Happy Birthday Mom!!!

A year ago this past weekend my mother received the news that her breast cancer that had been in remission for the past 7 years had come back. The cancer had not just come back, but it had come back with force as more spots were found in various areas of her body from her lung to liver. When this news was delivered in many ways we as a family were swept back to 1999 and the first battle with this disease. In ’99 when my mother was first diagnosed with Breast Cancer our family fell apart, I won’t go into details but it was bad. We had no hope and the thought of losing my mom was too much for me and my father to handle.
My mother has always been the stability in our family when my dad was having hard times she was the force, a gentle force, but still a mighty force that kept my head up and loved and supported my father. My mother has always been a force for stability and strength, even though she is a quiet, humble and gentle soul (Lobo Basketball games being the exception of this demeanor). She was an elementary school teacher for the better part of 4 decades, and in fact was my wife’s 4th grade teacher. She has been such a key influence in many lives and shaping many in this community. As I already stated for my father and I she is and was a source of stability and love and encouragement. My daughter loves her nana with a jealous love as I know my son will too one day. The thought of losing her in ’99 was too much for us to handle and it truly was a hard time for our family.
A lot has changed since then. In ’07 when we received news of cancer and its’ return the response was different. There was concern, tears and sadness, but there was calmness, trust and hope. What had changed? Jesus Christ had invaded our household and became our foundation and hope. A true knowledge of who Jesus is and what He had done changed our outlook on everything. Never has that been so apparent than at lunch at TGI Friday’s when my parents told me the news of my mom’s relapse with cancer. At lunch my parents shared the news, but also shared the hope. The hope that while cancer hurts it cannot destroy, that if my mom was to die, it would just mean she would no longer see through a foggy window, she would be with Jesus! My dad stood firm, not on his own strength, but on Christ the Solid Rock, trusting in a Sovereign, Wise King! At that moment Jesus was at that table sitting with us and speaking through my parents, Praise God!
Today is my mom’s birthday, and we do realize it is something to celebrate that she is still here, that the cancer while not gone is being controlled. My mom has been a part of a women’s Bible Study at our church and has dove deep into God’s Word and trust in Him. Where will we be in 1 year, who knows, but no matter what changes come, we can trust that Jesus our Rock and Foundation, our Joy and our Hope, our Strength and Security is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Happy Birthday Mom!!! We Love You!!!!!!

Lager and Ale, What's The Difference

My boy Greg Q. has started a new blog I recommend called The Beerean, it is a blog by a Christian who enjoys a brew here or there, calm down Southern Baptists. Recently he even commented on how there are not many if any blogs from Christians that like beer. My blog is not one devoted to beer, but I do want to say I do enjoy a brew with dinner and found this video that helps me better understand the question, Lager and Ale what's the difference?



Click Here to Check out The Beerean

Free Will and Loving God??

Greg Koukl from Stand to Reason responds to the issue of if we do not have "free will" than we cannot truly love God...


Thoughts??

T4G Review Part 3

I know it has been 2 weeks since Together for the Gospel, but I still have some remaining thoughts. Honestly I am glad to still be chewing on what I heard and saw 2 weeks ago. It is so easy to have that conference "mountaintop" and then come back and become consumed with normal life and wonder where that feeling went for that reason I am glad to still be thinking and at times overwhelmed with what took place 2 weeks ago in Kentucky.

Thabiti Anyabwile was the 2nd speaker of the conference and needless to say was a paradigm breaker. Thabiti discussed how as a Christian we need to realize that there is no such thing as race. He preached from Genesis showing that all humans are genetically linked through Adam and therefore we cannot claim race differences. He said that we can claim ethnicity difference and in fact we should celebrate those much like we see them celebrated in Revelation. When one uses the word race though, more than not it is used to divide and show one group superior to another. This concept was new to many of us in that auditorium that night and one that I think left us all saying "That makes so much sense!" and then wondering where we go from here. A funny part of the night was when Thabiti did claim C. J. Mahaney and John Piper as having "Ghetto Passes" and being part of the brothers, I would like to claim C. J. and Piper as well as Driscoll and Anthony Bradley as having a "Barrio Pass" and being part Latino.

The night concluded with a nice stout and round table discussion with some of the staff of DSC.

Click here to listen to: Bearing the Image: Identity, the Work of Christ, and the Church

Trust Him Here and Now

"God has been pleased to give his dear Son, his only-begotten Son, to die a
most dreadful death, not for righteous ones, but for sinners. Jesus Christ
came into the world to seek and to save that which was lost. If you are a
sinner, you are the sort of person Christ came to save. If you are a lost
one, you are the sort of man that Jesus Christ came to seek. Let your present
sorrow comfort you, because it is an indication that you are the kind of
person that Christ will bless. Let your despair deliver you from despair, for
when you despair there is hope for you. When you can do nothing, God will do
everything. When you are empty of your own conceits, there is room for Christ
to enter your heart. When you are stripped, Christ's garments are provided
for you. When you are hungry, the bread that cometh down from heaven is
provided for you. When you are thirsty, the water of life is yours. Let this
broken-heartedness, this terror, this alarm, this faintness, this weakness of
yours, only lead you to say, "I am such as Christ invited to himself. I will
go to him, and if I perish, I will perish only there"; and if you trust
Jesus, you shall never perish, neither shall any pluck you out of his hand.
May you trust him here and now. Amen."

