Bye Bye Bye September...

Where did it go? Are you kidding me? Today is the last day of the month of September! Golly Gee...

It's hard to believe we are 90 days out from Christmas 2009. And that means my 1 year anniversary. Oh, how time flies.

Last night we had our first YL Club of the school year and boy was it Rockin'! We had about 40 kids come out and mostly all new kids. These are kids that we have been sharing life with the past semester, but didn't necessarily come to anything Young Life events. I was really exhausted at the end of the evening.

Music was great, the skit / game was really funny and my talk was pretty mediocre. Chris played songs such as Sweet Home Alabama, Waiting on the World to Change, I'm Yours, The World's Greatest, I still haven't found what I'm looking for and Prince of Peace. Will North and I came out as our newest skit characters ... Speedy and Zippo, the Speed Walking Sensation thats Sweeping the Nation! YOU LAY IT, WE WALK IT! The kids thought it was really funny. And the game was perfect. See pics below. We put frosting on both sides of plexiglass and the couple had to lick it off the quickest. I love to see kids being kids!

I spoke about life being funny. Full of Ups and Downs. Joys. Pains. Struggles. Somehow in the midst of Chaos, there is Order! We may not be able to see the Big Picture right now, but there is a big picture. I used a Cross-Stitch picture. On one side you have chaos: threads, staples, rough edges and the such. On the other side, you have a complete picture. Whole. It makes sense. Perfect. When you see life from one side, it's impossible to the other side at the same time. I also spoke about the UnTruths that this world feeds us: All roads lead to heaven. The god of Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism and Christianity are all the same. To get into heaven all you have to be is good; as long as my good outweighs my bad when I die, I am IN! Being a Christian is about obeying the 10 Commandments. I then spoke from Colossians 2:8-9 which speaks about not giving in to Hollow and Deceptive Philosophy which depends on the world rather than on Christ. But in Christ, all the Fullness of God dwells in Bodily Form! WOW!

Our hope is that as kids are fed the lies from the world Tuesday - Sunday, we hope that on Mondays, they will choose to come and hear the Real Truth! The Truth that will set them FREE! We hope to turn over the Cross-Stitch picture for them each week to show them Order rather than Chaos.

And that's a wrap! It was a great evening. Thanks for praying...

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Speedy & Zippo doing 'Major Stretching'


What are they doing?


Shawna and Ryan LOVE icing...


Kids listen to the Truth


Because they are WELL Worth It...

More new faces...

We had a great crowd last night for Campaigners (small group Bible Study)! It was fun to have many of our 'regulars' as well as several new faces. It is fun to be a part of the kids' growing excitement for Life, Fellowship and How Not to Waste their Life.

We talked on Mark 3:7-12 about the crowds following Jesus. Why were crowds always following Jesus? And it was all types of people! The healthy. The sick. The Religious. The non-religious. The rich. The poor. The 'normal.' The Demon Possessed. The Disciples.

Why do you follow Jesus? Or not? Seriously? What spurs you on to follow Jesus? Or do you just 'act' like you follow Him? It is easy to put on the Religious Mask? Go to church. Do the Sunday Deal. Yet you treat your family, neighbors, co-workers different than Jesus would treat them. You say you have Love. But you don't. And Why is it SO EASY to be 'ugly' to people??? It almost seems like it is woven into the fabric of who we are. Well, I guess it is. This is our sinful nature. This is what makes us like this.

I think people followed Jesus for all types of reasons. But I REALLY think people followed Him because of the Love He had / has for them. Unconditional Love. I think about the Woman at the Well. Zaccheus. The Blind. The Lame. The Dead. He loved with no regard. And as one of the YL girls said two weeks ago.... 'The Religious people didn't like Jesus because JESUS CAN'T BE CONTROLLED!'

Maybe this ugliness towards others comes from our lack of control over them or us trying to gain a sense of control over them. I don't know. It hurts my heart to see people being mean to others. I struggle with this. It is just as easy for me to be mean to others as well. I think of Jesus' prayer on the Cross...'Lord, forgive them for they don't know what they are doing!'

Kids love to share. Kids love to be honest. Many of them don't feel like they can even speak to their parents. They said that they love coming over the because we treat / speak to them like adults and not children. Because we talk about 'real life.' And Life Issues. Struggles. Temptation. And because I have lots of random and personal stories. None of us are perfect ... we all have a past ... so why do we act like we are perfect and have never done anything wrong? Now THAT'S a joke...

Here are some pics from last night. If you want to see the picture on a larger scale, just click on the picture.

Enjoy...

We do this because of all of the faces seen below ... and the thousands of others we have yet to meet, hang out with and tell about Jesus!






Because Their Worth It...

Struggle...

Your greatest struggle will come on the back end of your greatest success! Joyce Meyer

Some really marvelous things...

A few weeks ago I had written a little ditty for you (that came from someone else) called Are You Convinced and had blogged a bit about it. If you have no idea what I am talking about, please check it out in my past blogs in August. I had written that my favorite statement was number 17 which says, 'Are you convinced that there are Divine Appointments waiting at the high school?' Well, I DO believe that is true...

