Friday 5: 5 Thoughts

Thought #1 - I think I am officially coming out of the most emotionally trying season of my life.  To be honest, I think I'm a better person because of it (mainly because it's knocked a lot of pride and selfishness out of me).

Thought #2 - I have an incredibly sweet daughter.  We've walked through some "terrible 3s" (the 2s were a breeze), but she is showing us a caring and generous spirit on multiple fronts.

Thought #3 - We often overestimate Satan's power, but significantly underestimate his tactics.  We're doing a 3 week Wednesday series called "The Spirit Realm" in Senior High.  We're doing a Sunday Morning Senior High elective on Spiritual Warfare.  As I refresh and study both, I'm reminded there is an unseen war taking place.  The battle is really already won if we let it, but we often don't.

Thought #4 - I work with an amazing team at NMC.  I'm especially appreciative of the work ethic and team mentality of those I share an office section with (The Student Minsitries and Young Adult Staff).

Thought #5 - I can't wait to play catch with my son.
 

Friday 5s: 5 Current Top 5s

5 Current Favorite TV Shows:

1. Community
2. Conan
3. Chuck
4. The Cape
5. The Mentalist
   *oddly 4 of the 5 start with a "C"

Top 5 Bands/Artists I'm Currently listening to:

1. Gungor
2. He Is We
3. Snow Patrol
4. Jon Foreman
5. Chris Tomlin

Top 5 Current Foods:

1. Chips and French Onion Dip
2. Footlong Chicken Bacon Ranch on Flatbread (at least till March 1)
3. McDonalds Cherry Pies
4. Bruno's Pizza
5. Jimmy John's Subs

Top 5 Current Prayers to God:

1. You are God. I am not. Don't let me get the two mixed up.
2. Teach Katylynn to love You and love others.
3. Provide every need in Moses's life right now.
4. Grant me wisdom and courage
5. Thank you.

Top 5 Current Activities with Katylynn:

1. Singing Songs
2. Reading
3. Dancing
4. Playing Hide and Seek
5. Disciplining her (groan, but reality)

Friday 5: Big Deals

Five Big Deal Events Coming up:

1. Adoption Silent Auction: It starts tomorrow. 50+ items are up for bid on Janelle's blog. We recently decided that we will be giving 10% of proceeds to a Kids In Need project and 90% will go toward our international adoption.
2. SOAR Retreat: There will be 9 College Age Guys and Gals who join our Staff this weekend. The SOAR Interns will be working with Children's Ministry, Student Ministries, and Worship. Monday evening, we take off for Michigan with this group to get them ready for a Summer that could very well change their life.
3. K.I.N. Celebration: Next Wednesday we put a "closing" on our school year that has been dedicated to Kids In Need. How did we gain and give, and how are we going to now live because of Kids In Nee.
   
4. I'm With Coco in Chicago: Janelle and I will be heading to Chicago next Thursday-Friday as a late celebration of our 10th anniversary. We will be seeing Conan O'Brien at the Chicago theater and staying at a hotel on the Magnificent Mile. Great times.
5. Communication Workshop: May 24-26, I'll be taking the SOAR Interns through some communication training.

Insanely busy, but really exciting.

Friday 5: Female Faith Stories

1. The Sophomore Girls Small Groups: Last Wednesday I walked past Tonya's Sophomore Girls Small Group room. She was laying out bright yellow t-shirts with no print on them. I asked her what they were for and she let me know that Stacy and her group had all been doing research on trafficking in the United States. That night they were going to each design their own shirts by writing facts and statistics they had learned. They were then all going to wear their shirts to school on the same day in an effort to spread awareness. BOO YA!
2. Kristen heads to Kenya with me as a part of our Kids In Need focused IMPACT team. Kristen is a fantastic artist who decided to do something unique for her Senior art project that showed me how she has grasped the heart of Kids In Need. Check out this article on how a student who may be labeled "the least of these" made a profound impact on Kristen here. BOO YA!
   
