tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8410845905492339682024-02-19T05:49:57.822-10:00Lessons Learned from Living at Rock BottomA blog about living lifeKahu Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564336137419846454noreply@blogger.comBlogger90125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-841084590549233968.post-47415884363395045212023-11-07T00:12:00.000-10:002023-11-07T00:12:37.903-10:00Struggling with a Loss<p><span style="font-family: georgia;">On October 23 my friend Franco passed away. I have been struggling with processing this loss. We were really close from around our middle school years until around our early twenties. We didn't have a falling out. We mostly just lost touch of each other over the years. Our interactions eventually became a few messages here and there on social media.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I'm having issues with processing this loss because I feel like I don't deserve to mourn his loss. We have mutual friends who were closer to him in later years. I feel like they earned the right to mourn him more than I did. It sounds odd, I know. It feels odd for me as well. I feel huge sadness, but at the same time, I feel like: do I deserve to feel sad?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Recently, a friend of mine from that time whom I am closer to now called to see if I was okay after learning Franco passed away. He said, "I know you two were close." I remember replying something like that we were close when we were younger, but not so much recently. He said something in response that I'm still thinking over nearly a week and a half later, "That doesn't take away from the fact that you were friends. Everything you guys went through together still happened."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I'm sorry if this doesn't make a lot of sense. I'm still trying to make sense of things myself. I suppose it all comes down to this: How do I honor my friend, without feeling like I am overstepping? Not sure I'll ever get an answer. I'll update this post at a later time if I ever figure things out.</span></p>Kahu Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564336137419846454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-841084590549233968.post-91945429748681804812023-09-22T22:56:00.004-10:002023-09-22T23:00:30.052-10:00988 - Help is available<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Trigger Warning: Suicide</span> </p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For those of you who didn't know, last week was National Suicide Prevention Week. This has always been a touchy subject for me. I have had the misfortune of knowing quite a few people who tragically took their own lives since my teen years. As I got older, this number has shrunk, but unfortunately, has not completely gone away. I was reminded of this fact just today.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Like many previous years, this year I have been supporting the efforts to raise awareness about this subject in my community. I am absolutely in awe of the work being done by One FC Champion Angela Lee through her non-profit Fightstory. There are a many others who are also doing great work. Sometimes I wonder if supporting the various non-profits and such is enough, and then days like today remind me that this fight is far from over.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I was just informed that my wife's coworker and friend took her own life this morning. Due to the nature of their work, I cannot give her name or what she did. I can say that she was a bright, wonderful, and caring young woman. She had just moved, and was moving up in the world in her work. It seemed like she had everything going for her. I honestly cannot think of a time when I saw her not smiling. But that's just it, isn't it? We never really know what's going on in someone's life. We never really know what they are thinking. We never fully know what anyone is going through.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I just want to take a moment to say if this is you, please talk to someone. </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">If you’re struggling, I want you to know it’s okay to share your feelings. To start, you could copy one of these pre-written messages from the International Association of Suicide Prevention and send it to a trusted contact:</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span>Reach out: </span></span><span face=""Google Sans", Roboto, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;">When you get a chance can you contact me? I feel really alone and suicidal, and could use some support.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span>Contact a loved one: </span><span face=""Google Sans", Roboto, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;">I don’t want to die, but I don't know how to live. Talking with you may help me feel safe. Are you free to talk?</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span face=""Google Sans", Roboto, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;">Express your feelings: </span><span face=""Google Sans", Roboto, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;">This is really hard for me to say but I’m having painful thoughts and it might help to talk. Are you free?</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span face=""Google Sans", Roboto, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;">Check in: </span><span face=""Google Sans", Roboto, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;">I’m struggling right now and just need to talk to someone — can we chat?</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I promise I would rather receive any of these messages instead of a message to tell me another person is gone. You could also call/text/message the suicide lifeline. Please talk to someone. Seek help. The world is a better place with you in it. You are enough. You matter. I love you. There are better days coming. It may not seem like it now, but tomorrow is a new day, with new possibilities. Please hold on.</span></p>Kahu Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564336137419846454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-841084590549233968.post-29326953773682913252022-10-06T16:10:00.001-10:002022-10-06T16:10:38.595-10:00Skateboarding Saved My Son’s Mental Health<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Like many people around the world, the last couple of years has been difficult for my family and I. 2020 was filled with fear and uncertainty. 2021 brought some sense of normalcy back, but social distancing, masking, and other measures still took a toll.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Through all of this I thought my children were doing quite well. They were both able to attend school in-person. My older son was still playing competitive sports. It never occurred to me to check on my younger son’s mental health. He seemed okay most of the time. He spent a lot of time watching YouTube and playing video games, but I didn’t think anything was unusual.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Near the end of 2021 and beginning of 2022, I started to notice a massive change. He pretty much stopped talking, except for one word answers here and there. He began to become more withdrawn. He went from spending some of his time watching videos and playing video games to spending all of his time doing those things. A lot of unfortunate things happened in our community as well. Young people were taking their own lives with alarming frequency, and much of the discussion among many parents was now focused exclusively on mental health. Still, I thought my child was perfectly fine, until I could feel in the depths of my soul that he most definitely was not.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I thought helping him find his “thing” would help him a lot, but we had the worst time finding out what his thing was. He didn’t enjoy sports like his brother. He’s much more introverted as well. He had friends, but he didn’t like to play with them for more than a few minutes at a time. He would play with his cousins sometimes, but then withdraw again shortly after. Art was his thing for a while, but that went to pieces during the pandemic. Then one day I mentioned to him that I used to skateboard when I was his age.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">My neighbor taught me to ride a skateboard back in the day. He even gave me my first real board. In those days, skateboarding was pretty much considered a crime, at least that’s how it was in our town. Skateboarders were punks and misfits. My parents hated that I was a skater — though, to be quite honest, I was not a very good skater at all. I did fit the part and dress the part well, and my friends were accepting of the fact that I was not as good as them.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Anyway, my son took an interest in these stories. Skateboarding drew a look in his eyes that I hadn’t seen in months. My older son had a cheap skateboard that he never used, so he let his brother use it. We started the way I did as a kid: riding down the short driveway in front of our house. The first time he rode all the way down without falling was amazing. His eyes lit up, he smiled, and I saw his personality shine through once again.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Skateboarding brought joy back to his life, and now he skates every day. I recently bought him a better board, helmet, and pads. We started visiting the local skatepark every weekend. He stays out there for hours at a time. He’s learning to do tricks and ride in ways that I couldn’t even imagine as a kid. After only a few months, he’s already better than I ever was, and he’s only getting better. It really is an amazing thing. I have seen him change completely from where he was just a little while ago. He has much fewer down days. He is way more social and everything in his life is showing improvement. We owe it all to skateboarding. I will never look at skaters and skateboards the same again.</span></p>Kahu Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564336137419846454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-841084590549233968.post-53195192259528435452022-07-04T19:14:00.008-10:002023-03-03T15:01:23.608-10:00A Different Kind of Celebration of Life<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">About a week ago, a friend of mine called and asked me to come to his father’s celebration of life. My heart sank at those words. The term celebration of life is normally used to describe an event held to honor the life of someone who has passed away. However, in this case, his father is incredibly ill but very much alive. He said he wanted to throw a huge party and give everyone the chance to show their love and appreciation for his father while he is alive — I suppose you could call it a pre-celebration of life.