Here are some of the really marvelous things that are going on in CenTex Young Life. Please rejoice with me!

According to Dustin Davis (one of our Harker Heights Leaders), yesterday was the 'Pinnacle of his YL Leadership Career!' Dustin is an Alumnae of HHHS and is currently attending the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, Texas. He is a large man who pushes boys around on the college football field! Dustin went to HHHS yesterday to do Contact Work despite his need to do a thousand other things including his dreaded homework! He was there when the bell rung and said hi to many kids. He then ventured out to the football field to watch practice. He was approached by the HHHS Head Football Coach who asked if Dustin could speak to the ENTIRE Football Team! For the next 10 minutes, Dustin got to speak solely to the football team about Leadership and Effort and what it takes to win games. If you are shaking your head, then you reacted like me. I could not believe it! As YL Leaders, we DREAM of opportunities like these! I would say that a Divine Appointment was waiting for Dustin at the high school yesterday. Dustin was faithful enough to go and show up for this Appointment!

Last night we had another event and called it PIZZA IN DA PARK! We met at Lion's Park again. We could not get use of the field with lights again so we knew daylight would be a problem. We moved things up 1 hour to 6:59 p.m. and were concerned that the time change may affect some kids. It did, but kids still came out in droves! What a wonderful blessing. I bought 10 XL Pizza from Pizza Patron as well as 48 'cokes.' The kids tore these up. We played kickball, Ladders (see pic below), threw the frisbee and football and just hung out! I wanted this to be a night where leaders could build relationships with kids and 'win the right to be heard.' I felt like that was definitely the case.

Many of these kids said that they were interested in our Campaigners Bible Study on Wednesday evening. Pray for these kids and that they would be able to attend. We will be talking about Mark 3:7-12 and why people were always following Jesus. Who are you following?

Ellison High School guys trying to be tough!


This was the first YL event for 5 of these guys!


A YL Leader and some kids


HH Represents!


Spencer and Jahleel playing Ladders a.k.a. Redneck Golf!


Thanks for your support. Please pray for this Mission. Please send on to others so they can pray for us and well as stay tuned in and turned on to how Jesus is moving in Central Texas!

Bless you. We do this because we feeled Called by God and because high schoolers are worth it!!!

ups and downs..

Last Monday, we had our 7th Annual Crud War and it was a HUGE HIT! We had been wanting to move this event to a more central location and so this year we did. And it yielded great fruit. We had about 80 kids come out and join us as we threw Crud at each other. Then the Killeen Fire Department came and hosed us off! How many people can say that they have been squirted with a hose from a Fire Truck? Can you?

Ryan and Wallace rear back to launch a few of the 1200 water balloons


Part of our group gathered for a final picture.
Getting kids together for a pic is like herding cats!


Jenna and Taylor smile BIG!


Firemen washing our kids off


We are excited about this year. There are tons and tons and tons of kids that we need to meet. We believe that Divine Appointments are waiting for us all over this town. God has arranged for us to meet kids. Will we be faithful and go? That is the question? Are you Faithful?

On another note, my heart is saddened. I heard that Yellowsone National Park is going to be building CELL PHONE TOWERS inside the park. Are you kidding me? What is wrong with people? Gone are the days when one would 'escape to the countryside!' No more talking with the family while on vacation. I can now conduct business and check my email from my CRACKberry cell phone! Some call it a BLACKberry, but I call it a CRACKBerry because people are addicted to their cell phones like others are addicted to Crack!

Please pray for this evening. We are meeting again at Lion's Park for sports, food and the such. Pizza In Da Park is what we are calling it. Pray for Relationships...

Because High Schoolers Are WAY Worth It...

Baffling...

I am amazed by Mother Nature. I am! Seriously. That woman is ONE POWERFUL LADY!!! I have always been intrigued with 'things' bigger than me. I remember growing up and being fascinated with those big tractors that move lots and lots of dirt. We always called them Big Mama's and Big Daddy's. After growing up a bit, I have come to assume that that probably is not their 'official' names. Tractors are one thing. Ike is another. Ike amazed me. People always amaze me. We all are God's Children. Some just don't act like it.

Taylor and I went to Denton on Friday evening. We went home for a really wonderful occasion. My niece Taylor Paige, not to be confused with my wife Taylor Marie, got saved this past summer at church and she got baptized on Saturday evening at Fellowship Church. Such an incredible and very special event! I told Wayne, Taylor's dad and my oldest brother, how special Taylor's decision to follow Jesus and get baptized was. Taylor coming to Faith has really started a Brand New Legacy in our family. Jesus became 'real' to me a year after I went off to college (October 1996 to be exact). By 'real' I mean, I wasn't just going to church, but rather understood who Jesus was / is and what he had done for me. And then Jesus began to work on my family. And they came to Faith. So, for most of my family, we came to know Jesus as adults (I use that term loosely!). Taylor is the first Russell in our immediate family to trust Christ at an early age. So wonderful!!!

