Pictures from the fall!

 Cal's new aquatic facility...WOW!

 Supporting Pepperdine goalkeeper Hanna Seabert

 Adrian Alabi and I at UCLA. Adrian went on our Spring Break trip to East Asia!

 Myself and Jake Arnitz from mens volleyball at the UCLA vs USC football game!

 the family after a Turkey Trot run on Thanksgiving day! what a fun day!

 getting some rest time in Northern California. thank you Sheik family for having me!

2 soccer guys: Erik and Michael - really thankful to be in both of their lives.

Just what I needed in Colombia

These past 4 days in Colombia was exactly what I needed. Surrounded by two men of integrity from the days of old in Charlotte NC I was able to get my focus on Jesus in a new way and do it in a brand new place. For me I looked forward to my time here because I wasn't just passing through but I was here to give life and share my heart with 2 guys are here pursuing dreams of playing professional soccer but who I know value the depth in me as a brother in Christ Jesus. 

 

I landed in Bogota this past week to a place prepared for me, and honestly it shocked me a bit. See this summer has been hard for me, really hard. I experienced some big disappointment and grief when a relationship ended. I needed to see God and his goodness continue because in hard times and life where the pain of loss is real, I doubt his good plans. Sorrow flooded my heart as that  relationship ended and has me wondering what was ahead for me. But when I arrived here to my friend Juan and his amazing mother who was departing back to the States that night I was welcomed in to God's amazing plans again. 

Seeing people around the world who love Jesus is powerful. It's a soul reviver. It's a ray of hope that brings life to darkness. I needed to see joy and I needed to get out of the routine of painful days in my past few weeks. This time in Colombia with my friends Juan Niño and Juan Guzman was a gift from Holy Spirit. It was a gift of comfort and care in to the soul. We ate incredible food, we talked about our dreams, we shared stories of triumph and disappointment, and even rode 4 wheelers!

 

(best guac evvvvver)

 

Seeing and experiencing a piece of life here in Colombia with these men was incredible. It was powerful to meet them in a season where they are pushing dreams that God has tattoed on their hearts since birth. Both of these cousins/friends were born in Bogota but raised mostly in America, have had a unique purpose to fulfill on this earth. Redemption is on them both as sons of God to impact the world of sport in a different way, one of life and faith.

 

We look back on this week and see breakthrough. We see joy, we see a new club situation for Juan Niño, we see new friends in Tunja for Guz, we just see Jesus saying I am still present with each of you. One day at a time the Father of Lights will reveal his kindness and faithfulness to us. He is writing a story way better than we could ever write for ourselves. 

Learning to value rest in the fast lane

 

One of the many lessons I have learned from living in two of our world's biggest cities (Johannesburg and Los Angeles) is the value of rest. In a transient world with unlimited technology and opportunities to connect we have to be intentional to step away from that and rest. Life is not meant to always be lived in the fast lane. 

Graham Cooke says it brilliantly:

"Rest is something that we receive, so we must be willing to allow rest to displace the opposite. I think that is where we partner with God. You can’t trust the Lord and be anxious, because those two things are incompatible.  They can’t exist in the same space at the same time; one of them has to go, and you get to choose!"

(from The Practice Of Rest)

Rest has come for me this week with my some of my family in Hilton Head, South Carolina. It has been great to step in to a week where I can look my family in the eyes and care about what's on their hearts and minds. It's pretty difficult to feel in step with them when I live thousands of miles away from most of them. But resting and spending time with them allows my mind to be renewed and me to feel more in step with them and most importantly the Lord. I leave all of my stress, my anxious thoughts, my heartache at the feet of Jesus and in turn receive love, acceptance, healing.

Each day I am waking up to connect with Jesus and take walks with him. This allows me to rest and step in to whatever He has for me that day. I want to be a son who is sharp and connected to his dad. My connectedness to Holy Spirit allows me to connect well with others and with this Olympics drawing closer it's vital I get away and have time to read, rest, reflect, and recharge. I am trusting God for a significant move of power and love to be displayed in Rio through the ministry of Jesus!!!

upcoming itinerary:

Monday - Wednesday: Miami 

August 3 : Tunja, Columbia 🇨🇴

August 8 : Brazil! 🇧🇷

DC - Amelia - Charlotte

Wow, DC you are on 🔥 . Although the temps here hit near 100 degrees daily I loved my time in this maxing city 

 

I had an incredibly sweet time with my sister Sarah-Wynne in Georgetown. She has a brilliant and creative mind and is such a hard worker and just gets stuff done in life! I am so proud of her!

 

a Nationals game! 

 

seeing my Dad, stepmom Clarkie, and my step brother Will and his wife Darcy and their little one Steele. What a gift it was to see them in DC!

From DC I headed to Fredericksburg and got to see my old college teammate John Michael Payette and his beautiful family. Wow, God has blessed the Payette family. It's amazing to see God working in the lives of my college teammates. 

I then got to see my friends Grant and Carrie Throckmorton in Richmond as they await their new baby any day! This Throckmorton family is amazing and they bless anyone that comes across their path!

 

amazing time with my grandma Dot! She is 89 and strong. I value her life so much. She inspires me to live well and fight for others around me to prosper.

 

 

what a day adventuring on the Catawba River with my great friend Amanda Naeher. She is one of the most authentic and real people I know! 

Living out west makes me cherish my times when I get to return to the East coast where I grew up. The scenery is so different but the friendships and family still pick right back up where they left off. There are more stops I could make when I come back east but I try to do things well and spend quality time with those that I get to see.  

My next post will be about family time in Hilton Head Island, a family vacation home for years!

East Coast swing begins

Team Eppes and friends! I want to do a better job of chronicling my journey over the next few weeks as I take a month away from Loa Angeles to travel and do some ministry.

Tonight's entry is from Washington DC. I arrived here tonight from Los Angeles and had a great time catching up with my sister and her boyfriend just after touch down. I am here to see family, connect with some supporters of Team Eppes, and eventually make my way down the coast to Miami as I will leave for the Columbia on August 3 and then to Rio for the Olympic Games on August 7.

Coming back in Virginia is always so sweet and I really appreciate summertime here. From lightning bugs to the greenery to a Nationals game tomorrow night I'm excited to see and reconnect to my familiar roots here. I love this city. DC is full of history and just rich with summer at the moment. I pray for DC tonight to feel the love of God and the greatness of its foundations.

a shot below of tonight's Buck Moon over the Jefferson Memorial