Early Morning Reflections

God is leading me more and more each day. He is giving me more responsibilities for His Kingdom, and it is a bit overwhelming, but I know that I am in a good place. I am joyful and excited to know that my God, is a God who saves, who loves, and who pours out abundant blessings. I have been reading Ecclesiastes and it has spoken volumes into my life. I am just reminded more and more that my own selfish pursuits are as useless as chasing after the wind. As I take on more leadership at Elevation, and in my friendships, I must remember the One who has given me life. I must keep my focus on Christ.

Also, I am listening to Jason Upton's "You're Not Alone"
but there is an awesome part of another song that carries over to that part:

"Breaking off rejection, with a spirit of adoption, you're not alone."


so much to say, but I have to get to work, blah. But here is some scripture that you can use to pray over your friends as they go through the struggles of life. It has always lifted me up, and I hope it lifts you and your loved ones up.
Try this: replace the word you with the name or names of the ones you are praying for. Let the Holy Spirit speak through you as you intercede for those you love.

Colossians 1:9-14

9For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you^[a] to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14in whom we have redemption,^[b] the forgiveness of sins.

Senior Thesis Updates.

Praise God, that after a whole freakin semester of loosing sleep, gaining weight, then loosing it, gaining it back, loosing it again, trying to train for a half-marathon, only because I do not have time for a full one, missing class, weekend meetings with my professor, long hours in the library, missing my friends, missing intimate time with Jesus.... I am finally almost done with my Senior Thesis. PRAISE GOD!!! This has got to be the hardest year of college in my whole entire life.

I am so thankful for all the prayers, and words of encoragement durng this semester. I am sorry to those of you whom I have not talk with, or hung out with. Most of you, well except for Sarah Fields haha, are not up at 12-2am ever night, so it just makes fellowship hard. I am so thankful for Sarah being there because she has prayed with me over the phone late at night. God is so good.

Anyways, I am almost done, and I am looking at over 20 pages, which is so awesome. My professor Dr. Fagan, has really called out my potential, and she has helped me to write fine work. I only say this because she her self has said it is fine work, something I still have not gotten use to hearing. I have never been one to logically put my thoughts on paper---academic wise.

It is just so amazing to see God working in my life, even when I have not taken consistent time this semester to get into His Word. I have gotten into the Word, but there have been days when I have missed it.

Thank You Jesus, for loving me as I am, Just as I am, and for blesing me with your Love, Grace, and Mercy.

My presentation went really well. Here is a snapshot of what I spoke about, and what my research is on.

Nicholas Cook, “Black No More: A Literary Analysis of Race, Culture, and Religion Using Rene Girard”

Thesis: Using Rene Girard’s theories, I argue that Schuyler’s novel, Black No More, illustrates the tricky relationship between race, culture, and religion in the early twentieth century United States.

PRAISE GOD!!

Bradelyn Levi's Devo: "Heart's Desire"

hey gang, crazy day at work, mom and tot day. Crazy little rascals running around the pool deck, life guards jumpin in.... another day at the office lol.

GO READ BRADELYN'S BLOG, her DEVO that got published on the PROVERBS 31 Ministry website!!

now time for more senior thesis, and then high school small group! YEAH!!
then to the library to do a paper, blah.

God is soo good though.

This is going to be interesting

so apparently.. I am smooth..., real smooth, how smooth Nico, well about as smooth and as subtle as shooting a bullfrog with a cannon... which results in a splatter pattern everywhere.

haha

oh i love this! I am such a guy!!
well, at least I can be honest about it.

ha, oh well, at least I am trying to be strategic.....

Past 48 hrs

These past 48hours have been awesome!!!!
Great conversations, and great company.
I think I will go buy some gumboots.
My small group that meets on Wednesdays (men's group) has got to be the breakfast club of Small groups at Elevation!! RANDOM FACT!!
Church was awesome today!! Praise God!!!

Paper edit went well with Dr. Fagan today. I think I will hit a home run on this Senior Thesis.



Def say that I have had an amazing past two days getting away from Charlotte, and hanging out with Elevation people in SC.

Great conversations!!
REI was great!

Philippians 1:3

I thank my God every time I think of you.

God is soo Good!

Faith Palmer!!! MUST READ!!

You guys have got to check out Audrey Pannell's blog on my best friend Faith Palmer!!!

GO READ NOW!!!
AND THEN VOTE FOR HER HAHA!!



Gotta Have Faith-The Loveliest Village.

WATCH THE VIDEO AT THE BOTTOM!!!

Budget

So we have been talking about money at Elevation. THE REAL CHANGE series. My dad and I are sitting down together, via email and Excel, to discuss ways in which I can personally be more responsible with my money. I am not a frivolous spender, but I know I spend way to much money on junk food, and probably gas. I know I spend too much money on Coffee. When I run out of the stuff at home, I usually hit the local shop.

I know that down the road, I will have to lead my wife. Part of my job is knowing how to budget.

Other than that, school is okay, Senior Seminar paper is finally due next week, and the final presentation is next week. I just hope I can do really well on my next tests coming up so I can pass all my classes.

Next Semester...only need 3 credit hours to graduate, and its an intro class haha. Praise God!!!