me, you, and Him

An eye for an eye, a tire for a side, a life for a life.

2009-09-25T22:02:00.000-07:00

An eye for an eye.

“Two wrongs don’t make a right!!” How many times have you heard your parents relentlessly preach this line?! My favorite reply was “Yeah, but three rights make a U-Turn!” (I thought my wit was outstanding… but I never let on that I, in actual fact, got that line from Bullwinkle, the monotone moose!) No matter how many times my parents reminded me, it took me many years to understand fully what this meant. Sure I knew my “bad” actions in response to my sisters’ taunts didn’t make the situation right… but I thought that it made me feel just a little better in the end. Now that I am 22 and directing a youth program for inner-city kids, I hear myself echoing the same line that was spoken over me many years ago. My relentless plea seems to dissipate into thin air because no matter how many different ways I hide the same line, they just don’t seem to get it!

Why?

At times this can be frustrating, but if I couldn’t grasp the application when I was young and living in a culture fairly saturated in good morals, how can a child living amongst crime, violence, hurt, and pain grasp the same concept?

A tire for a side.

Tonight a man in a building on my street was stabbed. Police cars and ambulances blitzed the scene. The flashing lights beckoned the neighborhood to come and see the “parade”. It was 11pm and young children, less than 5 years old, were watching as the officials dealt with the situation. They heard from the grapevine of bystanders of how a man was stabbed because he had earlier slashed the tires of his enemy’s car.

An eye for an eye… a tire for a side.

There was a buzz in the air. Not one of franticness, but of fascination. It was a reality show being played before their very eyes. And they ate it all up.

So did the little boy who may forever believe that when someone wrongs you, you must take severe action to prove that you will stand up for yourself, for your family, and for your 4 door station wagon.

A life for a life.

“The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; but I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10 (NIV)

The young boy who has the preconceived notion of “an eye or an eye” may one day end up in one of my youth programs. I will inevitably say to him “two wrongs don’t make a right”, but what his ears hear will be drowned out by the static of the world. The world is very real to these kids. It doesn’t short change them; it doesn’t hide who it is. So why do we candy-coat the gospel? Is it an attempt to sweeten their lips? To lure them in with shallow lessons?

“While we stand on our dignity, generations are going to Hell.” (Catherine Booth).

Let’s not compromise our passion for lost souls by being afraid to speak the truth. God’s Word is so powerful that it can cut to the heart (Acts 2:37). This world is real to these kids; we too need to be real.

Of course we need to sensitive to remember that there are times when a person cannot bear every gospel truth at once (John 16:12). However if we only ever feed our children the same gummy bear of truth; how will they ever stomach an everlasting gobstopper?

Let’s build up our young people with the truth of the Word of God so that they can be beacons of light to this world (Matthew 5:14). Beacons that draw a crowd not to simply spy into the situation at hand, but beacons that beckon the world to arms! To fight the good fight (1 Timothy 6:12) of faith for our God!

To stand up when others would rather sit idly by.

To stand out when others would rather blend in.

And to stand firm on the promises of God when everyone else turns away.

This is our mission; our life; our love.

There's no place like "home".

2009-05-19T12:38:00.000-07:00

Dorothy, in a land far away from home, clicks her heels together, closes her eyes and says the famous words “there’s no place like home, there’s no place like home.”
Home is one of those words that have a standard dictionary meaning, but it can mean so much more than simply “a place a residence”. When I think of “home”, a famous Australian movie quote comes to mind: “it’s not a house, it’s a home. And a man’s home is his castle.”

I have recently been appointed to Newport, Kentucky for my Railton Internship. It will be an exciting adventure and it will be where I can call “home” for the next 12 months. This past weekend I had the opportunity to say goodbye to my good friends in the Northern New England Division before I prepare to move to Kentucky… probably the furthest most point in the Eastern Territory from Maine! I drove away with watery eyes thinking how much it hurts to say goodbye to people when you leave home. I have many “homes” all over the world. There is of course my native home in Australia, there is my home in Toronto, Canada, there is my home at Camp Sebago, Maine, there is my home in Suffern, NY, and there will be my home in Newport, Kentucky! I realized that wherever I go, I will never actually be “home”. Even when I am in my most natural home in Australia, it still isn’t “home” because there are people and places that I love that are so far away and are so missed.

