I read this great article today over on Frank Viola’s blog entitled “He Takes Away So He Might Establish.”

It’s powerful reading talk about how God always brings the darkness before light, the first before the second, and that the Second is Always Better!  We see this all over scripture, how God brings the night, the darkness, and the pain before He brings the light and His glory.   It’s seen in the story of Job, David, and Christ himself.   God gave us and removed the OT covenant so He could provide a new covenant, Jesus, that is so much greater.   Praise Him!

In Genesis 1, God brought the darkness before the light, the evening before the morning.   May we praise Him that when our day is ending, His day is beginning!  “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Ps. 30:5)

I found out today that a friend who has been battling cancer for quite awhile is in the hospital one final time.   She has fought hard and long, but the doctors have nothing else they can.   Pray for Aaron, her husband, and their children during this time.   Reading this article reminds me that He must take away so that He might establish something better… I know He is doing that for Janet!

Thankful for having a God that is wiser than I….

Last Tuesday, I listened the Inauguration of Barak Obama. And I'll admit, I enjoyed the moment.    There were times in the days leading up to, and after the event that I was a bit overwhelmed by the spectacle the event had become, but in the moment I enjoyed it.     I look forward to seeing what he'll do as president.   I don't agree with everything he stands for, which is okay, but I want to see him do well and make wise choices.   He's our president, and so I will support that.

But I am tired of the way the media has been so bias towards Obama and the left.   And I don't say that because "my choice" for president lost, but because the way they sometimes report on the people and issues they disagree with is just so blatantly disrespectful and tactless.  

About a year ago I started to subscribe to Newsweek.    I had never been one to come home and watch the NBC Nightly News or the like, so in an effort to remain more educated with the world, I took up reading news magazines.   It's been a good decision.   However, every now and then, they publish this outrageous stuff.  

Most recently, in the 1/26/09 issue, they published the following regarding Bush's departure:

"Farewell, my liege, we shall never see your likes again.  (So help us God.)"

Really?!  That's what you have to offer.   I am not 100% behind everything Bush did, but it's statements like that which are completely mind-boggling as to how that can be seen as acceptable reporting.  

In November, they delivered a huge cover story on Gay Marriage and the way Evangelicals helped defeat Proposition 8 in California.   Similarly, I felt they quoted the far left churches, the far right, and a few pieces of scripture about love and they called it a story.    They didn't even seem to attempt to portray what I would say is the way most evangelicals would respond, or even try to see the points one would make.  It just seemed they were doing what they could to paint the picture they wanted to paint, nothing else.

So what do we this?   It freedom of press at it's best, and I'm never going to agree with everything I read.   I just would like to see people try a little bit harder to hide the bitterness they may have behind some quality reporting.

I haven't had the chance to blog much lately, much because of trying to put finishing touches on this video.   I enjoy working with stuff like this, but getting it finished has been anything but easy.    Nonetheless, I am looking forward to do much more of this stuff once our little one comes along.    I have some posts brewing, so please stay tuned.

Over Christmas, I worked nonstop on revamping Beyond the Ultimate, one of Athletes In Action's evangelistic websites, for a campaign involving the BCS games.  We were able to partner with athletes from nine of the ten schools in the BCS games - including Tim Tebow and Sam Bradford, the two quarterbacks in the championship game.

We choose to try to do a viral (aka: web) marketing campaign for the site: placing ads on Sports Illustrated, Facebook, and other sites.   And we were successful - driving 65,000+ people to the site in the last 13 days, leading to 536 visits to the 4-Laws page, and 49 or more clicking a link stating they have accepted Christ.   And the effects the push is still visible, as we still have an average of 4,000 hits a day.

This is one of the top reasons I love my job!

Looking back, there is much that can be reflected upon, learned from, and said about the year of 2008.   It was the year of my first mission trip overseas, the year of the fire, the year we bought our first house, and the year we conceived.   It was a roller-coaster, but we made it, and God provided time-and-time again.

But I am ready for 2009 to begin.   Besides 2007, there are few new years that come around with so much promise and hope in them.  It's not been every year that there are larger life events that are carried over year to year that one can look forward too at the ring of the new year.    This year however is definitely different; with a child on the way we have an exciting year ahead of us.

Most people would say that becoming a dad is a large enough task, and that it is more than sufficient as a focus for 2009.   I agree.  Beginning my journey into fatherhood is no doubt the biggest new task on my plate this year (there are some other tasks - disciple of Jesus and husband to Chelsey, that are more important and continue to need refinement).   But I need and have some other goals as well.  Goals challenge me.  They keep me focused, and they help be measure my own progress.

So here is my short-list of goals for 2009 (in no particular order):

• Redesign AndyGarrett.net, FOTF, and one for house church.
• Run a half-marathon
• Participate in an outing with the MV Orienteering Club
• Study the Gospels thoroughly
• Focus on the disciplines of prayer and journaling
• Finish the year with less in the red then when I started (mortgage not included)
• Exercise the creative-half of my brain more by setting aside time for graphics design and tutorials.
• Work on being more involved into community and discipleship contexts, both as a couple, and as man.