My goal

Its amazing looking back, like my devotions journals from the summer (SOAP.. Scripture, Own words, Application, Prayer) I've grown in the Lord so much! All those little devotionals I did had such a huge impact on my life.

I think the one verse that has "guided" me through life this far is:
1 Timothy 4:12 "Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for other believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity."

In my daily life I searched for ways I could be a better example of Christ. And at camp whenever people would put me down, I just frorgot about it and accepted them anyway, It was hard to adapt to this all at first, but God guided me through it all.

Before camp I figured my own personal goal for the rest of the year, to be the best example of Christ I could be.

I watched the camp staff more closely to see what I noticed first, and I noticed humbleness right off the bat. I decided this will be the area I work on for the summer. I figured, since I noticed it first, maybe others will notice it too, and if I become humble like Jesus, I may set that example.

Later on in the summer I went to TAM which was during Teen Camp. The Subject at TAM was "Be a Hero" now many probably know that we set a goal, and together raised over $11,000 for a village in nigeria. This alone made all of the participants Hero's in the eyes of the people who lived in this village. But what I learned was to be a hero in more than physical ways.

Example: My dad is my hero. He's been the best dad and the greatest example of Christ i've seen in a man. What makes him a hero, is that he doesn't even know that he's a hero. What he does, and how he does it makes him my hero. I've seen in him humbleness toward the homeless, and the wealthy for that matter. I don't see that in people very often.

I've learned that our lifestyles or the way we live can set such an example on others, wether that example is Godly or not. And I know, that I am going to stand for Christ and try and be more like Him that I may leave an example for the next person to see, that they may, in-turn be, an example of Christ, a true hero.

My goal continues for the year 2006, I long to be like Jesus. I want to GROW unimaginably throughout the year in my walk with Christ, and I want to show Christ to everyone I meet.

But I know that none of this is possible for me, Chris Hinzman. So I offer my life as a sacrifice to my Lord.
In God alone all things are possible. In Him alone is my trust.

Too busy

Again I seem to be slacking, I've been getting down so easily lately, so frusterated so easily. The week seems to be getting hectic, well for me atleast. I just need to remember to see the plus side, what is going well, not the other way around. I guess its alot harder than it looks.

Capt Bett's post "Loss of Routine" really got me. But sometimes it isn't just when I'm on vacation that I fail to spend time with God.
Sometimes, Its hard to admit, but I can see in my life that I am so wrapped up or overwhelmed in life and its small, many matters, that I forget that it's all for God and I forget to live and do these things for Him, life is too short to live like this. It seems sometimes like I'm too busy in my daily life to stop and spend time with God, when I should be too busy spending time with God, to stop and eat.

I want to come back to You my God, I surrender my life, make it worth living. Only in You will I ever find peace in a day. Lord, All I need is You.

The way I was made

When I write songs on the guitar, I always play them for my mom but always refuse to sing it, I don't know why I just don't like singing in front of people.. Unless its like in church, then I don't care who hears me.. Kinda Wierd huh?

Anyway, I got a new CD at the Christmas party, Chris Tomlin "Arriving", and it has a song on it named "The way I was Made" here is a part of it:

Made in Your likeness, made with Your hands
Made to discover who You are and who I am
And All I’ve forgotten help me to find
All that You’ve promised let it be in my life

I want to live like there’s no tomorrow
I want to dance like no one’s around
I want to sing like nobody’s listening
Before I lay my body down
I want to give like I have plenty
I want to love like I’m not afraid
I want to be the man I was meant to be
I want to be the way I was made

It's one of them songs that just make you want to you and proclaim Jesus, getting arrested because we won't shutup. Kinda like Joe the Turk, what an example he's left for us by the way, he would preach on the streets and when arrested, he would preach in jail. And it like woke me up ya know? The song pretty much speaks for itself. I want to live my life the way God wants me to, the way I was made.
God wants me to use the talents and gifts He's given me to my best ability. Its kind of like when I moved here to painesville, opportunities were given to serve Christ. Although I'm not moving There are opportunities for me to share the gift God's personally blessed me with. And yes sometimes It can be hard to come out of my shell, alot of times it can actually, but I refuse to live life inside of a little shell. I'm going to step out of my confort zone for once, It may take a while and a lot of prayer, but I am here for Christ and yet again, I am not about to pass up what God has in store.

Again Lord, I say to you
I will follow, Your words are true
Your promise just, Your will sustained
And in Your shadow, I will remain

"The Christmas Season"

This time of year within the Salvation Army can get so stressful. Its sad knowing even as an organization working in light of God, and to serve God, we can get sidetracked so easily. Kettles may not going very smoothly, you haven't eaten dinner yet, and with how busy you already are you still need to prepare a sermon for sunday. It can be very hard going about life like this.

I've been working kettles so much! And life itself seems to be so overwhelming. Lately I've been trying to buy gifts for my family and friends, yet I want to work kettles to help out the corps while practicing my guitar for the new praise-band and having to put aside yet more time to meet with the group, trying to memorize and practice a monologue for January and having to eat, sleep and relax in between. I really want to do all of these things, they are all very important to me, but it can get so hectic trying to get it all done ya know?

I said "this time of year" on purpose instead of the Christmas season. When this time of year comes around, I don't know about you but I tend to lose the thought of Christmas. What I think when I hear Christmas now is bellringing, shopping for loved ones etc. Alot of people, including me, hate the thought of target and many others saying happy holidays, taking Christ out of Christmas. But what we fail to see is that we also tend to take Christ out of Christmas. With kettles and visiting family and work and all sorts of stuff. Although it is wonderful to help the needy that they also may have a blessed "Christmas day" and it is also nice to give presents to the people you love, it still is not the true meaning of Christmas.

Christmas Day represents Christ's birthday, the day Almighty God became man, knowing that 32 or so years later He would have suffered the ultimate penalty for our sins. Yes, He loves us that much. This is actually what Christmas is all about! Can you imagine how it's evolved? I mean what would it be like to have an extra long church service on Christmas day instead of exchanging gifts. And though many do not admit it, its become alot about the presents. Maybe not for yourself, but it is. I mean how miserable would an average person be if on Christmas Day they neither recieved nor gave away a gift? Pretty miserable I would think.

Although it is sweet seeing the look on your childerens face when they see the new (SHINY) bike in the living room, or that certain something they have asked for, for a long time. It still isn't what Christmas is about. It is simply, all about Christ. For this Christmas Season and the ones to come, I pray that I can stay focused on God, not myself or even others. Just Him.
I'm coming back to the heart of Christmas, and it's all about Him.

The Move, My Testimony

Moving has to be one of the hardest parts of life, depending on the person and situation I guess. For me, my past move from Salem Ohio to Paineville Ohio was a huge faith tester.

I grew up in Salem, I knew Theresa Everson as the YPSM since I was 2 and a half and she was like my second mother, though I've never told her that. So many relationships where friends in this corps became family. I mean I was so attached there, it is something about the place, that corps building to me, is home. We would have everybody's birthday party, with a nice dinner and everybody would come..!
I remember running the sound booth every week, I was the head man for the sound booth ministry team, I would run the sound, tape the service and teach others how to work everything. I felt needed and important and it was just where I seemed to "Fit into" the corps. It was what I did in church. Brennen Jeremy and my Dad were in the band, my Mom led songs, I did the sound.
Life was great! Our family was really close, at times we would argue but that is understandable right?
Then I remember one day right before the teen group was about to start, my mom who appeared to have been crying called me along with my brothers to my dad's office. When we got there and saw my that my dad was also upset, we knew something was wrong. Here we were being stationed to Painesville Ohio.
Now this was hard enough to handle, let alone the fact that we couldn't tell anyone. I was mad, mad at my parents, mad at the Salvation Army, mad at God, mad at the world! We had to go about a month I would say, maybe longer maybe shorter without telling anyone. It was complete torture to go to teen group and hang out with my friends, knowing that I would be moving soon and wouldn't be able to hang out with them any longer.

