I am getting married to Lynette Willoughby on September 12th 09! :-)
-Matt
Monday, August 10, 2009
Monday, November 3, 2008
Summit 08 rocked, voting for life tomorrow
Hello to my journal.
2 weekends ago was one of the best weekends of my life so far. The conference I attended in Kansas City was amazing! It was one of the top conferences I've been at and I'm sure ever will be. I brought a total of 15 people with me so 15 including myself. Everyone had a great time, the caravans or cars were fun down and back, and everyone made new friends. Oliver North was a guest speaker and he rocked the house with a message about patriotism, how the news media is negative no matter what and is not credible in that aspect, and how brave our soldiers are as well as how much faith they have. All of the diamonds gave great talks and Sunday morning was awesome as well, I saw thousands give their lives to Jesus or renew a commitment to that. One of the talks (By Matt Grotewold) made my friend Mitch laugh harder than he ever had, and everyone there got a good belly workout from that talk for sure. One of the things that I took away from the weekend is to keep going even if you make mistakes or things get hard. It doesn't have to be easy, you just have to do it. It is encouraging to hear people's stories about overcoming things because if you hear about others doing it, it makes it easier for you to believe you can do it too.
Tomorrow is election day. I spent a few hours yesterday morning watching a sepcial election coverage on god.tv and it was interesting. They say this is the most important election of this generation and I heard that last time too, but given that 4 of the supreme court justices could be replaced and that Obama wants to take this country far away from freedom and towards socialism, I can see why this is so important. We are great because we have indivivual liberties and freedom. Yes, you have to work to live well, but no one is going to stop you or put a limit on you which is why it works. The "pie" is not limited, so it isn't unfair for there to be rich and poor, in fact the bigger the pie gets the better everyone does. The real story of thanksgiving is that the settlers tried socialism and it didnt work. They had everyone share fields, share the work, and share the food at first. It didn't take long for some people to figure out that they didn't have to work to eat, so when everyone suffered for it, they gave everyone their own land to tend, and if they had excess they could trade it. Everyone prospered. Funny how un-lazy people get when they get hungry. I'm not saying that we shoudn't help the poor, don't get me wrong, but "speading the wealth around" hurts both the rich and the poor because it lowers the wealth of the entire country. Charitable giving should be voluntary, not forced in the form of taxes. That is my opinion.
The second and third most important things in my opinion are 2) the gay marriage ban amendment in California. People will be able to vote on whether CA defines marriage as between a man and woman, and I hope that they do define it as this. It wasn't a popular vote that decided otherwise in the first place, it was some judges legislating from the bench. That is wrong. 3) The senate getting 60 democratic seats. If this happens, and Obama is elected, there will be no stopping them.
Either way, I'm not concerned about my future, it is going to be good because I don't operate in the worlds system, I operate in God's system. Everything will be ok. I am still concerned for America though, I don't want to see if slip down the tubes of European socialism and mediocrity. I want to raise a family in a free country and be able to keep most of my finincial success so that I can give it to organizations that I deem worthy. One goal of mine is to eventually, far down the road, be able to reverse tithe. That's where you live off of 10% of your income and give away 90%.
Might play raquetball with Kyle and Mitch and some girls from St. Kates tonight. Still waiting to hear back for sure from Kyle.
Peace,
Matt
PS) Go McCain and Palin!
2 weekends ago was one of the best weekends of my life so far. The conference I attended in Kansas City was amazing! It was one of the top conferences I've been at and I'm sure ever will be. I brought a total of 15 people with me so 15 including myself. Everyone had a great time, the caravans or cars were fun down and back, and everyone made new friends. Oliver North was a guest speaker and he rocked the house with a message about patriotism, how the news media is negative no matter what and is not credible in that aspect, and how brave our soldiers are as well as how much faith they have. All of the diamonds gave great talks and Sunday morning was awesome as well, I saw thousands give their lives to Jesus or renew a commitment to that. One of the talks (By Matt Grotewold) made my friend Mitch laugh harder than he ever had, and everyone there got a good belly workout from that talk for sure. One of the things that I took away from the weekend is to keep going even if you make mistakes or things get hard. It doesn't have to be easy, you just have to do it. It is encouraging to hear people's stories about overcoming things because if you hear about others doing it, it makes it easier for you to believe you can do it too.
