A Whole Lot of Coffee & a Few Thoughts

Of a short life... This past weekend was Easter weekend, a weekend meant for celebration of a Risen King . And while I did just that, I celebrated with a heavy heart . On Saturday night, I got word that a guy I knew  had been killed in a car wreck. Now let me get this straight, I wasn't best friends with the guy, and it wouldn't be fair to even say we were close cause we weren't. Devin Roach was only 21 when his life was taken in a car accident. Three other passengers suffered injuries, one severe. I knew Devin because he was only a year older than I was and went to the same school until I transferred my sophomore year. I went to school with him and I'm pretty sure we were on the same team of county baseball one year but other but that's about as close as we were. As we grew older, I might have saw him at a party, gave the occasional hey and a handshake but that was it. So it puzzled me when I became so down and heavy-hearted when I heard of his death. This simi...

Here I sit, on Holy Thursday, the day before Good Friday, the day when around 2000 years ago, Jesus sat, grievously awaiting the next day. You see, Jesus knew that 2000 years ago tomorrow, he would pay the ultimate price...he would be tortured, beat, and murdered in the most horrible way, but he didn't turn back. He could have  ended it all in the blink of an eye, a snap of the finger, but He didn't. He took it all, the beatings, the ripping and tearing of his skin, and the pouring out of his blood....and he did it all for you. For you and me. For every single person on this earth today. Imagine, knowing that tonight would be your last night on Earth. Imagine knowing the amount of pain, suffering and eventual crucifixion that would be bestowed upon you in a mere 24 hours from now. Now take that a step further, imagine going through all that, to save the very people that were doing this horrible, tragic and gruesome things to you. Some people say that the Jews killed Jesus, I wo...

10:36 pm at night. Sitting in my best friend, Will Biestek's room, having a relaxing weekend here at HPU.This has been a great weekend so far, but as I sit here my heart is heavy. My heart is heavy because of all the students here who are lost and looking for something to fill the void, so they choose to party and get drunk. My heart is heavy because I once one of those students . Literally since we woke up today, there has been partying going on beside Will's dorm. I never really thought I would be affected by something like this, but I guess whatever is heartbreaking to Jesus has become something that breaks my heart as well. Honestly, Im sure I dont know most of those people who are partying but I long for them to experience the hope, joy, and peace that I have experienced. I just want to go over there, stand up on the table, and scream: "There is more to life than this!!!" Please don't take this as me judging them, because its far from it. I know the ...

So here I sit, all comfortable in the Starbucks on Calhoun drinking my tea latte, without a worry in the world. It pains me to know to that half way across the world, at this very moment, someone in Swaziland, Africa is suffering from the effects of HIV/AIDS. How is it fair that I'm a healthy college student and my Swazi counterparts are a third of the way through their lives according to their life expectancy? Approximately 42.6% of the population of Swaziland is infected with this horrible, lifetaking disease. The worst part, some were born with it , having a death mark put on them before they were born. Although I question why, I know that God has an ultimate plan for the people of Swaziland. I firmly believe in Jeremiah 29:11 which states, " For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "A plan to prosper, not to harm you, a plan for a hope and a future." I'm extremely blessed to be able to say that God chose me, along with 5 other extraord...