So when we were able to tell people, we did, And that brought on the tears, and the frusteration of having to face reality. Our neighbors wanted to have a petition to keep us in Salem, lol It sounded good to me, but my parents insisted that God must have a plan for us in Painesville, Ohio. We came up one day before the move to check things out, and ofcorse I didn't delight in anything, accept the Gym at the corps that is, haha. On the tour of the corps I was confused, not knowing where we came in or anything. I felt lost. And then we went to see the house. When we pulled up the first reaction was, Its pink. (lol) We had a tour of the house and on the way home I didn't say a word. I tortured my family for "putting me through this" when it actually wasn't their fault, in fact, they were just as scared as I was. We seemed to grow apart through this part of the move. I thank God that by the end of it we ended up growing closer to each other, and closer to God.

We had to come home from camp for our "goodbye party", I think they called it. It was really nice, people were so thoughtful! I didn't want to leave that night. But ofcorse, I ended up leaving and going back to camp the next day, which was alot better then lingering around our empty house with a truck full of boxes outside.
That night, my parents took us to camp and drove to painesville from there, spent the night in a hotel for about two nights until they moved into the house.

When break came, I wasn't looking forward to going to "the house" (I refused to call it home.) But by the end of the summer, the house wasn't looking too bad, and I finally got to go to church in painesville for the first time. It was OK but I didn't know anyone. Everybody welcomed us right away though, and treated us well too!
I still didn't like the place, but by now I realized what a fool I had been to doubt God, and decided although I know nothing about why I am here, I will do this for Him and not me.

Its almost two years since we've moved to Painesville. God has richly blessed us far beyond what we deserve. Our church is starting to grow, we are blessed with having the Goiz family here also, opening a hispanic corps. And although I am not head honcho in the sound booth, and Theresa Everson isn't the YPSM. This is a blessed place also, it is not the walls of the building that are blessed, its the people inside those walls. I'm also starting to find my place in the corps, we are currently working on a project that our youth group had come up with. Its a contemperary service run by the teens with some help from the adults. January 15'th at 6:30 is when our first service starts. We are also currently forming a praise band for this.
Later down the road we plan to raise enough money to shut down one of the few "Adult Eyes Only" bookstoores, possibly two, but shutting down one is a good start.

I now can call this place, Painesville Ohio, "Home". There are still those times where I really miss Salem, cause I am still adapting, slowly. I will always miss Salem and the friends and family I have there. But I will choose to not dwell on what i've lost, but on what I've gained! I've decided to not see negitive in everything, but to look at the positives, because by the looks of things, we arent going anywhere anytime soon.
God's blessed us here in Painesville with wonderful people and a wonderful opportunity to better serve Him, I'm not about to pass it up.

" 'For I know the plans I have for you' declares the Lord 'plans to prosper you, and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me, and come and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all of your heart. I will be found by you.' declares the Lord" Jeremiah 29:11-14

Whoever takes the son, gets it all

Here is a story my dad shared in church today that really got to me.

