SYMC: a few pre-conference thoughts

This weekend, I'll be in Chicago with a few thousand other youth workers at the Simply Youth Ministry Conference.

This is the first time I've been to SYMC, though I've heard great things about the last ones I've never been able to attend. As I prepare to travel a few hours north (and a few degrees colder), I thought I'd share a few pre-conference thoughts.

1. I'm really looking forward to meeting some of the other youth ministry mentors who will be there.
2. Normally when I go to NYWC I'm volunteering in the store. This means I do not get to experience the convention as an attendee. So I'm looking forward to being just an attendee - which means I can go to what I want and skip what I want.
3. I'm blessed to be able to stay with a good friend from college and his family. I don't get to see Kevin as much as I want to, so this will be a great chance to hang out with the best Deputy RA in the world. (Maybe I can convince him to start blogging more while I'm there)
4. I'm signed up to go through the "Secrets to a Healthy Youth Ministry" deeper learning track with Mark Devries. I am excited about this.
5. Taking a tip from a friend and "conference expert" (Mindi), I'm going to try to take in one of the "Chicago-only" experiences and visit Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs.


If you are going to SYMC, I'd love to meet you. Maybe we can get some lunch or just sit and chat about ministry. See you there!

Best of '09: Random Favorites

The year 2009 A.D. is over. The past 12 months have brought with them many new things; some good, some bad, and some not worth mentioning. I would like to take some time and highlight some of my favorite parts of 2009. I will call this list the "best of '09" - which simply means that, in my opinion, these are the best items in a certain category. I fully expect you to disagree with some of my choices or to be upset I did not add other items to the list. If you feel this way, please add your "best of '09" ideas in the comments.

The eighth, and final, list will be a collection of random favorites. This is a list of anything that does not fit in one of the other categories, but I really like. Maybe this jumbled assortment of stuff will spark some thought, maybe a laugh, or maybe you'll just get a better glance at who I am. Without any further wait, here is a list of my favorites from TV to parenting (in no particular order).


Community on NBC
I find myself laughing more often than not when I watch Community. Though I do not think every episode is a home run, I do not expect it to be either. My favorite part of the show is the interaction between Troy and Abed - simply hilarious. If you need a good laugh, this show might just help.

The Office on NBC
Simply one of the best shows on network television, in my opinion. I've been a fan since episode 2 (I didn't like the pilot on the British version, and since the American version was identical, I didn't like it either). Consistently funny. I do have some fears about where the writers are heading with Dwight's diabolical plan - I hope he doesn't become super vengeful (it would ruin the "feel" of the show for me).

Watching baseball (on TV) with my boys
As my boys are getting older, they are starting to want to watch baseball more. This means I get one more thing I can share with my sons. One funny thing about watching baseball this past summer was that they would ask to watch it, then after 2 or 3 innings, they would begin to complain about watching it. They aren't quite ready for a full game, but just watching baseball with them is good for me. And if I have an option - it would be a Cubs gave every time.

Star Wars
Star Wars has taken on a whole new level for me this year, because my two boys are starting to really get into it. We've watched all the movies, save Episode 3. We have read Revenge of the Sith (with some editing) to them, though. They love playing Lego Star Wars on Gamecube, playing with their action figures, coloring, pretending to be in Star Wars, and talking about the Star Wars universe. This has brought up many opportunities to talk about right/wrong, choices, good/evil, anger/love and a plethora of other topics.

Plus, I have to admit I really like the Clone Wars cartoon. Working my way, with the boys, through season one.

Being a father of 3
There is nothing like being a father and this year I have enjoyed being a father to three small children. As my youngest grows from baby to toddler, the level of play increases - which can cause friction when all three want to play with the same thing. But overall, it just means we get to do more things together as a family.

Writing more
I enjoy writing and this past year I got the chance to do more of it. I was honored to get the chance to contribute to some cool products (like SYM's Live Curriculum) as well as a couple youth ministry projects (YM Blog). I hope to be able to continue writing, plus to improve my writing in the coming year.

Spending more time with my wife
I purposefully tried to spend more time doing things with my wife this year. We tried to read through a book together, but that didn't last too long. We watched some shows together, spent time talking, played games, and went on walks. I want to spend even more time with her this year.

