2012: The End of the World, the Maya, and the Truth

December 21, 2012. Doomsday. The Apocalypse. The day, life as we know it, ends. I first heard about this cursed day my sophomore year of high school from a friend who half jokingly claimed that he was going to throw and end-of-the-world party and buy enough alcohol to drink himself stupid. I played it off as another crack-pot concoction. Little did I know how huge this prediction would become. I was 16 years old then.

Here I am, 22 years old, and it's December 2012, two and a half weeks from The End...or is it? This semester I am taking a class called Ancient Mysteries. The purpose of this class is to A: Explain archaeology and how it works. B: Know what is Pseudo archaeology and why it is garbage. C: To learn about false claims and cults and who dunnit. D: To examine ancient wonders and learn their meaning. E: And lastly to be able to identify the truths about ancient wonders, to be able to spot and tear apart bogus claims, and to avoid at all costs being tricked by false science.

This class has covered topics ranging from Atlantis, to Erik von Deinaken, to aliens, to ancient civilizations, to the Seven Wonders of the Ancient world, and to the claims of 2012. Is was fitting that the last classes of the semester focused on the claims the that Mayan calender ends in  12/21/12, so therefore the world will end. Let's take a look at what this is all about.

First, most (if not all) people or websites that claim the Mayan calender for-tells doom use this image here, or something similar to it.



Mistake number one. This is NOT the Mayan calender. This is the AZTEC calendar. So any website using this as the Mayan calendar, you can throw out.

Second, what many people don't understand about the Mayan calendar is that it doesn't end. It resets. Now you may be thinking "what the heck...?" Let me explain. Our modern culture looks at time as being linear with a beginning and an end. The ancient Maya did not. They saw time as cylindrical, meaning it runs in cycles. Their cycles consist of 5,125 years. On December 21, 2012, the current cycle it's on will end and another will begin. Matter of fact, their calendar predicts many future dates through many future cycles. The largest known cycle goes to 28+ OCTILLION years! And for your pleasure, the exact date of that cycle is 28,285,204,060,444,579,908,002,421,998 years! And here is a picture of the Mayan calendar




Third, out of thousands upon tens of thousands of recovered and decoded Maya text, there is only ONE mention of the date 12/21/12. And it talks about a new cycle...not about The End. One would think that if something important as the end of the world was predicted, it would be mentioned more than once.

Lastly, the people who believe this never thought to ask the Maya of today what their thoughts are one this. My professor has spent a great deal of his life studying the Ancient Maya and is friends with Mayans of today. They don't bat an eyelash at all this...now that you have the facts...hogwash. They are upset that people are jumping to wild conclusions without even asking them, the people who know it best, what all this actually means.

One side note is that for those who have other beliefs such as Christianity, Islam, Hindu, etc, why would they believe this if it were true? This isn't their culture or beliefs. People are funny sometimes.

But then again, even though most of us may laugh at this...it is serious and dangerous. There are many children terrified that the world is going to end and their lives are messed up because of it. There are many teachers who have heard (legitiment or jokingly) from their students that "If the world's going to end in a couple of weeks, then why should I be hear? I'm not going to need any of this." This also poses a large threat for suicidal teens and other people without hope. Sometimes jokes go to far. Just today,  Kate Middleton's hospital nurse, was the receiver of a prank by some radio DJs. She must have thought it was legit because she was found dead of apparent suicide this morning.
 (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/08/world/europe/nurses-death-stirs-sharp-criticism-of-royal-prank-call.html).

So why are these predictions out there? What's the point of causing mass pandemonium? Money. Billions of dollars have been made off of vulnerable people. Survival supplies, kits, instructions, movies, books, entertainments, even real bunkers, all for that green gold. For example, the movie 2012 grossed $770 million worldwide, not counting DVD sales and other promotional items, therefore making well over a billion dollars.  There are even Silos turned doomsday shelter selling for $1.5 million for half a room inside!

So now that I've talked about the end of the world and the Maya, here's the truth. We should not have to worry about when or how the world ends because we know exactly how that will happen. Just read the entire book of Revelation. It's not entirely a pretty picture, but in the true end, there is peace, rejoicing, victory, life, and eternity. Most importantly, there's Jesus Christ. His words are true and they hold hope, promise, and peace. We need not worry about when the world is going to end. "He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."~Acts 1:7-8

Jesus also said in Matthew 28:20 "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

You may now think that I am throwing junk at you and that you can prove there is no God or Jesus, and the truth is I can't prove that they exist, other than I have experienced His presence, power, and love for myself and that's the only way you'll be able to believe is if you open your heart and turn to the true and living God. People need hope, people need something to live for; humans have a purpose and that purpose is to praise and give thanks to the Lord Jesus Christ for all things he has done and is going to do.

