Speaking the Truth

This video has been making its rounds on Facebook. I hadn't watched it, just assuming it was another overly-hyped video that had gone viral around my Christian-saturated Facebook world. But so many people commented on it, that I finally sat down to watch it.

I'm so glad I did. I love it. This is TRUTH. And the part that I love the most is that it is spoken word. Poetry. Art.

I'm sure God is pleased with how this guy is using his gift. Preach it, brother.

The Truth

Poetic.
Succinct.
Powerful.
Clear.

Best of all ... true.

C.S. Lewis on Love

"Do not waste time bothering whether you "love" your neighbour; act as if you did. As soon as we do this we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him."

—C.S. Lewis (Mere Christianity)

Stan Walker

Working at Compassion has it's perks. Yesterday was definitely one of those. Stan Walker, winner of Australian Idol, came to visit the headquarters and did a special chapel service.

Now, to be honest, when I heard that an Idol winner was coming here, my immediate thought was Oh great. Another wannabe pop star who's using God as a platform to fame. I had prepared myself to be unimpressed.

Um, okay. I don't think I could have been any more wrong. YouTube him. Seriously.

I can honestly say Stan Walker is a true lover of Jesus Christ. He has perhaps the most powerful story of redemption I've ever heard. He shared how God saved him from a life of abuse, crime, drugs, alcohol, women ... and much more. But the thing that is so moving is that when he talks, it's obvious that it's more than just words. He really means it. He clearly believes God has called him to be a wooer of people to the love of Christ. He sees God's allowing him to win the singing competition simply as a platform to praise the name of Jesus. It's unbelievable to hear his authentic love for Christ, knowing his whole story.

And on top of that, you should hear the guy sing. He sang this one for us...



All I can say is I look forward to singing praises to Jesus in eternity alongside this guy.

Afghanistan

I just read the most moving blog post I think I've ever read.

Brant Hansen, a radio DJ whose blog I follow, was recently in Afghanistan. He went to Afgha... actually, you know what? Nothing I write can do his post justice.

Just trust me. You should read it.

No matter how many I see ...

these clips never seem to get old.

This is Danyl, a teacher from the UK auditioning for a television show called the X-Factor.

In case you missed them, here are the other two.

One

Want to know more?

Homecoming

From the San Antonio News ...

Air Force Master Sgt. Joseph Myers had only one wish while in the desert sands of Iraq: Get home before the end of his daughter's fourth-grade year.

It almost didn't happen. Almost.

On Thursday, the next-to-last day of class at Randolph Elementary School, the airman's wish came true.

An emotional Myers, still dressed in his brown-and-tan fatigues, surprised his daughter in her class, returning from a year in Iraq nine days before his tour ended.

If you do nothing else today, watch this video.

Britian's Got Talent, Indeed

Remember this guy? And this guy? Seems Britain's Got Talent has a thing for discovering hidden treasures.

Well, prepare yourselves for this one.

Susan Boyle. Not only is she an aMAZing singer, but she sings one of my all-time favorite songs.

Simon's reaction is great.

Missing God

Okay, I'm convicted.

One of my new favorite reads these days is Pete Wilson's blog. He's funny, well-spoken, wise, relevant, and yet still writes with true humility. (Somewhat of a rarity among preacher/bloggers, I'm finding.)

Anyway, his post really got me today. Read this.

It's true what he says ...

Each and every day the God of the universe wants me to listen to Him, tune into Him, walk with Him and yet I often choose to drown Him out with the noise of the world. I’m missing out on the opportunity of a lifetime.

I wonder what opportunities I've missed? The thing I do know is that I don't want to miss any more.

Lord, help me not to miss You in the seemingly small and insignificant.

Fatherhood

I saw this video on Fay's blog the other day.
I hope my babies have a father like this one.

Hollywood Couldn't Dream This Stuff Up

This story actually gave me the chills.

Just imagine what the world would be like if there were more people like Kris Hogan in it. I think people like him make God smile.

Thanks, Brant, for posting this and starting my morning off right.

Wowzas! (As my grandpa likes to say.)

I'm sure you know by now how much I love music. I especially love artists who play their own instruments.

You might understand, then, how videos like this one blow my mind.



Or how about this one?



Yeah ... I know.

ht: Carlos, Alex

99 Balloons

A Thousand Questions

My heart beats faster when I watch this video.
Turn up the speakers and get inspired.



It's Blog Action Day today. What will you do?

This Ordinary Day

Have you guys heard of Thisordinaryday.com?

Oh ... you haven't?
Well. You're missing out. It's my new favorite blog.

This post is one of my favorites.

Straight from their site, here's what this blog is about:

This project came to mind after a particularly rough time. I was spending too much time out of the day focusing on the hard aspects of life. Mean people. Frustrating students. No coffee on days I desperately needed it. As often happens with things such as those, the attention I gave them only served to make all the bad worse and the good harder to see.

Then one day someone told me to stop. As simple as that, she said I needed to see my life for what it was, a compilation of a million moments - some of them hard and painful, but many more of them overwhelmingly wonderful. For the first time in a long time, I took good advice the first time I received it and I did stop. I stopped looking at the bad and I started searching for the good.

What I found was startling.

Not only were there shining moments of beauty and grace happening all around me, but there were also everyday moments of ordinary life that were wonderful all in their own right. When I took away the lens of the negative and forced myself to look at the positive, I found that there were far more things worth celebrating in the everyday than I had ever realized. What I took from all of this was that this is it.

The kids playing in the park.

The crossing guard who smiles at me every morning when I pull into school.

Even the sweaters my neighbor puts on his dog (as unfortunate as animals in clothes are).

This is what our world is made up of. These ordinary things. And if we’re willing to take the time to see it, we’ll realize that this ordinary day is wonderful because it’s simple and complicated, beautiful and mysterious and wholly ours.

Once I realized all of this, it seemed high time to share it. I gathered the best minds I knew of. Some I’ve known for the better part of 20 years (bad 1st grade haircuts and all) and some I’ve only been lucky enough to meet recently. But all of them make my world a better place. These are people who live hard, who challenge the ordinary, who comfort and share in ways I can only hope to be like when I’m living life as the best version of me.

I asked them to think about the ordinary and celebrate the extraordinary. I asked them to write it all down and share it with the world and have faith that putting those ideas out there would help to add to the good in this world and take away from the bad.

And they said yes.

So here it is. Our take on the ordinary. Six days a week (because everyone needs one day of rest) we’ll have one writer share one set of thoughts, inspiration and hope. We hope these words find you well and help to make you more aware, inspired and connected to the things unfolding around you. We hope you will come back each week and take part in this project with us.

But most importantly, we hope you are striving to see the wonder in this ordinary day.

You're welcome.

Andrew Johnston

Remember when Paul Potts, that cell phone salesman auditioned for Britain's Got Talent? And won? He looked like your Average Joe but then he opened his mouth and had this beautiful classical voice.

If you thought that was inspiring, check THIS kid out.

He Knows Your Name

Want to see what Compassion looks like lived out?

This is one of our artists from Compassion Netherlands meeting his sponsored boy.

Get your kleenex ready ...



Sponsor a child.

Dreams Really Do Come True

One of my all time favorite songs.
Done by Jason Castro.
This song makes me cry.


Also ... Idol Gives Back tonight. Will you be watching?

Proof

I have a new post on the Compassion Blog.
It's about me and the little guy I sponsor, Youvens.