HOLY SYNOPSIS (part 1)

So four weeks ago God told me to step out of the boat. "Instead of doing what's been placed before you, I want you to hear my will and make it happen in your life. I want you to partner with me in your creativity and go after the dream I've given you."

I flew into Atlanta on Thursday morning the 2nd of September. I got picked up from the airport by an amazing friend and her mother. I spent my first hours talking with them and actually helping out with some math home work. (i like math) I got dropped of at 5:00, after a brief tour of the downtown Atlanta area. I started in Hurt Park and i just hung out. I remember falling asleep under a tree, and someone one woke me up and said to sit up because the cops were coming. Then the police officers told me to pick up my mat and move along.

I started talking to the guy that woke me up and he told me a little bit about how things work on the street. I told him what i was doing and how God told me to go to Atlanta to be homeless. He responded by saying i was one of those rich white kids that ran away from home. We talked for a while and encouraged each other and he gave me some advice about where to go and not go. His name is Moe, He's had lots of chances to be off the street and God's bless him with crazy favor for jobs but he can't escape the "poison," so he would always return to the street. He was on the phone with his women while we talked and he told me about how he was sorry for what he's taken her through, and how he hated going out to eat with her when he didn't have the money for the food because he couldn't stand watcher her pay the check. He wanted to be better but he would always come back to the "poison." So when people ask me if it's hard for people to get off the streets, or if people are happy on the streets, i think of Moe. He's definitely not happy, He hates where he's at but he's still kind and respectful to people. I don't know the answer but here's the story that made my heart understand the problem, the solution, and the one who makes all things new.

Then it started getting dark and I had no idea where to go. i checked my dying phone and saw i had a missed call from number i didn't recognize, it was Erin!!!! She asked if i needed a place to stay that night, and i obliged. I ended up staying there almost every night. She was a crazy blessing.

Later in that same night i met this guy who made me play guitar from my soul while he got high.
It was soooooo much fun. He later insisted that he be my manager and put me in clubs and that he'd take care of me. I gave him my number and he never called. (probably because he got it when he was high.)

Later in the days of being on the street i would get really nervous every time i was getting dropped off. I was spiritually fine but my body hated it. It was like i was about to jump of a plane. I thought i was just sick at first, but then i realized that i was subconsciously really scared.
It got better as time went on though.






What have i learned?

Sometimes we're so obsessed with being Christians. "Christian" actually means "little Christ" I went to Atlanta to be a little Christ, not a christian. So i never denounced my love for God or my loyalty to Him, but I held on to my religion loosely.

slight change of plans

So on Friday i went to grab free pancakes at the safe house down town in ATL and the people serving food were a band. They invited me to come with them to a couple shows in Alabama and Florida and i obliged. So now I'm on tour with a hard rock christian band. A Love Not Lost. (that's the name of the band :) I'm tired and ready to go home. we'll be back in Atlanta Sunday afternoon.



WHAT'S GOD DOING?!?!?!?!?!?! I'm so excited!

On Monday afternoon I went to Little Five Points and decided to busk a little bit. It wasn't long before a man with a fancy camera came and asked if he could shoot me, I obliged. So he started doing all these shots and then three girls came up and smiled at me for a bit, then dropped five bucks into my guitar case, listened for a bit, smiled, and walked off. At this point i realized it was like a music video or something. so the guy with the camera also filmed this guy walking by with a guitar case giving me a nod of approval. (just to specify, it wasn't a video for me. I was in someone else's music video) Then i walked down to a place called Java Lords and someone bought my coffee :)

There's really no point to this but it was fun :)

Heaven on earth, yeah it's what we do.

The vision isn't to change people's social status. Love is my calling.
I heard today that going onto the street and being homeless was a bad idea because you develop the mindset of a homeless person. In contrast, at church we learn about creating a heaven environment where ever we go, as opposed to being conformed to the environment you find yourself in, it's so easy and so hard at the same time.

^{Ephesians 1:18}I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, ²⁰which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, ²¹far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

Here's the plan for you.
1. Let God into your heart.
2. let him change the way you think. (repentance)
3. Be yourself (because now you're awesome)
4. Live in grace (let God be your judge, not the devil.) -power comes with that somehow.

That's how I feel right now anyway






Holy spirit come, holy spirit dwell. Make me a temple according to your word.
I will follow you into the unknown.

fun times . . . God is good eh?

Today i hit the streets at about Nine am. My heart felt pretty heavy for the first part of the day. I felt like God was saying to rest, that was kinda hard for me. I felt like since people found out what I'm doing and they talked about being so inspired by what I'm doing that I had some expectation of doing something amazing or making some big evangelistic action that would change the face of Atlanta. So when God said to rest I feel like he was getting that spirit of performance off of me.

