This is it.

Last Night I watched the Michael Jackson DVD 'This is it'. It is truly incredible the talent that that man held. A gift from God, so I was checking out some of his lyrics and videos. The following link is to the "Man in the Mirror" video. Check it out. I'll list the lyrics to, there is an extreme truth held in them, I love it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PivWY9wn5ps

Ooh ooh ooh aah
Gotta make a change
For once in my life
It's gonna feel real good
Gonna make a difference
Gonna make it right

As I turned up the collar on
A favorite winter coat
This wind is blowin' my mind
I see the kids in the street
With not enough to eat
Who am I to be blind
Pretending not to see their needs

A summer's disregard
A broken bottle top
And a one man's soul
They follow each other
On the wind ya' know
'Cause they got nowhere to go
That's why I want you to know

I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change, yey
Na na na, na na na, na na na na oh ho

I've been a victim of
A selfish kinda love
It's time that I realize
There are some with no home
Not a nickel to loan
Could it be really pretending that they're not alone

A willow deeply scarred
Somebody's broken heart
And a washed out dream
(Washed out dream)
They follow the pattern of the wind ya' see
'Cause they got no place to be
That's why I'm starting with me

I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change

I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make that change

I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways, yeah
No message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make the change
You gotta get it right, while you got the time
'Cause when you close your heart
Then you close your mind

I'm asking him to change his ways
No message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself then make that change


Oh no
Oh no, I'm gonna make a change
It's gonna feel real good
Just lift yourself
You know, you got to stop it yourself
Oh
Make that change
You got to, you got to not let yourself, brother oh
Yeah
You know that
You got, you got to move
You got to
Make that change
Stand up and lift yourself, now
You know it, you know it, you know it, you know
Make that change

Just reading those words get me going, so much truth. So much truth. And a reminder, we don't have to be literally feeding the homeless to be making a change, but you know what I mean. That change can be anything, anything you want to see, start it. Now, one last M.J. lyrics, This Is It.

This is it, Here I stand
I’m a light in the world
I'll feel grand
Got this love, I can feel
And I know, Yes for sure
It is real

Wanting to come home, just a little bit,
Colton

Real

"And tonight, God wants to encounter you, and wants you to feel His love, His amazing love. Without it, these are just songs, these are just words, these are just instruments, without the love of God it's like we're up here just making noise. But the Love of God changes us, we're never the same, we're never the same after we encounter the love of God. And right now, if you haven't encountered the love of God, and you would know, because you wouldn't be the same, you would never be the same again -- and if you want to encounter the love of God right now, you better just brace yourself because He's about to just blow in this place. And we're going to encounter the love of God, right now."

Those are some fine words of truth right there. The thing about God is that He wants us so much, that whenever we come to Him, he will be right there with open arms to make us feel comfortable, to make us feel like home, to make us feel loved. That is a promise.

So, this is the real deal about love. So many times in our lives we will feel hurt, or broken down, like there is no other place to turn. Sometimes, that is where we meet God, and that is totally cool. The thing that draws me into God, is the love aspect. His love is unconditional, and it is safe to say that that kind of love is hard to find anywhere else. You feel something, a comfort, like things are taken care of and they will be okay -- ALL THE TIME.

The reason why I put that quote at the top of this page is because of two words, "right now." When You are feeling that emotional pain, that hurt, that feeling that there is no where else to go, you can go to God "right now." When you are having a moment of complete joy, like nothing could be any better, You can share that with God "right now" and make it ten times better.

What is God? A friend who never leaves or back-stabs, a Dad who will always be there for you and never hurt you, A Savior who will get you out of every tough place in this world, and continue to save you before things get worse.

Another question I get a lot is, "What do I do? Pray? I feel stupid just talking to air." The thing is, have faith. I wouldn't be writing all these blogs for some specks of air -- trust me. Yes, pray, for anything and everything. The bible says instead of worry about anything, pray about everything. You will be amazed. Check out www.biblegateway.com they have some wicked versions on the bible, check out "the message." itunes some Jesus Culture music. A really cool thing to do when you are first starting out thinking about God, and You feel stupid, or silly, or overwhelmed -- Just play some music, sit, and simply say "God, show me your love, show me that You are real. How much do you love me?" Then you are on a whirlwind. The thing about God is, He can't ignore you, so go for it. It's real.

Ask me anything,
Colton

Perspective.

Readers!

It has been too long, I am now out of Arizona and in Texas, one week until I am home in Canada.

Anyway, a couple things that I have missed, and it has made me realize how blessed and fortunate we are to have these things.

1) Time alone, "our time" where we can be calm, and breathe, and surrender to God, by ourselves.

2) Reading my bible freely and openly - no hiding, without criticism or questioning. Do we realize how fortunate you are to have a wonderfully supportive family? And if you don't, I realize what that's like now, and my heart goes out to you. Keep going, don't let anything stop you.

