Nothing Profound

The Leaf

2011-10-28T13:47:00.001-05:00

I started down the trail, and I could hear so many sounds. The water was flowing over the rocks in the creek, the wind was blowing through the trees and into my ears, and the animals were moving all about. When I reached the edge of the creek, I stopped. I stood there as quiet as possible. The details I noticed absolutely amazed me. The new things that I saw, the new sounds that I heard, they were all so vibrant and alive.

I looked up into the trees and saw the branches draping over each other. Leaves were lying on the ground. The water from the creek was moving past my feet and was slowly being fed by melting ice sickles dripping down the rock’s edge. There were birds drinking, but now they stood quietly staring at me.

I noticed a single leaf falling down from above, and as that leaf fell down toward me, I watched and began to think. Life is so frail. I have a limited amount time here on earth. So what am I doing with it? I am told life is like a vapor, but do I show it by the way I live. Questions and concepts continued to run through my mind.

I knew that I didn’t want to forget this moment. I wanted to hang on to these thoughts forever. I needed to do something to take this with me. So I started to draw a picture on the paper I had.

While out in the woods that morning, I drew what I was feeling. The leaf is falling slowly, not in any hurry to reach the ground, and yet the leaf’s decent is still over in a matter of seconds. As the leaf falls, it really is never in control. The wind takes it and there’s nothing the leaf can do. It has to make the most out of wherever it is led.

As I watched and pondered on my own life in conjunction with what I had just witnessed with this leaf, here’s what I came to:

“My life is equivalent to the leaf falling to the ground. I cannot control everything around me. The more I seek control over my situations, the less I cherish the moments I have. I have to realize that God is in control, and I must begin looking for his purpose in my decent. I let the winds take me wherever they wish because I know that the Holy Spirit will guide me. I need to ask God to use me wherever I end up. There will be a day when I reach the ground, and my time will have run out. So I will be thankful for the time I have now. ”

Interesting Observations

2011-07-27T14:52:00.000-05:00

Over the past few months I've started to pick-up on some things that I normally had overlooked in my life. It's unbelievable how lucky I am to be where I'm at. It's unbelievable how lucky I am to have a house that is far bigger than what I absolutely need. It's unbelievable that how lucky I am to have a truck that is reliable and a car that has lasted for years. I could continue on and on with how lucky I am to have so many things. My wife, my job, my friends, and on and on.

I have seen so many people over the last few weeks who are not nearly as fortunate as I am when it comes to the material and monetary things, but they seem to be at even par with me on the friends for the most part. Not having as much, it forces a person to rely on each other, to put trust in other people, and to truly trust in God. And yet I can go through life and live by my own means, not having to put an ounce of trust in God because I do everything I can to take care of myself.

I used to thank God for the blessings that He gave me. Thank God that He put me in the United States, with a loving family that raised me in the Church and showed me what it meant to be successful. And I am still thankful for the things that God has provided for me, but I now see the burden that they can create when it comes to my relationship with Him. I see how my prayers used to sound a lot like the Pharisee in Luke 18 that thanks God he was not like the Tax Collector. I see how I am a lot like the rich man who Jesus told to sell everything. I see how so many of us are those people throughout the Bible and yet we read God's Word as though we're the oppressed, poor, disliked Hebrews.

I think I'm starting to see how God wants me to see and not through my own broken eyes.

Truck

2011-04-11T15:23:00.001-05:00

Well, this one's not necessarily spiritual, but then again it is because we can't separate God from anything that happens. I really just need to vent for a minute. I've spent quite a bit of money on my truck over the past month or so. I got four needed tires at the best possible deal I could find. Then I needed breaks, so I got that scheduled only to find out that I needed breaks, rotors, and 2 front calipers.

Then today I took the truck in because I needed a simple alignment. I didn't want to ruin my new tires by making them wear unevenly. So, I take it in and plan on it being a quick fix. I sit there and wait just reading a book. An hour goes by and then somebody calls me back to "look" at something. There's a bearing going out, it needs some new rod, and then I'll get the alignment.

All in all, over the past month or month and a half, I will have spent about $2,250 on a truck that I just bought last summer. Not to mention, when I first got it, within two weeks it needed $1,000 fix. This is just ridiculous.

Post from Donald Miller

2011-04-05T12:07:00.003-05:00

I thought this was pretty interesting. Check out this post from Donald Miller and then we can talk about it here.

Don Miller

Fact & Opinion

2011-02-28T10:54:00.008-06:00

Miles mentioned something in his sermon last week that has got me thinking a little bit. It's something that we have talked about before, but for some reason, this has stuck with me more this week than in times past.

People are supposed to come to church, worship God with all their heart, hear His Word proclaimed, and hopefully are inspired to go home and continue to live their lives according to the message God gave them that week. If that means that you question a portion of the message, that's fine. If that means that you read through more of the context of the message and try to dig deeper, that's great. When someone preaches, the hope is that you leave with a desire to keep growing, learning, or at least thinking about that topic. So, we shouldn't feel that questions are bad, or wanting to further study is a bad thing.

But here's what often happens. We come to church, sing a song or two (but don't really worship), pick apart every word that is preached (in hopes that you can find an error), then only continue discussing or thinking about church when we bash something.

We let our opinions get in the way of the Message. Not necessarily in terms of the Message that was preached by the Preacher, but God's Message that He was trying to get across to us that day. We pick things apart, and get frustrated over our opinions when our opinions shouldn't be what's most important.

Not only do we give our opinions about the adult service, we give opinions equally to programming that we don't like or think should be run differently with youth, young adults, elderly, and so on. What's it going to take for the Church to get past our opinions and start coming together in unity in regards to the things that really matter?

U.S.A. vs. Haiti

2011-02-11T14:19:00.001-06:00

There was a group of us who went to Haiti this past summer and now Miles just went with a group last week. We both come back with these horror stories from Haiti in reference to what the people have to go through, the circumstances that so many people find themselves in, and even the government that they have to deal with. And even though our eyes have been opened since the earthquake just over a year ago now, doesn't it seem like we still take so many things for granted?