This thought alarmed me as I realized that being away from “home” is really quite lonely, but the Lord impressed on my heart that there was still one more home that I had forgotten about. I had an epiphany that my real “home” is the home I have waiting for me in Heaven. It will be a place that I will ultimately feel “home”. I won’t be longing for anywhere else. I won’t be in need. I will simply be home! This realization means that no matter where I go on this earth, I do not need to worry if at times I feel lonely or long to see my other homes again. I can rest assured that wherever I am God will keep me safe. He will be the one to make me feel loved and secure and at home with Him. I am blessed to know that wherever I go in this world there will be friends and family that love me, waiting to be a part of my home, wherever that place may be. However, He is the only one that can truly make where I am right now, my home. And I am forever grateful.

A new leaf...

2009-05-11T14:04:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been discovering more increasingly how great God’s plan is. I gaze back over my life and see that there has constantly been different times or eras or learning. At each new turn I have learned a new lesson. Sometimes it is a lesson I have never been taught before and other times it is a lesson that that I have known all along, but I have only just learned it in a deeper way. These lessons are the profound ones that have shaped who I am today.

The German language has two words for knowledge. The first involves head knowledge. This is something that you have been taught and you know in your mind to be true. The second, however, is to do with heart knowledge. This knowledge is something that you know deeper than a head knowledge, it is what you know, what you feel, what you have experienced, and what you know with all of your soul.

If I look back at the past few months I can easily see the two major lessons that God has been teaching me. One regards something I have known since I became a Christian, and the other is something completely new. The first is regarding Holiness, and the second is regarding God’s plan!

My year at Railton actually started off with me picking a bible story and theme that I wanted to work on for the rest of the year. I chose Moses and “God’s Plan for You”. Little did I know would I be learning more about God’s plan for ME, than I ever thought I would!

I have discovered countless reasons why God allowed me to return home last year. I have discovered countless reasons why I am in the current Railton class. I have discovered countless reasons as to why I am where I am. And these are just the reasons that I see. I am sure there are a million more reasons as to why God is doing what he is doing! We will never understand why God does what he does, especially when we are in the moment. But we can ALWAYS trust that his plan is greater than any plan that we could ever think of! It has happened to me countless times, and even if you haven’t realized it yet – it has happened to you!

I am extremely excited for the journey I am about to embark on in Newport, Kentucky. I am turning over a new leaf, but there is still a tree full of leaves that are turning without my knowledge. I am so glad God is in control! There is no better place to be than in His care!

SNE

2009-05-05T16:01:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we had the privilege of going to the Southern New England Division to host a Children’s Work and Programs Workshop. We also met with the RICONN group and helped them lead a Sunday Service and Carnival for the Willimantic Corps. I was fortunate enough to help one girl write her testimony to share in the Sunday service. This is something that I was asked to do on the last minute, but it was great not only to see that the RICONN student would willingly volunteer to give her testimony, but also that I was able to teach her how to do so without having to prep anything because I was able to use skills that I have picked up during the year to teach her.

Barbra Labracque gave permission for me to share her testimony with you.
“When I was growing up my parents would always fight and it ended in a divorce. After that I became mad because my family split apart and my life went downhill. I was failing most of my classes in school and several horrible events started happening that made me doubt how much God really loved me. I even stopped going to church.
But, then one Sunday morning I was watching T.V. and a commercial for a Gospel CD played. It was one of my favorite songs from church. That’s when I realized the life I was living wasn’t how I should. That morning I went back to church and devoted my life to the Lord.
Now, my grades are back up and I’m in a good school. My Mom has seen a big difference in me and she trusts me a lot now. The more I am in church the safer I feel. It’s like when you are two and your Dad has you on his shoulders and you trust him not to drop you. That’s how I feel. I feel as nothing can happen. That’s why I’m more involved in church than most of my friends want me to be. And that’s ok because I know I am with the Lord and I am having fun. But even if my past comes back or something bad happens, I know I can trust the Lord.
So if your down and life isn’t going well, turn to the Lord and he will help you. He is the only one who can turn your life around.”
Visiting SNE was a great experience. We were able to sow seeds in peoples’ lives and help a division to grow!

Holiness; a thing of the past?

2009-04-27T05:56:00.000-07:00

Holiness is one of those words that many see as “ancient”, as “a thing of the past”, and as something that is not relevant today. This, however, could not be further from the truth!

