World Changers – Day Off (kinda)

Today was almost two days in one!  We got up as usual and went to work and did our best to finish some of the projects that we started.  A couple of crews will start new projects tomorrow in hopes that we can improve the quality of life for more people.  Today I joined Michael, Andrew, Taylor, and Clint.  It was fun to be around the guys and get some work done!  Michael has been doing an awesome job as crew chief and the ‘Three Amigos’ as I have dubbed them having been doing good as well.  Their combined efforts with the other World Changers have Ms. Jackie’s house looking great.  And seeing the looks of excitement on her face…worth every drop of sweat!

After finishing up we headed for New Orleans!  It was a great trip in and sort of a mini-homecoming for me!  It was great to be back in NOLA, but it just made me miss my home all the more!  We treated the students to Bubba Gump Shrimp Co, and that certainly didn’t disappoint!  Now the price of parking…different story!  It was a blast to be in the Quarter and seeing the sights again!  After eating dinner, we headed to do some souvenir shopping only to find out that 90% of the shops had closed while we were at dinner.  It was all good.  Cafe Du Monde was a tasty alternative.

Today marks the halfway point of our week.  I can say that I have thoroughly enjoyed being with this group.  I wish more could have come with us certainly, but I cannot complain.  They have done great.  Please continue to pray for our safety as we work and for the jobs to get completed.  Also tomorrow night we will begin a challenge for the students to pray and consider being involved in missions as they exit high school and while they are in college (summer missionaries, long-term missionaries, servants in their own community).  Be praying for God to speak through me and Grayson, our worship leader.  I have enjoyed being a part of the worship team.  We have partnered together and God has shown Himself to us via worship…it’s been really sweet!  Four incredible nights of worship and I look forward to a couple more!

Love you guys!  Thanks again for all of the prayers and support!

World Changers – Day Quatre

What a day.  I was nervous about today.  With people being tired I was unsure of how the students would respond to today’s workload.  They did SUPERB!  I visited many sites today seeing students push themselves to get the job done.  I even had a ‘paint’ fight with Rebekah Scott.  Let’s just say I got the worst end of the deal!

All in all, you should be proud of our students.  Reports from the Crew Chiefs were that the students did even better than the day before.  More work was done and some houses should be finished tomorrow!  I know that one of the Coordinators has lined Bill, Katy and their crew to do another house by week’s end!  Others will finish painting one house and start another!  I will keep you posted on how many homes we are able to improve the quality of life for!  Right now…looks like the number might be in the upper 2o’s for all of the World Changer crews!  That is amazing!

Worship was RICH…what else can I say.  This was a night where there was tons of worship and reflection.  From the outset students where instructed to remove their shoes, for they stood on Holy Ground!  They came in praying, they left forever changed!  Many students were crying, praying, worshiping, and getting right with God.  As we moved into the night, many of our own students released themselves to talk with God…and God showed up!

One of the coolest moments for me was walking on stage and helping students see how easy it was for God to release them of their sin, situations, addictions, worries…even fears.  The night before we asked them to write down things that were keeping them from God.  Those responses we placed on the cross.  Then tonight, one by one, we pulled them down and tore them in front of the students…showing them that God had freed them from those things!  It was powerful.

‘Thank you’ must go out to all of you that prayed and meditated tonight as we went to worship.  I received emails saying that you were praying and that made my night!  We still have a few worship times left, so God has plenty of time to show us more!  I have confidence…that will be the case!

Pray tomorrow for our energy!  We need to get these jobs done!  Some of the jobs are almost finished, but some are going to take some extra time!  I pray that God gives us the energy and the determination to see all of the houses fixed and left in better condition!  Pray also for our traveling safety.  We are going to venture into New Orleans and I know for many this will be an awesome time seeing the sights!

Until tomorrow!

World Changers – Day Tres!

The first day of work is in the books.  There was a great deal of excitement and a great deal of anxiety.  From the word ‘go’ the kids hopped into the vans and headed to the job sites.  I enjoyed traveling to many sites and seeing our students in action.  When I showed up they were working hard and figuring out what all they needed to be doing.

