Mario Zie 張志榮

When I was a child, I was fearless and bold; I was capable and on fire.  I was an explorer, an artist, an inventor and a builder.  I was a photographer, a filmmaker, and a puppeteer.  I was a preacher, a healer, a prophet, and a warrior.  I was a part time masked hero, cowboy and a captain.  I was a prince who inherited a kingdom, looking for a princess to share it with.  I was a dragon-slayer rescuing many villages. I was a fireman taming numerous fires.  I was a cop liberating the streets from thieves.

… and 30some years later, I’ve realized that I’ve been resigning and retiring from all my established careers and positions in order to fit in this tiny little world.  No wonder it was so hard to listen and so hard to please… I was just too big for that.

And now that I know what I’ve done to myself, I’m on a journey to grow myself back up to reclaim my throne that was given to me.  

And on my way I’m encountering Dragons and Fires, Villains and Thieves like before, but they’re more fierce and cunning than ever.  The scariest part of all is that their faces all resemble mine.

Nothing is original.  (Ecclesiastes)

Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fules your imagination.

Devour old films, new films, music, books, painting, photographs, poems, dreams random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows.

Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul.

If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic.

Authenticity is invaluable; originality is non-existent.

And don’t bother concealing your thievery -celebrate it if you feel like it.

Someone said:
“IT’S NOT WHERE YOU TAKE THINGS FROM - IT’S WHERE YOU TAKE THEM TO.”

-even this quote was stolen- hahaha

At IMPACT today… when we kneeled and unloaded our baggage of worries and fears in front of GOD… He didn’t say “Don’t Worry” or “Fear Not”…   He just simply said: “I LOVE YOU”

I’m an artist and I loooove media.  I looove cool performances and presentations that move me.  I love it, if during worship, with not much effort on my side I’m being moved not only by the lyrics, but by a certain feeling.  I get goosebumps by a certain type of tune and lights and images on the screen.  Atmosphere!

I’ve heard people say: “It’s just HYPE!” and as soon as I heard that, I felt a little bit stupid and used.  I felt weak… How can they control my feelings and emotion that easily… 

So, for about a year I decided to track and sort of investigate my feelings and emotions. For a while I wished I could conduct some kind of worship experiment… until I realized that HYPE shouldn’t be taken so negatively.

No matter how well a worship is, and how emotionally engineered it is… If one is not willing to accept it… it won’t work. I realized that I’m letting myself being HYPED up because I want to… because the lyrics speak the truth, the music accompanies truth, and the images and lights… all that represents joy.  As soon as I set foot into worship, I “choose” to let the so called HYPE take over me, because I trust God that he will speak to me and that he will move me…

If you work behind the scene long enough, you will see all types of worship bands in all kind of settings and styles.  Weather there are extravagant lighting and special effects or just a guy with a guitar…  It really doesn’t matter… you can’t control that so called “HYPE”.  Even to bad music and off voices hahahaha.

For a guy who prefers genuine feelings and a unplugged setting, because it’s sense of purity… as soon as he closes his eyes and worships… that’s HYPE.   For a guy who loves big concert halls and moving images synced up to the music by an awesome band… that’s the same HYPE.

So please don’t say: It’s just WORSHIP HYPE… especially you who likes to emphasize on genuine things.  Genuine settings are engineered as well.  

To me the purest worship is when it just happens out of nowhere and when without a plan the spirit moves us into worship.  Now, that’s some good HYPE! hahaha

Personally, my absolute best time of worship comes when I’m editing a music video where the lyrics convict me and the pictures move me, while I get to praise God with my profession.  Especially when I’m editing a video where I see not only the band but also the audience.  People falling on their knees.  People trying to express this overwhelming joy.  It’s awesome and I forget to swallow at times.

God gave us more than one senses and to me it’s just plainly logical that if we have the means to it, we should use “all” that we can to elevate our worship. It’s not just ok to use Lights, Smoke and Lasers, Dancers and DJs… It’s awesome!   Those things have been taken over by the world and we need to reclaim it and not shy away from it.  Besides, isn’t it awesome if the special effects guy is able to use his skills to worship with the dancers and the DJ.  Wouldn’t it be awesome if the lead singer is being backed up by a spirit filled rapper…?!

and don’t say: “It’s just WORSHIP HYPE!”

The more I spend time with spirituality, the more is been revealed to me that our spiritual being, our spirituality, it’s potential, and ability is not really supernatural.  I believe it’s actually natural.  I think we don’t recognize and embrace our spirituality enough… and limit our potential by putting it up on a pedestal, and labeling it “supernatural”, making it more alien and seemingly harder to access.  It creates a sort of unnecessary mystery and fear.