Years ago, there was a very wealthy man who, with his devoted young son, shared a passion for collecting art. Together they traveled all around the world, adding only the finest art treasures to their collection. Priceless works by Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet and many others adorned the walls of the family estate. The widowed father looked on with satisfaction as his only child became an experienced art collector. But the day came when war engulfed the nation, and the young man left to serve his country. After only a few short weeks, his father received a telegram that his beloved son had been killed while carrying a fellow soldier to a medic. On Christmas morning a knock came at the door of the old man’s home, and as he opened the door, he was greeted by a soldier with a large package in his hand. He introduced himself to the man by saying, “I was a friend of your son. I was the one he was rescuing when he was killed. May I come in for a few moments? I have something to show you. I’m an artist,” said the soldier, “and I want to give you this...” As the old man unwrapped the package, the paper gave way to reveal a portrait of his son. Though the art critics would never consider the work a piece of genius, the painting did feature the young man’s face in striking detail, and seemed to capture his personality. The following spring, the old man became ill and passed away. The art world was in anticipation! According to the will of the old man, all of the art works would be auctioned. The day soon arrived, and art collectors from around the world gathered to bid on some of the world’s most spectacular paintings. The auction began with a painting that was not on any museum’s list. It was the painting of the man’s son. The auctioneer asked for an opening bid. The room was silent. “Who will open the bidding with $100?” he asked. Minutes passed with not a sound from those who came to buy. From the back of the room someone sarcastically called out, “Who cares about that painting? It’s just a picture of his son. Let’s forget it and go on to the important paintings.” There were other voices which echoed in agreement. But the auctioneer replied, “No, we have to sell this one first. Now, who will take the son?” Finally, a friend of the old man spoke ... “I knew the boy, so I’d like to have it. I will bid the $100.” “I have a bid for $100,” called the auctioneer. “Will anyone go higher?” And after a long silence, the auctioneer said, “Going once. Going twice. Sold. The gavel fell. Cheers filled the room and someone was heard to say, “Now we can get on with it!” But the auctioneer looked at the audience and announced that the auction was over. Stunned disbelief quieted the room. Someone spoke up and asked, “What do you mean it’s over? We didn’t come here for a picture of some old guy’s son. What about all of these paintings? There are millions of dollars worth of art here! We demand that you explain what’s going on!” The auctioneer replied, “It’s very simple. According to the will of the father, whoever takes the son... gets it all.”

By the will of God, whoever recieves the son, recieves all of the riches in heaven. And some.

“God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” 1 John 5:11-12

Seek first His kingdom

To "Seek God" in my words, means alot more than just watching and listening for God, and God's will. But to look for ways you can better serve Him, all the time. To be more like Jesus, how can you be more like Jesus? You try your hardest to stop that swearing. Try your hardest to stop treating others badly. You seek God.

How can we overcome our sin? I have been asked this question many times, and never quite knew how to answer it. If we know we have sinned and accept forgiveness from the Lord, there are times, when there is still shame there. Although we may know that God forgave and forgot all of it, It still sticks with you.
How can we overcome this?

By "Seeking" God. If we are busy trying to be more like Jesus and finding all sorts of ways to better serve our Lord, we will have no time to worry about our past! And whenever you have time to worry about it, remember to Seek First the Kingdom of God!


If we keep backsliding as we do, or realize that we seem to be weaker than usual when it comes to temptation itself, then we must be either looking in the wrong places, or looking from the wrong places.

It is in God alone where we find our needs met. We need to learn to seek Him always. If we do so, seeking from deep within our hearts and souls, we will find peace within Him. Temptation will still come, but in those times instead of dwelling on the fact you are being tempted, pull out your bible and read, It doesn't have to be a certain psalm or anything, just read. Sing praises to God. Or just literally run away from the temptation no matter how hard it is.
With God all things are possible!

The truth is, we cannot overcome our sin without Christ in our lives. We cannot overcome temptation without Christ Carrying us through life. The only way we can ever possibly have peace here in this lost place, also known as Earth, is in Christ alone. SEEK first His kingdom.

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given unto you aswell. Matt 6:33

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine

This photo, in a way, presents alot.
You see here a black and white forest, but there is that one tree that is different. Its colorful! And by spreading its color, it brings hope of one day having a colorful forest.

Although this world is severely spiritually lost, we should stand firm in God, though we may be different stand firm in Christ that we may show this world that there is hope in Christ, and spread that hope throughout the nations.

Be different. Shine your light. Show to this world hope.
Bring to this world God.

Total Devotion

(Somewhat taken from "Total Devotion" by Kevin Johnson)

Look at our troops over in Iraq and also other places, who are sacrificing there life totally for there country. Knowing that in any battle they may face, can be there last. And yet they march on.

