Software-

Adobe Photoshop Elements- I use this to do all my own logo work/ graphic work. I picked up the older version off ebay at a bargain bin price still sealed in the box

Koyote Free FLV Converter- I just found this. It is for downloading videos off of sites like youtube and will save it to you computer. It is a free download from the Koyote website.

E-sword- This is a free bible study software complete with concordance dictionary several commentaries and multiple versions of the Bible available for free add on. It also offers certain material add-on’s for a small fee. Available for download via the E-sword website

Open Office- For those of us who cannot afford to purchase Microsoft Office Open office is a great alternative. It offers a document writer, spreadsheet, database and presentation software. There is no publisher which is a downside but it is all free available for download from the Open Office website

Google Chrome- I love this browser!! Simple clean and functional free from google

Websites-

First the obvious ones

Google.com- You can seriously find ANYTHING on Google. Just type it in it isn’t that hard. Some of you may think this is silly for me to list this but you have know idea how many people say that they cannot find or do something I can google it and have what I need in mere minutes. whether it be a brush for Photoshop or a manual for a piece of equipment laying around I can usually find it.

Youtube.com- As with Google, you can find almost anything on YouTube. I get videos for worship and for sermons as well as silly video that I use in all in our Youth service on Wednesday nights

Facebook.com- This is the numer one communication tool I have. I have more facebook contacts in my church than I have email addresses. If I need to get the word out I use facebook. If you aren’t using it then…. well you need to.

Now for some lesser known

Savevid.com- If you are antsy about downloading freeware to your computer this is a great online option.  Here is the main reason I use it. I don’t always have internet when I am teaching/speaking somewhere and if I want to have a video I am going to need it on my hard drive. This has been one of my most valuable resources keepvid.com is similar but has more downtimes.

Deviantart.com- Once you have Photoshop then you need some “brushes” to make the graphics you want. This is where I find all of mine. I may not always find exactly what I am looking for but I usually find something suitable. Brusheezy.com is a good site as well

Pastor2youth.com- This site is amazing and I use it all the time. If you need a lesson or a game or even a release form this is the place to go. It literally has THOUSANDS of resources available for FREE. It has saved my butt many a time at the last minute

Bestofyoutube.com- When I really want a funny YouTube video this is where I turn. It breaks things down out of the vastness of the YouTube realm and gives me a slimmer set of options when I don’t have time to  muddle through countless videos trying to find one suitable for our service

Well those are my picks and I am sure there are some I have forgotten but hopefully those will help you out.

It has only been a short year and there have already been two miracles in our family through Facebook that I would like to share. The first happen in the closing days of 2009 and into the new year.  My wife had long known that she had a sister from her father’s previous marriage.  She knew her name and where she lived and where she went to school. What she did not know was how to contact her or how to make that initial contact. If you think about it, that is an incredibly awkward situation. Questions arise inside your mind and you stress on how you will be received. It must be an frightening experience. Well a few days before New Years my wife decided to do a search on FB for her sister and she found her.  Through a number of messages they arranged a time to meet and will do that very soon. It is an amazing time for my wife and saying that she is excited is not an adequate expression of her feelings.

The next miracle that FB as but an integral part of is in my family.  At the age of thirteen I lost my older brother to an untimely death. He was only 28 years old when he passed and left behind a beautiful family including a 2 year old son. That family lost contact with us over the years and we did not know where they were.  For several years now we had searched in vain trying to find them. We found my nephew’s mother’s obituary on the internet a couple of years ago but still could not locate the kids. This week my mother called and asked me to search him on facebook using his whole last name. I did and there was one person on all of facebook with that one name. It was him!!!  I add him as a friend worried that I might freak him out. Apparently as I did that my dad messaged him as well. I was worried that he might react negatively to us but he reached back and I got to chat on FB with him for almost two hours Tuesday night.

I have a whole new love for facebook now. Most importantly I have a greater appreciation for God’s grace to think that this was just a coincidence is foolish only God could orchestrate two such encounters in 3 short weeks. I look forward to the coming weeks and months as I get an opportunity to talk and get to know the family that God has given back to us after so long.