Camp.

I have always loved camp. I went to the mega camp known as Lift for the last 2 years of highschool, which I loved. But before then our church had a camp for jr/sr high. It was out in the middle of nowhere, but there is something about being in an unairconditioned chapel and sweating, where God can just grab you and rip your heart back to him. I don't know what it is, the nature, the speakers who bring it or just those quiet/intimate moments that really only occur in situations like these.
I am playing guitar at a camp this week, no mic, which is awesome! Within the first 20 minutes my head was swarmmed with my years of camp. The smell of adolescent sweat, although making me cringe, made me think of the dorm style rooms we stayed in, that contstantly smelled of a mens YMCA locker room, even when it was 'clean.' The overwellming smell of perfume just before dinner because the girls didn't have enough time to shower.
Besides all the fond memories of late camp nights, all the camp crushes and of course singing 'pledge allegiance to the lamb' with my brother. I also remember God getting a hold of me during my counselor days at camp chof in ohio. The speaker pulled me aside, and no, I have no idea who he is now. But anyways, he grabbed me and just asked me what I was going to do with my life. I remember not having an answer and he then said, 'well that's fine what are you doing now?' And I wish I could explain what I felt at that very moment. I could have cried, I knew that I was coasting spiritually. I knew God had a plan for me but I was too lazy to do anything. And I knew he just wanted me to transfer. I knew God wanted me at Liberty.
So camp was a big deal for me. Without it, I would never have met, my wife, LaRae. Never realized I was made to worship/lead worship because I wouldn't have traveled and played with CrossCulture. I wouldn't have some of the lifelong friends I met thru Liberty, (Kameno, Stuart, Cedric, Sanders, Glauco, Ryan Law...and the list goes on). All of this is because I was able to get out in the open and hear Gods voice. Thank you camp.
Here are some videos of the week so far, there will probably be more to come...

Look I wrote something!

Hey everyone, it has been a while since I have posted anything, and my pastor was harassing me about it yesterday so I thought I would post some newish music or just some music that I have on repeat right now, here is a condensed short list...

Phil Wickham- Heaven and Earth, this isn't new, but I can honestly say that I listen to a couple of songs every day. Almost all the songs on this album are about heaven, and they are good. Don't just listen on pandora, buy it.

Matt Papa - Your Kingdom Come- His newest album came out in January, and is just good. If you are a worship leader, this music is refreshing cause it breaks the mold for the typical Christian/worship music.

Matt Wertz - While We're Becoming - I got this album when it first came out, but its such a summer album, so good right around 7pm on a deck, with arnold palmer in hand, not the actual golfer but lemonade and ice tea mixed together. It'd be borderline uncomfortable holding hands with Arnold Palmer whilst listening to Matt Wertz, while the son goes down...

I will have some more writings coming out soon(ish). See ya soon.

Not me.

Messing up is a hard pill to swallow when you are leasing worship. This past Sunday, yes Easter, I messed up 2 different times during the worship. Both having to do with capo placement. I was frustrated to say the least. I just kept thinking I messed up how the Holy Spirit was moving. And that I could have messed everything up. 
I sat there beating myself, against my wifes orders. But then halfway thru the preaching I was slapped by that very same Holy Spirit, basically wispered in my ear "really, you think I need YOUR help? Must be thinking a little lofty of yourself Cody...". I can honestly say I laughed, how prideful of me to limit Gods power to how well I sing or play. God is going to do what He is going to do. That doesn't mean I am just going to put my capo anywhere and shrug it off or say I don't need practice, I will still strive to do my best on stage and off. And I know that I  will probably be highlighting the capos on my music from here on out! 

Amazed.

He is incredible. I am selfish.
He is awesome. I am weak.
He is stunning. I am prideful.
He is wonderful. I am awful.
He is spectacular. I am unimpressive.
He is breathtaking. I am commonplace.
He is perfect. I am deficient.

He is everything I am not. Yet he chose to die, so that I could have another chance. Amazing.

26.

