Live the Life

Fit to Live

2011-09-15T12:06:00.000-04:00

As Live the Life Clothing Company develops we want to consistently come up with new ways to help our followers and customers “live the life.” So, during the planning for the fall clothing line, we developed the idea of “Fit to Live.” This idea became concrete when we featured the phrase on our first technical shirt to be released this fall. But it’s much more than a phrase or concept. It’s a way of life. It’s adhering to the belief that in order to live the life; you must be fit to live. It seems simple, almost redundant really, but in today’s world of what Solomon would call “chasing after the wind” it’s becoming a forgotten way of life. A way people dream or aspire to live, but daily fall victim to the endless callings of a well-worn routine.

So Fit to Live is about breaking free. It’s not just about dreaming of breaking the chains of habit, but about making fit choices in all aspects of life—mind, body and soul—a reality. People that are fit to live seek deeper understanding about life and all its nuances, so maybe instead of staring blankly at reruns of Three’s Company, next time you dive into a book which pages are filled with thought provoking and inspiring genius, whether it be your favorite novelist or a hysterical travel author (my favorite is Bill Bryson!) to carry you away. But that’s just a thought.

Those subscribing to a “fit to live” lifestyle also desire a healthy body. This very thing is what allows us to live the life. Without a body to experience life, living it would be worthless. There would be no eyes to see the sunset or ears to hear crickets chirping at night or tongue to taste the rich creaminess of a cheesecake. Therefore, to be fit to live, one must make efforts to take care of their body—to enjoy a sweat and eat right (not looking for perfection, but we can all do better). This may come in the form of playing a game with your kids, jogging with friends or having an intense individual workout. Whatever you decide to do, make exercise and becoming fit something you not only enjoy but also look forward to. I can say from experience, no muscle fiber in my body, especially my legs, likes to run a 10 miler, but on Saturday mornings when the guys call, I look forward to that hour and a half of laughing, talking and energy that’s shared. I dare say I even enjoy it. You see, it doesn’t matter what you do, as Nike says, “Just do it.” Whether its going to the park and working the court with some friends or taking your pooch for a walk after work, go out and get fit to live.

Lastly, “fit to live” should be a phrase that encompasses our soul’s health. It, too, is something that must be nourished in order to live the life. It needs to grow and develop, and does that most through experiencing who God is. Maybe this is done through listening to songs or reading or enjoying the company of a beloved friend, but however it is that you develop your soul, do it more often with more intention. Savor the minute moments of the everyday where God breaks into your life. Record them, and be in constant awareness for the next. It’s these experiences that produce soul nourishment and health making one fit to live.

Unfortunately, not many prescribe to being fit to live. Far too many fall away with discouragement and regret. Don’t allow yourself or your loved ones to do the same. Encourage and persevere. Allow fit to live to become lifestyle choice that will make the way you think, feel and experience life a more fulfilling and adventurous endeavor.

Worry Wart

2011-08-19T16:31:00.000-04:00

Worry is a conscious choice to try to control life events rather than believe that God is in control. It is a thief that robs us of joy, energy, peace of mind, and strength for today. The antidote for worry is absolute faith in God by turning everything over to Him in prayer. But in the midst of our prayer, God wants us to have an attitude of thanksgiving not complaining. God promises to guard out heart and mind if we give everything over to Him.

Is worry consuming you? Pray for the peace of God to give you victory in your everyday living. Remember God's faithfulness in the past and His promises for the future.

Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

Psalm 9:9-10 “The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in time of trouble. Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.”

Matthew 6:25-34 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Fall Line

2011-08-03T13:51:00.001-04:00

It’s that time of year again! It’s August and school is about to start. Whether you want to admit it or not, summer is almost gone and fall is just around the corner. That means here at LTL we are hard at work, creating the Fall Line! We have found some really nice products and we have some great design ideas for them. We are very excited to premier the Fall Line to you!

The passages we chose for the 2011 Fall Line are chapters 1 and 3 of Ecclesiastes:

Ecclesiastes 1

Everything Is Meaningless

¹ The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:

² “Meaningless! Meaningless!”
says the Teacher.
“Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless.”

³ What do people gain from all their labors
   at which they toil under the sun?
⁴ Generations come and generations go,
   but the earth remains forever.
⁵ The sun rises and the sun sets,
   and hurries back to where it rises.
⁶ The wind blows to the south
   and turns to the north;
round and round it goes,
   ever returning on its course.
⁷ All streams flow into the sea,
   yet the sea is never full.
To the place the streams come from,
   there they return again.
⁸ All things are wearisome,
   more than one can say.
The eye never has enough of seeing,
   nor the ear its fill of hearing.
⁹ What has been will be again,
   what has been done will be done again;
   there is nothing new under the sun.
¹⁰ Is there anything of which one can say,
   “Look! This is something new”?
It was here already, long ago;
   it was here before our time.
¹¹ No one remembers the former generations,
   and even those yet to come
will not be remembered
   by those who follow them.

Wisdom Is Meaningless

¹² I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. ¹³ I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind! ¹⁴ I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

¹⁵ What is crooked cannot be straightened;
what is lacking cannot be counted.

¹⁶ I said to myself, “Look, I have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.” ¹⁷ Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.

¹⁸ For with much wisdom comes much sorrow;
the more knowledge, the more grief.

Ecclesiastes 3

A Time for Everything

¹ There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:

² a time to be born and a time to die,
   a time to plant and a time to uproot,
³ a time to kill and a time to heal,
   a time to tear down and a time to build,
⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh,
   a time to mourn and a time to dance,
⁵ a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
   a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
⁶ a time to search and a time to give up,
   a time to keep and a time to throw away,
⁷ a time to tear and a time to mend,
   a time to be silent and a time to speak,
⁸ a time to love and a time to hate,
   a time for war and a time for peace.

⁹ What do workers gain from their toil? ¹⁰ I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. ¹¹ He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. ¹² I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. ¹³ That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. ¹⁴ I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.

¹⁵ Whatever is has already been,
and what will be has been before;
and God will call the past to account

¹⁶ And I saw something else under the sun:

In the place of judgment—wickedness was there,
in the place of justice—wickedness was there.

¹⁷ I said to myself,

   “God will bring into judgment
   both the righteous and the wicked,
for there will be a time for every activity,
   a time to judge every deed.”

¹⁸ I also said to myself, “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. ¹⁹ Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless. ²⁰ All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. ²¹ Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?”

²² So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?

We are very excited for you to see the 2011 Fall Line. Keep checking the website, this blog, facebook and twitter to find out the date of the premier.

Tornado Warning

2011-08-03T13:29:00.002-04:00

This past April bad storms devastated many places in the US. The storms produced tornadoes that ripped through some areas, causing major damage. People lost their homes and some people even lost their lives. It was a horrible time and I’m sure everyone was praying for the people affected.