Tomorrow is election day. I spent a few hours yesterday morning watching a sepcial election coverage on god.tv and it was interesting. They say this is the most important election of this generation and I heard that last time too, but given that 4 of the supreme court justices could be replaced and that Obama wants to take this country far away from freedom and towards socialism, I can see why this is so important. We are great because we have indivivual liberties and freedom. Yes, you have to work to live well, but no one is going to stop you or put a limit on you which is why it works. The "pie" is not limited, so it isn't unfair for there to be rich and poor, in fact the bigger the pie gets the better everyone does. The real story of thanksgiving is that the settlers tried socialism and it didnt work. They had everyone share fields, share the work, and share the food at first. It didn't take long for some people to figure out that they didn't have to work to eat, so when everyone suffered for it, they gave everyone their own land to tend, and if they had excess they could trade it. Everyone prospered. Funny how un-lazy people get when they get hungry. I'm not saying that we shoudn't help the poor, don't get me wrong, but "speading the wealth around" hurts both the rich and the poor because it lowers the wealth of the entire country. Charitable giving should be voluntary, not forced in the form of taxes. That is my opinion.
The second and third most important things in my opinion are 2) the gay marriage ban amendment in California. People will be able to vote on whether CA defines marriage as between a man and woman, and I hope that they do define it as this. It wasn't a popular vote that decided otherwise in the first place, it was some judges legislating from the bench. That is wrong. 3) The senate getting 60 democratic seats. If this happens, and Obama is elected, there will be no stopping them.
Either way, I'm not concerned about my future, it is going to be good because I don't operate in the worlds system, I operate in God's system. Everything will be ok. I am still concerned for America though, I don't want to see if slip down the tubes of European socialism and mediocrity. I want to raise a family in a free country and be able to keep most of my finincial success so that I can give it to organizations that I deem worthy. One goal of mine is to eventually, far down the road, be able to reverse tithe. That's where you live off of 10% of your income and give away 90%.
Might play raquetball with Kyle and Mitch and some girls from St. Kates tonight. Still waiting to hear back for sure from Kyle.
Peace,
Matt
PS) Go McCain and Palin!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Busy week!
Dear journal,
This week is fun! Last night I listened to a Mark Hankins CD that I picked up at Living Word on Sun. night. It was very good, and made me very happy. He talks about how joy is strength and just laughs a lot on the CD, it's contagious! Last night I took a nap from 6-7:30 and then played racquetball from 8-11. I actually beat Steve Boyd for the first time last night, but still lost to Phil. I did beat David 15-0 which was cool. After I got home I ate some food and read a little.
Tonight (Tuesday) I am going to the Wing's house to help them set up their new computer and then going straight to Jake's house in Eden Prairie to plan hotel rooms and rides with some other leaders on his team for this weekend's "Summit 08" conference in Kansas City, MO. I'm really looking forward to this weekend. That will get over around 10:30 or 11.
Tomorrow I am looking at some condominiums in the Cloud 9 sky flats building off of 169. Then I might be showing a QI, and after that I will be going to financial peace university at living word where I will be learning a ton about what is happening in the economy, what to do with it, etc. After I get home I will have to pack for Kansas City because I wont have many other chances.
Thursday I am getting home from work and then helping Phil make some calls from 6-7, then going to the open meeting, the training session, and then heading home.
Friday morning at about 6am we will leave for KC and will be there all weekend.
-Matt
This week is fun! Last night I listened to a Mark Hankins CD that I picked up at Living Word on Sun. night. It was very good, and made me very happy. He talks about how joy is strength and just laughs a lot on the CD, it's contagious! Last night I took a nap from 6-7:30 and then played racquetball from 8-11. I actually beat Steve Boyd for the first time last night, but still lost to Phil. I did beat David 15-0 which was cool. After I got home I ate some food and read a little.
Tonight (Tuesday) I am going to the Wing's house to help them set up their new computer and then going straight to Jake's house in Eden Prairie to plan hotel rooms and rides with some other leaders on his team for this weekend's "Summit 08" conference in Kansas City, MO. I'm really looking forward to this weekend. That will get over around 10:30 or 11.
Tomorrow I am looking at some condominiums in the Cloud 9 sky flats building off of 169. Then I might be showing a QI, and after that I will be going to financial peace university at living word where I will be learning a ton about what is happening in the economy, what to do with it, etc. After I get home I will have to pack for Kansas City because I wont have many other chances.
Thursday I am getting home from work and then helping Phil make some calls from 6-7, then going to the open meeting, the training session, and then heading home.
Friday morning at about 6am we will leave for KC and will be there all weekend.