Look at the terrorists who took down the twin towers. I wouldn't quite call what they did total devotion but you get the picture. They wanted to show the world that their cause worth murdering, and dying for. But they couldn't have made it any clearer to us why Christ is worth living for. You aren't trying to earn heaven as a suicide killer, God offers His eternal Life as a free gift. (Eph 2:8)
God offers eternal life as a gift and asks next to nothing from you, as opposed to what we have asked of Him.
He is the God of love and is worthy of so much more than what we can offer. The least we can do is totally devote our lives to Him, be a living sacrifice holy and pleasing to God.
When you think of what He has done for you, is this too much to ask?

Romans 12:1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. This is your spiritual act of worship.

Dreams or more?

I can't stop thinking about these dreams.

I had a dream last night that I was right beside the ice watching a few people perform ice skating. Among them was a little girl, really little too! I was amazed at how well she went about the ice. And somehow I fell out of my seat onto the ice just as this little girl was coming my way, and I tried my hardest not to mess up her performance so I skattered for the bleachers but I couldn't get there fast enough, she seemed to have been skating toward me, and she ran into my shoe and fell. She seemed fine and got back up and started again but then started crying. Her mother who was also skating embraced her and then the girl ran to me and gave me a great big hug. Right after that I made her smile and tossed her in the air (and caught her) making her laugh, and then I told her to go back out on the ice and finish the performance. She then was fine and did so.

Here is the other one.

I was in my hometown, Salem, and at a friends house who was a neighbor a long time ago. I was swinging in their backyard of which was fenced in, and was watching everyone do whatever they were doing. Then I realized it was some kind of party. When I got off of the swing I was talking to my old neighbor, Zach, and then he walked ove by the gate to the fence and I followed, then he walked out of the gate, when he did I turned around and saw some treats or snacks. So I went over and had a nice peanut butter fudge cookie. Then when I realized my friend had come back into the backyard, we were talking again but i don't remember what about. then I noticed I hadn't seen his sister. I realized her in a group of other girls right outside the entrance to the backyard. Zach brought to my attention that they had moved from this house. and they hadn't sold this one yet so they're using it for the party.

Do these have any meaning? Or are they just dumb and random dreams?

Pontoon Boat Ride with the staff kids

I figured out how to put pictures on here! I thought it was complicated, then I saw that SueBee had done it and somehow knew that it must be simple. And whatya know it was!

Here are some pictures from when we went on our pontoon boat ride at camp.. Enjoy!

Emily in the blue tube! (Al)

Here is Katie (Jack)

JIMMY! (Corkey) He's the man if you didn't know

Jessica! (Strawberry)

Marky! (Porkey)

Kate again! Thumbs up (that meant, make the boat go faster)

There is Ashley Jessica and Emily.

Emily again!

JIMMY AGAIN! That is a priceless face he is making, wouldn't you think? lol

Here is the Crew! (Missing is Jimmy who is located on the very right of the photo, examinating the water?

That was the highlight of my WHOLE summer! It was so awesome! These guys are the best!

Here is the pic from when Katie, Me, Emily, Jimmy and Brennen were listening to polka music on the golf cart. These guys are really the best!

Trust

At first when I think about wether or not I trust God, I automatically think well of corse I trust in God. But when I sit down and actually think about it, do I really put my trust in God? Its harder than it sounds. Hard to explain also.
When you walk across the floor you somehow know that you will not fall through the ceiling below. You can jump or walk or run and you know that you will stand firm on the floor. If you step on a skateboard and fall, the floor will catch you, in a way. Complete trust that the floor stands firm.
Does this correspond to our walk with God? While living for God I need to have ultimate faith in Him that as long as I'm with or of God I will not die and though I may fall, sometimes harder than other times, God Grace is still availabe, to catch me.

Now the hard part. How can I apply it to my life?

Starting with the little things. Such as when I'm sick and most likely times of temptation.
The point i'm taying to make, is if only we let His will be done in our life, then everything is gauranteed to be Okay.

Proverbs 3:5

Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding.