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church shopping

2 comments Posted by Jason Stansel at 7:14 PM


Today the Clermont Crew went church shopping. It was pretty exciting, really...I have a couple pictures but you can't really tell what's happening. There was one building that I think would have been PERFECT but the guy said someone else was already interested. It's an old brick factory in downtown Clermont that looks really cool. On one wall, the plaster is cracking away and you can see the brick. We saw lots of potential here. We also looked at a foreclosed house (which I wasn't keen on) and some industrial and commercial space. The conclusion we came to: God will put us wherever He'd have us.

I'm liking this crazy bunch...we have fun and I think the Lord will move in a beautiful way through this church plant. I like our hearts...they are genuine and hungry.

Right now, we are trying to come up with a cool, meaningful name that will say something about our church. Any ideas? Mercy Hill, Redemption Church, and maybe something like BigSky are along our likes of thinking. BigSky is a cool name, but its the name of a church that fell apart about a year ago. So...maybe not a good idea. I'll be posting a link to our new website sometime soon, hopefully...whenever we get that up.

Also this weekend... my family and I went to see my cousin Ashley in "Lil' Abner." Our waitress "swore" she new me from somewhere and kept on about it. I think she liked me. So did everyone else. Although...she did look sort of familiar? Anyway...there are the pictures. My sister in the one on the left...I had an awesome one of her that made her look totally retarded but I was forced to delete. My cousin Katie (I freaking love her.) is in the middle and the poster child for doting grandmothers is there on the right. We love her.

Fact: My grandmother still pays for us whenever we all go out to eat. After the play, she forced my married, 23 year old sister (she looks young) to order a salad. So she did. And then only got grapes. Grams didn't mind though, saying, "Well she ate a good many grapes!" We can do no wrong in her eyes.

My phone has a terrible camera, I'm just realizing. This is ashley...she was Daisy May, or something. lol I can't remember, but it was a great play.

Great weekend...really. There is a lot going on, a lot that I'm learning, and very much to look forward to! This weekend I'm heading over to my friend Sam's house to learn a good acoustic set and (hopefully) have band rehearsal for our thing on the 13th of August.

"Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16



 

music and jesus prays for me

2 comments Posted by Jason Stansel at 5:56 PM

Today is an incredible day of peace for me. I talked to Sam today and he gave me dates for the next times the band will be leading worship. The next one is at Annistown Road Baptist Church on August 13, and I am really excited. We are also going to get together before and after band rehearsal to nail down a solid acoustic set for me (I'm not a good guitar player...yet). So far, I know I want to do Hallelujah by Bethany Dillon and Yearn by Shane & Shane.

The other day, someone gave me the new Jeremy Riddle album (along with two Phil Wickham albums AND Robbie Seay Band's new stuff...I have great friends) and I am blown away. The song "God of All Glory" is just incredible!

"I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you have them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name - the name you gave me - so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled."

How awesome is our Lord?

 

book list and suffering turned to joy

0 comments Posted by Jason Stansel at 4:34 AM

there's really no reason for me to post this morning except that I wanted to post a picture. just for the sake of posting a picture. so, here are all the books I am in the middle of reading. A few of them I started a long, long time ago and am now determined to finish. 


Heart of the Artist
Orthodoxy
The Pursuit of Holiness
Songs of Heaven
This huge max lucado book my sister bought me with three volumes 
lol and the Bible...i didn't mean to have that one on there.

Heart of the Artist is incredible. I'm embarking on this new call to worship and it is really helping me get a new appreciation of what's happening in the church these days as far as the arts are concerned. Churches are investing a little money (some too much) in the arts and are buying great music equipment, drama sets, etc. I think it's  great, but you know there are always those people...I am starting to understand a lot more of who I am as an artist and I now understand a little more of how important it is for me to be in community with fellow artists. 

"I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be made complete." John 16:20-24

I read these verses this morning...but since my study bible was stolen (or probably lost, really) I don't have much insight. I do know that it gives me hope; it is extremely important to identify with Christ's sufferings but that doesn't make it any easier. It's funny; I was talking to a friend last night about how much we wanted to be able to see and interact with a physical Jesus. Well, this gives me hope.

 

finally a blog!

0 comments Posted by Jason Stansel at 9:19 PM

So, new blog.


I have decided that this would be a great way to start getting some thoughts down, and since my bookbag (with my journal and my amazing NASB Study Bible inside) was stolen, this can be sort of a new journal?

I am trying to make some decisions right now about where I want my life to go. I am getting involved in a new church plant that would probably be an amazing thing to get involved in, but I'm not sure I want to stay. And here's why.

The biggest, most amazing thing that has happened to me recently is discovering the avenue through which I am specifically called to serve in.

Singing and leading praise.

The Lord has placed this huge, burning desire to praise and lead worship and I am very excited to see where he takes me with it. Currently, I have the opportunity to lead worship at a new church plant (Clairmont Community Church) near my campus, which would probably give me all the training I need. But, for whatever reason, I want to just go. I think this is unhealthy; however, the Lord may be calling me elsewhere. We'll see. Right now, I think I need more than anything to fight this need for bigger and better things and to just let Him lead me where He does. 

The book I am reading, "The Heart of the Artist," talks a lot about the arts in the church and the need for artists to be in community with one another. Right now, I am STARVED for that. So much of my wanting to leave stems from this desire to have a group of believers around me that I can create with, minister to, and worship with. This is not a bad thing; however, I cannot ignore the opportunities I have had thrown in my lap. I am here in Toccoa for a reason and I think the answer is to stay, but if other things come up, we'll see what happens.

Oh, and I am going to figure out how to customize those tabs. Sometime.

 

 

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