The story of the rich young ruler in Matthew 19:16-22 has helped me to understand this concept of Holiness a little better. In this story, Jesus challenges the man that if he wants to be ‘perfect’, he must sell his possessions and follow Jesus. Upon first reading this idea seems strange and irrational. How can we be perfect when Jesus is the only one who is perfect? And do we have to give everything away to the poor to become perfect? Does that mean I cannot own anything? These questions are all valid, but when we read into the passage a little further we understand that there is much more going on here.

First, Jesus is not speaking of earthy perfection; he is speaking of heavenly perfection. These are two completely different things! To the world, perfection means something that cannot be improved upon. It means unblemished, without flaws, absolute. If something is perfect then it does not make a mistake, right? Well perhaps not! Jesus is speaking to the man about heavenly perfection, which in essence means, “putting God first”.

Jesus told to sell all of his possessions and give to the poor and only then will be have treasure in heaven and be able to follow Jesus. The very next sentence tells us that the man went away sad because he has a lot of possessions. Jesus knew from the beginning that the man’s possessions were what were keeping him from putting Jesus first. However, it wasn’t the actual possessions or their cumulative wealth; it was the fact that the man was not willing to give all that up for the sake of Christ. He was not willing to put God first in his life.

What I also find interesting is that Jesus says the man cannot do any “good thing” to get eternal life and that there is only One who is good. If we think of it from an earthy perspective, it seems a lot easier to be good than to be perfect, but Jesus is challenging us to flip that theology! If we look up “good” in the dictionary there are many more definitions of what “good” means. To name a few it means, morally excellent, right, proper fit, kind, genuine, reliable, not spoiled or tainted, the list goes on. Now it seems that even being “good” cannot be achieved. What Jesus is trying to say here is that only God can truly fill all of these attributes. He is the only one that is always reliable, always honest, always there for you, always trustworthy, always God! It is that God that we should be putting first in our lives. Not our god of money, not possessions, not our talents, not our business, not anything else that could be in the way of putting God first.

The rich young ruler is a great example of how we need to put God first and many of us think that we are ‘ok’ because we don’t even have riches like that to give poor so what could possibly in the way of following Jesus. Well, it could be a little money, it could be television, it could be a relationship, it could be your job, it could be facebook; it could be anything. All of these things are good in essence, but when they become our ‘god’ then they have been corrupted. Are you willing to give up that thing in your life that is keeping you from living in the fullness of Christ? This isn’t a Lent decision, but a lifelong decision of consciously choosing to put God first in every area of your life. It is an everyday, every circumstance, every minute decision to take up you cross and follow Jesus.

We are challenged in life to ‘be holy as I [Jesus] am holy’ (1 Peter 1:15). To do this we must become ‘perfect’ by putting God first.

Lennox House

2009-04-20T05:57:00.000-07:00

This past week I had the opportunity to visit Lennox House. Lennox House is a government funded house, run by The Salvation Army, to house teen boys between the ages of 10 and 16 who are awaiting their court date. They are there for crimes that would normally have an older person sent to jail but because of their age they are tried through the family court.

This house comes with strict rules and ethics. There are many things that cannot come into the building such as: sharp objects, gang colored shirts, etc. For this reason each boy must wear a white shirt so as not to produce gang affiliation amongst the boys. Remarkably, the boys are quite well behaved and seem to have alot of respect for the people in charge of the program.

This program was great to see because it is ministry right where we need to be. Often times these boys could be seen as 'time wasters' or 'not worth the effort', but they are actually boys that are trying to succeed in life, but they don't know the best way to do this. They could have ended up in this house for a number of reasons, some of which may be out of their control. What we need to see in Christ's love for them which doesn't keep any record of wrongs and loves unconditionally. They need to know and understand the love of Christ, which is what will ultimately set them free show them how to succeed not in the ways of the world but in the ways of Christ.

Ministry Techniques continued.

2009-03-04T20:41:00.000-08:00

Each week at Ministry Site I learn a new technique; often a technique accidentally stumbled upon by circumstance. When working with urban kids there are challenges that need to be overcome. I do not want to make a generalization, but urban kids seem to have a hard time listening and following instructions. This could be caused by home life, relationships with peers and teachers, and the social culture attitudes that they are subject to every day. One thing is for certain, when you get a lot of kids together who have been in school all day and have been doing homework since school gets out; there will be chaos; but this chaos can always be constructive!

