Supernatural Compass

Well another school year has started.  It's Homecoming week!  I'm sure to most students, everything feels "normal".  But to those who have had a pretty supernatural summer, "normal" isn't enough.  I saw the Holy Spirit move in the hearts of many students this summer - starting with camp (mine included).  A missions trip transformed two others.  And it hasn't stopped yet.  There still remains a HUNGER in their hearts like I haven't seen here before.  I've been praying every Tuesday afternoon for an hour - and asking God for divine wisdom about how to lead during this school year.

Psalm 25:14 says "Lord I want You to CONFIDE in me!  Share Your plan with me!"

That's been my prayer!  Lord, show me Your secret wisdom.  So that I can follow Your supernatural compass for direction instead of human wisdom.  I challenged the students last Wednesday to ask themselves, "What if this is it?"  "What if this is your LAST school year?"  What will you leave behind if Jesus raptures His church?  Will they know why you're gone? 

There were 15-18 students who responded to the call that they wanted a different life - they wanted to be a true follower of Christ.  Life shouldn't revolve around church...or school...or a relationship...  But it should revolve around Jesus Christ!  And if we TRULY believe this stuff, then it should radically change our life!  That can be a scary idea in our human thinking.  So we need to stay focused on the dial of the supernatural compass that the Holy Spirit provides to see where we go from here.

We want it to be a different school year.  We want to see God move in the hallways of our schools, and to transform the lives of our friends.  Where do we start?  I have no clue...

But I know how to find out.  So this Wednesday, we are spending our entire service seeking the Lord and soaking in His presence.  There will be no games or life groups or chatting.  If we are serious about wanting to know what God has for us, then we have to learn how to be heavyweight prayer warriors.  Age does not affect whose prayers are heard.  We need to hear from Him!  Let's just see what God will do through us as we ask Him.

My STL Challenge

Well, as much as I greatly admire Pastor Patience Linton in Huron...I cannot shave my head for STL.  BUT I will do something drastic to it if our students meet my challenge.  I am definitely a little vain when it comes to my hair - okay, I admit it.  I work hard to keep it healthy. 

If Ardent YM students can raise $3,000 in the next 6 weeks for Speed The Light (before middle school camp), I will dye half of my hair pink (or another color if they insist).  Maybe you don't think this is drastic enough...but if you know me, you know how drastic it is.  I will keep it like this for the entire summer.  (You have to picture her as a brunette.)  It would be something like this picture...I'll color the whole bottom half and a few pieces so it shows through.  Ohhhhh I feel queasy just looking at that...

I pray that our congregation will be gracious in having to look at it.  :o)  It's a GOD CAUSE so we can't go wrong, right? 

If you want to watch their fundraising progress, click here to see our STL Thermometer on our website.

(mumbling to myself) It's worth it...it's worth it...it's worth it.  Wow I've gotta work on hair vanity.

1 Girl Revolution

I meant to do this 2 weeks ago...we had a great discussion one night at 1GR about WORRY.  We talked about how God's Word tells us over and over that He will take care of our needs.  Yet most of us have never learned how to enjoy the real peace that Jesus died for us to have. 

We worry and stress and get anxious about almost everything.  God has this intricate, beautiful plan for our lives (like a perfectly created daisy) - which includes tough times - and we can completely trust Him.  But with our worry and stress, it's like we pick away at his beautiful creation (like the daisies that look half eaten).  After we're done freaking out and trying to manipulate our circumstances, we're often left with a sad looking life. 

Worrying doesn't add any good thing to your life.  Trusting God is a great sermon title, but can be hard to live out sometimes.  But let's keep working at it and not pick away at the beautiful plan God has for us.

New Year Refocus

The Christmas season is so fun and crazy...and a total departure from "regular life".  The regular routine of life is pretty much out the window for most of us!  You stay up late - talking, playing games, watching movies - with relatives, friends...then go to bed (usually in the guest room or on the pull-out couch)...then wake up, after sleeping in late, and eat an incredible amount of fattening food all day long.  There are always plenty of emotions to tap into when you're with family you don't see very often.  Someone's usually annoyed or frustrated because of someone else, the kids are usually loud and easily bored, and it's difficult to remember what day it is because things are so "not normal".  Hopefully there are also wonderful family moments, warm hugs to share, and maybe even a few sentimental words exchanged.