3. Brittany is a part of the same IMPACT team heading to broke her fibula 4 weeks ago when she slipped on the ice. In the emergency room, the doctor explained the surgery that was going to happen and how she was going to be completely off that foot for 8 weeks. Brittany is in a spring Soccer league and was looking to run track. Her parents told me she held up fine until the Doc left the room and then she lost it. Worried that she was upset about missing on the sports, they were surprised to hear Brittany ask through the tears, "Does this mean I won't be able to go to Kenya?" Well, not only is Brittany going to navigate Kenya between a wheelchair and crutches, she has figured a way to perform her part in the evangelistic drama we do while hopping on one leg. BOO YA!
4. Katherine: Moved by the challenge of Karl Black to live with a heart of generosity toward the marginalized, Katherine and a friend sought to reach out to the lonely at her school. Through trial and error, they came up with an idea to bless those who are investing in them at the school. It's an awesome story worth reading from her perspective here. BOOOO YAAA!
5. Mackensey is a grade schooler whose big brother is heading to Mexico this Summer on an IMPACT trip. Along with her friend Hannah, they are wanting to organize a garage sale and give all the money they make to help pay the expenses for his brother's team. That's right, I said grade school. BOOOOOOOOO YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
   

Friday 5: K.I.N. Films

Gaining awareness has been a big deal as we are taking an entire school year to seriously address Kids In Need. I have spent a lot of time reading, listening and watching in an effort to become more cognizant of what human rights issues are taking place around the world. There are various films/documentaries/ film series that have been very valuable for me. I share my top 5 (in no particular order).

1. Slumdog Millionaire: It's a Hollywood Movie with a goal for entertainment, but man this film messed with me. Seeing the lives of 3 children living the streets of India was a real catalyst for me to begin diving deeper to separate fact from fiction.
   
2. Invisible Children: Rough Cut: Three friends set out to find a story in Africa after graduating from college. What they came upon was an untold story with the Ugandan Civil War that is now being told on high school and college campuses all over the nation.
   
   tons more information about Invisible Children here.
   
   
3. Baht: The story of Sophea, a Thai teenage girl trying to put the pieces of her life back together after she was trafficked to Cambodia and forced into prostitution.
   (purchase movie here)
   
   
4. Glue Boys: Just watched this one today. It's a documentary on street kids in Kenya who have become addicted to sniffing glue in order to ease the hunger pangs and find some comfort in their life. It's also the story of how this glue gets to the kids. Our IMPACT Baby Center team will be watching this before we head to Kenya.
   
   Buy the movie here
   
   
5. Invisible Children Bracelet Videos: What makes these videos so powerful is that they connect an American to a Ugandan Child. You hear and see 5 different Ugandan kids' stories through the mouths and eyes of 5 different Americans who travel to meet them. It humanizes all involved and inspires me to do something not because I see a "project", but because I see a "person."
   
   
   

Friday 5s

Current 5 favorite TV Shows:

1. LOST
2. Community
3. The Office
4. Chuck
5. Around the Horn

5 current favorite Websites:

1. facebook.com
2. cbssportsline.com/fantasy
3. youversion.com
4. helpingkidsinneed.com
5. derryprenkert.com (what can I say, I'm a narcissist)

5 current favorite Words:

1. Affinity
2. Legacy
3. Volunteer
4. Inductive
5. Excrement (just makes me laugh)

5 Current favorite foods:

1. Wheat Thins
2. Cherry Coke Zero
3. McDonalds Cherry Pies
4. Orville Redenbacker's Movie Theater Butter Popcorn
5. Ice Cream (My slogan: "There's always room for Ice Cream")

5 Current Great things about Katylynn:

1. She is making herself laugh.
2. When she cries, she makes a really cute face.
3. She gets so excited she screams, and it's actually a nice scream (if that's possible).
4. She has shown compassion on several occassions.
5. She can quote her Curious George book.

