why (not) me?

The tragedies of late have continued to take to blows: another friend of mine was killed in a car wreck tonight. And oh, how heavy our hearts this season!

When tragedy strikes people, so frequently we hear the question "Why me?"

More and more, though, my heart seems to scream at me in the midst of this mess and say: "Taylor, why not you?" Why were you spared when you drove on ice? Why did you get out of the mall ten minutes before gunshots? Why did you live through your elementary school years?

I do not yet know the answer to either question, but at the end of the matter, I am more aware that this life is but a breath: dust and ashes. I am more convinced that I am at the mercy of a God that is sovereign, ruling, in command of all the affairs of the universe. I am more persuaded to trust that he is good and that he is working all things for good.

That is my only hope.

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winter youth celebration.

I am so pumped to lead worship for the Winter Youth Celebration in Portland this year!

The central idea of the conference is to unleash high schoolers on mission.

As a worship leader, I'm always thinking:
How can I help the message?
How can I sing the message?
How can I preach as I sing?
How can I respond to what was just preached as I sing?

The answer to those questions generally determines the songs that I'll select before and after the message.

In this case, they determine the songs for a conference.

One of the songs we will sing together is a song begging God to rescue the world in the HERE and NOW and begging him to help us.

Check it. Learn it.

Here and Now.
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great things. great god.

"Let angels sing for
     sinners repenting,
     prodigals restored,
     backsliders reclaimed,
     Satan's captives released,
     blind eyes opened,
     broken hearts bound up,
     the despondent cheered,
     the self-righteous stripped,
     the formalist driven from a refuge of lies,
     the ignorant enlightened,
     and saints built up in their holy faith.
I ask great things of a great God."

- Valley of Vision, p.9 "The Great God"

What do you pray for?

Little things?
Simple things?
Meaningless things?

I hear myself praying for food. For a good day. For productivity. For energy. For happiness.

What of it?!

I now choose to ask great things of a great God.


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the best thing.

The best thing happened to me today.

Today, I am a married man.

Meet my wife.

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community.

The Gospel of Jesus is a remedy for life alone because it creates a community of people.

This community exists because of the Gospel and to demonstrate the Gospel.

This community exists because the Gospel is true.
This community demonstrates the Gospel is true by:
     Proclamation. (1 Peter 2:9)
     Lifestyle. (1 Peter 2:11-12)
     Love for each other. (1 Peter 2:1)
     Cooperation with each other. (1 Corinthians 12:12)

If you follow Jesus, you join a bunch of other people.

Follow Jesus well.


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oh darling, let's be adventurers.

My fiancé recorded her account of the day I asked her to marry me.

You should read it here.

It is eloquent. Poetic. Beautiful.

This will be the best adventure of my life!



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humility. again.

"Preaching the gospel to myself each day mounts a powerful assault against my pride and serves to establish humility in its place. Nothing suffocates my pride more than daily reminders regarding the glory of my God, the gravity of my sins, and the crucifixion of God's own Son in my place...Pride wilts in the atmosphere of the gospel." - Milton Vincent, A Gospel Primer

1. Buy A Gospel Primer. Now.
2. Preach the Gospel to yourself. Every Day.
3. Assassinate pride. Immediately.
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humility.

"Humility - Honestly assessing ourselves in light of God's holiness and our sinfulness." - C.J. Mahaney

One of the places I frequently visit, to teach myself to be humble is Isaiah 6:1-5, where I see one of the most clear pictures of God's holiness and my sinfulness.

"In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his fee, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: "Holy, Holy, Holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!" And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!" - Isaiah 6:1-5

Woe is me!

I do not say those words nearly enough.

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