If our eyes haven't been opened to the evil in the world through hearing the stories of those who return from such a place as Haiti, maybe it would be better if God allowed us to really suffer and know what it is like not to have enough to make it through life comfortably. The majority of people that see themselves as needy here in the U.S.A. don't have a lot they could complain about if they saw the way the poor people of Haiti have to live.

Tell me what you think about the way the United States helps the poor today. Should we be more like Haiti and let people suffer? Should we help people more and do what we can because God has blessed us with more to give? How should we respond? More like the U.S.A. or more like Haiti?

Maturing Christian

2010-12-29T09:21:00.001-06:00

Megan and I took a few days to go see a couple of our close friends that live in Ohio not too long ago, and during our trip I really had a lot of time to relax and think about life. As we draw close to the end of 2010, I think this is a pretty natural thing for people; we tend to look at our life, look back on the year and reflect on what we have and have not done. Then we think about what we want to do in the year to come. It’s an instance where we look at the calendar and decide to make a considerable change in our lives.

As you undoubtedly do this again this year, let’s take a look at our spiritual lives and see what needs to change. Obviously this is something that we should do everyday, but all to often we fall right back into the same routine of sin day after day. As this year comes to a close, let’s take this opportunity to truly change, grow and mature into the person God created us to be in God’s Kingdom. – Ephesians 4:14-15

- Robbie

Loved

2010-11-04T09:00:00.001-05:00

Sunday, November 23, 2008. It’s a day I’ll never forget. On that day I understood what it meant to be loved. I was on stage at the end of my ordination service listening to prayers being offered to God for me, prayers from men that had made an impact in my life. As I took a moment to glance out into the audience, I knew that I was loved.

All kinds memories came to mind. I thought back to my childhood at First Church and the people that stood beside me and lead me as I grew up there. I thought about my time at Lincoln Christian College and the great friendships that I was able to build there that have helped me stay strong. And then, I thought about more recent things like my time at Cayuga Christian Church and the time that I had been able to spend with friends at CrossRoads Christian Church. There were many influential people in my life that all came together that night to show me their love and support.

Now that I am at CrossRoads, I know that I will have many more people love and influence my life in a positive way, and I pray that I am able to do the same for many of you. I hope to continually have that opportunity, an opportunity to give love in the way that love has been so richly given to me.

I want to challenge you this week. Go to that person in your life that has positively influenced you and helped make you the person you are today. Tell him or her that you are thankful for them and the time, support, and love that they have shown you. Then start thinking considering whether or not you are that person for others.

Proverbs 3:3

Distractions

2010-08-04T10:41:00.000-05:00

As a person goes through life, there will inevitably be times when he or she has situations arise that are distracting no matter where you are and what you are doing throughout the day. Tiger Woods has been the media’s focal point for quite some time now. We have been informed of his scandalous personal life and his attempt at rehabilitation. With this immense distraction in his life, he decided to take some time off from gold and concentrate on himself. Without a doubt, his decision was the best decision for himself and his family.

Tiger is playing golf again now, and even though he took his time away and tried to focus on getting through this very distracting situation, he still has not performed up to his capabilities. And this seems to be so because of this grand distraction in his life.

When I was in high school, I went to almost every high school football game that our school played in. During my sophomore year, Westville’s final record was 9 – 2. This was by far our best season in school history. However, during one of those two games that we lost, I remember sitting in the stands and listening to people talk about how one of our key players wasn’t playing very well on that night because of a personal problem in his life, a distraction from the game.

Distractions don’t just come to athletes during their times of performance. Distractions are bound to arise for all of us. But the question for us, as Christian men and women, has to revolve around how much we will let life’s situations distract us from what’s really important in life.

During these moments in our lives, we need to cry out to Jesus for help and guidance. We need to cry out to Jesus for wisdom and perseverance. We need to humble ourselves before the creator of the universe and realize that He is still in control. But all too often, the distractions of life, they not only take our minds away from work and family, but they pull us away from our Lord.

Why do we try to make it through these tough times on our own? Why do we think that we can always come up with the answers and solve all our problems? Today, if you’re distracted, humble yourself before the Lord and cry out to Jesus.

Life

2010-05-27T08:39:00.000-05:00

Megan and I sat down together and ate dinner at our house the other night for the first time in quite a while. We get so busy doing things in the evenings that it’s not difficult to notice the irregularity of sitting down to dinner together when we finally do.

Why is it that we let life get so busy that we don’t spend time with the ones that we care about the most? Whether it be our jobs, time with recreational activities, some other hobby that you’re highly involved in, or something else, why do we let these things intrude in our order of what’s truly important in life?

Megan and I have even noticed that not only do we allow these things to get in the way of our time together, but also we allow them to interfere with our personal time with God. The list of what’s most important in our lives, we know that God needs to be at the top with each other right below that. So, what happens that moves things around without us ever really noticing what’s happening in our lives?

I think it’s Satan using the busyness of life to keep us from growing in our relationship with the Lord. Depending on the culture, I think Satan uses all sorts of different tactics to interfere in our relationship with the Lord. But all to often, in American culture, he uses the one thing that everyone seems to be struggling with, being too busy.

If you were here for Graduation Sunday, I mentioned two of the three things that Paul asked for when it was coming down to the end of his life. The one thing I didn’t mention that he asks for is in II Timothy 4:13, and there he asks for his cloak. I think Paul has to ask for his cloak because he lived such a simple, non-busy life. Let’s take a hint from Paul and see the value in a life that’s not too busy. Together, let’s prevents Satan from manipulating our minds into thinking that busyness is always good thing.

A short excerpt from the blog of Donald Miller…

2010-05-13T08:17:00.001-05:00

“Is Telling the Truth More Important than Selling the Truth?”

What I love about the Bible is its honesty. This is not a book in which authors tried to hide anything. If somebody got drunk and slept with their daughter, it’s in there. If the king of Israel had a man killed and slept with his wife, it’s in there. If somebody doubted God’s love, it’s right there in the book.

So why don’t Christian books read anything like the Bible? Can we handle the truth?

Part of the problem is ours is a religion of image. When the authors of scripture sat down to write, they weren’t writing for critics, and they didn’t care whether or not people approved, they were attempting to capture truth. And they believed telling the truth was more important than selling the truth.

