Coitus Interruptus

Coitus interruptus (To interrupt sexual intercourse before climax)
Come out of her, America. Come out of this empire that seeks to destroy you
How can the mustard seed ever be crushed when it stays in power
How can you hold a six figure salary and live like Jesus did?
“Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests but the son of man has no place to lay his head”
Does this mean anything to you at all?
Sweet forgiven child you have been so mistaken.
These chariots have found themselves connected with you
Take his word to the ends of the earth
We are so focused upon our niche of friends.
Release the ties that hold you to the President
But give to Caesar what is Caesar’s
The trumpet is going to blow and we are all going to be dethroned
Now is the time for us to move within this city
We are the underground citizens
We must all fight for the cause in secret
For we have the truth
We are going to rise up and kill the devil
Oh God, you’re raising an army in the belly of this whore.
She has chosen to feed on the blood of your dead martyrs.
The birth pangs have started.
It’s almost time to rise up, to see the light this world is holding for us.
He’s reaching through everything, he’s working on a way to bring us back to him.
Our God is greater than the Executive Chief.
Don’t you dare think about serving a second master.
Babylon will fall again and again and again.
Maybe by the fortieth time she’ll finally choose to lay down die.
Baptize the world my friends, my fellow soldiers.
From Ethiopia to the next Babylon over
Don’t let these lustful dreams blind your sight of the horror that they come from.
“I’m bleeding for you while you continue to go your own way.
You are the one that pleases me oh weary soul. I believe in you.
Join the fight and raise up your arms against the man with the horns.”
Now is the time for us to move.
This is the time for action. Break the ropes that tie us here.
Don’t climb in bed with that succubus.
She’ll claim your soul before you know and you’ll be stuck climbing out of the bottomless hole.
You have the key to release the chains and re-enter the light
This world is God’s. The Lord of Lords’.
We are Immortal.
If you believe join me.
We are Immortal.
This empire shall fall.

This Is It

"Son, this is it. This is it. You're gonna sink for your sins, unless grace be the wind."

Grace is a funny thing. It is an unfair thing. It is a scandalous thing. I'm learning to be all right with that. Will you join me?

Coordinates

Have you ever had a moment where you knew you were exactly where God wanted you to be?

This summer, I have had the legendary opportunity to be actively involved as youth staff in the youth group that I've pretty much been raised in. I've been attending Impact Community Church for just about 9 years now, which is half a year shorter than the church has been opened. Josh, has allowed myself and David Phillips to step in this summer and take control of games and recreational activities, which eventually led up to us basically in charge of Tuesday nights. It's been a heck of a lot of fun these past 11-ish weeks or so that I've been involved, and I've created a lot of memories that I will carry with me always.

Every Tuesday night was supposed to look different, and hopefully they did. The set up was never the same and when it came to the games and the overall feel of the night, David and I wanted everything to be intertwined with itself. Each night had a theme that we wanted to present to the students in a new way. Something visual, audible, tangible. We wanted every night to be real, and it took a lot of planning. David and I met at Jack In The Box on a regular basis to develop our thoughts and ideas and to decide how we would make each night memorable.

For me, the first night that I really felt like our mission was accomplished was Tuesday, July 14. This was the week we played strobe light capture the flag. It was also the first Tuesday after the Scream the Prayer tour (Best show ever). David and I wanted to be brutal with the message because the game was a representation of reality. We talked about Jesus returning like a thief in the night, and how we'll never know when the day of the Lord is to come. We have to fight our battles everyday because, in the words of For Today, "there will never be a second chance to live today for God." Epic right? The game was a million times more awesome. Blood was spilt. It was legendary. After the night, I had kids texting me and sending me messages on various social networking websites telling me how awesome and powerful the night was. Needless to say, I was stoked off of what God was going to do this summer.

The next week is by far my favorite. The theme: God never, ever stops seeking you. The game: Sardines (It's a classic. How could we not?). It's what happened after the game that is forever imprinted on my memory. I had the opportunity to share my testimony with about 57 kids (Josh took a sick picture that is now my background on my computer). It was amazing. There is a previous post about that night on here somewhere so look that up if you haven't read it. That night, however, was the night that did me in. It was the night were I knew that I was here for a reason. It was what I had been waiting for all summer. It was my chance to share my story and to help ease the pain that exists in this world for just a few people, and to be honest, I haven't really seen a lot of those people since. Of the 15 or so kids who talked with me afterwards, only about 6 of them have I seen since that night. I'm ok with that. There was a reason they were in the room. That was the night everything has led up to.

Every single week since than has been one of those, "God has surely moved in this place" moments for me. Last Tuesday we discussed persecution and how it drove the early church, and how it drives some modern churches to this very day. It was powerful, and I know it has changed lives.

And today, Sunday, was another one of those days. Josh and John, youth pastor and worship leader, respectively, were both gone on vacation. This act of God meant that David and myself were in charge of both student services, and that I was to lead worship. Stoked. I've never lead a team before. That's a lie. I did once, for the LINK at Hope, with Ausdin, Bryan, Hosanna, and freakin' JoJo. For me, music has always been the best way to connect with God. It can transcend everything. David and I got to share this during the Pause service, where we played songs from bands like Family Force 5, For Today, Sleeping Giant, As Cities Burn, and August Burns Red. It was sick. Anyways, it was beastly, having a chance to lead. I don't know how everyone reacted to it, but I had a good time, and the band had a good time. I know somewhere God moved, and that's all that matters.

But to the point: I'm super stoked for being in this town. As much as I complain about it, or make fun of it, God is still present in this city. This isn't Sodom or Gomorrah. It's a Jerusalem, or a Caesarea Philippi. It's still alive. Also, I post this because I want to thank anyone that has ever supported me, or come out on a Tuesday or a Sunday, or just dealt with my attitude and personality, that's a feat in and of itself.

Lastly, never be upset with where God has placed you, whether emotionally, mentally, spiritually, or geographically. It might suck at first, but good things come to those who show up, who allow themselves to be used for something bigger than their own glory. Get stoked off the little things because it makes the big things that much more awesome.

I apologize for the length of this blog. I just have one final thing to say. It's a quote by August Burns Red.

"The walls of a church don't make it holy. It's what's authentic that completes the sum of it's parts."

There is authenticity and legitimacy everywhere in the world. The Church is a group of people, not a place. Wherever you interact with Truth and Love and Hope and Authenticity, you are interacting with God. Soak in those moments. Remember that you are loved.

Thank you.

Danny

We will be the hopeful.

Question:

What does this mean to you?