Recently I had to write a psalm for Redemption Group.
Writing, if done from a honest place can reveal a lot.
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“God, I just ask that you help me to worship you.”

I can feel the world begin to crumble all around.

“But you are good” I say.

“Just help me keep my eyes on you.”

“Who am I?”, I ask. I’ve become a robot, spitting out words and phrases that don’t make sense.

How can I ask you to allow me to “worship” you when I don’t even know you.

Rather than talking with you, I’ve been talking at you.

I’ve become so great at speaking out all this “Christian” lingo that “sounds” great, but the truth is I don’t know how to talk to you.

I don’t know what a real conversation with you looks like without just throwing out cliches.

So here we are God, just you and I.

I don’t know what to say or how to speak to you, or how to speak to half the people in my life without covering up the conversation with, “God is good and as long as I keep my eyes on him things are good no matter the circumstance.”

But the truth is God, things aren’t always good.

Honestly, most days are shit and the idea of worshiping you most often seems like an impossibility.

The fact that I claim everything is good because you are good is a lie.

This is it.

The layers are coming off.
I can hear you say,

“Keep talking my child. Thank you for finally revealing your heart and speaking in honesty. This is worship.”

FUNCADIA

At the beginning of this month a group of us took a trip out to Cle Enum where we spent a weekend at Suncadia Resort!

Suncadia is in the middle of nowhere. The town itself only has a couple thousand residents and things look like they haven’t changed in years. It was a refreshing weekend as there is nothing really to do other relax and take in God’s creation.

LAKELAND

At the end of my trip to Florida in March, Jenna(my good friend and sister) and I took a little trip to Lakeland. We got to see my little bro and then talked about finding ice cream and boiled peanuts.

Shortly after we stumbled upon this gem: INDIAN FARMS. It’s a local strawberry field that has a small shop that sells local produce, boiled peanuts, and homemade ice cream!

I had passed this place numerous times as a kid but never stopped. We ended up buying a huge thing of boiled peanuts and then ordering milkshakes. The peanuts were incredible. The ice cream, amazing as well but took forever to reach us. In the end though, the wait was worth it.

If you’re ever in Lakeland make sure to stop and check this place out!

I really can’t begin to say enough about this band. I’ve been listening to them for about two years or so now. They have put out some of the most well put together worship records I’ve ever heard.

I’ve been listening to their latest record “O Ransomed Son” on repeat for the last week now. If you get a chance go give it a listen. It is so spirit filled and altogether a great album.

Did I mention it’s free? Go get on it!

4 Corners

Recently for my Art’s history class I was assigned to capture one subject at four different times of the day to depict four different types of weather.

We were allowed to use any type of medium.

I took a series of photos of the view from my front porch. Edited them in lightroom and then had my friend Mitchell piece them together in photoshop.

Enjoy.

LANDER ROARK
I met this fellow sometime around the end of 2009. I was working for vans at the time and he needed a pair of shoes. So we hit up the local vans store and made it happen. Lander and I began hanging out pretty regularly after that. In may of 2010 I started attending a small group he was leading at the time. I watched as we began to dive into the word together and watch the Lord move in our hearts and in the hearts of our friends around us.

That season is hard for me to fully put into words. It was the first time I was ever in really close community with other christian brothers and sisters. We were diving into scripture regularly together and figuring out who Jesus was. For the first time I started to understand the gospel. I never talked about scripture, my sin, the gospel, or Jesus so in depth before.

I remember spending countless hours talking with Lander about life, our struggles, Jesus, where we were going and where we had been. This season was rough at times because everything was so knew. But at the same time it was so incredibly growing. I got to see Jesus do miraculous things in both of our lives. There were highs and lows definitely, but the grace of the Lord was so evident.

Around this same time the Lord began calling me to move to Seattle. Lander, along with our small group and many others began to pray and council me, as I honestly had no clue what I was doing. I ended up moving in October of 2010, about 5 months after we started the small group. I know that the Lord used that time and my friendship with Lander and others to do nothing but grow me and prepare me for what was ahead.

I’m thankful to know this dude. I’ve gone back to Florida 3 different times since I moved and this past time stayed with Lander a couple of nights. On my last day I was able to do a quick little shoot with him! It was short and all of it was taken around his house but it still turned out awesome.

braiker:

Yes.

ianbrooks:

Weapon of Mass Instruction

Built from a welded frame atop a 1979 Ford Falcon, Raul Lemesoff drives around the streets of Buenos Aires distributing free books to anybody who wants to be assaulted with some serious learnin’.

(via: make / laughingsquid)

theatlantic:

YES.

andhistoryclass:

Cats do not provide milk or wool or meat.

Each week I have been posting photos of the different members of the S.S. Little. This week is… ME.

David.

I went out to Madrona with my good friend Wang(Karenkwangblog.com) and my Seattle Mom(Jennifer, no link) this past Saturday. I passed my camera off to Wang for the afternoon and let her handle all the photog stuff. It’s always strange to let someone photograph you(for me at least). Even weirder editing pictures of yourself later on…

I’ve said a ton about myself in the previous posts but simply put, I’ve lived in Seattle at the S.S. Little for a year and half now. I’ve watched as Jesus has completely changed me in this place. I’ve been through some of the hardest and some of the best times ever living at the S.S. little.

I came to Seattle with a bunch of plans but I’ve watched as life has taken a completely  different direction from what I planned out. But it has all been for the best. Looking back I see that God has had his hand on the whole entire time period that I’ve lived in Seattle. He has done nothing but direct each and every step, even at the times when I had no clue what was going on.

Currently I am working and going to school 5 days a week. God willing, I am going towards eventually leading a community group at church. I also have found myself developing a huge heart for the people of capitol hill. I feel called to be in community and love the people of my neighborhood. I’ve been blessed to meet so many amazing people here. I really didn’t expect a year and half ago to know as many people as I do now or have done as much as I have.

I’m thankful for everyone in my home and who I have met along my journey so far.I’ve watched the lord take away so many different addictions and strongholds in my life and show me that he alone is good and enough. I’m so excited to see what God is going to do in this next season of life.