God is amazing!

     The title says it best. God is truly amazing. I don't know how I can possibly say more. In the months since my last post, so much has happened. God has opened the door to so many different opportunities. He has truly blessed me. Here's a small highlight of some new things happening in my life recently.

• The time has come to put the past behind me. Whenever I was in elementary school, I wore hearing aids. It was the worst thing ever. It caused no air to flow throw my ears, and with zero pressure reaching your inner ear, you start to talk nasally. Because of it, I got made fun of in school. People would always tell me I talked funny, and rather "loonie" as some may call it. Since then, I've further the process of getting new hearing aids made, and making sure that people's opinions no longer have an affect on me. Galations 1:10 encouraged me to fix my priorities as far as what people say and what God says. What God says is a lot more important, and God says that I am created in His image, therefore I am His righteousness, and nothing can seperate me from Him. Because He has delivered on His promises, I find the confidence to move forward for many reasons. One, I can hear. Two, I can understand more. And, three, I can experience what others are experiencing by not missing out on potential life-changing opportunities. 
• I go to the most life-giving church ever. Since starting Church of the Highlands about a year and a half ago, I've found my purpose in ministry. With the strategic classes and internship, I have seen my calling put to test as I am placed in position to lead people with excellence. Excellence is the assurance of top notch quality with great results. With the mindset of excellence, you see lives change. I've witnessed it first hand. 
• Finally, the people in my life have made life worth living. Yes, the LORD is first and foremost, above all, yet if God builds His Kingdom relationally, then it matters who you have in your life. Recently, I had the honor and privilege to take a youth man under my wing, and lead him in the ways of the LORD. Although I'm not perfect, nor fit for the position, God used me to help him in a huge way. Risking it all, even to incarceration, I made sure that I did whatever I could to help this kid out. It paid off. He got saved, completely covered in the grace of God, and is now pursuing ministry at Highlands College (the college my church founded). Seeing his life changed changed my own life. It was the spark I needed to know that being involved with people can not only help them, but it can help yourself, too.

     With all that being said, you can see why God gets all the glory. With man, all this would be impossible. But, with God, ALL things are possible. And let me leave with this one verse:

"...because God is by my side, I will not be shaken." Psalm 16:8

Walk in this confidence daily!

Update from New York!

     Words cannot describe how blessed I am to have come to New York on a mission. Since I've been here, I have marveled at the lights of Time Square, grieved in the sight of the Freedom towers, which is also the site of the now demolished World Trade Centers. I have seen the high lifes of District Soho, which is a very upscale neighborhood. I've been to Central Park, and seen John Lennon's memorial. This all seems fun, and to be honest, it was. But, New York has a flip side, and I saw it yesterday during Harlem outreach.

     During Harlem outreach, the NYDC came together and offered the poor and less fortunate a bite to eat, and some hot chocolate for the bitter coldness. In Alabama, we had about two weeks of coldness. I've been wearing my jacket everywhere I go here. Anyways, as we were preparing to hand out food, an ex-convict started stirring up chaos with another man in the line, and we had to seperate them before they fought. We got the ex-convict some food, and led him away to talk with him. My part during the outreach? Dispense the soup, which was basically chicken flavored Ramens. I absolute loved and enjoyed meeting new people, and being able to give them food- something they literally hunger for. I thought I had seen it all until I met a man named Jose.

     Jose had come through the line for food, and I handed him some "dry soup," which is just soup without water. He walked away, and had another member of the NYDC pray with him. But, God kept him there longer... and for a reason, too. As the NYDC crew loaded up and took off, Chris and I began walking back to our apartment (only a few blocks down from Harlem). Jose was still standing by, and I had noticed he had actually walked away. When I saw him bring out a tissue, I knew something was wrong with him. Chris and I approached him, and started talking to him more. The life he lives of going from one shelter to another, constantly running out of medication, struggling to stay alive- it broke my heart. I wanted to pack him up, and bring him home back to Alabama. He is desperate for a job, but because of his "social status" and many disabilities, he's only able to rely on welfare.

     I tell his story to say this- I never realized how good I actually have it until I met Jose. Here I am, with a steady home life- struggling, yet steady. And, this guy has no idea IF he'll get a bed at the next shelter, where they happen to just turn you away to the cold if they're full. I have an okay food supply. This guy relies on outreaches like the NYDC to feed him. The guy NEVER begs for money, and even tried turning away the money I gave to him. He's a humbled man, yet knows he's struggling. So, as we were leaving, I got to pray for Jose, and just bless him. As I walked away, my heart started to break. The last words I told Jose were "If I never see you again, you're face is forever engraved in my heart." And, he was off.

