By megan
1.You’re feeling: Happy
2.To your left: 2 hole punch
3.On your mind: Speaking for 2 minutes in big church
4.Last meal included: egg whites
5.You sometimes find it hard to: be patient
6.The weather: 65ish
7.Something you have a collection of: mugs
8.A smell that cheers you up: coffee
9.A smell that can ruin your mood: ???
10.How long since you last shaved: this morning
11.The current state of your hair: long and staight
12.The largest item on your desk/workspace (not computer): lamp
13.Your skill with chopsticks: pretty dang good
14.Which section you head for first in a bookstore: magazines
15.Something you’re craving: PinkBerry, I love it!!
16.Your general thoughts on the presidential race: oh gosh!
17.How many times have you been hospitalized this year: 4, 2 times for me, 2 visits
18.Favorite place to go for a quiet moment: our guest bedroom
19.You’ve always secretly thought you’d be a good: Nurse
20.Something that freaks you out a little: ummm pretty much everything, but recently, my husband choking on a milk dud
21.Something you’ve eaten too much of lately: pinkberry, it's expensive!
22.You have never: been to Catalina
23.You never want to: skydive
I tag allison and Jordan
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Willow Creek - Shift Conference #1
This is for you amy. Missing you! When are you coming to visit?!
It was a great few days at the conference, the weather was terrible, but the conference and time with staff was wonderful. Here is what I learned and what happened....
1. One of the most exciting moments of the trip was at the registration table I ran into my junior high pastor (Mark Hadley), whom I haven't seen in about 10 years. He is still in youth ministry at Twin Cities Church, in Grass Valley, CA and his wife and kids are doing great!
The best part was that I was able to tell him what a huge impact he and his wife had on my life. That the reason I am in ministry investing my life into students is because he and his wife never gave up on me as a junior higher. It was a great reminder to me that when I get frustrated with whether or not students are understanding the message, I have to remember my own story. Also, what it says in 1 Corinthians 3:5-7...
"After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow."
God causes me to be heavy burdened for my students, but ultimately there is nothing I can do through my human power to make students understand the awesome life that waits if they follow Christ, it is only God who can grow what I plant.
The Lord really rocked my world this week with this concept. It's interesting how HE gave me such a cool moment and then constantly was reminding me of it all week. It has been a really tough week in ministry. The burden for my students became almost too overwhelming to handle. Sometimes I wonder why God put the calling in my life to be in full-time ministry, why me? And how can I make sure that I am doing all that I can to reach todays youth and share the message of Christ's love, grace, and compassion for their lives when they just don't care about the future. I have been working with junior high students since I was 15 (junior leader) to now 25, 10 years. I always thought the Junior high world would never change. That no matter what, I would know what a 7th grade girl was going through. Within the last year, I have been bombarded with the idea that they are not the same as I once understood. Students are going through things that I didn't experience until high school or even college. My brilliant friend allison and I had an amazing conversation about this. We are dealing with students (me junior high) who on the outside are going through what a Junior/Senior in high school experiences, but on the inside are still 12! It's just so hard. God has been teaching me so much, it has challenged me in my ministry and allowed me to have awesome conversations with people and feel encouraged at the same time.
2. Brain Mclaren spoke at the first session. I read a book of his in college titled "Adventures in Missing the Point," I for the life of me can not remember thinking "This guy is crazy." Apparently, Mclaren is very controversial among the evangelical community. My boss Phil is a huge fan, so I was anxious to see what the big deal was about this guy?! Why is he so controversial? And he said nothing that made me think he is crazy or not a Christ follower. He makes people ask themselves hard questions. Why, as a church community, are we bickering over lame "rules" of the church, when the message of Christ is simple...
Matthew 22:37-39 "Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'[a] 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
Mclaren's point basically surrounded the idea that the church needs to start loving our neighbors, helping stop poverty, combat disease, bring justice to the injustices going on all over the world. I think this will describe it perfectly. I ran into someone I knew at the conference and asked if anyone else from their church was there. The response was this, "My senior Pastor wouldn't allow me to bring anyone because Brian Mclaren was speaking." Really?!?! That is exactly Mclaren's point, churches are focusing far too much on things that JUST DON'T MATTER and ignoring the real problems of the world.
ok, this is just half of day one...be back with more later...thoughts?
It was a great few days at the conference, the weather was terrible, but the conference and time with staff was wonderful. Here is what I learned and what happened....
1. One of the most exciting moments of the trip was at the registration table I ran into my junior high pastor (Mark Hadley), whom I haven't seen in about 10 years. He is still in youth ministry at Twin Cities Church, in Grass Valley, CA and his wife and kids are doing great!
