I

realized today that one of the best ways to love someone is to meet them where they are. Respect how they feel, and realize their insecurities. And be there for them-the whole way.

Thats all.

Lord, revive me of my insecurities.

The things I'm not good at.
The things I can't figure out.
The things that annoy people.
The things I do betraying You.
The sins I commit.
Things I attempt to love with myself.
The pain I give you.

----
Answer me quickly, O LORD;
my spirit fails.
Do not hide your face from me
or I will be like those who go down to the pit.

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul.

Rescue me from my enemies, O LORD,
for I hide myself in you.

Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God;
may your good Spirit
lead me on level ground.

For your name's sake, O LORD, preserve my life;
in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble.

In your unfailing love, silence my enemies;
destroy all my foes,
for I am your servant.

Psalm 143:7-12
----

revive me, revive me
not for me but for Your name
in Your mercy deliver me from my enemies
revive me

-Shane and Shane



revive me, Father.

Love

Why is it that people reject love so often? How come a "real man" is portrayed as somewhat of a dead beat nowadays? They show no emotion, they just run the household emotionless, and loveless it seems. Why can't a man hug another man without it being suspicious sometimes?

I think about these things so much and it comes into my mind everyday, usually multiple times. What are there man laws? Why is there one set of man laws for every single male out there? Why can't a person be a person, and not be stereotyped anything. I think this is my biggest struggle right now. Finding out my identity, and coming to the realization that I am who I am, and that is okay, because I am in love with my Savior, and He formed me that way.

I get really down when I see people reject my love, and when I notice it from other people. I'm sure I do it do (slap me if I ever do that), but it just breaks my heart when I see that because even though the love we can give is flawed, I pray that I just ooze with God's love within me so much so that I just want to give it to the world. Unfortunately its not always like that, but that is my prayer today.

I love to show my love. If you don't like it when I show my love to you, I'm really sorry for you, because you are missing out on such a wonderful gift God gives, and that is never failing love given to you by other people through Christ.

Love,
Marc

P.S. 1.) It's snowing and windy. So windy that I can hear it whistling loud and clear in my dorm.

2.) Kyle is sleeping right now, and making those silly sucking noises that is really funny.

3.) I got a supporting role in the musical, and if you don't come, I'll probably shank you.

4.) Going out to Dennys late at night and pouring your heart out to people is the best. Especially when it is repenting, and sharing of life.

5.)...did I tell you I loved you? well I do.

You are selfish.

I am selfish. You are selfish. I am irresponsible. You are irresponsible. In fact, if you're reading this, you are probably American, and you are probably pretty comfortable. Did you know we spend 30-50 billion dollars on weight loss crap a year? Hold the phone. We spend money because we spent too much money on things that make us fat. That doesn't seem right.

Here is the thing. We didn't choose to have luxury, but we are SO blessed for it. With this luxury comes responsibility. Responsibility to take action. Do something about it. I'm just as guilty as you. I go to a 30,000 a year school, eat two-three meals a day, all you can eat, live in a heated, air conditioned building, and get access to incredible technology.

The sad part is, this gets me fired up, but tomorrow it is lost. Why does this happen? Why do we think this way.

America is 5% of the population. We use 40% of the worlds resources. crazy.
Lets move. Lets Act. Lets Love. Lets Pray.
Will you promise to hold me to it?

Love, Marc

hello!?

does anyone even read this?

the end.

The job has been great-but the best part of this summer, I think, is the ways God has worked in my life. I’ve never really had complete faith and trust in God (of course, I thought I did), but it happened this summer. I’ve learned that my timing doesn’t mean anything, only God’s does, and of course, that the only timing that is actually correct.

There are things in my life I’ve never really given to God, or confessed really, that I gave up to Him this summer. That is the greatest feeling in the world, the feeling that you are forgiven because you confess and repent. Things I’ve dealt with for as long as I can remember, things that I did in high school that I completely regret, but am afraid of what people will think of me. These things don’t bog me down anymore, and that is such a great feeling.

