Nothing is accidental. He has a plan.

Dude. I'm getting wrecked. The last couple LT services were just so good for me. I just got to get out a lot of what's been aching and I got to do it in front of the whole group. I'll get more into that later.

Right now I'm loving this place. This growth. Being surrounded by people who are all wanting to radically follow Jesus has led to so many great conversations and its only been a couple of weeks that I've even been here. We just had our second project group day yesterday and that has been a totally heart melting experience with the vulnerability and openness of the group along with the feeling of family and how there is a goal of intentional relationships between us. I just know that I'm in the right place because God is showing me in so many different ways.

The relationships I've been growing in are the first clue. The guys I work with both the rough ones and the Christians alike are becoming some of my best friends here and I'm just really blessed there. Working with people I enjoy makes work a lot easier than I had thought it was going to be.
Its also a bit challenging though. One guy in particular told me the other day that he was an atheist and that was such a blatant challenge that I have been presented with. I struggled with that and now I have a chance to maybe help him out. Influence more than influenced.

Then there's the Project Group relationships. I can't state enough that I love my project group and our love for each other. Everyone is so encouraging and loving. We've been telling each other our testimonies every project day. Dustin and Leslie (our project leaders) have really put a challenge on our group to be open and vulnerable with each other and I feel as if we have all just opened up so well. I just feel so comfortable talking to everyone in the group. We've been so supportive of each other and so good at keeping each other accountable in these first couple weeks. Its been a bit surprising actually how serious the group has been taking these relationships. Pleasant surprise of course. Its just an awesome community here.

The services are hitting me so dead center recently also. Neal Kring gave the last two talks and both of them were just what I needed to hear from somebody that I think I can relate to in a lot of places. The one on Tuesday I shared my testimony before we started which was good for me to get out in front of everyone. Some of my struggles can't just be beaten by myself and I believe the 184 people there that heard my talk could be a really good support group as I work through my beefs. Its already proven to be a pretty awesome decision too because people here have been really supportive and encouraging. They usually know just what to say to me also. His sermons had a point that we have to remember constantly that no matter what we do or how guilty or crappy we feel that God loves us more than we can imagine. We can't do anything to make him love us any more or any less. It was just a good reminder for me. This summer has just had a resonating theme of Love and how to Love that has been affecting me so deeply. I don't think I'll go back home very much the same guy at all. Exciting and kinda scary at the same time.

Shoot this thing is all over the place.

Jack got baptized last night! I've been making it a point to pray a lot more this summer which is kinda new to me when its about everything. Where I used to just ask God for a lot of things when stuff was rough I want more to converse with Him about everything good and bad. Its been so good and with Jack getting baptized its just been really cool to have prayers answered.

On a less serious note (but just as important fo sho) I learned how to cast a fly fishing rod today. I accidentally sat at an older person table at breakfast this morning and I got to talking with a professional fly fishing guide. He was taking another guy from our table out today to teach him a few things and I told him I was interested in learning this summer. His wife made him take me along which I kinda laughed at but it ended up being a really cool experience. I totally got the hook-ups too. Hes gonna take me fishing all summer and as soon as I get my own rod and flies and license I'll just get to go wherever I want and catch all the fish I can. I just wish I could get my Papa Gene out here so I can do it with him. Maybe we can fly fish when I get home. That'd be totally awesome.

I'm not even gonna try to predict when the next blog is gonna come...(my 'rents flipped out that it took this long)