Substitute teaching
I like teaching and I like students - so substitute teaching is a great way to combine the two. Every day I sub brings a new adventure. I never know what the lesson plan will be until I get there and I don't always know who I will interact with during the day. As a youth minister, it is also a great way to get to know more students. I hope to be able to continue subbing for years to come.

Sam's Cola: Cherry
My new favorite flavor of pop. You need to try it - that is all.

Games
My favorite board or card games include: Dutch Blitz, Boggle, Battleship, and chess.


What are your favorite things?



Other posts in this series:
Best of '09 - Music
Best of '09 - Youth Ministry Books
Best of '09 - Non-Ministry Books
Best of '09 - Websites
Best of '09 - Blog posts
Best of '09 - Web Apps
Best of '09 - Ministry Moments
Best of '09 - Random Favorites

NYWC 09: Thursday

First full day of the convention for me (as a volunteer).

Today was a good day. Store is set up and ready to go. I got to hang out with some old friends and a few new ones. Since we (the store volunteers) are so good, we got done early today - so we got to check out a early bird seminar. I sat in on the Real World Parents seminar, taught by Mark Matlock. I got to sit next to and talk with Patti Gibbons. Nice to actually meet her in person.

Then I got to hang out with some old college buddies (Bill being one of those guys) - a great "get away" for me. We went to LaRosa's (I highly recommend it for anyone visiting Cincy) and got some ice cream at Graeter's. I think it is good to get together and talk and laugh. Especially for me right now.

A rather good start to the convention and it has not officially started yet :)

On another note:
I am a big book reader, so I intentionally left all of my books (except my Bible) at home. I want to use my free time to either read my Bible, pray, talk with other youth workers or interact with someone.

I believe this weekend is going to be one of the best ones in a long time and that has nothing to do with what is going on with YS, but on the fact that God is bigger than anything that is going on with YS, you, the economy or your congregation. Come expecting God to be God and you won't be let down.

NYWC '09: The Variations

This week's NYWC in Cincinnati will be the 9th convention I've attended. And as I think back to the past 8, I realize just how much each convention is unique.

I went to my first NYWC while I was a student at Cincinnati Christian University. (This year will mark my third time going to Cincinnati.) At this point, I had no idea what the next 10 years would hold, but I was encouraged and challenged to minister to students. I gained insight from the classes and enjoyed hanging out with a friend from school. Oh, and I first experienced hearing Mike Yaconelli speak. His ministry was such a blessing to me those first few years.

Shortly after starting my first full-time ministry, I attended convention in FL. Somehow I had managed to become overwhelmed with youth ministry within the first few months. (something about me being naive to what would really happen...) I attended this convention with my wife and a few other couples from college. It was a breath of fresh air in my youth ministry lungs. I still remember a few of the talks (first time I ever heard Rob Bell), seminars and resources I picked up during this week. A great way to encourage my first year in ministry.

The next convention I went to as a volunteer. This is the year I truly learned that YS is not about "business" as much as it is about ministry and people. I experienced the convention in a whole new way: behind the scenes. This new perspective allowed me to experience the people behind YS. (And it is these people that make YS what it is!!) I also learned to juggle, thanks to Glenn. Sadly, the biggest memory from this convention actually happened a few days afterward. This was the last convention Mike Yaconelli was ever at, as he was killed in a car accident a few days later.

How would the convention ever be the same? Simple answer - it wouldn't.

The next year was tough. It was strange to be at a NYWC and not see/hear Yac in the halls and on the stage. But Yac's absence did not mean the convention was not encouraging and uplifting. YS is so much more than just one person, even if that person is the co-founder/president. The convention was not the same, but God showed Himself in a mighty way - at least to me.

Always Something New
I've been to convention in various stages of ministry. Like I said, I started going while I was still in college. I attended as a full-time minister. And I've attended while I was out of ministry. And each year I've learned a ton and benefited more than I thought I would. Each year I leave the convention blessed and grateful that I went.

Going into this year's convention, I was already planning for it to be different. When I signed up to volunteer a few months ago, I was really looking forward to some of the new changes - like the Open Space Saturday, and the modified "Big Room." Plus, I always look forward to hearing God and talking with others who are passionate about students. But I was not looking forward to a few other changes, mainly the absence of some of my YS friends. Over the past year (like in previous years) some of my friends are no longer working for YS. I miss not seeing my friends when I go to a convention like NYWC.

