A little Holiday cheer... on my face.

Those razor maker people have done it again! Marketing genius. I did not know that anything could top Gillette's commercials with Tiger Woods and friends (actually extremely weird). I found a place on the internet where you can actually make a mustache on your face via high tech photo editing. So look... it's a picture of me with a foo man choo.Thanks Schick.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!! FOOS!

The challenge of trust

Today is a special day at East Lake. We as a staff are fasting (going without to plead for God to move on our behalf) today in prayer for God to provide for our church's financial need. It is obvious today that every single person in the world around us is financially struggle to make ends meet. It is plain to see that with this struggle being present that our church would struggle as well. To be honest... this is the best place East Lake could be right now. I believe the financial hardship we have come up against has forced us into a place of complete dependence on God... which should be our constant position anyway. I don't pretend to be a professional truster of God... or a "PRUSTER"- if you will. I have often been terrible at it, but a particular verse I discovered this week has caused me to become a bit more of a "pruster".

Psalm 62:5-11

5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.

6 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

7 My salvation and my honor depend on God [a] ;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

8 Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
Selah

9 Lowborn men are but a breath,
the highborn are but a lie;
if weighed on a balance, they are nothing;
together they are only a breath.

10 Do not trust in extortion
or take pride in stolen goods;
though your riches increase,
do not set your heart on them.

11 One thing God has spoken,
two things have I heard:
that you, O God, are strong



I am praying that God will provide for our church in every way. I believe that either way God will either provide what we think we need or show us what He believes we need. If you would like a way to help... please pray that God will move this week in a might way as we pray and fast. I look forward to a further post as I tell of God's faithfulness.

A side note: God has been showing both Jenna and I what it is like to be a generous tithing person. After starting to learn this discipline, I was given a note of thanks for past service along with a $1,000 check addressed to "Trevor Miller's youth group". INCREDIBLE. God will provide in whatever way He wants. I want to trust.

From one improving "PRUSTER" to another.

Smart inventions Part 1

What you are viewing is a very smart invention that I am sure someone made lots of money off of. I mean look at the intricate chin strap insuring that the device does not fall and break a nose or retreat as to choke someone. I am sure the initial cost might be a little more than one can afford, but the rolls of toilet... excuse me... tissue are extremely inexpensive.

I mean look at her, she is enjoying it.

Ha. Here's to modern ingenuity.

LONGGGGG DAYYYYY

Wow. Today started at 7:30am at East Lake Community Church and ended at 4:30pm at East Lake Community church. Yes... I realize this is only 9 hours, BUT... it was full of all kinds of teaching, worship, waiting on Jenna, sitting in a chair, cleaning and blah blah blah. Long. I loved my pastor's sermon today though. Kevin Pike is the man. It was such a fresh look at the christmas season. It was very exciting.

Friday... Jenna, myself and Lauren Moody filmed our very first paid wedding. It was a truly fun time. I think we got tons of good footage prime for editing. This will be a wonderful start for Jenna's business... www.silverlocketproductions.com

. I look forward to more experiences in both shooting and editing video... especially with her.

Barbeque X 2

It is truly amazing what a good night of rest can do for person. I have been exhausted for days on end this past week. It seems I have been waking up more tired than when I went to bed. Last night was a must... I had to sleep. After an awesome conversation with my beautiful fiance I was able to finally grab some snoozes! The world always looks a little better, a little brighter, a tad merrier and the like.

I have contemplating this verse I read a few days ago in Romans. Romans 5:5 "And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." I love this verse. Hope is a luxury these days. It seems hardly anyone carries it anymore. It's like trying to buy a nerf gun or super soaker. You just can't find them anymore. This verse speaks to me in a real way. It is too often I believe that the word hope is followed closely by dissappointment. I've heard people say, "Don't get your hopes up" or "Careful what you hope in"... but why?? I think Romans says it is because we put our hope in the wrong things. Disappointment comes when you put your hope in money, people, government, bonuses or Santa Claus. What if we put our hope in God by His Holy Spirit which He has given us? Accourding to the Bible... that is the only thing that won't fail or dissappoint. I'd like some more hope please. A double portion. God knows my hope thread wears thin at times and it could use a boost. I'm thankful for Gods love.

I am so blessed to work at East Lake. Right next door we have a church member who owns a catering business and we often get to sample... what you might call... leftovers. BUT... I couldn't call these leftovers! They are amazing! It isn't your mom's turkey 5 days after Thanksgiving. This is like savory yummyness! (And I have never in 25 years written yummy... this is serious!) Today we sampled pulled pork that would make you spin, go cross eyed and crumble to the ground a smiling, weeping wreck. This must have been day 8 when God created pork and said, "It was good". Mostly divine. Amen.

Twitter???

