Thur

Ben Sparrow was baptized in the creek yesterday which was really cool...and cold too. Last night was an amazing tonight, in fact, this week has been top notch. This is my 8th CIY and it is clearly the best week we've had, and that is saying something.

Went to a water park today, Goodwill dress up tonight and more challenging teaching about our influence on others and the influences in our lives as well.

Also, stay tuned for some more amazing news!!!

Tue Eve

God is MOVING...stay tuned for some awesome announcements!!!!

MOVE TUE MORNING

We got in just fine and had a great opening night last night, very moving and powerful. This is looking like it's going to be a great week. Everyone is doing just fine too.

More Dallas

I can't tell enough just how amazing this week was. How random people came up to me to compliment this group of teens because of how they acted in public, how hard they worked, and how they treated each other. This happened over and over again, every place from Babe's Chicken, to the North Texas Food Bank, to Hampton Inn in Little Rock. In fact, the front desk lady at Hampton (she was there both weekends and who had been working in the hotel since 1984), told me she'd never seen a group of teens so well behaved, she even went so far to say that most adult groups weren't as good.

Rest assured, our teens exemplified Jesus where ever they were and they made a diference in people's lives even when they didn't need to. I want to share with you a couple of the thank you cards we received.

"Dear Kentucky Volunteers,

I appreciate the improvements you made on my home. It was a lot of work. In talking to you, seeing your attractive appearance and good southern manners, I was overwhelmed.

As an older man, it was good to see that the good character of America is being carried forward by high quality youth.

You will always be in my thoughts, may God continue to be with you.

Sincerely,

Mike Robinson"

"For all that you are and all that you give, I thank you. I love you all."

Annie Parker

Don't be surprised to see some things change for God in the near future for your teen, and if they do, it's ok. I know it may be drastic and it may seem radical, but the last time I checked our God is the exact opposite of the world we live in. In following Him we look less like everyone else and more like a freak. It's going to be a very fun ride.

Thur, Fri, Sat, FUN

I'm not checking spelling tonight, let's see how it goes. (Did you know that Abraham Lincoln was a horrible speller?)

No way in the world I could have blogged the last 2 nights, I knew it was going to be tough without internet access at the church building. So I'll sum it up as best I can.

Thur: Back to teams 1 and 2 again and everyone worked great. 19,000 lbs of food was packaged by team 2 in 3 hours causing the North Texas Food Bank people to go crazy. They said they've never seen a group like us. Team 1 had a very very hard day. The guys of Team 1 cooked for and served about 300 homeless men. It was very good and effective. The ladies of Team 1 weeded a local playground. Hannah Mountjoy and Lori Harris even weedeated (is that a word?) the entire place!!!

We went out to eat at an awesome chicken place, get this, our students were so well behaved and so into each other that people came to me to compliment them. They have been great and have made a difference every where we've gone.

Thursday night was amazing and very very encouraging to us all, ask your kids to tell you.

Fri: Team 2 completed house number 3 and team 4 completed house number 4. Heath Mountjoy, Ethan Robinson, Hannah Mountjoy and David Roney built a front porch stair railing for an elderly lady. They dug the hole, set the post, mixed the concrete, sawed the wood (with power tools) and built it. Very nice. The rest of the girls (except for Lauren Peyton) painted, while the rest of the guys (and Lauren Peyton) demolished an outbuilding. Christian and Nate D laid a lamenant floor at a doctor's office for the homeless, which was very cool and everyone else straight up worked their rear ends off.

We finished the night at a Texas Rangers baseball game, it was lots of fun. Today before we left Dallas we visited Dealy Plaza and the 6th Floor Museum in the Texas Schoolbook Depository, a very good experience as well.

Every where we went in Dallas, people have pulled me aside to compliment YOUR kids, they have been an example for Christ.

The plan is to be back at the church fellowship hall around 7pm tomorrow night.

Wednesday for your head

Great day today!!! First things first, our student ministry is blessed to have some amazing volunteers. Teresa and Judy are just great, I know they are responsible (somebody has to be) and look out for our girls. I can't tell you how wonderful and caring they are AND how strict they are as well. I'm so thankful for them.