On top of this, last week, a new change was added. Marko is no longer president of YS and at this point, the future is unsure. This change will be one seen by more people (unlike some of the other friends I will miss seeing), as Marko was the face of YS and a constant stage presence during the conventions. Even though I, nor you, do not know details about the situation I am confident that God is in control and that the convention will still be a place of rest, encouragement, challenge and safety.

Changes are inevitable - as I have found out attending the NYWC's over the years. But change is not always bad.

I am a different person this year than I was last.
YS is a different company this year than it was last.
You are a different person this year than you were last.
But God is still the same this year as He was last - and that is what we put our trust in, isn't it?

See you in Cincy!

NYWC '09: The Preparation

As I get closer to attending the National Youth Workers Convention in Cincinnati, OH, I thought I would share a few tips for getting the most out of the convention. These are tips I have used and benefited from in the past and/or things I want to do this year. (These tips can also apply to other conventions and seminars, too - well all but #9)


9 Things You Have to do at NYWC

1. Filter out the noise
There will be a lot going on. Most of it will be good and most of it could be beneficial to you. BUT if you want to hear God's voice, you'll have to filter out all of the other noise. You might need to avoid going to the store, the hall of booths, a class or the main sessions. Do not allow the busyness (business side of ministry) to grab your attention.

2. Know what you are looking for
This goes for resources and for the overall convention. You will want to know what types of resources (books, curriculum, tech support...) your ministry needs and stick to those items. Do not venture off into buying stuff you do not need. Also, you should know what you need to take home spiritually. If you are feeling drained, you need to spend time getting refreshed and recharged. If you need some fresh ideas, you should talk to as many people as you can about ministry. If you need some rest, you should do whatever you can to get it.

3. Talk with a convention pastor or counselor
YS provides pastors and counselors free of charge. Did you catch that, you DO NOT have to pay to talk to someone about your ministry or yourself. These pastors/counselors want to help you gain some understanding and leave a healthier person - take advantage of this opportunity.

4. Listen with an open heart and mind
You will encounter more opinions than you thought possible. You will hear differing viewpoints and beliefs. But do not tune anyone out. Listen to what they have to say with an open mind and heart. Listen without preparing your arguments. Listen. And then think about what they said.

5. Do not be conformed by the schedule
You do not have to go to everything on the schedule! (reread that sentence) The schedule is provided so you have options, not to cause stress when you can't make it to everything. When you arrive and register, sit down and look at the entire schedule. Decide what you really want/need to attend. Then allow yourself the freedom to "miss" the rest of the stuff. Make your own schedule and allow the convention to be beneficial, not burdensome.

6. Get rest
You worked hard so that you could be gone for this Sunday. When you get back, you will work hard trying to make sure everything is ready for the next weekend. So during these 5 days, relax. Find - no take time to rest! Your bodies needs it. Your mind needs it. Your soul needs it. You will feel more relaxed and refreshed when you leave, if you take the time to get some rest while you are at the convention.

7. Do something out of the ordinary
How many times each year do you get a chance to experience new things? At this convention, you should take advantage of the opportunity. If you usually go to bed early, attend a late night session. If you usually sleep in, get up early and meet another youth worker for breakfast. Attend one of the prayer services. Go to the labyrinth. Sit down next to someone you have never met and start a conversation. Yell down the hallway. Skip down the street. Whatever you do, find someway to get out of your comfort zone and do something new.

*You need to participate in the Open Space Saturday. It is new for everyone (its the first year YS has done it, so LA is the only experience anyone has had with it), but I have heard only positive comments from people who were a part of it in LA. You would benefit from carving out some time to take part*

8. Find a new friend
At a convention for youth workers, you already have a point of common interest. Early in the convention make a new friend. Then make it a point to connect with this new friend multiple times during the convention. This way, you will go home with a new friend and someone whom you can talk to about youth ministry when you need an ear or an idea.

9. Meet Mike in person by finding him in the YS Store and striking up a conversation. (Free "high five" if you mention this blog post)
This one is rather self-explanatory. If you are coming to the NYWC in Cincinnati, I would love to meet you. Leave a comment and let me know you are going or just say "hi" at the convention. Either way, I would love to meet another youth worker with a passion for reaching students with the message of God's love.


What do you do to get the most out of a convention?

