well i don’t know if i rocked the mic or not, but man i had LOTS of fun, made some new friends whom i hope to keep around for a very long time, i have not been on stage in a very long time and it felt good and most importantly God was glorified in song!!

I decided after watching this video with Esther that I would share it with you! Leave a comment, below and let me know what you think?

I truly do miss the stage and have been praying, writing and talking to Esther about what it would look like if I were to JUMP back into the spoken word scene. The sad thing and the reason that I jumped ship was that with most any typical performance you must do the pieces that the crowd wants, needs… and sadly they only really loved the sexually explicit pieces. Bunch of horny folks…LOL!!! Yeah, I was one of them, i said it. Thank God for forgiveness, grace and mercy! My past is no longer a hindrance to me, but it serves as a foot stool to reach the beyond my wildest imagination… the “THING” I was created for!!!

You know I could post something and not preach a lil bit! LOL!! Enjoy the video, leave a comment and let go of yesterday- it no longer belongs to you!!!

Lose My Soul – Oakleaf from lloydowens on Vimeo.

with this gift
i rejoice
used to be voice
less now i sing
from within
my love
my heart
my best friend/soulmate
from the start
couldn’t wait
to kiss her soul
dance in the rain under moonlight

in her i found me
in her i found the dreams
i left on the side of the road
in her is heaven, my home…

love is…
her heart
her smile
for one glance
i’d dance across hell’s fire
with one chance
allowed love to dance
as angels watched
intangible like the
wind and gentle
like the future
with her in my arms

in her I found me
in her I found my dreams
I life on the side of the road
In her is heaven, my home…

Esther,

I love you more than life itself. The words above only express a minute fraction of how i feel and what you mean to me. I hope to write from today to forever, you the muse, my hearts love the pen! I know i am far from perfect, i thank you for loving me anyway, in spite of all my flaws and inconsistencies. You are a gift from the most high, Christ who is Lord! I dont deserve you!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

PLEASE GO HERE AND WISH HER A HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PLEASE!!!

The first question is probably easier to answer than the second, but either way they are both important. Churches, especially in this church planting movement, focus on communities, neighborhoods to reach out and be a beacon of light, to reach those far from God, to help the poor and to add to the Kingdom of God. With that said it is understandable if the particular community that church calls its home is not a diverse community. But what about the church who in its “1, 2, 3, and even 5 mile radius” has a community as diverse as heaven? What about the church who sits in between two communities divided by color or race, economics and lifestyle?

If there is no diversity in your community by all means ignore this post, but if there is then DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. Serisouly, we are the body of Christ. There is no white body, black body, asian body, poor body and rich body of Christ, just one body, one faith, one God and one salvation.

Is it because we dont really care? Is it because we are simply comfortable around people who look like us, talk like us and understand “our” culture? Is It? If that is the case, then how in the hell can we stand to claim we want to engage those that are far from God “sidenote: only those far from God who look like us, or who are wealthy, or who are from a particular race”?

God has not called us to be FREAKING comfortable? He has not called us to only associate ourselves with those we are most comfortable or have the most in common with. DON’T BELIEVE ME? Look here and here!

I can tell you right now peculiarplace will be EXTREMELY INTENTIONAL ON CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS REFLECTIVE OF HEAVEN!!! You can take that to the bank!!!

Talk to me, prove me wrong please!!!
Part two coming soon!

Today is a major move day for us. We get all of the heavy stuff out of the apartment and off to the house. I still have to ask God from time to time, “are you sure?”.

So what major moves have you had to make recently that caused you to over extend, be anxious beyond repair, and even ask God, “are you sure?”

I have something come up that I think will be really cool, but If I don’t know you are here or have been here then how can I include you in the coolness…

Thanks!!!

I cannot believe it has already been five weeks and I’m still as committed today as I was when I started.

Let me explain, five weeks ago, i made a commitment to myself, to my wife and to God to take six months and get in the best physical shape of my life. I began a workout I found on leehaney.com, 8-time Mr. Olympia and changed the way I thought about food, the foods I eat and how often I ate.

And today makes it five weeks. I feel good!!!! I lost a couple of inches, i am stronger than I have been in a very long time, and i am losing weight.

The most important and amazing thing to me is that my wife looked at me yesterday and told me she was proud of me. Proud because i have stuck with it. Proud because it such a short time, this has become by lifestyle.

Now I of course being the pastor i am i have to relate this to the Kingdom.

How often have we committed to the works of God, to studying more, to praying more only to fall short. But let’s say we want to save some money for an outfit, or a new game, or a new set of golf clubs it is amazing how we can sacrifice and scrimp  (is that even a word) to reach that goal.

What i am saying is really simple if it is something you really WANT, NOTHING seems to be able to stand in our way, NOTHING.

Jesus isn’t asking for a sacrifice, He is asking for a lifestyle change. A complete mental, physical, spiritual and emotional makeover. All those things that compromise ones lifestyle… changed, patterned after His Word.

So what about your lifestyle would you change? I suggest starting in an area that is easiest and develop confidence in that area and then move on from there.

The Kingdom is more than a place, a church or an experience it is a lifestyle. Are you ready?

I hope to not make this a habit, but i have been waiting for this album for some time now and it is finally here.

Hailing from Baytown, TX this group of youngsters impressed me immensely with their debut album filled with worship music that would make almost anyone pay attention. Nominated for a Grammy, Leeland hit the road to spread the Word. I am so excited to get this album and here that maturity, a new guitar player, and a couple of years have produced an AMAZING album!

Check it out, but it, and let me know what you think!!

You won’t be sorry!