Charles Spurgeon

These Feet

These feet are under my care,
These feet are under my watch,
These feet are under my leadership,
These feet are dependant on me,
Where will these feet go one day?
What trials will these feet endure?
What trends, or systems will these feet folllow?
What pain will they walk into?
What joy will they run to?
Will they dance at weddings?
Will they run on a basketball court?
Will they feel the sand on a beach?
Will they stumble?

Oh Father keep them close to You,
Let these feet run to You,
Let them jump for joy in Your presence,
Let them stand firmly planted in Your Word.

Father allow me to follow hard after You,
I am weak and You are strong,
I am helpless, hold me up,
Allow me to follow hard after You,

That these feet would follow after me only as far as I follow after You!

Amen

Real Men of Genius

We salute the Mega Church Pastor today!!



Yes not nearly as good as the Bud commercials, but still pretty funny...

Props: Irish Calvinist

Awesome New Application

PicLens is an awesome find. Greg Qualls had a recommendation on his blog about this cool pic and video viewing app that you can add onto Firefox (Click Here for the Add On). I watched the YouTube video (Go to his post here to see it) and was sold. It is a very sweet and slick app and I add my recommendation to Mr. Quall's!!

Props: Greg Qualls aka The Beerean

Clarus 08 ReMix Video: D.A. Carson and Michael Horton

I did another video to preview our conference next week, if you live in NM, you better come and check it out!!!!!

Clarus 08: D.A. Carson and Michael Horton-Video Preview

Desert Springs Church's Annual Conference called Clarus is taking place on May 2nd thru the 4th. This conference looks to be pretty sweet, the speakers are D.A. Carson and Michael Horton.

Check out the preview video.

World Religion in 90 Seconds

Whatcha think?

Props: Shlog

T4G Review Part 2

The first session of the conference featured Ligon Duncan who is pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, MS. Lig discussed the utter importance of not abandoning systematic theology. I had never heard Lig talk live before and was very impressed by his presence. It was a good kick off to the conference for me and from then on I knew that this conference would challenge me and edify this young punk. I often get so caught up in the importance of t meta narratives that I sometimes easily lose sight of the systematic process of viewing scripture and understanding that scripture is clear and definitive on a number of subjects. Although I did not agree totally with Lig's initial talk for I felt that he was a little to far on the pedulum almost ruling out the importance of narrative altogether. This area was somewhat cleared up during the panel discussion that followed where Lig said that Biblical Theology and Systematic Theology are not at odds but are in fact friends of one another.

Besides the session one thing that struck me was the singing, Zach has a post on this, but it was breathtaking to hear 5000 mostly men singing to our Lord. It was a wonderful way to start the conference and it whet my appetite for what was to come.

Click Here for Lig's Message "Sound Doctrine - Essential to Faithful Pastoral Ministry"

Could The Kid from Growing Pains be Reformed??

This is a great video testimony of Kirk Cameron's coming to faith in Jesus Christ. It is well articulated and also has great commentary by John MacArthur (Me endorse MacArthur?? I know, crazy). I suggest you take 10 minutes and sit and watch this, it is edifying to the soul!



Props: The World From Our Window

The Latino Trio at T4G

Here is a rare picture of the Three Latino men of Desert Springs Church, Myself on the left, B-Lo in the middle and the Honduran Heart-throb Memo. Sorry ladies all three are taken, by lovely, sweet white ladies.

Thanks Z for taking the pic!

No Seriously What The !!???

Newsweek has highlighted a story about a new children's book about when mommy has a nose job, what the??? Having a 2 year old daughter, I weep over what pressures she will face to look "pretty". May I raise her with the knowledge (only God can give her believing knowledge) of the true beauty of the cross of Christ, that her esteem is found in the "primitive obscene" (as R.C. Sproul said this week at T4G) horror of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and there she is given a real, unchanging eternal beauty that is not about looks or new noses! This new children's book highlights what our culture says is "true beauty"...

Props: Josh Harris

A Cute Friday Video

I have a 6 week baby boy and a 2 year old and maybe that is why I appreciate this video so much.



Props: Out at Arch

ESV Study Bible Is Sweeeeeet!!!!

The new Batman movie? Harry Potter? Narnia?? No the most anticipated debut will be coming this fall with the ESV Study Bible! This past week while touring around the bookstore at T4G I got to look at touch the ESV Study Bible at the Crossway exhibit. It is an amazing bible, I will even go out on the limb and say just from the brief reading and look at the bible, it is going to be the most sought after and used Study Bible Ever! So many notes and colored maps and the ESV Translation there is not another Study Bible with these great strengths! I plan to get myself 2 one for home and one of the office, and also purchase one for the leaders of our college ministry when this bible comes out.


Click here for the ESV Study Bible Website.

