InstaUpdate...

Every so often I like updated you on one of my favorite photo taking apps on the blessed iPhone 5.  There has especially been a lot going on over the last couple of months and here are just a couple of my favorite.  PS these have all been taken with my new iPhone 5 which I just got in the beginning of July.

CIY Move 2013 - Worshiping w/ 3000 HS Students 

CIY Move - Color Experience w/ the Uprising 

CIY Move - 3 of 5 Students we were able to Baptize 

Average Golf Score for the Year, Lots of time & hard-work to get under 80. 

All my favorite sports teams Vintage Style. 

There are just a couple of my favorites from the last couple of months.  If you would like to see more make sure you follow me on Instagram @normallyindie; I always embrace new followers.  Have a great (almost August) afternoon.



till another day,




normallyINDIE.

Let Go & Let God...

I had the honor and privilege of taking 11 High School students & 5 adults to CIY Move in Holland, MI this past week.  For those of you who don't know, Move is a Nationwide HS week of worship that takes place at numerous locations throughout the summer months.  It has been going on for many years now and more specifically I have been going to CIY Move since the summer of 2005 (5 Times as a student, 3 times as a leader, missing 2011 & 2012).  This week of worship, intentional growth, and fellowship was one of the most formidable weeks of my teenage years, therefore I jumped at the possibility of leading a group of students from the Uprising.

After lack of interest forced us to lower our numbers, I was discouraged wonder whether it was even worth it for us to go on the trip all together.  But the second I stepped onto the campus, boy was I wrong.  God began working in my heart, our adults' hearts, and in the hearts of our students immediatly.  Little did we know that we would have the opportunity by the end of the week to baptize 5 students, 2 students rededicate their lives, and 6 students commit to full-time vocational ministry.  Here is just a glimpse of the week that changed the Uprising forever.

This was just a glimpse into the amazing week that our students and adults had at CIY Move.  I encourage you to check out The Uprising on Facebook or Instagram (@uprising_sm) as well as get in touch with some of the students that went on the trip.  Ask them about their experience and I am sure you will be encouraged.  

till another day, 

normallyINDIE 

Cousin Eddie's Big Day...

I have had the honor of getting to know this man, my cousin, Edward J. Schmidt for the past 10 years of my life.  He is an amazing man of God and has always been one of the main influences in my life.  I am so honored and blessed to have him as a part of our family and could not be happier for his Ordination tomorrow.

Many of you reading this may have met Eddie before, but if you haven't let me explain a little bit about who this man is.

I first met Eddie in Shop class in 7th grade at Chiddix Junior High School.  At the time Eddie and I both were a bit nerdy, but he had a way with words and especially telling jokes.  He was definitely the class clown of the Chiddix Team Titans and was so funny to be around.  I continued to get to know Eddie as we both started to get involved with Remix, mentored under Joel Craig, at Eastview Christian Church, Normal, IL.  We went on our first missions trip together to Cincinnati, OH in 2003 (Know Sweat) followed by a trip to Mexico, 2 Trips to DR/Haiti, & 5 Trips to CIY Move.  We spent so many hours together getting to know each other, but it really wasn't until we decided that we were both going to Cincinnati Christian University that we became family.

At the time I did not know Eddie well, but we thought what the heck, we might as well room together.  There is no other people from our hometown going to CCU so at least we had that going for us.  We could not have been more right.  We spent the rest of our senior year/summer getting to know each other and by the time we came to CCU we were joined at the hip.

While at CCU we created traditions like Friday Naps, Movie Nights, & Roomie Playlists (Power of Love).  Not to mention became known as those "two annoying guys that always are with each other".  We were a lot to handle, but we had a group of friends that fit like a glove and we could not be happier to still have those relationships today.

Eddie then went our separate ways, as Eddie ventured off to Australia, England, & Florida, I went to work with Bloc Ministries, & met my beautiful wife Jenny in Indianapolis.

Our journeys have led us so many places (Detroit, MI), but one thing is for sure Eddie and I are family and we will stay that way.  Eddie is one of the most kind-hearted, genuine, loving, and comfortable people to be around.  He lights a room the second he walks in and he is a diligent scholar when it comes to understanding God's word.  I look up to him in so many ways and I am so honored to call him my brother in Christ.

Eddie, I am so happy for you and congratulations on your ordination.  Welcome to the ministry my friend and it is going to be such an exciting journey.  One thing is for sure, there will be highs and lows, but you know that Jenny and I will always be here for you.  We love you so very much and couldn't be more proud of our cousin Eddie.



till another day,



normallyINDIE

the Presence Tour...

I had the honor of spending last weekend returning to my wife and I's first home, Cincinnati, OH, to attend the Believe Conference for Junior High students.  God blessed us with 9 students that joined us for an amazing weekend of growth and fellowship. 

This was not my first rodeo as this was my 8th time at Believe and 3rd in Cincinnati, so like before, the conference was top notch.  High level illustrations, great worship, awesome graphics, not to mention amazing, practical speaking.  But it wasn't all of this that made the biggest impact on my wife and I this past weekend.  What made the biggest impact is what makes ministry life so great and that is the relationships that are formed.  

If you had been following my tweets over the weekend, @normallyINDIE, it seemed as though we were running into someone left and right.  And I know what you are thinking, "what else is new? Any pastor runs into tons of people he knows at christian conventions?"  But this time was different.  I feel God placed these people in our path this past weekend to remind us the value of relationships as well as the value the people have in our lives.  The weekend was like an impromptu family reunion.  My wife and I got to see one of our best friends Sarah Brown, who was integral in us getting together, my brother & his awesome girlfriend Lindsay, Ash, J-Trav, Reverend Katie Brown, Papa Brown, Court, Post, not to mention the GUMC crew and the giant crew from Eastview (just so happens to be my home church).  All of these people have had such a huge impact on our lives and it was so fitting to see them in the place that Jenny and I called home at the beginning of our marriage.  It was a weekend of memories that will not go forgotten and all I can do is thank Believe for making it happen.  

I learned so much this past weekend and have seen a huge change of heart in our student's lives through the testimonies that were laid out by God this past weekend, but in the midst of that, what God continued to speak to me was that ministry is all about relationships.  Not only ministry, but life is all about people and Jesus came to this world to save people.  So often we can get focused on numbers, budgets, church sizes, logistics, when God may be screaming at us to say "time to seek after my people who are lost".  

He has placed so many people in our path both to have an impact on and for them to have an impact on us.  If we are willing to take to time to stop and listen.  God is bringing his people to us and I am so thankful to be a small part of that.  

till another day, 

normallyINDIE.