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was one of the most beautiful events I have ever been to. Hundreds of people came out to join us. I’m not surprised so many people came out to be a part of this different type of celebration of life. Uncle Nunu is a beloved member of the community. He has touched the lives of countless people over the last 80 years of his life. His children have also touched the lives of many others. It seemed like everyone who ever had the privilege of knowing this family in any way showed up yesterday.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Many of them came to speak with Uncle Nunu one more time. Many, like me, hadn’t seen him over the last couple of years as much we would have liked. Many of us took the time to show love and appreciation for someone who has done so much for everybody, without ever asking for anything in return. Of course, like any party my friend has ever thrown, it was huge. There was a ton of food and live music playing. It was everything a celebration of life should be, and so much more.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">A celebration of life for a living person turned out to be an exceptionally fitting event for a person who has always told us this one particular thing for as long as I can remember. He has always said to not just love everyone, but be sure to tell the people in your life that you love them every day. If you give love and show love every day, you get to live a little piece of heaven every day. It will be beautiful, and you can live a little piece of heaven every day of your life. Love everyone while they are here, and make sure you show them.</span></p>Kahu Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564336137419846454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-841084590549233968.post-81519437266584642922019-03-25T02:09:00.000-10:002019-03-25T02:09:10.879-10:00Invest Your Time in Things that have Eternal Significance<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih625Mg5NS5LOV36a-la7WaK81IhtUqE4VQFiTaA0tDJ4lHof_dWz0XqZxV-gXm9xVJ_ogIo1YxzuyoQstNBC4qj3mC_pu-WnyK3JVg_4kIH-_aIBUW_wpELyA8VMcBQCzSzTeEGaM7xY/s1600/approaching%252Beternity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="750" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih625Mg5NS5LOV36a-la7WaK81IhtUqE4VQFiTaA0tDJ4lHof_dWz0XqZxV-gXm9xVJ_ogIo1YxzuyoQstNBC4qj3mC_pu-WnyK3JVg_4kIH-_aIBUW_wpELyA8VMcBQCzSzTeEGaM7xY/s320/approaching%252Beternity.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Recently, I had the chance to talk with an old friend of mine. I had mentioned on social media how we should Invest our time in things that have eternal significance. Her question was: What has eternal significance? In her experience, everything is temporary. It was a great question, so I thought I would talk a little about it here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g">I believe in life
after this one, which has eternal significance. However, even for people who
don't believe as I do, there are still things that have eternal significance. The results of our actions in this life can last
long past when we are no longer here. The things we say and do carry a lot of weight. Life is definitely temporary, but
the world will continue on long after you and I am
gone. I hope that I am leaving people and places in a better way than
when I found them. The things we do in this life, the things we invest
most of our time in, will have a lasting impact on future generations. I
think that's pretty significant.</span></span></span></div>
Kahu Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564336137419846454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-841084590549233968.post-30924144983755033442019-03-11T00:01:00.000-10:002019-03-11T00:01:21.447-10:00Love Your Neighbor As Yourself...No Exceptions<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">When asked what the greatest commandment was, Jesus said, "</span><span class="text Mark-12-29" id="en-NIV-24703"><span class="woj">The most important one </span><span class="woj">is this: 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.</span></span><span class="text Mark-12-30" id="en-NIV-24704"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.<sup>'</sup></span></span><span class="text Mark-12-31" id="en-NIV-24705"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."(Mark 12: 29-31) Simple, right?</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="text Mark-12-31" id="en-NIV-24705"><span class="woj">It really does sound that simple. He basically told everyone to love God and love everyone else. All this time since his death has passed, and I would say many of us still have a lot to work on. Loving your neighbors is easy when you like your neighbors. However, loving your neighbor is not as easy when he or she is not particularly likeable. I think everyone has a story about their "bad neighbor" that no one could get along with, but we are called to love that person as well. We love to justify why it is okay to not like that person, but when Jesus spoke, he did not include any exceptions. He never said love everyone except for so and so.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="text Mark-12-31" id="en-NIV-24705"><span class="woj">Just this past week, I spent some time talking with a friend about funeral arrangements for her mother. Her mother and father lived in one state. She lives on the opposite end of the country, and the arrangements were being made in their hometown, which is in a third state. We were talking things through when she told me her dad wanted to have the mother's celebration of life in a pizza parlor. For the life of me, I could not understand why a pizza parlor. I thought perhaps her mother loved pizza, but she told me that was not the case. Her dad was not able to make arrangements with a church or church people in their hometown because she is transgender.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="text Mark-12-31" id="en-NIV-24705"><span class="woj">I could not believe what I heard. No one would help them. Where was the compassion? Shame on those churches and those who call themselves followers of Christ, but refused to help them in any way. When you choose hatred, discrimination, and intolerance over compassion, you are clearly on the wrong path. It breaks my heart that their family was turned away.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="text Mark-12-31" id="en-NIV-24705"><span class="woj"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="text Mark-12-31" id="en-NIV-24705"><span class="woj">The
hallmarks of our faith are supposed to be love, compassion, kindness,
and acceptance. Yet, there is a pretty substantial amount of Christians
who do not live this way. We should be about building longer tables, not
taller fences. Unfortunately, experience tells me there are far too
many fence builders out there. When a church stops welcoming people in
and focuses on keeping people out, it is no longer a church, it is
nothing more than a social club. This is completely unacceptable.</span></span></span></span></span></span>Kahu Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564336137419846454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-841084590549233968.post-46492182094910955362019-03-03T22:23:00.000-10:002019-03-03T22:23:31.701-10:00Best Day Ever<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2018 was a challenging year for me. I didn't do much blogging or teach many lessons. I wrote a couple of books, and I still often talked with people about trying to live life to the fullest. But if I am being completely honest, I don't think I was living my best life very often in 2018. Moreover, the end of 2018 was incredibly difficult.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Right before Thanksgiving, a friend of mine suddenly lost his son. He was just a little boy, not much older than my own. His death affected a lot of people. They are a well-known family loved by many in the community. What I didn't know then was something his son used to say would stick with so many people and teach them to live each day to the fullest extent possible.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When they would go on adventures, trips, or just do something really fun, his son would say it was "the best day ever." When they were preparing his memorial, they printed "Best Day Ever" on shirts. It was also in all of their social media posts. Many people learned this in a small amount of time and what it meant, and many people I know hold this phrase in their heart. Several times a week, I see someone talking about having another "Best Day Ever" moment. It's really awesome.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">People from all walks of life talk about this now, and everyone knows what it means. Young people, old people, rich, poor, and everyone in between are trying to live their best life and are talking about another "Best Day Ever." It really is a beautiful thing. For many, it simply means to enjoy the little things, tell people you love them, being present in the moment, and making the most of your time while you are alive.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Life is too short and unpredictable to live any other way. It's too easy to get caught up in the repetition, routines, and busyness of life. Don't get so caught up in the busyness of day to day life that you forget what makes life worth living. Nothing is guaranteed, not even tomorrow. Every day that we are alive is a blessing. Try every day to make it the "Best Day Ever."</span></span>Kahu Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564336137419846454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-841084590549233968.post-17678235467706663522019-02-24T20:03:00.000-10:002019-02-24T20:10:07.614-10:00Stop Trying to Argue People Into Believing<div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some things that have been happening recently have me thinking about my experience at a Christian conference I attended not too long ago.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During one of the breakout sessions, I went to hear a speaker named Josh Urich speak on Reaching Millennials in an Age of Unbelief. I enjoyed the talk. He offered a lot of advice and techniques for reaching a largely atheist population. I believe the approach he presented was good. They were techniques I already employ which really validated my own thoughts and approach to reaching atheists. However, I also found something during his talk that continues to be a problem among the Christian population: the need to argue.