Full day. Exhausting Schedule. Triumphant King.

• Church 9:30 till 11am
• leadership meeting at 11:30-12
• Band practice at 1-2pm
• Skate Lesson with 2 new students at 2pm in Cherry Creek
• Pick up homey & drive to Bday party
• Host my very first Bday skate-themed party for ten+ 9yr-olds. Complete with skate lesson, skate session, pizza, cake, trampoline, and lots of filming.
• Take homey downtown, then halfway back.
• Drive to Highlands Ranch (35 minutes from downtown) for Smallgroup.

-First off, I’m totally one to complain.

Second, if you factor in a 1/2 hour for drivetime between each of these events… there’s no possible way i could’ve made it to every engagement on time if my life depended on it.

I’ve learned through Life Hurts God Heals that i should shed this dangerous need to please everyone. So today i had my tantrum in the car and prayed:

“Damn… Ahhhhh! Lord, how can i possibly accomplish everything that needs to be done today unless you show up? Will you take care of me in this?”

I just decided to not freak out and wait for God to do his thing and take care of his kid…AKA Me.

I will just give away the surprise and let you know that today i got home after every battle, adventure, party, trek, and meeting exhausted, yet utterly at peace and in awe. God heard my earnestly frustrated prayer and he showed up today.

HOW?

1. I’ve felt ignored, but today Mark played a song that i referred, in church- so it was encouraging to say the least that I could see that I’m not totally invisible.
2. I hate leadership meetings where Travis Says, “I’ll keep this short…” because what’s the point of showing up if it’s not worth more than 10 minutes of our time? However, P.A. and Trav encouraged us about small groups and the meeting was a stoking gathering for our team(s).
3. Since God is abundant, he also reaffirmed my validity by allowing me to lead a song in Catalyst that I’ve asked about for months. We rehearsed it at band practice after church and i was stoked!
4. I then booked it to my lesson and met some siblings, Sydney and Jack, who got stoked on skating and hired me for next week to do another lesson. Praise God!
5. Picked up my longtime friend Casey, who assisted me with my Birthday party by filming it so we could make a memorable DVD for the family. Casey and I had lots of fun with all those little guys and he told me that he felt really welcomed and loved by the parents and kids. He mentioned, “I forgot what it’s like to be a little kid. To be so stoked and no nothing about skating. It’s like we’re giving back to the next generation of skaters and I would have loved this birthday party when i was nine.”
6. I took Casey home and then BOOKED It to smallgroup an hour late… only to find a welcoming family when i really expected to be resented because of my tardiness. Isn’t the body of Christ fabulous sometimes? Extending God’s unending love to me when i feel so undeserving of it.
7. Arriving home after chilling with Nate and Marlon and the girls from Aegis, our group my mommy and I got to recap my last few days and it’s always wonderful when she lovingly listens to every loose thought in my head. She’s a great listener and an encouraging source of strength and direction in my life. I’m taken aback by God’s plan. He put me in her womb, and He’ll take me to my tomb.

I NEVER journal, even though I live a life so highly blessed with FAVOR and purpose. It’s lame how I take God’s gifts for granted, so I’m just thankful that the LORD inspired me to recap this stupendous day, despite my regular habit of avoiding such a glorious activity. Now i can look back and say to myself or others,

“God has not walked away. In fact, He’s stepped into my world and stirred things up with his great love.”

Christian Skaters Conference, Bible Bowl, In N Out, Demo

 This is the “Bible Bowl” Tuesday night 20 of us were blessed and priviledged enough to take 6 hours and SHRED this beauty together. Pastor Jay Haizlip, Jud Heald (Pro and owner of Untitled Skateboards), Tom Geilfuss (Untitled Amateur), Julie ? (16yr old professional female skateboarder who’s Dad owns the Bible bowl), and a few other gutsy skaters really stood out during the session. Bowls like this are much different from skateparks because they have pool coping (instead of steel rails at the top) to grind, which is much rougher and takes more power and precision to successfully traverse.

The Vibe at the  Bible Bowl was just exponentially exciting and everyone supported eachother and cheered eachother on all night. When i asked the local skater, Pastor Jay, if the neighbors minded all the noise we were making, he calmly replied with a grin, “It sounds better than gunshots…”

 All the skaters attending the session were also those who spent Sept 1,2,3 at The Sanctuary Church in Huntington Beach, CA for the second annual Skaters Conference hosted by Christian Skaters International Ministry.

