Manchester: UNITED!

Yesterday, a senseless act of terrorism in Manchester, England stunned the world. A suicide bomb was detonated at Manchester Arena as over twenty-thousand people were heading back to their hotels, hostels, and homes after watching musician Ariana Grande perform. Daesh (the Arabic word for “cowards,” known to many as ISIS) is claiming responsibility for this attack. This act of terrorism is the deadliest in England since July, 2005; when suicide bombings in central London claimed fifty-two lives. As I write this; twenty-two people are confirmed dead and fifty-nine more were injured. Many of them were children and youth. Normally, my…
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REBIRTH

Today is a very special day for me. There are many reasons for this, and not all of them would be considered good ... Three years ago today, I was at the lowest point of my entire life. My hope had faded, my dreams had died, and my faith in God was at an all-time low ... I was broke, homeless, and emotionally bankrupt. I had lost the will to live. I contemplated many ways to just make it stop. The inner turmoil was boiling over, and the cacophony of my soul was deafening. "Rational" thinking was nowhere to be…
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The Stolen Years

INTRO:The Story Behind The Poem: This poem was born out of the last three years of my journey. In 2016, I  had passed the point of no return, reaching a point where my faith had stopped; completely unable to bridge the gap or find a way across the chasm of hopelessness, struggle, and frustration. Yet, in my desperation I was never alone. Not for a second. The Lord met me in the midst of the darkest chasm, and regenerated me from the inside out! I pray that these words encourage you that even in our most desperate and vulnerable moments,…
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From Beholding to BECOMING

          2016 was definitely a year for the history books. From Brexit, to The Chicago Cubs winning the World Series, to President Donald Trump, and much more. Across the globe, people found themselves in a collective state of shock, surprise, and for some a time of great testing and transition.           For me, it was one of the most difficult years that I have ever faced. I lost family members and mentors who had deeply impacted my life. I encountered new levels of depression, and walked through intense valleys of loneliness, exile, alienation,…
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Alive

Hello! It has been quite awhile since I actually took the time to sit down and write. I forgot how much I missed it! Anyway, I wanted to thank you for reading my ramblings, and for continuing to follow Conquering Kingdoms. There are some really exciting developments on the horizon, and I am looking forward to watching what God will do through them! The words below were penned while reflecting upon the past year of my life; remembering the pain, the purpose, and the Divine Detours along the way. Be encouraged today! Because of the sacrifice of Christ, YOU ARE…
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The Danger of Discovery

Discovery can be a very dangerous thing. Just ask anyone who has taught a teenager how to drive a car! This hormone-fueled, inexperienced, and unfocused youngster will eventually obtain authorization, and the keys to a four-thousand pound, rolling death machine! On the open road! Where I drive ... (I must still be healing from my three years of exposure to Dallas traffic!) Anyway, enough about cars. Discovery can be dangerous in many expressions, but I specifically want to focus on how dangerous and damaging our discoveries can be for the kingdom of darkness. As Christians, one of our major mandates…
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The Benefit of Darkness – Part 3 of 3 – The Solution

In my previous posts, “The Struggle” and “The Sorrow,” I began detailing my journey through the valley, and my eventual discovery of a “benefit” to the darkness that began to surround me. Here is what I found… When I was in the middle of my struggle, drowning in my sorrow, I never thought that anything good was going to come from it. But even in the midst of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, I found it! The Benefit of Darkness. However, it took me a little bit longer to realize just what I had found. It didn’t “click” for me until a…
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The Benefit of Darkness – Part 2 of 3 – The Sorrow

In my previous post, “The Struggle,” I began detailing my journey through the valley, and my eventual discovery of a “benefit” to the darkness that began to surround me. The story continues… During this time, I felt like everything and everyone had passed me by. I even felt like God Himself had passed me by. Most of my friends were moving onward and upward, some of them into influential ministry positions, with many becoming missionaries in Africa, Europe, Asia, and The Middle East.  How could I face them? Their lives were filled with adventure, excitement, and intrigue. Mine felt like…
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The Benefit of Darkness – Part 1 of 3 – The Struggle

AUTHORS NOTE: The Benefit of Darkness?! Is this some kind of typo? No, I’m afraid it’s not. However, before I begin, I would like to tell you a secret… Being transparent about my own personal struggles is probably my least favorite thing to do. Which I believe is one of the main reasons that God directed me to start Conquering Kingdoms. Not only to find personal freedom, but also to use my life to encourage others, bringing the One Who is Hope to those who are seeking. That being said, this is probably the most personal thing that I have…
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Learning the Lexicon of Liberation

Lexicon: The words used in a language, by a person or group of people; the vocabulary of a person, movement, or branch of knowledge. As a young boy, I had dreams about changing the world and I could imagine bringing to life a society that has been lulled into slumber. But I had no concept of where to begin. As a child, I grew up in church but I was never taught about reforming anything but my own life. I grew up believing that the only way you could really serve God was either through becoming a missionary or being…
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The VOICE Behind The Veil

