Archive for Jr. High Youth
Change is a Coming!
As I sit at my computer today, one theme keeps coming into my mind… Change!
This is the time where our students head back to school… Where our young children head off to the first day of PreSchool. Where other young children head off to their first day of Kindergarten. Where our freshmen head into different high schools and colleges. Where some of our adults go back to educate our students OR they are going back to get educated themselves.
This is also a time where the parents of the above mentioned begin to adjust to a different lifestyle. The house is empty during the day. The house could be empty as well at night as they have just sent their last child off to college.
Yep, Change is a Coming!
For me personally, there is so much change coming as well. For starters- I’m a new uncle. My sister-in-law Cheyenne had her baby, Isaiah Dean, a few weeks ago. I still can’t believe that my little brother is now a daddy! I know he and Cheyenne will be fantastic parents and I can’t wait to meet my nephew and can’t wait to be in attendance at his baptism!
There will be another family baptism this year… In just 2 months, Nicole and I will be welcoming our first baby into the world! And, for those of you who don’t know already… IT’S A BOY! It has been one of the neatest things in my life watching my little boy on that ultrasound, hearing his heartbeat on the whatever it is machine, and feeling him try to kick his way out of his momma’s tummy! It has also been one of the neatest things in my life watching my wife go through this pregnancy. I am so proud of her and know that she will be an awesome mommy!
Change is a Coming… In fact it is already here! My mom used to always tell me that when I have kids, my life will change… I will not be able to focus on all my sports because my focus will be elsewhere. Well, this Fall, I will not be getting Season Tickets for the Iowa games 
And, this past Monday, instead of watching the Bears on Monday night football… I WAS IN CHILDBIRTH EDUCATION CLASS! Yes my friends, CHANGE IS A COMING!
I pray that whatever changes you are going through, you know the ONE thing that doesn’t change- and that’s the Good Lord and His love that He has for you! Always remember the words from Malachi 3:6- “I the Lord do not change!” Let those be comforting words to you in this every changing life that we are living!
Change is a Coming… Enjoy!
Embrace the Season!
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under Heaven” -Ecclesiastes 3:1
There is a huge winter storm coming this week! I have no idea how much snow is coming- 10 inches, 20 inches, 30 feet… how really knows!
I have lived around this area of the country for my 32+ years of life. Every year, this is the time where people are just sick and done of Winter and want it to be Spring so much! But, I want this to be the year that I stop complaining and just embrace whatever comes my way. There are so many things in life that we just can’t control.
My prayer for you and for me is that we start embracing each day that we are given. Things may not turn out the way we would like them to, but we know that God is still with us and that He always will be! No matter what is going on in your life- embrace it… knowing that whether good or bad- it won’t last! If it is good- praise the Lord and embrace it! If it’s bad, praise the Lord and embrace it as well, knowing that it won’t last!
As for me, the snow may be coming this week, but I’m going to grab my snowblower and embrace it! How about you??
Peace to you my friends!
-b-
Victory might not be for the Bears, But it is for us!
I’m still upset. I didn’t like the outcome of the Bears game and I’m still struggling with it! I know- sports means too much for me! I just love my teams and I want them to win. I have seen many people saying, “it’s ok, they had a great season.” Yes they did have a great season- they far outplayed their expectations for this season. But the fact is- a bid for the Super Bowl was on the line at home against their biggest rival and they lost! That’s frustrating! And if you are a fan- you should be frustrated too!
As a sports fan, I love when my teams win, and I hate when my teams lose. But, we are all a part of something much more important than sports. We are on God’s team! And the great thing about God’s team… We are always victorious! You know, even when Christians die- they don’t lose! It bothers me when we tell people who have loved ones that have died that we are “sorry for your loss” Christians don’t lose! Victory is always ours because of what Jesus did for us on the cross! I love you guys and hope that you always know- Victory is ours- we are Champions thanks to Christ Jesus!
“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” -1 Cor. 15:57
Blessings my friends!
Thankful for my Faith, Family, and Friends
14 years ago from right now I was at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics with my family. We all have a day where we will meet Jesus face to face, and 14 years ago, even though he was only 39 years old… it was my father’s turn.
I have gone to Iowa City many times over the years, including 5 times this Fall to watch the Hawkeyes play, but that was by far the longest ride home from Iowa City ever. I remember thinking… “How am I ever going to live the rest of my life without my dad?”
It has in fact been a long 14 years. I miss him a lot. He would have loved the career that I have and he would have loved Redeemer and the fact that I am working with Jeff Shoumaker. He would have loved Nicole and her family. Even though he was a wrestler, he would have loved watching her be a Chicago Bulls cheerleader, and certainly would have loved her other dance experiences with professional sports teams. It is unfortunate he never got to meet the woman of my dreams.
But, 14 years later, I can tell you that I am so thankful to God! I am so thankful that He has surrounded me with the best family and friends in the world! The Lord has blessed me with an awesome step-dad! I’m so thankful Jeff came into our lives, especially because he has taken good care of my mom and my sister. I’m thankful that even though I have a very large family, (my grandma had 15 kids!) we are a very close family. We continue to be there for each other and support each other, and that’s a huge blessing that unfortunately not everyone has. I’m blessed to have so many friends. I have had so many good times with all of my friends, I think I have forgotten half of them! God has put so many awesome people in my life!
