Casting Crowns: Mark Hall's Blog

Dodge City, Kansas

We are going in stage here in Dodge City in about 3 minutes. Had a good day at the Boot Hill Cemetery/ museum.

Pray for us. Love them like Jesus
Mark

Close call

Don't worry... I'm ok!!

Vacation

Well we made it to vacation, alive!
We packed more stuff than we will ever need. And bought more food than we will ever eat. Buy at least it's hot outside. Ha

This is our first full day of vacation and I'm sitting on the porch of cabin for the week. (Picture above) Spent some time in proverbs this morning and I pray that I'm armed with wisdom for the day. I'm praying for a great vacation - Not the kind of vacation that you come home from in need of a vacation after your vacation. I'm praying for great family time, great father-son time, great daddy-princesses time, great husband-wife time, great writing time, great youth ministry planning time, and great quiet time. How many days are we here, again?

I'm going thru Raising a Modern Day Knight with my son and I'm stoked about that. My homework for the week is to interview him and ask him how I'm doing as a dad. So now I'm thinking of the best time to have this little conversation. Probably not after he gets in trouble. I figure I'll take him out for ice cream and then ask him. :)

So here's my proverbs nugget today:

"My son pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words.
Do not let them out of your site, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body.

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
Put away adversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you.
Make level paths for your feet take only the ways that are firm.
Do not swerve to the right of the left; keep your foot from evil. "
Proverbs 4:20-27

JM and I talked about the verse and he said you keep your eyes straight ahead because if you're looking around to much here in the mountains you can fall off a cliff. Good stuff and so very true in life.

It's when we start looking around too much that we fall into traps. Coveting what others have; Jealousy of others talents and gifts; self hate and comparing ourselves to others; lust of the eyes, distraction from priorities, all of these things draw your mind, heart, and strength to focus on other things. Then the greatest commandment is out the door.

Not many people choose a path that they are not looking at. We usually follow the path on which our eyes are fixed. James says it all starts in our head and then we are dragged away by evil desires. That gives way to sin and sin gives way to death.

So what are we saying?

Don't just look where you're going. Look where God is leading. And follow Him. Cause His path is narrow.

Love them like Jesus
Mark

Whittier Alaska: glacier cruise

Glaciers in Whittier, Alaska. The day was awesome and it was great watching the kids reactions to everything. Spent the day on a cruise and got great video of the things we saw. JM counted over 200 sea otters in the water. There just arent words for how massive and beautiful the glaciers are. God's world just got alot bigger in our eyes!

Camp worship

Worship was great and our times together were sweet. The second pic is of everyone at the camp after or last session together. We hope to come back and visit again!

Unanakleet

John Michael and Mel in the plane. Sarah and Donna! Our welcoming committee!

Unanakleet village

Today's trip was amazing. We took the 4 hour flight from anchorage into Unanakleet and were welcomed by Pastor Joel and his wife Olga and Jeff and Donna who lead the student ministry at Covenant Church.

We then loaded into two small boats and travelled 20-30 minutes to the camp where Covenant church youth ministry holds there camp every year for college students from neighboring villages. They are really roughing it with tents, outhouses, and we caught our supper that night. That's right WE!!!

Juan, darren, Bob, Melanie, John Michael, and I joined up with several leaders from the ministry ( Curtis from covenant Christian College and John - director of tue camp) and went salmon fishing. Awesome experience. Juan will have some great video up soon an I will put up as many photos as I can. We caught enough for the camp of 40 or so to eat supper and have left overs. John michael reeled in three! The fish were huge!

Juan and I led worship and shared a few crowns songs. Bob and I led 3 sessions on ministry and pouring into young believers. The camp was focussed on existing an immerging leaders who would go back and lead others in thier villages.

I'm on the plane with the others now on the way back and just looking back on the day and what God has allowed us to be a part of. God is so good. Who are we that we would be allowed to come up here and be a part of their lives for a day. There are so many more people with so much more to offer. But as Paul said, " God uses the foolish to peas the wise and the weak to lead the strong so that people will know this all surpassing power is from God and not from us. "
It wasn't our qualifications God used today it was our obedience and availability.

What do you have to offer others? Simply your obedience as God leads you, your story of what God has done for you, and the love of Jesus in you. A demonstration of God's extrordinary powers through ordinary lives. You have everything to offer.
Love them like Jesus
Mark

Headed to Unalakleet!

There are 7 of us on the team headed to the village of unalakleet, a village 700. We will be working with around 30 people at a leadership camp. We are on plane now

Pray for safety and big God stuff to happen. Love them like Jesus
Mark

Crowns in Alaska

Shot this with my phone at 30,000 feet about an hour before we landed in Anchorage. Unbelievable.

We are here safe and settled in. Hitting a day cruise with the family tommorrow and Wednesday, juan and I are taking a 4 seater plane to a village/town in the bush for a day of leadership training. I won't attempt to spell the name bit I will let you know more when I get there. We will be leading with a good friend, Bob Lenz, amazing teacher and leader of Lifest Christian music festival in Wisconsin. ( one of our favorites).

We will play 2 concerts here in Anchorage and once in Fairbanks. More to come. But I hit a wall about an hour ago. ( jetlag... Not a literal...nevermind)
Love Them Like Jesus.
Mark

Ps. I am going to hit you all with a challenge in a few days. May be tough for some - easy got others. Call it a spiritual experiment for all ages. I will post it as a video, most likely cause I'm a terrible typist. And I want to hear from those who take me up on it. Fore shadowing scripture references: Philippians 4:8 and Galatians 6:7-8

Crowns in Alaska

Shot this with my phone at 30,000 feet about an hour before we landed in Anchorage. Unbelievable.

We are here safe and settled in. Hitting a day cruise with the family tommorrow and Wednesday, juan and I are taking a 4 seater plane to a village/town in the bush for a day of leadership training. I won't attempt to spell the name bit I will let you know more when I get there. We will be leading with a good friend, Bob Lenz, amazing teacher and leader of Lifest Christian music festival in Wisconsin. ( one of our favorites).

We will play 2 concerts here in Anchorage and once in Fairbanks. More to come. But I hit a wall about an hour ago. ( jetlag... Not a literal...nevermind)
Love Them Like Jesus.
Mark

Ps. I am going to hit you all with a challenge in a few days. May be tough for some - easy got others. Call it a spiritual experiment for all ages. I will post it as a video, most likely cause I'm a terrible typist. And I want to hear from those who take me up on it. Fore shadowing scripture references: Philippians 4:8 and Galatians 6:7-8