Tim and Tony, I simply don't have the words for them. Tony has been a volunteer in the student ministry for 6 years now and Tim for 5 and let me tell you, they love our students as much as I do and they don't get paid to do it. They are unreal and I love them deeply and am just so thankful to God for them.

Because of these 4, I am not blogging from Stupidbucks tonight, they made me blog from Bdubs, alone. And I know the kids are getting bedded down for the night as I'm typing this and they are taken care of.

There's always a point where everything comes together if it's going to, and today, it did. We tore our groups completely up so I'm not even going to try to explain that. But 20 of them came with me, Teresa, Judy, and CIY Brittney to the North Texas Food Bank where we packaged a bags for kids like the backpack program in Danville. We packaged 8 pallets of bags that feed children who get nothing during the weekend when they're not in school to feed some 6,000 kids...IN ONE SHIFT OF 3 HOURS. We were told normal groups package 10 pallets in 2 SHIFTS!!!

All the kids have gone to the food bank and they were so impressed by your kids, their work ethic, behavior, and demeanor has left a mark. In fact, CIY already received an email from the NTFB of compliments, be very very proud.

A group went with Tim, Tony, and CIY Ben to finish Mike's house and the rest went with CIY Matt to finish Annie's house. Both gave us thank you cards, I'll try to remember to post them tomorrow.

But get this, Mike's house had a broken mailbox and so our students wanted to buy him a new one, so we asked for donations, right at $200 was given. So we bought Mike a new mailbox and put it in and then used the rest to buy flowers for Annie (a WONDERFUL 82 year old lady) and planted them for her where ever she wanted. I wasn't there, but it was a very touching scene.

Be very proud of your kids parents, be very proud of your kids Indian Hills, there's something going on. Please encourage your kid to continue this when they get home. SPORTS do not matter, God isn't going to ask us if we got an A in Geometry, but today we helped those in need, we helped a widow in her distress, these are the things that God will ask. And these 34 students and us 5 adults can honestly say yes.

Tomorrow, the Homeless shelter and feeding program for my group, the rest are back to the food bank and to a 3rd house we started today that another elderly widow owns.

Keep praying, your kids are doing great and they are so awesome and I love them dearly.

Tues news and views

Tonight at Starbucks...iced lemon pound cake...good grief, I feel like my basketball career pts total just went down 10%.

I'm going to keep it quick, I'm at starbucks while the kids are playing volleyball...UN COOL.

Team 1 went to the foodbank first, worked very very hard. We were challenged to get 21 pallets of food because it was unattainable and we ended up with 19 in 2 hours, and they made us stop. We packed 19,500 meals in 2 hours that will feed over 6,000 people for one day. That's cool. We later went to Ms. Parker's house and are almost finished there, will close up tomorrow. I even did electrical work :), don't tell Aimee though.

Team 2: Half went back to Mike's house and half went to the homeless feeding program in the inner city.

Tomorrow we're going to get after it more, it's supposed to rain so we'll see where we go.

Ok...I'm not a fan of starbucks, did I mention that?

MONDAY

This is going against everything inside of me and against all of my being to blog tonight, and I guess it'll be that way all week. We can't get wireless at the church building so I'm sitting at the *GASP* Starbucks up the street. AND since I felt guilty about coming in and using their wireless I was compelled to buy something, but since I HATEHATEHATEHATE anything coffee, the only thing I could really stomach was a strawberry smoothie...OH so masculine....now on to the news of the day.

We made it in last night about 6pm local time after a great night in Little Rock and an excellent Easter service in the hotel. However we did have a tremendous situation that occurred that may be one of the funniest things I've ever heard in my entire life. Just ask Kaitlin Snapp, it had to do with the alphabet game, she'll know what you mean.

We got up bright and early and split into 2 teams today.

Team 1:Lauren Peyton, Christian Barker, Kaitlin Snapp, David Roney, Franny Reimler, Ethan Robinson, Hannah Mountjoy, Lauren Bailes, Lori Harris, Kaitie Wood, Tab Evans, Justin Wilson, Nate Deaton, Gavin Mahan, Ty Short, Tyler Crowe and Heath Mountjoy came with me, Teresa, and CIY Brittney (all CIY adults will be described as CIY and then their name, that's just the way it's going to be. We had 2 jobs today.

