It’s been a while. A long while. And during that long while, I have changed. …
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New Chapters: September 2012
It’s been a while. A long while.
And during that long while, I have changed. I am no longer a college student at Cedarville University. I am the Coordinator of Tech Ministries and Director of Young Adult Ministries at East Richland Evangelical Friends Church. I am no longer the guy who has never had a girlfriend. Ashley has been an incredible change in my life and is a constant source of encouragement, genuine care, and godly wisdom. My life has changed. Therefore, LifeMadeDigital has changed.
This is a place where I want to share what God is teaching me in this time of transition and grace. What you will find here are posts as a continued conversation from Doxa, East Richland’s young adult ministry, posts sharing insights in being a church tech ministry coordinator, posts about my life and the wisdom I’m gaining through my time with God, life experiences, and the words of others, and posts about being what God has called us to be, wherever He has placed us.
This is my life right now, in September 2012.
And this is my lifemadedigital.
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Team Xingu: // 002 – Final Preparations
As I finish my final preparations for Brazil, I’m left with a feeling of inadequacy. A realization that I’m not at all qualified to be using the church’s money to fly into another hemisphere to minister. See, a feeling of complete inadequacy.
Today I read Matthew 28:18-20, in which Jesus says, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
To be honest, my feeling of inadequacy is garbage. It is an attempt of Satan to break apart my God confidence and to minimize our team’s effectiveness. It is true that on my own, I am inadequate, but Jesus says that He has been given all authority and because of that, we are to GO. He then reminds His disciples that He is ALWAYS WITH US!!
As the eight of us pack up and travel to Brazil tomorrow, Jesus is with us. All eight of us are completely inadequate and incapable of doing this on our own, but we are not alone. We have Jesus!! He has sent His Spirit, who enables us!
The great news is that this is true for all of His disciples. Whether you are going to Brazil for two weeks, going to Asia for a year, going to work for 8 hours, or headed into the mine for a night shift, we are ALL empowered by the Spirit. Whenever we feel inadequate, stop and be filled with the comforting truth that you are not alone. You are a strong son or beloved daughter of the King who is with you until the end of the age.
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One hundred and six.
One hundred and six.
The number of days until my world becomes unrecognizable; the number of days until my faint fears become blaring reality; until my current walk of sight becomes a walk of faith.
You see, I graduate from my university in one-hundred and six days, with no concrete plans. My last four years have been one big to-do list tucked away into a daily planner… I knew my next step. I knew the next class I needed to take, the next paper I needed to write…and I could even tell you what I would be doing in two months at a given hour.
This ends in 106 days. Am I scared?
On May 5, 2012, I am going to hold in my hand the most expensive piece of paper I think I’ve ever seen. As long as the journey to that moment has been, as I take those few steps down from that platform, I will be taking my first steps into my biggest journey to date. … Continue Reading
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It’s beginning to sound a lot like…
What’s up?! Here at Cedarville, our semester is beginning to come to an end, which means one thing: finals. Oh, and CHRISTMAS!!!
So, to kick of this season, I want to know what your ALL TIME favorite Christmas song or album is and who it is by.
I’ll begin.
My favorite Christmas album happens to be an EP released earlier this year by the Ohio-natives, House of Heroes with their The Christmas Classics EP. While it only contains three songs, it is filled with Christmas magic. Check it out. It’s only $2 at the moment.
What artist or album brings you holiday cheer?
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Life as an NMC intern…Part 5
So it’s been a while, nay too long since my last post. A lot has been going on here in Nappanee, but I’ll have to share that later. Two more weeks to go. But I’m exhausted.
Lifemadedigital is a place I created to share about my life and projects, and in order to do that, I must be vulnerable. In the spirit of this as well as wanting to share how God is working in my life, here is a prayer/journal entry i penned during the past week that I hope you can draw some encouragement from.