During those storms last April, multiple tornadoes touched down in Glade Spring, Virginia, only 45 minutes from the Live the Life Offices. Hundreds of houses and businesses were destroyed and 7 people lost their lives.

At Live the Life we believe God calls us to help our neighbors in need. Two days after the storms hit, 3 of the Live the Life team members drove to Glade Spring to work in a Distribution Center. The Center collected donations from generous people in the area and gave them to people who were affected by the storms and were in need. They had collected everything from food, pots and pans, to clothes, toys and furniture. It was truly amazing to see all the donations people had given.

During the day we met a lot of people that came into the Distribution Center to get the supplies they needed to live after the devastation the storm brought. One woman told us how she had 13 people living in her house because they had all lost their own homes. She came to the Distribution Center to get food to feed everyone. Another woman told us how her trailer was rolled over three times with her and her family inside. She came with her two year old for food, clothes and toys because she lost everything.

Driving around the area after our shift at the Distribution Center was over, we were amazed at how terrible the damage actually was. Trees were blown everywhere. Houses were in pieces; with holes in their roofs and walls you could see into every house. Semi-truck trailers were flattened. The roof of a hotel was blown off. And storage garages were ripped to pieces. It was worse than we could have even imagined.

We will always have these people and their stories in our minds and pray for them everyday. Please keep them in your prayers as well.

Live the Life Clothing Co. Summer Launch Party

2011-05-31T18:14:00.000-04:00

Hey Guys!

The employees at Live the Life have worked really hard over the winter to bring you an amazing Summer Clothing Line! To celebrate the premier of the line, Live the Life is throwing a party for everyone in the Richlands area! We will have barbeque sandwiches, music, games and everyone will get a chance to view and purchase the new shirts! You won't want to miss it! Its this Saturday, June 4th from 1pm-4pm. It's going to be in the parking lot of the future Live the Life store in Richlands. If you don't know where that's at, its in the old Scotties Pharmacy, across the street from Hardee's.

We are so excited to show everyone our new shirts and to just have a great time! Hope to see you there!

God Bless,
The Staff at Live the Life

Love for Lunch

2011-04-18T16:48:00.000-04:00

Next week, April 27^th-29^th, Live the Life Clothing Co is hosting an event called Love for Lunch. Each day individuals from schools, businesses, and churches are asked to pay for an orphan’s lunch before paying for their own. All the lunch money donations will go to the Makwale Vision Orphanage, in Makwale, Tanzania.

Live the Life will be at Richlands High School and Middle School, Lebanon High School, Cedar Bluff Elementary and Champion’s Academy. At the schools stop by the Love for Lunch booth outside the cafeteria to participate on your schools designated day! Individuals from businesses and churches can stop by one of the drop sites in Richlands or Lebanon to make their donation, or mail them to the address below.

At the schools and the drop sites, participants can take their pictures and write notes to send to the orphans of Makwale Vision Orphanage!

Checks can be made out to:
Makwale Vision

Richlands High School - April 29th
Cedar Bluff Elementary - April 27th
Champion's Academy - April 27th
Lebanon High School - April 28th

Richlands Drop Site
Future Building of the Live the Life Health Store
2029 Front Street
Richlands, Va 24621

Lebanon Drop Site
Community Heights Church Office
914 E Main Street
Lebanon, VA 24266

Mail Donations to:
Live the Life Clothing Co.
304 Litton Ave
Richlands, VA 24641

The Generator Boys

2011-04-06T15:21:00.000-04:00

In February of this year, I had the opportunity to travel to Arusha, Tanzania, with some friends to speak at an ethics conference. It was my first trip to Africa, and one that I was very excited for. I had heard many stories from friends and coworkers about the wonders of that continent and the way it changes lives, and I wanted to experience that for myself.

Before we arrived in Arusha, my first task was to put together the lectures I would be giving for the conference. In order to prepare well, I emailed Barbara, the missionary in Arusha, and asked what kind of audiences I would be speaking with. She told me about the pastors and elders we would be speaking to at the conference, but more intriguing to me was the group she told I would speak to called the “Generator Boys.”

The Generator Boys are a group of eighteen young guys, ages 13-21, which were either orphaned or abandoned, and have come together to live in an abandoned, unfinished house in the middle of Arusha. Everyday, they have to work together to get food and water, and they will be there until they can get someone to sponsor them so they may go to school. The oldest, Muhammad, has assumed the responsibility of the others. He has organized house rules that involve cleanliness and discipline, as well as informs Barbara when a specific need or problem arises. In fact, their name comes from the fact that Barbara and her husband Elton used the money they had saved for a generator to feed these boys at Christmas time.

When I heard their story, I knew the opportunity to speak to them and give them hope was going to be a unique experience. However, I struggled with the idea of trying to give them hope. Hope for me, so much of the time, means hoping for some material excess or for something insignificant to happen, such as hoping my team wins. But hope for them means finding food, water, and education. How could we possibly relate? How could we possibly connect the different levels in which we experience hope? But then, my boss told me that no matter what the culture or level of poverty, hope is essentially narrowed into two categories—material or spiritual. And with that I developed my thoughts to share with the Generator Boys.

Fast forward to my trip. I was two days into my immersion of African culture, and we went to visit the boys for the first time. It was an experience like I have never had in my life. David Platt says, “We learned that orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It is easier to pretend they’re not real before you hold them in your arms. But once you do, everything changes.” That totally embodies the emotions I was going through. Hugging, laughing, and playing with these guys brought life to their story like no words or pictures could. After we had been there awhile, I began to speak to them about hope. It was awesome to challenge them not to lose hope in Christ despite their position, and encourage them to remain focused on Him more than their needs. It was also challenging to me, realizing how insignificant the things are that I place hope in, compared with the struggles these boys go through daily. I left that day changed.

As the trip went on, we visited them more. Each time we were able to take them something else they needed, as well as just spend more time with them and hear more of their stories. As we did this, I began to learn more about what true love means. Here was a group of guys that had nothing, but when some from our group decided to sponsor one of the guys, all the others watched with the most excitement and joy for their brother, even though you could tell they wanted to be the one being sponsored. I also continually saw true love in their leader Muhammad. He had already finished secondary school and was postponing his university education (one of the things that could take him out of his situation) in order to make sure all his brothers were taken care of. To me, that was a picture of Christ—sacrificially giving themselves to the care and love of others. Again, I cannot explain what kind of impact that makes when you experience it firsthand.

By the end of the trip, we had returned three times. We had already taken them Live the Life t-shirts, soccer balls, and had paid for two guys to go to school. But on our last day, the whole team wanted to visit them one last time. Some of the team bought fruit and other foods to give them, some bought mosquito nets to give them, but my friends and I decided to buy them Swahili bibles and notebooks. We went to the bookstore and bought 18 bibles. When we got to their house, we gave them everything. Then my pastor, Craig, gave Muhammad his bible and told him how proud of him and inspired by him we were that he sacrificially invests in his younger brothers. I think tears abounded with everyone that day, but more importantly joy abounded—the joy that comes only from those who love each other, and get to experience life together through Christ, even if for only a week.

