Today

I have learned a lot in my life...my very short life.

And one think i knot to be true...is today is just not my day.

Too much going on in the ol' noggin!

I just don't understand people some times.

So yeah...today is just not my day.

Stories...about me not getting this thing called life...

alex h.

Viva Las Vegas

This past weekend, I took a trip with my family to Las Vegas. One of the GREATEST cities in world...I had an amazing time.

And while I was in the city, my eyes were opened to something...this is one of the best places in the world right now to be do ministry. And something I didn't see while I was there...were churches.

I know that XXXChurch (www.xxxchurch.com) has a facility in Vegas, and does a lot of work there, but that is really the only ministry I know of that is based out of Las Vegas.

Now, there is MUCH more to Vegas than the strip...trust me. It is one huge city.

But it seems to me that there is almost a "Do Not Enter" zone around the strip for followers of Christ...why is that?

This is something I have been thinking a lot about...what if we stepped outside of our comfort zone and made an impact in what many people believe is a destructive and desolate place?

We would have the opportunity to impact thousands upon thousands of lives every single day...and yet we aren't.

So, my new challenge...affect the city of Las Vegas with the love of Christ. It may take a few years...but I can't wait to see what happens!

Stories...about one of the coolest places in the world...

alex h.

Relationships

Over the past few months, God has been teaching me quite a lot about relationships...and just how critical they are to my life.

Since I have been out here in Arizona, I have been alone for most of the time.

And that all changed today...

Ben MacGill, the other programming intern, and I had a chance to hang out after seeing Transformers 2:Revenge of the Fallen today, and we had a great time. Just driving around town and exploring and talking...it was a great day.

And it made me realize how blessed I am...and how God has been so good to me and the relationships He has given me.

So, when I go home, I am going to make it a mission to value my friends and the relationships that God has put before me a lot more than I do know. Because you never know when God is going to call one of us home.

Stories...about God's cool relationships....

alex h.

Being a people person...

Okay...so.

I am having a wonderful time out here in Arizona. I love the team that I am working with, and I love what I am doing. But...

I am a people person...I am always with people. Whether I am talking with people, hanging out with people, or just being around people...I al almost never alone.

And I have been spending A LOT of time alone out here in Arizona.

And it's just weird...

Can't wait to have some friends and family out...

Stories about me being...almost lonely.

alex h.

Thoughts...

Over the past few days, I have had some awesome chances to sit and ponder...and when I do...God has been showing me some amazing things...

Just thought I would share a quick tid-bit.

More from Arizona to come soon...really!

Stories...about God being cool.

alex h.

NYC 2009

Tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. I shall embark on an adventure that began this same time two years ago.

I will be taking a mission trip with the youth group from Connection Pointe Christian Church to New York City.

This is the trip that radically changed my life two years ago.

This is also the trip that inspired what has now become "The Andy Project" (www.theandyproject.com)

I just thought I should share that.

Im a little excited.

Stories about me and my favorite city...

alex h.

Getting it all out there....

So, I hate to share this with you...but I have begun to write in a notebook more lately than I have online.

Don't be offended. I still love to write here.

My notebook just allows me to write openly and freely...no masks...no boundaries.

So, stories about me cheating on my blog...

alex h.

Nervous...

So, I have been having trouble falling asleep the past week or so. I have been having that nervous feeling that you get in your stomach, and my mind has been running at 10000 mph non stop for the past few months. There is a lot on my plate right now.

And over the past few days that nervous feeling has been occurring frequently throughout my day. It's been really weird...not enjoyable.

And I was sitting at work tonight, just thinking about why I was feeling like this, and it hit me.

I am really nervous about being gone all summer. I truly am so excited about this internship, and I can't wait for the experience, and I'm excited about getting away for a while, but there are a few relationships that it will be really hard to do without for a summer, and all of this is just making me really nervous.

I don't want to go away and come back and these friendships that are based on spending time with one another be broken or not where they were because that connection is lost. And these are the relationships that help me to survive through all of the tough times and trials.

I think that God is a very funny character. He takes us so far away from what we are comfortable with to make us stronger. I truly think that is what God is doing to me through this internship. I have become comfortable with where I am at and with my friends, and God is ready to stir that up.

So, I will go...because that is what I am called to do.

Yes, I will have friends and family visit, and yes it isn't that long, but I think it will be long enough to get me uncomfortable again...and I'm excited about it.

Here goes nothing....

Stories about God's humor....

alex h.

Wow...

It has been forever since I have posted on here...which is crazy!

