Video Blog - Day 7 & 8

Video Blog - Day 5 & 6

Video Blog - Day 4

Video Blog - Day 3

Video Blog - Day 2

Video Blog - Day 1

Galapagos Islands

We are finally here at the Galapagos Islands and it is awesome!! I have video blogs that I'm editing and post soon! Make sure and check them out and the Culture Shock team 1 blogs and video blogs!
www.cultureshocktrip.com

Leaving our footprints....

It's been AWHILE since my last blog. I'll blog next time on what 's been going on but I felt to blog about this.

One thing that we always want to strive to do is make an impression on someone somewhere at sometime. But do we really think about what kind of impression or impact we leave? I know that there are 3 types of impressions people leave wither they meant to or not.

1. Good or Positive - Some of us actually want to make a difference in the world that we live in and the people close to us.

2. Bad or Negative - Some of us really could care less what about themselves or people around them.

3. "This is your world, I'm just living here" or Numbness - Some of us just don't care at all and will do whatever to just stay in our comfort zone or where we fill most welcomed.

I know for myself, I want to be the 1st type...I really want to be a positive influence to people around me and people that are close to me. Not only that, but do what I can to leave a positive impression on the world. But at times, just like others, I catch myself "flirting" with the 3rd type. There are some days that I wake up and I could care less and want to just survive the day, avoid any and all conflicts and just stay where I fell comfortable. And there are other days where I am excited to help where I'm needed and try to leave a positive impression on someone and/or somewhere that day.

That's not bad, except even though we are human and go through different situations some days, when we get to that 3rd type of numb feeling, we need to push past that and achieve to be positive. Even though we may be going through "hell" and it's been 2 or 3 days, 2 or 3 weeks, or even a month or two, we must push to be positive during those times. When we don't push pass the numb feelings, we catch our self falling into the 2nd type.....the negative and disruptive feelings.

When we get to that point, we catch ourselves being us such a negative mood that we could care less who we hurt and what we say to anyone. Deep down, we want everyone around us to feel the low that we're in. People that are happy and cheery get on your nerves and all you want to do is think of the worse thing you could do or say to them to reverse their mood.

"I have a questions, they title of this blog is "Leaving our footprints...." and you're talking about our moods and how they effect the people around us. Where do the footprints come into play?"
Thank you Billy Bob for that question....

Guys, the way we feel determines how we act and the act we act determines our impressions or our "footprints" we leave on the people around us. So, yes, our feelings/moods and the way we handle the "tough" times will determine which type of print you will leave.

My challenge to you and myself: strive to be that positive influence to someone daily and when you do encounter something negative in your life, you'll be in the habit of being positive and that "someone" that you've been a positive influence to will see you struggling and they can return the favor and help you past the bump in the road.

Mustard Seed Faith

You always here "if your faith was as big as a mustard seed, you could move mountains". And you never really sit and think about it. I know that faith is "believing something can happen, before it happens, so it can happen". That is my view on faith. It all starts with believing. If I believe the labels on food, I'll know what will make me fat or health. If you have ever seen me, you know that example is not true...I could really care less what they say. I'll eat whatever sounds good at that time. I always tell everyone that I'm on the "See Food" diet...I see it, I eat it. Not really, but here's another example...if your driving in L.A. and you don't have a clue as to where you are going and you just bought the best GPS on the market. You believe what they say about that product...since it probably cost you $1,000. You got the best because you believe what credits and reviews say in that no one else created a better on. So now you believe in it, so you buy it. Now since you bought it, you have faith that now you will not get lost in L.A. while you're visiting. Before you even tried it out, you believed what they said and had faith that it would be what it says.

God is the best "GPS" on the market today. Even though all the reviews and credits say differently and sometimes say He's the worse on the market, you must have faith in what you believe. If you believe God is the Way, the Truth, and the Life...then have that He will show you the Way in life, show you the Truth in situation, and you receive eternal-Life for following Him. Some people say that the hardest thing to be a Christian is not messing up and sinning, but to me, I truly believe that the hardest thing as a Christian is having faith. Having faith is the smallest things as in "do I have faith in myself not to screw up today" or "do I have enough faith for when I pray for this person, they will be healed" or "do I have enough faith to do what God is telling me".

When I starting blogging on this site, I have been sharing that God has put something on me and Val's heart as in moving into a different direction in our life/ministry. Since last October, we have been seeking God as to where He wants to move us. We already knew we were suppose to work with Network 21 Missions and the Culture Shock mission trips, but knew that God wanted us to commit fully and not spread ourselves too thin. Well, after school was over in the first week of June, Val and I really started seeking and praying for God's voice in this situation. I knew what God wanted me to do, but I didn't understand how it would work. I knew that God wanted me to be full time with Culture Shock and to preach the Word to High School and 20-somethings all over the world. In order to do that, I had to quit my job at the school. First thing I told God was, "WHAT!! the economy sucks, everyone is getting laid off, going bankrupt, getting bailed out by the government that needs to get bailed out its self...you want me to quit at the school, that I'm miserable at anyways but I know I was going back next year and had a pay check, and work for a NON-PROFIT missions groups and live on support?" I truly had a hard time BELIEVING that this would work...so I had no FAITH in quiting my job.

