for the city center update...

here is a video that our church recently released that gives an update on god has been using the for the center city in austin.
The For the City Center from The Austin Stone on Vimeo.

never once...

this song has been in my head for weeks. i mean it is on repeat on my ipod. the lyrics are powerful.  give them a read below and listen to the song. trust me, you are going to want to buy it.

Verse 1

Standing on this mountaintop 

Looking just how far we've come 

Knowing that for every step 

You were with us 

Verse 2

Kneeling on this battle ground 

Seeing just how much You've done 

Knowing every victory 

Is Your power in us 

Pre-Chorus

Scars and struggles on the way 

But with joy our hearts can say 

Yes, our hearts can say 

Chorus 1

Never once did we ever walk alone 

Never once did You leave us on our own 

You are faithful, God, You are faithful 

Repeat Verse 2

Repeat Pre-Chorus

Chorus 2

Never once did we ever walk alone 

Never once did You leave us on our own 

You are faithful, God, You are faithful 

You are faithful, God, You are faithful 

Bridge

Scars and struggles on the way 

But with joy our hearts can say 

Never once did we ever walk alone 

Carried by Your constant grace 

Held within Your perfect peace 

Never once, no, we never walk alone 

Ending Chorus

Never once did we ever walk alone 

Never once did You leave us on our own 

You are faithful, God, You are faithful 

Every step we are breathing in Your grace 

Evermore we'll be breathing out Your praise 

You are faithful, God, You are faithful 

You are faithful, God, You are faithful

sermon on the mount...

for the next 4 weeks our church is going through a video series that was filmed in israel this summer. the purpose of the series is to focus on who the person of jesus was.  this week, matt literally just read the sermon on the mount, while various views of israel are seen in the background. it is about 20 minutes, but it is well worth your time. 


Sermon on the Mount from The Austin Stone on Vimeo.

my hope is built...

my hope is built on nothing less than...
money,
being well liked,
getting enough sleep,
getting married,
having a baby,
having a diet coke... and the list goes on.

you see i know that the line of that hymn is "my hope is built on nothing less than jesus blood and righteousness..." but my heart often trusts those other frames rather than leaning on jesus' name. 

there are lots of things that i hope for and i look for those things not from jesus, but from all things around me. if i was married, then..., if i had more money, then..., if i am accepted/loved by this person, then...

my heart clearly does not believe or see that jesus blood and righteousness has given me all that i need.  not just for heaven, but for now.  my hope for security is built on his promise to never leave or forsake me, to provide all that i need.  my hope for acceptance is built on his sacrifice on the cross - all of my sins and flaws are covered in grace because of his death and resurrection. i don't have to worry about others affirming me or accepting me, because all of my fears of being unloved or unacceptable are put to rest in jesus's love and pursuit of me.  my hope to be able to make ends meet is built on the promise that he who did not spare his own son will with him graciously give us all things. 

what are you hoping for?  where are looking to find that? trust me, it is found in jesus.

"i think i can license you next week..."

As I read those words on my computer screen on Thursday, I was flooded with all kinds of emotions. I think I am ready. After all the Lord planted this idea in my mind two years ago. I am excited to see what God is going to do. I am excited to see my child's face. I am excited to have the chance to teach them the gospel. I am excited to decorate their room with stuff they like. I am excited to give them gifts. Oh man I am excited!

Buuuuuuuut I am equally as nervous. Nervous about all the unknown. Nervous to know what my child is like. To know what has been done to them and not know how to help heal them. Nervous about doing this alone. Nervous about having enough money. Nervous about how I am going to balance work and parenting. Nervous about all the change that is about to happen. I don't really care for change.

But I know that faithful is he who called me and he will do it. He who did not spare his own son, will he not also with him graciously give us all things? God cares for this child more than I could. And those are the truths I am clinging to.

Needless to say my emotions are unpredictable right now. Somewhere between excited and nervous. So watch out...

spotify...

i love music. in fact i had to create a line in my budget for the amount of money that i spend on music.  i try to use applications such a pandora and grooveshark to help satisfy my love for music for free.  well there is a new app that has replaced both.  it is called spotify.  you can listen to ANY music (of just about any music) all the time for FREE on your laptop.  i mean you can use to play anything.  just wednesday i used to create a playlist for a game we were playing in staff meeting.  if you use the free version (which i am) you can play any music on your laptop as long as you are connected to the internet. you can create playlists, share playlists, subscribe to playlists, etc.  there are adds that play in the free version, but i don't mind them.  if you pay $4.99/month you can get rid of the adds, but that is not worth it to me yet.  if you pay $9.99/month you can get offline access and download music to your iphone, ipad, ipod, or other portable music player.  i love this.  i use it to listen to music all the time.  i also love that i can listen to a new album in its entirety and decide if i want to add it to my DJ repertoire. i am also excited about having this at my disposal when i am DJing an event. check out more info below or go here to sign up.


Spotify is Here! from Spotify on Vimeo.