“Sat down tonight to find myself with this desire I can’t shake: a deep longing. Longing for peace. Longing for wholeness. Longing for something extraordinary to burst through the mundane. Longing for the Spirit to rejuvenate my dry, empty, and cracking bones. Longing for a world that isn’t full of disappointments. Longing for a world where worship is a lifestyle and not a weekly activity. I have a hole inside me that longs to be filled, and God, it’s up to you. I’m done. I got nothing left to give. My tears are not of depression, but pure exhaustion. Failed attempt after failed attempt of sweeping the cobwebs of death and the skeletons of past sins has left me strung out, crippled, and dying. I need your breath of life to fill my lungs once more. You’re son took the brunt of deaths blow so I wouldn’t, but I wouldn’t let go. I’m not deserving of this gift, but I let it go. I’m done trying to pay for the grace you’ve already given me. I pray you’re life will fill me now and rid me of all my fears, failures, an all insecurities as you shine through my weaknesses. I long for you like never before. This world is yours. I am yours. My heart is yours. Forever, God, make me new.”
Oh how our God is faithful.
Until next time,
Craig
PS. I realize the desperate tone of this post may cause some concern for my well being, but I assure you all that I am doing great. This post comes out of a quiet time and a season of God revealing to me how my righteousness can’t be earned but that grace, God’s grace is made perfect in my failures and imperfections. My appropriate response must be to simply accept it and rejoice in it.
This was a turning point in my thinking of grace. Another moment where I, Craig McLeod, must die to myself and allow Christ to complete his work in me.
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Guest Post: Nick Clason – Twitter
Today is lifemadedigital’s first guest post and I am really excited about today’s post for two reasons: 1. It is written by my good friend and fellow blogger Nick Clason. 2. It is about a topic I am really passionate about and have just given a speech on, Twitter.
Nick is active in student ministries and is very passionate about seeing people come to Christ and pursue righteous living. He has been a great blessing in my life and I am excited to call him my friend. So, if you enjoy his post, be sure to check out more of his writing on his blog, Not Just a Colts Blog. I think the suspense has been long enough, so ENJOY! – Craig
I have a great friend. Last year, about April or March, a very good friend of mine was trying to convince me to create a twitter account. As most, I was incredibly misinformed and incredibly skeptical. After seemingly weeks or months of discussion and debate with my soon to be “twentor” I came to my twentor and said to him, “I think I want to get a twitter.” He promptly replied to that statement by saying, “Good, I already made you one, here is your username and password.” That twentor is none other than the author of this wonderful blog, Craig McLeod.
I began tweeting, and I never looked back. I immediately bookmarked twitter in front of my facebook bookmark. I sent tweets to my phone via SMS, and the rest is history.
On my twitter journey I’ve learned a lot of things that would be beneficial to many current or soon to be twitter users that will help you understand the way it is, and not get annoyed with it immediately. Here are 5, of what I believe, to be some of the most helpful twitter tips. If you understand these, you too can become a Tweet Master, much like Craig.
1. It’s not Facebook
Step number one, is not really a step, but it is more of an understanding. Twitter is not Facebook. Countless people say, “Twitter is just like updating your Facebook status a million times a day.” The fact of the matter is that Twitter is much more than Facebook 2.0. There are innumerable differences, however one of the main distinctions is real time.
Facebook posts rarely are time sensitive. Twitter posts are almost always time sensitive (ie: watching a live award show on Facebook you would share, “Watching the Grammies” watching this same live award show on Twitter you would tweet, “FOR REAL??!!! Can you believe they won best picture?! That was a #TERRIBLE show.”) People experience Twitter during real time. However this puts added pressure on you in two ways.
If you want to enjoy Twitter, you must not treat tweets like Facebook posts. You can’t “catch up” at the end of the day. It takes too long, and usually doesn’t make as much sense. Check Twitter regularly and frequently.
Similarly, your followers want you to tweet real time events as well.
Twitter is not Facebook, and as soon as you understand that they are different, you will be much better off. Plus your Grandma probably doesn’t have a Twitter account.