Ok... so I started a twitter thing today. A bit outside of my technological comfort zone. If you wanna see what I am doing from time to time go to twitter.com/trevmiller. I updated it today... duh.... it is the first day. It has been an exciting day of hanging a huge curtain in the youth room. I got to do it with my two buddies Barry and Keenan. It is gonna look really good. That is as long as it doesn't pull out of the wall and kill some unsuspecting middle schooler. Please God... protect every 5-8th grader who steps foot in that room. Anyway. I hope you all have a wonderful day. GOD BLESS!

Trevor

PS- the twitter might last past today. Yea. I think it won't.

Video Blog 1

New Church!

So things have changed a bit...

Well, since the last time we "spoke" there have been many changes in my life. September 1st I left a church that I had grown to love so much it was crazy. After 4.5 years of ministry I felt God drawing me to leave and join up with a friend of mine named Barry Russell at East Lake Community Church in Irmo, SC. It was a monster leap for me, but I have experienced such joy and blessing form God being here. I am actually getting engagement pictures taken with Jenna.... a first. We had our first wedding shower in IN over the thanksgiving holiday as well. Showers are weird. I'm not a fan of getting gifts like that. Just feels weird. I found out this winter my dog has epilepsy. I have felt so bad for the poor Tozer. I caught 7 trout recently in Pisgah National Forest with two of my favorite people in the world... Phil Miller and Andy Cunningham. I also got Seafarers of Cataan from my beautiful fiance for Christmas! Super Sweet. Well gotta go. Talk later. PEACE.

Trevor

Atari

Kaboom has to be the best atari game ever created! Andy Cunningham and I spent nearly 3 hours tonight playing some of the crappiest games ever created for human beings to enjoy. To list a few of the worst... Adventure, Qbert, Mash. Some of the best.... Frogger, Kaboom, Pac-Man. I love spending time with buddies doing nothing but stupid crap. Through the gameage tonight there was great conversations and encouragement. Always a plus. I want to at some point purchase some old game systems to bust out and enjoy from time to time. Remember Nintendo "Jaws"?... CLASSIC.
Trevor

My new office

Tonight I sit in my new office. I've actually sat and just stared here for a few minutes without realizing the massive amount of precious sleep I am fixating away. But for some reason it feels great to sit motionless and listen to Needtobreathe like I have nothing to do tomorrow.... which is a complete false statement.... truth is I have an insanely busy day tomorrow. Trevor's day tomorrow consists of...

1. rise at a comfortable 7:15 am wide eyed and bushy.... well tailed.
2. drive to lake house to retrieve jet ski.
3. staff meeting at 10:00am.
4. grab a bite of lunch on the run around 11:30am.
5. buy supplies for Middle School Cardboard Regatta (ie- tape, spray paint, food).
6. pray parents and students show up with any of the following... food, boats, sense humor, energy and good attitudes.
7. 7:00 pm clean up from event on lake.
8. paint my bathroom with my lovely fiance.

But for now... I'd rather not think about the chaos of tomorrow when the quiet of tonight is so soothing.

(Needtobreathe over... Hillsong United START)

It is weird being 25... I never honestly thought this age would be attained by me. I thought I would never pass the 23rd year, Jesus would come back or I would perish in a freak Ale81 drowning. Regardless, I have reached this all important age and my insurance has fallen by a healthy margin. This is good.

I have a half-way new house too by the way. Brand spankin' new bathroom complete with tile and other cool stuff. Refinished hardwood floors that look so good they'd make you lift a voice of triumph. I am on my way to a nice house. It is super sweet.

Qustion:
What was your favorite childhood meal?

Answer:
Easy.... PBJ and mac and cheese.

Mrevor Tiller

Dino Bike

I can vaugely recall as an eight year old kid, whose birthday was quickly approaching, a desire to find any present that was coming my way before it actually was wrapped and my actual birthday came. I don't know why the obsession, but it was present. There was this one particular birthday year when I was searching suspiciously for birthday gifts on our farm in Indiana that I stumbled onto an unquestionable birthday surprise in the milk barn. It was a bicycle that was yellow and green and red and had a small fanny pack on the front that looked like a dinosaur head with little white teeth... complete with training wheels! I was extatic. Never before had I set eyes on such a piece of machinery. I quickly returned to the house trying to suppress a grin that was just below the surface. I was later asked wether or not I had snooped into the milk barn and saw the "Dino Bike" and I responsed "Yes". Later my birthday came and I received all my presents... I can recall getting a plastic basketball hoop (a lot of good that did me... I'm terrible at basketball), I got a dinosaur cake with plastic dions on it and I had many friends around the table. When I final was given the "Dino Bike" it didn't feel right. I had cheated the system... I wasn't surprised... I was boarder line mad. Some things are better waiteed for... sometimes we push too hard and snoop too much into what is to come. I think it taints a lot of plans God has for each one of us. Sounds like a few scriptures I know.

Song of solomon 8:4
Psalm 104:27-28

Only you can prevent forest fires...

