Prom Night - After

Hi Folks!

Well I am glad to report that I had a wonderful time last night.

I was right in my blog, and it felt good. I felt relief all night.

Before prom we took pictures, among pictures, and smiled lots, then we walked in, which felt like the red carpet!

Then we ate lots and lots, which felt good, and I drove a crowd to after prom, where I proceeded not to drink, which also felt as good as consuming the food! :)

Through out the night so many people came to ask if I was drinking, I don't know.. I hope somehow it made someone think something, or something registered in their head.

Anyway, tomorrow we will start up with Day 24 of our enjoying the silence. It's exciting we are almost finished, I feel like I haven't talked with you guys about my life in a while. In six days the show Grease is opening, I'm playing Danny Zuko, and I am pumped! If you live here, come see it. I also have a dance show Friday, so I am busy, but never the less, enjoying every minute of it!

Tonight has been a night of discussion, I've talked to a few people tonight about love, joy, family, peace, future plans, etc. And to be honest, my fingers hurt from typing. God, thank you for computers.... and fingers! The typing was worth it... through out all the talks I realized a lot, and I think I forgot how much I loved learning from talking about things.

God, give me more and more knowledge, and opportunities to help people, to let people know that they are loved like crazy, and that nothing is too difficult to get through, that life is to be enjoyed, and you have it all taken care of.

I love you, you know that.

-Colton

Prom Night

Hey Guys and Gals!

Well, yesterday I said I wouldn't blog today, but I can't help myself. I'll blog early.

I just had a really good... "moment."

I was kind of getting ready for prom tonight, and I was just thinking about after prom, and what is going to happen and how am I going to handle things, etc.

Then the song 'I Exalt Thee' started playing, by Jesus Culture. All of a sudden I felt at such peace it was insane! I started journaling, and writing down lyrics, and I hadn't done that in a while, and I finally felt relaxed about it all.

I wrote in my journal, "God thank you! I've made up my mind, I am in control of my life, and I am taking everything for you God." I will never stop singing your praises. As I was writing I felt relief. I guess God wasn't going to let me feel relief until I made up in my mind what was going to happen.

OH man.... Have you ever been in one of those moods where you can't describe how you feel? Yah, I apologize for that, I hope you can kind of see what I'm trying to say.

At first I was a little worried about going to after prom, I mean it's all alcohol, all drunk, etc. I've never really seen anything good come from that. Yet, I figured, couldn't I do more by going there and setting an example then not going at all, copping out on it? However, the argument was raised, why would you put yourself in that position of temptation. The thing is, I just KNOW that I am not going to give in. I am not going to. Straight up. God is holding onto my hand, and there isn't a chance I am letting go. Maybe this is stupid, maybe I should just sit home alone, but the thing is.. I just hate the way that looks. Colton the Christian boy can't go out because he isn't allowed to, because he is Christian. I want it to be like, Colton, the Christian guy, is coming out to hang with the people He cares about, but isn't drinking because He has values. Surprisingly enough, people respect that second scenario a whole lot more... Hmmm.. It's like being an ambassador for Christ. That's what I am. God guides me, and protects me, and I can absolutely guarantee I will have a cool story for you tomorrow night!

God, I want to praise you in everything I do, everywhere I go. I won't stop singing. We exalt Thee. Ahhh.

We shall talk tomorrow.

-Colton

Day 23 - Enjoy the Silence

Hi my friends.

Well, I am going to be honest and say that these thirty days seem to be super long! But hey, only seven to go! Tomorrow night I won't get to blog, but you better bet that I'll be here writing as soon as I get chance after that.

So, here we go. Day 23! :)

John 20:11-18 ---

¹¹but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb ¹²and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

¹³They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?"

"They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him." ¹⁴At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

¹⁵"Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?"
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him."

¹⁶Jesus said to her, "Mary."
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).

¹⁷Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' "

¹⁸Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her.

Okay, this threw me off, what Jesus says back to Mary. Take a minute to put yourself in her position. Standing face to face with God on Easter, and then he says something like "Don't cling to me, I've not returned to the father yet." How do you feel? I'm almost embarrassed. Haha

Maybe Jesus was saying to Mary, "There is more to this story that you don't know. By clinging to what you know, you may miss out on what you have to discover. So, Mary knew Jesus as a teacher. What do you know Jesus as? Friend, co-pilot, Dad, Mr. Rogers? But... what if your desire to cling to what you know about jesus is exactly what stands in the way of your getting to know Him better? What if God wants to introduce us to a completely new dimension of who He is? What if He wants to be more for us then we now know Him to be? Following? Haha

Why are we so comfortable to cling to safe, comfortable notions of Jesus?

Okay, picture yourself looking into the face of Jesus. Don't rush this. What do you see, what do you hear? God is saying "There is so much more to know, so much more to see - don't cling."

Okay, as you journal... do you think that Jesus might want to open to you a story bigger than the one you've known, a picture bigger than the one you've seen - a Jesus deeper and more awesome than you know Him to be?

This silence made a lot of sense to me. :)

-Colton

You're beautiful

Hi Folks!

So tonight, I needed a break from the silence.

I just needed to look at the Beauty that is constantly surrounding me.

Don't take it for granted.

