What you feel only matters to you

"...it's what you do to the people you say you love that matters, it's the only thing that counts"

First post in a while, it's a hefty one!

Lately I've been having trouble showing love go the people I say I love, and ultimately that's disobeying Jesus. I could talk about my friends, but I'd also like to point out the world. A missionary came to Merge the other day, and he asked us 'Who here loves Jesus?' and of course the entire room raises their hand. His message was about Jesus' command of loving our neighbors (ultimately, everyone around us), and that not showing love to your neighbors isn't following Jesus at all. We can mumble all day about how we want to be nice to strangers, how we hope that Africa will get a miracle. But we are supposed to be that miracle. Those foreign countries and even areas in our own communities are our neighbors! And the feeling and longing for them to be given food and home and a shelter and, most importantly, the relationship with Jesus, is just a feeling. It only matters to us. What we do about it is what will make the difference.

So,

I'll be starting a club at school this year, and I'm thinking about calling it 'Pocket Change'. Here's the deal...

- Hamilton High School has 3,300 students.
- Blood:Water Mission is currently on a mission to raise enough money to build 1,000 wells in different countries in Africa.
- It costs an estimated $2,000 to build a well
- If every student in the school donated $5 over the course of the entire school year just from their 'pocket change', thatds be about $16,500
- $16,000 divided by $2,000 is 8, or 8 wells that could be built.
- It costs an estimated $2 to print the new testament in a native language.
- The remaining $500 divided by $2 is about 250 bibles.

Just because we are in school across the world doesn't mean we are 'stuck'. I want to leave here SO BAD at times. Sometimes I'm tired of parental confinement, school confinement, this whole system of who's hot who's not, but God doesn't always give us what we want. He'll discipline us, sweetly or straightforward. God has us here because He can use us. I'm asking for help. It's not going to be easy. Especially in high school. I'll need about 15 people total willing to help, a teacher sponsor, and lots and lots of prayer that we go a out this the right way. That we would not be afraid to share but to show respect as well. To give reason and show people a purpose. To not be focused on how much money we really get, but how much love and heart we can show to the 3,300 other students who God has a plan for, and that that would spawn the beneficial money towards saving lives. Man, that is SO hard for me to remember. I mean we're all guilty of having that friend that doesn't know Jesus and they don't want to bother so we keep quiet. Or sometimes people think some are impossible to convince. I listened to an old Merge sermon where Ryan threw his life infront of the stage. He didn't hide anything, he told us his troubles through high school, through growing up, but God took a "peice of junk" and "bragged with it." Jesus had the sinners and tax collectors all over him. Let's not forget about the people here too, that don't know Jesus, because we are their examples and could very well be the reason they see Jesus is calling us to something different, or we could also be the reason they stay away. Anyways, I hope some of you would like to help.

I'd like to apologize, too. For not always practicing what I preach. For pushing out my chest sometimes. I forget who gives me courage and the words to speak, and I thank you for those of you who remind me, and don't make me feel like an idiot about it (haha), but who aren't afraid to keep me in check rather.

In other news, school starts Monday. I talked to Travis Chavez in Tijauana a few nights ago on the phone. It was nice catching up! With Keira Jennet in Kenya, too! (Click on both of those links! They're AMAZING! Seriously. Do it). Except thru the computer. The world is so small. I had a blast at some birthday parties, celebrated some birthdays at shows, and have been hanging with some new friends that really keep me going. And I still have those true friends (+ more) that are still tagging along side me and I appreciate so much! Missing some people too. Things just change I guess...

Agh, so much stuff to talk about. Follow me on twitter if you're really interested!

Love all of you!

-Chris

P.S.

I love feedback! Tell me I'm wrong, tell me I'm right. Read this, watch that. Connect things, give me ideas. I know I'm not in this alone. God gave me a community!