Update

Hey, everyone,

I know it has been a long time since I wrote in my blog. One of my new year's resolutions is to do a better job letting my friends and family know how things are going. I am so thankful for the internet and the ways that it enables me to stay in touch with my friends and family that I don't get to see on a regular basis.

I am usually long-winded (in the typing sense) and always have a lot to say. I reflect on how much I wrote during the five combined months that my wife and son were in the hospital. I was never hesitant to let people know what was going on. I apologize, especially to my friends in Arizona, for not letting you know how I've been doing up here. I have been too quiet even though so much has been going on in my mind and my life.

The first order of business is to express how grateful I am for the way that our dear Christian family in Arizona has blessed us. I always struggled in Arizona feeling like I didn't really fit in with anybody, but the love that Grace Bible Church extended to me, my wife, and my children during that extremely difficult time in our lives defies any such notions of not belonging. Basic needs like food, babysitting, and even financial resources were given to us generously and graciously, a fragrant aroma to God according to Philippians 4.

I wish I could thank everyone of you by name, but that would require a ridiculous amount of space. You all know who you are and you all know what you did to bless us. I will never forget it.

Life continues to be a perfect opportunity to wait on the Lord and watch Him blow our minds. God's provision has been awe-inspiring. He answers prayer time and time again. We are poor and have been so, by the world's standards, for a good year now, but we are learning to rejoice in the riches God has blessed us with, not by our own merit (1 Corinthians 1:4-9), but by the God's own choosing. I am learning to say to my own heart as Paul said in Philippians 4: "My God will supply all of your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

Isaiah

God has answered prayers miraculously regarding our baby boy, Isaiah. We are in awe of the God of science, who created all things in nature and gave intelligent men and women the ability to use his resources to save and preserve lives. It is God's doing; it is all His. Praise Him with me.
Isaiah weighs close to sixteen pounds now. He eats like his daddy and big brother. The first two bottom teeth are starting to push up through his gums. He is still a little behind, but that is to be expected. He is healthy, and all of the many doctors who have looked at him have had nothing but positive things to say about him. Praise God.

Job Situation

I am battling to find reliable employment. I have been subsitute teaching, which has been pretty inconsistent, working part time at a retail store, and doing odds and ends work to supplement all of that. My hours at the retail store, which were part-time to begin with have been cut substantially the past couple of weeks.

Due to all of this inconsistency and lack of work. I am going to take a chance on a possible career change, and I would greatly appreciate your prayers in this endeavor. A very godly man, who was my first spiritual leader and is our current small group leader, has offered to train me in the ways of affiliate internet marketing. He runs a very successful business and is excited to show me the ropes. I am excited as well.

If you want to pray specifically, please pray that I will be like a sponge absorbing all that I need to know, and that I will develop the mindset that I need to appeal to different markets in cyberspace. Pray that I would surrender it to God, and that God might see fit to let this be the break that we so desire career-wise and financially.

The Jesus Rapper

One more thing to mention would be my music dreams and aspirations. Just kidding. Seriously, though, I really love writing and creating hip hop songs that point to the work of the gospel and the great God who has saved me. I have been blessed with three opportunities to perform and share the gospel with teenagers and college aged people since we have moved back to Spokane. It is such a privilege to proclaim the hope of Jesus Christ and tell of the work He has done in my life to people who despearately need Him.

The passion for this music will not go away. I am constantly thinking of new song concepts. In fact, I am hoping to drop a legitimate album by the end of 2010. My problem is that I am rolling solo and don't have a ton of money at the time. However, producing an album is not the biggest priority at the time.

What is of utmost importance to me is that I use this uncanny gift that God has given to me, of all people, to share the gospel and that I do it right now. I am praying that I will be freed up from my retail job to go to an open mic night at a local coffee shop on a regular basis and share my songs and build relationships with young poets who are hostile to the Lord and need to see the light of Christ genuinely shining through someone. Also, I am hoping to do an outreach concert for the youth group at our church in the Spring. I am going to be collaborating with the youth pastor, who has become a very encouraging friend since we have moved back, to try to put that all together.

To wrap it all up, I want to thank you all for taking an interest in me and my family. God is so good to us. I promise to be more faithful to keep those of you who are interested updated as to what is going on in life. Until next time.