Korean for Life... Or a Year.

2011-11-23T10:08:00.000+09:00

2011-11-22T17:14:00.001+09:00

Sometimes I need to seize the Opportunities

2011-11-21T00:34:00.004+09:00

Sometimes I need someone to get on my case and sometimes I need grace.
Sometimes I need forgiveness and mercy because I feel like shit already, I just need to be encouraged that I can do this, encouraged that I am not worthless and that I have something to offer, encouraged that I won't always be defeated.
Sometimes I need hope!
Sometimes I need to borrow your hope.
Sometimes I have lots of extra to give you.
I was talking about camp a few weeks back to some of my friends over a dakgalbi dinner and it started with the " I am sure you have some crazy stories... It sounds hard... I couldn't do it" kind of reactions. So I fell into that opening of the conversation with going into the crazy times and talking about the problems; hitting, bitting, pinching, restraining, yelling... because that is the entertaining stuff and what they were asking for.
This reminds me of the time I asked a coworker's father for all the dirt on his son, while he joined us on a hiking trip. My friend's father blew me away with his response, making me realize the error in my question without even trying. He started sharing all the good things about him, about his son! Sharing how proud he was of his son! I went at the conversation all wrong, thinking we could get some interesting stories we could all laugh at and make my friend feel a little worse, but in fun. But the father seized the opportunity to encourage and build up with the conversation.
This is also where I and some coworkers went wrong with conversations that almost led to others getting fired. We wanted to talk about all the funny dirt stories that made people look bad even though we love these friends very much. Another coworker caught on to this and knew we were missing something and not heading in the right direction in the convo.
The trick is seeing it and redirecting the conversations. A few weeks ago I realized I had headed in the wrong direction and painted a picture of camp that wasn't true. Sure the stories were true, but the heart of what camp is all about was false. So I corrected it and started talking about the relationships and care and love and success in kids lives. It was only for a few minutes though, and then we had to split. I missed the opportunity to share about the detailed messy stories of how God was working in these kids lives, in mine, and in the rest at camp.
I love laughing having fun random conversations, but I also love having meaningful encouraging inspiring conversations.
Sometimes I need to share those stories.
Sometimes I need to hear those stories.

Build Me A Son

2011-10-06T23:29:00.003+09:00

This Prayer from Douglas A. MacArther is on the window as you walk into my school. I noticed it right away and liked it. A month later I was drawn to the words on the window and began to connect to it in a deeper way. It was what I needed this week....

Oh Lord,
Who will be strong enough to know when he is weak,
and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid;
one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat,
and humble and gentle in victory.
Build me a son whose wishbone will not be where his backbone should be;
a son who will know Thee and that to know himself is the foundation stone to knowledge.

8th Album - And Still Great! I Love the new Album!

2011-09-28T07:52:00.002+09:00

Many great sounds and like always great messages. I really like the messages and artistry of this 8th Album of Switchfoot.

2011-09-15T22:34:00.003+09:00

1. The sound of a dog barking across the street providing a familiar language I can understand.

Do you think the growing dependence on high technology hurts us or makes us stronger? What are the major advantages/disadvantages of this dependence?

2011-05-10T00:06:00.002+09:00

Last week I watched an American movie titled “Hannah” that was about this young teen girl that was raised her whole life out in the wilderness by her father. Then she entered into our modern world all on her own. While this movie had many themes in it from DNA altering to loneliness and CIA assassins to friendship, there was one interesting scene that showed Hannah’s difficulty with adjusting to all the noise and chaos of the high levels of technology in our times. There was the buzzing of the lights and air conditioning along with the flashing lights of the television and the telephone that kept pulling Hannah’s attention around the room. Then the voices over the phone, over the television, and on the other side of the door drove her crazy.

Why doesn’t all of this drive us crazy? Not only are we used to the constant noise, but also for some of us we go crazy when there is no noise and when we don’t have access to some sort of device to keep us busy. As I write this essay lying in my bed typing on my wireless keyboard that connects me to my laptop and second screen, which I have to see better from farther away and because it is cool, I am also checking my phone that has access to my email and sports updates for the night, while listening to Switchfoot from my ipod. My experiences in my life also currently have me working in the woods 24 hours a day 5 days a week; in the woods without electricity and cell phones, in the woods lighted by kerosene lanterns and heated with firewood. Is one of these worlds better than the other? What do both of these worlds have to offer us?

I come to these questions with two ideas. We all are made to help the people around us and we can all make a difference in this world. If we focus on these we will become stronger and we will cause less hurt. In the woods where I work there are boys that have come and unplugged from everything else to help them grow. Many of my boys have problems with the relationships with their families, and with motivation to work on their education and help around the house. They have trouble building relationships with their families because they keep typing texts while their parents try to talk to them. The boys I work with don’t care about education or helping because they just want to watch the next episode of Family Guy or next Youtube video, or play the next level of Assassin’s Creed. Sometimes my boys text mom and tell her they are running a little late or that they love her.

I also live in a world that I have learned about children in Africa that are being forced to be soldiers from a movie and then I learned online how I can help these kids. While I was online I connect with my old friends that really needed someone to talk to. While I was online I missed out on talking to my friend in the other room and missed helping the kid that is being mistreated next door.

We are all going to be connected to something, whether it is our headphones or the person in our class that really needs a friend. Are we ready to plug into what really matters in the world? Are we looking for the person who needs our help and the opportunity to make a difference? What ever that is we need to go for it all the way. Wherever we are lets be fully there.

Day in the LIFE

2010-04-10T02:56:00.003+09:00

what a day in the life a mike looks like... Well... It is hard to describe of
course...

My job consists of being a counselor, nurse, teacher, parent, coach, pastor,
friend, leader, and motivational speaker to a group of 10 boys 24
hours a day 5 days a week with a couple of other adults. We do
everything together and do it all in the woods. We live out in the
open air all year round and learn many things about life and how to
live with many other people, and how to solve our problems. We build
our tent / cabins in the woods ourselves, go on trips and many other
things.

My day usually starts around 5:30am with hitting the snooze button on
my battery powered alarm clock because we don't have electricity in
our campsite. Then around 6am I get out of bed and since it is winter
I go make a fire to warm up to and so the boys can have a place to get
warm when they get up. After making my bed and cleaning my tent, I
talk with my teammate and then wake the boys up at around 6:30am.
Which then means that I help them make their beds and start the never
being alone for the rest of the day.

By 7am The boys have made their beds, cleaned their tents, and we have
gone over all of our individual goals as a group. The boys all have
goals for things they want to and really need to be working on, from
talking out their frustrations to not arguing. So many problems and so
much time. Because by 7:30am the boys have cleaned our entire campsite
which included sweeping out tents, racking trails, cleaning lanterns,
setting up a campfire for the night... It is pretty sweet that we all
learn how to keep out rooms and our home clean even when we live in
the woods.

8am we are eating in our dining hall, with the other groups, food that
our wonderful cooks that we call moms have made for us. Unless it is
Wednesday or Thursday when we cook our own meals in our campsites over
the fire. Can you imagine 12 of us boys around one table trying to
have one guy talking at a time?... sometimes I can't imagine it
either. But it is what we try to do. After the meal we share with the
other groups what we did last night and what we will be doing in the
morning. We also sing lots of crazy songs and sometimes play games or
talk about different things.

9am or 9:30 we either sweep the dining hall out or take out the trash
and then head to the bathroom and then brush our teeth. Then we do
what our group has planned for the morning. This could be building a
tent like I will be doing tomorrow, playing games, carving crafts,
doing academics, canoeing, fishing, planning for trips, packing for
trips, go for a ramble hike... So many things that the boys get to
plan the week before for what we want to do and what we need to do...

that will take us till about 11:30am Because at that time we need to be heading back to the
Chuckwagon for lunch or starting to make lunch ourselves. Making meals
is a lot of fun at camp; the boys and us Chiefs decide what meals we
want and we make a menu for it, including what ingredients we will
need and how much it will cost. They can spend $2 per person per meal.
So lots of math and budgeting skills learned here and we cant for get
the cooking skills we all learn. Yesterday I got to spend some time
over the fire with a couple of my guys making bullseye eggs and
sausage pattie sandwiches. It was amazing if I do say so myself :)
When the meal is about ready at campsite or the chuckwagon we send a
couple of guys to set our table proper etiquette style. And then we
head on in when someone creatively calls us in with a short skit.

You might have noticed I referred to us staff as "chiefs" and that is
because when we work at camp we all get a new first name. And that is
Chief. You might be able to think of it like the changing of names in
the Bible: Abram to Abraham, Simon to Peter, Saul to Paul, little
piece of no good garbage to Child of God :) So we are always referred
to by campers and and staff as Chief or more precisely for me Chief
Mike.

So after another great meal with our boys talking about their favorite
superhero, or what trip we want to take and what we are going to need,
or some other story telling time about the man that cut trees into
shapes of turtles and spirals then we have a couple of guys clean the
table off and we do more singing and telling the other groups what we
have accomplished and what we will accomplish in the afternoon. If it
is Wednesday of Thursday and we are at our campsite we will have some
people doing the dishes while the rest of us are usually doing some
paperwork / academics. They have to write plans for what we will be
doing the following week, and articles on things they are
experiencing. Writing really helps the learning sink in as I know for
myself also. It also helps them learn how to write and spell and to
express their thoughts. So during this time I am usually checking the
guys work. I need to check for sppelling and an grammar mistake that
they might had. Give them suggestions and all that fun stuff that
isn't always fun.

So after the dishes are clean we take more bathroom breaks and brush
our teeth to prepare us for a SIESTA from 1:30pm to 2:30pm! This is a
great way to spend an hour. The rest of the world sees the importance
in siestas and so do we. This time for me is usually spend doing some
paperwork of how the boys are doing, reading, napping, working out,
preparing for the rest of the day, and/or like yesterday sitting with
a boy who had an attitude problem and wanted to be stubborn.

Then after Siesta we get the guys up and continue with our afternoon
plan which could be chopping wood, fixing up campsite, looking up maps
of places we want to canoe, planning a skit to share with camp,
designing a tent we want build, cutting down trees to build a tent,
hiking with our sandbag filled packs to explore our 900 acres of camp,
or swimming in our pond and jumping off the high dock. We are getting
so close to being able to do this!

When 4:30pm comes around we need to be getting close to our shower
house so that we can shower and clean our shower house after we make a
mess of it. We should be done with that by 5pm so we can make it to
table set at 5:15pm and be eating again the most amazing food at
5:30pm. We do the normal eating fun and sing and share with the rest
of camp what we are up to. This leads us into about an hour and a half
to take bathroom breaks, brush and do a settled plan for the evening.
These plans are usually personal academics, crafts, or settled group
games like homemade bounderbash. We then wrap up the fun by finishing
the day off with Pow-Wow a little after 8pm.

Pow-Wow is like sitting around the living room, or in our case a fire,
and talking about the day. We try to talk about the good things of the
day, what we learned, where we grew, what we liked. Even if it was a
really hard day and didn't seem like we were very successful we can
still learn from it and look for some positives. We even referred to
it last night as the sports center highlights of the day; there is so
much that happens all day long and we can't see it all but we can try
to recap the best parts of the day and feel good when we go to bed.
At pow-wow we will also read the plan that one of the boys wrote about
what we will be doing the next day, pray, and How out the day! Putting
the boys to bed and hugging them between 8:30 and 9pm on a good night.

"How out the day" is a term you might not understand. We at camp like
to "How" when we do something good, or welcome someone, or
congratulate someone, or honor someone; which is this loud cheer
"1-2-3 How How How." It is putting our mark of approval on something.
We also do a lot of evaluating throughout the day. Before every
activity including riding in a van and eating a meal or taking a
shower, we get a plan of what we expect from each other as a group and
maybe how fast we plan on doing it. This gives us something to measure
ourselves to and challenge ourselves and something we put our word on
that we will be successful in. So after we follow with our plan we
evaluate how we did as a group.

After the boys are in bed, we as Chiefs get a few things ready for the
next day and do some fun paperwork and maybe do some reading
ourselves, writing, working out, and/or talking like the great friends
we have become. These friendships are so important to our health. Just
like if there is problems with a married couple it can tear apart the
family. In the same way if the chiefs are loving and supporting each
other it can make for a loving a supporting group.

There is so much more I am sure that we do and that doesn't make much
sense in writing. It took me 3 or 4 days of visiting camp to really
start to understand that this place was something that I could do and
wanted to do. And now a year and a half later I am still learning what
camp is all about. Any Questions? :)

Beaver Beach

2009-07-16T13:30:00.003+09:00

Yadkin River (West of Winston-Salom, NC) July 10th 2009 7:30pm

So many cool things have happened the last couple of days on the river, but I want to write about what happened in the last 10 mins. The boys started writing articles from there experiences on the river so far, and I had to grab some of my stuff about 50 ft down the river bank. I saw a little beaver swimming a little ways down river and heading my way. I decided to stay still and wait to see how close it was going to come.
I was about 5 ft off the river and on a bank that rose 3ft up off of the river. The beaver swam 3ft off shore right pasted me and slowed down. I didn't want ot move at all, not even my head, because I didn't want it to notice me. But, it let me turn my head a little at a time, and then an ammo can slammed by my group of boys and the beaver turned around and swam away faster than it came. It stopped about 15 ft down river from me and came to shore and I couldn't see it anymore. So I walked very slowly over to where it was to see if it had went in a hole, swam under water, or maybe was chilling by the edge.
I came up to where it disappeared out of my sight and still didn't see it so I inched my way closer to the edge and saw some of the leaves of the weeds moving; the beaver was right at the top edge of the slope, 4ft from me, munching on the leaves. It didn't notice me and I watched it slowly eating the leaves for 10 mins. I slowly inched my way to get a better view.
I was 3ft from the edge and standing very still when the beaver saw some better looking leaves right in front of me. The beaver, with its short front legs, climbed over the edge and stopped to eat more leaves 2 ft in front of me. I was struggling to stay still this whole time because of bugs landing on me and the natural sway of my body, but now adding the raised heart rate and excited nerves made it really hard to not move. If I would have moved the beaver would be gone.
A few more minutes passed as I got to see its flat paddle tail up close and its little front paws feeding its buck teeth. The beaver was grazing and inching its way closer to me, focusing only on the food in front of him and ignoring the big tree of a man standing now only 1ft in front of him. I was enjoying this too much to disrupt the beaver, of try to catch it, or to punt it half way across the river; I only wanted to observe this awesome creature up close it its own habitat, doing its own routines.
I wasn't sure how close it would get or how close I wanted it to get. I know I didn't want it to walk over my foot if it got that close. I was thinking it might get that close because the leaves went right up to my feet. It did get closer and started walking past my foot only 6 inches away and I diceded that that was close enough. I stepped away gently and the beaver franticly ran away tumbing over the edge of the slope into the river water and then dove out of sight.
I had the biggest grin on my face as I walked back over to my group of boys who were writing their articles. I couldn't stop grinning and had to break their hard working silence and share what just happend. I then joined then by writing this great experience down.

Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed

2009-05-13T06:39:00.005+09:00

I just watched the Expelled Documentary and I thought it was great. I have been very effected by creation and intelligent design and evolution debates or lack of debates. I have always been very open minded to peoples thought and get turned off to people who know without a doubt things and call people stupid if they don't believe the same thing, what turned me off was the lack of questions they seemed to ask or acknowledge. Since I grew up in the Christian community with creation facts or theories I have heard many people call other theories stupid.
When I heard of some Christians embrace evolution ideas I wanted to understand that more and really see what this was all about. I know I don't know everything! (not even close) I need to keep learning and keep questioning. I need to seek so I can find out what things make the most sense and what things may be stupid and be able to understand why, not just because that is what I grew up with or the people around me believe. Being at camp in a very conservative environment of North Carolina, where people "know the facts" and have really been able to explain a lot of good evidence of an intelligent design, after being in the Northwest in a open minded no body is wrong unless you are arguing with or for Christianity or any Religion, has really rattled my brain again. I always liked to say sure why didn't God create the world using evolution, why can't we be both right. It all depends on your definitions of creation and evolution.
This documentary which is very well made in my opinion explores people being fired from jobs as scientist or journalist because of not completely denying some sort of intelligent designer because our science society has forced creationism to be taboo and stupid with know evidence. It also explores the questions that are not answered in Darwinism because no theory has all the answers even though some try to say it does. The film also explores the consequences of peoples beliefs. Many great interviews throughout this documentary. It is fun to watch.
I was at the North Carolina beach this past week with my kids and others form camp and we got to do a Behind the Scenes close encounters tour of the aquarium. it was a lot of fun and got to feed the largest tank with sharks and many other awesome fish. Our tour guide marine biologist Wayne made an interested comment about how we really don't know a whole lot about fish and are always trying knew things to take proper care of our tanks. Science is fairly knew in a lot of sense and we are trying to figure things out. It was definitely a humble approach to something that is way bigger than we can get our minds around.
Things are unpredictable at times and many are trying to force us to believe something that they admittedly don't have all the answers to prove. It really made me kind of angry / frustrated that many people try to force their own agendas that are harming us. Why can't we have freedom to speak and explore and publish our ideas and finding.

