Being the Black sheep

Sometimes In life you might find your self being the black sheep. If you're anything like me this might happen to your Often... I'll give you a few examples:

• Only black guy in the room, at church, at the rodeo, in boot barn, at the shooting range, at any event north of Shaw (if you don't get the last one its ok).
• The only guy not rocking the red Solo cup at a party (the only guy not drinking at a party, I went to some crazy parties in high school, but I didn't drink until the year I turned 21)
• The only black guy has has no idea where YOLO came from. (don't worry I have since learned where YOLO is from and what it means)
• being a virgin.
• never trying weed
• Being black driving a jeep while blasting country music.
• Having an Afro (in Fresno)

one thing I've learned about being the Black sheep in a group is that its ok to be different. If God wanted everyone to be the same he wouldn't have made us all Unique. God actually wants you to be you, He made some of us to be introverts, some to be extroverts, some people are tall others short. Neither one is better than the other they all have there usefulness, and reason for being just like every stroke of paint becomes part of the masterpiece. I've learned to embrace my differences for example: my Hair, while different makes me really easy to spot in a crowed and opens up conversations. The fact that I break so many stereotypes has always been a good thing. It reminds me and others that you don't have to be what society expects you to be. I hope and pray that you can all learn to accept that you were made to different from everyone else around you and thats great a great thing. You are part of God's art work and he does good work. 

So today I hope you'll join with me and telling God

 "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

    your works are wonderful, 
    I know that full well." (psalm 139:14)

Everybody hurts sometime

Sometimes living life in this broken world feels pretty lame. There's been a whole lot of hurt going around in this world we live in for me and people I care about. If your like me you try and take safety precautions and guard your self and your heart, and things still come out of left field and do some damage and leave you with some nice scars. Recent examples in my life include the end of a relationship, a surprise flat tire leading to a motorcycle accident, an Uncle having heart surgery, a cousin having an accident breaking their neck, on top of the normal stress of, family, college, ministry, and trying to be a good friend and brother in Christ to everyone else whose lives are every bit as impacted by this crazy world we live in as mine is.

So what do I do with a crazy broken world like that. I honestly don't have all the answers but I'll share with you what has worked for me. I turn to Jesus because He is able to understand what its like to be hurt and to be feel forsaken (Matthew 27) and to weep (John 11) He is able to  able to empathize with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15)

-what do I do when things seem hopeless, I hope even against hopeless situations (Romans 4:18-19)
-what do I do when I don't know what to pray for or how to pray. I pray knowing the Spirit Helps us in our weakness (Romans 8:26)
-What do I do when we don't see God because there is to much stuff going on around me trying to distract me. I walk by faith not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7)
-What do I do when I am heart broken and don't feel love? I choose to love and rejoice with the truth, I choose to  trust God's word and trust in the love he has shown us. God works things for the good of those who love him, and he gave up his one and only son for us because He loves us and his love is real love, a 1st Corinthians 13 kind of real love, love that isn't self seeking, a love that always protects, always trust, always hopes, always preservers. A love that nothing in all creation can separate us from. (Romans 8:28-38 and 1 Corinthians 13)

p.s. I appreciate your prayers. and I'm praying that everyone who reads this is blessed, comforted at least a little bit, and that it might help you see God's love for you and that if you are dealing with hurt you aren't alone. If you want prayer for anything specific send me a message I'd love to pray for you. God bless

Jesus has Compassion for all y'all, and can use anyone

Some quick notes on John 6:1-15 and Matthew 14:13-20 1. Jesus has compassion on people, even when trying to get away and get some alone time he stops when he sees a crowd and heals their sick then uses his disciples and some young boy to preform a miracl and he feeds 5000 men not to mention all the women and children that were there. It's crazy to think Jesus always has time for you he's never to busy to see you where you are at and to help you. 2. No gift or offering is to small to be used for great things Jesus took 5 small (that's small not large) loaves of bread and 2 fish and feed atleast 5000 men. Don't ever think what you have isn't good enough for God to use. God Conseatantly uses the least of these tho humble the "greatest" and normal things to show his power. Examples: a staff in Moses' hand to free a nation from slavery(exodus), a young boy with a sling shot and 5 stones to kill a giant(1 Samuel 17), the guy who test the kings drinks for poison with a simple request to rebuild a city(Nehemiah), a crazy guy building a boat in the desert to save the human race (Noah genesis 6-9),12 nobodies to change the whole world(acts till now), and one boy with a few loaves of bread and some fish to feed 5000. 3. When Jesus highlights a problem for you don't worry he's already aware of the solution. Jesus is always on top of things. "When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. (John 6:5, 6 NIV)"

John 1:1-18 God Became a man to give us the Rights to be Children of God

Check out John 1:1-18

Jesus came to give everyone, all of us, the addicts, the Rebels, the God haters, the atheist, the polytheist, the agnostic, the hypocritical, and the prideful religious folks (yes, prideful religious folks need Grace just like everyone else in this list) the "Sinners" the Right to be a Child of God. Its crazy to think That Jesus left heaven for people like me and you to give us the RIGHT to the inheritance that Jesus alone is worth to have. We have the Right to be called God's child but we have to believe it, we have to believe Him, we have to Trust that Jesus is who he said He is and that Jesus doing what he came to earth to do was actually enough to give us the Right to be forgiven and reborn into God's family. 


