A Family First

Well Thanksgiving has come and gone but one of the things I Love the most is family time, it seems like nowadays it comes so few and far between with all our different lives but I definitely soak it all up when we have those moments. This year was definitely one of them. The Big Hunt. We Love Hunting in my family, or anything to do with guns really, but we Love being in the woods and just plain old Hunting. And this year was special because my younger brother Lance and me got to spend allot of time together and go on two Hunts together. But the special moment was on the 22nd. We had just finished resting from afternoon lunch and decided to get ready for our hunt that night. It had been foggy and rainy all day so we decided to leave early at around 2:15 because the deer were moving all day. Lance went to the bottom field in a stand and I took off up the road to a field connected to the pipe line. Now anyone that knows me knows that I get pretty crazy when it comes to Hunting, allot people get excited because they get the deer meat I get excited because I get to say I outsmarted the animal. I stalked and killed the deer and he never knew I was there. I go into warrior mode and really picture myself as man vs beast. Yeah it's kinda weird but I'm just kinda wired that way. But at 5:15 after being on the stand for a couple of hrs I hear a shot, and sure enough it came from the bottom field. Now I wasn't sure if Lance had shot anything yet so I stayed on the stand and at 5:30 I saw a buck walking out of the field, Yep you guessed it, VAPORISED. So after I shot him I jumped on the 4 wheeler to head back to the house to find my 13 yr old brother riding on his 4 wheeler with my grandmother getting ready to go and get his deer. It was pretty funny. It was A Family First two deer in one night and it was my brothers first. I'm definitely not a dad yet but it does even now make me realise how cool those moments are. Cherish the memories, it is easy to get consumed in work sometimes but times like that remind me what it's all about, People, mainly your Family. I had a great Thanksgiving and great time with the family. After it was over we stayed up until 1:30 cleaning the deer, It was big brother teaching little brother and after that we got some sleep. It was a great Thanksgiving, Mrs Claudia always tells me if you have the choice between money or memories chose memories, and it so true they always last longer and are so much more valuable.


This is the E-true Hollywood Bambi Story



Hunting in a shed behind the house watching a field early morning

Elevate Thanksgiving Party

So What is Thanksgiving without a whole bunch of Pilgrim's and Indians. That's right the first ever Elevate camp Mayflower dinner festival. HaHa, I have to say it was a great time. We had everything you could think of for food and we even had a vicious game of dodge ball with rubber chickens. Of course us Indians won, it was probably due to the tightness of the stockings on the pilgrim's legs, they were unable to move very effectively thus making them easy prey. But none of this would have been possible if it was not for our fearless leaders Rob and Michelle, they graciously opened there home and allowed us crazy people to come and enjoy there company. It was a good time of fellowship and a great day with friends. Thanksgiving, there is always so much to be thankful for but the two things I always think about the most are God and family. Without Jesus there would be no reason of value to be thankful for and for the family he has given me. Sure we are a bit crazy at times but I wouldn't want it any other way. So be blessed this Thanksgiving, tell someone serving these Holidays thank you, to all my Marine Brothers out there Semper Fi. And most importantly tell your family how much they mean to you even if they do make you crazy. It's always a great time to reflect and see how much God has blessed you. And to sit in a deer stand and wait on that big buck to come out and get smoked haha. Happy Holidays everyone now let's eat.


What's Thanksgiving without a good scalping, sorry Dustin, by the way that's his real hair.

Me and my Little Chippewas, by the way that feather came from a Bald Eagle

Pilgrim's

Us Indians being taught the Word by our Pilgrim Brothers

Dinner

Your young men will see visions.

In the past month God has really been giving me some awesome dreams that I have been journaling privatly but these last two I cant help but share. So Heather and me have been watching God move big time in our live's for the last couple of Months and it's amazing how he loves you so much he wont let you Go in his call where he does not want you. I used to think for along time that I was going to pastor a church but in the last year God has really moved my heart in a diffrent direction. For awhile I was like this is not cool what am I called to do, I thought I knew but Obviously God had diffrent Ideas. Now before I went to Africa I never felt called to Missions and when I came back from Africa I never felt called to Missions, but once again God always has diffrent plans. 3 Months after coming back I was sleeping one night and I had this Dream. I was standing in this open field that had small bushes in it and some shrubs. While in this field I noticed this big rock structure I started to walk towards and as I was walking I was pushing through some of the bushes until I came to an opening, once I walked into this opening I saw someone I work with at the Church picking up sticks and rocks. I called out to them but they never answered so I just kept walking towards the rock, once I got to the rock I noticed a bunch of lions all Laying down with thir back towards me but the biggest male lion was staring right at me. As I stood in fear the Lion just kept staring, after about 30 seconds of staring at each other I took off running once I turned around I saw a tree that was really tall and by it self. I climbed up the tree to the fork in the branches and looked down the lion was dirrectly behind me climbing up the tree tearing up the trunk with his claws. I got to the side and as he came at me I was scared he was coming after me, but as he got to me he stared right at me as He passed. Then he went out on this branch that was about 200yrds long all the way to the end and the branch bent over, as he got to the very end there was a group of black sillouets all over the place. The Lion looked back at me and then jumped into the center of the group and then I woke up. Now this is where it gets crazy. Last year I was in the Pastor's track for school this year I signed up for Pastors track again but did not end up getting the class. I did not even sign up for Missions Stream but the day we start school this year I was assigned to Missions stream, God has a funny since of humor. A week after this dream I was walking to class an out of nowhere, like an audible voice I just herd the word Kenya in my head. It stopped me in my tracks and scared the mess out of me. That night I had this dream, It was a dark room and after a while the Lions face appeared right in front of me, he stared at me for awhile again and all of the sudden he raised his paws up put them on the side of my face. Then he opened his mouth and pulled me in and swolled me, then he walked down this road and the road was in Africa, and then he walked into a building and the building was full of people. Once he got to the end of the Aisle he stopped and began speaking and everyone listened. As he finished speaking he then walked to the coast and looked back at the city and the whole city was covered in Gods word and people everywhere were coming to Jesus. Now I know you want to know the rest and what the dreams me but Im gonna write the rest of that in the next Blog so it will All fit so stay tuned.