For me there is another kicker to this all as well, many of the professors at Covenant Theological Seminary where I currently am enrolled are contributors to this great Study Bible, Dr. Sean Michael Lucas lists how Covenant is represented:

• 
  

• Jack Collins (Old Testament editor; Psalms; Song of Solomon; "Theology of the Old Testament"; "How the NT Quotes and Interprets the Old");
• Jay Sklar (Leviticus);
• Brian Aucker (Joel, Micah, Haggai);
• Hans Bayer (Mark);
• David Chapman (NT Archeology editor; Hebrews; "The Roman Empire and the Greco-Roman World"; "Archeology, Ancient History, and the Reliability of the NT"); and
• Greg Perry ("Old Testament Charts and Timelines").

It also has contributions by emeritus professor Bob Vasholz (Hosea) and current adjunct professors Ken Harris (Exodus; Proverbs) and Dan Doriani ("How to Interpret the Bible").

So yeah I am pretty amped for this Study Bible, and you should be too!

T4G Review Part 1

Well I have made it back to the 505 after a incredible, incredible week at Together for the Gospel in Louisville, KY. I did not blog at all while out there due to time, I felt for me that I really wanted to use all my waking time getting to know and converse with the people I came with along with some other friends I made on this trip, plus I am a wuss and need lots of sleep :). So this is my post T4G re-caps. Here is part 1.


The first highlighted portion of my trip was the Band of Blogger luncheon in the Hotel. This featured a couple hundred bloggers and was a panel discussion featuring Tim Challis, Abraham Piper, Thabiti Anyabwile and Phil Johnson. This was a cool experience because all these fellas blogs are on my Google reader and now I can put a face to the blog so that was neat. In a lot of ways their discussions were on topics that have been swirling around my head about blogging and this new form of communication. The best line was by Thabiti who said regarding what the essence of our blogs should be was really what the stain of our life should be that is, whatever we do writing or thinking it needs to be stained by the blood of the Cross. How true is that statement, and how horrible am I at living that statement out?

Overall the lunch was a good start to the conference, I still think some of us bloggers take ourselves too seriously and act like the Kingdom will not progress without our blog or our opinion being out to the whole world. The blog is truly the cult of the amateur and like all things has great aspects and not so great aspects. But may we who blog not forget Thabiti's exhortation of whatever we post may it be marked by the blood of the Cross!

Headed to Louisville for Together 4 The Gospel

Yep I will be flying out today with Zach, Greg, B-Lo and the rest of the DSC crew for a fun, deep weekend. I hope to do some updates while out there...

What the...??

In our Youth/College room at Church we have this flag off in the corner often it is hidden and put in a closet. It just seems kind of weird to me that there is a flag like this. It almost for me makes me think of the Crusades and days of forced conversion to Christianity (which often meant no real conversion). I am still not wise to all things Christian, at least as far as the sub-culture is concerned and I kinda like that. This however is something I could use some help on, where did this flag come from? Why do we have it? Should I wave it on flag day? Should I do a pledge to it, maybe recite a DC Talk song or something at it?

Anyone? Anyone?

American Idol Gets Their Praise On Re-Mix

Last night on "American Idol" the final 8 contestants sang "Shout to the Lord" like they did the previous night, this time however they did use the correct words. The first night they replaced "Jesus" with "Shepherd", they switched it back and last night was a cool God-Glorifying night. Whether you love the show or not, I am not a fan at all, it is a cool thing to see Jesus being sung to even if for the people it was more of a performance than anything else.

What's next Oprah confesses that Jesus is the only way?!? Yeah probably not.



Props: Think Christian

Lobo Basketball Banquet Prayer Request

I have been hit hard the past 5 days with the flu and have just today made it back to work and still do not feel 100% yet. The show goes on however. Tonight is the Lobo Basketball Banquet where season awards are handed out and boosters get to pretend they made the dunks with J.R. Giddens and the 3pt Shots with Chad Toppert. I am set to give the opening prayer for the dinner, please if you have a few seconds to spare this night, pray for me. I wrote out my prayer, so maybe pray that I do not pass out while praying or during any point of the night. I have been blessed to be part of the team in this small way and look forward to future involvement as well.

Tonight!!! Tonight!!!! It is Back!!!!

Bliss Apologizes

Former UNM Basketball Coach Dave Bliss this past week apologized and discussed his role in the scandal that rocked Baylor University. Bliss had been demonized in college basketball for his role, but as a former employee and still friend of Coach Bliss I saw a different man. I saw a man that loved his players and staff. I was also friends with Patrick Dennehey who was murdered while attending Baylor which then led into the scandal at Baylor and Bliss's dismissal from the university. Bliss could have just disappeared never to be seen again living a quite life. What is beautiful about this ugly mess is that he didn't, he has not swept this under the rug. He has shown some true repentance. This past week Coach Bliss spoke at the Athletes in Action at the Final Four:

"If I was sitting out there, I would say, how can someone who did some of the things I did ever show up at the Final Four, much less speak at it," Bliss said, speaking at a function for Athletes in Action, a Christian sports ministry.

"When you get past denial for a sin, you can cope with just about anything."

Bliss said pride and pressure led him to commit NCAA violations by making illegal payments, then try to cover them up after Carlton Dotson murdered Patrick Dennehy by urging others to portray the murder victim as a drug-dealer.

"The aspect of a cover-up is in so many sins. The aspect of my cover-up was so disgusting," said Bliss, who spoke with a Bible in his lap and cried and halted at points.

Click here for the LA Times Article

Love Darkness Rather Than Light

John 3:19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil.

This is what this commercial made me think of...

Sup Yo!

HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND!!!

Helping the Homeless

So this has been a topic for our church, you can read Zach's blog about this here (Zach is our worship leader), you can read Parker's blog post here (Parker is our Pastoral Intern). Basically it comes down to the question of how do we as a church best serve the homeless and needy of our city? It is a question we have been wrestling with over the past 3 weeks or so as a gentleman has crossed our path in need and we have reached out to him. I think we can all collectively say we have dropped the ball in some areas, and we have done what seems is best in others. It seems though for many of us in Desert Springs Church, especially us younger punks, we are learning daily what it means to love and serve the orphan, widow and poor and needy. Some of what I, being a young punk learned was:

1. It is not black and white, it seems many of us keep coming back to a structure needed, a program or list of rules about what we do with these people. That does not seem biblical or really all that practical, sense every circumstance and person is unique. Structure is needed and just handing out cash and sending someone on their way is not showing biblical love, but there seems to be more gray than anything else.

2. We are inadequate at this task. It seems that a lot of us are beating ourselves up over what we did not do right with this gentleman and maybe it is more the fact that he was not converted and is not saved right now. We need to expect that when we help 10 maybe only 1 will return, much like Jesus healing the lepers. We learn from our mistakes that we made, and I made some with this gentleman, but we press on from there not gazing too long at our navel.

3. Helping people is never a question of whether one deserves the help or not. None of us deserve anything but Hell, and eternal punishment. We all are law breakers and rebels to our Holy King in Heaven, but have been given GRACE by God, not because we deserve, but because He loves. This wipes away our judgment of who is deserving of love. The question is not, do they deserve? The question is rather, how do I best love this person?

All in all I have learned a ton from this gentleman and our interaction with him. I hope to continue to learn for the rest of my life what it means to serve, love and live out the gospel.

What does your church do? What do you do in this task?

Barack Does Not Want To Punish His Daughters....

with these:

"When it comes specifically to HIV/AIDS, the most important prevention is education, which should include -- which should include abstinence education and teaching the children -- teaching children, you know, that sex is not something casual," he said.

"But it should also include -- it should also include other, you know, information about contraception because, look, I've got two daughters. 9 years old and 6 years old," he added.

"I am going to teach them first of all about values and morals. But if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby," Obama said

He compared having a baby with a STD, which makes no sense, I am sorry when I see my daughter and 3 week old son, I do not compare them with HIV. My daughter was NOT planned and was a surprise to me and my then girlfriend now wife Lauren, not once have I looked at her and felt "punished". Everyone says that abortion is a very difficult choice, I agree, but we are not talking about anything less than a HUMAN LIFE!!!! This is not a small issue, again look at the numbers for those that think the Iraq war is worse, go down a couple of posts less than 200,000 people (4,000 Americans) have died in Iraq in 5 years, yes that is a huge number that represent real people, so is this number 6,150,000 babies dead in 5 years of abortion, these represent real people too!

Click for whole Article Here

You Mean Christians Should be in Culture??

Rhetorical question...if you really are pondering this, the answer is yes! City on a Hill Church here in Albuquerque joined the city in the annual Aids walk downtown, what a way to meet people, love people and share with people! Here is a video from Greg Qualls a shepherd in training at City on a Hill...

Young, Restless and Reformed

Tim Challies has a review of a new book, "Young, Restless, Reformed" by Colin Hansen out that discusses the new rise of reformed theology among younger men and women. This book features chapters about some of the pastors, teachers and movements that have contributed to this new emergence of reformed theology such as Louie Giglio, Mars Hill Church, New Attitude Conference, and of course Dr. John Piper. I am stoked for this book and am also blessed and humbled to be part of this emerging passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples!!!
For me this is an awesome time for this book to come out, as it was 4 years ago this April that I went from an Open Theistic ideology (unknowingly, I was a new Christian) to a Reformed and more importantly Biblical understanding of God and Scripture. It was this simple Scripture that sweetly devastated all I knew.

"For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen." Romans 11: 36

Click Here for Challies' review.

Obama Suggests Jesus is Not The Only Way

While answering a question about his Christian faith, Obama said he believes that Jesus Christ died for his sins and through God’s grace and mercy he could have “everlasting life,” according to the Los Angeles Times.

But he also believes Jews and Muslims and non-believers who live moral lives are as much “children of God” as he is, according to The Associated Press.

As an example, he spoke about his late mother who was “not a believer.”

"[S]he was the kindest, most decent, generous person that I have ever known," Obama said, according to the Times. "I'm sure she is in heaven, even though she may not have subscribed to everything that I subscribe to."

Very Interesting, read the whole thing here

Props: On Earth as it is in Heaven

Hit A Wall

Have you ever had those days where you just feel like you hit a wall? I feel exhausted, and beat up right now. It is not because I had "The Well" last night and got up early, thats not it. Honestly it is because of sin and darkness that I see in the lives of those I love. I am just in a valley right now where I am fully aware of how messed up this world is and how lives around me are broken and hurting.

