Revolution 2008 Recap Video

Revolution 2008 recap from I am Revolution on Vimeo.

Mad Props to Nathan Hamblin and Josiah Long (on our media team) for all they do! Thanks Hampson and Josiah!

Looking back on ‘08 – Forward to ‘09

“A Year from now You May Wish That You Started Today”

It is the last day of 2008 – can you believe it? I can’t believe how fast this year has gone! For my last post – I want to encourage you to thank God for everything He’s done in and through your life in 2008 and ask Him to help you dream for your life as He has for 2009. I believe He wants 2009 to be your best year ever! So here are some thoughts going into ‘09:

Realize that God wants 2009 to be the Best Year of your Life - Do you believe that? Or do you think God would say to you, “Well you had it pretty good in 2008 – I don’t think it’s going to get any better than that!” NO!!! Prov. 4:18 says that the path of the righteous gets brighter and brighter – that means your life should be getting better and better until you’re gone. God has an incredible plan for your life (Jer. 29:11) and He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Heb. 11:6). Believe it!

Forget the Past  - Maybe you’re saying, yea, but Bubba you don’t know some of the decisions I made in 2008 – I don’t see any glimpse of hope of 2009 being a good year – it’s going to go downhill fast. No, no, no – if you believe that  there is something that you’ve done or some circumstance that can hold you back from God’s best in your life – then you don’t know the power of what Jesus did on the cross. There is nothing that can separate you from the love of God (Romans 8:38,39). Paul said this in Philippians – “This one thing I do – forgetting those things that are behind and pressing forward to those things which are ahead.” I encourage you to do the same!

Realize the Value of Today - John Maxwell said it well when he said, “We over-exaggerate yesterday, we overestimate tomorrow, and we underestimate today.” I know that where you’ll be in the future is a result of what you did with today. In fact, tomorrow is the scorecard of how you handled today. The secret of success will always be found in your daily agenda. So my question to you is: What are you doing today to shape the future that you want tomorrow?

Start Today - In Ecclesiastes it says that if you wait for perfect conditions, you’ll never get anything done. So often I hear people say this about going after their dreams, “Well, I’ll do that when I get married, when I graduate high school, college, when, when” only to live their lives and look back and realize they haven’t even begun to pursue the dreams God put in their hearts. Start pursuing your dreams today – remember – a year from now – you may wish that you had started today. Dream big and go for it!

If you’ll take these principles and implement them in your life – I promise you’ll be well on your way to having your best year ever in 2009! Get excited  – God has great things for you!

Book Review: Biblical Keys to Financial Prosperity

I’m really starting to study a lot about finances – both naturally and spiritually – this book really helped me with the Spiritual side of handling money and seeing God’s will for my finances. I would definitely recommend this book if this is an area you’re interested in learning about. Here are some of my key takeaways:

• If you want to walk in the perfect will of God, and experience His richest and best for your life, you’ve got to do the perfect will of God.
• If the Bible said it, it’s so, whether I’ve got it or not
• The word rich means “full supply” – it doesn’t mean you’ll be a multi-millionaire
• It is not wrong for you to have money – it’s wrong for money to have you
• Put pressure on the Word, not people

• Faith in God and His Word that is acted upon will bring results everytime
• For the Word to work for you – it must be in both your heart and your mouth
• Never talk failure
• A church sows seed just as an individual sows seed – they reap what they sow – and many churches wonder why they’re not prospering
• Don’t do something because so and so did so, be sure the Spirit of God is telling you to do it!
• You’ve got to START obeying God with pennies, nickles, and dimes – faithful with what you’ve got
• 3 Reasons People don’t Prosper: 1.) Laziness 2.) Extravagance and Excess 3.) Poor Management

Overall a very easy read with a lot of great information that you should be putting into practice!

Final Grade: B        Buy it Here!

The Best of 2008 (Part 5)

The Funniest Moments and Quotes of 2008

So I just finished up typing out all of my funny memories and quotes from the year . . . I’ll share with you some of my favorites. To my friends – I hope this brings a smile to your face! I have 7 pages worth – I couldn’t/didn’t want to share a lot to protect the innocent. So here you go:

Funny Moments:

• Olympics – Chris Pushing Jordan into the jaggers –“Ahh it’s a jagger bush you idiot!”
• Getting “pulled over by an Indian with a disco ball in his car
• Reeling in a huge catch only to find out it’s a huge stick!
• Seeing the Rabbit in Monte Python for the first time
• Riley getting mayonnaise in the face then D’Amico got him with the punch game

Funny Quotes:

• 4:12 has definitely made me more popular – Swanson
• Chinese lady – you want a  receipt?– you think I am a machine?
• Aren’t they the Riverside Rabbits? –Ja-Quan
• Never Trust a Fart (Bucket List – Canada haha)
• Why are wives so expensive? They’re worth it!  (QUOTE OF THE YEAR!)
• You’re the appendix of Christ – Wynne Lewis
• I never ask how anyone is – They might tell me – Wynne Lewis
• Welcome to Ministry! -Pastor Moore
• “I pound all my waitresses” – Me (you need to know the context)
• They keep Scooby doo in a cage – write your government – Mark D
• “I Got THONGED! Everywhere I go – THONGED” -Anonymous
• “I wanted to body slam the devil” – Faulk
• Weaver, “Big things come from Texas – big meat!” (At the David Crowder Concert)
• Duffy at Conference “I always thought I’d explain my argument logically and my wife would say, “I’m wrong, you’re right, lets have sex!”
• Gesiel after the Giants won the Super Bowl – YEA IT WAS ALL FOR NOTHING…NOTHING… 18-1!!!!
• Zack, ‘I hated football in college, so I shanked a field goal!
• Riley – “Piece of Crap”
• Dr. Phil – Have enough sense as a cow, eat the hay, and spit the sticks
• Me: How did you get a date to homecoming Nuzzo?  Ryan Nuzzo: Why are you still single?