So my question is, do we trust truth? Would it matter if your church shrunk because you presented the truth (in maturity and objectivity)? Would people stop [listening to what you had to say] if you were honest, like the writers of scripture? And at what point do we call a white-washed style of Scripture actually lies?

But another important question is can you handle the truth? If you knew about everything your ministers thought about, would you still go to church? If others knew everything about your darkest sins, would they stay away from you? How did a book filled with such brutal honesty create an image-sensitive culture?

What do you think would happen if we stopped “spinning” the gospel, and started telling the truth? My guess is, the church would shrink, and what you’d be left with is a small core that would grow through love, acceptance and honest commitment to each other. But perhaps not.

NCAA Tourney

2010-04-07T07:40:00.000-05:00

After filling out my Men’s NCAA National Basketball Tournament bracket not long ago, I felt like I had a pretty good chance of doing well this year. The last few years, I have done a rather good job and this year I really didn’t expect much different. However, there are always things that happen in the tournament that are unforeseen by me. And now that the tournament is coming to a close, I know that I’m going to be getting last place in the majority of the pools I have joined in. I don’t mind too much because I’m not really losing anything, but I really don’t like getting last at anything. It can be discomforting knowing that people who don’t even watch basketball are probably destroying me with their brackets.

Nevertheless, I have to move on and somehow try to learn from losing. It’s something that many people struggle with. It’s a little easier when I’m the one analyzing a situation and teaching someone else the lesson they can learn from a situation, but when the lesson is for me, that makes things a lot tougher. However, this is something we all need to learn to do. We need to take the tough situations, issues, and problems in our lives and learn from them. We can’t let them get us down and keep us from bouncing back and living for Christ.

Think about Peter and what he went through. If you open your Bible to 1 Peter and read this short book, then go back and read about Peter in the Gospels, look at some of the things you would find.

The man who called himself “a witness of Christ’s sufferings” was not there when Jesus was hanging on the cross; he was hiding in fear. The man who calls us to be “eager to serve” remained seated while Jesus washed everyone’s feet. The man who tells us that we should be “clear minded and self-controlled so that [we] can pray,” he fell asleep while Jesus was sweating blood. The man who so boldly tells us to “submit [ourselves] for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men” chopped a Roman soldier’s ear off in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Peter took Jesus’ correction to heart and became a changed man. He examined himself. He took time to think about the person he was becoming. He addressed his situations, issues, and problems and became a man of God.

Skillet & tobyMac

2010-03-12T09:53:00.002-06:00

I went to see the Skillet / tobyMac concert in Champaign, IL last night. I took a few students but we all had ordered our own tickets, so I was sitting in A Section with one of my buddies, Brock. Skillet was really good. I love watching them in concert. That's the second time I had the chance to see them, and it was even better this time than the last time. (And the last time I loved it)

I got to see a friend of mine from Lincoln that I used to play baseball with. He was actually working at the concert. He was able to get me a wristband to go down right in front of the stage. It was pretty cool. I was down there when the tobyMac part of the concert started.

Although tobyMac began the concert from the middle of the crowd, he made his way down through the crowd and onto the stage. I didn't realize how little he really is. He's not a big guy at all, and it probably makes him seem even small after watching the lead singer of Skillet play for awhile.

Something I didn't mention, when tobyMac was on his way down to the stage after starting in the middle of the crowd. In order for him to get on stage, he did some crowd surfing through the people that were on the floor, the place where I had recently joined. In attempting to help lift him up, he kicked me in the chest. (totally on accident) How many guys can say that tobyMac kicked them in the chest though. I feel like I have a pretty unique one time interaction for a memory now.

He did a good job with the concert too. I just really liked Skillet. They had a lot of pyrotechnics, and they really play to the crowd. It was amazing! If you get a chance to go see the Awake Tonight Tour, I'd definitely recommend it. It was a great show, and they make sure you know that they are doing it because they love Jesus!

Strain

2010-03-10T07:55:00.003-06:00

I’m not sure if many of you were aware that I strained the muscles in my neck, back and left shoulder recently. It happened on a Thursday night while playing basketball here at the church during our Men’s basketball league. Trying to sleep with a strained neck is never easy, especially when you know you’re about to sleep in a bed other than your own for the next couple nights. It just so happens that I strained my neck on a Thursday and was going to Hanging Rock Christian Camp on Friday for a weekend retreat with Jr. High students.

I was going to be the speaker on Saturday morning for the main worship session. It was hard to turn my head, hard to stand up and even hard to sit down at times because of the awkward pain. Things really were not looking good for the weekend. One of the most inconvenient things was getting in and out of the car. I was practically hitting my head every time because I couldn't bend my neck to miss the top of the door.

Nevertheless, I made it through. I completed my speaking during the Saturday morning main session, I helped teach an elective class that afternoon and I managed to dodge most of the basketballs that came flying my way throughout the weekend.

I really wasn’t feeling too bad Sunday morning when I woke up. I thought I was getting over the muscle strain without going to the doctor. I really hate going to a doctor, and I hadn’t been before this year for quite some time. However, Sunday night I didn’t sleep well at all. People could tell just by looking at me that something wasn’t right. It was really just getting incredibly frustrating.

I broke down Tuesday and went to a Chiropractor and a Doctor. It’s unbelievable just how much better I felt after seeing these two guys. Before seeing them, I had dealt with my neck for nearly a week without asking for help. Why did I do that? And better yet, why do we do that?

With our spiritual lives we do exactly what I did with my neck. We keep thinking, “It’s going to get better, it’s going to get better, it’s going to get better.” We deny the help of those around us who just want to help. We have this pride when it comes to doing things on our own.

Even though everybody I saw during those few days, they could tell that I was struggling to deal with my neck hurting, I never let any of them help and I never took their advice to see a doctor.

Why do we struggle with sin and not ask for help from the Doctor who could help us get better? Why do we act like we have nothing wrong with us when everybody around us can see what we're struggling with?

Let’s go to the Doctor with our struggles and pain. Let’s work to get better instead of trying to deal with sin on our own. God is there for us, let's stop acting like we don't need Him.

The Age of Accountability

2010-02-26T10:40:00.002-06:00

You've got to read this article I found on the age of accountability.

http://www.scionofzion.com/age.htm

Let me know what you think of this perspective!

