Blog 3
Hey,
There’s been a lot on my mind lately, but there is one thing I really wanted to share with you today:
I realized the most “life-changing” thing I’ve learned the last 5 years is “thankfulness.” Every good day, week, or sometimes an entire month, has been a result of a thankful heart. Of course I have A LOT of things to be thankful for- friends, family, health, an amazing church, mentors, food in my belly, clothes on my back, and of course a lot of fun (vain) temporary things as well.
I’m almost ashamed to tell people how good life has been for me the last 5-6 years, even long before I starting playing music full time. And it’s not because I’m an American/ suburb/ spoiled/ consumer. The good life all started when I said to God, “I want to be satisfied with simply knowing Jesus and nothing else”. Thus, I’ll testify that it’s His “fault” or doing, not my own. I live “under His mercy” every second. That’s for certain!
To give you some background, this all started during prayer a long time ago when we first launched the church (Solid Rock) here in Portland, Oregon. My pastors would start every gathering, big or small, with prayers of “thankfulness,” So before asking God for anything, we’d just thank Him for what He’d already given us, quoting the Psalms “enter His gates with thanksgiving”.
Now eventually this mindset seeped not only into my prayers, but my entire day. Life became as simple as enjoying God’s goodness and knowing Jesus! Uh… perfect?
I dare you to try it!
I’m NOT saying life is easy, or that this is your “best life now,” but I am saying that God is GOOD!
I believe if we could simply understand fully the gift we’ve been given in God’s son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit alone, we’d be more than stoked on life.
On a similar note, I frequently hear on the road, and at home, people talking about God’s “will” for there life. Is it any wonder that God tells us EXACTLY what it is?
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the WILL of God in Christ Jesus FOR YOU.” (1 Thess. 5:16-18)
Pff! There’s nothing else to say.
Stick that on your “facepage” and poke it!
Your thoughts?
Ok random stuff now:
Reading – The Brothers Karamazov, Psalms and Acts.
Listening – Fiction Family, Longwave, Nickel Creek, Tingsek, Ratatat, TV On The Radio, The Bird and The Bee, Noah and The Whale, Anathallo, and the new Bon Iver EP.
Watching – Sportscenter.
Eating – Lots of oranges for some reason. I got a humongous bag and I need to finish them before I go on tour.
Playing – Wii golf and indoor soccer.
Running – A LOT, and exercising. 2009 = year of body!
-Michael