This is the first day of the rest of my life

This Summer was a year not to be forgotten. God moved in many ways though the various camps, youth meetings, general conversation, and by the many people I cam in contact with. Be on this journey we call life needs a relationship with God. We simply cannot live fully without Him. We may try but it just simply is not a full complete life without the presence of our Creator.

I personally this summer connected in a whole new way with God and it has been life changing. I have been a follower and shared the Gospel as I have been called to do for sometime now but something was missing. I make it a point to take care of my self personally and balance family, friends and ministry to keep my relationships healthy, however something was missing.

That something was the neglect I have put my earthly body through. I would eat what I want, when I want and as much as I would want. I realized this summer how bad I had gotten when I realized that the 3XL shirts I was getting were not fitting. It was time for a change. The middle of July I weighed myself and was above 280 pounds and the only change was that I would eat more, sleep more, and become heavier.

Since that time I weighed I have lost 20 pounds, and I haven't weighed in 2 weeks so it could be more.

I am not writing about this to blog, but to encourage anyone who reads this to consider your own health. Crystal and I are doing this together through riding our bikes, eating less and healthier, and working on the couch to 5K program. My personal goal is to run a 5K but it may take longer than the 8 weeks as we have done a few of the days more than once.

We will get there. Losing a 100 pounds of bad decisions is tough but well worth it.

I close with an apology, if we walk, run or ride by you on our exercise time in the neighborhood we are not being rude, just making our temples what they should be for our great God. Also if my britches look big, they are, losing inches means bigger clothes and I see no need to buy something new for a while because I have many more inches to lose! God bless you all and thank you to Paige Van Meter and Daylon Krause for holding us accountable. Thank you to Cindy Earl for being a huge inspiration. I couldn't do it without my wife who is working just as hard as we push each other. We thank everyone for encouragement

Jesus is Here...Worship is...Jesus is Here

I have heard many times "so and so is here so the party can begin." I am probably guilty of saying this, although I have never been the life of the party and probably meant it in a jokingly manner. Many people however feel as though a certain person or themselves needs to be present to have fun.

The second week of June I kicked off my summer camp extravaganza with Jr High CLEW. As usual I found myself busy the week before and stressed worrying about how everything would go during pre-camp. Our theme for district camp this year is Jesus is Here and He was quick to remind myself and the staff of that early. For the first time in 7 years of deaning CLEW we had the entire camp set up before our meeting with small group leaders. This the opportunity to bond as a staff of Monday was incredible. In the past we had to assign jobs to the small group leaders in order to have camp ready for the afternoon, but this year it was as though Jesus said "I am here and I have it under control, Dad and I are going to do some great things this week, now get comfortable and get to know each other and go make deciples!" It was that way all week as things went so well. 

Worship was incredible, small groups were awesome, rotations were great, and the whole camp was a family. This would be the norm for each of the three camps I would dean this summer.

As July 1st rolled around so did CYME, our Conference Sr. High leadership camp. This camp has a come a long ways since I started deaning 5 years ago. The youth continue to step up more and more each and just when I think we may have out done ourselves, the youth listen to Gods call on their lives and take another step forward.

The theme for CYME was Worship is ... The youth worked together along side of adults to get the campers to see that worship cannot be put in a box and does not a certain look. While all along remembering that we have things we do that are rituals and we do them for a reason and tradition, while it looks different in the various styles of worship, takes on an important roll in each service.

The youth small group leaders were awesome and the adults made the camp. I cannot talk about this camp without talking about the Executive Team who worked hard all with to make the camp what it was. While we graduate 3 great leaders, the teams impact and example was beyond amazing. Jimmie, Alex, and Megan all leave a legacy behind that will continue to grow starting this year through Wesley who will take over as Co-chair from Megan and lead the new team of officers into this next year.

One of the greatest joys of deaning CYME is working with the Co-chair and seeing how they grow. Each one I have worked with has been special and this year Megan continued to raise the bar. She was on top of everything and did a wonderful job of leading camp. Good luck to all the grads as they go off to equip themselves further and take our church into a new bright future.

The summer concluded with Sr. High CLEW and our God continued to prove to be greater!

Sr. High CLEW left off where Jr High ended only on a whole new level if that makes any sense. Putting into words what this camp was like is tough. I can only really say that Our God is Not Dead! He is like a Lion Roaring on the Inside!

From opening to closing God moved through everyone at this camp constantly.

This summer proved to many that our church is not dead. That the youth are the church of today and are not only the hope for tomorrow but live for a God that is ready to see them step up and do what generations before them are sitting around and complaining about the issues and doing nothing to change.

Thank you to all the adults who helped this summer and guided these youth through their journeys equipping them to go and be the disciples they were called to be.

Remember that no matter who you are, where you are, what you've done, that JESUS IS HERE!

Worship!

I have found myself in a state of constant worship lately! While I know this is how I should live my life and through everything I do, I do to glorify my GREAT GOD! However, I am human and sometimes fall short. One of my main concerns is how our youth view worship and how they participate in communal worship! I know that worship is an act of praising God and each person approaches it differently! For most though it takes place in church or with a praise band presence and involves a message given by some who God has called to speak. Worship should ALWAYS involve the Word of God rather it be through reading out of the Bible or through scriptures a person has memorized.