10 years - Party On

2009-02-22T21:31:00.002+09:00

I just listened to Mars Hill message celebration of 10 years that was a couple weeks ago and am inspired to enter back into the woods this morning to love my kids to life. Join that party I just remembered about and wrote about by being active in this world, and joining the things that God is active with.

November 8th 2008 - Sunset Wednesday

2009-02-22T21:15:00.002+09:00

Tunnel Park - Holland, MI
I saw an amazing sunset last night at the state park and took a lot of pictures. Tonight no camera and another great sunset. It is also a little more peaceful at Tunnel Park. Beautiful Blue and shade black waves. The blue shimmers and calls out to walk across. The definitively straight horizon asks if there is anything to the west. The endless water reminds me that I am small part of this big world. The endless water tries to prove wrong the title of Lake. Growing up 30 mins from this, for 20 years of my life, makes me ask why I haven't come to more sunsets here. I wish I was surrounded by people that wanted to see this every night. The purple, pink, orange, yellow, green, blue sky above that perfect blue water draws me out of this world I am in, out of the worries, out of the cares, even out of the celebrations into a celebration that is way bigger that I can create, inspire, or even imagine. I hope I am never distracted enough to miss this celebration. I hope am never busy enough to not join this party.

Lake Michigan Winter Beach

2009-02-14T12:20:00.003+09:00

Jan. 28th 2009 Journal

2009-02-14T10:16:00.002+09:00

I thought that was a really good reflection on some of my thoughts and my group. I wrote this in my bed in the woods of the Rangers campsite at Cameron Boys Camp.

This is my home, the woods, and these chiefs (co-workers) and these boys are my family. The passion to be the best that we can be is going to change my life! These boys are pumped and excited about being the best and going home the right way. They are sick and tired of guys, who they have invested so much into, leaving before they are ready. They care for each other and want the best for each other - people see it, and I am beginning to see it. I am beginning to see what being a ranger is all about - what camp is all about - what life is all about.
I understand why these guys get frustrated when things aren't right "The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever" Isaiah 32:17. I am understanding some of my weaknesses, by some of the things they are calling out in each other. " Oh that is not that bad" I think to myself - I am just protecting my own weaknesses. Rangers are not going to let anyone stop them from being the best group they can possible be... the best group ever. I need my groups passion!
My co-Chief Adam told us about a friend Shane who once said to him "Oh he is just a new Christian, that passion will go away" Adam then grabbed Shane and said "Are you kidding m?! That is what you need man!" We should be excited like a new believer follower of Christ. My boy travis accepted Christ last night, or as he says it "I got saved last night," I dont like how that sounds for different reasons, but that doesn't matter. I need to be excited with him and for him and keep encouraging him! I am not excited because I fully don't know what it means to him and I do know that there is a lot more saving that God is continuing to do for him. And for me. That doesn't matter! I need to let myself be excited!
We had a boy go home for good this past week who was not ready to go home. We all knew he was not ready to go, but he convinced himself and his parents that he was. You should have seen the passion the group showed him to try to convince him to stay! It was very intense and not very gentle most of the time. One of the things that the group keep pushing him on was his lack of passion for anything. They kept pushing him to get passionate and let it show, but he didn't because he was taught to hold it in. He is just bursting inside because of this! He wont get passionate because he doesn't know how! I see a lot of myself in him in this area. I am very calm and patient, and I thank God for this gift, but I am also learning and reflecting on how this has been a weakness of mine. I need to get passionate about life, passionate about people, passionate about living life right to the full! I need to get passionate about being the best I can be and helping others do the same! I can't be lukewarm anymore! I can't let others ruin their lives if there is something I can do about it. and leave the rest up to God.

Holiday Travels

2008-12-15T03:52:00.006+09:00

So I have been doing more road trips. Lot of driving back and forth from Michigan to North Carolina because of the Holidays. It has been great because that is when I have been able to meet up with great friends. I took some pictures of my trip back from Thanksgiving in the North Carolina mountains and it was Snowing!!! I love the snow and I am not getting any at camp, just cold and rain.

I also wanted to give a little update on my new job at camp. I am still in training. Which seems like it will never end, but has to soon because I will probably joining a group of kids full time right after Christmas. I spent a lot of this week staying with the boys in the tents which I have pictures below of. There are 4 sleeping tents in each campsite. the other picture is of the inside of one of the cooking tents. I am excited to get started but I enjoying the training because there is more variety in what I do right now.

Also just to let you know that my mother is having surgery on Tuesday morning to remove breast cancer. I just found out yesterday that she had cancer for sure. It is early so hopefully treatment with be quick and easy. and if not we will still all be alright. My family as far as I can tell has a good attitude about it. We would still love prayers and also for my sister who lost a job and is searching now. But this does give her time to spend with our mom. Always good ways to look at crappy situations.

With Peace and Love,
ME

Changing Seasons Update

2008-12-01T20:33:00.002+09:00

PO BOX 277
Cameron, NC 28326
mkldrs@gmail.com
910-246-7108
616-828-1366

Hello Beautiful People!

I wanted to send another thank you for all you who sent me support in prayer and finances for my past year, and I wanted to give you an update of the end of my year at Wildhorse Canyon Washington Family Ranch Young Life Camp in Oregon. The summer for me was an amazing experience of leading high school and college friends that volunteered a month or more to do the different maintenance projects around camp. We fixed toilets, emptied trash cans and dumpsters, power washed paths, built and moved furniture, dug trenches, hung drywall, painted walls, and many more other random things that needed to be maintained around camp so that kids could have the best weeks of their lives. Just as important and fun for us as a maintenance crew was the time we got to spend every morning at around 7am; while meeting together we got to share different stories and talk about different questions and Bible passages. We started mornings this way in prayer to get to know more about God and ourselves. Also, throughout our time together over the summer we all got to share our life stories to each other. We made great friendships, many that I know will last for the rest of our lives.
Life in the summer was a lot different from the rest of the year. It was a lot busier in good and bad ways. With between 600 and 700 students at camp every week there was always things going on and always things to fix. Many people had too much to do and during those times we saw the greatest in people, both in their serving through the hard times and in how many others joined in, on their time off, to help keep things running smoothly. All with the attitude of giving the kids the best weeks of their lives.
After the summer was over I had another month of different groups coming to the Canyon for different retreats. As a group of interns we seemed to grow closer together, spending many moments together recollecting all the greatest memories from our year together. It is always amazing to look back on our lives, and for us at camp it made us appreciate our year together all the more. It also made it all the more difficult to leave. So again, thank you so much for supporting me at camp and supporting the kids that got to come to camp and get to know Jesus in a way they have never experienced before.

Changing Seasons:
I am now in North Carolina, I started working Nov 10th at a different camp; which is a very different experience from Oregon. Here I am working directly with at risk kids in a wilderness group home setting. It is called Cameron Boys Camp and is part of the Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina, Inc. I am very excited about being here and I am already learning way more than I could have imaged. As the website describes;

“Baptist Children's Homes' Cameron Boys Camp is a wilderness camping program for school aged boys. Camp provides behavioral change for boys in a highly structured, wilderness environment. Three staff members called Chiefs supervise each

group of ten boys. The well-balanced, licensed alternative education program teaches discipline and self-worth.
The program provides boys and their families an opportunity to work out problems. From arrival at camp through follow-up visits in the home, social workers focus on all family members.” (http://www.bchfamily.org/helping/service/119/125/124)

My expectations for my counselor/teacher experience here is that this will be the hardest thing I have done in my life so far. I will be challenged in the extreme structure, ways of discipline, and having to speak out all the time. As the kids are learning also, it is hard to get past our troubles and weaknesses in order to keep learning, but the best things don’t come easily.
With this new season of my life which I have made a 2 year commitment to (which they will give me 6 years worth of work) I would really appreciate your prayers. I know that I will not be able to love these kids without God’s work in all of our lives. Again, thank you for all of your support and love. I am overwhelmed with how many of you have never stopped praying for me on a regular basis. If you would like continued updates from me I am hoping to send out email updates every once in a while. Send me a email at mkldrs@gmail.com and I will add you to a list. God bless you and so that you can continue to bless others.

With peace and love,

Mike Elders

Wednesday Night Oct 1st

2008-10-04T14:30:00.001+09:00

I am blogging from the Amtrak train b/w Tacoma, WA and Portland, OR. I finished my year at Wildhorse Canyon Young Life Camp Monday and have visited amazing friends that I have made over this last year in Seattle and Bellingham. It has been really hard leaving camp and many friends everyday not knowing when I will ever see them again. Many times I have been close to tears this week and last. I think that is a good sign that I have made some great friends this year.

So tomorrow morning I say goodbye again, this time to the entire west coast and start traveling back to Michigan. I have loved it out here and I love many of you very much. I hope this absence will be short enough. I would love to move somewhere else in the Northwest, but in a couple of weeks I am visiting a wilderness boys camp in North Carolina to see if it would be a good fit for me to work at. I am excited about the possible opportunity to work with boys even further out of civilization than at Wildhorse.

I feel like I have learned a lot this last year about God and a little more about myself, but a lot of the year I have not felt very intimate with God. I have been in Awe of God a lot this year but not always friendship close. It has been good to be doing some traveling and moving on to new things in that I really have felt like I have a new place to start growing closer with God. I cant rely on the people around me right now because I am a wondering man again, so I have felt God’s tug more and more in the last couple of days because he is the only constant in my time of wondering change.

Old Update

2008-07-21T15:41:00.004+09:00

I made this newsletter update before the summer started and sent it out to a few peeps and thought that some others might want to read it also. So I hope you enjoy.

Diversity is Beautiful and Educational

2008-06-28T13:11:00.004+09:00

Two weeks of Summer camps have come and gone and have been really great. I have been amazed by the diversity of the camp staff team and of the campers here at Wildhorse, not because I haven't seen these diverse of groups before, but rather I haven't seen camps or that many churches that there was no minority or majority no matter who you are. There were many cultures, skin colors, social classes, many disabled kids, and many deaf kids. It is a Beautiful thing!!!
Our speaker James from Indianapolis, IN showed many videos over the week and the first night he made a great video of all different pictures of Jesus that he has seen flashing on the screen and Marilyn Manson singing "Personal Jesus" it was powerful and he pointed out that we don't know what Jesus looked like but every culture around the world has made the image of Christ look like them. Jesus goes beyond all of our differences. Amen!
I also have heard the stories now of many of the kids coming through here and seen some of it personally now. I have seen the kids that I get to work with have a great time together even though we are all very different. I have heard of kids carrying there fellow campers up the mountain who were not physically able to climb because they only have one leg. I have heard of kids coming to camp from different rival gangs wearing there colors and fighting at the beginning of the week and sitting them down and bringing them together so that at the end of the week they are playing ball together. I have heard of cabin roommates that from the same school but didn't know each other at the beginning of the week and really didn't want to know each other, because they were different, and by the end of week where really close and great great friends. Beautiful!!!
I have seen this happen in true story movies lately (Freedom Writers and The Cross and the Switchblade) and so much in my personal real life. What brings us together, Jesus! We have more in common than we have differences. And our differences are very educational. We spend a lot of time at camp hearing peoples stories and sharing our stories and I love it. Diversity is Beautiful!!!

Freedom Writers

2008-05-28T17:51:00.002+09:00

I just got done watching and hearing the stories of the Freedom Writers. This is an amazing movie with great stories and great hope and inspiration. It also encouraged me to write more and share more. This music video and song "A Dream" was written for this movie and this message. Check it out...

The artist Common and producer Will.I.am also made the song based on one of Obama's speeches. I feel like there are so many similarities to these speeches that inspire these songs. So many similarities to the stories that are told and so many similarities to the HOPE... YES WE CAN... Check it out...

If you want to see the whole of Barack Obama's speech check out this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe751kMBwms Sunday night I also watched Barack Obama's speech at the Wesleyian Graduation Commencement which he did on Sunday. This was a last minute invite in place of Ted Kennedy. I thought it was a great speech about service. Very political as he is running for president, if you didn't know that, but also very much about our Hope and our way of doing our part and serving others. Check it out...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XX5WEgqw6pM I don't mean for this blog to be about Obama, but about Hope and what getting into peoples lives, and how serving each other, and reaching out can do. It can make a difference. Change can happen. Yes We Can. If you haven't seen the Freedom Writers movie I very much recommend it. It has inspired me to really want to get back into working with kids directly again. I lot of things have lately.

Drive By

2008-05-27T19:35:00.003+09:00

So it has been a fairly rainy weekend and I really have loved parts of that, especially that it is making the dessert very green for a dessert. Saturday I was working at the zip line in camp and a thunder storm rolled in and I saw my first strike of the year - I am looking forward to many more. We also have respect for the storm and had to close down the activities outside for a while. Something about long metal aircraft cables leading into a 3 acre pond makes some a little cautious.
This weekend also brought me a lot of time belaying little and big kids on the climbing wall which I enjoy doing immensely because I get to help kids conquer there fears and conquer some hard walls. It is great seeing parents here loving on there kids, Also a little funny seeing parents my age running after a few kids - Reality Check. I also got a lot of time in the Skate Park watching little kids run into each other and adults get some of there youth back in them. Sometimes it is slow in the skate park and when I was not talking to the guests or being inspired by the skaters I tried to do a little writing. Here is one work I am really pleased with so far

Driving in your car you never see
what you dont want to see.
You moved so you wouldn't have to see.
You bought your view so you could be free.
Comfort and Content is what you try to buy.
Safe and Secure you wont see them cry.
Safe and Secure you Drive By.

Here is one that I have observed in others and maybe myself.

You brought your board but you're still afraid.
You see them skate but you haven't been made.
You want to win but you haven't played.
You left the park when you should have stayed.

I have been having great times with community here at the Canyon. Last week I went over to the fellow Michigander condo, they are full time volunteers here, and watched the Red Wings end the Stars. It was great to hear some more of there great story and eat more of there great grilling... And after that join the great intern group for a weenie roast and some wiffle ball.

In the last week I have gained 3 more housemates (Dan, Michael, and Jake) which is awesome, because they are awesome,and I we have had some great times so far and I am looking forward to getting to know them even more. Last night all the interns that are here so far bonded with some big burgers and lots of shotgun shells. Oh how Guns can bring people together.

We are currently reading Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer with our housemates and the Ministry chapter is money, it talks about some really awesome and not typical ideas of minitry. I really loved the nuggets of stuff that is good in the first chapter, but this chapter made me have to recommend this book for everyone to read.
OK, peace and love to you all and Keep sharing the love.

30 Days

2008-02-15T05:27:00.010+09:00

So It has been a great last 30 Days (This title I stole from an amazing TV series on FX that was created by the same man who created the Super Size Me documentary - check out the DVDs)

The last 30 Days has brought a lot of struggles / challenges some that have help me grow and some that hasn't helped me grow yet. The last 30 Days has brought a lot of travel as well. Two weeks ago I went to Seattle with a number of other interns for a long weekend. Played a little Bingo with Ben and Grant and Dusty and Drew...

Also in Seattle to Celebrate my friend Lacey's Birthday we went to the zoo!!! I made some more friends there...

I also took a road trip south this past week for my first visit to California. And I drove with all the other interns all the way to South Cali to Oakbridge Young Life Camp to work for a week. It was a great time especially when Kate steps in Dog crap at 11pm...

But we did get to see LA from the roof of an amazing building and ministry (The DREAM CENTER)...

And when we got back to Camp the boys, on the Morning of Kate and Sara's Birthday, got the paintball guns going. This is one of our new hobbies at camp...

And then we partied hard the rest of Yesterday...

In Sickness and In Health

2008-01-04T11:26:00.000+09:00

Happy New Year Everyone... what a great time to start the year right. It is exciting to see where I will get to go this next year after looking at where I have been in the last year. Here is a Review of my travels from this past year...

February - road trips to Wisconsin and Ohio

March - flew to Seattle for the first time ever and hung out in the Northwest (Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, Salem) for a whole month

May - road trip to Iowa for Dordt grad (my 6th year straight) and then extended the road trip to Wyoming, Montana, and Washington again.

August - road trip through the UP and then Minnesota, Wisconsin, Chicago, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Wash DC, Virginia, Wash DC, NYC, Boston, NYC, Rochester NY, Hamilton ON, London ON, Lansing MI and home.

September - road trip to Chicago, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Washington, and to my new home in Oregon.

October and November - everywhere is a road trip from where I live. 1 hour to grocery store, 2 hours to bend, 3 hours to portland, 6 hours to coast.

December - flew back to Michigan for a week to visit family and friends.

I even made a great visit to the hospital this past Friday. I was completely dehydrated from losing all my insides during the night so I got to spend a day and night in the Mountain View Hospital (my rooms didn't have windows). I am all better now and I didn't let it interfere with the awesome new years party we had with the interns here at camp. It was Omazing amounts of Fun.