Let me leave you with these final words: "Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb ² down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. ³ No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. ⁴ They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. ⁵ There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

⁶ The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.”

⁷ “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”~Revelation 22:1-7

Repent, turn, and believe that Jesus exists and he wants you and loves you more than you'll ever know. Believe that you're forgiven for all the wrong you've done, that you can be saved, healed, and made new.

Your debt is paid, your chains are gone and you are free. Jesus loves YOU.

I Dream of Paradise

I Dream of Paradise

By Josh Watkins

My thoughts are cast across this sandy plain

into the mountain air,

Peace and harmony are my state of mind.

Renewed is this long lost love,

This land I once called home.

It wanes in and out

Of my nostalgic mind.

No place but this can breach my inner soul.

The sea bows to my feet,

kissing them with great affection.

Surely I must be dreaming,

For places such as this I never see.

My mind is a prison for earthly paradises,

Where many lands appear.

Places where fiery mountains

Scald the salty sea,

Or where the forest is silenced,

By the carefully crafted crystals,

That blankets it in white.

Where heaven’s lights brighten the Northern sky,

With a vast array of color,

Beheld even by a child’s eye.

Or a place out yonder,

Where the stallions run free,

The eagle rules the bright blue skies,

And the river’s course is crystal clear.

At each of these destinations,

Tranquility abounds,

Serenity gushes forth,

Peace is vast.

I dream of adventure,

I dream of awe,

                                                                  I dream of paradise. 

Call of Duty

Call of Duty

By Josh Watkins

Fail not my weary heart

Stand firm my tired soul,

Awaken my sleeping spirit,

He is calling you out.

Out of darkness out of shame,

Out of pity out of grief,

Out of struggle out of strife

Out of death and into life.

Weep no more my saddened eyes

Curse no longer my beaten tongue,

Fight no more my bloody fists,

He has eased your pain.

Wander aimlessly not a step further,

Flail in darkness never again,

And taste the eternal freedom.

Tear apart temptation,

Silence swearing,

Vanquish vanity,

Incinerate insanity,

Destroy depression,

Give the gospel,

Strengthen the spirit,

Love the Lord.

Fight on Christian soldier,

Not with fists or guns,

                                                              But with the Word of God.

Autumn Bliss

Autumn is an awesome time of year. The weather gets cooler, but not snot freezing, the leaves change color and some fall off making for an aurora of eye pleasing scenes and the crisp crunch of the leaves as they lie along the path I trod, outdoor bonfires and the smell of campfire mixed with the chilled air, the return of hot coco/chocolate, football season is back (Go Eagles!!!!), Thanksgiving, the only season with two names, and my birthday. It is by far my number two favorite time of year.

Yes you read that last sentence right. Numero Dos. You may be thinking why would I praise Fall so much and not place it as my favorite. The Fall has one downside that Summer (my favorite) doesn't...school. Now hear me out. I don't mind learning, I don't mind seeing my friends, I don't mind being downtown, and I don't mind the little bit of adventure that comes with college. I do mind, the work, the homework, the tests, the papers, the stress, the money I earned disappear faster than you can say abra cadabra, and the free time i don't posses. To be honest, I kind of wish I could do the labor every year for the rest of my life.

"Wait. Isn't it like school?" you ask. Yes and no. The difference is that I got to do it with a lot of people I cared about and saw them nearly every single day. I wasn't going to fail if i did bad on assignments or missed key points. Plus if someone wanted to do something, I could almost 99% of the time say yes because I didn't have class to go to, work to go to, a test to study for, etc. Part of the labor was to be with people. I also got to travel. I went to West Virginia, Toronto, Pittsburgh, Columbus, North Carolina, Hanover PA, and more.

I guess I'm in a collision of emotions right now a.k.a. internship withdraw and enjoying this wonderful season. So in light of all this, here is a poem I wrote about Autumn five years ago. It may be a little cheesy but I don't mind.

The Beauty of Autumn

Sitting on the beach,

Staring off into the sunset filled sky,

Watching the last bit of summer,

Hop, skip, and dance on by.

My head floods with emotions,

How the summer has made me see,

A new perspective on life and friendship,

And how the summer has changed me.

Now the sun has set and Autumn has begun,

Bringing in football, Thanksgiving, and the school year.

The North wind releases a mighty roar,

My eyes give way and shed a tear.