One thing I have learned this week is simply the importance of chairs! When playing games in the gym, I have found that having chairs around the walls of the gym helps to bring order! When we are playing a “last man standing” type of game, the kids are usually instructed to stand against the wall once they are out. This usually causes a huge ruckus, not because of sadness from getting out, but from being so antsy that they get over excited which causes an environment for bad behavior. However, when chairs were placed for the kids to sit in when they got out and cheer on the other kids, they were well behaved and excited to watch the game that was going on in front of them!

Another thing that I noticed today is that when you are having fun in the game, the kids have fun! It is funny to note that when we are really having fun, the kids know! This lifts the kids spirits and also lifts mine too!

Shh... the overused and overvalued technique

2009-03-01T15:42:00.000-08:00

This week I have been learning some new techniques for use in ministry and they both involved helping kids to be quieter when it is necessary.

The first is the use of quiet songs. Quiet songs with hand motions, such as God is Good to Me, is perfect for settling down kids after a fun and rowdy song! It is fun for the kids to try and hum the song and even do the song with only the hand motions. When we used this song today, you could have heard a pin drop!

The second is quieting down the kids when they are becoming rowdy and not listening and participating. I read that one youth worker, and I’m sure many have follow this, uses praise instead of discipline to help the kids be quiet. She praises the kids who are sitting quiet and listening and this inavertedly encourages those who are not listening to follow the example of the kids who are being praises for their actions.

I am excited to try out these techniques at this week’s ministry site to see how the song will work on a larger scale, and to see how the praise vs. discipline technique works!

Honoring Tradition

2009-02-17T12:47:00.000-08:00

This weekend I had the privilege of visiting and ministering at the Bellaire Corps in Ohio. I helped to teach the kids Sunday School class, lead worship in the holiness meeting and shared a Children’s Five also in the Holiness meeting.

The Officer in Bellaire is really great at working with kids. She does no advertising but somehow has a kids ministry that is constantly growing! The lesson she had planned was to do with giving your whole heart to Jesus. At the end of the lesson it was time to pray and she helped the kids to understand the importance of the mercy seat. The whole Sunday School class the kids would stand on the kneeling bench, laid down on it etc. They were not being disrespectful; they just did not know the importance of the mercy seat. Instead of reprimanding the kids for doing something they didn’t necessarily know was wrong, she waited until the end of the lesson for when it was time to pray. She described what the mercy seat was, why it was there and how we should use it and respect God by respecting it. She then asked all the kids to kneel at the bench and showed them how to pray there. I was then able to lead them in a special time of prayer.

This was a great experience for me! I believe we are able to teach the importance of tradition to kids and they can understand it! I want to try and incorporate using the mercy seat in our Children’s meetings at Wednesday ministry site. We are always encouraged to help kids make a decision, but it would be great for them to know that the mercy seat is a place they can come to pray and be prayed for. I believe this could build a great ministry!

First Night

2009-02-10T13:59:00.000-08:00

This week was the first week Team A did ministry in Newburg, NY. Newburg is known to be one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in New York, but if home to so many great children who want nothing more than a safe place to be!

This week I learned that quality is not dependent on location. Too often we think that anything will do when ministering to kids, but at Railton we learn that we need to give the best! Not just the best as in the most fun, but as in the most theologically sound, the best styles for kids to learn, the best of ourselves! And of course, we need to make it the best fun too! Just because we are not ministering in a rich, suburban neighborhood, doesn’t mean we don’t have to create a quality message!

I am really glad that our whole team has this same view! We are eagerly preparing for our next visit to Newburg on Wednesday, and we have already spent 12 hours together prepping the lessons, as well as time separately too! We are praying for God to really move in the kids hearts this week and that they would be open and responsive to the message that they can have ‘faith in the hard times!’

SAROL

2009-02-03T12:18:00.000-08:00

This Monday we had the privilege of attending SAROL – the Salvation Army Retired Officer League. This was a highly anticipated and encouraging day for all. It was really great to meet people that have gone before us in the mission field of the USA and overseas, and who are still engaged in evangelism and outreach today! It was great to hear brief, yet deeply encouraging stories about their days as corps officers, dc’s, dys’, and soldiers in the Salvation Army.