Love Beyond My Experience

2007-12-08T06:01:00.000+09:00

I have been brought close to tears a few times in the last couple of days because of the beauty of love (a little cheesy to say it this way, yes). Love I have seen in other people that is way beyond me at this point in my life.

So at the Christmas party on Wednesday one of the little girls, Maggie, who is probably about 10 yrs old sang for everybody "Breath of Heaven" which was made popular by Amy Grant, and her father Craig accompanied her on the guitar. It is a dong I grew up listening to a lot. Well Maggie is really cute and was dressed up in the traditional peasant robe with hood, and she had the most peaceful glorious voice. This song is from the perspective of Mary the mother of Jesus, and Maggie helped really make me think of how young and innocent Mary actually was especially with this little girl singing the lines...

Do you wonder as you watch my face,
If a wiser one should have had my place,
But i offer all i am
For the mercy of your plan.
Help me be strong.
Help me be.
Help me.

The first lines there really got me in all its humanity. Oh how many of us ask if a wiser one should have had my place? But NO, God chose this young girl to give birth to His son. Wow.

I sat right in front while Maggie was singing and her Mother Kathy was sitting right by me and I got to see all the glances and smiles back and forth between the two. After the children's program was done Maggie came up to her mother and gave her a big hug while she was sitting down and Maggie said to her mother with so much sincerity "I Love You" and they kissed. This is love that is so beyond what I can imagine at this point in my life.

OK I had more to write but I am really tired now, so good night to me.

Christmas Party Tonight

2007-12-06T04:51:00.000+09:00

So I am two months into the great internship year. And tonight the camp staff has a great Christmas party which includes fancy dinner, Children's Christmas Story program ( it has been a while since I have seen one of these), white elephant gift game, and then a performance from the interns!!! We are doing a great Christmas CD set informercial. Yeah it will be a wonderful time.

It is crazy to think that I will be home in two weeks. I am really looking forward to flying firsthand. I really enjoy the airport atmosphere and to think of all the Winter / Christmas fun. I am also looking forward to more snow. In the canyon where I live we don't get as much snow but we did have a couple days of snow already this year.

Third thing I also made a list of goals for this year because I had to for my job. But I am glad I did, even though I had hesitations in doing this - that is a different topic. One of my goals is to call a friend and write a friend at least once a week. So if you would like to communicate with me let me know and we can talk or write.

God bless you so you can continue to bless others. The second part is the more important part I think.

Spending Money / No Shave November

2007-11-27T03:54:00.000+09:00

I seem to be spending lots of money lately, and not making a lot. We all know money is a crazy thing and can control our lives. Some people's goals are to make a lot of money, period; they don't really want a lot of things they only want money to be comfortable. Some people do want a lot of things and want the status that comes with it; I think that this can be a very dangerous thing, but I also think the money and status can also be used to make the world a better place. I believe God calls some people specifically to make lots of money and be able to influence others of the same status and bless others that are not. Camps like I am working at now would not exist if business men and women hadn't been called by God to use their gifts to make the world a better place. I like to be able to be generous with my money but I always feel like there is more and more I can give, and I feel bad when I buy things that I don't need. I feel like I have done a little of this this weekend on the great sales. Now that I have made some of these purchases I think I need to be aware of how I can use these things and share this stuff to make other peoples lives better, and therefore make the world a better place.

Some Things I have purchased this past week:
- plane ticket
- new battery for my computer
- portable speaker dock for ipods
- portable external harddrive
- CDRs
- head lamp
- board games from goodwill (Carcassonne is one that I am really exited about - 53rd best on boardgamegeek.com)
- lots of food and beverages
- nooma DVDs
- white elephant gifts
- cheesy Christmas sweater
- candles

I have some ideas of how I can bless others with these but I would love to hear others ideas, so got any? this could be fun, maybe you could do this reflection on your resources also. There is many more things in my mind about money from recent conversations and experiences of my own and close friends; so what I wrote here probably has a lot of wholes. But God is still in control of all the money and all the stuff and you and me.

This post is dedicated to all those celebrating No Share November, I haven't shaved for awhile either. It is almost time to shave for some, probably not me yet.

Canyon Life Has Begun - The 1 Month Today

2007-10-31T16:47:00.000+09:00

Hello Beautiful People!
It doesn't look like I have been thinking much lately since I havent blogged, well that is not true. I am now in Oregon living up the camp life and I can say that I am liking it here and loving the people. It has been a slow time in coming for Wildhorse Canyon to feel like home, but it is coming and today is my one month aniversary at the canyon. I have been learning tons about maintance, camp activities, Guest Services and camp life in general. What is going on in my head lately some might want to know...

Well I want to know as well. I really feel like I have been struggling on and off a lot in the last month internally with something. Something like not being content with people around me, which usually means not being content with myself. I have been feeling like I want to be right more than I normally do, which may or may not have been visible to others. I have been challenged a lot sinse I have been here to really lower my walls and really keep searching / learning... not just say I am always searching or even think I have it all together because I am searching, as if that means I've arrived already (that doesn't make any sense). But I need to be willing to actually let myself grow more than I have ever grown before. Because as I have read in one of the books I am reading this year with all the interns, Celebration of Disciplines by Foster, who quotes Thomas Merton "We do not want to be beginners. But let us be convinced of the fact that we will never be anything else but beginners, all our life!" I think that is a impoprtant thing to remember in order to keep driving home that I have not arrived. We have had some conflicts and very hard discussions with the interns (14 of us) in the last month while we were trying to figure out what we want this year to look like (side note: so it is great to make goals but we can't predict what will happen and what God is going t odo with our lives), We talked about how are we going to handle conflicts and what has been ratlling in my brain lately is what my friend Shea said, "When we resolving conflicts and are argueing it can't be about who is right and who is wrong."

I feel like I have already seen major changes in my mind and in other interns as well. We are memorizing the first half of Phillipians 2 together as an intern group and this really hits it home and my friend Darren here really shared with us how it has changed his heart and I feel like he helped me really connect to this passage in my heart. Here is The Message // Remix version of it...
"If you have gotten anything from folling Christ, if His love has made any difference in your life, if being in commnity of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care- then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deepspirited friends. Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand..."

Wow this is an awesome passage and so hard to live by. So much would be different if everyone lived this way. We are all so different and it really takes a lot of time to get to know people. I am still drawn back to the thought that it is not about being right. It is about being Love, about being Sacrifice. If I put others before myself then people will trust me more and they will want to hear my thoughts and they will want to know God more who has taught us all this.

With Peace and Love,
ME

Road Trip EastSide Wk3

2007-09-09T01:36:00.001+09:00

Thursday Aug. 30
--- Headed to the National Archives by Mertro in the morning after packing up and loading my car. Saw some pretty cool documents there but never found my Grandpa’s name in a World War 11 veterans book.
--- Hopped on the Metro again and headed to Arlington National Cemetery and worked right to the tomb of the unknown soldiers area and watched the changing of the guards. It was pretty impressive.
--- Walked back to Metro and saw Joel, Dan, and Brain and said goodbye because I was heading back to Cody’s and getting in my car to drive to NYC.
--- Got there with not much problem. I enjoyed the driving in the city, kept me awake to say the least. Moved into Maya’s roommates room in the apartment a block from Central Park.
--- Went out for drinks at an Irish pub with Maya, Lynsey, and her sister and date.

Friday Aug. 31
--- I slept in when Maya went to work and I watched TV and read and did some paper work for Wildhorse Canyon.
--- I moved my car also… I know you wanted to know that. But I did make it in NYC without any parking tickets. Thank you very much.
--- Maya and I went out by subway to an authentic Italian pizza place, which was really good, and then went to a Independent Film called The Nines. I liked it. It was very unique and creative. Very mind turning.
--- Then we took the subway back to the apartment.

Saturday Sept. 1
--- Slept in again and drove to Boston with Maya and it took a long time to get out of New York with the traffic. It was a good drive though and we arrived to Grace and Lee at around 6:30pm.
--- I searched hard for a parking spot with Lee because there were a lot of different no parking signs because of college Residence moving in and was really busy with parents and labor day visitors. I found one and double-checked the no parking signs
--- Went to meet the girls in the mall to eat at a P.F. Chinese restaurant and there was an 1:20 min wait. We were hungry but waited anyway. Me and Maya went to find a birthday cake and candles because it was Lee’s birthday. After we searched a while we ended up grabbing some birthday candles from The Cheesecake Factory and buying a delicious ice cream cake from Coldstone. We ate out on some mall tables because dessert is always good first. Then waited even more to eat some Chinese. It took about 1:45min. The food was really good through.
--- We headed back and it seemed like everyone was tired so I headed to my car with the others TO FIND A PARKING TICKET! I was really frustrated. It said I parked in a residence parking only area. So I looked more and found another no parking sign at the end of the street. I still don’t know if I want to write a letter to try to get out of it or just pay the stupid thing. I haven’t paid the Chicago parking ticket yet because it hasn’t been put in the Chicago computers yet. Maybe it got lost?!
--- So after that I said goodnight to the other three and went to bed in the back seat of my car. Home Sweet Home. I got a call a little bit later because Lee’s car was locked in the parking garage, so he joined me in my car to sleep for the night because there was no room in the inn.

Sunday Sept. 2
--- We got up early, Lee went to get his car. I moved my car to a legal parking spot directly across the street.
--- I shaved and brushed my teeth and deodorized myself in my car and put on a clean shirt. Then I went for a walk by myself. I walked to the public gardens and the Boston Commons Park and then all around. I ended my walk at the Park Street Church downtown it looked big and significant and it had a bathroom.
--- I decided to go to church here after walking around inside. Maya called and said they were going to the Korean church, The church service was traditional and the preacher was very intellectual and informative. Some of what he said really struck me though, about the Shame on Jesus and we should not be afraid of Shame and humility in that way if people persecute us. Lots of other aspects to this and I took a few notes. The woman next to me was really friendly and asked me if I was a pastor or in seminary. I gave a slight smile and an amusingly confused look. “Yeah, I studied theology in college and am a youth worker. What gave it away?” “The way you were listening to the sermon and wrote some notes down.” I thought I was dosing off a little bit during the service myself but was delighted in her perception. “We have a lot of seminary students stay at our house with the many schools around here.” she said “and I could see a lot of that same interest in you.” We continued a little more get to know you talk and then I walked around a little more.
--- I was talking to Maya to figure out where to meet up with the others in the Commons and walked passed this homeless guy named Brent who said “Hey can I use that phone to call my son, free nights and weekends.” I slowed up and ended the conversation with Maya and sat next to Brent. We talked a little bit and I dialed his sons number for him. He got the answering machine but we talked some more and then he asked if he could call his ex-girlfriend. So I dialed that as well and he talked to her a little while and then my phone died on him. He said that that was even better because it is always fun just hanging up on girls. I parted ways and found the rest of the group.
--- We went to the food court for lunch and Grace and Lee left for Korean church that they missed in the morning.
--- I started walking around Boston with Maya and giving her the tour in all the made up fashion I could imagine. We ended up taking the subway for the fun of it to the bay and hung there for a little while.
--- We walked back through the great tourist traps and saw this really HUGE dog that was just sitting by the Cheers bar without anyone by it. It was started to get a crowd, which was funny. We walked all the way back to near Grace’s Dorm after a few stops.
--- We stopped to get some drinks at this really awesome Market right around the corner, which had a wine cellar in the very spacious basement. I bought a 6pack of Sam Adams Cherry Wheat. It was and is really good. Haven’t finished it yet. I had to get Sam Adams in Boston.
---Grace and her roommates now met us there as we were sitting outside on the tables drinking. We ended up heading to get some Dunkin Donuts at the fancy gold lettered donut shop, but that was closed. So we headed to starbucks in the Barnes and Noble
--- I talked on the phone with my sister for a good amount of time and I loved every minute of it. I am starting to think I need to get home soon.
--- I lost the other girls but met up with them again at the dorm. I tried to sleep on the couch in the lobby after I saw the RA was gone but he woke me up at the midnight lock up shift and sent me out. So back to my home to sleep in the back seat of my hot Stuff.

Monday Sept. 3
--- Got up early to try to get on the road early to miss the bad Labor Day traffic.
--- We went for breakfast at the sweet Market and got on the road.
--- The drive to NYC was a lot quicker and we talked and listened to a sweet message from the creator of Veggie Tales, Phil Visher. It is about Veggie Tales and more importantly about his story of how God gave him a great vision and job and then He takes it away. He also wrote a book about what he has been going around speaking about called Me, Myself, and Bob.
--- We get back to the apartment and relax for a while.
--- We go to the great lawn of Central Park with Lynsey also and eat, drink, and threw a Frisbee around.

Tuesday Sept. 4
--- I sleep in while Maya goes to class. I do some reading, writing, and Television, showering (the 3 R’s)..
--- We go to the Cathedral down the street from her apartment and check out the place which was pretty cool and very relaxing.
--- We go out for lunch at a sweet Mama’s place next door to the apartment for lunch. Chicken and catfish…. Yum.
--- Maya goes back to class and I relax some more probably trying to communicate with others. I was planning on staying in Brooklyn that night and meeting some more of Maya’s friends there.
--- Maya got back from class and see forced me to clean the inside of my car “Hot Stuff” and she helped. I told her that Hot Stuff is a dirty whore because so many people ride her and she is dirty because of that. But it is true that everyone can be washed clean from there past, even Hot Stuff. Well that took a while but she looks amazing.
--- Got back to the apartment and Maya was tired so wanted to rest a little bit before we left for Brooklyn. Well I was drinking some wine that her roommate shared with me and Maya had a sip and that wiped her out. So she took a nap and then was even more tired after that so we mad the decision to skip Brooklyn. We went to an authentic New York pizza place down the street, you know jumbo big flabby slices that look pretty risky. It was good and we sat there and studied marketing for her test in the morning. Then went back and went to sleep.

Wednesday Sept. 5
--- Again Maya got up early for class and I slept in. I got up and packed up and then got on the road to travel northwest.
--- I stopped at a scenic area for lunch, left over cold pizza, Oh so good, and a Sam Adams Cherry Wheat. Then back on the road and I took the scenic roads in New York upstate because I had the time and I didn’t want to pay any more tolls (I hate tolls!)
--- Got to Rochester area, where Steph a friend from Hope lives, in time to watch the end of her sister’s soccer game. Then we went to Wegman’s for dinner and relaxed there.
--- Went back to her place and had cake and wanted to meet up with her boyfriend for ice cream, but instead we had Josh come over and watch a movie and fall asleep.

Thursday Sept. 6
--- Got up early because Steph needed to leave for work at 7:30am and I needed to make it to Hamilton, ON by 11am.
--- I got on the road and crossed the boarder no problem. I called my friend Mike Hoekstra and others before I lost US reception on the cell phone. Don’t know how much it costs to call in Canada on my States cell service.
--- Well I made it to Redeemer University College at 10:50am and found the room where Syd Hielema was teaching at 11am (I love the internet where I can look up all the info of where to surprise people). Syd was my professor and advisor and friend at Dordt.
--- I walk into the classroom with my backpack with everyone else, for there first NT Gospels and Acts class of the year. I tried to sneak in without being noticed and sit in the back. It didn’t work. Syd looked at me funny as I walked in and he was thinking wow that guy looks a lot like Mike Elders. He looks some more and I try to lose eye contact but looked up and smiled. Then he finished a convo and came to me and gave me a big hug. I told him I am just traveling through. And asked if we could get together in the next couple days. Right after class worked for him and so I stayed in his class and he introduced me as he welcomed everyone as someone who already took this class back at Dordt.
--- We went for some lunch after the great class time of focusing on what it means and doesn’t mean to study the Bible. Lots of story’s and question thinking. Lunch was in the Cafeteria and was a great time of catching up and me sharing a lot about the church situation and beyond.
--- We parted ways and I walked around campus checking it out and then tried to connect with by facebook with others in Hamilton.
--- I head downtown to MacMaster campus and find a Tim Horton’s and do a lot of reading and waiting by free wi-fi signals for precise time and place to meet with Ali Knight or Beth and Paul. I also drove different places to try to find a place to plug my computer in to charge. I finally found a plug at a grocery store by a small furniture section.
--- Then I find a signal again and didn’t get any specific directions yet so I drove around and found a mall to sit and start writing this journal and do more reading. After a couple more hours and getting a little later. I remembered I had some old emails on my computer of addresses of Beth and Paul. So I looked up the last address I found and it was there house and they were home!! I love these two. So we hung out and then connected with Ali and went over there to hang out pretty late. I went back to Beth and Paul’s to sleep on the couch.