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The main point Mr. Urich presented early on was to not argue. There is no point in arguing with an atheist. You cannot argue truth, facts, or opinions and expect to win. You can’t debate science versus creation. Even if you do happen to “win,” you still lose. No one ever became a Christian because they lost an argument. I, among many others, know this to be true. Unfortunately, during question and answer time of this session, this is exactly what happened. Several members of the audience felt compelled to argue their points. As is the case many times when Christians are told not to argue, they immediately begin to argue.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I find this strange because we were all there to learn about reaching a generation of individuals that hate the church, yet some members of the audience felt the need to be defensive. Mind you, none of them offered anything that would help anyone else reach, well, anyone. I wanted to encourage the group and Mr. Urich by validating what he said with my own experience, but the arguers dominated the conversation from that point on. Personally, I left the room when the arguments turned to blaming and finger-pointing instead of productive dialogue.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With this message, I want to discuss what has worked for me in reaching an atheist. This is what I would of talked about during the session had I been given the chance. Of course it begins with the very first point presented at the session: do not argue. Arguing never works. I don’t claim to have all the answers, and my approach only worked once so far, but I can tell you that my friend, who was once an atheist, is now a believer. I figure reaching one atheist is still better than none. Also, there are no quick fixes. It took 10 years for my friend to become a believer.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I met Kyle (in order to maintain his privacy his has been changed) he had been an atheist most of his life. He hated the church with a passion. He would often say things like, “If God exists let him strike me down right now, or now, or now.” One time I was nearby when a holier than thou type of Christian decided to tell him that he was going to hell for talking about God like that. His response, “I hope so. Who would want to go to heaven if they have to be around people like you forever?” For whatever reason, we still became friends. I used to train in martial arts, and he loved martial arts, so that was our connection early on. We would watch fights on television and talk about great matches from the past. I found out about his hate for the church when I wore a cross to his house one day. He literally looked at me like I had committed a crime. The first words out of his mouth were, “Why are you wearing that crap around your neck?”</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After explaining to him that I worked at a church, he calmly stated that he was an atheist, and we moved on. We remained friends, and even became really good friends over time. However, from time-to-time he would have something negative to say about the church, and we would talk about it a little, and then move on before a larger argument could occur. It turned out we had similar dislikes about the things he would find about so-called “believers.” For instance, I do not condone the actions of the Westboro Baptist Church, which was easy for us to agree upon.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Occasionally, he would bring up something like dinosaurs versus creationism. In response, I would usually say you know, “to God a thousand years is like a day and a day is like a thousand years.” It also helped that I actually liked dinosaurs and science, so there were things we could talk about. It didn’t have to be an argument. The point is that I never argued with him. Sometimes he would go on long rants and tirades on social media about his hate for God and the various churches, but I would never engage him. There was no reason to. There’s no reason to engage in an argument or debate with any atheist, especially when they are just trying to make you angry.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After a couple of years, one day he was at my house, and we were having one of our small discussions about churches and such, mostly because I’ve always worked at or been a part of one. At the end, he said, “Maybe there is a God, but his followers suck.” To which I replied, “Yeah, a lot of them do.” This became the only real argument I ever won in any of our discussions. After that, he helped me write a sermon one time. I included him as an example in a bunch after that. He always said he didn’t mind, as long as he never had to physically be a part of it. He even watched me preach in a rebroadcast of one of our church’s services. He told me afterward that he thought it was pretty good.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Throughout the years he would still need to vent or rant about things he didn’t like. I would find small opportunities to answer his questions or add one of my thoughts about scripture or theology. No matter what: we would move on. Our talks were always civil and no one blew up over any of the subjects we ever talked about. You don’t destroy a relationship over a disagreement. At some point, you just have to say, “I’m not here to argue with you about it.” If you can’t let it go and move on, then chances are you cannot remain friends.</span></span><br />
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</div>
<div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fast forward to today. He moved away a couple of years ago, so we do not talk as much. He came home to celebrate his son’s first birthday about a month ago. It was like no time passed at all, except for one major change. When no one else was around he pulled me aside to talk about something. He wanted me to know that he now believed in God. He had a God moment. Something had happened that he firmly believed could not have been anything but God.</span></span><br />
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</div>
<div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He said at a bad time in his life he prayed and God answered; therefore, he would honor his promise to God and accept Jesus Christ. He just thought I should know, since I had put up with him all those years. All praise, honor, and glory goes to God for this victory. I always believed he would come around one day. God had a plan for him all along. All I had to do was stay the course and be there for my friend.</span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<div class="_2cuy _3dgx _2vxa">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the end, it’s all relational. We need to form genuine relationships and show God’s love and grace through our actions. It can’t be about winning arguments. Arguments and debates will never produce a positive outcome. I know many of us still believe we can somehow argue, debate, or steamroll people into accepting Jesus. It doesn’t work that way. God is already working on hearts. We just need to stay the course and be there to love them along the way. Regardless of their beliefs, God does indeed love them all, and we should too.</span></span></div>
Kahu Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564336137419846454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-841084590549233968.post-77476798913382029942019-02-19T16:11:00.000-10:002019-02-19T16:11:04.276-10:00I'm Back!<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's been a while since I last blogged about anything. I had to go through some things and let a bunch of stuff go. I honestly thought I didn't have anything left to say.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I still speak with people often and work with children and youth of various ages. Not much has changed. However, a sizeable number of people told me they missed my blog. They still want to hear what I have to say about various topics that many still don't like to discuss. They also feel I gave a voice to those who could not speak for themselves, and for that reason alone, I should continue to write, speak, and blog.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, I am back. I hope to tackle some of the tougher topics, as the world we live in continues to become more uncertain. Thank you for reading and following me on this part of the journey!</span></span>Kahu Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564336137419846454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-841084590549233968.post-41576490966248325242018-10-08T13:54:00.000-10:002018-10-08T13:54:17.405-10:00Cover Reveal: More Spooky Kine Tales of Supernatural Hawaii by Christian Brown<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">This week, I am very pleased to bring you the cover for </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333;"><b>More Spooky Kine Tales of Supernatural Hawaii</b>, which will be released on <b>October </b></span></span><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"> 20, 2018 </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">in the </span><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/More-Spooky-Tales-Supernatural-Hawaii/dp/1720276129/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1539042353&sr=1-5" style="color: #015782; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Amazon Kindle Store</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">More Spooky Kine Tales of Supernatural Hawaii is the second book of the Spooky Kine Tales of Supernatural Hawaii series. The chilling Hawaii tales in this series are eyewitness accounts told by storyteller Christian Brown. The goal of this series always has been, and continues to be, to keep the art of storytelling alive and to pass on these stories to future generations for them to enjoy.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">I hope everyone who loved the first book will love this one too!</span></span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Now, without further ado, the cover:</b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLnv1ys3ZV4bdrOPo0wM8NNAvs99bWJyN3uooMrnG199MwvYSVnpRrYZ4J61B6SS5owjeSwJFJ8soPJTnwoiFmcOawFpva54qzVKsuZvkWccYXBIvWMA-NeEFEfZRpTss40ha_MxPpMy8/s1600/Cover+v3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1050" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLnv1ys3ZV4bdrOPo0wM8NNAvs99bWJyN3uooMrnG199MwvYSVnpRrYZ4J61B6SS5owjeSwJFJ8soPJTnwoiFmcOawFpva54qzVKsuZvkWccYXBIvWMA-NeEFEfZRpTss40ha_MxPpMy8/s400/Cover+v3.jpg" width="262" /></a></div>
