5K For 50 Days: Day 5

So yesterday I could hardly walk from running a full 5K the day before (I have been doing a combination of running and walking) but did it anyway. Today I felt better, but I still just walked the full 5K. I know this isn't a shock to anyone, but walking a 5K takes a whole heck of a lot longer than running a 5K. I know, breaking news and all.

Anyway, I was trying to think back to when I last ran a 5K, and I think I narrowed down to either 10th or 11th grade at my hometown festival. (Last month I walked 6 miles in New York to get from the rental car company place to my brother's condo, but I'm talking about actually walking fast/running) That means (yes, I'm getting old) that approximately 25 years ago was the last time I participated in an actual 5K run.

Why am I doing this? Because I want to raise money for Love146, an organization that is devoted to ending child sex slavery. Because I'm looking at these 50 days as a journey with physical and spiritual ramifications. And because I want to raise awareness about what goes on in the world today: the exploitation of children sexually.

Will you support me in my endeavor? You can go here.

5K for 50 Days

So I never got around to blog about that book. Maybe later.

I am, however, doing a lot of running/walking these days. I have decided to join my fellow task force leaders in being part of "Tread On Trafficking" this May and June. Tread On Trafficking is a virtual run/walk that is talking place all over the U.S. and Europe where participants walk/run/exercise in order to raise money and awareness for Love146 and what they are doing.

At first I decided to run/walk 150 miles in 50 days. However, I decided that wasn't very catchy. So now I am running/walking a 5K every day for 50 days. If you are interested in sponsoring me, you can go to my personal Tread On Trafficking page which can be found here. Below you will see a humorous commercial for Tread On Trafficking starring my new (and only) favorite golfer, Ben Crane.

Tread on Trafficking from LOVE146 on Vimeo.

Hello...is it me you're looking for?

I really am planning on getting back into the blogging routine. I've been overwhelmed by church stuff and Love146 Dayton task force stuff. I need to start blogging in my other blog about human trafficking as well.

Starting this week, I will be talking in this blog a little bit about a book I've been reading that has really helped me understand more about who I am and why I do things the way I do them. This book is about being an introvert in the church and how being an introvert in an extroverted world can be challenging. The first blog post I think I will write is concerning how extroverts view introverts wrongly and what being an introvert really means. So expect to see something coming soon. If you even check this any more. Which you probably don't. That's okay. I don't check it either.

Song List - March 27, 2011

Been a long time...

Awesome Is The Lord Most High - Chris Tomlin
All To You - Lincoln Brewster
From The Inside Out - Hillsong United
Overcome - New Life (new song)
All To Us - Chris Tomlin

Song List: October 31st, 2010

Should have thought about doing the song "Skeleton Bones" by John Mark McMillan since it was Halloween on Sunday, but thought about it after! Grrr!

Anyway, we did an unplugged set with candles and stuff.

Song of Hope - Robbie Seay Band
Cannons - Phil Wickham
Lead Me To The Cross - Brooke Fraser
Jesus Paid It All - Kristian Stanfill version
How He Loves - John Mark McMillan (original lyric version)

Song List - October 17, 2010

All Because Of Jesus - Steve Fee
Glorious One - Steve Fee
Our God - Chris Tomlin
We Crown You - Steve Fee
Everything - Tim Hughes

New Release Tuesday! - October 12, 2010

I have decided that if I'm really excited about a CD coming out, that I would highlight it when it is released (which usually happens on Tuesdays). Today I actually want to highlight two albums that are released today.



The first is Flags by Brooke Fraser. Brooke is a musical artist from New Zealand. If you have paid attention at all to the last few Hillsong United albums, you have definitely heard her songs and her voice. Some of the worship songs you may be familiar with that are hers are Hosanna, Lead Me To The Cross, and Desert Song. However, she is more known in her home country of New Zealand as a best-selling solo artist. Her last CD is called Albertine and was my favorite album of that year.

Flags continues her excellent work. At first listen it seems a little less dark than the last album - both musically and lyrically. My favorite track so far is the last one, called "Flags." If you get it through Amazon, you get a bonus track, which is an acoustic version of Flags and I think even better than the original. Here is a snippet of the lyrics from that song:
You who mourn will be comforted
You who hunger will hunger no more
All the last shall be first
Of this I am sure

You who weep now will laugh again
All you lonely be lonely no more
Yes, the last will be first
Of this I'm sure

I don't know why the innocents fall
While the monsters stand
I don't know why the little ones thirst
But I know the last shall be first
I know the last shall be first
I know the last shall be first

I am looking forward to listening to this album over and over again over the next several weeks.

