Letters from Lilongwe

Lately I have been listening to lots of music and podcasts while working and biking to work.  I was feeling a need for some new music so I turned to NoiseTrade to check out some new artists.  My favorite thus far is Jess Ray because of the honest lyrics, tastefully simple musicality and overall enjoyable listening environment.  While on my flight back to Atlanta I was struck by this song at first because of the drums that propel this song behind the walking guitar.  If I were to add drums to a track like this it would have been done in a very similar manner.  Once I got past the drums I was awe struck by the simple power of these lyrics, take a read below and follow the link to her blog to listen.   To me it was not written for an outward expression of hope or encouragement but rather as a inward proclamation to the soul.  As the psalmist often choose to sing, this song speaks inward in a call to stand up and be reminded of truth all to often for...

These days spent working on my Architecture projects have gotten much better after this album was released!  The simplistic nature of his musicality completes the lyrics that are soaked in truth.  Take some time to disconnect from the noise of the world and rest in this album.   I do not have time or effort to breakdown the importance of each stanza of this album therefore I encourage deep reflection and contemplation into their purpose and value.  Starting from the start and process towards the end and I know that the Lord will slowly reveal himself.  Its amazing how music can have such an influence on human civilization and the Lord uses it every minute of each day to reveal more of himself.  Allow this album to break down the distractions of this world and bring you into the presence of God. Home by Josh Garrels I went the ways of wayward winds In a world of trouble and sin Walked a long and crooked mile Behind a million rank and...

I have been praying throughout this week about where/who/what I should do after school.  Today I realized that many of the variables that I have been evaluating have to do with others opinions.  They relate to how others will respond when I tell them I am going to do "x".  If I tell folks I am going to travel around the country working on farms, they will respond with the impression that I am some really cool, earthy, adventuresome guy.  If I tell them I am going to work from some Fortune 500 company that they know about, then they will be impressed at my skill, ability, ambition, etc.  If I tell people that I do not really have a plan but I know everything will turn out just fine, then I come across as either lazy or super chill and carefree.  I evaluate the options that I on the basis of how others will react. Today I remembered how this is a choice that effects only a portion of my life and will help guide my future through good and bad experiences. ...

On the night before Christmas when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.  I was laying in bed trying to sleep but sleep did not come!  This is not an often occurrence for me, I typically konk out within a few minutes and sleep the night through without a problem.  This night was different, I actually was excited for the thoughts that swarmed my mind and kept me fully awake while laying in the darkness.  I was filled with ideas for my post graduation adventures and I could not silence the voice of calling.  This calling reminds me that life is not ment to be lived in the mold of expectations and confines of structure.  We live on this planet to live an adventure with our creator God who has redeemed and restored us through the loving sacrifice of his son Jesus Christ.  I may have lost some folks whenever I start diving into my beliefs but please track with my thought because it has shaped my life and is extraordinarily i...

Ministry to the poverty stricken be they homeless or simply below the poverty line is very challenging.  These are people with hopes and dreams, passion and love but we find it hard to treat them as humans.  Over the last few years I have become more and more exposed to this reality through relationships with brothers and sisters on the streets and the local community.  While praying this morning I realized that we as a compassionate community see the need to help those in homelessness as a no brainer.  You see someone without shoes, find them shoes!  But we then find it harder to give time and resources to those on the fringe of homelessness.  The people I am thinking of are the single mothers working three jobs trying to make ends meet so that she does not get herself evicted.  I know that we have a large portion of the poverty stricken community in Atlanta that is on the brink of homelessness and need hope just as much as those already on the stree...

My typical morning routine includes taking a shower, grabbing some cloths, eating some cereal and then walking down the parking deck.  The Volvo takes a solid 5-10 minutes to warm up in this cold weather.  Therefore I take a the time to read through a chapter out of the Bible.  This is always a great way to start my day as I remember the things in life that have the most value!  This old engine is pushing me to sit with the Lord everyday and wrestle through his words.   Typically my head unit is playing some music while car warms up.  But this morning as my music was silent the Lord opened my eyes to an image that has never caught my eye.  I have never noticed this simply spray painted statement of "LOVE WINS".  It perfectly meshed with the passage out of Romans this morning talking about being dead to sin and alive in Christ.  Are we to keep on sinning so that grace may abound?  By no means should we take this love that ha...

When the music stops what do I hear? The lack of beautiful music leaves my mind to race to and fro.  Thought to thought I can hardly stop my busy mind as it runs through the forest.  This feeling is quite natural but at the same time feels oh so foreign to me.  For four out of the past five years I have learned to rejoice in the silence of solitude.  Stepping away for times of refreshing walks by the river and hours of restful quite in my room.  This past year I have dreaded the thought of silence because I have felt that my mind was out of control.  Thoughts flashing through my mind would captivate my emotions and steal the affections of my soul.  Therefore I learned how to silence those thoughts by two main techniques.  First, to keep myself busy leaving no room for silence in my life.  Second, keep noise as a filler in the background slowing my thoughts and refocus them on that which truly matter.  This tactic is not one that I fea...