Life just gets a little crazy some times!

Things have been moving rather rapidly. It's hard to believe it's almost May, which means I need to take the SAT NEXT WEEKEND! And I need to finish stuff up for summer. And after this year I have one year of high school left. And....WAY TOOO MUCH IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW!

So, I decided to take a five minute break and just write...even if it is about nothing, I am writing because I can. I have been giving the gift and ability to write, and I should use it.

So there...I wrote. And now...it's back to work!

Here it goes. Another day!

Stories about how little time there is....

alex h.

uhh so alex doesnt know that this is happening..

haha!! sorry al.

I Shot A Gun!

So while I have been here in Arizona, I have done some pretty cool things! My favorite thus far...has been shooting some guns!

We spend Wednesday night and Thursday at Ayla's aunt and uncle's cabin up north...about four hours from the valley. When we got up there on Wednesday night, a dust storm has been blowing all day, so it was nasty and cold. Oh well..when we woke up on Thursday morning, it was beautiful.

One thing they had said we could do while we were up there was shoot their guns. I had never shot a real gun until yesterday...and let me tell you, it was freakin sweet!

They have four guns... a 22, a 9 mm standard military issue, a 38 special single action revolver, and a mini 16 standard military issue rifle.

I had a chance to unload hundreds of rounds on each. Here are a few pics!

The top picture is me with the 9 mm, and the bottom is me with the 38 special.

This was soo much fun, and a great stress reliever!

Stories about me shooing guns.

alex h.

From Arizona #2...

A few days have passes since my last update, and it's because we have been running around!

It has been a very enjoyable experience thus far, and I am sad to have to leave in a few days.

The best is still yet to come. Pictures to come soon! I promise!



Stories about me being too busy to type...

alex h.

From Arizona...

The trip thus far has been pretty amazing.

Spent the whole day yesterday with Katlyn and J. Grey. Had a blast at lunch, got the full tour of CCV (Christ Church of the Valley) and then went and hung out with Gordo and Bethany and play some mad games of Cranium.

Overall...the weather is great. We are loving every minute of our time out here.

More to come soon...Katlyn is here to pick us up for breakfast!

Check out my Twitter page for continius updates!

www.twitter.com/aholt21

More stories about The Zona soon!

alex h.

New News...

Quite a lot has been happening lately...so here are some updates.

SPRING BREAK 09 IS HERE! I am so excited to hop on a plane tomorrow night with Ayla and head out to Phoenix, Arizona for a week! This is going to be a pretty sweet trip. Be checking both of our blogs for our daily video updates!

I have started my very own Twitter page. Check out my tweets at www.twitter.com/aholt21

You also need to check out the album "Punk Goes Pop: Volume Two" Pretty amazing stuff.

That's a quick and dirty update. Next post will be from the beautiful city of Phoenix!

Really fast updates, that sound like stories...

alex h.

oh yeah...i have a new design. drop me a message and tell me what you think!

Taking a break...

Today, for the first time in a long time, I didn't go to church.

That's right...I slept right on through.

Yesterday was an extremely long day...ended up being 22 hours from the time I woke up (4 am) to the time I hit the bed, and fell asleep within 30 seconds (12 am).

So, I planned on going to church this morning...set my alarm last night, and was gonna get up and do it...and I remember getting up when my alarm went off...and i set it for fifteen minutes later, and I remember getting up again...and I told myself I was going to get up...and I guess I just didn't.

My mom walked in about 7:15 and asked if I was supposed to be at church...I said yes...but I wasn't going.

I decided to let myself relax. It was AMAZING...and much needed.

I slept until about one, and have just chilled out all day long. Something I haven't done in probably...well...let's just say I don't remember the last time!

And I enjoyed every minute of today. Went outside the afternoon and played with my dog, and have just relaxed.

Something I encourage all of you to do. Just take a breath and relax...trust me...you need it more than you think!

Real stories about my being a lazy bum!

alex h.

The Atom of Worship

I have this tendancy to listen to the same CD over and over and over until I find a new CD I can do this with.

And lately I have been listening to A Collision (or 3+4=7) by David Crowder Band.

And my favorite part of the album is the second to last track called "A Conversation" It's just that...a conversation between David Crowder and a reporter for some magazine or something.

So they begin the interview over the phone, and the reporter asks Crowder about the cover of the album...seen below...

His specific question was about the atom. He really doesn't understand what it means...and I love Crowder's response.

He tells the reporter that just like the diagram/sketch/drawing of the atom that we have is inadequate and un-realistic, so are the elements of worship that we have. But this is what we have, and it helps to carry on this idea.