How do I get out of this valley? Is it to just fool myself with "positive" thinking like Oprah tells me? Do I just pull up my bootstraps and work harder to make lives less broken? Do I just ignore it all? None of these work, none of these provide a sufficient answer to the reality of pain and sadness that seem to surround me. I need something real, I need something that does not ebb and flow with how I feel and what my reality is at any moment, that all changes. I need something that does not change!!

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)

As I type this I am not "feeling" like my situation is completely better where all pain is gone and so forth. What I do feel though is security that even though I am in this valley, I have a hope that is real, and does not change. My hope in Jesus is unshakable because it has nothing to do with what I need to do, or what i have to do to change things. It is about what someone else has done, namely Jesus Christ. The Creator of the Universe the Father in Heaven sent His Son, Jesus, to save, messy, broken lives, to redeem us from our crap and mess we love to dwell in. We did nothing to deserve this, we loved the mess we were in, we had no want to be with God, we were self deceived and loved it! In spite of this Jesus died for us, took our punishment for our mess, then He rose from the dead to show that He was God and that the power of sin in our lives has been broken. This fact does not change with my feelings, or my circumstances, this fact is how I know God is loving, good and cares deeply about me. This fact will get me through today!

Tim Bradley one of our elders has encouraged us as a staff to constantly be meditating on Psalm 130 all day, I encourage you to do the same:

130:1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!
2 O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!

3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.

5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.

7 O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
8 And he will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities.

Taken from ESV Online

The Cost of Life in 5 Years

Shaun Groves at SHLOG put these powerful pictures up about the cost of war, I added the last picture to show what the cost has been in 5 years of abortion. I do not want to get into an argument about whether our troops should be out or if we need a president that will pull our troops out, but what I do want to show is that babies are being slaughtered on a scale more massive than any other tragedy man has ever been apart of ! Abortion has taken more life, innocent lives, lives that were never given any choice, than any war ever has , and continues to do so to this day. For more info go to abort 73.

Already Sponsored

Brayden just signed a 23 year, $60 million dollar deal with Nike. This is his 1st photo shoot with dad's championship ring he won with the Lobos in 2005. Brayden has already ordered a Louis Vutton Pacifier with diamonds that spell out "Baby Bling"....


Yes I have become one of those cheesy type parents!

Love and Worship

Los (yes another Los) over at Ragamuffin Soul tells of an amazing story of what love and worship look like. This happened at Los's church, Buckhead in GA.

I’m in verse 2 and I look to my left and am hit like a blind side pick and roll.
Swaying on the front row was a guy I later learned was named Matt.
Standing in front of him was another guy named Jefferson.
It was a moment that stands out above all else in my 11 years of leading worship.
You see Matt and Jefferson were worshipping God, together.
Literally.
Jefferson has severe cerebral palsy. He has little, if any control over his body.
Matt was standing behind Jefferson.
Holding Jefferson.
20 minutes.
Dancing with Jefferson and singing at the top of his lungs.
Jefferson was singing too. I think could hear him.
And it was the most beautiful song I have ever heard
There are hundreds of thoughts, emotions, and lessons that could go along with Matt and Jefferson.
To watch them sing out and dance was a thing of beauty. Obedience. Unbridled Joy.
Thank you Matt and Jefferson for a shifting moment in my life.
What can we all learn from this picture of Authenticity?

Click Here to Read More of Los's Account or His Wife's

Happy Easter...Fear the Bunny!

A Heart for My City

I took a drive around Albuquerque yesterday, and when I say around I mean literally around. I traced my trip on Google Earth and above you can see. I started going south and from there I circled the city.

For me drives are times when I pray and think through things. Yesterday's drive was for me a time to pray for the city that I live in. I drove around noticing the diversity Albuquerque has and how easily you can go from a upper middle class neighborhood to a area filled with homeless and rent by the hour motels. I need to be reminded that Albuquerque is not all suburban "utopia" and that Albuquerque is a broken city filled with broken lives, this is true in every neighborhood. I was honestly refreshed for ministry and feel a renewed burden for this city that I think in some ways I had sort of lost sitting in a church office everyday. I wonder how many times Paul walked around the cites in the Roman Empire? Acts 17 shows he was observant of the surrondings he ministered in.

I hope to fit these drives in more often and include my family in them too, as we pray and seek what God would have us do in this city. Dave Bruskas, pastor at City on a Hill Church here in Albuquerque said that our city is beautiful to look at from the mesa or east mountains, but it is filled with broken lives in need of Jesus, never is that so apparent then when you take a 2 hour drive around this city.

What is your city like?

What a 2nd Day...

With my head pounding and barley able to breathe due to allergies I stayed home all day yesterday and sat like a lump on my couch and watched 12 hours of basketball. It was fantastic! The biggest draw back was, was that I missed our Good Friday service at my church, but my head and congestion was so bad I had no energy to go anywhere. So there I sat and watched as the double digit seeds showed why this is the greatest sporting event in the world! My bracket is a total bust, but it has been worth it.

Day 1 had Belmont almost taking down mighty Duke, almost, but Duke has sold their soul to Satan so of course they would win.