A human being is made up of three things:  1. Physical Body  2. Mind  3. Spirit and without one of ‘em we ain’t human… are you a supernatural being?  No.  It’s all natural.   And like our physical body and our mind we can use it for Good or for Bad; it’s the same with our Spirit.  

Because the Spirit is a natural part of our being, just the spiritual ability by itself without any motives but just for the sake of the ability, is neither Good or Bad, or from a christian point of view, demonic, until we choose to use it the way how we want to.  To a believer, once decided, it creates a spiritual gateway between God or evil.  God works through us by enforcing our spirituality with the Holy Spirit and evil is being manifested if evil is let in.

Personally, I don’t like when we call someone demonic and shy away if a non-believer has a gift of discernment, is able to spiritually connect and such. It’s actually a natural part of a human being.  In this time and age though, spirituality makes us more vulnerable because the world made it into like a novelty item, inviting more fear and darkness.

Spirituality is a gift like all the other element and is equally important as our body and mind.  By bringing down our spirituality, I’m not saying that we should take spirituality lightly but we should treat our body , mind, and our spirit equally.  There are no levels but the ones we made up.

Whether you are a believer or not, first of all we should reclaim our spirit that the world has taken further away,  so that all the elements that make up “us” will be harmonious. Honoring not only God, but everyone else around us with our physical strength, with our thoughts, “and” with our spirit.  We’ll grow to embrace it, experience it, and to trust it.

On one hand, I’d like to study more thoroughly about spirituality but on the other hand I feel convicted that I should let my little spirituality I have, embrace me rather than me forcing to embrace it.  As a believer that means for me to open my spiritual door so that God’s spirit embraces me.

I know that some of the things I’m writing might be miss-understood but I’ve been told by friends and spiritual leaders that I should “trust and share” more about the way I see things… because God doesn’t put these thoughts without a reason. The people we met, the conversations we have … all those things have some kind of reason…sometimes it’s just fun and other times it’s deeper. 

I got your ATTENTION!

Today in my dream between 5-7am I was vividly able to control my actions, exercising my evil desires.  In my dream my morality and honor was secondary and the thought of “It’s a dream!” was the highlight.  I didn’t feel bad but the excitement in my dream wasn’t as good as I thought it would either… but kept at it in hopes for the ultimate satisfaction… It didn’t come that far and I had a feeling as if I tried too hard.

I feel ashamed that with absolute power In my own world, I would do such things.  I’d be a horrible emperor. 

There is something dark and most evil in me…a seed somewhere hidden in my heart.  i don’t know how I’m gonna take care of it… a lot of prayer.  

I wont take dreams lightly.

It might be bit daring, but I’m gonna say it…cuz I really feel convicted to do so…
It’s been placed in my heart for quite some time:  Couple’s Counseling, and I don’t mean the good old Adult Couple’s Counseling but for the YOUNG.  I think, too often we just disproof of kids coming together.  ”Don’t date until you graduate High School”  then ” Don’t date until you graduate College”  … even all the way to “Don’t date until you have secured your career…”   and not much further is been told.

I think that if kids come together they should have a place where they come and talk to some kind of counselor so-that they may be directed to a “RIGHT” couple-hood. One that is honoring to God.  If there is a breakup it will be not only sad but also encouraging.  There will be a good closure.  And if there is conviction that it’s a honoring relationship then it will be further nurtured and cultivated.  A God centered relationship will be encouraged from early on.

I’m not saying it’s a perfect solution to teen-relationships but It will help.

… there will be more… 

One thing I love about working with small companies is that you get opportunities to do all kinds of stuff.  -and if you worked long enough with a particular company you just chose to do all kinds of stuff without someone telling you so…
So for the following weeks I’ve created a new department for myself:  R&D  (research and development)  I’m an artist…but I always liked LEGOs hahahaha

The company I help out is specialized in a specific LED product which used the physics of light emitted by LED lights. I feel convicted to do some reverse engineering on some of our current and older products… and even on one of our competitor’s product.

My goal is to end up with a better product. 
-less elements=so we save on manufacturing & material cost
-that also means it’s going to be lighter in weight=so we save money on shipping
-efficiency for easy installation=so it’s more convenient and more inviting to the consumer
-and of course the look and feel=to give the consumer a peace of mind that they purchased a good product

I might not be successful but it’s sure gonn’ be exciting!