We’re so excited that Alex gets to lead the quickly growing Doral campus, and can’t wait to see what God does!

Check out this video of Pastor Troy Gramling introducing Alex and Erin today!

This is the funniest, coolest, most AWESOME video I’ve ever seen in my ENTIRE life! When I grow up and get married, I want to be just like you two! <3 <3 <3

If you don’t know them, this is Heredes (@heredes) and Marcy (@marcyr) – friends  of ours from Flamingo Road Church.

This weekend, the Flamingo Road Photography Team, a kinda-new subdivision of Potential Studios (:D) will be photographing Beach Baptism!

As a photographer who loves capturing emotional moments, Beach Baptism is one of my favorite events to cover. There is nothing like watching the life-change that our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ go through as they go into the water, and back out.

The joy that takes place is too hard to explain, so you know what? Just come join us!

If you haven’t taken that next step in your walk with Christ, this weekend is the perfect time to do it! There will be partying and BBQ down here, but that’s NOTHING compared to the partying that will be going on in heaven .

So- come see for yourself!

Beach Baptism from Flamingo Road Church on Vimeo.

Potential Studios (part of Flamingo Road Church) is home to some of my absolute favorite people. This college dorm style hallway is filled with the most amazingly talented, ridiculously creative, awe-inspiring group that if you’re even remotely into movie production, motion graphics, graphic design, photography, etc…, you could only HOPE to be a part of. Or at least be near, to absorb some of their imaginativeness (is that a word?) through osmosis. Seriously, they ROCK, and I’m so glad to be a part of their activities and I can’t wait to see what the future holds!

Below is the 2008-2009 reel of some of the CRAZZZZY things they’ve produced… Check it out and see for yourself… Bet you never thought church and working for God could be THIS cool!!

2008-2009 Potential Studios Reel from Flamingo Road Church on Vimeo.

Check out their blogs:
Heredes

Stacie

Mo

Marcy

Yoel

Miguel

::Sorry if I forgot anyone’s blog!!::

:::: A friend quoted this poem to me in a journal that was a present for my 21st birthday. The poem has always struck a chord with me, and Dr. Seuss’s wisdom and simplicity is always beautiful. I am dedicating this to all of my friends who are entering a new season in their life. Whether its high school, college, marriage, children, or ministry, this poem talks about the possibilities out there for you. I love you all, and Oh, the places you’ll go!!::::

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

You’ll look up and down streets. Look’em over with care. About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.” With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you’re too smart to go down a not-so-good street.

And you may not find any you’ll want to go down. In that case, of course, you’ll head straight out of town. It’s opener there in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen and frequently do to people as brainy and footsy as you.

And when things start to happen, don’t worry. Don’t stew. Just go right along. You’ll start happening too.

Oh! The Places You’ll Go!

You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.

You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed. You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead. Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don’t.
Because, sometimes, you won’t.

I’m sorry to say so but, sadly, it’s true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you.

You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly perch. And your gang will fly on. You’ll be left in a Lurch.

You’ll come down from the Lurch with an unpleasant bump. And the chances are, then, that you’ll be in a Slump.

And when you’re in a Slump, you’re not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked. Some windows are lighted. But mostly they’re darked. A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin! Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in? How much can you lose? How much can you win?

And if you go in, should you turn left or right…or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite? Or go around back and sneak in from behind? Simple it’s not, I’m afraid you will find, for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.

You can get so confused that you’ll start in to race down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space, headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.

The Waiting Place…for people just waiting.

Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go or the mail to come, or the rain to go or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow or waiting around for a Yes or No or waiting for their hair to grow. Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite or waiting around for Friday night or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake or a pot to boil, or a Better Break or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants or a wig with curls, or Another Chance. Everyone is just waiting.

No! That’s not for you!
Somehow you’ll escape all that waiting and staying. You’ll find the bright places where Boom Bands are playing. With banner flip-flapping, once more you’ll ride high! Ready for anything under the sky. Ready because you’re that kind of a guy!

Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. And the magical things you can do with that ball will make you the winning-est winner of all. Fame! You’ll be famous as famous can be, with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.

Except when they don’t. Because, sometimes, they won’t.

I’m afraid that some times you’ll play lonely games too. Games you can’t win ‘cause you’ll play against you.

All Alone!
Whether you like it or not, Alone will be something you’ll be quite a lot.

And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants. There are some, down the road between hither and yon, that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.

But on you will go though the weather be foul. On you will go though your enemies prowl. On you will go though the Hakken-Kraks howl. Onward up many a frightening creek, though your arms may get sore and your sneakers may leak. On and on you will hike. And I know you’ll hike far and face up to your problems whatever they are.

You’ll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.)

Kid, you’ll move mountains!
So…be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ale Van Allen O’Shea, you’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way!

F3 Keynote Speaker Intro Video from Flamingo Road Church on Vimeo.

Really, it was a result of a bunch of 20-somethings with ADD in a hospital room willing to do anything to make Heather laugh : ) I think it worked!!

I decided to post a quick preview (10 of 80) of their photos so they could see them online as well as share them with our friends we do life with at FRC : ).

Enjoy!

How cute are they???

What a beautiful family, huh?

The kids : )

Getting silly… I have a feeling this is a regular occurrence for everyone : )

Barby even got a bunch of new headshots taken : )

and my favorite (the most unscripted moment of the afternoon- he didn’t even know I took this picture : ))-

Hanging out and doing life with amazing friends & family (& friends who become like family) is my favorite part of life, hands down.

I met Tara through Mike, Jon and Olivia, and though we had run in the same salsa dancing circles, we had never met in person. I was excited to know she was coming to our Monday salsa class and we would finally meet. Last Monday, she let us know she would be getting baptized at the Cavalry Beach Baptism this weekend. We all wanted to be there to support her in this new adventure and way of life, and it was a great time!

We are constantly reminded that Baptism is an outward expression of the feelings in your heart, and we were so happy to be there with Tara for this expression of her faith!

Enjoy the slideshow below with photos of the day, as well as the video : ).

God does AMAZING work, huh???

Tara’s Beach Baptism 8.8.09 from Lisette Arencibia on Vimeo.