After several weeks of God showing His hand in different situations and confirmation from other people that we asked to be praying with us, I knew that God will provide to those that follows Him. So on July 8th I went into the principle's office of the school and told her that I was resigning and explained why. She really didn't know me since she started in June, but she said she had a peace and knew I was doing the right thing. I really didn't know how to take that since, like I said, she only knew me for a month, but I had a peace too. The next morning I sent to go talk to the Assit. Superintendent of the school and I was afraid of a number of things could happen and really make the transition a lot harder. After talking with her and sharing my heart, everything went truly smooth and at that moment, I BELIEVED and had FAITH that God was directing me and my family.

Now, we are starting to raise monthly support I know it's going to be hard. I will continue to get paid by the school until September so I have 1 1/2 months to start raising support. I am raising $3,500 a month to be able to go full time and fulfill what God has created me and Val do to...reach the lost.

this little light of mine....

I haven't got to blog about the last 2 nights services. Tuesday night I didn't get to really focus on the message because I was taking care of my son (which is an awesome little man) and had to leave during the best part...the prayer time. Last night was the night it was different. We had an acoustic worship service and then got in a huge circle and had this open floor discussion time. Last night, we had the most attend...27 people. That doesn't sound like a lot of people or a big thing, but just to come to a random service that not too many people knew about; in downtown Waxahachie; in a youth center, The Pump, to just meet God and pray about missions and where you belong in missions.

I know not everyone is called to be a long-term missionary or even a short-term missionary...but I believe that mission trips are something that we all need to be apart of someway to do what God said. On the flipside of that...I know that the US is becoming a country that needs God and is turning into our own missions field. It's always been our missions field but it's getting worse and worse in today's culture.

I do know this, God is still doing work around us in the US and in the world. I believe He is preparing a totally different type and "brand" of workers to finish out the work before He comes for us. This generation has seen more than most older people have seen in a lifetime. I know the kids that I come in contact with has seen more than me and I'm only 26. It's redonkulous to hear what they are going through and I can totally see why they are running to the crap they're getting in. That's why we need to reach these kids so they can reach out to others.

This little light of mine...sometimes our light is too light or even no light at all until we are at church or around church friends. We need to have our light shining at all times and be ready to share our light. The picture that I posted with this blog is the world at night with the city lights. You can tell where the big cities are and where the smaller less lit cities. We as Christians need to have our light shining and been seen like the lights in big cities. That's one lesson that we will always be learning and striving to achieve.

...this light light of mine, we need to let it shine...not hiding it from the world. God at least deserves that from us.

Culture Shock Bootcamp - Monday Night

Last night was an awesome first night at Culture Shock bootcamp. We had a pretty good turn out for the first night. We had a mixture of pastors, missionaries, regular visitors and of course the ones going on Culture Shock.

Evangelist Joey Hamby did a great job last night. Last night he really just sent over his experiences in different cultures/countries and the extremities of those cultures/countries. At the end of the night, Joey just started pray for people and speaking into their lifes. It was awesome because he was speaking things that completely answered questions and confirmed things in my life. I know that others said the same thing and felt the presence of God like I did. It was like God Himself came down last night and was telling us all something that either answered questions, confirm things, or encouraged us to continue to follow and seek what He has put in our life.

I still have questions but God answered some huge ones that I had and confirmed what Val and I have been feeling and believing for a long while now. For some strange reason, I've always wanted God to speak to me and confirm things like last night, but when Joey asked me to come to the front, my stomach dropped in fear not knowing what was going to happen. I was afraid what God was going to do for whatever reason, but when Joey started talking and God used him as a megaphone to speak to me...the rest of me got happy but dropped that God was publicly confirming things and showing me things. I think I always wanted God to do that because it's easy for me or something, but last night was one of the highest points in my life in the fact God was speaking to me in a way that I wouldn't question the answers that He gave me about my questions.

I'm not blogging that to brag or anything like that, but to show that God cares and answers us when we need it. I know last week I wrote a blog about being in the desert and not sure when God was going take me out or what...but last night was a boost out of the middle of the desert. I probably wouldn't say I'm in the desert now, but more like I'm in the middle of Nevada or Arizona...the desert but more civilized in a way. Or maybe it's like moving from the desert to an deserted island (you the beauty of the tropic and some form of food and water, but still looking for answers). That maybe just way out there and completely ridiculous, but I have more clarity today than I did last week, but still have some questions.