Day 2 had buzzer beaters, 2 overtime games in a row, a "big" name school losing to a no name school, what a day!

The 2nd round will be starting in a couple of hours, man I love this month!

Check out ESPN for all the scores!

Good Friday Video From Mars Hill Seattle

POWERFUL!

The Madness was Too Much

It's Friday...Sunday's Coming

Madness Day 1

I love this day, it is the beginning of the 1st round of the NCAA tournament. It is when Cinderellas shine at the ball and Goliaths are slain (symbolically speaking). I have the afternoon off as well as tomorrow, so if you need me I will be on my couch enjoying the Madness.

It is not as fun due to the fact the New Mexico lost last night in the 1st round of the NIT, but it is still the greatest month to be a sports fan. I remember 2 years ago watching George Mason, a team no one heard of, they did not just get one special victory they got 4 wins and found themselves in the Final Four! I also remember when I was in elementary school and the UNM Lobos were in the dance and we would spend the day watching the game, it was great fun.

Seriously what other sporting event is as fun to watch and enjoy as March Madness??

New Again, Brad Paisley and Sara Evans

I am not a huge country music fan, I do not hate country music but I am just not prone to listen to it, sorry Torres. But this video is great and I think seems fitting for the season.

August Rush Is An Amazing Movie About God's Sovereignty

It was not made as a "Christian" movie, it was not advertised to churches. Local mega-churches did not rent out theaters to show their people this movie, but August Rush is an amazing treatise on God's providence and sovereignty. This movie was like the Biblical accounts of Joesph and Esther wraped up in a 2 hour film. To see how bad things and good things all work themselves towards a ultimate purpose shines forth how God brings forth both calamity and well-being (Isaiah 45:7).

Lauren and I watched this movie on Monday night and it still is sticking with me. It was a movie that had amazing music (click here for soundtrack) and just a great storyline. I think we as Christians sometimes will throw rocks at movies that are not "Christian" and think they have no redeeming value, although usually the opposite is true (e.g. Left Behind). This movie deals with real life issues, and shows their consequences, sometimes in harsh and gut-wrenching ways. This movie though through this shows a God that is concerned with the orphan, and a God who is soverign over all.

Put this on you Netflix today!!

East Central Ministries From a High School Senior

One of Desert Springs' High School students blogged about our recent Friday night venture to hang and serve with the people at East Central Ministries (ECM) here in Albuquerque. I could explain what makes these nights special and why we love doing it but let me let Leah explain:

Every 3rd Friday night of the month, Paradox, our youth ministry, and the Well, our college ministry partner up alongside some leaders in our church and travel down to the War zone and the Trumbel la Mesa neighborhood. Our meeting spot- ECM, short for East Central Ministries where we started consistently serving about a year and a half ago. Since that time, we have done numerous things serving at ECM such as, going to the nearby community center to play with kids and barbecue, go to the new school that was recently opened up in an old drug traficking house (praise God for that one :o)) and then last Friday, serving at Casa de Shalom. Casa de Shalom is a new thing that the staff at ECM have been trying to start for awhile, alot of meetings and preperation and prayer have been put into this idea and it is now in the making. About a year ago, Becky, our ECM leader and others alongside her thought of the idea of a Christian intentional living center. They began looking for land to do this and finally closed a deal a week ago today. Its a piece of land that has an apartment complex of 6 units, 2 houses, and a unit of 3 mini houses. These are gonna be used for about 14 different families and a couple of the staff down at ECM. They intend on using this Christian living center to help babysit each others kids, make cookies together and just really uplift and encourage each other through simple things that make a Christian family live out the gospel. When we got to ECM Friday night, we were all expecting to paint but Becky told us John had some other stuff planned for us that he needed to get done before we started on painting. We all took the short drive over to Casa de Shalom and began raking up piles of dried up pine needles and leaves that were basically a fire hazard waiting to happen. This was definitely an amazing time and probably one of the BEST times I’ve had since we started at ECM. It was cool to see our well off, spoiled kids and college kids get messy. We never stopped laughing and had so much to catch up on, all over a dozen rakes and shovels, alot of dust, and a box of white cheddar cheez its. Its amazing to see that stuff like that can bring us together, and show others who we are without words but rather actions. Alot of the families were moving on and a couple already had moved in and came outside to talk and watch the kids ride bikes. It was amazing to see them watch us and wonder why we were there but by the end of the night be talking and laughing with them just as much. Its a blessing to be a part of the Lord’s family when we are privileged enough to do stuff like that. Like the college ministry at DSC says, “we are just a bunch of messy people lifiting up one Great, AMAZING God.”

Get Some...

Take this challenge...Be a man, or a sports minded woman!


Get in the action now:
http://games.espn.go.com/tcmen/group?groupID=29886

Game Front: http://games.espn.go.com/tcmen/frontpage
Group: The Well

Here's what else they had to say:

Join the group "The Well", let's see who has the best picks, well who will finish 2nd to me! HAHAHA

Los

A Great Way to Spend 90 Minutes

I just got done watching this video of Tim Keller's visit to Cal Berkeley. It was a great discussion and was broken up in 2 segments, 45 minutes of lecture then 45 minutes of Q and A. I am currently reading Dr. Keller's new book "The Reason for God" with a friend and am enjoying it very much. Dr. Keller is a very smart and well read pastor, but explains things in such a way that anyone could understand. I really encourage you to sit down and watch this video! Listen to the audio here.

