Fun day with my boys

I take Thursdays off and try to spend most of it with my two Boys (Nathaniel and Daniel). We got a chance to hit Thomas Park today and it was a great day.

Middle School/Jr Hi Pastor summit - gathering

As I start thinking through the summit I'm gathering information from a number of resources. Since the complete notes (edited) have been put together by Ryan and Marko I'll just let their blogs be my starting area. I'm also going to look over a number of notes that I took and check out Kurt, Joshua (even though he was able to go he has some thoughts I like), and Phillip's blog for other thoughts as they post them. I think that is everything that I know of - if you were a part of this summit please post comments you had as I'm just trying to gather information.

Middle School/Jr Hi Pastor summit - WOW!

I don't even know where to begin to share about the awesome summit I had the privilege to be on the first of this week. To hang out with 44 other middle school/jr hi guys&gals who do what I do full time was incredible. Marko, Kurt, and Eric were excellent host and the place we sated at was wonderful. I'll be posting some of my thoughts and ideas this next week. Again Wow! what a summit! I'll also be adding some new blogs on my links that would be wonderful resources.

Book Report – Why do they act that way?

This is another great book for parents and anyone who works with middle school kids. Though David Walsh seemed to write about adolescents as a whole - “Why Do They Act That Way?” seems to be even more important for those of us who are with Middle School youth.

I came away with two great thoughts and one caution from this book.

The caution is that thou the research is great and the live experiences that Dr. Walsh talks about are wonderful to read about they don’t come from a Biblical base. If anyone choices to read this book and think they are reading a Biblical view point of interacting with adolescent won’t find that.

The first great thought is DR. Walsh’s statement, “neurons that fire together wire together.” Dr. Walsh shares a lot of data about the adolescent brain. That as the brain develops the neurons in the brain get chances to fire but if they don’t fire then they don’t stay around long and the brain “prunes” the neurons that don’t fire. This has huge implication for those of us who have middle school kids in our lives. We have the opportunity to influence what neurons fire and wire together. If we expose kids to God’s truth through relationships it will go a long ways in the kids’ lives - It will last for rest of their lives.

The second great thought was the importance of other adults in an adolescents life. “The key is to involve other adults in your kids’ lives early on that the relationship is there when they hit adolescence.” I’ve always been a huge believer that middle school kids start to push away from parents during their adolescence years but they are equally trying to pull other adults into their lives. This again shows how important middle school ministry is. We give to the parents the chance to have other likeminded adults helping them with their kids. I want to always be a blessing to parents and this is one way that our ministry really is.

If you are cautions when you read this book you will find some great gems throughout it. The gems in here can influence almost every way that we interact with middle school kids. Go read it.

Prayers this month - August 07

This months prayers are from my study and reading of Acts. I found it very interesting that I prayed alot about being humble and not focusing on me. I really needed to read that again.

(personal note: once I get my pocket PC working right I will be taking these prayers with me for my daily prayer times. I want to soak in them more).

Lord, my I always remember (even when I'm alone) that you are always with me not matter what - thank you for forgiving me.

Lord, help me to win souls to you by developing real and trust worthy relationship w/those who don't know you.

Lord, if it be your will use me to unite people under you.

Lord, I want to come to you with all of me, may I be like Peter and willing to stand up to anything the world would throw at me.

Lord, may my life shine for you so much that people around me only can see you and not me.

Lord, I want to be like Stephen so that I might shine and only have eyes for You - Help me Lord, PLS!

Lord, work in my life to love people where they are no matter what, help me to see You in their eyes.

Lord, my I be like Barnabas in how he made himself your savant. Open my eyes to see you everywhere I go.

Lord, I want to be your instrument in sharing your truth through words and deeds. Don't let me get caught up with who does the sharing.

Lord keep me humble before you, my I be nothing and may you be everything.

Lord, may my life show no favoritism to anyone, but let it be open and gracious to anyone You bring into my life.

Lord, my I be a willing servant to follow you no matter what.

Lord I need to understand the sacrifice you call us to make better. You want me to take care of my #1 ministry - my family, but yet I see time and time again in scripture where family is sacrificed for you. Help me understand, use me to the fullest, may there be nothing left of Mark Eades on this earth when my time is done.

Lord may I be like Priscilla and Aquila to the middle school students, their parents, and sponsors. To share your truth as best I can. May I also be like Apollos and be ready to receive training and direction from those who you have equipped in areas I'm not equipped yet.

Lord, help me to be as bold and humble as Paul so that I might be a tool in your hands to bring you maximum glory.

Lord, help me to have the confidence of Paul. To be comfortable with knowing that my life will always be difficult but difficult for you is way better then comfortable without.

Lord, my I be slapped for you because I was serving you. I don't ask this to make me anything but a humble servant for you. May you get maximum glory and may I be only know as yours.

Lord, as a leader for you, I ask that you stay the focus of my life only. May I be a tool in your hand to make a difference in people's lives - that difference is You not me.

Lord, may I be as bold, humble, and wise to share your truth to whoever you place before me. I want to be your tool.

Lord, open my eyes to see how I might humbly share your truth with those around me.

Lord, may my door be always open and my I never stop learning more about you so I might "explain everything about Jesus" to my best ability.

The adventures of podcasting #1

Well we've done it. I've dragged Mark Forstrom (our sr hi guy) and our youth intern (Thomas Burris) with me to do our first podcast together. I enjoy a few podcasts - simpy youth ministry podcast, Kurt Johnston's podcast, and our own New Covenant podcast for our Sunday message. I thought it would be a great idea to share with anyone who might be interested in hearing us share about youth ministry and having a healthy relationship in that ministry to be productive in it. So if you are interested have a listen at MarkX2 podcast. Any ideas and thoughts you might have would be more than welcomed. Enjoy!

Book Report – blue like jazz by donald miller

I don’t know who it was that recommended this book to me. I think it was Pastor Mark Forstrom but it could have been Pastor Tye Male all I know is it surprised me how much I related to it. I usually highlight and underline different parts of a book as I read it. I even will write “blog” beside some of my underlines to remind me latter to share my thoughts about what I read. But I really couldn’t do that in Donald Miller’s book “Blue Like Jazz” because it just didn’t feel like a book you should underline. I just enjoyed the whole book and wanted to think about the whole of the book instead of it’s different parts.

Donald (or Don as he writes in his book) talked a lot about his transformation from being an independent, self focused Christian to an other’s first Christian. He really lived this idea by being a part of places that were describe by some Christian’s as Hades. “They say the students at Reed (College) are pagans, heathens in the heart,” was how he describe a college he went to for some time. Yet when he was in these places he grew in his relationship with God more than any of his fundamental Christian up bringing he had as a child and youth.

He also talked about community and I found that the most interesting. I live in the wonderful city of Cedar Rapids, IA and I am in love with this community. I think it strange but also unique that we celebrate 5 seasons and that we have the Quaker oats plant that smells almost every time you drive by it (you can almost tell what type of cereal they are making by the smell). Don’s thoughts about community reinforces in my mind what I really thought was true. I love where God has placed me and I love Him even more because of this.

If you are a fundamentalist you really don’t want to read this book. I would have hated it 5 years ago but know I can agree with one of the descriptions on the back of the book. “’Blue Like Jazz’ is a fresh and original perspective on life, love, and redemption.” Read it!