I got to, among other things, attend an art show that featured art by christian skaters such as one of my earthly heros Brian sumner , Christian Hosoi, Tom Geilfuss, Lance Mountain, and many others. At the show, Pro skater Josh Harmony (Toy Machine, Fallen, RVCA) played original folk songs and covers that were all about his faith in Christ. Another band  showed up and it included 3 burly men with full body tattoos including naked women, vulgar words, gang affiliation symbols, etc… Basically they were the last people you’d want to squirt your soda through your nose at if you were laughing at the lunchtable in prison. They’d all been to prison… literally. But they were the nicest people in the gallery and they played really loud punk worship until the police came to quiet them down. I couldn’t help but clap, pump my fist and dance and giggle with these body building burly worshippers who were nothing but smiles and raw punk rock for Jesus.

After the conference, I rode home with Mark, my NFCDFL (Ninjas For Christ, Down For Life) and Derrick (Skateponderosa.blogspot.com) Unrein who runs a ministry in Monument CO. We ate In-N-Out , drove 17 hours straight, worshipped, did bible studies on Isaiah, discussed the conference, laughed about all of Marks crazy stories and slept.

BACK FROM CALI, I’m now in Pueblo, it’s 4:12am-(Switchfoot has a song about this) and at 11am tomorrow we (Uriel, Riley and I) will do an all day skate demo for the Pueblo West Highschool Back to School Event.  God tossed some incredible blessings right into our laps and we now have an updated and upgraded skatepark to use for our shows…

Check out Call To Glory, Alexander, and the Uprising… next blog.

Porn n Pancakes recap:

This is the email update i recieved from Tara Chavarria about PnP from last Saturday…

I was recently back home in California visiting my Dad and when I was explaining Porn n Pancakes and what we are doing in Steamboat when he asked me:

“why don’t you just mind your own business and let people just do what they want?”

It struck me as an odd question and it stumped me for a couple of days, I really had to think about it. Maybe we are too pushy, maybe people want to be left alone, maybe we just imagine all the problems around us…..lame questions to have right before we are hosting a community wide event to address a very hard topic!

This weekend God has given me a couple of confirming thoughts and situations to show me that He does not want us to just mind our own business and there are people that don’t know where to turn, that live with incredibly HUGE secrets and that just experience life as a constant chaotic, damaging struggle!

Saturday morning Sk8 Church hosted, with local churches sponsoring, Craig Gross from xxxchurch for an event called porn n pancakes. We had over 120 men show up to learn about or get help for pornography. We had 9 different churches (Holy Name Catholic, Church of Christ, Steamboat Christian Center, Euzoa Bible Church, Evangelical Free, Anchor Way Baptist, St Paul Episcopal, Sk8 Church, & Concordian Lutheran) bring people from their congregations and the feedback we got was awesome! Guys were stoked to be at an event that was addressing a really sensitive issue. It was so cool to see believers from all different churches fellowshipping together to support each other. It definitely was more church crowd than we expected, but that is where the statistics say there is the biggest struggle so it was good! Craig Gross is a great speaker that talks so openly about not hiding our addictions. He had a friend there that shared his story.

His friend was an elder and regular church goer for years but secretly caught up in pornography and sexual addiction. It tore his life and family apart for years and he told of all the heartache and struggle he put his family through. Then his 13 year old son got up and told about what it was like to go through all that and what it was like to have a dad that was into porn and adultery. It was so powerful! With the help of Jesus the family is back together, the dad is free from addiction AND he and his wife counsel couples that are struggling with porn and adultery! God is so AMAZING!! It made me realize that anyone of us could be that caught up in addiction and if we all minded our own business it just stays secret and festering.

Galatians 6:1-2 “Brothers, if someone is caught up in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you may also be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

Another close friend of ours spoke about his long struggle with pornography. We had no idea that such a good friend lived with that secret! His testimony was incredible and he also attested to the fact that without Christ he would not be free from his addiction! So powerful!!

There is nothing in the Bible that says: mind your own business, fence you and your family in, keep to yourselves, No it tells us to love our neighbors, carry each other burdens, restore our brothers, confront in love! This weekend I saw the relief and the gratitude on the men’s faces when they could talk, laugh, pray about and just be together talking about the tough stuff. It has bolstered my resolve to follow Christ’s example of loving others more than myself. Of not worrying about my comfort, but reaching out to those who have no comforter! It strongly goes against our society, but I do not want anything to do with the standards our twisted world has set! They suck!

Buck did the rest of the speaking and I might be a little biased but I thought he was the best!! I realized what it is that makes him so special: He cares more about other people then he does his own life and his own comfort and it motivates him to want to reach as many people as he can with the restoration and hope of Jesus Christ! When we meet a kid and start working with them we often find ourselves involved with the whole family. There are probably a lot of times when they would rather be left alone, but we are persistent and keep loving them. I wish there would have been someone that didn’t mind their own business when I was growing up.