And I look forward to the crazy wonderful chaos of it all every year!  But now that's it's winding down, I am really looking forward to a week to refocus and "start fresh".  I am looking forward to the week of prayer and fasting more than ever this year.  I don't know if you've ever set aside time for fasting before, but here are a few reasons why I enjoy this time (even though it's very difficult at the same time).

• The end of the year usually seems to end with lots of disorganization (for the reasons I mentioned in the first paragraph).  So after the new year begins, I am SO ready to get refocused.  I don't really buy into the whole New Year Resolution thing, but I do believe that it's important to take time to evaluate where you are, where you'd like to go, and how you think you'll get there.  I think that the perfect time to do that is while you're fasting!  Your body is cleansing itself of impurity - what better time to allow your mind to be washed by the Holy Spirit?  There's a certain spiritual clarity that comes when you commit yourself to a fast.
• Don't allow your fear of having wrong motives stop you from fasting.  Something I hear from a lot of people about fasting is that they are afraid they're doing it for the wong reasons.  Like "I like losing weight, I feel like I'm being more 'spiritual', I'm going to try to convince God to do something for me..."  Those are all things we've all thought about.  I've decided in the last couple of years that I'm not going to let those things stop me from developing a spiritual discipline that Jesus Himself practiced!  Yes, I think I will struggle at times with having right motives while I'm fasting.  I think that's part of the struggle between the spirit and the flesh.  But instead of giving up, I'm going to talk to God about it (He already knows), and ask Him to help me grow in faith so that my motives come into line with His will.  Developing a discipline is always a good idea!  You may waffle a bit in why you're doing it, but it will be another weapon in your spiritual arsenal...and when you get stuck in a difficult place, you will be glad it's there.
• I don't want to just keep trudging along in life.  I know that God has guided my life and will continue to do so.  But I'm serious when I say I want to see Him do something HUGE here.  I think there are a lot of amazing stories that He's waiting to write, but He's waiting on us to be ready.  We get too caught up with just trying to make our life better that we miss some incredible opportunities to impact others for the Kingdom of God!  Wouldn't it be awesome to see a great move of God in our community?  Like to see people crammed into a church service because they just can't wait to see what God is going to do next?  Maybe it won't look like I imagine it - but I know God desires to see an epic revival - even in little old South Dakota.  :o)  On whatever scale (large or small) it might be, I want to see God's Spirit move among us...and I want to do whatever my part of that might be.  From what I see in the Word, Jesus said that His followers will fast when they're seeking His return.  I'M READY!!! 
• Good death practice.  Paul says that we have to die daily as we walk this Christian life.  Fasting is definitely dying to the fleshly appetites.  By telling your body NO, you are setting aside the natural desires and appetites, and asking the Lord to fill you with supernatural nourishment.  We ALL need more of this.  If you really want to see your loved ones come to know Christ, if you really want to see your school or workplace filled with believers, if you really want to find God's purpose for your life...then this is a great time to put more of you to death.  Less of me, more of Him. 

I'd like to challenge you to go a step farther in your fasting this year.  We are fasting together as a church - to seek God's direction for us.  If you have no other reason to fast - that's your reason!  We are only as effective as we are surrendered to the will of our Heavenly Father.  Without His direction and the fuel of the Holy Spirit, we are just running in place here.  Working hard - but not going anywhere. 

Briana W.'s Overflow Story

I have always wanted to do something great for God but i never knew what to do then i went to church camp and i knew that i needed to start with a job so i applied for a job at a vet clinic but unfortunately all spots were filled. which really seemed to bring me down and i just didnt know any other places looking for a 15 year old to hire so i took alittle break. I was selling tie-dye shirts on the side but i wasn"t having hardly any luck with that i had only sold like two which wasn't much help but it was a start. I was starting to wonder what God wanted me to do. I still thought well i really need a job some extra spending money, college was coming up quite fast some money in that fund wouldnt hurt. but my mind was in the wrong place. Every wensday we were reminded on 9-9-09 where we would give $99.99 to speed the light and i kept thinking i want to do that but i am so broke. Well on a thursday about a month before school started the vet clinic where i had applied a couple months before was calling me asking me if i could come in for an interview. The girl that had been working there wasn't working out and she was moving. So i agreed to come in to have an interview the following thursday. Unfortunately i had been so excited i had forgot that the wed. before my interview thats right just one day before, i was going to have my wisdom teeth cut out. So not only was i nervous for my interview i was in a whole lot of pian. But i got the job that i wanted really badly. I also had plenty money to do 9-9-09 and give my $99.99 to speed the light plus my tie-dye shirt sales which was $14.00 coming out to be $113.99. Not much but hey that is just the begining of what God has planned... :) TO BE CONTINUED !!!!!