One quality that I noticed was that they each had their own personal ‘fire’ inside! The stories they told were about fighting for the Lord and winning souls for Jesus. I heard a couple stories about hard times, but each time these tales were told, they were told to glorify the cleansing work of Jesus Christ. I am sure they had many times in their past when they felt tired, exhausted, and possibly even burned out. However, they all seemed to find some fresh logs to put on the fire to keep burning for such a long time!

I had a great day and was encouraged immensely!

BT Kids!

2009-01-26T14:05:00.000-08:00

This past Sunday we went to Brooklyn Tabernacle to visit their church and Youth programs. It was very encouraging to meet youth worker volunteers who are so committed to changing the lives of churched and un-churched children in their community. They do this task with such passion and desire to see the word of the Lord in their hearts. The teachers were loved by both the students and the workers and volunteers of the church.
The 7-13yr old church service was one that worked so well. The workers were prepared and were energetic from before the kids walked in the door until after they left. They had a sincere heart to serve the Lord and I believe the kids saw the Lord reflected in their lives.
Overall I was encouraged to be more energetic , creative, and thoughtful in my ministry with children and youth, making sure that I think through every circumstance from their first arrival to how they leave. I also want to strive to be more hospitable in my actions and relations with people around me. As soon as we arrived we were welcomed as if we were a part of the family and I think if this model was intentionally used in our ministry, our services would be filled with people ready to receive from the Lord!
There are many things that I would like to see adapted into my ministry repertoire, including specific games, more diverse worship focused songs, and different ways of ‘rewarding’ those who can remember their memory verse. I don’t believe in always giving prizes for kids who can remember things because some kids have a hard time memorizing words and they should not be memorizing them for the prize, however the king and queen chairs were a fun and inclusive way of making the kids feel special.

Is your Inbox greater than your Outbox?

2009-01-19T16:57:00.000-08:00

The alarm goes off... wake up, shower, get dressed, eat breakfast, check my e-mail, go to the gym, do homework, run downstairs for class... oh, and spend time with God.

It's not just the mornings that tend to be busy, but our whole lives seem to be running on a tight schedule. There is alot to do and a little time to do it in and too often we neglect the things that don't seem as important. But since when is time alone with God lowest on the priority list.

I'm sure we can all remember a time when God was at the top of the "To Do" list, so to speak. But then one day you didn't get enough time to read your bible, then the next there isn't enough time for a hearty prayer, then all of a sudden you realize that you are running on empty. Not just empty physically, but empty spiritually.

This past week we were able to go to Reload, NYC. It was a time spent with 800 other youth workers from all over NY to "Reload" ourselves. It was such a positive experience to be able to feed on the word of God and wrestle with issues facing youths and youth workers today. The day lead me to ponder the question: "Is your Inbox greater than your Outbox?" In this I mean, Is your time spend getting ministered to larger than the time your minister to others. There is only so much we can give of ourselves before we lose ourselves. If we continue to give and give and give but don't leave time to receive from the Holy Spirit, all of our efforts will be in vain.

Sometimes it seems like there isn't enough time to spend a large chunk of it daily with God, but it is the ONE thing that will give us energy for our day!

A Red Bull energy drink only provides a shot of energy, but we will soon burn out. The Holy Spirit provides never ending gasoline for the fir to keep burning.

But I want to be Patient NOW!!!

2009-01-12T15:19:00.000-08:00

Patience is one of those things that we all want to have, but don’t particularly want to go through the process of receiving it! If can be a long and strenuous route, but it is funny how, with God, those things that takes the longest and are the hardest to get, are the most rewarding!
During my experience in the Railton class of 2008-2010 I endured a time of growing in patience. Through a long list of small mistakes of filing wrong forms and missing paperwork, I came to find that my visa application to continue studying at Railton was denied and I would have to return home to Australia during Preview Weekend in early February (when I found out it was January 26th!). It was something that I didn’t see coming, but once it hit it was like a semi-trailer with its high beam lights on! All of a sudden everything I knew was turned upside down and I would have to leave some of my best friends in a few days! Not only did I have to return to Australia, I had to wait to reapply for the next school year because I could not apply for the same visa again in the same school year! I thought that I would only be home 2-3 months before I would be able to return to visit my friends in NY and ME, and my sister in MN. Well, this wasn’t the case! It turns out that a denied visa is not looked upon with vigor when applying for another visa. A process that should have taken a few weeks to a few months took SIX MONTHS! It seemed like all I could do during this time was wait… and wait… and then wait some more. I did all that I could do, and the rest was in the hands of the American Government. However, the American Government was not the only one with my case in their hands; I was blessed to know and be assured and first and foremost, my case was in the hands of God! It was a long and grueling process of waiting, but I came to find that this was a part of God’s ultimate plan. Had I gone back to America early I would not have been able to spend the quality time with my friends and family at home and been able to impart a little Christ into their lives. Looking back I consider it with great joy that I was able to go through this process! I am currently back at Railton and could think of no better place for me to be at this exact moment. I am learning great truths and about the Lord and about my calling in Youth Ministry and loving every step of the way!
While I am still learning to be patient every day, I thank God that He was able to teach me true patience during this trying time. Even though I struggled and squirmed at first, I was able to rest in His loving arms and be truly comforted by His words: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).” In His arms there is no better place to be!