My parents struggled with drugs and alcohol, pornography was (and still is) very accepted, my brother is serving a 20 year prison sentence, my sister had her first child at 15, and most of you know my own road has not been easy. I always wonder if there had been a ministry/family that just converged on my whole family and dealt with the rejection, pushed through it, and loved us and walked with us no matter what, maybe things could have been different. Most of you know I had an adoptive family do that with me, and that is why I am here today, but the rest of my family still struggles.

All that to say that Porn n Pancakes was awesome and I am so thankful that we don’t mind our own business! God is going to use it to do great healing in a lot of lives! That is about all the detail I can say without comprimising the anonimity of the event! Thank you for your prayers and for supporting us! Go into your neighborhoods, small groups, work places, starbucks, schools where ever and ask the hard questions, ask about marriages, kids, porn, sex, work etc etc be specific and don’t be afraid of rejection-there is no level of rejection that should stop us from loving our neighbors, carrying each others burdens-asking the tough questions. More often than not we don’t have the answer, but we always have prayer and we can always listen! Thank you again for walking with us-we couldn’t do this without you.

We will have an update and some photos of the speakers (not the people there) on our website soon! www.christforlifeskatechurch.com

In Christ,

Tara Chavarria
Christ for Life Sk8 Church
“Reaching the Youth; Stretching the Church”
www.christforlifeskatechurch.com

I can honestly say that it was worth almost swerving into oncoming traffic at 750am because of tiredness… and almost dying countless times while being completely exhausted on the way home at 4pm…

the testimonies impacted me the most… hearing a 12yr old young MAN explain what it’s like to be in a 7 yr long divorce because of his daddy’s issue- woah.

I never want to do that to my family.

Hamburgers and Half a Starbucks where Zero meets Fifteen

Our College Bible Study leader Aaron scheduled us all to go downtown in Denver and hand out Hamburgers and water to the homeless and pray for them last night.

We did. We met a few fun characters and people with really injured lives. To Chrissy’s surprise, the filthy giant black brother with the big smile didn’t mind that she’d already drunk half of the starbucks I offered him. He was stoked for more than water i suppose.

We met one dude who refused prayer then right as we walked away started firing off all kinds of prayers in tongues! That surprised me and I thought to myself… Oh yeah, people can be warriors for the Lord and live in the park downtown. 

After another interaction between a few of us and a brother named Marcus, who played the guitar with passion and power at the foot of one of the tallest buildings in Denver,

we all regrouped and agreed that God used our little naive suburban church group to extend his provision, and His care to some fellow Earth-dwellers who may have been covered in dirt, but were no less loved in God’s eyes than us. 

 

Right when everyone split up, i went to 7Eleven for some snackage and upon exiting the thriving convenient store, God blessed me with the highlight of the night. I was standing with some friends, and saw a girl my age with pink hair and some ragged garments frantically running to each trash can, peeking inside, and then scurrying a little more desperately to the next. 

Hands full of food, i immediately ditched my compadres and skated after her. 

Her name is Britney and she’s a 21 year old mommy from West VA. Her boyfriend waited a few blocks up the street with their little one named Miles. Miles is 2 years old and was born while their group was train hopping across the country.

Covered in dust and all unshaven, this family let me stay and talk with them for the next 4 hours. I was blessed for once to have enough money to buy us all some food, so we sat and talked/ate/played and skated with little Miles for a while and God broke my heart for them. 

There’s a line in the Hillsong United’s tune Hosanna that begs “Break my heart for what breaks Yours.”

My Abba Father reminded me of how much I do have. 

Nights like those are the ones that prove to me that God answers prayer and has a bigger scope of vision than I do. His viewpoint takes simple things like talking to someone with nothing, and using that encounter to make the largest impact on our lives. 

 

“Father…

Oh father. Oh Father. Oh Father. Father… I am ready! Won’t you let it begin!? Cause I am here now. I want to taste it- the mighty pull of your hand!”

-Paramore

 

(I prayed for a long time that they would not get swallowed up in fame. I found a video of them adding these lyrics to a song they wrote about persecution entitled “Let The Flames Begin”)Click Here 4 Video

The whole reworking of the song is really epic also, and i believe Mark, Carlos, sean, josh and Zach would appreciate it’s musicality. Judifree and Bridget love paramore too!

A very selFISH wish. (Updated with Koalas)

I have a very important birth anniversary coming up on the 30th of July. 

I will be honest. I have researched and if anyone feels compelled here’s my list!  

 

1. 
2. 

 

Koala Cookies!

I used to eat these when i was a young lad and haven’t tasted of their  chocolate-ey yumminess in about 15 years. Someone, anyone! Re-introduce me to my tasty friends!

 

 

 

 

What is a birthday other than an awesome excuse to be blessed with your heart’s desires?

HEY! Come See Me Skate Live! + tons of thoughts…

COME TO HEAVEN FEST July 26th!

I’m gonna do some skate shows with Uriel, my buddy from my skate team at the festival!