How does this relate to March Madness, well like Dr. Keller the Lobo Basketball team is heading to Berkeley, to play the Golden Bears on Wed. Night, how do you like dem apples!



Props: Reformissionary

Which Hillary Are You Today?

Props: Ragamuffin Soul

Pistol Pete

Zach posted this video of the Pistol and his sick skills. Sam Storms posted this story that makes basketball look like, well a simple game. God changes hearts, all hearts, whether we are speaking of drunken, frat kids like myself or NBA legends!

Maravich openly and proudly rejected the God of Scripture. He pursued every possible option in his relentless effort to find meaning and purpose and joy in life. He tried Hinduism, but that didn't work. He dabbled in Buddhism, but that left him as empty as before. He immersed himself in astrology, hoping to find in the configuration of the stars and planets some indication of the meaning of his existence, but again to no avail.

He embraced reincarnation and spent time trying to discover who he was in past lives and who he might become in future lives. He experimented with astral projection, investigated UFO's, became a vegetarian, and eventually gave himself over to drugs and alcohol.

Nothing satisfied him. Nothing filled the hole in his soul. Until one night in 1982, as he lay quietly in bed, for the first time he cried out to God for help. He fell out of bed and got on his knees and committed his life to Jesus Christ. From that point on Pistol Pete Maravich became an outspoken, devoted, passionate disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, proclaiming the gospel to everyone he met, declaring for all to hear that in the person of Jesus he had finally and fully found purpose, satisfaction, hope, and the forgiveness of sins.

Six years later, in January of 1988, at the age of 40, Maravich was playing a pick-up game of basketball in a church gymnasium in California, together with noted Christian psychologist and author James Dobson. He made a shot, turned to Dobson and said: "Boy, I feel great!" Whereupon he collapsed, dead before he hit the floor.

Props: CJ Mahaney, Sam Storms, and Vitamin Z

March Madness....

It is that time of year, and I am stoked, well kinda stoked. The UNM Men's basketball team did not get an invite to the NCAA tournament, and while there was a slim hope that would happen it was not surprising. The sad thing though was that Arizona, Oregon, Villanova all got in with sub par records and even below .500 records in their conferences. This tournament in my view does not have the 65 best teams in the country, but nevertheless it is an exciting time of year.

The Lobos while being disappointed with the fact they are not dancing, even more disappointing was the fact that they have to travel in the NIT to Cal. Cal was a higher seed eventhough they were 16-15 and finished in 9th place in the Pac 10. They will be televised on Wed. on ESPN 2 at 9pm Mtn.

As far as my Final Four Picks, I am still working on them, but think you will be surprised by who I have cutting down the nets in San Antonio in April!

You Know it is March Madness...

when the mascots fight!!! From this years Summit Conference Championship.

Stott on Pride and the Preacher

This quote cuts me to the heart. Oh what a prideful man I so often am, how I boast in my ability in my heart, that the Lord would allow me to repent and crawl to the cross by His grace alone is simply astounding!!!! Please pray for humbleness in my heart.

Pride is without doubt the chief occupational hazard of the preacher. It I has ruined many, and deprived their ministry of power.... In some it is blatantly obvious. They are exhibitionists by temperament and use the pulpit as a stage on which they show off.... Other preachers are not like Nebuchadnezzars, however, for their pride does not take the form of blatant boastfulness. It is more subtle, more insidious, and even more perverse. For it is possible to adopt an outward demeanor of great meekness, while inside our appetite for applause is insatiable. At the very moment when in the pulpit we are extolling the glories of Christ, we can in reality be seeking our own glory, and when we are exhorting the congregation to praise God, and are even ostensibly leading them in praise, we can be secretly hoping that they will spare a bit of praise for us. We need to cry out with Baxter, "O what a constant companion, what a tyrannical commander, what a sly, subtle and insinuating enemy is this sin of pride!" (John Stott, Between Two Worlds, 320-321)

Props: Desiring God

Baby #2-Lessons from the Frontlines

FUN WITH BUBBLES

Brayden is now 3 days old and doing very well. We had a trip to the pediatrician this morning for a post birth check up, it went well. He even had some projectile poop that took out mom and almost got the nurse, dad and sister were safe. Although earlier in the day dad did take a shot to the arm, forgets that changing boys' diapers is different than girls, boys can aim!

I have been home for the past 3 days helping Lauren as we adjust to life with 2 kids. Needless to say that moving from 1 kid to 2 is a huge leap. Bill Anderson an elder at my church told me that 1 is like none and 2 is like 20, it is so true. I am working to be a serving, humble and loving husband to my wife. I am not good at doing this, I am selfish and sinful, but press on to imitate Christ to my wife. I failed horribly when Jordyn was little, I was not gentle and not very helpful around the house, I thought that my job was to make the money, but when I got home that was Lauren's area for her to perfect. I was an idiot! Through Godly men in my life and through being broken by God, I realize that I must yes make the money, but also serve my wife when I am home, I must work to love my wife like Christ loves the Church, be willing to die for her, or be inconvenienced when I get home and do dishes! I am far from where I want to be in this journey but feel I am better at this the 2nd time around only by God's Grace.