Since those two weeks in Africa I have thought extensively about the Generator Boys. I think about their names and stories, guys like Lampard who was seventeen and had lived at the house for ten years after being abandoned at age seven, or guys like Frankie who, with his mother, ran away from his alcohol father then came home one day to find his mother had left him, too. I think about Muhammad sacrificing his dreams and education to love the other guys and meet their needs. Then I think about my life. I think about my parents who are right across the room and love me dearly. I think about the food I have in my pantry. I think about the university education I have. I think about the fact that I had the opportunity to go to Africa. I think about what kind of impact my life will make. And then I thank my God that I met these guys, because meeting them has put all these things in perspective.

Live well,

Craig

LTL Website Contest

2011-03-22T15:18:00.002-04:00

Something changed about the website over the last two days. If you think you know what it is, either email me at rachel@ilivethelife.com, comment on the Live the Life facebook page with your answer or tweet your answer with the tag #LTLwebsitecontest. The first person to answer correctly wins a FREE Live the Life T-shirt of their choice!

Health Store Preview

2011-03-17T11:14:00.002-04:00

The Live the Life Health Store is opening soon in Richlands, VA. We are very excited about it's opening. There, they will sell not only the Live the Life T-shirts, wristbands and water bottles, but also they will sell vitamins, supplements, diet aids, health books, natural lotions, natural candles, natural cleaning products and much more!

If you want to see a preview of what will be sold in the store, check out the waiting room in the Vision Weight Management office (the address is below). We have turned it into a mini Live the Life Health store. Some of the products that will be sold in the Health Store are set up in the office and are being sold now. Come visit the Vision Weight Management office today!

LU Basketball Game

2011-02-16T13:38:00.000-05:00

This weekend Live the Life visited Liberty University for the PinkZone Lady Flame’s basketball game. We had a great time watching the women’s and men’s teams win during the double header on Saturday and the women’s team win during the PinkZone game on Monday night. We also met some great people at the game who shared their stories about family members affected by breast cancer. The Liberty University cheerleaders were very supportive by wearing our PinkNow wristbands during Monday nights game. We are so thankful to everyone who made this event a success.

God's Creation

2011-02-09T12:47:00.000-05:00

We spent the weekend in Tampa, Fl and one night we went to the beach to watch the sunset. It was so beautiful I couldn’t help but think about how amazing God must be if this is what He can create.

Psalms 8:3-9

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

The Adventures of Edson and E: Robot Voice

2011-02-07T15:33:00.000-05:00

The washing machine at my mom's house has been off balance for a while and the boys had a great time using it to pretend they were robots. Watch their adventure here :)

My weaknesses and God's power

2011-01-12T17:09:00.001-05:00

A lot of times I feel inadequate. Like I don’t have what it takes to finish what I am called to do. The second I find something to brag on myself about, I mess up on something else. A friend of mine posted this passage on facebook a couple days ago:

Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Cor. 12:7-10

It was so encouraging to know that my weaknesses make it easier for God’s power to be seen in me. When I feel inadequate it becomes that much easier for God to be given the glory He deserves. Another friend of mine commented on this passage with this quote from Marianne Williamson:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

– Return to Love

I am encouraged that even though I may feel weak, inadequate, and lacking the confidence necessary to be who I was created to be, I have God’s power to do the most amazing things with my life, and that starts with the small tasks in front of me today. I hope that everyone can be encouraged by this.

-Rachel

What does Live the Life mean to me?

2011-01-07T14:46:00.000-05:00

Watch this video and others from Live the Life on our YouTube Channel.

http://www.youtube.com/user/ilivethelifeblog#p/a/u/2/kxTwl-3B6dY

Made for Love: Devotion 365

2011-01-06T15:13:00.000-05:00

Ever since I heard the song Made to Love by Toby Mac I have wanted to study and write about Deut 6:5, the Jewish Shema or declaration of faith.

"Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and

with all your soul and with all your might.

These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart."

I loved realizing that God made me to love Him. You see when God commands us to love Him it sounds impossible to obey that command. Then I realized that God made me perfectly to love Him. I am uniquely made to love God in just the way that delights Him. Each person created by God has the same commandment. Each person is made perfectly to love God.

So I decided this year I would write a daily devotion called Made for Love - Devotion 365. I want to devote myself to loving God every day this year. I thought others might want to share the journey with me. I have experienced God in so many dramatic ways in my life I want to share the amazing things I have seen Him do with my own eyes. I have seen miracles happen, I have faced death twice, I have saved others from drowning, I have been apart of one of the great movements of God in Africa. I want to share His walk with me with others.

Join me this year at: www.edsonlivethelife.tumblr.com

Edson Knapp

LIVE THE LIFE, INC.

New for Spring 2011

2011-01-03T11:06:00.002-05:00

Live the Life is about following God and having a blast doing it. As we were creating the new shirt designs for 2011, we wanted to find a way to have this conveyed through our products. To make this vision a reality, each season the products will be themed off of a passage from the Bible. The Bible passages will be chosen based on how they depict themes from the season, (weather that is winter, fall, summer or spring), and the shirts will pull themes from the chosen passages. This way, each shirt will have a message behind it, and the person wearing it will feel they have purpose and passion in their clothing. It is our hope that through this system God will be seen by this generation, and that this generation will choose to Live the Life.

The Spring 2011 product line will be themed from two Bible passages; Isaiah 35 and Isaiah 52.

Isaiah 35

¹ The desert and the parched land will be glad;
   the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.
Like the crocus, ² it will burst into bloom;
   it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,
   the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;
they will see the glory of the LORD,
   the splendor of our God.

³ Strengthen the feeble hands,
   steady the knees that give way;
⁴ say to those with fearful hearts,
   “Be strong, do not fear;
your God will come,
   he will come with vengeance;
with divine retribution
   he will come to save you.”

⁵ Then will the eyes of the blind be opened
   and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
⁶ Then will the lame leap like a deer,
   and the mute tongue shout for joy.
Water will gush forth in the wilderness
   and streams in the desert.
⁷ The burning sand will become a pool,
   the thirsty ground bubbling springs.
In the haunts where jackals once lay,
   grass and reeds and papyrus will grow.

⁸ And a highway will be there;
   it will be called the Way of Holiness;
   it will be for those who walk on that Way.
The unclean will not journey on it;
   wicked fools will not go about on it.
⁹ No lion will be there,
   nor any ravenous beast;
   they will not be found there.
But only the redeemed will walk there,
¹⁰ and those the LORD has rescued will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;
   everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
   and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

Isaiah 52

¹ Awake, awake, Zion,
   clothe yourself with strength!
Put on your garments of splendor,
   Jerusalem, the holy city.
The uncircumcised and defiled
   will not enter you again.
² Shake off your dust;
   rise up, sit enthroned, Jerusalem.
Free yourself from the chains on your neck,
   Daughter Zion, now a captive.

³ For this is what the LORD says:

“You were sold for nothing,
and without money you will be redeemed.”

⁴ For this is what the Sovereign LORD says:

“At first my people went down to Egypt to live;
lately, Assyria has oppressed them.

⁵ “And now what do I have here?” declares the LORD.

   “For my people have been taken away for nothing,
   and those who rule them mock,”
            declares the LORD.
“And all day long
   my name is constantly blasphemed.
⁶ Therefore my people will know my name;
   therefore in that day they will know
that it is I who foretold it.
   Yes, it is I.”

⁷ How beautiful on the mountains
   are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
   who bring good tidings,
   who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
   “Your God reigns!”
⁸ Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices;
   together they shout for joy.
When the LORD returns to Zion,
   they will see it with their own eyes.
⁹ Burst into songs of joy together,
   you ruins of Jerusalem,
for the LORD has comforted his people,
   he has redeemed Jerusalem.
¹⁰ The LORD will lay bare his holy arm
   in the sight of all the nations,
and all the ends of the earth will see
   the salvation of our God.

¹¹ Depart, depart, go out from there!
   Touch no unclean thing!
Come out from it and be pure,
   you who carry the articles of the LORD’s house.
¹² But you will not leave in haste
   or go in flight;
for the LORD will go before you,
   the God of Israel will be your rear guard.

Keep a look out in the next couple weeks for more information about our upcoming Spring 2011 product line.

Check out the new Clearance section in the Webstore!

2010-12-28T18:07:00.000-05:00

Awakening Fest

2010-12-27T17:27:00.000-05:00

We had a great time at Awakening Fest this past September. We met lots of awesome people living their life! We hope to see everyone next year in Leesburg, VA.

20% off the Live the Life Web Store!

2010-12-23T22:00:00.000-05:00

2011 Live the Life Nominations

2010-12-15T11:20:00.001-05:00

It is always awesome to meet people who are ‘living the life’. People who are growing in their faith, being spontaneous and having a blast with life, and pushing to make a real difference. Their enthusiasm makes you want to be a part of what they are doing and even makes you want to start living your life to the fullest like them. You walk away from the conversation excited and encouraged to live your life.

In the year 2011, Live the Life has decided to honor these people. The people who are living their lives loud, full and well. Every other month we will highlight one person or group of people who exemplify what it means to live the life. These people will be ordinary people, with ordinary families, jobs and lives. But after meeting them it is plain to see they have a zest for life, a love for people and a fire for making a difference.

If you know someone who is Living the Life and would like to nominate them to be highlighted in 2011, email us at livethelife@ilivethelife.com. We would love to hear from you and meet new people who are Living the Life!

20% off the Live the Life Web Store!

2010-12-14T14:52:00.000-05:00

New PinkNow Announcement!

2010-11-16T14:58:00.000-05:00

This past October, Live the Life created an initiative called PinkNow to support breast cancer awareness and raise funds for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Live the Life held several PinkNow events over the course of the month, including a Live Life Loud Benefit Concert, a Hoops for Hope Basketball Tournament, and the Liberty University Hockey Team dedicated a game to PinkNow. Live the Life also created a PinkNow product line, with 3 different shirts and a pink wristband, whose proceeds went towards the cause.

All of this might be old news to you, but I would like to announce that the final amount raised after all the events and product sales was $1,539! We would like to thank everyone who helped us make this possible and make a difference in the fight against breast cancer.

Ride the Tallest Roller Coaster in the World

2010-11-11T20:06:00.000-05:00

Number 17 on the Living the Life List is to ride the tallest roller coaster in the world. After sitting in the vendor tent at Revelation Generation for hours on end, we decided that we need a break to do something fun. How very convenient then, that Six Flags was on our way home! We stopped at the park and rode the tallest roller coaster in the world! Here are some quotes from us after getting off:

“That was intense!”

“I couldn’t breathe!

“Holy Cow!”

“It was so fast I couldn’t blink!”

“It was so fast I couldn’t open my eyes!”

“Gross! I had slob running down my face!”

“Look at Craig’s hair!”

“I had white knuckles from holding on so tight!”

“My eyes were watering!”

“Let’s do it again!”

Click the link below to view this video and others from the Living the Life List on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/user/ilivethelifeblog

Living the Life List

2010-11-11T20:01:00.000-05:00

Here is our Living the Life List! It is getting longer everyday from people who give us great ideas!! Thank you for your ideas and keep looking back to see us do our best to complete them!

1. Pay for someone’s gas

~~2. Kick a field goal~~

3. Crowd surf

4. Play an instrument for a crowd

5. Dance at a stranger’s wedding

6. Go camping in a tent

7. Go rappelling

8. Use hands to catch a fish

9. Meet someone from a professional football team

~~10. Jump off a Waterfall~~

11. Donate blood

12. Learn to line dance

13. Go parasailing

14. Raise 15,000 for an organization

15. Go skydiving

16. Learn to surf

~~17. Ride the tallest roller coaster in the world~~ *Watch above!

18. Donate hair to Locks of Love

19. Slap a bull on the rear

20. Do a polar plunge

21. Fly a plane

22. Go over 150mph in a car

23. Build a zip line and ride it *Next up! Watch the trailer below!

24. Sail a boat

25. Visit every continent

Look at our list above of things we want to do to live the life . We want to hear from you! What is your Living the Life list? What does living the life mean to you? What have you done and what do you want to do? What do you want to see us add to our list? As you submit ideas we are going to try and complete as many of the ideas as we can. We will videotape the story and put it up on youtube at our address at http://www.youtube.com/user/ilivethelifeblog. So send us some ideas!!! Use the comment section, or email, or call us. One Life! Live it Loud! Live it Full! Live it Well!

* Continue to check our blog so you can watch videos of us achieving items on this list.

COMING SOON!

2010-11-09T12:56:00.003-05:00

The newest addition to the Living the Life List: Build a Zipline and Ride It!

My First Apple Picking Adventure!

2010-11-07T18:26:00.001-05:00

In Florida, I never got the chance to go apple picking growing up. We did go strawberry and blueberry picking. Strawberry picking was fun at first but since it was necessary to bend over to reach the plants, you left the trip feeling like a hunchback. Blueberry picking was not the best either. It was always so hot outside that I found myself choosing one tree and hiding under its branches for shade until it was time to leave. So, after moving to Virginia, every year when fall came around, I heard all about apple picking, pumpkin patches, corn mazes and hayrides. But even after living here for four years I had never experienced it for myself. So you can imagine, the day Craig and Tiyana decided they were going apple picking I was ecstatic and had to join them! We planned out our perfect day. Wake up late, take the two hour scenic route over the beautiful mountains of southwest Virginia to the apple orchard, pick our own fresh, crispy, juicy, apples from the tree, go on a hayride, try out the corn maze, drink apple cider, buy the fixings for an apple pie, drive home, bake the pie and enjoy a warm slice with vanilla ice cream as we sit by the fire. What could be better than that? Well, as everyone knows, things never work out as planned.

