“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!

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

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?