Service Project

This past Sunday our youth group did another service project. About a year ago we moved away from just the games and normal services. We went to service project style of learning, really trying to live out what Jesus told us. To love God and your neighbor. I am still amazed at how much students get out of this style of learning and how they walk away feeling better about themselves. Putting tools into a kids hand and letting them go at it.

You can see in the picture our students worked until they had blisters on their hands. At the same time we were able to serve a lady in our community and make her yard look a little better. What is so awesome about these projects is that not every student shows up, but the few that do put their heart into it.

My prayer is that we continue to see the joy into serving one another and that we follow God and serve him with our full hearts. 

The difference

This has been an interesting week in many ways. Everything was different in many ways and I found that I have really enjoyed it in many ways. Between work hours changing and the amount of kids I have in one day and the amount of time I spend with them. I have found that kids bring such an awesome beauty to this world and how they can change it.

Wednesday we did something different in youth group and had a pool party at Hardin Simmons. We celebrated the five students who were baptized in the last three weeks. Tanner was baptized at a service at our church, Mark, Nick, and Daniel was baptized at South Padre, and Logan was Baptized by his dad on a family vacation. Talking with some students on Wednesday reminded me of the trials that last year brought but also how far God has brought us.

Saturday we will have a service project with our youth group from 9am to 12PM helping a lady with her yard.

It's amazing how God is working and my prayer that we continue to follow his path. 

Camp 2010

I must say that this was the best camp that I have had in many different ways. It was awesome to worship with students and churches from around Abilene, Austin, and Waco. I believe what made it awesome for me was seeing Mission Students worship and see something new. I had second thoughts this past year on my calling and if I was in God's will. I felt like I was working and I just wasn't seeing any fruit. This past week God really worked on my heart and showing me that there is a time to harvest, water, and see fruit. A room full of guys who didn't want to room together found a new friendship and bond, a student that wasn't going to come signed up the last minute and gave his life to Christ after raising his and feeling the power of God and crying on my shoulder to tell me he found christ, three were baptized, and others starting to understand the power of God and his love.

As I spent time looking at my students I for some reason started understanding how God loved me. I knew it when it came to teaching it, but hard for me to understand. I remember I was praying to God and him telling me to be quite and listen. I just started hearing...I love you, I love You, I love You, I love You...then right after the wroship team went into oh How he loves me.

I believe God is doing something new with in our youth in abilene. I am so amazed how they hate the big and love the small. I even had a couple of our youth talk about how they love that we are medium size because they do not get lost in the crowd. Once again this year I kept hearing that we were like a family they never had. I couldn't help but praise God for him having me right where I was at.

I was also thinking God that I had stood through the trials and not walk away and leave. There were many moments last year where I felt alone. I believe it was a gift from God to see them Worship and give all they had to God.

Camp 2010

WOW! It's the only word I can think of. I was so amazed with what do did with our adults and students. I had the chance to see God really move in the students we have been serving for a few years. At the same time God even did some work on my heart as well. I will have some pictures, videos, and other stuff soon.

To Save a Life

Any one who works with youth long enough knows and understands the ups and downs that come with the job. You will have times you laugh and times that you do nothing but cry. For the past few weeks I have been asking myself why did I make the choice to work with young people. Lets face it, there are few thank yous and there is not allot of attention. At this point and for the past six years I have never had the desire to be a lead pastor for many reasons. The biggest reason I feel when it comes to young people you make the biggest difference in a life and can be a part of preventing tragedy by simply loving.

I love the fact that I am a small part off my students life. I have one of the most amazing teams in the world, more than anything else I love the fact they care about our kids. At this point we have a leadership team that has been in place for over three years, with little turn over. Each one of my students is teamed up with an adult and that adult takes care of them. My leaders don't always know that because it happened naturally. I believe the most amazing part is watching God do the little things. Also him breaking our hearts for what takes place in their life. There are times we want to hurt them, but at the end we love them.

I believe the biggest reason I love youth ministry is because in many ways we save a life. From salvation to helping them through some emotions. Most of it never happens on a Wednesday or Sunday. Not in a church or a church function. Most of it happens with in community and showing them something different in life. Not freaking out when they put they're drunk on facebook, but not fearing to talk with them face to face about the issue. Simply loving and not judging.

To all who work with kids in this world, thank you for your time. You are rarely noticed and the first that people blame, but an important part of a kids life.