Preface: There was once a time when I thought I’d never leave Salem. Now, I’m in one of the most influential cities in the world: Los Angeles. I guess that’s what happens when you say to God, “I’ll follow you wherever,”? Too often, I find myself saying things to Him and not realizing what I’m really saying until it happens… this would be a prime example.

I know many of you have been waiting on the edge of your seats, in eager anticipation of the moment when I would share what a day with me looks like. Where you would be able to breathe the thick smoggy air of LA through my words. Where you would be able to feel the heat of LA’s sun, and drink of the nasty tap water that dwells in the pipes of this mega-city. Well, wait no longer and look no further! If these have been the longings of your heart, than THIS is the blog post for you!

To begin, my adjustment to this city has been a little harsher than initially imagined. The traffic was insane, the heat was… hot, and even the YWAM base down here was run differently than the one I was used to. Bottom line: my new home didn’t feel like home. However, aside from these observations, I wasn’t going to allow such feeble things sway the reason of me being down here. I came here because of God. In this pursuit to be closer and not further from the One who made me exist, I came. There is this quote by Loren Cunningham, the founder of YWAM, that says, “I want to lean so hard against Jesus, that when He moves, I fall over.” I suppose the same has happened to me. I find myself looking at quotes like this one, and almost a sense of heartbreak overcomes me, as I long to live the same way. So much so, that I just assume I’ll never live such a radical life following Jesus. But, more and more, I am coming to the realization that I am already there. May we all come to this realization: If we think there is a point of arrival when following God(aside from heaven of course), than we ourselves have stalled. Coming to know Christ IS the arrival. I’m pretty sure Oswald Chambers said something like this at one point in My Utmost for His Highest.

So, now that I’ve said all of that, I’ll cut to the chase: I love it here! As hard as it may be at times, God is moving. I get to work with film, and I get to go into the city and work with people who just need love! How cool is that? About two weeks ago, I met a guy who does the sound for a lot of the major reality TV Shows. I’ve met a few people like this, and everytime I am shocked. I easily forget that I am in the city where “it all happens.” Just last night, I was in Santa Monica, and witnessed a music video being filmed for the band 30 Seconds to Mars. For those of you who want to know, the lead singer is also an actor named, Jared Leto… I totally saw him:) So being in this environment is really exciting, and inspiring. Maybe one day I’ll be the one filming their music videos?

Every Thursday, I go to an afterschool program for at-risk youth called, Jeopardy. It’s a two-hour time frame where we tudor, do lesson plans, and hang out with them. Essentially, we are there as “stable arms” in their lives. Many of these kids’ parents are either gang bangers, drug dealers, abusive, or incredibly unstable. Just last week, I was sitting in on one of their anger management classes, and almost started crying at some of the things they were sharing. They live in a world that will swollow them whole unless they fight back. That is why many of them get into gangs. The sad part is that the majority of them don’t know how to get out. College isn’t even an option. Living somewhere besides a world infested with crime is a fantasy. So they puckerup, and embrace the world they’ve been raised in. I had the opportunity to share with these kids about something really hard that happened to me while I was in highschool, and how I over came it. It was sort of my way of saying, “Hey, life can be hard, but even though I’m white, and your hispanic, and even though you may THINK I’ve had a perfect life, it’s been far from perfect. And we are more similar than you think.”

I’ve got more stories to tell, but for the sake of time I’ll save those for another time! Thank you all for praying for me and supporting what I am doing. Continue to pray that God softens the hearts of these kids, and that my friends and I are kept from discouragement, and are able to continue to pour into these kids. I’ve also got some film projects in the near future, so stay tuned! Be blessed and don’t forget to smile today!