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Post Passion Journey

I really enjoyed the road home from Passion 2010. It was an amazing journey that started with a trip to Krystal burger. A amazing treat… not available in North Carolina.
That started my way for 7 hours of amazing thought and reflection.
If you don’t know what passion is… it is a movement of young leaders 18-25 who are focused on giving feet to Isaiah 26:8
At the conference – John Piper gave a talk that started me on a journey…
To sum it up, he spoke on the glory of God. I hope to get a link to it soon from Desiring God.
On the road I started with a podcast from Andy Stanley who also spoke at passion. “Leading in Uncertain Times” (From the Leadership Podcast) was extremely encouraging in talking about how our plans will change, but the vision remains the same.
Then I turned to the Village Church podcast. If you are not familiar with them, there pastor Matt Chandler recently was diagnosed with brain cancer and is beginning an aggressive treatment process. 
Piper spoke at the village on the 27th of December. It connected right with his talk at passion and Francis Chan’s breakout on Holy Suffering. I know it sounds weird, but one of the major themes of passion for me this year is examining suffering and its role in our lives. 
After Piper’s talk – I listened to Chandler’s latest talk… Totally messed me up. To hear from somebody who is living out what he was speaking was incredible. He tackles the sovereignty of God in the most concise and understandable message ever. Really opened my eyes to sovereignty, suffering, and prayer.
If you attended Passion. I challenge to take the time and listen to these Podcast (All available for free on iTunes) It will be an amazing way to help put some legs on what you have heard a processed the last few days.
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Merry Christmas!

I hope that this Christmas is an amazing time of fellowship and connection with friends and family!

I pray that God will open doors of Grace and tear down walls of hate in this upcoming year.

-God Bless

Brad

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I’m Engaged!

Today has been an amazing day… I asked the love of my life to marry me – and she said yes! Here are a few pictures from late tonight.

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A week too late…

Discovery just wrapped a series on Jonah. Sadly I found this amazing piece of video this week.

Would have been awesome if we could have used this – or even better… brought Joyce and Trixie in live!

The video is a great illustration on what it would be like to listen to the story of Jonah and the Whale while on acid.

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New Song Watch – You Alone Can Rescue

This isn’t is a crazy new song, but it takes a while for music to trickle down the grapevine.

In this song from Matt Redman comes a pretty cool experience. Very easy to catch onto in corporate worship. I first heard the song during the worship sessions last October at the catalyst pre-labs. It was covered by Christy Nockles and Eddie Kirkland. Can’t wait to hear Redman do this live at Passion 2010!

The song absolutely soars in the bridge.

“We lift up our eyes – lift up our eyes: You’re the giver of life”

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New Song Watch – Winter Snow

Chris Tomlin has recently released a Christmas Album. (I’m still waiting for Crowders… Crowder did “Feliz Navidad” last year)

This album features Audrey Assad in a song called “Winter Snow” with Tomlin.

Very interesting Christmas song. I’m working on reviewing the album now. Hopefully Tomlin has released a modern worship album for Christmas.

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A Note from TH…

ECU Athletics Director Terry Holland regarding the Virginia Tech game:

Think back to September 6, 2008 and the Pirates vs. No. 8 West Virginia.

That was the most electrifying game atmosphere I have personally witnessed in my 50 years in intercollegiate athletics. The Pirate Nation in the stands and the players on the field were in total sync the whole game. It was a truly magical environment that gave us all goosebumps. Every cheer was part and parcel to what was happening on the field at that point of the game. At no time did the crowd retreat to self-entertainment like “the wave”, which is fine at halftime, but when the ball is in play, the Pirate Nation’s focused support makes the difference for our team.

There are some similarities for the Thursday night game against Virginia Tech, although for different reasons. The parking lots will not be available until shortly before game time, so the focus will be on getting parked and getting into the stadium, and Pirate fans will be anticipating that something special will happen and will be ready to be a part of making it happen!

Pirate fans have come up with two initiatives for this game and the athletics department does its best to support fan initiatives out of respect for what the Pirate Nation means to our success. Therefore, athletics supports the fan initiative to have an official black shirt for this game as well as encouraging all Pirate fans to consider dressing as a Pirate for this game.

It is always proper and important to show our PURPLE and GOLD. Therefore, we encourage everyone on the South Side (behind the ECU bench) of the stadium to bring something GOLD and all on the North side (behind the VT bench) to bring something Purple to wave as the Pirate Nation welcomes a national television audience with a PURPLE/GOLD cheer that will rattle windows in the Triangle. Hats, towels, T-shirts, whatever you have to show the colors.

ECU Football is at its best when the Pirate Nation is focused on what is happening on the field because that is the one thing that is important to all of us. So dress like a Pirate, wear PURPLE, BLACK, GOLD or POLKA DOTS if it helps you get focused on the game … but don’t be distracted by what other good Pirates decide to wear.

And remember to treat our guests from Blacksburg as well as they treated us in Blacksburg in 2007. This has been a respectful rivalry that could develop into something special as evidenced by the game played in Charlotte last season and the camaraderie of both fan bases as they tailgated together.

As always, the best thing we can do as Pirate fans at any game is to treat visitors, visiting teams and other ECU fans with respect, while loudly and passionately cheering in support of our Pirates.

GO PIRATES!

TH

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Thank you TH for finally coming out against the wave!

Me, Kyle Holliday, and the serious members of the student pirate club thank you!

I don’t know about people wearing all sorts of colors to the game… but we will see.

Argh…