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<span class="st" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 10.4px;">©</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 10.4px;">2018 C. Brown Publisher</span></div>
Kahu Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564336137419846454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-841084590549233968.post-79238387829570841662016-01-10T20:56:00.000-10:002016-01-10T20:56:20.386-10:00YOLO is a lie.<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The whole YOLO thing has always bothered me. For those of you who don't know, YOLO stands for You Only Live Once. For many people I knew, this was the term they used for the reason they did all kinds of ridiculous things. Every time they did something messed up they'd say, "Oh well, YOLO." I thought it would pass over time, but I still hear young people say this all the time.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">YOLO is a lie. Let me say that again to be clear: YOLO is a lie. You only die once; you live every day. Every day you wake up, take another breath, and know you are alive is another chance to live the best life possible. Strive to live the best life you can. Some days you will fail; we all fail sometimes, but don't let that hold you back. New days bring new opportunities and another chance to live the life you have always wanted. </span>Kahu Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564336137419846454noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-841084590549233968.post-9067757746851115692015-12-29T22:58:00.001-10:002015-12-29T22:58:15.867-10:00Christmastime in Hawaii with Excerpt from Beyond Demons and Protectors<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRLhjdswlQJ336ho-it_mVJGEnHjZTy2hhS4EuehY_riMUXTD4UgzJXHASYts2LDpBM2qr22jZpHC-tpXSrtkADryObtXwhsJJY7uW7SZMJnNkeRHRo_r_PzUt7NMjW9tJ9SMVlOXmPi4/s1600/Honolulu+Hale+Santa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRLhjdswlQJ336ho-it_mVJGEnHjZTy2hhS4EuehY_riMUXTD4UgzJXHASYts2LDpBM2qr22jZpHC-tpXSrtkADryObtXwhsJJY7uW7SZMJnNkeRHRo_r_PzUt7NMjW9tJ9SMVlOXmPi4/s320/Honolulu+Hale+Santa.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Christmas has come and gone, but there are still things to do here in Hawaii. One of the things many of us do is visit the Honolulu City Lights. The Christmas scenes and lights are put up before Christmas and stay up until around the first week of the new year. It's a wonderful tradition that will draw crowds all the way to the end. My family and I went this evening, and it was as magical as I remember. We bought malasadas, took pictures in front of the displays, and enjoyed all the sights and sounds.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In my novels,
I always planned on writing a Christmas scene that would be easily
recognizable to locals here. I was very pleased to be able to do so in
my second novel. Naturally, I went with a scene at the Honolulu City Lights. Being there this evening really felt like stepping into the scene I described in the book. I'm glad that I was able to write about it well enough for people who can't be here to experience a small portion of an Island-style Christmas for themselves.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Here is the excerpt from <a href="http://amzn.com/B00G9N9QG6" target="_blank"><b>Beyond Demons and Protectors</b></a></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span class="_Tgc"> ©2014</span>:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> <span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span>We reappear in the middle of a grassy area. As I take in our surroundings, being extra<br />cautious
to make sure we are in the right place, I can see colorful lights
everywhere. The trees have Christmas-colored lanterns hanging from their
boughs. Nearby, children are<br />riding a small train in circles. A light breeze carries the sound of old Christmas tunes in<br />our direction. Further ahead, I see a sidewalk, couples walking hand-in-hand, and smiling<br />families with excited children making their way up the street. I know where they are<br />going. I can see the bright lights off in the distance. Brief flashes of light tell me people<br />are taking pictures at the various displays along the way. If I remember correctly, some<br />extremely large Christmas decorations should be near the first group of people taking<br />pictures. We are definitely in the right place.<br /> Ash takes a hold of my hand and leans against my shoulder. She begins to weep,<br />though she doesn’t appear to be sad. Truth be told, I am more than a little surprised that<br />this is where she wanted to come. This time and place does not carry good memories for<br />her. The last time she was here at Christmastime was with her parents. Her entire life<br />changed that night. “We could go to the East coast,” I try. “I’ve never seen the big tree or<br />the ice skating rink out there.”<br /> “No, this is our home,” she says with a crooked smile.<br /> I give her a warm smile in return, “Shall we go, then?”<br /> She nods excitedly, “Let’s.”<br /> “I haven’t been here in ages,” I say while we walk over to the sidewalk. “Honolulu<br />Hale is up ahead, right?”<br /> “It is,” she says.<br /> “I think my phone has a camera. We should take pictures!”<br /> We take a leisurely stroll to Honolulu Hale. Along the way, we stop to take pictures at<br />several of the large Christmas displays. A little boy runs into Ash. She smiles at the boy.<br />He hugs her leg, and then takes off to find whoever he is supposed to be with. The<br />happiness in the air is contagious. Ash watches the boy leave. I’ve never seen the look<br />she has in her eyes as she watches him walk away. “What is it?” I ask.<br /> “Nothing,” she says without looking at me. “I just felt something I don’t think I have<br />before.”<br /> “This is our first Christmas together,” I remind her.<br /> Her attention snaps back to me, “I love this.”<br /> “Me too,” I say and kiss her romantically under the lights of the beautiful display,<br />though lightly, so we don’t accidentally set the dang thing on fire.<br /> Every year Honolulu Hale is transformed into a winter wonderland - island style, of<br />course. It really is spectacular. We pass by the fountain, wishing pool, and large<br />Christmas tree on our way toward the entrance. A mixture of Christmas smells drift out<br />of the doorway: cinnamon, citrus, and pine, at least I think the smells are coming from<br />inside. Now that I think about it, Ash smells very similar to me.<br /> Inside the building are a series of decorated Christmas trees. Each one has a different<br />theme, although all of them are fun. I have never seen a bad one. A thought occurs to me,<br />“I didn’t get you a gift.”<br /> “You are my gift,” she says, staring at a tree with colorful origami decorations all<br />over it. “Not to mention, my one of a kind engagement ring. I’m pretty sure no one in the<br />world has one like it. If anyone needs to worry about a gift, it’s me, not you.”<br /> “You don’t need to get me anything, Ash.”<br /> “When are you going to go,” she says, catching me off guard.<br /> “Go?” I try to play off.</span><br />
<span> “To get Stana,” she says, finally looking at me again.<br /> “Not for a little while. I…”<br /> “No need to explain,” she says while leading me to a hallway on our right.<br /> “What’s over here?”<br /> “Contest wreaths.”<br /> Down the hallway, on both sides, Christmas wreaths of all kinds line the walls:<br />colorful ones, artistic ones, large ones, small ones, and some that don’t look like wreaths<br />at all. I’ve never noticed these before. I glance at a plaque next to one of the closest<br />wreaths. This one appears to be made out of recycled products. Ooh, this one was made<br />by a third grade class from a school I’ve never heard of. More than a few were made by<br />children. The more elaborate ones appear to have been made by professional artists or<br />clubs for adults. Hardly seems fair; adults competing with children. I read the plaque for<br />one of the funnier looking wreaths. A chill runs through my body, “Did we lose another<br />year?”<br /> “I’m afraid so, babe. Are you worried?”<br /> “Nah,” I resolve myself to enjoy this time with her. “This is the best Christmas ever!<br />Let’s take a picture out front.”<br /> “Okay,” she says cheerfully. “I like all these pictures. I think I want to start an album<br />or something. You know to keep all of our memories.”<br /> “I think that sounds awesome,” I say. I really do.<br /> We stand in front of the Mele Kalikimaka display and ask an elderly man to take our<br />picture. I’m amazed because he knows how to take the picture with my phone without<br />any hesitation. I don’t even know how to use my phone correctly. I thank him and hug<br />Ash. We stand hugging each other for a while, basking in the joy of the holiday season.</span></span></span></span>Kahu Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564336137419846454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-841084590549233968.post-26285879921148428632015-12-27T21:40:00.001-10:002015-12-27T21:40:24.524-10:00Be W.E.I.R.D.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdDC2mAoLk3ZfkeXnskhos0wrsauStWAr9oj2e-G36n7oL6LmBfuCJSM07rrY-zskunnCqFlIWebvG0sHXE15SPb6dCebrtc1LhATFt8wvFoS1YOXlhk-fpueEEGLd1XfuketeUlbmzUM/s1600/Be+WEIRD.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdDC2mAoLk3ZfkeXnskhos0wrsauStWAr9oj2e-G36n7oL6LmBfuCJSM07rrY-zskunnCqFlIWebvG0sHXE15SPb6dCebrtc1LhATFt8wvFoS1YOXlhk-fpueEEGLd1XfuketeUlbmzUM/s320/Be+WEIRD.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This week I want to take a minute to talk about something close to my heart. Be W.E.I.R.D. is an anti-bullying group I help put together here in Hawaii. We're just starting out. We don't even have a webpage up yet, but we do have a Facebook page (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/beweirdhi/">https://www.facebook.com/beweirdhi/</a>). If you still have a Facebook, please take a moment to give the page a like.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Be W.E.I.R.D. was started in response to a lack of support here in the islands. There are very few groups out here to tackle such a huge problem. To be honest, I never really thought much about bullying until I ran into one of my former students at a soccer game. In a million years, I would have never guessed she was a victim of bullying. She explained to me that she was bullied out of school and had to switch high schools.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The school she was at didn't really do anything. Like most of the schools here, they would rather ignore the issue than admit there's a problem. She sought out support, but didn't find any. The things she told me blew my mind. I could not believe that happened to here. I was also upset that no help was available to her when she needed it the most.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Thus,</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Be W.E.I.R.D. was formed. <span>Be W.E.I.R.D. is about being yourself and not judging others. We