Integrity Bank

2008-11-26T10:24:00.001-08:00

Last night was our Railton Christmas party. We had food, gifts, but most importantly fun!

There was one gift that we all received, which was a personalized piggy bank, with "Integrity Bank" written on the side! To the un-Railtonized eye, this would look strange, but to us it was awesome!

For the past three months we have been closely focusing on Integrity and Living Above Reproach. It may be one thing to be doing the right thing, but if it looks to others that you are doing wrong things then things can get out of hand! I'm sure we remember the 'grape vine' or the 'gossip vine' from highschool, well this is what can happen if we do not make sure we are living above reproach.

Our Facebook's are a great example of where your integrity can be helped or harmed. If a friend of mine wrong something on my wall, even if it is innocent that sounds bad or they type an inappropriate word, then it is there for the whole world to see. If we were a prospective candidate for a youth worker job or any job for that matter, and our facebook or myspace account displayed things that were out of character, then the job can be in jeopardy.

Even though at times it can be really hard to make sure I am always living above reproach, it is something that I am striving for and each of the Railton classmates are helping each other along in this area.

I can hear the Jingle Bells...

2008-11-16T20:26:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving has not yet arrived, but already I can ear the sounds of Jingle Bells ringing! Christmas is definitely on it's way! The air is getting colder, the deserts are getting cinnamon-er and kettles are on the brain.

It is only a couple weeks till we are at our Winternships and getting into the Christmas chaos at our assigned corps. I have only been involved in one Salvation Army Christmas, and it was one of the most hectic times of my life! There were 100's of different agendas and things that needed to be accomplished, and not enought time to complete them! But, somehow they all got done. Somehow God in His infinite wisdom got it all together in time, no matter what the weather was like and how many people weren't at work today!

There is something about the Army that makes even the busiest, most hectic season worth while. I think what is was was the opportunity to witness and share the gospel to so many families in the area! The Christmas season is such a gift and yet it can be so easy to cringe when the K word is mentioned. But, if kettles weren't out every year, then we also would not see the smiling faces of families who get a helping hand throughout the year.

Maybe I wont get as much sleep this season as any other, maybe the snow will come and buffet plans that are made. But whatever is thrown my way it will not compare to the joy that is found in serving the Lord!

Mining for Diamonds

2008-11-16T20:19:00.000-08:00

On Oct 31st and Nov 1st the Railton Team was able to take a day trip to the Metro Ministries in Brooklyn. This was my second time seeing the ministry and it was an overall great experience. The ministry was thriving with people from all over the world giving up their time to volunteer with the program. The program is highly volunteer based, but still has so many people willing to help.

One thing they did that I really liked was the truck ministry. I would really love to utilize this plan when I get into my youth worker position. It would definitely be a struggle to pull off but I think with some tweaking of ideas it was be possible! The truck would be the biggest obstacle being that money is not limitless, but the principle of the ministry is there! Go to where the kids are and being fun, games, and the gospel. It was awesome to be involved in going and doing advertising when the kids were getting out of school. It is a prime time to get their attention. Too often we think of putting up flyers and speaking to assemblies, but the best thing to do it word of mouth and telling the kids, getting them pumped up and excited!

The kids seemed to learn so much from these programs and I am excited to incorporate them into my ministry.

A bit of the past...