3) Blogging Everyday! I miss it so much, but, sense I haven't got the opportunity lately I have been writing to myself every day in on my ipod, and Today I am going to share some of things that God has put in my heart.

So... a few thing that I have read and that have been on my heart,

Romans 8. Check it out, the amount of knowledge that God has put into this guy is massive. Listen to every word that is written in that book, after all, these are God's words to you! This is how He does it.

^22-25All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it's not only around us; it's within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We're also feeling the birth pangs. These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don't see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy.

^26-28Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.

^29-30God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him. After God made that decision of what his children should be like, he followed it up by calling people by name. After he called them by name, he set them on a solid basis with himself. And then, after getting them established, he stayed with them to the end, gloriously completing what he had begun.

^31-39So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn't hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn't gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God's chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:

They kill us in cold blood because they hate you.

We're sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.

None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I'm absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.

There it is! Nothing, NOTHING, can come between us and the love God has for us. No location, no changes in our daily patterns, nobody, no words, no unsupportive family members, or friends, or roommates, or SIN, Nothing! And that is a promise!

God has shown me so much already on this trip about what I want in life, and how I work, but also has given me a glance at the life of not having a supportive Christian family around you, or maybe you don't have the opportunities to be as free as you want to just surrender to him constantly. Keep holding on. Pray for that time, you will get it. Last night I pray for some kind of peace to just be able to blog and write you my thoughts, and look what I have been given, this is a massive blog. Thanks God.

Okay, so one last thought. It is not our job to go out there and deliver our family or roommates or friends. That is God's job, it is our job to be constantly open to what God wants us to do, and to be a light to the people who we are with while we are waiting for God to do His stuff at the perfect time.

Wow, I have missed this, time to go lay in the sun,

Colton

Day 2 - Arizona

Hey Blog Readers.
Well it is getting harder and harder to blog, so if I don't - well, this is fair warning. I feel guilty if I don't tell you.
Anyway I keep writing all my thoughts down on my ipod, but of course, when i come to the computer I forget to bring my ipod -- leave it to me.

Anyway, today the workshops start. Which is nerve racking, However, God has been putting peace on my heart. When we are calm, and peaceful, even in times of stress, people will be drawn to that, and then conversation start, etc.... In the end, you have a friend. That's what it's all about, the love.

So, smile, be peaceful, because God has it taken care of.


"It's all about the love.",
Colton

Breath

Hey guys
So I am now in Arizona, the temperature is wonderful.
It's funny, I have been flying all day, and as tiring as that is. I am super excited and... happy. Haha


I don't have a lot of time to write but just a thought for the day.
Take time, in everything you are doing and Thank God for it. Breath, and take time to enjoy the little things.
There is no better recipe for joy.

Smiling and Breathing,
Colton

Passion. Figured out.

So, just a spill of my heart through typing tonight.

Well, tomorrow morning I am headed to Phoenix Arizona. I am there for five days, then I am headed Dallas, Texas. In total I will be away from home for about two weeks. That also means away from my beloved computer. So, pray that I will find a computer to blog on throughout my travels, I like blogging. So, if there isn't a blog entry, you know the deal. I promise, I am not breaking the promise I made myself way back January. :)

So, tonight I was thinking about these trips that I am going on, the are for a dance convention. Dance and performing arts used to be a massive part of my life. It was my passion, it was my everything. Lately I have been talking about how my passion has changed, so then this thought occurred. If God has shifted my focus from the performing arts to other aspects of my life, why does he continue to put these incredible possibilities and gifts in my life? I was talking to a "spiritual father" of mine, and he said that maybe it isn't God who has put these possibilities and opportunities in our lives. The thing is, we are born with gifts, and if you are anything like me, you are constantly asking for God to throw down more gifts on your life(see story of Jabez.) So God blesses us with gifts. Isn't it true that Satan will see these gifts and try to use them for himself? The bible says that the enemy is sneaky and is always waiting to pounce. So he would totally try to put these things in your life to divert you from the path you are meant to go on.

Now, about the whole God changing passions thing. The thing is, God puts desires in our lives at different times for different reasons. Its called seasons. There will be a certain season in your life where your ministry for God will be doing a certain thing, and when God sees that You will be more effective in a different place, or you are ready and willing to go to the different place, he will open those doors, and unlock those passions in your life for you to go there. Make sense?

Jeremiah 29:11-15 ---

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ¹⁴ I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile."

or, the message version...

I'll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. ¹²"When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen.^13-14"When you come looking for me, you'll find me. "Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed." God's Decree. "I'll turn things around for you. I'll bring you back from all the countries into which I drove you"—God's Decree—"bring you home to the place from which I sent you off into exile. You can count on it.

So, a last thought, when our passions change and we are able to identify what desires God has placed in our hearts, and which opportunities are from Him, be excited! Don't think of this as a funeral of your old passions, you have simply moved on, into something that God has prepared for you, it's a gift.