Spiritual Disciplines

2010-01-27T13:21:00.000-06:00

The Student Ministries at Cayuga Christian are working on the development of Small Groups. Personally, I am meeting with a group of guys approximately twice a month. Although we have not reached a necessary point of trust to really open up in our group yet, I can see us growing closer already.

We are learning things about each other, we are becoming more familiar with the things we like and dislike, and we are becoming more comfortable around each other. These first steps in a small group are necessary if you want to reach a point of trust. Once you reach that point of trust, the potential for your group seems to be endless.

I hope to reach a point of trust in our group where we are holding one another accountable for the sin in our lives through confession and prayer.

Truthfully, we all know that others, as well as ourselves, struggle with things throughout life, and yet it seems as though we never want to confess our struggles to anyone. However, one of the most powerful spiritual disciplines is confession. Why might it be that we never want to utilize this discipline? Quite obviously, there is only one thing holding us back and that is our pride.

God has given us all kinds of opportunities to utilize the spiritual disciplines, and yet many of us go through life trying to repent and transform our lives on our own again because of our pride. Today, let’s recognize the value of the disciplines that God gave us. Let’s stop looking at them as a crutch and see them as a tool to be used for betterment of our spiritual lives.

Inward Disciplines - Meditation…Prayer…Fasting…Study

Outward Disciplines - Simplicity…Submission…Solitude…Service

Corporate Disciplines - Confession…Worship…Guidance…Celebration

The discipline list is from Richard Foster’s, “Celebration of Discipline”.

Ruth

2009-12-27T12:55:00.005-06:00

I just got done preaching on Ruth today. It was really nice to get to cover a topic such as this one, meaning - one I didn't know a lot about before getting into it. Now I feel like I know the story really well.

Nevertheless, the real reason I'm blogging about this is because I came across something from this story that I thought everybody needs to hear. First, you should go through and read the story of Ruth and just take it all in. But then, look at Bethlehem as being our Promise Land and look at Moab as being the world we live in today. And put us in Ruth's place, that being mankind. Then think about God being Boaz. Boaz was there in the beginning when everyone left for Moab, Boaz was there for Ruth when she returned to Bethlehem and he was there when she fell at his feet. He was excited when Ruth decided to lie at his feet, and he took her as his wife.

We, as the Church, are called to be the bride of Christ. He was there in the beginning when we left Him. He's there for us the minute we return, and He's just waiting for us to fall at His feet in submission so that He can show us His love.

Let's think about this one for a little while, and tell me what you think about this comparison. Does it fit, or am I stretching it too far? Is the story of Ruth really about something else?

Slavery, A Good Thing?

2009-12-17T10:33:00.004-06:00

I was thinking the other day a lot about the topic of slavery. I don't know why I was thinking about it, but for some reason I felt like being a little intellectual, and I spent a lot of time just thinking about it.

Before you begin to come up with your own arguments and opinions, please read everything that I am saying. Then you are more than welcome to tell me whatever you think.

My initial thoughts consisted of trying to come up with some way in which God could have used slavery for his glory and for the betterment of all people. If all things can be used as a positive, I was trying to see if there was more positive from this awful time in history than just some people realizing that we are all equal and no one should be a "slave" as it was defined during this time.

What if slavery could be a good thing?

Here's how I came to ask this question and answer it with a "Yes". First, we need to realize that the color of one's skin has nothing to do with what I'm talking about. Whether a person is purple, green, orange, red, blue, yellow or some other color in the spectrum, it makes no difference on who is a "slave" and who is a "slave owner".

Next, I began to consider what the words "Slave" and "Slave Owner" mean in our society and what they could mean in a perfect world.

Then I considered this, during times of hardship in the world, even times such as now with the horrific economy, there are entire families starving because of unemployment, a lack of jobs, and a lack of resources available to people. However, when someone is serving as a "slave", the "slave owner" feeds everyone (including their families) that works for them.

Not only are families fed, but they are given a place to live on the farm or property of the "slave owner" when they are working for them. Therefore, they are not homeless. Parents will never have to worry about where their children are going to lay their heads at night.

On top of this, a mother, whether a "slave" or "slave owner" is given responsibilities around the complex that teach them how to take care of their families and provide a healthy home. The women in a family are vitally important without having to give up certain aspects of parenting that used to be so absolutely important, like having a major impact on their children as they grow up.

This forces parents to raise their children. They don't have a day care or babysitter raising their kids for them while they both work so they can have more money. This forces them to be responsible for their children, and their children are taught the basics of what it means to be a family and what it means to take care of a home. Then, both boys and girls develop skills for working in the future.

The thing that messed up slavery in our world wasn't the idea of slavery, it was broken people being involved in the process. The world is messed up because of us. We messed up the idea of slavery when we stopped looking at people as people and started looking at slaves as property, when we stopped treating them with respect and started treating them as resources. The idea of slavery isn't necessarily a bad one, but when we add real people into an idea, it gets messed up.

Don't Worry, Be Happy. Don't Worry, Be Happy Now!

2009-12-09T08:54:00.001-06:00

The Jr. High students went to a concert a few weeks ago in Danville. We went over to St. James United Methodist Church for a free concert paid for by St. James Church. We expected a long line to get in to the concert. After all, the band that was playing, Remedy Drive, is fairly well known. The only thing that St. James Church asked for as an entry fee was a donation to their food pantry. The intention for them was to have a food drive and raise money to in turn help the hungry people of Danville.

Throughout the day I wondered whether or not we should send someone over to get in line for the concert because we weren’t going to be able to arrive real early. Then I received a phone call from a parent. The parent called to let me know that there was a line already going down the street. I wouldn’t have thought much of it, but it was only 4:00 o’clock and the concert didn’t start until 8:00! Then I really began to worry. I was afraid we wouldn’t even be able to get in. I had already told all the Jr. Highers that we were going to a concert. What was I going to do if we went and couldn’t get in? I was slightly panicky.

Nevertheless, I told all the students to make sure they had their coats because we might have to stand in line for a while, and then we loaded up our vehicles and headed over to the concert. The whole way over I had different scenarios running through my mind, and I was going over how I would handle them. What if it was so crowded we couldn’t get in the building, would we just stand outside and listen?