That's all for now!

Say Hello To Brayden Nestor Griego!

BORN MARCH 9, 2008
MOM AND BABY AND OLDER SISTER DOING GREAT!!!
GREAT IS THE LORD AND GREATLY TO BE PRAISED!!!!!!!!

A Day At The Zoo

In a effort to take our minds off the fact that Lauren is due today and there is no urgency from our baby to come out, we took Jordyn to the zoo. It was a great time, and the first time in a decade I had been to our local zoo which is one of the best in the country...It was fun.

Where Do You Worship On Sunday???

Props: Think Christian

Friday Fun

I thought these guys were a legend, like Bigfoot or Loch Ness Monster, but they are real, maybe someday they will come to my church!!!




Props:Think Christian

Why Timothy Needs Paul

I am the College Minister at Desert Springs Church and often times for me this means leading younger people and hoping to be someone worth imitating in as far as I work to imitate the Lord, failing often at this. I am not an elder, and am so blessed to have Bill Anderson as the elder/pastor (same word, the NT does not show a difference) over the ministry and me. Having Mr. Anderson (you have to say this like the Agent from The Matrix) as my elder means we try to meet once a week. Often we talk about the ministry, but more than not this is just a time of talking about life. This past Wednesday morning we met at Starbucks (where all good meetings take place) and when I got there he was sitting with another older man. I went and got my coffee and sat down to listen to their conversation. This man was disclosing to Bill his struggles with his marriage and his serious contemplation about divorce. It was a very, very sobering discussion. The man at times was angry and blunt about his anger, he cussed, and he spoke harshly of his family, things that honestly made me uncomfortable. I sat and listened and learned so much from Bill’s response to this man. He did not tell him to watch his language; he did not condemn the man or even argue with him. Bill instead showed love, patience and care in the way he honestly listened to this man. Bill showed a pastoral heart for this man (not sure if he was a Christian) by urging the man to press on and fight for his marriage; he shared personal stories about life and struggles he faces. Bill did not give “good” simple Christian answers, but was real and honest with this man, yet never strayed away from Biblical Counseling; it was amazing in how he handled this situation. I was able to share with this man some of my own story of struggles, but only because I saw Bill do this first.

I share this story to first say how blessed I am to be in a body with elders like we have here at DSC. These are men who have jobs and busy lives, but who also take time to live life alongside people in and outside the church! Bill was the definition of missional in the sense that whenever I meet him at Starbucks there are at least 4-5 people that stop and say hi and talk about what is going on in their life with him. Just the fact that this guy had been sharing very personal stories with Bill shows that trust and a real relationship had been built.

Young punks like myself are so quick to say the church should be this way or that way, this past Wednesday was a time for me to shut up and learn (which I should do the majority of the time). I saw that being an elder/pastor means loving people, I mean really loving them, willing to walk through life with them even in the mess and gutters. This is what Bill Anderson, Tim Bradley, Ryan Kelly, Tim Ray, Barry Lawrence and Ron Giese do and model for our body, not perfectly but in a way that points to the grace of God! This is why we need “Pauls” in our life, we have so much to learn, so much to gain from these relationships, without them we are often heading into battle with no map, and no direction.

How To Ruin A Ministry

The people over at The Resurgence posted this handy guide on how to ruin a ministry. This was aimed at Women's Ministry, but being over a College Ministry I think that this is very, very applicable to me. I often find myself falling into one of these categories of how to effectively ruin the ministry, I have a long way to go, and God is so gracious in continually humbling me...

Here are the steps:

1. Make women's (or for me College) ministry your first priority.

2. Become territorial.

3. Resent your God-given authority structure.

4. Ignore life issues or stages of life that you haven't experienced personally.

To read each of the examples and explanations of each of these steps click here...

Favre to Retire

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) -- Brett Favre has decided to retire from the NFL after 17 seasons.

FOX Sports first reported Tuesday that the Green Bay Packers quarterback informed the team in the last few days. ESPN.com said that according to Favre's agent the quarterback told coach Mike McCarthy of his decision.

Only two years removed from perhaps his worst season, Favre had a resurgence in 2007. He broke several career records. Among them was Dan Marino's career mark for career touchdown passes. He powered the Packers to an NFC North title and a 13-3 regular-season record. He was named to his ninth Pro Bowl.

Props:CNN-SI

O-Bama! O-Bama! O-Bama! O-Brother!!!

Ok I am convinced, if Jessica Alba and the dude from the count of Monte Cristo are on board count me in... The only ones that seem to not be cheering in this video are the million babies killed last year from abortion that O-Bama supports. But if Alba is voting for this Baby Killer then how can it be wrong?? <---Heavy Sarcasm

Seriously this is creepy and makes me start to think the Anti-Christ is here...


Props: Veith

This Pic Creeps Me Out

Clintons and Osteens: Yeah that makes sense!

Props: Purgatorio