1 Not-so Great thing: The extremely smelly diaper she has as she plays beside me.


5 Current Great things about my Wife:

1. Her continual pursuit of her emotional, physical and spiritual health.
2. Her unbelievable patience with her daughter and husband.
3. Her amazingly unselfish love and support of NMC students.
4. Her ability to laugh at herself.
5. She's pretty stinkin' hot, gorgeous, good-looking, beautiful (you name the attractive word, she's got it).
   

Friday 5: Why I Need Vacations

After a nice long break from blogging, I'm going to attempt to revive a few of the weekly features...

Janelle, Katylynn, and I returned last Saturday from a nice, long family vacation in Florida. Janelle and I both agree it was the best to date as far as enjoyment and memories. An easy going but explorative 2 year old will do that to you. While there, I was reminded how important vacation time is for me. Both short overnight or weekend getaways, or long term megacations (as I've began to call them). Here's 5 reasons I need vacations:

1. I can unplug... literally: I've made it a point with vacation time to cut back my interactive electronic in and output. Pretty much every trip includes a break from facebook and blogging. This time, we left the computer at home, I pretty much turned off my phone (except at Disney for taking pictures and communicating with Janelle). It's good to get away from this stuff (I almost typed "junk").
2. I can get away from "work": I love my job. I actually love it because of the people I'm around and the cause we are working toward. At the same time, it can be exhausting and frustrating. I do believe there is deep truth to the statement, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder", but only when it's something or someone you are truly fond of. Vacations remind me that I LOVE what I do.
3. I'm not THAT important: I talk to Youth Pastors often who say, "I can't find the time to get away with all the expectations on me at the church." I find this nearly laughable. I want to say back, "You know, you're not that important. If you are that important, something is wrong." I was frantically working to get everything lined up for while I was gone. We had some pretty significant programming and events (specifically the Hoops of Hope Event) while I was gone. You know what? It all happened while I was gone. In fact, I sat in our staff youth staff meeting and reviewed a ton of details with the team. I came to the conclusion I could probably take the rest of the week off.
   
4. Total Focus on Family: Janelle often tells me, "I love vacations because I get all of you." I 100% agree. For 12 days it was Janelle, Katylynn and Derry. That was pretty much it. In those 12 days, we ran into one person we knew, and it was for 15 minutes. Think about that, when was the last time you and your family were able to spend extended time with each other and not see someone else you knew. There's something really good about that.
5. Creating Memories: On Tuesday, Jan. 25, Janelle and I joined Katylynn as she chased after seagulls along the beach.
   On Wednesday, Jan. 27 7:30 a.m. I sat on a balcony with my daughter in my lap and watched the sunrise (the first time I have ever just sat and watched a sun rise).
   On Thursday, Jan. 28, I sat on a balcony and recounted some of the major milestones and memories with Katylynn thus far.
   On Friday, Jan. 29, I sat at an awesome restaurant looking out at Cinderalla's castle while my wife and daughter sat across from me, and I had one of those, "I am ridiculously blessed" moments.
   On Saturday, Jan. 30, I watched my wife face her fear of heights and water as she went para sailing.
   On Sunday, Jan. 31, I watched my little princess talk with Princess Belle.
   On Thursday, Feb. 4 I watched my daughter play with 2 Japanese gals (could only speak broken English) who were so taken by Katylynn that they decided to give her a little Mickey Doll.
   I love making memories and creating "moments"... vacations are like steroids for this.
   
   

Friday 5s

5 moments that made me laugh this week:

1. Sunday: When Cody Cline suggested we use "space wagons" to collect the change given to Kids in Need (he meant Radio Flyer).
   
2. Monday: Lunch with Corey Mann. The guy is just fun to be around.
3. Wednesday: When the video I was making froze as I put in the last frame (it wasn't a very joyful laugh).
   
4. Thursday: Watching Katylynn go down the big slide at Bremen Bounce.
5. Thursday: 30 Rock and the Office. I hadn't seen either episode last season, and both had me rolling.

5 moments that that pumped me up this week:

1. Sunday: (Kids In Need Meeting, Senior High Gathering, and worship service) It was one of the mornings where I walked away loving what I was doing and seeing a great year ahead.
2. Monday: Re-watching the Rwanda Highlight video and realizing we took part in a huge Kingdom work.
   
