125,600 minutes x 2

I have been hear for two years. I am currently entering my third summer and just finished my second winter. I was thinking about people that I have met since I've been here and how they have moved and gone to better neighborhoods (most of them) or bigger houses and then I started thinking about all the people that have come and gone to do ministry here in Charlotte and it's been much like the people in this hood. A lot of people have come in to do ministry, stayed for some time and then left somewhere else. Some people didn't have a choice in leaving, summer assignments don't last forever but even beside TWC students this has been a very transient neighborhood with very transient 614 leaders. The people that we ministered to when I first arrived are not at all the same people now. The first leaders of 614 (Rob and Heather) Charlotte are not the same leaders that now (Travis and Leo) and could be changing again after several months. That seems very peculiar to me. Your thoughts? Anyone...anyone...Beuller anyone...

I'll stay and Fight...and blog...maybe

Well, I had made a new year’s resolution to blog more frequently but that one crashed and burned with in the first week. I am trying to be a little more frequent, but sometimes I forget or just can’t think of anything to write. I sometimes think that I shouldn’t really blog unless I have some deep insight into some scripture or some life issue or something like that. That’s actually funny for me to think about since my last blog was about relating Rice Krispies to the trinity. Then I was thinking about all the people that read my blog that I can’t or don’t really talk to often. They need to know about what’s happening in my life and more often that once a month. So here is a brief update of my life and some changes happening. I say brief now but we’ll see.

If you have keeping up with Rob and Heathers blog this won’t be new news to you. They are beginning a new season of ministry and that will not be in Charlotte, North Carolina. The 614 ministries in Charlotte will continue with me as the director. Our Area Commander and Divisional Secretary have asked me to be the interim urban outpost director and Leo is the assistant director. This does mean I will have to leave my wonderful job at Starbucks (I think I might cry), but I can always visit and maybe try to scam a free drink or two or three. It actually was really surprising to me because I figured that after Rob and Heather left the ministry here would be over, but yesterday I was reminded by Aurora (a close friend, comrade and fellow Martyr) that Rob once said that he dreamed of one day leaving all of this in my hands. At that time I looked around and wasn’t to impressed with what I saw. It was a neighborhood with drugs dealers, addicts, crack houses, prostitutes and families with more issues that a comic book. I knew changes would take place and I wanted to see changes and I worked along side Jesus to see those changes take place and I praised the Lord when I saw them happening. The issues aren’t all solved and all of them may never be solved, but that’s what makes this place so amazing, and now this is a neighborhood with a few less drugs and dealers, less addicts, prostitutes, zero crack houses, families with less issues, and new families with new issues. I love this neighborhood and everything that comes with it and I love that this is what I inherited from Rob and Heather. As they move on to a new phase in their life I will be moving on to a different phase too, but it’s in the same place just a different position. I don’t believe God is prepared (and neither am I) to let the enemy take back the land that is rightfully ours. We have spent two years fighting for souls and for territory and Leo and I won’t let that go with out a fight. "We will wage war with love because love never fails."(Hat Tip MC) Corporal Travis Roberts out.

500,250,600 minutes

I'm amazed at how fast a year can go by. It seems like it wasn't really that long ago that I was just getting to know the kids in the neighborhood. I can still remember getting of the plane in Charlotte and being greeted by Heather, Rob, and five other kids from our hood (none of whom live here anymore). I was thinking about this past year a few days ago, and I realized just how much has happened since I've been here; not only in the neighborhood, but in my life as well. There have been kids that have moved out and moved back into the area kids who have left that we still have connections with and new kids that have come in and decided we were cool enough to hang out with. In all of the kids that I've met though I have been able to watch them grow so much which is something that I realized I never had the opportunity to see. Because my parents and I moved a lot I never really stayed in one place long enough to see the kids grow up and mature (except my sister but she doesn't count). I have seen kids go from being shy quiet kids who wouldn't say a word to anyone to being kids that I can't get to stop talking for a minute to ask them what they want to eat. There are other kids who convinced me that being obnoxious was a spiritual gift (I probably did that when I was little too) who I can have real conversations with and not have to stop them from doing something thats going to get them in trouble every two seconds. I love this place. I know that I have grown immensely as well. I have matured, developed, and toned my spiritual gifts since I've been here. I have developed more leadership skills and been able to exercise those skills since TWC has started here; I know that I can take charge of a group and lead them effectively rather than hide in the back ground and wait for someone else to do it. I still have doubt and worries that pop up on occasion but thats the enemy trying to get me to stumble and face plant into the ground but it won't work cause I got mad crazy joy like never before. On top of all that I can make a Quad, grande, five pump, nonfat, with whip, White Mocha like no one else. I can't wait to see what the next year has in store for me, whether it be in this hood or a different one. PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!