Learned from Twitter: week ending August 8, 2009

This week I did not really learn much from Twitter, at least not from the actual site itself. This week, I took a sabbatical from Twitter. I did not tweet, check tweets, respond to tweets or anything related to Twitter. I took the week off from staying up to date with what people were doing, 140 characters at a time.

And I learned a few things along the way...


1. I am very relational.
I like interacting with people, knowing what is going on in their life and being able to quickly communicate. This is one aspect of Twitter that I truly enjoy. I know this fact because it is the one thing I really missed during my Sabbatical. I do not have as much regular "relational" interaction with people as I have in the past and I think I find this void partially filled in with Twitter. I know some of the people I interact with on Twitter I have only met once in real-life (and some I have never met), but that does not mean there is not a friendship in place. Most of the people I follow on Twitter are youth ministry-minded folks - and those are "my people."

2. Twitter is a great way to stay up to date with friends.
People use twitter to update the status of their job search, vacation, prayer needs, or new addition to the family (rather it be human or animal). Without making numerous phone calls every day, I would not be able to keep up with all of this information. Twitter is the central meeting place for all of this information, and I'm glad it is.

3. Twitter can be very time consuming.
Depending on how often you check Twitter or how long you stay on the site, it can eat up a few hours of your day without you realizing. On the other hand, if you use mobile devices for your updates, you can add up your time just as quickly and become distracted from your surroundings. It is easy to "just check" for new updates every half hour while working on something else that you never really get in a "groove." But this is not a problem with just Twitter, it can happen with anything in your life (see point #4 & #5).

4. Even if you take Twitter away, you can find other ways to "waste time."
There are many other websites that can take over your time: Facebook, myspace, YouTube, ESPN, or TMZ to name a few. I've heard many people (esp. people on Facebook) mention how silly they think Twitter is or what a waste of time it is. Yet, as I think back to my pre-Twitter days and my Sabbatical I can honestly tell you that anything can be a waste of time. I think things become a waste of time when we use them to avoid what we need to be doing. Some people use music or TV to avoid talking to someone (maybe its your spouse). You can read to avoid household chores. Anything can become an avoidance technique, which then becomes a waste of your time.

5. I need limits to everything I do, or I'm bound to become consumed by anything.
It doesn't matter if its Twitter, video games, TV shows, reading or exercising - I tend to take everything to the extreme. Personally, I struggle with finding balance in areas of my life. I start to do better in one area, which means I do worse in another one. This need for boundaries/balance is an ongoing struggle, which I assume will stay with me until I need someone else to do stuff for me.

6. I like technology.
Nothing much more to say - I really like technology. Case-in-point: I have been on Twitter since March 2007 - well before it became popular.

A prayer during communion

I was sitting by my boys (5 and 3), one on each side of me during service. Nothing unusual was happening, mostly the same routine for us during the service. Then came the Lord's Supper. This part of the service is always interesting for us, because it can be difficult to quietly concentrate on Christ's sacrifice when your child is asking you to get him a crayon or help read a book. Over the weeks/months, we have been trying to teach the boys what the Lord's Supper is about and why we partake each week.

Before I continue the story, you need to know that we pass the bread first and then pass the juice separately.

Well, on this Sunday, something unusual happened. On this Sunday, after I ate the bread I decided to go ahead and just pray silently. It's not the first time the boys have seen my wife or I do this. But, on this occasion, my oldest did something different. While I was praying, he started to ask me a question. I do not know what the question was about, because he stopped himself mid sentence. And without opening my eyes, I continued to pray. Then, less than a minute later I heard him quietly talking to himself (which is not that unusual). What was different was that he was not talking to himself, he was praying.

He began to pray and this is a paraphrase of what I remember him saying:

"God, thank you for dying on the cross for me, so that I can have eternal life and live with you in heaven. I'm glad you did."

Then, when the juice was being passed and I took it and then prayed, he did the same thing. He prayed pretty much the same prayer again.

After I was done praying, I opened my eyes and looked at him. He asked if I was praying, to which I said "yes." Then he told me that he was too. (I did not tell him that I heard him or was so proud of him - I'll save that for later). I told him that it was good to pray during the Lord's Supper and smiled.