Upon arrival at St. James, we saw the line down the street. However, it wasn’t quite as long as I thought it would be. I was incredibly relieved at this point. But then we went to get in line and my heart broke. It was a scenario that I had not considered.

The line down the street wasn’t for the concert; it was for the food pantry. The line to get in to the concert was nonexistent. We were able to walk right in. My perspective on worry changed that night.

Matthew 6:34 - “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

qpeworiualdkfjzxcmvn

2009-11-18T09:02:00.002-06:00

Another good day at FCA this morning, but it's been incredibly difficult to come up with two sponsors for our ICYC trip this weekend. I just need one man and one woman, but I can't seem to do it. I know people are busy, and it's a pain trying to get people to do something. I really wish we had some adults who wanted to go and be a part of this experience with students.

In the end though, I really can't blame anyone but myself. I try to do to much on my own and still haven't developed a Youth Team. If I want help, I have to take steps in that direction. I have to start reaching out for help and not let everything fall back on me. I need to get a good rotation of Sunday School teachers for teens, I need to get more sponsors for small groups that need to be starting NOW! I need help, and it's my own fault I don't have it!

Youth Ministry

2009-09-02T14:17:00.001-05:00

Why can Youth Ministry decisions some times be so stinking difficult? It seems like things should be so much simpler!

Ownership & Responsibility

2009-08-31T10:09:00.002-05:00

School is back, fall is coming, and so are Youth Groups! We had a lot of fun on Sunday, August 23^rd, with the Senior High Students. We were playing water games for the evening, and if you remember, that Sunday was not a particularly warm day. Nevertheless, once the kids started playing the games, they forgot about it being a little chilly and had fun getting each other soaking wet.

I learned a lesson myself that Sunday afternoon before the event started. A small group of students came in to the church early and made some phone calls and sent some text messages to their friends to either make sure they knew they were invited to the event or to remind them of the event. As these students made their phone calls and sent their text messages, I could see the excitement for the event building in them. Even though they didn’t know what to expect or how things would go at water night, they were getting excited because they were taking some responsibility in the event and in a way, taking ownership of it also. No longer was it an event for the youth group, it was becoming the youth group’s event.

By taking some of that responsibility and ownership over water night, they created an excitement about it that could not have been generated otherwise, an excitement that can only come when we, personally, invest in something. What if we did that with our faith in Jesus? What if we took ownership of our faith and really invested our time and efforts into it? It would create an excitement inside us that would naturally be inviting to others to come to know Him because we wouldn’t want them to miss out on what we’re a part of. It would have the potential to create an excitement for the Lord that could not be created in any other way. But it takes us, the Church, taking ownership of our faith, giving ourselves some responsibility in the kingdom, and investing ourselves in what we claim to live our lives for.

Let’s join together as a part of the Kingdom of God, taking responsibility and ownership of our faith, investing in Kingdom work. It will make all the difference in your life and the lives of others!

Clothesline Posts

2009-08-05T09:15:00.002-05:00

Now that I’m moved into the house in Perrysville, my dad and I have been working on a few things. We have taken out some things that we didn’t like, we have tried to fix the lid on the washing machine, and we have been working on getting the office ready to use. We’re really not even close to getting everything done that we would like. However, last night, while at home by myself, I started to work on another project that I would like to complete in the near future. I began to dig up the old clothesline that is in the back yard. The line is really long, nearly stretching across half of the back yard. The main reason I am taking the line out is because I nearly choke myself every time I run the lawn mower underneath it, and it’s rather rusty.

Nevertheless, last night I grabbed a shovel out of the garage and began digging up the first post. Breaking through tree roots and digging up the many rocks that are in the dirt were tough enough, but the brick and concrete that are under the ground are making this project incredibly difficult. I will have to go home today and continue my work on the first post today because I was unable to accomplish my goal of getting one post dug up last night.

When I started digging up that post last night, the only thing I could see was dirt surrounding that post. Although I assumed there might be concrete at some point securing the post into the ground, I was still very uncertain. Then, as soon as I began digging, I found some things that I didn’t expect to hit. All to often things in life are like this. We begin doing something that on the surface seems rather simple and an easy job, but as we get deeper into the project, we see more and more problems and troubles that can keep us from completing our initial goal of the project.

I think our Christian walk is a lot like a big project. We decide one day that we are going to dedicate ourselves to live a life that is honoring to Christ. When we begin to work on that big project we hit things along our path that slow us down, things that Satan is trying to use to prevent us from accomplishing our goal. It is at this point in our project that we have to make a decision. Are we going to let the little distractions that Satan throws in our lives keep us from accomplishing the goal that we set out for in the beginning? Are we going to let the fear of uncertainty of what else will get in the way in the future beat us into giving up?

We should all realize that distractions in our faith will come, but Christ is always with us. He is always loving us and giving us the way through the distraction to continue to live our lives in a way that is honoring to Him.

House

2009-07-19T13:22:00.002-05:00

I am moving in to my house this week. I have been mowing the grass and getting things ready for about 3 weeks now. I guess it is about time I move on in and get settled down. I am looking forward to it. I already wish I could just go there instead of driving back to Westville when I get off work. It's really kind of hard to take care of a house you're really never at. So, from now on, if you're stopping by to see how I'm doing, you're going to have to drive to Perrysville.

On my own

2009-06-29T17:32:00.002-05:00

I mowed the grass at my house Saturday. It was a nice feeling to know that the yard was mine, the lawn mower I was sitting on was mine, and the repairs I was going to be working on later were mine. Then, two hours later, I started on something else.

The yard's kind of big, but it's going to be a really nice place to relax and have friends over to grill out. I can't wait to be able to invite the small group over for a night. It's nice going to everybody else's house, but it'll be nice when I don't have to drive to get to small group every time.

If I could, I'd like to ask for some prayer from whoever reads this thing. Our small group has spent a lot of time getting to know each other over the past year that I've been involved with it, but I really feel like we need to remember that the group shouldn't only be centered around our relationships as friends but our relationship with the Lord. I would like to have some type of discussion at our meetings; whether it be accountability, Bible Study, or something else it really doesn't matter to me. It could even change sometimes. But I really feel like we're missing the part where we strengthen each other spiritually.

