Block Party

Today was an amazing day. I got to serve beside some of the most amazing people. My youth leaders continue to astound with the love that they serve me with. I am so lucky to have each and every one of them. And my students were rolling up their sleeves as well loving on the people on the block and serving!

In case you are wondering what I am rambling about, we had a block party today in Willard on Willow Lane. This block has stole my heart. On it live real families, real people, just living life. We don't know all their stories and we have not lived their lives, but they certainly deserve love.

I got to meet the most amazing people on the block today. It was incredible to learn their names, hear their stories, talk through experiences, play games with them. And lets not forget I beat 5 guys and 1 girl in a watermelon eating contest!

My point is that this is MINISTRY. Ministry goes where the people are. It does not expect them to come to us.

I wonder about it sometimes...what would if I never went beyond the church walls how many people I would have missed!

I challenge each of you that read this to step out, meet some people outside the church, get to know their names, and ultimately help them see the love of God through your life!

Distance

I miss you! Why does distance seem to tear at the heart of a woman some days!

Christ's Love Demonstated to the People Around YOU!

Sometimes I struggle with something. If I am to be honest tonight, I struggle to let people in. I feel like when you really let someone in they are going to see what you are and ultimately push you away. So I think that sometimes its better to keep people at arms length. However, as God breaks down my heart, I cannot help but let people in and deeply love them. However, when you deeply love people it hurts so much more when they let you down.


This I think is the hardest part of being a youth pastor. You love your kids so much. You do everything you can to believe in them. You love them with everything inside and then at times they completely push you out.


This is the hardest part of life is letting someone in close and have them hurt you or push you away. I know that most time in life these things are not intentional, but sometimes they are. That is the risk in loving deeply. However, I have come to a conclusion. I would rather love deeply than not love at all or just love casually. I want to truly, deeply love the people in my life--especially my students. I want them to know that even when they let me down, hurt me, I am going nowhere! I also look forward to when God gives me the man he has for me unconditionally love him, despite everything.


When I want to be selfish and push people away, I am reminded of a love-Christ's love that bore my sins on a cross! He gave me everything so that I could have eternal life. How much more should I give him?


So....today I am embracing the people God has placed in my life, pushing past my fears, and choosing to love them!


This is Christ's love demonstrated in me! I could not do this in my own power!


So how about you today--are there some people that God wants you to let in and truly love them. Its worth it! It's worth the risk--allow God to use you to truly love people today. Push past your fears! Choose to LOVE!

Exausting Day

Today was one of those days that I feel exhausted. There are moments as a bi-vocational youth pastor that you find yourself exhausted. There are too many fires burning right now and I feel like I am being stretched beyond my ability to keep up.

It is nice to know that after a day like today I can run to the arms of my Savior. He reminds me that it is worth it.

GOD HELP ME TONIGHT! The idea of another 13 hour day tomorrow makes me even more exhausted!!!!

Heartsickness

I never really knew what it feels like to be heartsick. Lately, I have felt heartsick. Most people think of heartsick in terms of liking someone and not knowing how things are going to turn out. Granted we have all been there or some of us are there currently.

This heartsickness I am referring to tonight is a spiritual heartsickness. I find myself wanting so badly to see this generation reached with God's power that it is affecting my attitude, the things I say, how I spend my time, the music I fill my mind with, the actions I take, and even my appetite. There was this song when I was in high school that was popular. The lyrics said, "We are hungry, we are hungry, we are hungry for more of you, we are thirsty of Jesus, we are thirsty for more of you."

I have felt this cry in my heart lately. I am so sick of apathy. I despise halfway. I want to go all out for God. I want to be more passionate than any Billy Graham that has ever gone before me. I want to be so led of the Spirit that I hear his tiniest whisper leading me. Finally, I want to be so in tune with God, that he can break me for students in the way that I can reach them in a new God-inspired way.

Why would I want to reach students in a new God-inspired way. I am heartsick when I think of a God who desperately loves these kids, wants to have a relationship with them, wants to save them, change them, anoint them to reach their campuses and world, but don't have the opportunity. I am heartsick to know how to reach them-the one's who don't come to youth group. The ones who never will willingly come on their own to a youth group. I am heartsick for American teenagers so detached from the church and out of its normal reach.

My prayer is that God will make us all heartsick for this. My prayer is that out of this heartsickness God will inspire a new pattern of living. It is my prayer that God will inspire creativity and unrelenting Spirit in his people to not stop reaching out until there are no students left who have not heard, been given a chance and an opportunity at God in their life!

Daddy's Bear Hugs

I loved bear hugs growing up. Bear hugs were given to me by my Dad. He would come up to me and envelop me and squeeze me with love. Especially during hard times, I learned to appreciate my Dad's bear hugs. When he gave me that bear hug I would just know that everything was going to be okay. Daddy was there and he would take care of me.

Now that I am all grown up and away from home, I have learned that my heavenly Daddy gives great bear hugs too. He envelops me every day with his love. He wraps his arms around me during hard times and when I am safely in his arms I know everything will be okay because Daddy is here!

God thank you for being there for me always and thank you for a Dad who taught me just some of your amazing love!

The Battle

The Battle is just beginning! I am not ready and feel like I have already been fighting for a long time!

YET I RESOLVE NOW TO FIGHT not in my own strength another day, BUT FIGHT BY THE POWER OF GOD! The battle is the Lords--he just needs to fight another day!