Friday Sept. 7
--- We woke up early to head over to Ali’s apartment for waffles! I invited myself over, I have gotten good at that lately. It was really good and fun. I hung out there for the morning and then dropped Ali and roommate off at school.
--- Then I went to the Harbor and walked around and went to Williams for lunch and lots of free wi-fi and lots of reading (getting close to finishing The Last Word and the Word After That). It was really busy and really good. I had a pom-a-berry smoothie and a strawberry field with feta salad. I was there for over 4 hours.
--- Then I drove to London, ON to hang with Chris Wyenberg – I heard he was 8 feet tall, with arms as big as the pillars of Solomon’s Temple. The searing whites of eyes are said to burn like Pluto the star formally known as a planet.
--- We stopped and got something to eat and walked to UWO to go to the first hub of Intervarsity Campus Fellowship meeting of the year. We met a lot of great people and heard a lot of great stories of what God taught people them this summer, lots of great things.
--- Then we went to a bon-fire with a big group and had a lot of great fun and conversations with great people. We stayed till 1:30am because we like to talk.
--- We walked home and went to bed both sleeping in Chris’s new apartment for the first time.

Saturday Sept. 8
--- Woke up and had Toast. Yeah Toast!!!
--- We installed a window air conditioner and hung out a little bit. And I finished writing this all. I plan to go to lunch with Chris and then drive to another country. And hang out with SpringHill friends at MSU. Then head home!!!!! It is time to go home.

Road Trip EastSide Wk2

2007-08-30T12:19:00.000+09:00

Thurday Night Aug. 23
--- The Kin Concert was awesome . Great Music and Great guys.
--- Bad traffic though out of Philly, didn’t get to Wash DC after picking up Jake until 2:30am. Slept with 8 guys in a small one room apartment home.

Friday Aug 24
--- Left for Shenandoah National Park in the morning after some grocery shopping.
--- Set up camp (my tent was really big and tricky to set up) and relaxed.

Saturday Aug. 25
--- Hiked around to some water falls and bathed in some water holes.
--- Thunder storm in the afternoon makes us retreat into our tents and take a nap.
--- I went to get ice at night and didn’t know exactly where I was going and walked to the camp store which is over a mile away and they didn’t have ice but I got some beer, which took awhile to purchase because the electricity went out 5 times cause of a storm overhead so the computers didn't work. Then I hiked back to the camping area with a headache starting and found the ice place, but that just closed before I got there (the girl was still counting the money) Then I was told that the lodge about a 1/3 mile away had ice. I started walking that direction with the 6pack in my hands and headache getting a little worse. I asked some people at the lodges where the ice was and they were very helpful. They gave my a roll of clear plastic trash bags and one of the men bought me to the ice machine (FREE! A lot better than $3 a bag). This ice search is all worth it now that I found free ice! So I double up the bags and fill 3 bags of ice ($9 savings). I now need to walk back to the camp site with 3 bags of ice and a 6pack of beer, and it is now dark out. I start walking with the load and a headache and need to make multiple stops because of loosing grip and headaches. About half way back (I think) one of the bags tares open and I lose most of the ice, then I grab two new bags and try to pick up the ice off the ground and put it in the new bag. Then I continue trying to find the campsite and cant really see much in the dark. I try walking down what I think is a path and it ends up going right through someone else’s site and the old couple gets really mad at me for walking through there site. Sorry, I am kind of lost. Then after I walk a little bit further I stop at in the middle of the road and someone asks if they can help me. I say I think I am almost where I am suppose to be. A couple of sites further down I am back to the site about 2 ½ to 3 hours later. The rest of the group is eating and says they have been discussing when to send out a search team for me, it was going to be really soon.
--- Another storm starts up and we retreat to our tents again and keep hoping our tents hold out the rain enough. I fall asleep and it rains most of the night.

Sunday Aug. 26
--- In the morning I saw that some of the guys in my tent retreated further to there vehicle. And I found a big puddle in the screened area of my tent - the floor holds water well ☺
--- Throughout the week I am reading The Last Word And The Word After That by Brian Mclaren. It is the 3rd in the series and they are walking through DC in this part of the book. And I am like sweet I will get to see what they are talking about in a day or two. It is also just a life-changing book.
--- We ate and then made are way to Hawksbill trail to hike to the highest peak in the park.
--- We returned after a stop at the store and then a stop to get more free ice. Then we started getting food ready.
--- Some people packed up and to return to Wash DC that night.
--- The rest of us had a great time at the campfire. Some went to introduce themselves to the English girls at the site next to us. They were talking with them for a long time while I had fun being a pyro with the fire. It was pretty dark and I noticed this white thing moving on the other side of the campfire. Joel said he thinks it is a skunk and it walks literally 5 feet next to me and I still couldn’t tell what it was. I quick look for a flashlight and found a lantern on the picnic table. But I couldn’t get it lit but Joel did and the skunk was by our food box very close to us. Then when we got the light on it the skunk decided to run off. We kept the lantern on now though.
--- We walked over to the English girls site to check on our guys and then went to bed shortly after that in my hammock because it was an absolutely perfect night..

Monday Aug .27
--- Woke up to deer and wild turky’s and went for a walk and saw a paragon falcon (I think) land in a tree about 10 yards in front on me. Went back to camp, had amazing corona pancakes. Packed up, cleaned up, and headed out.
--- Traveled to Washington DC made a couple loops around the city because I couldn’t find the right road to the Hotel. Found the hotel and unloaded the car, then I headed to the Union Station to park my car with Jason Wyenberg.
--- When I finally made it to the Union Station I went up the ramp passing all of the taxies and I was looking for which section I needed to turn into. Then a police siren and lights startled me on my right. I slowed down and stopped and I heard over the fussy sounding mega phone “pull forward” so I pulled forward and was looking for a good place to stop, which is difficult on a ramp.
Then after I pulled around a corner I heard (I think) “pull the car over… stop the car” the police officer gets out of car quickly with his hand on his gun and yelling something like “put your hands in the air” and “turn your car off” and he said “you made this a lot worse than it had to be”, while still yelling at full alert.
I was thinking in my head like on the Anchor Man “I Don’t Know What We Are Yelling About” but I was shaking and very nervous by the officers intimidating posture. I asked with my hands in the air “what did I do?” And I was looking for more direction from him.
“You made this worse than it had to be” Still yelling… “Give me your license, registration, and proof of insurance”… “I want your I.D. as well” directing his voice to Jason now.
“What did I do officer?”
“You ran a stop sign back there” (note this is on a parking lot ramp) “and were driving away from me… blah blah blah”
After giving him my papers and returning my hands to the air and, yes, still shaking with my heart racing, I told him “I didn’t she a stop sign.”
“You didn’t see the extra large stop sign on the post and stop written on the pavement? ... blah blah blah”
“No I didn’t, I was looking for where I needed to turn and park” (I looked later and he was right, there was what he said, but there was also many other signs I was reading that were all around it)
“What am I suppose to think when someone is driving away from me, I was thinking I had a car chase on my hands… blah blah blah” (“In a parking garage?!?” I was thinking)
“I tried to follow every direction you gave” still with my heart racing and hands rose.
“You can put your hands down… There are a lot of unmarked police cars in DC you need to follow our direction… blah blah blah… I am going to let you off with a warning today.”
“Thank you very much” my heart is still racing and was racing after I parked and raced for a couple of blocks down the street.
--- Made it to my room and relaxed I needed it.
--- Went to dinner with everyone at a Irish place down the street. And Donald Roth walked past randomly as we ate outside. He just moved here a couple days ago that none of us know he was here.
--- Went for a walk with Donald and others through the mall and by Washington Monument, WWII Memorial, Reflection Pool, and my favorite of the night the Lincoln Memorial. And returned back to hotel.

Tuesday Aug. 28
--- Awesome breakfast buffet at the hotel after waking up late.
--- Took the metro to Holocaust museum, which was very powerful. The first picture I saw touched me.
--- Went to National Forestry Serveces.
--- Went to the National Air and Space Museum.
--- Metro to the White House and walked around it and being temped to have more police being on full alert at me.
--- Ate at Potbelly’s and then took the Metro to Arlington Cemetery. It was closed though a half hour earlier. Then we returned back to hotel.

Wednesday Aug. 29
--- Woke up late, packed and got the car. Drove to Cody’s apartment and unloaded there and parked around there.
--- Went to National Geographic and got a private tour of the Crittercam office and met the man who came up with the idea. This is a pretty sweet thing. We got in because Dan’s cousin Eric is an engineer on the crittercam’s.
--- Went to the National Cathedral, which was also pretty sweet. But there was no choir at the service, like we thought there would be.
--- Back to Arlington Cemetery about 15mins before it closed at 7pm. But the security guards said we could not go in because his shirt said security on it. He was a cool guy but that was frustrating.
--- Went to Pentagon and then returned back to Cody’s apartment to order pizza and do nothing else.

Thursday Aug. 30
--- heading to Arlington Cemetery for the 3rd time.
--- visit the archines to try to find my grandpa's name
--- heading to NYC

Road Trip Eastside

2007-08-24T05:57:00.000+09:00

Last friday Aug. 17th I finished up my summer working as a counselor at SpringHill Camps in Evart, MI. It was a great weekend and I made a lot of great friends. Especially the awesome high schoolers I had for two weeks. Sto Bro TST... So here is my trip so far.
Friday Aug 17
--- Headed north over the Mackinaw Bridge and throught the UP
--- Slept in my car.
Saturday Aug. 18
--- Woke up 6am and continued driving to Minneapolis, MN
--- Baught an Atlas.
--- Wedding at 4pm for Jeremy and Laura!!!!!
--- Lots of catching up with Dordt people and Partying.
---Crashed other reception accross the hall, almost caught the garder.
--- Visited people from Kevin and Cassie's Wedding Party.
--- Perkins till 3am with Chris, Jay, and Karissa
Sunday Aug. 19
--- Went to Bethlehem Baptist Church (John Piper preached about Satan... oh yeah and God)
--- Went to John and Heather's for lunch and nap.
--- Went to Chapolties with John and Heather then watched Man on Fire
Monday Aug. 20
--- Walked around Minneapolis by the collapsed bridge.
--- Drove towards Waupon, WI stoped at the Dells on the way.
--- College + Bible Study at Kim's
--- Slept at Venhuisens house
Tuesday Aug. 21
--- Watched Part of Newsies with little kids.
--- Hung with Justin and Megan.
--- Drove to Chicago and hung with Josh Boerman at his crib
--- Went to The Cheesecake Factory for dinner and ate WAY toooo much.
Wednesday Aug. 22
--- Found a Panera Bread to go online
--- Went to The Field Museum with Joe Tiersma thanks to Sarah
--- Got a $50 parking ticket because I didn't want to pay $15 for museum parking.
--- Drove to Pittsberg, PA by 3am and selp in my car.
Thursday Aug. 23
--- Drove to Gettysburg, PA and looked around
--- Sitting at Penera Bread now in York, PA
--- Going to The Kin concert in Philadelphia, PA tonight
--- Picking up Jake at Baltimore airport at 11pm
--- Driving to Wash DC to stay at Cody's house.

Decision: Wildhorse Canyon

2007-05-09T08:56:00.000+09:00

I am very exctied for my upcoming internship at Wildhorse Canyon Young Life Camp in Antelope, Oregon (at least that is the address but it is really an hour from civilivation). I will be starting in October and then I will be there for 1 year. My friend Nick Graves will also be doing this Year-Long Internship at Wildhorse, and there will be about a dozen of us interns total. This intership will not be doing direct youth ministry, which I love and will miss greatly for the year. But I am excited to learn a lot about every aspect of a young Life Camp. I will mostly be doing landscaping or maintenance, and housekeeping, guest services a little. It promises to be a hard year but very rewarding and a lot of fun. So here are a few pictures I got off of the website and yeah it looks pretty sweet huh? Not your average youth camp. More like a resort... So I have another 4 months till that starts and I don't know what I am doing during that time, I am taking suggestions though. Now I am off to Dordt in a couple of hours. I never stop traveling.

Panda Lovin

2007-05-04T22:26:00.000+09:00

The previous post is an update of what I am thinking... But I am also thinking that this news story might be the best news I have ever seen. Who needs all the news of wars, and death, and child abduction... we need some good news on the news. Well It is here. Panda Porn

4 Months

2007-05-04T13:01:00.000+09:00

So it has been 4 months since I have been out of work doing my freelance youth ministry, AKA between jobs. 4 months of job searching and interviews and interviews - if you know what I mean. After 4 months with nothing but rejection and less direction than when I started... I have had lots of Questions with few answers... I had ruled out any hope in all the positions I had applied to, while I had not heard anything about many of them.

that was UNTIL YESTERDAY, after all of that, I had one job offer and one job that said they are very interested in me. Both of these positions I had ruled out all ready because I hadn't heard anything in a long time from them. So now as I have been sending out even more resumes and filling out more applications I need to make some really big decisions. I really don't know what I want right now... So many things to weigh and prayers to pray.

I would love your prayers for me as well. I keep going back and forth with what I want. I so yearn for God's voice to be LOUD and His Peace to be present in the decisions. I have been enjoying myself a lot in the last 4 months and I am really excited for the summer weather. Take Care Everyone! and ENJOY The Summer Outdoors!

Invisible Children

2007-03-29T11:05:00.000+09:00

While I was on a bus in Seattle I saw one of the 15 (I think) Invisible Children Vans. I was very excited because it made me feel at home. I love what Invisible Children is doing and what we all can do through their mission...

...and now their is a new event to make a difference in Northern Uganda...

Leaving Control For Faith

2007-03-27T23:37:00.000+09:00

I got am email article from Relevant Mag that I read this morning from an author Amy Lee Morrow. She wrote about persecution and this Q&A really resonated with me...

What kind of struggles have you experienced along the way?
When our son had a serious accident or my husband went on a dangerous trip, I could ask for prayer; when my Bibles were confiscated by custom officers, or I found myself in an unsafe place because God called me to go there, God gave peace beyond understanding. But when I knew of an internal conflict in our organization or the working relationship with friends came to an end, the struggles were different and much more difficult to handle.

Most struggles for me also come from when relationships are not going the way that I feel they ought to be. I hate not being able to correct conflicts that I have with others, or when friendships seem to be fading when it was so good, or when you really want things to grow. Especially when you really see how great a friendship could be and when you have invested a lot of your heart into a relationship. Many examples come to mind right now, from my church leading, and from close friends outside of work.

I have also been trying to be really patient with God lately (I am sure God needs to be patient with me as well), because I don't seem to be getting clear direction on what is next for me. I am usually alright with this because of some stability. But right now I can go anywhere and I don't know where God is leading. I try not to think too far ahead either. I was reminded in a sermon on heard yesterday on my computer by Rob Bell. It was about leaving control for faith. Part of what Rob Bell talked about was God leading the Israelites around with a cloud...Numbers 9...

15 On the day the tabernacle, the Tent of the Testimony, was set up, the cloud covered it. From evening till morning the cloud above the tabernacle looked like fire. 16 That is how it continued to be; the cloud covered it, and at night it looked like fire. 17 Whenever the cloud lifted from above the Tent, the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped. 18 At the LORD's command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. 19 When the cloud remained over the tabernacle a long time, the Israelites obeyed the LORD's order and did not set out. 20 Sometimes the cloud was over the tabernacle only a few days; at the LORD's command they would encamp, and then at his command they would set out. 21 Sometimes the cloud stayed only from evening till morning, and when it lifted in the morning, they set out. Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud lifted, they set out. 22 Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when it lifted, they would set out. 23 At the LORD's command they encamped, and at the LORD's command they set out. They obeyed the LORD's order, in accordance with his command through Moses.

God gives them direction a day at a time or a moment at a time. On the journey we do not know what the next step looks like. We do know what relationships will not work out. We have very few guarantees. There is so much that we do not know. But we still most know that God has a plan and will lead when the time is right. I must still keep faithful and love God and love others right where god has me.

Washington 3/15

2007-03-16T08:39:00.000+09:00

I am in Washington!!! I arrived Monday and been enjoying it. I stayed with my cousin Jodi the first two nights and I got to hang with my friend Michele on Tuesday. Now I am with Tom Dykstra for the rest for the weekend. I haven't been doing a whole lot yet, I have been sick, so sleep is good, but I am loving just hanging with my friends, seeing their lives here and meeting their friends. Got to love it! I have been taking the busses around everywhere, which I love because public transportation is such a good thing to use. I am kind of living a day at a time here, Like always.
A good highlight for today was that I got to go to a youth pastors lunch gathering from the Olympia area and got to meet some sweet people and made some good connections.

Poems from the last Months

2007-03-12T06:06:00.000+09:00

So every once in awhile I write things down in my marbleized pocket notepads, some call it my black book. I hope to us it more and more because it is a great way to keep organized and remember thoughts and ideas. That is what I want to share with you write now, some of those thoughts and ideas. Some of these thoughts are how I have felt and some I have heard or felt from others. You can almost see them as poems, some are serious and some are not as serious, but seriously...

I need Today to Trust God
and also Trust Others
even while Knowing
I will be Crapped on by Others.
We can Guard our Hearts too much
that we Don't let anyone In.
Some days you're the Bird,
some days you're the Statue,
some days you're the Rain.

Today I will Open Up...
Open Up even while knowing it will Hurt...
Hurt to bring the past to the present...
Hurt when I am left alone in the future
with even more of my heart missing.
Still Today I will Open Up!