encourage people to stand up to bullies. We mostly use the page to promote anti-bullying posts and as a place for kids being bullied </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span> and their parents </span></span>to message us. It's amazing how many kids have come to us. In just a few weeks time, we have talked with at least 20 young people, helped them in some way, and/or connected them with services that could help them tackle this problem. I don't know what the future holds for </span><span>our tiny group, but I'm hopeful we will be able to reach many more youth in 2016.</span></span>Kahu Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564336137419846454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-841084590549233968.post-39873192093208758082015-12-20T16:11:00.000-10:002015-12-20T16:11:36.398-10:00About The Soundtrack to Beyond Anything In All Creation<div 0in="" align="left" class="western" margin-bottom:="">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSj7VhYW3RDuIYbiH763gJadkmEggTqf1kK4SF7W1EaM_o-dRfmWAJxPcwwu8ypuvE0VUEomQvmQ41lVocpfMxxi-kVraJejYpT3pp6LMyPD0mFAUuJHy9ybuOpudTljc5gvzrzgmuA0I/s1600/BAIAC+Soundtrack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSj7VhYW3RDuIYbiH763gJadkmEggTqf1kK4SF7W1EaM_o-dRfmWAJxPcwwu8ypuvE0VUEomQvmQ41lVocpfMxxi-kVraJejYpT3pp6LMyPD0mFAUuJHy9ybuOpudTljc5gvzrzgmuA0I/s320/BAIAC+Soundtrack.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Aloha, friends! Creating soundtracks for books is still a new experience for
me. I created one for my first book, Beyond Heights and Depths, that was
received well by fans. However, I wanted to do something different
for this book. After many discussions, careful consideration, and a
huge amount of time on social media, we have put together a
soundtrack that I really enjoy. I hope you will too<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">!</span></span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This soundtrack has a little
something for everyone. We touch on a lot of genres. The songs fit
the story really well. Of course there are a few songs I absolutely
had to have on the soundtrack. Fortunately, everyone was in agreement
with me. I had to include the song “White Sandy Beach of Hawai’i”
by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole. I love this song. I used to have dreams
about scenes from this song. It was a no-brainer for me to put this
song on the list. Not to mention the fact that Braddah Iz was and is
one of the greatest entertainers to ever come from Hawaii.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span>
<br />
<div 0in="" align="left" class="western" margin-bottom:="">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I put the song by Red called
“Never Be The Same” in as a bonus track at the end. I want it to
be the last song people hear. I have often said that if this book
were ever made into a movie, I would absolutely have to have this
song in it. I always thought if I made a book trailer that this is
the song I would play with it. Unlike many of the other songs, this
is the song that I listened to the most when I was writing all three
books. I still listen to it now. One could say this song goes with
every part of each book because of the way it fits the characters and
story so well.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The complete soundtrack is
below. All of the songs are available on Spotify. Please take some
time to give them a listen. I hope you all enjoy the soundtrack! Feel
free to leave a comment. Tell me what you think, or tell me if you
think of another song should be on the list. Thank you so much <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and have a wonderful week</span>!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span id="goog_296744606"></span><span id="goog_296744607"></span></span>
<br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://embed.spotify.com/?uri=spotify%3Auser%3A1214939227%3Aplaylist%3A2nuIwBlNFEqfV5pp9X8Geg" width="300"></iframe>Kahu Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564336137419846454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-841084590549233968.post-72714181421081684822015-12-13T20:48:00.000-10:002015-12-13T20:48:21.702-10:00 Exclusive First Look: Artist Rendering of Ash by Charli Infante<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">This
week I am really excited to bring you something different from my
usual content. You get to be the first to see an artist rendering of
Ash. Ash is one of the main characters in <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="http://amzn.com/B00B5SKSOO" target="_blank">Beyond Heights and Depths Trilogy</a>. </span></span></span>The portrait was drawn by an incredibly talented young artist
named, </span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Charli
Infante (</span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><a href="http://sagisosonchi.deviantart.com/"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">sagisosonchi.deviantart.com</span></span></a></span></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">)</span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">.
Please take a moment to take a look at some of her work. She is an
amazing artist, who I am certain you will be hearing more about in
the near future.</span>
</span><br />
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;">Since the books were initially
released, fans have asked me who Ash is based on. I know who I based
her off of, but I prefer to keep that a mystery. Fans have also
expressed many opinions on who they think would be best to play Ash
in a film. This is interesting to me because of how different Ash
appears to many people. A few people in particular stand out because of how many times
their names have been mentioned: Shay Mitchell, Chloe Bennett, Nicole
Scherzinger, and Hawaii Weather Anchor Kanoe Gibson Nitta have been
mentioned the most.
</span><br />
<div align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Charli
is the first I know of to take what she knows about my books and draw
her own version Ash. The result is something special. I would have to say
that Charli’s version of Ash is the closest to the way I have
always envisioned. I was blown away when I first saw it, and I can’t
wait to share it with you!</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">So</span>,
without further ado, Ash by Charli Infante:</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Lknme6DOuleFs_rUM06TxWzsTUXlupgdICiTciL_uYH7xWlMGCouvOX34vBT4yUeNLTVsFB_2u575UFFMbnTR9f9xBzPm8yEj7xa8ftlD9QTmxZMmU4ByvOcBlaQsYn8uxIyToy7kFM/s1600/Ash+Final.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Lknme6DOuleFs_rUM06TxWzsTUXlupgdICiTciL_uYH7xWlMGCouvOX34vBT4yUeNLTVsFB_2u575UFFMbnTR9f9xBzPm8yEj7xa8ftlD9QTmxZMmU4ByvOcBlaQsYn8uxIyToy7kFM/s400/Ash+Final.png" width="380" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"> </span>
Kahu Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564336137419846454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-841084590549233968.post-54530604066154276532015-12-06T16:23:00.000-10:002015-12-06T16:23:11.851-10:00End of the World and Love Stories<div align="left" class="western">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"><span style="font-size: normal;">End of the world and love stories
make up some of the most compelling stories in existence. Both have
been told since the dawn of humanity. The variations of both make up
a sizable portion of popular books, television, and movies, yet there
is always room for more. People love these types of stories. It’s
not hard to see why.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"><span style="font-size: normal;">End of the world stories have
been handed down from generation-to-generation pretty much since
humans have walked the Earth. End of the world stories span across
multiple cultures and beliefs. At some point or another, I would say
everyone has heard at least one end of the world prediction or story.
Personally, I can recall three times when people said the world would
end, yet we are still here. In terms of mythical or scriptural
apocalypse, every generation since those words were written has
believed that they were living in the end times. This generation is
no different. I know many people who believe we are living in the end
of days. They believe the signs all point to the end, but every
generation has believed this to be true.</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"><span style="font-size: normal;">Whether we are or not, I do not
know. No one knows for sure if, when, or how the world will end. One
thing you will also notice in the stories that have been passed down
is that the end comes about in various ways; for instance, fire and
brimstone, hand of God, ice age, and world-ending asteroid collision
to name a few. In writing Beyond Anything In All Creation, I wanted
to present a possible end of the world that contained familiar
imagery but also give it my own spin. I set a lot of it in Hawaii
because I have never read or seen anything in movies or television
that depicted such events taking place in Hawaii. Moreover, I believe
another compelling aspect of these stories is triumph of the human
spirit. People want to believe that humanity will somehow continue to
exist. Heroes will rise up, and we shall overcome.</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"><span style="font-size: normal;">I think love stories are just as
compelling. They too have been handed down from
generation-to-generation. Love is the one language that knows no
limits and has no boundaries. Love stories reach beyond language,
culture, and pretty much every barrier. Some would argue that there
is no power greater than the power of love. Personally, I am inclined
to agree; love is quite powerful. However, that doesn’t mean there
won’t be obstacles along the way. I believe true love has to be
tested. Love has to overcome challenges and obstacles in order to be
true.</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western">
<span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"><span style="font-size: normal;">Throughout the Beyond Heights
and Depths Trilogy, Ash and Emmett have had to overcome all sorts of
challenges. They are soul-mates, but that is only the beginning of
their love story. I believe even soul-mates have their love tested.