-Matt
Friday, October 17, 2008
cashews laced with peanuts = stewpud
So I broke open a bag of cashews earlier from a brand that I've eaten before because it says peanut free right on the package. Then that funny tingly feeling started happening and I knew that I'd eaten some peanuts. I looked at the bag again and they added a sticker to it up on tap saying "may contain peanuts". How dumb is that! So I drove to benadryl to... I mean, I drove to cub to get some benadryl. (makes you drowsy you see) I think the swelling in my throat is going to be managable and I wont have to go to the ER. Swallowing is annoyingly hard but i'm 99% sure I'm going to be fine. I guess it's always good to be reminded that you're only minutes from death at any point right?
Ok, back to work............. ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz......... ZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz............ ZZZZZZZZZZ............ whoah
Ok, back to work............. ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz......... ZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz............ ZZZZZZZZZZ............ whoah
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Revelation about how we view God
Hey,
I had an amazing thing taught to me by Holy Spirit today. I was thinking about how I have been single for so long without much concern or impatience or intensity for being with someone. Recently I met someone who is just like my dream girl would be. Now that I know and have seen what someone like this is like, I am much more eager to be in a relationship with the girl of my dreams. Now that I understand and know what she would be like, I'm no longer complacent in my ambition to be with her. God broke in and told me that this is what is church is like. "What do you mean?" I asked. He said that his church does not know Him very well right now, but only has a vague and skewed conception of what He is like. We aren't yearning with everything in us for Him to return (As the Bible says we will before He returns- as a perfected church) simply because we do not know Him as well we could and should. When the bride (church) knows His heart more deeply, His passions more thoroughly, and the amount of love that He has for the church (believers in Him), the bride will not be able to wait anymore, and "The Spirit and the bride will say COME LORD JESUS!" with all of their hearts because they will truly know Him. Then He will return. We, the church, need to know Him better!
I had an amazing thing taught to me by Holy Spirit today. I was thinking about how I have been single for so long without much concern or impatience or intensity for being with someone. Recently I met someone who is just like my dream girl would be. Now that I know and have seen what someone like this is like, I am much more eager to be in a relationship with the girl of my dreams. Now that I understand and know what she would be like, I'm no longer complacent in my ambition to be with her. God broke in and told me that this is what is church is like. "What do you mean?" I asked. He said that his church does not know Him very well right now, but only has a vague and skewed conception of what He is like. We aren't yearning with everything in us for Him to return (As the Bible says we will before He returns- as a perfected church) simply because we do not know Him as well we could and should. When the bride (church) knows His heart more deeply, His passions more thoroughly, and the amount of love that He has for the church (believers in Him), the bride will not be able to wait anymore, and "The Spirit and the bride will say COME LORD JESUS!" with all of their hearts because they will truly know Him. Then He will return. We, the church, need to know Him better!
Upcoming plans and stuff
Here are some of the things that I'm pretty excited about doing in the near future:
October 24th-26th: In Kansas City for Summit 08!
Some time end Nov or beginning Dec: Kalahari Resort in WI Dells! It's one of the biggest indoor waterparks in the country.
New Years Day: I hope to go to KC for TheCall with Lour Engle, but I might not make it. Wanted to go for the entire OneThing conference and TheCall but work wont let me off. I already requested off for Onething 2009. If they won't let me go to that one with 14 months advance notice, I think I will have to find a different job. :-)
There is a trip to Israel in March that KTIS is hosting. I feel very strongly drawn to going. That would be an amazing experience and I'm seriously looking into it. To walk where Jesus walked (and will walk again soon) would be amazing and I'm sure the bible would be even more alive to me after experiencing this.
Yesterday I woke up at 4:30, and spent an amazing time with the Lord. I will be doing this more often. My whole day was awesome.
Watched a movie with Kyle last night called "My Sassy Girl" and it made me cry. It was a good one.
I'm reading a book called "Way of the Wild Heart" by John Eldridge right now which is the sequal to "Wild at Heart". Amazing book.
That's all for now.
-Matt
October 24th-26th: In Kansas City for Summit 08!
Some time end Nov or beginning Dec: Kalahari Resort in WI Dells! It's one of the biggest indoor waterparks in the country.
New Years Day: I hope to go to KC for TheCall with Lour Engle, but I might not make it. Wanted to go for the entire OneThing conference and TheCall but work wont let me off. I already requested off for Onething 2009. If they won't let me go to that one with 14 months advance notice, I think I will have to find a different job. :-)
There is a trip to Israel in March that KTIS is hosting. I feel very strongly drawn to going. That would be an amazing experience and I'm seriously looking into it. To walk where Jesus walked (and will walk again soon) would be amazing and I'm sure the bible would be even more alive to me after experiencing this.
