We took our three daughters (11-9-6) to their first Skillet show tonight, and also saw 9 other bands perform at Winter Jam 2012 here in Columbus, Ohio. We appreciated our friend (and crazy talented violinist for Skillet) Jonathan Chu coming over to chat before the show. The other nine bands included We As Human, For King & Country, Dara Maclean, Group 1 Crew, Building 429, Kari Jobe, Newsong, Peter Furler, and Sanctus Real. You know you had fun when the girls were rocking and saying that their ears and throat hurt….and that their heart could feel the Skillet rock, LOL. Enjoy the pics!

Was kind of confused what to title this post, a VERY RARE written blog post from me! I prefer to be posting a photo each day, but I just thought I’d share a few thoughts while in Cambodia.

I’ve been in Cambodia now (with my wife and three daughters) for over a week, and we’re getting ready to celebrate Christmas here. This post doesn’t really have much to do with Santa at all, but more about what God (the giver of the true meaning of Christmas – in His Son, Jesus Christ) has given us.

We’ve snapped over 2,000 photos this past week, but more importantly, we’ve been soaking up what that same God is doing in the lives of people here. Just yesterday we had the privilege of experiencing joy (park of large inflatables) in the lives of over 40 at risk (sex trafficking) young boys and a great staff that leads them.

I jumped into the fun by climbing to the top, following the lead of a young boy that has HIV. A young boy whose grandmother now takes care of him, and has to deal with him being beaten up at school. Thankfully, God has brought a great leader into his life who is on a mission to provide genuine care for him at the boy’s center. The grandmother agreed that he could come yesterday – a miracle! The smile I followed up to the top of the play area was priceless, and I was deeply inspired by the simple love and care that little people like him needs.

We’ve seen lots of Christmas decorations here in the 70+ degree weather in Phnom Penh. Colored Christmas trees, lights hanging around spirit houses and palm trees, inflatable Santas, etc. It’s sad that they not only mimic some of the American culture when it comes to music and other things, but now they are being misled during this season. Thankfully God is working so greatly in the lives of some awesome adults here, who know where these young children will truly find joy. They’ve accepted the challenge of not allowing the many pedophiles to find joy in stealing these children’s humanity within the world of trafficking. It’s impossible to stop it all, but they’re doing all they can!

I thank God for the gifts He is giving me this Christmas, by allowing my family to appreciate the love He has for the world. Thanks to a friend for posting a photo of the disturbing billboard she saw (Santa gives more to rich kids than poor kids), reminding me just how much children don’t need Santa Claus. The difficult challenge is that we’re tasked with sharing the joy with them that they really need. Might seem like such a complex issue, until you see just how simply God can break it!

Life has changed. I had a heart attack on Saturday evening (Marla shared all of the details better than I could over on her blog).

I’ll try to keep this as short as I can – since I’m trying to rest, eat better, start my 4 minute walk exercises, etc, etc, etc.

Every day of life we get is borrowed time that the God who created us has given. Thankfully I know just how much He loved me and sent His Son to die for me. Without that understanding, I’m not sure I would have dealt well at all with the anxiety or stress that an event like this could bring with it.

The plans and path that I am going to follow are going to continue to be whatever God desires. What I want or what you want doesn’t really matter. God chases after us and never leaves us, including during the worst moments like I lived through this weekend.

I can’t describe that to you – that’s impossible. I woke up today and wore the shirt that you see in the picture, a shirt my bro got for me while on tour last month with a bunch of awesome rap artists. I’ve also included 30 seconds from the Signed Up To Die song (buy on iTunes here) that goes along with the shirt (Christian rap artist – Thi’sl) for you to listen to below. He’s a man of God that has stared death in the face while living the gangster life in St. Louis, and reminds me that even death doesn’t have a hold on us since Christ died to give us life that is eternal.

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Thank you to all of our friends and family (online and IRL). God sure used Facebook to circle some prayers around me, that was an amazing encouragement. My church family knows what true love means, and I thank God so much for the example they are to me of His Son, Jesus Christ.

It’s my prayer that some friends and family actually come to know Christ through this. There’s nothing more I desire from life but that.

So excited to live another day for my heavenly Father! Worrying is not something He encourages at all, so I pray that you’re able to live this journey with confidence along with me!

Before all of the leaves fall off the trees, I thought it would be fun to take the family out for our own photo shoot (thanks to a tripod and wireless studio light). It’s crazy for Marla and I to look at this photos and realize how tall the girls really are getting. Thanks God, for my beautiful family!