The trees shake off their summer coats,

And flash their Autumn colors with pride,

They wave hello as the wind embraces them,

While the leaves challenge the wind for a wild ride.

Birds whistle good-bye,

Furry critters store food and refurbish their homes,

The leaves crunch beneath my feet,

On the city streets I now wander and roam.

Hoodies, sweat pants, and knit hats are back in style,

Guys are looking sharp and the ladies are a sight to behold,

Behind the hoods, scarfs, and cunning smiles,

Lie hearts of love and gold.

As night falls, the savory, hot chocolate soothes my throat,

I am kept warm wrapped up in a quilt by a fireplace,

I lay there dreaming, wishing, and hoping 

As the heat kisses my face.

Football season has begun,

Thanksgiving is on its way,

So much delicious food to eat,

So many bone-crushing games to play.

Thanksgiving is a memorable occasion in my life,

Family, food, and football all hold their own,

Football is a blast, family is loving,

And the food is picked clean to the very last bone.

The Macy's parade brings joy to my eyes,

To see the floats, bands, and balloons glide across the screen,

Warming peoples' hearts and surprising their faces,

On every single child and teen.

All good things eventually must come to an end,

I am so sad to see it go.

The trees will shed their Autumn attire,

As mother nature sends the chilled air and the snow.

Next time you feel the leaves beneath your feet,

Or the wind kiss your face,

Just stop and look around,

At Autumn's beauty and grace.

Solace and a World of Adventure

This post is a little prose I am writing off the top of my head right now. Sometimes I just get that little urge to write something and it keeps nagging at me until I release is from its prison known as my mind. Enjoy!

As I walk along this abnormal path lined by empty strips of where places of business used to be and the butts of many cigarettes tossed there just like the life of the person who pressed that filthy thing to their lips, I can see it there in the distance, waiting for me to escape reality and enter its gates of wonder and imagination.

I reach the entrance and slowly creep up its marble stairs which gleamed as the sunbeams dashed upon them, unlike the broken, dirty, concrete I had just left behind. I glance straight up at its towering height and see above me branded upon its face the words "Lakewood Public Library." Those words translate in my mind to "The keys to an imagination's paradise."

Walking down the corridor, the walls are lined with pictures taken from the eyes of the very souls who live in this small city. They sort of greet you giving you one last look from many different views of this town before you escape into a world of your own. I turn left and begin walking down isles and isles of literature with bindings so flashy that the colors just overwhelm you.

One isle in particular has a brilliance of colors that it's nearly impossible to not remove a book from its home let alone pass the enter shelf completely. Beaches, buildings, jungles, wonders, city lights, and so much more advertise what the world has to offer. Italy, Belize, India, Fiji, France, Germany, New York City. All these names and more bombard your eyes, trying desperately to grab your attention. I lay my hand upon a shelf, ready to select my first adventure. But then slowly, I let my hand drop back to its side and pass through without even rescuing one book from its motionless state. What caused me not to see what a new land has to offer, what treasures were out there calling to me, what sensations my senses itched to discover? It's the fact that these books are not enough. I long to travel, to see the world. I've seen many pictures of the Statue of Liberty, the Roman Colosseum, the Grand Canyon, the Eiffel Tower, and even the Northern Lights. I've made lists upon lists of places I want to visit and researched countless times of what wonders are out there. But I've been disappointed before. So close on the edge of actually seeing those dreams fulfilled only to have them shattered like glass. Opening those treasure troves only makes me yearn even more for that adventure, yet leaves me empty knowing it will be along time before I have a chance to see such awe.

Leaving reality behind I come across an array of quests waiting to be conquered. Selecting a few, I retreat to a cozy chair a crack open the contents. All is quiet and peaceful, except for the occasional screaming of someone's bratty child who hasn't had a good spanking in a long time if even ever. I tone out the ear-bleeding cries and fall into an extraordinary rabbit hole that even Alice would be proud of.

I have once again been through a battle through the eyes of a navy seal, swung blades with a demon-possessed pirate thirsty for blood, rode on my trusty steed next to a king who's fame is even beyond him, and even learned about the world of tipping from Sin City to the Big Apple.

Suddenly the hands of my watch flash an undesirable hour and I realize I must come back to complete reality. I return the key to lands beyond my wildest imagination to its place, knowing that someone else will stumble upon its magic just as I had. I step out into the bright sunlight and a grin breaks my still complexion. Until next time my old friend.