And finally, I’m so thankful for my faith in Jesus. I do not deserve any of the blessings I have, but especially my salvation. I don’t deserve to live forever, but thanks to Jesus’ awesome love for me… I will! Thanks to His awesome love, my dad continues to praise Him in Heaven and someday, I will be re-united with not only my earthly father, but my Heavenly Father as well!
One of my friends asked me, “How did you ever deal with losing your dad at such a young age?” The answer is simple… The Lord is my strength and He is my hope! He has blessed me with so much but especially with Faith, Family, and Friends! God is so good my friends!
Thanks for being such a blessing in my life!
Happy Thanksgiving my friends!
Jr. High Wait Till Next Year Cubs/Cards party!
Hey Jr. High people!
Come to my house this Sunday. We are having a party for you! We are celebrating the start of the new school year and the end of another disappointing baseball season! Come to my house, from 1-4 p.m. this Sunday September 26 and my wife and I will throw some meat on the BBQ for you! Come for a good ball game, good food and some great fellowship! Give me a call or email and I will give you directions to my house!
Next Up: New Orleans!
Good evening from … Peoria. Yes, not too exciting, but just wait it will be! But first, on the eve of our journey to the Bayou, I wanted to post a little “going away” message for you all. We are thankful for all of your prayers – keep them coming! Our group will leave Redeemer tomorrow morning just before 9:00am. Wow, this trip is happening! “WE BELIEVE!”
The theme for the 2010 National LCMS Youth Gathering is “WE BELIEVE,” based on John 20:31: “But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” Amen!
But as the most technologically advanced generation of kids begin their travels to the most technologically advanced Youth Gathering the LCMS’ history approaches, we’re on top of the action. Who says we midwesterners are behind the times?
- Live web streaming? We’ve got it. Check out the Gathering’s official website, www.lcmsgathering.com, to find a link to the action live from the Superdome in New Orleans each night starting at 7:30pm CDT (on Wednesday, it will be at 8:30am CDT).
- Blogs? We’re on it. Keep this page in your bookmarks, and we’ll do our best each day to chronicle the previous day and highlight the coming day’s events. Especially for you parents, we want to keep you as close to your kids as possible! We will post a message tomorrow night upon our arrival, but generally we will do our best to leave a message on here during each morning until the day we come back. Thoughts, reflections, and wonders.
- Twitter? What? We have Twitter, too? Well, yes. I have a Twitter account (@GoJMo) that I will be posting to multiple times each day (including progress on our trip to and from New Orleans). I will be with our kids and will try to share with you what they’re seeing. Also, our Youth Ministry DCE Brian Steward has his Twitter account (@Stew31) and will be sharing tidbits behind the scenes. Finally, @LCMSNYG is the official LCMS account, and they’re sharing stuff hourly it seems! (The cool thing about Twitter is you can read all of the posts by everyone who is writing about the Gathering. I’m no expert, but even I figured out how to do this – just search for #LCMSNYG while on Twitter, and you will read everyone’s posts who include the tag #LCMSNYG in their posts! Pretty cool to read about the excitement level around the country from adults and kids making their way to Louisiana!)
- Text messages? Well, maybe not as much. Parents, we’re asking the kids to keep their phone texting to a minimum during the week, so we hope you’ll support us. If you send a text to your kids during the Bible studies and Mass Gathering events … don’t freak out if they don’t get back to you right away. We asked them to do that! The adults on the trip all have text capability though so if you need one of us, feel free to call or text.
Having been privileged to participate in the 2007 National Youth Gathering in Orlando gives me some perspective on what these events are all about. There are really two halves of each day – daylight and nighttime. During each day, the kids will be able to explore a vast convention center that will have everything - indoor sports, booths sharing info for Christian schools, awesome Christian speakers, live concerts, servant events - you name it and it’s there! And each night, the 25,000+ students and adults come together to worship in a contemporary setting where the production is on par with any rock concert you’ve been to – multiple big screen tv’s, live bands, choirs, orchestras, explosions (well, maybe not explosions). To put even a one day event together like this would require an unbelievable amount of coordination and planning. And these crazies invite us to the Big Easy for FIVE? It is truly amazing and a blessing to these kids! Praise be to God for this opportunity!
Speaking of planning and coordination, it might not be widely known that our church will be well represented in the Mass Gatherings each night! First, several of our college-aged High School Youth Group alumni are volunteering and will be on-stage during the nightly events! (If you tune in to any of the webcasts, you’re likely to see a face you’ll recognize.) Additionally, our very own Brian Steward has been lucky enough to be part of this massive planning effort over the last few months with the LCMS, as he has had a substantial role in choreographing and producing the Sunday evening Mass Gathering. Our “34″ (28 kids and 6 adults) will enjoy the fruits of Brian’s labor, as we’re promised to have terrific up-close seats for that evening’s Mass Gathering! We can’t wait! We thank God for Brian and his service to the LCMS (as well as our congregation)!
Well, it’s about 12 hours until we pull away from 6801 North Allen Road to begin our little adventure (and now officially less than 48 hours until the start of the 2010 National Youth Gathering on Saturday night). Maybe I should start packing?
God bless your week!