I have been thinking too much, A year ago I set out to spread a positive message to the streets using the medium of spraypaint. I thought I was was the first to think of spreading the gospel ths way, I thought I was a pioneer, I thought it would never take off, I thought it was a dream, I thought I'd never have the courage, but I found this site called Gospel Graffiti. It was a group of hyper talented individuals who were all doing what I was currently dreaming of doing. They were my heroes, they were what I wanted to be but, I didn't have the experience or talent or fortitude to be. I copied them, I followed in thier footsteps, I knew it could be done so I went out and did it just like they were doing. I met up with some resistance, despair, and I thought "I don't belong in this world, they (GG crew) belong in this world, I'm just a wannabe and everybody knows it, who am I kidding? If I was a member of a crew like that I would have respect...". And for a while I toyed with the fantasy of joining the crew. But, I thought about it and I discovered that all my initial motives were based on the sins of prestige, pride and desires for acceptance from peers. I said to myself "forget that, I don't wanna be like that, I won't join the crew if they ask me (not that they would) 'cuz I want my life and work to be honest and humble". That's how it was until I went to California. I went there with the intention to just learn a thing or two and hone my skills. But when I got there and hung out with the guys from the crew they were all so nice, so encourageing, eager to pray for each other and help each other out. That's when I found out what being in a crew was really about. It's about family, it's about love and for the Gospel Graffiti Crew it's about church. I saw the family and felt like an adopted son that week and I wanted a piece of that love. I got annother email from Fasm tonight...
"hey man, welcome to the crew! hey can you email me with a pic of you and an email address that you want your battle36@ggcrew.com email to go to.and then when you get a chance write up a testimony and email it to me in text. we are glad to have you in!-fasm"
some of the other guys in the crew said...
"I'm down for him; dude improved really quickly and definitely has a heart for the Lord." - J1
"Hes good to go in my books"- Dyle
"I think he would be a great add"-Threat
"battle would be a great add"-Sacks
"right on write on. graffiti es por vida homie! love it and live it for Christ battle"-Cammer
Friday, October 27, 2006
Sunday, October 22, 2006
GG questions
I've been talking with Fasm the leader or Gospel Graffiti Crew about becomeing a member of the crew over the last few months. I Recieved an Email from Fasm the other day with a bunch of questions. I just thought I'd show you my answers (in italics).
can you answer these questions please!
Yes
Who is God?
The creator of everything, omnipowerful, omnipresent, all seeing, everloving, righteous, begining and end, alpha omega, my provider.
Why are you on this planet?
To serve God and convince others to do the same.
What is Salvation?
Salvation is being made right through faith and accepting freedom from sins through Jesus God's son.
What dose it mean to "Give your life to God"?
Allow him to dictate every intention and will giving him authority in your life to do whatever he want's, not keeping any decitions out of his jurisdiction but giving him complete control everything from finances to friends.
Are you called to ministry?
Yes.
If so, what ministry are you involved in?
I currently work at a group home with children where I look after them and ensure they grow up to be fine men and women of God. I spraypaint biblical messages in public places.
When did you start painting?
Late October 2005
Why do you paint graffiti?
I write graffiti because God has given me a talent of art and I believe when God gives you something that can be used for him you should use it for him to praise him, to encourage believers, and show people a way to have a relationship with God. I chose the medium of graffiti because I've always had this talent but until I discovered Graffiti I always found art boring, distant, and of little impact on society. Graffiti allows me to send the messages of God to the mass public without being distant from the streets, the hudlums and homeless, people who need to hear what I'm saying, people who know they need God but don't know where to start. Art in a gallery is for one individual to own and to take it away and hide it from society in thier den or private study never to be seen again and to me it's depressing.
Do you paint illegally (anything you don't have permission to do)?
No
Your Location?
Southwestern Ontario Canada
What is your favorite Bible verse and how dose it relate to your personal testimony?
John 10:10 the devil comes only to steal kill and destroy I have come that you may have life and have it to the full. I always knew God was real and that he existed. When I was 12 I started drinking, I stole alcohol, I smoked, I made out with my friends girlfriend, and started hanging around dealers, and all the while I knew what was right but said to myself the bible doesn't REALLY say in peticular "thou shalt not make out with thine friends gal" and it doesn't say I can't drink it just says don't get drunk (but everytime I drank I got drunk). And on one such night of drinking when I was 16-17 I got alcohol poisening I threw up all over my clothes and was crawling around in my underwear in the back of the store that I worked in untill I threw up on my gitch too and finally passed out in a sleeping bag. When I woke up the next morning I was next to annother guy and for a second I couldn't remember how I got there all I remembered at the time was that I was naked in a sleeping bag with annother guy and first thing in the morning it really freaked me out. Ten minutes later I remembered that nothing had happened and that I had gotten off lucky this time. I looked back on all my alcoholism and realized that nothing good had ever come from it and that my life was all screwed up because of it. I realized then that the rules in bible aren't there to ruin my fun but are there to help me have the most fun. Have life and have it to the full. I never drank again and restored alot of relationships I had lost including my one with God.
can you answer these questions please!