Today was sensational, but I know that every day will present new challenges (and this day certainly had it’s own), but I know that each student will rise up and take on anything!  So many of the students challenged themselves to try new things like painting, taking of shingles, and even PATIENTLY waiting for instructions.

Again, all of them ate like KINGS and QUEENS at lunch!  These churches are serving amazing lunches and keeping the crews refreshed and energized!  One of our crews enjoyed some brisket…which is funny, I wasn’t called or invited!  Hmmm.  I am going to have to see about this!

On a different note, tonight’s worship was something SWEET.  We challenged the students to take whatever is keeping them from deepening their relationship in Christ and to get rid of it.  You probably know that in this world, so many of our students live life feeling unworthy.  But God calls us into a relationship especially when we are unworthy…that is His grace.  When our reflection time came at the end of the service, I looked up and saw many students coming forward in tears, some with fear in their eyes, and some even in celebration…because they all knew that this was their chance to get right with God.  They needed freedom or release from something in their lives and they took advantage of the moment and the invitation!

I know that some of our students came down and gave up situations and things that they are going through.  I know that God will keep them moving in the right direction and will show them EXACTLY what they need to see and hear!

Continue to pray for the safety of all of the students.  There were many that returned with bumps, bruises, sunburns, minor cuts, and more!  But praise God that so far, there have been no major injuries!  Also pray for tomorrow night’s service.  We are going to do a concert of praise and prayer and really tug at the heart strings of these students to get them moving deeper with Christ.  I am convinced that there are some that need to meet Jesus for the first time.  I pray that happens!

Great verse of scripture that was read tonight.  Romans 8:38-39:  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

If by reading this you would admit that you are not right with the Lord, will you commit to drawing closer to him?  Whatever you think is keeping you from Christ…there is nothing in this world that can keep him away.  You must choose him!  That is my prayer for you and for our students…let’s choose Christ!

World Changers – Day 2

Today was a great.  All of us went to church, but not all together.  It felt weird to be the leader of a youth trip, but not have my group with me at church.  They have split up every group and mixed and matched students from all churches together.  On the one hand, I wasn’t excited about it, but on the other – best thing that happened to our kids.  They have EMBRACED this.  I was SOOOO worried that I would hear about how much they hated not working together (and on some level they do/will), but they haven’t said a negative word and have really stepped out there and met other students.  God is so good!

After church we of course had lunch.  I thought that I had it good going to a local restaurant being offered a buffet to choose from.  NO, I think that I had the 5th best lunch!  Some groups were treated to Popeye’s Chicken, while others were offered a taste of Creole!  One group had about 10 different things to choose from…and they ALL sounded amazing!  I was SUPER JEALOUS that I didn’t get any food like that.  But who am I to complain…I ate too much…and loved every minute of it!

After the bountiful feasts, the students went to their job sites, spent some time looking things over and assessed what is coming!  Every crew has leadership positions for students to take on and some of our students volunteered to do specific jobs like devotion leaders and break masters.  I was SO PROUD how they stepped up and took some  of these leadership roles!  Can’t wait to see them in action and hear how God teaches them!

Tonight’s message was about seeing God.  Tonight…I SAW GOD!  Not sure how everyone reacted to the message, but talking with people from our group…God has a message and it is beginning to stir inside many of them…including the adults!  Tomorrow we start the projects.  Please pray for our safety…and please pray that we continue to see God become something more in each of our students!

I am still not sure what God has for us tomorrow and this week, but I am ready!  I would love to see our group start a revival that finds it’s way back to our church!  Continue to pray!  As I finished preparations for tonight’s message, I found this verse today:

^“I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.  And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another.  How my heart yearns within me!” Job 19:25-27

I pray that you agree with this and that your heart will yearn to see God in your day, at work or at home.  I also hope that it serves as a prayer for you tomorrow/today.

God is so good…we praise Him!  Thank you for your love and support!  If you would like to email a student(s)…please click here.

World Changers – Day One

We made it!  From the outset of our adventure, the students did awesome!  Getting up so early wasn’t easy, but they did great and we left only 6 minutes late!  Love that!

Traveling to Franklinton wasn’t without it’s hiccups.  A minor trailer incident and some scary moments following a drunk driver made the last hour of the trip quite interesting.  But God provided protection and we made it safe and sound.