One-Eyed Jack

As promised, here is the first of my many pieces of work that will appear hear. Please feel free to critique it so I can perfect it. It's one of my personal favorites and the entire idea came to me by Timothy Miller placing a plastic spoon over his right eye...no joke. Enjoy!

One-Eyed Jack

By Josh Watkins

One-eyed Jack,

Scourge of the seven seas.

The wind at his command,

It bows below his knees.

The blade on his belt,

Clings firmly to his side;

It deals menacing blows,

While controlling a battle’s tide.

His face bears many wounds,

Each pulsing with hate;

Fear rules his foes’ hearts,

For death is their ultimate fate.

Treasure is his lust,

Gold his only love.

Diamonds emblaze his fingers,

Emeralds, his battle glove.

There on the horizon,

A mighty ship he spies.

Tis a Spanish galleon,

A vast and noble prize.

The sea grows cold and gray,

For blood is about to be shed,

A deadly battle is about to rage,

Soon to turn the once blue waters red.

He hoists the Jolly Roger

To the top of the mast,

Sending the captain a message,

This battle is to be his last.

The captain turns his vessel,

And opens the cannon doors,

How he longs to be fighting

Back on the English moors.

“Be brave!” the captain shouts

“This brigand we must slay!

To his Maker he must go;

For his evil deeds he must pay!”

The captain could now see Jack’s eye,

His cold and deadly stare,

Neither man backed down,

Both ready to face the guns’ flare.

Jack grinded his teeth,

The captain clenched his fists,

“OPEN FIRE!” they both yelled,

And the guns blazed through the mist.

Iron balls tore through the sky,

Splintering wood and goring flesh,

Men lay dead in the sea,

The decks are a bloody mess.

  The captain makes a daring charge,

Sailing within mere feet,

Fearing not the imminent danger,

One-eyed Jack he soon shall meet.

The ships suddenly collide,

With a splintering crash.

Pirates board the galleon,

Blades of cutlasses flash.

The captain sees the white of Jack’s eye,

And his menacing grin.

His hand he places upon his sword

Praying this isn’t a sin.

The captain and Jack drew their steel,

Clashing in a fiery rage,

Bullets flew, men fell,

Chaos filled the stage.

The established sea-men

Could not push back the scum

They moved by the will of demons,

Fueled by fire and rum.

The captain was losing,

Jack’s crew had him beat.

Their future looked grim,

There was no retreat.

Suddenly there was a violent blast,

Two gapping holes were made.

Both ships were doomed,

A noble sailor’s debt was paid.

Jack roared with rage,

His eye became blood red,

Seeing all that gold

Spilling onto the sea bed.

The disturbed pirate lost control,

Swinging wildly to strike a blow.

But the captain fought on,

Changing the battle’s flow.

The pirates tried to retreat,

But their sloop had just sunk,

They were now like rats

Trapped on a Chinese junk.

Jack made a run for the gold,

As his crew abandoned ship,

He took a blade across his back

And a bullet in his hip.

“To the life boats!”

The captain yelled.

“Not one more soul

On this day shall be felled!”

The captain drew his pistol,

At Jack’s head he aimed,

This pirate would die,

Broken, wounded, and maimed.

Jack laughed an evil laugh,

And drew his cutlass high,

He charged the captain straight,

Ignoring the pain in his thigh.

The pistol spewed shots of death,

Two went low and two went high,

One lead ball hit its mark,

Right through Jack’s good eye.

The smoke from the burning hull

Clouded the once clear air,

The captain abandoned ship,

Waiting no longer did he dare.

 The survivors rowed

Out of harm’s way,

Thanking God that they

Lived to fight another day.

Another explosion then rocked the sky,

Gold and debris rained down,

Yet the body of One-eyed Jack

Was nowhere to be found.

Today as ships sail,

Not a sailor has the lack,

To tell the legend

Of One-eyed Jack.

The Labor Has Ended, But He Never Ends

So I made the decision that I want to keep this blog going. I may not have the time to frequently update it (like I had time before right?), but I will update it because I feel that sharing my life with those closest to me makes it more colorful and people do care enough to know what's going on (some too much that they tweet every two seconds...I boycott twitter). So this blog will live on and may not always be spiritual, but Jesus is always there no matter what.

So to start things off, I am back at CSU after taking a year off to participate in the 1 year Christian Internship and to put it this way...it's almost as if i never left. I'm an engineering major and the guys I met freshman year are in the same program as I am (CO-OP) so they still have a couple to a few years left. I'm right back at my old job working in the computer lab and it doesn't seem different at all. The only thing that has really changed is the mass migration of church friends to CSU. In the first two days I saw nearly all of them and thought it was cool that they are all here with me. I also have a goal for this semester and that is to talk to one person every day I'm on campus about Jesus.