1) We went across Dallas to the North Texas Food Bank and folks, this is an amazing operation. The basics of what we did today was sort foods that were donated by grocery stores because they were damaged and couldn't be sold. All of this food went to feed families in need in the area surrounding Dallas. We worked from 9:30-11:30 and sorted and boxed over 14,000 lbs of food, for over 12,000 meals, which feeds 4,000 people for a day. That's cool.

2) We went to a super friendly and really cool elderly lady to paint her house and clean up her yard. Everyone worked well and we were able to accomplish quite a bit through the afternoon.

Team 2: Kaile Short, Hunter Mountjoy, Paige Anderson, Caitlin Camic, Whitney Baker, Emma Ditto, Alexa Burks, Alex Grigsby, Nate Crowe, Rachel Ditto, Wes Salyers, Josh Lyons, Austin Reid, Cody Cooper, Julie Higginbotham, and Kenzie Wood went with Tim, Tony, Judy, and CIY Ben.

They spent the entire day clearing a jungle (not exagerating) that had grown in an elderly man's yard. This man had been waiting on the People Helping People list for help for 5 years for someone to help him clean his yard. Well...if all goes to plan, it will be finished tomorrow, this group worked outrageously hard.

Keep praying for us, especially Judy Short, she has a brutal sinus infection right now.

I will blog about more when I get a chance.

Sat Night....and so it begins...

Pretty much all I can say IIIIIiissss....and so it begins.

Everything is just fine, we got into the hotel at Little Rock about 9:30, some swam and some did homework. Yes parents, your kids did homework, I won't disclose who did what on this one, but just assume your kid did they're homework and all is well.

But what began was connection and conversation. Just spend and hour in the hotel lobby with 15 students talking Bible and answering Bible questions. It's going to be a good week and we are all excited.

Tomorrow...on to Dallas.

We leave for Dallas in about an hour...hopefully.

Last night I was thinking about just how many trips I have gone on as either a youth minister or a youth ministry volunteer. So I went back in the deep recesses of my brain, which for some reason found a lot of empty space, and to the best of my knowledge, this will be the 53rd trip in 11 years. That's a whole lot of teen, let me tell you. Not only that, I have a WONDERFUL and SUPPORTIVE wife who gives up her time with me to be with teenagers. That's awesome, and you should tell her that too.

And there's always a point for every trip, and I'm in it right now, where I'm just like, uh oh and little bit overwhelmed by it all. Ranging from being responsible for kids safety to asking questions like, did the luggage trailer door get shut at the last pee stop?

But one thing I can say, is 52 out of 52 times, God has shown up, as if He was gone anyway. He's protected, He's taught, He's disciplined, He's given wisdom, and over all, He's loved.

I'm very excited to spend time with these kids, and above all, I'm excited to spend more time with our Creator.

Be praying about all this, and check back with how it's going.

Whoa Whoa Whoa!!! Let's not spend too much time blogging, since it's been oh...months since I have?

I know all 4 of you are wondering why I haven't blogged, I could give you the real reason, which is simply I no longer have internet at my house and all my best ideas come at around 11:45 pm. But the blogger side wants me to say something...deep...something that will help someone with your day. So I give you this...

Let this be a warning to you, WATCH YOUR FACE!!! We never know when attacks will come from a spiritual standpoint. It could be from the front or back, but most likely, from within. Be ready.

Also, this is the spot for mission trip updates, so follow, favorite, book mark, or whatever, and I do promise to blog more if you'd like and no longer use outrageously long sentences.

Be sure to laugh too...

Wait...

I've often wondered about the emotions Jesus' disciples went through after the crucifixion, the fear, guilt for some, disappointment, the doubting, I imagine they experienced 3 days of it all.  But the joy after His resurrection must have been indescribable, the comfort during the 40 days of teaching before He ascended into Heaven, the unbridled enthusiasm of wanting to tell the world...all of these, some of them at once I'm sure.    

In Acts 1, we read that Jesus gives some final instructions before He is taken into Heaven.  He said to the Apostles in Acts 1:4, "Do not leave Jerusalem, but WAIT for the gift my Father promised..."  

Now we know today that the gift that Jesus was referring to was 2 fold, 1) the special outpouring on the Apostles that gave miraculous powers to those 12 and 2) the indwelling gift of the Holy Spirit received at baptism.  