What is your Encounter

So when you think about an encounter with something you usually think about first impressions right, but as I thought about something today, the word encounter, it really shook me up. If someone were to show up late to an event and there excuse was, well I got a flat and my wrench rolled over into the street as I was changing my tire. When I went to go and get it this huge 18 wheeler rolled over me and smashed me so it took me awhile to get up and get here. My first thought is either you are a complete lunatic, or you don't realize that I know your lying. To have an encounter with something that size would definitely change your life if not kill you,and as I was thinking about that don't we all say at some point we have had an encounter with Jesus by a t-shirt we wear or by a fancy necklace we have on. If we truly have an encounter with the one true Living God, Jesus Christ, who is far bigger than an 18 wheeler, who is the creator of the heavens and earth, don't you think people should be able to see the encounter we have had a little more obvious than a christian logo we wear. I couldn't help but think about this do I let the material I wear speak louder than the very mouth he created on me to proclaim his name. I wonder, do I let the shoes Im wearing speak louder than the very walk he commissioned me to carry out to the world, I wonder. The encounter is a very scary thought to me b/c it really reminds me how much I give into the flesh encounter daily rather than the almighty encounter. I thank God for his loving Grace and Mercy that gives us a new encounter everyday, it's so good to know that we serve a father who has immeasurable compassion. Think about the encounter, or better yet what are we encountering today, JUST US OR JESUS. I hope the encounter we have had is big enough for others to see without me having to say a word, I hope that is my encounter.

Thankyou For Your Love

Some of the College students worshipping at the Fusion Retreat

Just a friendly game of DodgeBall "Hey if you can dodge a wrench you can dodge a ball"


Have you ever come to a place in life where all you can think about is the Love that so graciously saved us, so perfectly covered us, and so selflessly gave to us. I've been in that place for the past couple of days. It's been hard for me for the past year because I've watched so many people close to me turn from the faith and walk out on God or just decide that without him things would be better. This past week I had an old friend decided to tell me he had become an athiest, my first thought was wow, what brought him to that place, how did he become so focused on his problems that he forget about the one who could fix them. It is truly heartbreaking for me to hear things like this, my best friend of 16 yrs I dont even talk to anymore because he dosent want anything to do with Jesus anymore, and dosent want to be around people that do, I just cant understand. I look at all these stories that people are writting in their lives and it brought me to a couple of verses the 1ST is Proverbs 19:3 People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the Lord. All these people I have watched make decisions that have led down the wrong road and then when bad things happen they get angry at God for letting it happen. I pray that I never get to a place where I think someone else is responsible for my own actions, Let me be accountable for what I do, but most of all let me be led by Christ so my heart stays pure in this world. The 2nd scripture is Matthew 25:9-13 Then you will be arrested,persecuted,and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. And many will turn from away from me and betray and hate each other. And many false prophets will appear and will decieve many people. Sin will be rampant everywhere and the Love of many will grow cold. BUT THE ONE WHO ENDURES TO THE END WILL BE SAVED. I just thought to myself, father we are all one step away from finding a reason to run from you, thankyou so much for your Love that keeps me in your arms. I could be one of my old friends but Im not. For some reason Im still here, with you, Thankyou for Your Love. I pray God that you dont deliver me from the trial but develope me in it, someone who dosent know you yet needs me to come through this trial so they will know what you can do for them. Let us Endure till the end. Our Hope, let it be in him and not ourselves. As I was at the Fusion retreat this weekend I was thinking about how blessed I was to still be in his presence, let us believers remember that it is such a priveledge to be near him, when we remember this we will have a greater love towards those who dont know him yet. Thankyou Jesus So Much For Your LOVE.

My 23 Birthday

Ok So my Birthday was October 30 and I know it's been a few days but I'm just now getting to blog. I'm finally 23 and it's really scarry to be honest, I never really have handeled the age thing to well. There is always that since in me that says you can go 5 days without sleep, and run 18 miles without stopping, and lift a 1000 pounds without ever pulling a muscle. I have deffinatly discovered that a few years in the Marines and plenty of sports injuries catch up with you, haha. And that Im invenciable mentallity only last till your 18. But it was a great day we went to the new cabellas that just opened up and then we went to cracker barrel to have dinner, after we headed home watched spider man 3 and ate some cake. As I get older I have come to value the few times with family I get nowaday's alot more than spending time with something else. I always find it interesting how just a day with a title on it always gives you a new perspective on things in life. One year older, but diffrent outake on things, more aware and much more intentional. I love how value comes with understanding, now that I understand what is so important I can see why it is so valuable to me. The greatest presents always come from God this year he gave me time with family, 4 yrs ago on Paris Island, I turned 19, then he let me know how important my family really is. But this year it was just time, soak it up because there are only so many more days where presents can be given. And only so many more days where I can stuff my face with cracker barrell pancakes.

Lance,Heather,Mom, Me

Me stuffing my face with pancakes

Cracker Barrell