I see Your face in every sunrise

The colors of the morning are inside Your eyes

The world awakens in the light of the day

I look up to the sky and say

You're beautiful

I see Your power in the moonlit night

Where planets are in motion and galaxies are bright

We are amazed in the light of the stars

It's all proclaiming who You are

You're beautiful, You're beautiful

I see you there hanging on a tree

You bled and then you died and then you rose again for me

Now you are sitting on Your heavenly throne

Soon we will be coming home

You're beautiful, you're beautiful

When we arrive at eternity's shore

Where death is just a memory and tears are no more

We'll enter in as the wedding bells ring

Your bride will come together and we'll sing

You're beautiful, You're beautiful, You're beautiful

I see Your face, You're beautiful, You're beautiful, You're beautiful

I see Your face, You're beautiful, You're beautiful, You're beautiful

I see Your face, I see Your face

-Phil Wickham

Each morning, when I open my eyes, I say to myself ;
I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be.
yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it."
-Groucho Marx

Breathe and Enjoy

-Colton

Day 22 - Enjoy the Silence

Psalm 37:3-7 ----

³ Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

⁴ Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

⁵ Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:

⁶ He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

⁷ Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Hey my friends! Well, sadly I didn't get to blog last night. Unexpectedly we went camping, which is awesome. I love my campground, and trailer, right on the water, it's excellent. However, I am sorry for missing a day of blogging. Summer is here, and it feels so good! I have a sun burn, but a good kind. Make sense? Haha. Anyway...

DAY 22

Get yourself comfortable. Breathe a few times, just relax. Place yourself in a position, both mentally and physically, of stillness and silence. "Be still before the Lord." Let those words wash over you. Wait patiently. No movements, no thoughts, just God. Give Him space, give Him time. Be still. Wait.

What do you hear in the silence? Do you feel God? How about... do you hear the sound of your own breathing? Street noises outside your window? People talking? Or was your silence interrupted by your own demanding thoughts, questioning today's plans, remembering yesterday, or rehearsing the "lines" for today's "performance"?

Waiting in silence, being still, that whole thing is so difficult! First, it's hard because it requires patience. Second;y, it's tough because there are so many noises that seem to drown out God's voice in our lives. Finally, third, because if we are honest, we are waiting for someone or something else to give us the desire of our hearts.

Try to go to your quiet place again. Be still. Be quiet.

Breathe in, three times, with each breath tune out the distractions of this world. Journal your thoughts about your time with God.

Be patient, God will give you the desires of your heart.

-Colton

Day 21 - Enjoy the Silence

Genesis 1:26-31 ---

²⁶ Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

²⁷ So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.

²⁸ God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."

²⁹ Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. ³⁰ And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food." And it was so.

³¹ God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.

BONJOURNO!

This helped me a lot this morning, before you read and meditate, take three deep breathes. Now, tough somewhere on your body where you can feel your heart beat, whether it's your pulse or your actual hand on your heart. Feel that remarkable rhythm? Its the sound of life. It's the sound of what keeps you alive.

But how did you get here? Was it by chance - a biological gamble? Was it simply a bi-product of two humans beings joined together by a sexual act? Was it nothing more than another step in the inevitable march of human history?

No.

God made you in His image. It's an amazing thought. OKay read the following phrase five different ways. After each time stop and let your mind and heart wrap around the truth of it.

God made me in His image.

God made me in His image.

God made me in His image.

God made me in His image.

God made me in His image.

Are you getting it? You're not an accident! You being brought to life was a grand design. Not only did God think you creation was good, he thought it was very good! Breathe deeply again. Fill your lungs with the God given air. Try to breathe in the wonder of being created as a grand design.

Journal your feelings about which of the five "God made" statements means the most to you.

God made me in His image.

-Colton

Day 20 - Enjoy the Silence

Hi there!

Well we are at day 20, ten more to go. Today's is short with lots of scripture, so buckle in, and to make sure you get the most out of it, why not pray that God will really speak to you through these words. :)

Luke 22:54-62 ---

^54-56Arresting Jesus, they marched him off and took him into the house of the Chief Priest. Peter followed, but at a safe distance. In the middle of the courtyard some people had started a fire and were sitting around it, trying to keep warm. One of the serving maids sitting at the fire noticed him, then took a second look and said, "This man was with him!"

⁵⁷He denied it, "Woman, I don't even know him."

⁵⁸A short time later, someone else noticed him and said, "You're one of them."

But Peter denied it: "Man, I am not."

⁵⁹About an hour later, someone else spoke up, really adamant: "He's got to have been with him! He's got 'Galilean' written all over him."

^60-62Peter said, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about." At that very moment, the last word hardly off his lips, a rooster crowed. Just then, the Master turned and looked at Peter. Peter remembered what the Master had said to him: "Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times." He went out and cried and cried and cried.

How do you think Peter felt, knowing what he did? When have you felt this way? What are some ways you felt like you've betrayed Jesus in your everyday life? Journal it.

Now read about a later encounter between Jesus and Peter. :)

John 21:15-19 ---

¹⁵After breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?"

"Yes, Master, you know I love you."

Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."

¹⁶He then asked a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?"

"Yes, Master, you know I love you."

Jesus said, "Shepherd my sheep."

^17-19Then he said it a third time: "Simon, son of John, do you love me?"

Peter was upset that he asked for the third time, "Do you love me?" so he answered, "Master, you know everything there is to know. You've got to know that I love you."

Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. I'm telling you the very truth now: When you were young you dressed yourself and went wherever you wished, but when you get old you'll have to stretch out your hands while someone else dresses you and takes you where you don't want to go." He said this to hint at the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. And then he commanded, "Follow me.

Replay this in your mind as you read it again... but this time imagine it is you standing on the beach. Jesus is speaking right to you. What is he saying? How do you respond? Write out how you think the conversation would go in your journal.

:)

P.S. I AM FINISHED EXAMS! Praise God. No more grade eleven for me.

You are my passion.

-Colton