Learn the Language

When Jason Harshbarger was here on Wednesday, one of the things he said in his message really stuck with me. "Learn the language." Something that I hear from students (and adults) is that the Bible is too hard to read...too confusing.

Jason gave the example of moving to Brazil. You're going to be totally lost at first when trying to communicate. You won't understand most street signs, you won't be able to tell what kinds of stores there are, and you won't be able to carry on a conversation with anyone!! But if you IMMERSE yourself in the culture...hang around the people, listen to conversations, explore places, get a dictionary to help you understand words, you will eventually begin to learn the language!

It is truly the same as understanding the Word of God. This book that is (in parts) thousands of years old is still able to impact people today! It's amazing - that's one of the reasons we know it's supernatural and from God. The words continue to come alive to people all over the world and transform who they are! I don't know of any other book that does that.

If you begin to immerse yourself in God's Word, it will make more and more sense every time you read it! You must learn the language!

Perfect Opportunity

One of the hardest things to do as a young Christian is to share your faith. Especially with people at school who you're going to have to face every day AFTER that. What if they reject what you have to say? What if they roll their eyes and walk away? What if they tell some other people what you said? What if they laugh? What if...?

What if they listen quietly, then text you later with a simple "thank you"? What if they accept your invitation to church and respond to an altar call? What if they simply let you pray for them? What if they accept Christ and then tell others? What if...? You just saved a life!

Isn't that possibility worth the risk? High school doesn't last forever...hell does.

Here's your perfect opportunity. Say It Loud will be fun - low cost - meet new people - eat food - win prizes - and SOMEONE ELSE will be there to give an opportunity to hear about Jesus Christ! I know you're coming and I'm truly glad - it'll be a blast. But you just might be able to throw a friend a true "life preserver". Do you care enough to try?

Overflow Challenge

It was so cool to hear the excitement as we talked about what we could do for this first 3-month Overflow challenge. We KNOW that God can do something awesome through our lives as we make some sacrifices to try to change the world! Here are some of the ideas that my smart group had...

• Mobile car detailing - this is so cool...you go to the person's house and wash, wax, vacuum, and clean the interior of their car. I would TOTALLY pay for someone to come and do that!
• STL Store - we talked about various things that people can make (duct tape wallets, fabric purses, baked goodies, pre-made scrapbooks, etc.). We could set up a STL Store every Missions Sunday AND at the lock-in April 3rd! Then the people who have items to sell would work the store.
• Babysitting - give 1/2 to the Overflow challenge
• House cleaning - same
• Bake Sale - before/after Sunday service (once a quarter)
• Slave Auction - auction yourself off to do whatever the owner needs
• Marathon Relay Team - get people to sponsor every mile you run
• Group Rummage Sale
• Sell fresh produce from your garden

I was so impressed with the ideas that people had!! The sky is the limit! And what's really great about the Overflow Challenge is that it's in 3 month increments. So if you try something the first quarter and it doesn't go so well...change it up!

So try to nail down your idea so we can add it to the Challenge board on Wednesday! It's going to be awesome to see God work through our Overflow!

The Awesome Group

My group came up with some interesting ideas to raise money for STL. Here they are in list form:

• Run Marathon with Eric
• Horse Riding Competitions, give part of winnings
• Make Jewelry
• Video Game Tournament (Halo most likely)
• Make clothing
• Garage Sale
• Car Wash (WOO!!)
• BBQ for church, profits to STL
• Coin Drive
• Selling arts and crafts at a booth at River Boat days
• Concert

Those are the serious ideas that the Awesome Group came up with. Yay GOD!