2. Follow, Follow, Follow
Follow people. If you log into your feed and there are 5 updates in the past hour, you will be immediately bored and highly disappointed. The answer to this is to Follow. Follow a lot of people. Follow friends, follow celebrities or athletes, follow businesses or blogs. Follow anything that peaks your interest. Just follow. If you are new to the Twitter community browse a certain account’s “follower” and “following” lists to find more people to follow. But just follow.
3. Invite your friends
Twitter is much more fun with people you personally know. Though looking into the lives of athletes and celebrities is fun in its own right, you can’t interact with them as often. Follow your friends, but if your friends are skeptical about Twitter, as many are, convert them to Twitter. I have never met a single person who gave Twitter a legitimate chance and did not enjoy it. Interactions with friends can push your Twitter experience from good to great.
4. Connect with others
If you are a part of an online community, or you have a common interest, find other people who share that similar interest. Talk to them about it, debate it with them, and discuss nuances and key issues of your interest. Twitter is full of individuals who share your same passion. If there are not enough passionate people living geographically close to you, then connect with other passionate people through the internet. Don’t just join Twitter expecting it to take you somewhere, join it and take action to go somewhere.
5. You can make it whatever you want
Finally, if you personalize your “following” list of people, Twitter can be anything you want it to be. Follow people, blogs, and businesses that are of interest to you. No longer are you stuck reading pointless posts from your Great Aunt (like you may be doing on Facebook), but now your timeline on Twitter can be filled 100% with your interests. If it is not, go out, follow more people, and unfollow those who are boring. Twitter has the capability to be completely and 100% devoted to your likes and interests.
Don’t just expect it to happen. Twitter is not Facebook, it takes some action out of you, but if you treat Twitter in the correct manner you can make it whatever you want. If you let it, Twitter will change your life.
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Life as an intern… Part 3
So… It’s been four weeks since I’ve moved in to my apartment here in Nappanee, Indiana. Though it has only been a month, the past days have been heavily filled with growth, stretching, fun, craziness, confusion, and… a lot of excitement.
My summer here has been a blessing since the day I’ve arrived, but not everything has been easy, as life is sometimes messy, but God is faithful and straight-up awesome…just ask Rich Mullins. Although, that may be a little difficult.
In the spirit of sharing my life with you, here are a few pics of where I am this summer. I introduce to you, Nappanee Missionary Church.
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Life is messy…
The more that I experience life, the more I realize how much sin has corrupted Creation and man to its very core. Everything around us and within us is tainted with only slight resemblances to its original Created, perfect state. This rings true in sunsets as much as it does in man, paintings as much as in relationships, rain as much as people inside the Church. Everything we know, everything that we love, everything we experience is broken.
A few weeks ago, a speaker came to my home church and spoke on Young Earth Creationism and did a brief seminar on some scientific findings that have proven favorable to the theory. In the midst of his seminar, he was making a side note about how corrupt this world is and how mankind was made for heaven. He made the comment: “This is Satan’s world…this is not our home. We are just passing through, and while here, we’re supposed to make disciples.” … Continue Reading
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Life as an NMC Intern…
Nappanee, Indiana.
Home of Craig and 7 other SOAR interns at Nappanee Missionary Church for the summer as well as 8,256 horses that tow 8,256 buggies and Amish families through the 10 intersections in town. Yeah, that sounds about right. Moving seven and a half hours away from home and living in the ghetto of Nappanee with four other guys in a two bedroom apartment has been really interesting. Here are some things I’ve learned. … Continue Reading
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Team Xingu: // 002 – Final Preparations
As I finish my final preparations for Brazil, I’m left with a feeling of inadequacy. …
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Team: Xingu // 001 – The Introduction
This is a story. A long story. A story that began a while ago, but …
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One hundred and six.
One hundred and six. The number of days until my world becomes unrecognizable; the number …
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It’s beginning to sound a lot like…
What’s up?! Here at Cedarville, our semester is beginning to come to an end, which …
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