Love Of God

I was thinking alot after last night about the love of God. I heard John Piper speak on I John 4. I thought I would take the two key verses that stick out in that chapter and say what God impressed on my heart.
I John 4:7-8
"Beloved let us love one another, for love is from God, and everyone that loveth is born of God. 8. He that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love."
I know that most everyone has heard these verses. In fact you may have them memorized, but how often do we really think about what they are saying. Now what I'm about to say I can't totally take credit for because I am paraphrasing what John Piper said.
First it says we need to love eachother because love is from God. So God shows all of us love. In John 3:16 it says he loved us enough to send his son to die for us. So there is no question of his love. If we love then it says that is proof that we are born of God, or saved.
Then in the next verse it says the person that doesn't love is not saved. I know we all have people who we might sometimes hate, but what this means is that if you are saved hating should not be part of your lifestyle. We are human but should try our best not to hate, and can only do it with God's help. Then it says something interesting "God is love". That statement means alot but let me try and sum it up the way John Piper did. This is paraphrased. God shows love to us because he is love. It's a natural reaction. He shows love like how the sun gives warmth because it is warmth, and water makes us wet because it itself is wet. It's not the same way the mailman gives us a letter but the mailman himself is in no way related to the letter. He himself is not made of letters.
That is the love of God. God not only gives it but is in fact the embodiment of it. That is awesome!

Summer's end...

Okay so this summer has been crazy for me, but not only me my whole family. God has been working with all of us to get us to stop relying on ourselves so much and to more rely on him. Shortly before this summer my aunt finally stopped drinking. It was something we had been praying about for a long time. Then as summer started I got really sick with stomach issues. I spent about the first half of summer really sick almost all the time. I had to trust that God would heal me before my following year of school. Doctors tried alot and then finally gave me some heavy duty muscle relaxants which seemed to do the trick. My dad ran into a bunch of trouble at his job because he works slower on the parts he builds but makes the best parts by far. Well the high up bosses put someone faster who wasn't as good on the parts which in the long run may mean more parts (expensive parts) get scrapped. My mom was nervous about some routine yet major surgery she had. Then she had it and has been limited in what she can do since then and for the next few weeks. Then my middle sister had some friendship/relational problems. Then we were wondering why everyone but my youngest sister was getting tested and then it happened. The elementary school that my mom, middle sister and I all went to in elementary, and that my littlest sister was still attending and still had one more year before graduation, closed down. They just weren't getting enough students. It was a shock and we ended up having to register her in August for a new school. She is really nervous about it but we all realize we have to trust God...and I guess that's when God brings my favorite verse to mind again.
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and future." God really does and although we can't see all the results we can see some, for example the school my littlest sister is going to is a little better and higher technology then her old school. So I mean I guess we can all say Romans 8:28 is true "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him who have been called according to his purpose."

Tour is over...

Well male chorale tour of 09 is finally over. I am really going to miss the guys that are leaving. It was the consensus of almost everyone in male chorale that this may have been the best group of guys ever. The sad thing is that only 39 of our original guys are coming back. That means that those of us left really need to step up our game. I want to but I can only do it with God's help. For now I'm joining the choir at my church this summer. It should be fun. Well I will probably post here and there and then for sure when mini tour comes around in November 09, and we head to Arizona for a few days.

Tour coming to an end

Well guys I just crossed the border of Oregon and am now back in northern California in a town called Burney. Over the last week we left Montana state headed down to Washington and into Spokane. It's a very beautiful town, but alot colder than here. Than we headed to the Washington/Oregan border divided by the columbia river. From there we went through Oregon (an amazing state) and came back to Northern California. I have always wanted to see Oregon so this was a dream come true to drive through that state. It's very pretty I have pics but haven't uploaded them yet. Well for now that's it. I may not blog again till I get home.

Choir tour

I am on choir tour right now. We left last Sunday morning and headed to northern California where we stopped at a town called Hanford. It was cool. I stayed with this older family who treated us very well. Then on Tuesday we headed to Nevada. We sang right in the middle of sin city. It was interesting. We got a good dinner. I stayed with this family who had us in a trailer. Then we headed to Idaho. We sang for a church in Idaho Falls. Then I stayed with a family who knew one of my pastor friends at my church. Then we headed on a five hour trip into Montana, where I am right now. It is very pretty out here. I got up and looked out the front window and saw this scenery right outside my window at the top. We serve an amazing God!

Pre Male Chorale Tour

It's the night before I leave for choir tour. I was just going over the schedule and we are going to be spending three days in Montana, other than that we won't be spending more than one day as far as I know in any other town other than that and California. Well pray for me and I will update you guys as I can.

Male Chorale tour coming soon

Hello and welcome to my blog...
I will be posting blogs to keep everyone updated about where I am and what's going on, on my male chorale tour 09' to Montana. It should be fun and keep looking for updates.