The morning we were supposed to be apple picking turned out to be overcast and dreary. We checked the forecast and there was a fifty percent chance of rain over the whole area. But we didn’t let this slow us down one bit! We were living the life, rain or shine! So all three of us hopped into Craig’s car. (I feel like, in order for you to get the full effect of the story, I need to describe Craig’s car.) Craig has a 1995 Saturn SL2. It’s green, small and is not an automatic. (Which means I cannot drive it despite everyone’s best attempts to teach me how to drive a stick.) Anyway, we set out on our “scenic route” through Hungry Mother Park in the Saturn. Since, Tiyana and I are new to the southwest Virginia area, as we were driving, Craig told us the story behind the name of Hungry Mother Park.

This is what he said: A long time ago, a woman named Molly and her child were kidnapped from the New River Settlement and taken to this area by Indians. Molly and her child escaped and after wandering the mountains, eating only berries for days, she collapsed by the river. The child was found days later and the only words he would say were “Hungry Mother”. They found the body of Molly days later. This is how the park got its name. You should have seen Tiyana’s and my facial expression after hearing this story. Our “scenic route” took us right through the scene of a real life horror story! If this story didn’t make our stomach turn, then road to get to the park did. I am from Florida and Tiyana is from New Jersey, both of which are flat as a pancake. And the roads in both states stay at sea level and are mostly straight like railroad tracks. The road to Hungry Mother Park was the exact opposite. In Craig’s little ’95 Saturn SL2 we zigzagged our way up three huge mountains. Honestly, I was not sure we would make it to the apple orchard. Between the steepness in the road and Craig’s little car (no offence Craig, your car is nice) I was sure I was going to meet the same end as the “Hungry Mother”. At one point I looked up (trying to pray that God would get us there safely) and when I should have seen sky and clouds I saw a guardrail through the trees from the road that we were about to zigzag up to.

Needless to say, both Tiyana and I were as green as the grass in our front yard, but thankfully we managed to hold our breakfast down. (In my opinion, Craig secretly had a blast torturing two city girls by driving them into the backwoods and telling them horror stories). But, finally, we made it to Marion, the city on the other side of the mountain. We stopped at McDonalds to get our feet on solid ground and let our stomachs settle, and then we headed to the apple orchard.

The first thing I noticed when we pulled into the orchard was how empty it looked. No one was running around in the corn maze, no one was out by the apple trees with friends picking apples, and the tractor that pulled the trailer for hayrides was parked in the barn with the trailer unhitched. It looked nothing like all the pictures I had seen on facebook of people apple picking. Even the overcast sky made all the colors look dreary and dull. We pulled into the little store they had set up, and all piled out of the car. Inside they had huge bins full of every kind of apple you could imagine! Rome, Granny Smith, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Winesap and Gala. They even had a bin full of “bad apples” with bruises and cracks. Everything you could think of making with an apple they had for sale. Apple butter, apple cider, apple juice, even apple potpourri! I had never seen so many apple creations! They also sold beautiful mums, pumpkins and gourds in every shape, size and color.

After looking around we found a lady who told us what we feared, customers were not allowed to pick the apples as a liability and all the fun activities were closed on weekdays. I pouted for a short time about how my first apple-picking trip was turning out to be less than I expected, but I soon got over my sadness when Craig and Tiyana began talking about the last part of our plan, the apple pie! We tracked down the owner of the orchard, a skinny, old man in dirty jeans and a plaid button up shirt, whose teeth were all black, and asked him which apples were best to use to make our apple pie. He pulled us over to the Granny Smith and Rome apples and gave us a speech on taste and texture. We ended up buying a bag of Granny Smith apples, a bag of Rome apples, a jug of apple cider, and an apple scented car freshener. Then we all piled back into the car and took the interstate back home.

We stopped at Food City on the way home and got all the fixings for a delicious apple pie; crust mix, cinnamon, brown sugar, and nutmeg. When we got home we unpacked our goodies and began to make the best apple pie anyone has ever tasted! I started to help by rolling out the crust, but I am horrible in the kitchen so after three tries I handed it over to Craig who finished the whole pie and put it in the oven to bake. (A man who can bake? Yes ladies he’s single!) After waiting 45 agonizing minutes the pie was finally ready! When it came out it was so beautiful, I didn’t even want to cut it. Looking at it, I realized that even though our big plans didn’t quite turn out the way we planned, the end result was better than we imagined. We had a great time together and gained memories that we will talk about for a long time to come. I wouldn’t trade our apple picking adventure for anything! We sliced up the pie and scooped out the vanilla ice cream. We even shared our yummy pie with the rest of the family, and had a wonderful time, the rest of the night, sharing the stories of our adventure.

Italy 2010

2010-10-28T20:46:00.020-04:00

For ten days Edson and Renda Knapp visited the sites in Italy. They had a blast living the life; eating authentic pizza and pasta, touring the famous buildings and artwork and relaxing in Italian luxury across the Atlantic. Here are just 9 of the 800 pictures that they took. Enjoy!

October 2010 - ITALY

We visited Venice, Florence and Rome. VENICE, city of canals and cathedrals. It is home to St. Mark's Basilica and St. Mark's Square. FLORENCE, home of Michelangelo, is a city filled with art and history. ROME, an ancient city, exudes history. The Coliseum, Circus Maximus, Roman Forum and the Vatican with St. Peter's Basilica were a few of the sites visited.

Makwale Baptist Orphanage

2010-10-18T12:51:00.001-04:00

The Story of Baraka

Her father died before she was born. Her mother cared for her until she was two years old, then her mother died. She cried of hunger, she cried of sickness, she cried of loneliness. There was no one left to care for her. All her relatives had died. Her name, “Baraka”, is Swahili for blessing.

Someone found Baraka and took her to a local church and left her there. There were other children living at the church, sleeping on the cement floors. She found shelter there. Kind women from the church came every day with a hot meal for the children who had been abandoned there. One meal daily to fill their bellies; and they were so grateful for that! The church members prayed for the children, they wanted to do more, but most of them could barely feed their own children. How could they take on more? Most of the families were farmers who survived on what they could produce with their farm.

In 2004, the CEOs of Live the Life, Edson and Renda Knapp, found Baraka living in the church along with 20 other orphans. God laid it on their hearts to help them. The Tanzania Baptist Association donated land for the project and asked for their help. They asked their friends and family and their church family for help. The response they saw was overwhelming and the result was A HOME for these children.