I'll end this post with some of my writing. Y'all will be seeing spiritual and non-spiritual pieces of work appear here as parts of a post or an entire post. Some even from my earlier years of writing. I figure they've been sheltered from the public eye far to long. Disclaimer: some will be unedited and may not seem that good, but this is what comes from a creative mind of a child. Enjoy!

There is a God

By Josh Watkins

Look upon the stars,

Gaze upon their majestic beauty,

Their warming glow,

Their jubilant glimmer,

And tell me there is no God.

Listen to the ocean,

The waves crashing upon the shore,

The songs of its inhabitants,

The wind that moves it,

And tell me there is no God.

Smell the fragrance of the rose,

The aroma of the lily,

The scent of the a daisy,

The essence of a tulip,

And tell me there is no God.

Taste the fruits of the earth,

The sweet honey nectar made by the bees,

The fresh mango plucked from a mango tree,

The sugar cane as it sways in the wind,

And tell me there is no God.

Touch the blades of cool grass on the prairie,

The wetness of the river,

The feathers of a parrot,

The shape of a diamond,

And tell me there is no God.

Feel the texture of my hand,

Listen to the sound of my voice,

Look into my beating heart,

And you will see that God is real,

                                                            And forever more he shall be.

They Call Me a Dreamer

Lately I've been thinking...I really haven't personalized this blog at all. So this post will be a personal post rather than an "update." The reason for this is that I have so much to share but to actually take the time to write/edit/publish it that I set it aside and forget. I will try my best to keep it going because I care about you guys and know you want to know what's going on in life.

Let's take a journey back to my childhood. Back then I had an amazing imagination and what some would call a dreamer. My world changed dramatically day by day. One day I would be a valiant warrior, attacking castle after castle, reducing their once awesome beauty to heaps of rubble, getting wounded time after time but never dying, always victorious. At the dawn of the next sun, I would have a tree house that looked normal from the outside, but from the inside it contained a mansion-esque  interior, with hundreds of modern marvels not even created yet. There was even a lava pit in the center to get rid of all dross and refuse. My best friends were with me and we were in a constant battle to defend our turf from those yucky girls. Capturing them at will and taking over their tree houses.

By the turn of the moon, that scenery would fade and I would find myself in a total world war (I liked battles okay.) I was fully clad in an indestructible suit that was equipped with every weapon know to mankind and would take an entire army to even scratch it. I could fly from region to region, continent to continent, eliminating the bad guys all over...until I would be hit by a stray rocket and be blown to a land unknown. My navigation unit was broken and I had to find my way back to the ball, which was always a painstakingly long journey. Sometimes I also believed I was the greatest athlete in every sport. Pummeling the opponents and sometimes even recovering from a bad injury to help our team win it all.

Today, most of that part of me has faded. No more epic wars, no more putting girls in jail, and no more valiant heroes rising from the ashes. But the one part of me that still remains like a scar is that I'm still a dreamer.

All my life I've dreamed big, let my mind run wild with all the possibilities of things I want to do, places I want to see, people I want to meet, and moments I want to experience. Growing up in a large family hindered many of those dreams because of money and time. Don't get me wrong, my family is awesome and I love them dearly. I guess I can see that as a blessing in disguise. Because as a little kid, you just don't appreciate things as much as you do when you are older. I guess you could say it fuels my fire and drives me to see these dreams become reality.

My biggest dream right now is to see the world, especially Rome, Italy. I love to travel and everything about it. New lands, hidden paradises, strange culture, new faces, God and man created wonders, and so much more. I'm a go-getter. If the opportunity arises, I would pounce on it like a tiger in the grass. Also seeing as today is Independence Day, I would love to tour this great land. I've been west of the Mississippi once but was not even 2 years old so that memory I do not possess. Hopefully one day I will get to see it all.

There are many other things I dream about and sometimes I think that I've been dreaming about these things for so long that they may never happen, but one never knows. It's good to dream, to hope, to make dreams come true. They call me a dreamer.

Steel City and Gospel Blitz Week

April went out like a lamb but May came roaring in like a lion. My first adventure took place and a burgh of Pennsylvania know to some as the Steel City but to most as Pittsburgh. There we were able to see the young people there, play some disc, pool, ping-pong, go carpet skating (it's an interesting experience worth trying...google it), and enjoyed some Jesus. It was really good to leave Cleveland for a bit and spend time with other saints. I ended up driving a bunch of people back late Saturday night and then getting up early the next morning for the Church in Cleveland's Jubilee meeting.

