The Last Couple of Weeks

Sorry I haven't checked in over th last couple of weeks. Once I got back to work after vacation it was a sprint to get everything done!

The weekend of May 31st was Earthbeat. We went to 2 different park in the Sandusky area to spread mulch, paint, seal blacktop and simply make the parks look better. It went really well! We had around 30 students plus leaders! It is always an incredible feeling as people from the neighborhood drive by and yell "thank you" out of there car windows!

Got through that weekend and then the entire next week was filled with preparing to kick off our Axiom series called, "change: life at the altar," and preparing for our graduate recognition service this past Sunday June 8th! Alot to get done, but everything went well!

This past week has been steady. I have to right 8 messages for the month of July. I go to Tri-State camp in Missouri to speak as well as 2 churches while I am there! I can't wait! It is going to be awesome!

Yesterday was Kyrsten's 6th birthday. It was a really cool day!! Kyrsten and I leave tomorrow to go to the Rockford Master's Commission graduation this weekend. It will be so cool to see my students as well as other great friends in Rockford!

Last Day of Vacation!

Sitting in my living room enjoying my last day of vacation! Our church as the most incredible policy...our offices are closed on Mondays, so when a holiday falls on a Monday we get the next day off as well! It is so awesome!

This vacation has been awesome and relaxing! I did very little if any work over the past 10 days, but that means that I have alot to do when I get back in the office tomorrow! Steve Ommert is speaking in Axiom so that is at least one thing off my plate!

I have a lot to do to prepare for Saturday! Our last Angelfood distribution is this Saturday before our switch to Great Food for All, so many things left to do in preparation but I am confident that all will get done! We also have Earthbeat on Saturday and we are kind of behind the 8 ball with this event...alot to do and not alot of time, but I really think all will go well...plus there is like 50% of rain that day so we may have to postpone to our June weather date.

Then next week I have to start our new series in Axiom as well as prepare for our grad service on June 8th, in which I am speaking...I think!

Anyway...back to enjoying my dayoff!

Thanks for the Prayers!

In my post called 'shackeled' a couple of weeks ago I spoke about a young man that was in my youth ministry that was facing some serious legal troubles.

His mom called me last night saying that she had gotten a lawyer (one that actually was fighting for her son) and that there was a hearing today at 9AM. Since I had not talked with her for over a week she brought me up to speed. The original prosecuter has went out of town on vacation and handed this case to another prosecutor. In talking with this prosecutor, who seemed a little bit more reasonable than the previous, the boys lawyer was able to work out a deal with the new prosecutor to reduce a 3rd degree felony to a 4th degree misdemeanor.

Long story short...We went to court today and the Magistrate accepted the deal and he was released at 11:30am with no probation or anything, he simply has to go to counseling! This is such an answer to prayer! This boy just left my office and God used his time in the DH to draw him closer! It was so cool to see his genuine hunger to turn his life around and live for God!

So for those that read that post and have been praying for my student...THANKS! God truly answered our prayers and the justice system worked, not punishing a young man for something that the detectives tried to manipulate into something worse!!

Shackeled...

This was one of those HARD days of youth ministry. I got a call last night that one of the students that has been attending Axiom for about 6 weeks was in juvy. This guy had started coming and was incredibly dedicated, he was really beginning to make some great friends!

Fast forward to today...I called his mom and found out that he had a hearing today at 1pm. Unfortunately his mom (whis is single and trying to raise 3 kids) is unable to afford an attorney and the public defenders office is not much help, his lawyer didn't show up today.

As I was sitting in the lobby waiting on his mom the elevator doors opened up and a group of 5 boys coming walking out, all in orange jump suits and handcuffed at the wrist and ankles. Some of the looked really hard but a couple of them looked broken, including my student. I wasn't able to go into the hearing, but I was able to say a brief word to him as he exited. It broke my heart to see this young man who last week was in our youth service hanging out with friends, laughing and having fun and know he is setting in a juvenile jail cell across town.

This kid is a good kid! I have only heard his mom's side but if what she says is true or at least close,then this boy is just the victim of circumstance. And what really stinks is that he may get a lawyer who doesn't care and will give him bad advice. He could any where from 6 months or seven years.

Will you please pray with me that God will work on this young man's behalf. If he guilty then he needs to do the time...but if not then he needs to get back to living his life. I mean this kid ask his mom if he could go to church...he was hungry for God to move in his life and now this happens.

I will be sure to keep you up on what is happening, but please pray for my student! His family and I would really appreciate it...THANKS!

axiom purpose

I am really excited about tomorrow night as we continue the series illuminate. Last week we talked about the first part of the axiom purpose statement "Reach," and tomorrow we will unveil part two! Make plans to be at axiom tomorrow night...you won't want to miss it!

I do need to apologize that we have not got the message audio uploaded to the axiom website. For some reason the server is not letting me upload it. I am in discussion with our host trying to figure out what is causing the problem, so hopefully we will get if figured out soon!

See ya tomorrow night!!

National Fine Arts

Well we are Indy for National Fine Arts, but have to be honest...haven't really done anything! We got here yesterday afternoon, went downtown and registered...and got the kind of bad news...Kaleb doesn't go until tomorrow at 2:40 with his human video solo. Then our worship team doesn't go until Friday at 10:00am.

This kind of causes some headaches, because the check out time of our hotel is like noon, and by the time we find out if they are called back and get back to the hotel then we may have to stay or just leave and get charged for the night...have to wait and see how it all works out...

In my heart I have this feeling that these guys will make it past the first round. If they can get up there and have a solid performance and most importantly be anointed by the Holy Spirit, then I know they can make it to the second round. They have such a unique sound, I am sure the judges will hear a bunch of bands with all these instruments and they will be great. Then our team will get up there with 2 great voices and a guitar...it will be awesome!!

Keep up to date on how things are going, check out the results website...

Axiom Cancelled

Well unfortunately Axiom is CANCELLED for tonight. Kind of bumbed! We had a really cool service set up for tonight, but no worries, we will just do it next week.

Hope you have fun with your valentine's (those of you who have one...hahaha)! Be safe if you are going out...the roads are still a little tricky!

Just an FYI! I got Meg 3 cards and 6 beautiful red roses...Also got her a combined valentine's and wedding anniversary present as well...one night suite at kalahari! She loved it!!

Happy Valentine's Day!!