3. Wednesday: When Caleb Bislow gave a standing ovation (through Skype) to the Junior High students who listened to God's voice concerning Rwanda.
4. Wednesday: Watching the video explaining Kids In Need (the one that froze, but I was able to finish) and knowing that we can and will do something to make a difference.
   
5. Friday: 40 minutes ago. Walking out of the NorhtWood Football Chapel. These guys are a team, and their pride is not in themselves, but they are proud of their teammates.

5 people who I was very encouraged by this week:

1. Janelle
2. Dan
3. Dave
4. Cindi
5. Dustin

5 Things I'm looking forward to next week:

1. Sunday: Team-teaching with Pastor Dave. Haven't done it before, and I'm excited about what we're covering.
2. Sunday: Geoff is taking the reigns with Senior High Gathering that morning, and it's gonna be some great stuff!
   
3. Wednesday: Fall Kickoff. It's gonna kick!
4. Saturday (not tommorow, next): Disc Golf marathon. 5 courses with 5 friends. Gonna be a great day!
   
5. All Week: I'm in between books, and I started a new journal. Two things where I love the early discovery phase.
   

Firday 5/ Micheal Jackson Memories

1. First Grade. Ryan Hartman (2nd Grade) brought a boom box to school. During recess, the entire 1st through 3rd grade gathered around him as he hit "play" on his tape recorder. The voice coming from the speakers was, I thought, pretty cool. "Who is she", I asked my friend. "That's not a she," he said. "It's Michael Jackson... You know, Thriller?"
2. Friday Night. I'm not sure what year it was, but I was spending the night at Chad Metzger's house. None of us had cable. We stayed up late to watch "Friday Night Videos". We watched the "Bad" Video that night. I think it was my first music video.
3. Hard Rocker. I really got into collecting music in High School. My tape collection started off with Rap, but quickly became uninteresting. Soon, my collection was marked by the rockers of the late 80s and early 90s... Aerosmith, Scorpions, Firehouse, Def Leppard, John Mellencamp, Nelson, Extreme (getting the picture?) Michael Jackson's Dangerous made it through on this collection somehow, and spent much of my Sophomore year in the car stereo.
4. Oprah. Oprah's 1993 interview with Michael was when I realized there was something really "off" about the Pop icon. Unfortunately, the majority of my memories of Michael are marked by these oddities.
5. Text Message. On the way home from Detroit yesterday, I got a text message from Janelle with 4 simple words that made me stop and think of the previously mentioned memories... "Michael Jackson is dead."
   

Friday 5: This Week in Twitter

I'm slowly getting sucked into Twitter world. I got it last year to use for our Missions Trip and Summer Camp. In January, I synced up Twitter and Facebook, and added twitpic. This month, I caved and set a few (only three at this point) users to send updates to my cell phone.

I love it for the way we're using it with our trips. I also love it when individuals post a great one liner, or a profound that that makes me go "hmmmm."

I don't like the narcissistic feel to it all (but hey, I've got a blog where I post my thoughts for the world to see, as if my thoughts are that important).

Anyway, here's my five favorite Tweets I read this past week.

1. carriebad Told 1st grades about the stormy boat in Scripture, little boy walks up, really serious, and says...."That was frickin awesome! I love you!
   (Carrie is working with our NMC 1-4th Grade kids camps this week)
   
   
2. NMC_GO Wow! Major Move last night of Holy Spirit! New blogpost to tell some about it Make sure you send your word of encouragement by 3:00PM today!
   (The move of the Holy Spirit part is what pumped me up!)
   
   
3. janelleprenkert Active day with Derry and Katylynn. Bike ride, sprinkler, sandbox, bath, then softball game. I LOVE THURSDAYS!!
   
