I'll take a Grande LIFE latte in a Venti cup PLZ

Aloooha!


So it's been sometime since i've posted(about 2 months), so I DO think it's time I post an update for those of you kind enough to be reading this(Mom? Bueller?)


A lot has happened actually, and I'll give you the highlights. ESPN, eat your heart out.

• Our Easter services were so much fun. All of the practicing the band did together was well worth the fun we had on the day of. 

• We had our 2nd ever North shore community Worship night on the 20th of April. That's right, we worshipped God together as a community on 4/20 (O! LEGALIZE IT!...what is IT?) Tons of youth arrived with Kai, youth pastor from The Mission church, as well as some adults. We're really starting to see the community put aside differences to worship God together! 

• On April 30th I was hired at Da Bucks, STARBUCKS that is. Yes, you are now the friend of one of the only 2 males who work at the Starbucks on the North Shore. It's been quite the doozy learning drinks and beverage sequencing, on top of that working with 90% women. I'm not sure when it'll become 2nd nature,  I'm not use to having a hard time learning a new job. Then again i've never worked with Coffee before.

• On May 2nd, Chris and Kylie Wall moved here from PA to serve the church. Chris is going to be the new Worship Director for Sunset Beach, which marks the end of my "internship". I'm now just here on over time, serving where I can, leading worship at other churches who are in need of worship leaders.

In summary of the last 2 months, It's been great. There have been stressful times, and confusing moments, but God has been Good throughout. Friendships are great, community is great, and it's only taken 6 months to get there haha. I'm not looking forward to leaving, but I am looking forward to returning in the future. Anyway, more blog entries to come sooner than later. Mahalo

Some thoughts as Easter approaches part 1

"A man who stands for nothing, will fall for anything"-Alexander Hamilton/Malcolm X

Some of us have heard this before. For me, now having been a Christian for 5 years, it definitely means much more. I can reflect now on my youth and how swayed I was by the world. I remember being in the 7th grade, listening to Dr. Dre's The Chronic 2001with my friends and being SUPER into Gangster rap. In a foreshadowing to that a few years earlier purchasing Bone thugs-in-Harmony's album 1999. Then the next year, following the trend of my friends, diving into the world of TECHNO and House music. After that came what I like to call the KROQ phase, then the "Punk" phase, then the "Hardcore" phase.

My gosh! Obviously it was music and my friends that surrounded me that I found my identity in. I could look at my past and say "Well all kids go through that, trying to find their identity etc." While that may be true I definitely see examples of this still happening with "Adults"; People in their 20s, 30s, 40s, who still haven't found their identity, still being blown and tossed by the wind.

I feel moved to share about this now because having been here in Hawaii for some time, I myself have definitely been challenged about my beliefs and what I stand for. There are many causes out there. For me, obviously it is the cause of Christ that fuels my passion, my love for people, and my desire to make him famous. I'm sold out for that. Yet I ask myself, "How am I STANDING up for that cause?" You see standing is an ACTION. I could very well be content having been able to resolve that these are my causes/beliefs etc., but if my life's actions don't reflect that, aren't I just on the sidelines? Observing others as I passively let life pass me by?

So I don't share this to discourage you, I'm mulling this over in my own life. I share this to shock you into an awareness! We should KNOW what we stand for and be able to communicate that clearly. Not only that, but the way we live our lives should REFLECT that. No more being swallowed by the current of trends. Again for me it's God and his unwavering Word, his unfailing love. I've resolved to stand on something that will last forever, something I can trust.

So let's stand-up! I think this world is definitely in need of more "Stander-uppers" and less "Sitter-downers"



Ps. "Stander-uppers" and "Sitter-downers" are both words that haven't been accepted into the dictionary....YET. I'm lookin' at you Merriam-Webster.

The past month in a jiffy.

Malasadas...do you even need to ask?

Well I've definitely lagged on the posting so here goes an update for those of you following along.

Visited home and saw as many friends and family as I possibly could in a week! Celebrated Joel's marriage to Bethany AND my Birthday in the same weekend. It was possibly the most fun I've ever had in a week ever, AND the most exhausting. I had the opportunity to perform a song for my family; the first time I ever performed for them. It was a huge moment for me because up until then all I was to them was talk. It was so much fun to be able to share with them my passion.

Came back here and on Feb. 24th had our first ever combined church worship night with The Mission and North shore christian fellowship. Approx. 50 people showed up and it was a great first ever. Planning the next one sometime after Easter.

The 25th of Feb. I was able to view and support the showing of a documentary called "Sex and Money" about Human Trafficking in the United States. The community gym was packed with people hungry for awareness. It was really neat to see people united with the desire to end injustice in this world.

STN(Surfing the Nations) came with their team of interns. Most of them were from Sweden and the rest were Canadian/South African/Australian. They helped us finish some projects around the property here.

Those are the biggest events up until now. Can you believe it's already March? It's been rather rainy on this lil' Island of ours. 11 inches of rain on average for the last week. I'm afraid of losing my SWEET tan. The rain surely has me missing my friends back home but I've become quite used to meeting and connecting with new people here on the Island. 
I need more skype time with some of you! find me if you don't have me already. My email is Marsisnotspectacular@gmail.com

woohoo! Keep praying for me here folks. Things are going very well, but very stretching! Thanks so much for all your continued support!

Well, 25 is just around the corner.

Well if you didn't know, I'll be turning 25 next week the 12th of February! Along with Abraham Lincoln who turns in his grave, and will be turning 203. Happy Early Birthday Bra-ham.

Furthermore I shall be visiting my mum and pop(pup?) on the Mainland of Cali-4-NY-AY
Should be fun. I can't wait to see family and friends!

Here at SBCC we packed 108 Blessing bags for Ron Valenciana and his Once-a-month church Ministry for the needy. Blessing bags include: a roll of toilet paper, a toothbrush, a wash cloth, a juice, a snack, and a loving bible card/verse. Pastor Ron told us that people use everything in it, even the BAG itself is useful to them. We were glad to be a part of it and hope to be of further help in the future. Pastor Ron's heart is so big.
<---Check out the video!

Meanwhile I've been here preparing for our big worship night on the 24th of Feb! (Stadium screams)I honestly am so very pumped to be a part of it  along with the other worship leaders from the surrounding churches. The last rehearsal we had went incredibly well.

Our youth are getting pumped about Camp coming up. We'll be joining the other youth groups on this side of the Island for a huge  Spring camp.

James and I at the mall. Chinese new year is the year of the Dragon.
I love this lady to the right's reaction.

James re-enacting a cliff-hanger scene

James(my temp. rommate!) have been going on adventures and misadventures here and there. Here are some pictures!

Climbing to the top

I can't believe the Lord really came through.

Have you ever prayed for a miracle? I know we all need one, or have been in need of one in the past. A financial miracle, a physical healing, a relationship healing; God still works miracles today. They aren't just a thing of the past, Miracles happen in the now when the Spirit moves. What I have begun to notice is that when they occur, we are generally shocked. It's quite funny.

                                                             For example, in 2010 I was raising support for my 2nd Missions trip to the Dominican Republic. Funds were coming in much slower than I had planned(I planned, thats funny), having raised around $200-$300 by which time I needed at least TWICE that. I was beginning to see my hopes of going fade away. If I was to go it was going to HAVE to be a miracle. I remember one night at one of our conferences at The Cause (while Anthony and I prepared one of our skits), Caz came up to me and said "How much do you still need to go to the DR? Someone wants to give some support." I told her straight up, "I need somewhere around $1500." Caz left for a moment, came back, and said this "Ok Lou, you're trip has been paid for, you're all set." I was speechless. Who in their right mind would help me with that much support? God really works through people. We truly are His hands and feet. Whoever it was wasn't using their "right mind", they were using their heart for God. I was truly blessed. Shocked and blessed.


As I was reading in Luke this morning the Lord opened my eyes to this revelation: We often pray for miracles with a hint of doubt. As if to leave a back-door open just in case the Lord doesn't come through.  In Luke chapter 1 we find Zechariah in the temple burning incense. An Angel of the Lord appears to him and it reads "When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear-Luke 1:13"
The Angel opens up with, "Do not be afraid..." as he often does. If you continue reading the Angel also appears to Mary(the Virgin) and again must say, "Do not be afraid...". As I read this I could almost see the expression on the Angels face. I think that the Angel is saying more than just "Do not be afraid of ME" but is also saying "Do not doubt, the Lord is with you" or "Why are you so surprised? Doesn't the Lord come through?"

In our Spirit we believe and follow the Lord. It's our flesh that's to blame for our disbelief. Galatians 5:17 says this, "For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want."

 I have to admit to the Lord that I  do wrestle against unbelief. I love the story in Mark chapter 9, when a man asks Jesus to heal his son. The man exclaims "...I DO believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" That prayer has become one of my favorites. Just one of the moments that I am at my most sincere with God. I have to admit that I HAVE unbelief, and then ask for HIS strength to overcome it.

I pray this finds you well and encourages you to keep pressing on. Final 2 days of fasting. God is Awesome!

PS - The option to give and support me financially is always there. I'm getting creative in how to raise some support here myself. I'm starting with collecting cans! Odd jobs are next! The support button under the picture to my right works too!
 

Fasting, praying, going, staying

It's day 19 of our 21 day fast. I'm getting excited to be complete. I've been seeking God for wisdom on a number of things during, and it's incredible what has happened already.

We(myself, Sam, Spencer and Tyler) had our first rehearsal this past Tuesday in the chapel here at Sunset Beach Christian. After having been e-mailing each other songs for the past couple weeks, I could really feel our excitement at finally meeting up and beginning to live out this vision God placed in us. It was becoming real. Now it's not just a paper idea. We had a successful rehearsal and prayed for God to give us further wisdom and encouragement. I must say that as we rehearsed I really began to miss the Movement band. Daniel Clark, Chris Kim, Scott Greytak, James Larson, and of course James Paek and David Brunelle. I can't wait to see them in February!

Another adventure included a friend of mine ,Colleen. Colleen is recovering from a foot injury that she incurred a few months ago and so can't drive herself long distances. This is where I come to the rescue! I rode my bike over to her home and chauffeured her to Target. I previously did not even know there WAS a Target on the Island. Apparently there's two....btw Target is awesome and terribly addicting. Probably a good thing its 30-45 minutes away.

After a couple hours at Target(Tar-jay) we proceeded to a health foods store called Down to Earth. What a cool place! Reminded me of a Henry's. I can't wait to need to restock my shelves with stuff so that I can go back and buy food there!

After Down to Earth we went and closed down Costco. Boy do I love Costco, more-so when i'm not fasting though. Costco is such a delightful place. It's like Disneyland for Groceries. As you can tell we went to a few places on our trip. Here on the North shore, when you go into town it's likely you are running multiple errands. You have to be in order to really justify your trip.

Finally Teresa made an appearance on the Island and we hung out a couple times actually! It was so great to see a familiar from-home face. Hanging out with her family was a great way to spend my Monday/day-off.

Well that's pretty much all for now. I do have a roommate for a little bit while i'm here. It's proven to be pretty interesting. The whole going from living alone to now having another body here. We're still getting to know each other so I'm hoping after this fast we'll be able to connect over some great food. Food has that power to really bring people together....mmmm....Togetherness.

Chilly days in Haleiwa town

Its Januray 9th, around 60 degrees here! I'm cold! HAHA how are you faring?

This first week and a half of 2012 has been so incredible already. I'm SO pumped for the rest of the year to pan out.

This past Tuesday I had the great opportunity to meet with a few of the worship leaders from the North shore Area: Tyler and Spencer from North Shore Christian Fellowship, and Sam from the Mission. We talked about the need for our community to have a time of worship in which the whole community comes together, that is, starting with the 3 church communities. I was so excited to hear their hearts. It was encouraging for me to know that others here are willing to fight this battle. 

Sam shared, "...I've been to a plenty of dark places on mission trips, but when I visited here for the first time I felt a heaviness like no other..."

I felt that statement rung true. I have had the opportunity to be amongst the poor and very needy. I find though, that those people are the ones most open to receiving a better life with Christ, that is if they don't already have one. They already have the attitude of "there is more to be had than this". Here in paradise though it seems people are for the most part satisfied and content with life as it is. Its hard to imagine a better life among these amazing beaches, amazing homes. "What could be better than what I have?" Someone must share with them the Joy that we have in Christ (Romans 10: 14-15), that all this beauty will fade away.

Truth is we all need God equally. We ALL need God.

So I'm excited to be a part of our worship nights. We'll be rehearsing next week!

Hau'oli Makahiki Hou!

Happy new Year And Merry Christmas!
Hau'oli Makahiki Hou!  Mele Kalikimaka!

My first holidays away from home were tough, but I was glad for the growing experience. I just now finished my thank you cards and I'm just about ready to mail them out. I'm excited to continue sharing with you all the great things that are happening out here on the North shore of Oahu

Here are some of the highlights that happened in December

• We partnered with the North Shore Christian Fellowship and The Mission church for an outreach at the local skatepark (Banzai) Tons of food and giveaways and a short documentary film was shared about a well-known successful skater, Christian Hosoi, and his encounter with Christ. Kids had a great time and there was a number of kids who responded to the Salvation invitation.
• My friend Danny from home realized I had a need for a camera. So he sent me one! It arrived Christmas Eve, just in time! Now you'll be seeing more pictures!
• Our Christmas Eve service was tons of fun. Many visitors, and we had a great time in prayer
• My friends Nick and Kirsten had their first baby boy! His name is Luke! I got to hold him when he was barely more than a day old. That was an experience!
• I went caroling with some of the carolers from our church. It was nothing like Caroling with Corey Hirsch and the carolers from the Cause, but it sure was an experience haha. 

There really is so much more to share now that we're in this New year! I'll save it for the next post though, which will come sooner than later. Thanks so much again to those of you who responded to my last support letter. Your support is the only way I can really make it here. God works through you! Are any of you fasting? I started fasting with the Cause on the 1st. Its day 4/21: one of the hardest days for me. I'll get through it! I'm hungry for God to move this year. Here are a couple of my favorite Christmas lit houses/buildings from the Neighbor hood that I took with my new little cam cam: