Wednesday, August 25, 2010

A New Era


Leslie just posted some very similar thoughts that I am about to share: http://www.thejourneytojillian.blogspot.com/ But I feel compelled to share my thoughts as well, for whatever that is worth.

These past two weeks have been very hectic and stressful for many students and parents as the school year has begun again. Perhaps, the most anxiety comes for the families with students going away to college, and especially for those going away for the first time. It is is tremendous joy to be able to play a role in so many young people's lives and seeing them go off to college is a blessing, but also a little bit sad. These past two years it has been my tremendous honor to take one of our college kids to school and help her move in. Without fail, on my way home the tears just start coming down and I think about all the challenges she will face at school and how her faith will be tested. Selfishly, I also think about how much I am going to miss seeing her. Now that Leslie and I have been here awhile there are a lot of our students moving on and it is different around these parts of the world without them in it.

Praying with them and seeing them off, when we were able, has been a joy and something that we will continue to do with these students, and planning visits is also something we must do. As students go off to school, they continue to need our support, our prayers and they need to know that they are not forgotten back home. High school graduation seems like a finish line of sorts and we as a church must move that line back. Our students haven't finished anything yet, they are just moving onto something different, and they are still students and young people that need us. I am excited for this new school year and I can't wait to see all that God does in the coming year!

Monday, August 9, 2010

Challenged to live different

This past week I had the wonderful opportunity to learn and grow at Gull Lake Ministries. God has blessed me and my family with this camp for the past three summers. We get to go with other families from our church, which gives me a great chance to hang out with my teenagers. The speakers for the week were both Godly men who have given their life to Christ and allow Him to direct their paths.
The teaching really challenged me to think differently about how I live, and exactly what I am doing here with my life and resources. God has blessed me with a wonderful family and a church full of teenagers that I absolutely love. However, I want to make sure that I am not missing out on the main reason why we are all here, and that is to praise Jesus Christ and share the Good News with all we come into contact with. I need to get back to that priority and I hope to help lead my youth in that endeavour also.

Monday, August 2, 2010

New Bibles

New Bibles are always exciting. I probably have more Bibles than any one person should have. This past year I have switched over to using the ESV version of God's Word. I read it for my devotion time and I have preached out of it when I get the opportunity to teach from the pulpit. Up to this point I have been pretty much the only one around me who has made this translation transition. However, the most amazing thing has happened over the past couple of weeks. Some of the guys in our youth group have bought new bibles. Now, knowing that some of your high school guys went out on their own to buy new Bibles is very exciting ,and you have no idea how wonderful it is to know that they did this. But, to top off that excitement, the guys decided that they would all get ESV versions. :)
Now, this doesn't necessarily mean that we are going to make the full switch in JOLT to ESV. Currently, Leslie is doing the teaching anyway, and she is fully confident in her NIV. I have a hard time finding words to describe how overwhelmed I was when I first heard that the guys all bought new Bibles. It is definitely a step of strength and faith to get your own Bible. It is truly a pleasure serving these young men and I cannot wait to see what God does through them this coming school year.