save blue like jazz!

Many of you have heard about, if not read the bestseller, Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller.  Many of you have also probably heard of his book A Million Miles in a Thousand Years which talks about Don's experiences in writing a screen play for the movie, Blue Like Jazz.  [DISCLAIMER:  I have not yet read A Million Miles in a Thousand Years but it will be arriving in the mail shortly and I assure you it will be DEVOURED.] 

On September 16, Donald Miller wrote a blog informing his fans and the general public that due to some financial/investor issues, the movie would be put on hold indefinitely.  But honestly what kind of fans would we be if we didn't try and do something to help?  That's where Zach Prichard and Jonathan Frazier steps in.  These two guys worked with Donald Miller and Steve Taylor, the director of the film to figure out a solution.  We, the fans, are going to help save the movie.  They started a fundraising campaign through a website called KickStarter where us, the fans, have until October 25 to raise $125,000.  The thing is is that at this very moment, with the campaign just starting September 26, Blue Like Jazz fans have raised $39,819!!!  Incredible, huh?!

Basically, this blog is to ask for you participation in saving this film.  The book changed lives.  Think about what it would do as a film...

To check out KickStarter, watch the short film made by Zach and Jonathan and learn more about the cause, check here.

To read about Don Miller's reaction to the campaign and the "saving" of the movie, check here.

To read an interview with Zach, Jonathan, and my friend Jeff Goins from rethink monthly magazine, check here.

Please, please, PLEASE prayerfully consider giving to this cause!  Only $85,181 to go!

i am madly in love with jesus christ.

This week was my first week of my last year of undergrad.  Basically that just mean I'm a senior.
It's crazy.  CRAZY.

And even though it's just the first week, I'm already really struggling making enough Jesus time during the week.  And I hate that.  I was telling my old youth pastor this week that I wish I could just worship and pray and read all the time.  And then he told me this story of a kid who missed three of his college football games because he lost track of time while doing evangelism. 

But seriously, why don't I allow myself to be more like that?  Because when it comes down to it, maybe my grades won't be as great and maybe my friends won't necessarily understand [which is mostly likely not true because a lot of them have amazing relationships with the Lord themselves] and maybe my parents will be a little disappointed but if Jesus is just calling me to spend time with him, why the heck wouldn't I?  Why would I not want to give the Creator and Savior of the Universe ALL of my time?

I have to say though that even though the distractions of a new school year have been keeping me from spending as much time as I want with the Lord, he still never ceases to amaze me and I'm falling more and more madly in love with him every day.  I was just listening to the Christian radio today and got completely overwhelmed with the Lord's love. 

Also today I was singing during choir rehearsal and we started a new piece called Lux Aeterna.  The arrangement of the text that we are doing is by Brian Schmidt and it is wondrous.  For those of you who don't know, the Lux text is part of the Requiem Mass, close to the end and means "eternal light".  The text is in Latin when sung and translates to,

"May light eternal shine upon them, O Lord.

With thy saints forever, for thou art merciful.

Grant them eternal rest,

And let perpetual light shine upon them.  Amen"

I almost cried multiple times singing this piece.  It is so beautiful and I'm just amazed at how it just reflects the perfect beauty of the Lord.  

I know that this is somewhat of a stream of consciousness sort of entry but really what it boils down to is how I realize more and more everyday my dependency on the Lord and how I want to know him more and more everyday.  Our God is so glorious.  I can't find the words.

[Image: http://browse.deviantart.com/photography/?q=eternal%20light&order=9&offset=24#/d2oebp8]