Update

Well I've been on the road alot lately. From June 16th to July 14th. And now I'm in Mobile, Alabama and Brandie is getting ready to go to Edisto with Dad and the family tomorrow (today since it's 1:35am now). Just finished up the Summer Semester at Liberty Theological and now will begin (what should be) my final semester before graduation in December. Brandie could also graduate in December, so it would be very exciting if both of us did at the same time.

Brandie is still working as a telecounselor at CSU in my office in the evenings, and I am doing Christian Marketing at CSU from 8am-5pm M-F (which is why I'm on the road right now). Can't wait to be down at Edisto with the brothers, and play golf with Corey on Monday.

Brandie is in charge of the Nursery at Summit (Church) on Sundays, and I'm doing Missions, College, Leadership stuff (no official role) at the church as well (which is good, because I just like to help when I can). Hopefully this Fall will bring in some more students who are interested in being a part of Summit in a leadership manner.

I'm also writing another Blog (more updates on there) at http://www.summitwhosoever.blogspot.com ; so please check it out when you can if you want to know more about what's going on at Summit and more of a "theological" blog writing.

Nicholas

Back from Peru

So I know that we haven't written on here in a while, and that's mainly because we've been ridiculously busy lately. I've just gotten back from Peru, and finished up classes for the 1st semester of Seminary. Greek and Christian History were fine, and now I'm working on Hebrew and Old Testament 1. Later today I need to register for Summer courses, and by Decemeber I'm hoping to be done with my masters.

Summit softball is beginning again, and this year Brandie's is playing on the coed team, while I play on the Men's team. It should be great getting to go to her games and cheer her on. We've been practicing and throwing around outside of the apartments (she's done really well).

Brandie is still in her classes, finishing up for her degree, and she's still working at CSU in the evenings when she's not in class.

For information on the Peru trip, check out the Peru blog at http://www.summitwhosoever.blogspot.com .

We'll try to update this more, but it is difficult with all the stuff going on.

Nicholas

Voddie is the man!

Phil Wickham

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3ZK5jHYuoU

The link above is to a Phil Wickham song called "True Love" (The Wall), and it's amazing! Right now Nuckolls and I are in

Nashville, TN at the National Youth Workers Convention. It's probably the largest resource convention I've ever seen. There are

some parts of me that dislike things like this. The reason being that while we're in our conventions and little youth retreats,

there are people starving to death, and not hearing the gospel from us (the church), so it upsets me a little. I understand

and support the idea of idea sharing and resource providing, though I think it should come second to being Christ to the world.

I just finished listening to Phil Wickham sing Hallelujah on YouTube.com and it's just amazing. Lincoln Brewster does Another

Hallelujah really well, but as far as the original goes, I'll take Phil's version.

Right now we're trying to setup a Missions Trip to Peru with Summit and it looks like it may work out (it's through IMB). The

leadership of the trip would probably take a "vision trip" down there first to see where we want to commit to ministering for

the next 3-5 years or more as a church. I love the fact of long-term commitment ministry, and I think that it needs to happen

more and more as churches are quickly dying out and being demeaned and forgotten as everyone (unfortunately) will soon

see...it's just not that much in the South right now.

Statistically, 48 churches close their door a week, and that number is only 48 because we plant 24 a week, so as a horrible

mistake on the church it decided to become exclusive and just stop ministering or giving to others as they have need to

become basically a health club, or rather a nursing home for Christians...thus as people are at the age we they are dying at

nursing homes (it's just true...I don't like it either), the church is reaching it's age quickly where it's dying too, however, when a

person's mind goes they forget things (normally around the same age as they are getting close to death)...it's just weird that

the church forgot the teachings of Christ and then God managed to keep it alive for all these years.

The good thing about the churches dying ("rejoice in the Lord always") is that God is refining His church of who is and who is

not a believer (when the first sign of difficulty comes, then you see whose committed to your cause - John Maxwell). Also, the

church (as a whole) should experience a great time of unity within this time frame, and therefore as we've seen in the past

when persecution comes there is unity in the church (read Acts).