Don't get me wrong, like I said, we do a great job of getting to know one another and having a good time enjoying each other's company, but I really want to grow deeper and be challenged, like I was in Newburgh at Starbuck's. I really miss the way we discussed Church, ideals, and life as a Christ follower.

Blogging

2009-06-17T14:27:00.004-05:00

I've been messing around with the blog again. I really hate that I've become to distant from Java Jesus and the UnChurch blog. I love reading everybody's thoughts and reading what people believing about stuff. I am going to have to make time for that again. I need to keep making myself think deeper and study more so I have a solid basis for my own faith. I really miss not being at Starbuck's on Monday nights with everybody. Joe B, soebs, Darin, Erik, Scott, wives, and others... I really miss you guys! That was a great time in my life. I want to somehow get something like that back, but I think I first need to get more into the Word and get that solid base before I really start discussing in depth about things. Joe B and Darin - you two make me want to study so much more. Thank you for everything! I love you all.

I Don't Know

2009-06-11T09:19:00.003-05:00

I've been writing a lot on the other blog about wedding stuff that's going on, how the house is coming, and anything else that has to do with Megan and I getting that much closer to starting our lives together as husband and wife. So I really want to just write about something else.

When I planned our summer events, I really thought summer would be a bit of a break in comparison to the school year. But what I have been able to drop for the summer in terms of preps for lessons and things, I have picked up in meeting with students, spending time helping with the band, and getting big events/trips ready. It really would be nice to have a little bit of a break so I can get caught up, but I am really thinking that this break that I'm looking for won't ever happen.

When I was interning with Darin and SoeBeck, I remember them talking to me about never being able to finish a to due list, but this is just crazy. I really would love just a short time off. I can't wait til the wedding, but at the same time, I know it will just put me that much farther behind b/c I'll be taking a week off for our honeymoon.

It Never Ends!

Not Sure

2009-03-13T09:53:00.002-05:00

I am thinking about canceling this blog and just using the new one that I created for Megan and I's wedding even after the wedding is over. Then it could be something that we share. I don't know yet. If anybody is still reading this blog, I would just plan on going to ketchersidewedding.blogspot.com from now on for my blogs.

Baseball

2009-02-26T09:35:00.002-06:00

I am helping coach baseball this year at North Vermillion High School. A lot of the boys from church that play have already been talking to me about it. When I was in school, North Vermillion was the team that we would beat up on pretty bad. I remember scoring 20-some runs against them my Junior year and hitting a home run on their field. This year I'll be in the Home dugout and trying to help the boys improve their fundamentals. It's been odd thus far not being involved in any of the sports, and I am really looking forward to teaching the game of baseball. I miss the game and can't wait to get out on the field.

Cardinals and Steelers Super Bowl

2009-01-29T22:34:00.003-06:00

There are going to be a ton of people watching the Super Bowl this Sunday night. Tonight I was flipping through channels on the t.v. when I came across a broadcast that was showing some interviews with the Cardinals and Steelers players. It was amazing for me to here so many NFL players referring to their faith that they have in the Lord and in Jesus Christ. I know that there are professional athletes who will say that they want to give the glory to God and then all to often not live it out in their day to day life and especially while they are on the playing field. But just seeing and hearing these players talking about getting one another to go to Bible Study, being blessed by the opportunities that God has placed in their lives (not because they are playing in the Super Bowl, but because they get to talk about their faith and represent Him in their lives), and realizing that football isn't that important when it comes down to it.

That message is what I wish so many kids could hear. That message is what I wish so many kids would not just hear but listen to and live out. I love sports more than most, but I know that when it all comes down to it, the only thing that really matters is the way that I represent Christ with my life. I am forever grateful for the love that He has for me. God Bless!

News!

2009-01-28T14:28:00.002-06:00

So...Megan and I are officially engaged now! Last Saturday, January 24th, we went out with a group of our friends for the night to celebrate Megan and, another friend, Emily's birthdays. Emily's husband and I got together and decided what we could do for them. So we rented a limo for the night, went to Champaign to eat at Biaggi's and then we were going to leave it up to them from there. So, Megan thought that her birthday present was the surprise limousine, but I had bigger plans for her birthday this year. After we were done eating at Biaggi's, the two girls were opening their gifts and I saved Megan's card for the end. I wrote Megan a poem that led toward me asking Megan to marry her and once she finished the poem I got down on my knee and asked Megan to be my wife! She definitely was surprised and happy. I was really glad that we had a group of our friends there. Not only did they get to be a part of the night, but they got a lot of pictures and even some video too. It was a great night.

Excitement

2009-01-14T09:08:00.005-06:00

It's been exciting here lately.

As a group, we've been coming up with ideas for future outreach events. The students decided that they want to raise money and awareness in the community for underprivileged regions of the world. We are going to participate in World Visions 30 Hour Famine in April. We're not doing this because I wanted to do it. We are going to be a part of this because the students decided we should do it.

There's one student who's about 15 years old, he is realizing things about himself that he wants to change, and he is turning himself over to God through confession to his peers. He knows that he has been wrong for a long time, and he wants to repent. At church this Sunday he wants to apologize to the other students. He isn't apologizing so everyone will feel sorry for him. He is mad at himself for the way he has treated people and the things that he has done, and he wants to use his story to help other students who are going through similar situations. Whether it was getting drunk to act cool, making others think he was tough, believing he was better than everybody else, lying to friends, emotionally hurting girls, or doing drugs, he wants to rid his life of all these things. He is struggling right now with gaining people's trust, but he understands that trust isn't something that will just come overnight. Nevertheless, he is desperately trying. It seems God has truly come alive in his life, and I just pray that he continues to look to God for guidance and support. I am not going to mention his name here, but you now know his story. Please pray for him right now.

It's been so long

2008-12-03T10:03:00.003-06:00

I really haven't had any idea what to blog about lately. But, as I read a few other blogs and get some ideas from the high school students here in Cayuga, I think I've got something that really hit me. It seems as though students that I have been in contact with are one of two extremes. Either students want to live their life as much for God as possible, just going all out for Him, or students want nothing to do with anything about God or Church, and they don't want anyone to try to talk to them about it because it's no one's business except their own.

