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Visit blog - completed 1/23/08

After not blogging frequently over on Xanga, and not announcing I actually had a blog for five years, I was thrilled to get my new blog up and running! I can now host my own sites (and host yours for you), so that might moving over to WordPress much easier. Within the first week the ad spots were filling up and I actually blogged frequently.

Some people don't see the need to have a blog, but I have seen so many friendships built through them that I know that's not true. This step excites me for a few reasons, most importantly because I can now provide this kind of a service to others desiring their own blog on their own domain name. I also found out that I was going to quickly be creating three other blogs within the week after converting mine! You'll see those in the list above this.

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Visit website - completed 12/16/08

It was a pleasure creating this new site (built entirely in Flash) for Joe Donahue. Joe is an evangelist for today's hurting generation, based in Atlanta, GA. The life that Joe has lived is a very clear testimony for youth to relate to, and it was awesome to incorporate his life into each page of the site. Joe also leads the youth ministry (141) at First Redeemer Church in Cumming, GA. Joe and I are now starting to discuss partnering together for a re-design of that ministry's current site, found at www.141.org, early next year. Thanks Joe, for being transparent and for having the desire to speak into the lives of youth today!

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Visit website - completed 9/14/08

Joel Penton (learn more about him here) approached me about joining his team and helping promote this large outreach here in Columbus, OH that will take place at St. John Arena on October 27th at 7pm. This event has been a dream of his ever since he was a defensive lineman on the 2002 national championship football team at Ohio State. Coach Jim Tressel wrote about the discussions he and Joel had starting on page 106 in his new book, The Winner's Manual. The first event took place in 2002, with well over 13,000 in attendance. 

My task was to improve the promotional material for the event. This included a photo shoot with Coach Tressel and three OSU football players on his team (James Laurinaitis, Marcus Freeman and Malcolm Jenkins). I was also responsible for creating the items you see to the left (website, posters, fliers and door hangers, and the logo). I tried to let Coach Tressel wear my VT Hokies hat for the photo shoot but he turned it down! I can understand why, I guess. It's an honor to work with all of these guys and see them really taking a public stand for their faith in Christ.

I really admire Joel and how he has followed the Lord by continuing this year with a second event. We had many chats and went through a few re-designs in order to have the school approve the materials. Seeing 60+ churches and ministries financially and spiritually partner with Joel and the team to pull the event off is just amazing. It's humbling to see 200,000 of these promo pieces placed into the hands of those ministries, in an effort to reach many here in Ohio. If you're near Columbus come out and join us at St. John Arena on October 27th! If you can't make it, please pray that God continues to work through the hearts of these great people!

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Visit website - completed 8/29/08

This was the first site I have developed that was focused on providing news stories to their audience. It was created for the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches, an audience of church staff members and those who attend church within the denomination across the world. I was able to add a photo slide feature to the front page that resembles those you might have seen on much larger news sites, which links to some of the top stories or items on the site. The website is also pulling in headlines from this ministry's external blog. The same staff that controls the BMHBooks.com website is also maintaining this site. I feel good about the design and functionality of the site, and believe that this project brought some challenges with it that I can now more easily provide going forward.