   
4. scottengbrecht If they had to choose, I'd rather have people go to a community-based event over a church event. It's missional living.
   (This tweet sparked a little discussion between Scott & I, which was cool as I found someone wrestling and processing through some similar angst)
   
   
5. mynameiscorey "diarrhea from unclean water is the No. 1 killer for African children under age 5." U can still donate, details at www.mynameiscorey.com
   (Corey's in the midst of an effort to raise support for blood/water mission, which provides clean water and other support in Africa)
   

Friday 5: Pray

5 people/groups with ties to NMC Senior High you should be praying for:

1. Kalyn Lantz - She's currently in Nepal working with Tiny Hands international, a ministry that reaches out to those who orphans, street children, and the victims of the sex-trafficking industry. Kalyn is an NMC graduate, and I believe God wants to use her over the month she's there, as well as prepare her for even more ministry like this.
2. Taylor Lincoln - Taylor has been in Mexico for the past 4 months with Dayspring Ministries. She had been in a remote area of Mexico (sleeping in a hammock, 110 degree heat) doing ministry. She is currently in Texas recovering from getting really sick. Pray for healthy recovery for Taylor so she can get back on the field!
3. Dustin Eby and Caleb Bislow - a.k.a the Rwanda Exodus Conference. These two are flying out today for Rwanda. They'll be working with Joseph Karsanyi, a Rwandan pastor who has gathered together 25 teams of church planters and evangelists who will go out to the remote and unreached areas of the country in an effor to start a disciple-making movement. Read more about how to pray here.
4. Katie Lengacher - Katie, a Senior at NorthWood, will be leaving in a few short days for the jungles of Peru, where she will be working with Adventures in Missions for one month. While there, she will be partnering with some very remote churches to share Christ's love in the villages and jungle area. She will be there a full month.
   
5. PhillyGO - This team of 22 students and 6 leaders will be traveling to Philadelphia, PA. They will be coming alongside various churches and minsitries in that city and developing relationships with the hopes of sharing Christ's love. They leave tonight. Follow along and keep updated on how to pray at the PhillyGO twitter page.

I love the fact that Nepal, Rwanda, Peru, and Philadelphia will all be touched for the Kingdom of God through NMC Student Ministries in this next week alone!

Friday 5: Movies

I've seen Wolverine, Star Trek, and Terminator Salvation. Star Trek was by far the best and Wolverine was by far the worst.

Here's 5 more Summer flicks I'm most looking forward to...

Friday 5 +10 Years In: 5 Boo Yas!

Last Friday I shared 5 heartbreaks. With "5 Boo Yas" I'm highlighting students I've seen live out our mission of moving from "Religion to Relationship to Spiritually Reproducing". These are 5 of many stories, in no particular order:

1. Brad, Chad, and Justin: These three Fairfield boys came through our ministry. They were a hanful. Brad is currently the lead pastor at NLF Church (our Lagrange Video Venue), Justin is a youth Pastor in Dodge City, and Chad is the Youth HCC (our Mishawaka video venue). Here's their story on video we shot in May 2007.
   
   
2. David and Andrea: They met in our youth group, fell in love, and got married (after college, of course). What's more important is that these two loved Jesus before they fell in love. They still love Jesus and are living out the Kingdom here on earth in countless ways. Dave is ridiculously intelligent. Andrea is one of the most compassionate people I've ever met. Currently they reside in Mishawaka and are actively involved with Keller Park Church in South Bend where they are seeking to be agents of transformation in that community. I'm sure the path ahead will include a length of time in another culture as well.
3. Ben: Ben always doubted himself and his salvation, yet he continued to dive in with us during his High School years. Driving from Bourbon, he brought a lot of new students along with him by the time he graduated. Several of those students encountered Christ in a major way. I got a message from him on Facebook the other day letting me know he is working with a wilderness camping ministry, and may be heading to New Zealand in order to work with a Christian Environmental group.
4. Sara: Sara is currently ending her Sophomore year at Purdue. She is going into clothing design. As she's been at Purdue, she has gotten very involved with Navigators, a fanastic descipling ministry. She also is diving into the lives of students through Young Life. I just got a message from her on Facebook two days ago, that was very cool. She's pursuing God as she goes forward.
5. Alyssa: Alyssa is heading into her Junior year at Bethel and she currently works with our Junior Highers. This post she recently put on her blog got me fired up, and as I read it, I said to myself, "That's what it's all about!"
   