But there's something deeper for us to get from this today as well, not anything earth shattering of Gospel changing, as I'm not about to do that (see Galatians 1:8).  But sometimes, God just needs us to wait.  For us to learn, to listen, to pray, to be prepared.  

That even though we want to go and do, we need to stay and grow.  As a youth minister I'm very privileged to teach and lead some amazing students, several of whom have already committed themselves to overseas missions, and if they had the chance, they'd leave today.  But it's just not their time yet, there's work for ahead of them, preparing them for what's coming up, and there's work for them to do here, leading and teaching other students and even their families.  

Many times we need to wait, but let this not be an excuse to not do the things Jesus commissioned us to do while we are waiting, teaching and baptizing others, that's ALL of our jobs at all times.  

But for you, what do you need?  What are you waiting for?  And more importantly, how are you pursuing what you lack?    

Something New

Of course the picture here has nothing to do with being new, in fact, it's from the 1984 movie "Breakin 2."  But I guess when you think about it, was new in 1984.  

Go ahead, look at the picture again and laugh...

There's been something that's been on my mind for a while, for a few years actually, and it's something that I've been trying to figure out what it should look like today.  Something that all Christians want to be a part of, but I'm convinced that few, me included, actually get.  Sure, some are further along than others, but in all honesty, it seems that most don't really care or have a clue.  

What I'm talking about is being a true New Testament Christian, being a part of the Church (with the big 'C') that is described in Acts.  That sounds like fun doesn't it?  

So, this is what we're going to do, we're going to go through Acts and check out words that stand out to me, ways that we can live and be the Church of Christ.  

First and for most, you cannot be apart of the Church without accepting Christ, in case you were wondering.  Second of all, what this comes down to is an overused word...LOVE.  It comes down to the greatest command, loving God and loving others, if we do these things, following God is not an issue and helping others is also not an issue, we just do it because we WANT to.  

So as we go through this journey (haha overused church buzz word) together, there will be days that I will randomly do write something else, and also this won't happen everyday, so keep checking in.  

So let's get started, our first word is found in the first verse of the first chapter and it's simply, 'began.'  "I (Luke) wrote about all that Jesus BEGAN..."  

This word BEGAN is the key to the entire book and the entire Church that we are now a part of.  This word BEGAN joins us to Jesus' work.  

I know for me, 2000+ years is a long time ago, it seems so far away that it's almost untouchable, until you view Acts and Jesus' work through the word BEGAN. Jesus' work did not end when He left, Jesus' work is not for others who are long dead, Jesus' work is for us today, it BEGAN with him, and it ends when He returns.  In the mean time, it's up to us to do the things He BEGAN.

What are those things?  So in being the church today, we need to understand and realize that we are part of this beginning, we have a role in this situation, we are involved and connected to Jesus' ministry.

It's been a while...

I know I'm not the only one, but sometimes you just don't feel like doing something, and I haven't really felt like blogging for a while, which makes me think, 'what else do I not feel like doing?'  So, here's a list...

1) Showering.  I know, I know, and yes I do everyday (except for Shower Free Thursdays).  But I have grown to hate being wet, I hate swimming, I hate water hoses, I hate rain, and I do not enjoy taking a shower.  To me it seems like such a waste of time, it's just an annoying necessary evil I suppose.

2) Getting gas.  I hate having to stop what I'm doing or where I'm going to feel up the gas tank, it just takes me away from what I feel like I should be doing, which is moving toward my destination.

3) Mowing my stupid yard.  It doesn't get much lower on the totem pole for me folks, I hate my yard, I hate grass, I hate having to take the time to mow my grass.  

4) Spanking my kids.  My first question to myself is why do they have to do something in order to be spanked?  Why, why, why?  But it doesn't matter, it has to be done otherwise they'd go plumb wild.  

5) Getting up in the mornings.  It's no secret to those who know me, I'm a night person, not a morning person.  But in order to be a 'responsible adult' one HAS to get up in the mornings.  

But in all honesty, I could go on and on and on with things that I hate, but what's the point?  I mean, isn't this LIFE?  Life is full of stuff that we don't want to do, hate to do, don't want to take the time to do, but it's necessary.