Anyone who knows me knows how sensitive I am. It is a problem I’ve been dealing with for as long as I can remember. I’m not sure what caused it, but all I know now is I’ve been prayerfully, with the help of some amazing people working on it. It is so nice not getting angry or annoyed over things that aren’t really worth it. I’m learning that these are attacks from Satan, and that it really isn’t my fault in the first place.

At the same time, what if I’m not being sensitive. What if I’m standing up for things I believe in, and getting annoyed at things I should be getting annoyed at. What if this is Satan playing a trick on me. Maybe I’m shrugging off things that really should get my goat.

I’ve learned this summer that worship is so important in my life. These past few weeks I’ve heard (and currently hearing) worship by amazing musicians about twice a day, and honestly, it never gets old. I love love love love love love love it.




Nobody here respects what I believe in it feels like. Everyone knows me as the good Christian boy, but around me they don’t act differently. I almost feel like I’ve made the environment too comfortable for them. Of course I want to be friends with these people so I can be an example and a witness to them, but at the same time the temptations that spring upon me are not healthy for me. Ladies and Gentlemen, I’m home now, and man does it suck. It is almost like a culture shock - things are so different, people are so different. Frankly, it sucks. I need to find middle ground to witnessing and being corrupted. Could you pray for me please? `


Final words of Marc. Thank the Lord for amazing mentors who listen to you vent for hours on end then end with amazing encouragement.

ugh, genders.

One thing I’ve been thinking about a lot lately is girls, and how to treat them. I feel like guys try too hard to think about how to treat them, when really, if a guy just treated a girl normally, things would be way better. Why flirt with someone if you know nothing is going to happen?

Why lead someone on like that? Maybe that’s why guys have such a bad rap about these things. I feel like it is things like these that are jeopardizing the way girls look at guys in general.
I feel like if a guy treats a girl with respect and loving kindness, things would be so much better than what the general stereotype is. But why just with girls? Why can’t a man treat another man with respect and dignity. This just plays into the beginning. Just be yourself, and maybe if being this way around girls you should analyze yourself, and do something different. Because it is defiantly not okay.

Anywho, I’m sitting in the van now, and about to leave Somerset. What a great experience I had, so many fantastic kids, who impacted me as much as I hope we impacted them. I love doing this, and it is such a perfect thing to me. What a fantastic plan God has given me so far, and I am so blessed to be involved in these kids’ lives. I love love love it.

One thing I could use prayer for is my sensitivity. I’m a very sensitive person, and I analyze everything so literally, and analyze myself. But the problem is, I brush off the compliments and focus on those non-verbal cues that probably have nothing to do with the bad things I’m thinking about. It’s really wearing me down. I just want to act like Christ is, I feel like analyzing myself is not healthy especially like how I have been.

A lot has been going through my head….sorry guys.
I don’t understand why things always have to be so extreme. Sometimes I just want to chill, but society says all or nothing.

I’m done. Keep me in your prayers please.

Don’t worry. I still love my job.

Finally,
I think genders are stupid classifications.


love.wins.

Week 1

Somerset, MI- Somerset Camp-Young Teens (Jr. High) & Explorers (5th and 6th grade)
Sunday, June 14th- Thursday, June 18th-

Oh my wow. What a fantastic experience. God is moving through this team in miraculous ways, and its pretty fantastic. The discussions we have, and the way these people (especially the guys) open up is really great. We had four days of training last week, where pretty much we practiced for twelve hours straight.

This was specifically harder for me. I had to learn the ins and outs, ups and downs of everything sound and video. I had to construct PowerPoint’s, learn what cord goes where, and what button, or knob does what. Not to mention building a relationship with this group I learned I was going to be with two weeks ago. I don’t regret doing this one bit, and I know this is God wants me to do.

If you know me at all, you know I’m not a deep thinker, or really a deep anything. The only thing deep I do is build relationships, but this group is so deep in their spiritual lives, and in their though process’, its great, and I think this is something I need to learn to do. I need to think deeply about things that are most dear to me, like my God. What are my beliefs? What do I want to stand for, and what does God want me to stand for?