Well. March 5th 1984 I was spanked and welcomed to the world. Since that time, I have been incredibly blessed. I know that counting those blessings and talking about what I am so thankful for would require an awful lot of html code. But here is what comes to my mind right now...
Blessed with...
with a family that loves Christ, not just my brother and parents but my grandparents almost all of my family.
A wife that loves me, despite how much I totally fail at this marriage thing.
An incredible group of best friends. Friends that I know I could literally die laughing with, but also would encourage and lift me up when needed. You guys know who you are.
A church that has people that are wanting to know you, and love people. It's awesome to work in a place where people will forego the "typical" church feel to reach lost people.
A pastor that has vision and follow-thru, and I can call him a good friend, Usually you only get one part of that.
new friends.
a wife that works a job she hates to pay my bills!
our first house!
college ministry with students that want to know you, and want Your future for their life.
a Macbook pro & iphone
coffee - everything lacks color without it ; )
Liberty University, can't imagine what life would be like without this place.
Student Activities- probably the most fun job I will ever have.
incredible inlaws - Something I overlook constantly cause I never had bad ones!
a brother I can look up to, and a sister in law that I can make fun of and know she can handle it, plus a nephew and niece that are ridiculously cool/cute, and one on the other side that is growing up and its so cool to see.
history class my 2nd year at liberty
cross-culture - thankful they needed a "media guy"
music, just being able to play and sing. It's so ingrained in me that I never thank God for the talents he has given to me which have all added up to me being in the ministry and serving Him with those talents.
worship music - wickham, shane&shane, hillsong, crowder, tomlin, houston, brewster, glorious unseen, kim walker, brooke fraiser, chris quilala, stanfill
inspiring music - coldplay, wickham, explosions in the sky (make my time go quicker and make me want to write more)
videos that are well made or done with just excellence, and really not for some huge reason like these...

we were in love from John Carl on Vimeo.

pictures that make you just stop for a second...like these...

jonryancreative.com














duckduckcollective.com

















creativity. i know i said the same thing about coffee, but for real this life would be a lot more boring with out creativity.
I know I could keep going but this post is already getting kinda long. But my final thing is obviously Christ. Even with coffee, creativity and all the rest of the things I mentioned, life would be kinda pointless if my future wasn't with Christ.

break.

Take a break today. Just sit back and take a break. Clear your head and not think of anything. If you have to have something, get the new Matt Wertz EP. I am not trying to sneakily promote Matt, this album is just perfect for sitting back in a recliner or couch and trying not to think.

God asks us to be still, and know He is God. When was the last time you were still, and just acknowledged that God is God, and focused your relax time on Him and not xbox or tv? He wants you to relax, and just sloooooow down. So try it today.

...

I didn't know what to call this blog. Right now the title is ... I could change it at the end but I am not sure. I just can not really come up with an appropriate phrase to sum up the what I am feeling or what I am writing about. I just watched a video about India Christians being persecuted. Francis Chan actually talks throughout the video, and draws attention to it in a way that shows the gravity of these events.

It almost made me throw up. (it is violent, so use discretion)

I have to admit, the video, although hard to watch, was not what made me queasy. It was my lack of faith, love, compassion and passion. We are so blessed to be living in America, and we think that being made to call Christmas break winter break counts as some sort of persecution. We are blessed, but we have been blessed so much that it has made us ignorant. Most 'Christians' now base their entire faith on an attendance sheet. If you go to church most Sundays, except for those 1 or 2 weeks that you are on vacation, you are living the Christian life. I can honestly say, you are going to feel like crap when this life is over. You are going to realize you missed it. You missed the point, yes you just might make in those pearly gates, but what about your neighbor you lived next to for years, what about the waitress at your favorite restaurant that knows you by name, what about your kids, what about your co-workers.

I just wonder if Christians were getting persecuted in America, who would still be claiming Christ. I think it would be like a huge spaghetti strainer, people with substance would stay, the others just fall away. Luke mentions something like this in chapter 3 of his book. He is writing about John the Baptist, one of the best Bible characters, John says 'as for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear his threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.'

Use the blessings that have been given to you to support Christ in this world. I am not just talking about money given to your church, but time, effort, love ect... God wants to use every last one of us, and has given you certain gifts to help the body of Christ, so use 'em.