I have been so impressed with the students.  They have rolled with the changes and have made my whole day a breeze!  When God gets a hold of them this week…look out!

We had a good time in worship today.  Grayson our worship leader did an amazing job!  I cannot wait for the week to unfold as we dive into God’s word and continue to worship through song!

Tomorrow will be an important day for sure.  We are going to visit the job sites for the first time and we will begin to meet the neighbors and do a little prayer walk.  Pray for us.  Our group will be split into other groups, so only a few of our students will be working together!  I know that is not what I told them would happen, but it should prove to be something beneficial for sure!

And if you would, pray for me.  Tonight was my first time to speak and for what it’s worth, I think that it went well.  God has a message, I just need to get out of the way and allow him to speak through me.  I pray for kids lives to be forever change.  I pray for students to feel the call into ministry (whether in a local church or on a mission field).  God has a calling for everyone, we just have to answer the call!

At the Crossroads!

This was supposed to be the day that we closed on the sale of our church building.  That didn’t happen today as planned, but it’s all good.  It’s been rescheduled and the pieces that have been in place are beginning to move.  It’s interesting to see the future to begin to take shape at our church.  And how history comes to a close.  But will we embrace this time of our lives?  It’s funny how people embrace the same situation different.  While some celebrate how God is leading, others are looking inward to…basically…a world that once was.

I wonder how the people of Israel felt…those that would left to die in the desert?  Did they celebrate their children and future generations as they moved forward, or did they cry about opportunities lost?  Our church parallels their story so much.

Many will cry.  At one time our church was celebrated as ‘the place to be.’  People grew up in this church and vividly remember the glory days.  Young and old, people came from all over and built a great place to worship, but did they worship?  So many got caught up in the ’stuff’ of the church, that when trouble arose or ’stuff’ happened and they didn’t get their way, they left.   There is so much history here.  But so much of the history is not about what God did, but what people did.  When God gets taken out of the equation, He will surely leave.  Yep, I am sad to say there will be crying in the coming weeks and months as our church begins to make the ‘big changes.’

Still others will celebrate.  They know that their time has past, or is it?  They will look at the future generations of this church and celebrate what God is doing, and even in their old(er) age, they do what they can.  Sure this is not the outcome they wanted, but God is moving and that’s all that really matters to them!  They get their feet wet, dirty, scarred.  They will pray, beg, and wrestle with God so that he will make His plan perfectly clear.  And even if God doesn’t provide for them exactly what they asked, they still know….God provided.

And some are doing both.  They are crying because they loved this place.  They got married here, kids grew up here, spouses where memorialized here.  They remember the past, but the celebrate the future.  They want what they once had.  They want the younger generations to experience what they did years and years ago.  They want to worship God more holy and purely.  But they know that future comes with a cost.  The cost of comfort, security, even friends.  So for them with celebration comes tears.  Tears of joy.  There are a number of people that are/will be great pillars of faith in our congregation…that bled for people here, but they look forward to doing it again some where else!  For them, mixed emotions are being had.

No doubt, we will have trying days to come.  I am having trying days right now, but God is moving and I am along for the ride!  Should it be my turn to get off the ride some day WAY DOWN THE ROAD, God will let me know.  But right now…full speed ahead!  Am I sad for the people that feel that they are ‘losing’ their church…you bet!  But it is my hope that in the coming weeks, that they will find God and God will show them again exactly where they can minister to others and church isnt about buildings or Sunday School departments, but building relationships with a dying world that needs Jesus!

Great week at Camp!

Actually it’s been over for about a week now, but I am just now getting to write about it.

Me going was more out of necessity than desire.  I love camp, but with the craziness known as ’summer’, I wasn’t as thrilled to go.  But that all changed before we left.  I saw this as an opportunity to really connect with some kids I barely know.  After all, in just a few short years, they will become the youth…so what a chance it was to get a head start on some relationship building.

I was impacted a great deal by almost every phase of camp.  I really challenged myself to soak as much in as I could so that I would listen to what God had to say.  Some notes about what I heard:

• Don’t keep kids at arms (or rooms) length…Jesus welcomed kids, sometimes before he welcomed adults!
• Take every advantage and share Christ with someone…it will impact people more than you realize!
• Give thanks in EVERYTHING…and make some NOISE for Christ!