Yes
Who is God?
The creator of everything, omnipowerful, omnipresent, all seeing, everloving, righteous, begining and end, alpha omega, my provider.
Why are you on this planet?
To serve God and convince others to do the same.
What is Salvation?
Salvation is being made right through faith and accepting freedom from sins through Jesus God's son.
What dose it mean to "Give your life to God"?
Allow him to dictate every intention and will giving him authority in your life to do whatever he want's, not keeping any decitions out of his jurisdiction but giving him complete control everything from finances to friends.
Are you called to ministry?
Yes.
If so, what ministry are you involved in?
I currently work at a group home with children where I look after them and ensure they grow up to be fine men and women of God. I spraypaint biblical messages in public places.
When did you start painting?
Late October 2005
Why do you paint graffiti?
I write graffiti because God has given me a talent of art and I believe when God gives you something that can be used for him you should use it for him to praise him, to encourage believers, and show people a way to have a relationship with God. I chose the medium of graffiti because I've always had this talent but until I discovered Graffiti I always found art boring, distant, and of little impact on society. Graffiti allows me to send the messages of God to the mass public without being distant from the streets, the hudlums and homeless, people who need to hear what I'm saying, people who know they need God but don't know where to start. Art in a gallery is for one individual to own and to take it away and hide it from society in thier den or private study never to be seen again and to me it's depressing.
Do you paint illegally (anything you don't have permission to do)?
No
Your Location?
Southwestern Ontario Canada
What is your favorite Bible verse and how dose it relate to your personal testimony?
John 10:10 the devil comes only to steal kill and destroy I have come that you may have life and have it to the full. I always knew God was real and that he existed. When I was 12 I started drinking, I stole alcohol, I smoked, I made out with my friends girlfriend, and started hanging around dealers, and all the while I knew what was right but said to myself the bible doesn't REALLY say in peticular "thou shalt not make out with thine friends gal" and it doesn't say I can't drink it just says don't get drunk (but everytime I drank I got drunk). And on one such night of drinking when I was 16-17 I got alcohol poisening I threw up all over my clothes and was crawling around in my underwear in the back of the store that I worked in untill I threw up on my gitch too and finally passed out in a sleeping bag. When I woke up the next morning I was next to annother guy and for a second I couldn't remember how I got there all I remembered at the time was that I was naked in a sleeping bag with annother guy and first thing in the morning it really freaked me out. Ten minutes later I remembered that nothing had happened and that I had gotten off lucky this time. I looked back on all my alcoholism and realized that nothing good had ever come from it and that my life was all screwed up because of it. I realized then that the rules in bible aren't there to ruin my fun but are there to help me have the most fun. Have life and have it to the full. I never drank again and restored alot of relationships I had lost including my one with God.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Monday, October 16, 2006
anti-bombing or buffing
Well I was playing basketball with a kid I look after at the local park and we noticed how someone had graffitied on the wall near by and scince it was kinda ugly, at a childrens park, and I had some extra white paint I decided to do a public service. (Before picture to the upper left) I've done this kinda thing before but I usually reserve my buffing for satanic, or offensive graffiti. Pentagrams nazi sybols and other junk like that.
But anyhoo I handed off the can to my young protege and proceeded to teach him some of the basics of can control while cleaning up the park he plays at. I know this peticular action of buffing is not condoned by the graffiti comunity but in my defence it was just some punk kid with no style who wrote "crazy man".
I don't know about my buffing or anti-bombing. I don't think I'm doing anything wrong but when your at a wall without technical permission with a can in your hand it looks kinda bad so I have this tendancy to watch my back and look around. "Avoiding the appearance of evil" comes to mind. Is what I'm doing wrong? Is it wrong to upset satanic racist kids with spaypaint? Should I just leave it alone? Is spraypainting anything without permission wrong even if it's probibly what the owner/city wants? What do you guys think?
I think I won't do anymore anti-bombing until I get an answer that I can sleep tight with. - goodnight
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Piece #19
"The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears." Psalm 18:4-6
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Piece #18
"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other." John 15:9-17
Sunday, October 08, 2006
A day at Circle Square
I went back to Circle Square Ranch in Brantford and re-painted some of the ramps I did from last year. I did these five in a day so some of them are kinda rushed.
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