OTR – Ben Arment

Ben Arment is a guy who may say things that you’ve heard before. The difference is that he is actually doing what he says.

Ben has gotten to a point where “you can replace your salary with alternative sources of revenue so that you don’t have to live in a cubicle and get your best ideas shot down by unimaginative people with no tolerance of risk.” (cited from his blog) He has launched innovative projects like Dream Year, where he empowers 24 people to achieve a big goal in a year. He’s the founder of the Story conference in Chicago, and he wrote a book called Church in the Making.

Ben is a super creative guy that is redefining what it looks like to actually make creativity happen.

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Kate Voegle – Hallelujah

Thanks to the always progressive Pandora I stumbled upon a new artist that you may be familiar with but was previously unknown to me. Her name is Kate Voegele and she apparently is also on a TV show (as my sister informed me). Here is a version of her doing the classic song, Hallelujah, that is simply incredible. I’d encourage to you take a moment to play the video and follow along with the words below.

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Top 5 Obvious iPad Tricks (that may not be so obvious)

I’m sure that if you own an iPad you are probably an expert by now with all the tricks to maximize its potential… but here’s a test to see how savvy you really are. This is my list of the top 5 tricks that I have found to be beneficial that are probably obvious to you already (but maybe not). I’ve been surprised in my conversations with other iPadders (I just trademarked that) that they didn’t know at least a few of these on my list. See how many of these you aren’t aware of. Here they are in no particular order:

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The Day Metallica Came to Church

The Day Metallica Came to ChurchI just finished John Van Sloten’s book, The Day Metallica Came to Church: Searching for the Everywhere God in Everything. I wasn’t sure if it would be a gimmicky book or not, but it turned out to be well worth it. His concept of “co-illumination” was worth the book itself and has found a nice home in my vocabulary. This term has fascinated me as I’ve processed it and I love the way it allows your mind to expect God to come alive and jump from the Bible to the present day.

In fact, the book served as a nice part two to Brett McCracken’s book, Hipster Christianity, that I read and reviewed a few months ago. It seems that these ideas are either an emerging trend in the church, or it is something that God is trying to teach me right now.

Here are some of my favorite ideas from it:

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5 Incredible Years!

Today marks the five year anniversary that Michelle and I have been married. It is crazy to look back, 2 kids, 1 dog, many years of dating… back to when we first began as high school sweethearts! We have already experienced many different highs and lows and I know there are many more to follow. But there is nobody else I’d rather live the journey with! I love you Michelle!

Jeremy and Michelle

Here is a poem called “Together” that Ludwig Lewisohn wrote that I dedicate to my bride today:

“You and I by this lamp with these
few books shut out the world. Our knees
touch almost in this little space.
But I am glad. I see your face.
The silences are long, but each
Hears the other without speech.
And in this simple scene there is
The essence of all subtleties,
the freedom from all fret and smart,
The one sure sabbath of the heart.

The world–we cannot conquer it,
nor change the minds of fools one whit.
Here, here alone do we create
Beauty and peace inviolate;
Here night by night and hour by hour
we build a high impregnable tower
whence may shine, now and again,
A light to light the feet of men
when they see the rays thereof:
And this is marriage, this is love.”

Ludwig Lewisohn, Together

Holli’s Hits – Always Be My Baby

Here’s my friend Holli singing the song “Always Be My Baby” from her favorite artist, Mariah Carey. This one really displays her “range.” Click the link below to enjoy.

Holli’s Hits – Always Be My Baby

Click here to access her library of previous hits.