“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.”
It’s so funny to me how things keep on happening to me left and right financially and they suck so bad, but I’m just hanging in there thanks to the Lord.
I’m not asking to be rich, I just want to make ends meet.
“Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
california
so today i flew into los angeles.
i headed straight to my hotel, which is located very close to hollywood boulevard.
i went for a nice evening stroll, got some coffee, and a delicious sandwich.
there weren’t that many people out, it was kind of weird.
i’m super close to the knitting factory, and it reminded me of the last time i played there- on the boys like girls/nevershoutnever tour.
it made me want to be on tour again.
i’m excited to get back in that groove. yep yep.
i think i only have a couple friends in LA.
this hotel is sick, dude.
<3jordan
i live in LA! Let me take you out for coffee sometime?! ;) Hope you’re doing well dude!
“[The Validity of Jesus’ Testimony] When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Question?
Will I be seeing anyone at the Avalon show tomorrow night in Hollywood and/or the show on Saturday at HOB in Anaheim?!?
I’ll be chillin’ with youz guys and passing out flyers for SKAD!
wooooot! =]
“Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.”
Late night thoughts
I was trying to sleep and I couldn’t sleep because all this anxiety was really beginning to overwhelm me. The heaviness was pressing on my chest so hard, I was literally having a tough time breathing. All the things I’m behind on doing and need to get done, bills I have to pay, some kids I’m worried about, a crappy friend I have and how badly I wish he could see how he treats people, my broken phone that I can’t afford to get a new one, a trip I want to take home so badly, and a million other things… For some reason, I wanted to get up and write. Write it out all and kind of make a list of things that are overwhelming me, guess this is it. As I was checking my twitter, before doing so, I saw a tweet someone posted about Jordan’s (from NFG) mom who needs a heart transplant and I went and visited this site that they’ve built for her, I felt bad that I’m sitting here worrying and stressing about all these things. It then reminded me to check Pastor Matt Chandlers twitter (@mattchandler74) and to check on his health and what’s going on with him. He is having to have surgery to remove a tumor from his brain this Friday afternoon, so please keep him in your prayers. All this to say that so many people are struggling around the world with different situations and even though at times, we may feel overwhelmed and anxious, that it’s not always as bad as we think it is. God is sovereign and everything we walk through, He did it before us and He’s walking through it with us again. Sure, there is A LOT I need to get done and there are a lot of finances that are desperately needed for SKAD and for me in my personal life, but God is bigger then that petty stuff. God is even bigger than extreme things like heart surgeries and brain tumors, He’s a mighty God and holds the universe in His hands. He has orchestrated all of this for the further Glory of His kingdom. I’m not saying that situations will turn out positive and/or perfect, but in the end, there is a reason and a purpose.
In the midst of writing this, I just found out that someone I know has had a precious baby and I mean, everyday I’m realizing that life is so much more precious then all the negatives. Sure, things seem like they’re upside down, but there is beauty in every inch of it. I’m thankful for my savior and I’m thankful that when we die, there is glory to be had and we don’t fade away to dust.
Moral to this blog that is kind of just a jumble of thoughts:
everything isn’t as bad as you think it is.
there is beauty in tragedy
God is in control and there is a reason for the suffering.
Ecclesiastes 2:17-26 “So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. 18 I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the work into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. 20 So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. 21 For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. 22 What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? 23 All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless.
24 A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, 25 for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? 26 To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Romans 8:18
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
Psalm 119:50
My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.
Hebrews 2:10
In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering.
my life is awesome
the keys on my phone just randomly decided to stop working. every cent of my paycheck that i had left over after paying rent, went to overdraft fees, and now a random 20 bucks was just debited out of my account. my life is still amazing.
things will happen and it WILL suck, but you just gotta keep on going.
“[The Son Superior to Angels] In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed…
I’m truly blessed. God has put some REALLY incredible people in my life. I love having TRUE friends. I couldn’t imagine not having some of these people in my life. Thank you Jesus for blessing me, instead of giving me what I deserve, which would be death. <3 Love you dad! ;)
“[The Word Became Flesh] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We…
- Dustin DeLong (33)
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Imported from Last.fm Tumblr by JoeLaz
Do you like my honesty?