     Here I am, a block from the Freedom towers now, sitting in a Starbucks, and I'm realizing how blessed I am. God has blessed me with so much.

     I'm looking forward to coming home, and seeing everybody! I know this blog was long, but I'm glad you read it, too!

Update from New York!

      Since I've been here in New York, I haven't really been too busy. Today was my first day actually doing any type of outreach, which I loved more than anything. But, until today, I've been able to see a lot of New York, and it's made me realize a lot of things.
   
    Honor here is not heard of. For instance, whenever I was boarding a seven train to head to our outreach, there was a very talented man playing an accordion by the tracks. The music was beautiful, and filled the air with the sound of soothing jazz. Whenever the man finished playing, no one even noticed. He looked around, expecting some sort of applause at all, but got none. It instantly broke my heart. I wanted to go over and let the guy know I enjoyed it more than he knew, but my train approached as I was heading to him. Although no one paid attention to him, he did make a little bit of money, which I think is amazing. But, money is temporary happiness.

     New York is full of people looking for love and belonging. A lot of people come here expecting to live this high class life without taking in the true streets, and what is actually going on. Being in Spanish Harlem this week has made me step out in faith, and see New York for what it truly is, a place of hurt and despair.

     Today, as I helped at the Chelsea outreach, some of the people there began to get heated with each other over the food we were handing out. It hit me then- these people are starving. Not in just a physical way, but in many other ways. I have grown to see the yearning these people have. Overall, the people were amazing. I got to meet a few of the people who lived in the Chelsea housings, and they were so happy and humbled. The majority of them, at least. I met one man named Philip, a Hispanic/Puerto Rican man, who had lived in Chelsea his whole life. I grew to love this man, because he had a servant's heart to reach out to his community.

     Well, I don't have much else to say, but I do miss home. I hope everyone at home is having an amazing time. When this weekend comes, enjoy the Angels, and then serve whole-heartedly at church Sunday. What you're doing is setting the level for the generations behind you, so that when you do pass the torch, the plan is already clear.

     I love you guys! Please continue to be in prayer for me as I roam these streets, showing the love of Christ.

Third Day in New York

     Sorry for the late post of my trip. So much has been happening.

Sitting in one of the NYDC staff meetings, I learn that these people are SO passionate about this city. They have outreaches literally every single week. It's truly amazing, and I'm blessed to be a part of it. Pastor Brad Reed, the pastor of NYDC is actually at All Access right now in Dallas, so his wife, Stella, has been leading the meeting, and I can tell they have an amazing heart.

Sitting in Pastor Brad and Stella's apartment is luxury from what I've seen so far. Space is scarce in New York, and it's considered luxury if you actually have a little bit of it. The housing is so close together, it's easy to stalk someone here. Not that I am, but I have seen inside of people's houses, and privacy is not to their advantage. It's amazing that people don't even mind.

So far, I've been able to see the majority of the city. My first day here, I saw the Empire State Building, which isn't as big as it's portrayed. I also got to sit in a Hillsong NYC service, which was amazing. We were nearly turned away because there was little space. I come to find out that they actually have to use two different venues for there weekly services. Their Sunday services are in a theater in downtown Chelsea, NY, and they have about five or six services. I go to Highlands, and after two services, I need a nap! It amazes me how they handle it all.

My second day here, I saw Times Square, Ground Zero and the Freedom towers, and many more places that I can't even remember. I ate at a McDonald's in Time Square that was three stories tall. RIDICULOUS! Talk about people hungry for obesity! I'm kidding. But, it was really nice.

I've ridden in a subway for the majority of my travels. It's so sad seeing some of the people on these trains, knowing they're homeless, hungry, and just desperate for love, affection, attention, anything that they can get. Yesterday, I encountered a man on a subway, twice, begging and crying for money, food, anything that could e spared. Even begging for the smallest cent that could be given. A penny would've made the guy happy. My heart broke for this guy, knowing I had no cash, only my debit card.

I can't wait for Highlands to get to experience what I'm experiencing here. God is needed so bad in this city. I walk down the streets, and brush shoulders with complete strangers, and I instantly feel the hurt, pain, suffering, sorrow, every possible depressing thought you can think of. But, I remember this, God IS the God of this city. The Scripture says that "Blessed is the nation whose God is LORD." And, I see this City, and declare that over them.

I'm excited to see what the rest of this trip will reveal.

I miss you guys, and pray God is continuing to do thing in y'all's lives.