The Makwale Baptist Orphanage was dedicated in 2006 and now is home to 80 children. God’s blessings abound there. The Orphanage is a HOME filled with love and peace. Church members still care for the children. These children are growing up knowing God’s love for them. They have a home and a family – a church family. They have food to fill their bellies and they have shoes to wear and clothes that are not torn. They are attending school. They have hope for their future. Praise the Lord!

God has truly blessed this project. This is the story of God’s blessing – “Baraka ya Mungu”!

Click the link below to view this video and others from the Live the Life Blog,

in better quality on our YouTube Channel!

http://www.youtube.com/user/ilivethelifeblog

Living the Life List

2010-10-01T12:23:00.000-04:00

Here is our Living the Life List! It is getting longer everyday from people who give us great ideas!! Thank you for your ideas and keep looking back to see us do our best to complete them!

1. Pay for someone’s gas

~~2. Kick a field goal~~

3. Crowd surf

4. Play an instrument for a crowd

5. Dance at a stranger’s wedding

6. Go camping in a tent

7. Go rappelling

8. Use hands to catch a fish

9. Meet someone from a professional football team

~~10. Jump off a Waterfall~~

11. Donate blood

12. Learn to line dance

13. Go parasailing

14. Raise 15,000 for an organization

15. Go skydiving

16. Learn to surf

17. Ride the tallest roller coaster in the world *Next up!

18. Donate hair to Locks of Love

19. Slap a bull on the rear

20. Do a polar plunge

21. Fly a plane

22. Go over 150mph in a car

23. Sail a boat

24. Visit every continent

* Continue to check our blog so you can watch videos of us achieving items on this list.

Jump off a Waterfall

2010-09-27T17:45:00.001-04:00

Number 10 on the Living the Life List is, to jump off a waterfall. The guys took a road trip out to Russell Creek Falls on the Clinch River one day after work. They took the newest member of the Live the Life team, Harry, to test out the dangers of the falls to make sure it was safe. Some people were pros and just jumped with no fear, and others had some fears to conquer, but in the end everyone made the jump and no one had any regrets! They had a great time living the life! What do you do to Live your Life?

Click the link below to view this video and others from the Living the Life List on YouTube!

http://www.youtube.com/user/ilivethelifeblog

2010-09-25T12:43:00.001-04:00

Did u know that in California u cannot set a mouse trap without a hunting license
Random fact 4 the day!

Kick A Field Goal

2010-09-22T16:40:00.004-04:00

Number 2 on the Living the Life List is, to kick a field goal. Matthew was the kicker for his high school football team, so we all headed out to the football field and he taught us how to kick a field goal. We were at the field for about an hour and a half, and in that short amount of time (while Matt perfected his 40yd field goal) we all were able to get the ball through the uprights! Some of us had a harder time than others, and some of us had to get pretty close to the uprights, but in the end we all accomplished what we set out to do!

Click the link below to view this video and others from the Living the Life List in higher quality!

http://www.youtube.com/user/ilivethelifeblog

Living the Life in Africa

2010-09-22T11:55:00.001-04:00

From an African missionary (names changed for protection). What a statement of truth. Read at the risk of being convicted!
"What joy there was today. We were having a hot conversation with two seminary grads about the future of the church. Their take was that our local priest was old and there weren’t enough graduates around to teach correctly. And besides that, they won’t pay us to go and teach despite the fact that they have enough money. We will see the changes we long for, but it will be 50 years hence when we can get the clergy to change their ideas.
I responded with, ‘Of course these are very grave circumstances. And of course since it is unlikely that I will live another 50 years it saddens me greatly. But fortunately, the disciples did not agree with you. They did not wait for there to be enough graduates from seminaries. In fact the only person who was part of the ‘clergy/ disciples’ that had been to such a school was the Apostle Paul and he had to be blinded before it was possible for the Father to use him.
‘And as far as money, if the disciples waited for money before doing what they were told to do we would still be waiting for the Message to reach us. We were given very clear instructions: Go and tell all I have commanded you. That was to all of us. If all we have is a cup of cold water and we give that away in his name, that is enough. Our empty hand is a signal from him that we need something more to give. Teach whomever He puts in front of you, don’t wait for the clergy to show up for a meeting where you will teach them what they need to know. ‘
At this I called Rachel in and asked her to tell them what the gospel message was. She did this so beautifully and from such depth that our eyes were misty afterwards. And then she said, ‘I tell this to every taxi driver when I go home. I tell it to all my neighbors. I tell it to the children who come to my house. And my son is 6. He knows all about the gospel. He tells his friends and fellow students. Sometimes people persecute us and insult us. But they all know the gospel. Who knows if L‘rd will come and they might not have heard. I want them all to know. Everyone should hear the story.’
I didn’t need to say any more. The issue was settled. We said we would pray for them every day so that the Father would show them how and with whom they should share. But the real person in the room who was doing what they were supposed do was Rachel.
The seminary grads went home to think about what Rachel had said. We will lift them up. Perhaps they will learn to do as well as our house worker, offering what they have instead of worrying about what they don’t have."

Living the Life in Kenya

2010-09-22T11:40:00.002-04:00

Harmon Parker is Living the LIfe! He is using what he knows how to do to help people in need! What do you know how to do that can be used to help people in your community, in the nation and around the world?

Check out www.bridgingthegapafrica.org/. This is a great example of living the life.

The Adventures of Edson and E: Rocket Launch!!!!!

2010-09-22T11:21:00.003-04:00

The boys in the family had a "boys day" together, without the girls, (because the girls all went to the Justin Bieber concert and the boys won't admit that they like Justin Bieber songs), so they bought a rocket from Walmart and went to the park to set it off. The rocket was big and plastic so they didn't expect it to go very high but after they counted down from three they were surprised at just how high it went! Take a look!

Fly me to the moon!

What is your Living the Life list?

2010-09-21T18:43:00.006-04:00

Look at our list below of things we want to do to live the life . We want to hear from you! What is your Living the Life list? What does living the life mean to you? What have you done and what do you want to do? What do you want to see us add to our list? As you submit ideas we are going to try and complete as many of the ideas as we can. We will videotape the story and put it up on youtube at our address at http://www.youtube.com/user/ilivethelifeblog. So send us some ideas!!! Use the comment section, or email, or call us. One Life! Live it Loud! Live it Full! Live it Well!

Living the Life List

2010-09-21T18:24:00.001-04:00

Live the Life is about living your life to the fullest everyday. It’s not only about fulfilling your purpose for your life, but it’s alsoabout enjoying your life. Having a blast with what God gives you everyday. The Live the Life staff made a “To Do” list to live the life. Each thing on the list is something we want to do. Not all of them push us towards our purpose in life but all of them will let us enjoy what God has given us. What do you want to do with your life? Make your own list. We only have one life. Live it Loud! Live it Full! Live it Well!