I had about a day's rest before I was off again. My new destination was Hanover, PA, a small town that I grew up by. I went with Ian Konopinski, Peter Elhardt, Zane Biddle (another local), Sarah Watkins, Derek Schmalz, and Orion Fu. Corbin Moon from Hanover joined us as well. I was uber excited for this because people who I've told about where I grew up were actually coming with me to see it for their own and to evangelize it.

The first day started slowly because of the rain and school was still in session, but the highlight was talking to a young woman who didn't believe in God and wanted nothing to do with Him because she lost a lot of people in her life. In a last ditch effort to somehow put Jesus in her life, I asked her if I could leave her with the Bible that was in my hands. I thought I was going to get shot down and refused, but she took it right away, no hesitation. Not such a bad ending to a mediocre day.

Day 2 was a whole lot better because we ventured over to Gettysburg College where there were loads of people who had a diverse opinions and beliefs about why creation exists and how they got here. Surprisingly, the largest group of people we talked to were Catholic. There were a handful of decent conversations including one with an atheist who pulled other unsaved people into the conversation. I tried telling him about life after death and eternal salvation. He responded with "So you're doing this to get into heaven?" I didn't want him to think I was a Jehovah's Witness so I quickly responded with "No I'm doing this because God loves you and because I care about you and your eternal destination." He was at a loss for words and didn't try to argue that point further. There were two other guys he dragged into the conversation and we talked with them a little longer. Out of the three, I thought the atheist would be the least receptive, but like the day before, he was the only one who accepted a bible from me. We talked to a lot of people, had some good conversations, and spread Jesus to the point that multiple people had been talked to more than once about Jesus and ones who hadn't been talked to, heard about us.

Day 3, my team headed back to the Golden Mile (a mile of road packed with stores/restaurants/hotels/theaters...basically you can find whatever you want within that mile) and had a number of cool conversations with Christians. But the real highlight was we prayed with a guy named Brad for the Lord to be real to Him again and we got another guy thinking about where his life is headed. Corbin and I were asked to leave the Kohls parking lot after we tried preaching to the manager...Oh well. At least he was asked about his beliefs. Later that evening we had a live mobile band in Hanover Square. Ian played the guitar, Zane on the French Horn, Derek on the viola, and the rest of us with our voices. Some random stranger gave us an appreciating hug and people in cars were singing along or making requests. Once we were ready to call it a night, we raced over to a local ice cream place (Tropical Treat...so good and such nice people) and got there at 10:00pm...closing time. However, these kind-hearted people stayed open long enough to serve nine hungry people. Just one of the few things I miss about where I grew up.

Besides the gospel, we stayed at a dear sister's, name Sue, house. My family met in her house for 8+ years when we lived there. It was good to see her house filled again. We also had dinner at my Grandparent's and I hung out with my bud Joe D. who I've known since the age of four.

Zane, Peter, and my sister stayed an extra day and the Lord really shone on them, allowing people who were saved but didn't know it to realize it and had more amazing conversations throughout the day. Overall the trip went well and the Lord moved in Hanover. Hopefully, He will send someone to later reap where we sowed.

Labor Adrenaline: The Boost that Doesn't Go Away

Today I checked my blog and saw that it had 171 page views. I also noticed it has been over a month since my last post. It made me realize how many people care about what's going on in my physical and spiritual life and how many want to know what's going on in the labor and that I have been depriving y'all of that so I apologize but also say thank you for sticking with me. I'll make a good effort to post more often.

These last two months have been insane! Since my last post, a lot has happened. I spent half of a weekend in Columbus with the young people and it was sweet chilling with those whom I see a few time during the summer. We played some ultimate, sang songs, had a sweet bible study, and enjoyed us some Jesus. I pray that the Lord would continue His work with the YP in Columbus and that they would remain strong through all of life's surprises.

The second half of the weekend was spent in Akron, Ohio for our monthly young people's day. We first went bowling and then later headed to the hall for some food and singing. What was really cool was that each and every single young person in Akron stood up and gave a testimony of how the Lord was working in them.

Following that weekend the Church in Cleveland hosted a spring conference with messages on the Psalms given by Brother Titus. There were around 400 saints there from all over the Great Lakes. One key aspect that stood out to me was that we need to strive to one day be mountains in the church.