For the Sr. High students here at Cayuga who are serious about living their life for the Lord, they have asked me some pretty deep and tough questions. I am excited about their desire to learn and grow deeper in their faith in God, but why is it that these few students are so eager to grow and go deeper when others just want absolutely nothing to do with it?

Vacation

2008-10-10T13:23:00.002-05:00

I am going on vacation tomorrow. Two of my best friends from college are coming to my house tonight and then my two friends, Megan, and I are going to visit two of my other really good friends in Ohio for the weekend. I know that I am going to love being gone for the weekend, but it's been pretty rough getting to this point. When I go on vacation, it takes a lot more work making sure everything is covered while I am gone than if I were just to stay home. And on top of that, it is the same way for Megan right now. She's been really leading this HUGE event in memory of a little girl that was hit by a car in Danville. The little girl was the child of one of Megan's nursing instructors, and the nurses decided to do something special for the girl. When it all started it wasn't nearly as big as it has now become. Megan is spending more time working on this event now than doing anything for school. I know it's going to be a great event, but with both of us being so busy lately we just haven't been able to spend time together and it has just put both of us on edge a bit. I'm getting ready to go see Megan in just a minute, it will be the first time I've seen her in three days. Just please pray for us. We try to make time to spend together, but this week has just been insane. Thanks everybody. God Bless!

2008-09-23T08:17:00.005-05:00

I have seen just about every clip preview from the movie Fireproof that is coming out. It looks like it is really going to have a great message and I think I am really going to like it. I finally saw Facing The Giants a few weeks ago and it really seems like this church is doing a good job of trying to reach the world.

What do you think about this church and the movies they are producing? Do you think this is an effective way of ministering to the rest of the world?

McCain/Palin Talk

2008-09-04T08:19:00.002-05:00

So...I watched Palin speak last night in Minnesota. She seemed a little overly confident poking at Obama the way she did. And then, I know she was in Minnesota and she's from Alaska, but she talked about herself being a hockey mom. How many American children really play hockey though? I've been trying to look up her views on specific topics, and I'm pretty impressed when I read them. But I just don't know how much I enjoyed her speaking. She's a good speaker, but I just don't know about her yet.

Tell me what you all think, PLEASE! (Help me out here)

Time

2008-08-26T07:41:00.002-05:00

Every time I get on my blog and think about typing a new post I realize how long it has been since my last post. Where does time go? I thought time went by fast while I was in college, but it wasn't really any comparison to the way things are going now. Well, I don't want to waste any more of my time or yours since you're actually reading this so, Peace!

Feeling Good

2008-08-06T07:19:00.004-05:00

Well, I made it through VBS, and I got to play golf on that Friday by myself, which was possibly one of the best times I've had on a golf course. But now we're getting geared up for the fall and it's pretty exciting. I am going to be substitute teaching at the Jr. High and High School, helping out with FCA at the school, and going to a lot of the students' activities at the school. I know that I'll be busy, but I am looking forward to it.

I'm also in the process of reading three different books right now, Searching For God Knows What by Donald Miller, Pagan Christianity by Kevin Viola and George Barna, and The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. If anybody has read these before, let me know what you thought of them after you were finished reading them. Peace!

Wilderness Camp & VBS

2008-07-23T16:28:00.002-05:00

I was at wilderness camp last week and now we have VBS this week. In between the two is when I went with my family to Chicago. Needless to say, I haven't been at home much lately in the past two weeks. Especially this week with VBS being in the evenings, I come in to the church and don't go home until after VBS because I don't want to drive an extra 35 miles just to spend a couple hours at home. So, I'm looking forward to Friday and getting a day off to relax. I think I'm going to go play golf if it's not raining. Megan's supposed to be going with some friends of hers to Turkey Run for the day. I might just go golfing by myself to spend some time alone for a little while and talk to God. I really haven't been doing that enough lately and I'm just feeling kind of worn out spiritually. Friday's going to be a really good day!

Chicago Vacation

2008-07-18T23:36:00.003-05:00

I went to Chicago this weekend with my family for a few days. Today we were walking around Chicago on our way to Millennium Park and saw Flavor Flav getting ready to go into some building and then on our way back to the hotel tonight after dinner I was walking behind my parents, saw this big black Escalade with people getting out, I looked to see who the driver was because I thought it could have been somebody famous and it was Scottie Pippen. That was pretty cool! He was my favorite player on the Bulls championship teams. It was a pretty long day, but I've definitely got some memories.

Pictures

2008-07-08T08:16:00.010-05:00

Jr. High - Indiana Beach

Jr. & Sr. High - Progressive Dinner

Jr. High - Kayaking & Camping

Just felt like writing

2008-07-02T14:28:00.002-05:00

Well...it's almost the 4th of July and it seems like that's a pretty good time to say that the summer is half over. It has gone by so fast and I really can't imagine it yet, but this is my life now. Things are going to change and slow down all of a sudden. I don't get to go back to school and change things up for awhile. That's kind of disappointing. I like changing things up every now and then, but I'm definitely happy where I'm at. Time just goes by so fast! I know that people say it only gets worse, but I'm not going to think about that right now. It goes by fast enough as it is, I don't want to die in what seems like a week.

So, I've been trying to get a band to come and play for the final day of our Jr. & Sr. High VBS. It's been kind of hard to find a band so far and I've really been running out of time recently. Most people aren't just able to say, "Oh ya, sure. We can come play with two weeks notice." But I've got a couple bands I'm contacting so far. Hopefully one of them works out.

I'm not sure how much the students here are really into music. Why are students so entirely different in different places? Can somebody tell me that. Newburgh and Cayuga are both in Indiana, but the students are so different.

Life

2008-06-12T13:49:00.002-05:00

There's been this one high schooler that comes in and plays basketball a lot. Since I'm still pretty new here, I don't get the e-mail and phone messages that I'm sure will come once people know me a little more; so I go down to the gym and hang out with him for a couple hours almost every day that I'm here at the church during the week. He doesn't come to church on Sunday mornings, but he comes almost any time we have the gym open. For awhile he was coming up here with a couple of his buddies, but they've stopped coming with him. This could lives to play basketball. I'm really trying to get to know him and today was a good day. We didn't just play basketball the entire time he was here. We sat down for a little while after we were both a little tired and just talked about school, basketball, and church a little bit. I don't know if he'll ever come to church on a Sunday morning. I don't think he's going to get up real early unless it's to play ball, but that isn't discouraging right now. I know he hasn't grown up in the best home, and I want to be somebody that he can rely on. That's what makes me want to do inner-city ministry. I just never knew that I would have quite the same opportunity right here in a small town in Indiana. But I'm loving it right now. I've almost been here for a month now, and I feel like I'm really fitting in with the other ministers pretty well.