For Christians, how many of us HATE to share the Gospel with the people we know?  How many of us would rather do something, or anything than go to church on Sunday?  How many of us will do anything we can to avoid the service we are called to do.  The reaching of the lost, giving of our time and money, searching for 'the least of these.'  

But just as showering is a necessary part of life, spanking is a necessary part of parenting, mowing is a necessary part of home ownership, and getting gas is part of driving (or riding), serving, telling, committing are necessary parts of Christian Life.

By the way, I picked up Mute Math's album Flesh and Bones Electric Fun and it's off the hook.  If you love music, you'll love Mute Math.

Is this Wed Night? Since it's 4:45am on Thur...

Yes, it is quarter til 5 and I'm up and have been up, but there's a good reason.

Had a very good day, actually experienced one of the most moving and powerful times I've ever had in my life.  It was a breath-taking situation, a first look into the Grand Canyon type deal.  I won't give it away so you parents can hear about it from your kids...

It's so rewarding and encouraging to work with hearts that are still malleable, that are accepting to challenge and change, that are more accepting to the idea that maybe I should be different or that it's ok to have my life rocked by God.  It's not to say that all adults in church have Pharaoh hard hearts, but let's be honest here, how often are the majority of church adults willing to allow themselves to be taught something new, challenging and different?  How willing are we as adults to have our hearts melted by God to be molded to what HE wants from us?  Oh yeah, I DO remember that when a finger is pointed then 3 is pointing right back at me, I'm included in this deal here too.  

There's something glorious about allowing ourselves to be broken by our Creator, the greatest Lover, the one who is Passionate and the One who heals.  To allow Him to say, 'Justin, I love you, but Justin, it's time.'  Time to completely let go, time to 100% buy in, time to be so radical that people think you're crazy.  Not radical for radical sake, but radical because you're in LOVE with GOD!  

I really think it's time for us as Americans, American church attenders, to rethink our reality.  To rethink what we call commitment to God, to rethink relationship and community, to rethink service.  I believe it will be hard and it will hurt, but these things usually are and do, but if the outcome is what we were intended to be in the first place, then how is that bad? 

TUES(?) night

I can never keep my days straight at these things.  We had a really good day, went to the lake and played, had a challenging night, a concert by Stellar Kart and I had girl night.  Complete with hamburgers, pedicure, beard braiding, and gas?  

God is continuing to work, so it's going to be fun to see where it goes from here.

Monday Afternoon of Jr High Challenge

WOW, zero time to blog so far...

Last night was really good and so was this morning.  The speakers are the most age appropriate speakers I've ever heard and are biblically sound, not afraid to say what needs to say in a way jr highers can understand, so it's goot! 

Most importantly, we baptized Kennedy Sallee today at 2 at the foot of a cross on a hill!!!!  She's a really amazing girl, you just have to meet her if you haven't.

THU NIGHT

Amazed, completely amazed!!!!  I'm speechless as I've never seen anything like that before in my life.

My question is, why are teens more apt to embrace certain, tough aspects of BEING the church but adults not so much?  

BTW

BtW = by the way in teen text language

the times on the bottom are Pacific, so the blogs are gettin written purty late.

Wed CIY

Wow what a powerful day!!!  We've pretty much established that here in our culture we pretty much do some things wrong in church, now don't get me wrong.  We nail some things, like baptism, but I'm beginning to think we miss it pretty big on how we hold on to stuff and think OUR desires and wants are GOD's desires and wants for our lives.  It's obvious we think we are  the center of the universe and not God, like what Jim Johnson spoke about the song 'Above All', how God thought of us Above All which is SOOOOOOO not the case, God thought of HIMSELF above all!!

And 2 more of our students thought of God above all tonight.  Paige Anderson baptized Lauren Bailes tonight at 11:15 in the creek and Alex Grigsby was also baptized into Christ as well.  WHAT A GREAT THING!!! maybe we should start supporting CIY financially as a church...

By the way, Paige brought Lauren to church and was her friend and shared Christ with her, Paige is a sophmore in high school and did what Jesus told her to do by baptizing and teaching.

What's your excuse?  Remember, it's God you'll have to answer to not me.  Too harsh?  But it's God that told us to do this, so talk to Him about it.