"I'm doing what I love and loving what I'm doing!" I said to my grandma, who called me the other day to catch up. I lived with her for 2 and 1/2 years after my grandpa died and we've had a close relationship since. She replied in her cute, shaky, Newyorker accent "I'm so happy for you Josh." God has been so good." Yeah…God had been so good.
I'm sitting on the back porch of our CGA ministry house( which I couldn't love more) drinking a cup of coffee and my mind can't stop thinking of all the reasons I have to praise Jesus in this season of life. Let me tell you what I mean…
First off..we live in this great little house with a ton of character, not too far from the center of town in Gainesville. We have 8 CGA ladies living with us. These ladies are so awesome. They've been so honoring to Bri and I, they love Ezra, and have even babysat a handful of times so Bri and I could escape on some date nights. We love the community and the housing is always full of worship, great food, and awesome conversations. God has redeemed our view of community so much through these girls and this house, and for that I'm so grateful. 
I'm the current Director of Worship at Adventures. For those of you that know me would know that this job was tailored to fit who I am and what I love to do. The Father has brought me to some crazy, intimate places recently and I can't even begin to describe the joy that has welled up in me in these times. He has grown me so much in my leadership. I've always known he was calling me to lead people and I come alive when I get to lead people into his presence and see them radically changed in that place. In a way it's like having a seat at the scene in scripture where Moses saw the Lord and his face radiated because of the brilliant light in that place. Leading people into that place of intimacy and then seeing them changed, freed, broken, built up, filled, and poured out is one of the greatest privileges and joys of my life.
Another reason I'm more that ecstatic is that I get the opportunity to lead 12 amazing worshippers "further up and further in" as C.S. Lewis would call it, into the presence of God and into greater knowledge of the Trinity. Father, Son, and Spirit play such critical roles in the life of a believer. It blows my mind how many Christians are so comfortable with who Jesus is and what he has done for them but have little knowledge of God the Father and God the Spirit. How important is it for this generation, who are for the most part fatherless, to know the all loving, perfect, forgiving, jealous, holy, dream giving, Father of Heaven? Equally important would be the knowledge of God the Holy Spirit. Again I would ask how important is it for a generation who have gone so spiritually astray and have for the most part forsaken holiness and purity to seek holiness, purity, true conviction, empowerment for ministry, gifting, and Truth found in the Holy Spirit. Jesus said to his boys that he had to leave so he could send the Spirit and it would be that Spirit that would lead them into all Truth. It's been so cool to see my ministry students to walk in a greater understanding of who the Father is and watch as chains of rejection, disapproval, false identity, self-hatred, guilt, and shame fall to the ground, not to be picked up again. There is truly no more condemnation for those who are in Christ (Romans 8.) It's also been so fun to watch worship just explode out of this place of joy, freedom, and approval in the Father. Our times of corporate worship look like a family throwing a huge party for their Father. It's a symphony of singing, dancing, shouting, laughing, and celebration, all from a place of joy in the only God worthy of such praise. I think we are scratching the surface of the worship that David described in the Psalms. We grab every instrument we have and strum, pluck, drum, and stomp to our hearts desire. I know Heaven shows up as our audience and the Father is so pleased. I hope that doesn't sound prideful. I just know that even as an earthly father, whatever my baby girl does I'm so proud of. When she calls my name and runs to me to be picked up or wants me to play with her, or go to the park, or do anything with her for that matter, I'm overwhelmed with joy and love for her. How much more is the perfect Father of Heaven madly in love with His kids?
As you may have suspected I'm loving being a husband and father. These are my greatest joys and privileges. It still freaks me out some days when I have that Ah Hah! moment that I'm a husband to the most incredible woman I know. Equally freak out worthy is the realization that I'm father to the most beautiful little girl in this world. Fathering Ezra has been my greatest trial and my greatest pleasure yet in my 27 years of life. It's so amazing and scary to see her in me and me in her. I imagine the Father feels this way about us.
I was supposed to sit down and write a blog to catch you up on what Bri and I are doing down here in Georgia…I hope this suffices..and as Indigo Montoya from the Princess Bride would say.."there is too much, let me sum up.
-God is good
-I'm loving life
-Being a husband and father is incredible
-Worship is bigger than I ever could have imagined
-God is better than I will ever comprehend
-Josh