It would be easier to
keep my heart frozen to you.
I am afraid...
I am afraid to let your heat heal.
I am afraid to cry, afraid to laugh.
It is too Hard. It Hurts too much.

I can't bring you into my confusion.
I need clarity before I play with your heart.
Even though we are careful now we still have to know
we are not trying to avoid all pain.
That would be living without taking risks, if living at all.

"Like, the best love poem EVER"
Everything you do makes me think of you.
When I look at you I think of you.
When I talk to you I think of you.
When I touch you I think of you.
When I laugh at you I think of you.

...So if there are any publishers out there I am taking offers. Thanks for sharing in my feelings and the feelings of those around me by taking the time to read these :)

Where is Home

2007-03-01T10:47:00.000+09:00

I am living with my parent again and have since the beginning of the year. It has been great because it is cheaper, and I get to see my family more often. I finally got the last of my stuff out of my old house in Hamilton last night. I have way to much stuff and I am hoping to trash and give away and sell a lot of things. I want to learn how to live out of one car load. This is tough for me because I am a huge pack rat.

Even though I am living with the parents I still am trying to not make it my home. I only sleep at the parents place probably about half of the time. I end up staying at friends places and I seem to be traveling a lot. I just got back Monday to the parents for the first time in 12 days. I was doing a clinical study for nine days and then went from there right to my relatives place in Cleveland, OH.

I love this break from working, being able to travel more and not be tied down is such a blessing. I am flying out to Seattle in a week and a half and will be there for 4 weeks!! This is incredible to be able to do this.

I am doing a lot of phone interviews right now, which is exciting and puts me on my knees a lot in trying to hear God's voice in all these positions. If anyone wants me to move out to where you are I am taking applications as well. I think it would be really awesome to live in a community living situation again kind of like dorm life, but trying to be even more interdependent.

4Ds of Devils Work

2007-02-12T14:36:00.000+09:00

So one of the enlightening things that I learned this past week that makes tons of sense and connects a lot of dots for me, came from a conversation with some people that have experienced a lot of stumbling blocks in our work in the church. It came from one of my friends Dean who gets to see many people get Set Free in Christ, he helps people battle a lot of Spiritual Warfare in their lives. I don't know how much you think about Spiritual Warfare but it is Real, and my friend Dean was talking to a woman who was set free from Witchcraft, she was a witch. She told him that when witches see effective Christian ministry happening in their areas they always pray and do their Satanic rituals asking for the 4Ds to happen in those ministries.

1) Deception
2) Division
3) Distraction
4) Discouragement

The first three lead to the forth. Does this ring any bells for people of what they see or have seen happen in your churches? I sure have a lot! We have to be aware of the another side trying to Discourage us. When will see this happening we need to rebuke the demons in Jesus name. Just look at how much Jesus had to do this during His ministry. Just think today about stupid things that we get divided and distracted by. Distracted from sharing Christ's love to others. I have seen people get divided over what kind of song book to use in church, and what style of music, and what time! God doesn't care about this, this is just personal preference not Biblical truth issues! This is the devil distracting us and dividing us.
Also to look at this from the positive side of things. If you are experiencing any of these 4Ds that might be because there are people and demons being threatened by your ministry. You are getting too close to the truth, too close to making a big difference. If you are not experiencing suffering in these ways maybe it is because you are not a threat. Maybe not, but one thing I have learned is that I don't pray for the pain to go away, I pray for the strength and the comfort, because I know through the trials I will be made stronger! Crazy thoughts, unless you have expereinced this yourself. I look and struggles and pain differently. James 1:2-18 Get your Bibles out and read it, memorize it, claim it, I encourage you.

Settlers, Monopoly, Risk, Sequence

2007-02-10T02:59:00.000+09:00

So I love board games and I love playing board games with friends. If you want to play some time just ask me.

time spent DOing...

2007-01-24T03:15:00.000+09:00

So there is a lot of thoughts and ideas about life and my future, and there are so many things that are involved in those two topics, that are going through my head lately through great conversations and from spending a lot of time reflecting. I would love to spend lots of time sharing about many of the things but right now I want to give a little update on what I am DOing.

I am really still doing a lot of the same things I was doing while working at the church. I am still ministering to many of the friends I have in Hamilton, spending lots of time at schools, spending time with young life programs, spending time with Hamilton Area Youth Ministries *HAYM*... I also started class again, I am an official student with an ID and all at Western Theological Seminary. I am taking one class in Spiritual Formation and I love it... I am also looking at getting paid to take a be involved in medical study experiments, which would mean living at a research clinic for nine days in Feb... I am trying to figure out some traveling plans to Dordt and Washington... I am starting to send out resumes to different jobs around the country... I am trying to spend a lot of time with family and friends... and spending a lot of time reflecting getting to know myself, God and His creation more. Well that is just a little bit of my life now. Take Care and feel free to write or call me I have a good amount of time to share more and would love to hear about what you are up to. With peace and love

$ and Oppression

2007-01-11T13:01:00.000+09:00

Two quotes that are really getting me to think and hopefully getting me to change:

"It is easier to spend less money than to make more money." 30Days - MinimumWage

In a society that always wants more and we are always told we need bigger, better, and more so we put everything else second to money. That is the most important direction to take this quote I think. But also with knowing that we wont always have good incomes and if you have dreams but no the income to support your dreams it is good to think about how can we live simpler to be able to live off less.

"Do you hear the cry of the oppressed? If you don't, could it be because you are a part of a system that is oppressing someone else?" Rob Bell

The Bible talks about the poor and the oppressed over 2000 times and I believe this shows what is on the heart of God. God is all about freeing the oppressed, no matter what the oppression might be. There is tons of oppression that happens and we don't see or hear most of it. Maybe that is because we are too comfortable? I love the freedom and privileges that I have from living in America, But if that is on the expense of others I don't want it! Well I kind of don't want it, because that is easier said than lived. There is definitely part of me that wants it. Which I think means that I am not hearing the cries of the oppressed enough.

Life and Death

2007-01-01T01:53:00.000+09:00

So today is the last day of my job at Hamilton Reformed Church. I am done... I don/'t know what is next for sure, but it looks like I will be around Hamilton for the semester. Tomorrow I am heading out to St. Gregory Abbey to live up the monastic life for a week. I am just trying it out to see if this is where God wants me for the rest of my life... jk... I just need to get away and spend a lot of time with me and God. This week will probably be really hard but hopefully really good.
Yesterday however, I spent the day at my aunt's and I was in charge of the boer goat buisness. I had to catch, weigh, and then negotiate the price with mostly Islamic men. Man they like to barter and they love their goat meat. It was chaos there were about 7 different groups there at a time and so I had to try to keep everyone straight and help everyone at once and there is only room to really slaughter 3 goats at a time. I had fun though. It was busy because it is the second biggest festival of the year for Islam which they are actually celebrating the event of Abraham and Isaac, where God provided that lamb to be slaughtered instead of Isaac, the story that god has been teaching me through the last couple of months: See my Letter of Resignation blog below. So I thought that was really awesome. That event is definitely something to celebrate and give thanks for. One of the men said it is kind of like their Thanksgiving holiday. Well also down on the farm yesterday one of my aunt's 4 golden retrievers was in labor all day and she had two pups by the time I left. So I got to see the new life of puppies and the death of goats. Pretty great day I have to say. Happy New Year to you all!

Jesus is Coming

2006-12-22T03:32:00.000+09:00

I would like to share some thoughts about Jesus Coming to be with us. But maybe I should give you some quick updates on my life. I have been doing really great and going through tons of transitions. I have one more week at Hamilton Reformed and so I have been packing up my office and my house, because I am out of both of those on Jan. 1st.
I have a job interview tonight actually at another church in this area. I don't know where I am moving yet, but I am moving a lot of my stuff to my parents house temporarily. I have been loving my time with kids in Hamilton and it looks like I will still be around Hamilton for this next semester AT LEAST. I am really trying to take tons of time Listening to God right now, making God my first priority and the source of all that I do. I am still planning on taking at least a week by myself at a prayer cabin or monastery (or both) to really listen to God more about the past, present, and future. I am really excited!

A few quick thoughts on Jesus coming. Jesus did come and will come again. Jesus is still alive! What does that mean for us today as we think of Jesus coming at Christmas as a wee little baby? How is this going to change our lives? When I thought about that question I thought of all the people wanting to see Jesus, to be healed by Jesus, to learn from Jesus. People wanting to sit at His feet, wanting to anoint Him. Jesus is God with Us. If God is still alive and with us I want to sit at His feet also. I want to kneel before Him and learn from Him. So Christmas means for me that I need to create space for this to happen, I need to put other things, tasks, people, even the God Honoring stuff aside and just BE with God.
This is hard to do, following Jesus isn't easy and isn't safe, but it is Good! Jesus came to show us a knew way and invite us to change, and change isn't easy and isn't liked. But, there is this Hope I have knowing that Jesus came, and is alive, and is coming again; a Hope that isn't blind or ignorant because I have already seen and experienced what God can do.
I wanted to let you listen to the song that has really been speaking to me, tearing me apart, healing me, and pushing me. I just found this video of the the National Youth Workers Convention that I was at in Cincinnati the weekend before Thanksgiving on YouTube. This is where this song really started working on me and made me vulnerable and let myself hurt. It beautifully broke me even before I knew that the day after I got back from this convention I was going to be asked to resign. God keeps working in great ways and is speaking, we just got to Listen and let God in to change us from within...

Letter of Resignation

2006-12-11T02:08:00.000+09:00

Hello Friends,
Well I can finally share some big news because it was made public today at church. I was asked to resign from my position a couple weeks ago because I wasn't meeting some basic expectations of the youth leaders. And yeah I have made a lot of mistakes and have learned a lot. This request still came as a surprise to me because there were a lot of things going well. But the decision was made and so I spent a lot of time with God that week of Thanksgiving trying to understand and debating whether I should leave and why. And God gave me some understanding these past couple of weeks. So I want to share also with you all my journey of what god has been teaching me. I got to read this to the church this morning, which I was very thankful for. So this is my letter to the church and condensed version of what I have learned and what God was teaching me. I am really excited about what God is teaching me and will continue to teach me and what might be next. I titled this letter "STOP... Wait on Me..." Lessons from a Busy guy:

Dear Hamilton Reformed Church Family,

I can truly call many of you family in many ways and I thank you for that. This has been a really hard letter to write and is even harder to share. This fall I have learned some pretty hard lessons. God has been teaching me that I have been spreading myself too thin … This was true in college and still today, and God is saying
“STOP… wait on me…”

I haven’t really made an effort in my life to make this a habit yet. I always fill my life with more places to serve and more people to get to know and more and more.

I reflect on my college days where I was involved in so many different clubs and jobs and people that I didn’t make time to really have consistent time to Stop… and wait on God … and let God give me His vision or revelation. With these different areas I served there was some things that went extremely well, and some things that went good, and some things that went ok, and some things that just went, and some things that failed. And I felt really great because I just concentrated my thoughts on what was going great and I was ok with some things failing because there were a lot of things going extremely well. We can’t do everything well, and we can’t make everyone happy. And for the most part most people were pleased with what I had done, or what God was doing through me

Even though I got a flesh start coming to Hamilton, where God truly led me, things really didn’t change from the way I lived in college. They didn’t need to I thought. It was great the first year for some things and I still had great hopes and dreams for many of the other areas. I was getting involved with more and more as the year went on and going into the second year had my hands in leadership in so many areas. There were some things that went extremely well, and some things that went good, and some things that went ok, and some things that just went, and some things that failed. And I felt really great because I just concentrated my thoughts on what was going great and was ok with some things failing because there were a lot of things going extremely well. We can’t do everything well, and we can’t make everyone happy. This time, however, the things that were failing were the main things on my job description, they were central to what I was getting paid for, and the people I was failing and not making happy were the ones central to who decided if I stayed working here. So while I was feeling great about how most things were going and didn’t worry about the things that I was continuing to fail in because again there was so much going extremely well, those exact areas that I didn’t worry about came to bring about the end to it all. To my surprise it was all going to be done.
“But so much is going well, I don’t understand” I was shocked, confused, lost, just not understanding. …
“STOP…. Wait on me…”

“OK God I will do that, I will give you four days to help me understand, these days I will stop… wait on you… I will listen, read, journal, pray, fast, be quiet, I will wait…”

“OK God I am still confused.”
“Wait… You need to learn something here.”
“Yeah I am learning a lot really, I am. I have even made a list of what I have learned from this. I have learned so much and I know what to work on. So let me get back to my tasks with these things that I have learned helping me. We can still hold all of this together. You can do this God, but He didn’t. …
God said “Stop… Wait on me… Abide in me… (John 15)”

OK what else God… “This lifestyle of you trying to follow me and serve yourself into a relationship with me is not working and right now this job is too much for you to include plenty of time resting in me. So Stop…. Wait on me… Abide in me… You have learned a lot through all of this and now I will make it easier for you to rest in me first, and then I will give you My vision and revelation and direction. Do you love me more than you your ministry?”
“This job has been my whole life LORD. It has been Everything! This has been Your vision, Your calling You gave me. This is everything LORD.”
“Do you love Me more than your ministry even though I led you here? Then stop… wait on me… Abide in Me… Rest in me… (Matthew 11)“

You see Abraham was also giving a vision and promise from God in Genesis that through his son Isaac “You will be the father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful… I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you”
But then God told Abraham to Sacrifice Isaac his firstborn, and only son. I can image Abraham thinking “but this is my son, this is my dreams, and my visions, He is everything! you promised...”
“Do you love ME more than you love your son, more than you love your dreams?”

So what is next for me? maybe the next thing for me needs to be something that doesn’t spread me too thin. Or maybe I need to learn to only do the few tasks and do them well leaving the rest of my time open for God; for Space, for Silence, so that I can just BE and walk with God.

Someone recently shared with me that everyone wants to be Noah in the sense we want God to use us to save the world. We all want to be able to build our ark to save the world. We want God to give us this great vision, with blueprints and all, about how God is going to use us in Big ways. But we forget that God didn’t give Noah this revelation until he was 500 yrs old and then it didn’t make any different until he was 600. We don’t like to wait, we like to get busy and try to make a difference. We love the story of how God gave Noah this Big dreams. But we forget what Noah had to do to get to this point. Noah walked with God. It doesn’t share anything specific it just says that Noah obeyed God and walked with Him.
So God says “STOP… Wait on me…”

AGAIN, it’s Not time for me to find more God honoring things to do where I can serve him and feel good about myself because I am busy for the LORD. Being busy is not a God honoring thing. I need to be still, be quiet, just BE with God not trying to find my worth and my purpose in what I am doing.
What have I learned? A lot and continue to learn more as I continue to examine and listen to God. With all I have learned still God doesn’t seem to have me stay here. This church and this family is not where I will be living out what I have learned.

So what is next for me? Stopping… Waiting on God… Abiding in God… Resting in God… Being Still… (Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10) God is in control and will be glorified even when we are still.

So this is what I hope to do, I am planning on continuing to work here until the end of December. And then I will probably be going somewhere on a silent retreat to really process more of my experiences here and listening for God’s direction from there. I plan. To Stop… and Wait on God…
Where will I be? In the center of God’s will. God is in control.

So Again I thank you all for the opportunity to serve you here and for letting me be part of this family here. I thank you for letting me be a part of your lives and trusting me with your kids. And Thanks be to God for this time we have had together where He has taught us so many things.

May God continue to teach us all as we stop… and wait on Him. May God continue to bless us so we can bless others
With Peace and Love in Christ,

Mike Elders

Servant of Jesus Christ.

When It Rains It Pours

2006-12-03T03:13:00.000+09:00

So there has been a lot of struggles in my life lately and I want to share one of them. Do you ever ask yourself if the world is against you? Well when it rains it pours. To lighten the mood a little bit I want to share the funny side of this. I was walking downtown Holland yesterday with some really good friends from Hope College to go out for lunch. As we came up to the JPs coffee shop on our way to Subs-n-More, while walking down the sidewalk, I happened to be walking right under the edge of the awning without knowing it. Just like we have always imagined or seen in the movies a big snow slide from the awning fell on my head. My "friends" laughed really hard at me and so did a bunch of people inside of the coffee shop that saw it happen. I laughed pretty hard as well; it made the day for a lot of us.

Coming Soon!

2006-12-02T08:57:00.000+09:00

Well Just because I haven't been writing much on this blog lately doesn't mean I haven't been jouranling much. It just means the stuff I have been jouranling about has been more private. I hope to share a lot with you all on here soon about what God has been teaching me. May God Bless you all so you can continue to bless others.

FUN and CANDY

2006-11-01T11:44:00.000+09:00

Hello Beautiful People! (Hello Mike!)
So Today is a great day. I have just been sitting around tonight with some great friends in Holland at the Hope Home and relaxing, listening, talking, reading, writing, getting frustrated, getting excited... you know shooting the breeze. I wore a big dread lock wig with a cool Jamaican looking hat most of the day today while I was at the office, at school, at the store, at meetings, because it is Halloween and it is about FUN and CANDY!!! Getting dressed up is FUN!
Well, again lots of things have been going on, but I am making sure that I spend more time doing nothing at all and just being. Life goes to fast, God speaks to us in the silence. Last Saturday I slept most of the day. aaaaahhhhh (pause) aaaaahhhhh. I need the rest to be able to listen to God also.
Last week Thursday the kids didn't have school so I made a Pizza Ranch run with 5 of my kids who have never been to a Pizza Ranch before. So we drove 50 mins to Muskegan to go to the newer Ranch. It was a great time with great food and great friends.
Friday I drove with other youth group leaders to Indiana for lunch meeting up with another one of our partners from there. It was good also. Then I went to my Aunt Nancy and talked for a while and then to Resurrection Life Church where I interned 4 years ago. There was a concert (Jeremy Camp, Hawk Nelson) and I helped direct traffic which was really a lot of fun. And it was awesome to see a lot of my friends there that I don't get to see much.
So many other FUN things have happened: youth groups, phone calls from long lost friends, watching good movies, dinner with family...

The FUN continues... Tomorrow Night is the SWITCHFOOT concert here at Hope College. Oh Yeah!... This weekend is the 3rd of 3 Fall youth retreats this year. I am really excited about this. Good Stuff... Till next time ya'all...

WOW - It is Sunday and I am at Peace

2006-10-23T01:23:00.000+09:00

WOW, it has been a really long week that is probably because it has been a couple of weeks all flowing together with not much time for myself. But I am at peace. This past weeks was the hardest work wise I think, just because I had a lot of struggles with conflict. But, it was also really good and encouraging. I have so many people supporting me as a person and my work that it is humbling and revitalization and gives me hope. I couldn't imagine life right now if everyone was against me like some people feel, Psalms 88 is a expression of how some people feel all the time, and all of us feel some times. There is no hope in that Chapter of Psalms and in that Chapter of life. But there is hope and I don't feel like that chapter. I have so many friends who love me and give me support. Thank you Lord.
Yeah, I have so many things going on inside my head (which is normal, but really tough emotional things right now, and I have been more emotional sense my uncle died) and it is hard to hear God's voice at times. I am glad God is speaking to me through other people. This morning I got to lead the congregational prayer at church and yeah I really got to pray to God from my heart and how I have been experiencing Him and how I know I need Him. How I and We need to let go of our thoughts, struggles, worries, griefs, guilts and give them to God so we can begin to hear God's voice. It is always awesome to see people being real and authentic in front of church, and that is what I pray I can do.
Also it is AWESOME to see God speak through different people who didn't have everything planned together but how God fits them all together so wonderfully. The ministry of music is not always planned to fit with the message but I love how God works out those details and how we just need to voice what we hear God saying. The woman sang about God's holiness and soverienty when we don't know what's going on and then sang Word of God Speak. aaahhhhh I am at peace. The children's sermon and the main sermon also fit really well. Well I think I might have to share that later though. I am going to try to write an Elder's Weekly email to my students and leaders and whoever I will probably put those on here as well. So Peace be with you also. I am free from all of my struggles right now because God has lifted them. Thanks God.

Fall Retreats

2006-10-14T00:49:00.000+09:00

I have the second of 3 Fall retreats this weekend with kids!!!! We start tonight @ 12:01am muuhahaha
The Theme for this retreat is Paraskavedekatriaphobia -Fear of Friday the 13!!!!!!!! Be Afriad! or not.

Show and Tell

2006-09-28T04:37:00.000+09:00

I went with many of the area churches with our Middle Schoolers to Spring Hill camp this past weekend. It was so much fun to get to know some many more kids and have a blast doing wild and crazy activities. I also heard God speak through a few people this weekend and some of the great things that I and the kids connected to started Saturday Morning when Steve Carter shared about Expressing Our Faith and how we are Living Stones... 1 Peter 2:4 "As you come to him, the living Stone, rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." This Scripture connects to the Hebrew Scriptures where italkeses aboupilingng up stones to make Ebenezers that people would see and ask masseboth (What happened here?) So if we are being living stones, people should see our lives and ask massaboth (What Happened Here?). Then we will get a chance to say what God has done in our lives.

Another speaker at the retreat spoke about our lives being like jack-a-lanterns. Some times we are at the stage where we only have drown on the side of the pumpkin that says we have God's light in us. LIGHT... Then we might be at the stage where God is cleaning out the crap from our insides so that He can put his light insdie of us... The light might be inside of us (God might have come into our lives) but still we aren't showing that to others... So we need to cut away the sides of our pumpkin to let the light within which is God working in our lives.

The next story that I heard that was from Rob Bell when he talked about the atheist guy who sold his soul on eBay to any Christian for them to choose different churches for him to go to. Brilliant! One of the churches that was chosen for this guy was Mars Hill and Rob Bell got to talk to him before one of the services. The guy had heard it all before, he heard all the lines and persuasive words from others and asked Rob what he was trying to do for people like him that visited. Are you trying to convert me to your beliefs? Rob Bell in one of his God inspired moments started pointed out at different people that were coming into the sanctuary saying... See that family right there? they have been adopting kids from orphanages around the world... See him?... See her you need to here his story... See him you have would be amazed at what he was addicted to... You got to hear this guys story... We don't have to have all the answers andon'tnt have to try to persuade, convert people that's God's job..Wewe are invited tdemonstratete then announce... Show then Tell.

May we all be Living Stones, carved out pumpkins, demonstratorsrs of God's love where people will ask Masseboth (What Happened Here?) Then we can Tell of all that God hahas donein our lives. Love Ya All

Beach Sunsets

2006-09-22T02:10:00.000+09:00

OK So I have had some pretty significant events happen in my life in the last coupde of days. Well at least things that have added to the peace in my life.

1) Last night I got a couch in my office. Woo Hoo. So people can come by and be more comfortable. and I can read on it and proably take naps. which I am going to do in a few minutes.

2) I have made it to lake Michigan on the beach the last two nights to see the sunsets. Tuesday night was rainy and cold but big waves. Last night was a perfect night, good weather with lots of layers and clear skies with a few clouds to add some beauty and then those cleared up for the stars. Awesome!

I feel HAAAPPPPPYYY

2006-09-19T20:36:00.000+09:00

Welcome to the belated blogs of Mike Elders. I hope that you enjoy your stay and feel at home enough to write back.

Freedom has new meaning today. OK, I just wrote that because it was the first thing that came to mind. Well I have been extremely busy working the last two weeks. Some Good and some not so good. But I am loving seeing so many kids again in school and other places. I can really tell a difference already from last year to this. I am excited about the relationships that are there and can now go deeper. I am excited about a lot of things in life right now and am hoping that I will be able to keep a healthy social life with all the work that I am doing.

Quick story, last Thursday night I was waiting in line for switchfoot tickets at Hope College with some friends (some new and some aged) It was a great time but a long wait. But We made a pizza run (even better than a donut run) and I got a call at about 8:30pm from my friend Mike asking me if I wanted to join him that night to go to OHIO and back. I am like, yeah I can join you, we had to drop off our friend Joe to his family. So, at 10:30pm we left for Columbus, OHIO and then drove drove drove, stopped, drove drove drove and got home at 8:30am. I love spontaneous road trips.

Labor Day

2006-09-05T02:05:00.000+09:00

So yesterday was the visitation and that went pretty well. It is great to see many of the cousins that I haven't seen in a long long long time. It is pretty easy to do alright when you are talking to many different people. What is hard is when we are by ourselves and start thinking about life without Ken Dewilde. There is so much I wanted t olearn from him also. I have heard that comment from other people as well. There were two different Amish families that traveled a couple of hours to come to the visitation. They were friends of my uncle. Two of them are going to be pallbariers actually. My uncle was great at finding the quality people in the world. Especially the quality people that know one else would take time to get to know; that sounds like Jesus.

My roommates Grandma Poll actually died on Saturday also. that visitation is today. And the funerals are both at 11am tomorrow. I have heard of other deaths of people I know this weekend also, and people I don't know (The Crocadial Hunter died today I believe from a stingray sting to the chest). But as a Christian I must believe that while to live is Christ, TO DIE IS GAIN!!! The best is yet to come, so save your fork.

Today I will be having lots of family coming out to my house in Hamilton. I did a little cleaning today for this. But, I will have to break out and go to see the Poll family. Also later tonight I will probably be going out with the cousins for some more fun. Drowning the sorrows for some. Well Thanks for your prayers and words of love and yeah it will still be hard. Tomorrow will be really hard. Peace and love

Not Another One

2006-08-31T23:22:00.000+09:00

Please pray for my family and I. My uncle just died this morning from a heart attack. This is the same side ofthe family that we lost our grandfather on a few weeks ago. I am not doing well with this, he was one of my favorite uncles. He also leaves behind my aunt and two kids with grandkids. Again, please pray. I love you all so very much. I am off to figure out more and maybe cancel my trip with kids to Dordt.

Looking Forward To Dordt / LifeLight!!

2006-08-27T01:38:00.000+09:00

So I have been extremely busy with work, my job, and working lately. There is endless stuff to do and plan right now. I am haven't had my full day of sabbath this week yet, but I am trying to stay emotionally, physically, and spiritually healthy. I am going to be at a dragstrip tomorrow for a good part of the day. But have lots of paper work before monday morning when I leave on a Young Life Staff retreat. I hope this to be very Sabbath Resting for me. And then I am suppose to paint my office sometime before I leave for Dordt and LifeLight probably Thursday Night! So far it looks like I have two kids coming with me. So I will be around Dordt or LifeLight from Friday afternoon to Monday Afternoon. OH YEAH!!!

Well I am off to doing some last minute planning for a junior high kick off at a lake now. Peace and Love from God!

Snippets from the Week of Past

2006-08-21T02:36:00.000+09:00

Sunday: Did a Children's Sermon and I got to wear my Purple / cheetah Hat ... Ultimate Frisbee and Frisbee Golf

Monday: Summer Monday Nights at my house with students (high school friends) and we played pool and Mafia and ate

Tuesday: Maid it out to Breaking Point at Sunshine Community Church in GR and it was a inspirational time connecting with awesome people and digging into the book of Acts and peoples lives

Wednesday: Hamilton Community Football Cookout was great because I got to see so many kids and adults that I hadn't seen in a while... TGI Fridays Goodbye to Al and Lisa Gemmen was a lot of fun because so many awesome people were there. Awesome people like Al and Lisa attract awesome people.

Thursday: Lunch with Tim Nelson... Beach Cookout and Fire Talks was really awesome and some more good byes as they leave to school

Friday: Was a crappy day because I wasted my day off sleeping (not totally a waist) and watching TV (big waist - we have a love hate relationship)

Saturday: Canoeing was really really great because I got to enjoy the water with some awesome leaders and students (high school kids)

Article found Online

2006-08-17T23:35:00.000+09:00

Whoopy Cough Is Spreading
Written by Mike Elders
Thursday, 10 August 2006
On Monday Mike diagnosed himself with what researchers call whoopy cough. He has been battling this cough for 7 weeks and he has not been able to gain any ground, until Monday that is. Mike reported "knowing the virus is the first step." Mike is confident know that he is going to live on, he is going to survive, because today is his independence day.

Mike was then seen painting his face with blue diagonal stripes and then heard speaking in a Scottish accent "I am Mike Elders, and I see a whole army of my countrymen here in defiance of tyranny. You have come to fight as free men, and free men you are. What will you do with that freedom? Will you fight?

Aye, fight and you may die, run and you'll live - at least a while. And dying in your beds many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance, just one chance to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom!"

Today (Thursday Aug. 17) I am still coughing... No one said it would be easy.

Self Diagnosis

2006-08-08T12:18:00.000+09:00

Today I googled Whooping Cough because I have been coughing for 7 weeks now! Yeah so I fit most of the symptoms perfectly. IF you are interested in knowing what I have been going through click on the title of this blog above.
Some might be thinking, Mike why the heck have you not gone to the doctor yet. I have heard that a number of times already. I say now "Who needs the doctor when you got Google." I have been waiting for it to pass and it has gotten kind of better at times. And I feel good about my diagnosis now... It'il Heal! ... Don't Worry, Be Happy.

Fire Wash / Car Works

2006-08-06T03:33:00.000+09:00

So we just got done with the junior high car wash at church. It was a lot of fun, lots of water, and lots of money actually. I am really excited for the junior high group this year; Really awesome leaders and students.

Well the visitation and funeral stuff was really good this past week. Thanks for all that have been praying for us. My grandma who has the biggest loss and change is doing really really well. She has lots of family and friends lovin on her.

So Tonight I am going to the Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival Fireworks. They are always the best fireworks around. Last year topped them all off because the hill caught fire a lot more than normal and was way out of control; so there was fireworks going off in the air and fire burning below. An amazing site! ( I have pics but having trouble uploading then right now, sorry)

Have a blessed night so you can bless others. Keep learning and loving with peace and love,
ME

Heaven Bound

2006-07-31T00:28:00.000+09:00

So as I am trying to still trying to see the nearness of the Kingdom of Heaven here and now with the presence of God here on Earth, my Grandpa finally gets to experience God's full presence in Heaven. My Grandpa passed away Saturday morning after a long life of 84 years; we got to celebrate his 84th birthday two weeks ago with so many of the family. It is awesome to think about my Grandpa Fred Vandenberg in Heaven with my Uncle Fred Vandenberg who died 23 years ago (a month after I was born). My grandpa was excited to see him again. And my Grandma who is still alive is now able to move on after taking care of grandpa for so long. Everyone was ready and so this is a joyous time to remember Grandpa and hang with the family. It will still be a long couple of days for my family so if you could remember to please pray for us as we have visitation tonight, tomorrow and funeral on Tuesday.

Presence of God

2006-07-15T08:11:00.000+09:00

I am at the Googling Youth in Troubled Times Conference at Calvin College this weekend and one of the main things that stuck in my head from today is from the Googling For Presence talk this morning from Doug Kamstra. We referenced the Contempletive Youth Ministry: Practicing the presence of Jesus book by Mark Yaconelli. Which he says
We don't know how to BE with youth.
We don't know how to BE with ourselves.
We don't know how to BE with God.

Listening is also a disciple that has been referred to a lot here. And right away Quentin Schultze had us start by listening to what the youth are saying. He said Listening actually in its full original meaning refers to "being obedient to" or "allow yourself to be influenced by" I love it. Jesus was present with and listened to those that no one wanted to give the time of day to which is a lot to think about. It is important that we know how to BE with others and listen to them. And even more important that we know how to BE with and listen to GOD.

Often I believe that youth ministry is 1st and foremost about building relationships with youth (and this is extremely important and many wrongly put programs before relationships), but it is ultimately more important to lead kids to a relationship with God , to lead kids to awareness of the Presence of God more. That means that I need to be aware of the Presence of God more to lead kids to Him.

Hi God, thanks for this Reminder and Thanks for always being present wherever and whenever we call out to you. Well God I am off to buy some underwear, what kind should I buy?

Back To Business

2006-07-11T00:19:00.000+09:00

So I am not really sick anymore, just a little cough here and there.

It has been an awesome weekend with a bunch of Dordt people staying and stopping by my house because of Denise and Wilbert's Beginning of the Marriage Ceremony! IT was a lot of fun. Mark Wik, Jason and Chris Wyn, Jake VanH, Joel Hum, Dan DJ, and Caleb all stayed at my house at least one night. And Andrew Kro was around and many others. We had an awesome time chillaxing, beaching, taco belling, grilling, hanging, churching. But the last of them left this morning.

so now back to the full days of work. trying to stay focused and really be self dedicated to get many things planned for the summer and coming year. I have been emailing and phoning many this morning and have a few meetings. And kids are coming over tonight so that will be great. Well off to lunch with my mentor Mike H.

HAVE A GREAT MONDAY!!!

Camp was Great, I am Sick

2006-06-29T04:25:00.000+09:00

I just wanted to say that camp was awesome last week and I loved the kids that I had in the cabin. God softened a lot of kids and adults hearts. It is pretty awesome to see people open up to Christ, that can happen when we tear away all of the crap we sometimes associate with Christ. And we show kids that we love them, and God loves them even more.

So it is time to do all the followup, but I am sick and tired (literally). Sorry I am not writting more, but I need to get home and rest some more. Have a great week, I am even though I am sick.

Camp, Leave For, I Do

2006-06-17T14:06:00.000+09:00

OK it is 2am as I write this, and that is because I leave for camp tomorrow night and I wanted to get everything I possible could think of done tonight before I go. I have a full day tomorrow also, I was going to help my friend Sam move in the morning, but I might only be able to help a little bit because sleep is important before leaving to camp. Then I am going to Unity Christian Girls State Finals Soccer Game at noon, then watching US vs. Italy in the World Cup then heading to 2 open houses and then I will need to finish packing since I didn't do that tonight and I was planning on it.

But I with 3 kids of Hamilton and 2 coach bus loads from the area are getting on the bus tomorrow night at 9pm and heading for Detroit Lakes, MN (That's Minnesota!) to go to the Young Life Castaway Camp (as seen above from above). I am very excited and tired at the same time just thinking about it. Please pray for the students that God really softens their hearts so they can hear Him calling out their names. Please pray for us leaders that we will have enough energy and enough love to share with our students. Prayer is so important!

Celebrations ---> :)

2006-06-13T08:18:00.000+09:00

This weekend was filled with celebrations of different kinds. Celebrations of acknowledging God's grace and blessings and giving Him the glory.

1st... Wedding of Derek and Anna (Hubers) Bos
I made a little road trip down to Demotte, IN on Friday afternoon. I had a few car problems because of a little rubbing the wheel against the dumped in wheel well. It is nothing that caused too much problems but was loud when turning right. Good thing it is plastic because it pushed out really easily. Well The wedding was Beautiful and I couldn't get a smile off of my face the whole time. I really love weddings and I love seeing friends that I haven't seen in a while. Then I returned home Saturday afternoon after good conversations and a game of hall way school.

2nd... Graduation Open Houses
So I went to 4 on Sunday and 1 on Saturday. This makes 10 for the year so far. I love being able to encourage and right and speak blessings in to these kids lives. I also love the FOOD and being able to hang out with people and meet new people. I made some really great connections with parents and others that will be really helpful for the future.

3rd... Last Sons of Caleb Concert Ever!!!
This band was made up of some friends from high school and they are really good. I will miss being able to hear these guys together. There was also free FOOD here and lots of friends to hang out with. Then after the concert on Saturday we went to TGI Fridays for an after party. Good times. OH YEAH... I also won a 2 foot long Beef Femur Bone! It is really sweet and I would love to see a shitsu try to carry this thing away.

Other Celebrations...
My Roommate Craig and his twin sister turned 21 yesterday. Now I can finally let him have some of the beer that I have in the house.

WORLD CUP has started!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Netherlands WON!!! -USA lost and didn't look good

Planning Week

2006-06-02T06:39:00.000+09:00

So This week has been really great and gone by really fast because of it.

Monday... I remembered those that sacrifices a lot to give us freedoms. This was tough for me to realize that the memorial day was about that and not about American suprimacy. I had a good conversation with someone from church Sunday about me hearing all of these Partiotic songs in church and thinking we are to be loyal to the Kingdom of God first, not the Kingdom of America first. It was a good conversation where this friend helped refocus my thoughts to remembering those that have sacrificed to give us freedom. So Monday I was at Hamilton's memorial parade and ceremony in the morning which I appreciated. Then I got to hang out with my friend Nick, all afternoon talking, playing frolf, and going to the beach. And then I joined family and friends for a good ol cook out at my aunt and uncles.

Tuesday... I had a Hamilton Area Youth Ministries meeting from 8:30am - 4pm. It was really good and we got some great things on paper for the coming year. I also got to go to a Young Life donors appreciation dinner at a really fancy restaurant; not because of my great donations, but because I work with Young Life. It was a really awesome good time and hearing my friends share some updates of the year was really awesome. Because it was all about the interactions with kids and relationships that were built with them.

Wednesday... Had breakfast meeting with the Young Life Friends. Went to lunch at school. Went golfing in the afternoon with the Young Life friends. and then was at church and in Holland with a student all night. Good times.

Today... I went to a Young Life staff meeting and talked about Blessing people and other awesome things. Came back to church for Staff meeting which was fun. Then Went to school High school and middle for lunches. It was really good and had great conversations. One about if there is a God.Then I have been in the office all afternoon doing different followup ups, and planning. I need to get home and eat something so I can go to school tonight to the Hamilton Film Festival. See all of students work. I am excited for that.

Hey, I am not ignoring your question about Trust Ponch, I am doing more research before I answer that. I have some things written down and reading. I will try to answer that soon.

Trust, that sums in up!

2006-05-27T11:42:00.000+09:00

So one of my friends was writing about trust so I thought I would to since I think about this often also.
I have heard over and over again that Trust is the key to life. We need to be able to Trust God. To put our trust in God can be on so many levels too. I just want to Jump into God's abundant life, God's arms, but it is hard to do that. There is a difference between just leaning on God with our feet still supporting us and getting totally off the ground and fully relying on God. I am talking in analogies in analogies a lot here, but hey how about one more... Jesus take the wheel!
There is a book that I am trying to find on my book selves that is all about this (well I am sure a lot of the books are about this)... Oh, yes "Ruthless Trust" by Brennan Manning. I have read most of it but not all of it like most of my books. The forward says Ruthless means "without pity" or standing against all self-pity. "He is calling us to a trust that stoutly refuses to regard self-interest as the highest good in life." We need to Trust that what God's truth is the best way because he created this world so He should know the best way to live in it. But we are bombarded with so many lies that it is hard to know what to trust is the truth. Is what is in my head from God or from all the lies I have been molested with. We need to work at hearing God's voice some times with all the lies out there. One of my mentors told me last week when I was expressing some concerns with how I was spending my time with different kids, to trust God that he will let you know what you need to be doing. Don't worry about it just keep going and trust God. Sometimes we just need to keep doing what is good and God will direct us more once we are moving.
Another part of Trust that Ruthless Trust talks about is what needs to lay on our heart is "relentless Trust that every morning was God's morning. Hail, rain, or snow (or tornado, or hurricane, or death, or sickness, or I could go on and on)-- it was a gift from God, and the only appropriate response was thanksgiving." A Song comes to mind "This is the day, This is the day, That the Lord has Made, That the Lord has made. We will rejoice, We will Rejoice, And be Glad in it, and be glad in it."
Well Trust me on this one, that you can Trust God!

Graduation Week

2006-05-27T11:21:00.000+09:00

So It has been the week of grad for Hamilton High School. It started Sunday when I got to speak a little bit at the Baccalaureate Service which was a really great experience. I was honored to assist everyone in worshiping our God. Hamilton is a public school and about 165 of 175 students were at this service which is pretty amazing I think.
There was tons of things to be at this week also with sports events and other gatherings. I went to Senior Awards night on Tuesday which was a lot of fun but really long because Hamilton has too many smart kids this year to recognize.
Then Graduation was suppose to be last night but got pushed to tonight because of a Tornado Watch. I think that is pretty ridiculous! I know that is protocol, but really tornado watches don't mean anything anymore. Tornado warnings now a days only mean that the clouds are close to being funneling. It was pretty erie last night, not because of the weather because it was the most beautiful night ever, but because I didn't know that graduation was cancelled and I showed up at school and know one was there and there was just notes on the entrances saying that graduation was canceled and moved to tonight. It didn't say why though. I was thinking it was a bomb treat or something. So I made some calls and found out the news.
But tonight at grad was really great. It was awesome to see that at this public school the students prayed to open and close the ceremony and the students that spoke mentioned the importance of faith in Christ. Good stuff! IT was also really sweet to see the grads through their hats up in the air and then tons and tons of silly string. Sweet well that's all for now will grad week. Just open houses to go to now.

Castle on Lake Michigan

2006-05-20T09:17:00.000+09:00

I slept in a castle last night with some awesome people (Young Life Staff from the Region). It was a really good time of worship, sharing stories, meditating on scripture, and playing games and eating. It was a lot of fun encouraging and inspiriing.
We are going to be encouraging all involved in Young Life to read through the whole Bible this coming year and for some of it we will be having different public readings. We did the public readings at Dordt a couple of times and that is really cool. The hope of reading through the whole Bible with lots of people is to get people to be familiar with the many stories. When you read the whole thing we will be able to see the whole of the story more. Instead of just picking aparts bits and pieces. I have not read the Bible cover to cover yet but am excited to do so.
So back to my story. Right after I got back from the Young Life Staff Retreat I had to go to the middle school and gather 60 students to go the Craig's Cruisers (The Family Fun Center) It was a lot of fun and I ate a lot of food at there pretty good buffet. Now I am back and calling a few kids about washing cars tomorrow morning to raise some funds for Castaway Camp this summer. And then I am off to a bon fire at my friend Joel's and I get to meet his girlfriend for the first time. Sweet so have a great weekend ya'all!!!

Rain I Love

2006-05-13T05:59:00.000+09:00

So It is Raining... and has been raining for a couple of days... and will be raining for a couple more days... And I don't mind it. We can't do as much outside and ruins some Tulip Time festivities in the great city of Holland. But I got a good tast of the festivle earlier this week and I think I will still go tomorrow to the big parade rain or shine (most likely rain).

This Week So Far... (In Order from first rememberance in my head)
...I went to school a lot.
...I watched people Dutch Dance (lots of people, as in hundreds)
...I tried to put on my muffler, broken bolts slowed that up
...I went to a Jars of Clay, AG Silver, Adam Locker (Sam Brownson) Concert -met some of these guys at the after party at New Holland Brew.
...Baught a gift for my mother from The Bridge... It's a Statue (good thing see doesn't look at my blog)
->This reminds me that last week I baught two amazing art pieces from my friend Matt Kunnari at Dordt. I also am planning on purchasing some art from my friend/mentor Sam G sometime soon. I love these guys and I love their work.
...Hung Out with my friend Ryan and Cara the same night
...Ate a Dutch Fatball
...Went on a Taco Bell run with my friend Nick when we were at the New Holland Brew.
...Had some kids over to my house Monday night.

lots of other stuff as well, but I hope you all have a great weekend.
With Peace and Love,
ME

Back From Iowa

2006-05-09T02:36:00.000+09:00

It was a great week talking to lots of great people at Dordt. Students, Faculty, Staff, Parents, Siblings, pets (really I talked to some cool dogs). The week was really really awesome.
It started off wonderful with Superman picking me up from the airport and then we headed right to his youth group. Which was an awesome awesome time I have to say. His kids were awesome and they were really having a great time and showed so much of Christ's love to each other. WOW.
Yeah then I was getting really really tired and still wanted to see lots of people and did for a little while. And was acting drunk because I was so tired. But yeah the week was filled with just great conversations and fun times and story swappy and future plans dreaming. What an Awesome place to vacation, where the the friends and flowing like honeywise and milkshakes. I went out to eat a good number of times as well. I don't want to make this too long...
but Andrew and Morgan dropped me off at the airport Saturday night which was a lot of fun talking to them. And in Ohare where I had my layover I started reading an awesome book by John Piper called Don't Waste Your Life (which we are giving to our graduates at Church this year, and the pastor quoted randomly from in his sermon Sunday morning when he didn't know we were giving those away) Well I didn't make it to my church Sunday mornig to hear him because I got Bumped from my flight Saturday night. AWESOME. So they put me in a hotel (worth $250/night) and gave me a voucher for a free flight to use within the next year (priceless...kind of) And it worked out better because my family didn't have to pick me up at 11:30 at night but instead 10:30 in the morning. So back to work...

Children Weekend

2006-04-30T06:52:00.000+09:00

Friday Night
......Middle School All Nighter from 8pm - 6am
..........This included laser tag, pizza and pop, Chronicles of Narnia Nap,
..........Lots of Games, and prizes
Saturday
......Breakfast @ Trestle Stop 6:30am
......Bed 7am
......Wake Up 12 noon
......AirSoft Wars with High School 1:30pm - 5:30pm
Saturday Night
......(Try to find ride to Grand Rapids because car is in shop)
......Invisible Children Global Night Commute in Grand Rapids 7:00pm
...........Sleeping downtown with 1000 other people to save kids lives.
Sunday Morning
......Flying out of Grand Rapids to Dordt!!!!!!!!!!

Invisible Children... Global Night Commute

2006-04-26T02:38:00.000+09:00

Join Me and The Thousands Around America To Walk and Sleep to End The War in Northern Uganda! We are taking this lying down. If you want to do something to stop children from being abducted and brainwashed to become killers then JOIN US! It is about saving Kids Lives.

Want to know More...
Tune in (or set your VCR/DVR/Tivo/whatever) for

THIS WEDNESDAY

to watch Oprah.

The filmmakers of Invisible Children will be on, so check it out please!

Check local listings for time and channel.

It is About Stories... True Stories

2006-04-22T03:44:00.000+09:00

Here is what happened on Wednesday, April 19 in the Hamilton Middle School.

There is one of the students that gets mocked by most of the students and who doesn't have many friends. There is another student who used to mocked by most of the students. This 7th grader has been standing up for his friend that is getting mocked all the time. He tries to stop the mocking from happening. And not only that he is taking this student, that doesn't have many friends, under his wings and loving him in some awesome way. On Wednesday we stayed after lunch with him and tried to give him some suggestions. He made him aware of many of the things that the other students were doing or saying. He told him that it is going to hurt to here all of this, but ignoring it completely doesn't help. So he is trying to give him suggestions of things he can change so that students won't mock him as much. He isn't just trying to make him feel better for the moment by saying it is alright, but he is trying to help the situation! He is inviting him to his home anytime! The kid that is getting mocked does not live in the best neighborhood so this is so important to get him out and just because he gets to hang out with his friend.
This was amazing to see this student take his friend under his wings. Amazing to see that he is willing to take more critisism and more mocking so that his friend doesn't have to take as much! I Learned a lot Wednesday about what it means to be a friend, a neighbor, and to be like Christ.

Invisible Children... Do Something

2006-04-18T11:01:00.000+09:00

He Is Still Alive

2006-04-16T21:25:00.000+09:00

Good Morning...
We gather on this Easter Morning to recognize and celebrate actual events in History. We were not there, but these well recorded events of Jesus the Christ's life have changed the course of history, the course of life forever.
For God so loved the world that He gave His One and Only Son that whoever believes in (trusts in) Him shall not perish but have eternal life. God did not send His Son to condemn the world, but to save it.
Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God came to this world to become one of us. He showed us the way to live and He died in our place so that we can live. And today with billions of people around the world we celebrate that He conquered death and is Alive.
About 2 thousand years ago at dawn of the first day of the week, like this morning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone that was in front of the tomb and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards of the tomb were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He laid. Then go quickly and tell His disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."
So lets come to Jesus and worship Him and celebrate!

Good Friday Yesterday

2006-04-16T04:24:00.000+09:00

My Friday was good. I went to a Young Life Church Partnership meeting in Grand Rapids in the morning. We met for a shorter time and then went bowling for a while. Are team last because I did really good the first game 186, and then we did handycaps and I only had a 153 the second game. It was fun because we where cheering a lot for our teammates. And it is so much fun bowling. Then We went to the China Buffet afterwards and ate a lot of food...
Then I got my oil changed...
and went to church to the office for a while...
Then I went to the bank and to garage sales where I hung out with some awesome kids from Hamilton...
I went home for a little while to rest...
then to church to watch The Passion Of The Christ (I was so tired and was dozing off a lot) but I loved what Jeff Reuschel our President of conistory had to say. The first time he watched it he thought "I cant believe I did this to him" and he felt so much guilt. But then he said that is the wrong way to look at it, so this time we was watching it from the point of "I cant believe He did this for me." Oh So True...
Then I baught a plane ticket online to go to Dordt in a couple of weeks. I am going to be there from April 30th - May 6th. I saved 25% by making an offer on priceline.com. I was excited. I am even more excited about going to Dordt...

Storms

2006-04-10T14:33:00.000+09:00

So I got back from Mississippi Saturday night after a day and a half bus ride. We stopped in a hotel in Cullman, AL on Friday night and it was probably good that we did because there was a lot of severe Storms going through. At the hotel we actually got hit pretty good also. It was AWESOME! The hail and and Lightning was jaw dropping. There were lots of Tornado warnings but not many tornadoes that night. The sirens when off like ten times and we didn't really have many places to go. So we stayed on the second floor belcony and watched!

12 people died from Tornadoes on Friday. and we drove through some of those areas in Tennessee on Saturday. Right along the High Way we saw this church which was hit hard. We went from working on reparing homes on the Gulf all week and seeing all that a hurricane can do to homes to driving through and seeing what Tornadoes can do. Wow! Lots of similar images. Storms are powerful and we are not indestructible. God is still Good!

A devotional I found on this idea of suffering...

2006-04-06T13:22:00.000+09:00

"I should think that if our charities do not in some way inhibit us, they are not nearly large enough." — C.S. Lewis

Most of us who read this e-mail have far more than we need. To the majority of the rest of the world, our iPods, laptops, luxury cars, nice clothes, and expensive homes are an unattainable dreams. The distance between the very rich and the very poor continues to widen. Why do we hold on to our wealth so adamantly? On the streets a homeless man gave us half of his dinner because he saw that we were hungry. I've never given half my dinner to anyone. Why is a homeless man more generous than I am with all the wealth I have? Lewis puts it perfectly, implying that our generosity should actually sting a little bit. Our giving carries more weight when it's substantial enough to keep us from satisfying our every whim. Is your generosity towards other people, your church, organizations, and ministries enough that you feel the sacrifice? Is it really giving if you're not giving anything up?

Grace and Peace.

Mike Yankoski

Stepped through the Roof

2006-04-06T12:31:00.000+09:00

So I have been doing lots and lots of roofing this week in Mississippi. Lots of Sun here, which got to me a little today, and lots of The Son Jesus here. There is such a great struggle and suffering (suffereing doesn't start until it gets hard) here because of the Katrina damage. I am serious when I say that there is a lot of work to be done here yet even though the media doesn't cover it much anymore. So come on down to help. Wow it is amazing to see Jesus in the words and actions of so many people here that are trying to share the load with those that are suffering.
Does stepping through the roof count as suffering?
Just a little advice (1) try to walk on the wood with support beams below (2) be extra careful when carrying an extra 50 lb of shingles (6) loose weight (13) always where sunscreen

Taking advantage of the Opportunity

2006-04-01T07:02:00.000+09:00

So I am heading to Ocean Springs / Biloxi Mississippi tomorrow morning. So this weekend I am going to be on the road, watching movies, listening to music, and reading books and of course sleeping. Then when I am in Mississippi I will be working hard rebuilding houses and other stuff I don't know yet in order to take advantage of the opportunity from the hurricanes.

The opportunity not the tragedy of the hurricanes. One of the pastors from down south made this distinctions as his church became one of the central headquarters of relief in his area. Also I heard from others that have gone to take advantage of the opportunity down south that most of those that are helping are groups that are somehow associated with the church. What an awesome way to look at the struggles of this world.

Also I have to say that I ate the most amazing burger last night at the Crazy Horse restaurant. Seriously it was probably the best burger I have ever had. Some of my mentors / leaders in the youth group took me there last night. So it was really good convo and really good meat.

Eat Meat? God? Truth?

2006-03-28T08:13:00.000+09:00

I read this blog that I found by hitting "next blog" a few times and it interested me. So I posted a comment to what she had to say, which I included below.

"I won't eat meat,
because I'm not better than any other animal
And I won't respect that you do, pet,
because you don't see the world in my colours
Don't claim that you're against torture when you're
eating
raw pain, blood, suffering

You know you're not more special than others,
merely because you are born
with perfect, thin limbs

Go ahead;
do whatever you want
Just don't demand for me to respect it,
'Cause I don't want to be
near
the way you are"

I don't know if you believe in God and that the Bible is inspired by God, but I do! I believe that it is THE TRUTH.

In the book of Acts in the Bible in chapter 10 it says:
"About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat."
"Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean."
The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean..."

I believe that we can eat meat, but I believe we should not kill just for sake of killing. I believe that we should not consider ourselves better than eachother, but I do believe we are created different from the rest of creation - we are created in God's Image! That is THE TRUTH!

If you don't believe in basing TRUTH by what the Bible says I want to ask you a question just from the logical point of view.
A question for you if I may ask, what do you consider the difference between killing an animal and a plant, they both are living things? How did you decide to make the line between plants and animals the line between what is alright to eat and what isn't right to eat? Do you believe we are better than plants?

I believe we all have to draw a line somewhere on what is right and wrong. I don't believe we all can be right either, and I think you would agree with that based on your blog. So doesn't it make sense that we would base what we believe is right and wrong in this world on what the creator and sustainer of the world says. And if you don't believe in a God then how can there be some things that are right and some things that are wrong.

There is so much more I could say but if you want to discuss life more I would love to talk.

Letter to You

2006-03-23T08:13:00.000+09:00

So This Past Weekend was really awesome with the middle schoolers. I had lots of fun and lots of sugar (which I had a headache from on Monday, and then threw up from Monday night - it was kind of like a vegtable stew). But I got to really build some great relationships with kids and with leaders. I love my other leaders so much!!! I got to see some amazing sides of them. We had great cabin times that were really vulnerable (ok, I wasn't as vulnerable as I could have been.) So I thought that we really had a successful weekend that we got to explore Jesus and peanut M & M's.
I really want to write a lot of follow up letters to leaders and students yet this week because I know how important that is and how much I put that on a back burner.

Also, I am pretty sure that I will be coming out to Dordt the week of their Graduation April 30 - May 7. I said I would come back some time this year, and I want to stick to my word! and I want to see so many of you out there!

Middle Schoolers

2006-03-18T03:26:00.000+09:00

OK I just want to let you all know that I am spending the weekend with 150 students. I am tired already... But excited, so I need to go home and pack and maybe take a nap. Please keep Hamilton students and the leaders in your prayers this weekend as we head to Timberwolf Lake Camp in Lake City, MI. Pray for saved souls and passion for Jesus Christ.

Young Life Tonight

2006-03-14T06:24:00.000+09:00

We have a game night with the Young Life group tonight at Wickstra's barn from 7:27pm to 9:07pm. There is going to be gutter ice cream sundays also. It is going to be really really rediculously good looking. I also put this logo of what I hope to have on a hamilton young life t-shirt next year. I made it last fall, but we never got to the t-shirt making stage. Also I put this logo on my site so that I could load the URL address from it to put it on the ESPN tournament challenge page for the Hamilton YL group. It is going to be lots of fun. Well, I need to send out a bunch of emails tonight yet to make sure everyone knows about tonight and the Tounament Challenge Group... Love You All.

Oh Yeah, I went to the beach to day....AWESOME

Super Good Feeling

2006-03-09T04:00:00.000+09:00

You all should look up the song "Super Good Feeling" by Bleach it is a good one. A good one to wake up to especially for all of you out there that don't like mornings (well some might actually, just get pissed off because others are joyous in the morning) Well I could have a lot weighing on my mind today because I got some pretty major interactions today, but it has been really peaceful especially with the sun shinning SO BRIGHT today. It is hard to be in a somber mood.
Also this morning, when I was getting in my car, which I park in my driveway, there were 3 whitetails prancing in front of my house about 50 yards away. I saw them... they saw me and stopped... then I reached into my pants pocket to get my camara phone to capture the beauty... and then... I dropped the phone and when I went to pick it up they pranced away through the field.

BIRTHday Past

2006-03-05T04:26:00.000+09:00

So It has been a fun birthday weekend. Fun and Relaxing. I didn't work Yesterday or Today, which is a really needed break. I tried to give myself lots of time to read and journal and pray. Not being able to watch TV by myself, because of a Lent fast, also makes it easier to do this; it also makes it easier to sleep :) With all this time I still find other things to distract me from journaling and praying. (This blog counts as journaling though. A journal you all get to read!)
Thursday was my birthday and it was a really good day. I had lots of food. Breakfast with Young Life staff at the Trestle Stop (main resturant in Hamilton), then doughnuts at church staff meeting, then birthday cake at school from my kids in the Life Skills class (it was a "surprise"), then lunch at the Tresple Stop with Randy my church mentor, then left over doughnuts at the office, then dinner with the high school swim team (the skin heads), then food with the junior high youth group leaders. Then I went home and played Red Ball (Swib) with some students. It was a lot of food, fun, friends, and work.
So Tonight I am going to a birhtday party with my family at my grandparents home. And I want to do some journaling in my "private" journal now. So thanks for taking interest in my life, Peace and Love!

Day So Far...

2006-03-01T03:41:00.000+09:00

5:45am wake up
6:00am basketball with the community guys
7:00am shower/prayer
7:30am visit kids before school at high school and middle school
8:00am HAYM (Hamilton Area Youth Ministries) meeting
11:00am lunch at middle school (dodge ball)
12:00pm lunch at high school w/ freshmen guys
1:00pm label and send out mail / check email / listen to sermon

2:00pm go home read "2 Die 4" maybe even the Bible / journal / pray / eat
5 or 6pm go to high school b-ball game

It's About Saving Kids Lives...

2006-02-26T09:10:00.000+09:00

...and playing video games, and board games. the 30-Hour Famine is over and that is alright with me because I get to go home and rest now. It was so much fun having kids and leaders sleep over night at church and staying up most of the night. It is a very good time in many ways. Well, Keep sharing the love to everyone.

Ways of Procrastination & Potlucks

2006-02-24T04:06:00.000+09:00

So I have so much to do for work right now and a lot on my mind with friends. And all I want to do is procrastinate from doing this stuff. We are doing the 30 Hour Famine Tommorow and Saturday. It should be a lot of fun spending a lot of time with the kids. But a lot to plan for it yet. I bought $30 worth of juice today for the event; It is a lot of juice.

So a reason I havent blogged lately because I havent procrastinated as much in my other stuff (so that is a little bit of a lie), but don't worry I am ok, I am procrastinating this week again. One of the ways I have been procrastinated is just by talking to people a lot. Which is the best way to procrastinate, because I love talking to people. Part of talking to people is looking at there blogs and commenting. So I was looking at Jack Mattman's (sp) blog and he talked about Potlucks So I said

I love potlucks to my man Jack. I was surprised when I heard a few people at my church now say that they don't like them. I was like "WHAT!!" I can't get enough of them. They say they are too much work. I don't think so. Even if it is a little more work than normal (which I don't even think it is) it is well worth the great community that is built and the great food.

One time at my Elders family Christmas Party each family brought food (aka. potluck) and every one brought meat balls. It was so funny. It was really good though even though it was a bunch of different meatballs. The next year no one brought meaty malls.

OK maybe that is enough procrastinating for now, got to make some calls to get parents to bring food for potluck to break the 30 hour fast. It is called a break-fast potluck.

Oh So Long Since I Last Posted

2006-02-22T03:19:00.000+09:00

I really love posting and some times I let the other things in my life that I love and some that I don't love get in the way of my taking time to journal and spread the love. But even on this fully of days I thought I would say "a few words"
Life is good here is the town of Hamilton. A week ago I got to preach in front of the WHOLE congregation! It was a lot of fun. We had a youth service on Feb. 12 in the morning (yeah, that is not the night service where only a few show up) so I said I would share some words. I was really excited about sharing about what it means to be Christians in Action. We explored the difference between collecting title and TESTIMONIES!!!! (with my fist clenching onto the idea in the air) I quoted a lot of different people in the sermon and on of them was Tony Campolo, so I got to preach like he does (lots of yelling, if you havent heard him before) which was a lot of fun and very meaningful.
One of my junior high girls actually quoted my sermon back to me today, which was really awesome. So remembered the idea of titles or TESTIMONIES (a week and a half later!!!). That was really encouraging to see that she was listening and it really stuck with her, the main point stuck with her. That's good stuff! I am excited. Be prepared in season and out of season to speak some truth and love into people.
A Great quote that I was trying to tell someone the other night, but forgot how it went exactly, and remember right now is "Are you talking because you have to say something, or because you have something to say?" That is a great question for all of us preachers (which is all of us Christians "be prepared in season and out")...

I'm Diving In, I'm Going Deep (sleep)

2006-01-30T02:40:00.000+09:00

Hello Beautiful People. So last night I actually remembered part of my dream. One part I remember diving on the pavement ground and sliding on my stomach and it didn't hurt. Wow I love dreams. Cause we all know that would have probably hurt in real life. Well Maybe I should write more again later. I hope everyone has a very Restful Sunday.

All The Greats Quote Tozer

2006-01-13T10:46:00.000+09:00

"For it is not mere words that nourish the soul, but God Himself, and unless and until the hearers find God in personal experience they are not the better for having heard the Truth. The Bible is not an end in itself, but a means to bring men to an intimate and satisfying knowledge of God, that they may enter into Him, that they may delight in His Presence, may taste and know the inner sweetness of the very God Himself in the core and center of their hearts."
~ A.W. Tozer - The Pursuit of God

This reminds me of the analogy that Rob Bell gives in his book Velvet Elvis; the analytical comparison is between viewing doctrine as the bricks in a wall or as the springs in a trampoline. The problems with the wall is that is one brick is taken out then the whole wall can collapse; If one of your beliefs are shaken it isn't easy on your wall because your whole wall has to change. But with the Trampoline if you take one spring out you can still jump, using the trampoline for its purpose. So you are free to work with your beliefs (the springs) and figure out what it is you believe and then put the spring back in. And with the trampoline the springs are not the point; jumping is the point. This is what Tozer was saying a long time ago. With the wall, the wall is the point it is not helping you do anything. The point can't be our doctrines or knowledge but it was to be what we are doing because of what we know. We aren't worshiping the Bible; We are Worshiping God. What a profound analogy! Both Velvet Elvis and The Pursuit of God are great books to get you thinking about what it really means to follow Christ.

Welcome Wednesday

2006-01-12T06:04:00.000+09:00

So I have been working on updating youth group stuff for my church. Trying to get info for the weekly newsletter, but also trying to get our youth groups to have some sort of space on the internet. I signed the CIA (Christians In Action - high school) and the EDGE (Every Day God Encourages - junior high) up for their own group email address and am making blogspots for them. I also got to do some more planning for a planning meeting tonight. At least that is the plan. We have a youth led worship service to plan, so some students and some adults are joining together to brain storm.

PDA or PDS

2006-01-09T02:30:00.000+09:00

Public Displays of Affection or Public Displays of Sex

This quote below struck me as being very profound as I have been thinking about sex a lot lately. I am thinking about Sex and all that sexuality encompasses because I am talking about Sex Issues with the Youth Group tonight and in the coming weeks, and I always am frustrated with the students (and adults) views on sex, and because I am dating and I know how much of a struggle it is for me to live like I actually believe that Sex is something the is serious and sacred; I DO BELIEVE THIS. So the quote:

"As I'm beginning to understand more of this, I realize why masturbation and porn ravaged my relationship with God so much. When I view pornographic images or movies, I feed the idea that sex is designed to be put on display. But the truth is that sex is at its best when experienced as an expression of intimacy in a marriage. Pornography lies about sexual fulfillment by disregarding the emotional and spiritual results of sex and exaggerating the physical satisfaction. Rather than focusing on just one aspect, God designed the emotional, spiritual, and physical effects of sex to blend as worship of Him. Marriage is a blessing from God, and sex is part of giving thanks for it." - Anonymous

So my thoughts with this come more from the line "feed the idea that sex is designed to be put on display" This is so true that we are being feed this idea, and I believe this LIE. There is so much wrong with this that I don't even think we realize how far off the narrow path we have gone. I think that maybe because we see so much PDA and PDS that it is hard for us to really live our lives differently. I would some times how much of the PDA we see and do is even just feeding the lies more.

Maybe we have to make our sexual relations more of a private thing again to only be shared with our husband and wife and not be displayed for everyone else.

Maybe we have to consider more about what we where and what we joke about.

Maybe we have to be more careful about what lies we let into our thoughts.

I could go on more and more and more about these things, but What do other people think?

New Years Weekend

2006-01-04T10:11:00.000+09:00

So It was a really good weekend. I had some friends from Dordt come stay a my place and there was lots of parties.
Morgan, Becca, and Josh Super all came up Friday and stayed at my house and we got to hang out. They all left at different times. Josh just left today. It was good to show him a little more of what my life is working and living in Hamilton. So good to talk to him about our lives as well. So if anyone wants to come visit me there is always room.

I played Settlers of Catan 5 days in a row from Thursday - Monday. I LOVE IT. It was a good time of bonding with friends and family. Well Friday I actually didn't play it we just set the board up and then got distracted and talked for a while.

Saturday I didn't actually play either, but there was a lot of fun parties that night as I party hoped with Katie, Becca and Josh. We started at my family Christmas party and stayed there the longest as we stole presents, ate a bunch, and talked. Then we headed over to some of my high school friends party just to stop in for a little bit to make an appearance and that was really boring actually because they were watching a movie and playing poker already. But it was good to see some of my friends again.
Then at 10 to 2006 we showed up at Katie's family party witch was tons of fun. Lots of pull fireworks and we made a big mess and gave lots of hugs. That was the craziest new years eve in a long time.

It's A Boy!

2005-12-26T01:16:00.000+09:00

Merry Christmas Everyone!!! Happy Birthday Jesus!

No School!

2005-12-23T01:47:00.000+09:00

So with no school I don't get to go to school to visit kids but I do get to hang out with them outside of school which is even better! We had movie night last night and I hope to take kids out for lunches and... play games (like Settlers) and... go shopping and... go skiing and... Hopefully Many Random Things!

Well Today I got to go shopping soon and wrap presents. So have a great day and enjoy your parties!

With Peace and Love and Joy and Christ

Tales of a Long Driveway

2005-12-17T02:54:00.000+09:00

So I just came back from lunch at the High School. I hadn't been there since Monday because of a retreat and a Cristmas Party. It has been a really good week, but I really missed being at the School. There are so many kids I want to see all the time.

So it is snowing here a lot and the roads are pretty bad. This morning I got stuck in my driveway and needed help out. This is the second time this year so far. We have a long dirt drive way. This morning the county plow was actually at the end of my driveway when I got stuck and he saw me and came to plow and pull me out. That was so nice of him. last time there was someone at the end of my driveway too that pulled me out. God is looking out for me. If no one is around I can always walk to my house and get my roommates truck and pull myself out. That might happen yet this year. If I would of actually gotten up on time I would probably been alright because it just got worse and worse this morning. I didn't leave untill 10am. But I am out and I don't think I will be going back to my house today because of the snow. I am heading later this afternoon straight out to Hudsonville / Jenisen to pick up Katie and go out tonight, if it is not too bad out.

I love the snow! So have a great weekend.