And I would have to agree. Like the atom depiction, our methods of worship are not anything like what worship will be like when we reach the Father in Heaven. We can't even begin to fathom what that will be like.

But this is what we have, and we should use it to the fullest of our ability. We KNOW that the atom diagram is not absolute and concrete, but we still use it and are still making major advances in the field of science.

So shouldn't we do the same in the field of worship...a.k.a our LIVES?

Something I have been pondering in my brain.

Another story...about my weird tendencies that lead to creative thinking...

alex h.

Communication Lines

As many of you know, I work for and run an organization called The Andy Project (www.theandyproject.com).

Many of you also probably know that running an organization like this takes communication...and a great deal of it.

But lately, my team and I have been failing in our communications. Our schedules get busy, our lives go crazy, and we being to drop the ball on all sorts of major projects and assignments...all of us! Trust me, I do it too.

We also being to forget to communicate our plans/ideas to each other. We will get us into this great situation that nobody on the team knows about, and when it rolls around, we are all shocked by it.

And I think this same thing happens between us and God. God is always communication with us, but we tend to fill our lives up with so much "stuff" that isn't even important, and we being to loose that line of communication with him.

It's like if you have ever been on the phone with somebody, and you pull the old "fuzz fuzz...i'm going under a bridge...fuzz fuzz...i can't hear you...fuzz fuzz...what was that" trick. We have all done it.

But that is what we are doing to go...we are choosing to close that line of communication many times...because we fill our lives with our computers and our music and our money and our relationships and all this other "worldly" stuff. By doing so we are cutting that direct line we have to God.

So i just want to challenge all of us to work on opening that line of communication back up.

Take some time this weekend and just spend it with God...He did create you after all!

Dig through the scripture and see what God is telling you...he's always broadcasting...but are you willing to tune to his channel?

Stories about things that go on inside my head...

alex h.

The Andy Project

The past few months have been wild and crazy when it comes to The Andy Project.

Things have been moving so quickly...it's crazy!

Here is a small update of what has been going on.

We have officially begun the filing process to become a non-for-profit organization. This process could take up to six months, but it is well worth the wait! Please be praying for this process to go quickly and smoothly.

Our partnership with the BDTV Production Team has paid off greatly. The team has helped to create five wonderful pieces, all featuring The Andy Project. They are currently working on a documentary that covers the homeless epidemic that is sweeping out city, and what The AP is doing to help. The documentary will be released in May of this year.

Planning for "Real Action Weekend" 2009 has begun. This is going to be a weekend full of service and hope that you won't want to miss. More details to come soon.

The promo DVD has been finalized and is ready for distribution. It officially released Friday, March 20th!

So, there, a quick update of what is going on. There are so many more things I want to share with you, and I will shortly!

Be checking out the website for updates...www.theandyproject.com.

Much love

Stories about what's happening in your world...

alex h.

U2 IN CHICAGO

September 12th will be the second greatest day of my life...

U2 (aka the greatest band ever) IS COMING TO CHICAGO

And I am going...

www.u2.com

And the winner is...

Today was the 2009 IASB (Indiana Association of School Broadcasters) State Finals.

Both WBDG Giant 90.9, and BDTV entered our best work into each category...expecting great results.

We watched last year's winners, and were not so impressed. We felt we had a professional edge, and that it would help propel us to the top.

This...was not the case.

While we did take 1st in a few categories, and 2nd is a one or two, we didn't dominate the competition like we were hoping for.

Sadly, we walked away two points behind the school named the "IASB Television Broadcasting

School Of The Year", which happened to be Martinsville High School...again...for the third year in a row.

I guess it just goes to show you that we will have to work ten times harder next year...or just get lazy and wear t-shirts and shorts for our stand-ups...sorry...a little bit of complaining there!

It sucks, but it happens.

Stories about the winners and the losers...

Alex H.

My Inspirations

I had the opportunity to hang out with two really cool kids today.

Mitch and Drew.

These two guys just moved here from Tennessee. They are home schooled, and they are my two new inspirations.

The majority of us would take a situation like they are in, moving away from what they think of as home and their friends, and whine about it. We wouldn't want to leave what we have, and we surly wouldn't realize that maybe this new change is all apart of God's plan for us!

That is what these guys have done. They are so positive about the entire situation, and haven't missed a beat when it comes to the youth group.

They have already been involved with The Andy Project, Focus, Connected, and a variety of other things.