My son understands the connection between the Lord's Supper and Christ's sacrificial death on the cross. I mean, he could have prayed about anything, but he chose to pray about Christ's death and eternal life. He prayed a simple, genuine prayer of thanks - a great reminder of the simplicity of what Christ did for us on the cross.

Youth Ministry Story: Amusement Park Edition

(First, a confession: I do not like roller coasters. I will not willingly spend my off days waiting in lines to ride a 30 second coaster. But I do love going to theme parks with students.)

I thought I'd share a few stories from the many trips I have taken to amusement parks over the years. One from being in youth group and the other from being a youth minister.


Story #1 - Repeat
The first story comes from my days of high school. It was my junior year, I believe, and we were on our way to Cedar Point for our annual trip. This trip involved a caravan of a few cars, vans and the church van. Three of my friends and I were in a van with a couple adults and we had a blast. I say "we" had a blast, that "we" would not include the adults and here is why. During the few hour ride to Cedar Point, my friends and I had a tape (yes, a cassette tape) that we asked the driver to put in the tape deck. I do not even remember the name of the album, but I do remember listening to it a few times.

Well, a few times is not quite right. And in fact, I do not think we made it through the entire tape. Instead we listened to one song over and over. I think we listened to it like 28 times. We thought it was the funniest thing to hear it over and over. (note of thanks to adults who endure this kind of behavior during trips - your suffering through this type of pain is a huge part of youth ministry making a difference in a student's life. I will forever be grateful to the adults who willingly listened to and rewound the tape that many times) I do not even remember much about the rest of that day, but this car experience will forever be ingrained in my brain. It is one of my favorite moments from youth group.

(I'd love to hear if Doug and Jeremy remember this trip)


Story #2 - Roller Coaster Wimps
The second story comes from my last trip to Six Flags with my first youth group. It was during a tough summer for me, I knew it was my last summer and the students did not. During this trip, there was one student who shared my "dislike" of roller coasters. So, we spent the day together and it was such a great time. We rode this "kid" ride (one of those indoors, "scary" rides) at least three times in a row.

We walked around, looking in the gift shops and watching people do silly stuff. Toward the end of the day, we went to the water park (newly opened) and hung out. We had no change of clothes, but we kept walking under the waterfall. (common sense reminder: if you have on a leather belt and you allow it to get wet and remain wet for hours, you have essentially ruined your belt. Just thought you'd like to know) Though we did not go on a single roller coaster, we had a blast. And I got to spend some quality time with a student. A lot more time than I would have on a normal day.





What is your favorite amusement park story?

Customer Service: The Extra Mile

Small town life has its advantages!

Recently I had to get the oil changed in both of our vehicles. This would normally take two separate visits to the mechanic and require a good portion of the day - if not the entire day. I do not like spending my day waiting at the mechanic or driving back and forth.

But I have to say, this particular occasion was one of the best interactions with a mechanic ever.

I called the same mechanic we've been using for all of our mechanic needs; oil changes, tune-ups, repairs. We really like him and he has always treated us well. I called late in the morning, hoping to take one of the cars around lunch and then get the other one done before he closed. When he called back I was outside starting to work on cutting the grass. (and here is where the customer service goes beyond good...)

My wife comes outside and says the mechanic is going to drive over to the house and pick up one car. Then change the oil and drive it back to pick up the other car. Then he'll change its oil and drive it back and take his truck back to the shop. That is above and beyond customer service, right there.

I cut the grass and never had to take a car to the mechanic, yet both of them got the oil changes they needed. Again, he came through with good prices, quality work and great customer service. This is why we keep going back to him whenever we need some work done on our cars. He went the extra mile (literally, because its less than a mile from our house to the shop) to get our business and take care of us as customers.

When was the last time you (or your youth ministry) went the extra mile to serve the students/parents/other ministries in the church? What would it take for you to go the extra mile? What kind of impact would it make?

Thoughts from an ex-youth minister

I've been in ministry long enough to have seen my fair share of ministers leave the vocational ministry. I've heard some really bad horror stories of what congregational leaders have done to "force" ministers from their jobs. I've seen some ministers not only leave the vocation of ministry, but the church as well. This is not one of those cases.

I have known Ben (via the internet only - unfortunately I have never gotten to meet him in person, yet) for a few years. Though I do not know him enough to do well on a "how well do you know Ben?" trivia contest, I have been able to know him through his blog posts. And the post he wrote recently about his exit from vocational ministry is honest, open, and heartfelt. Ben did not leave because of some negative leadership or moral issue - he left because he no longer feels God has called him into full-time ministry.