Pay for someone’s gas

Kick a field goal

Crowd surf

Play an instrument for a crowd

Dance at a stranger’s wedding

Go camping in a tent

Go rappelling

Use hands to catch a fish

Meet someone from a professional football team

Jump off a Waterfall

Donate blood

Learn to line dance

Go parasailing

Raise 15,000 for an organization

Go skydiving

Learn to surf

Ride the tallest roller coaster in the world

Donate hair to Locks of Love

Slap a bull on the rear

Do a polar plunge

* Continue to check our blog so you can watch videos of us achieving items on this list.

The Adventures of Edson and E: Belly Bump!!!!!

2010-09-21T18:12:00.002-04:00

The Adventures of Edson and E

My parents adopted a son from Ethiopia in February and since he is so close to the age of my littlest brother, Edson, everyone was worried as to how the two would get along. Well you can see for yourself that not only to they get along but he has already become part of the family. We all already feel comfortable enough to laugh at him when he falls! (Little Edson even takes it as far as to point and laugh!) This video and the ones to come will show how my two little brothers become not only the best of friends but also the best brothers in the world!

Its Still Fun and Games Even When Someone Falls

More Pictures from the Costa Rica Missions Trip

2010-09-21T17:53:00.000-04:00

Pictures from the Costa Rica Missions Trip

2010-09-21T17:26:00.001-04:00

New PINK NOW Shirt

2010-09-18T20:53:00.005-04:00

So we are going to make this shirt. We are getting the ribbon and the logo with pink foil. Leave us a comment about what you think. We are going to sell this with a PINK NOW bracelet. We are also going to donate $5 to the Susan B. Coleman foundation for breast cancer for each shirt we sell.

PINK NOW

2010-09-18T20:50:00.001-04:00

Only a few people close to me have been diagnosed withbreast cancer. My grandma was diagnosed when I was little and my best friendhad to have a lump removed before I met her. But both of them are cancer freetoday. Even with these experiences I cannot imagine what it is like find out Ihave a cancer growing inside my body. Breast cancer is not a consequence ofbeing unhealthy or purposefully damaging your body. Its not like skin cancer,where most likely you were out in the sun too much or laid in a tanning bed.Breast cancer is not like lung cancer, where most likely you smoked too manycigarettes. It attacks generations of women for no known reason, and that’s whyit scares me so much. There is not anything you can do to prevent it or cureit. The only thing you can do is catch it early enough to get it out. That’swhy it’s so important to get yourself checked out consistently. Last yearalone, over 40,000 people died of breast cancer, and over 190,000 people werediagnosed with breast cancer for the first time. This is so many people! It hasme wondering if this year, one of those people could be me, or someone close tome.

In all this darkness there is a glimmer of hope and that isthe Susan G. Komen Foundation. Since their start in 1982 they have raised $1.5billion for the care of people and the cure of breast cancer. But they do somuch more than raise funds for research. The Susan G. Komen foundation is anetwork of hundreds of thousands of breast cancer patients, survivors andactivists who all work together to ensure quality care, empower people, savelives and energize science to find the cure. It is a support system forthousands whose lives have been forever changed by this horrible disease. OnOctober 29^th -31^st in Tampa, Florida, the Susan G. KomenFoundation is holding a 3-day walk for the cure. It is a 60-mile walk for womenand men who want to make a difference in the fight against breast cancer. Duringthe 3 days and 60 miles the participants raise millions of dollars, whilemeeting hundreds of woman and men from around the country, all who have storiesof their own lives to share. You can come join us for these three days and helpgive hundreds of thousands of lives hope for a future! LOVE ALWAYS HOPES (ICorinthians 13:7)

Live the Life is starting a campaign to raise money forbreast cancer research called PINK NOW! You can view the PINK NOW shirt belowand buy it soon! When you buy a PINK NOW shirt you will get a free PINK NOWwristband. The best part is that for every shirt sold through the www.ilivethelife.com website, $5 will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Contact Rachel Brownell at rachel@ilivethelife.com to find outhow you can donate to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, support the Live the Lifeteam for the 3 day walk, or join the Live the Life team in Tampa, Fl thisOctober.

- Rachel

Ghosts of Kilimanjaro Prologue

2010-09-18T20:18:00.004-04:00

I've had some requests for me to put my book up so people can read it. Here is the Prologue, let me know when you want me to post Chapter 1. - Edson

GHOSTS OF KILIMANJARO

This is a fictional novel. It is a bit graphic, scary and violent and is set in Kenya and Tanzania in modern times. Read at your own risk...

Prologue:

He hiked quickly, almost trotting. He muttered under his breath, swearing. As the light faded, cold crept into his flesh. He shoved his hands deep in his pockets. With thoughts wrapped in anger he descended. He failed to notice as he passed from the barren landscape at 13,000 feet into the scrub brush below. The trail became steeper as he left the Mawenzi tarn. Above him stars became visible. In the gathering darkness the man occasionally stumbled. Ill-prepared for his sudden departure, he was without food or water. At a turn in the trail he fell, muttering curses as he picked himself up. A gash in his left wrist dripped blood. Frantically he searched pockets for a flashlight, suddenly realizing he had left it behind at the camp. He felt cold, damp and alone. The stars now visible, shown with a cold emotionless intensity seen only in the African sky. He walked on, his lips constantly describing the justice he expected to rain down on the guides once he reported them to the authorities. He peered ahead, straining to see the trail ahead of him.

Unaware he was no longer alone, he was noisy. His boots crunched in the dirt; pebbles rolled as he kicked along, talking to himself. After several hours he stopped for a moment’s rest. Wind whistled through the scrubby trees. A second emotion joined his anger: fear. He was utterly alone. It was becoming intensely dark. Below him, quickly approaching was mist. He realized the mist would obscure the starlight. Rising quickly, he hurried down the trail. By eight o’clock the darkness was palpable. The silence of the mist enhanced his sense of isolation. He fell frequently, cursing each lurch. He thought of stopping and trying to find a place to rest but it was too cold. Seconds ticked by, moments passed and he thought to himself how desperately he wanted revenge, how desperately he wanted to report to the park officers about his guide, Mangi, and the demands for money. In his head he replayed the scene repeatedly: the arrival at the camp, the guide’s sudden demand for money, the refusal to even set up a tent. It turned ugly and he started yelling at the guide when one of the porters casually pulled out a knife. It was at that point he realized he had no recourse but to return. He picked up his walking stick, put on his coat and began his descent.

He never saw the branch. He felt an explosion in his head as he fell. Rolling uncontrollably, his body fell down the steep slope into a gully 20 feet below. He lay dazed and confused. Warm blood dripped down his forehead. He tried to stand. He almost fell again. Resorting to crawling, he headed up the embankment slipping and sliding. In the dark he was unsure of the direction he had fallen. After 20 minutes he had not found the path. Had he passed it, he wondered vaguely to himself. His head ached. He was cold. As he searched for the trail, an element of fear entered his emotions. Foreboding overwhelmed reason. Half stumbling, half crawling he searched in desperation. With each slip and fall, fear took deeper hold. After 40 minutes, exhausted, he collapsed. “I must calm down and reason this out,” he thought to himself.