Cody

Updates:

     Well, since my last post, much has happened. In my latest post, I talked about a lot going on with promises in the "Mind on Tuscaloosa" movement I was taken part in. Behind the scenes of it all, though, I found myself in a place I never expected to see myself in again. I found myself in bars, getting drunk, and not being myself whatsoever. With the morals I was raised with, I knew better. I was just in the spur of the moment, and allowed things to happen in my life. Many things have changed since then.
     Bo Black, the guy I was hanging out with during these times, decided to take me up on my invite to Church of the Highlands. Now, it seems I just follow people around, and that was the case at the time. But, now I have found the strength to stand on my own. Anyways, from there, the "Movement to Get Sean Rivers to perform at Bama Rising" became "Movement to Get Bo Black Closer to God." And, from there, the rest is history.
     Two months later, and we're both in ministry now. Who would've thought that three months ago, we were in the bars, and now we're working together in ministry? 
     My life's purpose has become so clear through it all, and I'm blessed to say that I'm remembering my first love like never before!!

Perfection? I think not.

     It has taken everything in me to avoid everything I've been experiencing recently. Going blind into a field of potential has caused me to take a leap of faith I never thought I'd be able to make. But, then I started to think about some things. My faith is PERFECT example to reference to what I'm going through right now. Jesus existed over 2000 years ago. I am by no means that old, therefore I have never seen Jesus with my own eyes. Yet I believe in Him. Why do I believe in something I've never seen? Because I have the faith that Jesus DID exist, and DID die on the cross for my sins, and DID love me so much. I have the faith that He now sits on the throne next to God, and awaits the day we all join Him in Heaven, where we will throw constant Jesus parties, and dance around the throne, singing, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty. Who was and is and is to come." I love that. 
     I saw all of that to say this... The leap of faith I've found myself taking is a leap to new dimensions I thought I'd never find myself at. When I walked into the opportunity to serve aside Bo Black and Sean Rivers in the "Mind on Tuscaloosa" team, I had every intentions to do what I could while I'm here, because I have plans to soon move to Gadsden. Gadsden is still on my heart, and it's there for reasons that only God and I will ever understand. I never intended on making decisions based on "promises" that people have made me. But, what about Jesus? He made MANY promises, yet we still doubt Him in so much. So, it's taken more than I ever could imagine to really take this leap of faith.
     Now, to reference to perfection. I've lived my whole life feeling I needed to be perfect. I didn't succeed in sports or academics or anything of that sort. But, I am the oldest of four kids, and I felt the need to constantly be on top of everything I do. Since meeting the "Mind on Tuscaloosa" people, I've seen the need to "impress and perfect" slowly fade away. It's not 100% gone, but I do feel God is working on me in this area. 
     I feel blessed to know that God has plans for my life. I'm reminded of in the Bible, when the Israelites are in exile in Babylon. They're to remain there for years and years. Most people would've given up faith of survival. But, in the midst of it all, God speaks truth into their lives with this promise: "I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to give you a hope and a future..." Jeremiah 29:11. That is a promise, because God KNOWS the plans He has for us. 
     So be encouraged!! "Don't allow short-sightedness get in the way of seeing the whole picture" (Bo Black). Allow God to PROVE to you that His promise still stands!!

Are you available?

     Romans 8:28- "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

     When I think about what has happened over the past month, I can't help but notice that God has blessed me with so much. And, it's even Scriptural to say I now understand why I've been blessed so much. I love God. I do His will. I get blessed. And, ever since April 27, 2011, I have definitely seen a share of blessing come into my life.

     It wasn't until just recently when I started to really see a new side of things in life. Going into this weekend, I was a complete stranger to some people. Now, I have GREAT friends already there for me. And, I have God to thank for every bit of this.

     Today, I got a call from my good friend, Bo Black, the creator of "Movement to get Sean Rivers to perform at Bama Rising" on Facebook (find it, "like" it, and join the movement). Going into Sunday of last weekend, I only knew this dude through Facebook. But, when he called me today, he had some AMAZING news that I wasn't even expecting. A woman who joined the movement had donated over $400+ of spa supplies to the Movement. Not only that, but this page has reached to places OUTSIDE of Alabama and the United States. I am completely amazed as to how God has been using Bo these past couple of weeks! I'm even more speechless to know that God is going to lead Bo, and Sean, to higher measures here in the next couple of weeks.

     I say all of this just to simply say that when you align yourself with the will of God, great things begin to happen. When I started to seek God more for His general direction in my life, I ran into Bo and Sean. And, they have helped me in ways they'll never know. I'm thankful for such friends. Not only them, but the other friends I've come to know along the way. Allie Logan, for one. I've only met her twice, and she has a heart of gold. She's got the personality of someone who never meets a stranger. 

     Anyways, I'm just rambling. Nothing relevant. Just stay in the will of God, and see where He takes you!!