Ben's post is entitled "Contemplations of an ex-minister" Here are two excerpts:

All things considered, I left ministry five years ago. Up until a few weeks ago I was still employed by a church full of lovely people but my heart was not in it. My heart was in front-end web design and I knew it … and I subsequently ignored my heart. Why? Why would someone ignore what they loved and grind out several years doing something they genuinely disliked?

That is a great question. How many youth ministers are just going through the motions or refusing to take a "step of faith" because they fear not having a steady income?

When I say, “I used to be a minister” I mean that I used to be paid a full time salary to be a minister. Ministry proper, of course, is something we all do all the time.

So true!


If you haven't already, take the time to read the entire post and leave Ben a comment. And if you need some web design work done - you might consider having Ben help you out.

As for me, I am glad Ben is following his heart (calling from God?) and pursuing what he is passionate about. I look forward to hearing where this leads and to seeing his work all over the internet. Maybe, I'll also get to meet him in person one day, just maybe.

New Contributor for the YouthMinBlog

Today is my official start to contributing to the YouthMinBlog "project/endeavor"

I'm excited to be a part of a great group of youth workers who are contributing to this ongoing conversation.

My first article is called "Microwave Ministry?" and its on the topic of how to evaluate the success of your youth ministry. Take a look at the article, as well as the rest of the site (there are a bunch of great articles waiting to be read). I would love to hear your thoughts...

Finding the right youth ministry job

This past Friday, May 1, 2009, I was the "guest" on the weekly YM Talk hosted by Tim Schmoyer and Life in Student Ministry. The topic of discussion was "tips on finding the right youth ministry job."

If you are looking for a new youth ministry job, take a listen. If you know someone who is looking, point them this direction. Or maybe you just need to listen because at some point in the future you might have to look for a new youth ministry position. Whatever the reason, I'd love to hear your comments about the discussion.

Also, if you have any questions about finding a new youth ministry job that you would like to ask me - send me an email (address is on the right side of the blog) or leave a comment on this post.

Head over here to listen to the discussion or get it on itunes and listen to it later.


Plus, I'd like to add one thing to the discussion that we did not get to talk about during our time. I have found that during the question and answer time, there is a good chance that the questions have to do with "fixing" a problem from the previous ministry.

For the congregation, they will ask the candidate questions about issues they felt were lacking in the last youth minister. Questions about "spending time with students" - if that is something they last youth minister didn't do enough according to them.

For the candidate, they will ask questions about issues the last congregation or leadership didn't do well. It could be questions about accountability or evaluations, if that is something that seemed to be lacking.

Keep this in mind as you are asking and answering questions. It will help you get a better feel for where the congregation/youth ministry is at and it will help you see what "baggage" you might be bringing with you into your new ministry.

Photo Friday: TMNT - Michaelangelo

Thought I was back in the 80's enjoying my childhood again when I walked down the toy aisle recently. I saw this old-school Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles packaging. This is the exact same packaging & product that I remember getting when I was a boy. (I might even still have my original Michaelangelo in my parent's attic.)

Who was your favorite turtle?

You might be a youth worker if...

Recently I had a conversation with a couple teens that reminded me that being a youth worker makes you very different from other adults your age.

Teen: "Hey, I'm on your Facebook now."
Me: "Yes, you are correct."
(a minute later) Teen: "Hey, do you have myspace?"
Me: "Yeah."
Teen: "Bebo?"
Me: "Yeah."
Teen: "MyYearbook?"
Me: "Yeah."
Teen: "Twitter?"
Me: "Yeah."
Teen: "Do you have hi5?"
Me: "No, but I've heard of it."

It was at this point that I realized something. I am a 30 year old man and I have an account on some of the more popular social network sites. (most of these accounts are at least 2 years old) Only a youth worker would have all of these accounts and not be considered a weirdo.

Have you ever had a moment like this? A moment when you were hit with the fact that as a youth worker you are quite different from other people your age. If so, I'd love to hear about it.

Proverbs 30.8-9 (my daily bread)

If my last 9 months had a theme verse, it would be Pr. 30.8-9.

