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thisfireburnswithinmyheart
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Name: Justin
Birthday: 12/20/1982
Gender: Male
Interests: Photography, art, writing, designing, creating, music. The German, Russian, and Norwegian languages. i feel i might get to play some part in God's workings in Central Europe at some point in the future. i like Rock Climbing, biking, hiking, camping, and all sorts of stuff involving getting outside in God's green goodness. i play bass guitar for a band called Deas Vail.
Expertise: I love Jesus with all of my heart. I am passionate about Him. That is all I need to stand on and moreover, all I want to stand on. Everything else stems from that.
Occupation: Musician
Message: message me
Website: visit my website
Member Since:
9/25/2003
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| Dear Coins, a Vail, a Song for the Future [--aboard The Moby Dick --][-- Destination: Fort Wayne, Indiana--] We played in Highland, Illinois last night with some great friends in a band called Dear Future. They rocked the house, as usual. Also as usual, Nick provided witty banter as he played his songs under the moniker Coin Laundry Loser. Several of us in Deas Vail provided a backing band for him on a few songs, which was very fun. i enjoy his music. He is very talented. The crowd last night was fantastic. Great people--very enthusiastic, very welcoming, very polite, very fun. Last night set the record for attendance for the 618 Broadway Venue. We were very grateful to have such a great group of people to play for. We stayed at the Pye residence, and though i'd only been there once in my life, i felt like i was coming home. i love feelings like that. It is a true testament to the power and goodness of hospitality. i see now why Jesus spoke of that being so important. Feeling the Lord's Hand on us. He is so good to us and provides so unexpectedly. He never fails to amaze me with His splendour and goodness. | | |
| Road My first little week-long jaunt on the road with the guys was highly enjoyable. i am fighting some upper-respiratory crap, so prayer for that would be appreciated. There are so many mental battles to fight. So much to learn. i am used to the idea that quitting your job to play in a band is very irresponsible, but i am also not used to being in a band that is doing reasonably well. i guess this is the scary and unconventionally responsible thing to do. It's so much easier for me to lay low--out of sight--embracing mediocrity. It's hard to screw up mediocrity. i guess that's why doing extraordinary things scares me. i am a weird animal. i watched a sunset last night that was truly glorious. i parked beside a lake and just talked to Jesus about how awesome He is. It never ceases to amaze me how little events like this have a way of teaching you things. In a round-a-bout way, it brought up a good conversation later last night with a friend about life and learning to accomodate and cope with different personalities co-existing in a 50 square foot space. Life is very good. Mark it with Love. | | |
| Here we Go!Lots of writing, memorizing, and practicing. Tomorrow is my first show as the bass player for Deas Vail. i am so happy to be playing music that i love with friends i love. i love the family that we are. If you have never had an experience of some type of true community-living, you are missing out. Possessions are meaningless and should be shared. Time and friendships and the family that forms are so valuable. What a treat to be able to spend these endless numbered days with those near and dear. Creation happens in these moments. This is what we were designed for. This is how "church" was supposed to be. This is life. i love living.
Live today. Love someone. | | |
| movingYay. i live in a new town now. i love it. i have a new job now. i love it. i live and work with my friends.
i love it. | | |
| .imperfect.A thought has transfixed me:
It is the simple, honest truth that none of us have it all together. No one wants to admit this. It hurts my pride to tell you that i am a foolish and simple man. i am an idiot.
(please understand, this is not negative. i smile as i write this. i feel so free. The truth will set you free.)
When we ask a person, "How are you doing?", we don't really want to know, right? How embarrassing to say something like, "Well, honestly, I'm frustrated with my constant failings" or, "I'm just bumbling and stumbling through this world and have no idea what I'm supposed to be doing, how to do it, or who I am supposed to be" or, "I'm feeling a bit lonely, thank you." What we really want to hear when we ask, "How are you doing?" is the proper response, which we all know to be, "Fine." What a different world it would be if our relationships were deeper than surface-level or if many of the smiles we see were not a desperate attempt to look adequate, content, and struggle-free.
Thankfully, i have a beautiful family at The Grove Church. This is a family in which we can be vulnerable, we can love one another, and we can even...tell the truth. i am so thankful for our Community Groups that seem to make this whole church thing work. No more falling through the cracks, or being able to hide in the shadows. Here this surreal "church" experience that so many people in our society accept is broken down into reality--a small group of people who actually know you...and love you.
i know this suddenly sounds like a plug for my church, but believe me, it is not. Really, i just want to encourage you to not be afraid of the truth. Don't be afraid to tell others that you are not perfect. Not only will it set you free, but--in time--them as well
Somewhere along the way, it became taboo to confess weakness. That is crap.
i do not have it all together. You do not have it all together. Your friends do not have it all together (even the ones who seem happier than you). The random people you see everywhere you go--none of them have it all together. To me, this is freedom. We're all just goofs fumbling around through this world, but if we so much as try to love each other, stand for something, or believe in something bigger than ourselves, it is truly beautiful.
We are imperfect. We are idiots. All of us.
Oh, but Christ loves us so much.
Beautiful.
-- j. froning
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