So pray for me, pray that I will be God's light on my trips, that I will find ways to spark conversation and bring hope. That I will be Jesus in those conventions. Wether this is a an opportunity from God, or I didn't pay attention and this isn't exactly where I should be, God is going to use it for His glory, He can make it successful. Pray that I will have His eyes, and no matter the reason why I'm there, I will make the best of it. I find myself getting frustrated if I'm not elbow deep in full force ministry, but this is a trip, that for one reason or another, that I am going on, and I will continue to worship, Praise God, and set examples for him there.

God bless you all, and thank you. Stay posted!

Energized, Passionate, and Not wasting time,

Colton

I just re-read that and I feel like I sound like I am having no fun. Not true, I am filled with joy, and I have to thank God for that, I love and appreciate everything that I get to do, and every opportunity I've been given, I want to make sure that that gets out there. Haha

This little thing called 'sin'.

"But sin didn't, and doesn't, have a chance in competition with the aggressive forgiveness we call grace. When it's sin versus grace, grace wins hands down. All sin can do is threaten us with death, and that's the end of it. Grace, because God is putting everything together again through the Messiah, invites us into life—a life that goes on and on and on, world without end."

Romans 6:1-14 ------

^1-3So what do we do? Keep on sinning so God can keep on forgiving? I should hope not! If we've left the country where sin is sovereign, how can we still live in our old house there? Or didn't you realize we packed up and left there for good? That is what happened in baptism. When we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace—a new life in a new land!

^3-5That's what baptism into the life of Jesus means. When we are lowered into the water, it is like the burial of Jesus; when we are raised up out of the water, it is like the resurrection of Jesus. Each of us is raised into a light-filled world by our Father so that we can see where we're going in our new grace-sovereign country.

^6-11Could it be any clearer? Our old way of life was nailed to the cross with Christ, a decisive end to that sin-miserable life—no longer at sin's every beck and call! What we believe is this: If we get included in Christ's sin-conquering death, we also get included in his life-saving resurrection. We know that when Jesus was raised from the dead it was a signal of the end of death-as-the-end. Never again will death have the last word. When Jesus died, he took sin down with him, but alive he brings God down to us. From now on, think of it this way: Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word. You are dead to sin and alive to God. That's what Jesus did.

^12-14That means you must not give sin a vote in the way you conduct your lives. Don't give it the time of day. Don't even run little errands that are connected with that old way of life. Throw yourselves wholeheartedly and full-time—remember, you've been raised from the dead!—into God's way of doing things. Sin can't tell you how to live. After all, you're not living under that old tyranny any longer. You're living in the freedom of God.

Haha, what a great success! Sin can't tell us how to live. After all, we aren't even connected to sin anymore, we are living in the freedom of God! Get this, so sometimes as Christians, or even as Non-Christians, we feel like we are attached to something that continuously brings us down, that makes us feel bad about ourselves. This feeling is guilt, guilt for something that we have done. Sometimes it gets so bad that we feel we have no way out, we have done so many brutal terrible things that we are in too deep, and there is no way we can come up and recover. We are simply stuck in that lifestyle for good. *BIG ANNOYING BUZZER* That is a lie!

For Christians, sometimes we think that we need to be completely delivered and set free from everything that is owning us, truth is, we already have been and those things DON'T own us. When we accept that fact that we no longer are controlled by "sin" or by this world, that is when we see break through. The reality of the situation is that God has rescued us from everything that we ever felt "trapped" by. Jesus' last words before dying were "it is finished." All our sin, like He said, is finished. Also meaning, paid in full! Satan will try and tell us that it isn't done, that we are forever trapped in "sin", but it is our job to run so fast and straight away from him that we can clearly see that he is lying. We have to make that connection of faith in our mind that we have been dealt with, we don't belong to this horn head, Lucifer, we belong to Jesus. Heck yes, he died for us to be FREE. So guess what, we are FREE. Because... who the Son sets free is free indeed. Simple as that promise. Haha

Another thing to look at is this, yes we are FREE from being owned by sin, so let's do our part. Let's not give sin the time of day. Let's not even run little errands for sin. Let's throw our lives completely into the right way of living, the fact is, when we do this, we FULLY accept our gift of FREEDOM of sin. I feel like my words can't do this justice, but -- sin can't tell us how to live, we are free to choose how to live our lives, we have been set free, so let's take advantage of our gift and run long and hard into the path that God has made for us.

Such a love, such a love, such a love this is for me. Such an amazing love, it's an overwhelming love, such a love this for me. A love that covers me. This is Jesus, in his glory, king of heaven, dying for me. "IT IS FINISHED", He has done it, death is beaten, heaven beckons me. Death is beaten... Death, is beaten. Greater love, No one could ever show, mercy so undeserved, Freedom, I should not know.

All my sin, all of my hidden shame, died with Him on the cross. Eternity won for us.

I am chosen, I am free, I am living for eternity, free now forever. You picked me up, turned me around, set my feet on solid ground, yours now forever,

Colton