Proverbs 30:8-9 — “Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.”

God has continually provided for my family's daily bread. We have not had an abundance, nor have we had too little. It has not been anything we have done, everything has been a gift from God. (Maybe in the next few months, I'll take the time to write a post sharing how God has taken care of my family.)

What has God done for you in the last 9 months?

Photo Friday: 80's Knight Rider Lunchbox

I found this old lunchbox in a box of old stuff at my parent's house. It was my brother's and I forgot we had it. I thought you might enjoy a blast from the 1980's.

Did you have an old lunchbox like this growing up? If so, what was it?

Reflections on: Christmas vacation

This trip home has been different than those of the past. Maybe it has something to do with the 3 kids, or maybe its that I'm getting older. I bet its a combination of these two, plus many other factors. This year has been the first time in 7 years that we've been with our extended families on Christmas. Our first Christmas as a married couple we were in GA and did not go home due to my church responsibilities. That year, we traveled home for Christmas in January. We kept that tradition up for the next six years (and depending on where I end up in ministry we will probably do it again in the future).

But this year, we were able to travel to see family on Christmas. We spent Christmas Eve with my side of the family, at my grandpa's. This has been the celebration day for my family for as long as I remember. It was so great to be there with a lot of my family. Then on Christmas, we drove up to be with Amy's family for Christmas night. It was the first time I remember driving on Christmas day, a lot more people than I thought there would be. Another fun night with family.

Here are some of my reflections on this Christmas trip:

1. Family & friends mean more than gifts. Gifts are great, but I would much rather spend time with people I love and not get a gift from them. The gifts stop working or you lose interest, but the people need to be cherished.

2. Travel with 3 kids is exponentially different than 2 kids. It can be stressful to travel with 2 kids, but adding the 3rd changes everything. It becomes so much more difficult to get everyone to travel in the same sequence, so to speak. Trips that should take 4 hours, can take at least 5 hours. Make sure to enjoy ever moment, though.

3. Always leave room in your vehicle for the return trip. On a Christmas trip, with little kids, you will most likely return home with more stuff than you left with.

4. Busy schedule -> stress -> miscommunication. Vacations can bring out the worst opportunities to stay connected to your spouse. If you do not take the time to talk with your spouse, then you won't be given that time.

5. Talking with your family is extra important on vacations. See #4. When you are with your family (the extended kind) do not just sit around and watch TV. Take the time to talk about topics that are important, talk about faith, talk about your family history, talk about parenting. You do not get these opportunities very often, so take advantage of them.

6. A lot can happen in a year. Since last Christmas a lot has happened in my life, and being home reminded me of just how much. Last year on Dec. 28th, my grandma passed away. In April, I started looking for a new ministry. In May, I stopped ministering at my church. In July, my first daughter (third child) was born. In September, she had hernia surgery. In October I turned 30. Over the last 7 months, I have been constantly amazed at how God provides for and takes care of my family. I can't wait to see what next year holds.

7. All good vacations come to an end. No matter how good a vacation you have, it has to end. You have to return to your daily routine. You have to get back to work. Hopefully, for those working in churches, this is not a bad thing. If you are passionate about what you do for a living, then you will be just as excited to return to that work.

bonus: some guy at church had a dog with him. It was weird to see him walk out with his dog in his arms. On the bright side, the dog never made a sound during the entire service.


What was your favorite moment from your Christmas vacation?

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone.

For everyone who went to church last night, hope you enjoyed the Christmas Eve service last night.

Have a great day and enjoy some time with your family and friends. May God remind you of His love for you this season.

Hello Winter... Youth Ministry Style

Sunday (Dec 21) was the first day of winter and that means youth ministries around the US (b/c those youth ministries in Australia, for example, are currently enjoying summer) will be transitioning to a winterized version of youth ministry. Some aspects of youth ministry do not change, but anything that involves the outdoors has to change. Here are some of my favorite winter youth ministry games, events, ideas and more.

Disclaimer: Yes, I am aware that my friends in places like CA, GA, or FL do not need to make these adjustments because it does not get that cold or snow that much. And for that I say ":-P"

Winterized Youth Ministry:
Free Version...
1. Sledding. Just take your group, or have them meet, to a local hill. You can spend hours just sledding down and walking back up the hill. You can do something organized like races or just let everyone do what they want.

