Poem: Treasure

The beauty of a treasure is its rarity

 

the worth of it lies in its singularity.
 

Diamonds vary but they are plenty,
 

Gold is easily bought and sold.
 

but there's only one God who is alive,
 

His Name is Christ.

Teen Challenge Banquet

Teen Challenge is a ministry that uses the word of God and discipleship to help young people break addictions. They recently had a banquet that I and a handful of friends were able to attend with Ardell Fleck who volunteers there.

This banquet came with a powerful dose of the Lord as students sang, gave their testimonies and performed a skit on stage. Most of the crowd was misty eyed by the end of the night as the students and staff constantly reminded us that we have a powerful, loving, miracle working God who breaks the chains of bondage!

What impressed me most about this event was the testimony of love from those that know Ardell Fleck. As I spoke to the women of teen challenge they couldn't help but express their love and thankfulness for her commitment to loving them through rough times and good. She serves as a reminded of what a Woman of God should be and I am so grateful for her life and all that she's doing at Teen Challenge.

Home sweet Home

Our House has been named the Spa or by some the Lily Pad. When my roommates and I first started thinking about renting a house we knew that we wanted to be able to use it at its highest potential for the Lord. After a few months of living there that meant a backyard makeover (see video below) and some unique furniture arrangements. Our House has 6 sofa' and five beds in it! Next Semester there will be 4 small group leaders living here so the House will represent at least 40-60 small group girls. God is doing awesome things and we're grateful for everyone that entered our home. Thank you Lord for providing such a sweet house to live in! 

**Please Pray for Gods anointing over the small group leaders as well as provision on our House next semester.

Video: https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1344645105654

2011 Fallow Ground Film Festival

This year we held our 2nd Annual Fallow Ground  Film Festival.
Kyle Volkmers small group and mine merged together to make our entry. It's about how Truth can be distorted if you aren't careful. We got third place. All of the video's were impressive! Here's our video along with the 1st and 2nd place films as well.

3rd Place

2nd Place

1st Place

Hope New Braunfels

Come as a friend, Leave as one of the Family.

A small team from XA has been volunteering for a church plant in New Braunfels. You never know what God's going to teach you when you start doing something like this. I've learned so much at Hope! Pastor Nixon pastors two churches and switches back and forth between live sermons at one campus and video casts at the other. From the hour of prayer that they share before church even starts to the coffee they serve in the cafe' with a rich dose of Godly conversation you really do leave feeling a little more like family then when you walked in the door. My roommate and I serve as door greeters and every week we're blessed to see the smiling faces as well as prayerfully mindful of those that aren't there and the lost city that lays just beyond those doors. 

**Please pray with me that God does a mighty work in New Braunfels through the people at Hope.

Poem: "Without You"

Without you this yearning keeps turning.

In the stillness of alone I am left to ponder where I've wandered,

I hear all the noise of the house that creaks and my soul that reeks,

my schemes take flight and with pride- i fight.
Lord- Devastate my plans,

give me quiet time until my threads are shed

and your peace transcends this yearning that rends.

Poem: Sin separates

Wasteful, Most distasteful Selfish needs
This defiled weed exiled me.
Built a wall where none should be
So tall only

One

Could see the tender heart of me
Giant walls can still be breached!
Where trials and mercies teach.
So that we can share of where

God

was crowned!
A grace that lasts, a love profound
A story of walls no longer

Found

Poem:The truth of you

All day and night I'll sing to you- a constant silent thought- are you

The truth of you impresses me, it beckons me.

I'll devastate my plans- just to meet you in the morning dew.

If it means another chance with you -I'll cancel everything at noon.

I'll even tread the frights of night- if it means an evening glimpse or two..of you.

Sieve me through and through- until my love
I resemble you.

Poem Yearning

This yearning rends, its tearing me apart 
 

from what I gather that's precisely it's part.
 

i have pleaded for a righteous soul and swept the caverns of my determined mold. 

It never worked because I could hardly see- It was getting old until He rescued me.
 

God stepped in and lite the way, He said that He was here to stay but one day He walked away! 

My tears were hot, I felt forgotten and was sure he left becuase I was rotten.
 

So I swept again and what should I find where my eyes hadn't wandered? 

My redeemer- 

He was always there- 

He had to hide so that I could find the treasures of a yearning mind.

Poem: The B.I.B.L.E

The Bible is a wonderful History

Tales of adventure, 

beautifully written accounts, 

romance stories with grace and glories
 

It testifies of God in the Old and New- 

for those that care- He is easily found there

Poem: Not Enough

From deep within us rises this feeling that we aren't enough.
 

It's like a disease scattered through the blood,
 

we need a transfusion of love. so you spilled your blood.
 

You stood up for us when nothing but your blood could cover us.
 

Poem: Sin and Soul - (Romans 7:7-25)

Ive set my eyes on foolish things and come away with hunger,

never finding satisfaction for more than a fraction.

I often write of the struggle to have less of me and more of Christ

and in case you’re there too, I have something more to share too.

The score is set, Christ always wins. When I let Him in His presence is bliss.  

He satisfies like a drink of water to parched lips and a warm embrace on a cold day. 

I don’t know why I choose to disobey

but I’ll fight this plight until my dying day.

