My Last Show

Last night was my last show at H2O. Some of my friends Guerrilla Cadets and The Vaudeville Dances played. And Twelve Gauge Valentine came back for a 2nd time. And I also made some new friends from the band An Airbag Saved My Life.

H2O Grand Opening Video

In the midst of spring cleaning/moving, i found this video from may 2005 that I thought I would share.

Resignation Video

We played this video on Sunday, March 18 after we announced to the church that we were moving.

Reuben, what is he dipidy doin

...bringin the heat to H2O. Last wednesday, John Reuben, Deas Vail, The Vaudeville Dances, Jonathan Hape, and Heather Heart Attack performed.

Indie Concert Photos with Berry

Sorry, I'm so behind on these, but here are some photos from our show with Berry, Samantha Crain, Super Famicom, The Deadbees and Horror and Heroism on Saturday, March 3. It was a great time. Good to see our thanksgiving day friend Joey Lemon too.

Jam Finger, Guitar Award and the Flume

I haven't played basketball for atleast 6 months, and I have played twice within a week. Here is the results of last night's game at the YMCA; a jammed finger.

Received this in the mail today from the Guitar Hero competition at Target youth leadership conference. I also found a great place for it.


Katie and I went out to Spring Lake for a walk and I found some inspiration.

House Hunting is Over

After a day of looking for rental property in Mattoon, Katie and I have found a place to live. Here is a photo album of pictures of it. Sorry I don't have more but my camera died.

Mattoon Housing

Saying Goodbye

Here is the letter I read today addressed to Macomb Assembly of God.

Katie and I have recently accepted a position at Mattoon First Assembly of God as Family Life Pastors.

Our role will be to help nurture healthy families. We will also be giving leadership and vision to 6th-12th grades and will have a presence in the ministries from brith-5th. Four weeks from today on Easter April 8th, will be our last Sunday with you, and then that week we will make our move to Mattoon.

In November of 1995, my senior year in high school, I made a decision to follow Jesus and model my life after him. 2 1/2 years later while in college, I found myself during the middle of the night on a golf course in myrtle beach, South Carolina, asking God what he had for my life. He spoke very distinctly for me to pursue ministry.

In the spring of 2000, as I was a month away from being credentialed minister, I made a call the Youth Department at the District Office of the Illinois Assemblies of God, asking them about youth pastors positions. Immediately the District Youth Director, Ron Heitman, gave me the contact information for Macomb Assembly of God. I made a phone call to Pastor Puccini, sent a resume and set up a interview time and on Wednesday, May 10th I preached my first youth service with a room filled of students and leaders that I had never met before. As I walked into this white room with this, blue, gray and white strip on the wall.

Who was there on that day? (Brian McCombs, Jennifer Bunch, Thurman, Meredith, Jeremiah??)

Do you remember what topic I talked about? I do because I brought a bag of Salt & Vinegar Chips as an illustration about being the Salt of the Earth. And Jeremiah Ulm ate the entire bag of chips during my message.

After that night, Pastor Puccini offered me the position, and then preceded to drive me by an apartment that Bob Barry had available at Rain Tree.

Many incredible things have happened since then.

Spiritual Moments
- The Episcopalians Father’s daughter being baptized in the Holy Spirit
- Water Baptizing Aaron & Kelly Gantner
- The transformation of a Raelyn Tournear and her call to the ministry
- Chris Primmer being saved out of a life of drugs, and then immediately following after Jesus with everything inside of him. One of the proudest moments of ministry here, was in 2003 on a missions trip to the homeless in San Francisco and Chris strapping on this bug spraying backpack, that had been converted into a drink dispenser.
- watching our students cry as they have to saw goodbye to a Honduran Pastor they had just meet 10 days earlier, but felt a strong Christian connection.

Funny Moments
- Hitting a deer with the people mover going 55mph, and seeing the deer be launched into the air.
- Dusty Rauch race across Chandler Park, chasing after the ice cream truck.
- window blew out of the people mover while jill heberling was driving it to camp.
- thinking I lost trent and jeff’s guitars in the costa rica airport, so I ask someone in the little Spanish I know where the “ dos bano’s”, thinking that was Spanish of guitar, the guy proceeded to take me to the bathroom.

I’ve have spent a quarter of my life here in Macomb, doing life together with Macomb Assembly of God. Thank you for taking a risk on a 21yr old 7 years ago. In the last 7 years, your fingerprints have been all over our lives. And the same way our fingerprints are all over you, the church, and the community.

In the room today, we have people that have been our brothers, our sisters, our father, our mothers, our grandfathers, and our grandmothers. Thank you to every Pastor, Deacon, Sunday School Teacher, every attender and guest that we have worked with here.

We love pastor and his family, the staff and his families, the church, and the community here. Thank you for everything.

Nature Walk

Katie and I went to Spring Lake today. And I think I found a possible cougar print.

Motivated by Common

Listened to Common's Be album. The song Faithful is incredible. Here are the lyrics.

Faithful to the end
(We got to be)
Faithful to the end
(I want to be)
Faithful to the end
I'm like her
Very best friend

Yes, this for the people ... God moves

I was rolling around, in my mind it occurred
What if God was a Her?
Would I treat her the same?
Would I still be runnin' game on Her?
In what type of ways would I want Her?
Would I want her for her mind
Or her heavnly body
Couldn't be out here bogus
With someone so godly
If I was wit her would I still be wantin' my ex
The lies, the greed, the weed, the sex
Wouldn't be ashamed to give Her part of my check
Wearing a cross, I mean Her heart on my neck
Her I would refelct
On the streets of the Chi
Ride with her. cause I know for me, she'd die
Though good and bad
Call on her like I'm chirpin Her
Couldn't be jealous
Cause other brothers worship Her
Walk this Earth for Her
Glory I'm grateful to be in Her presence
I try to stay faithful

Faithful to the end
Faithful to the end
Faithful to the end
I'm like her
Very best friend

He worked with her
She was this lady's best friend.
Even if they do try, some ladies test men
And this was a test that was bigger than him.
Some believe it's the nature that's givin him in
He had a good gig, a wife, a kid, a decent home.
One reason or another, couldn't find peace at home
She asked, "Why do men always have to stray?"
He said, "I'm bad, but not as bad as Eric Benet."
I used to take them out to eat
But they weren't really eatin'
Might have got a little head
But I wadn't really cheatin'
It's hard when your lady don't believe what you sayin
What you did in the past you gotta live with today
She asked if they could spend the night together
He thought and said, "I'm tryin' to get my life together."
Went home to his lady
And these were his confessions
"Baby, you a blessin' and my best friend."

Faithful to the end
Faithful to the end
Faithful to the end
I'm like her
Very best friend

(John Legend & Bilal's ending)

Faithful the end
Faith to the end

I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be
So oh faithful
I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be
So oh faithful

So, so
So, so
So, so
So faithful

So, so
So, so
So, so
So faithful

So, so
So, so
So, so
So faithful

So, so
So, so
So, so
So faithful

That's what I'm gonna do

Faithful to the end
That's what I'm gonna do
Faithful to the end
That's what I'm gonna do
Faithful to the end
That's what I'm gonna do
Faithful to the end

Jones Soda Fortune

Tuesday is an especially important day for you.

Fit for God logo

march sunday am sermon series. logo, i designed for it.