Yesterday I woke up at 4:30, and spent an amazing time with the Lord. I will be doing this more often. My whole day was awesome.
Watched a movie with Kyle last night called "My Sassy Girl" and it made me cry. It was a good one.
I'm reading a book called "Way of the Wild Heart" by John Eldridge right now which is the sequal to "Wild at Heart". Amazing book.
That's all for now.
-Matt
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Thoughts
It has been a long time since I last wrote in here and I am sad about that. I'm not sure if I've written about it yet or not, but I am working in Plymouth now instead of downtown. It is nice because it is a 4 mile drive that takes 10 minutes now rather than bumper to bumper 394 for at least 20 minutes, sometimes up to 50.
I am looking at buying a condo in Hopkins soon. I got approved, and I'm working with a real estate agent. It is going to be awesome if I get it! My plan is to have a roomate for the first year or two and let them live in the master bedroom so that I can live there for cheap and pay off debt like a madman. Short term sacrifice, well worth it.
My wrist is 95% healed up. I was supposed to not play any sports with it for two months. I followed that rule well, except for playing golf, tennis, racquetball, ultimate frisbee, and ping pong. LOL. Oh well, it seems to be getting better and better. It's still a little tender sometimes but I believe it is going to be 100% again soon. PS: Don't tell my doctor.
Winter is coming and it seems like the summer went by in a flash. They say that time goes by faster as you get older. I think this is an example of that being true. I watched a movie called 'The Bucket List" with my friend Kyle recently. It made me appreciate life even more and motivated me not to be complacent. I have so many things that I want to do and there is no time to waste!
I've been growing a lot spiritually as well. Spending time in the word, in prayer, streaming sermons online that play while I sleep from the radio player on kcm.org, and going to church at Living Word Christian Center as much as possible have all added to it. The result has been an ever more mature and confident image of who I am in Christ, how much He loves me, and a self image that is based on that. The result: an unshakeable confidence. I no longer base my mood on circumstances or what people think about me or say to me. I am constantly aware of an intense love for me that my creator and sustainer has that I will continue to learn more and more about for all of eternity.
Memo to the devil: You can take away my health, but God will restore it. You can take away my weath, but God will bring it back a hunded fold. You can make my friends hate me, God will bring better ones. You could even kill me, but then I would be in heaven in the presence of the Father. There is nothing that you can do to harm me. I am not afraid of you. BEAT IT! In the name of Jesus.
I am at work so I better get back to doing that.
Peace,
Matt
I am looking at buying a condo in Hopkins soon. I got approved, and I'm working with a real estate agent. It is going to be awesome if I get it! My plan is to have a roomate for the first year or two and let them live in the master bedroom so that I can live there for cheap and pay off debt like a madman. Short term sacrifice, well worth it.
My wrist is 95% healed up. I was supposed to not play any sports with it for two months. I followed that rule well, except for playing golf, tennis, racquetball, ultimate frisbee, and ping pong. LOL. Oh well, it seems to be getting better and better. It's still a little tender sometimes but I believe it is going to be 100% again soon. PS: Don't tell my doctor.
Winter is coming and it seems like the summer went by in a flash. They say that time goes by faster as you get older. I think this is an example of that being true. I watched a movie called 'The Bucket List" with my friend Kyle recently. It made me appreciate life even more and motivated me not to be complacent. I have so many things that I want to do and there is no time to waste!
I've been growing a lot spiritually as well. Spending time in the word, in prayer, streaming sermons online that play while I sleep from the radio player on kcm.org, and going to church at Living Word Christian Center as much as possible have all added to it. The result has been an ever more mature and confident image of who I am in Christ, how much He loves me, and a self image that is based on that. The result: an unshakeable confidence. I no longer base my mood on circumstances or what people think about me or say to me. I am constantly aware of an intense love for me that my creator and sustainer has that I will continue to learn more and more about for all of eternity.
Memo to the devil: You can take away my health, but God will restore it. You can take away my weath, but God will bring it back a hunded fold. You can make my friends hate me, God will bring better ones. You could even kill me, but then I would be in heaven in the presence of the Father. There is nothing that you can do to harm me. I am not afraid of you. BEAT IT! In the name of Jesus.
I am at work so I better get back to doing that.
Peace,
Matt
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