I was a little worried that I would be at the church too much during the day and not spend enough time at home and with Megan, especially since I'm playing in two summer softball leagues and a summer kickball league. But Megan's on the kickball team, and one of Megan's friends from the Nursing Program at DACC is married to a guy who's on both softball teams, so Megan comes to all the games and get a chance to talk with her and watch me play a little bit. On top of that, Megan and I have already went ahead and started making a scheduled night throughout the week to go on a date or at least make sure that we get to spend the entire evening together (without any sports things). So, that has been really good too. I want to make sure she understands that even though I have a new job that I could spend a lot of time working at, I am going to make spending time with her a priority, and she doesn't take a back seat to other things.

Update

2008-06-03T08:46:00.002-05:00

Kevin, the former Youth Minister, and Steve, the other Associate that also does the Children's Ministry, are gone for a little while. Kevin took a mission team from the church to Haiti and Steve's visiting some family in Alaska. So, when Steve first left, I had the chance to be the man in charge of Children's worship and the teaching time. It was a lot of fun, but it's hard to fill in for Steve. He does a really good job with the elementary kids. Then, this past Sunday, the mission team left right before our Sunday School hour. So, I was in charge of Sunday School and the Teen Service for the first time. It went pretty well too. I have already been teaching the Sunday School class, but the Teen Service was new for me. I really want to incorporate a lot more into it than what we're doing right now though.

I remember Wednesday nights in Newburgh with the High School students and that's really my goal right now. I want to get students involved with the music, and I want their input on ideas they have for the service. I don't think it is a good thing right now that they come to what is supposed to be a worship service, and they sit the majority of the time listening to a sermon and the only music that is included in the service is a song that is played from a CD during the time that they take communion. So, that's definitely one thing that I am looking to improve on.

New Job

2008-05-22T09:14:00.005-05:00

Well...I'm all done with school now. I made it through and did alright. I started at Cayuga this week. It's nice to be in the office again. I like it so much more than going to classes throughout the day. I still think a lot about Newburgh though and how it was there. Then I try to think about what things I can take from that experience and utilize now. (Darin-thanks so much for preparing me so well.) It doesn't seem overwhelming yet. Even though we've got the entire summer calendar all planned out and I have these things I know I need to get done, it still isn't overwhelming at all.

I'm really pretty excited about the summer schedule. We're going kayaking and camping, to King's Island, to Indiana Beach, and we have a Jr. and Sr. High V.B.S. I like our topic for it a lot though. So, it'll be a long week but a fun one too.

I put a down-payment down on a Chrysler PT Cruiser yesterday. It's a 2003 and a 4-cylinder. And that's what I'm looking for right now. Something newer, a decent price, and better gas mileage. So, I have found it. It's in really good shape, even though it's a PT Cruiser. I don't really like them usually, but I really like this one.

End of the School Year

2008-04-24T09:11:00.003-05:00

Schools almost over and I know that I need to get a lot of stuff done within the next 2 weeks if I am going to be graduating, but I still am not real motivated to do it to the best of my ability. In a couple of my independent study courses, it just feels like I'm doing busy work. Then, my last assignment for Lewis & Tolkien is another big project, which I really don't have time to do well because it alone could take the next two weeks. But on top of that, I still need to read five books and write a 12 page paper on fasting for my Christian Spirituality class; however, I'm actually looking forward to that one. I really just wish that teachers wouldn't give us assignments that they make due at the end of the school year. I know it's my own fault for waiting to work on them until now, but when things are due during the semester, it's a lot easier to prioritize according to due dates. Now I just have to get it all done and try to figure out which ones I really want to do well on.
On a positive note, I heard an awesome sermon last night from a guy named Trevor who lives in Dallas, TX. He came up to preach at Focus, and it was so good. After going to Miami and working with so many homeless people during Week of E, his sermon hit me and made me really think about what I'm going to do with my life. I'm not sure how long I'll be working in the church. I know God will help me out, opening some doors for me, but now I feel like the one I would pick isn't going to necessarily be in the church. I want to make a difference with my life, and I have developed this heart for the poor that has to be developed and used. I want to show them the love of Christ. I want to show them that they are not untouchable people and that God loves them just as much as any other person we see. I know the Church falls short of Christ's example in terms of "touching the leper" as Christ did in Matthew 8 and this is the kind of ministering that I really want to do.

Tell me what you think!!!

2008-04-01T00:33:00.003-05:00

So...I really should be going to bed right now, but I first want to post this question.

Between the time when Jesus died on the cross and rose on the third day, where do you believe He was?

I've been interested in this ever since going to Miami; so please leave me a message and give me some ideas to think about.

Week of E Mission Trip to Miami

2008-03-25T23:41:00.002-05:00

I just got back from an amazing 10 day trip to Miami. It was definitely another great experience that I will have from my senior year at L.C.C. We worked with a few different ministries and each had their own area of specification. We helped with an after school program for all ages of students (k-12). Then we helped at the Miami Rescue Mission packing plastic bags to hand out to the homeless for Easter, and we were in charge of their Men's Wednesday night service. I had the chance to preach at that service. It was an experience that I don't think I will ever forget. I loved being there with those guys and just hearing their stories before and after the service.
We helped clean the Miami River, did some manual labor, passed out fliers, and spent some time really getting to know the other people on the trip. I am so grateful for the opportunities that God has blessed me with and the people he has put in my life. If you're still reading, I know this could be getting boring, but, if you would, the city of Miami could really use your prayers. Very few of the people their have any kind of faith at all, let alone a faith that is all out for the Lord. Just please pray for God's hand to be noticed in that community through the people that are there everyday. God Bless!

Church Leadership

2008-03-02T23:11:00.002-06:00

So, should the Senior Pastor/Preaching Minister of a church be the boss of the other ministers/people on staff?