From the Front Lines

Sorry I haven't been posting more often. The place I'm living for the summer doesnt' have internet access so it has been difficult to do even little things and keep in contact with people. I wanted to take a moment to let everyone know what's going on. This summer I decided to live in L.A. - often times I wonder why I am even here, but I'm here none the less and will stick it out for another month and a half. My experience so far has been rewarding and very challenging. After i came back here in early june after Kevin's wedding I had the option of working a summer camp or living in L.A. - I thought L.A. would be more challening so that's what I went with. One of the things that really sealed it for me is the Church I've been apart of here called Reality L.A. (you can check it out online at realityla.com). I'm blessed to have roomates who attend USC and are solid followers of Christ. I have no doubt that God is going to use them in amazing ways on that campus during school time. When I moved in I had no job, and no way to pay for rent. Within three days I not only had job but was able to start working that week doing valet parking with one of my good buddy's from school. I can pretty much make my own schedule, and work has been really consistent. A week later I was able to get a lot of work as an extra or background actor. I've worked the t.v. Las Vegas for two - now going on three weeks. I've been working on it with a few people from church. It's been challening and good. We've been able to invite a few people to come check out the church. One guy, Christian, came and loved that it was solid bible preaching, loved the people, and said he is coming back for sure after he get's back from his mission trip from Ukraine with his church from back home. On set I've been doing a lot of reading, most of the time reading some sort of book about God or Jesus or Christian living, and people have just walked up and asked what I'm reading, and often times have opened up conversations about what people believe about God, and I've been able to share with them who Christ is (often times very inadequately, more like completely inadequately). A gay man, mark, who believes more in eastern practices of Budda and Hinduism ... He's extremely bright, but comes from a very broken background. I just pray that God would bring healing and that he would know it came from no one else except Jesus Christ. Continue to pray for the church here in L.A. as God is moving in awesome ways ... pray for unity among the body ... protection from the strong attacks of the enemy (something this good in L.A. won't slip by the enemy's attacks) ... maturity among believers ... annointing of the leadership and the use of the body to be blazing lights in the city of L.A. .... most of all I pray the chuch body will continue to be captured by our first love Jesus Christ ... to value Him above everything in our lives. Pray that the men of the church will be men of God, Bold, Courageous, standing up for what they believe in even at great costs. Pray that the church will be waken from any slumber to make the most of our time, money, resources, and talents, to be found good and faithful stewards of what God has given us. Pray for mending for a lot of people who come from broken backgrounds and all walks of life, knowing and believing that Jesus was sent to save the brokenhearted. God has been good, and continues to be good. Living here is opening me and my heart to a whole new kind of daily dependence on Him and I thank God for Jordan and his family, they've been such a blessing to me, I pray that God would bless them abundantly, because I cannot repay them for how good they've been. Another highlight was a girl by the name of Kelly, she works the valet service with us. One night Jordan was talking about how he's in school and going to graduate and get his teaching credential ... and she was really inspired to do that. You have to take a test before you can start substituting and then pass another test to be able to teach. I pray she will be continually inspired to press forward in this, as it seemed to strike a chord in her heart. Although I am currently poor and have almost nothing, God has been good, and I am abundantly rich and blessed by all he's doing. For me, pray for Courage to stand up for what I believe and a more solid foundation to stand on Christ - for spiritual maturity, and full assurance in Christ - That Christ be my satifaction. Pray that God would mold me into a man of God, courageous to stand up for what I believe in, Pray for work - I've been auditioning places with little success, pray for more opportunities, and God to continue to be faithful in blessing the work we've been doing ... more specifically I would love for some acting roles to open up, even if they're small or just auditions ... something continue to move forward and patients, lot's of patients, nothing ever happens quick enough for me. Honestly I think this is the closest thing to being a missionary in a foreign country ... just remember, wherever you are, you are a missionary there as well. Who is going to reach the people for Christ in your work place? If you are reading this and have grown lazy or stagnant just remember, Jesus is coming again, coming soon, I think it's time we wake from our slumbers and live to make Him known as the supreme satisfaction of our lives, it is a battle, but "The kingdom of heaven is taken by violent men" - Last thing I promise, That I would be joyful in all I do, and that God would give me a new heart to intimatley walk with Him, and to be a good steward of all the things he's placed in my life (something I feel I've done a terrible job of in the past). God Bless ... I love you and wish I could be with you, continue to perservere