My August 2013 Haiti Mission Trip

I have a great mission trip opportunity in early August. About a dozen people (including me) from our church (Christian Church of Jasper) are planning, God willing, to work at an orphanage outside of Port Au Prince, Haiti.

We plan to work at the House of Hope Children’s Home as much as possible during the week of August 9 to 15. We will be attaching fixtures and painting cabinets that were installed last August. We will also be repainting the first floor of the home. There will also be additional work identified as the trip nears.  

We believe that our work and the work of the mission trip team is greatly needed. As you probably know, this mission trip is a step of faith for me. I am trusting God’s leading and I want to help make a difference in helping the "least of these" in even the smallest way.

I am asking you to help in a few ways. First, the mission trip team needs everyone’s prayers. Please, pray that God will use us to help the people of Haiti in any way we can and spread the message of Jesus' love through word and deed.

Second, please consider supporting me financially. Trip expenses will amount to approximately $1,300. Any amount would be greatly appreciated and will certainly make an impact on the mission field.

If you choose to help, please follow the directions below. If you choose to make a financial contribution and support me, please make checks payable to: “Christian Church of Jasper” and write “August Haiti Mission - Daniel” in the memo line. You may send a contribution to: “Christian Church of Jasper; 1450 Energy Drive; Jasper, IN 47546.” These gifts are tax deductible.

You can also give at the PayPal link below. This method is not tax-deductable but is quick, safe, and easy to use with your debit card.

If you choose to give financially, please have it sent no later than June 9. I realize times are difficult economically and lots of people are asking for your contributions (as well as this being a difficult thing for me to ask for). All I ask is that you pray about this and see if God leads you to give toward my mission trip.

Thank you for your time and your gifts. I can’t tell you enough how much your prayers and support are appreciated.

Sincerely,

Daniel

Songs I've Written

Free sampler above from the album "And Still" by Narrow Path.

Buy the whole thing at:

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14 Years Later

My wife, Shannon, married me 14 years ago today.

I was very young (21) and probably didn't understand the full weight of what I was doing. However, I don't regret it and, we took vows before each other, our friends and family and, most importantly, before God. We said we would love each other and honor each other in sickness and health, in times of financial goodness and not-so-goodness, until death parted us.

Some of the last 14 years have been filled with sickness of the general variety but also of the spiritual and mental variety. Some of the last 14 years have been filled with times of financial OK-ness (we've never had 'riches' on a modern American scale) but many have been times of financial lack (even now).

Even though I was young when I said my vows, I meant it. I still mean it. Love isn't always a Hollywood romantic comedy-like feeling, more often than not, it's a moment-by-moment decision to lay down my life for my wife like Christ did for his bride the church.

I can honestly say I love my wife in a more real way now than I did on that day in Tennessee 14 years ago.

Go Braves!

Though there was an hour-plus rain delay and we got somewhat lost in downtown Atlanta, we finally got to see a Braves game this season.

They lost and Chipper (in his final season) sat out much of the game (he came in to pinch hit later on and stayed in the game). However, I loved being at the park and catching a game in person. We were 3 rows from the field along the first base side in mid-outfield.

Reflections on 35 Years

I turn 35 today. My personality is such that I tend toward the negative and somber. That's not always good (but it's not always bad either). However, sitting here, realizing I've been given 35 years thus far, I know that I have much to be thankful for.

— God doesn't owe me anything, but He's given me everything. I deserve to be dead and in hell, but He's given me life and His grace with the promise of eternal life with Him.

— God has given me a wife and two wonderful daughters. He has taught me the meaning of grace through marriage and how to die to self and love my wife like Christ loved the church. He's given me a help-mate and a woman I love very much. He's given me a oldest daughter who's too much like me personality-wise but who is also passionate about certain things like I am. It's heart-breaking at times to watch her struggle with the things I struggle with but I get to be her comforter in so many ways and that is a joy. God also gave me a daughter who is the complete opposite of almost everyone else in this house. She's more outgoing than all of us put together, makes friends easily and is almost always smiling. She's also passionate and is such a light to all of us. Right now, her little missing-tooth grin is something I look forward to every day. She's compassionate and so trusting (which is going to be trouble later on ... according to my 'realistic' side).

— God has given me a job that I love. I love all the 'job' aspects of my job and I love getting paid to do both all the communications work as well as music at CCJ. I love both of the bands I get to work with. They are a great group of people who are loyal and care about what we are trying to do with music worship. I'm thankful for those who understand that there's no need to be just like every other church in what we do.

— I'm thankful for our house. It's not the nicest. It could use some landscaping work pretty badly and I'm no handyman so, every time something goes wrong, I'm paying for it big time. But, we can afford this house and I'm thankful God has provided it to us.

— I'm thankful for my family of origin. My mom and dad raised us well. They raised us in a stable home, never with the fear of a divorce, and always making God real to us. I'm thankful for my brother and sister, who though are miles apart now, we still love each other deeply.

— I'm thankful God gave me the desire to play guitar through that Nelson video all those years ago. It literally changed my life. :-)

I'm sure I could sit here all day, but I'll leave it at this. God, thank you for 35 years.