A few things upcoming for the labor is a young people's conference in Pittsburgh the first weekend in May and then the following week we will be going to different cities on a week-long gospel blitz. I will be traveling with 7 others to my old stomping grounds in Hanover, PA. We will be spending roughly 6 hours a day in the gospel. I'm excited!

One last things I'd like to mention. I can't say it enough about how much it means to me to be doing this internship with all the other interns. To get to know them better and to be able to do things labor related or not has been a great joy to me. The time we spend doing gospel stuff or playing frisbee, mean a lot to me and it'll be one of the major things I miss when the labor has ended.

I cannot wait for this summer because it is going to be awesome!!! I hope to see y'all there. Until next time.
~Josh

Summer-Like Weather in March = Serenity

I am in an amazingly good mood...why? Well let me see. This past weekend was a college conference at Ashland Woods, I'm going to Akron this weekend for the young people's day, Mark Greenwood is came over to hang out, I got free Chick fil-A the other day and this weather is supposed to be sunny almost all week and in the 70s all week!

I know I haven't posted in awhile and this sad habit may continue seeing as the labor keeps becoming more intense, but it'll be all the more epic when the next post comes out!

So last weekend there was a college conference at Ashland Woods. Normally these conferences attract around 80 or so people. However, because there was a strong push in the internship to bring friends ans overwhelm the facility, the final head count was 156! That is number that we get only for a week long event that is in this summer...and this was practically 2 days! Plus there were at least 20+ new people.

The Lord answered many prayers that weekend. Two sisters were baptized into the Kingdom of God! Since the pond was too cold to baptize them, a make-shift baptismal had to be built. Daniel Schmitkons came up with the idea of taking mulch bags and building a rectangular pit out of them. Then a tarp was put into the middle and filled with warm water. Plus the sun painted the sky with a sweet sunset.

On Saturday we played a 10-on-10 game of ultimate frisbee which was awesome and so much fun because of the soggy field. I don't think one person left that field without "getting nasty" from the mud and puddles.

This upcoming weekend is the Young People's day and right before that I am going to visit the Church in Columbus to be with the young people there. I hear we are going bowling in Akron and then we will be going back to the hall for some stellar music, food, fun, and Jesus.

As for spreading the Truth, I'd like to give a shout out to T-Mills for his friend's clear salvation and his heart turning to the Lord.

The Lord has been moving like a thunderstorm and I pray that the winds keep coming. Thank you all for your prayers and keep them coming for the labor, the people we are with, the events, the young people, the gospel and our strength to continue on. JEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSSSSSSSSSSS!

A Conference to Remember

This past weekend, the young people of the Church in Cleveland hosted a conference for those in fifth grade to those in 12th grade. The topic of the weekend was that Jesus is Real and Relevant today. We sent out an invitation all over the Great Lakes area and we maxed out at 130 people! They came from the land surrounded by four Great Lakes (Michigan), the Capital of the Buckeye State (Columbus), the land where the hairy beasts roam (Buffalo), the place where humans are grown (Mansfield), and the cities surrounding the home of Rock N' Roll (Lorain, Willoughby, Akron, and Cleveland Heights).

The first night we broke up into small groups and asked the kids to share their "AHA!" moments which were the moments in their life when knew Jesus proved Himself real to them. At first, I thought only a handful of them would share very small and simple moments...boy was I wrong. These kids were like a floodgate waiting to open and release the many rushing waters kept at bay. The stories they told ranged from quite hilarious, to bizarre, to sincere, but through their own lips, they proved that Jesus is real. Even when I asked them to pray, I didn't have to encourage/volunteer/force them. The majority prayed on their own.

The next morning we were up bright and early at 7:30AM to go tobogganing. The week before this conference, the weather fluctuated between the upper 30s and 40s, and it wasn't looking like good tobogganing weather. But when Saturday rolled around, lo and behold, it was 21 degrees and snowing...hard. We had a blast. It was especially fun flying off the track with snow pelting you and trying to see who could claim the fame of the farthest distance. There were also nice, warm fires and plenty of hot chocolate.

There rest of the time consisted of power full messages and killer activities. The three messages portrayed Jesus as the friend of sinners, Jesus walking on water and calling us to Him and to have faith, and the story of the paralytic and of all the people that were at this scene the question was "Who are you?" There were also two really good testimonies of Jesus being real to these people.

The activities for the time were Live Guess Who and Fort Knox. Live Guess Who was the board game "Guess Who," but played with people as the game pieces and Fort Knox was a game where you had to steal "gold (a.k.a. medic balls)" from your opponents forts while defending your own. Also we had Chipotle for dinner that night. Booyah!