Recently I was participating in a worship service that was advertised as a concert but it was evident to me and the youth present that the band had a message at a certain point. The band had each and every teenagers full attention as the lead singer spoke about the love God has for everyone. However during this time in there where lots of adults in the back of the room who remained in their conversation. I began to observe that they were talking loudly in order to hear over the sound of the band who was playing lightly. While the teens stood there paying attention I observed that as the speaker continued so did the adults with their conversation. I noticed a few of the teens becoming irritated by their facial expressions and body movement. Then I saw that several of the teens who were moments before focused on the words that God was providing them were no longer paying attention but talking and laughing with their friends.

I understand that you may read this and realize you may be or have been one of those adults, but I write this not to offend but to ask a question! If we as youth workers/sponsors or just believers in a great Lord can not give our God attention in these moments then how can we expect those who we have a great influence to understand the importance of worship? This was a moment that God moved in the room and perhaps could have been the moment one of these teens needed to fully understand what Gods love really means to them. Yet they were distracted by some adults who failed, in my opinion, to lead by example and show God the respect He deserves. 

Worship should be never ending just as Gods love and grace is for us, the next time you find yourself distracted by a temptation as simple as continuing the conversation with others around you during a time of communal worship please be considerate of everyone and refrain or if you must leave the room. I am sure God will understand!

Another obstical out of the way!

I started college 12 years ago when I graduated from Fairview High School with the hopes and dreams that every high school graduate does that chooses to attend college. I then found that life was full of so much more that I ever anticipated as I sowed my wild oats and have some nights that I want to forget and some that I am glad I can not remember. I felt my calling to be a youth minister during the Fall of 1997 and while I have done my best there is no denying what God has had planned for me all along.

In the past 12 years I flunked out of college, went back to college, met the girl of my dreams, left college again, entered the work force, started a family, accepted a call to full time ministry (again), moved back to the community that I could not wait to leave out of high school, and now back to college.

I always said that one day I would finish college and go obtain a masters but it all seemed like a far fetched dream. I was too busy working and doing big kid stuff with my family that there wasn't any time. Now here I sit 1/3 of the way done after graduating with my Associates Degree from NOC a couple of weeks ago. Another one of life's obstacles out of the way!

Life is full of obstacles! God has placed on this earth and we have a journey in front of us that we must choose which direction we go. I have come across many Y's in the road that have formed who I am! Sometimes I have chosen the path that was best for me but there have been times that I have taken the wrong path. Now I say wrong path and while I could have taken a different path that would have inflicted less pain on myself and others! Those wrong paths have taught me lessons that have been invaluable in my career as a youth minister. They have formed me into who I am.

As I receive announcement after announcement and attend graduations I think about the students and all their excitement and know that they are ready to move one. Mixed emotions of joy, sadness, happiness, pride and on and on are taking place as they start this next journey in life. Another obstacle out of the way!

Graduation brings back many memories. Not just from my own or of those that are graduating but I get to see many former youth, some who I talk to often or occasionally and some who I don't ever see or talk to any more. These young adults are facing many of those Y's in the roads and hitting speed bumps as they have moved one. Some have completed another year of college, graduating college, or perhaps just completing their first year. Finishing that first is the toughest. I flunked out my first and became a statistic because I made the wrong choice. Some of them are in the same boat. For those that made it through with passing grades and are going back to achieve some more, congrats again! College opens your eyes to lots of new things and everything you once knew has changed. Another obstacle out of the way!

Congrats to all of the graduating seniors this year! Continue on, and be wise in the choices you make, some choices can land you without a degree and a life seemingly with no where to go! Keep your head up, I am making it and so can you it will be tough but it can be done.

For those who will be going back and have the determination to finish! Way to go! You are putting yourselves amongst the educated elite!

Anyone can overcome any obstacle in their way if they put God first and trust that He will guide you! The you can proudly say another obstacle out of the way!

What a run!

Running is not my strong point! Those that know me well know that it does not take much to out run me. I may have a quick burst of speed but if you can match that for more than thirty yards, this fat boy is going to be out of breath and needing a break very quickly. While I know I could be in better shape and my weight is no where near what it should be, I am not talking about that type of run. I'm talking about the run the Fairview Lady Jackets are on this post season as they prepare to play amongst the states elite this Thursday. This group of young women have proven that they are one of the best in the state. Going into the state tournament with only four losses says a lot about their ability to win and overcome adversity. Losing their leading scorer mid-way through the season caused many people to give up and say they can not make it with out her. However, with a determined heart and an attitude to "BELIEVE" they have found a way to win and achieve their goal of making it to state. Now we wait for Thursday as they embark on their next goal, the ultimate prize for every Oklahoma high school basketball play, THE BIG HOUSE and the GOLD BALL. 

As I sit here writing this I am reminded about the run our boys team had a run to the semi-finals and coming up just shy of this goal. It was heart break for such a great group of young men and the fans of Fairview High School. During that run I remember giving up something tough for Lent, which begins with Ash Wednesday tomorrow, I gave up yelling at game officials that year. It was tough, but it was a bad classless act that was separating me from God that needed to be corrected. Doing this during a playoff run made it even tougher, but I look back on as we are on another run for the GOLD BALL and I find myself corrected of that problem. While it is still tough at times and there are moments where I find my tongue about to slip,Christ gave up so much for me and it was the least that I could do was to give up something for Him.

So here we are, about to embark on another run through Lent, a season of sacrifice for the gain that our Creator has given us with through Grace. I have yet to decide what it is that I am doing for Lent this year, but that's not what matters. What matters if that we seek God with all our heart and that during the next 40 days we prepare ourselves for the resurrection of the Christ.

As for the Lady J's? You keep playing hard, you have a fan base that is proud of everyone of you and we are looking forward to yelling loud and proud on Thursday afternoon. JUST BELIEVE AND KEEP ACHIEVING!!!