The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven is a fantastic book. The format that the book is written in gives the reader a glimpse into what every person included in the story is feeling and I really enjoyed this. The book is written by Kevin Malarkey but offers clear accounts from Alex as well as other pastors, friends, doctors, and family members that were experiencing life as Alex was in his coma and also as he was recovering. I do not want to include too many specific details in my review because this book is a must-read and I want you to experience the story as it unfolds in this book. If you are going through a difficult time or know of anyone who needs some encouragement in the midst of what seems like unanswered prayers, please give this book to them. One important thing to remember while reading this book is it is a completely true story giving examples of real life miracles.

I received a complimentary copy of this book  from Tyndale House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

The Hole in Our Gospel is the first book written by WorldVision’s current president Richard Stearns. The title of the book is intriguing and according to many people’s reviews, the title seems to be one of the first drawing points of this book. To me it was not as intriguing a title as to others. That said, I am so glad that Richard Stearns wrote this book. More people need to come to the realization that although there is not a hole in the Gospel as it is presented in the Bible; there is a hole in the gospel that many of our churches today are presenting and representing. We cannot divide people into parts. People are to be viewed holistically and ministered to holistically and when you feed someone a physical meal, give someone a physical drink, or are a part of an organization that rescues people from enslaving situations, you are partnering with God to bring the kingdom of God to earth. It is clear that Richard Stearns believes this was a critical view in Jesus’ life on earth and therefore, is also critical in the lives of believers. This book both inspired me and challenged me to pray that God would give me a deeper love for the other people that surround me on a daily basis. Our words and our actions are equally important as we seek to love others the way that Christ did.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

As far as planning a wedding goes, I was coming at this from an interesting perspective because for the last 5 years I have been a server at a venue that does mostly weddings. In my time working there, I have seen some great ideas, and also some of the UGLIEST centerpieces, dresses, and color combinations that I’m pretty sure have ever been created. All this to say, because of my job, it was easier for me to decide what I thought was necessary to include in our wedding and what we could exclude. One of the things my wife and I decided we would not do on our big day, was give out wedding favors. You may say, well you guys must have not cared very much about the people coming to your wedding, how could you not give a wedding favor? Before you cast stones, hear me out. As a server that works at weddings, I see where most of those wedding favors end up. If they are some type of food treat, they are usually consumed, However, if they are not able to be consumed…

They mostly end up in the trash. (think: this is the opposite of being green) : (

Why do I point this out? There is a new trend among brides and grooms worldwide, Instead of buying wedding favors for their guests, they are donating the hundreds of dollars they would have spent on little trinkets to organizations that are helping people worldwide. A few weddings I have recently been to, have even used their big day as a creative platform to teach their guests about the organization they are donating to and the specific people group the organization is trying to help.

Wedding season is upon us. Each Saturday of the last two weeks, my wife and I have been at a wedding. This summer, whether you are planning your own wedding, a part of a wedding party, or a guest attending someone else’s, I hope you have a chance to think about ways you are able to use big celebrations in your life, to teach and inspire others, raise funds to donate, and thank God that he has blessed you so that you can bless others.

I want to hear your stories… Inspired? Ticked off? What are your ideas? What have been your experiences?

Though we are still praying and trying to figure out when we will be heading down there, Our friends DK, Sadie, and their son Micah, are making the move to Mexico City from Irvine, CA within the next couple of weeks.

Truly inspiring story they are living out and you can stay connected to them (as they travel to Mexico City) through their blogsite: http://mexcity.wordpress.com/

Also, DK is living out another dream he has been pursuing as a musician and he just released his ep. You can buy his ep for $8 at: http://dksounds.wordpress.com/723-2/ I haven’t heard all of the tracks yet but after listening to the samples on his website, I had to blog about it. Not to mention, that if we end up in Mexico City, DK, Sadie, and Micah will all be a part of the team we are joining : )

Please consider partnering with them through prayer and finances if you are able.