I was reading in John 4 (that is what the sermon was about on Saturday evening) after Taylor and I got home really late on Saturday night. I was baffled by one verse and would love to share it with you. John 4:50b which says, 'The man took Jesus AT HIS WORD and departed.' I stopped and thought about how unusual that is these days. Especially during this political race. Do you take people at their WORD? Do you remember the days when someone's WORD meant something? It was as good as in writing. There was no need to write it down. To have proof. No Notary Needed! 'He' would do it because HE SAID HE WOULD! This Royal Official's son was healed by Jesus. His son wasn't even present! He was back at the house! But this Royal Official took Jesus AT HIS WORD! Do you take people at their Word? Have you been let down, back stabbed, 'pooped on,' so many times that you don't do this anymore? Please don't rope Jesus into that category. He doesn't belong there! He Doesn't... He IS a man who can be taken at his Word. Do you take Jesus at his Word? Do you even know what his Word is?

The journey continues. I will be out of pocket a couple days this week and won't be able to write any words. I will pick up upon my return.

Please pray for this evening. We are having our Young Life Kick Off tonight at 7:59 at Lion's Park in Killeen. This is our 7th Annual Crud War! What is a Crud War you ask... Well, it consists of 4 phases: 1200 water balloons. 150 pounds of flour. Mystery Mush (which is dog food soaked in water for 36 hours ... shhhhhh, I didn't tell you that!). Shaving Cream. After the event...which takes about 3 1/2 minutes (maybe a little longer than that) , the kids gets squirted off by the Killeen Fire Department. Such a cool deal! Please pray for safety, fun, lots of kids, laughter and a desire to know more about Young Life and ultimately Jesus! Our desire is for teenagers today to take Jesus At His Word...

Because High Schoolers Are WAY Worth It...

Hate...

I mentioned a book (Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper) that I was excited to read a few ... months ago that I have once again picked up. It is a tough read because of some of the things it says. It challenges me. And I hate it...

Here are a few snipits for you to chew on this weekend. May you be challenged. And hate it too. May it pull us to the feet of our Savior. Who is Love. May we not waste our life...

Snipits:
~Life is wasted when we do not live for the glory of God. And I mean all of life. It is all for his glory.

~We waste our lives when we do not pray and think and dream and plan and work toward magnifying God in all spheres of life.

~In the night sky of this world God appears to most people, if at all, like a pinprick of light in a heaven of darkness. But he created us and called us to make him look like what he really is. This is what it means to be created in the image of God. We are meant to image forth in the world what he is really like.

~If you don't point people to God for everlasting joy, you don't love. You waste your life.

~No thing can satisfy the soul. The soul was made to stand in awe of a Person --- the only person worthy of awe.

~God's love must rescue us from our addiction to self and bring us, changed, into the presence of God.

Happy Chewing...

He can't be controlled...

On Sunday, Taylor, my folks and I went to Lowe's to spend my $50 gift card from my birthday (9/3/1976). I love Lowe's. I really do. I could spend $2,000 in there and not think twice about it. The problem is that my gift card was only for $50. That creates limitations.

Anyhow, I bought an insecticide spreader, some bird seed as well as a Hummingbird feeder than suction cups (sticks) to your window. For only $4.99, we have experienced wonderful joys and pleasures! We have a constant attendant. Beautiful! Hummingbirds are pretty amazing. They sure do flap those lil' wings of theirs awfully quick. I love it! Livin' the Simple Life...

Last night at Campaigners (a Young Life Bible Study) we talked about Jesus being the Lord of the Sabbath from Mark 2. The Pharisees were trying to trap Jesus; looking for ways to accuse Him for the things He did on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and in need so they picked grain and ate it. That's a no-no on the Sabbath. Then Jesus heals a man's hand that is shriveled up. Bad News according to the Pharisee's. So I asked our high school friends why didn't the Pharisees like Jesus and Leslie replies, 'the Pharisees didn't like Jesus because Jesus CAN'T BE CONTROLLED!' That is Wisdom. That is Profound. From the mouth of a 17 year old girl. Thank You Jesus!

Live in such a way that those who don't know God may come to know Him because of you...

Can you say, 'WOWsers?'

WOWsers!!!! Some days it's fast. Other days it's faster!!! Where have the days and weeks gone? Taylor and I have not been in town on a weekend in like 8 weeks. We haven't been in a town 2 consecutive weekends since February 2006. Okay, maybe not THAT long, but it has been CrAzY!

Anyhow, I am off to another high school. I was at Ellison today. As well as Harker Heights. It was REALLY great to be at Heights today. I got the approval from the PrinciPAL today that our Young Life leaders can be on his campus. That is always a blessing. He also gave me some really encouraging words about me and Young Life. I felt honored. I also talked to one of the Assistant PrinciPALs as well as his secretary, Mrs. Z! She is a great lady. Her son was in Young Life.

I am now heading to a third high school to speak with that PrinciPAL. Life is busy busy.

We are starting up YL on Monday with our 7th Annual Crud War........ of course, all of this is now dependent on Mr. Ike and his desire to join us in Tejas.

I leave you with this bumper sitcker that we saw on the way home from the Texas Coast two weeks ago. It saddened my heart. But I think it reflects our society so very well. Are you ready for this? This is the last thing that I have for ya. Tell me what you think...

SIN NOW
PRAY LATER


Jesus, come quickly...