The best part was that I was able to tell him what a huge impact he and his wife had on my life. That the reason I am in ministry investing my life into students is because he and his wife never gave up on me as a junior higher. It was a great reminder to me that when I get frustrated with whether or not students are understanding the message, I have to remember my own story. Also, what it says in 1 Corinthians 3:5-7..."After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow."
God causes me to be heavy burdened for my students, but ultimately there is nothing I can do through my human power to make students understand the awesome life that waits if they follow Christ, it is only God who can grow what I plant.
The Lord really rocked my world this week with this concept. It's interesting how HE gave me such a cool moment and then constantly was reminding me of it all week. It has been a really tough week in ministry. The burden for my students became almost too overwhelming to handle. Sometimes I wonder why God put the calling in my life to be in full-time ministry, why me? And how can I make sure that I am doing all that I can to reach todays youth and share the message of Christ's love, grace, and compassion for their lives when they just don't care about the future. I have been working with junior high students since I was 15 (junior leader) to now 25, 10 years. I always thought the Junior high world would never change. That no matter what, I would know what a 7th grade girl was going through. Within the last year, I have been bombarded with the idea that they are not the same as I once understood. Students are going through things that I didn't experience until high school or even college. My brilliant friend allison and I had an amazing conversation about this. We are dealing with students (me junior high) who on the outside are going through what a Junior/Senior in high school experiences, but on the inside are still 12! It's just so hard. God has been teaching me so much, it has challenged me in my ministry and allowed me to have awesome conversations with people and feel encouraged at the same time.
2. Brain Mclaren spoke at the first session. I read a book of his in college titled "Adventures in Missing the Point," I for the life of me can not remember thinking "This guy is crazy." Apparently, Mclaren is very controversial among the evangelical community. My boss Phil is a huge fan, so I was anxious to see what the big deal was about this guy?! Why is he so controversial? And he said nothing that made me think he is crazy or not a Christ follower. He makes people ask themselves hard questions. Why, as a church community, are we bickering over lame "rules" of the church, when the message of Christ is simple...
Matthew 22:37-39 "Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'[a] 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
Mclaren's point basically surrounded the idea that the church needs to start loving our neighbors, helping stop poverty, combat disease, bring justice to the injustices going on all over the world. I think this will describe it perfectly. I ran into someone I knew at the conference and asked if anyone else from their church was there. The response was this, "My senior Pastor wouldn't allow me to bring anyone because Brian Mclaren was speaking." Really?!?! That is exactly Mclaren's point, churches are focusing far too much on things that JUST DON'T MATTER and ignoring the real problems of the world.
ok, this is just half of day one...be back with more later...thoughts?
Saturday, April 12, 2008
woke up this morning to some sad news...
Biola University lost our former President. He was the President my entire time at Biola. He was a truly great, godly man!
I'm so sad!
I'm so sad!
Friday, April 4, 2008
John William Snyder - April 4, 1980
My sweet husband turns 28 today! He was born on good friday, 1980, how dang cute is he!
I hope that our kids look like John, he was such a darling little boy!
I love John because he has the most amazing servant heart. His desire to serve the Lord with his life shines through everything he does. He is such a great leader. I love that he has a large number of best friends! I think friends say a lot about a person, John is a great friend and has amazing friends!
I love John because he is such a team player and has such an amazing sense of humor!
I love that John loves his family so much! One of the first things I noticed about John was that he loved his parents dearly, and looked up to his older brother so much!
We have such a blast together!
John, I love you so much and am so blessed that I got to marry you! You are my best friend and I can't imagine my life with out you! I love every moment we spend together, pray together, and just share our lives together! Thank you for loving me unconditionally and fully. You're my favorite and I'm your biggest fan!
I love you,
Wife
I hope that our kids look like John, he was such a darling little boy!
I love John because he has the most amazing servant heart. His desire to serve the Lord with his life shines through everything he does. He is such a great leader. I love that he has a large number of best friends! I think friends say a lot about a person, John is a great friend and has amazing friends!
I love John because he is such a team player and has such an amazing sense of humor!
I love that John loves his family so much! One of the first things I noticed about John was that he loved his parents dearly, and looked up to his older brother so much!
We have such a blast together!
John, I love you so much and am so blessed that I got to marry you! You are my best friend and I can't imagine my life with out you! I love every moment we spend together, pray together, and just share our lives together! Thank you for loving me unconditionally and fully. You're my favorite and I'm your biggest fan!
I love you,
Wife
Thursday, April 3, 2008
I'm so excited!!
Look what I got to purchase for our ministry!!!
And... I get to be the official photographer...Wahoo!!!
Can't wait to snap some fantastic shots this weekend!!
And... I get to be the official photographer...Wahoo!!!
Can't wait to snap some fantastic shots this weekend!!
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