A.P.G.

18.4.07

A man is in a deep depression and has lost all hope. Life has given him many hardships. People reject him and he has nobody to turn to for help. He now feels like the allmighty God has forsaken him because of the horrible things he has done. He decides that suicide is the only option and he is going to walk down town to a rather tall bridge and let fate have its way with him. On his way to the bridge he has one last thought, " If I should meet a person along the way with a friendly disposition and a kind heart, someone who would maybe listen to what I had to say, even if it was for two minutes...I will turn around and go back home." The story ends there.We don't know if he ever came across that person that would turn him back....have you met anyone lately that just wanted you to listen to them but instead of investing two minutes of your time into that person you brused them off and went on your way...?

2.4.07

Diversity = Harmony >

I've decided that in order for my life to be in harmony with others I must allow more diversity into my life. In music, harmony is something that is different or unique from the regular ol' melody. The melody makes things boring and alike. But harmony sets the mood, the personality of the song. The melody is the heart of the song, but the harmony is the mind and soul. The harmony is everything. Without harmony you only have a melody and when everything in life is the same, you aren't living to the max. BE DIFFERENT and be harmonic...don't follow the melody like most folks. Let your life sing a song...a harmonic song that spells out diversity.

15.1.07

MOVE >

MOVE.........thats what God is doing...........so thats what I'm going to do....................MOVE.

God has many great things in store for me this year and the best part is that I have no idea what they are......................amazing huh?.........................all I have to do is keep MOVEing forward..............one step at a time.......................................................MOVE.

24.9.06

STUCK IN GRAND RAPIDS... >

(Well actually a town near Grand Rapids, called Cedar Springs, MI)

9/24/06
8:55pm

This weekend my mom, brother, and I went to Cedar Springs, MI to visit family. We were having a good quality weekend with the family up here. Come Sunday, and we can't leave because we lost the keys to our car. The odd thing is we never even used them, because we rode with my aunt wherever we went. We lost keys we didn't even use.
We literally searched for 5 hours, looking for those keys. It is 8:55pm and we still have not found them. (We had planned to leave at 10 o'clock this morning.) I missed Lifeline, and I'm missing school tomorrow. I will probably make it back for the last part of the day, because we are having a locksmith come out and make us a newset of keys, but at least I wont miss play practice at 3:30.....hopefully not.

August

22.8.06

Retrieving my calling... >

It was two years ago at Camp Adventure when I felt something inside of me stirring up. (You may know this story, but please stay with me). I felt the Holy Spirit move inside of me, like it had never done before. On that Wednesday night I had a revalAtion on what God had planned for me. The stirring inside was a small voice, a small nudge to say "yes". I knew then and there, that I wanted to be a pastor. I said "yes", and I t was a complete revalUtion of my life.
During the past two years, I have changed my mind in what I wanted to do so many times. I sort of put the plan GOD had for me aside; I put it on the shelf. People would ask me this famous question; "What do you want to do, August, when you're older?". I would respond with something new every time. I would say things like, "...oh...I think I want to study Geology, or...I'm going to get my degree in Music and become a music teacher, and sometimes....I want to get my P.h.D. in Philosophy and become a college professor."
My answers were always different and never really related. I kept wondering why God wouldn't help me out and give me a clue on what he wanted me to do. I was getting frustrated.

While in Mexico this past month I realized that my heart was yearning to help the poor of the world. I felt a burning inside me to go to Africa and give any aid that I could. So, with that in mind, I know that I am going to Africa (as it says in the last post), but I still didn't think that That was what I was going to college for,(missions). I thought about it a prayed and this is what I came up with:
I knew that I needed to retrieve something off the shelf. The very plan that GOD had for. I needed to turn to that and put aside the other ideas,(at least for now) , and focus on the path that God has for. I feel called to, want to, and am going to be a pastor. Now, I don't know if it will be in a church (probably not), but wherever God leads, I will follow-willingly.

August Garritano

15.8.06

Culture shock >

Well...I have been home for almost 2 and a half weeks now and it was difficult transitioning back into the flow of life here in michiana. It was easy being on a schedule everyday from 8am-11:30pm in Mexico. Life back in the states is totaly different. I have a new outlook on things. I pray that I dont lose that and fall back to the old way I was living. My time in Mexico was revolutionary...it was a great experience that I hope to carry throughout the rest of my life. Seeing the poverty that I saw wrecked me, and Standing in Cadeyreyta (durinng the last week of July) I knew that I would never forget what I have been living the last four weeks. I made a promise with my creator that I would never stop helping the poor of this world. I will never cease to aid the 'least of my brothers.'
Last week when I went to the Leadership Summit 2006, I was listening to Bono talk about the AIDS crisis around the world and It hit me that I want to put forth whatever I can give for that cause.
AIDS today is like the Leprosy of Jesus' day. Jesus would be at the aid of the AIDS victims, why wouldn't I. I have felt this nudging for a while and I now know that I WILL help victims with AIDS in my lifetime. I dont want to waste a moment in serving God, and I want others to hold me accountable in that. I dont want to be lazy and live life to the minimum.

bring it on...

21.7.06

I have been here for three weeks now, and only have 1 more week left. This last week will be the best week. Granger (my youth group) is coming down and it is going to be awesome!!!
God has been great. He is teaching me a lot about himself that I never understood. God is revealing himself to me in different ways. Its incredible. Thanks to all my supporters...Your prayers were greatly appreciated. See everyone in one week...