I hope everyone had a really good one! My Easter weekend started with an amazing service and Living Hope Church in the morning at the new Fishers Landing Campus. What amazing renovation job that they have done! I was really impressed with the layout and the location. AWESOME! I got a chance to help with the baptisms this year which was awesome. FL campus at the 9am campus had I think a dozen or so spontaneously baptized. It was so cool! ONLY GOD. At all of the campus' the last # I heard was that 10,000 in total attendance at all campus' and services and over 400 were baptized! Only God could have made that happen.

After the morning Easter service, Crys and I went up to her Grandma's house in Stevenson and hung out with the family and ate good food and played a good game of cards, which BTW I normally win, and I tied! With Bree; my br0-in-law's fiance' . Good grief I couldn't believe it, TIED. After our night of crazy's we made our trip back to Gresham, which in itself was an adventure b/c of the storm passing through. hail, lots of rain, and the worst of these was 'standing water'.

Got home safe and went to bed... Monday was just relaxing aside from me doing the dishes, which were kinda gross. but all in all what an amazing weekend!

A taste of our bible study on monday!

i am second

It is sometimes to easy to feel alone when you are going through the tough crap that this world put in our lives but I have a website that my friend Seth put on his blog some time ago and to this day it still blesses me to watch the videos of these people that go through similar stuff and knowing that you are not the only one... check it out at http://iamsecond.com

New Video... "forgive me" check it out!

my first impressions were to laugh hysterically

do you want a good laugh? Here ya go... sings "fat guy in a little car, fat guy in a little car"

I will be honest... I really was not impressed at all with the SmartforTwo by Smart Car, but after driving it I couldn't help but laugh hysterically!

the prayer wall

Hello everyone...

Here is a link to our prayer wall.

The idea is that this will be a place where we as believers in Christ bring our prayer requests so that we might be able to pray for one another as instructed in numerous places throughout the bible.

My name is Tim Reed, I help lead and pastor a group in Gresham, Oregon. Every week, a team and myself will add to this list of prayer requests that I receive in person or emailed to me at greshamcampuslhc@gmail.com .

If you would like prayer, send us an email right now and we will get it up within 24hrs. You may put a name on it if you'd like or we can keep it anonymous.We pray that this will bless and minister to all who read it and pray. I will also post praises and answered prayer requests as well. I can't wait to see what God will do with this part of our ministry

http://theprayerwallgresham.blogspot.com/

Gravity

Why is it that whenever things get tough in life we turn around ask ourselves "where is God when I need him???" Have you ever asked this question?



It seems like every time we take 3 steps forward we can tend to take 2 steps back. It is so easy to get discouraged and be pulled down like 'Gravity' .



I know that I don't want to fall away from God but some times that gravity just feels so strong. This is why we need our brothers and sisters to help to encourage us. So many people have the misconception that the church is a country club when in fact it is more like a hospital. To me there is nothing worse then taking life's challenges alone. Jesus put the church in place so that we might have each other, broken and humbled... so that we would can grow and do life together.



Just recently we had one of our managers let go at work and I the way I see it is that he is a friend to me not just my manager. With one being let go, one comes in to replace. In my case I feel that this new manager and I don't really see things the same and in turn it makes for a really stressful environment at work.



Maybe you have had a similar type of situation happen at your work, or maybe something at school?? This situation is trying me hard. I am having a hard time with it all, just being honest here... I am writing this blog that you might pray for me, but also that you might feel encouraged to tell someone your stuff that's going on so you can get some prayer and encouragement...



God does not make it easy, but what He does do is make a person stronger in his/her faith. Trial and tribulations shouldn't make us depressed or stressed but rather we should consider it pure Joy as James says in 'James chapter 1:2'... it is a time to grow and a time to spiritually mature. So take Joy in times of crap, it just means we are closer to glorification. And remember the story of the footprints in the sand...

Beloved

I got to tell ya, recently our new bible studies have just been awesome. We have been talking about different types of prayers that have traditional Christian history behind them, but what we are doing is taking them a step further. Going from boring tradition/religion and taking them to a relationship. To not just expressing how we feel and how we are doing but also communing with Jesus. Learning to hear His voice even with all the noise of the world around us. We talked about the prayer of Examin last week which looks like this;

Taking a look at the last 24-hrs of your life and #1 expressing gratitude for everything and everybody in your life. Then you reflect on how God's presence has been or might have been made tangible in that time (24-hr). Then finally #3 confessing failure; this is the time to grow and to realize that we are human and we make mistakes but it is also a time to allow Jesus in and allow Him to shape and mold our lives so that we can be who He wants us to be.