I know this summer is going to be so rewarding in so many levels. Even two of these guys aren’t coming back next year, I’m going to build friendships that are going to be with me forever, not just with the WellSpring group, but with the counselors I knew from Spring Arbor. All that being said I am SO excited to continue doing this WellSpring thing for summers to come, and see these kids I get to counsel grow up to become amazing Christ followers. These kids are fantastic.
Next stop-Gateway Camp- Greenville, MI

I tell ya what...

What an amazing God we serve. Seriously. Let me tell you about some things He's been doing in my life.

Tuesday, I got a call from my acedemic advisor, and professor of Worship Arts, Dr. Walrath with some very exciting news. Last December, Spring Arbor held auditions for a thing called WellSpring. WellSpring is a summer ministry team (well, there are three of them) consiting of eight musicians. For about 8 weeks, these teams travel around to various church camps around the midwest and canada to lead worship, help around the camp, and help counsel. It's an amazing thing. I tried out, but didn't make it.

In the mean time, I'm wondering what the heck I'm going to do for the summer. There are no jobs here, and the commute to and from Spring Arbor every day was getting a little tiring. I got this call, and apparently they needed someone to fill a spot immediatley (since it starts Monday) for Dan Suminski's WellSpring team. Within less than a week, I accept, shop, pack, learn, and did everything I had to do to prepare for this thing.

I KNEW there was some wierd reason why God didn't want me to have a summer job this summer, and this is why. I'm so excited to go on this. There are so many amazing people on my team, and we go to some pretty amazing places, and not to mention, it's a JOB!

Please pray for me throughout these months. This is a fantastic way for me to watch my actions, and what I say. There is absolutley nothing innapropriate aloud, and I feel this is going to be a challenge, but much needed for me. Pray God uses me in many ways this summer.

I'm getting so pumped to be a Peer Advisor next year too. I got my first "PA Pourings" yesterday which made me even more excited. God is using me in so many sweet ways, I'm so excited for them, and I'm glad I got to share them with you.

Reflections

Its almost done. Something that was so exciting at the beginning of the year is something I'm now so ready to be over. Although I'm looking forward to being done, I'm not looking forward to idiot friends, overprotective parents, and temptations back at home. I don't really feel home there, I do here, but I'm so emotionally, and physically drained.

Tonight was the icing on the cake. I've realized all of my prof's love to assign everything at the end of the year. Not to mention all of the recitals, open houses, core events, and everything else added to my sixteen credit schedule, but there are private instructors trying to force me to play somethign I don't feel comfortable playing, I have friends dealing with issues I want to fix but can't, and I have people breathing down my neck about summer jobs. Its a tough time, but it is something I have to deal with, and I want to deal with.

If there is one big thing I learned and want to remember for the rest of my life, it is that I found out I'm called to lead. I don't know how yet, but I know it is something God wants me to do for the rest of my life. My goal for the summer and fall is to find out how he wants me to lead, and what he wants me to do during college and after.

One huge thing happened last week. I was named a Peer Advisor for next year. I am SO excited for that, but afraid. I've never been put in such an important position, but I am so excited to pursue it. How sweet is it that I have a job where the purpose is investing in people's lives, and making their first year of college a great transition. I love it.

Alot on my mind, could use some prayer, but I know God is working through me through all of this. If anything, he could be teaching me time management.
Anywho, Here is that.

Pray for me, because I'm praying for you.

Love, Marc.

Long Time, No Blog

wow-two months of no blogging. I guess nothing has really been on my mind? At least not enough to blog about.

Something on my mind a lot lately is girls, and how I want a girlfriend. This is so dangerous because wanting a girlfriend leads to rushing into things, and that is what I do not want to do. I see girls and wonder if they're potential girlfriends, and that is not what I want to do. So if you guys could pray for me about that, that would be splendid.

Until that girl comes that I want to marry, no girlfriend for me.


Thats all really.

-Marc


P.S. Also pray for my grandma.