Some lessons learned from the kids that I sponsored:

• They dont like obnoxious songs at 7am…but they got up (and that’s what counted)!
• Giving kids what they want is dangerous…helping kids get to be where they need to be…rewarding!
• Kids watch parents more than parents watch kids!
• Boys can outclean girls with the right motivation (Cabin Clean – Excellent Rating: Boys 2, Girls 0).
• Kids can do more than parents give them credit for!
• Kids love golf carts!

Man I will be back at kids camp!  I loved my time!  I was DEAD TIRED after I got home, but well worth it.  I got to see one boy come to Christ and help another rededicate his life!  That was worth the sleepless nights and scrapes/bruises!  Love the kids of our church.  Great foundation for the future!

Bloggin’ Time again…

I know it’s been a while since I last posted ANYTHING, so I thought I would wet the appetite a little for things to come!

Here are some of the blogs that I have read recently that have caused my brain to stir…take a look!

From Wade Joye (via Steven Furtick) – Service Evaluation
From Tony Morgan – Leading vs. Managing
From Clayton King – Is it Possible to Stay Pure?
From Erwin McManus – The Cause Driven Church

Before I leave you for now, let me tell you what I am reading right now.  I am wrestling with a book from Erwin called, Chasing Daylight.  I taught a Sunday School lesson for young adults on one of the chapters and it really made me want to dig in more to this book/study.  I HIGHLY recommend this book to you.  I am no where close to finished with it yet, but am taking my time, as well as notes, so that I grasp the full message of this book.

Big week ahead for the church that I attend and serve!  God is up to something good…I just hope that I dont miss opportunities this week!

Kids Camp Here we come!

It’s Sunday night…the washer is in full effect…the dryer is trying to be in full effect…it must be camp time!

I know it’s been a while since my last post.  It’s been quite a busy few weeks.  So much has happened.  But there is no rest this week for me…it’s camp time.  I am excited about heading out for 5 days with 17 kids….really I am!  I think there’s nothing greater than to hang out with kids at camp and getting to see them engage Christ for the first or twenty-first time. I know that my week will include little to no sleep, camp food, testing of patience, but also great worship, fun games, and hopefully getting to lead some kids to Christ!

I will miss the comforts of my bed, my wife, my own space, but I know that spending time with these kids could mean the difference between heaven and hell for them…and that is worth it! I dont know all of the kids going.  I am guaranteeing some testing times, but know that God will be bigger than anything I face.

When you think of me, pray for the kids.  Jesus Christ needs to be a part of their lives!  And I cannot wait to see what all He does this week through games, worship, the WORD!  It’s going to be awesome!

Happy Birthday Pops!

Today, June 4th, well it’s my dad’s birthday!  Happy Birthday POPS!  I couldn’t have picked a better father for myself!  He really was that great of a dad!  As he turns another year older, I hope that I turn another year wiser.  Here are some things about my dad that make him special to me:

• He married my mom…I mean after all…when you think about it, without my parents I wouldn’t be here!
• He always let me make my own mistakes and live my life.  Sure, he disciplined me when necessary and even made a decision here or there for me…but over all, he let me live…and when I made a mistake…he made sure I learned the lesson!
• He always supported me.  I remember a time when I was in trouble at school…he fully supported the school’s discipline of me, but he also stood up for me with the teacher…long story.
• He rides a Harley…I just think that’s cool!
• When I needed it, he provided for me.  Dad was a great example of what God wants to be in all our lives…when you need him the most…he’s got it!  When you needed something to lift you…he’s got it!  And when you need a little money to do this/that…he’s got it!
• He believes in me.  When he introduces me to other people he builds me up.  Not because of a “I’m better than you” thing, but because he believes there’s always more for me out there.
• And really…going to hospitals, watching from the back, listening in to conversations…and just watching his every move, I learned long before committing, that I wanted to become a minister…just like my dad!

So dad, on your %&th Birthday…Know that your son loves you a great deal!  Thanks for all you’ve done for me, my family, and my future!  I only hope that  I have made you proud!

You’re an awesome man, follower of Christ, great husband, and most of all…the best Dad I ever had!

Love you Daddy!