Around ten thirty i went and grabbed lunch BY MYSELF!?!?! (i've been telling people that i never eat by myself) so i broke my "policy" of always taking someone out to lunch. So i rested, kinda slept on and off, played guitar, and then i found myself worshiping. So i worshiped for a bit and noticed someone eating her lunch in the park near where i was sitting and I congratulated myself for being such an awesome witness :) (just kidding!!!) Jesus said something about not being a hypocrite and doing things in public to be noticed by other peeps. Just after my worship experience I noticed someone else with a guitar and promptly scurried over to say hey. He was singing a worship song and I joined in with my voice and guitar. Then i led a couple songs while he went around praying for people (SUPER AWESOME!!) God strait up set that up. Then i played guitar while people walked by and two people at separate times stopped and asked me to play an original and one offered to record one on his camera. (at some future time)

Then i went to a magical place called little five points :) I sat on a bench for a while and got stared at by a police man and saw a middle schooler walk up to a super shady dude and talk about school stuff. Then the police man told the kid to go home (or something like that)
Later I walked to a creepy coffee shop and made some friends. We talked for around 3 hours and had some really good convo. One person there was super spiritual and really cool. She didn't believe in God (i don't think) but she was nice. I told her that if she got a word for me i wanted to here it. she looked a little confused so i asked her if she heard things for people. she didn't really know but she could kinda relate to what i was saying but not completely, so i asked her if she was friends with the holy spirit. I told her to introduce herself and that He was super cool. :) Later that night Erin, whom I've been staying with, took me to the best restaurant in ATL, The Vortex. It was soooooo good.

The end . . . . or is it?



FYI my average day looks like this.

Leave Erin's house at about 8:00am

Hit the streets by 9:00am

chill and do whatever until whenever (around 10pm)
this part of my day usually has lots of convo with the homeless and not homeless, lots of lying down trying not to fall asleep, as it isn't legal. and lots of experimenting with alternate tunings on guitar and a freakin boat load of divine appointments (DA)

take the train back to Erin's part of town (any time from 8-11)

get picked up and go somewhere out or just back home

go to sleeeeeeeeeeep!!! speaking of which,

goodnight

Gooooooooooood times!!! Great things are happening. Lots of relationships are being built. Most of what i do is just chilling in the park and random people kinda show up and we talk and stuff. Chess has been happening A LOT. this is a really lame post but i have to go meet up with my bro. peace and love, keep it real.

Hives?

The first day of being in Atlanta went really really well. I flew in at eight and was picked up by the Hunten family. (awesome people) we went to their house and talked for a bit. then at about 11 Meredith and i drove into the city. We had lunch and drove around a bit and I got a feel for the city. Then I randomly broke out in Hives! (which i still have) I'm not really sure what's up, but they don't itch and i still feel great. :) Anyway i got dropped of in the city at about 4:30 and wondered around for a bit. I played a little guitar, slept a little, and had a few good conversations with some crazy people. Then around seven i started to get a little discouraged, and a little worried about where i was aloud to sleep and where i shouldn't sleep, or where was ok to sleep. (at this point i'd already been woken up by a new found friend who told be to get up because police officers were coming.

My new found friend's name is Moe. Moe and I talked for hours. He's a super solid dude. I was just kinda listing to his story and telling him mine. Then i asked him what the street needed. He paused, then said "the streets are fine, we've got shelters, people handing out food. It's the people that need help". He talked about how people need to change their atitudes. I believe what he was coming back to is that it's not about the whole world, it's about that guy. and that person. Just do the next small thing right and let God handle the rest. Later that night a police officer rode his bike up and started talking to us. He was talking about how things just aren't right. this (crap) is (screwed) up. I asked him what we can do to fix it. he said "take care of what's right infront of you." he elaborated of course but i came to the same conclusion. Do the next small thing right.

I had a few more adventures that night and you'll here about them some other time. I met up with Erin Cannaday and took marta to her house where i slept last night. Now were headed to Gainesville and then 7 Bridges this afternoon.

The Plan (sorta)

So I thought i was supposed to go to Ministry school in California for nine months. Three days before I'm supposed to leave God says to go to ATL instead. Sounds good to me :)
I'm planning on going to ATL and living on the street. I'll be connecting with 7 bridges, Bethel ATL, and Night Light. I'm just going to get involved and help out were i can at these different organizations. but most of my time will be spent on the street. It's a pretty big change but i really feel like it's what God said to do.

My plan:

1. play music for people/lead worship in the streets.
2. Take people out to lunch and hear their stories.
3. Help people get the things they need to fulfill their dreams
4. Rid myself of my money :)
5. Help out at different shelters and outreaches where good things are already happening. also I want to encourage the people already doing God's work in Atlanta.

God's Plan
I'm not sure, but it's going to be AMAZING.