True soul-mates remain together because their love is battle-tested
and proven to overcome. That is what makes their bond so strong. To
say they are in love just because they say so and have never really
faced anything of substance would be boring and naive. The greatest
love stories are those that have faced nearly insurmountable
challenges and have somehow remained together, not the ones that met,
fell in love, and that’s the end of the story.</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western">
<span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"><span style="font-size: normal;">Initially, I didn’t set out to
write an end of the world story. I started with a love story.
Eventually, the soul-mates had to face challenges. Then, it became a
challenge so big that the fate of the world hung in the balance. Is
there a greater challenge than that? Thus, I was given the chance to
add my own love story and end of the world story to the many stories
being told over and over again and passed down from
generation-to-generation, and that’s a pretty amazing thing.</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western">
<span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="western">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"><span style="font-size: normal;">Have a great week, everyone! </span></span>
</div>
Kahu Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564336137419846454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-841084590549233968.post-53056742332621233502015-06-28T21:13:00.000-10:002015-07-06T02:21:30.627-10:00New BHAD Cover by Artist Charli Infante<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This week I am really excited to bring you the new cover for <a href="http://amzn.com/B00B5SKSOO" target="_blank">Beyond Heights and Depths</a>, which is available everywhere eBooks are sold. The cover was designed by a very talented artist named, <a href="http://kailuacharli.weebly.com/" target="_blank">Charli Infante</a>. Her current website is still under construction, but there is a small gallery of some of her more recent works on the site. Please take a moment to take a look. You can also contact her through the site. She is an amazing artist, who I am certain you will be hearing more about in the near future.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u>Description:</u></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i>As I awaken in the dark warmth of this terrifying place, laid out on the
strangely uneven ground, I open my eyes to see the true horrors this
place was built upon…She is supposed to be near where I landed. If I
don’t reach her soon, we will be doomed to remain in eternal fire and
pain forever.</i><br />
<br />
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~<br />
<br />
Are soul mates real, or just a
fairy tale? What if you found your soul mate, but you had to fight your
way through heaven and hell to stay together. Could you sacrifice
everything, even your own soul, for the one you love?<br />
<br />
Emmett
Goode moves to a more affluent neighborhood with the hope of leaving his
troubled past behind, starting fresh at a new school, and more
importantly, reconnecting with his lost love, Ash, who is dealing some
personal demons of her own. A tragic accident brings them together;
unfortunately, before they can enjoy their new relationship they find
themselves at the center of a battle between good and evil that has
existed since the beginning of humanity, and forced on a harrowing
journey through this world and beyond to stay together. Their bond, and
the supernatural power it creates, could mean the difference between
saving the world, or its destruction.<br />
<br />
Is love enough to overcome seemingly impossible odds? </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: red;">Now, without further ado, the new cover for <b>Beyond Heights and Depths</b>:</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioInS6hhmrFi4nYnxjKo5D3uA4qa03B40hQLVqkwWR-0j0doJK2WyhDNVlBys_CKPWd3pjWHogV8xJxwpQtwlkG9WNKUHikcAX-XbtqZOyKqBtaEbY2bG8YH1euoVLNNC5pfXzKln4IW4/s1600/BHD.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black;"></span><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioInS6hhmrFi4nYnxjKo5D3uA4qa03B40hQLVqkwWR-0j0doJK2WyhDNVlBys_CKPWd3pjWHogV8xJxwpQtwlkG9WNKUHikcAX-XbtqZOyKqBtaEbY2bG8YH1euoVLNNC5pfXzKln4IW4/s400/BHD.png" width="250" /></a></div>
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</script>Kahu Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564336137419846454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-841084590549233968.post-19414597069982515092015-06-14T20:29:00.001-10:002015-06-28T20:49:33.120-10:00Of all my posts on music and the soundtrack for Beyond Heights and Depths<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrwIcMUWkZgxhXplpVFZ10PVGyQQmIp1-BC9B_KPm6_uSYTHTD_l-GKGeFK_P5a8v18GRAzsWe7GW4QrUkRvkMHIMPUSGyy98pguqv5CYs6stkC2DFztFCTFH3yEF3j42ml5PSjbXSmmA/s1600/Music+is+Influential+Meme.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrwIcMUWkZgxhXplpVFZ10PVGyQQmIp1-BC9B_KPm6_uSYTHTD_l-GKGeFK_P5a8v18GRAzsWe7GW4QrUkRvkMHIMPUSGyy98pguqv5CYs6stkC2DFztFCTFH3yEF3j42ml5PSjbXSmmA/s200/Music+is+Influential+Meme.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Music plays a huge part in my life, as I'm sure it does for many of you. I've done a few posts on music in this blog. I've talked about the power of music to help people through break-ups. I often talk about how music can be therapeutic. I feel like music can transport me to a time and place in my memories like nothing else can. Certain songs take me back to a specific time and place in my life. I mean, even Christmas music is a necessity for me to really get into the spirit of the season.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Thus, I'm kind of embarrassed to admit that it never occurred to me to make a playlist or soundtrack for any of my books. Someone asked me recently, "Did you have any songs in mind for certain parts of your books, or were you listening to specific songs or types of music?" The answer is: of course! I just never thought to put any of it out there for anyone to see. So, with this post, I am listing the soundtrack to accompany my first book, <a href="http://kahuchristian.blogspot.com/p/books.html" target="_blank">Beyond Heights and Depths</a>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">After a lot of thought and consideration, I feel these are the songs that best go with my first book. These are the songs I was listening to when I was writing. These are the songs I hear when I read it now. The complete soundtrack list is below and the music player is at the top of the page. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Have fun listening! </span>I hope you all enjoy the soundtrack!</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuDUjsTYeMowg4pjQRJDcGT2vmS0aNXufxvNfJ-1XQW08d22ASIv0MO0FiuxIRl9iGOdyr-1VGdreTEsFKkPbAy_iqbAxCGpmT3Ps7lVFGYQO5_e3_YjDfOQd4F8sZopZX3fe9HuMKKW0/s1600/BHAD+Soundtrack.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuDUjsTYeMowg4pjQRJDcGT2vmS0aNXufxvNfJ-1XQW08d22ASIv0MO0FiuxIRl9iGOdyr-1VGdreTEsFKkPbAy_iqbAxCGpmT3Ps7lVFGYQO5_e3_YjDfOQd4F8sZopZX3fe9HuMKKW0/s400/BHAD+Soundtrack.png" width="257" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><!-- SCM Music Player http://scmplayer.net -->
<script data-config="{'skin':'skins/cyber/skin.css','volume':50,'autoplay':false,'shuffle':false,'repeat':1,'placement':'top','showplaylist':false,'playlist':[{'title':'Sprung Monkey - He Aloha Mele','url':'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=am4uu4oVP4c'},{'title':'Linkin Park - Leave Out All The Rest','url':'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZIummTz9mM'},{'title':'Benny Goodman - Sing, Sing, Sing','url':'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2S1I_ien6A&index=8&list=PL7B8320874B6FC471'},{'title':'The Postal Service - Such Great Heights','url':'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXEq7WiINa4'},{'title':'Hozier - From Eden','url':'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APjVO-COYog'},{'title':'PM Dawn - I%27d Die Without You','url':'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_qWlPCEnGM'},{'title':'Metallica - Enter Sandman','url':'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY3LAFJbKyY'},{'title':'Robert Miles - Children','url':'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI7DferroGA'},{'title':'Al%27Tarba - Lullaby For Insomniacs','url':'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEu0R48PIMQ&list=PL21D9132DA042FD1A'},{'title':'Avenged Sevenfold - Nightmare','url':'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zci2ilhf4UE'},{'title':'Mos Def - I%27m Leaving','url':'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jwcGW_L8KA'},{'title':'Red - Never Be The Same','url':'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FznlTM5GfI'}]}" src="http://scmplayer.net/script.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<!-- SCM Music Player script end -->Kahu Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564336137419846454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-841084590549233968.post-70068061677720027312015-06-10T01:18:00.000-10:002015-06-10T01:21:38.721-10:00Beyond Heights and Depths Book Contest - Rafflecopter Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNCJBnf_RQ1UaS4EvKx-qeYLVbMH2MpzJpmwB2T8sTdzM5QIpTFXhIey5_h9BCDL5AuYICP5jpcwFav7_xu4K8yWboGmplzddKCsiCoj0ApZeEaW9TVBzh130Tl7HnemYq5jg5TkDTWmE/s1600/BHAD+Cover+Image+Grey+%2528Small%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNCJBnf_RQ1UaS4EvKx-qeYLVbMH2MpzJpmwB2T8sTdzM5QIpTFXhIey5_h9BCDL5AuYICP5jpcwFav7_xu4K8yWboGmplzddKCsiCoj0ApZeEaW9TVBzh130Tl7HnemYq5jg5TkDTWmE/s200/BHAD+Cover+Image+Grey+%2528Small%2529.jpg" width="124" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://amzn.com/B00B5SKSOO" target="_blank">Amazon Kindle Store</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beyond-heights-and-depths-christian-brown/1114512459?ean=2940044300477" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble Nook Store</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Beyond-Heights-and-Depths/book-pSbjxRrjXkqbeVfipVqRpw/page1.html?s=iBmZ6-dXgkW-zkwkaVx0dw&r=1" target="_blank">Kobo Books</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/beyond-heights-and-depths/id601186343?mt=11" target="_blank">iTunes</a></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Greetings Friends! I want to let you all know about this exciting contest. The grand prize is a $25 Amazon Gift Card. All you have to do is participate in the Beyond Heights and Depths Book Contest, follow the instructions, and enter for your chance to