2. Build Snowmen/Snowball fights. If you get enough snow, build snowmen. This would be a great opportunity for some good video and/or pictures of the group. Have a themed-snowman competition, see who can build the largest... The snowball fights will just come naturally.

3. Shovel snow. Take a day and drive around town shoveling people's driveways and sidewalks. This is a great service project. It will help your group bond together, while doing people a wonderful service. Make sure you have enough shovels, gloves, hats, etc.

4. Outdoor Ice Skating. Depending on your area, this might be a great time to go ice skating or play ice hockey. This is one event that might just draw a smaller crowd, but it will be a fun day together.

5. Any excuse to serve hot chocolate. Find any reason to get the group together to drink hot chocolate. This might be a great addition to one of your outdoor events or just something you do as a stand-alone event. Make sure you have marshmallows (and I suggest the mini ones).

6. Special parties. During this season, most youth ministries will have their Christmas parties and New Year's Eve parties. Maybe you should have a "_______" party (fill in with whatever you want) just to have a party. This is a great time to give the students something to do, since they can't go outside. (obviously, be mindful of the family time activities this time of year)

7. Ice Sculpting. If you have a large amount of ice this is the perfect time to use it. Even if you just have a small amount of ice, set aside a time to let students sculpt it. Allow them to be creative and just make it fun.


Non-Free Version...
1. Skiing. Most students love to go skiing, but do not get to go often. Plan a ski trip with your group. Or if you live close to a ski resort, schedule regular days (or at least some days) that are official youth group ski days.

2. Indoor Ice Skating. Take the group to go ice skating at an ice rink. Depending on the size of the group you can get discounts or even rent the entire rink.

3. Broomball. Rent an ice rink for a few hours of broom ball. You play hockey with broomsticks, only tennis shoes, and a ball. It is a lot of fun. But be careful, as people will fall.

4. Trip to warmer weather. Take your group to warmer weather. Probably want it to be within driving distance, but I hear Hawaii is nice this time of year.


Those are a few of my ideas for a winterized youth ministry. What have you done in the winter that has worked or what other suggestions would you have? Leave a comment with your ideas.

Best of 2008: Music

I found some good music this past year. One of the groups to make my list is brand new, two groups have been around for a couple years, one is a new album from my favorite band and one is a new solo album from the lead singer in one of my other favorite bands.


Best of 2008: Music

1. Jon Foreman
The frontman for Switchfoot put together a collection of EP's this past year (Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer). Each EP has six songs, but two EP's come together (Fall & Winter, Spring & Summer). You'll love the strong lyrics, fresh vocals and overall sound. If you haven't listened to this music, yet - you need to.

2. Robbie Seay Band - Give Yourself Away
This is an excellant album. I really enjoyed their first album (Better Days), but honestly this one is a ton better. I got a copy of the album for free from Relevant and have been recommending it to anyone who will listen. You can go to iTunes and download the entire album for $8 right now. If you are a fan of American Idol, you'll recognize "Rise" from some of the promos from last season. Go to iTunes and download it now!!

3. Third Day - Revelation
There are only a couple CD's that Thriday Day has released that I can not listen to all the way through. This might be one of my favorites (not as good as their self-titled freshman album, but close). Call My Name is one of the best songs I have heard all year. If you don't know who Third Day is, then might I recommend you take some time to listen on their site (Thief is my favorite). If you haven't heard this album yet, you will want to listen. (and they have a new album coming out early 2009)

4. Leeland - Opposite Way
This is another great sophomore album. "Count Me In" is a strong song with some intense lyrics. One thing I like about Leeland is the fact that they are a fun band. Whether its a concert, their website or even an album - you can sense their joy for life in everything they do. You will not be disappointed with this album. I got mine for $5, the best $5 I spent on music all year.

5. Connersvine - Connersvine
This last group was introduced to my wife, who passed them on to me. Its just two guys (I think one's name is Conner and the other is Vine - wow that was a bad attempt at a joke). They have a great sound and lyrics you have to pay attention to. I especially like "Glory Be" and "Hosanna". You can go to this site and download a free mp3 and chord chart. My guess is that you have not heard of Connersvine, but if you start listening to one new group this week - make it Connersvine.

6. This is Home by Switchfoot. Off the Prince Caspian Soundtrack.


What is your favorite music from 2008?