(poem inspiration Romans 7:7-25)

Poetry

I wrote a poem,
 

It didn't rhyme.
 

What a terrible crime

I wonder

i wonder. 

i wonder if he wonders why we wonder

Poem: Keeping up

Everyone's the same. We have fashion forward trends and resolutions that we bend.

Keeping up with the Jones's should have us fed up to our noses!

We need a revolution, A march to disillusion.

To be like Christ isn't blending in, It's kindling fires till the end.

It's killing shallow talk and letting true truth talk.

Poem: Repentance

Don't worry little dear, lets sop up all those tears.

You made a mistake but God offers grace.

Your tears were the door to get there.

Poem: Heart Weaving

Girls have this matter of heart. It’s something we want to guard. 

We could give it away but then treasures shouldn't be flung around that way. 

Today I feel a warming of my heart because you've been gentle from the start. 

Your words are kind and your gentle leading quite heart weaving

.

Poem: Justice = Love

Holy one your character is true-Loves steams out of all you do:

Daniel in the Lions den, Moses and his clan and the way you lead them to the promised land,

Noah’s salvation, Esters victory, the disciples walk with you and their intimate talks with you-  

I've read accounts and I've seen you move, I see love in all you do. 

I finally understand that giving us the choice of Hell was a demand. 

For you to be true in all you do- Justice is a character command.

Poem: Pour me out

Love poured out makes love true 

so I'm making plans to pour everything unto you.

I'm trashing all my half attempts 

I want to do what you want me to.

Poem: Abide

Face to the ground- I cast away my shroud

Nothing hidden-I come unbidden

Ravish all my thoughts, show me sins that hide

Let me abide in you, that's all I want to do

Poem: Breakthrough

The monotony has gotten me.

me-me-me

its frightening

me-me-me

it clouds the view!

I'm in desperate need of a break-through!

I have heard of a stronger hold with vast mysteries to unfold

and the amazing part is that He really wants the me-me-me that I plead to weed.

Poem: Beautiful Disaster

I wear a robe of sparkling white, the feel of it is heavenly. 

The best part (and the worst) is that I'll never forgot where I got this frock.


I was broken with robes of brown, wearing cuts and bruises from all the wrong ways I had found. 

Stained and tattered, i wasn't much to see but Still One looked at me so lovingly.


He was perfect and He wore a crown, He said he had been waiting for me to be found. 

When I tried to hide my tattered frock- how He responded was a shock!


This beautiful Master bent on one knee and with one loving glace he switched robes with me

..what a beautiful disaster.

Poem: Prayer

prayer daily by the saints keeps the devil bolting

 
prayer saved for distress barely keep the feeble faith upholding.

 
like a steady warrior in a battle- training daily keeps you ready.

 
but If you put your sword away- you won't be much to handle in a battle.

Poem: Truth has Fallen in the streets, who will pick her up

We dim the lights on truthfulness, we caste her in the streets, 

We silence her with large demands and shun her with our cans and cants. 

 
We often demand that she can't be had...until we're in a bind.

Then what if she can't be had? We'd be sad.

(poem inspiration Isaiah 59)

Poem: Forgiveness

Bitter is the filter that holds onto hurt and causes lessons to be unlearned 

Forgiveness asks for Hurt to be burned and exist only as a lesson learned.

Don't decieve yourself, holding grudes and a resolve that never budges gives you a rebels crown

Instead let us stand upon the solid ground until forgiveness reflects the grace we're found. 

Poem: I'm gazing- You amaze me

As the maker of heaven and earth, you're amazing.
 

You're the knitter of child in womb and the painter of flowers in bloom.

You hang the stars and make waterfalls. You stir the seas and have love for me.

These words are compounding to say your astounding 

You're constant and without a doubt I'm gazing, you amaze me.

Poem: Jungle Love Song

The jungle beats a love song for someone great to hear. Its in air, it's everywhere, 

in the speaking of the jungle beasts and the hum hum hum of the bumble bees. 

The flowers bloom with a daring air and to the sky's they stare, even the birds sing 

melodies to a King they know is there.

Poem: Jesus changes everything

We hold our problems and we nurse our pride-

choosing to muddle in self righteous puddles- 

we turn reputation into everything-in a light that's not so bright. 

Jesus changes everything- Everything that matters.

Poem: Iron Sharpens Iron

You bring a constant thought of Christ

You sharpen every view.

As if on Que-

I know he'll speak through you.

Poem: One day it will be too late

HE SAID I DO
I SAID WHO ARE YOU

HE TURNED 
I YEARNED 

ON HIS BACK 39 LASHES STOOD
I SHOOK, i should have understood

Poem: Today

God so near
He is so dear
I do not fear

Forget to pray 
Keep Him at bay
So much to worry about today

Poem: Worship

Worship passes pleasantries and humbles the pure in heart.

It casts our idols at Gods feet and tumbles our pride- even if discreet.

It's God we want to meet so here we stand on our feet,

With hands upraised -We hear the beat and we think, we think

May this praise be pleasing to one so great to whom we destined such a fate

Poem: Idolatry

 

We have our pretty idols set up nice and tall, It tells us blatant lies and sings deceiving rhymes,

Yet with timely manner we gladly partake it all and squander at its altar what we can't afford to..

Oh wait, Hold that thought! its 9 o'clock, my shows about to start.