So I’ve been wanting to start a weekly thing for my blog here where I can post updates of my recent dive into getting fit and in better shape, but I’ve had a hard time coming up with a name for it. So, until I come up with something else, I’m going to call it…

For the past couple of years now, I’ve been pretty much out of shape. I’ve added about 25 pounds since high school (7 years ago) and lost a lot of muscle mass and endurance. I was a workout fanatic in high school. I loved it, but after a couple years of college and a couple years of Master’s Commission, my body is definitely not the same.

I’ve been delving into the world of Tony Horton and P90X for the past week, and I must say that I love it. After my first [almost] full week of it, I can now see definite improvements in so many areas: my breathing, my endurance, my flexibility and my strength. I’m looking forward to the next 84 days of this, and I’m excited to see how my body is going to be changing, even though a tiny part of me is dreading the process.

Isn’t there a way to get in complete physical shape in just a couple days?

I just finished reading this incredible book by Elizabeth Pace last night. This is one of the most informative books I’ve read in a very long time. In “The X and Y of Buy,” Pace details the differences between men and women not in the typical, cliché way, but in a scientific way, as she goes into detail about the physical and hormonal differences of the brain itself. As a creative director for a church, I have to be able to present ideas and concepts to both sexes, and this book has been an invaluable tool to help me understand how to do this more successfully.

This book has been very beneficial to me. I’ve learned how to appropriately use the natural differences in men and women to effectively communicate and sell the ideas of my organization. I highly recommend this book to salespersons, as this book will give you a clear understanding of the thought processes of both women and men, and even gives helpful tips on how to finish the sale with both X and Y at the end of each chapter. Kudos to Elizabeth Pace for writing such a clear, insightful, easy-to-read book.

Here’s a couple of thoughts from worship tonight. Guest starring my good friend and great drummer Shane Gray.

Worship Confessional – 06/24/09 from Brian Spessard on Vimeo.

As a worship leader, what do you do when it feels like you’ve done all you can?

Or, as someone in the congregation, when the room feels kinda lifeless around you, does that make you go after it harder, or does it cause you to hold back?

Friday is finally here! I couldn’t be more excited for the weekend. I don’t really have any big plans really, but it’s gonna be nice to just relax a little bit.

I’ve got some deadlines coming up next week, so I’ve got to start knocking some stuff out soon. I’ve got several projects started, but not many that are completed. Most of them are waiting on other people at this point, so the design car is kind of in park.

But I’m not gonna worry about that stuff this weekend. I’m gonna relax, go for a swim in the lake and just chill for a day or so before I hit the grind again on Sunday evening. I’ll probably learn some more HTML, CSS and PHP from the comfort of my couch. Hopefully, I’ll get my bike tire fixed soon and get back to riding. But who knows, I’m not gonna get in a hurry to do much of anything this weekend.

So in honor of the weekend and the upcoming deadlines, I’ll leave you today with a really cool video I came across the other day.

What are you doing this weekend?

Since it’s been almost a week since I’ve posted anything, I figured I’d share a few things from this incredible weekend. Two words would some it up perfectly: God. Moved. He moved in ways I don’t think any of us could have ever imagined.

He moved in worship.
I love the momentum our worship team has. We released another song written in-house this year at Coram Deo and the kids really seemed to connect with it. There seemed to be moments in every set where God’s presence was just there. I don’t know if there’s a more accurate way to describe it, really. God was just there. It was an incredible time and I’m so proud of the whole team, and I’m blessed to be a part of such a great group of folks. I could really go on and on about the worship at Coram Deo, but will save that for a later post.

He moved in drama.
One of the coolest things about our retreats is we don’t have speakers or sermons, but we perform full-length multimedia dramas that get the message across visually. MCRemix performed “The Moment of Truth” (based off the television show) on Friday night and the retreat themed drama “UNDERGROUND” was performed on Saturday night. Literally hundreds of kids responded and made decisions and spent hundreds of combined hours in prayer at the altars. Lives were changed forever this weekend.

He moved in small groups.
During the mornings, we split up the 350 students into 50 or so smaller groups for some teaching time. Breaking them up like this allows them to be a little more personal and real with each other. As always, these become one of the great highlights of the retreat. Some of the greatest ministry happens in these small discussion groups, and it’s an excellent way for kids to connect with each other and make new friends.

All in all, Coram Deo ‘09 was a huge success. We were able to baptize over 70 students that either made first time commitments or re-dedications to Christ. This was just a small glimpse of what Coram Deo was, and I’m already looking forward to next year.

Once I started watching this, I couldn’t stop until it was over. I love stop motion video

We honored our senior pastors, Mr. and Mrs. Kemp C Holden, Jr., last night at the Journey of a Lifetime Banquet. It was simply incredible. Over 400 people packed in to the Holiday Inn’s huge conference room (complete with disgustingly ugly carpet) to celebrate Pastor and Mrs. Holden’s over 38 years of ministry here in Fort Smith. It really was a great event. I’ll post pictures as they become available, but until then, you’ll just have to take my word for it. 

Now that the JOAL banquet is over, it’s time to knuckle down and focus on Coram Deo. I’m super pumped for this year, and can’t wait for it to come around. It’s gonna be a nice time of refreshing and I’m ready to see God do some things in the lives of about 400 of our students, but also ready for Him to do some things in me. It’s nice getting outside of our routines sometimes and letting God show us the things that we constantly miss. It’s gonna be good.

It’s been an eventful couple of months. Since the last time I stopped blogging regularly (about 6 months ago..haha) I’ve been hired as the Creative Director for Harvest Time, here in Fort Smith. I never dreamed that working for a church could be so much fun and yet so challenging. But I love what I do, even though it make me want to pull my hair out sometimes. I’m excited to be back to this blogging thing though. 

This weekend we’re hosting an event called The Journey Of A Lifetime Banquet, in order to give honor and thanks to our current senior pastor as he and his wife transition out of their role as senior pastors and into a whole new exciting world of ministry. As of August 9, 2009, Pastor Marty Sloan will assume the role of senior pastor. I’m really looking forward to the banquet. Pastor and Mrs. Holden have done a tremendous job for over 38 years as the senior pastors of Harvest Time. 

Next week is our youth retreat called Coram Deo (derived from Latin and is translated as “face to face in the presence of God”) in Oklahoma City at Church of the Harvest. The theme from this year is “Underground.”

I created the artwork for it, which is really just a typeface with some tweaking, and am in the process of creating the retreat booklet. I’m really looking forward to a little break from the office for a couple days, and get around a bunch of crazy young people. Also excited to be helping lead worship with Jon and the team.

Anyways, there’s a lot going on in my world, and I’m lovin’ every minute of it. 

What’s going on in your world?