Though this post is not really about our plans, I wanted to let you know about some of the people that are making a similar decision to the one we are making and who will be a part of the team in Mexico. I will keep you posted as Shawna and I see things unfold regarding our future plans. Continue to pray for us : )

For those who are following my blog and have read my last post entitled “A Belated Mother’s Day Reflection,” this post is related to it.

I just recently had the chance to experience something quite interesting. My in-laws were here in California for a week and we decided to go to Disneyland while they were here. I have been injured for the last 5 weeks with a rotational injury to my knee so I have not been able to walk very long distances. I didn’t realize I lived such an active life until I was faced with this injury, now everything has become a chore. One doesn’t realize how much walking is required to do menial tasks like go to the grocery store and walk the aisles.

This said, I knew that in order to go a day at Disneyland, I would have to use a wheelchair. The upside to using a wheelchair as you may know, is at Disneyland you and 5-6 people in your party can skip just about every line. What I was not expecting however, was the way I would be treated as I walked through the park. I found that many people desired to be helpful and this was great, however I also realized that because of how busy Disneyland is, many people do not even realize those people who are in wheelchairs. It will forever be burned into my brain to stop for people in wheelchairs when I am at Disneyland (and everywhere else). I may be in a hurry, but no one is in too big of a hurry to stop and let people in wheelchairs go in front of them.

People’s inability to let me through was not the only thing I noticed while at Disneyland, I thought it was interesting how other people in the park would talk to my family but act as if I wasn’t there or I was unable to communicate. I even found that some of the employees at Disneyland would forget to address me. Instead of asking me how many people were in my party, a number of times they looked directly over me and asked my wife how many were in our party. I thought this was strange until I remembered having a conversation about this very thing with my mom and the experiences she has had. This opened my eyes in a way I was not expecting. My experience at Disneyland taught me a few key things:

• First, in my book, Anyone that is able to overcome a handicap and still live their life, is a hero
• Second, we need to remember to help people who are disabled and acknowledge their humanity

Finally, the third thing I learned through this experience was how important it is to put ourselves in the shoes of others through intentional means to gain understanding of what they are going through. I have walked away from my experience with a deeper appreciation for what my mom goes through on a daily basis and also what other people who must live with or overcome disabilities go through.

I desire to be a person who sees the people around me and does not walk by another human being without acknowledging their humanity. If you have ever tried to do this you will know how difficult this is to accomplish in our busy society. I fail to do this constantly. Who is it in your life that you need to take the time to understand better? What can you try to do in order to understand this person/people group better? As you engage these individuals, please post your comments on my blog.

During the easier times and the harder times in life, God is still present. We ought to worship him at all times.

The buzzing of a phone… The answer of the call… The news that led me to want to cry,  reach for my Bible or another C.S. Lewis text (The Problem of Pain), and question whether God is really in control all at the same time. After answering the call, my mom spoke to me from the other line. She had just recently been taken to the E.R. because of some painful back spasms and the doctors were running some tests to see what was going on.

A little background on my mom…She went to the hospital a few years back because of pain in her chest and completely unrelated was diagnosed with Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy. There are nine different types of MD and some are fatal. in people with LGMD, the breaking down of voluntary muscles occurs but the heart is not usually affected. Despite the disease not being fatal, one cannot downplay the effects that the breaking down of the muscles in a person’s legs and shoulders would have on a person’s life.

This discovery and diagnosis led everyone in my family to a place of surrender where each of us really got real about our faith and relationship with God. Among the events in my life that I  would not change if I could, this is one. Not that we haven’t had our share of heartbreak and hard times because of her disease but this is one of the main things that brought us all face to face with the living God. At the time she was diagnosed, the doctors told her she would be fully wheelchair bound in 5 years. They told her this in 1999. Though her mobility has decreased over the years, she has been able to function (drive, walk, live life) on her own.