That's just 5. There are many more that could be highlighted, and that's what it's all about. Not just changed lives... but changed lives who are now reaching out to see more changed lives. I love what I do. I look forward to 10 more years!

Friday 5 + 10 years: Heartbreaks

5 major Heartbreaks I've dealt with in the 10 years I've been Youth Pastor:

1. Facebook Photo Albums: They graduate and move on. I pull open a facebook album and see the red cup, the pasty eyes. Or I see the scantily clad Spring Break photos with captions like "I kind of remember that night" or "I'm glad I brought protection".
2. The Voicemail: I returned from India to get a voicemail from a "concerned parent" who was upset over something very miniscule. The voicemail proceeded to last about 2 1/2 minutes as I found out where our priorities were out of whack, why nobody wants to come to our youth group, and why they changed churches. Voice mail done. No name, no way to really figure out who it is. The heartbreak wasn't that I felt like a failure, the heartbreak was that this mom had so missed the point.
   
3. The Attendance Roster: We'll regularly sit down and clean out our attendance rosters of students who no longer attend. We remove way too many who've decided they don't have time for a Church body to tie into.
4. The Parents Who Chose the Broom: This one has played out multiple ways at multiple times. The girl who started having sex with her boyfriend. They guy caught at the party and facing a sports supsension. The girl talking to mom and dad about getting molested as a child. Mom or Dad, or even Mom and Dad decide it be best to just do everything to keep it quiet over dealing with the situation at hand. Image trumps efforts toward restoration. Grab the broom and brush under the rug.
5. Chris: He was an 8th grade student when I first got here. I remember I had a real desire to see him connect with God. The last time I talked to Chris was his Senior year, and he was all excited about moving to Indianapolis with his brother and earning a bunch of money. 3 months later, he was brutally murdered in a drug deal gone wrong. It was the first funeral I ever did.

Why would I start with this? Because ministry is filled with disappointment and heartbreak. It's a reality you face. It can easily be taken personally, but as I told a group of Bethel students two weeks ago, the only disappointments and heartbreaks you should take personally are your personal failures. The others are outside your control.
They still hurt, but I'm grateful I've got the Almighty Creator as a partner in this thing.

Friday 5: Things I'm going to do

My wife and daughter are heading up to Michigan with my mom, neice, and sister-in-law for a women's weekend away. I'm bachelor for the weekend. Here's what I plan to do:

1. Watch at least 2 movies in the theater that Janelle wouldn't ever want to watch.
2. Eat only foods that come out of a can or a freezer.
3. Sleep.
4. Play some softball.
5. Get a little lonely, because I'm not a bachelor anymore, and I kind of like the two ladies in my life.
   

Friday 5: Strong Opinions

1. The NBA Playoffs are a joke. The finals won't actually start for another 40+ days.
2. The celebration surrounding graduating Seniors is great, but may be one step too close to worship.
   
3. Far too many Christians are living by the slogan "In Fox News We Trust." (actually, you could replace Fox New with "Glen Beck", "Rush Limbaugh", "Rob Bell", "Francis Chan", "Bill O'Reilly", "Dave Ramsey", etc. There's only one name meant to go in that spot)
   
4. Far too many Christians are living in fear of the wrong thing. As Erwin McManus (in Barbarian Way) states, "What we fear is what we're subject to; our fears define our master." I seek to fear ONE, and only ONE.
5. I've gotten too used to God.
   

Friday 5: Dates I'm looking forward to.

1. May 1-8: Janelle and I are heading to Florida to Celebrate Anniversary #10 on #9. Next year, the schedule just won't allow it.
   