---


Although, the same day that Flags is release, another favorite artist of mine, Sufjan Stevens, has released an album - so I guess I will have to alternate between the two.

Sufjan it seems has abandoned his quest to write an album for every state in the U.S. Which kind of makes me sad, but it's probably not a very realistic goal. Unless he's planning on doing this at age 95 or something. Anyway, not only is his new album The Age of Adz not a state project, it's also different musically than the last several of his albums, which have leaned more towards what I like to call "Americana quirky folk," filled with banjos, flutes, Sousa-type musical numbers, and cheerleader background vocals. (Don't worry, the flutes and cheerleader vocals seem to still make their appearances on this one.) Musically, The Age of Adz adds some electronica to the mix. So far I've really enjoyed it, although I've heard there's a song with some "surprising" lyrics coming from Sufjan, a professed Christian. But I'm okay with that.

Song List - October 10, 2010

One outdoor service. 625 people. Awesome day!

Happy Day - Tim Hughes
Sing Sing Sing - Chris Tomlin
Great Is Thy Faithfulness - Lincoln Brewster version
God Of This City - Chris Tomlin version

The song that Tiffany Kelly sang was "Your Hands" by J.J. Heller.

Song List - October 3, 2010

All Because Of Jesus - Steve Fee
Not To Us - Chris Tomlin
Blessed Be Your Name - Matt Redman
Come Thou Fount, Come Thou King - Gateway Worship
The Wonderful Cross - Chris Tomlin/Matt Redman

Chase The Lion Testimony Video

I would much rather speak live than on video, but I thought this video turned out pretty well. I guess I could say that one of my fears is that when I open myself up like this, especially when it's about my brain surgery or whatever, that people will look at me differently. But I'm glad for the opportunity to talk about my past and what the future looks like with fighting human trafficking.

Chase The Lion

Miamisburg Christian Church is starting up a new message series this coming Sunday, and I think it's going to be a great one! Join us for Chase The Lion!


Sept 19 - Defying Odds

Sept 26 - Facing Fears

Oct 3 - Overcoming Adversity

Oct 10 - Embracing Uncertainty

Oct 17 - Taking Risks

Oct 24 - Seizing Opportunities

Oct 31 - Looking Foolish

Miamisburg Christian Church Live Out Video

This video makes me proud of our church and the impact we have in our community and around the world. We may do some things wrongly, but in this area - we are doing it right!

My article on human trafficking

Things are really ramping up for me in the area of fighting human trafficking, which is exciting and scary at the same time!

I was asked to write an article for a cool online magazine called Circle Six as they are spending all week long focusing on human trafficking. Yesterday they "published" my article, so here is a link to it:

A Crime So Monstrous

Permission To Speak Freely

Anne Jackson, author of "Mad Church Disease", has a new book out called "Permission To Speak Freely." It's a book that looks similar to what Frank at PostSecret has done for some time now - collecting people's anonymous "confessions." Anne's book deals more specifically with the struggles and confessions of Christians. She has a few examples at her book's website, and I thought that this one was really interesting:



Through September 3rd, you can get Anne Jackson's new book in audio form for only $2.99 by going here and putting in the promo code JACKSON7210 when prompted to do so.

Song List - August 29, 2010

I haven't done this in awhile, so here is the song list from this past Sunday:

Indescribable - Chris Tomlin (this was only done first hour)

Salvation Is Here - Hillsong United

From The Inside Out - Hillsong United

Sweetly Broken - Jeremy Riddle

It Is Well - Todd Fields version


The background song on the baptism video was the song "Beautiful Things" from the worship band Gungor (on their Beautiful Things album, I highly recommend it!)

Baptism Video - August 29, 2010

I have neglected this blog greatly over the last month, but my hope is that I will post more frequently in September!

Here is the baptism video that I put together that we showed this past Sunday. Thanks to all of our media team members who for the most part filmed each baptism video!

New Arcade Fire album

I'm not the biggest Arcade Fire fan (I think I mentioned that below), but I like them and definitely appreciate their creativity and approach to music. At NPR, you can listen to the new album in its entirety, which is pretty cool.

If ever there was a video and song...

that could be created that would take my thoughts on God, religion, politics, society - whatever, it would look like this.

Thank you once again Gungor.

Gungor

I really like this worship band's new CD, called Beautiful Things. They call themselves a "liturgical post-rock" band. Very cool stuff.

Here's an explanation of the band itself as well as an introduction to their new CD.



Here is the title song from their new CD. Enjoy!



EDIT: Here is an acoustic version of Beautiful Things. LOVE LOVE LOVE

My Daughter Runs To Grandpa's Camera

I love this video. Just found it again, so I thought I would share!