There you have it! Have any funny moments/quotes that you think are worth sharing – let me know

Sunday Night Reflections 12.28.08

I hope you all had an amazing Christmas!  Here are my last Sunday reflections for 2008:

• The best gift I got for Christmas was a book – “The Alchemest”
• I’m convinced one of the best gifts you can give are books – make sure you write on the inside cover! It makes a difference!
• I got to spend some time with my dad and sister – it was great – I love them both so much!
• I saw 3 movies so far this break: 7 Pounds (Must see), Valkyrie (worth seeing once), Marley and Me (No comment)
• Almost done with Keith Moore’s series on Diligence – it is changing my life – Definitely worth listening to!
• I’ve almost done with my 2008 year end review – it’s been incredible spending a ton of time with God – I am so pumped for what He has in store in 2009 – Whew!
• Here are all the articles/blog posts I thought were worth reading this week

I hope you all have an amazing new year!

Book Review: The Alchemist

This book was actually a gift to me for Christmas – it ended up being the best gift I got all Christmas! (P.S. I think books make some of the greatest gifts ever – especially when you write in the covers). Let me first refer you to another review by Ben Rath here – he loved this book as well!

This book is different from the ones I usually read – it’s a fiction novel – but it changed my life. This is a top 5 all time book on my list and a new requirement for anyone who loves to read!

Here are some of my favorite takeaways:

• “It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting”

• “To realize ones destiny is a persons only real obligation”

• “He had to choose between something he was accustomed to – and something he wanted to do”

• “If you can concentrate always on the present – you’ll be a happy man.”

• “Someday – this morning will just be a memory”

• “The closer one gets to realizing his dream, the more difficult things become”

• “Another person was there – to help him toward his personal legend”

• “In pursuing your dreams – you might lose everything you’ve won”

• “Every second of the search is an encounter with God – when I was truly searching for my treasure, every day has been luminous, because I’ve known that every hour was a part of the dream that I would find it. When I’ve truly been searching for my treasure, I’ve discovered things along the way I would have never seen had I not had the courage to try things that seemed impossible for a shepherd to achieve.”

• “When you are loved – you can do anything in creation”

I know a lot of you may not be able to get the context of these things – so GO OUT AND BUY THIS BOOK NOW!

Final Grade: A++++ Buy it Here

The Best of 2008 (Part 4)

Highlights:
1. Achieve breakfasts with PL
2. Running Revolution for 1 year with Sean and Zack
3. Laurelville Retreat with PL and 180 Youth
4. Seeing the Lion King – Broadway
5. Monthly breakfasts with Pastor Craig, Zack, Ben, Sean
6. The opportunity (turned down) to intern in Atlanta w/Catalyst
7. My Life – Parent Night – 3 amigos (Zack, Sean, and I)
8. David Crowder Band Concert
9. National Youth Ministry Conference in Cincinnati with Sean (Saw Tony Dungee speak)
10. ? and A with Zack and Sean at Revolution
11. On the Border Nights with the Boys
12. Resident Evil 4
13. Joel Osteen (Mr. Steidel taking my dad)
14. Sara coming to church for a few months
15. Spoke at Concord – 180 Youth
16. Wynne Lewis Conference
17. Pens making it to the Stanley Cup – lost to Detroit
18. Having breakfast with Pastor Kistler from MRBC (Middle school church)
19. Riley’s High School Graduation
20. Running Race for the Cure with the Bettencourts
21. Impartation Conference – Keith Moore
22. Starting to Blog/Twitter
23. Meeting Keith Moore
24. Healing Team Training
25. Lunch with Pastor John
26. Vacation in Canada with the Walczaks, Cory, Geisels
27. Spending a week with Nephew Michael
28. Getting an iPhone
29. Running the Great Race with PL
30. Siba Dinner with Laura when she got back from NYC
31. Going through I Timothy with PL
33. The Cadre Fall Retreat to Atlanta at Jeanne Mayo’s House
34. Light up Night in Station Square
35. Thanksgiving at the Mixters
36. Phone calls with Brad Cooper (Perry Nobles youth pastor)
37. Ryan Walczaks Wedding

Revolution Highlights:

• Pastor Nathan getting hired

• Fear Factor, Cedar Point, Silver Ring Thing, Third From First Concert, His Beloved/Geared events and Olympics, Lunch and a Movie: Prince Caspian and Madagascar 2, Pizza Eating Contest, Nerd Prom, Summer Scream Camp in Iowa (Camp in the Cornfield), 4th of July Party, Costume Party, Paintball, Turkey Bowl

• Series: Culture Wars, Say What, Only the Strong Survive, How to be Rich, On Your Own, The One, Story, My Revolution, Fear Factor, Going all the Way, Identity

19 North
• Roller Disco
• Broom Ball at 19 North
• Glade Run Halloween
• Video Scavenger Hunt
• Moving into the Main Sanctuary

• 1st year on staff at Victory Family Church
• Finishing my 2nd year of Bible School
• Running the Chicago Marathon
• Becoming a part of The Cadre – Jeanne Mayo’s Mentoring Program
• Leading my First Leadership Meeting – Taught on Teamwork
• Graduating from Robert Morris University
• Moving out of my House

That was 2008 for me – An unbelievable year – Really looking forward to 2009

What were some of your highlights and accomplishments?

The Best of 2008 (Part 3)

Beautiful_02- Single Guys Outtake from NewSpring Media on Vimeo.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

The Best of 2008 (Part 2)

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