The Lord answered a lot of prayers during that weekend and I think it's safe to say it was a success.

One last note (changing topic) when I went to preach the gospel at CSU on Fri. Feb 17th, Paul Mann and I ran into a Deist, which is someone who believes that their is only one deity, but that deity has many different forms (Allah, God, Zeus, all Greek gods, all hindu gods, and every other God throughout time). It was a very interesting conversation, but it's too bad it ended up being a wild goose chase.

This week (19th-24th) the interns will be going to Ashland Woods for a corporate time with Brother Titus. Please pray for this time as well as the upcoming summer events because the summer is fast approaching!

Song I've been enjoying this week: "I Lift My Hands" by Chris Tomlin.

Have a God week everyone!

First Post of 2012!

I cannot begin to comprehend where 2011 went and that it is truly 2012. It seems like time is like the wind. One second it's there, the next it's gone. I am happy to say that 2011 left in a blaze of awesomeness.

The very last week of December, approximately 200 people (112 high school and 88 serving ones) went to Toronto, Canada for a conference called The Rock. This was a time for the high schoolers to get into God's word and really come to know and love His Word. The topic covered was the trial of Jesus, through His crucifixion, to His resurrection. It was eye opening to take a closer look at something that started so dark and evil that ended up the being the most glorious, most wonderful, most amazing thing that this world has experienced.

One big highlight of the week was the gospel outreach activity we did in downtown Toronto. We first went to a populated square and spread about 130 people across the streets and each person had a portion of the Holy Bible. All at once we read the entire Bible for everyone within that vicinity to hear. Then after that, we moved near city hall and had a giant flash mob of frozen people pretending to read the Bible or holding up signs with verses on them. We got a lot of weird looks and it was freezing cold, but for Christ we suffer willingly. One person was even frozen in wearing shorts and flip-flops!

The second half of the week, around 150 college age and older gathered at the church retreat center called the Ashland Woods Manor. This time was called Empower and we spent an intense 3 days diving into and dissecting the book of Galatians. Just being with all these people, whether it was in the meetings, in small groups, eating food, or just hanging out, is something I cherish and treasure deeply. It's amazing to see what God can do in one week.

The very last week of our break, 10 interns (4 from Cleveland, 5 from Buffalo, and 1 from Ann Arbor) went down to North Carolina to visit the saints and have a little vacation as well. This trip moved me in many ways, the first being before I even left.

When I first heard about this trip, I was down for going right away. Who wouldn't want to ditch the Cleveland snow and hang out with some pretty awesome people for a week in 70 degree weather? Well, on the first day of break (a week and 3 days before departure) I got a grand jury summons for the day I was supposed to leave for NC. And that puppy is not easy to get out of. And then a few days after that, a situation came up at the apartment I live in (I was at my parents house for break) that was going to hinder me from going. So I did the only thing I could do. Pray. I just gave everything to the Lord. I told Him that I really wanted to go, but if I was meant to stay, I would. I also told Him that I knew He could take care of these problems.

Five days later, on the way home from Toronto, as soon as I crossed back into the good ol' U.S. of A. I checked my email and there in my inbox was and email saying that my jury duty was not deferred but rather I was released...meaning instead of being re-selected around a specific time, my name gets put back into the pool and I am as if I wasn't even selected before. As for the issue at the apartment, we had to take a brother with us down to NC but he couldn't leave until 2 days later. So in that time, we managed to take care enough of the issue that I was able to go to NC. The Lord is so amazingly sovereign.

The trip was amazing! On the non-spiritual side, we did things such as ice skating, shooting 12-gauges, toured Duke and UNC, scavenger hunt in downtown Raleigh at the history and science museums, mini-golf, laser tag, go-karts, launching a home-made parachute of the roof, manhunt, bonfires, and getting fed lots and lots of food. On the spiritual side, we went over to Cody's cousin's house where we got to meet a chunk of his family, had some good fellowship and sang hymns for over an hour. The next night we went to a saint's house (Luke) where we met his family, had more food, and shared some experiences in our lives. Saturday we went to the YP meeting. They sing some songs, then get into a book of daily lesson by Witness Lee. So we went over the lesson on ministering and shared some of our own testimonies. Then on the Lord's Day, we attended the meeting of the Church in Raleigh. The saints there were so warm and welcoming. All the interns gave testimonies and the saints were all very appreciative of our coming. Finally to end such an amazing adventure...you guessed it. Food. That was the biggest love feast I have ever seen.

This new year has started off with a bang and I hope and pray that the Lord will outdo Himself as he has done year after year.