Culture Shock Bootcamp

Tonight starts our August Culture Shock trip bootcamp that will last a full week. I will be videoing the events and services that we do so you can follow and pray with us this week. I will be making a Video blog with all the footage of the bootcamp and posting it sometime next week. I will post it on here and our Culture Shock website.

The special speaker for the night services this week is evangelist Joey Hamby. All the night worship & devotion services will be at The Pump in Waxahachie starting at 7 pm. If you want to come to the services, all is invited but only participants of Culture Shock can attend the weekend activities.

Sand Castles

Being in the desert, to me, is not an enjoyable place. It's hot, dry, sandy (duh)...but being in the desert physically and being in the desert spiritually are 2 completely different things. I've never actually been to the desert but living in Oklahoma and Texas my whole life, I know how it feels being in middle of an open red dirt field with no wind and it's 110 degrees. That's not fun and I can only imagine what the desert feels like physically.

I can tell you how it feels to be in a desert spiritually but I believe everyone's spiritual desert place and experience is different from each other and different everytime. I know that right now the transition that me and my wife are in is put me in a desert place. I know that God has called my wife and I to work with Network 21 Missions in Culture Shock but that's all we've known for the last 6 months. Our next step has been a mystery to us but not to God. I know we have to wait on His timing and not our timing to make it work. In order to work like God wants it to and to work to glorify Him, it has to be done right and in His time.

The desert place I'm at right now is frustrating me I've been there for awhile. I know that when God places you there it's for a purpose, but sometimes it's like the desert gets to you and messes with your mind. You start hearing things that you think is God and you follow those things because they're "leading you out" of the desert when really you're getting further away from getting out. Sometimes your mind will even play trick on you and you see things that will make you believe it's real or the way.

Daily I have to remember to clear my mind and spiritually "clean my ears out" so I can hear God talking to me and leading me. Sometimes you will think you've become deaf or have a ear full of sand because you can't hear God's voice.

In saying all that...the desert place sucks both physically and spiritually but the reward for fighting through it and the lessons learned are sweeter then giving up and getting nothing out of it to help you. One thing about giving up is (sometimes we don't think about this) if God's next step for us is to go through the learning experience in a desert place and we give up...we still have that step to go through to get where God wants us at. When we run from it, it gets tougher to go through it later than it would when God first brought us to that place. We just need to have clarity daily and have people praying with us to keep us encouraged to be able to finish the dreaded desert.

Hebrews 13:5 & 6 says (The Message):
"Don't be obsessed with getting more material things. Be relaxed with what you have. Since God assured us, "I'll never let you down, never walk off and leave you," we can boldly quote,

God is there, ready to help;

I'm fearless no matter what.

Who or what can get to me?"

if you like more traditional versions...

Hebrews 13:5 & 6 says (NKJV):

"Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So we may boldly say,

The Lord is my helper;

I will not fear.

What can man do to me?"

Let's Begin...Shall We

Since this is my first blog, this maybe a little short...or not. Here is the purpose of this blog and where the name "Self Ignition" came from.

The name "Self Ignition" is something that came to me the other day during my quite time with God. Growing up in church all my life, I went to youth camps, youth conventions, youth rallies, discipleship camps...anything that my youth pastor and/or my family thought was going to help me and challenge me as a christian teenager. Not only did I grow up in church but grow up around ministers and pastors. When going to those youth events you would always come back excited about God and "on fire". But just as you get settled and the "high" is worn off...your once burning fire is now no longer the light you started with. Sometimes, your fire turns into a pile of ashes.

I'm not saying the camps and conventions were a bad thing or are a bad thing, but sometimes we don't understand why we have those to attend. God didn't intend for us to go and just get a "religious high" and have experiences that would forget about in a month or two. The one thing that I finally understood was, the fire burned out simply because I allowed mySELF to do so. I let the things that God was trying to drag me away from suck me back in and suffocate the new life that God gave me.

We have to learn that as Christians, we have to put self aside allow God to direct our life story. God puts the fire out there but if we allow ourSELF to continue to put the fire out that God gives us, we will never get to where God intends us to be or do what He intended us to do.

We must be willing to prepare ourSELF for the fire that God gives us. The definition of "Ignition" is the process of setting something on fire. We need to want the fire to start the process. Once the process is started in ourSELF...God will continue to fuel the fire that He started. We can't fuel the fire ourselves with "artificial fuel" or we'll kill the fire. That's another blog on another day.

The purpose of this blog is to share a journey that God is taking me and my family on and to somehow encourage someone that needs it. Also, to remind us that everyday that we have to kill SELF for the fire that God has for us to take and ignite our life.