win the Grand Prize! It's that simple. Best of luck to you!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="69bde1a41" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/69bde1a41/" id="rcwidget_o4k3cxhb" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">*Winner will be chosen through Rafflecopter. The winner will be contacted via email and have 3 days (72 hours) after email is sent
to claim the prize. If the prize is not claimed within the time frame of
72 hours, a new winner will be chosen. The new winner will have 3
days (72 hours) from the time of notification to claim the prize. The Beyond Heights and Depths Book Contest team reserves the right to end a giveaway
early without notice or prolong if it is deemed necessary. The Beyond Heights and Depths
Book Contest team reserves the right to disqualify any entry. Furthermore, </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The Beyond Heights and Depths
Book Contest</span></span> team is not responsible for lost or damaged
items. </span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">About Beyond Heights and Depths:</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As I awaken in the dark warmth of this terrifying place, laid out on the
strangely uneven ground, I open my eyes to see the true horrors this
place was built upon…She is supposed to be near where I landed. If I
don’t reach her soon, we will be doomed to remain in eternal fire and
pain forever.<br />
<br />
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~<br />
<br />
Are soul mates real, or just a
fairy tale? What if you found your soul mate, but you had to fight your
way through heaven and hell to stay together. Could you sacrifice
everything, even your own soul, for the one you love?<br />
<br />
Emmett
Goode moves to a more affluent neighborhood with the hope of leaving his
troubled past behind, starting fresh at a new school, and more
importantly, reconnecting with his lost love, Ash, who is dealing some
personal demons of her own. A tragic accident brings them together;
unfortunately, before they can enjoy their new relationship they find
themselves at the center of a battle between good and evil that has
existed since the beginning of humanity, and forced on a harrowing
journey through this world and beyond to stay together. Their bond, and
the supernatural power it creates, could mean the difference between
saving the world, or its destruction.<br />
<br />
Is love enough to overcome seemingly impossible odds?
</span></span> </span></span><script src="//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>Kahu Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564336137419846454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-841084590549233968.post-52792873576893001412015-06-07T22:59:00.001-10:002015-06-07T22:59:47.709-10:00Tomorrow is not guaranteed...<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This week has been interesting for me. I had the chance to catch up with a student I have not seen 6 years. I was also blessed to see her graduate from high school. All in all, things have been very good. However, there is one conversation I had recently with someone that has been on my mind.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Someone recently expressed to me how much it bothers them that they were not able to talk with a special someone before they passed. The person talked about how he always thought he had more time. He kept putting off talking with that person. He kept thinking there would be another day, and then there wasn't another day. Thus, this person is left with a kind of hurt in his heart that cannot be easily fixed.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This conversation struck a chord with me because I know this hurt well. There are more people I wish I had one more chance to talk to than I care to admit. I did the exact same things. I always felt like there would be another day, another time, another opportunity, but there isn't always another chance. There are people I see as clear as day in my mind the last day I ever saw and spoke to them. I remember thinking I should talk to him or her, and for whatever reason, I never did, and then I never got the chance again.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I wish I could say there is an easy way to fix this, but there isn't. The people I never got a chance to talk to once more weigh heavily on my mind quite often. I remember the good times, and I smile. But there are also times I see them in my mind and I wish more than anything in the world that I had just one more chance to speak to them again. Time goes on and the pain becomes more manageable, but it never completely goes away.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The best we can do is take the time to be with the people who are important to us now while we can. Tomorrow is not guaranteed. Sometimes there aren't second chances. Tell the people you love that you love them today. Have those conversations you've been meaning to have. Make those important memories. Do the things that you always wanted to, because you might not have a chance to tomorrow. Don't put off for tomorrow that which can be done today. Because once it is too late, there is nothing that can be done.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Anyway, this is what is weighing on my heart this evening. Thanks for reading. I think I will leave you with a song. Have a wonderful week everyone! Stay blessed!</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7ALnh3w32VE" width="560"></iframe>Kahu Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564336137419846454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-841084590549233968.post-76432660919785853642015-05-31T14:44:00.000-10:002015-06-01T00:02:40.162-10:00Stuff That Works<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> <span style="color: black;">Greetings Friends,</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;">I have many projects in the works, so I have not been blogging as much as I used to. I wanted to take the opportunity to share one of my recent works with you all this week. As many of you know, I have been working with youth and young adults for most of the last 10 years. I recently put together a book of my most successful activities into a 12-week course called, "</span></span><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3zkGMAXH0q8NHpZaUJSQWVrMzg/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Stuff That Works</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">." My goal was to put together a program that new youth workers could implement with a group of any size and without a huge a budget.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I still use the activities in my book, some as recently as a few weeks ago. I know they work, and they work across multiple denominations. Personally, I have used these activities with Catholics, Pentecostals, Methodists, Non-Denominational, and even Non-Christians. Now, I would like to share this others. I'm just not sure where to begin. I'm not even sure how much interest there is in something like this.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">So, I am making a sample copy available on this page. The sample copy contains an introduction and the first two activities. I am eager to hear what others think about this book. I hope it will reach people who could really use this curriculum. I'm trying to find out if there is a need for this, or if there is any interest at all. Please leave a comment or contact me. Let me know what you all think. The link to a pdf sample copy is in the title of the book above. I will also leave a second link below. Thank you! And have a wonderful week!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: purple;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3zkGMAXH0q8NHpZaUJSQWVrMzg/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Stuff That Works: A 12 Week Program to Get Youth Groups Started</span></a></span> </span>Kahu Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564336137419846454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-841084590549233968.post-39166560891039870622015-05-17T21:37:00.000-10:002015-05-17T21:37:07.758-10:00Chase your dreams, but don't chase everyone away<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Greetings, Friends! It's been a while - I know. I'm still out in the world chasing dreams and helping other people chase theirs. I still believe everyone can and should chase their dreams. However, lately I've been talking with a few folks that are going about this all wrong.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Let me be blunt here: Chasing your dreams should not come at the cost of the most important people in your life. If chasing your dreams comes at the cost of your spouse, your closest friends, or your children, you are doing it wrong. You may find some success this way, but you will never find true success. What you are doing is not chasing your dreams.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The people closest to you should want you to achieve your dreams. They should be supportive. They will want to celebrate with you when you do accomplish your dreams. People who love you want you to be successful. I completely believe this to be true. Let me be clear: The problem I am seeing in the folks who have been coming to speak to me about this is NOT people close to them discouraging them from chasing their dreams.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The problem is they are not chasing dreams, they are chasing money. Chasing money is not the same thing. Chasing money will never lead you to where you want to be. What good is it to gain the whole world but lose everything else in the process? I know many folks who believe money is the answer to all of their problems, but it is not. You will simply have different problems.