Our house was blessed with a small piece of paper in our door a few days ago. It wasn't an invitation to a swanky party or a gift certificate to Longhorn Steakhouse... it actually was a citation for burning wood in our backyard. What has the world come to when people can't even burn wood in their own yard. It wasn't like I was just trying to be frivolously burning any wood I could get my hands on. It was strategic yard-cleaning wood burning. I understand the danger though and heed the warning. I read today about these trees that are extremely different from any trees here in South Carolina. They are called Redwood trees. They are apparently as tall as a football field is long. Not that I question the facts... just flabbergasted by the shear size. The reading was from a small group book I am doing with my 8th grade guys who meet at my house each Monday night for a time of "sharpening"... spiritually and Settlers of Catan wise. (a highly addictive board game) The book was going on comparing these trees to the relationships between individuals in a small group. The trees grow roots deep into the ground in order to intertwine with other tree's roots. They braid in order to strengthen one another for the incredible power needed to stay upright in the woods under the strain of tremendous weight and height. It is really a beautiful picture of James 5:16. We in a small group are to grow deep roots in our faith and trust of our Jesus... but also grow deep roots in trust and reliance on one another. James speaks of honesty and confession as a way of staying straight and powerful in the face of trials and failures. I love to think of my friendships with others as roots that will keep me strong. I know I have extra help when I am weak and I am power to those who are also struggling. But how deep do my roots go? Can they grow deeper and stronger? Whose roots are my safety? If we have roots... what is the soil? So I'm sorry I burnt the wood without asking. I will do better. At least it wasn't a redwood.

The future

I have been consumed all day by a single thought.... where am I going?? I don't mean a inquiry of where I will physically be as much as where the depths of who I am will be. Each time I have gotten quiet today for a short period of time my mind has consistantly come back to that question. there are countless places I have always wanted to go in the call I believe God has on my life. A call is just that... a call... I am unclear on where the conversation will end and at times, where it is. The legit desires I have sensed over the past fews years include but are not limited to starting an outdoor leadership camp to train futre leaders, continue in middle school ministry and pour all I have into understanding the middle school mind... scary really, being a part of a large youth ministry team doing youth minsitry in a unquestionably new way (thinking outside of the box), graphic design??? true, planting a church with some of my closest friends who are striving with all that is inside them (and outside of them- God strength) to allow God to use them to change the world. So where is God leading? It's a tough question these days for me. I think that these thoughts have sprung from reading too many books and reading too many blogs of church leaders. Is that possible though? To over-dream? I want my dreams to only be restrained by one thing... God's revealed direction for me.

It is a fresh new time in my life... again... the church has changed over the past few months in incredible ways. Many of these changes are necessary and well planned. I welcome them. It just feels I have had to adjust more regularlly than a chiropractor's office. I look forward to being able to look back a year from now and notice the subtle leadings and dramatic shifts God brings forth each day.

Trevor

I need back-up

Reinforcements have arrived. Andy Cunningham, our new youth director, has finally arrived in Lexington, SC. I am so excited about the future of Ignite Student Ministries with the team we have. I can tell already that Andy is really bringing some fresh new ideas to the table that I believe will be a great addition to the ministry. We have had two youth nights so far with Andy Cunningham... where we have wheeled him in in a shopping after a video introducing the "freshest thing we could find from Bi-lo at the beach". I think the students will really enjoy him and he will really connect with them.

Today we spend nearly 4 hours working through the sermon series for the spring of 2008 at the church.
-Lent: GIVE IT UP
-Promised Land: AMAZING RACE
-Summer: WORTH THE FIGHT

Tonight Natalie Grant will be singing at the church. Should be a fun time.

Fresh

There is nothing like fresh fruit. A nice big granny smith apple... green gold. A juicy orange that squirts when you bite into it. A succulent peach that is just sweet enough to make you smile. My mouth is watering right now. Fresh things are just better... I mean this morning I left my house and looked on top of the fridge to see a blackened banana. I don't think that is what it is supposed to look like. I picked it up to throw it away and it kind of slid and squished in my hands. It... was... gross. Made my stomach turn. Fresh is always best... huh... sounds catchy. The thing that I think I really like about Jesus is that he is always fresh. He is always attractive. I was reading today in Matthew 5... Jesus ends his sermon on the mount with a fresh look at how to live. Verse 43 Jesus says, "You have heard it said, "love your neighbor and hate your enemy." But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you..." When Jesus makes this comment it is a new idea. Love your enemies??? Jesus always has a way of upping the annie. Jesus' way of living and doing life is fresh. Jesus' way of doing things is always different from my normal choice of reacting to life. But I am convinced to live this way will lead to grace and peace. I want to live fresh. I want to live like Jesus.

T

Cannondale

I rode mountain bikes today at Harbison State Forest. I believe I am addicted. I received a Cannondale bike for Christmas and it is amazing. From 11am to 2pm today we pumped our legs to the limit. After spinning twice this week... I thought there might be an up-chuck in order. There is this zone that I get into... much like climbing... that leaves me alone in the woods. Just me and my bike. It feels great. There is a focus and a connection with God that takes place that I welcome. Tomorrow might be round two... well see.

Big wheels keep on turnin

Trevor