It’s free for non christians, and admission for believers is whatever you can afford… CAN YOU BEAT THAT?

I have lots on my mind:

1. Bridget, (and any other FEMALES that breathe for that matter) HERE’s the link for the lyrics to a song that blew me away the other day. I’m an advocate for Purity, Prudence, and Holiness, and The Cross Movement’s own Ambassador wrote a song called “Body Talk” that talks all about the way girls dress and what they should be doing. It’s great. Download it off itunes if you can. Support the man. Here’s their description: “If there is one sin that is prominent in Hip-Hop it is immorality. Guys are usually reprimanded for their role in this, but this song addresses the ladies and their contributions to this vice. The song cautions them to consider how their abuse of freedom of expression can lead to the down fall of men who do not want to view them as sex objects. It is a light slap on the wrist for the promiscuous woman and an exhortation to females in general to remain pure and modest—role models for the current and future generations.”
2. Another thing on my mind is this: God is Gunnin for ya! He is seeking you out and tryin to trap you in his wonderous love.
3. I’ve entered the Way Of the Warriors Contest. Wayofthewarriors.com
4. I miss my mommy.
5. I miss my Indy Dawg.
6. I miss my Catalyst family.

What the crap is Zach babbling about!?

Zachariah Hillbrich is one of my favorite people on planet Earth.

If you do not heed his recommendation, you will not rejoice with us. 

 Family, I am grieved that some of you will not willingly introduce yourselves to my beloved sisters Anorexia  and Nervosa.

Those are the reviews for the greatest concept albums made. Don’t argue with me. Argue with yourself after you’ve tasted and seen.

Lots of love from the Lamb.

Paternal.Pain (exclamastiticancisensationalenervulence -courtesy of DAD)

My pity for my own life is at an all time high. Why are so many day to day things such alien practices for me? Would a dad around the house bellowing at me when I disrespected my mother really make all this fall into place and feel like it makes enough sense? Yeah yeah…tons of people who’s dads did live in their family portraits weren’t there for games, dinners, church, accomplishments, failures, tears, fears, lessons and lectures that so many people take for granted and resent.But MY dad -1. Isn’t a manly mcgruff lumberjack that i dream a father would be, and 2-100. WAS ABSENT/APATHETIC/PREOCCUPIED/DISTRACTED and not to mention unequipped for the training of a warrior in this spiritual shit-saturated salad we allow into our homes via dish, ti-vo,cable,myspace,radio,commercial,infomercial,moral dispersal culture. Evan means young warrior. I remind the world of that frequently. Why that name? A warrior is equipped, trained, diligent, alert, focused, conditioned and prepared for his battle. This warrior feels more like a kleenex vs. a molotov cocktail, though. “The Widow”- As Cities Burn

Dead man, were you ever alive or was I just a seed



 buried deep inside some woman you wed


right before you crawled out of her bed and crept down the hall?

 Did you think of me?


 Did you even for a second heistate, in the doorway?
It’s just something I’d like to know,

 


 though I’d still love you if you told me   that you just walked away.
.
 My God, what a world you love!
Men bury their sons, and without thought, they just walk away.

 

 And my mother’s heart breaks like the water inside of her. (2x)

 Dead man, is it being high that makes you alive?
It makes you leave behind three boys and a wife, in ‘89.

   And as the track marks inch their way up your arm, 
 my mother taught my brothers and I not to call you “Daddy,"
 

but to call you “Father”.


But I believe there is something here to be learned of grace.
 ’Cause I can’t help but love you!
 Even with a heart that breaks, like the promises that you made.


 Like the promises that you made. No, I can’t help but love you   

The promises that you made. Layin in your bead. Dyin' of disease, it's takin over your cells, it's takin over me. ‘Cause I still love you. yeah I still love you. Oh i still love you... Cause after all I've done he still loved me.
.
 
 

My God, what a world you love…

This song makes me cry, because Cody sings that he has learned a lesson about God through forgiving his own runaway dad. I’m mad at my dad, my uncles, my pastors, my cousins, my mentors, and somehow that must reflect on my emotions toward my Heavenly Father. Maybe it’s all a mind game and Satan would love for this pity party to go on for as long as possible, because he knows that if he keeps me focused in the rear view mirror, i’m gonna miss the signs in front of me.I AM A TREASURED CHILD OF THE MOST HIGH GOD. ”God does not call the equipped, he equips the called.” Its not all about me either! There are plenty of dadless in this world who seek God like they mean it, and my circumstance should not dictate my view of God or His plan. He loves me after all I’ve done. If i could ever find peace in accepting that free gift given by the Savior, then i must learn to practice this forgiveness on the daily. Wether it’s with any of those listed men, or with God, or with myself. My poor old self… boo hoo cindy lou hoo. Get over it cause God’s still God and I am surely NOT.