She has recently been feeling stronger because she is doing physical therapy and was looking forward to being able to make a trip from Oregon to Los Angeles to see me graduate this upcoming Saturday… Back to the phone call I just received… The back spasms my mom went to the E.R. for were most likely caused by injury through activity or physical therapy and the tests revealed that the muscles in her back and shoulders are growing weaker and weaker. The tests show that the Muscular Dystrophy is progressing.

Please pray for my mom as she is in the hospital getting stronger through physical therapy. To me, my mom is a symbol of hope and her strength throughout the time she has had this disease has left me wondering if I could ever be that strong. I’m not sure that I could.

Learn more about Muscular Dystrophy at http://www.mdausa.org/disease/

The trip was incredible and left us both eager to join the team down in Mexico City. (or anywhere for that matter)

Now it is nearing May and we are still not quite sure when we will be packing up to head down there. We are finding it difficult to prepare for the future of living in another country while we also are still in Southern California trying to make rent every month and waiting for the school loan repayment to start. We both felt connected to the team when we were down in Mexico but we are still waiting to hear clear direction from God as far as timing goes. Even today I was so overcome by the desire just to pack up and go. Currently my knee injury is keeping me from doing just that : ) (but as soon as it heals…)

• We have wrestled with questions regarding safety, finances, and qualifications.

Not sure how the finances will come together but we know that they will if we are supposed to go. As far as safety goes, we are trying not be naive about the safety issues associated with moving to Mexico.  We also are not sure that we are qualified to work at a trafficking safe house and work with emotionally/physically abused children, but to this I have to think about all of the people all over the world (both now and in the past) that are doing crazy things for God and to benefit people that they aren’t technically “qualified” to do.

I am reminded of the place I find myself in the Scriptures right now and that is in Exodus. A weak man (Moses) being used by a powerful God to demonstrate to all who God is. Moses wasn’t a great man; he just served a great and powerful God. I find myself in a similar place. Please pray for us as we continue to figure out the next steps and I will update my blog as we continue on this journey.

If you wish to partner with us for the future please email me at stmyatt@gmail.com

Another couple is headed down to Mexico City in June follow them here: http://mexcity.wordpress.com/

I can look to the Bible for answers, I can read the Scriptures that talk about God looking at the heart, and God raising up those he chooses and humbling others. I can even point out people in the Bible whose hearts to serve God were the only thing that qualified them (David, Moses). How much do you push to get noticed and how much do you focus on God and trust that he will guide your steps? If you follow God, how much does following God and working hard to get noticed factor into getting a job or a break? On the other side, how much focus should be on promoting oneself and one’s own ideas?

As I wrestle through these questions I am just curious what others have to say. I would prefer not to receive cookie cutter Christian responses and instead would like to hear more about the personal experiences of those reading this blog who have struggled with these same questions.

I wasn’t able to insert this video into to my blog but please take a few minutes and go watch this video on ABC News. It is about what some followers of Christ are doing in Cambodia to rescue children from human trafficking situations. As a believer and a person in the fight to bring human trafficking to an end, these are the hopeful stories that must be told. God is working through people giving up their lives to free slaves all over the world. Watch the video and then share it with others. Thank you

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/sex-trade-cambodian-children-10164798

Something huge is happening tomorrow April 17th all around the world. Though there have been a handful of freeze project events, tomorrow is the first Global Freeze Project. According to the Freeze Project website there are over 25 different freeze projects events occurring tomorrow. I am so inspired and encouraged to see so many people getting behind this idea.

There are an estimated 27 million people around the world facing slave conditions today and the only way anything good will happen now and in years to come is if people join together and bring everything they have to the table to collaborate efforts and bring an end to this worldwide atrocity. Thank you to everyone who has come out to a Freeze Project event in the past and thank you also to everyone who is doing anything to make others aware that they can be the answer to the 27 million slaves worldwide.

Please visit: thefreezeproject.com to see where an event near your community is taking place. Global Freeze Project Saturday April 17th (Tomorrow)