2. May 10: Mother's Day. I have a cool one, and I'm married to a hot one.
   
3. May 24: Preaching on that Sunday morning. Honoring the Grads.
   
4. July 1-5: All my side of the family is spending some time together in Ludington. The 4th is awesome up there. The 4th is also my dad's Birthday.
   
5. July 10-14: Senior High Summer Camp. BRACE YOURSELF. It's gonna be awesome!
   

Friday 5: Thoughts on Jay Cutler Trade

The Denver Broncos traded QB Jay Cutler to the Chicago Bears for 2 First round draft picks and Kyle Orton. I'm a Colts fan through and through. I enjoy seeing the Bears succeed, yet I also greatly enjoy seeing Bears fans emotionally crushed... quite paradoxical and very unpastorly of me, I know.

So here are 5 somewhat paradoxical thoughts on the Jay Cutler trade:

1. Considering the Bears history with QBs, this could honestly already be the best QB they've ever had without him playing a single down. Kyle Orton looked really good last year and I have a feeling he will do well in Denver... I think he'll have a better statistical season than Jay Cutler.
   
2. Two first round draft picks is a lot for any stud. I'd say it's absolutely ridiculous for any team to do as you are killing yourself for the future. Consider the Bears 1st round draft history, and this is the most brilliant thing they've ever done. (note: Matt Forte was a 2nd round pick last year).
3. Cutler is an elite stud QB. He's exactly what many Bears fans have been dreaming about for years. The Bears love the non-prima donna, bring your lunch to work, no-nonsense guy. Cutler shows signs quite the opposite. The one player from the past who went against this mold is Jim McMahon. Is Cutler a McMahon?
4. Cutler's has a gun for an arm. The passing game should take a huge step up. Who's he going to throw too? Can Devin Hester catch the ball? His best receiver is his Running Back.
5. Cutler has diabetes. I really want him to succeed as a fellow diabetic. Cutler has shown signs of a whiny pathetic attitude. I really want him to flounder to show that charicter counts.
   

Friday 5: The Weekend

5 Things I'm excited about for this weekend:

1. Baby Resale: My friends over at Wakarusa Missionary Church have an awesome event they put together. Janelle volunteered this year and gets to head out tonight to do some shopping at it before everyone else does tomorrow!

2. Understanding Today's Youth Culture: Walt's here. The room is set and ready. We have around 240 parents, youth workers, teachers, and grandparents coming in to discuss and learn together.

3. The In-laws: Nana Pat and Papaw Dave (as Katylynn is learning to call them) are coming to town to watch our daughter while we're at the Mueller Conference. We'll head out to eat dinner with them tomorrow night.

4. Sunday a.m.: This Sunday, several friends connected to the Abandoned Baby Center in Kenya will be here for our worship services. Also present will be to of the adopted babies from the Center. It's going to be a celebration!

5. Tribulation Time: Sunday Night Pastor Dave will continuing the Sunday Night Bible Study we are doing on Revelation: "The End of the Beginning". He'll be focusing in on the Tribulation. I just hope I don't miss my car ride and get "Left Behind".

Friday 5: Quotable Students

Statements made to me by students in the past week.

1. Are there going to be notes handed out, or should I bring my own notebook?
   -A text received Sunday before the On-Fire Rallies from a student. I love the hunger to learn in that statement!
2. When you sent me that card saying you wanted me to go to PhillyGO, did you really pray about that and feel like God told you I should go?
   -Freshman guy I'm specifically encouraging to consider this Summer's evangelism training trip. I love the accountability in that statement.
3. Sorry to bug you, but could you pray for me? I feel like I'm supposed to be a youth pastor and I'm just not sure what to do with it.
   -Text from Junior guy who is leaning into his post-high school path. I was saddened that I may have given him the impression that this type of request would "bug" me, but I love the mystery and intrigue in the text and following conversations that have happened.
4. I think I've realized what the root lie is that I've bought into.
   -A college student who has been battling through depression and spiritual attack. A huge step!
5. hey I just wanted to let ya know that I'm still praying and thinking about ya.
   -Message sent through facebook by a college student who lost a father. It really meant a lot.