I read the post and kind of felt like something was wrong — not necessarily with her, but maybe me? Was I judging her, cause I know God doesn’t like that. Was I jealous of her life — that things had worked out exactly according to her plans? Yeah I was jealous! I’m lucky if my meal plans work out! Was I suspicious? You bet. I immediately started analyzing things looking for the loop holes — peoples’ lives just can’t be that perfect, right?  Sam would say it’s the New Yorker in me that doesn’t buy into these posts. New Yorker or not,  in the pit of my soul I know I long for a bigger God than one who helps me realize the American Dream. As a matter of fact, when I look at my rich blessings, sometimes I feel that they are almost the opposite of what I would have planned for myself (hello, me, a pastors’ wife?). I have sensed who God is as I struggle with him, for him–it’s that bit that makes me roll my eyes anytime I hear words coming out of Joel Osteen’s mouth! I don’t believe granting me my wishes is God’s priority. I don’t even know if God wants my happiness all the time — I just think he wants me to say (and act upon) “God, you are my God.” And sometimes–I’m just not happy with the way things are:

“Why couldn’t that couple conceive a  child?

How does an 11 yr old boy get terminal cancer?

Why don’t some parents love their children more?

How does a girl leave home for a jog and never make it back?

Why should earthquakes steal lives?

How could he leave her?

How could she leave him?”

My friend Missy and her husband John are missionaries in Nigeria. In her latest blog post Missy detailed her latest venture into a brothel.  When I first read it I felt frustrated and helpless and struggled to form a prayer that felt fitting and adequate for the great need there.  I think part of it was I knew that the level of injustice and darkness that Missy struggled with was probably far greater than any human could communicate.

Missy outlines her plan–she is going to pray, to visit the brothel again, bring candy for the children and embark on making relationships.I feel God’s glory is being shown off in this story.

Sometimes I revel in God’s “bigness.” Albert Einstein said that no problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it. Sin-created by man. Living in the effects of sin-reality. God–bigger than my consciousness. I feel freedom and liberty to leave these problems with God, to trust and obey when he calls me to participate.

Acts 17:24-28 has kind of become my go to answer verse when I feel like I’m in the in ring with my opponent–struggle. I spent a lot of time thinking why — why wasn’t I that young girl, born into the brothel? Who am I, that I should be spoiled with comforts? From verse 26 – 28:

²⁶From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. ²⁷God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. ²⁸‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

The curse of blogging is that I don’t always “publish” polished work–my argument might not be gracefully articulated so please forgive me if I have offended…If you agree, please discuss. If you disagree, discuss as well.

Here are some pictures from our winter retreat at camp spofford – we really have a fun group of students and leaders.

Would you join with me in praying for the girls of the youth group? Pray that they wouldn’t go off course, following the empty promises of the world, but that they would know the greatest love there is, the greatest eternal purpose that they could live for, the most loving being who out-shines any other suitor. I get excited thinking about young women who will change lives by showing the world a faith that is gentle yet strong…I think of the hope they profess and how that hope will come into the lives of those who are at wit’s end.

Barb/Dave sent me this comic about youth group attendance. It made me laugh, but as I thought about it I was really thankful for our group of students in our youth group or even our other church ministries.  Our attendance is consistently higher for service activities over fun activities. During the summer, I’ll get like 17 people for Great Adventure, and 40 for putting on an urban VBS in Roosevelt. We’ll get 4 for beach day and 15 for Helping Hand rescue mission.

Maybe that’s something really admirable about Long Island – the schools really promote community service. Way to go students! (and lots of good parents that encourage loving through service)

The Complete NEW TESTAMENT resource for YOUTH WORKERS.

Jack Crabtree and some of his youth ministry friends (like Me, Kevin and EmLam and Jimmy)  wrote a bunch of youth group lessons complete with games application, etc – and finally the first volume is published. It’s a pretty huge publisher (that’s right dad, you will probably be able to pick this book up at Ollies soon LOL) So, I’m praying that this is a help to especially the volunteer youth group teachers who can use some guidance in knowing how to teach students.  Volume two is on its way

Publisher Blurb:

The Complete New Testament Resource for Youth Workers, Volume 1 by Livingstone Corporation, General Coming Soon!

Never before has there been a resource this comprehensive, this practical, and this relevant for teaching the New Testament to your students. With the topic overview, ideas for games, outlines for messages, study questions, and ideas to incorporate media or real-life experience into the teaching, and a searchable CD-ROM, you now have everything you need to lead students through more than 100 New Testament lessons.

Walking students through the New Testament can feel like a daunting task?especially if you’re trying to create studies that are relevant and engaging to your students. But fear not! You now have a diverse team of nearly thirty youth ministry practitioners working for you and they’ve put together more than 100 studies that will make your job easier while helping your students dig into the Bible! Never before has there been a resource this comprehensive, this practical, and this relevant for teaching the New Testament to your students. With the topic overview, ideas for games, outlines for messages, study questions, and ideas to incorporate media or real-life experience into the teaching, the Complete New Testament Resource for Youth Workers, Volume 1 has everything you need to lead students through these New Testament books:

• Matthew
• John
• Romans
• Galatians
• Ephesians
• Philippians
• Colossians
• 1 Timothy
• 2 Timothy
• Titus
• Philemon
• 1 John
• 2 John
• 3 John
• Jude

Whether you lead them yourself or hand the lessons over to your volunteers, each lesson is easy to implement and can be used alone or combined with lessons that have already been planned. You?ll also find a searchable CD-ROM, making it even easier to find exactly what you need to help lead your students deeper into some of these life-changing books from the New Testament.

Jesus Loves Muslims, and so should you! Loving your Muslim neighbor as Jesus would.

“And who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29) – In the parable of the Good Samaritan Jesus teaches us to love even those who we are inclined to hate. There is a good analogy to make between Christians/Muslims and Israelites/Samaritans. Both groups claim the same heritage and have awful histories of hatred that separates them. This quarter-long class on Christianity and Islam has some pretty simple, Jesus-commanded goals.  1) Understand your Muslim Neighbors. 2) Figure out how to show them love.  We’ll be studying Christianity to know how and why our theology differs. We’ll study the history and theology of Islam and the differing beliefs of different forms of Islam.  This will be an intense course with assignments; students will learn both sides of the conversation well – come for the challenge.  Lord-willing we will be able to have some real conversations with Muslims from our area.

Check out The Summer Schedule for Youth Group 09 !