This poem originated from my journey to Jordan this past summer. I was confronted by the stark reality of the burqa, and how completely opposite it is of everything that I stand for. God created women to be loved, cherished, honored, and respected; not objectified, abused, despised, or relegated to a position of lowly subservience. I hope that this poem brings perspective, and that you are stirred to action against this atrocity.      From within her fear stained eyes, I can hear the mournful cry; of hopes that never lived, and a dream that long since died.    …
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From Peril to Power in the Promised Land

This article was originally intended as a companion piece to my previous post about my journey to Jordan. This is the story of one of the believers that I encountered there. His story is amazing, but I have changed his name in order to protect him, his family, and the people that he is connected to. Because, according to sharia law, (the prevailing system of government in Muslim countries) it is illegal to convert any Muslim from Islam to any other faith. This "crime" is usually punished by imprisonment, torture, or death. Pray for believers like Jacob, that God's truth…
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Jordan: Uncovering The VOICE Behind the Veil

Hello Everyone! So much has happened in just a few short months ... I can't believe that it's already Spring!! The last few months have been a blur; in between school, work and internships I have not been posting as regularly as I would like to. Later this year, I am preparing to launch into a lot of new and exciting things that I can't wait to share with you. For the past year, I have been involved with Christ For The Nations "The Voice" Magazine! The Voice has a rich legacy that is rooted in the revivals of the past and…
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A Change in Seasons

Hello again! The last few months have been a blur; in between school, work and internships I have not been posting as regularly as I would like to, but next year will be better! 2014 is the beginning of a lot of new and exciting things that I can't wait to share with you. The first of them being my involvement with Christ For The Nations "The Voice" Magazine! The Voice has a rich legacy that is rooted in the revivals of the past and yet connected to what God is currently doing in the nations. Gordon Lindsay started The…
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The End is Near…

My time in Jordan has almost come to its inevitable conclusion. I have a mixture of emotions about my time here. I will be happy to see my family and friends, and to watch their faces as they react to my stories and to the gifts that I am bringing back for them. (I will also be happy to sleep in a real bed.) I will be sad to leave all of the wonderful friends that I have made in just the few short weeks I have been here. I will miss the excellent food; shawarma, uzi, umm ali and…
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Hands & Feet

Marhaba (Hello) from Amman, Jordan! As I sit here, I can look out and see the beautiful cityscape; and it feels like I am in a whole new world. The scenery is difficult to describe, but it is like a conglomeration of your history books and modern-day architecture. The schedule here is frenetic at best, so my grand plan of posting daily has quickly turned into posting whenever I get a spare moment that is not consumed by sleep (Like right now.). For the whole trip so far, the song "Hands and Feet" by Audio Adrenaline has been running through…
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777’s & Clif Bars

  Here I sit, about 5000 miles from home; in London, England. My head is hurting from allergies that came from the rapid shift in climate, and my mind is wandering because of my lack of sleep (the in-flight movie/TV selection did not do much to help this predicament). Our plane was very nice and very big, (a 777!) but the food was terrible (I never thought I would miss college food), so I'm very grateful for my small cache of snacks which have sustained me thus far (a big thank you to the makers of Clif Bars; for making them…
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Following The Voice

Genesis 12:1 AMP "NOW [in Haran] the Lord said to Abram, Go for yourself [for your own advantage] away from your country, from your relatives and your father’s house, to the land that I will show you." As I prepare to leave for the Middle East in just a few short days, I am reminded of Abraham's pioneer journey... He left all that he had ever known; his family, his friends, everyone and everything that was familiar to him. He left it all to follow a Voice. A Voice that was unusual to his idolatrous culture; a Voice that drew…
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Cross The Line

 I originally posted this poem to my summer outreach team blog a few months ago, but I wanted to share it here for two reasons. First, I like it, I wrote it, and I wanted to encourage you with it. Secondly, I wanted to use this opportunity to invite you to sow into my life by investing financially in my team. Our financial deadlines are fast approaching, and we could use your help! If you are able to help - either through prayer, or financially - feel free to check out the above link for more info. Here's the poem :)…
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The Fellowship of The Unashamed

I have always been fascinated by martyrs; people both young and old who were compelled by a cause far greater than themselves, filled with a passionate zeal to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every tribe, tongue and nation, even if that meant that their stand would cost them their lives… As I look at the state of the world today, with unjust laws being passed and the Word of God being removed from its rightful place as the cornerstone (and this is not just happening in America, but worldwide.) I am being faced with the stark reality that…
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Beauty From Ashes

A few weeks ago I was given the opportunity to take part in a prayer meeting on a piece of property that my school recently acquired. They plan to use the land for a counseling center available to students and strangers alike. I was thrilled at the opportunity to participate in the foundation of something so dear to my heart, and the establishment of something so vital to our world today – counseling based on the principles found in God’s Word, not the feeble, failing attempts of man to outsmart and circumvent the will and word of God. From the first…
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Away I Go! Away!!

  I wanted to update you on a relatively new development in my life. I will be taking part in a humanitarian relief mission in the Middle East later this year! I am so excited about this opportunity to impact the hurting and wounded with compassion, and be able to make a difference in their lives instead of just reading about them in the newspaper. If you would like to know more, or if you would like to support this endeavor (either through prayer, or through a financial gift) check us out at www.awaywegoaway.com.
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