2008-09-28T23:27:00.000-07:00

This is an assignment that was given to our Teaching and Learning class. We were asked to take a Salvation Army Doctrine, explain it, and apply it to our lives. While writing this paper I was able to remember more clearly the occasion of my salvation, and was then able to understand more things that I had not noticed before. I thought I would put this here to give you a bit more of an understand of my past.

Doctrine Six of The Salvation Army states: “We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has by His suffering and death made atonement for the whole world so that whosever will may be saved.” This Doctrine clearly communicates to the reader that they must make a personal choice to be saved, and this can only come through acknowledging Jesus Christ as dying to save us. It also tells a person that every individual has the opportunity to choose (“whoever will”) and it isn’t just for the ‘chosen’ few. We become aware that in everyday life we can trust in only the Lord always for our salvation, and not on our own works and deeds!
As individuals our daily faith is dependent on the truth that Jesus Christ made atonement for the sins of the world and prepared, through Himself, the only way to the Father. We must remember continually that no works and no other man will be able to provide our salvation. Every day we must also confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, so that our faith in Him will mature. I can also refer do the 9th Doctrine which states: “We believe that continuance in a state of salvation depends upon continued obedient faith in Christ”. This Doctrine follows on from Doctrine 3 as it teaches that we must continually confess and be obedient in our faith of Jesus Christ as Lord, in order to live in the constant state of salvation. We must not look to others gods, people, things or tasks; we must only set our eyes Jesus Christ.
This Doctrine holds deep meaning in my life because it contains truth that I did not understand before the point of my salvation. At a young age I always believed in Christ, but I thought that to be a ‘good Christian’ one simply had to do ‘good things’! Reading and understanding this doctrine in my life taught me that the only way to the Father is in acknowledging that Jesus’ death and resurrection is the crucial element in our salvation. I could no longer just half heartedly believe in my mind that He was Lord, but I had to confess with my mouth and my life that He is my Savior! I remember the point of my salvation clearly. I was 14 years old when I attended a week long YWAM camp, and it was the last night before we went home. This was the night that the leaders offered a chance for salvation through Jesus Christ. I vividly remember the call going out once, twice, three times. Each time more and more people would stand to their feet in front of their peers. Even though I wanted with all my strength to stand, I could not; something was holding me back. After the meeting I was speaking with a new friend I had met that week, and while we were discussing salvation and what it was that was in my way, stopping me from committing my life to Jesus Christ, I realized that it was the belief that Jesus actually did die and rise again for the salvation of the world. At that moment my life changed and it was no longer just a story without meaning, but it was a profound truth that penetrated my soul. That night, in front of my peers, knowing I would have to tell my family I made this ‘strange’ choice to follow Christ, I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior! I remember sobbing and sobbing. Not because I was hurt, but because I was saved; because I had made the conscious choice to accept the Salvation by grace that had always been available to me! I am saved today because I know with all I am, that Jesus Christ suffered and died for me, and because I am living in constant faith to this truth!

Writing this assignment impacted me greatly and i hope that it can inspire you to look back to your salvation to ascertain some truths that you have not yet discovered.

"The fruit of the Spirit's not an apple"

2008-09-20T14:32:00.000-07:00

How is it that a menial task for some, can be such an exciting experience for another?
Last week I went fruit picking with some Railtons. It was something that we had planned to do the week earlier but due to hurricane, we had to stay home. We had be pumped for this for weeks and so when we finally got to go we were so excited! We piled into a van and drove an hour and a half to an orchard near Woodstock! When we got there, it looked like we were in heaven!

We drove in and went deep into the orchard, tasting a few varieties on the way. (we were hoping to remember which ones we liked on the way back!) We stumbled across some that we really liked and all of a sudden we were picking like crazy! Running up and down the isles of apple trees searching for the perfect fruit! We would make ourselves stop and drive to get different apples. Someone would soon spot the perfect looking apple trees and we would be off again, racing to pick the cream of the crop! We did the for hours until our stomachs were craving some real sustenance, so we opened the back of the car to discover sooooo many apples! We weren't too sure what we would do with them all bu had big dreams for anything and everything apple you could imagine!

There was one particuar type of apple we were very proud of. It was half a rough yellow, and half a bright red. A little discussion and we realized it must be a hybrid of a pear and an apple! What a find! Two tastes which were SO delicious! We get to the gate and eagerly ask the owner if we were correct in our findings but she told us that they were frost bitten apples!