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Do not be a money chaser. Money chasers often lose everything in their pursuit of money. In most cases, they will not see the error of their ways until it is too late. Moreover, money will not fix the problems you create if you abandon your spouse, children, or anyone close to you. Money cannot buy the happiness and sense of accomplishment that dream chasers experience.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Believe me, I know, I have been both in this lifetime. Living the dream feels a heck of a lot better than having money and nothing else. Chase your dreams, my friends. I wish you all the success in the world. But do not mistake chasing money for the same thing. Do not lose everyone closest to you, or even worse, lose yourself for the sake of making a few dollars. People are worth more than money. Making a difference means more than making a dollar. And no amount of money is worth your heart and soul.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Blessings to you all, my friends! And have a wonderful week! </span>Kahu Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564336137419846454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-841084590549233968.post-7717846466150057952015-04-12T21:04:00.001-10:002015-04-12T21:04:21.096-10:00My Current Project: Modern Chicken Skin Stories<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In Hawaii, we have a long tradition of storytelling. Stories of all types have been passed down from generation to generation in various forms. The hula is one of the most well-known forms by far. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Stories about history and culture are told to us from the time we are young children. </span>However, another tradition is the telling of "Chicken Skin" stories.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For those of you who have never heard this term, chicken skin stories refers to the telling of spooky stories. What many people call goosebumps, we call chicken skin. These are the stories that make you afraid to be alone in the dark. These are stories that make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. Chicken skin stories make your heart race. In simpler terms, these are the stories that scare the heck out of you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Here in Hawaii, we begin to hear these stories at a fairly young age. They are often told around campfires or on 4th grade Big Island trips. We all know our fair share of traditional stories. Nearly everyone who grew up in the islands knows a story or two about run-ins with obake (Japanese spirits), night marchers, the Goddess Pele, the Green Lady, Morgan's Corner, and various others. Personally, I can recite many stories I have heard since elementary school. I've been asked on a few occasions to tell some of these stories to school children around the state.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Yes; we all know these stories, and this is where my current project begins. I am in the process of collecting modern chicken skin stories. I am collecting stories that are more recent than the traditional stories. Many of the stories of my youth have an origin in the 50's, 60's, and especially the 70's. I am interested in hearing these newer stories and archiving them, so they can be passed down to future generations.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For years, I have known of many great storytellers in Hawaii that had been doing what I am currently doing. For whatever reason, there seems to be a gap right now. No one is writing these stories down, telling these stories, keeping these stories alive. Even sadder, many youth don't know these stories, and they don't show any interest anymore. It seems as though if it's not in movie form or on YouTube, young people don't have any interest in it. I hope to change that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I've been asked to tell these stories recently, and I want to keep this tradition alive. I know the old stories, I've had some personal experiences, and now I am collecting the newer stories from folks who have had their own experiences. I hope to put these down in writing in the future, but for now, I am just happy to tell these spooky stories to a new generation. So, wish me luck. If you have a story to share, please message me or leave a comment. I would love to hear from you! </span>Kahu Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564336137419846454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-841084590549233968.post-10700207371400272562015-04-05T14:52:00.002-10:002015-04-05T14:52:48.713-10:00An Easter Message<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Happy Easter, my friends! I just wanted to take a moment to talk about something that has been on my mind. On this day, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. He is indeed risen, and that is a very good reason to celebrate. He died and rose again, so that we could be free from sin and receive everlasting life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">One of the things you will not find in any of the gospels is: except. The gospel says that he died so that those who believe would be saved. Nowhere does it say who could not believe. When the church came together after his resurrection there was only one church. Men, women, and children of various races and backgrounds came together to learn and preach the gospel. In simple terms, there was unity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My prayer on this day is that there would be unity in the Body of Christ once again. As it stands, there is too much divisiveness. There is too much judgement. There is too much of us putting our own junk into the church and leaving too much of Jesus out. I believe unity is absolutely possible. I believe unity is possible between every denomination and every believer. In order to do so, we must be willing to love one another the way Jesus said. We must "love our neighbors as ourselves," and do so without any "excepts" or "buts."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">There cannot be an "us" or "them" mentality. There is no us or them; there is only us. We cannot say I will love everyone, and then throw in an except. There cannot be any exceptions. We are called to love the unloved. We are called to love the outcasts. We are called to love the lost. We are called to bring hope to the hopeless. We are not called to love those in our own inner circles and no one outside of it. That kind of close-minded thinking is destroying the Body of Christ.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Look, no one said it was going to be easy. We all live life through the filter of our own eyes and experiences, but in order for unity to truly exist, we have to move beyond that. I, myself, am still working on this. I'm nowhere near where I want to be, but I'm still working toward being the person God wants me to be. I'm a Pentecostal pastor, with a background as a Methodist, who works in a Catholic school. Believe me when I say, I believe unity is possible. Is unity within reach? Well, not quite yet, but I do believe it's possible.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">That is all for me, my friends. I hope you all are having an amazing Easter. Remember, God loves you all, no matter who you are or what your background is, and nothing can change that. If you are feeling down on this day, I pray that God would raise your spirits. You are a loved and blessed individual. I know what it is like to feel unloved, but know that God loves you through it all. No matter what. Blessings to you all, today and always! </span>Kahu Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564336137419846454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-841084590549233968.post-73916073274017658712015-03-15T20:50:00.000-10:002015-03-19T21:50:58.283-10:00With the highest of highs often comes the lowest of lows<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The last few weeks have been about the highs and lows of life for me. I had a successful week of sales during Read an E-book Week. My youngest got over the stomach flu. My oldest was getting ready for spring break. I'm not one to wait for the other shoe to drop - I believe that to be a bad habit that should be avoided, but I am willing to concede that with the highs of life often comes the lows.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It's been a bit of a roller coaster ride the last few days. I had the joy of participating in a fundraiser for my friend's mother, who is raising funds for a kidney transplant. She is an amazing woman, and I am glad that the funds are coming in for her. When I was growing up, she was like a mom to all of us troubled kids. I spent so much time at their house that people thought I lived there. I consider the whole family to be my own family, so it really was a joyous occasion to be a part of.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I also got to hang out with another dear friend for her son's birthday. She's actually my sister's friend, but she has been through so much crazy stuff with us that she is pretty much family. It was a pure joy to celebrate with her and her family. It also gave my kids a chance to play with other kids, which is always fun for them. For the most part, things have been nothing but up for us.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And then came the flip side of the coin. My wife's nana fell ill. As of this writing she is still with us, but she is being made comfortable for the next part of life's journey. It all happened so fast, it is still difficult to process. She is another amazing woman, so her loss is a tremendous blow to my wife and her family, and to me as well. I have nothing but fond memories of her. It is important to celebrate her life, but taking the time to mourn is also of great importance.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Life is crazy sometimes. You just never know what you are going to get. We take the highs with the lows, and that's okay to me. I think it is important for us to enjoy every good moment. Never take life for granted. None of us know how things will turn out. None of know when we will see the end. Really enjoy life. Savor every moment. Take the time to tell those important to you that you love them while you can. Anyway, these are my thoughts this week. Above all, I want you all to live, I mean really live! Have a wonderful week everyone! </span>
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