What a weekend. Wow. If you've never competed in a crazy wild canoeing, running, and biking relay race extravaganza... well, you should. The word 'adventure' somehow falls short! 8 of us journeyed out to Ray Roberts State Park in Denton Friday night for some camping, a few quick hours of sleep, and then off to the races at 5:30 am. Chad and Adam took on the canoe leg, finishing with a swim in the river for Adam... AJ and I ran the middle leg... then tagged off to Amber and Kathleen, who biked 12 miles on an insanely muddy road. It was cold, it was dirty, it was fantastic. And hey, we even came out with a third place finish, though I won't share how many teams were in our division...!

[song by Monk & Neagle]

No time to spend with You
I wonder if I’m ever gonna change
Here we are, We’ve grown apart
And I know I’m the only one to blame

My heart is dying
‘Cause I’ve been so wrapped up in myself
I’m crying out, I’m desperate for help
And I need You more than ever, so I

[Chorus]
Fall to the ground
‘Cause I want to be better
Though You take me as I am
You deserve more than that

New eyes to see You
Better than I ever have before
Ready to be who You made me to be
So with Your loving arms here to catch me, I will...

I’m no good on my own
I’ve been here way too long
I’m drawing near
Come meet me here, Save my soul

I fall to the ground
‘Cause I want to be better
Though You take me as I am
I want to give You more, give You more

As I fall to the ground
‘Cause I want to be better
Though You take me as I am
I want to give You more
‘Cause You deserve more than that
More than that, More than that, I want to give You more

Behind the Song: "This song was written during a time of extreme busyness on the road and was inspired by the lack of time we were spending in prayer and time with the Lord. It is one of our favorite cuts on the record because of the personal desperation we were experiencing when the song was birthed. We feel like every believer at some point goes through these times in their relationship with God, and these words are simply our expression of finally arriving at the moment of surrender and a desire for change." - Monk & Neagle

For 30 minutes on Sunday afternoon, I had the chance to step into the life of Emmanuel, a four-year-old boy from Uganda who lost both of his parents to AIDS. I walked with Emmanuel and older brother Fred to an aunt’s home seeking shelter and help, eventually ending up in a ‘home’ of banana leaves with one blanket, a knife, and a cooking pot. The rains brought many hard days of hunger and sickness to Emmanuel and his brother. Later, I sat in the health clinic with Emmanuel, waiting to find out if the same disease to take his parents would claim his life as well. But then I met a worker from World Vision who helped Emmanuel and Fred out of their poverty and sickness into a new world of nourishment, education, and love.

This journey, put on by World Vision, was part of a 2,500 square foot interactive exhibit traveling around the country to various churches, educating and informing people of the AIDS crisis in Africa. Connecting to people through photographs and visual set-ups & reinactments, the tour is incredibly powerful and impactful. Each participant is asked to step into the life of one of four children who have been affected by the HIV virus. Built soley on real life stories, participants walk through a 30-minute audio tour and experience a piece of the child's world. The tour is making its way through the states, hoping to reach many with their message.

If you get a chance to be apart of this experience, it is certainly worth your time. You can go to the links below to find out more information about World Vision and the AIDS Experience.

World Vision
World Vision Experience: AIDS