Update from WY

Well, it sure has been a while since you last heard of me on this blog! So, all I will do right now is post a couple pictures from here in the North.

The mountains are beautiful here! We go skiing quite often, and see a ton of animals (I actually saw a moose on the ski resort!) It is hard to believe that people can say that this mountain range was created by random chance!!

We did a little research before we got here on the local churches so that we would hopefully not have to go through what we did in Arkansas, church searching for several months (there is not enough churches here to go too long but we thought it a good idea anyways)! We found a church called Jackson Hole Community Bible Church and tried to look it up, but we couldn't because they do not have a website that is operational. We did, however, find their statement of faith on a college's (Jackson Hole Bible College) website. Turns out, the students are required to go to this church. We thought that would be neat since we have gone to a church before that had a lot of college students coming to it. So, JHCBC (our church) was the first one we tried and we still have not left it! Our pastor, Pastor Landis, is a great pastor and is also the Chairman of the Board of Directors for Answers in Genesis.

Already I have gotten involved with the Youth Group, and we just had a guy's lock-in in which we played airsoft, Romans and Christians (that didn't turn out so well as one of the youth got his finger slammed in a door), we played an X-Box that someone brought, and we watched a movie. But before that, a group from church (called Right to Life), which is composed of some youth and adults, held a fund raiser dinner at a church called River Crossing. (sorry the picture turned out fuzzy)

But one thing that is really cool is the chairlifts at the Village (ski resort). If you go on a chairlift and have an extra space open for someone to sit they will let a single person ride with you (speeds up the lines). It is a great way to evangelize! I have met folks from Michigan, Louisianna, Kentucky, Tenessee, England, and more! I am going to have to carry tracts on me and talk with people about the Bible whenever I get on longer lifts (the one I am typically on is only 4 minutes long).

--Nick

While You Were Sleeping

Hello everyone!  Sorry for the procrastination on putting up the video for While You Were Sleeping.  But better late than never, right?  Here it is, just for you!

Note: I edited out our introduction as Life Savior because there was about 1 minute of getting set up after that.  Then, to make it worse, I started in the wrong key.  So, I cropped it to when we actually started, and I was actually in the right key.

Here's a link to the video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykfebamhtLQ

I will also be putting this up on the sidebar.

God bless you all,

Luke

The Man Who Was Thursday

Today I finished a book by G.K. Chesterson called "The Man Who Was Thursday" and I would encourage you to get a copy either from your dad (if he has a library :) That's how I got it!) or get it from the library. It's a little bit hard to understand it all, but I was able to learn a lot even though it's not strictly spiritual. Here are just a couple of things that I learned while reading the book. There is one part in the book, I don't want to give to much up, but all these men are discussing what they think about this certain person, and the main character gives this statement;

"When if first saw (blank) I only saw his back; and when I saw his back, I knew he was the worst man in the world. His neck and shoulders were brutal, like those of some apish god. His head had a stoop of an ox. In fact, I had at once the revolting fancy that this was not a man at all, but a beast dressed up in men's clothes... And then a queer thing happened. I had seen his back from the street, as he sat on the balcony. Then I entered the hotel, and coming around the other side of him, saw his face in the sunlight. His face frightened me, as is did everyone; but not because it was brutal, not because it was evil. On the contrary, it frightened me because it was so beautiful, because it was so good."

When I read this I thought about God. How people hate God or the idea of a God because of how things seem to be, not as they are. But those who see his face (those who are saved) really see who God is!

P.S. I read the afterward, and one thing that I thought was really cool was that when his wife was asked who had converted her to catholicism, she said, "the devil" . :)

P.P.S. We're going to try to get up the video this week of the performance! Be looking!

-Kole

Rembrandt and The Cross

A long time ago, I posted on this picture and a couple of songs we did on sunday reminded me of it so I wanted to just share this again to the people who haven't heard it. It is a painting done by a man named Rembrandt. I love this Picture because Rembrandt actually painted himself (with his painters cap) putting up the cross of Christ! He saw that it was he had put Christ on the tree, and it reminded me of the passage in Romans 8 that says that we were enemies of God! When I think of an enemy, I think of hatred.. We hated God! But Christ showed us mercy and it says in a few verses before that God demonstrates his love to us by what he did on the cross! His' love is still being demonstrated to us by what he did on the cross two thousand years ago! But my point is that Rembrandt saw himself as a enemy..a hater.. of God! I think when we see who we were, and what God has done, the gospel becomes that much more glorious to us!

All For His Son's Glory!
-Kole

New Media Player

I took the liberty of programming a fancy, custom media player for OurLifeSavior.  Check it out and let me know what you think!  The other one was messed up because it didn't work on the internet browser Safari and it didn't allow you to see the name of the song directly in it.  With the new one, you can see the title of the song right on there, and it just looks better.

Try it out and let me know what you think!  I'd be glad to add features if you have suggestions.  You can click the play button to start it.  Generally, it should say the artist and title of the song once it's ready to play.

In addition, I put the song "While You Were Sleeping" in the media player--the song that Kole, Kade and I will be playing for Candlelight Service.  We still need votes on our name--don't forget to vote, if you haven't already!

Edit: I've added a function for the media player.  Right click it to access it.  It is "AutoStart," which makes the song start when you enter the page (without hitting play).  Unless you have it blocked, it will save your preference for next time you visit.

Edit 2: I added a loading display.  When the song begins, the area behind the song title will be gray.  While the song is loading, the background will show a progress bar from gray to red, and when it is fully red it is fully loaded.

God bless!

Luke

Vote Now!!...And Hurry!!

Luke, Kade, and I (without Nick because he moved...sad...) will be performing a song called "While you were sleeping" by Casting Crowns, and we were wondering what our band name should be. So we are asking that you post your vote on the sidebar and tell us which one you like best! If you have a name suggestion, comment the name and we might put it up as an option! Thanks!

-Kole

Our Head of Gold

Hey everyone.   It's been awhile since I posted, eh?  Nick was tricky enough to get me to change the song, knowing that I would be unable to resist posting.

Today, I'll just share a bit from my Morning and Evening this morning.  It compared Nebuchadnezzar's head of gold in his dream to our Head of gold--Christ.  While Nebuchadnezzar's statue had other, weaker and less desirable parts, such as the feet of iron mixed with clay compared to the head of gold, Christ's body has been glorified to match the glorious Head.

And after this, Spurgeon said to pause to think--just try to contemplate the amazing glorification we as Christians have and are being sanctified toward.  How overwhelming and awesome is our Head of gold!

God bless you all!

Luke