La Joe Montana cala di cee mata da...or I think thats how that lion king song starts yeah Kalahari

Well soccer last night was strange, nothing like playing against some girls and some dudes. Oh yeah and the dudes used to be professional soccer players. Anyhow we tied and that means we don't stink as bad as we thought.

I have only been a Youth Pastor for like 2yrs full time and I'm beginning to notice the different reactions from kids who have graduated from our group. We have had some who say I'm going to college to be a Pastor or Youth Pastor. Then turn around a couple months later change their mind don't go to college at all and decide their time would be better spent partying. Another one is all paid and ready to go off to Bible College far from home shows up at your house at 10:00 pm balling their eyes out worried that if they leave their family will fall apart and life will be over. Any how these are just two examples by the way the first I have no clue where their life is going, but the second one they're doing awesome turns out they decided to follow through and despite their greatest fears about what might happen are really growing and learning a lot. You see as a Pastor, Youth Pastor, or even a Sunday School teacher your goal is to reach and teach every kid you can with the love of God so hopefully someday they will have a relationship with Jesus and do the same thing. Here's the catch they decide whats right for them and sometimes our effort, time, and love mean nothing. I'm not saying this to make us stop and wonder if it's worth our time doing these things in fact it's just the opposite. In my mind I've thought about quiting a million times I never would unless God told me to move on but I've had the thoughts. But besides the ups and downs Youth Ministry rules and I wouldn't want to be doing anything else.

Here's why my wife who rules by the way took one of our youth kids out for dinner, she's having knee surgery today and was a little nervous so dinner always helps. During their conversation the topic of Youth Group came up now to give you a little back ground this girl is bombarded with God every minute of everyday. She goes to christian school, her parents are strong Christians and she's involved in the church. So my wife asks her about Youth Group and she says it's cool but I probably wouldn't come if me and my wife weren't so real. Now I know she could be the only kid in the group that actually thinks this way but that's the point you can look at the lives you've touched an think I haven't done anything. Or you look to the one that God has put there for you to touch and realize that sure you can't save everyone but you can help this one. That's what it all about helping the one's God has ordained you to help and letting him take care of the rest.

So to anyone reading this whether you are a student, teacher, or preacher be thankful for the ones God has put in your life. And maybe just maybe affirm and thank those people who you are touching, or the ones that have touched you.

Thursday Afternoon and It's Snowing.

You know Thursday is not a really recognized day of the week. You know Monday is the first day of the week, Wednesday is hump day, and then of course TGIF. But I think today is an amazing day number 1 I get to spend time with God in my office just concentrating on what he has for me. Once again I was reading my Mark Batterson book and realizing that following God is not meant to be some really boring thing but an adventure. I wonder how many of us are stuck in a rut because we are afraid of really doing what God wnats for us. To quote the book "we need to quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death." This is the church people. Anyhow I'm glad that I have this chance to look at my life. Number 2 I get to hang out with my awesome wife and kid, which is never boring cause a 3yr old can come up with some preatty crazy stuff and it's snowing so a good snowball fight is on tap. Number 3 I get to play soccer yes I said soccer so if you are a hater to bad I love soccer. Yeah I feel real old afterwards but its alot of fun. But it's just Thursday there's not supposed to be anything exciting going on God can't possibly be doing anyting today is not a church day. Look around and give thanks for what we have, identify your rut and let God help you dig your way out.

Day One Blog One

This is my first blog. Like I said in my profile I have random thoughts. Yesterday I was reading a book called Wild Goose Chase by Mark Batterson. Great author but anyways, I'm like 5 pages in but it deals with following the Holy Spirit. If your reading this and your particular religon, and or denomination does not believe in the Holy Spirit or that it still works today thats not my problem and you may want to stop reading. This combined with a Rob Bell podcast I listened to really got my mind working. You see God has given us everything we need but for many of us our lives are still negetive. Therefore we mope around like a 3yr old who just got told no to watching a cartoon. Which I know is what happens cause I have a 3yr old and there is alot of moping that happens, what is it about Blue's Clue's anyhow. So God tells us no to something, puts a tough situation in our lives wants us to do something we don't want to do and we mope. But why have we become so self confident so self absorbed that even the most high is to follow us. I'm afraid we have, as a Youth Pastor we have an outreach service called Ignite its a preatty cool thing we do once every 9 weeks using video, drama, worship etc. all to talk about a specific topic. So this time our student leaders came up with talking about pride. Interesting isn't it that a group of teenagers can see a problem that even some of the most insightful pastors cannot. What I mean by this is that Pastors and others in the church wonder why church attendance is down, why God doesn't seem to be doing anything in poeples lives, and most of all why our teachings seem to fall on deaf ears. I think pride is the problem we want to do what God wants as long as it fits our plans. We love our Pastors as long as they don't step on our toes. We believe that Jesus loves us for who we are but seem to overlook the fact that he loves us enough to change us. Pride is bringing us down and i think that it is time for that to end. God isn't to be the one doing the chasing we should be chasing him. When bad things come we have to take joy in knowing that even in this God is still there. Perhaps with a country looking for "change" we should be standing up and showing poeple that a relationship with Jesus is the only change we need and really the only one that can fulfill all our needs. But first we have to let him reign over all our life not just the parts we are willing to give him, and then and only then can we move for "change". Its time for the Church to wake up, grow up, and start living the way God intended us to live.