We have the Right to be God's children its kinda like having the right to vote. all american citizens over 18 have the right to vote, but if you don't believe your vote matters, if you don't believe your "right" matters you'll sit at home and let election day roll by and then your vote won't matter because you didn't do anything with the "right" that you had been given.


I just want you all to know the Invitation is out there for everyone. everyone is welcome to come we just have to Believe in Jesus and step out in to the light (see: John 3:1-21) and we Have to go through Jesus there is no other way  In John 14 Jesus keeps it really simple "⁶ Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 




I know some might say but its not fair that we have to believe in Jesus or why is Jesus the only way. Let me put it in a different light. If I said there was a party happening on a second floor apartment and there was only one door to the party and the only way to get in was to go through the front door. would people question it? probably not. If you were standing out side the party and the person living in the house walked out side and came down the stairs to invite you in would you ask him why you cant take the back door? probably not. would you question it if he told you that is apartment only had one way in. and that the windows weren't an option? no you'd got through the front door like a normal person. Well the Truth is that Jesus came down from heaven and He knows where the front door is and he's told us we just have to believe Him.

Get some! (wisdom)

Proverbs 4

Get Wisdom at Any Cost

 ¹ Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; 
   pay attention and gain understanding. 
² I give you sound learning, 
   so do not forsake my teaching. 
³ For I too was a son to my father, 
   still tender, and cherished by my mother. 
⁴ Then he taught me, and he said to me, 
   “Take hold of my words with all your heart; 
   keep my commands, and you will live. 
⁵ Get wisdom, get understanding; 
   do not forget my words or turn away from them. 
⁶ Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; 
   love her, and she will watch over you. 
⁷ The beginning of wisdom is this: Get^[a] wisdom. 
   Though it cost all you have,^[b] get understanding. 
⁸ Cherish her, and she will exalt you; 
   embrace her, and she will honor you. 
⁹ She will give you a garland to grace your head 
   and present you with a glorious crown.”


Seriously Go get some, gaining wisdom and understanding is worth the cost. To gain it you'll have to go through things. You might have to open a book, you might have to take some time and listen to some podcast, you may have to pay for those things or take some time to listen to someone who knows more than you humbly let them teach you. I say that for Three reasons:


One: I've had to do that, spent some money on books then took the time to read them, took time to listen to at least one podcast on my to and from School (I drive a lot) and Humbled my self to listen to people who've done the things i'm hoping to do better and honestly I've been blessed by those times. And I've realized I wouldn't know 80% of what I know if I didn't take the time and effort to go and get some wisdom


Two: God that it was important enough to write it down and If the wisest being in all existence thinks gaining wisdom and understanding is worth the cost even if you have to give all you have. Then I'm inclined to think its a good idea. 


Three: there are blessings that come with Having wisdom and Understanding. If you want to walk rightly with God and people around you, then get some Wisdom. If you want to be able to Help others your going to need some understanding. People who have both wisdom and understanding usually end up living Lives that are worth Living. (here are some examples: Jesus, Martin Luther King Jr, Martin Luther the reformer, Paul formerly known as Saul,  Some modern examples Perry Noble the guy who's podcast help inspire me to think about this, Francis Chan, Brennan Manning, all of these men Had some wisdom and had an impact on the world around them.)

I can't get over How great an artist God is

I finally got a chance to get out of town this weekend with a few friends to visit the beach, and I was and still am amazed at how great of an artist God is and how gracious he is to a knucklehead like me to let me see His handiwork like he did today. I saw a post on Twitter this morning by my friend TayFin that reminded me that God's grace touches everything and as we sat staring at the beach, listening to the waves or being blown away by the sunset, it hit me. It was God's grace in action letting me see that. God freely gave us eyes to see this beautiful world live in, that we didn't deserve and couldn't earn if we tried. any ways enough Rambling Here are some Pictures from today and If nothing else remember that God loves you enough to let you see a glimpse of his glory through his creation.

Psalm 19: 1-5

The heavens declare the glory of God; 

 the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 
Day after day they pour forth speech; 

  night after night they reveal knowledge. 

They have no speech, they use no words; 

   no sound is heard from them. 

 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, 

   their words to the ends of the world. 

In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. 

It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, 

 like a champion rejoicing to run his course. 

Nehemiah 9:6 "You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you"

"Lord I was not there when you Created the Heaven's I wont pretend to understand How you made everything out of Nothing or How you spoke Stars in to existence But I will sit in awe of your power, and Majesty and admire the beauty in the works of your hand Thank you lord for sharing your beauty with Me. Amen"  -L.J.

Quote of the Month

“The Bible is very easy to understand. But we Christians are a bunch of scheming swindlers. We pretend to be unable to understand it because we know very well that the minute we understand, we are obliged to act accordingly.” 
― Søren Kierkegaard

This quote still ruffles my feathers. take a min and think about it.