I think if we surveyed evey apple we picked that day we would never be able to find 'the perfect' apple! They were all great in their own way, but I could never decide! We had thought that the Papple (pear apple) was the greatest, but then we were told it was one of the rejects! I think sometimes we try and find the best Sunday School program, or the best worship CD, or the best Bible Application. We could look all day and still need to search! Youth Work is about giving your best, but it's not about being THE best! It is extemely important to research and study and do you best work, but in the end it is God who moves hearts! We could put on the greatest VBS of all time and not see any kids saved if we don't put God at the front of it all.

So i need to remember to work hard, and to give it my all, but always remember to let God move!

Pray Without Ceasing.

2008-09-12T10:53:00.000-07:00

My second Railton experience has begun and I am two weeks into one of the craziest experiences that anyone could have! And I love it! Before coming to to Railton this year, I spend a lot of time praying and pondering about what this year would bring. I had concerns that I would constantly compare the two Class years, but after all my worrying it has come to be that this 'comparing' has not been an issue at all. From the first day I could clearly see that both Classes that I am a part of are different and unique in their own ways and I could never love one more!

One characteristic that I have noticed in the past two weeks is that our group loves to pray! Now I am not saying that the '07 class didn't or didn't like to pray, but prayer has been at the forefront of many things we do during the day. This last week we collectively spend 16 hours and 15 mins in the Boiler (Prayer) Room praying to God. This was not something that we were required to do or something that felt like a chore, but was something that we desired to do as a part of our everyday lives!

Prayer is such an important part of our lives and it is something that can be done anywhere! We don't need a Boiler Room to pray in, but it definately is beneficial as a place to go and be only with Christ! It is an amazing experience that can be surpassed by none.

"I have THREE bathrooms in my house"

2008-01-21T23:21:00.000-08:00

What have a learned about myself and my faith?

It is a Wednesday evening and I am sitting (well actually standing and jumping) in a praise meeting in the Valesburg corps in Newark, NJ.

Someone stands up to give their testimony and, as my title notes, they explain that they have Three bathrooms in their house! It was a testimony of how God has bought this person from rags to 'riches'. Now not riches in the sense of superstar glory and riches, but they found their riches in having three bathrooms in their house.

Now I don’t know about you, but when I thank God for what he has done for me, I don't regularly remember to thank him for an abundance in toilets... actually, I don't think I ever have thanked him for a toilet. But what I learned this Wednesday in Newark is that I need to remember to thank God for the little things that I take for granted. How often do I ask God for huge things, and then He does them, and then I forgot to thank him?!, let alone thanking him for the little things that I expect out of life!

Since coming to Railton, I have been making a conscious effort to try not to complain about silly little things. I think this was God's way of saying to keep it up!

So as for me and my bed, desk, bathroom and kitchen... we will serve the Lord!

when the C:drive saved my life.

2008-01-14T20:23:00.000-08:00

What have I learned about a Church community? Hmm… what haven’t I learned?! Well, specifically in the past week I have learned A LOT! I love my ministry team and I love our site. We get to speak into children, teen, and adult lives every week… and while we are there to minister to others, every time I walk away feeling like I have received so much more than I could ever give.

This week, however, I have learned a lot about how I impact the Church community that I live and work in. Newark NJ is one of those places that I cant get enough of. Even though every time I go to Newark I feel like I could sleep for days afterwards, the Lord continually shows me how the people there give me so much strength. Lately I have noticed that I am not putting in enough effort into giving as much as effort into preparation as I possibly could have. While it is easy enough to quickly go online and get a quick lesson to give to the kids, how much will this really impact the kids lives if I first haven’t let it impact my life and spent quality time working on it so that the kids can get as much out of it as possible. Leaving it to the last minute does not give me enough time for prayer and full devotion to the lesson. Not only is the lesson going to suffer a lack of preparation, but being unprepared shows that I am not committed to Newark and the great opportunities that the Lord gives me there.

This is one major factor that I have not only learned this last week, but also I have learned and let sink into life during my time at Railton. I began to see the fruits of this while I was on internship in Berlin, NH. Being prepared was on of the best lessons I learned and put into practice during that time and I am so grateful that I let this become part of my ministry.

Of course there are times that things come up at the last minute and sometimes we don’t have as much time to prepare as we would like to… but now I know if you put in the work early then you will always have a support filed away on your C:drive. :)

And…….. SEND!