This week we talked about the prayer "Lectio Divina" which is Latin for "Devine Reading." I know this sounds like a typical bible study versus a prayer but it isn't... it is a time where you sit by yourself with God and read a scripture that pertains to a life instance, and what it is designed by God to do (Isaiah 55: 10-11) is to take Gods Word and make it REAL in your life by listening to the quiet Voice of God. Then after reading and reflecting then it is time to RESPOND to what God is telling you, or showing you. Rest in it, or as I told my friends- "marinate" in it (God's Presence)... the idea is that you take the time to listen, which takes patience and willingness to let go of our own agendas and open ourselves to God's shaping. Once we have heard from God we are naturally drawn to prayer and that brings us closer to Him, and His will for our lives.

I know that this is a lot to take in but try it and see if it doesn't make Jesus Christ way more evident in your life.

Oh and one more thing, I have been listening to this song called "Beloved" a song written and performed by Tenth Avenue North... I love, love, love this song. I have the lyrics below. Go download it on your itunes or something, it is well worth it and it will minister to your life.

Love of my life
Look deep in my eyes
There you will find what you need
Give me your life
The Lust and the lies
The past you're afraid I might see
You've been running away from me

You're my beloved
Lover I'm yours
Death shall not part us
It's you I died for

For better or worse
Forever we'll be
Our Love it unites us
and It binds you to me
It's a mystery

Love of my life
Look deep in my eyes
There you will find what you need
I am the giver of life
I'll clothe you in white
My immaculate bride you will be
Oh come running home to me

You're my beloved
Lover I'm yours
Death shall not part us
It's you I died for
For better or worse
Forever we'll be
Our Love it unites us
and It binds you to me

Well you've been a mistress, my wife
You Chasing lovers it won't satisfy
Won't you let me make you my bride
You will drink of my lips
And you'll taste new life

Cause you're my beloved
Lover I'm yours
Death shall not part us
It's you I died for
For better or worse
Forever we'll be
Our Love it unites us
and it binds you to me

You're my beloved
Forever we'll be
Our love it unites us
And it binds you to me
It's a mystery

a more personal blog...

I noticed something... I get cranky when hungry and tired. Anyone else notice that about me?

That isn't really what this blog is about, just a side note really. So here is what happened today... this morning I woke up at dark:3o in the morning and got up, took a shower put my clothes on and went to work.

You want to know what else happened??? When I got to work I found that I need to sell more to make more money. But my eyes were opened. We had a "lot attendant" position available at work, which normally brings about 5 applicants or so... You want to guess how many applicants we actually ended up with??? 86 people wanted to be Lithia's Lot Attendant. WOW, that is unheard of. It really shows the sign of the times in this economy. I guess I am just extremely grateful to even have a job.

It really goes to show that more I try to hang on, the less control I really have. That was confirmed when I went to LSM (Living Student Ministries) at church tonight. Chris Potter was speaking about moving on and about the fact that he and Heather were going to resign as the Youth Pastors at the church and move on to help Danny Clinton start a church in NZ... (I hope I have that part of the story right)
Chris used a verse found in Matthew 16 this is how it reads...

Matthew 16:24-26 (New International Version)
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?


Powerful Verse and I believe this is how we are supposed to live life... and so did about 60 youth that accepted God as there Leader and Saviour tonight at LSM. ONLY GOD.

Now Crys and I will be eating dinner tonight and just relaxing, and as for tomorrow, we will see what God will bring then!

New Date and Time!

Crys says I am "neglecting my blog," for that I apologize. I will also apologize for not informing you quicker of a few new things here at "the upper room."

We have decided to move our gathering time to Monday's at 7:00pm, and are now considered a Life Group. I would highly recommend going to one of the other service times at one of the other campus' just to experience that if you haven't recently. Our church website is http://www.livinghopechurch.com/ . I hope you find a way to get connected if you haven't already.



If your new, this is who we are...

We are a family of college-age people who join together to “Love God with everything we’ve got, to Love People with everything He gives us, and to Reach the World in need.” We meet at "the upper room" at 7:00pm on Monday Nights, to worship and learn from God, and love each other. We hope to see you soon!

P.S.

Don't forget to put my brother's band's show on your calender. It is Friday the 27th of Feb. at River Hills Church. You can get more info at there band website http://myspace.com/dwell22

AND THE BEST PART IS THAT IT IS FREE, BUT BRING MONEY ANYWAY SO YOU CAN BUY MERCH!

my bucket list!!! - a blog inspired by my good friend Seth McRae

So I have created a short list of the top 10 things that I would like to do before I "Kick the Bucket".




















1. Go to Israel with Crys

2. Be a Pastor at a Church, or start a Church

3. Have 2 God Serving Children

4. Baptize my 2 God Serving Children

5. Buy my dream House, and pay it off

6. Travel the rest of the world with Crys

7. Go to Outerspace ( I really think I can in my lifetime)

8. Meet the President of the United States

9. Be Debt Free

10. Die a happy man!

A video blog... about alka-seltzer, my lantern, and the auto show... you won't want to miss this one!

alka-seltzer rantings from gresham campus on Vimeo.