Well, I certainly hope so, because I’m about to get low down and dirty honest with you guys and gals. Well, ever since I moved to California, I was so busy focusing on working, getting into the groove of being out here, I completely lost site of WHY God opened the door for me to come out here. I have met some super rad people who love Jesus, but I haven’t really hung out with them as much as God opened the door for me to do so, because I became a homebody. Which isolation is one of the biggest ways to start becoming depressed. I’m not saying that I was actually becoming depressed, but I was definitely becoming someone/something I didn’t like. I wasn’t encouraged like I had been in the past year. I wasn’t as hopeful. I was becoming distressed. I was focusing on all the negative in my life and the stressors. Even focusing on how far from God I felt. Like, I was saying the right things, even living with good morals and such, but my heart has been in a different place. I’ve gotten pretty good at faking being okay, when on the inside I’m in turmoil. I have issues like you and the next person, but the one thing I keep on forgetting (like all of us) is that I have a Father in Heaven who wants and DESIRES to carry my burdens for me. Do you ever forget that? I know I do. I need to constantly be on top of my game and keep my eyes on the prize, which is the Lord. Duh. I want to share with you something that I journalized (that sounds weird, but I googled it and it’s the correct term. hahah) the other day. I’m sharing this in hopes that you can relate to it, I’m sharing it, to just kind of lay it all out on the table for you. Just because we walk with Christ doesn’t mean that we won’t face hardships and/or adversities, because like I’ve said before, I believe sometimes as followers of Christ, we may even face more. (We totally talked about this at church today and about Paul and it encouraged me so much and reminded me of so much that has kept me going in the past year.) Anyway, I hope it encourages you. I don’t want to be fake. I don’t want to say, I’m great, I’m good, when I’m not. I have said that a million times, but I really hope I can live up to that. I want to be real with the world. So here it goes…
11-27-09 Confessions of an pessimistic optimist:
I have lost all hope and direction. My heart is aching and I’m yearning to feel alive again. I am burdened and my chest is heavy. I just want Your love and comfort. I need your guidence Poppa. I need you more than ever. I’m at the end of myself once again and I cannot continue faking the world with my fake smile and holding back all the pains that are pushing me into the ground. I feel as if I’m drowning and gasping for air. For a breath, for life and You’re the only one who can breath life into these dead bones and this empty soul. Save me Oh Mighty Majestic King! I know it’s been a few days since we last spoke but you’ve been lingering in the back of my heart and mind. I have built my house and tore it down with my own hands. I am foolish. I have caused the chaos in my own life and I’m tired of pointing fingers and blaming my mom. Here I stand before you and I’m bearing it all, I confess that I’m my own worst enemy. I have been stealking, killing, and destroying my own self. I feel like a baby in a crib just reaching my hands up to you and begging you to lift me up, hold me, nurture me, caress me, love on me and encourage me like a child. Dad, be a dad to me. Help me make it through this. Be the strength in my life. I feel so absolutely alone and as if I have nobody to turn to and share my heart with. Every timeI feel a step closer to sharing this broken heart with someone, something shuts me up. As if I’m not worthy enough to tell them. Or as if they’ve heard it all before. As if I’ve been dealing with this my entire life and it’s the same cycle. Is this ever going to end?? God oh King, please help me overcome this uphill battle. Please! I want so badly to surrendar all but I feel like I’ve forgotten how. Help me. Show me how to wipe my hands clean daily and give you the heavy burdens I am carrying. The things that are stressing me out and overwhelming me. Dad, I want to feel like a princess again. I want to feel free again. I want you to wipe the tears fro m my face and hug me so hard that it hurts. The good kind of hurt. Where one single touch would release every inch of pain that I’ve suppressed the past few months. Everything that I’ve hid. Every time I’ve said “Oh I’ll be okay.’” Every inch of that, I want erased. I’m feeling a little bit better since I’ve put all this on paper, but I really want everlasting freedom from my demons that continue to come back and haunt me. Take me there, take me to that place. I cannot wait, I know Freedom is coming Poppa. I’m waiting.
________
Yeah okay, so, I hope this encourages you and lets you know you’re not alone.
I praise Him so much for letting me hit these bottoms because it just becomes a reminder of how badly I need Him in my life. So you too should be thankful for those moments of weakness and realize in that, we become closer to our Father.
“Suffering will NOT have the final world”
Good day. <3
