Deep Fry

After months of administrative and spiritual preparation, after hundreds of hours praying, planning and laying groundwork, Acquire the Fire has come and gone in the blink of an eye. Granted, whenever heaven and earth collide in this life, the experience always feels too short. But as the case with each Acquire the Fire event, its conclusion never fails to leave behind some notable takeaways. But before I continue, what is Acquire the Fire exactly? Well, for starters, it’s a life-transforming event centered on giving volume and clarity to God’s voice in the lives of young people. It’s an event marked by fearless evangelism and anointed worship. And it’s a time for youth to engage the power and presence of God amidst the silence of secular noise. In essence, Acquire the Fire is a dynamic, encounter-based experience, fixed on inspiring young hearts to Jesus. This year, the theme of Acquire the Fire, “ Epic Truth ”, emphasized the importance of seeking truth amidst our daily...

As an amateur "meteorologist", I take pride in being a diehard winter weather enthusiast. After all, it's, by far, the most erratic season, especially for sections of the midsouth. One week could be marked by unseasonably mild air and severe weather episodes, while the next features a freak icestorm or blizzard with record-breaking cold. But for a winter fan who enjoys his fair share of hometown snow, this winter has been one epic disappointment. So in my quest to put words to frustrations, I figured I would look back and briefly analyze a winter desperately needing to be put out of its misery.    Granted, for hundreds of millions, winter 2013-14 will go down as a memorable, overachieving, blockbuster season. But for me, I can honestly say:  I've never been so excited for spring this early in my life .    For most, one would think such a statement would be indicative of a person fed up...