Anyways, gotta go work...sorry about the rant, but it's been something that's been talked about a good bit, and I felt like

chiming in (thus a blog...I think that's what they're for).

Nicholas

So Nick has started Seminary at Liberty University this week through their distance learning program. I (Brandie) am verrrry excited about this because he has been wanting to do this for a while and now he is on his way to getting his Masters, which is also kinda scary :).  He has a ton of work to do which also makes me laugh in an evil laugh kind of way because I am not the only student in the house now. Anyway, enough of evil laughing I know he will do a good job.

Travel Season Stinks (but has some good parts)

I'm wrapping up a 2 week stint in my travel for work in Charlotte, NC. Right now I'm staying at a Doubletree Inn by the airport which I've stayed at before. The computer work area that I'm in is loud and irritating, but alas I write.

If you're wondering why there are different cars throughout the entry, these are the ones I have driven this season so far.

I've been in Charlotte, Greensboro, High Point, Pembroke, Raleigh, Kill Devil Hills - North Carolina; Washington D.C.; Loudon County, and a bunch of other undesirable places in Virginia; I don't think I visited Maryland yet, but I think I'll be there in about 2 weeks or so, as well as Florence, SC.

Being away from Brandie for this long is no good. Seeing George and Alexis was fantastic and that night that George and I stayed up looking up different funny things we came across on YouTube.com was great as well. I really enjoyed spending time getting to know Alexis better, though I don't know how she felt having to host a mini-boys weekend, but I tried to be a gracious guest as they were amazing hosts.

Probably crazy late tomorrow I may attempt to drive back to Charleston, SC, but we'll have to see as I do my work.

I've read 3 books in the last week and a half and the best one I read was called The Gutter. It's about loving people that my seem "unapproachable" to you and I, but understanding that we have all been "unapproachable" at some point or the other (because of depravity), and we all need to know that we have someone who can save us from Hell (really)...Jesus. Anyways, it was good that I had time to read because I start class this week at Liberty Seminary and I have 16 books for 2 courses (having to read all of them) in 8 weeks. Fun fun. G'night.

Busy Days

Well, everything has been going on very quickly around here in the wonderful world of Brandie and Nicholas.

Brandie's sister (Casey) is here now and playing soccer for CSU! She is playing mid-field and got to play this past Saturday against Clemson, so it was great to get to see her playing in the first "unofficial" game of the season...most freshman don't get playing time, so that was nice.

Brandie is getting ready for hopefully her last semester of college. She should finish in Decemeber with a degree in Psychology which is cool, but ultimately means that she will probably began analyzing me anytime now.

It's looking like I'll start at Bethel Seminary in St. Paul, MN this fall towards my Masters in Leadership, so that should be cool (if finiacially possible...schools exspensive huh?).

Work is crazy busy, but it looks like this recruiting year is winding down and today (supposedly the busiest day at work) is not that bad actually...maybe we prepared people better this year...there were a ton of online updates for parents and students...who knows.

The Olympics have been...well, they've overtaken my TV at my house...mainly because Brandie likes'em, but watching them I can't help but cheer for the US.

I heard the annoucers explaining what the US felt when Phelps won his last gold to set the new record, and it seemed as though they were playing it into the idea that the Olympics create community and unity...and they do.

The one thing they didn't discuss was "why". Why do humans have this desire for community, and to cheer on people? I mean if all of this "truth is subjective, there is no absolute" stuff is real, then WHY cheer on anyone besides myself? Why be happy for someone? It makes no sense. I could go further, much further in this to the point where it comes down to the fact that THAT particular school of thought doesn't even work and completely breaks down, that really what the "no truth" people are saying (which would have to be a truth to be true, therefore defeating themselves in their own explanation), is basically they don't WANT to believe in God because that means they are responsible for their sin...ultimately they don't want to own up to it...because that means they NEED something and they are not self-sufficient.

Anyways, sorry about the apologetist rant.

Back to work, CRAZYness. If you want to check out our church here that I work with at CSU, you can go to http://www.summitcharleston.com/.

Nicholas