A cackling dove suddenly disturbed, rose, shrieking from the darkness. Fear deepened and suddenly he sensed another presence. The hair on his neck stood on end. He froze, desperately trying to listen over the sound of his breathing. Wind whistled. Clothes rustled with each breath. Far off, the dove’s cry was suddenly silenced. His fear drove him up. Desperately again he searched for the path. Then he heard it. A deep, guttural growl sounded almost in front of him. Terror gripped him. Turning, he ran, weaving. Madness gave him strength.

He heard a second growl. As he turned, a scream rose uncontrollably. His scream was abruptly cut short as blood filled his larynx. Consciousness faded as fangs collapsed his trachea. Claws ripped, puncturing his lungs.

Biologists are unsure what causes a lion to become a man-eater but refer to the first attack on a human as the “first kill.” After the first kill, the lion’s lust for human flesh grows.

Questions for God

2010-09-18T07:54:00.001-04:00

Dear God:

1. Why did you make mosquitoes? They hurt, they itch and they steal my blood.

2. Why did you let the Devil become bad?

3. Why do you have so many denominations?

4. When will I meet Jesus after I die? Will it be right away or will I have to wait?

5. Can I still live with my spouse in heaven even though there is no marriage in heaven?

6. Does heaven really have pearl gates and houses that look as big as hotels?

7. Will I be 28 and skinny when I get to heaven?

8. What will happen to children who die and go to heaven? Will they be grown up?

9. Will we eat chocolate in heaven?

10. Will I be allowed to sleep with my dog in my bed in heaven?

Costa Rica Missions Trip- Thursday

2010-09-18T07:53:00.001-04:00

Today was our last day visiting the schools. This one was in Las Juntas. Ben, Troy, Craig, and Katie spoke to the large group and many others shared the Gospel when we broke into small groups. It has been an amazing week seeing so many of our teens leading children to Christ. Well over 100 students made the decision to accept Christ as Savior this week!!

This afternoon we went to a gym in town and played indoor soccer with a bunch of the locals. It was a ton of fun!

— Bethany

Costa Rica Missions Trip- Wednesday

2010-09-18T07:52:00.003-04:00

Today we went to a small school in San Juan about a mile from the camp. We had about 50 kids this morning and 30 this afternoon. We performed the two skits we have done earlier in the week as well as a third about the Great Banquet. Our teens did a wonderful job! Eli, Martha, Hannah, and Dalton spoke then we broke into small groups to share the Gospel using the EvangeCubes again. Again each of our 7 groups saw many children accept Christ as their Savior. Even though our daily rain storm came early, our teens did a wonderful job making do with the small covered porch and God worked wonders again.

This afternoon we had the chance to walk through the town of Las Juntas and see where the people live, eat, and shop.

Tonight we were blessed by the testimonies of the 8 Word of Life missionaries who have travelled up from San Jose to help us translate.

– Bethany

Updates from the Costa Rica Missions Trip

2010-09-18T07:51:00.001-04:00

Sorry the wifi was down for a couple of days. God is doing amazing things this week!!

Monday
We went to a very poor school. There were about 60 kids in the morning and 45 in the afternoon. Christina, Eric, Carolyn, and Audra spoke about being a teenager in the US and they shared their testimony as well as a challenge for the kids. We also performed a melodrama about the good Samaritan. Then Carolyn, Audra, and Christian showed off their Spanish speaking skills by participating in a game show skit hosted by Marco. Each contestant brings something that they think will make them happy in life and then they are given the choice to trade it in for a gift from Gid. The first two take a chance with what they have and miss out on one of God's promises. The third trades his in and receives eternal life. We used this skit to lead into the Gospel message and an invitation. There were about 17 children who accepted Christ as their Savior!!!!!

Tuesday
We travelled about 40 minutes to a large private Catholic school. We began by playing some hilarious relay games. Then Katelyn and Lexi spoke to the kids and we performed the two skits again. Our kids have done a great job doing them in Spanish...which is not easy when you don't speak the language! Today we split the students up into 6 groups and our kids used the EvangeCube to share the Gospel. Each group had multiple students who really seemed to understand the message and made the decision to accept God's gift of Salvation. It once again was amazing to see God changing lives through the witness of our teens!

As a surprise, in the afternoon Fanny and Marco took us to a nearby beach. It was exciting for our group as it was the first time most of them had been in the pacific ocean.

Please continue to pray for us as we travel to more schools in the coming days!!

– Bethany

Questions for God

2010-09-18T07:50:00.001-04:00

Today someone came to me to talk about her newly diagnosed breast cancer. When I get to heaven I am going to ask God why He created breast cancer. I mean lung cancer makes sense in some ways. It usually happens to older people who have damaged their lungs with smoking. But breast cancer doesn't seem to follow those rules. It happens to nice people who have taken care of their bodies. It often strikes mothers with young children. I want to ask God why.

-Edson

Costa Rica Missions Trip

2010-09-18T07:48:00.001-04:00

Our team of 26 has arrived in Las Juntas, Costa Rica. Due to a delay in Charlotte we had to rush through Houston to board our connecting flight, which they delayed just for us. We arrived around 11pm local time (1am EST). So apart from a lack of sleep, everyone is doing very well.

This morning we participated in the church service here at the Word of Life camp and are looking forward to Bible Club with the teenagers this afternoon!

- Bethany

Are you Living the Life?

2010-09-18T07:47:00.000-04:00

WELCOME to our first blog. We are very excited to enter the world of online blogging. As you will have already noted we are building a web site to display teeshirts, but we want it to be so much more than that. We want to develop a community of friends who can encourage each other to live the life set before us by God. There is so much adventure He has placed before us. I think of my own life: I was born in Tanzania. I almost died of malaria when I was 14, I have climbed Kilimanjaro five times, almost dying once. I have visited over thirty countries. I have delivered a baby and I have harvested a heart for a heart transplant. My wife and I just adopted our seventh child from Ethiopia. I can't wait until the next thing God prepares for me. Even more exciting, I can't wait until one of you challenges me with your story of living the life. Feel free to email me at edson@ilivethelife.com and let me know what you are doing. I will use some of your responses as we develop this blog to tell of the wonderful things God surprises us with in this life.

On another note, I am writing a fictional book called The Ghosts of Kilimanjaro. If anyone reads this and I get some requests I may put some excerpts on the blog.

So, again, welcome! We are so proud of our shirts. Scrubs will follow in two months or so. But most of all we challenge you to Live The Life, and tell us about your adventure.

- Edson Knapp