So I just wanted to share these guys with you...they aren't superheroes or anything...just average people like you and I. But they understand that their life is God's, and they will do whatever it is He calls them to.

Inspirational stories...

Alex H.

A Song....

We'll write a song

That turns off the lights

When both boy and girl

Start suddenly shaking inside

Don't waste your time

Speed up your breathing

Just close your eyes

We'll hope it's not for nothing at all

Light Art

I was kind of bored at BD today, so I got with another student and started working on a thing called "light art."

Some of the seniors had done something similiar to this, but very low quality, so I decided to bring it up a notch.

And this is what I came up with...it's a rough edit that i just threw together...I have some touchups to do and, and then it will be ready...check it out...

I thought it turned out pretty well...

I will have the edited version up soon!

Stories about light...

Alex H.

Panda Express!

So Ayla called me up last night and asked if I wanted to go to dinner and "talk."

Whenever somebody says that, it usually means that I am in trouble...not this time!

So...we went to a favorite...

That's right...PANDA EXPRESS!

And it was awesome. We sat for almost two hours and just chilled and talked about life!

You should try it some time...just relax and live life with your friends...you won't regret it!

Stories involving food...

Alex H.

The Cinematic Sunrise

I was perusing through pictures the other night, and I came across this one...

This was taken before one of our Andy Project events, and the coloring is astonishing!

Every morning, I make a twenty minute commute east to Ben Davis. For about 15 of those minutes, I am driving directly into the sunrise.

And the sunrise was just getting kid of old to me. I saw the same thing every day.

But when I came across this picture, and thought to myself, I realized something.

Why should I be bored with the sunrise? Do I not realize that God is the one causing the sun to rise, and that he has aloud me to experience another sunrise?

I guess I wasn't grasping that concept.

And this picture brought things back into focus for me. It just shows the awesome power of our creator and what he is capable of.

Astonishing.

A real story about my real life...

Alex H.

Friends...

My friends make my world go round, along with Jesus.

But without my friends, my life would mean nothing.

These are the people who have become my family, and whom I deeply enjoy spending time with and chatting for hours upon end on the phone with.

And I am so thankful for who my friends have been in my life.

Sure, there are days the frustrate me, and days that I can't stand to be around them, but I love them no matter what.

So to all my friends, thank you. You have changed my life, and I am so blessed to have you on my walk with Christ.

My stories about my friends...

Alex H.

My friends...you have to love them!

GOD AT WORK IN THE HSM AT CPCCB!

Over 200 students in attendance for our new series called "The Good Fight!"

Praise the Lord.

One true story at a time...

Alex H.

Frustration, Heartache, and Jesus

Today has just been one of those days...one of those days I soon wish to forget.

School was school, never anything exciting...really...nothing exciting.

Work was rough...the wash broke down and put all the managers in a bad mood, which is never fun for anybody else.

And then, well, there are my friends. The people I love so much and would give my life for, literally lay down my life to save them, hurt me, and they don't even know that they are tearing me up inside.

Not all of my friends, but a few of them. And these are the kids who I do ministry along side of. We go on trips and the come back all fired up and things go great, yet they seem to get sucked into the world once again, and then all of the drama happens.

I HATE DRAMA

Did I mention that I can't stand it when people cause drama?

Can you tell I am a little frustrated.

But then I had a moment with God.

I was working on my outline for my lesson for "Connected" tomorrow night, going over some scripture, and watching the film I will be showing.

There is a verse that has been on my heart since the summer of 2007, when I attended the Media Challenge workshop in St. Louis. That was a week that changed my life forever, and for the better.

The verse comes from Ephesians 6:12 "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rules, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (NIV)

This verse really hit home tonight...why do we bicker so much with each other? Whey do we cause so much pain in each others lives?

Do we not understand the concept that the world is a temporary home and we will one day be with He who chose to create us?

So why do we fight with flesh and blood, when there is a battle far more immense than we could ever imaging going on between He who loves us and the one who is trying to pull us away from Him?

I hate seeing hurt people. It breaks my heart to see my friends hurt, and it especially breaks my heart when one of my friends causes another friend to be hurt.

So my evening was an interesting one.

There are my thoughts, and my thoughts are real life stories.

Tomorrow will be a new day, because Christ has made it that way, and I am so thankful for that!

Stories dealing with reality...

Alex H.

I really am going to get back to writing...

I feel slightly upset with myself.

I keep telling myself I am going to get back to writing on this thing, and I never do.

But I am serious. I have a "blog accountability partner" now, so I will be sharing much more...I promise!

Enjoy the stories.

Alex H.